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Remember when you discovered that your showerhead or running bathwater felt wayyyy too good when you were younger? You discovered water play and how to masturbate with water, babe.
Water play may be one of the original staples in exploring our masturbation journeys, yet one of the lost arts as we evolve. While I am a lover of pleasure products, I always held a soft spot for water play.
With so many benefits, here's why water play is a no-brainer and why you should masturbate with water…
Flow Of Water "Feels Like Oral"
There's something so incredibly unique about the feeling – and experience – of water rushing over your vulva. Unlike traditional sex toys, masturbating with water methods like the bathtub technique offers hands-free bliss, babe. Turn on the water, lay back, and lose yourself in your fantasies and pleasure as the water rushes onto you!
Water is wild. It flows how it wants, moves how it wants, and gives you an entirely new take on sensations – similar to oral sex. While I've tried PLENTY of sex toys that claim to mimic oral sex, they just weren't what I was looking for. The (usually) hard flickering and buzzing just don't cut it for this girl. Water play, however, is my jam. This gentle yet intense form of stimulation comes as a warmth, wetness, and rhythmic sensation that many users of the WaterSlyde confide (with a smile) was "the best oral sex I've ever had."
Water For The Cleanest Orgasm
What if we told you we can give you the cleanest orgasms? While some sex toys are made of the absolute highest grade material and are body-safe, they aren't always hygienic. Whether they are hard to sterilize or we don't wash them well, they can harbor dangerous bacterias that can irritate vulvas and vaginas.
We love our WaterSlyde since good ol' H2O is the cleanest orgasm you will ever have. There is zero contact with any products, and water is harmless. Not only is it a plus for those sensitive to certain materials, but it's a great way to freshen up!
While taking time to masturbate with water can stimulate us, it can also give us the quick, refreshing burst we want. Think post-gym, during your menstrual cycle, or before getting it on. I mean, if it only felt this good to wash the dishes, my sink would be clean AF!
The Ultimate (Discreet) Getaway
Half the hassle of having a sex toy or pleasure product is sometimes feeling like you need to hide it from your parents, children, roommate, guests, or whoever may walk past your nightstand. The bathroom is your sacred space where your privacy is respected. Plus, it doesn't look or sound like a sex toy – it's just a part of your everyday bath routine!
Do you hide your shower head? Nope. Let your WaterSlyde shine, babe.
Sexplore Your Pleasure With Water
Water play may be an oldie, but it's a goodie when it comes to exploring your pleasure and sensations. Stuck in a rut masturbating with the same toy, position, or routine with yourself or your partner? Masturbate with water and let the water take you on an experience. See what magic unfolds, and bring your partner along, too!
And, NO, waterplay, or toys like the WaterSlyde, are not a substitute to your partner! It's a lovely, intimate addition to foreplay. Think playing in the tub together, or warming up for them — the perfect bathroom-to-bedroom activity.
Water Play For Those With Disability & Trauma
Inclusivity was paramount to me when designing the WaterSlyde, as I wanted to make water play and masturbation available to all. I'm overwhelmed by the response and love from folks who have a disability as well as those who have experienced physical and/or psychological traumas. Sexual stimulation can be hard to attain, scary, and new; but when you masturbate with water, you receive a gentle reintroduction to sensation and pleasure on your own terms.
Here is an anonymous review Lovability received from a WaterSlyde user, a transgender woman who'd had gender-affirming surgery and was struggling with rediscovering pleasure.
"My surgeon did not have a lot of experience and left my clitoris permanently damaged. It's been about four years since my surgery, and stimulation can still be painful. I've been desperate to find a way to masturbate comfortably and I found an online article about masturbating with water. I tried using the running water in the bathtub and it felt amazing. I received the pressure I needed with the light touch of water. So I began looking for ways to make it even better, and that's when I found your product! Thank you for making this product. From the bottom of my heart and for women like me, those who have had their genitals damaged via surgery or other means."
Rainey of @sexplained.med shared her thoughts about how water play can help victims of sexual trauma.
"A lot of victims of sexual trauma really struggle with getting into a sexual headspace. It can be really really hard to relearn that sexual behavior. The WaterSlyde has been reported to be very helpful to victims of sexual trauma to get readjusted to the sensation of the clitoris, vulva, and genital arousal in general."
Why masturbate with water? Water play is the gift that keeps on giving! My love for water play led me to the creation of the WaterSlyde, an idea I had at 15 years old. I thought "How do I make classic water play accessible, enjoyable, and a full, self-care experience?" With guidance from my creativity, inspiration from my gyno, and the approval of my rabbi (yeah, I consulted my rabbi), I created a pleasure product that uses water!
I invite you to explore water play, and use the WaterSlyde for a unique, pleasure ride of your own! For tips on how to enjoy the WaterSlyde to its absolute fullest, check out our blog Pleasure Revolution: The Bathtub Technique Is Back…And Better Than Ever! Our contributing writer Julieta Chiara shares her favorite insights and experiences to help make your bathtime a truly memorable one.
About The Author
Inventor of The WaterSlyde, a revolutionary, patented feminine hygiene device / stimulator, and co-owner of Lovability, Maureen Pollack (@maureen.pollack) believes in removing the stigma surrounding sexual health and personal hygiene. She is also an intimacy coach, helping empower women in all stages of life to embrace intimacy through coaching and lifestyle products. A book and feature film about Maureen's journey as a "mompreneur" are currently in pre-production.


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Nagios was highlighted in an article by Glen Hare of WhaTech titled, "IT Infrastructure Monitoring Market Will Be Worth US $34.1 Billion by 2024 According to New Research Report". According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled "IT Infrastructure Monitoring … Read More
Media Coverage
Nagios gets mentioned in print media and on the web fairly often, and has even had a cameo role on television once or twice. See what others are saying about Nagios.
Integrate IT Monitoring Tools for Potent Systems Management
Meredith Courtemanche from TechTarget discussed how to integrate IT monitoring tools for potent systems management. A complex IT deployment with demanding metrics might require many IT monitoring tools, but that doesn't mean you can't view it all as one. "…Move integrated … Read More
Continuous Deployment at Coolblue
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Ben Linders of InfoQ titled, "Continuous Deployment at Coolblue". Continuous deployment results in a higher sense of responsibility and better quality of deployments, argues Paul de Raaij, technical pathfinder at Coolblue. Coding standards prevent your code base … Read More
Data Center Monitoring Tools and Tips to Keep IT in the Know
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Erica Mixon of Tech Target titled, "Data Center Monitoring Tools and Tips to Keep IT in the Know". Data center administrators have a long to-do list when it comes to infrastructure monitoring. From server and … Read More
Home Pool Added To Home Automation
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Bryan Cockfield of Hackaday titled, "Home Pool Added To Home Automation". Anyone who owns their own pool knows it's not as simple as filling it up with water and jumping in whenever you want. There's … Read More
How to Find the Best DevOps Tools
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Swapnil Bhartiya of Linux.com titled, "How to Find the Best DevOps Tools". Automation and orchestration are key in any infrastructure setup. DevOps professionals need tools that can help them do their jobs more accurately … Read More
Dell PowerEdge FX2 Comes with New Software Features
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Baburajan K of Infotech Lead titled, "Dell PowerEdge FX2 Comes with New Software Features". Enterprise IT major Dell has enhanced its systems management software for the Dell PowerEdge FX2 modular infrastructure to help customers maximize IT productivity and business … Read More
Supercomputer Systems Monitoring and Management
Nagios was highlighted in an article by Rich Brueckner of insideHPC titled, "Supercomputer Systems Monitoring and Management". This is the third article in a series takes from insideHPC Guide to Production Supercomputing and Systems Management. This 5 part article series will explain how … Read More
Nagios Tutorial for IT Monitoring
Ilias Tsagklis fromThe Server Side has a new Nagios tutorial. In this ebook, we provide a compilation of Nagios tutorials that will help you set up your own monitoring infrastructure. We cover a wide range of topics, from installation and configuration, … Read More
Infrastructure Monitoring Products: Users Pinpoint the Best and Worst Features
Nagios was highlighted in an article by IT Central Station on Computerworld IT monitoring software probes various parts of the infrastructure — servers, networks and applications — and alerts IT about problems before they can cause an outage that affects the … Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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I am in need of some gonal-f pens. I need 2 900 IU and 1 450 IU Please email me if you have these available for sale. [email protected]Thank you! Kathy
I have one Gonal-F 900 IU pen brandnew never been used. You can make me an offer. I got pregnant with my first IVF cycle and I don't need it anymore.
I have 2 new Gonal F Pens (300ml each) and one Gonal F Pen w 150ml for $100 if you are interested. I was very successful in my IVF cycle, and these are leftover.
Thank you so much! I got enough medication for this next month so I will be removing this post so someone else who needs this medication can do the same. Congrats, by the way! And Thanks Again!
My name is Lisa and my husband and i have been very blessed to have gotten pregnant on our first time with the IUI so we have ( 9 ) 300 iu gonal-f pens never been used to sell $675.00 for all thats 75.00 each so if your interested please email me and let me know @
[email protected] we are in alabama
EXP. Date's on 2 pens 4/2007
EXP. Date's on the other 7 are 1/2008
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San Marin boys: the clock hasn't struck midnight on the Mustangs quite yet, though Analy will be a tough test. It sounds like for the second year in a row a technical error by El Cerrito helped San Marin. Last year the El Cerrito gym wasn't up to par so El Cerrito had to travel to San Marin. This year, they were disqualified from the field altogether (don't know the details yet, this info just came from Pitti) paving the way for San Marin to take the final spot.
MA girls: weren't they supposed to make NCS with no problem? Anyone know what happened here?
Saturday showdown: If the MA boys beat St. Vincent of Petaluma on Wednesday, there will be an MA-Branson showdown in the D-V quarterfinals on Saturday night. Hope it happens.
Redwood boys: Snuck in as the No. 11 in D-II. It'll be interesting to see if they can make some noise, starting with a first-round game at Ukiah on Tuesday.


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The Denver Broncos' interior defensive line has generally been considered the most obvious spot on the roster that needs to be upgraded for next season, and that still appears to be the most obvious position for the team to address when the draft goes down. In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Todd McShay projects the Broncos to select LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the No. 25 overall pick.
The interior defensive line is clearly the Broncos' biggest need, and Brockers could prove to be a steal at this point. He has a big (6-5, 323), well-proportioned frame and better mobility than his production indicates, and, with some coaching and time in the weight room, Brockers could become a force.
Brockers would give Denver a potentially huge force at the line of scrimmage that could ultimately open things up for other defenders like linebacker Von Miller. The Broncos had a good defense last season, but expectations will be higher in 2012 with Peyton Manning on board.
McShay also did a mock of the second round of the upcoming draft, and he projects the Broncos to take Virginia Tech running back David Wilson with the 57th overall pick.
For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. For more on the NFL Draft, stick with SB Nation NFL and Mocking the Draft.


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There's a controversy a-brewin' over Black Swan (on the eve of the DVD release, no less!). And by controversy, I mean something three or four people care about. Natalie Portman's ballerino husband Ben Millipede says Portman did 85% of the dancing in Black Swan, while her body double, Sarah Lane, claims the number was more like 5%. The filmmakers back the ballerino, but Lane says it was always the studio's plan to make it seem like Portman learned a bunch of fancy ballarinery to help build Oscar buzz, even though it's possible to master the moves from the movie after just a year and a half of training. Since neither party seems willing to resolve this dispute through scissoring, it isn't of particular concern to me.
Therefore, we turn our attention to more important matters. Namely, whether Natalie Portman used a butt double for her now-infamous thong scene in Your Highness (more screencaps here, here). It's an important question, because as a professional blogger, Natalie Portman's butt puts food in my mouth. According to a recent article in the Sunday Life from Belfast, where Your Highness was filmed, the answer to the butt double question seems to be "yes." THONGPOSTER, THONGPOSTER! (*body snatchers shriek*)
A SULTRY Ulster model has landed a small role in an epic US fantasy drama — as a prostitute who beats up a dwarf king. Beautiful Caroline Davis plays the medieval hooker in Game of Thrones, the new series from the makers of mafia hit The Sopranos. Caroline landed her role after producers saw her stepping in as Natalie Portman's 'butt-double' in the Belfast-shot movie Your Highness.
BOOM! BUTT DOUBLE'D! I've included a couple pictures of Davis below, which were really hard to find considering she doesn't have an IMDB page, and her name is "Caroline Davis." What pictures I did find all look like model portfolio shots, which makes sense as they came from modeling portfolio sites. And to be honest, she looks rather skinny for a butt double. Could it be that by "butt double" they meant "stand in?" (Meaning they used Davis while setting up the lights and camera, but you'd still be seeing Portman's butt in the finished shots). I didn't want to be the one to say it, but these Irish, sometimes they drink. In any case, if someone from the production wants to illuminate this issue, I would be more than happy to investigate further using a pile of photos, a lightbox, a jeweler's eye loupe, and perhaps a graduated cylinder filled with bubbling green liquid. Really, it's no trouble. I've got time.
IMPORTANT BUTT UPDATE: Word from a trusted source close to the production who would know is: the part where you can see Natalie's face (the banner pic) is all Portman, they only used the stunt double for the part where she dives into the water (here), because pshaw, son, an Oscar-winning actress ain't gonna dive into no cold-ass Irish water. So there you have it. Aren't you glad we cleared that up? I know Natalie Portman's butt has been keeping you up at night. And now, probably.


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From Wikimedia Commons.
MICHELANGELO Buonarroti
(b. 1475, Caprese, d. 1564, Roma)
Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants (detail)
Cappella Sistina, Vatican
On the penultimate fresco of the Creation of the Sun, the Moon and the Plants it becomes clear that Michelangelo increasingly discarded iconographic and symbolic tradition. In the Creation of Woman, the Almighty is still standing upright in the 15th-century manner, but here the artist followed his own imagination. This, of course, entailed the danger of a lapse into obscurity and theatrical illusionism; to introduce a simple device from an early illuminated version of the Gospels into a composition treated in a more complex manner was bound to result in an impure style. On this fresco, God the Creator moving above the earth appears twice, once descending with a sweeping rhetorical gesture, and again wrathfully departing. The effect of this grandiose conception is not altogether satisfying. It is forced and lacking in the harmony that Michelangelo usually achieved with substance shown in a state of turmoil. The idea of uniting the third and fourth day of creation in a single composition was not a felicitous one.
— Keywords: ————–
Author: MICHELANGELO Buonarroti
Title: Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants (detail)
Time-line: 1501-1550
School: Italian
Form: painting
Type: religious


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- Home
- Departments
- Departments & Offices I - Z
- Inclusion Office
Inclusion Office
Our Core Purpose
Our core purpose is to create a better Athens Together by closing the gaps, expanding access, and improving outcomes. By actively listening and learning, we aim to meet every person where they are. We take consistent, focused action to cultivate a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable Athens-Clarke County where a person's identity is no longer a predictor of outcomes.
IDE Statement
We within The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County are committed to clear and consistent action on inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging as we deliver services, administer programs, and steward public resources. To that end, we assess and evaluate our policies, processes, procedures, and resource allocations on an ongoing basis to ensure that our actions align with building an Athens-Clarke County where a person's identity is no longer a predictor of outcomes.
We recognize that making room for more voices, actively valuing and respecting our differences, identifying and addressing disparities, and closing gaps requires more than our good intentions. This work demands connection, active listening, communication, coordination, and collaboration, while we grapple with our history and remain responsive to needs that are present throughout our community and staff, in order to increase quality of life and positive outcomes for all.
What does Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity mean?
Definition of Inclusion
Inclusion means the choices, methods, and strategies that create room for more voices, and cultivate an environment where every individual and group is actively acknowledged, welcomed, respected, and valued in a manner that supports their full participation.
ACCGov Inclusion Action Statement
We commit to making room for more voices and building pathways for increased understanding and participation in local government processes. We understand and actively value differences of perspective, background, and experience, while acknowledging that the need for belonging cannot be met without real and meaningful access to opportunities to engage, listen, understand, and be responded to with respect and dignity.
The commitment (short version): We make room for more voices
Why do we value inclusion?
Because meeting people where they are, and creating spaces where people feel valued and their voices heard is essential. We must work to create an environment where people feel seen, heard, valued, and safe sharing their lived experiences, ideas, and input. Inclusion is foundational to taking responsive action in ways that lead to transformational change.
Definition of Diversity
Diversity includes human differences across a range of lived experiences, identities, and backgrounds. Valuing diversity requires actively seeking out and acknowledging individual and group differences while prioritizing the benefits of representation.
ACCGov Diversity Action Statement
We commit to actively valuing, acknowledging, and making room for human beings with different identities, backgrounds, histories, experiences, and perspectives to be represented and incorporated into our decision-making processes.
The commitment (short version): We value differences
Why do we value diversity?
Because by taking active steps to value differences instead of judging or dismissing differences, we lay the foundation to make room for more voices, accurately identify and assess the impact of structures and policies on individuals and populations, while making choices that emphasize connection, listening, belonging, growth, and sustained change.
Definition of Equity
Equity means justice, fairness, and including the different lived experiences, backgrounds, and needs of individuals and groups in policies and practices in order to close the gaps and improve outcomes. Equity requires the evaluation of policies and processes to ensure that we are identifying and eliminating disparities, and moving towards an Athens-Clarke County where identity is no longer a predictor of outcomes.
ACCGov Equity Action Statement
We commit to taking consistent action to identify and close gaps in order to increase positive outcomes throughout our community. We implement policies and procedures to ensure fair treatment and access to resources. We evaluate and assess the impact of our policies on residents and staff to ensure that we are responding to populations based on specific identified needs, rather than assumptions.
The commitment (short version): We aim to close the gaps
Why do we value equity?
Because it is our responsibility to take action to meet people where they are, assess and grapple with the individual, structural, and systemic impact of law, policy, and history, and then work together consistently to put structures, processes, and supports in place that close the gaps and change the outcomes.
"It is not enough to just ask, to what end are we creating a culture of belonging? We must also ask: Who belongs? How is belonging created? What are we seeking to belong to? How are we participating in advancing or narrowing that belonging? Identifying, amplifying and cultivating aspects of culture that make real a world in which many worlds fits, is the seed of cultural strategy". (Source)
Why do we value belonging?
A person's sense of belonging is a fundamental human need.
"When researchers refer to the concept of social connection, they mean the feeling that you belong to a group and generally feel close to other people. Scientific evidence strongly suggests that this is a core psychological need, essential to feeling satisfied with your life." (Source)
Why do we value connection?
Because belonging starts with connection and is the foundation on which community and shared values are built. Creating space for connection is a fundamental piece in cultivating trust and collaboration, engagement and action.
"I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it's given from the heart. When people are talking, there's no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they're saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it". (Source)
Why do we value listening?
Because listening is a critical element in understanding, identifying, and honoring the dignity of human beings. Without listening, informed and responsive action is not possible.
LISTEN: BONUS RESOURCE on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Listening.
*Please note that this is not a comprehensive list.
Get in Touch
Contact us via email at email@example.com
Contact us via phone at Inclusion Office, Main Line: 706-613-3015
Follow us on instagram @athenstogether
We deeply believe in meeting you exactly where you are, so we encourage you to reach out to us via your preferred method of connection. Whether it's email, a phone call, hosting a virtual meeting, or a site visit, we're open to listening and providing support.
Please note: We value your thoughts, needs, questions, and concerns, and will do our best to respond as quickly as possible. Although our office's capacity for care is boundless, our response time correlates with our bandwidth and may not always be immediate. Thank you for your patience.
*Please monitor for updated content.
**Please note that the Inclusion Office is not responsible for third-party content.


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Where can I find the data files and images required for the course?
Prof. Prabhu in Lecture "Starting up Canopy" mentioned a checklist in which he specified some data files like pendulum.txt. Where can I find them?
Hi, The files required for lessons are included as attachment in respective lesson units. The "pendulum.txt" file is available in "circulate.zip" which is included in "Example Simple Pendulum" lesson.
I Can't seem to find it can you attach a screenshot with markings where the content is?
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I sat here this morning, and decided to work out exactly how much time I use on creating my weekly ezine, and I almost kinda shocked myself. I`m not the ONLY publisher who refuses to automate, so please, after reading my hours, spare a kind thought for all those other publishers out there that do everything manually, and who really take the time to get down to a personal level with their subscribers.
Typical daily hours for me as an ezine publisher
That 53 hours per day. Thank my lucky starts I`m great at mutli-tasking...hehehe
Remember, a lot of us do this to bring you information that we hope will help you in some way or other, and I know how much it brightens up my day when I get a mail saying 'Great issue, Anna, Keep up the good work!' So I`m guessing a lot of other ezine owners would really appreciate something like that.
Putting out an ezine is a LOT more than just slapping together a couple of articles and a bunch of ads in an email, or on a website. I know there`s a lot of that going around too (I DO actually get tons of those ones in my mailbax daily too), so if you`re subscribed to a great ezine, take the time to let the publisher know, vote for them, recommend them to your friends, most importantly: Give Them Your Feedback!!
At the same time, if there`s something you DON`T like, let them know that too. Without subscriber feedback, we`re basically just poking around in the dark, hoping that we are giving people what they want. We are there for you, please be there for us.
Anna-Marie Stewart Venton
Anna-Marie Stewart Venton publishes Not Just Another Ezine. An interactive online ezine full of marketing hints, tips and info. Win free advertising in her AdCash games. Visit http://annamarketing.com for more information or mailto:email@example.com?subject=subscribe
This article is available for reprint in your opt-in ezine, web site or ebook. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and the RESOURCE BOX MUST be included.
(c) 2002 AnnaMarketing.com. All Rights Reserved


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Financial situations for companies can be challenging. No matter if you're a start-up or a well-established company, you need steady cash flow.
Companies in a variety of financial stages choose a Missouri factoring company to obtain steady cash flow. Scale Funding gives your business the cash it needs to maintain daily operations, meet payroll, catch-up on bills and invest in new resources.
If you're waiting on slow-paying customers, have a maxed-out line of credit, less-than-perfect credit, got turned down by a bank, filed for bankruptcy or have a tax lien, we can help.
Many businesses that have a cash-flow gap use factoring to bridge the gap between invoicing and customer payment.
Accounts receivable financing, also known as invoice factoring, solves your cash-flow gap problem by paying you immediately on your invoices.
Invoice factoring with Scale Funding is a simple process. First, complete your work as you normally would. Instead of sending your invoice to your customer, send it to Scale Funding. We provide a competitive advance on your invoice within 24 hours. We'll send your invoice to your customer. Once we collect payment from your customer for you, we pay you the remaining five percent, minus a small factoring fee.
While business loans and business lines of credit are good sources of cash, these only solve your cash-flow gap for a short period of time. As your business grows and you take on more contracts and customers, you may need more financing to fill the cash-flow gap. However, it can be difficult to obtain more capital through a bank as debt is created on your balance sheet.
Invoice factoring fills the gap no matter how much your business grows. The amount of cash we provide is dependent on the amount of work you do. The more contracts you have, the more cash you'll receive.
Since 1994, Scale Funding has helped a variety of industries. Our flexible programs and experienced account managers make it possible for us to work in almost any industry.
Trucking & Freight
Heavy Construction
Government Contractors
Utility & Pipeline
Staffing Agencies
Renewable Energy
Other Industries
|Kansas City
|St. Louis
Missouri, also known as the "Show Me State," is a Midwestern U.S. state located on the eastern fringes of the Great Plains. Most of Missouri is covered by grassy plains and fertile prairie lands dissected by rivers and streams. In the west, south of the Missouri River, the Osage Plains stretch to its border with Kansas and the southern areas of Missouri are forested by the Ozark Mountains.
With a population of more than six million, Missouri is the 18th most populous of the 50 states.
Major industries in Missouri include aerospace, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, printing/publishing, electrical equipment, light manufacturing, and beer. Missouri is also actively promoting its rapidly growing wine industry.
The agriculture products of the state are beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, corn, poultry, sorghum, cotton, rice, and eggs. Missouri is ranked sixth in the nation for hog production and seventh for cattle. Missouri is also ranked in the top five states in the nation for soybean production and fourth nationally for rice production.
Tourism, services and wholesale and retail trade follow manufacturing in importance.
Missouri's mines are sourced for lead, coal, and crushed stone with large quantities of limestone. The state produces the most lead of all of the states. Most of the lead mines are in the central-eastern portion of the state. Missouri also ranks first or near first in lime production.
Missouri has a growing science and biotechnology field. Monsanto, one of the world's largest agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology companies, is based in St. Louis. Some of the other notable Missouri companies include Express Scripts, Emerson Electric, Centene Corporation, Reinsurance Group of America and O'Reilly Automotive.
Some of Missouri's top employers include Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. John's Hospital, the University of Missouri, St. Louis University and Cerner Corporation.
The state is named for the Missouri River, which was named after the indigenous Missouri, a Siouan-language tribe. The starting points for the Pony Express, Santa Fe Trail and Oregon Trail were all located in the state. Fort Davidson is located in Missouri and was the scene of the Battle of Pilot Knob during the Civil War. More than 1,000 men were killed or wounded as a result. The Battle of Lexington also took place in Missouri where Missouri Guard troops defeated Union troops.
Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the U.S. and best remembered as "the man from Independence."
Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, was a famous author. His love for the river and his Missouri boyhood is best reflected in his stories of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.
Maya Angelou is an award-winning author and civil rights activist. Angelou also delivered a speech at President Bill Clinton's inauguration.


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Top 7 Best Bench Grinder Stands on the Market
If you are passionate about metalwork, you definitely know that your bench grinder can only perform its duties efficiently when placed correctly. So to achieve this you need to purchase a bench grinder stand that will hold your bench grinder in an appropriate position. Well, if you are wondering which bench grinder stand will help … Read more


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NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Fashion designer Michael Kors is planning to sell a big chunk of his stake in his namesake fashion house at a time when the company's shares are at an all-time high.
Mr Kors will sell 3 million of his Michael Kors Holdings shares as part of a secondary offering of 25 million shares the company announced in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. His ownership in the company will fall to about 4.8 million shares, or 2.4 per cent down from 3.9 per cent after the sale.
The filing came after Kors shares reached a new high, closing at US$64.84 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The stock has more than tripled since Kors' IPO in December 2011.
Michael Kors last week raised its full-year sales and profit forecast after reporting large sales increases over the holiday period, including a 41 per cent rise in comparable sales in North America last quarter. The company has been taking market share away from the like of Coach.
Sportswear Holdings Limited, a global private equity firm that is Kors' largest investor, will sell nearly 19.7 million shares, or 62.9 per cent, of its holdings in the company, leaving it with an ownership of 5.8 per cent.
Investment vehicles established to benefit the children of chief executive John Idol will sell a total 2 million shares in the offering. The company itself will receive no proceeds from the offering as all shares are being sold by investors.


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John T. Reynolds is a writer and actor, who draws comics and writes for television including The President Show on Comedy Central and "six pants-busting years" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS. You can find his comics at A Fistful of Babies. We cover a lot in this conversation and there was definitely more we could have chatted about! For this one, I focused on the art of comedy and I think it was a good glue to keep things together.
This is a conversation about understanding comedy. Now, to begin with, does comedy need to be understood? Wasn't E.B. White who said that comedy was like a frog? Once you begin to dissect it, it's dead, right? Comedy writer Scott Dikkers refers to that in his book, How to Write Funny, and concludes it's a small price to pay in order to learn comedy! Indeed, that is what this interview is all about: understanding comedy. We run a class act here at Comics Grinder so I opened by interview referring back to a book that Reynolds mentioned in a comedy writing class I took that he was leading. Reynolds referred to a recent collection of writer workshop essays by George Saunders and commented that it's interesting to note that the mechanics of creative writing considered to be at the highest levels are just as relevant to the mechanics of comedy writing for the general public. Ah, so we began on a classy high note. There was nowhere else to go but down from there–or so it seemed. Because, in fact, the point here is that there's an art to everything, even a seemingly goofy show like The President Show, about one of the goofiest creatures to ever roam the earth.
Reynolds trained with the Upright Citizens Brigade. It's from there that he teamed up with Aubrey Plaza and other comedic talent. My connection to all this is a course that Reynolds leads, The Writers Room at Laughing Buddha Comedy in New York. I did an open mic a while back, pre-Covid, and I recently took his course, Late Night Writers Room available via Zoom, among an array of awesome comedy workshop courses. We discuss that and many other things, including Mr. Reynold's own cartooning adventures that you can find at A Fistful of Babies.
And here is some more data in a different configuration via the UCBT site: John wrote and performed on the Peabody Award-winning The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS for six years before the host quit. Now John writes full time for DreamWorks Television. He has been in many shows at the UCBT in both NY and LA, most notably in ASSSSCAT, Reuben Williams: As Seen On TV, as Joe Eszterhas in Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made and on Harold Night. He has also performed in many roles on television, radio and film and has written for many other TV shows like MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch and Comedy Central's little seen, but greatly loved, Window Seat.
As you will find, the world of late night comedy writing is all about topical humor. You can create masterful "evergreen" pieces, that are timeless and have their place. But you also have to keep on your toes and be hip to whatever the latest thing has gone viral and is the latest dumpster fire no one can take their eyes off of.
Be sure to keep up with John T. Reynolds and Laughing Buddha Comedy. And one more place you need to check out, which we should have talked about is a show that John does with his partner, Carmen Lynch, that is pretty hilarious. Check out The Human Centipod.


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Carbs Are King
When it comes to high intensity training, carbs are KING.
Let us explain…
Fuel is needed for a fire to burn, a car to run, and a body to function. How best to fuel and what to fuel with depends on the desired outcome.
• Candles use wax (think fat) for a slow, steady burn.
• High performance race cars require high-octane fuel (think carb).
• Your body is no different.
If the demands for energy are low, like a candle, the body can function on fat for fuel.
If you're looking for high performance, like a sports car, the science is clear. Your body demands one fuel source over all others — carbohydrate.
Working muscles burn fuel. The body has energy stores in the form of fats and blood sugar, though calories do need replacing when you exercise with reasonable intensity for long enough. Without replenishment of fuel, the car runs out of gas, the athlete bonks.
Whether you're trying to get back into shape or going for the Olympic gold, the harder and longer you train, the better you will become.
The human body can utilize both fats and carbohydrates as fuel sources to power the body but when it comes to pushing the boundaries of human performance, carbs are KING.
But not all carbs are created equal. Speed to the muscle matters, and no other sports drink gets to the muscle faster than Vitargo.
Ready to push yourself beyond what you thought possible,
click below to get started.
Pre-fuel yet feel empty enough to train hard.
Too tired to workout? Need some fuel in your tank? No need to train empty to maintain stomach comfort anymore! Within 10 minutes Vitargo is emptying from your stomach to deliver high-octane fuel to your muscle and brain cells. You can finally fully fuel your training yet feel empty enough to train.
Stacks well with: Low or no-carb Preworkout for increased blood-flow and pump
Re-fuel during your training.
Vitargo blows the doors off of carbohydrate fuel replenishment during exercise, getting glucose to muscle cells faster. Your brain and bloodstream need the critical signal that you've got fuel on board—full speed ahead to burn energy!
Vitargo is regularly used during exercise without any time between consumption and exercise. So take it for a test ride or run and figure out what works best for you.
Stacks well with: BCAAs for indurance and energy
Re-fuel during your training.
Recover – Same Day RecoveryTM
Muscle refueling, repair and recovery will help athletes achieve peak performance. Quick insulin secretion post workout allows for rapid uptake of elements of recovery like glucose, amino acids, creatine and carnitine. Research shows that Vitargo raises insulin higher and faster than any other carb source making it the perfect mediator.
If you are training or competing in multiple, same-day bouts or the very next day, Vitargo is proven to accelerate refueling and recovery after exhaustive exercise compared to other sports drinks.
Stacks well with: Protein + Creatine + L-Carnitine for enhanced recovery and protein utilization/uptake via insulin secretion


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"Real Life," the centerpiece of the Brooklyn duo Tanlines' debut Mixed Emotions, has been on the internet for over two years. It came out in January of 2010 and was among the first formal material from the group beyond their two-song introduction New Flowers in 2008; in 2009, the group toured with The Strokes-less Julian Casablancas and almost exclusively released house-influenced remixes of songs like Memory Tapes' "Bicycle" and Solid Gold's "Apply." Tanlines was percolating, but hadn't shown what was in the pot. So for a mostly unknown band to go from such limited output, to realizing a song as stylistically developed and fun as "Real Life," was promisingly exciting.
Tanlines were somewhat unknown, but not unproven. Lead singer and guitarist Eric Emm played bass in the seminal math rock group Don Caballero, and produced material for drummer and producer Jesse Cohen's dance punk group Professor Murder. Their collaboration occasionally bears passing resemblance to their respective previous work, but on the whole, Mixed Emotions, and "Real Life" in particular, is stylistically committed to linking the lineages of house music and the encompassing English and American pan-African-inspired Worldbeat of the 1980s.
Importantly, however, Tanlines represents a divergence from other bands that grew up on the music of the 80s. Where groups like Vampire Weekend took Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, and David Byrne's legacy of westernized polyrhythmic afro-pop in the direction of conventional rock, Tanlines – along with contemporaries like Yeasayer and Cut Copy – have tied the quirky, jubilant synthesizers of that music to their club-going forbearers. "Yes Way" opens with a clapped clave beat and steel drum-imitating keys, before giving way to a driving drum line, while other songs, like the album's four-on-the-floor first cut, "Brothers," are more forthright in their club influence. As evidenced by their heavy remix output, Tanlines are producers first and foremost, and their greatest strengths lie in their ability to create sounds and beats that feel old and new all at once.
Also, Tanlines apparently have a knack for releasing the most summer-like songs in the dead of winter. They get off on putting complex rhythms over solid club bass drums — a dangerous cocktail for dance parties and a dangerous dance for cocktail parties. And since Mixed Emotions is rich with sunny, dance-able songs — "All Of Me" and "Cactus" are bangers in their own ways — it's safe to say it will rock many a barbeque in July.
By Charlie Kaplan, NPR Music
Mixed Emotions will be available to stream on demand from March 4 through March 20, 2012. The album will be released on March 20, 2012.


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Warm Winter Wishes by Studio E Fabrics SNOWFLAKES & STARS/BROWN
SEWW5875-33Regular price $11.89
Lucie has combined the coziness of cabin life. Visualize a warm fire in the hearth, a log cabin surrounded by winter scenes. This line features deer, bears, fox, plaids, a classic buffalo check, wood textures and snowflakes. There is a 24" panel, a print of 6 inch squares to be used for pillows or to be fussy cut apart and used for quilts and large blocks or quilt backs.


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The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, released the following statement on the announcement that an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been reached:
"We commend TPP trade ministers and negotiators for their hard work and diligence in reaching this historic agreement," said TIA CEO Scott Belcher. "Last year, the Asia-Pacific region was the largest telecommunications market in the world at $1.8 trillion. The TPP will further open this region to exports of U.S.-manufactured goods, promoting jobs and economic growth here at home. We are pleased that digital trade rules, including requirements to ensure cross-border data flows, have been a focus for TPP negotiators and look forward to reviewing the details of the final agreement."
About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global high-tech communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.
TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI's Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org for details.


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A Hinckley school had to stay closed today, Monday October 30, after vandals attacked the site.
Westfield Junior School in Westfield Road was deemed not safe or secure for pupils, with parents informed of the decision after the school was vandalised on Saturday night.
The extent of the damage and how it was done is yet to be established.
The school is expected to re-open on Tuesday October 31.
An announcement on the school's website said: "Due to the school being vandalised on Saturday night, we will be closed on Monday October 30 to all pupils.
"We will reopen on Tuesday October 31 as usual.
"Thanks for your cooperation."
Westfield Infant School in Ashford Road is not affected.


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This conference wants to address issues relating to economics and business information. The topics range from content management in a digital age to staff development issues and even strategic development of new services.
The main target group are librarians and other information specialists supporting researchers in Economics and Business Studies.
The uniqueness of the conference lies in its international scope in combination with the focus on economics:


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Isolation & Grief: Choosing to Trust God
Ever since Mom's passing, and especially when Madelene had to go back to her long hours at work, I found peace with God. I found a place where it drew me closer to God, without interference, without worrying. I recently learned, that my resistance to my situation was creating a living hell for me. THAT in itself is unhealthy. But choosing to be alone -- choosing to work from home regardless of the lack of interaction with other people in person has given me a sense of freedom. Not only did I learn more about the Bible, even memorizing more scriptures, but it has enabled me to start my second book and to concentrate more, without the cluster mob of 'what ifs' in my mind. I found myself changing in various ways. My TV is never on during the day. If I do have some entertainment, it's classical or praise and worship music. My entertainment are Christian sermons to encourage and uplift me while I'm working around the house. At night, I may watch a Netflix movie, but that's about it. For the most part, I prefer reading actual books -- no online ebooks ever. In fact, my Bibles will always be in paper. I will never rely on electronic Bibles or even online scriptures for that matter. I discovered that this bitter trial in my life, losing both my parents, has made me stronger in many ways. It's made me realize that I CAN make it and that my worst fear of losing both my parents has come into fruition. I made it. I'm here. I honestly thought I would die, but I didn't. I also realized that in my weakness, God is strong. He gives me the strength to get through what I may deem impossible.
"What is impossible from the human perspective is possible with God. --Luke 18:27"
Overall Thoughts
Whatever you cannot change -- try changing your mind about it -- try looking at your situation differently. I love the serenity prayer: "Lord grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the things I cannot change, COURAGE to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen." Remember, suffering's root cause is the resistance of what is -- it's the resistance to your circumstances. I'm still learning this myself as I travel on this strange path -- a path without my beautiful parents, a path that's pretty much unpredictable, which is why I'm choosing to trust God.
For more of Deb's articles, please visit: www.debrapasquella.com or join her on Facebook and Twitter. Check out her cooking blog for some of her famous recipes! Feel free to watch Deb's live broadcasts over on Periscope as well!


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The Demarcus Dobbs tight end experiment continues to march forward, as he will get a chance do his thing on offense tonight. The 49ers have reportedly listed him as a tight end in the game notes, with the number 40 jersey. This means he would not have to report in to officials when he comes on the field with the offense. In his previous defensive lineman jersey, he would have been required to report.
Matt Maiocco took a look at five players to watch in tonight's game, and included Dobbs. In his write-up, MM mentioned a fact of which I was not aware. Dobbs actually played some tight end in high school and caught a school-record 18 touchdowns as a senior. He was subsequently recruited to college as a defensive lineman.
There are plenty of stories to follow tonight, but Dobbs work as a tight end is going to be as interesting as any of them. The reports out of camp have been positive, but when the hitting starts, it will be interesting to see how he responds. Much like breaking down Kyle Williams' punt returns, we'll keep an eye out for Dobbs' work as a tight end.


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Join staff from St. Jude and TKE for a quick refresher on registering for the 2017 St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer. We will also hold a round table discussion among participants to share effective fundraising ideas as we enter the final weeks before event day. We'll also talk about National Team Week and the Final Fundraising Challenge. You'll need to view the webinar via computer/tablet and be able to call in. This is open for any member, undergraduate or alumni, who plan to take part in one of this fall's Walk/Run events happening in over 60 locations across North America or that are participating virtually. The webinar is from 5-6pm Pacific/6-7pm Mountain/7-8pm Central/8-9pm Eastern time. To Join the WebEx Meeting, visit: https://alsacmeetings.webex.com/alsacmeetings/j.php?MTID=mc1565863b665f3aaa0397c283fd2ee07Meeting number: 808 513 540, meeting password: walkrun. Join by Phone at 1-415-655-0002, US Toll access code: 808 513 540. Help TKE Nation surpass the $120,000+ raised by TKE teams participating in last year's Walk/Run supporting the children of St. Jude!
Age Restriction: All Ages
For more information, please contact:
Nate firstname.lastname@example.com
No worries, click here to reset your password.
Founded on January 10, 1899, Tau Kappa Epsilon is one of the largest collegiate men's social fraternities in North America with over 298,000 initiated members and 221 active chapters. TKE's mission is to aid men in their mental, moral and social development for life. With nearly 12,000 collegiate members, Tau Kappa Epsilon contributes to the advancement of society through the personal growth of our members, and service to others. TKE builds Better Men for a Better World.
With a vision of forward-thinking, growth for Tau Kappa Epsilon, the Grand Council of TKE has released our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.
2023 © All Rights Reserved.
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Here's the latest article from the Winter Sports site at BellaOnline.com.
Ski Mountaineering
Ski mountaineering doesn't get much publicity unless an unusual feat has been accomplished or a tragic accident has occurred. The recent fatal event on K2 has some people asking what is ski mountaineering and why would one risk their life for it?
Please visit wintersports.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Winter Sports.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Winter Sports located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Carol Viau, Winter Sports Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com


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Wind Mobile Wants Better Consumer Protection for Cellphone Users
Are you currently locked into a contract with either Rogers, Telus, or Bell? If you want to cancel early, get ready to pay hefty termination fees for both voice and data. Wind Mobile is currently advocating Federal and Provincial governments to reduce the high cancellation fees Canadians pay.
The Toronto Sun:
Cancellation fees in Canada are about twice as much as they are in the U.S., according to technology analysts at the SeaBoard Group.
An American AT&T customer pays about $256 to get out of a typical iPhone contract after just six months, while a Canadian customer of one of the Big Three pays between $500 and $600, it said.
Manitoba has recently released a public report on wireless contracts and Quebec has made amendments to its consumer protection act. Now, Wind would like the Ontario government and Ottawa to step up and do the same.
"All Canadians should be offered similar protection,†said Wind chairman Anthony Lacavera.
"This is a great step in the right direction and we hope to see all Canadians enjoying greater protection from abusive practices of wireless carriers,†Lacavera said.
It is an uphill battle for Wind Mobile as they try to make a dent in the wireless market that is dominated by Rogers, Telus, and Bell. The 'Big 3' each have over 8 million subscribers. Wind has over 250,000.
I commend Wind Mobile for their efforts in bringing up the issues of long contracts and high cancellation fees. From Wind's point of view, they can't sign up new users because everyone and their dog is locked into a contract with the 'Big 3'.
Cancellation fees and system access fees need to go. Canadians can make their voices heard by speaking with their wallets. Too bad the iPhone doesn't work on Wind Mobile. If the next iPhone 5 is AWS compatible and operates on a frequency band of 1700/2100, I'd be jumping over in a heartbeat.
Have you ever paid cancellation fees? Should they be eliminated?
[GlobeandMail, 2, Toronto Sun]


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Both equipment and competence were put to the ultimate test when Odfjell Well Services faced their heaviest casing string in Romania so far. Petrom – OMV subcontracted Rig Saipem 5870 was going to set 13 5/8" 14" Casing (535 Tones / 3801m) in the Baicoi field in Romania.
Tubular handling
The days of specially designed equipment to take care of demanding tubular handling, like prod risers, are over. Clients now get the benefit of using standard equipment to handle even the most oddly dimensioned and fragile tubular safely.


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Universities across Britain could lose out on securing talented staff from within the EU unless the government delivers "greater clarity" on changes to UK immigration and the post-Brexit rights of EU nationals, according to the Russell Group.
The group of top research universities has suggested that Brexit is causing "uncertainty and anxiety" among EU staff already working in Britain, and making it harder to hire additional talent outside of the UK.
In a bid to tackle to issue, the universities have set out a 10-point questionnaire they feel the government should respond to, suggesting that a reciprocal agreement based on these concerns could be the only way the higher education sector can move forward post-Brexit.
The 24 universities that make up the Russell Group are all heavily focused on research, prompting them to suggest that the contribution of EU nationals is crucial.
"More broadly, EU staff and students add to the diversity of our campuses and enrich the learning experience for all," a briefing from the note from the group said. "We need to do everything we can to ensure these individuals feel valued and supported to stay in the UK."
For now, Theresa May has outlined plans that will require EU nationals living in Britain to apply for "settled status", which would essentially grant them indefinite leave to remain in the UK once the country leaves the European Union.
This status would be awarded to an EU citizen who has been living in the UK for five years, with those who have not met this requirement able to stay and apply at a later date on their UK visa.


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Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder gasoline engine
ALSO SEE: #GiveAShift: The 7 Best Manual Transmissions You Can Drive
With an engine block small enough to fit in the overhead luggage compartment of an airplane, the 1.0-liter features a cylinder head with an integrated and cooled exhaust manifold that lowers exhaust temperatures for optimizing the fuel-to-air ratio. An innovative flywheel and front pulley design delivers improved refinement, while a compact, low-inertia turbocharger spins at up to 248,000 rpm—more than 4,000 times per second and almost twice the maximum rpm of the turbochargers used in the 2014 Formula One World Championship.
Ferrari 4.5-liter V-8 gasoline engine
The international judging panel, which includes journalists from 35 nations, and all praised the Ferrari V-8's unassailable blend of sophisticated engineering, power, throttle response, precision, performance and efficiency along with its peerless soundtrack. Sadly, the engine is expected to be the last naturally aspirated V-8 fitted to a Ferrari road car. An updated 458 is coming next year and is expected to pack a turbocharged V-8.
Tesla electric powertrain


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Whimsy And Easy DIY Vending Machine Bubble Ring
Mon, Mar 9, 2015 | Accessories, DIY Projects | By Irina
If your child loves everything about big and colorful jewelry, make some together! I found the easiest tutorial, which allows you to transform a vending machine container into whimsy jewelry. Sounds so much fun, right? First gather the supplies, which are super glue, plastic container from Toy Vending Machine, toy ring, sprinkles, sparkles and beads. Begin with washing and drying your plastic container. Then super glue your ring onto the top of the container. Next fill your container with lots of different sprinkles and sparkles. Finally, slip the top back onto your container. That's it! Now you got such a cute statement accessory to wear!
Reference: handmadecharlotte


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Carnas Std Black Italic Font Information
Carnas, a new monoline sans with a light, slender and informal appearance. It is however forceful and strong enough for headlines and signage. Despite the reduction in its shapes, it is pleasantly readable for both shorter and longer text applications. The Carnas family consists of 16 styles and is well suited for ambitious typography. It comes in OpenType format with extended language support. All weights contain ligatures, superior characters, proportional lining figures, tabular lining figures, proportional old style figures, lining old style figures, matching currency symbols, fraction- and scientific numerals and matching arrows.
Display, fasza, free, Il1, Legible, monoline, Poster, Rounded, Signage, square, Techno, thesis
has been added to your font request. fonts have been added to your font request. has been added to your font request. has been added to " " request. has been added to " " list. VIEW HERE


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The Toledo Museum of Art has launched a redesigned and expanded website: www.toledomuseum.org The new, easier-to-use site provides immediate ways to explore TMA's current and upcoming exhibitions, its programs and events, and detailed information about the Museum and its world-renowned collection. "More and more people are turning to the Internet as a primary source of news and information," said Kelly Fritz Garrow, director of communications. "It's essential for the Museum to have an active and vibrant online presence."
New features of the Museum website include:
Web calendar by Google—Contains up-to-the-minute details on all TMA programming including special events, demonstrations, tours and hands-on activities.
Online class registration—Signing up for one of TMA's many art classes and workshops has never been easier. Viewers can browse the catalog, register, pay and get registration confirmation at their convenience.
TMA Newsroom—Provides easy access to downloadable news releases, media guidelines, image request forms, RSS feeds and more.
Links to Facebook and Twitter—More than 7,000 Facebook fans and 1,600 Twitter followers get breaking news about the Museum here.
Online Museum Store—Offers easy, convenient shopping at the Museum Store, which features a diverse selection of unique merchandise and specialty gifts.
The new website is part of a re-branding campaign to refresh the Museum's graphic identity and web presence."As a brand, the Toledo Museum of Art enjoys high levels of awareness and favorability," said Garrow."This process is meant to refocus and refresh Museum communications to reach new audiences while still engaging our long-time supporters."The design, content, and functionality of the new website has been a joint effort by the Museum's Office of Communications and Madhouse, a Toledo-based graphic design agency.Note: For more information, contact Kelly Fritz Garrow at email@example.com or 419-255-8000, Ext. 7408.


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Reading articles on-line, written by individuals who know what they're speaking about, is maybe the best way to stay updated on any topic, especially computers and new technology. Every factor that happens throughout the Home windows surroundings can be tracked within the log book and what the operating system lists down within the registry are the instructions of each program that's put in inside it. It is not only restricted to software program, however hardware modifications and directions are additionally positioned inside the registry.
What occurs is that programs in the computer including games lag all the time. The Windows simple switch wizard is not going to switch over packages. Trendy computers are electronic computer hardware They do mathematical arithmetic in a short time but computers do not likely "think".
There are lots of applications accessible and they are a must have for a person's personal computer and positively for that of a business. The Synthetic Intelligence and Machine Studying possibility focuses on the design and improvement of software program to process, visualize, analyze and model information sets for the purposes of resolution making and prediction.
Other tablets additionally make use of the two-means communication programs and sharing providers which are real-time primarily based. We offer essentially the most aggressive software program prices on a range of academic, anti-virus , multimedia , operating systems , and picture editing packages.
The computers and the web has offered for an avenue the place scientists and researchers of pharmaceutical firms for instance, to conduct modifications on sure medicines, develop medication of superior quality than other present medication and discover new ones that promise immense monetary rewards for the sole production and distribution for a period of time.


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Rabbis' Group Focuses on Rights in U.S.
WASHINGTON — Galvanized by President Bush's nomination of Alberto Gonzales for attorney general, liberal American rabbis are vowing to fight alleged human-rights violations committed by the United States in the war on terrorism.
Rabbis for Human Rights – North America, an organization representing 700 clergymen in North America, launched a campaign last week against the abuse of terrorist suspects by American interrogators. As its first step, the group, which was started two years ago to support Israeli rabbis lobbying against violations of Palestinian rights, joined an interfaith coalition in opposing the nomination of Gonzales, due to his role as White House counsel in shaping the administration's policy on handling terrorism suspects.
Rabbi Brian Walt, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights – North America, told the Forward that his organization was not founded to take action aimed at the American government. However, he added, the organization has concluded that America "violates human rights on a much larger scale" than Israel.
The organization was joined by two other left-wing religious organizations, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal (Aleph) and the Shalom Center, a Philadelphia-based group headed by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, in a signed letter put out by the interfaith coalition. Two other organizations, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, raised concerns about Gonzales, but stopped short of opposing his nomination.
Most national Jewish agencies have not taken a position nzales nomination or addressed allegations of American abuse. Gonzales is expected to be quickly and easily confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Last week, during his confirmation hearing, Gonzales acknowledged that he had taken part in discussions at the White House, which resulted in a controversial 2002 memo sanctioning the infliction of pain — short of serious bodily injury — when interrogating terrorism suspects. The memo was recently revoked by the Department of Justice after having been exposed in the media. In his testimony, Gonzales stated that while serving as the nation's top law-enforcement official, he would not tolerate torture and abuse by American forces.
Such assurances have not quieted critics of the administration.
"Gonzales is just the lightening rod," Walt said. "We are going to be involved beyond Gonzales." He added: "Our next step is to work out a rabbis' statement on torture. We will try to go and visit a detention center [and do] all the things that you may expect clergy to do to end this unjust practice."
Waskow led a delegation of 21 Philadelphia-area rabbis that met last month with the new chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican. According to Waskow, Specter promised to ask some pointed questions to Gonzales regarding the treatment of American-held prisoners.
Indeed, when he pitched the first question to Gonzales at the confirmation hearing last week, Specter bluntly inquired, "Do you approve of torture?"
Specter's meeting with the liberal rabbis took a curious turn, Waskow said, when the senator told the group that he feels lonely in the Senate, with only four moderate Republicans left, and encouraged Jewish clergy to influence the debate on values and public policy within the GOP. He urged them to routinely meet with Republican congressional leaders just as leaders of the religious right do.
Specter's appointment as chairman of the Judiciary Committee was resolutely opposed by conservatives within his own party, particularly by Christian groups that oppose Specter's support for abortion rights and that are outraged by comments he made suggesting that the president would be unable to win approval for a Supreme Court nominee who openly opposes Roe v. Wade.
Following the meeting, Specter told The Philadelphia Inquirer that this was the first time in his 24 years as a Senator that a group of rabbis asked to meet with him.
Specter, the longest-serving of the three Jewish Republican lawmakers in Congress, was the main GOP address for Jewish groups to raise concerns over some of Bush's judicial nominees during the last session of Congress. Now that he has become committee chairman, officials with Jewish organizations say that they expect him to be in even greater demand.
Many Jewish organizations have avoided weighing in on Bush's lower-court nominees, but say they would consider speaking out regarding a controversial Supreme Court pick.
As for the debate over Gonzales, one official with a national Jewish organization said that groups needed to be selective with a re-elected president in the White House who enjoys a sizable Republican majority in both houses of Congress.
"You will have to pick your fights," the official said, on the condition of anonymity. "If there is someone like Gonzales, who is a shoo-in — and there will be many others like him who we may find disturbing but will face certain confirmation — then I don't see why we should oppose just to make a point."


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Particle shape
Particle shape can modulate particle properties in several ways. Shape can have an impact on a particle's aerodynamic behaviour. This effect has been well described for fibres which can reach the deep lung despite their very long length because the aerodynamic diameter is proportional to the fibre diameter and not the length (Jones 1993). A similar phenomenon has been described for disc-like particles such as graphene which can also display unusual aerodynamic properties (Johnson & Martonen 1994, Schinwald et al, 2012). In the case of nanomaterials, the particle shape has been listed as one of the factors determining their toxicokinetic behaviour (Landsiedel et al, 2012).
Particle shape has also been identified as having a significant effect on the ability of macrophages to internalise particles via actin-driven movement of the macrophage membrane (Champion & Mitragotri, 2006, 2009). This phenomenon is independent of surface chemistry and depends only on the local particle shape where the cell attaches. Local particle shape, at the point of cell attachment, has been quantified as the angle between the membrane normal at the point of initial contact and tangent lines drawn to the particle contour near the point of initial contact (Figure 2). This angle, Ω, is essentially a measure of the local curvature that has been normalised for size, the length over which that curvature exists. Length-normalised curvature, as defined by the parameter Ω, is the critical shape feature that dictates whether or not phagocytic internalisation will occur. Local shapes that have low length-normalised curvature (Ω>45°, where 45° is the value for spherical particles) inhibit internalisation while spheres and local shapes that have high length-normalised curvature (Ω ≤ 45°) permit internalisation (Champion and Mitragotri, 2006, 2009). If an AM encounters a high aspect respirable particle larger then itself, then it will engage the particle and attempt to engulf it, but it will fail and as a result, the particle will persist in its location and with repeated exposure, may accumulate to reach a toxic dose (Donaldson and Poland 2013). Hamilton et al, showed that the fibrous shape and fibre length of TiO2 anatase influenced its effect towards primary mouse macrophages; relative to spherical nanoparticle (60-200 nm), fibre structures of greater than 15 μm created Poorly Soluble Particles / Lung Overload 14 ECETOC TR No. 122 a highly toxic particle (Hamilton et al, 2009). Altered phagocytosis efficiency for a given material in the lung will likely have a significant influence on the clearance efficiency which can ultimately lead to adverse effects, even despite the material's low intrinsic toxic potential.


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What should I do if the watch hands don't move?
Hi there, my watch hands have stopped moving and I don't know how to get them to start again. What should I do?
Questa è una buona domanda?
1 Commento
I bought new watch but ive noticed that the long hand of the watch was loosen. I havent take it out from the package, is it still in good condition or shall i return it to the brand where i bought it? Thanks in advance


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What Happens With My Wedding Photos After The Big Day?
What Happens With My Wedding Photos After The Big Day?
You say, "I do." You kiss. You dance, and you drink late into the night. You go on your honeymoon and spend a week relaxing with your new husband/wife. You come home, and immediately wonder, "Where are my wedding photos?" If you've had a dream wedding (or you're about to have one), then you've probably wondered about the time it takes to get your photography in your hands once your wedding has passed. You've also probably wondered about what your photographer does in all that time?
The Typical Process for Getting Your Mexico Wedding Photography
Our goal at the studio is to have your photography edited and in your hands within 3-4 weeks after your wedding.
But why does it take so long?
A typical 4-hour wedding yields thousands of photographs (often 2,500 or more). Our first task is to download the images from the cards and immediately back them up onto a backup drive. Then we start to weed through your photographs and choose the best 350-400 images where you look your best, or that capture you and your guests' personalities. My opinion as a photographer is that someone other than the photographer should do this. Personally, I find that I have an emotion when I take photos, and a hope that it would look and feel a certain way. These emotions and prejudgments tend to cloud the reality of the photographs, and therefore, I prefer to hire a professional editor to go through my photographs so that you get the ones that are truly the best.
What happens next?
Once we're done choosing the best of your photographs, we go into color correcting mode. We correct for density, perfect skin tones, lighten those wrinkles a little, and make sure the skies and oceans look as beautiful as they did on your wedding day. Yes, I photograph with some of the best Canon digital cameras, but the images coming out of the camera are not up to my quality standards. Furthermore, I photograph in a RAW (.CR2) format. This ensures a higher quality image than if photographed in Jpeg, however, this means that we need to do this custom work before your images are ready.
But that doesn't sound like 4 weeks worth of work!
The typical 4-hour wedding requires up to 40+ man-hours of editing and production work after the wedding. We span that work over 3 to 4 weeks as we have different team members that do different tasks. We have one that does the culling and selecting of the images. We have another that does the primary color correction, and another that does a final look at the images to ensure that they are perfect. All told, for every hour I photograph, there is about 10 hours of work that goes on behind the scenes.
What happens once everything is finished?
Once the process is finished, I personally look through the images and decide if they hit my standards for quality, and if they are the way I remember that day and match what I believe is your style. If I am happy with the quality, I will send you a few of our favorite photographs to make sure you are happy with them. Once we know you are happy with the color correction, we send you a link to the rest so that you are able to easily download them and save them on your computer.
Everyone on the team understands that this process seems like a long time to you, the client, and we do our best to make sure that we are as efficient as possible. We are continually looking for new and better ways to do things, while retaining my standards for high quality. Over the years we have improved the process, and what used to take 4-6 weeks now takes 3-4 in a studio that is twice as busy.
I hope this helps you understand the process. I have some amazing people working with me to ensure that your photos look amazing and are something you can cherish for a very long time. Our goal is always quality over speed. If you are ever concerned about your wedding photographs and where they are in the process, then please feel free to email me and ask where we are at in the process, and when we will be able to get you some images. We never want our clients to feel out of touch with the process so please don't hesitate to be in touch.
Thank you
– Dean Sanderson


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About the Firm
Schwegman is a law firm focused on creating value for our clients by applying our expertise in intellectual property law to obtain, evaluate, and develop patents. We are privileged to serve an international roster of clients that includes:
- Multinational corporations;
- Middle-market businesses;
- Startups;
- Universities; and
- Individuals.
Our clients benefit from the high-quality, value-added strategic counseling and client service that are our hallmark. You can find the terms of business here. SCHWEGMAN TERMS OF BUSINESS – INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATES & CLIENTS


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Our favorite trip for the whole family.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to temporarily stop offering river trips and stop public access to our retail store. We will revisit this policy every two weeks to determine the length of this closure and when we can resume river trips and access to our store.
Our online e-commerce store will remain open. Customers will be able to order products for pick-up at our store or to have shipped to your house. We will also offer free home delivery of watercraft once it is purchased online within a 25-mile radius or half-price shipping if you need the boat shipped outside the 25-mile zone. On all other products, we will offer free shipping for the month of April. Please visit our online paddlesports shop here.
Canoe, Solo Kayak, Tandem Kayak, Fishing Kayak and Paddleboard rental will remain available on a "You-Take-It" basis. Guests will need to reserve, fill out waivers for everyone that will be using the equipment, and pay online from our website. We will have the boats available for pick-up at the time selected outside our office. Please call for long term extended rentals at a greatly discounted rate.
We are also offering a "Two Car Rental Option". With this option, guests will need to select a trip from our website and reserve online. We'll then provide guests the directions to the parking area at the take-out landing and the put-in landing. We will meet guests at the put-in, provide the equipment and arrange a pick-up time at the take-out landing where the second car is parked. All waivers and payment must be made online.
Another option available is the "Home Delivery Option". With this option, once the reservation, waivers for all people and payment has been made online, we will deliver the boats to your house for the rental period selected. Please call for long term extended rentals at a greatly discounted rate.
While we may be dealing with uncertain times, that doesn't mean that your adventurous spirit needs to wait. Our gift cards are available for purchase and can be used throughout the 2020 Shenandoah River Season. For more information on purchasing gift cards, visit our gift cards page.
Please stay safe and healthy, we hope to see you on the river soon.
The Team At Front Royal Outdoors


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drool. petered out early January this year. Then, because I bought a new camera and wanted to figure out what to do with it, I retooled and restarted it in early April. You see, I use this space to figure photo-stuff out.
But now summer is upon us and I'm going to take a break from blogging. Probably be back the first Sunday after Labour Day.
In the meantime . . . have a swell summer, take 'er easy, and, conversely, keep your bullshit detectors up and running. There can never be enough critical questioning.
Anyway . . .
Here I am, 11 weeks after I got my FujiFilm X100F and began some completely undefined photo-project. So where the hell am I, anyway?
Let's get the real geek stuff out of the way first. I quite like this camera. it's fun and easy to use once you turn all the doodads, auto functions and options off. (The only one I use is aperture-priority auto exposure.) And I love the optical viewfinder (having a real hate on for the way electronic viewfinders separate you from what's in front of the lens).
The problem, though, is figuring out what I want to actually do with the thing. What do I have to say and how can it help me say it?
Let me tell you a little about my process. (And the X100F certainly makes the first point here darn easy.) . . . .
- Go out and take some photos.
- Download 'em. (Lightroom)
- Root through and, with an open mind, choose the frames that seem like they might be useful.
- Turn those ones into TIFFs.
- Do a bit of post production on those. (Photoshop)
- Slap 'em into a folder called SELECTS.
- Every time I add new images I open the folder and choose 6 or 8 or 11 or something images, open them and move 'em around my desktop.
- Look for pairs or groups that seem to work together. Or maybe show me relationships, however tenuous, that, for lack of a better word, speak to me.
- If I'm lucky I think I maybe see something there. A word pops into my head that, in an abstract way, seems like a key or a clue, or something.
- Think I might be getting somewhere.
- Change my mind about that whole "maybe I'm getting somewhere" thing.
- Repeat.
But there has been progress over the 11 weeks I've been working on this. Some of the words that pop into my head, well . . . they stick, they show me possibilities and a way forward. Some of the image combinations make a certain kind of sense to me.
Right now I'm sort of pretty sure I want there to be a dreamlike discord to the work, more open-ended than anything I've done for a long time. A series of disparate images that are stuck tentatively together by their own gravity while simultaneously being pulled apart by dark energy. The whole sequence rotating around its own internal logic.
And the word I keep thinking of is desire.
Finally, in closing (and because I am reading it now) I leave you with the first sentence from Samuel Beckett's novel, Murphy (pub. 1938) .
"The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new."
Okay then. Back in September . . . . . . . . .
a newsletter / tony fouhse
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I had drinks with my friend Corky on Wednesday. In her spacey way she called me at about noon and said she was at Pookie & Sebastian near my neighborhood and wanted to know if I could meet her for drinks.
Naturally, I figured it was a restaurant and asked what kind of food they served, but it turns out it's a clothing store. Apparently I was supposed to know that? Helllooo?
A store where they sell $300 jeans, no less. A pair of which she had purchased (on sale, but still). They looked good on her, but, really, $300 for jeans? I can get a pair of Levi's 501 button flies for $35.
Sadly, always the dedicated worker, I had to decline as I had business to attend to in midtown, so I met her later at Redemption where the bartender ended up buying me several free vodka grapefruits – god bless her.
I also made a major social faux pas when Corky's soon-to-be fiance showed up unexpectedly (oh yeah) and I congratulated him on his soon-to-be engagement. Well, apparently that's a major no-no. Who knows these rules? Who invents them?
But, I have to admit, Corky was telling me about a decent idea for a web business. In fact, I may just have to steal it. So if Too Saucy goes dark for a while, that's why - I'm developing this idea.
Hah just kidding. I wouldn't do that.
Of course, if it goes as well as her last enterprise (don't ask), it may eventually be available for the taking, so I will keep all posted when it actually happens. Maybe even provide a link.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Pookie and Corky
Posted by J at 1:57 AM
Labels: Pookie and Sebastian
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- And the little timer just kept spinning
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- Twenty five minutes?
- My magical aura has apparently kicked in again
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- Oh yeah, it's a real mystery
- Dr. Wow!
- I approve
- Pookie and Corky
- Mad billionaires
- God bless you, Willis Haviland Carrier
- I'm surprised the old coot doesn't use a telegraph
- I don't want to say I'm not a good morning person,...
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- A thing of beauty
- Enough, already
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Cafe in Lincoln
Open the ancient door to our beautiful coffee shop in Lincoln. The High Bridge, built over the River Witham in around 1160, is the only Medieval bridge in England with houses still on it. Our unique building at Stokes High Bridge Cafe Lincoln is steeped in history and has been standing tall since 1540. Visiting this place is a real experience and it's just like stepping back in time. Soak up the atmosphere as you sample a delicious brew, a mouthwatering afternoon tea or lovingly prepared meal all served by our friendly staff.
If you're a true coffee lover you'll be spoiled for choice with our extensive and special selection of freshly roasted, single origin beans and blends. Get comfy with a smooth and creamy cappuccino, wake up with one of our fabulous filter coffees, or tickle your taste buds with something a little more unusual. We also have more than 30 loose leaf teas on the menu, from our award-winning Gold Medal Tips to the utterly unique Flo's Mix, a true Stokes original invented way back in the 1970's by one of our long-serving waitresses.
Tuck into some proper fare at Stokes High Bridge Café Lincoln. Take your pick from our scrumptious snacks, salads and sandwiches, freshly made to order from locally-sourced ingredients. Or, if you're after a hearty meal, why not try one of our gorgeous homemade dishes. Breakfast, luncheon and afternoon teas are served daily. We look forward to serving you soon.
*Menus are regularly reviewed, meaning prices and items may have changed. For more information please contact us.
We only accept bookings for afternoon tea. We offer a walk ins for any other services.
Booking for afternoon tea?
Booking for a private event?
You can now book our top floor for events like weddings, baby showers or even work events.
Click here to get in touch.
Opening Hours
|08:30 - 17:00
|08:30 - 17:00
|08:30 - 17:00
|08:30 - 17:00
|08:30 - 17:00
|08:30 - 17:00
|10:00 - 16:00
207-209 High Street, Lincoln, LN5 7AU
- Google Maps
01522 513825
- Ground Floor Accessible
- Child / Family Friendly
- Lincoln Mums Discount
- Coffee Sourced Responsibly
- Takeaway Food & Drink
- Vegan, Vegatarian & Gluten-Free
- Afternoon Tea Available


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We can provide PCD cutters for saw blades, new products, left and right versions with PCD dimension 10x8x8mm or 9x12x8mm or 12x9x8mm, Others on request.
Additionally we offer the recovery of your worn PCD cutters for reasonable cost.
Performance of these cutters: objective is to cut with a full set of 2 x 54 cutters r.a. 50.000 anodes
This performance of the cutters will depend on your anode temperature, speed of the saw, direction of cutting and additonal parameters. Please contact us for more details.
TC-Engineering GmbH
Gartenstr. 12
91626 Schopfloch
Please call either or
+49- 98579759662 98579759662
or use the contact form.


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Ok, I recorded a video out on a camping trip this week, but it's really pretty simple
Each corner of the quilt has 3 cords:
The thickest cord runs through the grosgrain channel that goes along the long edge of the quilt, and simply loops through the s-biner on each end.
You can slide the quilt horizontally along these channels, moving the quilt closer to the head or foot end of your hammock.
The thinnest cord runs through the grosgrain channel that goes along the short edge of the quilt.
You can "cinch" the ends of the quilt around the ends of your hammock by tightening these "end cords"
The middle-thickness cord is the one one that attaches at the quilt corners through the line-locks. They attach to the s-biner with a girth hitch.
The purpose of these is to stretch the quilt horizontally along the thick cord that runs the length of the quilt.
This snugs the quilt up tighter to the hammock, but the key thing is that each of the 4 middle-sized cords function independently.
So for example, if you're laying diagonally you might want the cord by your feet corner stretched tightly, along with the cord by your head corner.
I also used Dutch's ridgeline quilt hangers with my setup, and found them to be very useful.
Anyway, that's my $0.02... I might be wrong, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it


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The Headleveler / Ortho-Cerv pillow is divided into three separate compartments, each compartment is of a different width than the other to more accurately suit one's neck length for enhanced support and comfort. By compartmentalizing the pillow, there is little stuffing displacement when using the pillow in the recommended manner.
The Headleveler / Ortho-Cerv is available in seven different thicknesses. Each thickness is targeted to individualise one's specific head-leveling requirements. One must always take into account the firmness of one's mattress.
Sleep like a baby lately?
Filled with polyester fibre, the modern-day duvet, each individual fibre has air chambers and each air chamber is designed to capture and store a sufficient amount of air so as to inflate the fibres and to provide the required resiliency.
What's in our pillows?
The role of a pillow is very important in the overall scheme of sleep duration, posture and comfort. Some pillows are made of foam materials. We do not use foam in our products nor do we recommend foam pillows for following reasons.
– They are too hot to sleep on as there is no air circulation throughout the pillow.
– Foam pillows are not washable. therefore may be unsanitary.
– Foam pillows are not user friendly in that they may cause irritation of the upper respiratory system in some people as most foam materials are urethane based.
Most regular pillows sold in department stores are the traditional regular one-compartment pillows, the stuffing material tends to disperse and displace itself to concentrated areas of the pillow thereby losing all organized support and head-leveling comfort. Polyester fiber, the modern-day duvet, is the preferred stuffing material as it allows for aeration and is washable.
How do I know the proper thickness of my ideal pillow?
When choosing a suitable pillow, one must always take into consideration the type of mattress, length of use and weight of the user.
Normally, the softer the surface one sleeps on, the thinner the pillow required for comfortable head alignment for one's body.


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Underinsurance and new Australian building codes create an uncomfortable price gap for homeowners hoping to rebuild after a bushfire.
Eighteen months ago, fire flared by strong winds in dry bush destroyed 200 homes in the lower Blue Mountains in NSW, including mine.
Many studies and surveys have been done, yet no significant changes have been made to address one of the most critical issues the community faced – unintentional underinsurance.
The underinsurance problem emerged within days of the October 2013 fire. In our case, a visit to the site by our insurance assessor resulted in the shocking news that we were around $200,000 underinsured. That is, it would cost 50 per cent more than our insurance provided simply to rebuild the home that we had, to the standards of the current building codes. Our neighbours received a similar assessment.
In fact, of the more than 200 homes destroyed, co-ordinator of the bushfire recovery effort, Phil Koperberg, estimated that around 120 or more owners were underinsured.
In the insurer's minds, they bore no responsibility for the underinsurance, and if underinsurance existed, they had no interest in discussing a rebuild of the home. They simply paid out our policies.
The consequence was that people were suddenly cash-rich, with three or four hundred thousand dollars in their bank account. However it soon became apparent that, in addition to the inevitable price rises associated with a sudden demand, there was something else going on that made rebuilding much more expensive than most people had realised.
The major reason for the price gap is the relatively new national building code, as well as additional NSW bushfire building requirements. These determine the type of structure that can be built today in areas like the Blue Mountains.
The bar for building standards was raised significantly after the 2009 Victorian bushfires.
The Australian Building Codes Board adopted the national bushfire standard for residential buildings later that year. The new Standard, AS3959-2009 Construction in bushfire-prone areas is designed to better match construction requirements to the likely bushfire risk.
It includes improved ways to assess the fire fuel loads and make the outside of houses resistant to ember, heat and flame attack.
The single biggest determinant of the cost of building, or rebuilding, in bushfire areas is now your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL).
This is something that is difficult to calculate, but depends on things like the slope of your land, how close you are to the bush and the classification of bush near your home.
The calculations determine whether you are, for instance, BAL 12.5 or Flame Zone. The closer to Flame Zone you get, the more expensive your construction materials, with no timber allowed at the highest levels.
But even if you do manage to accurately calculate your BAL rating, there is no mechanism to apply that rating directly to your insurance. The standard online insurance industry calculator doesn't have anywhere to click to input your BAL. Even today, when I use the calculator, it estimates my rebuild is $150,000 below the real costs.
And when you speak to insurance companies' sales people, they don't know what a BAL is.
What that means is that there are potentially tens of thousands of people living in bushfire-prone areas who don't realise that the BAL their property attracts could leave them unable to afford to rebuild, if their home is destroyed.
And people who do know are feeling confused, abandoned by insurers and unsupported by governments.
At a pre-2015 bushfire season information night at a local Blue Mountains public school, more than a year after the fires, representatives from the local council, insurers and Rural Fire Service, all conceded that while a few tools were available online, they didn't interact with one another and it was virtually impossible to confidently calculate an accurate insurance level.
And it is perhaps this inability to determine realistic rebuild costs that has led to many smaller insurers simply exiting the Blue Mountains market and refusing to insure people.
In media reports in January 2014, Mr Koperberg said underinsurance was such a big issue that he would be recommending the insurance industry rewrite its Code of Practice to make people aware of the cost of rebuilding houses in bushfire zones. Unfortunately, by the time his final report was released in the lead up to the NSW election, this became a recommendation to ask the insurers to consult policy owners in bushfire prone areas on the issue of BAL ratings.
Unfortunately, that won't solve the problem.
In lieu of insurers stepping up to their consumer, social and corporate responsibilities, we need governments to lead. This is a national problem and needs national attention.
In the wake of the Queensland floods in 2011, significant changes occurred to insurance to reduce confusion for home owners in flood-prone regions. A similar effort is required across Australia to ensure that home owners in bushfire areas are well-equipped to estimate home replacement costs.
We need a single online tool that guides us through estimating Bushfire Attack Levels of our property, determines what implications that has in terms of building materials we can use, and then calculates the rebuild costs.
Given the insurance industry has confidence in its current calculator, used both online and over the phone, adding the BAL should be an obvious progression. And then educating their staff about what a BAL is would be a natural next step.
No tool will be 100 per cent foolproof. However in the case of Blue Mountains residents, there is high awareness and high motivation to want to get this right. We just need some help from the experts to make better-informed choices.


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Political Philosophy
Students will have a factual and theoretical knowledge of contemporary normative political theory from the standpoint of the question of the relationship between theory and practice.
Faith and Political Analysis
Be able to articulate principles of faith in political analysis.
Critical Thinking and Analysis
See the practical consequences of abstract philosophical ideas, think more deeply and coherently about their own moral and political commitments
Political Philosophy
Students will attend to the deeper question of the nature and limits of theory (or "reason," or "philosophy") as it functions in the political-moral realm.
Political Process, Theory, and Thought
Possess a faculty and theoretical knowledge of countries, poilitical processes, political theories, and political thought.
Political Philosophy
Students will examine the risks both of a postmodern celebration of irrationalism and those inherent in the ongoing project of constructing a purely "rational" politics and morality.
Effective Research and Analysis
Use appropriate methods of analysis and research, including qualitative and quantitative methods, historical comparison, and textual interpretation to answer political questions.
Critical Thinking and Analysis
Think critically, analytically, and synthetically.
Effective and Professional Writing
To learn to address significant, complex and challenging ideas in clear, correct, and strong English, based upon a careful engagement with textual sources