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Dean's Welcome
Welcome to the College of Education at the University of Nevada Reno!
The mission of our College is to earnestly embrace and encourage innovation, address essential needs of the state and nation, problem-solve issues of practice, and seek funding to build momentum for our best work in an entrepreneurial spirit. To be effective and efficient, we partner with national programs and receive prestigious grants to implement innovative endeavors including NevadaTeach, Nevada's Collaborative Investment in Teaching Excellence (N-CITE), Project ReCharge, Northern Nevada English Learning Initiative, and many more.
We also take accountability for student success very seriously. The hallmark of excellence is a relentless focus on analyzing one's results and figuring out how to get better. We ask of ourselves the same accountability that we ask of our students. We consistently hold ourselves to the quality standards upheld by other top national universities, such as our fellow members in Deans for Impact. Through a data-based continuous improvement system, through public reports on our results and through regular accreditation visits, we hold ourselves accountable to our students, graduates, and the public.
According to U.S. News and World Rankings, we are among the top 9% best education schools in the nation. In addition, our student body continues to grow; in the past year, our undergraduate student body has increased 20%, our master's students up 10%, and our doctoral students up 25%. These statistics no doubt reflect our unwavering commitment to guide and mentor high-quality professionals to meet the most critical needs of the community, state, and region.
Furthermore, we are proud of the numerous and various teaching, service and research activities that take place here. Our faculty have received accolades and honors too numerous to mention here. While most colleges of education have scuttled their direct service mission years ago, we at UNR's College of Education are going strong. For example, we operate one of the top 10 Head Start programs in the country, serving over 200 children, we deliver an experimental grades 1-3 classroom every year in cooperation with our local school district, and we annually tutor over 300 grade school age struggling readers. Most of this activity occurs in our College of Education building, providing a dynamic atmosphere for teaching and research and perhaps most importantly, reminding us daily of why we are here. Our online course offerings and programs bring the College to the student, wherever he or she may be. And in this regard, we are a leader in the region.
Again, welcome to the UNR College of Education. I invite you to join us on an incredible educational journey.
Kenneth Coll, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Education


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Fresh off a global tour with Lauryn Hill, we are pleased to welcome the Igmar Thomas Trio aka. iT3 at Chappaqua Station.
As one of New York's most celebrated musicians, bandleaders, composers and arrangers, Igmar Thomas has toured and collaborated with Lauryn Hill, Esperanza Spalding, Mos Def, Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Lionel Hampton, Gregory Porter and many others. Trained at Berklee's College of Music in Boston, Igmar's passion for finding exceptional talent, coupled with his ability to create innovative and imaginative sounds has taken him to the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Centre, Apollo Theatre and The House of Blues.
Tickets are available by clicking here or by using this link: https://jazzatchappaquastation.eventbrite.com

subset: commoncrawl


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It's over 50 books. Sometimes I wonder about my life work, other times I know it was not really a choice, it was what I had to do. In a month an artist rep is taking some of my work to a trade show in New York. This feels like a nice validation after years of work. I wonder what will happen? and I also wonder why do I need that thing that happens to feel like I have accomplished something?
I'll let you know.
If you are an artist, you have to learn to live in this tension. You have to keep releasing your work into the world, and it has to be good. If it's excellent, and nobody sees it, it doesn't count. If it's on display for the world to see, but ordinary, it's irrelevant.
The path to compelling work lies somewhere in between the two extremes of genius-but-invisible and ordinary-but-in-your face. Only the artist knows the true balance; only she can find the harmony. This is the person with the taste and passion to make meaningful work. She's the ones with enough gumption to create change."
--Jeff Goins


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Beth and Geoff reminded us of a 1940s Howard Hawkes movie couple. A beautiful, witty starlet meets a dashing, chivalrous bachelor for a night of unforgettable romance, laughter, and one hell of a happy ending. We were so thrilled to team up with Kelly and Paige of Bash, Please as well as Steve, aka Son of Shark Pig, who contributed their incredible vision and talents to the day. Way way way way too much fun was had.
Peruse below for a handful of our favorites and visit Style Me Pretty for more photos and details about the day!


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2411 Main Street, Lake Placid, NY 12946
518.523.4640 / Fax: 518.523.4224
Include Me
About Us
Contact Us
Forest Ledge on Gorgeous 10-Mile Tupper Lake
A spectacular lake front location of 20 gated contiguous acres on Big Tupper Lake. The overall density of development on the lake is lower than any of the others in the Tri-Lakes, guaranteeing a peaceful existence on a pristine 10-mile lake. The property has 850 feet of waterfront complimented by a 3 slip boathouse with deck, a beach and deep waterfront. The 10,000 sq. ft. lodge built in elegant rustic style takes in dramatic views of open lake and enjoys extended daylight with western exposure. The post and beam Great Hall has bookend stone fireplaces and is adorned with numerous patio doors and diamond paned windows. The bedrooms sleep 16, and the baths are all A grade finishes. This chefs kitchen has a full Viking suite, vaulted ceiling, double wide island and opens onto an enormous screened-in porch. Whether you're seeking a respite for a couple or generations of family and friends this property is equipped to the maximum for your enjoyment. There is no detail left to tend to. The high end furnishings as well as Cobalt boat and water sports equipment are included.
Martha Day Realty Inc
2411 Main Street / Lake Placid, NY 12946
518.523.4640 / Fax: 518.523.4224
Email Us:
© Copyright Martha Day Realty Inc. The Leader in Waterfront


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A Word From the Owner of Key Lime Sailing Club (Key Largo, Florida)
Captain Paul and Key Lime Sailing Club are one of our oldest and most loyal SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSORS!
So, here's the deal. If you rent a room at Key Lime Sailing Club, it comes complete with your own 22′ Catalina sailcraft. How's that for a deal!
This is a great Place, As the Owner and on site manager for 11 years, I personally make sure each of my guests has the best vacation the Florida Keys has to offer, With its great Weather and setting around the beach getting some sun, Kayaking, Fishing, Snorkeling, swimming in the warm waters of the Florida bay, or Sailing off to see the Florida Everglades and the 100's of Islands that make it up our Shoal Draft 22′ Catalina sailboat will get you there and Safely back to port to see one of the nicest sunsets in the keys. I am sure if you try us, you will be back again & again'¦'¦'¦.Check out our Site'¦..[Click sponsorship icon at above left to access the Key Lime Sailing Club website!]
'¦'¦.. We are Easy to Reach But Hard to Forget'¦'¦..
Thank You


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One of mine was to have an emergency kit ready. I already had one but was reminded on Christmas Day that my kit was not up to date when we had a TORNADO ALERT! This was a first for me because I am used to hurricane alerts but never before did we have a tornado watch.
Right on Christmas day, I was setting the table for lunch when I heard a loud BEEP: the familiar weather emergency signal from my phone. And flashing on my cell phone was the following message:
Can you imagine the panic I felt? I suddenly realized I did not have a small diaper bag ready to bring with me. I always have a little carry-on luggage ready for emergency evacuation in case of a hurricane watch but for a tornado, the shelter is very close-by and tiny so we could not bring a luggage that big with us. So I scrambled as quickly as possible to get a milk bottle, some diapers and wipes and grabbed my baby and my boy to said shelter.
Thank goodness we did not get hit by any tornado but others in the city were not so lucky and people even died. It just reminded me of how deadly and swift tornadoes can be. But after that day I thought about updating my evacuation kit to include items for my newborn daughter.
Do you live in a region prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, or other natural disasters which would require you to evacuate? Do you have an evacuation kit? Do you know what to put in that evacuation kit?
The National Weather Service has a website with a special section for Hurricane Preparedness.
It shows you a ton of important information like how to build a Basic Disaster Supplies Kit.
There is even a section for kids with fun games to teach them how to get prepared.
Go check it out! :)


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Hacienda Sports Bar & Grill
From the kitchen to grills and pizzeria enjoy tasty meals with family, friends, and colleagues.
Hold any outdoor events in our garden that can hold approximately 300 people.
Fulfill your Sports dream. With twoState of the art sports bars, Hacienda is the place to be.
Hacienda Resort boasts of Spacious and comfortable meeting rooms.
Sit down, relax and enjoy the fresh air as you have your meals and drinks in our Gazebos
Fulfill your sports dream.With two state of the art sports bars, Hacienda is the place to be.


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With the Melbourne over-30 degrees weather set to continue and expected to go higher next week, it's a good time to make ice cream just to open the freezer door for a breeze of cool air. This no-churn ice cream is still on my to-do list, but hey, might as well use some seasonal peaches or nectarines before they're gone. Alice Medrich calls this an ice cream, but it tasted more like a creamy, tangy frozen yogurt to us.
Keep cool!
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Sour nectarine ice cream makes around 500ml
adapted from Alice Medrich's peaches 'n' sour cream ice cream in Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts; available online over here
According to Wikipedia, peaches and nectarines are essentially the same fruit except for their skin, so neither one of them will do. The nectarines I used were kinda firm, but use soft and squishy ripe ones for a sweeter taste. I also reduced a lot of the sugar, so increase it for a less tart taste.
3 yellow nectarines
juice and zest of half a lemon
300ml sour cream
45g caster sugar
Peel and slice the nectarines and puree with lemon juice and zest in a food processor. Add sour cream and sugar and blitz until smooth. Transfer mixture into a shallow tray and freeze.
As the mixture starts to freeze around the edges, blitz in a food processor and freeze. Repeat 3-4 times for a creamier ice cream. It will take a while, but totally worth the effort. For the final blitz, the texture should resemble something like softened ice cream. Transfer mixture into a taller container and freeze until firm enough to scoop.


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Hardly anyone noticed young Sally McCabe.
She was the smallest girl in the smallest grade.
She was the smallest girl in the smallest grade.
THE SMALLEST GIRL will resonate with anyone who has felt ignored. Day after day tiny Sally McCabe surveys the schoolyard without a single person seeing her. Little do they know that Sally possess special powers—not the standard type of super powers, but the powers of observation and compassion. She goes unnoticed until the day she raises her voice in the lunchroom: "I'm tired of seeing this terrible stuff. Stop hurting each other! This is enough!"
The message of the book is front and center. Roberts's rhyme adds some bounce, and Robinson's simple colorful shapes and faces add humor and a sophisticated sense of style.
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published September 2014 by Putnam Juvenile


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OWL PELLETS! Okay, I'm skeeved by everything. I don't let my students tell me when they have loose teeth because I know that leads to them showing me.
But when I was in college and did owl pellets during a science training, I thought it was SO cool! It was kind of cathartic, trying to carefully remove the bones from the pellet and piece them together to see what kind of animal was the victim! [But I also find cutting out lamination cathartic. So, I won't blame you if you don't believe me!]
So if you are a third grade teacher and do the FOSS kits, you know what I'm talking about. I mean, the owl pellets are
But it's fun.
And its in the kit.
So I do it! Last year [my first year teaching the kit], I found some neat "extras" that integrate technology into all that is owl pellets! Have you ever watched this show?
Dirty Jobs w/ Mike Rowe?
Yeah, me either. I'm easily grossed out, remember! But, when I was searching, I found out they had an Owl Pellet Collector episode! It's gross, they talk a little bit about poo, and they say the word puke. But it is awesome how relevent this makes our activity. It's a job! Not a typical job, but a job! Click the picture above for the 6ish minute video! [I think blogger is letting me link pictures now.]
Another one is the virtual owl pellet!
You click on it to "take it apart!" Great for use on the Smartboard, and it definitely gives the students a better idea of what they are about to do. Doing this before hand is better than going in blind for the kids!
So it was another successful year of the owl pellet for my class. Now I get to teach it one more time for the other class that I teach science for.
Do any of my followers LIVE for math and science and find literacy more difficult to teach? I feel like I'm aloneeeee.
One more quick thing before I go. More giveaways! Like I said, I was off the giveaway train for a while, but I recently won something! I won MyMemories software from Tiffany at
To be honest, I've tried to mess around with the software and IDONTGETIT. I downloaded and installed free backgrounds but can't get to them in the software. Yeah, so I quit messing around with it for the night. I'll try again soon. Any help would be appreciated!
Three more awesome giveaways going on!
Sunny is giving away stamps! They are so cute! Click HERE to check it out and enter!
Ms. Solano is celebrating an important birthday with Erin Condren giftcards. SO generous of her to share the birthday love with her followers!
Hope @ Second Grade Shenanigans is giving away LOTS of credits to her TPT store. She is one of the first blogs I started to follow! And....um, and her store is SO cute! I hope I win I hope I win I hope I win!


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When Not Knowing It All is Great!
I spent twenty years getting a formal education. I received a high school diploma, an associate's degree and my bachelor's. After being in the work world for many years I returned to earn a master's degree in management/leadership. It was a three year, forty-eight credit hour executive program which meant I was required to have a certain number of years' experience in supervisory, management and executive positions to be considered for admissions.
It's been twenty-two years since I received my graduate degree. Before my master's degree, and after, my work history included running for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. I was privileged to manage, recruit and train large staffs and allocate large budgets. I wrote and implemented several long-term strategic and marketing plans. I hired and released many people during my professional tenure. As CEO and COO I was the spokesperson, the leader, the face of the organization, and liaison to other organizations. Therefore, as the person at the top, the success or failure, while not completely on my shoulders alone, did finally rest with me.
I have an idea of how effective organizations work and the leadership skills necessary to guide them to success. And, while I readily admit I do not know everything about running every organization, I have learned much about what does and does not work. So, here are a few fundamental things I've learned. I share these with you as we watch our current political climate unfold because it is always responsible to remember WE THE 325 + Million PEOPLE of the United States are the major (stakeholders) in our country (organization).
Any successful endeavor, whether it is a personal or professional relationship, depends on clear, concise, thorough, frequent and direct communication. There can be no ambiguity, lying, taunting, false news stories, vilifying investigative reporting, bullying, egocentric posturing, or mixed messages in a successful organization. Without transparent, regular, respectful and honest communication there will be NO trust built among workers, stakeholders and constituents. Without trust there will be no success for the leadership. Eventually those who do not communicate effectively and honestly are deemed untrustworthy and are removed from the organization.
Each productive, respected and effective leader gains a majority buy-in of a mission, vision and strategic plan for the organization. A strategic plan is developed with care and great attention to detail. While an organization must remain flexible to move with the ebb and flow of unforeseen circumstances in achieving its goals, a sound and competent leader does not vacillate wildly on the direction of the organization. Organizations do not succeed, long-term, if the goals of leadership and those in positions of power fluctuate crazily or differ from the goals of the majority of shareholders (majority of citizens in our scenario).
Without seasoned and experienced employees in key positions, the drain on organizational resources (money, time, efficiency, strategy, opportunities, relationships, etc.) will be much greater than for a leader who hires the best qualified for a job. Effective leadership hires those with relevant and applicable experience for the position for which they are hired. Leaders know to establish cohesion and effectiveness within the organization there must be appropriate experience in positions of great importance. A real danger to overall organizations success is that those hired (appointed) without the necessary and applicable experience may have conflicts of interest between a personal agenda and the goals of the organization (citizens). Also, inexperience creates a learning curve situation, and naïveté may create challenges and controversies for the organization that experience and training could prevent.
Whether an organization is large or small, the person (people) at the top need to remain in touch with the masses who work for and are benefited by the organization. Listening to those from the lowest to highest levels is mandatory for decision-makers. Without a finger on the pulse of the people who make up an organization (majority of citizens) no leader will be effective or last any length of time. Eventually, organizational culture will disintegrate as a result of leadership disconnectedness. The organization will become stagnated and ineffective. One warning sign of stagnation is that the organization experiences internal conflict and stops producing positive and desired results.
Ethical, moral and legal impeccability begins at the top and is mirrored down the line. Unethical and illegal business dealings will eventually be the downfall of any dishonest organization as stakeholders (citizens) always demand the best behavior from those in positions of power over others. The bottom line is, we truly admire those who remain people of honorable character, no matter how big the bribe. And no corrupt organization can withstand the eventual backlash created by disgruntled stakeholders.
Overall, effective leaders are composed, balanced, honest, and exude an air of dependable, rational mental and physical decorum. Executive excellence is dependent on authentic, humble self-confidence, self-control, forethought, integrity, respect for differing points of view and a devotion to creating compromise. Only the world's autocrats, dictators and tyrants view those who disagree with them as enemies. True leaders welcome differing as an effective tool to the collaborative process. Effectual leadership knows cooperative dialogue and varying points of view results in the best solutions to challenges. Successful leaders know they do not know everything.


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Linda Groff is Professor, Political Science and Future Studies at California State University. She teaches, writes, consults, and give talks on various global, futures, intercultural, conflict resolution, peace, and spiritual topics. She is active in the World Future Society; World Future Studies Federation; Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research as well as the International Peace Research Association.
Tom Milburn is Mershon Professor of Psychology and Public Policy at the Ohio State University. As a psychologist, he has been interested in the study of conflict from different viewpoints for many years. He has books and articles in the areas of international influence processes, and mediation and peacekeeping of conflicts at different levels.
Sir Shridath Ramphal is Co-Chairman of the Commiission on Global Governance (with Ingvar Carlsson) and a member of the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict. He served as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth (1975 to 1990) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Justice of Guyana. Sir Ramphal also worked with the Brandt and Brundtland Commissions. In addition to the above and other important public posts, he is the author of many articles and books, including Our Country, The Planet.
Martin Rochester is Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He has written a number of books on international politics and international organizations, most recently Waiting for the Millennium: The United Nations and the Future of World Order (1993). His scholarly articles have appeared in such journals as International Organization, the Journal of Peace Research, International Studies Quarterly, and the American Political Science Review.
Paul Smoker is Lloyd Professor of Peace Studies and World Law at Antioch College. He has published more than 70 academic books and journal articles as well as many articles in popular magazines and newspapers. His research areas cover a range of topics, including arms races, peace theory, religion and peace, peace movements, alternative futures, and simulation of international relations and alternative futures.
Franke Wilmer is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Montana State University. Her first book, Indigenous Voice in World Politics: Since Time Immemorial, was published by Sage in 1993. She has published articles on topics related to critical indigenous issues, world society and international relations theory, and is currently conducting research on the psychocultural roots of conflict and violence in the former Yugoslavia.


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Product Description
This special, 2 Disc edition contains the delightful stop-motion animation series PLASMO as screened on the ABC and broadcast in 25 countries. The second disc has the original 1989 half hour pilot "Happy Hatchday To Plasmo"as well as a special bonus "The Making of Plasmo", a documentary made in 2006 showing rare behind the scenes footage of the actual production procedure of the series.
All programmes are in the original 4:3 broadcast format. Colour, PAL, plays all regions. Duration approx 118 minutes total.


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Codman Neuro develops a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic products for the treatment of neurological and neurovascular disorders, focusing on hydrocephalus, neuro-critical care, tumors, pain management, severe spasticity, aneurysms and cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
325 Paramount Drive
Raynham, MA 02767
Tel: (800) 225-0460
Open Map
Codman Neuro's three divisions offer comprehensive neuroscience solutions:
Minimally invasive solutions for stroke prevention and management, and the treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
Surgical devices for the treatment of brain tumors, hydrocephalus, and other neurological disorders requiring surgical intervention, including products to help patients needing critical care.
Making a meaningful difference for patients who suffer from severe spasticity, and the team of healthcare professionals who treat them.
To place an order with us, please call the Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Service Department at 800-255-2500.
You may also purchase Codman's products online using your HCS account number at the Global Healthcare Exchange or at JNJ Commerce.
Purchase orders may be addressed to:
Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Inc.
425 Hoes Lane
P.0. Box 6800
Piscataway, NJ 08855-6800
Attn: Customer Service
Quote requests may faxed to 508-828-3070 or addressed to:
Codman Neuro
325 Paramount Dr.
Raynham, MA 02767
Attn: Customer Service
Purchase orders that result from a quote should be sent to Codman Neuro at this same address or fax.
Contact our Repair Department at 800-343-5969 or by mail at:
Codman Neuro Repair Department
325 Paramount Drive
Raynham, MA 02767
Customers should contact the Codman Neuro Repair Department at 800-343-5969 for information on receiving loaner equipment. Loaners are only available for equipment, which is in the process of being repaired by the Codman Neuro Repair Dept. Equipment that is available for loan is listed below (we do not offer loans on general instrumentation).
|MALIS CMC-III Irrigation Module
|MALIS CMC-III Generator
|SYNERGY MALIS Precision Bipolar Coagulator
|ICP Express
Our effectiveness in the marketplace depends upon close contact with the surgical community we serve: surgeons, physicians, operating room nurses and managers, lab technicians, hospital administrators, and other healthcare professionals are routinely called on by the Company's field sales representatives and distributor sales representatives. In many ways, the Codman sales representative is "Codman" to our customers. These individuals receive extensive in-house and field training in all aspects of product knowledge, professional selling skills and customer needs. Codman relies on its sales representatives to provide that vital link between opportunity and a satisfied customer. Face-to-face selling is today and has been through the years the single most important means of providing ultimate customer service.
To provide programs to meet the many rapidly changing needs of our customers, Codman Neuro works with the Johnson & Johnson Hospital Services Company. Providing state-of-the-art technical support in product procurement, distributions, and accounts receivable programs, hospital customers are able to utilize one stop shopping/delivery through GATEWAY, the medical device online procurement system serving Johnson & Johnson companies. Additionally, Codman Neuro supports the corporate marketing programs of Johnson & Johnson Hospital Services with its largest national customers, the group hospital purchasing accounts.
As part of the DePuy Family of Companies within Johnson & Johnson, Codman Neuro associates take very seriously our responsibility to serve our communities.
Working with civic and governmental officials, Codman Neuro is an active partner in working for a better community. As a good corporate neighbor, our civic involvement includes support of local and national organizations that not only improve but even save people's lives. In addition, through humanitarian programs, our product donations benefit patients around the world.
Through volunteer activities in which many of our associates participate, financial contributions and matching grants, as well as product donations, Codman Neuro strives to be a good neighbor, a responsible corporate citizen and a leader in fulfilling our corporate social responsibilities.


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5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 (24 oz) jar tomato basil pasta sauce
1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice
1 C dry white wine or chicken broth
1/4 C water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp minced fresh basil
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 Lb fresh littleneck clams
1 Lb fresh mussels scrubbed and beards removed
1 Lb uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined
1 Lb bay scallops
1 (6 oz) fresh baby spinach
How to:
1. In a Dutch oven, saute garlic in oil until tender.
2. Add the pasta sauce, clam juice, wine, water and seasonings and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes
4. Add fresh clams, mussels and shrimp.
5. Bring to a boil
6. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in scallops and spinach
8. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until clams and mussels open, shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque.
9. Discard any slams or mussels that are unopened.
Serves 8
"Capt. Dick's Seafood & Southern Country Cooking," Capt. Dick May's newest cookbook, can be ordered at www.Amazon.com. Go to "Cookbooks," then to the "Food and Wine" category. Type in "Capt. Dick's Seafood & Southern Country Cooking" and click. A picture of the cookbook, price and information for ordering will be displayed.


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Opposite of porous word list. Here are a variety of words whose meaning is nearly the opposite of porous.
- compact
- imporous
Hope the above listing of antonyms for porous is useful. This page may interest people looking for the opposite of porous and porous opposite.Popular phrases for this post include, opposite of porous, opposiite of pourous, opposit of porous, oppsite to porus, porous opposite, What is the opposite of porous, whats the opposit of pourus.


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During L'oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival my two friends and I attened the Famous for Fashion Chapel Street Edition runway! It was such a fantastic night and there was plenty todo pre-show (hence the many photobooth prints!) I adored the inimitable layout of the runway! The designers that showed were: Alice McCall, Autonomy, cylk, FAT, Gorman, Jack London, ML Denim, SHAG, Shakuhachi & Stevie.
3 comments
ahhh i wish i were in Melbourne or Sydney during these fashion week events nothing really happens in Adelaide :( which is a shame. The event looked really fun and i love the shots of the runway!ReplyDelete
Such a cool collection!ReplyDelete
xoxo Akinyi
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Late last year a film project came rolling out called The 13th Apostle with John Carpenter's name attached to it as director from the very beginning. Though he told Fangoria back in October that the film was on hold, it seems some movement has been made recently that may mean the movie is about to become a reality.
A reader named simply "Tump" dropped Dread Central a line with the heads-up that over on the German site Blair Witch.de, news just came in that Concorde Films has picked up the rights to The 13th Apostle for the country, a good sign that the project still has some life left in it. The site for Inferno Distribution, who was originally announced as distributors for the project, still has it listed as "in development" as well, and a recent bit in Variety announcing the film version of the manga Wicked City makes mention that Stallion Films, attached as one of the production companies on both, is still working on it too.
While none of this is solid proof of the film actually happening, it does point to potential good news regarding Carpenter getting behind the camera again for his first feature since Ghosts of Mars. As you may remember, Carpenters set to direct his next Masters of Horror episode, "Pro Life", within the next few weeks, working from a script by "Cigarette Burns" writers Scott Swan and Drew McWeeny. Click here to read the official synopsis for the episode.


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Medium Duty Polythene Bag - 10x12in - 250x300mm - 250 Gauge (62.5 Micron)
These bags are made from a high...Read More
These bags are made from a high strength, linear low density polythene blend, suitable for food use and ideal for the storage and protection of products.
These bags have a high clarity finish and can be sealed using a heat sealer.
Spend over £500 per month on packaging? Click here for extra benefits
Internal Dimensions
Min 60mm Max 1200mm
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Epidemik Coalition in NYC
About 12 days ago, Georgios and I were approached with the challenge and opportunity to finish the majority of our design school portfolios in order to bring them up to NYC for the Art Directors Club Student Portfolio Review. Although we spent many nights of the past few weeks scrambling to get things done, we were rewarded with overwhelming responses from many companies in the NY area.
Click the links below to see Georgios and yours truely at the event & afterwards:
Portfolio Review
In Brooklyn
Sing Sing
One of the highlights of this visit happened about an hour after I got to the city on Cinco de Mayo. I met up with a few friends of mine on the patio of a random mexican restaurant I've never been to before. I looked up and saw an EC Angelica Sticker above my head. It was nice to be welcomed back to the city by a familiar Angelica.
I spotted these jellys next to the G-Star store in SoHo. Awesome.


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A Chinese ship searching for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 reportedly heard a "pulse signal" Saturday in the southern Indian Ocean.
According to China's official state news agency Xinhua, a black box detector deployed by the ship, Haixun 01, picked up signals at the same frequency as those of a flight data recorder.
Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, head of the joint agency coordinating the operation, said in a statement the characteristics reported by the Chinese vessel are consistent with the aircraft's black box. However, he cautioned there was no confirmation the signals are related to MH370.
"I have been advised that a series of sounds have been detected by a Chinese ship in the search area. The characteristics reported are consistent with the aircraft black box," he said.
John Goglia, a former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board member, told the Associated Press the report was "exciting," but added, "there is an awful lot of noise in the ocean."
"One ship, one ping doesn't make a success story," he said. "It will have to be explored. I guarantee you there are other resources being moved into the area to see if it can be verified."
The report comes at a critical time in the search, as the battery of the plane's flight recorders is likely to run out soon, perhaps even this weekend.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the detection range of the signal emitted from the missing plane's flight recorders is about one nautical mile.
A number of white objects were reportedly sighted on the surface about 90 km from the detection area, but were also not confirmed to be related to the aircraft's disappearance.
Up to 13 planes and 11 ships are scouring the ocean for the missing aircraft on Saturday.


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Wikipedia gives a short history of the Moanalua valley. "Samuel Mills Damon inherited the ahupuaʻa (uplands-to-sea tract) of Moanalua in 1884 from Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, whose husband Charles Reed Bishop was a business partner of Damon. Before her, since the lands were won in battle by Kamehameha I they passed from Kameʻeiamoku to Ulumāheihei Hoapili, then to Prince Lot Lot Kapuāiwa (who became King Kamehameha V), and Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani. Damon later became one of the first trustees of the Kamehameha Schools established by the Bishops. The Damon estate sold much of Moanalua to commercial and residential developers in 1956." Formerly part of Samuel Mills Damon estate, the trail follows the old estate carriage road up the valley from the Moanalua Valley park.
With cousin Rob as my guide we hiked up the cobbles of the old carriage road the requisite seven crossings of the stream and there on the right under the mango tree just as described was the petroglyph boulder Pohaku Ka Luahine. Earlier records credit this boulder with twenty one anthropomorphic figures as well as a 90-point konane game board (James 2010:49). Unfortunately it has received a certain amount of vandalism and appears to have suffered from weathering erosion as well. A few traditional style Hawaiian figures are visible on the sides of the stone. I could not really see the grid of pits of the konane game board supposedly pecked into the top. This is a checkers-like game played with black and white pebbles by Hawaiians and examples have been found with one hundred and more pits pecked into boulders. Given the dim light under the jungle canopy there were few options for visual clues from side-lighting, the surface of the boulder appears fairly uniform, and much of what can be seen did not come through on photos.
It was certainly a lovely hike through the jungle though, well worth it for the exercise alone, and to also see the rock art made it a really special afternoon.
James, Van
2010 Ancient Sites of Oahu: Revised Edition, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.


text: Dmitry Timoshkov: If I understand the philosophy of Wine correctly, it is to provide an alternative to the Microsoft implementation of the platform. The criteria for success is that applications written to run on the current Microsoft platform can run on Wine. To that end mandatory support for the Windows 9X and other older versions was removed from the patch acceptance test procedure. The test procedures were also to be simplified when a change touched on one of the special cases where the special provisions for older versions was part of a test. However, certain things were not to be done: The ABILITY to test under older versions is to be retained. Such testing is no longer required, but the tests are supposed to be available on request. Simply removing support for older versions in tests is not sufficient reason for changing a test. Something else about the test has to change before there is justification of stripping out special case code. Gratuitous removal of support for older versions in the actual Wine code is not acceptable. There has to be a reason for breaking support of older applications. We are NOT trying to support Microsoft's effort to force their customers to upgrade to new versions of Microsoft's products. In fact, my understanding is that Wine is intended to provide an 'as good as or better' alternative to Microsoft. Efforts to improve Wine's ability to support current applications is very important, but supporting older applications is also useful. Max


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Choosing a business smartphone
In our quick lifestyle it becomes more and more important to work from everywhere. Smartphones allow us to stay in touch and be online 24/7. With such a wide variety of modern phones, it can be difficult to choose the best smartphone for work, which will meet all your needs. Below are some considerations intended to help you find a real working tool.
Wireless Carrier
The basic function of any phone is making calls. So, first of all, think about a reliable wireless carrier. The main aspects that should be taken into account here are coverage, customer service and price. Proper cellular coverage is necessary for good mobile connection both in your location and the areas you are going to visit. Check coverage maps of several providers and look through user feedbacks. The latter also can be used for finding a provider with decent customer support service. Talking about costs, they are generally similar within the main providers. Just choose a tariff plan which suits your demands.
Company support
The second step is finding a smartphone supported by your employer's IT department. Company support comes in handy when you need some remote setup or have troubles with company-provided resources. If you are searching for a smartphone mostly for work and connecting company resources like Microsoft Exchange Server, then stick to Windows Mobile and Blackberry platforms. Those operating systems offer the best enterprise support and business features.
Talking about mobile operating systems, there are fans of each of them. Still, some OS are more business-oriented while the others aren't. The most common phone OS are iOS, Android, Windows
Mobile and Blackberry.
iOS is produced by Apple company and comes with iPhones, iPads and iPods. It is featured by high speed of system work and a whole load of applications. Moreover, the iPhone has become a symbol of success and style. So, if you are interested in buying an Apple device, compare iPhone pricesin your region.
Android, made by Google, is the second popular mobile OS. Its main difference from the rest of the operating systems is that it comes with different smartphone brands. Besides wide choice that make them totally affordable, Android phones are fully customized and provide a good app store.
Windows Mobile is a business system, because it supports many computer options such as Microsoft Office and cloud storages.
Blackberry OS has great backup, restore and emailing capabilities. Though having a short choice of apps, it is really good for remote working.
Hardware features which may turn to be vital in your working process are high voice quality and a handy keyboard. Almost any business requires much telephone talk. In this case your mic and dynamic should enable you to hear and be heard clearly. For people whose job includes working with documents, a physical keyboard may be a solution. And this demand narrows the choice to the phones like Motorola Droid 2. If you work is just like this, check out Moto prices online and compare the features.


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While small in area (1,278 acres), El Morro National Monument offers visitors a chance to encounter a variety of flora and fauna, as well as an array of geological and astronomical wonders.
A variety of plant and animal life can be found at the monument, including many rare or unexpected living treasures.. The bluff itself is primarily Zuni Sandstone, and was part of an ancient sand dune field that covered most of the Four Corners area millions of years ago. It is capped by a darker sandstone layer called Dakota Sandstone. In addition to the geologic makeup of El Morro, the soil in the monument is often composed of a living, fragile soil crust known as cryptobiotic soil.
Cliffs, woodlands, and meadows shelter a diversity of life here. More->
Nearly 400 species of plants are found at El Morro. More->
Environmental Factors
Our dynamic climate, clean air, and dark night skies can't be overlooked. More->
Natural Features & Ecosystems
Geology, soils, and natural features help define the natural setting of the monument. More->
Last updated: February 24, 2015


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April 12th, 2016
Reed: Spieth
The golf world is just now beginning to come to terms with Jordan Spieth's historic meltdown Sunday in the Masters. Surely even the monks in Tibet know the story by now. Leading by five with nine holes to play, Superman turned into Clark Kent.
Back-to-back bogeys on No. 10 and No. 11 were only previews of coming attractions. On the par-3 12th, the signature hole at Augusta, Spieth splashed two balls into Rae's Creek and was lucky to stagger away with a quadruple-bogey 7, the first of his still-young pro career.
That put somebody named Danny Willett into the lead, and he managed to get home without messing up to claim the green jacket. In what was surely one of the most awkward moments in sports history, Spieth, as the defending Masters champ, had to help Willett put on the green jacket.
So what happened?
Spieth said that after the back-to-back bogeys, he got fast with his tempo instead of taking a deep breath. A few years ago, Jack Nicklaus addressed this very issue.
"It's just harder to work on your rhythm and tempo when you have the lead," he said. "The pressure is on you to continue to play well. Going into the last round with a six-shot lead, you may not like the feeling in your stomach. That's the way nerves work on people."
Since Nicklaus won a record 18 majors and was runner-up 19 other times, Spieth would do well to commit that bit of wisdom to memory. Nerves and the mind are about 90 percent of the game at golf's highest levels.
At least nobody at Augusta National called Spieth a choker. To his face, at least. As he completed his round and hustled off the 18th green, the gallery gave him a rousing and heartfelt ovation.
Only in golf, particularly at the Masters, is it like that. If Spieth were an NFL place-kicker who had blown a game-winning field-goal attempt, he would have been called choker and worse. It's the same for a relief pitcher who blows a save or a basketball player who misses clutch free throws.
But golf in general, and Augusta National in particular, are the last bastions of civility and sportsmanship in a world growing increasingly ugly. I liked that as much as I like the way Spieth handled himself with the media. No excuses, no whining. He took responsibility.
Perhaps because golf is an individual sport where players have nowhere to run or hide, we tend to remember and revere players almost as much for their failures as their successes.
Golf fans love Phil Mickelson as much for all his near-misses in the U.S. Open as for his victories in the other three majors. It was the same for Sam Snead, who never won the Open. His best chance came in 1939 at the Philadelphia Country Club, where he needed only a par 5 to win but instead blew up to an 8.
Every golf fan has his or her favorite blowup story.
In the 1966 Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Arnold Palmer had a seven-shot lead with nine holes remaining. But instead of going conservative, Palmer decided to go for the Open record by remaining true to his trademark aggressive style.
All that got him was a 4-over-par score on the back nine that put him in a playoff, which Billy Casper won. Maybe that disheartened Palmer, and maybe it didn't, but he never again won a major championship.
And then there was the 1978 PGA Championship at Oakmont near Pittsburgh, when Tom Watson blew a five-shot lead on the final nine, putting him in a playoff with John Mahaffey and Jerry Pate. Mahaffey won the playoff and Watson never won the PGA.
Perhaps no golfer in history got less from his talent than Greg Norman. He captured only two majors, the British Open in 1986 and '93, but had fantastic chances in scores of others. In 1986, he invented what came to be called the "Norman Slam." He had the lead after 54 holes of every major but could close the deal only in the British Open.
Norman's last historic collapse came in the 1996 Masters, where he blew a six-shot lead on the final day, opening the way for Nick Faldo.
At this point, I'm sure the bad memories are too fresh and the wounds to his ego too raw for Spieth to take consolation in the fact that he's hardly the first player to blow a major. That realization will come with time and a victory in another major, the sooner the better.
And there will be other majors for Spieth. Lots of them. If he's the kind of guy he seems to be, I think his meltdown Sunday will make him a better player and person. It should teach him to never take his skill for granted. It should teach him a little humility, which golf teaches more than just about any other sport.
But you can bet he won't become another Dick Metz.
In the 1938 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills in Denver, Metz had a five-shot lead going into the final round. He was such a handsome fellow, according to golf historian Dan Jenkins, that a Hollywood producer promised him a contract if he won the national championship.
Alas for poor Metz, who may have been thinking about co-starring with Jean Harlow, he shot 79 in the final round to open the way for Ralph Guidahl to win his second consecutive Open.
For the next several years, a guy who blew a big lead was said to have "Dick Metzed it."


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Freedom of the Press
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2013 Scores
Press Status
Press Freedom Score (0 = best, 100 = worst)
Legal Environment(0 = best, 30 = worst)
Political Environment(0 = best, 40 = worst)
Economic Environment(0 = best, 30 = worst)
China's media environment remained one of the world's most restrictive in 2012. Constraints on print media were especially tight in advance of a sensitive leadership transition in November, and several journalists were dismissed or demoted for violating censorship discipline. Internet users who disseminated information deemed undesirable by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continued to face punishment, with dozens of cases of harassment, detention, or imprisonment documented during the year. Meanwhile, conditions in Tibetan areas and for foreign journalists deteriorated. The promotion of a hard-liner formerly responsible for the regime's system of information controls to the top party leadership body, combined with measures to reinforce internet censorship and surveillance toward the end of the year, indicated the new CCP hierarchy's commitment to retaining a tight grip on the information landscape.
Nevertheless, with more people gaining access to microblogs and other online tools, Chinese citizens' ability to share and access uncensored information, particularly about breaking news, continued to grow. Several public outcries and online campaigns in 2012 were credited with driving the news agenda—including on the sensitive topic of elite politics—or forcing isolated government concessions. In addition, fewer cases of violence against professional journalists and high-profile online activists were reported compared with 2011, and no journalists were killed. The authorities responded to the increasing challenge of controlling information with prolonged silence about important news events, intrusive propaganda drives, and new regulatory restrictions on entertainment programming, social media, and online videos.
Article 35 of the constitution guarantees freedoms of speech, assembly, association, and publication, but such rights are subordinated to the discretion of the CCP and its status as the ruling power. Moreover, the constitution cannot, in most cases, be invoked in court as a legal basis for asserting individual rights. Judges are appointed by the CCP and generally follow its directives, particularly in politically sensitive cases. There is no press law that governs the protection of journalists or the punishment of their attackers. Instead, vague provisions in the penal code and state secrets legislation are routinely used to imprison Chinese citizens for the peaceful expression of views that the CCP considers objectionable. Criminal defamation provisions are also occasionally used to similar effect. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law passed in March 2012 permit suspects accused of "endangering state security"—a charge that is often employed to punish nonviolent activism and political expression—to be detained for up to six months in an unofficial location, prompting concerns that the rule effectively legalizes enforced disappearances. Since open-government regulations took effect in 2008, many agencies have become more forthcoming in publishing official documents, but courts have largely hesitated to enforce information requests, and government bodies routinely withhold information, even regarding matters of vital public concern. Journalists and other media workers are required to hold government-issued press cards in order to be considered legitimate. Those who violate content restrictions risk having their press-card renewals delayed or rejected, being blacklisted outright, or facing criminal charges.
The CCP maintains direct control over news media coverage through its Central Propaganda Department (CPD) and corresponding branches at lower administrative levels that determine the boundaries of permissible reporting. A number of additional government agencies are involved in overall regulation of the media sector. Routinely forbidden topics include calls for greater autonomy in Tibet and Xinjiang, relations with Taiwan, the persecution and activism of the Falun Gong spiritual group, the writings of prominent dissidents, and unfavorable coverage of CCP leaders. In addition to these standing taboos, the CPD and provincial censors issue secret directives on other subjects that are communicated almost daily to website administrators and periodically to traditional media editors. Forbidden or restricted topics during 2012 included reporting on blind activist Chen Guangcheng's escape from extralegal house arrest, the anniversary of a fatal 2011 train crash, and foreign media reports on the extraordinary wealth of members of Premier Wen Jiabao's family. Many directives also limited coverage and expression on topics whose political sensitivity was less immediately evident, or resulted in seemingly absurd online censorship of everyday words like "tomato," which users had begun to employ as a coded reference to purged Chongqing CCP secretary Bo Xilai. This spurred growing resentment of censorship practices and contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty regarding the boundaries of permissible reporting. In an illustration of the breadth of topics that can be subject to restrictions, a series of leaked media directives from the CPD dated November 2012 included bans on independent reporting about allegations of sexual assault against a delegate to the National People's Congress, a mine explosion in Guizhou Province, newly appointed CPD chief Liu Qibao, Vietnam's passage of an anticorruption bill, and a Hong Kong professor's critical analysis of the Chinese economy.
Censorship patterns earlier in 2012 were somewhat erratic, revealing internal CCP power struggles and uncertainty about how to handle emerging scandals. There were information vacuums on major events, fleeting openings on sensitive topics, and heavy-handed propaganda campaigns surrounding the political downfall of Bo Xilai. The CCP infighting fueled speculation, online rumors, and increased use of circumvention tools by internet users seeking independent reporting from foreign media. In addition, following Bo's ouster in the spring, neo-Maoist programming initiatives piloted under his leadership in Chongqing were reversed, a prominent website that vocally supported him was shut down, and three men who had been sent to labor camps for mocking Bo or criticizing his policies online secured early releases or judicial acknowledgement of their mistreatment—rare occurrences in China's politicized legal system.
CCP leaders use control of the media to propagate positive views of the party and government, while vilifying those deemed to be their enemies. During 2012, the authorities continued to employ more subtle means to "guide" news coverage. These included proactively setting the agenda by allowing key state-run outlets to cover potentially damaging news in a timely but selective manner, then requiring other media to restrict their reporting to the established narrative. The aim is to preempt less favorable coverage by bloggers, foreign journalists, and the more aggressive commercial news outlets. This strategy was evident in the tightly scripted coverage of the trials of Bo Xilai's wife, Gu Kailai, and former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun in connection with the murder of a British businessman. Only journalists from state-run outlets like Xinhua News Agency or China Central Television (CCTV) were permitted inside the courtroom, leaving foreign media to rely on their accounts and forcing domestic media to relay the official version of events. Online comments questioning the credibility of the official narrative, including one by a forensic scientist, were quickly deleted.
Restrictions on print media were especially tight during the year, with journalists reporting progressively more intrusive interventions by propaganda officials in newsroom decisions. In April, propaganda authorities instructed daily newspapers across China to publish an editorial on the Bo Xilai scandal by the party mouthpiece People's Daily on their front pages, a highly unusual request. In May, authorities announced that a former provincial propaganda official would take over as CCP representative at the Guangzhou-based Southern Daily Media Group, which owns some of China's most influential and outspoken news publications. The appointment was widely interpreted as a bid to tighten party control over the media conglomerate. Journalists at one of the group's publications, Southern Weekly, later reported that story ideas increasingly had to receive approval in advance and that over 1,000 news stories were censored during 2012, including a special feature on deadly floods in Beijing in July that was cut at the last minute.
The government has developed the world's most sophisticated and multilayered apparatus for censoring, monitoring, and manipulating online content. Nationwide technical filtering restricts users' access to uncensored information hosted outside of China. One of the most important functions of the filtering system has been to permanently block international social-media applications like the video-sharing site YouTube, the social-networking site Facebook, and the microblogging platform Twitter. With such services out of reach, domestic equivalents have gained popularity, but they are legally liable for content posted by users and risk losing their business licenses if politically sensitive information is circulated widely. The firms consequently employ automated programs and thousands of human censors to screen user-generated content and delete relevant posts per CCP directives. One academic study of censorship across nearly 1,400 blog-hosting and bulletin-board platforms estimated that 13 percent of posts were deleted. Some foreign internet companies whose websites are accessible in China have also cooperated with the Chinese government on censorship enforcement.
However, this robust censorship system was unable to completely stop the circulation of unfavorable news in 2012, as technological advancements and the dedication of domestic and overseas activists have made the suppression of information more difficult. Chinese internet users routinely employ homonyms, homophones, and other creative tactics to defy censorship on domestic microblogging sites, and information sometimes spreads among users before censors are able to deem it "sensitive" and intervene. On multiple occasions in 2012, cumulative pressure from microblog users prompted mainstream media to address sensitive stories or compelled the government to offer concessions, such as the release of a petitioner from a labor camp, the dismissal of corrupt officials, and upgrades to air-quality monitoring.
Throughout the year, authorities responded to this challenge by stepping up pressure on microblogging services to tighten existing controls. At the beginning of 2012, the CPD reportedly ordered the establishment of CCP branches in leading microblogging firms. For three days in late March and early April, amid official silence and unofficial online discussion of party infighting following the March 15 ouster of Bo Xilai as Chongqing party secretary, the two leading services—Sina Weibo and Tencent—were forced to shut down their popular commenting functions, which enable users to post comments responding to previously posted messages, thereby creating a discussion thread. In May, Sina launched a new points-based system of demerits and rewards to encourage users to self-censor. Throughout the year, the government also pressured microblogging firms to implement real-name registration for their users. Directives on the matter were initially issued in five major cities, with a March 16 deadline. After enforcement of the rules proved inadequate, the National People's Congress Standing Committee passed national regulations in December that required microblog platforms and other service providers to implement real-name registration and strengthen "the management of information." The authorities have also taken steps to actively guide online discussion. Since 2004, CCP and government officials at all levels have recruited and trained an army of paid web commentators, known informally as the Fifty Cent Party. Their tasks include posting progovernment remarks, tracking public opinion, disrupting or diverting criticism, and participating in public online chats with officials to provide the appearance of state-citizen interaction.
Journalists who attempt to investigate or report on controversial issues, question CCP rule, or present a perspective that conflicts with state propaganda directives face harassment, dismissal, and abuse. During 2012, several media personnel were dismissed, demoted, suspended, or forced to resign from publications across China. Other prominent reporters—including Jian Guangzhou of the Oriental Daily, who became widely known for his 2008 report on tainted milk powder—voluntarily left their positions while voicing concerns that the space for investigative journalism was shrinking. In several instances, journalists and outlets were punished by local authorities for actions that would normally be considered acceptable at the national level, such as exposing the use of luxury cigarettes among local officials, republishing profiles of Chinese leaders from an official party publication, or reporting the results of a public survey in which residents expressed dissatisfaction with local officials. This strengthened the sense of arbitrary and ever-changing "red lines," a feature of official restrictions that encourages self-censorship.
In order to circumvent the more rigid restrictions on their formal outlets, journalists have increasingly turned to microblogs to share sensitive information that might otherwise go unreported. At least three journalists were suspended or dismissed in 2012 for comments made on microblogs, the first such cases to be documented. In one high-profile example, CCTV anchor Zhao Pu was suspended for six months after he posted a message on his microblog warning readers that yogurt in China contained ingredients that were not safe to eat; CCTV would not confirm that his suspension was related to the message.
The tightened institutional controls over print and broadcast media mean that fewer journalists at established news outlets have been jailed in recent years. However, freelance journalists, writers, online activists, and a range of other Chinese citizens continue to be sentenced to prison or labor camps, particularly for disseminating information online or sending it to contacts outside China. According to international media freedom watchdogs, no less than 32 journalists were in jail in China in 2012, including many Uighurs and Tibetans. At least 69 online activists remained behind bars at year's end for disseminating proscribed information. That estimate is likely to be low, given the difficulty of collecting accurate and comprehensive data on each reported case of arrest. In 2012, three men—Li Tie from Hubei Province, Cao Haibo from Yunnan Province, and Zhu Yufu from Zhejiang Province—were sentenced to between seven and 10 years in prison for online writings that advocated democratic reforms. An incomplete list of over 20 other incidents compiled by Freedom House during 2012 included several cases of microblog users who were arrested or sentenced to labor camps for spreading "rumors" about public health, political infighting, or a reported coup attempt; grassroots activists who were detained and facing potential prosecution for distributing leaflets and DVDs that were critical of CCP rule or related to Falun Gong; and a microblogger who was given a two-year term in labor camp after issuing calls online for official asset declarations and a transparent investigation into the suspicious death of a labor rights activist. The final outcomes of the cases were not all known at year's end.
Security agents also use a range of measures short of formal incarceration to punish dissemination of independent news and intimidate those voicing dissenting opinions. Authorities continued to harass prominent artist and blogger Ai Weiwei, who was abducted and detained for 81 days in 2011. During 2012, Ai was barred from traveling abroad, his appeal in a politically fraught tax case was rejected, and the license of his art company was revoked. His several attempts to register a new microblog account were quickly suppressed. In other examples, Beijing businessman Zhai Xiaobing was detained in November over a microblog posting that mocked the 18th Party Congress, freelance journalist Li Yuanlong was forcibly taken in November to an unidentified location after his posting about the death of five boys in Guizhou sparked an outcry, and former official Liu Futang received a three-year suspended sentence in December for "illegal business activities" after he published a series of microblog posts and other writings about environmental issues in Hainan. In the latter half of the year, human rights groups recorded dozens of other cases of bloggers, petitioners, and free expression activists being displaced or briefly detained in the run-up to the 18th Party Congress in November. However, this use of extralegal tactics to silence dissenting voices was not as severe as in 2011 amid the Arab Spring uprisings, and key commentators were more vocal in 2012 than in the previous year.
Members of religious and ethnic minorities are subject to particularly harsh treatment for their online activities, writings, or efforts to disseminate information that departs from the CCP line. Several of the journalists serving the longest prison terms in China are Uighurs and Tibetans. Hada, the founder of the pro-Mongol newspaper Voice of Southern Mongolia, remained in extralegal detention at year's end; authorities have harassed his family and continued to hold him in custody since December 2010, when he completed a 15-year prison sentence related to his work. In addition to journalists, ordinary Tibetans, Uighurs, and Falun Gong practitioners have been imprisoned for accessing, possessing, or transmitting banned information. On several occasions during the year, local authorities completely shut down communications networks in Tibetan areas of Sichuan and Gansu Provinces, where self-immolations to protest CCP repression had occurred. As the number of self-immolations continued to grow, authorities resorted to more draconian measures to curb the protests and restrict the transmission of information about them, including to foreign media. In March, press watchdogs and Tibetan rights groups reported that authorities had posted public notices in eight counties in Gansu Province that threatened "violent beating/torture" for those found distributing written documents, online messages, or audio files containing "ideas of splitting the nation." The notice offered a reward of at least 5,000 yuan ($730) to members of the public who report instances of the proscribed actions to the Public Security Bureau. Similar monetary rewards of 5,000 to 10,000 yuan were recorded in Shandong Province for those reporting underground Falun Gong printing sites.
Conditions for foreign media in the country remained highly restrictive, and harassment and violent assaults against foreign reporters escalated during the year. The websites of both Bloomberg News and the New York Times were blocked indefinitely after they published detailed investigative reports on the family wealth of incoming CCP general secretary Xi Jinping and Premier Wen Jiabao, respectively. Two foreign correspondents—Melissa Chan of Al-Jazeera English and Chris Buckley of the New York Times—were forced to leave the country after the government refused to renew their visas, the first such de facto expulsions in 14 years. According to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, over the past two years, 27 foreign journalists reported unusual delays in the processing of visas, and six said they had been explicitly told by the Foreign Ministry that their applications had been rejected or put on hold because of the content of their reporting. Also in 2012, police or security agents assaulted at least 11 foreign correspondents who were trying to cover newsworthy events, with some beatings proving unusually violent. Since 2007, foreign journalists have been free of internal travel restrictions in most areas and allowed to conduct interviews with private individuals without prior government consent. However, the looser rules do not apply to correspondents from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan. In addition, travel to Tibet and other politically sensitive regions still requires prior approval and close supervision by authorities. During the year, access for foreign journalists to Tibet and Tibetan-populated regions of neighboring provinces was especially restricted.
Media outlets are abundant in China and included approximately 2,000 newspapers and hundreds of radio and television stations in 2012. Reforms in recent decades have allowed the commercialization of outlets without the privatization of ownership. Some publications have private investors, but the government is required by law to retain a majority stake. The state-run CCTV remains the only licensed national broadcaster, and all local stations are required to air its evening news programs. Most cities feature at least one official newspaper published by the local government or CCP branch, as well as more commercialized subsidiaries. Although the Chinese authorities continue to jam radio broadcasts by U.S. government–funded services such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, dedicated listeners access them online with the use of circumvention tools. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong–based independent station iSun TV and the New York–based New Tang Dynasty Television, which is run by Falun Gong practitioners, broadcast uncensored news into China via satellite.
Most media revenue comes from advertising and subscriptions rather than government subsidies, even for many party papers. Some observers argue that commercialization has shifted the media's loyalty from the party to the consumer, leading to tabloid-style and sometimes more daring reporting. Others note that the reforms have opened the door for economic incentives that serve to reinforce political pressure and self-censorship, as publications fear the financial costs of being shut down by the authorities or losing advertising should they run afoul of powerful societal actors. During 2012, the regime remained alert to technological, economic, and social changes that are weakening CCTV's influence. As internet use spreads and provincial television stations gain viewers, fewer young people in particular turn to CCTV as their primary news source. Regulators have responded with a string of new rules in recent years that restricted entertainment programming during prime time and extended controls to online video platforms. In February 2012, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) announced that foreign television series—including popular Korean and Japanese dramas—would be banned during prime time. In July, regulators reportedly issued a joint notice to strengthen rules for online videos, which have emerged as a vehicle for short documentaries about breaking news events and other topics. The notice instructed official agencies to reward or demerit online video providers based on their implementation of the controls. Separately, the market distortions stemming from the unusual combination of political control and partial commercialization at the CCP's flagship outlets gained attention in April 2012, when the website of the party's mouthpiece, the People's Daily Online, was listed on the Shanghai stock exchange in an initial public offering (IPO). The authorities were quickly forced to suspend trading on the website's shares after soaring prices valued the company at over $800 million, a sum that was inconsistent with its actual popularity among readers. Some analysts said the jump partly reflected speculation by investors, who were betting that the company's direct ties to the CCP would essentially guarantee profits and growth in China's state-controlled media environment.
The prevailing salary arrangements generally pay journalists only after their stories are published or broadcast. When a journalist writes an article that is considered too controversial, payment is withheld, and in some cases the journalist must pay for the reporting costs out of pocket. A small number of elite media outlets combat such deterrents to aggressive reporting by paying journalists even for reports that are subjected to censorship. Corruption among Chinese journalists persisted in 2012, and it remained common for public relations firms to pay reporters for attending press conferences. As the internet's influence grows, such bribery has spread to the online sphere, reportedly producing a multimillion-dollar industry of web-deletion services that cater to private firms and government officials. In September 2012, authorities arrested two people, including an employee of the search-engine giant Baidu, for accepting payment to illegally delete posts on the company's Tieba online forum.
China is home to the largest number of internet users in the world, with the figure surpassing 560 million, or approximately 42 percent of the population, in 2012. Over 400 million accounts had been opened on domestic microblogging services by the end of the year, though the number of regularly active users is smaller, estimated to range in the tens of millions. The prevalence of microblogs, online circumvention tools, and overseas Chinese news outlets has grown in recent years, dramatically expanding Chinese citizens' ability to access and share information about events occurring in different parts of the country and even within the top echelons of the CCP. A growing number of Chinese use proxy servers to evade internet restrictions and receive illegal satellite transmissions. Although Twitter remains blocked in China and domestic microblogging services engage in government-directed censorship, the latter have rapidly grown in influence as a source of news and an outlet for public opinion, in part because the rapid sharing of information among microblog users sometimes outpaces censors' deletions. The role of online sources in the media landscape has become especially important with regard to breaking news. A 2012 study of Chinese public opinion and crisis management reported that online sources accounted for nearly 65 percent of breaking news reports in 2011, versus just over 30 percent for traditional media.


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A coupe of weekends ago Haico and I went camping at Congo Beach on the south coast. I spent one afternoon lying down on the grass reading and looking up to see adult Sea Eagles glide by overhead. At one point both adults where directly above me- divine! I don't think I have ever seen two Sea Eagles together. One day we walked further down the coast, threw the narrow strip of Euraobodalla NP, to Bingle Bingle Point and we saw a a juvenile Sea Eagle too. So I guess the pair had a successful breeding season like the pair at Olympic Park. The pair at Olympic Park raised two chicks and there is some great footage of the adults feeding the chicks on the Birds Australia Eagle Cam. Next year the camera is going to go onto Live feed- very exciting- I love turning and watching even when "nothing" is happening.
When we packed up the tents under Haico's we found a squashed mouse- just a house mouse. Haico figured the mouse must have crawled under the tent during one of the raining nights and decided that being near him was nice and warm- fatally when Haico rolled over and squished him.


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Iowa Outdoor Equipment
Iowa Outdoor Equipment specializes in outdoor power equipment service, sales, and parts. We have what you need at an affordable and fair price. We offer a full line of Bradley Mowers, RedMax Power Equipment, and Jonsered Equipment. We are also a products parts supplier and a warranty center for Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, and MTD . We are "The" place for small engine parts in the Cedar Rapids Area.
Repair – We keep you working
We specialize in small engine repair or any gasoline powered outdoor equipment. We have a full service center in house with pickup and delivery services available, all at a fair and honest price. All makes and models are serviced- Briggs and Stratton, Kawasaki, Honda, Kohler, MTD, Craftsman, Toro, Troy-built, handhelds, push mower, riding mower, zero turn riders, and edgers.
Click here to view our current service rates.
Shop – Full selection of new and used equipment
We have what you need to get your work done! Bradley Mowers, RedMax, Jonsered Chainsaws, Jonsered Power Equipment, and more. Click here to shop our equipment.
Parts – We have the right parts for the job
We offer a full parts inventory right here in the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City area, featuring Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, MTD brands, Toro, Tory-Built, Stens, and Oregon. Our experienced parts staff will help you get even the hardest to find parts!
Our Goal
To keep you up and working, and to provide quality and prompt service to all of our customers. At Iowa Outdoor Equipment, everyone is an absolute priority!
Send Message to listing owner
Iowa Outdoor Equipment


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1. Bank locally 2. Invest locally 3. Invest sustainably 4. Buy local goods 5. Buy goods made using fair labor practices 6. Buy goods made from sustainable, non-toxic materials 7. Start a business to solve a problem 8. Go to work for a company that's solving an important problem (and refuse to go to work for companies who don't) 9. Save for the things you need, rather than using debt 10. Buy less stuff at a higher quality 11. Repair, reuse, and recycle what you … [Read more...]
You Should Be a Social Enterprise Consultant
Admittedly, I left no room for argument in my post about our need for fewer coaches to social entrepreneurs and for more actual social entrepreneurs. There are exceptions, of course. Some people should become consultants and coaches to social enterprises as soon as possible because they have such unique expertise. People like: The world's leading expert on organic cotton The person who's helped three companies become B Corporations The woman in Rwanda who has lived and worked with … [Read more...]
Radical Candor
Radical candor, as Kim Scott puts it, is what managers share with employees they care about. That might seem counter-intuitive, but it rings true over and over in my experience. The sting of radical candor can be painful at first. Then, after the initial sting wears off, candor gives way to clarity and conviction. Imagine receiving a piece of feedback like this one from Sheryl Sandberg (from the article linked above): You know, Kim, I can tell I'm not really getting through to you. I'm … [Read more...]
The Devil's Advocate
We were sitting in a team meeting right in the middle of the Krypton project, and we had some big decisions to make. As we discussed scenarios, someone on the team spoke up: "Well, to play devil's advocate..." Seth stepped in before the sentence could go on, "The devil doesn't need an advocate, thank you. The devil is doing just fine." The comment letting us all reeling a bit, but then Seth explained what he meant. It was one of the most powerful lessons I would learn about how to come … [Read more...]
Less Coaches, More Social Entrepreneurs
In my work at Fizzle, I see a number of common business plans from new entrepreneurs. One of the most common is the "business coach for mission-driven entrepreneurs" or the "consultant to social impact organizations." People with services like: Specialized coaching for purpose driven organizations and professionals looking for new outcomes. They describe themselves in terms like: Do you want to make a difference in the world with your business? Is your enterprise focused on a social agenda or … [Read more...]
Learning is Leadership: How In-Depth Learning Rewires Your Brain and Prepares You to Lead
Some ideas and issues are so big, they can be hard to fully grasp in a single sitting, let alone developing an informed opinion on the matter. Today, we're more likely than ever to abandon any topic for which this rings true. More than a day's worth of learning? Nah, that's too much time and effort. My Twitter feed is waiting! Yet those topics that ask more of us... the ones that require us to dig in and be challenged. The ones that require us to rewire our brains slowly, bit-by-bit as we … [Read more...]
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bill Payne [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com]
>Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 7:43 PM
>On Thu, 2 May 2002 06:38:42 -0700 "Glenn Morton"
><firstname.lastname@example.com> writes:
>We also both know that there is nothing planar about the Okefenokee, yet
>eastern US coals primarily have planar, sharp contacts with the substrate
>and with partings in the coal. And these planar coals may cover
>thousands of square miles.
>Now, Glenn, will you admit that the evidence regarding these coal seams
>in the eastern US points toward an allochthonous origin, even though they
>cover most of the eastern half of the continent?
>As you should know, your answer will carry a lot of baggage if you are
>willing to follow the evidence where it leads. To date, you have avoided
>the implications through the use of some microscopic analogy like the
>Okefenokee. Come on, join the hunt. Fraid of gettin snake-bit?
Bill, what the Pennsylvanian cyclothems lead to is a broad flat plain in
which tiny changes in sea level cause the sea shore to move many miles.
Something like the Rann of Cutch is what had to be there. In such a flat
area, the sedimentation rate is low so a change from shale to peat
deposition will appear to the geologist to have happened quite rapidly
(sharp contact).
Bill, there is nothing new in what I am saying, most people hold to such a
view for the Pennsylvanian coal seams. You think you can turn it inot a YEC
argument. That dog won't hunt for anyone but you.
see http://www.glenn.morton.btinternet.co.uk/dmd.htm
for lots of creation/evolution information
personal stories of struggle
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri May 03 2002 - 09:43:36 EDT


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So digging the work of Nicolai Sclater Connifer, aka Ornamental Connifer. His simple, bright, geometric designs and lettering transcend the typical style street art, bringing his unique take on Pop-art.
So digging the work of Nicolai Sclater Connifer, aka Ornamental Connifer. His simple, bright, geometric designs and lettering transcend the typical style street art, bringing his unique take on Pop-art.
I love fashion photography, largely because it has the potential to encompass almost any topic or interest. This fashion shoot for Ellery features the beautiful Blitz BMW R60 'Great Escape'. The industrial black form of the German bike gives the Baroque surroundings a sense of gravitas and menace, an extension of the rebel image expressed with greater elegance. It's great to see a model like Ashley Smith pose with a motorcycle without resorting to lad's mag antics. The trouble is, I can't take my eyes of that beautiful bike.
Here is a gorgeous poster series from Modern Motorcycle Company in Collingwood, near Melbourne's CBD. These two toned images are screen printed locally and produced in limited editions. The blue and red colours of these vintage images are a nice touch, moving away from nostalgia to present the idea that these machines were creations of innovation. Check them out in their ebay store while stocks last.
A few weeks ago a friend posted this image of this Henderson art deco bike from the 1930s and I commented that it reminded me of the Tron bike. Well, io9 just posted the same comparison, stating that it looked like a hybrid of the Tron Lightcycle and the Batmobile.
It's important to remember that a bike is more than an engine on two wheels. These photos from Brass Balls Flickr site really highlights the slick bobber frame and groovy tank design. The bike is called the Rocketeer. Looks like a fun ride just rolling it down a hill!
Couldn't pass up posting these amazing sketches by Paul Van Denton. I like the glow and textures which separate it from the usual cold cut out designs that I have seen elsewhere. Who cares if it is functional?
You may or may not be a Brad Pitt fan but you got to hand it to the guy that he has good taste in bikes. Made by Shinya Kimura of Zero Engineering, their custom bikes are just as much artworks as they are vehicles. Their gallery is truly a viewing pleasure, not to mention their new 2010 calendar.
Not usually a scooter fan but I could not pass up showing these awesome designs. From Deviant Art.


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Today homes all across America will display the Stars and Stripes to honor those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces of our great land. Defending freedom and helping liberate those who are oppressed and held captive has been the battle cry of our soldiers throughout the years. The Puritans came to America to establish freedom of worship. When they landed on the eastern shore, they knelt and prayed, dedicating this great land to Christ and His Kingdom. It cost the Puritans dearly to attempt to establish freedom for the oppressed and it has cost our friends and loved ones dearly to continue to give liberty to captives. My own dear aunt spent her entire life waiting for my cousin to return home from World War II, after his plane was lost during that war.
Such willingness to die to bring freedom for others is not a cake walk. Our soldiers throughout the history of our great country fought and bled and lost their lives so that others could go free. Willingly they went to war. Though some were indeed drafted, even then our young men knew that it was good and right to serve the country that gave people the greatest freedom on the face of the earth. No other country has been so free and so at liberty as America.
Real Freedom is costly. Fighting for freedom is costly. Keeping the freedom we so enjoy is costly. To fail to honor the soldiers of our great land for their contribution to our freedom, our comfort, our victory is shameful. We must find a way to restore honor, not just today but especially today, to the soldiers whose main job is to establish freedom and liberty. Christ set the standard when He appeared in the flesh and hung on the cross for all humanity to find freedom. He truly was and is the greatest Freedom Fighter who ever lived. Romans 5:7 and 8 says it best. "Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
God speaks to my heart. I AM the one who has given you the freedom to live unhindered by tyranny on the shores of this country. You walk in perfect freedom and liberty because I have given it to you. No country is so great as the one that honors Me. No one can ultimately find freedom without finding faith in Christ, who established ultimate freedom and set the standard as the Cross was raised. Those who honor Me by giving their life to Christ have eternal freedom. But this freedom will cost you something as well. Just as a soldier who is enlisted in the army of this country must abide under his commanding officers, so too do My people who have enlisted in My army must abide under My command. I do not bring you burdens that are too hard to bear. I bring you liberty and I remove burdens that the world and the flesh seek to wear you down with. Thank Me for soldiers willing to die to keep your country free and give liberty to captives in other lands. But worship Me alone – for I AM the one who called you to walk in My ways and live for My Kingdom.
Oh beloved, as you set your flag out today thank the Lord for soldiers who have lost their lives defending freedom wherever they have gone. They gave their lives willingly because they loved this land and the people of it. Thank Him too for your own freedom. He gave His live because He loves you. Thank Him for giving you purpose and power to live for the Kingdom of Righteousness. Wave the stars and stripes and ask Him to use you to establish the Kingdom on earth through the mighty power of prayer. No weapon can defend and protect like prayer. Thank Him that you can live for the Lord and pray for your country to return to its roots that were founded in Him.
God loves you and He's for you. This is why you can honor your soldiers, honor the Lord, live for the Savior and walk in true freedom all the days of your life.
Romans 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.
2 Timothy 2:4 Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.
Ephesians 1:7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.
John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.


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Home › Components › Suspension Spares › Fox › Fox U Cup Scraper Seal (2011-2013 32 26in FLOAT 80-120mm)
Fox Air spring scraper seal for specific models of Fox forks. This is the main air seal that sits at the top of the air spring assembly.
Only compatible with: 26" Fox Float 32 80-120mm travel forks.
Fox p/n: 036-01-054
Postage costs:
View ›


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Total costume from Timmy Failure Island Main Street? Don't delay! It'll be gone this Thursday. Go to Poptropica now to get yours!
Of course, we'll be adding something new this Thursday, too, so keep an eye out because we'll let you know when it's available!
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
A new prize this Thursday!
Labels: Black Widow, Timmy Failure Island


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Hmmm, toss green beans to dogs while snacking on berries. Got it. Lovely produce you have from your garden. I still have raindrops growing and the heater on. Just odd for late June, I do agree.
You've got a little piece of heaven right there in your own backyard!Happy Gardening, I'm off to mow :0)
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Rhodes Alumni US Survey
Some time ago our sister organisation in North America carried out an survey amongst old Rhodians to gauge their perceptions of the university and where and how they might contribute to furthering the institution's recognition and influence outside South Africa. Here are some of the results:
- 71 percent view their university days at Rhodes as extremely memorable and valuable
- Alumni say the two top qualities that characterise Rhodes are its unique campus and community setting and the excellence of its academic standards and teaching
- An impressive 83 percent of all respondents believe Rhodes is at least equal to or better than private colleges and universities in the U.S.
- While 60 percent of Old Rhodians just don't have time to help the university, those that do are open to contacting other alumni (25 percent), making referrals and introductions (17.5 percent), or doing public relations (11.7 percent)
- While 87 percent of Old Rhodians were satisfied with their professional position and lifestyle, 52 percent would be interested in returning to, or retiring in, South Africa
- An overwhelming 84 percent of Old Rhodians in the U.S. still strongly identify with South Africa or retain affinity and connections with the country
- Interestingly, 82 percent of Old Rhodians believe their skills and knowledge would be useful and valuable to South Africa and nearly 52 percent would be interested in learning more about expatriate incentives to relocate back to South Africa.
We are planning in the near future to carry out a similar survey in the UK.
Some Rhodes University stats – 2012
- 7,450 students, over 1,400 staff members, including 350 permanent academic staff.
- 59% of students are women
- 28% are postgraduates, rising to 30% by 2013
- 22% are international students from 52 countries around the world.
- Rhodes represents less than 1% of the total number of students in public Higher Education (850,000) nationally, and since its inception, Rhodes graduates have often attracted 14% of Mandela Rhodes Scholarships
- Rhodes has the highest percentage of academic staff with PhD qualifications, outstanding research outputs per capita staff and an excellent students to staff ratio
- In 2012, Rhodes achieved a 84% pass rate – the highest undergraduate pass rate among South African universities
Measures of Success
- SKA – Square Kilometer Array: Prof Justin Jonas, Dr Bernard Fanaroff and Dr Adrian Tiplady, all from Rhodes, played a major role in helping South Africa win the bid
- Rhodes graduate, Liam Pederson contributed through his work at NASA on the the design of the remote exploration vehicle of the space expedition Curiosity, which landed on Mars on 5 August


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U.S. consumers are expected to increase their purchases this holiday season thanks to a recovery in the job market and the broader economy. Much of this will be done online, benefitting leading internet retailers such as eBay Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
JPMorgan estimates e-commerce growth of 19% for both desktop and mobile purchases, noting that online holiday shopping season begins earlier and ends later this year as the period between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas has two additional days compared to 2011.
Analyst Doug Anmuth expects "showrooming" will become even more widespread as 37% of consumers tried out products in-store before going online to make purchases in the third quarter, versus 32% in the second quarter.
A JPMorgan survey of 50 products across various categories at five different retailers suggests Walmart.com leads in pricing and Amazon leads in selection.
All 50 items in the "holiday basket" were available on Amazon through the company itself or a third parter, while Walmart.com carrier 44, or 88%, of the items. Target.com carried roughly 58% of the items on the list, which could be a result of the retailer's efforts to differentiate its selection through exclusivity. Meanwhile, BestBuy.com carried 22 of the 24 items that were part of its offerings such as toys and video games.
"This holiday season figures to be increasingly competitive as traditional retailers lower pricing to combat showrooming," Mr. Anmuth told clients, noting that Walmart.com appears to be closing the selection gap with Amazon.
"We believe carrying a large selection is critical to driving traffic to the site and is an area where Amazon leads due to its first party/third-party strategy," he added.
He also anticipates greater smartphone and tablet penetration will drive further gains in mobile shopping in the fourth quarter, citing a report from comScore that showed mobile represented 10% of U.S. e-commerce in the third quarter.
"We expect online to continue taking share from offline retail," the analyst said.
Mr. Anmuth sees Amazon benefitting from the trend toward later shipping cut-off dates ahead of Christmas given its best-in-class fulfillment and shipping capabilities, as well as its relatively low threshold for free shipping.
He is forecasting 35% North American revenue growth for Amazon in the fourth quarter, noting that it has outperformed U.S. e-commerce growth by an average of 16% over the past four quarters.
For eBay, the analyst sees a 17% year-over-year gain in U.S. gross merchandise volume and prefers the online auctioneer over Amazon in the near term.


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ARC copy given by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
So I have always had a thing for Robin Hood and I will admit I LOVED the BBC version that was on TV for 3 season(Only 3!!). My pictures are mostly of those characters just because those are exactly how I picture Maid Marian, Robin and Guy along with the rest of the characters. Enjoy the review!
"Your power, your great gift, is that you never give up. When something fails you make a new plan, and another, and another. You never accept defeat. You never give up"
Lady Thief was a fast paced, emotion filled adventure that left me completely breathless. I don't think I have ever read a sequel that was just so much more amazing then the first. And Scarlet was so amazing that it was hard to top, but this one does it.
Scarlet (Scar) has married Guy but is still deeply in love with Robin Hood. I just love that their love is so deep and meaningful but in those times, one didn't disgrace in front of Gods eyes. Nothing could ever happen between them, until their marriage is annulled. Here is where the twists, turns and mystery comes in. Gisborne creates a way out for Lady Marian(Scar) that gives her only one choice. Do anything that Gisborne says and show everyone that she is his wife. When a tournament offers Robin a chance to become Sheriff everything soon gets thrown out and war is brewing.
I completely adored absolutely everything about this book. When novels are set in a time where things were just simpler but the times are harder, I fall right in love. When I finished Scarlet (#1) I didn't even realize there was going to be another in the series. Low and behold, this beautiful gem came along. Its filled with lots of action, twists and turns and cunningness. There is never a dull moment with twist that left my head spinning. The ending came up on me with a slap in the face!! Seriously how could it end like that!!! URGGG... I need the next one ASAP just to keep my mind from spinning away.
"'I'll make it right, Rob. I'll get the annulment and then I can kiss you in public. All day long. Till the village wives wring their hands at us.'
He smiled, leaning into my hand. "We've always been good at creating a bit of chaos""
My favourite part in this sequel is the quick little scenes with Scar and Robin. The two are so deeply in love with each other that to see them apart is painful. They are understanding of each other and they truly desire what is best for their people. The love they share burns so bright off the page that it will leave you wanting to have their kind of love. One that is deep, unconditional and will last through anything. Literarily, they have to go through everything!! While this book contains no sex, there are hints and meanings behind words that really is so much better then the act itself. There is also a couple darker scenes that may not fair well with some. Just keep in mind that when there is unnecessary evil there is always undoubtedly good there to combat.
"Hurt me if you want, but I've felt pain. I know what pain is. And it's less than love, than loyalty, than hope."
Overall, I give Lady Thief my "MUST READ" stamp of approval. There is something so unique about this series that I think everyone will enjoy. Filled with caring friends, mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and love that surpasses the ages, Lady Thief has everything that a book could ever need to be AMAZING!