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Show All Answers
To vote in the next election, you must register to vote at least 15 days before the election. For more information, contact:
Election Division524 Main St.Martinez, 94553
Or call the Election Division at (925) 646-4166.
You may choose to contact an attorney or the Public Defender's Office to represent you for Change of Plea proceedings. The following conditions apply for you to be eligible for a change of plea:
If you were originally charged with a misdemeanor, contact the court that handled your case. If you were originally charged with a felony, the Probation Department will handle your request. Multiple dockets may be researched at the same time, however; no reports will be submitted to court without all of the necessary paperwork completed, all fines, fees and restitution paid.
Visiting hours
For minors with the last name begining with:A-I; Monday, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM to 8 PMJ-R; Tuesday, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM to 8 PMS-Z; Wednesday, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM to 8 PMNo visiting on Thursdays or Fridays.A-Q; Saturday, 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM or 12:45 PM to 4:30 PMR-Z; Sunday, 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM or 2 PM to 4:30 PM
Guidelines:Only Parents or Guardians are allowed to visit. Proper identification, such as a valid California driver's license or identification, must be presented. All personal property must be left in vehicle. All visitors must pass through the metal detector, without alarm, prior to entering the facility. No food or drink allowed within the facility. Some minors are on Special Visit Status, requiring a visiting appointment. Special visits must be arranged in advanced by the parent or guardian by contacting 925-957-2725.
Information explaining the record seal process, as well as an application for sealing can be viewed and printed by clicking HERE.
In this scenario Probation would lack jurisdiction and be unable to provide direct services. However, Probation Officers routinely work with counselors, school officials and other professionals who do provide direct services to troubled families.
Please call and ask to speak to the officer of the day if you would like to be referred to a local resource agency. In East and Central County call: (925) 313-4000. In West County call: (510) 374-3041.
You should contact your local police department immediately and file a report. You may wish to contact a women's program such as the Battered Women's Alternatives (888) 215-5555.
The Probation Department lacks jurisdiction unless your boyfriend is being supervised by a probation officer. However, if you would like further information please call the Probation Department in Martinez and ask to speak to the supervisor of the Domestic Violence Unit at (925) 313-4151.


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National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) is a research organization of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The Organization is looking for Project Staff for some of its projects on Contract basis especially for disabled candidates, Candidates, without physical disability, shall not apply.
Details @ http://www.ncscm.res.in/cms/careers/...ent-HR0317.pdf

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Return to Obituary for Peggy Cummins
Local Charities
Hospice of Central New York
Gift Shop
Gift Shop Home
Sympathy Baskets
Unique Remembrances
Photo Books
Memorial Seedlings
Paper Cards
Animal Welfare
Children's Organizations
Health & Medical Research
Human Rights
Animal Welfare charities
International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR)
A Kitty's PURRsuit of Happiness
Lions Tigers & Bears
African Wildlife Foundation
National Anti-Vivisection Society
AKC Canine Health Foundation
Oceanic Society
American Humane Association
Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Operation Blankets of Love
Animal Legal Defense Fund
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Born Free USA
Perseus Foundation
Caribbean Conservation Corporation
Pet Assistance, Inc.
Center for Great Apes
Primate Rescue Center
Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue
Rose's Fund for Animals
Chimp Haven
Save the Manatee Club
Conservators' Center Inc.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals
Farm Sanctuary
Thoroughbred Charities of America
Friends of Animals
United States Equine Rescue League, Inc.
Hearts United for Animals
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
Humane Society of the United States
Additional Suggestions:
Send Flowers
Send a Gift
We assist charitable giving by linking to Web sites of national non-profit organizations. Financial transactions are confidential between the donor and the organization. If you represent a local charity that is interested in being included in the local directory, please contact the newspaper directly.
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Our new visual identity is just the beginning of exciting new things from our team, and we sure hope you like it! If you want to read more about our process and insights, Iâve shared some highlights after the jump.
Still reading? Great! The team is thrilled with the new visual identity system we developed with help from our very talented friends at Lippincott, and we hope you are too! We think thereâs a lot to like here â from the âOâ as a âViewfinderâ that lets us put our contributorsâ content up front; to our bold, two-color design. We fell in love with the modern typeface, the bold color, and our ability to activate the identity in an endless number of ways. This identity reboot is about the ideas, just as much as the visual aesthetic.
May be you've noticed the diagonal of the "viewfinder"… and may be you want to see it the proper way :) Here's my preview :
Which one do you like more ?
Read the full text here .
Incoming search terms:
- shutterstock logo
- shutterstock logo font
- chinese car manufacturer logos
- logo shutterstock
- شعار ريال مدريد 2012
- shutterstock design
- shutterstock font
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- what is shutterstock font
- shutterstock font logo


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To report an emergency in progress, call 911.
November 07, 2012
After taking public testimony and closing the public hearing, the Placer County Board of Supervisors began its deliberations on the two appeals of the proposed Orchard at Penryn project Tuesday, ultimately deciding to continue the matter to a date to be determined.Board members provided guidance to staff on potential design changes to the project. Public notice will be provided when the project is scheduled to return to the board for further deliberations and final action.
The Orchard at Penryn project was approved by the Placer County Planning Commission on June 28, 2012. The project proposes 150-unit multi-family residences on a 15-acre site at the west side of Penryn Road just north of Interstate 80. The Town of Loomis and an organization known as the Stop 150 Apartments Group filed separate appeals of that approval and the certification of the project's final environmental impact report.


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100 Recent Messages Message title goes here Short paragraph explaining the nature of the message goes here.
Questions? Submit a ticket or visit our Help Center.
Additional help links: Contact Us
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0/57 engines detected this file. MediaFire scans high-risk files using VirusTotal.
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text:
Comedian Chelsea Handler will take her act on the road this spring on a coast to coast tour of the U.S. Handler is touring in support of her new book, Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me, which hits shelves May 10th.
The late night talk show host will be joined on tour by her regular "Chelsea Lately" panel members, Josh Wolf, Brad Wollack, and Heather McDonald.
The Lies tour will kick off in Boston, Massachusetts on May 10th. The nearly twenty city tour will close out in Seattle, Washington on June 25th.
Get your Chelsea Handler tickets at ShowTimeTickets.com, where we are never sold out! For a full list of tour dates, check the listings below. Continue reading


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Women's Studies
8001. Introduction to
Feminist Studies (3 s.h.)
This course provides a general introduction to students interested in the interdisciplinary field of Women's Studies as well as in applying feminist methods of research, analysis and practice in their own disciplines.
9082. Independent Study (3 s.h.)
Independent work on a project related to Women's Studies supervised by a member of the Women's Studies Affiliated Faculty.
9991. Seminar in Feminist
Research (1-3 s.h.)
Students will present research on topics related to gender and feminist theory. Discussions depend on common readings on what constitutes feminist research and focus on an analysis and critique of the papers presented.


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A three-day Thanksgiving Celebration will be Friday through Sunday at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.
Guided tours of the Traditional Village, complete with hot chocolate, will be conducted.
A miniature holiday ornament class and a children's Christmas tree workshop are planned. A Stomp Dance
demonstration will be conducted at 11 a.m. in the Traditional Village Friday and Saturday.
Holiday sales will be offered in cultural center retail shops.
To ask questions, call (580) 622-7130.


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Canadian lobster protests revive memories of 2012
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Protests and blockades in Canada in recent days over low lobster prices are rekindling memories of last summer when Canadian fishermen angrily blocked truckloads of Maine-caught lobsters from being delivered to processing plants, but industry members in Maine aren't expecting a repeat.
More than 2,000 lobstermen in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Quebec tied up their boats over the past week in protest, and some blocked lobster shipments at processing plants. Most lobstermen resumed fishing Tuesday, although several hundred in Prince Edward Island still refused to haul their traps.
The protests aren't directly connected to Maine, where the lobster catch is light this time of year. Rather, they're a show of frustration about continuing low prices and the way prices are set, said Christian Brun, executive secretary of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, which represents about 1,300 fishermen in New Brunswick.
Brun doesn't expect a recurrence of last summer when some Canadian fishermen blocked truckloads of Maine lobsters at processing plants, blaming Maine's harvest for driving down prices in Canada. The blockades brought Canada's lobster-processing industry to a near-standstill, created anxiety in Maine's lobster industry and led to calls for then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to intervene.
"I don't think we'll be seeing the same events as last year," Brun said. "We've spent eight months intensively talking to our harvesters in New Brunswick and having them understand the consequences of blocking trucks and doing that kind of action. Last year, nobody expected (such low prices) because the markets were doing so well in the spring and all of the sudden they crumbled and collapsed."
Last year's record spring catches in Maine and in Canada resulted in a glut of lobsters on the market and 1990s' prices paid to fishermen. For the year, Maine fishermen caught a record 126 million pounds of lobster but received only $2.69 a pound on average, the lowest price since 1994.
Maine Lobstermen's Association Executive Director Patrice McCarron said tensions between Canada and Maine fishermen should ease this summer because everyone's more prepared, market conditions have improved and nobody's anticipating an early season lobster glut like last year.
"Last summer was a season of extremes," she said. "Almost everything that happened was unpredictable, was outside of the norm. Circumstance after circumstance was keeping people off guard. In 2013, we're collectively more prepared for the unexpected."
Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher said he gets daily briefings from a staffer on what's been happening in Canada. It appears that Maine won't have the large early season volume it had last year and that Canadian processors are prepared in case there is an influx, he said.
"The big issue is Canadian fishermen reacting to a downturn in prices, whether they're ready for the volume or not," he said.
Still, it's unprecedented to have fishermen from all over Atlantic Canada tie up their boats at the same time in solidarity, said Ian MacPherson, executive director of the Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association, which represents more than 1,250 lobstermen.
Blake Wood, a fisherman from Beachpoint, Prince Edward Island, said he and two other fishermen late last week hauled out their boats to block the entrance to a lobster-processing plant while 100 or so fishermen protested outside. Maine fishermen should also tie up their boats to keep product off the market in hopes of driving up prices, he said.
"We're just reaching out to them for an Eastern Seaboard tie-up to shut down the markets," he said. "We need help. If you shut down the markets, the brokers hurt."
The Canadian protests spurred the Prince Edward Island premier and the fisheries ministers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to meet with fishermen on Monday. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged fishermen and seafood producers to resolve the dispute.
"Obviously, we are concerned by what we're seeing in the marketplace," Harper said Tuesday while in Prince Edward Island. "We obviously encourage the fishermen and processors to work to find a solution to some of the market difficulties in this particular area."


text: it's a master - master replication .... My question: when i run a "create table" statement on one of the databases, is that table also created on the other table ? or just the table content (the inserted rows) are in sync ? and here is the error on one of the masters : 120209 22:50:20 [ERROR] Slave SQL: Error 'Duplicate entry '174' for key 'PRIMARY'' on query. Default database: 'rent'. Query: 'INSERT INTO jobs(title, job_type_id, buyer_id, service_provider_id, price_low, price_high, status_id, created) VALUES("Test Polo Shirt 2", 2, 65, 64, "15.00", "50.00", '1208', now())', Error_code: 1062 120209 22:50:20 [Warning] Slave: Field 'modified' doesn't have a default value Error_code: 1364 120209 22:50:20 [Warning] Slave: Duplicate entry '174' for key 'PRIMARY' Error_code: 1062 120209 22:50:20 [ERROR] Error running query, slave SQL thread aborted. Fix the problem, and restart the slave SQL thread with "SLAVE START". We stopped at log 'mysqld-bin.000001' position 6096


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SA will be undergoing maintenance on Sunday 3/21/2010 between the hours of 4am - 6am, EST. At that time the forums will be unavailable. There will be an update posted in the shoutbox shortly before we start as well as an update posted here in this thread. Once the maintenance is complete the forums will reopen for normal activity.
We don't anticipate any issues at this point with any of our current addons ceasing to function or functioning any differently than they currently do. In the event though that we do find a problem with a particular mod we will be keep everyone informed via this thread of the issue and the progress towards a fix (if any) for that feature.
This is basic forum software maintenance, as well as adding the Sports Icons feature to the forums that some of you have requested. The plaza, vbookie, and arcade should still function as normal but again just in case something goes sideways we wanted to keep you all informed.
After this upgrade is complete and we verify everything is working ok, we'll set a date to upgrade the Arcade to the latest version as well as the plaza.
Any questions in the mean time, feel free to post up here.
Thanks all!!


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mysql db admin to backup/unload/reload db's to reduce size
Budget $30-250 USD
Looking for a mysql db admin to
backup/unload/reload db's to reduce size
The files are getting way to large.
16 freelancers are bidding on average $162 for this job
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Health and Wellness
If your plan has Blue Cross® Health & Wellness as one of its benefits, you have a wealth of resources at your fingertips. The Blue Cross Health & Wellness website, powered by WebMD®, gives you some exciting tools that can help you manage your health.
Blue Cross Health & Wellness is available 24 hours a day, every day, through your account at bcbsm.com or the Blue Cross mobile app. It gives you the latest information on health and wellness as well as:
- An interactive health assessment
- Digital Health Assistant programs
- A personal Health Record
- Health trackers
- Helpful online tools and resources
Here's how to access the new Blue Cross Health & Wellness site:
- Log in or register for your member account at bcbsm.com or download the app.
- Click on Health & Wellness to enter the Blue Cross Health & Wellness site. You'll need to register if it's your first time.
Other Blue Cross Health & Wellness resources that may be available to you are:
Health Assessment
Get a clearer picture of your health and take the first step toward total wellness with this helpful tool.
Learn more
24-Hour Nurse Line
Get answers to your most important health care questions with 24/7 telephone support from registered nurses.
Learn more
Case Management
You don't have to go through difficult medical issues alone. Our case management programs can answer questions, and provide the support and guidance you need.
Learn more
Chronic Condition Management
Get the support you need to reduce costs and doctors visits and improve wellness as you manage chronic illness.
Learn more
Wellness Programs
We offer programs for the workplace and home that help identify illness and improve health.
Learn more
Other Health and Wellness Information
Staying Healthy
Get helpful tips about flu shots, depression screenings, BMI and other ways to manage your health.
Learn more
Getting Better
Being diagnosed with a chronic condition or serious illness isn't the end of the world. We've got resources to help you get better.
Learn more
WebMD Health Services is an independent company supporting Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members by providing health and wellness services.


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About Myth-Weavers
Myth-Weavers was created in early 2006 as a place for a group of like-minded gamers to share something we loved: gaming. The original plan for the site was to provide an innovative and interactive experience for gamers of all types. To create the flexibility to play whatever system - or lack of same - any of our members preferred.
From less than a hundred members to over 4,000 active members, Myth-Weavers has become a place where gamers can come to enjoy the Play-by-Post experience, relax and banter with friends, and share opinions and ideas relevant to the gaming community. Since those early days, we have added more staff with varied talents, to better listen to, maintain, and grow the community we're building here. Our goal is to continue to release features and functions that provide a rich gaming experience for all our members. Our hope is that you enjoy your time as part of our community.
Welcome, and happy gaming!


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Teacher of Humanities (Geography), Bradford
Closing date:
Start date: August 2018 / January 2019
Contract type: Part Time / Full Time
Contract term: Permanent
Open Applications: Friday 01st June - Monday 18th June 2018
Location: Bradford
Contract type: Part time / Full time
Contract term: Permanent
Start Date: August / January
Salary: MPS + TLR (dependent on experience)
Dixons McMillan rated outstanding in all areas by Ofsted in June 2017
- "A strong culture of care for scholars permeates the school"
- "The academy is harmonious"
- "Scholars are thoughtful and kind to each other"
- "All staff said that they feel proud to be a member of the school, and staff morale is extremely high"
- "There is a calm and safe atmosphere throughout the school"
Why teach at Dixon McMillan Academy?
Dixons McMillan opened in September 2014 with just one Year 7 cohort. In September 2016 we moved into our new building and we have close to 600 scholars on site. This is a great career opportunity to be part of an expanding school. It is a very special place to work.
We ensure that teachers can prioritise teaching above everything else. By keeping teaching the main thing, staff are able to refine and develop their practice in the classroom within a nurturing environment. Tailored coaching and considerable time to plan allows staff and scholars to fulfil their potential. Our values driven culture genuinely enables teachers to teach and scholars to learn. We are incredibly proud of our staff and scholars who do what it takes for as long as it takes to be successful. We have very high expectations of staff, but we value them highly. We were graded outstanding by Ofsted in all areas in June 2017, we are now focused on ensuring we are one of the best schools in the country.
The successful candidate will be:
- an excellent teacher, with a specialism in Geography, who will do whatever it takes to ensure the life choices of all Dixons McMillan scholars are maximised
- someone who can show measurable impact as an individual teacher and at departmental level
- focused on building strong professional relationships by valuing everyone in our school
- able to motivate and inspire scholars to achieve their full potential
- aligned to a can-do culture, positive and solution focused environment
- committed to the happiness, well-being, self-esteem and progress of everyone at the school
The academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undertake a DBS enhanced clearance for the academy.
More information about our vacancies and a downloadable application form can be found on our website: http://www.dixonsma.com/index.php/vacancies
We fully recommend potential applicants to visit the school before sending an application.
My vision for Dixons McMillan is simple: to provide young people with the very best education possible so that they leave the academy highly employable and ready to lead happy and successful lives. This involves ensuring that scholars are unive...
Contact Dixons McMillan Academy
Thanks for your interest in this role.
Simply fill in the form below to ask any questions, request a call, or schedule a school visit.
This field is required


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Minnesota Edges Toward 6th Highest Cigarette Tax
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota is weeks away from having the nation's 6th highest tax on cigarettes when the new $2.83-a-pack charge kicks in.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue on Thursday put a finer point on tax changes the Legislature approved in May. Increases in tobacco taxes were key parts of a new state budget.
The cigarette tax hike is effective July 1. Minnesota smokers pay $1.23 per pack now, which is beneath the national average. New York is tops at $4.35.
As part of the tax conversion, retailers must take inventory on packs already in stores. By mid-July they must report their counts to the state and pay a one-time floor stock tax by early September. Proceeds from that floor tax have been earmarked to retire debt on the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.


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Obeceans, how much do you care about your community? Enough to run for office?
If so, get out your clipboards, sharpen your pencils and start knocking on doors. It's election time, and seven positions are available for qualified candidates to serve on the Ocean Beach Planning Board (OBPB).
Citizens who want to make Ocean Beach a better place by vetting development projects and examining other neighborhood issues have until Feb. 5 to qualify for next month's ballot.
Those who miss that deadline have until March 10 to qualify as a write-in candidate.
To run, applicants must be at least 18 and live, own property or run a business in the Ocean Beach planning area. This area is divided into seven districts.
Candidates must gather 35 signatures in the district of their residence, business or property. The boundaries of the planning area and its seven districts can be viewed at oceanbeachplanning.org.
Hopefuls must also have attended at least one meeting between February 2013 and January 2014.
The Ocean Beach Planning Board is one of more than 40 community planning boards across the city that have been sanctioned by the San Diego City Council to make recommendations on land use and other community matters.
Gaining office carries its weight of responsibilities and commitments. But for those citizens willing to serve their community, claiming a board seat may be an easier goal to achieve than you might think. Recent board members have been elected with little more than a handful of votes.
The requirement to gather signatures is rare among planning boards, but it's a great way to gauge the pulse of the neighborhood, said Peter Ruscitti, vice chairman of the OB Planning Board.
"Gathering 35 signatures is an important requirement that provides candidates with an opportunity to get familiar with their districts and talk to their neighbors about issues that matter to them," Ruscitti said in an email.
A candidate forum is planned for March 5 at 6 p.m. at the Ocean Beach Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Ave. Balloting will be held March 11 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the same location. Identification and proof of residence is required. Voters may preregister and mail in ballots.
Ballots, candidate applications and information will be available at the Wednesday Farmers Market from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 19 and 26, or visit oceanbeachplanning.org.
Terms are two years and meetings take place the first Wednesday of the month. Successful candidates must also complete a planning curriculum as a community orientation workshop. A handbook may be downloaded at sandiego.gov/planning/community/cow.shtml.
Feb. 2: Last day to postmark candidate application by mail
Feb. 5: Last day to submit candidate application in person at OBPB meeting or by making an appointment; see instructions on application
Feb. 12, 19, 26: Ocean Beach Planning Board to host booth at Wednesday Farmer's Market with mail-in ballots, candidate applications and other information
Feb. 23: Last day to request mail-in ballot to be mailed to you
March 5: Candidate forum
March 10: Last day for write-in candidates to submit application in person
March 11: Election 4 to 7 p.m. at the Ocean Beach Recreation Center. Last day to postmark mail-in ballot.
— Compiled by staff


text:
Current Newswire:
Using Wget With FTP To Download/Move Web Sites RecursivelyOct 28, 2012, 08:00 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Falko Timme)
Sometimes you need to move a web site from one server to another. Instead of downloading the web site from the old server to your PC via FTP and uploading it from your PC to the new server, it would save a lot of time to simply copy the web site from one server to the other. This tutorial explains how to use Wget to download/move a web site from one server to the other via FTP.
0 Talkback[s] (click to add your comment)


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Gay Marriage Supporters Rally at Minnesota Capitol
ST. PAUL (AP) - Hundreds of gay marriage supporters are swarming the Capitol in hopes of winning over lawmakers whose votes if the bill comes up for a vote at the Capitol.
Several groups pushing for legal gay marriage are holding a lobby day Thursday. It included a rally that drew a crowd of at least several hundred people despite cold, sleety weather.
Gov. Mark Dayton told the crowd he will sign a bill to legalize gay marriage if it gets to his desk. He says people have "a constitutional right and an American right to marry who you love."
Bills to legalize gay marriage passed House and Senate committees last month. They could get full House and Senate votes in the next few weeks, but it's not yet clear if backers have enough support to pass it.


text:
Rackspace has made additions and changes to the operating systems available in Cloud Servers, and we're excited to share those updates with you.
The first is CentOS 6.3, which is the latest version of the popular CentOS 6.x platform. The next is a new operating system offering for Rackspace, FreeBSD 9, which offers customers another powerful choice for their cloud infrastructure, with features like high performance networking, the ZFS filesystem and the strong FreeBSD ports software collection.
CentOS 6.3 and FreeBSD 9 Now Available
CentOS 6.3 is the latest version of the CentOS distribution, and was just released two weeks ago. We're doing our best to make these available as quickly as possible after release. For more information, you can find the CentOS 6.3 release notes here.
FreeBSD support has been a popular request for a while and we are extremely excited to now make it available. To make FreeBSD support possible, we needed to make a couple of fundamental enhancements to Cloud Servers. One such change is support for non-ext3 and NTFS file systems (FreeBSD runs ZFS). For more information, go to http://www.freebsd.org/features.html
To keep things simple for you, Cloud Servers automatically expands and shrinks the file system when launching and resizing servers. Some customers, however, have asked for more control, such as being able to install different file systems, set up multiple partitions, etc. To support both scenarios, we created a new option called Disk Configuration, which allows a filesystem to either automatically expand to the size limits of the instance being created, or to be left alone for manual management by the user. For FreeBSD, Disk Configuration is set to the latter (which means you may see unpartitioned disk space and will need to configure it however you want).
Previously, Disk Configuration was an internal setting that Rackspace used, but we have carried this feature forward into OpenStack and our upcoming Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack offering, which gives you control over this setting. That means you will be able to configure any image for either automatic or manual Disk Configuration. Simplicity or control – you get to choose.
Removal of Fedora 15 and Debian 5
Support has ended for both Fedora 15 and Debian 5. As such, we will remove these images from Cloud Servers on Aug. 27, 2012. We recommend customers consider Fedora 17 and Debian 6 for production servers needing these distributions of Linux.
Update: This post was edited to fix two errors that suggested that FreeBSD was a completely new operating system, and a reference that mixed Linux and FreeBSD terminology.


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It's almost that time again: just four more sleeps before Christmas Eve. Have you got everything ready? You're in the happy minority! The last few days before Christmas can be very stressful, because most people still have a lot to do. How can you escape the chaos? Take a look at our tips!
1. Shop online
Avoid long queues in shopping centres and don't spend hours looking for a parking space – the last few items on the Christmas list can be ordered online and sent directly to your house via express
2. Decorating made easy
Haven't had time to decorate your house for Christmas? Go for a minimalist theme! Luckily, tinsel and glitter are a thing of the past. With a couple of tricks you can conjure up real eye-catchers in the twinkling of an eye, without much effort at all. Create a stress-free festival of light by putting up fairy lights and lanterns in the garden.
3. Say goodbye to stress
Don't know whether you're coming or going? Candles and good music help you to relax, and a long bath with high-quality oils let you forget the hustle and bustle outside the door. Our tip: nice room fragrances create a special Christmas atmosphere and circulate a peaceful aura around your home.
4. A culinary helping hand
It's easy to lose your head when you're choosing and preparing your Christmas menu. But isn't that what experts are for? You don't have to magic up everything on your own steam. Don't shy away from ordering Christmas cakes from a bakery or buying your turkey trimmings pre-prepared from your local delicatessen. That saves you a few steps, so you can enjoy the extra time with your loved ones.
Even if you don't often find a new property or a holiday home under the Christmas tree, take a look at our wonderful properties!


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winstonw wrote:high_tea wrote:The problem is poor enforcement. The solution is better enforcement, or possibly better laws.
The problem is poor enforcement, because scaling that doesn't work either.
And whose hands is the power scaled into? elites who too often are disconnected from what is happening on the frontline.
The reason they want to be elites is to escape the Madding Crowd because they detest it - There's no Gandhi in Western political history.
I say too much power has been taken away from local community, and as many university qualified idle elites jam themselves into the process to claim a piece of the pie. The point is, your system isn't working either high_tea. Look at what has happened before when elites skim the kitty and don't deliver what they set out to.
And why isn't it working? because elites don't really give a toss about cyclists getting knocked off bikes. All they care about is the integrity of the 'system'.
Uh, no. The problem is that the community doesn't really give a toss. So excuse me if I don't see community-based justice improving the situation. Agreed, it's a hard problem. I just think the Good Ole Days aren't likely to offer up a solution. The things you describe were tried and found wanting. If they're tried again, I reckon the exact same thing will happen.
Also, Road Rules (and related penalties) are something that benefit from uniformity: uniform rules and uniform enforcement. This is one of the things that Magna Carta at least attempted to do (check out the bits about weights and measures and fish-dams (really!)) along with circumscribing the ruler's power.


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Alvarez: Big Ten to drop FCS scheduling
Philadelphia, PA – The Big Ten is planning to phase out games against Football Championship Subdivision opponents.
Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said on WIBA-AM in Madison, Wis., Tuesday night the conference made the decision recently.
"The non-conference schedule in our league is ridiculous," Alvarez said. "It's not very appealing ...
"So we've made an agreement that our future games will all be (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools. It will not be FCS schools."
Big Ten teams went 8-0 against FCS competition this past season. Eventual FCS champion North Dakota State defeated Minnesota, 37-24, in 2011.
Some Big Ten schools have games scheduled against FCS opponents in the next three seasons, so the ban against playing FCS opponents figures to be phased in over time.


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WELLINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - New Zealand's Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy exporter, caught up in a contamination scandal this month, said on Thursday it was also forced to withdraw 42 tons of milk powder bound for China because of high nitrite levels.
Dairy products account for about a quarter of New Zealand's export earnings, and China is its biggest buyer of milk powder.
The high nitrite levels were first brought up by the official China Daily in late July and have dealt another blow to the company after it announced this month that it had found bacteria that could cause food poisoning in some products.
Fonterra had to apologize for a milk powder contamination scare in China after contaminated whey protein concentrate had been sold to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Saudi Arabia, and used in products including infant milk powder and sports drinks.
The company said on Thursday a shipment of powder had also been halted at the Chinese border in May after tests showed nitrite levels higher than allowed in China, although it had been approved for export after testing in New Zealand.
Nitrites occur naturally in water, soil and food and can be used as fertilizers and preservatives. Excessively high levels can be toxic.
Fonterra's group director of food safety and quality, Ian Palliser, said the milk powder showed nitrite levels of between 1.4 parts per million and 1.8 ppm when it was shipped from New Zealand, but showed higher levels in Chinese tests.
"The limit is 2 parts per million in China and the product tested at somewhere between 2.4 ppm and 2.8 ppm," Palliser told Radio New Zealand.
He added that China had a much lower threshold for nitrite levels than New Zealand, where levels of up to 5 ppm are considered safe for domestic consumption. The levels were "not a food safety issue whatsoever", Palliser said.
"The levels were below the New Zealand standards. This product could have been sold safely in New Zealand."
Fonterra said it had been in full control of the affected product and none of it had reached the retail supply chain.
Wellington has voiced frustrations over Fonterra's foot dragging in disclosing the contamination issue, and during a visit to China on Thursday, Foreign Minister Murray McCully sought to distance the country from Fonterra's woes.
"Fonterra has some work ahead of it in rebuilding Chinese consumer confidence," he told reporters in Beijing after meetings with State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
"We expect from our exporters that there should not be any mistakes ... When Fonterra disappoints customers, they also disappoint New Zealand."
Yang, in meetings with McCully, urged New Zealand to improve food safety, Chinese state media reported.
"We hope the New Zealand side will appropriately handle food safety issues, including the safety of dairy products, exported to China, and substantially ensure Chinese consumers' interests," Yang said, according to official newswire Xinhua.
Fonterra's much smaller competitor, Westland Milk Products, had export certificates revoked this week for a small quantity of the protein lactoferrin because unacceptable levels of nitrates were discovered in four consignments.
Editing by Nick Macfie and Clarence Fernandez


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SYCAMORE – Brian Bemis World Auto helped to raise $1,840 for the Kaneland High School football team with the Ram Truck brand's Ram Gridiron Challenge program. The fundraising event was held during a varsity football game on Oct. 11.
"The Ram Truck brand and high school football are intricately linked through their connection to the tough, powerful and rugged American lifestyle," said Phillip Scroggin, manager of the Midwest Business Center. "Through the Ram Gridiron Challenge, we are able to give back to football organizations that provide students with a safe and engaging outlet outside of academics."
Participants earned a $20 contribution to the Kaneland High School football team by taking a brief test drive in a Ram truck. Brian Bemis World Auto supplied the vehicles, and volunteers from the dealership were on hand to assist in the fundraising drives.
The Ram Gridiron Challenge was introduced at the start of this year's football season. Learn more about the Ram Truck brand at www.ramtrucks.com.


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OT: Do you recite or type your posts?
Do you recite or type your posts? Most likely if you recite your post, it is done in combination with typing?
Where is this headed and what does it portend? I like reciting my posts if I speak clearly, but until I can edit the mistakes easier, reciting is going to have limitations.
For the first time in my life I feel like some sort of low grade thespian, but I get a a cheap thrill out of people looking at me funny when I am talking to my phone and bellow out words like; "Semi Colon", "Comma", Question Mark", "Period", "EXCLAMATION POINT".
Trust me, if you say out loud in public, "I love you baby... exclamation point", you will get some snickers.
If anybody has insights on this technology, I would love to hear them EXCLAMATION POINT


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Madison County Library
Treats for Little Free Pantry
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
In November our Book Bot will become a Little Free Pantry for the community! Bring or take nonperishable food and hygiene items as you have or have need. Leftovers will be donated to the Madison County Food Bank before Thanksgiving.


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Teens plead guilty in triple slayings in Wyoming
CODY, Wyo. (AP) — Two teenagers who gunned down three members of a family at a rural home in northern Wyoming early this year will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole, a district judge ordered Tuesday.
Tanner B. Vanpelt and Stephen F. Hammer, both 19 and both from Cody, cried in court as they apologized for the killings.
Vanpelt and Hammer pleaded guilty to killing Ildiko Freitas, 40, and her parents, 70-year-old Janos Volgyesi and 69-year-old HIldegard Volgyesi.
Authorities said the teens killed the three at the Volgyesi home in the small community of Clark, just south of the Montana line in northwestern Wyoming, on March 2. The teens had stolen guns from a Cody pawn shop in the days before the killing, authorities have said, and came to the house to take Frietas' Audi A4 car so they could flee the area.
Freitas knew Hammer from when his family had lived in the Clark area previously and had invited the pair into her home that morning.
Vanpelt shot Freitas, officials say. Hammer then drew a gun and shot Hildegard Volgyesi in the basement. Vanpelt then shot Janos Volgyesi in the garage.
Hammer and Vanpelt each pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder at Tuesday's hearing. The Powell Tribune (http://bit.ly/17CeXuo) reported that Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric agreed to seek life sentences instead of the death penalty, with the agreement of law enforcement and Freitas' family.
Freitas' husband, John Freitas, and her younger brother, Thomas Volgyesi, each spoke at the sentencing hearing.
"They meant the world to me and your senseless act has ruined my life forever," Thomas Volgyesi said.
While saying the teens deserved the death penalty, Thomas Volgyesi said it would not bring him any closure. He said he supported a life sentence.
John Freitas said the killings sentenced him to a lifetime of nightmares. "There's nothing left," he said.
Vanpelt said there was no explanation for what he did. "But the only thing that I know is that I have to live with it every day," he said, adding he wished he could take it back.
Hammer also said his actions couldn't be justified. "I can't even fathom what I've put you and everybody through," he said, looking toward the family. "I wish more than anything I could take back what I've done."
Defense attorneys said they couldn't explain their clients' actions, but said the violence was out of character.
District Court Judge Steven Cranfill accepted the guilty pleas. He said he couldn't bring back the victims, provide answers or erase what the community had experienced. However, he said he could accept the agreement supported by the victims' family and sentence Vanpelt and Hammer to life in prison.
Vanpelt received three consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hammer received one sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole and two additional life sentences.
Cranfill gave both Hammer and Vanpelt the same final words: "May God have mercy on your soul."
Information from: Powell (Wyo.) Tribune, http://www.powelltribune.com


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Bullet (work)The best workout time for a particular distance on a given day at a track. From the printer's "bullet" that precedes the time of the workout in listings. Also known as a "black-letter" work in some parts of the country.
BullringA small racetrack, usually less than one mile.
ButeShort for phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is legal in many racing jurisdictions. Often known by the trade names Butazolidin and Butazone.
Buy BackA horse put through a public auction that did not reach a minimum (reserve) price set by the consignor and so was retained. The consignor must pay a fee to the auction company based on a percentage of the reserve, to cover the auction company's marketing, advertising and other costs.


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BILLERICA, Mass., April 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Science and Engineering, Inc., ("AS&E") (Nasdaq:ASEI) a leading worldwide provider of threat and contraband X-ray detection solutions, announced the receipt of an order for six Z Portal® multi-view X-ray screening systems for a new Middle East customer. The Z Portal systems — the first to be deployed in this Middle East country — will be used to improve checkpoint security and scan passenger vehicles, vans, trucks, and cargo for concealed threats and contraband.
"With well over 600 X-ray systems sold in the Middle East, AS&E systems have repeatedly proven their ability to ensure public safety in the region by reducing the level of vulnerability to explosive threats and contraband in parcels, vehicles and cargo," said Chuck Dougherty, President and CEO of AS&E. "These latest system deployments will further enhance checkpoint security and help solidify AS&E's position as the leading supplier for X-ray screening systems in the Middle East."
The Z Portal system is the most comprehensive screening system available with multi-view, drive-through screening of cars, vans, trucks, and their cargo. The Z Portal system combines multi-view imaging (left, right, and top-down) with the superior detection capabilities of AS&E's patented Z Backscatter® technology to give comprehensive ability to detect explosives, drugs, stowaways, and other contraband while simultaneously facilitating the flow of traffic. With its compact design, the Z Portal system is ideal for high-traffic locations with space constraints and is safe for drivers, operators, cargo, and the environment. The relocatable screening system is available in two sizes — one for large trucks, buses, and cargo vehicles, and a smaller size for passenger vehicles.
American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) is the trusted global provider of threat and contraband detection solutions for ports, borders, military, critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and aviation. With over 50 years of experience, AS&E offers proven, advanced, X-ray inspection systems to combat terrorism, drug smuggling, illegal immigration and trade fraud. AS&E systems are designed in a variety of configurations for cargo and vehicle inspection, parcel inspection, and personnel screening. Using a combination of technologies, these systems provide superior detection capabilities, with high-energy, dual-energy, and Z Backscatter® X-rays. Learn more about AS&E products and technologies at www.as-e.com.
Safe Harbor Statement: The foregoing press release contains statements concerning AS&E's financial performance, markets and business operations that may be considered "forward-looking" under applicable securities laws. AS&E wishes to caution readers of this press release that actual results might differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein include the following: significant reductions, delays or cancellations (in full or in part) in procurements of the Company's systems by the United States and other governments; disruption in the supply of any source component incorporated into AS&E's products; litigation seeking to restrict the use of intellectual property used by the Company; limitations under certain laws on the Company's ability to protect its own intellectual property; potential product liability claims against the Company; global political trends and events which affect public perception of the threat presented by drugs, explosives and other contraband; global economic developments and the ability of governments and private organizations to fund purchases of the Company's products to address such threats; the potential insufficiency of Company resources, including human resources, capital, plant and equipment and management systems, to accommodate any future growth; technical problems and other delays that could impact new product development and the Company's ability to adapt to changes in technology and customer requirements; competitive pressures; lengthy sales cycles both in United States government procurement and procurement abroad; future delays in federal funding, the market price of the company's stock prevailing from time to time, the nature of other investment opportunities presented to the company from time to time, the company's cash flows from operations and market and general economic conditions. These and certain other factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected are detailed from time to time in AS&E's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. AS&E undertakes no obligation to update forward looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes in future operating results, financial condition or business over time. Readers are further advised to review the "Risk Factors" set forth in the Company's most recent Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, which further detail and supplement the factors described in this Safe Harbor Statement. Among other disclosures, the Risk Factors disclose risks pertaining to that portion of the Company's business that is dependent on United States government contracting as well as international customers.
CONTACT: Public Relations Contact: Dana Harris Red Javelin Communications, Inc. 978-440-8392 firstname.lastname@example.com Laura Berman American Science and Engineering, Inc. 978-262-8700 email@example.com
Source:American Science and Engineering, Inc.


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Stanborough contacted Apple in order to get a refund, and while the company did offer a refund in a letter, the company also stated that by accepting the money, Stanborough was to "agree that you will keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential", and that any breach of confidentiality "may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties".
11-year-old Ellie and her exploded iPod. Image courtesy of The Times
Needless to say, Stanborough was appaled. "I thought it was a very disturbing letter," he said, "They're putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie's mum, not to say anything to anyone. If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling.""We didn't ask for compensation, we just asked for our money back," he added. Stanborough has not accepted the money, and didn't sign the letter. An Apple spokesperson said that since Apple had not seen the iPod in question, they could not comment. The Trading Standards Institute could not comment on whether letters like this are standard in the industry, but that they could understand Apple wanting to take steps to protect its reputation.
Threatening your customers (and victims of your faulty product, no less) with litigation. Sounds like a good business strategy to me!


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Customer Reviews
All reviews are from people who have redeemed deals with this merchant.
What You'll Get
After purchasing this deal, you will need to visit the website listed on your Groupon voucher to complete redemption.
The Deal
$39 for a one-year Thrive Market membership plus $10 credit ($69.95 value)
- More than 4,000 healthy, organic foods and premium products all at 25%–50% below retail prices
- Featuring 400+ trusted brands such as Pacific Foods, Bob's Red Mill, Simply Organic, Native Forest, Primal Kitchen, Annie's Homegrown, Nutiva, Bragg, and Woodstock.
- Free and fast shipping on all orders over $49
- Donation of one free membership to a family in need as part of the Thrive Gives program
- Includes $10 credit towards first order
- Access to frequent promotions, such as gifts with purchases
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires 90 days after purchase. Amount paid never expires. Limit 1 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Valid online only. Valid for new customers only. Credit card required. Must use entire promo value in 1 visit. Valid only for option purchased. Limit 1 redemption code at checkout. Excludes shipping to Alaska and Hawaii. Product(s) will be delivered 6-10 days from the time of redemption on merchant site. Options subject to availability. Standard shipping rates apply for orders under $49. Click here to see more info on membership. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Thrive Market
Thrive Market's concept—healthy, organic foods and premium products in everyday sizes at 25-50% off every day with delivery right to your door—has inspired Food and Wine to call it "magical" and Glamour to rave about the "crazy-low" prices. Here's how it works: pay for a membership and gain access to more than 4,000 health foods, household items, and eco-friendly products by 400+ brands, including Bob's Red Mill and Jason Naturals. Here's a closer look at the products and how to search for them:
Shop by Lifestyle: The "Shop by" link lets you search by values and lifestyle categories like Moms, Vegan, Staples, and Raw. The Moms category, for example, pulls up everything from Materne squeeze snacks to prenatal vitamins and Seventh Generation diapers, with sub-categories in food, home, and beauty to help narrow your search.
Search by Ingredient: The sub-search menus on the left of each page let you narrow your search by topics such as ingredients and environmental certifications. Scroll down the Health & Ingredients menu and you find quick links to nut-free foods, or foods with probiotics; likewise, check out the Environmental & Social menu for categories such as BPA-free and hypo-allergenic.
Search by Brand: Thrive features more than 400 brands. You can scroll through the Manufacturers menu and jump straight to your standbys, be they Annie's Homegrown pastas or Bach's Rescue Remedy Creams.
General topic: Click on the Food, Beauty, Bath, & Body, and Babies & Kids tabs at the top of the page for a full-spectrum look into Thrive's digital shelves. Or you can hover above the links for sub-categories like "coffee grounds" or "milk alternatives," and then click and scroll to your belly's delight.


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As a result of several factors which may include changing interest rates, refundings, and sales or defaults on the underlying securities, there is no guarantee that distributions will either remain at current levels or increase over time. Estimated current return is determined by dividing a Trusts estimated net annual interest income per unit by the public offering price per unit. Estimated long-term return is a measure of the estimated return over the estimated life of a Trust. Unlike estimated current return, estimated long-term return reflects maturities, estimated principal prepayments, Trust charges and expenses, and discounts and premiums of securities in a Trust. Returns and prices will fluctuate. Consult a prospectus for a more complete description of the estimated net income, estimated current return and estimated long-term return calculations.
This product information does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any state to any person to whom it is not lawful to make such an offer. Sales of any of these securities must include prospectus delivery and the services of a retail broker/dealer duly licensed in the appropriate states.


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A joint venture announced Thursday will make Henderson County the international headquarters for a plant-grafting venture and create 125 jobs.
MILLS RIVER — A joint venture announced Thursday will make Henderson County the international headquarters for a plant-grafting venture and create 125 jobs.
The new international partnership with Italian and Israeli agricultural leaders, Tri-Hishtil, will begin grafting annual crops in Mills River on 42 acres on Highway 191, which was purchased from Van Wingerden International for $2 million.
The business announcement was made by Agribusiness Henderson County, a nonprofit organization which promotes economic development of agriculture and agribusiness in the county.
Mark Williams, executive director of AgHC, said the partnership combines 50 years of soil management and fumigation experience of US-based TriEst Ag Group, the plant-grafting expertise of Israel-based Hishtil, and 60 years of plant breeding experience of the Italian SIS/Centro SEIA.
According to a news release, Histhtil is a private company that produces 80 million plants annually through its joint venture nurseries in six countries, and SIS/Centro SEIA annually sells over 120 million seedlings – 50 million of which are grafted.
Cal Lewis, director of TriEst Ag and manager of Tri-Hishtil, explained plant grafting involves connecting the vascular tissue of one plant to another, generally the top of one plant to the disease-resistant root of another.
Historically, the process has been performed on perennial crops like walnuts and apples, and has been too costly a procedure for annual crops until recently.
"It's all done by hand," he said. "That's why it's quite expensive for each individual plant."
Williams said the benefits of grafted plants to growers are numerous, including a higher yield and thus more income, easier local production, less chemical usage, and disease resistance – which he said is "a huge factor for our area."
The benefits for the consumer are a higher quality fruit, an extended shelf life and a more environmentally friendly product, he said. Williams added that a grafted plant is not a genetically modified organism.
Lewis credited Williams' tenacity in bringing Tri-Hishtil to Henderson County, and said he initially resisted Williams' idea of bringing a plant-grafting business to the area when the Dagan family of Hishtil was exploring the eastern U.S. for a suitable place to expand into the American market two years ago.
"We want to express our sincere gratitude for his foresight," Lewis said.
In a news release, Moti Dagan of Hishtil said, "We have successful joint venture operations in six countries, and after much planning for one in the U.S., Mark Williams helped make it a reality by identifying a suitable partner and site and by providing valuable assistance throughout the project development."
Dagan said, "Henderson County is agriculturally friendly with many geographic and climatological advantages, and we think it will be a great fit for Tri-Hishtil."
Via a video conference call, Diego Planeta of SIS/Centro SEIA said that after doing business with so many other countries, he found Henderson County easy to work with in starting the new venture.
"Knowing our Israeli friends for such a long time, I know that as partners we cannot fail," Planeta said of Hishtil. "There's a great future in our adventure."
Lewis said the goal of Tri-Hishtil is to lead the North American grafted vegetable market and will "target the whole Eastern Seaboard to market our grafted plants."
A number of local and state agricultural experts weighed in on the venture, touting the international partnership as a game-changer for Henderson County's agribusiness.
"It's a joy to see this kind of technology coming to the East Coast of the United States," said Debbie Hamrick, director of specialty crops at the N.C. Farm Bureau.
She said the agribusiness technology had "come full circle" in Henderson County, since Tri-Hishtil will operate on land originally owned by the Van Wingerden family, which established revolutionized greenhouses in the 1970s.
"This is one of the biggest things that could happen to this end of the state," said Bill Yarborough, a special assistant to N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
"Thank you for choosing Henderson County," added Charlie Messer, chairman of Henderson County Board of Commissioners.
State Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, said that he'd been fielding phone calls about Tri-Hishtil from interested parties across the state, including Gov. Pat McCrory, Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker and the chancellor of N.C. State University.
"They are thrilled," Apodaca said of the university's faculty and staff. "They are going to be very active."
Dr. Frank Louws, plant pathologist at N.C. State, said that growers are beginning to use more grafted plants, now that they know they'll receive a large return on investment, and said 250,000 grafted plants had been grown this year in the state.
Lewis said that Tri-Hishtil's greenhouse production of grafted plants will focus on tomatoes, watermelons, peppers, eggplant and cantaloupes.
"The company will sell to commercial farm operations and retail stores for home gardening use," he said in the release. "Advantages are stronger plants with greater resistance to disease, which required less need for chemicals, are non-GMO and produce higher yields."
The company's additional development plans will be revealed in the coming months, but the first stage of the project is estimated to create 125 jobs.
Reach McGowan at email@example.com or 828-694-7871.
Follow Molly McGowan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TNmollymcgowan


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From NBC's Ken Strickland
Two Democratic senators are asking baseball commissioner Bud Selig to ban all tobacco use in the sport, specifically citing smokeless products.
Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey are suggesting that Selig push for a ban as part of the negotiations in the players' collective bargaining agreement later this year.
Major League Baseball banned tobacco use in its minor leagues in 1993, but still allows it in the big leagues. The senators say Major League Baseball "is undoubtedly complicit" in the increase its use with school-aged boys.
In a letter to Selig, Durbin and Lautenberg wrote, "We now know conclusively that smokeless tobacco endangers the health of baseball players who use it, but it also affects millions of young people who watch baseball."
"The use of smokeless tobacco by baseball players undermines the positive image of the sport and sends a dangerous message to young fans, who may be influenced by the players they look up to as role models," they wrote
The senators say they were motivated to write the letter because of an recent newspaper article written by Washington Nationals pitcher Steven Strasburg. The pitcher said his initial use chewing tobacco stemmed from a desire to emulate pro baseball players.
Referencing a National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the senators say the use of smokeless tobacco products has increased 36% among high school boys since 2003, raising its use among all boys to 15%.
"While tobacco companies spend millions on ads tailored to attract young people to use tobacco products, MLB is undoubtedly complicit in attracting many young people to try smokeless tobacco after seeing their baseball heroes chew tobacco," they wrote.
The senators sent an identical letter to Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner.


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May 2008 | Issue 3
Australia: Consumer Protection Reforms in the Works
Funding/Liquidity: Funding and liquidity issues have become a central focus for regulators as the credit crisis continues to have an impact on credit unions. As a result, regulators are particularly interested in credit union strategies for obtaining wholesale funding in an environment where credit is tight and expensive. Regulators also are looking at credit union efforts to develop retail deposits.
Account Mobility Rule: Proposed changes would require deposit-taking institutions to provide account holders with a list of direct debits and credits to take with them to their new financial institutions. The new institutions then would be required to help the account holder re-establish the direct debits and credits. The reforms may also contain provisions governing exit and deferred-establishment fees charged by lenders on home loan products, pending review. Final requirements must be implemented by November 2008.
Predatory Lending: Abacus, consumer groups and industry stakeholders met to develop reform proposals to regulate the misuse of "purpose declarations" to circumvent the Uniform Consumer Credit Code. A use test will be proposed to determine if the loan is truly for business/investment purposes or if the declaration is only a ploy to mask loans used for unqualified purposes. Under the proposal, lenders that perform appropriate due diligence during the application process will not face penalties.
Source: Regulatory Snapshot (March 2008) Abacus – Australian Mutuals, www.abacus.org.au
Canada: Changes to Canada's Anti-Money Laundering Legislation
On June 27, 2007, new regulations under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act were published. The purpose of the amendments was to bring Canadian legislation in line with 49 recommendations made by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). This and the fact that Canada's anti-money laundering regime was the subject of an FATF audit in 2007, contributed to the enacting of the changes to the Act.
Credit unions recognize that robust Anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorist financing (ATF) legislative and regulatory measures are necessary to safeguard Canadian citizens and the economy. Credit unions have been working diligently to comply with the evolving legislative regime. Some of the significant changes include the introduction of a risk-based approach to AML compliance and new obligations to report "attempted" suspicious transactions. There is also a new requirement to identify and monitor the activity of members that are politically exposed foreign persons (PEFPs).
Further information can be found at www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca/intro-eng.asp.
Source: Credit Union Central, www.cucentral.com
Caribbean: Strengthening Credit Union Regulation
Modernising existing legislation and enhancing regulatory structures is the current priority for Caribbean countries. While Barbados and The Bahamas have already passed new legislation for the regulation of credit unions, almost all other countries are engaged in extensive consultation on harmonised draft proposals. The Food and Energy crises affecting the region have increased attention among credit unions to strengthening the capacities of producer and supplier co-operatives.
Caribbean Regulators will convene in Jamaica in early July during the CCCU's 51st Annual Convention.
Source: Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, www.caribccu.coop
Global: Credit Union Regulators Network to Convene in Honk Kong
Credit union regulators from 50 countries will gather in Hong Kong July 12–13 for the sixth annual Credit Union Regulators' Roundtable to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The invitation-only roundtable immediately precedes the World Council of Credit Union's annual conference, held at the Centre July 13–16.
Roundtable meetings are held each year to bring regulators together to discuss current and emerging issues, as well as risks facing financial cooperatives. This year's agenda includes sessions on off-site surveillance as a tool for supervisors and deposit insurers, mobile banking and WOCCU's Model Regulations for Credit Unions, among other topics to be discussed.
The International Credit Union Regulators' Network (ICURN) and the World Council of Credit Unions sponsor the roundtable. To learn more about ICURN please visit the World Council's website at www.woccu.org/involved/regnet. Information about the WOCCU's 2008 conference in Hong Kong maybe found at: www.woccu.org/events/wcuc.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org
Global: WOCCU Efforts Contribute to CU Reference in European Parliament Report
A report adopted April 22 by the European Parliament promoting the value of volunteerism and designating 2011 as the European Year of Volunteering contained what is thought to be the first formal definition of credit unions to be included in a European Union document. The definition was included after lobbying efforts by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).
Authored by Marian Harkin, the European Parliament Rapporteur and an Irish member of the European Democrats Party, the report includes a reference to the role credit unions play with regards to volunteerism and reads as follows: "...(W)hereas volunteers play an important role in achieving the Lisbon Strategy goal of socio-economic cohesion by contributing to financial inclusion, for example, by establishing credit unions which are regulated and not for profit financial cooperatives, run and governed by volunteers."
The reference, supported by WOCCU, is the first formal reference in an official European Union document that defines credit union ownership and governance. The reference to credit unions is part of a much larger, further-reaching document on the importance of volunteerism with European Union countries.
Source: European Parliament, Procedural file with links to text and resolution of adoption: www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5498492
Global: Pending IASB Standards Could Harm Small CU Operations
Certain provisions in the International Accounting Standards Board's (IASB) proposed accounting standards for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be detrimental to credit unions, according to World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).
Specific areas of concern include the draft's failure to clarify whether, as member-owned financial cooperatives, credit unions fall within the document's provisions. The draft carefully articulates application to entities that hold public assets "for a broad group of outsiders such as a bank, insurance entity, securities broker/dealer, pension fund, mutual fund or investment banking entity." Failure to include credit unions in the list may imply inclusion in full International Financial Reporting Standards, which could create insurmountable hurdles for many SMEs.
A second area of concern is that these "simplified" standards for SMEs are still much too complex for the average credit union and its 2,650 members, $1.9 million in assets and 7.5 employees.
To view the letter's full text, please visit the WOCCU website at: www.woccu.org/memberserv/advocacy/positionpapers.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org/press/releases?id=1480
Global: Comment Period Ends on WOCCU's Draft Consumer Protection Principles
Following a two-month consultation period with its members and credit unions, WOCCU ended the comment period on its draft Consumer Protection Principles. The Principles will now be revised and brought to WOCCU's General Assembly for approval at its annual general meeting in July.
Source: www.woccu.org/documents/ConsumerProtectionPrinciples
Great Britain: HM Treasury Issues Summary of Responses to Credit Union and Co-operative Legislative Review
A summary of responses to the document titled "Review of GB cooperative and credit union legislation: a consultation" was published in December 2007 and contained good news for British credit unions. See consultation, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./consultations_and_legislation/creditunions/consult_creditunions_index.cfm.
Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher summed up support enjoyed by the movement when she said, "We're proud of the contribution made by cooperatives and credit unions. Updating the legislative framework in which they operate will be key to allowing them to develop and expand, enabling better service for members and providing greater choice and diversity in the financial services sector."
The Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL) is now working with HM Treasury to draw up detailed proposals on a number of key changes, which will allow credit unions to provide more services to more people, accept corporates into membership and pay interest on savings. HM Treasury has asked WOCCU to participate in the legislative review work group.
Summary of responses: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/4/1/consult_coopreviewresponses211207.pdf
Source: Association of British Credit Unions Ltd., www.abcul.coop
Ireland: Financial Regulator Seeks to Implement Consumer Protection Code for Credit Unions
The Financial Regulator in Ireland issued a consultation paper in March entitled "Voluntary Consumer Protection Code for Credit Unions." The paper is part of a consultation process with credit unions on an appropriate consumer protection framework for their members, in particular, with regard to savings and the extension of credit. The intention is that such a code would be voluntary in nature. But, if there is a general review of credit union legislation, the Financial Regulator will propose that the Code become mandatory.
In 2006, the Financial Regulator issued a Consumer Protection Code for other providers of retail financial services, from which credit unions were exempted. However, this process now seeks to implement an appropriate code for credit unions taking into consideration the special structure and voluntary ethos of credit unions.
The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) will consult widely with its members prior to making a written submission to the Financial Regulator on this code. It is the ILCU's view that such a code must recognize the unique structure and ethos of credit unions and also that members of credit unions are not merely consumers of financial services from credit unions, but also the owners of those credit unions.
This is potentially one of the most significant regulatory developments for credit unions since the enactment of the Credit Union Act 1997.
To view the Financial Regulator consultation paper, click here.
Source: Irish League of Credit Unions, www.ilcu.ie
Pakistan: Regulations Issued for Mobile Banking in Pakistan
Subsequent to its policy paper on Regulatory Framework for Mobile Banking, the government of Pakistan issued "Branchless Banking Regulations" (BBR) on March 31, 2008. These regulations apply to commercial banks, Islamic banks and microfinance banks, which are the only institutions empowered to offer mobile banking services. Authorization may be extended to non-financial institutions in the future, according to the regulations. It is unknown at this time if credit unions are permitted to offer branchless banking services.
Pakistan issued the regulations to govern a new channel of services that represents a "significantly cheaper alternative to conventional branch-based banking" and that "can be used to substantially increase the financial services outreach to the un-banked communities." (BBR, 1). These regulations serve "as a set of minimum standards of data and network security, customer protection and risk management to be followed by the Banks desirous to offer mobile banking services." (BBR 1).
The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) believes that this technology and group of services has great potential to increase financial services to the poor and is working with several countries to develop mobile banking systems. According to CGAP, "Policy and regulation will determine not only whether branchless banking is legally permitted, but also which business models are economically feasible and how far they will go in reaching poor people."
See CGAP, http://cgap.org/portal/site/cgap/BranchlessBanking/.
Sources: State Bank of Pakistan, www.sbp.org.pk/bprd/2008/Annex_C2.pdf
CGAP, www.cgap.org
Panama: U.S. and Panamanian Efforts to Establish Credit Union Regulations Continue
Three years ago, World Council, Corporación Fondo de Estabilización y Garantía de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Crédito de Panamá, R.L. (COFEP) and the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL) identified the lack of credit union-specific regulation as the main weakness of Panama's credit union system.
In February, a modification of the law for the Superintendent of Banks brought all deposit-takers under the supervision of the Superintendent. The intention was for this to also include credit unions; however, the government's ministry of cooperatives is resisting this and for the first time drafted specific norms for the supervision of credit unions.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org/press/releases?id=1469
Poland: Changes Expected in Legal Framework for Polish Cooperatives
Towards the end of 2007, a team of experts operating at the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland completed drafting a new cooperative law intended to replace the current Act of Parliament that has been in force for 25 years.
At present, the cooperative movement in Poland operates under an outdated piece of legislation, inconsistent with the socio-economic realities, particularly as far as functioning of housing cooperative societies is concerned. The new act would concern all cooperative societies except for those provided for in other legislation, for example, housing cooperatives. The bill is to be introduced in Sejm (the lower chamber of the Diet), as the President's legislative imitative.
The bill provides for many changes concerning the operation of Polish credit unions, which grant housing credits. The changes are aimed at securing stability of Polish credit unions' operation by reinforcing the supervision of the credit unions by the National Association of Poland's credit unions; the association, in turn, is to be made subject to supervision by the Financial Supervision Committee (consolidated supervisor of financial market). The draft provisions also extend the catalogue of services provided by credit unions, to include, among others, sureties and guarantees for bills of exchange. If the bill passes, Poland's co-operative movement will develop in line with co-operative movements in other countries of the EU.
South Africa: South Africa Passes Landmark Financial Cooperatives Law
The South African government recently passed the Cooperatives Bank Act, marking the first time financial cooperative-specific legislation was passed in English-speaking Africa. World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) assisted the Savings and Credit Co-operative League (SACCOL) of South Africa with drafting and reviewing the new legislation.
Savings and credit cooperatives, known as SACCOs (credit unions), had previously been regulated under an "exemption" to the Banking Act, which required deposit-taking cooperative financial institutions to join a self-regulatory organization. Most SACCOs are affiliated with SACCOL, a WOCCU member.
After unsuccessful attempts to address regulatory problems within the system, WOCCU was invited to perform a legislative assessment in 2000. By October 2001, South Africa launched a campaign to encourage banks to serve the poor. Due to the campaign's popular mass appeal, the Financial Sector Campaign Coalition (FSCC) was established. More than 50 community-based organizations rallied around FSCC to address mainstream financial exclusion of the poor.
Less than a year after FSCC's creation, government, business, labor and community constituencies organized and agreed to draft and enact legislation specifically for financial cooperatives. SACCOL and its affiliated SACCOs, South Africa's labor movement and WOCCU provided critical input for the Cooperatives Banks Act.
SACCOs are now allowed to provide their members with a full range of financial services, all covered by a deposit insurance scheme.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org/press/releases?id=1471
Uganda: Ministry of Finance Issues Draft Law for Credit Unions
Earlier this year, the Ugandan Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development issued a draft law and regulations specifically for SACCOs, which would be distinct from its microfinance act and cooperatives act. The draft legislation, known as the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies Act, is largely based on WOCCU's Model Law for Credit Unions and the organization's past work in the country. The proposed legislation suggests creating a new SACCO Regulatory Agency as part of the legislative and regulatory scheme.
United States: U.S. Department of Treasury Unveils Blueprint for Sweeping Change
On March 31, 2008, the U.S. Department of Treasury unveiled a blueprint for sweeping changes that would greatly reform the U.S. regulatory structure. The reforms, if passed into law, would merge the U.S. credit union regulator with other financial institution regulators and form one prudential financial regulator.
The Treasury department offered multiple reasons for the reforms, including the current system's age and need to catch up with changes that have taken place since the 1930s, new risks arising from globalization and financial innovations (securitization) and the competitive restraint that an outdated system has on the country's economic growth. Treasury also stated that recent events "have also reinforced the direct relationship between balancing strong consumer protection and market stability on the one hand, and capital markets competitiveness on the other." (U.S. Treasury Dept. Office of Public Affairs Fact Sheet.)
The blueprint makes short, intermediate and long-term recommendations for reforms of the financial regulatory structure. Of chief importance to U.S. credit unions is the long-term recommendation that the National Credit Union Administration be merged with the Office of Thrift Supervision ("OTS") and the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") to form one new prudential financial regulator.
Reaction from credit union movement was swift. Credit Union National Association's president, Dan Mica, wrote to every member of the U.S. Congress to express grave concerns about the plan. "The strategy regarding credit unions reveals Treasury's apparent total disregard for the uniquely democratic and consumer-owned structure of credit unions and the pocket-book benefits from better rates and services their consumer/members are provided," Mica wrote. He also pointed out that credit unions had not contributed to the current mortgage crisis; rather, they have consistently acted in the best interests of consumers.
Credit union concerns were echoed by NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson: "We have significant concerns that the consumer benefits of the credit union system would be threatened by any restructuring proposal that may blur the credit union charter and that eliminates the separate regulatory and insurance function for federally chartered credit unions."
Treasury's long-term recommendations, including the merger of financial regulators, are "aspirational" and would require "thoughtful discussion," according to Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson. CUNA's Mica noted that the current Congress would not address the plans and would be unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future.
Sources: U.S. Treas. Dept. Office of Public Affairs Fact Sheet, www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/fact_sheet_03.31.08.pdf


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Adyashanti asks us to let go of our struggles with life and open to the full promise of spiritual awakening: the end of delusion and the discovery of our essential being. In his fifteen years as a spiritual teacher, he has found that the simpler the teaching, the greater its power to change our lives. In Falling into Grace, Adyashanti shares what he considers fundamental insights that will "spark a revolution in the way we perceive life," through a progressive inquiry exploring:
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Normal anatomy
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathes the brain and spinal cord. Most of the CSF is in the ventricles of the brain, which are large cavities within the brain which produce and reabsorb the CSF.
In hydrocephalus, the ventricles of the brain become enlarged with cerebrospinal fluid. This condition causes the brain tissue to become compressed against the skull, thus causing serious neurological problems. Shunting, called ventriculoperitoneal shunting, is necessary to drain the excess fluid and relieve the pressure in the brain. This should be done as soon as hydrocephalus is recognized to give the child the best possible neurological outlook.
This procedure is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. A flap is cut in the scalp and a small hole is drilled in the skull.
A small catheter is passed into a ventricle of the brain. A pump is attached to the catheter to keep the fluid away from the brain. Another catheter is attached to the pump and tunneled under the skin, behind the ear, down the neck and chest and into the peritoneal cavity (abdominal cavity). The CSF is absorbed in the peritoneal cavity.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is often crucial for preventing serious brain damage in children with hydrocephalus. Common problems associated with VP shunts include shunt malfunction and shunt infection. Shunts are generally left in place for many years if they function without problems.
Review Date:
Reviewed By:
Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.


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|Summary of 9 reviews :
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Along the Mae Ping River among soaring Thai pagodas, 137 Pillars
House inhabits a verdant enclave of lady palms, mimosa trees and tropical
flowers. Thirty suites with every modern luxury revive Oriental elegance
that culminates in the original 19th century main building for which
the hotel is named. Surrounding cultural treasures await discovery as
do the spa's Thai and aromatherapy treatments.
|Reception Sala
|Suite Exterior
|Suite Exterior
|Interior Look-out
|Architectural historians and conservationists worked
meticulously to reinforce the integrity of the original 1889 structure
at 137 Pillars House. Our guests can expect the same nostalgic ambience
in all 30 suites, along with the latest modern comforts and conveniences.
|Rajah Brooke Suite : 20 rooms
All larger than 70 square metres, these one king bedroom suites each extend to an airy, vintage tiled veranda over tropical gardens with cane shades for privacy, rattan planter's chair and plush day bed. Beyond a vast walk-in closet, the en suite bathroom with dual washbasins includes a sunlit WC, free standing Victorian bath, separate indoor and outdoor garden showers. For families, we offer these as interconnecting suites.
East Borneo Suite : 6 rooms
Averaging 75 metres and accessible by private corridor, each one king bed or twin bedroom suite extends to an airy, vintage tiled veranda over tropical gardens with cane shades for privacy, rattan planter's chair and plush day bed. Beyond a vast walk-in closet, the en suite bathroom with dual washbasins includes a sunlit WC, free standing Victorian bath, separate indoor and outdoor garden showers.
William Bain Terrace Suite : 2 rooms
Overlooking the historic pillars house, infinity pool and garden wall from the upper floor, both suites are 100 square metres. Each suite has a bedroom with a King bed, a generous living room and an airy veranda with cane shades for privacy. The ensuite bathroom with dual washbasins has a vast walk-in closet and a sunken bath facing onto the tropical foliage.
Louis Leonowens Pool Suite : 2 rooms
Our 135 square metres ground floor suite includes a bedroom with a King bed, an ensuite bathroom with dual washbasins, a sunken bath facing onto the tropical foliage and separate indoor/outdoor showers. The bedroom is separated with french doors that leads to a generous living room overlooking the infinity pool, garden wall and historic pillars house. More private pleasures may be enjoyed in each suite's own 5.5 x 2.5 metre swimming pool.
|The Library Bar :
We've collected our favorite books on Chiang Mai and
Thailand here inside Pillars House, plus vivid coffee table books, histories
& mysteries, popular paperbacks, this month's magazines from around
the globe and all the notable newspapers plus a wide selection of DVDs
and CDs.
The Parlor : Afternoon high tea is served in the classic style as Chiang Mai's early foreign visitors enjoyed. Partake of these scrumptious pleasures in this cozy indoor nook within Pillars House, by the infinity or on The Lawn. All offer relaxed environments for our guests to meet & mingle over bespoke tea blends, coffee concoctions and complimentary Thai sweets.
The Wine Cellar : Toast your days of historic exploring, elephant trekking or sunbathing with sips from our well-edited selection of New and Old World vintages from around the world, including notable Thai wines that are gaining international recognition. Join our regularly scheduled wine tastings or host a private event in this intimate gathering place inside Pillars House, pairing your favorites with European cheeses and Thai tapas.
The Dining Room : For breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Dining Room adjacent to Pillars House is a stylish yet comfortable environment to savor our favorite recipes prepared with fresh organic ingredients. Diverse and accommodating menus offer classic Thai fare meant to be shared and seasonally inspired international dishes, all showcasing the distinctive harvests of local farmers. Go al fresco on the adjacent courtyard surrounded by our tropical gardens.
The Kitchen : Thai sunlit and you won't be cleaning up, our Kitchen is a showpiece and gathering place for Thai cooking demonstrations from our gourmet and visiting chefs who also host meals around the shiny countertop. We welcome you regardless of prior cooking experience to share in lively conversation and the delectable fruits of your culinary labor.
Private Dining : The discreet staff of 137 Pillars House will deliver any of our dishes to your living quarters or guide you to a private spot on the property grounds. Set at least one night aside for our chef's BBQ on the expansive verandah of your suite. For adventure filled days or upon departure, allow our kitchen team to prepare gourmet picnic baskets and light lunch boxes good to go.
|Dinning Room
|The Parlor
|The Library Bar
|The Drawing Room :
The 19th century directors of the British Borneo Company
would certainly be impressed by our fully modern meeting facility supported
by all necessary business centre services. It is the ideal venue for
a small private dining function, social gathering or business meeting.
Our gourmet food and extensive beverage selection can be customized
to suit any occasion.
The Spa : Thais learn the art of massage from a young age. When it came to providing these services to our guests, we knew just what to do. We endured the necessary kneading to carefully select our top-notch team of professionally trained therapists and created a non-clinical spa to pamper our guests in holistic pleasures. Our tightly edited menu of massage and spa treatments features classical and current Asian methods from Aromatherapy to Thai Massage and Yoga. We also offer private lessons with our therapists to initiate guests in the timeless techniques of Thai massage. Beauty rituals integrate local organics and ancient secrets. Essential oils are distilled on site and freshly made beauty products come straight from our garden. All our natural spa products are stringently tested to be suitable for all skin types.
The Gymnasium : There is no need for even the most relaxing vacation to derail your fitness regime. Our air-conditioned facility is equipped with the latest multi-station free unit and free weights as well as computer controlled cardio-vascular equipment including treadmills, an elliptical trainer and upright bicycle. Located among the many pillars, this contemporary fitness facility is available anytime a guest wishes to work up a sweat.
The Swimming Pool : Go horizontal for a suntan or dive into our shimmering 25 x 5.5 metre pool. Snacks, sweets and fresh fruit drinks are available poolside, as well as all items off our main menus, delivered by, from our attentive team who drop by with complimentary homemade sorbet, cool mineral water, cold towels and atomizer mist to take the edge off North Thailand's steamy swelter.
|Spa Room
|Swimming Pool
|The Deck


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Apple Harvest Festival officials want to know: Do you have the best granny in town?
The annual Granny Apple contest returns and officials are looking for children's submissions.
In their own words and handwriting, children must describe why their grandmother is so special to them and explain why she should be the Granny Apple of the Apple Harvest Festival.
The contest is open to Southington residents in fourth, fifth and sixth grades only. All grandmothers nominated need to be Southington residents. The entries must be in the child's own handwriting, at a maximum of 150 words.
All entries must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 20. Entries must include the author's first and last name, school, grade, home address and daytime phone number, along with the first and last name of the grandmother.
A panel of judges will select the best essay and the winning Grandmother will be designated the "Granny Apple" for the 45th Apple Harvest Festival. Winners will be notified by phone.
The winner and grandmother will be introduced at the festival's opening ceremonies and will appear in the parade.
Entries can be mailed to Apple Harvest Festival, P.O. Box 907, Southington, CT, 06489 or they may be hand delivered to the recreation office in Southington Town Hall.