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To hear Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rigoberta Menchu´ Tum tell it, the world is on the verge of a "New Time" where harmony and a re-connection with Nature will win over the violent death and destruction of our world.
While we wait for this "New Time" we live in "No Time", which is fraught with the pain and suffering, death and destruction that we now see, said Menchu´. People feel alienated and depressed. Natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods prevail. War, depletion of the world's natural resources, the loss of values, and passions directed towards violence, especially against women, seem endless. Children are born with low energy and youth close themselves off from taking responsibility for or having understanding of the world.
"We need to become aware of these problems and try to recover the values we lost," said Menchu´, who hails from Guatemala, a country slightly smaller than Tennessee and the heartland of the ancient Mayan culture of which she is a descendent.
"We need to feel the problems of others as our own and not just those of other people," she said recently through an interpreter during her recent visit to the annual Great Lakes PeaceJam program in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The admittedly shy peasant girl who lost members of her family to the ravages of civil war—and wrote about her experiences in a 1987 autobiography, I, Rigoberta Menchuu´: An Indian Woman in Guatemala—is the first indigenous person to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. But that honor, too, was in alignment with the ancient Mayan calendar, said Menchu´. During that same year the "No Time" era began and is expected to last until 2012-2014 when a new 5,125-year cycle begins. She said this "New Time" will be evident to the world in 2026.
"The cosmos line it up, but we have to work on it to make it happen," said Menchu´, 48. "Not all of us will be alive, but our children will be."
She distinguished between the natural clock, which comes from Nature, and the artificial clock, which comes from science and technology and focuses on money and material possessions.
"We have forgotten the natural clock and we don't believe in it," said Menchu´. "We only remember it when we are affected directly by it," like when we have cancer, other physical diseases—or when we have "relationship diseases" like racism and discrimination. Only a new "human conscience" can cure these diseases that affect us mentally, spiritually and psychologically, she said.
Menchu´ knows all too well the effects of "relationship diseases." The Guatemalan civil war that ended in 1996 left more than 100,000 people dead and a million refugees. Soil erosion, water pollution and deforestation in the Peten rainforest continue to ruin the land where 12.2 million people live, half of them below the poverty line. Organized crime, comprised mostly of illegal drug trafficking, runs rampant.
But change can happen, said Menchu´, when people get involved with various community initiatives. They can start by feeling pride in their families, refusing to be victims and by working with others to pave the way for the "New Time."
"I got into the struggle," she said referring to her advocacy of nonviolence during the war. "I didn't stay away from the hard times." What inspires and sustains her now are the people she meets and the ways their projects and enthusiasm contribute to the re-making of the world—like those who have worked over the past 10 years in order to solidify the peace in Guatemala, a place where the marks of genocide are still present in the thousands of remains of unidentified people.
"Until I accept the responsibility to change myself I'm not going to change others," said Menchu´. "I must change what I can do." She added that if everyone did this, the world could be brought to a new "collective consciousness", which she deems to be "the only solution" to our problems.
A big part of this consciousness is working under "the human clock" without regard for the plants and animals that make up the quality of life on earth. The Mayans taught that time goes beyond humanity and bids people to live in solidarity with others with sensitivity to their needs.
"The human species isn't by itself," said Menchu´. "In fact, if we were left alone on earth, we couldn't exist. Can you imagine how many animals complain of our exploitation to them?"
Menchu´ illustrated how her indigenous religion with its connection to Nature balances both the material and spiritual fortunes.
"If you have a lot of money," she said, "be careful, it will eventually be used up. If you have only spiritual fortunes, be careful, you can die of hunger."
What people today lack most, however, is their spiritual fortune, she said. They forget to thank God for life, food and their blessings.
Menchu´ says that the outcome of the "No Time" will be the connection between the male and female energies. All will work toward a common project.
"We lack light in our lives and live in darkness," said Menchu´. "What do you do with darkness? You go to the light. But we have to find the light in our own selves first and from that to get our internal strength and ideas out. Light is also found in others and for that reason we must listen to others to discover where that light is leading."


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I am a postdoc researcher at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. My research explores how the brain perceives and understands visually displayed information like charts and infographics.
I got my PhD on perception and attention for data visualization at UC Davis working with David Whitney, and I've had a previous postdoc in the Psychology Department at Northwestern University working with Steve Franconeri.

subset: commoncrawl


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SettLEMENT AGREEMENT BACKGROUND
There are several important documents related to the 2015 settlement agreement between the PSI and various environmental groups regarding motorized vehicle use and travel management, including:
- Settlement agreement (November 13, 2015)
- Court order dismissing the case (November 16, 2015)
- Interim Forest Order closing 20 route segments to public motorized use as required in the settlement agreement (February 8, 2016)
- Baseline spatial data for the PSI MVUM routes in the settlement agreement
COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS about THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
- Q: The original lawsuit states that the PSI did not complete the required environmental analysis and public input on certain roads and trails. Is that correct?
A: Using a travel map from the 1984 Forest Plan as a baseline, the lawsuit plaintiffs felt that motorized vehicle use of certain routes was illegal because the routes did not clearly appear on the 1984 map and specific documents related to environmental assessments (EAs) and public input could not be located (possibly due to the Forest Service only requiring EA documentation be retained for fifteen years). The 1984 travel map was published at a scale that precluded accurate and complete depiction of the entire transportation system and the PSI felt they acted appropriately with consideration of all environmental laws when they published the new MVUMs in 2008 with the routes contested in the lawsuit. Without admitting fault on either side, the negotiated settlement agreement led to PSI agreeing to evaluate all of its public motorized routes in a comprehensive fashion.
- Q: Is it true that the PSI will no longer allow motorized vehicles on the contested routes identified in the settlement agreement?
A: The settlement agreement doesn't require the PSI to close the contested routes, although the PSI does need to include the potential closure of the contested routes as an alternative in the travel management EIS. The EIS will also include other alternatives, including those potentially developed from feedback during the scoping process.
- Q: Where can I find a list of the contested routes?
A: The settlement agreement has a summary of the contested routes listed by Ranger District.
- Q: Are the National Grasslands included in the settlement agreement?
A: The Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands are not included in this settlement agreement and will not be part of the travel management EIS.
- Q: What short-term actions will the PSI be taking as a result of the settlement agreement?
A: The PSI will be following the terms of the settlement agreement, and, as of February 8, 2016, has closed all or portions of 20 routes to motorized public use (totaling less than 16 miles and representing less than 1 percent of the PSI routes) on an interim basis and decommissioned 10 routes as described in Exhibit B of the settlement agreement. The PSI conferred with Colorado Parks & Wildlife in January and February of 2016 regarding potential seasonal closures within areas designated for big game winter range habitat, and implemented these closures as of November 2016.
- Q: What long-term actions will the PSI be taking as a result of the settlement agreement?
A: With the June 25, 2016 publication of a Notice of Intent to prepare a travel management EIS, the PSI is beginning the scoping process to develop alternatives for motorized travel on the Forest. This analysis is expected to take less than five years and will include public meetings and others opportunities for the public to comment.


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is sponsored by Wacken Foundation
UK Thrashers ONSLAUGHT have embarked to tour North America for the first time ever: from March 19 to April 8, 2012, the sounds of violence are spread over the U.S. and Canada!
Onslaught are joined by M-PIRE OF EVIL, EVIL DEAD at all West Coast shows and great local supports like e.g. FUELED BY FIRE.
See all tour dates at this location!
To let their fans have a share in the tour, Onslaught will check in from the road daily and the official tour blog is exclusively brought to you by Featured Artists.
This is the story of Scream For Violence North America 2012 - Mr. Nige Rockett has the floor!
DAY 1: God doesn't exist and circle pits rage at first show in Seattle, WA
Well here we are, first time for Onslaught in the US to play some live shows... and to be totally honest: it's been a fucking tough start!
We flew out from London Heathrow on what surely had to be a Wilbur & Orville prototype 'jumbo jet' with no on board entertainment and zero leg space, worst long haul flight I have ever experienced. 11 hours of pure boredom and discomfort courtesy of United Airlines. To quote Jeff: "I was praying to god that the plane would crash just so i could get off the fucking thing, but as he doesn't exist - it didn't." :D
We eventually arrived in Seattle at around 10pm sunday night after a second and equally uncomfortable flight from San Francisco and met up with tour manager Dustin Schoenhofer (drummer for Walls of Jericho). Real cool guy, which is great as he is gonna be our 6th member for the next month.
M-Pire Of Evil guys are already in town and catching some Z's, something I am unable to do cos of the fucking jet lag kicking in! We hit the diner next door to the hotel for a late night snack only to find they 'dont sell beer... NOOOOOOOOO - Coke it is! Liquid variety I hasten to add.
Sporadic sleep ensues and then it's up and off to the first show at Studio 7 on a very cold and rainy monday afternoon in Seattle. All the backline is here, everything works just fine and soundcheck sounds great. Cool enough venue, cool local crew, typically Metal...works for me!!
|A sad moment for Andy in Seattle...
There is another first for Onslaught tonight and it is that we perform the track 'Godhead' from the Sounds Of Violence album for the first time live, it works really really well and i think it will now become a permanent addition to the set over the duration of the tour.
So first show down, no dramas no crisis no tears and we blasted out the cobwebs. Portland here we come for round 2!
Seattle set list March 19, 2012:
Killing Peace
Born for War
Let there be Death
Angels of Death
Destroyer of Worlds
The Sound of Violence
Metal Forces
Planting Seeds of Hate
Fight with the Beast
Power from Hell
Thermouclear Devastation of the Planet Earth
Day 2 - Portland, OR: Getting back into the groove
Are we back in the UK??? Fuck, this is just like being at home. It's freezing cold and pouring with rain, totally unexpected and definitely unwanted!
We have a short drive from Seattle to Portland for the next show and the first impressions of the city are great, it looks a beautiful place even in this gloomy weather, somewhere I'd definitely like to see much more of. We arrive at the Hawthorne Theatre around 3pm, it's a cool venue and soundcheck is real good, sounding brutal!
|Onslaught, then rehab. That's the spirit!
Got chance to hang out with some fans after the show and have a few beers which was cool, especially with the fucking horror that is facing us in the morning...
Day 3 - Santa Clara, CA:
Losing Taco Bell virginity and looking for Dolly Parton in California
We decided not to take a hotel after the Portland show as we have to be on the road for 6.30am, a friend of our tour manager has kindly offered the band to crash at his ranch to get a few hours sleep before the "11 hour drive" to California.
We arrive at the ranch around 2.30am and now its fucking snowing, jeez can it get any more like home - and can anyone remember the Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Haha! 4 hours sleep and we wake to 4 inches of snow which means the journey will be even tougher and take even longer. It's about 3 hours until we drive clear the snow, passing several smashed cars and trucks along the way. This will probably be one of the weirdest weather days of our lives.
|Finally: Onslaught over California!
TACO BELL stop. We lose our Taco Bell virginity on Wednesday lunch time. Obviously heard about it, never tried it. It was great, what else can I say except: bring us some more! It breaks the monotony of this monster of a drive that is now thankfully coming to an end and we arrive in Santa Clara at 6pm ffs. Doors are 'meant' to be at 7pm - I dont think so somehow.
The organisation for this particular show has been a total nightmare with cities and venues being changed no less than 3 times due to venue refurbishments etc., which I'm sure doesn't bode well for a properly promoted show. Anyway, this venue is fucking weird / huge and about as 'un-metal' as you can get.
We're all looking around for Tony Bennett or Dolly Parton to appear, so maybe we should do our Lounge set tonight? But that's another story... The turn out tonight is pretty average for obvious reasons though not a complete disaster by any means, but the crowd is well up for the show and it really is enjoyable.
The sound in particular was fucking immense and we are dead on our feet. Goodnight all!!
Day 4 - Los Angeles, CA:
Insanity in L.A., but will we ever get round to partying again?
It's real nice to get a decent night's sleep at last, and waking up to the Californian sunshine sure makes for a good start to the day! Then we remember we have a 6 hour drive to Los Angeles. Hhhhmmmnn, where's the time for partying? We could sadly be earning ourselves a good reputation at this point! FUCK THAT!! Surely we can find ourselves some chaos in L.A., the Rock 'n' Roll capital of the world. Can't we?!?
Everything is manic today as usual, me and Sy have a live interview with Jimmy Kabbs on KNAC Radio this afternoon as soon as we arrive in L.A.. Interview goes great and it's real cool to meet everyone down there, the guys have been really fantastic in their support for the show! (Thanks so much guys, very much appreciated.)
We get to the Echoplex venue for 6pm and straight into soundcheck, again the sound is brutal in the extreme. I'm real suprised by the standard of 'in house techs' over here, everyone so far has been a real star and delivered exactly what we're looking for and beyond.
By 7.30pm queues are winding all the way down the street and these guys / ladies are definitely up for some violence. The show really starts to liven up when Evil Dead hit the stage, so we know it's gonna be 666% mental tonight - bring it on!
L.A. does NOT disappoint!! "Fucking Insane" are the words that immediately spring to mind, these guys are relentless without respite thru the first 4 nonstop tracks of our set. There's a great atmosphere and incredible energy in the venue tonight. What a fucking show, everyone is wasted including us, hahaha. We're buzzing right now.
Met up with some old and new friends after the show which is real nice, but it's late on a Thursday night and yet again the chaos fails to transpire as we had hoped for. I'm gonna go back to the hotel and burn the fucking bible just to prove we're not going soft... Rockett out!
Day 5 - San Diego, CA:
A special meeting, another great show - and still no party in sight
Today we actually get to stay in bed for a few extra hours, even though I'm still on an adrenaline rush from last night's show. We only have a 90 minute drive to San Diego, so no mad rush. The sun is shining and it's another beautiful day here, this place is definitely taking hold of me in a way I never thought possible. I love the general vibe and feel of L.A., it's a real cool city!
|Mic, Rusty Coons and Sy
WOW, it's truly fucking awesome: there's around 20+ bikes here and each and everyone is stunning. It really makes ya wanna get back on 2 wheels once again, although it's totally against my better judgement, haha! Sy seizes the opportunity for an impromptu photo session and really looks the part on Big Otto's machine.
We have a quick spot of lunch at a nearby diner. I'm on a health kick right now, so it's salad all the way for me - with a few beers. ;) I know, I know, but it's sunny and hot outside...
It's a 45 minute drive from here to the Jumping Turtle venue, and the scenery is amazing as we travel along the Pacific coast. This is the first day that has offered us even the slightest hint of relaxation.
|The Jumping Turtle - San Diego, CA
So once again, showtime comes around, it's fairly busy and there's a hell of a lot of ladies in tonight. It's not far off a 50/50 split, so no complaints there. It's a very different reaction compared to L.A. last night, but we take each show as it comes and on it's own merits. Everyone including us has a great time and the band is getting it's shit together now. We should be just about listenable by the time we hit Washington, D.C., hahaha!
No fucking parties again tonight, what's going on??? Hotel bibles beware, we are the METAL FORCES!!!
Day 6 - Tempe, AZ: Jeff keeps cool in Arizonian heat - and where's the roof?
Here we go again, up and out early at 8am for another monster drive to Tempe, Arizona. 8 hours, so we are told as we reluctantly leave California.
It's really bizarre in the fact that as soon as we hit Arizona the scenery changes radically, almost like another continent not just another U.S. state. For any of you cartoon freaks out there (like me), this is real 'Roadrunner / Wile E Coyote' territory, speaking of which: when will Wile E actually catch that annoying fucking bird?
|Welcome to Arizona!
We have a stop for refuelling and to grab some lunch, as soon as we step out from the air conditioned bus it's like being thrown into a furnace. It's close to 90 degrees out here and Jeff promptly sticks as much of his torso as he can manage into a huge ice container on the forecourt. Cool dude is our Jeff, haha!
|No kidding - no fucking roof!!
Soundcheck is shocking, everything sounds so bright and thin because of the atmosphere and we just cannot get good guitar tones whatever we try, the onstage monitors are dreadful, too. These things are so crucial for us to play a good show, we really gotta hear stuff very clearly when playing at such tempos.
Unfortunately the heat does not subside and the problems remain at show time, which kinda takes the edge off of things for me, especially when other technical problems begin occurring too.
The show is all just a blur to me as I'm fighting with shit all the way through the set. My one lasting memory of this show though will be a real young lad probably only around 10 years old, stood on the barriers and really going for it. So fuckin' cool!!! Rockett out...
Check out this audio interview with Sy Keeler, conducted by The Age Of Metal:
|Not very convincing: the Hitler mannikin
at The Thing? museum in Arizona
|The lights of Juarez, Mexico
Soundcheck goes pretty smooth in front of a large audience of biker dudes who offer a great round of applause at the end of Destroyer of Worlds.


text: Home » News » Microsoft signs Foxconn patent deal Microsoft signs Foxconn patent deal MIG-31 April 17, 2013 News Microsoft has secured a patent deal with the world's biggest consumer electronics manufacturer to receive fees for devices powered by Google's Android and Chrome operating systems. Hon Hai – the parent company of Foxconn – said the deal would help prevent its clients being caught up in an ongoing intellectual property dispute. Microsoft says that Google's code makes use of innovations it owns. Google alleges its rival's claims are based on "bogus patents". However, the search giant's Motorola handset division has itself lost a number of legal challenges involving some of the disputed technologies which may have encouraged others involved in the smart device sector to settle. Source: BBC News Share On


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Android 4.4.3 has leaked out a few times so far this year, but there's been no word on when the update will begin rolling out to us users. If some T-Mobile support documents are to be believed, though, that push could begin today.
A pair of new T-Mobile support documents claim that Android 4.4.3 will begin rolling out to the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) today. The updates will bump the devices up to builds KTU84M and KTU84L, respectively, and are said to include security enhancements and bug fixes.
It's worth pointing out that Sprint said that Android 4.4.3 would hit the Nexus 5 back in mid-April, and obviously that didn't happen. So while this news is exciting, you may want to try and contain that excitement until Google makes an official announcement. Once that happens, you'll be the first ones that we tell. Promise.
Sources: T-Mobile (1), (2)


text:
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Brandy, Monica Reunite on New Track
In 1998, Grammy-winning R&B stars Monica and Brandy had the best-selling single of the year with "The Boy Is Mine." The song topped the Hot 100 chart for 13 weeks. They recently reunited to record a new single, called "It All Belongs To Me," which RCA Records will release on February 6. The track will appear on Monica's upcoming album "New Life," due out on March 6, and Brandy's yet-to-be-titled forthcoming collection.
X Factor Plans Big Changes
Big changes are planned for the second season of "The X Factor." Host Steve Jones and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul will not be returning to the FOX-TV singing competition. Abdul released a statement that said, "I've learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Simon and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation. Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I've treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at Fox and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for The X Factor to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful." A statement from "The X Factor" creator Simon Cowell says, "I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of The X Factor last year. We had a lot of fun making the show together and importantly, we found some real talent and stars. You do develop friendships with the people you work with and Paula, in particular, is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future. I'm sure all three are going to have massive success in what they do next, but now is the time to thank them all for everything they did last year." As of now, music producer L.A. Reid is expected to return as a judge and mentor.
McGraw's New Album Scores on Billboard 200 Chart
Country star Tim McGraw has the highest debut on this week's Billboard 200 chart. He sold 68,000 copies of his new album, Emotional Traffic, its first week of release to give him a Number 2 entry on the list. That wasn't enough to knock Adele out of the top spot. According to Nielsen SoundScan, "21" sold 116,000 copies during the past week to keep Adele at Number One for an 18th non-consecutive week. Other Top 10 debuts include Lamb of God's "Resolution" (Number 3), "2012 Grammy Nominees" (Number 4), Ingrid Michaelson's "Human Again" (Number 5), Kellie Pickler's "100 Proof" (Number 7), Seal's "Soul 2" (Number 8) and Kari Jobe's "Where I Find You" (Number 10).
McCartney's 'Kisses on the Bottom' CD Drops
On February 7, Hear Music/Concord Records will release Paul McCartney's new album, "Kisses on the Bottom." The former Beatle's first album since 2007 features guest appearances by Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton. "Kisses on the Bottom" includes McCartney's interpretations of pop standards, plus two new songs.
MusiCares to Honor McCartney
On February 10, the MusiCares Foundation will honor 14-time Grammy winner Paul McCartney as its 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year. The event will feature an all-star lineup of performers, including McCartney, Diana Krall, Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Alicia Keys and Katy Perry, among others. Proceeds go to MusicCares, which helps musicians with financial, medical and personal issues.
Clarkson Sings National Anthem at Super Bowl
Kelly Clarkson sang the National Anthem at Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI. Other artists who performed at the NFL championship game included Country star Blake Shelton and his wife Miranda Lambert, who sang a duet version of "America the Beautiful" during the pre-game festivities. Madonna performed the half-time show, which featured the premiere of her new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'."
New Album Releases / February 7:
"Now That's What I Call Music! 41" by various artists
"A Different Kind of Truth" by Van Halen
"Scars & Stories" by The Fray
"Home" by Dierks Bentley
"I'll Take Romance" by Steve Tyrell
"Mr. P" by Patrice O'Neal
"Summer In Kingston" by Shaggy
"The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Volume II" by various artists.
Star Birthdays:
On February 5, Country singer Sara Evans celebrated her 41st birthday. Sara was born and raised in Missouri. She moved to Nashville in 1991, where she recorded one independent album. In 1997, Sara's major label debut, "Three Chords and the Truth," was released on RCA Records. Her Number One singles include "No Place That Far," "Born To Fly," "Suds In The Bucket," "A Real Fine Place To Start" and "A Little Bit Stronger." In 2007, Sara divorced her husband of 14 years. Reports of her personal problems broke in late 2006 while she was competing on the ABC reality show "Dancing with the Stars." In 2008, Sara married Jay Barker, who hosts a radio show in Alabama. She has co-authored two books, "The Sweet By and By" and "Softly and Tenderly." Sara's first album in six years, "Stronger," was released last year. Its Number One hit, "A Little Bit Stronger," became Sara's first million-selling single.
Singer Natalie Cole turned 62 on February 6. The daughter of the late Nat King Cole made her professional debut at age 11. In 1975, Natalie won the Best New Artist Grammy award. Early in her career, she recorded pop and rhythm-and-blues material, but in 1991, she decided to return to her musical roots and recorded an album of her father's pop standards. The Grammy-winning collection included a studio-made duet version of "Unforgettable" with Nat King Cole. Her next two albums, "Take A Look" and "Stardust," contained similar material. In 2002, Natalie recorded "Ask A Woman Who Knows," her first album on jazz label Verve Records. The set earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. For her 2006 release "Leavin'," Natalie covered songs made popular by Shelby Lynne, Sting, Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, and others. Her latest album, "Still Unforgettable," contains a virtual duet with her late father on "Walkin' My Baby Back Home." The collection brought her a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In May 2009, Natalie underwent a kidney transplant. She returned to performing later that year.
February 6 marked the birth date of the late "King of Jamaican Reggae," Bob Marley (born 1945). In 1965, Marley formed The Wailers, a group that was responsible for popularizing reggae music worldwide. His songwriting credits include "I Shot the Sheriff," a Number One hit for Eric Clapton in 1974. Marley died of cancer at age 36 on May 11, 1981.
Country superstar Garth Brooks turns 49 on February 7. Garth's rise to fame began in 1987, when he moved from Oklahoma to Nashville. The following year, executives at Capitol Records saw him perform and signed him to the label. In 1989, his self-titled debut album was released, which produced four Number One Country singles, including "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "The Dance." Garth's "No Fences" album stands among the biggest-selling Country albums of all time with 17 million copies sold in the U.S. Sales of his 1994 anthology, "The Hits," reached 10 million, making it the best-selling greatest hits release in Country music history. The Recording Industry Association of America lists him as the second best-selling male solo artist of all time. Elvis Presley leads with 130.5 million albums sold. To-date, Garth's total sales stand at 128 million. Garth announced his retirement from touring in 2001. Garth married Country singer Trisha Yearwood in 2005. Their 2006 duet, "Love Will Always Win," peaked at Number 23 on the Country chart. "More Than A Memory," from Garth's 2007 "Ultimate Hits" anthology, became the first single ever to debut at Number One on the Country chart. Garth was among the performers in Washington, D.C. during President Obama's inaugural festivities. He's currently performing an extended solo engagement in Las Vegas. Garth plans to reunite with his band in 2014 to launch a full tour.
February 8 marks the birth date of late Country-pop singer Dan Seals (born 1948). The Texas native began performing at age four with his brother Jim. In 1976, Dan helped form England Dan & John Ford Coley. He left the pop duo four years later to pursue a solo career in Country music. Throughout the 1980s, Dan recorded a string of Number One Country hits, including "Bop," "I Will Be There," "One Friend" and "Big Wheels in the Moonlight." His final album releases included the acoustic greatest hits collections "In A Quiet Room" and "In A Quiet Room II," and 2002's "Make It Home." In 2007, Dan was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The following year, he underwent radiation treatments and received a stem cell transplant. Dan succumbed to the disease on March 29th, 2009 at age 61.
Conductor, composer and arranger John Williams will turn 80 on February 8. In 1980, he replaced Arthur Fiedler as conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Williams held the post until 1993. Williams also composes theme music for films and has received more Oscar nominations than any other living person. In 1999, Sony Records released his film music anthology, "Greatest Hits (1969-1999)." He composed themes for four Olympic Games - the 1984, 1988 and 1996 Summer Olympics and the 2002 Winter Olympics. Williams was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004. He composed the music for two new films, "The Adventures of TinTin: Secret of the Unicorn" and "War Horse." Both are among this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Original Score. Throughout his long career, Williams has won five Academy Awards and 21 Grammy Awards.
Singer and influential songwriter Carole King celebrates her 70th birthday on February 9. One of the "Brill Building" songwriters in the late 1950s, she collaborated with former husband Gerry Goffin on hits such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Take Good Care of My Baby," and the dance sensation "The Loco-Motion." Her 1971 solo collection "Tapestry" spent 302 weeks on Billboard's Top 200 chart, 15 of those at Number One. Sales reached 25 million copies worldwide. Known as one of the most successful female songwriters of the rock era, Carole King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (along with Gerry Goffin) in 1990. Numerous performers, including Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, All-4-One and Amy Grant recorded new versions of songs from "Tapestry" for the 1995 tribute album, "Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute To Carole King." King's latest studio album, "Love Makes the World," was released on her own Rockingale Records in 2001. The title track was a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. In 2003, King's 1971 Number One single, "It's Too Late," was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Tapestry" was added to the Hall in 1998. King and Goffin received the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' Trustees Award in 2004 for their "outstanding contributions to the industry outside of performance." In 2005, Concord Records released King's double-CD live set "The Living Room Tour," which was recorded during her 2004 tour of the same name. King was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007. A new version of "Tapestry" was released in 2008. The first disc of the double CD features the original album, plus one bonus track. The second disc contains live versions of the songs that King recorded in 1973 and 1976. In 2010, Carole teamed with James Taylor for a concert tour. The "Troubadour Reunion Tour" was attended by more than 700-thousand fans and grossed over 59-million dollars. Last year, she recorded her first Christmas album, "A Holiday Carole." King's memoir, "A Natural Woman," will be published in April.
On February 10, pop and rhythm-and-blues singer Roberta Flack will celebrate her 75th birthday. An Arlington, Virginia native, she worked as a high school music teacher in North Carolina. Jazz musician Les McCann discovered Flack at a nightclub. Her Number One singles include "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Killing Me Softly With His Song," and "Feel Like Makin' Love." This week (February 7), 429/Savoy Records will release Flack's first new album in eight years. "Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles" features her interpretation of classic Beatles songs.
On February 11, R&B singer Brandy will celebrate her 33rd birthday. At age 15, the Mississippi native arrived on the music scene with her self-titled debut album. The collection sold more than four million copies and produced such hits as "Baby," "I Wanna Be Down" and "Best Friend." In 1998, Brandy recorded her second CD, "Never Say Never." She also starred in her own sitcom, "Moesha," from 1996 to 2001. Other acting credits include the lead role in the 1997 television movie "Cinderella" and the motion picture "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer." In 1999, Brandy appeared in the ABC television movie "Double Platinum" with Diana Ross. Her 2002 album, "Full Moon," featured the singles "What About Us?," "Full Moon" and "He Is." Brandy secretly married producer Robert Smith in the summer of 2001. She gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Sy'rai, in June of 2002. Two years later, the couple separated and Smith announced they were never officially married. Brandy countered that they had "a spiritual union and a deep commitment to each other." Her 2004 album, "Afrodisiac," spawned two minor hits, "Talk About Our Love" and "Who Is She 2 U." She had more success in the U.K., where the album's title track reached the Top 20. In 2006, Brandy split from her career-long label, Atlantic Records. Epic Records released Brandy's fifth album, "Human," in 2008. In 2010, Brandy placed fourth on "Dancing with the Stars." She collaborated with her brother Ray J, mother Sonja and father Willie Norwood on the 2011 album, "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business." Brandy's next solo album is due out in March. Her new duet with Monica, "It All Belongs To Me," marks their first collaboration in 14 years.
Rock singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow will turn 49 on February 11. The Missouri native moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and got her first big break singing backup vocals on Michael Jackson's 18-month "Bad" tour. Crow's debut album, "Tuesday Night Music Club," was released in 1993. It was slow to make an impact until 1994, when the single "All I Wanna Do" was released. The album went on to sell more than seven million copies in the U.S. Her 1996 album, "Sheryl Crow," produced the hits "Everyday Is A Winding Road" and "If It Makes You Happy." Sheryl's 2002 CD, "C'mon, C'mon," featured such guests as Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, Lenny Kravitz and the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines. Hits from the collection included the title track, "Soak Up the Sun" and "Steve McQueen." Crow's triple platinum 2003 CD, "The Very Best of Sheryl Crow," featured her hit remake of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is The Deepest." Crow's 2005 album, "Wildflower," earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. Her 2008 album, "Detours," produced the single "Love Is Free," which was inspired by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Other songs on the album dealt with events in her life, including her breakup with cyclist Lance Armstrong and battle with breast cancer. In 2010, Sheryl appeared on the "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon. Her performance of "Lean On Me" with Keith Urban and Kid Rock was included on the "Hope For Haiti Now" album. She also joined many of today's biggest music stars to re-record "We Are The World," which also raised money for relief efforts in Haiti. Sheryl's latest album, "100 Miles From Memphis," failed to produce any big hits.
Awards Presentations / Winners:
On February 11, the Recording Academy will present its Special Merit Awards at an invitation-only ceremony in Los Angeles. This year's Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards are going to the Allman Brothers Band, Glen Campbell, Antonio Carlos Jobim, George Jones, the Memphis Horns, Diana Ross and Gil Scott-Heron. Trustees Award recipients include Dave Bartholomew, Steve Jobs and Rudy Van Gelder. Celemony and Roger Nichols will be honored with the Technical Grammy Award. The Recording Academy's Neil Portnow said, "This year's honorees offer a variety of brilliance, contributions and lasting impressions on our culture. It is an honor to recognize such a diverse group of individuals whose talents and achievements have had an indelible impact on our industry."
Look Who's Going On Tour!
On February 9, R&B singer Trey Songz will kick off his "Anticipation 2our" in Cleveland, Ohio. The 18-city North American tour features special guest Big Sean. Trey will be supporting his albums "Anticipation" and "Anticipation 2." He says, "This tour has literally been years in the making. Every sound, every emotion that I ever expressed through my music you will get every single night. No one will leave this show untouched."
Hot Chelle Rae begins a 34-city North American tour on February 10 in Metarie, Louisiana. The pop group's itinerary also includes 12 shows in Australia and New Zealand from March 2-18 as the opening act for Taylor Swift. Hot Chelle Rae's new album, Whatever, includes the hits "Tonight Tonight" and "I Like It Like That."


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Our exciting rerelease party rages on. This week is one of my favorite books–the psychic hacker girl and her cousin/guardian's best friend… so many of my most beloved tropes in one book.
Andrew and Kat have a rocky road to love that starts back in the first couple books of the series. But they came into their own in Cipher, and this book set up plenty of future stories we had planned. 😉
Buy it now for 99 cents:
Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon DE
Info about other vendors.
Kat Gabriel's empathic ability is no gift–it's a deadly weapon. She's used it once, in a bloody confrontation to save Andrew Callaghan's life. Now she bears the inescapable weight of those deaths—and aches for the loss of the easy relationship she once shared with Andrew. Unleashing her power may have saved his life, but it couldn't save his humanity. Or their friendship.
Since the attack that turned him into a werewolf, Andrew's sole focus has been on making himself stronger. Pushing Kat away hurt like hell, but she doesn't need a friend. She needs a protector strong enough to shield her from the supernatural world that forced her to kill. Strong enough to resist their volatile connection.
As Kat's quest to understand the violent legacy of her past leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is at her side. Yet every step forward rips open old emotional wounds and shakes his control. Where they're headed, distractions of any kind can be fatal—especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.
The Southern Arcana Series


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3 Makeup Looks Inspired by My Favorite Albums of 2016
Since I'm a visual person I hardly ever remember the album title but I just remember what the album art looks like.
These days, eyebrows are groomed and "done" with the same dedication that goes into concealing a zit. It is the age of the arch circa whatever you call this decade following the aughts (the aught-teens?). I know this because even Real Housewives are touting the importance of dope eyebrows. I believe they call it "keeping your brow game tight."
So it seems only natural that the feature would fall under scientific scrutiny. (I'm not saying that it never did before, but that sort of information is suddenly more interesting to the masses.) I recently read an MIT study claiming that eyebrows are the key factor in facial recognition and familiarity.
Subjects in the study were shown varying photos of well-known figures like Winona Ryder and Richard Nixon; some had eyebrows cropped out, some had only eyes cropped out. The results were that celebrities with eyes cropped out were more recognizable than those with brows cropped out. So eyebrows are major personal identifiers. It's particularly polarizing in humans because, in comparison to other mammals, we have less body hair.
Because makeup is more fun when you use it for science, I set out to manipulate my own brows and see how it could change my face. Using a slew of my favorite brow products I went to town on my arches to create different "personas."
Here's how my eyebrows normally look. Not terribly thick, but I wouldn't say sparse, with a definitive arch that kind of fades off into nowhere a bit sooner than I'd like. But, oh well, that's genetics for you.
I used Kat Von D's Lock-it Tattoo Concealer to conceal the top of my arch and a bit underneath. This stuff has great coverage, considering it's meant for concealing tattoos, so a couple layers did a great job at camouflaging some hairs.
I broke out the Anastasia Beverly Hills for this look. After "shaving" off the top of my arch with concealer, I used the Brow Powder Duo and Mini Brush to draw a straight line over the visible hair, following my natural curve, but only slightly so it retained a rather straight shape. This is a really trendy brow look in Korea. (Mari pulls off a great straight brow!) Apparently it makes you look young and innocent and cherubic...or something. When I think of straight brows I think of Natalie Portman's cry-face, which I guess is pretty angelic.
And you know what? Yeah, I think I do appear to be a bit peachier with these bars over my peepers. At least more ingenuous or something along those lines? Like, maybe no one would suspect how sarcastic and moody I am with such unassuming brows.
If Sherilyn Fenn's brows were ski slopes, they'd be black diamonds. Those arches are so steep. Just a subtle raise sends skeptical daggers flying. The thin, tadpole-like shape was pretty standard in the '90s, but whenever I see it now it looks a bit wicked, if you know what I mean.
I concealed the under-hairs of my brow and used something inkier, Anastasia Beverly Hill's DipBrow Pomade, to make some slopes.
This shape is basically the defining element of Resting Bitch Face, if I do say so myself. That, or possibly inspired by angry-looking baby huskies.
Like her or not, Cara Delevingne's brows are her calling card, along with her signature smirk, because she knows she has the best brows in the biz. WE GET IT, CARA, YOU'RE GORGEOUS. NOW PUT THOSE AWAY. Do you think her career would have taken off as it did if it weren't for those brows? If she ever needed to go into witness protection, do you think she'd shave them? The world may never know.
I used Benefit's Brow Zings--filling in with the creamy side and then drawing "hairs" with the powder side to bush up my brows. Then I brushed my brows upward with Benefit's Gimme Brow to mold them into place. The results are staggering.
After wearing these for a while, I get it: it's a power brow. Cara's brows are the shoulder pads of brows. They communicated to the world...pretty much anything you're feeling because brows (especially ones like these) are your number one non-verbal communicator. No need to speak up with these caterpillars, just move your face around. Also, they really bring out my bucktooth. I feel cool now.
While we're flirting with high fashion here, let's examine the hairless or bleached-to-match-skin-tone look. I don't know about you guys, but I've noticed a few models moving in favor of no brows for whatever model reason that models do things.
And because models have that weird thing where they ALWAYS look attractive, they still look striking and cool and otherworldly sans brows. Dammit.
If I erase mine, will I also look striking and cool and otherworldly?
I stamped out my brows using Benefit's Erase Paste, really stippling it in there with a concealer brush and then going over it with Kat Von D's Lock-it Tattoo Concealer for further camouflage. While not completely erased, my brows appeared to match my blonde hair. And you know what--two out of three ain't bad, yes?
It's like I'm a completely different person! Possibly cyborg or alien! Aliens are in now, right? I don't even hate this look. I would feel supremely self-conscious in public with it, but were I to bleach my brows for whatever reason, I'd love to walk around feeling like a completely different person for a bit. Just for laughs...and to freak out my mom.
And just because I couldn't resist doing weird things to a mostly blank canvas, here's something no one should replicate:
What's your take on eyebrows and perception? Thinking of changing up your brows? Any of these looks speak to you? Tell me how you really feel.


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The New Orleans Saints had invested time, energy and a 2013 53-man roster spot on former Tulane quarterback Ryan Griffin.
So I'm assuming I'm not the only one who raised an eyebrow when the Saints placed Griffin on waivers Tuesday. Previously released kicker Shayne Graham bumped Griffin from the current 53-man roster.
It was not the transaction I anticipated the Saints making to offset the eventual addition of a kicker after cutting Graham and Derek Dimke after training camp Saturday.
Maybe drop someone like fullback Erik Lorig or linebacker Khairi Fortt on either short-term or full-season injured reserve. But don't cut the passer who competed strongly with Luke McCown for the backup quarterback job in camp.
McCown won the job to be Drew Brees' primary backup because he outplayed Griffin by the end of training camp. But I'm not sure anyone figured the Saints would let another team get its hands on Griffin, who the St. Louis Rams try to pluck off the Saints' practice squad nearly a year ago.
You can see the strategy here by the Saints. The team waited for the initial wave of final training camp cuts with the hope that teams with uncertain quarterback situations figured out their plan, allowing Griffin to sneak through waivers and land back on the Saints' practice squad.
Many times there's a sense of overreaction from some fans when the Saints or any other NFL team waive a prospect with ideal measureables (like wide receiver Brandon Coleman) or an unknown player who has shown flashes in training camp (safety Pierre Warren).
But this might be one of the few times fans' angst is warranted about another team potentially snatching a Saints castoff.


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Matt Griffin is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, PowerShell Evangelist, and President of the Indianapolis PowerShell User Group. He speaks widely at user group events and conferences, including IndyPASS, VMware User Group, Indianapolis VMug Demo Days, and the PowerShell Summit. He also blogs about PowerShell scripts he has created to solve specific problems that clients have faced in administering their complex Windows environments.
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Grand Blue Dreamingby James Beckett,
Grand Blue Dreaming is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
discuss this in the forum (20 posts) |
Answerman - Why Are Teen Sex Comedies Only Acceptable When They're Live Action?
Some folks find lurid anime sex comedies featuring teenagers like High School DxD deeply offensive, but won't bat an eye at an American live-action sex comedy set in high school. What gives? Justin gets into it. ― Dave asked: Recently an anime company was on facebook promoting an upcoming release of a fanservice heavy show set at a Highschool. The comment section got pretty toxic pretty quickly with...
Shelf Life - No Game, No Life Zero
Paul takes a look at this prequel film that might be better than its source series, along with a breakdown of all this week's new anime releases! ― This week, I learned that those generic plastic Blu-Ray cases are surprisingly resilient. My review copy of No Game, No Life Zero got absolutely pulverized in the mail, to the point where the case now looks like somebody tried really hard to karate chop ...
Tales of Zestiria the X Season 2 BD+DVD
Beautiful visuals and heartening character work butt up against cheesy dialogue and rushed plotting in the conclusion to ufotable's ambitious JRPG adaptation. ― It's sad to say it, but the second half of the anime adaptation of Tales of Zestiria the X is still suffering from the pacing issues brought about by the inclusion of the Tales of Berseria episodes back in its first cour. What's particularly ...
The Mike Toole Show - Canada's Anime Legacy
Mike embarks on a voyage to the Great White North to discover Canada's history of English anime dubs both great and terrible! ― One of the best things about anime being a fairly hot ticket in global entertainment is the multitude of ways it just suddenly shows up, be it in theaters, on TV, or online. Once upon a time, you could keep track of pretty much everything that was being aired and screened in...
Defeating the Demon Lord's a Cinch (If You've Got a Ringer) Novel 1
We get stories about hapless teens getting spirited away to another world all the time, but what do the native citizens of those fantasy kingdoms think of these interlopers? This quirky light novel series offers their perspective. ― Oh look, another novel about a regular Japanese teenager summoned to a game-like fantasy world as a hero in order to defeat one of those apparently ubiquitous demon lords...
The List - 7 Notorious Animation Meltdowns
Sometimes scheduling problems lead to recap episodes or unplanned hiatuses, and sometimes they result in an entire show's artwork slipping into insanity. Here are seven of the most memorable animation meltdowns. ― There's a lot of variables that can cause an anime television production to go off schedule and affect the quality of a show. Poor animation quality is not always, or even usually a reflec...
Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter GN 1
When a traffic accident lands an office worker in the body of an otome game villainess, is there anything she can do to change her fate? Rebecca Silverman finds out. ― If the male-oriented isekai story tends to land our reborn boy protagonist in a position where he becomes the king of his own personal harem, then the female-oriented version is that she gets plopped down in the middle of her favorite ...
Manga Answerman - Why is Summer the Season for Spooky Stories in Manga?
In North America we usually bust out the skeletons and draculas in October, but in manga, it seems like summertime is a much spookier season. Deb is ready to explain why! ― Why is Summer considered the season for spooky stories in manga, not Autumn / October like it is in North America? Much as Halloween at the end of October is the holiday that anchors the season for spooks and ghouls in North Amer...
ANNCast Live at Otakon 2018
just for fun
ANNCast is back with the audio from our panel at Otakon 2018, featuring special guest Mike Toole! Zac and Mike take a quick tour of 20 years of ANN history, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. ― ANNCast Live at Otakon 2018 ANNCast is back with the audio from our panel at Otakon 2018, featuring special guest Mike Toole! Zac and Mike take a quick tour of 20 years of ANN history, followed by a...
Interview: SSSS.GRIDMAN with TRIGGER's Masaru Sakamoto and Masato Takeuchi
Studio TRIGGER's tokusatsu re-imagining SSSS.GRIDMAN hits this October, and we've got a fun and fascinating in-depth chat with two of the show's staff - animator Masaru Sakamoto and animation director Masato Takeuchi. ― It's a big year for Studio TRIGGER director Akira Amemiya. After helming two well-received short series (the adorable Space Patrol Luluco and the cult smash Inferno Cop), Amemiya has ...
Interview: revisions Producer Kazuya Ide
Kazuya Ide, producer for visual effects and animation studio Shirogumi Inc, chats about revisions, his new CG anime from the director of Code Geass, what it takes to put together a CG anime, and the future of animation in Japan. ― Kazuya Ide is a producer for Shirogumi Inc., a visual effects and animation studio in Japan with a decades-long legacy - you've likely seen their work in Shin Godzilla (or ...


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Based in Wakefield, MA for more than 30 years, Crescent Dental Associates offers unparalleled commitment to its patients, and delivers comprehensive, personalized dental care. Creating a collaborative environment between the doctors, the staff and our patients is the foundation of our practice. Our patients come to us not only for premium dental care, but also because they realize that they are a part of a partnership where the ultimate goal is to ensure healthy, long-term oral health. At our practice, we encourage patients to be active members in making the right choices to accomplish this goal.
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Morton's The Steakhouse
227 W. Trade St. (Poplar St.) Send to Phone
704-333-2602 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
OpenDinner nightly
- Valet parking
- Dress code: Business casual
- Full bar
- Great Wine List
- Private room(s)
- Reservations suggested
- Romantic setting
- Take-out available
- Wheelchair accessible
* Click here for rating key
Morton's The Steakhouse Restaurant Review: Locals and visitors to Charlotte alike come to Morton's for its popular steaks, deep wine list and professional service. But the menu's satisfying choices extend beyond the beef, and include Western Australia lobster, ahi and colossal shrimp. As is the steakhouse custom, sides are served family-style, à la carte. If you're hungry enough, go for the baked potato or creamed spinach, although both are plenty to share. For dessert, try the legendary hot chocolate cake. The wine list tallies upwards of 500 wines, with many familiar labels that present a California bent. Warmly lit and set with well-spaced tables, Morton's is appropriate for business or romance.
GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Awards honor America's best chefs, as well as promising newcomers and a top restaurateur.


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Considering a beard?
Well you're probably wondering which style will best suit you?
To help you decide – I've created a handy info-graphic with 16 beard styles.
Click on the links to view an image and an overview of each beard style.
Check out this guest post about a Beginner's Guide to Growing A Beard.
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Learn the secrets of style in a structured environment leveraging my proven step-by-step master programs.
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text: After this summer's first mid-america crossing (in all that heat!) I realised I could have gone thru Canada and: 1. Kept nice and cool. 2. Explored lakes and woods. 3. Saved miles due to the Great Circle effect. Stretch a string across a globe and see your savings! But the two Canadian routes: 1. Sault Ste Marie > Sudbury > North Bay > Ottawa 2. Duluth > Thunder Bay > Hearst > Cochrane > North Bay are not often discussed here, mostly due to lack of electric charging infrastructure. So what's it like entering the Deep Woods and what is the likelihood of a motorist emerging safely at the other end? --


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For relief from discomfort in the shoulder and upper arm regions. The Shoulder Hot or Cold Therapy Wrap by Elasto-Gel is specifically designed to alleviate pain attributed to shoulder and upper arm injuries, joint stiffness, soreness, post-surgery discomfort and more. For use during Physical and Occupational Therapy, or simply for day-to-day aches and pains. With a universal design, allowing for use on either shoulder region, the Elasto-Gel Shoulder Therapy Wrap is made of a tough, flexible gel that's covered with a four-way stretch material. This design and construction provides for maximum conformity, heat transfer, comfort, ease of use and durability.
For cold therapy needs - Simply put in the Freezer! (Directions included)
Elasto-Gel's Shoulder Therapy Wrap stays soft and flexible at temperatures as low as -20 degrees F. The cold wrap will usually numb treated areas within 5 minutes, without the severe shock and pain sometimes experienced with ice or ice water treatments. Additionally, this Shoulder Wrap remains cold for approximately 20 to 40 minutes of constant use.
For hot therapy needs - Heat in the Microwave or Conventional Oven! (Directions Included)
Simply heat the Shoulder Wrap according to the included directions for heat therapy that quickly penetrates sore muscles and joints. The Elasto-Gel Shoulder Wrap will continue to provide heat for an estimated 20 to 30 minutes before reheating is necessary.
Care Instructions -
Always store product in a re-closable bag when stored in the freezer.
Available in the following sizes:
***The contents of the Colpac-Supply.com website are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Colpac-Supply.com website. Read Full Disclaimer***
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I do not confine myself to one school of thought. Each piece has either symbolism or a story embedded within its layers. As is life. My work can range from severely detailed illustrations to soft modern figurative paintings; as well as abstraction of nature and life. My work embodies severe depth and engaging textures. I utilize brush work as well as pallet knives with acrylic paints and various glazes. My illustrations are formed through charcoal, graphites, and paint pens.
Born to an artist mother, I was introduced to painting and illustrations as a young child. Now, I continue that legacy with my four daughters. Born in Southern California. Raised in Northern California. My husband and I have lived in Long Beach, California for the past sixteen years.
I maintain a professional relationship with my collectors and curators. I encourage email contact but will accept phone inquires of the professional manner. Thank you for viewing my work.
Kellie Thomas-Walker
562) 676-8845
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Requests for emergency help, orphaned puppies etc. General advice and tips on breeding and raising puppies
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Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Eric Ries' book "The Lean Startup". Eric believes that entrepreneurship is a science not an art. His book is an eye-opening review of how the scientific method, hypothesis and experimentation, can methodically build a successful business from scratch.
Eric also asserts that most successful start-ups rarely succeed with their first idea. It seems that business success is largely an exercise in rapid evolution not dogged devotion to a single founding idea.
The idea is to quickly test, evaluate and identify promising (read profitable) products before the founders run out of money. It's a fascinating thought, especially because it applies to almost any business – especially small businesses and solopreneurs.
Your First Idea is Probably Your Worst Idea
Pushing Social was originally targeted to Social Media Managers at Fortune 100 businesses. It failed.
I changed direction. For 3 months I focused on chief marketing officers in large businesses. This didn't work either.
Next, I went for marketing directors in medium-sized businesses. I found a little success there.
My last pivot was focusing on small business owners with established businesses and moonlighting solopreneurs. Bingo.
My first ideas was my worst idea. It's very likely that your first idea sucks too. The good news is that you are supposed to change direction. Your success depends on how quickly you can find the right blogging idea. Stubborn persistence kills.
Most of my clients are shocked to learn that their first idea is killing their blog and business. We've been taught that entrepreneurs are mythical geniuses with ungodly focus on their vision. That's partly true. They are focused on succeeding. It doesn't matter what product they create. Remember, Microsoft started with software and now makes games consoles. Apple started with user-friendly computers and now makes music players and phones.
If you are stuck, it's probably time for you to pivot.
How to Achieve Blog/Market Fit
You might be asking, how do I know when I have the right blog idea?
Look for blog/market fit. This means watch for the point where your content satisfies your reader's primary objective.
If you write for single moms, you have achieved Blog/Market fit when single mom's show up in comments, subscribe to your daily emails, and begin sharing your content with other single mom's. If you are attracting happily married career woman, you might need to pivot.
In most cases, you can subtly shift your focus over time to align with your audience. However, don't be afraid to yank the plug on a blog that is consistently attracting the wrong audience or no audience.
Resist the urge to post and run.
You know what I'm talking about…publishing a post and moving on to the next. Never looking at how the post did. Sure you might look at how many retweets the post received but that's about all.
I recommend you set aside 30 minutes every week to review the people behind the numbers. Ask questions like:
- Who shared the post? Who are they targeting? Are they talking to my audience?
- Where did my traffic come from?
- Which keywords brought the most visitors to past posts?
You can take this one step further and contact commenters and subscribers via email and chat for a while about their background and what attracted them to your blog. Use what you learn to evaluate your blog/market fit and decide if you need to pivot.
Frustrating and Sad…
It's natural to believe that hope and determination is all that's needed for blog success. Just kick out great content…right? Wrong. Very wrong.
It's frustrating and sad to hear about bloggers that spend months writing posts they hate for an audience that they don't want. I'm giving you permission to hit the reboot button and reimagine your blog and pivot.
Talk to me.


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Which one is right for you? What if it's all four? Talk to us about a synchronized plan.
Synchronize your investments with your mortgage now
Take advantage of our promotional mortgage rate of 2.70% (1).Contact us
Which one is right for you? What if it's all four? Talk to us about a synchronized plan.
Consolidate all of your banking and financing needs into one efficient cash management solution with the Solutions BankingTM All-in-One.
Would your family and your wealth be secure if something happened to you? Would your business run smoothly? We can help you answer those questions.
News, tips, industry insights, and local events sent directly to your inbox!
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There's no one size that fits all. Your goals, your circumstances and your dreams are at the heart of it all.
Our advisors can help no matter what financial situation you're in.
1 Rate as of July 12, 2018 and is subject to change or withdrawal at any time without prior notice. Certain conditions apply. Financing subject to credit approval by National Bank of Canada. Limited time offer available for new mortgage loans only. Rate can be guaranteed up to 90 days following receipt of the request.
APR means "Annual Percentage Rate" and represents the total interest and fees charged by the Bank, expressed as an annual percentage.
Variable-rate mortgage loans have an interest rate based on Prime and are adjusted monthly. National Bank Prime rate set at 3.70% as of July 12, and is subject to change.
Banking products and services are distributed through Solutions BankingTM. Solutions Banking products and services are provided by National Bank of Canada.
TM Solutions Banking is a trademark of Power Financial Corporation. Investors Group and design are trademarks owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations. National Bank of Canada is a licensed user of these trademarks.
Mortgages are offered through I.G. Investment Management, Ltd.* Inquiries will be referred to a Mortgage Planning Specialist (in Ontario, a Mortgage Agent, and in Quebec, a Mortgage Broker).
*In NB & ON, registered as a Mortgage Brokerage (ON-License #10809) and Mortgage Administrator (ON-License #11256), and in QC, registered as a Mortgage Agency (QC-License #H1336).


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President Obama is calling the botched rollout of ObamaCare his worst mistake of the entire year.
"Since I'm in charge, obviously, we screwed it up," he admitted Friday when asked about his biggest regret of 2013.
Obama was speaking at a White House news conference before heading to Hawaii for two weeks of vacation on a day when his approval rating hit a new low of 41 percent in a CNN poll.
He was nevertheless optimistic.
"I firmly believe 2014 can be a breakthrough year," he declared.
But a new problem with the health law popped up Thursday night with the announcement of another last-minute delay — one that lets people whose plans were canceled sign up for bare-bones "catastrophic" policies or avoid fines if they don't get coverage.
Obama minimized the impact.
"What we're talking about is a very specific population," he said.
"We just wanted to make sure that the hardship provision that was already existing in the law would also potentially apply to someone who had problems during this transition period."
Pressed on his low points at the year-end conference, Obama refused to concede that 2013 was the worst year of his presidency.
"We have had ups, and we have had downs. I think this room has probably recorded at least 15 near-death experiences," he said.
He boasted that more than 1 million people so far had gotten coverage under the law through federal and state health exchanges.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) wasn't won over.
"With this latest delay, the Obama administration is once again admitting that the president's health-care law is unworkable and unaffordable," he said.
On NSA snooping, Obama said the spy agency must "strike the right balance" and vowed to announce changes in January.
"There may be another way of skinning the cat," he said.
Obama also took a shot at lawmakers backing a bill to tighten sanctions on Iran during talks.
"The politics of trying to look tough on Iran are often good when you're running for office or if you're in office," Obama said.
Sen. Charles Schumer, one of the bill's sponsors, shot back.
"Many of us believe that ratcheting up sanctions . . . is the best way to produce peace and get Iran to forgo a nuclear weapon," he said.


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Top 10 Business Mistakes
Getting Started
- Incorporate Now
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- S Corporation
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- Comparison Chart
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10 Incorporation Mistakes to Avoid
- Thinking your business is too small to incorporate. All business owners can benefit from the opportunity to separate and protect their personal assets from business debts. No business is too small to incorporate or form an LLC.
- Not placing your order early enough. If you need to meet a deadline, place your order early. We'll do our best to make the process of incorporating or forming an LLC fast and simple.
- Choosing the wrong service company. Finding the right service company may seem difficult. We make the decision easier with excellent customer service and a long history of expertise in our industry. Learn more about us.
- Incorporating in Delaware or Nevada just because of their popularity. Most of our customers benefit from forming a corporation or LLC in the state in which they will conduct the majority of their business. If your business expands into more than one state, we can help you with your Delaware or Nevada business registration as well as any other state.
- Choosing the wrong business structure. Few states permit companies to change from one business structure to another. Do your research first to determine the best structure for your business. Check out our Business Formation Wizard for statistics on other business owners in your state and industry.
- Not buying a package that includes everything you need. Though you save money up front by choosing an inexpensive formation package, you may miss out on important services your business needs. Consider purchasing our premium formation package for a comprehensive bundle of services to get you started.
- Naming yourself as your company's Registered Agent. A Registered Agent must remain available during all business hours to receive important legal documents. Naming a third-party Registered Agent may also help enhance your business credibility. Let us take the worry out of this requirement by serving as your company's Registered Agent.
- Being careless with the details of your order. Don't let a simple error delay the formation of your new business. Make sure to review the information you provide us, especially the spelling of all names and addresses, for accuracy. Correcting information later usually requires additional fees.
- Failing to satisfy business licensing requirements. Don't forget about business licenses, permits, and tax registrations. Many states, counties and cities have different licensing requirements. If you need help, purchase our Business License Compliance Package.
- Not taking care of your next steps. Every successful business needs a plan. Be sure to keep your business in compliance.
Regardless of which business structure you choose, incorporate.com can help.
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Hi All
Yesterday I got in my van for the first time in two weeks. There was a puddle of brown liquid all over the floor in front of the fridge. At first I thought it was oil or something coming out of the fridge. Looking closer though it appeared to be coming from the AC up above. It felt a little sticky not oily. I couldn't imagine what it was and if it could possibly be coming from the AC. After searching this forum I found back in 2009 another B owner had a problem with his AC leaking. We've had a lot of rain here in Houston so I'm thinking maybe my AC is the culprit. However during Harvey I moved her to higher ground and she stayed completely dry inside. The ac works or worked anyway during the summer. I didn't test it yesterday because I was afraid I would damage it if it's wet.
Also (another problem) I noticed when I was getting out of her through the side door, the window curtains were soaking wet as well as the side panels. The door had been shut tight and locked. Could this mean she needs a new gasket around the door? If so, this seems like a simple fix that I can do myself ...maybe? The AC though does not seem like an easy fix.
If anyone has advice on both problems I would sure appreciate it.


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Graphical User Interfaces for Embedded Systems,
Mobile Devices and Web Applications
equasys GmbH is an independent system development company creating concepts and software for embedded systems. These are the most important business activities of equasys GmbH:
- Conceptual design, implementation and test of software for embedded systems
- Design and implementation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for consumer electronics, industrial appliances, automotive or medical devices
- Graphical user interface development tools (Embedded Wizard)
- Image and video test files
- Project management
equasys GmbH was founded in 2007 by Manfred Schweyer, based on the experience of 15 years within the areas conceptual design, software development and project management. These activities lead to a high awareness of system stability, product usability and software quality.
The company is located in Germering near Munich (Germany).
Please take a look around and read about the company:
A description of the company services and a list of used embedded platforms, operating systems and graphical interfaces are shown on the page Software Development.
The page User Interfaces describes the development of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and the GUI development tool 'Embedded Wizard'.
The page OpenGL ES 2.0 / WebGL contains some sample applications, which can be executed directly within your webbrowser, provided that your browser supports WebGL. A short explanation gives you an overview, which parts of the demo application are done by the CPU or by using the programmable vertex and fragment shaders of the hardware.
The page Test Collections provides a rough overview of the Image and Video Test Collections. These file collections consist of thousands of test files, helpful for developers and manufactures in order to verify the image or video quality of their products.
The area Technical Infos contains a lot of technical information and explanations about image and video processing, like color formats and color conversions, video formats, aspect ratio, standard resolutions, ...
To request additional information please use the Contact sheet. Other details of the company can be found on the Imprint page.


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While we are the first and only Outdoor Living retail store with a NPT showroom , tiles , outdoor kitchen and pavers in the Davenport, Champion's gate, Celebration and the greater area of Disney World .
Ibiza pools maintain the small company personal touch attitude that is the cornerstone of our success.
Our 100+ years of experience in our Senior management team ,partners ,distributors will provide you an unmatched knowledge base that ensures our clients to receive a state of the art facility where they find the service they deserve and work so hard for.
It seems we can't find what you're looking for. Perhaps searching can help.


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Chapter I
1. A magistrate is in charge of administering the _____________ in a colonial town at the start of this story.
(a) Food stamps.
(b) Drugs.
(c) Law.
(d) Security checks.
2. The bulk of the story seems to be centered in what location in the world, according to the book notes?
(a) Asia.
(b) South Africa.
(c) Australia.
(d) India.
3. What is the magistrate reaching, which makes the reader think that he might be older than others in the book?
(a) Retirement.
(b) A new home.
(c) Death.
(d) His admiral position.
4. The magistrate shows the _______________ to the Colonel when the Colonel is in the town for a visit.
(a) Garrison.
(b) Barracks.
(c) Ships.
(d) Palace.
5. What is the name of the Colonel who likes to interrogate people of interest by using harsh torture methods?
(a) Hamp.
(b) God.
(c) Joll.
(d) Gole.
6. Who has sent the Colonel to the area where the magistrate is in charge so that he can look into rumors that have spread?
(a) The militia.
(b) The Whites.
(c) The Northerners.
(d) Third Bureau.
(read all 180 Multiple Choice Questions and Answers)
This section contains 4,245 words
(approx. 15 pages at 300 words per page)


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Axioms and adages endear through the ages because they certainly hold volumes of truth, in reference to the wisdom which brought them to being.
Take "curiosity killed the cat", for example.
Though no "killed" or deaths did actually happen, news of a stray calico getting herself in a tight spot because of her curiosity recently came about, with reports from the Birmingham Mail (UK).
The stray calico, as reports indicate, managed to effectively wedge her head in the wheel-hub of an automobile, which raised alarm and concern for passerby who saw the kitty's tight situation.
A homeowner who noted the calico's plight called the attention of authorities, doing what any concerned and responsible citizen would. Officers of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals managed to free the kitten via unconventional means – using K-Y Jelly in "loosening" the kitty's stuck head.
Hercharn Boal of the RSCPA shares that at first, he tried using margarine to facilitate the easy "slipping" of the kitten's head. Since that didn't work, the next plan would have been to take the car's tire out, bring the wheel-and-kitten to a hospital, then surgically cut the metal parts of the wheel in freeing the kitten.
Someone luckily suggested using K-J Jelly in place of margarine, which did well in easily slipping out the stuck kitty. After a thorough look over at the Birmingham Animal Hospital, the kitten's age was pegged at 10 weeks old, and was given a new name, Alloy.
Alloy is now waiting for adoption, and given her "curious history", potential pet owners would have to pay extra attention to just how curious Alloy could get in the future.


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I recently co-ordinated a photo shoot and dabbled in a spot of fashion styling for Folio Magazines Wedding feature out in March.
Local designers supplied the beautiful dresses, jewellery, bouquets and cake, and Bristol's finest hair stylist and make-up artist made the models look truly stunning.
Goldbrick house was the fabulous backdrop to our shoot; the walls covered in lavish bold printed paper, combined with the quirky and eclectic furniture to create wonderfully atmospheric, vintage inspired photos.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day, the models looked gorgeous and the whole day ran smoothly thanks to everyone involved!
Here are some behind the scenes photos I took on the day:
Image courtesy of Matthew Lincoln Photography.
The finished results:
All images courtesy of Matthew Lincoln Photography.
If you want to get in touch with any of the people involved then here's where to find them:
Photographer, Matt Lincoln, http://www.matthewlincolnphotography.co.uk/
Make up artist: Dianne Jamieson, www.bgorgeousmakeup.com
Hair stylist: Sam Bell, www.hairat58.co.uk
Florist: Lisa Elliott: 0117 9732440
Jewellery: JP Diamonds, http://www.jpdiamonds.com/


text: (The following statement was released by the rating agency) HONG KONG, August 28 (Fitch) 本文章英文原文最初于2017年8月11日发布于:Fitch Affirms ABCI Insurance at 'A-'; Outlook Stable 惠誉评级已确认香港的农银国际保险有限公司(农银国际保险)的保险公司财务实力评级为'A-'(强劲),展望为稳定。 关键评级驱动因素 农银国际保险的评级确认反映出其强劲的资本金水平、高度依赖再保险来降低在中国的巨灾风险敞口、以及在本地市场较小的市场份额。农银国际保险的评级是在其独立信用状况的基 础上上调了一个子级得到的,反映出农银国际保险与其最终母公司中国农业银行(农行,长期发行人违约评级:A/稳定)的经营协同效应,以及来自农行的资金支持。惠誉认为在有 需要时,农行会为其唯一一家非寿险子公司提供资金支持。 惠誉预计农银国际保险将保持充足的资本金来支持其增长并抵挡潜在的承保波动。截至2016年末,公司的偿付能力充足率保持在294%的较高水平,相较2015年末该比率为 277%。根据农银国际保险2016年的业绩,惠誉FBM模型计算公司的风险导向资本水平为"良好"。 农银国际保险在中国的地震和台风风险敞口较高,并且高度依赖于再保险安排来降低此类风险。在审核了其潜在的中国地震风险敞口后,公司进一步加强了再保险安排。 农银国际保险在香港非寿险市场(包括直接和再保险公司)排名第53位,按原保费总额(包括直接和再保险分入业务)计算,2016年末公司的市场份额为0.4%。根据评级方 法论,惠誉因为农银国际保险的规模认为其业务状况"较弱"。 由于赔付率低且来自中国的再保险分入业务的净手续费收入较高,农银国际保险的运营业绩一直较佳。投资回报为正也支撑着公司的盈利能力。但是,公司的承保业绩波动较大,因为 其较小的业务组合以及港币对人民币汇率的波动。 评级敏感性 评级下调的触发因素包括: - 惠誉认为来自农行的支持已减少 - 对农行的负面评级行动 -按照惠誉Prism风险导向型资本模型,农银国际保险的资本金水平长期在"良好"以下 -农银国际保险的投资策略出现巨大转变,转向高风险资产 鉴于农银国际保险目前的的运营状况及市场地位,惠誉近期不太可能上调其评级。 联系人: 首席分析师 Akane Nishizaki 联席董事 +852 2263 9942 惠誉国际评级有限公司 香港中环德辅道中68号 万宜大厦19楼 第二分析师 Terrence Wong(王长泰) 董事 +852 2263 9920 评级委员会主席 Jeffrey Liew(刘思淇) 高级董事 +852 2263 9939 Media Relations: Wai-Lun Wan, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 2263 9935, Email: email@example.com. 详情参见www.fitchratings.com 注意:本新闻稿为中文译本。如有疑问,请以英文版本为准。 Applicable Criteria Insurance Rating Methodology (pub. 26 Apr 2017) here Additional Disclosures Solicitation Status here Endorsement Policy here ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: here. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS RELEVANT INTERESTS ARE AVAILABLE here. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright © 2017 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. In issuing and maintaining its ratings and in making other reports (including forecast information), Fitch relies on factual information it receives from issuers and underwriters and from other sources Fitch believes to be credible. Fitch conducts a reasonable investigation of the factual information relied upon by it in accordance with its ratings methodology, and obtains reasonable verification of that information from independent sources, to the extent such sources are available for a given security or in a given jurisdiction. The manner of Fitch's factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. Users of Fitch's ratings and reports should understand that neither an enhanced factual investigation nor any third-party verification can ensure that all of the information Fitch relies on in connection with a rating or a report will be accurate and complete. Ultimately, the issuer and its advisers are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide to Fitch and to the market in offering documents and other reports. In issuing its ratings and its reports, Fitch must rely on the work of experts, including independent auditors with respect to financial statements and attorneys with respect to legal and tax matters. Further, ratings and forecasts of financial and other information are inherently forward-looking and embody assumptions and predictions about future events that by their nature cannot be verified as facts. 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