text: A scrap between two pornographic Web sites turned nasty when one figured out how to take down the other by exploiting a previously unknown quirk in the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS).The attack is known as DNS Amplification. It has been used sporadically since December, but it started getting talked about last month when ISPrime, a small New York Internet service provider, started getting hit hard with what's known as a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack. The attack was launched by the operator of a pornographic Web site who was trying to shut down a competitor, hosted on ISPrime's network, according to Phil Rosenthal, the company's chief technology officer.The attack on ISPrime started on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 18. It lasted about a day, but what was remarkable was that a relatively small number of PCs were able to generate a very large amount of traffic on the network.One day later, a similar attack followed, lasting three days. Before ISPrime was able to filter the unwanted traffic, attackers were able to use up about 5GB\/second of the company's bandwidth.With a bit of work, Rosenthal's staff was able to filter out the hostile traffic, but in an e-mail interview he said that the attack "represents a disturbing trend in the sophistication of denial of service attacks."According to Don Jackson, director of threat intelligence at security vendor SecureWorks, we may soon see a lot more of these DNS Amplification attacks. Late last week, the botnet operators, who rent out their networks of hacked computers to the highest bidder, started adding custom DNS Amplification tools to their networks."Everyone's picked it up now," he said. "The next big DDOS on some former Soviet republic, you'll see this mentioned, I'm sure."One of the things that makes a DNS amplification attack particularly nasty is the fact that by sending a very small packet to a legitimate DNS server, say 17 bytes, the attacker can then trick the server into sending a much larger packet -- about 500 bytes --- to the victim of the attack. By spoofing the source of the packet, the attacker can direct it at specific parts of his victim's network.Jackson estimates that the 5GB\/second attack against ISPrime was achieved with just 2,000 computers, which sent out spoofed packets to thousands of legitimate nameservers, all of which started flooding the ISPrime network. ISPrime's Rosenthal says that about 750,000 legitimate DNS servers were used in the attack on his network.Earlier this week, SecureWorks produced a technical analysis of the DNS Amplification attack.The attack is generating a lot of discussion amongst DNS experts, according to Duane Wessels, program manager with DNS-OARC (Operations Analysis and Research Center), based in Redwood City, California."The worry is that this kind of attack could be used on more high-profile targets," he said.One of the things that makes the attack particularly nasty is that it's very hard to protect against."As far as I know, the only real defense you have is to ask your upstream provider to filter [the malicious traffic]," he said. "It's not something the victim can do by themselves. They need cooperation from the provider."The DNS system, a kind of directory assistance service for the Internet, has come under increased scrutiny over the past year, when hacker Dan Kaminsky discovered a serious flaw in the system. That flaw, which has now been patched by makers of DNS software, could be exploited to silently redirect Internet traffic to malicious computers without the victim's knowledge.DNS-OARC has published some information on how to prevent BIND DNS servers from being used in one of these attacks. Microsoft was unable to immediately provide information on how to mitigate this particular attack on its own products, but its guidance on deploying secure DNS servers can be found here.


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Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Structured data is becoming an increasingly important part of the web ecosystem. Google makes use of structured data in a number of ways including rich snippets which allow websites to highlight specific types of content in search results. Websites participate by marking up their content using industry-standard formats and schemas.
To provide webmasters with greater visibility into the structured data that Google knows about for their website, we're introducing today a new feature in Webmaster Tools - the Structured Data Dashboard. The Structured Data Dashboard has three views: site, item type and page-level.
Site-level view
At the top level, the Structured Data Dashboard, which is under Optimization, aggregates this data
(by root item type and vocabulary schema). Root item type means an item that is not an attribute
of another on the same page. For example, the site below has about 2 million Schema.Org
annotations for
Itemtype-level view
It also provides per-page details for each item type, as seen below:
Google parses and stores a fixed number of pages for each site and item type. They are stored in
decreasing order by the time in which they were crawled. We also keep all their structured data
markup. For certain
item types
we also provide specialized preview columns as seen in this example below (for example,
Name is specific to schema.org
The default sort order is such that it would facilitate inspection of the most recently added Structured Data.
Page-level view
Last but not least, we have a details page showing all attributes of every item type on the given page (as well as a link to the Rich Snippet testing tool for the page in question).
Webmasters can use the Structured Data Dashboard to verify that Google is picking up new markup, as well as to detect problems with existing markup, for example monitor potential changes in instance counts during site redesigns.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ice ages: Why North America is key to their coming and going
Scientists have long tried to figure out what causes the ebb and flow of ice ages. New data suggests a novel explanation for why the mile-thick blankets of ice retreat so quickly: They become too heavy.
For the last 900,000 years, mile-thick ice sheets have waxed and waned in the Northern Hemisphere with remarkable regularity – building over periods of about 100,000 years and retreating in the space of only a few thousand years, only to repeat the cycle.
Now, a team of scientists from Japan, the US, and Switzerland suggests that the North American continent is the breeding ground for these cycles. It's a region where climate and the ice's effect on the Earth's crust play off each other to draw out the length of a glacial cycle triggered by changes in solar radiation that come with changes in Earth's orbit.
This feedback between climate and ice becomes most dramatic at the end of the cycle, when an ice sheet that has bulldozed its way too far south and gotten too heavy for its own good meets up with a warming climate.
"When the ice sheets get to this huge state, they are very hard to keep that way," says Maureen Raymo, a paleoclimatologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geophysical Observatory in Palisades, N.Y., and a member of the team conducting the study.
Once a change in Earth's orbital characteristics brings on the next warming event, "the whole system just goes into catastrophic collapse," she explains. "It melts back a little, seas start to flow into the depressed crust, this floats the ice and melts it from below."
In a tiny fraction of the time it takes to build continental-scale ice sheets, the sheets retreat to high-latitude havens atop Greenland and the northern reaches of the Canadian archipelago.
The study, led by Ayako Abe-Ouchi, a climate scientist at the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Polar Research, resulted from a unique approach to modeling ice ages.
The study provides "good insights that clearly advance our understanding" of ice ages, notes Penn State University glaciologist Richard Alley, who was not involved in the study, in an e-mail. It also confirms aspects of ice ages that researchers have well in hand, he says.
The approach linked individual atmosphere, crust, and ice models in a way that needed only information on the amount of sunlight reaching Earth to generate ice-sheet behavior over the past 400,000 years that geologists have gleaned from more than a century of field studies.
Changes in the amount of solar radiation striking Earth come with changes in Earth's orbit occurring at intervals of 41,000, 23,000, and 19,000 years.
The study reaffirms that changes in the amount of summer sunlight striking northern high latitudes sets the process in motion. Indeed, changes to the shape of Earth's orbit over time, as well as long-term changes in the orientation of its axis, and their impact on solar radiation at high northern latitudes were the most significant astronomical influences in the team's simulations.
The team also weighed the relative contributions of changes in atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, to the 100,000-year glacial cycles.
While carbon dioxide decreased as the ice sheet expanded and cooled the climate and increased again as the climate warmed, CO2 levels did not determine the overall sequence of events during each 100,000-year cycle, the researchers concluded.
The simulations also showed how the interplay between orbital and climate influences kept North America's ice sheets growing, even as a significant but smaller ice sheet building in northern Eurasia waxed and waned based on orbital changes happening at 40,000- and 20,000-year intervals.
Looking closely at the last glacial cycle, which ended about 10,000 years ago, the team estimates that by the time the North American ice sheet reached what is now Kansas, its southernmost point, it held enough water to raise sea levels by 90 meters (295 feet). But the sheet also depressed the crust.
The team estimates that a 3,000 meter thick sheet would have depressed the crust by about 1,000 meters. This would have lowered the altitude of the top of the sheet, bringing it into contact with warmer air. In addition, as the sheet melted, a slowly rebounding crust would gather melt water along the sheet's edges, providing the lifting and melting from underneath that would accelerate its retreat.
This aspect of the work alone was worth the price of admission, suggests Shawn Marshall, a climate scientist at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. He notes that previous modeling studies couldn't deliver the onset of ice sheets growth and advance without conditions colder and snowier than climate models predict for an Earth in the cold phase of its long-term orbital variations.
Getting out of an ice age was even tougher, he writes in an outsider's analysis of the study, set for publication in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.
This is the first free-running model that appears to get the ice ages right without a lot of tweaking along the way to include factors like ocean circulation or the influence of dust on ice melting in order for the onset or retreat of ice sheets to happen at the right times, he notes.
The work still has room for improvement, he continues. The model treats some processes a bit too simplistically.
Still, the researchers "make a convincing case" that North America's shape and location on the globe, as well as the slow recovery of the crust as the ice begins to melt turn variations in solar radiation occurring in cycles measured in a few tens of thousands of years into a 100,000-year glacial cycle.
What makes North America so special?
"Maybe that's because the mountains deflect the polar jet stream farther south," says Dr. Raymo, referring to a high-altitude river of air that forms the boundary between cold polar air and warmer air to the south. Deep southward meanders in that river during modern winters can bring snow to regions where it's rare, such as the US Southeast.
Or perhaps during the last glacial maximum the ice sheet covering Scandinavia was vulnerable to warm Atlantic Ocean water, she adds.
"We don't know, in fact that's the next work we're doing – experiments to try to investigate that," she says.


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One man or one political party won't be able to handle the economic crisis. The current situation is comparable to a state of war. Democrats and Republicans must join hands: Black people, Latinos, White people, Asians; all must come together. All sectors of the nation economy must contribute to the rescue and recovery.
[Black Star News Editorial]
President-elect Barack Obama faces daunting economic challenges: many analysts believe that the nation cannot avoid a depression.
Indeed, a major market player who is also brilliant in economics and finance this week told me that things will get worse and that there will be massive unemployment beyond what we've already seen, with increased hunger, and eventually more crime in urban areas such as New York City. "The last big one lasted eight years," this major market player told me, referring to the Great Depression of 1929.
This is a scary thought if he's right: It means that Obama, as president, will spend all of his first term simply trying to hose down financial fires. It would diminish prospects for a second term. At the end, Obama's success will depend on to what extent that he's capable of rallying national bi-partisan support for an economic recovery program.
So far, as president-elect Obama has said all the right things: He has issued a call to arms for national economic recovery. He's said his government will be transparent and all information and decisions will be available on www.change.gov; and, most importantly, he's said that the only way for America to succeed is if everyone contributes and works towards the solution. In his own words, the process "will require not just new policies, but a new spirit of service and sacrifice, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other."
The challenges can't be underestimated:
There has been a precipitous decline of share prices on Wall Street; investors generally have no confidence in the market now; more troubling, credit has dried up as banks are reluctant to lend money to businesses; and, many companies can't no longer meet payroll or order merchandize. That's why the economy has shed jobs for 10 consecutive months now, with record 240,000 jobs lost in the month of October alone. This year, thus far, the nation has lost more than 1.2 million jobs.
The principle story for the last week has been the fate of the big three automobile companies; General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. They are all teetering on the brink–without emergency infusion of billions of dollars, these companies will go out of business.
These companies can't be allowed to fall since they directly or indirectly, through parts suppliers, employ millions of workers. Major job losses in the industry –and this is only one of many industries facing similar challenges– will set off a chain reaction and lead to millions of more home foreclosures, more hunger, and more crime on the streets.
Already, 10 million Americans are unemployed and filings for benefits have reached a record; millions of people face the prospect of seeing their benefits cut off before the end of the year. Additionally, millions of Americans have seen their savings, including retirement money, evaporate in thin air.
One man or one political party won't be able to handle the economic crisis. The current situation is comparable to a state of war. Democrats and Republicans must join hands: Black people, Latinos, White people, Asians; all must come together.
All sectors of the nation economy must contribute to the rescue and recovery. Here are some suggestions:
[] On Wall Street, chief executives and other senior management must collectively meet and unilaterally declare that they will significantly scale down and cap their compensation –salaries and bonuses. The highest paid executive should not make more than $2 million, including bonuses.
[] Wealthy Americans must follow the example of Warren Buffet who invested $5 billion of his own money in Goldman Sachs, to shore up investor confidence. Perhaps Buffet should promote the creation of a new bank seeded by his other wealthy friends; the bank would be used to capitalize new or existing companies that will create jobs in new "green" industries.
[] Banks that have received cash infusion from the government's $700 billion program must be compelled to lend money to entrepreneurs otherwise they must face penalties. Such penalties may include the return of the cash to the government. If these measures do not work, the government must consider cash infusions only to banks that allow government to take a controlling operational interest in the company.
[] The automobile companies cannot be given billions of dollars so that they can continue paying their top executives millions of dollars and continue producing automobiles that are not fuel efficient and that don't sell well. Since all these three companies are actually not competitive, efficient, or productive, the government must make a radical demand:
In order to receive billions in cash infusion, the three major companies, GM, Ford and Chrysler, must agree to merge: The unions must also be a part of this sacrifice and agree to contract buyouts. Then, within a timeframe, the reconstituted auto company must start producing the new "green" automobiles. Government can help stimulate demand for the new cars by offering vouchers or cash to homeowners for the purchase of these cars–the money must be disbursed in such a manner that it can only be used to purchase the new "green cars." This strategy can be used to stimulate demand in other new "green" industries. The president-elect already has said that he plans to pump $150 billion into "green" industries and create 5 million jobs. With the demand stimulation mechanism outlined above, millions of more jobs can be created.
[] So much entrepreneurial energy remains dormant in the so-called inner cities. These are the urban areas populated primary by African Americans and Latinos and where income levels are generally the lowest, schools and hospitals most decrepit, unemployment rates generally several folds higher than the national average, and crimes rates, not surprisingly, highest.
Obama, as president, must ask for the governors of every state in conjunction with the mayors of key urban centers, to submit "inner city economic recovery plans." This would bring millions of Americans into the national economy for the first time and get young men and women also involved in the new "green economy" producing goods for the domestic as well as the export markets.
[] In the meantime, billions of dollars will be needed for the public schools and new agreements with teachers' unions throughout the country: The unions must realize that educating our children is much more important than job tenure, especially for teachers who either cannot teach, or do not want to teach.
[] Creating new jobs in the new "green industries" with government working hand in hand with private industry, will also enable millions of Americans to gain health insurance for the first time since all the new "green" jobs will include health benefits.
These are the type of measures that will be required for the United States to repair it's national economy and become competitive internationally again.


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– It Begins: Ecuador Demands Repatriation Of One Third Of Its Gold Holdings (ZeroHedge, Oct 31, 2012):
One week ago, when we reported the news that the Bundesbank had secretly pulled two thirds of its gold from London years ago, we said the following:
… Germany has done nothing wrong! It simply demanded a reclamation of what is rightfully Germany's to demand.
And here is the crux of the issue: in a globalized system, in which every sovereign is increasingly subjugated to the credit-creating power of the globalized "whole", one must leave all thoughts of sovereign independence at the door and embrace the "new world order." After all this is the only way that the globalized system can create the shadow cloud of infinite repoable liabilities, in which we currently all float light as a binary feather, which permits instantaeous capital flows and monetary fungibility, and which guarantees that there will be no sovereign bond issue failure as long as nobody dares to defect from the system in which all collateral is cross pledge and ultra-rehypothecated… for the greater good. Until the Buba secretly defected that is.
And this is the whole story. Because by doing what it has every right to do, the German Central Bank implicitly broke the cardinal rule of true modern monetary system (never to be confused with that socialist acronym fad MMT, MMR or some such comparable mumbo-jumbo). And the rule is that a sovereign can never put its own people above the global corporatist-cum-banking oligarchy, which needs to have access to all hard (and otherwise) assets at any given moment, on a moment's notice, as the system's explicit leverage at last check inclusive of the nearly $1 quadrillion in derivatives, is about 20 times greater than global GDP. This also happens to be the reason why the entire world is always at most a few keystrokes away from a complete monetary (and trade) paralysis, as the Lehman aftermath and the Reserve Fund breaking the buck so aptly showed.
We are confident that little if anything will be made of the Buba's action, because dwelling on it too much may expose just who the first country will be (or already has been) when the tide finally breaks, and when it will be every sovereign for themselves. Because at that point, which will come eventually, not only Buba, but every other bank, corporation, and individual will scramble to recover their own gold located in some vault in London, New York, or Paris, or at your friendly bank vault down the street, and instead will merely find a recently emptied storage room with humorously written I.O.U. letters in the place of 1 kilo gold bricks.
It appears that the story, which has refused to go away, was not covered sufficiently fast, and precisely the worst case scenario – at least for the "asset-lite" status quo – is slowly but surely starting to materialize.
From Bloomberg:
Ecuador's government wants the nation's banks to repatriate about one third of their foreign holdings to support national growth, the head of the country's tax agency said.
Carlos Carrasco, director of the tax agency known as the SRI, said today that Ecuador's lenders could repatriate about $1.7 billion and still fulfill obligations to international clients. Carrasco spoke at a congressional hearing in Quito on a government proposal to raise taxes on banks to finance cash subsidies to the South American nation's poor.
So yesterday: Germany… today: Ecuador… tomorrow: the World?
Because while Ecuador, with its 26.3 tonnes of gold, may be small in the grand scheme of gold things, all it takes is for more and more banks to join the bandwagon and demand delivery in kind from official repositories (i.e., New York and London), and the myth that is the overcollateralization of hard money by central banks will promptly come to an abrupt, bitter and, likely, quite violent end.


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10 Effective Marketing Strategies
Marketing is one of the most important business factors. From my experience, I have listed 10 effective marketing strategies that have helped my marketing development, and hope will help your business too.
Here are 10 effective marketing strategies.
1. Create a directory of web sites on a specific topic. Give people the option of adding the directory to their web site by linking to it. Put your business advertisement at the top of the director's home page. This technique will get lots of people to linkto your web site and give you free advertising.
2. Do you have a product or service that doesn't sell good? Offer it as a free bonus for someone else's product or service. Get free advertising by placing your web site or business ad on the product or in the product package.
3. Trade autoresponder ads with other businesses. If both of you send out information with auto-responders just exchange a small classified ad to put at the bottom or top of each other's autoresponder message.
4. Start a free tip line. Offer a free daily, weekly, or monthly tip recorded on your voice mail. The tips should be related to your business. Include your ad for your web site or business at the beginning or end of your message.
5. Exchange content with other web sites and ezines. You could trade articles, top ten lists, etc. Both parties could include a resource box at the end of the content.
6. Offer to insert ads into your product package for other businesses. Just ask, in return that they do the same for your business. You should only trade insert ads with businesses that have the same target audience.
7. Offer a free daily class in your web site's chat room. The class should be related to the subject of your business or web site. This will get people to visit your web site everyday.
8. Do you have a product that doesn't sell good? Offer it as a free bonus for another businesses product or service. You'll get free advertising by placing your web site or business ad on the free bonus.
9. Place different emotional response ads for the same product or service all over your web site. One ad may hit their hot button to buy more than another ad.
10. Publish your e-zine in e-book format. You could offer a larger number of articles per issue. It also allows you to include graphics with your ezine.Your advertising revenue would increase because you could charge businesses for large color ads.
Find More Tips For Web Strategies Articles


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The description of Office Calculator Free
Office calculator with a virtual tape for Android, fixed point or floating point mode, various rounding modes, easy percent and tax calculation.This is a calculator optimized for office tasks.
* Calculator with virtual tapeYou can switch between calculator view and and tape view to have a full screen view of the tape.Just tap on the tape to switch between views.The tape of the calculator can have up to 1000 lines.
* Calculator support corrections on the tapeYou can change values on the virtual tape to make corrections.For corrections go to the context menu of the tape line with a long press.
* Calculator has percent calculation to add or subtract percent values.The tape will display the percentage and the resulting value.
* Calculator has tax buttons (TX+, TX-) to add or sub tract tax (sales tax, VAT)This makes it very easy to calculate tax amounts with the calculator.The tape will display the tax rate and the resulting value.
* Calculator allows annotations on the tapeYou can write a comment to a tape line.
* Calculator with fixed point arithmetic or floating point.Fixed point arithmetic has 20 digits and 0 – 4 decimal places.The floating point arithmetic has 64 bits (IEEE double precision).By default, the calculator works with fixed point arithmetic and 2 decimal places as needed for most calculations with amounts.
* Calculator supports three rounding modes: up, down or 5/4.
This is the ad-sponsored variant of Office Calculator, a Pro variant of Office Calculator without ads is also available.
How to play Office Calculator Free on PC
Download and Install Nox App Player Android Emulator. Click here to download: Download(FREE)
Run Nox App Player Android Emulator and login Google Play Store
Open Google Play Store and search Office Calculator Free Download
Install Office Calculator Free and start it
Well done! Now you can play Office Calculator Free on PC, just like Office Calculator Free for PC version.


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Okay, so I didn't mean to slip out the back door like that. First was Alfredo's birthday party and then before we knew it we were on a plane to California. And then the red-eye back home.
So, let's see if we can do a little catch up...
Alfredo's birthday party was so much fun. We did the party at his Little Gym and it was the best decision ever. The team kept him and everyone else well entertained. This was my favorite part...
After playing in the gym for an hour, we had cupcakes and treats...
Remember those lollipops? We also made tiny dinosaurs for the cupcakes and big ones for the plate. It was a bit of overkill but we were having so much fun making them that it was hard to stop. (The chocolate molds are from here)
Then we were off to California. Alfredo spent a lot of time with his family and it was wonderful. He really misses his papa.
I did quite a bit of work on the next issue. I can't wait for you to see...seriously! But we took a break on Friday to go on an excursion. The weather was a perfect 70 degrees, sunny and beautiful. We drove to Bodega Bay, where the film The Birds was filmed.
With birds on our minds when we saw this weird bird sunning himself on a fence post, we just had to take a picture...
So imagine me with the window of the car just cracked enough to take this picture because I'm actually a bit freaked out...and then just after I snapped the picture, another huge bird flew in and landed on the post beside him. Oh boy, did I freak out. These birds were less than 10 feet away from our car. I was so freaked out that when we got to Bodega Bay I couldn't make myself get out of the car. It's so silly but I seriously thought these birds were going to "get me"! Rich and I laughed ourselves silly.
I finally talked myself out the car and had no problems at all with any flying creatures. But just looking at that freaky bird gets me all over again.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
dino birthday party
We're working on the treat bags for Alfredo's birthday party and just look what we're elbow deep into around here...
Dinosaur lollies!
We also made some dinosaur chocolates to go on the cupcakes. Fun fun!
More on the dinosaur party tomorrow...
love, amy at 3:02 PM 11 comments:
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
you can't beat a beet...
I love beets. I really do. But when I think of the mess of preparing them (and the fact that Rich won't even touch them if they land on his plate) I don't eat them enough.
And then I had them for lunch one day. It was the most beautiful plate...a little cottage cheese, some interesting whole grain crackers, and these beets (Sweetfire). Let me just say I have been thinking of them ever since. Not everybody is a beet person but if you are, look for Love Beets at your store.
Besides this little unsolicited endorsement, I also wanted to pop in to let you know that my dad is at home (since last Thursday) and he's doing so well. It will take at least 3 months before he can walk or drive but he's doing really, really well. His spirits are high and he's amazing at hopping around (with a walker).
That's why when I spotted these
at my grocery store, I was so excited.
And then I had them for lunch one day. It was the most beautiful plate...a little cottage cheese, some interesting whole grain crackers, and these beets (Sweetfire). Let me just say I have been thinking of them ever since. Not everybody is a beet person but if you are, look for Love Beets at your store.
Besides this little unsolicited endorsement, I also wanted to pop in to let you know that my dad is at home (since last Thursday) and he's doing so well. It will take at least 3 months before he can walk or drive but he's doing really, really well. His spirits are high and he's amazing at hopping around (with a walker).
love, amy at 3:19 PM 19 comments:
Monday, January 10, 2011
Land of the dinosaurs!
Do you want to see Alfredo's new Dinosaur Room?
I bought these dinosaur decals from Amazon...the three big ones plus a set of small ones. I think the total was about $50 for all of them. But that was just about the only expense in this update.
The walls were already painted with the sky and hills from when we first prepared this room. Remember?
I wanted to keep the scallop edge along the top of the walls but quite a few of them were wilting and coming off. Maybe I'll add more someday.
I think we do need a bigger bookshelf. I have an old one that needs a fresh coat of paint.
And even though it's filled with scary dinosaurs...
love, amy at 11:06 AM 19 comments:
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
invitation and a new camera
And guess what...I got a new camera for Christmas!
I've had the same old one for years and years and really needed an update. I don't know a whole lot about photography so I wanted to stick with a point and shoot. Whenever I looked for a new one, I would go away so confused and frustrated. Finally, I just asked Rich to research and pick one for me.
I'm just fiddling around with it, learning all about it and seeing how it compares to my ancient one. I snapped a few dozen just now of this sneak peek at something I'm working on for the magazine. Something about them just doesn't "feel" like my photos...you know what I mean? And I don't like to read manuals...I'm a button pusher. Only something tells me this old dog is going to have to break down and read at least a few pages.
love, amy at 3:00 PM 16 comments:
so, how are you anyway?
- I'm super busy organizing the next issue of the magazine. I think you're going to love it.
- My father is doing so well. We're hoping he'll come home this week. Thank you so much for your prayers. Alfredo and I are going for a visit later this week.
- Alfredo's 4th birthday (can you believe it?!) is just around the corner. Invitations go out today and he's excited about going to the post office and putting a stamp on each one. Isn't it wonderful the little things that are exciting to an almost four year old?
- I didn't mention it here when it happened but Alfredo's father moved back to California late summer. We're heading out for a visit in a couple of weeks and Alfredo is really excited.
- I'm planning an update for Alfredo's room. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
- I've had a single wall taped up and ready to paint with chalkboard paint for over a month. It's time to do that, I'd say.
How are you?
love, amy at 5:47 AM 9 comments:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
Hello, 2011!
What gifts will I unwrap this year?
What gifts will I give?
What will I learn about love in 2011?
What will I teach?
How will I be tested?
Will I emerge stronger?
I pray my eyes will be open to all the new & wondrous things this year offers.
I pray my heart will be tuned to the truth.
I pray that with each day I will grow into someone better, happier, worthier of God's great love & grace.
And, when I fail,
in small and big ways,
may I feel the hands of God in my life,
may I find the way back to the path of my life, and
May I always be open to His will.
{the year I turn 40}
bring it on.
love, amy at 3:13 PM 23 comments:
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Madonna arrived in Venice today at the photo call for W.E. along with Andrea Riseborough and Abbie Cornish. I am already obsessed with Andrea Riseborough. Look at that face! Fresh and beguiling, non? And can you believe it's the same girl you saw in these Vanity Fair photos?
W.E. is a little Julie & Julia. Early word is that Andrea as Wallis Simpson is unquestionably more captivating than Cornish's modern character. So much so that the Cornish parts seem totally irrelevant. That sucks for Cornish, obviously, but it's also encouraging that Madonna the director has managed to coax what could be a very memorable performance out of a new emerging star. Have you seen Brighton Rock? I've only just remembered Andrea was in Brighton Rock. And I also had no idea that was her in Made in Dagenham. She's like Jessica Chastain that way. You don't quite ever recognise her. And this works. It apparently works very, very well in W.E.
So how's the rest of it? Hilariously the underlying sentiment seems to be that "it doesn't suck" or, more flatteringly, "it's better than expected", and this of course leads you to wonder how bad were the expectations?
Still, everyone acknowledges that it was beautifully shot, and Telegraph notes that there are some witty moments, but that mostly, it was beautifully shot:
It all looks good, or at least glossy, in the manner of high-end cosmetics commercials. Exotic locations (Portofino, Cap d'Antibes) are visited and luxury brand names (Moet, Cartier, Schiaparelli) tossed around. Wally pays repeatedly visits an auction of the Windsors' possessions; W.E. often feels like an extended infomercial for Sotheby's New York.
That may be why the Telegraph critic declares that "W.E. may appeal to younger women with an eye for fashion".
I can't decide if this is actually a compliment.
And what of the whitewashing? What of the glamourisation of Wallis? Style over substance, has Madonna made that choice? Has she chosen to ignore the more controversial aspects of Simpson's life, or attribute blame for her poor decisions and opinions onto others? This is how I'm reading Baz Bamigboye's review between the lines. Baz thinks rather highly of the film. And he also suggests that W.E. might appeal to a "younger audience".
Because young people won't bother so much with historical details if the clothing is something to look at?
That disturbs me even more than the sanitising of Simpson. Can't wait to see how it'll be received at TIFF. That's when it really starts to matter.
As for Madonna - she looks so much better and so much younger without all the makeup. But of course, you can't go on a carpet and not wear makeup. It's just, makeup on top of all those fillers and shots, the effect is totally crazy. At some point, the plastic surgeons and the cosmetic companies, along with the makeup artists, they have to get together and work this out. They have to develop their products in conjunction, because right now, one undoes the other.
Photos from Wenn.com and Pascal Le Segretain/GIUSEPPE CACACE/Gettyimages.com
Madonna introduces W.E.
Madonna arrived in Venice today at the photo call for W.E. along with Andrea Riseborough and Abbie Cornish. I am already obsessed with Andrea Riseborough. Look at that face! Fresh and beguiling, non? And can you believe it's the same girl you saw in these Vanity Fair photos?


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Japan & China 2010
What, Japan... again??? Well, this trip to Asia was more or less arranged around the China Airshow 2010 at Zhuhai, but with the Tsuiki Open Day on the week-end before and going to this part of the world 'anyway' I thought it is a good decision to visit Japan again, even more so due to the fact that even after two visits to the Tsuiki show I did not have the chance to have really good weather there. A visit to the Hsinchu Open Doos in Taiwan, coinciding with the last Zhuhai week-end, should finally finish this 3-country trip.
Where? Japan & China
When? November 2011
By chance it came that Bernd of www.airshowpics.net accompanied me. I am sure that you will also find some photos on his website as well.
After a long flight via Vienna and a direct connection at Tokyo-Narita to Fukuoka I arrived at Kyushu, Japan's Southern Island, in nice sunny November weather at around 20°C.
While waiting for the connection flight to Fukuoka I have had the chance to do some spotting at Narita . During around one hour on that Sunday morning I got to see 4 Airbus A380 (two Lufthansa, 1 Air France, 1 Singapore Airlines) and as a highlight a special coloured China Airlines B738/w. Unfortunately the welcoming weather in Japan was not the best, but there would be other more important places during this trip where the sun would be more needed.
The final flight to FUK was very relaxing with only around 40 passengers on-board the ANA B737, but unfortunately we overflew Mt. Fuji directly, so there was no chance to spot the snow-covered top of Japan's most famous volcano mountain. A movie about Munich and its beer tradition made the flight pass by very quickly :)
After the arrival in Fukuoka I headed North with Iwakuni being the main target for the next day.
As the newly constructed runwaythere makes it better to photograph in the afternoon the plan to spend the first night at the Iwakuni Youth Hostel was slightly changed and instead a 'hotel' near the trainer places Hofu and Ozuki was chosen for the first night, when the real trip should start the next day.
Hofu, Ozuki & Iwakuni
After a short night due to the jet lag I headed of to Ozuki the next morning. 40km in one hour was a good average for Japanese roads, but the grey weather did not make me very optimistic. Arriving at Ozuki I saw 3 JMSDF T-5 trainers standing on the taxiway and preparing to take off. But before I got to the fence, however, all of them turned around and taxied back to the apron, so I could not do anything more than photographing two other T-5s that came in to land directly. Maybe they did cancel the flying due to the bad weather...?
I did not wait to find that out, but continued to Hofu for the T-7 trainers of the JASDF. There was a nice spot for line-up and taxi, but I did arrive for the lunch break, so there was nothing more left than photographing some landings against a gray background and continuing to Iwakuni.
Due to a new runway constructed in the sea, and thus East of the coastline, it only made sense to go there in the afternoon. Unfortunately this did not help against the grey and hazy sky - but the flying activity was very nice.
When I arrived a new Shin Meiwa US-2 flying boat departed as did also some US Marines F/A-18 Hornets. The Shin Meiwa returned for some touch&goes, but unfortunately the immaculate new colour scheme in matt dark blue over grey did not help to make up for nice photos under these conditions. During the afternoon another 'old' Shin Meiwa US-1 was also flying.
Furthermore I got the chance to photograph several of the JMSDF P-3 Orions and was especially happy about the EP-3 electronic versions in all their different configurations with several 'humps and bumps' around the fuselage as well as carrying different pods.
Finally the sun came slightly out in the late afternoon and combined with the variety of aircraft in the air made up for a good start of this trip.
Before continuing back to the Southern island we had a look at Iwakuni's main touristic attraction, the Kintai-kyo (錦帯橋), or "Brocade Sash Bridge" bridge and enjoyed the sunset in the city centre along the river bank. Then it was time driving some hundred kilometres - meaning some long hours - back to the Southern Kyushu island.
A nice sunrise over the rise field promised to be a good start for the day. Though the clouds came in soon, I should see three waves of F-15 and F-2 flying at the end of the day.
Regarding the F-2s even eight jets were flying in two of three missions that day, and with an F-2 in full air-air armament (4x AAM-3 and 4x AAM-4) it was a really nice sight to see these blue jets lined up with the Pacific Ocean in the background.
A very strong wind made the sun/cloud mix ever changing and proved to be quite challenging for the many photographers present that day as the lenses were moving heavily in these gusts. And - as usual - a marvellous blue sky was mostly present when no aircraft were in sight... Nevertheless the flying kept me busy and made many position changes possible.
Towards the end of the day 4 F-2s also practised an air-air gunnery demo for the airshow which was on the schedule for Sunday.
After an exciting day that kept me quite busy I left with the last rays of sun heading to Nyutabaru - approximately 250km further south. The navigation system proposed several options to take that route, one costing more than 7.500 Yen (~80€) and lasting 4,5hrs, or another one for some 1.000 Yen and at 5,5hrs (for 250km...). I decided to for the second proposal and a truck driver that was leading me at times with around 100km/h on the rural roads was quite good to arrive at our destination a bit earlier in time.
Nevertheless it was a late arrival at Nyuta anyway in the middle of the night.
Fighterbase Nyutabaru - once again blessed with sunshine during the whole day, and even more important, also already in the early morning for the famous 'morning spot' where the aircraft are taxiing directly towards you.
This went really well for the F-15 training Squadron and was a good preparation for the famous (and colourful) JASDF Aggressors that should follow shortly afterwards. After quite a long wait until around 9 o'clock, and with worsening light conditions, 4 of the Aggressors turned up, just in time with the triple-A regiment that appeared and decided to set up their training camp just in our viewing line. So the desired shots of the Aggressors were spoiled... One big chance was thus missed and I had nothing more than to leave and wait for the landings.
For the landings from the East it was interesting to discover that near the coffee vending machines a new shop has been opened that is now selling T-Shirts and souvenir stuff to the serious enthusiats as well as fod for the regulars that pass by just to watch the aircraft. I stayed at this place for the landings of the Aggressor and was happy to see that a whilelater also the special marked F-15 of the Training Squadron - celebrating its 10th anniversary - was taxiing and I got the chance to photograph it. The choice of the wrong lens and photo position however did not bring the desired result, and I was quite unhappy when I learned that the aircraft should not return that same day.
But at least the returning Aggressors made up for some nice colourful photos:
The remaining day until sunset at around 5pm was spent driving around the Southern fenceline looking for nice photo spots. The construction of the new runway seemed to be really good as you are now a lot closer to the fence than previously.
But unfortunately the new overall fence line, which has been set up in parallel to the old one, is partly constructed as a double fence, and thus spoils a lot of photo possibilities as it makes looking directly at the runway impossible. This is mainly valid towards the middle of the runway and cannot even be avoided with a very high stepladder. Standing more to the right or left of the middle were thus the choices, or further back to get the aircraft already in the air shortly after take-off.
During all of my 'activities' I was furthermore always protected by the Base Security, which closely followed all of my movements while I was looking to get some nice photos of JASDF aircraft.
Besides all the local Aggressors, Phantoms, Eagles and of course T-4s flying around, a Chinook and five T-400 visited the base that day as well as two T-4 of foreign Squadrons. And with the last two F-4 touching down while the sun was also setting down I headed back to the hotel and decided to go to Kanoya around midday the next day. The navigation said 2hrs for 120km...
Nyutabaru & Kanoya
The emotions at Nyuta in the morning were mixed as a slight rain was drizzling down. So the only thing to do was heading directly to the airbase for a warm coffee from the vending machine. It seemed as it would not become a very good day with a cloudy sky as even the well-known mountain chain in the background was not being visible at all.
Not being very optimistic I nevertheless moved to the morning spot, but due to the lack of sun decided to try a different angle. After a short while there the security car turned up, but they seemed to remember me from the day before and did not question me again.
Again the F-15 Training Squadron went out for their first tour of the day already at 7:40am. The sun nearly came outat that time, but the direction of the clouds was very vague and finally against me - but at least the cloud cover and the lacking wind brought temperatures of 16°C with it and I did not have to freeze like the morning before. After the take-off of the 'Igrus' I changed the position near to the touchdown point, where I should stay for the rest of this spotting day.
The airbase was a lot 'quieter' this time, not with regards to aircraft movements, but to the number of spotters: the day before numerous locals and foreigners were present, and I saw and spoke to numerous Japanese, Brits and Finish enthusiasts. But today only a handful of the locals were present at their set-up spot, which provides even a fireplace to prepare some warm tea, and also a dedicated photo platform. They were very amazed that I came from 'toitsu' all the long way to photograph JASDF jets and I got some photographs taken of me as well as I had very nice talks, though communication was not always easy due to the language barrier.
And the JASDF flew again that day... As the day before the Aggressors went out for a 1 hour mission followed by the phabulous Phantoms. Again four of the Aggressors left, and this time the missing green-painted F-15DJ, which remained on the flightline the previous day, did also take part. Obviously being very lucky that day a big cloud only came after these four very special (at least for me and the many Japanese photographers that turn up every time when the fly) F-15s took-off, and disappeared just in time again for their return to base.
5 of the Phantoms flew as well, and as usual all of the flying was accompanied by at least one T-4 trainer of the same Squadron doing several touch and goes towards the end of each mission.
Originally I have planned to leave to Kanoya after the morning round (one mission of Aggressors, F-4EJ and F-15(D)J trainers) right before lunch, but this time - much to my surprise - the engines of the Aggressors spooled up once again shortly before lunch. I thus stayed for one hour longer to see them take-off and land once again as well as to photograph the afternoon launch of 6 Phantoms just after the F-15s returned.
Then it was finally time to drive to...
still further South. Heading down the road and passing Miyakonojo the countryside began to get more and more rural, Bamboo forests grew, amazing big spiders could be seen hanging around the electrical cables along the street all around and the chain of the Kagoshima mountains lay in the distant haze. And the navigation 'promised' an arrival at the Navy base around 4 pm.
At this time of the day usually all of the aircraft are returning from their mission or stop their training, and I just arrived as two OH-6 came in to land. Unfortunately one of them started again while I had a very nice talk with the Base Security ("yes, feel free to take photos here" ... "the East side of the runway is not so good for photos, you can see the base better from here!"), but soon they left with the desired info on the questionnaire and I continued to photograph the activity on the tarmac: two Seahawks left for night flying, three Orions returned with the last rays of the setting sun.
And much to my joy - one of currently only two existing EC135 (or TH-135, which is the Japanese designation) training helicopters in the JMSDF fleet returned from a flight and could also be photographed.
Flying continued well into the night that evening, but once the light was really gone there was no more sense in trying to take some photos. I thus left in hope for an evenly good day the next morning.
A dull and hazy morning welcomed me on Friday morning at Kanoya, but nevertheless I went into position on the fence waiting for some movements. The first Orion take-off of the day shortly after sunrise was nearly missed before it got quiet for a long while, as only some hours later at around 9am the helicopters started up.
Shortly afterwards the base security inside the fence passed by with only a short stop to talk, just in time when a formation of two TH-135 came in to land, this currently bwing the whole fleet of the JMSDF EC135. Fortunately the security people did let us continue taking photos and when they left everything was in order - at least this was what I thought at that moment.
Things then really started moving with Orions going out and Seahawks flying their training circuit as well as some more movements on the ramp. During the morning the sky also got clearer and it promissed to become a very nice day.
Things got even better when 3 Sea Stallions were discovered being pulled out onto the ramp!
At some point during the morning another local 'spotter' suddenly appeared with camera and lens hanging around his neck, business shoes, trousers and a white shirt. After doing some shooting through the fence he finally started talking to me and somehow insisted on knowing in which hotel I have been staying that night - that being the question that could not yet being answered on the securities questionnaire the day before.
Thus I could somehow not abandon the thoughts that spotting is not the main hobby/profession of him... Nevertheless the conversation was very nice and I got to learn a lot about Kanoya, the region and its specialities!
The spotting highlights of the day were two of the SH-60 Seahawks that were landing on the runway exactly in front of the chosen photo spot and shortly after midday one of the MH-53 Sea Stallions that was leaving - providing a very nice opportunity for some head-on shots of this mighty (monster) helicopter.
Orions also started to return while the sun was still out and the hazy background was just fine as it reduced the sometimes distracting background a bit (but nevertheless nice photos can be made there when you can see the Kirishima mountains as witnessed in 2009).
Then I finally left in the early afternoon and when I drove away with the car suddenly a white van started to follow - and it was exactly the (base security) van that I remembered very well from my last stays at Kanoya. Of course I did not get irritated by this very polite protection, had a nice and relaxing visit to the base museum and waved farewell to our escort when leaving to Mt. Sakurajima.
Mt. Sakurajima
Sakurajima, located in the bay near the city of Kagoshima, is one of the most active volcanoes worldwide and was also impressing this day with a thundering roar and puffing out dark gray ash clouds. To get a closer impression of it a tour by car around the 'volcano island' was made when the dawn was setting in before continuing the drive to Kirishima, where the Saturday would be spent without any aircraft - for a change...
Kirishima mountains
Vulcano hiking! The clouds were not hanging as low as during my last visit at this national park so a climb up to the highest peak of this area, Mt. Karakuni with 1700m, was well worth the effort.
The Kirishima mountains are not as much know amongst tourist as Mt. Aso, which is also situated on Kyushu island but further North, and also cannot be found in many guide books. But the scenery became most famous by the James Bond movie "You only live twice".
In this movie classic "007" is flying above the very scenic landscape and one of the crater lakes is even used as the secret underground basis of the bad guy, Ernst Blofeld. I also wanted to go and see that place, but it was closed due to volcanic activity. Nevertheless Mt. Karakuni offered a nice view on the steam cloud rising out of Mt. Shinkoe.
On top of the mountain I met two Japanese hikers who proudly presented their German backpacks and invited me for a freshly brewed coffee. Before going downhill I still had a nice chat with them and they presented impressions on their cameras how the mountain range looks at different times of the year. When stepping down again I just realized how steep the steps were for climbing up that mountain!
And of course the fantastic Autumn colours were not to be missed:
The rest of the day was less spectacular with a loooong drive up to Tsuiki for the airshow the following day.
Tsuiki Air Show
Wow, amazing... already in the darkness at 6am people were streaming into the airshow ground, only to be stopped by the numerous souvenir and food stands - and the famous rope blocking off the static display area.
Here is a small selection of the photos taken during the show, the full review can be found in the dedicatated full airshow report.
The departures were finished a lot earlier than expected so I was in the car already very early at around 4pm and started the drive to Fukuoka. Before going to bed for an early flight the next day the 'typical' atmosphere of a big Japanese city provided a good finish for another nice trip to the land of the rising sun.
Travel day to China... A wake-up call at 5am was the start for a long day 'on the road' from Fukuoka via Osaka and Hong Kong to Zhuhai, the location of the "8th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition".
A short stop at Osaki-Kansai (KIX) made it possible to visit the very nice observation deck facility there and take some photographs. Unfortunately the light is only really good in the afternoon to photograph the aircraft using the closest runway, but a special coloured JAL B767 ("Japan. Endless Discovery.", which is just so true!) and a Japanese Coast Guard Falcon 50 made the extra trip to the deck well worth the time. Unfortunately the military highlight, a Chile Air Force B767, was out of reach and scheduled to leave after my flight to Hong Kong.
A ANA B767 then brought me to Hong Kong, followed by the fast ferry to Zhuhai, where the special adventure of the Zhuhai Airshow should start.
Zhuhai - China Airshow
Immigration to mainland China was a lot easier than expected after getting the direct ferry from Hong Kong airport to Zhuhai, which might have been caused by the approaching international event.
The highlights of the show are summarized in the following photos, for a full report of the event please follow this LINK.
Apart from the airshow there was some spare time to have look around Zhuhai and see the impressive build-up of this city, which has the status of a special economics zone.
Then, Taiwan was planned to be next...
Taiwan and the Hsinchu Open Doors of the ROCAF (Republic of China Air Force) event was next on this two week-long tour around Asia. Before leaving Hong Kong to Taipei I however got the notice that this show has been postponed to December, so I would somehow go there without an airshow and seeing any aircraft at all...
Hong Kong
I thus decided without further ado to cancel the short round-trip to Taiwan from Hong Kong and to fly directly back to Munich. With a transfer from the Zhuhai ferry to Hong Kong and further on to Munich it was however not possible to get of the airport to do some 'proper' civil airliner spotting, so only some photos of colourful Asian airliners could be made through the windows in the departure area.
Landing back at Munich in the fog and temperatures of -2°C another good trip came to its end...
These photos provide links to photo sites to see them in a higher resolution:Thank you for rating this article.


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- Users who buy Pajamamania.com's products through the Affiliate Program are customers of Pajamamania.com. Accordingly, all of Pajamamania.com's policies (including prices and pricing policies), and operating procedures concerning customer orders, customer service, and product sales shall apply. Pajamamania.com may change its policies and operating procedures at any time. Pajamamania.com reserves the right to change prices of products at any time and from time to time. Except as may be permitted by Pajamamania.com you may not include price information in your product descriptions.
- You understand and agree that Pajamamania.com shall be the sole owner of any and all data and information Pajamamania.com (or its representatives) obtains or gathers from, or in connection with, end users visiting or transacting business on the Pajamamania.com site or otherwise transacting business with Pajamamania.com, including without limitation, all transaction, usage and preference data.
You shall not create, publish, distribute, or permit any written material that makes reference to Pajamamania.com or the Affiliate Program without first submitting such material to Pajamamania.com and receiving its written consent.
Licenses and Use of the Pajamamania.com.com Logos and Trademarks
- com grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable right to (i) access Pajamamania.com.com through the Links solely in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (ii) solely in connection with such Links, to use the Pajamamania.com.com trademark and logo and similar identifying material relating to Pajamamania.com (but only in the form(s) that they appear on Pajamamania.com's Shareasale.com pages) (collectively, the "Licensed Materials"), for the sole purpose of promoting Pajamamania.com products on your site. You may not copy, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, distribute, alter, modify, reverse engineer, or create derivative works from the Licensed Materials. Pajamamania.com may revoke your license at any time by giving you written notice. Any goodwill arising out of your use of the Licensed Materials shall inure to the benefit of Pajamamania.com only.
- You shall not make any specific use of any Licensed Materials for purposes other than promoting Pajamamania.com's products on your site. You agree not to use the Licensed Materials in a manner that is misleading or deceptive or disparages Pajamamania.com, its site, the Affiliate Program or Pajamamania.com's products or services or that otherwise portrays Pajamamania.com, in its discretion, in a negative light. Pajamamania.com reserves all rights in the Licensed Materials. At no time during the Term or thereafter will you challenge, or assist others in challenging, the validity of the Pajamamania.com Licensed Materials or the registration thereof or attempt to register any confusingly similar trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names or domain names. Except for the limited license set forth above in Subsection (a) of this Section 12, no license or other rights to the Pajamamania.com's Licensed Materials will be deemed granted to you hereunder or in connection with the Affiliate Program, by implication, estoppel or otherwise.
- You grant to Pajamamania.com a non-exclusive license to use your names, titles, logos, and trademarks (the "Affiliate Trademarks"), to advertise, market, promote, and publicize in any manner your participation in the Affiliate Program, and/or Pajamamania.com's rights hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Pajamamania.com is not obligated to advertise, market, promote, or publicize your participation in the Affiliate Program, the existence of the Affiliate Program, or any other aspect of the Affiliate Program.
- The licenses granted hereunder shall run concurrently with the term of this Agreement.
Obligations Regarding Your Site
You, at your sole cost and expense, shall develop, operate, and maintain your site and all materials that appear on your site, which development, operation and maintenance shall include, without limitation, technical operation of your site and all related equipment; creating and posting product reviews, descriptions, and references on your site and linking those descriptions to Pajamamania.com; assuring the accuracy and propriety of all materials and information posted on your site; ensuring that materials posted on your site do not violate or infringe upon the rights of any third party and are not libelous or otherwise illegal, and all other actions necessary to operate and maintain your site.
Term and Termination
The term of this Agreement will begin as of the date Pajamamania.com notifies you that Pajamamania.com has accepted you as an affiliate and will end when terminated by either party. Either you or Pajamamania.com may terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause, by giving the other party written notice of termination.
Pajamamania.com may modify any of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement at any time in its discretion. You will be notified of any changes via email by a change notice. If you do not agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of any modification to this Agreement, you may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to Pajamamania.com. Your continued participation in the Affiliate Program following any notice of a modification of this Agreement shall constitute your binding acceptance of the Agreement as modified.
Relationship of Parties
You and Pajamamania.com are independent contractors, and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create any partnership, joint venture, agency, franchise, sales representative, or employment relationship between the parties. You have no authority to make or accept any offers or representations on behalf of Pajamamania.com. You may not make any statement, whether on your site or otherwise, that contradicts anything contained in this Section.
Pajamamania.com makes no express or implied warranties or representations with respect to the Affiliate Program, Pajamamania.com, or any Pajamamania.com products sold through the Affiliate Program, including, without limitation, warranties of fitness, merchantability, non-infringement, or any implied warranties arising out of course of performance, dealing, or trade usage. Pajamamania.com makes no representation that the operation of Pajamamania.com will be uninterrupted or error free, and Pajamamania.com shall not be liable for the consequences of any interruptions or errors.
Representations and Warranties
You hereby represent and warrant that:
- This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by you and constitutes your legal, valid, and binding obligation, enforceable against you in accordance with its terms.
- The execution, delivery, and performance by you of this Agreement and the consummation by you of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, conflict with or violate (i) any provision of law, rule, or regulation to which you are subject, (ii) any order, judgment, or decree applicable to you or binding upon your assets or properties, (iii) any provision of your by-laws or certificate of incorporation, or (iv) any agreement or other instrument applicable to you or binding upon your assets or properties.
- You are the sole and exclusive owner of the Affiliate Trademarks and have the right and power to grant licenses to use your trademarks in the manner contemplated herein, and such grant does not and will not (i) breach, conflict with, or constitute a default under any agreement or other instrument applicable to you or binding upon your assets or properties, or (ii) infringe upon any trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary right of any other person or entity.
- No consent, approval, or authorization of, or exemption by, or filing with, any governmental authority or any third party is required to be obtained or made by you in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement or the taking by you of any other action contemplated hereby.
- There is no pending or, to the best of your knowledge, threatened claim, action, or proceeding against you, or any affiliate of yours, with respect to the execution, delivery, or consummation of this Agreement, or with respect to the Affiliate Trademarks, and, to the best of your knowledge, there is no basis for any such claim, action, or proceeding.
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or with the consent of the other party hereto, each of the parties hereto agrees that all information including, without limitation, the terms of this Agreement, business and financial information, customer and vendor lists, and pricing and sales information, concerning Pajamamania.com or you, respectively, or any other affiliate, provided by or on behalf of any of them shall remain strictly confidential and secret and shall not be utilized, directly or indirectly, by such party for its own business purposes or for any other purpose except and solely to the extent that any such information is generally known or available to the public through a source or sources other than such party hereto or its affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party is hereby authorized to deliver a copy of any such information (a) to any person pursuant to a subpoena issued by any court or administrative agency, (b) to its accountants, attorneys, or other agents on a confidential basis, and (c) otherwise as required by applicable law, rule, regulation, or legal process including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Limitation of Liability
Pajamamania.com SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF REVENUE, PROFITS, OR DATA, ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM, EVEN IF ITS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. YOUR SOLE REMEDY AVAILABLE WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY BREACH BY Pajamamania.com HEREOF SHALL BE TO TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT.
You shall indemnify and hold harmless Pajamamania.com and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their directors, officers, employees, agents, shareholders, partners, members, and other owners, against any and all claims, actions, demands, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) (any or all of the foregoing hereinafter referred to as "Losses") insofar as such Losses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based on (i) any claim that Pajamamania.com's use of the Affiliate Trademarks infringes any trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, license, intellectual property, or other proprietary right of any third party, (ii) any misrepresentation of a representation or warranty or breach of a covenant and agreement made by you herein, or (iii) any claim related to your site, including, without limitation, content therein not attributable to Pajamamania.com.
Pajamamania.com shall indemnify you against Losses that arise out of any claim that your use of the Images provided to you by Pajamamania.com infringe any rights of a third party; provided that the Images have not been modified by anyone other than Pajamamania.com.
Independent Investigation
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREE TO ALL ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT Pajamamania.com MAY AT ANY TIME (DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY) SOLICIT POTENTIAL AFFILIATES ON TERMS THAT MAY DIFFER FROM THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR OPERATE WEB SITES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OR COMPETE WITH YOUR WEB SITE. YOU HAVE INDEPENDENTLY EVALUATED THE DESIRABILITY OF PARTICIPATING IN THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM AND ARE NOT RELYING ON ANY REPRESENTATION, GUARANTY, OR STATEMENT OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT.
Governing Law
This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the United States and the State of Indiana, without reference to rules governing choice of laws. Any action relating to this Agreement must be brought in the federal or state courts located in The State of Indiana, and you irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts.
You may not assign this Agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Pajamamania.com. Subject to that restriction, this Agreement will be binding on, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable against the parties and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement contains the complete understanding between the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof. Pajamamania.com's failure to enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of its right to subsequently enforce such a provision or any other provision of this Agreement. Should any one or more provisions of this Agreement be determined illegal or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, all other provisions shall remain effective.
All notices required under this Agreement shall be sent via United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the parties at the following addresses:
If to Pajamamania.com:
Pajamamania.com Inc
Attn: Legal Services
10921 Excelsior Blvd, #108
Hopkins, MN 55343
If to Affiliate: The address as set forth in the Affiliate Program Application.


text:
Fresh Feta Salad
2 boneless chicken breasts, pounded flat (approx. ¼-inch thick)
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon celery salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
½ frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh dill
3 - 6 ounces butter lettuce
¼ cup fresh blueberries
4-6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Light Dressing:
½ cup light mayo
¼ cup sour cream
1 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix garlic, balsamic, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for an hour.
Preheat an Electric Skillet to 425°F. Cook the chicken breasts thoroughly on both sides. Once cooked, allow to partially cool.
Slice diagonally. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and mayo. Sprinkle in sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Juice lemon into bowl.
In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and lightly toss in dressing. Sprinkle feta and blueberries on top just before serving.
yield: 4 servings
- Tags: Griddles Grills Side Dishes Skillets
- West Bend Admin


text:
Home » Classic in Field » MARCOEUR, ALBERT: Armes & Cycles
MARCOEUR, ALBERT: Armes & Cycles
At last M3 have released the missing AM title from 1978, more fast and furious than some of their other releases but with the same inventive and eccentric constructions; no one else made music like this, nor will. Funny, desperate and very musical. With extraordinary arrangements, including a couple of a capella blocks, one with trains, real and musical, that is a real gem. L
Code: M31979
Price: £16.00


text:
Big Fun 3 Class Audio CD B⚠ Module cannot be rendered as the requested content is not (longer) accessible. Contact the administrator to get access.
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