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The only Mercedes hatchback on the U.S. market, the 2011 B-Class F-Cell, wouldn't be recognizable as a Benz if it weren't for its premium badge.
Its small, pragmatic silhouette is more Japanese than German. But the B-Class F-Cell is more notable for what's under the hood than its profile.
The four-door subcompact is a hydrogen-powered electric vehicle that can travel more than 200 miles between fill-ups and doesn't need an outlet to recharge.
The first Mercedes-Benz fuel-cell vehicle to be offered to the public, the B-Class F-Cell is available in one U.S. market: Los Angeles. Southern California is the only region in the country that currently has more than one hydrogen fueling station.
Right now, we have five. An additional 13 have been funded and will be built by the end of 2012. Just two of the current stations pump hydrogen gas with enough pressure to completely fill the tank on the F-Cell.
One's on the UC Irvine campus. The other is in Culver City in a gated-off area that requires a pass code from Mercedes. It's a sad state of affairs for what many hope will be the carbon-free automotive technology of the future.
By 2015, most of the major automakers — General Motors Co., Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. among them — have said they will go into volume production of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
Early versions of many of those vehicles have been accessible to the public only in small pilot programs. Since 2008, the Honda FCX Clarity has been leased to a handful of SoCal customers. General Motors' fuel-cell version of its Equinox is available for two- to three-month loans through its Project Driveway program.
The B-Class F-Cell is no different. Mercedes will build just 200 of the cars this year and is offering them lease-only in select global markets, including Norway, Germany and Japan. About 50 have rolled off the production line. Three Angelenos have them; 17 more have them on order and will receive their cars by the end of May.
At first glance, the two-year, $849-a-month lease price seems steep enough to send eco-minded customers to their nearest Prius dealer. On closer consideration, it's fairly reasonable. Insurance, maintenance and all the 700-bar hydrogen fuel (bar is a unit of pressure) a driver can stuff into its reinforced, high-pressure tank are included in the lease price.
At its core, the car is a test vehicle for Mercedes — one that will be used as a steppingstone for its next-generation B-Class F-Cell, which will go into production in 2014.
For a steppingstone, it's extremely impressive — both aesthetically and technologically. Its interior is finished with "alpaca grey" leather seats, navigation and other baseline luxury appointments.
The exterior is an understated metallic green that wouldn't be obvious as an alternative-drivetrain vehicle if not for the text on its flanks and backside announcing its status as a "zero emission," "F-Cell," "hydrogen electric vehicle."
The F-Cell is shorthand for fuel cell. That is to say, it's a car that runs on electrochemical cells that convert energy from a chemical, such as hydrogen, into electricity. In other words, it's an electric vehicle that runs on hydrogen gas.
Unlike plug-in electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt, which get their electricity from an external source — a power outlet — the F-Cell is propelled by electricity that is generated inside the vehicle.
This is how it works: Hydrogen gas is run through a platinum-coated, proton-conducting membrane that generates electricity by turning the gas into water. That electricity powers a 100-kilowatt AC induction electric motor that propels this front-wheel-drive car. The leftover water exits the drivetrain through the tailpipe and is practically unnoticeable.
The car is also equipped with a 1.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. Rather than supplying power to the motor, the battery kicks in only to help accelerate the vehicle and to store power from the car's regenerative brakes.
The fuel cells, fuel tank and battery are situated under the seats and cargo area. The electric motor is under the hood — where the engine would normally breathe fire on a traditional, internal-combustion car. Although the drivetrain is heavy, it's also centered and low. I found the car's handling to be virtually indistinguishable from "regular" cars.
What wasn't regular was the sound. The driving experience was whisper-quiet — not only because of the soundless electric motor, but also Mercedes' solid construction and soundproofing.
The B-Class F-Cell employs the exact same chassis as the internal-combustion B-Class, with a relatively roomy rear seat that folds flat to open up enough cargo space for a pair of bicycles.
Mercedes did not make any aerodynamic improvements because it wanted to show that a fuel-cell drivetrain doesn't need to be optimized to obtain excellent fuel economy. Mercedes estimates the F-Cell's fuel economy at 54 miles per gallon equivalent.
The advantages of fuel-cell electric vehicles are numerous. Not only do they benefit the environment, but they also accommodate the behavioral expectations of customers who are accustomed to gas vehicles.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element on Earth and can be produced in numerous ways, including using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. The actual driving of hydrogen-powered vehicles generates no emissions.
When I refueled the car at the Culver City station, it took five minutes. When I'd filled the tank, the dashboard display told me I had a range of 199 miles, which was good because I live nowhere near there.
According to Mercedes, the F-Cell can reach a top speed of 106 mph. Although I didn't fully tap its 136 horsepower, its speed was more than sufficient for highway driving.
I'm a driver who enjoys jumping off the line at a green light, and the F-Cell did not disappoint, with 214 pound-feet of instant torque at my disposal on this no-shifting-required, direct-drive machine.
Mercedes has been developing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles since 1994, mostly in large commercial applications such as buses.
The B-Class F-Cell is only its second passenger vehicle to be driven on hydrogen, but it's an exciting, well-made step into the future.


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Micka.lomonaco needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 79 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
We are two Italian brothers that have been working in Italian Family restaurants for over 10 years. We have decided to open up our own restaurant in Melbourne, building on what we have experienced to create an atmosphere that is both authentic and modern. Our menu will comprise a mixture of authentic italian cusine with a focus on woodfire pizza.
We aim to target the large family base in the area, this will be our main target audience. Students in the surrounding area will aslo be a target.
Our menu will not be overly expensive but will deliver quality Italian cusine. We will have a modern look and feel but would like people to feel at home.
We are looking for a logo to represent our italian family restaurant - VIA FRATELLI. (Fratelli means brothers in Italian.)
We Recently returned from Italy and have been developing a concept of the Italian street signs as every street sign in Italy has "VIA" infront of the name of the street. We are hoping to incorpoarate this idea into our logo but this concept is not entirely set in stone. Please feel free to bring your own ideas to the table.
Via means street or way in Italian and therefore VIA FRATELLI will be the brothers way of delivering italian cuisine.
We would like to add the following:
1. No Cartoons - We want to keep it simple, authentic, but modern.
2. Nothing too fancy- we do not want to come across as being fancy/fine dining or overly expensive. We are a family restaurant and want to portray that image.
We have looking at / been working on some designs that we have attached.
"VIA FRATELLI logo.PNG" is a very early design phase logo we were working on.
"street ssign3.jpg" and "via Cavour.jpg" are examples of Italian street signs.
"street sign 5.jpg" is an example of a colour scheme we like but please feel free to experiment with colours.
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Federal Transit Administration provides ADOT formula FTA and Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds for small urban and rural areas annually through the capital assistance program. For FY 2012, the matching ratio is 80 percent federal funds with a 20 percent local match. Program funds are used for capital assistance, the purchase of vehicles, related equipment and operating funds statewide. In addition, mobility management awards are available to assist agencies and communities with their coordination efforts. Eligible recipients include private nonprofit and public agencies that provide transportation to the elderly and disabled. Examples include senior centers and programs for the physically, mentally (including seriously mental ill or SMI) and developmentally disabled (DD) populations. The utilization of special transportation includes
The 5310 Program has private nonprofit (PNP) agencies or groups. Public agencies may function as grant recipients where no PNPs exist to provide the service, or the state determines such funding is in the best interest of coordination in the region. Moreover, American Indian communities have been very active in the program.
Successful applications are initially adjudicated through a regional application evaluation and screening process, which includes ADOT and non-ADOT transportation and human service professionals. The 5310 Program utilizes the assistance of Council of Government (COG) and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) planning offices to screen applicants within the state's nine planning regions. ADOT then makes the final decision regarding awards based on this input and available budget. Reviewers look at the proposals from the perspective of a number of evaluation factors, including expressed need for service and/or equipment, population served, financial capability to support funding, existing fleet inventories, coordination efforts and previous performance.
All projects funded under this program must be included in a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation planning process. Coordination is a key element that is now required for all FTA programs. To be awarded grant assistance, successful applicants must be included in the Regional Coordination Plan for their area and have participated in related coordination activities, such as coordination meetings.
Arizona Department of Transportation
Contact Us
Copyright © Arizona Department of Transportation – All rights reserved.


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North Korea is rattling its saber over Seth Rogen and James Franco's upcoming comedy, "The Interview," about a plot to assassinate the country's real-life leader, Kim Jong Un. A spokesperson for the nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the film on Wednesday as an "act of war."
Although it's not every day a Hollywood movie prompts threats of "a decisive and merciless countermeasure," "The Interview" isn't the first film to cast North Korea in an unfavorable light. Here are six more examples.
"Die Another Day" (2002): Kim Jong Un's late father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, was said to have been an avid fan and collector of western movies, particularly the James Bond series. But the dictator couldn't have been pleased by Pierce Brosnan's fourth and final outing as 007. In "Die Another Day," Bond battles North Korean bad guys and at one point is taken prisoner and tortured for 14 months, ultimately emerging as a darker and more dangerous man.
Indeed, the state-run Korean Central News Agency denounced the movie as a "dirty and cursed burlesque aimed to slander" North Korea and "insult the Korean nation." The agency also said the film was evidence that the U.S. is "the root cause of all disasters and misfortune of the Korean nation" and the real "empire of evil."
"Team America: World Police" (2004): Kim Jong Il was personally lampooned in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's action-comedy satire featuring a cast of marionettes. "Team America" portrayed Kim as a profane, insecure madman with a plot to rule the world. Oh, and — spoiler alert — he was also secretly an alien cockroach.
North Korean diplomats lobbied unsuccessfully to get the film banned in the Czech Republic, saying, "It harms the image of our country," and adding, "Such behavior is not part of our country's political culture."
"Salt" (2010): James Bond wasn't the only movie hero to land in a North Korean prison. Angelina Jolie's spy Evelyn Salt was stuck in the same predicament at the beginning of this Phillip Noyce thriller. Like 007, she was freed and went on to save the day.
While promoting the film in Seoul, Jolie — a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees — said she had been educated about the plight of the North Korean people by the U.N. and was "very concerned" about them.
"The Red Chapel" (2010): In this head-spinning high-wire documentary, Danish filmmaker Mads Brugger traveled to North Korea with a pair of Danish-Korean comedians under the pretense of a cultural exchange program, crafting a subversive examination of the rogue nation right under the noses of the authorities.
Hilarious and outrageous, the film feels genuinely dangerous and packs a surprising emotional wallop as the pressure-cooker atmosphere in which the prankster trio created the film gradually wears them down.
Brugger told Filmmaker magazine that officials in Pyongyang "were not happy" about the movie. According to Brugger, the North Korean ambassador in Stockholm sent a fax to the Danish Broadcasting Corp. that said, "The difference between man and animal is that man has a conscience, and that [Brugger] has no conscience, and therefore must be an animal."
"Red Dawn" (2012) and "Olympus Has Fallen" (2013): In these two action movies, North Korean villains took the fight to American soil. The "Red Dawn" reboot portrayed North Korean invaders parachuting into the U.S. only to be beaten back by scrappy teenagers. In "Olympus," North Korean terrorists took over the White House but were foiled by Gerard Butler.
Butler, in an interview with British GQ, said "Olympus" wasn't about North Korea per se. "We were very careful to make it not necessarily about North Korea, but a very focused radical organisation with their own complex motivations," he said. "In the movie we present North Korea as it is: It's a dangerous opponent, and it is aggressive, but it doesn't instigate this attack."
Times staff writer Mark Olsen contributed to this report.
Follow @ogettell for movie news


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John Welsford
Skill Level to Build:
Basic woodworking
Light plywood lapstrake sports rowing boat, can carry a small outboard motor, quick and easy build. Built in bouyancy tanks.
If you are a designer who offers plans, or kit boats, we invite you to enter your information in the Directory of Boat Plans & Kits. There is no charge! This is for boats of WOOD hull material. And if you're in the market for a boat to build, this is a fine place to start.
To refine your search, add quote marks. If you search Nutshell Pram Kit, you will get all the listings which include Nutshell, Pram, and Kit. To refine, search "Nutshell Pram Kit" and you'll see just Nutshell Pram Kit results.


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Buying a foreclosure in today's market
The term "foreclosure" has unfortunately become a household term for millions of Americans. For homebuyers, however, "foreclosure" has a tempting ring to it, like the sound of a cash register.
"Foreclosure" has become synonymous with bargain. During the first quarter of 2012, foreclosure properties sold for an average of 27 percent less than non-distressed properties, according to RealtyTrac. "Almost one in four of all properties for sale out there now is in some stage of foreclosure," says Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac.
Given the steep discount and investor interest in these properties, the large inventory of foreclosures is slowly being whittled down, says Ken Fears, an economist with the National Association of Realtors. That means competition is heating up.
Why buy now? Experts warn that even though mortgage rates are hovering at historical lows and home prices continue to struggle, they won't stay that way forever. "It doesn't take an expert to predict that affordability will come down later this year," says Fears.
Time and patience required
The obvious attraction to foreclosures is the discount. That said, a foreclosure can be riddled with risk. You may discover judgments, property liens, unpaid second mortgages, unpaid taxes, and repairs you didn't see or didn't even know existed.
"Buying a house today is more complicated than it used to be, period," says John Anderson, a real estate agent/broker in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota since 1980. "There are tougher standards and stricter requirements. You need higher credit scores than you used to. That's with any sale."
Today, almost half of Anderson's business involves foreclosures. "The main differences [compared to buying a non-distressed property] are with financing and conditions. There is less or even no disclosure." says Anderson. "Each state has different laws, but I would dare say that with the majority of foreclosures you are buying the property as is."
First-time buyers and foreclosures
First-time homebuyers face special hurdles when considering the purchase of a foreclosure. For starters, they have never been through the purchase process. They do not know the ropes, and many can only guess at the energy, expertise and expenses required to repair and maintain a home, let alone a foreclosed home.
"A lot of first-time homebuyers have eyes wide open and think they can do anything. It takes tenacity, knowledge and good backing… to buy a foreclosure. Some I talk out of it because it won't be the right thing," says Anderson.
Time is one thing many first-time homebuyers do have. "The trend now is that banks are moving away from taking back these properties and instead agreeing to short sales," says Blomquist. "First-time buyers are in a better position to buy a short sale than others -- including investors and move-up buyers. They're usually in a better position to wait it out."
If you are a first-time homebuyer considering a foreclosure, perform all the due diligence you can. Dig up as much background information as possible about the neighborhood and the history of the house. Have the home inspected -- if you can -- and appraised by professionals. Experts urge buyers to hire a buyer's agent who is experienced with foreclosures, the local market and the state laws.
Feedback from the trenches
Catherine Procopio is a New York City physical therapist and first-time homebuyer who bought a foreclosed three-bedroom home in upstate New York. She says the process went relatively smoothly.
"The process was not as hard as I expected," she says, especially in light of that fact that "everybody told me it would be harder than I expected. I'd been looking, and had a price in mind of what I could afford. I had heard that sometimes banks buy back houses for more than they are worth. The bids at the auction were way above what I thought the house was worth."
So, she waited. The bank paid $120,000 for the house after the failed auction, and six months later she purchased the house from the bank for only $90,000.
However, Procopio needed to spend an initial $10,000 on structural repairs "to make the home livable."
Procopio says in hindsight, she would have done some things differently.
"One mistake I made was that I did not get a professional to inspect the house. I did get the key to get into the house, but it was the middle of the winter and there was no electricity so I couldn't turn things on. I assumed that things would work. There were signs of water damage that a more experienced eye would have noticed. Some things should have been obvious that weren't obvious to me as a first-time homebuyer, like a crack in the front of the foundation."
Her advice? "Assume the worst before you make your offer," she says.
But now she has no regrets. "It's great to have a home in the country that I otherwise would not have been able to afford."
Related articles :
More help from HSH.com
Home buyer programs by stateOur nationwide resource for state-backed mortgage programs: Find down payment and closing cost assistance, special low-rate mortgage programs and more!
Home buyer programs by state | 2019HSH.com's research covering homebuyer assistance programs across the country. See if downpayment or closing cost help is available to you!
Mortgage Preapproval GuideMortgage preapproval can make buying a home much less stressful. Follow these steps to get preapproved for a home loan.
Refinance on the dipsMortgage rates fluctuate like waves in the ocean; refinancers who are chasing the lowest rates can lock in their loan when rates dip.
Documents Required for a Mortgage in 2019When it comes time to apply for a mortgage, you might be surprised at how much documentation you'll need when applying for a home loan.


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This limited edition Canvas Print, designed by Alex Andreev, comes with a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity. Ready to hang, this image is printed onto a 450gsm white finish, 100% cotton canvas and stretched over 1.5" deep wood stretcher bars (3/4" for XS). Each print comes with wall hanging hardware.
Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Alex Andreyev is an artist currently based out of Saint Petersburg. Although he has been drawing, painting, and doing graphic design over the past 20 years, it's digital art which attracts him the most. Alex has experimented with many different technics-everything from pens to brushes-but now focuses mainly on his creations made in Photoshop and Corel Painter. With a limited toolset and a minimalistic approach, Alex is able to achieve stylistic consistency throughout his work, focusing mainly on the expression of his creative concepts versus the actual technology or tools. With a distinctive style all his own, best described as surreal, Alex's artwork is sure to grab ones attention.


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Seven Ways Technology Is Affecting Our Children
Not only are we enamored with the ability to send and receive information in a digital format, but our children are equally smitten. I hear more and more parents bemoaning the fact that they're not able to retrieve their iPad or laptop from their young child who is busy surfing the web, watching videos or playing games on the device. Here are the top seven ways that digital technology has affected our children -- the good and the bad.


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Governor Cuomo Advises New Yorkers to Prepare for Property Damage and Losses as Hurricane Irene Approaches
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today urged homeowners to prepare for the potential economic impact of Hurricane Irene by reviewing their insurance policies, gathering emergency claim numbers, securing insurance information and watching out for potential scam artists looking to take advantage of the potential disaster.
"Homeowners should do everything they can to prepare their property to prevent damage. But there are things you can do before the storm to make it easier to deal with damage from a hurricane if it does happen," Governor Cuomo noted. "Consumers should consider taking steps to protect themselves now. Developing a home inventory, assembling information on your insurance policies and understanding what to do should a disaster affect you are things that can better prepare anyone against losses from a storm."
Benjamin Lawsky, Superintendent of Department of Financial Services, who oversees the Department of Insurance added, "Our Department stands ready and prepared to help and protect New Yorkers' assets. New Yorkers should take prudent measures now, before the storm hits, to ensure they can quickly and easily file claims for any damage."
The Governor listed the following practical suggestions:
Review Your Insurance Policies
Make sure you know what is covered by your policy and what is not covered. Call your insurance agent or company if you have any questions. Remember that flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners or renter's insurance and must be covered under a separate flood insurance policy. Flood insurance does not go into effect for 30 days, so it is too late to obtain this insurance for Hurricane Irene. But if your area could be subject to flooding, you should consider obtaining this protection for the future.
It's Not Too Late to Create a Home Inventory
It's important to have a detailed list that catalogs the belongings in your home with such information as cost and date of purchase. A sample inventory form is on the Insurance Department's website: http://www.ins.state.ny.us/homeown/pdf/home_invchklst.pdf.
If you don't have time to create a comprehensive list of the items in your home, then quickly videotape and/or photograph every room. The more detail you include, the easier it will be for your insurance company to evaluate your loss. When making your list, make sure to open drawers and closets, and don't forget to take stock of what's in your garage and storage buildings. Photograph a newspaper or magazine in at least one of the pictures to document the date the photos were taken.
Consider keeping a duplicate copy of your inventory and photo record at a location away from your home. This could be with a relative or trusted friend where the information is accessible yet away from the potential disaster area.
Collect and Store Your Insurance Information
Keep copies of your insurance policies with your home inventory records. Make sure to have a copy of the policy declarations page listing all of your coverages, as well as your insurance cards. It's important to have 24-hour contact details for your insurance agent and insurance company, along with your insurer's website and mailing addresses. It's a good idea to store this information in a waterproof, fireproof box or safe, and if you need to evacuate your home, don't forget to take this information with you.
Prepare for the Worst
There are steps you can take to help mitigate some of the damage caused by a hurricane or tropical storm. If your home is equipped with storm shutters, make sure you can quickly put them in place. Clear your yard of debris that could become projectiles in high winds and trim dead or overhanging branches from trees surrounding your home. It's also a good time to make a quick review of your home to make sure the roof sheathing is properly secured, that end gables are securely fastened to the roof, and that doors and garage doors are latched properly.
For personal safety, identify the nearest storm shelter and have an evacuation plan for your family. Also, make sure you have hurricane survival supplies including: bottled water, a first aid kit, flashlights, a battery-operated radio, at least three days of non-perishable food items, blankets, clothing, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, personal hygiene supplies and enough cash for at least three days.
If you are forced to evacuate your home, turn off all utilities and disconnect appliances to reduce the chance of additional damage and electrical shock when utilities are restored.
For more information about how to prepare your family and home for the threat of tropical storms or hurricanes, visit the American Red Cross' website or download their Hurricane Safety Checklist.
After the Storm
The days following a natural disaster can be confusing and stressful, but it is important that you focus on filing your insurance claim(s) as quickly as possible to help protect your financial future.
The first step to getting your home restored is to contact your insurance company and/or agent with your policy number and other relevant information. Be aware that your policy might require that you make this notification within a certain time frame.
Take photographs/video of the damage before clean-up or repairs. After you've documented the damage, make repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls). DO NOT have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage. Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs.
If your home is damaged to the extent that you cannot live there, ask your insurance company or insurance agent if you have coverage for additional living expenses.
Ask what documents, forms and data you will need to file the claim. Keep a diary of all conversations you have with the insurance company and your insurance agent, including names, times and dates of the calls or visits and contact details.
Be certain to give your insurance company all the information they need. Incorrect or incomplete information may cause a delay in processing your claim.
If the first offer made by the insurance company does not meet your expectations, be prepared to negotiate. If there is a disagreement about the claim, ask the company for the specific language in the policy in question and determine why you and the company interpret your policy differently. If you believe you are being treated unfairly, contact the Insurance Department at: www.ins.state.ny.us. You can file a complaint about an insurance company at:http://www.ins.state.ny.us/complhow.htm.
Protect Yourself From Home Repair Fraud
Home repair fraud increases exponentially following a major storm. Protect your investment by getting more than one bid from contractors and requesting at least three references. Ask for proof of necessary licenses, building permits, insurance and bonding. Record the contractor's license plate number and driver's license number, and then check for any complaints with the Better Business Bureau. Finally, be wary of contractors who demand up-front payment for repairs. If the contractor needs money to buy supplies, go with the contractor and pay the supplier directly.
Homeowners Resources
The Insurance Department's online "Homeowner's Resource Center" offers detailed information and a number of useful tools consumers may find helpful. It can be found at the following location on the Insurance Department's website, http://www.ins.state.ny.us/hmonindx.htm.
The Insurance Department will activate the Insurance Emergency Operations Center to work with insurance companies to help consumer with claims as soon as the storm is over. The Department has already notified homeowners' insurance companies to prepare. In addition, the Department is contacting health insurers and requesting that they make accommodations for consumers who are forced to leave their homes because of the storm and as a result have to seek health care from out-of-network providers.
Consumers should contact their insurance company, agent or broker to get answers to specific questions about their policies. Consumers who need further help should feel free to contact the New York State Insurance Department's Consumer Services Bureau at 1-800-342-3736 which operates from 9:00 AM. to 4:30 PM., Monday through Friday. Disaster related calls only should go to the disaster hotline at 1-800-339-1759, which will be open starting Monday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM for as long as needed.


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This widget calculates EMI (Equated Monthly Instalment) of Loan / Mortgage for given Loan amount, Interest Rate and Repayment time.
If you own a blog or site, create a 'div' at the location you want the widget to appear on your page and paste all the three codes given below (i.e. Javascript, CSS and HTML) in this 'div'. The widget will appear at the desired location on your page.
In case you do not own any blog or web site, you can use the codes for using the widget off-line. Open any 'text editor' like 'Notepad'. Create a new file and paste all the three codes given below in this file and save it with extension .html or .htm . This file will open in your web browser and you will be able to use the widget offline.
If you do not want to go through the hassle of hosting the widget on your site blog, you can put the above widget on your site / blog by just using the embed code of 3-in-1 Loan Calculator, which calculates EMI, Affordable Loan amount and Loan Repayment Time and is available in 9 skin colors and 16 international languages.


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Dye-Ris And Bad K - Miami 2 France "Florida Rapper And Paris Rapper Callabo" (Triple S Muzik Group) [Label Submitted]
FACEBOOK.COM/DYERIS YOUTUBE.COM/DYERIS TWITTER@ DYERIS FACEBBOOK.COM/BAD.K94 firstname.lastname@example.com
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Clay Walker Announces 2012 Chords of Hope Benefit Concert
Clay Walker will be hosting his third annual Chords of Hope benefit concert for multiple sclerosis on June 5 at Nashville's 3rd and Lindsley. Walker was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 1996 and has gone to great lengths since then to raise money to benefit others living with the autoimmune disease. The charity he formed, called Band Against MS (BAMS) strives to raise awareness and education about MS while also raising money to fund research that's working toward a cure.
Each year for the past three years, the country star has hosted Chords of Hope, the proceeds of which help fund Vanderbilt University Medical Center's MS research. For this year's benefit, Walker will be performing with Jerrod Niemann, Sarah Marince and Hal Ketchum, who are all teaming up for the cause.
Having already raised more than $2 million through BAMS, Walker has made great strides in his effort to combat MS personally and on behalf of others. Speaking before last year's show, the hitmaker said, "This concert is truly a marriage between two important aspects of my life -- music and raising awareness for MS."
Walker also made the news recently with his appearance in episode four of this season's romantic reality show 'The Bachelor.' Bachelor Ben Flajnik and date of the night Jennifer slow danced to the love-inspiring new single 'Like We Never Said Goodbye' to put an end to their day-long date.
Tickets for Walker's Chords of Hope concert are available now through his website.


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"Louisiana Purchase" was a necessary Medicaid fix, but media say it's "corrupt"
Media outlets are listing Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) efforts to insert funding for Louisiana in the Senate health care bill -- dubbed the "Louisiana Purchase" by conservatives -- as an example of Democrats' "corrupt" practices. But the funds are urgently needed to fix the state's Medicaid problems, which are a result of Hurricane Katrina; moreover, many of the state's Republican lawmakers say the fix is necessary, despite criticizing Landrieu for securing it in the bill.
AP, IBD, Fox News list "Louisiana Purchase" as an example of corruption
AP: Democrats' "rash of ethical lapses" includes "Louisiana Purchase." The Associated Press, in an article [1] titled, "Democrats mired in swamp they vowed to drain," reported on a "rash of ethics lapses" from Democrats and listed Landrieu's deal as one of them:
A rash of ethics lapses has given Democrats an election-year headache: how to convince skeptical voters that they're any cleaner than Republicans they accused of fostering a "culture of corruption" in 2006.
Then there's the perception of payoffs to states represented by senators who hesitated on supporting the Senate's health care bill, part of the overhaul that Obama had named his top legislative priority.
Dubbed the "Cornhusker kickback" and the "Louisiana purchase," the deals with Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana drew derision for the perception of sneakiness they created.
IBD: Landrieu deal is example of "corruption." In a March 4 editorial [2] titled, "The Corruptocrats," Investor's Business Daily wrote, "There's a 900-pound elephant in the room in Washington named Corruption. The media don't seem to have noticed it's there -- because the pachyderm is actually a donkey." As an example of a Democratic "scandal," the editorial listed the " 'Louisiana Purchase' of $300 million in exclusive Medicaid funds for Louisiana to buy the support of a swing voter, Sen. Mary Landrieu, for health reform."
Cavuto hosts Bachmann to link "Louisiana Purchase" to Matheson smear. On Fox News' Your World, Neil Cavuto hosted Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) to discuss her demand for an investigation over baseless claims [3] that the White House was "selling" judgeships in exchange for a health care vote. During the segment, Bachmann said, "An independent investigation is timely and makes sense, because every aspect of the health care bill has been negotiated behind closed doors, whether it's the substance of the bill or whether it's been a certain amount of what you might call vote buying, whether it's the 'Cornhusker Kickback,' 'Louisiana Purchase,' the union loophole."
Matthews: Louisiana Purchase has been "exposed as corrupt." On the March 1 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews said Democrats are "going to get rid" of the Louisiana deal because it's been "exposed as corrupt."
CNN contributor Bennett tied "Louisiana Purchase" to corruption. After noting instances of Republican corruption in the past, CNN contributor William Bennett said [4] during the March 3 edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, "Now you're looking at Rangel, and you're looking at Paterson. You're looking at a government that people distrust. You're looking at this Tea Party thing going on. And with the 'Cornhusker Kickback,' 'Louisiana Purchase,' and other indices, and then you pass this thing, over the express wishes of the American people, I think it is a political disaster."
But the deal was reportedly a necessary fix to a Katrina-caused Medicaid problem
Times-Picayune: Temporary post-Katrina spending "spiked" per capita income "long enough" to skew Medicaid funding formula, causing state Medicaid funding shortfall. The Times-Picayune reported [5] on January 22 that "Landrieu secured a provision, which she priced at $300 million, to fix the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage for Louisiana. That was called 'the Louisiana Purchase,' though Landrieu insisted the measure was right on the merits, germane to the bill, and did not buy her vote." The article explained that the "FMAP refers to the percentage of a state's payments under Medicaid that are covered by the federal government. Louisiana usually gets a higher match because of how poor the state is, but because of all the recovery and rebuilding money that poured in after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, state per capita income spiked long enough to throw the formula out of kilter and threaten to blow a hole [in] the state budget. Landrieu's fix was, according to state officials, only the beginning of a solution for a huge Medicaid shortfall the state is facing." The article stated that Landrieu said "attaching the Medicaid provision to a health-care bill made sense, and there is no obvious and feasible legislative alternative."
Jindal: "If not corrected in Washington, D.C.," FMAP problem will cost $500 million a year. Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal's fiscal year 2010-2011 budget proposal [6] says that the "Louisiana state government faces significant, multi-year budget challenges, compounded by a faulty federal FMAP formula that, if not corrected in Washington, D.C., will cost the state approximately $500 million a year in Medicaid funding, impacting services for the poorest in our state, and often those who need care the most." The proposal also says that "[w]hile there is discussion in Washington about extending the enhanced federal Medicaid match rate for six months for all states, without a permanent fix to Louisiana's faulty FMAP calculation, combined with the loss of federal stimulus funding, Louisiana will still face a projected $1.7 billion shortfall for FY 12."
Lousiana state Health secretary had requested federal exemption to Medicaid financing formula because state's three-year per capita average "does not accurately reflect the financial status" of Louisiana. According to an April 10, 2009, Times-Picayune article [7], "State Health Secretary Alan Levine has asked the federal government to exempt Louisiana from a Medicaid financing formula that Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration says will force the state to make draconian cuts in health care services for the poor." The article reported: "At issue is how much Medicaid money the federal government allocates to Louisiana for each dollar the state spends from its own purse, with the ratio influenced by the three-year average of each state's per-capita income. In short, wealthier states have to spend more of their own money." According to the article, "Levine maintains that the three-year average, designed to account for temporary anomalies in a state's economy, does not accurately reflect the financial status in a state where everything from post-hurricane spending, higher labor costs, private insurance payouts and federal grants to individuals temporarily swelled personal incomes." Therefore, according to Levine, by January 2011, "Louisiana would have to begin absorbing the equivalent of a $700 million annual loss. He said state revenue projections make it impossible to assume that the state can make up the difference to maintain services at the current level for more than 1 million people." The article added:
The political irony to Levine's request is that it hinges on federal sympathy for the argument that Louisiana is being hurt by the billions of dollars the U.S. government has directed to the state since the 2005 hurricanes.
In his letter to Johnson, Levine called the changes in Louisiana's Medicaid match rates "an unintended consequence of the bold financial initiatives undertaken since 2005." Levine did say that the "billions ... infused into Louisiana's economy following the damage caused by the failure of the federal levee system" are "dollars for which we are grateful."
LA Republicans, including Jindal, support the fix but criticized Landrieu after she obtained it
Jindal staff urged Louisiana delegation to "solve" FMAP crisis. The Hill reported [8] on February 4 that Landrieu said "she attached it to the healthcare bill" at Jindal's "request" and provided a September 2009 email from Julia Kenny, chief of staff for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, in which "Kenny urges the delegation to 'make our case' for an effort similar to one undertaken by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to secure Medicaid funds for Nevada." According to The Hill, the email also said:
"We will be working on a joint statement with Gov. Jindal and [HHS] Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius to say they are working on the FMAP issue and asking Congress to solve it," Kenny wrote. "That's huge, if the commitment does lead to follow-through. Once there is agreement, then we will draft a statement for the delegation's consideration applauding the secretary and administration for recognizing the problem and working with Congress to solve it. Thank you."
The article also noted that Jindal issued a statement in response, saying in part, "I'm against the health care bill and always have been. You would have to live in a cave not to know that. I opposed it even with the FMAP language in it. I am glad the health care bill is dead."
The Associated Press itself reported that Jindal pushed for obtaining funds. The AP reported on February 5 that Jindal "was among those joining Landrieu in pushing for more money," but that "since then he's avoided most opportunities to defend her." From the AP article (accessed via Nexis):
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana stood to lose federal reimbursements for Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for the poor, because the state's post-hurricane economic surge temporarily boosted per-capita income that's used to measure Medicaid payments. Louisiana's Republican governor, Bobby Jindal, was among those joining Landrieu in pushing for more money but since then he's avoided most opportunities to defend her.
At a news conference in Baton Rouge, La., Jindal defended the need for the changes to the Medicaid formula, but said he opposed the Senate health care bill, even with the money included.
Asked whether Landrieu was wrong to put the money in the Senate bill, Jindal didn't respond directly and instead said, "I'm not a member of Congress. I'm not going to tell them what bills to draft and what bills to amend."
Times-Picayune noted that Jindal had "pushed" Landrieu to get funding, but did not defend her amid criticism. The Times-Picayune reported [9] on February 4 that the "Jindal administration had pressed the congressional delegation last year to try to remedy the problem and, as the hour grew late, state Secretary of Health and Hospitals Alan Levine looked to Landrieu as the member of the delegation with the most clout to get it done." The article also reported that Jindal did not "defend [Landrieu's] decision to include the 'FMAP fix' in the Senate health overhaul bill," and "said he would have opposed the Senate bill with or without the measure." The article said Jindal had only issued "a single statement to CNN on Nov. 20 in which he said, 'the (health care) bill is awful, but it's unfair to criticize Sen. Landrieu or the rest of our delegation for fighting to correct this.' "
Other LA Republicans also say the funds are necessary, despite criticizing Landrieu for securing them. The Times-Picayune also quoted several Louisiana Republicans, including Sen. David Vitter, Rep. John Fleming, Rep. Charles Boustany, and Rep. Steve Scalise, in a January 22 article [5] as saying fixing FMAP is "legitimate and necessary," but criticized Landrieu for securing it in the health care bill. The article also quoted Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) as saying Landrieu "did what she was asked to do and then the governor didn't step up, Vitter criticized her, she was chastised by talk radio shows because she did what her governor asked her to do, it doesn't put a penny in her pocket."
- Network/Outlet
- Associated Press [10], Investor's Business Daily [11]
- Person
- Chris Matthews [12], Bill Bennett [13]
- Show/Publication
- Anderson Cooper 360 [14]


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MIMPI needed a new t-shirt design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 87 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
Design a special print:
- mixed Indo China prints, like Miso and Dumpling Dynasty does
- different kind of scrap book photo's/poetry cards from the 20ties, like Michal Negrin does...
If we like more that 1 print we will reward every print with 350 $
it needs to be a collage a mix
I want to have a print with all different kinds of things for example a print of:
. old soap labels
. different kind of old dolls
. different kind of things hanging on a wall
. Indo-China old style photo's like Miso or Dumpling dynasty does
- different kind of old scrap book photo's from the 20ties,like Michal Negrin does... old poetry cards
- or something you think would be nice and special!!!!
We will make a skirt, a dress from this print for our summer 2010 collection,
do you want a moodboard? mail me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
so it will be more clear what we want!
- a print
..a simple print it has to be a mix a collage


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Gold Chunky Knot Stud Earrings
Regular price
$ 9.00
FOR 50% OFF! Code: STUNT50
Product Reviews
Size Chart
Shipping & Returns
Returns Policy
Please return item(s) within 30 days. We do not accept items that are worn, washed, altered, sale items, accessories, bodysuits & swimsuits. We do not do refunds or exchanges. We will gladly issue you store credit in the form of an e-gift card to the email address on file. Store Credit can be used immediately and never expires. When returning, we recommend using a trackable service such USPS flat-rate shipping. Please also remember that you are responsible for returning shipping charges..
Sorella Boutique utilizes multiple order shipping methods. In house, we ship anywhere in the world. Please allow 1-5 business days for your order to be processed. Orders placed on Saturday and Sunday will begin processing the following Monday. Orders placed on Federal Holidays, regardless of day or time, will begin processing on the following business day. All orders are shipped via USPS. To track your order at anytime, you'll be able to use your USPS Tracking number. USPS SHIPPING METHODS AND ESTIMATED TRANSIT TIMES: ) PLEASE NOTE: Delivery times EXCLUDE the weekends, USPS does not deliver on Saturdays and Sundays. Sorella Boutique does not guarantee specific delivery times. Shipping times are estimated and may vary depending on order processing time and the distance of the shipping address from our distribution center in Los Angeles, California. We try to be as accurate as possible. Sorella Boutique is not responsible for lost or stolen packages. Orders over $100 may require a signature at the time of delivery. International customers may be required to pay import or duty fees to their local customs. Sorella Boutique is not responsible for fees or taxes imposed by the customers local government.
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Password list creator - Create a secure password using our generator tool. This form allows you to generate random passwords. first of all Password list creator allows you to make Strong Password Generator to create secure passwords
Certainly You can get all the necessary instruction for use of this online tool for the reason that below.
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Password list creator Finally Go to password generator. Another The most secure passwords are randomly generated, Furthermore can be used to both store and generate them. It is recommended to use generated passwords for your Sites and Secure Notes as a security best practice. You can also use the Auto Change feature for supported websites to update your Site passwords with a single click. Learn more about changing Site passwords. as a result without installation and without creating any account.
- If you have not done so, log in to Password list creator .
- In your web browser toolbar, click the Password list creator icon then click Generate Secure Password.
- Use the drop-down menu to select your desired Password length (or type a number in the text field) – up to 100 characters max.
- Optionally, click Advanced Options to make the following additional security changes:
- Allow All Character Types
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- To use the password in another window, click the Copy Password.
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- To use the generated password on your current website, click Use Password.
Here are some ideas to prevent your passwords from being hacked by social engineering, brute force or dictionary attack method, and keep your online accounts safe, you should notice that:
1. Do not use any dictionary word in your passwords. Examples of strong passwords: ePYHc~dS*)8$+V-' , qzRtC{6rXN3N\RgL , zbfUMZPE6`FC%)sZ. Examples of weak passwords: qwert12345, Gbt3fC79ZmMEFUFJ, 1234567890, 987654321, nortonpassword. So it looks like it should be an example of a bad password because it uses 'dictionary words'.
2. If you're a webmaster, do not store the users passwords, security questions and answers as plain text in the database, you should store the salted ( SHA1, SHA256 or SHA512 )hash values of of these strings instead. It's recommended to generate a unique random salt string for each user. In addition, it's a good idea to log the user's device information( e.g. OS version, screen resolution, etc. ) and save the salted hash values of them, then when he/she try to login with the correct password but his/her device information does NOT match the previous saved one, let this user to verify his/her identity by entering another verification code sent via SMS or email.
3. Distrust and remove bad SSL certificates from your Web browser, otherwise you will NOT be able to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the HTTPS connections which use these certificates.
4. Encrypt the entire system partition, otherwise please disable the pagefile and hibernation functions, since it's possible to find your important documents in the pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys files.
5. Close your web browser when you leave your computer, otherwise the cookies can be intercepted with a small USB device easily, making it possible to bypass two-step verification and log into your account with stolen cookies on other computers.
6. Use a password that has at least 16 characters, use at least one number, one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter and one special symbol.
7. Do not use two or more similar passwords which most of their characters are same, for example, ilovefreshflowersMac, ilovefreshflowersDropBox, since if one of these passwords is stolen, then it means that all of these passwords are stolen.
8. When travelling, you can encrypt your Internet connections before they leave your laptop, tablet, mobile phone or router. For example, you can set up a private VPN( with MS-CHAP v2 or stronger protocols ) on your own server( home computer, dedicated server or VPS ) and connect to it. Alternatively, you can set up an encrypted SSH tunnel between your router and your home computer( or a remote server of your own ) with PuTTY and connect your programs( e.g. FireFox ) to PuTTY. Then even if somebody captures your data as it is transmitted between your device( e.g. laptop, iPhone, iPad ) and your server with a packet sniffer, they'll won't be able to steal your data and passwords from the encrypted streaming data.
9. Do not use the names of your families, friends or pets in your passwords.
10. Do not use postcodes, house numbers, phone numbers, birthdates, ID card numbers, social security numbers, and so on in your passwords.
11. Do not use the same password, security question and answer for multiple important accounts.
12. Do not send sensitive information online via unencrypted( e.g. HTTP or FTP ) connections, because messages in these connections can be sniffed with very little effort. You should use encrypted connections such as HTTPS, SFTP, FTPS, SMTPS, IPSec whenever possible.
13. Do not let your Web browsers( FireFox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, IE ) to store your passwords, since all passwords saved in Web browsers can be revealed easily.
14. Do not use something that can be cloned( but you can't change ) as your passwords, such as your fingerprints.
15. Do not log in to important accounts on the computers of others, or when connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, Tor, free VPN or web proxy.
16. How secure is my password? Perhaps you believe that your passwords are very strong, difficult to hack. But if a hacker has stolen your username and the MD5 hash value of your password from a company's server, and the rainbow table of the hacker contains this MD5 hash, then your password will be cracked quickly.
To check the strength of your passwords and know whether they're inside the popular rainbow tables, you can convert your passwords to MD5 hashes on a MD5 hash generator, then decrypt your passwords by submitting these hashes to an online MD5 decryption service. For instance, your password is '0123456789A', using the brute-force method, it may take a computer almost one year to crack your password, but if you decrypt it by submitting its MD5 hash( C8E7279CD035B23BB9C0F1F954DFF5B3 ) to a MD5 decryption website, how long will it take to crack it? You can perform the test yourself.
17. Encrypt and backup your passwords to different locations, then if you lost access to your computer or account, you can retrieve your passwords back quickly.
18. Use at least 2 differnet phone numbers, do NOT tell others the phone number which you use to receive text messages of the verification codes.
19. Use at least 3 different email addresses, use the first one to receive emails from important sites and Apps, such as Paypal and Amazon, use the second one to receive emails from unimportant sites and Apps, use the third one( from a different email provider, such as Outlook and GMail ) to receive your password-reset email when the first one( e.g. Yahoo Mail ) is hacked.
20. Access important websites in private or incognito mode, or use one Web browser to access important websites, use another one to access other sites. Or access unimportant websites and install new software inside a virtual machine created with VMware, VirtualBox or Parallels.
21. Do not click the link in an email or SMS message, do not reset your passwords by clicking them, except that you know these messages are not fake.
22. Turn on 2-Step Verification. With 2-Step Verification (also known as two-factor authentication) whenever possible.
23. It's recommended to change your passwords every 10 weeks.
24. Protect your computer with firewall and antivirus software, block all incoming connections and all unnecessary outgoing connections with the firewall. Download software from reputable sites only, and verify the MD5 / SHA1 / SHA256 checksum or GPG signature of the installation package whenever possible.
25. Do not store your critical passwords in the cloud.
26. Access important websites( e.g. Paypal ) from bookmarks directly, otherwise please check its domain name carefully, it's a good idea to check the popularity of a website with Alexa toolbar to ensure that it's not a phishing site before entering your password.
27. Keep the operating systems( e.g. Windows 7, Windows 10, Mac OS X, iOS, Linux ) and Web browsers( e.g. FireFox, Chrome, IE, Microsoft Edge ) of your devices( e.g. Windows PC, Mac PC, iPhone, iPad, Android tablet ) up-to-date by installing the latest security update.
28. Encrypt the entire hard drive with LUKS or similar tools before putting important files on it, and destroy the hard drive of your old devices physically if it's necessary.
29. If there are important files on your computer, and it can be accessed by others, check if there are hardware keyloggers( e.g. wireless keyboard sniffer ), software keyloggers and hidden cameras when you feel it's necessary.
30. Be careful when using online paste tools and screen capture tools, do not let them to upload your passwords to the cloud.
31. It's possible that one of the software or App you downloaded or updated has been modified by hackers, you can avoid this problem by not installing this software or App at the first time, except that it's published to fix security holes. You can use Web based apps instead, which are more secure and portable.
32. Do not tell your passwords to anybody in the email.
33. To keep your online business safe, you should register a domain name of your own, and set up an email account with this domain name, then you'll not lose your email account and all your contacts, since your can host your mail server anywhere, your email account can't be disabled by the email provider.
34. If you are a software developer, you should publish the update package signed with a private key using GnuPG, and verify the signature of it with the public key published previously.
35. If an online shopping site only allows to make payment with credit cards, then you should use a virtual credit card instead.
36. To prevent brute force login attacks to your dedicated servers, VPS servers or cloud servers, you can install an intrusion detection and prevention software such as LFD( Login Failure Daemon ) or Fail2Ban.
37. It's recommended that you remember a few master passwords, store other passwords in a plain text file and encrypt this file with 7-Zip, GPG or a disk encryption software such as BitLocker, or manage your passwords with a password management software.
38. If there are WIFI routers in your home, then it's possible to know the passwords you typed( in your neighbor's house ) by detecting the gestures of your fingers and hands, since the WIFI signal they received will change when you move your fingers and hands. You can use an on-screen keyboard to type your passwords in such cases, it would be more secure if this virtual keyboard( or soft keyboard ) changes layouts every time.
39. Lock your computer and mobile phone when you leave them.


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Apr 28,2009
Movie Review: 'The Informers' is bleak and amoral; too bad it's not good
by Zachary Woodruff
Bret Easton Ellis needs a new decade. The author of "Less Than Zero" made his literary fortune dissecting the nihilistic 1980s as if it were a good-looking corpse — the Great Gatsby with hair mousse. But the filmed adaptation of "The Informers" finds Ellis with his dullest blade, peering into the hollow souls of several upscale Los Angelenos and finding that, yes, rootless, spoiled and amoral people tend to be unhappy. Is that really all there is to the '80s?
There's nothing wrong with a cinematic expose of spiritual vacancy if it's done with a little style. The posh poolsides and cocaine carouses of "Less Than Zero" (1987) inspired both pity and class envy while showcasing Robert Downey Jr.'s talent for portraying drug addiction (though it's not clear he was acting). The 2000 adaptation of Ellis' "American Psycho" marked the emergence of Christian Bale's really dark side (his Batman resembles a flying hamster in comparison), eliciting nervous laughter and disgust as an investment banker's materialism turns homicidal. Even the uneven "Rules of Attraction" (2002) had fun taking James Van Der Beek's wholesome "Dawson's Creek" image and turning it on its Frankensteinian forehead.
But "The Informers" suffers from a lack of nerve. Don't the synth-pop videos, Ray-Ban sunglasses, frosted hairstyles and garish androgynes of the 1980s call for a little camp and exaggeration? Instead, Australian director Gregor Jordan (working from a screenplay by Ellis and Nicholas Jarecki) treats the '80s setting with somber self-importance — anthropology without showmanship. What ought to be an amusingly Altmanesque set of crisscrossing stories veers listlessly toward Paul Haggis' pretentious "Crash."
Wouldn't you know it, "The Informers" also begins with a crash — one ending the life of a random richie-rich type. At the funeral, the victim's late-teenage friends bask in apathy, but feather-haired Graham (Jon Foster) has murmurs of self-awareness: Aren't I supposed to feel, like, really sad? Graham's existential crisis deepens when his blond girlfriend (Amber Heard, who's naked so often you barely recognize her in clothes) has three-way and four-way sex without his usual participation. Graham twinges with doubt: Aren't I supposed to feel, like, really jealous? It's as if James Spader's wealthy-jerk character in "Pretty in Pink" had started developing a conscience.
Unfortunately, "The Informers" has a built-in shallowness, dividing its time among small vignettes that tend to culminate with someone catching a clue. There's the harried Kim Basinger, who tries to forgive her movie-producer husband (Billy Bob Thornton, setting a dour tone that infects the whole film) as he pines for his newscaster mistress (pallid pixie Winona Ryder). Basinger's got her hands full: When not helpfully injecting heroin into Thornton's love muscle, she's copulating the pain away with her son's Billy Idol-maned buddy.
How can you cast both Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke, whose early careers simultaneously exploded with "9-1/2 Weeks," yet never put them in a scene together? Rourke portrays the film's nastiest character — a skeevy, van-driving child abductor — in the most blase way possible, as if he got lost on the way to a DVD release party for "The Wrestler." Playing his twitchy/sweaty brother, Brad Renfro struggles over the decision to release a little boy Rourke has tied up in the bathtub. You wouldn't think this could present a dilemma for any sentient human being, but the film's moral landscape is all Los Angeles valley, all the time.
"The Informers" draws a vague symbolic link between Renfro, who cuts his palm, and New Wave singer Bryan Metro (Mel Raido), who slices his hand on a broken liquor bottle. As the movie's occasional mascot of debauchery and disaffection — a strung-out Iggy Pop/Peter Murphy type who greets friendly groupies with his fists — Raido's character is reminiscent of the rocker in "Love, Actually," if that film had been titled "Self-Loathing, Definitely."
The least integrated of the stories follows the Hawaiian vacation of a father (Chris Isaak, resembling a creepy Alan Thicke) who vainly aspires to become the pickup wingman for his bitterly estranged teen son (Lou Taylor Pucci). All does not go well, which comes as no surprise considering Bret Easton Ellis' bleak view of the era's sexual licentiousness. "The Informers" even goes so far as to leave one of its characters dying AIDS-stricken on a beach — the least subtle metaphor ever devised for the 1980s. What a relief to have that wretched movie, er, decade behind us.
"The Informers." Rated: R. Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes. 1.5 stars.


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Walking with Dinosaurs
This review is from the 'Walking with Dinosaurs' tour's opening night in Belfast
Really, who doesn't dig dinosaurs? Lumbering, sprinting or flying about our planet roughly 230 million years ago, they came in a surprisingly wide range of styles, in sizes XS to XXXXL. Their prehistoric ferocity and often mind-boggling mass makes them seem as mythical to us now as dragons, and it's that thrilling improbability that the creators of this arena show have capitalised on.
A theatrical spin-off from the BBC documentary series of the same name, 'Walking With Dinosaurs' is an Australian production that first toured the UK in 2009, but has since tweaked its content and shuffled its beastly cast. It's part educational programme, part wow-factor spectacular, and is pitched very much at families, sensibly running as two 45 minute acts with a half-hour interval.
An Indiana Jones-styled character named Huxley is the onstage narrator, describing changes from the Triassic to the Cretaceous period, introducing the different dinosaurs as they appear and variously whipping up the tension of lightning storms and darting out of the way during battle scenes. Three large video screens provide the broader environmental backdrop.
Evolution is the show's narrative arc, the animatronic creatures themselves create the drama. Describing the long-necked Brachiosaurus – whose disconcertingly ET-like head grazes the lighting rig – as lifelike is odd (who knows for certain exactly what they looked like or how they moved?), but someone's done their paleontological homework, so yes, they seem very real indeed.
It's a testament to both the engineers and the remote puppet masters that even though the tights-clad legs of the bloke inside the 30lb raptor suit are visible, and the other beasts clearly move by means of coffin-like 'cars', the spell remains unbroken. When T Rex – the big gun of the dinosaur world – emerges towards the end of the show, it isn't only the kids that gasp.
|Event website:


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Welcome to the Division of Business at Thomas University
Welcome to the Business Division at Thomas University. Our goal is to provide a high quality education through close interaction between students, faculty, and the business community. A business degree can be the starting point of a career in many fields. Few profit or nonprofit organizations can operate successfully without trained administrators. Today's business leaders must be effective decision makers with business skills and insight. Managing people — gaining support and cooperation — requires talent and knowledge of organization and motivation theories. The course of study for students who are formally accepted into the baccalaureate program will be predicated on the program of study as outlined in the university catalog and/or catalogue addendum that is in effect at the time of their acceptance.
The Division of Business...
Thomas University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Stang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by the IACBE:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA with specialization in general business and accounting).
- Master of Business Administration portion of dual Master of Science in Nursing/ Master of Business Administration Degree (MSN/MBA).
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with specializationin accounting, management, and marketing.


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In 1984 Apple changed the world when it introduce the first Macintosh, a compact computer in an all-in-one beige box with an attached black and white display. Billed as "the computer for the rest of us," the Macintosh introduced the general public to the graphical user interface and the mouse.
Over the years the Mac's popularity has waxed and waned and waxed again. In the late 1990s Apple hit its stride again with the iMac, then moved its operating system forward to the modern age with OS X in 2000. Since then it's been going gangbusters: the Mac continues to sell very well, in fact selling better than the PC, outpacing PC sales quarter to quarter, consecutively, for years. The Mac has been slowly inching up its marketshare as more and more customers who buy iPods, iPhones and iPads decide they've had enough with their PC compatible computers and want a Mac.
Apple divides the Macintosh up into two proximate families: laptops and desktops. The laptop line includes the ultra-light, ultra-portable MacBook Air and the more powerful MacBook Pro, both with and without Retina display — the first Mac to have such a screen.
The desktop line includes the tiny Mac mini, a versatile little machine that's equally suited for entry-level use, first time Windows switchers, media mavens looking for a home theater PC and businesses looking for a workgroup server.
Then there's the elegant and slim iMac, Apple's famed all-in-one, now one of Apple's fastest computers, equipped with quad-core processors and optional fast Fusion drives that combine SSD and conventional hard disk for maximum performance and capacity.
Rounding out the Mac line is the immensely powerful Mac Pro. Despite its tiny size - one-eighth the volume of its predecessor - the Mac Pro is a powerful workstation-class computer, designed from the ground up to run as fast as it possibly can, with up to a twelve-core processor, twin workstation-class GPU cards, and an all-solid state storage architecture that has twice the bandwidth of older systems.
All new Macs currently run OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
Regardless of whether you need portability or power, a tiny workstation or a giant graphical behemoth, Apple has a Macintosh model that suits your needs.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.


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Publications: Ward, Koral
Group by: Publication Type | Year
Number of items: 2.
Ward, K. (2012) Augenblick: The concept of the 'Decisive Moment' in 19th- and 20th-Century Western Philosophy. Ashgate Publishing, Hampshire, England.
Ward, Koral (2005) In the blink of an eye: an investigation into the concept of the 'decisive moment' (Augenblick) as found in nineteenth and twentieth century western philosophy. PhD thesis, Murdoch University.
This list was generated on Sun Apr 21 06:53:46 2019 UTC.


text: Corn Hybrid Traits: Similar but Different September 27, 2013 12:00 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Rhonda Brooks Editor, Farm Journal MagazineEditorial Director, Farm Journal Media Email Corn hybrid stacks and pyramids aren't the same If you refer to Bt corn hybrid stacks and pyramids as if the terms are interchangeable, you aren't alone. However, there are important distinctions between the two terms. Here is some information to bring you up-to-speed on terminology. Bt corn hybrids got their start with a single protein made from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This naturally occurring, soil-borne bacterium produces crystal-like proteins (Cry proteins) and the vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3A, essentially toxins, that selectively kill insects. Introduced in the mid-1990s, the first Bt protein was primarily aimed at controlling European corn borer populations. Today, there are many Bt genes in the marketplace with various Cry proteins (more than 60) and the single Vip protein to control a variety of insects. When you purchase "stacked" Bt seed, you are buying a hybrid that contains at least two unique proteins, and each of them is designed to control a different insect pest. The seed is also likely to have herbicide tolerance. "A hybrid that contains a protein for above-ground protection against European corn borer and a different protein for below-ground protection against western corn rootworm, in addition to providing herbicide tolerance, is a stacked hybrid," explains Mike Gray, University of Illinois Extension entomologist. One way to think about a stack is to liken it to weed-control measures. When farmers use a tank mix with two or more different herbicide active ingredients to control two or more weed species that is a stack. Hybrids stacked with Bt proteins and herbicide tolerance are used extensively in the U.S. In 2013, farmers planted them on more than 80% of their corn acres. In total, 90% of corn acres were planted to genetically modified corn hybrids this year. Focused on one pest. Bt hybrids that are classified as a pyramid contain two or more Cry proteins to control a single pest. Vip3A is not used in any pyramid. For instance, two Cry proteins could be targeted at western corn rootworm and two other Cry proteins aimed at above-ground insects, such as the European corn borer. The main point is pyramided Bt hybrids aim two or more Cry proteins at one target insect. Examples of corn genetics that have a pyramid include Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete, Refuge Advanced Powered by SmartStax and Optimum Intrasect Xtreme. The benefit of using a pyramided Bt hybrid is that if one of its Cry proteins fails to adequately work, the second one should still function and control the pest. This scenario is playing out today in some cornfields where rootworm has developed resistance to the Cry3Bb1 protein. In those cases, much of the heavy lifting is left to the other two proteins currently available for rootworm control, Cry34/35Ab1 and mCry3A. Some of the newer pyramided hybrids, such as the refuge-in-a-bag (RIB) or single-bag products, are planted under a reduced refuge, often just a 5% or 10% refuge instead of the historic 20% structured refuge. "The concern is the reduced refuge will hasten the resistance problem," Gray says. However, he acknowledges that the upside to the technology, giving farmers easier ways to be refuge compliant, is a significant benefit that farmers, seed companies and the Environmental Protection Agency all value. When Rotation Fails The need for integrated pest management is increasingly clear for Illinois corn farmers. In late August, significant western corn rootworm larval injury was confirmed in first-year cornfields planted to Bt rootworm hybrids containing the single Cry protein, Cry3Bb1, in Kankakee and Livingston counties, says Mike Gray, University of Illinois Extension entomologist. Joe Spencer, entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, collected adult rootworms from the infected fields. Bioassays will be conducted on the adults' offspring to determine if the rotation-resistant corn rootworms are also resistant to the Cry3Bb1 protein. You can e-mail Rhonda Brooks at firstname.lastname@example.com. Back to news


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According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "One of the greatest hazards to birds is plate glass, with windows in homes and offices killing as many as one billion birds each year. Glass is invisible to birds, and if it reflects the images of trees, bushes, the sky or other natural habitat, a bird may fly directly into it."
Often a collision will temporarily stun a bird that flies off, seemingly recovered, in a few moments. But many times these birds die later, from internal bleeding or hematomas, especially on the brain. Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College has researched this issue since the 1970s. He writes, "Intensive studies at single homes reveal one out of every two strikes results in a fatality." Klem adds, "Glass is an indiscriminate killer that takes the fit as well as the unfit of a species population."
There are two main types of window collision mortality. The first happens by day, when birds crash windows because they see reflections of the landscape—trees, sky, clouds—on the glass surface, they see through the glass to potted plants indoors, or they see the landscape on the other side of the building through a second window. The second type of potentially fatal collision happens by night, when nocturnal migrants (including many of our most beloved songbirds such as tanagers, orioles, and catbirds, and warblers) hit lighted high-rise windows jutting into their airspace. Some of these nighttime collisions are due to simple random chance, when a building happens to be directly on a bird's flight path. Much more often, nocturnal migrants are actively lured to their deaths by lights within these tall buildings. For reasons not entirely understood, nocturnal migrants, who navigate by the stars, are often diverted from their original path by lights, especially in low-ceiling or foggy conditions; in the lighted area, they mill about, often colliding with one another or the lighted structure. Hundreds or thousands of dead birds may litter city streets after some migration events.
A third type of window collision is far less likely to end in mortality, but is harmful to birds and annoying to humans witnessing it—when a bird attacks its reflection in a window. This occurs during daytime, most often in spring and early summer when birds are defending their breeding territories. The species that do this often, such as Northern Cardinals, American Robins, and California Towhees, tend to be territorial species that nest very close to buildings, and so are the ones most likely to notice their reflection and perceive it as a territorial rival.
Some birds such as swallows, starlings, House Finches, and House Sparrows also nest close to buildings, but these are more colonial and far less territorial, unlikely to fight with one another, much less a reflection. Territorial battles with windows may be so strong that a bird may exhaust itself or leave you frantic, but these collisions usually don't result in fatal injury.
The best solution, which will also prevent fatalities from other kinds of window collisions, is to cover the outside of the window with netting or screening so the reflection is no longer visible or the bird is held too far from it to hurt itself or be such a nuisance for you. You can also try drawing soap streaks across the window to break up the reflection.
This territorial reaction may be so strong that the bird may exhaust itself, but it usually doesn't result in fatal injury. Window collisions (above) are much more serious.
Window strikes are something you should be aware of and try to prevent; you have an added responsibility if you feed wild birds in your backyard. Start by identifying dangerous windows. Large picture windows or a pair of windows at right angles to each other on the corner of a house or other building are usually the worst culprits. Go outside near your feeders and look at your windows from a bird's point of view. If you see branches or sky reflected in or through the glass, that's what the birds will see, too.
Try some of these ideas to make your windows safer:
If you find a bird dazed from a window collision, examine it for external injuries. If the wings are both held properly, neither dangling, and the eyes seem normal, see if it can perch in a branch unassisted. If so, leave it to recover on its own.
If the bird has a noticeable injury, get it to a rehabber as quickly as possible. Broken bones usually need proper attention within minutes or hours to heal properly without surgery. Use this online directory to find a rehabber near you.
Meanwhile, place it in a dark container such as a shoebox, and leave it somewhere quiet, out of reach of pets and other predators, for 15-minutes. If the weather is extremely cold, you may need to take it inside, but don't keep the bird too warm. Do not try to give it food and water, and resist handling it. The darkness will calm the bird while it revives, which should occur within a few minutes unless it is seriously injured. But do not open the box indoors to check on it! Take it outside every 15-minutes or so and open the box—if it flies off, that's that! If it doesn't recover in a couple of hours, take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Remember that, technically, it is illegal to handle a migratory bird without a permit. Few state or federal officials are concerned with keeping a bird for a few minutes or hours in the process of bringing it to a licensed facility, but in the United States it is absolutely illegal, as well as cruel and unethical, to keep in captivity any bird protected by the Migratory Bird Act.
Click on a topic for more information
If you have questions about birds that we haven't covered here, try our Frequently Asked Questions section.
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Pom-Wonderful Introduces Ready-To-Eat Pomegranate Arils
For consumers who love the taste and versatility of fresh pomegranate arils (those fleshy red pockets of flavor that contain seeds), but hate the hassle of collecting them from the fruit, Los Angeles-based Pom Wonderful introduces Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranate Arils, convenient, ready-to-eat servings available through January in the cut-fruit section of most grocery stores.
With their surprisingly sweet-tart taste, ruby-red Fresh Pomegranate Arils offer a culinary versatility that can add sweet overtones to a savory entree or zest to a holiday dessert. They can be enjoyed on their own as a crunchy, healthy snack or added to tossed salads, yogurt, cereals and cocktails. Each package of ready-to-eat arils is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber and a good source of potassium and polyphenol antioxidants, which help neutralize free radicals.
"Let's face it, extracting the edible arils from a pomegranate can be inconvenient and time-consuming for many fans of the fruit," says Matt Tupper, president of Pom Wonderful. "Our new ready-to-eat product eliminates that prep work, making enjoying pomegranates easier than ever."
While bottled pomegranate juice has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, many consumers are unsure how to open or use the fresh fruit. Tupper said he believes the new ready-to-eat, 6-oz. packages will encourage these shoppers to sample pomegranates for the first time — and quite possibly become enthusiasts for life.
"Pomegranate aficionados all over the globe look forward to the fruit's harvest season, which begins in October," adds Tupper. "We'd like to broaden that anticipation by introducing the fruit to a whole new market."
Suggested retail price is $4.99.


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Baltimore hair bands, then and now [Pictures]
More than 25 years ago, the Baltimore hard-rock scene was almost as big as the hair. Bands such as Kix, Mannekin, Child's Play and DC Star toured the country, signed major-label record deals and sold out hometown shows at legendary clubs such as the Sandbar and Hammerjack's. It, of course, did not last forever. Hammerjack's was torn down in 1997 and replaced with the M&T Bank Stadium parking lot. To some, the loss of the well-known club was the long-overdue final nail in the spandex. To others, such as Mannekin lead singer David VanLanding, Hammerjack's lives on as a memory for those lucky enough to have been there. "Hammerjack's was to rock 'n' roll what Studio 54 was to disco," VanLanding said recently. "It will never, ever be duplicated. I miss it badly. Not in a boo-hoo sense; I'm just thanking God I was able to be apart of it." Later this week, the '80s return to the area, for at least one night. Van Halen -- led by original lead singer David Lee Roth, with the familial trifecta of guitarist Eddie, his brother and drummer Alex and the six-string virtuoso's 21-year-old son, Wolfgang, behind him -- will play a sold-out show at Verizon Center on Wednesday. While no '80s bands from the Baltimore area reached Van Halen-levels of fame or success, some had videos on MTV, built large fan bases through touring and lived high on the crazy rock 'n' roll lifestyle. To coincide with Van Halen's upcoming Washington tour stop, we checked in with members of the area's biggest bands from the '80s to see what everyone is up to now. -- By Wesley Case (@louder_now)


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When Fox News ran a full-page ad in the Washington Post — as well as in two newspapers owned by Fox's parent company — claiming that it had been the only network to cover the 9.12 tea party rally in Washington, DC, it was more than one CNN anchor was willing to take.
"I usually don't suffer fools gladly," CNN's Rick Sanchez began. "Especially when it comes to the fools who perpetuate falsehoods. Well, today thousands of you flipped through the pages of the Washington Post, only to come up a lie so bold and so upsetting that frankly I'm just not going to sit here in silence and allow my craft or my news operation to be unfairly maligned."
Over a large photo of the rally, the ad asks, "How Did ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and CNN Miss This Story?"
"Enough is enough," Sanchez went on, sounding as though he had been taking lessons in righteous indignation from Keith Olbermann. "And yes, I'm talking to you, Fox News. You, who claim to be fair and balanced. At what, I wonder? … They are saying we did not cover this story. They are using a lie to try and divide people into camps. … That's an offense to myself and my colleagues, who risked their lives in Iran and Afghanistan and around the world to bring the news."
Sanchez then backed up his charges against Fox with clips of several different CNN reporters covering various aspects of the rally and even played a clip of Fox's Bill O'Reilly saying smugly, "CNN, as we mentioned, covered the anti-Obama protests, of course."
"Here's the fact," Sanchez summed up. "We do cover the news, and we did extensively cover this event. We didn't promote the event. That's not what real news organizations are supposed to do. … 'Cover' is kind of like a 'fair and balanced' way of doing things. You get it? You might want to look into that."
"Let me address the Fox News Network now," concluded Sanchez, "perhaps the most current way that I can — by quoting somebody who recently used a very pithy phrase. Two words, that's all I need. 'You lie.'"
According to a story which ran in the New York Times following Sanchez's remarks, "A senior CNN executive acknowledged that the network had never before confronted Fox so openly. Later Friday CNN ran its own promotional ad on the air saying 'Fox News: Distorting Not Reporting.'"
An ABC News spokesman also called the ad "demonstrably false" and expressed outrage at the Post for running it. The Post responded that it had accepted the ad after deciding that Fox was simply "expressing its opinion" of its competitors in the ad and not making false claims.
Post columnist Howard Kurtz added a few more details, writing that "Fox's view is that the ad refers to the other networks' missing the larger story, not failing to cover the demonstration itself — although the photos suggest that the headline refers to the protest. … There is no evidence that The Post asked Fox for any substantiation."
(Thanks to BradBlog for drawing our attention to this story)
This video appeared on CNN on Friday, September 18, 2009.


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Atlassian Sourcetree is a free Git and Mercurial client for Windows.
Atlassian Sourcetree is a free Git and Mercurial client for Mac.
Confluence Stocks Plugin: Create automatically updating stock quotes in your pages. Start with a "$" in the editor (ala @mentions) and type the name of a company or symbol. Here are the SDK commands you'll use immediately: * atlas-run -- installs this plugin into the product and starts it on localhost * atlas-debug -- same as atlas-run, but allows a debugger to attach at port 5005 * atlas-cli -- after atlas-run or atlas-debug, opens a Maven command line window: - 'pi' reinstalls the plugin into the running product instance * atlas-help -- prints description for all commands in the SDK Full documentation is always available at: https://developer.atlassian.com/display/DOCS/Introduction+to+the+Atlassian+Plugin+SDK


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A huge majority of the citizenry will action at atomic already in their life, a altogether accustomed occurrence. Bank can be a fun way to absorb an evening; lose a few bucks here, win a few bucks there. You may even be advantageous abundant win a ample bulk of money. Even admitting there are several humans out there who action abominably for the fun of it, there is a baby allotment of humans that will alpha to anatomy an ailing addiction of bank that could in actuality advance to a abhorrent bank addiction.
If you doubtable that somebody you apperceive is adversity from a bank addiction, a abiding assurance of this would be if that being is announcement one or added of these signs:
The aboriginal and foremost way to atom a bank addiction is if a being is consistently bedeviled on any anatomy of gambling; be it poker, horse races, football or any added action that presents an befalling to gamble. If you doubtable a being is adversity from a bank addiction again he or she will consistently be cerebration about it constantly. That being will consistently wish to action and even plan out the next cruise continued afore it happens. A lot of addiction specialists will accredit to this fixation as "preoccupation."
If a being is consistently in following of acceptable aback absent money, again he or she may be adversity from a bank addiction. This addiction can could could cause some aloft banking problems because in the attack to win aback ahead absent money, a being may end up in fact accident double, amateur or even quadruple what he or she absent in the aboriginal place. Whatever you do, if you apperceive anyone who is consistently attempting to win aback absent money, he or she may be accomplishing abhorrent financially and may end up aggravating to borrow money from you; Do not accord it to them!
A being who may be adversity from a bank addiction will usually attack to stop bank on several altered occasions. If you apperceive a being that has approved to stop bank on added than one break but concluded up traveling appropriate aback to it, again that being a lot of acceptable has a bank addiction. Bank addicts will usually display the aforementioned behavior as controlled actuality and analgesic addicts if they try to stop; behaviors such as irritability, acrimony and even insomnia.
If a being you apperceive has just been through something alarming and has been bank a lot anytime since, again that being is a lot of acceptable application bank as a acting to cope with said alarming experience. A lot of gamblers will acquaintance a bliss agnate to a "high" that lets that being escape from something in their lives and feel good. A bad ancillary aftereffect of activity "high" if bank is that to sustain the high, beyond and beyond amounts of money accept to be bet.
Finally, apparently one of the easiest signs to atom not alone a bank addiction, but any addiction, is lying. Bank addicts will generally lie if asked how abundant money they accept spent, absent or won so that their accurate losses do not appearance and they can action activity a little beneath guilty. However, some gamblers do in fact feel accusable with every lie told which can in fact could could cause that being to action added to cope with the affecting guilt.
An addiction, no amount what it is from, will consistently prove to be an ailing aspect of a person's life. This is why it is important to footfall in and arbitrate afore an addiction gets to able a butt on family, acquaintance or admired one. If you doubtable anyone you apperceive is adversity from a bank addiction, alpha by searching for the 5 signs listed above.


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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Photo credit M. Sunderland. He makes awesome jams.
So, it's been quite awhile.
And many of you asked when I would write again.
If I would write again.
Why I didn't write anymore...
But no one asked as kindly as A.
She came in the shop today, and said she missed me. The blog me.
Not the little girl running around and making food. Whisking lemon curd and trying to get things out of the oven at the same time.
Not the one serving you. Foaming your latte. Bringing you water.
Not the one doing dishes. All sweaty, scrubbing, polishing.
Not the one smiling behind the counter. Explaining what today's take home options are.
Because for A, that is not the real me.
The fake or the real me? The tired today me. Smiling at A, no makeup, bad ponytail. Gazpacho stain running down the back of my tshirt, accidents happen.
She asked if I felt there were different Marysols for different people.
Of course, she knew. But she wondered how people who have never read the blog perceive me.
I responded that a majority of the customers don't even think I am the owner.
And I don't mind. I like seeing the surprised look on their face when staff point at me.
I have always been an observer. I tend not to speak much and love to analyze.
I also love to listen, always shy to share.
But I guess that over the years, I have shared much on this blog. And some have gotten used to it, and it seems odd that I am so quiet.
So what is it that people want to know?
How has this blog inspired you?
I hope to have inspired whimsy. Taking yourself too seriously is rarely a good thing. Many people in the industry feel a need to prove themselves and forget to have fun.
We have a nice garden at work. I take silly pictures there too.
I hope to have inspired creativity.
Never stop marveling at the beauty of nature. Take the time to observe.
Gardens and flowerbeds are so full of color and treasure. White poppyseeds are fantastic in salads. We use them for weekend brunch.
We go through a lot of green papaya per week. We Ooooogled at this one for about 10 minutes. Usually the seeds are all white, these were painted perfection. A quiet palette, calm but still so noisy.
How about a few pictures of the past few months...
Zoé putting away the sandwiches... I do admit that we feel quite ordinary doing sandwiches every single day, and we wish we were doing fancier. Owning a restaurant and being so close to customers I now realize that I can't switch it up every single day as I hoped I could. People come back for favorites.
One day, my wish is to have a very small menu that changes daily. Elaborate and tasty evenings. Maybe that will have to be in another location...
For now, given the space we have, the neighborhood we are in, we focus on making the weekend breakfasts as tasty, beautiful and scrumptious as possible. People are ok waiting for these, no weekday lunch rush.
Poached eggs are always a hit.
But so are heart shaped eggs for kids.
People heart french toast and bread puddings.
I especially like picking the strawberries.
And I am really excited about this weekend's breakfast.
Dutch Baby Pancakes. Fluffy, crunchy, airy, sweet, not too sweet, buttery, tart, gooey...
Oh, and life outside of work? And how I am doing? How's it going so far? Because I guess that is what you want to know... Well, I am still a wee bit tired.
But I can now have a bit more of a life because I have extraordinary staff.
My girls are incredible. And so is Phil (ladies, please note that his kitchen skills are prrrretty good.)
Friends are fabulous and it is always a treat to have time to see them. Cheers to all of you.
And I swear I am taking care of myself. I eat my tofu, drink my carrot juice. I try to go swimming as most I can. (So that I can keep eating as much bacon as I want and drink as much cream as I wish thank you. I am not perfect, and I am enjoying this.)
17 comments:
- Crystle said...
I would enjoy it too!
- July 13, 2011 at 10:09 PM
- Carrie said...
Thank you for the post. I've missed your inspiration! I wish like crazy i could drop by the neighborhood and try out some of your food.
-Carrie from New Mexico
- July 13, 2011 at 11:30 PM
- One of Ottawa's Real Foodies said...
No words tonight. Just :-) and you know exactly what I mean. As usual.
- July 13, 2011 at 11:42 PM
- Kirsten said...
- July 14, 2011 at 7:46 AM
- marie camille said...
benitz est à vendre.
je dis ça de même, là...
- July 14, 2011 at 9:22 AM
- foodiePrints said...
Oh have so missed your blog posts, but know you are oh so busy!
Cheers to a lovely lady...lovely shop!
tofu...carrot juice...swimming...hope you are sleeping too!
- July 14, 2011 at 11:16 AM
je t'aime.
- July 14, 2011 at 12:48 PM
- Holly Bruns said...
So nice to see your lovely words today! I miss your recipes too.
- July 14, 2011 at 1:04 PM
- Moonlight said...
I am very happy that I meet, even online, people that are so passionate and unstoppable when it comes to their life dreams.
All the best.
- July 14, 2011 at 4:58 PM
- Psychgrad said...
Nice to read your update. It sounds like you've gotten into a manageable rhythm now, which is good to hear. The Dutch Baby Pancake looks delicious!
- July 14, 2011 at 11:45 PM
- theRachel said...
So glad to hear from you after the absence! Glad to hear you're keeping well, especially the bacon & cream part :)
- July 15, 2011 at 11:07 AM
hello! Hello! I've missed your posts too. And if I lived closer, I would visit for your wonderful food.
- July 15, 2011 at 2:56 PM
- kaitlin said...
I'm glad that you are enjoying it. You deserve to, after all.
- July 19, 2011 at 1:39 PM
- megan lane said...
fun to hear from you! i SO wish that i lived close to your restaurant, i am positive i would love it!
- July 19, 2011 at 3:56 PM
- Michou said...
Merci pour tes mots.... un fan
- July 20, 2011 at 10:40 AM
- becca said...
okay, I'm new to your blog...and this is amazing, what you do! it's basically my dream, and you do this for a living.
so, so neat.
keep up the good work!
- October 22, 2012 at 8:53 PM
- Saeed Zia said...
Jobs at your Home, Internet Online Jobs like data entry, copy pasting, Form Filling, Facebook Sharing Jobs, Clicking Jobs, Web Surfing, Google Jobs and Much More Earning Systems Online
- February 10, 2013 at 11:09 AM