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The 2012 NFL Draft represents somewhat uncharted waters for teams. Rookie contracts, particularly those given to the top 10 picks, have been reigned in to more reasonable levels. The new economics free teams to swing more deals this year, and there are deals to be made this year.
This is not a particularly strong draft class, but it is rich with top-tier quarterbacks that could give needy teams a player to build around for the future. Andrew Luck has the top spot in any 2012 NFL Mock Draft nailed down. Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III will entice teams to make a move into the top three picks of the draft. Expect these mock drafts to get more and more interesting as the NFL offseason approaches.
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1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Everything should be so automatic as this pick. Speculation is flying about the Colts being big enough for Manning and Luck, but the two have been making niceties in the media lately, enough to quell the controversy until April. Indianapolis may be better off trading the pick for a bounty of even more draft picks so that they could have more than just two quarterbacks as their only legitimate stars.
2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
The Rams were already supposed to have their cornerstone offensive tackle, but Jason Smith, the second pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, has been a severe disappointment. Kalil looks like the best tackle prospect to come along since Jake Long. The Rams can finally give Sam Bradford the protection he needs. Rodger Saffold can move to the right side and instantly improve a unit that nearly got Sam Bradford killed this year.
3. Minnesota Vikings - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Minnesota could really use Kalil, but they can settle for the draft's top cornerback. Claiborne fills a big need for the Vikings who had allowed more receiving touchdowns than any other team in the league with 28. In truth, the second and third spots in the draft could be dealt given the rise of Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. The Vikings could use the extra picks, just like the Rams.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Jacksonville really needs to get Blaine Gabbert another weapon on offense. The Jaguars have the worst group of receivers in the NFL. Blackmon's speed and playmaking ability would be a nice complement to Maurice Jones-Drew. Gabbert will be happy to have a sure-handed wide receiver.
5. Carolina Panthers - Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
Carolina's biggest need is in the middle of its defensive line. The fifth pick seems a little high for Penn State's Devon Hill, though that could change as the draft season progresses. Cam Newton and Steve Smith formed a deep connection this season, but the young quarterback needs another, younger complementary receiver to take this offense to the next level. Not convinced there won't be some draft day horse trading? Just look, we're at the fifth pick and Robert Griffin and Matt Barkley are still on the board.
6. Washington Redskins - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
John Beck, Rex Grossman...neither of these guys have shown they can be the future in Washington. That changes with the selection of RG3. Mike Shanahan finally gets the building block he needs to finally make the Redskins a threat in the NFC East. Griffin may not have the complete package that Andrew Luck has, but he would be worthy of the first overall pick in any other year.
7. Cleveland Browns - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
Nine out of ten mock drafts and dentists think that Trent Richardson is the natural pick here. Pat Shurmur learned a lesson about not putting talent around a young quarterback in his last job as the offensive coordinator in St. Louis. They can find another running back in the draft, but they can't pass on a player that would give Colt McCoy a receiver with an elite skill set. Don't rule out the possibility of the Browns drafting a quarterback.
8. Miami Dolphins - Matt Barkley, QB, USC
Matt Moore may very well be the Dolphins' starting quarterback at the beginning of next season. Matt Barkley will be starting by the Halloween. If they found a way to add a good tight end, they could really give Barkley something to work with from the start.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Kirkpatrick bolsters the back end of their defense prone to leaking pass yards this season. They could use playmakers on both sides of the ball. Kirkpatrick has the speed and physical ability to give their secondary flexibility and better matchups against their pass-first division rivals.
10. Philadelphia Eagles - Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina
Skip the Dream Teams jokes here. Brown gives Philly a great starting linebacker for their defense. There might not be a bigger need for this team than upgrades at linebacker...and defensive coordinator.
11. Arizona Cardinals - David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
After trading away a second-pick and a starting cornerback for backup quarterback Kevin Kolb, the Cardinals had little to protect their investment. He can also make their running game a real threat. DeCastro is the second-best offensive lineman in the draft, behind Kalil. This is an example of how the new rookie pay system will change daft day axioms about what positions are drafted where.
12. Kansas City Chiefs - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
Martin can play either tackle spot, giving Kansas City some flexibility. He does know how to protect the quarterback, and can give Jamaal Charles some room to work on the outside.
13. Buffalo Bills - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bills' offense has drawn some criticism for the team's flame out after a hot start, but the defense has been awful. Injuries and neglect are both to blame. Drafting Upshaw adds a pass rusher to the mix.
14. Seattle Seahawks - Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
Yes, shocking as it may sound, neither Tarvaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst appear to be the answer at quarterback. Jones lands in an offense with some receiving talent and a talented offensive line that should help him ease into the NFL. Seattle is one of several teams that could look to trade up for Robert Griffin or Matt Barkley.
15. San Diego Chargers - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
San Diego needs an injection of youth on their offensive line. Whispers about Philip Rivers playing hurt and a mid-season addition of Jared Gaithner point to a very real need up front.
16. Dallas Cowboys - Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
Dallas was keenly interested in drafting Nebraska corner Prince Amukamara last year. Having waited a year, they get the better of Nebraska's fearsome duo in the secondary from 2010 to improve their shaky pass defense.
17. New York Giants - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
For the second year in a row, an elite pass rusher from UNC slips to the middle of the round. New York dealt with constant injuries to their aging group of pass rushers. Coples reinforces the unit and gives Jerry Reese some flexibility.
18. Tennessee Titans - Mark Barron, S, Alabama
Barron is the kind of safety that frequents the highlight reels with his hard hits and knack for being in the right place at the right time. Working with a re-signed Courtland Finnegan, Barron gives the Titans a good secondary.
19. Cincinnati Bengals - Chase Minnefield, CB, Virginia
Cincinnati's defensive front is already a pretty good unit. Adding a talented cornerback would make it more complete. Minnefield also has the hands to create turnovers. Cincinnati will want to get Andy Dalton and A.J. Green as many chances as they can.
20. Chicago Bears - Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
If Chicago could draft an entire offensive line, they might do it. Konz gives them some stability in the interior line.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland) - Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
Cedric Benson isn't getting any younger. Even with Benson around, the Bengals could use someone with Miller's speed and big play ability. *See my note on Trent Richardson at the bottom of the page.
22. Detroit Lions - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Detroit needs to take a note from Green Bay and keep fresh tackle talent on hand for their pass-first offense. This gives them some flexibility with Jeff Backus and the disappointing Gosder Cherilus.
23. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta) - Kelechi Osemele, OT, Iowa State
Cleveland needs help along their offensive line. Osemele is a little raw, but he could work on the right side or move inside to guard where his toughness would be a valued asset in the running game.
24. New York Jets - Dont'a Hightower, OLB, Alabama
Rex Ryan needs a better answer than the injured Bryan Thomas to play opposite Calvin Pace. Hightower has size and speed to make a difference in the Jets' defense.
25. Denver Broncos - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
Assuming Denver commits to Tim Tebow, at least for another year, they have to surround him with some playmakers. Wright's speed gives them a weapon to do some of what Tebow used to do with Percy Harvin during his college days. He can also be a downfield threat.
26. Houston Texans - Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis
Houston's defense has been great this season. Imagine what they'll do next year with a healthy Mario Williams and 350-pound guy who also possesses the athletic ability of a 300-pound defensive lineman at the nose tackle position.
27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans) - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
New England's defense has been a problem this season, e.g. a game against Rex Grossman that was far closer than it should have been. Jenkins rounds out the secondary and gets a stern head coach to oversee his growth.
28. New England Patriots - Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska
Fact: one, probably both, of these picks will be traded. Supposing for the sake of mock drafts that New England hangs on, they can significantly upgrade their defensive line with Crick. Injuries will prevent him from being drafted in the first half of the round, but the Pats have had good luck taking chances on injured talent in the past.
29. Pittsburgh Steelers - Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia
Pittsburgh could use an upgrade on their offensive line, particularly on the outside. Glenn's power fits nicely on the right side, and his wide body would help reroute pass rushers.
30. San Francisco 49ers - Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
If San Francisco is going to stick with Alex Smith for the near-term future, they need to get him some receiving help. Sanu allows them to rely on Michael Crabtree less and end the Braylon Edwards experiment. A big, physical target with good hands and yards after the catch ability fits perfectly with Smith's limitations as a quarterback.
31. Baltimore Ravens - Vontaze Burfict, MLB, Arizona State
Ray Lewis has a few more years left to give. Still, Lewis' injury this year has to be of some concern to the Ravens; after all, he is 36. Lewis is the perfect mentor for a tough young player like Burfict that needs to iron out his mental game.
32. Green Bay Packers - Devon Still, DL, Penn State
Imagine the Packers with a top ten defense. Frightening. Still would instantly improve their run defense, giving more power up front and allowing the linebackers to do more.
*What about Trent Richardson? For now, he says he's staying another year at Alabama. That's different than Matt Kalil who never made any public statement about whether or not he was staying in school. If Richardson does turn pro, which he would be smart to do, I'd put him in there for Cincinnati instead of Lamar Miller. The conventional wisdom still says Cleveland, and if he's available with their second pick in the first round, that's a possibility.


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Code: 10103
This Tin was produced to commemorate the 'New Bridge across the Firth of Forth. The bridge was opened in 1890.
The sides of the tin depict scenes from Scottish History and Legend and the top a picture of the bridge with sailings ships below.
There is a double lid which suggests that this was a tea caddy.
Overall the condition is good with some paint missing on the sides and corners. Not bad for 130 years old.

subset: commoncrawl


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Twitter lost another 5 million users during the fourth quarter of 2018 but surpassed Wall Street's sales and revenue expectations when the company reported its Q4 results on Thursday morning.
But most notably, the San Francisco-based company said it will stop reporting its monthly users following Q1 in favor of sharing "monetizable" daily active users; mDAU will account for "Twitter users who log in and access Twitter on any given day through Twitter.com or our Twitter applications that are able to show ads," the company said in its earnings release.
At the end of the fourth quarter, Twitter said it had 126 million mDAUs, an increase of 2 million users from the previous quarter and 11 million users year-over-year. This was the first time Twitter broke out its monthly active users.
Monthly active users continued to dwindle, hitting 321 million, a drop of 5 million users from the previous quarter. Twitter also lost 9 million monthly users during Q3.
For the three months ended Dec. 31, Twitter posted revenue of $909 million and earnings of 31 cents per share, both topping analyst estimates of $869.5 million in sales and 25 cents earnings per share. The company brought in $3 billion in revenue for all of 2018, marking a 25 percent increase year-over-year.
Despite beating analyst estimates, the company's stock was hammered in pre-market trading, dropping nearly 8 percent to $31.50 per share. Twitter's forecast of between $715 million to $775 million in Q1 revenue largely fell below analyst estimates of about $766 million.
"2018 is proof that our long-term strategy is working. Our efforts to improve health have delivered important results, and new product features like a single switch to move between latest and most relevant Tweets have been embraced by the people who use Twitter," Twitter chief Jack Dorsey said in a statement.
He added: "We enter this year confident that we will continue to deliver strong performance by focusing on making Twitter a healthier and more conversational service."
Heading into Thursday, Twitter had routinely shared the percentage growth of its daily user base each quarter without sharing the actual number of DAUs on its platform. Twitter, after adding another two million daily users this quarter, has increased its mDAUs in nine straight quarters. The company's 126 million daily users falls below that of other social media companies like Snapchat, which has 186 million DAU, and isn't in the same stratosphere as Facebook, which has more than 1.5 billion people logging in each day.
Twitter, in its earnings release, said its mDAU won't be "comparable to current disclosures from other companies, many of whom share a more expansive metric that includes people who are not seeing ads."
Twitter's decision to jettison reporting monthly users fits a recent trend of major tech companies tweaking their reporting practices. Facebook executives, last week on the company's earnings call, revealed they would soon stop reporting its growth in favor of sharing the total growth of its "family" of apps, which includes Instagram and WhatsApp. Apple has also stopped sharing how many iPhones it sells each quarter.
Twitter will hold a call at 8 a.m. ET to discuss its earnings.


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Nowadays, enterprise database users have many choices when it comes to the selection of database management platforms. Choosing an apt one for your business application must be based on the platform features and the application's requirements. Here in this article, we are trying to explain why many enterprise users choose Apache Cassandra and leverage its features best.
About Apache Cassandra
Apache Cassandra is a highly fault-tolerant database, which follows distributed, column-oriented data architecture. Cassandra falls under the category NoSQL databases and is highly scalable to meet the needs of advanced big data applications. When the need is to handle massive among of structured, semi-structured, or unstructured data, Apache Cassandra can handle it well. Structured data means segregated in columns, semi-structured means the table row need not populate all the columns, and unstructured means the data does not follow any specific structure.
As we have seen above, Cassandra is also a distributed storage system that can scale linearly by adding commodity servers and can survive database failures at any node as there is no single point of failure. Cassandra can also be scaled easily across many data centers and different regions to increase the database system's resiliency.
Top features of Cassandra
Let us next explore some of Cassandra's notable features, which makes it the ideal choice for enterprise database modeling.
- It is open-source – Being an open-source project of Apache, Cassandra can easily be integrated with many other open-source applications as Apache Pig, Apache Hive, and Hadoop, etc.
- Peer-to-Peer model – The peer-to-peer architecture of Cassandra allows all nodes in the cluster to communicate with others. There is no master-slave model followed in Cassandra DBs.
- Single point of Failure eradicated – Adding to the above point, all the nodes are created equal in a given cluster. The data gets distributed across all the nodes, each of which can handle the read-write requests independently. The advantage is there is no single point of failure and no downtime.
- Highly fault-tolerant and high availability – As there is data replication on all nodes equally, Cassandra is largely fault tolerance and always available.
- Globally distributed –Cassandra cluster can be deployed across many data centers that are distributed globally.
- Very flexible data model – Most of the features of BigTable and DynamoDB are built into the Cassandra DB, which allows us to practice data structures that are complex. Cassandra data model may work the best for a wide range of data modeling use cases.
- Linearly scalability – While additional nodes are added, the data gets distributed more evenly across the nodes, helping reduce the load of individual nodes.
- Tunable Consistency – Consistency level is the number of the nodes which need to agree on the for all reads and writes. The consistency level of a DB controls the behavior of read and writes operations based on the replication factor. Sometimes the consistency level may go down to zero and one, quorum, and local quorum et al.
For a more comprehensive understanding of Cassandra database features and installation, you may contact the RemoteDBA experts.
Cassandra cluster layers
Cassandra Cluster is the collection of many nodes which is formed in a ring format and work together. This may span across multiple locations globally. The data gets distributed across various nodes in a cluster by using a consistent hash-based function. Let us explore other components of Cassandra.
- Node -Node is a basic component of the Cassandra infrastructure where the data is stored. Each of the nodes hosts a replica of data.
- Keyspace – This is the column family collection, which is equivalent to the database in RDBMS. Keyspace also contains a Replication factor, Replication strategy as topology or simple, and the Column families.
- Column Family – it is the container of row collections. It is equivalent to a table in the RDBMS.
- Row – Each of the Cassandra rows is identified using a unique key. Each row may consist of different columns. Ros key is a unique string that can have any characters without any size limit.
- Column– As seen above, each row contains many columns, a primary construct with a name and value. There is also a user-defined timestamp attached to it. Each row will have several columns.
Single datacenter Cassandra cluster
In this approach, the client request is received by the coordinator node in the cluster. Any random node in the given cluster may act as the coordinator node. This coordinator will further find the corresponding nodes which hold a matching token in the range and persists the data in that node. This data getsreplicated to other nodes, too, based on the defined Replication Factor at the keyspace. On choosing SimpleStrategy, it may just select the consecutive nodes in the ring to do replication.
Cassandra Cluster in multiple data centers
In the multi-data center model of replication, you have to custom define the number of replications to be run per DC. Cassandra may automatically replicate as per the rule. Here, NetworkTopologyStrategy will be used as the replication strategy for multi-DC replications.
Before choosing Cassandra DB for your enterprise applications, you may want to evaluate whether Cassandra can be the right choice. As we have seen, writes are superfast in Cassandra with its log-structured design, and written data will be persisted with a Commit Log, which will be relayed to the Memtable and SSTables.
Cassandra could be an ideal choice in the below use cases.
- High write throughput with a comparatively smaller volume of reads.
- We need the ability to scale the database linearly by adding more servers.
- Multi data center, multi-region replication needs
- It can set the time-to-live tab on each row of records
In the below use cases, choosing Cassandra may not be ideal.
- If your application needs to have ACID properties from the database
- For the applications need JOINs (not supported)
- The applications which need many secondary indexes
- For queue like designs, where writing and deleting data at a scale may result in degrading the performance
A good understanding of the Cassandra DB architecture and knowledge of its querying patterns will help the DBAs and developers to create an optimized data model for their enterprise applications on this reliable database.


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Acceptance, recognition and supported independence: Wellbeing for children and young people with a disability in New Zealand: The voice of youth with Down Syndrome
Export citationKirk, M. L. (2019). Acceptance, recognition and supported independence: Wellbeing for children and young people with a disability in New Zealand: The voice of youth with Down Syndrome. (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13841
Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13841
The aim of this thesis is to identify what wellbeing means for children and young people with a disability and the factors that influence wellbeing in the home, school, and the community. The research was carried out through consecutive interviews that captured children's voice through the methods of visual sociology. Grounded theory was the basis for the analysis which produced rich data to describe the lives of these young people with Down syndrome.
In addition, interviews were undertaken with parents and service providers at a local and national level to gain an insight into the celebrations and challenges of the everyday lives that were experienced by the young people and their families. Service provision was examined from the perspective of all three groups of participants.
Wellbeing is a complex phenomenon and although there has been increasing interest in this field, particularly for children, there is a dearth of research about wellbeing for children and young people with a disability. The findings of the research pointed to three key principles of wellbeing: acceptance, recognition, and supported independence.
These three key principles form the basis of three models in the findings. The first model is an ecological perspective; it illustrates how the level at which policy is introduced and implemented intersects and works to benefit or hinder the service provision in schools and for the children and their families.
The second model—the dimensions of wellbeing for children and young people—emerged from the data and was used in conjunction with the ecological perspective model to develop the supporting teaching practice for students with Down syndrome and learning disability programme. The third model is, therefore, a capability model for schools.
The result of the research is the creation of practical tools that can be used to review policy and service provision with the aim of ensuring that children and young people with a disability enjoy entitlements equal to those of all children in New Zealand.
Degree Name
The University of Waikato
All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
- Higher Degree Theses [1867]


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Your wedding invitations are an important piece of the planning puzzle. Not only are your invitations one of the first things your guests will see, touch, and feel when it comes to your wedding, but they do an important job of conveying critical information. For the sake of politeness and formality, as well as for clarity of your message, be sure to choose clear and appropriate wedding invitation wording.
Worried your not good with words, or you don't know all the proper "rules" for wedding invitation wording? Check out our comprehensive guide here!


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'The Greatest Rock & Roll Band In The World' is a bold statement but Showaddywaddy has lived up to that title for the last 4 decades!
Formed in the 1970s in Leicester from several local bands, they have sold more than 20 million records and have toured all corners of the World extensively.
Their live show is dynamic and uplifting featuring all of their biggest hits, many of which reached number one in the pop charts of Europe. 'Under The Moon of Love', 'Three Steps to Heaven', 'Hey Rock & Roll', 'When', 'Blue Moon', 'Pretty Little Angel Eyes' and many, many more.
So come and join the 'Dancin' Party'… 'You've Got What It Takes'!
Buy 10 tickets get the 11th free!
This event is a hire.
There are no refunds or exchanges for this show.
Please see our Refund Policy.


text:
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TM grapples with the sensitive issue of respect for engineering professionals in the UK. What bearing do public perceptions of the profession have on the fate of manufacturing and can we regulate the application of the term 'engineer'?
It's unlikely to come as a surprise to many of TM's readers that the status attached to the word 'engineer' in the mind of Joe Public is something of a sore issue in manufacturing circles. At EEF's National Manufacturing Conference (p84) in March the problem posed by 'oily rag' perceptions of engineering struck a chord with delegates and in February our Naked Engineer complained that the term has become abused by service centres and tradesmen.
Overall there seems to be a growing feeling that a redefinition of what exactly an engineer is, is long overdue. Here we speak to industry leaders and professional institutions representing manufacturers and engineers about their feelings on the status of 'engineers' in the UK and the practical steps which might be taken to alter it.
Will Butler-Adams, managing director of Brompton Bicycle
I have been to a lot of schools and had schools into our factory. I have spoken with children, teachers and parents, and I have found that there is a broad misunderstanding of the term engineer.
Not to do anything about this now would represent a missed opportunity. There is a real political focus at the moment on rebalancing the economy and there is a chance that this momentum would give us that conditions we need to grasp this nettle.
The first step in changing misconception about the status of engineering is simply to not allow a plumber or AA mechanic to assume the term. A nurse could not call themselves a doctor. This is no derogation of what those people do – the guy who fixed my car from the AA the other day was a legend – but he was not an engineer.
This is not about elitism in terms of university education. There may be many routes to becoming a registered engineer and studying engineering at university should not qualify you. Many of my university contemporaries went off into financial services and they should not be considered engineers today any more than someone who studied medicine but did not practice should be considered a doctor.
I don't believe that the common use of the word engineer in the English language is too far gone to achieve the kind of change I am talking about – it is only in the last 25 years that the term has become so vague. At the start of my career it seemed everyone had a different and very narrowly defined job title. There were laggers, fitters, tiffies, riggers. Back then naming what you did was terribly important and none of these people would have wanted to call themselves engineers – it wasn't their job.
I'm not proposing we return to that but I do think there is a role for here for the Engineering Council in defining and regulating who can call themselves an engineer.
David Fox Chairman and CEO, Power Panels
I am a great supporter of the idea of reclaiming the word 'engineer' and I do believe that the use of the word should be protected.
I am not a chartered engineer – I am a companion of IMechE – but I do believe that now is the time to revisit the issue of how we qualify who is an engineer. I think an element of elitism in doing this is justified. Just look at the relative respect and pay scales that engineers in Germany receive. Pay for engineering roles in the UK is reflective of the disregard in which they are held.
There has been a general trend for job roles to become very vague. I think this is linked to the development of an out of proportion focus on CV writing in the process of getting a job – it has encouraged everyone to talk-up their experience on paper and imply levels of experience they do not actually have.
If we are to redefine what it means to be an engineer – and I think it is essential we do so as part of the current resurgence of manufacturing – then we must make it illegal for people to pose as one.
"The first step in changing misconception about the status of engineering is simply to not allow a plumber or AA mechanic to assume the term. A nurse could not call themselves a doctor" – Will Butler-Adams, managing director of Brompton Bicycle
Chris Mulvihil, managing director of EMS Manufacturing
We need to return to a stage where the word engineer stands for an appropriately qualified person practicing in certain specific roles within our manufacturing community.
I think that clarifying this definition would galvanise the manufacturing community, highlighting the broad church of engineering specialism the industry has to offer, from design and development through systems engineering and more. These might be considered as equivalent to medical specialisms in dermatology, heart surgery, neurology and so on. One specialist here will know relatively little about another area but together there is a profession that is respected and which young people look up to. By reclaiming and 'professionalising' the word engineer we could raise the profile of manufacturing as a genuine career area.
I'm reluctant to advocate a kind of appellation controlee approach to the use of the word. But if we are going to make a difference I find it hard to believe that we can avoid legislative intervention in the use of the title.
I think those that say we can simply leverage chartered status to achieve the professionalisation effect are missing the point. I am a chartered engineer and very proud of it but this is about defining the wealth creation role of engineering in our society. They have managed it in Germany – why not here?
Stephen Tetlow CEO, Institution of Mechanical Engineers
I don't hold with the argument that calling a plumber an engineer is damaging to the profession.
We are where we are with our language. Engineers in the UK should not be bleating on and on about their status, they should be proving their worth to society and that worth is spread wider now than ever before. There has been a blurring of the term but now we see engineering talent being applied in so many sectors to huge value. There are engineers working in all walks of life and all kinds of manufacturing. They are helping make anything from cars to chocolate bars and we have members working for leading supermarkets engineering retail systems and working in hospitals too.
The important element in protecting the professional status of engineering is to recognise the thoroughly regulated and licensed standards of the Engineering Council. In these standards we are not just talking about chartered status but also incorporated and technician engineer status.
These standards have the same logic and benefits behind them for both individuals and employers. Getting these letters after your name sets you apart, for your employer and future employers, as someone with experience, drive, commitment and competence. Those who attain these standards have done more than gain an education. By going through the process of registration, a level of experience and professional development in how to deliver that experience is implicit.
These are the only properly licensed national vocational standards anywhere in science engineering and technology. And it is not as though they are not in active use. There are more than half a million registered engineers and technicians working across the nation today.
"I'm reluctant to advocate a kind of appellation controlee approach to the use of the word. But if we are going to make a difference I find it hard to believe that we can avoid legislative intervention in the use of the title" – Chris Mulvihill, MD, EMS Manufacturing
Statement from the Engineering Council
In recognition of the concern being voiced by engineering professionals in the UK over the protection of their status and public perceptions of engineering careers the Engineering Council released the following statement in March this year.
Commonplace use of the word engineer in our language has evolved over many centuries. Hence anyone in the UK may describe themselves as an engineer. This is perhaps regrettable, but seeking to regulate or legislate on the use of a now common term is recognised by the Engineering Council as totally impractical. However, the professional titles of Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), Engineering Technician (EngTech) and ICT Technician (ICTTech) may only be used by those who have been granted these titles through registration with the Engineering Council.
These titles attest to the professional competence of their holders and their commitment to professional ethics and practice. They are only awarded to those who can demonstrate, through a process of peer assessment, that they meet the required standards. The Engineering Council, with the Professional Engineering Institutions, keeps these standards under constant review to ensure that they remain valid and are clearly defined. Taken together, these features of our regulatory system provide assurance, serve to protect the public and give confidence to society as a whole. It is upon such recognition that the status of professional engineers and technicians must rest.
These professional titles are fully protected under law by means of the Engineering Council's Royal Charter and Bye-laws; further legislation is thus unnecessary. In order to protect these titles action is taken through the courts against their unauthorised use. Through the European Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications 2005, they are also recognised throughout the European Union. More generally, as a benchmark standard, the titles have a world-wide currency.


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Pushbacks at Europe's borders have not been compliant with the Refugee Convention. Nor would internal ones.
Pushbacks have become the 'new normal' on the European Union's external borders. What they entail, in the absence of legal due process, has become readily apparent.
Refugees are being apprehended and detained in containers or camps surrounded with barbed wire. They are being beaten, robbed, insulted, humiliated and debased, marked like cattle and forced blindly through razor-wire fences to countries where the right to claim asylum is effectively denied.
Where individuals can be so apprehended, detained and deported without due process, the right to asylum—indeed any legal protection—dies. In light of what we have observed at the EU's external borders, would one really want pushbacks to be legally endorsed within the EU?
New rules
The recent proposal from the European Commission for amendments to the Schengen Border Code suggests that the commission does. The proposal would not only allow member states to implement temporary border controls during public-health emergencies, such as the pandemic, but would also introduce two new sets of rules with regard to people on the move.
The first concern new surveillance and response mechanisms, to battle what the commission interprets as an 'instrumentalisation of migrants' aimed at 'destabilising' the EU or its member states. Such language flared up in the aftermath of the Belarussian regime's attempt to funnel individuals in transit into the EU at the Polish border last year. But it fell short of explaining exactly how a few thousand of them could summon the power to destabilise the union—or even what that might mean exactly.
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While the commission remains vague as to the mechanisms which would be employed to stop such instrumentalisation, this discursive sleight of hand steers the public away from thinking about refugees as individual human beings with rights under the Refugee Convention—including the right to non-refoulement and to make an individually adjudicated asylum claim—towards viewing them as non-European 'others' comprising collective security threats.
'Shifting borders'
The 'securitisation' of migration is thus in full swing and it does not stop there. The second set of rule changes would address internal EU borders. They seek to legalise pushbacks of irregular migrants from one member state to another, largely without offering the opportunity to claim asylum or even to challenge detention and deportation.
According to the proposed changes, the police would be allowed to apprehend irregular migrants anywhere 'in the vicinity of borders'—not just at the borders themselves. Such 'shifting borders', as they have been called, would allow states to implement a regime of search and control well within their territory—at bus and train stations and within certain cities. Individuals so apprehended could be detained without legal safeguards for up to 24 hours, before being pushed back to the member state they had left.
Though pushbacks at the EU's internal borders are nothing new, this proposal would legalise and legitimise them. What we already witness at the external borders of the union would be replicated within.
This would not only threaten the rights of new arrivals but would introduce more controls and surveillance for EU citizens. This is the inevitable consequence of attempting to monitor everyone who crosses a border, to categorise whether they belong to a wanted or unwanted group and to pursue associated enforcement measures.
The alternative to universalised surveillance in border-neighbouring zones would be targeted intervention by the authorities—which could only mean racial profiling. The suggestions by the commission would then support discriminatory search-and-apprehend strategies in transport installations and cities across Europe—a frightening alternative which would fly in the face of anti-discrimination regimes and foment generalised suspicion towards non-white people.
Negative signal
Yet the gloomy outlook for protection of the rights of people on the move would be only one consequence of legalising internal pushbacks, were the commission proposal to be endorsed—it has yet to come before the European Parliament. The other is the negative signal it would send: European-wide responsibility-sharing on asylum would remain an ever-receding horizon, amid the further securitisation of the EU's external borders.
The legalisation of intra-EU pushbacks would displace responsibility for hosting refugees—even moreso—from the centre to the member states at the external borders, where asylum-seekers have already been largely corralled by the Dublin convention (requiring that they normally make a claim in the state of arrival). Rather than signalling inter-state solidarity on the part of the union's wealthy core, in the humane offering of asylum to individuals meeting the convention criteria, the message to the peripheral states would be: you are on your own.
This would undoubtedly not lead to a greater readiness to admit refugees. Rather it would bring higher walls, more fences and further attempts to ward off new arrivals—at whatever price.
Felix Bender is a postdoctoral fellow at KU Leuven. He worked at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity and at Central European University. He held visiting positions at the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford, the University of Amsterdam and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC.


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Legend has it that Casanova started his day with 50 oysters, perhaps for their aphrodisiac properties, maybe because he just like briny bivalves. While tradition has it that oysters should only be eaten in months that end in R, refrigeration makes that old wive's tale obsolete. Here, a look at 24 restaurants in Vegas that serve up these mollusks and some of the deals they have in honor of National Oyster Day.
Read MoreAh, Shucks: 24 Ways to Slurp Down Oysters in Vegas
Look for sake-ponzu oyster shooters as well as a Champagne mignonette sauce served with a plate of raw oysters.
Big Al's Oyster Bar
The chefs prepare your meal on the spot, right in front of you at this oyster bar at the Orleans. In August, look for 18 oysters for $18.99 Thursdays through Sundays.
Big Sur Oyster Bar
South Point's Big Sur Oyster Bar features half-price oysters and clams on the half shell. Guests can slurp down plump Louisiana Gold Seal Oysters as the chefs freshly shuck oysters in an open kitchen every Monday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Other dishes include bloody Mary oyster shooter ($6), pan-fried oysters ($14), oysters Rockefeller ($15) and more.
Also featured in:
Bouchon Bistro
Head for the raw bar at Bouchon for bloody Marys paired with oysters, some of the best in town.
Brand Steakhouse & Lounge
Brand at the Monte Carlo has oysters on the half shell with a house made selection of sauces for $4.
Comme Ça
Not only will Comme Ca be offering $1.50 oysters all night in the lounge area in honor of National Oyster Day today, but the restaurant also has a raw bar with Island Creek oysters, grown in Duxbury Bay near Boston. During the restaurant's daily happy hour, oysters are available for $1.50 each. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Culinary Dropout
Culinary Dropout features a raw bar with a selection of oysters, King crab legs and white shrimp.
Emeril's New Orleans Fish House
Emeril's New Orleans Fish House offers oysters by the half shell for $1.50 during happy hour.
Fix Restaurant & Bar
Raw market oysters from the East Coast and West Coast go for $5 per piece.
Hank's Fine Steaks & Martinis
One of the menu highlights at this Green Valley Ranch staple is its oysters on the half shell. Only serving the best in season, the oysters served may vary by night. Accompaniments include sherry mignonette, cucumber and gin sorbet, fresh horseradish and cocktail sauce.
Also featured in:
Make your oyster spicy with the bloody Mary oyster shooters at Heraea. Nab three or six oysters served in a shooter glass submerged in a bloody Mary mix. Of age guests can add vodka to their shooters as well for an extra kick.
Located on the picturesque Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas, Lakeside offers a daily happy hour in the bar and lounge from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with mix and match oysters for $1.95 each.
Lavo Italian Restaurant & Nightclub
Lavo Italian Restaurant offers oysters on the half shell for $18. The six fresh oysters are part of the raw bar that includes clams, jumbo shrimp, lobster and seafood platters as well as crabmeat salad and tuna ceviche.
Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro
Morels works with Santa Monica Seafood for farmed shellfish, such as oysters and mussels. Come September, the restaurant runs Oysterpalooza with oysters for $3.50 each.
Oyster Bar at Palace Station
The Oyster Bar at Palace Station is a Vegas institution. With only 18 seats at the bar, guests will wait an hour or more for a coveted seat. A menu of classic oyster dishes includes everything from the oysters on the half shell to the shooters and on to the pan roasts and cioppino. You can order your dishes on a heat level from 1-10. Oyster shooters run $4/shooter or three for $10. Shooters come with an oyster, bloody Mary mix and with tequila, vodka or virgin. Feel free to order all the same or mix it up with the $10 special.
The Oyster Bar at Sunset Station
Fresh oysters on the half shell are just one of the Louisiana-style seafood dishes at Sunset Station's Oyster Bar.
P.J. Clarke's
P.J. Clarke's raw bar offers a fresh daily selection of East and West Coast oysters for $16 a half dozen and $28 for a dozen. Today oysters go for $1 each.
R Steak & Seafood
Oysters on the half shell are $5 during happy hour.
RM Seafood
The raw bar at Rick Moonen's offers an oyster sampler appetizer so diners can try six different varieties in one sitting.
Stack Restaurant & Bar
Stack at the Mirage has butter-roasted Kushi oysters with chili garlic butter crunch and lemon for $21.
Strip House
Strip House offers a half dozen oysters on the half shell for $19. On Aug. 5 only, the restaurant will be serving a half dozen Oysters Rockefeller for $24 in honor of National Oyster Day. The dish is not on the regular menu.
Tender Steak & Seafood
Tender at the Luxor offers oysters on the half shell, a six-piece choice, priced at $22. Look for Raspberry Point, Prince Edward Island, Canada; Bluepoint, Long Island Sound, Connecticut; and Quonset Point, Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.
Texas Star Oyster Bar
Look for oyster shooters or a basket of fried oysters for just $9.99 served with hushpuppies, French fries and coleslaw. The Texas Star Oyster Bar also offers a private room accommodating up to 15.
Tides Oyster Bar
Head to Green Valley Ranch's Tides Oyster Bar for an extensive raw bar that includes oysters on the half shell.


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The San Diego County Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association announced Thursday its adoption of a collective set of strategies designed to "de-escalate" confrontational and potentially violent law enforcement situations.
The policies unanimously adopted by the group on Wednesday are the culmination of a project that began last June with the creation of a committee tasked with exploring the hot-button issue, according to the regional police leadership group.
The panel included representatives from all countywide municipal police agencies, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office and a local psychiatric emergency-response team.
Guiding the development of the new program was "the overarching principle of reverence for human life in all investigative, enforcement and other interactions between law enforcement and members of the community," according to the association.
The plan calls on all police personnel to "use tactics and techniques to persuade (crime suspects) to voluntarily comply (in order to) mitigate the need to use increased physical tactics to resolve (standoffs) safely."
"Some situations require an immediate response, while other situations may allow peace officers the opportunity to communicate with the individual, refine tactical plans and if necessary, call for additional resources," the agency stated.
Whenever "reasonable opportunity exists," according to the association's strategy, peace officers should consider the following concepts:
- "Pre-engagement considerations," which involve "the process of gathering and assessing information prior to deploying the available personnel, tactics, equipment and other appropriate and obtainable resources" so as to "enhance the probability of a peaceful outcome."
- De-escalation, which hinges on the use of techniques intended "to gain voluntary compliance from an individual in order to gain or maintain control of an incident while reducing the need for physical coercion."
- Disengagement, or "tactical withdraw," an enforcement method that can "be a viable option for individuals in crisis who pose no additional threats to others, or resistant offenders who may later be apprehended under safer conditions."
The mission of the project "was to not only define best practices for de-escalation but to do so collectively to ensure the county is of one mind on the philosophy," said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy, president of the police-leadership body.
"As part of this community, we understand the importance of violence prevention whenever possible, and de-escalation techniques are the best way to get there," Kennedy said.
District Attorney Summer Stephan called the renewed commitment to de-escalation in policing a government approach that "respects life itself and advances a blueprint for transformation we set in motion two years ago based on community input."
"When translated into action, de-escalation policies are the opposite of de-humanization and are an action-based response to calls for equality, fairness and dignity," Stephan said.
The association comprises the law enforcement leadership of the county and all local cities, as well as San Diego Harbor Police, the county Probation Department and the police departments of the San Diego Community College District, San Diego State University, San Diego Unified School District and the University of California San Diego.


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The proposal of Catherine Ashton, the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, on the mandate of the EU special representative for the Middle East peace process, Andreas Reinicke, was in fact agreed by member states, including a review in the autumn.
Through this review, the high representative wishes to ensure that the EU set-up reflects the changing architecture of the peace process, so that our resources are used in the most efficient way. It is simply wrong to claim that our approach is in any way inspired by "personal differences". Ambassador Reinicke is doing an excellent job and High Representative Ashton commends him for his commitment, energy and invaluable input.
When it comes to leading EU efforts on the Middle East peace process, the high representative acts with the full support of all member states, which have given her a clear and unanimous mandate. The EU supports the current US efforts and encourages both parties in the conflict to resume negotiations. This deep and active commitment to the peace process was confirmed in the discussion at Monday's foreign affairs council.


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Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is more sensitive than conventional cytogenetics for recognizing chromosomal changes. Several FISH-detected abnormalities have been associated with inferior prognosis, including deletion of chromosomes 17 and 13 (Δ13) and t(4;14)(p16.3;q32). We analyzed the prognostic value of FISH testing in 238 patients who received high-dose therapy between January 1990 and September 2001. All patients had pretransplantation cytoplasmic immunoglobulin FISH done on cytospin slides from bone marrow aspirates for t(11;14), t(4;14), and -17(p13.1) (TP53). Time to progression and overall survival were significantly shorter for patients with t(4;14) and those with -17(p13.1) but were not affected by t(11;14). Overall survival was significantly shorter for patients with both t(4;14) and Δ13 abnormalities than for those with Δ13 alone (26.8 vs 18.8 months). In a multivariable analysis of the effect of Δ13 and t(4;14), the risk ratio for t(4;14) was greater than for Δ13 (2.6 vs 1.5). For high-dose therapy patients, -17(p13) and t(4;14) have clinical importance for estimating time to progression and overall survival. The presence of t(4;14) identifies a subset of patients whose time to progression is only 8.2 months. These patients receive minimal benefit from autologous stem cell transplantation and are candidates for novel therapeutic approaches.
Original language | English (US) |
Pages (from-to) | 2837-2840 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Blood |
Volume | 106 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2005 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Cell Biology


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Even two weeks after the Team Fortress 2 Contest has ended, it seems like people haven't had enough of making TF2 themed art!
Today we highlight:
What do you get if you cross Team Fortress 2 and Ghostbusters? Really awesome art by one our very talented artists oobersli. It seems like with all the Team Fortress 2 Contest fever, that a bunch of creative projects have been emerging themed to Team Fortress 2 and this one should definitely not go unnoticed.
Over at ZBrush Central, Olive "-Gopher" Titouan made the front page with a great rendition of the Mad Hatter from the Alice in Wonderland universe. There are also some early work in progress renders to see how the final piece took shape as well as the level of detail the artist went into to create this fantastic final image.
[caption id="attachment_2114" align="alignnone" width="630" caption="art by Olive "-Gopher" Titouan"][/caption]
For those of you not following, Epic Games released their regular monthly update to UDK last week in their July Beta release. I know I'm personally loving the fact that they are providing such frequent support to their product, which has made UDK the go to game engine for me and for a lot of other game developers and artists.
This month's beta release includes many upgrades, including:
A full list of all the new features and updates can be found here.
Get the latest version of UDK.
Relevant Links
oobersli's Ghostbusters TF2 Theme


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The Law relating to International Banking
- Editorial: Bloomsbury Publishing
- Fecha de la edición: 2018
- Lugar de la edición: London. Reino Unido
- Edición número: 2nd ed.
- Colección: Bloomsbury Professional
- Encuadernación: Rústica
- Medidas: 23 cm
- Nº Pág.: 696
- Idiomas: Inglés
The Law Relating to International Banking, Second Edition addresses the key legal issues associated with international banking and capital markets. Covering choice of law, jurisdiction, sovereign risk, contractual remedies, exchange controls and legal opinions, this new edition provides a detailed analysis of the legal issues relating to the lending of money, whether by way of: - Term loans - Syndicated lending - The transferring of a bank's interest in a loan - Bond issues - Asset backed securitisation In addition, the title also considers Islamic securitisation as well as whole of business securitisation. It also examines derivative contracts along with the contractual issues arising with consideration being given to how to complete the Schedules to the ISDA Master Agreement. Contract guarantees and standby letters of credit are also analysed. The Law Relating to International Banking is essential reading for anyone wishing to gain a perspective on these transactions, including banking lawyers, bankers, academics and post graduate students.


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There has been a lot of news about banks not lending to people who are receiving any wage supplements during the covid 19 pandemic. The initial headlines were about AIB who later rowed back on the decision not to assess any cases where people were on wage supports.
The other banks were more open to offering loans but they all have one basic trend in common which is that you can't be on TWSS and draw down a loan. This may seem unfair but if you got a loan in July and were laid off in August in time a person would wonder 'why did the bank give that loan?' given that companies can only get wage supports if their turnover is seriously impacted due to the pandemic. So what can you do?
- Delay: for many people they'll be back to regular wages soon, talk to the people involved in your transaction and see if they are willing to wait.
- Withdraw: most contracts have 'subject to mortgage approval' in them.
- Ask your employer to take you off the support scheme: some employers are happy to take staff members off the scheme and that satisfies the bank's requirement.
While none of these are ideal outcomes, the last thing you want to do is try to close when you know you can and potentially put your deposit at risk. The pandemic has messed up house buying for lots of people, speak to your broker and come up with a plan that suits your needs best.


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In 2019, a Chinese singer Tai Yi (太一,tài yī) released a song called "Grow Up with High Pressure" (负重一万斤长大, fù zhòng yī wàn jīn zhǎng dà). This song has very powerful lyrics.
"Grow Up with High Pressure" is based on the Korean movie Hope (2013).
"Hope" is based on a true story, about a case from 2008. An 8-year-old girl was kidnapped, raped, and beaten by a drunk, 57-year-old man.
Fortunately, the young girl was saved and survived. However, she endured multiple surgeries. The event left her not only with PTSD, but she also had to wear a colostomy bag to replace her organs.
The sex offender received only a 12-year jail term. With a history of 17 crimes prior to this and 3 years prison for rape, he was released from the prison in December 2020.
The lyrics of Tai Yi's song "Grow Up with High Pressure" reveal the cruel story from both the first and third perspective.
"If you pity me, then why do you catch me and say forgive the devil. I bear the enormous pain, timidity and loneliness, why don't you ask me about it? "
"Even several years later, people keep talking about her. Never thought that the biggest challenge is to return to old life. "
"I really doubt, perhaps the world does not welcome me anymore."
The song unmasks our cruel reality. Evil is not punished. Meanwhile, innocents endure all the pain and blame for others' harm.
Music and movies raise our awareness of these horrible events. We learn more about news outside our country through them.
Hopefully, we can reflect on the social issues and mistakes after watching.
This is an edited video with clips from the film "Hope" (2013) and a stage performance completed by TNT, a Chinese boy band.
Every scene and every second are heartbreaking and painful to watch.
This powerful choreography from Liu Jun, a Chinese dancer, has also left a deep impression on people.
Each word of the lyrics become harsher and stronger with his movements.
Both the song and the movie highlight one thing: Our society needs to change. Our laws worldwide must change to protect the innocents.
While listening to the song, I encourage you to rethink society.
The innocent people who experienced terrible events should be surrounded by warmth and love from their communities.
Let's help to take the great pressure off them.
Let's purify this world together.


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City Council took a huge step of progress in their Oct. 17 meeting--moving ahead with the East Wastewater Treatment Plant construction. It's a major infrastructure project that began in 2018 with an estimated cost of less than $10 million. Unnecessary delays and the pandemic slowed progress and raised the current cost to more than $34 million.
The City, now and in the future, needs this new state-of-the-art facility which will transform residents' wastewater into water that is cleaner than Lake Granbury. It's an example of perseverance toward the goal of raising the quality of life of Granbury residents.
"Transparency in government" is more than a slogan at the City of Granbury. Annually, the Finance Department earns the Transparency Star in "Traditional Finances" from the State Comptroller of Public Accounts.
The most recent audited Annual Comprehensive Financial Report is available online anytime.
Want to dig DEEP into the numbers of all areas of City government? Every revenue and expense of city funds is at the OPEN GOV portal.
See how your money is being used by the City of Granbury.
The City of Granbury took the lead in linking multiple private and government agencies in a radio system that may be the only one of its kind in Texas.
The new Granbury Regional Radio Network connects Texas EMS, Air Evac and CareFlite medical transport companies, Hood and Erath County Sheriff's Offices and Volunteer Fire Departments, the Stephenville Police and Fire Departments, Tarleton State University, the TX Dept. of Public Safety, TX Parks & Wildlife Dept., US Marshals Service and the host agency, the Granbury Police Department. First responders using the Granbury Regional Radio Network have a greater ability to deliver life-saving emergency services every day.
It's another way the City of Granbury is working for residents.
Copyright © 2023 City of Granbury. All Rights Reserved.116 W. Bridge St. Granbury, TX 76048


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Hatsu Inu The Animation 02 (English Sub) | Download
初犬 The Animation Act.2「ストレンジ・カインド オブ ウーマン#2」 | A Strange Kind of Woman
- Romaji:
- Hatsu Inu The Animation 02
- Japanese:
- 初犬 The Animation Act.2「ストレンジ・カインド オブ ウーマン#2」
- Synonyms:
- A Strange Kind of Woman
- Release:
- 27.07.2007
- Censored:
- Yes
- Subbed:
- English
- Rating:
- Tags:
- Female Student Oppai Stockings
By chance, Fukaya became the lover of a very quiet and beautiful girl, Fujino, yet he worries about the vibrator shes always carrying. "Perhaps, she considers me no more fondly than that vibrator?" In fact, their relationship began when he found her using a vibrator aboard a crowded train. Although they have passionate sex, he cant be certain that she loves him, and feels threatened by her vibrator. Now, the two of them are going to a pool. As she will be unable to use the vibrator in the water, he expects they will be alone, but...
Related Downloads


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Christine El Moussa is eternally grateful to an astute fan of the hit HGTV show, Flip or Flop, on which she stars with husband Tarek. That fan noticed an unusual lump on Tarek El Moussa's neck while watching the show, and sent an email to producers.
HGTV viewer discovered host Tarek El Moussa had cancer https://t.co/l4XJB5lhe5 via @FOX411 pic.twitter.com/1E205Q5WHG
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 24, 2015
"This is not a joke," the email read. "I'm a registered nurse. I've been watching Flip or Flop. I noticed that the host Tarek has a large nodule on his thyroid, and he needs to have it checked out."
Nurse Ryan Reid is the fan that Christine El Moussa likely thinks of often these days. Tarek El Moussa has since undergone surgery for thyroid cancer that had already spread to his lymph nodes.
"I feel good, but I don't have the energy I used to have," he said in a recent interview with People magazine.
Christine El Moussa is breathing a huge sigh of relief, now that Tarek is in remission. She and her husband have since welcomed a second child–a baby boy–into their family. Tarek's diagnosis changed things from that perspective, too.
"We found out Tarek had cancer, and we asked the doctor if that would affect our chances of having a child," Christina El Moussa says. "They said that if you go through radiation, which Tarek had too, then you should not get pregnant from that sperm from six months to a year. So, right away, we did sperm banking and [tried] IVF."
After two failed attempts, and one miscarriage, she was pregnant.
Viewer saves TV host Tarek El Moussa's life by diagnosing his cancer while watching his show https://t.co/tpfW6P8C8B pic.twitter.com/t6h0qxbT4D
— Metro Entertainment (@Metro_Ents) November 21, 2015
"I had to be super strict," Christina explains. "I had to do one full week in bed. For 13 weeks after that, I couldn't go for a walk and couldn't lift anything over a gallon of milk. We planned it during Christmas break so I wasn't working. We did everything we could to make sure this one worked."
Both Tarek and Christine El Moussa admit their lives have been forever changed since his cancer diagnosis.
"There is always that chance of reoccurrence but every year that goes by the odds of reoccurrence goes down so it's good," Tarek says. "I have slowed down quite a bit. Which is actually a good thing because I can actually relax now."
Our thoughts go out to #FlipOrFlop host Tarek El Moussa as he battles thyroid cancer https://t.co/BSjb4K2UZI pic.twitter.com/EGMKoafTRd
— People magazine (@people) November 17, 2015
It's been almost two years now since Tarek El Moussa's diagnosis. He and Christina are hard at work on their HGTV show, and the parents of two healthy children.
Do you watch Tarek and Christine El Moussa on Flip or Flop? The revelation of their journey throughout the past two years will no doubt cause fans to revere them with a newfound admiration.


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CE Mark for ReLASV®...
Three-port Hypoxysta...
14th May 2013 Content supplied by:
New aCOLyte 3, Affordable, Automated Colony Counter
Synbiosis have introduced its aCOLyte 3 cost-effective colony counting system, which is ideal for microbiologists that need to significantly increase their throughput, as well as improve count accuracy.
The new aCOLyte 3 is a low-cost automated colony counter, designed for a rapid count of pour, spread and spiral plates. The system can read plates of up to 90mm in seconds, generating precise plate count results up to ten times faster than manual counts. The numerical count data and plate images can be directly transferred to Excel or Open office to avoid errors in data transfer, ensuring accurate GLP compliant result reporting and archiving every time.
The aCOLyte 3 provides full colour image display and comes complete with software based on Synbiosis' powerful ProtoCOL 3 software (independently validated as a highly accurate colony counting package). The system can be supplied with a computer or scientists can utilise their own laptop or desktop PC and simply connect the aCOLyte 3 via a USB port.
The aCOLyte 3 is lit by white LEDs mounted above and below the plate, enabling accurate detection of colonies as small as 0.3 mm. For laboratories where strong ambient light could interfere, there is also the option to have a detachable screen fitted to prevent any reflection or glare affecting the count.
Martin Smith of Synbiosis stated: "Microbiologists often have to count hundreds of colonies every day. This can be time consuming, tiring and error prone. What they need is simple to set up, yet inexpensive automation for detecting difficult to see colonies, so they can put the plates in a device and quickly obtain accurate counts."
Martin added: "Our design team has listened. After a year of development work, we are confident that our resulting aCOLyte 3 system is the best value technology available and will significantly increase microbial testing throughput in any food, environmental or clinical laboratory which chooses an aCOLyte 3 colony counter."
Date Published: 14th May 2013
CE Mark for ReLASV® Antigen
Three-port Hypoxystation Launched


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THE NOMINEES HAVE been released for an Irish literary award that is the most valuable annual prize for works of fiction published in English.
The International Dublin Literary Award is worth €100,000 to the winner and sponsored by Dublin City Council and managed by Dublin City Libraries.
Chosen by an international panel of judges, 10 titles have been shortlisted for the 2016 prize. One of them, Academy Street by Mary Costello, is by an Irish author.
Four of the novels are translations from Brazil, France, Germany and Spain with English-language novels from India, Jamaica and the USA also up for the prize.
The full list is as follows:
Outlaws by Javier Cercas (Spain)
Academy Street by Mary Costello (Ireland)
Your Fathers, Where Are They? And The Prophets, Do They Live Forever? by Dave Eggers (United States)
The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck (Germany)
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James (Jamaica)
Diary of the Fall by Michel Laub (Brazil)
Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda)
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill (United States)
Lila by Marilynne Robinson (United States)
Family Life by Akhil Sharma (India-United States)
Read: Meet the Galway teen who's published her first book at just 16 >
Read: These sisters went from underground health food gurus to bestselling cookbook authors >


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Chiefs Linebacker Justin Houston Wins AFC Player Of The Week For Second Time from KC Star
After a blistering start that may have conjured up memories of former Chiefs icon Derrick Thomas, outside linebacker Justin Houston can now say he has something else in common with Thomas.
On Wednesday, Houston became the first Chief since Thomas to be chosen AFC defensive player of the week twice in the same season. After a dominating opening-week performance against Jacksonville in which he recorded three sacks, Houston won the honor again after terrorizing Philadelphia for 4 1/2 sacks Thursday.
Chiefs Return To Work, Justin Houston Honored from The Mothership
On the offensive side of the ball, Chiefs QB Alex Smith will be leading his team against a Giants team that allowed 38 points by the victorious Carolina Panthers last Sunday. Smith offered proper perspective on the G-Men's defense.
"This is a defense that won the Super Bowl a couple years ago," Smith said. "This is a veteran team; they've been down before and I expect their best. After what happened last week, I think, they have too much veteran leadership on that team to not bounce back. I'm really expecting their best effort."
New York Giants, Chiefs' Next Opponent, Are Not Pushing The Panic Button from KC Star
Manning also understands the Giants face a difficult test this Sunday against the Chiefs, who have ridden a mistake-averse offense and one of the league's best defenses to their first 3-0 start since 2010, when they finished 10-6 and lost in the first round.
"They do a good job stopping the run and getting the quarterback," Manning said. "They play a lot of man-to-man, an aggressive style defense so we've got to be really sharp. We can't afford to turn the ball over."
Manning said the Chiefs will be the most aggressive team, at least defensively, they've faced so far. Coughlin also had some nice things to say about the offense of Chiefs coach Andy Reid - Sunday's matchup will be the 20th time the old NFC East foes have met, with Reid holding a 10-9 advantage.
Is Chiefs Safety Eric Berry Still Scared Of Horses? Well, It's Complicated from KC Star
NFL Films' satirical mini-documentary chronicles how Berry, like most kids, liked ponies and rainbows - but asserts that sometime between those carefree days, his hard-hitting years with the Tennessee Volunteers and the present, his appreciation spit the bit.
Ah, but all is not lost for Berry. Toward the end of the short film, which includes interviews with Berry's dad, Chiefs teammates Derrick Johnson and Kendrick Lewis and Denver Broncos defensive back Champ Bailey, Berry resolves to proceed with some desensitization techniques ... culminating with a one-one-one meet-up with Warpaint (actually one-on-two, as the horse's rider, Chiefs cheerleader Susie, plays intermediary) inside a deserted Arrowhead Stadium.
KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Picture This: Kids, Art And Chiefs LBs
KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs LBs Host Youth For Art Field Trip
KCChiefs.com Video: Reid: "We Don't Worry About Records"
KCChiefs.com Video: Smith: "I Expect Their Best"
KCChiefs.com Video: 1-On-1: Mitch Holthus With Derrick Johnson
KCChiefs.com Video: NFL Films Presents: Horsin' Around With Eric Berry
Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs Proving Value Of Good Coaching from NFL.com
It's an age-old debate. As I've said before, coaches probably aren't as important as we like to think we are. But a coach's role -- in setting both the tone in the locker room and the expectations for his players -- can be crucial when it comes to changing the fortunes of a team.
Exhibit A: the Kansas City Chiefs.
Road To MetLife: Week 4 Cheat Sheet from FOX Sports
You can't deny the impact that has on an organization. As one ex-player told me this week in regards to the Josh Freeman stuff in Tampa Bay, "Aside from the coach, the most important person in the facility is the starting quarterback."
So, yes. Smith and Reid are top three storylines here.
But man, I've been awfully impressed with the defense. And that storyline, well, it's not quite as sexy, and it certainly isn't as simple to explain. The Chiefs' defense, ranked 20th in the league a season ago, is currently second in the league in points, allowing just 11.3 per game through three weeks.
NFLN Says: 3-0 Super Bowl Contenders? from ESPN
The Chiefs have started 10 possessions on their opponents' end of the field. Their opponents have started one in Kansas City's territory, and even that drive began at the Chiefs' 49.
Such consistently favorable field position can make life easy for a team, and credit to the Chiefs for enjoying the ride while it lasts.
It won't forever. When it ends, the Chiefs will have to make their own way.
Chiefs LB Justin Houston Is On Pace To Shatter Sack Records from FS Kansas City
The rest of the NFL is finally learning what we've known about linebacker Justin Houston since the Chiefs drafted him in 2011: He's a major, disruptive force on defense.
Houston was selected the AFC defensive player of the week Wednesday, the second time already this season he has been so honored. Only one other former Chief -- the legendary Derrick Thomas in 1991 -- has ever received the honor twice in the same season.
And there's no reason to believe Houston won't get the honor again this season.
QB Watch: Chiefs' Alex Smith from ESPN
Prediction: Look for another game in the Smith mold against the Giants. His completions again will be in the low-20s, his attempts in the mid-30s. Put him down for a couple of touchdown passes against a beleaguered defense, but Smith will also throw his first interception of the season.
Chiefs Likely Salivating At The Thought Of Giants' Miscues from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City
The hungry Kansas City Chiefs defense must be salivating at the thought of Eli Manning and the turnover-prone New York Giants coming to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
The Chiefs (3-0) lead the league with a plus-9 turnover differential, a big reason why they're undefeated. The Giants, meanwhile, are a league-worst minus-9, a major reason they've yet to win a game.
Houston Cracks This Week's MVP Watch from ESPN
ESPN's Dan Graziano, who puts together the list, had to find a place in his top 10 for Houston. He terrorized Philadelphia rookie offensive tackle Lane Johnson for three of his sacks and indeed made them appear simple. Houston is the only defensive player and only non-quarterback in Graziano's top 10.
Dontari Poe was in the top 10 last week but dropped out this week.
Hire Of Sutton One Of Reid's Best Moves from ESPN
Sutton, 62, was a veteran in his field, the highlights of his career being nine seasons as the head coach at Army and 13 as an assistant for the New York Jets. But he was largely unknown in Kansas City.
No more. Sutton, with the Chiefs at 3-0 and their aggressive defense leading the way, is approaching rock star status in Kansas City. He molded a group of talented but underachieving players into what so far has been one of the best defensive teams in the league and Sutton's hire is looking like one of Andy Reid's better moves.
10 Things To Know About The Chiefs from Giants.com
6. The number of Pro Bowl selections on the Kansas City Chiefs roster last season, despite their 2-14 record: S Eric Berry (starter), RB Jamaal Charles, P Dustin Colquitt, OLB Tamba Hali (starter), OLB Justin Houston (replacement), and ILB Derrick Johnson.
Coaching Confidential: Looking For First Win from Giants.com
Tom Coughlin generally waits for reporters to ask him about injuries before he discusses them, but today he opened his news conference with a rundown of the 10 players on the Giants' preliminary injury report.
Unfortunately, that's eight more players than the same list had last week.
Studs And Duds: Romo, McFadden Can Carry Fantasy Teams from USA Today
QB Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs: Smith has yet to top 300 yards passing in a game this year, but he's effective at limiting turnovers and scoring in the red zone. Against the Giants, who allow 264.3 passing yards and 2.33 aerial TDs per game, Smith could have one of his best games of the season.
Andy Reid Talks Rivalry vs. Giants from Giants.com
Sunday marks the 20th regular-season meeting between Coughlin and Reid - the most of any active head coaches -- but will be the first of Reid's tenure in Kansas City after 14 seasons with NFC East rival Philadelphia. Throughout the years and 130-plus wins apiece, they have gained a great deal of respect for each other.
"We do," Reid said Wednesday on a conference call. "We keep it brief on game day normally, but we talk throughout the year. I have a ton of respect for him, not only as a football coach -- he's a Hall of Fame football coach -- but also as a man. He's a great person."
Giants Are in Dire Spot, But You Wouldn't Know It By Talking To Them from The New York Times
History suggests that the Giants, 0-3 and off to their worst start since 1996, should be all but bereft of hope. Since 1990, when the current playoff format began, only 3 of the 115 teams to drop their first three games have reached the playoffs.
But the Giants are ignoring that daunting background as they prepare for Sunday's game in Kansas City, Mo., against the resurgent Chiefs, who are 3-0 in their first season under Coach Andy Reid. Giants Coach Tom Coughlin declined to characterize his team's visit to Arrowhead Stadium as a must-win situation.
Why Attitude Can Make Or Break Success from FOX Business
Setbacks often provide the foundation to test the mettle of an individual to see if he or she will accept defeat or rebound and take up the challenge. Examine Andy Reid and the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs. After the Eagles let him go at the end of last season, the veteran coach could have sat out, weighed his options, and taken a year off.
Instead, he decided to take his positive approach and ability to change cultures to Kansas City and has been a major force in changing the inside of the building.
Five things Learned From Week 3 Of The NFL Season from The Washington Times
Linebacker Justin Houston, 7.5 sacks through three games, is going to be mentioned alongside Von Miller, Aldon Smith and JJ Watt after this season as the premier defenders of this league. The defensive line, led by standout sophomore Dontari Poe, is disrupting pass plays as well as anyone ever has, and the entire secondary is playing well.
You want to see a team that could stop the Peyton Manning Train in 2013? Look no further than Kansas City, as this defense can stop anything.
At 0-3, Giants Doing Their Best To Manufacture Momentum from NJ.com
Yet Eli Manning says he's trying to keep the tempo and rhythm up at practice. He's getting louder and more adamant with the calls. Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks still talk about having the league's best offense and Antrel Rolle said practice was more intense Wednesday.
The Giants are exhibiting no signs that the end is near. No signs that Sunday is their last chance to turn the ship around.
Start 'Em, Sit 'Em For Week 4 from NFL.com
Eli Manning at Kansas City Chiefs: Anyone who watched the Giants offense (or lack thereof) last week should be terrified to start Manning and most of his teammates. One week after the entire roster was outscored by Cam Newton, the G-Men must now go to Kansas City to face one of the NFL's toughest defensive units. Keep Manning on your bench if possible. (Maximum value: Mid-QB2)
Videos And Photos: Giants Practice As They Prepare For The Chiefs from NJ.com
The Giants signed fullback John Conner, who made his way back to New York after a stint with the Jets. Also enjoy the Justin Tuck video as he uses the camera to get straightened up before he talks to the media. "Don't be a fair-weather fan," he said. "It's about being a fan in the good and the bad. I trust that we're going to try our best to figure this thing out."
Reading The Defense: Justin Houston Breaking Through from NFL.com
If you aren't up on the Kansas City Chiefs defense, you haven't been paying attention. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Chiefs have been arguably the league's top unit -- both on the field and in fantasy football.
And they've done it with a handful of household names like, um...
Chances are football fans know guys like Eric Berry, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson and Brandon Flowers. But they certainly aren't moving the meter when it comes to IDP leagues. Yet it's possible that Kansas City's biggest impact player is possibly its most overlooked.
No Time To Give Eli Manning Pass, NY Giants QB Must Carry Team from The NY Daily News
We're past the point of debating whether Manning is elite. He is one of only 11 quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl rings.
The great quarterbacks do more than just their own job when a team goes into the toilet. The Giants are not paying Manning all this money for him to allow the season to crumble in September. He must carry the team. He is the only Giant capable of getting them straightened out and keeping them alive in a weak division where nine victories can win it.
The offensive line abandoned Manning in Charlotte on Sunday, allowing seven sacks, but he still has eight interceptions in three games and needs to become more of the solution than part of the problem.
Jason Pierre-Paul: 'I'm Pretty Sure' Giants Will Beat Chiefs In Week 4 from Sports Illustrated
Pierre-Paul, who missed the whole preseason after back surgery, made his first start of 2013 in that game. So perhaps his return to a full-time role will help spark the defense. Through three weeks of the regular season, no team in football has allowed more points than the Giants (115). Each of their past two foes have topped 400 yards.
Giants Struggling, Dolphins Rising, Mailbag Readers Freaking Out from NFL.com
It is not reassuring that left tackle Will Beatty admitted he became fixated on the first sack he gave up to the Carolina Panthers and couldn't get past it. You have to wonder if those kinds of issues become more common if this slide snowballs.
I'm not sure if it's better or worse that I don't think team chemistry is at the root of the Giants' stumble. Chemistry is tricky, but finding better players at this point in the season is impossible. With the Kansas City Chiefs' very impressive defense up next, the Giants might have the opportunity to ponder that question.
Cover-Two: Grading First-Year Coaches from Sports Illustrated
Burke: A-minus. Reid has his team proving what we all thought we knew in 2012: that the Chiefs have a ton of talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The key question lingering at the moment is if Reid's offense, with Alex Smith at the helm, can win a wild one...
Farrar: A, with an A+++ for new defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. As Jim Harbaugh did, Reid is working to Alex Smith's relative strengths, but at some point he's going to find out what Harbaugh did - Smith is too limited, and leaves too many throws on the field, to make things around him better. The real story here is the Kansas City defense, a unit that had a lot of talent, but is now coached up by former Jets assistant Sutton at the highest of levels...
Giants Rookie Justin Pugh Prepares To Face NFL Sack Leader from NJ.com
Kansas City defensive end Justin Houston leads the league in sacks. And now he's coming for Giants rookie offensive tackle Justin Pugh.
Pugh, entering his fourth career game, says he's ready.
"He's similar to the guy I went up against last week," Pugh said. "Good motor. A great challenge for me. I'm out there practicing and we got some good guys playing defensive end here. They're definitely giving me some great looks this week."
Giants Need Wins, Not Words from The NY Post
Coughlin and the Giants hierarchy are mystified and stung by a Marshmallow Men performance that would have only made Coach Mahatma Gandhi proud.
So when Coughlin was asked what the challenge was for his embattled, wounded offensive line against a physical Chiefs defense, he said, "For us to go ahead again and regain the respect that we've always had throughout the league for being a physical football team."
Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Defenses For Week 4 from NFL.com
Chiefs defense vs. New York Giants: The top-ranked defense in fantasy football, the Chiefs have the most favorable matchup possible this weekend against the suddenly hapless Giants. Defenses have combined to score the most fantasy points when facing Eli Manning and the G-Men, making Kansas City's team a virtual must-start option in leagues. (Maximum value: High-DEF1)


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How long has it been since you last changed your mattress? While most people wait until the end of the warranty to replace their bed, there are other signs that you should look out for to determine whether it's high time you replace it with a new one.
Apart from your bed's age, you should also observe if it's making squeaking noises and check if there are noticeable sagging areas or dents. Likewise, other tell-tale signs include you waking up with aches and pains or if you're suddenly getting an allergic reaction to dust.
If any of these situations prove to be true, then you should definitely start searching for a new mattress. But, with the various types of beds available on the market right now, it may feel a little confusing for you. Don't fret! To guide you through the experience here's all you need to know when going mattress shopping.
Page Contents
There are six standard mattress sizes on the market. Since every customer has their own unique needs, the varying sizes will help them choose what's best for their situation. For example, if you're a single sleeper, you're better off with a twin, twin XL, and full-sized bed.
Alternatively, if you're sleeping with a significant other or plan to share your space with the rest of your family, then the queen, king, and the California king are ideal for you. In addition, other considerations you should think about are the size of your bedroom, your sleeping position, and even your height and weight.
Sleeping Position
Your mattress should provide you ample support when you sleep. Thus, if you're planning to purchase a new bed, you should consider your sleeping position. Every mattress has a different firmness level, each suitable for the various ways people sleep. Those who sleep on their stomach typically need firmer beds that can provide support for their bodies to stay aligned all night.
On the other hand, side sleepers should look for medium-soft beds; one's that are between level 3 to 7 on the firmness scale. Lastly, a medium-firm mattress is ideal for the back sleepers out there. If you want to know the most top-rated beds you can buy online, check out https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/369221.
Mattress Types
All beds are not made the same. In fact, you have at least five different options when you go mattress hunting. So, to make it easier for you, it's best if you familiarize yourself with the various materials out there. Take the time to read about the main characteristics of each type, its benefits and disadvantages, before finally deciding which is best for you.
Soft and bouncy, latex beds are especially popular for those who hate the sinking feeling when they lay down. They also feel cooler to the touch and are made with natural materials, perfect if you're into environmentally friendly products. However, it can be more expensive than other mattresses, and it may cause an allergic reaction to those who have latex allergies.
The more traditional option is the innerspring bed. Made with coils, mattresses with this material can be used by any type of sleeper. And because it provides a lot of solid support, it is ideal for those who want to sleep in a more elevated bed. Coils can be noisy, though, so you might be interrupted in your sleep if you're sleeping with someone who tosses and turns.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is most famed for its softness and body contouring feature. It absorbs pressure and motion, so this material is for you if your primary problem is waking up to painful joints. Moreover, since memory foam comprises different layers, it's less likely to sag over time. A disadvantage to this type is how it traps body heat, so stay clear if you're a hot sleeper.
Some people call the hybrid mattress the perfect blend. Why you ask? It's because its layers are made up of foam, latex, and spring. Thus, this bed combines the comfort and support that most people are looking for. A drawback to this mattress is its weight. Due to the many layers of a hybrid bed, it can be pretty heavy, making it difficult to move around during transport.
Despite being most commonly known to be used during camping trips, the air bed is becoming more popular inside the bedroom. Each side has a different air chamber, so you can freely customize the firmness of this mattress with just a click —a great choice for couples who have different preferences.
Warranty and Trial Period
Like other purchases, always ensure that your bed comes with a warranty. Without it, you won't be able to replace your mattress in case it breaks down or if you accidentally receive a defective stock. Most brands offer a warranty of ten to twenty years, but others are generous enough to grant a lifetime warranty.
Furthermore, once you take your mattress home, you should take the trial period seriously. If you feel unsatisfied with the bed, you may return it with no extra fees. However, the return policy is not the same for every brand, so you should read the fine print to understand how it works.
Before hitting the stores, you should first set your budget. Fortunately, there's a bed for every budget, so you shouldn't worry about not having enough choices. Just remember that your mattress plays a big part in the quality of your sleep; so you should be a little generous during budgeting. If it helps, think of it as an investment that you can benefit from for many years.
Mattresses last for a lot of years, but they're nowhere near indestructible. When you think you need to replace your bed, just use the guide above to help you find your perfect match. There are many factors to consider, but it's definitely going to be worth your time and effort if it means you get to enjoy your most comfortable sleep every night.


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PASADENA, California, USA—In its continued efforts to bring awareness of Sikhs in the United States of America, the SALDEF has announced yet another initiative. The non-profit organization is collaborating with other Sikh organizations in the country to take part in the annually held Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. The parade is attended by an estimated 1 million Americans from all over California and other parts of the country. By featuring Sikh history during the parade, Sikhs will be able to ensure greater visibility and increased awareness about their proud history in the United States of America.
The following is the text of the press release issued by SALDEF earlier today –
SALDEF, in collaboration with United Sikh Mission, SikhLens, Khalsa Care Foundation and other dedicated Sikhs around the country, is proud to announce that for the first time ever, January 2015's Rose Parade will feature a Sikh American float!
The parade, often referred to as "America's New Year celebration", accompanies the Rose Bowl college football game on New Year's Day, and will be viewed by an estimated 50 Million Americans on television. The float will highlight Sikh American values, our history in the United States, and over 125 years of contributions to American society. This historic effort is thanks to more than a decade of persistent requests from California Sikhs.
SALDEF was selected as the official media and communications group to lead this effort, but we need YOU to do the following:
DONATE—We need financial support to ensure that a high quality float is created and represents our community properly. Donate here. NOTE that the management of this fund is being handled directly by United Sikh Mission; a 501c3 based in Southern California
SUBMIT PHOTOS—of Sikh American history that we can promote on social media platforms and to the media. Fill out the form and upload them here
STAY TUNED—more information about the float will be announced in the coming weeks! Our newspage for the float is saldef.org/roseparade2015
Together, we will educate an unprecedented number of Americans about our community.