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January 13, 2009
Is The Future of Recorded Music Downloading?
Is The Future of Recorded Music Downloading?
Call me a cynic, sceptic, neo-luddite if you like but so far I have not been impressed by the possibilities of music downloading. Perhaps surprisingly it is companies such as Linn Records and their larger Linn HI-Fi brother that have taken something of a lead in this area and they will be looked at as a leading model later. I say surprisingly because of the anti-digital stance originally taken by Linn in the early days of CD. Apart from the fact that you have no hard copy to back you up, unless you make them yourself, there is a lack of nice booklets which can tell you about the music and musicians of whatever musical genre. I do admit though that there is probably something of a generational thing here and as a student I would be aspiring to a music server.
Arcam FMJ Music Server MS250
On thing I have noticed as the internet has developed is the increasing ability of companies and institutions to pass expenses and time consuming jobs onto the customer. Skimpy little instruction books tell you to go online and print the full off for example. Adorno and Horkheimer discussed how people would work hard at their leisure time in their well known article on the Culture Industry. It seems to me that there is a danger of this happening here.
I do put most of my CDs onto iTunes which can be downloaded to my iPod but this isn't meant for high quality listening although investing in good headphones can dramatically improve the listening experience. If you want to listen to computerised music files in higher quality then they can be saved as FLAC files. However, even this loses out against a full surround sound SACD although Linn Records provide "Studiomaster FLAC" which is full surround sound. One might as well get the SACD and put it on some sort of music server if you want some convenience. The other thing is you can always sell the CD/SACD secondhand or give them to Oxfam etc. Second-hand CDs can be fun!
Advantages of Downloads
Linn Records give a list of advantages for downloading although I'm still happier to go for 'the real thing'. Here is a link to the FLAC website for those interested. I have to say I can see the commercial advantages for Linn records as much easier access to global markets could make a significant difference for them and/or other small record companies.
Being able to download invididual tracks is a big advantage if you just want to trial something. For the classical fan Classics Online run by Naxos records provides large numbers of CDs in downloadable versions. This gives smaller recording companies like BIS and Hyperion global distribution, however, there is currently only the option of downloading at 320 kbps which is the equivalent of CD quality. The downloads have the distinct advantage of being DRM (Digital Rights Management) free so you can put thm all your computers iPods etc.
For the Classics Online list of recording companies please click here
You can find BIS for example on a number of other download sites howver these are only available as MP3 files which aren't suitable for high quality reproduction of classical music. Here I strongly recommend you buy the CDs.
Problem of slow internet connections
With CD file sizes being compressed to around 300mb and presumably with full surround ones being significantly larger the future of music downloading is very much dependent upon the installation of high speed broadband services. Currently in the UK many people are struggling to get fast connectivity unless they are near an exchange. Another issue is that downloading masses of large files might incur extra charges from your ISP depending on your contract.
Well on the resarch done so far Linn is well ahead of the game as far as downloading is concerned. They appar to be the only company that can offer full surround SACD. This fits with the company Hi-Fi vision that the future is going to b downloads via high quality digital stream players. Accordingly they have produced a range of these players which go from relatively inxpensive to "high end".
The Linn DS (Digital Stream) Majik
As far as I'm concerned having back up is vital. Who wants to lose what could turn into terrabytes of music data? Perhaps companies like Linn will provide a back up on-line service for its customers? Despite my current scepticism I think that Linn is probably way ahead of the game as this will undoubtedly become the way in which people newer to hi-fi normally buy, store and play their music as so many people are used to downloading often pirated versions as quality and finance becomes available. But success on a global scale in the long-term is dependent upon hi-speed broadband.


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Fertilizers for African Violets
Fertilizers for African violets are important source of nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) and various microelements (iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), molybdenum (Mo) etc).
When you plant your African violet in special potting soil, it is great chance that you don't have to fertilize your plants for awhile. On the other hand, reduced growth and flowering with gradual loss of leaf color indicates that African violet plant needs more nutrients. Since African violets like rich soil, don't wait for your African violets to look miserably before you start to apply fertilizers. If in doubt (with good reason - too much fertilizers can 'burn' roots), fertilize one or two plants and wait two weeks to see plant's reactions. If plants start to grow again, leaves become darker and flowers become visibly stronger and healthier, fertilize the rest of the plants.
During vegetative period, African violets should be fertilized using balanced formulas like 7-7-7, 12-12-12 or 20-20-20. In blooming period, African violets need more phosphorus and fertilizers like 8-15-8, 15-30-15 and similar are more appropriate. When treated well, African violets can bloom almost year long.
Forms of African Violet Fertilizers
Fertilizers can be found in the form of:
- water-soluble pebbles,
- pebbles and plant food sticks/spikes with gradual release of nutrients,
- fertilizers in liquid form.
Water soluble fertilizers are usually applied once a month, according to manufacturer's recommended dosage. To avoid spikes in nutrient content, it is also good practice to mix one forth or one fifth of regular fertilizer dosage with water and use this mix when watering plants. Discard excess water and fertilizer mix that drains from the drainage holes - don't feel 'sorry' for this waste :o)
Most of these fertilizers can be applied (mixed) directly to the soil, too, but this way, we are risking development of burns on roots due to local high concentrations of fertilizers. If you are unsure, apply fertilizers as directed by manufacturers.
Fertilizers in the form of pebbles and sticks with gradual nutrient release are great for any plant, African violets included. They are added to the soil usually every 3-6 months (again, read instructions) and in this period you don't have to worry about fertilizing your plants. It is very hard to over-fertilize plants using these two kinds of fertilizers.
However, they are also more expensive when compared with 'ordinary' water-soluble fertilizers.
Fertilizers in liquid form are very handy - you simply mix them with water and water the plants - like fertilizers in pebbles soluble in water, just don't have to worry about mixing, dissolving and similar. Very often, this fertilizers are used whenever plants are watered - there are no spikes in nutrients in the soil, root system is kept healthy and plants take from the soil what they need. They can be more expensive when compared with other fertilizers in regard of nutrient content per gram, but if you don't have (literatelly) dozens of African violets or any similar flowering plants, you don't have to consider the price - and even then, simplicity of fertilizing plants this way justifies usage of this kind of fertilizers.
What ever fertilizer you use, be careful regarding amounts - as said before, too much of anything is not good, fertilizers included. Over-fertilized African violets can die due to problems with root system. They also develop tight centers with plenty of small leaves having rusty appearance. Be careful and read instructions that can be found on every fertilizer's package.
Recommended African Violet Fertilizers
You can find suitable African violet fertilizer in almost any larger garden center - just be aware of your African violet needs (both NPK and microelements).
But if you are really into the growing African violets (having few pots or few hundred pots), using fertilizers specially formulated for African violets is highly recommendable. They are maybe little bit more expensive (just maybe), but usually worth every (euro)cent. Here are several recommended AV fertilizers that one can use at home not only for African violets, but also for other blooming flowers - of course, there are many others on the market that do their job well!
For more reviews and recommendations, feel free to follow Amazon links (links open in the new windows).
Jack's African Violet Fertilizer 12-36-14, 8 oz.
This is water soluble plant food suitable for all African violet varieties and practically all flowering houseplants. This fertilizer can also be used for outdoor plants as a blossom booster for all flowering plants growing in the soil, flower pots, hanging baskets etc.
African violets appreciate high phosphorus content that helps healthy root and numerous buds development.
This fertilizer comes as 8 oz (227g) resealable plastic tub...
Schultz African Violet Plus Plant Food 8-14-9, 4 fl oz.
This is liquid African violet fertilizer with balanced content of nitrogen (N, 8%), potassium (K, 9%) and higher content of phosphorus (P, 14%). It comes in 4 ounces bottles with easy to measure dropper, which is great help in preparing watering mix.
This is one of the best 'all round' African violet fertilizers. It lacks phosphorus 'punch' that Jack's Classic African Violet has, but it will keep your African violets and other gesneriads happy and flowering :o)
You can use this fertilizer for other indoor plants, too.
Of course, there are many other similar products on the market, so choose according to your own needs and preferences - after all, many African Violets growers have other indoor flowers as well.
Again, what ever you do, don't over-fertilize your plants - it can kill them just as too much water, strong sunshine or cold etc can kill them. If you are in doubt regarding fertilizer - well, consider Schultz African Violet Plus Plant Food 8-14-9, 4 fl oz. - it is cheap, comes with measuring dropper and can be applied year long regardless of the plants' vegetation period.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today on CBS – The TALK, Julie Chen finally revealed Big Brother 16's Twisted Twist that will be apart of this season. Only a couple days ago Julie Chen announced that she would give us the scoop on what twist we and the house guests have in store this summer. The photos of the newly re-designed Big Brother 16 house were just released today and there are definitely some interesting rooms to go along with the "Urban Tree House" theme. Julie Chen calls the twist a "Secret Plot Twist"..
Big Brother 16's Twist:
- 2 Head Of Household's (HOH's)
- Each HOH will nominate 2 House Guests (4 Total) for eviction each week.
- A Brand NEW Competition named "Battle of the Block" where the HOHs won't be 100% safe. Just because you are HOH doesn't mean you're safe due to the new competition.
- MORE interaction / Voting from the viewers this season. There will be a new interactive twist called "Team America" that will allow America to influence the game like never before.
Executive Producer Allison Grodner states:
"When the House guests learn about the new twists, they will need to throw out any pre-existing strategy if they want to survive in the game. The new Battle of the Block competition will shake up the power in the house like never before. A House guest can go from zero to hero, or vice versa, every week!"
HOH TWIST = TWO House Guests win HOH each Thursday. They both nominate 2 House Guests (Total 4 Nominees). The 4 Nominees then compete in the "Battle of the Block" competition and the PAIR that wins is safe for the week and the HOH that nominated them will be dethroned and in threat of being nominated as a replacement should the Power Of Veto be used.
- Instead of the usual 1 HOH and 2 house guests nominated for eviction – Big Brother 16 will have 2 house guests as Head of Household and 4 house guests nominated for eviction each week!
- This will likely only last for about the first 4 weeks as Julie Chen said last season that the MVP twist would last all season however it ended after the first 4 weeks.
Big Brother Nomination History:
- Big Brother 9 had 4 nominees each week for the first half with the partners twist that season.
- Big Brother 15 had 3 nominees each week for the first half with the MVP TWIST.
Stay connected and interact with other Big Brother Fans on our Facebook page.
And Follow: @BigBspoilers and @Dawgsbigbrother on Twitter for the most up to date spoilers.


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The original act made it big after turning the world a shade of yellow in 2000, and have since become one of the most famous pop-rock bands in the world.
This divine single was included on their sophomore album a couple years later.
The Shadow artist is a world-renowned record producer well known for producing Amy Winehouse's final album in 2006. He linked up with Sharon Jones' horn section for his version of the song.
The 5 O'Clock Shadow is presented by Flying Dog Brewery.


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Who were the big winners in BC in yesterday's election? The Conservatives. The big losers? The Liberals. Though they downplayed their hallmark Green Shift during their British Columbia campaign swings in the post–financial meltdown phase of the election, the Liberals still ended up taking it on the chin for Gordon Campbell's carbon tax. The Greens, though they increased their percentage of the vote, didn't win a single seat. Combine their vote with the Liberals', and you don't equal those who voted for even the NDP, let alone the Conservatives.
This isn't a defeat for the environment. It's a defeat for the mainstream environmental movement. The two are not the same. Greens managed to convince the leader of a major national political party to adopt their prescription for saving the planet. He made that prescription the central plank in his party platform. The Liberal seat count and share of the electoral vote dropped.
Will mainstream greens retool their dumb anti-American take on every issue? Probably not. It's tempting to say who cares, this election proves they're irrelevant. But the environment is not irrelevant. Those who feel it is their special policy preserve could, conceivably, retool and re-emerge with a winning strategy. Some people do learn hard lessons.
For this reason, the Conservatives, and NDP, should have a hard look at last night's results. They have dodged a bullet. The question is, can they collectively develop meaningful—and electorally resonant—environmental policy before the Liberals and their Green allies do?


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Maxwell: Momma created chocolate candy this weekend for her food blog, Herb & Legends.
I stood guard to keep
...no, I'm not bitter about The Hat Incident last weekend. Why do you ask?
Our mom's mouth is watering for a taste of that chocolate candy!ReplyDelete
The quality of those chocolate treats had to be checked :) Have a great weekend.ReplyDelete
Looks amazing! Love your cat books too :)ReplyDelete
LOL at THE PAWS OF MISCHIEF. Have a super Saturday.
Best wishes Molly
Mom likes chockies. I don't think we kitties are supposed to eat it. At least I know DOGS are not.ReplyDelete
You can pass the chocolate to me so I can give it to my mom the chocoholic!ReplyDelete
I will have to go check your mommy's blog. She is a very good cookReplyDelete
Mum is very interested in the chocolate treats ! Happy Caturday ! PurrsReplyDelete
Great job guarding the chocolate candies!
I wanna try some of those treats :-)
It is a very good thing that I cannot create chocolate candy!ReplyDelete
My human wants some chocolate too - from the way she is acting, you'd think it was catnip!ReplyDelete
Our mom says to purrlease ask your mom to send her some of that homemade chocolate. She loves dark chocolate, and that looks deliciously dark! We thought your hat was stunning! Please join us tomorrow for our Sunday Selfies blog hop. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista JoReplyDelete
Yummy Chocolates. Mommy be dwoolin' now. Hav a gweat weekend.
Luv ya'
Dezi and Lexi
Mum says that chocolate looks very tasty.ReplyDelete
Maxwell, I think you're going above and beyond in your duties making sure Faraday doesn't get himself in trouble with your mom's chocolate creation.ReplyDelete
Mommy wants some!ReplyDelete
I didn't know your Mom had a food blog, I must check this out-that chocolate looks good.ReplyDelete
Just make sure YOU don't eat that stuff Maxwell!ReplyDelete
The Mom says that chocolate looks delicious, and she wouldn't mind if you want to sneak some to her, Maxwell! :)ReplyDelete
Great job guarding the chocolate candies!!
My mom-person LOVE chocolate:)
Mom says she will definitely have to check out that post -- she loves chocolate.ReplyDelete
Maxwell, you are a darn good brofur! Now we are going to look up that foodie blog of your Mama's. It sounds yummy!
the critters in the cottage xo
You are doing a great job of guarding. Glad our Mom isn't there or you would have a really tough time MOL!ReplyDelete


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On Thursday 9th of July, the Belgian Go Federation together with representatives of the EGF, the IGF and the European Go Center were kindly invited to the first ever official event of the brand new Chinese Culture Center of Brussels. Located close to the European Parliament, this center is built in a renovated typical large house of Brussels. The official opening ceremony will take place in September and a website should be available by then.
For this event, Zhang Wendong 9p and Fan Hui 2p came from Beijing and Bordeaux respectively to give a lecture and play simultaneous games. The director of the CCCB, Mr Yan Zhenquang, personally welcomed us and stated his will to contribute to the spread of the Chinese culture in general, and Go in particular, in Europe. He kindly offered some Go material to the Belgian Go Federation. The event ended with a Chinese dinner.
We are proud and grateful that Go was the first cultural aspect of China that the CCCB decided to honor. This should be taken as an encouragement to promote Go further in Belgium and in Europe and we are eager to collaborate with the CCCB in that respect.
Thomas Connor,
Belgian Go Federation


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I was immediately star struck. Look at those beautiful shapes! Gorgeous, flowing, white!
Then I looked into the high-mounted Accutons and saw … what are those? Eyes? Are these speakers? Or … Schmoos?
Har? Okay, that's not right. Lord, I apologize!
But still, even if they don't immediately evoke that particular visceral response, I did wonder at their WAF. Of course, my wife's idea of "attractive loudspeaker" is something along the lines of "invisible", so perhaps that might not be a fair measure … I must have said something along these lines aloud (it happens), because I was immediately assured by the lovely young lady from Estelon that the speaker design is "very Euro", and that she and her friends, at least, considered them quite attractive. I must have frowned suspiciously at her because she then repeated herself, a couple of times, adding "no, really!" I heard later that she might have been the daughter of the designer. Suspicious ….
Anyway, the soft white finish of the new $64k Estelon Diamond speakers really adds dramatic punch to the visual presentation. The speakers look very clean and elegant. Touchable. But since it's unlikely that the four-year-olds are supposed to be wiping their hands, wet with the colored chalk they've been using to "paint" the driveway, anywhere near the audio rig in the first place, I think you're probably okay.
The Japanese-made $28k Concert Fidelity ZL-120 V2 monoblock amps are good for 120wpc into 8ohms and 200wpc into 4, and are, interestingly, RCA-only.
The $6200 Hanss T-60, here mounted with an $8.5k Durand Talea II tonearm on the side. Fit and finish on the turntable are excellent and the price is surprisingly low given what is on offer.
With two tonearms, I suppose it wasn't too surprising to find that there were two phono stages. The first was a $3900 Zesto Audio Andros PS1 (top) and other a $14k Concert Fidelity SPA 4C. The linestage preamplifier was a $20k Concert Fidelity CF-080LSX.
CDs were played back using a $13k Neodio NR22T transport through an $8k Briscasti M1 dual mono DAC.
Stillpoints rack & isolation used throughout.
The sound in this room was, quite simply, among the best at the show. To all of those audio reviewers who scoff at comments of sound quality at shows, I have this to say — well, you're probably right. That is, it's really not fair to write off speakers at shows for any particularly poor showing. That said, the converse isn't true — just because its a show, doesn't mean every demo will sound bad. If this is your mindset going in, you'll miss a lot — and this Estelon room was a beautiful case in point. I visited the room quite early in the show and kept coming back to reassure myself that I wasn't misremembering. I wasn't. If anything, the room sounded even better on each visit. Quite an accomplishment, at least in my book. Happy to call this one a "Best in Show" and I look forward to hearing more of (and about) these wonderful Estelon speakers.


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Imprint Data Protection
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|Courtesy of www.Mark-Rothko.org
Ochre and Red on Red was executed during the artist's mature years in the mid-1950s, when he painted scores of large canvases. His works from this period all have a similar format, but
vary widely in mood, depending upon their color and internal proportions. Rothko abhorred being viewed as a formalist abstract artist whose foremost intent was to arrange color fields on a flat
canvas; he insisted that his art concerned the distillation of human experience, both tragic and ecstatic, to its purest form. His goal was to abandon any visual obstacles detracting from the c
entral idea. Rothko's paintings, heavy with implied content and emotional impact, ventured beyond abstract representation to embody the drama of humanity. Through the purity of his paintings,
their effect on the viewer became more direct and incisive.
Ochre and Red on Red a buoyant effect is created by the blazing yellow square, which, in comparison to the darker red of its surroundings, appears to surge out of the composition into the viewer's space. Through countless color manipulations executed on a large scale - an approach comparable to that of a composer arranging musical notes - he created powerful, timeless absolutes of human sensation ranging from exultation to torment. Ochre and Red on Red becomes an example of Rothko's highly emotional works with its high-keyed pigments and vibrant colors.
|Photo of Ochre and Red on Red by Mark Rothko
Rothko's mature works, such as Ochre and Red on Red, were often painted on a large scale, enhancing their dramatic effect that allowed viewers to place themselves inside the composition, heightening their personal experience. In order to most effectively communicate his vision to the viewer, Rothko anxiously oversaw the environment in which his paintings were shown. He preferred that they hang separately from the work of other artists in dim lighting, their large dimensions dominating the surrounding space - all in the endeavor to thoroughly immerse the spectator in their power and enhance their mystical essence.


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If you're keen on getting in shape through weight training at home, two essential items are a weight lifting bench and a pair of good and trusty dumbbells.
These pieces of equipment allow you to perform dozens of strength-training exercises and get an effective workout without the hassles of visiting a gym.
The market contains a vast selection of weight benches. Before you buy one, consider such factors as durability, price, quality, adjustability and ergonomics.
In this review and recommendations we'll look at four suggestions that we believe could definitely fit your needs and necessities. So do not waste more time and stop excusing yourself for not working out, because you don`t have any workout bench in your living space, and check out the best workout benches for home use right away:
Ironmaster Super Bench
The Ironmaster Super Bench is good work out bench, it is suitable for home use , and its price is in a good range. It is adjustable to 11 angles, from upright to decline ( 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80 and 85 degrees). This gives you a lot of freedom for your exercises. You can use it to do exercises such as dips, sit-ups, sitted biceps curls and more.
The quality materials are good and it makes the bench quite sturdy. However, it is actually really lightweight (it weighs around 65 pounds).
The bench is rated to 1000 pounds, and with its steel frame is a real good option even if you are not a beginner.
There are also attachments available for additional upgrate to the bench.
One of the attachments is dip bar, which will give you the option to the the regular dips, not just the bench ones.
PROS: The price is very affordable and the materials it is made of are quite solid. Plus ? you get a good warranty.
CONS: It seems a bit too tall.
XMark Adjustable FID Dumbbell XM-7630
The XMark Adjustable Bench is a good choice. Its in a good price range, and offers good quality. It is rated 1500 pounds weight capacity.
It offers good comfort and safety. It is also adjustable offers 7 positions back and the seat has 3 different positions.
They are both quite well padded which makes it look good and it is also quite comfortable.
The cover, which is quite thick, is padding covered and doesn't tear easily and it is sweat resistant. The foot hold down bar gives you even more comfort and safety.
The moving of the XMark Bench will not be much of a problem. It has built-in wheels for quick and easy storage.
PROS: Modern design, easy to be used, very compact for home, but yet pro enough and can be even used in small gyms, too.
CONS: Although it comes with the tools needed for its assembly it could be hard to do it.
XMark 11-Gauge FID XM-7472
The XMark Bench comes with a reallyt good weight capacity 1500lbs. This makes it quite a good choice, for begginers and even advanced training people.
The bench is quite sturdy, it is made of heavy-duty 11 gauge steel main frame. It is covered with scratch-free poweder and it is quite comfortable when you work out.
There are also additional extensions , such as : adjustable leg extension and preacher curl extension. If you want to give yourself more options to workout.
The price range of the item is good as well. It gives you a lot of comfort safety, good design and durability for that price.
Also it has built-in wheels to allow you easily move it.
Built-in transit wheels allow you to easily move in and out of power cages, cable machines or away for storage.
PROS: Compact size and great value. Durable and sturdy enough for long use.
CONS: The gap between the seat and the main area of the bench seems a bit too large.
Marcy SB-315 Utility Flat
The Marcy SB-315 bench is really good choice. It is for people that want to work out, but don't want to spend a lot of money. It is really good priced item. It doesn't have adjustable options, but you can do a lot of exercises on it. You can do crunches, triceps dips, dumbell exercises such as sitted curls and even dumbell presses, dumbell rows and kickbacks.
It is comfortable, and doesn't take up much space.
The durability is great as well it is made of heavy-duty steel frame and comfortable padded cover. The weight capacity is of 300 lbs.
PROS: Easy and simple to use. It is compact and not taking too much space. Hassle-free item.
CONS: It lack adjustability thus making the variety of exercise you can perform smaller.


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Nissan NV3500 Headlight Bulbs at Tuners Depot
NOKYA® Arctic White Headlight Bulbs - 2013 Nissan NV3500 (H13/9008)
Nokya Nissan NV3500 Arctic White High/Low Beam Headlight Bulbs are one of the best kept secrets in the industry. Though they are widely distributed throughout the industry, and their quality rivals that of the German and Japanese lighting giants, they do almost no marketing, instead pouring every dollar into the development and optimization of their Head Light Bulb line. The result is the unsung hero of automotive lighting and favorite of automotive enthusiasts in the know; Nokya Pro-Halogens. These Nissan NV3500 Head Lamp High/Low Beam Replacement Bulbs are from Nokya's Arctic White coating line. Nokya was one of the earliest companies to produce a "super white" bulb, or "blue bulb" as they are sometimes called. Their staying power in the market is a testament to the clean white color this coating produces, and of their High/Low Beam Headlamp Bulbs incredible durability resulting from superior components and meticulous manufacturing practices. This set of Nissan NV3500 Nokya premium Replacement Headlight High/Low Beam bulbs comes in a set of two and is high wattage for increased visibility. Nokya Heavy Duty Harnesses are recommended for use with this application.
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|Free (Continental US)


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Vandalism Rear Glass Panels
Homes in Augusta, Eagle Point, Eastridge and Vintage have rear yard glass panels along the parkways. Unfortunately, many of these panels have been shot out by vandals recently. Each panel costs hundreds of dollars to replace. With this in mind, please report any suspicious individuals or vehicles to the police. Also, if you have knowledge regarding this vandalism please call the police at 951-776-1099 ext 5.
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Community News
March 2023


text: Celebrate Hanukkah a little different this year, just watch out for winos! This unique Menorah is everything but traditional and anything but boring. Not only do you get a practical Bottle Cork but it just so happens to be a fantastic Menorah! One set of festive candles are included as your holiday gift. 11? long and 3.5? tall.


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Friday, May 8, 2015
Short Takes: Mortgage-Breaking Penalties, Ridiculous Trucks, and more
Money: Master the Game
Spinning the TFSA Increase
TFSA Limit Increase and Long-Term Cut
Replies to Emails I Usually Ignore
Here are some short takes and some weekend reading:
Robert McLister is calling on the federal government to force lenders to clarify the rules for penalties for breaking a mortgage. He explains that the calculators banks make available are unusable by most borrowers.
Mr. Money Mustache takes a run at men who own ridiculous trucks.
Tom Bradley at Steadyhand adds some context to the latest fee increases from Canada's big banks.
Dan Hallett explains why covered calls are not free money.
Big Cajun Man has a picture of one way he saves money and asks if he is being frugal or cheap.
The Blunt Bean Counter explains the advantages of RRSPs over TFSAs.
Boomer and Echo say we need to get over the thinking that it's hard to switch banks.
My Own Advisor says that with the TFSA limit increase everybody wins. I'm guessing that he's trying to be controversial, but this is not literally true. Some people can't use the higher limit but will have to pay their share of the make-up taxes (or lower government benefits) to cover the lost tax revenue from TFSAs.
5 comments:
Thanks for the inclusion this week, cheap is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.ReplyDelete
Yup, a little controversial, you got me....the same could be said for the RRSP limit, everyone doesn't always win although I think contributing to both accounts for many Canadians is a good idea.ReplyDelete
They will raise the HST to cover loss revenue.
Thanks for the mention! There are payday loan shops opening up left and right in my city. I should try to get Preet's video to run on the digital signs around those areas to let people know that $300 for $20 is a terrible deal.ReplyDelete
I enjoyed the Mr Money Mustache article. A lot of my friends from northern Manitoba buy really fancy trucks every few years, I occasionally try to gently convince them to keep them longer, but chances are slim they'll be compelled, so I'm not forceful.ReplyDeleteReplies
@Gene: I'm glad someone else liked the truck article. I chuckled the whole way through.Delete


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Alexandre Carel, who was featured in the Wall Street Journal as an auction house prodigy, has announced that he is leaving Christie's to go to Stanford business school to get an MBA.
Groomed by Amy Cappellazzo, the 28-year-old is widely recognized as extremely bright and ambitious. He came to the auction house while doing a finance degree that required an internship.
How a business degree will further his career in the art market (or whether he hopes to continue to work in the global art market) is the open question raised by the move.


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Helping Pet Parents Manage Cat Diabetes
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Learn more about cat diabetes, including diagnosis, treatment and care, and Vetsulin® guides for giving insulin and progress-tracking.
Find a veterinarian to learn more about pet diabetes, and how cats and dogs can lead a happy, healthy life with proper management.


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The St. Elmo W. Acosta Bridge spans the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida on a fixed span.
LED lights that can be programmed in any color (with the option for multiple color combinations) were recently installed on the Acosta Bridge, replacing neon tubes installed 20-plus years ago. The new LED lights can be changed for special events, like holidays and Jaguar games!
The new LED system cost $2.6 million and was installed by Miller Electric.


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The Lord says, "Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don't you see it?"
I come from a much smaller island-city-state-country called Singapore. I've been setting down roots in Australia since 2003. I love both countries immensely. In 1986, I became a writer. In 2002, a blogger. In 2004, a wife. In 2011, a mother. Somewhere in amongst all that, I did event and conference management, public relations, marketing, and online communications for over a decade. I'm currently a freelance web manager for a modern dance school, a part-time Communications and Marketing Manager, a part-time writer, and a part-time stay-at-home mother. I don't sleep much.
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Personality and Professionalism:
The thing I have been most stricken by during my wedding planning is the lack of professionalism with a lot of potential vendors I looked in to. I mean, how do people stay in business? So, I was totally relieved and impressed when I found Beauty Mark Ink after several attempts at booking a trial with other makeup artists and several flakes, cancellations and general unreliability. Vanessa was SO professional throughout the entire experience. She was super responsive on email and phone and scheduled my trial within a week of my inquiry into their services. Vanessa and Lisa showed up to my house 15 minutes early and were SO friendly and fun to work with. I felt like I was just hanging out with my girlfriends.
Vanessa did my makeup and it turned out gorgeous! She made suggestions based on the photos I brought and the final look was even better than I imagined. She also did a test on my mom, who has sensitive skin, to make sure the makeup would work for her, and it did. Their products are great quality and everything they bring is very clean. My "bridal smokey eye" was exactly what I was looking for and I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day!
I am a FREAK about hair, I have literally cried after a bang trim because two hairs were different than the rest. Most wedding hair I have seen on line looks awful to me so I was very nervous about the hair trial and was preparing myself to do my own hair. Lisa took the photos I presented and recreated the look I wanted almost to a T! My mom made one small suggestion and she quickly listened and adjusted to the change. When I turned to the mirror my 1st thought was "I want to get married RIGHT NOW so my hair is exactly like this!" It was exactly what I wanted and looked so chic and beautiful.
The next day I was even able to
keep the soft waves in at work and I
got tons of compliments! "Is that
extensions?" lol.
Thank you Vanessa and Lisa, I can
not WAIT to have you at my wedding
to make me and my Bridal Party look
as amazing as you made me look during
my trial.
I recently used Beauty Mark Ink for my wedding on 10/10/10. The team was amazing.Clear communication from the start. They sent me a contract that outlined and itemized everything for me. I knew exactly what services they were going to perform. In the contract it even stated their arrival time and start time.
On the day of, the team showed up at my hotel room on time and they were able to get everyone ready in the time
they were contract for. I was very impressed
with their professionalism and friendly manner.
I would definitely recommend Beauty Mark Ink
to any future bride.


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OccuPoet Misty: "The Huff and Puff of My Frustration"
Prog Spring of 2012 continues. Today we meet OccuPoet Misty Rowan of Minneapolis, who will grace us with one of her poems. Misty came to my attention via this THREAD in DUmmieland, "Our Amazing Occupy Poet!" I watched the video, and yes, I was amazed . . . at what passes for poetry with the OWSies and the DUmmies.
And seeing Misty of Minneapolis, I was reminded of Ted of New York. You know, Trust Fund Ted? Ted Hall, Tedward, Edward Twitchell Hall III, Flea-bagger Ted, Our Favorite OWSie. Remember when we introduced you to Ted "Help us now!" Hall last fall?
You see, Ted is a poet, too. Now if only we could get Ted and Misty together! Shaggy would have his Velma! Ted Hall and Misty Rowan: It would be Rowan and Moron's Laugh-In!
But this is Misty's day. Misty has her own BLOG, where she goes by the blog-handle, "MissTeaTree." Here's a little about her: "I live in Mpls, I listen to Ani DiFranco and I voted for Cynthia McKinney in the last presidential election. I am a member of the anti-war committee (.org) and in my time that's less than free I bag groceries at my local foods co-op. I consider poetry to be a performance-based, storytelling medium, so most of my stuff is spoken word. To me, art and activism are the same thing." (She bags groceries at her local foods co-op? So she's a Brie-bagger?)
So let us now be amazed and amused at the art and activism of OccuPoet Misty Rowan, in Bolshevik Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, the wag tailoring the doggerel, Charles Henrickson, inviting you now to click the link to the VIDEO and . . . wait for it . . . play Misty for me . . . is in the [brackets]:
The Huff and Puff of My Frustration
[The Stuff I Puff for Recreation]
(Laughs) It's not fair. If I were to punch you, as hard as I could, I would sprain my own wrist. You would maybe notice, as I reduced myself to tears. So instead I use my words. And I'll tell you one thing: This mouth? Never got me in a fight it didn't right-and-the-f*** get me back out of. You see, I said I use my words instead. And it's been working (so far).
[(Laughs) It's not fair. If I were to do poems for you, as bad as mine are, you would slit your own wrist. You would maybe notice, as you tried to cover your ears, that I don't use meter or lines or rational thought. So instead, I just talk real fast. And I'll tell you one thing: This mouth? It's a poety potty mouth. I throw in a "f***" or a "sh*t" here and there to express my free-floating angst. Then I add something hopeful-sounding at the end. And it's been working (so long as I'm talking to the far left).]
But, they're bailing out the banks again, those leeches with their fees. So the question then becomes: How much is your money worth? Depends. How much have ya got? Not a lot? Oh, that's okay, baby girl! You too could still be president. Just get in line, and we'll call you. And in the meantime, try to find a job worth a damn to do, because the rent is due, and you're not getting any younger, and these cards aren't exactly stacked in your favor. I said, get a clue, and pay attention, because the undercurrent is ever changing in its direction.
[But, I'm flailing at the banks again, those rich guys with toupees. 'Cause the question I want to avoid is: How much is our money worth? Depends. How much are we in debt? Quite a lot? Oh, that's okay, liberal! You should still vote for our president. Just get in line, and we'll fool you. And in the meantime, try to keep up with this poem, because I'm not half through, and it's not getting any less longer, and these words aren't exactly arranged in coherent order. I don't have a clue, so pay attention, because my underwear is starting to cause me irritation.]
And you wanna stay ahead of that game. You want that spot on top of the food chain, don't ya? Everybody's so busy looking out for #1, and then they wonder why they feel so all alone. So many skin and bones, while the top 1% clench their law enforcement fist so tight that you have the right to work until you die in this country, and that's about it. Now pay your bills and buy some sh*t. And don't forget to check your credit score.
[And you wanna have someone to blame. You got hate to fill up a freight train, don't ya? Everybody's so busy lashing out at the 1%, and then we ought to whine about our student loan. So many can't afford smartphones, while the top 1% won't raise a finger to assist our plight, and you have no right to make me work to buy things in this country, so let's throw a fit. Now pay my bills while I smoke some sh*t. And don't leave yet, because there's even more.]
And it gets harder to ignore when they're coming right for ya. But these folks, they just don't care anymore. You can change the channel if it bores ya. Me, I threw out my TV. People gotta tell me when I'm on it. People gotta explain the whole commercial, 'cause I never catch the reference. Man, I got better things to see. And I understand that time is precious. Mine is spent in reverence of this occupation, because I am in love with it, I am in love with it. I just. . . .
[So don't go running out the door when I'm going on forever. But some folks, they just can't take anymore. You can slit your other wrist if I bore ya. Some, they throw up hearing me. People often tell me that they vomit. People gotta exclaim and beg for mercy, 'cause I never catch a second breath. Man, I got better things to do than breathe. And I like to think that time is meaningless. Mine is spent irrelevant of close calculation, because I am in love with the sound of my voice, I am in love with it. I just. . . .]
(Deep breath) I need to learn how to slow down and just appreciate this moment. This one, 'cause it's all there is. And then I'm off again, forgetting. And I'm looking up again, and I'm searching for the lines that I had memorized, so that I--so that, well, so that I could think about something else.
[(No breath) I refuse to learn how to slow down and just approximate a regular poet. It's fun, 'cause I'm such a whiz. And then I'm off again, forever. And I'm looking at folks getting up again, and I'm searching for the ones that I can mesmerize, so that I--so that, well, so that I could speak about something else.]
Sometimes I feel helpless. Like I have a needle but no thread, so it's no good. I can only manage the damage. Sometimes I'm the subject of this charade, and some days I'm just its contents, that is displayed as a series of statistics--and yes, I am sometimes Y. So what of it? And what difference does it make when you die?
[Sometimes I feel clueless. Like I have a noodle but no bread, so it's no food. I can only mangle the language. Sometimes I'm a poet who sounds clichéd, and some days I'm just a moonbat, that is displayed as one serious yet simplistic--and yes, I am out of time. So what of it? And what difference does it make where I rhyme?]
Well, I want a government that practices something like the "take a penny, leave a penny" system. And there will come a day, but either way I'm for that rain-or-shine type of activism: the committed, who don't shed their tears but collect them, weaving them into meaningful tales. We tell each other stories of bravery and compassion to keep ourselves warm, to keep our hearts burning.
[Well, I want a government that practices something like the "take the booty from the snooty" system. From there will come our pay, but either way I'm for that soak-the-rich type of socialism: the dim-witted, who don't pay their taxes but collect them, receiving them into buckets and pails. We tell each other stories of slavery and oppression to keep ourselves mad, to keep our hate burning.]
And I'll tell you another thing: It's you, me, and everybody. So don't go making enemies, 'cause you can't win. Instead, it's time to start talking to these strangers, our neighbors. It's time to start caring for each other again. Call it community, call it an occupation, call it revolution if you wanna. Just get on it! Ten years ago woulda been a good place to start. Now will do. Or, at least I think we can all agree that now is the very best we can do.
[And I'll tell you another thing, and another, and another. So don't go making for the exit, 'cause I'm not done. Instead, it's time to start talking even longer, for hours. It's time to start wearing out my welcome again. Call it prolixity, call it a bloviation, call it regurgitation if you wanna. Just don't vomit! Ten years ago mighta been the time I began to start. I'm not through. Or, at least I think we can all agree that June is the very earliest I can do.]
So come with me and take heart. I got some New Year's resolutions and a good idea where to start. I got some friends on the inside, the outside, the flipside, and the best part is that you decide your place in this world, okay? You decide. So let's start. Because to build a better world, all you really gotta do . . . is your part.
[So come with me and smoke pot. I got some stashed inside my backpack and a good idea it's a lot. I got some friends from the insane, the profane, the birdbrain, and the upshot is that we complain about our place in this world, okay? Sweat and strain? No, let's not. Because to build a better world, all you really gotta do . . . is jack squat.]


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As mentioned in the previous blog post, Kiawah Island is located in Charleston, South Carolina. Due to the makeup of this area, water flows abundantly in every area naturally. In this post I'll discuss a sinkhole that appeared on one of the island's bike trails. This was caused by the soil eroding away under an asphalt sidewalk. This particular bike trail rested on and around a pond that contained fresh fish. The only acceptable route to fix this issue was to use Alchemy-Spetecs' H100, which has been certified as safe for contact with drinking water. (Other products often used for soil stabilization are AP Soil 600 and H40.)
We advised the contractor to slowly open up the sinkhole by chipping away the bad asphalt and driving probes down to the ground while simultaneously pumping H100. The contractor pumped in H100 until the grout reached a suitable level at the top of the void. The next day after the grout cured, the path was squared off and repaved using sand and stone.
Within 24 hours start to finish, they were able to eliminate the void and get the trail back in shape for public use - without harming the ecosystem of the pond and fresh water fish.


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Partner: Free Subscribe, Login, Forgot Password2 October 2023Home > Fiji > yasawa group > tavewa, yageta > simi's maze
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Diving at dive site Simi's Maze
|Name Dive Site:
|Simi's Maze
|6-25m (19-82ft)
|15-25m (49-82ft)
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The main features while diving Simi's Maze are the Swim Throughs, Caves and Canyons. Keep an eye out for Sea Urchins and Scorpionfish. Occasionally we do come across Eagle Rays, Sea Turtles, Bull Rays, Schools of Bump head Parrot Fish and the Rare Hairy Ghost Pipe fish. Simi's Maze is a hard coral dive with different varieties. This dive site is good for Novice to Experienced Divers.
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Once again, THAT time of the year. The cards...the presents...the lists of things to get done. Let us not lose focus, though, on what is most important!
Jesus come as Savior-
so very much He brings!
Listen to all Heaven as,
so beautifully, it sings!
What is it that you look for, though,
when Christmas time is here?
A different answer have we each,
but some things remain so clear:
There is so much that's needed
that anyone may give.
Even just a gentle word
may help somebody live!
Even just a contact from you
to that straying one
may be the only thing they need
to witness Christ, the Son!
So much shopping, so much spending,
so much stressing out
when celebrating Jesus is
what it should be about!
And that be done so simply if
you only look around...
I'm sure that someone needs a gift
and, in YOU, it be found!
We have so many things to accomplish in our days to make things just right for Christmas Day. Don't let that list of "things" distract you from the gift you already possess that will change someone's life. Time.
Friday, December 14, 2018
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Spring Training starts today. I am not going to go poetic on fresh cut grass and all teams are 0-0, at least not in this article. Instead, I will give everyone a chance to give their final opinions on how the Royals should have handled this past off season. It is time to create your perfect off season. Who would you have signed or trade for? At the end of the season, we will come back and see how everyone did.
First, here are the major salary off season transactions for the Royals.
Bought out Soria's contract
Cost of buyout: $0.75M
Traded Brandon Sick to the Angels for Ervin Santana
Salary taken on for Santana: $12M (2013 only)
Signed Jeremy Guthrie
Salary taken on $5M (2013), $11M (2014), $9M (2015)
Traded Mike Montgomery, Jake Odorizzi, Patrick Leonard and Wil Myers to the Rays for Wade Davis and James Shields
Salary taken on for Shields: $11M (2013), $12M (2014). Both option years with buyouts.
Salary taken on for Davis: $2.8M (2014), $4.8M (2014), $7M (2015), $8M (2016), $10M (2017), 2015 to 2017 are option years.
Signed Miguel Tejada
Salary taken on: $1.1M (2013)
Offered Arbitration to Chris Getz
Resigned for: $1.05M (2013)
Offered Arbitration to Luke Hochevar
Resigned: $4.56M (2013)
Signed George Kottaras off waivers
Signed: $1M (2013)
Total salary taken on for 2013: $39.26. Only on the hook for $20 in 2014 and 2015
OK, so here are the rules.
- You have $39.26M to spend on players for 2013. Also, around $25 for 2014 and 2015.
- This is the Royals, who can't sign anyone at contract value, so for every free agent signed by another team, a 20% increase in salary must be added. The Royals supposedly over paid for their free agents, you must also. For example, the Tigers signed Torii Hunter for $12M. The Royals extra 20%, $2.4M, would make the salary be $14.4M.
- No making up trades. You can trade for players who were actually traded, with comparable players, but can't just say a trade would have happened. No one in their right mind would trade for Luke Hochevar or Bruce Chen and their contracts. Also, make sure the positions are similar.
Go at it and have some fun. At the end of the season, I will look back and see if you could do a better job with Glass's $37M+ dollars than Dayton did with it.


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Announced back in June, Facebook on Wednesday rolled out widely Facebook Studio Edge, an online tutorial program to keep ad agencies up to speed on new Facebook products and best practices. Building on Facebook Studio, showcasing top campaigns, the new offering provides self-guided courses focused on topics related to apps, Pages and ads. Each course takes 10-15 minutes to complete and users can earn "recognition" badges as they progress through course modules. Now there's an incentive for passing.
At launch, Facebook Studio Edge will be open to agencies within the major holding companies and select independent agencies. Facebook said it will grant more access on a rolling basis and anyone can request an invitation through the site at facebook-studio.com/education/index.


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Lindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey is a beautiful, tranquil site situated on the outskirts of Newburgh, Fife. Many walking or driving past its rich sandstone walls know little of the abbey's immense significance within Scottish history and the scenes, both tragic and joyous, to which it bore witness through the ages.
Standing amid the now peaceful ivy-clad ruins of Lindores Abbey, it is difficult to picture the day in 1298 when a battle-wearied William Wallace and his men strode through the East gate, fresh from a bloody skirmish with the Earl of Pembroke and his men at the nearby Battle of Blackearnside. On a still day, you can hear the trickle of the Holy Burn just beyond the Abbey from where Wallace and his men drank and refreshed himself after the battle.
The abbey was founded in 1191 by David, Earl of Huntingdon on land given to him by his brother King William I. Situated on the estuary of the River Tay, the abbey's location would have been chosen for more than simply its beautiful views. Fresh running water could be drawn from the Tay and the Holy Burn, the surrounding forests would have supplied plentiful wood, and the local Clatchard quarry provided material for construction.
There are two explanations as to why the Earl of Huntingdon may have initially founded the abbey, one more romantic than the other. The story goes that when Earl David was returning home from fighting in the Holy Land on the Crusades, his ship was caught in a perilous storm that threatened to leave him and his crew for dead. As the winds howled, he prayed to the Virgin Mary and vowed that if he escaped drowning, he would found a large church in her honour. This story, made famous by Sir Walter Scott in his book The Talisman, is perhaps less believable than the other explanation: in the Middle Ages, the wealthy and powerful believed that founding a religious house would earn them great honour in heaven.
Irrespective of the reasons for its founding, the abbey was duly built and became a thriving hub of industry and contemplation. The monks who lived and worked at the abbey were Benedictines from the Order of Tiron, France, also known as Tironensian. The group who came to build the abbey were from Kelso, and around 30 of them would have been based at the abbey at any one time.
The Tironensians were hard-working, and favoured a practical, productive life dedicated to education and worship through industry, believing that hard manual work cleansed the soul. They were masons, distillers, brewers, carpenters, blacksmiths, sculptors, painters, gardeners, beekeepers and farmers. The Tironensians of Lindores were particularly highly regarded for their horticultural knowledge, and cultivated the abbey lands with reverence and skill. They planted orchards of apple, pear and plum trees which covered 30 acres, and were the largest in Scotland at the time.
The monks of Lindores prided themselves on sharing their knowledge with the local village, and trading their wares with merchants as far afield as Flanders in the Netherlands.
While not working the land, the monks of Lindores put their minds to good use. They were truly enlightened men, dedicating several days each week to teaching members of their community both practical skills and subjects such as calligraphy and manuscript illustration. One Lindores monk particularly famed for his artistry was Thomas Wode. He gathered a variety of celebrated pieces of religious music and adorned them with intricate, colourful illustrations to create the famed Wode Psalters, now housed at St Andrews University.
The Abbey, despite being a lesser-known site today, welcomed kings, knights and bishops over the centuries. Edward I of England (Hammer of the Scots), John Balliol (predecessor of Robert I as King of Scots) David II (King of Scotland) and James III were among the monarchs who visited the abbey.
Despite the monks' peaceful way of life and the abbey's significant role in Scottish history, their haven was not to last forever. Their time at the abbey came to an abrupt end in 1559, when a rabble roused by John Knox and his religious intolerance sacked the abbey and 'overthrew the altars, broke up statues, burned the books and vestments and made them cast aside their monkish habits.' The mob, from nearby Dundee, ravaged the abbey and the buildings eventually fell in to decay. Local villagers used much of the broken-up stone to build their own houses, and the Abbey slowly became the ruins that can be seen today.
The content of many of our web listings is provided by third party operators and not VisitScotland. VisitScotland accepts no responsibility for (1) any error or misrepresentation contained in third party listings, and (2) the contents of any external links within web listings ((1) and (2) together hereinafter referred to as the "Content"). VisitScotland excludes all liability for loss or damage caused by any reliance placed on the Content. The Content is provided for your information only and is not endorsed by VisitScotland.


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The Netherlands has the strongest market for e-bikes in the world. However, proposed new regulations for the "speed pedelec" category of e-bike could destroy the market for such fast machines, concludes a study by Grontmij, a Dutch urban design consultancy.
Pedal-assisted speed pedelecs are capable of reaching 30mph. However, in urban areas they travel at lower average speeds than this, and so should not be regulated out of existence, says Martijn van de Lindeloof of Grontmij.
From 1st January 2017, the Dutch vehicle classification system will be changed to meet the European standards, which classify the speed pedelec as a moped. This will mean speed pedelec riders will have to have moped driving licences, their bikes must be fitted with registration plates, they won't be allowed on bicycle-only cycleways, and users will be forced to wear motorcycle-style helmets.
"These rules may result in a substantial disincentive to purchase and use speed pedelecs," said a statement from Grontmij.
At the moment, speed pedelecs are classified as "light mopeds" in the Netherlands. These "Snorfiets" are limited to 15mph, and allowed on bicycle-only cycleways. It's the higher potential velocities of speed pedelecs that has prompted the Dutch Government to reclassify them as regular mopeds. However, the study from Grontmij stresses that users of speed pedelecs are largely replacing car journeys, not bicycle ones, and so discouraging their use will lead to more traffic congestion.
The Grontmij study questioned 115 speed pedelec riders, and followed the journeys of 28 of them with the use of the Strava smartphone-app. It found that the average journey was 13 miles, and the average cruising speed was 21mph. However, within urban areas the average speed was lower.
"The riders temper their speed because – despite the electrical power – riding at 28mph demands a considerable effort," said Lindeloof.
He added that the proposed classification change could mean that an "efficient, sustainable and healthy traffic concept" will be "killed prematurely".
However, he recognises that the speed differential between bicycles and motorised bicycles can cause problems on cycleways.
"The introduction of speed pedelecs leads to higher speed differences in cycle lanes," said Lindeloof. "On narrow cycle lanes in particular this increases the safety risk."
He also sees problems with enforcement of the new rules.
"The visual difference between speed pedelecs, regular e-bikes and bicycles is often very small, especially without registration plates. Effective enforcement therefore is very hard, especially when regular e-bikes can be easily tuned up to speed pedelec velocity."
His study – co-written with Ruben de Bruijne – recommends that the Dutch Government should reverse its decision.
"[We should] continue to permit speed pedelecs on cycle lanes within urban areas," said Lindeloof. "The decision to treat them legally like mopeds disregards the considerable differences between these modes of transport and their users.
He also recommends that instead of mandating the use of motorcycle helmets the Ministry of Transport should instead enforce the use of cycle helmets." There should also be an education campaign aimed at speed pedelec riders, "encouraging them to adjust their riding behaviour to take account of the people with whom they share the cycle lane."
Banishing speed pedelec riders to the "main road and burdening them with a moped helmet harms them disproportionally," Lindeloof told BikeBiz.com.
Speed pedelecs are not cheap – the ST1 from Swiss e-bike brand Stromer retails for £3800+.
The Grontmij study is available in Dutch and English from firstname.lastname@example.com


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GTRTC (Government Tool Room and Training Centre, Dumka) has been established in 2007 by the Department of Industries, Government of Jharkahnd with the assistance of Ministry of MSME, Government of India and registered under society act 1860. The centre has training and production wing equipped with latest range of CNC and conventional machines having the industrial controls procured from global market including CAD/CAM, ultra modern class rooms with latest teaching aids.
Government Tool Room and Training Centre, Dumka offers various training programmes to meet the wide spectrum of technical manpower required in the manufacturing sector. The training programmes are designed with optimum blend of theory and practice giving the trainees exposure on the actual jobs and hands on working experience.


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Hi, we are going to have FR rework party on Openmobility [1] on 24 April. We have enough caps for buzzfixs, but we need some 22uF capacitors for recamping reworks and 100uF capacitors for bass reworks. We could purchase caps from reseller, but these caps in small amounts are too expensive per item. We want to purchase several 22uF and 100uF caps from Openmoko inc. or individuals, who bought these caps in large amount, which is usually less expensive per item and could sell these caps to us.
[1] http://www.openmobility.cz _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list email@example.com http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community


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The reports of the Macon Armory were composed by the Superintendant of Armories James H. Burton. These reports were almost always written to Confederate Chief of Ordnance Josiah Gorgas. Some of these reports contain enough interesting detail on a number of Confederate manufacturing plants (both public and private) that a few of them will be presented here in their entirety.
Report of Col. Burton to Colonel Gorgas on the C.S. Armory, Columbia, S.C., April 8th, 1864 - from the Compiled Service Record of James H. Burton, National Archives
"I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the 23d March ulto of your letter of instructions as follows, viz: 'Advice is asked for by Captain [Clement C.] McPhail in reference to the Armory placed under his charge at Columbia, S.C. You will please proceed there to inspect and report upon the arrangement of the machinery and buildings. You will also give such directions to Capt. McP. as you deem judicious repeating the same with your inspection report.' In compliance with these intructions I have the honor to submit the following Report.
"In consequence of the delay incident to the inspection of the Armory of the 'Red Mountain Coal & Iron Co.' at Montgomery, Ala. I was unable to leave for Columbia until the 3d. inst. arriving on the 4th inst. and on the 5th inst. I devoted the whole day to the inspection of the Armory under Capt. McPhail, asssisted by that officer.
"The premises appropriated to the purposes of the Armory are located near the bank of the Congaree river, and within the corporate limits of the City of Columbia. The location is not a favorable one for the reason that a portion of the ground and basements of the buildings are liable to inundation by the river during freshets. The ground is also too uneven and limited in extent for Armory purposes, except on a very small scale. The buildings originally erected on the ground consist of a brick building (formerly used as a store house) 130 x 28 feet with a wing 50 x 28 feet each embracing a basement 8-1/2 feet high in the clear and but poorly lighted for workshop purposes, and an upper story about 12 feet high in the clear. Those upper rooms are better lighted than the basements, but the windows are not sufficiently numerous for filing purposes.
"Capt. McPhail informed me that when he took charge of the premises this building was in a very dilapidated condition, but he has since re-erected one of the walls, made good the stone walls of the basement, and put in new window frames, sash, &c. The whole being now in good order, and well whitewashed inside. In addition to this building there is an old frame building about 35 x 20 feet, which is of no use for Armory purposes, and which it were better to take away. Since Capt. McPhail took charge, he has caused the following frmae buildings to be erected, all of temporary character, viz: 1st One building about 50 x 40 feet, one story high, to be used as a forging shop, and in which to erect the necessary hammers for forging gun barrels &c. &c. This building includeds twelve chimneys of brick erected on the inside of the building and against the sides and intended to carry off the smoke from the cast iron forges. The position of these chimneys inside contract the space necessary for other legitimate and necessary purposes in connection with forging operations, and their erection as explained, was a mistake, for which Capt. McPhail informed me, the then Master Armorer was responsible. A mistake was also committed in locating these chimneys much too close together, being but about seven feet apart instead of at least twelve feet. The forges cannot be worked at if placed so close together. 2d One building, (open on one side), about 40 x 25 feet to be used as a charcoal shed, completed and whitewashed. 3d One building about 30 x 16 feet, one story high, to be used as an office for the Comdg. Officer. This building is not yet completed. The frame, chimney, and brick piers only being erected. In addition to the above described new buildings, Capt. McPhail has made preparations for the erection of a small building to be used as a proof house, and another to be used as a stable. These last buildings are not yet framed, but the ground is being levelled and prepared for them. The old and the new buildinsg erected and to be erected, as herein described, will not be sufficient for the intended purposes, even on the small scale of manufacture to which the machinery &c. is adapted; stated by Capt. McPhail to be about 200 Rifles per month. Additonal room will be required for a store room, an inspecting room, an arm assembling room, and a filing room.
"The machinery is generally of a serviceable character, although not of the most approved construction and finish. Several of the Stock making machines have wooden frames, but nevertheless, are said to work very well. The location and arrangement of the machines, as approved by Capt McPhail, generally met my approval. The gun machinery is not yet finally in place, but is being arranged as rapidly as possible. I could only therefore judge of its effiency by an inspection of it when not at work. All of the machine shop tools, such as lathes, planes, drills, &c have been erected and are actively employed in repairs to the machines, most of which require repairs, and which Capt McPhail has very properly directed to be made before operations are recommended. A line of shafting has been erected in the upper room of the main building, which shafting is driven by a 20 H.P. portable engine & boiler temporarily erected outside and near one end of the building. Several machines are in process of construction, which, when completed, will materially facilitate and cheapen the manufacture of stocks, and other component parts of the Rifle. I suggested to Capt. McPhail some slight alterations in the construction of the machine for bedding Lock in Stock, and a re-arrangement of the system for driving the two lines of shafting in the main building, providing for the application of the driving power first to the line in the basement, and through that line to the line above by means of an intermediate short counter shaft. The line of shafting for driving the trip hammers in the forging shop is not yet erected nor is there yet any provision of motive power for this purpose.
"The inventory of machinery includes one portable 20 H.P. Engine & boiler, now erected temporarily and at work, and one 28 H.P. horizontal engine and boiler for same; the latter is still at Asheville, N.C. but Capt McPhail informed me that he had made arrangements for its remaoval to Columbia in a short time. It would be well to transfer from the Macon Armory to Columbia Armory such complete and incomplete machines as are not now in use, or likely to be required hereafter, because of their inferior design and construction. There are several such machines now at the Macon Armory which might be so transferred.
"I have stated that the location of Columbia Armory is not favorable, and in addition to this objection there exists other difficulties in the shape of very limited accomodation for workmen, and the high cost of living at that point, nor am I prepared to recommend the policy of maintaining separate establishments on so small a scale as this: but in the event of the continuance of it, I suggested to Capt. McPhail the following additions and improvements, viz: 1st The extension of the forging shop 35 feet in length, and the taking down and re-erection of the brick chimneys outside the building; the chimneys to be not less than tweleve feet apart from center to center. 2d The removal of the 20 H.P. portable engine from its present location and purpose, to one end of the forging shop, to furnish the power requisite for driving the trip hammers. 3d The erection of the 28 H.P. engine & boiler at the end of the machine shop to furnish power for driving all the other machinery. 4th The construction of two additional trip-hammers for forging cones & screws, and for welding the conseats on barrels. 5th The erection of a temporary wooden building about 100 x 35 feet, two stories high, along the front of the premises, on ground now vacant and suitable for the purpose, each story to be 12 feet high in the clear; windows to be 8 feet apart between centers. The first floor to be divided into an inspection room 30 x 30 feet, an arms assembling room 30 x 30 feet, and a general store room 40 x 30 feet. The upper floor to be used as a filing room: stairs inside to communicate between the two floors. 6th The transfer from the Macon Armory to Columbia Armory of any complete or incomplete machines applicable to manufacture of arms and not required at the former establishment.
"Lumber will be required in the erection of the above buildings, and the transfer of any unappropriated lumber in charge of Col. Trezevant, Comdg Columbia Arsenal to Capt McPhail would greatly facilitate the completion of the buildings. I suggest this as it does not appear the Arsenal has commenced active operations. The appropriation of a number of small buildings erected on the Arsenal grounds and not in use at present to the use of the Armorers as dwellings would also go a long way towards meeting a pressing difficulty, if there is no objection to so appropriating them.
"Capt. McPhail informed me that he assumed control of the Armory on or about the 25th Feb. last, since which time all the repairs and improvements to the premises above described have been made under his direction, and for the most part, without adequate assistance from the Master Armorer. At the present time there is no Master Armorer attached to the Armory.
"I consider that Capt. McPhail has done much towards refitting the premises for his purposes in the short time that has intervened and this in the face of difficulties consequent upon the inefficient services of the Master Armoprer, who should be competent to properly direct the improvements required. The appointment at an early day of some competent and reliable person to that office would greatly facilitate the work in hand. Accompanying this report is an inventory of the machines complete, and in progress of construction at Columbia Armory at the present time.
List of Machines & Machinery at the C.S. Armory, Columbia, S.C., 5th April 1864
Complete machines
Machines in course of construction
© 1998 Matthew W. Norman. All rights reserved.


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Bojan Srbinovski //
What has the COVID-19 pandemic taught the medical humanities about the body?
On Monday, November 9, the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced the encouraging preliminary findings of a COVID-19 vaccine study that suggested an efficacy of more than 90 percent. This welcome news came as a bright spot against the background of a devastatingly high number of new cases across the country. Immediately, the newspapers of record ran stories that tied the vaccine announcement to the bearishness of the market. The New York Times's coverage went under the title "A Collective Sigh of Relief Pushes the Stock Market Up." The article argued that the sharp drop in prices for government bonds pushed yields, reflecting "growing optimism among investors." The Wall Street Journal's story, "After Pfizer's Covid Vaccine Bull's-Eye, Stock Market Euphoria Is Justified," made similar claims that "the general optimism is well-founded."
The figurative-somatic language of these newspaper stories—the "collective sigh of relief" and the "justified euphoria" in relation to the stock market, both of which are couched in the affective stance of a "growing" and "general" optimism—raises familiar questions about the relationship between the human body and the market. The prospective health of the former would seem to shore up the optimism of the latter, suggesting that what is good for the body is good for the market.
But this pandemic has confirmed once again that the dependency of the market on the body can be parasitic. Tens of thousands of workers at warehouses across the United States have tested positive for the virus—a statistic that signals a distinct lack of care for the safety of the worker's body. In North Dakota, one of the country's viral hotspots, hospitals are at 100% capacity, and the governor has announced that coronavirus-positive nurses can stay at work. Across the nation and the world, the pandemic's waves are crashing against the backs of waged and salaried laborers. In the United States, Black people make up a substantial and disproportional share of these rising cases—a fact that bespeaks the lasting presence of several intersecting histories of racial inequality. A multiracial working class has kept the global economy away from a perpetual freefall, all at the expense of the health of the worker and with minimal governmental support. As we consider what has helped the market arrive at this moment of "justified euphoria," it seems imperative to recognize that what subtends the market's growing and general optimism might, in fact, be an obstacle to the flourishing of many human bodies. To recognize this phenomenon should be a central concern of the medical humanities at this moment.
This putative porousness between the body and the market may just be a signature of all market economies. But the figurative way in which our culture talks about the market as a body—sometimes propelled upward with a sigh of relief, other times euphoric in its optimism—suggests that this porousness is only rhetorical inasmuch it is also material. It seems to me that the domain of fantasy, which enables this figurative practice, belongs most properly to the project of neoliberalism.
The pandemic and its attendant crises are all inimical to neoliberalism. As an economic form, neoliberalism withers the social state, destroys unions, privatizes collective goods, and promulgates deregulation. As a political form, it transforms how we understand human sociality—what Margaret Thatcher meant when she said, "There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families." Much has been made of this pulverization of the social. Among its signal strategies are the valorization of personal freedom as the last bulwark against the overreaching powers of the state, the financialization of the self as a prerequisite for the mere promise of success, the inscription of all human life within the logic of the individual, and perhaps also the nuclear family, and an understanding of justice under the banner of what Friedrich Hayek called "traditional morality" (see Hayek's The Constitution of Liberty, 54-70, 162-75). But what we may have missed (or at least, what we have not accounted for enough) in this discussion of human sociality is how deeply neoliberalism cuts into the matter of the body.
What is the neoliberal body, and how are we to re-understand it against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic? We know that "the body sits at the locus of th[e] neoliberal revolution," as Michael Giardina and Joshua Newman have persuasively argued (527). We also know that the trajectory of neoliberal governmentality follows what Jason Read has called "a fundamental paradox; as power becomes less restrictive, less corporeal, it also becomes more intense" (29). We are also aware that the body becomes the site of neoliberalism's didactic apparatus; as Wendy Brown claims, neoliberalism "figures individuals as rational, calculating creatures whose moral autonomy is measured by their capacity for 'self-care'" (42). Individuals are tasked not with following the law or pursuing the good of society, but with the entrepreneurial venture of calculating bodily risk to maximize profit.
The pandemic, I would argue, surfaces these economic and political effects on the level of the body. Nobody should be surprised that the result of turning everything, from public goods to elections and democracy itself, into a market would dramatically alter what kinds of bodies the social realm produces: exhausted ones. Exhaustion—by virtue of unreasonable labor demands, growing medical debt, constantly shifting pandemic-related policies, and the unspeakable suffering of watching others die—remains inscribed on the neoliberal body as a signal condition from which there is no immediate exit.
The pandemic has highlighted the extent to which the body's health is a prize to earn and not a natural right. Many frontline workers across the nation and the planet understand this very well as they risk contracting the virus in order to pay rent or feed themselves. It is thus not so much that the neoliberal market has come to resemble a body, but that the neoliberal body, in fact, has revealed itself to be a market. Markets can be euphoric, relieved, even depressed, but they are never permitted to be exhausted. This reality does not inspire much optimism about the world after the vaccine.
Works cited
Brown, Wendy. "Neo-Liberalism and the End of Liberal Democracy." Theory & Event 7, no. 1 (November 6, 2003). doi:10.1353/tae.2003.0020.
Giardina, Michael D., and Joshua I. Newman. "Physical Cultural Studies and Embodied Research Acts." Cultural Studies/Critical Methodologies 11, no. 6 (December 2011): 523–34. doi:10.1177/1532708611426107.
Hayek, Friedrich A. von. The Constitution of Liberty. Chicago: Regnery, 1972.
Read, Jason. 2009. "A Genealogy of Homo-Economicus: Neoliberalism and the Production of Subjectivity." Foucault Studies 6 (February): 25–36.


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Spring break has been good to Tampa International Airport, which saw the busiest March and April in its history and is on track to have a record year.
TIA beat its previous record by more than 50,000 passengers in the two months combined. In March, the airport's busiest month, TIA served 1,979,244 passengers. In April, the airport served 1,799,519 passengers, bringing the two-month total to nearly 3.8 million passengers.
The growth comes at a time when TIA is undergoing a nearly $1 billion expansion and preparing for a second phase of construction next year that is estimated to cost $543 million. The overall project provides a runway for growth for local small businesses.
Its previous record was in 2007 with 3,726,183 passengers in March and April and a record 19.3 million passengers for the year, before passenger numbers decreased during the economic recession. Since 2010, TPA has seen passenger numbers increase year after year, and that traffic has now grown nearly 14 percent between 2010 and 2016.
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How can I send a care package to a service member?
You can find useful links and other information about sending care packages here.
I'm planning to hold a fund-raising event for a very worthy cause. Can the commissary donate some food items to support this event?
Commissaries are prohibited by law and regulation from donating any Government–owned property or money to any individual or organization with one exception: food that would otherwise be destroyed as unusable, unmarketable, and unsellable, but has been certified as edible by an appropriate food inspection technician may be donated to charitable entities as designated by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Health and Human Services; a chapter or other local unit of a recognized national veterans organization that provides services to persons without adequate shelter and is designated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a not–for–profit organization that provides care for homeless veterans and is designated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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