text: Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., is one of the world's leading authorities on autophagy, a "garbage disposal" system that cells use to dispose of and recycle their worn-out molecules. Dr. Cuervo's research has shown that glitches in autophagy play a role in numerous diseases (including Parkinson's and Huntington's) as well as in age-related conditions such as organ decline and weakened immunity. She is now screening for drugs that would normalize autophagy as a novel approach for treating or even preventing such problems. Dr. Cuervo is professor in the departments of developmental and molecular biology, of anatomy and structural biology, and of medicine (gastroenterology and liver diseases), and the Robert and Renée Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases.


text:
Nestled deep into Seabeck is where one family retreats each year. In fact, the "Seabeck Family" as they call themselves, have been meeting at the same secluded location in Seabeck for the past 99 years.
"We think we can trace the origins to the very first summer," said Seabeck Conference Center Executive Director Chuck Kraining. "It was a 'Y' family camp and it progressed through and eventually became independent from the 'Y' in the (19)60s."
According to the center's website, the area used to be a logging community and mill town. After a fire claimed part of the town, it became a desolate piece of land. Soon after the fire, two prominent Seattle men, Laurence Colman and Arn Allen partnered up and started a conference center for YMCA and YWCA groups. It was then that the area now known as Seabeck Conference Center was born.
Every year, a group of 40 individual families gather for a reunion in a location easy to fall in love with because of its breathtaking water views and looming mountains that cradle the Hood Canal. The conference center only allows non-profits to utilize its property which includes 25 guest houses and a dining hall, making it an idyllic spot for families to reunite. This "family" formed as a non-profit in order to use the camp.
"It's quality time that you're putting into your family," said Bruce Compton, who has been attending the camp for the past 27 years. "We haven't grown up yet … I hope I can continue playing and participating. It's going back to camp."
It is the "going back to camp" part that most families truly enjoy. There's jesting and laughter, games and more games. There's never an excuse to be bored, according to what may just be Kitsap County's largest "family." Active athletes can jump in on a game of tennis. More laid-back folks can opt for a coin toss. Then there's the leisurely dose of swimming and sunbathing. It seems there is always a game of cribbage or Trivial Pursuit splayed across tables throughout the campus.
"This can be a pretty competitive bunch. There's a lot you can do," said Stephen Whyte, who enjoys tennis, Trivial Pursuit and backgammon. Whyte also acts as the campus safety officer to make sure everyone is free from harm. As someone who has been attending the camp since he was 4, he finds the site to be a place of memories, joy and family- friendly activities. This year, Whyte brought his son. Throughout the day, he sees various cousins and other relatives of his as well.
"For me, it's a way to stay anchored. It's a reminder of what's important. It's a reminder that no one's around forever," he said. "You get to see these full generations which is very satisfying."
The "family" is from all walks of life and backgrounds, Compton said. Doctors, nurses, educators, lawyers, construction workers and others join in on the fun every year without fail, he said. Some folks live in Washington State. Others travel from places like Boston, New York City and Minneapolis. The trip, it seems, is always worth it to this group of 250 people from all over the country.
Jane Cancro, now 65, has been coming to Seabeck every year since she was five.
"It's a place that's fun and has friendships. It's just profoundly wonderful," she declared.
Thinking about the past makes her tear up, but she's grateful for the memories, she said. Her widowed mother used to bring Cancro and her sister to the camp every year. Back then it was more formal, she said. Children called adults "sir" and "ma'am" and everyone dressed up for dinner. Her mother used to iron dresses behind the dining hall to make sure they were dressed properly for the occasion.
Despite the fact that most of the Seabeck "relatives" don't see each other except once a year, Cancro recalled the kindness of her new family when her mother fell ill with Alzheimer's. It was the Seabeck Family who came to visit her mother. It was the Seabeck Family who came to visit her when she herself became sick.
"People are very loyal and devoted," she said, choking back tears. "There's a spiritual part of this too. We try to model for our grandkids."
Although the Seabeck Conference Center lot is massive — a sprawling 90 acres — families feel safe letting their kids wander around on their own. It isn't uncommon for children to say "hello" to their parents at breakfast and take off for the rest of the day only to return by sundown.
Cancro recalls her own childhood explorations along the trails that are spread out through the camp. One particular dentist would round the kids up to go hunt "lions," she said. He'd grab a butcher knife and lead the way into the woods, kids in tow. Upon finding a dandelion, the dentist would slay it with the knife, killing any threat of a lion, and thrilling the children to pieces, Cancro said.
"There's a certain amount of safety," she said of the location. "There's (always) another caring adult (around)."
One of the reasons the center is so appealing is because families don't have to cook meals. There's a cooking staff on site that takes care of all the family's needs when it comes to mealtime.
Dining in the 1869 "vintage hotel" is like no other experience. The chatter of the campers gathering is so loud that it rattles the windows of The Historic Inn. Like clockwork, campers are expected to come when the outside bell clangs five minutes before meals are served at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. daily. For snackers, a little general store sits across the road on the waterside of the area.
It is the familiar ways of Seabeck Conference Center that are so endearing to the people who attend the camp every year.
"It just doesn't change," said Whyte. "That provides a comforting regularity."
The executive director has seen many of the same faces over the years, and knows that there are no age restrictions when it comes to the Seabeck Family. For the 2013 gathering, he knows there are babies and elderly sleeping in beds across his camp.
He's worked at the camp for 23 years and has loved working with the Seabeck Family in particular because of their enthusiasm and spirit.
"I always enjoy family camp coming in because it's like a big family reunion and we get to see friends," he said. "My favorite part of working with family camp, I would say, is their dedication and love of this campus. They hold it dear like no other group."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
On-line math worksheet generator. With The Math Worksheet Site you can create an endless supply of printable math worksheets.
Random Data for Testing Websites
A web page that generates random data for testing web sites such as shopping carts.
My Pacific Crest Trail Adventure
In May of 2008 I attempted to walk from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. As if that wasn't enough, I also attempted to keep an on-line journal.
I only managed to hike the first 150 miles of the trail, but my journal and photos are posted on line.
On-line activities for learning United States geography.
They take a calendar, put it in a binder, call it a planner, then charge way too much for it. I coded up an alternative that costs a lot less. No whistles and bells, just a simple planner.
This is an image map utility for creating HTML image maps. Image Mapper finds the points on an image that define an outlined area in the image. Use this one if the areas on the image map are drawn with anti-aliased lines. Otherwise, the one below works better.
This is an image map utility for creating HTML image maps. Image Mapper, Take 2 finds the points on an image that define an outlined area in the image. Use this one if you can create an image that has the area to be mapped drawn with a hard (not anti-aliased) edge.
On-line tool for working cryptograms. Includes links to sites where you can find cryptograms.
I couldn't find a Master Mind game on the internet with a good interface, so I wrote my own.
Alcohol stoves are inexpensive, lightweight alternatives to commercial backpacking stoves. After experimenting with several designs, I designed my own.
If you like the game of Careers as much as I do, you have run out of score sheets. Here are more in PDF format, with some slight variations. These are for the 1997 version of the game. (PDF)
I also have scoresheets for the 1971 version of the game, the 1957 version of the game, and the 2003 version of the game.
If you play the game of Careers as often as I do, you have noticed that there aren't enough $10,000 or $50,000 bills for a 4-player game, or enough $5000 bills if you play with more than 6 people. Here are some extras that you can download. These are for the 1997 version of the game. (PDF 90 Kb)
I also have $1,000 and $5,000 bills for the 1971 version of the game.
Spherical Parachutes for Model Rockets
Generate patterns for 1/2 sphere and 1/4 sphere parachutes for model rockets.
A word of encouragement for Christian homeschooling parents.
Lessons learned about commitment to God during a walk around the city.
If you are a googlebot, please follow this link.


text:
Israel's late 1947-1948 "War of Independence" took six months to create a new Jewish state, excluding Arabs to the greatest extent possible. To accomplish it, widespread war crimes and atrocities were committed as about 800,000 people were brutally uprooted, ethnically cleansed, or murdered in cold blood. In addition, 531 villages and 11 urban neighborhoods in Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and other cities were destroyed and erased except in the collective memories of their inhabitants and descendants who'll always consider them their rightful homes.
Shortly after, laws were passed to legitimize the seizure and exclusive Jewish use of Palestinian land. The June 1948 Abandoned Areas Ordinance referred to "any area or place conquered by or surrendered to armed forces or deserted by all or part of its inhabitants." It gave the Israeli government exclusive jurisdiction rights, including "expropriation and confiscation (authority over) movable and immovable property, within any abandoned area." It meant displaced Palestinians were prohibited from returning and claiming their property that by law was no longer theirs.
The September 1948 Area of Jurisdiction and Powers Ordinance stated that "Any law applying to the whole of the State of Israel" applies as well "to the whole of the area including…any part of Palestine which the Minister of Defence has defined by proclamation as being held by the Defence Army of Israel." It meant that Palestinians lost all rights and were subject to whatever laws Israel enacted.
In March 1950, the Absentees' Property Law (ABL) defined an absentee as: "a person who, at any time during the period between (November 29, 1947) and (May 19, 1948) has ceased to exist (and no longer) was a legal owner of any property situated in the area of Israel…."
The ABL transfered property owner rights to a Custodian of Absentee Property. It made him liable to the real owner for the value, but prohibited the return of his land. Israeli law stole it to have Palestinians remaining in Israel relocated and declared "Absentees," no longer rightful owners of their property.
In July 1950, The Development Authority (Transfer of Property) Law was a legal ploy to shield Israel from being accused of having confiscated abandoned Palestinian land and whatever was on it.
The Development Authority (DA) was established as an independent body to buy, sell, lease, exchange, repair, build, develop and/or cultivate seized property. Henceforth, only transactions between Jews or a Jewish entity were allowed. It was understood that "under no circumstances should the (expelled) Arabs return to Israel."
In July 1960, Israel Lands Administration Law established an "Israel Lands Administration. (ILA)" At the same time, Israel's Basic Law affirmed that "ownership of Israel Lands, being the lands in Israel of the State, the Development Authority or the Keren Kayemet Le-Israel (KKL – Jewish National Fund, JNF), shall not be transferred either by sale or in any other manner." Lands were defined to mean "land, houses, buildings and any thing permanently fixed to land."
On its web site, the ILA states that it controls 93% of Israeli land as "public domain; that is, either property of the state, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) or the Development Authority (DA)." The ILA "is the government agency responsible for managing this land which comprises 4,820,500 acres (19,508,000 dunams). 'Ownership' of real estate usually means leasing rights from the ILA for 49 or 98 years."
ILA's legal framework stems from "four cornerstones:"
- the 1960 Basic Law: Israel Lands;
- the 1960 Lands Law;
- the 1960 Israel Land Administration; and
- the 1960 "Covenant between the State of Israel and the World Zionist Organization (Jewish National Fund)."
The Israel Land Council (ILC) determines ILA policy. The Council chairman is the "Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Industry, Trade, Labor and Communications."
The ILC is comprised of 22 members, 12 from government ministries and 10 representing the JNF.
ILA functions include:
- assuring that national land use conforms with Israeli laws;
- protecting and supervising state lands;
- making them available for public use;
- planning, developing and managing state land reserves;
- initiating planning and development, including relocating existing occupants, meaning removing Palestinians to make way for Jews;
- regulating and managing registration of state lands;
- authorizing contracts and agreements with other parties; and
- providing services to the general public.
ILA policy objectives include:
- designating land areas for public and state requirements;
- assuring the availability of land reserves for future needs;
- preserving agricultural lands;
- administering land use in accordance with the law; and
- safeguarding state lands.
Overall, Israeli laws and ILA policy prohibit Arabs from buying, leasing or using land exclusively reserved for Jews. On May 21, 1997, Israel's largest circulation newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, quoted Yassar Arafat saying: "Israel has always confiscated land from Arabs and dispossessed them of the property. The land always goes from Arabs to the Jews," and he added that Palestinians who sell their land to Jews are traitors.
The Jewish National Fund (JNF)
In 1901, the Fifth Zionist Congress established it to "purchase, take on lease or in exchange, or otherwise acquire any lands, forests, rights of possession and other rights…for the purpose of settling Jews on (Palestinian) lands." About 80% of the land was confiscated, not bought, from its rightful owners — expelled Palestinians in Israel's "War of Independence."
JNF calls itself "Caretakers of the land of Israel for over a century (and) a global environmental leader by planting 240 million trees, building over 200 reservoirs and dams, developing over 250,000 acres of land, creating more than 1000 parks, providing infrastructure for over 1000 communities, (and) bringing life to the Negev Desert" exclusively for Jews on stolen Palestinian lands.
JNF develops land. It doesn't sell it, but it can lease it to Jews or any Jewish-controlled company, organization or entity. It holds these lands on behalf of "the Jewish People in perpetuity." In addition, its Himnuta subsidiary is charged with "redeeming" West Bank Palestinian land. A 1961 agreement between the State and JNF arranged for the ILA to manage 93% of Israeli land for Jews alone.
In 1973, former Israeli scholar, critic, and lifelong human rights activist, Israel Shahak (1933-2001), wrote a paper titled, "What is the Meaning of the Jewish State" in which he said:
"The real situation in Israel is really very simple: Israel is not an 'Israeli' state, or a state of its citizens but it is a 'Jewish state.'" With regard to land, "More than 90% of the inhabited areas of the State of Israel are under the rule of the Jewish National Fund regulations, under which non-Jews cannot rent or buy a house or flat, open a business, in short cannot live. This land is called in Hebrew 'the land' saved. The land which belongs to non-Jews is called unsaved not national (meaning Jewish) and by buying or confiscating it from a non-Jew by a Jew, the land is supposed to be 'saved.' "
It's only the beginning. Numerous privileges are afforded Jews alone that include:
- not only the right to the land but to a mortgage or loan to finance it;
- on confiscated West Bank land, "Jewish inhabitants enter into prepared houses, with water and electricity;" unconnected Arab villages are forbidden to use either; and
- "A building project for the newly-married applies only for the Jewish newly-married and so forth; to be a Jew in a Jewish state is to be both a privileged being, and to be able to receive a lot of 'easy' money a non-Jew can not ever get."
Adalah's Challenge
As the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Adalah petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court on October 13, 2004 "Challenging the Prohibition on Arab Citizens of Israel from Living on Jewish National Fund Land." It demanded an end to this discriminatory policy and cited other civil rights petitions for the same purpose.
On August 15, 2004 in a letter to Adalah, the ILA acknowledged that "JNF land tenders are only open to Jews." It said it supports the policy and "is bound to respect the objective of the JNF as detailed in the Covenant signed by the State of Israel and the JNF."
JNF's written response said it "is not the trustee of the general public in Israel. Its loyalty is given to the Jewish people in the Diaspora and in the state of Israel…The JNF, as the owner of the JNF land, does not have a duty to practice equality towards all citizens of the state."
In a July 29, 2007 press release, Adalah referred to "a (July 18, 2007) racist bill entitled the 'Jewish National Fund Law (JNFL)'" stipulating that JNF land is to be solely for Jews. It added a new provision to the 1960 ILA Law called "Management of the Jewish National Fund's Lands" saying:
Despite whatever is stated in any law, leasing of Jewish National Fund's lands for the purpose of the settlement of Jews on these lands will not be seen as improper discrimination." Further, "For the purpose of every law, the association documents of the Jewish National Fund will be interpreted according to the judgment of the Jewish National Fund's founders and from a nationalist-Zionist standpoint.
The JNFL was introduced in the Knesset and passed its preliminary reading. In September 2007, Israel's Supreme Court held a hearing on Adalah's 2004 petition and approved a JNF and Attorney General proposal to delay further deliberation for three months. It stipulated that, during the interim period, Arabs could bid for JNF-controlled lands but that JNF would be compensated for Arab purchases by transferring other state lands to it.
Adalah's General Director Attorney Hassan Jabareen and Attorney Suhad Bishara rejected the proposal because it left Israel's discriminatory policy intact. In other words, newly seized land would replace Arab purchases, leaving them no better off than before. Adalah argued for ending Israel's discriminatory policy, not tinkering with it around the edges and accomplishing nothing.
So far, it hasn't happened. In addition, current law empowers the ILA further to restrict and prohibit Palestinian land development by:
- putting large Arab areas under its control through the creation of regional councils;
- enforcing rigid zoning restrictions for residential, agricultural, and industrial use; forbidding unlicensed construction, banning it on agricultural land, and stipulating where Jews and Arabs can live;
- denying Palestinian areas room to expand while affording Jewish ones great latitude;
- transferring public land adjacent to Arab communities to the JNF and mandating its use for Jews only;
- declaring national priority town areas off-limits to Arabs;
- delaying, restricting and prohibiting local development in Arab communities;
- denying Palestinians representation on national planning committees; and
- using forced evictions and home demolitions to make more areas available for Jews.
The Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) and Ittijah (the Union of Arab NGOs) Position Regarding ILA Proposed Reform
HRA and Ittijah say the proposal "violates international law and universal values." Prior to 1948, Jews controlled 6% of historic Palestine. It's now 93% — an "unparalleled (situation) anywhere else in the world (under which) the State of Israel enjoys absolute control of the most significant resource…." Occupied Palestinians and millions of displaced refugees have suffered grievously. So have Israeli Arabs from discriminatory land distribution policies.
Until the mid-1990s, the ILA allocated land for just two Arab Nazareth and Umal-Fahm housing projects alone. Its approach emphasizes land redemption, meaning seizing it from its owners and transferring it to Jews.
The proposed law "attempts to remove the foundation for current and future claims to return to the homeland and to secure the land rights of Palestinian refugees, as well as (250,000) internal refugees (Israeli Arabs)." If passed, this law "effectively removes the future possibility of reaching a just solution to the" Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After 61 years, equitable land ownership resolution has yet to be achieved nor has Israel complied with international law. It prohibits the transfer of refugee land or other property and assets to the state or third parties.
Yet, the ILA does it anyway, and under the proposed law, urban land ownership will be transferred in a way that will disconnect the state "from the further residual ownership held in accordance with the contracts up to this point." This process will entail "the complete and final negation of the rights of ownership of the Palestinian refugees to these properties" so that they'll never be able to claim them again.
Fourth Geneva's Article 147 specifically prohibits this by stating:
Grave breaches to which (the) preceding Article relates shall be those involving any of the following acts, if committed against persons or property protected by the present Convention:…taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.
Various other international laws acknowledge the obligation of occupying powers to restore properties to their rightful owners and that failure to do so constitutes a serious lawless breach. HRA and Ittijah want expropriated property returned and internal refugees allowed back to their communities and land. A repressive Israel and dismissive world community stand in their way.
B'Tselem Calls Israeli Settlement Expansion "Un-natural Growth"
B'Tselem is the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. On July 7, it reported that Israel uses "natural growth" as fig leaf cover for its continued settlement expansion project. Internally last year, the population growth rate was 1.6%. It was 5.6% in West Bank settlements. Further, since Israel accepted the Road Map's mandated freeze provision, its settler population expanded 37% in six years — from 211,400 to over 289,600, besides over 190,000 more in Arab East Jerusalem.
Netanyahu claims barring "natural growth" will tear apart families. Unmentioned is the continued theft of Palestinians lands, a grave violation of international law. Yet, Israel argues that, by law, it can't reverse issued tenders after properties have been bought and construction begins. However, two 1992 High Court of Justice rulings disagreed. They held that the government could legally halt construction even after begun and that any losses incurred could be addressed in civil court. "The Israeli government has all the legal and administrative tools necessary to halt construction in the settlements." Further, international laws are binding to signatories, and no state can legislate around them.
Israel does it anyway and plans continued settlement expansions on expropriated Palestinian lands. Interior Minister Eli Yishai threatened to use every resource possible to the maximum. The Ofra settlement is indicative. At least 58% of it was built on privately owned Palestinian land, now lost to make way for Jews. The same pattern holds throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians are being removed to accommodate an expanding Jewish population on all land that Israel values, and under Netanyahu's "natural growth" policy, it may accelerate faster than ever.


text:
Trayvon Martin case will not go to grand jury
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- There's still no word on whether George Zimmerman will be charged in the death of Trayvon Martin -- but if he is, the charge won't be first-degree murder.
The special prosecutor who's deciding whether to file charges announced Monday, April 9th that she's not going to take the case to a grand jury. That's a step that would only be required if a first-degree murder case.
Angela Corey could still charge Zimmerman with a serious felony such as manslaughter, which can carry a lengthy prison sentence. One Florida defense attorney says the decision not to go to a grand jury means Corey won't have to rely on potentially-unpredictable jurors. David Hill says Corey may know that there isn't enough for a first-degree murder charge, but she wants to charge him with something else -- and she now can "maintain control'' of that process.
Corey took over the case last month after the prosecutor who normally handles cases out of Sanford recused himself.
The death of the unarmed black teen at the hands of the neighborhood watch volunteer has led to protests across the nation.
One of those protests today prompted the temporary closing of the Sanford Police Department offices to the public, as about a half-dozen student activists blocked the entrance.
CLICK HERE for more stories on the Trayvon Martin case via FOX6Now.com.


text:
Auke Anne Tadema was a pioneer of Dutch science fiction comics, and was mainly active during the 1936-1949 period. He was born in Leeuwarden, Frisia, but spent his childhood in several towns, such as Breda, The Hague, Driebergen and Zutphen. He studied to become a drawing teacher in Amsterdam between 1929 and 1931, and subsequently attended the Rijksacademie voor Beeldende Kunsten until 1934.
Tadema became an advertising illustrator for Rotogravure in Leiden, the publisher of magazines like Unicum and Bravo. Among his first comics were 'De Wonderlijke Ontdekkingsreis van Kleineklant en Bijtetand' in De Groene Amsterdammer (1936) and 'Petertje' in Doe Mee magazine, the children's supplement of Algemeen Handelsblad (1937).
De Wonderlijke Ontdekkingsreis van Kleineklant en Bijtetand
Tadema would become best-known for the science fiction comics he created for the Rotogravure magazine Bravo, starting with the serial '25 km. onder de Aarde' in 1938. This was followed by Ivanhoe' (1939), 'De spannendste avonturen van Robinson Crusoë' (1939-1942), 'Pim's Wereldreis' (1943) and 'Het mechanisch continent' (1947-1948). Together with Marten Toonder, he was largely responsible for the artwork that appeared in the Dutch edition of Bravo during the war. Other magazines that published Tadema's work were Vizier ('Hel over Atlantis', 1947), De Prins ('Het mechanisch continent') and De Dikkie Dapper Krant ('Chi-pek-we', 1950-1951).
During the war he mostly lived from his hobby, restoring antique furniture. In 1948 he moved to Brazil, but returned after a year and settled in the city of Heemstede. He has made only a few comics since then. Together with his wife, Bob Tadema-Sporry, he wrote and illustrated many travel stories, that were published in Elseviers Weekblad and Margriet, including the series 'Met de Tadema's op Avontuur' in 1963-64.
25 km onder de aarde
He also illustrated numerous books and made advertising art. His illustrations also appeared in magazines like Margriet, Libelle, Elegance, Vizier and Pep.


text:
Online Store
Minelab Metal Detectors
ZVT (Zero Voltage Transmission) creates ultra‑constant high-power opposite polarity magnetic fields, increasing gold sensitivity. This innovative technology detects gold nuggets at extreme depths.
Super‑D The Super‑D smart coil consists of a central transmit winding and two outer receive windings. This configuration greatly decreases interference from magnetic soils, reducing ground noise.
GPSi uses a u‑blox GPS engine to integrate location and time data with detector settings. This creates WayPoint, FindPoint and GeoHunt files to use with XChange 2.
Wi‑Stream uses low-power digital audio transmission to achieve no perceivable audio time lag (<10 ms). This provides reliability and maximum sound quality.
Extreme Gold Depth
So how deep can you go? Well, up to 40%* deeper than the GPX series. Old gold fields are new again, thanks to the revolutionary new ZVT technology. Minelab takes you much deeper than ever before!
Maximum Gold Sensitivity
The incredible sensitivity of the GPZ 7000 with the Super‑D coil gives you the ultimate advantage in the field. Find gold others have missed, from sub-gram gold through to those elusive 'retirement nuggets' still out there.
Precision Ground Balance
Most gold is buried in the mineralised 'difficult' ground that many detectors can't cope with. The GPZ 7000 accurately 'balances' and automatically 'tracks' to even the most severe ground conditions, with ease.
Enhanced Noise Immunity
The outstanding noise immunity of the GPZ 7000 enables very smooth and quiet detecting. With 256 Noise Cancel channels, the GPZ 7000 picks up less atmospheric noise. Listen to the gold, not the noise interference!
Simple Menu System
The easy-to-use Menu Pages group similar functions together under Detect and Map sections, with all settings quickly accessible. Use the Guide Sequences to get started. You don't need to be an expert to find gold!
Wireless Audio Freedom
Detect without your headphones attached to the detector. With the WM 12 Wireless Module you have the choice of using the in-built speaker, the supplied headphones, or your favourite headphones.
GPS Locating & PC Mapping
See your location and log gold finds as you detect. With the built-in GPS you'll efficiently cover more ground and won't miss a nugget! Record your favourite 'hot-spots' by saving data to XChange 2 with Google Maps.
Waterproof Coil to 1 m (3 ft)
The GPZ 14 coil is waterproof and submersible to a depth of 1 m (3 ft). You can easily detect rivers and shorelines with no fuss! The weatherproof design of the GPZ 7000 allows you to go detecting in rainy or wet conditions.


text:
Starting the week of June 3rd, tomorrow, Yahoo is discontinuing Mail Classic. It's requiring all Mail users to switch to the new version of Mail and accept a TOS/Privacy Policy update that lets it scan emails to "deliver product features, relevant advertising, and abuse protection". You can opt out of the ads, but if you don't want to be scanned, you have to ditch Yahoo Mail.
Yahoo launched the new version of Mail in December, and announced the discontinuation of Classic back in April. However, it didn't mention anything about the new terms of service and privacy policy until it just began sending Classic users an email about having to switch. In an aptly named Help center entry "Do I have to upgrade to the new Yahoo! Mail?", the company explains
"Beginning the week of June 3, 2013, older versions of Yahoo! Mail (including Yahoo! Mail Classic) will no longer be available. After that, you can access your Yahoo! Mail only if you upgrade to the new version. When you upgrade, you will be accepting our Communications Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This includes the acceptance of automated content scanning and analyzing of your communications content."
Those who upgrade can opt out of contextual ads through Yahoo's Ad Manager. Yahoo bluntly tells users who refuse its new policies that they should either download their mail to another IMAP client, or close their account. Premium Mail Plus users who want to cancel their accounts can get a prorated refund.
Some are labeling the switch an aggressive invasion of privacy. An anonymous Jottit user writes: "Yahoo can now openly troll through email for personal information that it can share or hold onto indefinitely. Gay and haven't come out yet? Yahoo knows…"
However, as commenters on Hacker News note, Gmail has long scanned your email to show you related ads. Even if you use a system like StartMail that doesn't scan your messages, the system your conversation partners use might not be so hands-off. And as many warn, anything you send in an email could end up public, so keep the naughty stuff off the web.


text:
Tag: transphobia
Update on NC's Anti-LGBT Law – [Warning: Autoplay] Trans vlogger Grishno gives an update on North Carolina's HB2. NC Mom Speaks Out: "I'm Scared" – "I�
The Daily Show Takes on Trans Bathroom Panic – The Daily Show dedicated most of Wednesday's episode to debunking anti-trans myths. "NAACP Announces Massive Sit-In at North Carolina L
Quickies: Scotland to Recognize Non-Binary Genders, The Simpson's Smither's Comes Out, More Anti-LGBT State Bills
"North Carolina's Anti-LGBT Law Encourages Dangerous Gender Surveillance" – "Since the North Carolina legislature and Gov. Pat McCrory rushed through HB 2—a statewide measu
Xena Comes Out in New Reboot – Screenwriter and executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach revealed on Tumblr that the new reboot set to launch later this year will explore the romantic relation
"It Changes You Forever" – Lady Gaga talks to NPR's Michel Martin about her song "Til it Happens to You," written for the documentary "The Hunting Ground,


text:
I have listed a new property at 52 OAKVIEW CRES in St. Albert.
Fully renovated contemporary 4 bedrm, 4 bath home in desirable Oakmont! Upon entering you will find gleaming tile & hardwood floors. The large living rm has a stunning gas F/P complete with rustic tile surround. The kitchen hosts loads of cupboard space with breakfast bar big enough for 5 stools! New SS Samsung appliances, undermount sink & soft close cabinets. A fabulous butler's pantry with additional cabinet/counter space & bar fridge. The main floor is completed by a 2 piece bathrm, & laundry rm with window to yard. The sliding doors off dining nook lead to a huge deck (gas hookup). Upstairs you will find 3 large bedrms & 4 piece bath. The master bedrm has a large walk-in closet; open the barn door to your luxurious ensuite! Full tile shower with glass wall is a perfect way to start your day, double sinks offer space for everyone. The basement is fully finished with huge rec rm, 3 piece bath & 4th bedrm with egress window. The garage is insulated & heated. New shingles & all permits pulled & approved.


text:
Saw this lovely picture in CPH
Saw this lovely memory from beers and my super babes.
The frenchie and mixte friends Melyssa's and Adrienne's.
Of course CPH is flat. And mixtes look so much better in our crazy SF hills. Just sayin - /Love ♥m.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
CPH? Nah baby, this is North Beach in SF
Posted by MELI. at 6:00 PM
4 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
This article is more than 1 year old
Building the actual real internet simply doesn't pay
Those fat pipes and extra Gs don't come cheap
Analysis It isn't unicorns that keep the internets running, but eye-watering amounts of capital investment by infrastructure operators. However a substantial chunk of that investment never pays for itself and most of it barely repays the cost of the capital, reckons consultancy PwC.
The telco industry as a whole spends $320bn on infrastructure globally, a six-fold increase in thirty years. PwC studied 79 mobile and fixed line operators who account for almost two thirds of this infrastructure investment and found that $65bn is wasted.
But wait, it gets worse. PwC calculated that overall the return on investment (RoI) on capex is just 6 per cent - which is lower than the cost of the capital itself of 9 per cent.
It's only because the golden days of growth are over, notes the study, that Big Telco is finally having to confront the problem.
"About 70% of investments cover their cost of capital and about 30% generate very poor returns indeed. The difference is easy to explain. We calculate that most telecoms operators mis-allocate about 20-22% of their discretionary capex, but when you include the non-discretionary capex they're required to make for regulatory reasons the percentage rises to about 30%."
PwC also explores some reasons of the reasons behind the misspent capital – such as poor decision making, and the need to keep up with the latest technology. Two thirds of capex investment is driven by technology, such as 4G. That doesn't sound so bad to me. What sounds worse is that it stops.
The report is almost a year old, but languishes in obscurity. So why blow off the dust now?
The reason should be obvious: we get the internet we pay for, and without serious capital expenditure, it will begin to resemble Dilbert's Republic of Elbonia. Despite the growing clamour for the state to step in and save us all from evil telcos – nation states are bankrupt. The taxpayer won't pay for the latest and greatest internet infrastructure to the tune of $320bn.
Yet so many sideshows consume the tech press and demand popular attention – from "net neutrality", to the latest "internet is breaking" scare. This should help put things in perspective.
You can download the report from here. We're obliged to the always-fab Martin Geddes for the pointer. ®


text:
The Doppler Effect and Sonic Booms
The sudden change in pitch of a car horn as a car passes by (source motion) or in the pitch of a boom box on the sidewalk as you drive by in your car (observer motion) was first explained in 1842 by Christian Doppler. His Doppler Effect is the shift in frequency and wavelength of waves which results from a source moving with respect to the medium, a receiver moving with respect to the medium, or even a moving medium.
The perceived frequency (f ´) is related to the actual frequency (f0) and the relative speeds of the source (vs), observer (vo), and the speed (v) of waves in the medium by$$ f'=f_O\biggl ( \frac{v\pm v_o}{v \pm v_s}\biggr ) $$
The choice of using the plus (+) or minus (-) sign is made according to the convention that if the relative motion of the source and observer is such that they are moving toward each other the perceived frequency (f ´) is higher than the actual frequency (f0). Likewise, if the relative motion of source and observer is such that they are moving away from each other, the perceived frequency (f ´) is lower than the actual frequency (f0).
Although first discovered for sound waves, the Doppler effect holds true for all types of waves including light and other electromagnetic waves (though for electromagnetic waves - because of Einstein's theory or relativity - only the relative velocity matters and it is immaterial whether the source or the observer is moving). The Doppler effect for light waves is usually described in terms of colors rather than frequency. A red shift occurs when the source and observer are moving away from eachother, and a blue shift occurs when the source and observer are moving towards eachother. The red shift of light from remote galaxies is proof that the universe is expanding.
The animations below will illustrate this phenomena for a moving source of sound waves and stationary observer.


text:
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The St. Petersburg Museum of History is marking 100 years of spring training in the region.
The Tampa Tribune reports that Mayor Rick Kriseman, Tampa Bay Rays senior adviser Dick Crippen and former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch joined the crowd at the museum Thursday for a celebration.
The Tampa Bay area has been the spring training home for numerous Major League Baseball teams since the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Browns at Coffee Pot Park on Feb. 27, 1914. The Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees currently train in the area.
The St. Petersburg Museum of History is exhibiting the world's largest private collection of autographed baseballs. They're on loan from Dennis Schrader of Oldsmar as part of the historic celebration.
Source: Associated Press


text:
Got some nice shots of San Francisco and Marin on Sunday, as we flew off to Chicago on the first leg of the trip home from Thanksgiving in California. Actually, my kid shot most of them, since he had the window seat. Shot some other stuff too, which I'll put up later.
Mount Tamalpias (better known as Mt. Tam) looms in the background, and Mt. Beacon in front of it.


text:
LucasArts invited io9 out to their shiny new(ish) digs located inside The Presidio in San Francisco to take a look at three of their upcoming science fiction related video games. Right outside the entrance, was a requisite Yoda fountain, sagely watching over everyone who came in. Read on to find out about the video gaming scifi action.
The front lobby offered up even more Star Wars items, like full-sized Vader and Boba Fett costumes, Han's Blaster, and more. Next to the reception desk were two huge framed posted for The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Dracula. However, towering over everything in the center is a large monument built to honor Willis Harold O'Brien, the man who pioneered stop-motion in animation with the visual effects in King Kong, and later animated dinosaurs in The Lost World, co-wrote King Kong vs. Godzilla, and had Ray Harryhausen as an assistant. A surprisingly touching tribute to man who needs a lot more recognition.
- Fracture: In the far future, the effects of global warming have created terrain-deforming weaponry and split the United States in two. The Atlantic Alliance on the East, and the Republic of Pacifica on the West. You play a partially cybernetic human who has access to things like grenades they raise and lower the terrain, open swirling vortexes, send enormous molten rock formations into the air, and burrow through the Earth. If you want to beat up on the terrain of future San Francisco, this is right up your alley.
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Play as Darth Vader's secret apprentice as you hunt down the rest of the remaining Jedi, and use your amped-up Force powers to literally rip TIE-Fighters out of the air and hurl them at opponents. Set between Episodes 3 and 4, you'll encounter characters and settings from both sets of movies, mess people up with the Force, and use your lightsaber like it's going out of style. Hopefully we'll also find out why we never found out Vader had a secret apprentice before as well.
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures: We'll be the first to admit that Indiana Jones has a tenuous scifi connection, at best. The guy is a swashbuckling archaeologist who hunts down supernatural artifacts and doodads, but hey... at the end of the day he's a scientist and a professor. Plus he's pretty kickass and might be encountering aliens in Indy IV. This game continues the idea of encasing Indiana in Lego, like the Lego Star Wars: The Complete Trilogy.


text:
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Those days when you wish for a special needs fairy godmother
18 comments:
What an awesome picture of Max! It totally made me smile this morning. :)ReplyDelete
If you get through on 1-800-FAIRY-GODMOTHER, let me know. Those suckers have had me on hold longer than the IRS. It's not looking so good for me.
- AnonymousNovember 16, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Max is so handsome. what a picture!!ReplyDelete
hang in there.
- logansmom825November 16, 2011 at 10:03 AM
I so agree! We all could use an Special Needs Fairy Godmother! Love Max's school picture! His smile made me smile! My son has the same effect! He makes everyone around him smile!ReplyDelete
You are superwoman fairy Godmother has nothing on you :)ReplyDelete
Yes, that photo is amazing. Love that smile and he just looks so handsome and happy.ReplyDelete
You really do have your hands full! As I got to your list about upcoming holidays I found myself crying...and it is your list, not mine.ReplyDelete
Hang in there girl!
Love the school picture! I can guess that you have an interesting history with school pics as I do. Haley doesn't do the smiling thing.
Sometimes I think the Amish are right, I can see a glimpse of Max's soul in that picture. And it is glorious!ReplyDelete
HA. That school pic is awesome! It's funny how our kids or all the stuff that we have to do for them can make you go crazy, and then they can turn around and melt your heart in all but two seconds =)ReplyDelete
Love your blog =)
This is an amazing post! Max is so lucky to have a mom like you. You could BE a fairy godmother!ReplyDelete
Wow, I wish I was part of your family because I'd love to have a copy of Max's school picture! He really does have a fantabulous smile. If I had that on hand all the time, I'd NEVER be grouchy again! ^_^ReplyDelete
Max's picture is ADORABLE!!ReplyDelete
I could also go for the EASY button...
"...and then they can turn around and melt your heart in all but two seconds =)"ReplyDelete
This is when I wished comments have a "Like" button! SO true.
Nisha and Melissa, thank you but if I were superwoman I wouldn't be sitting here yapping about how overwhelmed I felt by everything! I'd just do it and sing merrily as I went along!
Abby, Max does have a beautiful soul. Surely it is purple, too.
Haley's Mom: Yes, it's been a mixed bag for us whether or not the school photographer gets Max to smile, he never does it on command.
Someday, I will share all of your praise with Max, but I wouldn't want him to get a big head. Although he does have microcephaly, so that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Wow. I wonder how ANY mother does it.ReplyDelete
I ask my own mother how she did it all when we were little with a six year old, a three year old and premie twins. And then a little later dealing with the litany of my doctors appointments and therapists. Granted, my needs weren't as extentive as Max's are, but still-lots of juggling of schedules.
Did I mention that on top of that she was a full time public school elementary teacher? Yeah...my sisters and I are convinced that she's an alien-android-human hybrid.
Having said that, she gives me an answer only a mother would: "how did I do it? I just did, you find a way because it needs to get done, so you do it. Also, I was 30 years younger."
How is it that we don't have a woman running the country again?!
Awww, hang in there, Mama! Positive vibes your way that it all comes together swiftly and seamlessly.ReplyDelete
Edible rice paper?!!!!!! You have got to be kidding! A 3-step cake?!
- FeliciaNovember 18, 2011 at 3:04 AM
There are times when parents can be fairy godparents--I'd be in a real mess without mine!ReplyDelete
About that cake....
Surely you've got some place near you that does those stupid photo cakes? My crappy little supermarket does 'em. Heck, Super WALMARTs do 'em. Maybe you could just get a good pic of the CARS2 logo off the net, and a pic of Max, and photoshop the two together on your computer, and take that to the supermarket and have them put it on a sheet cake. I mean, really--cake is cake to kids. Make it nice and big--that's all they care about. If you feel a need to go "high end" spend extra on the ice cream.
While you're at the supermarket, order one of those pre-made thanksgiving dinners---that's one item off the list--heat and eat!
Good luck--hope you get that list of To Do things cleared up!
Hilary, your moms words are ones I live by! I usually have that "It just needs to get done" mentality, as do all of us moms. And I couldn't agree more: Imagine how much would get done if we had a woman running the country!ReplyDelete
Felicia, thanks! I've since learned Dairy Queen makes these cakes, I think Carvel (not sure they have this chain by you?) makes them. But seriously, Max ONLY wants the EXACT cake that is pictured on the card he snatched from Cold Stone Creamery, the one that has been sitting at his spot at the table for weeks now. The kid has an amazing visual memory, he knows exactly how that cake looks, and he wants it. Anytime someone comes to our house, he shows them that card. He wakes up every morning and says "Cars 2 ice-cream cake!" And I need to get him that damn cake! I think I am going to have my sister-in-law buy it at the place he took the card from and transport it to his party. We'll put it on dry ice if we have to though by early December, it should be cold enough.
I think that is a great picture of Max! I didn't notice the bangs until you pointed them out, but I still think that's a wonderful picture. His smile is the main draw there. :)ReplyDelete
omg, i'd pay big bucks for that kind of fairy. i often feel like i need a special coordinator to get me through all this stuff.ReplyDelete
i have a dog that has to be walked too often & during his walks, i'm usually on the verge of panic, thinking of all the stuff that has to get done (not being helped by the time I spend walking the dog). I have been so close to hyperventilating when thinking over my to-do list & often thinking at the same time about how stressed I am about being so stressed. Holidays have just become a huge source of extra anxiety - even minor ones. If I have to do any sort of extra shopping or socializing or cleaning, that's just another reason to get dizzy.
Glad to see that I'm not the only crazy person out there.


text:
Ray Ellis of Edgartown died at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital on Oct. 4 of complications from a stroke. He was 92.
A nationally recognized artist whose paintings are in the permanent collection at The White House and museums around the country, Mr. Ellis sought out beauty in everything. He was an unwavering optimist and a romantic who imagined the best possible reality and then stepped inside and lived it.
Born in Philadelphia on April 24, 1921, Raymond George Ellis grew up on Lismore Avenue in Glenside, Pa. He began painting as a child and spent his life celebrating each day — both on canvas and in the world he shared with Theodora (Teddie) Axtell, his wife of 28 years.
He attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, and in 1947 at the age of 26 had his first one-man show at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
He was elected to the American Watercolor Society and in 1968 to the Salmagundi Club in New York, the oldest established professional art association in the country. Other New York memberships included The Century Association, the Artists' Fellowship, and The Lotos Club.
After serving four years in the Coast Guard during World War II, he married Elizabeth Ketcham, who predeceased him in 1972. Mr. Ellis pursued watercolor painting while working in advertising to support his family, eventually founding his own advertising agency with offices in New Jersey and New York. But from 1969 on, he worked exclusively as an artist.
During a brief second marriage, he moved from New Jersey to Hilton Head Island, S.C., and then to Savannah, Ga.
Mr. Ellis felt his life became truly charmed during the 1980s when he and Teddie built their summer home on Martha's Vineyard, eventually making it their year-round residence.
In the 1980s, Ray Ellis and the late television journalist Walter Cronkite collaborated on a series of three books depicting America's coastlines in word and image: South by Southeast, North by Northeast, and Westwind. There are 15 other books exclusively devoted to his paintings. His biography will be published in the spring of 2014.
In 1986, he founded Compass Prints and The Ray Ellis Gallery in Savannah, Georgia, which continues as his headquarters. His work is also displayed at the North Water Gallery in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard, and The Cheryl Newby Gallery, Pawleys Island, S.C.
For three consecutive years beginning in 1998, Mr. Ellis was commissioned by President and Mrs. Clinton to paint scenes of the White House to be reproduced as their official holiday greeting card.
He painted on all seven continents. His works have been exhibited in United States embassies around the world and are in the permanent collection of the White House as well as in museums around the country. In 2004, the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Ga., created a major traveling exhibition of his paintings. He was awarded the Salmagundi Club's Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts in 2004.
Until the time of his illness, encouraged and supported by Teddie, his daily routine included at least five matches of backgammon with Teddie at the table in his studio and then several hours of painting at his easel. He was an enthusiastic tennis player, golfer and fisherman as well as being an active member of The Edgartown Reading Room and an honorary member the Vineyard Golf Club.
Mr. Ellis raised more than $1 million for the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust over two decades. For 25 years, he was commissioned by the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby to paint yearly Vineyard fishing scenes from which commemorative limited edition prints were made to benefit the Derby Scholarship Fund. He also donated prints for auction to numerous charities on the Island and in Savannah. In an effort to support young artists who aspire to duplicate his own path as a full time artist, he established the Ray Ellis Foundation, which provides funds for those wanting to pursue a career in the visual arts.
Mr. Ellis grew up surrounded by relatives and had a deep respect for his heritage. His maternal grandfather, William Trapier was a Confederate soldier in the Civil War. His paternal grandfather, George Wilson Ellis, was a blacksmith who served two terms in the Pennsylvania State Legislature in the late 1800s.
His father, Raymond Grant Ellis (named for Ulysses S. Grant) of Welsh and Irish descent, studied art at Drexel Institute, eventually becoming advertising manager for the Exide Battery Company in Philadelphia. His mother, Helen Trapier, an aspiring watercolorist, was a French Huguenot with an ancestry that traced back to plantation life outside Georgetown, S.C.
He is survived by his wife Teddie; his four children, George, Andrew, Margaret, and Elizabeth and their spouses; nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He also leaves his sister Margaret Dando, brother Richard Ellis and legions of friends around the world.
Interment services were private. Friends are invited to a celebration of his long, wonderful life at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Ray Ellis Foundation, P.O. Box 8456, Savannah, GA 31412, or Artists' Fellowship, Inc., 47 5th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003.


text:
Secretariat ACP
The ACP Group
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organisation created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. It is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them, save Cuba, signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the "ACP-EC Partnership Agreement" which binds them to the European Union. There are 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.
The ACP Group´s main objectives are :
sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order ;
coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements;
consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples ;
establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society.
Read more about the history of the ACP Group
List of ACP Countries
Angola - Antigua and Barbuda - Belize - Cape Verde - Comoros - Bahamas - Barbados - Benin - Botswana - Burkina Faso - Burundi - Cameroon - Central African Republic - Chad - Congo (Brazzaville) - Congo (Kinshasa) - Cook Islands - Cte d'Ivoire - Cuba - Djibouti - Dominica - Dominican Republic - Eritrea - Ethiopia - Fiji - Gabon - Gambia - Ghana - Grenada - Republic of Guinea - Guinea-Bissau - Equatorial Guinea - Guyana - Haiti - Jamaica - Kenya - Kiribati - Lesotho - Liberia - Madagascar - Malawi - Mali - Marshall Islands - Mauritania - Mauritius - Micronesia - Mozambique - Namibia - Nauru - Niger - Nigeria - Niue - Palau - Papua New Guinea - Rwanda - St. Kitts and Nevis - St. Lucia - St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Solomon Islands - Samoa - Sao Tome and Principe - Senegal - Seychelles - Sierra Leone - Somalia - South Africa - Sudan - Suriname - Swaziland - Tanzania - Timor Leste - Togo - Tonga - Trinidad and Tobago - Tuvalu - Uganda - Vanuatu - Zambia - Zimbabwe
The ACP Secretariat
The Secretariat is responsible for the administrative management of the ACP Group. It assists the Group's decision-making and advisory organs in carrying out their work.
The ACP Secretariat's headquarters is located in Brussels (Belgium). It is headed by an Executive Secretary-General who is responsible for implementing the Group's international policy, as well as directing and coordinating its cooperation policy. The Secretariat, under the direction of the ACP Group's policy-making organs (Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, Council of Ministers, Committee of Ambassadors), is responsible for:
carrying out the tasks assigned it by the Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, Council of Ministers, Committee of Ambassadors and the ACP Parliamentary Assembly;
contributing to the implementation of the decisions of these organs;
monitoring the implementation of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement;
assisting the ACP organs and joint institutions created in the framework of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreements.
acting on proposals from the Committee of Ambassadors, the Council of Ministers determines the structure of the ACP Secretariat and lays down its Staff Regulations.
The Secretary-General is responsible for recruiting staff for the ACP Secretariat, an exercise which is based solely on the competence of the candidates. Nevertheless, the Secretary-General ensures, as much as possible, that a balance is maintained among the different ACP regions, as reflected in the recruitment statistics.
The Council of Ministers determines the ACP Secretariat's financial regulations and approves its budget. Each ACP State contributes to financing the budget in conformity with the provisions laid down by the Council of Ministers.
Roles and Duties :
The Council of Ministers appoints the Secretary-General as the principal authority at the ACP Secretariat, on the basis of merit, competence and integrity. He is appointed for a five-year term and is the Secretariat's designated representative.
The Secretary-General is responsible for:
ensuring the quality of the technical and administrative support and services provided by the Secretariat to the members and organs of the ACP Group ;
managing staff, projects and programmes ;
implementing the Group's international policy, as well as directing and coordinating its cooperation policy.
Avenue Georges Henri 451
B - 1200 Bruxelles - Brussels
Belgique - Belgium
email : [email protected]
Tel: +32 2 743 06 00
Fax: +32 2 735 55 73
see map/voir plan


text:
At first glance, Zurich may not appear the most inviting destinations for new graduates.
But looks can be deceiving.
The Swiss city has a reputation for being expensive and aloof, but thanks to low taxes and high salaries it can be a very affordable place to live and work.
Switzerland may be politically neutral, but it lies at the very heart of Europe. Zurich, its biggest city and economic engine, is a multicultural hotspot and a major player in global industries – not least finance.
Beyond banking, Zurich offers excellent opportunities, with over 80% of jobs in the city being in the service sector, and has thriving creative and biotechnology industries in particular.
Zurich has much to offer the new graduate jobseeker, including enviable overall quality of life, modern, efficient public services and a stable, growing economy.
Here are 5 reasons to start building your career in Zurich.
1/ A financial centre
Swiss banks are renowned the world over for their discretion and quality of service.
That is no accident. The Swiss finance sector has over the years acquired global clout and international renown, with Zurich playing a major part.
It is estimated that finance accounts for as much as a third of the city's economic output, and employs around a quarter of the entire workforce. In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Zurich was ranked the 11th most competitive financial sector in the world, and the 2nd in Europe (behind London).
The Swiss Stock Exchange, established in Zurich in 1877, is one of the world's most prominent and is consistently found in the global top 20 by market capitalization.
As Switzerland's premier financial centre, the city is home to global players such as UBS, Credit Suisse, Zurich Insurance Group and Swiss Re – multinational companies employing huge numbers around the world.
Anyone considering a career in finance – be it in banking, insurance or elsewhere – need look no further than Zurich.
2/ At the heart of Europe
A cultural melting pot
Zurich is a city of many languages. And is home to people of many nationalities.
While 'Zurich German' is the city's native tongue, and 'Swiss Standard German' the more formal official language, English and French are widely spoken, and German speakers from elsewhere will not find the language a struggle.
It is said that around a third to a half of the workers in the city are not Swiss nationals, meaning expats will feel very much at home there.
Despite this multiculturalism (or as a result of it), the Swiss have gained a reputation of late for opposing immigration and cultural diversity. Though it has become harder to move to Switzerland in recent times – visas are granted to those who have a job already and whose future employer can prove no Swiss can fill the position – this is less of a problem for Europeans.
If you get the chance to move to Zurich, it's advisable to take it.
Open (not just for business)
Though famed for its political neutrality and opposition to joining international institutions (such as the EU), Switzerland has deep ties and wide-ranging agreements with other European countries, accepting free movement of labour from the rest of the Union and becoming part of the Schengen Zone.
In Zurich, you are at the heart of Europe. Travel to Italy, France and Germany is easy, and flights out of Zurich Airport, Switzerland's biggest, connect the city to the rest of the continent within a couple of hours in all directions.
Contrary to its image, Switzerland is far from isolationist – many multinational organizations are headquartered there, and it is the birthplace of the Red Cross (its symbolic name deriving from the Swiss flag with its colours reversed).
The multiculturalism and globalism of Zurich is one of the city's strongest selling points, and help fuel an economy which is celebrated for its strength, stability and cutting-edge.
3/ Booming biotech
Beyond banking, a major draw for many – thanks to skills shortages and growth potential – is the biotech, pharmaceuticals and chemicals industries.
It is not hard to see why scientific careers have taken off. Once home to Albert Einstein, Wolfgang Pauli and Felix Bloch, Zurich has a proud history of excellence in natural science.
Switzerland, the home of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, has one of the highest research and development levels in the world, and is committed to supporting high-tech industry.
Bolstered by the quality of research at Zurich University, ETH Zurich, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the University of St Gallen, major multinationals such as Bayer and Pfizer have a presence in the city, as do many Swiss-owned and international pharmaceutical and speciality chemicals companies.
And less than one hour outside the city is the Paul Scherrer Institute, which is the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland.
For others with technical backgrounds, the Swiss-Swedish multinational ABB has its headquarters in Zurich, as do the automotive manufacturers Volvo, Renault and Fiat and electronics firms such as Microsoft, IBM and Google.
Engineering and IT have been areas of skills shortage for the city in recent times, promising great opportunities for qualified candidates hoping to fly through Switzerland's immigration system and find work in Zurich.
4/ A creative hub
The creative economy is another area of high demand in the city, with particular strength and growth potential in the fields of architecture, design, music and game design.
Zurich's creative sector employs over 30,000 people in over 5,000 companies, and is a source of new thinking and innovation for the economy more broadly, exemplified in initiatives such as CreativeEconomies and Creative Zurich.
The city also boasts an expanding startup scene, with software engineers in high demand. Accelerators such as the Swiss Startup Factory and events like HackZurich – billed as "Europe's biggest hackathon" – are putting Switzerland's economic capital on the digital map.
There are plenty of jobs for those with creative backgrounds, or for new graduates in computer science and related technical fields.
Zurich has a long track record of attracting creative genius, being the adopted home of James Joyce and Thomas Mann, the city of Carl Jung and Bruno Ganz, and a place of exile for Richard Wagner. It is also, for that matter, a city of disruption and radical thought, harbouring Vladimir Lenin, and with its theologians having been at the vanguard of the Protestant Reformation.
Switzerland, despite its reputation for sitting on the fence, is a natural destination for innovators and the independent-minded.
5/ A city on a lake
Of course, there is more to life in Switzerland's biggest city than work.
While Zurich will often be found near the top of the world's 'Most Expensive Cities' lists, it is also a staple of 'Quality of Life' rankings, consistently hitting either top spot or going close on Mercer Consulting's oft-cited 'Quality of Living City Ranking' (it was number 2 in 2018, behind Vienna).
Thanks in part to the city's strength in technical professions and scientific industries, 'Cleantech' and environmentally-friendly investment are among the world's most progressive.
Regular recycling is a well-entrenched part of life, and its citizens voted overwhelmingly for a '2000-watt society' in 2008, meaning the city must reduce its energy consumption to no more than 1 tonne of CO2 per person by 2050.
The Zurich public transport system is widely used and greatly envied, with many commuters opting for the bus or tram – and with the city investing heavily in improving cycling infrastructure in recent times.
In such a well-functioning city, there is plenty of time for extra-curricular activities.
With the alps in sight, many residents of Zurich take to outdoor sports such as skiing, and it is common for people to take a dip in Lake Zurich (in all seasons). There is also a dynamic art scene and busy cultural calendar keeping the locals entertained.


text:
the challenge for the ravens is that their O-line and D-line is still a work in progress and that is a problem with our schedule. kruger is out for upshaw and how long will it take for mckinney to take over for oher.
the only thing missing was johnny cash. i'm exhausted. what a night.


text:
Popular Science
Popular Science gives our readers the information and tools to improve their technology and their world. The core belief that Popular Science and our readers share: The future is going to be better, and science and technology are the driving forces that will help make it better.
Common terms and phrases
Address alignment aluminum appliance auto automatic automatic transmission axle battery boat booklet BRAKE BAND brakes build bulb cable camber angle camera catalog Chicago Chrysler City clean color complete cost coupon today dealer Dept dimmer door drill drum sander earn easy electric Electronics engine equipment extra FASTBACK faster fiberglass Ford FREE BOOK front front-drive fuel gear guaranteed Harry Lorayne Heathkit Here's hole inches installed light LLRV load machine Mail coupon mechanic ment MerCruiser metal models motor mounted outboard photographic fixer pivot guide plate plugs profit rear repair resistor salesman will call School screw scrub radius sells Send spare speed steam steel steering stern drive switch switch loop tion tires trailer valve wheel wheel alignment wire Zip Code


text:
Painted Steel Panel
80% Block out*
Why you'll love this panel:
- Built with a unique steel box frame on the back. Making them superior in strength and stability, also safe & easier to handle/install.
- The painted finish can easily be high pressure cleaned and repainted to create a refreshed or new look.
- This is a high quality fit-for-purpose product (no one needs heavy industrial grade Corten steel in their backyard) but will withstand harsh Australian conditions.
- Extremely versatile product that can be used for a wide range of applications (eg. Screening, fencing, a backdrop, a statement piece)
Can be used in unison with a translucent acrylic panel to create a light box effect or add LED lighting to create an artificial day and night light box.
Available in 3 sizes all 14mm thick (13mm backing frame + 1mm steel sheet)
*Also available in Real Rust Finish
- Ideal for single sided display however both sides of the panel are painted so the back side will still look attractive.
- The panel will require a structure to be attached to, (eg. Fence, Carport, a wall or just posts)
- Although the panel is painted with high quality outdoor paint, it will fade and change over time with long term exposure to the elements.
- If you wish to maintain the initial look, the panel should be sealed with an outdoor metal sealer similar to Incralac or Penetrol. Do this every 6 months.
*All block out percentages are calculated as a reasonably accurate guide based on looking straight on at the panel.
Additional information
1200 x 600, 1800 x 590, 1800 x 900, 2400 x 1200
There are no reviews yet.


text:
From Fedora Project Wiki
This page lists the good practices while using Askfedora:
Please feel free to add more points to the list. If you need to discuss something with the forum moderators, give feedback at askfedora, or find us at #ask-fedora-ops on Freenode!
- Search before you post: Search the interweb and then askfedora itself before posting your question.
- If you have more than one question, post them separately: Do not write a post that says "many fedora questions" and ask them all together. You're to ask each question separately.
- Frame a question: This is most baffling. It's called ASKfedora, yet most of the queries are not in interrogative form. And yes, questions end in question marks.
- Ask good questions: Here's a great post that tells you how to ask good questions
- Use the tools: When you want to post information along with your question, please use the tools, such as quoting, code snippet etc. If folks can't read your questions, they cannot answer them.
- Use correct tags: Make use of existing tags instead of adding new ones. This increases the visibility of your question. Remember that tags are without spaces, so "fedora16″ is not the same as "fedora 16″. The latter actually breaks up into two separate tabs "fedora" and "16″ which is illogical.
- Go through the sticky posts!
- Subscribe to questions you ask/answer/comment: A lot of answered questions are not marked so because the original asker hasn't cared to follow up!
- Reward your helpers: This is most important. Mark answers as correct, vote up a good question, vote down a bad one, comment for queries. This will make it a better, more knowledgeable forum. Use your votes!. Do not rename the question to add a "Solved" tag. Just pick the answer you like as the correct one instead.
- If you see someone not using the forum correctly, point it out: Comment telling the person what he's doing wrong. I periodically make corrections to posts, but it isn't really enjoyable.
- Last but not least be polite and refrain from ranting: Ranting makes people not want to help you. There isn't anything else to it. If you're polite, folks will want to help you.


text:
03 March, 2012
Terror Treats
This is exactly what I would want my kid to find in an Easter basket: brightly-colored marshmallow things screaming in horror. Thank you, Dollar Tree. You always come through for me.
Labels: candy
4 comments:
- J. Astro said...
HAAA! I almost feel kinda bad for those little guys. Almost.
- 03 March, 2012 17:36
- Chris and Amy said...
AAAAHHH!!! That is a special kind of scary...
- 04 March, 2012 11:03
If you were stuck in coach for the rest of your life, you'd be looking like that too.
- 04 March, 2012 12:00
It looks like the person making those, just got off another shift from making inflatable dolls...
- 06 March, 2012 08:10
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Today, in the New York Times small business blog, Robb Mandelbaum examines the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), a group that, as we have pointed out before, claims to represent independent businesses, but often lobbies for policies that benefit big business at the expense of small.
Mandelbaum reports that the NFIB's membership has plummeted from 600,000 in 2006 to 350,000 today. The NFIB says that the drop is due to two factors: the organization is making a more honest accounting of who is actually a member and, in the words of the group's president, "there are not as many Main Street businesses. They have been diminished by the big box stores, and, frankly, the Internet."
Mandelbaum writes:
It's hard to say which of these two admissions is more remarkable, but the second is particularly telling because the N.F.I.B. has never made halting the big box expansion — or curbing the many tax policies that local activists say give national retailers an unfair advantage over independent small competitors — one of its battle cries. For instance, the N.F.I.B. has not taken a position on an Internet sales tax, which would level the playing field for stores that pay such taxes locally. "We have both types of businesses, and we've gotten a mixed response from our members on the issue," explained N.F.I.B. spokeswoman Stephanie Cathcart.
Meanwhile, some state N.F.I.B. chapters — which act individually but consult with the national organization — have actually lobbied against other small businesses and so-called "combined reporting" laws. These laws would ban practices that allow national retailers to shelter much of their local income in out-of-state, tax-free subsidiaries. "For an independent business with only one outlet in Maryland or any of the other 20-some states that have this loophole, the upshot is that you end up shouldering a larger tax burden than your biggest competitors," contended Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
In Pennsylvania, the combined reporting requirement had been paired with a broad corporate income tax cut. "Tens of thousands of independent businesses would see their taxes go down," said Mitchell, "and yet the N.F.I.B. has stood in lockstep with big business interests." The N.F.I.B.'s Pennsylvania director, Kevin Shivers, however, makes no apologies for opposing combined reporting. "Our members have told us — they've been very specific — that we are not about the business of telling government to tax one sector of the economy in favor of another," he said.
But taxing "one sector of the economy in favor of another" is exactly what states without combined reporting are doing. These states are imposing a higher tax on the income of independent businesses and families in order to allow big national chains to escape paying state taxes on billions of dollars in profit. While the NFIB supports this big business tax loophole, Independent Business Alliances have been fighting for a level playing field in many of the states that have this loophole.


text:
forester and a lawyer were in car accident and showed up at the pearly gates together. St. Peter greets them at the pearly gates and takes them to the homeswhere they will spend all of eternity.
They get into St. Peter's holy vehicle and head on down a gold road, which turns into a platinum road, which turns onto an even grander road paved with diamonds, to a huge mansion where St. Peter turns to the lawyer and says, here is your home for the rest of eternity, enjoy! And if there is anything you need, just let me know.
Then St. Peter took the forester to his home, back down the diamond studded boulevard, down the platinum highway, down the street of gold, down an avenue of silver, along a stone alley and down an unpaved footpath to a shack. St Peter says "Here you go" and goes to leave when the forester says "Waitaminute!, how come the lawyer gets the big mansion and I get this shack?"
St. Peter says: "Well, Foresters are a dime a dozen here, we have never had a lawyer before."
Previous Lawyers Joke | Lawyers Index | Next Lawyers Joke
Choose another category
Email this joke to a friend
More From ChristiansUnite...
About Us |
Privacy Policy |
ChristiansUnite.com Site Map |
Statement of Beliefs


text:
I also got to celebrate another sampler finish. I put the final stitch into The ES Spot Motif Sampler last night. Don't you just love the birds and squirrel???
The ES Spot Motif Sampler
Of Female Worth
36 ct. Lakeside Linen
Hand-Dyed Cotton
If you are a lover of The Scarlet Letter samplers or would like to be... be sure to check out Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year Challenge. I have a feeling I'm going to be adding many more samplers to my 'Must Stitch' list in the coming year. Why don't you register, join in on the fun and make new stitching friends.
I'll be working on this WIP and hope to have it completed by the end of 2012.
Emma Miles 1848
The Scarlet Letter
40 ct. Lakeside Light Examplar
AVAS silk
Until next time... Happy Stitching!


text:
You could save over 70% on your electric bill.
Are you a homeowner?YesNoCommercial
Average Monthly Electric Bill$0-50$51-100$101-150$151-200$201-300$301-400$401-500$501-600$601-700$701-800$801+
By clicking above, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service and authorize Clean Energy Experts and up to four Solar Companies to call using an autodialer or send pre-recorded or text messages about their services to the phone number entered above using automated telephone technology even if your phone number is listed on any national or state "Do Not Call" list. Message and data rates may apply. You understand that consent is not a condition of purchase.
By going solar, people around the country are saving money each month that would have gone to utility companies. Just how much are they saving?
In some places over $100 each month.


text:
The Desert Fathers by Peter H. Gorg
The Desert Fathers by Peter H. Gorg • 3h 50m
In the late third century, more and more people withdrew to the radical seclusion of the desert so as to live entirely for God under the direction of a spiritual father. Among these "Desert Fathers" one figure is especially preeminent: Saint Anthony the Hermit.
This book takes the reader back to the hour when monasticism was born and describes the life of those revolutionary Christians who sought God in the Egyptian desert. The focus of the book is the life and work of Saint Anthony, whose experiences of the spiritual life have a timeless beauty and validity, even for those not called to live as a monk.
The second half of the book presents other Desert Fathers, such as Paul of Thebes, Pachomius, and Simeon Stylites, as well as the great founders of the monastic communities in Western Europe who were inspired by them: John Cassian, Columban, and Benedict, for example.
"The monk's self-denial begins radically in precisely those departments of life which have perennially seemed to be the most important: ownership, self-determination and sexuality. At the same time those who admonish so uncomfortably become the salt that lends Christianity its original flavor. . . . Just as the saints are God's specific answer to the needs of a given time, so too are the religious orders that have been founded over the course of the centuries."
- Peter Görg
7 Comments


text:
I used the Stampin' Up! Mountain Adventure stamp set to create a fun winter themed holiday card to share with you today.
My card design was inspired by The Paper Players PP323.
The colors for my card were inspired by Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 386.
And the masculine theme for my card was inspired by Merry Monday #224.
I started by adhering a panel of Presents & Pinecones DSP to a panel of Basic Gray card stock with SNAIL and then to a Mint Macaron card base with Stampin' Dimensionals.
I adhered the ski and snowboard stamps from the Mountain Adventure photopolymer stamp set slightly staggered on the same block and I stamped them in Soft Suede ink across a Soft Suede card stock panel. I adhered the stamped panel to a panel of Early Espresso card stock and then to the card front with SNAIL. I punched the end of a strip of Basic Gray card stock with the Banner Triple Punch and adhered it to the card front with SNAIL.
I stamped the sentiment from the Mountain Adventure stamp set in Basic Gray Archival ink on a panel of Watercolor Paper. I cut the sentment out with a Layering Oval Framelits Die and then applied a light watercolor wash with my Aqua Painter and Mint Macron ink over it. I let the image dry completely and then colored the mittens with my Mint Macaron and Soft Suede Stampin' Write Markers. I adhered the sentiment panel with Stampin' Dimensionals to the card front.
I covered the lines on the top and bottom of the sentiment stamp from the Mountain Adventure stamp set with Post-It Notes and inked the stamp with Soft Suede ink. I pulled off the Post-It Notes and stamped the sentiment on a panel of Whisper White card stock. I stamped the ski and snowboard images in Mint Macaron across the bottom of the panel to finish the inside of the card.
You can see a complete list of supplies, including card stock cuts, at the very bottom of this post.
November 16 – 30 Host Code: AAFDWHAS
December 1 – 15 Host Code: 2WTXTFKF
Use this host code when you order and receive a free gift from me! If your order is over $150, please do not use this code, but you'll still get the free gift. The free gift is your choice of any item valued up to $10.00 in the 2016 Holiday Catalog or the 2016-17 Annual Catalog! That includes some of the Host Exclusive stamp sets! See my Rewards page for full details.
Stamp Set Sale – Ending Today!!
Don't forget to add these great stamp sets to your orders today too! You have the opportunity to purchase some awesome stamp sets at 25% off that coordinate with the Stitched Shapes Framelits from November 1-30! The framelits are currently on backorder and unavailable, but the stamps are still on sale! Click here to open up a PDF with the list of stamp sets that are on sale. Click here to head over to my online store to shop the stamp set sale!
Stampin' Up! Year End Closeouts Start Tomorrow!
Stampin' Up! has been doing a little year-end cleaning, and they've got some great deals to offer you! Their Year-End Closeouts will include holiday retiring products, clearance rack items, and current high-inventory catalog products. Be sure to stop back tomorrow to check out all of those great deal! And shop early as many of the deals are only available while supplies last!
If you need any stamping supplies, I'd be very happy to be your Demonstrator. Just click on the Order Stampin' Up! Online Now button on the right side of the screen to go directly to my online store or drop me an email if you have any questions. Happy Stamping!
- Visit my online store here.
- Shop the Clearance Rack here.
- Earn FREE Stampin' Up! Products – Join my Running Shoe Rewards Program – My online customer thank you program!
- In addition to my online store, also take PayPal payments for orders – Check my Rewards page for more information.
- I offer gift certificates for Stampin' Up! merchandise too! Click on my Gift Certificates page for more information.
Card stock cuts for this project:
- Mint Macaron – 4-1/4″ x 11″ card base
- Basic Gray – 4″ x 5-1/4″ panel, 3/4″ x 4-1/4″ strip
- Early Espresso – 3-1/8″ x 4-3/8″ panel
- Soft Suede – 3″ x 4-1/4″ panel
- Whisper White – 4″ x 5-1/4″ panel (inside card)
- Watercolor Paper – Layering Ovals Framelits die cut
Stampin' Up! items used to create this project:


text:
- Browse Categories
- Long Evening Dresses(88)
- Princess Wedding Dresses(43)
- Mermaid Wedding Dresses(67)
- A-line Wedding Dresses(80)
- flower girl dress(5)
- wedding veils(4)
- Top Quality Quinceanera Dress(12)
- Short Evening Dresses(32)
- Certifications
- Hot Product
- Subscribe
Get email updates on new products
- Contact us
- HMY Wedding Dress Company is a professional wedding dress manufacturer from China, we can accept 1 piece custom made dress. Company address: No.699 Ma...Contact Now
New design wedding gown v neckline detachable train champagne wedding dresses
- Brand ZZ bridal
- Product Name New design wedding gown v neckline detachable train champagne wedding dresses
- Style number HMY-061801
- Fabric Stain tulle lace beading
- MOQ 1 piece
- Service OEM and ODM
- Color White,light ivory,ivory and champagne or customized
- Size Please choose from our size charts, or you can follow up our measurement instructions.
- Note The prices don't include shipping cost and any accessories: such as gloves, wedding veils or jacket.
- Delivery Terms Usually sent by Air Express such as DHL, UPS, EMS, TNT, FEDEX, ARAMEX, TOLL and so on.
- Leading Time Off-season: 10-15 days for one order; Busy-season: 20-30 days for one order.
- Payment Terms Western Union, Money Gram, Bank Transfer, Escrow, Visa, Master Card.
- Attention If some decoration on the dresses you want is out of stock, we will inform you before you place the order.
- Packaging Each dress in one polyester bag.
Product Picture


text:
50% of all Finns saw final, 2.1 million in Sweden
ZURICH – Finnish broadcaster YLE had one of its best days ever last Sunday. The ratings peaked at 2.6 million viewers when Finland poured in five goals during the third period against rival Sweden. That's half of Finland's population.Also the numbers for Swedish sender TV3 were excellent as an average of 1,654,000 viewers tuned in to watch what turned out to be a disappointing 6-1 loss to the archrival. The Swedish numbers peaked at 2,166,000 viewers.YLE's average number was almost identical with the Swedish peak – 2.1 million.Vesa Pihanurmi, Director of YLE's program planning, says that the 2011 IIHF World Championship gold medal game outdrew all other broadcasts so far in 2011."Very few broadcasts in Finland manage to top the two million rating," said Pihanurmi. "Only the ceremony from the national day of independence from the castle can sometimes get these numbers."Last time Finland won gold (1995) YLE recorded 2.2 million viewers. The 2011 IIHF World Championship was shown in 114 countries or territories and reached approximately 700 million cumulated TV viewers.The 2011 tournament drew 406,807 spectators in Bratislava and Kosice, which is the 8th-highest attendance number in the history of the event. It is an excellent number for a tournament where the capacity of the main venue was just under 10,000 seats.The record is 552,097 from 2004 (Prague & Ostrava, Czech Republic) – number that the Finns and Swedes hope to beat when they co-host the 2012 IIHF World Championship in Helsinki and Stockholm.


text:
Take a five minute ride through Saigon
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi, Vietnam.
The most recent census of Ho Ch Minh city was performed in 2009, making it difficult to know the current population. Best guess, about eight and a half million people, most of whom, at any given time, are on the road.
In Shadows and Wind, A View of Modern Vietnam, Robert Templer writes about Hanoi, capital of a then-newly reunified Vietnam, and a city hard by China, "After 1978, the city's Chinese population was expelled." Down south, the Cho Lon neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh City remains home to a thriving community of ethnic Chinese around half a million strong. Here, incense in a temple, Cho Lon, Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Vietnam.
Hill tribe girls selling snacks at a roadside diversion, Sa Pa, Vietnam.
Loom at sewing factory, Hoi An, Vietnam.
Here's a four-minute video from Hoi An:
Small boats in Haiphong harbor, Vietnam.
View from 81st floor of Landmark 81 tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Observation deck grand-opened 28 April, 2019.
Traditional Non La hats, Hoi An, Vietnam.
HDR from the morning market on the docks alongside the fish market at the emerging tourist magnet of Hội An, on the central coast near Da Nang and Hue.
Downtown Ho Chi Minh City from Ben Thanh Tower, April, 2019.
Hill tribe family in Tavan village, Vietnam.
Tour boats on Halong Bay, Vietnam.
A trader in cabbage, Can Tho, Mekong delta, Vietnam.
A man and his fruit, Mekong delta, Vietnam.
Saigon, Vietnam.
Playing in Traffic, Saigon, Vietnam.
Woman from hill tribe near Sa Pa, Vietnam - HDR.
The ruins at My Son, Vietnam.
Dawn fish market, Hoi An, Vietnam.
Copyright © Voices, Inc.


text:
Edible Apple has a great look back at the original Apple-designed tablet device – not a computer, but more of an input mechanism like today's Wacom tablets.
Released in 1979, during the Apple II era, the $650 Graphics Tablet had issues upon release:
The Graphics Tablet, however, wasn't exactly a runaway hit as it was subsequently discontinued when the FCC found that it caused radio frequency interference problems.
Apple went back to the drawing board, and in 1983, it released a second iteration of the graphics tablet, which was right around the time when the Apple IIe was in production.
Check out the rest of Edible Apple's post for more great pictures.
[Via Dave Caolo, via Splorp.]


text:
Years before Dennis Pitta emerged as a clutch tight end for the Ravens routinely delivering acrobatic catches, he was an admittedly skinny high school wide receiver and cornerback.
Growing up in Moorpark, Calif., Pitta was a 6-foot-4, 185-pound Eagle Scout. He was also the proud owner of ambitious plans that outweighed his developing build.
"Everybody aspires to play in the NFL, and I wasn't any different," Pitta said. "I felt like I was a talented player in high school, but I was tall and skinny. I wasn't awkward, but football was very different than what it is for me now.
"It's been fun to evolve in football at two positions. It's obviously helped to have that receiver background throughout high school. Now, I get to do a lot of those same things with a little bigger frame and a lot better competition."
Since walking on at Brigham Young University nine years ago, Pitta has bulked up to 245 pounds through dedication to the weight room. It wasn't long before he switched from receiver to tight end and earned a scholarship.
After spending two years in the Dominican Republic serving a Mormon mission following his freshman year, Pitta became the Cougars' all-time leading receiver with 221 catches for 2,901 yards and 21 touchdowns and garnered All-American status.
"Dennis was an absolute dream to coach," said Lance Reynolds, BYU assistant head coach and tight ends coach, in a telephone interview. "He was a hard-working guy, never missed a practice. His practice habits were beyond reproach for us. He's a big-framed guy, that's the first thing we noticed about him. He was tall and skinny when he got here, but we had hopes he would be a tight end for us. If you stand next to him now, he's a broad-shouldered big guy.
"He's very fluid for a big man. He can adjust to things on the run. We moved him out in the slot, flexed him out, used him as a tight end, had him block on the goal line, used him in I formations. We moved him all over the place. He's as good a player as we've had, and we've had Todd Christensen and Chad Lewis here."
Pitta caught the attention of Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome as one of the top performers at the 2010 NFL scouting combine. Pitta ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times and posted a 34-inch vertical leap with a 9-5 broad jump.
The Ravens picked him in the fourth round of that year's draft with the 114th overall selection, one round after taking fellow tight end Ed Dickson.
Today, Pitta is one of quarterback Joe Flacco's favorite receivers.
With 30 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns through seven games, Pitta ranks just one catch behind leading wide receiver Anquan Boldin, despite missing the entire preseason with a broken right hand that required surgery.
He's on pace to finish the season with a career-high 68 receptions and 630 yards after catching 41 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Pitta and his wife, Mataya, are close friends with Flacco and his wife, Dana, often going out for pizza dinners together in Baltimore.
However, Pitta said he doesn't get much ribbing from his teammates about Flacco showing him any favoritism on the field.
"Yeah, we're good friends and all that," Pitta said. "I think it certainly helps on the field to be on the same page, but nobody gives us a hard time."
Through the first two games of the season, Pitta was targeted 24 times, most on the team. He had five catches for 73 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the opener and eight catches for 65 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles the next week.
"If you're targeted, you have to deliver and Dennis is doing that," Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said earlier this season. "He's doing that in critical situations. I don't think that's a surprise to us, or anybody else. We think he's a very good player, and I think he's really going to play well this whole year."
Deeply religious, Pitta attributes his growth on and off the field to his faith.
"It's a big part of my life," Pitta said. "Everything is centered around that for me, and it helps me stay grounded. I'm striving to be a good person, but I'm not perfect, obviously. I think I've been raised with good values and principles."
Pitta's mission was in the city of Santa Domingo, located on the east side of the Dominican Republic.
He assisted the impoverished, and taught his religion to the local population.
"It was an incredible experience," Pitta said. "You learn a lot about yourself and you appreciate what you have and what we have in this country. It's something I look back on with great memories."
On the field, the Ravens have created a unique role for Pitta that accentuates his skills as one of the most sure-handed skill players on the team.
Appearing in 306 plays, including 206 passing plays, Pitta has been allowed to concentrate on the receiving aspect of playing tight end. Meanwhile, Dickson has caught only eight passes for 74 yards while primarily being utilized as a blocker.
"Dennis is a great receiver," Dickson said. "He does a lot of things well, and he's got great hands. We have a lot of confidence in him. Dennis is one of my best friends, and he's a big asset to us. I know my time will come in the passing game as well."
Pitta has often lined up as a wide receiver, split out wide or in the slot.
With his size, speed, and knack for finding a seam in a zone, Pitta exploits mismatches against safeties and linebackers.
More than anything, Pitta's ability to cleanly catch the football with only his hands and not cradle it against his body has set him apart.
It's a fundamental attribute Pitta developed as a youngster playing catch with his father, Dennis Pitta Sr., a former Cal middle linebacker.
"I would always throw the ball around with my dad growing up," Pitta said. "I put all the work in and caught all those balls over the years. My time at BYU helped me a lot. The system there felt tailor-made to my abilities.
"I got to stand up flexed out and run a lot of routes and catch a lot of footballs. It got me ready for the NFL and what I'm doing here."