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All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.
Hip-Hop Rumors: Soulja Boy's Beef! Lisa Raye's Husband Accused of Rape! Where is Buck Pt 302?
Hip-Hop Rumors: Trey Songz Arrested Again? Bun B Joins Jay-Z! Trick Daddy Not Joining G-Unit?
Hip-Hop Rumors: Beyonce Is Pregnant? R.Kelly's Scary, New Look! Remy Ma Update!
Tori LaLa checked in with me (love the name). She gave me the scoop on Wow Bow aka Bow Wow. Yesterday Bow Wow was on Big Boy's Neighborhood radio show. Big Boy asked him if he was dating anyone. He said he's just "chillin'." Then, co-host Liz said "Dogs and cats don't get along?" Big Boy was amused thinking that it was clever because of Bow Wow's name. Liz corrected him saying it wasn't just because of his name but because of his rumored association with Melody from Pussycat Dolls. Big Boy hadn't heard about that. Liz must read AHH! LOL! Liz straight up asked Bow Wow if he was dating Melody. He again said he was just "chillin'." Liz said that's gotta hurt Melody if he's denying her. Bow Wow stressed they're just friends. Liz lamented on how he allegedly flew her in from Brazil. Bow Wow said "I heard I flew her in from Kuwait too." Liz asked him again if he was trying to date anyone and he said he was trying to date Liz. Big Boy said he'd been tryin' to crack that for seven years and that Bow Wow should give him more time before he stole his sidekick. That old Bow Wow. Im not even going to write the funnier stuff my brain is thinking.
Remember all the speculation as to weather or not the Lil Wayne cover was real or not!? I have sources that are in touch with Weezy and apparently, the cover is REAL! Thats right. The plot thickens.
Carmelo Anthony, the superstar 23-year-old forward, has been busted for a DUI, according to tmz. The Denver Nugget was driving on Interstate 25 in Colorado around 4:00 AM and the cops rounded him up and took him in. when he was pulled over and taken into custody. Anthony was pushing his Benz and they say he violated some traffic law. He took a blood test and the results will be back in two weeks. I guess they didnt have the Breathalyzer.
I clean forgot that Snoop Dogg and Crooked I had lil beef back in the day. From what I understand, the beef comes from the Death Row situation that both were once in. Crooked I and Snoop were both on Death Row at the same time, but Snoop left and Crooked I stayed. Snoop was not pleased that Crooked I chose to stay. And we all know that Crooked faced a lot of politics being on the label that Suge helped to build. Anyway, I cant quit tell if he is going at Snoop or the generic Sucker MC. My sources tell me this definitely is a diss, but my ears say its to "every emcee." I supposed Crooked I refers to when Snoop Dogg's house got shot up in Cali (No clue!)? Tell me if you can / can't tell. (Shout out to Spaz Out Entertainment producer Cy on the beat)
When you speak of the West, you have to mention Snoop. But, when you think of the WILD west…check Snoop out at the Country Music Awards.
D12 Return of the Dozen Limited Edition Mixtape Vol 1 – May 20th. Guess what? You heard it here first!
What a talented family T-Pain has. The rapper-turned-sanger has a mother that runs a management/talent company. Here is a strange twist. There is another person named Ms. Cherry. Cherry is an Atlanta rapper that almost got into a cat fight with Khia in the first episode of Miss Rap Supreme. I heard this woman is also T-Pain's baby mama. Now, he has a wife, who he's been married to for awhile now but, he also has a baby with Ms. Cherry. Aint that something specical. I hope she gets to fighting with Khia, because that would making things exciting for me.
Here are some pictures sent to me from…..
Did I miss something? AllHipHop gave Khia a column on the site for a while, but nobody had any idea that she and Wendy Williams had this fierce beef between them. I know there was some internet jibber jabber, but this is crazy. Read it right here.
I said it in the comments, but Wendy and Charlamange are nothing less than cool with me and AHH so wed rather see this ease up. Charlamange, lemme know what's going on!
If you thought Polow Da Don is a new cat, you are wrong. Remember that song, "Shorty Swing My Way"? You might. You might not. Polow had a starring role. See the video below.
Caption this PLEASE!
(Shout out to KP & Envyi. Y'all shoulda stayed together.)
Mavado, the dancehall OG, reportedly turned himself in to authorities for a shooting. The alleged incident went down last week and he was subsequently charged with 2 counts of shooting with intent and another count of illegal possession of a firearm. Hes been in trouble in the past. Check out this interview we did with him last year for a run down.
Marilyn Monroe had a sex tape that was sold for $1.5 million. The other tape is in the nasty hands of the FBI.
Amy Winehouse has been dumped from a U.S. charity event even though she was given a business visa to travel to the States.
Paris Hilton is rumored to be having a reality show on VH1. Her shine is dulling.
T.I. got dumped by GM as an endorser of their cars, because of his legal woes and guilty plea.
Can you see the Snoop diss? Suge recently dissed Snoop and his reality show, dismissing it as fake. What is this, everybody diss Snoop day?It is looking good for Shaq and Shaunie. Rumor has it, they are back together and working it out.
The Republican messiah Ronal Reagans opinion of George W. Bush (The Reagan Diaries published by Harper Collins):
'A moment I've been dreading. George brought his n'er-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida; the one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work.
Lauren Hutton has a line of make up and she explained to a woman what shade she wasnt while in South Africa:
"This is Oprah dark. You are not Oprah dark."
Jada watch your back. Chilli is interested (Sister 2 Sister):
"I want her man [Will Smith]. No, that's my girl. We cool. But I can admire… His body is off the chain. I was like, 'Man, when this comes on DVD I'm gonna press pause. He's doing, like, these little push-ups, these pull-ups."
Russell on the marriage of Bey-Z:
"I know Jay Z. We signed him at Def Jam many years ago. I watched him grow as an individual and become a great giver. Beyonce supported us at the Hip Hop Summit. They are two people I have a great deal of admiration and respect for. Seeing them get married is a perfect order. I am very happy for them."Kelly on her implants (News.au):"I
was 16 when I first thought about having breast implants. I would look
down at my chest and think, 'Wow, this is probably as good as it gets'."SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN ENDThis is love or maybe just crazy. Crazy Love! Anyway, man loves wife and wife loves man. Man is in jail. Man and wife want to have sex, but cant. I dont know what happened to conjugal visits, but they created something out of nothing. The wife sneaked into Standford Hill prison last Sunday and had sex with her hubby. Thats right: SHE SNUCK INTO JAIL! This prison resides on an island called Sheppey, Kent. She was caught as she tried to leave, climbing over the fence out. At least they got to do the do! Now thats some love for youre a** – literally! I didnt get word on if they faced any stiff penalty (pause for the cause) for this violation? Is it a violation to break in jail? This was a good one!
I dont know what to make of this so I will let you be the judge. Give me an opinion!
If your tax accountant was using a stripper to lure in customers, would you trust he or she more or less or not on your life? See the video below.
Do you remember The Iron Mic from a few days ago? A former student from that school is now in college. He wrote in. Any views in that letter reflect his views, not mine or AHH.
Hi Illseed! This is Morgan C from Stone Mountain, GA via Gainesville, FL. I read the rumors almost every day, but I've never commented before. Funny thing that I click on it today and see a clip from my old high school's freestyle show. My brother started the show back in his broadcasting class and hosted it until he graduated in 2003. That video clip of the freestyle battle was from my school, Chamblee High School. It's in Chamblee, GA, which is outside of Atlanta. It's an old clip from about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm in college now at the University of Florida, so you can see how long ago that was. Our school had a morning news show and a lunch hour entertainment program that included Iron Mic. I know it seems funny that there was a special kid on there freestyling, but the rules of the show allowed anybody who wanted to battle to come on it. Everybody deserves a chance, you know. About the guy giving the other dude a massage? I don't know. They were football players, so….Anyway, keep up the good job with the rumors!
Morgan C.
University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
Steve Harvey is on a new weight loss program and is so proud of his new body he's taken all his shirts off.
Capton: "I dare you to hate, b***h. I'm two french fries away from snapping."
Caption: "Girl, can I get you a napkin for that drool?"
Caption: "He's not finished his diet yet. Just you wait, lil' mama. We healthy, hoe!"
Caption: "I'm a work of art. I clock in at museums, dude."
Butt implants and hoe s**t – simple as that.
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!
WHO: illseed
WHAT: Rumors
WHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseed
HOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at firstname.lastname@example.com.
– allhiphop rumors


text:
At West Tree Service, SAFETY is our number ONE priority because it HAS to be. We work in a hazardous environment and our employees are our most important resource. Our primary goal at the beginning of each day is that our employees go home without injury so that they can enjoy their lives with their families. Accidents are caused by people and the best way to prevent accidents is to "educate and communicate."
If you are interested in contacting someone at West Tree Service, we are located at 6300 Forbing Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72209. The telephone number is (501) 568-5111. The facsimile number is (501) 562-WEST (9378).
Interactive Services by
Mass Enthusiasm

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ring-Back Patent Invalid, Cingular Claims
Ring Plus Inc. sued Cingular last September, accusing the telecommunications giant of trampling its patent for the emerging and lucrative ring-back services, which can turn handsets into ads while callers wait for calls to go through.
In its motion filed on Monday, however, Cingular countered that a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiner granted the '068 patent without knowing about the...
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|04 Feb 2013
Backup to network: Where to find the username and password?
I want to save my laptop system image on a desktop on the homegroup network. I'm requested to insert a username and password, but can not figure out where I can find this information.
I have full access to both the laptop and desktop and I have not set any Windows usernames or passwords on them. On both the laptop and desktop there are two user accounts and neither uses a password. I have the homegroup password, but I cannot find a user name, hence I do not think it is this password that should be entered, and I'm not able to proceed... Where do I find this information?
Thank you!
|My System Specs
|17 Jan 2014
I never got any answer to this question, so I ask again. What username and password should I enter on the laptop?
Since last time I've created three user accounts on the desktop. One called Admin using a password, and two other accounts not using a password.
|My System Specs
|Thread Tools
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Username/Password incorrect for network access to new desktop
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|Network & Sharing
How to find my windows security username and password?
Hi! I am in dire help! I just applied to college and i am trying to acess their website to log on and get started going to school. When i go to log onto the site windows security pops up and asks me for my username and password but i dont know either one of these and i really need to acess this...
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Network sharing suddenly asks for username and password
I have 3 Windows 7 (Home Premium 64 bit) machines on a peer to peer network. I have an accounting package that stores the files on one machine (Ill call it Box1). On the another machine (Box2) I have mapped the data files on Box1 as \\Box1\datafiles (Z:). Everythings been working fine for several...
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Network Authentication-username & password???
I have a Windows7 64 bit desktop and a Windows7 64 bit laptop. My desktop is wired to the internet, my laptop uses wireless for internet access. My router is a Linksys WRT54GP2. I have not previously had my router secured. I was advised to secure it using at least a WPA level of security...my...
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Network username & password
Hi, I've searched this forum and i can't seem to find the right answer to my problem. I have a desktop and a laptop both running Windows 7 Ultimate x86. My desktop is being primarily used as a media server with external hard drives attached to it. I was able to share my external hard drives over...
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April 24, 2007
Product news from the 04/24/07 news brief
Enzon Pharmaceuticals announced that FDA has granted full approval for DepoCyt (cytarabine liposome injection) for the treatment of patients with lymphomatous meningitis, a life-threatening complication of lymphoma. DepoCyt was originally approved under the Accelerated Approval regulations of Subpart H of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, based on a preliminary demonstration of an increased complete response rate compared to unencapsulated cytarabine. The full approval was based on findings from two randomized controlled clinical trials that included over 200 patients with neoplastic meningitis related to solid tumors, lymphoma or leukemia. The first study demonstrated that more patients with lymphomatous meningitis treated with DepoCyt showed an absence of neurological progression of the disease. The second study showed an increase in complete cytologic responses among patients treated with DepoCyt, as defined by a clearing of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. DepoCyt is manufactured by SkyePharma. Abbott submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA for Simcor, a fixed-dose combination of Niaspan (extended-release niacin) and simvastatin, the generic version of Merck's Zocor. This product seeks to target multiple lipid parameters in a single pill. Niaspan and simvastatin, are two widely prescribed medications for treating cholesterol. Niaspan is used to raise HDL "good" cholesterol levels, and simvastatin is effective in reducing LDL "bad" cholesterol levels. Wyeth said the FDA will extend its review of Pristiq (desvenlafaxine succinate) to treat menopause symptoms until late July, several months later than expected. The FDA was previously scheduled to issue a decision on Pristiq this week. Wyeth said during an earnings call with analysts and investors that the FDA postponed its decision on the drug so that regulators could review additional drug data submitted by Wyeth. The new data show that lowering Pristiq's dosage lessens side effects, including nausea, which could make the drug safer and more appealing to patients, Wyeth VP Joe Mahady said during the call. Wyeth is also hoping to get FDA approval to market Pristiq as a treatment for depression in older women. But the FDA's review of Pristiq for depression has also been delayed. If approved, marketing of Pristiq for depression won't happen at least until the first part of 2008, Wyeth said. An FDA advisory panel voted in favor of approving Bristol-Myers Squibb's blockbuster blood pressure drug Avalide for wider use in patients not previously treated for high blood pressure. Avalide, part of the larger Avalide-Avapro franchise that earned $1.1 billion in 2006 global sales, is currently only approved for hypertension patients who have failed other types of treatment. The advisory panel's vote will be taken into consideration by FDA regulators when they decide at a later date whether to approve the drug. Analysts predict approval won't have too much of an impact on company sales since the drug is already prescribed off-label for untreated patients. Alpharma's application for Kadian 10 mg strength capsule has received approval. The company expects to launch this new dosage strength in 2007. This is the second FDA approval for a Kadian line extension in 2007. In March 2007, the company received FDA approval for a 200 mg dosage strength which was launched in April. Kadian is Alpharma's branded extended release morphine sulfate product and is currently marketed in 20 mg, 30 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg dosage strengths.


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Recent Members
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your Artesia High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Bulldogs lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
Arron Burton Class of 1989
Army, 20+ Years US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES SENIOR MEDICAL SERGEANT STILL ON ACTIVE DUTY DOIN BAD THINGS TO BAD PEOPLE
Arron Burton Class of 1989
Army, 20+ Years US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES SENIOR MEDICAL SERGEANT STILL ON ACTIVE DUTY DOIN BAD THINGS TO BAD PEOPLE
Ben Standard Class of 1938
Army, 5 Years Army signal corp
Chris Walker Class of 1999
Marine Corps, 17 Years Communications Engineer twice deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Clinton Hanna Class of 1961
Air Force, 20+ Years Worked and flew on the KC-135 Tanker air refueling other aircraft. Flew many missions over Vietnam. Retired in 1984.
Daniel E Pacheco Class of 2008
Navy, 8 Years Hull Technician Petty Officer First Class Surface Warfare, Air Warfare
Darin Wilson Class of 1989
Army, 10 Years Field Artillery Officer, US Army.
Dennis W Jenkins Class of 1967
Air Force, 20+ Years 6 years Naval Reserves, 2 years EM on USS Damato DD871. 22+ years U S Air Force Retired end of 1994
Erwin Martinez Class of 1971
Navy, 8 Years I served eight years in the military. Four with the United States Navy and four with the United States Marine Corps. In the navy I was an Aviation Structor Mechanic and I was assigned to Motor Transport with the United States Marine Corps
Joe Rodrihuez Class of 1967
Navy, 4 Years Electronics Technician communications
Keith Allen Butler Class of 1975
Army, 20+ Years Retired Major in Special Forces KIA Afghanistan 10 May 2014
Kenneth R Hart Class of 1991
Navy, 6 Years Attended boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. Spent a year in Diego Garcia with COMPSRON TWO and left the service as ET2(SW) aboard the USS Tarawa where we participated in Operation Determined Response in support of the USS Cole bombing.
Ruben Hernandez Class of 1973
Navy, 3 Years Boot camp in San Diego, Radarman school in Great Lakes, stationed on USS Blue Ridge LCC 19: participated in South Vietnam Evacuation in 1975, naval reserve while attending NMSU.
SSG Josh Sneed Class of 1998
Army, 6 Years PSD Squad Leader for the 25th combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii Twice Deployed to Iraq in Support of Iraqi Freedom 2004-2005 and 2006-2007.
Classmates Spotlight
Deeanne Taylor
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from Artesia High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Bulldogs.
School News
Do you have any news to share? Keep our classmates informed on news and current events! Please post all reunion information in the reunion area.


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Pipeliner CRM Customer Case Studies
We can make many claims about Pipeliner CRM--but have a look for yourself. How are real-world companies using Pipeliner CRM, and how do they benefit from Pipeliner's Instant Intelligence, Visualized?
Browse our latest Pipeliner CRM case studies below. Click on a link for the detailed case study.
"Other systems may have provided plentiful information, but when you looked at it you almost gave up before you started, because it just wasn't laid out properly. Pipeliner, to me, is very pleasing to the eye. The layout is very nice. Something as basic as colors makes a big difference."
Zeli Wiedermann
Office Manager
The clarity of data and how easily visible it is has made a huge difference in our process. It's much easier to target key opportunities, instead of trying to sort through tables and tables of data. The visual representation was probably the biggest selling point for Pipeliner as far as I was concerned.
Imran Jaferey
Vice President—Global Sales
We needed a sort of checkpoint for the implementation of our sales process and sales methodology. I think from that point of view, having an application like Pipeliner really helps enforce that. People perceived that they were 'doing things in Pipeliner,' but the reality is that by doing that they were also adopting a much more standard sales process. I think that's the real value for us.
Luca Scagliarini
I would definitely recommend Pipeliner to other companies. We love the product. When it comes to using the API, Pipeliner has done an excellent job of documenting that API, and making it really straightforward and easy to use.
Chad Picha
AIM systems engineer
At the beginning of 2016 we made a goal to increase sales by 20 percent, which is a large increase for our business. As of December 1st we are at 95 percent of that lofty goal with 31 days left to go. We really owe it to Pipeliner for helping us get to where we are now.
Luke Wittenbraker
Sales and Marketing Director
I've been leading and managing industrial salesforces for a long time, and I've used a lot of different software packages, including Sugar, Salesforce, Goldmine, Lotus Notes and many others. I would say Pipeliner is by far the best one I've used—a perfect mix of functionality and ease of use. I give Pipeliner a ten out of ten.
Howard Lind
President and CEO
With Pipeliner, we don't need to spend those countless hours going through spreadsheets or creating formulas. We can click a button, figure out the report, view it and analyze it, and then refine from there. Since we started with Pipeliner, we've grown our company by 100 percent, and we're on track again his year to do another 50 percent growth. I would probably credit that to Pipeliner because it gives us the ability to see everything.
Keegan Andreas
Co-owner and Sales Manager
There's nothing that salespeople hate, if they're good salespeople, worse than paperwork and reporting. It is the bane of my existence. Pipeliner is the least intrusive CRM that I have played around with, and it still has everything there that I need. It is very sales-forward. I think from a salesperson's perspective it is the most in synch with the way we want to go to market, the way we want to go to the street, and how streamlined we want to stay.
Chris Collier
National Sales Manager
The ease of customization was one of the biggest factors for choosing Pipeliner CRM. We're a small company so we don't have an in-house IT person, so it was going to come down to me to make this thing work. When I got into it knee-deep, figured it out and was able to explain it to the other sales guys in short order, it became a no-brainer for us.
Eric McDowell
National Sales Manager
It used to be that on Friday we would sit in three sales meetings for three different companies, reviewing the previous week. It would be an all-day event. It was just not efficient. Now because of Pipeliner we have everything updated on Thursday, and everybody has full vision because Pipeliner is completely transparent. When we step into a meeting on Friday, it's three 45-minute sessions (one for each company) on the new current events and activities, versus going back and reviewing for the whole week. We review everything at a glance and say, 'Hey what's new? What's coming up?' It's all about next steps versus follow-ups. You multiply 6 hours a day times 15 people, and that is an incredible saving.
Larry Nichols
Marketing Manager
Being able to see where everything is in the quotations process just beats looking at a line item in a proposal database. It's the visualization of our pipeline. Plus it's fully customizable, it's easy to use, tech support is great, and it's affordable.
Steven Pitkoff
Marketing Coordinator
Pipeliner CRM is the main worktool used by our sales team today. All client leads are registered, and then we have configured nine different sales steps for our business. Pipeliner CRM makes it easy to follow the different steps in the sales cycle, all the way to the end goal.
Wilhelm Liljencrantz
Sales and Development Manager
What's really great about Pipeliner CRM is that the functionality and the ability for it to bridge to other departments like Marketing, quite seamlessly, allows us to really hold true to our ideals of bridging and accelerating success.
Chris Houghtaling
Founder & Managing Director
Pipeliner provided us with an interface where we can assign and follow-up leads, a highly customizable way of setting targets and monitoring performance, as well as great reporting tool with chart and dashboard capabilities. We have managed to customize Pipeliner to fit exactly the business requirements of our sales team, with very little IT knowledge required.
Andreas Neocleous
Senior Manager
Tone of voice has special meaning in the sales process. Pipeliner is helping me bring my own unique tone to my interactions with my existing clients and gracefully develop new relationships with prospective ones.
Arno Fischbacher
With Pipeliner, we know exactly where we are, what comes next, and how we will end up at the end of this year. Can you show me any other tool that gives you such an excellent answer and insight into all your business needs?
Chris Sudergat
Co-founder and Managing Director
Tensator has found Pipeliner to be an easy to use business tool, which has both minimised the administrative overhead on our sales team and assisted us in achieving our business goals.
Adrian Day
Chief Financial Officer
Pipeliner Dashboard provides an immediate picture of your deal status to ensure you don't miss any details as each deal moves through the sales process. I also find it very helpful to have all the required documents easily available at each step and tied to each prospect. This software provides an easy and efficient way to see and use the sales process for our deals.
Carajane Moore
We have been very pleased with Pipeliner. From a management perspective, I have really enjoyed the ability to customize the look to match our sales process. It has also been great to have 100% visibility on the progress of each project/opportunity as it moves through the pipeline. Can't wait for the added CRM capability forthcoming!
DeVon Labrum
Vice President Sales & Marketing
For many years our management has successfully used Pipeliner, where they can get a real time overview of all internal sales activities simply with the click of a button. More importantly, our sales team love to use it and, as a result, we tracked a tremendous increase in sales.
Florian Goebel
Managing Director
Pipeliner does something very unique and innovative. It puts the sales pipeline right in front of you to work from and monitor so you can keep your mind set on the opportunities. It also allows you to bring your leads right into the pipeline from the same screen to give you an incentive to keep calling.
Matt Sawicki
Marketing Communications Specialist
Pipeliner – a great strategic sales tool to keep your sales opportunities on track. The system helps the Sales Team to track affords into money. Easy to handle, nearly everywhere available and suitable with almost all common tools like outlook. Pipeliner gives a quick and detailed overview about leads and opportunities. It´s easy to set up and a tool that supports companies to bring a structure in the sales circle.
Markus Brauner-Scharm
Sales Support
No credit card required.


text:
140. What about other activities that might
increase the risk of flooding, like farming activities, for example,
which are not really covered by PPG. What do you intend to do
about that?
(Mr Raynsford) As you rightly say, they are not covered
by Planning Guidance because agriculture and agricultural activities
are not within the planning system. That is why we, obviously,
talk to our colleagues in MAFF about arrangements that are taking
place which are designed to help ensure that coastal defences
are effective and that land is not put at unreasonable risk of
flooding. However, I cannot use the planning system, as you know,
because the planning system does not apply.
141. Do you know whether MAFF are intending
to issue guidance to farmers to adjust practices in flood risk
(Mr Raynsford) I do not know, at the moment, but I
am more than happy to discuss that with Elliot Morley and colleagues
and come back to the Committee if there are any conclusions that
we would like to bring to your attention.
Chairman: We would like you to have some conclusions,
Minister, even if they are not readily available after you have
had your talks.
142. Just one final question: you are right
you do not have direct responsibility for agricultural practices,
but given that you do have responsibility for housing and areas
where housing development takes place, would it not be appropriate
for your Department to initiate a review of agricultural practices
in those areas by pointing out to MAFF "Here is an area at
risk, with development please make sure you have looked at it"?
(Mr Raynsford) No, I think the right approach is for
there to be continuing discussions between departments. I do not
think it is appropriate for one department to initiate activities
in an area which is the responsibility of another department.
143. All districts, when they are producing
their district plan, would have a view in their mind of the sort
of housing requirement they would have to make provision for over
the next ten years. Looking at the flood plain land which is in
the consultation document, there would be very little development
in North Kent because the whole of North Kent is identified in
the document as at risk of flooding. If North Kent is not going
to have any development, your plans for providing housing on greenfield
or brownfield sites are going to be in ruins. How are you intending
to address those issues with local planning?
(Mr Raynsford) That was exactly the point that I was
trying to get across earlier in the discussion, that it is inappropriate
to take a blanket view that there should be a presumption against
any development in a flood plain, because it would clearly entirely
prejudice our prospects of achieving 60 per cent brownfield development.
In the Thames Gateway area there is substantial brownfield land,
existing development sites, which are able to be developed with
appropriate safeguards against the risk of flooding. That is the
approach that we believe is right. Those safeguards should be
in place and they should be paid for by the developer if there
is a need for new safeguards. Therefore, we would maximise the
use of appropriate sites that can be developed safely but ensure
that there are safeguards there.
144. So will your Department be having specific
conversations with the districts that might be affected by this
problem, to discuss with them how they should approach the problem?
Or are you just leaving it to the PPG to give them that guidance?
(Mr Raynsford) It is more than the PPG, because that
is the way we formally issue guidance to local authorities. We
also liaise with the authorities through a number of other means.
In the case of the Thames Gateway authorities, the Thames Gateway
strategic framework and partnership is a way in which central
government and local authorities work together, and PPG 3 already
issued does have some pretty pertinent things to say about development
of housing on brownfield sites, including those where there is
a risk of flooding. So we have already issued guidance and we
will continue to ensure that local authorities have access to
145. I am even more confused. I thought I heard
you say in answer to Dr Ladyman that it would be inappropriate
to issue statements or warnings, whatever it may be, "this
development is in a flood plain", which was the brownfield
(Mr Raynsford) Yes.
146. My area, Stoke-on-Trent, is more than meeting
its targets of houses on brownfield sites and it is riddled with
ex coal mines. Where developers come along everybody knows that
mine shafts have to be identified, everybody knows they have to
be filled and capped, and everybody is told about it. What is
the difference between an area like mine that is doing the brownfield
stuff, that is more than meeting its targets, knowing full well
there is a problem, making it clear there is a problem, making
it clear to the developers that they have got to put it right
before the development takes place and everybody who buys a house
knows that it has been put right? What is the difference?
(Mr Raynsford) There is not one. I am entirely in
favour of
147. Why do you not do the same for the flood
(Mr Raynsford) What I was arguing against was a statement
issued saying "this property is safe for a period of up to
20 or 30 years" because I simply did not believe that kind
of statement could be made by any responsible public authority
given the range of risks that exist. No-one in the case of Stoke
would issue a statement saying "you are absolutely safe,
there is no possible risk of subsidence".
148. I understand that and that has helped me
quite a lot, Minister. What you are saying is that if a development
is proposed on a flood plain, provided that is identified and
known, provided the necessary measures are taken, presumably paid
for by the developer, then that could go ahead and everybody should
know it is on a flood plain, measures have been taken and your
Department is satisfied about that?
(Mr Raynsford) Yes.
149. That is clear?
(Mr Raynsford) Yes.
150. That is very helpful.
(Mr Raynsford) The two worries I would haveI
am sorry if I did not make this clearwould be either just
a blanket statement saying "this is on a flood plain",
which would cause undue worry because it would not allow people
to make an informed decision based on their knowledge about what
remedial steps had been taken or, on the other hand, an overambitious
statement saying "you are absolutely safe on this site",
which for reasons I have already outlined I just do not think
would be reasonable.
151. On a local authority search people should
be able to discover information that is available to that local
(Mr Raynsford) Yes.
152. Which would include whether or not the
property that they are intending to buy is on a flood plain. You
want to keep that information from people is what you appear to
be saying, those who are unwise enough not to find another route
of discovering it other than a local authority search, if the
information they were getting was simply telling them it was on
a flood plain.
(Mr Raynsford) I am sorry, I clearly have not been
making myself clear on this. I am not trying to keep any information
away from anyone.
153. Good. A simple answer to this question:
on a local authority search will you make it a duty upon the local
authorities to tell those people who conduct the search whether
or not the property is on a flood plain?
(Mr Raynsford) That is exactly the kind of simplistic
approach which I was counselling against because if the duty is
simply to say whether or not this property is on a flood plain,
this could, perfectly understandably, generate a great deal of
Chairman: You have gone through that, Minister.
I think the question is still a relevant one. What information
am I going to find when I instruct somebody to do a search?
Mr Stevenson: Chairman, when a developer in
Stoke comes along and they want to develop a brownfield site,
the first requirement is to check with the Coal Authority about
mine shafts on that site. The second requirement is for the developer
to fill them, to cap them and make them safe. Everybody knows
about that. It is clear to developers, to purchasers, to everybody,
and, when they are made safe, the purchasers know they are safe.
154. You see what we are saying, in my area
it is subsidence because of salt, in his area it is coal mines,
and those people expect to be given the information because why
should they be put in a position where nobody has told them?
(Mr Raynsford) I would entirely accept that. What
I am saying is that the information must be meaningful. If it
is simply a definition "this is within a flood plain"
without reference to
Chairman: We are not arguing with that.
155. But people will get this information on
whatever basis you seek to define it?
(Mr Raynsford) I hope so, yes.
156. Minister, will you undertake firstly to
give accurate information in as full a way as possible?
(Mr Raynsford) Yes.
157. We are giving you a lot of leeway because
you do not get any leeway on a mine, you are told "there
is a mine underneath this property". Talking about flood
plains seems to me a pretty mild objection. Will you undertake
to make it absolutely plain to anybody who does a local authority
search that there is a problem with the siting of these particular
(Mr Raynsford) I am more than happy to look further
into this issue because I can see that the Committee is
158. Will you give it to us in writing because
we are not very bright here and I think we are still a bit confused.
(Mr Raynsford) I think we are absolutely in agreement
that what we want is accurate information. I am expressing concern
about either, on the one side, over-simplistic information or
159. But over-simplistic for someone buying
a house is better than nothing because it alerts them to the fact
that there are then other questions they have to answer like "are
there defensive mechanisms in place" and they have to go
and discover that.
(Mr Raynsford) I do not agree because over-simplistic
information of the example that Dr Ladyman gave of saying "this
is absolutely safe up to 2020" could give people a false
sense of security.
Mr Blunt: That is a negative the local authority
is being asked to produce which is obviously a rather difficult
thing to establish.
Miss McIntosh: Minister, paragraph 14 states:
"The primary responsibility for safeguarding land and other
property against natural hazards such as flooding remains with
the owner." How can they be responsible if they may not know
it is liable to flooding?


text:
This is one of a series of pages giving brief descriptions and summary lists of documents in India Office Records classes.
Brief Description
The Council of India acted primarily as a statutory reviewing or advisory body for the Secretary of State for India, with its own committees. Much of the work of the India Office is therefore represented in the Council's minutes and memoranda, but only in summary fashion. Fuller documentation usually lies in the correspondence and papers of India Office departments in class L. The Government of India Act of 1935 replaced the Council of India with a body of Advisers to the Secretary of State, whose records are also included here.
Summary list of records
C/1-122 Minutes of the Council of India 1858-1937
C/123-124 Minutes of the Advisers to the Secretary of State 1937-1947
C/125-129 Minutes of Dissent by Members of the Council of India 1858-1913
For 1858-1865 only there is a separate index to this series of Dissents Z/C/1
C/130-132 Minutes of Dissent by Members of the Council of India (Originals) 1869-1935
C/132-134 Minutes on Orders or Communications made under the Urgency Clause of the Government of India Act 1875-1920
The Government of India Act of 1858 required the formal notification of matters on which the Secretary of State had used his special powers to act, for reasons of urgency, without prior reference to the Council. These volumes are a separate record of those notifications for part of the period of the Council's operation.
C/135-136 Lists of proposed Orders or Communications under the Government of India Act, to be laid in the Council Room for seven days 1918-1922
The Government of India Act required certain matters to be brought specifically to the Council's notice. Other, less contentious, items of business were deemed to have 'passed the Council' if they had lain in the Council Room for seven days without being taken up by a Council member. These volumes are a separate record of such business for a short period of the Council's operation.
C/137-142 Memoranda and Papers laid before the Council of India 1874-1879
A collection of 244 printed memoranda in six annual volumes, prepared by members of the Council and by India Office officials, on aspects of India administration, foreign relations, etc. Complete list of authors and titles of memoranda, with index.
C/143 Council of India Order Book 1858-1917
C/144 Miscellaneous Resolutions of the Council of India 1915-1944
A few volumes of the minutes of the formal Committees of the Council of India survive in Military Department Records series L/MIL/1, in Public Works Department Records series L/PWD/5 and L/PWD/7, and in Political and Secret Department Records series L/P&S/1 - see Arrangement of the Records, and List of Classes.
There are no separate indexes to the Minutes of the Council of India, nor to the Minutes of the Advisers to the Secretary of State.
Z/C/1 Index to Minutes of Dissent 1858-1865
Separate index to part of the series of Minutes of Dissent by Members of the Council of India C/125-129.
How to consult documents in this series
Researchers may consult documents in the India Office Records by using the services and facilities of the Asian & African Studies Reading Room. A full descriptive list of documents in class C is shelved in the Reading Room. Requests to see documents should bear reference numbers from that list.
Asian and African Studies enquiries
The British Library
96 Euston Road
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7412 7873
Fax: +44 (0)20 7412 7641


text:
QUANG NINH (VNS) — Quang Ninh authorities have intercepted two ships in the act of illegally discharging mud into Ha Long Bay.
About 300cu.m of the mud was alleged to have been dumped into the sea. Two men arrested admitted that they were hired by the Hai Phong-based Tan Viet Co Ltd to transport the mud from Cai Lan Port to the bay.
The two ships have been held in port at Ha Long City's Doan Wharf for further investigation.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board has sent a document asking Cai Lan Port to control dredging to prevent ships from releasing waste into the bay. — VNS


text:
School of Public Health
Global Health Internships
Sponsor life-changing international health internships for students in countries that are in need of best practices to improve public health.
Sponsorships range from $3,000 to $5,000.
Learn more about this partnership opportunity
Contact: Terri Scalise Roller, Associate Director of Corporate Partnerships
Phone: 518.437.5095
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Foundation Partnerships
- Corporate Partnerships
- The University at Albany Foundation
- Giving to UAlbany
Lawrence and Marie Shore Life Sciences Graduate Student Scholarship:
2011-12 Shore Scholars, Erica Hutchins and Kevin Liu explore Life Sciences with Biological Sciences Professor Ben Szaro.


text:
NYSEG and RG&E Offering Assistance to Customers Continuing to Cope with Higher Winter Bills"True-up" of January Electricity Supply Prices Will Affect April Bills
Rochester, NY – NYSEG and RG&E, subsidiaries of Iberdrola USA, continue to encourage customers to consider Budget Billing and other measures to lessen the affect of high winter electricity supply prices on bills.
Record-breaking cold temperatures and lingering winter weather combined with higher electricity supply prices have already driven up energy bills, and those higher supply prices will continue to affect NYSEG and RG&E bills in April for those customers who obtain their electricity supply from NYSEG and RG&E. Here's what's at work:
NYSEG and RG&E forecast electricity supply prices every month and then bill residential, nonresidential non-demand, and streetlighting customers based on those forecasts. The companies then "true-up", or reconcile, the electricity supply prices three months later to account for differences between the forecasted prices and actual market-based prices. Because the April true-up for January electricity supply costs is quite large, the companies will spread the impact over April and May to ease the cost to customers. The result for a typical residential electricity customer will be an April electricity bill approximately 15% to 20% higher than the March bill.
Note: NYSEG and RG&E make no profit on electricity supply.
Two factors are working in customers' favor:
How NYSEG and RG&E Can Help


text:
Hotel Loyalty Cards - Business Development Manager (Kuala Lumpur)
Job in KL - I saw this on InterNations Job Market - it was posted on 22 September Protected content .
Hello All, we are hiring!
ProMark Strategies is a global leader in the field of private label Hotel loyalty programmes. We specialize in the successful operation of F&B-centric programmes – as such our entire multi-national resources are dedicated to this sole purpose and have been so for nearly 20 years. ProMark's client portfolio includes members of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Peninsula Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces, Kempinski, Anantara Hotels & Resorts & many of the well known International chains.
In line with our continued expansion strategy, we are looking to recruit an experienced and driven Business Development Manager, to play a fundamental part in further strengthening ProMark's position as a global Market Leader.
Based at ProMark Strategies' Corporate Office in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, successful candidates will be responsible for securing new business opportunities; developing and implementing sales strategies, taking ownership of the entire sales cycle. The role involves frequent international travel focused towards maintaining existing clients & prospect relationships while generating strong new pipeline.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
• Acquisition of new clients by weekly generation of new pipeline attained by: -
Cold calling
Referrals from current clients
Leads from ProMark employees
• Develop sales leads to establish viable meetings and presentations
• Negotiate and close viable contracts
• Offer input on content of all Business Development tools
• Proven experience in a Business Development role
• Proven success in your sales ability and demonstrable full knowledge of the sales cycle
• Confident negotiator with proven ability to 'close the deal'
• Strong client management skills
• Capable of hands on problem-solving, with ability to generate ideas and solutions
• Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail
• Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral and presenting
• Excellent organisational and independent time management skills
• A positive attitude to dealing with people in a multinational / multiracial corporate environment
Excellent salary with performance based incentives
Interested please email me at Protected content


text:
How to Become a Police Officer in Indianapolis
In Indianapolis, which is Indiana's largest and capital city, the members of law enforcement do their best to protect the 850,000 people who call it home. With a low cost of living, at 11% below the national average, Indianapolis is a good place for cops to call home.
Prospective police officers in the city of Indianapolis should read about the city's application and selection process, along with the training required, below.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer Requirements
Before applying to become a cop in Indianapolis, hopeful recruits in Indianapolis should first make sure they meet the basic requirements there. To apply to be a cop at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, applicants must be a US citizen, be 21 years old and younger than 36, have a high school diploma or GED, have a valid driver's license, and be a resident of Marion County, Indiana or one of the seven adjoining counties. Applicants must not have any misdemeanor convictions of domestic violence or have been dishonorably discharged from the military. They must also be able to pass a drug test.
The requirements to be screened for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department involve ten steps. Applicants must complete:
- A preliminary application
- A written examination
- An oral interview
- A physical agility test
- A polygraph exam
- A background investigation
- A medical examination
- A psychological examination
- A drug screening
- Board approvals
For more information about how to become a cop in a typical big city, see 10 Steps to Becoming a Police Officer on our home page. If you are ready to apply now, find specific application information at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department – Patrol Officer Application Procedures.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Information
Established in 2007, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is made up of the former Indianapolis Police Department and the former law enforcement division of the Marion County Sheriff's Department. The force includes roughly 1,700 sworn officers, 250 civilian employees, and includes approximately 195 officers for every 100,000 residents of the metropolitan area.2 The Department functions with six policing districts, including an investigations division, traffic enforcement operations, and a variety of special units. In 2009, the IMPD's annual operating budget was over 222 million dollars.3
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Law Enforcement Training Academy
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Law Enforcement Training Academy is one of the best in the state. Recruits attend the Academy for 24 weeks, which includes 932 hours of training, in subjects such as administration, criminal justice, human behavior, law, emergency response, and police skills. Prospective officers do not live at the Academy, but attend Mondays through Fridays, mainly between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Once they complete the Academy, officers enter a Field Training Officer Program. The April 2015 Recruit Class Commencement Ceremony celebrated the employment of 52 new recruits to the Department.4
Indianapolis Police Salary and Jobs Outlook
Indianapolis police officers earn an average of $52,460 per year, or $25.22 per hour.5 In 2013 at the IMPD, probationary officers earned $39,446 per year when they started at the Academy.6 During their second year, cops made $47,651 per year, and by their third, $60,967.6 In addition, law enforcement officers at the IMPD enjoyed benefits like a car, overtime pay, vacation and sick leave, insurance, pension, and deferred compensation. The IMPD also offers college incentive pay, up to $1,250 per year for a master's degree and $1,000 for a bachelor's degree from an accredited school.
The outlook for police officers in all of Indiana is positive, with a 6% growth expected in the field by 2022, or 410 jobs per year.7 With its relatively low cost of living, Indianapolis could be a good place for aspiring cops to make their home.
For more information on current IMPD law enforcement positions, take a look at our jobs board page.
How to learn more about the Department and crime in Indianapolis
The IMPD offers numerous outreach programs for the community in which they serve. The Police Athletic League (PAL) Club offers youth services and the Explorer Program is sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America and allows youth a chance to explore a career in law enforcement. They also offer a Bears on Patrol program, which attempts to reduce trauma suffered by children who are victims of abuse, a Body Safety Program, which empowers children to protect themselves, and a Gun Safety Program for 2nd and 3rd graders. Find out more about their outreach programs here.
Contact Information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IMPDNews
Twitter: @IMDP_News
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
50 North Alabama Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Additional Resources
- Indiana Fraternal Order of Police: https://instatefop.org/
- Indianapolis Police Foundation: https://cipf.foundation/
- Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police: http://www.fop86.org/
1. Sperling's Best Places, Indianapolis, Indiana: https://www.bestplaces.net/city/indiana/indianapolis
2. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2008: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/csllea08.pdf
3. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, 2009 Annual Report: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPS/IMPD/Documents/AnnualReports/2009AnnualReport.pdf
4. Nixle: a href="https://local.nixle.com/alert/5400405/" target="_blank">https://local.nixle.com/alert/5400405/
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2014 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Indianapolis-Carmel, IN: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_26900.htm
6. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Benefits: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPS/IMPD/Employment/Sworn/Pages/benefits.aspx
7. Projections Central: http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm


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www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that it's cold across Europe and it's been snowing, often heavily, right across the continent, with hundreds of powder alarms (snowfall at an individual resort of more than 20cm/8 inches in 24 hours) released to subscribers over the past five days. The snow is still falling and conditions are excellent at almost all major resorts, but beware of avalanche danger conditions off piste.
www.Skiinfo.co.uk has released more than 50 powder alarms for French resorts since last Friday. The Pyrenees have seen the heaviest snow, with one resort reporting a metre (3.3 feet) of snow in 48 hours over the weekend.
Vincent Doutres Business Manager of Espaces Cauterts in Pyrenees told www.Skiinfo.co.uk
"In Espaces Cauterets we have a superb snow. This week it snowed a metre in 48 hours. The ski area was entirely safe this weekend but we closed 15% of the terrain for security reasons. Those runs are in a slightly sensitive area. Our guests must beware of off-piste skiing as the avalanche risk was 4 / 5 in all stations of the Pyrenees because of heavy snowfalls in recent days. The snowpack needs a little time to stabilize. The snow conditions are ideal for the 20,000 skiers expected next week for the February vacation."
There have also been large snowfalls in the Northern Alps with Avoriaz reporting 60cm (two feet) of new snow. Chamonix Mont-Blanc reports its base remains the world's deepest at4.2m. Alpe d'Huez now has 3.2m (Nearly 11 feet), Flaine 282cm (9.5 feet) and La Clusaz 2.7m (9 feet).
To the east, Swiss resorts have reported huge snowfalls over the past few days, led by Filzbach - Kerenzerberg which has received two metres (Nearly 7 feet) of new snow in the past week.
Andermatt has the second deepest snow depth in Switzerland at present with 2.4m (8 feet) on the mountain and 150cm (5 feet) in the valley. On Friday the resort issued a powder alarm and has also reported 45cm (18 inches) of new snow in seven days.
"At the moment there is more than enough snow to enjoy all kinds of winter sports here in Andermatt. Freeriders will also get what they want. On the slope with its beautiful new snow it's a real pleasure to enjoy the great skiing and boarding." Peter Heinzer, managing director of Andermatt-Gotthard Sportbahnen, told Skiinfo's Pascal Bovee.
Most of the leading resorts have reported between 30 and 60cm (1-2 feet) of new snow over the weekend, including Crans Montana, the Four Valleys and Saas Fee.
Italy has seen plenty of snow in the past week too, if perhaps a little less than the northern Alps. Falls of 30-50cm (12-20 inches) over the past week have been reported by resorts like Andalo and Piancavallo. The Marmolada glacier has a 3.8m (nearly 13 foot base), Bormio 3m (10 feet) and Courmayeur up to 245cm (8 feet).
In the Central and Eastern Alps, Austria has been seeing some big snowfalls too, right across the country. St Anton has reported another 15cm (six inches) of snow today which follows on reports of 20cm (8 inches) yesterday in the SkiWelt, Kitzbuhel, St Johann and many other Austrian resorts.
Over the past week Austrian resorts have accumulated up to 80cm (2.7 feet) of powder, with the Kleinwalsertal region reporting 75cm (2.5 feet) of new snow and St Johann 60cm (two feet).
Germany to the north is absolutely drowning in powder at the moment with www.skiinfo.co.uk issuing more than 100 powder alarms, for snowfalls of 20cm (8 inches) in less than 24 hours, since Friday.
In the Allgäu the resorts Alpsee Bergwelt and Grasgehren reported half a metre of new snow on Sunday. The latter has 180cm (six feet) of snow on its upper slopes now. Oberstdorf's ski resort got 20-30cm yesterday.
The biggest snowfalls of the last few days were reported from the Sauerland (Central Uplands) though Giller-Hilchenbach topped the list with 70cm in 24 hours this morning. Medebach had reported the same yesterday.
It still hasn't stopped snowing with 19 new powder alarms where issued so far this morning, especially in the Bavarian Forest and the Sauerland in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Balderschwang in the Allgäu has reported nearly 1.4m of snow in the last week. Werner Fritz of Guest Information Balderschwang told Skiinfo the current snow depth there is between 100 and 150 cm.
"At the moment we have 'champagne powder' that couldn't be any better. The slopes are perfectly prepared", he said.
As mentioned above, the Pyrenees are seeing lots of snow, and that goes for Spain and Andorra as well as France. The top Spanish ski resorts have reported powder conditions with snow depths of up to 225cm (7.5 feet) on their side of the mountain range. The country's two largest resorts Baqueira (120-185cm) and Formigal (105-220cm) have 110-124km of piste open respectively.
Elsewhere in Spain there's up to three metres (10 feet) at Sierra Nevada.
Pirena 2010 Grand Prix Affinity Advance will finish next Saturday in the ski resort of La Molina. The 20th edition of Pirena, the white route of the Pyrenees, started last January 23 with the official Presentation of the teams in Zaragoza. Pirena is an international sleddog crossing-race and one of the most outstanding in the world. During 15 days men and dogs cross the Pyrenees, a natural border between Spain, Andorra and France, from West to East (Itinerary). Pirena 2010– Grand Prix Affinity Advance is one of the races that count for the International Sled dog Sports Federation –IFSS- World Cup. Pirena also counts for the European Sled dog Racing Association –ESDRA- Europe Cup.
Ski conditions in Norway are great right now with constant low temperatures and big falls of snow at most resorts. This week 50 ski resorts have had some fresh snow, with resorts in the west of the country like Strandafjellet and Stordal reporting a full metre of snow in the past seven days.
Over to the east in Sweden all ski resorts are now open an most of them have at least 80% of their slopes and lifts open. According to Skiinfo's Snowfinder service, more snow is coming the next four days.
It has been snowing in large parts of the country the past seven days with Nalovardo getting the most with 23cm (9.5 inches), Hassela 20cm, Bjursås and the largest, Åre 16cm.
Temperatures have dipped as low as -20C in recent days in the north of the country and it remains below freezing in the south too. More snow is expected through the rest of today and Thursday, especially in the south, where forecasts say up to 20cm will fall. So ski slopes in Sweden are in great condition all over the country at present.
It's still a mixed picture in Eastern Europe however. While resorts in the Czech and Slovak Republics have issued plenty of powder alarms in recent days, Poland hasn't had a great start to the winter, but has had some good snowfalls in recent days,
Ms Teresa K?sek from Polskie Koleje Linowe told skiinfo.pl, "After a long wait, skiers can finally ski in Kasprowy Wierch, part of Poland's leading Zakopane ski area. At the moment one slope in open in Kocio? G?sienicowy. We're now waiting for the snow depth to build to 50cm when we will be able to run the Kocio? Goryczkowy chairlift. The very late opening of the slopes is because of adverse snow conditions and there being no possibility of using snowing system in area of Tatra National Park in Poland"
Dwie Doliny Muszyna - Wierchomla has the deepest snow in Poland with a 120cm (4 foot) base.
Bulgaria to the south has had fresh snow this week – bases at the main resorts there currently range from 30 – 120cm (1-4 feet).
Not one of Europe's best known ski destinations, Belgium's ski slopes in the country's southern Ardennes region are currently reporting excellent conditions, with falls of up to 35cm (14 inches) at once.
The heavy snowfall wasn't good news for everyone though, trucks got in trouble driving the E25 Route du Soleil through the Belgium Ardennes. Some trucks didn´t make it up hill, and blocked the road, with a major traffic jam with over 500 trucks as a result. Most truckers and also private car drivers had to sleep in their vehicles before the road reopened next day.
Belgian resorts including Mont Spinett, Signal de Botrange, Mont Rigi, Baraque Michel, Rocherath Eifel Ski Zentrum and Ovifat Alpine Resort received up to 50cm (20 inches) of snow in the last week. The same resorts claim the deepest snow depth in the country with 40cm (16 inches) of snow.
"it's a long time since we´ve seen a snowy winter like this one, people - locals and tourists alike, are enjoying the fresh snow cover in the natural environment," commented Lennert Van Loo, country manager for Skiinfo.be
Scotland's ski areas have continued to receive more fresh snow although Cairngorm, which has the best conditions, has revised its accumulated total down to 150cm (five feet) at the top. All five areas are open and ready for the school holiday period over the next fortnight.
In North America the news is generally good too, with cold weather predominant on both West and East coasts at present, and many resorts reporting 6-18 inches of new snow in the past week on both sides of the continent.
Conditions at Whistler with the Olympics just over a week away are reported to be excellent, although snowboard and freestyle venue Cypress mountain is still battling an unseasonal thaw, currently trucking in snow to top up diminishing cover.


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Come Work With Me And Other Great People
The ASP.NET and Silverlight team are hiring! Brad Abrams (who happens to be my "grand-boss" as in my boss's boss) posted a developers wanted ad on his blog:
- Are you JavaScript guru who has a passion to make Ajax easier for the masses?
- Are you the resident expert in ASP.NET and consistently think about how data driven applications could be easier to build?
- Are you a TDD or patterns wonk that sees how ASP.NET MVC is a game-changer?
- Are you excited about the potential of Silverlight for business applications, and particularly the potential for the ASP.NET+Silverlight combination where we have the great .NET programming model on the server and client?
Some of you out there have provided great insight into how ASP.NET MVC could be better (and then some of you just point out its warts). Either way, here's a chance to have an even bigger influence on its design and code. I promise I'm easy to work with.
These are senior developer positions…
My team has several openings for senior, experienced developers with a passion for platform\framework technology. If you have 5+ years of software development industry experience, know how to work effectively in teams, have a great software design abilities and are an excellent developer than we just might have the spot for you!
Oh, and if you do get hired and join my feature team, I like my coffee with milk and sugar. Thank you very much. ;)
Technorati Tags: ASP.NET,ASP.NET MVC,Microsoft,Jobs


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Did everyone have a lovely holiday weekend? (At least those of us who live in the United States.) In my household, we love to celebrate Labor Day as the start of Fall. I love this time of year, probably my 2nd favorite season, but a very close 2nd to Spring.
I love going up to the Rocky Mountains and seeing the aspen trees to see the changing of the leaves. I also love hot cocoa, fall clothing with layers, pumpkin-spice lattes, crock-pot recipes and just the fresh cool air. A sense of renewal and a fresh start. Do you have a favorite season? If so, let me know!
Well, my NOLA story has been a long time coming, and I'm sorry about it, but a lot has happened in the last week or so. I got back from my NOLA trip and was pretty sick with a stomach bug. WHICH MEANS that it took much longer to get over. Pretty typical for those of us who have a chronic condition. I also had a lot to catch-up on with family, work, and friends. PLUS, my dogs stomach bug, yup that one, STILL has yet to disappear, so we've been dealing with that.
On top of ALL OF THAT, I actually had a really hard time trying to decide what I was going to write about my trip to Naw'lins! I had an amazing, fun, sweaty time in that fun city. However, what to share?!?!
Do I talk about the amazing amounts of music?
Do I talk about the intense RICH FOOD and "adult slurpies"??
OR, do I talk about the strange STREET culture?
NAH!!!! I want to talk about what I LEARNED!!!
So, WHAT DID I LEARN???!!
I learned that there are 300,000 children and 50 million Americans suffering from a form of arthritis! GAH! That breaks my heart!! 😦
Did you know that's nearly almost double the amount of people who suffer from diabetes*????
And, yet, people still think arthritis is an old person's disease! Well, I'm here to ask DEMAND a call to action. For every person who is suffering with arthritis, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! For every person who knows someone who has a form and not advocating for your friends and loved ones, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
WHY did we wait SO LONG for this disease to become the #1 disability in America? YES, that's right! The #1 DISABILITY!! It means its costing YOU, and YOU, and ME money to help deal with this unacceptable disease.
So, what can you do about it?? Well, usually I would say, sign up for your nearest Arthritis Walk and form a team!! But, most of those happen in the month of May (Arthritis Awareness Month)! 🙂 However, some of them do happen in the fall, so if you want to be sure, you can click here to find your nearest Arthritis Walk. In the meantime, while we're waiting for the launch of the 2012 Walk Season, let's focus on World Arthritis Day!
Yup, I learned about World Arthritis Day and what the Arthritis Foundation is planning on doing to raise awareness and help create a community for us! Did you know that World Arthritis Day is held every year on October 12th? SO COOL!!
So, how can you help?
Wear your blue and wear it in style! Last year I wore my blue shoes to work. SEE??
And this year, I'll be wearing them again, along with HEAD-TO-TOE BLUE! Including this hat:
This World Arthritis Day I'm going to go get a massage! WAIT, WHAT??! Yup, a massage at Massage Envy!! WHY? Because Massage Envy and the Arthritis Foundation have teamed up on a national level! Yup, and they're doing a fundraiser too!! It's called Healing Hands for Arthritis! There will be commercials on NBC, CNN, FOOD Network, and HGTV talking about the Arthritis Foundation (finally!) and this fundraising event! They're doing a BIG PUSH for the 50 MILLION Americans suffering with this disease. FOR US!! However, they need our help!
On October 12th, $10 from every one-hour massage and facial session will be donated to the organization. The truth is, there's really no better way to give back than treating yourself or a loved one to a relaxing massage or facial treatment. Make it a FAMILY Outing, or go with FRIENDS and spoil yourselves! Additionally, Murad®, Massage Envy's exclusive skin care partner, will donate 10% of all sales of products sold at Massage Envy Spa locations during the event. Wyndmere, their retail partner at all locations, will also donate 10% of all their retail sales on event day.
Now, I know some of you don't live in the USA! Never fear, you can help too. How? First, tell your family and friends about this event. Encourage them to wear BLUE! Second, if you have friends and family who live in the USA, tell them about the Healing Hands for Arthritis event. Third, you can purchase a gift card to Massage Envy and send it to them. Tell them to go on October 12th! Tell them to spoil themselves!! Now they have no excuse! 😉
So, there you are. That was probably the MAJOR thing I learned at the conference. I did learn a lot more, including another big arthritis push for the Fight Arthritis Pain campaign. You can check that out by clicking here. As for the rest of it, I now have so many new ideas that we plan on implementing for the Arthritis Walk. Well, at least for the Denver Arthritis Walk. I know the ideas will lead to a more enjoyable, personable, and FUN experiences! Oh yeah, and I also learned some great tips on how to have your teammates raise money, so you bet I'll be sharing my tips and experience in the coming months.
Until then, I will be graciously reminding you to sign-up for the Healing Hands for Arthritis event as well as sharing some tips how you can make it fun for your entire family, friends, or even both. Also, one more tid-bit – the money raised at this event will go towards the total to the 2011 Arthritis Walk. Yup, so if you go, you're also helping THE WALK! YAY!! We all know how much I love the walk. 🙂
In the meantime, will you join me???!!! Will you help me fight a disease that I live and struggle with every day? A disease that is UNACCEPTABLE! A disease that I hope to one day find a cure and help the other 50 million Americans out there suffering in silence.
Let's make this a MOVEMENT!! Wear your BLUE and make your appointment today!
Much Love,
If you're a newbie here, you may want to subscribe to my Email Feed AND/OR become a friend on Twitter/Facebook to be notified of a new post. Welcome!
*Stat source


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BMW's recent styling staff shuffle continues, as the automaker announced yesterday that designer Karim Habib has been appointed head of BMW exterior design.
The move, capitulated in part by the recent shakeup in the Mini design studio, brings the designer back to the Munich-based automaker for the first time in two years. Although Habib originally joined BMW in 1998 and spent nearly a decade with the company, he joined Mercedes-Benz in 2009, where he was appointed to an advanced design studio.
"I'm really delighted about coming back to the BMW brand and being given the opportunity to help shape the future of BMW as part of an outstanding team," Habib said in a prepared statement.
In addition to studying transportation design at both the Swiss-based Art Center Europe and the Art Center College of Design in California, Habib earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University in 1994. Previous projects during his tenure at BMW included both the current 7 Series, along with the stunning Concept CS show car that debuted at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. Habib's work at Mercedes was largely tied to a number of the company's F-Class concepts and experimental vehicles, including the F800 Style show car, which was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.
"Karim Habib is an excellent designer who has already made a major contribution to the BMW design with the current BMW 7 Series," said Adrian von Hooydonk, director of BMW Group design, in a prepared statement. "I look forward to resuming our collaboration."
Source: BMW


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With the major networks finalizing what TV shows have been canceled or renewed over the weekend, it's time to start looking ahead at the 2014 fall television schedule.
NBC revealed its fall lineup first, announcing 12 new series with a slew of big names involved. Katherine Heigl will return to the small screen as a CIA analyst on "State of Affairs" in November, "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing will play a homicide detective and mom on "The Mysteries of Laura," David Duchovny will play a cop chasing Charles Manson in the '60s-era "Aquarius," and Elisha Cuthbert will play a lesbian having a child on the Ellen DeGeneres-produced "One Big Happy."
Other notable additions to the peacock network include two comedies produced by Will Ferrell ("Bad Judge" and "Mission Control"); the DC Comics drama "Constantine"; the "Wizard of Oz"-inspired "Emerald City"; and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," starring Ellie Kemper (Erin from "The Office") and produced by Tina Fey.
NBC also revealed a big change to Thursday nights, formerly the home of "must-see TV" sitcoms like "Friends." The Associated Press reports "The Blacklist," starring James Spader and Megan Boone, will move from Mondays to Thursdays starting in February 2015. The hot new drama will shift after airing in the post-Super Bowl spot on Sunday, Feb. 1.
And while "Parenthood" and "Parks & Recreation" have both been renewed, their upcoming seasons will be their last. The family drama starring Dax Shepard will air its sixth season this fall, ending with a 13-episode run, while Amy Poehler's long-running misadventures in Pawnee will say goodbye after seven years starting in 2015.
Shows that got outright canceled include "Community," Jonathan Rhys-Meyer's "Dracula," "Revolution," "Growing Up Fisher," "Believe," "Crisis," ''Ironside," "The Michael J. Fox Show," "Sean Saves the World" and "Welcome to the Family."
See a description of all 12 new TV shows below, plus NBC's full schedule for this fall.
New TV shows on NBC
- "A to Z" (Thursdays) -- Cristin Milioti ("How I Met Your Mother") teams up with Ben Feldman ("Mad Men") for a rom-com about a relationship from meeting (A) to breaking up (Z).
- "Allegiance" -- A CIA analyst (Gavin Stenhouse) discovers his parents (Scott Cohen, Hope Davis) are former Russian spies who go back to work.
- "Aquarius" -- David Duchovny returns to network television as a Los Angeles police sergeant trying to catch Charles Manson in 1967.
- "Bad Judge" (Thursdays) -- Produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, Kate Walsh stars as a tough criminal court judge who decides to help an 8-year-old boy whose parents she put in jail.
- "Constantine" (Fridays) -- Matt Ryan takes on the role of DC Comics' "Hellblazer" hero John Constantine, last portrayed in 2005 by Keanu Reeves, hunting demons to save his own soul from hell.
- "Emerald City" -- This dark, modern spin on Chittenango native L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" stories sends Dorothy Gale to battle in a reimagined Land of Oz.
- "Marry Me" (Tuesdays) -- Casey Wilson and Ken Marino are two lovers closing in on their engagement (and if it gets picked up for more seasons, probably a marriage).
- "Mission Control" (2015) -- Also produced by Ferrell and McKay, "Don't Trust the B" star Krysten Ritter is an aerospace engineer in the '60s male-dominated field of space exploration.
- "Mr. Robinson" -- "School of Rock" fans will love seeing "The Office" star Craig Robinson as a rock band frontman who parties by night and works as a substitute teacher by day.
- "The Mysteries of Laura" (Mondays) -- Debra Messing balances being a homicide detective with life as a working mom.
- "Odyssey" -- Anna Friel and Peter Facinelli star in this international conspiracy drama involving the military, corporate interests and Middle Eastern terrorists.
- "One Big Happy" -- Produced by Ellen DeGeneres, Elisha Cuthbert stars as a lesbian in a complicated relationship: Trying to have a child with a straight man (Nick Zano).
- "State of Affairs" (Mondays, starting in November) -- Katherine Heigl plays a CIA agent working with the U.S. president, played by Afre Woodard.
- "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" -- Ellie Kemper (Erin from "The Office") escapes the cult where she spent the last 15 years of her life and rediscovers the world in this comedy produced by Tina Fey.
Trailer for NBC's "Constantine":
NBC's fall 2014 TV schedule
8-10 p.m. -- "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. -- "The Blacklist" ("State of Affairs" takes over timeslot Nov. 17)
8-9 p.m. -- "The Voice"
9-9:30 p.m. -- "Marry Me"
9:30-10 p.m. -- "About a Boy"
10-11 p.m. -- "Chicago Fire"
8-9 p.m. -- "The Mysteries of Laura"
9-10 p.m. -- "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. -- "Chicago P.D."
8-9 p.m. -- "The Biggest Loser"
9-9:30 p.m. -- "Bad Judge" ("The Blacklist" beginning Feb. 5)
9:30-10 p.m. -- "A to Z"
10-11 p.m. -- "Parenthood"
8-9 p.m. -- "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. -- "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. -- "Constantine"
8-11 p.m. -- Various reruns
7-8:20 p.m. -- "Football Night in America"
8:20-11:30 p.m. -- "NBC Sunday Night Football"


text:
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- slide 1 of 2
Step by Step guide to converting iTunes to MP3
If you have a large iTunes library and a player that is not an iPod then you have landed yourself in the middle of a quandary.
You have a lot of songs that it seems you can not put onto your player. Before you go mad, run back to the store and chuck your new MP3 player at the nearest member of the sales staff, take a few deep calming breaths and keep on reading. There is a way to get your songs onto your MP3 player.
You just have to convert them to MP3's.
Don't click off, I know it sounds crazy but your iTunes songs aren't MP3's. At least they aren't yet. We can make them better, faster, more compatible than ever before. OK, mad scientist leanings aside we are going to go over how you can convert your songs for use on any generic MP3 player.
Step 1: Open iTunes, and create a new play list. I'm calling mine 'conversion songs', but you can title yours whatever you like.
Step 2: Move the songs you want to your MP3 player. The order isn't really an issue.
Step 3: Whip out your spindle of Cd's and start burning. Burn all of your songs and then close iTunes. Resist the temptation to burn as data files.
Step 4: Make a folder on your hard drive, preferably the desktop. I will be naming mine "MP3 music" but once again go for whatever suit you are comfortable with.
Step 5: Open the CD, but don't play it. Drag your tracks over to the newly minted file we just made. Repeat this process with all of your Cd's.
Step 6: Single click on a song file to select in then right click and select open. From the list of programs select Windows media player. Let your song run for a few seconds to check and then you can stop it and move on to the next song in your file. Of course if you want to make life easy instead of choosing each file individually you can choose "edit" then "select all" to play all of the songs at once.
Step 7: Windows media player can not play iTunes song formats so it will have to convert your files to MP3's in order to play them. Now your files in the folder are MP3 files. Find the instructions that come with your MP3 player and move the songs over as per their instructions.
Step 8: Try out your MP3 player and enjoy the songs. I know this sounds like it is a bit of a pain, and it is, but it works, and you can enjoy your music without shelling out 50 bucks for an iPod.
*I know this sounds very costly, but if you don't want to use 30 CDR's to move your music then you have a few other choices you; could use and reuse a CDRW to move the songs, you can use a virtual CD drive like CD emulator or Note Burner to simulate CD's without having to burn onto physical disks, or if you are more inclined you could search the net and find a quality iTunes to MP3 converter software application. Be aware however, many such converters come with spyware and those that don't will not be free of charge.
- slide 2 of 2
Related Reading:
>>> An introduction to media streaming
>>> How To Upgrade Windows Media Player?
>>> Comparing the leading media player software
>>> Nine things you might not have tried in Windows Media Player 11


text: Happy Wednesday, I hope you're all having a wonderful week. Now, let's go see what's on the list this week. This everyday dress from BNKR – THE WALKY TALKY DRESS This gorgeous pink playsuit from Zoee the label. – Dusty Pink "Karie" Playsuit I love this skirt from FreyaStores. You're not-so-basic denim skirt. – Nature…… Continue reading WEDNESDAY WANT


text:
The only way to fail is to not show up. The university policy is you can have up to three unexcused absences. A fourth absence, and that's it. The teacher can flunk you at his or her discretion and I'm a dick.
Tosha was in my morning Improv 2 class. She had a down-to-earth demeanor that was refreshing to see. I liked having her in class. She balanced out the few that tried too hard to be funny. But two months in, she was already at three absences. She was within her right to have those three absences, but I let her know there could not be a fourth.
About a week later, she got the flu. It was going around. Anyone who has worked at a school knows when something starts going around, it's just a matter of time. There's a germ out there with your name on it. She asked if there was a way to make up the absence if she stayed home. If not, she'd try to come in. Now, I don't like making exceptions to the policy. Students find out you're soft and it gets around. I told her to keep her sick ass at home. Write me another essay. Which she did. She turned it in the following week. We were good to go.
We did our final show on the Friday before the semester was over. She and the rest of the class rocked. Monday morning rolled around, everyone was there, on time, except for Tosha. No one knew where she was. I was disappointed.
After class, I went to the teachers' lounge when I heard a ping from my e-mail. "Dear Mr. Janes – I am so sorry I missed class. I found out right after the show on Friday that my grandmother had passed away. I went straight to Carbondale and forgot to tell anyone. I just got back. Is there anything I can do to make up the class? – Tosha"
Such horrible news. Still, something seemed off. Something the back of my mind was trying to remember … oh, yes. Tosha had friended me on Facebook. I looked it up. Her last status from Sunday read, "Whoo! Hanging out at the Cubby Bear with my homies and watching the Bears stomp ass."
Never friend a teacher on Facebook.
I wrote her back. "Dear Tosha – I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It's so awful to lose a grandparent. Were you very close? Also, just curious, how did you manage a trip to Carbondale while celebrating a Bears victory in Wrigleyville? – Joe" … Dick.
I sat back and waited. Ping! "Dear Mr. Janes – You must be referring to my Facebook update. I can understand your confusion. There's a bar in Carbondale also called the Cubby Bear. I went there after the funeral with family to help us cheer up after losing my beloved Grandma. – Tosha"
Okay. Was I being an insensitive asshole? Is what she wrote true? I always want to believe my students. Always. Before I went further down the accusation hole, I checked some things out. I could not confirm that there wasn't a bar called Cubby Bear in Carbondale. I did, however, type in her name and the word "obituary". Up popped all the information about Grandma Rutherford's funeral in Carbondale. One of the survivors being her granddaughter, Tosha. I sat there for a few minutes. Stunned. I sucked. I sucked, because it took me that long to check the date. July 18, 2008.
"Dear Tosha – Please accept my profuse apologies for being so callous in your time of mourning. All I need to officially make this an excused absence is some documentation. Perhaps you can send me the program from the service or a link to the obituary. – Joe"
I sat back. I checked Facebook to find that Tosha had unfriended me. I told another teacher about what was going on and his response was, "Oh, yeah. I had her in class last year. Her grandmother died then, too." Ping!
"Dear Mr. Janes – It all happened so suddenly, we didn't do an obituary or have programs. Is there anything I can do? Write another review? I really can't afford to flunk. – Tosha."
"Dear Tosha – Send me the name of the funeral home. I can verify it with them and save you from having another absence. All funeral homes do obituaries. They look like this … " and I included a link to her grandmother's obit … dick.
I did not hear from her for hours and expected to not hear from her at all. On my way home for the day, I heard that ping.
"Dear Mr. Janes – I obviously have been lying to you. I am so very sorry about that. I was embarrassed about what really happened. My friends and I partied too hard the night before, after the Bears game. I slept through my alarm clock. I have enjoyed your class and feel like I grew as an artist because of it. I am deeply sorry I did not tell you the truth. I really need to pass this class, but I understand if you feel you need to fail me. – Tosha"
"Tosha – Thanks for understanding. – Joe"


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The 20 year-old has come to the fore of the England manager's thinking and has been elevated above Jermain Defoe. Welbeck has only appeared in eight Premier League games for United but after a successful season on loan at Sunderland last season, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to include him in his first-team squad for this campaign.
Capello has long admired Welbeck. After his fine form of last winter, he had wanted to call him up for the friendly with Denmark in Copenhagen last February but a hamstring injury, sustained the month before, meant Welbeck had to wait until the March friendly with Ghana to win his first cap.
Welbeck has benefited from Aston Villa striker Darren Bent not being selected. The Aston Villa striker missed a glaring open goal against Switzerland but the reason for his omission is a slight fitness concern with his shoulder. With the Premier League starting next weekend, Capello did not want to take any risks.
Defoe has greater cause for concern. This time last year he had established himself in the first team in South Africa but after a season spent injured and on the periphery at Spurs, he has slid down the striking hierarchy.
Kyle Walker, the Tottenham right-back who had a loan spell at Aston Villa last season, could well win his first cap against the Dutch after Glen Johnson was injured yesterday. David Stockdale, the goalkeeper who joined Ipswich on loan from Fulham this summer, is the only other uncapped player in the squad.
With strength in depth at centre-back, United's Phil Jones did not make the cut from the provisional squad but should there be further withdrawals, then he may yet be called up.
Scott Parker has been selected despite dropping into the Championship with West Ham. Capello will attend the game at Upton Park today to assess Parker's form and, in the long term, would prefer to see him back in the Premier League. "It is important for him to play in the Premier League," Capello said. "I know he is really serious, a focused guy. If I find a really good player in the Championship I will pick him. Why not? But I hope for him and for me he will play in the Premier League."
Capello has not ruled out selecting Joey Barton – who has described himself as "the best midfielder in England" – in the future but would only consider doing so if he ended his dispute with Newcastle and, in the long term, showed a consistent change of temperament.
"He is a good player," Capello said. "But this moment is not a good moment to decide something about him. When a player is fighting with his club it is normal to stay outside [of that]. The relationship between a club and a player is really important.
"I think he is a good player but he is a dangerous player because sometimes on the pitch you can [end up] playing 10 v 11. He might get sent off." Barton, 28, has been capped once for England, against Spain in 2007.
England squad:
Green, Hart, Stockdale; Baines, Cahill, Cole, Ferdinand, Jagielka, Lescott, Richards, Terry, Walker; Barry, Carrick, Downing, A Johnson, Lampard, Milner, Parker, Wilshere, Young, Carroll, Crouch, Rooney, Welbeck.
Fantasy Football: Who will make your team? telegraph.co.uk/fantasyfootball


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All Models Are Wrong
We can only hope to create an attribution algorithm that is suggestive and directional, to create a model that helps us test theories, and to create a model that is useful.
We can only hope to create an attribution algorithm that is suggestive and directional, to create a model that helps us test theories, and to create a model that is useful.
When I was four years old, my brother and I got a Lionel train set for Christmas. It was pure awesome. My father wanted to play with it with us and we loved that too. We played with it for years and always brought it out just before Christmas. It fueled our imaginations.
It was electric. It was detailed. It was a scale model. That meant that, while you could really launch a helicopter from a flatbed car, you couldn't ride it. It was just a model.
When I was nine years old, we went to the New York World's Fair and were dumbfounded by General Motors' Futurama exhibit with its Lunar Colony, Undersea City, and City of the Future.
By the time I was old enough to go places by myself, this stuff would have come true!
But for now, it was only an imagined place. It was just a model.
When I went to college, I gave serious thought to architecture. I liked the idea of designing something from scratch; something permanent; something I could point at and say, "I made that."
I had to admit that what I really wanted was to build those astounding, perfect, intricate, 3D cardboard mock-ups of what the building would look like. They would have tiny trees and little cars and people the size of pencil erasers.
They would be elaborate and complex and they would completely communicate a vision. They would spell out everything anybody needed to know about how I saw the future.
They would be visually engrossing, but they would lack the information necessary to actually build the thing. You couldn't really open the doors and windows. It was just a model.
Accountants build accounting systems that show how money flows into, out of, and between businesses. Website builders rely on information architecture designers who create a map of how people might expect to find what they are looking for and accomplish a specific task.
Because (as David Weinberger likes to say) the world is messy, analog, and open to interpretation, these models only work well enough to get by. Using any software or website, we quickly come upon circumstances that were simply not preconceived well enough to accommodate a certain situation and we realize it's not really the way the world works, it's just a model.
On March 28 of this year, George Edward Pelham Box passed away. He was a prolific author about all things statistical and holds an honored place in my heart for his observation that, "All models are wrong, but some are useful."
Where marketing meets big data, there is an irrational expectation that we can collect enough information that it will auto-magically correlate and causality will drop out the bottom. This is hype to the highest order.
We are never going to be able to build a detailed model that describes and then predicts what humans do. Even with all of the behavioral, transactional, and attitudinal data in the world, humans are just too messy, analog, and open to too many interpretations.
Even as we make progress predicting the movement of swarming insects, fish, and cancer cells (Wired Magazine, "The Power of Swarms"), we can only hope to create an attribution algorithm that is suggestive and directional. We can only hope to create a model that helps us test theories. We can only hope to create a model that is useful.
Source: http://www.jfsowa.com/ontology/causal.htm
For all of the data we collect, for all of the data storage we can fill, and for all of the big data systems we can cluster in the cloud, our constructs are not going to provide facts, unearth hard and fast rules, or give us ironclad assurance that our next step will result in specific returns on our investment.
They are only models.
But some are useful.
Model Steam Train and Small Buildings Model images via Shutterstock.