text:
Going Undercover: Humane Society Exposes GW Exotic Animal Park
Reckless Tiger Cub Petting Zoo: The Humane Society of the United States Investigates GW Exotic Animal Park
For approximately 4 months in the summer and fall of 2011, a Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) investigator worked as an animal caretaker at GW Exotic Animal Park ("GW") in Wynnewood, Okla. where hundreds of animals – most of them dangerous exotics such as tigers, lions, bears, chimpanzees and other primates – are caged in barren conditions, bred to provide infant animals for public photo shoots and "play time" sessions and often cared for by workers who have little-to-no experience handling large carnivores or primates.
The HSUS investigation of GW revealed a commercial operation—that often seeks
donations for "rescued" animals—that endangers both animals and the public
along with possibly violating federal and state laws and regulations:
• Tiger cubs were punched, dragged, and hit with whips during "training."
• Visitors, including children, were bitten, scratched and knocked down by tiger
cubs, some of whom were too mature to be used for public handling or photo
shoots. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations prohibit excessive
handling of cubs and prohibit unsafe contact with juvenile tigers (e.g., those
over 12 weeks). One tiger named Sarge was used in a photo shoot at GW
despite being nearly a year old and capable of inflicting severe injuries to the
public. The owner of GW told park staff that allowing Sarge to interact freely
with patrons was "very illegal" even though photo sessions conducted that
same day had allowed such interaction. GW's park manager told staff that if
patrons ask the age of a tiger, "…just say they're, they're just a couple months
old. You're not lying, you're not telling the truth… couple months old. That's all
they need to know. Ah, don't tell 'em it's sixteen-weeks-old and that cat over
there we're going to play with later is eighteen-weeks-old, the one over there
is a month older…."
• Tiger cubs – some whose eyes had not even opened – were passed incessantly
around to park visitors despite their cries of distress violating USDA regulations
which state that animals may not be handled in a manner that causes trauma,
behavioral stress, physical harm or unnecessary discomfort and that young
animals may not be handled in a rough or excessive manner. Tiger cubs were
hauled around the country to malls and fairs for photo shoots.
• Five endangered tigers died during the HSUS investigation, including:
Hobbes, whose body was picked up by a worker from a "bone museum" in Oklahoma City who commented that it would be a shame to let the tiger's skin go to waste
Two sick tigers who never received veterinary care were killed and their bodies buried in a horse enclosure—a worker confirmed GW's method of tiger euthanasia was gunshot and described it as "pretty gruesome"
An infant tiger who had somehow sustained a head injury while living in the GW owner's house was buried by the HSUS investigator and another worker
Tony, a tiger who reportedly belonged to the assistant park manager
• Unwarranted breeding of tiger cubs resulted in the need to offload animals who had outlived their usefulness to GW – many of whom were placed in substandard facilities such as Stapp Circle S Ranch in Indiana, Big Cats of Serenity Springs in Colorado and Forever Wild in California.
• Tiger cubs were removed from their mothers immediately after birth and taken into the GW owner's house to be hand-raised.
• Staff reported that tiger cubs were "donated" to other parties in exchange for a "donation" to GW as a means to skirt federal prohibitions on interstate sales of the animals.
Other investigation findings:
• Three federally-protected hawks died during the investigation – one was placed, still alive, in the dumpster by a worker ordered to do so by GW's owner and assistant manager; a GW manager acknowledged that the facility was not allowed to possess migratory birds.
• The USDA cited GW for failure to provide proper veterinary care to a sick baboon and a serval who both died during the investigation.
• Tigers and lions were bred to create hybrid "ligers" despite conservationists and accredited zoos decrying such breeding.
• Bear cubs were used for public "play" sessions even though GW's state wildlife license prohibits such activity.
• Toddlers and other children were routinely placed inside an enclosure with unrestrained adult wolves and wolf hybrids.
• Bears went without water in temperatures soaring above 100 degrees.
• A horse was shot five times before finally being killed to feed to the big cats. The incident was described to the HSUS investigator by a coworker: "…and Scott takes the horse and we put it by the Dumpster…and Davie goes ― 'POW!' Hits the motherf***** right here…blood start gushing out of his nose…three fingers [width] under his eyes…the nose…horse ran crazy…he start gushing blood everywhere…on Davie, on the f****** cars parked over there...the dumpster was covered in blood…'shoot again Davie, shoot again'. 'POW!' Again. F****** horse wouldn't die…'POW!' Third time, still no man, f****** the horse was kicking, the f****** blood squirting everywhere. Fourth time, 'POW!' F*** no! The fifth one he finally f****** shot it…God damn!"
• GW management instructed workers to hide a non-native spotted skunk purchased at an Ohio exotic animal auction in the primate house under dirty laundry to avoid detection by state wildlife inspectors because GW did not have authority to possess the animal and had already been given a warning about possessing the skunk.
• An escaped python which workers guessed was part of the traveling show was discovered loose in the park near a tiger enclosure.
• Six baby skunks, five baby raccoons, one adult skunk, a coatimundi, a parakeet, a baby peacock, a goose, a groundhog, a rabbit, an iguana, and an adult raccoon also died during the investigation and a one-eyed bobcat was destroyed.
• During the investigation, GW claimed it would have to close down because it could not pay its water bill during an extreme heat wave. The HSUS investigator questioned the park manager about the situation and was told that the report was simply "an advertising ploy…to get people to generate money," and that "news crews help us out."
GW is currently under investigation by the USDA for the deaths of 23 tiger cubs during a 13-month span in 2009-10. GW's owner claimed that the cubs died from "bad formula" but the FDA found no problem with the formula.
In 2006 GW was fined $25,000 by USDA for failing to provide adequate veterinary care, failing to protect the public during animal handling and failure to provide an adequate number of trained staff.
As a result of its investigation, HSUS has filed complaints with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for investigation into potential violations of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act, Lacey Act, and Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act; with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of the Animal Welfare Act; and with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for violations of GW's state commercial wildlife license.


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Ibanez to mostly sit when Angels visit NL parks
DETROIT -- The Angels will make their first of four visits to a National League park on Monday for the start of a three-game series against the Nationals. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Raul Ibanez will make one start in left field, likely on Monday or Tuesday against an opposing right-hander.
But mainly, he'll sit.
"It's an unfortunate thing about going to play a National League club, but it's what we'll do," Scioscia said. "Right now it might be good to give Raul a day off. It's good for him to catch his breath a little. He's been working real hard in the cage and hasn't seen the results he wants in the batter's box."
Ibanez, who sat Sunday so that David Freese could serve as the designated hitter in his first game back from a tight right quad, is batting .150/.215/.317 to start the year. But his overall absence from the lineup these next three days alludes to a larger point, about the need for uniformity now that Interleague Play is spread out over the course of a full season.
Scioscia's club will also be in Philadelphia on May 13-14, Atlanta on June 13-15 and Los Angeles on Aug. 4-5, and is one of many who believes it has come to a point where both leagues should go by the same rules.
"If you'd asked me 20 years ago, I was absolutely for pitchers hitting in both leagues," Scioscia said, "but I've come to appreciate the DH. It opens up a lot of the stuff they say it suppresses as far as little ball.
"I don't know which way it's going to go, but I'm sure it's going to be standardized at some point. We'll see which way it goes."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tooling Update
Dadco Introduces Integrated Online Catalog
Dadco has updated its website by posting an integrated online catalog with an easy-to-use interface that provides quick access to the firm's wide range of products. Included are specifications for nitrogen gas springs and liters, linked components, guide retainer sets, power cam and power pump systems and air cylinders.
Navigation through the site is easy. Once a customer selects the model and stroke length required, a product-details page is displayed that allows viewing of a 3D model of the product. And, with quick registration users can gain instant access to CAD models available in a variety of formats including SAT, STEP, CATIA, IGES and DXF.Dadco: 800/323-2687; www.dadco.net
See also: DADCO, Inc.
Related Enterprise Zones: Tool & Die


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After Fourth Title Since 1999, UConn Has Proven Its Blood is Pure BluePosted by Bennet Hayes on April 8th, 2014
Elite societies are exclusive societies, and the true blue-bloods of college basketball have long been a part of a near-impenetrable coterie. They are the programs that need no introduction, the schools that we expect to see in preseason Top Tens, midseason games-of-the-week, and on the final lines of the bracket in March and April. With apologies to UCLA and Indiana (it has been too long since either school ended their season with a National Title), conventional wisdom would tell you that this dignified collection has included just four teams for quite some time now – Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas. It has been a nice run boys, but it's time to welcome another member to your group. After winning its fourth national title in 15 years on Monday night — twice as many as any other school during that time — Connecticut deserves mention in any conversation of the elite college basketball programs in America. With Jim Calhoun watching from the stands and Kemba Walker on a television set far away from Dallas, Kevin Ollie, Shabazz Napier and the rest of the Huskies proved – against perennial power Kentucky, no less — that the UConn program is as elite as any in college hoops.
Jim Calhoun has long been synonymous with UConn basketball. After all, Calhoun took a program that was nearly devoid of basketball history when he got to Storrs in 1986 and turned it into a national power, winning 12 times as many NCAA Tournament games in his 26 years (48) as the program had in the 85 years that preceded his arrival. Among those four dozen Tournament victories were three national titles – a nearly unthinkable feat when viewed within the greater picture of Connecticut basketball history. Many even called the Hall of Famer's work in Storrs underappreciated when he retired in 2012, citing that blank program history and the bleak winters in tiny Storrs as major obstacles to a perennially elite college basketball program. Yet, somehow Calhoun was able to create precisely that.
However, all good things must come to an end, and the Jim Calhoun era was most certainly a good thing. His departure in 2012 brought a fork in the road for the program. One route would have been a trip back to a quiet, defeat-ridden past, where three decades of sustained brilliance would have ultimately come to reveal little more than the immense proficiency of one fantastic head coach. The other fork was more intriguing, one where continued success might actually show that Calhoun had done more than just coach a bunch of great teams. If UConn continued their winning ways, Calhoun's legacy would be that of a program builder; he would have taken a bad job and turned it into one of the sport's best.


text:
Critical Thinking: Who Should Be the Newspaper Industry's Spokesperson?
By: Nu Yang
Q: If you were in charge of promoting the newspaper industry on a national level, who would you hire as your spokesperson and why?
Colin Beck, 22
Junior, Central Michigan University (Mt. Pleasant)
Beck is a broadcast and cinematic arts major and journalism minor. He enjoys film, television, and hockey.
A: I'm a Generation Y kid, and I'm a part of the fastest-growing section of the workforce in America. At least, I'm supposed to be, after I graduate next year — if I can find a job. Generation Y has grown up in an America that has troops stationed in more than 175 countries, and we don't even blink. The news is "too depressing" for people my age to pay attention to it. It's always about economic turmoil and war. If we won't sit and watch the news on TV, which is arguably what we do best, what newspaper spokesperson could possibly get us excited about that same depressing news?
My nominee is Tina Fey.
Fey made us laugh at news topics when she was on "Saturday Night Live." We already know she's both informed and funny — two characteristics often admired by the young news junkies who will keep buying newspapers' mobile apps for years into their post-college lives.
We need to have somebody we can laugh at when we're digesting the news, kind of like the massive amounts of fiber we have to eat to cancel out all the cheese and pepperoni we consume on a weekly basis. It's why we love Jon Stewart so much — he's the human version of orange Metamucil.
We don't need to have Tina Fey make us laugh at what's in the newspaper every day, or even four days a week, as Stewart does. We just need to make the connection that someone as smart, funny, and pretty as Fey reads newspapers, so we should too.
Being informed can never be a bad trait, but it appears it will continue to become more and more of a rare one as the world becomes more accessible, though we become more cut off.
Susan Cantrell, 51
Vice president of sales and marketing, Lawrence (Ka.) Journal-World
Cantrell joined The Journal-World in 2011 after spending more than four years as advertising director at Tucson Newspapers. Before that, she worked at The Kansas City Star for 20 years.
A: We, as an industry, are sometimes our own worst enemy. I often tell accounts that you don't often see the 10 o'clock news anchors lamenting about the fact that they laid off 10 people at their station or that ratings are down 50 percent from 10 years ago. But we often have front page stories telling our readers and advertisers that we are consolidating our operations, laying off people, and that our circulation is down X percent from what it was five years ago. Why are we our own worst spokespeople, first of all?
That said, what we need in an industry spokesperson is someone people trust, someone they have invested their life savings in, someone whom world leaders have relied on for advice: Warren Buffett.
Warren Buffett believes in newspapers. It's obvious since he has been a longtime investor in the Buffalo newspaper market and has recently poured millions of dollars into investing in the future of newspapers. When reporters ask him incredulously why he has invested in newspapers, he confidently states that he believes in newspapers and especially newspapers that promote a strong sense of community. If newspapers provide value with unique, community content and provide a strong advertising environment of local ads that can't be found anywhere else, they will not only survive, but thrive.
Warren Buffett makes perfect sense for our industry, because he is highly sought after as a speaker. He hasn't over-exposed himself. National political leaders, business leaders, and consumers trust and believe in him. Maybe if Buffett were our spokesperson, we could fix the mess that the post office has created with its special exclusive contract with direct mail companies. If Buffett were our spokesperson, he would be welcomed on national talk shows and could tout the vast audience newspapers' print and digital editions command and why he invested his money in the industry. His credibility and trust in our future is what we need as the face of our industry.


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When you've got a supercharged, tubbed and roll-caged Holden Ute, burnouts, donuts and general hoonulence are inevitable, but this... this is hooning art. It seems you have to go to Australia for the real high-proof stuff, as this starts out simple and safely enough with a gross display of horsepower at a sanctioned local race track, but then the driver decides on a donut, and things go horribly, awesomely wrong as the car flips on it's side — twice — and then drives away to the roar of the crowd. Truly, we have much to learn from from this advanced civilization.
(Hat tip to Tim!)


text:
Broadband "highspeed" Internet recommended for this page, allow several minutes to download.
If using dial-up internet access allow approx. 15 minutes to download, 2 minutes or less on broadband.
Click the play button (right facing arrow) to listen after the file begins to download.
"Perpetual Mobile - Middelschulte"
Full Pedal Organ
Note: Organ not tuned.
recorded/sequenced on the Reuter opus #822 pipe organ, September 9, 2008
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text:
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★
PerfectShot is a marked enhancement on the native Android camera and offers enough bells and whistles to turn the head of the more advanced Android photographer.
Rated 4.6 outof 5 by AndroidTapp http://www.androidtapp.com/perfectshot/
Separate focus and exposure locks. I'm in total love. Enough said.
★★★★★ Michael Reiser
Replaced my default camera app I am absolutely thrilled! Thanks for the great app!
★★★★★ Dirk Niekamp
Excellent AE/AF implementation This is the only app that has let me expose for one area whilst focusing on another.
★★★★★ Jose Arce
PerfectShot is a camera application that focus on features that help you improve your photos BEFORE they are taken rather than after. By making use of features provided by the latest development of Android API and hardware, PerfectShot helps you eliminate chances of imperfect shots and improve efficiency of the controls so you can take better images and be ready sonner when the precious moment comes.
The main features are:
★ Smart AF system not only makes sure every picture is in focus but also not gets in the way when you need fast response to capture a precious moment.
★ Gyroscope supported vibration detection mode eliminates the possibilities of blurry hand shake photos.
★ Video recording with instant parameter update. This means you can manipulate all parameters of the camera while the video recording is in progress! Zoom, exposure compensation, white balance, color effects are all changeable while recording video.
★ Allow you to select AF & AE metering area, separately!
We are certain all shutterbugs know the significance of "separately" here, it means you can focus on one thing but measure exposure on another, thus gives you great flexibility on how you present the subject in your photo. Traditionally this is done through AE lock on DSLRs, but please come and experience what this should be done on a smart phone!
Please note that this is not supported by all devices. Most modern high-end devices we tested are working fine (eg. Nexus series, HTC, LG…) but Samsung Galaxy series and a few models from other manufacturers do not support setting AE metering area, therefore cannot use this feature.
★ AF & AE area selections are assisted by AR technology that can lock the area selection on the screen with the object it is attached to. Normally after you move the camera to adjust the composition, you need to select focus and metering area again, but with PerfectShot you don't need to, all area selections will stay with the object while you move to recompose.
★ Virtual horizon guide lines with pitch angle display. With help of gyroscope, the virtual horizon in PerfectShot is fast & accurate. Its smoothness is 1000 times better than the ones that use accelerometer done on other apps.
★ Extreme optimisation on the code brings tiny APK size as well as tiny memory footprint. This allow PerfectShot to launch fast. Some users even report it launches faster than the system camera app.
★ Custom UI allow you to complete most operations in a single touch. It allow you to change camera parameters swiftly and accurately.
★ Compatible with system camera intent. You can use PerfectShot to take pictures for other app, and on ICS system you can launch PerfectShot from lock screen.
* Before 7/31, the app is completely free and unlimited. After that, you will still be able to use the app for free and take up to 10 images per day.
If you really love the app and want to use it more, there is an in-app purchase option for you to remove the daily limit if you prefer to keep your settings of the app, you may also choose to purchase paid version which has no restriction at all.


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Call us Moonstruck. In a glittery match made in sparkle heaven, the shimmery stars aligned and Cher took over Week 8 on "Dancing With the Stars."
The not-quite-EGOT performer (she's got an Emmy, a Grammy, and an Oscar. Which makes her an EGO) and taller half of Sonny & Cher put on many costumes and hats during her night in the glitterverse. The multi-hyphenate performed two songs, filled in for Len Goodman as head judge, and had her songs featured in every routine. Son and former "DWTS" contestant Chaz Bono was in the audience. If it could be any more self-referential and meta, Loretta Castorini would have shown up and slapped a Witch of Eastwick with her Oscar while wearing a Mask.
But with every costume change, autotune and sparkly light that is Cher, darkness must also fall. And this week the elimination shadows descended upon Brant Daugherty and his equally beautiful pro partner Peta Murgatroyd took them out of the Mirrorball competition. "I learned a lot about myself," the "Pretty Little Liars" actor said, choked up with emotion. "I'm just grateful for the opportunity."
Perhaps had Brant & Peta won their dance-off challenge — in which three pairs of couples went toe-to-toe in either the cha-cha, the rumba, or the disco, for three extra judges' points — they wouldn't be saying goodbye to the glitterverse.
Amber Riley and Derek Hough got the highest judges' scores in the individual round and were saved from elimination and having to compete in the dance-off challenge. Which was a good thing, because they were still "a bunch of little injured birds" this week. The "Glee" actress was admitted to the hospital with a tear in one of her knee tendons, but she loomed large and in charge during her rumba to "If I Could Turn Back Time." Amber didn't show up in Cher's infamous buttless bodysuit, but she did take command of that dancing ship. Loved how she had her way with Derek and ripped off his shirt, unveiling a tan oiled torso underneath (because, you know, that's how sailors do). "I just thought it was fabulous," Cher said. "You owned it, you bought it, you got a T-shirt." Bruno applauded Amber for taking the wheel. "I bought it darling. Big time." Carrie Ann said Amber can "undulate like nobody" but thought she played it safe. "I felt like it was not your best dance," the judge harrumphed. Still, Bruno's 10 took Amber and Derek to first place in the individual round, which meant they were automatically safe and spared from the dance-off. Total: 28.
Corbin Bleu was a little distracted this week, raising funds for an anti-bullying movie he's producing. His phone rang off the hook, and oftentimes pro partner Karina Smirnoff was left to her own choreography devices while he ate, slept, or answered the phone. But Karina is a pro, and she made it work. She also did all that she could to distract the judges with a most Cher-ific metallic headdress. "It looks like the Mirrorball melted on your head," Tom observed. "Exactly," responded Karina without missing a beat. And the Argentine tango fit very well with Cher's "Welcome to Burlesque." Carrie Ann called it an "A" performance, but "sometimes I felt your footwork kind of caught underneath you." Bruno also liked the "wonderful depth" to Corbin's performance, but "some passes were not as clean." Cher, however, thought it was so "amazing" she had to be prompted to bring up her 9 paddle to punctuate it. Corbin and Karina received a 27 for their Argentine tango, and won three extra points in their exciting cha-cha dance-off against Elizabeth & Val. Total: 30.
Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke were a little intimidated at the thought of having to perform the tango to "The Beat Goes On" in front of Cher herself. "If we do a really bad job, it could really bum her out," Jack mused. Cheryl was also feeling the heat — turns out she had actually been named after Cher (though she's not sure if she believes in life after love. Or where that even comes from). But Jack's embraced the "DWTS" culture and dug himself deep into dancing groove, and he really finessed the stuffing out of that tango. "You are so confident, and what a difference it has made," Carrie Ann said. "You're just like a god out there." "You're like a tango dancing pimp!" Cher declared. Bruno, also, was amazed how much Jack has grown as a dancer. "That was a proper classic tango." Jack and Cheryl received a 27 for their tango, and earned three extra points for winning the disco dance-off challenge against Bill and Emma. Total: 30.
Leah Remini got Tony Dovolani. Tony got Leah. And they got to dance out Sonny and Cher's meet-cute at an L.A. coffee shop in their Viennese waltz to "I Got You Babe." The screen in the back read "Coffee Shop" just in case you didn't get from Leah at the counter with the mug. Nice support from Lindsay the waitress, and the swaying from the mosh pit. J. Lo liked the dance, and Bruno approved of the side-by-side movement, but cautioned Leah to "be careful in hold. "It was like you were having the time of your life out there," Carrie Ann said, though "sometimes you got behind the music." VH1's Behind the Music subject Cher was "just enthralled that you could interpret what Sonny and I went through that day at the coffee shop." Hugs all around! Leah and Tony received a 25 for their waltz, and an extra three points in a surprise win against Brant & Peta in the rumba dance-off. Total: 28.
Brant Daugherty was back on the "Pretty Little Liars" set this week, which allowed him to hang out with the Rosewood crew but resulted in losing two days of rehearsals. He worried he wouldn't get the dance in time. Not to mention all that shopping! And while the theme and costuming of his and Peta Murgatroyd's fox trot, set to the "Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" from "Mermaids," was a bit of a headscratcher, the judges thought the routine was solid. If not refined. Cher thought Brant and Peta have star quality: "You have two smiles that went together." Carrie Ann liked how Brant pushed himself week after week, but cautioned him to "finish your lines." Bruno agreed. "Your content is always flawless ... [but] you can be even better." Total: 27.
Elizabeth Berkley Lauren threw a wrench in hers and Valentin Chmerkovskiy's rehearsal time this week when she opted for a last-minute song and dance change. But dancing to one of her favorite songs ("Bang Bang") brought its own set of expectations and drove perfectionist Elizabeth to her breaking point when she didn't get the steps as fast as she hoped. Thankfully, Val was there to calm his partner down, and appear shirtless in the jazz routine. Bruno liked the "contention" but said Elizabeth "missed a lot of musical cues." Carrie Ann thought she was "one-dimensional in your anger." Cher, however, "liked the rough part of it. And I liked you winning," she said. And then she liked a bunch of other things that were bang banged out by the censors. Total: 25.
Cher (along with Farrah Fawcett) had Bill Engvall's heart back in the day, and he's lived through disco, so the comedian feels he's got this grooving routine with Emma Slater in the bag. Bill looked like Saturday Night Fever in an all white polyester ensemble. Emma was very Cher-like in a sparkly body suit with feather Clydesdale hooves. They danced to one of Cher's own favorite songs, "Strong Enough." There was a great lift with her ankles around his neck. So Bill, naturally, thought he killed it. So much that Tom joked, "I wish you'd get into it more." Carrie Ann loved him, but said Bill was off beat. "If I turned off the music, that would be an amazing disco," she said. Bruno thought it was "a disco inferno." Cher thought — well, "I was amazed that you could get her up in all those positions," the diva said. "It's a little blue pill," Bill responded. Ba-dum-dum. He'll be here next week, folks!. Total: 24.
What do you think, ballroom fans? Did you enjoy Cher better as a guest judge, or as a performer? Think someone else should have gone home instead? Do you believe in life after love?
'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Gone too soon
'Dancing With the Stars' recap: The Switching Hour
Complete 'Dancing With the Stars' coverage


text: Easterns Motors may be known for luring low-income debt-ridden customers into purchasing a car they can't afford, but they're the only entertaining car dealership in the history of the world. It began with the all-time great radio jingle, it progressed into some brilliantly goofy tv spots with local athletes singing said jingle, and now it's come to this; a delightful video filled with cars, a goofy Clinton Portis wearing a hilarious shirt, and some fetching young ladies. There might have even been a car in there somewhere, I don't really remember. Thanks to the brothers Mottram at Mister Irrelevant for bringing this to light.


text:
Cadence has just announced a new TimingVision technology within the Allegro PCB designer solution that is mind-bogglingly clever and that can speed the timing closure of high-speed PCB interfaces -- such as a DDR3 memory interface -- by 60% or more. To put this another way, you can lock down your interfaces in a third of the time, which is huge!
I remember back in the mid-1980s working with one of the early PCB layout tools. This was a humongous, dedicated system -- hardware and software -- that involved two massive (for the time) monitors, a keyboard, and a digitizing tablet. One of the monitors was black and white (color was really expensive); this was used for command-line input. The other monitor was color; this was used to display the tracks and vias and suchlike.
The only thing this incredibly expensive system did was lay out circuit boards. And when I say "it laid out boards," I'm being somewhat sparing with the truth. It was the operator that laid out the board, placing the vias by hand and then placing individual track segments. There were no automatic routing capabilities, no drag-and-drop, no plow functions. (We did have pan and zoom, but they were so slow that you could go and get a cup of coffee while they took place.)
Of course, the whole board design problem was much simpler in those days. Clock speeds were lower and the various interfaces were much simpler. Today's designs, by comparison, involve eye-wateringly high clock frequencies coupled with incredibly sophisticated standards-based interfaces, including DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4, and PCIe Gen1, Gen2, and Gen3. On top of all of this, supply voltages continue to be reduced, from 1.8V to 1.5V to 1.2V, all of which makes signals increasingly sensitive to crosstalk effects and ripples in the power supply.
The end result is that circuit board designers are presented with a mind-bogglingly complex set of electrical and layout implementation constraints. Existing tools present a lot of challenges with regard to achieving timing closure, not the least that interdependencies and margins between groups of signals have to be hand-calculated by the designer. Also, timing closure is an iterative process; PCB designers end up bouncing back and forth between the design and the constraints manager; you fix one lane, then you fix another, then you have to return to "re-tweak" the first one; and so it goes.
Cadence's new TimingVision technology addresses all of these issues. The sophisticated timing engine embedded in the Allegro PCB Designer solution analyzes signal interdependencies to develop delay and phase targets, and it helps designers to develop their strategies to address timing issues. Real-time visual feedback on the design canvas presents color-coded timing and phase information; e.g., green is good, red is short, and yellow is long (the colors can be user-modified to accommodate those with color vision issues).
Coupling the TimingVision analysis with auto-interactive technologies -- Auto-interactive Delay Tuning (AiDT) and Auto-interactive Phase Tuning (AiPT) -- significantly reduces time and effort on the part of the designer. Consider the following illustration, for example, which shows Allegro TimingVision guiding the auto-interactive delay-tuning:
Allegro TimingVision guiding AiDT
To be honest, I find it difficult to wrap my brain around how complex everything is with regard to the design problem itself. It's no longer sufficient to ensure that the two signals forming a differential pair are of the same length -- you also have to ensure that the phase of the signals is constrained within very tight tolerances. For example, consider the following illustration, which shows Allegro TimingVision guiding the auto-interactive phase-tuning:
Allegro TimingVision guiding AiPT
The thing about existing tools is that they are often clever enough to tell you that something is wrong, but they aren't clever enough to focus your attention on the particular area of interest. As illustrated in the image below, a DRC tool might indicate that the entire net is not meeting a +/-10mil static phase rule, for example.
By comparison, as illustrated in the image below, Allegro TimingVision can isolate the problem and indicate which "rat" of the net needs to be modified in order to meet the desired constraint.
But wait, there's more, because Allegro Sigrity users can combine TimingVision with Sigrity power-aware signal integrity (SI) analysis to rapidly implement and accurately assure compliance with memory interface specifications. The combination of all these technologies enables product creation from IP to SoC to package to PCB to system -- all predictably and cost-effectively (click here for more information).
Do you remember ye olden times? Did you work with the old layout tools? Can you imagine going back in time with a modern workstation loaded with these tools and showing them to everyone? And can you imagine working on today's high-end PCBs without modern technology to help and guide you?
Enter the year of your birth and check your Chinese Zodiac.


text:
To do in Coastal areas, the Tromsø region - 1 hit
Guided snowshoeing hill hike on Kvaløya
1 Mar 2020 - 31 Mar 2020
Area: Coastal areas (89 km to Skjervøy) Map
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Activities Winter, Snowshoeing This tour is conducted by Tromsø Outdoor. A choice for those who are out to explore more! Immerse yourself in our outdoor snowshoe hike. Experience wild nature and Northern Norw... Read more
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B.o.B. looks at his work with Ryan Tedder and Hayley Williams and speaks about the direction of "Strange Clouds" and how he may be holding his guitar closely on the third LP.
For Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr., staying in one lane was never a goal or an option. Breaking musical molds and constant artistic evolvement has always been part of the plan. Ten years ago the Decatur, Georgia-bred rapper known as B.o.B. had a vision for the artist he saw himself to be and set out to make it happen.
Read the full article here!


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Chewys Last Trip
This blog post has been a long time coming, I've been putting it on the long finger for a long time as its a sad one. Im not great writing about sad as I always try to keep it light, anyway here it goes.
'Chewy' my dog, that I grew up with, who joined me on many many surf adventures passed away just before Christmas and she will be missed! Yes for some of you you will wonder where i got the name of my blog it was chewy, my first company 'chewymedia' it was after her!
Chewy was a shitzu, yes not a manly doberman, bulldog, or even Alsatian, she was a SHITZU! Lapdogs of the ancient monks of Tebit. Bred to keep their masters warm in the Alps. She was small, fluffy and had a huge underbite which everyone felt that they had to comment on… poor thing
Just before she died myself, Chewy and Crevan went on a road trip around the coast. A trip we began to call 'Chewys last trip north' and it was. Fortunately before she died chewy got to see the whole west coast from Cork to Portrush! Not a bad trip for a 13year old dog.
Here are a few shots from her last trip.


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Click on an alumni listing from Merritt Island, FL to find more information about the person.
The listing of alumni from Merritt Island, FL includes graduates from 2 schools. To filter results, select a Merritt Island, FL high school using the links to the right. The Merritt Island alumni list on this page come from a variety of sources. Clicking one of your friends will give you locations that you can get back in touch with the fellow graduate. To view alumni that graduated in Merritt Island around your class year, enter your graduation year in the search box at the top of the page. You may also be able to find friends close to your home town. We also have listings for graduates from Cocoa, FL, Rockledge, FL, or Cocoa Beach, FL.
Approximately 2,300 of residents in Merritt Island (7%) are the normal age for attending high school (15-19). Also, around 800 Merritt Island residents (2%) are the average age for high school seniors (18-19). Population stats are from the United States Census Bureau.
|Sign up for free to get in touch with high school friends
|Sign up for free to get in touch with high school friends
140 Magnolia Ave
Merritt Island, FL 32952
100 E Mustang Way
Merritt Island, FL 32953
|< 0
|over 85 >


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The distractions of a fast-paced, high energy city fade away as guests arrive at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, one of the newest 5 star hotels in the high-tech epicenter of India. A tranquil oasis that offers the largest and most spacious rooms and suites in Bangalore, the hotel epitomizes contemporary elegance befitting this modern "Garden City," while weaving traditional jaali design throughout in deference to a storied cultural past. Located in the heart of downtown Bangalore, the hotel introduces seven fine dining restaurants and lounges to the city's emerging culinary scene, along with a luxurious spa featuring signature treatments. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore has a truly unique sense of place, which makes it stand out among other hotels in Bangalore, India as an ideal venue for memorable meetings and weddings.
The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
99 Residency Road
Bangalore, Karnataka, India


text:
Category : Resume.
Topic : Skills summary sample resume. Author : Irvyn Weiss.
Posted : Thu, Dec 19th 2019 09:30 AM.
Format : jpg/jpeg.
Do not forget to end it with promising sentences that you are ready for the interview and if there is chance and will actively contact the employer before he or she contacts you. This way will help impress and smartly remind the employer of you. And also, do not forget to put your name, address, e-mail and phone number at the end of the resume or resume.
Do not expect to win the employer when your resume and resume are common without any particularity. So, do not waste time sending imperfect resume and resume to different employers because your chance of getting to the next round is not significant at all.


text: Answers to questions regarding information about medications or health conditions are not for diagnostic or treatment purposes and are not conclusive as to the presence or absence of any health condition. Consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment of your medical condition. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Advances in medicine may cause this information to become outdated, invalid or subject to debate. Professional opinions and interpretations of the scientific literature may vary. Walgreens' terms of use and general warranty disclaimer apply to all services provided. If you are in need of immediate medical attention, contact your physician, poison control center or emergency medical professional. If you need to speak with a pharmacist for non-emergency matters, contact your local Walgreens pharmacist or call a Walgreens.com pharmacist toll-free at 1 (877) 250-5823.


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SANTA ANA – A Santa Ana man was convicted Wednesday of sexually assaulting a female relative for most of her childhood.
Mariano Antonio Castro, 58, was found guilty of rape under duress, continuous sexual abuse of a child and two counts each of lewd acts on a child younger than 14 and aggravated sexual assault on a child with the use of force or fear.
The girl said that the abuse started when she was 7, starting with a kiss that escalated to intercourse when she was the same age, Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky said.
The girl became pregnant with his child when she was 11, which convinced the jury to ask for a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury related to the young pregnancy, authorities said.
Officials said the girl lied to social workers and said when questioned that a boy named Charlie impregnated her.
Castro resumed sex acts with the girl a short time after the birth of his child in December 2004, which continued until she was 17, Bokosky said.
Authorities said the girl told officials about the abuse when they came to the family's home regarding an unrelated matter in April 2011.
Deputy Public Defender Kate Lewis, who represented Castro, acknowledged DNA evidence regarding paternity and ongoing sexual abuse, but tried to fight the sentencing enhancement.
Lewis said that the girl was not raped under duress, but instead was bribed into engaging in the sex acts.
Castro's sentencing hearing is scheduled on April 26, and he faces 78 years to life in prison.
Contact the writer: (714) 704-3764 or email@example.com


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Sunday, May 5, 2013
169 MyHeritage.com Record Matches in the 1900 US Census
I have gotten some feedback from people who have signed up recently, say in the last month, since RootsTech 2013, that the feed from the Record Match program is slow in starting. But my wife, who only signed very recently, already has 360 matches in 10 different collections, including 21 matches in the 1900 U.S. Census. I am assured by MyHeritage.com that we are not receiving any kind of preferential treatment. I suggest adding to your profile and updating any information you have in the program and checking back regularly to see any progress.
One thing that did happen, was that my wife had not gotten any Record Matches for a while but discovered that she had not properly uploaded her file. When she looked, she and her parents were not connected to the rest of her family. When she made the connection, she started to receive matches.
My total matches at the time of writing this post is 2,679 records. I am finding photos, stories and all sorts of information from the matches. I suggest patience.
I have noticed that the number of new record matches I have from Ancestry.com is also going up lately. Perhaps they are feeling the competition? Well, I don't think it is competition at all because the records covered are similar in some respects but enough different to make them both a valuable source of records about family members.
9 comments:
I'm astounded by the number of record matches you are receiving. I signed up for My Heritage from RootsTech. I uploaded my tree and have since waited. Not one record match. I have contacted them several times. Their first explanation was that I hadn't waited long enough and to wait two weeks. So I waited...no matches. Their next explanation was that I must have re-published my tree which would delay the matches. Nope...I hadn't republished. Their third explanation was that I had two sites; one with my RootsTech tree and the other blank. I deleted the blank tree; still no matches. Their latest explanation is that some trees simply don't have matches. What is interesting is that I can perform a manual search using their "Research" tab for an individual and receive several matches. So far I have not been impressed with either their program/site or their customer service. I'm glad you are receiving such great results, but we aren't all so lucky.ReplyDeleteReplies
- Alice GedgeMay 5, 2013 at 11:58 AM
I agree with you. I was contacted by MyHeritage, and because I had heard Mr. Tanner's presentation at RootsTech, I decided to give it a try. I have received 4 matches in a month, with 90,000 + people in the database. I have written to the support people twice, and have not had a reply except to receive a case number. I downloaded the UserGuide in hopes that I would learn something, but as of this time I have no answers.Delete
James, I am astounded at the record matches I am receiving notifications on, too! And, nearly every single one of them has been correct. I have a backlog of about 140 I am going to work on today. I have LOVED having this program! And, if I hadn't heard your presentation at RootsTech, I don't know that I would have signed up. You did a nice job!ReplyDelete
I agree with Family Attic. I've emailed customer support to see how long this should take, but no answer. I know I should have record matches, even if there are no tree matches. In addition, when I search for a person in my own tree---it doesn't even show up, although I've marked the tree to be available to everyone on or off the site. Now, I'm not sure how to get my money back, since they won't answer the customer support email. Sorry--you're just the messenger, but I've been disappointed in their service.ReplyDelete
After dealing with several of these issues on MyHeritage and working with the program over the past few months, it is my impression that the program works but sometimes the data hasn't been entered in a format that can be recognized. My wife had this problem and once she re-uploaded the GEDCOM the issue went away and she started getting Record Matches.ReplyDelete
It would be helpful to know what data your wife had to re-format. I created a GEDCOM from my Legacy database.ReplyDeleteReplies
The first time she loaded in the GEDCOM, apparently she did not export the entire file, so there were gaps in the data. She showed herself and parents and then the rest of the data was not connected. She had to reload a GEDCOM it solved the problem. I have no idea how this happened, but as soon as she got the file right, she started to get Record Matches. She also found she had more than one file and deleted one with no entries. It was not something you would have been able to figure out without working with the actual file on her computer.Delete
- AnonymousMay 5, 2013 at 7:31 PM
I have had the same situation with my Premium Plus subscription to MyHeritage as the rest of you.ReplyDelete
Everyone ( bloggers etc) had such glowing recommendations at and after Rootstech that many of us joined and paid a tidy sum.
My first support request email took 7 days for them to answer a question.
I went 2 weeks with no matches, finally with no assistance I have deleted my first ged which was uploaded using the Family Tree Builder software and uploaded a new file just to the website and I'm going to see how that goes. ( 3 days and nothing yet)
I am quite sure all of us are not uploading our gedcoms incorrectly and we all are getting poor to non existent support.
I noticed they are having a webinar maybe we all need to attend !
May 20, 2013 for a free webinar - An Introduction to Family Tree Builder 7.0
Join MyHeritage's chief genealogist, Daniel Horowitz, to explore the world's most popular free genealogy software. Click here to register! https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/112284383
Thanks Nancy email@example.com
I received a notice from MyHeritage this morning that my file was backed up. I had uploaded it on 11 April 2013. Now I notice that the smart matches are coming. I had a thought: perhaps so many of us joined after the RootsTech conference, that their computers are having a hard time keeping up. And then we write to ask questions, and perhaps we have overwhelmed the support people also. I am hoping that the Record Matches will begin coming in next.ReplyDelete


text:
I just released a full-featured package manager for ST2 called Package Control, you can check it out at wbond.net/sublime_packages/package_control. It allows for discovering, installing, upgrading and removing packages, along with automatic upgrade functionality and some other more minor stuff. I hope this makes it easier for people to try out new plugins and get the most out of ST2. The website has screenshots, simple installation instructions and documentation about usage, so go check it out!
[size=150]Web Interface[/size]
There are over 125 packages available via Package Control (as of January 2012). See wbond.net/sublime_packages/community for a list with some general statistics.
[size=150]Submitting a Package[/size]
All developers are welcome to submit their packages. Please see wbond.net/sublime_packages/packa … developers for instructions.
Latest Version: 1.4.1
Released: 6 Jan, 2012
See the full changelog at wbond.net/sublime_packages/packa … /changelog.


text:
Are you getting my messages
Hey everyone!
So sorry for the confusion for those who have been trying to reach Katie! She actually had passed on the torch and accepted another...
Are you still here? We are getting complaints from new members who cant post.
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Sorry guys and gals but while I have posted pics without trouble before I cannot now. It tells me it is not a valid image file and I cannot remember...
Hey Everyone!!!
Houseboat website is is need of some houseboaters of the week. If you want to be featured on our website and Facebook let me know....
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I'm one of the (minor little foot soldier) assistants for Houseboat and just wanted to shout out hello! :D Hope everyone is doing...
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I just wanted to pop in and introduce myself. My name is Katie Burke and I'm now the assistant editor for Houseboat Magazine. I feel so...
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We would love to run some of your stories in the magazine. Does anyone have a fun story behind how they named their boat? You can reply...
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This section of the website has information about recycling facilities in Renfrewshire.
Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley PA1 1AN; Mon - Thurs, 8.45am - 4.45pm and Fri, 8.45am - 3.55pm; email@example.com; 0300 300 0300
Use our online mapping facility to find council services in your area.
Subscribe to topics you want to know about and receive regular updates.


text:
Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin continue feud at Bristol
- Logano tried to lean into Hamlin%27s window after the race but was pulled away by crew members
- The postrace fracas stemmed from a Lap 348 incident in which Hamlin tapped Logano into a spin
- Logano and Hamlin had a war of words on Twitter following the Daytona 500
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Whether it was via spins, shoves or smartphones, the Sprint Cup Series' hottest feud continued to escalate Sunday.
Chalk it up as another win for Bristol Motor Speedway, which produced its second consecutive Sprint Cup race of crowd-pleasing fender-banging after a redesign last season designed to restore the 0.533-mile oval as a boiling cauldron of highly charged emotions.
Kasey Kahne won the Food City 500, but the postrace attention centered on an angry confrontation as Joey Logano made a beeline to former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota, which had tapped his No. 22 Ford into a spin on lap 348.
SUNDAY:Kasey Kahne wins Food City 500
Logano leaned into the cockpit and delivered some choice words before being separated by some of Hamlin's crewmembers, who began getting pushed by several of Logano's Penske Racing crewmembers.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said there likely would be no penalties for the incident.
This latest flashpoint came at an especially inopportune time for both drivers.
Hamlin, whose infant daughter, Taylor, attended her first race Sunday, was in need of a solid finish after being embroiled in controversy the past week after being fined $25,000 by NASCAR for saying the Gen 6 car hadn't produced as many passes as the previous model. He tweeted Thursday that he would not appeal the fine, changing his mind a week after NASCAR levied the punishment. He still is ranked sixth in points despite only one top 10.
Logano, meanwhile, still hasn't finished higher than 12th in four starts since joining Penske. He felt his car was strong enough to win Sunday but more contact after his first spin hurt his handling.
"We were really coming up through the field really good," he said. "This team deserved better. ..."The good news is we're fast. We have to be proud of that. I'm just sick of it."
The feud soon spilled over to Twitter, where Logano posted, "Hey @dennyhamlin great job protecting that genius brain of yours by keeping your helmet on." Hamlin retorted with "Why's that ... what would u do?", prompting @joeylogano to reply "Show you some love and appreciation." Hamlin responded, "Need my address?" And then: "Last time I checked he had my cell and direct message button to choose from if he's got a problem ... Otherwise hush little child"
Hamlin's current teammate Kyle Busch, who started on the pole and finished second, also chimed in.
"It's a little disheartening that we all can't just get along," said Busch, who was teamed with both during Logano's 2009-12 stint at JGR, and added that "I love Joey. I think he's a good little racer. He works really hard, too."
Twitter was where the bad blood began after the Daytona 500 when Hamlin tweeted to defending series champion Brad Keselowski "sorry I couldn't get close to you cuz your genius teammate was too busy messing up the inside line 1 move at a time."
Logano obviously hadn't forgotten that dig when he was chased down by reporters after Sunday's altercation.
"It's frustrating," he said. "We've got a freaking genius behind the wheel of the 11 car. Probably the worst teammate I've ever had. So I learn that now. He chose to run into the back of me. So whatever. I have a scorecard. I ain't putting up with that. ... I ain't getting run over and not doing something about it."
Logano said he didn't feel as if Sunday's clash, which was one of 10 caution flags that chewed up 66 of 500 laps and also resulted in poor finishes for Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson, was because of Daytona.
"I never did anything wrong in Daytona," he said. "No, I think it's just (Hamlin) driving like an idiot. That's all. I've got nothing good to say anymore."
Hamlin was contrite on the team radio in the immediate aftermath of Logano's spin, which happened while Logano was trying to fend off Hamlin for second and challenge leader Jeff Gordon. But after the race, he said Logano had triggered the wreck by sliding into his car, and that he cut him a break by slowing twice before the contact.
"We finished bad, he finished bad," said Hamlin, who plummeted from a top five to 23rd in the final 10 laps with a flat tire. " It's even."
What did Logano say to him?
"He said he was coming for me," Hamlin said. "I usually don't see him, so it's usually not a factor."
Follow Nate Ryan on Twitter @nateryan


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Remzi Lani is the director of the Albanian Media Institute. ". He is one of the most prominent figures in the Balkan media community. He has worked as the Chief Editor of "Zeri i Rinise" (1983-1992) and as correspondent for the Spanish paper "El Mundo" as well as "Zeri". He has co-authored "My Albania Ground Zero" and "Masters of Humanist Philosophy.
In 1999 Lani described the difficult path out of communism and Albanians' continued uncertainty about their country's future:
"Albania is probably the ex-communist country that has changed most. In fact, any comparison with the brutal communist regime would sound ridiculous. Among all East European people, Albanians have least reasons to feel nostalgic about the epoch before the fall of the Berlin Wall … Nine years later the Albanian citizen can be compared to a passenger waiting at a bus station without knowing his destination. The tiny Balkan country cannot be considered as a Hope-Land. "Exit from communism" wasn't as rosy and festive as it seemed to be."
(Albania: nine years after Albania Media Centre 16 December 1999)
In 2004 Remzi analysed the paradoxical media landscape in Albania:
"The Albanian media has come a long way since the end of the Communist era, expanding the then-existing landscape of the party media to a swelling market of both print and electronic media. At present, the total number of media outlets in Albania are 255. This figure comprises 19 daily newspapers, 35 weekly newspapers, 5 bi-weekly newspapers, 24 monthly newspapers, 9 bimonthly newspapers, 11 'other' newspapers, 5 weekly magazines, 18 monthly magazines, 8 bimonthly magazines, 14 quarterly magazines and 10 'other' magazines. In addition to all these print publications, there are 46 licensed radio stations and 64 licensed television stations.
From the political point of view the press spectrum in Albania can be considered complete from the left to the right. However, few of these papers and broadcasters are strong and reach a significant audience. The largest selling daily, for instance, has an estimated circulation of less than 20,000 in a country of almost 3 million.
Although the number of dailies has grown from 2 in 1991 to 19 in 2003, the circulation of all 19 dailies together does not exceed that of the first opposition paper in 1991. …. less than half of the population can buy newspapers in their place of residence.
The subscription system, on the other hand, is extremely weak and rarely applied. For example, given that the average income of a teacher is around 10,000 lek (approximately € 75), a teacher should allocate 13 percent of his or her salary to buy a newspaper, which makes the paper rather expensive. … Another problem of Albanian print media concerns its location: the media outlets in Albania continue to preserve their nature of "capital-based" media. Not even one daily is published outside the capital …
Concerning media legislation it can be said that Albania is one of the countries with a generally advanced legislation in the media field, but its implementation continues to be problematic. But it is not a rare phenomenon in the Balkans that laws are written according to European standards and are applied according to Balkan standards."
May 2008


text: After World War 2, Toyota began developing an off road vehicle and it eventually earned the name Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser has a strong history as a capable 4x4 and today as a luxury SUV. This week on Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams introduces us to "Peter the Beater" his new beat up, high mileage '93 Land Cruiser that he'll be fixing up for this year's Cheap Truck Challenge.


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Is there a difference in dynamic range between film and digital?
1possible duplicate of How many stops can a digital camera capture? – Rowland Shaw Jul 23 '10 at 8:02
The following article is an excellent comparison of the dynamic range differences of film and digital. It is a few years old, so it is a bit out of date, but the underlying theory is basically the same with modern gear. It has a lot of empirical data, and the conclusions are pretty interesting:
It should be noted that this article lacks some information about film. While digital does have good dynamic range in comparison to film in general, film does tend to edge out digital when it comes to highlights. Some empirical data is also missing due to the fact that the film images were scanned, which results in some loss of dynamic range and detail.
Found another comparison along the same lines shutterclick.smugmug.com/gallery/… – daniel Jul 23 '10 at 22:25
@Daniel: Thanks for the link. Between these two comparisons, something I've noticed is that film seems to have an edge on highlight DR, while digital seems to have an edge in shadow DR. Shades and deep shadows have much greater contrast with digital, while highlights are captured better with film (less blown out.) – jrista♦ Jul 23 '10 at 23:25
1The clarkvision reference you give uses a target with a dynamic range of 10.6 stops. Unsurprisingly,it cannot measure anything with a greater dynamic range, making film and digital look quite similar. For another look at the subject consider this reference archive.bigben.id.au/tutorials/360/technical/hdri/index.html . Here the author finds that Fuji Realia has a dynamic range of 15 stops. – labnut Dec 12 '10 at 14:12
Another point is that film's sensitivity is logarithmic when reaching saturation. Digital is linear, and has a hard saturation point, leading to easily clipped highlights.
Many cameras simulate this by underexposing and applying a tone curve.
The comparison is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Different films have different dynamic range, so do different digital cameras. More importantly, often the limitation is not the recording media but the display media. A high quality LCD tends to have a higher dynamic range than photo paper. A traditional dark room B&W paper can have a higher dynamic range than the ink jet paper etc.
Another generalization is that the new digital sensors are generally on par with the negatives, but superior to the slide film.
Typically, film has a greater dynamic range than digital.
It depends on the type of film. The typical negative color film will have a greater dynamic range than most digital cameras. A typical digital camera has roughly the same dynamic range as a slide film, as I recall it.


text:
State Rep. Troy Kelley, a Democrat running for state auditor, answers reporter questions in August about his private business dealings. (N3 Photo/Austin Jenkins)
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Austin Jenkins
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merchandise and individual prints and 20% off
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Nutrition Facts
Ingredients and Preparation
- Drain extra water from tofu by putting it between several layers of paper towels and placing a dinner plate on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then cube or break into chunks.
- Heat oil in a large wok or nonstick sauté pan. Add tofu and cook a few minutes on each side until golden.
- Add onion and garlic to the wok and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, red bell pepper, and zucchini and cook until soft.
- Add spinach, soy sauce, and water. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes.


text:
Products Description
All of the Cheap Soccer jersey Shirts are of original tags and with team logo with official printing available
We offer big discounts(Up to 30% off ) for customers who want to buy 10 or more items and those who wanna do drop-shipping .We will set up some account who can enjoy some discount for your each purchase. Clearance items cant be placed in wholesale orders as they are already heavily discounted. Please contact us for details.([email protected] or online chatting)
2.After-sale service & Washing Instruction:
We accept 14 days return from the time you receive the package (Pls mind that the package should be in original packaging and customized items cant be returned eee)
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Remember the spinach dip we all began making years (maybe decades) ago? The recipe is commonly served in a bread bowl and typically has used mayonnaise, sour cream, and some dried soup or salad seasoning for flavor, being very tasty but unfortunately also very high in total fat, saturated fat, sodium and low in fiber. Actually I had completely forgotten about that dip, having not made it or even seen it at parties for probably 20 years! So imagine my surprise when I had my husband taste the following recipe I created this afternoon and he said "this reminds me of that old spinach dip recipe, only better!"
This hummus recipe gives extra bang for the buck by including kale. Not only is a health-promoting Brassica vegetable incorporated in an unexpected recipe, but the hummus is both beautiful with the green flecks and has a texture that has some interest to it while also being "lighter" than a typical hummus.
I served it with some thinly sliced whole grain baguette, topped by just a couple shakes of smoked paprika for a touch of color and added flavor. Not much was left after our meeting, maybe just enough to top a baked potato for lunch this week, one of my favorite ways to eat hummus!
Recipe: Hummus with Kale
• 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
• 2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh is best, but bottled is ok, too)
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped kale, drain very well (save any liquid for soup stock)
1) Put all ingredients except kale in a food processor - pulse until smooth
2) Put kale in food processor with hummus - pulse until kale is chopped into very small green flecks but still with enough texture that it is just slightly "lumpy"
3) Place into serving dish
Sprinkle with sweet paprika, smoked paprika, or powdered sumac (spice found in Middle Eastern grocery stores) for an extra taste and also a slight red color addition to the dish.
• This recipe can easily be doubled. Just be sure to use a larger food processor than a mini-size.
• Try some other greens, too, like collard greens, turnip greens, Swiss chard, or even spinach.
Instead of an old recipe that was high in fat and not particularly healthy, Hummus with Kale is a healthy, delicious, quick, and easy recipe that will please and expand your family's taste buds.


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From Conservapedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by KarajouIsKaratard (Talk | contribs) at 04:44, 9 November 2008. It may differ significantly from current revision.
A burqa is a full-body garment that has only a mesh-like opening for the face, worn by some Muslim women.
It is intended to protect women from the gaze of men and men from the temptation of women.
It can also be a statement of faith and signify a withdrawal from the everyday world.
Although the burqa is not a legal requirement anywhere, some women wear it because their husbands or fathers command them to. On the other hand, some wear it by choice.


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I recently installed a fresh version of Ubuntu 12.10 on my notebook. Then I copied the backup copy of my Neverwinter Nights folder from my old 12.04 install on the same computer to the new installation and tried to start the game.
The terminal prompt disappears and
top shows some low activity on
nwmain, but there is neither showing up the game graphics nor plays any music.
Any suggestions how to fix it? The game runs fine using the same setup expect for running on 12.04.
Btw. I set up a virtual box with Ubuntu 12.04 on my notebook and use a copy of my Neverwinter Nights installation from the host (Ubuntu 12.10) to start the game. It works, I can play it under 12.04 64Bit Ubuntu in my virtualbox.
Kind regards and thanks in advance


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- Details
- Reviews
- What's Included
Consolidate your computer, telephone and high-speed data networks in a single wall plate assembly with this 2-port wallplate. This flush modular wall plate accepts all QuickPort snap-in modules used for audio, video, and telecommunications. It mounts to recessed wall boxes and brackets for a low profile look. This flush modular wall plate accepts all Cooper Modular snap-in jacks, inserts, and adapters used for audio, video, and telecommunications.
Snap-in connectors are designed to work with Keystone, QuickPort and Modular style wall plates. These wall plates typically have from one to six inputs (ports) for snap-in connectors. Installing a snap-in wall plate allows you make wiring connections and runs inside your wall. You can use various snap-in connectors to customize your snap-in wall plate with telephones, networking, audio/video (AV) components, speakers and other cable connections. Having a central connection point on the wall is a great way to add a professional finish to your installation and is a simple way to manage your in-wall wiring setup that provides quicker and easier terminations.
This product also comes in Black, Brown, Gray, White, Almond and Ivory (each sold separately).
This Item is also available with:
1 Port
3 Ports
4 Ports
- Wallplate
- Mounting Hardware


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Click below to filter your search results
Committee Opinion Number 671, September 2016
(Replaces Committee Opinion No. 324, November 2005) (Reaffirmed 2018)
ABSTRACT: Over the past decades, the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased dramatically worldwide and has made pregnancy possible for many infertile couples. Although the perinatal risks that may be associated with ART and ovulation induction are much higher in multifetal gestations, even singletons achieved with ART and ovulation induction may be at higher risk than singletons from naturally occurring pregnancies. However, it remains unclear to what extent these associations might be related to the underlying cause(s) of infertility. Before initiating ART or ovulation i...
Committee Opinion Number 530, July 2012
(Reaffirmed 2018)
ABSTRACT: Postpartum tubal sterilization is one of the safest and most effective methods of contraception. Women who desire this type of sterilization typically undergo thorough counseling and informed consent during prenatal care and reiterate their desire for postpartum sterilization at the time of their hospital admission. Not all women who desire postpartum sterilization actually undergo the surgical procedure, and women with unfulfilled requests for postpartum sterilization have a high rate of repeat pregnancy (approaching 50%) within the following year. Potentially correctable barriers ...
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
409 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024-2188
Mailing Address: PO Box 96920, Washington, DC 20024-9998


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Tragedy Strikes Canada as Giant Wine Spill Shuts Down Major Highway
A collision between two trucks—one of which was carrying thousands of bottles of wine—shutdown a major Canadian highway on Wednesday for more than 10 hours. Every one of the bottles from the wine truck reportedly shattered on impact.
The wine truck's 30-year-old driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and drove through Highway 1's median, crossing into on-coming traffic where he collided with a truck carrying pulp, according to the Vancouver Sun.
Miraculously, neither driver was injured. The wine, as you can see, was not so lucky.
"Both vehicles sustained extensive damage, with one semi's trailer ripped apart by the force of the collision," Cpl. Robert McDonald told CTV News. "And of course there was significant damage to the cargo,' he added.


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Two-Part Series (Part Two)
Why does disillusionment
sometimes occur after immersion in yogic practices, and why does it send
many of us running for shelter from our once-beloved practice? The answer lies
in yoga's seminal scripture, the Bhagavad
Gita. Pandava prince Arjuna asks the Supreme Lord Krishna to drive his
chariot into battle, only to face the dismal
prospect of engaging in combat his family, teachers, and friends at Krishna's
behest. At the Gita's conclusion, Arjuna surrenders fully to Krishna and
takes up the sword. The Gita
teaches us that to engage in the path of yoga and align with the divine, it
will not be easy. Indeed, at times our inner state will feel much like a
battleground, as old mental patterns (samskara) struggle to reassert their
Modern life lacks chariots, but the Gita's teachings are
salient as ever. When yoga begins to churn old patterns and emotions to the
surface, an internal battleground arises, pitting mind and ego comfortable with
their uncaptioned presence against the transcendent Lord Krishna (authentic
self, divine, inner wisdom) in us all. We can choose to commit ever more fully
to the battle, to living in truth and integrating our shadows, or we may decide
that yoga no longer feels "fun" or "positive" and so move to something
Viewing ads supports YogaBasics. Remove ads with a membership. Thanks!
This battleground is not only internal; western yoga culture
provides infinite opportunities to experience yoga as a battleground. The
philosophy of tantric yoga espouses our innate perfection, wholeness, and
divinity. Yet yoga culture can sometimes generate feelings of "not enoughness."
While Indian sadhus commonly evaded attire, here it sometimes feels like a
major investment to start a yoga practice (Jade mat, Lululemons, retreats,
workshops, etc).
At its best, yoga gives us permission to roll around on our
mats, listening to whatever we want, as
for instructor JC Peters. It doesn't poke at or insult, but instead
facilitates greater self-acceptance. Conversely, yoga culture (and to be fair,
some of its representatives) and our societal hedonic treadmill is likely to poke and insult us on
occasion–in asana, media representations, and the relentless dogma of
self-improvement that is counter to tantra yoga's deeper teachings.
Often environmental triggers from yoga culture intersect
with our samskara, generating another battleground. When triggered by a teacher
or approach, feeling "not enough," this is a mirror to our internal samskara.
While the kneejerk reaction is to outsource blame externally, acknowledging the
source of the discontent as internal and integrating this wisdom represents
taking up the sword, as did Arjuna.
When we take the perspective that yoga is just another term
for experiencing our innate fullness, the term "falling out of love with yoga"
becomes an oxymoron. Taking up the sword means confronting our deepest fears
and patterns, which can lead to fleeting despair or hopelessness. Illustrated
by Hindu's pantheon of gods and goddesses, by turns light/saintly
and dark/beastly
yet united by love for their devotees, yoga's path is through the flames,
embracing all of who we are with the warm compassion of a mother to her child.
Have you ever experienced an internal battle with your yoga practice?
Disclosure: YogaBasics.com participates in several affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. When you click on external links, we may receive a small commission, which helps us keep the lights on.


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Have you all seen the article on the Telegraph's website "revealing" that Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is a West Ham supporter?
I'm not sure what to make of this. Reports state that ever since Obama went on a trip to England five years ago, the Illinois senator has been a fan of the Claret and Blue and that he watches Premiership matches whenever he can with his busy schedule.
Of course, Bill and Hillary Clinton are supposedly huge Manchester United fans as well. They're also fans of the New York Giants as Bill recently said while speaking to an elementary school. Curious that New York has more electoral votes than Massachusetts, the home state of the New England Patriots, the Giants' opponent in the Super Bowl. Curious also that the Clintons seem to enjoy jumping on the bandwagons of successful teams.
Anyway, back to Obama. What do you guys think, is he a true Hammers fan?


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Tag Archive for: Local LNG Use
How to contact me
THE METHANIST – Rudolf Huber
P.O. Box: 0026
1092 Vienna
Tel. +43 699 1815 9273
(works also for Facetime and WhatsApp)
Skype rudolf.huber.office
My mission
The world is in a double bind. We cannot go on polluting the planet as we have done in the past as it will kill us. Dieselgate has shown us how bad things are in transportation only but this is the tip of the iceberg.
Then again, radical environmentalists with an agenda shove untested, unfit and horribly expensive solutions down our throats. May the taxpayer pay.
Methane is green enough and can be made even greener in time and is economically sound. The technology is tried and tested and the results are proven.
What are we waiting for?
Code of Conduct
You are invited to comment. That said, I will not tolerate any ill behavior on this site.
If you
- – use obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist, or sexually-oriented language
- – threaten or abuse or use CAPS LOCK excessively
- – lie about anyone or anything
- – employ racism, sexism or any other kind of -ism that is degrading to another person
I will delete your comments, delete your user account and block all associated emails and IP's from this website.
I encourage anyone to actively report any such infringement, so I can take rapid action.


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Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the series' best (review)
In 1999, Nintendo gave gamers the chance to put to rest those petty squabbles over whether Mario or Link would win a fight. Now 15 years and two systems later, Super Smash Bros. is here for the Wii U and it's more fun than ever.
Volume is the name the of game in Smash Bros., and the latest installment of Nintendo's lovable franchise gives gamers the most bang for their bucks with a massive roster of characters spanning more than 30 years of gaming history.
Super Smash Bros for Wii U expands the roster beyond Mario, Link, Samus, Fox, Kirby and Pikachu to include more characters from Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, Animal Crossing and even Wii Fit.
The music of those new and older franchises played a large role in making each universe special and Super Smash Bros. honors that by including a slew of tracks from different games. Players have full control over which songs get played on stages and how often. It's a great way to acknowledge the history behind this and other great Nintendo franchises.


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Holy Apostles Convent (Buena Vista, Colorado)
The Holy Apostle Convent is a monastic community for women located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The convent is part of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece.
Holy Apostles Convent was founded in 1986 by then-Archimandrite Gregory of Dormition Skete and Mother Mariam. The Convent, near Trout Creek, is located in the conifer-studded national forest of San Isabel, nestled in the Collegiate Peaks of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, which block the winter cold and snow. The surrounding prominent and steep Castles, ancient massive volcanic rock formations, loom out of the earth to a starry height, are surrounded by spruce and pinion trees and the coarse grass range, reminiscent of the stone forest at Meteora in Kalambaka, Greece.
The Convent is under the canonical jurisdiction of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece, using the traditional Church Calendar. Services are in Greek and English, using traditional Byzantine chant.
Holy Apostles Convent is engaged in translating Greek texts of the lives of the Saints, Scriptures, and homilies into English and publishing them. Icon painting is also pursued in the true Greek Byzantine style which includes hand-painted icons and large fresco-style paintings on canvas.
External lonk
- [1]Holy Apostles Official Website


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Tournament Note
2016 Hillsdale Invitational Tournament Info:
• Wednesday 3/9 to Wednesday 3/24
• Bracket Play for Grades 3-8, Girls and Boys
• Registration open to all levels of Town Teams participating in the BTBL, NWBP, or NJJBL 2015-16 season.
• 2 Games Guaranteed
• 2 Referees/Game
• $250/team
• Real-time game results updated on our tournament website
• We will work around your league playoff games and other team conflicts to the best of our ability. Please be sure to add your conflicts during registration.
***Registration is due by Saturday 2/27 to reserve a spot.
***Payment is due by Sunday 2/28.
***Tournament schedule will be announced Friday 3/4.
For More Information:
Tournament Rules: http://hillsdalehoops.com/hht/pdf/Rules-HHT-2016.pdf
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We serve tournaments, from large to small!
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7th Grade Boys - B
Wed Mar 9, 2016 - Thu Mar 24, 2016
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What is the UK's optimum population?
We learn today that there are almost half a million more people living in England and Wales than official estimates had suggested. We are pretty good at counting babies and corpses, so we must have been under-counting net migration during the past decade.
It is not a wild underestimate - less than 1% of the total population. But the 480,000 individuals of whom the authorities were unaware will fuel arguments about immigration and how we best deal with an ageing population.
Three groups have expanded significantly during the past decade:
- the number of people in their 90s has now reached 430,000
- there are a million more 20-somethings
- the number of under-fives is up 400,000.
Quite a few local authorities will be poring over the figures to see whether they might be able to argue for a bit more cash from the Treasury to deal with the impact of higher numbers.
But the new data will also prompt fierce argument about the overall population level of our islands, as the Office for National Statistics confirms it will revise its population projections in the autumn.
As things stand, the ONS has suggested the UK population will be almost 72 million in 20 years time and 81 million by 2060.
Is the number too high? What is the optimum population for the UK and how would we achieve it?
The pressure group MigrationWatch UK has argued that the government should take whatever steps necessary to ensure numbers stays well below 70 million people. An online petition to that effect has achieved the 100,000 signatures necessary to trigger a Commons debate on the idea.
The petition warns that reaching the 70 million mark within 20 years "will have a huge impact both on our quality of life and on our public services".
The Optimum Population Trust goes further with proposals that government encourage couples to stop at two children and the introduction of a one-in one-out policy on immigration. "That way our numbers can be allowed to stabilise and reduce gradually to a lower, environmentally sustainable level," the organisation says.
But while there are many who would agree we live on a crowded isle, population control comes at a cost - social and economic.
Only last week the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) pointed out that restricting inward migration would mean either even bigger cuts to public services or hefty tax rises to pay for an ageing population.
In its annual report to ministers, it said in the medium term "higher inward migration would tend to increase tax receipts and not add much to age-related spending pressures, even whilst allowing for an increase in GDP from extra employment".
Spending on health, pensions and care costs are set to soar over the next half century and, if the government is committed to ensuring public debt does not exceed 40% of GDP, the squeeze on the working population becomes ever greater.
Assuming a net migration rate of 140,000 a year (still significantly higher than government target of under 100,000 and significantly lower than the current rate of 260,000), the OBR calculates that the additional cost of the elderly would require further spending cuts and tax rises worth £17bn.
Were the UK to maintain its current net migration level, the annual growth rate would increase form 2.4% to 2.7% and the fiscal consolidation required to bring national debt to 40% of GDP would be three times smaller at £4.6bn. (These estimates, of course, were made before Monday's census data was published.)
This graph from the OBR report demonstrates how the deficit is affected by different assumptions. The line marked old age structure assumes net migration of 140,000 but with higher life expectancy and lower fertility. Young age structure combines high migration with lower life expectancy and higher fertility.
A high migration policy has a sting it in its tail, of course. Assuming that many of those migrants stay in Britain beyond their working life, it will result in another population bulge hitting retirement in 40 to 50 years time.
As the OBR says, "higher migration could be seen as delaying some of the fiscal challenges of an ageing population rather than a way of avoiding them".
Nevertheless, on the OBR analysis, one can see that policies restricting inward migration of young workers to reduce the population will, in the medium term at least, put far greater pressure on British workers to support the elderly. Immigration will look a lot more attractive if it means fewer cuts and lower taxes.
Equally, the idea that politicians should advise couples how many children they should have would be deeply controversial in Britain. Decisions on childbearing have been seen as a matter for families, not government ministers. In any event, as can be seen from the OBR analysis, there are arguments for and against the UK reducing its fertility rate.
The ONS has been trying to understand what has been driving the big rise in the number of under-fives revealed by the census. As I reported last June, there has been a sudden and unexplained rise in the fertility rate over the past few years.
Although the increase in the number of women of childbearing age is mainly due to migration over the past decade, they still represent only a small proportion of the total and cannot explain the significant rise in total fertility rate.
Britain is living longer, seeing more foreigners arriving and having more babies too. Those three facts are pushing up our population and posing profound questions about the best way forward.
"No credible evidence has yet been published to show why a UK population of 70 million is preferable to a population limit of 50, 60 or 80million - or any other number," says the Migration Observatory think-tank based at Oxford University.
"We cannot base major policy decisions on a finger-in-the-air decision to aim for one round number or another. Policy needs to be based on evidence. At this stage there simply isn't enough to even debate what is at stake."


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Old, dilapidated, unmechanized? Yes. Infinitely more charming than rows and rows of nondescript overhead doors of today? Yes! These wood-built, lashed doors are what the best of garage doors try to look like today. The thing about garage doors is that they are considered a bit of an…View Post
To qualify for the Graduate Master Builder (GMB) certificate program, a builder must have attained the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) or Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation; or have successfully completed three courses and have at least ten years of building business experience.
GMB graduates complete an intensive series of five, six-hour courses on business management techniques, and the newest trends and technology in the building industry.
Certified Graduate Builders (CGB) earn the building industry's premier professional designation by successfully completing an intensive series of six-hour courses. The CGB curriculum incorporates training by leading building industry practitioners and academics on a range of topics, including business management, emerging technologies and market trends. After earning CGB credentials, program graduates are required to maintain their designation through completion of twelve hours of training every three years.
The Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation recognizes those remodelers who demonstrate exceptional business integrity, technical competence and a solid track record of customer satisfaction. To earn the CGR designation, a remodeler must complete a series of industry-specific education courses, provide letters of recommendation, proof of licensing and insurance and adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. CGR stands for professionalism, experience and a commitment to quality.
The Remodelers™ Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in collaboration with the NAHB Research Center, NAHB Seniors Housing Council and the AARP created the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program. The CAPS designation program teaches the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry—home modifications for the aging-in-place.
CAPS was developed to help home remodeling professionals meet the needs of the 77 million Baby Boomers that will reach retirement age in the first years of the 21st century. The CAPS designation identifies remodelers that have been trained to help retirees and older adults remain in their homes safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of income or ability level, and continue to live in a familiar environment throughout their maturing years.
In three days of coursework, the CAPS curriculum incorporates a variety of information tailored to aging-in-place home modifications, including: background on the older adult population; communication techniques; common aging-in-place remodeling projects; marketing to the aging-in-place market; common barriers and solutions; codes and standards; product ideas and resources; and business management.
CAPS program graduates are required to maintain their designation by attending continuing education programs and/or participating in community service projects. CAPS classes are offered through local and state home building associations and at national trade shows including NAHB's International Builder's Show and the Remodelers' Show.
In three days of course work, the Certified Green Professional (CGP) curriculum incorporates a variety of information tailored to green building and business practices. The CGP curriculum incorporates training by leading building industry practitioners and academics on a range of topics, including strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes using cost-effective methods of construction, and how green homes provide buyers with lower maintenance and good indoor air quality. Techniques are also discussed for competitively differentiating your home products with increased indoor environmental quality as well as energy and resource efficiency.
CGP program graduates are required to maintain their designation by completing 12 hours of continuing education every 3 years a portion of which pertain to green building activities.
NARI Certified Remodelers (CR) are professional remodelers who provide a full range of remodeling services. To become a CR, candidates must possess skill and knowledge in a broad range of business management and technical skill areas.
To qualify for the CR designation, applicants must meet all of the following:
NARI Universal Design Certified Remodelers (UDCR) are recognized as experienced remodelers with skills and knowledge in all aspects of universal design and remodeling.
The NARI Green Certified Professional Designation (GCP) is designed to recognize and identify remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects. To qualify for the GCP designation, applicants must meet all of the following:


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Mancunians finally get to open bank accounts, go to Europe
...if they have an ID card
Lucky Mancunians will finally be able to get their hands on the gov's shiny ID cards as of two weeks today.
They can even make appointments before that date to register for the card, the government has announced.
And what will they do when they've gotten one of the most eagerly awaited government sponsored bits of plastic ever?
According to Meg Hillier, the government's Identity Minister: "Identity cards will prove themselves extremely useful in daily life, from opening a bank account to entering a nightclub, and for travel to Europe."
Truly a whole new world has opened up for Mancunians who to date have struggled to open bank accounts (The Co-op Bank?), go to Europe (Manchester Airport) or visit nightclubs (The Twisted Wheel, Wigan Casino, The Rovers Return, The Hacienda, etc, etc).
Of course, there's always someone who wants to jump the queue, and today it was Minister for the North West of England, Phil Woolas, who declared: "Having been through the enrolment process this morning, I can vouch for the fact it is simple, secure and only takes around 15 minutes."
Normally, you can guarantee that such promises don't become reality for the majority of citizens/guinea pigs.
However, given that only 2,000 Mancunians have even expressed interest in the ID card scheme, we expect there won't be too much of a crush at the registration centre for the foreseeable future.
Unless, that is, the government goes ahead and makes it illegal to buy cheese without first producing a card. ®
One readers suggest the next logical thing is for the government to tout the card on its use for cutting lines in the pub toilets. We're not sure how an ID card could be used as a public convenience crowd control device. Still, we thought the rest of you could suggest what exactly what you'd do with it. Answers in the usual spot below.
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