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By Benjamin Kellogg Dec 18, 2013 10
Life Lessons at Disney World
My Thanksgiving vacation in Florida was very relaxing and fun. My family and I greatly enjoyed soaking in the Sunshine State's copious amount of refreshing rays, a nice change of pace from the brutal winters we typically find ourselves in. We had a great time staying with my uncle and also enjoyed some neat experiences including walking the beach on the Gulf of Mexico, a jaunt through a luxurious garden where we saw birds that I have never seen up close before like a crane, and a tour of some unique shops including Hulk Hogan's beach shop. I love WWE, so visiting Hogan's shop was a highlight for me. The icing on the cake, though, was the two days we were able to spend at Disney World, where I picked up some valuable insights into my life that are still lingering in my mind.
One aspect of my time visiting Disney that left a strong impression on me was how I continue to learn to cope with large crowds. I had purchased two guidebooks on Disney World to help me plan our trip, and I had made sure to schedule our visit for days in which, according to my guidebooks, the parks would not be very crowded. Even though we did go on days when the parks should not have been at peak capacity, I was surprised and a bit put off to see such a large number of people as we entered the main gate. The Magic Kingdom in particular was densely populated, a proverbial sea of humanity.
There is a part of me that still cringes slightly when I am in the middle of a crowd. I find myself anticipating the uncomfortable feeling that always comes over me when I am surrounded by people, especially if I feel I am packed in like a sardine with little sense of direction. For me, it becomes especially pronounced when I am literally brushing up against other people's shoulders and the noise level is high, a situation which played out seemingly everywhere we went during our first day.
When I was younger, I would lash out at people who were too close to me by either biting them or pushing them away from me. I felt closed-in upon, and I was unable to handle all the stimuli all at once. As I have gotten older and with the help of some great therapies, I have been able to handle being in crowds a great deal better. So, even though I had the same initial feeling I always get when faced with a large gathering, once I realized that the crowds would likely last all day, I decided to simply "go with the flow" and enjoy my time in the park like everyone else was doing. I had a much more positive experience as a result. I was greatly relieved, though, when, during our second and final day at Epcot, the population was much more spread out.
I have also continued to reflect on the art of proper scheduling, a subject which has been on my mind quite a bit lately. During my first day at the Magic Kingdom, I was enamored with the idea of an interactive trading card game I had read about in one of my guidebooks. Playing meant that we needed to move from one game "portal" to another in the park to complete the game. It sounded like a really cool idea to me, and I did not want to let go of the idea of carrying through with the game to the finish. Unfortunately, this meant that my family and I were just rushing from one position to another in the park as I looked for the next "portal" to continue the game. My parents had to step in and explain to me that I was missing out on the activities I had originally chosen to do because I was not taking in the rest of the park's attractions by just doing this one activity. My parents also explained that we could play the card game the next time we head to Disney after we have experienced more of the overall attractions, which helped me to break away from it. So, we decided to get back on track and participate in the rides and shows I had initially selected. Even though a bit of time was lost, I had much more fun this way and made many lasting memories.
One last important concept I took away from my time at Disney World was a greater sense of personal responsibility toward the earth. Our second day was spent at Epcot, specifically the "Future World" section of the park dominated by Spaceship Earth (that giant golf ball you always see in the TV commercials). The attractions that impressed me the most focused on making the world a better place for all creatures. A portion of the park doubles as an experimental farm in which all manner of plants are grown, an ongoing effort to improve the world's food supplies. Several of the attractions also carry the message that the most effective changes and most rewarding experiences come about when one uses their own imagination to the fullest to make the world better. That is a philosophy I live by already, but I was glad to see it affirmed so strongly. I plan on continuing to do my best to be responsible for myself and the world around me.
Disney World is a place of dreams, inspiration, and laughter. I found all three in abundance and I am glad I was able to share them with my family. It was beyond what I thought it would be and offered many surprises I had not expected. I had a lot of fun, I learned a lot, and I want to do it again!


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If you've ever listened to Google CEO Larry Page speak, you can't help but notice his voice sounds a little unusual. There is a very good reason for that, and it's one Page has decided to come out and explain due to a recent illness that has made it worse.
Larry Page is suffering from vocal cord paralysis. It first started when he was just 14 years old and suffered from a bad cold. Everyone's voice can sound different when they are ill, but once fully recovered Page's voice didn't recover as expected and remained what he describes as "weaker." Tests carried out by a doctor confirmed he had left vocal cord paralysis. That means the cord still moves, but not as you'd expect.
It was unclear at the time if there was some relationship between the bad cold and the paralysis occurring. It could have just been coincidence and there was no confirmation of the cause from Page's doctors.
This all happened 25 years ago, but last year Page's voice got worse again, and for exactly the same reason. He got a bad cold again, his voice was affected, and it never recovered. But this time it was his right vocal cord that had been paralyzed. This has resulted in his voice becoming much softer, and accounts for why we haven't seen him doing much work in front of a camera or involving lots of talking lately.
It turns out vocal cord paralysis or paresis is very rare and there isn't much in the way of information or treatments to improve the condition. So Larry Page has decided to take action and is funding a research program headed up by Dr. Steven Zeitels from the Harvard Medical School. It is hoped this research will not only increase our understanding of paresis, but also lead to new treatments for those who suffer with it.

subset: commoncrawl


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By KATHRYN FLAGG
MIDDLEBURY — Democrat Tom Costello aims to topple incumbent Republican Brian Dubie in this year's race for lieutenant governor with a platform that calls for economic assistance for Vermont seniors, a vigorous debate about the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor and a focus on positive ways to attract business to the state.
The 63-year-old Brattleboro lawyer and veteran state representative is up against Dubie, who has served three terms as the state's lieutenant governor, after winning out against Nate Freeman of Northfield in of the two contested statewide primaries last month.
"Our present administration is not dealing specifically and effectively with these problems which are solvable," said Costello, who jumped into the race in June after learning that Dubie was running unopposed.
Costello was born and raised in Rutland, and graduated from Mount St. Joseph's High School in 1963. He attended St. Michael's College in Colchester, and after graduating enlisted as a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam, where he received a Bronze Star with a Combat V for valor and a Purple Heart.
After returning from Vietnam, Costello earned a degree from Boston University Law School in 1974, and moved back to Rutland, where he practiced law until 1980. During that time, Costello began his political career in 1976 as a Rutland City representative in the Vermont House. He served until 1980, when he moved to Brattleboro, where he later started his own law firm, Costello Law Offices.
Costello represented Brattleboro for an additional three terms in the legislature from 1994 to 2000. He was the chair of the judiciary committee from 1994 until 1998, and also served on a special legislative committee investigating Vermont State Police practices.
With lawmakers expected to decide during their 2009 session whether the state's lone nuclear reactor should be given a 20-year license extension, Costello said that the debate about Vermont Yankee is the biggest problem facing the state right now.
He's most concerned at the safety and reliability of the plant. Costello said he doesn't know the right answer to the debate, but said that his experience as the chair of the judiciary committee has prepared him to tackle this issue head-on.
"The job there was to bring people together to find solutions," he said. "We dealt with Act 60, we dealt with civil unions, we dealt with the flag amendment in the constitution, drunk driving, Enron, all kinds of complex things."
His experience as a legislator, he said, was one of bringing together smart individuals to sit down, discuss these issues and "find a solution."
Costello raised concerns that the state's Public Service Board has failed to plan for alternatives, if the legislature chooses to shut down the reactor.
"If in the best judgment of the legislature it should not be relicensed, then we're in a situation now where there's no alternative because of the planning of the public service board," he said, pointing to the final draft of the state's 2009 Comprehensive Energy Plan.
"We shouldn't be in that position," he said.
Costello expressed his worry for Vermonters struggling to make ends meet — and his frustration at what he said was inaction on the part of current leaders.
"We've got people who aren't going to be able to get through the winter," he said. "Instead of whining about it and talking about it, we've got to have a program. I've got a plan."
Costello has proposed a Vermont Senior Lien Option (VSLO), a modification of similar programs he said are already in place in 24 states. He came up with the plan after an old family friend contributed just $10 to his campaign. At first, Costello was affronted — "I'm like his son," he said. "Ten bucks!" — but he quickly realized the man and his wife, who were living on a fixed income, were having a hard time getting by.
"He doesn't have the money to pay the fuel, the food, the gas, the prescription drugs and the taxes," Costello said. "Can't get by. Doesn't have enough."
Costello's plan would allow Vermonters of a qualifying age and income to elect not to pay their property taxes — the one cost that Costello said the state can deal with at the moment. The state would pay that person's taxes to the town, with money from bonding made on a loan secured by the real estate. That lien would earn interest, and be paid when the individual died or moved out.
"There's no money floating around," he said. "If we're going to take care of these people we've got to stay within the box."
Costello argues that the state's economic development is dependent on selling the opportunities the state can offer to businesses.
"We should promote the Vermont brand — our workforce, our schools, our quality of life, and opportunity for entrepreneurs," he said. "If we did that, instead of spending all our time whining about taxes and regulations, then entrepreneurs would come here, and ours would flourish."
He dismissed the current administration's claims that lower taxes would attract more business to the state, arguing instead that businesses want a strong workforce and a good environment in which to work.
"It's the little engine that could," he said. He pointed to companies like Hubbardton Forge in Castleton, NRG in Hinesburg and Burton Snowboards in Burlington as examples of companies that have tapped into a young, locally educated workforce to succeed. "It's the little engine that can."
Costello said that he'd also like to see the state put money into rail development, particularly in the western part of the state.
He's targeted four projects — a switching station in Rutland, the Middlebury spur, the tunnel into Burlington and improvements of the track — that he said could be tackled using the Gateway Rail Improvement Project (GRIP), a nonprofit engaged in raising money to match federal earmarks currently on the table.
Improving transportation links to the south of the state, he said, would bring vitality to places like Rutland.
"That is a viable, feasible thing," he said. "It ain't going to be easy … but it's doable."
Costello's hopeful about the race — he's predicted that he could be the first Democrat to carry Rutland County, where he was born and raised, and he said he'll come out of the south with heavy support. Little by little, he said, he feels he's closing the gap with Dubie, and he's confident that more name recognition in the run-up to the Nov. 4 election will only help his cause.
"I've been talking about the state of Vermont and what we ought to be doing," Costello said. "This isn't a kid's game. People are serious, people are hurting, people need help."
Costello has contended that Dubie's values are at odds with those of most Vermonters.
"Dubie is anti-choice, anti-family, anti-civil unions, and he's been hiding that," he said. "People don't know that. He's one heartbeat away from being governor, and he's out of step with the state of Vermont."
His opponent in this race, he also said, lacks the leadership necessary to help state leaders come to a consensus on tough issues.
"My experience is … to work together in an aggressive way, but to work together and find a solution," he said. "That to me is what leadership in this small state of Vermont is all about. … There's no reason why we can't make these things happen. That's been my experience."


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Biology: The eSkeletons Project
- Audience: Biology educators and students
The eSkeletons Project is a website with digitized images and animations of human and primate skeletons for the study of comparative anatomy. Students can view regions of skeletons from any orientation as well as muscle and joint information. Browser plugins may be required for optimal viewing.
- Database Provider: National Science Digital Library (NSDL)
Express Link (bookmark): http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=eske


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Lashing out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for not recommending dissolution of the House as per the Cabinet's decision, Arvind Kejriwal, who resigned as Delhi Chief Minister yesterday, said that he was "openly flouting" the decisions taken by a majority government.
"I am questioning the logic of his decision (of not recommending dissolution of the House)," Kejriwal said, adding that the constitution says that he is bound by the decision taken by the Cabinet of a majority government.
"He did not agree to many of our decisions. Our Cabinet took a decision of having this session outside the House. Even he did not agree to that. He was openly flouting the constitution and I don't know why," he told news channels.
In his resignation letter yesterday, Kejriwal had recommended Jung to dissolve the House and conduct fresh elections.
In his letter to President today, sources said the Lt Governor has sent a "factual report" on the situation in the national capital and has not mentioned whether national capital should be put under a spell of central rule or dissolve the House for holding elections along with Lok Sabha polls. "Aam aadmi Party (AAP) also wants this and even the BJP has favoured re-election today. I dont know on what basis Najeeb Jung has taken this decision.
"This decision is completely wrong because any recommendation by an elected government is normally binding (on the Lt Governor)," Kejriwal said.
He claimed that the decision to recommend dissolution of the House was of a majority government.
"Ours was not a minority government. Before resignation, we had got passed a Money bill in the assembly. This means ours was a majority government.
"If a majority government recommends something then it is mandatory for the Governor to accept the recommendations," he added.
He alleged that the decision was taken because the Congress did not want fresh elections. However, when asked whether the Lt Governor was acting at the behest of the Congress, he denied it.
Also read:
No Over-enthusiasm to Form Government, but Ready to Face Polls: BJP
AAP to Contest LS Polls Under Kejriwal's Leadership
LG Sends Report to President on Political Situation in Delhi
Kejriwal Running Away from Responsibility: Lalu
What the AAP Government Achieved in 49 Days


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Experts clash on estimates of oil spilled into Gulf
A lot is riding on which number judge accepts for leaked oil in civil trial over Macondo disaster
A sparring match between some of the world's top scientists over how much oil spewed into the sea following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster is heating up as a civil trial is set to resume next month.
The high-stakes battle of the experts is taking shape in BP's quest to cut the Clean Water Act fines it will have to pay for the worst U.S. offshore oil spill ever.
Recent court filings that include copies of the expert reports show U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier will have his work cut out for him in deciding the spill total following a month of testimony beginning Sept. 30 from witnesses for BP, Anadarko and the Justice Department.
BP scored a victory last week when a federal magistrate judge ruled that it can use a report from one if its key experts, Andreas Momber, whose research involves erosion of minerals-based materials such as cement.
Momber has concluded that the cement in BP's Macondo well eroded slowly, possibly impeding some of the flow "for a substantial portion of the spill." Government experts counter that the cement eroded within two days, allowing oil to flow unimpeded from nearly the beginning of the disaster.
Momber, a lecturer in the Department of Geo-Resources and Materials Technology at the Aachen University of Technology in Germany, doesn't say in the report he issued in May how much oil he believes spilled during the nearly three months the runaway well was flowing. But his analysis serves to undercut the validity of the government's assertion that 4.9 million barrels of oil was discharged from the well.
"It is scientifically unsound to assume that the cement would have completely eroded within hours or a few days," Momber wrote in his report.
Momber said the government's experts assume erosion rates that are 10,000 to 100,000 times greater than any reported in the extensive literature devoted to concrete erosion.
"Even if the erosion rate is doubled due to the possibility that the well cement had a high porosity, the complete erosion of the well cement would not occur in two days or anything close to that," he said.
Anadarko sees little risk
BP, based in London, was the majority owner of the well that blew out a mile beneath the sea off Louisiana. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., based in The Woodlands, owned a minority stake in the well.
While Anadarko is participating in the second phase of the trial, its financial exposure is unclear. It has said it doesn't expect a significant financial risk from civil fines because it had no involvement in the drilling of the Macondo well.
It also agreed in 2011 to pay $4 billion to BP in exchange for protection from most spill-related damage claims - but that agreement did not cover fines, penalties and punitive damages that could result from the civil trial that resumes next month.
MOEX, a subsidiary of Japan's Mitsui Corp., which had a 10 percent stake in Macondo, agreed to pay $1 billion to BP to settle claims.
Only owners could be fined
Halliburton, which provided the cement for the blown-out well, and Transocean, which owned the rig that exploded and sank following the well blowout, have been barred from calling witnesses during the second phase of the trial because only the well's owners face possible fines over how much oil spilled.
The rig explosion killed 11 workers.
The first phase of the trial, which ended in April, addressed the causes of the accident and who was responsible. Barbier has not yet made any substantive rulings as to BP, Transocean and Halliburton. The judge did toss gross negligence claims against blowout preventer maker Cameron and well fluid provider M-I Swaco, a unit of oil field services company Schlumberger.
Several expert reports filed in recent months specifically address the issue of how much oil spilled.
In one of the reports, BP expert Martin Blunt, a professor in Imperial College's Department of Earth Science and Engineering, said he calculated that 3.26 million barrels of oil were released from the Macondo well. Another BP expert's estimate is lower than that.
Reports from government experts filed in court back up the government's official spill total, which it released in August 2010 after scientists from all over the country analyzed well data and other factors.
The government has agreed not to include the 800,000 barrels of oil collected at the wellhead through various siphoning methods in calculating the penalties it seeks against BP.
By that reckoning, the government estimates that 4.1 million barrels of oil entered the Gulf, and Blunt's estimate is 2.46 million barrels.
Up to $17.6 billion
Based on the government's estimate, BP would face up to $17.6 billion in Clean Water Act penalties, if Barbier finds that the company was grossly negligent. He has not yet ruled on that key issue. Based on Blunt's calculation, the maximum penalty with a finding of gross negligence would be $10.6 billion.
Barbier has said in court that it will be difficult for him to decide on a spill total. The war of the experts adds to the challenge.


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You will find our crew tailgating on The GRID in space #5 of the Alley at least three hours before every home game and we do our best to travel with the team as well. All we ask is that you enjoy yourself and support our cause by dropping a few bucks in the donation box to help cover our expenses. All are welcome, drinking reserved for individuals over 21 years of age.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Cincinnati vs. Louisville Kick-Off Video
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Ke$ha performs with Johnny Depp at Petty Fest
Pop star KE$HA took to the stage to perform with Hollywood actor JOHNNY DEPP and THE BLACK KEYS drummer PATRICK CARNEY at a TOM PETTY tribute gig in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (14Nov12).
Petty Fest, an annual New York charity tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, went to L.A. for the first time this week (beg12Nov12) with acts on the bill including Carney, Nick Valensi and Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes, funnywoman Sarah Silverman, and former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum.
The show at the El Rey Theatre was packed full of surprises, including an appearance by Kings of Leon star Jared Followill, as well as keen musician Depp, who played guitar on a Petty track with a number of other musicians, including Ke$ha and Carney.
Ke$ha expressed her delight after the show by posting a picture of the ensemble performance on her Twitter.com page, writing, "Life is weird and magical. Just got off stage w/ (with) Johnny Depp and Patrick Carney. Wet dream? Nope. Real mutha (sic) f**kin life. Petty Fest."
The New York show took place on 24 October (12), and the L.A. leg features a second night on Thursday (15Oct12). All proceeds go to good causes, including the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which provides financial assistance to rockers who are struggling with illness, disability, or age-related problems.


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KMSpico 10.0.10240 Final is a well-known activator for Windows operating systems and a reliable activator for Office 2003/2007/2010/2013 and 2016. This lightweight tool is easy-to-use, just double click on it and then select your Windows OS or Office version then activate Microsoft products with a single-click. If you receive a Windows alert stating (This copy of Windows is not genuine) then this is solution to fix and make Windows genuine will all premium features.
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BOSTON, Mass.—Despite a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds from Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.), UMass Boston (10-4) couldn't overcome Bridgewater State's (11-2) suffocating's full-court defense, as they Beacons fell 72-58 Thursday evening at the Clark Athletic Gym.
Murphy knocked down 11-of-19 shots from the field and hit 6-of-7 free throw-to reach the 20-point mark for the third time in five games. She added four offensive rebounds, four steals and two assists in the Beacons first home loss of the season.
Lauren Perra (Taunton, Mass.) added 12 points and a team-high four assists on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc, while Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) chipped in with 10 points and eight boards.
On the Bears side, Elisha Homich knocked down four 3-pointers and poured in a game-high 24 points in 39 minutes. The senior guard also chipped in with a game-high eight assists and two blocks.
After leading scorer Michaela Cosby went down with an injury early in the first half, Homich, Megan Boutilette and Jenna Williamson all stepped up. Boutilette finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven steals, while Williamson added 12 points and four assists.
Bridgewater State kicked off the game with an 8-2 run over the first 2:24. The lead would be safe for almost 10 minutes, as the Beacons big three traded buckets with the Bears.
UMass Boston grabbed the lead momentarily at 8:18 when Perra capped off a 5-0 Beacons run with a 3-pointer in transition. Meghan Agger (Sacco, Maine) came up with a steal and ran the fast break, only to pull up and find a trailing Perra for the first UMB lead of the game. Brittany Moore (Billerica, Mass.) gave UMass Boston their largest lead of the night at 20-18 with two free throws at 7:13, but the edge would be short-lived.
The Bears responded with a 15-1 run over the next five minutes to open up a 33-21 lead at 2:18, when Williamson drained her second three of the half. The 3-pointer came right after Homich finished off a 7-0 solo run, as the senior guard was unstoppable all night long.
Murphy cut the deficit to nine at halftime when she knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. After coming up with a steal, Murphy dribbled the ball up court and sent a 30-feet heave off the backboard and in, on her first collegiate 3-point attempt.
Second half play would heavily favor the Bears, as Bridgewater State's constant full-court press forced 25 turnovers for the game, with the majority coming in the second stanza.
Bridgewater State opened up a 16-point lead out of halftime, with a 7-0 run behind five straight points from Homich.
While the Beacons would cut it to nine midway through the second half on an Erica McGreevy (Taunton, Mass.) 3-pointer, that would be as close as they would get. After Morrison knocked down a layup to get the deficit back to nine points, Bridgewater State scored six straight points to grab a 61-46 lead with 7:31 to go.
That would be more than enough for Homich and the Bears, as the senior guard added five more points over the final 5:04, to give Bridgewater State their second straight win over the Beacons.
For the game, UMass Boston shot 21-of-47 (44.7 percent) from the field and 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) from behind the arc. Bridgewater State knocked down 45.5 percent (30-of-66) of their shots and 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) of their 3-point attempts.
UMass Boston held a 36-31 rebounding advantage, but the Bears outscored the Beacons 37-24 in the paint and 31-19 off turnovers.
The Beacons will be back in action Saturday when they play their Little East Conference home opener against Eastern Connecticut State University at 1:00 p.m.


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Use Your Business Systems to Manage and Communicate Effectively
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While today's on- and off-road vehicles continue to evolve and strive to be more fuel efficient, perform better and operate more safely, new technologies are needed to make these challenging goals a reality. The NuVinci portfolio of vehicle applications is diverse, but all have the common objective of improving performance, ride quality and fuel economy through the use of NuVinci CVP technology, in a new type of CVT (continuously variable transmission).
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With the ability to vary speed or torque as desired with a continuously variable planetary (CVP) transmission, system designers are not constrained by the limitations of their current system capabilities. Variable process flow using mechanical rather than motor control provides a new avenue to solve problems in industrial systems.
Fallbrook Technologies is "Changing Gears to Spheres" with NuVinci CVP technology. What can you do with NuVinci?
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Accessory drives incorporating NuVinci continuously variable planetary (CVP) technology increase fuel economy and vehicle performance by optimizing system operation. The addition of a CVT transmission to an accessory drive can make tradeoffs among engine performance, system efficiency and fuel economy a thing of the past.
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enviolo's stepless and automatic shifting products incorporate NuVinci technology to create a unique riding experience making it simpler, more fun, safer, and healthier. Learn about current products at www.enviolo.com.


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A 30-year-old mechanic, Oladele Adebanjo, has accused the policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command of torturing and shooting him while he was in detention.
Adebanjo said he spent seven days in the SARS custody at the police command headquarters in Ikeja, over false allegations that he stole a commercial bus.
He said, "In August 2011, I took a Mazda bus model E2000 on a hire purchase agreement of N1.8m which was meant to be paid in N30,000 monthly instalments from a businessman, Olatunji Adeyemi.
"Though there were slight defaults in payment which arose from mechanical faults and a major accident sometimes in February 2012, I carried Adeyemi along and discharged my obligations accordingly and paid N910, 000 by September 14, 2012 before the bus was stolen."
He said the bus was stolen at the residence of the driver he employed to drive it in Ikorodu area of the state and reported the matter at the Sagamu Road Police Division.
He added that Adeyemi got furious about the incident and reported at the Oworo Police Division that he stole the bus so as to evade the payment of the outstanding money.
He said, "On October 22, after about six weeks of unsuccessful search for the bus, I and the driver reported back to the Oworo Police Division as I was instructed to do but surprisingly the IPO in charge of the matter said my case had been transferred to SARS."
He said a policeman from SARS came for them at the Oworo station, got them handcuffed and drove them to the command headquarters in Ikeja where they were received by Taofeek Olokede at the SARS.
He said, "As soon as we got there, Olokede asked for Adebanjo and as soon as I identified myself, he gave me a dirty slap. He immediately moved me to a room where he stripped me leaving only my pants on.
"He tied my hands and hung me to a metal pipe fitted to a wall. He also put stone into a container and used a chain to hang it on my neck. He beat me intermittently in the process and this lasted for about an hour before he removed it.
"The driver and four other persons arrested for another alleged incident suffered similar fate and two of them gave up the ghost after intense torture in the process. When I refused to make an incriminating statement that I stole the bus, he brought out a pistol from his holster and shot me at the leg."
Adebanjo said the bullet pierced through his leg, adding that Olokede thereafter ordered his men to move him to the cell.
Adebanjo, who recalled that he was tortured between 9 and 10pm, said he lost so much blood in the process.
He said on October 23, he was taken to Shomolu General Hospital where Olokede's men lied to the doctors that he was an armed robber shot while trying to escape. He said he was given some first aid and moved back to the cell.
Adebanjo said while in detention, neither his parents nor his lawyer was allowed to see him.
He said, "A family friend who happened to be a senior police officer in Abuja who learnt about my ordeal sent words to his colleague in Lagos who intervened and I was subsequently released on October 29. The O/C SARS and the Commissioner of Police later got wind of the development.
"Apart from the gunshot injury which damaged my bones, my shoulders got broken. I was discharged at the hospital on Monday. In fact they have temporarily incapacitated me."
His father, Allison, said he had spent over N400,000 on Adebanjo's health, adding that the policemen who treated his son in such a brutal manner needed to be brought to book.
"What the SARS policemen did was jungle justice and all those involved should not get away with. If we had not sought help from a senior police officer who blew the lid open, maybe my son would have been killed by now," he said.
When our correspondent contacted Adeyemi on the telephone on Tuesday, he admitted reporting the case at the the Oworo Police Division and SARS.
"I wonder why they shot him too because I only reported to them that he stole my bus and that he had initially been defaulting in terms of payment of the hire purchase agreement," he said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, in a text message to our correspondent said she had not been briefed on the incident. However, she said the command would not condone such extrajudicial acts from its officers and men.
"I am not aware of this matter but I will get in touch with the CP (Umar Manko) since you said it has been reported to him. But, I know that if our men had engaged in any extra-judicial act during their course of duty, the command will never condone it," she said.


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Nobody really wanted him. The Dodgers had seemingly given up on Scott Van Slyke in the 2012 off-season, designating him for assignment. Every other team in baseball took a pass. Every team.
So after he cleared waivers the Dodgers brought him back and assigned him to triple-A. Things had looked better for their one-time Minor League Player of the Year. And even when he lost weight and played himself back into favor, the Dodgers already had four star outfielders ahead of him.
But Van Slyke is making it hard for the Dodgers to forget about him again, and never more so than Monday in Cincinnati, when he hit a pair of homers and drove in four runs in the Dodgers' 6-2 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
They put the game on national television so the baseball world could watch all the Dodgers' high-priced stars, and the kid everyone took a pass on grabbed center stage.
Van Slyke started the scoring in the second with a 448-foot solo home run into the upper deck off Cincinnati's Tony Cingrani, the longest home run hit this season at Great American Ball Park. After the Reds climbed to within 3-2, he came back with a three-run homer in the fifth.
Van Slyke finished the night 3 for 3 with two walks, three runs and four RBI, all career highs.
With Dan Haren (6-4) pitching well enough in his 5 1/3 innings and with the bullpen -- supported by three double plays -- turning in 3 2/3 scoreless of relief, it made enough for the Dodgers to capture the opener of their four-game series in Cincinnati.
After J.P. Howell held the Reds scoreless for his 1 2/3 innings, Brandon League was given the eighth. Cincinnati immediately loaded the bases with no outs on a single and a pair of walks.
But League got Ryan Ludwick on a comebacker to start a double play and Brayan Pena to ground out softly to shortstop Hanley Ramirez to escape the threat and further frustrate the Reds.
Kenley Jansen, who hadn't pitched in a week, retired the Reds in order in the ninth.


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I've always had a bit of an obsessive personality. Just ask my friends, family and PBCC co-workers. When I get into something, I REALLY get into it. At least until the next thing comes along. (For example, in 2008 I set a goal to read 52 books in a year and actually did it!)
Blogs are one of my newest obsessions. I currently follow 66 different blogs, including this one by the PBCC. But I'm always on the hunt for more. I just love finding a new, cool blog to add to my list and scanning the posts multiple times each day. If you love blogs like I do, here are a few written by some pretty amazing breast cancer survivors.
www.wecanrebuildher.com – Andrea is a young wife and mother who lives in Canada and is fighting breast cancer. Together with her husband Mark, she blogs about her cancer journey and takes lots of great photos.
www.butdoctorihatepink.blogspot.com – Ann Silberman is a mother, wife, and Middle School secretary in Sacramento, CA. After her diagnosis in September 2009, she started a blog that's full of humor and energy.
www.goodcancer.blogspot.com – Another Californian, Jennifer Overbeck was diagnosed in 2006 at age 39. Though her treatment has been over for some time, she continues to blog sporadically to share news, thoughts on living beyond cancer, and updates from her 6-month checks.
www.cancerspot.org – Jacki Donaldson was diagnosed in 2004 at the age of 34 and has been blogging ever since. I love her inspirational photos and quotes, as well as her stories of other survivors. She also frequently shares helpful cancer-related resources that she comes across.
If you have any breast cancer blog recommendations, please send them my way. I'm always on the lookout!


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JayDee wrote:Yeah, American Gods has very odd pacing. It was something I enjoyed about the book though, it was kinda rambling an unfocused.
I found Anansi Boys to be the opposite, I had a sense while reading it that it was moving along at a very deliberate pace to a very specific destination.
I think that's partly due to Anansi Boys' being a sequel. The ideas from American Gods have had time to stew, steep, even ferment, before being served up as the smoothly written, smoothly paced Anansi Boys.
I think the same is true of Pratchett's work. The Colour of Magic is fun, but not nearly as well organised as his later Discworld books.
Malice wrote:Oh, for fuck's sake. You'd think he invented fantasy.
The horror! People talking about Neil Gaiman on a thread about Neil Gaiman!


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Regardless of the weather, the temperatures inside most halls at the Beijing auto show are either uncomfortably hot or absolutely oppressive. One exception during this year's show was Volkswagen Group's new pavilion, where the well-prepared Germans avoided broiling visitors by making an excellent decision.
Warned by local officials that the massive demand for electricity from the show could force power outages, VW installed two huge diesel-burning generators so that it would always have enough juice to keep the air conditioners running.
While VW excelled at keeping its show area cool, it suffered a bit because its hall was not linked to the others via the convention center's network of covered walkways. If it rains it is nearly impossible to get to or from VW's pavilion without getting soaked.
Another oddity of the show was witnessed at the end of the first press day (Monday). Anyone wearing an exhibitor badge -- and there were many -- was forcefully and persistently asked by a group of young people to hand over his or her badge. Was this being done to prevent the floor from being littered with discarded badges? Not exactly.
The next morning those same young people were trying to sell the exhibitor badges in front of the show's main entrance.


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What the client says
Social Research
Our research roots lie in social research
Our research team is headed up by Gemma Mackman, an experienced and well qualified social researcher.
Gemma established the company in 2003 following a career in the social sector and having completed Sociology Post Graduate and Masters Degrees at Essex University. Gemma is a member of the Market Research Society and the Social Research Association and is a specialist in ethnographic research methods reaching sensitive groups.
We have strong social research capabilities and are always extremely keen to undertake this type of work.
Social research demands justifiable research methodologies and research practices. Social research may range from conducting qualitative and in-depth interviews, to large-scale (quantitative) information gathering and statistical analysis such as local and national crime rates.
Mackman Research has a team of highly qualified and experienced social research specialists who are able to meet the needs of both small and large organisations.
If you have a requirement for social research, please contact us for an informal discussion, quotation or formal tender.


text: [Thomas James Bond Crowne must have said something rather amusing to Carrie Bradshaw. Wait wait! Don't tell us. Something to do with sex, right? Isn't that always the way. Dapper man + smart woman = copulation jokes. On the set of I Don't Know How She Does It. New York, February 7. Image via Splash.]


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But now the city is destroying this vital part of the New York City housing market with unfair assessments of co-op and condo buildings that are driving up property taxes.
Over the last couple of years, some co-ops have seen their values rise dramatically – in one case 147 percent over the previous assessment. While at face value, an increase in a building's worth may seem like a good thing, it's not when that increase means rapidly escalating property taxes.
The Department of Finance recently admitted that it made a mistake with some of the assessments – such as the 147 percent increase - arriving at their figures by comparing some co-op and condo buildings to higher-assessed commercial properties in nearby areas. But even still, some co-ops and condos saw their property values increase by close to 50 percent.
In this decimated housing market, it's hard to fathom that values are rising that fast in about a year's time.
While co-ops and condo buildings look like large apartment buildings, they are essentially a collection of small single-family homes. When property taxes go up, the increase is folded into the maintenance fee, which covers all of the expenses of operating a co-op, divided among the shareholders making the increase less obvious.
And besides, when maintenance goes up because of fees related to property taxes, water rates, or other city services, the ire is most often directed at the Board of Directors, not the city.
Imagine if a single-family home owner received their property tax bill and saw that the city had determined that their home had gone up in value by 50 percent, as well as their taxes accordingly, knowing full well that they couldn't receive the city's assessed value from a buyer if they put it on the open market.
They would be outraged.
However, the city can't raise a single-family home owner's assessed value by 50 percent. That's because it is capped by law at an increase of 6 percent per year.
That's what needs to be done with co-ops and condos. Currently, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky has a bill in the legislature that would put co-ops and condos on par with single-family homes, capping assessment increases at 6 percent.
Her bill needs to be adopted and signed into law, otherwise a unique aspect of the New York City housing market that has been helping families enjoy the benefits of home ownership since the 1920s could disappear for good.


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The proposed extension of the 82nd Street Business Improvement District (BID), otherwise known as the..
FOR IMMIEDIATE RELEASE Roosevelt Avenue Community Alliance Immigrant businesses along Roosevelt Avenue unite in opposition..
Honorable Councilmember Ferreras
21st District, Queens
We are community members of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona who are opposed to the presence of any Business Improvement District (BID) in our vibrant, bustling neighborhoods.
We insist that it is the responsibility of our city government to manage our public spaces and city services; it is not the responsibility of a private association of commercial landlords and highly-paid BID managers. Shielded from democratic accountability, the BID model of community development is one that excludes residents and the vast majority of small business owners from meaningful democratic control over decisions that affect us and our neighborhoods.
Proponents of the newly proposed Jackson Heights-Corona BID intend to change the physical space and social character of our neighborhoods. Their objective is to bring Roosevelt Avenue in line with the consumption habits of highly affluent urban professionals whose lifestyles are very different from the wants and needs of the poor, working-class, and even middle-class immigrant families who already live and shop here.
Far from supporting small businesses, the Jackson Heights-Corona BID is designed to gentrify our commercial corridor and displace the small businesses and street vendors who provide us with culturally-specific, affordable products and services. BIDs have been, or are currently, the agents of such displacement in neighborhoods across the city, from Downtown Brooklyn to Chinatown to Harlem to Fordham Road to Long Island City to Flushing.
Furthermore, BIDs are not viable models for violent crime reduction. The fact of the matter is, since the 1990s, crime rates in every category have steadily dropped in Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona. When BID proponents insultingly try to cast Roosevelt Avenue as crime-ridden they manipulate statistics without reflection on context or long-term trends. On November 9th, 2013, two people were shot in the Bryant Park skating rink, which is operated by an extremely well-funded BID in Manhattan. If BIDs really make neighborhoods safe, why wasn't this act of violence prevented?
The formation of the proposed Jackson Heights-Corona BID represents a major step toward increasing the economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we call home. We demand real commitment on the part of our local politicians to ensure publicly-funded community development programs that can adequately address our city's ongoing inequality crisis that BIDs only further perpetuate.
We say NO to the private management of public space in our neighborhoods! Roosevelt Avenue is NOT for sale!
Share this with your friends:
February 25, 2014
February 13, 2014
December 23, 2013
Roosevelt Avenue Community Alliance © 2019


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The Black Tower (Hardcover)
William Morrow, 9780061173509, 368pp.
Publication Date: August 26, 2008
Other Editions of This Title:
Paperback (10/13/2009)
Compact Disc (8/26/2008)
Audio Cassette (9/1/2008)
Pre-Recorded Audio Player (2/1/2009)
Compact Disc, Abridged (9/1/2008)
September 2008 Indie Next List
— Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI
View the List
About the Author
A writer, book reviewer, and the author of Mr. Timothy and The Pale Blue Eye, Louis Bayard has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and Salon.com, among other media outlets. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Praise For The Black Tower…
— Washington Post
"Delicious. [Bayard] inbues(s) his characters with real soul. You may find yourself, more than two centuries after the fact, aching over the fate of the pitiful young Dauphin. A-"
— Entertainment Weekly
"Louis Bayard repairs to Paris for another daring historical adventure. Bayard makes brilliant application of Vidocq in the fanciful adventure. No snatch–and–run researcher, Bayard takes care to capture Vidocq's roguish voice and grandiose affectations."
— New York Times Book Review
"In the world of historical fiction, Louis Bayard is a master at blending history into intelligent thrillers."
— USA Today
"Louis Bayard finds fictional inspiration in historical fact. He has emerged as a writer of historical thrillers in the vein of Caleb Carr, author of The Alienist, and 19th century writers such as Alexandre Dumas, author of The Count of Monte Christo."
— Wall Street Journal
"A tale that has as much energy and cunning as the detective propelling it forward."
— Christian Science Monitor
"A compelling and sympathetic narrator instantly draws the reader into Bayard's stellar third historical. Bayard keeps the reader guessing until the end. Few writers today can match the author's skill in devising an intelligent thriller with heart."
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Having previously channeled Dickens and Poe, historical novelist Bayard throws down the gauntlet to Dumas in another high-energy melodrama. The novel's witty succession of trapdoor endings, culminating in "the quietest of abdications," keeps surprising us. Who says they don't write 'em like this anymore? Long may Bayard reign."
— Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"In his fast-moving tale, Bayard deftly places details to make history come alive."
— Rocky Mountain News
"Bayard doesn't revisit the past so much as reinvent it, historically and literarily, with a great deal of style, wit and suspense. Dark, surprising and Bayard's best example so far of a lean and accessible historical thriller."
— Miami Herald
"In addition to the many fine, quirky character portraits and the visceral depiction of a chaotic France still reeling under the regime change, Bayard offers a rip-roaring plot full of smart and funny turns."
— Booklist (starred review)
"The Black Tower breathes life into the world's first police detective, Vidocq, a literary feat that happily waited for this novelist. As the gripping and nuanced story races through the parlor rooms and back alleys of Paris, Bayard shows why he is at the forefront of literary historical fiction today."
— Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow
"A fascinating detective story about one of the world's most compelling mysteries. Bayard's scholarly and beautiful, heart-stopping prose always keeps before us the possibility of an improbability - what mystery is all about."
— Louisville Courier Journal
"Top-notch historical fiction. Bayard's is the kind of popular fiction readers are thrilled to discover: equal parts effective plotting, lean but distinctive prose and characters and dialogue that brim with life from the outset. A royally entertaining read."
— Creative Loafing


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02 Aug 2016
Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair advise passengers that while flight operations at Hong Kong International Airport resumed this afternoon (2 August), further flight cancellations or delays are likely during the rest of the day and tomorrow due to the backlog of passengers, airport constraints and busy air traffic.
Passengers without confirmed bookings are advised not to travel to the airport, while the airlines are trying to assist affected passengers with alternative arrangements.
A Cathay Pacific spokesperson said: "Although the typhoon has passed Hong Kong, flight services remain strained. We continue to do everything possible to make alternative arrangements for affected passengers, but it has been a significant challenge as many flights are already operating at capacity during this peak summer travel period. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the suspension of flights brought about by the typhoon."
"We will continue to work hard to ensure passengers are able to get to their destinations as quickly as circumstances permit. We appreciate their patience."
Passengers who are booked on flights departing tonight or tomorrow are encouraged to postpone or cancel non-essential travel. The airlines will waive re-booking, re-routing and cancellation fees and refund all tickets issued worldwide (irrespective of fare type) on or before 1 August for travel on Cathay Pacific and Dragonair involving Hong Kong between 1 August and 3 August.
Passengers are reminded that the situation can change rapidly and are advised to check the latest flight information on the airlines' websites, www.cathaypacific.com or www.dragonair.com, before heading to the airport.
To ensure customers receive the latest flight status updates via SMS or email, they are advised to update their contact details in Manage Booking at www.cathaypacific.com or www.dragonair.com.
The airlines will continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue further updates should there be any changes to flight schedules.


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167 members277 Comments 3 Likes
142 members305 Comments 6 Likes
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 5:48pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
I'll be the first to admit that I have too many blogs...I can't help it. It's in my nature I guess. Here's the backstory on why so many: "Purpose" .
Lately though, I am now grateful that I couldn't make up my mind. Please read more on how I ended up profiting from my Excessive amount of blogs. …Continue
Posted on June 13, 2011 at 7:59pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Ok maybe not as pampering as going to the spa for a full body massage...BUT for a midweek "ME Time" Moment on the cheap:
Full Story: Spa Day Everyday?
Posted on June 9, 2011 at 3:00am 0 Comments 1 Like
Sometimes I wonder if I live under a rock...I didn't realize that there was such a thing as online swapping. Trading things that you have for things that you want. Brilliant.
Full Story: Forget Shopping. I'm SWAPPING!
Has anybody tried this? I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Posted on May 25, 2011 at 4:03am 0 Comments 0 Likes
Yes, I'm here but I have been bad at visiting it daily.
You are always one of my first friends! Thanks so much!
Yeah, i'm happy you are here, too!
I would enjoy having a stalker, though. lol
We need to quit meeting like this....


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... And now for something completely different
>> Monday, April 16, 2007
Monty Python's Invasion from the planet Skyron. An interactive game on CD-i, or something completely different? This describes the game perfectly if it can even be called a game, typically bizarre and typical Monty Python through and through. From beginning to end depending on your inclination towards Monty Python you'll either be in hysterics or absolutely bemused. Invasion from planet Skyron is an interactive varietyshow, based on the works of the Monty Python team. It looks and feels like a game, but will be experienced as something completely different. Each time the program is started, viewers will see scenes in a different order and sometimes even completely new ones. A part of this story was published in 1996 by Daily Llama and thankfully conserved for archiving reasons!
By clicking the player/viewer directs the clan through the different worlds, based on the animations of Terry Gilliam. Clicking on objects or bringing the clan to certain locations trigger several kinds of events. Many encounters take place and each one requires a different reaction. But life in this Python world changes over time as well. As many as 13 different games are hidden in this world of Python, mostly based on specific sketches that still influence our perception of humour and the use of language. Players can earn points, which enables them to view sketches and clips in the cinema. This can be entered by clicking on the score sheep. But also during the exploration of the different scenes videoclips from the television series can be seen and every now and then the program is being interrupted for an intermission, among which a number of commercial ones. If players decide to leave the game they are enabled to visit the scenes they have gone through again. This way players can experience favourite scenes once more.
There are actually three titles about Monty Python released on the CD-i format. However the first two titles are mere VideoCD's not using the Ïnteractive" power of CD-i at all. Invasion of the Planet Skyron is fully interactive, although it's not an actual game as you would expect. In fact, there is no mention of a Planet Skyron in the entire game. No, but instead you can play with Monty Python related video clips, and lots of audio and animations, and mini-games (much like 7th Level's "Complete Waste of Time") by walking in environments inspired by Monty Python themes.
The title was produced by Daedalus CD-i Productions, which was at the time a sub-group of Lost Boys in Amsterdam, Holland. It's described as a "slightly absurdist and unpredictable" CD-i experience. There are over 800 sound bites and 50 MPEG video clips (totalling 45 minutes) to explore. From the very start, the title is going to disorientate you. After booting up the disc, you are greeted by the familiar Philips Media tune and logo sequence. After this, it seems like the system is rebooting and entering the main OS shell again. When you click again on the "Play CD-i" icon, an animated Python troupe (Cleese, Palin, Chapman, Jones and Idle) breaks out of the Philips logo and smashes the remains of the screen. Excellent scene!
After this sequence, the game continues the same way. You are supposed to guide the Monty Python clan through nine levels. You control the clan by clicking the cursor on the place where you want to go. In fact, you have to click on everything to start the little games which can be hidden anywhere. The fun of this is not really in the game. Games can earn you points, but points are given totally random. For instance, when you win a memory game, points can be decreased without any notice. A little frustarting, because you were probably saving up points because it leads to access of the different Monty Python Digital Video sequences.
The interactivity is actually a complete waste of time, because you have to click on everything to get things started but doesn't get points when you perform well. It's just luck. According to Daily Llama: "Guiding Simon the Upper-Class-Twit along the tricky "straight line obstacle" involves anticipating his in-bred stupidity and prompting him in the opposite direction to where he should go. There are stacks of hidden sub-games tucked away to add variety: ranging from Pythonesque shoot-em-ups to playing a tune on Terry Jones' infamous mouse organ (smash each mouse on the head to produce a musical squeak)." Yes, the more points you get, the longer the videos will be!
The title, "Invasion from the Planet Skyron," is derived from an early Monty Python sketch during their first season in 1969. Daily Llama explains: "A race of blancmanges invade England, turning everyone into Scotsmen so that the blancmanges can win Wimbeldon (based on the well-known fact that the Scottish are terrible tennis players). What tips the authorities is Mr. Angus Podgorny, owner of a Dunbar menswear shop, who receives an order for 48 million kilts from the planet Skyron in the Galaxy of Andromeda."
Credits: Pythonline, Lost Boys


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Josephine Scarf
- 100% cashmere
- Dry clean only
- Knit fabric
- Fringe trim
- Measures approx 84" L x 10" W
- Imported
- Revolve Style No. 360S-WA55
- Manufacturer Style No. 36626
- One size only
- Model Measurements: Height 5'10", Waist 24, Bust 32, Hips 35.5
Husband and wife team, Leslie and Bruce Gifford launched 360Sweater in 2006 after running a successful sweater-focused website. Their prior success encouraged them to design and produce a line of knitwear that was as luxurious as it was cozy. The have worked together to fuse uptown chic with West Coast comfort and the result? Sweaters and cardigans, dresses and wraps that you'll want to live in.
If an item you would like to purchase is out of stock, you can place a Special Order Inquiry. REVOLVE will then check the availability and obtain an approximate arrival date for the item, if available. Typically, it takes up to 3-4 weeks to verify this information.
Placing a Special Order Inquiry is absolutely free and there is no obligation to follow through with a purchase.
- You will be notified by email once we receive the item.
- You may cancel at any time without penalty
- Your card will ONLY be charged when your order is shipped.
- Availability is not guaranteed.


text:
Mark Hamill: 'Harrison Ford will bounce back'
STAR WARS actor MARK HAMILL has branded HARRISON FORD's on-set accident "really terrible" but insists the Hollywood legend is now "doing really well".
The Indiana Jones star, 71, broke his leg on the set of the new installment of the sci-fi franchise, Star Wars: Episode VII, last month (Jun14) in an accident involving a prop spaceship.
Ford returned to the U.S. after he was released from hospital and could be out of action for several months as he recovers from his injury, but his original Star Wars co-star Hamill, who also appears in the new movie, is adamant his pal will be back on his feet soon.
Hamill tells the BBC, "I was not on set. It sounded really terrible but I hear he's doing really well. It will take more than that to stop Harrison Ford."
The actor, who plays Luke Skywalker, adds of the Star Wars project, "It was certainly unexpected (to return). I (my character) already had a beginning, middle and end. I never thought we'd come back. I still can't believe it's happening... To go on to those sets that evoked so many memories. It is just astonishing."


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The Great Ordinary Commission
When I teach on the Great Commission, I often begin by asking my students, "What is Jesus' primary emphasis in the Great Commission?" Typically, most students reply, "evangelism." I then ask them to read the Great Commission from Matthew 28 …Read More
Make Disciples
When I started seminary in 1967, Jesus' command in Matthew 28:18–20 to "make disciples" baffled me. There was something cryptic and mysterious about it, seemingly understood by only an initiated few. At the same time, Jesus' words demanded comprehension …Read More
Teaching Them to Observe
Being an evangelist is more than just telling people about Jesus; it requires that we become teachers of the gospel. The gospel is proclaimed by the preaching of the good news. This is the beginning. But we also need to …Read More
Informal Mentoring
Jimmy arrived at my house promptly at 8 a.m. to take me to the airport. He has often done this for me. Jimmy and his wife, Natalie, head overseas later this year as missionaries. He has been in a …Read More
Why Follow Jesus?
In today's culture, we are more pragmatic than reflective. Obsessed with knowing what works and how it works, we strive to repeat the formula. We are less concerned with why things work. Discipleship is no exception. Many have traded …Read More
The Bonds of Brotherhood
Fraternity … what does this word mean? It can refer to several distinct types of associations or relationships, and the church can learn valuable lessons by exploring these in more depth. The term fraternity may prompt us to recall the motto …Read More
A Generation of Heroes
Satan watches for those vessels that sail without a convoy," wrote Puritan pastor George Swinnock (1627–1673). Every individual knows he was created for community. Isolation is the Devil's playground, and our Enemy is on the lookout for the Christian …Read More
By Faith, Not Fear
"Lions and tigers and bears, O my!" That's not only one of the more memorable lines from cinematic history, it's one of the more recognizable themes in contemporary discipleship. Sometimes fear of the enemies to our faith seems …Read More
The Discipline of God
Church programs, campus ministries, and independent organizations today emphasize the need for radical discipleship. It is not always clear what they mean by this. The word radical can be a trendy term. What is clear is this: if one's …Read More
Grace Transforms Everything
In our town, a church just went through a rebranding effort as part of their relocation to a new building in a different section of town. Their logo and signage are beautiful and well conceived. One sees their stickers on …Read More
Receiving the Baton
As I run the final laps of my race on this earth (however long the Lord allows that to be), one of my greatest joys and desires is to serve the next generation. When I was in my twenties, I …Read More
Across the Great Divide
I started working with younger men and women (campus ministry) when I was turning fifty. A decade later, I see how this work has transformed my perspective on the church and ministry. I've seen the importance of knowing one …Read More
Pastoral Wisdom
The fourth Saturday of this month is legendary for college football fans. It is the annual clash between Alabama and Tennessee (two of the Deep South's most storied football programs). Alabama fans recognize Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's iconic status. The …Read More
Free Is Not Cheap
When Jesus predicted His death to the disciples (Matt. 16:21), it surprised them. The Messiah wasn't supposed to die — especially at the hands of the pagan Roman empire. In another sense, however, it wasn't all that surprising. Prophets …Read More
The Next Generation
When I turned twenty-one, my dad gave me this simple advice: "Find men that you want to be like and then sit at their feet." As I launched into manhood, he was reminding me that the lessons I needed …Read More


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August 25, 2017 •
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia/ USA (Thursday, August 24, 2017) – A rising nor'easter delivered fun, one-to-three-foot conditions to start Thursday's action at the World Surf League (WSL) Vans Pro Men's Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000....
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June 14, 2019 •
Name: Anna Posada Hometown: Rincon, Puerto Rico Instagram: @annacposada Photographer Darren Muschett Suit name/ Claire Top (Hunter/Olive) $56 Justine Bottom (Hunter/Olive) $48 Favorite East Coast Surf Spot: Jeanette's Pier...
Since 1991, Eastern Surf Magazine has proven time and again to our readership that the ESM brand stands for the highest quality, in depth journalism, both in the written and photographic realms.
In 2017, ESM has switched over to a 100% web-based platform and will continue to bring the most wide ranged coverage of East Coast surfers home and abroad.
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text: .TH ANSI2KNR 1 "19 Jan 1996" .SH NAME ansi2knr \- convert ANSI C to Kernighan & Ritchie C .SH SYNOPSIS .I ansi2knr [--varargs] input_file [output_file] .SH DESCRIPTION If no output_file is supplied, output goes to stdout. .br There are no error messages. .sp .I ansi2knr recognizes function definitions by seeing a non-keyword identifier at the left margin, followed by a left parenthesis, with a right parenthesis as the last character on the line, and with a left brace as the first token on the following line (ignoring possible intervening comments). It will recognize a multi-line header provided that no intervening line ends with a left or right brace or a semicolon. These algorithms ignore whitespace and comments, except that the function name must be the first thing on the line. .sp The following constructs will confuse it: .br - Any other construct that starts at the left margin and follows the above syntax (such as a macro or function call). .br - Some macros that tinker with the syntax of the function header. .sp The --varargs switch is obsolete, and is recognized only for backwards compatibility. The present version of .I ansi2knr will always attempt to convert a ... argument to va_alist and va_dcl. .SH AUTHOR L. Peter Deutsch <email@example.com> wrote the original ansi2knr and continues to maintain the current version; most of the code in the current version is his work. ansi2knr also includes contributions by Francois Pinard <email@example.com> and Jim Avera <email@example.com>.


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Nicky Busby Photography - Yorkshire Images
I hope you enjoy my collection of photographs from around the Yorkshire region...
- Nicky Busby
- Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- I simply love Yorkshire and its magnificent scenery. Every season Yorkshire has something magical to offer. There's nothing better than getting my hiking boots on and disappearing into Yorkshire's superb countryside! I take my camera everywhere with me to ensure others can appreciate the many beautiful things that I see on my breathtaking walks. My photography has been featured on ITV Calendar, BBC Look North and has been published in The Yorkshire Ridings Magazine, The Yorkshire Dalesman, Country Walking Magazine and Countryfile magazine. Some of my images have been transformed into beautiful paintings by Yorkshire artists. At the end of 2013 I was selected to be the Face of Ordnance Survey. You can see me in the 'Explore More' campaign. Follow me on Twitter: @Yorkshireimages Email enquiries: email@example.com
Friday, 3 August 2018
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A PLANE flying over Lower Hunter skies yesterday towing a banner saying ''Royal Commission now'' spoke volumes for victims of Catholic paedophile priests.
The plane was organised by Anthony Stevens, a brother-in-law of the late John Pirona who committed suicide after saying he could no longer deal with the painful memories inflicted by priests who abused him as a child.
Mr Stevens said he wanted to send a message about the church's refusal to recognise its wrongs, despite Premier Barry O'Farrell announcing a special inquiry into the matter on Friday.
Other church child sexual abuse victims yesterday agreed they wanted the investigation broadened into a royal commission.
Clergy Abuse Network co-founder Bob O'Toole, Salt Ash man Rob Lipari and ''Susan'', a victim of serial paedophile priest Denis McAlinden, all said the inquiry announced on Friday was a good start, but nowhere near enough to deal with a massive problem.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, a veteran investigator of numerous child sexual abuse cases in the Hunter Region, told ABC TV's Lateline host Tony Jones he had ''irrefutable'' evidence of a cover-up.
Detective Fox said he submitted ''report after report'' to his police superiors saying ''a lot more'' needed doing to investigate ''paedophile priests'' operating in the Hunter ''with immunity'', but he ''never received a response''.
Mr O'Toole said he feared the Premier's special inquiry would be limited just to the allegations raised by Detective Fox.
''It should ''address the broader issues of the Catholic Church and its paedophile priests'' he said.
He also took aim at federal Opposition frontbencher Joe Hockey, who has dismissed calls for a royal commission by saying a public inquiry would ''traumatise'' victims.
''That's absolute rubbish, because the people who come forward know there's a strong possibility of ending up in court,'' Mr O'Toole said.
''Knowing that there is support there in terms of a royal commission would be a great help.''
Mr O'Toole said most lay Catholics knew the time for an investigation had come.
''There is a group in the church who would prefer it to go away and blame the Herald for it all,'' Mr O'Toole said.
''But I think there's a groundswell of people, getting fed up and more and more becoming aware of the extent of the problem.
''We've had it described as a few bad apples, and no worse than in general society but now people are coming to see that this is not true.''
Hunter woman ''Susan'' said Mr O'Farrell's announcement was ''a step in the right direction but probably not as much as we wanted''.
''It creates more pain keeping it hidden as it has been for so many years,'' Susan said.
''It brings up old wounds, it's always there in front of us but to have it recognised in this way would give victims some confidence.''
Susan said that despite the ''premeditated'' nature of the crimes against her and other victims of paedophile priests, she had kept her faith in the church.
''It wasn't the Lord or Jesus who did this, it was people who put themselves in His place to take advantage of that and to perform these acts of evil,'' Susan said.
Rob Lipari, the victim of a Christian Brothers priest in Sydney in the 1970s, said a royal commission was the best way to force those involved to admit their wrongs.
''For the church, it's not about the paedophile priests – they're expendable,'' Mr Lipari said.
''It's about the people who were at the bottom of the pile then, who chose not to do anything at the time, to look the other way or to cover up what was going on, but who are now at the top of the Catholic Church in Australia.''
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1 - We Are Changing Life on Earth
The rich tapestry of life on our planet is the outcome of over 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history. It has been shaped by forces such as changes in the planet's crust, ice ages, fire, and interaction among species. Now, it is increasingly being altered by humans. From the dawn of agriculture, some 10,000 years ago, through the Industrial Revolution of the past three centuries, we have reshaped our landscapes on an ever-larger and lasting scale. We have moved from hacking down trees with stone tools to literally moving mountains to mine the Earth's resources. Old ways of harvesting are being replaced by more intensive technologies, often without controls to prevent over-harvesting. For example, fisheries that have fed communities for centuries have been depleted in a few years by huge, sonar-guided ships using nets big enough to swallow a dozen jumbo jets at a time. By consuming ever more of nature's resources, we have gained more abundant food and better shelter, sanitation, and health care, but these gains are often accompanied by increasing environmental degradation that may be followed by declines in local economies and the societies they supported.
In 1999, the world's population hit 6 billion. United Nations experts predict the world will have to find resources for a population of 9 billion people in 50 years. Yet our demands on the world's natural resources are growing even faster than our numbers: since 1950, the population has more than doubled, but the global economy has quintupled. And the benefits are not equally spread: most of the economic growth has occurred in a relatively few industrialized countries.
At the same time, our settlement patterns are changing our relationship with the environment. Nearly half the world's people live in towns and cities. For many people, nature seems remote from their everyday lives. More and more people associate food with stores, rather than with their natural source.
The value of biodiversity
Protecting biodiversity is in our self-interest. Biological resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. Nature's products support such diverse industries as agriculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, horticulture, construction and waste treatment. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions.
Our need for pieces of nature we once ignored is often important and unpredictable. Time after time we have rushed back to nature's cupboard for cures to illnesses or for infusions of tough genes from wild plants to save our crops from pest outbreaks. What's more, the vast array of interactions among the various components of biodiversity makes the planet habitable for all species, including humans. Our personal health, and the health of our economy and human society, depends on the continuous supply of various ecological services that would be extremely costly or impossible to replace. These natural services are so varied as to be almost infinite. For example, it would be impractical to replace, to any large extent, services such as pest control performed by various creatures feeding on one another, or pollination performed by insects and birds going about their everyday business.
"Goods and Services" provided by ecosystems include:
Provision of food, fuel and fibre
Provision of shelter and building materials
Purification of air and water
Detoxification and decomposition of wastes
Stabilization and moderation of the Earth's climate
Moderation of floods, droughts, temperature extremes and the forces of wind
Generation and renewal of soil fertility, including nutrient cycling
Pollination of plants, including many crops
Control of pests and diseases
Maintenance of genetic resources as key inputs to crop varieties and livestock breeds, medicines, and other products
Cultural and aesthetic benefits
Ability to adapt to change
Biodiversity under threat
When most people think of the dangers besetting the natural world, they think of the threat to other creatures. Declines in the numbers of such charismatic animals as pandas, tigers, elephants, whales, and various species of birds, have drawn world attention to the problem of species at risk. Species have been disappearing at 50-100 times the natural rate, and this is predicted to rise dramatically. Based on current trends, an estimated 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species - including one in eight of the world's bird species - face extinction. For thousands of years we have been developing a vast array of domesticated plants and animals important for food. But this treasure house is shrinking as modern commercial agriculture focuses on relatively few crop varieties. And, about 30% of breeds of the main farm animal species are currently at high risk of extinction. While the loss of individual species catches our attention, it is the fragmentation, degradation, and outright loss of forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and other ecosystems that poses the gravest threat to biological diversity. Forests are home to much of the known terrestrial biodiversity, but about 45 per cent of the Earth's original forests are gone, cleared mostly during the past century. Despite some regrowth, the world's total forests are still shrinking rapidly, particularly in the tropics. Up to 10 per cent of coral reefs - among the richest ecosystems - have been destroyed, and one third of the remainder face collapse over the next 10 to 20 years. Coastal mangroves, a vital nursery habitat for countless species, are also vulnerable, with half already gone.
Global atmospheric changes, such as ozone depletion and climate change, only add to the stress. A thinner ozone layer lets more ultraviolet-B radiation reach the Earth's surface where it damages living tissue. Global warming is already changing habitats and the distribution of species. Scientists warn that even a one-degree increase in the average global temperature, if it comes rapidly, will push many species over the brink. Our food production systems could also be seriously disrupted.
The loss of biodiversity often reduces the productivity of ecosystems, thereby shrinking nature's basket of goods and services, from which we constantly draw. It destabilizes ecosystems, and weakens their ability to deal with natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes, and with human-caused stresses, such as pollution and climate change. Already, we are spending huge sums in response to flood and storm damage exacerbated by deforestation; such damage is expected to increase due to global warming.
The reduction in biodiversity also hurts us in other ways. Our cultural identity is deeply rooted in our biological environment. Plants and animals are symbols of our world, preserved in flags, sculptures, and other images that define us and our societies. We draw inspiration just from looking at nature's beauty and power. While loss of species has always occurred as a natural phenomenon, the pace of extinction has accelerated dramatically as a result of human activity. Ecosystems are being fragmented or eliminated, and innumerable species are in decline or already extinct. We are creating the greatest extinction crisis since the natural disaster that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. These extinctions are irreversible and, given our dependence on food crops, medicines and other biological resources, pose a threat to our own well-being. It is reckless if not downright dangerous to keep chipping away at our life support system. It is unethical to drive other forms of life to extinction, and thereby deprive present and future generations of options for their survival and development.
Can we save the world's ecosystems, and with them the species we value and the other millions of species, some of which may produce the foods and medicines of tomorrow? The answer will lie in our ability to bring our demands into line with nature's ability to produce what we need and to safely absorb what we throw away.
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Remembering when to perform routine service on your vehicle can be a challenge. With myCARFAX®, keeping your car well maintained is easier than ever! myCARFAX® will keep track of the service and maintenance you have performed and sends you helpful reminders when your next service is due.
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2013 Wyoming Cowboy Football Schedule Released
With the release of the Mountain West Conference schedule for the 2013 football season Thursday, it means the University of Wyoming Cowboy football schedule is now complete for this fall. All 12 games during the upcoming season are on Saturday's. At this time, only the dates and opponents are known. Kick-off times and other details will be announced at a later time.
The season begins with a road trip to Lincoln, where the Cowboys 2013 debut will be against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on August 31. Then, UW comes home for two straight non-conference game versus Idaho on September 7 and Northern Colorado on September 14.
Wyoming will open Mountain West action on September 21 at Mountain Division rival Air Force.
It's back on the road for the final non-league game at Texas State against the Bobcats on September 28. The Pokes will enjoy the first of their two bye weeks in the schedule on October 5. That's followed by two consecutive home games against New Mexico on October 12, and a visit by Border War rival CSU is on October 19.
Interestingly enough, three of the final five games on the 2013 slate are the cross-divisional games in the MW. The first is a road tilt at San Jose State on October 26. That is followed by the second bye week on November 2. Then, UW will host Fresno State November 9, and they play at Boise State November 16.
The final home game is against Hawai'i on November 23. The regular season wraps up November 30 at Utah State on Thanksgiving weekend.
The inaugural Mountain West Football Championship Game will be played on December 7, 2013 at the home stadium of the divisional champion with the highest BCS ranking.
With the additions of two teams to the conference for a total of 12, the MW split into two 6-team divisions, named the "Mountain" and the "West." The Cowboys are in the Mountain division with Air Force, Boise State, CSU, New Mexico and Utah State. The other six teams in the MW comprise the West division. They are Fresno State, Hawai'i, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State and UNLV.


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Ready Made (Bicycle Handle)
These knives represent the first (and ongoing) line of limited production cutlery from MKS Design. Originally designed in 2005, they combine top notch blades made to my specifications with welded stainless steel handle tubes and injection molded bicycle grips in red, green, blue, black, (and a few sparkle colors too!) that provide a perfect balance of shock absorption and control. This design allows each knife in the line to be tuned precisely for weight and balance at the point of assembly. Edges are individually ground and polished to suit as well. All knives come with free lifetime sharpening and an unconditional lifetime guarantee. The bicycle handle knives are original, durable, delightful…and just the thing on the off chance you happen to meet a bear in the kitchen.
Adam Simha / Custom
The performance, appearance, fit, and finish of a hand built knife is an unparalleled delight. It takes many hours of skilled work and reflects the heart and very personal hand of the maker. My original designs are based on almost 14 years of knife making, my own professional kitchen experience and the custom knives I have built for working chefs. I provide service for most of these knives exclusively, giving me first hand feedback on every detail from material to blade shape to edge geometry, to hardness, to hardware. My process improves with nearly every knife finished. This is heirloom quality cutlery; the knife you will always reach for, feel compelled to care for, and never want to put down.


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I'm still enjoying what is left of summer; colorful nails, bronzed skin and easy braided hair, but I can't help but want dive head first into fall's new beauty. This week my nails are an example of that, I'm rocking Essie's Cashmere Bathrobe from the Fall 2013 collection.
Most of the collection is a pass for me but Cashmere Bathrobe caught my eye simply because I didn't already have a shade like this in my nail vault. I have plenty of greys but I don't have one light this. This is a dark grey creme with a light shimmer that doesn't immediately detract away from the dark richness of the grey. The formula is good, a nice consistency that levels out and plenty of coverage in just one coat…even though I have two on.
So what's on your nails this week? Still loving those summer shades or are you transitioning into fall?


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|They miss you, too.
photo credit: jenlight
So here's what went down after you logged off.
Miss the Muppets? Check out Jim Henson's Fantastic World – a new exhibit at the Smithsonian.
A Japanese team is developing a device that could enable you to hold a 3D image in the palm of your hand.
If you decide to "sleep on" a big decision – you're doing yourself a favor. Sleep can have a lasting effect on brain function.
Would you wear a caterpillar watch? What if it told time by crawling around your wrist ?
Why do we need a study telling us that people catch the flu in winter? To prove it. Popular Science points out how and why science confirms the obvious.
Can't tell transition metals from inert elements? Scientist vloggers are posting a Periodic Table of Video on YouTube – short clips that illustrate and explain each element.