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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — This week, at the UBS Media & Communications Conference, I've spent time listening to corporate spin and ruminating about 2012.
If the story of 2011 was what would happen to over-the-top delivery of Internet video in cableland, and when you should short Netflix Inc. NFLX, +1.94% , the story for next year is all about three things: the push-pull on valuation expectations from advertising spending in an election year (very bullish for TV broadcasters and networks), bearish concerns of the impact of Apple Inc.'s iTV AAPL, +2.73%, and the rise of devices that can disintermediate traditional video distributors and bring about the death of broadcasting. Read more about iTV on Minyanville.
The good news is that stronger balance sheets, high levels of free cash flow and current valuations have set the stage for steady stock appreciation if consumer spending slowly improves and as (and if) the economy recovers. (A signal provided by Zenith, Magna and Group M's Dec. 5 projected outlooks for 2012 advertising ). Walt Disney Co.'s DIS, +1.02% recent announcement to increase its dividend while raising debt, coupled with ongoing share buy backs at Viacom VIA, +1.83% VIAB, +0.95% underscores the story, and is good news for slow-and-steady, long-term, buy-and-hold investors.
Yes, there will be the inevitable shocks resulting from the rumor de jour, outrageous management practices and over-the-top hype, but for investors, that represents opportunity. As long as the fundamentals are strong, using those shocks to add to positions in the core cash flow positive names makes sense, since the major companies usually revert to valuation norms.
Look what happened to Yahoo Inc. YHOO Given up for dead in August, the stock is up over 50% as bankers circled the wagons and found several investors who recognized the value of a media brand reaching half a billion viewers a month.
With current multiples between 6 times to 8 times trailing 12-month EBITDA, the larger companies are trading well below the 10 times historical benchmark, which given steady demand for entertainment and information in an increasingly global digital world strikes me as an anomaly.
It also leads to the big question about the impact of developments in digital technology on legacy media business models. Time Warner Inc.'s TWX, +0.00% appointment of the former head of Digitas to head the company's publishing division underscores the issue and will bear further watching.
If Time, People and Fortune can adapt to the emerging digital world and become as ubiquitous on Amazon.com's Kindles AMZN, +1.73% and iPads as in doctors' waiting rooms, the tables will have turned, setting the stage for a new earnings growth spurt for old fashioned brands with a fully expensed cost structure.
The most interesting conundrum is in cable. The case is simple. Will steady growth in online activity offset declines in video subscriptions? Will average revenues per user (ARPU) go up or go down? The answer to both is "yes". However the issue will really be what happens to margins, and this is where Apple TV enters the picture.
The technology tom-tom system is predicting a new Apple TV for launch at year-end 2012, and the recent sales of Smart-TVs by Samsung, Sony SNE, +0.31% and others should make significant inroads in helping consumers to shift how they view video.
The good news is that as these devices take hold, they will displace cable boxes as we know them, resulting in significantly lower costs and lower capital needs for cable operators over time.
Thus, the real question in the shift from broadcast to Internet delivery of television is whether or not a combination of declining prices and rising margins will result in growing cash flow for cable companies who provide broadband services to folks who give up their video subscriptions. At this juncture, I think cash flows will improve, but the street and financial reporters will focus on weakening top lines and declines in video subscribers, which can provide an opportunity to build positions at Comcast CMCSA, +1.81% and Time Warner Cable TWC, -0.81% on earnings disappointments. It may take a while, but as Google GOOG, +2.16% is going to learn in Kansas City, the broadband distribution infrastructure provided by fiber is the optimum way to provide state of the art video to homes and offices, and few companies are as well positioned to benefit from the long-term shift to digital distribution than the cable companies. Read more on Minyanville about traditional cable vs. Google TV.
Which brings us to content. Outside the film business, which is struggling with an out-of-control cost structure, the emergence of new IP-delivered distribution systems has been terrific for television libraries and branded networks. In my view, Netflix has basically displaced the old-time television movie syndication model, and provided a second life for 20th-century movie libraries.
Importantly when combined with easy to use on demand systems, consumers are finally shifting to the a la carte model heralded in the mid '90s. Once again the jury is still out as to whether the digital nickels will offset analog quarters, but at this point most cash flow is incremental and completely additive to earnings, as libraries were written off years ago. So once again, although earnings growth may slow, free cash flow will continue to build.
Adding to the confusion this year will be an unbelievable election year. The Supreme Court ruling to treat corporations as individuals can provide significant cash for candidates seeking elections and for PACs looking to make sure their positions are heard. John McCain and Barack Obama spent over $450 million in 2008, with total spending by all candidates approaching an estimated $3 billion. This year's cycle can be a real boon for station groups located in key swing states, as well as for network operations at News Corp. NWS, +2.12% , Disney, Comcast, CBS CBS, +0.89% and Time Warner.
So, 2012 is shaping up as a terrific year for media. After 15 years of hype, the digital world is upon us. Ongoing concerns about piracy, overpaid executives and the impact of new entrants will continue to impact stocks, but the core competency of creating audio video entertainment and information will accrue to U.S.-based powerful brands that adapt to the digital age and seek to drive down aggregate costs by contracting and partnering with new entrants. That is essentially the next phase of the story — digital is as much about cost reduction as new sources of revenue. 2012 will tell the tale and this week as I sit through three days of back-to-back presentations, I'm listening to hear how cost structures are poised to change, who best understands their consumers and which companies have used the past few years to clean up their capital structures, setting the stage for multiple expansion as the economy and the consumer continue to slowly improve over the next several years.
Chris Dixon was Global Media Strategist for UBS and PaineWebber and the executive producer of the UBS Media Conference from 1991 to 2002. He is a Minyanville contributor.


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Events Component for Community Cloud – Updates!
New Year is coming and we're ready to present our nice little update to our customers!
Events Component for Community Cloud
Here are a few improvements we've made:
- On the list view of all events, you can see the start/end date of the event and a full venue address.
2. The calendar on the right displays important dates in two colours. Click on the date coloured in brown – you'll see a list of events you're going to.
3. Click on the date coloured according to your colour palette (in my case, it's green) – you'll see a list of events planned for this particular day. You can join them or reject by clicking the "Going?" button.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – Law enforcement officials have arrested a dozen people after lethal pesticides were found on store shelves across New York City, mostly in Chinatown.
Raids conducted last week by federal and state experts uncovered nearly 350 illegal products, including rat poison, mosquito repellants and mothballs that could be fatal if ingested.
1010 WINS' Stan Brooks Hears From The EPA's Judith Enck
Officials say most of the pesticides came from China and were sold at dirt-cheap prices.
The products come in brightly colored packages. Some of them look and smell like cookie crumbs, making them tempting to children and potentially deadly, 1010 WINS' Stan Brooks reported.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. says you shouldn't be fooled.
"They can kill you," he said Monday.
WCBS 880's Peter Haskell On The Story
EPA regional administrator Judith Enck says they're actually illegal pesticides and rodenticides. One in particular was sold in Chinatown under the name – "Cat Be Unemployed."
"It contains an active ingredient Brodifacoum at 61 times the concentration allowed by the EPA," said Enck.
"People and businesses that make and sell these products are playing Russian Roulette with people's health," Enck said.
Have something to say about the story? Sound off in the comments section below!
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


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In-law survival tips for the holidays
Here we go! The holiday season starts this week, and that means family time. Not just any family time, mind you, but family time that will include your mother-in-law or daughter-in-law.
Although some of you might enjoy spending time with your in-law, many of you don't. Either way, getting ready to spend the holidays with family can be stressful. How many of you wish, hope or even pray this time will be different with your in-law? You probably are thinking, why can't we, just this once, not have drama, not have the stress, or not experience the tension that just seems to hang in the air.
Holiday time with your mother- or daughter-in-law doesn't have to get the best of you. Shifting the way you see your situation will make it easier for you to shift the emotional feelings that go along with it, and this can make the difference between dread and delight. That might seem a bit extreme, but when you can "lighten" how you perceive things, you'll be able to experience people in a different way. Use these tips to help:
■ Be a team player: If your in-law is coming to your house, make sure you include her in the different things that occurring throughout the day: any food/table preparation, have her bring something she likes to make, ask her questions, compliment her on something, try to make her feel comfortable and welcomed. Treat her as you would a friend attending your family gathering. If you are going to her house for the holiday, ask if she'd like some help. And whether she does or not, stay around and talk with her; again, ask her questions, compliment her, let her know you're interested in her.
■ Don't take things personally: Everyone is more stressed during the holidays, including your in-law. As long as you can feel good about how you act/behave with her — that you treat her with respect and kindness — no matter what — then you can be certain her actions are not about you.
■ Find the humor: Decide to find humor in what your in-law says or does. When you do so you create an emotional distance that helps you take her actions less seriously. And by finding the humor you'll also have some great stories to tell your friends later, about what she did "this" time.
■ Find some "down time" for yourself so you can re-energize and regain your strength. Even just a few minutes by yourself can be just what you need to get your energy back.
■ Establish ground rules in advance: Before arriving at your in-law's house, you and your spouse should have decided how long to stay. Then leave at the predetermined time. If your spouse wants to stay longer, take two cars. Let the family know when you arrive that you will need to leave at that certain time. If you live out of town and can't leave to go back to your home, you and your husband might need to decide to stay in a hotel. Again, you can decide in advance when you want to go back to the hotel or to the place you are staying and then leave at the designated time. By staying at a hotel or with another family member you'll always have a "haven" to return to.


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Hiya Everyone.
I taking a journey back today using Bohemian Bouquet from Ultimate Crafts. I wanted to make a striking yellow and white card and Bohemian Bouquet has some pretty patterned papers in the colours I wanted.
Couture Creations has just released a new range of Hotfoil Stamps called Everyday Sentiments and I am showing one today.
Here is a look at the bits and pieces I have put together to create my card.
So to start I cut myself a 6x12" piece of the white Ultimate Craft cardstock and scored it at 6" to create my 6x6" card base. Next I cut one of my patterned papers to 5 3/4" square and distressed the edges before inking the edges with a matching yellow ink. I then selected a second patterned paper and cut it to 5 3/4" x 3" again distressing the edges and inking in yellow ink.
I die cut one of the Bohemian Bouquet Laced Petals dies in the Snow White cardstock. Again I inked the edged and then snipped it in half. Using the Vintage Matte Gold ink I hotfoiled the sentiment on an offcut of the Snow White cardstock, snipped in one long edge with scissors and then once again distressed the edges and inked them with the yellow ink.
Next I adhered them to the card base. And all that was left to do was embellish with my chosen flowers in a cluster, add the die cut and add the sentiment. My last finishing touch was adding some of the small gold pearls to the card.
Here are a few closeups of the card.
Bohemian Bouquet
Be Merry
Thanks for stopping by. Come back and join us again tomorrow.
Ciao for now,


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The Blurb
They could hardly have been less alike.
David is striking, tanned, smooth, charismatic, blond with an ice melting smile, and possesses an unmistakable gift as a fiction writer, even at twenty-one. Wyatt looks as plain as paper, short by comparison, mildly hairy, white as a ghost, graceless, a celebrated oil painter. He is single and he is out. David, raised a strict evangelical fundamentalist, is embarrassed by his own virginity. Both men are sent to Puffin Island and, within days of their arrival a young woman washes ashore, frozen and unresponsive after her kayak crashes against the rocks.
David and Wyatt save her life. Days later, Wyatt is charged with rape. While the authorities investigate, the woman's nineteen year old identical twin brothers paddle their way to Puffin to teach Wyatt a lesson. Their goal, to avenge their sister.
The bond between David and Wyatt increases during island duty, and just when things seem as good as they can get, David distances himself from Wyatt. During David's absence, Wyatt meets a hometown computer whiz who makes it quite clear that he wants Wyatt for himself. But, David's heart struggles with his imbedded childhood dogma and lethally homophobic parents, propelling him to establish an unthinkable bond of love with Wyatt, and, when the inthinkable happens, Wyatt is once more left alone and he moves forward because there is a lot at stake. He turns to the most unlikeliest of characters to fill the void, a person who will teach him an important lesson; that love is all about choice and on making a decision, he must sacrifice a need that had been created by his past with David.
Thayne wasn't next to me.
Gradually, I awoke, the reality setting in that his side of the bed was empty.
I figured he'd simply crawled out to take a leak. I knew he needed to leave early, about seven my time, to be at work by eight-thirty his time. Minutes later I discovered the head vacant and that it wasn't even four forty-five, yet. I could not find him anywhere in the apartment. I hoped to spot him on the balcony searching for dawn's early lights, but no; still far too early even in this mid-August time frame.
My angst bubbled over when I saw his vehicle wasn't in the car park.
"What the fuck?" I shouted.
Did he get a phone call in the night summoning him home? Upstairs I scrounged for my cell phone, searched for a hand written note, not that it would be like him to write one. But lo, tucked into the handle of the coffee pot, where I couldn't miss it, I found one of my index cards.
My name is Thayne, not David. You ain't near ready for me.
"What the fuck?"
I tried his cell phone, but he had turned it off, sending my pounding heart directly to his voice mailbox.
"Thayne, what happened? Call me. Please." I prepared a pot of coffee and plopped onto the sofa. My deductive abilities prior to caffeine were near nil. Did I do something or say something during the night that offended him? I sipped on the hot black liquid as my head gradually drifted back into the game of life. I took my cell into the bathroom with the ringer volume on high, hoping he'd call while I showered. I needn't have bothered. No call came in, so after dressing, I called him again. His phone remained off and being this hour on a Monday morning business calls were unlikely. I suspected it would remain off for hours. But why? What could I have said or done to cause such a dramatic reaction. I read his note again, and a thought came rushing over me like the cascading waters of Dickson Falls in Fundy National Park.
How do you fix something like that? Or could Thayne be spot on, that I wasn't ready for him? I vaguely remembered kissing and cuddling him in the middle of the night.
I must have called him David, but what else did I say? What else did I do? Did I attempt sex with him thinking of him as David; telling "David" how much I loved him, and how thankful I was that he returned to me?
Oh, I could see that happening, but I had no independent recollection of such an event. I swallowed more coffee. Conversely, I also knew that in times of trouble my mind worked overtime creating a litany of worst possible scenarios like when they charged me with raping Brenda and I saw myself on a chain gang with a pick-axe.
So maybe I did none of those things, just like I never raped Brenda. Maybe I said something earlier in the day that stewed in his mind. Thayne's inferiority complex could be an undetonated grenade in times of stress. I wondered what time he left and how far he had travelled toward home. Hopefully that's where he was headed.
After making more coffee, I tried calling him again, this time while sitting on the pot. I might as well have been sitting on Neptune. The results were the same.
Standing on the veranda overlooking the bay I used the peaceful scenery to think. No, think is too strong a word. I stood there for an hour watching the lights, listening to the neighborhood birds protesting their predawn duties, filling the early morning airwaves with their unique and varied songs. I was in no mood for all that screeching and chirping and pecking and warbling and hooting this morning. Normally, I enjoyed the early avian sounds of nature, but I could find nothing in that cacophony to savor at this moment.
I reached for my wallet, car keys, and cell phone, pocketing them with a couple of pens, index cards and a handkerchief to help me deal with the allergies that fucked with my nose and throat this time of year, ragweed now coming into full bloom.
Seated in my parked car, I palmed my phone to try Thayne once again, spotting an inbound voice mail.
I knew who originated it without listening. I felt like a man with his hands tied behind his back, a hood over his head and a rope around his neck.
"Wyatt, do not call me no more. After your love affair with David last night I know you are too sweet on him to care about your ignorant hick even a little. I know I's just a stand in for David. Nothing more. And it smarts so bad I can't takes it."
The trap door opened.
I fell into a deep and dark malaise, choking on my own conflict and phlegm.
My head crashed into the steering wheel.
I screamed.
Anyone walking past my vehicle in the darkness of that predawn hour would have thought I had escaped from the psychiatric ward.
I remembered David walking out on me once, too; that Sunday back in November, 2010, leaving me alone at the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel in Fredericton; also because of another guy.
Cool Dudes Publishing and the author have provided us with an eBook copy of the book to Giveaway.
To enter, simply click here to visit the Rafflecopter. The competition will run for a week.
Buy Links
For buy links, visit Cool Dudes.
About the Author
Kristopher Quentin has been writing for decades. He is a businessman and journalist by trade, a man up at 3:45 every weekday morning for a stint on the news desk; a little earlier on weekends to write fiction in his man cave.
An upstate New Yorker by birth, he now lives in the most rural area of far Maine, USA, on 54-acres of land: wooded, lawns, driveways, and a few buildings including his four thousand square foot home which he calls the white house; because it is.
His property is home to moose, deer, rabbits, raccoons, porcupines, fox, weasels, black bears, and one Bard owl. He loves reading gay romances among other forms of fiction; non-fiction; and memoirs most of which he considers to be fictional. Traveling, dining out, boat riding are among his passions; that and flying his own single engine airplane when he was younger.
Message from CoolDudes Publishing CEO:
When I first read The Island Keepers two years ago, I fell in love with the leviathan scope of the novel. It took me to places I have never been, it enthralled me and blew me away. The book has been five years in the making and during that time it has been through several edits. Without giving too much away, you have my assurance that the characters and the island itself will leave you with a lingering sense of joy, and above all hope. There is such a thing as true love.
Debut author Kristopher Quentin lives a quiet life close to this island.
You won't want to miss this amazing book to be published on the 1st April. Available through Amazon, and the CoolDudes Publishing website.
Louis J Harris
March 2015


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A new project proposal in regards to helping children wanting an education, as well as young adults trying to begin college.
Art Director: Rory Jensen
Copywriter: Kat Kaidan
Co-Copywriter: David Cappolino
At no time is college more on a student's mind than when they're taking the SATs, ACTs, or similar standardized test. Pencils of Promise is going to provide #2 pencils with a reminder written on them that getting into college is only the first step. These pencils will be distributed along with all the exams to ensure a wide distribution and greatest amount of awareness.


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Get an overview of this hotel Family-friendly ski resort with a full-service spa
Popular highlights
Conveniently near skiing facilities, this Avon resort is located in the mountains, within 3 mi (5 km) of Eagle Vail Golf Club and Beaver Creek Resort, and close to winter sports such as cross-country skiing and snow tubing. Beaver Creek Nordic Center and Arrowhead Ski Area are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Resort Features
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley offers a convenient ski shuttle service; those who skip the slopes can take advantage of ski storage and a 24-hour fitness center.
Room Amenities
All 232 rooms boast deep soaking tubs and offer free WiFi and pillowtop beds. Free wired Internet and iPod docks are standard, as are flat-screen TVs with satellite channels.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Have fun with onsite winter activities, including downhill skiing and snowshoeing and in warmer months, enjoy hiking/biking trails and kayaking. Indulge in a treatment at the full-service spa or soothe your muscles in one of the 3 spa tubs after a day on the slopes. For a free ride to the slopes, hop on the mountain resort's complimentary ski shuttle. The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley helps provide the perfect winter holiday with ski storage and ski equipment rentals. At the end of the day, order après-ski drinks at one of the resort's 3 bars/lounges.
Dining is available at one of the resort's 3 restaurants and guests can grab coffee at the coffee shop/café. Wireless Internet access is complimentary. This luxury resort also offers an outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and a sauna. Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Avon, Vail Valley is a smoke-free property.
- Free use of nearby fitness center
- Library
- Picnic area
- Children's games
- Children's toys
- Number of spa tubs - 3
- Elevator
- 24-hour front desk
- Poolside bar 1
- Business center
- Porter/bellhop
- Express check-out
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Outdoor pool
- Conference space size (meters) - 0
- Terrace
- Luggage storage
- Hair salon
- ATM/banking
- Concierge services
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Total number of rooms - 232
- Number of floors - 9
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Fireplace in lobby
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Free ski shuttle
- Number of bars/lounges - 3
- Full-service spa
- Conference space
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Meeting rooms
- Year Built - 2008
- Coffee shop or café
- Free WiFi
- Pool sun loungers
- Steam room
- Sauna
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Smoke-free property
- Supervised childcare/activities (surcharge)
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free area shuttle
- Spa services on site
- Ski storage
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Number of restaurants - 3
- Conference space size (feet) - 0
- Ballroom
- Laundry facilities
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Multilingual staff
- Free newspapers in lobby
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Towels provided
- Linens provided
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Bathrobes
- Refrigerator
- Free toiletries
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Pillowtop mattress
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Sofa bed
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Designer toiletries
- Desk
- Free local calls
- Hair dryer
- Daily housekeeping
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- In-room safe
- Iron/ironing board
- Free bottled water
- Number of bathrooms -
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Premium TV channels
- Private bathroom
- Shower/tub combination
- Room service (24 hours)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Satellite TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- iPod docking station
- Down comforter
- First-run movies
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 7 AM and 11 AM.
Maya, Modern Mexican - This restaurant serves brunch and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. A children's menu is available.
The Lift Cafe - This café serves breakfast and lunch. A children's menu is available.
Starbucks - This Cafe serves light fare only.
Late night fare is available from 24-hour room service.
Start your morning with a buffet breakfast, available each day from 7 AM to 11 AM for a surcharge. Room service is available around the clock.
Nearby Things to Do
3 spa tubs are on site along with an outdoor pool. Other recreational amenities include a sauna and a 24-hour fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Snowboarding nearby
- Fishing on site
- Snowshoeing on site
- Golfing nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails on site
- Snowmobiling nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Kayaking on site
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
- Pilates classes on site
- Rafting nearby
- Snow tubing nearby
- Fitness classes on site
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Ski equipment rentals on site
- Downhill skiing on site
Spa Services
Spa Anjali has 14 treatment rooms including rooms for couples. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, sports massages, and facials. The spa is equipped with a spa tub. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy and Ayurvedic.
- Number of treatment rooms 14
- Couples treatment rooms
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body wraps
- Body treatments
- Body scrubs
- Facial treatments
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Hot stone massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Prenatal massage
- Spa tub in spa
- Sports massage
- Massages
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 50 per pet, per night
- Dogs only
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No cribs (infant beds) available
Only service animals are allowed
Parking height restrictions apply
- Resort fee: USD 35.00 per accommodation, per night
- Pool access
- Spa access
- Health club access
- Fitness center access
- Shuttle service
- Newspaper
- Phone calls
- Faxes
- In-room safe
- In-room coffee
- In-room bottled water
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: USD 28.50 for adults and USD 12.50 for children (approximately)
- Valet parking fee: USD 32 per night (in/out privileges)
- Pet fee: USD 50 per pet, per night
Hotel Name
- Westin Resort Beaver Creek
- Westin Riverfront
- Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek Mountain Avon
- Westin Riverfront Resort
- Westin Riverfront Resort Beaver Creek Mountain Avon
- Westin Riverfront Resort Beaver Creek Mountain
- Westin Riverfront Resort Mountain
- Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek Mountain
- Westin Riverfront Mountain
- Westin Riverfront Resort Avon Vail Valley
- Westin Riverfront Resort Vail Valley
- Westin Riverfront Avon Vail Valley
- Westin Riverfront Vail Valley
- Westin Beaver Creek
- Westin Riverfront Resort And Spa
- Westin Riverfront Hotel Beaver Creek
- The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa
- The Westin Riverfront Resort Spa Avon Vail Valley
- The Westin Riverfront Resort Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain
- Westin Riverfront Resort Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain
We should mention
Pool access available from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. Parking height restrictions apply.


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ST. LOUIS � So it�s the Cardinals who�ll have their backs against the Green Monster.
ST. LOUIS � So it�s the Cardinals who�ll have their backs against the Green Monster.
The Boston battery of Jon Lester and David Ross made sure of that Monday night.
Lefty Lester, looking like Hall of Famer Lefty Grove, limited the Cards to one run and four hits through 72/3 innings, while Ross, his designated catcher, drilled a double down the left-field line in the seventh that brought home rookie Xander Bogaerts with what would prove to the winning run.
Now the Sox are one game away from winning their third championship in 10 seasons.
They�re one win away from completing an Improbable Dream season, going from last in the A.L. East in 2012 to the top of baseball�s mountain in 2013.
As for the Cardinals, losers of two of three on their home field, they�ll be relying on their fireballing rookie pitcher, Michael Wacha, to stave off elimination and force a seventh game on Halloween night at Fenway.
While it seems appropriate, given the weird goings-on in this strange Series, that it be decided on Halloween, the bearded Sox and their fervent faithful surely would like to end it in six games.
That would touch off the celebration of the century at Fenway.
While not as historic as 2004, when the Red Sox ended 86 years of frustration by sweeping St. Louis, it would be the first time since 1918 that the Sox would win a World Series on their home field, in front of their loyal fans.
�We�re going home, going back to a place our guys love to play in,� Boston manager John Farrell said Monday night. �We�re excited about going home in the position we are in.�
They�re in that position primarily because of Lester, Ross and the unstoppable David Ortiz.
It�s a position that Ross, who missed two months of the season while recovering from a concussion, is delighted to be in.
�I�m just in awe of being in the World Series,� he said. �There were times when I was questioning if my career would be over. I never thought I�d be here. This is pretty cool.�
Things were very uncool for Ross this summer, when he was sidelined worrying about his future in baseball.
�I took two foul tips straight to the mask within a matter of 10 pitches that dinged me up pretty good,� he said.
His wife knew he wasn�t right, but Ross tried to gut it out.
�As athletes, we feel we can get through anything. We try to do mind over matter.�
But, after he �stunk for two weeks� he went to see a specialist.
It wasn�t easy for him, being idle.
�The hard part is, you don�t have a cast on. You didn�t have surgery. It was hard for me to look my teammates in the eye. I used to do the same thing. You think, with a concussion, you should push through it and, if you don�t, you�re not tough enough.�
Ross now knows differently.
And no one would question his toughness � physical or mental.
Instead of talking about his big hit on Monday night, Ross preferred to talk about how tough Lester was on the mound.
�He�s our backbone. He�s our horse. He�s pitching like the ace he is. I love catching him.�
Lester, in turn, was more dazzled by the hitting of the red-hot Ortiz than by his own pitching.
�The guy is the epitome of a superstar,� Lester said, after watching Ortiz go 3-for-4, including a run-scoring double in the first inning.
Ortiz now is an almost unbelievable 11-for-15 against the Cardinals, with two homers � an incredible average of .733.
�What planet is that guy from?� Ross chimed in. �That�s why we call him �Cooperstown� � because he does Hall of Fame stuff.�
�It�s unbelievable,� Lester said of Ortiz, �to see him do the things he does.�
What Lester has done in his two starts against St. Louis is equally impressive.
In Game One, he blanked the Cardinals for 72/3 innings, allowing five hits and striking out eight while walking only one.
He may have been even better in Game Five, when he didn�t have the cushion of a 5-0 lead after two innings, as he did in Game One.
Other than allowing a solo homer to Matt Holliday that tied the game in the fourth, Lester allowed just four hits, struck out seven and didn�t walk a batter.
Now his team is just one game away from winning a championship on their home field.
�You show up Feb. 1,� said Lester. �Play 162 games. We�ve played about 180 now, and it all comes down to one game. It�s a pretty special time.�


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3 Common Mistakes You Could Be Making That Could Damage Your Transmission
Posted on: 14 July 2017
Even if you do not know much about car parts, you probably know that your vehicle's transmission is one of its very important parts. Therefore, you may want to do what you can to help ensure that this essential part is kept up and running as it should be. It can be easy to make mistakes that can damage your transmission, but you probably want to avoid these mistakes if at all possible so that you can keep your transmission in good condition. These are a few common mistakes that you will want to avoid if you want to take good care of your car.
1. Not Checking Your Transmission Fluid
For one thing, you should know that it's very important to ensure that your vehicle has ample transmission fluid at all times. After all, without it your vehicle's transmission cannot stay lubricated, so it won't be able to work as well.
Checking the transmission fluid of your vehicle should be pretty easy; just remember that it should usually be done when the vehicle is running, and follow the instructions in your car's instruction manual if you are unsure of where the dipstick is for the transmission fluid or if you aren't sure of how to check it. A professional transmission repair service can also check your transmission fluid and add fluid when you need it.
2. Not Using Your Parking Brake
It's true that a car with an automatic transmission usually won't go anywhere when it's in the "park" position, even if it's on an incline. However, if you regularly park your car without using your parking brake, particularly on a hill, you should know that this can slowly wear out your transmission. If you'd like to avoid damage, simply use your parking brake each time that you park. It can make a big difference in the lifespan of your transmission.
3. Resting Your Hand on the Shifter
If your car's gear shifter is located beside the driver's seat, it can be easy to get in the habit of just resting your hand on it while you're driving. However, even though doing it every now and then should not be a big deal, it shouldn't be something that you get in the habit of doing all the time. Otherwise, you could put weight and pressure on its internal parts, which can cause wear and tear.
Visit a site like http://www.budgetautomotivetucson.com to find out more about caring for your transmission.Share


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If you enjoy decorating your own nails ....
these decorative Christmas themed nail stickers, decals and false nails will bring a little stress free holiday cheer .....
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
also visit
Noël Sticker Nail Art
Best places I found great bargain buys ...
free shipping bargain priced nail decorations on ebay
good prices - some free shipping at Light in the Box - check for coupons
some great bargain finds on Amazon
cheap and wholesale lots at aliexpress
Merry Christmas snowflakes stripes nail art water decals transfers stickers
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Christmas nails stickers
Nail art water decals transfers stickers Christmas tree - santa - rudolph - holly
Red White Christmas New Year 3D Nail Stickers Nail Art Decorations
Christmas Theme Nail Art Stamp Template
also visit ....
Nail salon bedroom decorating and Nail Polish theme decor blog
Nail decorations - nail art - nail decals - and more blog
Ocean themed nail design ideas blog
Animal print nail designs blog
Fruit themed nail designs blog
Peacock nail design ideas blog
Halloween themed nail designs
Tropical nails
Music themed nail designs
Lace themed nails blog
Cute nails - nail art design ideas blog
Dress up your toes and feet blog
'Tis the season to be jolly . . . fa, la la la la!
Christmas Ugly Sweaters blog
Christmas Ugly Sweaters blog
Christmas theme decorating ideas
Christmas decorating and decor blog
Christmas kitchen decor blog
Coastal Christmas decorating Blog
Rustic Christmas decorating ideas blog
Peacock color Christmas decorating blog
Candy themed Christmas decorating blog
White Christmas decorating ideas blog
Winter Themed bedroom decorating ideas
Skiing Christmas ornaments - ski decorations
Don't make your Christmas gift giving harder than it needs to be
Christmas Gift Shopping Ideas
Santas Shopping Mall
is copyrighted work by Maries Manor Kids Theme Bedrooms


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Virtual pets aren't anything new. For me, they go all the way back to when I was kid and begged my parents to buy me a Giga Pet. What can I say? I wanted a tiny T-Rex that I could sneak into school. In today's world, our smartphones make everything easier, including adopting a virtual pet. Let's take a look at Sfronzols, a free virtual pet app available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. Sfronzols utilizes the timeless virtual pet concept and offers it in a modern smartphone package. But does it create the same buzz and excitement of virtual pets of the past?
Just like you'd expect, your Sfronzol journey starts at birth when you choose which gender you prefer your pet to be. Afterward, your Sfronzol can be born with a number of randomly generated traits and features such as shape, color, eye color and more. Once your new pet is born, the fun really begins.
You will want to take note of the different indicators and meters at the top of your screen that indicate when your Sfronzol is happy, hungry, tired or needs a bath. Overall, I had fun interacting with my Sfronzol, but I did worry that my schedule would keep me away from my Sfronzol too much and that he'd ultimately live a dreadful life. He really didn't require too much maintenance, though, and I even forgot to give him attention for a whole day. Luckily, after a few rounds of feeding, bathing and playing, he was good as new. He did suffer through a cold of sorts that required a trip to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine, which brings me to my next point.
Sfronzols isn't a one scene virtual pet game. Instead, the game takes place inside a virtual house and community in which your Sfronzol lives. You will find yourself having to make trips to the market to buy food, the pharmacy or hospital for medicine and a general store for clothes and accessories. Because of this, Sfronzols isn't a one trick pony, but is a virtual pet game that evolves and offers new and fun things for your Sfronzol to do. If that's not enough Sfronzol fun for you, when your Sfronzol needs to take a nap, you can still play mini games on your Sfronzol's own gaming console that's located in their living room.
The presentation of Sfronzols is on point and very complete. The animations are appropriate and fun, the sound effects are great and even the music that plays when your Sfronzol sings to you is well-timed, making me smirk every time it happens. Colors are bright and friendly and the overall atmosphere gives the game a tone that makes it a fun experience for players of all ages.
The Wrap-up
The Good: Sfronzols has great animations, music and sound effects. The game offers a handful of activities and responsibilities without being a burden on your everyday life. It's really great that each Sfronzol looks unique.
The Bad: More playtime activities are needed.
The Verdict: In all honesty, if you're someone who can't picture themselves playing with a virtual pet, then Sfronzols isn't for you. But for those seeking a cute little digital creature to take care of, look no further. Sfronzols gets a lot right when it comes to virtual pets, letting you spend hours playing with your very own Sfronzol. And let's not forget, it offers that experience for free.
If you're interested in Sfronzols, be sure to download it from Google Play or the App Store and let us know what you think about the virtual pet app in the comments down below!


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Delivery Options
UK Shipping & Delivery Rates
When placing an order on the Funktion Alley website for delivery within the UK a delivery charge will be added relating to the item(s) that you order. This charge will show up in your trolley before you confirm payment.
Our standard UK delivery charge is £4.90
For orders above £150 UK mainland delivery is FREE
Should you order more than one item you will only be billed for a single delivery charge that relates to highest delivery charge item.
Delivery Methods
Deliveries are on weekdays only. Please note that deliveries are to the door, we cannot guarantee the courier will be able to take the items to the desired room in the house. Where the address is a block of flats delivery may be to the ground floor only.
To offer the most competitive prices we use a verity of couriers. Our Couriers include
Royal Mail - Small Packages. Items are sent First Class (Sometimes recorded dependaing on value, a signature is required on delivery)
Interlink - Medium, Large and Furniture Deliveries. Items are sent on a 24 hour service from dispatch a delivery notification can be supplied via text or email
ParcelForce - Large and Furniture Deliveries.
JW Logistics - Local Furniture Deliveries. (Two man and assemble)
Right and Direct - National Furniture Delivieries (two man assemble)
DSV (subcontracted to FedEx) - Outsize and International Deliveries
We are able to organise special deliveries and installation services. If have a particular delivery need please contact the showroom at firstname.lastname@example.com or call the showroom on 01924 466040 we will be more than happy to help.
Delivery Times
At Funktion Alley we endeavour to hold stock of the most popular products in the most popular finishes in our UK storage. On each product page you will see an estimated time for delivery for the particular item. Days specified refer to weekdays only, we do not dispatch or deliver on weekends or bank holidays. This time is a standard time when you as the customer can expect to receive the goods you have ordered at the delivery address you have specified. Please note however these are estimates only and items may take longer particulally if the period includes holiday periods such as Easter or Christmas. In the event that a particular item is likly to take considerably longer than estimated we will inform you of the lead time to check that you are happy to proceed.
The time is calculated from when the order is placed and payment has been accepted. With accessories and some lighting a stock level is usually held in the UK hence shorter lead times. Furniture items and large lighting are often manufactured or ordered especially for you so may take around 6 weeks or longer for delivery. If you have a specific date or deadline to receive an item we strongly suggest you contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call the showroom 01924 466040.
NB. If ordering from the website for Christmas, especially with furniture items, we recommend that you place your order well within the standard delivery times to avoid disappointment.
International Shipping & Delivery Rates
Funktion Alley Ltd delivers to customers all around the world. When placing an order on the Funktion Alley website for delivery outside the UK a delivery charge will be added relating to the item(s) that you order. This charge will show up in your trolley before you confirm payment. For smaller items the charge can be the same as with a UK order although due to the volumetric size of larger products, the international delivery charge is frequently higher. If you wish to order several items we may be able to consolidate shipping charges or If your country is not given as a delivery option, but would still like to make a purchase please contact us at email@example.com and we would be happy to provide you with a shipping quotation.
Import Duty and VAT for non-EU orders
Orders delivered to countries outside of the EU may be subject to import duties and taxes that are levied once the package reaches your country. Whether any charges are payable will depend on the value of the package and where you are having it delivered to. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they might be. You should contact your local customs office for further information. International customers outside of the EU must request by email or phone to be invoiced without EU sales tax prior to placing an order (we are only able to remove UK sales tax on orders over the value of £150 ex delivery). If there any additional charges for customs clearance, they must be borne by you.


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Blue Mountains Podiatry – Podiatrists in Katoomba, Blaxland, Faulconbridge & Lithgow
Blue Mountains Podiatry offer quality podiatry, orthotics & diabetic foot care to the local Faulconbridge, Katoomba, Blaxland and Lithgow communities as well as the surrounding suburbs of; Springwood, Glenbrook, Emu Plains, Lawson, Leura, Wentworth Falls, Blackheath and Penrith.
Blue Mountains Podiatry is focused on achieving the best possible outcome for all our patients. 20 years of diagnosing, managing and treating tens of thousands of patients with foot pain and lower limb injuries; flat feet, heel pain, foot pain, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ingrown toenails, growing pain, knee pain and corns/calluses. This has allowed us to develop the most up to date and comprehensive assessment techniques to provide the best treatment and management plan for each of our patients.
We are committed to providing our patients with the best possible treatment outcomes, ensuring great results are achieved every time. We use the very latest in force plate technology to measure any biomechanical issues that may be causing pain and ensure recommendations are tailor made to suit each patient individually.
Our goal is to get you out of pain as soon as possible and get you back to the sports and activities that you love.
We provide four convenient locations with easy parking for your convenience, one at Katoomba, one at Faulconbridge, one at Blaxland and the other at Lithgow.
For the best podiatry care or custom orthotics in the Blue Mountains, call (02) 4751 7583 for our Faulconbridge Podiatry clinic (02) 4782 6169 for our Katoomba Podiatry clinic (02) 4702 0221 for our Blaxland Podiatry Clinic or (02) 6352 5685 for our Lithgow Clinic.
|Blue Mountains Podiatry
proudly sponsors
Blaxland Soccer Club


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Defining Jobs: Can be done through GUI or Job Instruction Language (JIL)
System Components:
- Event server: (Autosys Database)
- Event Processor: Heart of Autosys Also called event daemon. Schedules and starts jobs. Instructs the remote agent to perform actions.
- Remote Agent: A temporary process start by event processor to perform a specific task on client machine. It starts the commands and sends back the status of the job back to event processor
Types of Jobs:
- Command Jobs:Can be a shell script or an executable program.
- Box Jobs:is a container of other jobs. And is used to organize and control process flow. If no other starting conditions are specified at the job level, a job within a box will run as soon as the starting conditions for the box are satisfied. If several jobs in a box do not have job-level starting conditions, they will all run in parallel.
- File watcher:starts a process that monitors for the existence and size of a specific operating system file. When that file reaches a certain minimum size, and is no longer growing in size, the File Watcher Job completes successfully, indicating that the file has arrived.
Job Definition:
The basic Command Job definition has the following required attributes:
Job Name - The unique job identifier by which a job is referenced.
Command -The UNIX shell script, command, or application program to be executed.
Machine Name- The name of the machine on which the command is to be run.
Starting Conditions -The date/time and/or job dependency conditions necessary for the job to be run.
days_of_week: mo, we, fr
start_times: "10:00, 14:00"
Autorep Commands
1) Autorep
Syntax : autorep -J job_name [ -d | -q | - r run_number ]
Description : autorep lists a variety of information about jobs
Options :
-J job_name
Indicates that a Job Report is desired. To report on all jobs, specify ALL. The % character may be used in the job name as a wildcard
-d Indicates a Detail Report is desired.
For a Job Report, all events from the last run of the requested job will be listed.
-q Indicates a Query Report is desired, providing the current job or machine definition, in JIL format, as it exists in the AutoSys database.
-r run_num
Indicates a report is desired for a specific job run (run_num). This option can only be used with the -s and -d options. If this option is omitted, or run_num is zero, the most current job run is reported. A minus sign (-) can be used before the run_num value to indicate a relative counter for a past job run, relative to the current run number. For example, the option r -2 would generate a report for the job run two runs back.
STATUS codes
On hold
on ice
Queue wait
Examples :
autorep -J pfvw%box%
autorep -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
autorep -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602 -d
autorep -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602 -q
autorep -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602 - r -2
2) Job Dependents
Reports information about the dependencies and conditions of a job.
job_depends [-c | -d ] [-J job_name]
-c Current Condition Status
Prints out the current state of a job and its job
dependency conditions (the jobs that are dependent on
this job).
-d Dependencies Only
Prints out the starting conditions for a job; no indi-
cation of the current status of the job is provided.
Example :
job_depends -c -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
3) Sendevent
Sends events to AutoSys for a variety of purposes, including starting or stopping AutoSys jobs, stopping the Event Processor, and putting a job on hold. To issue a sendevent on a job, you must have execute permis-
sion on that job.
Syntax :
sendevent -E event [ -J job_name] [-s status]
Options :
-E event
Specifies the event to be sent. This option is required. Any one of the following values may be specified:
STARTJOB- Start the job specified in job_name if the starting conditions are satisfied. That is, a STARTJOB event ignores time and date conditions, but it does not ignore dependencies on other jobs.
KILLJOB- Kill the job specified in job_name. The action depends on one of the job types given below:
Command Jobs- Kills the process that is currently running and all the processes that it has spawned; i.e.,the process group.
Box Jobs- Changes the status to TERMINATED. No more jobs within the box will be started. Jobs that are already running will continue to run to completion.
File Watcher Jobs - Kills the File Watcher job and changes the status to TERMINATED.
DELETEJOB- Delete the job specified in job_name from the database. If job_name is a box, deletes the box and all the jobs in the box.
FORCE_STARTJOB- Start the job specified in job_name, regardless of whether the starting conditions are satisfied or not. Because multiple instances of the same job could be started using this command, we recommended you use the FORCE_STARTJOB event only in extreme situations. Do not force start a job in QUE_WAIT state because jobs in QUE_WAIT state are already started and are waiting for machine resources to become available to run.
JOB_ON_ICE- Puts the job specified in job_name on ice. On Ice is the functional equivalent of deactivating a job definition. For example, the starting conditions for jobs downstream from JobA, which has been put on ice, will evaluate as shown below.
Evaluation of Dependent Jobs Conditions
Job Condition
Will Evaluate to
success (JobA)
failure (JobA)
terminated (JobA)
done (JobA)
notrunning (JobA)
While a job status is RUNNING or STARTING, AutoSys will not allow the job be put On Ice.
JOB_OFF_ICE- Takes the job specified in job_name Off Ice. This is like reactivating the job description. Jobs that are taken Off Ice will not start until the next time their starting conditions are met.
JOB_ON_HOLD- Puts the job specified in job_name On Hold. When a job is On Hold, it will not be started. A box will not be considered done if a job within it is ON_HOLD, and downstream dependent jobs will not run. If the job is already STARTING or RUNNING, you cannot put it ON_HOLD.
JOB_OFF_HOLD- Takes the job specified in job_name Off Hold. If the starting conditions are met, the job will be started.
CHANGE_STATUS- Forces a change in the status of the job specified in job_name. Ordinarily this should not be used, since AutoSys manages job state changes internally. If this option is selected, the -s status option must also be selected.
STOP_DEMON- Stops the event demon. This is the only way to stop the Event Processor. However, this does not stop the RDBMS(s).
CHANGE_PRIORITY- Takes the -j job_name and the -q priority arguments. Changes the Job Queue Priority of the job to the priority specified. Queue priority is the relative priority of all jobs in the queue. The lower the number, the higher the priority; zero means to run the job right away. If the job has not been started, priority is changed for the next run only. If the job has been started, and is in a queue, priority is changed immediately.
-s status
Specifies the status to which the job specified in job_name should be changed. This option is used only when the specified event is CHANGE_STATUS, which requires this option.
These are the valid statuses: RUNNING, STARTING, SUCCESS, FAILURE, INACTIVE, and TERMINATED.
Changing the status to RUNNING does not cause the job to run. It only changes the system's current notion of the status of the job. Therefore, this option should be used with caution. Changing the state of a box to INACTIVE will recursively cause all the jobs in the box to also be changed to INACTIVE.
Examples :
sendevent -E CHANGE_STATUS -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602 -s INACTIVE
sendevent -E CHANGE_STATUS -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602 -s SUCCESS
sendevent -E JOB_ON_HOLD -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E JOB_OFF_HOLD -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E JOB_ON_ICE -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E JOB_OFF_ICE -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E KILLJOB -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E FORCE_STARTJOB -J pfvw_d_cmd_mscifeed_proc_1602
sendevent -E CHANGE_STATUS -J -s TERMINATED
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Free Ableton Live Pack #69: Charlie Brown X-Mas Tree Synths
Free Ableton Live Instrument Racks created from a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Snow Globe!
Merry Christmas all! AfroDJMac here with a special gift to help you celebrate the holiday season. I'm sure the peaceful sounds of a music box brings many of us back to our childhood. Turns out the soft and soothing chimes also make for some interesting Ableton Live instruments!
Saturday I was a Christmas party where I found a beautiful Charlie Brown Christmassnow globe. I snuck off to a quiet portion of the house and sampled it on my iPhone. From there, I created the 3 Ableton Live instrument racks I am now sharing with you. I think they all have a lot of character and organic movement to them, with the combination of the plucked notes mixed with the cranking mechanism inside the globe.
The Charlie Brown X-Mas Tree Synth
The first synth is the most true to the actual snow globe. It features the characteristic music box chimes spread out across the musical keyboard. I've thrown in a Morph filter with LFO controls. I've also made use of Sampler's FM Oscillation , which really distorts the sound. As a final touch, I set up a dual beat repeat rack. This knob will adjust two separate beat repeats, one panned hard left and the other hard right. It's great for some glitch sounds and added space.
The Charlie Brown X-Mas Tree Looped
The second synth is nearly set up just like the first synth, with one major exception. The sample is looped. This instrument is better for creating chords and pads. The sample plays, then loops in reverse, and then forwards. The sound is a lively and interesting instrument with tons of character.
The Charlie Brown Grain Synth
The third of the trilogy makes use of the great looping features in Ableton's Simpler instrument. For this instrument you have real time control over the sample's loop points. By playing around with the sample's looping parameters, you can get anything from a smooth pad to a glitched out grain synthesizer sound. It's very powerful, and capable of a world of sonic potential.
Video Tutorial and Free Download!
Here's a video that gives a look at the original snow globe and explains how the different instruments work. Big thanks to Legendary Realms Terrain for allowing me to sample this beautiful Christmas ornament! If you are a Dungeons and Dragons fan, or a gamer, please check them out, they have amazing stuff!
Thanks for stopping by and supporting! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Armageddon Pack for Ableton Live
We survived the end of the world! If you are looking for some post apocalyptic sounds, look no further than the Armageddon Pack for Ableton Live! This pack was created with Mike Longo and features some epic sounds for the epic event! Check out the Armageddon EP, made entirely with the Armageddon Ableton Pack!


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Lauoho Conditioner ROSELANI
Lauoho Conditioner ROSELANI
from 22.00
ʻauʻau Lauoho (Hair) Conditioner restores pH balance of your hair and scalp.
ʻauʻau Lauoho Conditioner improves hair growth, strengthens hair beautifully, and boost hair shine.
Scented with 100% Pure Essential oil.
Biodegradable and sustainable.
Key Ingredients:
Hawaiian Raw Honey
Hawaiian Macadamia nut oil
Homemade Rosemary extract
Therapeutic grade essential oil.
Suggested Uses:
Thoroughly brush your hair before shampoo.
Apply ʻauʻau Lauoho Conditioner to freshly washed hair. Rinse with warm water. Pair with ʻauʻau Soap (as a shampoo) for the best result.
Made in Hawaiʻi.


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Success Story: SAGE Senior's Safe House
Elder Abuse is any action or inaction that jeopardizes the health or well-being of an older person.
Over the past few years your REALTORS® Community Foundation was very proud to have supported SAGE (The Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton).
The mandate of SAGE is to build and maintain programs and services that enhance the quality of life for seniors. The Safe House at SAGE provides temporary accommodations for men and women 60 years of age and older who require a safe haven from an abusive situation.
Elder Abuse may include physical, financial, sexual, emotional/psychological, neglect, and over or under medicating. 7% of older Canadians have experienced some sort of abuse and in Edmonton this means over 6000 seniors are being abused.
The SAGE Safe House provides emotional support, a furnished suite for up to 60 days, connections to community resources and professional case management support. More than 90% of the clients who attended the Seniors' Safe House reduced or eliminated abuse in their lives.
"The greatest of your gifts is that you showed me that you cared, and reminded me that there are good people in the world who do care, and that lifted my heart and gave me hope." From a Safe House Resident in a thank note to the staff


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The TouchBase Centre is a unique service supporting children and young people who are often misunderstood and misinterpreted in our schools and communities and who are at risk of exclusion. TouchBase work individually with these children and their schools by offering a supportive programme to establish stronger connections. Working at PLOT 22 enables TouchBase to provide these young people and the key adults in their lives a special space to connect and build trust; exploring the site together, gardening, creating and cooking up a shared lunch. Find out more about them on their website and facebook page.
Previous children and schools projects at PLOT 22:
Nature's Nippers
Nature's Nippers is an outdoor group for parents and pre-school children. It was started in 2012 in response to interest from parents we connected with through the local Children's Centre. You can read what happened when we met every month from January - December 2013 in the lovely diary we made: Nature's Nippers – a year at PLOT 22 and view photos of all our other sessions over on our flickr gallery. Here's a taster:
In 2015 the sessions were hosted by parents and carers Ellie, Mami, Becky and Laetitia. They approached the Healthy Neighbourhood Fund for a grant and this enabled us to hold 4 further taster sessions in 2016. This short video was made during these sessions:
Thai Food for Teenagers
During the fine weather of July and August 2011, seven groups of young people came to learn how to cook authentic Thai cuisine from Yoong Romchai, chef and founder of Hungry Monkey. Working outdoors, we harvested, prepared and then cooked vegetables and herbs Thai-style, filling this quiet allotment garden with the exotic smells and flavours of Thailand. You can read our story of working with Yoong here Thai Food at PLOT 22. These sessions were funded by the Hedgecock Bequest Fund.
An Adventure at PLOT 22 with Portslade Infant Eco Warriors
Children grow and plants grow. But did you know that ideas can grow too? This story is about helping ideas grow into real things we can share with others. Read what happened here: An Adventure at PLOT 22 with Portslade Infant Eco Warriors. This project was funded by People Can (formerly The Scarman Trust).
Nature Learning with schools
This simple guide has been created to inspire teachers who want to weave Nature Learning into the school day. It seeks to help teachers, no matter what their experience, confidently support children to connect with the magic of nature around them.
Nature Learning Through the Seasons, a handbook for in-school projects by Nadia Foley Comer and Emma Houldsworth. Other photo diaries and books can be previewed and purchased on our blurb.co.uk page. Any proceeds from sales go to PLOT 22.


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Upgrading a house takes some time and effort. It's something that can cost you a lot of money, if you're going all out with your renovation, or it's something that can be done on a strict budget. Either way, it can add value and a lot of texture to your living space, and that's always worth it to make sure you're as happy as can be when you're at home. But where should you focus your efforts if you're just starting out on this journey? Why, the kitchen of course!
Having the most amazing kitchen possible is all very much a matter of opinion, but there's quite a few general themes to follow when it comes to kitchen design. In the modern day and age, there's all kinds of styles, and whether you're upgrading for yourself or because you plan to sell one day, you should use these themes to good effect. And below are just a couple of these theme ideas for you to follow if you feel your kitchen could do with an upgrade.
Stick to a Colour Scheme
Even when you're trying to add in some pops of colour, make sure you don't go crazy with how much yellow or bright blue you're introducing to an otherwise neutral landscape. Unless you like that look of course, otherwise it'll just seem completely out of place! Not to mention it's going to save you a bit of money in the long run, as not everything is going to need to be repainted and you're not going to have to put up new, multi coloured shelves in all of your cabinets.
Add an Extension
Whether you're the kind of person who wants an add-on conservatory or someone who just wants to eat in the breakfast nook by the window, adding an extension onto your kitchen is going to be a great idea here. And with companies like Lowe Design and Build on your side, you're going to be able to do it in a variety of manners and styles; have something to fit the rest of the house, or use this space to have the actual modern upgrade you've always wanted. It might not be possible to scrap the entire house in your bid to go contemporary, but this is definitely doable!
Try a Different Lighting Style
Even just where you hang your bulbs can make a huge difference in how your kitchen looks, so make sure this is a spot you stop off at in your bid to upgrade your kitchen. Having a cascading chandelier on your kitchen ceiling might seem a little overkill, but it could really complete the space if it hangs over an island. Similarly, having some jar lanterns to cover your bulbs could really bring in that rustic feel that every buyer out there secretly loves, so don't underestimate this move.
Upgrading a house is something a lot of homeowners want to do, and now you have the chance for the kitchen of your dreams!


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DIRECTORATE Or INTELLIGENCE
Pakistan has made preparations to request permission from the International Atomic Energy Agency tomall quantlt of spent nuclear fuel from the Karachi power react;
saleguards agreement.
mag trg to use the exempt Ion
(which would allow It to accumulate up' to one kilogram of flaetl material)eans to initiate separation of plutonlum at theaba reprocessing plant for use In nuclear wai
tbe exemption, Paklmtan will face a
choice whan the Hew Labs plant ia completed next gear between proceeding with Its nuclear weapons program, which would than require rlolatlon of aafaguarda to obtain spent fuel for re-ptoceealngt or maintaining the security relationship with the United States and delaging Its weapons program until another source of flaalla material was arailable.
A Pakistani requestafeguards exemption would significantly heighten international suspicions that Pakistan vas acquiring plutonium for nuclear'weapons, increase Indian anxieties, andbts about the effectiveness of the IAEA safeguards susten.
Zla's Touqh Choice
tnat tney must acquir eluded that their exi promise of US militar Pakistan against Zndi to the United States ation of longstanding devices and to bring facilities capableweapons in Pakistan, the Kahuta enrichment
touclear weapons because they havemilitary capabilities, includingquipment, will not adequately protect an aggression* Since presidentisit ine have detected continu-
efforts to acquire components for nuclear into successful operation the only two producing fissile material for nuclear the PINSTECH-New Labs reprocessing plant and tO -
3uyina Timeafeguards Exemption
akistan has
explored the possibilities for acquiring small quantities of fissile material from spent fuel legally obtained from the Karachi power reactor under an exemption clause in Islamabad's safeguards agreement with the IAEA. The Pakistani leadership may believe that, as long as the safeguards agreement la not violated, it can bring the New Labs reprocessinq plant through its shakedown period b" usincr spent fuel from the Karach reactor
The exemption clause would permit Pakistan to test its reprocessing plantuantity of spent nuclear fuel removed from the Karachi reactor which, when reprocessed, would yield up to one Kilogram of plutonlum for the purposes of -processing, reprocessing, research, or development." This provision, which is contained in the TAEA document that establishes generalfor safeguards in countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proiiferation Treaty, was intended to allow states to conduct limited tests and experiments, such as examining the performance of reactor fuel, that did not involve enoughmaterial touclear weapon. Many countries have used this exemption for such legitimate purposes. The IAEA would not require that Pakistan state the purpose of its exemption request, and according to officials in the IAEA Secretariat, the IAEA woulo be legally obligated to approve at least an initial Pakistani request*
Pakistani requestafeguards exemption. Safeguards inspectors at the Karachi reactor would insist on measuring the actual plutonium content of the- spent fuel to be exempted and taking the highest possible estimate of its plutoniu/content in order to limit the quantity available to Pakistan.
might attempt convert.anserial exemption." under a
return to safeguards one kilogram zlaim the right toew Karachi reactor* in this manner
could acquire momura unaer safeguards and later abrogate the material for nuclear
the Legal Department is still studying the serial exemption issue, but it would bo likely to reject such Pakistanihe United States and the Soviet Union objected strongly. |
aafequards to
December Pakistan requestxemptionerial exemption Pakistan would of separated plutonium and then quantity of spent fuel fromislamabad*
We believe that Pakistan may have settled its longstanding dispute with the IAEA over the adequacy of safeguard? at the Karachi reactor partly to lessen the adverse international reaction to an exemption request. Islamabad can point to its new safeguards compliance as evidence of its peaceful nuclear intent and observance of international obligations. Settlement of the safeguards dispute alsoiplomatic pretext that the United States or otherjjj^vg used to oppose any Pakistani exemption request*
Advantages as Seen by Pakistan
it is technically prepared to initiate
the Pakistani leadership may ,r.v.^'< ies in resortingafeguards exemption
Islamabad believes that the United States woulcr terminate the security relationship only over unsafeguarded reprocessing or actual production and testinguclear
is consistent with Pakistan's scrupulously
weapon. elief
legalistic approach in its recent public statements on nuclear energy and its negotiations over safeguards at the Karachi reactor with the IAEA.
By acting open'v, Iflamabad might also hope to reinforce its claim* ceful nuclear intent. equest to removeew spent fuel bundles- less than the full amount allowed by the exemption, would be presented as proof to the world that legitimate scientific pursuits were indeed the objective- Pakistani diplomats at the IAEA would probably compare the fuel removal with similar actions taken by countries with advanced nuclear programs.
Pakistan may see the exemption request as buying time to complete operational testing of its reprocessing facility. The unfavorable report issued by the Belgonuclaire technical team could make Islamabad even more disposed to testing its reprocessing plantbefore initiating unsafeguarded reprocessing.
Islamabad may also calculate that legal reprocessing under the exemption clause could provide limited covet for diverting larger quantities of spent fuel to New Labs, Because the plutonium content of spent nuclear fuel varies widely, depending on the length ofarticular bundle has beeneactor, the IAEA might
Disadvantages of Other Options
We believe that the disadvantages of Pakistan's other options for obtaining fissile material for nuclear weaponsmake reprocessing spent fuel under the exemption clause attractive In the short run. There are serious problems with attempts to:
Divert spent fuel clandestinely from the Karachi reactor.Spent fuel removed in violation of safeguards would provide the most certain and largest source of plutonium. Zia, however, is probably persuaded that the United States would terminate the security relationship if lt became aware ofiolation, now more likely because of the stricter safeguards at the reactor.
production of highly enriched uranium required for nuclear weapons at the Kahuta enrichment plant) at the earliest.
" Obtainnusable material from another country. We believe that China, which has provided sorre assistance to the Pakistani nuclear program, is the only possiblesource of weapons-usable material or spent fuel for processing. As far as we know, however, China has never given Pakistan such material and it is an unlikely future source. In our view, Beijing will not raise the level of itsnow probably limited primarily to technicalof Its concern that this would further adversely affect nuclear energy cooperationestern countries and Beljijialp efforts to improve relations with New Delhi.Original document.
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Bad Weather Blues!2 comments Posted by Alyssa at 7:48 PM
The past 24 hours have been slow in terms of collecting samples, as the weather has taken a turn for the worst. Having accomplished the majority of the sampling at this station, Station B, the drifting sediment traps were the last piece of equipment we were able to deploy . The drifters were supposed to stay in the water for 2 days, but the weather turned foul before we could recover them. The drifter traps are new equipment for this cruise, as Andrew McDonnell from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute has joined our team to study particles settling from the sea surface to the sea floor. They communicate to him remotely by sending latitudes and longitudes so we can find them and collect them from the water. Unfortunately, the winds have been too strong and the seas too big to recover them, so we are hanging tight in their vicinity until we can pull them from the water. We are currently experiencing 12 foot seas and 50 knot winds, which makes the back deck too dangerous to conduct any operations. Most of the scientists are antsy to get the wrap up the last science operation, and are hoping for a break from this weather system soon. On a positive note, we have finished analyzing all our samples in the lab and have begun packing away our lab equipment for the last time. We are all very happy for all of our accomplishments over these three cruises, but are also quite sad to see it come to an end.
Field Camp Offloads on Livingston Island and James Ross Island0 comments Posted by Antarctica NCSU at 9:43 AM
February 15-18th
During our first three days down on the Antarctic Peninsula we helped set up two geology field camps, one on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands (west side of the Antarctic Peninsula) and the other on James Ross Island (east side of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Weddell Sea). The Livingston Island field team is mainly looking for the bones of early mammals in deposits that are as old as 120 million years. The James Ross Island group is a combination of scientists who examine the magnetism in the rocks to establish accurate ages for the geological deposits, whereas other researchers are looking for the environmental conditions that lead to the extinction of the dinosaurs, as well as evidence documenting Antarctic climate change (both past and present).
Dr. Ross McPhee of the Natural History Museum of New York is heading up the Livingston Island team.
Dr. Joe Kirschvink (California Inst. Of Technology), Dr. Peter Ward (Univ. of Washington) and Dr. Eric Steig (Univ. of Washington) are leading the efforts on James Ross Island.
We transported gear and personnel about 1.5 miles each way using rubber boats with outboard motors called zodiacs. It took about a dozen zodiac trips at each of the two bases.
The accommodations for the field scientists were tents with a central office/kitchen tent being the only heated area at the field site. The field teams have a logistics coordinator, who makes certain that they have sufficient tents, food, water, and clothing to survive for 4 weeks of field operations. The field teams do have satellite phone that keep them in touch with our ship and the local US Antarctic base (Palmer Station).
As for wildlife we have seen a number of elephant seals, Adelie and Chin-strap penguins and a pretty large assembly of cormorants, sitting on a large iceberg. The surrounding scenery is breath taking, with massive glaciers carving into the extensive rock outcrops as the ice sheets move toward the ocean.
We found out this morning (18th) that 40-50 knot winds have destroyed 2 of the field tents on Livingston Island, and that the kitchen/office tent has been nearly demolished by the strong winds as well. The field scientists were going to try and make their lunch in a nearby cave for protection from the unusually strong winds. We are heading back to Livingston Island at the moment to pick up the field camp whose field season is now over, but the winds and seas look terrible for the next day or so, which will certainly inhibit any zodiac transfer activities. Zodiacs can take on water pretty easily, especially when loaded with gear and personnel. It is certainly a huge disappointment for these geologists on Livingston Island to come half way around the world and have their field season end in a matter of a couple days. The other field camp is doing fine, but they had 3 inches of snow last night (preventing their rock hunting activities for at least the next couple of days).
Happy Valentine's Day!0 comments Posted by Antarctica NCSU at 9:40 AM
February 14, 2009
It's been a lovely day here on the Gould. The skies have cleared, the seas are tame, and the ship has been adorned by the Valentine's Day Elf! Top to bottom the the halls and galley were covered in streamers, hearts line the hallways, and the folks in the galley even cooked up a special Valentine's Day cake! Candy and gifts have also been changing hands today as we try to make this day just as special as if we were on land.
But there is of course still work to be done. Dave has been collecting seawater samples as we cross the Drake and Kim has been diligently tending to the nutrient analyzer to make sure they are analyzed as quickly.
Tomorrow is a big day for us all. At approximately 0800 GMT, or 0500 Gould time, we will reach Livingston Island and will spend the day putting in the field camp for Dr. Ross MacPhee and his group. It will be hard work but we are grateful for every chance we get to be on land.
Fair winds…
Latitude: 62 38.407 South
Longitude: 62.00.183 West
Temp: 2.8°C
Winds NE 15-20 knots
Ciao Chile, Aloha Antarctica0 comments Posted by Antarctica NCSU at 9:35 AM
February 12, 2009
Greetings to our readers and thanks for tuning in for one more round! After traveling from all corners of the globe to return from our various adventures, all of the NCSU gang is present and accounted for. Kim and Brian had successful presentations at ASLO and saw the countryside of Europe. Rebecca and Alyssa toured the Torres del Paine area of Patagonia from the view of their kayak on the Serrano River. Linda visited previous FOODBANCS participant Karin in Sao Paulo. Dave was diligently teaching and coordinating with Carrie back at NC State to make sure everything for this final FOODBANCS excursion goes as smoothly as possible.
After a flurry of loading, packing, and securing equipment we left Chile yesterday. It was a busy day in port, and not only were there military and fishing vessels docked, but we woke up this morning to find a cruise ship outside our windows. These ships also visit Antarctica, carrying with them a few more people and providing a few more amenities than the L.M. Gould.
Caption: The Gould to the left with port officials close by to inspect the newly arrived cruise liner on the right.
Right now we have come around the horn of Argentina and are enjoying a fairly comfortable ride in the Drake Passage. We have completed our vessel security, lab safety, and back deck orientations, and have even had time to squeeze in an abandon ship drill and a field camp meeting. As we mentioned earlier, we will be dropping off two field camps on this voyage. We will be dropping Ross MacPhee at Livingston Island and Joe Kirshvinck at James Ross Island in the Weddell Sea. Setting up camps for a month long stay for these teams requires all hands on deck. Last February and March the FOODBANCS crew helped take out the Copa and Petermann camps so we have a lot of seasoned veterans who are willing and able to help.
More updates to come as we transit to the islands, m'on.


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The management of Avalon Intercontinental Nigeria Limited, an international independent hotel group and Radisson Blu Hotel now owners of former Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja had announced its partnership following a mutual agreement to part ways with "our former partners, the Renaissance Hotel group" the new managements said.
According to the Director of Legal, Avalon Intercontinental, owners of the hotel, Olaitan Tajudeen Salaudeen said that the responsibility of the management to continue to serve its esteemed clientele with best global standards was top of mind in choosing new partners. She said that the hotel formerly known as Renaissance Hotel Ikeja is now to be known and addressed as Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos Ikeja, part of the Avalon Hotel Collection owners of Protea Hotel Ikeja, Protea Hotel Victoria Island and Avalon Hotel, Offa, Kwara state. For more details, visit Vanguard
Source: Vanguard
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In my technology in marketing class this semester, we've been discussing social media and how companies can use this new platform to build their brands and relationships with consumers. My group did a breast cancer awareness plan for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure football game/fundraiser back in October, and a social media plan for the Kodak brand last week.
Our big idea for Kodak was to revitalize the brand by building on the "spontaneous" factor of a Kodak Moment. Our viral marketing would center around a "Make this Your Moment" contest encouraging uploads to the online photo-sharing service. Video clips of faceless characters in humorous situations would be propagated around the web to drive traffic to the contest site.
Here's the PowerPoint we presented to the class (some weird buggy things happened while uploading online, though):
Ironically, Kodak had another agency come up with a similar idea about a month ago: Make Me Super. This site was created by an ad agency called EVB, owned by Omnicom Group. In reality, their idea is remarkably similar to the "Elf Yourself" OfficeMax campaign, and a lot like the earlier yearbookyourself site which inspired this series of Facebook photos (and our own project):
However, the Make Me Super project seems to lack that defining brand mark. That thing which makes Kodak, Kodak. Where have all the moments gone?
You can hear the entire presentation via a class capture of our group for as long as Temple keeps it up. Hope this isn't any type of privacy violation, haha. As far as I know, this is publicly available content. Anyway, enjoy.


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Yesterday, I realized that I had allllll afternoon to get stuff done around the house. Usually I am doing something for school or doing last minute homework so having extra time was a nice surprise. I decided to do a few updates to brighten up our entryway.
Our foyer is basically 3x3 feet. There is room to open the door and then ta-da! You are right in the living room! Since moving in three-plus years ago, I had spray painted a mirror that was a great-aunts (or something) with a metallic bronze. I also repainted the door a bright white and replaced the knob and lock with new hardware. Other than that, the decorating pretty much came to a stand still.
I got a canvas drop cloth from Lowes for $10 and sewed a super simple cover. The nice thing is that it slips on and off fairly easily. It's also washable which is wonderful for all the pets who love to jump up on it to look out the front window.
The basket is Todd's old shoe basket. I stuck some of my pillows in there. Can you believe due to a pricing error that I got each pillow for $3.98 each?! Yay Target!
Simple, quick touches are a great way to update and brighten up a space! Happy Monday!