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Le Royal hotel *** offers a cosy and warm inside with a contemporary decor.
Located in the heart of Paris, nearby the Luxembourg gardens, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter and at less than10 minutes walk from the Montparnasse train station.
- Free wi-fi in rooms and a business corner in the lobby with two computers
- Concierge
- Reception open 24 hours/day
- Room service for breakfast
48 soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms, with 7 suites.
All are equipped with:
- Free Wifi, Mini bar, individual electronic safe
- Flat screen TV, international channels
- Wake Up call, direct phone line
Why stay with us?
Photo gallery
Video gallery
Read what our clients say about us
It is located in the heart of Paris, nearby Luxembourg garden, Saint-Germain quarter and at less than ten minutes walk from the Montparnasse train station.
Best exclusive rates on our official website
Discover our deals !


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It's officially been a year since I declined a full-time job after graduation to embark on a life-altering adventure. I could write a book (actually, I am writing a book…eek!) about everything that has happened in the last year alone.
From the Cies Islands off the coast of Spain to stranded at border crossings between Greece & Bulgaria, to the beaches of Italy and the mountains of Utah, I have experienced some incredible highs, and of course some incredible lows. There were tears, and laughs, and bruises, and swear words, but there isn't a single moment I would trade. I wish I could've brought you all along on the adventure, but I hope you felt like you were there with me along the way.
Below is a series of black and white photographs from my journey in chronological order. 25 countries, 20 states, and one giant adventure.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Events
- Videos
- Notes
- Photos
- About
Actions of Z^k associated to higher rank graphs
U. Kumjian,
D. Pask
Thu, Aug 1, 2002
University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Aperiodic Order, Dynamical Systems, Operator Algebras and Topology
We construct an action of on a compact zero-dimensional space obtained from a higher graph satisfying a mild assumption generalizing the construction of the Markov shift associated to a nonnegative integer matrix. The stable Ruelle algebra is shown to be strongly Morita equivalent to . Hence is simple, stable and purely infinite, if satisfies the aperiodicity condition.


text: N2K releases co-branded site with iVillage Published on March 16, 1998. Online music retailer N2K rolls out today a co-branded version of its Music Boulevard site for iVillage.com. iVillage will incorporate Music Boulevard's music news, information and retail options into the site. N2K and iVillage are also kicking off a Women's Music Poll promotion today to promote the co-branded site.Copyright March 1998, Crain Communications Inc. Most Popular In this article: News


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Last weekend I attended the Natural Products Expo, and from my vantage point, the health food industry is poised to take over the world. Over 2,600 vendors were on-site, filling three levels of one of the largest west coast convention centers and spilling out to the courtyard. Elaborate, multistory booths, gobs of free samples and even celebrity appearances from legendary industry figures, including the Bob of Bob's Red Mill, proved that the natural foods and products industry is a force to be reckoned with. For the most part I felt at home amid rows and rows of vendors ready to talk about everything from chia seeds to raw coconut water, but there were surreal moments where I also found myself shaking my head a little at how obsessed some people can get about the purity of their food.
After a record-breaking event, which grew 5% in the last year and drew in over 67,000 attendees, the natural products industry is set to grow to $226 billion by 2018. Natural Products Expo West just released key trend predictions set to drive the future of natural products in 2014, and I was hardly surprised to find that they identify health-minded moms as a key demographic for the health food world to target.
The 5 key-trends of "what's next" in the marketplace, as identified by Next Accelerator, include:
- Chief Health Officers, aka Mothers, and Other Key Consumers Targeted: While the healthy eating movement is spreading across all demographics, 5 key consumer segments have been identified. This is where us moms come in. Labeled as the Chief Health Officers, we are predominantly married professional females with young children. We are "goal-oriented health managers that are active information seekers, who will pay more for food or health products that are backed by research. Once they are sold they serve as influencers passing along their knowledge and recommendations." Characteristics include being environmentally and socially aware, and we tend to be strict, rule-enforcing moms. Sound familiar, anyone?
- The Need for Convenience: Consumers are asking health food companies to up the ante and make their products more and more convenient to eat/use/cook with, once obtained.
- Transparency in Labeling: A large population of consumers are demanding the right to know what's in their food and are asking for an end to the confusing labels and mystery ingredients that require a science degree to decode. For example, MSG can fall under 40+ other ingredient names, and unless an educated consumer, would never be none the wiser. The call to label all foods containing GMOs is also a huge point of contention for this arena.
- Food Tribes Are Growing: Look up the hashtag #vegan or #glutenfree on Instagram, and you'll encounter almost 5 million photos labeled as such. Unique niche groups of foodies are on the rise, including Paleo, Gluten-Free and Vegan, and they're not only fueling the healthy eating movement, but are also changing the way people think about and look at food.
- Individualized Eating Habits for Individualized Health: One person's medicine is another person's poison, and with the rise of food allergies and intolerances, creating and targeting these niche groups of consumers is on the rise.
The health food world may no doubt be growing by leaps and bounds, however I sense a major disconnect with the natural foods movement and the "average" consumer. After all, while the health food industry swells to epic proportions, our waistlines don't necessarily reflect that, with 1 in 3 Americans considered overweight or obese. The biggest questions and the largest impression I get from readers is how simply overwhelming and complex eating healthy can be. Between the sheer abundance of products available and wildly differing views on what's healthy and what's not, the health food marketplace, in their quest to grow, has led many consumers to believe eating healthy can't possibly be as simple as increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, and ditching the junk food. After eating clean for 9 months, I myself am mystified by how complicated I initially made this way of life out to be.
Beyond the complexity of it all, let's not fail to forget that this way of life isn't even attainable for a large population of our country. Twenty percent of the population lacks even basic food security, meaning they can't put three square meals on the table, and 16 million kids go to bed hungry each night. Additionally, close to 24 million people in the U.S. live in food deserts, with no safe and easy access to fresh, healthy food. It goes without saying that for these individuals, fresh and healthy food of any kind would be a welcomed blessing.
I would like to see 3 other topics make it on the list of important growing trends in the natural health food marketplace:
- Affordability: While I can certainly understand that more health-conscious products can cost more to make, therefore cost the consumer more, I'd like to see a growing desire to add more affordable natural food options to the marketplace. This is a multidimensional issue to tackle and can span topics as diverse as where government subsidiaries go and simple laws of supply and demand, but the bottom line: We need to make the basic essentials more affordable, including antibiotic-free meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, and simple whole grains. Those of us in the health-food community can further help by outreach and showing how to make healthy food simple and economical. The basic ideas that harken back to the old days include: making beans from scratch instead of pouring them out of a can, saving scraps to make our own stock, growing some of our own food, and other money-saving tips. Not every person eating a healthy diet is wealthy or privileged, and we need to do our part to help show how we do it.
- Approachability: For goodness sakes we need to demystify this crazy health food world and tone it down on the jargon. We also need to scale it back on the mission to find the purest, best possible foods available, for risk of alienating newbies and those interested. I'm not saying demand or produce inferior products, but stop with the fear-mongering tactics and make healthy eating simple, because it really, truly is.
- Accessibility: Let's make it a goal to make healthy and nutritious food accessible for as many people as possible and available in as many places as possible. I'm hopeful that investors and companies continue to see the importance and value in the natural foods movement and industry. I was ecstatic to see Target begin carrying Applegate products last year, and at an affordable price. It's this type of buying power which will help small health food companies grow and reach the masses. Many of the health food companies are small, family-run operations which benefit greatly any time a large corporation puts their support behind them. If more grocery chains and corporations continue on this path, it will help to put a dent in the dismal food desert statistic, as well as make these products seem more commonplace.
Don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited to see so much interest, enthusiasm and growth in the natural foods world, but I think we have a ways to go before claiming any sort of victory in the war on health. As a health-focused mother of three, I'd like to think I'm winning the battle in my own home, but I know I could always be doing more. Perhaps it's time to look into starting that community garden.
What do you think? Has the health food world made it easy to tackle the issue of eating well, or do they need to make it less complicated and focus on the basics?


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August 27, 2013 --Some expectant parents talk to their baby in the womb, not knowing if it makes a difference. But according to a new study, it may.
Finnish researchers followed 33 women from their 29th week of pregnancy until birth.
Half of the mothers played recordings of the made-up word: ta-ta-ta.
After the babies were born, only infants exposed to the recordings had strong reactions to the word, suggesting the fetal brain is capable of auditory learning prior to birth.
This study is published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."


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Modern Classic Kitchen Island to Bring Timeless Appeal in Your Kitchen
Modern Classic Kitchen Island. Kitchen island often becomes the focal point or the center of activity in a kitchen. Kitchen island is a functional furniture in a kitchen where it can be functioned as cooking, preparing, storing and dining space in a kitchen. There are a lot of kitchen island designs that are available in many home depots. Each types of kitchen island are various from the materials, colors and designs. Some of the kitchen island designs come with extension or other features that make the kitchen island becomes more functional. You can choose one of the kitchen islands that you think will be suitable for your kitchen.
Arital multilevel is a design of kitchen island that has table extension. It is made by wooden materials that rich of texture. It makes the kitchen look appealing and stand out.
Black kitchen island with chairs is a unique layout for contemporary kitchen. The L-shaped table extension becomes a good choice for a kitchen with limited spaces. The table can be used separately which is more flexible and efficient.
Black lacquered kitchen island is double bar furniture that is functioned as prep and cooking space. It has a built in stove, sink and drawer that can be used to put your amenities and utensils.
Black marble and cherry wood combination for a kitchen looks unique since the island looks like two different parts that are combined together. The bar extension is made with different color which look very unique and appealing.
Black subway tiles are other appealing kitchen island design for a kitchen. A black kitchen island is not a bad choice indeed it makes the kitchen look chic and sophisticated. It makes the kitchen look dramatic and appealing.
Brown kitchen island design is a versatile modern kitchen island design that is featured with a dining table. The design of the kitchen island is space saving and suitable for small kitchen.
Bulthaup kitchen architecture is unique and efficient in design. The kitchen island has table extension that can be used for two up to three people to dine together.
Composit kitchen island in dark color looks modern and elegant. The bar extends from the kitchen island and the chair has a same design with the kitchen island. This design looks unique and appealing with small details decorates its look.
Cucine Lube wooden kitchen island extend is a continuation design of kitchen island. It is useful and functional even though the design is simple and minimalist.
EuroCucina016 kitchen island design is a unique and modern design of kitchen island that has beautiful appearance. There is hidden storage in the island to make you able to store your amenities and utensils.
Here are some designs of modern kitchen island that is functional as well as appealing in look. You can make or be inspired by these designs to make your own kitchen island that is suitable with your need.


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The best English leather is something special and that is why Northampton uses only English bridle leather from SEDGWICK OF ENGLAND. The hides are carefully selected for strength and then SEDGWICK finishes them by hand with many applications of special fats and waxes that give the leather the most supple and luxurious feel in the world.


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The act of stealing expensive earrings off of a person usually achieved quickest by slicing the entire ear off and driving down the sidewalk in a motorcycle to get away.
"Damnnn! That bitch just got earjacked, I bet if those weren't Harry Winston she could still hear."
by Riff1771 February 17, 2008
buy the domain for your diy blog


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I really enjoy getting emails from users who have found the site useful. Here's the latest I've receieved. This brilliant chap hails from the UK.
Hi , great blog! I just joined! Here is my R6!
YZF-R6 2008 (Bob Chivers)
1. R & G crash bungs (supplied with the bike by George White Superbikes)
2. Powerbronze double bubble screen (supplied with the bike by George White Superbikes)
4. Ohlins TTX36 rear shock with custom spring supplied, fitted and tuned by MH Suspension (My great mate Mark Hammond supplied the First 2009 TTX36 for an R6 in the country at the time, 2009 version came with finger adjustable compression and rebound, took away high and low adjustability in favour of the 'conventional'… brilliant idea, very easy to adjust)
5. Front Forks – Ohlins FPK 107 fork piston kit, Ohlins custom springs and Ohlins oil, supplied, fitted and tuned by MH Suspension (This was again one of the first FPK107 valve kits in the country, mated to Ohlins springs and oil, it also knocks out the high and low compression and rebound circuits replacing it with a more conventional compression / rebound circuit, this single mod made one hell of a difference to the front once 'Botley' (Mark Hammond) worked his Isle Of Man TT magic on them, amongst many other of Botleys TT clients is Mark Parrott )
6. Ohlins Steering damper with Harris fitting kit supplied, fitted and tuned by MH Suspension (Usual Ohlins damper, however, the Harris mounting kit Botley reckons is the Cats Khahoonas)
7. DataTool S4 green alarm system (supplied with the bike by George White Superbikes)
8. CRG CNC shortie (Clutch only) (I did have a pair of these levers, both clutch and brake, but the brake one got replaced with the Brembo jobby, I really like these levers, they really do help as I have small hands, but also, unlike other 'levers' CRG also do allsorts of accessories inc rearsets)
9. Akrapovic complete 4-2-1 stainless Race system (Jamie at Calsport recommended this system over the Evo titanium, also the race one over the road version, as it also carries a baffle, very handy for Castle Combe trackdays)
10. Graves smog block off plates (mandatory with PCV or false readings galore)(You really have to dump the AIS system and replace the system with these block off plates, or the PCV cant lock on to the air ratio as the AIS is dumping fresh air into the system ad hoc)
11. Dynojet PowerCommander V with custom mapping (by JHS Racing)(I chose the PCV over the Bazazz system as its tried and tested, no disrespect to Bazzer it also wasn't available at the time in the UK, James did a spot on job with the Mapping, usual high standard from JHS, I simply wouldn't trust anyone else..)
12. Dynojet Autotune Wide band Lambda sensor kit (set up by JHS Racing) (I really fancied this autotune setup, simply so I could add stuff at a later date and hopefully not have to use the dyno as its pretty much 'tune as you ride' also it allows me experiment with 'map per gear' on the PCV and hopefully slightly more HP)
13. Dynojet quickshifter with secondary module (for top injectors) (I just HAD to get me one of these, simply because its so f*cking cool!… its also a relatively cheap mod it you have a PCV, I LOVE the clutchless roll on throttle upchanges)
14. K& N free flow filter (Used the K&N as there is only one in the range, unlike BMC which have a road and a race version, the K&N does not have the restrictor plate as does the BMC road version, dunno why but it works well)
15. NGK Iridium sparkplugs (In my opinion worth every penny, clean running, crisp throttle response, just generally a noticeable improvement over standard plugs, and worth taking the bike to bits for)
16. InfoRad speed camera detection(mandatory twat detection… a must have and £22 quid of Ebay..bargain, also saved my arse many times!)
17. Speedo Healer V4 (installed this to bring the speedo calibration back to accurate, and its ended up being awesomely accurate and thats checked with two sat navs !..also records highest top speed, but don't tell plod)
18. Brembo M4 monoblock callipers (Absolutely the best mod I have done, no question, you need custom spacers but they cost nothing compared to the gain, See JHS they did mine in 10 mins!, the braking is amazing now, progressive, confidence inspiring and they look the dogs)
19. Probolt S/Steel calliper bolts (Jap bolts are crap and turn to white powdery shite 20 mins out of the showroom, also easy to cross drill for lockwiring, copperslip and torque them up and forget)
20. JHS custom calliper spacers (You have to use these if you use the standard R6 discs as the ones supplied are 5mm too long as they are meant for brembo's 320mm disc not the 310mm yam one)
21. Brembo RCS 19 mastercylinder (The best master cylinder on the road, ratio adjustable so can be used with standard brakes, or twist the pivot pin red side up and its automatically set up for Brembo caliper.
22. Gilles AS31GT rearsets (Super accurate shifting, just what you need with a quickshifter, no slop or wobble…sexy looking too)
23. Gilles Titanium ACM rear axle nut (extravagant yes, but its never let me down, very clever locking system means it wont fall off, also being Titanium it wont rust… or scratch)
24. ProBolt Titanium rear sprocket nuts (Saved almost 150 grams off the rear wheel as rotating mass, they don't rust, and… they are sooo easy to spin off to change sprockets)
25. Afam 46 tooth 520 pitch hard anodised rear sprocket (I was 'sort of' talked into one of these after being a Renthal man most of my life… as good as…if not better than the big R, also went one tooth up from standard on the back to aid 'punch')
26. Afam lightweight 15 tooth 520 pitch front steel sprocket ( As above, but one tooth lower than standard… well pleased, a very cheap and effective mod)
27. Renthal RR4 SRS 520 pitch chain (I really like these chains, over the years I have tried them all, they last very well and don't stretch much, I chose the 520 pitch conversion as it saves a couple or one BHP)
28. Rizoma Race Oil cap and safety wire bracket (I saw this in the Rizoma catalogue and I knew I just had to have one)
29. Oberon CNC fuel cap (Beautifully looking CNC fuel cap, but a flawed genius, the O-rings have turned to slime twice in two years, however the customer service is brilliant, they admitted they had problems with fuel resistant o-rings, but hopefully its now sorted, but it still looks cracking I reckon.


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County Utterly Ignores Residents, and concedes everything to developer!
Jul 13, 2010 05:20 PM
The Hearing Examiner's decision was depressing to say the least. I really was expecting some conditions to be applied to the development which would be in our favor.....but we got absolutely nothing!!
An appeal of Dempsey's decision to the courts would be our next step if we were to take this any further. I'm not sure of the cost involved, and I am not the least bit optimistic that we would prevail there, especially with Bill and his free legal expertise help now gone.
It does appear that we would need to buy the "expert testimony of professionals" as only Whipple and the County engineers were considered to to have any opinion or credentials worth consideration.
Forest Hills Homeowners spent over $400 on the SEPA appeal and is not in a position to spend much more. If we were to pursue this further, there could be considerable expense involved for which everyone would have to contribute. We would need to hire an attorney as well as pay professional engineers to do evaluations for us.
As for poor Dick Olson and his trees, they couldn't even get his name right in the report. His name is Olson, not Wilson! And now they will just chop off the offending overhanging branches anyhow.
Let's see what neighbors think. Please post this e-mail on the n. fivemile website. Thanks
Betty Wilson


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Regional cooperation in Africa
During the 2000s, economic growth in Africa has increased and democracy has been strengthened, with free elections held in several countries. Despite the significant natural resource assets, poverty is widespread. Prerequisites for poverty alleviation are best created at national level. However, management of regional resources involve several countries, which requires regional cooperation.


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By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Brazil's oil giant, Petrobras, announced on Friday a reduction in gasoline and diesel prices at its refineries and a new fuel price policy. According to company officials, an executive group will meet at least once a month to review fuel prices.
"This committee will decide whether to make the adjustments of cutting, raising, lowering or maintaining prices," said Pedro Parente during a press conference on Friday to announce the creation of the Executive Markets and Prices Group and the price reduction of gasoline by 3.2 percent and diesel by 2.7 percent at Petrobras' refineries.
The CEO also emphasized that the Petrobras fuel prices will not fall below cost prices 'under any circumstances'. In the past the government has maintained fuel prices stable or even decreased prices for political gains, resulting in significant losses to the petroleum company.
Parente said that when establishing fuel prices, the group will take into consideration the international parity price (IPP), the margin for additional compensation for risks inherent in the operation and market participation level. Prices will never fall below the IPP, which includes freight and transport costs and port taxes, according to officials.
According to analysts, the reduction in gasoline and diesel prices at refineries should lead to a decrease of fuel prices at the pumps, by 1.4 percent (gasoline) and 1.8 percent (diesel). This is the first time Petrobras has reduced the prices of some of its oil derivatives since June 2009.
For Petrobras officials, this new price policy will be important to attract partners in the refining sector. "(We want) to give clear signals to the market that we want to attract partners to the downstream business, logistics and refining, mainly. For this we need to have a consistent policy of adhering prices in our market share," said Jorge Celestino, Petrobras' director of Refining and Natural Gas.


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Experience the finishing of a wooden javelin/spear and see the different steps of tapering and balancing your tool, as well as proper form for throwing. Learn the history of these tools as weapons around the world. Experience the process of fire hardening, tip sheathing, weighting, and the various lengths for different uses. Students take home a hand out with helpful resources to guide you in practicing form , as well as your finished spear that you've tapered, pointed, handled, and balanced!
No experience required! Please pre-register as spaces are limited.
Ages: 10+
Instructors: Coyote Trails School of Nature Instructor Team
Cost: $25
Location: Coyote Trails' Jefferson Nature Center- Medford, Oregon
Time: 1-3pm
Please dress for the outdoors.
Cancellation Policy: There is a $10 fee for each registration cancelled or changed. Notification of cancellation needs to be received four (4) days prior to the first day of your class in order to receive a full refund minus a $10 processing fee for each student. No refunds are issued if cancellation occurs within less than four (4) days of your class


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Latest Arsenal v Everton odds, team news, betting and free FA Cup bets as the the Gunners look for a place in the semi final.
We're all set for a big Saturday of FA Cup football, with Manchester United facing West Brom in the other kick off at 12:45.
Paddy Power have told us they are offering 5/1 on Robin Van Persie to score anytime to CaughtOffside visitors!
Paddy Power are offering a massive 5/1 on ROBIN VAN PERSIE TO SCORE ANYTIME today (was 8/11 ) Claim this EXCLUSIVE price here!
Arsenal and Everton will hope to continue their quest for silverware when they clash at the Emirates in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup later today.
While Arsenal trophy drought, not entering its 9th year, has been well documented, the Toffee's have been forced to wait even longer for success, their FA Cup win in 1995 is the last time they lifted a top level trophy.
Both clubs are enjoying impressive season's to date, with the Gunners still in contention for the title with 10 games to go, despite a recent blip in form, and Everton just nine points off the Champions league spots.
Both club's will head into the game minus the services of some key men.
Arsenal will be without midfield pair Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere for the clash. Ramsey has yet to play this year as he struggles with a thigh injury, while Wilshere faces six weeks on the sidelines after he suffered a hairline fracture to his left foot in England's 1-0 friendly win over Denmark midweek.
January signing Kim Kallstrom could finally make his debut after fully recovering from a back injury while Laurent Koscielny is winning his battle with a hamstring sustained on International duty with France and should feature.
Nacho Monreal has overcome the ankle injury that saw him miss the 1-0 defeat to Stoke, however Theo Walcott (knee) and Abou Diaby (knee) remain absent.
Everton meanwhile also have some worries going into the game with key defender Phil Jagielka once again set to miss out with a hamstring injury.
The return of Antolin Alcaraz will ease the loss of the England man as too will the presence of Romelu Lukaku up front for the Toffee's. The giant Belgian scored on his return to first team action last time out against West Ham and his ability to make life difficult for defenders will help the Everton cause no end.
January signing Lacina Traore is out with a hamstring injury and will join long term absentees Bryan Oviedo (broken leg), Darron Gibson (knee) and Arouna Kone (knee) in the stands.
The two clubs drew 1-1 when they met at the Emirates in the league in December but they have a poor overall record in London losing 15 and drawing four of their last 19 games in the capital.


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With our smartphone cameras these days being more than capable of replacing some point-and-shoot models, we're sure that there are some who are wondering how our smartphone cameras will hold up against more professional DSLR cameras. Dustin Curtis of Svbtle decided to put Apple's latest iPhone 5 to the test by holding an informal shoot with the Canon EOS 5D MK III, a $4,000 professional grade camera.
How did it fare? Surprisingly despite some pretty obvious flaws such as excessive noise on the photos taken by the iPhone 5, some lacking in detail and sharpness, it holds its own pretty well when resized to more popular formats for web viewing (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.). We doubt you will see iPhone 5s start replacing DSLRs in professional photo shoots anytime soon, but if you've always been curious as to how Apple's latest iPhone measures up against a DSLR, head on over to Svbtle for the full sized photos.


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Zero Motorcycles sells exclusively through authorized dealers.
For purchase information, please select "ADD TO QUOTE" above or contact a Zero Motorcycles dealer.
This is the first leather jacket to be sold by Zero Motorcycles. Designed for premium all-around protection, it is made of genuine leather, with a waist-length cut and minimalist style. Vents in the shoulders, sides and back allow for cool summer rides with minimal drag. Armor on the elbows and shoulders is crafted from impact resistant material. The exterior is 100% leather; the inner lining is 100% polyester.


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'Transformers 2' to Feature Really Huge Transformers
When you're Michael Bay, topping the outsize thrills in the original Transformers requires a simple, obvious, awesome solution.
As we stumbled out of an Imax screening of Transformers last summer, our eyes and ears bleeding from the impact of 143 minutes worth of astronomic CGI explosions and earthquake-inducing THX sound, we wondered how on earth director Michael Bay would ever top such an experience in the film's inevitable sequel (without actually killing moviegoers).
IESB.com reports this morning that he may have found a way: The follow-up to Bay's 2007 $320-million-grossing, critically tolerated smash hit will simply feature BIGGER FUCKING TRANSFORMERS! The Decepticons (the bad guys) in next summer's Transformers 2 will include five Constructicons — an evil bulldozer, an evil excavator, an evil dump truck, an evil concrete mixer, and an evil front-load shovel, all likely out of work during the real-estate crisis — which can band together to form one giant Transformer named Devastator (at left). (For a reminder of what the Constructicons looked like back in the day, check out nymag.com's video of us trying to play with our old Transformers last summer.) Presumably this will result in bigger, louder, more-awesome explosions that even further dwarf the non-charisma of Shia LaBeouf. A simple, obvious, awesome solution. Michael Bay, you are a genius.
IESB Exclusive: Transformers 2 Character Breakdowns Plus New Decepticons! [IESB.net]
Earlier: First Look: Michael Bay's Script for 'Transformers 2'
What Happens When a 32-Year-Old Blogger Tries to Play With His Old Transformers Toys?


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The Great Pendragon Campaign
Home Page
What will ye, and what is your errand?
You are a fighting man, a trained warrior in dangerous times. Your father rules from a strong fortress in the South of Britain, a bastion of order against the lawless wilds, the untamed Welsh and the invading Saxons. You are trained in sword and spear, armour and horse. You have been taught your duty and loyalty to your family, your Lord and your King (Uther Pendragon).
Pendragon is unlike any other role playing game you have played. It is gritty and dangerous. There is little immediate magic. Healing is measured in weeks. Your family is important (and play will cover several generations in this campaign). Development of your family fortune and your standing in Logres will consume your energies. Adventuring will occur as a by-product of the strange and sometimes mystical world of Logres as it interacts with the world of Faerie, and the machinations of enemies of your Lord and your King.
What matters to your character most is Glory. Other people in the world automatically know your relative standing in terms of your glory. The most glorious person in the realm is Uther Pendragon, the High King. Glory is the measure of success and influence. Glory can be gained through great deads or notoriety, great generosity or outstanding attributes. It is in portion inherited – a son may be judged by the deeds of his father.
You will be playing The Great Pendragon Campaign, which covers over 80 years around the time of King Arthur, from the last years of Uther Pendragon, to the decline of the Round Table and the departure of Arthur. Play sessions will be about a year apart in campaign time, and many "housekeeping" activities will occur between play sessions. Sometimes these housekeeping sessions will be important role playing opportunities and will be as absorbing as a good head to head session. We will use this portal to conduct much of the essential between sessions activities and supplemental play. This portal will also be used to advance the story and prepare characters for the upcoming session, as well as to chronicle their deeds from prior sessions. You will get much more out of play if you both check in to this portal, and contribute to the various story threads as they develop between sessions.
take a look at your wiki. There is some more helpful info there.
Character creation information.


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I want someone to make me a wikipedia article
Orçamento $10-30 USD
I want someone to write me a wikipedia Article . i wrote myself twice which was deleted under "Speed Deletion" it was also proved useless. I need someone to post a permanent article in affordable rate . I ain't so famous however we can make blogs by ourselves
Concedido a:
Dear sir I Can write an article on Wikipedia for you in 3 days of 800 words my whats app no - 9466380046 or you can call to me. Relevant Skills and Experience Data Entry work, Seo, articles writing Proposed Miles Mais
6 freelancers estão ofertando em média $35 para esse trabalho
hi there, I'd like to be considered for your project Relevant Skills and Experience I have the required skills and experience in this domain, having 4 years of experience in academic writing, content writing, proofrea Mais
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Looking 4 unfurnished appartment/female flatshare (Bonn)
Hi Bonn friends!
What started as a temporary stay (as a student) in bonn, fortunately changed into a position!
Now, I am struggling to find a unfurnished room / appartment / female flatshare for myself – and my sweet old cat - in a suitable location in Bonn.
Ideally: 2 rooms, open kitchen – please no "pantry küche!" – balcony, situated close to the city/bad godesberg…and all of that shouldn't cost me a fortune :)
Hope to read some great offers/suggestions where to search at.
Many thanks,


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WSJS - Who Should Jesus Spank? Any requests?
I'm outraged and you should be too. But then a good SPANKING from JESUS might solve a few problems, or at least give a guy a boner!?! Please sign in to my guest book and let me know how you feel. And fer CHRIST SAKE, keep it reasonably clean! SMILES...... I should mention that here at the Royal Palace, I've been having some major 'miracle visitations'. So has Mary Mount, my Secretary, MOJO, the Palace 'internal massage therapist', etc.....All of us have had visitations from LORD JESUS...and each dump this has happened, JESUS OUR SAVIOR left a steaming DUMP on the bedroom floor. It's for real, and we are perplexed. Amen!


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- Trending Now: More Trending:
- hogwash probity sequacious inadmissible oligarch, pejorative
Did You Know?
Hydroponics, also known as aquaculture or tank farming, began as a way of studying scientifically the mechanisms of plant nutrition. Hydroponically grown plants may have no solid material under them at all; instead, their roots often simply hang in water with a rich mix of nutrients dissolved in it. The principal advantage to hydroponics is the savings from reduced labor costs, since it's generally carried on in enclosed areas and the irrigation and fertilizing are done mechanically. Peppers, cucumbers, and various other vegetables are produced hydroponically in huge quantities.
Origin and Etymology of hydroponics
First Known Use: 1937
in the meaning defined aboveSee Words from the same year
HYDROPONICS Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of hydroponics for English Language Learners
: a method of growing plants in water rather than in soil
Learn More about hydroponics
See words that rhyme with hydroponics Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hydroponics
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up hydroponics? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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The Academy
Do you do whatever it takes for children to learn?
Do you want to make a lasting impact?
If so, then we look forward to hearing from you. Below you will find a list of current vacancies and details of how to apply for a post.
Literacy and Numeracy Champion
How to Apply
Right click and 'save target as' to download:
Application Form
You will require Adobe ReaderXI to complete and save your application form. Adobe Reader XI is available as a free download from here.
Please note that some earlier versions of Adobe Reader will allow you to view the form but will not allow you to 'fill-in and save'.
The Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This is a core commitment and the Academy expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. In order to safeguard and promote the welfare of its students and ensure that risk of harm is minimised, the Academy employs a safer recruitment and selection policy which complies with national and local guidance. The Academy recruitment procedures take every precaution to ensure that we are satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to work with children.
If you are short-listed for interview, your referees will be asked to provide references before interview and you will be expected to provide proof of eligbility to work in the UK. All successful candidates will undergo an enhanced DBS check.
If you know that you are barred from work with children (i.e. you are on List 99, the PoCA List or have a Disqualification Order, or from October 2009, that you are on the ISA barred lists), you should not apply to work with children.
Any job offer will be subject to satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.
For further information about safer recruitment and pre-appointment checks see Safer Recruitment Policy & Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.


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Talents Sofia is an innovative and new restaurant which brings together the experiences of culinary students from around the world into one place. Talents Sofia is a culinary springboard taking students and guests through the extraordinary quest of the culinary arts with simplicity, honesty and a touch of surprise, offering a different culinary experience.
If you love great food, there's no place better than Talents to get a superb meal at a surprisingly reasonable price.


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|Posted by Olivia Lawrence on July 15, 2013 at 3:40 AM
I don't get around to writing posts all that often, something that I havesworn time and again to work on. As I sit here writing this one it isreally only another way for me to procrastinate further. What am I putting off this time? Packing.
I have now set a date for moving. OnAugust 17th I'll be on the road to Berkeley. So with a month to get everything settled,why have I yet to pack a single thing? Becausethe very thought of it is painful. Whenever I sit down to really think about where to start I begin to lookaround and imagine what the room will look like with all of my stuff gone. I think about watching every trace of medisappear slowly over the next month and it pains me. Because while there are parts of this movethat I can't help but be glad for, going to an amazing school, living in theBay area, getting away from the heat and suffocating conservatism of southernCalifornia, as I prepare to actually move the sad parts begin to surface.
As the reality of moving 8 hours away from the person I love and have livedwith for 4 years hits home, it feels a bit like ripping a part of myselfaway. I don't know how I'm going to copewith not seeing him every day, with going to bed alone every night. This isgoing to be so hard to deal with, and I honestly don't know how I will. I know I'm being extraordinarily melancholyabout the whole thing right now, and that once I'm distracted with school timewill move by rapidly, but sometimes you don't realize how much just someone'svery presence affects your daily life until you begin to picture going day today without them.
So here I sit, procrastinating the packing that inevitably must be done inthe next month, because I just don't want to look around the room and notpicture myself here anymore. Childish,ridiculous, and pointlessly sentimental, but that's what I'm doing.
Categories: Life, School, Travel
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- What are standards and specifications?
- AASHTO - American Association of State Highway Officials
- ACI - American Concrete Institute
- ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials
- CGSB - Canadian General Standards Board
- IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Commonly referred to as I Triple E)
- CSA - Canadian Standards Association
- SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers
What are standards and specifications?
They are documents that stipulate or recommend:
- minimum levels of performance and quality of goods and services, and
- optimal conditions and procedures for operations in science, industry, and commerce - including production, evaluation, distribution, and utilization of materials, products, and services."
...From the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, v.30, 1980, p. 176
The McMaster Library has several sets of standards, the most important full collections being ASTM, from the American Society for Testing and Materials, CSA, from the Canadian Standards Association and IEEE, from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
There are many organizations, both domestic and foreign, that publish standards. The Library may have some individual ones catalogued but does not collect them from most organizations. For example, we may have some British Standards
Association (BSI) standards but not the whole set.
Information about individual standards can usually be found on an organization's website or from ILS Global, a commercial site that sells standards from around the world or ANSI. It is also sometimes possible to borrow standards from another library via RACER.
We also have some handbooks that publish standards for some organizations; some of these are outlined in this guide.
This quick guide refers to the following organizations and how to find their standards:
AASTHO - American Association of State Highway Officials
ACI - American Concrete Association
ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials
CGSB - Canadian General Standards Board
CSA - Canadian Standards Association
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers
AASHTO - American Association of State Highway Officials
Most people need a specific standard or test method from AASHTO. They are found in the following:
Standard specifications for transportation materials and methods of sampling and testing (Ref TE 200 .A6)
There are four volumes : Part 1 : 1A , 1B and part 2 : 2A, 2B
Parts 1A and 1B contain the specifications. Specifications have designations such as <M29-03> and <R29-02 (2006)>.
The numbers <03> and <02> refer to the year the standard was published. Another date in parentheses simply indicates that the standard was re-affirmed in that year.
Parts 2A and 2B contain specific tests. All of these tests have the designation <T> and number of the test; <T-21-05> or T319-03 (2007)>. Again the other numbers refer to the year.
There are indexes in each volume that will tell you which volume contains which standard or test.
There is also another volume to be aware of:
AASHTO Provisional Standards (Ref. TE 200 .A27 curr)
These are standards that have not been affirmed and are not in the other volumes. They have designations such as <MP-16-07>, <TP-61-02> or <PP-34-99>. The tipoff that they are provisional is the <P> .
These are listed in alpha-numerical order by subject in the table of contents. You just have to look through the TOC if you know the number (there are not that many).
ACI - American Concrete Institute
These standards are found in the AACI Manual of Concrete Practice@ (Ref TA 682 .A5 2009 pt.). It is issued annually in parts; currently there are 6 parts plus a separate subject index which also includes a section on concrete terminology.
These standards have designations such as <ACI 107-71(97)> or <ACI 308.1-98>. The numbers following the standard number simply indicate the date the standard was issued or re-approved.
The standards are in numerical order in each part; the range of standards contained in a volume is on the spine of each volume so it's easy to see which volume you need.
Each of these standards also has an individual title by which a person might refer to it instead of the number. These titles are in the TOC of each volume but in numerical, not alphabetical, order. These can also be searched through the ACI catalogue - search only, no online access.
ACI also publishes various other journals, reports, commentaries, etc. which are available separately.
ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials
The ASTM standards are available online; they can be found in the ASTM standards and digital engineering library in the catalogue. Once connected to the site, you can simply search by the designation of the standard such as <A102>. You can also search the site by subject. These standards can be printed or downloaded to your desktop or USB key.
We don't have access to the older historical or withdrawn standards online. 2003 - 2008 are available in print at the library.
The standards have designations such as <A102-07> and <F2367-04a>. <07> or <04 > indicate the year of publication and the <a> indicates a minor editorial change that does not substantially change the content. Not all standards are updated or replaced each year and some are withdrawn.
If you are looking for a print version of the standard and have the number of a standard, look in the first volume ASect.00". There is a numerical index that will tell you which volume to look in for the standard, i.e. ASect. 4, v.8". There is also a subject index in volume 00. Most people will know the number of the standard they require so it's very easy to look up in the index. There are also instructions on how to use the index in the volume
The ASTM website can also be used to search for standards - no access.
CGSB - Canadian General Standards Board
These are currently filed between S and T in the Reference section in the basement. They are in big green binders (note: a number of standards are missing).
These have designations such as:
<CAN/CGSB-38.107-93>, <39-GP-11M> or <62-GP-2b>
These standards are filed in numerical order in the binders. There is a paper index in Quick reference; however it is out-of -date but good for general information about the standards. (CA1 ST35 C31). More information can be found on their website .
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(Commonly referred to as I Triple E)
These standards are available full-text online through IEEE Xplore.
This database also has many other full-text IEEE journals, proceedings, etc.
These standards are also sometimes recognized as American National Standards (ANSI).
ANSI itself does not develop standards but oversees the creation and use of international norms and guidelines for standards and accredits programs that assess conformation to standards.
CSA - Canadian Standards Association
To access these standards, search in the catalogue under CSA standards.
To find a standard by number, click on search my subscription and enter the number such as <A23>. Be aware that this can be a tricky database if you enter too much information. For example, entering <A23.4-05>, the exact number of the standard, will yield no results available. By searching by <A23> you will get 5 hits, including the one you are searching for. Click on view to pull up the PDF file. Click on the highlighted number to see the entire standard.
If the number is not known, the standards can be searched by subject area. Clicking on the subject will open the file, revealing more precise subjects. Click through until you find the one you want and click on view.
The standards can be downloaded.
Note: These are available only online; we no longer have any print. A view only catalogue is available online, and an older edition print catalogue is available by request at the Thode Library service desk. <ZT 59 .A1 C36 curr 2006>.
SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers
The SAE Handbook (Ref. TL 151 .S62 2005 v.1,2,3) contains surface vehicle standards, recommended practices and information reports. Each of these has a designation consisting of the letter J combined with a number. A typical number is <SAE J357 Oct99>. The index in front of volume 1 lists the standards in numerical order and tells which of the three volumes contains the standard, the section and the page. For example, J357 has the following information: <1:12.39>. This means it will be found in volume 1, in section 12, on page 39. Volume 1 also has a subject index. There is also an explanation on how to use the handbook in the front of the volume. Because the Handbook is published annually, some of the standards or reports may not be the most current edition available. The SAE website can be consulted for further information.
Note: The 2005 edition is the last edition in print format. We currently (Nov. 2009) do not have the CD version of the Handbook, the only format available.


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White Supremacists busted in FL
From our buddy, Gateway Pundit, the news that 10 skinhead dolts were arrested in Florida this past weekend (KSEE News link;
A group of white supremacists rounded up in central Florida over the weekend were stockpiling weapons and training for a 'coming race war,' where they planned to kill minorities, immigrants and Jews, according to authorities.
Court documents reveal the ten members of American Front were preparing to become active again and recapture media attention, possibly with an assault on Orlando City Hall, in an effort to attract new recruits.
They were also allegedly planning to manufacture the deadly toxin ricin, which the government considers a weapon of mass destruction.
Filthy inbred scum apparently had a few acres out the woods for their training area, and they had reinforced the perimeter with concrete and railroad ties and had firing ports on their trailer. But here's the part that mystifies me;
Last summer, a member of the US National Guard, who was in a Missouri chapter of American Front, visited the group in Florida for hand-to-hand combat training and instruction on fighting with knives, the Sentinel reported.
First of all, what is the US National Guard? Never heard of it. Why would the article even mention one guy who came from Misouri to train with the ass clowns? Unless they're trying to make the point that there are dangerous members of the military ready to fight a race war, like the Department of Homeland Security said a few years back. One guy in the Missouri National Guard doesn't a conspiracy make.
By the way, I'm stockpiling arms and ammunition, too, but that doesn't make me a white supremacist. Just prepared.
Category: Shitbags


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Raven's Knoll Aug. 2010
Ravens Knoll's Beautiful timber frame stage.
Adam hooks in the sound!
Century CC 35mm projector with a 16mm beer can lamp house as a stop gap solution until we get the proper 1000watt XENON hooked up. It was little under light but worked.
Incident at Smiths Falls now online!
On a weekend in July of 1993, 5 high school kids set off on a trip to a buddys cottage just outside of the small Ontario town of Smiths Falls. After a night of binge drinking and nerdy card games the youths must drive into town in search of water. Their quest for a hangover cure gets them involved in a attempted bank robbery and a run in with the Smiths Falls Police. Based on true incitement in which many of the filmmakers of this short were involved. Shot on Super 8 film and HD (HVX200 P2), Directed by Paul Gordon, 18mins
Posted by lostD at 7:40 PM No comments:
New Short Film Plays March 20th
Short Cuts and Pathways
By Paul Gordon, Super 8 film, 7.20mins, 2010
"Across between a H.P. Lovecraft short story and a Bill Mason canoeing film"
The short premieres at the IFCO Film Gala on March 20th at 7pm at the Library and Archives theatre on 395 Wellington St., Ottawa.
Posted by lostD at 12:55 PM No comments:
Soon on DVD!
Coming early in the new year to DVD:
Baghdad or Bust with lots of extras (Now for sale here)
Rambled with The Incident at Smiths Falls
The complete DUMP TALK series
and a Mash Up of Yellowknife era shorts
Check back for more details
Baghdad or Bust with lots of extras (Now for sale here)
Rambled with The Incident at Smiths Falls
The complete DUMP TALK series
and a Mash Up of Yellowknife era shorts
Check back for more details
Posted by lostD at 10:17 AM No comments:
Canadian Cult Revue Film Series March 2010
Quickbeam Films is one of the co-presenters, for more on the series go here
Posted by lostD at 8:52 AM No comments:
The Feature Windchill Scouting Photos
Back in 2001 when living in Yellowknife I started writing a feature film script called Windchill. Anyway a 45 page draft was completed, but it was later put on the back burner as I left for the Middle East to shoot the feature doc Baghdad or Bust (Winner of The best documentary at the Whistler film festival in 2003).
Its 2009 and Windchill is back on! A final script will be completed by the end of 2009 and we hope to shoot the feature in the spring of 2011.
Here are some scouting photos taken in 2004 of locations in and around Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
Posted by lostD at 4:13 PM No comments:
Recycle, Reuse, Renew! Club SAW's Booth
Did you know that Club SAW (part of SAW Gallery) can project 35mm film. Thanks to some donations of equipment and lots of free volunteer work it has been up and running for over a year now. The projector has been used for Saturday Night Sinema, Cafe Ex and other independent works.
The Club SAW Projection Booth:
Thanks go out to Paul Gordon, John Yemen, Chris Green, Markus Lemm, ET and Stefan St. Laurent for all their help setting up the projectors and getting the space in order. We also thank SAW Video for letting us use their storage space, SAW Gallery for helping with the renovations, IFCO for letting us use a rewind table, Quickbeam films for donating hand rewinds, amps, audio rack, speaker wire and the Dolby processor, and the Bytowne Cinema for donating a booth monitor amp and a scope lens.
Super Simplex 35mm projector
4-Star RCA sound head
ORC 1000 watt Xenon Lamphouse
Dolby Stereo Processor CP55 with a SR/A card
Altec power amps
Altec Booth Monitor
90mm 1.85 lens, 150mm Scope backing lens with B & L Anamorphic, and a 1.37 lens
6000ft or 2000ft reels
The next step is to get Club SAW wired for 5.1 sound.. or at least 4.1 Dolby SR sound. We need the following speakers: Centre channel, Subwoofer and 4 Surround speakers.
Posted by lostD at 9:24 AM No comments:
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Should manatees stay listed as endangered?
In the next several weeks, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make public its final decision on whether to "downlist" the manatee from an endangered to a threatened species — a marker of progress in the species' recovery.
CNN — In the next several weeks, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make public its final decision on whether to "downlist" the manatee from an endangered to a threatened species — a marker of progress in the species' recovery.
The agency invited public comment last year after it proposed reclassifying the aquatic creatures, which weigh half a ton and range up to 13 feet long.
Nearly 4,000 people weighed in. One comment captured the appeal of the endearing animal: "The manatee has become a living icon of Florida as much as orange juice, Mickey Mouse and the beaches."
The government's decision will come amid signs that the manatee is thriving. For the third straight year, spotters counted more than 6,000 manatees navigating Florida's waters. But some believe reclassification is premature.
What's being considered
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages manatee refuges and sanctuaries, last year proposed reclassifying the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened — a less serious status. The Florida manatee is a subspecies of West Indian manatee.
The Endangered Species Act defines an endangered species as one currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.
The designation came with federal restrictions on such things as boat speed and waterfront development that are credited with protecting the species and reversing its decline. The agency said it will continue to lead efforts to increase the population and reduce threats.
The arguments for and against
The agency pointed to "significant improvements" in the manatee population and habitat conditions. "The manatee's recovery is incredibly encouraging and a great testament to the conservation actions of many," Cindy Dohner, the Southeast regional director for US Fish and Wildlife, said at the time.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission submitted comments in favor of the reclassification.
"One of the things we deal with is ... people assume if a species comes off the endangered species list ... it is a failure," said Gil McRae, head of the commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
Part of government's job, McRae said, is to make conservation improvements that get species reclassified as soon as possible.
His thoughts were echoed by Christina Martin, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, which has pushed for the manatee's status change. "There is a limited amount of resources available to protect all the species," she said, adding officials should "focus on the species most in need of being saved from going extinct."
The foundation has represented residents who formed the organization Save Crystal River. Martin said Save Crystal River is concerned the federal government "might adopt more and more restrictions that would be harmful to their community."
Katie Tripp, director of science and conservation for the Save the Manatee Club, agrees the aim is to eventually have the manatee downlisted -- but she said there are legitimate concerns about the plan.
"What I work for every day is to get them to the point of recovery. It is not clear to me how we do that when so many manatees are dependent on things we can't control," she said.
Tripp singled out coastal power plants.
The state has underscored the importance of a warm-water habitat for manatees in Florida. But Tripp said 60% to 70% of the creatures rely on artificial or man-made sources of heat, specifically outflow from coastal power plants.
Why it matters where manatees congregate
The Save the Manatee Club said it is concerned about the concentration of manatees during the winter outside power plants, particularly in the northern part of the state.
"The manatee management community has no control over the power industry," Tripp said. "What will we do if one of these power plants goes away?"
Tripp said up to 1,200 animals have gathered outside a single plant. And, she said, during a 2010 cold snap there was higher mortality outside such facilities.
McRae, with the state research institute, said there is no definitive data on such deaths. He contends manatees "will experience cold kills if they cannot find this warm water."
He agrees it would be ideal for more of the lovable sea cows to gravitate toward natural springs instead of artificial heat sources. "Long term, it is a challenge what to do about that affinity, if in fact any of these plants go offline."
What happens to protections if the status changes
"Should we decide reclassification is warranted, there would be no changes in protections," said Chuck Underwood, a public information officer for the US Fish & Wildlife Service office in Jacksonville. "All existing protections remain in place and enforceable and additional protections, if needed, could be implemented. The species would remain protected under both the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act."
McRae said the state would continue its current program. He touts the state's Save the Manatee Trust Fund. Proceeds from a special manatee license plate contributed to $3.8 million in revenues from the fund in 2015-2016.
"With the long-term support of the Trust Fund, FWC has developed state-of-the-art techniques to monitor manatee abundance, trends in abundance, and threats ..." the commission says on its website.
Tripp, with the Save the Manatee Club, said her group is concerned that a downlisting may cause some officials and communities to be less willing to allocate funds for certain manatee protection.
What the public thinks
The federal wildlife agency asked the public to speak up. A government website lists supporting documents and 3,813 comments sent in last year.
A majority appear to oppose the reclassification.
Christopher Burke, 9, pleaded for officials to keep the current status: "I'm so happy that manatee population is increasing! But at the same time hopping you will not stop protecting them! Please don't down list manatees. I LOVE manatees and got my best friend to love them too."
But Marion Gibbons supports the change.
"Crystal River, FL has hands on experience addressing the needs of manatees, motor boaters, paddle water craft, tour operators, wildlife enthusiasts, residents and visitors," Gibbons wrote. "They are excellent stewards of all these groups. Reclassifying the West Indian Manatees to threatened, will allow Crystal River to change their focus from a 'single species protection' (Endangered) to an 'expanded' focus of all wildlife in their area."
Tripp, of the Save the Manatee Club, said some of those who participated in a peer review for the US Fish and Wildlife Service raised questions about the proposal.
"All comments and information received during the public comment are given consideration during the status review," Underwood said. "Comments, including those from peer reviewers, are addressed in our forthcoming final decision."
The current health of the species
McRae said wildlife officials "feel really good about these numbers." An aerial survey ending earlier this month had a preliminary total of 6,620 creatures, compared to 6,250 in 2016 and 6,063 the year before. That's a far cry from the estimated 1,267 manatees seen in 1991.
The supply of seagrass, the principal diet of the manatee, is good, although there were some challenges in the eastern part of the state in Indian Lagoon, he said.
While the number of counted manatees increased, so, too, did their losses to boat-inflicted injuries. Of 520 deaths last year, 104 were attributed to boats, said McRae.
Federal and state regulations, typically seasonal, target speeders in manatee zones and have a "positive impact," he said.
While manatee deaths typically fall in the upper 300s to lower 400s, 830 were reported to have died in 2013.
"We do see year to year variation in the total numbers," said McRae.
While the species are resilient when it comes to water quality fluctuations, toxic red tide has killed a large number of manatees in the past.
Long-term recovery plans
The Save the Manatee Club said it wants the US Fish and Wildlife Service to update its manatee recovery plan and bring back recovery teams. Such plans provide a framework for actions to protect a federally-listed species with the goal of helping the species become self-sustaining.
"There is not enough planning for the future at this point and I think manatees will suffer because of it," Tripp said.
McRae said new data and positive population changes should be reflected in an updated federal plan. Underwood, with the federal agency, said updating the West Indian manatee plan is one of many recovery tasks that will be undertaken.
"This would include establishing a new recovery planning team," he said. "Who would be invited to be members, what task groups might be formed, etc. would be decided at that time. No date or specific schedule has been set as our current focus remains on the reclassification decision before us."
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2017 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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I'm in the process of creating a VPN app for windows using softether.
I'm able to start vpnclient service but I'm unable to create virtual adapter using the following code :
SoftEtherVPNClient\vpncmd_x64 localhost /CLIENT /CMD NicCreate VPN
The commands are run as administrator and the following errors are returned:
VPN Client>NicCreate VPN
NicCreate command - Create New Virtual Network Adapter
Error occurred. (Error code: 31)
Installation of the Virtual Network Adapter device driver failed.
If VPNClientManager is running, the above error is not shown and adapter will be created.
Is there any other way to create virtual adapter without running the VPNClientManager?
Unable to create virtual adapter from CMD in Windows x64
Post your questions about SoftEther VPN software here. Please answer questions if you can afford.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 3:47 pm
Re: Unable to create virtual adapter from CMD in Windows x64
Please try to run UI helper of SoftEther VPN Client.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


text: Building the Wall by Robert Schenkkan June 15 - July 2 The Rose is incredibly excited to have achieved its first national recognition! As reported on February 5th in The New York Times, The Adobe Rose is one of the first five theatres nationwide working with Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright Robert Schenkkan to produce his newest searing drama Building the Wall. Read the full article here. Purchase Tickets Here


text:
Buy Item $17.99 Retail:
Save 40% ($11.96) $29.95
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In StockStock No: WW008157
International Playthings / 2016 / Gift
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Pixel Art creates an astounding work of art with pegs---something that both children and adults will enjoy. Just place the guide sheets over the pegboards, start sticking the pegs through them, and the fun begins! The pegs come in 6 colors, yet if you look at your creation from a distance, they will merge, to form an image with new colors. It's like looking at a photograph.
|Format: Gift
Vendor: International Playthings
Publication Date: 2016
|Dimensions: 12.25 X 16.125 X 4.375 (inches)
Ages: 9-17


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A man armed with a large carving knife is suspected of robbing two north suburban hotels Sunday night, according to a WBBM-TV report.
At about 6 p.m., Gurnee police received a report of an armed robbery at the Country Inn & Suites at 5420 Grand Ave. in Gurnee, police said.
Less than five hours later, at 10:37 p.m., a similar robbery occurred at the Midlane Hotel in the 4500 block of Yorkhouse Road in Waukegan, the release said. The suspect in that robbery was also armed with a knife, according to police.


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Miranda Kerr Talks Juggling Modeling With Motherhood: "It's Perfect, I Love It!"
Miranda explains to HollyBaby how she juggles life as a supermodel with mommyhood!
Having a high profile career and a family can be extremely tough— Especially if you're a busy, high demand supermodel photographing with some of the world's most esteemed photographers on location like Miranda Kerr! So how does the Victoria Secret Angel manage being a model mom?
HollyBaby.com caught up with Miranda during her NYC debut of the 2.5 million dollar Fantasy Treasure Bra in NYC and she told us exactly how she gets the job done but makes time for 9-month-old Flynn too.
"Victoria Secret is like family and it's really nice because he comes with me on a lot of photoshoots," she explained. "I wake up in the morning, I feed him, and then he'll have his little nap then he'll come and see me at lunch time. When he wakes up again for a few hours, he can play, and it's nice to have him around. And then we go home together. We make sure he gets his naps in and then I see him when he's awake. It's perfect I love it."
Miranda is keen on spending as much time with her little man as possible, and suggested for all mom's to do the same. Because before you know it, that little bundle of joy is a big kid and the time flies by!
"Just enjoy it you know because they just grow up so quickly," she said. "Already he's 9 months and he's like crawling around and it feels like yesterday when he was just born!"
There you have it! Modeling and mommying made easy! How do you manage your career and kids? Tell us!
Janice Williams
More Baby News!


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Best Ways to Charge a MacBook: 5 Tips & Tricks
Best Ways to Charge a MacBook: 5 Tips & Tricks is a post by Craig Lloyd from Gotta Be Mobile.
You may know of some different tips and tricks on how to get the best battery life out of your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, but what about keeping the battery itself healthy and lasting a long time?
Batteries don't last forever, and their quality degrades over time, to the point where it may even no longer hold a decent charge. However, you can at least slow down the degradation by taking good care of the battery and following a few simple guidelines to keeping your MacBook's battery healthy for as long as possible.
Every battery is different due to how it's used by the MacBook user, but a battery should last around three years before it starts slowly degrading, but some users have reported that it's been only two years before their MacBook's battery life began plummeting. Again, there's nothing you can really do to stop a battery from degrading and eventually dying, but there are ways to at least keep it from starting to degrade for as long as possible.
Don't Drain It Constantly
It's a bad idea to let your MacBook's battery constantly get to a low percentage before you recharge it. In fact, it's best to The shorter the discharge period, the longer the battery will last. It's best to avoid full discharges and charge the battery more often between uses. A good percentage to aim for is discharging it to 50% and not letting it discharge further if you can help it. In fact, charging your MacBook in short spurts is best, rather than constantly recharging it from 0% to 100%.
Doing this can actually cause slow damage to the battery if you constantly discharge it to 0% and back up to 100%, but what about calibrating the battery? Good question.
Calibrate the Battery Every Once in a While
Calibrating a battery requires the user to completely discharge a battery to 0% and the charge it back up to 100%. This not only gives you a more accurate percentage reading when using your MacBook, but it also prolongs the life of the battery in general.
However, in order to get these benefits, you only want to do this every now and then. Apple recommends doing it once a month, but you can easily get away with doing it every couple or few months.
Heat Is a Battery's Worst Enemy
While a battery naturally gets hot when it's charging, heat can quickly degrade the life of a battery. Heat is bad for any kind of gadget, because it can cause overheating and damage the processor and other circuitry, but batteries are more sensitive to heat, which is why it's important to never leave your laptop in a hot car if you can help it.
According to research performed by the Center for Automotive Research at the Ohio State University in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards Technology, lithium-based batteries that are operating at above 30°C (86°F) are at risk, since this is considered an elevated temperature. "Exposing the battery to high temperature and dwelling in a full state-of-charge for an extended time can be more stressful than cycling."
This is why we recommend using a laptop stand of some kind so that air flow can get to the bottom of the laptop and cool things down.
What About Keeping It Plugged In All the Time?
Plenty of MacBook users leave their machine plugged in all day, especially if they're at a workstation and not on the road. Leaving the charger plugged in all the time isn't good for the battery, as the high voltage that's used to charge the battery is still being applied over and over again to keep the battery at 100%.
Even the high voltages used to charge a battery isn't good for it, which is why there's a max voltage that chargers are stuck to. Ideally, the lower the voltage, the longer a battery will last before it needs replaced. Keeping the charger plugged in all day is simply just exposing the battery to the higher voltages, which can degrade the battery much quicker.
This is why I personally like to use something like Belkin's Conserve Socket if I need to charge something up overnight. This little contraption cuts off the power after a set amount of time (30 minutes, 3 hours, or 6 hours), that way I'm not leaving my equipment charging all night.
Battery-Monitoring Apps You Can Use
There are plenty of apps that you can download and install on your MacBook that monitor the health of the MacBook's battery. However, Battery Diag is one of the best apps we've tried out.
It's a battery monitor app that shows your MacBook battery's capacity and remaining charge as a percentage. The app also displays the source, battery health, number of charge cycles, and estimated time remaining on the current charge. You can even get more details, like the temperature of the battery and power usage displayed in watts.
Plus, Battery Diag looks great, with the user interface that resembles an iOS 7 app. It also uses minimal system resources and sits quietly in your menu bar.


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For Students
The Office of Academic and Advising Services offers many services, programs, and opportunities for current Mercer-Macon students. Whether you are seeking assistance with academic advising, guidance in your health professions pursuits, or wanting to become more involved on campus, check out all Academic and Advising Services has to offer.
Academic Advising
The Office of Academic and Advising Services coordinates academic advising for students around the Macon campus. For first-year students, the primary academic advisor is the instructor of their UNV 101 course. Upperclass students are assigned an academic advisor in their major department.
Pre-Professional Program Guidance
Students following in a pre-health track receive secondary advising from the Office of Academic and Advising Services related to their coursework and general preparation for entering professional school. The Coordinator of Pre-Professional Programs offers track-specific Student Handbooks, group information sessions and workshops, and individual advising for students on pre-health professions tracks>>.


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By Kat
At a recent concert stop in Tinley Park, Illinois, British rock band Radiohead debuted a new song titled "Full Stop" to the delight of the crowd. The new song follows the release of the band's latest album "The King of Limbs".
Writes The Rolling Stone:
Like other new tunes the group has been trying out in recent sets, "Full Stop" pushes the dark and densely rhythmic sound of the King material in a more aggressive direction. This number is particularly menacing, with beats that tumble out violently as Thom Yorke chants "the truth will mess you up," a sentiment that is so very Thom Yorke that it's surprising it took so long for him to actually sing it.
Have a listen and tell us what you think of Radiohead's latest work!
Radiohead has a few more stops on the North American leg of its current tour – notably concerts in Montreal and Toronto – before closing out their 2012 schedule with gigs in France, New Zealand and Australia. Remember that you can get Radiohead tickets for any of their dates with ShowTimeTickets.com – we're never sold out!


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Nycomed finds a US partner for asthma drug
Alvesco was approved earlier this month for maintenance and prevention of asthma after a long delay at the FDA, which issued an approvable letter in 2004.
Sepracor expects to launch Alvesco in the second half of the year. As part of the deal, the firm paid Nycomed $150 million up front. It will pay unspecified royalties on sales, plus up to $280 million in milestones. Nycomed is retaining all rights to Alvesco (ciclesonide) outside the US and has partnered with Teijin Pharmaceuticals in Japan, where Alvesco was launched in 2007.
The drug has seen multiple handoffs. Ciclesonide developer Altana Pharma was purchased last year by Nycomed for $6.8 billion, after which Altana launch partner Sanofi-Aventis transferred the Alvesco rights back to Nycomed. That left the privately held Swiss firm, which lacks a US sales force, with no way to bring Alvesco or its cousin Omnaris (a nasal spray formulation of ciclesonide for treating allergic rhinitis approved in 2006) to market.
Sepracor plans to launch Omnaris this spring, adding to a respiratory portfolio that also includes COPD/asthma treatment Xopenex and Brovana, approved for COPD.
It's not out of the woods yet, though, say analysts. "[B]oth the asthma and allergic rhinitis markets are crowded, with significant generic competition, and it is not clear how ciclesonide is differentiated from other corticosteroids," wrote Friedman Billings Ramsey analyst David Amsellem in an investor note today.
Once-a-day ciclesonide dosing is an advantage over twice-daily inhaled corticosteroids budesonide and fluticasone. But fluticasone, the active ingredient in GlaxoSmithKline's Flonase, went generic in 2006 and accounts for roughly 45% of prescriptions, Amsellem pointed out. And for asthma, GSK's Advair is widely used in the maintenance setting and could become generic in 2011.


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Sophomore Blair Ashley Named Goldwater Scholar
A sophomore majoring in Kinesiology and Neuroscience, Blair S. Ashley was one of three William and Mary students to receive a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for the coming year.
The scholarships, valued at up to $7,500 a year for up to two years, were awarded to 323 undergraduate students nationwide who are studying mathematics, science or engineering.
Ashley leaned toward attending William and Mary from the beginning because of its moderate size and its student-to-faculty ratio. She particularly was impressed by the acceptance rate of its graduates into medical schools-three times the national average. Now, as a campus tour guide, she routinely is asked by prospective students and their parents whether the strength of the science programs suffers because the College is viewed as a liberal-arts institution. "I justify that by the recent accomplishments of scientists here," she said. "I tell them, 'The principal investigators, who also serve as our professors, have a lot of national and private support behind them. They are being published in major journals. They are a hidden gem on campus."
Her research experience only solidifies the claims she makes as a guide. She has worked in the laboratory with Robin Looft-Wilson, assistant professor of kinesiology, studying vascular physiology, and has taken three successive classes with Shreiber as she concentrates on "the interface between mathematics and biology." Not only have the professors worked with her individually, she has helped bring them together. "Professors here are very eager to learn from each other and to collaborate on each other's projects," she said. "The three of us are keeping an open dialogue."
Ashley serves as a waitress at a local restaurant, which enables her to "develop another friend base," she said. When possible, she participates in club basketball games. She also finds that serving as a tour guide tends to be mildly therapeutic. "It provides a nice reminder of why I came here and why I love William and Mary so much," she said.


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In case you missed it, here is my recap of the ZOOMA Florida Fitness Expo and Honest Tea Mocktail Party.
On Saturday morning, my alarm started going off at 6 AM. As I started getting ready for the ZOOMA Florida Half Marathon, I realized just how much I appreciated the late race start. I mean the weekend before I was waking up at 2:45 for a 5:30 start time! I felt like I was really well rested and that I could totally rock this race. Even my bruised toenail seemed to be cooperating this morning.
Around 6:45, I grabbed a banana to eat just before the race and headed down to the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. The shuttles were leaving at 7 AM and I didn't want to miss them otherwise I would be running the 5k race. While I was waiting, Caitlin, Julie and Mary came down. The four of us chatted for a little bit until Tricia came in to tell everyone that the shuttles were ready. We hoped on one of the white school buses and headed to downtown Fernandina Beach.
2013 ZOOMA Florida Half Marathon
The weather for this race couldn't have been more opposite from the marathon I ran the weekend before. Seriously! It was cold, windy and overcast. People were looking at me a little strange because I was wearing a short sleeve shirt. I was cold but not freezing and I knew that I would warm up once I started running.
While we were waiting near the staring line, we found some of the other race ambassadors (Michelle, Lorraine, Renee and Amanda). Michelle and I decided to the run the race together since we both had a goal of finishing in less than 3 hours (Spoiler Alert: That didn't happen …). Right at 8 AM, the race was officially started!
Miles 1 to 3: Fernandina Beach
- Mile 1: 10:37 min/mile
- Mile 2: 13:04 min/mile
- Mile 3: 14:44 min/mile
The first mile of the course was through downtown Fernandina Beach. Michelle and I kept saying how beautiful and quaint the area was. The city wasn't quite awake yet so there were hardly any spectators.
Sorry Michelle! I couldn't resist posting this awesome picture of you.
Michelle really set an awesome pace for the first mile. My body was still stiff but I was able to keep up without too much difficulty. Since this was my first run after my marathon, I was really impressed with my average pace.
The second mile took us out of the downtown area and through a hilly section. It wasn't too bad but we decided to start talking walk breaks as we needed them. Of course, the added walk breaks caused our pace to slow down quite a bit. The third mile continued along the same road. We ran past a cemetery and then up and over a bridge. Michelle said that we were getting close to Fort Clinch State Park.
After the bridge, we turned and then entered the state park. The park was gorgeous! It reminded me of some the historic Southern towns I have traveled to many times before.
Miles 4 to 8: Fort Clinch State Park
- Mile 4: 16:29 min/mile
- Mile 5: 15:13 min/mile
- Mile 6: 14:55 min/mile
- Mile 7: 17:56 min/mile
- Mile 8: 16:01 min/mile
At the Mile 3 Marker, Michelle needed to make a pit stop. When we started running again, we both decided that our legs were exactly happy about our decision to run the half marathon. Our walk breaks became longer and our running pace became slower. Regardless of how our bodies felt, we were having fun.
The course wound along the roads through the state park. Along the course, there were inspirational messages from the ZOOMA ladies. Michelle and I loved reading them.
By the time we made it to Mile 6, we were ready for a change of scenery. We loved the park but it felt like we were running through it forever. Just before we saw the Mile 8 Marker, we saw the end of our adventures through the park. My legs had finally loosened up and I was ready to really run. Unfortunately, Michelle didn't think she would be able to run anymore. She told me to go on without her.
Miles 9 to 13.1: Amelia Island
- Mile 9: 11:39 min/mile
- Mile 10: 13:59 min/mile
- Mile 11: 14:19 min/mile
- Mile 12: 14:39 min/mile
- Mile 13: 14:00 min/mile
As I turned onto A1A, I did some quick math and realized that I would not finish before my 3 hour time goal. I was disappointed with myself but I also knew that I wouldn't have traded a moment of my time running with Michelle for a faster finish time. I turned my run-walk-run timer and started following my 3:1 ratio.
The course continued along A1A for what seemed like forever. For the next 4.5 miles (approximately), I ran along the shoulder of the road. The houses along the beach were all shapes and sizes. Some of them appeared to be newer (and larger) than others. I grew up near beach houses along the Gulf of Mexico so I enjoyed seeing the ones on the Atlantic Ocean.
Eventually, I started seeing the outline of the resort. I knew that I would be making a turn off of A1A and onto the beach very soon. I didn't really ask too many questions about the course but I had assumed that there would be a boardwalk or something for us to run on.
I assumed wrong. The last half mile of the race was on the beach. I may live near the beach but I never actually run on the sand. I loved hearing the crash of the waves and smelly the salty sea air. I didn't really enjoy the sand in my shoes though or the difficulty I was having with running on the soft sand.
Before I knew it, I was coming up on the finish chute. A huge smile spread across my face as I realized that I had done the impossible. I ran a half marathon the weekend after my first full marathon. I didn't finish in the time I was hoping for but I did it and that is good enough for me!
Official Finish Time: 13.1 miles in 3:11:21 (14:36 min/mile avg. pace)
Instead of a finisher's medal, ZOOMA finishers are given a beautiful necklace. While I can't put it on my medal hanger, I can wear it every single day. I love the meaning behind the symbols of the necklace.
2013 ZOOMA Florida Race After Party
After I crossed the finish line, I found my boyfriend waiting for me. I grabbed a couple of bananas and a bottle of water before heading to the After Party. The race ambassadors were supposed to be meeting at 11 AM for pictures and I knew I was running a little late. It didn't take me long to find the others and was relieved to find out they hadn't taken any pictures yet.
[Renee, Presley, Mary, Caitlin, Julie, Amanda, Lynda, Me and Lorraine]
After we took a couple of regular shots, someone suggested that we take a goofy photo. A suggestion was made that we all lift our left leg. I think we were a little overzealous with that idea because none of us could keep our legs up for more than 30 seconds or so.
I am pretty sure that is the best post race picture ever!!!
Once we were finished with the pictures, I headed over to the breakfast area. The hunger was starting to set in and I really wanted some coffee.
After I grabbed some delicious food to eat, I spotted Michelle coming towards the food area. She looked happy to be finished with the race. She told me about the last five miles of her race. I was really happy for her when she said she ran across the finish line! Since she missed the group photos, she and I took some of our own. (I still had crazy, wind hair going on!)
Before heading back up to the room, I wandered around to see what else was going on that the after party. The ZOOMA ladies really did think of everything when it comes to what runners want after crossing the finish line. There was a live music for those that wanted to dance, an area for yoga for those that wanted to stretch and massage therapists for those that needed knots worked out.
Final Thoughts
I really think that this race was very well organized. The course was flat, beautiful and great for someone looking to PR. The portion on the sand was a little rough though. I felt like the Expo had a good variety of vendors considering the race size and that the after party was a lot of fun. I wish I would have had a little more left in so I could have participated one of the yoga classes but I really wanted a shower! I would absolutely run this race next year, even if it is the weekend after the WDW marathon again.
Disclosure: As part of being a ZOOMA Race Ambassador, I was provided with a free race entry. I paid for all other food and travel expenses.


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When I go out to take pictures of Barcelona, I like to choose a neighborhood and spend the morning or the afternoon there, discovering spots, walking through its streets.
Some months ago I decided to go to Poblenou; I was looking for a spot for a photo shoot and the best way to find it is by walking.
I was very lucky because my friend Marta came along. Marta is from Poblenou, and while I was taking pictures, she was giving me a history lesson of the buildings, the abandoned factories….
A great experience…
Here is a small compilation of that day.


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In 1968, Tax Protestor Gordon Kahl stopped filing IRS 1040 Income Tax Returns. For 9 years thereafter, the IRS ignored him, but in 1977 after Gordon Kahl spoke on an evening radio talk show regarding the illicitness of the income tax, some 250 phone calls would come into the radio station over the next two days; either supporting Kahl in some aspect, or pledging never to file another tax return.
And with that, the IRS came down on Kahl like a ton of bricks. They quickly assembled a case against him and two weeks later threw a criminal prosecution against him for violating Title 26, Section 7203 ["Willful Failure to File"]. Gordon Kahl was a low-income farmer not even meeting minimal statutory standards for threshold income levels achieved before being required to file 1040s, but that was not about to stop the IRS, who is good at changing the facts by creating facts.


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'People's Brief' to be submitted to the Supreme Court of the United States
The Human Rights Campaign announced yesterday that its "People's Brief" — an amicus (or 'friend of the court') brief will be filed with the Supreme Court on Friday (March 6, 2015) in advance of its forthcoming hearings on marriage equality. The brief, authored by DOMA lawyer Roberta Kaplan, has been signed by 207,551 supporters in all 50 states, including yours truly.
The HRC statement says:
Signatories on the brief include LGBT citizens, family members and friends of LGBT individuals, and other fair-minded Americans who believe that the U.S. Constitution guarantees marriage equality for all, regardless of their sexual orientation. Notably, more than 28,000 people signed The People's Brief who live in one of the four Sixth Circuit states (Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky) where gay couples cannot currently marry and where cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court. Additionally, nearly 20,000 signatures – or about ten percent of the total number of signatories – came from the state of Texas alone, where the fight for marriage equality continues as well. Not surprisingly, there were also relatively large numbers of signatories from other states such as Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi where gay couples currently are not allowed to get married.
"The People's Brief is yet further proof that the time is right for the Supreme Court to recognize the simple proposition that all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation, and regardless of the state in which they live, are entitled to be treated the same under the law, including with respect to the right to marry the person who they love," said lead counsel on the brief, Roberta Kaplan.
Edie Windsor, the trailblazing plaintiff at the heart of the Windsor case that defeated DOMA in 2013, was the first person to sign The People's Brief. "I have said that the word marriage is a magic word – and it should be available to every person," said Edie Windsor. "I'm so proud that more than 200,000 Americans joined me in signing the People's Brief, urging the Supreme Court to allow every person to marry the person they love and to live openly and with dignity."
In late April, the Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments for the cases challenging marriage bans; meanwhile, states, like Nebraska, continue to add themselves to the growing 'wait list' of states where marriage bans have been overturned but are on stay pending appeal.
In Alabama, however, the controversial Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Roy Moore, continues to lead a defiant struggle against the U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow the Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to stand by refusing the stay, and recently asked probate judges to stop issuing marriage licenses.
Grab your popcorn, people! The willful confusion defiance of state officials, and, as the Washington Post refers to it — "the standoff" — is likely to continue through April and into June when we expect the Supreme Court to resolve the issue of national marriage.
About Kathryn Hamm
Wedding innovator Kathryn Hamm (@madebykathryn) is co-author of The New Art of Capturing Love: The Essential Guide to Lesbian & Gay Wedding Photography (Amphoto Books, 2014), an Education Expert for WeddingWire and Publisher of GayWeddings.com