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What Kamaal R Khan is saying about Ajay Devgn's claims of Karan Johar paying him
Hate him or hate him (please point us to someone who loves him), you can't ignore Kamaal R Khan. Not because of his one and only film Desh Drohi, not because of his Bigg Boss stint, and not even because he's plastered all over Twitter.
You can't ignore him because he always finds a way to make it to the headlines, every once in a while.
Also read: The battle begins: Ajay Devgn accuses Karan Johar of paying for negative tweets on Shivaay
This is why we can't believe the biggest clash of the year between two big ticket films Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Shivaay, has its origin in Kamaal R Khan.
Upon reading the above Firstpost report, it should be clear what the whole drama is about.
Devgn claims Karan Johar paid KRK to tweet negatively about Shivaay, KRK claims Devgn-Kumar Mangat (his business partner) paid him to tweet negatively about Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Devgn is putting out emotional statements about the clash (it's not his first) and Johar is maintaining a shocking silence.
The only draw to make out of this whole situation is that it is baffling that people don't know how to use the phone in today's age. Devgn's wife Kajol has been best friends with Karan Johar for years. This is a matter that can be easily solved by having a conversation privately.
This brings us to our primary deduction from this messy drama (and be warned, Firstpost was the first to say it): if it's out in the public domain, it's most likely to have been pre-decided. Devgn is far too dignified to play the victim card and allege conspiracy against him, unless his film is involved. This usually only happens around the release of his film (Son of Sardar in 2012 was the last time a bitter clash occured). #ConnectTheDots
And now, this sting operation/clash drama/battle of the clashes (what have you) has given fodder to Kamaal R Khan to make it all about him.
Today @ajaydevgn has proved that KRK Sirf Ek Naam Nahi Hai Balki Aaj KRK Ek brand Hai.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
Sir @ajaydevgn 2-4 Dafaa Aaraam Se Suniye Isko Thande Dimag se, Aur Samajhye Ki Maine Kaya Kaha. Lol! Exposed😛 https://t.co/2iWMWeq3eW
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
Let me clear it. Karan Johar has never paid me or asked me to bash #Shivaay n you can hear it in the tape. I said 25 Lakhs to avoid Kumar.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
Ppl thinking that I called Kumar Mangat but not true. Actually he is close friend n he only called me n he called me many times before also.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
One side Ajay Devgan is calling me self claimed critic n other side he thinks that I am really powerful no.1 critic who can harm his film.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
Today both films #Shivaay n #AeDilHaiMushkil got free publicity of millions of ₹ with my name and this is the power of The Brand KRK. G.N.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 1, 2016
If you are talking with Kumar Mangat or @ajaydevgn then you should be careful because they can tape you.
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 2, 2016
And finally, because his Twitter timeline was not enough, Kamaal R Khan is holding a press conference today (2 Sept) to clarify all the allegations made on him.
My press conference today at 5pm at my office 7/70, mahada, Andheri West, where I will give detailed reply for all allegations of Ajay Devgn
— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) September 2, 2016
Better have your popcorn ready.
Updated Date: Sep 02, 2016 16:44 PM


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Feel free to follow along with this sample presentation for PowerPoint or Keynote.
Not only will a presentation with your Myo armband blow your audience away; features such as point and zoom can make a huge difference in the way you capture attention and share ideas.
The day of your presentation, you'll want to follow these tips and tricks. But how exactly does Presentation Mode work?
To get started, make sure you have Myo Connect installed on your computer. If you don't have it yet, visit myo.com/start.
As long as you have Myo Connect running, it will appear in your system tray or Mac menu bar. Open Myo Connect by right clicking on the tray icon and opening the Application Manager.
Opening the Applications Manager on Windows.
To activate Presentation Mode, just flip the switch at the top of Myo Connect. Myo for Presentations is built into Myo Connect, so you won't have to download anything from Myo Market. While Presentation Mode is active, all other connectors will be deactivated.
Now you're ready to present! Just open your presentation in PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi or Adobe Reader and you'll be off to the races.
To control your presentation, you'll need to use three gestures:
Double Tap: Move Forward in your presentation. Your arm doesn't have to be in front of you so feel free to relax your hand by your side.
Wave-In and Hold: Wave your hand inward, and hold until Myo stops vibrating. Keep holding back to go back multiple steps.
Make a Fist and Rotate: Depending on which way you rotate your fist, you can do two things.
- Pointer: Make a fist and rotate it counter-clockwise to turn on pointer. You can customize the color of your pointer in Preferences. Double Tap to turn the pointer off.
- Zoom: Make a fist and rotate it clockwise to zoom. Double Tap to zoom out.
For a complete refresher, take a tour of the Getting Started Guide in Myo Connect or watch this 90 second walk through. Make sure that your Myo armband is connected so that the Getting Started Guide is accessible in your Myo Connect menu.
Using multimedia in your presentation? Set video/audio clips to automatically play so you won't have to touch your keyboard.
We've also created Pocket Presenter, an alternate Presentation Scheme that only works when your arm is down by your side.
Be sure to let us know about your next presentation with Myo!

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome Home Concert features hannie mcgarity, violinist
Saturday, January 6, 2018, 7:00 PM at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall, Bellingham 98225
Every year, the Festival sponsors a winter recital by a young musician from the area who is currently studying to be a professional musician in a nationally recognized music program. The concert typically takes place at the end of the holiday season just after New Year's. It celebrates the talent and dedication of the featured young artists, their teachers, and the training they received in area education programs.
Violinist Hannie McGarity grew up in Bellingham, Washington and studied with Professor Walter Schwede of WWU while attending Bellingham High School. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Performance at St. Olaf College, where she studies with Dr. Francesca Anderegg. Hannie plays in the St. Olaf Orchestra, which toured Argentina and Uruguay in June 2016. As the winner of the 2017 Edvard Grieg Society of Minnesota String Competition, she performed at the International Grieg Society Seminar in Bergen, Norway in October. She looks forward to studying abroad in Vienna, Austria this spring.
The concert is free to all students. $15 suggested donation for adults. No tickets required.
Photo by Evan Pak


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I have a better system (than Pay TV) and I don't pay a monthly fee. I record whatever TV I want and skip the commercials, they also set up easy access to my pictures and music. The system is very simple to use, Brian is very knowledgeable & has great customer service.
Google Review


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Allen, Texas - November 27, 2006 - QuadriSpaceTM Corporation, a leading provider of 3D Publishing software for manufacturing, architecture and digital content, today announced integrated support for the Autodesk DWF platform.
QuadriSpace will demonstrate the new DWF workflow solutions at Autodesk University 2006 at booth #147. Companies are invited to learn how they can leverage QuadriSpace and DWF to reduce costs, improve time-to-market, increase collaboration and easily produce better product documentation and marketing materials.
QuadriSpace supplies best-in-class 3D Publishing solutions. These patented solutions provide an excellent set of products for creating illustrations, movies, printed documents, and interactive 3D documents without using CAD tools.
With the upcoming release, QuadriSpace will add support for DWF models. This will provide improved compatibility with the full line of Autodesk products and allow users to leverage the DWF platform by publishing interactive and robust DWF models.
With QuadriSpace products:
•· Manufacturing companies can use DWF models for assembly instructions, technical illustrations, printed manuals, training materials, sales presentations and much more.
•· Architecture firms can leverage the DWF platform for 3D walkthroughs, client presentations, interactive documents, etc.
•· Digital Content creators can author and publish 3D documents, reuse 3D models for interactive presentations, etc.
"The DWF platform has been architected to support workflows across the entire product lifecycle. By including DWF support within its solutions, QuadriSpace enables customers to extend the value of 3D models across the complete supply chain," said, Kevin Wandryk, senior director of marketing, Autodesk Collaboration Solutions.
"DWF files are currently created by more than 30 Autodesk products and shared across multiple industries," states Brian Roberts, President, QuadriSpace. "Our products will facilitate the use of 3D DWF to downstream users and help companies incorporate a complete 3D workflow."
About QuadriSpace
QuadriSpace Corporation delivers premier 3D publishing solutions using its patented technology (U.S. Patent # 7,068,269). Our software solutions enhance productivity by enabling documentation and presentation reuse throughout the business process. The easy-to-use products minimize the time to market and the documentation costs throughout the enterprise. QuadriSpace products serve a broad user base of architects, engineers and technical publication professionals.
Press Contact


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Molar tooth, artwork
F008/1930 Royalty Free
Please login to use the price calculator
Credit: PIXOLOGICSTUDIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.
Keywords: adult woman, anatomical, anatomy, artwork, biological, biology, close up, cross section, dental, dentistry, detail, female anatomy, female likeness, front view, gum, head and shoulders, healthy, human body, human representation, illustration, molar, mouth, normal, odontology, oral, oral hygiene, teeth, tooth, white background
Licence fees: A licence fee will be charged for any media (low or high resolution) used in your project.


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The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean are a trio of large land masses (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman) collectively recognized as the Caribbean's financial hub. It's common to see executives dressed in business suits walking around with their suitcases and glued to their cell phones yet there are just as many people wearing bathing suits and swimming gear lounging on the Cayman Islands world class beaches and snorkeling in the amazing coral reefs.
Before they received their collective title of Cayman Islands, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus gave the Cayman Islands the name of Tortugas, the Spanish word for turtles after he came across a group of them on Little Cayman during the early 1500s. It wasn't until English privateer Francis Drake visited almost a decade later that Tortugas were renamed Caymanas, the word the Carib tribe used to refer to crocodiles. The British eventually took possession of the Cayman Islands in the late 1600s.
Diving has a longstanding history in the Cayman Islands, dating all the way back to the 1950s yet despite its current popularity local residents (usually referred to as Caymanians) initially refused to allow outsiders to pierce the islands' tranquil isolation. Tough financial circumstances eventually lead to the Cayman Islands opening its doors and today, not only are the Cayman Islands among the best in Caribbean tourism, they have more financial institutions than the state of New York City in the United States.
The Cayman Islands thrive heavily on tourism these days, over a million people visit the trio of Caribbean islands each year. As a result, there are a number of shopping, entertainment, dining and recreational activities to enjoy, the highlight being Seven Mile Beach which is considered one of the best beaches in the world and the most beautiful Caribbean beach. This is where visitors will find the majority of resorts and hotels as well as a collection of waterfront villas. The islands are also considered one of the best spots in the world for scuba diving and the islands offer complementary attractions for these activities such as allowing tourists to swim alongside stingrays at Stingray City in Grand Cayman Island. There is also plenty of nature to explore from a large variation of wildlife to the fascinating limestone formations of Hell.
The majority of Cayman Islands residents speak English although there are notably distinct dialects and accents depending on where visitors choose to go, Jamaican patois also being quite prevalent in various areas. The people of the Cayman Islands are also known for being very cordial and respectful, usually addressing fellow foreigners and fellow islanders with a "mister" or "miss". Pirate's Week, Batabano, and Brachanal are some of the annual festivities and events held in the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands are known for their acclaimed waterfront real estate. The standard of living in the Cayman Islands is the highest of any Caribbean Island, leading to well developed residential communities and commercial areas. Cayman Island estates are often ideally located on the oceanfront or intercostals and have lush landscaping, multiple floors as well as a dock, porch and terraces. Resort-style communities can be elaborate and have long stretches of private beach. The buildings are very well maintained and implement modern amenities and features while not diverting far from the Caribbean-style designs that makes these properties appealing.
The Cayman Islands have a variety of different styled property, the most popular being coastal homes. Cayman Island waterfront homes can have as many as six bedrooms and like the Cayman Island estates, are several stories high with spacious balconies, a pool, patio and private beach area. Having a large Cayman Island property gives you the privacy and seclusion most are looking for when planning a Caribbean vacation. Smaller Cayman Island vacation villas are available and can be found on some of the more secluded islands. Two bedroom island homes often have large patios and can be located right on the sands of the sunny Cayman Island beaches.
Resort-style communities like the Hyatt Regency, Ritz Carlton and Westin Casuarina in the Cayman Islands are oceanfront condominiums with hotel-like amenities or even individual properties in a beachfront housing community. The appeal of Cayman Island resort-style living is that the communities are often on great plots of land and offer services that provide security and enhance convenience. Amenities include concierge services, 24-hour security, multiple pools and tennis courts, beachside and poolside attendants with restaurants and taverns nearby.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman Beach Suites
The Grand Caymanian Resort
The Ritz-Carlton
The official currency of the Cayman Islands is the Cayman Island Dollar (CI$)
Calling Code: 1 (345)
Top Level Domain: (.ky)
The Cayman Islands is an overseas territory of Britain, but is headed by a local governor and Leader of Government Business.
Passport requirements:
Passports: Required
Valid Travel Documents: Required upon exit and entry
Government Issued Photo ID: Required
Climate: The temperatures average is 75°F (23.9°C) during the day and 68°F (20°C) during the night. During the off-season, temperatures average 83°F (28.3°C)
Religion: Christianity
Language: English
Tips when you get there:
The Cayman Islands has an international airport and has numerous direct flights, especially from cities in the U.S. like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis and Boston. When you arrive in the Cayman Islands the most efficient form of transportation is to rent a car. Unless you're staying in George Town, taxis and public bus services aren't very reliable. After you check into your hotel or residence, the island's flat landscape is ideal for bike riding and it's also a popular method of perusing the islands.
What to do:
The Cayman Islands, positioned between Cuba and Jamaica, obviously have year-round beach weather. Cayman Island beaches have white sands and blue waters and depending on where you are you can see beautiful coral and marine wildlife just off the shore. But if guests want to take a break from the beaches and see what else the Cayman Islands offer, there is more than plenty to see.
Turtle farms, art galleries, historical structures, national parks and famous shipwrecks are all unique and interesting places to visit. The famous Wreck of Ten Sails Park features a shipwreck sight with ten ships in a convoy that tragically ran aground at night in 1794. The turtle farms in the Cayman Islands are also incredibly popular featuring many different kings of Caribbean turtles.
Additionally, annual events such as the Carnival-like festival of Batabano, pirate week, and an international fishing tournament spread out throughout the year offer special celebration opportunities for visitors.


text: Hunting Miss Homemade: Recipe Recipe Posted 10-10-2016 Fried Squirrel with Bacon Recipe This "all-in-one-pan" dinner will be easy for you to prepare when you come home from work By: Raschell Rule, MissHomemade.com Ingredients: 1 squirrel, cut into pieces 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup flour 3 bacon sliced, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 cup dry sherry Directions: Fry the bacon and onions together; remove from pan. Drain well. Rub the squirrel with salt and pepper. Roll in flour and fry in the bacon grease until brown on all sides. Add the lemon juice and sherry. Simmer for 1 hour. For more delicious squirrel recipes, please visit www.MissHomemade.com. Share This Story Next From Recipe Crush Recipe: Venison Sausage Bread Related Miss Homemade - Game and Meat Recipes : Posted 10-07-2016 New Orleans Dove Recipe View Miss Homemade - Game and Meat Recipes : Posted 10-05-2016 Blackberry Barbecue Rabbit Recipe View Miss Homemade - Game and Meat Recipes : Posted 10-04-2016 Tasty Baked Squirrel Recipe View Comments Categories Appetizers Breakfast Campfire Desserts Drinks Grilling Main Course Sauces and Rubs Sides Slow Cooker Snacks Features Deer Season Outdoors 365 with Lynn Burkhead Everything Deer with Jeremy Flinn Short Stories by Larry Potterfield Opening Days Live Hunts Hunting Check Out All The Photos Explore the United States. Find information about and activities within your state. Get Started


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SHOT Show Isn't All Shooting And Killing Stuff
January 31, 2012
You can hardly turn on one of the hunting channels these days without someone taking disabled kids, wounded vets, or some other special case into the field. It's a great thing, and an excellent use of the resources the hunting shows and their sponsors have available.
The SHOT Show reflects that philanthropic aspect of the industry as well as all of the shooting and hunting. Several organizations that support the military were represented, as were the more traditional organizations such as 4-H and Kids and Clays. If I tried to write about all of them, I'd be at it for days. However, I attended press conferences for a couple that serve as good examples of what's going on.
First of all, Bushnell Sport Optics threw a breakfast for the media. After a run-down of their new products, they came back to the Folds of Honor program.
Folds of Honor was created by USAF Major Dan Rooney after his second tour in Iraq. The mission of the organization is described on the Folds of Honor website as follows:
The Folds of Honor Foundation is rallying a nation to ensure no family is left behind in the fight to preserve American freedom. Through scholarships and other assistance, we give back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country. We provide healing, hope and an opportunity for dreams to be realized…with the support of people like you. We feel this is our duty as citizens of the greatest country in the world.
This is Bushnell's second year as a partner in the program. Among other things the optics giant is doing, they're offering a rebate on certain rangefinders. The customer can then opt to donate part or all of the rebate to the Folds of Honor Foundation. At this year's presentation, Bushnell presented a check for $200,000 as a result of the generosity of the corporation and its customers.
Another cool aspect of the presentation this year was the appearance of Craig Morgan. Morgan is a country musician as well as an outdoor television host (All Access Outdoors on The Sportsman Channel). He performed a pair of songs he'd just written, and made an announcement about some work he might be doing soon to support the Folds of Honor Foundation. I'll let ya'll know as soon as the news is official.
Later in the week, as I was sitting in the press room, a couple of NSSF people came through the room announcing a press conference. I looked up and saw outdoor media luminaries like Jim Shockey and Jim Zumbo heading into the conference room, so I figured this might be worth checking out.
And it was…
The conference was to announce the kickoff of the Outdoor Legends Tour, a goodwill tour of outdoors "personalities" who would be heading over to "somewhere in the southeast asia area" to visit the troops. Included in the group were Shockey, Zumbo, Michael Waddell, Brenda Valentine, Cuz Strickland, and many others.
From what I understood (where the heck did I leave my notes?), the tour would be similar to USO tours, only the celebrities would mingle directly with the troops, shaking hands, distributing swag, and generally doing what they could to provide a positive impact on morale.
As I mentioned, these are only a couple of the numerous programs and organizations driven by American outdoorsmen and the industry. There's an opportunity for all of us to take the hunt to a different level, share our heritage, and help out some folks who could really use a little extra good in their lives.
Something About A Labrador
January 30, 2012
I don't know what it is, but there's something about labs. I've owned, trained, and shown a handful of different dogs, and I've loved them all. But labs hold a special place for me. Maybe it's because they're the only dog I've owned that hunts with me.
No dog ever lives as long as we wish it would, but I've had particularly bad luck with my last two. Both of them died young, one mysteriously (Lucky) and one from lymphatic cancer (Cyrus). Of course, it wasn't much easier with my previous dogs who lived long, full lives. You just get so attached…
Anyway, after almost a year of waiting, hoping, and planning, I got a call a couple weeks ago from the breeder who sold us Cyrus. I'd been hoping to get another pup from her, but it was starting to look like it just wasn't going to happen. Then she called with the news I'd been waiting for! The pups were here, and I was welcome to come take my pick of the males.
So here he is! Igneous Rock (Iggy), seven weeks old, is the newest addition to the household. By next fall, he should be ready to chase birds… although right now I'm not sure if it'll be CA waterfowl and pheasants, or TX quail and waterfowl.
Doesn't matter.
The main thing is, we've got a new pup!
Lead Ban Chronicles – Lead-Free Ammunition Trends From SHOT 2012
January 27, 2012
To be honest, I really didn't have high hopes of learning anything new about lead ammunition at this year's SHOT Show. Of course I knew the manufacturers like Barnes, Hornady, and Nosler would be adding new calibers to their menus. That's an ongoing effort, and probably much needed as more and more voices are being raised against lead ammo around the country.
Why is it much needed?
Unless the hunters and recreational shooters around this country get up and start fighting this thing, California-style ammo bans are going to start popping up all over the U.S. That's not just pessimism on my part, folks, the machinery is already in motion. Anti-lead propaganda is running rampant in editorials everywhere and the uneducated are eating it up while almost no reasonable voices are challenging the lies and misinformation. This is how policy happens.
So, with that in mind, maybe it's a good thing that a "trend" I thought I saw coming last year is really starting to develop. I guess it started with Remington a little earlier. Their initial lead-free ammunition featured the Lapua Naturalis bullet. They phased that out and moved to a proprietary copper bullet, the Remington Copper Solid (they did something similar when they moved away from Hevi-Shot to their own heavier-than-lead shot pellets). By switching to their own bullet, they reduced the dependency on a third party, and also reduced the cost to produce.
At the 2011 SHOT Show, I learned that Winchester was releasing their own lead-free bullet in the Power-Core 95/5 (and also in the newer RazorBack XT). They didn't phase out the successful Nosler ETip, but if the Power-Core takes off, I can see where their dependency on Nosler will decrease… especially with the price difference between the ETips and the Power-Cores. Right now, I expect they'll keep both lines, with the ETips in the "Supreme" (black box) line, while the Power-Core will fall into their standard (silver box) line.
This year I learned that Federal-Premium is now rolling out their proprietary lead-free bullet, the Trophy Copper, which will be loaded in their Vital-Shok line. I haven't had a chance to use this one yet, but I've got a request in for a few boxes to sample. From what I hear, though, the engineers at Federal have taken the criticism of other lead-free bullets into consideration and made a concerted effort to develop and deliver a bullet that expands well at a wide range of velocities, and also provides a better ballistic coefficient to enhance longer range performance.
Meanwhile, Barnes is expanding their line of factory-loaded cartridges in the Vor-TX line. I'll try some more of these out on game soon, but on paper, I found that the Vor-TX does shoot well out of my Savage. The point of impact is somewhat different from the 180gr ETips I've been shooting, but the groups are pretty tight. Maybe I'll get the chance to try these out on a Hill Country hog later this year.
Hornady, of course, has been loading their GMX bullet in the Superformance line. Those of you who've been following the Pig Man tv program have probably heard him rave about the performance of this bullet. I've shot some of my own handloads on paper, and the bullet does perform well at the range. Unfortunately, I've yet to get a chance to put these into the field. I hope to change that later this spring.
Bottom line, I think it's fair to start hoping for some more affordable, lead-free ammunition over the coming year. That may turn out to be a very good and timely thing!
Detailed Write-up On The Benjamin Marauder
January 26, 2012
Some of you may be sick to death of my posts about the Benjamin Marauder, and to you I apologize. I really hadn't intended to write about it again so soon, but then I read this great article on RealGuns.com. The write-up covers a level of detail that I simply didn't (and won't) get to, and it is really good stuff for the more technically minded. It's also some good stuff for anyone thinking about hunting with one of these rifles, as he gets into kinetic energy at various ranges.
If you don't want to actually read the article, here's how he sums it all up. It's not too different from my own summation, except he gets here with a much more detailed examination.
The Benjamin Marauder is interesting. It isn't a firearm and it wouldn't be fair to compare it to one. Compared to other air rifles I have worked with, the Marauder is well made, nicely finished and a good performer. As marketed by Crosman, the gun is lethal on lawn and garden pests, small game and some smaller predators. As is the case with other quality PCP guns, owning and shooting one is an investment, into the rifle and in the support systems required to make it a daily shooter. For situation where neighbors are relatively close in, noise is a problem, as are bullets that carry a long distances, the .25 Caliber Marauder may be one of the best solutions.
Guided Hog Hunts In CA With The Williams Family
January 25, 2012
One of the most common questions I think I get on this blog is, "can you recommend a good place to go hog hunting in California?"
I can.
Actually, I can recommend a bunch of good places. Unfortunately for some folks, these good places aren't open to the public. You either have to know someone really well, or you have to pay. That's just the way it is these days. There are some public lands you can hunt on, and some even have relatively good opportunities… the key word is "relative." But if you want good odds of success in this state, you're going to have to go on private ground, and this usually means going with a guide.
My friend Colby Williams and his dad, Mark, have been guiding in the Central Coast area for several years. In fact, Mark is pretty well known in the area and has been guiding for hogs since they first became a viable game animal. I've recommended them to hunters for quite some time, but every time, I had to dig around on the web to find a phone number.
Well, that's no longer an issue. I just got a note from Colby, letting me know that Hog Wild now has a website: http://www.williamshuntingservice.com/. Take a look, and if you're after a good guided hunt opportunity, you'll find all the information you need.
Favorite Hog Rifles From The 2012 SHOT Show
January 24, 2012
Every year at the SHOT Show I try to come up with a list of my favorite things. This year is no different, so I thought I'd give some thought to which of the new rifles I'd like to carry on a hog hunt.
The options are fairly wide, but since I didn't really spend any time with the ARs or military stuff, that's sort of out. I do have to admit to a certain satisfaction at the .416 Barrett. Any rifle that allows me to shoot stationary clay pigeons from almost 1000 yards away… well, that's just fun. But it's kind of loud, and anyway, I'm not really interested in shooting game from that sort of range.
And then, there was the RAC AR-12, shotgun. This is a semi-automatic shotgun modeled on the AR-15 (hence the name). I played with one a bit at the skeet range, and while I couldn't get the hang of it enough to hit a clay, it was sort of fun just to shoot. I wonder how it would handle slugs? I didn't ask, but maybe I should have.
Regardless, I doubt I'd have a lot of interest in hunting with this gun, but it would definitely be a conversation-starter! I can only imagine the looks you'd get unpacking this thing at the duck club!
Really, I'm more of a traditional rifle sort of guy, and I do like my lever actions. My old Winchester 94 was a trusty tool in the whitetail woods, and my Browning lever action in .243 has also been a real deer slayer. However, Mossberg has really pushed the envelope a little too hard with this year's entry… the 464SPX.
So what did I like?
Well, I've already written about the rifle that really caught my attention… the Savage Hog Hunter.
While I'd prefer a different caliber selection, this setup really worked for me. I've always been a fan of Savage rifles, both for reliability and accuracy. The accu-trigger isn't a new thing anymore, but I still think it makes a really good rifle great (although it took some getting used to). Topped with the Leupold HOG scope, the rifle is quick on target and should be the ticket for rapid follow-up or on hogs breaking cover at close range.
As with most of the other offerings from Savage, the Hog Hunter is priced right too, at around $500 without the scope. The scope retails for a shade less than the rifle… not cheap, but I still believe you pay for quality in optics.
Another rifle I thought would be great for hog hunting is Winchester's reborn Model 71, chambered in .348win. I stumbled onto this rifle during the range day, and couldn't stop myself from putting a few rounds downrange. It's a sweet feeling rifle, and the .348 doesn't kick as bad as you might expect.
I don't know a ton about the .348, but from my reading it's a very capable round to 200 yards. With the iron sights on this rifle, I think you could have a blast on hogs, and kill them cleanly too. The only downside I can see is that the MSRP on this thing is a bit over $1400. That's a lot of money for a levergun, but if you're into the classics, it may be worth it.
I had to reach a bit to come up with my last selection. It was close, between the new Thompson-Center Dimension and Ruger's new American rifle.
The Dimension is a pretty cool piece of work. I think the guys at TC (and Smith and Wesson) covered the bases well when they designed this gun… right down to the preset torque driver for assembling the barrels and actions. With an MSRP of around $600, and additional barrels for about $200, it's not an unaffordable addition to the gun safe. Accuracy is supposed to be pretty impressive too, although I haven't shot one for accuracy. But I just couldn't fall in love with this thing.
Ruger, on the other hand, has released a new line of affordable rifles in their American line. These are lightweight, but sturdy rifles, priced in the mid-$400 range. They are intially available in four common calibers, .243, .270, .308, and 30-06.
I didn't get the chance to shoot the American on the range, but I handled the heck out of a couple on the show floor later in the week. These are not beautiful rifles by any stretch of the imagination, and they don't have a lot of "wow" factor, but they appear to be designed for functionality.
I've shot the M77 in a lot of variations, and it's a solid rifle that can take a beating. If the American is of any comparison, it's going to be a hot ticket item… especially for budget-conscious hunters.
There are a lot of other great rifles out there, but I had to select a small handful to make this manageable. What did stand out about this particular group was the price (excepting, of course, the M71). Gun makers haven't forgotten about the budget-conscious hunters out there, and with the general quality of modern rifles these days, you simply don't have to spend a fortune for a really high-quality gun. I think that's a very good thing.
Lead Ban Chronicles – Is The Lead Ban Saving The Condors?
January 23, 2012
In a report a few years ago, the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) wrote a fairly extensive report on the state of the California condor. In it, as many other reports have stated, the writers concluded that unless lead ammunition is completely removed from the environment, the condor program will never be a success. But what they also said is that even if lead is abolished, the success of the condor reintroduction is a tenuous proposition. There are simply too many factors aligned against this big bird. (You can read the whole thing here.)
A new report (that sounds an awful lot like the old reports) was recently released by the San Diego Zoo, and suggests that humans are still the biggest threat to the survival of the condor.
Scientific paper shows California condor still threatened by human activities
A recently released scientific paper authored by San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research scientists shows the leading causes of death of the endangered California condor in the wild are human influenced, with lead poisoning being the primary factor in juvenile and adult birds.
The study documents the deaths of wild California condors at all release sites—California, Arizona and Baja, California, Mexico—from the inception of the reintroduction program in October 1992 through December 2009. The study found that 70 percent (53 out of 76) of condor moralities can be attributed to human influences. For nestlings (birds younger than 6 months of age), 73 percent of known mortalities can be attributed to the consumption of microtrash, such as bottle caps and small pieces of broken glass, plastic and metal. Lead toxicosis, from the ingestion of spent ammunition, was the most important factor in juvenile condor mortality (birds between the age of 6 months and 5 years) and was the only significant cause of death in adults (birds 6 years old and older). Eight of 23 birds that died of lead poisoning still had metal or lead fragments in their gastrointestinal tract. Condor 422 was in the wild for six months and was exposed to lead four times prior to its death.
"The most important mortality factor for the combined free-ranging populations was lead toxicosis," states the report. "The evidence that the principal source of exposure is lead ammunition is overwhelming and includes the recovery of lead shotgun pellets and bullet fragments from the upper GI tract where lead is readily absorbed and tissue lead isotope signatures that match lead ammunition and not other sources of lead." In addition, the paper cites exposures to lead that coincide with deer hunting season, the condor's foraging activity in popular hunting areas, high numbers of lead-bullet fragments in hunter-killed carcasses and lack of other lead sources in condor habitat. "Although lead toxicosis from spent ammunition still threatens the survival of the California condor, one of our most iconic species, the good news is that solutions are available in the form of nontoxic ammunition," said Bruce Rideout, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research director of wildlife disease laboratories. "We can make this a win-win situation if we choose to." Additional human-influenced deaths included 11 power-line collisions or electrocution. However, no fatal collisions or electrocutions have occurred since 2007, when power-pole aversion training was introduced for condors being prepared for release into the wild. During the study period, four birds died by gunshot and one by arrow. Two birds ingested zinc-core pennies, which led to zinc poisoning.
Parent feeding of microtrash to nestlings was the most important cause of death in this age class. Biologists have been clearing nest caves of trash prior to hatching and periodically throughout the nestling stage to reduce this problem. It has helped, but the cause of this behavior by adult birds remains open to speculation. One belief is the parents are feeding what they believe to be bone or mollusk-shell fragments—but is actually trash—as a calcium source for the chicks. Others suggest it is a substitute for small stones and sticks that aid digestion. Polished bone fragments are now being provided as a calcium source for adults to feed to nestlings.
From The WTF Files – Tejon Suspending Hunting Activities?
January 21, 2012
Color me shocked, dismayed, and a little bit disappointed. I just saw the news this morning that the Tejon Ranch will be suspending all hunting activitivies for the immediate future. They've even gone so far as to cancel memberships and return member fees.
According to the article I just read from KGET.com, the ranch is doing this in order to review their hunting practices and wildlife management approach.
Tejon Ranch Company will work closely with the DFG in examining every aspect of the Ranch's hunting program. The Ranch's goal will be to institute best hunting management standards and practices, including a full examination of whether allowing unsupervised access to the Company's 422 square miles of Ranch property may have contributed to this unfortunate series of events.
"While it's in the long term best interests of conservation for hunting to continue on the Ranch," said Stine, "we believe a short-term suspension of our normal operations are necessary to determine the best way to operate the hunting program to ensure that these actions never again occur on Tejon Ranch, even if that means severely restricting hunting access to the Ranch."
Of course, this is little more than a euphemistic way of saying that they've caught so much heat over last May's allegations of illegal mountain lion hunting that they're scrambling to appease a handful of detractors. It's become fairly typical of Tejon Ranch to overreact this way, whether it's banning lead ammunition or giving away control over a huge part of the property for "conservation".
It's no secret that, at the heart of all of this are the Ranch's efforts to develop a large sector of the property for housing, golf courses, and a resort. They've bent over backwards with efforts to get the environmental organizations to stop fighting their development plans. And the problem with this is that they don't seem to realize that, the more they give, the more these organizations will take. This is not compromise. Tejon is never going to make it "OK" to develop pristine wild lands. All they're succeeding at doing is drawing the noose tighter around their own necks, and in so doing, they're stringing up their customers as well.
A key goal of the "investigation" is to determine if unsupervised access to the ranch by hunters and members presents an unacceptable risk of poaching and other illegal activity. I'm not sure what this means in the long run, but for now I'm hearing a lot of disgust and anger from members and hunters, and I can't blame them. Even though the alleged mountain lion poaching was supposedly carried out by employees and friends of the Ranch staff, the finger appears to be pointing at the hunters and members who pay to hunt there… folks like myself, and the hundreds of people like me who've enjoyed hunting on that beautiful place.
Seriously, anytime the ranch gets heat for anything, whether it's lead ammo, illicit mountain lion hunts, or some idiot killing a condor, the rest of us bear the burden of increased regulation and restrictions. I believe a company should stand up for its customers, rather than allowing them to bear the blame for this sort of foolishness.
I love hunting the Tejon Ranch, and even though I'm leaving California, I'd looked forward to coming back to hunt there with my friends on a regular basis (I still have a lifetime license in this state). But in light of this action and the apparent reflection on all of us who've hunted there over the years, I'm beginning to think I'm done with the place. Just maybe, when the ranch decides to implement whatever new program it has in mind, folks should tell them, "no, thank you."
What's The SHOT Show All About? A Video Revue…
January 19, 2012
Here are a few perspectives of the SHOT Show from YouTube. I've got some of my own stuff coming, but thought you might enjoy seeing what some other folks are looking at.
First, from the horse's mouth, so to speak, a promo from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
Then there's this piece from Media Day at the Range. And yes, the tactical guns were the stars of the show again this year. Check out the Gatling gun, by the way… 5000 rounds went through this thing on Monday!
And now for something completely different… but oddly cool…
A Brief Moment of Protest And Politics
January 18, 2012
We interrupt this SHOT Show coverage for a brief message about censorship and the bills pending here in the US that will weaken the freedoms that we, as bloggers, forum members, and social networkers have really taken for granted.
There are, as I understand it (and I'm, sadly, not as up on this as I probably should be), two key bills up for consideration in Congress. These are SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act). On the surface, both seem not only benign, but valuable tools to fight online piracy of music and video. But on a deeper look (which I have taken), the bills present significant risks to the many small voices on the Web.
In essence, both of these bills would be aimed at stopping the major search engines and social networking sites from providing links to sites that have been accused of piracy. There's a key word there…. "accused". The wording of the bills, particularly PIPA, is vague, and leaves a lot of room for abuse. This potential for abuse is significant, because the drivers behind the bill are big media companies, such as the music and movie industry, as well as big movers in the world of gaming. If allowed to carry that level of sway, all they have to do is accuse a website or network of violations and that website will be shutdown. No proof of guilt is required. The burden of proof is on the accused, rather than the accuser… a direct conflict with our traditional model of justice.
As you might imagine, this legislation opens the doors to the shut down and harassment of small sites and networks. It's a stifling force on the freedom of speech and expression that drive the Internet.
Anyway, I invite any of you to read up on the issue. This morning, President Obama effectively shelved the SOPA legislation, but the PIPA bill is still under consideration. Educate yourselves, and then speak out! Send emails and phone calls to congress to tell them you oppose this censorship. And then, hope for the best.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled SHOT Show posts.


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Cow on Pig ActionApril 24, 2009
TourGuide steered me through the wilds of Stonetalon last night seeing Greenborne through from being a paltry 21 to the dizzy heights of level 23. I will probably play a reasonable a mount on Saturday to try and get closer to getting a mount, I have a point in Feral Swiftness at the moment (it'll be two points once I ding 24) but still it's not what I'm used to having two level 80s both with epic flying, a little success on the Auction House has me at over 60 gold right now and I have some more items to throw up there.
My little "here's what you do to level" add-on took me through some places and quests I haven't done since the very early days of WoW back when I had a Hunter and then moved onto my Shaman. Windshear Crag and it's horde of Goblins for instance, although having a stealth kitty gives me some options I've not had before.
Now, I may be getting confused, it's certainly been a few years since I did much Hording, but the "Weapons of Choice" quest I always remember as being a nightmare due to the low drop rates of the weapons, I also seem to remember you had to collect 3 of each rather than one? Now I'll admit that I may have this wrong as there are other quests I can think of where you have to go around picking up weapons so I may be getting some crossover, but now it's just one of each things when a lot faster, also being able to stealth past mobs you don't want to fight is awesome.
After I'd fought my way through that little area and the quests TourGuide pointed me in the direction of Gann's Reclamation. I had bad memories of this quest and it's nice to see that nothing has really changed, I hit my first death in around 4 levels in that place. It's so cramped with the mobs quite close together and they have a seemingly huge aggro range and a reasonably short respawn timer to boot. I really hate that the standard mobs also have Sunder Armour. I need to kill things fast as a Kitty and have little to no armour to speak of in that form, I could go bear but then I do less damage and take longer to kill things and there are so many patrols in that little dig site that you can easily get mobbed. Swapping out of forms to heal yourself soon eats through mana as well. I finished the quest but it is still as awful as I remember from the first few times I ran through there. I'm not looking forward to the fact that my guide is showing me the Harpy quest in the Charred Vale, that's another one I remember as frustrating, they're all grouped up together and there are various patrols around to give added headache.
Still, despite these "setbacks" I must say that I am enjoying the Druid, my mage still has not even entered the game so I'm on target for keeping this character going. Although I am thinking that a Hunter/Mage Arena team could do an amazing amount of damage in 2v2. That's a long way off however.
So, observations on levelling comparison between Horde and Alliance then;
I suppose the first few levels are all going to depend on your race. All my level 40+ characters are Draenei and I tend to take other races over to the Draenei starting zones as they give better rewards (and I know all the quests so can run through them pretty fast). Horde side I have a lot of Blood Elves and even though I do have a Tauren now once he finished Mulgore I hoofed it over to Ghostlands to run through that (this is partly because TourGuide gave me the option too and partly because I know the place gives better rewards than the early parts of the Barrens). You can almost discount 1-20 though as the real levelling starts after that.
With Alliance I tended to drop into Ashenvale in the early twenties, there is plenty to do there that sends you towards 30 with occasional forays into Stonetalon. I know that historically on the Horde side you didn't hit Ashenvale until the late twenties, before TBC I always found a gap around 20-25 where you'd be all over the place trying to get to the point where you can go to Ashenvale. Now though I've been grabbing things across the Barrens and Stonetalon, as both zones are close to each other there are some nice paths for handing in things that keep you cycling around and the levelling is quick. I know this is going to lengthen out as I get higher and I'm looking forward to seeing how the higher end zones work Horde side. I'll have to see where the guide takes me, it's not boring me so far and I'm not really tempted into firing up my Alliance guys. I think it will be interesting at the point I can get into Dalaran seeing the people I know on Alliance with me on the opposite side.


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Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H3
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Dear Archie, Ken, Wally, Steve and Karin:
Frank and I just wanted to say how much we are enjoying our 2004 Monaco Knight that we purchased from Cottonwood RV at the end of November 2010. Everyone at Cottonwood RV was just so great.
Your service department managed to slip our motor home in along with all the other projects that they were working on, and got our PDI done in a day and a ... More » - Frank
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In 1996, Forest River founder Peter Liegl had a vision. He foresaw an RV company dedicated to helping people experience the joy of the outdoors by building better recreational products. Today that vision is a reality.
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You will need:
Through this procedure you were able to extract the separate strands of DNA out of nuclei of the banana cells. The detergent broke apart the cellular membranes and the salt binds to the DNA to make it less able to remain soluable in water (it neutralizes the charge of the DNA and it is less able to bind to water). Once the DNA was in the banana solution, you were able to use methylated spirits to precipitate DNA out of the solution as DNA is insoluable in alcohol based solutions.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) was first identified and isolated by Friedrich Miescher in 1871, and the double helix structure of DNA was first discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick, using experimental data collected by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. DNA is found in the nucleus of living cells and it is this complex chemical that codes for how living things grow and function, with this code being transferred to subsequent generations.
DNA has a basic structure of a sugar phosphate backbone with 4 base pairs that alternate through the middle of the helix. The standard picture you see is a helical structure as below, however there are several ways the DNA helix is known to spiral, including left and right-handed versions.
DNA model:
Red = Ribose sugar,
White = Phospate
Pink, Blue, Yellow and Green = the Base pairs (Guanine/Cytosine & Adenine/Thymine)
There are 4 base pairs within DNA which always pair the same way, Guanine binds with Cytosine and Adenine binds with Thymine. The amazing thing about DNA is that it's the alternating base pairs that creates the genetic code of every known living thing, from a butterfly to an elephant. Segments, or pieces, of DNA are called "genes". Each gene determines something about our bodies—a trait. In our DNA there are genes that are responsible for hair color, eye color, earlobe shape and so on. Some characteristics, like eye color, are more or less determined directly by DNA whereas other traits are determined both by DNA and by your environment as you grow up such as how tall or short you become as an adult (due to potential differences in diet). DNA is constantly maintained in cells by a number of enzymes, allowing for insertion errors and random mutations to be removed however not all of these are caught and as such the DNA slowly changes over time (helping to cause aging in the process).
Every human shares 99 percent of his or her DNA with every other person, most likely due to a major event that nearly brought the human species of the brink of extinction thousands of years ago. We share most of our genes with fellow primates such as chimpanzees and with other mammals such as mice. We even have genes in common with the banana plant!
Genetics is a very complex subject and a simple DNA extraction experiment is only just starting the journey! We recommend you spend some time reading up on some extra sites to further your knowledge:
Little Life Biology Science Visit
School Science Visits:


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Situated outside the town of Castlederg, Creevy Lodge is an attractive and secluded farmhouse.
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Pythagoras achieves Gold Certification in Cloud Productivity from Microsoft Corporation in the United Kingdom
(Maidenhead, UK) –4th December 2015 – Pythagoras announced today it has achieved Gold Certification from Microsoft® in Cloud Productivity. To earn Gold Certification, Pythagoras had to meet rigorous standards for cloud productivity competency, including revenue, service, support and customer satisfaction requirements set forth by Microsoft.
This is fantastic achievement for Pythagoras and is testament to the hard work and commitment we show at positioning ourselves as one of the leading Microsoft Partners in the UK.
Partners with Gold status in competencies represent organisations (and associated individuals) that have demonstrated the highest, most consistent capability and commitment within a targeted business solution area. Gold competencies reward this deep expertise and high commitment with benefits including tailored, competency-specific benefits based on solutions offered, and core benefits such as training, channel incentives etc. In addition, Gold competencies entitle the partner to a Microsoft named contact who will support the creation of a business plan to serve customer demand and help with sales efforts. We are committed to supporting our Gold level partners by enabling them with the right set of tools, training and information that will help them delight our customers through leading edge Microsoft based solutions and services offerings that address the customer's technology requirements.
With a Gold competency in Cloud Productivity, Pythagoras has made an investment in developing their capability to deliver an integrated and customised technology solution to support today's customer demand.
The Microsoft Partner Network is committed to serving the needs of Microsoft partners and helping over 160 million mutual customers worldwide realise their potential. By acquiring the Gold level in cloud productivity competency, Pythagoras has demonstrated its ability to meet stringent technology and customer satisfaction requirements set forth by Microsoft in order to provide best in class Microsoft based solutions to our customers.
As a Microsoft Gold Competency Partner in Cloud productivity, Pythagoras has met the requirements for attaining the broadest range of expertise across multiple technologies aligned to the competency. Microsoft Gold level status provides Pythagoras access to comprehensive marketing, sales, technical, and support services benefits that will enable us to serve the technology needs of joint prospective customers.
For more information, please contact us.


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For online merchants to reap the most benefits from live chat, they have to treat it as a distinct communication channel, according to Bold Chat's 2012 Live Chat Effectiveness Research Report.
Live chat can go wrong if not properly managed, according to the report, and as the number of shoppers who have engaged in live chat approaches 75%, there are compelling reasons to make this a distinct communication channel.
Due to its increasing importance, the report says merchants should be careful about their live chat performance. While proactive chat is generally well received, about 20% of survey respondents indicated they left websites due to poor live chat invitation practices.
Many proactive invitation technologies on the market today force visitors to acknowledge the invitation – either positively or negatively. Non-chatters seem more tolerant of repeated invites, the report says, but administrators should be cautious when configuring their software in this regard.
Superior performance in live chat is both an art and a science, according to the report. "Getting the timing right requires diligence and a love of reporting to continually refine the delivered experience for one's audience.
If one in five ecommerce shoppers prefer a specific communication channel, and they have high expectations of the interactions resulting from the live chat channel, and they judge success from that interaction largely on human factors, the report says: "Isn't that more than enough for the channel to warrant serious consideration, funding, and management focus?"
The online study was conducted using a third-party opt-in panel – 75% located in the U.S. and 25% in the U.K. The total number of respondents was 2,027.


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By CONCHITA CARPIO-MORALES Retired Supreme Court Justice MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court is not a good place to retire because by the time you retire everybody knows you are already turning 70. I find consolation, however, in what Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. stated that "to be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful [...]
By JUSTICE ROBERTO ABAD Although I have worked with Justice Chit [Conchita Carpio-Morales] for just a few years, it has been easy to be her friend because, contrary to some misimpressions about her, she is an intensely warm person, affectionate, and sincere to the core. She is a paradox. Her tongue is sharp but her [...]
I've been hanging around with my older friends lately that I think I'm seeing my future. I can see myself turning 60, moving on to the early and mid-60s, and making choices about what else I want to do with the rest of my life.
Philhealth's capitation fund: yet another source of abuse?
Bogus claims haunt Philhealth
Compassionate care eludes post-abortion patients
Desperate women seek desperate measures
'Hello, Garci' officer returns to intel community
Leaked copy of PNoy's 'SONA'
Our Beijing envoy
Quiet protest at the DOTC
Celebrating the power of the human spirit
Of book writing and Chocolate Kiss-ing
I could have done a Vargas
We need a destination
The Presidency
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The Judiciary
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ByAnnie, Sewing Pattern, Back At Ya Mini Backpack Purse (rings and sliders included)
This stylish travel-friendly backpack purse measures about 12" high and tapers from 10"W at bottom to 8"W at top and 4"D at bottom to 2˝"D at top. A quick-grab padded handle and adjustable straps make it easy to carry and wear
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Wes Chapman plays new role at Ballet SJ
Many, perhaps too many, dancers find it impossible to relinquish their ballet slippers, even when the calendar tells them to.
Not Wes Chapman. Once a much-lauded principal in both classic and contemporary fare at American Ballet Theater (and an audience favorite during the company's annual San Francisco visits), he retired with no regrets at 31. "It was one of those scenarios where I had done everything at ABT at that point," said Chapman in a phone call, "and wanted to get into the other side of the business, directing, in particular."
Indeed, he did. Sixteen years later, Chapman has returned to the Bay Area in the newly created post of artistic adviser of Ballet San Jose and he promises big changes in repertoire and the standard of dancing. Before all that, Ballet San Jose needs to raise some money, which is why the company is launching its 2012-13 season with a gala of dance and music Saturday evening.
Arrived in January
One suspects that the ousting last year of founding Artistic Director Dennis Nahat may have alienated some of the company's financial backers and possibly encouraged new sources of support. But that is a matter that Chapman, who came aboard in January, cannot discuss.
After this weekend's gala, the entire repertoire will be fresh to the South Bay. Following the premiere of a new "Nutcracker" (the first in 30 years) by veteran principal dancer Karen Gabay, Ballet SJ's partnership with ABT will be clearly evident. In February, the troupe will dance "Don Quixote" (in a Chapman staging) for the first time. Later, two mixed bills will include vintage dances by Frederick Ashton, Merce Cunningham and Kurt Jooss (the antiwar classic "Green Table"), a world premiere from emerging choreographer Jessica Lang and recent dances by Stanton Welch and Jorma Elo. Live music (courtesy of Symphony Silicon Valley), the cost of which will be underwritten by the gala proceeds, will accompany all ballets that call for it.
"I want to give the company a new identity by performing different choreographers," says Chapman, 47. "Ashton is one of them." The great British choreographer is ranked by many critics second only to George Balanchine among 20th century classicists. Yet, says Chapman, "there are not a lot of American companies who are doing his work on a regular basis." A new licensing arrangement with the Ashton estate should make his ballets more available in the future.
Deciding on repertoire is one of Chapman's chief tasks carried out in tandem with principal ballet master Raymond Rodriguez. They will jointly run Ballet SJ on a daily basis, dealing with everything from casting to photo shoots.
41 dancers overall
In addition to unfamiliar repertoire, new dancers will spice the Ballet SJ roster. Five dancers split for various reasons last season; Chapman has increased the overall number to 41, feeling he can draw from the Ballet SJ School when crowds are required for "Nutcracker" and "Don Quixote." Peruse the revised roster and you may spot Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, a San Francisco Ballet soloist for many years and an attractively fluid dancer who always seemed criminally underused in her former job.
Chapman has his eye on her and others on the roster. "One of my great strengths is coaching. As a director, I think I have a gift for making dancers understand what a ballet is about," he says.
Chapman has had plenty of experience in that area. When he quit ABT, he returned to his home state to run Ballet Alabama for 11 years. Then, he received a call to be an ABT ballet master and, subsequently, to direct the junior ABT company, for which he coached, commissioned ballets and led international tours. Costs eventually forced a disbanding of the troupe, but Chapman found his four years on the job helpful to his career.
"It got me connected with presenters all over," said Chapman. "Running around the world with those wonder children was an experience I would not otherwise have had. It was enlightening and exciting."
The adviser in front of his name may not suggest permanent employment, but this is a full-time job. Chapman has relocated to San Jose and owns a California driver's license. Right now, he is wrestling with finding a "Don Quixote" set that will fit on the Performing Arts Center stage (the costumes come from ABT). In the long run, he is pondering a subscription program during the autumn months.
Chapman is hopeful: "I've seen the company come a long way since January. Now, they're being inundated with work they've never seen, and they're loving it."
And his wish for the company: "I'd like to see us become a real happening thing."
Ballet San Jose: Opening gala and performance. 8 p.m. Saturday. Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd., San Jose. (408) 255-2820. $45-$125. www.balletsj.org.
Allan Ulrich is The San Francisco Chronicle's dance correspondent. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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I'm trying to transfer my outlook files from PC to Mac. I've saved the *.pst files onto a thumb drive. When I put the thumbdrive in the mac, it doesn't see the *.pst files. Other files are there - but not the *.pst files.
Any ideas?
My *.pst file is 1.5GB
Maybe they're hidden? I'm not sure how to unhide files using a Mac.
Or maybe they didn't get copied to the thumb drive. Check it on a PC to make sure they are there.


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This story clearly illustrates how the Democratic Party is permanently fractured and is done being a political party of any consequence due to the continued attacks of the Clinton surrogates (why does Hillary Clinton continue to encourage her attack dog surrogates to go after Bernie and his wife? And why should she still need surrogates? Her political career is over), against Bernie Sanders. Sally Albright proves by her slam against "progressives" that Hillary Clinton has never been a progressive, let alone a liberal. And Peter Daou, like other Hillary surrogates, took a swipe at Bernie without bothering to check his facts first. It's this divisive scum of the Democratic Party that show why they lost the presidential election and will continue to be the cause of the Democratic Party losing every coming election until either they're all purged from the party or an actual Liberal political party is created.
Unfortunately there is no organized political party to mount any kind of strong political opposition to the Republicans. Fortunately, the GOP is at odds with itself as well. Unfortunately, it's on a much smaller scale and will most likely be healed over after/if Trump resigns the presidency. Temporarily, but long enough to continue to win elections from here on out.


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Posted on Oct, 18 2018 by Doe
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Elizabeth Allen is the Director of Online Communications at the American School in London.
Liz's areas of expertise include combining real-world interaction with online social networking, working with educational institutions on communications strategy and goals, conducting focus groups and surveys, and leading training workshops.
Liz has served on the faculty at several international conferences. She has co-chaired the Schools track of the CASE Europe Annual Conference in 2013 and 2014, co-chaired the first CASE Europe Social Media & Community conference in May 2015, and chaired the first CASE US Social Media & Community conference (#casesmc) in April 2010. She has also delivered presentations to the California State University Alumni Council, the California Advancement Researchers Association, the Independent Writers of Southern California, and to private companies such as WhippleHill Communications and the Castle Press. A full list of her previous speaking engagements is available here.
Liz has been recognized by CASE as a "Stellar Speaker" and "Faculty Star." She has written for CASE Currents magazine, and co-authored a chapter in Alumni Relations: A Newcomer's Guide to Success. She has also been featured in several blogs, including a contributing role to edSocialMedia and the CASE Social Media Blog.
Her past work experience includes running an independent educational communications consultancy, directing communications strategy for the alumni association at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech); and directing communications at Think Global School, an international Independent Boarding School. Elizabeth holds a bachelor's degree from Scripps College in Claremont, California.
Areas of special interest and expertise include:
- Social Media, Social Networking, and Online Communities
- Alumni Relations
- Alumni and Development Communications
- Community Management
- Secondary and Post-Secondary Education Communications
- International Communications Strategy
- Student-generated Content
- Volunteer Management
- Directing and Working with Committees
- Photoshop, Illustrator and Graphic Design
- Public Speaking
Contact Liz directly at liz [at] adaptivateblog [dot] com. Follow her on twitter (@lizallen ) and see her profile on LinkedIn.


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To introduce the deadliness and unpredictability of the Verge, the next session had them approach the borderland, a space station overlooking the immense Red Nebula before them. The Red Curtain before them, they make a quick stop for some repairs and fuels before the long trip.
This was a rather fun game, where there were cantina scenes, as well as a Ridley Scott Aliens survival scene where they encounter an unknown lifeform, as well as a climactic self-destruct scene, where the team is forced to disarm the bomb, or die. Everyone did pretty well with this session, and though there were situational delays due to rules lawyering, it went rather smoothly enough that everyone had fun… enough fun to forget that time flies.
I was rather surprised the time was 1 a.m. as well. Here's a quick look of what happened.
XCONS S01E02: "Infection"
"No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power. " – Jacob Bronowski, Scientist
Act I: Droid Whisperer
The scene began with Doctor Ramus, the resident scientific quack of the ship, ran about in the ship holding a piece of slipper. His antics damaged the Stardrive, and almost boosted the off the galaxy if not for the timely intervention of our newest PC character: Ion Parsons – the woman who can talk to machines.
Enter, flashback. Ion Parsons has been a slave for most her life, being raised by androids in her time with the Zamorran Guild. When her powers grew beyond the guild's control, she was thrown into prison – supposedly to live the rest of her days isolated from both humans and machines.
She was approached by the Admiral Tsukiyama to become one of the Acarina's crew, to help retrieve a valuable A.I. – HELEN – back to the Federation. Only she can access HELEN's databanks in case the Rebellion has tinkered with her original directives, and thus, was very important to the mission.
- Rvel notes: Frankly, I had a hard time gming in Ion's flashback, and I'm sure it showed… There were a bit of confusion on character mechanics and character concepts from start-up. It's also quite hard to establish a personal character-centric scene for a character who has absolutely no human emotion, as well as trying to roleplay Artifical AIs and Oven Toasters. (Yep, you heard that right… Oven Toasters.) I was juggling ideas in active time left and right on how to make the storyline more 'involving' but alas, I failed on this one. I figured since the story was about infections, that Ion Parson's whispering power 'may' be called an infection as well… (and eventually create a parallelism between her powers and the Big Badd's later on) so I tried to show that in the flashback, with androids risking their life for her, despite the programming. I'm not sure if anyone managed to get the hint from that opener… but I suppose that was a mite too ambitious and complicated to implement in an action-oriented game. Oh well, my mistake. Moving on…
Act II: Roaches and Starships
The scene, after the flashback, continues with Doctor Ramus running around with his slipper… which is later revealed to be chasing after a cockroach loose in the ship. Trying to kill it, he tries to hit it several times with his slipper – but misses. The largest damage happens when he accidentally hits the StarDrive and almost launches them to Hyperspace – but thankfully Parsons managed to stop it, by singing a lullaby to the StarDrive.
Worried, Talver does a life signature reading on the entire ship in order to locate where the roach was and if it wa sposing any danger to the FSS Acarina's engine. Alas, the readings went wild, revealing at lest 50 blinking dots – all roaches, nesting underneath their very floors.
Worse, the excess energy the StarDrive collected from its near-hyperjump released itself on a random ship compartment (after a roll, it was decided to be…) Life Support. 60% of the ship's breathable air was suddenly all gone – dissolved into space.
Now, the optional stop at Ithaca Space Station (an Independent Open Port) was deemed necessary – and they stop there to repair the StarDrive, the Life Support, and the forward engines… not to mention fumigating the entire ship.
I'm not sure if any picked up on the description of the scene, but Ithaca was supposed to be a beautiful awe-inspiring place. Before them is a giant red sea, The Red Nebula (which has the same legend inspirations as modern time Bermuda Triangle) where few dared to cross. There was a brief cantina scene here, as well as allowing the characters free reign with their characters to do as they wish. Aedon Talver was the only one hard at work in this scene, buying and bartering for parts and repairs on the ship, as well as paying for the 'fumigation' of the ship. Dolly Jane tried to smuggle a few objects and to hack the computer system, but thought better of it. And Ion Parsons tried to access news data to obtain new information for her nanites. Prisoner X, Vimes and Captain Crichton shared a few tales with the locals about the Red Nebula, and discover tales of a Ghost Ship wandering within – one that kills anyone or anything it comes across… also, being approached by a fellow bounty hunter, Vimes discovers that there is a new bounty on them posted recently, because of their theft, murder, and vandalism of a major scale in the Floating Market scenario. Fortunately, the Bounty Hunter did not recognize any of them.
Once they were finished, the crew left for the Red Nebula.
- Rvel notes: Silence before the storm… And a big setup for what's to come… The roaches scene was more important than they expected…!
Act III: Crossroads
As they travel through the blinding Red Nebula, it is only through Talver's skill that they could even survive the trip, (Talver rolled a 4 on navigation!) where he managed to find a practical non-dangerous route toward their destination. However, they were met by a mysterious Star Cruiser, Federation in Design – and seemingly old and decrepit – as if it was stranded in that place for 10 or more years. (I did a funny gimmick here, where I simulated the entire crew's deaths when they hammered head on against the ghost ship – resulting in a painful explosion that kills them all. But I later showed it was just Talver's precognition – which he hastily avoided.)
For something like 30 minutes real-time, The Captain tried making a decision between leaving or boarding the fallen vessel. Orran Voss, an NPC Federation Officer, urged him to board it – because it may have survivors inside – but Prisoner X disagrees, saying its too dangerous and would conflict and threaten with their primary mission. Dolly Jane was troubled, and had a gut feeling to not join the boarding crew. Ion Parsons asked Aedon to pilot the ship close enough so that she could speak with the A.I. – wherein she got a coded and typed message in their primitive computer monitors. The words "Everyone… dead… save…us."
After speaking with the dying A.I. of the ship – it reveals its problem… it was not alone. Something had 'infected' its systems, and whatever was there, it had full control of the ship. The A.I., who introduces himself as Demetrius, has been compromised, and asked Ion to save him.
Parsons agrees and promises the A.I. that she would save it. But the final decision still fell with the Captain.
Finally, the captain decided. "Get your space suits, people. We're boarding."
- Rvel notes: There were clashes in decisions in this part of the sequence. And the Captain (Nychuus)did freeze for a moment, because of the crew's conflicting desires. Vimes wanted to go inside (because the action was there) but X, forever cautious, wanted to avoid it. Talver didn't want to harm the ship unecessarily, and wanted to just run away from the ghost ship (which he probably can) while Parsons wanted to fulfill her promise to the A.I. Dolly didn't seem to worry eitherway, as long as she keeps away from that 'thing' that can infect her A.I. Finally convinced that they at least need to try and save the survivors, the Captain opts to enter.
Act IV: Ghost Ship
There were only four space suits available for the team, and they needed to activate the space cruiser's life support before the rest can follow. So they chose a group of four people to act as the 'field team' – Nathaniel Vimes, however, had an armor capable of full life support and radiation protection – so he joined in, making it a total of five. The Field team were as follows: Crichton, Vimes, Parsons, Dr Ramus, and Shela Kuei (the Harem Girl, a new recruit from last session). The captain ordered Prisoner X to stay, wanting him to be near the ship (though Orran Voss markedly remarks to Prisoner X that the captain probably just didn't trust him.
Upon entering the ship, Talver makes a new scan of the ship, altering the coordinates enough to allow a zoom feature in the scan. Like his earlier scan of the Acarina, it was revealed that there was an Infestation of metallic insectile creatures throughout the cruiser. Shouting a warning at the field group through his comm, he managed to warn them before the first creature showed itself and attacked them.
Vimes, secretly a Psion Warrior, was the most disciplined warrior among the away group, and was the most pivotal in keeping them away from the creatures. He used his "Force Push" skill quite creatively here, pushing the creatures away like billiard balls. Ion then runs to the nearby door and speaks to it, urging it to let them enter. The door hesitates, but opens.
The door shuts behind them, trapping one creature through the door – as it tries to claw itself in. But thanks to Vimes abnormal 30 STR, he pushed them back easily.
Ion, now realizing they trapped themselves in the control room, tried to talk once again with the A.I. – but too late, she discovers that the original A.I. is dead, overwhelmed by its attacker. And the one that remains is the invader. "Good day, Ion Parsons." it typed in the screen.
- Rvel notes: I was half expecting the field team to engage the enemy through combat – but they played smart and ran from them instead. And the result was cool, simulating an Ridley Scott Aiens-like environment. I described the insectile creatures as metallic yet seemingly organic. SO it was potentially mankind's first discovery of a xenobiological creature. The crew inside the Acarina also had an attack within, where kalindrel's character, Aedon Talver – decided to risk it and to 'alter' the gravitational pull of the ships so that it would simply be magnetic in nature. This stopped the creatures cold in their tracks (including Vimes who wore metallic armor)
Act V: HELEN
"You are quite different from other hu-mans I have encountered." HELEN began. Parsons and the field team then asked the A.I. why it had attacked the ship, wherein it replies that it did not bear any ill will to the people she killed, it was just part of her programming. It appears HELEN was responsible for controlling the mechanical insectoid creatures. She then makes a direct contrast between 'destiny' and 'programming' where their respective creators had prepared the road for them to travel, and they have no choice but to continue it through. Ion then said that she will reprogram her, no matter what it takes. HELEN then further challenged, that even though it is part of her programming to stop anyone who would try tor each her, she also wished that the crew succeed in stopping her. But she cannot abandon her programming. (After a complete tie on a persuade vs persuade roll, neither of the two backed down)
"It is a conundrum." said HELEN, but stated that she found a way to fulfill her programming to try and stop them, but at the same time to give them a chance to reach her. Immediately, everything shut down, and the A.I. of HELEN disappeared from the systems… instead replaced by the numbers 0100 in the screens.
AT first the group thought it was a code of some kind, and Parsons thought it was a binary code. After a click, however, the numbers revealed itself for what it was. It changed into 0099, then into 0098, then into 0097… It was a countdown! "Self Destruct Sequence initiated." And furthermore, HELEN made sure that the sequence couldn't be closed down again.
- Rvel notes: Everything went crazy when I began the countdown. The metallic creatures have all been rendered inert as soon as HELEN left their control. So then, the whole group came a-running to try and deactivate the explosive triggers scattered throughout the ship.
Act VI: Self Destruct
Upon discovering that the ship has activated the self destruct sequence, everyone looked at Captain Crichton for guidance. Will they flee and sacrifice the survivors or do they attempt to disarm the sequence with only a minute to spare? Crichton's honorable nature decides to risk it.
This whole part consists of finding the stowed explosives, and trying to disarm them without the use of electronics. Ion managed to disarm most of the bombs using her nanomachines, who flood the explosives and disables them. Dolly Jane try to disarm one of the bombs, and encounters a young child afraid saying that there's a "ticking monster" under her bed. As soon as they forge past the residential part of the ship, they finally find the dead crewmembers of the starcruiser, all massacred by the mettalic creatures. The captain was the first to come to the engine room, where the last detonators were located… rightly placed in the radioactive area of the StarDrive.
It was revealed to be twin bombs, where both must be rewired and deactivated at the same time, or else they would trigger each other, and blow up. This was easily solved by Ion's nanites (once again) as she removed her radioactive gloves (!!) and touched the detonators to activate her power and disarm it. It was disarmed with no problems, and it seemed everything was finally done.
- Rvel notes: I realized in this session how powerful a 50 point VPP is. Since a VPP transform power is potentially a swiss knife solution for just about everything. I asked Kalindrel to finally give Ion's nanites some stats, since its no-roll auto-success system seems to take away the tension and innate danger… especially from that last scene… which should've been far crazier and nastier than a simple touch and go moment.
Act VII: Epilogue They finally find the survivors, numbering only 3, though the lifesigns of the fourth survivor was no longer found anywhere in the ship. Dolly Jane and Vimes went out to find the last survivor … but with no luck. Finally, they agreed they should leave the Red Nebula as soon as possible, lest another danger surfaces.
- Rvel notes: Overall aside from some debates on real-life bombs as well as some confusion on character limits… this went particularly well. The resolution was a bit anticlimactic, but that's to be expected in a pen and paper rpg, isnt it? This was thoroughly both fun and a bloody headaching session, since we went around 7 hours straight… right past midnight, just to finish the game. I especially liked the PC-NPC interaction here, particularly rping HELEN. All in all, this was a moment of pure Ridley Scott fun, kinda like a what-if… Riddick met Aliens. Good RP and decision stuff from players all around. Kudos to kalindrel for the 'magnetic' moment, mads for the HELEN moment, and wowz for the alien pinball.
_So far, the only long downtime in this session was the 'deciding' moment – wether to go in the ship, or to leave it be… but other than that… KABOOM.