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Azolla: A New Paradigm of the Future of Rice
My research in Azolla-Anabaena (AA) began in 1980, when I joined the Institute of Chemical and Environmental Sciences at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Guayaquil, Ecuador. After many years of research and testing with various partners, the World Bank's Development Marketplace funded "Converting Rice Fields into Green Fertilizer Factories" in 2008. I would like to share with you the successes of this project, which has the potential to change the paradigm of rice production in Ecuador.
Rice in Ecuador is an essential and primary food for most of the population. The country harvests more than 300,000 hectares involving more than 140,000 families. Therefore it is important that rice is produced cost-effectively and in an environmentally sustainable manner. The production costs of rice depend on the type of seed, fertilizer and phyto-sanitary package used to control weed and insects, costs of labor, land preparation, rental equipment for seeding and harvest, and irrigation. The majority of fertilizers are chemical-based, involving heavy imports and causing environmental problems. More than 40% of the fertilizer applied is released into the environment, as plants cannot utilize 100%. In addition, purchases of imported chemical fertilizers for agriculture account for about 30% of current production costs.
The application of artificial nitrogenous fertilizer in rice cultivation represents drain of foreign exchange. It also contaminates the soil, surface water and groundwater, affecting the development of beneficial flora and fauna, and decreasing productive potential of the land in the long term. This situation creates a great need and at the same time opens a huge opportunity for an alternative fertilizer based on native resources, like AA, and its technical application.
Principal achievements
For centuries the Azolla-Anabaena fern has been traditionally used as a green fertilizer for rice in the lowlands of Vietnam and China, playing an important role in the economy of these countries. In the last 70 years, commercial agriculture globally has increased dependence on artificial chemical fertilizers, a technologically costly approach which is not sustainable and adversely impacts the environment and public health.
This project has permitted the cultivation of rice with the exclusive use of Azolla-Anabaena as a fertilizer. The trials produced an average production of 4.06 t/ha, an impressive result considering that the national average is 3.14 tons/hectare. Additionally, Azolla improves water quality, soil quality, and the health of workers.
As a result of project fieldwork, seminars, press, radio, television and internet, many citizens now recognize AA as a natural, sustainable and economic alternative to synthetic fertilizer.
Looking towards the future
My new goal is to extend Azolla-Anabaena to more sites, so that eventually it is used in all national rice cultivation, which covers some 400,000 hectares and affects over 140,000 families.
The Azolla-Anabaena story is now unfolding on many different levels in many places. The development and spread of AA in the Guayas Ecosystem (Figure 5) introduces a new paradigm of "tropical knowledge".
The incorporation of Azolla into rice cultivation in the Guayas Ecosystem will play a strategic role in Ecuador as it will also provide fertilizer for agriculture, food for livestock, water treatment for the Daule, Babahoyo and Guayas Rivers, aquaculture industry improvement in the Guayas Estuary, fisheries stimulation in the Gulf of Guayaquil, soil enrichment, biota recovery, and carbon credits. In fact, several farmers, businesses, and projects focused on rice cultivation, banana cropping, cocoa plantations, cactus cultivation, pig farming and urban agriculture have begun to adopt Azolla in their farming practices.
Figure 5. Azolla: A powerful lever for transforming rice cultivation in Ecuador
|Fertilizer for agriculture
|The ecosystem of rice farms along the coast has the capacity to produce fertilizer for all of Ecuadorian agriculture.
|Food for livestock
|The high protein content of Azolla makes it ideal as animal feed.
|Water treatment
|The use of Azolla in rice cultivation will serve as an immense and extraordinary natural water filter for the Daule, Babahoyo and Guayas Rivers.
|Aquaculture improvement
|The purified water will play a substantial role in increasing the value of shrimp mariculture.
|Fish stocks and catch will increase in the Gulf of Guayaquil due to improving water quality.
|Soil enrichment
|Soil texture, porosity and organic material content will increase, thus raising its economic value.
|Biota recovery
|Decreasing use of agrochemicals will improve natural ecosystems, water quality and flourishing of natural biota.
|Carbon credits
|The application of Azolla in rice cultivation can be incorporated into carbon credit markets decreasing contributions to global warming.
Building on its success, the project has developed partnerships and mobilized additional sources of direct and in-kind funding from public and private sources, mainly local and central government, of an additional $545,000. I am very excited about the potential for scale-up of this project, and the consequent change in paradigm for agriculture in Ecuador.
For more information regarding this, please click here [1], or contact the author [2].
- Tags:
- Ecuador [3]
- Latin America & Caribbean [4]
- Agriculture and Rural Development [5]
- sustainable agriculture [6]
- rice production [7]
- green fertilizer [8]
- azolla [10]


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Find out what events and rentals are available at the Show Place Arena.
Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex is a one-stop-shop for health and wellness! Learn more about our facility features!
Prince George's Stadium is great for a night of baseball! Learn more about our Bayox Group Outings!
The Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex is a unique venue with exceptional features. Learn more and plan your next event with us!

subset: commoncrawl


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The vice president of booking at AEG Live, Las Vegas has lived in town and booked the Joint—the old space, then the new—for the past six years.
You book several rooms around town, correct?
The Joint at the Hard Rock and the Colosseum at Caesars Palace are the two venues AEG has in this market that are exclusive, which means no other promoters come into those rooms and produce concerts. Mandalay Bay and MGM, like most arenas, don't have an exclusive relationship with any promoter. We go into those venues as the artist dictates. If it's a big show with big production, then we definitely go into those rooms. AEG does a ton of shows in both of those venues.
The old Joint was famous for staging arena-sized acts in a small room. How do you decide whether the new Joint—which is twice as big (4,000 capacity) but small relatively small compared to an arena—is right for an act that typically plays the arena circuit?
The first weekend the new Joint was open we booked Paul McCartney in there. In the first week we had The Killers, McCartney, Bon Jovi and Kenny Chesney—so you're talking four legitimate arena acts within seven days of one another. And it was awesome: The property got a ton of buzz, a ton of press and brought in a great gaming and dining crowd. And we still do that. Linkin Park, Soundgarden, Kenny Chesney multiple times. The Joint probably does more arena acts than any 4,000-seater in the world.
Now, generally those shows have higher ticket prices than the artist might have in an arena. And also the casino will subsidize a major show if they feel it's worth it from a branding standpoint and if it'll bring in a big gaming crowd.
The old Joint also booked lots of acts that drew crowds under 1,000, and it didn't seem overly empty. In the new Joint, how small is too small?
In the old Joint, we did Rodrigo y Gabriela, one of my favorite artists, and we might have done 500 tickets. We're not gonna bring a show like that into the new Joint—it just feels too cavernous. But in the new Joint we have a real intelligent curtaining system. We curtain off the third level, which takes it from 4,000 capacity down to 3,000. And we've done shows in there like Phoenix, Silversun Pickups, Wilco, Underworld, Bon Iver—and when the artist looks out and sees 2,500 people in the room, it's virtually sold out. The reality is there's another 1,000 seats above them that the artist and the fans can't see.
How tough is the competition in Las Vegas these days?
In any other city there's competition from other shows, other promoters in town and it's all good. Out here, we're competing for people's entertainment dollar with the fine dining, the spas, the gambling, the strip club, seven Cirque de Soleil shows, nightclubs, dayclubs. We have more competition for the entertainment dollar out here than any other city in the world.
Music Issue
The Hard Rock's financial picture looks a lot different when there's a show in there and when there's not. Same as MGM, same as Mandalay Bay, same as the Pearl at the Palms. Any property
really appreciates bringing several thousand people to their property on any given day, so therefore it gets that much more competitive.
Is there an ideal number of shows you'd like to have in the Joint each week?
The Joint and the pool are the engines that power the Hard Rock, so we'd like to have shows in there all the time. But in this market, where so many casinos and promoters are making offers, the prices get driven up. And we have to make sure we're profitable.
Does the Hard Rock still book shows as loss-leaders on occasion?
If we could book Paul McCartney once a week, yes, that model sustains. But the reality is, we need to be profitable with our shows. About 85 percent of our shows are meant to be profitable—the business generated in the Joint offsetting the expenses, advertising, stage hands, artist costs. Then there are some shows that we take a swing at in order to bring in a good gaming crowd or just a good-branded show.
The Joint has booked Santana, Tiësto and Mötley Crüe for residencies over the past few years. Would you like to do more?
We booked Santana as the first rock 'n' roll residency at the Hard Rock, and we caught that deal in more robust economic times. The show fared fine for us. Santana loved it and the Hard Rock liked it, but it was time for a change. Zero hard feelings. I've already been to the show three times at the House of Blues, and I love it. It's great over there.
The Mötley Crüe residency is where, I think, we found our sweet spot. We bought 12 shows. We didn't buy 72 like we did with Santana. We turned the property into this carnival, this Mötley Crüe campus, and everyone really dug it. So we kinda like the fit of these 12-show pods. And I'll tell you right now, we're negotiating with a couple of different bands looking to emulate what we did with Mötley Crüe.
The Joint is such an iconic concert brand. How much does that affect your process, as you're deciding whether an act is right?
Long before I or AEG was involved with the place, the Hard Rock had a reputation for bringing big bands into a small room. Again, the economic picture was different then—for everybody. But we still do that. It's rare that Incubus is going to play two nights in a 4,000-seat room. And we have some other real big names in the hopper right now. We're looking at some big stuff for New Year's Eve, for example.
They want to keep that legendary and iconic status up, and I think we've done a pretty good job doing that. But again, we also need to make sure that the bottom line doesn't suffer.


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Magician David Copperfield waved his hand over the envelope, which popped open. He wiggled his fingers, and the card slid upward. A moment later we heard the winner's name: "Scientific American." The guests at our tables roared with approval.
A group of Scientific American colleagues were at the 2011 National Magazine Awards, the Oscars of publishing. The magazine won for General Excellence in the category of "Finance, Technology and Lifestyle Magazines." The award, bestowed by the American Society of Magazine Editors, was for the September, November and December 2010 issues.
The staff worked hard, but we owe special thanks to our readers. You inspire and challenge the editors, art directors and others with your insights, observations, feedback and suggestions. You have high expectations, and we aim to meet them.
In this month's cover story, for instance, "The Limits of Intelligence," author Douglas Fox explains how the laws of physics may well prevent the human brain from evolving into an ever more powerful thinking machine. Other articles in the issue explore how experts can identify "The Best Medicine" via comparative effectiveness research; what lessons "The Last Great Global Warming" 56 million years ago offers today; and how confounding the "Scent of a Human" for mosquitoes could combat malaria. Rounding out the mix is a feature marking the 100th anniversary of "The Periodic Table of the Cosmos," which reveals the patterns behind the stellar bestiary.
Last, I want to mention two items. First, thanks to the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, Calif., for inviting me to join them at the White House Easter Egg Roll, which began including family-friendly science activities last year. We built bunny-shaped copters and kites with the kids. Check out Scientific American's educational activities at www.ScientificAmerican.com/education.
Second, in July the Google Science Fair will announce its first contest winners, which invited entries from students ages 13 to 18. I will be the chief judge and master of ceremonies. Watch us on YouTube and learn more at www.google.com/sciencefair.


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Array Leash needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 639 designs submitted by 160 freelance designers.
I am organizing a large celebration in Italy in April for jet-setters and need a logo for the materials, including t-shirts and stationary.
Fashion forward 20-40 year olds who like to travel to Italy. They appreciate hand-made shirts, fine wines, and classic elegance in their design. They like everything to have a level of sophistication without being showy.
Create a fresh, but classically inspired brand mark for the "S40 – Italia" event to be used on BLACK background materials including t-shirt and brochure. The brand is S40, but the event is S40 – Italia. However, you can use ITA instead of ITALIA.
One idea is to abbreviate the ITALIA to ITA and create a brand similar to the attached image for ITA 86, but place it on a black background.
For our purposes we would use "ITA S40"
Insiders only
The ideal designs will be elegant and not flashy. A attendee should be able to wear the black shirt anywhere and have it not be obvious that they went to event. It should not scream across the room. It should communicate this is more of an insiders event. Those in the know, will know what the brand means.
Elegant not showy
The ideal design should not use a lot of color. In fact, I would almost recommend a engraved or embossed treatment for the logo. A design that does not require more than one color will be preferred.
Classic style
This is an event for people who appreciate good art, sculpture, and architecture. It would be good to borrow from the classic style often found in Italy. The design (typeface, style, layout) should be timeless. I would recommend a Serif font for a timeless effect.
The mark should be strong and bold. It should stand on it's own without any embellishment.
Brand elements
The logo must include "S40" and either "Italia" or "ITA"
I have attached a logo below that comes to mind when I think of this design in my head. Obviously, the use of color is not what I had in mind. But, I like the simple use of the letters to evoke some emotion.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch. -Orson Welles
My mother was a great cook. My father loved to eat. I am the Man from Pawtucket and this is my story. Here you will find a collection of observations, from Central Falls to Central Park, from Pawtucket to Paris, about Eating Well. Bon Appetit.
Those horse dovers look great!
Post a Comment


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Friday, January 7, 2011
A LONG time since last post
Barbara Whiteside
3 comments:
- Joe said...
Barbara, I'm interested in your family history, because we are apparently related through the Bantas, Montforts, etc. I also have some Davis and Stewart connections from KY, OH, IN, and Iowa.
Joe agingapes AT gmail DOT com
- April 17, 2011 at 10:44 AM
- Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith said...
Welcome to the GeneaBloggers family. Hope you find the association fruitful; I sure do. I have found it most stimulating, especially some of the Daily Themes.
May you keep sharing your ancestor stories!
Dr. Bill ;-)
Author of "13 Ways to Tell Your Ancestor Stories" and family saga novels:
"Back to the Homeplace" and "The Homeplace Revisited"
- August 20, 2011 at 12:10 PM
- Charlotte Dyer said...
Barbara, I have just started the family history of the Myer(s)/ Munfort/Blunk/Dyer. Looking for some information on Martha Patsy Munfort mother and father and back some. In fact, would like to know everything. Pictures, I do have a few from ancestry.com. but... I seem to be late in "talking" to people on Message blogs as emails,etc have been changed. I sure hope you are still here. Kaye Dyer firstname.lastname@example.com
- January 10, 2014 at 8:05 PM


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UAF Sustainability Webinars
This page highlights the videos and presentations from 2011 including The Sustainable Buildings and Community Design Course and UAF Sustainable Village Student Design Competition. Click on the links below to be taken directly to the site housing each seminar. Please note the content in the webinar was current when the webinar was broadcast, but may become outdated. Contact the Office of Sustainability if you have any questions, email@example.com.
Introduction to Sustainability, Student Design Competition, CCHRC Research Efforts and Tour of CCHRC Facility (video saved in 3 parts)
Part 1 www.alaska.edu/oit/cts/streaming/academic/Sustainability-Design_Competition_Seminar-1
Part 2 www.alaska.edu/oit/cts/streaming/academic/Sustainability-Design_Competition_Seminar-2
Part 3 www.alaska.edu/oit/cts/streaming/academic/Sustainability-Design_Competition_Seminar-3
A Sustainable Communities Model - Bernie Karl, K&K Recycling Inc, Chena Hot Springs
Living Off the Grid – Rorik Peterson, UAF Mechanical Engineering and Seth Danielson, UAF Institute of Marine Science
Rainwater Catchment – Tom Zimmer, Calypso Farm and Ecology Center
Creative Integration to an Alaska Passive House – Thorsten Chlupp, Reina Properties
Calypso Farm and Ecology Center – Susan Willsrud, Calypso Farm and Ecology Center
Starting a Community Garden – Michele Hebert, Office of Sustainability UAF
Traditional Wisdom About Sustainability – Molly Lee, UAF Emeritus, 0-58:44
Alaskan Soil and Foundations – Yuri Shur, UAF Engineering, 58:44-115.25
Energy Efficient Waste Water Treatment – Bob Tsigonus, Lifewater Engineering Company, 115.37-176.29
Heat Pumps, Solar Thermal, Masonry Heaters – Collin Craven, CCHRC, 177.40-207.50
Living Machine Waste Water Treatment – Henry Cole, 207.50-220.51
Natural and Energy Efficient Lighting - Elizabeth Johnston, Design Alaska
Alternative Energy Technology - Bruno C. Grunau, CCHRC
Student Design Team presentations, October 15, 2011
Team 1–Circle Vision
Team 2–Gimme Shelter
Team 3–Earthworms
UAF Sustainable Village Student Design Competition 2011 Awards Presentation


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French-Canadian publication of Our New Age, 1959
Earl Cros was the original artist for the Sunday newspaper feature 'Our New Age' through Bob Hall's syndicate. The feature was written by Dr. Athelstan Spilhaus and dealt with all aspects of science and technology. Cros drew the strip from September 1958 through May 1961. By 1959 it appeared in 102 US and 19 foreign newspapers. Cros was succeeded by F.C. Felton and finally Gene Fawcette, who drew the strip until the end in 1975.
Cros was a pseudonym of American cartoonist Carl Rose, who was mainly known for his cartoons for The New Yorker which he had made since the beginning in the 1920s. He had studied at the Art Students' League and also made cartoons for Popular Science and The Saturday Evening Post, as well as illustrations for books such as Bennett Cerf's 'Try and Stop Me' and its sequel 'Shake Well Before Using'.
Best-known New Yorker cartoon by Carl Rose (8 December 1928)


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I have a basic garden plan here, its only basic and needs improving, click here for garden plan.
When I got here the garden was pretty much empty and I only started planting things to create a bit more privacy, first there were three palms at the back to screen the fenceline, and then the first mamoth job of planting Mexican Petunias all arounf the perimiter. After that I started to get a bit too excited and planted a variety of small plants that mainly died, and then an orange tree, and then loads of citrus tres, palms, fruit trees, grape vines, broclains (spell?) and on this Dec 2010 trip a set of nut trees, an olive tree, a banana tree and three blueberry bushes. I doubt its over yet either. Its incredibly exciting planting all this stuff and so I might find it easy to warble.


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It sure sounded like Mike Shanahan threw in the towel for the 2012 season after losing to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night, despite having seven games left to play.
Relive every game this season online and on-demand with enhanced viewing features, including the "All-22" coaches film. Get NFL Game Rewind.
"When you lose a game like that, now you're playing to see who, obviously, is going to be on your football team for years to come," Shanahan said after the team's homecoming loss.
Logically, it made sense with the Redskins at 3-6. They would have to run the table for a chance at the playoffs. Emotionally, it seems like a dangerous message to send to a team.
"Bein' 3-6 really (stinks) because right now we're on the outside looking in," Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander told Mike Wise of The Washington Post. "I'm not thinkin' about next year. That's an offseason thing for me. But you know it's hard when you see yourself in that type of position and your head coach is saying those types of things. It's disappointing."
Two other players told Wise anonymously that they were bothered by Shanahan's comments. Considering that Shanahan has a lower winning percentage during his Redskins tenure than Steve Spurrier or Jim Zorn, it's a dangerous message.
Shanahan might need to win in the second half or risk not being around next season.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.


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Planned New Jersey F1 race looks doubtful again: Bernie Ecclestone
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he has not written off a planned grand prix in New Jersey next year despite increasing doubts about the chances of it going ahead after being postponed once already.india Updated: Aug 24, 2013 15:30 IST
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he has not written off a planned grand prix in New Jersey next year despite increasing doubts about the chances of it going ahead after being postponed once already.
"They have a contract. So if they comply with the contract the race will take place. We would be very, very happy if it does," the Briton told Reuters at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.
"They have got conditions and they know what the conditions are," he added.
Ecclestone was quoted earlier by CNN as saying that the inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas, which would have New York's Manhattan skyline as a backdrop, was "not on the cards for next year" because local organisers "haven't got any money".
The 82-year-old added that it was similar to a failed project to take the British Grand Prix from Silverstone to Donington Park.
"It is such a muddle and a mess that it is not worth doing," he was quoted as saying.
Asked by Reuters whether he had effectively written it off, he replied: "No, no."
He said he did not know what the financial situation was but "if they haven't got any money it won't happen for sure.
"I don't look into their bank accounts so I don't know whether they've got the money or not," he added. "Or what conditions they have to raise the money in."
Ecclestone has a potential 21 races jostling for space on the 2014 calendar with the majority of teams preferring a maximum of 20.
This year has 19 races after New Jersey postponed its scheduled debut.
Sochi, Russia's Black Sea resort that hosts next year's Winter Olympics, has also been pencilled in for 2014 with Austria making a comeback, while India will be dropped.
Increasing doubts have been raised about the New Jersey project, which relies upon raising private funding rather than any state subsidy.
The United States already has a grand prix, at a purpose-built circuit in Austin, Texas, that made its debut last year to general acclaim, but a second would be welcomed by teams and sponsors.
CNN quoted Grand Prix of America spokesman Alex Howe saying they expected the race to go ahead.
"We don't comment on financial matters but we are on track for 2014 and will have a statement following the announcement of the official 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship schedule," he said.
First Published: Aug 24, 2013 15:28 IST


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What Whiskers Did
Ruth Carroll
AbeBooks Seller Since April 25, 2000Quantity Available: 1
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About this Item
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Title: What Whiskers Did
Publisher: Henry Z. Walck, Inc.
Publication Date: 1970
Binding: Library Binding
Book Condition: Acceptable
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Hiring an Old Bridge area roofing contractor for a new roof can take a giant hit on your wallet, but... View Article
Hiring an Old Bridge area roofing contractor for a new roof can take a giant hit on your wallet, but... View Article
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Fixing your Hillsborough, NJ roof is by no means a simple task. It can be complicated, dangerous, and extremely time... View Article
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रोते हुए आओगे हँसते हुए जाओगे ।
हर समस्या का तुरंत समाधान।
Love Marriage Specialist in sharjah Marriage is a perfect procedure which can convert our whole life with new people & joy, new ideas and new responsibilities. Most of the people fall in love because in today era love is one of essential part of our life. Parents want to feel insucure with such things. They don't want their children to live independent. But their children can live their lives in accordance with their ideas and beliefs. For this they normally prefer love marriage. But every one is not so much lucky to get Love Marriage as per their need. Most people are not so lucky they will not get their parent approval at once. They began to search for Love Marriage Specialist in sharjah.
In the market you can find out many of love solution advisers, consultants are their for you, but once started searching for someone real love marriage expert then real answer is here to save their relationship problems. The time astrology help from the root because astrology know where the problem is and how we can solve your problem and the method by which it will be resolved; as the world famous Love Marriage Specialist in sharjah has considerable experience & knowledge in this field.
Mostly Parents do not want their children to go to honor them, so usually they want matchmaking. In his view, the marriage of love is a sin. Thus, They do not care about their children Love & tried to stop them from getting Love Marriage. Today everyone wants a happy marriage life and prosperity to want to understand & to know their life partner before marriage. Because after marriage they do not want to feel that they have made a mistake in marriage or they are not compatible with each other. But culture and our society continue to live in this world, and we are part of this society. Thus here We Love Marriage Specialist Astrologer in sharjah are here to solve people Love Marriage Problems.
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Bright petals under a threatening sky.
Humble beauty in a barren place.
A field of Black Eyed Susans is an awe inspiring sight.
But a single brave flower is its own story.
A story on a little Poppet. Made with love for our Earth. She is our Mother.
I hope you feel it too.
We accept Paypal and major credit cards through Etsy. You can contact us to make arrangements for checks, money orders, and layaway. Generally, "layaway" payments are the total divided into three payments, no more than 30 days apart.
If your purchase is a gift or you have some other deadline, please let us know when you purchase! Additional arrangements might be needed and possible additional postage. We want you to get your Poppets and art on time!
We generally ship by U.S mail first class. Orders over $150 are shipped via Priority Mail USPS. Other arrangements are made for larger pieces and for rush or gift items on a case by case basis.
Please bear in mind that many of the poppets here are 'made to order.' Please allow time for the work to be created. Most often that's no longer than five days, but we're a small studio and things happen.
We ship orders from our Etsy store on Tuesdays and Fridays. Custom items take a bit longer, depending on the item.
We will refund money if item is returned within seven days of receiving the item. Items can be sent for repair free of charge,buyer pays for shipping.
We want you to be happy! Please don't hesitate to contact us with questions or problems. We'll make things right.
We will gladly consider custom orders and consignment.
Just convo us here! We love hearing your ideas and love the opportunity to delight and surprise you.


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By 1860, Mary Bryan Reed was living in Ray County, Missouri, so my first step in researching David was to check out the great USGenWeb site for Ray County. I have found boundless information on this site. Under their database of surnames link I found three listings for David Reed. He was mentioned in two of the historical histories of the county: twice in the History of Ray County, MO, 1881, and once in Portrait and Biographical Record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn counties, Missouri. In the History of Ray County, 1881, there is a paragraph under the heading of widows of Soldiers of the War of 1812 that mentions Mary Bryan Reed. It states that David Reed was a Soldier during the War of 1812 and that he enlisted in Berkeley County, Virginia in 1814 and discharged in 1815.
David Reed is the first ancestor I have found from the War of 1812. After finding this information I did a search for records of the War of 1812. Ancestry.com had a database of information, but because he has such a common name, I was not able to narrow any of the finds down to be my ancestor. I was led once again to the National Archives. They have several resources about the war at their Military Resources: War of 1812 link. I headed to their eServices site, which has become my favorite resource. I placed an order for David Reed's Federal Military Pension Application - Pre-Civil War Complete File (NATF 85A). The fee for the search and documents is $50, which is a bit steep, but it will not be charged if they can not find any documents on David Reed.
|A view of the bombardment of Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, by the British fleet,
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.


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We have a few automotive dreams. We'd like to see more true hybrid sports cars. We'd like to see some accessible off-roaders sold Stateside. We'd also love to see the return of the Alfa Romeo Spider.
To our shock and amazement, one of those dreams is actually going to be realized. Mazda and Alfa today announced that will team up to build an all-new open-top two-seater sports car.
Once you've stopped giggling with glee, we'll give you the facts.
The new drop-top sports car will be based on the next generation Mazda MX-5. While each variant will have its own engines and styling, Mazda will build both versions in its Hiroshima plant in Japan for the global market. Both cars will be front-engined, rear-wheel drive, and undoubtedly offered exclusively with a manual transmission.
With this new agreement, Alfa aims to re-envision its popular Spider model. And Mazda simply aims to reinvigorate its MX-5.
The Mazda and Alfa say production won't begin until 2015, so we've got time to daydream. But what a daydream it is. It's almost painful to fathom how fantastic a Mazda-built 2016 Alfa Romeo Spider will be; the majesty of an Alfa convertible assembled by the fastidious Japanese. What could go wrong?
The two automakers have kept any further details secret like performance, pricing, or in which markets the two vehicles will be sold. As soon as we know more, however, you can be sure we'll quick to bring them to you.


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Barack Obama refuses to release the names of the 2 million-plus people who have given his campaign less than $200. According to campaign officials, it would be too difficult and time-consuming to extract this information from its database. So how come we were able to do it in a couple hours? Not literally—we don't have access to the campaign's list of donors—but we created a database of similar size and format in a Web-ready file and posted it online. (You can view a sample text version of it here. The full version is 824 MB.)
But before we get into the technical details (though, if you're with the Obama campaign and want to skip ahead, please do), it's worth dwelling on the reasons for the Obama campaign's reluctance to disclose this information. It can't be legal: No law prevents Obama from releasing these names.
Politically, there would be several advantages in releasing the names. Obama has campaigned (effectively) on a platform of making government more transparent, citing his efforts to do so in Chicago and Washington as signature achievements. He has also disclosed the bundlers who raise large amounts of money for his campaign. Finally, making the list public would rebut McCain's broad and unsubstantiated claims that the list (and the huge sums of money it represents) is shot through with fraud.
Of course, releasing the information would also be politically risky, since the inevitable errors in a database so huge (errors of the kind McCain also had, like a contribution from "Adorable Manabat") would give McCain an opportunity to scream fraud. Then again, he does that sometimes even without evidence.
And from a purely logistical standpoint, we have a hard time believing the campaign lacks the expertise to do this. We know the information is already in a very sophisticated database—it has to be, because the Obama campaign has been manipulating the information for more than a year as it continues to raise money from these small-fry donors. It also uses the information to contact and track donors to make sure they get out and vote on Election Day.
So much for the arguments. Now for the technical details. We created a randomly generated dummy database in Excel that consisted of 50,000 donors. Each entry had a field for all the data normally disclosed in a typical FEC filing for donors who give $200 or more: first name, last name, two address lines, city, state, ZIP code, employer, occupation, the amount of the donation, and the date it was given. (Excel 2003 maxes out at around 65,000 rows, and the Obama campaign is certainly using something much more sophisticated.)
To create an xml database from this data that approximates the size of Obama's donor database, we wrote a short script in Excel's built-in version of Visual Basic that looped through the database of 50,000 pretend donors 50 times, for a total of 2.5 million entries, adding each entry to an xml file. Even on a wheezing, overworked Dell Optiplex GX280 (2.8 GHz processor, 504 MB of RAM), this took exactly two hours. The resulting xml file was 824 MB—big, but not unheard of. Any competent developer could take this file and make a searchable application from it.
Web developers would be quick to point out that a huge xml file like this is too bulky for an online application to easily parse. For the Obama campaign to create a searchable database like the one the McCain campaign released, it would probably need to take a few extra steps to convert the xml document into something that can handle the size of the dataset, like MySQL. But simply for the purposes of releasing the raw data, a universal format like xml is sufficient.
Unsurprisingly, a campaign spokesman rejects the premise of our little experiment, saying the task they face is far more difficult than we think. The campaign's last FEC report, he notes, runs to 176,000 pages. But the number of pages isn't the relevant metric here; it's the size and shape of the database. And we're talking about something far less complex than an FEC report. Finally, since it's online, it requires no printer. All we're doing is rearranging 1's and 0's.
Obama aides also deflect the question about the names of the campaign's low-dollar donors by saying that the McCain has lapsed in reporting the names of more than 100,000 donors. They're right—and they illustrate the point by helpfully pointing to an online spreadsheet. Which also proves our point that it's easy to put this data together in a digestible form. So how 'bout it, guys?


text:
2009 Dufour 425 Grand Large
- Description
- View Full Specifications
- Year:
- 2009
- Hull Material:
- Fiberglass
- Length:
- 42'
- Engine/Fuel Type:
- /
Dufour Yachts presents three new yachts, which will blend the art and pleasure of navigation. The DUFOUR 525 set the tone in September 2006, with its luxury, strong character and rare elegance. The 425 and 485 models also attain the summit of perfection. These three flagship vessels will attract those in search of excellence, who are ready to set off on long cruises in absolute comfort. Without doubt, the spirit of Michel Dufour, a visionary in the nautical world, is present in these unique craft, built for pure pleasure, exhilaration and enjoyment. With the Dufour 425 Grand'large, the "smaller sister" of the 455, the yard has built a performance cruiser, ideal for long passage making, but easy to handle for an afternoon's leisurely cruise. She is stylish, comfortable, seaworthy and built from cutting edge design and technology.
Additional Specs, Equipment and Information:
Keel: Other
Hull Shape: Monohull
LOA: 42 ft 4 in
Beam: 13 ft 7 in
LWL: 36 ft 1 in
Maximum Draft: 6 ft 1 in
Displacement: 18539 lbs
Ballast: 5379 lbs
Dry Weight: 18539 lbs
Drive Type: Sail drive
Engine Options
Engine Option 1: 1x 40 HP
Fresh Water Tanks: (116 Gallons)
Fuel Tanks: (42 Gallons)
Additional Description
- Teak trimmed seats, GRP sole. Two large side lockers with lids fitted with padlock hasps.
- GRP steering pedestals.
- Rudder stock head under helmsman?s sole for installing the emergency tiller.
- Engine lever and control panel easily to hand for the helmsman on the starboard side.
- Transom open in centre with a tipping helmsman?s seat giving access to the swim/ boarding platform.
- Gas cylinder locker in aft port seat. Life raft stowage in dedicated locker under helmsman seat.
- Cockpit shower in aft locker.
- Folding stainless steel bathing ladder.
Additional Description
- All joinery work is finished in prime choice Moabi mahogany, with fiddles, mouldings and framings in solid wood.
- Cabin doors have a blocking system in order to keep them open where necessary.
- Soles are in Moabi laminated floor boards.
- Saloon cushions and mattress fabrics have removable covers.
- The upper cabin linings are in Moabi wood, the bottom in cream coloured vinyl.
- Sliding companionway hatch and washboards in Plexiglas with stops and lock.
- Curved wooden steps and access to engine by lifting step case on jacks.
- Two handrails.
- Dedicated stowage for companionway door inside the boat.
- Large berth approximately 2m long with a 10cm thick mattress with washable cover.
- 250 litre water tank.
- Access to stowage locker under berth.
- Full length shelf with sea-fiddle over the berth alongside the hull.
- Large hanging locker with shelves.
- Access to navigation instrument transducers.
- Large head compartment with shower.
- Manual marine toilet, moulded washbasin, large mirror and chrome plated brass mixer tap with shower unit.
- The shower has direct drainage by an electric pump.
- Version 1 and 2 : 1 head
- Version 3 : 2 heads
- Manual marine toilet, moulded washbasin, large mirror and chrome plated brass mixer tap with shower unit.
- The shower has direct drainage by an electric pump.
- A large U-shaped settee is on the starboard side with cushions made out of foam with washable covers.
- A central fixed settee has a hinged stowage area underneath.
- Further stowage is available under seats and behind backrests.
- Stowage lockers with doors and bookshelf above the settee.
- The saloon table has a bottle rack in the centre and fiddles.
- Stainless steel mast pillar.
- Large format chart table with a hinged desk top.
- Ergonomic wooden seat with stowage underneath.
- White vinyl cushion.
- 45? angled instrument console.
- Stowage under chart table with drawer.
- Double berth approximately 200cm long.
- 10cm thick mattress with washable cover.
- Large hanging locker with double door and shelf above.
- Shelf with sea-fiddle over berth.
- Access behind engine, oddments tray on top.
- 160 litre fuel tank under starboard berth.
- 160 litre water tank under port berth.
- Battery switches on the vertical area of the starboard berth.
- Technical area between aft berths.
Additional Description
- 12V DC system.
- Switchboard with circuit breakers, voltmeter, 12V outlet.
- 1 x 100 Ah engine battery.
- 1 x 100 Ah house battery.
- Switch for each battery.
Additional Description
- Longitudinal shaped galley with large Corian? worktop.
- Double stainless steel sink.
- Chrome plated brass mixer tap for pressurised water.
- Cooker - three burner stove with oven and grill on gimbals.
- 12V electric refrigerator unit (130 litres).
- Stowage boxes, with separated compartments.
- Cutlery drawer and PVC stowage baskets.
- Upper cabinets, one of which can house a microwave oven.
- Crumb tray under sole.
Additional Description
- Volvo 40 hp (29.1 kW). Sail-drive transmission.
- Heat exchanger, anti-siphon valve.
- Large capacity sea water strainer.
- Control panel close to helmsman with hour meter, engine stop and tachometer.
- Alternator with battery isolator.
- Fuel tank gauge on electrical switchboard.
- Fuel filter with water separator.
- Emergency fuel shutoff handle.
- Engine room ventilation blower, and two ventilation hoses.
- Two-blade fixed propeller.
- Access to the engine from front and both sides.
- Independent engine bilge.
- Quality sound proofing using high density foam.
Additional Description
- Teak handrails on coachroof. Wooden toerail.
- Self-draining chain locker with eye bolt and integrated windlass bracket, lid with locking bolt.
- Stemhead fitting anchor roller.
- Pulpit with wooden step and separate green/red navigation lights.
- Pushpits with horseshoe buoy bracket, flag pole holder, navigation light, and opening cable gate with hook.
- Stanchions with two levels of life line.
- Six aluminium mooring cleats.
- Single stainless steel chainplate for cap shrouds/aft lower shrouds.
- Two chainplates for the backstay.
- Two deck fillers for water and one for fuel.
- Mainsheet track on and adjustable traveller on coachroof.
- Boom vang.
- Genoa sheet tracks with piston lead blocks.
- Genoa sheet turning blocks on coaming.
- 8 sheave deck organizers for halyard returns, mainsail sheet and reefing lines.
- Stainless steel swan neck electric/electronic cable gland.
- 7 clutches on coachroof.
- Two x 40 ST halyard winches on the roof to starboard.
- Two x 48 ST genoa winches on coamings close to the helmsman.
- Hand laminated GRP hull with Twaron reinforcements at keel area.
- The NPG gelcoat (the first layer of cloth is impregnated with NPG resin) forms an optimum barrier against osmosis.
- Inner moulded hull bottom, structural grid laminated to the hull.
- Hull portlights in the saloon.
- Deck in Balsa core sandwich, made by Infusion process.
- Draft 2.10m, cast iron keel, bolt loads taken up by stainless steel backing plate.
- Semi-elliptical rudder, filled with closed cell epoxy foam.
- Stainless steel, solid stock.
- Two winch handles with holder.
- Owner?s briefcase with owner?s manual.
Sails & Rigging
- Anodised aluminium mast with double swept backed spreaders, rigged 15/16, deck stepped.
- Anchor and steaming lights.
- Boom topping lift cleat.
- Anodised aluminium boom equipped with two single line reefing system.
- Genoa furler.
- Grounded rigging system.
- Continuous standing rigging in single strand stainless steel cable and chrome plated bronze turnbuckles including: forestay, double backstay, cap shrouds, inter and lower shrouds.
- Pre-stretched running rigging including: Main and Genoa halyards, boom topping lift, Main and Genoa sheets, two reefing lines, outhaul line, Mainsheet car control line, furling line, boom vang tackle.
- Mainsail equipped with two broad reef bands, with battens and bag.
- Furling Genoa with anti-UV protection.
*This price is based on today's currency conversion rate.
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Help us do more
EKOenergy for Europe
Our vision is to slow down climate change by making a complete switch to renewables on the European electricity market. Our mission is to stimulate the development of the renewables sector, to promote climate friendly solutions, to protect biodiversity and to inform consumers about the origin of the power they buy. We started from Northern Europe, and we are gradually spreading over the world.
We are proud of our results of 2015.
- More than 100,000 consumers bought EKOenergy certified electricity.
- Electricity suppliers from 12 different countries signed our Licence Agreement.
- We have financed solar panel installations on schools in Tanzania, Cameroon and Indonesia.
- We have actively participated in several river restoration projects in Finland.
- More than 60 volunteers and trainees help us to communicate about nature, climate change and renewable energy, in more than 20 languages.
Help us do even more in 2016
During our start up, we have been supported by the Finnish Ministry of the Economy. But from now on, we have to stand on our own two feet. The sales of EKOenergy labelled electricity bring in money to run the secretariat, but they are not yet enough to start new initiatives.
- We need € 950 to host a foreign volunteer for one month. This includes rent, food and transport; although we get funding from EVS, it does not cover all expenses. Our volunteers play a huge role in getting EKOenergy started in new countries.
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- Our digital communication costs € 2000: server, website, newsletter, online campaigns. We economize a lot, but campaigns cost money, even if done on social media.
- Although we mainly use electronic materials, we do need paper leaflets and information sheets too. Our estimated cost of these is € 1000 per year. With € 5 we can print 1 copy of our comic and send it to schools and supporters. The list goes on, this was just to give some insight. We are very grateful if you decide to support the work of EKOenergy.
Buy the EKOenergy Comic or the EKOenergy bag
You can help us by buying products from the EKOenergy shop.
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(permit to collect donations nr. 2020/2012/4007)
Contact Steven.Vanholmesll.fi, +358 505687385 or Riku.Eskelinensll.fi, +358 50 5727782 for more information.
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Reference: Mention EKOenergy. If you are buying something from our shop, mention type of product and amount. If you donate and you want your money to go to a specific project, mention it. It is also possible to send us extra information by e-mail: infoekoenergy.org
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text:
Hi! I haven't played in a while, around a 3.0. Looking to hit with someone after work around 5:30-6pm anywhere in the Weho or Hollywood area, possibly 1-2x week.
I have had amazing luck with tennis partners on this site when I lived in Pasadena, but they have all mostly moved away. Hoping to continue this trend. Please respond here with your email or phone number. Thank you!
Views: 351
Replies to This Discussion
hey gwen,
i'm 3.0-3.5 and usually play at poinsettia or plummer.
i can play in the evenings and afternoons depending on the day.
if you'd like to hit sometime let me know!
Yes please! This week is pretty much shot, but I have some time earlier during the day on Saturday or Sunday. I live in Downtown and work in Weho. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com so we can set something up! Thank you!
Hi Michael, Are you still interested in playing? I sent you an email but didn't hear back. We can start this week if you're free? Let me know!
Hi Gwen,
I'm a 3.5/4.0, but I haven't played in a while. Your weekday hours would be difficult for me, but if you want to hit sometime on the weekend, let me know. I can play Plummer, La Cienega or Poinsettia.
I'd be interested. If you're still down. E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. Cheers!!
Hi Gwen, please let me know if you're still available to hit. I think I'm around your level.
Hi Jake! Sorry for the late reply. I'm up to play. I work in Weho and live in Downtown (though my office will be moving to Downtown in May). Where are you located? Email me at gwen.paja(at)gmail(dot)com and let's try to find a day/time that works for us both. Thanks!
add me to your list if your still looking to hit ... im a very rusty 4.0 ..schedule is totally flexible.
I'm in! firstname.lastname@example.com
© 2019 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text:
Hence my new pair of boots! I found these heeled boots in the Bedford Ave Salvation Army. You can kind of see in the bottom photo how the center seam on one of the boots was busted open. It seemed strange given that all other parts of the boots were in fantastic condition.
Ultimately the rip gave me a good excuse to crop them at an angle. To add the studs, I pushed the open prongs on the back into the leather hard enough for them to make an impression, then used an awl to pre-punch the holes. After inserting the stud's prongs into the holes, I secured it into place by using needle nose pliers to bend all of the prongs inward. In some places, the leather seemed slightly stressed from this, so I put masking tape on the back side of the leather. Once I'd finished studding the boot I just ripped the tape off. The extra bit of stability the masking tape had added was enough to prevent the leather from stretching.
The whole process was much more time consuming than I had anticipated, so I'd recommend a glass of wine and a long ass movie if you're planning to add this many studs to a project. They definitely made the whole process go by MUCH quicker.
*needle nose pliers


text: As Partners in the Information Security community we have all been challenged in 2017 with the onslaught of DDoS and phishing campaigns with payloads that have included credential stealing malware, destructive malware and ransomware. From a governance perspective, we are seeing increased government and industry regulations and corporate boards are demanding greater visibility into our programs. Join Accenture Security to discuss these challenges at the FS-ISAC EMEA Summit on October 30-November 1 in London, England.


text:
Judging by the rest of the site and the reviews of his book, this guy seems more sound and fury than sound advisor, but I thought this article was worth a read.
Let me introduce you to the six dumbest ideas in computer security. What are they? They're the anti-good ideas. They're the braindamage that makes your $100,000 ASIC-based turbo-stateful packet-mulching firewall transparent to hackers. Where do anti-good ideas come from? They come from misguided attempts to do the impossible - which is another way of saying "trying to ignore reality." Frequently those misguided attempts are sincere efforts by well-meaning people or companies who just don't fully understand the situation, but other times it's just a bunch of savvy entrepreneurs with a well-marketed piece of junk they're selling to make a fast buck. In either case, these dumb ideas are the fundamental reason(s) why all that money you spend on information security is going to be wasted, unless you somehow manage to avoid them.


text: Joshua Baker-LePain wrote on Friday 01 April 2005 10:10: > On Fri, 1 Apr 2005 at 8:57am, David Kewley wrote > > Guy Coates wrote on Friday 01 April 2005 04:16: > > > XFS has dump/restore programs that actually work, > > > > What exactly does this mean? > > For one thing, xfsdump/xfsrestore actually backs up all FS info, including > ACLs. dump/restore doesn't do ACLs, and neither does tar, meaning on > RHEL3/4 there is no "official" way of fully backing up a FS with ACLs. Thanks for clarifying that for me. BTW: I see that RHEL4 has star, and that RHEL4's star does ACLs and extended attributes. I don't know how mature this version of star is, nor how much RH suggests it as a solution, but it's there. David


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Two weeks ago, a young girl left a Bar in Guwahati. A gang of 18 men set on her, dragged her onto the road by her hair, ripped off her clothes, yanked up her vest and tugged at her bra, and molested her. She was crying for help from the passing cars all the while. The gang of men was laughing and smiling, staring into the several cameras that filmed them. One of those cameras belonged to a News Channel's reporter and camera man. Welcome to India: the country where a woman can be a president, but must fear for her safety; the country where women are beatified in its mythological lore but abhorred and abused in society; the country where no lofty panegyric is spared in proposing causes for empowering women but where women fight for a place in society; the country where news channels have women as reporters and shows devoted to women's rights, but – devoid of any compunction – film the molestation of a woman just to add to the sensational value of the case; the country where men may frequent pubs, but the moment a woman does, she becomes a prostitute. Welcome to India: the fourth worst country in the world, to be a woman.
Forty five long minutes of abuse transpired, while the hapless girl cried for help, begged for passing cars to stop. For 45 long minutes, the girl suffered disrespect. When the police did come, the girl was whisked away. She couldn't be more than twenty. She was questioned, and then medically examined. There wasn't any attempt made to arrest the men - despite their faces being as clear as day in the footage.
And all this, right in a place that boasts of an exhibit in a museum that etches Mahatma Gandhi's words (circa 1921), stating thus: Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so degrading, so shocking or so brutal as his abuse of the better half of humanity; the female sex. All this, right in the heart of the State of Assam, which by far is considered female-friendly, with a largely matrilineal social setting.
All night long, the news channel, NewsLive, continued playing the video of the girl's molestation. In a bit, he got on twitter to say that "prostitutes form a major chunk of girls who visit bars and night clubs". He has since resigned, but the damage was done. But public action did not let the girl's cause go unheard. The police were shamed into action by residents of Guwahati – who printed and strung up an enormous banner alongside one of the city's major roads, featuring mug-shots of the main suspects. A week later, the chief minister of the State of Assam ordered the police to arrest a dozen key suspects. The victim has been promised compensation.
Abuse of women in India is an everyday affair, literally. And this is not a reflection of the mere extent depravity, but a transgression of the standards of decency and an exposition of the failure of governance in keeping violence against women in check. That a law outlawing sexual harassment and molestation is still evading India is a terrible amplification of this sordid reality. All the country has, is a Neanderthal penal code that goes back to 1860, where save for rape, only the "outraging the modesty of a woman" is punishable – with either seven, or two years, as the case maybe. There's nothing to punish the crimes "in between" – and the latter is a terribly archaic and ambiguous term. Needless to say, the hotbed of impunity that India is when it comes to women's rights abuses and violence against women, is facilitated by the climate of legal, governmental and policy-based apathy.
A man in Rajasthan bit his wife so brutally that she lost her face, literally, for her refusal to get more money from her parents for dowry. In Udaipur, a woman's head was shaved, and she was stripped and beaten for having had an extramarital affair. A man in Indore, I read to my horror today, kept his wife's genitals "locked". He drilled holes on her body and before going to work each day, would insert a small lock, tucking the keys under his socks. A woman was sexually abused for years, and then had acid thrown on her face and absolutely no one seems to be listening to her case. A few children near Bhopal were found playing with a female foetus they had mistaken for a doll in a bin. A dentist in Karnataka made his wife to drink his urine because she refused to meet dowry demands. A father beheaded his daughter in Rajasthan and paraded her bloody head as a caveat to other young women lest they fall in love with a boy from a lower caste. As all of this transpires without respite, the Parliament is still wondering if there is any reason for them to pass the Bill on Sexual Harassment of Women.
It's easy to blame 'westernization' for all of this. It is easy to blame 'women and their ways of dressing' for all of this. But does what a woman wears, says, or does, is no reason for her to be ill-treated. Did the girl in Rajasthan dress skimpily? Or was the woman under "lock" down too empowered for her husband to tolerate? Does a girl's visit to a pub automatically men she is a prostitute? What about a man's visit, then?
After days of denouncing the Taliban and its derogatory treatment of women, I'm ashamed to admit that the scenario in India is as terrible as the Taliban's ideals of women.
Why the hatred, really?


text:
Everyone gets a giftie!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Pink Saturday's 1st Birthday!
Everyone gets a giftie!
16 comments:
- Tristan Robin Blakeman said...
nobody can host an anniversary soiorée like you!
- May 30, 2009 at 3:35 AM
- dana said...
What a beautiful party you are hosting in honor of Pink Saturday's First Birthday!!!
CLINK!!! Did you hear that? I'm toasting to Beverly, too! :)
Donna, it's been so great to get to know you this year. I don't recall if it was through Pink Sat. when I first met you---but I think it was. I knew the first time I read your blog that I loved what a saw.....a friendly, talented, creative gal with a love for her family, friends and career. You share so many fun party ideas and then also a few of the experiences you are having in your life. Always interesting----always creative---always a joy!!
Have a great Pink Saturday!! L, Dana
- May 30, 2009 at 5:41 AM
- ♥Mimi♥ said...
With our little PINK SATURDAY having a birthday this week, I am on "pink overload" and that is difficult to do to me! I'm lovin' it like crazy!
What lovely pinks this week you have, my dear. The better to see your through my rose colored glasses!☺
Have a great weekend. Not all that warm up in my neck of the woods but the sun is out and that makes the day good. I hope you are surrounded by those you love and that you, too, are bathed in sunshine.
- May 30, 2009 at 6:27 AM
- Gabriela said...
Happy Pink Saturday!
How awesome!
~ Gabriela ~
- May 30, 2009 at 7:22 AM
- Jorgelina said...
Hi !!!
What a beautiful party...very fun!!
Happy Pink Saturday!
- May 30, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- Melissa Wertz said...
How pretty and pink! Happy Pink Saturday!
- May 30, 2009 at 9:03 AM
- Allidink said...
A pink party would be so awesome!!
All the best,
- May 30, 2009 at 9:52 AM
- She'sSewPretty said...
Oh fun!! Happy Pink Saturday Birthday to you too!
- May 30, 2009 at 11:14 AM
- someplace in thyme said...
I am so excited to come to the party, it looks like so much fun, happy pink saturday, Char
- May 30, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...
Looks like a great party Donna! Happy Pink Saturday ~ I hope you have a great weekend ~ Susan
- May 30, 2009 at 1:20 PM
- Claudia said...
Great post - Happy Pink Saturday!
- May 30, 2009 at 5:01 PM
I think it's so nice to sip in that wine glass with pink bows and then have a cookie or two :-) yum!
Happy PS!
- May 31, 2009 at 1:06 AM
- Robin said...
Oh what lovely pinks.....thank you for sharing.
Happy Pink Saturday!
- May 31, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Beautiful...love the pink
- June 1, 2009 at 7:03 AM
- Beverly said...
Ooh, Donna! I always wanted to attend one of your fabulous parties. Thank you for making my dream come true.
And, many thanks for your loyal participation, and for your wonderful posts. You are an inspiration to all of us. I think you are amazing!!!
- June 2, 2009 at 2:22 PM
- Beansieleigh said...
I love that pink cake plate!! Beautiful!... Happy Pink Saturday, and hope you're having a wonderful week!
- June 2, 2009 at 5:35 PM


text:
|2004-12-17, 20:52
|Link #2
Team the box!
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Badside
Looks interesting. I'll give it a try.
I'm always willing to show some support for any graphic novel translation efforts.
EDIT: Not bad. It's hard to say how the story makes me feel. It could really turn out to end in any way. It's a rather depressing outside world with a cute and endlessly chearful robot in the middle of it. I'm curious what the story's message turns out to be at the end.
Good work on the translation and all the other work that goes into translating and patching a game.
Last edited by TronDD; 2004-12-17 at 22:08.
|2004-12-18, 06:56
|Link #4
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 33
Wow, not bad. I agree with Trondd though, not sure how the story will end, or what will even happen. Quite like the originality of the idea of a graphic novel but i'm not sure if i prefer it over a normal novel. Maybe it was the storyline that didn't really quite draw me in, and although i'm curious to what will happen, its not really encaptivated me. Anyway, thanks to the team who has brought this out.
|2007-05-29, 04:46
|Link #5
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
I'm surprised that this thread hasn't been revisted in the past year. It is possible that there were a lot of replies after than last reply at the end of 2004 which were lost to the forum hack, but it has been a year since we restored from this old backup and nobody has replied to this thread since then.
Anyway, since then insani has released a patch for the retail version of this game, so I installed it and watched the story. (Saying "played the game" is clearly not correct in a narrative without any choices.) Here are my impressions.
Overall I found it interesting, but pointless. All of the metaphorical points that it was trying to make were really too petty to bother with. Despite the deeply tragic nature of the story I found it shined brightest when it was being humorous. I had many good laughs from Reverie's antics. I can't say it was a waste of time, but I really wish that the story had gone somewhere.
At least it has value as the story of how a man realized the meaning of life by learning to look beyond the world around him. Inspired by the stars and the sacrifice of a robot, he rediscovered his humanity.
Except... and here is the hollow part... the robot isn't one of those magically intelligent robots who is really a girl in a mechanical body. She's just a personality simulator, lacking the comprehension and self-awareness of a real girl. Equally hollow is the fact that he wasn't inspired by the stars, he was inspired by images of the stars. The stars were just as fake as the girl. I suppose that the writer thought that was a poetic similarity, but I can't get attached to a mere copy of a real thing.
Then at the end it redeems itself somewhat. We find that Reverie is actually more self-aware than she let on. In a rather human fashion she had decided that she must have been broken because it was too horrible to believe that all the people were dead. Her malfunctions were really a concious denial of reality. It wasn't until her death scene that Reverie seemed like more than a clever toy. Unfortunately I hadn't really bonded with her strongly until then (because I didn't see that) so her death didn't have as much impact as it could have. I suspect that if her nature had been revealed before her sacrifice, rather than afterwards, it would have hurt me a lot more to see her die.
I was also extremely disappointed by the artwork used in the game. We have lots of pictures of the Fiddler Crab, city streets and Jenna-san, but most images of Reverie were just a few stock pictures used and reused endlessly. CG mode was practically a complete waste of time.
At least really I like the music a lot.
|2007-05-29, 15:46
|Link #6
I'd also equate it to how South Park used to kill Kenny in ever episode, you knew it was coming, just not how it was going to happen and it ultimately got stale (The characters even started poking fun at this with half-assed responses). Then they stopped doing it every episode and when he dies now its funny and shocking again to see because you don't know if its even going to happen or not. Maybe Key needs to tone down the melodramatic death sequences with their next game Little Busters and from then onwards if they want their future character deaths to get more of a response from the player. For some reason that one looks to be different from the rest, but we'll have to see.
|2007-05-29, 16:52
|Link #7
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
In Planetarian, the melodrama is subdued, with the author focusing more on atmosphere (the script is overly verbose with tons of jargon and technical description), as well as an overall philosophical message. It's more akin to a sombre, post-apocalyptic movie than anything else.
In contrast, typical Key scenarios are rife with with exaggerated melodrama (pathos-inducing plot devices, emotional BGM or vocal songs to go with climatic scenes, etc.), which seems to work effectively on many readers, even if they're anticipating a tragic outcome.
Last edited by rg4619; 2007-05-29 at 17:05.
|2007-05-30, 07:30
|Link #8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Maybe it's just me, but the sad points about these games were never the plain fact - the girl died, it was... something else, it's hard to describe.
But, nakige has the strongest effect on the first exposure. If you really can't feel anything, that's unfortunate. Hope you can find a nakige that can really hit you one day.
|2007-05-30, 17:20
|Link #9
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
I certainly like the anime equivalent of a nakige. The reason I felt nothing is because I saw a mere machine get broken. As I said, I understood the poetry of the girl and stars being a reflection of the real thing, but I can't cry about a broken toaster. That's the fatal flaw in the scenario that failed it for me.
|2007-05-30, 18:18
|Link #10
Also I've got to ask for a definition on nakige as my visual novel lexicon is coming up blank on this one. I'm assuming something game, given those darn Japanese contraction style slang terms (That they need like 8 dozen of that all sound similar because they lack the creative prowess to come up with more unique sounding terms ).
Some day I'm going to Japan to teach Otaku how to come up with idol nicknames and slang terms that are based off of crafty word associations (Cockney Slang Style. Now that's good slang) instead of extra Consonant and contractions. Better yet I'll get them to do Cockney Slang then do the Contraction to make it even more bloody confusing and unique.
|2007-05-30, 22:03
|Link #11
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
I had to google for a definition of nakige so that I could respond to luckyovermind. Here's what I learned:
|2007-05-30, 22:07
|Link #12
Aria Company
Join Date: Nov 2003
Of course I was connecting with her all along, so that might be why I had that kind of reaction.
|2007-05-31, 04:18
|Link #13
Join Date: Jul 2006
|2007-05-31, 07:26
|Link #14
Lost in my dreams...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Age: 32
For me, her death scene came with a certain impact. For some reason i had grown fond of Revie, even though she seemed like a complete ditz all the time. The revelation that she actually wasn't hit quite hard upon her death scene.
|2007-05-31, 17:31
|Link #15
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
The planetarium works because the projection is a reminder of what our world has lost. By seeing images of the stars he was able to realize what his world had lost. As a result he began to yearn for a future beyond scounging and fighting.
The robot girl doesn't work because (presumably) the world still has girls. Some of who are presumably cute. While Reverie is cute, she seems more like a noisy animate hug pillow. I appreciate seeing a robot character who actually acts like a robot instead of a being a real girl who just happens to be made of metal and plastic. On the other hand, having seen her, I can easily see why robots and humans have separate heavens. There is nothing there to make people long for what is missing.
|2007-06-01, 23:29
|Link #16
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
The planetarium is not just a reminder of the better world that we had lost - it and Reverie actually represent the hope of humanity (i.e. us) for true peace. Or you could call it humanity's prayer for peace, because of the religious undertones that permeate through the story and the way Reverie is presented as the last "priestess" that has remained to preach the message of hope to humans. The space program, the stars, reaching out for the impossible and making the impossible possible - the point isn't that the past was a better place, but that the hope and prayers from those times had not carried over into the present time. The story is a vehicle to remind us never to lose hope, even if you cannot see what you are striving/hoping for.
It is meant to be the ultimate irony, I think, that this last bastion of the hope of peace is destroyed by the remnants of war that the humans had themselves left behind (as a reflection of how in the current world we are really our own enemy when it comes to failing to achieve true peace).
Edit: In the end I don't really think Planetarian can really be called a nakige game - the characters in the story aren't the focus of any grief, rather, it is the failings of humanity that people should find tragic (or I, at least, did). It is even less nakige in nature than Clannad which is already more a "moving" game focusing on hope rather than grief. And the way the writer wrote the story leads me to think that the planetarium show in the middle is the true climax of the story, and the crux of the message that the writer wanted to convey, rather than what happened at the end.
|2007-06-04, 02:43
|Link #18
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
It helps to actually read insani's page where they offer the patch. If you read that page you wouldn't have to admit your inability to discover obvious information. This is worse than not knowing how to google.
Anyway, on insani's page you'll find a step-by-step guide on HOW to purchase the game online HERE. That's for folks who want to play in English, but can't read enough Japanese to figure it out how to purchase it. Very nice of them.
Oh, and the answer to your question should be obvious based on information in the above paragraph.
|2007-06-17, 11:32
|Link #20
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Canada
Age: 31
A bit late but better than never.
Themes that really get to me are hopes and memories. Depending how it is done it can get me in a heart warming mood or it would get me depressed for days. Planetarian has both; when I finish reading last night it was hard for me to sleep because my mind just keeps replaying the beginning and ending of Planetarian.
It is Reverie naivety&hopelessness in her daily routine that really gets me. The thing she is doing are no longer needed yet she can't stop because she is programmed to serve (humans) as a representative in the Planetarium. A endless cycle that I would rather see her shut down than see her do this for eternity. Then the ending where we know that she was fully aware that the things she was doing was meaningless - no customers or her fellow employee will come back really hit me hard. Yet it is her naivety or you could say her program overrided that daunting possibility to turn it into hope which lasted for 30 years. It is a bittersweet ending, her hope was finally granted yet she died for that it; performing what she was meant to do, serve humans.
It is the part where Reverie projected her memories before she "died" that almost made me cry. Shes a robot yet, we can't help but have human emotions put on to her.
Before reading Planetarian, I already knew what will happen to Reverie. Even so, experiencing it is totally different and while reading this I expect what kind of things she would say. The whole war thing, I didn't bother to think much about it, just the bond created between the Junker and Reverie.
|key, visual novel
|Thread Tools


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The warmer weather means we're spending more time outdoors and so are our pets. That means it's flea treatment time.
But some dog owners claim the very drug designed to protect their pets from fleas and heartworm, is making them sick. Some even claim their dogs have died.
We've been talking with dog owners and vets all across the east to get answers.
At the off leash dog park in Greenville, Scott Thatcher says his Border Collie and Australian Shepherd Marco enjoys being outside and being active. And Thatcher wants to make sure Marco is healthy to be able to do that, so every month he gives him a Trifexis pill.
Trifexis is a top selling drug, more than 50-million doses sold, to control fleas, prevent heartworm and intestinal parasites.
Karen Goretta also gives the drug to her black Labrador mix Bailey. Goretta says, "She did take Trifexis twice and it immediately got rid of the fleas."
But some pet owners claim the drug has made their dogs sick. Some even blame it for their dogs death.
Veterinarian Mark Hayes with Tenth Street Animal Hospital in Greenville has heard the concerns that are swirling, and says they all started in the Atlanta area. He says, "There were some puppies that died and the breeder felt like the puppies deaths were attributable to Trifexis."
Veterinarian Linda Kuhn with East Carolina Veterinary Service says, "There were necropsies done, animal autopsies, to show that the animals that had passed away had other issues, mostly heart problems."
Online many additional pet owners have been raising concerns.
A Facebook page called, "Does Trifexis Kill Dogs," has thousands of members, and petitions calling for the drug to be recalled.
In addition to the cases out of Atlanta, the Food and Drug Administration says there have been numerous reports from pet owners about adverse reactions, even death. But the FDA says at this point, no link has been established with Trifexis. The drug's manufacturer says the same thing.
WITN talked with vets all across Eastern Carolina, including Pitt County, Beaufort County, Onslow County and Craven County, and they all pretty much say the same thing. Not only do they believe Trifexis is safe, but they also give it to their own pets.
Dr. Hayes says, "From everybody that I know and all the veterinarians that I have as friends and colleagues, I have no one that believes that Trifexis kills dogs."
But Dr. Kuhn says you do need to make sure your dog doesn't have heartworms before taking Trifexis. She says, "If your dog is heartworm positive and you take any of the heartworm preventions, that can cause death."
For now, both Dr. Kuhn and Dr. Hayes say they stand behind Trifexis and will continue to use it...and have a word of caution for what you may read on social media websites. Dr. Hayes says, "As a lot of things on the internet are, proof is not necessary to say anything. It's just simply someone's opinion becomes fact."
Marco's owner Scott Thatcher says, "He's been on it over a year now and it's kept the fleas and heartworm gone from him. So I'm just going to continue on until the vet says hey, we need to stop now."
While the FDA and the manufacturer of Trifexis say no link has been established between the drug and any dog deaths, some pet owners say online, there has also been no explanation why their dogs died after taking the drug.
The FDA says, as with any drug, they continue to monitor it, and if changes warrant, they would make those recommendations, which they have done previously with Trifexis, resulting in the current warning label on the packaging concerning nausea, vomiting, depression and other mild reactions in dogs.
We will continue to monitor any new developments and keep you updated.


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Right next to the Wuhou Shrine is Jinli Promenade, a rebuilt trading and folk art street imitating the ancient-style buildings in West Sichuan. "Jinli" is the name of an old street in Han-dynasty Chengdu, meaning "make perfection still more perfect and hide the universe in the universe". The ancient Jinli was one of the oldest and the most commercialized streets in the history of West Shu and had been well-known throughout the country in Qin, Han, and Three Kingdoms Periods.
With Qin, Han, and Three-kingdom cultures as its soul, the social style of Ming and Qing dynasties as its appearance, the West Sichuan folkways and customs as its body, the new Jinli Promenade, supported by Wuhou Shrine, has condensed the essence out of the worldly life in Chengdu: teahouses, inns, restaurants, bars, theatrical stages, handicrafts, local snacks and specialties.
A look at the street:
The 350-metre-long Jinli Street enjoys a reputation as a historic town. At one end of the street is an imposing archway with "Jinli Street" carved on it.
Extending from a gatehouse decorated with two red lanterns, the slab stone-paved street stretches with ancient-style buildings lined on both sides. The grey bricks and crimson columns of these two and three-storey teahouses and antique shops are of classic beauty and primitive simplicity. Porcelain and folk handicrafts displayed in the shops are so dazzling; you can't tear yourself away from them.
Getting around:
The success of the Jinli Street lies in the perfect combination of local culture and business. It has attracted thousands of tourists since its opening. Strolling down the narrow street, you can enjoy both traditional entertainment and modern venues.
Buildings with ancient style:
By combining the culture of the Three Kingdoms Period with the folk customs of Sichuan, the buildings on both sides including tea-houses, stores and hotels, are modeled on the architectural style of a traditional old town in western Sichuan Province from the Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasty. The wooden steles and the brick-walls exhibit an ancient charm.
Cultural refreshment:
Strolling down the narrow street, you can experience the particular cultural refreshment. You will find yourself surrounded by old-world stores selling lacquer products, curios, clay figurines, paper cuts and calligraphies and paintings of celebrities.
You can also find Shu Embroidery at Jinli Street, a world-renowned silk product unique to the province. In the Museum of Sichuan Brocade, local girls in traditional wax-printed costumes skillfully demonstrate quilts made with the famous brocade to tourists.
Sichuan Opera:
In a wooden stage like an ancient pavilion halfway down the Jinli Street, classic pieces of Sichuan Opera are staged regularly. You can enjoy folk music along with the actor's beautiful, quick costume and make-up changes. The actors' perfect performances will wow you.
Shadow Play:
Another interesting performance is the Shadow Play, which is a traditional Chinese folk art with over one thousand years of history.The "actors" are brightly painted puppets. The hidden or hooded people manipulate the rods of the talking puppets to tell dramatic versions of traditional fairy tales and myths.
The shadow play employs "total theater" integrating dance, music and drama into one art form. Gestures are based on a code of symbolic meanings shared by the actors and audience. The puppeteer moves and gesticulates depending on the stress of the dialogue. When the puppet moves gracefully, the puppeteer moves with the puppet. The puppeteer "transfers" his soul to the puppet, subordinating himself to the puppet and giving life to it.
Have fun in modern venues:
Apart from traditional entertainment, modern venues to have fun can also be found at Jinli, such as cafes and pubs. What is different about these pubs and cafes on Jinli Street is that they are the perfect blend of modernism and tradition.
The well-structured and beautifully decorated pubs are furnished with red wooden chairs. Carved doors and windows contain classic elegance. The names of the pubs, such as Joy Luck Joint and Lotus Mansion, are written on horizontally inscribed board in Chinese calligraphy, showing the special taste of the shop owners. Outside, wooden desks and chairs of simple styles are placed under oilpaper umbrellas. With a cup of coffee, you can choose to spend an afternoon here, relaxing with a view of the stream of passersby.
Delicious local snacks:
When reaching the end of the street, you'll be tempted by the aroma of delicious local snacks. Here there are many restaurants as well as sidewalk booths offering local snacks that will make your mouth water.
San Da Pao is a distinctive snack of Sichuan Province and is made from sticky rice, brown sugar, sesame, and beans. And the sweet dried persimmon here is also considered a unique reflection of Chengdu. Some other local snacks include rice glueballs, wontons, and boiled dumplings.


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Oh no I didn't! Fry shrimp at lunch? On a Tuesday??? All I can say is that when I have a craving, I have a craving and nothing can stop me. Quick and easy and golden.
2 people
1 dozen shrimp, peeled, devained and tail removed.
about 3 cups canola oil
Panko crumbs
1 egg, gently beaten
Your favorite Creole-style seasoning (I just used garlic salt)
2 rustic french mini loaves
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 head bibb lettuce, shredded
red onion, thinly sliced
good mayo
Louisiana Hot Sauce
Start by breading the shrimp. Place shrimp in egg first, then into Panko crumbs. ( I add seasoning to the Panko crumbs). Set aside and get the oil up to temperature.
Heat oil in a heavy, deep pot. Temp should be around 375. Test heat by dropping a few Panko crumbs in, when they drop to the bottom and immediately rise to the top and start cooking rapidly, the oil is ready. keep in mind, the temperature will drop rapidly once you start adding shrimp, so slowly cook a few shrimp at a time to ensure frying oil temp stay consistent. Fry each shrimp about 3-4 minutes, until golden. Remove from oil, place on paper towel (or brown paper grocery bag), and season with seasoning and some Hot Sauce.
Once all shrimp are cooked, lightly toast bread halves. (I dug out the bread from the bottom half and made a "boat" for the shrimp to be set in).
Arrange sandwich with mayo, lettuce, onion and tomato and another good douse of Hot Sauce.
Enjoy immediately.


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Cottage Grove, Oregon Internet Services
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In amongst last month's bombardment of commercials, press releases and news stories about New Year's resolutions, I spied a story that made me gasp.
Right there on MSNBC.com was a story that said Americans were more accepting of heavier bodies. Over the past 20 years, the percentage of Americans who thought overweight people were less attractive dropped from 55 percent to 24 percent, according to research firm NPD Group.
This finding is great if Americans' only idea of beauty is a waif thin Kate Moss look, but I highly doubt that. Instead, I suspect that the two-thirds of adults who are overweight are now more accustomed to seeing other overweight Americans and, therefore, they consider that normal. Have Americans given up on becoming healthier?
And yes, despite the school of thought that says you can be fat but fit, most of us know that is not true. Researchers at Northwestern University recently added to the evidence against this school of thought. They found that excess weight alone — even without high blood pressure and high cholesterol — is an independent risk factor for health issues such as diabetes and heart attacks.
Americans seem to know what to do about getting more fit. When asked about the importance of several activities to staying healthy, two-thirds of Boomers over age 50 said regular exercise and eating a balanced diet were very important, according to the Southeastern Institute of Research/Boomer Project Boomer Trend Report released in December. However, only 21 percent of the respondents actually exercised regularly, and only 28 percent said they eat a balanced diet.
A study released in December by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found similar results. The study found that only 45.9 percent of adults over 18 participated in 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three days a week or 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. In fact, one fifth of those surveyed didn't even get 10 minutes per week of moderate or vigorous exercise.
Perhaps the problem is that Americans are too lazy or too overworked to make room for fitness. Some, I'm sure are waiting for that magic weight loss pill. And they may not have to wait much longer.
Last month, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel recommended that the FDA approve over-the-counter sales of orlistat, which currently is sold as a prescription under the name Xenical. The pill blocks fat and has helped users in a clinical trial lose 5.3 to 6.2 more pounds than those taking a dummy pill. Rimonabant, another weight loss drug, is expected to be approved by regulators soon. Several other weight loss pills are being studied.
So what is a fitness professional to do? I guess we could make them laugh. A study published in the February issue of the medical journal, Heart, found that laughing could do a heart as much good as running. Blood flow improved in study participants when they watched a comedy, boosting circulation to the level often reached during aerobic exercise, the researchers found.
So who knows, maybe instead of cardio equipment in your facility you should consider installing some big screen TVs and recliners and investing in some funny DVDs, so Americans can sit next to their ever-expanding sweeties, dig into the buttered popcorn and laugh their way to good health at your facility. Now there's an idea that could make you laugh so hard you'll cry.


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The Evolution of Gender CrimesThis seminar in international law traces the development of what are now called "gender crimes" from their early roots in international humanitarian law and criminal law, where they were not explicitly recognized as such, through conceptual analyses as sex- or gender-based, to prominent advances in human rights including in the regional human rights systems and international ad hoc tribunals (ICTY, ICTR, SCSL in particular), to their current apex form in the Rome Statute (2000) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Special attention will be paid to the way gender is obscured or mainstreamed in crimes of violence, and how encompassing the realities of gender-based atrocities in substantive law affects and shapes various technical rubrics such as investigation, preventive relocation, witness "proofing"/preparation, modes of liability, confidentiality, and victim/witness participation. The first half of the seminar will scrutinize historical settings, including the Nuremberg Trials and the Tokyo Trials; the second half will delve into breaking developments in current cases, including those being prosecuted before the ICC.This seminar is taught by Professor Catharine A. MacKinnon (also Special Gender Advisor to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court)
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Whole Blood Donations
For a whole blood donation, about one pint of blood is collected and separated into its three components: plasma, platelets and red blood cells.
The value of a whole blood donation is that you help save three lives! Plasma is effective in treating burn or shock patients. Platelets can help patients with leukemia and other cancers. Red blood cells are often necessary to treat surgery patients, babies born prematurely and trauma victims.
The entire donation process, from registration to post-donation refreshments, takes just under one hour, with the actual donation taking five to 10 minutes. You may donate whole blood every 56 days.


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As opposed to traditional interruption marketing techniques, content marketing is all about sharing valuable information that attracts attention, drives traffic, and builds your ecommerce business. In other words, giving something away for free and selling something closely related. It's designed to start a relationship with prospects and turn them into long-term repeat buyers. Whether it's blog posts, product reviews or video tutorials, creating high quality content is the best way to attract links, likes and shares.
In addition to best-in-class ecommerce software, every Shopify plan includes a built in blogging platform to help you beautifully showcase your content and build an audience around your brand.
Publish articles, post videos, encourage discussion, and moderate comments right from within the Shopify dashboard.
Everyone is talking about content marketing these days and the internet is overflowing with blog posts, tutorials and guides. So how do you make sure your content rises above the noise and gets the likes, retweets and shares it deserves?
Here are five articles from the Shopify blog to help get you started:
When it comes to online sales and customer conversion, connecting with your potential customers and describing your products persuasively is one of the most important parts of selling online.
Marketers at Oreo have been generating a lot of buzz about their cookies these days, and they're using social media to do it. The techniques they're using are extremely innovative, and they're not that difficult to replicate.
Four words have been defined by recent studies in behavioral economics, psychology and neuroeconomics to appeal to consumers primal instinct. These words powerfully engage consumers at a subconscious level and increase retailers chances of making a sale.
Life can be pretty intimidating for small ecommerce stores. There's a lot of tough competition out there. Sites like Amazon generate crazy money every day and have better brand recognition than you could ever dream of – how exactly can you compete with that?
This is the story of how I stalked the writer of this blog, convinced him to let me write regularly for Shopify and generated thousands of visits to my site – all as a blogging newbie.


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The Advantages of Opting for Car Dealers
There are a lot of humans who acquisition that affairs a car with the advice of the banker acquiesce them to adore a amount of benefits. There are altered car dealers with the primary purpose of affairs a car. Moreover, you charge to apperceive that they are absolutely anxious about accepting the best for their car which they advertise and accommodate little abutment or absorption to the absolute needs or account of individuals who buy the vehicles. You accept to apperceive that car dealers aswell accept this blazon of attitude.
You accept to apperceive that car dealers are absolutely anxious about their customers. If a chump would go to the dealership with a charge or request, the banker would seek for something which is able to accommodated the customers' requirements. The dealers are not absolutely anxious with their own centralized sales but they accent affair the needs of customers.
This affectionate of adherence to the chump account has absolutely fabricated the afterward individuals acknowledgment to acquirement from the banker repeatedly. If one purchases a car from the banker again they would become a admired client. The banker would accomplish it a point to apperceive added about the alone purchasing the car and important dates for the person.
The Best Advice on Cars I've found
A lot of owners would get altogether and Christmas cards from the banker anniversary year. This added blow would accomplish the humans feel important or admired by the active car dealers. For a lot of people, the claimed blow is in fact what makes them appointment the banker and acquirement their next car from such dealership.
A Beginners Guide To Automobiles
Moreover, the absolute agents of the dealership would aswell amusement anytime chump as one who is appropriate and whose assessment matters. If there is an issue, any agents affiliate of the dealership will accept the time to ensure that the botheration is resolved. In so abounding cases, the agents would go aloft and above what they are appropriate to do to ensure that barter feel they can depend on the car banker aggregation to yield affliction of them.
If the car would breach down in any arena or area, again there is a banker who can accord with the botheration and get the disciplinarian aback on the alley in just a abbreviate time. If the car should break in the boutique for aliment in the aberrant town, again the agents of the banker will yield a being to a adjacent auberge and accept them best up if the car is ready.
There are absolutely abounding dealers that you will get to find. However, the best advantage that you can go for is one that you can absolutely await on and one that is able to accord you the best car deals.