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Sokol Activity Center
Manager Lori Macalik: 972-875-7959 or 214-458-9356 firstname.lastname@example.com
NOTE: The above contact information is solely dedicated & authorized for Sokol Activity Center inquiries. If no answer, please leave a message & the manager will respond ASAP. The contact information below will not be able to assist with these types of inquiries. Thank you for your patience.
Museum & Library
Curator Georgie Morales: 972-875-5398
For inquiries regarding membership and volunteer opportunities: email@example.com
For inquiries regarding member dues and records: firstname.lastname@example.com
For inquiries regarding gymnastics and other physical fitness programs: email@example.com
For inquiries regarding museum and educational-cultural programs: email@example.com
For inquiries regarding facilities, swimming pool, and social activities: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tyrš Swimming Pool
972-875-8058 (seasonal - May-August)
Sokol Ennis is located 2 1/2 miles east from I-45 on Highway 34
Mailing Address
P O Box 205 Ennis, TX 75120-0205
Physical Address
2622 East Hwy 34 Ennis, TX 75119 972-875-7959
Texas Czech Heritage Cultural Center
Ennis Convention & Visitors Bureau
American Friends of Czech Republic
Radio Dechovka (Czech Brass Music)
Texas Amateur Athletic Federation
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Bridgestone/Firestone Trust Fund
Chicago Sister Cities International
Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports of the Czech Republic
Gymnastics Association of Texas
Whipp Farm Productions
Mr WFireworks
SBA Communications


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The Wall is a massive barrier of mostly ice stretching across the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms, separating it from the wild lands beyond. The Wall is one hundred leagues long[1][2] (three hundred miles)[3][4] and reaches over seven hundred feet at his highest point,[5] although some foundation blocks in hilly regions, such as near Greyguard, send it nine hundred feet in the air.[6]
Appearing as one of the nine wonders made by man in the book written by Lomas Longstrider,[5][7] the Wall is defended and held by the Sworn Brothers of the Night's Watch, who patrol and guard nineteen castles from the Frostfangs mountain range in the west to the Bay of Seals in the east. Only the Shadow Tower, Castle Black, and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea are garrisoned at the start of A Song of Ice and Fire.
- See also: Images of the Wall
The Wall stretches for three hundred miles[3] and is approximately seven hundred feet tall.[8] It is made of solid ice, stone, and earth,[6] and can be seen for miles round. It appears grey or blue depending on the weather and time of day. The top is wide enough for a dozen mounted knights to ride abreast and it is thicker at the base.[9] According to myth, there are old spells woven into it, to strengthen it and keep creatures of a magical nature such as the Others from passing it.[6][10]
The Wall is straight from Castle Black to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, but runs like a snake between Castle Black and the Shadow Tower.[6] Led by Othell Yarwyck, the First Builder, the builders of the Watch monitor and repair the Wall.[11]
The Wall does not have standard gates, but instead tunnels cut through it that are secured by heavy iron bars and massive chains that must be unlocked.[3] They are sealed with ice and stone wherever castles have been abandoned or in times of danger.[12]
The Night's Watch raised nineteen castles to guard the hundred leagues of the Wall, however they had never manned more than seventeen at one time.[2] Over the last three hundred years, as the manpower of the Watch has dropped, most of these castles have been abandoned; Old Nan refers to them as "ghost castles".[13]
Only three castles currently remain in use,[1] though sometimes a larger force is sent to one of the abandoned castles for a fortnight or a moon's turn.[14] The manned castles are Castle Black, the largest-maintained castle, located at the northern end of the kingsroad and held by nearly six hundred Brothers,[1] the Shadow Tower, the westernmost of the occupied castles, garrisoned by two hundred men of the Night's Watch,[1] and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the port of the Night's Watch with the smallest garrison, located at the eastern end of the Wall.
The nineteen castles on the Wall, listed from west to east, are:
- Westwatch-by-the-Bridge
- The Shadow Tower, commanded by Ser Denys Mallister
- Sentinel Stand
- Greyguard
- Stonedoor
- Hoarfrost Hill
- Icemark
- The Nightfort
- Deep Lake
- Queensgate
- Castle Black, commanded by the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch
- Oakenshield
- Woodswatch-by-the-Pool
- Sable Hall
- Rimegate
- Long Barrow
- The Torches
- Greenguard
- Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, commanded by Cotter Pyke
The Night's Watch permits the forest to come no closer than half a mile to the Wall. However, over time forest has crept back closer to abandoned castles.[1]
The top of the wall is studded with catapults, cranes,[9] and trebuchets,[15] but they are immobile.[15] Additionally, some catapults and trebuchets have been dismantled for repair and never reassembled after being frozen in ice.[1]
The galleys of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea patrol the Bay of Seals in part to catch smugglers who bypass the Wall through the sea and trade weapons to wildlings.[16] In the west the southern Frostfangs and the Gorge make the terrain impassable for all but small groups of raiders.[17]
The Wall provides a tremendous tactical advantage to its defenders, enabling a small group to hold off a much larger force. Defenders are generally beyond the range of bow shot or catapult and in turn rely on archery, catapult, and dropped objects to deter an assault. In particular, barrels containing rocks frozen in ice are effective in dispersing a mass charge.[15]
Attackers must rely on one of two tactics: a direct assault on one of the few well-defended gates, or scaling the Wall in small groups and attacking a gate from the rear. The gates have been designed with features such as murder holes and limited access that make them difficult to force.[15] In an extreme case, gates can be filled with rock and ice, thus becoming as impervious as any other part of the wall.[18]
Scaling the Wall involves similar difficulties. A team of determined climbers can reach the top, but only if undetected by defenders, who can easily knock them off with dropped objects or archery. The Wall is thought to "defend itself", disgorging sheets of its own ice.[6]
The Wall was made to defend the realms of the First Men,[19] and the men of the Night's Watch have reportedly defended the Wall against Others and other monsters[5] for eight thousand years[20] since the end of the Long Night.[5]
According to legend, the Wall was built by Brandon the Builder with the assistance of children of the forest and giants,[5] and it is protected with ancient spells and sorcery.[21] Supposedly, Brandon placed foundations along heights wherever possible.[6] Also according to legend, the Wall is vulnerable to the Horn of Joramun.[6]
Maesters dispute if the base of the Wall was made of stone, but they generally believe builders of the Watch used sledges to transport ice cut from frozen lakes in the haunted forest. However, the severely-reduced Night's Watch at the present time is limited to maintenance duty.[11][5]
While First Ranger Benjen Stark believes the Wall is the largest structure built by man,[9] others say the Hightower in Oldtown is even taller,[12] and that the Wall can be seen from the tower's top.[22]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
When Jon Snow joins the Night's Watch, Tyrion Lannister accompanies him north to see the Wall.[23]
A Storm of Swords
Feigning allegiance to the wildling cause, Jon climbs the Wall with a group of wildlings. Sheets of ice break off, leading to the death of Jarl.[6]
Mance Rayder's wildling host is defeated by King Stannis Baratheon and the Night's Watch in the battle beneath the Wall.[24]
A Dance with Dragons
After Jon Snow became the 998th Lord Commander, he put plans in motion to man most of the castles. These include:
- Westwatch-by-the-Bridge, garrisoned by a small company from the Night's Watch.[25]
- Sentinel Stand, garrisoned by a small company from the Night's Watch.[26]
- Greyguard, garrisoned by an unnamed steward from the Shadow Tower.[27]
- Stonedoor, given to Soren Shieldbreaker to settle and garrison.[28] Borroq is to join him.[28]
- Hoarfrost Hill, still empty as Jon has not yet named a commander[28]
- Icemark, garrisoned with thirty men under the command of Bedwyck, twenty from the Night's Watch and ten of Stannis's men.[29]
- Nightfort, given to Stannis as his seat, but it will take time for the builders to make it suitable for habitation.[30]
- Deep Lake, garrisoned with free folk, possibly by Halleck.[31]
- Queensgate, given to Morna White Mask to settle and garrison.[28]
- Oakenshield, given to Tormund Giantsbane to settle and garrison.[28]
- Woodswatch-by-the-Pool, garrisoned by a small company from the Night's Watch.[32]
- Sable Hall, garrisoned with free folk, possibly by Halleck.[31]
- Rimegate, still empty as Jon has not yet named a commander[28]
- Long Barrow, garrisoned with spearwives under the command of Iron Emmett[33][34] and Eddison Tollett.[35]
- The Torches, garrisoned by a small company from the Night's Watch.[36]
- Greenguard, given to Devyn Sealskinner to settle and garrison.[28]
Behind the scenes
- See also: Themes in A Song of Ice and Fire
According to George R. R. Martin the inspiration for the Wall came from Hadrian's Wall.[37]
|Almost seven hundred feet high it stood, three times the height of the tallest tower in the stronghold it sheltered. His uncle said the top was wide enough for a dozen armored knights to ride abreast. The gaunt outlines of huge catapults and monstrous wooden cranes stood sentry up there, like the skeletons of great birds, and among them walked men in black as small as ants.[9]
|If the Wall should ever fall, all the fires will go out.[38]
|And they've built a great wall through my valleys, and fished all the fish from my rills.[39]
|You know nothing, Jon Snow. This wall is made o' blood.[6]
|The Night's Watch has forgotten its true purpose, Tarly. You don't build a wall seven hundred feet high to keep savages in skins from stealing women. The Wall was made to guard the realms of men ... and not against other men, which is all the wildlings are when you come right down to it. Too many years, Tarly, too many hundreds and thousands of years. We lost sight of the true enemy.[40]
|The Wall can stop an army, but not a man alone.[41]
|Jon Snow glanced up at the Wall, towering over them like a cliff of ice. A hundred leagues from end to end, and seven hundred feet high. The strength of the Wall was its height; the length of the Wall was its weakness. Jon remembered something his father had said once. A wall is only as strong as the men who stand behind it. The men of the Night's Watch were brave enough, but they were far too few for the task that confronted them.[29]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion III.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 43, Jon V.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Size of Westeros, April 17, 2008
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 The World of Ice & Fire, The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 30, Jon IV.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Amazon Omniblog Interview (January 11, 2012)
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 26, Jon IV.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 19, Jon III.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: The Wall, September 09, 2000
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 41, Jon V.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 40, Bran III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 26, Jon III.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 64, Jon VIII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Many Questions, December 28, 1998
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Long Night.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 53, Jon XI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 56, Bran IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 13, Tyrion II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 73, Jon X.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Westwatch-by-the-Bridge.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Sentinel Stand.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 10, Jon III.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 69, Jon XIII.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon I.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 35, Jon VII.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Woodswatch-by-the-Pool.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 39, Jon VIII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 58, Jon XII.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Long Barrow.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Torches.
- ↑ RollingStone.com: George R.R. Martin: The Rolling Stone Interview, April 23, 2014
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 68, Jon VIII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 33, Samwell II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 7, Jon I.

subset: commoncrawl


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I just want us all to be friends' – 6yo's divorce advice to mom goes viral – A Must See
It is one thing to have your small child unexpectedly offer adult advice, it's quite another when the six-year-old in question talks like a professional psychologist. Authentic or not, this YouTube video just hit one million views.
The little girl from Canada is sitting on the stairs in her pajamas, when she decides to lecture her mother on how to get her life back on track following a divorce, and how to continue being friends with her dad.


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Basic cabbage soup such as the soup recommended for the cabbage soup diet involves mixing cabbage, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, carrots, green beans and seasoning. It is a low-calorie soup that dieters can eat throughout the day, and it is an easy recipe to alter.Continue Reading
Easy Cabbage Soup:
This cabbage soup recipe was originally published in Epicurious. It is fast and easy to make, and reviewers note that it is easy to tailor the recipe and experiment with different ingredients.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Ready In: 35 min.
To make a heartier soup such as Emeril Lagasse's cabbage-potato soup, add ingredients such as grated potatoes and beef strips.Learn more about Cooking


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Where Do We See Positive Things Happening in Healthcare IT? – Post #HIMSS16 Blab
John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 10 blogs containing over 8000 articles with John having written over 4000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 16 million times. John also manages Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today, the leading career Health IT job board and blog. John is co-founder of InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: @techguy and @ehrandhit and LinkedIn.
UPDATE: In case you missed the live video interview, you can watch the recording of our discussion in the video embedded below:
This post is sponsored by Samsung Business and Dell is sponsoring my trip to participate in the Dell Healthcare Think Tank. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 1 PM ET (10 AM PT) I'll be hosting a live video interview with the Chief Medical Officers of both Samsung and Dell. As we recover from HIMSS 2016, we'll be sharing the positive things we saw, heard and are doing in healthcare IT. Far too many people at HIMSS are focusing on the challenges and downside of healthcare IT. In this live video chat, we're going to focus our discussion on the innovations and amazing technologies that are making healthcare better for everyone.
The great part is that you can join my live conversation with this panel of experts and even add your own comments to the discussion or ask them questions. All you need to do to watch live is visit this blog post on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 1 PM ET (10 AM PT) and watch the video embed at the bottom of the post or you can subscribe to the blab directly. We'll be doing a more formal interview for the first 30 minutes and then open up the Blab to others who want to add to the conversation or ask us questions. The conversation will be recorded as well and available on this post after the interview.
Here are a few more details about our panelists:
- Dr. David Rhew, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Samsung
- Dr. Nick van Terheyden, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Dell
- John Lynn, Founder of Healthcare Scene
We hope you'll join us live or enjoy the recorded version of our conversation. Plus, considering the size of HIMSS, the three of us likely only saw a small portion of the amazing innovations and technologies that were on display at HIMSS. Please join us on blab and share things you found at HIMSS that everyone should know about.
If you'd like to see the archives of Healthcare Scene's past interviews, you can find and subscribe to all of Healthcare Scene's interviews on YouTube.
For more content like this, follow Samsung on Insights, Twitter, LinkedIn , YouTube and SlideShare.
Also, you can see Dr. Nick and myself on the Dell Healthcare Think Tank event March 15th on Twitter using the #DoMoreHIT hashtag and the Livestream.


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I've tried to install the NVidia DDS PS plugin into PSP X2 Photo, and while it shows up on Save As menu, it will not actually save a dds file, and instead PSP throws a "Plugin cannot read requested format". I've un-installed and re-installed the NVidia DDS plugin several times, with the same end effect.
Any one have any clues? Any other DDS filters/plugins that work with PSP X2 Photo?
PSP X2 Photo and DDS
Comments and discussions about Paint Shop Pro from Corel and formerly JASC
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The LBS Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) program is designed to provide working business executive a focused management education to strengthen their managerial and leadership skills. The program has been designed in a structured yet flexible way to address the career paths of executives who are in the private and public sectors.
The primary goal of the program is to enhance the quality of business leadership in African business environment. The African business environment has long suffered a dearth of qualified managers who can provide strategic direction for the growth of national economies. The EMBA program has been designed to fill this gap through the exposure of senior managers and executives to new business thinking and models that will propel businesses in a new trajectory and contribute to the economic growth of national economies.
Big picture of core functional areas of business
In this era of globalization and high competiveness among companies, it is important for our graduates to have a big picture of the business. This will help our graduates see the interconnectedness of the enterprise. Graduates will have a well-rounded knowledge of the main business disciplines, embodying an understanding of their theoretical foundations, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to actual problems.
Organizational problem solving capabilities based on concrete data
Graduates should be able to demonstrate problem solving capacity through lateral, critical, innovative and creative connections among diverse fields of study in analyzing problems. They should also have developed the capacity to perceive many relevant features in business problems and situations, overcoming purely functional points of view. This encompassing new perspective should be based on concrete data relevant to the operation of the business taking into cognizance internal and external factors.
Decision making based on analytical competence
Graduates should have developed the capacity to apply relevant tools of economic, financial and quantitative analysis. Business decisions should be based on good analysis that ensures the economic viability and sustainability of the firm. This is a critical skill for our graduates because running a business is always about making decisions that will affect the bottom-line of the organization.
Global perspective with local relevance
Graduates should have a global perspective, based on an understanding of both the domestic and global environments of the organization and an acquaintance with current Nigerian and global best practices.
Ethical standards
Graduates should have internalized high standards of professional ethics. They should see the management profession as an opportunity of service to society and to the other members of the organisations in which they work.
EMBA Graduates will demonstrate excellence in the following:
Big picture of core functional areas of business
Objective 1: Students gain self-awareness in their roles as leaders and leaders of people in the organization.
Objective 2: Students value diverse perspectives and skill sets, and work collaboratively in a variety of contexts and situations.
Organizational problem solving capabilities based concrete data
Objective 1: Students employ a deep understanding and knowledge of organization as bedrock for proffering winning solutions.
Objective 2: Students make decisions that shape comprehensive responses to business challenges and opportunities.
Objective 1: Students investigate innovation in contemporary practices and intellectual traditions.
Objective 2: Students make competent and sound business decisions in order to create and sustain economic well being of an organization.
Global perspective
Objective 1: Students combine their new knowledge, extensive experiences and experiential projects to address organizational challenges taking cognizance of local relevance and international perspectives.
Objective 2: Students act on opportunities in the complex and changing global environment.
Objective 1: Students make competent and ethical decisions in order to create and sustain economic, social and environmental value.
Additional Behavioral Skills
· Have well-developed work habits;
· have the ability to utilize leadership skills effectively;
· interact effectively in group situations;
· be able to manage in culturally diverse environments;
· have the ability to help others develop their skills;
· possess the capacity to resolve conflict effectively; and
· be able to communicate efficiently both orally and in writing.


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Tulsa Bail Bonds | We Can Help
Signature Bail Bonds of Tulsa wants to help. Let us simplify the bail bond process with answers to your bail related questions. We also super simple 0% financing or cash discounts on qualifying Tulsa bail bonds. Call anytime for friendly bail bond service from our family to yours.
Quick Bail Bond Quote
Call 24 Hours for fastest service. Or complete the form below and an agent will call you with a quote.
Our licensed Tulsa bail bondsman are committed to simplifying the bail process. We also work to provide the most affordable bail bond service in Tulsa, Oklahoma with easy zero percent financing or cash discounts.
CALL (918-744-6688) We Want To Help!
201 W. 5th St. Ste 140 Tulsa, OK 74103
We have cash discounts. Easy financing. Most importantly, we care about you.
You have Tulsa bail bond questions. We have Tulsa bail bond answers.
Call on a bail bond company that can answer your questions.
Tulsa bail bonds are not too difficult to understand, but since most people in Tulsa have never had a need for a bail bond, it's a good idea to get a quick rundown of the basics. When you need a bail bondsman in Tulsa or simply have questions, we want to help. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers regarding bail bonds in Oklahoma:
What's a Bail Bond?
The bail bond is the financial guarantee made by the bail bond company, the defendant and cosigners to appear in court for scheduled hearings, trial or sentencing. Learn more about bail bonds
What Does It Cost to Get Someone Out of Jail?
All cases are different. The best way to determine the exact cost is to get in touch with one our professionals at Signature Bail Bonds of Tulsa, OK. One of our licensed Tulsa bondsmen will help you understand what you need to do to get your friend or family member out of jail. We will also let you know if your Tulsa bail bond qualifies for a cash discount or easy financing terms. We want to help, fill out our bail application.
What's the Difference Between The Bond Amount and Premium?
The bail bond amount refers to the total amount of the bail the court sets. The premium is the nonrefundable dollar amount the bail bond company will charge for their service to get the accused out of jail before their trial. In most cases, this is 10% of the bail amount. So normally a $50,000 bail bond would require a $5,000 premium. Learn more about how bail bonds work
Ask away.
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False Alarm Reduction Program
The USC Department of Public Safety provides security alarm monitoring and response to alarm activations. When an officer responds to an alarm activation and determines that no crime has occurred, the activation is considered a false alarm. The ultimate goal of this program is to reduce the number of false alarms which unnecessarily utilize valuable public safety resources.
Effective July 1st 2016, a false activation will be accounted for once an officer is dispatched to the alarm location. The count of false alarms will reset each fiscal year on July 1st. The fees scheduled for false activations will be billed on a monthly basis and are as follows:
- First three activations in a fiscal year – no charge
- All subsequent activations – $100.00 each
Appealing a False Alarm
To appeal a false alarm activation charge, Departments must submit a complete appeal form to the Security Systems Administrator, Antonio Soria at email@example.com. The online appeal form can be found here.
Please allow five business days for a review and response. The fee will be waived if the activation is determined to have been caused by:
- Criminal activity as evidenced by a report filed within 30 days of the alarm date
- Acts of nature such as windstorms, wildfires, earthquakes, floods and lighting strikes
- A verifiable power line failure
Alarm System Changes Notification
A person testing an alarm system must call and notify the DPS Alarm Monitoring Center at (213) 740-8210. The dispatcher will request identification, location, and other applicable information to be logged in the DPS Communications system. A false alarm count will be assessed if such notification is not provided.
Feel free to contact Anabel Godina at email@example.com with any questions or concerns.


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CDC reports show high death rates among Native Americans (April 22, 2014)
Death rates for Native Americans are nearly 50 percent greater than rates among non-Hispanic Whites, according to the CDC.
Read more
Blog: Climate change impacts Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (April 22, 2014)
Ongoing series on climate change and the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations in British Columbia.
Read more
Peter Twitchell: Stop passing the buck on our Yup'ik culture (April 22, 2014)
Peter Twitchell urges Yup'ik people to carry on their traditions and culture.
Read more
Wendell George: Little Joe connects with his tribal heritage (April 22, 2014)
Wendell George, a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes of Washington, shares the story of Little Joe.
Read more
Photos: Cowboy Indian Alliance rides to National Mall in DC (April 22, 2014)
The Cowboy Indian Alliance arrived in Washington, D.C., this morning.
Read more
Murray Sinclair: Effects of residential school era will linger (April 22, 2014)
Murray Sinclair, the chairman of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, says the effects of the residential school era won't go away overnight.
Read more
Oneida Nation to host PGA championship at resort in 2016 (April 22, 2014)
The Oneida Nation of New York will host the 49th PGA championship in 2016.
Read more
Opinion: Maps represent destruction of Native people in US (April 22, 2014)
Writer discusses what a map of the United States looks like from indigenous eyes.
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Choctaw Nation Chief Greg Pyle set to retire after 17 years (April 22, 2014)
Choctaw Nation Chief Greg Pyle is retiring after 17 years in office.
Read more
Wyoming tribes share per cap from $157M trust settlement (April 22, 2014)
The Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming are sharing in a $157 million trust fund settlement.
Read more
Alray Nelson: Bring marriage equality to the Navajo Nation (April 22, 2014)
Alray Nelson, the founder of the Coalition for Navajo Equality, calls for the repeal of the Dine Marriage Act of 2005.
Read more
Winona LaDuke: Tribes won't see benefits from Keystone XL (April 22, 2014)
Activist Winona LaDuke says the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline won't bring long-term benefits to Indian Country.
Read more
Navajo Nation Council to take up higher tax on junk foods (April 22, 2014)
The Navajo Nation Council will reconsider a tax on junk foods that was vetoed by President Ben Shelly.
Read more
Steven Newcomb: UNDRIP falls under domination framework (April 22, 2014)
Steven Newcomb explains why the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples leave free people under continued domination.
Read more
DaShanne Stokes: 'Indian' mascots carry harmful impacts (April 22, 2014)
DaShanne Stokes cites five studies that show how Indian mascots harm Indian people.
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DOI Secretary Sally Jewell delivers keynote at tribal summit (April 22, 2014)
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will deliver the keynote at a tribal summit in Washington this week.
Read more
DOI Deputy Secretary Mike Connor hosts Earth Day webchat (April 22, 2014)
Mike Connor, the second-highest ranking official at the Interior Department, will be hosting a special Earth Day webchat this afternoon.
Read more
Native Sun News: Pine Ridge man behind Revolution Couture (April 22, 2014)
If you search Google image for Native Fashion, the first 20 or more images that come up will most likely be everything from Vogue to Katie Perry.
Read more
Native Sun News: Sisseton Wahpeton fighter gets big chance (April 22, 2014)
Every fighter dreams of the day when they get their big shot; the time when all the stars align and everything seems to be working out perfectly.
Read more
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1 Navajo Nation makes history with solar powered plant
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4 Tribes in court to challenge huge copper mine on ancestral territory
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2 Tara Sweeney quietly takes helm at Bureau of Indian Affairs
3 Gila River Indian Community denied funds for tribal veterans
4 Tribes in court to challenge huge copper mine on ancestral territory
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Freshman DB Shaun Prater suspended
|Shaun Prater suspended after OWI arrest
IOWA CITY, IA - - University of Iowa freshman defensive back Shaun Prater has been charged with OUI in an incident Friday night in Iowa City. The following is a statement by Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz:
"I was extremely disappointed to learn of the incident involving Shaun Prater. He has been suspended indefinitely. He will be required to serve numerous internal obligations, set by me. He'll also face a multiple game suspension in the fall."
Prater, a 5-11, 172-pounder from Omaha, NE, played in all 13 games last season as a true freshman. He was credited with eight tackles.


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A dependent tax deduction is an allowance for reduced tax payments on a preset basis for those who have people who rely on them for direct monetary support, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Children and other relatives that meet specific requirements can be claimed as dependents, as can some people with certain disabilities who rely on the taxpayer for support and care.Continue Reading
There are many instances in which a person cannot be claimed as a dependent regardless of their financial situation or of their particular needs. Married people filing jointly cannot be claimed as dependents and nor can people who do not meet citizenship requirements, as noted by the IRS.
A dependent tax deduction is also referred to as an exemption, and a separate exemption may be filed for each dependent a taxpayer claims. Social security numbers must be provided in order to claim the exemption, however, each exemption reduces the filing party's taxable income by a set amount, in effect sparing them tax payments.
Dependency is an important way for people to protect family members and loved ones who need care while still maintaining financial solvency and independence. Most parents claim their children as dependents until those children move out and begin independent careers of their own, acquiring their independence in the process.Learn more about Taxes


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Hyper Mat series are produced from the highest quality. By reducing the gloss and texture of the material, additional strength has been added making it the most superior product.
- Low Gloss in the front
- Textured backed and less slick perfect for shuffle
- Each pack contains 80ct
- Size: 91 x 66mm
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the 'Complete Orders' link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.


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In the corporate world, images are of great importance. This has always been attributed to the fact that in modern days, people are more lured to purchase or do business with companies because of some of the images that they see in publications or other sources. Because of this, professional corporate headshots photographers have found a big market for their services. It however is important to understand some of the things that need to be considered so as to come up with the most appropriate business headshots for your company. You definitely do not want to end up with images that do not reflect your aspirations.
Choose the right colors
You may not be in a position to choose the colors that a client wears. However, you easily can influence this by choosing things such as the background colors in advance. This is because the colors are the most striking feature of any headshot. Anyone looking at the photograph cannot help but notice the choice of colors. It therefore is without a doubt that the wrong colors will definitely spoil the pictures. The good thing is that you can always creatively combine a variety of colors so as to get better photos.
The background light
Corporate headshots are also dependent on in the background lighting. This is the feature with which you can create the theme and mood of the photos. There are different kinds of situations which can for different lighting. For instance, you might find it appropriate to use bright lighting or something darker depending on the situation at hand and the results that you would like to achieve. You only need to ensure that the background lighting that you choose for your business headshots is one that relates to what the company or organization does.
Create a natural mood
It is common for people to be shy about the lighting or just the general setting of a studio. Others cannot feel at ease when they are in front of a camera especially when it is one that has something to do with business or the corporate world. In this case, a photographer should help the client to be at ease. You may ask them to relax a little and at least put on a smile if they can. You also need to have a small chat with them before the shots so as to help them to understand exactly how they should be during the photo shots.
It is important to understand that a corporate headshot does not just depend on the kinds of cameras or other equipment that a photographer uses. It is more than that. For the best business headshots, it is god to induce some creativity from both the client and the photographer. Working together to come up with better ways to produce wonderful images will definitely work to your advantage. If you are wondering where you can find such photographers, there are many of them both on and offline depending on what suits you best.


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Wimmera Research Group
The Wimmera Research Group is located at the Horsham Campus of Federation University Australia. It was established in December 2010 and was born out of the Water In Drylands Collaborative Research Program (WIDCORP).
The aim of this research group is to contribute to a sustainable future for rural and regional areas in Australia by undertaking research focused on building sustainable communities in collaboration with the local community and organisations.


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Greenspan's Successor
Who will fill the Fed chairman's shoes?
As Alan Greenspan's 18-year tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board enters its final months, speculation is growing as to whom President Bush will nominate to succeed him. The crowds at Intrade are betting on Ben Bernanke, current chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Asked to rank potential nominees, economists polled by the Wall Street Journal gave the highest marks to Bernanke and longtime Greenspan understudy Donald Kohn, a member of the Fed's Board of Governors (the Economist also believes Kohn is "the best choice"). Harvard eminence Martin Feldstein and Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger Ferguson followed close behind in the Journal poll. Glenn Hubbard, the former Bush economic adviser who is now the dean at Columbia University's business school, is also in the mix.
All the above have great credentials. And while it's impossible to say how global capital markets would react to any appointment, it's a safe bet that they could easily digest any of these individuals. Unlike so many other important federal appointments that affect economics—to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Supreme Court, the Treasury Department—there aren't fundamental disagreements about the nature of this job. There's a broad consensus among the elite, policy-minded economists that the chairman must fight inflation.
But there's no such consensus about fiscal policy. And ironically, Bush may be more focused on his nominee's attitudes toward fiscal policy than on the nominee's monetary policy. In the next few years, as Washington faces some truly monumental and uncomfortable choices about taxes, spending, and deficits, the Federal Reserve chairman could play a crucial role.
In theory, there's a neat division of labor at the federal level between fiscal policy (taxing and spending decisions) and monetary policy (decisions about short-term interest rates). The executive branch and legislative branch are responsible for fiscal policy, and the Fed is responsible for monetary policy. But that doesn't stop one group from trying to influence the other. The administration of Bush the Elder publicly complained that interest rates were too high in the early 1990s. And Greenspan emerged as an important voice in fiscal policy, convincing Robert Rubin and other Clintonites of the necessity to reduce deficits, for example. In recent years, Greenspan squandered a big chunk of his fiscal credibility by unambiguously supporting the Bush tax cuts even as deficits skyrocketed. Nonetheless, when he goes before Congress, Greenspan gets pressed by Republicans to come out in favor of tax cuts, and Democrats get on him to warn about the danger of deficits. And the markets listen to what he says. As a result, both sides want—and need—the Fed's imprimatur on their preferred policies.
The Fed chairmanship carries a four-year term. So, whoever fills Greenspan's well-worn chair in January 2006 will be running the show at least through the end of 2009. As such, the next Fed head will remain in that role for years after Bush has retired to Crawford. More important, the candidate Bush names now will be in charge when the Republican fiscal policy of the past five years starts to unwind. Remember, virtually all the tax cuts passed in recent years were designed to be temporary. The dividend and capital-gains tax cuts expire in 2008. The marginal-income-tax rate reductions expire at the end of 2010. At the same time, Bush and Congress have expanded government massively—a new prescription-drug entitlement in Medicare, pork-laden transportation bills, hundreds of billions of dollars spent in Iraq and Afghanistan—while doing nothing to deal with approaching debacles in Medicare and Social Security. Meanwhile, the Alternative Minimum Tax ensnares increasingly larger numbers of Americans each year.
As Democrats and Republicans in Congress seek to sort out these messes, they'll look to the Federal Reserve chairman for succor. So, the biggest danger for Bush is not that the next Fed chairman will be lax when it comes to fighting inflation. It's that he will use his Congressional testimony or his public speeches to speak honestly about the implications of the fiscal policy, to note that the pledges to reduce deficits and make tax cuts permanent are mutually exclusive, or to argue that the stock market can't magically cure Social Security's long-term imbalance.
Thus considered, it behooves Bush to choose the candidate least likely to speak out. Someone who, when push comes to shove, will go with partisan instincts over academic leanings and whose willingness to speak truth to power goes only so far. From this perspective, many of the potential appointees are problematic, given Bush's Manichean worldview. Ferguson was appointed by Clinton. Kohn is reportedly a Democrat. Bernanke doesn't have much of a public record when it comes to deficits, and he's a latecomer to the Bush White House. Feldstein? He's been a big supporter of Bush policies in recent years, as his writings show. But he wrote in the Financial Times in 2003 that "persistent budget deficits crowd out investment and thus reduce long-term growth." What's more, he has a troubling history of being willing to criticize his fellow Republicans over deficits, as he did in the 1980s. And none of these guys has any professional skin in the game—they were all spectators to the fiscal train wreck.
If you're Bush, you need someone who has a first-rate economic mind but the soul of a political hack. You need someone who was intimately involved in the selling of the fiscal policy in the first place and who will go to great lengths to defend it. You need someone who can argue in a textbook that deficits influence interest rates and then argue as a White House adviser that they don't—and still maintain an academic reputation. You need someone who campaigned hard for you in 2004. In other words, you need the guy Chris Suellentrop dubbed a "first-rate economist, tax-cut champion, presidential Yes Man." President Bush, you need Glenn Hubbard.
Bush recently pledged that his Fed appointee would rise above politics. "It's this independence of the Fed that gives people—not only here in America but the world—confidence," said Bush. But the Supreme Court is supposed to be an independent branch of government. And Bush didn't think twice about putting his personal lawyer there to protect his policies and look after his legacy. Bush and Hubbard aren't particularly close. There are no anecdotes of Hubbard clearing brush in Crawford or writing mash notes. But if the guy who did Bush's taxes in the 1980s wasn't available for the Fed, Glenn Hubbard may be the next best choice.


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ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THE GRAMMYS? Probably not, but this year, it might not be so bad. In the run-up to Sunday's ceremony, we'll have daily posts about Grammys past and present, including Tuesday's, about why the much overlooked Best Alternative Music Album is the most Internet friendly (and best) category out there, Wednesday's 54 Best Album fun facts, and today's, on Grammy host LL Cool J.
The second James Todd Smith crossed the "t" on his NCIS contract, he signed away the right to be referred to as LL Cool J. Not literally, sadly, but for many, the man who brought us Mama Said Knock You Out starring on a CBS procedural was the final nail on his proverbial credibility coffin. Hosting the Grammys doesn't help things, either.
But we here at UPROXX chose to think positively, so let's take a look at why it's funny/sad that LL Cool J's on NCIS: Los Angeles: because the man released two amazing albums, and dozens of great songs. In honor of his host gig, here are eight of his finest tracks, beginning with his nearly-perfect debut.
Song: "I Can't Live Without My Radio"
Album: Radio
There are two, and only two, correct choices for the best LL Cool J album: 1990's Mama Said Knock You Out, which we'll get to later, and 1985's Radio, Cool J's sparse, stunning debut. He recorded the album, with production from Def Jam founder Rick Rubin, when he was but a mere 17 years old, and he's at his B-boy best on "I Can't Live Without You." I've always wondered something: how do musicians feel about their first song on their first album being considered their greatest achievement? It's an actual "all downhill from here" realization.
Guess that's why we're still waiting for another Avalanches record.
Song: "Rock the Bells"
Album: Radio
So good, they named a music festival after it.
Song: "That's a Lie"
Album: Radio
And one more from Radio, featuring the immortal line, "You lied, and a body builder kicked your butt/If you was in Egypt you'd lie to King Tut." Take that, Steve Martin. It's worth mentioning here (and over and over again) that Cool J's discography is truly bizarre: there are the two aforementioned masterpieces, including Radio, but the two albums between them are disappointing, and after Mama, his work is mixed at best, dreadful at worst. Cool J too often tried to adapt to whatever was popular at the time, so taken as a whole, his career doesn't coalesce the way it could have.
Song: "I'm Bad"
Album: Bigger and Deffer
Bigger and Deffer was not loved by critics or hardcore music fans when it was released in 1987, and it's only in recent years that people have come around to (kind of) appreciating it, though not fully. That's because the album feels bloated, like Cool J's trying to prove that no, really, he is a badass, you guys, which for the most part, comes across as cloying and laughable (to say nothing of his love for ballads, a fascination that would later destroy his reputation for many). And yet, "I'm Bad" is one of Bigger's best scratch songs. You make no sense, Cool J.
Song: "Jack the Ripper"
Album: The B-side to "Going Back to Cali"
One of hip-hop's finest diss tracks. You can read about the whole feud here, but basically, Kool Moe Dee believed Cool J stole his style, and was understandably pissed. Cool J fired back by recording "Jack the Ripper," with lines like, "Prince of the growl is on the prowl/How You Like Me Now punk? You living foul/Here's what my game is, kill is what my aim is/A washed up rapper needs a washer, my name is…Jack the Ripper." The two never made up, but considering Cool J was in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, I think Kool Moe Dee won.
Song: "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Album: Mama Said Knock You Out
Song: "The Boomin' System"
Album: Mama Said Knock You Out
There's nothing hard-edged about LL Cool J, it's largely a self-aggrandizing myth, but he could sound convincing when he wanted to, especially on Mama Said Knock You Out. This is probably because no one loves LL Cool J as much as LL Cool J loves LL Cool J, so even though there's no inflated menace to "The Boomin' System," it's a smooth, effective nod to his earlier boombox work on Radio.
Song: "How I'm Comin'"
Album: 14 Shots to the Dome
14 Shots to the Dome was LL Cool J's fifth album. He's released seven more since it came out, in 1993, and yet none are must-owns. There are bright spots, sure, especially when DMX is involved, but, for instance, Todd Smith sounds like it came from a man torn between two worlds, which Cool J was and still is. He's dragged his way through half of his musical career, because he's a TV and movie star, too. (Mindhunters ain't gonna hunt themselves.) 14 Shots was the last time he sounded focused on a singular idea — to make good music — and even if the results were mixed, there's some decent stuff on it, like "A Little Somethin," which isn't on YouTube, and "How I'm Comin'."
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The DESY research center near Hamburg, Germany, said Thursday that bringing the laser to life for the first time "marks a new era of research in Europe."
Operators say the first laser pulse lasted one second, a frequency that will be increased to 27,000 flashes per second by the start of September, when it officially opens for research.
Scientists hope the European XFEL project will open up new areas of research, such as mapping the molecular structure of new drugs and seeing biochemical reactions in real time.
Institutions from Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are involved in the project.


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Do You looking for news about Go Behind-the-Scenes in Preview for 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'? If Yes, you are on the right blog. Here we have an article about Go Behind-the-Scenes in Preview for 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' just for you.
"Do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur?" Universal has unveiled a behind-the-scenes video to build up hype for the trailer release this week of the sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. This continues the story and follows characters introduced in Jurassic World, the current reboot of the Jurassic Park sci-fi dinosaur park series. The plot involves the group going back to Isla Nublar to try and save some dinos before a volcano eruption takes out the entire island. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return again, with a cast including Jeff Goldblum, BD Wong, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, James Cromwell, Geraldine Chaplin, and Rafe Spall. This promo borrows from Star Wars' marketing playbook by giving us an exciting behind-the-scenes look at the new movie, along with a glimpse at some footage. Trailer soon.
Here's the behind-the-scenes promo for J.A. Bayona's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, on YouTube:
Here's the other preview teaser videos for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to watch before the trailer hits:
Set several years after Jurassic World, this sequel is about a volcano on Isla Nublar that threatens the dinosaurs that had overrun the park. Dino trainer Owen Grady and former park manager Claire Dearing return to figure out how to get the dinosaurs off the island safely. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is directed by acclaimed Spanish filmmaker J.A. Bayona (follow him on Twitter @FilmBayona), of the films The Orphanage, The Impossible, and A Monster Calls (also known as 7 Minutes After Midnight) previously. The screenplay is written by Colin Trevorrow & Derek Connolly; based on the characters created by Michael Crichton. Universal will release Bayona's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in theaters everywhere starting June 22nd, 2018 next summer. Who's excited for more dinosaur mayhem now? Follow @JurassicWorld.
Thanks for reading our last news about Go Behind-the-Scenes in Preview for 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'. Don't forget to share with your friends and family.
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Our friends at EcoMedia, in collaboration with the LGBT Center OC and California Endowment, produced this fantastic video about LGBTQ affirming healthcare. Not only do we think it's fabulous… but it's been nominated for a Shorty Award!
Please note: The LGBT Center OC and LGBT Center on 4th will be closed during the following upcoming holidays:
Closed on Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4th, 2018
Any events or groups happening those days, please contact the event organizer or group facilitator about the schedule. Thank you!
Arts & Culture
Brad Brafford LGBT Center on 4th
The Center on 4th offers an array of educational, engaging, and empowering courses, art exhibits, and events that connect LGBT individuals with common interests. Experience the themes, lives, and politics of both the LGBT and local Santa Ana communities.


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We have combined various designs from our Design Library and beyond to create these beautiful carpet and panel designs in standard sizes.
-Create elegant "Concrete Carpets" by combining them with concrete overlayments, stains and integrally colored cementitious products such as SkimStone.
-Use them in combinations with gel stains and to create the look of inlaid marquetry on wood floors or paint and glaze on other hard floor surfaces and even floorcloths.
-Place them on walls and ceilings with techniques from gilding to low-relief embossing with venetian and metallic plaster materials. Smaller carpet/panel designs (45" width and under) will be cut as one complete pattern. Larger designs are cut into sections and come with a layout guide.
Pricing Note: These designs are offered at reduced pricing in "pre-set" sizes. They are sold "as shown" only. Any requested changes to the art, including resizing, will result in additional design and materials charges. We would be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with a customized quote.
With Modello Designs Decorative Masking Patterns the black areas shown represent those areas of the design that are "weeded out" or removed and through which the decorative technique will be applied (embossing, stain, paint, etc). The white areas represent those areas of the design that will be masked off.
You can request a PDF file containing line art of this design to use for color planning and presentation.*All color carpet artwork is computer generated.


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Used kettle corn equipment can typically be found on eBay.com and Craigslist.org. Advertisements on both these sites are user generated, and inventory available changes constantly. Vending and franchise brokerage sites such as For-Sale.Yakaz.com and UsedVending.com also occasionally have used kettle corn equipment or entire kettle corn business operations listed for sale. Equipment for sale includes kettles, sorting tables, combination popping units and sorting tables, and tents and display cases.Continue Reading
Some wholesale distributors of new kettle corn equipment accept trade-ins to allow their customers to grow their business. Those trade-in kettle corn units are occasionally offered for sale from sites such as KettleCornMachine.com. Used kettle corn equipment is typically made of steel or aluminum and is designed to be mobile to allow a potential owner to take the kettle corn business to multiple locations.
In addition to standard kettle corn equipment, ancillary kettle corn equipment can also be found for sale on these sites, including modified vans, trailers and tents. Other used kettle corn equipment for sale, typically included in a full business sale, includes propane tanks, mixing paddles, bag sealers, bag supplies and seasoning mixes. Kettle corn must be heated, popped and seasoned in a kettle before cooling and being sorted on a sifting table.Learn more about Appliances


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The Hornady 10mm/.40 S&W Reloading Dies 3-Pack feature a titanium nitride coating on the straight wall sizing die that helps eliminate case sticking and doesn't require lubrication. The internal die profile is precision machined and polished to a smooth finish for reliable functioning without case sticking or excessive friction. Includes 1 standard seating die, 1 standard expanding die and 1 straight wall sizing die.


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You Can't Detect What You Can't See: Illuminating the Entire Kill Chain
On-Demand Webinar
|In this article:
|AT A GLANCE: Williams Controls, Inc.
|Who are they?
|Stemming the sprawl
|Hire and hire
|Lessons learned about using contract workers
|The price of independence
Williams Controls Inc.'s Dayna Aronson
But this is the real world. With urgent projects on the table and an immediate need for qualified people, Aronson couldn't afford to spend months sifting through resumes, posting queries on the Internet, interviewing, testing, and conducting background checks on potential employees. Instead, he turned to local IT staffing agencies to find talent-for-hire on a temporary basis.
To supplement his 10 full-time IT workers and his specialized, high-end ERP consultants, Aronson contacted five agencies. These firms--including Automated Technical Services Group Inc. (ATSI GROUP), of Portland, Ore., which furnished the majority of the contractors--provided him with two Y2K experts, a general IT staffer (to fill in for a full-timer re-deployed on another key project), and two programmers for add-on ERP projects.
These days, more than a third of his staff works on a contract basis. The results, so far, are promising: Aronson expects the WAN and ERP system--JBA System 21 from JBA International Inc., of Rolling Meadows, Ill.--to be in place by August, right on schedule.
Hire and hire
The much-vaunted nationwide IT personnel shortage has given an enormous boost to the contract IT staffing industry. According to the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), a trade organization based in Greensboro, N.C., this $33 billion market is expected to continue its rapid expansion as IT managers struggle to meet time-to-market demands, shorter cycle times, high employee turnover, and rapidly changing IT skill sets. Computer Sciences Corp., a consulting firm in El Segundo, Calif., notes that finding and retaining IT staff is now one of the most pressing issues on the minds of CIOs, second only to the task of aligning IS and business goals.
"Ten years ago, using temporary consultants was considered a necessary evil," notes Peggy Smith, executive director of the NACCB. "Today it's a viable alternative for companies that need to maintain lean, permanent staffs and still undertake key projects."
Done right, buying tech talent through IT staffing agencies (also called brokers, suppliers, or vendors, depending on where you are in the country) can be the perfect middle way. Hiring short-term workers through a broker minimizes the legal and financial risks associated with self-employed independent contractors, on the one hand, and the expense of full-blown, Big-Five-style consultants, on the other.
Brokers provide companies with workers who have skill sets that are up to date and hard to find in full-time employees. These "just-in-time" workers can be used to address a short-term increase in workload or to fill a void while the search for a permanent employee is conducted. They can free up permanent employees to work on more strategic, critical, or desirable projects. Newer and smaller companies often use contract workers to quickly ramp up their capabilities during temporary demand surges. The flexibility of short-term hires is a boon to the bottom line, too; unlike full-timers, they aren't a drain on resources once a project is finished.
Best practices
"Over the last two or three years we've started seeing contract resources showing up as a big-ticket item on the IT budget," says Kari Krengel, president of TeCS Management Inc., an IT staffing consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. "It's not unheard of for 50% of a company's IT resources to be spent on contractors."
IT Solutions Builder TOP IT RESOURCES TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD
Data Storage
IT Management
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About Us
The medical staff and technicians of Hair Restoration and Aesthetic Medicine are trained in the latest methods and technology so that you have the best experience.
When you visit our offices you can expect our professionals to answer your questions, educate you on the facts and myths of hair loss, and provide solutions that are tailored to you. We understand your desire to have the best and that is why we have trained and are affiliated with the best.
Board Certification
- Diplomate and Fellow of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery
- Diplomate and Fellow of the American Board of Family Medicine
- ISHRS Accredited Hair Transplantation Fellowship
- Residency: University of Connecticut and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT
- Doctor of Medicine: State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts: Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
- American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery
- International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery
- Connecticut Academy of Emergency Physicians
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians
Dr. Boden has been featured on:
Read Dr. Boden's Answers to Real Patients Questions and 5 Star Reviews from RealSelf.com


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The reason why most people start running is to build muscles. I myself started running to reach this exact target.
At the beginning, I used to run on flat surfaces in the park. Soon after, I started looking for a bigger challenge, so I took it uphill and downhill. And that is when I started to see some results.
When it comes to build muscles by running, upward and downward surfaces have a tremendous benefit. But not everyone can do hill workouts outdoors. Luckily, treadmills incorporate incline options, and some also decline. That helps us take advantage of this type of workouts right in our homes.
It's relevant to say that by now many researchers have undertaken the subject of working at different incline levels and how each stage determines muscle changes.
Dr. Matthew Rhea, Director of Human Movement at A.T. Still University is one of these researchers. He studied a group of 30 year old adults and the results showed that at 0% incline, no more than 20% of muscle tissue was activated in the legs area. When inclines reached 15% or more, calves, hamstrings and gluteus increased and overall muscle activation in the legs went beyond 75%.
It's not necessary to go that far. 10% or more should have impressive muscular benefits.
For a while now, incline has no longer been a bonus. All treadmills have it, so it has become quite a common feature. And it's great, because a walk upward puts on hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves a load that is significantly higher than walking on flat surfaces.
Incline builds more muscles in the ankles, calves, upper and lower thighs. During incline workouts, caves are lightly bent and stretched which determines the built of lean muscles. The steeper the incline, the higher your results. Try removing your hands from the handlebars, this will amplify muscle building.
On the flipside, when running or walking down a hill, certain muscles are activated to keep the body under control.
When running downhill, muscles behave differently than running at ground or incline levels. In 2004, Gabaldon, Nelson, and Thomas discovered that muscles turn into energy absorbers during decline workouts. As opposed to incline workouts, running at negative levels transforms the muscles into means of slowing or controlling the movements of the body. In order to prevent uncontrolled motions of the body, leg and hip muscles must contract.
The same Dr. Matthew Rhea showed with his study that - 3% decline at 5 mph activates the calf muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings. At ground level and even 3% incline, muscles are activated much less than at - 3% decline.
The reason this happens is because running downhill stimulates muscles that usually aren't used. Given the fact that these muscles aren't usually trained, knees and joints are prone to feel strained. The good thing is that treadmills have cushioned running surfaces that absorb the imminent impact.
When running at negative levels, exertion is much higher, because the body isn't used to the type of posture decline implies. Still, it only takes a bit of training to adjust your body to negative levels.
For muscle strength, but also weight loss and cardio, incline and decline can have incredible benefits. If your schedule is too tight and don't have the time to go up and down the hill, get your personal treadmill and make the most out of it.
This article is written by Anna Ursu, a runner and treadmill user. She also writes for RunReviews.com, a treadmill reviews site


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5 Under-the-Radar Daily Fantasy Basketball Plays for 1/19/16
"The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before.†– Albert Einstein
If you have played daily fantasy sports for very long, you realize by now the importance of being contrarian -- finding under-the-radar plays -- especially in large-field tournaments.
Being able to recognize which players are going to be owned by the majority of the field and finding players who you think have a similar point projection but will come at much lower ownership can really separate yourself from your opponents.
It's a lot easier in NFL to identify the players who will be low-owned due to Thursday night slates, but the NBA can be much more difficult if you aren't an experienced player.
The purpose of this article will be to bring you my favorite high-upside players at each position who will likely go overlooked. It can be difficult to find players with low ownership on four-game slates like this, but there are still a few plays who may be able to give you the edge tonight.
Keep in mind when constructing rosters that these are contrarian picks. There is a reason that they will be overlooked by many; they are risky plays. If possible, I'd try to relegate these players to GPP-only use, where their high risk-reward styles make more sense.
Brandon Knight, PG, Phoenix Suns
FanDuel Price: $6,500
DraftKings Price: $7,200
Why He Will Go Overlooked
Most expected Brandon Knight to go off following the injury to Eric Bledsoe. Instead, Knight has struggled with inconsistency as the Suns have turned into one of the worst teams in the NBA, in large part due to Knight, who has averaged only 27.93 FanDuel points in his last nine games. Knight also draws a tough matchup on paper against an Indiana defense ranked third in against point guards in fantasy points allowed.
Why You Should Use Him
While Indiana has been stingy against points guards this season, that is largely due to the effort of George Hill, who will likely be unavailable for this game. Instead, Knight will draw the defense of Monta Ellis, who is easily the worst defender in Indiana's starting five. In five starts at point guard this season, Ellis allowed the likes of Derrick Rose, T.J. McConnell, Goran Dragic, Michael Carter-Williams, and Emmanuel Mudiay to average 2.66 more points per game while shooting 12.2% higher from the field than their season average.
That bodes well for Knight, who has averaged 37.7 minutes with a 27.6% usage rate since the Bledsoe injury. Knight has also taken 19 shots per game over that span, which would rank third among point guards. With that type of volume, it's only a matter of time until the talented young guard has a monster performance. In an up-tempo game, with a relatively easy individual matchup, at a discounted price point and ownership percentage, tonight may be the perfect night to take a shot on Knight.
Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat
FanDuel Price: $7,100
DraftKings Price: $6,700
Why He Will Go Overlooked
Two words: recency bias. People want what is hot, and right now that is Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside. Over his past four games, Johnson has been crushing value, averaging 5.75 times value over that span. (If a player's price is $3,000 and they score 12 points, they would have hit "four times value.â€) Whiteside hasn't been far behind, on average hitting 5.33 times value over his past four. Dwyane Wade, on the other hand, has been averaging only 4.03 times value over his past four. Nobody wants to roster several players from the same team, and Wade will be the third or fourth Heat player most people think of today. He also has a questionable tag by his name, which will keep some off of him. When you combine the fact that Ellis and Giannis Antetokounmpo will both be popular shooting guard options and that the Miami game has the lowest over/under by far, you may be able to get Wade very under-owned.
Why You Should Use Him
Both point guards, Goran Dragic and Beno Udrih, have already been declared out for tonight. While the obvious beneficiary is Johnson, Wade also sees a big boost in Usage Rate without Dragic or Udrih, according to NBAWowy.com. With neither point guard on the floor, Wade has seen his Usage Rate spike to 34.2, a number that would top every player not named DeMarcus Cousins. Considering Milwaukee has the NBA's 29th ranked Defensive Efficiency, I would expect Wade to take advantage of his heavy usage.
C.J. Miles, SF, Indiana Pacers
FanDuel Price: $4,400
DraftKings Price: $5,200
Why He Will Go Overlooked
C.J. Miles is a very volatile player, which scares people off of him. He almost always has low ownership, and with Kevin Durant, Paul George, Khris Middleton, Danilo Gallinari, and Andrew Wiggins all on this short slate at the same position, I wouldn't expect people to jump on him today. People also really like to roster Monta Ellis when George Hill is out, which will likely result in fewer people taking Miles due to their redundant play styles.
Why You Should Use Him
On the surface, Miles would appear to be a very unpredictable player. For instance, his last six FanDuel point totals read as follows: 20.5, 11.9, 19.4, 34.6, 17.8, 27.4. While his performance certainly can be erratic, I believe taking a closer look will unearth some trends. His six highest fantasy point totals this season have come against teams who almost all share two things: they play at a very fast pace and they allow opposing teams to shoot a high percentage from three against them. Four of his top six games were against teams that rank in the top six in Pace, while five of the six were against teams ranking in the bottom half in terms of three-point percentage allowed.
The Suns fit perfectly into this model of success, playing at the fourth fastest tempo and allowing teams to shoot 38.2% from three against them, second worst in the league. Those factors, coupled with Phoenix's 28th rank against small forwards, make Miles' 34.6 FanDuel-point performance against them a week ago seem very repeatable.
Enes Kanter, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
FanDuel Price: $4,300
DraftKings Price: $4,500
Why He Will Go Overlooked
Similar to Miles, Enes Kanter's production can be very sporadic. Combine that with the fact that he has been under 15 FanDuel points more often than not in his last 10 games, and he should see very low ownership tonight, despite the cushy matchup. There are also many appealing center options, including Nikola Jokic, whose minutes are safer and who comes at a similar price point. This should keep Kanter's ownership low.
Why You Should Use Him
Also similar to Miles, Kanter's production can be predicted a bit more easily than his game logs would suggest. The reason for Kanter's lack of stability is his lack of minutes. The reason for his lack of minutes is coach Billy Donovan's lack of trust in Kanter's defense, which results in fewer minutes in close games. In 18 games the Thunder have been at least 8.5-point favorites, as they are tonight, Kanter has averaged 23.74 FanDuel points per game, as opposed to 18.29 in 25 other games.
Kanter has also averaged 26.55 FanDuel points in two previous meetings with this weak Denver frontcourt this season, which isn't surprising when you consider they rank 26th in Defensive Efficiency and 23rd against centers in terms of fantasy points allowed.
Gorgui Dieng, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
FanDuel Price: $4,700
DraftKings Price: $4,100
Why He Will Go Overlooked
Gorgui Dieng's minutes and fantasy points have been down since the return of Nikola Pekovic. Most have written him off as a fantasy asset at this point. There are also many appealing center options (e.g. Jokic), whose minutes are safer and come at a similar price point. This should keep Dieng's ownership low.
Why You Should Use Him
The Pelicans are a bad rebounding team. They are ranked 25th in Rebounding Rate and rebounding differential but are especially bad at keeping backup centers off the glass. That seems like a bizarre stat, but it is something I have noticed every time I have watched them, so I did some research. Over their past six games, New Orleans has allowed the opposing team's backup center to average 8 rebounds a game against them in just 19.67 minutes per game.
To put that in perspective, they've allowed backup centers to average 19.52 rebounds per 48 minutes over that span, which would rank second only to Andre Drummond, who leads the league with 21.6 rebounds per 48 minutes this season. That's good news for Dieng, who has topped his season average Rebounding Rate in six of his past eight games and should be looking at some extra minutes in this one due to Pekovic resting.


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1998 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDi (110 hp)
Engine needs lots of oil (1.5-2l per 15000 km). Comparing to my previous car (Honda) it didn't need any oil to be added, which has now 165000km.
Air conditioning condenser fan suddenly got very noisy and will probably need to be replaced soon.
Mirror adjust lever broke, regardless I handled it gently. Warranty didn't cover repairs.
Steering arms were replaced under warranty (recall).
General Comments:
I've been very satisfied with the roominess and it's nice to drive (the diesel engine has high torque).
I get very good mileage.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 20th February, 2001


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Q & A With Jimmy Chestnut
Senior men's golfer talks about some of the memories made at Michigan State over his career.
April 29, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jimmy Chestnut (Grand Blanc, Mich.) has worked his way into the starting lineup for the Spartans after transferring from the University of Michigan. He has participated in all eight matches the Spartans have participated in this season, after taking part in seven tournaments the previous two seasons.
Chestnut will be making his last appearance on the Forest Akers Golf Course in the 38th Annual Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational that begins Saturday, April 30 and runs through Sunday, May 1.
Q: What are your thoughts on the 38th Annual Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational being your last home golf tournament?
A: It's kind of sad, but I'd like to finish on a good note, which for me would mean a top 10 finish. I haven't done that, so it would be a good way to finish and a good way to go into the Big Ten Tournament.
Q: Who is your favorite opponent?
A: Probably Michigan, because I went there my first year in college.
Q: What would you say is your best MSU golf memory?
A: The most fun I've ever had was last year at the Big Ten Tournament at Michigan, because it was like I had gone full circle. The first round I shot 70, which was pretty fun to do at my old school.
Q: What is the one thing you're most proud to have achieved during your golf career at MSU?
A: Playing in every tournament for my last year. That was the main thing I set out to do this year. I got out to a good start, and hopefully, I'll finish as I started.
Q: What was the best road trip you've taken?
A: There are a lot of them. Wilmington was fun, because the weather was beautiful, the course was nice, and the hotel was on the beach. We got to take a private plane to Ohio State, and that's the first time we've been able to do that. Basically, I like every trip because we're best friends, and I think we have more camaraderie than any other team we've seen this season.
Q: What is one thing you'll miss about being a college student?
A: The lack of responsibility.


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"You seem to think that a law enforcement system in which the enforcers are paid on a piecework basis would be a good thing. I shudder at the thought."Actually I agree with you, Phil, about law enforcement. However, I have a problem with people being rewarded for just showing up for work and pushing paper. I do believe that if people were rewarded to doing a better job than other people, more would be accomplished. I do not consider identifying and reporting people or companies commiting fraud under medicare Law enforcement. I consider it part of their job. If they simply process paper which makes no sense....you lose and so do I. If they have no incentive to flag paper which makes no sense....and they can't be fired, no matter what....why do it? "No skin off my nose". Will just cause more paperwork....I'm busy....no reward for doing that...just make my friends mad cuz they don't catch that stuff....etc. Very unhealthy work place....for the taxpayers who are footing the bill. If you have information that would make my assumption incorrect, feel free to correct me and I will be thrilled to be wrong.
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The INSIDER Summary:
- INSIDER rounded up the 20 food and drink menu items at Starbucks to avoid, based on calories, fat, sugar, and sodium content (if applicable).
- The worst food offender: the chicken and double-smoked bacon panini
- The worst drink offender: the cinnamon roll Frappuccino
It has become somewhat of a joke among coffee connoisseurs that if you want dessert, you go to Starbucks; if you want a cup of coffee, make it yourself. Of course, no one really orders a venti, double-whip caramel mocha Frappuccino (number 14 on this list!) and thinks they're getting something healthy.
Nevertheless, INSIDER has rounded up the 20 Starbucks menu items — both food and drink — that you should never order, especially if you're watching your diet. We based our findings on calories, fat, sugar, and sodium content (where applicable). The nutritional content of each drink listed below is for a grande drink made with whole milk.
Keep scrolling to cross these 20 items off your diet-friendly Starbucks order list.


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January 26, 2016
Garden Review 2015: Popcorn, Fiber Flax, Wheat
We grew a little popcorn, which gave a higher yield of easy to process grain than any other grain I've tried, even though by the standards of corn it didn't do great. A small patch of fiber flax, which did nicely and looked great while growing. Tried a bit of Red Fife wheat, which was an utter fail.
January 16, 2016
Urban Micro Orchard: Year 2
The 7 apple trees in the micro-orchard did very well in the beginning of the season, we ate our first couple fruits in the fall, and got plenty of production from the companion plant understory. Overactive management on my part led to the destruction of 2 trees in late summer. Nevertheless, I have high hopes for next year!
You can find a post about the design of the orchard here, and a review of the first growing season here.
Labels: growing, landscaping
January 10, 2016
Garden Review 2015: Garlic, Leeks, Ramps, and other Alliums
Alliums are a fantastic group of plants. I have loads of alliums planted in different areas, some growing as perennials, some as annuals.
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Posted under Commentary, Economics, Environmentalism, Ethics, United States, Videos by Jillian Becker on Sunday, February 24, 2013
Tagged with Drake's Bay Oyster Company, Oppressive environmentalism
This post has 1 comment.Permalink
Wouldn't it be great if the oyster farming family turned out to be "Native Americans" of some sort, and turn the government's "minority victim" weapon back on them. I'd love to see the envirofascists go in to brain-fry and explode on themselves over it.
A new edition of Jillian Becker's famous book Hitler's Children: The Story of the Baader-Meinhof Terrorist Gang has been published as an ebook. Find it now at Amazon.


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Marine Le Pen Favored To Win First Round Of Presidential Election; Main Rival Hit by Fresh Scandal in French Election!
Le Pen Favored To Win First Round
It seems like it is taking forever for France to become the next domino that topples over in the people's revolt against globalism. With that being said all indicators seem to indicate that France will be the next country to elect a conservative populist leader is Marine Le Pen.
From Breitbart:
In the first-round vote in April, Ms. Le Pen would come first with 25 per cent. Conservative candidate François Fillon would garner 21-22 per cent and centrist Emmanuel Macron can expect 20-21 per cent…
…The Front National leader is still likely to lose out in the second round voting, however, as those from both left and right will unite against her, the Kantar-Sofres poll for Le Figaro suggested.
That Breitbart article was published on January 30, a day before a new scandal hit Le Pen's main rival.
From Bloomberg:
French presidential candidate Francois Fillon employed two of his children as legislative aides, Le Canard Enchaine newspaper said, adding to the scandal that is starting to surround his election bid.
The paper will report tomorrow that two of his children earned 84,000 euros ($91,000) from 2005 to 2007 while working for him when he was a Senator. It will also say that his wife, Penelope Fillon, allegedly earned more than 900,000 euros as a parliamentary assistant for more than a decade and as a contributor to a magazine. That's higher than the 600,000 euros that the Canard previously reported.
The initial revelations about Penelope's work for her husband last week prompted prosecutors to open a probe into the family's income, throwing Fillon's bid for the presidency off course.
This is a huge break for Le Pen who could see her poll numbers surge after these new developments.
Follow Ryan Saavedra On Twitter @NewsRevoltRyan
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Genre: Adventure
Publisher: THQ
Developer: THQ
Release Date: May 26, 2009
I've seen "WALL-E" over a dozen times in the past year, so I was pretty hyped for the latest Pixar movie, "Up." The movie wasn't what I expected and made me sad, instead of imparting the happy emotions that I usually experience after seeing a Pixar film. Those same emotions didn't quite transfer over to the video game iteration of the movie, also named Up, for the Nintendo Wii.
In an attempt to not spoil too much for those who haven't seen the movie, the story revolves around an elderly man named Carl Fredricksen who plans to pursue his childhood dream of flying to and living in Paradise Falls, which is located somewhere in South America. He manages this by attaching hundreds of balloons to his house, ripping it from the ground and causing it to float high up in the sky. Carl won't travel this journey alone, as a young Wilderness Explorer named Russell has stowed away on Carl's porch in order to receive his final merit badge for assisting the elderly. Carl reluctantly allows Russell to accompany him, and they eventually make it to the jungle outside their destination. It is here that they encounter a large bird named Kevin and several dogs with talking collars that are hunting for the bird. One friendly but not too sharp dog named Dug also helps them along the way. The group must now safely navigate the house through the jungle to the falls.
Up opens and closes with airborne dogfights between Dug and other dogs in airplanes, even though those scenes don't occur in the movie. The game then abruptly introduces you to the current situation, which appears to take place about halfway through the movie's story. Starting the game did not feel natural for me, and if I hadn't seen the movie, I wouldn't have any clue as to what I'm doing or why I'm doing it.
As you can tell, Up takes some creative license with the source material. You'll play as both Carl and Russell, but you can only control one of them at once. You can switch characters by pressing the Z button, and if you have a friend nearby, he or she can take control of the other character for some co-op fun. I encourage having another player because the AI is otherwise pretty brain-dead. Each character must use his unique abilities to navigate through each level. Carl is a bit stronger than Russell, despite his old age, and is able to climb up ledges, thanks to his cane. Russell is a bit smaller and agile, which allows him to shimmy along narrow ledges. He can also throw down a rope for Carl to climb onto and pull him up. Dug also appears as a playable character for brief periods throughout various levels, and his talents are often needed for crawling through small air ducts, unearthing items and activating dog-controlled devices. For all of the characters, these actions typically require either a button command or a waggle action with the Wii Remote.
Waggling the Wiimote is also used for attacking enemies and objects, but you can press the trigger to attack. There aren't too many enemies in the levels, and they mainly consist of insects, bats and dogs. The former two often require you to pick up ammunition for Carl and Russell's special attacks of hearing aid screeches and bugle calls, respectively. These attacks stun the creatures, making them open to your normal attacks. The dogs will come at you in groups and will take turns charging at you, requiring you to press the B button to repel them when prompted. You'll then finish them off by either attaching a balloon to make them float away or forcing them to chase after a ball.
In addition to combat, you'll also have the option to collect various things in the game. Coin-like merit badges are scattered across levels, and when you reach a certain milestone in your collection, you'll earn a quest card, which lists other collectibles to find, such as artifacts. Once you've collected everything on a card, you'll unlock artwork to view on the main menu. Merit badges appear just about everywhere, and many breakable objects contain them as well. It adds a bit more replay value, but it isn't something that you'll likely pursue.
The controls are clunky at times, and the motion controls don't always register. Both you and the other character share a health bar, so most of your deaths result in your partner getting stuck in a hazard. In the event that you don't have another player with you and you're trying to solve a puzzle with both characters, it's sometimes an ordeal to organize the two characters' positions because as soon as you place one character somewhere and switch, that character will try to make his way back to you and end up getting hurt along the way. Fortunately, there is an abundance of health items throughout each level and checkpoints appear fairly frequently, so even when you die, it's not too big of a deal. Despite the frustration, Up is easy and can be finished in an afternoon, though it's not terribly satisfying for fans of the movie. The movie made me sad, and the game made me angry.
On the visual side of things, Up doesn't hold a candle to the visuals of the movie. The box art looks better than the in-game graphics, which could be the result of the aged hardware on the Wii, but we've seen much better games on the system. The animation isn't that fluid and looks cheaply designed. The levels are brightly colored, though it's sometimes hard to distinguish which objects in the environment are interactive or not. Also, if it weren't clear that something required a character's special ability (with an icon of his head above the point), you'd probably get lost pretty easily in the game.
The sound, however, does a good job of replicating the voices and sounds of the movie. The character voices are the same as their movie counterparts, including Ed Asner as the voice of Carl. Like most games, however, the voices and one-liners get repetitive, and it's annoying when a character constantly tells you how to solve a puzzle that you've already figured out while you're trying to explore a nearby area and collect items. The movie soundtrack is also present as the game's background music for the levels.
Overall, I found Up for the Wii to be an average movie tie-in game that doesn't do much to impress. The controls are clunky, and your AI teammate isn't that smart. The game can be somewhat fun if you have a friend playing with you, but that's about it. The title doesn't exactly follow the movie canon (Remember when Carl and Russell battle a giant anaconda? Me either.), but I'll let that part slide. If you enjoyed the movie, I'd only recommend renting the game, but you won't be missing out on too much if you decide to pass.
Score: 6.0/10
More articles about Up


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Green Home Advisor was created by Seattle King County REALTORS® as part of the association's ongoing effort to add value to your REALTOR® membership and the services you provide to your clients.
We invite you to take advantage of Green Home Advisor, a timely resource you can "brand" as your own and provide to current and prospective clients as a value-added service.
This tool is designed so REALTOR® members can personalize it with their name, photo, and contact information. Watch this video for more information and instructions, or click here to register.
The innovative site is begging to get noticed by other REALTOR® organizations around the county and was featured in the Spring 2011 issue of REALTOR® AE Magazine. Additionally, NAR approved a funding grant to SKCR in order to make website improvements.
Green Home Advisor is filled with practical information and links for creating energy smart homes and enjoying the benefits such homes provide. We've tried to make it easy to navigate, easy to upload and easy to personalize.
Please visit the basic public-facing website here, www.greenhomeadvisor.org.
Once there, you will find sections on increasing the energy efficiency of your home, home energy audits, "deals, rebates and incentives," energy smart homes, and tips for designing and remodeling. The site is chock-full of useful information about home improvements for saving energy, reducing a home's carbon footprint and saving money on energy bills.


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Look out there. Millions and millions of stars. Millions upon millions of worlds. And right now, half of them are fanatically dedicated to destroying the other half. Now, do you think, if one of those twinkling little lights suddenly went out, anybody would notice? Suppose I offered you 10 million bars of gold-pressed latinum to help turn out one of those lights, would you really tell me to keep my money?
5 Responses
You can't just throw an old school deep space nine reference out like that without some kind of backstory as to the immediate inspiration for doing so. 🙂
🙂 Agreed.
Are you using the Quote post format by the way?


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Technical sheet
technical sheet
Location: India, states of Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
Dates: 2005-2009
Technical partners: LEDEG, LEHO, LNP, ECOSPHERE/STAG, SKARCHEN and BORDA
Financial partners: European Commission, Ensemble Foundation, Lord Michelham of Hellingly Foundation
Project description
Project description
The states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu-Kashmir, situated in the Western Indian Himalayas, are barren valleys at an altitude of more than 3,000 m, populated by remote villages. This cold desert has a long, harsh winter, low rainfall and scarce biomass. As a result, natural resource potential is very limited. In these villages, there is a need for further development of the few existing craft activities to ensure family survival.
Resources are traditionally processed by women for family use. This work can now offer these women an opportunity to generate additional income. Although individual women cannot access potential markets, they can, since links within these village communities are very strong, join together in self-help groups, which make them feel more confident and competent to approach customers, whether traders or tourists.
Since 2005, a project conducted with support from GERES has endeavoured to develop new income sources and raise women's status. Since 2008, work has been under way to consolidate the activities begun in 2005 with 500 women in 40 self-help groups. The work consists of processing natural resources and selling the products on the tourist or local markets.
Positive results can already be seen: productive activity has enabled 550 women to increase their status within the household. They sell the products of processing apricots and buckthorn berries into juice, jam and dried fruit and processing wool. The project will now focus on training in accounts and consolidating the links between the various women's groups and the local authorities.


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For nearly 30 years, our staff have been involved in testing between differing systems and reporting technical issues back to manufacturers and it is good that we can now share our experiences visually with customers, and in an unbiased way, before they make their investment in endpoints or infrastructure
London and Edinburgh, UK (PRWEB) August 4, 2009
VideoCentric has completed a major refit of its interoperability and demonstration facilities meaning that customers can now compare virtually every manufacturer's HDVC technology under one roof, on the same 65" screen and under the same lighting conditions. Although largely finished 3 months ago, two manufacturers are only just reaching the stage where their systems are acceptable to VideoCentric, who now believe they are able to offer customers the best sales and support service in the UK.
"Apart from seeing the best systems the world has to offer, this new facility gives customers the opportunity to see how their existing standard definition systems will look against the very latest 1080P systems when implemented on the same IP network or over the internet or ISDN to other sites", said David Shimell, Sales Director of VideoCentric. "For nearly 30 years, our staff have been involved in testing between differing systems and reporting technical issues back to manufacturers and it is good that we can now share our experiences visually with customers, and in an unbiased way, before they make their investment in endpoints or infrastructure", added Craig Brown, Technical Director.
The new facilities allow the following endpoints to be connected in H323/SIP point-to-point or multipoint configurations and demonstrated in standalone form or at the touch of a button, fully integrated with VC commander touch screen controller or 94" SMARTboard data sharing.
Tandberg:1080P, 720P & SD using C20, E20, Edge, MXP & Classic systems,
Polycom:1080P, 720P, 4CIF & SD using HDX, VSX, Viewstation systems,
Lifesize: 1080P, 720P using Room200, Room, Team & Express systems,
Aethra: 1080P, 720P using xTreme series systems,
VCON: 720P, 4CIF & SD using vPoint, xPoint & Falcon systems,
Sony: 1080i, 720P & SD using XG80, G50 & TL30/TL33 systems.
VideoCentric's knowledge and expertise in integrating endpoints into a complete networked infrastrucure is also in evidence with links to MultiPoint Control Units (MCUs), ISDN H.320 Gateways, Internet Gateways for Video Firewall Traversal, Recording and Streaming Servers. The world's leading two infrastructure manufacturers, Codian and RADVision are supported and their MCU and management suite is used as part of the platform which supports VideoCentric's own Managed MultiPoint & Gateway Service. It also forms the basis of VIPER, one of the UK's first publicly available multiway "Pay-as-you-Go" video services, hosted on a 100Mbps internet connection and compatible with all endpoints listed above as well as with webcams, SIP phones, mobile telephony, ISDN videoconferencing and ordinary PSTN phones.
"It is our policy not to merely sell best of breed products, but to support them properly as well", added David Shimell. "By demonstrating and using them ourselves, we are better able to represent our customers concerns in discussions with our overseas manufacturers and better positioned to support the evolution of their unified communications (UC) networks in the future as such video technologies come together with VoIP & Messaging solutions from Microsoft, Cisco, HP, Avaya, Nortel, IBM, Alcatel, Siemens, Mitel, Asterisk, GNU and others".
About VideoCentric
VideoCentric is an integrator & reseller of the world's leading video conferencing and streaming products from Polycom, Tandberg, Emblaze-VCON, Lifesize, Aethra, RADVision, Codian, SONY & Exterity. Headquartered in the Thames Valley, England, with satellite sites in Edinburgh, Scotland, VideoCentric markets its products and services primarily in the UK but has also formed associations with other Companies worldwide to facilitate the global supply and support of major corporations and system integrators, including those of Cisco, Microsoft, Avaya, Mitel, HP, IBM, Alcatel, Siemens and Nortel. VideoCentric's bandwidth services include the supply of ISDN, ADSL, ADSL-Max, SDSL and un contended leased lines for video and voice over IP, and their other value added services include free demonstrations, long-term rental, short-term hire, installation, maintenance, training, managed multipoint and 24x7 video dial-in support. For more information, visit VideoCentric's website or telephone 0118 9798910 (England/Wales) or 0131 473 2351 (Scotland).