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The Island President triumphs in making climate change personal
Tonight, I went and saw The Island President, a new documentary by Jon Shenk (who previously made a film about the lost boys of Sudan). It follows the account of how President Nasheed came to power in the Maldives (through a democratic election after a 30 year dictatorship) and how he led the Maldives delegation in Copenhagen and tried to influence the deal brokered there. I definitely recommend this film.
Besides being an amazing and well-told story, it is beautifully shot and Radiohead provided a lot of their music for the film. The film opens with Kid A behind stunning shots of the Maldives; Idioteque is used as a backdrop as tensions rise at Copenhagen. When you see the shots of Male (the capital), you can't really believe your eyes how low it is compared with sea level, but you do certainly believe Nasheed when he says that most of the country is just 1 or 2 meters above sea level. The movie does a great job of making it a personal story, showcasing Nasheed's personal struggles as a civil rights activist (being arrested, tortured, put in solitary confinement) and his true passion for saving his country from the threat of climate change and rising sea levels which will wipe out the country. It is summed up well in one of his quotes in the movie: "How can I promote democracy, if there is no country to speak of?" (all quotes are not exact in this post, but should capture general idea)
The sad ending is of course that Nasheed has been removed from power in a coup d'etat (in early February) and the original dictator Gayoom is back in power, with control of military and police forces. Nasheed has been in the USA the past few weeks, promoting awareness about the movie and also appearing on Daily Show (skip to third segment) and Letterman to discuss both politics and climate change. Interestingly, in a Q&A with the movie director at the screening after the film tonight, Shenk said that Nasheed was unable to secure a meeting with the State Department to secure U.S. support for a Maldives election. Nasheed appeared on Letterman, and then was suddenly able to secure a meeting with the State Department the next morning, according to Shenk. He flew back to the Maldives today and may be arrested, but will continue to practice peaceful civil unrest until there is another democratic election. Luckily, he enjoys tremendous popular support (70% or higher) and mobs of supporters will likely welcome him at the airport. Gayoom has the military and police, however.
There are still showings left this week in NY, LA, SF, and Berkeley, and a showing on April 20 in DC, so I encourage my friends and readers to see this film if they're in one of those places. Otherwise, you might have to wait for the DVD release. Here is the trailer:
Now, ahem, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a bit wonky on my analysis of the film and the new knowledge I learned from it, specifically about the role the Maldives played in the lead up to Copenhagen [spoiler alert]. First, I'll address Mark Lynas's role as one of lead advisers to Nasheed during Copenhagen. Lynas is perhaps most famous for his op-ed in the Guardian after Copenhagen: "How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in the room". In one exchange with Nasheed, Lynas lays out the fundamental difference between the position of the Maldives and the position of India: India's position was "we have the right to develop our economy with high carbon energy just as developed countries did, and if we have to relinquish this right, then you will have to pay us enormous sums of money"; the Maldives position was "we have to do our part and commit to going carbon neutral, and all other countries must follow us with similar action." This rift between Maldives very progressive position and India's defensive position is further explored when they are in a bilateral meeting in Delhi a month before the Copenhagen conference. India tries to get Nasheed to agree on principles of equity (the right to develop in a carbon intensive pattern as developed countries did), but they agree on nothing in the meeting.
Later in Copenhagen, Nasheed recognizes the need to get an agreement and begins to show his willingness to compromise, saying "we should give on mitigation, but hold firm on [our demands for] adaptation". Lynas cautions that giving up on a 350 ppm (and 1.5 Celsius) target is like signing the Maldives "suicide note" and that once they remove it from the text, there will never be a chance to put it back in. Experts on the UNFCCC processes know that references to 1.5 C are still in the depths of the text, but the target is next to impossible as current emissions commit us to 1.3 C even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow.
Nasheed says to his advisers, "If we walk, will we get what we want? Of course not!" indicating that there needs to be room for compromise rather than just making a public demand for 350ppm and storming out of the room. He wanted to inspire action and hope (shown through his speech at a 350.org event) and showed his support for the text (which included a 2 C target) on the floor of the meeting (the movie showed clips of other countries speaking, Ethiopia for instance backed the text, while Venezuala completely rejected it). Decidedly absent from the movie were any discussions with U.S. negotiators. Apparently, Nasheed did not meet with U.S. negotiators while in Copenhagen (for fans of Deputy Envoy Jonathan Pershing, there is a few seconds of footage of him), instead focusing his sphere of influence on China, India, and the group of small island nations. Interestingly, the Maldives seemingly saw the U.S. as playing a constructive role in Copenhagen. Two years and a dumped climate bill later, I'm not so sure Lynas is so convinced of this anymore, as evidenced by an exchange I had with him on Twitter in November 2011.
After the Copenhagen deal was done, Nasheed focused on the small victory that now the U.S., China, and India had made commitments to reduce carbon emissions. However weak the commitments might be, they did not even exist before. Yet, Nasheed acknowledges some futility of effort: "We got an agreement, but you come back to Maldives and realize how impossible it is. We take money from healthcare and education and put it into cement and sea walls." Throughout the movie, Nasheed alludes to the fact the Maldives and other small island nations need not be the only ones worried about this; parts of Manhattan will also be submerged with the same levels of sea rise that will obliterate the Maldives.
Shenk succeeded in making this movie a personal story about Nasheed. He said in the Q&A that his funders did not want just another climate movie; "it had to be personal". I kept thinking throughout the movie how "An Inconvenient Truth" really stumbled in this regard (a cobbled attempt to make it personal by recounting his childhood on the farm and the tough loss of his mother to cigarettes and cancer), although its review of the data and science was where the true impact for viewers was. For The Island President, the audience is much more engaged with the main character and is truly cheering for Nasheed by the end. He is a hero for the movement, and it motivates the audience to want to get up and be a hero as well. As he says in the movie, "I fought for democracy because I did not want my children to be subject to solitary confinement. I also don't want them to become environmental refugees." It's hard not to admire this kind of hero.
Capturing this personal story was an interesting journey for Shenk… He followed Nasheed for a couple years, saying that Nasheed didn't think the filmmakers would stick around as long as they did, but that Nasheed liked the idea of transparency so he was very willing to cooperate in the project. For the Copenhagen meeting, Shenk and others actually got "party" badges so they could be official Maldives delegates and get into more meetings that way, as opposed to media badges which would have restricted their filming much more among the mobs of cameras and reporters there in December 2009. Shenk said it was difficult to get Nasheed to open up about his periods of solitary confinement, but that there was some information about it on his application for exile to the UK in 2003.
Since the dictatorship is now back in power, the Maldives pledge to become carbon neutral by 2020 is in limbo, since it was Nasheed's government which had pledged the effort. It may be difficult for the Maldives to go carbon neutral, but the moral weight the pledge bears if they are able to complete it is incredibly significant. For the people of the Maldives will almost certainly have to relocate at least some, if not all, of their population (footage of the tsunami in 2004 makes sea walls and adaptation seem ludicrous and pointless to me). The fate of the world does not lie with their action, but with what the bulk of the biggest emitters do (U.S., EU, China, India, Brazil, etc), yet their example could inspire many individuals and governments around the world to action.
Now, being the nerd I am, and having just watched a lecture today on the feasibility of renewable energy given the energy use density of certain populations… I decided to perform some back of the envelope calculations as to whether solar/wind deployment could realistically account for the current energy needs of the Maldives. I found a number from the World Bank that says Maldives residents use about 1 ton of oil equivalent (toe) per year per capita (most of this likely goes to support tourism operations). With about 325,000 residents, that means a total energy consumption of 0.3 million toe per year. This is equivalent to 400 megawatts in electricity equivalence (stay with me here). With a land mass of 298 square kilometers, this works out to an energy density of 1.34 watts per square meter. Energy expert David Mackay notes in his latest TED lecture that wind resources are about 2.5 watts per square meter and solar at about 5 watts per square meter, so it is technically doable (Ok, now I've lost you). The movie shows some solar panels (apparently donated by Sungevity) being tacked on to the Presidential Palace in Male — a good start. A realistic shift in all of their energy would likely require huge amounts of energy storage (batteries) and a refit of their transportation fleet, since I'm assuming this is a huge portion of their energy consumption. The movie showed just about everyone getting around by boats with motors. Sailboats anyone? Here is the lecture if you're interested.
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This time I choose to decorate the roll with some cream and heart shaped sprinkles. This will make a perfect nother's day gift, don't you think? For the filling, I spread non dairy whipping cream and diced strawberries. Yummy! It is really delicious.
Side view of the roll
All packed in a 'box'
The not so perfect hello kitty pattern
I also made a hello kitty pattern roll. I did not manage to take a pic of the rolled up cake. However, at least I have taken a slice of the rolled up cake. I thought the pink just gave it a 'sweet' look. I love it.
I used the same recipe for Giraffe Patterned Roll for both the rolls here. For the hello kitty roll, I used 80g flour and omitted the cocoa powder. I used Wilton Icing colouring gel in red for the colouring. When the sponge is done, I used edible food writer to try drawing the whiskers. As you can see, it was a challenge to try making a smooth line. I will try to use a brush with colouring mixture for my next try.

subset: commoncrawl


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A warm welcome awaits you at the Riviera Hotel in the heart of Torquay on the English Riviera.
We offer good value, friendly and comfortable accommodation and are just a stones throw away from Torquay's award winning beaches, sparkling blue sea and all that the English Riviera and surrounding area has to offer.
Here at the Riviera Hotel we offer fantastic value for our all our guests, whether you are travelling on business, with family or as part of a group. Our accommodation comprises of 142 well appointed, en-suite bedrooms with digital flat screen tv's and tea and coffee making facilities. Our rooms include singles, doubles, twins and large family rooms suitable for a couple with children. We have a lovely indoor pool and are currently building a Spa.
Our restaurant caters for those who love traditional cuisine. Our Chefs will carve for you either a delicious home cooked joint or you can choose from our market day specials or our vegetarian options. You can then help yourself to a variety of freshly cooked vegetables and potatoes. To follow, there is a mouthwatering choice of hot and cold desserts on offer.
After dinner why not join us in the Show Bar for the evenings entertainment, including bingo followed by our cabaret act and dancing until late. Alternatively, make you way down to the Sports Bar for a drink and catch the latest Sky or BT sports game showing on one of our large flat screen tv's.
Purchased by the Powis family in April 2017, the Riviera Hotel is currently undergoing a programme of refurbishment to bring the hotel up to an excellent standard throughout. Please see our renovations page for updates on the latest works.
Whether you are visiting Torquay on business or pleasure, you'll find that the Riviera Hotel makes for the perfect setting during your stay on the English Riviera.
The Sneakers - 2019 Special Weekend Offers
New Year Party Weekends 2019 - £99
Cabaret Weekend - January 2019
Elvis - Born To Rock - October 2019
Situated in the Heart of Torquay
3 Minute Walk to the Beach
140 En Suite Bedrooms
Large Family Rooms Available
Modern Passenger Lift
Lovely Indoor Pool
Sports Bar with BT and Sky TV
Show Bar with Nightly Entertainment


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Magbit Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1990 to promote education for students seeking to complete their University studies. To accomplish this worthwhile goal, Magbit established an innovative "Interest-Free Loan" program for needy and qualified students. This program was designed to preserve the dignity and spirit of the students, as well as to instill in them a sense of responsibility. The loan recipients repay the loans when they are financially able to do so. The loan repayments go directly to the student's university so that future generations of students may also benefit from these funds.
To date, Magbit Foundation has provided interest-free loans to over 14,000 qualified students. Some of the schools we have provided interest-free loans and/or scholarships to are the University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, University of Texas at Austin, California State University Northridge, Bar-Ilan University, Jerusalem College of Technology and Haifa University.
Our program has proven to be so successful that some universities have modified their scholarship programs to emulate Magbit's "interest-free loan" concept.
Magbit is also working with other individuals and organizations in order to better accomplish its objectives and to increase the funds available to help students. As a result of the generosity of certain individuals who are particularly committed to the cause of the organization, Magbit is administering the following funds: the Magbit-General Fund; Magbit-Dr. Baroukh Beroukhim Scholarship Fund; Magbit-Nejat Gabbay Endowment Fund; Magbit-Merage Post-Graduate Fund; Magbit-Pouran & Parviz Nazarian Robotic Fund at Bar Ilan University and the most recent fund is the Magbit-Julian Geller Gifted Children Fund.
It is with your suppport that we are able to continue our worthy and worthwhile mission. Whose future will you sponsor today?


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We won't give up until everyone with a mental health problem gets support and respect. Want to help us?
Would you like to work for us?
To use your skills and passion for mental health and make a difference to the lives of people in West Sussex, you can check out our current vacancies.
We understand the benefits of a mentally healthy workplace and offer all staff working for Coastal West Sussex Mind 25 days' annual leave and up to eight paid public holidays, a workplace pension scheme along with enhanced sick pay, compassionate leave and carers leave for those who have worked with us a bit longer.
Staff well-being is a high priority. We encourage staff to look after their mental health and have an employee assistance programme where staff can access a 24-hour confidential advice line, face-to-face support and well-being information online.
"This is a perfect job for me but, beyond that, this is just a great organisation to work for in any capacity."
Response from 2016/17 staff survey
No one should have to face a mental health problem alone. We're a charity and rely on your support to continue our work. Find out how you can donate and give someone hope.Donations
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We won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect
We support people of all ages, carers and families who are affected by mental health problems.
Are you a professional or volunteer looking for training courses in mental health?
Making a donation, raising funds, volunteering, helping us raise awareness …there are plenty of ways you can support us


text:
When I was putting together A Tingling Catch, I came across a number of poems I didn't end up using for one reason or another. Here's one I didn't use. It's by David Flynn, an American-based poet, and was published in
's leading poetry journal, Poetry NZ – a magazine edited by poet/novelist/critic Alistair Paterson in New Zealand . I felt as Flynn wasn't a New Zealand poet, New Zealand publication didn't really qualify it for inclusion in A Tingling Catch. It's a very enjoyable poem though and worth sharing here: Auckland
The man who played cricket with Wilson Pickett
Saturday night at the financial news annual ball in
, London
the bureau employees in black tie and gown.
After a formal dinner,
a band ran onto the stage at The Brewery.
The men, middle aged every one,
wore gold lame jackets and sunglasses,
while two women sparkled in blue sequined dresses.
Soul revival.
The Commitments on a money gig.
Songs were Motown by the numbers:
Stop – the two women held their palms out like traffic cops –
in the name of love.
The face of Danny was glazed as he walked back and forth among the dancers in what he thought was dance, but what the employees thought was: Danny's drunk again. His fiancé stood in one spot and danced, as it were, alone in her apartment. I had seen the foreign exchange specialist twice before: glazed in his kitchen trying to put together words to welcome me, and glazed while five of us stood during a Squeeze concert in Blackheath. A drunk. And a sad drunk at that. He didn't smile, seemed not a Soul Man, and him only, say, twenty-five.
By contrast, the summer before I sat in a Lewisham café when
Kevin, mid-20s, happened to park his mountain bike by the door.
Whatshisname, he greeted me.
Oh hi, I said, not remembering his name either.
A week before, the banker had joined us at an Italian place in the
. He drank three beers before the waitress delivered the pizza. Keep 'em coming. You want a beer, David wasit? By closing, the waitress sang along with him: Olay olayolayolay, and the owner stayed late to cook us special slices, just like Kevin wanted. West End
On the train from Charing Cross to Lewisham Station he introduced women to men, men to women –
wasit?, you know Timothy here? He's just back from Spain – until strangers stood holding poles, slow dancing to the sodden sounds of Kevin the Drunk – When a man needs a woman. He knew two tricks, but they were popular. As long as he kept moving, the man would spread joy. But at the Lewisham cafe a more workaday banker smiled in his striped suit. When I looked down his mouth, through his throat, and inside his stomach, he still laughed and drank. He was saturated with silly. Georgia
A serious expression among the freckles: I never feel so British, he said, as when I play cricket. That's the only thing I care about. I know who I am, you see.
Then suddenly: Waitress bring me another beer. Have you met
here (introducing a pimple-faced man in the booth behind us)? He's between girlfriends you know. Marshall
By the time Kevin died he would be responsible for half the marriages in
. Kent
About at the financial news annual ball
the baldfatsquat lead singer
– That's the sound of the men
working on the cha-ain gang –
introduced his band.
The drummer was:
'the man who played cricket
with Wilson Pickett'
– Mustang Sally,
you better slow that Mustang down.
Even the bureau manager with his grey hair
sort of danced with his wife.
The editor of exchanges (Footsie, Dax, etc.)
raised hell in heels,
and a correspondent,
who had talked European stock derivatives all night,
hopped round and round the parquet.
The next Monday they would be all-money again,
even Danny, poor man,
swirling down his private toilet,
while somewhere else in
(from Poetry NZ 35 guest edited by Owen Bullock (September 2007))
Kevin spent another two hours
with a waitress and her boss.
He was a Soul Man,
British style.
A long life for Kevin.
Poem © David Flynn 2007
Poem © David Flynn 2007
(from Poetry NZ 35 guest edited by Owen Bullock (September 2007))


text:
Metropolitan State University of Denver provides students with a transformative academic experience and serves the community as a courageous change agent and a gateway to opportunity. The University's broad access, affordable tuition, quality academic experience and excellent outcomes add up to a high-value education.
Founded in 1965, MSU Denver is a comprehensive university offering bachelor's and master's degrees on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver. With an enrollment of more than 21,000, MSU Denver educates more undergraduate Coloradans than any other four-year institution in Colorado. Nearly 75 percent of our alumni live and work in the state.
Broad Accessibility
MSU Denver's student population mirrors the ethnic demographics of the state, making the University the leader in diverse enrollment among Colorado's four-year universities. Among full-time faculty members, 22 percent are professors of color. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education ranks MSU Denver among the top 100 colleges and universities nationwide for enrolling Latino students. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education ranks MSU Denver among the top 100 institutions in the nation in awarding bachelor's degrees to students of color. Of the students eligible for in-state tuition under Colorado ASSET, 43 percent are enrolled at MSU Denver.
With more than 200 degree options, MSU Denver designs every program and class to help students develop the intellectual and professional skills needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century economy. MSU Denver is Colorado's leader in providing STEM education to students of color, with more than 1,900 studying STEM subjects. And, students of color and low-income students together comprise 64 percent of the University's STEM students.
Exceptional Education
MSU Denver regularly ranks among the top colleges and universities in Colorado. The University was rated No. 638 overall and No. 108 in the West in Forbes' 2014 America's Top Colleges list. The rating recognizes the return on investment MSU Denver provides its students. According to Military Times, MSU Denver is the top Colorado college for veterans, ranking 32nd overall on its list of the nation's Best for Vets: Colleges 2015. MSU Denver also was ranked as a STEM Jobs-Approvedsm College 2015. The Wall Street Journal in 2014 named two MSU Denver faculty members among the nation's 125 most influential professors. Darrin Duber-Smith and Erick Erikson were two of only six Colorado professors recognized with this honor.
Excellent Outcomes
A $60 million Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building will bring together aviation and aerospace science; civil, mechanical and electrical engineering technology; computer information systems and computer science; and industrial design. More than 2,400 MSU Denver students are enrolled in these disciplines. The University has the second-largest teacher-preparation program in Colorado. The award-winning Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center provides hands-on learning opportunities for students studying Hospitality, Tourism and Events.
The College Measures report shows MSU Denver's bachelor's degree graduates have one of the highest median first-year earnings among grads from many other four-year institutions in Colorado. The MSU Denver internship program offered through the Applied Learning Center helps students get on-the-job experience in more than 1,200 internships at 600 local businesses and organizations every year.
Affordable Tuition
MSU Denver believes that a great education doesn't have to be expensive and that accessibility begins with affordability. Our tuition is the least expensive of Colorado's largest four-year universities offering undergraduate degrees. Affordable Colleges Onlinelists MSU Denver as one of the country's most affordable large public colleges while the Online College Database lists MSU Denver among the most financially effective of all Colorado post-secondary schools.
MSU Denver holds day, night, weekend and online courses at the downtown Auraria Campus and at its two suburban satellite campuses, MSU Denver South and MSU Denver North.


text:
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Originally posted by Hefficide
reply to post by amc621
I think you are missing the satirical point made by and in the OP about how Christmas has become a commercial nightmare, and has nothing to do with its original purposes.
Moreover, the OP is an adult and is a father. Not agreeing with his point of view is not an excuse to attack him personally or cast dispersions upon his intellect or maturity. He is actually a pretty smart and nice guy.
Originally posted by stinavamp
My daughter is 2 years old and I have been wrestling with the concept of Santa since I got pregnant.For I believed in Santa Clause for an unnaturally long time.I'm talking like until I was a teenager.I think I held on so long because I was a poor kid and the concept of someone who gives presents every good boys and girls regardless of stature, color or creed just seemed so beautiful to me. When I finally realised Santa was not real I was devastated beyond belief. Santa represents something different to everyone.Now I look foundly upon my memories of Santa.As do most adults.These days we strip the innocence of children earlier and earlier. I mean I just had to have the sex talk with my 9 year old niece.When I was 9 I barely even knew boys existed other than to play mud wars with. For me Santa at its heart is the embodiment of generosity yet is it ok to lie to your children. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. For now I think I'll let her make that decision on her own.
Originally posted by amc621
reply to post by Char-Lee
Fair enough. How did your conversation go with the teacher who told your child you lied? How soon after was the teacher fired?
Originally posted by Char-Lee
Originally posted by amc621
reply to post by Char-Lee
Fair enough. How did your conversation go with the teacher who told your child you lied? How soon after was the teacher fired?
I had that conversation, more then once from grade K- 3, and made appointments and spoke to Principles of both schools my kids went through as they grew up...no one did a thing about it. In fact they acted like i was some kind of monster not letting my kids believe in a lie. I guess i could have done more but I was not informed at all about any rights I may have had in those days.
My mother was a habitual lier and I hate lying! If there is something kids don't need to know don't tell them, but don't lie to them ever...my belief.
Originally posted by amc621
reply to post by Char-Lee
Good for you. There is NO WAY any teacher should be telling kids their parents are liars. Of course that doesn't mean if the parents are abusing a child, the teacher should still not say something like that, but get child services into the situation.
Good luck to you and I hope your kids learned from you.
Originally posted by BigFrigginAl
Oh...and as far as lying to your kids...Please...we parents all do it, yes, even those that say "I never...", I know at least once you must have used the mommy and daddy are wrestling! lol.
Originally posted by BigFrigginAl
reply to post by Mr Mask
I understand what you are saying. I just don't think of it as a lie anymore than watching a David Blaine special is a lie. For me...I remember it with joy, even when I found out. For me, it's just my tradition...and seeing excitement in my kids just makes me feel damn good.


text:
Sacramento Police Sergeant Bryce Heinlein says agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shot a suspect during a multi-agency operation in a South Sacramento neighborhood this morning.
Agents were serving search and arrest warrants for weapons charges in the 3900 block of 17th Avenue.
"While serving the search warrant an ATF agent encountered an armed suspect, shots were fired in the backyard of a residence."
Heinlein says the suspect opened fire on the agents and agents shot back. The suspect is in critical condition and has been transported to a hospital.
Heinlein says it is unknown how many rounds were fired or the number of shooters.
The shooting did not take place on school grounds but three surrounding schools were placed on a precautionary "lock-down."
Izac Basped is a neighbor who heard the incident.
"I heard one big boom and several shots after."
Basped says he hasn't seen any "bad things coming from the home," and the neighborhood is generally quiet.
- Capital Public Radio Staff


text:
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A traveler can examine quotes for travel insurance coverage online and with satisfactory analysis, one will see how getting insurance insurance policies themselves will nonetheless price less than getting them from agency packages. Solutions to these necessary questions might help to narrow the scope slightly and give you clues as to whether a given agency can provide what … Travel More


text:
34th ST Services Business Card Design
Print Design
Awarded Business Card Design – 1st Place in CrowdSpring.com
The name "34th St Services" is a reference to the (original) "Miracle on 34th Street" movie. I chose this because, in the movie, Santa Claus tells customers how to find what they are looking for by sending them to other stores, contrary to what Macy's sales policies are. In doing so, not only does he make customers happy, but he also ultimately builds incredible brand loyalty and increase Macy's business by building a reputation for having exceptional customer service.
While I do not want anything as seasonal as a Christmas-type look, I do definitely love the retro feel of a 1940's post-WWII design ethic, particularly as a juxtaposition to the fact that we are a technology consulting firm. Playing on the "good old days" nostalgia for good service (myth though it often was) is the idea.
My consulting practice focuses on three areas, I am open to how they are worded/organized:
Project Management
Change Management
I really liked the diagonal placement of the logo in the mock-ups. I would like to find a way to have all the business card details on the same side of the card, but I am open to having it be two-sided if that's how the design works better.


text:
Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or tweet them at @adam_bryant or @NatalieAbrams.
I can't believe that Brennan is on the run after the Bones finale. How will the writers resolve that in the premiere next season?
ADAM: Ask yourself this: Should the writers resolve it? After all, based on the footage we saw of bad boy Pelant doing something to Booth's alarm clock, we're pretty sure anywhere else is safer than Casa Bones. But you can be certain this battle of wits is just beginning. "We wanted to keep our serial killer alive to keep the procedural element of the show in the forefront," executive producer Stephen Nathan says. "I don't like serial killers, but Pelant is close to our hearts. He's someone we want to keep around for quite a while."
Anything you can tell us about the Grey's Anatomy finale? — Allie
NATALIE: We can't tell you who dies; otherwise, Shonda Rhimes would kill us. But we can tell you that things aren't all dark and twisty in the finale! Back at the hospital, Dr. Webber plans a very special dinner for the residents before they depart Seattle Grace — possibly for good. Just don't call it the Last Supper.
Even though we know she's not going to end up with him, what's the scoop on Robin's new boyfriend on How I Met Your Mother ? How do they meet? — Sophia
ADAM: Who's to say they haven't already met? "Don't count out the fact that he could be a blast from the past," co-creator Craig Thomas tells us. New face or old, you can look for him to stick around a while after the romance kicks off early next season. "It's not a fling or anything," Thomas says. "Robin went through a lot this year [with her pregnancy scare and near-engagement to Kevin] and she knows what she wants now. It's going to be a very serious and significant relationship in her life. She's moving on from Barney and she believes she's over him ... but this guy and their relationship will redirect her back to him."
How the heck will Klaus feel about losing the doppelganger now that Elena is apparently going to be a vampire on The Vampire Diaries? — Sarah
NATALIE: We'll let executive producer Julie Plec take this one: "The loss of the doppelganger is gonna be a BFD for Klaus and will drive his actions for the season. Suddenly he's vulnerable for many reasons. There's a stake that can kill him, a witch that can desiccate him, and no way to build up the hybrid army he needs — psychologically, at least — to feel safe. Plus, Caroline's going to be peeved at him once she realizes he bamboozled her. In other words, he ain't gonna be so happy."
Got any juicy spoilers for the Person of Interest finale? — Brett
ADAM: Remember the hacker named Root who challenged Finch earlier this season? You better get used to seeing her. Michael Emerson tells us that she plays significant role in the finale and "has to be" a major part of Season 2. The bad news for Finch: She doesn't play nice. "In her, Finch has an adversary more dangerous than he ever dreamed," Emerson teases. "She's going to come after him in a shocking way, a personal way. She's not going to seem nearly so charming anymore."
I can't believe the Scandal finale is this week. The season was so short! Please give me something juicy! — Alana
NATALIE: There will be one, and only one, question on your mind by the end of the finale — fortunately, the show was renewed so we should get the answer next season! Here's a hint: The team will go to great lengths to help Quinn out after she discovers Gideon in that compromising position — you know, with scissors sticking out of his neck. But why would she need to turn to the fixers? Hmmm...
Now that Awake has been canceled (sniff!), might B.D. Wong come back to SVU full-time? — Trish
ADAM: Come back? Sure! Full-time? Doubtful. "If there is a way to thread him in from time to time, I think that's great," executive producer Warren Leight says. "[But] in the real world, FBI psychiatrists don't live at the SVU precinct the way his character did in the last couple of years. [We] would have use him to do what psychiatrists do, which is evaluate people or help contextualize things, but to have him just doing interrogations as he did a couple of times, I don't think I would go back to that."
When will Tom return from his visit to the aliens on Falling Skies? — Jimmy
NATALIE: You won't have to wait long to see the former Professor Mason back, but what happened while he was away was not the friendly détente that the aliens had promised, nor was he the only one taken. It's safe to say that his return won't be easy. In possibly related news, the effects of the harness may be more damaging than the 2nd Mass could've ever imagined.
Can you tell me anything about the next season of NCIS: Los Angeles? — Nick
ADAM: If you're tired of always exploring Callen's back story, know this: Season 4 will put LL Cool J's Sam Hanna in the spotlight. "We've come up with a really clever story line," executive producer Shane Brennan tells us. "It's very emotional and plays out over a number of episodes and reveals a lot about who Sam is." Just how much might we learn? Like the similarly titled episodes that downloaded tons of intel about Callen, Hetty and Kensi, Season 4 will feature an hour titled "Hanna, S."
Does Grayson really know that Jane is Deb on Drop Dead Diva? — Jeanine
NATALIE: Stacy will deny ever saying that, which will set Grayson off to investigate Jane and Deb's connection. But I should warn you, someone will end up with a memory wipe by the end of the first hour.
What can you tell me about Jimmy Smits' character on Sons of Anarchy? — Wes
ADAM: He plays Nero Padilla, the leader of gang known as the Byzlats. (You Shield fans may have heard that name before.) Creator Kurt Sutter says although Jax isn't necessarily looking for new allies, Nero will provide Jax with some important advice. "Mentor may be too strong a word, but he's definitely going to be in Jax's orbit and influence Jax this season," Sutter says. "They find some common ground, and they definitely will [work together] on one project." Then again, Nero may only be using Jax to get a little closer to his mother. "[Nero] will also be in Gemma's orbit," Sutter teases. Nobody tell Clay!
Any scoop on the new season of Covert Affairs? — Helen
NATALIE: We know Annie will get tangled up with a mysterious new guy, but even she couldn't predict that her time with him would inadvertently put her sister in harm's way.
Natalie's Mega Rave: Saturday Night Live's 100th digital short was a piece of beauty. For obvious reasons, the Natalie Portman rap has always been a fave, so to have her return and spit some beats about having a baby was a highlight.
Adam's Mini Rant: Thanks Fox, for picking up one of my favorite pilots this year, The Following. But why you gotta make me wait until midseason to watch it?
Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows? E-mail Adam and Natalie at email@example.com or drop us a line at Twitter.com/TVGuide
(Additional reporting by Joyce Eng and Kate Stanhope)
Today's News
Mega Buzz: Bones' Killer Cliff-Hanger, Grey's Goodbyes and HIMYM's New Man
Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or tweet them at @adam_bryant or @NatalieAbrams.


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Malaria, Ebola, and Saving Lives
Last week, Mali announced a national strategic plan to scale up Community Health Workers in every region of the country. This initiative has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives, including significantly reducing the risk of an Ebola epidemic.
How was this achieved? Roll back a few years and meet Djeneba, a young girl living in Yirimadjo. Today she goes to school but her life was once threatened. Djeneba started getting high fevers but her parents did not have enough money to pay for care. They tried to break the fever by bathing her in herbal remedies and buying unregulated pharmaceuticals but the fevers persisted and became increasingly severe.


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New - Manchester United Mug
A lovely ceramic football mug that celebrates one of Manchester United's greatest games- their last minute victory in the Champions League final in against Bayern Munich in 1999.
The small coloured cells show information about each player, including the number of appearances and goals for Manchester United over their career.
This mug makes a lovely, unique and informative football gift at any time of year.
The mug is part of a collection of designs called 'elements of joy' celebrating the greatest games of different clubs.
The mug size is 80mm diameter and 90mm height.


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"Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me…(yeah, that's sarcasm)."Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker's life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert.
Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong?
Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination.
Note: Jenna's coming of age story is a little edgy. There is mild language and some sexual content.
I'm participating in Devon Ashley's 'Falling in Between' blog tour starting in 2012. Pop by on January 31st for my review of Falling In Between and again on February 9th for secret Devon Ashley Top Ten.
Stay tuned!


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Wednesday, 20 May 2015
WOYWW 211 - Didn't We Have a Lovely Time......
25 comments:
- Lunch Lady Jan said...
Natural habitat, my foot!! Only joking, it was fun to do and I really enjoyed seeing everyone gassing away.
I hope people did see your albums because they were amazing, the pair of them :-)
Now that double edged quilting thingy looks interesting. You'll have to show me more!
Hugs, LLJ 15 xx
- 20 May 2015 at 14:04
- Shaz Brooks said...
Hi Sam, was lovely seeing you again on Saturday, even if only for a short time. I saw Kyla suggest a second crop on FB, so I seconded it, lol. Or maybe thirded, I think H might have seconded it!Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #20 xxx
- 20 May 2015 at 14:17
- Shaz Brooks said...
Forgot to say, thank you for letting me try out your punch! S xx
- 20 May 2015 at 14:17
- Mariane C said...
It is really looking dashing what you are doing.. and it looks like you have had great time. Thank you ever so much for sharing.
Kind regards
- 20 May 2015 at 15:05
- lisa said...
Afternoon dear punch enabler!!
Looks like you had a fab day on Saturday. I thought about you all.
Love the colours in your quilting, such a rainbow...ohh and do I spy that punch again, lol.
Fab looking desk.
Hugs Lisax #48
- 20 May 2015 at 16:34
- Twiglet said...
Fab photos - so glad you all had such a great day. We will get there one day!!! x Jo
- 20 May 2015 at 18:46
- Annie said...
I'm now home from a full on 11 hour day with the munchkins....we'e been everywhere and done everything today so I'm just a little tired lol I'm now nipping around the blogs while I can keep the eyes open.
It was so lovely to get a sneaky peep at non posed pics from the crop.....a fab time was had by all it seems [and we will get there one day too I promise].
Annie x #12
- 20 May 2015 at 19:53
- Helen said...
well at least I know my place.. the only trouble with working at a desk with stuff on the floor is having to keep getting DOWN to pick it up.. much easier to start on the floor. Great to see you (and Fergus of course) again, hope we can persuade the powers that be for another one before next year!
- 20 May 2015 at 20:07
- sue jones said...
Looks like you all had a wonderful time :) I am so impressed with you starting on a project for 2017! I am always behind! Soojay 59#
- 20 May 2015 at 20:21
- SARN said...
Thanks for the picture-fest . .. looks like you all had a blast as usual.
Hugs, Sarn xxx
- 20 May 2015 at 21:07
- Brenda said...
Oh my, looks like such a fun, fun day!!! Glad you ladies enjoyed each other and the day!! Hugs, Brenda
- 20 May 2015 at 21:23
- Kathleen said...
Great pictures and your journal and quilting are looking really great.
Didn't you have a lovely time the day you went to Burbage!, not quite as good as Bangor but, I tried.
Kath x
- 20 May 2015 at 21:32
- April Story said...
It looks like you all had great fun.
- 21 May 2015 at 00:26
- Bonnie said...
Great fun!!! Love the little "quilts". Wish I could quilt... Pretty yellow and black pages!
- 21 May 2015 at 01:30
- Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...
I was SO happy you shared photos of the crop. It made me feel like I was there, at least vicariously. Sadly, I didn't get any cake, though.
Your quilt is amazing. I don't make anything I can't tear! But I'm always impressed with what you do.
Hope you got one of my ATCs. Thanks, too, for the earlier visit. Happy day after WOYWW from #1.
- 21 May 2015 at 06:39
- Shaz Brooks said...
Hi Sam, the rolling pin is available on Amazon.com.- Debbie ordered hers off Etsy, but do not go that way! When we meet again, we'll tell you the story behind it.
Hugs, Shaz xxx
- 21 May 2015 at 12:09
- Kim said...
I Love all those photos. So, I'm gathering that if I make it over...bringing supplies/project not so much a concern?? LOL!
Have a great weekend..your quilt piece looks fabulous!
- 21 May 2015 at 13:56
- MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...
Thanks for your visit today. It really was a good day, wasn't it. Definitely looking forward to whenever the next one will be. You certainly seem to have been busy since you got home. Have fun with it all. xxx Maggie #62
- 21 May 2015 at 14:59
- KT Fit Kitty said...
Oh this looks like such a fun group! I wish they had events like that around here! Your desk looks very interesting - I love to snoop and see what`s there! The album looks amazing!
- 22 May 2015 at 00:26
- My Card Attic: Hazel said...
What a lovely thing, lots of like minded crafters getting together like that! Looks as if everyone had a wonderful time! Thank you for popping by my blog and your sweet comment Hettie! Hazel xx
- 22 May 2015 at 00:38
- Nikki C said...
Wow your quilt is sewn so STRAIGHT !!! I can do a straight line for so long then the next thing I know I'm crooked and have to resew it lol thanks for the visit
hugs Nikki 5
- 22 May 2015 at 03:03
- Debs Willis said...
Looks like you had a fab time, more nattering than crafting as usual ;-)
Hugs x
- 22 May 2015 at 09:29
- Julia Dunnit said...
It's only her natural habitat because paper crafts make her shiver! Glad you enjoyed. And yes, someone seems to have taken your hinting......
As I said on the day, your album is a masterpiece!
- 22 May 2015 at 21:30
- Darnell J Knauss said...
These are all so heartwarming, Sam! Thank you for sharing! It's so nice to see Fergus again! And, of course, you damsels don't look half bad yourselves! I love seeing crafty ladies get together. Notice I didn't say "shifty" ladies! And when I say "ladies," this one time I'm including you!! Big hugs, Darnell
- 23 May 2015 at 00:05
- scrappymo! said...
My goodness girl...what fun that must have been. I can only dream of being able to go to one!
Your sample quilting edging looks great...you will have to teach the ladies at the lake when you come to Canada!!!
Missed you lately...I think you are not showing up in my blog roll...will check to see what is wrong...I have missed so many posts. Off for a catch up!
- 30 May 2015 at 07:45


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Xiaomi, often when mentioned people associate it with mobile phones and tablets, but those who follow closely with Xiaomi's development will know that they have an entire ecosystem of peripherals and home appliances. This Bluetooth Speaker, also known as the Cannon, is the second generation of their series of round bluetooth speakers. It's cheap at only RMB 129, or roughly USD $20, but is it any good? Let's find out.
Once again, this Bluetooth speaker comes in a cardboard box as per Xiaomi tradition. The only difference is that the box is white and top of the box has a dotted design (pointing at the product within being a speaker). The packaging itself is relatively simple and light, but promises a certain level of shock-resistance.
Turning to the back, you'll see the list of tech specs as well as the serial number and barcode. The device comes packing a Tymphany speaker unit with a 4Ω resistance and 5W output as well as Bluetooth 4.1 and a 1200 mAH battery unit. You can also see an iF Design Award logo on the back, and Xiaomi is very proud of it. The packaging is simple, as you get only the speaker and user manual. No micro-USB cable was included but that's fine as many has a lot of micro-USB cables lying around.
The Cannon has an aluminium top, and a polycarbonate body. The combination gives a simplistic and minimalistic yet elegant design but the plastic body does make it feel cheap considering the first generation is clad in full aluminium. The weight is fine, not too heavy for portability and not too light to make it feel even cheaper than it already is. The speaker grill is covered in white fabric for better sound.
The top of the device is actually a turn knob for volume, and it has just the right rigidity to it. It's intuitive and accounts for lesser buttons and dials, but the knob is somehow wobbly. Thankfully the clicks for each stop are obvious, so the above problem is not really a deal breaker. However, the delay between a turn on the knob and the actual change in volume is a little too long, and I don't really like it.
The height of this device is increased while the width of it is decreased. This contributes to more portability, but the smaller base does make it feel unstable since the center of gravity is shifted upwards. This situation is especially obvious when pressing the power button, which is housed in the top part of the device and requires a certain amount of force to push it down. One thing worth mentioning is that the power button can be pushed from any position.
Xiaomi claims the new speaker has better clarity, treble and bass. According to tests, I do find the sound is clearer and treble is cleaner, but bass is definitely lacking and sometimes it's really weak. The soundstage is also much narrower than the first, and the volume is lower than the first generation.
Having an upgrade to Bluetooth v4.1 certainly helped in cleaner and better audio trasmission, and the lower energy consumption of BLE helped to reduce power draw from the built-in 1200mAH non-removable battery. Xiaomi claims a 7 hour audio playback time, my tests yielded almost the same result but it was expected and similar to that of the previous generation model. The battery charges via micro-USB and takes a 5V 1A input.
Final Verdict
The Cannon is a pretty good Bluetooth speaker but it doesn't really stand out when the market today is filled with many Bluetooth speakers that perform better than it, but at it's price point it's an okay buy. I still prefer the previous model over this, but nonetheless there are still improvements over the last generation that is worth the change. Xiaomi do have other Bluetooth Speakers which are better but comparatively costs more. The Cannon goes for RMB 129, but there's a RMB 30 discount currently.
- Cleaner sound
- Simpler design language
- Portable
- Very affordable
- Narrow sound-stage
- Somewhat cheaper build
- Lacks bass (a lot)
- Only available in China
Sources: Xiaomi


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UH Hilo recognized for debt management
UH Hilo Home > News and Events > UH Hilo Press Releases
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Contact: Alyson Kakugawa-Leong, (808) 974-7642
For Immediate Release
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has earned an Excellence in Debt Management award from USA Funds, the nation's leading loan guarantor. UH Hilo is one of only four postsecondary institutions in the nation to receive the merit award, based on its innovative methods to help students minimize and manage their student loan debt.
Denise B. Feser, USA Funds senior vice president of customer relations, said that UH Hilo's debt management practices "exemplify the best efforts of postsecondary institutions nationwide to promote responsible borrowing and to help former students successfully repay their student loans."
The default rate for student loans at UH Hilo is 3.2 percent, compared to 7.9 percent for the 2001-02 school year. According to Jeff Scofield, UH Hilo financial aid director, UH Hilo's default rate is well below the national average of 5.2 percent and the public institution average of 4.7 percent.
"We are proud that USA Funds has recognized UH Hilo with this award," said Scofield. "We take a proactive, multifaceted approach to ensure that our students receive the financial aid they need while maintaining their debt load at a manageable level."
UH Hilo has experienced a 31 percent increase in enrollment since 2001. Members of the financial aid staff collaborate with faculty presenting workshops to freshmen on money management, budgeting, and student loan and credit card debt. The University provides loan counseling in a variety of formats, including Web-based, group advising and individual appointments, and has been updating students on their current student loan debt levels with each new financial aid award notice. UH Hilo's exit counseling materials include a detailed summary of each student's loans.
"This award takes on special significance in these times of economic stress when families worry about debt," said Dr. Luoluo Hong, UH Hilo vice chancellor for student affairs. "It emphasizes the value and affordability of a quality education at UH Hilo."
Disclaimer: The University of Hawaii at Hilo is not responsible for the contents, links and/or materials presented in any web site listed above that are not of the "hilo.hawaii.edu" or ".uhh.hawaii.edu" domains. All comments, complaints and grievances should be filed with the author, host and/or owner of said site.


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Bruce Bain 'Sail Boats' Canvas Wall Art
This beautiful canvas wall art from photographer Bruce Bain. His work employs elements of imagination to capture a variety of subjects. It is fully finished, arriving ready to hang on the wall of your choice.
- Artist: Bruce Bain
- Title: Sail Boats
- Product type: Canvas
- Style: Contemporary
- Format: Horizontal
- Size: Over-Size
- Subject: Photography
- Medium: Ink Print
- Dimensions: 20 inches high x 16 inches wide each (3 panels)
- Outer dimensions: 20 inches high x 48 inches wide x 1.5 inches deep overall
- Model No: BB149-GWC2016TP


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Diabetes is hard to manage. You can get a comprehensive understanding of the disease here and get the information about the latest treatments and get professional advices. read more
Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy is a brand-new therapy based on traditional Chinese herbal medicines dating back thousands of years ago. It combines the essences of herbal medicines read more
Hormonal therapy is commonly used to treat Kidney Disease in clinic. It refers to use one or more than one hormone medicines to suppress the over-reactive immune reaction read more
Patients are suggested to treat kidney disease first before they get pregnant read more
If you are diagnosed with Kidney Disease, you should talk to your doctor about starting an exercise read more
Foods and Drinks play an important role in Kidney Disease patients read more
Kidney Disease News and Events read more
In every week, a famous experienced renal medicine specialist will be invited to help diagnose and evaluate inpatient's disease condition, offering detailed therapeutic schedule. read more
Provided by Expert Zhang Youkang on 2017-04-07 17:05
Mrs Lin comes from Jiangsu province, China. Two years ago, she took a checkup that showed she had proteinuria 2+ and occult blood 2+. She was diagnosed with Chronic Glomerular Nephritis and Kidney Failure. Considering the convenient place, she treated in her local hospital.
"I always take some steroids and Chinese patent medicines, but Creatinine level is still high," she said. "I can not delay time, I must find suitable treatment for me to stop the progression of my disease."
By chance, she heard a patient with kidney failure whose creatinine level reduced obviously with Chinese medicine treatments of our hospital. She got our contact information and consulted some problems. Soon she came to here.
The test report showed that her urea acid was very high, reached to 614umol/L and creatinine was 295umol/L. Now she was in stage 2 Kidney Failure. Because she always kept good life habits, only if she cooperated with our treatments actively, her illness condition could be controlled well.
Apart from Oral Chinese Medicine Therapy, we also arranged Foot Bath Therapy, Du-Moxibustion Therapy and other comprehensive treatments.
Through ten days of treatment, the effects were obvious. Creatinine level reduced to 240umol/L, and UA reduced to 290umol/L, restoring to normal.
Now she still keeps good life habits and actively takes treatment. We believe her illness can be controlled fundamentally.
From her we can learn that to slow down the progression of kidney disease and prevent the kidney function deterioration, you need to find suitable treatment and take treatment continuously.
If you have any problem, please leave message in the below form or consult ONLINE DOCTOR for free. Our expert will provide professional information for you timely.
Our Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Skype: abc.kidney
WhatsApp/Viber: +86 18730617149, +86 13503211882
If you send us email, please leave your phone number or WhatsApp/Viber (with country code) in email so that our renal expert can communicate with you timely and directly. We will do utmost to help you solve the problems.
What else you want to know:
Make An Appointment Beijing Tongshantang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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How can I get this treatment in my countries?
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What is the duration if I receive this treatment in your hospital?
What should I prepare to your hospital except visa?
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Building 1 and Building 3, along Zhuishikou North 700m, the Ming Tombs, Changping District, Beijing, China
Welcome to Kidneyabc >> Skype:abc.kidney / Email: email@example.com / Whatsapp: +86-135-03211882


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Tour and activity providers in the Caribbean have the advantage of being in a tourist hotspot, but it's not enough just to expect bookings to roll in when the sun is shining.
Set aside some time to drive your marketing to actively build your company and your chance of more bookings.
1. If your tours are in paradise, show this off with visual marketing
As humans we're drawn to pictures. As a result, if your tour or activity company is based in awe-inspiring surroundings, you have access to a distinct marketing advantage. Show customers what they will see and experience on your tours or activities: don't just tell.
According to a recent study by Demand Gen Report, 86% of buyers expressed some level of desire to access interactive or visual content on demand from a business.
Fill your marketing arsenal with high-quality photos and videos of the best views the Caribbean has to offer. With successful visual marketing (make sure it's always honest), you will get more bookings from guests wanting time in paradise.
You can read our complete visual content marketing guide here.
2. Grow your business with online booking software
If you're relying on bookings over the phone, by email, and in your office, you'll be spending a lot of time on admin. You'll also be losing out on busy customers who want a quick way to book online.
Provide customers with an online booking engine and you will not only save them time, you will make life simpler for yourself and your team. Automate emails, manage your business on-the-go through your smartphone, and view your bookings on a real-time calendar so you're always up-to-date.
3. Up your content creation with a blog
Having a selection of incredible photos on your website is great, but you also need text content so your website can be indexed by Google and customers can find you. The best way to increase content creation is to start a blog.
A blog helps small businesses to generate 126% more customer leads than those that do not blog, according to HubSpot.
You might post about your lessons learned as a tour provider, business updates, special offers. The key to blogging success is providing something that's of use to your audience. Aim to educate, amuse, enlighten, or inform.
4. If mobile payments aren't always ideal for you, accept payments with mobile card readers
Mobile payments can be a superb assert to your tours or activity business, but it might be the case that you can't always accept them due to Internet connectivity. If so, a solution can be accepting payments with a mobile card reader.
This is just one of the benefits that comes with using TrekkSoft: have a chat with our team and find out how if online booking software can work for your individual business needs.
5. Use your website to show your credibility
Before booking your tour or activity, customers need to trust you to look after their best interests and give them a worthwhile experience. Help potential customers to trust your business by:
- Having a professional website, online booking system, and secure payment gateway
- Displaying an "about us" page on your website with photos of your team
- Don't be afraid to share statistics, such as your number of years in business or the number of customers who have been on your tours
- Show customers trust you by displaying testimonials, show that the business world trusts you by listing media mentions.
- Improve your SEO with the help of our ebook...
Do you have any other tips to share for other tour and activity providers in the Caribbean?


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Congratulations to the winner of the competition commenter #6 Thanh! Thanks for all your wonderful comments on the blog and facebook - I'm glad I'm not the only one in love with my sewing machine.
For those of you who did not win the lovely people from personal planners have offered a generous 15% discount off a personal planner anyways!
Although I purposefully booked my flight home early to give myself time to catch up with friends in Melbourne and get back to studying, I still feel that pull of regret that comes with leaving family and an amazing holiday behind. I've spent the last few days in a whirlwind of family activities and Chinese New Year biscuit making.
The love letter biscuits start out as a dollop of batter in the middle of a pair of circular disc prongs which is then squished flat by closing the top disc . Then the prongs are placed on a charcoal fire and the person manning the grill folds the circular biscuits in half.
Then they toss the half-circle biscuit at the folder sitting at the table/ wood plank on the milo tins, who then folds them into quarters and stacks them into the tins. At least with these biscuits I was just the folder and wasn't manning the charcoal grill. The next day with the egg rolls was a whole different matter - I was dripping sweat in front of the charcoal grill; not onto the biscuits though.
So how do you win a free planner to help you out with your year? The competition is open internationally (since I'm in Australia) and it's as easy as these two steps:
1) Like Personal Planner on Facebook
2) Comment in the comments selection below on your most valued sewing tool? (mines my seam ripper by a long shot, since I'm always having to undo things)
The giveaway will close Tuesday 22 January 2013. The winner will be chosen by random number generator. Good Luck.


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Tokyo-based Bandai and NTT Mobile Communications Network are developing on-line video games for cell phones. Twenty Bandai titles will be modified to run on special cellular handsets called I-modes, enabling game downloading and on-line play. The I-mode launched February 22 in Japan only. On-line games will be available to the Japanese market in Q4 2000.
Sony Computer Entertainment plans to start original digital movie production and distribution for its PlayStation 2 console as early as 2002. The flicks will be sent over high-speed Internet connections to the console. PlayStation 2 is due to hit Japanese shelves in March 2000.
Nintendo's next-gen Game Boy-a.ka. Game Boy Advance-will house a 32-bit RISC CPU, compatible with all Game Boy and Color Game Boy games. Equipped to access the Internet through cell phones, it is on the sked for an August 2000 release in Japan, and end of 2000 release in North America. SNK has also announced plans for a 32-bit handheld successor to its Neo Geo. On the game front, Nintendo is releasing its holiday star Donkey Kong 64 on November 22 for US$54.99. The ape icon hasn't seen a reincarnation for five years.
Calabasas, California-based Sound Source Interactive has inked an exclusive, five-year, worldwide deal with Harvey Entertainment to publish and develop 3-D games and educational titles based on Casper the Friendly Ghost for Sony PlayStation. The deal also includes rights for PlayStation 2, CD-ROM and DVD versions. The first Casper title is slated to ship for Halloween 2000.
New York-based NewKidCo and Disney Interactive inked a multiyear, multiplatform deal to develop titles based on Disney characters for Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Color Game Boy for ages four to eight. Animated Storybook, Mulan will be the first title available in late Q4 `99. Titles based on Winnie the Pooh will follow in 2000.
Southpeak Interactive ships its 3-D Boombots to Sony PlayStation on November 8 for US$39.95. The latest combat title from the Cary, North Carolina-based company involves evil feline aliens versus robots, and is geared to ages 10 and up.
New York's Take Two Interactive has acquired Edinburgh game prodco and studio DMA Design from Infogrames Entertainment for US$11 million. DMA created the game series Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.
SurfMonkey.com, a kids Internet portal out of Campbell, California, has inked agreements with Bandai, Mindspring, Lycos and Family Network to provide those companies with its Kids Channel and Safe Navigation Bar.
Glen Cove, New York-based Acclaim Entertainment has an exclsuive agreement with the Olsen twins' Dualstar Interactive division to ship two Mary-Kate and Ashley titles on American Thanksgiving Weekend. Mary-Kate and Ashley's Dance Party of the Century and The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley for PCs and Color Game Boy will retail for US$29.99.


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Working with Sam at Heritage Park Realty, has been a blessing
I would like to say, working with Sam at heritage park, has been a blessing, he is a very understanding and patient man, he really works hard for you, very professional, he does what he says he will do, he takes time to explain everything to you. SAM THANKS FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE, a blessing.
Very dedicated, and always goes above and beyond for her clients.
I have known Marilyn for almost 6 years, and have worked with her closely during that time. She is very dedicated, and always goes above and beyond for her clients. I highly recommend her, and Heritage Park Realty!
If you're looking for a professional, honest, and friendly realtor
If you're looking for a professional, honest, and friendly realtor, Sam at Heritage Park Realty is your guy. I've worked with Sam and have found him to be full of integrity and always looking for ways to help others. He get's an A+ in customer service and will do everything he can to give you the best experience possible.
Heritage Park Realty has been very helpful for me and my family
Heritage Park Realty has been very helpful for me and my family. Everyone is friendly and respectful. It is well maintained. Thank you Marilyn!! You are awesome!
Very Professional, always taking care of us
Ms. Marilyn and Mr. Dan! Very Professional, always taking care of us, but most of all Kind people! Angels that God put in our path! Beautiful properties and great amenities! I love my Home and my community.
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The annual Users Conference is an exciting event where users advance their simulation skills through interactions with Flow Science staff engineers, collaboration with other users, exploring new modeling approaches, and learning about the latest software developments.
Call for Abstracts
The call for abstracts is now open. Share your experiences, present your success stories and obtain valuable feedback from your fellow FLOW-3D users and Flow Science engineers. The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday, April 21. Abstracts should include a title, author and a 200 word description. Please email your abstract to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Flow Science will also offer a training devoted to optimizing simulation time and accuracy using the various numerical options that are available in our software packages. This training is included with the conference registration and will cover what the best numerical options would be for a wide range of applications. Some of the topics will include:
Learn more about the conference
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Area 1
Adams Avenue: A person who was drunk in public was reported in the 1200 block at 3:13 a.m. Sunday.
Maple Street and Victoria Street: A vehicle burglary was reported at 9:48 a.m. Sunday.
Pomona Avenue: Cruelty to animals was reported in the 1700 block at 11:11 p.m. Sunday.
Area 2
Santa Ana Avenue: Petty theft was reported in the 1600 block at 12:33 a.m. Sunday.


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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article – more information can be found on our disclosure page.
Graveyards/Cemeteries are spooky which is why the Halloween Graveyard is one of the most enduring Halloween themes. You can decorate both your house and garden as a graveyard, but I think that an outside graveyard is the spookiest option. There are lots of different ways in which you can create your very own Halloween graveyard. You can buy a range of different Halloween graveyard decorations or even make your own.
You can start off your graveyard with tombstones and crosses and there are certainly lots of props available, but there are so many different options for you to make your Halloween Graveyard stand out from the others. If you want to create the spookiest Cemetery ever (albeit rather 'traditional') from skeletons to tombstones and even the grim reaper himself then have a look at this Halloween Graveyard post, but if you want your Halloween graveyard to be a little different then keep reading.
Halloween Graveyard Fence
Now you may already have a fenced yard or you may have hedging plants, but there's just something about fencing off your Halloween graveyard that adds another element to the spooky factor you're craving. There are some cool Halloween Graveyard fencing available for you to purchase which works really well such as these options –
Halloween Decoration Cemetery Iron Fence KitCreepy Fence Border Party Accessory (1 count) (1/Pkg)Forum Novelties Cemetery Fence Prop, 2-Pieces
These can be used to great effect in fact you can even lean a couple of tombstones against them to get this spooky look –
These aren't the only way you can create a cool Halloween graveyard fence for your own cemetery however, another option is to simply use an old fence or even a picket fence.
Using a picket fence around the area you can add different things to the fence like drops of blood, bits of flesh or a couple of ravens which transforms an ordinary picket fence into a scary 'what kind of horrors lurk behind it' kind of fence.
Another option is to use old fence palings that are rotted and falling down to create the effect of an old abandoned graveyard lurking behind.
The Gravestones – Important Halloween Graveyard Decorations
What is a graveyard or cemetery without gravestones. Of course you could forgo gravestones for a few wooden crosses, you could even make them crude handmade wooden crosses with names carved in them and create the illusion of an old abandoned ghost town from the old black and white western movies. If you want to go for that look then you could even put an old frayed noose over a tree as well.
You can make your own tombstones for your Halloween graveyard and this can be a fun activity in the lead up to Halloween or you can buy a range of different tombstones from very basic ones to more ornate options –
22in Mossy Celtic Cross Tombstone (Standard)Fake Tombstones – Halloween Yard DecorationThe Vampire Demon Tombstone Statue
Once you've decided on the tombstones you have to decide on what else you're going to add to your graveyard and this is where you can really stand out from the crowd.
Creating Your Halloween Graveyard Scene
Deciding on what props to add to your graveyard will help pull everything together and there are lots of options you can choose from including spooky Halloween trees – you can get some that are motion activated to make noises that will heighten visitors' fears. You could go down the ghost route, after all where better to see a ghost than a graveyard? Then again you could do the whole 'rise of the dead' theme instead. This theme can be a lot of fun and there are some great props available for you to really make this the best halloween graveyard.
Another option is just to leave it as a graveyard and simply have a bat or two hanging from the tree, people will be on edge expecting more leaving it as a graveyard with the odd bat and maybe some fog (I do love using a fog machine on Halloween) will keep them on edge without needing to add anything else. Of course if you emerge as the creepy cemetery caretaker from behind a tree it will make them jump as well!


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Petko wrote: ↑Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:16 am
Is this something similar as to when navigating a CHM help file? Only the current document to be visible and all other collapsed?
Copyright © 2018 by Milenix Software Ltd. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy | EULA


text: This romantic 14K gold antique style wedding band is adorned with a ribbon of full stemmed roses fashioned of red and green gold. The elegant blooms rise above a yellow gold surface. Smooth, rounded bands of yellow gold frame the central design. The floral wedding ring measures 4.52 mm in width. Size 6 1/4. We cannot re-size.


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As a voice over artist and editor, I sit on my back side. A lot. I go home, and after spending some time with the fam, I jump back on the computer and do voice over work. It would be easy to never leave my desk, and never see the sun. I've got two kitchens within 15 seconds of my edit bay by day, and of course another one at home. Now that I'm slightly over 40... ok, closer to 50, it wouldn't take much for me to turn into a gelatinous mass of goo.
But I don't want to turn into a whale, feel lethargic, and die of diabetes shortly after they cut my feet off. So I had to find a way to stay in shape, something to motivate me.
Unfortunately, for me, I'm kind of an extremist. Running or working out to "stay in shape" doesn't motivate me - at all. I had to find something extreme-ish to make it fun. So, in the past, I've run a bunch of 5k's and 3 marathons. Marathons are fun. If you haven't tried one, perhaps you should. They really make you appreciate the little things in life - like sitting.
I actually like the gym, and for a while my goal was to get massive and strong. I got sorta strong - was finally able to bench 325 - but in the process, I got fat. And hurt my shoulder. So I decided to go the other way - get as lean as possible for a fragile old man. I started in November, 2010. I had been going to the gym 4-5 days per week. But I began going 6 days per week, and doing both cardio and weights every time.
In the beginning of February, when I was in the middle of my new plan, I came across a tranformation contest at bodybuilding.com - so I signed up for that for extra motivation. I became even more dedicated with my diet. I'd spend about 1.5 hours per day, 6 days per week in the gym. And for me, it was fun, motivating, invigorating. My energy level went up. After a pretty traumatic 2010, my happiness also went up. I was excited about life again.
Now that I've finished the contest and have seen the progress I've made, I want to keep going. So for me, this works. Being in shape effects every area of your life positively. Life just matters more.
My plan WON'T work for most people - its too much. Most people find the gym boring. Hey, I'd rather do motocross every day, but that's just not practical in the Los Angeles area.
My advice to YOU, voice over guys, editors, and other butt sitters, is to find what you LIKE to do - walk, run, bike, racquet ball, soccer, tennis, gym, WHATEVER it is that you can do forever, and start doing that, at least 3x per week. DON'T start some program that you hate, and that you'll quit as soon as the 3 month program is up. And holy cow dude, put down the bloody Big Mac and bring something healthy from home.
Incidentally, to "reward" myself today, I ate what I wanted: 4 tacos at El Pollo loco, an entire box of Reeces Pieces, and nearly a full bag of mana from heaven, AKA Mint Milanos. I wanted to throw up after each one of those binges today.
I'm looking forward to getting back on the wagon tomorrow. A side benefit of eating healthy 95% of the time is that you REALLY appreciate food. My treat? A bananan, with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, sprinkled with chocolate protein powder. Oh baby.


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Used Techtool Deluxe - now won't boot
Frequent warnings came up that the "startup disk" was almost out of space and to clear off files to make room. I did this a number of times and still the warning. Used utilities to check the disk, verify, etc. which showed minor problems but it would not let me do a repair and wanted me to used the install disk ... which of course I can't find 4 years later. So, I used what looked like the next best thing.. TechTool Deluxe that came with my (expired) care plan. It found a few minor issues in the volume structure and said it would fix it. IT DID A JOB ON IT! NOW, it won't boot. After teh chime, the fan and the cycling of the HD It just drops a translucent screen down that says in several languages to reboot ... and it never does.
Is this a good question?
Do you have any backup?


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Australian girls kiss and lick in a bookstore
Do you like to read? I know, weird question to ask on this site but I do and so do these Australian amateurs in this bookstore. That may seem to be a bit nerdy but there is such a thing as a naughty nerd and these girls fit that description. Among the stacks they undress each other and start to kiss and lick each other. Must have been quite some book to turn these girls on so much!Enter Abby Winters for more Australian amateur girls
Believe me. If you're into natural amateurs there's no better source than Abby Winters. There are many, many girls in her archive and they appear nude in a realistic non-glamourous way.Enter Abby Winters now with plenty of movie content


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Looking for any kind of services or businesses near your area? Don't think that its a tedious task. With RealPlots, everything is pretty easy now. Realplots is an online local business directory Kochi, that gives the complete lists of businesses and services available in Kochi. With just a few clicks, one can easily identify the businesses and can get in touch with them. Why waiting for? Just Log on to Realplots!!
Benefits of using Realplots, an online local business directory Kochi


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Enter your details and information about your business below and an epay sales team member will contact you at the earliest possible time.
The information you enter will help us to understand more about your business. We look forward to speaking with you.


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You are seeing the basic information about Union Jack Hair in Union Street.
Union Jack Hair is not yet a member of On The Wight so we cannot show you their enhanced business profile.
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If it is would you like to join the many other Ryde businesses currently enjoying the advantages of On The Wight membership?
If so then please get in touch via our Contact Page.
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(option no longer available from 2020 entry onwards)
Rather than applying to study Computer Science directly, you can also choose to study CS as a Natural Scientist at Cambridge. This option recognises that computers are a vital ingredient for almost all science today and it is designed to give future scientists exposure to the fundamentals of CS which will be most relevant to the later career.
How does this work? If you apply to study Natural Science at Cambridge, you can elect to spend 25% of your first year studying CS. If you choose to do this, you must also spend another 25% studying the Natural Science mathematics course. (The mathematics course is also a requirement if you wish to study many other Natural Science subjects such as Physics or Chemistry, so this shouldn't be seen as a major hurdle.)
Choosing this option means that you will only study half of the CS that a first-year Computer Science student would study. This means that a transfer into the Computer Science Tripos at the end of the first year involves some catch-up, however it is possible, and many students have taken this route into CS. So, if you think you would prefer to study CS at Cambridge, apply for the Computer Science course directly; if you want to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge, but you think CS might be interesting, choose to study Computer Science as an option in the first year.


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RALEIGH -- North Carolina environmental regulators have ordered a chemical company to take further steps to reduce emissions of chemicals that have questionable health effects.
The state Department of Environmental Quality issued a notice of violation Monday telling Chemours to take more actions to control emissions of GenX and other compounds at its Bladen County plant.
The notice orders the company to do a better job of cutting back on air emissions with particles that can settle and contribute to groundwater contamination.
Delaware-based Chemours didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
State lawmakers and regulators have been taking a closer look at GenX amid concerns that the chemical is present in waterways that supply drinking water to eastern North Carolina communities.
GenX is used to make Teflon and other coatings.
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A fantastic national drama — or, better yet, melodrama — is being played out across every international media platform.
We viewers and readers are acting as the judge and jury.
It is our job to determine who is more credible, President Barack Obama, our twice-elected U.S, President or Edward Snowden, the earnest, outspoken, nerdy NSA whistleblower.
President Obama's interview with PBS' Charlie Rose appeared on Monday evening. Predictably, the President did his best to shrug off the taint of a scandal in his administration. For weeks, Americans have collectively expressed outrage over the fear that the U.S.government is listening in on countless phone conversations.
All throughout Facebook and Twitter, the new measuring sticks of public taste — forget the Gallup or Roper poll — a lot of people are joking away the scandal. They speculate that the President knows what they ordered in for dinner last night or what movie they saw over the weekend — that is the extent of the severity of their personal disclosures on the phone.
Still, beneath the kidding, it is disconcerting for people to suspect that the government that they elected — after waiting in line for hours last November, in many cases — would be accused of doing something so shameful, and shameless.
It smacks of a Watergate scenario for the 21st century, with the President on one side and the media and the whistleblower (Deep Throat) turning the screws.
It is inevitable that I would introduce the dreaded "W" word — Watergate. Every time, a Sitting President causes an uproar, the term comes back to bite him.
Which one do you believe — the President or the Whistleblower? That is the question.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


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The Dunlop Signature HP is available in V and W speed rated sizes to fit many performance cars. This tire has an asymmetric tread pattern.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this product! Please focus on the product performance and quality. Your review will be posted on Consumer Reports for other subscribers to view. Please read our Privacy Policy and User Agreement for more information about the review process. If you'd like to report a safety problem with your product, please fill out this form.


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Gazprom Neft has not been affected by Western sanctions over Russia's annexation of Crimea but is ready to move away from dollars in its contracts and to redirect oil flows to Asia if needed, the CEO of Gazprom's oil arm said.
Alexander Dyukov told reporters that Western banks are unlikely to stop cooperating with Gazprom Neft and that Western oil majors do not want geopolitical tension to affect their partnerships, but said the company is prepared to step up contacts with Asian lenders and also raise money in Russia.
Kremlin-backed executives have defiantly voiced confidence their companies can cope with any sanctions imposed during the biggest standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Read MoreRussia tightens squeeze on Ukraine with gas price rise
The United States and European Union have imposed visa bans and asset freezes on allies of President Vladimir Putin, and are threatening broader measures that could affect entire economic sectors if Moscow escalates tension over Ukraine.
"As for sanctions, they have not affected the company's business in any way," Dyukov said in St. Petersburg, where Gazprom Neft is now based.
He suggested that Western companies did not want broader sanctions imposed on Russia, but that Gazprom Neft would reduce its reliance on the U.S. dollar if necessary and turn to Asia if doorways to the West were shut.
Read MoreRussia sanctions: Companies may not face backlash
"Of course, I have had meetings, contacts with representatives of Western business circles ... In principle, they are not interested in escalation of tensions," Dyukov said.
Gazprom Neft is exploring for unconventional oil - believed to be a source of future oil output growth in Russia - in western Siberia with Royal Dutch Shell.
Read MoreNatural gas: Risks and rewards for Gazprom boss
With all things American out of vogue as the United States seeks to punish Putin for the annexation of Crimea and deter him from seeking control of any more Ukrainian territory, he said the company had broached the idea of dropping the dollar.
"No such task has been set (by the government)," he said. "But ... we have discussed with our buyers the possibility of switching contracts to euros and ... 95 percent said they are ready."


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Google's Neil Fraser took a trip in Vietnam, where he was surprised to find computer science had been incorporated into public school curricula, despite severe resource constraints. In Vietnam, pils start learning computer science from second grade. They started real programming in their 4th grade. Where Neil made a comparison to students in the US struggling on HTML img tags, by 'students in the US', Neil was referring to 11th grade 'gifted and talented' students enrolled in magnet program in science and mathematics.
Intuitively, Neil was curious on what would a 11th grade Vietnamese student do for programming. He walked into a random school's programming class. This is the problem he found. Students have 45 minutes to design and work out a solution with PASCAL. Nearly all students in that classroom completed on time.
Google's recruitment team rated this question top one third. Neil estimated at least half of those students would pass Google interview.
This is a sad day. The Seagull estimate that in any college level computer science class at any university (with few exceptions such as MIT, CMU and Stanford) around the world, at most 10-20% 3rd year computer science students will be able to finish the task in 45 minutes. If his observance is accurate, then Neil's careless walk may have proved all the education in CS has been all wrong. In other words, as in the learning process of any other natural spoken language, it should be started in a child's early age.
Although an adult can learn a foreign language, it usually takes way longer time, and most likely will never reach the point he will be able to use it naturally. If it is not a natural process, it is hard. And that is what we have seen most computer science students doing in college, and in their programmer career: floundering and withering.
The question is actually a well known problem among programming enthusiasms. It is a variation of an ACM programming contest archive, maintained by the University of Valladolid in Spain, aka UVA 705 Slash Maze. There are some more involved solutions available from Google, but here is a most elegant solution with the Vietnamese problem's data file.
* Vietnamese Problem - Neil Fraser - 11th Grade - Rosemont
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
const int row(17);
const int col(25);
bool goal(true);
int count(0);
using namespace std;
void cal(char** mat, int i, int j) {
if (mat[i][j] != '1') {
mat[i][j] = '1';
if ((i==0)||(i==row-1)||(j==0)||(j==col-1)) goal = false;
if (goal) count++;
if ( (i!=0)&&(j!=col-1) && (mat[i-1][j+1]!='1') ) cal(mat, i-2, j+2);
if ( (i!=0)&&(j!=0) && (mat[i-1][j-1]!='1') ) cal(mat, i-2, j-2);
if ( (i!=row-1)&&(j!=0) && (mat[i+1][j-1]!='1') ) cal(mat, i+2, j-2);
if ((i!=row-1)&&(j!=col-1) && (mat[i+1][j+1]!='1')) cal(mat, i+2, j+2);
int main() {
int maxarea = 0;
char **mat = new char* [row];
for (int i=0; i<row; i++) mat[i] = new char[col];
ifstream fin("data1.txt");
for (int i=0; i<row; i++)
for (int j=0; j
> mat[i][j];
for (int i=0; i<row; i++)
for (int j=0; j<col; j++)
if ( (i%2==0) && (j%2==0) && !( (i%4==0) && (j%4==0) ) ) {
cal(mat, i, j);
if (count > maxarea) maxarea = count;
count = 0, goal = true;
for (int i=0; i<row; i++) delete[] mat[i];
delete [] mat;
cout << "the largest enclosed area is: " << maxarea/2 << endl;
1000000010001000100000001 0100000100010100010000010 0010001000100010001000100 0001010001000001000101000 1000100010001000100010000 0100000100010001010001000 0010001000100010001000100 0001010001000100000100010 0000100010001000000010001 0001000101000100000101000 0010001000100010001000100 0100010000010001010000010 1000100010001000100010001 0100000101000001000100010 0010001000100010001000100 0001010000010100010001000 0000100000001000100010000


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I do have to say that my post below was pretty much on target, although I really did not think that the decision would be made on the basis of whether the mandate can be interpreted as a tax.
On the whole, I am not disappointed with the Supreme Court decision. I think that Roberts and his majority colleagues did what I would want them to do and what they should do: Not look for way to find that the ACA is unconstitutional, but look to see if there is a way to rule it constitutional. Innocent until proven guilty. Roberts says this in a different way, when he discusses the point that if a law can be read in more than one way, the Court needs to read it in the most constitutionally favorable way. The Commerce Clause limitations were even strengthened, and the idea that laws like this have to be recognized as taxes will make the political process more transparent.
The ACA is also not a terrible base from which to build, if certain things were to be modified. I would really like to see us sever health insurance from employment, and while the ACA does provide a platform for that to happen -- the exchanges, and the beginning of taxation of health benefits -- it does not go nearly far enough.
But there is one more ethical question, related to my Apr. 4 post below. Roberts actually created a third option in addition to the two that I had:
Scheme C: A mandate to buy insurance, with a tax penalty to be paid if the mandate is not followed. However, "...the mandate is not a legal command...(p.32, Opinion) and "...if someone chooses to pay rather than obtain health insurance, they have fully complied with the law...(p.37)
Is there an ethical difference between Scheme C and Scheme A, the mandate and penalty? Seems pretty clear to me that there is. According to Roberts, I can skip insurance simply pay the fine, and feel no qualms about doing so. I don't have "..all the attendant consequences of being branded a criminal..."
I do worry that we are creating a precedent here, by creating a law with the word "shall" in it, and then saying that you can break that law and simply pay the penalty and be off the hook, including according to Roberts avoiding any "social stigma."
So when the government says I shall do other things, such as parking in no parking zones, can I just pay the fine and be off the hook, legally and socially?


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The FBI has rescued 84 children from the hands of 120 traffickers who were arrested Wednesday amid a nationwide crackdown on child trafficking, the agency said in a statement.
The sting, dubbed "Operation Cross Country XI" was a multistate operation focused primarily on the recovery of children and taking out the "pimps" who run human trafficking rings.
"We at the FBI have no greater mission than to protect our nation's children from harm. Unfortunately, the number of traffickers arrested — and the number of children recovered — reinforces why we need to continue to do this important work," FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
"This operation isn't just about taking traffickers off the street. It's about making sure we offer help and a way out to these young victims who find themselves caught in a vicious cycle of abuse," he added.
The four-day operation involved 55 field offices, 78 Child Exploitation Tasks Forces, 500 law enforcement agencies across multiple states and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, according to the FBI. The sting was the latest operation in a long-running venture called the Innocence Lost National Initiative. Since its inception in 2003, the venture has found and rescued 6,500 children, NBC News reported.
The FBI said its agents and task force officers staged sting operations in hotels, casinos, street corners and truck stops, in addition to online advertising, WJRT reported.
"We go out in an undercover capacity, and we try to make contact with youth whether as a customer sex buyer or trafficker even," Arapahoe investigator Daniel Steel told KCNC.
A 3-month-old baby found in Denver was the youngest victim rescued during the operation.
"During operations by FBI Denver's Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force, for example, a three-month-old girl and her five-year-old sister were recovered after a friend who was staying with the family made a deal with an undercover task force officer to sell both children for sex in exchange for $600," the FBI said.
FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers said the bureau provides victims services to rescued children to help return them to their homes or reintegrate them into society.
Arapahoe County District attorney George Brauchler said child trafficking is a multifaceted issue, explaining it's a market with buyers and sellers.
"It's not just that someone is willing to sell someone, it's that there are buyers out there who are willing to engage in this," Brauchler said.
The head of the FBI's Denver field office, Todd Pooler, said Wednesday's sting was just the beginning of the FBI's efforts to eradicate child trafficking.
"If you are a sexual predator or are sexually exploiting children, the FBI and law enforcement partners will find you," Pooler said. "You can count on it."