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TubeTrap™ History
Before The Beginning
Shortly after graduating in 1981 with a Masters in Engineering, Mr. Noxon had established a small acoustic engineering firm doing local projects in the Eugene, Oregon area. In the course of his work, he was hired to take care of a huge lecture hall at the University of Oregon. The lecture hall had a serious resonance problem at 125 Hz, not good for speech intelligibility. So he set out in search of a suitable bass trap.
Almost The First TubeTrap
Mr. Noxon searched for suitable materials for his bass trap, and knew he needed a porous walled cavity to experiment with. He found some 2" semi-rigid fiberglass duct board and experimented with it for a while. Then he found the circular fiberglass pipe wrap which became the basis for the familiar TubeTrap. The pipe wrap was easier to work with since the cavity didn't have to be made, it was already there. The problem was the resonance of the pipe wrap itself, the twang, would cause resonant dips at certain frequencies. After much experimentation, it was found that a wire mesh cage would muffle the twang, much like holding a bell muffles the ring.
The First TubeTrap
One day the phone rang and it was the local hi-fi shop getting ready for a remodel. They had Magneplanar speakers and they sounded awful in their demo room. The folks at Bradford's wanted something furniture-like, and Mr. Noxon figured maybe his TubeTrap might be the ticket. Sure enough, they made those Maggies sing, and Bradford's was thrilled. Now, 25 years later, Bradford's still uses TubeTraps in their demo room.
The first Tubes, sold as a set of 8 that were 9" x 36", featured mated pairs with a unique built-in diamond base similar in shape to a "home plate" used in baseball. This gave the stacked Tubes a nice finished look and contributed to the "furniture look" that Bradford's wanted.
These first TubeTraps didn't feature the classic reflectors that create the now familiar live side/dead side found on all subsequent TubeTraps. These were the only TubeTraps made by Mr. Noxon prior to the formation of ASC, and once they became ASC TubeTrap, the reflectors were included.
As with the TubeTraps of today, these did feature a wire cage to add strength as well as to help dampen twang. The fabric covering, much like today, was a sleeve stetched over the cage assembly. The end caps were 1/4" plywood, and the base units permanently attached. The stacking feature relied on three dowels to keep the two Traps properly lined up and prevent toppling.


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Windows 10 ships with Windows Firewall out of the box and at the same time allows you to install and run a third-party Firewall too. These firewalls work independently to block suspicious actions on your computer. But after installing Windows 10, some users are reporting getting a notification on Startup that says-
Windows Firewall and <Third party firewall name> Firewall are both turned off; tap or click to see available options.
This error is caused due to unknown reasons. However, when checked manually, there is nothing wrong with both the firewall software and they are enabled normally.
Windows Firewall & third-party Firewall are turned off
If your Windows Firewall & third party Firewall like Comodo, McAfee, etc., are both turned off in Windows 10, then this is what you need to do to fix the issue:
- Check the required supporting Services.
- Uninstall and reinstall the third-party firewall.
1] Enable all the supporting Services
Open the Windows Services Manager.
Look for the service named Windows Defender Firewall.
Make sure that its Startup type is set to be Automatic and that the service is Running. If not, click on the Start button.
Also, make sure that the status of the following Services are as follows and that they are Running:
- Xbox Live Networking Service – Manual
- Base Filtering Engine – Automatic
Now start the Firewall and see. This should have made that error go away.
2] Uninstall and reinstall the third-party firewall
An error with the compatibility of the installation of Windows 10 and the third-party firewall may trigger false alarms like this.
In this case, you have a limited set of methods to troubleshoot the error.
The best thing that you can do is to uninstall the third-party firewall and get the latest version from its official website to install it like any other software on Windows 10.
This will fix any installation incompatibility between the firewall and the operating system.
All the best!

subset: commoncrawl


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Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Dustin Murphy
There was no doubt that Loot Crate and Nintendo are both astonishing companies. What happens though when the two decide to team up for this holiday season? We're about to find out starting on November 21st with their amiibo subscription service. This will allow subscribers to get 10 amiibo figures that are pre-selected by both Loot Crate and Nintendo. We are seeing Mario, Pikachu, Donkey Kong, Fox, and Yoshi in the line-up. They will be shipped in three different phases and will be shipped through Loot Crate throughout the holiday season, which means you nor your families or friends will have to step outside and head over to the store.
"Featuring compatibility with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,Mario Kart 8 and Hyrule Warriors this year, amiibo figures are shaping up to be one of the year's must-have holiday items," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Fans around the country already enjoy Loot Crate's approach to delivering cool new items every month, and now they have a new and convenient way to get their hands on amiibo."
"We are honored to be working with Nintendo – a company that our team loves and respects, and that many of us grew up with," said Chris Davis, Loot Crate's CEO. "The iconic Super Smash Bros. games have brought people together for years, and we're excited to become a part of that story in a new way through our amiibo Subscription Service."
So what does this new service that's limited-time mean? You'll get characters that will offer rewards, intergration, and special opportunities in the already released and upcoming titles for Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS with titles such as Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Hyrule Warriors, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Mario Kart 8, Mario Party 10, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Yoshi's Wooly World with more coming up in the near future.
For more information about how to participate in the limited-time "amiibo Subscription Service," visit the Official amiibo Loot Crate Page..
About the Writer:
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG's, MMO's, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can't be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.


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- Home Page
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Rubber Gaskets are mechanical seals to prevent leakage to ensure to provide the best performance. They are designed using metal durable for withstanding high pressures and wear. These thick gaskets are robust, durable and flexible for handling the kinds of extreme pressure, tear and wear for meeting the needs of different applications. They are widely used to serve the needs of different environments of commercial and industrial uses. They are used in wood, pipes, wood, and other applications to ensure to carry-out the processes in efficient and long-lasting way.
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Data Analytics startup DataWeave has managed to raise an undisclosed amount of Series A funding from Japan-based ad-tech company FreakOut Group. Silicon Valley-based venture capital investor Herb Madan and a clutch of unnamed institutional investors from the US were also seen in the participation in funding round.
The Bangalore and Singapore-based startup was founded in April 2011 and came into operation in 2012. Karthik Ramesh Bettadapura and Vikranth Ramanolla are the C0-founders of the startup. DataWeave empowers strategic Decision making using data available in public domain by building data products using publicly available data on the Web. They also provide retail Intelligence product which provides real-time analytics at scale.
With the help of DataWeave's real-time data and insights, clients can take decisions on pricing, assortment, and promotions quickly and confidently. Their brand analytics product provides brands with insights into how their brand is being projected online.
DataWeave also provides a comprehensive offering that includes Pricing Violation checks, Momentum Analytics to better understands assortments and demand indicators of their own brand as well as competitor brands, promotion analysis and Catalogue quality checks.
Karthik Bettadapura, co-founder and CEO, DataWeave said: "We have witnessed strong traction across all our target segments and geographies over the last year and a half, even in the highly competitive North America market. Customers choose us due to the actionability and scale of our insights and the simplicity of our solutions."
Commenting on the investment, Yuzuru Honda, global CEO at FreakOut Holdings, Inc said, "DataWeave delivers real-time actionable insights, which provide businesses with a huge competitive advantage across industries and geographies."
DataWeave currently serves customers in North America, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The startup has also been a part of Nasscom's Innotrek 2015 and Intech50 2015's fourth batch.
The freshly raised funds will be used to boost the sales, marketing, and customer success initiatives, especially in North America. DetaWeave will also invest in scaling their data products. Read more about Indian Startup Ecosystem.


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Cashup Flats
A view from Steptoe Butte at Cashup Flats in the Washington Palouse after sunset.
Lewiston, Idaho
Early morning view of the old highway from the hill above Lewiston with steam from the paper plant bellow
LewistonidahoPalousewinding roadviewwinter
The Palouse at sunset
A view from Steptoe Butte at sunset in the Palouse
PalouseSteptoe Buttesunsetwinter wheatcloudshills
Windmills in the Palouse
A view from Steptoe Butte northeast of the Windmills and Palouse wheat fields at sunset
PalouseWindmillssunsethillssteptoe butteyellow
Palouse Wheat Field
A sunset shot of wheat at sunset just before harvest in the Palouse of Washington state.
Sunrise on the Palouse
Photographed from Steptoe Butte in the Palouse of Eastern Washington in the spring.
springwinterwheatsteptoe buttepalousefarmfieldbarn
A beautiful view from Steptoe Butte
Sunrise shot in late spring of the wheat fields of the Washington Palouse.
Rolling Palouse Fields
Shot from Steptoe Butte, Washington. This shot of the Palouse was taken in mid spring.
Winter wheat on the palouse
A wheat field on the Palouse of Washington State
wheatwinter wheatfieldpalousewashingtongreencloudsrolling hills
Old barn on the Palouse
This old barn is on the old highway just south of Spangle in the Eastern Washington Palouse in Winter. Sadly the barn has since been torn down.
Palouse Wheat Field Triptych
A photographed from Steptoe Butte showing winter wheat in middle of spring.
sunset on the Palouse
Sunset from Steptoe Butte in the early summer.
steptoebuttesteptoe buttewinter wheatpalousesunsetwashingtoneastern washington
Old Factory
An old building in Oakesdale, Wa. photographed at civil twilight.
blue hourwashingtonoakesdalenightstarslong exposure
Railroad tracks on the Palouse
Near the town of Freeman, WA
Sunset on the Palouse
The south view from Steptoe Butte of the sunset
sunsetgrasspalousecloudsfieldssteptoe butte
Lightning on the Palouse
Lightning strike in a storm on the Palouse
lightningpalousecanolafieldrape seedclouds


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A few weeks ago, we visited my brother-in-law and future sister-in-law in Charlotte. It was so much fun seeing them! If you follow me on Instagram, you also know we HAD to make a trip to IKEA. I love IKEA and their inexpensive décor! As I was looking for frames, though, I realized the size frames I was looking for were more than I wanted to spend for my office/craft room/studio room (I CANNOT decide what to call it!).
You know this room needs A LOT of work and I cannot wait to show you! I just still need to do a few more things before I feel like it is "finished."
While in Charlotte, however, we stopped by Goodwill, of course. (And did you know, Goodwill has started carrying Target salvage items!?!? Yes! It is the best!)
Anyway, I digress.
While there, even though I was distracted by all of the amazing Target goodies, I noticed these old frames and asked Russ to get down from a high shelf…in my mind I knew they'd be too expensive, but there were two so I thought I'd just look.
Oops…you can see a sneak peek of my floor!!
He turned them around and they were $3.99!!!!!!! I was sold and didn't let them go.
Now, this was not exactly the look I was going for, obviously, but I knew paint would work wonders.
All I did was spray the frame white, then paint a coat of white over it (that I already had from priming this lovely room above) and did the exact same thing to the mat.
Did you know you could paint a mat?
Yep. Super easy and a quick update!
I didn't even print their pictures on actual photo paper. I took them to Staples (make sure it's on a jump drive!) and had them printed on regular paper for around $3 total.
(I don't know why Kuy's looks sepia, no amount of tweaking would change it. See below? It really is black and white like Cray's!)
And THIS is my favorite thing in the room! I love looking at these little faces while working!
Linking up to: I Heart Naptime, Tatertots and Jello, Lil' Luna, Somewhat Simple, Today's Creative Blog


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jeudi 28 février 2013
The Story of Eau in 50 Shades of Pink
27 commentaires:
So many Eaux! Do not forget this year editions of Mugler's Angel and Alien Aqua Chic, together with the brand new Womanity Aqua Chic.RépondreSupprimer
But personally, I prefer to wear my orientals whole summer along!
Ela, thanks for adding to the list,which demonstrates my point even further.RépondreSupprimer
Hi Denyse, I recently read somewhere that according to a salesperson in AG boutique there's a new fragrance coming up this year to the men's side of the collection. Do you know if this is separate or could the salesperson have just meant the cologne version of Vétiver?RépondreSupprimer
Mikael, no such fragrance was presented this week, which of course doesn't mean there won't be a later launch. She could have been talking about Vétiver though the new collection is totally unisex.RépondreSupprimer
Curious - which scents were your "wows"? :-)RépondreSupprimer
Karin, I haven't really given any a full wear (just the one, several hours) except the Goutal Vétiver, so that's the one I'd put in the wow category for now.RépondreSupprimer
Thank you so much for this illuminating overview - I have to say I'd noticed this major shift to the cologne myself and welcome it.RépondreSupprimer
Apart from anything else, it feels like a more democratic approach allowing both men and women to partake of the same scents - to which I say hurrah.
My personal favourites remain Bensimon in both editions.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
The Perfume Dandy, I don't know if the cologne approach is democratic, but it's certainly in some way a throwback to pre-modern, and often non-gendered perfumery. A couple of years ago I made an informal survey of my readers as to what they considered too butch or too femme to wear, regardless of their own gender, and the answer was basically 80s juices -- the big fougères and the frantic florals. Other than that, connoisseurs are always pretty much willing to cross the aisle.RépondreSupprimer
- annemariec1 mars 2013 à 04:44
So many Eaux, so little Temps, as Kevin on NST (and no doubt others) once said.RépondreSupprimer
AG's Neroli is not exactly a heavy hitter in its current formulation. I am disappointed to hear it may be even lighter.
Annemarie, Kevin does have a way with words! I am totally stealing that. I've yet to do the skin test on the neroli, I agree it's a pity both versions aren't maintained but this one bloomed quite nicely on the blotter.RépondreSupprimer
Not expecting an instant full review, but I have to ask as I'm highly curious: what was the cologne Vétiver like, in general terms? Did it have the salty aspect of the original or is it an altogether different riff around vetiver?RépondreSupprimer
Mikael, I've never worn the original so would have to dig up a sample to do a side by side. It's not an entirely different version, according to Isabelle Doyen, but it's less stern.RépondreSupprimer
- Anonyme1 mars 2013 à 15:38
So-no more Eau de Hadrien Eau de Parfum? I don't want to hoard but I would like a bottle or two of this before it disappears forever. And I wonder if they have to change the body creams, too, to comply with new regulations.RépondreSupprimer
Thank you, as always, for the information!
I too, am having a little trouble parsing that v. important sentence about the Goutal D/C's--Neroli and Vetiver are going in EDT?RépondreSupprimer
I wish the industry would give customers a wider vocabulary rather than bowing to tastes they can't articulate. But then I've been wishing that for a long while, regardless.
Sorry, meant EDP. But thought what I had in Neroli was EDT anyway and am now thoroughly confused.RépondreSupprimer
Carole, from what I've understood, only the Néroli and Vétiver are straight-out replaced by cologne versions. Eau d'Hadrien is such a best-seller they're not going to pull anything, they're actually adding a product.RépondreSupprimer
Alyssa, I've amended, hopefully things will be clearer. It was Isabelle Doyen herself who said "no more eau de parfum", but she may have just meant the Vétiver... Both that and the Néroli are colognes though, not eaux de toilette, and the formulas are a bit different. So: hoarding time for fans of the current versions, I guess.RépondreSupprimer
As for vocabulary... I guess as long as most SAs make the sales, they're not out to educate. You want "fresh"? I'll sell you fresh, no matter that it's actually a heavy hitter...
Speaking of AG, I read somewhere that Mon Parfum Chéri is being discontinued. Any news about that?
D, no, sorry, not a word.RépondreSupprimer
- Anonyme2 mars 2013 à 04:43
ack... wake me up when this trend has passed. you'll find me playing with perfumes that aren't afraid to smell like - you know - perfume.RépondreSupprimer
water is a lovely thing to drink, to bathe in, to swim in, to boat on, and i couldn't live without it, but that doesn't mean i need to have my perfumes watered down. i mean, what is the point? when they're watered down, they are diluted, and when they're diluted, they become too dull for my tastes.
thankfully there are many full-bodied perfumes for me to enjoy!
Minette, from what I've sniffed, it isn't so much that they're diluted, as that these variations are freshened up with flowers. What's crazy is how EVERYONE is using "eau" this season!RépondreSupprimer
- Anonyme3 mars 2013 à 02:42
denyse, you're no doubt right... i was just being thoroughly hyperbolic. although the eaux i have smelled really do leave me cold (sorry, but as example, the ateliers do nothing for me, and i've tried more than once to see their appeal, as they get so many positive reviews). but you know, i've never cared for eaux de cologne (okay, i like guerlain), so maybe it's just that.RépondreSupprimer
i love flowers though, so if someone's doing something good with flowers, i'll probably enjoy it. i'll certainly give everything a whirl, even if my luck with loving eaux has been nonexistent. because you just gotta smell it for yourself!
it does seem that everyone is doing a scent, then doing an eau of it. as if the original weren't just fine. instead of flanking the heck out of something, why not just concentrate on making the original totally kick-ass?
was it you who did the article that talked about it being cheaper to launch a flanker scent than to support the original? maybe that's what we're seeing.
that or the continuing milquetoastifying of everything... heaven forbid you actually have a personality and stand out!
be well. i enjoy your writing and points of view as ever.
and say it isn't so - i love mon parfum cheri!
Minette, love "the continuing milquetoasting of everything" (I mean your phrase, not the fact). And, yes, it makes more sense for companies to do flankers -- you may have read something here, but it's something that's come up in a lot of places. Quite a few flankers get their own ad campaign, which isn't cheap, but still less of a risk than building up a whole new product.RépondreSupprimer
I don't think they'll be going away any time soon since it's easier to keep the customer coming back to your counter when a) the SA can show something new, b) it's a variation on what you already like, so that's easier for you as a consumer than to sort through hundreds of offerings. So that even if your original *is* kick-ass (thinking of contemporary classics like Infusion d'Iris or the Narciso), you'd pretty much have to go that route.
- Anonyme3 mars 2013 à 21:51
you're right i'm sure about the business-side of it. and it does make sense. i think i'm just always hoping to be wowed by something new, and flankers, though they might appeal (i do have three narcisos, so i'm clearly not immune to their appeal!), don't hold the promise and potential of something NEW. i realize that some flankers are totally unrelated to the originals construction-wise, and are linked in name only, so one sorta has to sniff them to see if there's something THERE. i guess i prefer an approach like les heures de cartier. i doubt we will see freshened versions of these. or at least i hope not. i love the boldness with which those are being done. i think mme. laurent has done an excellent job.RépondreSupprimer
and yes, i am sorely tired of the milquetoastifying of everything. it seems everyone's afraid of being bold, of having a personality, of standing for something. it's as if average has become the new ideal to which we should aspire. ah, well.
Minette, I remember reading in, I think, New Scientist, something about humans being hard-wired to feel a rush of pleasure from novelty. I guess some people get it from a newly tweaked Narciso, while others need a stronger dose. Considering how the average person sees fragrances -- as part of one's identity -- it does make sense not to stray too far from one's olfactory imprint. And how many times have I heard someone say "I went to Sephora to find something new but there was so much stuff I just went back to the same"...RépondreSupprimer
And glad you share my admiration for Les Heures!
And little off-topic: Denyse, are you goint to continue your IFF's Speed-Smelling lunch post? I am so curious to read part II and details on the coffret.RépondreSupprimer
Ela, definitely, it's on my to-do list! It's just crazy right now trying to move forward with professional projects while preparing my trip to New York, Toronto and Montreal for my book launch... But I need to get cracking on it!RépondreSupprimer


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Space for Rent
Posted on September 23 2014
The secret is out, Factory Five HQ will be moving in the next couple months. Over the past few years we've expanded, developed and utilized every square inch of the current workshop. We've gradually outgrown it…. the time has come and we have secured new premises. (More on that later)
Which means that our current space is available to rent. We're putting out a quiet word if you're interested. It is 130sqm, considerately divided into modular spaces, peaceful, comfortable, full of storage and designed by a pro architect. Would make a great workshop or office. We've totally loved it. Give us a shoutout if you're interested.


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Dragons of Krynn
Dragons. The undisputed masters of Krynn. The stuff of legends for over a thousands years. Whether encountered alone in their lairs beneath the ruins of ancient cities or flying in great numbers over the battlefields of Solamnia, dragons are the icons of fear and hope in the unfolding drama…More info →


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Explore outer space with this National Geographic Virtual Field Trip! Meet an astrophysicist searching the stars for distant planets, a nonprofit founder making space accessible to young people, and the co-creators of a new solar system graphic that appears in National Geographic magazine.
Originally airing live on Wednesday, September 29 at 1 p.m. ET, this Virtual Field Trip is available now on YouTube.
The Virtual Field Trip features:
- Munazza Alam: Munazza is an astrophysicist and National Geographic Explorer. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and is currently researching a category of large, bright exoplanets called hot Jupiters.
- Ilias Psyroukis: Ilias is a National Geographic Young Explorer, space pioneer, and educator. He is the co-founder of Space Innovation (SPIN), a nonprofit that develops and shares knowledge about space technologies and makes space accessible to young people.
- Patricia Healy: Patricia is a graphics researcher who recently co-created a detailed infographic of the solar system featured in the September 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine.
- Manuel Canales: Manuel is a National Geographic senior graphics editor who develops maps and illustrations featured in National Geographic magazine. He teamed up with Patricia to create the new solar system infographic.
Subjects: Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy, Technology
Content recommended for grades 4-8
This Virtual Field Trip is hosted by Krista Strahan, and is presented in partnership with the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative.
Photo courtesy of Marty Schnure.


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Spain says US to help in nuclear clean-up at Palomares
Spain said Friday it had received guarantees that the United States will help clean up land contaminated with radioactivity after a mid-air collision in 1966 dumped four U.S. hydrogen bombs in the country's south. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said he will discuss the clean-up with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday. U.S. Embassy spokesman Jeffrey Galvin said it was premature to say a deal Continue reading Spain says US to help in nuclear clean-up at Palomares


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FAS and OTA
The Federation of American Scientists has just launched a new collection of reports from the (currently) defunct Office of Technology Assessment.
The site, called the OTA Archive, indexes "over 720 reports and documents that were produced by OTA during its 23 year history." In an effort somewhat similar to OpenCRS, the site features exhaustively researched reports prepared by a legislative support agency. In the case of the OTA, however, the reports haven't been published since 1995, when the office stopped receiving funding.
As we've described before, and as described in great detail by FAS here, the OTA served an essential function that has only gained importance in the years since it lost support. Negotiating complex technological issues requires technological knowledge, and institutional support is a necessary component of adequate technological policy. CRS serves general policy needs, GAO presents oversight information, CBO does cost estimates, and Joint Tax gives tax assessments. Clearly there's a need for continuing support of scientific and tecnological substance, and the $2.5 million appropriated in this year's legislative branch approps bill is only a very small step in the right direction.
The FAS site presents a compelling argument, along with all the evidence necessary, to prod Congress to support a reinstated OTA.


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Of book thieves and bribery
Karrus Hayes started the school in 2003 on the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana with a $50 loan and the use of a church hall. A decade since he started his project, the school is still one of a few non-fee paying schools in Liberia that educates up to 12th Grade.
Karrus' school seeks to solve the dual problems of corruption in education, and delivering quality teaching to Liberia's poorest young people; state schools only educate up to 6th Grade, are under-resourced and are often closed due to staff shortages. But Liberia's textbook crisis is holding Karrus' school, and its students, back.
'Star Longman is the only book store in Monrovia that gives people the means to education. They have to get the books from Ghana and the US to Liberia, which makes them so expensive,' Karrus explains. This bookshop is the only glass-fronted shop I have seen in Monrovia; others are crumbling, concrete-block and tin-roof arrangements with names such as Lucky Business Centre and Looking Good Barbing Salon hand-painted in dazzling colours. The owner of Star Longman keeps her stock of textbooks locked behind glass cabinets, out of reach from thieves. The titles are enticing: Women's Empowerment in Post-war Liberia, and Mapping West Africa. Answers to Liberia's development questions are screened off, available only to the wealthy élite.
Theft is a big problem in Liberia. As Karrus and I walk back from the school through Paynesville's Red-Light market, a boy of about 10 approaches us with a selection of well-thumbed textbooks fanned out in his arm. 'Hey, how much is this book?' Karrus asks. It is $5. Karrus hands it back and signals the boy on. 'When you see some guy selling books in the street for a cheaper price, it means that they are stolen.'
Many of Carolyn A Miller's students spend their afternoons selling items at Red-Light market after school has finished and I recognize a few faces in the crowd. A 10th-Grader is winding a wheelbarrow piled high with jeans around the puddles, and a female student sells soft drinks from a large tin bowl balanced on her head.
In 2013, some 25,000 school leavers sat the University of Liberia entrance exams, and every one of them failed – a stark indication of the deteriorating school system. Consequently, corruption in education has become a common feature.
Integrity is the foundation of the Carolyn A Miller School's values. 'Some teachers today ask students to give them money for good grades. So students don't take the whole thing seriously,' Karrus tells me. 'Everyone is seeking money, and teachers are not giving out what the children need.' I ask Karrus how he tackles bribery in his school. 'I go to all classes and give them my numbers and say "if any teacher asks you for money then contact me".'
Liberia has remained peaceful for over a decade since its 14-year civil war ended, but protracted conflict has de-skilled the country and its infrastructure is weak and reliant on outside resources: Chinese contractors are rebuilding the road from Monrovia to the country's mineral-rich interior.
'We have the gold mines, we have the rubber, we have iron ore,' Karrus stresses as we pick our way over the grey pools left by the monsoon. 'We have all these things – but the most important thing we have is the kids. We have human resources. When everyone is educated, we can discover what is underground. But if we don't know the value, it cannot help us.'
Knowledge is expensive here, but without it the cost to Liberia is even higher.
Help us produce more like this
Patreon is a platform that enables us to offer more to our readership. With a new podcast, eBooks, tote bags and magazine subscriptions on offer, as well as early access to video and articles, we're very excited about our Patreon! If you're not on board yet then check it out here.


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Geneva Otero and the State of Utah, By and Through Utah State Department of Social Service v. Joe Williams : Respondent'S Brief In Opposition To Appellant'S Petition For Reconsideration
Docket Number
Document Type
Brief of Respondent
Publication Date
Respondent'S Brief In Opposition to Appellant'S Petition for Reconsideration
Original Brief submitted to the Utah Supreme Court; funding for digitization provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Utah State Library, and sponsored by the S.J. Quinney Law Library; machine-generated OCR, may contain errors.
STEPHEN G. SCHWENDIMAN, DIANE W. WILKINS; Attorneys for Plaintiff;BRIAN M. BARNARD; ATTORNEY FOR Appellant;
Public record document (some rights may be reserved).
Recommended Citation
Brief of Respondent, Utah Dep't of Social Services v. Williams, No. 16819 (Utah Supreme Court, 1980).


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Terms and Conditions
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Editor's note: We originally wrote and published this post, "Why Your Story is a Valuable Marketing Asset," for Marketo on 4/11/18.
By now, you must have seen the viral Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic, right? Nicknamed the Martech 5000, the image shows that the MarTech landscape reached a total of 5,381 solutions at the start of 2017. And as you know, if you've seen the image, saying the landscape is complicated is a vast understatement. From CRMs to MAPs, CMSs, CDPs, DMPs, and beyond, vendors from every corner of the landscape promise you better marketing operations.
While these technologies are essential to creating agile, fluid structures and driving customer engagement, is any one piece of technology really going to make all the difference in your marketing? The marketing technology revolution is certainly important. But when you get to the heart of your brand's marketing, you'll find the story is truly your most valuable asset—not any one piece of technology.
Here are 4 reasons why your story should be the focal point of marketing.
1. Don't Just Rent Algorithms, Own Stories as a Valuable Marketing Asset
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will become increasingly important for marketers in the coming months and years. Those aren't the algorithms I'm talking about right now. The algorithms that have sent marketers into tailspins in recent years have been those from social platforms. Most notably, the recent news of Facebook's algorithm change sent shockwaves through the marketing world.
Are you one of the marketers who started to panic when Facebook said organic reach would dwindle (more than it already has) for business pages? If you are, it might be because you're valuing third-party platforms—rented land—more than your own story to engage audiences.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn—these companies don't owe us anything. The free engagement you enjoyed may have been nice, but changes are only going to separate the good from the great. Take this opportunity to focus on your story. Make it as engaging as possible, and see how your performance thrives in the face of algorithm changes.
2. Customer Experience Is the Key Differentiator
More and more, brands are seeing that customer experience is the key to success. It's impossible to beat Amazon in a race to the bottom on price. And technology makes it easier than ever to replicate products. Customer experience is what sparks loyalty, and that's where marketers can make a difference.
In many ways, the story is the foundation of customer experience. Without it, you're left with a customer experience that blends in with the crowd. You don't just want to advertise your products and services—you want to get customers to buy into your story and increase their lifetime values in the process.
3. Story Is the Heart of Influencer Marketing
How do influencers become influencers in the first place? They amass a following based on their own personal stories. And as a marketer, you want to tap into that influence to create buzz for your product.
But what's stopping your brand from creating that same kind of audience? Don't just expect ad retargeting, marketing automation, and other technologies to make it happen. Story is the foundation that makes all of these technologies and marketing tactics work.
4. Medium Follows Message
Everywhere you turn, someone is telling you where you should focus your marketing efforts. Should you be putting out more video content? Do you need to start a podcast? Will people still read your blog? Is it time to move your blog to Medium?
These are the questions that can keep content marketers up at night. But if you don't have a refined story, none of these mediums will work. Choosing the right channels for content delivery is important. Just don't lose sight of story in the process.
Story is a Powerful Marketing Asset
Storytelling isn't just a new marketing buzzword. It represents the realization that we can't just build products and wait for customers to come.
Story is your most valuable marketing asset because it's the foundation of your entire strategy.
Have you started to make the shift to story as the core of your marketing? I'd love to hear your thoughts on how it has changed your tactics and processes.


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Radial Fatigue Test
Similar to the cornering fatigue test, the radial fatigue test is intended to simulate the dynamic loading of the wheel during cornering of the road. It simulates the forces of load that a wheel experiences with a tire mounted and carrying the weight of the vehicle and passengers, cargo. The radial fatigue test is also performed with a tire on. This test also well exceeds any stresses seen in normal road use of the wheel all while meeting the standards set forth by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineer).


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|ActiveNotes Symbian^3 IBM Lotus Notes Series S60 Series S60 v5 Nokia E7 Nokia C6 Nokia C7 Nokia N8 Calendar Contacts sync synchro Active Notes replication synchronization Active notes synchronization Active notes replication ActiveNotes synchronization ActiveNotes replication Bookmarks SMS MMS Images EXIF Audio Nokia Smartphone Notes synchronization S60 Lotus Notes Edgar Miltinch Edgars Miltiņš Эдгар Милтиньш en About Messages about Messages Preface
About Messages
The Messages Application
archives your Short & Multimedia Messages (SMS & MMS) in a Notes Database (template Messages). It will be never again: "Where is my SMS , that i have received 3 months ago?" And additionally you can create SM or MM in the Notes Database and the Application will transfer it to device with status tracking. Short messages have only text (Subject) field, but Multimedia messages are created from rich-text field with support of:
any other rich-text features (like tables etc.) will be lost. Another limit is summary size of the MMS is 300 kb. You can decrease the size of message with graphics by sizing of in-line images.
The Messages Template
On the Lotus Notes side is one or more Databases based on Messages Template. This Database will contain your messages. With this Database you can:


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personal development blog posts
Mental Health is Health
This week has been Canadian Mental Health Association's Mental Health Week. I've seen a lot of excitement about it online – there has never been a time in history where so much emphasis has been put on our health. That said, a Google search of "health" provides an overwhelming amount of... more
Relearning to Breathe through Yoga
To breathe, is the most natural thing in the world – or so they say. Years ago, watching my baby boy sleeping, I would watch him breathe in what seemed like a whole body activity. His belly expanded like a balloon when he breathed in and his belly pushed downward completely emptying... more
How to Discover your Inner Athlete
I exercise almost every day. It kind of comes with the territory of being an Olympian who's married into the world of fitness, but I pretty sure that's not why I do it. I exercise every day because it makes me happy. Like, I actually mostly enjoy exercise in the moment. People will tell... more
What question summons you to be fearless?
Quiet your mind for a moment with me. What is a question that summons you to be fearless? Fair, the question itself reads a wee bit cryptic, "What is the question that summons you to be fearless?" When I asked myself this question, I stayed with it for a moment and this is what I wrote.... more
How Kindness Makes you Happier
I want to be kind, I really do. Kindness matters, I know this, I coach this, I speak about the power of kindness, and yet – yes there is a yet. In my primary relationship with my husband, being kind seems to be in a wrestling match with being right. Being right just feels so good. It is a... more
How To #BeFearless in 2017
As we race breathlessly through January, energized by our resolutions, we may find ourselves sliding rather rapidly into February. Where did the month go? More importantly where are we in relation to all those resolutions? You know, the fitness programme, the commitment to eat no sugar,... more
Becoming a mom forced me to deal with my mental illness — and my family's.
Last night I was putting my stepdaughter to bed, when she ran downstairs and frantically opened every cupboard in the front entrance looking for two flashlights. Once she found the two flashlights, she moved them to another drawer, aligning them meticulously. When she was satisfied they... more
Even Coaches Need Coaching: How to Be Successful In 2017
As a champion of change and personal development, I love the New Year. As the calendar turns, I am filled with excitement of all the new things I want to accomplish and some of the things I am ready to let go of. I keep a list. This is very unlike me. I am not a list person, but when it... more
Tea with a Titan, Episode 11: Silken Laumann, Four-time Olympic rower
Guest Titan: Silken Laumann, Four-time Olympic rower. What we cover: If there's something on this planet that's more inspiring than the concept of those who rise again after they fall, well, I'm afraid I just don't know what it is. And perhaps no other Canadian athlete most exemplifies... more
As Maple As with Ron MacLean
My interview with Ron MacLean about the difference between being an Olympian and watching the Olympics as a fan and the importance of having a connection with nature and the outdoors. Click Here. http://www.cbc.ca/asmapleas/?utm_content=buffere2bfa&utm_medium=social&u...


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Hi there Friends and Fellow Crafters,
Today the card I'm going to share with you was made in September 2006 for Sue and Harvey. I don't think there has ever been a stamp from Imagination Craft's that I have disliked ! This is quite a simple card but needs a little time and patience when shaping and glueing the wires in place.
Fold some white card in half portrait style. Stamp the flower swirl onto a spare piece of white card. Paint with Twinkling H2 os. Paint the three largest flowers with the Ocean wave and the smaller flower with the Indian copper.
Cut out the flower heads only and glue in position on the blank base card, in the position they would be in if you had stamped the flowers on the blank base card.
Stamp the flowers again onto spare white card, colour then cut out and 3d them onto the flowers on the base card, using sticky foam pads or silicone glue. Lightly paint around the flowers with the Ocean Wave H2 o.
Now bend the wires to match the swirls on the stamp using fine pliers, then glue in position on the base card, around the
flowers using the diamond glaze.
Spread a thin layer of glitter glue around the wires. Add a small blue ribbon to the top right hand corner of the card. Add some glitter glue to the flower centres, that's it the card is finished.
Take care of yourselves till next time
Enjoy your crafting
Hugs Jennifer xxxxx


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FDA Extends Review of Fintepla for Dravet Syndrome; Response Expected in June
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended by three months the review period for Zogenix's New Drug Application (NDA) for Fintepla (ZX008), an investigational anti-seizure therapy for patients with Dravet syndrome.
The agency now expects to provide a decision by June 25 on whether to approve Fintepla for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet.
The extension will allow the FDA more time to review additional data Zogenix submitted in response to a request from the agency. "The FDA determined that the submission of this information constituted a major amendment to the NDA," Zogenix said.
The company resubmitted the data in November 2019. The FDA gave the application priority review status, meaning it could take action within six months, instead of the standard 10 months.
The FDA refused Zogenix's first NDA for Fintepla, submitted in April 2019, saying the company failed to include non-clinical studies addressing the chronic administration of active substance fenfluramine hydrochloride. The agency also said one of the clinical datasets included in the application was incorrect.
After a Type A meeting in May 2019, the FDA agreed to allow Zogenix to resubmit its application without including new chronic toxicity studies the agency had requested when it refused the first NDA. The FDA also agreed to allow Zogenix to resubmit the datasets.
Fintepla is a low-dose oral solution of fenfluramine hydrochloride. The therapy is given with other treatments to reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures.
The NDA for Fintepla was based on results from two Phase 3 clinical studies, ZX008-1501 (NCT02682927) and ZX008-1502 (NCT02826863), as well as from an interim analysis of an ongoing open-label extension study (NCT02823145).
Data from the two Phase 3 trials showed that when administered in combination with other antiepileptic medications, Fintepla lowered the monthly frequency of convulsive seizures in children and young adults with Dravet, when compared with a placebo.
Results from the open-label study, which included patients who completed one of the two previous Phase 3 studies, showed that Fintepla provided a sustained and meaningful decline in convulsive seizure frequency in young children with Dravet syndrome, with similar clinical efficacy to that seen in older patients.
"We remain very confident in the data supporting our NDA submission, and look forward to continuing discussions with the FDA during the review process," Stephen J. Farr, PhD, president and CEO of Zogenix, said in a press release. "We are committed to bringing this investigational therapy forward to help meet the needs of patients and families with Dravet syndrome."


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Analytics in Our iPad Era
Tablets are increasingly the tech tool of choice for CEOs. According to the 2012 CEO & Senior Business Executive survey by Gartner, 41% of CEOs polled said they use an iPad. Mark Raskino, an analyst with the research firm, says he expects that percentage to be at least 50% by now. And it's growing.
Given this rapid adoption by executives, Raskino suggested during a webinar last month that CIOs should "put some cool app on the CEO's iPad" to show off the innovation and capabilities of his or her IT department. Few apps, in my mind, would be more effective than one built around analytics, particularly one that showed how applying data to business issues can foster growth because, as the Gartner survey showed, it's the top concern for CEOs across the globe.
Although there are some very interesting analytics apps on the iTunes App Store for iPad, as you can imagine, most are for entry-level analytics businesses. I don't think CEOs at large organizations would be that impressed with most of them. (Plus, the App Store's predilection toward consumers means that a search for "Analytics" in the Business section of Apple's online marketplace yields numerous curious results, such as "PiPuzzle: Valentine's Day Edition," "Circus Challenge," and "Palmistry—destiny in your hand," among others. And, while palm reading could help some CIOs in reading their CEO's views on IT, it's probably not the best app with which to start.)
However, the Gartner survey does suggest what kind of app CEOs might appreciate for their tablet: a customer-centric one. According to the Gartner research, nearly 60% of CEOs see increasing their investment in their CRM infrastructure, more than any other IT area. The second item on a CEO's IT wish list for 2012: data-driven management.
Could you ask for a better combination for making a CEO happy? Customers are the foundation for any business growth. CRM systems are rich with customer data about your business. Creating an app that delivers relevant, decision-focused data about your customers, then, should be a high priority for any IT team that has a CEO carrying an iPad.


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USGBC is asking me for a manual calculation on fan power. Can you walk me through how you calculate the fan power for a VAV system for LEED?
It's a pretty straightforward process. However, it does require some bouncing around in ASHRAE 90.1 and that can lead to confusion, so after this walk-through you might simply prefer to use our fan calculator. One of the most complicated parts of the calculation is determining the filter credit. But remember that you should only apply the fan credit if ALL the supply air is filtered. (The workaround is discussed in the next segment)
It's best to use an example: Let's say you have a sound attenuation device on your full supply air of 10,000 cfm and you have a MERV 13 filter on your 2,500 cfm of ventilation air (and only on your ventilation air).
The fan credit (from 90.1 TABLE 126.96.36.199.1B) is .15" for the sound attenuation device and .9" for a MERV 13-15 filter.
From the footnotes of TABLE 184.108.40.206.1a, we see that the credit only applies to the cfm that the air goes through in the filter or device, so the equation for A (in the footnotes) is:
A = sum of (PD× CFMD/4131).
In this case that yields:
A = .9*2500/4131 + .15*10,000/4131 = .908 hp
Then, from Table G18.104.22.168 for variable air volume systems you use:
BHP = CFMs*0.0013 + A
Thus, you have
BHP = .0013*10,000+A = .0013*10,000+.908 = 13.908 bhp
You then have to move to the KW, which is calculated from G126.96.36.199. Since it is VAV, you use the equation for systems 3-8, which is
TOTAL system fan power in watts = bhp*746/efficiency
KW = bhp*746/1000/efficiency = bhp*.746/efficiency
The efficiency comes from the Enclosed Motor at 1800 RPM in Table 10.8. In this case, the efficiency is 91% (selected from the 15 hp row, because G184.108.40.206 specifies that you use the next fan size up, which is 15 hp)
Thus, the total KW = 13.908*.746/.91
Follow up question:
So how would I enter this into your fan calculator?
You would need to pro-rate the fan credit.
Fan Credit = (A1*Airflow1 + A2*Airflow2 + A3*Airflow3… + Az*Airflowz)/Total Airflow
In this case, we only have two items, A1 and A2 which yields
(.9*2500 + .15*10000)/10000 = .375
Then, you would enter 10000 cfm into the calculator, a fan credit of .375, select VAV system and click calculate to yield 11.4 KW!
Energy-Models.com is a site for energy modelers, building simulators, architects, and engineers who want learn the basics, to advanced concepts of energy modeling. We've got online training courses and tutorials for eQUEST, Trane TRACE 700, OpenStudio, and LEED for energy modeling. All our energy modeling courses are video based. What better way to learn energy modeling software than screen-casts of exactly how things are done?
Copyright © 2010-2022 CosmoLogic LLC. TRACE 700 and eQUEST are ™ of Trane Inc. and James J. Hirsch respectively. Energy-Models.com is built in San Francisco, CA and Slinger, WI USA.


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May 02nd - Athanasius
The feast of Athanasius reminds us of the struggle against the easy way out that human rationality so often provides us. It also reminds us of the whole point of that struggle. If God had wished to merely restore Creation then *poof* it would be done. But that is not how the Father, with the Son and the Spirit created. Athanasius reminds us that the freewill we exercised in the Garden and to today is integral to Creation. The *poof* God provided was the exercise of freewill. The Father freely chose to send His Son, Jesus chose to freely take on the "form of a slave" in order to freely exercise the will of the Father. As Jesus shows us in his freely accepting the Cross, even death has meaning. Every aspect of Creation (aside from our sinfulness) has meaning. Nothing is chance or accident. Emmanuel (God with us) would have no meaning without this action.
As for death, today is appropriate, for we laid to rest a loved one. May their soul and the soul of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
The last line of today's quote sums up the truth and reality of the action of God that Athanasius defends.
The Word of God, ...[o]ut of his loving-kindness for us...came to us, and we see this in the way he revealed himself openly to us. Taking pity on mankind's weakness, and moved by our corruption, he could not stand aside and see death have the mastery over us; he did not want creation to perish and his Father's work in fashioning man to be in vain. He therefore took to himself a body, no different from our own, for he did not wish simply to be in a body or only to be seen.
If he had wanted simply to be seen, he could indeed have taken another, and nobler, body. Instead, he took our body in its reality....
The immortal Son of God, united with all men by likeness of nature, thus fulfilled all justice in restoring mankind to immortality by the promise of the resurrection.
The corruption of death no longer holds any power over mankind, thanks to the Word, who has come to dwell among them through his one body.
-- From a discourse by Athanasius
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Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.


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The foundation of every great marketing piece, whether it be your website or a flier, are great photos. Listed below are a few examples of situations where WhiteSites could serve you.
Real Estate
Selling a home is hard enough in this market. To save money some real estate agents may take their own photos using a point and shoot camera, or even a cell phone. They take photos of the property as is without staging the rooms for the best possible impression. To get the best photos, you can't just walk in and start shooting. It has to be the right time of day, the right lenses must be used, and the property has to be staged to ensure the best presentation possible. Buyers may search based on price, and number of beds, but they can't go see all 1000 homes that meet their criteria. Great photos will put your home above the competition. Great photos are what pushes buyers to contact an agent to see the property in person.
Nightclub and Party
Having a designated photographer for your Nightclub or Party ensures all the best moments are captured. Nightclubs are some of the most difficult places to take pictures. By using various techniques we ensure to get the crowd in the shot while preserving the ambient lighting. The result will make your venue look like something out of Vegas rather than Houston.
Photography Questions
Why is a DSLR camera better than a point and shoot?
What camera does Whitesites use for photography?
Photography Projects
Photo Shoot for Commercial Property
Photo shoot for a commercial property that was recently purchased by an investor
Paul really listened to me. He did not go overboard with detail and he kept to my budget requirements. What else could you ask for in a web designer? He rocks!
Jon Morse, MBA
Center For Success
Fredericksburg, TX
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Spookers Halloween
Website for Houston Halloween Costume and Accessories Store
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Deadly combination of cholera, hunger and conflict pushes Yemen to 'edge of a cliff' –...
Deadly combination of cholera, hunger and...
"Historically, Yemen has been one of the poorest Arab nations – if not the poorest– with [poverty] and corruption, poor governance and poor infrastructure. The war has simply made it much worse," said Auke Lootsma, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, briefing journalists in New York via teleconference from the capital, Sana'a.
He stressed that the Yemeni people are enduring incredible hardship, with 70 per cent of the population – some 20 million people – in need of humanitarian assistance. Additionally, some 400,000 cases of cholera recorded in the past few months have resulted in 1,900 deaths.
Mr. Lootsma emphasized that due to the scope of the crisis combined with a lack of funding and access, humanitarians "are asked to cover gaps that are well beyond" their mandates and capacities. The country is on the brink of famine, with 60 per cent of the population not knowing where its next meal is coming from, according to the UN envoy.
He made clear that "the current food security crisis is a man-made disaster not only resulting from decades of poverty and under-investment, but also as a war tactic through economic strangulation."
The UNDP Country Director said that while cholera is not new to Yemen, "the collapse of the health, water and sanitation sector due to a lack of salaries and damaged infrastructure" exacerbated the situation.
Time is running out to 'stop the bus from going off the cliff'
He added that almost half of the health facilities are no longer functioning because they are partly or completely damaged, a situation made worse because "doctors and nurses are not coming to work because they have not been paid and looking for income elsewhere."
With almost 1.2 million civil servants having not been paid since September 2016, many businesses have collapsed.
The conflict continues unabated as remaining infrastructure continues to be shattered –garbage is piling up and water treatment facilities are marginally functioning, creating ideal conditions for diseases – and civilian casualties continue to mount, rendering Yemen as the world's largest cholera crisis, according to Mr. Lootsma.
With its population set to double by 2050, pressing development challenges – including changing climate, negative production and malnutrition – will have a great impact on Yemen's future.
Mr. Lootsma called on the international community to redouble their efforts, warning that time is running out to find the brakes to stop the bus before it goes off the cliff.
This is a summary of the news: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57294#.WYG0IykVTIU


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Intense sensation of pleasure and excitement that occurs at the culmination of sexual stimulation. Involuntary contractions of the pelvic muscles typically accompany orgasm. In men these contractions result in EJACULATION, propelling SEMEN from the urethral opening (meatus) at the tip of the PENIS. In women the contractions of orgasm occur as rhythmic waves along the walls of the VAGINA. Aside from being a source of intense pleasure, orgasm appears to serve as a mechanism to facilitate the movement of SPERM through the vagina. This is important from a reproductive perspective as the vagina presents a fairly hostile environment for sperm, which are not able to survive longer than an hour or two within it.
Though a man can have an orgasm without ejaculating, he cannot ejaculate without orgasm.After orgasm a man enters a refractory period during which his body recovers from the experience. During this time the mechanism of ERECTION does not respond to sexual stimulation and many men feel the overwhelming desire to fall asleep. The length of the refractory period varies with age and among men, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes for a man in his 20s to an hour or longer for a man 50 or older. A woman does not have a refractory period and may continue or revive sexual arousal indefinitely. The consistent inability to reach orgasm is a form of SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION that may have physiologic or emotional foundations.


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A horse-drawn carriage flipped during an accident near Columbus Circle Thursday morning. - See more at: http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/local/2013/09/26/horse-carriage-flips-columbus-circle/#sthash.3KC5fmXi.dpuf
Lisa Ford, 18, was walking down 59th Street near Eighth Avenue when she said a horse pulling a carriage dropped to the street "and would not get up."
"The man driving the cart jumped out and began yelling at him," Ford said. "The horse then started kicking and breaking apart the carriage."
The fire department was told of the accident at 10:15 a.m., a spokesman said.
Ford said firefighters tried to control the horse "but he was very hostile."
"He began kicking around because his leg got stuck and the firefighters helped him get free," she said. "The owner of the cart didn't want to cut him free even though his cart was already broken apart but he had no choice."
A spokesman said firefighters had the accident cleared up in about 40 minutes and that no one was injured.
"The horse is back at the stable waiting for the vet," said Stephen Malone, president of the Horse and Carriage Association of NYC, about an hour after the accident.
NYCLASS, a pro-animal political group staunchly against horse carriages, dispatched volunteers to the scene to take videos and witness accounts.
The group's executive director, Allie Feldman, said the incident showed why the horse carriage industry "needs to go."
"It's just a matter of time before someone will get hurt or killed," she said.
- See more at: http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/local/2013/09/26/horse-carriage-flips-columbus-circle/#sthash.3KC5fmXi.dpuf


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A hand made sterling silver ring with an Approx. 18 x 13mm oval cabochon cut, bezel set natural amber stone. The high quality amber is naturally patterned which makes each piece unique.
The band is is approx. 1.5mm thick which ensures that it can stand up to everyday wear without danger of it becoming bent or deformed. It measures approx. 16mm at the widest (front) part and 5.5mm at the thinnest (rear) part. The inside of the band is slightly rounded, making it very comfortable to wear.
A ring box is included with your purchase but may vary from the one in the images.
They are made to order in Lincolnshire especially for you, with love and care to the size you require.
- Accessory Type: Ring
- Production Type: Handmade to Order
- Materials: Sterling Silver, Amber
- Stone Size: 18x13mm
- Finish: Highly Polished
- Mens / Womens: Unisex
Delivery Charge
Delivery is FREE to UK addresses. Optional upgrade to special delivery at £5.
There is a charge of £5 for international orders, which will be sent via with the best service available to your country within the postage charge. Please note that the buyer is responsible for any import duty/taxes incurred.
Lead time
Made to Order: 1-2 weeks until dispatch.
In Stock: 1-2 days until dispatch.
As most pieces are handmade to your order, they do have to be made before they can be dispatched. Unfortunately, this does mean they take a little longer than off-the-shelf items. It usually takes 1-2 weeks from order to dispatch depending upon the complexity of the design. I always try and complete orders as quickly as possible, however, if it is going to take longer than this I will contact you to let you know.
If you need an item by a particular date, please let me know and while I can't guarantee I will be able to meet the deadline, I will do my very best.


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Memorial Day Weekend Special Promotions
Applied Ballistics is running a big promotion this Memorial Day weekend, to honor those who served their country. There are significant savings on top-flight, category-leading products, such as the Sig Kilo 2400 LRF, and Kestrel Elite. Check out these deals…
Starting Saturday and ending Monday (72 Hours) Applied Ballistics offers these DEALS:
1. 10% Off Sig Kilo 2400, Kestrel Elite, AB Tactical*
2. 15% Off All Book Bundles — AB Book Bundles
3. 10% Of All Individual Books — AB Books
4. 5% off Whidden Pointing Dies — Whidden Die Sets
5. 15% Off All Hats & Shirts — AB Apparel
6. 25% Off AB Analytics — AB Analytics
No coupon code is needed, discounts will automatically apply at checkout. Sale pricing while supplies last, NO back-orders.
The folks at Applied Ballistics also asked to note that military and LEO personnel qualify for discounts all the time: "Active Military Members and Law Enforcement (Including Allied Nations) get a 10% discount off MSRP with proof of current active service 365 Days a Year!"
FREE Hazmat Fees at Grafs.com
Now through Monday May 29 at 11:59 pm CST, you can order powder and primers from Grafs.com with no Hazmat fees. To qualify for FREE Hazmat, you must order at least sixteen (16) pounds of smokeless powder. You can add other items to the shipment — up to 50 pounds total of hazmat products. This deal will save you $20.00 if you order this weekend. NOTE: standard $7.95 fixed-rate handling fee applies, and this offer is good for in-stock items only (no back-orders).
FREE Shipping at Bruno Shooters Supply
Now through Tuesday, May 30th at 8:00 am PT, you can get FREE Shipping on all products in stock at Bruno Shooters Supply. This is a great offer because the free shipping applies to everything in stock — actions, stocks, barrels, optics, reloading components, tools and more. But there are some qualifications:
1. Free Shipping requires a minimum order of $150.00, or $299.00 for powder and primers.
2. The Free Shipping offer applies to in-stock items only — no back-orders. Also this does not cover gunsmithing or complete rifles.
3. Hazmat orders will still have a $32 hazmat fee.Sale Tips from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.


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In a book by Robert D. Holsworth came out, based on his experiences, observations, and interviews with people connected with the Richmond (Virginia) Peace Education Center: Let your life speak: a study of politics, religion, and antinuclear weapons activism (University of Wisconsin Press).
Here are some excerpts from that book concerning war tax resistance as it was encountered in that community during .
A War Tax Alternatives Group (WARTAG) was meeting to acquaint people with the possibility of tax resistance and to support those already engaged in it. It… was composed almost entirely of religiously motivated activists.
When you speak to members of an activist group which is relatively small, people continually refer you to other members of the community… If tax resistance was mentioned, people regularly told me to "get in touch with Father Bob Quirin because he knows the history of it in the city."
Approximately two dozen people [in the local peace community] are refusing to pay what they label war taxes. Most are simply refusing to pay the federal tax on their phone bill, since it was enacted to help defray the costs of the Vietnam War and remains committed to the military. Each month they include a letter to this effect when they send their check to the telephone company. A few people have taken tax resistance much further and have refused to pay about 40 percent of their income tax during the past two years and have instead placed their monies in a world peace tax fund escrow account not recognized by the government. Steve Hodges, coordinator of the Richmond Peace Education Center, has not only resisted payment, but has transformed his stand into a vehicle of public education, granting interviews to local print and broadcast reporters about his decision.
The development of tax resistance indicates how the Richmond activists have tried to apply these ideas about civil disobedience. Given their commitment to assuming personal responsibility, about two dozen people in the peace community have seriously considered withholding or have actually withheld a percentage of their federal income tax and placed it in a peace escrow fund as a protest against the use of tax monies to pay for nuclear weapons. Originally, a number of those involved resisted taxes as a matter of conscience and did not intend to persuade others to join them. Harold Houghton, a Quaker who teaches mathematics at a local high school, one year withheld 36 percent of his tax. He justified his decision by saying, "I feel that I must live morally, I cannot kill and neither can I pretend that my money does not pay for killing." Despite this commitment, Harold refrained from informing many of his acquaintances of his decision. "I don't tell people at work, 'Listen, this is what I'm doing, how do you respond?' Perhaps this is related to my concern about job security, but I think that I would just be terribly uncomfortable saying, 'Oh, by the way, I'm not paying my taxes and this is why.' I just don't want to confront people in that manner and I don't want to invade their privacy."
Harold Houghton did participate in the War Tax Alternatives Group. For the first few years of its existence, WARTAG was basically a mutual support organization. It brought together tax resisters and those contemplating it to share thoughts and experiences with like-minded people. The group also organized seminars at local churches that explained to potential tax resisters the rationale for the act, the various legal and illegal mechanisms that could be used to register a protest about government spending priorities, and the penalties that were possible for war tax resistance. By the middle of , WARTAG — under the impetus of Steve Hodges — began to move in other directions as well. Its activities were more highly publicized within the peace community and became a form of internal education. The group worked to increase the visibility of the issue by recruiting others to write letters of protest even if they were not actively resisting taxes themselves. Members began to pass out literature at the post office on April 15 when citizens were filing last-minute returns. WARTAG also sought to recruit more tax resisters by drafting a resolution and circulating a petition in which those who signed agreed to resist a level of taxes if one hundred others in the area did the same.
These efforts to widen the scope of WARTAG achieved, at most, minimal success. Within the peace community itself, activists discussed both tax resistance and the general issue of civil disobedience. Steve Hodges' tax protest compelled the board of directors of the Richmond Peace Education Center to decide whether it would put a lien on his salary if the Internal Revenue Service issued this demand. The board ultimately stated that it supported individual acts of conscience such as Steve's, though it could not, as a tax-exempt organization, actually endorse civil disobedience. In other forums, activists debated whether tax resistance was the best possible way of bringing the movement to public attention.
Besides the internal discussion that tax resistance generated, protesters received a measure of public attention. Newspaper articles and television interviews permitted them to explain their rationale for their actions and to indicate their personal beliefs to a wider audience, and a few churches invited some of the resisters to discuss their perspective in Sunday-school classes or other special programs. But despite these accomplishments, tax resistance never extended much beyond its core group or caught on as a pressing issue of discussion in the wider community.
Harold Houghton… experienced the distress that can arise from trying to express one's opposition to nuclear weapons policy and to construct a successful marriage at the same time. While Debra Houghton supported Harold's decision to resist taxes — a step actually taken in the year before their wedding — the couple found the combination of fear and anxiety that permeated their young marriage almost impossible to handle. Unlike some forms of protest, a person resisting war taxes has no control over the timing of the consequences or the exact nature of the penalties. The Internal Revenue Service might choose to ignore it for years or take immediate action to garnish the salary of the resister and impose other fines. Interested in starting a family, the Houghtons would have been more comfortable facing a definite penalty at a specified time in the future. Instead, the computer-generated letters sent by the IRS at irregular intervals evoked fears of a catastrophic outcome to the protest. Harold mentioned that "when one of those bills arrives in the mail, your whole life gets blown into a nightmarish thing." Debra experienced similar fears, recalling dreams "in which people came at night and moved us out of our house." Eventually, Debra and Harold Houghton decided not to pursue this witness to its full limits. They paid the taxes that had been withheld, plus the interest and penalties that had accrued. Doing so, in Harold's words, "left a very bitter taste in my mouth. Writing the check and then mailing it seemed like an act of capitulation." At a minimum, it demonstrated how difficult it can sometimes be to harmonize the full complement of one's professed moral commitments.
Undoubtedly, tax resisters in Richmond have made progress in transforming lonely statements of personal conscience into a broader public action. They have also been attentive to developing strategies that will allow supporters of the movement to participate at a variety of levels, ranging from legal protest to civil disobedience. Yet there are some inherent limitations to tax resistance that may never be surmounted. One of the most critical is that the government can dampen enthusiasm for the strategy without engaging in heavy-handed public reprisals. If tax resistance ever threatened to become more widespread, there would be no need to arrest people in the streets or drag them from their homes while the neighbors watched. Sending a computer-generated letter from the Internal Revenue Service assessing a penalty of five hundred dollars for a frivolous deduction would adequately serve the government's purpose. It might no dissuade those people who were already resisting, but it would certainly discourage other people from taking a war tax deduction and, most important, it would do so without casting the U.S. government in a particularly malevolent light before the rest of the American population.*
* In fact, by the Internal Revenue Service had decided to crack down on what was a small yet growing number of tax resisters by imposing a five-hundred-dollar fine for a frivolous deduction. Articles in the movement journals which focused on tax resistance now spent much time addressing the question of how to respond if one received such a penalty and how groups could pressure Congress to alter the tax code so that statements of conscience would not be considered frivolous. The outcome of these efforts is currently uncertain, but the situation does reveal the considerable discretionary power of the government in general and the Internal Revenue Service in particular. I should also mention, however, that the IRS had occasionally resorted to heavy-handed reprisals such as the auctioning of homes, which, when publicized, probably work to the benefit of the movement.
There were several other off-hand mentions of war tax resistance throughout the book as well.


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So you've just bought a new house but started to see some physical issues crop up. Whether it's drywall cracking, windows sticking or doors harder to close. Wondering if there's something wrong with your house or is this just part of buying a new home? In this episode, we discuss what is house settling and what's considered normal. We answer how long does settling last for and what's considered normal versus actual foundation issues. Finally, we explore what happens if you have foundation issues after your home warranty expires.
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Hi, everyone, Karl Yeh here with another Homebuyer's School video, a channel where you get the latest strategies, tactics, and tips from home-buying experts.
So, today I'm joined by Kurt Gibson, Director of Field Operations with Brookfield Residential, and the topic we're going to cover today is: house settling and foundation issues.
So, Kurt,
What exactly is house settling, and what is considered normal house settling?
Kurt Gibson:
Well, house settling is a process you go through. I mean, obviously, there's a lot of wood that's built, put into a home.
Wood comes from the forest, it takes time to dry out. It goes through what we call a kiln-dried process, and [00:01:00] obviously that brings the moisture content out of it or, in some cases, adds into it, it depends where it is, and settlement can occur.
That also can occur in the foundation situation.
There's a lot of water, moisture in a foundation concrete especially when it's poured, and it takes a long time for that water content to come out. As that water is coming out there will be shrinkage, and it's very normal for houses to settle going through and basically finding where it is and sitting in its place.
Karl Yeh:
So, when a new homeowner comes into a home, when you say 'shrinkage' what does that [00:01:30] mean?
Kurt Gibson:
Shrinkage means ... Like a lot of times what you're going to see is wood, again, has a lot of moisture in it. I mean, you bring it from the forest, and you bring it in, and you put it through its process.
It basically goes through almost an oven, and it brings it down. Kiln-dried materials is typically around the 13 to 19 percent range for lumber, and the idea is to bring it down so it brings the best conditions to work into it.
Kurt Gibson:
But again, it depends on the environment. Calgary is a very dry climate. [00:02:00] Vancouver's a very moist climate, so relative humidity can be much different. And from that, what happens is the wood shrinks.
When you're screwing in drywall into wood, basically what happens is it's a metal screw or metal nail, and then what happens is the wood starts to shrink, and then all of a sudden it starts to move, and you can see some slight cracks or popping in nails and screws.
Can you see your house actually move if it is settling?
Karl Yeh: Will you see your house actually maybe shift, or will you see it-
Kurt Gibson:
You can't physically see it, typically. The movement takes [00:02:30] time. It's a year process, typically.
Kurt Gibson:
In Calgary in particular, because we should have four distinct seasons, you want it to go through all four seasons, so it really adapts to all the different seasons from the different humidity levels. Obviously, the winter is going to be much different.
Typically, dry in Calgary, where June can be very moist, and it really has to adapt to those surroundings. You want it to go through that, and you will see cracks.
Therefore, a lot of builders, reputable builders, will come out at the end of the one year or even two years and [00:03:00] do a lot of repairs on the drywall cracks. It is actually quite common for builders to do that.
Karl Yeh: So, besides some of the cracks on the walls,
What are the things would you consider normal house settling?
Kurt Gibson:
Often times you can see doors and windows they start to stick. You can see baseboard coming away from the walls on stairs sometimes. You can see them coming away from the wall. They need to be adapt. It's just movement you can see cracking in the baseboard and casing it's not just drywall.
[00:03:30] There's a lot of different things.
Kurt Gibson:
It's all normal. I mean, typically through the Alberta New Home Warranty, warranty programs, 16th of an inch is pretty acceptable measurement.
Then usually, especially with drywall cracks, anything that's more than about 12 inches long, typically, is what they consider out of normal.
Karl Yeh:
And if you want to know more about the Alberta New Home Warranty check out our video above.
Karl Yeh:
Now, so how long does a house normally settle for?
Kurt Gibson:
It does. [00:04:00] I mean, typically a house can settle ... I mean, it can be moving.
It really is a living organism. I mean, it's no different than anything else. We're part of a planet, and there's always moving and everything going on, but the most majority of settling happens in the first year.
And, again, it's that whole cycle of going through four seasons, and being able to put it one place.
You got to remember all of the materials are being brought in from, sometimes, all over the world, but certainly all over North America, and they are brought in to one location, and now they're being fixed in one spot, and now those are now coming together [00:04:30] and basically being one unit, or one big building.
Karl Yeh: So,
How would we know the difference between, say, normal house settling and actual foundation issues?
Kurt Gibson:
Well, foundation issues, typically, if you have a ... I mean, I will say this one thing that's a very common misconception is concrete, typically, people get nervous when they see cracking.
Any kind of concrete they see, and they get nervous, and typically it's exactly the opposite.
Concrete typically will crack. If you don't have cracking it's very unusual.
So, it's very common. It's [00:05:00] really about the magnitude of the cracking, again, that 16th of an inch or an eighth of an inch width, and for a long period or long spans can be the concern.
Real major foundation cracks you'll typically see walls with major cracks in them at the corners of doorways or windows and stuff. You would see that.
Again, I know people will worry about that, but most reputable builders take the time to make sure their foundation is built on solid ground.
There's things like what we call a soil bearing tests, [00:05:30] which makes sure that it's all built properly on proper ground, and it's all checked beforehand. Any reputable builder would be taking that step to do that, and it's not as much of a worry as people think it is.
Kurt Gibson:
Plus, the Alberta New Home Warranty, again, they have ... Or through the mandatory warranty through one, two, five and 10 year program.
There's a 10 year structural program, or warranty to that, and the bottom line is that you're covered with that on any concerns that may come about too.
Karl Yeh:
Is there any point when you should actually worry?
Kurt Gibson:
[00:06:00] I guess, I've never seen it. I've been in the business 30 years. I would never say that I've ever been in a house feeling like it was ever going to fall down, so no.
I would say it's pretty unlikely. I mean, obviously, every personality is different, and some people are going to be more nervous, especially with not having the knowledge or experience.
It's our job, as a builder, to try and curb those concerns, but no. I mean, if you saw physical movement, and you could actually physically see it, it would probably be a concern. But I've never ever seen it, or heard of it.
Karl Yeh: Okay.
What if there are foundation issues after your home warranty expires?
Karl Yeh:
So, let's ... You were talking about the [00:06:30] Alberta New Home Warranty and after 10 years.
So, let's say you've had the house for 15 years, and you start seeing the same kind of foundation issues. Is it still covered? Like is it covered by any type of insurance or home warranty that you-
Kurt Gibson:
Typically, after the 10 years the mandatory warranty does not cover it anymore, but I certainly know builders that, if they're still around, would be wanting to make sure that they're taking care of that.
Again, I would say it's so rare.
Typically, [00:07:00] if you're going to see any movement it's going to be in the first year or two. Something coming up after 10 years it's very rare.
Like, I mean, you're probably talking ... I've only heard about a couple of times in all the time it's happened, so it's very, very rare.
And, again, there's always solutions to it, whether it's mud jacking, which means you're pouring basically fresh concrete in and trying to raise the house up.
There's always solutions that can be found out to make this thing work. People can worry, but there are solutions. I mean, they can be expensive, but I would also say, for the most part, you're [00:07:30] generally covered one way or another by somebody.
Karl Yeh: And the final thing I want to talk about is noises.
What are some normal noises when the house is settling?
Kurt Gibson:
Well, again, when you have wood connecting with metal, or concrete kind of connect with wood you'll often hear pops or things like that, especially people moving in their house you can hear trusses.
A truss is ... There's an enormous amount of wood material in that, and they'll hear pops coming from the roof, or in their ceiling, and that's very common for it to happen. [00:08:00] You'll hear shifts. You might step somewhere and hear a little creak here and there.
Very common for those kind of things to occur, again, it's just the house going through its movement to try and figure out where it needs to be.
Karl Yeh: Great. Do you have anything else to add in terms of house settling?
Kurt Gibson:
I think the big thing is that I think people worry about it a lot, but it really is a natural part of it. I mean, it's no different than a human being when we go through changes, and a house goes through changes and will always go through changes, and for people to understand that it's very important. I think that [00:08:30] often times we feel like we're building house it's like a diamond. It's not perfect. It's so many people involved in it, and there's so many things that can occur. So, it's important for people to know that, that does happen.
Karl Yeh: Perfect. So, the question of the day for you is:
When you bought your new home did you have any house settling issues?
Let us know in the comments section below.
Karl Yeh: Thank you very much, and we'll catch you next time.
Your turn:
Let us know if you have additional home buying questions that we can answer by submitting them in the comments section below.
Homebuyer's School publishes new content weekly so subscribe or check back regularly for the latest information, strategies and tips from homebuying experts.
About Kurt Gibson:
Before starting his work career, Kurt Gibson, received Diploma's from SAIT in Architectural Technology and Building Development Technology. Several years ago Kurt completed the Business Essentials "Mini MBA" from U of C Haskayne School of Business. Kurt has over 30+ years of experience in the Home Building Industry in Calgary and has work for several Builders over that time in all capacities from Sales, Design, Estimating, Construction and Customer Care. He prides himself in having strong leadership skills with coaching backgrounds in both sports and the business world.


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Mark Spitz, Michael Gross, Ian Thorpe, Michael Phelps… we like to think that all of them started one day as Leo did yesterday: a little bit lost at the beginning, and then rapidly at their ease in this new element, bubbling with joy eventually...
Monday, May 28, 2012
8 comments:
add me to the list.. i was a competitive swimmer too!!!ReplyDelete
Mark Spitz, Michael Gross, Ian Thorpe, Michael Phelps... and Deborah Aragao...ReplyDelete
added ;)
yesssss :) i can't wait to swim with him!!!!ReplyDelete
we can't wait either! come to visit us soon!ReplyDelete
A quando la futura Federica Pellegrini?ReplyDelete
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Federica Pellegrini è antipatica... speriamo la cicogna porti qualcuno che magari nuoti meno veloce ma che se la tiri un po' meno...ReplyDelete
leonarda marchisio sara' brava e simpatica :)ReplyDelete
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These cute cookie cutters are perfect for every special occasion like Eid or Ramadan. You get four different shapes of cookie cutters. This is the perfect gift to every adult or kid that loves baking or decorating cookies.
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FORMER MAYO STAR Fiona McHale says she is open to a potential return to the Green and Red set-up in 2021 under new management.
The Carnacon midfielder was one of 12 players to leave the panel in the summer of 2018, originally citing "player welfare issues" as the reason for their departure. She was vice-captain at the time.
After a lengthy saga and back-and-forth with then-manager Peter Leahy, and further drama involving Carnacon specifically, the group released a statement noting that "lack of communication, being undermined, intimidated, feeling isolated and eventually helpless in the entire situation" were the main reasons.
No Carnacon players — or then captain Sarah Tierney of Hollymount, among others — have since represented Mayo under Leahy's watch.
But following the Westmeath native's recent departure and the opening of applications for a new management team, questions are being asked about a potential return.
Long-serving McHale, an All-Star in 2016 who's widely considered one of the best midfielders of the modern era, was happy to answer those questions on Midwest Radio yesterday, when asked if she was hopeful that she and her fellow Carnacon players could line out for Mayo again.
"Yeah, well I can only speak for myself personally," she told Michael D. McAndrew.
"It's always been a massive privilege playing for Mayo and it's not anything that I ever took for granted. I played for Mayo for 14-15 years, and I obviously haven't played now in the last three years.
"You only get a certain amount of time to play inter-county football. You've only a certain amount of years and then they're gone.
"We obviously know there's no manager in at the moment, or no management team, and we don't know who that will be.
"If they saw me being able to add something to the squad, and if they saw me as part of their plans, I'd be definitely willing to have a conversation or think about it for sure."
Despite controversial off-field matters and their disappointing championship exit at the hands of Armagh in 2020, Mayo have been a consistent force at senior level over the last few years.
Following their last final appearance in 2017, they reached the quarter-final in '18 and the semi in '19.
With plenty of young talent in their ranks, the future certainly looks bright, and with a new county board in place — Des Phillips is the chairman — after problems in that department, it looks like 2021 will be all about the football.
For now, McHale, who has dipped her toes into club coaching with the Claremorris mens' senior football team, is focusing on the present, "tipping away at your own bits of training" through lockdown 3.0.
"It's nice to have downtime," the 33-year-old added, also reflecting on 2020 as a whole. "We were probably saying that during the first lockdown in March but obviously, it's extended a lot longer than people envisaged.
"We had a relatively good year with Carnacon. We were very happy to win the county title at the end of the season. We were very disappointed to lose out to Kilkerrin-Clonberne in the Connacht championship. We probably didn't do ourselves justice on the day, but they're an excellent side and they're only getting stronger every year.
"I'll be looking forward to going back training again with the girls. I was playing with UL as well last year. It was literally the day before the O'Connor Cup was set to take place that everything was shut down because of Covid-19. We didn't get to play it in the end.
"In a way now it's kind of normal that I haven't played a game in so long or anything like that but I don't dwell on it. You just try and tip away at training and make the most of what you have really."
In a wide-ranging interview, McHale also spoke about her role as vice chair of Next Gen, the GPA and WGPA, the late venue change of the 2020 All-Ireland semi-final and other off-field matters in ladies football, and AFLW being televised on TG4.
You can listen to the full interview here.
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