text:
A man was critically injured Sunday night in a house fire in Sansom Park, authorities said.
The man, whom authorities did not identify, was taken by ambulance to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. He suffered severe burns, a MedStar official said.
The blaze was reported shortly before 8:45 p.m. Sunday in the 5100 block of Urbanview Street in Sansom Park.
Sansom Park police Chief Chief Randy Driver said the home was being heated with the kitchen stove.
"It looks like the flame went out, the gas went up the vent-a-hood that didn't vent outside, but went into the attic. The attic filled with gas."
The 57-year-old man sustained second- and third-degree burns when he lit a cigarette that ignited the gas fumes, Driver said.
The person who called 911 said the man's clothing was on fire, but it was out by the time firefighters arrived, Driver said.
Tarrant County Fire Marshal Randy Renois said that a pair of his investigators went to Parkland today to interview the victim, but the man was intubated.
Renois added that the man was burned over the front of his body, but he did not know what percentage of his body was burned.
The man was taken to Parkland by ambulance because the weather prevented helicopters from flying, Driver said.


text:
Fresh air, fresh thinking, fresh perspectives!
"What a simple yet super-effective way to spin up some fresh ideas and meet some fellow business folks! It was a great couple of hours and set me up for a fabulously productive day. Thank you!"
When intelligent, motivated people journey together through inspiring landscapes, a creative spark is lit. Add expert facilitation and the effect can be transformative.
This is what underpins Fresh Air Business Walking – a membership and pay-per-walk programme for business leaders and their guests seeking fresh air, fresh perspectives, and fresh conversations. Download the Fresh Air Business Walking Brochure here.
Is this for me?
Do you want:
- Fresh air, great conversations, and laughter in your business life?
- Time-out to relax, draw energy and inspiration from stunning natural environments?
- A powerful alternative to indoor meetings – with your team, your clients etc.?
- Access to a more creative and engaging form of networking?
- To experience outdoor coaching, to think more clearly and creatively about big challenges and choices?
- Safe and supported access to some of the UK's most iconic natural landscapes?
- An expertly led walking programme to support your health and fitness goals?
- The opportunity to develop some outdoor leadership skills?
If any of these apply to you, Fresh Air Business Walking will provide the space and support to meet your needs. Download our Fresh Air Business Walking Brochure here.
How does this work?
There are two-ways to enjoy Fresh Air Business Walks. Many of our clients take up a subscription membership and then invite guests on a pay-per-walk basis. Non-subscription members can join walks on a pay-per-walk basis too.
Subscription members have access to a programme of two scheduled walks each month in their region. One is a half-day, and one is a whole day. In addition there is often a third short-notice walk that aims to take advantage of reliable forecasts of fine weather. In addition to normal daylight walks, short-notice walks can include moonlit ascents of regional mountains to experience unforgettable summit sunrises.
Once per quarter there will be an "out of area" walk in one of the UK's National Parks or other stunning upland or mountainous area. This will be at additional cost.
The rolling 3-month programme is notified to subscription members in advance. Short-notice walks are notified by email. Links are provided to Eventbrite where full details of each walk are posted.
Currently, the programme operates in South West England, South Wales, and Scotland.
How fit do I need to be? How long are the walks?
All our walks are on established paths and conducted at a pace that allow people to talk comfortably. There are plenty of stops too. Short walks are generally 2 – 3 hours in duration, and the longer walks 4 – 6 hours. If you are in any doubt about your ability to undertake a walk consult your GP and the walk leader.
What about medical conditions and injuries?
Disclosure of medical conditions and injuries is important. This will allow your walk leader to provide the best possible support.
What about clothing and kit?
A clothing and kit list is included in the Eventbrite post for each walk. We have a limited number of items we can lend if required. In any event, clients are strongly advised to invest in a pair of lightweight breathable waterproof walking boots (e.g. with a Goretex or similar lining). Get in touch and we can advise. Note that we can also provide a 15% discount arrangement with Cotswold Outdoor. Wellington-style boots are not suitable.
What about the weather?
The walks will go ahead in all but the most extreme weather. Your leaders will ensure everyone has a safe and rewarding walk. Routes may be modified to make the best of conditions.
Who is looking after me?
We will always aim to provide experienced and qualified Mountain Leaders on a ratio of 1:8 clients . Their details, including their wider business leadership and coaching experience, will be included in the Eventbrite post for each walk. Dave Stewart, MD The Fresh Air Learning Company, will lead many of the walks. You can read more about him here.
What is the price?
The pay-per-walk price varies between £30 and £60 depending on the level of challenge, topic, and distance from our home base. This price covers:
- Provision of qualified outdoor leaders on a ratio of 1:8 clients.
- Provision of business coaching (if required).
- Instruction in outdoor leadership skills (if required).
The 6-month subscription price is £300. This covers:
- The pay-per-walk features above.
- Two scheduled walks per month. Any other short notice walks are also included.
- An invitation, once per quarter, to an "out of area" walk in one of the UK's National Parks or other stunning upland or mountainous area (at additional cost).
- A free lift on a first come, first served basis from a convenient city location.
- The opportunity to network on-the-day, as well as across the wider subscription membership via a LinkedIn group and Facebook page.
- The opportunity to bring along guests on a pay-per-walk basis.
- Loan of outdoor clothing and kit (excludes boots) on a first come, first served basis.
- 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor.
How do I sign up?
Pay-per-walk. Simply check out our Fresh Air Business Walking programme and follow the relevant Eventbrite link for full details and to make your booking.
Subscription membership. Email us at email@example.com and we will invoice you by return for your 6-month membership.
Want to know more?
- Download our Fresh Air Business Walking Brochure
- Check out our programme of open events.
- Fill in the form or contact us as follows:
0800 052 7900 (free from UK landline)

subset: commoncrawl


text: CHICAGO — A reputed street gang member pleaded guilty Monday in Cook County Juvenile Court to charges of aggravated battery for shooting an innocent 10-year-old bystander, blinding him. As part of the plea agreement, Associate Judge Harry Aron committed the 16-year-old boy to state prison for an indefinite term. The boy admitted shooting at a rival in a breezeway at 5266 S. State St. on April 4, but a bullet struck the victim in the head as he stood waiting for an elevator to visit his grandmother.


text:
It's been a long time + ambitious new version
I know. It's been an awfully long time. Work has been crazy and Pins didn't get all the tlc it deserved lately. But that's about to change. What I'm finishing off right now is a completely new and detached api on the cloud. This will have two consequences: 1) your bookmarks will virtually be available anywhere (including, when the frontend is done, on any web browser) at any time. 2) there will be no more sync, because all data will live in your online account. 3) of course this means Pins will only work while your computer is actively connected to the internet.. but let's face it: what good is a bookmarking app if it's offline, right? It's very nature, I believe, allows for this minor inconvenience in order to gain such great benefits.
I'm thinking of adapting the coming version of Pins for mac to the new api. The best thing would be to allow a user to choose whether to jump on the online version or not. But the newest versions will probably only support the online versions anyway, it makes more sense. Also I think that the best option here is to make Pins itself free to try and have different options as in app subscriptions. But of course all existing Pins users would at least get either a discount or a free year or something. But I'm just thinking out loud here, and of course I'm interested in your opinion on the matter. I think that the benefit of having Pins on the cloud (which will finally allow to have your bookmarks really anywhere and constantly in sync without any hassle) is worth it.
So that's it for today's update. Now let's get back to work. Have a great day!


text:
Three years and nine days after the first word of a proposal to change the zoning of a full block of California SW on the south end of the Admiral District, the proposal has finally reached the City Council, which has the final say.
(Screen grab from Seattle Channel stream of this morning's hearing)
Its Committee on the Built Environment has just concluded its first hearing on the proposal to change the zoning along a block-plus of California SW (Hanford to Hinds) from NC1-30 to NC2-40, enabling larger businesses and taller buildings.
Despite the time it has taken for the proposal to get to this point, council staffer Michael Jenkins noted to the committee, "You are pressed for time on this" – it's now close to the end of the 120-day period allotted for committee action. It's been pushed off this long because the city recommendation on the proposal came right before fall – which happens to be when councilmembers are focused on budget matters; they have wrapped those up except for next Monday's final budget vote, so that's why they were able to take it up today.
No one was there for public comment (on this issue or anything else on the agenda) at today's meeting. The council spent about half an hour listening to Jenkins' presentation, involving the issues on which we've reported many times before (here's our coverage archive). Clark summarized that the main issues seemed to her to be the height analysis – how would the upzoning really affect the area – and interpretation of whether this fits with the Admiral Neighborhood Plan. There were some technicalities bandied about regarding the "adopted" plan versus the "recognized" plan; Clark said she has always felt the entire "recognized" plan should be considered as such. Councilmember Sally Bagshaw suggested a "field trip" to the site; no date was set but Clark said that certainly was possible. Clark asked for clarification of whether the property owners who proposed this (Mike Gain and Roger Cayce) owned all the parcels (they don't, though Jenkins didn't have that information handy) or had a special agreement with other owners supporting the proposal.
Bottom line: There will be at least one more hearing in this committee – they are scheduling November 30th for oral arguments, and the people challenging the rezone (six appeals, largely involving dozens of nearby residents) will get 15 minutes to split among themselves, while those seeking it (and, since it recommended approval, the city Department of Planning and Development), will get 15 minutes. After that hearing, committee chair Clark said, they will decide if the committee is ready to vote on the request – or if they will schedule one more meeting on December 8th. Once this committee makes its decision, a full council vote would be next. (One note, the graphic on the screengrab above is erroneous; though the term appeared throughout the meeting stream, this is not a CONTRACT rezone, which would involve a specific project; this is a general rezone – differences explained here.)


text:
Call for Art: [ ] ("Spaces"), The Depot, Richmond, VA and Online
Deadline: April 23
[ ] ("Spaces") art exhibition features works that examine spaces in a digital context, and more importantly, the nature of being "digital." The pieces call attention to how the user interacts with a computer generated or altered environment—is it really a space if no one is there to experience it? In some cases, the work allows the user to explore aspects of the real world in a way that can only exist in the digital realm. In others, the work may become completely detached from the sensations provided by our tangible experiences to evoke feelings of the surreal and otherworldly. One uses their 21st century vernacular of electronic interaction to navigate these unreal environments while staying somewhat familiar and grounded in their own reality. This show will bring digital and virtual art to Richmond, Va.


text:
Customer Support Spotlight 4 – How to resolve a customer service breakdown?
Written by Sairam Krishnan on June 20, 2012
I had ordered a copy of Brian Greene's book 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' from an online bookseller last month. The book was supposed to arrive in three days. I'm guessing the book would have been a pretty awesome read, but I really wouldn't know. It took the seller eight emails, a few phone calls and twenty six days to tell me that they never had the book in stock. Ever!
System error, apparently. Of course, there were a few other more creative excuses thrown in along the way. At one point, the support rep on the other end of the phone told me about a policy that international editions would take a week longer than others. I could visualize him taking his hat off and pulling a new policy from it!
As the story goes, eventually the bookseller decided to unilaterally cancel my order. Not that the gift coupon or store credit that they DID NOT offer me would have helped at this point. I was far too angry already. This was a customer service breakdown at its worst, and I was never going to go back to the miserable bookseller.
Cooling down in a few hours, I did what any sane enough person with an internet connection would do- scout out other examples of customer service breakdown and figure out what was common between them. That's when I landed on this discussion in Quora about how service breakdowns have stopped even the most loyal customers of some pretty big brands from coming back. There are the usual suspects of service breakdown- phone companies, service stations and irate grocers topping the charts. But it is interesting that a bad sales experience can get a BMW loyalist to jump to Land Rover.
Of course, every once in a while you are going to have a couple of customers who are not very happy with your service. So what can you do then to turn the story around? How can you turn a dissatisfied user back into a loyal customer?
Short answer – create a service recovery strategy. That's a fall-back process for your support team when things start going downhill. The basic framework for a service recovery strategy consists of 6 steps:
1. Listen to the customer
2. Empathize
3. Own the problem
4. Act to solve
5. Understand the reason
6. Follow up
Listen to the customer
Don't listen to an end. Just listen. Sometimes customers just need to vent. Let them. It'll take a bit of patience, but it helps. They'll get around to telling you what the problem is soon.
Communicate to them that what was their problem is now your problem as well, and that you'll do everything to help them.
Own the problem
Take complete responsibility for the situation, apologize and in a way that communicates with the customer that you truly are sorry and will do anything you can in order to get things cleared up for them.
Now that the customer has communicated what he wants done, do it. Act. Do whatever it takes and if possible, keep him in the loop. The old adage of service still applies – 'under promise' and 'over deliver'. If you can't get the problem completely fixed, give him a workaround. The customer should never have to wait.
Ask questions. Get to the root of why the problem arose in the first place. Know the problem, understand it. The customer's problem is not that he wants a six inch drill. He wants a six inch hole. Internalize this approach.
When the issue has been resolved and the ticket has been closed, remember to go back and ask the customer if everything is fine & if he needs anything else. Customers don't expect this. It indicates that you care – makes a huge difference in perception.
More often than not, service breakdowns result in businesses losing customers for life. It doesn't have to be this way. Combining set procedures with a bit of tact and commitment can turn angry customers into your biggest promoters.
I buy a lot of books. The online bookseller I talked about missed a big opportunity to make me a customer for life.
Make sure you don't.
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text:
Share Certificates/CD
A Share Certificate* or Certificate of Deposit (CD) offers a secure, insured investment alternative at a higher rate of interest than a regular savings account. There are several different terms, rates, and minimum deposits available.
Click here for our current rates and terms or contact one of our branches for more information.
|All savings accounts are insured to $500,000 and all IRA's are insured up to $500,000. That is a combined total of $1,000,000 if both types of accounts are maintained at Land of Lincoln Credit Union. This insurance is provided through the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration), an agency of the Federal Government, and through ESI (Excess Share Insurance), a wholly owned subsidiary of American Share Insurance and is provided absolutely free by Land of Lincoln Credit Union.


text:
Nicole Jimmerson
Phone: (903)566-2311 ext. 1424
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor's of Psychology and Sociology Master's of Secondary Education Master's of Social Work Master's of school Administration Special Education certification ESL Certification Principal Certification Superintendent Certification
Mrs. Nicole Jimmerson
Nicole Jimmerson graduated from Longview High School in Longview, Texas. She received her Bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University with a double major in Psychology and Sociology. Mrs. Jimmerson also earned her Master's degree from Stephen F. Austin in Secondary Education with a specialization in Special Education as well as a Master's in Social Work and ESL certification. She received another Master's in School Administration and principal certification from Lamar University and her Superintendent certification from the University of Texas at Tyler. Nicole has worked in Longview ISD for 19 years but is excited to start her first year with the dynamic Bulldog family as the Assistant Principal of Student Services at the high school and middle school campuses. She believes that education is not preparation for life; education is life itself...John Dewey


text:
What is a Bunion
Bunions are misaligned big toe joints that can become swollen and tender, causing the first joint of the big toe to slant outward, and the second joint to angle toward the other toes. Bunions tend to be hereditary, but can be aggravated by shoes that are too narrow in the forefoot and toe. Surgery by a podiatric physician is frequently recommended to correct the problem.
Causes of Bunions:
Pointed shoes, such as high heels and cowboy boots, can contribute to the development of hallux valgus. Abnormal foot function comes into play in the development of almost all bunions, and the most common abnormality is over-pronation or excessive flattening of the foot, easily correctable with an orthotic. In addition, hereditity can also be a factor for the cause of bunions.
The symptoms of hallux valgus usually center around the bunion. The bunion can be painful. The severe hallux valgus deformity is also distressing to many, and becomes a cosmetic problem. Finding appropriate shoe wear can become difficult. Finally, increasing deformity begins to displace the second toe upward, and may create a situation where the second toe is constantly rubbing on the shoe.
Conservative Treatment
Treatment of hallux valgus nearly always starts with adapting the shoe wear to fit the foot. In the early stages of hallux valgus, converting from a pointed toe shoe to a wider box toe shoe may arrest the progression of the deformity. The pain that arises from the bunion is due to pressure from the shoe. Treatment focuses on removing the pressure that the shoe exerts on the deformity. Wider shoes reduce the pressure on the bunion. Bunion pads may reduce pressure and rubbing from the shoe. There are also numerous devices, such as toe spacers, that attempt to splint the big toe and reverse the deforming forces.
Treatment with Bunion Surgery
In some very mild cases of bunion formation, surgery may only be required to remove the bump that makes up the bunion. There are many negative stereotypes associated with bunion surgery. People have heard horror stories from grandma's and neighbors...well my friend, times have changed! It's not the same bunion surgery your grandmother had, bunion surgery does not have to be painful. The recovery time for bunion can be very short depending on your situation.
Remember: The bunion is not going to go away...you need to treat it and the earlier you do, the less likely your bunion will require surgery!
"I had suffered painful foot problems for years, due to poor bone structure of both feet - bunions and hammertoes. This caused me constant discomfort especially during gym workouts and physical activity. I also often worked at jobs which required me to be on my feet for hours. Foot pain isn't something you can ignore forever - it wears you down. I have since had both feet surgically repaired by Dr. Wishnie, and I've never felt better. My only regret was that I put it off for so long. I should have don't it sooner. I cant speak highly enough of Dr Wishnie and his entire staff - they are truly caring and professional people, and I know I received the best possible care. I recommend anyone I know who has foot problems to see Dr. Wishnie. He is truly the best. He always makes you feel like you are his only patient that day, even though he has many."
- Justine DiCecco


text:
Last year, Apple issued the largest green bond by a U.S. technology company, Poland issued the world's first sovereign green bond and total green bond issuances grew to a record high.
According to a recent report by Moody's Investors Service, the rise of green bonds issuances in 2016 is projected to carry over into 2017 as well. The report projects that green bond issuances will increase to over $200 billion in 2017 from $93.4 billion in 2016 if green bonds grow at their 2016 rate.
|Scooped by EcoVadis


text:
The programme promotes the mobility of young people and the understanding between peoples through three types of actions:
- Euro-Med Youth Exchanges
- Euro-Med Youth Voluntary Service
- Euro-Med Youth Training and Networking (Contact Making Seminars, Study Visits, Training Courses and Seminars)
During the phase IV of the Programme, it is notably expected that an estimate of around 100 projects will be funded. The projects will be submitted by promoter organisations, within 3 different available actions, in response to the call for proposals launched by Euro-Med Youth Units.
8 countries participate: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Israel. Syria is not taking part to the Programme.
Applicants (project leaders) from the Mediterranean partner countries applied directly for grants to their own National Youth Authorities, now responsible through the Euro-Med Youth Unit (EMYU) for grant awarding and the overall management of the programme.
The Euro-Med Youth Programme is a regional programme set up within the framework of the third chapter of the Barcelona Process entitled "Partnership in social, cultural and human affairs".
Its geographical scope comprises 35 countries: the 27 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom) and the 8 Mediterranean partner countries, signatories of the Barcelona Declaration (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Israel).
In the course of the previous phases of the programme, the decentralization process, through the establishment of Euro-Med Youth Units guaranteed a greater proximity to the final beneficiaries. During this new phase reinforced guidance and further support to Euro-Med Youth Units is needed. The aim is to strengthen the complementarity with the Youth in Action programme and increasing the cooperation between Euro-Med Youth Units and National Agencies, to bring the action as close as possible to the beneficiaries and to adapt it to the diversity of national systems and situations in the field of youth.


text:
Former Today and The View host Meredith Vieira will headline her own daytime series starting September 8. The afternoon syndicated show will be a mix of interviews, giveaways, humor, and social causes like children's welfare, animal rights, and multiple sclerosis, which Vieira's husband has suffered for decades.
Among the more idiosyncratic touches will be a live, all-female band (led by Bruce Springsteen's backup singer Everett Bradley) and a recurring segment devoted to matching service animals with an underprivileged recipient. The set is reportedly a re-creation of her own living room, complete with pet-bitten furniture.
In a feature article, The Hollywood Reporter chronicled Vieira's enduring media career (with stints in radio and TV news) and theorized the TV personality's mass appeal to audiences (she's hardworking and professional, but also knows when to back off from a job).
But the article is also worth reading for the telling peeks into what Vieira is like off-camera. Among the surprising details are:
"One of the things you need to know about Meredith is that Meredith kisses," Matt Lauer tells me in a serious tone. "On the lips."
Vieira also has a subversive streak. … To this day, every time she is at NBC — she has remained a news correspondent there — she sneaks into Lauer's dressing room and scribbles profanities on his mirror. "If I see her in the makeup room or in the studio," says Lauer, "I know that when I walk into my dressing room she will have taken her lipstick and written something completely vile on my mirror. Meredith has an edge."
[via THR]
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


text:
There's little doubt that Intelligent Systems' superb Super Paper Mario is one of the most highly anticipated Wii games for Australian gamers. After scoring an 8.9 on this very site and hitting retail in the United States and Japan in April, Aussie gamers have been desperate to hear just when this triple A treat will be coming down under. Well, wait no more. Actually, no, you're going to have to wait quite a bit more because Super Paper Mario isn't coming out here until September. Oh well.
Thankfully there will be a couple of other Wii titles published by Nintendo to tide gamers over. Resident Evil 4 will be available on July 5th, and as you would expect is still an action masterpiece. The series that never dies, Mario Party, will see its eighth instalment hit Australian store shelves on July 19th. And last but not least, PANGYA! Golf with Style will be released sometime in September.
The release dates come on the back of new that the Wii has now sold 100,000 units in Australia - you can check out the details by clicking here. Nice one Ninty.


text:
2009-07-11 47 19
Sat 11 Jul 2009 in 47,19:
Alsónémedi, Hungary
The Planing[edit]
Some of thepiguy's friends were taking a trip to Budapest for the weekend to see the sights of the beautiful city and take in some culture. thepiguy decided to tag along so that he could abandon them at the first opportunity and go Geohashing.
thepiguy emailed Tom, the only local Geohasher he could contact, at the beginning of the week and was ecstatic to find that Tom was not only alive, but also free for Geohashing! This meant that thepiguy could meet yet another awesome Geohasher and as an added bonus, wouldn't die alone in the gutter of a small Hungarian village.
After a nail bitting Friday HashOclock, and a series of emails a plan was made for the Saturday coordinates that lay less than 25km from the center of Budapest.
The Traveling[edit]
thepiguy Würzburg Friday night at 21:00 for a
pleasant tiring 12 hour train ride to Hungary. That was longer than his flight from Canada.
Once safely in Budapest thepiguy quickly deserted his friends and set out to meet new ones. He met Tom at the Subway station and they headed off towards the geohash.
We first took the Subway to the bus station and then a local bus the rest of the way. Tom showed me around the city, while we were waiting and to a very nice park at the bus station.
We arrived at the village without incident and walked along the quiet streets towards the hash point. We met quite a few dogs, and got quite a few strange looks (I think they knew I wasn't from around there!)
The Hash[edit]
The coordinates were in someones backyard, so we walked to the front of the house to see if anyone was home. Tom had prepared a cover story involving the two of us checking local map accuracy. We knocked on the gate, but were only greeted by several barking dogs.
We decided to check out the property behind this one, and were pleasantly surprised to find it unoccupied by people, fences or even a house! We walked up to the back fence of the first property, and got within suitable GPS accuracy.
Pictures were taken, Nibs were had: another successful Geohash!
The Return[edit]
The two hashers walked back the way they came and stopped for some ice cream before catching their bus back to town. Oh wait. The schedule at this bus stop was different than the one Tom had printed. And the next bus wasn't for 3 hours. Hmmm...
20 minutes, Tom's thumb, and a friendly truck driver later, the two Geohashers were hitchhiking back to Budapest! Their friendly driver (who's name thepiguy never asked because, although he had complete confidence in Tom, he had never hitchhiked before, let alone in a foreign county, and he figured it was best to keep quiet) drove them all the way back to the Subway!
The Lunch[edit]
Once back in Budapest Tom invited thepiguy back to his house for lunch. thepiguy accepted and had a great time talking with Tom and seeing where he lived.
The Epilogue[edit]
thepiguy had an amazing time in Budapest and an even better time Geohashing with Tom. Not many people would answer an email from a stranger on the internet, and even fewer would agree to meet them at a subway station, show them around the city, and bring them home for lunch!
| Tom earned the Meet-up achievement
| thepiguy earned the Meet-up achievement
| Tom and thepiguy earned the Thumbs Up Geohash Achievement
| tom earned the Abduction achievement
| thepiguy earned the XKCD-100 Achievement


text:
Just as you can't copy commercially made VHS tapes to another VCR due to Macrovision anti-copy encoding, the same applies to making copies to DVD. DVD recorders cannot bypass anti-copy signals on commercial VHS tapes or DVDs. If a DVD recorder detects anti-copy encoding it will not start the recording and display some sort of message either on screen or on its LED front panel display that it detects the anti-copy code or that it is detecting an unusable signal.
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text:
Author: Vishnubhat Godse. Translated from Marathi by Priya Adarkar and Shanta Gokhale
Buy it from: Amazon, Flipkart
Sounds interesting, though serious.
Was he related to Nathuram Godse?
@sweetyshinde Yes very interesting book. No relation between the two at all!
Oh, OK. Quite an unusual choice of book for reading. Keep it up and keep us informed.
What a great biography by you nivedita I think you haven't missed a single thing of his life
Very nice and interesting post. Keep posting.
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The Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab program announced by the Alliance Theatre on Thursday grew out of a series of national feedback sessions in which individual theater artists were asked by leaders of the country's largest cultural institutions, well, what they wanted.
The answers came "loud and clear," said Alliance artistic director Susan Booth, especially when she brought home the idea for the national dialogue initiated by the theater service organization Theatre Communications Group and focused it on Atlanta.
The Alliance heard that the metro area's theater artists yearned for an artistic home, wanted to be welcomed into the Alliance "whether we're on the payroll or not," yet cherished their independence and the opportunity to create work with fellow artists of their choosing.
The final piece of feedback, though, was Booth's favorite: "We want to know what the heck goes on in there."
For all the local talent it taps every season, the Alliance, like other divisions of the Woodruff Arts Center, the nonprofit that so dominates Atlanta's arts funding, is used to individual artists and smaller groups enviously gazing up at it like it's a castle rising behind a deep moat.
The Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab may not permanently alter the perception of theatrical haves and have-nots, but it will create partnerships, three per year, between the city's largest stage and small artist groups.
A sign of the theater community's buy-in is in the response to the open call the Alliance extended for Atlanta artists to submit developmental works for consideration of the Artists Lab's first round of support. Expecting a handful of applications, the Alliance received 68, representing 204 artists.
A panel of five judges, including Booth and Alliance playwright in residence Pearl Cleage, selected three teams. Each is benefiting from Alliance resources in varied forms — monetary ($10,000 to further develop the works-in-progress), expert talent (the chance to tap the troupe's artistic, educational and production staffs) and physical (spaces to rehearse and stage the works)..
The trio of initial winning projects will be given showcase presentations, free to the public, Aug. 8-9 on the Alliance's Hertz Stage.
Here are the shows and their creators:
- "The Projects Project," a performance piece (spoken word, visual images, music and dance) built around true stories of people who grew up in the "war zone" of the Atlanta housing projects. Developed by Ellen McQueen with consultants James Knowles and Oliver Turner. Performance: 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
- "Moxie," following the life-impacting journey of a handmade book made by a Marine, who is killed while serving in Afghanistan, as a gift for his son. Developed by writers Brian Kurlander and Lane Carlock in collaboration with directing and dramaturge consultant Elisa Carlson. 1 p.m. Aug. 9.
- "Uprising," by Gabrielle Fulton, a show reflecting on liberty, self-determination and sacrifice in a free black community in secession-era America. 8 p.m. Aug. 9.
Reservations are requested via 404-733-5000 or www.alliancetheatre.org.
"This is not a revenue-producing project," Booth said, "this is an investment in our local artist community."
Still, she characterized the Artists Lab's impetus as being "more (about) self-interest than benevolence."
The Alliance, which presents 11 plays a year, is not only interested in identifying worthy new work to stage but emerging talent it can collaborate with in the future.
Giving the winning projects initial stagings (much more than a reading, but far from full) , however, is the first priority.
"Our goal is that these amazing artists find lucrative, supportive, producing homes for their work," she said.
As the Artists Lab organizer, the Alliance gets the right of first refusal.
"In my heart of hearts, I hope there's a blood bath," Booth joked. "I hope (Theatrical Outfit producing artistic director) Tom Key and I are punching each other in the jaw, fighting over work that comes out of the lab."
Support for its launch year was provided by the David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund, the Charles Loridans Foundation, the Mark and Evelyn Trammell Foundation and the Woodruff Arts Center.
Booth announced Thursday that an undisclosed gift from long-time Atlanta arts patrons Margaret and Bob Reiser will keep the program going in perpetuity.
In fact, the Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab will begin accepting applications for its 2014-15 round at the end of this month, when submission information will be posted on the Alliance's website. Deadline: Oct. 15.


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Last night I created a Twitter account especially for Traffikd. With this account I'll share links to various posts that I come across on subjects related to social media, blogging and internet marketing, as well as interacting with all of you Twitter users. If you'd like to follow me, the account URL is http://twitter.com/traffikd.
What is Your Twitter Profile?
I'd like to follow readers of this blog, so please feel free to leave a link to your own Twitter profile in the comments. I'm sure there are also other readers that will be interested in following you as well.


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Sometimes I feel like I'll never fit in. For that reason I may always feel alone. I live in a world where attacking in self defense is considered justifiable. Where g
Some days may seem bad. Some days may seem good. But every day is a progression. A bad day is nothing more than a test of your fortitude, and a strengthening of your spirit
To "have nothing" is a relative term. It depends on what you place value on. People spend a lifetime building desires and expectations, and then accumulating objects or exp


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June 6We took an exclusive ride in a flying car
June 6IHOP says it's changing name to IHOb. Huh?
Jack Van SyckleMarch 5, 2018Filed under Student Life
Greg Komondor is making a bold move as he gives up Twitter and Instagram deleting the apps entirely.
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Home > WSU Press > Human Biology > Vol. 80 (2008) > Iss. 4
Article Title
Head Shape and Size of Adult Males as Possible Indicators of Childhood Stress in Northern Jordan (1900–1978): A Study in Human Biology and Political Economy
Document Type
Stature, sitting height, stature by weight, and head circumference change with varying economic conditions during early childhood. Our hypothesis is that adult head shape, as well as head size, is influenced by changes in childhood nutrition. When economic conditions are bad, nutrition and health suffer, and the result is dolichocephaly. To test this hypothesis, we measured the head length, width, and circumference of 398 adult males in Jordan. Fifty-six percent are ethnic Jordanians, and 44% are ethnic Palestinians. We divided the modern history of Jordan and the West Bank into four periods developed from historical economic data. The results of the study show that the cephalic index (CI) among Jordanians increased significantly with economic improvement but decreased slightly during the best economic period, whereas CI remained stable across all periods among Palestinians. The pattern among Jordanians can be explained in terms of maternal environment and early childhood nutrition. The lack of pattern in Palestinians may be due to changing nursing practices, bottle feeding, or sleeping position. When economic conditions were bad, Jordanian mothers and infants suffered from malnutrition and deficits in health care services during pre- and postnatal periods. Infants were born with very low birth weight and longer heads. However, the highest mean value of head size, circumference, among Jordanians and Palestinians is obtained from individuals who were children during the bad economic period, an unexpected result. No significant linear or quadratic trend was found for either Palestinians' or Jordanians' head circumference over time.
Recommended Citation
Abu Dalou, Ahmad Y.; Al-Shiyab, Abdel-Halim; and Benfer, Jr., Robert A.
"Head Shape and Size of Adult Males as Possible Indicators of Childhood Stress in Northern Jordan (1900–1978): A Study in Human Biology and Political Economy,"
Human Biology:
Vol. 80:
4, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol80/iss4/4


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Victoria Justice Supports Harvey Guillen at 'Chocolate Milk' Screening
Harvey Guillen gives Victoria Justice a lift at the screening of his movie, Chocolate Milk, held at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday night (June 19).
The Eye Candy co-stars were also joined by Corbin Bleu (pictured below), Maiara Walsh, Emily Morris, Josie Loren, and Nico Tortorella.
Chocolate Milk is the story of two slow-witted brothers, Kyle and Phillip, who are forced to fend their way through life after a low-flying Cessna killed their mother. Kyle is an eternal optimist and Phillip is depressed, lazy and lives in the past. This film follows Kyle and his determination to get Phillip off the couch and out into the world by going on a job interview, which goes terribly wrong.
Posted to: Corbin Bleu, Harvey Guillen, Victoria Justice


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>> NYSEG urges customers to stay away from downed power lines – even lines that appear dead can be deadly. NYSEG customers should call 1.800.572.1131 to report downed power lines or other hazardous situations.
>> Emergency generators can be dangerous. Carefully read, understand and follow manufacturer's instructions when operating an emergency generator. Never run emergency generators indoors; operate them only outdoors in well-ventilated areas and away from windows and doors.
>> This will be the last release for the Oneonta Division.
>> The next news release will be distributed at 9:30 p.m
Clifton Park, NY, February 24, 2010 (4 p.m.) – NYSEG crews are working to repair damage to the company's electricity delivery system from the severe winter storm that tore through much of the company's 10,000-square-mile, 25-county East Region today. NYSEG customers should call 1.800.572.1131 to report downed wires or other hazardous conditions. NYSEG's natural gas emergency number is 1.800.572.1121.
Here is a wrap up of power interruptions in the hardest hit areas:
NYSEG is currently restoring power to the customers impacted by this storm, and expects to have most customers restored by Thursday evening. However, due to the next winter storm that is predicted to hit on Thursday, NYSEG anticipates that additional power outages will occur.
During a power interruption
After your power is restored


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Noah gets back his stride against Hornets
Joakim Noah could have taken an easy path from the NBA All-Star Game to the Bulls' next contest.
In less than an hour of flight time, he could have gone from Houston to New Orleans. But Noah, and fellow all-star Luol Deng, returned to Chicago, practiced Monday at the Berto Center, then rode the team plane to the Pelican State.
On top of that, Noah has been suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot and claimed that he didn't sleep in four days while enjoying his first all-star appearance.
So Noah may not have been the first choice for player of the game, but he delivered 15 points, 17 rebounds and 5 assists as the Bulls returned from the break with a 96-87 win over the Hornets on Tuesday at New Orleans Arena.
"Joakim was everywhere, multiple effort plays," coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game. "That probably was one of his best screening games since I've been here.
"The biggest thing is he practiced great yesterday and he practiced great this morning. That, more than anything, told me he was going to be ready to go. That's what we expect from him and that's what we need. As a leader of the team, that's what he needs to do. It was great to see the approach that he had coming out of the break. He didn't stay on the break, he was ready to go."
No doubt it was Thibodeau's decision to have a full practice in Deerfield the day after the all-star break. Deng also seemed to benefit, scoring a team-high 20 points, while Carlos Boozer contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Another factor for the Bulls was the return of Kirk Hinrich, who missed the last seven games before the break with an infected right elbow.
Hinrich produced 5 points and 10 assists, but seemed to set the tone for the offense. The Bulls (31-22) finished with 20 assists on 39 baskets. They also built a 47-39 rebounding edge against the younger Hornets.
"I thought our defense was solid," Thibodeau added. "The ball was hopping, making quick decisions, not shortcutting things, making the extra pass, setting good screens. I thought overall it was very good."
The Bulls lost to New Orleans at the United Center back on Nov. 2, the third game of the season. Chicago native Anthony Davis, the top pick in last year's draft, didn't play in that contest. So in his first action against his hometown team, Davis had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Shooting guard Eric Gordon, Derrick Rose's former AAU teammate, led New Orleans with 20 points.
The Bulls led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, before the Hornets pulled within 76-75 on a Brian Roberts 3-pointer two minutes into the fourth.
That's when the defense kicked in and the Bulls pulled away. New Orleans managed just 1 field goal in the next 5½ minutes and the visitors slowly pulled away.
Next up for the Bulls is their first home game of the season against defending champ Miami on Thursday.
"They have so many weapons," Thibodeau said. "They're playing at a very high level. You can't overcommit in one area because they can burn you in so many different other areas. It has to be a multiple effort game. You have to get back, get set, protect the paint, challenge shots, rebound. The thing that often gets overlooked with them is how good they are defensively. To beat them, you have to play a great game."


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Yesterday I raked up as many leaves as I could, piled them in front of the vegetable beds and ran a mower over them to create a little leaf mulch for winter cover. While hanging out in the yard, I noticed the Clara Curtis daisies were blooming again–and even had a very tough insect (not sure if it's a bee, a wasp, or something else) trying to get a little pollen out of it.
The very cold nights last week, coupled with some clean-up and replacement activities I've been doing, eliminated most of the blooms in my gardens. Several sedum still have nice color in their seedheads and the salvia I planted out front continues to put up flowers, but other than those, all the color in the yard is from leaves and berries.


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Larger deal may elude deficit panel
A month into the supercommittee's term, Senate Republicans are telling K Street that they don't believe the powerful deficit-cutting panel can reach a "grand bargain" agreement, sources familiar with the negotiations say.
In a closed-door meeting with Republican lobbyists late last week, senior policy advisers representing both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his chief deputy, Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who sits on the special deficit panel, said the issue of tax increases may be an insurmountable obstacle in the secretive talks.
Story Continued Below
The two top Senate Republicans don't think such a grand bargain style plan — in the range of $3 trillion to $4 trillion in cuts over 10 years coupled with tax and entitlement reform, similar to the proposal that was under consideration by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and President Barack Obama during the summer — could succeed because all of the existing proposals contain tax increases they consider "significant" and are, therefore, politically untenable, officials say. Republicans say there are certain "fees" that can be instituted to raise some revenues, an idea that was considered during the failed deficit-reduction talks led by Vice President Joe Biden.
But the only way that a grand bargain could pass muster with the GOP, the Senate Republican aides say, is if it were tied to an overhaul of Social Security or the controversial proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to turn Medicare into a voucher-based system for future recipients. And neither plan could pass this Congress, they believe.
After four private meetings and two public hearings, Kyl is convinced that the three House Democrats on the supercommittee — Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Xavier Becerra of California and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland — are not interested in a deal on taxes because of their demands for more revenue, sources say. Kyl has not ruled out taking up tax reform as part of any supercommittee proposal, although he knows time is running short on those deliberations.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), both of whom serve on the supercommittee, have been holding private talks on the issue of tax reform, and Boehner has pushed for the panel to include the outlines of a major overhaul of the U.S Tax Code in any final agreement, but whether that will lead to substantial progress on the issue is unclear.
McConnell's aides continue to believe the most realistic outcome for the supercommittee is to reach the $1.2 trillion target for cuts called for by the law that created the elite panel, which the Republicans believe will still be a tall order, sources familiar with the discussions say. And if the supercommittee can't reach the $1.2 trillion target, McConnell and Kyl aides made clear that they believe Congress would not allow a painful round of automatic across-the-board budget cuts, including $400 billion in Pentagon reductions, to take effect in 2013.
The grim prognosis by top Republican officials sheds some light on GOP thinking heading into a crucial round of supercommittee negotiations, which continue Monday evening. As calls mount for the panel to "go big" and to find enormous cuts and revenue increases to stabilize the country's finances, the Senate GOP leaders seem concerned that such a solution could damage both the sluggish U.S. economy and the Republican Party heading into the 2012 elections.


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Baroness Miller of Hendon: My Lords, any incident at Sellafield, or at any other United Kingdom licensed nuclear site, is fully investigated by the operator in order to determine its cause and to put in place such measures as may be necessary to prevent a recurrence. The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, the independent regulator, carries out separate investigations as necessary in order to determine whether any further regulatory response is appropriate.
Lord Jenkins of Putney: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer. Is she aware--as I am sure she is--that accidents have occurred at Sellafield from time to time over a long period? There were incidents in 1972, 1983, 1991 and 1992. Only last month Sellafield was fined £28,000 for what it admitted were serious and significant failures to take proper care. In view of that record is it not time that a public inquiry took place to settle the matter one way or another? There is a consistent record of accident after accident and denial after denial. Is it not time that we knew the truth?
Baroness Miller of Hendon: My Lords, noble Lords certainly will be told the truth. Safety is of the highest priority at BNFL. One in 10 employees at Sellafield is directly involved in safety. BNFL has invested £750 million in plants designed to minimise any impact on the environment and is always looking for ways to improve standards of safety.
The noble Lord, Lord Jenkins, mentioned that there had been some incidents. That is true. Since 1990 when the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES) was introduced, the Health and Safety Executive has published details of 20 incidents at the Sellafield site. The majority of those were rated at level 1--the lowest level on the scale. It means an anomaly beyond the authorised operating regime. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate would not allow any site to operate if it were not satisfied with its safety.
Lord Skelmersdale: My Lords, is it not a fact that if one happened to be an inhabitant of the city of Aberdeen, one would be exposed to far more radiation than the level 1 that my noble friend mentioned?
Baroness Miller of Hendon: My Lords, what my noble friend has said is absolutely right.
Lord Dubs: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the public have the right to demand the highest standards of safety and openness as regards safety at all nuclear installations? Will the noble Baroness give us some assurance that any privatisation of the nuclear industry will not result in the dropping of any of those safety standards?
Baroness Miller of Hendon: My Lords, I can most certainly give that assurance to the noble Lord.
Lord Jenkins of Putney: My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that while I should like to be assured by what she said--I am sure that she believes every word of it to be true; and so it may be--the point is that until we have had a proper public inquiry none of us can be quite sure? When we are dealing with nuclear matters we should be absolutely certain. The only way to find out the reason for this constant record of incidents is by having a public inquiry. Will the noble Baroness think again?
Baroness Miller of Hendon: My Lords, it is not a constant record. I have already told your Lordships the position. The fact is that BNFL takes this matter very seriously, as do the Government. I can assure noble Lords that I have considered carefully everything that has been said to me, and I feel reassured.
Lord Molloy asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Earl of Courtown: My Lords, I am sure that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport would carefully consider any representations he might receive from the Royal British Legion.
Lord Molloy: My Lords, I am grateful for the welcome reply from the noble Earl. We are grateful that all parties in another place and in this House support the Royal British Legion. However, we now face the problem that older people who were wounded in the war find travel more difficult than those who served throughout the war but were not wounded. Those are some of the issues about which we should like to talk with the Minister. I sincerely hope that he will seriously examine them. We in the Royal British Legion are confident that all parties in both Houses will always continue to give us their full support and will endeavour to understand the problems of those who were badly wounded serving their country in war.
The Earl of Courtown: My Lords, I am sure that all noble Lords will congratulate the Royal British Legion on its work, in particular with ex-servicemen and women who have been injured in the defence of their country, and also the noble Lord, Lord Molloy, as national vice-president of that organisation.
I can assure the noble Lord that concessionary rail fares for pensioners and disabled people in London are being safeguarded under privatisation, and that applies just as much to ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen.
Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove: My Lords, there seems to be some confusion. I understand that Mr. Simon Green, the chair of the London Committee on Accessible Transport, has had discussions with the Ministry which has told him that it is not willing to ask the people who will take over the privatised transport to continue the scheme for more than a year although the period had recently been settled at seven years. Will the Minister clear up that point? Will the period be a year or seven years?
The Earl of Courtown: My Lords, the point raised by the noble Lord has been brought to my attention. I understand that the British Railways Board decided that as the train operating companies serving the London area were due shortly to be franchised it would be inappropriate for them to sign a contract which would commit as yet unknown private sector franchise operators to a seven-year London concessionary fare scheme. I must point out that there has not been a previous seven-year concessionary scheme; this would have been the first seven-year period.
Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove: My Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister a little more. I understand that there are 100,000 transport vouchers for disabled people in London. If the scheme had been included in the contract to be signed by the privatised companies, those companies could have allowed for it in the price that they were willing to pay. Why could that not have been done? It would have reassured people.
The Earl of Courtown: My Lords, I believe that there was more concern with the details as regards how the scheme was charged to London boroughs. We
Lord Monk Bretton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Lucas: My Lords, no. The export of meat from any bovine animal slaughtered in the United Kingdom is currently prohibited by virtue of Commission Decision 96/239/EC.
Lord Monk Bretton: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that somewhat brief reply. Nevertheless, will he ask his right honourable friend in another place not to dismiss from his mind altogether the possibility of a giveaway of beef ? Will he also bear in mind the moral virtue in avoiding the waste of edible food?
Can my noble friend say something about the extent of the backlog on farms of cattle awaiting slaughter? Press reports yesterday gave estimates of 120,000 to 400,000 head. Is my noble friend able to be a little more precise? Can he indicate the proportion of that figure as regards dairy cows and clean cattle? Is there an estimate of the length of time that it will take to clear the backlog?
Lord Lucas: My Lords, clearly the export of beef to countries which do not themselves have the right to export beef to the European Union is a matter that we shall be addressing at a very early stage when we discuss the lifting of this unjustified ban. It would have the great advantage that, if countries--it would have to be their decision--were prepared to take our over-30 month beef (which I have been eating happily for many years now), that would help to clear the backlog. The backlog exists because of the difficulty of sufficient rendering capacity. I would guess that the backlog stands at about 150,000 animals at present. I cannot divide that figure between cows and beef animals. We hope to clear it in reasonable time, but it will not be immediately.
Lord Thomson of Monifieth: My Lords, will the Minister answer the earlier question from the noble Lord, Lord Annan, that he failed to answer? Is it a fact that from 1989 both America and Canada banned our beef imports because of our failure to deal with the high incidence of BSE in this country? Would it not be altogether better for the Government to concentrate on restoring consumer confidence here rather than seeking to make a scapegoat of the European Union?
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MYTH BUSTED! Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island but it most definitely doesn't have more sand than the Sahara desert.
The island's sandscapes sculptured over time by wind and tides. The oldest sand - which is white in colour and leached of minerals - is found on the western side of the island.
Sandblows, like Stonetool Sandblow, along the eastern coast of the island are mobile and sweep across the island, often burying forests and other plant communities until they reach a place that is protected from winds and the movement stops.
The rate of movement of the dunes each year depends on factors such as wind strength, the amount of moisture in the sand and plant colonisation and it's estimated that a grain of sand can take 60,000 years to pass from one side to the other.
The young dunes behind the eastern beaches become colonised when stabilises such spinifex grass and other coastal plants take root.
In the sheltered central regions of the island, where the dunes are stable and there are more nutrients for growth, diverse plant communities and rainforests are found.
Fraser Island and Rainbow Beach are also know for their coloured sands. On Fraser these can occur north of Eli Creek and are made up of 72 different colours, mostly reds and yellows. The colours are caused by the leaching of oxides that coat each grain of sand, causing bands of colour.


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AVON, Ind. (Oct. 14, 2015)-- Bad reviews are getting around Avon about a local tree trimming service.
One homeowner in the Timber Bend neighborhood said Joel Keck with J&J Tree Services took $2,000 for a job, but never finished.
"One excuse after the other, saying that he hasn't forgotten me; meaning he will come he will finish the job," the woman said. "So far he hasn't finished the job. I'm very frustrated. Very upset with it."
Another family wrote a post on Facebook about how Keck took a $400 advance to do work but never showed up.
FOX59 checked with the Better Business Bureau and found it gave J&J Tree Service an "A" rating for resolving complaints. Keck has yet to return our calls.
"I thought he was a man of his word and he's not," said the Avon homeowner who did not want to reveal her identity. "He's not trustworthy. He's not an honest person."
The BBB always reminds you to shop around, check references and never pay until the work is complete.


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Video comments are the next big thing.
Roseville, CA (PRWEB) May 01, 2014
People can now comment and reply to online news stories, blogs and other posts with video comments recorded from their smartphone, tablet or computer. VidGage.com is currently developing version 2.0 of their patent-pending video commenting program entitled Comments Tree™. The program enables website and blog operators the technology to offer video commenting on their posts. To help fund the completion of this development, VidGage has launched an IndieGoGo crowd-funding campaign.
Through Comments Tree, web content providers can offer their audience the ability to comment and reply to posts with video comments. This more interactive commenting platform even allows comments on comments, all with video. "VidGage.com was initially going to focus or providing an interactive video focused social media platform allowing users to post videos, and their followers to reply and comment with video," stated co-founder Kirk Uhler. "However, the demand for our video commenting to be used by other sites led us down this path. Video comments are the next big thing."
Version 1.0 of the Comments Tree™ plugin code is currently being used by a select group of test sites and can be seen in action on CommentsTree.com. The initial version of Comments Tree 2.0 will be available as a Wordpress plugin. WordPress is currently being used on more than sixty-million websites and blogs. The plugin will be available in several price point packages, depending on the amount of video steaming desired or used by the website operator.
To help fund the project, VidGage launched their IndieGoGo campaign on April 15th, 2014. "With the IndieGoGo campaign, we hope to not only raise funds to help with the development of the plugin, but to also show there is an interest from bloggers to offer their readers a unique and more interactive way to comment and engage," Uhler said. Contributors to the IndieGoGo campaign will receive a copy of the plugin once it's complete, which Uhler says should be around mid-May.
Once installed, the plugin will automatically become the commenting option at the bottom of new posts. Viewers of a post will be able to use their existing social media accounts to login then record comments from either their desktop PC's webcam, or their smartphone or tablet's video recorder. Comments can then be shared beyond the initial post through social media, all of which directs people back to the original post to view the video. Users will even be able to tag other users as having been mentioned or referenced in their video.
To view the IndieGoGo campaign, please visit: http://igg.me/at/videocomments.
For more information about VidGage or the Comments Tree plugin, please visit CommentsTree.com or VidGage.com.


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As more demands are made on IT professionals to develop, test and deploy securely for enhanced business efficiency, DevOps has emerged as a software development process to emphasize communication and collaboration between product, software developers and operations professionals.
Learning Tree offers DevOps courses from various industry partners delivered by Learning Tree and partner Subject Matter Experts, including AWS DevOps, Docker, Chef, Kubernetes, and Microsoft Azure. Whether you're a DevOps Engineer learning new tools, charged with building a culture of collective responsibility or seeking an Agile certification, you can learn DevOps with Learning Tree.
RELATED TRAINING: Agile & Scrum
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The ability of citizen journalists to dig up information makes me very proud to know we won't give up until we get the truth about Sandy Hook and other false flag events. Now, we are getting more proof about the actors who are pulling off the biggest lie in American history to wit they want to ban our guns to keep this from happening again…. Again HELL… it didn't happen as far as I can tell in the first place. Watch this video. There are others as well that show the incredible lack of real emotion showing on these parents faces whose children were supposedly just killed.
I can tell you right now that if my children were just killed, I would not be a fit sight on any television and I wouldn't give a damn about my clothes or hair. I would be wailing and crying at the very mention of my child. This lie makes me sick and angry. It's time we call them out on their bullshit.


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This NPC can be found in Eastern Plaguelands (30), Gilneas (13), The Hinterlands (13), Winterspring (10), Zul'Aman (9), Mana-Tombs (7), Drak'Tharon Keep (6), Teldrassil (6), Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom (5), Sethekk Halls (5), The Culling of Stratholme (5), Black Temple (4), Icecrown Citadel (4), Utgarde Pinnacle (4), Icecrown Citadel (3), Swamp of Sorrows (3), Elwynn Forest (2), Pit of Saron (2), Stormheim (2), Hillsbrad Foothills, Orgrimmar and Shadowmoon Valley.
GainsAfter killing this NPC you will gain:
- Heroic
- 15 reputation with The Consortium
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The Wowhead Client is a little application we use to keep our database up to date, and to provide you with some nifty extra functionality on the website!
It serves 2 main purposes:
- It maintains a WoW addon called the Wowhead Looter, which collects data as you play the game!
- It uploads the collected data to Wowhead in order to keep the database up-to-date!
You can also use it to keep track of your completed quests, recipes, mounts, companion pets, and titles!
So, what are you waiting for? Download the client and get started.


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Not only is WINGS your first stop for the very best of fun, food, and drinks, but we are also here to help you raise funds for any cause that is important to you. Our experienced staff and management have the know-how to make your fundraising event memorable and meaningful.
WINGS has a number of different options all designed to meet your particular organizations fundraising goals. If none of these options match your requirements, talk to us, we may be able to further tailor one of these programs to better suit your needs.
If any of your guests would like to substitute their beer/wine for a non-alcoholic beverage, please let your server know and we will gladly substitute a mocktail in lieu of the alcoholic beverage.
Custom food packages can also be discussed and tailored to your organization
Your fundraiser is a worthy cause, and one your passioinate about – giving your guests an opportunity to win something for themselves is a great way to keep your guests entertained while at the same time contributing to your cause.
In the best interest of all those who dine at our establishments, we request that all raffle prize and 50/50 draw participation be limited to only those guests who bought tickets to your fundraiser.
Canvassing of surrounding guests at neighbouring tables for participation in raffle prize and 50/50 draws is prohibited.
WINGS has another option one that helps create a pool of cash for your group/organization or team. When selecting this option, a number of participants, who you designate, receive a card with your organizations name on it.
Every time you, one of your friends, family or supporters dine at WINGS, while they do not receive an instant discount, 10% of their pre-tax bill is put into an "savings" pool. This pool of cash grows larger and larger each time a supporter carrying your card visits. At the end of the specified period of time, you are now eligible to withdraw the cash you've accumulated in your pool.
The amount will be issued in a cheque made out to your organization, this cash can be used as you see fit, uniforms, end of year party, tournament fees etc. It's a great way for your organization to fundraise over time and have your supporters get something in return, the fun times and great food of WINGS Restaurants & Pubs.
Times, Locations & Reservations
The best times for hosting fundraisers will vary from location to location. Please get in touch with the management at the location at which you would like to host the fundraiser to see what dates and times will work best.
Food and beverage packages will vary per location. The mark-up is decided by you, the fundraiser organizer. WINGS does not require payment up front. We charge you after the fundraiser has finished. You'll get a guest check, just as you would as though you were dining in.
WINGS will provide up to 150 custom tickets from Ticket Master for fundraisers (a $40 value provided to you at no additional charge). We kindly request that the Wings logo not be used for any advertising purposes related to the fundraiser without the express written permission, and approval of the WINGS marketing manager.
All guests attending must present the tickets provided by WINGS in order to redeem his/her Burger/Wings & Beer/Wine. The tickets are valid for the day of the fundraiser only, and will not be accepted after the fundraiser is finished. A start and end time will be printed on the ticket. Servers will collect the tickets upon taking the guests' order.
Reserved seating will only be held one hour after the start time for the courtesy of our regular guests, so please have your guests arrive early. A ticket does not guarantee immediate entry as we must not go over our liquor capacity. We suggest you sell tickets one month in advance.
Please contact the management at WINGS Tap & Grill Burnaby 604.525.7414 or via email email@example.com
Book us for your next event or group. We'll take care of the mess so you can take care of the fun.


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The role of structured products in the fight against inflation
Investors are nervous about inflation, and structured products providers are reporting steady demand for returns linked to interest and inflation rates, as well as traditional defensive plays using commodities prices. Michael Marray reports on the role these structured products are playing in protecting principal.
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Video tutorial: Session Data
Our new video tutorial has just been released. It explains a bit about what session data is, how it works and what you can do with it. You get it for free when you use a primary key in your data model.
Note that we don't think you need to know how it works, as session data is supposed to be a black box.
But given the number of questions we got about it, we decided to make a video to give you some insight into the session database.
We would love your feedback, so don't be shy and leave a comment on YouTube if you can.


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Furama Announces New Appointment in Leadership Team
Furama Hotels International Management Pte Ltd (FHI), Regional Director of Sales and Marketing, Shirlena Tan joins the senior leadership team to oversee the operation, management and strategy of the sales and marketing teams across the Asia Pacific region.
Tan joins the hotel management group, based in Singapore, with about 20 years of hospitality experience gathered across various four and five star properties. Tan was previously in the sales teams at Furama City Centre and Furama RiverFront for a few years, before her recent position as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Goodwood Park Hotel for nine years where she led the sales and marketing team.
Tan will play a vital role in overseeing and driving the long-term sales and marketing strategy, increasing the group market share and elevating the hotels towards greater growth in the region amidst increasing competitive market and changing travel trends. The leadership team at the hotel management group is led by Vice President of Operations for FHI, Welly Jamin.


text: Transform into the beauty that you are with clip-in extensions from Divatress! The MilkyWay Clip-In Extensions – 7 Pieces 14" can turn anyone from drab to fab in a matter of minutes. You can makeover your look with the seven pieces that come with MilkyWay Clip-In Extensions. Update your look with a variety of colors to pick and choose from ranging from jet black, strawberry blonde, dark auburn and many more selections. Your hair style will look real and natural as the MilkyWay Clip-In Extensions – 7 Pieces 14" are made of 100% human hair. With these clip-in extensions you can design and style your hair any way you want and look gorgeous. Head to Divatress.com today to purchase these beautiful clip-in extensions today! Make sure to also check out accessories that will go perfect with your look! Total 7 Pieces: 3" weft - 2 pcs 5" weft - 2 pcs 7" weft - 2 pcs 10" weft - 1 pc


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It is now possible, for the first time, to browse the card catalogues for the Bodleian's printed music collections without having to come to the Library. The cards have been scanned and the images made accessible online as a kind of 'virtual' card catalogue here. This is part of a project which will eventually see brief records for this material loaded into SOLO.
Since 1992, all music scores acquired by the central Bodleian have been catalogued online and are therefore accessible through SOLO, the online catalogue for most of Oxford's libraries. Additionally, several retrospective conversion projects over the years have meant that a significant quantity of earlier accessions have been recatalogued, notably opera scores, a large proportion of our pre-1800 editions, music hall songs and a selection of important 20th century composers and collected editions. However, that still leaves approximately 75% of the Library's music holdings represented only by the bulky card catalogues which used to dominate the old Music Reading Room and now line the central aisle of Duke Humfrey's Library.
|The card catalogues in Duke Humfrey's Library
A full recataloguing job was deemed to be prohibitively expensive but, back in 2011, the Library was fortunate to receive a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to fund a more economical approach to making the rich Music holdings of the Bodleian more widely accessible. Teaming up with the Maps section of the Library (who have a similar problem to Music) we arranged for 536,400 cards to be scanned and sent the card images away for the information on them to be keyed into a database. This task was outsourced to a company in the Philippines whose work is currently being checked and enhanced by a small team of editors based in the Bodleian's Osney One Building in Osney Mead. Once that work is complete, by the summer of 2014, most of the data will be converted into brief MARC records and loaded into Aleph (the integrated library system) and will become searchable and the items requestable via SOLO.
|A catalogue drawer
|A sample card from the Main card catalogue
|One of the supplementary slips
Items from the old catalogues which have already been recatalogued online were removed from the drawers so duplicate entries between SOLO and the scanned cards should be minimal. Links to the 'new' catalogue can be found on the SOLO homepage. SOLO should always remain your first port-of-call when looking for any music scores but remember to check the card images if you can't find what you need in SOLO, if it was published before 1992. If you still can't find what you need, it may be worth asking Music library staff as cataloguing practices over the years have often been quite obscure and what you want may not always be filed where you might expect to find it!
|A card from the Light Music catalogue
While this solution falls short of the ideal – the complete recataloguing of all music scores in SOLO which would see everything fully and consistently described and indexed – it is hoped that the result of this more pragmatic approach will be a considerable improvement on the present situation. The new interface has been released in its 'beta' phase and currently works best in Firefox and Chrome browsers. Functionality issues with Internet Explorer are being addressed and a few other minor improvements are planned for the coming weeks. For more information on the coverage of the card catalogues and help in using them, please see the music LibGuides. Comments are welcome to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Welcome to the pigasus dev blog!
We'll be using this space to share with you some thoughts about the development of our games, post news about them, and to talk a little about stuff we find interesting! And since this is our first post, let us tell you (spam you actually) where you can get information about our games and about us!
http://www.pigasusgames.com (You probably found about this blog from our site, but if you didn't, go there right now and read all about our game and about our company!)
That's all for today, thanks for reading and see you all later! =D


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Portland needs solutions that work for everyone
Portland is a wonderful city. But we've got a lot to do to make sure things are working for everyone who lives here. Felicia has spent the last decade engaged with her neighbors, fellow Portlanders, and Portland City government to help find solutions for some of our biggest problems. Felicia brings a real world understanding to the issues we face, with an eye toward using our existing resources more efficiently and effectively.
So let's do it: let's work together to make Portland the truly great city that it can be.


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Allie Mac Kay was live in Garden Grove at the St. Baldrick's Foundation for a charity fund for childhood cancer research. Allie spoke with two volunteers who shaved their hair to support cancer research.
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization, except the U.S. government. Join this St. Baldrick's event, whether you decide to shave your head, volunteer, or donate, we hope you'll be a part of the excitement.
St. Baldricks Shaving Fundraiser
Career Academy of Beauty
12471 Valley View St.
Garden Grove
(714) 897-3010
To donate go to caofb.com


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I decided to make my first blog post a tutorial because one of my main objectives of this blog is to give back! I have been inspired by so many amazing craft blogs and have used many patterns & tutorials from them. So I wanted to kick things off with my version of a thread catcher! I was inspired by the awesome tutorial over at The Sewing Chick. Her tutorial is for a patchwork thread catcher, but the swap I made this for limited us to using 2 fat quarters. I made my own version with some different techniques which I am going to share with you here (with permission of course!).
- One 13 x 10 in piece of fabric for the outer shell
- Note: This will be folded in half, so a directional print is not recommended or one side will be upside down
- One 14 x 10 in piece of fabric for the lining
- This will be the binding for the top edge too so again directional prints are not recommended
- One 15 x 12 in piece of foam stabilizer (I used In-R-Foam Sew In. You could use regular quilt batting as well but it would not be as rigid).
- Basting Spray (I used 505 brand. You could also pin baste if you prefer!)
- Wonder Clips
- Washable Marker
- Rotary cutter, ruler, & mat
- 1 Curious Cat (Optional)
— Tutorial! —
First, use your basting spray (or pins) to adhere your outer fabric to the foam stabilizer.
Next, draw on your quilting lines. For mine, I chose to do a diamond pattern. To do this, I lined up the 45 degree line on my ruler with the side of my outer piece making sure the line will go through the corner. I then marked this with my washable marker.
Next, I repeated this step for my top corner in the other direction.
Once I had my 2 starting lines drawn, I drew in the rest of my lines spacing them 1.5 in apart.
Here are my finished quilting lines. Now it's time to quilt the outer panel! I used my usual sewing foot and line it up with each of my drawn lines.
I like to quilt every other line first starting on the same side. I then quilt the rest starting from the opposite side. The left picture shows my quilting after the first direction. I do this to avoid pulling the fabric & creating wrinkles which can happen if you go in the same direction for every line. The right is an example of one of my first quilted items. You can see how the fabric pulls to the side- I should have alternated sewing directions (and basted better)!
Note: If you are using a walking foot you can skip this step- I am just too lazy to put mine on for these small projects!
After you finish quilting the panel, we are going to wash out the marked quilting lines. I use a white washcloth and a cup of filtered water for this.
Here is the panel with all the marker washed out. Next, trim away the excess foam on your quilted panel.
Fold your quilted panel and inner fabric in half "hamburger style" (fold the longer side in half) and pin/clip the folded sides. I like to clip my quilted panels with wonder clips since it is thicker and pin the lining.
Sew the quilted panel with a 3/8 in seam allowance on both sides leaving the top open.
Sew the lining with a 1/2 in seam allowance on both sides leaving the top open. This will make the lining a tiny bit smaller than the outer fabric which helps the lining to lay flat.
Here are the finished inner & outer pieces.
Next, we are going to mark the bottom corners. To do this, line up the bottom fold with the 1.75in mark on your ruler. For the side, line up the 1.75in mark with your seam line (not the edge of the fabric). Do this on both corners of the outer & lining panels.
After you have your panels marked, cut out the bottom squares. I like to do this with scissors as I always seem to overshoot with my rotary cutter!
Once the squares are cut out, open up the bottom corner and center the side seam as shown. Again, I like to clip my quilted panels and pin my lining fabric. Do this for both corners on the outer and lining.
Sew the bottom corners with a 1/2 in seam allowance. As you sew, be sure to open up the seam allowance on the side seam to reduce bulk.
On the quilted panel, trim down the seam allowance at the top edges. This will reduce the bulk near the binding.
Here are the completed outer & lining panels! Now it's time to assemble!
Turn your outer panel right side out. Place your lining (still inside out) inside the outer panel. Line up the side seams and push the lining around until it is seated inside the outer nicely.
Pin the bottom of the basket. I like to do this to make sure the lining doesn't creep up on me when I am binding it in the next step.
To bind, start by folding the lining in half as shown.
Next, fold this over the top edge of the quilted panel and secure with a wonder clip. The raw edge of the lining is now tucked inside the binding.
Continue this process around the basket, folding & clipping as you go. It may take a little wiggling since your lining is a tiny bit smaller than the outer panel, but you should be able to get it folded over all the way around and clipped.
From here- you can choose to hand bind or machine bind. I haven't been brave enough to try hand binding yet, so I will show you how I machine bind!
To bind on my machine, I remove the flat portion so that I can use the free arm. I use my edge stitching foot to sew on the binding.
Insert the basket under the foot. I line up the binding to the blade on my edge stitching foot. I then adjust my needle so that I will be catching about 1/8 in of the binding. I then sew all the way around the basket removing the clips as I approach each one. Then, I trim my threads and I am finished!
There you go! You now have a handy little thread catcher that can stand up on its own! You can also use this as a small bin for storing other notions or at your door for your wallet/keys!
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial! If you have any questions or comments, please let me know!
Thanks for reading!!


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Late hour maroons financiers' vote on $5.2M in Sandy repairs
The U.S. House of Representatives isn't the only legislative body to delay a vote on funding for Superstorm Sandy repairs and cleanup.
The Board of Finance on Tuesday, faced with a request for $5.2 million in local repairs caused by the October storm, put off discussion and vote on the bonding request because members did not get to the agenda item until just about midnight.
Plans now are for a special meeting on the $5.2 million request at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday in Sullivan-Independence Hall.
At first, board members wanted to table the discussion until their February meeting, but Public Works Director Joseph Michelangelo said that would delay several of the projects that really should get started in March in order to be ready for the spring.
Among the projects included in the bonding request are the repair and raising of the Penfield Pavilion; repairs to drainage along Fairfield Beach Road; sand replenishment at four public beaches; channel dredging at the marina and Southport Harbor; repairs to the fishing pier; replacing concession stands at Southport and Sasco beaches, and repairing the bathroom and storage building at Ye Yacht Yard.
Michelangelo said he would be willing to pull out five or six top priorities, which the board could then vote on that night, putting off the remainder for another meeting.
"You're asking for a lot, to be revising the bond resolution and separating things out at this hour" said Vice Chairman Robert Bellitto Jr. "It's just rife with potential problems."
The board spent the first two hours of the session discussing the firefighters' pension system, and had two other agenda items to deal with prior to the Sandy request.
Finance board member Kenneth Brachfeld pointed out that a large percentage of the $5.2 million will never actually have to be bonded because of anticipated reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The town expects FEMA to reimbuse about 75 percent of the projects' costs, although Michelangelo said that is not guaranteed.
"We were not aware of the time crunch," Flynn said.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-556-2771; http://twitter.com/GreillyPost


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I'm enjoying Aion. Mostly. It's the flavor of the month, I know. It will never replace World of Warcraft as my main MMO. But, it's enjoyable.
The character creation is amazing. The graphics are great. It has a definite fantasy feel to it, with giant flying creatures overhead and glowy feelings of coolness. Combat, while fairly simple, isn't boring. It's very streamlined with few confusing features and a solid frame rate. The animations are good and the facial movements are convincing. All in all it's definitely a first rate publish.
So with all of this awesomeness, I can't help but wonder where the fuck did it go wrong?
The feelings of joy I experience upon logging in disappear so quickly. I'm bombarded with dozens of messages/whispers from gold spammers with names like "djdhs" and "asdfg." After scrolling through and blocking them one by one I have to deal with the other jackasses in the chat, and while some of them are actually nice and helpful, most are just plain A grade jackasses. This is by far the worst community I've seen in a P2P MMO. Is it because its new? Because its Eastern based? I have no idea. But it's annoying. Why people pay a monthly fee to a social game to be dicks I'll never understand.
And there are those gold spammers. Ridiculous. Name one other MMO where you log in and are just attacked, on every channel and every zone, by 6 or 7 spammers at a time. This is by far the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen in an online game, and I've played just about all of them.
Where are the GM's? I've never asked this question about an MMO before. I've dealt with glitches, bots, and jackasses before and never questioned the people who run it. But I can't ignore it this time. Logging into a super well done polished game and experiencing such rampant abuse is a slap in the face. You wouldn't know by looking at the sweet case in the store that you're going to play this kind of mess.
Aion has the chance to be a great game. It does! If they would just lower the requirements to fight in the Abyss (the main selling point of the game which you can't get to until 25) and, you know, ENFORCE THEIR RULES, this game would be a contender to Warcraft. But right now it isn't.
People can bitch about WoW, and believe me I do too, but I was riding through Northrend yesterday staring at the amazing zones they put together and thinking "where are these in other games?" It's epic. Where is the epicness?
I beg of you, Ultima Online. Steal new graphics from someone, anyone. Then I can die happy.
Switched up the ending on you there. But seriously, do it. And Aion....why aren't you WoW?