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(visited by Florian Schindler)
13-Dec-2011 -- "Vom Nordpol zum Südpol ist's nur ein Katzensprung" ("From North Pole to South Pole it's only a stone's throw away") is a phrase of a 1930'ies aviator song. This phrase stayed in my mind since my visit to the North Pole in 2009 and expresses that the next logical destination to visit would be the South Pole.
I never really checked if such a visit is possible until I had to plan my holidays for 2011 and searched the Internet if there is a possibility to go there. I found some information at a web site I normally do not use for travel information: Wikitravel.
The listed tour operators offer various trips to the Pole, quite expensive (and you will have more expenses for equipment and flights), but doable for normal people like me. I asked for availability in December and got a positive answer. In addition it would be the hundred year anniversary of Roald Amundsen's discovery of the South Pole and therefore a special trip was planned, which includes the time to spend a couple of days at the Pole. I wasn't aware of the anniversary and it was a pure coincidence that my trip to the North Pole in 2009 was also 100 years after Peary's first arrival at the North Pole (by the way: there are severe doubts that Peary really reached the North Pole, but no one will ever prove that he was not there, thus we trust him).
I sat at home, wondered if I really should spend the money and if I could bear the coldness. Amazingly I did this in summer wearing t-shirt and shorts.
I searched the Internet for more details and found a web site of a German with a very detailed report about his trip in 2005. I contacted him and got a bunch of very helpful information. Thanks a lot, Christian!
Yes, I will do it! One reason is the older you get you will regret things you have not done, the other is that money could also get lost due to economic crises (and you did not have any fun before) and the last reason is that I had two hard years in business and deserved a reward. Thus I booked.
Got the confirmation and a booklet with an equipment list. I really appreciated that and strictly followed the recommendation for clothing (mainly fleece stuff). The operator also offers to rent special equipment (like sleeping bags and boots down to -100°C) and I gladly did this. Because I would expect temperatures below -30°C it was advisable to check my electronic equipment like camera and GPS receiver and I bought spare batteries for the camera and Lithium batteries for my GPS receiver. This was a wise decision.
The package to the South Pole starts and ends in Punta Arenas, Chile and therefore I booked a flexible flight from Germany to Punta Arenas and a hotel. There is only rudimentary medical treatment possible in Antarctica and it is essential to have a good medical insurance, which covers an evacuation flight to Chile.
After all these preparations the day came where I flew to Chile. As I had been in Chile a couple of times before it was a well known stretch for me. I arrived more than one week before the scheduled departure date to Antarctica in Punta Arenas. I did this because I feared that the Puyehue volcano could erupt and delay the flight from Santiago de Chile to Punta Arenas (as it did in June 2011) and I had lots of holidays anyway. During these days I rented a car and did some sightseeing and tried to visit the Confluence Point 53°S 070°W.
Two days before the scheduled departure a member of the tour operator came to my hotel and checked my equipment. I appreciated that the operator took so much care of their customers.
The next day we had a briefing and were told that we had to stand by from 6.30 a.m. on. They would phone us at the hotel and we should be ready for departure within a short time.
The reason to "stand by" is the basic rule for traveling in (Ant-)Arctic areas: The schedule is made by weather conditions and nearly all announcements contain the phrase "weather dependent". This trip is no exception. The airplane must have good visibility to land safely in Antarctica.
On our scheduled departure day, the 9th December 2011 the phone rang at 7 a.m. and I was told I should be ready for departure. A bit later a bus picked me up from the hotel and brought me and the party to the airport in Punta Arenas. We embarked an Ilyushin 76 aircraft. This is a Russian built military cargo aircraft, designed for extreme coldness and to land on rough runways.
Four hours later the aircraft landed smoothly on a blue ice runway in the middle of Antarctica. A blue ice runway is a runway on bare solid (i.e.: blue) ice, cleared of snow. There are not many places in Antarctica with such kind of ice, which allows to land with wheels. After a long braking distance we left the aircraft and stepped out in a windy area at 79°46'S 083°16'W. The location is called Union Glacier and has a spectacular scenery: Ice, white snow, blue skies, surrounded by the Heritage Mountain Range. I admired the landscape and was very happy.
The Camp at Union Glacier was our first stopover on the way to the Pole. The operator erected this field camp to serve as a hub for all the operator's Antarctic activities. Beside the tourist flights to the South Pole the operator also offers a "ski last degree trip" to the Pole and to climb Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica located 146 kilometers from the camp. In addition the operator offers customized Antarctic logistics to everybody and supports also national research programs. They choose this site, because the blue ice runway needs to be in a windy area (to keep the snow off the ice) and to have the field camp within close distance but with as little wind as possible.
Vehicles brought us from the runway to the camp in 16 km distance and the difference was amazing: instead of the chilly and windy runway we came to a sunny calm camp, where some staff members dressed t-shirts (only those who worked inside the tents). After I stripped off some clothing we got an introduction of the camp: It is fully self sufficient, pitched up every October and dismantled end of austral summer. There are strict environmental rules ("no pee in the snow!") and all rubbish and faeces are brought back to Chile. I absolutely appreciate that they keep Antarctica clean and pristine!
We slept in two men tents on camp beds and due to 24 hours sunlight the interior of the tent was amazingly warm: at bed level 10°C and much warmer at the roof. The outside temperatures were -16°C to -20°C but due to the radiation of the sun, glare from the snow, the lack of wind and the low humidity it never felt so cold at all.
Our departure to the South Pole was scheduled for the 11th and in the mean time we did some walking, climbed a peak, made a trip to Elephant Head (special rock formation) and chatted with our travel companions, which consisted Mount Everest climbers and people who have traversed Antarctica by skis.
On the 11th we got the news that we could not fly to the Pole today because of bad weather along the route. Some people were a bit disappointed, but I stayed cool. This is normal in Antarctica and also the reason why we spent some days in the camp: to wait for a good weather, which permits to fly.
The next day we got good news: the weather improved and we shall pack our stuff, put it outside our tents to get loaded and stand by. At noon the first group embarked a ski equipped Twin Otter (DHC-6) and took off. One hour later the second group (9 passengers including myself) embarked another Twin Otter. For me it was the first experience in a ski equipped aircraft. To my amazement the takeoff and landing was very smooth.
It was a fantastic flight. Sun shone and I watched the endless white snow covered flat area below me. The Tom Petty song title Into the Great Wide (White) Open came into my mind. This great white open sea of snow and ice was absolutely fascinating. Other passengers preferred to have a nap and a staff member handed out drinks and sandwiches. "This is a better service than in some commercial airlines!" I thought.
The Twin Otter does not fly very fast (about 270 km/h) and the range with full payload is quite short. Thus we landed after 2 ½ hours close to the Thiel Mountains in order to refuel. There is no airport or petrol station here. Instead the operator carried lots of fuel barrels over land to this location at 85°12'S 087°52'W. They told us that in former times they flew-in the barrels and burned one barrel to carry four barrels to this place. After they change to land based transport the ratio is much better, but this shows that a tremendous effort is spent and why the cost of this trip is so high.
One staff member stays here during the season not only to protect the valuable barrels but to send live weather reports to the Union Glacier Camp. Good weather at Union Glacier Camp, at Thiel Mountains and at the Pole are mandatory for the Twin Otter flight.
Forty minutes later we took off again for the final leg to the Pole. Still admiring the scenery I recalled all the preparations I did for this trip and that the fulfillment of a dream will come true soon.
2½ hours later the Twin Otters descended and a big grey building was in sight. Yes this is the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station! We taxied to our parking position and the door was opened. A TV camera was pointed to us and the Norwegian Television interviewed the first man who left the aircraft. "Oops, we left the tranquil camp and are back in civilization?!", I thought. I was glad that our Turkish fellow Kamil did this job and I could take photos of the South Pole Station in 910 meters distance.
But first we walked to our camp. As I mentioned before we spent a couple of days at the Pole and thus the operator pitched up a field camp here. It was also used by the many skiers who skied to the Pole during these days. When we arrived there was great excitement, because the Norwegian Prime Minister Mr. Jens Stoltenberg paid a visit to the camp. I and some other people took the opportunity to ask him for a joined photo and he was very friendly and granted it to all. Tusen takk, statsminister!
We were assigned to our dome tents, got a meal and a briefing in the main tent. Our doctor explained us that the Pole is at an altitude of 2837 meters and the physical altitude is more than 3300 meters. The reason for the difference is that at the Pole the air is much thinner due to the centrifugal forces. He strongly advised us to stay at the camp and relax to avoid altitude sickness. We would have enough time for the Pole tomorrow. We sat in the tent for a while, but the more I saw the beautiful weather the more I was tempted to walk the remaining 944 meters. I also knew that I had been in much higher altitudes before and never suffered of altitude sickness.
I decided to go. It was the 13th December 2011 (UTC) when I left the tent and followed the groomed way, marked by the ubiquitous flagged bamboo poles. I walked at slow speed. The thick clothing and boots did not allow a faster pace and also in the thin air it is better to slow down. While I was walking I enjoyed the landscape and realized that my long dreamed dream will come true in a few moments. About twenty minutes later I reached the silver ball, which is the Ceremonial South Pole.
Some of my travel companions were already there, took photos and celebrated, but my GPS receiver told me that I needed to go additional 90 meters. A bit later I reached a plate with the US and Norwegian flags and I cheered loud: "Yippee! I have reached the South Pole!". My GPS receiver showed the magical numbers: 90°00.00'S!
Great joy came into my mind! I am at the bottom of the world, a magic place in the middle of my beloved continent Antarctica!
No one beside me was here at the official South Pole marker and thus I quickly used the opportunity to take the photos of the four cardinal directions. Like on the North Pole there is only one direction and this time it is north. Along the Prime Meridian you can see our camp in the distance (located exactly on the Prime Meridian), two Station's tents and aircraft parking. Along 90°E there is the Clean Air Observatory, along 180° gear storage and along 90°W the United States Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
With glad eyes I watched my GPS receiver and again it was funny to see the longitude values changing every second, because all meridians join at the Pole. If you are patient enough you can wait for your own home longitude displayed and I was glad that I managed to capture this photo!
The South Pole itself is marked with a metal stake and a sextant on top of it. Because we were standing on an about 3000 meters thick glacier the location of the Pole marker moves about 10 meters per year (in which direction? North!). It is a tradition of the Station to survey the current South Pole on every New Year's Day and mark this spot with a new metal stake and a new sign. The old sign is removed, but the stake remains, thus you can see the South Pole marker history on the ice. For the centennial celebrations the Station surveyed the current Pole (as of 14th December) and placed a wooden stake on it.
I stood for a while and my visit to the North Pole two years ago came into my mind. I realized that I was exactly on the opposite side of our planet and this was my very first antipodean visit!
I proceeded to the Ceremonial South Pole where my Norwegian travel companion Håvard has pitched up his Amundsen replica tent. We lined up like on the original photo of Amundsen and took a very nice picture!
Back at my tent I was hardly able to sleep. The excitement was still in my mind.
The next morning I went to the Pole again and this time my mates and myself had enough time to do funny things: to walk around the world a hundred times, to take photos with the home country flag, company flag, boy scout badges, mascots and so on. I stood exactly on the earth's axis and this time I really felt centered! It was great to have plenty of time here at the Pole and enjoy. In addition the weather was very favorable: sun, blue skies, no wind and only -32°C. This sounds cold, but appropriate clothing, low humidity and the sun rays made it felt quite comfortable.
I proceeded to the two tents, pitched up by the South Pole Station: one contained a souvenir shop and the other informed about the Station's activities and history. Due to the "rush" at the centennial date the Station itself was closed for externals.
At midnight of the 14th December (according our expedition time, which was Chilean time: UTC-3h; the Station uses New Zealand time: UTC+13h) all people gathered at the Ceremonial Pole. The Norwegian Prime Minister Mr. Jens Stoltenberg made a short speech and unveiled an ice bust of Roald Amundsen. Norwegian TV transmitted this live to Norway and about 300 people were present. I think this was the biggest crowd in South Pole history.
We planned to fly back to Union Glacier Camp next afternoon, but low hanging clouds prevented that. Thus we got an extra day at the Pole. We managed to depart on the 15th afternoon and arrived at Union Glacier Camp after midnight. We all wanted to go to bed, but champagne and a celebration supper was served for us.
The night was windy and brought low hanging clouds. No way to fly to Chile today as planned. Some people needed to phone their travel agencies, because they could not depart from Chile the next day. I was really astonished they had a very tight schedule.
The morning of the 17th December welcomed us with blue skies and scattered clouds. Our expedition leader told us we will fly to Chile today and we took off at about 10 p.m. Our plane landed in Punta Arenas later in the night. Some passengers remained at the airport for their connecting flights. During the bus trip to our hotels we were welcomed by a phenomenon we had not in the past week: the sun rose over the Strait of Magellan!
This was the official ending of the trip. When I returned my rented gear to the office I met one of the company owners and thanked him a lot for this trip and in particular that we had the extraordinary fantastic opportunity to camp at the Pole! I also want to use this opportunity to express my thanks to the staff for their good work and to my pleasant travel companions for the great time we had!
I had a couple of days in Punta Arenas until my return flight and reflected the journey: the words of the German poet Max Dauthendey I cited at the North Pole report are more valid than ever.
But for the final words I want to cite Erling Kagge's book "Philosophy for Polar Explorers": "One of the most important things is to get up in the morning!"
Sounds trivial, but what it really means: one of the most important things is to leave your cozy warm home, go out and have the will to do it!


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Muscle Fitness
Muscle fitness means having muscles that can lift heavier objects or muscles that will work longer before becoming exhausted. Muscle fitness improves when a person does activities that build or maintain muscles (strength) or that increase how long a person can use his or her muscles (endurance).
Activities like weight lifting, push-ups, or leg lifts can improve muscle fitness. As muscle fitness increases, most people notice that they can carry heavy grocery bags more easily, pick up children without feeling as much strain, or carry heavy items longer before getting too tired to continue. Having stronger muscles also protects the joints.
Muscles become stronger through a three-step process:
- Stress
- Recovery (rest)
- Repeated stress
When a person exercises against resistance, the muscles are stressed slightly but not to the point of serious damage or injury. When the person rests, the body rebuilds the muscles and the connective tissues between them (joints, tendons, and ligaments) in a way that prepares them for the next time they will be stressed. When the same muscles are stressed again, the process is repeated, and the muscles gradually become stronger.
Many experts suggest that adults do 8 to 10 muscle-fitness exercises at least 2 days each week. It's best to allow at least 1 day of rest between these exercises. A person can achieve the best results by using a resistance (such as a dumbbell) that tires out the muscles after 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise.
To increase muscle fitness, a person can do:
- Basic muscle-conditioning exercises, such as push-ups, leg lifts, sit-ups, squats, and lunges.
- Resistance training with rubber tubing or stretchable bands.
- Weight training with free weights (dumbbells) or weight-training equipment.
- Housework and yard work, such as scrubbing the bathtub, washing walls, or pulling weeds.
If you are worried about how exercise may affect your health, talk to a doctor first to see if it's safe.
Current as of: May 5, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson, MD – Internal Medicine & Adam Husney, MD – Family Medicine & Heather O. Chambliss, PhD, FACSM – Exercise Science
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

subset: commoncrawl


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The course on Planning for Climate Change in African Cities is open to students and professionals in the fields of urban planning, environmental science, climate change, and other related fields. Individuals working for the national, regional, and local governments; urban/regional and environmental planners; and professionals working in research organizations, civil society groups, or knowledge-based institutes are welcome.
Climate change poses a threat to economic growth and long-term prosperity of many countries around the world. Africa is not an exception, considering the actual and potential impacts of climate change and climate variability that will threaten its vulnerable sectors and human populations. African countries are projected to experience changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, and higher temperatures that will affect food security, agricultural production, water availability, and public health, among others. These climate change impacts and climate variability can further produce social and political problems, such as rural-urban migration and water resource disputes.
Furthermore, the low levels of development in many African countries, as well as limited institutional, infrastructural, and technical capacities to respond successfully to climate change impacts and climate variability, can exacerbate the situation. In terms of contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although African countries are the lightest polluters, it has also become apparent that alternative energy sources can offset the increasing energy demand and dependence on biomass. Addressing climate change offers possibilities for low-carbon development. Moreover, there are promising mechanisms that can address both climate change actions and development goals simultaneously.
At the city level, strengthening resilience, or the ability to respond to and absorb the effects of a hazardous event in a timely and efficient manner and to sustain this ability in the future, and adaptation; the process of adjusting to actual or expected climate change stimuli or their effects, should be at the forefront of planning. Local governments have an important role to play through the provision of adequate infrastructure, regulation of land use, and other public services that are crucial for urban resilience. Mobilizing local governments, in collaboration with national governments, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations, among others, is also critical for an integrated multi-sectoral approach to climate change.
The Course on Planning for Climate Change in African Cities provides the foundation for understanding cities' exposure and sensitivity to climate change, and how cities can manage these impacts in the face of growing uncertainty. It does so by introducing the basic concepts of urban resilience and adaptation, by using illustrative case studies in different African cities. Furthermore, this module provides lectures on the different approaches for climate change planning, whether ad hoc, strategic or mainstreaming; introduces the different steps in the planning cycle – from initial assessment to monitoring and evaluation; and presents the different decision support and assessment tools for prioritizing climate change actions. This course broadens the discussion on planning for climate change by engaging learners to apply their knowledge and practice their decision-making skills in a simulated exercise.
In line with development that minimizes the harm caused by climate change impacts, while maximizing the many human development opportunities presented by a more resilient future, we ask: what are the connections between urban risk and vulnerability? How is climate change and urban resilience conceptualized and applied in practice? Which policies and measures should be introduced to address climate change? Finally, how to choose among different measures that address climate change adaptation, urban resilience, and other development objectives?
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
• Recognize the effects, impacts, and drivers of climate change in cities
• Understand the drivers of urban risk and vulnerability in the context of climate change
• Distinguish the typologies, approaches, and tensions of climate change adaptation
• Explain the different approaches and steps in climate change planning
• Examine the decision support and assessment tools for climate change
• Develop a climate change plan based on participants' city contexts


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We take pride in offering the best selection of area rugs to our customers. In order to do so, we offer a wide variety of reputable lines at best value pricing. In addition, various rugs are part of our company collection that is ever expanding. We've got everything from simple natural grass mats to the most luxurious wool rugs to tickle your toes. With a ride variety or styles, colors, and materials, and prices, our RugStudio collections will compliment nearly any space. In addition, there is free shipping and a 30-day return policy, you simply can't go wrong.
All Rugstudio rugs (including Freight) ship for FREE within the contiguous United States.
We do not charge a restocking fee for any returnable Rugstudio rugs.


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How to Get the Most from a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats can be set to automatically adjust the temperature at different times of day. The idea is to maintain comfort while reducing energy usage. For example, you can automatically lower the winter temperature to 58 degrees while you are sleeping or away at work. You can then set the thermostat to automatically rise to a more comfortable temperature when you wake up or come home.
Programmable thermostats have become fairly standard. They are even legally required for some new construction in California and other areas. Still, not all programmable thermostats are created equal. To optimize energy savings, choose the right model, install it correctly and customize it for your lifestyle.
Buy the right thermostat(s)
Check with your HVAC contractor for the appropriate thermostat for your heating and air conditioning units. Heat pump and electric baseboard heating systems require specialized thermostats. Radiant floor heating has an unusually slow response time, but some thermostats can be adjusted to compensate.
The Energy Star label is a simple indicator of a reliable, money-saving programmable thermostat. To carry the Energy Star label, thermostats must allow at least two separate programs (typically used to differentiate between weekdays and weekends), and provide four daily settings.
In addition to the standard model with separate settings for weekends and weekdays, there are also programmable thermostats that allow for seven different settings for each day of the week, and 5-1-1 thermostats that can be programmed with separate settings weekdays, and each weekend day.
Several other energy-saving features are also available. You can program some thermostats remotely by phone or Internet, allowing you to delay the evening temperature adjustment if you work late. Many newer models also have so-called smart recovery controls that recall how long it takes to reach the set temperature, and start adjusting early enough to reach the right setting at the right time.
Other models have indicators showing when you need to change air filters or service your HVAC system, helping foster further energy savings. Also, large homes with multiple heating and cooling zones may require programmable thermostats for each zone.
Two additional types of programmable thermostat encourage maximum savings, though they may be impractical for most homes. An occupancy thermostat defaults to the energy-saving temperature until you press a button that starts a "comfort period." These models work well for homes that are regularly unoccupied for long periods. Similarly, light-sensitive thermostats automatically make the temperature more comfortable when the lights are on, then fall back to energy-saving mode when the lights are off. They are efficient and great for office buildings, but may not be as useful for bedrooms.
Install the thermostat correctly
Place the thermostat on an interior wall so temperature gauges are not effected by outside temperatures. Also make sure it is not effected by heating or cooling vents, direct sunlight, cold drafts or other items that might throw off the temperature.
Set the thermostat efficiently
You can cut energy bills by about 3 percent for each degree you lower the thermostat all month during the winter (or raise it in the summer). This translates to a 1-percent reduction for each degree during an eight-hour workday.
Try to set each temperature for at least four hours. If you let the temperature drop, then force the furnace to work overtime resuming the previous setting after a shorter period, you may not realize any energy savings.
You can significantly reduce energy bills by buying the right programmable thermostat, then installing and setting it correctly.
Looking for a Pro? Call us(866) 441-6648


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The Sept. 11 memorial plaza will be open on the night of the attacks' anniversary this year, marking the first time the general public will be able to visit ground zero on the commemoration date.
The plaza will be closed to the public during the remembrance ceremony and much of the rest of the day, but it will open from 6 p.m. to midnight for those who want to pay respects and view one of the most evocative observances—the twin beams called the Tribute in Light—from an especially "meaningful vantage point," memorial President Joe Daniels said in an email Thursday to victims' families.A symbolic shift for a site that was inaccessible to the public for years after the attacks, the plan reflects its increasing openness as more gets rebuilt.The memorial plaza, with its massive reflecting pools etched with the names of the dead, opened in 2011. But to control crowds amid construction elsewhere on the World Trade Center property, tickets and security screening were required until this spring. Since the ticketed, underground memorial museum opened in May, open access has been allowed during days and evenings at the plaza, which joins the streetscape of lower Manhattan even as it serves as a place of remembrance protected by police and security guards. Museum officials said that security measures would be in place for the public hours on Sept. 11 but that they couldn't disclose details.The night hours on Sept. 11 will provide visitors a solemn setting for looking at the Tribute in Light, which first appeared on March 11, 2002, to mark the six months that had passed since the attacks. It has become a moving, quietly powerful element of the anniversaries since.It shines from a roof near the trade center, traditionally from sunset to dawn. Formed from 88 powerful bulbs positioned into two squares that echo the fallen Twin Towers, the light memorial reaches four miles skyward, according to the Municipal Art Society, a nonprofit group that orchestrates the $500,000-a-year project.The museum will be closed to the public throughout the day.The private anniversary ceremony will be held on the plaza in the morning, a tribute that has centered on reading of the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed in New York, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pa, in the 2001 attacks, as well as recognizing the six people killed in the 1993 trade center bombing."Of course, remembering those we lost is something we do each and every day," Mr. Daniels noted in his message Thursday.


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TERMs and conditions
These Terms of Sale govern remote sales of products on the web site www.brakeless.eu (the "Site").
The seller is Pool Promotion srls, with registered office at via Sardegna 32, 20146 Milano, Italia, registered on the Companies Register of Milano, Tax Code and VAT registration N. IT11626840968 (the "Seller").
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Placing a purchase order for a product on the Site (an "Order") is only permitted to a client having the legal capacity to enter into binding agreements in compliance with the applicable law ("Client").
Orders are governed by the Terms of Sale and by all legislation, which, from time to time, may be applicable to the individual Order. Clients are invited to read the Terms of Sale carefully before placing an Order.
The Seller may modify the content of the Terms of Sale at any time. For each individual Order, the version of the Terms of Sale that applies is that which is published on the web Site at the time the Client places the Order.
All products offered for sale are illustrated in detail on the Site, within the various sections, subdivided by product category.
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Delivery methods
The Seller shall deliver products to all the States, within, and outside Europe, that are indicated on the Site. The delivery will take place without the requirement for an appointment to be made.
The Seller undertakes to dispatch the products without undue delay, and in any event, no later than thirty days from the conclusion of the contract. The dispatch of the product shall take place using a leading courier company. Delivery times will vary according to the destination of the delivery, and are, in any case, provided by way of indication, and delays in delivery times may occur. Delivery times may vary for various reasons (for example, atmospheric conditions and strikes).
No liability may be invoked against the Seller by the Client in the case of a delay in the fulfilment of the order or delivery of the Products purchased.
Products ordered will be sent to the postal address specified by the Client. The Seller will send the Confirmation of Order to the Client as soon as the Order is allocated to the courier.
Deliveries of Orders are carried out only on working days, unless agreed otherwise, according to the methods indicated by the courier selected by the Client. The delivery is deemed to have been completed when the Product has been made available to the Client at the address specified in the Order.
In the case of non-delivery due to the recipient being unable to receive the Order, the courier will send an email informing the recipient of this and will try to deliver again in accordance with the methods established by the courier.
If the new attempt at delivery is impossible due to the recipient being unable to receive the Order, the Client Service Department will attempt to contact the Client to schedule a new delivery.
If the Client Service Department is unable to contact the Client for 10 (ten) successive days, or in the case of a subsequent failure to deliver the Order due to a reason attributable to the recipient, the product that is the subject of the order shall be returned to the Seller by the courier.
After 30 (thirty) days from the date when the products were returned to the Seller, due to the impossibility of carrying out the delivery, the Order shall be deemed to have been cancelled. In this situation, the Seller will implement reimbursement of the sum paid by the Client in respect of the Price and costs of initial shipment, less the costs incurred by the Seller for the return of the Products by the courier and the costs of storage of the Products at the courier service's premises.
Cancellation of the Order shall be communicated by email to the Client, at the same time as the repayment amount. The reimbursement shall be credited to the Client via the payment method originally used by the client for the purchase.
In the case where, prior to the above-mentioned thirty days, the Client request receipt of the purchased Products, the Seller will implement a new attempt to deliver to the Client, once the costs related to the delivery to the Client, and the costs for storage/return of the product to the Seller have been charged by the courier.
At the time of the delivery of the Product by the courier, the Client is required to check carefully that the number of items in the delivery corresponds to the number indicated in the transport documentation.
Any damage to the packaging and Products or discrepancy between the number of items/packages or indications must be raised immediately by the Client, who can contact the Seller via the Client Service Department specifying the Order with which these errors were identified.
Occurrences of force majeure, non-availability of means of transport, and unforeseeable or unavoidable events causing a delay in deliveries or rendering deliveries difficult or impossible or causing a significant increase in the cost of delivery to be paid by the Seller, will entitle the latter to subdivide, postpone, or cancel, in full, or in part, the proposed delivery, or to cancel the Order.
In such cases it shall be the responsibility of the Seller to provide timely and appropriate communications to the Client concerning their decisions, at the email address indicated by the Client, and the latter shall be entitled to a refund of the price already paid, to the exclusion of any further claim for any reason whatsoever by the Client against the Seller.
At the time of the delivery of the Products by the courier, the Client is required to check carefully that:
the package is not damaged or otherwise adversely affected;
the number of items in the delivery corresponds to the total indicated on the transport documentation.
Any damage to the packaging and Products or discrepancy between the number of items/packages or indications must be raised immediately by the Client, who can contact the Seller via the Client Service Department in order to resolve all problems arising in connection with the Order.
Right of withdrawal
Within up to 14 (fourteen) days of the date of delivery of the Order, the Client is entitled to exercise their right to withdraw from the purchase contract, without any penalty and without having to state a reason.
For verification of compliance with the above deadline, the date of delivery of the products derived from the Site of the courier that was used shall prevail.
If the Client decides to exercise the right to withdrawal as set out above, they must first notify their wishes to the Seller by accessing their account and clicking on the "My Orders" link. The Client then selects the Order, clicks on "return" and follows the instructions for the return of the products that are the object of the withdrawal.
For more detailed information, Clients are invited to consult the section of the Site relating to return procedure [link].
The return option is only active on Orders that have already been delivered to the Client based on the tracking system supplied by the courier.
The Seller will only accept the return of items that have not been used, are not worn, or damaged, and that do not present defects that are not attributable to production:
returned products must be returned with all labels, security seals, packaging and accessories (cases, hangers, garment covers, etc.) that were received with the Order;
products, labels, security seals, packaging and accessories, must not show any sign of use, scratching, or alteration in any way (worn, washed, ironed, etc.).
The Seller will only accept the return of products that have been acquired via the Site (brakeless.eu). For guarantees and returns of products that were not acquired on the Site, Clients must refer to the shop where they acquired the goods. If the products have been purchased at a physical store, the consumer protection rules specifically applicable to distance selling shall not apply.
Once the requirements for the exercise of the right of withdrawal have been verified, the Seller will notify the Client of the acceptance of the return and proceed with the reimbursement of the purchase price and any shipping costs incurred by the Client.
The Seller undertakes to implement the reimbursement procedure within 14 (fourteen) days as from the date of receipt of the products returned, or from the date when the Client has demonstrated that they have returned the products, whichever is the soonest. Reimbursement will paid by the same method as the Client used in order to place the Order.
In the case where the Client has returned the products in the absence of the conditions required for the exercise of the right of withdrawal, the Seller will be unable to accept the validity of the return, and the Seller will return the product to the Client, subject to verification of availability for this purpose, and reserves the right to charge the associated costs of shipping to the Client.
Following multiple returns by a given Client, the Seller reserves the right not to accept any further orders from this Client.
Statutory guarantee
On the basis of the provisions of applicable law, the Seller shall assume responsibility for any original defect in the products.
The Seller warrants that the products sold on its Site are free of defects and that they comply with the provisions of the contract. In particular, products:
Comply with the description provided on the Site and have the qualities of the products that the Seller has presented to the Client as a sample or model;
Are fit for the purpose for which goods of the same type are normally used;
Have the level of quality and usual performance of goods of the same type, that the Client can reasonably expect, taking into account the nature of the goods in question.
Marginal differences between the description of a product on the Site and the actual characteristics of the product cannot be considered as grounds for a complaint of non-conformity for the present purposes.
The guarantee of conformity of the products sold on the Site shall remain for a period of 2 (two) years from the date of delivery of the products to the Client.
In the case where a non-compliant product has been delivered, the Client can request that it is brought back to compliance, without cost to them, by means of repair, or replacement. If this is not possible, the Client shall be entitled to reduction in the price, or reimbursement in full of the price, and (where incurred) of the costs of shipment.
The Client shall inform the Seller of any non-conformity of the products purchased within a period of 2 (two) months from the date when the Client discovered the non-conformity.
The fact of the receipt of the products by the Seller, following activation of this procedure, does not, of itself in any way entail acknowledgement of any non-compliance of the products (it being first necessary for this to be verified to an accurate degree by the Seller).
Direct action taken by the Client to assert the existence of hidden defects is prohibited, in any case, within twenty-six months of the delivery of the product.
Processing of personal data
Client data are processed by Seller in accordance with the requirements of the provisions of current legislation in respect of the protection of personal data, as specified in the information in the section specifically dedicated to this subject, the "Privacy and Cookie Policy".
Communications and complaints
All communications or claims, if any, on the part of the Client against the Seller, concerning the fulfilment of Orders, must be sent via the appropriate contact forms or via email, to: [firstname.lastname@example.com]
The Seller undertakes to satisfy the Client's requests and needs as far as possible, and to resolve any dispute with the Client in as amicable a manner as possible.
The European Union provides consumers with a platform for the submission of complaints concerning products purchased online and for seeking resolution of disputes via an independent dispute resolution body:


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I remember someone unkind, commented how none of my kids looked like alike (since I've been married 75 times...ha ha ha)...and one of my friends told me, "yeah, but how boring would it be if they all looked alike!"
My life maybe far from perfect...things that have happened in my life have looked far from perfect...but each one...has turned into the most perfect, imperfect thing.
From moving from LA when I had to come home and help my parents...
cried and thought my dreams were over....
and in turn, I was being put there so I wouldn't be working like crazy, doing make-up on long days for movies or tv shows....
but instead I had nothing else to do....but have time for the opportunity to start doing Youtube...and now I receive more rewarding comments of how I've been able to add some joy and inspiration to so many hearts....this is more rewarding than working with any celebrity!
I love being imperfect:
- I love that I have a huge bump on my lower lip where my teeth went through my lip when I crashed on a little toy called a Roller Racer!
- I love that my body isn't perfect..and I don't care if I have cellulite...and I'm still gonna wear a bathing suit out!
- I love that my life has been more exciting because of how "imperfect" it's been...married a million times...pregnant a thousand more times (ha ha ha)...
- I've never had the perfect life I thought...didn't marry the first guy I fell in love with, didn't have a little home where I'd it home and take care of the baby while my handsome, kind, funny, creative, and perfect husband would come home and tell me he loved me more than anything...and that we were going to dinner and fancy restaurant!
- I love that I have kids with all different eye colors..and they each look different!
- My leg is now very imperfect looking after my window accident- but you know what, now my leg is unforgettable! ha ha ha
- I love that no matter what comes at me that isn't perfect...I know God is saying...you life is like a beautiful mosaic of all different colors...and no matter what you keep adding more beauty to it, through all these different little pieces of broken-ness... a one colored perfect piece would be very boring...
- I could keep going but this will turn from a blog to a novel! ha ha ha
is imperfect....
YOUR LIFE IS EXCITING AND INTERESTING this way...
LET GO OF PERFECTION!!! AND embrace the beauty of imperfectness!
This bring my heart so much comfort when I'm feeling imperfect:
"The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don't abandon me, for you made me." (it's from psalms 138:8)
We don't have to worry about our life not being how we want....it's work in progress...and each thing that goes "wrong"..could be the very piece that will guide us to where we're supposed to be!
incredibly imperfect...your kandee


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Police Commissioner Ramsey To Join President Obama's Effort To Curb Gun Violence
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- At the Philadelphia Public Safety Summit at St. Joe's University, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said he received word Tuesday that he will be joining President Obama's effort to curb gun violence in the wake of the school shooting in Connecticut. Ramsey said he will be traveling to Washington on Thursday where he expects to meet with Vice President Joe Biden.
President Obama has tasked Biden, a longtime gun control advocate, with spearheading the President's administration-wide effort to curb gun violence. In remarks from the White House on Wednesday, Obama outlined a process for pursuing policy changes following the school shooting, vowing to send Congress new policy proposals for reducing gun violence by January.
"This time, the words need to lead to action," Obama said Wednesday.
The president, who exerted little political capital on gun control despite a series of mass shootings in his first term, bristled at suggestions that he had been silent on the issue during his first four years in office. But he acknowledged that Friday's deadly shooting had been "a wake-up call for all of us."
Twenty children and six adults were killed when a man carrying a military-style rifle stormed Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., Friday morning.
The president also called on Congress Wednesday to reinstate an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 and to pass legislation that would close the gun show "loophole," which allows people to purchase firearms from private dealers without a background check. Obama also said he wanted Congress to pursue the possibility of limiting high-capacity ammunition clips.
"The fact that this problem is complex can no longer be an excuse for doing nothing," Obama said. "The fact that we can't prevent every act of violence doesn't mean we can't steadily reduce the violence."
The president's announcement Wednesday underscores the urgency the White House sees in formulating a response to the Newtown shooting. The massacre has prompted several congressional gun rights supporters to consider new legislation to control firearms, and there is some concern that their willingness to engage could fade as the shock and sorrow over the Newtown shooting eases.
Obama said it was "encouraging" to see people of different backgrounds and political affiliations coming to an understanding that the country has an obligation to prevent such violence.
Appealing to gun owners, Obama said he believes in the Second Amendment and the country's strong tradition of gun ownership. And he said "the vast majority of gun owners in America are responsible."
"I am also betting that the majority, the vast majority, of responsible law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say that we should be able to keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war," Obama said.
Obama also tasked the Biden-led team with considering ways to improve mental health resources and address ways to create a culture that doesn't promote violence. The departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, along with outside groups and lawmakers, will all be part of the process.
Biden's prominent role in the process could be an asset for the White House in getting gun legislation through Congress. The vice president spent decades in the Senate and has been called on by Obama before to use his long-standing relationships with lawmakers to build support for White House measures.
The president challenged the National Rifle Association, the country's most powerful gun lobby and key backer of many Republican politicians, to join the broader effort to reduce gun violence as well.
"Hopefully they'll do some self-reflection," Obama said of the NRA.
The NRA made its first comments since the shooting on Tuesday, promising to offer "meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again."
Obama said that while taking the necessary steps to reduce gun violence would take commitment and compromise, he said it could be achieved if Washington summons "even one tiny iota of the courage of those teachers, that principal in Newtown summoned on Friday."
(TM and© Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


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Take care of your most valued customers and clients by giving them promotional products that they want, including these custom promotional wine holders at IASpromotes.com. Our personalized wine holder gifts are perfect for a variety of events. Whether it's an employee anniversary or a gift at the holiday season, customized logo wine holders are a gift that recipients will treasure. Custom printed wine holders are a great way to tote around wine bottles and prevent them from breaking accidentally. Make sure that you take the opportunity to show clients and employees how much you value them with these stylish custom logo wine holders.
IASpromotes.com offers a great selection of custom promotional wine holders in various styles and sizes to choose from. These fabulous promotional wine holders are also easy to imprint with an eye-catching design featuring your company name, logo and business contact information so that customers know who to thank for these great gifts. You can even order a bunch of these to resell and raise a profit for your organization.


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Model: JIM/3657 | No. of Inserts: 1 | Shipping Weight: 64gms | Product Information
This product is likely to be delivered by Jun 11, 2024
Faster delivery options might be available. Please chat with us or FAQs | Contact Us for details.
How to OrderOnce you place an order with us, you have an option of Upload the details while placing the order Sending us the typed matter to us via email on email@example.com or Post this, our designers will create a draft/proof of the matter and share it with you for feedback for change or approval to print.
While we can ship most orders within 10 days of approval of proof, the high end designer invites usually take 2-3 weeks to deliver. In case of a rush order, please mention it under special remarks while placing the order. While we do not charge extra for a rush order, we will revert to you within 24 hours if we can fulfill the order by the specified date.
Printing costs vary with model. You can estimate the total cost of invite with printing by selecting the 'Yes' option against printing, in a product page. Printing cost includes printing on two inserts and the envelope with the same content. Printing on any other area would be chargeable. You can also opt for Gold Foil Printing or Dual Ink printing at an add on cost. If you need to split your total number of cards and print different content or matter on different sets, there will be a minor add on cost. Please write to us at firstname.lastname@example.com for a complete quote For languages other than Hindi and English we would require you to send the typed matter and the fonts.
Most of the invitations listed on our website come with 2 inserts / inlays unless otherwise mentioned. Some of the budget invites might have a single or folding insert (which has two printable areas). in most designs, one can order extra inserts as per the requirement at an additional minimal fee
Product Dimensions: | Height: 3cm Width:3cm Length: 27cm |
Shipping Weight: | 64 gms |
Number Of Insert: | 1 |
Orientation: | Portrait |
Material: Wooly paper
Scroll dimensions: 31.8cm x 17.7cm
Printing Cost is calculated for single ink colour printing for each surface, by default. That is, while you can choose different ink colours for different surfaces (eg: red for envelope, gold for 1st insert & blue for second insert), all content on any specific insert will remain the same (eg: all content in 1st insert will be blue).
You can opt for dual-ink printing or multi-ink printing (different ink colours for different sections/words in a specific insert) at an add-on cost. Please talk to our team to calculate cost for dual/multi-ink printing. We also offer gold foil printing option.


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Long, lazy mornings is what we are enjoying at the moment. No hectic, no meetings, no stress to get anywhere and the feeling is good. Christmas weekend came and went and the tumultuous celebrations of the three days with gift wrapping, roast cooking and tree decorating lie behind us. We're letting our souls dangle in the sheer luxury of time wasting and the opulence of big and extravagant breakfasts.
The house is serene without the commotion of our everyday routine. The attire of choice are comforting pyjamas as we lounge on the sofa reading the newspapers extensively instead of browsing through the headlines hastily. Steaming cups of spiced earthy flavored Pu-erh tea infused with cardamom, soothes and warms us from the inside but it also teases our appetite.
While Tom brews a strong pot of coffee, crushing some cardamom to add into the thick dark liquid, the scents of my favorite spice brings back a thousand memories.
Growing up I would love the weekends as my mother would often prepare a typical "sweet" breakfast as we called it. Usually pancakes or crepes flavored with whatever took her fancy served with fresh fruits and warm maple syrup. Or sweetened scrambled eggs! Oh how I loved those spread on a buttery toast and enjoyed with some hot chocolate. What I loved the most however was French toast and till today my mouth begins to water by the mere mention of this conventional breakfast.
Nowadays, a "sweet" breakfast with French toast has become our luxury in which we indulge in when we are feeling decadent with time. It replaces the granola and the spelt grain roll with honey and quick coffee, consumed during the week.
When outside the icy wind blows across the snow covered fields and the red sun rises like a fire- ball out of the sky, we are inside warming ourselves with hot spiced coffee and delicious French toast and because it's all about chocolate at this time of year (actually at all times of the year), I sandwich a thin layer of dark chocolate spread before dipping the slices of brioche bread in the egg batter.
Breakfast has always been an important meal for both Tom and me. We try never to skip it and even though breakfast during the week happens in haste we make sure it is balanced and healthy for Soeren and us. The weekends provide for a little more time and we enjoy a breakfast of champions with eggs, sausages, fruit and rolls, but the holidays allow us to be self-indulgent and we live on the sweeter side of life. It's our luxurious repose!
I love using certain types of Viennoiserie for my French toast, challah or brioche being my favorite choices. Here I have used Brioche Nanterre, which provides a marvelous flavor and richness. Watch the smiles all around as thick dark chocolate spread is slathered on a slice and sandwiched before the dipping. I add no sugar to the batter itself and use plain milk for the batter and serve with a crunchy topping of pistachios and warmed maple syrup.
Chocolate and Pistachio French Toast with Warm Maple Syrup
Printable version of recipe here
Serves 8
8 large slices brioche or challah
4 eggs
100ml milk
A pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg
25g butter
200g chocolate spread
120g pistachios, chopped
300ml maple syrupMethod
- Spread a generous layer of dark chocolate spread on 4 of the brioche slices, then sandwich with the remaining 4. Cut diagonally and place each sandwiched triangle in a large shallow dish.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk and spices and pour over the sandwiched brioche. Leave to soak for at least half an hour. Alternatively, you can leave to soak in the fridge overnight.
- Heat butter in a large frying pan and cook the brioche-chocolate sandwich triangles, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Keep warm in a low oven and repeat until all the brioche sandwiches are cooked.
- Arrange on a platter scattered with chopped pistachios. Heat the maple syrup on low in the microwave and serve drizzled over the chocolate and pistachio French toast.
The Food Guide Tip:
- Make your own delicious buttery saffron brioche
We're holding on to the last few days of 2010 before we welcome the new year. As 2011 kicks off we'll be back into the core of the hustle and bustle of the regular routine. Soeren and his school, Tom back in Berlin and me back at work and other assignments so we are not looking ahead, instead we are kicking back and charging our batteries with family time and long lazy breakfasts.
I'd like to send this delicious chocolate breakfast to Ria who is my hostess for this month's Monthly Mingle – Chocolate Extravaganza. Thank you Ria for hosting the event and by what I have seen already we've got some truly extravagant chocolate treats. Make sure you tune in for the round up coming soon.
I am not one to start a new year with resolutions as I believe if you want to change something in your life then there is no better time to do it then the now. What I do have are plans and goals and I hope to work towards them to my best ability.
Have you set any goals and plans that you would like to work towards in 2011?
I'd like to wish everyone who takes time to come to What's For Lunch, Honey? and shares this piece of my world with me a very Happy New Year. Hope you have a safe and blessed start to 2011 and may the new year bring you joy, health and that you achieve all your goals.
I'll see you next year and hope you will join me then as we take a look back at some of the highlights 2010 brought my way.
You might like these extravagant chocolate ideas from WFLH:
Chocolate Pavlova with Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse | Light Mousse au Chocolat with Baileys Crème Caramel | Chocolate and Raspberry Crème Caramel |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2010 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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Derek Lowe (10-10, 3.89) vs. Collin Balester (2-6, 4.99).
COMMENTS: The Dodgers: one game under .500, three games out of first place. The Nationals: 39 games under .500, worst record in the Major Leagues.
A sweep of the Nationals: necessary.
Lowe: Glad to see Maddux? Balester: how SoSG Sax probably refers to Christian Bale.


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Bright Violet t-shirt yarn is super strong and hard-wearing, and a fantastic chunky textile for making rugs, baskets, bags, and more structural projects. You can knit it, crochet it, use it for macrame, weave it - your imagination is the limit.
T-shirt yarn is made from the fabric roll remnants of t-shirt manufacturing - so it's great for making and better for the world. Congratulations for saving this beautiful new fabric from becoming landfill!
Due to the recycled nature of t-shirt yarn, we may not be able to stock the same colours when these ones sell out, so please make sure you've got enough for your entire project!
- This roll is approximately 0.7-0.8kg and 120-130m long.
- It is minimum of 80% cotton
- Average tension: 8 stitches + 11 rows per 10 cm / 4"
- Suggested knitting needles: 12mm - 25mm (US17-50)
- Suggested crochet hook: 8mm - 15mm
- Weight: JUMBO | 4 wraps per inch


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The name you saw on your favorite search engine site to a record that would solve all your family mysteries was old and outdated.
It wasn't your fault but sure can be exasperating. Don't give up hope. There are some options!
It is best to go to the click on this link -
- and use the links to get to the data you wanted to look through. Or use the menu on the left side of your screen to get to what you wanted.
Or try some of the things below although the search may bring up broken links from Google for a while:
We hope the broken links in all the search engines get cleared up soon, too.


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How can you NOT root for the Warriors? The NBA regular season was a dud. The NBA playoffs have been a dud...
...With the exception of the Warriors, who have single-handedly become a rare captivating storyline this year in pro basketball, as they attempt to make history and close out the Mavs at home in Oakland tonight.
Why have the Warriors thrived as an instant fan favorite?
By all accounts, the team is what the NBA has built to avoid (and I'm oversimplifying here): Disorganized gunners from an obscure market -- castoffs, rejects and freaks melded together unconventionally (the only way they could be)... and thumping the so-called "best" team in the league.
It's not just that it's an 8-seed beating a 1-seed in a 7-game series for the first time in NBA history, which would be awesome enough. (In fact, the NBA is insane not to put the game in primetime on the East Coast. Enough of the tyranny of 10:30 p.m. tip times!)
It's not just that the Warriors eked into the playoffs or that Baron Davis has emerged as this spring's Dwyane Wade – the player everyone seems to have "always" liked, even though they never talked about the guy before this run.
It's that this Warriors team defies everything most fans thought they knew about the NBA -- even in this intriguing "Sunsified" era, the up-and-down strategic style that will do more to save the league than any individual talent or marketing campaign.
Unless you are from
(After writing up this post, I noticed that the inimitable MJD had a similarly themed post on NBA Fanhouse. Here's the link.)
Suns bounce Lakers:
The Lakers have two choices: Either trade uber-prospect Andrew Bynum for players who can help
Spurs oust Nuggets: AI and Melo never turned into what everyone thought/hoped they would be, but maybe with a full season together next year, they will fulfill that insane promise.
The two close-outs set up a Suns-Spurs Western semifinal that, for many (including me, now that my "Re-Heat" pick imploded), is the de facto NBA Finals: The winner of that series will win the NBA title. (Before the playoffs began, I picked the Spurs, but I'm absolutely rooting for the Suns. How can you root against progress?)
Bonds: 743
MLB Stud: Josh Beckett, who racheted his record to 6-0.
MLB Dud: Marty Miller. Is there a more ill-advised name in today's era of sports than "Director of Player Enhancement?" In its most benign terms, it means "strength coach," and Miller filled that role for the Yankees. Until a rash of injuries derailed the club's season after only one month and he was canned.
(More: King Felix will be held out of the rotation one more turn. Caution or foreshadowing?)
Vick Scandal: It's amazing that the guy – perhaps the most elusive QB in NFL history -- is going to be sacked by dogs.
College Sports: 112 D-1 sports programs were nicked by the NCAA for failing to meet benchmarks from the new Academic Progress Rate. (APR... like you're buying a car!)
Only 63 out of more than 6,000 programs will be immediately affected. There's apparently a reprieve this year adjusted for smaller team sizes.
But that loophole goes out the window next year, so the 44 percent of men's hoops and 40 percent of football programs who fell below the required threshold this year better get their acts together.
The hot chant from the student section? "Cook! Those! Books!"
(The only BCS-league football to get hit was
Brandon Roy wins NBA Rookie of the Year: He earned all but one first-place vote, which went to Andrea Bargnani, who got the vote from... the Raptors play-by-play broadcaster.
To his credit, Chuck Swirsky openly defends his vote, but if he was the play-by-play guy for the Blazers (or any other team but the Raptors), I wonder if he would have maintained such strong convictions?
(Related: Media people are biased enough as it is. Why are team play-by-play guys -- effectively team employees -- allowed to vote on these awards? As with all awards, they should be voted on by the fans, where the large vote totals would largely mitigate voter bias.)
NFL: Roger Goodell wants to hold a summit on concussions next month, and it's mandatory for all teams. Say this for The Commish: He's been incredibly assertive during his reign, but in a good way.
NBA refs racial bias, cont'd: At least one prominent player, Kobe Bryant, says he doesn't see it. Meanwhile, the one detail I found most fascinating was that the researchers picked out 12 NBA players who could be classified as either black or white. I was trying to figure out which dozen players they were talking about.
Meanwhile, the study is getting hammered by mainstream media. I think they are misreading the findings, which didn't say simplistically that NBA refs are racist. It merely said that the evidence supports the idea that NBA refs aren't immune to at least some form of measurable subconscious race-based decision-making while doing their job.
Mayweather vs. De La Hoya: I find it quaint that the mainstream sports media is making such a big deal out of what is effectively a non-event. Consider that this is the single biggest boxing event of the year, perhaps the ONLY boxing event with any traction whatsoever. What does that say about the sport? Compare that, say, to mixed martial arts.
The only intriguing part of the fight is whether it will beat the old record of 1.99 million pay-per-view purchases. But, again, that doesn't speak to the viability of the entire sport -- just two fighters' marketing value, which is hardly limitless.


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The real cost of hiring a tax preparer
Published:If a tax professional catches even one deduction or credit a taxpayer would have missed, it can easily justify the cost.
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — The National Society of Accountants reports that the average cost of hiring a tax professional to prepare your Form 1040 with a Schedule A and state tax return is $246. Rates for non-itemized returns are also low, as the average cost to prepare a Form 1040 and state return without itemized deductions being only $143.
If a tax professional can catch even one deduction or credit a taxpayer would otherwise have missed, it can easily pay for the tax preparation fee.
This information is a result of the society's biennial survey of tax preparers. The tax and accounting firms surveyed were largely owners, principals and partners of local "Main Street" companies with an average of more than 26 years of experience.
The survey also reported the average fees for preparing other tax forms:
- $205 for a Form 1040 Schedule C (sole proprietor)
- $556 for a Form 1065 (partnership)
- $759 for a Form 1120 (corporation)
- $717 for a Form 1120S (S corporation)
- $468 for a Form 1041 (estate or trust)
- $628 for a Form 990 (tax exempt)
- $59 for a Form 940 (federal unemployment)
- $134 for Schedule D (gains and losses)
- $155 for Schedule E (rental)
- $185 for Schedule F (farm)
As one would expect, fees vary by region, firm size, population and economic strength of an area. The average fee for a Form 1040 with Schedule A and a state tax return in the various sections of the U.S. are:
- $237 in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont)
- $258 in the Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania)
- $253 in the South Atlantic (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia)
- $279 in the East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee)
- $226 in the West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas)
- $225 in the East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin)
- $196 in the West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota)
- $233 in the Mountain area (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming)
- $288 in the Pacific area (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington)
Nearly 90 percent of firms surveyed offer prospective clients a free initial consultation. And 60 percent do not require payment until returns are completed and clients are satisfied.
These fees assume a taxpayer has gathered and organized all necessary information. The less organized the client, the greater the fee.


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Ready to refresh your bedroom? Go big by purchasing an entire bedroom furniture set or make strategic upgrades that deliver big impacts. In both scenarios, bedroom nightstands play a starring role. Bedroom nightstands are must-haves, providing storage space to keep all of your nighttime necessities at arm's reach.
Nightstands are necessary but need not be boring. Creative nightstand ideas include draping a plush sheepskin atop your nightstand or topping it with a boldly colored decorative tray. Another nightstand idea: instead of choosing a matching pair of nightstands to flank each side of your bed, choose two different but complimentary nightstands (such as a black nightstand on one side and a white nightstand on the other.) Whether your bedroom is small or expansive, strategically chosen bedroom nightstands will elevate your home décor. You're certain to find the perfect nightstands for your unique bedroom as you browse our vast collection of nightstands in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes.
- If your home décor skews toward the modern and contemporary, mirrored nightstands will complement your tastes. Clean and sleek, mirrored nightstands will also make your room appear larger.
- If you have high ceilings, tall nightstands add a dramatic, elegant flair to your home décor. If you have a smaller bedroom, tall nightstands are a smart way to make the best use of your space.
- You can unleash your creativity with small nightstands. Consider stacking them or grouping them for visual impact and extra storage. Small nightstands can even be wall-mounted, becoming a unique yet functional focal point of your bedroom.
- When most people think "nightstand" they envision a square piece of furniture. You're not "most people," though! Think outside the square box and check out our unique assortment of round nightstands (and yes, many round nightstands do include storage drawers.)
- Ideal for small spaces, narrow nightstands can be surprisingly spacious. Use a narrow nightstand on its own, or place two (of the same or complementary colors) side by side.
- Looking for a minimalist bedside storage solution? Our selection of modern nightstands are designed with understated elegance.
- Reminiscent of the furniture profiles favored in the 1950s and 1960s, our mid-century nightstands are ideal if you love all things retro. Mid-century nightstands are characterized by tapered legs, sharp angles and dark wood.
- If you can describe your decorating style as shabby chic, cowboy chic or country farmhouse, rustic nightstands will fit seamlessly into your home decor. Rustic nightstands are beautiful in their natural simplicity.
- Ideal for bedrooms with that on-trend urban loft vibe, industrial nightstands boast rough-hewn wood and/or hammered metal legs and accents. Industrial nightstands are solid, strong perches for lamps, books and all of your necessities.
*Cedar Park, Lakeway, Brushy Creek, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Leander, Shady Hollow, Wells Branch, Georgetown, Hutto, Buda, Kyle, Manor, Oak Hill, Bee Caves, West Lake, Valente, Northwest Hills, Del Valley, Taylor, Spicewood, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Elgin.*


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This fun little number features a puddle of R2D2 (or possibly an attempt at Captain America's shield?) in the upper left-hand corner, and a Ferengi Marauder in the lower right-hand corner. [head tilt] Huh.
Hey, uh, Wreckerators? It's probably not wise to cross the sci-fi/geekery streams. Especially the Trek/Wars streams. You never, ever want to do tha...
And lastly, J. Williamson's local paper featured this as a "hot new trend" in weddings:
So naturally you're thinking, "Gee, Jen, people are serving Wolfman's head on a platter at weddings?"
(This is Wolfman, by the way:)
The answer, of course, is no - and I laugh in the face of your childish naivete. Hahahah! Ahhahaha! Mwaha. Ha. Aha.
Yes, as I was saying, the answer is no - because people are in fact serving Chewbacca's head on a platter at their weddings. That's Chewbacca. See the resemblance?
That's what I thought.
Debra B., Luci, Katie R., Brandi M., & Anony, when it comes to cake, use the forks.
Related Wreckage: Do These Taste Chewy To You?
NOTE: Today's post is dedicated to CW reader Jacob Taylor, since I hear he's a big Star Wars fan. Jacob is 8 years old and was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor last month, so he and his family could use all the good wishes, prayers, and warm thoughts you'd care to send their way. The good news is that he's responding well enough to radiation treatment that he's back to reading again this week. So, hi, Jacob! Say, you bakers in the Cincinnati Ohio area, how's about whipping him up some organic cake to celebrate? (He's on an all-natural diet these days.)


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The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's (DBPR) Division of Hotels and Restaurants today released this week's list of food service establishments with no safety or sanitation violations within the past year. This week, there are a total of 24 establishments featured on the list. These specific businesses have shown a pattern of complying with sanitation and safety standards outlined in the Federal Food and Drug Administration's Food Code.
Establishments on this week's list include five restaurants in Duval County, four restaurants each in Collier and Lee counties, and two restaurants each in Brevard and Dade counties as well as several others across the state. During their latest inspections and within the past year, Division of Hotels and Restaurants inspectors did not find any sanitation or safety violations in these establishments. Although inspection reports only offer a snapshot of the conditions at the time, the Department is recognizing the results as outstanding. The agency regularly features zero-violation inspection results for establishments across the state.
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants works to protect the health and safety of the public by providing the industry with quality inspections and fair regulation. The Division's main priority is to ensure that food is stored, prepared and served safely for the enjoyment of Floridians and our guests.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation's mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from hotels and restaurants, real estate agents and certified public accountants to veterinarians, contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.


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It's Friday, and it's Lent. Maybe those of you raised Catholic, as I was, remember tuna noodle casserole, sticks, or the Friday night fish fry?
Seafood consumption typically increases during Lent in the U.S. But Harry Balzer of the survey firm NPD Group says younger Americans are less likely to follow the tradition.
Over the past 25 years, NPD finds, the number of 18- to 34-year-olds who report eating fish at home during the Lenten season has dropped noticeably — from 66 percent in 1988 to 54 percent in 2012. Among older Americans, however, consumption remains steady. The data come from a survey that tracks the eating and drinking trends of a representative sample of households in the U.S.
So does this mean that young Catholics are being less observant of the church's rule about abstaining from meat on Fridays? It's not clear.
The data sorted respondents by age but not religion — so we can't know which ones were Catholic. But presumably, Balzer says, Catholics are the driving force behind the annual increase in fish consumption in the U.S. during Lenten months.
"There's no question that there's a structural change in the role of seafood in the diet of younger people," Balzer says.
So what explains the change? Balzer says it's likely a combination of factors: Fish isn't exactly convenient to prepare, it can be expensive, and maybe younger people don't like fish as much as their parents' generation does. Balzer says, presumably, religion plays a role too.
But Scott Richert, who writes about Catholicism for About.com and other outlets, offers another possible interpretation of NPD's data.
From his observations, Richert tells The Salt, younger Catholics are more observant — not less — of the church's rules regarding abstaining from meat on Fridays. For many, he says, it's year-round, not just during Lent. It's possible, Richert suggests, that more young Catholics are eating non-seafood alternatives to meat.
"With the cultural mainstreaming of vegetarianism and veganism in recent years," Richert says via email, "maybe young people are choosing pasta or other alternatives." Richert has compiled some Lenten recipes here, many of which contain no seafood at all.
So why is it that many Catholics around the world abstain from meat on Fridays, particularly during Lent?
"The spiritual purpose of Friday abstinence is a communal penance to recall the Lord's passion," writes , an ordained Catholic priest in Canada, who is a frequent contributor to the . And as he writes in this , "Friday abstinence is a relatively easy way to give witness at work, at school and even in the family."
So if you're Catholic — practicing, lapsed or somewhere in between — let us know what you think: Fish on Fridays? Vegetarian alternatives? Or have you given up on the whole idea of Lenten abstinence?
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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This next one's a bit harder because of the lousy penmanship, but give it a minute: it'll come to you.
Seriously, how fabulous is this? The baker took a simple two-word inscription ("You're 31!"), turned it into a three-word inscription, and then misspelled every word. ("Your thirtee won")
And then there's that comma. Just look at it, sitting there all nonchalantly, mocking my every attempt to comprehend its existence. Grr. I tell ya, if there's one thing I hate, it's smug punctuation marks. Yeah. It's all, "Hey, you should pause for breath here, even though the sentence has technically already ended." Aaaugghh!!
[patting down hair]
So, where were we?
Oh, right. Well, I have no idea how old Alicia here is...
Jennifer S., Cari B., & Alicia W., I've noticed that more people are suggesting I take a day off lately. I have no idea why.
- Related Wreckage: Tassel Hassles


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Former Vice President Dick Cheney at a Wyoming fundraiser he hosted Thursday for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney ( via MSNBC's First Read):
"Sooner or later there is going to be a big surprise. Usually a very unpleasant one. Whether it's 9-11 or the other kinds of difficulties or crises that arrive, they always do. ...
"When I think about the kind of individual I want in the Oval Office in that moment of crisis ... that man is Mitt Romney."
According to The Associated Press, "Romney called Cheney a 'great American leader' — and didn't mention former President George W. Bush in a 20-minute speech to a country club reception."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Mighty Dog Roofing
Mighty Dog Roofing of Needham Massachusetts are experienced with residential and commercial roofing replacements and repairs. Ask about our siding, gutters, and windows installation. Call us today for more info.
Mighty Dog Roofing specializes on Roofing, Storm Damage Repair and Siding. A locally owned and operated company is your choice for servicing the Needham area in Massachusetts. Mighty Dog Roofing is the most trusted name in the roofing industry, offering state-of-the-art 25 point inspections using Drone Super Scan technology. This technology, matched with the highest quality products and superior workmanship, allows you to have peace of mind on the most important investment you have, your home.
Needham ( NEED-əm) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 32,091 at the 2020 U.S. Census. It is the home of Olin College. == History == === Early settlement === Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711.


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Let's not panic. We all know that Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder bread and the rest of Hostess Brands' oddly everlasting foods aren't going away any time soon, even if the food culture that created them is gasping its last.
Yes, Hostess is shutting down. And odds seem to favor the roughly century-old company disappearing from our corporate landscape. But before you rush out to stockpile a strategic Twinkie reserve, consider a few things. Namely, that Twinkies never die. You know full well that the snack cakes down at your corner 7-Eleven are going to outlive us all. Probably even after they've been consumed.
And then there's the acquisition-happy nature of the business world, an environment that increasingly prizes intellectual property above all. It's hard to imagine the fading away of brands as storied and valuable as Ho Hos, Ring Dings and Yodels. Within hours of announcing the closure Friday, the company already had put out word that Zingers, Fruit Pies and all the other brands were up for grabs.
Even if production really did stop, how long do you think it would take for some enterprising investor intoxicated by a cocktail of nostalgia and irony for the treats Mom used to pack in his G.I. Joe lunch box to find a way to roll out commemorative Twinkies? Special edition holiday Ho Hos? It's just the nature of our product-centered world. Brands don't die, even when perhaps they should.
But let's pretend for a moment they did. What would we lose if Twinkies fell off the culinary cliff?
Certainly few obesity-minded nutritionists would bemoan the loss. With some 500 million Twinkies produced a year, each packing 150 calories… Well, let's just leave it by saying that shaving 75 billion calories from the American diet sure could add up to a whole lot of skinny jeans.
Except that Twinkies aren't merely a snack cake, nor just junk food. They are iconic in ways that transcend how Americans typically fetishize food. But ultimately, they fell victim to the very fervor that created them.
Despite the many urban legends about the indestructability of Twinkies — Did you know they are made with the same chemical used in embalming? Or that they last 5, no 15, no 50 years? — and the many sadly true stories about the atrocious ingredients used to create them today, these treats once upon a time were the real deal.
They started out back in 1930, an era when people actually paid attention to seasonality in foods. James A. Dewar, who worked at Hostess predecessor Continental Baking Company in Schiller, Ill., wanted to find a way to use the bakery's shortbread pans year round. You see, the shortbread was filled with strawberries, but strawberries were only available for a few weeks a year.
So he used the oblong pans to bake spongecakes, which he then filled with banana cream. Bananas were a more regular crop.
Let's pause so you can wrap your mind around that for a moment. Twinkies once contained real fruit. Twinkies were created because of seasonality.
All went swimmingly until World War II hit and rationing meant — say it with me — Yes! We have no bananas. And so was born the vanilla cream Twinkie, which was vastly more popular anyway. Even then, there was a crafted element to these treats. The filling was added by hand using a foot pedal-powered pump. Pump too hard and the Twinkies exploded. These days you only see that when teenagers post YouTube videos of themselves microwaving them.
It was around this time that American food culture did an about face. It was an era when the industrialization and processing of cheap food wasn't just desired, it was glorified. Cans and chemicals could set you free. And they certainly set Twinkies free of the nuisance of a short shelf life. It's not formaldehyde that keeps these snack cakes feeling fresh, it's the lack of any dairy products in the so-called "cream."
"Something about it just absolutely grabbed the popular culture imagination," says Marion Nestle, a New York University professor of nutrition and food studies — and no fan of junk food. "It's the prototypical indestructible junk food. It was the sort of height to which American technological ingenuity could go to create a product that was almost entirely artificial, but gave the appearance of eclairs."
When Twinkies signed on as a sponsor of the "Howdy Doody" show during the 1950s, their cultural legacy was sealed. Taglines such as "The snacks with a snack in the middle" began etching themselves into generations of young minds and it was considered perfectly fine that Twinkie the Kid would lasso and drag children before stuffing his sugar bombs in their faces.
It was the snack cake heyday. Twinkies were being deep-fried at state fairs, doing cameos in movies like "Ghost Busters" and "Die Hard" and being pushed by Spider-Man in comic books. A pre-vegan President Bill Clinton even signed off on including Twinkies in the nation's millennium time capsule (the two-pack was later removed and consumed by his council overseeing such matters for fear mice would add themselves to the time capsule).
Sure, not all the attention was positive. Somewhere along the line, Twinkies became the butt of jokes, mostly about their perceived longevity (though Hostess staunchly maintains 25 days is the max). And not all associations were great. The so-called "Twinkie defense" came out of the 1979 murder trial of Dan White, whose lawyers included his junk food obsession among the evidence of his supposed altered state of mind.
Then something happened. Suddenly, Americans who for decades had been tone deaf to how food was produced suddenly started paying attention, seeking out organic goat cheeses made from the milk of an unoppressed herd raised on a fence-free collective within a 20-mile radius of home. Even Doritos went artisanal, and an awareness of seasons and availability crept back into the culinary consciousness.
Suddenly products that had so prospered by their artificiality lost their allure. Even Hostess, which blamed this week's shutdown mostly on a labor dispute that hobbled its facilities, has acknowledged that consumer concern about health and food quality changed the game. People just weren't buying snack cakes like they used to.
So what would we lose if Twinkies really did go away? From a culinary standpoint and from a nutritional standpoint, it's hard to love the Twinkie (or pretty much any Hostess product). It's hard not to wonder how the American diet, the American palate, would be different if the parents of the '50s hadn't begun a cycle of turning to processed packages as the de facto snack of childhood.
And does nostalgia alone justify the continuation of something so patently bad for us?
Of course nostalgia, even irony, taste awfully good.
And I notice that a growing number of — dare I say it — artisanal bakeries are going retro, creating their own inspired takes on classic processed snack cakes. Treats like red velvet "twinkies" made with real ingredients. So perhaps it isn't time for Twinkies to go away. Or to stay the same. Maybe it's time for them to go back to their roots. And then, we lose nothing.
J.M. Hirsch is the AP's Food Editor. Follow him to great eats on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JM_Hirsch or email him at jhirsch(at)ap.org.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.