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Cliff Kurtzman, president-CEO of Tenagra Corp., Houston, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Internet Developers Association, says the two most important things when beginning a search are to go online and check out a developer's sites and then talk to references.
"A lot of companies that are out there today are simply Web page companies," he says, and if you're a big company using the Internet to communicate with your client base, it's important that the developer is able to execute a business strategy.
"If you're doing electronic commerce, you want someone fluent in running and handling secure transactions," Mr. Kurtzman says.
But how do you find a developer to fit your needs?
Web site awards were the first thing Kim Wagner, recruitment coordinator at Automotive Dealers Marketing, Los Angeles, turned to in her search for a Web developer.
To begin her search for a company to build the association's $300,000 database-oriented site, which would link car buyers with car dealers, she sent out Requests for Proposals to over a dozen companies that had won Clios or other Web awards.
But ultimately, she says, it was the RFP replies that spoke for themselves. "There was a huge variance," she says. "Some really thought about it; some were boilerplate responses."
ADM narrowed it down to three candidates, and finally singled out CyberSight, in Portland, Ore. "We were really impressed," Ms. Wagner says. "They put on the best dog and pony show."
A more traditional method of checking references turned out to be key for Dave Widmer, project manager-systems development, Sara Lee Corp., Chicago.
After lining up four top-tier potential developers for the corporate site, Mr. Widmer says he called their clients, who "were fairly candid" and told him things "that we wouldn't have gotten from the developers."
Mr. Widmer finally recommended Chicago-based Streams Online Media Development because "they had the most original proposal that was custom-tailored to us."
But for every top-tier developer that might vie for a Sara Lee project, there's a dozen or more poseurs in the business, which is something Bell & Howell, Skokie, Ill., ran into with its initial search.
Mack Reynolds, president of the Reynolds Marketing Group, oversees site development and maintenance for Bell & Howell, which has evolved from making movie projectors to microfilm and mail processing equipment. In 1995, Reynolds interviewed a half-dozen developers whose names he'd culled from the business press.
"I discounted four or five because they didn't display a sense of urgency about us," Mr. Reynolds says, noting that they'd fail to return phone calls or proposals.
He chose a developer whose service began to disintegrate after a year. "While the creative product was good in the beginning, as the service fell off, so did the execution," says Mr. Reynolds, who's been happy ever since he switched to New Media Marketing, a local developer he met through the Publicity Club of Chicago.
"Part of it is age-related," he says. The president of New Media "has been in the work force awhile" whereas the other developers "didn't have a lot of business experience."
At the same time, going with the most business-savvy developer isn't a guarantee you'll have a Web site that gets noticed. There needs to be balance, says Sal Abramo, manager-electronic marketing at Hewlett-Packard Medical Products Group."Sometimes you're trading cutting-edge for buttoned-up," he says. Going on HP recommendations, Mr. Abramo says he choose Red Dot Interactive, San Francisco.
"It's a word-of-mouth reference thing," he says. "They are really on the ball and understand where we're going strategically."
In addition to the basics of a strategically-targeted site with well-written content, Mr. Abramo says, you need someone who's going to look after it. You should hope your developer is "not just a bunch of kids from Stanford writing code -- and there's a lot of them out there."


text: An officer's physical fitness is a concern not just because the officers are overweight and might develop a debilitating health condition in their later years. It's an officer survival issue. It could put an officer at a serious disadvantage when he or she faces a more physically fit bad guy who has the mindset to win.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Valtellina offers many activities to do in touch with its nature: you can walk or ride on the routes heading to the mountain peaks; if you are a bike lover, then discover the Sentiero Valtellina, the Valchiavenna cycling path and the Via dei Terrazzamenti that runs through the typical terraced vineyards: all these routes wind up and down through National Parks and Natural Reserves. Do not miss a stop-over at the Pian di Spagna. The most adventurous ones will experience Sky Racing. If you are keen on rivers and torrents, then you will certainly find the right place for sport fishing: on the riverbanks of the Adda or the Mera or on the shores of the many high-mountain small lakes. Valtellina is surrounded by the green of the Alps and is for this reason a good place for playing golf too. And this is really #wonderful!


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Derby County have signed Arsenal starlet Gilles Sunu on loan until the end of the season. The 18-year-old striker goes straight into the Rams' squad to face Swansea on Saturday.
The France youth international will be looking to pick up valuable first-team experience during his time at Pride Park, while Derby boss Nigel Clough is hoping the youngster will add extra firepower to his front line.
"We've been monitoring the progress of Gilles for quite a while and it has been no secret we've been looking to get him to Derby County," Clough told the club's official website.
"It has taken a little while to get everything done, but we're delighted we've been able to secure a deal with Arsenal to bring him here.
"He brings us some raw pace up front which compliments what Rob Hulse, Kris Commons and Chris Porter provide for us right now.
"Gilles is still young and learning the game, so it is a great opportunity for him to develop and in turn we hope Derby County can benefit as well from having him with us."


text:
Model# FIWC1264
Acer XV Hybrid - Clubhead
Starting at: $27.95The Acer XV hybrids feature cup-face construction or where part of the faceplate wraps around and becomes incorporated into the sole, crown and skirt area of the head. This pushes the weld back away from the actual face so the areas around the perimeter could be made thinner creating more face deflection for higher ball speeds to areas other than the center of the face. Even when you miss-hit the ball, the XV with cup-face technology provides you that extra spring-like effect for longer shots. These also feature the same Power Chamber as the matching driver. In addition, these low profile heads coupled with the Gravity Port moved toward the face promotes a higher launch with lower spin. Learn More
Model# IW12865
Power Play Juggernaut Hybrid - Clubhead
Starting at: $27.95The high-performance Power Play Juggernaut hybrid possesses a thin, variable face thickness for an incredible sound and feel at impact. Our exclusive variable thickness crown redistributes weight where it is need most for superior balance and an unbelievable performance. Versatile from a variety of course conditions and features full face progression promoting a neutral flight bias. Learn More


text:
The CFOS Proposals office is committed to helping you submit the most professional proposals possible. We provide assistance in all phases of proposal preparation.
All proposals and pre-proposals from all CFOS staff, faculty and administrators have to be reviewed by CFOS proposal technicians prior to having the cover pages and routing forms signed by the PIs and directors, dean or signatory for the dean, Office of Sponsored Programs, and prior to submission to agency.
CFOS Principal Investigator (PI) Proposal Submission Guidelines
The following proposal items should be submitted to the CFOS Proposal Department to begin the proposal process
- Inform the proposal office of your intent to submit a proposal and tell us if this is a new, revised, continuation, or pre-proposal, a subcontract to another university, etc.
- Inform the proposal office of the deadlines and provide a copy of the RFP or URL with submission guidelines (If you do not have an RFP or URL, please submit explanation why it is not necessary).
The following materials should follow in a timely manner:
- Proposal Title
- Project Period of Performance (Start and End Dates)
- Proposal Text (electronic version via e-mail)
- Proposed draft Budget with draft Budget Justification
- Subaward or Consultant Statement of Work, Timeline, Budget and Budget Justification, and OSP Subrecipient form Statement of Work, Timeline, Budget and Budget Justification, and OSP Subrecipient form (http://www.uaf.edu/files/osp/osp-007-Subrecipient-Commitment-Form.pdf)
In order to assure your proposal will be submitted in time to meet an agency's deadline, you should submit all proposal materials at least 8 working days prior to the date it is due to the funding agency.
- The CFOS Proposal Office will need at least 8 working days to format your proposal, review, edit, prepare required forms, and deliver to the UAF Office of Sponsored Programs for final review and approval.
- The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) requires several days to process a typical proposal and up to a week if many proposals from across campus are being reviewed.
- Rarely proposals require hard copy submission. When CFOS receives the approved proposal from OSP, we will need a minimum of two (2) days shipping time to any lower 48 address.
The UAF Office of Sponsored Programs contains links to funding searches, forms, policies, helpful information, negotiated rates and explains the role the UAF proposal office when submitting proposals to agencies.
All proposal questions, correspondence, information, etc., that PIs want the CFOS proposal technicians to review should be sent to: email@example.com.


text:
Heroes Anonymous
Kaminetsky Model School
Sorry guys the Kaminetsky Model School is not a training center for potential fashion models. (That would be the Kaminetsky School of Modeling in the Vannevar Building out on Sloan Street.) Ivar Kaminetsky started the Model School as an exemplar of modern pedagogical excellence. Unfortunately, Kaminetsky died before articulating what he meant by pedagogical excellence. After years of spending the school's generous private endowments trying to figure that out, Kaminetsky's successors have found a niche in which the school excels: educating young people with so-called super powers and the children of supers, business leaders, politicians, and celebrities.
Although the Borderline City School District does operate several programs for what it calls extremely gifted children, many parents pay to send their children to the Kaminetsky School. Some (especially the criminally inclined) chose the Model School because they see the city's program as a means of brainwashing children to be obedient do gooders. Others are attracted to the snob factor of a private school. But most parents with kids at Kaminetsky truly believe that it offers the best possible education for their child.
Despite its reputation, most of the students at the Model School do not have super powers (or at least they haven't manifested yet.) The student body is a mix of spoiled rich kids, kids with special powers, spoiled rich kids with special powers, kids with outstanding academic or artistic talents, and kids that the school administrators think would just "fit in" for reasons they can never explain to anyone's satisfaction. While the Model School is a privately funded institution, many students pay reduced or no tuition.
The Kaminetsky Model School offers instruction from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
School Uniform
KMS students are expected to wear a uniform from first grade. The uniform for grades one through six is a simple white polo shirt with the school's coat of arms and navy blue pants or skirt. From seventh grade and up, the standard uniform is a navy blue blazer with the school's coat of arms, white shirt, gray skirt or pants, and a necktie. Ivar Kaminetsky never got around to specifying what the tie should look like, so every student is free to pick their own. (Naninami's favorite is a hand tie-dyed green and yellow silk tie she got from a street vendor on Blunt Street.) The administration authorizes variations on the standard uniform for inclement weather (cold and hot) and special activities.


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Freedom's Treasure Free Download on Amazon
The link above leads to the Amazon page that has my book Freedom's Treasure available for a free download on April 25. It is the Kindle Edition only as I have yet to put this book into print. My apologies to those who prefer to hold a book in their hands. Below I've included the first chapter of Freedom's Treasure as a teaser. I do hope that you enjoy it! Comments and feedback are always welcome. You can comment here or on the About page. Thank you for reading!
Ch. 1
Anna Molly Mylan rolled into town on a beautiful day in May. She couldn't believe how much the town matched her memories from childhood. Now was not the time to make comparisons, however. She'd been on the road for a week and she was ready to find the real estate agent she'd been in touch with and get settled. More than anything she wanted a nap. The online site had shown several cabins for rent and she hoped they had one readily available.
The address for the real estate agent came up on the left and Anna turned in to the driveway. Located next to the local ice cream parlor the building was small and shared their parking lot with the bank next door. There were several motorcycles parked in available spaces and a small compact car shone with a fresh wax. The lawn had been recently mown and spring flowers danced in the breeze. When Anna pushed the door open a bell jangled merrily.
Inside there was beige carpeting with colorful throw rugs scattered about. A coffee table with two comfortable armchairs and a coffeemaker were in the corner and the scent of freshly brewed coffee nearly made Anna swoon. On the walls were several pictures of houses and cabins, some with lake access but most without. Some photos had SOLD stamped across them, others had FOR RENT or FOR SALE. As Anna's eyes continued down the wall she saw a flyer for the cabin she had been watching on the internet. There was a SOLD stamp across the front of it. Her head cocked to the side. She had known she should have sent a deposit.
Anna continued looking at the flyers as she made her way to the counter. At the moment there was no one behind it but she could hear sounds coming from somewhere in the back. There was an open door and she could see file cabinets overflowing with papers just inside.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Anna saw a small bell on the counter and tapped the top gently. The countertop was glass and Anna could see more flyers underneath along with advertisements for local businesses including a canoe rental place for tours of the Pere Marquette River, auto repair and landscaping. There were several books about local history including one containing stories of the paranormal and hidden treasure. Anna was intrigued.
"Well, hello there! How can I help you?" She was the tiniest woman Anna had ever seen. She would have been amazed if the petite woman hit ninety pounds on the scale while soaking wet. Her silver hair was cut short in a sort of helmet and ruthlessly sprayed down with something that smelled like lilies. It took Anna back to her own grandmother and the sachets she had used in her drawers at home. She felt a girl crush coming on.
Anna flashed a broad smile. "Hi! Are you the agent here?"
"I am, dear. Let me just set these down and I'll be right with you." The woman appeared to levitate six inches and set the armful of empty vases she carried onto the counter. "I'm Elisa Williams. Now, who might you be?"
Anna peeked over the counter and saw a small stepping stool. Thrilled she had solved that minor mystery she reached her hand across the counter. "My name is Anna Mylan. I emailed you last month about a cabin. I guess I should have contacted you before I arrived today." She gestured toward the SOLD stamp.
"Oh, yes! Of course! You were asking about the old Martin place. Oh dear." A look of consternation crossed Ms. William's face as she took Anna's hand. Instead of shaking it she held on gently. "In your last email you said you would be arriving soon," the woman stroked the top of Anna's hand, patted and released it. "I thought it would be another week, however. They signed the papers on the Martin place yesterday. They're moving in next week. Most of our vacant places are being rented. This is a busy week for us here."
Anna took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten as she released it. "Is there a local hotel nearby?" Solution oriented, she could only blame herself for not calling ahead.
"I'm afraid that's full up, too. We're having the Blessing of the Bikes this week and this year's turn out is bigger than ever! The only thing that brings in more tourists is our Trout-a-Rama." Elisa Williams hopped off of her stepstool and came around the counter.
"Blessing of the Bikes? Trout-a-Rama?" Anna vaguely recalled the Trout-a-Rama from her childhood. A week-long celebration of the town, there were carnival rides, elephant ears and other foods, games and prizes. The library held their largest sale and fundraiser at the same time. Anna had bought her first and only copy of Gone With the Wind there the last summer they'd come for vacation. "I didn't know they still had that."
"Oh my, yes! It's so much fun! That will be in August. If you're still here in town we'll rope you into volunteering, mark my words. It's an experience you'll never forget." As she spoke Elisa walked along the walls, looking at each flyer she passed and setting empty vases at various points on the floor. "Now, the Blessing of the Bikes, that's what's going on in town, that's another annual event. Bikers come from all over the state and Wisconsin to have their motorcycles blessed for this year's riding season. It proves to be quite entertaining! We're no Sturgis, mind you," she referred to the annual event in South Dakota that had triggered movies, books and legends galore about the lifestyle of being a motorcycle rider. "The Blessing is this Saturday, you should come. The pastor would be happy to bless your truck. Would you like some coffee, dear?"
"Yes, please. It's been a long drive," Anna watched as the tiny woman went to the small table in the corner.
"My son just bought me this for my birthday," Elisa fiddled with a machine in the corner. "Isn't this a kick? It makes one cup at a time. No more filters or wasting coffee I don't finish in the day. I limit myself to 2 cups a day, no more, no less. Cream or sugar?"
"Sugar, please. Ms. Williams-," Anna began.
"Call me Elisa, dear," Elisa handed a sturdy mug full of steaming coffee to Anna. "The sugar is right there, help yourself."
"Thank you," Anna mixed in some sweetener, took a small sip and nearly groaned in pleasure. "This is fantastic! Your son made a good choice for a gift, from the looks of it."
"That's my boy, for you. Hunter is always so thoughtful in his presents. Now, what are we going to do with you?"
"Elisa, I hope you can help me out, I'm ready to start moving in today," Anna sipped more coffee and considered buying one of those coffeemakers for herself.
"That old place wouldn't suit a young lady, it's been vacant far too long. I'm afraid the pictures didn't do it true justice. Overgrown and overwrought, as my Hunter says. It took a solid week of scrubbing to make the inside habitable, much less the yard. It was out of control and still is if you ask me! Let me take a look at you, we'll see where you belong."
The intensity of the woman's stare made Anna feel under-dressed in her khaki Capri pants, light top and dark blue spring jacket. Her hair was windblown and she wished she had tied it back before she came in.
"If you can direct me to another hotel nearby I can stay there until you have a cottage ready, it's really no problem."
"No, no, that won't do." Elisa snapped her fingers. "I've got it! Be right back, dear. Have a seat and make yourself another cup of coffee if you like." She disappeared around the counter and Anna could hear shuffling noises coming from the back room.
Anna sat in a comfortable armchair next to the coffeemaker, crossed her long legs and wondered what this friendly gnome had in mind. False advertising, she thought, to post perfect pictures of a place that was, what did she say, overgrown and overwrought? Then again, that seemed to be the way the game of real estate was played. She'd heard some horror stories from friends who liked to buy properties, restore and flip them for a profit.
"I've found the perfect place for you!" Elisa popped out from the back room, a piece of paper waving gaily above her head. "It's the Lucas place. Been on the market for a while, we don't generally rent it for the Blessing of the Bikes as it's a little ways out of town and mostly dirt roads to get there. Rather dangerous for those bikers. It wouldn't be good to bless them and then have one of them slide out on their way home," she nearly danced her way to Anna and hopped into the chair across from her. Elisa's feet did not reach the floor and Anna had to stifle a giggle.
Elisa laid the page on the coffee table between them. "The Lucas's are an old family here in town. They had a neighbor, Samuel Belvette who had traveled for months using the Underground Railroad. A runaway slave, he came here, set up a homestead on 20 acres and then went back for his family. He never returned. Rumor has it he was stopped in Kentucky and never heard from again.
"The Lucas family had a farm next to Samuel's spread and they offered to take care of the place for Samuel until he could come back. When no one heard from him for more than two years they incorporated it into their own spread. As time's gone on and things have gotten tougher for everyone they have opted to sell off parcels to pay taxes and the like."
Anna was intrigued. She'd known there was deep history here in Baldwin, Michigan – there had to be as it was established in the mid 1800's – but she had not known about the Underground Railroad.
"Now, look here," Elisa spun the page so Anna could see the pictures. "It's an A-frame with 1 bedroom and a sleeping loft. The interior is all open which is all the rage now. Apparently Samuel was ahead of his time," Elisa chuckled. "The kitchen is electric and the appliances are in good working order. This nice deck here," she pointed at the appropriate picture, "has a view of the stream that cuts through the back half of the property and a ways beyond that is the burial plot of Nathan Lucas, a civil war hero from right here in Baldwin. The Historical Society cares for the grave so it's not something you'd have to worry about, dear. The original 20 acres have been bought and sold more times than I can count but they've been kept together. It has historical significance, you know."
Anna found herself nodding along conspiratorially. "Yes, it sounds like it does." This seemed to be far more promising than the Martin place had been. An A-frame could be fun. "It looks like it may be small."
"Eh," Elisa waved that away, "small means easier to clean and leaves more room for gardens."
"Is that the original home that Samuel built?" Anna was very interested but wasn't sure she should let on. Then again it seemed Elisa was determined to place her there regardless of her wishes.
"Oh, it is and it isn't. As the years have gone by, parts have been repaired, replaced and the like. Same as with any house, I suppose. The rent is quite reasonable and there is also an option to buy."
"Is it furnished?" Anna pulled the page closer and read the details under the various pictures.
"It has a bed, couch, a few tables. If you want more, you'll have to provide it yourself. There aren't any dishes or towels but there's a shop just down the way where you can pick some things up second-hand. Lucy's shop, down the other way carries quite a few things but if that doesn't suit you, Ludington isn't far and they have some of the larger chain stores."
"How far is it from town? I'd like to be close but not too, if you know what I mean. I'll need some peace and quiet while I'm working." Anna slid her phone from the front pocket of her pants, pulled up an application and typed in the address from the piece of paper. While the phone thought about it she decided the place sounded perfect.
"Oh, 7 miles from here, give or take. The roads make the trip a little longer, depending on when they've been graded and how good of a job the county did," Elisa shifted in the chair. "Pardon me, dear, I must stand up for a few minutes. These old hips don't like sitting the way they used to. Not in these chairs. Give me a good old fashioned rocker on a porch any day. What is it you do for a living?"
Anna rose as well. "I write novels, or I'm hoping to. I was a writer for the newspaper in Grand Rapids until recently. I'd love to go take a look at it. It sounds good but, after what you told me about the Martin place I think I'd better see it before I agree to anything."
"Of course! I'll get the keys for you. If you like it, go ahead and start getting settled in. We can sign the papers tomorrow. If it doesn't suit, come on back and we'll try again. I'll be here another couple of hours."
"That sounds great!" Anna shook Elisa's hand and waited while the woman went to the back for a set of keys.
"This one key works for the front and back doors. This second key is for the shed. There's an old lawn mower in there, some other odds and ends. That phone there," Elisa gestured with her head, "that's not likely to work. No signal back in the woods."
"Apparently there's not much signal here in town," Anna looked at the tiny screen with a spinning wheel that told her the phone was still thinking. She noticed she had full bars with some confusion.
"Did you search the address? I'm afraid Dexter Road doesn't come up very often on those things. You'll have to get yourself a good old-fashioned map of the county roads and I'll write the directions here on the back of the paper. If you get lost just ask anyone about the Lucas Place. They'll know." As Elisa jotted the directions down Anna put her phone away. She liked the idea of her cell not working but at the same time it worried her. She'd lived in a larger city too long and only felt comfortable when she was connected. She'd have to look into a signal booster.
Elisa walked her to the door. "Well, at least you have a good vehicle for these roads. 4 wheel drive?"
"Yes, though I've never used it," Anna matched pace with Elisa.
"You'll get lots of practice now. Good luck, dear! Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow." Elisa waved happily as Anna climbed into her SUV and looked the directions over. It seemed easy enough. With a confidant, jaunty wave she pulled out of the lot and headed north on M-37.
Hunter Williams cursed at the lawn mower before he kicked it. The mower reacted by belching smoke, coughing and sputtering to a stop. He swiped his sleeve across his forehead before the sweat could drop into his eyes. He contemplated the mower, decided it would make a nice ornamental lawn piece and left it where it sat. At least he'd finished the front yard before it died on him.
He knew, didn't he, that it was a piece of crap? He'd fought with it just last week and had sworn he'd bring his own the next time he had to come over here. And what was he even doing mowing? He had his real estate license, for sweet pity's sake, so he could sell property instead of maintaining it. This was a job tailor made for high school kids.
The old battle axe had batted her eyes at him and before he knew it, she was manning the office and he was out making the rounds of the various properties that needed to be maintained. He couldn't wait to get a renter into this place so it wouldn't be his responsibility any longer. That was assuming they could rent the place out.
There were too many ghost stories associated with the cottage due to a few unexplained deaths in the deep woods on this side of the property line. No one ever knew what those men were doing back beyond the stream and the autopsies concluded they had somehow each shot each other with the same gun and died where they lay. The rumor mongers had a field day with that one. It hadn't helped they were near the old cemetery that held only two graves. Nathan Lucas, the youngest son of the original owner of the land, and another tombstone so aged the name and dates could no longer be read.
Through the years there had been several unexplained deaths, both natural and otherwise, on the property. The locals didn't know what the strangers were doing out there in the deep woods without a chainsaw or hunting gear. The old timers loved the gossip and, for the price of a cup of coffee or a beer, could give twenty different theories at the drop of a hat.
Hunter's favorite involved the ghost of Samuel Belvette returned from the South to wreak havoc on white men who thought they could live on his land. He snorted, shook off the thought and made his way to the ramshackle shed. He remembered seeing another mower in there and he wanted to get this done. Making a round trip to pick up his own would take too long considering he wanted to get this last chore finished sometime during this season.
The next stiff breeze would probably knock the shed over and that would be one more task on his ever growing list. Hunter's shoulders tightened and he made a mental note to go over the foundation of the shed and the A-frame one more time. It wouldn't be a good thing to have someone move in and have the place promptly collapse. Liability issues were something he didn't want to worry about.
Hunter grabbed the door handle and put his back into pulling it open. It squealed and he looked for the oil he was sure was just inside the door. He squirted some on the hinges, realized the oil was probably 20 years old and added some more. That done, he looked through the shed and took an inventory of the detritus collected over the past 50 years.
Old paint, different stains for the deck, canoe paddles, mouse eaten life jackets, a few garden tools, a couple of old metal gas cans he was afraid still had gas in them, and, oddly enough, one of those ancient metal ice cube trays. He really should clean this out before someone bought the place. Far in the back he saw what looked like lawn mower blades but, oh joy, there was no motor attached. It looked like he would be all the horse power available today.
Hunter wrestled the mower out and took a detour to his truck to grab his i-pod. He might as well have some raging tunes to go along with this mood. He selected the mix he generally used for his morning workouts, put the buds in his ears, cranked the volume and considered himself good to go.
By the time he'd done two stripes across the long grass he realized a couple of things. One, it was definitely hotter than the 65 degrees the thermometer read and two, using this contraption was going to take longer than if he'd run home to grab his powerful machine. Just outside the back door was a pump and he veered in that direction, leaving the mower where it sat, close to the other one. He'd have one heck of a collection going at this rate.
Hunter stripped his shirt off and used it to wipe sweat from his brow and chest. Ducking his head under the faucet of the pump he turned the knob all the way and let the ice cold, spring fed water sluice across his upper body. He was well toned from his daily work outs and from his second business of running the local high school boys in a seasonal landscaping business. It kept the kids out of trouble in a small town with nothing to do. He'd chosen to be the boss to avoid exactly this situation but the kids were in school for another week and he'd have to make due. His mother had been adamant he do some work on the old Lucas place today. He wondered what she was up to.
Hunter put the ear buds back into place, cranked up the volume and went back to mowing, lost in fantasies of garden gnomes coming from their hiding places and fixing the mower so he wouldn't have to.
Anna slowly pulled into the end of the driveway and stopped. She instantly fell in love with the A-frame. It would have fit perfectly in a fairy tale, or maybe a horror movie. The siding was cedar and the sloping roof was a few shades darker. The deck was stained to match the cottage and appeared to wrap around the entire structure and, right in the front yard, a large fire pit was set up with several large logs placed around it for seating. She could almost imagine the stories that had been told around the fires that must have burned there over the years. She noted someone had stocked the firewood and she silently blessed them.
A woodpecker hammered away at a tree and hummingbirds buzzed around a small feeder on the corner of the deck. A small flight of stairs led up to the deck and the front door and she saw with glee there was a rocker exactly like the one Elisa had been wishing for placed near a corner where the sun beamed down.
Anna pulled up even with the front deck and decided this would be a good place to stop and take a look around. It must have rained recently as there were a few puddles in the driveway and, as she peered toward the back, she worried she might get stuck. She really did not know how to use the 4 wheel drive on her truck so, for now, it might be best not to test it.
She bent down and touched her toes a few times and wished she hadn't sold her yoga mat along with the rest of her furniture when she planned her move. Pulling an ever present notebook from her pocket she added that to the list. She could use a good stretch or, better yet, a massage. She'd have to ask Elisa if there was a spa somewhere nearby.
Locking the doors to her truck she gripped the key for the front door and made her way up. As she passed the rocker she nudged it with her toe to set it rocking. A quick picture formed in her mind of early mornings, hot cups of coffee and complete peace and quiet. She nearly sighed with the pleasure of it.
Opening the door made her feel like a thief entering a stranger's house. With the furnishings it looked like someone would be home any minute. Maybe it would be Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She let the screen door slap lightly shut behind her and saw a small wedge she could use to prop the larger door open. The place needed a good airing out but she wouldn't worry about that right now.
The layout was open, as Elisa had said. She entered the living room and saw plain hardwood floors and a butt ugly plaid couch that had to be a pull out bed. That would have to go. The main room was small enough that if she did a cartwheel she'd be in the kitchen.
The appliances were old but well maintained. The refrigerator had to be from the 1950's and was rather small but, as she was alone here, it would be perfect. Anna wasn't much of a cook and when she did go crazy and start baking she preferred to buy her ingredients fresh. The electric stove had the standard four burners and a small oven. Two doors led off from the main room. Opening them she found a tiny bathroom with a – surprise – modern tub and shower and behind the other door a bedroom with a double sized bed with no blankets.
Anna turned and looked at the curving wooden stairs that led to the sleeping loft. Surely someone handcrafted those steps as they were too beautiful to be modern construction. She wondered if Samuel had made them before he left on his ill-fated journey back to the South. Climbing the steps slowly she gasped in awe at the loft. A small dresser and a queen sized bed took up the entire space but it was the window that caught her attention.
Outside she had a clear view toward the road. Doing her best calculations she figured out that was west. With the trees, the deep blue sky and lack of neighbors, she could only imagine what the sunsets would look like from here. It was at that moment she decided this was her place and she could forget renting; she wanted to own this and have it be hers for always.
She would turn the bedroom into an office, put in a desk and a computer so she could write in there when she wasn't using the laptop on that gorgeous deck. She'd have to check the direction from the lower window, though she thought it might face to the north. It was okay to be slightly distracted by the view but that room was for working, not daydreaming. Lost in her thoughts, Anna worked her way carefully down the steps to the main floor.
In the kitchen she checked the cabinets for any form of food or mouse droppings, saw none and was sold. It would need a light cleaning but she could still smell the Pledge from the last person who had come through and dusted. She didn't see a coffeemaker and added that to the pad in her pocket under the heading "Immediate Necessities".
Looking at the paper in her hand she saw the note Elisa had included about turning the power on. Anna followed the directions carefully and was thrilled there were no burnt out bulbs or other piddling details she'd have to worry about before she could sleep. She flipped the lights back off and, making her way back to the truck she started hauling luggage inside.
Having only five bags to encase her entire life it did not take long to get everything and Anna chose to get completely unpacked before doing any more exploring. She would definitely need to get some groceries and basic necessities before she could finish settling in. She sat at the little table in the kitchen and made yet another list. Sometimes she felt like her entire life was lists and perhaps that was what drove her from Grand Rapids. Impulsively she slapped the notebook shut and tossed it in the conveniently located trash. She'd need liners for that, she thought, and went to add it to the list she had just thrown away.
On that note, she collapsed on the ugly couch and let herself take a fifteen minute catnap. Experience told her if she slept longer than that she would be in an ugly mood for the rest of the day.
Hunter shoved the manual mower back into the shed. He was covered with sweat and dirt and wished his shower were nearby. The last thing he wanted to do was get the grime onto the seats of his new truck. He'd just bought the Ford two weeks ago and he was enjoying the aggravation of keeping it clean. He checked his watch and figured he had another hour before the boys showed up after school to be given their assignments. He had time to run home but there was a shower right inside. Better that than putting plastic bags over the seat to save it.
He scrounged in the back of the cab and came up with half of a bar of soap and a questionably clean towel. Checking his pocket for the keys to the A-frame he went in through the back door and straight into the bathroom. It would be cold with the power turned off but Hunter could handle that. He never noticed the toiletries scattered across the sink and small counter, all he saw was a clean shower.
Anna startled awake, not sure where she was or what had woken her. She must have slept harder than she thought. After so much traveling this week it was a familiar feeling and she shrugged it off and made her way to the bathroom. She thought she remembered leaving the door open but maybe the wind blew it shut. She turned the knob, pushed the door open and screamed bloody murder.


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Jean Case on the value of pro bono service to nonprofits [In the News, 2.24.12]
PHILANTHROPY | Jean Case of the Case Foundation writes in the Post about how pro bono work can be even more valuable to nonprofits than corporate donations (WaPo, 2/23):
Every day, we're seeing that more often than not, the most valuable asset a company can provide is their people, and those skills can have a much broader and more impactful reach through volunteering employees' time to nonprofits in need of extra support. Simultaneously, companies can use these collaborations to create leaders and teams through professional development, to recruit new talent, and to design innovative products and services.
Related: WRAG's Corporate Philanthropy Affinity Group will be visiting the National Veteran's Transition Center in D.C. on March 7. [More information]
– District seeks return of chartering authority (WaPo, 2/23)
– Arlington schools to increase class sizes (Examiner, 2/24)
TRANSIT | It appears that the District Department of Transportation might not actually have enough streetcars by the planned opening date for the new line on H St NE. (WAMU, 2/24)
ARTS/HISTORY | Here's a cool slideshow of murals around D.C. that celebrate black history. Like a lot of these murals around the city, some of them will soon disappear as buildings are redeveloped. (DCentric, 2/21)
Related: The Story Behind U Street's "Black Family Reunion" (WAMU, 1/27)
REPORT | A new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy calls for environmental funders to focus their funding on grassroots efforts in communities that are impacted by climate change and environmental degradation.
With application deadlines looming for some major funders in the area, here's just what any procrastinating grantwriter needs!


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Jackky Bhagnani's healthy resolution (Movie Snippets)
Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS) Actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani has vowed to stay off unhealthy food in 2017, and says he will also try to keep the environment clean.
Jackky, who launched "Kasrat" — a new fitness video which will be shown in schools of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — shared his fitness goals for the year on his Twitter handle.
He also posted a photograph of himself showing his physique.
"10 years to get here. This year will try to keep the environment clean alongside my diet. Resolution 2017," Jackky tweeted.
On the work front, Jackky is hoping that his debut production "Sarbjit" moves ahead in the Oscar race. The film made it to an initial list of 336 feature films eligible for the upcoming 89th Academy Awards' Best Picture category.
The film, directed by Omung Kumar, is a biopic on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later.
Rajkummar Rao hopes to have a blockbuster year
From "Bareilly Ki Barfi", "Newton" to "Omerta", Rajkummar Rao has varied projects in his kitty for 2017. The actor says he is eager to show them all to his fans across the globe.
"Fingers crossed for 2017. Omerta, Newton, Trapped, Bareilly ki Barfi, 5Weddings, Behen Hogi Teri. Thank you Maa and god. Can't wait for you all to watch," Rajkummar tweeted.
It seems to be a packed year for Rajkummar.
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's "Bareilly Ki Barfi" is a quirky romantic comedy rooted in the subculture of the north Indian city Bareilly. Also starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Kriti Sanon, it will hit the screens on July 21.
Rajkummar will portray a real life character in filmmaker Hansal Mehta's film "Omerta". The "Kai Po Che!" star is reportedly gearing up to play a dreaded terrorist in the upcoming movie.
In "Newton", Rajkummar will be seen playing the role of a man who ventures into a Naxal-infested jungle in the black comedy directed by Amit Masurkar.
Details about his other projects are still under wraps.
Adnan Sami saddened by Istanbul terror attack
Well known singer Adnan Sami says he is saddened and appalled by the terror attack on an Istanbul nightclub.
Sami tweeted: "Saddened and appalled by the ghastly attack in Istanbul, Turkey. My heart is with you…Istanbul attack. Stop terrorism."
A gunman opened fire at people celebrating New Year at a nightclub in Istanbul early on Sunday, killing at least 39 people and injuring 69. Khushi — who belonged to Gujarat — was one of the two Indians who died. The second was filmmaker Abis Rizvi, who produced "Roar".


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The Current Build of ATRF-CS 4.2.0 is 541 (January 2018)
The following ATRF-CS Software Downloads are available at https://atrfcs.atrf.com
This January update contains:
Quick Reference ATRF-CS Upgrade Procedure
Follow the instructions as outlined in your ATRF-CS User Manual (Section 8 - Performing Program Updates).
Remember, if you are a "Windows NT, 2000, or XP" user, you will have to log-on to your PC as "administrator" first. Once the Update is complete, you will be at build 541 and the validation library will be at 541.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your ATRF HelpDesk Representative.
Please use the message space below to send an inquiry or give us feedback on our services and this website.
Every effort will be made to respond to email inquiries by the next business day.
* Indicates a required field
Please use the comments space below to give us feedback on our services and this website.
For Pension Interview registrations click here.
Email inquiries will be responded to within 5 days of receipt.


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Accessibility mode is enabled
Take the stress out of finding parking for events. Reserve your spot today in a City-owned garage or a Certified Partner parking facility. Rates and locations vary.
Under the AMOLA between the City and ArenaCo (City Agreement 2014-0514), the City reserved the non-assignable right to use the Golden 1 Center Arena (including Premium Seating) for up to nine City Civic Events and, on an as-available basis, for up to 24 City Minor Events each Operating Year. In April 2017, the City approved the Management, Use, and Reporting for Arena City Events (Arena Event Policy) and introduction of the G1C City Event Program. More information about the Arena Event Policy and G1C City Event Program can be found on the event program page.
For questions or concerns, please contact the 24/7 Turner Construction Project Hotline at
Get Here Sac encourages the public to consider using alternative modes of transportation such as light rail, walking, biking, ride share, and other modes first before driving.
Golden 1 Center construction activities and special events that impede traffic in the right-of-way can be found on our traffic alerts page.
The Sacramento City Council approved a policy for ticket acceptance, distribution, use, and reporting for use of the City of Sacramento's suite within the Golden 1 Center. The policy allows for thirty percent (30%) overall ticket distribution to qualifying community groups defined in the following categories as recognized community groups, non-profit organizations, schools, youth groups, and similar groups and organizations based in and serving one or more of the eight (8) districts within the City of Sacramento. More information about the ticket program and how to apply can be found on our ticket program page.
Please note that languages other than English will be written by machine translation and may contain errors.
Policies | Accessibility | Social Media | Website Feedback © 2013 - 2018 City of Sacramento


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Win FREE Tickets for Miley Cyrus' 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Concert!
Who wants to attend the live taping of Miley Cyrus' mini-concert for Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday (June 25) in Los Angeles?!
JJJ has TWO (2) pairs of passes to give away to two lucky readers who are over the age of 16 and live in the Los Angeles area as travel is not included.
We'll be picking a winner in LESS than 24 hours at 6pm PT on Sunday (June 23) – so make sure to enter now!
If you qualify, be sure to enter by following the instructions below.
Good luck and have fun watching Miley perform for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
WHAT YOU'LL GET: Two (2) passes to attend Miley Cyrus' live taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles, Calif.
UPDATE: Winner has been notified. Thanks for entering!
Posted to: Contests, Miley Cyrus


text: The Law Center mock trial team took Atlanta by storm, winning the State Bar of Georgia's invitational tournament by earning top ranks on every judge's ballot in each of five rounds. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall (center) presented the coveted first-place hardware to the Law Center winner, including (from left) Matt Yezierski, Ethan Gibson, Jayson Booth and Sean Monks. Eighteen teams from across the country competed in the prestigious William Daniel National Invitational Mock Trial Competition named in honor of a noted Georgia jurist. The Law Center team, coached by alumni Ed and Stephanie Sullivan, beat Loyola University Chicago School of Law in the final round to bring the trophy home.


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With the world suffering now from global warming, most retail stores have replaced plastic bags with paper-based packaging. Paper bags and boxes are now being used for shopping because they're eco-friendly, recyclable, and cheaper. Apart from their use in carrying stuff; paper bags are usually kept for future use especially when they are beautifully designed or made from durable material. Companies are now coming up with creative bags as part of their branding and it is becoming a huge trend particularly in the retail and fashion industry.
Shopping bags and boxes look more attractive when they come in a variety of shapes, colors, and designs. However, functionality should come first. For today, here's a collection of extraordinary paper bags and boxes with excellent packaging designs. Enjoy!
Paper Bags
Read more posts by Patrick Ellasos
Read more here - http://bit.ly/144gf5U


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September 28, 2012
Weeklong experiment using space shuttle technology detects stress and damage in trees.
Morton Arboretum tree researchers and NASA aeronautical engineers headed deep into the woods in September for a weeklong series of experiments and tests aimed at uncovering the mystery of tree biomechanics, or what makes trees stand and what makes them fall.
Armed with buckets of white and black paint and donning hiking boots and hard hats instead of white lab coats, they looked more like the design and camera crew from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" as they began their mission. Phase One: Paint polka dots on trees. Phase Two: Rig up an elaborate digital imaging camera system spanning the top of the tree trunks on trees in the Arboretum's West Side research plot. Phase Three: Employ an extensive cable system to bend, twist and knock down trees, capturing the action on 3-D cameras.
This was serious scientific research, as scientists from the Arboretum and colleagues from France, England and Germany teamed up with NASA aeromechanical engineers for a week in the Arboretum's research plot to test whether technology used in space shuttle safety testing is a potentially useful research tool when applied to the biomechanics of trees.
"We're taking this vital technology used for the shuttle program into the field of trees," said Matt Melis, a longtime NASA engineer who leads NASA's Glenn Research Center Ballistics Impact Lab in Cleveland, Ohio, where engineers tested shuttle parts for their ability to withstand hits from debris.


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What is being done?
Cardiff Portal will be taken out of service to perform emergency maintenance work required following the Site 2 datacentre shutdown. Please note that there is a small risk to other services whilst this work is undertaken.
When is it being done?
Tuesday 24th May, 10am – 2pm
Who will be affected?
All users of Cardiff Portal.
How will this affect users?
During the service outage, if a user attempts to log in to Cardiff Portal they will be presented with a maintenance page containing alternative links to all services usually accessed through Cardiff Portal (Mail, Learning Central, Voyager etc). We would strongly recommend that users log out of Cardiff Portal prior to 10am, otherwise they will lose connectivity and risk losing data.
Why is it being done?
Since the IT services will be running "at risk" during this time due to electrical work, this is being used as an opportunity to perform upgrades necessary to bring Cardiff Portal back into line with the monthly release cycle. This will enable us to provide enhancements to the service in the future.


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AYUTTHAYA, Thailand, March 31 - Honda Motor Co (7267.T), Japan's third-largest car maker, officially resumed production on Saturday at its plant in Ayutthaya in Thailand, which was forced to close for almost six months after severe flooding last October.
Pitak Pruittisarikorn, executive vice-president for Honda Automobile (Thailand), told a news conference the plant should produce 150,000 vehicles in the remaining nine months of 2012 and the target was for output of 240,000 per year.
"Thailand remains the most important production base in Asia and Oceania. We want to reassure you that Honda is not moving its production base to anywhere else," he said.
Earlier this month, it announced was investing $337 million in a new plant in Indonesia, but Hiroshi Kobayashi, president and chief executive of Asian Honda Motor Co Ltd, said that did not mean it was neglecting Thailand.
"Regardless of the floods, Thailand's market is still increasing. Thailand's demand is still increasing, so is India's and Indonesia's, so why do we have to reduce production here?" he said.
Analysts say Honda will probably need more production capacity in Thailand in the next few years after it added the entry-level Brio hatchback to its line-up last year.
Thailand is a key base for companies in the car and electronics sectors in particular, and their global supply chains were disrupted by the floods that forced seven huge industrial estates to close last year. Less than half of the affected plants have reopened, according to government data.
Honda was the hardest hit of the car firms. Japanese rivals Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) were able to resume production by the end of 2011.
On March 27, Japanese business daily Nikkei reported that Honda planned to build another automobile factory in Thailand, probably in the southeast of the country where the risk of flooding is lower.
Honda executives said on Saturday there were no such plans at this time.
"Initially we want to focus on full recovery for the Ayutthaya factory," Pitak said. "But if in the future there's a necessity, then we'll have to decide."
Big firms are increasingly interested in neighboring Myanmar, which has rapidly emerged from isolation after a civilian government took office a year ago after decade of military rule. Western governments may start to lift sanctions if elections on April 1 are deemed free and fair.
Kobayashi said it was too early for Honda, but it could be interested.
"In the future, yes. But it would probably be more for the production of motorcycles. We've just started research. Depending on circumstances, if they are ready, we will go."
Editing by Alan Raybould and Ed Lane


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Source: AP / CBS News
SURGIONSVILLE, Tenn. – An East Tennessee couple faces a murder charge after authorities say they forced the man's 5-year-old daughter to drink more than 2 liters of grape soda and water, causing her brain to swell and rupture.
According to the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office and the autopsy report, Alexa Linboom was brought in to the emergency room on Jan. 1, 2012, by her father, Randall Vaughn, and his wife, Mary Vaughn.
The girl was blue and unresponsive with "an abnormal body posture that indicates severe brain damage," according to the autopsy, which was completed in July 2013.
The Vaughns were arrested on Wednesday and were being held at the Hawkins County Jail on a $500,000 bond each. Officials did not know whether the Vaughns had hired an attorney. Their arraignment was scheduled for Friday morning.
To read this article in its entirety visit CBS News.


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2013 Scion FR-S: Apexi RS Evolution Extreme Catback Exhaust
August 15, 2012
When Dan did his suspension walkaround of Project FR-S, our longterm 2013 Scion FR-S, a few things became apparent. One, the stock wheels and tires practically disappear in its ample wheelwells, and two, the exhaust followed a path more contorted than the screenplay of that John Carter movie.
In an experiment to determine whether relieving some of the latter flow bottleneck is worthwhile, we replaced the stock exhaust with an Apexi RS Evolution Extreme catback exhaust with the help of SR Motorcars in Gardena, CA.
The Apexi RS Evolution Extreme catback is mandrel-bent, TIG-welded 304 stainless (save for the titanium tips), and the pipe diameter is 2.36". That's 60mm if you live in a country that for some reason doesn't base its unit of distance on a cereal grain. The Apexi exhaust is fully polished and beautifully built.
Here's the stock exhaust if you're too lazy to click back to Dan's suspension walkaround.
And here's a sweet action shot of the stock exhaust being removed. My esteemed colleague Mark Takahashi snapped all the photos in this blog post, by the way, so send your adulation his way.
In the stock exhaust (foreground), note the two flattened sections and big resonator in the middle. The Apexi RS Evolution Extreme is resonatorless and has no such smashed sections.
No, Roseann Barr did not, in fact, step on the stock exhaust right there. The factory intentionally squashed this section to clear the rear subframe.
The muffler in the Apexi exhaust is of a tidier size than the stock one. According to my trusty bathroom scale, the Apexi exhaust in total weighs five pounds less than the stock exhaust,
Installation is easy peasy -- just four bolts and five hangers hold both the pipe and the muffler in the car. You could install the exhaust solo but Matt from SR Motorcars was nearby so I roped him into helping. He was a good sport about it.
Blued tips are titanium, which is why they're riveted onto the exhaust. It'd be nigh-impossible to weld titanium to stainless.
Weld penetration is mild. The hand-finishing of the internal surface is a nice touch.
Shiny muffler is shiny. Fitment of the Apexi exhaust was perfect. Unlike many aftermarket parts, this one fit correctly right out of the box, with no tweaking or adjustments necessary.
Stacks of dimes.
The Apexi exhaust does a much better job of filling out the cutouts in the rear "diffuser" (let's be honest, that thing is diffusing nothing at all) than the stock tips.
Sound-wise, there is no drone during cruise and a little more personality when you wood the throttle. It's definitely no buzz-bomb exhaust. From inside the cabin the difference compared to stock is more modest than from outside the car.
On the dyno the exhaust didn't show any power gains, which actually makes sense when you consider that most of the bottlenecks in the stock exhaust appear to be near the header. At this power level, the cork is simply further upstream. It's likely that the bigger-bore, free-er flowing Apexi catback will show its performance gains once the stock header is no longer the primary restriction.
Project cars are a ladder, one rung at a time.
--Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
Apexi USA - http://apexi-usa.com/ - RS Evolution Extreme exhaust
SR Motorcars - http://srmotorcars.com/ - Dynojet chassis dyno testing


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News Story
Camarillo - Expired Prescription Drugs Collected from Leisure Village Residents
Nature of Incident:
Prescription / Rx Collection @ Leisure Village
Report Number:
200 Leisure Village Drive, Camarillo, Ca
Date & Time:
March 15, 2014 / 10:00AM ' 3:00PM
Unit(s) Responsible:
Camarillo Police Department's Community Resource Unit
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent
City of Residence
On Saturday March 15, 2014, the Camarillo Police Department partnered with Leisure Village Security for the third time and collected 70 � pounds of unused / expired prescription medication from residents of the village. The Camarillo Police Department started its first prescription Rx collection at Leisure Village in December of 2012. During the first collection, 99 pounds of unused / expired prescription medication was collected during a five hour period. During the second collection, on June 22, 2013, an additional 121 � pounds was collected during a five hour period. In approximately one year's time, the Camarillo Police Department has collected a total of 291 pounds of unused / expired prescription medication from residents of Leisure Village.
As a reminder, if you want to drop off unused / expired medications at the Police Department, we have a Pharmaceutical drop-off bin in our lobby. The lobby is open Monday-Friday from 8:00AM-5:00PM.
Prepared by:
Sergeant John M. Franchi
Media Release Date:
March 17, 2014
Follow-Up Contact:
Sergeant John M. Franchi / 805-388-5135
Approved by:
Captain Eric Dowd


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Podcast: Download (Duration: 24:54 — 23.0MB)
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What kind of director are you? What kind of director is best?
Directors come in all styles — from overly easygoing (REAL smooth) or difficult bordering on abusive (REAL sharp). Where's the sweet spot on the contiuum? The Geeks discuss.
Music provide by Music Alley.


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I have seen lots of different cases for the iPhone over the years. Typically, they offer protection only for your device and nothing like an extra speaker. A company called iMainGo has unveiled a new case that protects your iPhone and has an external speaker for more sound.
The case will fit more than the iPhone with support for the iPod nano, touch, and other MP3 players. The speaker connects to a PMP via a 3.5mm headphone connector. The player can be controlled without having to open the case.
Power comes from four AAA batteries and the case has a removable carry strap. It measures 5.7" x 3.8" x 2.4" and sells for $39.95. You can pick one up right now.


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On Francesca's Intimo
Today I'm going to review a little restaurant called Francesca's Intimo that I've come to adore in the last few months. I've actually only been there twice but it's become a fast favorite and the easy choice for a nice dinner, or say, a date. It's actually part of a long line of Francesca Restaurants all located in Chicago but so far, Intimo (located in Lake Forest) is the only one in my repertoire (it's hard to believe I haven't yet been to the one in Northbrook).
I think you probably figured out by now that I think the food is outstanding, or else I wouldn't be writing about it. It's authentic, really fresh, and overall delicious. They change their menu every week, incorporating homemade pasta, fresh Italian cheese, and sauces that are to die for. I never realized how much I liked real Italian food until I came here. I think that says a lot.
See a rundown of my most recent meal and all the delicious food photos after the jump!
While indulging on some fresh-baked bread that we dipped in olive oil and a giant heaping bowl of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (one of my favorite parts of Italian restaurants), we were feeling extremely indecisive about what we wanted to order. Last time, we had the mussel appetizer (steamed in a spicy tomato sauce), did we want that again? Or were we feeling more adventurous?
I guess you could say we chose adventure in the form of beef carpaccio. We did want our mussels but you'll see that later we more than made up for our choice, which is why we went with something we don't ordinarily eat. I had beef carpaccio once before (on a cruise years ago) but I thought it would be best to see how it's done at a place that serves quality food. Topped with arugula, capers, fresh tomatoes, and some more Parmesan cheese, this appetizer tasted incredible. The initial look of the plate didn't exactly thrill me (Note: if you're looking for the beef, it's the red outline of the dish – David didn't realize that was the meat!) But after a squeeze of lemon juice and a bite of all the ingredients, I was sold.
Since we loved the mussels so much last time, we knew we couldn't leave Francesca's without some. So this time we decided to order mussels in our main course: Pasta con Cozze (linguine with mussels). Now, I never like to order the same thing as the person I'm eating with but this time I couldn't help it. The pasta con cozze was on special and it sounded so good! The original dish came with linguine and mussels, in a spicy tomato sauce with basil. That's what David ordered, pictured above.
I, however, need to be complicated sometimes and decided to substitute the linguine for some of my favorite pasta: rigatoni. So I guess you could say I ordered Rigatoni con cozze. I usually don't like to change the dish because I'm sure they chose linguine for a reason, but I have no regrets. I think it came out even better with the rigatoni. I had my favorite pasta, my favorite sauce and a pile of mussels, so I was in heaven. Too bad I was stuffed from all the bread we ate. But yay for lunch the next day!
We also happened to know that the desserts at Francesca's are amazing. Despite our full stomachs, these masterpieces are a hard bargain to pass up, not to mention, they make it hard to decide which one to get. We went with the torte di lava: a chocolate lava cake topped with vanilla gelato, filled with a mint chocolate center, and drizzled with chocolate fudge and cinnamon sauce. It was a whole bunch of yum in my mouth, and together we scraped that plate clean. I guess there is always room for dessert!
And there's always room for Francesca's. If you're ever looking for a nice, authentic Italian meal, I highly recommend this place. I hear the other Francesca restaurants are also good, so find one of the 16 locations and try it out! And if you can't get over to a Francesca's, you can still recreate a similar meal in your own home with some of these recipes:
Mussels Mariniere
Mussels with Tomato, Basil, and Garlic
Mussels in White Wine and Garlic Sauce
Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
Chocolate Truffle Torte
Fleming's Chocolate Lava Cake
Related Posts
Tags: beef carpaccio, francesca restaurants, francesca's intimo, Italian food, lake forest restaurants, mussel recipes, pasta with mussels


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Random Thoughts
By Todd Harrison Aug 30, 2004 12:05 pm
Discipline is the common denominator of any successful trading strategy.
- Fun with Fundies!
- Has anyone actually had their leg pulled when they were being fibbed to?
- Crude has spilled for 3.5%--keep this on your radar, as everyone else surely is.
- While we're on our heels and crimson wheels, it's worth noting that the Lowry Selling Pressure Index dropped to its lowest level in almost ten years (Feb '95) on Friday.
- I put in 15 miles on a mountain bike Saturday. Consistent with my generally accepted workout practices (GAWP), that will be grandfathered and allocated accordingly (1.5 miles per day for the last 10 days).
- Shills and chills.
- Bank of America (BAC:NYSE)--which split 2:1 today--has no quit in it.
- Monkey business!
- She should just try dating in New York City!
- The breadth never found its footing outa the gate and has now worse than 2:1 negative across the board.
- The housing "boom."
- It could happen on Wall Street too!
- While many USA athletes may not agree with me, I thought that this was one of the more enjoyable Olympics in recent history.
- Why can't I shake the image of "Joshua" from War Games?
- Snoop Tony Dwyer--softball player extraordinaire--just pinged in to say the Lowry's buying power index beat the June high by 1 point on Friday. This, coupled with the selling pressure index, reinforces his view that this is a pause in an ongoing bull tape. That said, his internal readings have become extreme and he argues for patient buying near-term as there is solid precedent for a pause that refreshes.
- Mutual of Ohmygawd!
- Crested Butte attendees should absolutely take advantage of Professor Miller's offer for a free one year anniversary issue of his excellent newsletter.
- I'd hate to see the whole meal!
- Bold gold continues to creep higher. The yella metal is up better than a finski while white lightenin' is better than 4% in the green.
- I may take the end of the week off and attempt to practice what I preach. It's been a while (Crested Butte didn't count as I was preppin' for eighty attendees).
- I guess he didn't see the stop sign?
- Oh to live on Sugar Mountain...
- During weeks like this, no news is good news. At least until Thursday (Intel (INTC:NASD) mid-quarter update) and Friday (Beeks).
- Flight of the seabirds, scattered like lost words. Wheel to the storm and fly.
- Thank you Mr. Roach!
- More pics from the 'Butte! (Not to be confused with album one or album two)
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Twin bomb blasts kill dozens in Syria's Homs – monitoring group
At least 100 others were wounded by the explosions in the city centre's Zahra district, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Footage from pro-Damascus television channels showed charred corpses buried among rubble, damage to shop fronts and debris littering a wide area. Many cars were on fire, sending out plumes of black smoke. Wounded people walked around dazed.
State television quoted the governor of Homs as saying at least 25 people had been killed.
A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State last month in Homs in the west of the country killed at least 24 people as government forces took back some Islamic State-held villages in Aleppo province in the north.
Sunday's attacks also came a day after government advances against Islamic State. There was no immediate claim from the group, however.
A bomb attack in December which killed 32 people took place after a ceasefire deal that paved the way for the government to take over the last rebel-controlled area of the city, which was a centre of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
Observatory director Rami Abdulrahman said the attack was the second most deadly of its kind in Homs since 2011, and the deadliest for almost a year and a half.
Violence rages on unabated across the country as world powers and the United Nations push to end the conflict, meeting in Geneva to try to broker a ceasefire.
Peace talks were suspended almost immediately earlier this month as Syrian government forces and their allies, backed by Russian air strikes, intensified assaults against insurgents in Aleppo province.
The latest fighting in the north of the country has displaced tens of thousands of people, many of whom headed for the Turkish border. The exodus added to more than 11 million already displaced by the conflict that has claimed 250,000 lives.


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Last Saturday Parsons The New School for Design kicked off its first ever art and design festival, and with nearly 200 public events taking place across its campus and around New York City what a festival it is! The event runs to May 23, 2011 culminating with a daylong block party on May 21 that will feature a printmaking jam, an interactive fashion photo booth, and musical performances.
"We are opening our doors to the public to showcase the talent found here at Parsons, but also to celebrate the future of art and design," said Joel Towers, executive dean of Parsons The New School for Design. "The Parsons Festival will comprise a number of exhibitions and installations featuring cutting-edge and critically engaged work in a wide range of disciplines."
In addition to the Block Party, highlights of the Festival include exhibitions of work by Parsons students, including a large-scale collaboration between Milk Studios and Parsons Photography, projections, screenings, music and art performances, an MFA Fine Arts exhibition at The Kitchen; an exhibition of experimental installations, screenings and an arcade of gaming projects by Design and Technology students at the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center.
Other events include a special screening of Somewhere to Disappear, a portrait of the renowned documentary photographer Alec Soth, followed by a conversation with Soth; an exhibition of new furniture concepts by Parsons Product Design students at the Poltrona Frau Showroom during the International Contemporary Furniture Fair; and a exhibition of work by students in Parsons legendary fashion school.
There also will be several symposia and panel discussions that address topical issues in the field. Scientists, scholars, and technology experts will come together for Transhumanism Meets Design, a symposium on technology's potential to radically transform the human condition.
For a full calendar of events, visit the Parsons Festival website at www.newschool.edu/parsonsfestival.


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Universal Sports iPad App: Video Highlights and Clips from World of Olympic Sports
As we move closer to the London Olympics later this Summer, we're turning our attention to mobile apps to help you get ready for the 2012 Games. One app you should definitely check out if you have an iPad is the Universal Sports app.
If you aren't familiar with the Universal Sports Network, it's part of the NBC family of networks. It delivers content from the world of Olympic-related sports like swimming, track and field, gymnastics, volleyball, skiing, figure skating and rugby.
The Universal Sports iPad app is the mobile arm of the Universal Sports Network and it has but one feature. Video. (Hey, if you are going to have just one feature, video is the one to have. ) It delivers high quality sortable video highlights from the world of Olympic sports.
Each video appears in a pop up window and can be converted to full screen with a simple tap. The clips include highlights and events to news and analysis.
If you are looking for video highlights and features of the world's top athletes striving to become Olympic medalists, this is an app you want to grab. Plus, it's free. There is actually a Universal Sports iPhone app, but it's so spectacularly horrific it's really not worth mentioning. I have no idea how it even made it to the App Store. Check it out only if you want a good laugh.
Download Universal Sports for iPad for free from the App Store.by


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CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Glen Galemmo, the former Cincinnati money manager at the center of a massive ponzi scheme, admitted his guilt in a federal court today.
"On behalf of Mr. Galemmo, he says I'm sorry. I've done wrong and I am trying to do what I can to make it right," said Ben Dusing, Galemmo's attorney to reporters gathered on the courthouse steps.
For the first time today, Galemmo admitted publicly he took millions of dollars from investors, but never invested it. That amount, according to today's plea deal, was somewhere between $7 and 20 million, with as many as 200 victims.
On Wednesday, Galemmo entered a guilty plea to money laundering and wire fraud. Each is punishable with up to 20-years in prison. Today's recommendation is that Galemmo face between eight and 15 years, plus restitution and forfeiture of his assets.
According to Kenneth Parker, the head of the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney's Office, "He created falsehoods to sustain this and after a particular amount of time this always happens. These schemes do collapse."
Galemmo, whose Park Avenue office building was raided by federal agents in July, sat down and talked exclusively with FOX19's Investigative Reporter Amy Wagner in September.
At the time, Galemmo claimed, "I believe the truth will come out in the end when the process has run its course in the legal matters."
FOX19's Wagner spoke to Galemmo's attorney Ben Dusing on Wednesday.
"A few months ago when I talked to glen he said the truth will come out in the end," said Wagner. "Do you feel the truth has come out at this point?"
Dusing said, "No." But he indicated more answers will come when Galemmo is sentenced, which is currently scheduled for May 28.
Until then, federal investigators will focus their attention on how much money Galemmo took in and how much of that money remains.
"Once we get the final amount, we'll work with the victims and hopefully get a little bit of their money back as much as we can," said Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Field Office. She went on to say, "A person who creates a web of financial lies will soon be caught up in it."
Copyright 2014 WXIX. All rights reserved.


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Bishop Victor Galeone of St. Augustine, Florida published a powerful statement on CINO politicians and Holy Communion in his diocesan paper.
Bishop Galeone reiterates Church teaching that "the right to life is the foundation fo all other rights." He also points out that abortion is not a sectarian issue for Catholics, but an issue of fundamental human rights.
But his strongest language is directed at those who claim to be pro-choice and Catholic:
"Can an avid proponent of abortion-on-demand be at the same time a Catholic in good standing with the church?" I answer that question by asking another: Can an avowed racist be a member in good standing of the NAACP? For similar reasons, there are some positions so extreme that they would bar one from being considered a good Catholic, not because a specifically Catholic teaching is being denied, but because a basic tenet of the natural law is being trashed. As members of the human family, we must obey the natural law, written on our hearts: "You shall not take an innocent life."
Go forth and read it!
(Thanks to Amy and Michael for the link.)


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"The Princess and the Pea," illustration by Edmund Dulac, 1911
fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen
Dear readers, I did not know that my writer's retreat was going to turn into a mysterious disappearance. I am so sorry. It is all the fault of something as tiny as a pea. A little pill, no bigger than a one-half of a pea, has literally brought me to my knees.
It is very hard to arrive in one's sixties without having to take one or two tiny little medications of one sort or another. I have not managed to escape the physician's prescription pad, try as I might. And this one teeny tiny pill keeps me up all night and yet will not let me quite wake up all day. We are searching for an alternative, but until we do, I find myself without the energy to do much of anything.
I so much want my blog for poetry, not for something as prosaic as a pill. Then I thought of Dulac's enchanted illustration for "The Princess and the Pea," and found a way to fleetingly see my situation in some of the old fairytales.
You might wonder why I am having to take this little pill in the first place.
Well, I would have to go back to 1998. No, better go back to when I was born in 1943. No, wait. Because my father was born in Germany and was so very Germanic, I
really think I have to go back to the Brothers Grimm to find the answer. I must go back to the very moments when they were writing down all of their versions of the old
fairytales, especially that one about the little girl with the red
If I could think clearly, I know I could put my finger on something in "Little Red Riding Hood" that explains everything.
I'm quite sure it all started right here, faraway and long ago, in the deep dark woods. One thing led to another. The domino effect. But I haven't been able to sleep properly, you see, and so I can't think clearly. As soon as the fog in my mind clears, I will pounce upon the culprit in a nanosecond.
In the midst of my inability to sleep, we have decided to repaint our old house, both outside and inside, and to rip out the carpet in the bedroom and the boxroom, and the linoleum in the kitchen, so that we can reclaim the old wood floors throughout the whole house. I don't know if this is the worst possible timing for doing this or the best possible timing, but it pretty much means boxing everything up and getting it out.
I know that some of you have done major renovations and managed to keep on blogging without skipping a beat, but I do not think I am going to be able to. Even if I could sleep properly, I still might not quite have that extra bit of ooooomph.
During the worst of the renovation, I will probably spend my days at our little neighborhood castle. Yes, I have a castle almost in my front yard. The castle, otherwise known as the Elisabet Ney Museum, is open again after being in a state of renovation itself this past year, and I've been meaning to take you here on a tour.
I find it incredible that a castle is alive and well only four blocks away from my house. I walk past this wild wonderful landscape nearly every day of my life, and bow my head to Elisabet Ney who lived here and perfected her sculptures here. She is on my list of posts that I want to do for you. I can't possibly get too very lost when all I have to do is walk one block to the corner, turn left, and then three more blocks due east, and there it is, a castle in a field of wild grasses.
Our little old house, being made of wood rather than medieval stone, is built on what is called "pier and beam," and so before we can start to paint, we must have the house "releveled." Perhaps that is what I need the most: a house that is sitting level. Am I unable to sleep at night because I am living in a tilted house? Now that I think of it, not one doctor has ever asked me if my house needs to be releveled. It might be the most important question!
I should tell you that paper girl and rabbit are not happy about not being featured here on a regular basis. They have found an old typewriter, and I can hear them typing away in the middle of the night. I found a discarded scrap:
Oh dear! When I confronted them, they pretended to be made out of paper and unable to speak, much less operate a typewriter.
I don't know yet when I will start blogging again, but I will check back here in September and let you know how things are going sleep-wise and house-wise. Until then, dearest ones, please bear with me. I am trying to get back to you. With all my heart and soul.


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Australian Magnetics company Magswitch Technology Worldwide (MSWW) brings its first national deal to bear in Australia following great successes in their US subsidiary Magswitch Technology, Inc. In addition to national exposure MTWW has been able to secure a quality distribution channel through the renowned .Snap-on Tools. Australian arm.
.After 5 years of research & development and more recently success in Magswitch international subsidiaries (USA & South Korea), this is the first national exposure program in Australia. This presents a great validation of Magswitch welding products, especially the discussions began with Snap-on in September of 2006.
Snap-on Tools Australia, synonymous with high quality tools, have huge market coverage capability with 150 mobile distribution outlets in Australia & New Zealand. From the first time Snap-on Tools Australia saw Magswitch Welding ground clamps, they knew the product would fit well with its range. They are a quality product that offers the user great efficiency benefits. They.re fast to setup, fast to cleanup and are easy to use on flat, round, square stock.
The ground clamp range offered by Snap-On Tools Australia will incorporate three Amperage ranges.
200amp, 300amp & 600amp providing coverage from occasional welding through high end commercial welding. Snap-On's customer base really cover the gamut of welding operations, so in planning the launch strategy it was important to be able to cater to the welding needs of the occasional welder through to high end professional welders with the full range of Magswitch Ground Clamps.
Magswitch knew for a long time that the technology was attractive technically, but this is a great homecoming from a commercial standpoint with product being available throughout Australia and New Zealand through Snap-On.s extensive network. Magswitch has spent many years getting ready for the market in the US & Korea & to see it come home in Australia with this kind of launch is really satisfying. Snap-On tools Australia will have the Magswitch Welding Ground clamps available through their mobile distribution network and industrial team from December 1 2006.
Magswitch is a generic platform technology allowing powerful rare earth magnets to be turned on and off mechanically presenting a broad platform of applications from household use to aerospace including window and door locks, welding earth clamps, industrial automation, robot grippers, woodworking tools and more. Various strength models are available for a variety of applications achieving holding forces from 5kg to many tonnes.


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Margin Call, the latest in a line of films on the crash of 2008, depicts a Wall Street investment bank's last ditch attempts to save itself from impending disaster. Written and directed by first time feature director J.C.Chandor – and starring Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore and Jeremy Irons – The New Yorker called it "the best Wall Street movie ever made".It's been marketed as a thriller – but how do you create excitement when the action consists of men in suits peering at computer screens and talking on Blackberries? Does Margin Call have anything new to say on the much-debated causes of the collapse? Andrew Hill, FT management editor, puts these questions to Alex Preston, ex-City trader and author of This Bleeding City; Peter Aspden, FT arts writer; and Leo Robson, film and television critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown
Get alerts on when a new story is published


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Larry Wayne Kimble
Posted On January 26th, 2013 - Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Jan. 21, 2013
Larry Wayne Kimble, 45, of Honolulu, a Diamond Head Plumbing office manager, died in Honolulu. He was born in Petersburg, W.Va. He is survived by companion Henry Kamekona, parents Larry K. Kimble and Mary C. Luce, and a sister. Private services.
Posted in Death Notices


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"You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas."
Davy Crockett
My Build Thread
DIY E31 X-Brace Mod and Install
DIY Rear Seat Backrest Modification for E32 Armrest
Here's mine. Next to the old girl.
2016 Giga i3 Rex fluid black
2010 Alpine White Dinan 750Li M Sport
| RD Sport front lip | 760 rear valence mod | Alpina rear trunk spoiler | Roof spoiler | Aristo Forged wheels 22" 9.5 and 10.5 | H&R springs(fronts) | Dinan Stage 5 software | Dinan CF intake system | Dinan intercoolers | K40 RL360i radar | JL audio 1000 amp | JL audio 2 w3v2 12" | Hamann side skirts | Remus exhaust with resonator removed |
Ever since the recent advent of electric cars, the REAL cost per mile of those things has never been discussed. All you ever hear is the mpg in terms of gasoline, with no mention of the cost of electricity to run it. This is the first article Ive ever seen and tells the story pretty much as I expected it to.
Electricity is one of the least efficient ways to power vehicles, yet electric vehicles are being pushed into our economy through "rebates" and "global warming" nonsense Glad someone finally put engineering and math to paper.
At a neighborhood BBQ, I was talking to a neighbor, a BC Hydro executive. I asked him how that renewable thing was doing. He laughed, then got serious. If you really intend to adopt electric vehicles, he pointed out, you had to face certain realities. For example, a home charging system for a Tesla requires 75-amp service. The average house is equipped with 100-amp service. On our small street (approximately 25 homes), the electrical infrastructure would be unable to carry more than 3 houses with a single Tesla, each. For even half the homes to charge electric vehicles, the system would be wildly over-loaded.
This is the elephant in the room with electric vehicles... Our residential infrastructure will not bear the load. So as our genius elected officials continue to promote this nonsense, not only are we being urged to buy these things and replace our reliable, cheap generating systems with expensive, new windmills and solar cells, but we will also have to renovate our entire delivery system! This latter "investment" will not reveal itself until we are so far down this dead-end road that it will be presented with a government 'OOPS!' and a shrug.
If you care to argue with a green person over cars that are Eco-friendly, just read the following. Note: If you ARE a green person, read it anyway. Its enlightening.
Eric test drove the Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors and he writes, "For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine. Eric calculated that the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the battery. So, the range including the 9-gallon gas tank and the 16-kwh battery is approximately 270 miles.
It will take you 4-1/2 hours to drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a road trip, your average speed (including the charging time) would be 20 mph.
According to General Motors, the Volt battery holds 16 kwh of electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery. The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I looked up what I pay for electricity. I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16 per kwh. 16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery. $18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the Volt using the battery. Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine that gets only 32 mpg. $3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.
Buying a gasoline powered car costs about $20,000 while the Volt costs $46,000+ So, the American Government wants loyal Americans not to do the math, but simply pay three times as much for a car, that costs more than seven times as much to run, and takes three times longer to drive across the country.
BMW Garage
2017 BMW X5 Xdrive50i Msport 4.4i Twin Turbo F15
1992 BMW 325iC E30
VIN Decoder Click Here
Mike's 1992 BMW 325iC E30 60K Mile Service Click Here
1976 BMW 2002 - Sold, 1993 BMW 325is - Sold, 2006 BMW Z4 3.0is - Sold, 2010 BMW 335iX - Sold
That the grid that will not hold up to a mass EV adoption, I fully agree.
'01 740i Sport
'95 M3 Coupe
'95 M Roadster
'07 328i - sport, convenience - sold
'95 S6 - raced and sold
'00 528iT - sport - sold
'95 993 C2-sport - sold
'06 M3 Vert - sold
'10 TDi Jetta Cup Edition - totalled
'02 996 Cab - sold


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Read What Other Schools Have to Say
Review of Terminology
Talking Points
- Without thinking about specific infractions, what range of sanctions should be available?
- To what extent should sanctions take into account the accused's disciplinary history or employment history?
- To what extent should sanctions take into account the magnitude of the underlying power differential?
- Should Cornell's academic hiring process take into account the candidate's compliance with related policies at past institutions?
- Who adjudicates?
Last Updated: December 5, 2017 at 3:02 pm


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Top 6: Movies We've Seen Over and Over
Episode 35's Top 6 segment is about the movies we've seen over and over again. There are tens of thousands of movies out there, so why do we sometimes pick the same ones to watch over and over? Some of us do it more than others, but probably all of us have at least a title or two that we keep coming back to. In many cases, these may not even be our favorite movies. What are yours?
As always, we recommend listening to the episode before reading further.
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
- Casablanca (1942)
- The Big Lebowski (1998)
- The Great Race (1965)
- The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980) and The Gods Must Be Crazy II (1989)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- 1776 (1972)
- Back To the Future (1985)
- Star Wars (1977) / The Empire Strikes Back (1980) / Return of the Jedi (1983)


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The organic garden needs care, so it is important that you devote enough time to this area. Good organic horticulture techniques can be very useful in this context. This can help you grow tastier and happier produce. Use the following tips to create a flourishing and very rewarding organic garden.
Plants will respond with maximum growth if they have the amount of CO2 they require. More CO2 generally produces more luxurious plant growth. The best way to get a lot of it is through a greenhouse. When it is exposed to high carbon dioxide levels, a plant has the best growing condition possible.
If mildew is forming on your plants, you should not purchase an expensive chemical. Combine a bit of liquid soap and some baking soda with water. Spray this mix on your plants every week and the mildew should go away. This mixture will not hurt your plants and it will eliminate the mildew slowly but efficiently.
If you are considering planting a garden take the time to plan it out. This way, when the sprouts start shooting up, you can recall where you planted each plant. You can also avoid losing the smaller plants, or in larger gardens, the small plant groups.
If you want flowers in spring and summer, plant bulbs in the garden. Most people have no trouble successfully growing bulbs, and their flowers will return each and every year. Choose from the variety of bulbs that bloom at various times of the growing season for a garden of color all spring and summer long.
Shelter your deciduous shrubs. Fragile shrubs, that are planted in pots, should be covered to protect them during the cold season. Connect the tops, and then place a sheet over the top of the wigwam. People sometimes use plastic to wrap their plants, but plastic can cause the plants to rot because it impedes air circulation.
Protect your tender deciduous shrubs. If the temperature drops below 50 degrees, you should consider protecting them, especially if they do best in warm environments. Connect the tops, and then place a sheet over the top of the wigwam. Using fabric, rather than plastic, allows air circulation and prevents rotting from moisture build up.
For weeds that aren't in the middle of your plants, use boiling water to kill their roots. Boiling water is a safe herbicide which won't damage your garden or your body. Douse the weeds with this pot, just avoid the nearby plants. The roots of the weeds are damaged by the boiling water which, in turn, inhibits further growth.
Knee Pads
An excellent garden shouldn't begin from plants. They should begin from seeds. The environmentally conscious way to start a new garden is to start with seeds. Packaging materials for many plants utilize plastics that are not recyclable, so avoid these containers and choose instead to sow your garden with seeds or utilize organic pots.
If you have many low-growing plants in your garden, get yourself a pair of gardening knee pads. Weeding, watering and picking through your vegetation can cause a lot of damage to your knees if left unprotected. Investing in good knee pads will help cushion your knees so you are more comfortable.
If you want to draw advantageous insects to your garden, plant some heather. Bees are very attracted to heather. When heather is first formed during the spring, it's an early nectar source. It is common to find all types of insects inside of an undisturbed heather bed. For this reason, you should always remember to put on your gardening gloves when tending to your heather.
Fertilizing is an important step in preparing your garden soil. Choose commercial compost instead of homegrown manure to keep toxins out of your plants. There are numerous types of fertilizers available. What type you select is less of a concern; any kind of fertilizer is better than none.
When the time comes to harvest your produce, collect it using an old laundry basket. An old basket will act like a strainer does. If you leave your produce in the basket while rinsing it, the basket will be able to serve as a strainer, with the extra water dripping out the holes in the bottom of the basket.
Heather is a magnet for friendly insects. Heather is great for getting bees to stop by at the beginning of spring, as heather plants have nectar available early in the season. Since a heather bed is normally left undisturbed, ground beetles, spiders and other beneficial insects tend to live inside it. Because of this, you might want to invest in a good pair of horticulture gloves for the times when you need to prune it.
When planting seeds you should cover them with fine soil. Determine its depth by looking at the seed's size and multiplying it by three. Some seeds need to be in direct sunlight, though, so you need to know information about each type of seed. These seeds include petunias and ageratum. If you do now know how to plant your seed, consult the information that came with the seed when you bought it or check online for helpful information.
As you've read from the above tips, proper organic horticulture may really affect the nutrients and freshness of your produce. It may take a ton of work, but it is worth it.
One unusual tip in organic gardening, is to "pet" your seedlings often. Use your hands or a piece of cardboard and lightly ruffle the seedling about one or two times a day. Believe it or not, aerating the soil in this manner can actually make your seedlings grow larger.