text:
Bike to the future
Springfield gets serious about cycling
It's a good time to be in the bike business, says Rich Moscardelli, manager of Ace Bike Shop on MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield. Among the hip trends this season are saving money, getting in shape and green living – all factors that push people to ride bikes.
"It's getting to be more popular, and especially fitness and performance bikes are becoming more popular than they used to be," Moscardelli says. "If you've got a good quality bike, it doesn't take much effort to keep it moving. It doesn't take anything but what you eat, and the only emissions are what you flush."
But cycling in Springfield has long suffered from flaws in infrastructure that discourage large numbers of potential bike riders from taking to the streets.
"We're basically in the Stone Age," Moscardelli observes, noting the irony that the bicycle shop he manages has operated there for five or six years, yet there are no sidewalks or bike lanes on much of busy MacArthur Boulevard, and thus no easy bike access.
The city does have eight bike trails that account for about 21 miles of bikeway, while the city's five streets with bike lanes and two with wide shoulders together cover about 14 miles. Thirty-five miles of bikeway may seem adequate, until you consider that Springfield and Sangamon County together contain more than 2,400 miles of roads. Additionally, most of Springfield's trails are disconnected from one another and only serve the southern part of the city. Some of the busiest streets have no bike accommodations at all.
The Springfield Bicycle Advisory Council (SBAC), created by the city to help make Springfield more bike friendly, and the Springfield Bicycle Initiative, part of Leadership Springfield, conducted a survey in 2009 to gauge bike usage and perceptions of cycling in Springfield. Out of 490 survey respondents, 75 percent said they were discouraged from cycling more because of a lack of bikeways, while 59 percent cited safety concerns – no doubt connected to the lack of bikeways. In much of the city, and in Sangamon County as well, there are simply not enough bike lanes, paths and trails to make cycling safe and convenient. But don't go packing up your spandex shorts just yet; Springfield is on the path to becoming a whole lot friendlier for bikes.
In May, the Springfield Area Transportation Study (SATS) released its 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan, and it holds a lot of promise for cyclists, including new and improved bike trails, bikeways on newly-constructed roads and more. SATS was started by the city and county in 1964 as a way to plan for future transportation needs, but until now, the focus has mostly been on motorized transport.
"This is the first time that planning for bikes has taken more of a front seat in the long-range plan," says Linda Wheeland, senior transportation planner for the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, which helps support SATS. "Part of the development of the long-range plan this time was the opportunity for the community to have more input, and I think from all the public input, it was obvious that the citizens were interested in having more attention paid to the modes of biking and walking."
And pay attention they did. The plan calls for specific improvements to bike infrastructure in Springfield and Sangamon County, and road projects that haven't even been conceived of yet will likely include considerations for bikes because of the plan.
"There is a strong link between planning and public health," the SATS report notes. "The design of a community has a direct impact on how much exercise people get, the connection they have with others in the community, and the quality of the environment. Providing safe, accessible, complete, and interconnected options for non-motorized travel and public transportation encourages people to leave their cars at home, leading to greater health of our citizens, our communities and our environment."
Click here to enlarge this map.
What's so great about bikes?
In Wheeland's office sits her gun-metal grey bike and helmet; she rides her bike to work whenever possible.
"Ever since I was a kid and had the independence a bicycle provided, I've always continually rode, both for commuting and recreational purposes," Wheeland says. "I find that it puts me more in touch with other people. When you're in your car, you just go down the street and you don't interact with anybody at all. When you're on your bicycle, you say hello to people, and sometimes you meet people in your neighborhood that you didn't know before. All the way from home to work, there's a possibility of interacting with other human beings."
Communion with your fellow man is just one biking benefit, says Dick Westfall, manager of greenways and trails for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Alternative transportation – essentially any non-motorized way of getting around – can have a major impact on a city's economy, environment and health.
"The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico right now is showing that, if we can shift our routine, short trips from cars to bicycles and walking, it won't solve all of our problems, but it can lessen our dependence on oil significantly and the environmental concerns that come with it," Westfall says. "In addition, people are starting to understand they need to get more active. Ten or 20 years ago, people said, "I need to join a gym," but now they're looking at trails and seeing that it's very easy to build that type of activity into their everyday lives."
Promoting bike friendliness also helps develop tourism, says Amy Madigan, DNR greenways and trails coordinator. DNR is collecting economic data regarding bikes with the help of the national Rails to Trails Conservancy, and the data so far seem to show strong economic development in areas with well-planned trail systems.
"It's made a pretty big impact on small businesses that are located near trails – ice cream shops, bicycle shops and such," Madigan says. "People are finding businesses and things to do that they wouldn't have normally seen, all because they're using bike trails."
Westfall says Springfield is already a prime spot for tourism because of the Abraham Lincoln historical sites here, and developing a better bikeway system "provides a reason (for tourists) to stay in Springfield an extra day, to shift from a passive museum experience to an active bicycling experience.
"I think trails can become people places," Westfall says. "Trails can go through business districts, and they draw people. It becomes the place to go, and businesses take advantage of the density of people. It also helps to market our community to prospective businesses and workers by saying we have this set of amenities."
There are even arguments for bikes as tools to bridge social and economic divides. Dave Sykuta, chairman of the Springfield Bicycle Advisory Council, says bikes may not be a panacea for all of society's ills, but they are certainly much cheaper to own and operate than cars.
"I think the great common denominator is that you can enjoy bicycling on a lot of different levels," Sykuta says. "There is an 'everyman' component to it. You can go out and get a good used bike for fifty bucks and you're in business. It's available to a lot of people who may not be able to afford a car."


text:
Get calling cards instantly on screen and by email
Phone Card
Looking for an international phone card for calling abroad from Belarus to India - Bangalore? Comfi offers the best international calling cards that will make your connection with friends, relatives or co-workers advantageous and first-grade.
We provide a wide range of international phone cards to call from Belarus to India - Bangalore.
Comfi.com calling card is a invulnerable, comfortable and simple way to reach recipient abroad. The main feature is the possibility to refill it. Thus, you can put money to the account without purchasing a new calling card.
Also, this phone card has other advantages.
The calling process is effortless.
We're sincerely hoping to see you among our subscribers. We'll ensure you high level of services and support in every step of using our international calls card. Our main purpose is to make people closer to each other and provide good and reliable connection even if people are thousands of miles apart from each other.
Start using our international call cards right now and enjoy premium class phone connection around the planet!
Contact Us Online
Its a pleasure to use ComFi calling cards.
"This is very very great! I would recommend this to anyone!"
More testimonials

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hotel Specials
Smithfield Station is located in the heart of historic Smithfield Virginia and is the perfect location for your next getaway. The inn features incredible amenities and embodies the small town Southern charm that Smithfield VA is known for. Smithfield Station offers a variety of specials sure to fit any traveler. We have specials ranging from our Early Bird Special, AAA or AARP discount, discounts for active duty and retired military personnel, and much more. If you don't see the discount or special you are looking for please check out our packages page for more packages and special offers.
Military Discount
Smithfield Station is proud to offer a 15% discount on our room rates to active duty and retired military personnel. This special rate is 15% off our already lowest rate guaranteed and is not subject to any further discounts. Book Now »
Smithfield Station is an approved lodging partner of both AAA and AARP and offers a 10% discount for members. This special rate is 10% off our already lowest rate guaranteed and is not subject to any further discounts. Book Now »


text:
Legend still lookin' for love
Nearly three decades after recording his No. 1 hit, "Lookin' for Love," Johnny Lee continues to wow audiences with 'real' country music. Lee, along with fellow country music legend John Conlee will share the stage at Whiskey River in Beaumont on Thursday, June 21 with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show can be purchased online at whiskeyivertexas.com for $20 or at any Florida Tans locations.
After growing up on a dairy farm, Lee joined the Navy and served on the USS Chicago then returned to his home state and began playing music in the '60s. He met fellow musician Mickey Gilley in 1968, or as Lee says, when "Moby Dick was a minnow," and started touring with him and playing weekly shows at the new Gilley's Night Club in Pasadena.
Before the Urban Cowboy days, Lee was starring in movie roles and his first came in 1979 alongside Barbara Eden and Susan St. James in a made-for-TV movie filmed in Houston, The Girls in the Office.
It was after that when he was asked to perform in Urban Cowboy. Several of Lee's songs were used in the film including "Cherokee Fiddle" and "Lookin' for Love," which could have been subtitled "The Love Theme from Urban Cowboy."
That song spent several weeks atop the Country music charts and even crossed over and hit No. 1 for a brief time on the Pop charts. Lee then followed that up with another No. 1 hit, "One in a Million," and then several more charted in the Top 5 with "Pickin' Up Strangers," "Prisoner of Hope" and "Hey Bartender." Lee also hit No. 1 in 1983 with "The Yellow Rose" with guest vocalist Lane Brody. Other chart-toppers included "You Could've Heard a Heart Break" and "Bet Your Heart on Me."
Despite his musical success, Lee also gained even more popularity with guest roles in television series such as "The A-Team," "Fantasy Island" and "The Fall Guy."
Lee took time between playing rounds in a charity golf tournament to speak with The Examiner about numerous items including new music, cooking, comedy, and of course, the movie and nightclub that started it all.
What are your thoughts on country music?
Country music has been changing since it started. Just like rock-n-roll has. In fact a lot of the new country music sounds like rock and Hank Williams will flip over in his grave if he heard some of it. Some of it's good and some of it sucks. It's all new music now. It's not like when you heard Conway Twitty, George Jones or Mickey Gilley. You knew who they were with their distinct voices. You turn on the radio now and you don't know who the heck they are. The business is even cold-blooded now. If the record company isn't happy, then you are gone because there are thousands waiting in line wanting to take your place. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of good ones out there like Lady Antebellum and Carrie Underwood. Carrie can sing with anyone in the world.
What made 'Lookin' for Love' so special?
The simplicity of the lyrics plus it's got a melody that you don't forget. I couldn't believe I didn't write the song myself. It is the story of my life and many others and that song still holds up. I feel very blessed to have that song.
Last time we spoke, you told me about your new cookbook 'Chef Boy 'R' Lee!Hell yeah, I love to cook. When I was a kid, I used to hang out in the kitchen with my mom and my grandmother. Plus when I was single, if I wanted to eat then I needed to learn how to cook something. Hell, I'm still single and still kinda young.
There's a recipe in your cookbook called Elephant Stew.You take a small to medium size elephant and you cook it for three or four days. Then, you add carrots, potatoes, onions, salt, pepper and a little garlic and right at the end you can add a rabbit. You might want to skip the rabbit because some people don't like hare in their soup.
Any new music planned?
I'm working on a deal now with a record company that is signing older artists. They want me to re-record 'Lookin' for Love,' 'Cherokee Fiddle' and 'The Yellow Rose' and bring those up to date. So I'm going do those and everything else is going to be new and that will happen within the year. Plus, I've been threatening to do a comedy album for a long time.
Are you serious?
Why not? I've got some funny sh*t to say and some people might want to buy a Johnny Lee comedy CD.You get to share the stage with John Conlee in Beaumont.
John and I have known each other for a long time. He's a great guy and has some great songs. It's a pleasure to be working let alone be working with John Conlee.
Why was country music so good in the 80s?
No doubt — it was the 'Urban Cowboy' movement. It exposed country music to a lot of people who may not have gotten in to it. And that opened the door for many country music artists. Prior to that, you didn't hear a lot of Charlie Daniels on the radio.
And of course, Gilley's became a vacation destination.
Yeah, people came from all over the world. Right down the road from Pasadena was the Houston Ship Channel. Hell, I ended up on a couple of ships some nights partying my ass off with some of them guys.


text:
Holiday Pigeon Art Print
Holiday Pigeon Art Print
Limited edition giclée print of original gouache painting.
Printed on matte archival paper - A4 size. ( For different size options, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com)
Each print is made per order and is shipped within 5 work days of purchase.
Prints are signed on the back by the artist, carefully packaged between two pieces of thick cardboard and shipped flat in a strong cardboard envelope .
Add To Cart


text:
Koa Wood Christmas Ornaments
Koa Wood Ornament: Volcano
Koa wood is a rare and precious hardwood unique to the Hawaiian Islands. Peggy has selected her favorite designs and each one is laser cut from genuine Hawaiian koa and Made in Hawaii for your Christmas tree! Ornaments are approximately 2-1/2", on a 3 inch red satin ribbon, and each one comes gift boxed as shown.
Additional Info
Please email us if you have questions about a product listed in our store, or if you'd like to request customized jewelry or ornaments.
Product & Design - ©HonuHeart™ Designs
Photography - ©Zachary Waterfall


text: Moses Ludel Report post Posted July 23, 2013 As the publisher of 4WD Mechanix Magazine, I often find myself covering events and subjects at remote areas or outside the Starbucks or motel/hotel's Wi-Fi internet access. The magazine and forums require ongoing access. Sometimes HD video news warrants immediate uploading to the 4WD Mechanix HD Video Network at the magazine website... Does anyone have experience with reliable, or for that matter unreliable, mobile or RV internet access equipment and services? The aim is to be anywhere within reason and still remain connected. I understand the satellite needs: a clear line of sight South and no dense cloud cover. We used Wild Blue (Hughes) coverage years ago. Upload and download speed is very important, cost is always a consideration, and reliable internet service is a must. Any insights here? Appreciate all comments, many of us need more than "Dish TV" and HBO in the wilderness. A trip to Alaska along the Alaska Highway through the Yukon cannot mean the end of internet access—or magazine connectedness. Moses Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
The growing season for morel mushrooms will begin as snow melts and will continue through July depending upon elevation and aspect. The exact start date for harvest will depend on when mushrooms begin to appear in fire areas.
"Morel mushrooms commonly grow in late spring and early summer in burned areas the year immediately following the fires," said Mick Mueller, Wenatchee River Ranger District environmental coordinator and amateur mycologist. "It is not uncommon to find them growing in valley bottoms near the end of April but that will depend upon the weather we get this spring. Soil moisture and temperature vary enough that in some years very few morels pop up in burned areas."
Commercial mushroom harvesting permits will be sold at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest offices starting mid-April. All mushroom pickers will be required to purchase a permit for commercial picking.
Collection or possession of more than three gallons per day or the intent to sell mushrooms requires a commercial permit. A 4-day permit costs $20, a 30-day permit is $50 and a season permit is $100 (the spring season runs from April 15 through July 31, 2013). Permits must be in the harvester's possession when collecting mushrooms.
Individuals with commercial mushroom harvesting permits will be able to harvest mushrooms only from areas listed on ranger district mushroom maps. These maps will soon be available at ranger district offices and the forest web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/okawen/mushroom .
Designated camps for commercial mushroom pickers will be set up at different locations across the forest. If needed, garbage dumpsters and portable toilets will be provided at these camps. Contact local ranger district offices for camping locations or go to the forest web site for a complete list.
"Among other concerns, garbage, campfires and sanitation will need to be managed at the designated camps," said Stuart Woolley, resources staff officer for the forest. "We will monitor heavily used areas and coordinate with other agencies as well."
Designated camps will be available for commercial mushroom pickers planning to stay overnight on National Forest lands. Commercial harvesters will be required to use these designated camps. The National Forest will be closed to dispersed camping for commercial pickers.
"Directing commercial harvesters to designated camping areas will minimize impacts to fragile soils within the fire areas, help with vegetation recovery, protect riparian areas from large group camping impacts, and limit impacts to wildlife," Woolley said.
Free use mushroom harvesting for personal use will still be available. No permit is required for free use mushroom harvesting; people may harvest, possess and transport amounts less than three gallons per day. A new requirement this year for individuals harvesting morel mushrooms for personal use is that they are required to make a vertical cut down the stem of each mushroom immediately upon harvest. Forest Law Enforcement will monitor compliance through the harvesting season.
Concurrent with the mushroom season, there will be a flurry of activity as Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) work picks up where it left off last fall. BAER work this summer will start with a re-evaluation of the burned areas for potential BAER treatments. Some of these treatments could include road work, noxious weed eradication and installation of automated rain gauges to provide early warning for potential flooding.
Road closures will remain in place for areas where hazards exist and to protect soft roadbeds until they have had a chance to dry out. Some BAER activities may require temporary area or road closures to provide for public safety. Mushroom hunters are urged to contact local ranger district offices to determine the status of the road they wish to travel.
"Staying in the designated mushroom camps will be a great way for pickers to stay informed about closures and BAER activities," Mueller said. "We will post current information, closure schedules, and maps on bulletin boards at designated camps."
For more information about commercial or personal use mushroom harvesting, please contact any Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest office during business hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or go to the forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/okawen/mushroom .


text:
Shortly after the birth of Iris DH announced that he had put aside some money to buy me an eternity ring. Obviously the mega hints I dropped about a 'push present' after having Betty finally paid off.
I don't wear a lot of jewellery but I have a beautiful but small engagement ring which I love. I had a mooch around the internet at traditional eternity rings but couldn't see anything that sparked my interest.
I was looking at So Resourceful's regular blog post where she publishes 'Astonishing Splashes of Colour'. Among the beautiful violet themed photos I came across this ring:
Sadly DH's budget doesn't quite run to this beauty, but I did come across these little delights by Kate Szabone on Etsy:
These tiny bands of sparkliness are right up my street, and far more in DH's price range; in fact I could even get two. They look great stacked together, and I could get one to represent each of my darling babies. I'm not even that fussed by diamonds, I like my jewellery colourful and pretty. I have requested a quote for amethyst and pink sapphire which would link to my daughter's (real) names, although I do love the chocolate and smoky grey diamonds in this picture.
I'm lucky that I have
thin and witchy slim and elegant fingers that will make these petite rings perfect for me (I also have freaky spindly wrists, remarkably disproportionate to the rest of my body. I'm really selling myself here aren't I?).
Don't they look fab stacked together?


text:
Three people have been arrested following a Vermont Drug Task Force investigation of a methamphetamine operation.
Investigators said they made multiple controlled buys of powder meth from a home in Hancock. The investigation indicated the meth was being made at the home and that the hazardous material that it produces was being dumped and burned on the property.
Police on Tuesday arrested 44-year-old Michael Wood and 20-year-old Steven Arnold at Wood's home in Hancock on a charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
They also arrested 32-year-old Meegan Smith of Hancock on an outstanding warrant from New York on a meth charge. She also has two arrest warrants from Vermont.


text:
Independent Nation gives you 5 must-reads for independents and centrists:
1. "A Vote for a President to Lead on Climate Change," at Bloomberg View.New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, writing for the opinion page that bears his name, threw his support behind President Obama Tuesday, writing in an op-ed that the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Sandy "brought the stakes of Tuesday's presidential election into sharp relief." After publicly floating the idea of a run of his own, the billionaire spent much of the cycle letting both major-party candidates court him, while accusing them both of failing to lead on a host of issues. Even in his endorsement, he takes a hard shot at Obama, saying that "as president, he devoted little time and effort to developing and sustaining a coalition of centrists, which doomed hope for any real progress on illegal guns, immigration, tax reform, job creation and deficit reduction."
2."Our American Endorsement: Which One?" in The Economist.
With a shrug of its venerable shoulders, The Economist said in its endorsement of Barack Obama that the incumbent may not be perfect, but he's better than the other guy.
3. "Chrysler Exec Tweets That Donald Trump is 'Full of (Expletive)' Over Jeep Accusation," in The Detroit Free Press
Donald Trump took a black eye from a Chrysler executive on Thursday who said the relentless self-promoter was fibbing through his teeth when he repeated a Romney campaign ad claim that Chrysler was planning to outsource its Jeep production to China.
4. "Could Presidential Polls Be Wrong About Obama's Battleground Edge?" at The Huffington Post.
With just five days left in the 2012 campaign, can battleground polls give us an accurate read on which way voters are leaning?
5. "All About the Math Now in Ohio," at The Daily Beast.
As Obama maintains a slim lead in Ohio, the state has become an arithmetic problem for both campaigns, writes John Avlon.
Send stories for the Independent Rundown to Matt DeLuca at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DeLucaMattS.


text:
I have moved. Just because.
05 October, 2012
New Blog
Posted by some girl at 15:41 4 comments
10 May, 2012
All At Once
Put it down in one thought
Put it down on one letter
Get it out in one song
If you can
All of it all at once
Yearning longing pain frustration
Where do we go from here?
Where do I go from here?
Is this always what you'd wanted?
Is this all you'd ever hoped I would be?
Because when I look in the mirror
I'm not so sure that I like what I see
I'm afraid that person is me
Did you do all you could?
Did you fight for it after all?
Did you recover all that was taken
And give back what you stole?
Did you do right by me?
Is it really that troubling?
Because I'd like to have a crack at it some day
And I'd like to think I'll do okay
But you've left me with these stumbling blocks
These hurdles and hoops
Keep me in circles and loops.
And I'm trying
To get through it all
To believe that I'll never fall
That I'll never make the wrongs you did
But I have to believe that there's something at the end
That makes it all okay
Something to comfort me at the end of the longest day.
And I know it
And I know Him
But I also know the aching
And I wish he'd take it away.
Posted by some girl at 22:15 4 comments
07 April, 2012
I can't decide whether I
And I wonder if the decision
is really up to me
Or if what I long for
is also what I breathe
Whether it's
If I'm too stubborn or scared
to take even a well-aimed shot
To let you take part
in the how/where/why/what
What is my reply to the
To jump into the lesson
and to finally then learn
Or pass it by altogether
and for always, still yearn?
Posted by some girl at 23:45 3 comments
28 March, 2012
Sometimes I feel silly writing blog posts... Where's the point in it? Even the word, 'blog'... definitely does NOT make the favourites list...
But I'm a bit way-too-happy to not ramble right now.
Posted by some girl at 00:12 2 comments
19 March, 2012
Instagram Top 10 - Cambodia
Posted by some girl at 21:24 0 comments
18 March, 2012
'Teenage Dream'
This was the maid of honour's 'speech' at my brother's wedding. It was actually a song that turned into a whole bridesmaid fiesta! To the tune of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.
They met at church when he just hit puberty
And she was wearing her little red beanie
This is the start of their epic love story
He tried to win her playing the best friend card
But it was harder than rapping to 8 Mile
She wasn't ready for your bushman charms—or the farm!
Oh poor Josh—took her 7 years
To see you were the tops!
What's the deal with chicks these days? I dunno.
Just blame Paula & Craig!
[Ch 1]
Was Josh's one and only
Teenage dream
One time he drank too much and licked her feet
That's what you do when you're young and in love, you're young and in love.
His heart broke
When she told him that he wasn't her bloke
She wouldn't even send a Facebook poke
But he kept tryin' and that's no joke no that's no joke
And so one day while watching a DVD
She turned to him & said 'I've been real douchey,
'I couldn't see that you were the one for me.'
Now take my hand and we'll be camping buddies
We'll storm the farm and shoot every living thing
You be my prince and I'll be Princecily
They'll go all the way tonight "quad-biking"
– that's love!
Hope you've got protection on, "quad-biking"
Can be pretty rough!
Josh & Cec
Your lives start
Now that you've said 'til death do us part
It's two best friends who have one heart
You took the leap now don't ever look back
Posted by some girl at 00:21 2 comments
13 March, 2012
"Let meeeeeeeee entertain you!"
is what I sang to a notion this one time, before it betrayed me.
Posted by some girl at 18:36 0 comments
12 March, 2012
Instagram Top 5 - Esther
Posted by some girl at 22:43 2 comments
Lower still.
Almost can't help but laugh as I witness my entire life being stripped back.
Last year it was my identity in my 'skills' and my study.
It was going overseas, out of my comfort zone and into completely new territory.
And now I'm back, and my comfort zone is no longer what it was.
I have no money.
I have no car.
I am soon to have no job, and no house.
In the space of one month, three of my very best friends have moved to far away, separate places.
I laugh because through it all, I see God at work. I laugh because even though it may look and feel like I have nothing... I really have everything I'll ever need.
And I'm excited to get to the end of this year and be able to give God all the glory, because, I sure as heck ain't gonna be able to do it by myself.
Posted by some girl at 21:38 0 comments
Let's not twist this up in feelings of abandonment.
Let's not push it as a need or a habit or another broken piece.
I'm not broken. I've been made whole.
I'm just so crushingly sad, because I miss you, and I want you to come back.
And as I sit here, wiping the tears away, it all starts to flood in.
How many more of the people that I love will leave me this year?
How many more people that I crave will unknowingly break off another part of my soul and take it with them when they leave?
This is the song I can not get out of my head,
And the feeling I can not get out of my heart.
Posted by some girl at 21:21 0 comments
05 March, 2012
Today is one of those days where my heart just aches a little.
It feels like loss, though I've lost nothing.
It feels like apathy, though I really do care.
It feels like unbelief, though I do know Him.
It feels like unworthiness, though I've been told otherwise more than ever.
I don't know why the contradiction, can't fathom why the motionlessness, can't answer why the melancholy.
The temptation to fall back is so strong today. It feels too strong for weak little me to fight.
And this is why I want you.
My strength should come from God. From His joy. His grace should refresh me, His mercy make me new each morning. Should. It should.
But today all I want is you. I need you. I need to know you. More importantly, today I need you to know me, I need you to remind me why, to bring me back from the brink, to turn the lights back on, to remind me that it is finished. But I don't know you, and I don't know who you are, and today, I don't know if I'll ever know you.
And maybe that's the source of my little heart-that-just-wants-to-be-loved ache.
Posted by some girl at 19:06 0 comments
13 February, 2012
I am nothing
I am nothing. Nothing of the greatest kind.
I am worth nothing, and yet I am worth everything.
I can do nothing, and yet I can do something; I can do all things.
Because the One who created everything gives life to my nothingness. Gives substance to my insignificance.
I am nothing. He is everything.
He is.
Posted by some girl at 23:33 1 comments
31 January, 2012
I think hearts are a bit like headphone cords... You don't mean to get them so tangled, you never set out to do that; but after you've finished using your headphones and you put them away; after you've finished using your heart, when you put it in your pocket and even take care to fold it nicely, that's when the trouble begins.
The time comes along when you need to use your heart again, so you dig around and pull it out of your pocket, only to discover that it's a knotted, tangled mess—it's going to take some time and effort to unravel it all again, and what will have flown past without you noticing by that stage?
How can you be aware, constantly, of the state of your heart, to make sure it doesn't get tangled? Is it too much to be unceasingly thinking about? Is that part of the deal with hearts, anyway, that thinking doesn't always help? Are our hearts created to be tangled? Is there danger in not letting ourselves get knotted and messed up? Is it then that we miss out? Is it all really just inevitable in the end?
I don't want to stumble all over my own mess, I don't want to waste my time being caught up in making sure my heart isn't involved beyond what my brain sees as reasonable.
I want to get caught up in Jesus. I want to be so tangled that I can't undo the knots. I want to look at my heart and see, not how woven into this world I am, but how taken I am with Him, how tangled and knotted and completely messed up I am in the greatest love the Earth has ever known.
Because in the brokenness of my heart, that love is patient, that love is made perfect, and that love never fails.
Posted by some girl at 19:07 2 comments
20 January, 2012
Youth Camp, October 2011
I'd love nothing more than to take your sadness
The air you breathe is filled with my sweetness
You can not hide you can't run from my goodness
I will chase you
I will chase you
I will chase you until I catch you
Until I catch your heart
There's nothing you've done
There is nothing you've done
That could make me take my love
from you
Won't you run to me
Won't you run to me
Won't you run to me
My arms are open wide
For you
There's nothing you've done
That could make me take my love
I'd love nothing more than to take your sadness
The air you breathe is filled with my sweetness
You cannot run you can't hide from my goodness
Posted by some girl at 06:50 0 comments
19 January, 2012
In the Simplest of Things
Unsure where to call home,
Even less certain of the road.
And still, I can't deny the sun,
I can't but find hope.
Posted by some girl at 08:48 0 comments
Labels: poetry


text:
|Weston, Conn.
|High School:
|Choate Rosemary Hall
|Mechanical Engineering
2013-14: Set career highs with 29 games played and 26 starts … fifth in scoring and third in rebounding on the team … averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game … Academic All-NEWMAC … double figures in scoring four times … double figures in rebounding twice … 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds against Bridgewater State (11/21) … seven points and eight rebounds against Salem State (12/5) … second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 boards at Newbury (12/9) … also had a career-high five assists against the Nighthawks … seven points and a career best four steals at WPI (1/11) … 10 points and four rebounds the next time out against the Engineers (2/12) … two points, eight rebounds and five assists against Emerson (2/26) in the NEWMAC Tournament … nine points, five rebounds and three assists in the next tournament game against WPI (3/1) … closed out the tournament with 14 points and four rebounds against Springfield (3/2) … seven points and seven rebounds in the NCAA Tournament game at Plattsburgh State (3/7).
2012-13: Limited to five games due to injury … averaged 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game … started the season with six points and six boards at Lesley (11/15) … seven points against Emmanuel (11/20).
2011-12: Played in 28 games as a freshman, averaging 1.4 points and 1.1 rebounds per game … appeared in all five NCAA tournament games, scoring five points in the second round win over Farmingdale St. (3/3) … had career highs of eight points and five rebounds in a win over Wheaton (1/7).
Off The Court at MIT: Majoring in mechanical engineering … concentration in management … research in the Sloan Automotive Lab … played on the Danish U-20 National Team in the summer of 2012 … 19.7 mpg 6.0 ppg 4.6rpg in 2012 European Championships Division B in Sofia, Bulgaria.
High School: Attended Choate Rosemary Hall School … team MVP as Weston High School as a senior … first team All-SWC as a senior … coaches award Choate Rosemary Hall in 2011 … two-time academic all-state … NEPSAC New England Class A championship … Connecticut Class M state championship … SWC championship … team captain at Weston High School as a senior … played for Connecticut Basketball club … National Honors Society … letter-winner in soccer and track and field.


text:
We had a lot of debate on the Living the Country Life Facebook page about whether these are peonies. They are. The plant is about 100 years old and a single form peony.
Bob found a stack of old straw in a corner of the hayloft and I'm using it to mulch my garden.
We found these tracks in the mud near the barn. Coyotes? Dogs? (We don't own dogs.) We have foxes, but these prints are too large.
My peaches are growing, but the leaves suffer from peach leaf curl, a fungus that hits during wet springs. We need to treat with a fungicide after the leaves fall in November.
A hot air balloon floats over our pasture.


text:
Aral Balkan I was just reading those and thinking "I'm surprised Aral's shared this — then again perhaps it's some kind of test"
Aral Balkan I was just reading those and thinking "I'm surprised Aral's shared this — then again perhaps it's some kind of test"
I did a #webaction #toolbelt video:
New stuff: Web Action Hero Toolbelt and
<action> markup on individual note pages. #webactions
8606 #steps today
Playing with some of blekko's algorithmic slashtags. /people seems broken (almost never returns any results, not entirely sure what it's for. /blog seems a bit broken (compare: web actions with web actions /blog — first contains far more relevant results). Looking forward to hopefully getting API access so I can autogenerate slashtags from my XFN.
We have a #webactions Hero Toolbelt config UI!
Now onto the actual meat. Most of this was already implemented in my fork of #indieweb reply, I just have to tidy it up and add in the
<action> shim.
Well, that was a successful #buzz rehearsal. Come see the real thing! 3rd March, 2:30 at Kingkerswell Parish Church. Tickets £5 on the door.
I keep seeing #responsivedayout hashtags, reading them as #responsivelayout and thinking "that's very specific".
Anyway, have fun everyone :) Looking forward to listening to the recordings.
Tantek Çelik I ignored city, as it's so often used that I see it as synonymous for town/village (a shorter version of "settlement" perhaps), but the high school/university ones got on my nerves. Ended up ignoring high school (what even is that) and put Totnes School of Guitarmaking for "university"
2769 #steps today — pretty sure this is inaccurate, as I walked to/from the workshop and around just as much as on days when I've logged >7000
Tom Morris tigerchops twitter is just temporary infrastructure for social BC ;) #indieweb
cgcardona this reply is written from one :) But generally I only use them as bookmarks, not "apps"
.haschek's #indieweb site is nice: http://michael.haschke.biz/
8944 #steps today
Poll: Have any of you ever used twitter.com's "Email this tweet" action (in ••• More, above Embed Tweet for some reason)? #webactions
sophiedennis that's the plan! I'll try to gen up on #electronics skills whilst in #iceland so I can get it going when back at home
@john_nye @andycayenne always a permanent marker/thick felt tip for me. Scan, build digitally, print out, scribble, scan, repeat :) Same as how I #design instruments.
Buying a Hurdy Gurdy — Simon Wascher's personal criteria for #gurdy buying. #bookmark #music
sophiedennis your project sounds a bit like my gurdies! I've been nearly there for days. Got the Keyboxes glued on today, so almost finished now.


text:
A Pakistani television show host gave away two abandoned babies on live television during this year's Ramadan, Reuters reported.
The show, "Amaan Ramazan," hosted by popular Pakistani talk-show host Aamir Liaquat Hussain, usually gives away mobile phones and land deeds. But for Ramadan, when the show is in a ratings war with other talk shows, the host presented two families with abandoned babies.
"If we didn't find this baby, a cat or a dog would have eaten it," Hussain proclaimed during a broadcast, Reuters reported.
The newborns were rescued by the Chhipa Welfare Association, a Pakistani aid organization, which searches garbage dumps and other areas for discarded children, according to Reuters. The organization's head said potential parents had been vetted.
Hussain has also made a call on his website for families to turn over their children directly to him.
"If any family cannot afford to bring up their new born baby due to poverty or illness then instead of killing them, they should hand over the baby to Dr Aamir," a notice on his website reads.
Hussain reportedly plans to give away a baby boy next.
Many Pakistanis have been left disgusted with Hussain's antics on the show, Reuters said.


text:
Advanced Search |
Search Tips
We promise to never spam you, and just use your email address to identify you as a valid customer.
This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!
Click the button below to add the The Book Of Esther Dvd - Pure Flix to your wish list.
Add to Wish List
All prices are in GBP
Copyright 2019 Ards Evangelical Bookshop.


text:
The Day the Spaceship Earth Stood Still
Wow, is it Earth Day already? Hard to believe it's been almost a year since the Epcot Episode.
Yep, for you wreckies who've joined us in the past year, Epcot made its unintentional Cake Wrecks debut in honor of Earth Day, 2009. You can read the original post here, but in a nutshell: I posted a Spaceship Earth cake, and then made the mistake of calling it a Spaceship Earth cake. We then got about fifty billion comments (give or take fifty billion) telling us it was NOT Spaceship Earth, but Epcot. Many also helpfully pointed out that you could tell it was Epcot by the Disney font used on the cakeboard.
Now, as every Disney Geek knows, Epcot is the theme park and Spaceship Earth is the Big Golf Ball™ - and I am a huge Disney Geek. Plus, and here's the part that was especially painful/hilarious, John and I made the cake.
(Yeah, I know it's not great. That's why I posted it. However, I am one of only two or three people on the planet who've ever even attempted a Spaceship Earth cake. So, you know, I've got that going for me.)
Now, in honor of this auspicious occasion I would like to shower you with Earth and/or Spaceship Earth wrecks.
Unfortunately, despite extensive research performed during the commercial breaks for Dancing with the Stars (Go, Niecy!), I couldn't find any.
Still, I feel you deserve some kind of reward for reading this far without any new wreckage. So, here, I found you another Disney icon that's gray and round:
Wow. Just look at the size of that head! I'm not kidding, that is a huge noggin'! It's a virtual planetoid! It has its own weather system! And it's giving me an excuse to quote Stuart Mackenzie!
Oh, and if you look closely, you can see that he recently swallowed a small globe. Or has a globe-shaped tumor growing out of his shoulder - take your pick. Whichever: Hel-looo! Earth Day tribute!
Mandy P., try to work "like Sputnik: spherical but quite pointy in parts" into as many conversations today as possible. Because the earth needs you, that's why.
- Related Wreckage: Happy Earth Day to You...


text:
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Bethany Fronk had five RBI and picked up two wins in the circle to lead Birmingham-Southern (7-7; 2-2 SAA) softball to a Southern Athletic Association doubleheader sweep of Millsaps College (8-5; 2-2 SAA) on Sunday at the BSC Softball Park.
The Panthers captured game one 7-1 and game two 12-3 in five innings to rebound after getting swept by the Majors on Saturday.
Fronk had an RBI triple followed by a Deanna Creps RBI double and a Katelyn Murray RBI single to highlight a five-run first inning in game one.
After the five run first, the Panthers added a run the second and sixth innings and on the way to finishing with 15 hits in game one.
Fronk would go the distance in the circle with four strikeouts while allowing one run and scattering six hits to earn the win.
Brittany Berkopec went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Rucker went 3-for-3 with two runs scored to lead BSC in game one. Creps was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI and Kateylyn Murray had a pair of hits and drove in a run.
In game two, BSC scored a run in the second, four in the third and seven in the fifth to end the game due to the NCAA run rule.
Taylor Bassett belted a home run in the second to get the scoring started while Rucker had a bases clearing triple in the four-run third.
Alyssa Statham got the seven-run fourth going with a two-RBI single. Fronk doubled in a pair of runs and Creps and Murray had RBI singles.
Fronk earned her second win of the day by tossing 3.1 innings in relief Creps. Fronk struck out two and allowed two runs on four hits to improve to 6-5.
The Panthers tallied 14 hits in game two with Murray's three hits leading the way. Statham, Rucker, Bassett, and Fronk recorded two hits apiece. Rucker drive in four runs while Statham and Fronk had three and two RBI, respectively.
Molly Tyner took the loss in both games for the Majors to fall to 4-3.
The Panthers return to action against Covenant at the BSC Softball Park on Thursday at 4 p.m.


text:
Diagnostic Testing and Respiratory Services
Under the direction of pulmonologists Dr. Richard Kern and Dr. Evan McLeod, Little Company's Respiratory Care Department offers detailed diagnostic testing and therapeutic procedures complemented by ongoing patient support in an understanding, caring atmosphere. We believe that we need to help you feel comfortable with your understanding of respiratory therapy procedures so you can obtain the best possible results and truly breathe easier.
Little Company of Mary offers the following procedures and therapies:
Pulmonary Function Testing: This is a series of breathing maneuvers that tell the doctor at what percentage your lungs are functioning and indicate your lungs' volume and capacity. These baseline studies are analyzed by computer and interpreted by our staff. The type of tests that help us determine your pulmonary function are: spirometry, lung volume determination, diffusing capacity, post-bronchodilator studies, bronchoprovocation testing, and bedside screening with flow volume loop. These tests usually can be performed in less than one hour and are painless. Tests are performed Monday through Friday 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m, 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Evening appointments are also available.
Oximetry Tests: The oximetry test measures the patient's blood oxygen level using a plastic device which fits onto the finger or earlobe over which a high-intensity light beam crosses. The light beam measures absorbance of the light by your blood, which gauges your blood's oxygen content. The test is done without taking any blood samples, is completely painless, and takes less than one minute.
Bronchoscopy: In this test, a doctor looks through a fiber-optic tube which has been passed into the throat and bronchial passages through which he or she can examine, take pictures or even remove tissue samples. There is very little discomfort to the patient and the test can be performed on an outpatient basis.
Sleep Tests: Many sleep problems are due to abnormal night time breathing. Many people without their knowledge, stop breathing repeatedly during the night. The Respiratory Care Department at Little Company of Mary operates our Sleep Disorders Center, to aid in the evaluation of patients with a broad array of sleep-related problems.
Once testing is complete, the physician may prescribe one of the following respiratory therapies:
Nebulizer Therapy: Opens constricted air passages, bronchial hygiene to drain various areas of the lungs
Sputum Induction: Generates sputum to collect for examination.
Outpatient therapy is offered from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. seven days a week. Inpatient therapy is available 24 hours a day. The Respiratory Care Department also offers a support group for patients with lung disease. Family members are welcome.
Huff and Puff Club:
This support group lends help to adults of all ages with chronic pulmonary disease. It is an informative, social and emotional support group that has monthly educational programs and special events. The Club offers members the opportunity to interact with people with similar respiratory problems. Monthly guest speakers discuss topics of interest suggested by Club members or Respiratory Care staff. Call 708.229.5530 for dates and times.
Respiratory Care Department
West Pavilion, First Floor


text:
Hitching the New Small Wagon to Better Fuel Efficiency
Families who want a vehicle that can hold five people and all their stuff—and still get great fuel economy—are getting more choices, including several new hybrid and clean-diesel models.
Finding a small wagon that strikes the right balance of cargo room, compact size and driving enjoyment has always been something of a challenge. The emergence of fuel-thriftier wagons such as the Ford C-Max, Toyota Prius V and the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen is the industry's latest bid to revive their relevance in a market still smitten with crossovers and sport utilities. Official mileage estimates for these "green" wagons range between 33 and 47 miles per gallon, compared with an average in the mid-to-high 20s for their conventional small-wagon brethren.
'Actual Mileage May Vary'
Ford C-Max Hybrid
- EPA estimate MPG*: 47
- Average User MPG: 39.7
- Range: 34-53 MPG
2012 Prius V
- EPA estimated MPG: 42
- Average User MPG: 42.5
- Range: 37-48 MPG
2012 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
- EPA estimate MPG: 33
- Average User MPG: 37.8
- Range: 31-42 MPG
*MPG reflects combined city/highway driving
But real-world drivers have found it tough to match some of the higher official mileage estimates, raising the question of whether these cars, which are sold on the promise of saving on gas in the long term, are worth the extra upfront price.
Families are very much a target audience for these vehicles. A recent Prius V ad showcases the car on various fun family outings against a candy-colored storybook backdrop. Beyond families, these days wagons sell well to baby boomers who may be well past soccer-team chauffeur duty, but who now have dogs, mountain bikes or weekend antiquing habits. C.J. O'Donnell, head of Ford's electric vehicle marketing, says the C-Max is attracting affluent, well-educated consumers, most of them 45 years old and older.
Ford is selling the C-Max, new this fall, in two distinct flavors. Like the Prius, the hybrid version uses a lithium-ion battery to supplement its gasoline engine. The C-Max Energi model has a larger plug-in battery and can run for up to 21 miles in electric-only mode before the gas engine kicks in, Ford says.
Steve Liu, 44, and his wife don't have children, but they do have two Siberian huskies, so the three-passenger back seat in his plug-in C-Max comes in handy—as does the back hatch he can open by simply waving his foot under the rear bumper. "The C-Max is more creature friendly," says the Seattle-based engineer.
By driving shorter distances on battery power and recharging in between, he says he averages about 94 to 95 mpg of gas. Mr. Liu says he can drive up to 18 miles on the battery alone (three less than Ford claims it can achieve).
Wendy Weil, of McLean, Va., says she bought the C-Max because she wanted a fuel-efficient vehicle with cargo capacity for hauling her bicycle and other gear. She ruled out the BMW X1 and Acura RDX sport utilities. The Lexus CT200h hybrid hatchback was too small. And the Prius V was too slow, she says. The 54-year-old physical therapist says she hasn't averaged more than 34 mpg in the month she has owned the hybrid version of the car.
The C-Max, she says, "handled beautifully, has great acceleration. I'm not unhappy with the car. I'm unhappy that Ford is advertising the car gets 47 mpg."
She's not the only one. A controversy has recently erupted over the C-Max hybrid's fuel economy with many people who drive the car reporting mileage at closer to 39 mpg than the official 47. (Similar discrepancies have recently plagued Hyundai as well.)
Ford executives have responded to the complaints—and a statement by the Environmental Protection Agency that it is reviewing the mileage claims of the C-Max—by saying that real-world fuel economy for a hybrid can be depressed by as much as 17 mpg. Mitigating factors include how cold it is, whether the engine is broken in and how aggressively a person drives. (Driving 75 instead of 65 can cut 5 mpg, Ford says.)
The C-Max hybrid and plug-in Energi models together outsold the Prius V in November, Ford says, a surprise given Toyota's dominance in the hybrid market overall. One factor helping it compete with the Prius is a starting price of $25,995—$1,450 less than that of the Prius V.
The Prius V has more cargo room than the C-Max, and a strong brand behind it. Ed LaRocque, Toyota's national brand manager for advanced technology vehicles, says more than 70% of Prius V buyers are first-time hybrid car buyers, which "is higher than we thought it would be."
Susan Yu, 46, of Montclair, N.J., says her Prius V, her family's first hybrid, is roomy enough for her two teens and their sports gear. Her son and daughter like the multimedia connections for music players, she says.
Ms. Yu says she sometimes misses her old, and much larger, Honda Odyssey van, particularly because the Prius V "doesn't have great pickup." Still, she likes gassing up just once or twice a month. "I thought we would get better mileage. Usually it is in the 40 mpg" range, she says. That is pretty close to the car's EPA-estimated 44 city/40 highway. Other Prius V owners have reported real-world mileage that averages about 42.5 mpg, according to fueleconomy.gov.
I got behind the wheel of these three wagons for a few days each. And I found that, indeed, the Prius V doesn't accelerate very quickly. The C-Max Energi plug-in I drove has crisper handling and is the car you'd rather have when merging onto a busy freeway. Toyota says that Prius V's performance decisions were driven by fuel efficiency—not 0 to 60 times—reflecting the demands of its customers. Toyota has fast hybrids in its Lexus lineup, says company spokesman Moe Durand.
The diesel Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, which starts at about $26,335, offers a pleasant European driving experience—crisp handling, good acceleration and a logically designed interior. There is no battery to take up cargo space as in the C-Max Energi plug-in. (The C-Max's foot-tall battery housing made it awkward to stow objects in the back, such as the guitar and gear bag I take to band practice.)
Still, the Jetta doesn't have quite as much room behind the rear seats as the taller Prius V, and diesel fuel currently costs about 20% more per gallon than the regular gasoline that fuels the internal combustion engines in the hybrids.
I averaged about 35.5 mpg in a couple of days with the Jetta—slightly better than the EPA's 33 mpg combined estimate.
Diesel suits my driving habits on Detroit's high-speed freeways better than hybrids, which usually put up their strongest mpg numbers on short, low-speed jaunts in cities and suburbs.
The real challenge for all these "alternative" vehicles isn't each other. It is cheap gas and competitively priced small SUVs.
A Honda CR-V has a projected annual fuel cost $900 higher than a Ford C-Max hybrid, based on EPA estimates that assume the C-Max is averaging 47 mpg. The C-Max sticker price starts at $2,370 more, indicating it will take some 2.6 years for owners to see a return on the so-called green premium. That is close to the point where consumers would consider the hybrid a good deal, industry executives say.
But if the C-Max doesn't really get 47 mpg, of course, the math—and the selling proposition—get more difficult.
Ford C-Max hybrid and C-Max Energi
TOTAL HORSEPOWER (gasoline and electric): 188
CARGO SPACE BEHIND REAR SEATS: 24.5 cubic feet
PROS: Fun to drive, good acceleration and handling, wireless multimedia system, good mileage compared to conventional small SUVs.
CONS: Plug-in battery eats up cargo room. Actual mileage often falls well short of official estimates.
Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen diesel
CARGO SPACE BEHIND REAR SEATS: 32.8 cubic feet
PROS: The diesel loves highway cruising, and users report getting better than the EPA estimated mileage.
CONS: Tiny navigation screen and map display. High diesel fuel prices undercut the benefits of lower fuel consumption.
Toyota Prius V
CARGO SPACE BEHIND REAR SEATS: 34.3 cubic feet.
PROS: Owners report getting close to the estimated 42 MPG. More cargo room than C-Max or Jetta.
CONS: Pokey acceleration. Pricey compared to the C-Max and other compact vehicles.
Write to Joseph B. White at firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


text:
As devices become smaller in size, so too must their power sources.
In today's world, we now have engines about the size of a softball that power some of the military's drones. Model helicopters, airplanes, and remote-controlled vehicles feature incredibly powerful combustion engines to propel them in the air and on the ground. However, could they be made smaller to power devices on a micro-scale?
There is one underlying issue with making internal combustion engines smaller in size, which boils down to inefficiency as heat leaks faster on surface areas and therefore generates less force. There are alternatives to power micro devices, such as MEMS or piezoelectric methods, but they are limited in scope and are often too slow to be a viable solution.
Those issues may be a thing of the past, as engineers from several institutions, led by Vitaly Svetovoy of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, have designed an internal combustion microengine that retains its efficiency at a size of only 100 microns x 100 microns x 5 microns
The engine was created using a tiny pressure chamber with a flexible membrane at one end and a pair of platinum electrodes at the other. A saltwater solution fills the pressure chamber and when an electrical current is introduced, it breaks the solution down to its basic components of oxygen and hydrogen, which form gaseous nano-bubbles. As the gases increase, they deform the membrane and thereby generate force. When the electrical current is turned off, the pressure drops and the membrane returns to its original shape, in almost the same way a piston functions in typical vehicle engines.
While the feat of creating a tiny combustion engine is incredible, the engineers are perplexed at exactly how the engine works. More specifically, what happens when the current is turned off and the pressure drops rapidly back to normal. It's apparently too fast for the gases to revert back into a liquid or diffuse out of the chamber; however, they do have a theory. They speculate that when the current is turned off, the nano-bubbles spontaneously combust (yes, you read that right) and turn back into a liquid, which would make it possible for the pressure to drop at a rapid rate. No matter how it functions, it will open up a new world of micro devices that could be run on one of the tiniest combustion engines ever created.
Related posts:
- World's Smallest Reed Switch Makes Technology Easier to Swallow
- NPA MEMS Pressure Sensors
- MEMS Gains Momentum in China
- Company Designs MEMS-Based Energy Harvester for Contact Lenses
- Dexter Highlights Its DexTemp 1000 IR Temperature Monitor
- MEMS Facility Is Open to All
- MEMS Enabling a Health & Medical Revolution


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Supervisor Attempted Rape of Spanish-Speaking Employee, Federal Agency Charged
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A local franchisee of Days Inn Hotel will pay $50,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC filed its suit against Ann Arbor Nights, a relatively small employer with several Spanish-speaking employees.
According to the EEOC's suit (Civil Action No. 2:10-CV-12197), which was filed on June 3 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Ann Arbor Nights subjected a female Spanish-speaking housekeeper at an Ann Arbor Days Inn to a sexually hostile work environment and retaliated against her for complaining about the harassment. The EEOC charged that the victim was sexually assaulted, including being subjected to an attempted rape by a supervisor, and retaliated against, such as being denied work, for failing to give in to the supervisor's numerous sexual advances. The EEOC also said that the harasser used the fact that the victim spoke no English to his advantage in abusing her.
The EEOC sought monetary compensation in the form of compensatory and punitive damages, and an injunction enjoining Ann Arbor Nights from subjecting its employees to a sexually hostile work environment and retaliation.
Under the consent decree resolving the case, Ann Arbor Nights will pay the victim $50,000, which is the maximum amount allowed by statute for a small employer like Ann Arbor Nights. The company will also adopt and distribute anti-sexual harassment policies in both English and Spanish and conduct training in both English and Spanish to ensure that everyone in its work force, including its Spanish-speaking employees, knows how to recognize and report sexual harassment.
"The EEOC takes extreme forms of sexual harassment, like the attempted sexual assault in this case, extremely seriously," said Nedra Campbell, the EEOC attorney assigned to handle the case. "We are pleased Ann Arbor Nights decided to resolve this case early in the process and without protracted litigation," she added.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
June 06, 2011
LOS ANGELES -- The Ridacto team, all first-year UCLA Anderson students, took top honors in the 30th Knapp Venture Competition hosted by the Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Their cloud-based software platform, designed to track changes, comments and errors in legal contracts, helps to keep the process and management of these types of documents simpler, smarter and more secure. The Ridacto team also won the People's Choice Award.
The annual Knapp Venture Competition is a student-run event that provides UCLA Anderson students with an intensive learning experience in the development and enhancement of new business ventures. The competition is named for Cleon T. (Bud) and Betsy Wood Knapp, entrepreneurs and philanthropists whose generous monetary endowment in 1997 supports this annual event and other entrepreneurial initiatives.
"During the past 30 years, the Knapp Venture Competition has provided a forum for hundreds of Anderson students to engage in the entrepreneurial process," says Senior Associate Dean Al Osborne, who serves as faculty director of the Price Center. "We are honored to have partnered with Bud and Betsy Knapp, whose leadership has been critical in developing a robust, year-long competition that provides Anderson students with an intensive, unparalleled learning experience."
The following is the list of the finalists in the 2011 Knapp Venture Competition:
1st place, $15,000
Ridacto - Provides an end-to-end solution for the process of creating, revising, negotiating, signing, and managing legal contracts. (Russ Altenburg, Kaizer Campwala, Arvind Chandrasekaran, Simon Geraghty, Max Mednik, Daniel Zarovy)
2nd Place, $7,500
Matchfund - Helps teens form good money management habits from the start and teaches fundamental financial literacy concepts. (Susan Hwang, Paul Taylor)
3rd Place, $5,000
Surprisingly Vegan - Vegan and gluten-free waffle mix that will be sold through health food retailers. (Kyle Cobb, Todd Morris, Talia Rodgers, Isaac Sims)
4th Place, $2,500
SalaryView - A new web-based approach for universities to collect and distribute salary information, while providing students with tools for personalized salary research. (Kenny Berlin, Sean Cramer, Ed Lang, Whey Han Tan, Mike Walsh)
5th Place, $1,000
MR3 - Next generation of implantable pacemaker technology. (Jeff Chang, Ed Cho, Garett Chisum, Sumit Kharbanda, Pankaj Sunkeri, Ramki Yerramsetty)
$1,000 People's Choice Award - Ridacto
Previous teams that have entered the competition have launched numerous businesses, including stamps.com and eFriendsNet, one of the largest social networking and dating companies in China. The latter was recognized as one of the 50 Most Innovative Chinese Internet Companies in the 2005-2006 China Internet Industry Report. In 2005, Knapp winner Auditude licensed its technology to Premiere Radio Networks, the syndication division of Clear Channel Communications Inc., and took in more than $135,000 from additional competitions. One of last year's winners, CytoScale Diagnostics, has made strides in licensing a device capable of analyzing growth signaling pathways of cells that it plans to commercialize by the end of 2013.
For more information on the Knapp Venture Competition, please visit: http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x10064.xml
About the Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UCLA Anderson
The Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UCLA Anderson School of Management is an internationally recognized leader in entrepreneurial education and research. With a distinguished faculty as its cornerstone, the Center oversees activities that advance the theory and practice of entrepreneurship as well as the related fields of technology and innovation, venture capital and private equity, and social enterprise. Well known for the impact of its outreach programs, the Price Center fosters a spirit of innovation in individuals, enhances the managerial capacity of organizations, and prepares entrepreneurial leaders who will provide significant, sustainable and economic value to society.
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Celebrating 75 years of "business beyond usual," the UCLA Anderson School of Management is regarded among the leading business schools in the world. UCLA Anderson faculty members are globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Each year, UCLA Anderson provides a distinctive approach to management education to more than 3,600 students enrolled in its M.B.A., fully-employed M.B.A., executive M.B.A., UCLA-NUS Global Executive M.B.A., master of financial engineering, doctoral and executive education programs. Combining highly selective admissions, varied and innovative learning programs, and a worldwide network of 37,000 alumni, UCLA Anderson develops and prepares global leaders.


text:
House Republicans: Copyright Law Destroys Markets; It's Time For Real Reform
from the congress-wakes-up deptUpdate: Wow. It took less than 24 hours for the RSC to fold to Hollywood pressure. They have now retracted the report and attempted to claim that it was not properly vetted.
Right after the Presidential election last week, Chris Sprigman and Kal Raustiala penned an opinion piece suggesting that one way the Republicans could "reset", and actually attract the youth vote, would be to become the party of copyright reform. We had actually wondered if that was going to happen back during the SOPA fight, when it was the Republicans who bailed on the bill, while most of those who kept supporting it were Democrats. Since then, however, there hadn't been much movement. Until now. Late on Friday, the Republican Study Committee, which is the caucus for the House Republicans, released an amazing document debunking various myths about copyright law and suggesting key reforms.
If you're used to Congress not understanding copyright, prepare to be surprised. It's clear, thorough and detailed about just how problematic copyright has become and why it needs to change. To give you a sense of where the document heads, note the final line:
Current copyright law does not merely distort some markets -- rather it destroys entire markets.There is a lot in this document, and we can't go through it all, but I highly recommend reading through it. The three "myths" it attacks are:
- That the purpose of copyright is to compensate the creator. No, it correctly notes, it's about benefiting the public:
Thus, according to the Constitution, the overriding purpose of the copyright system is to "promote the progress of science and useful arts." In today's terminology we may say that the purpose is to lead to maximum productivity and innovation.
This is a major distinction, because most legislative discussions on this topic, particularly during the extension of the copyright term, are not premised upon what is in the public good or what will promote the most productivity and innovation, but rather what the content creators "deserve" or are "entitled to" by virtue of their creation. This lexicon is appropriate in the realm of taxation and sometimes in the realm of trade protection, but it is inappropriate in the realm of patents and copyrights.
- That copyright is a representation of free market capitalization. The paper properly notes that the reality is the exact opposite:
Copyright violates nearly every tenet of laissez faire capitalism. Under the current system of copyright, producers of content are entitled to a guaranteed, government instituted, government subsidized content-monopoly.
- That the current copyright regime leads to the greatest level of innovation and productivity. That makes no sense at all, the paper says:
Today's legal regime of copyright law is seen by many as a form of corporate welfare that hurts innovation and hurts the consumer. It is a system that picks winners and losers, and the losers are new industries that could generate new wealth and added value. We frankly may have no idea how it actually hurts innovation, because we don't know what isn't able to be produced as a result of our current system.
Finally, it puts forth suggestions for copyright reform that go way, way, way beyond anything we've seen legitimately discussed in Congress, ever. Below I just show some snippets from the recommendations, so go read the full thing.
- Statutory Damages Reform:
Copyright infringement has statutory damages, which most copyright holders can and do use in litigation (rather than having to prove actual damages). The government sets a range – which is $750 to $30,000 per infringement – but that goes up to $150,000 if the infringement is "willful." Evidence suggests that the content holder almost always claims that it is willful. This fine is per infringement. Those rates might have made sense in commercial settings (though even then they arguably seemed high), but in a world where everyone copies stuff at home all the time, the idea that your iPod could make you liable for a billion dollars in damages is excessive.
- Expand Fair Use:
Right now, it's somewhat arbitrary as to what is legally fair use based upon judicially created categories. One example: parodies are considered protected by fair use but satire is not. There's an excellent book (and a shorter paper) called Infringement Nation that details how things you do every single day are infringing and leave every single person liable for billions in damages each year (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1029151).
- Punish false copyright claims:
Because there is minimal or nearly non-existent punishment for bogus copyright claims today, false takedown requests are common and have a chilling effect upon legitimate speech. While those filing a takedown request have to swear on the threat of perjury, that swearing is only in regard to whether the work is theirs but not whether the work is actually infringing. The court has said that their needs to be "subjective bad faith" in order to be sanctioned for false takedown requests. This often leads to de facto censorship.
- Heavily limit the terms for copyright, and create disincentives for renewal:
Current public policy should create a disincentive for companies to continue their copyright indefinitely because of the negative externalities explained in this paper. Unlike many forms of government revenue, generating revenue by disincentivizing activities with negative externalities is one way for the government to pay for its operations. This is a far superior way for the government to generate revenue rather than having a tax system that disincetivizes work.
- Expand Fair Use:
This document really is a watershed moment. Even if it does not lead to any actual legislation, just the fact that some in Congress are discussing how copyright has gone way too far and even looking at suggestions that focus on what benefits the public the most is a huge step forward from what we've come to expect. In many ways, this is the next logical step after the completion of the SOPA fight. Rather than just fighting bad policy, it's time for Congress to recognize that existing copyright law is bad policy and now is the time to fix it. It comes as a surprise, but kudos to the Republican Study Committee -- and specifically Derek Khanna, the policy staffer who wrote the document -- for stepping up and saying what needed to be said, but which too many in Congress had been afraid to say for fear of how the entertainment industry lobbyists would react.
Filed Under: congress, copyright reform, sopa


text:
I'm having difficulty grasping a couple of set theory concepts, specifically concepts dealing with relations. Here are the ones I'm having trouble with and their definitions.
1) The collection of equivalence classes w.r.t. $R$
Def: Let $R$ be an equivalence relation in a set $X$. The collection of equivalence classes w.r.t. $R$ is the set: $$[X]/R =\{S|(\exists x)(x\in X\land S=[x]/R)\}=\{[x]/R|x\in X\}$$
2) Partition
Def: Let $X$ be a set. A collection of sets $C$ is a partition of $X$ if:
(i) $$\bigcup_{S\in\ C} S=X.$$ (ii) $$\forall S \in C, S \neq \varnothing$$ (iii) $$\forall S, S' \in C, S' \neq S \Rightarrow S \cap S' = \varnothing$$
3) Relation induced by
Def: Let $C$ be a partition of $X$. The relation induced by $C$, denoted by $X/C$, is a relation in $X$ such that $$X/C = \{(x,y) | (\exists S \in C)(\exists x \in S \land \exists y \in S)\}$$


text:
Pro Football Hall exec Elliott dies
Pete Elliott, the longest-tenured executive director in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's history, has died. He was 86.
Elliott served as the museum's director from 1979-1996 and continued as a member of the Hall's board of trustees in his retirement. Elliott also was head football coach at Illinois from 1960-66.
"Pete was beloved by the entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family, including the staff, board of trustees and the Hall of Fame members," President and Executive Director Steve Perry said. "He was a kind and thoughtful person and an inspiration to us all."
Elliott was an All-American quarterback at Michigan in the 1940s before a long coaching career. He led Illinois to the 1964 Rose Bowl.
He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.


text:
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Westphalia Inn
We'd driven past here numerous times before, but each time, either they weren't open, or we weren't hungry. The planets finally lined up on Saturday, November 7, the same day we'd hiked at Painted Rock nearby. (Sorry for the delay in posting; the holidays just couldn't be put off.)
The Westphalia Inn: I can recommend it, and I can guarantee you we'll be back. When you walk in the door and enter the front lobby, with its antiques and stone fireplace, you'll automatically get a comfy feeling.
This building is a historic hotel, in a historic German-heritage town that is pretty to drive to and visit. Westphalia, Missouri, is one of my shining examples of German immigrant communities transplanted to Missouri soil. It's a picturesque small town of relatively modest brick homes surrounding a lovely stone church perched on a hill; there is a strong "Old World" feel to the place.
In addition to the "restaurant" aspect of the business, the Westphalia Inn also sells wines from Westphalia Vineyards, one of a number of small wineries generally along the Missouri, extending downstream to St. Louis. (Support local products! AgriMissouri! Hooray!)
The main floor of the Westphalia Inn constitutes the dining area—separate rooms, actually, containing four or five tables each, allowing them the flexibility of hosting small and larger groups with private dining areas. (I'll get to the food report in a minute.)
On the second floor is the Norton Room, which is cozy and casual, wood-paneled, with a bar and plenty of tables for your group, or where you can just hang out. Up there you can order a decent selection of appetizers, enough to have a light meal: fresh-baked pizzas, hot dips (such as "Cajun crab" and "artichoke and sundried tomato"), hot chicken wings, chicken tacos, and "cheesy French onion focaccia." All are $6.50.
Desserts are available, too: cinnamon crunch pizza with white chocolate drizzle; fruit cream puff kabobs with chocolate drizzle; campfire s'mores fondue . . . any of that sounding good? They also have nightly specials.
As I walked around the Norton Room (named after Missouri's premier aged-red-wine grape variety), I kept thinking how fun it might be to hang out here on some of these bitter cold nights, having a light dinner of appetizers and sipping a hot beverage (since I don't drink brandy anymore). Another plus: When we were there, the clientele all seemed pretty grown-up and decent—not seedy; not prone to college-age foolishness.
Also on the second floor are a few rooms displaying antiques for sale—with quite reasonable prices, I thought. You might want to check out what they have.
Back downstairs in the restaurant proper: All the appetizers and desserts already mentioned are available here as well, but the main attraction is the family-style or by-the-plate dinners: the traditional country ham, pan-fried chicken, or German pot roast dinners (or some combination of these). These dinners all come with the usual accompaniments of mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, coleslaw, and home-baked bread (with margarine and jelly). The meals range from about eleven to fourteen dollars a plate, or per adult, depending on if you want plated or family-style dinners. (Note that the children's "family-style" prices start at $8.50.)
In the restaurant area, you have an extended selection of desserts to choose from—chocolate cake, cheesecake, ice cream, cobblers.
Is it sounding good yet? Let's talk about the ambience. When we were there, early in the evening, it was quiet and laid-back. The waiter was laid-back and unhurried, but she was nevertheless very attentive. With the small rooms, the atmosphere was cozy. (Though if the place were packed, I suspect it might get kind of loud.)
While we were there, a middle-aged couple was seated near us, along with their quite-elderly mother. The mother needed some special accommodations due to her disabilities, requiring extra time to be helped to the table, and the waiter paid close (but not cloying) attention to making sure everyone was situated comfortably and that their special requests were respected. There was not a bit of awkwardness on her part, and she didn't seem rushed at all. Kudos to her for that. To me, this kind of thing is huge.
But here's the kicker. You see, unlike the rest of civilized, sophisticated, metropolitan America, here—in and around Jeff City—meals of fried chicken and country ham are still practically ubiquitous, and I've had a lot of them since I've moved back to the state. These foods are available at all manner of diners and cafés, as well as church suppers, in this area.
But I swear, the food at Westphalia Inn actually tasted like my own Grandma Renner's cooking. Not "similar to," but just like. It almost blew my hair back. It was like traveling back in time to "dinner at Grandma's house," the white bread and jelly, the mashed potatoes and gravy, the chicken, the ham, the green beans . . . even the cole slaw tasted like hers. I almost wanted to ask for a glass of milk, to make my childhood memory complete.
Okay, I know that your grandma's cooking might have been very different from my grandma's cooking, but surely you can see my point, and understand why this old-fashioned food tastes to me like none other in the whole world, and how, with Grandma gone, it's like a precious disappearing resource—and you can see why I'll be back.
6 comments:
- Westphalia Inn said...
Thank you for the great review. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit to the Inn. I was hoping you would not mind if I used some of your pictures for our website .. They were great pics.
Events Coordinator
Westphalia Inn.
- March 4, 2010 at 10:36 AM
- Julianna Schroeder said...
You're welcome, Debbie: It's my pleasure to have so many good restaurants around here to crow about. And you folks do a great job. Plus, the place looks fabulous.
And thank you for asking about the pictures--not many people are decent enough to ask these days--they just copy and paste willy-nilly.
I'll be in touch with you about the particulars. (Mainly, I just want you to provide a link to my blog!)
- March 4, 2010 at 3:41 PM
- rockeddy said...
We plan to go this weekend as we have a day off. We often recommend this place to our guests, but it's recent history had us kind of put off. Glad to see that the place is classed-up and dependably open.
Thanks for the blog about it.
- April 28, 2011 at 10:41 AM
- kim wade said...
Ok julie, you've inspired us. Just called and left a message in hopes that we can get a reservation tonight! Can you put in a good word for us? :)
- September 10, 2011 at 8:24 AM
- kim wade said...
Just got a call back from Mary (on her way out to pick grapes) and we're in! Hmmm may need to take a good long walk today to work up an appetite
- September 10, 2011 at 8:30 AM
- Julianna Schroeder said...
Have a great time, Kim! Do you take pictures "for fun" anymore? If so, you should get there early and walk around town, because it's very photogenic!
- September 10, 2011 at 9:25 AM


text:
Administrative Procedures Manual
The Administrative Procedures Manual (APM) is a manual that contains policies and procedures dealing mostly with the finance and administrative side of the university. This web version is the official copy of the APM (in the event of any discrepancy between this online version and the official files kept in the Faculty Secretary's Office, the official file, which tracks all initiated and discussed policy changes from beginning to end, is authoritative). Any other printed material should be properly disposed of in order to reduce the reliance on an outdated print version.
The format was converted from the original PDF format to a browser based format effective August 25, 2005. Any date after August 25, 2005 indicates new additions or changes to the manual.
To update any document within the APM please follow the process outlined in FSH 1460 and at the University Policy website.
If while browsing the APM you discover an error or broken link please forward the information to firstname.lastname@example.com
Policy Change Process
Updates, additions and deletions to the Administrative Procedures Manual must follow the guidelines outlined in the UI Policy Development Statement (FSH 1460) and the University Policies website here. Policies in the change process will be documented on the University Policies website and can be tracked through each approval stage here.


text:
Siberian Sturgeon Caviar (50g.)
Acipenser baerii
The product is certificated CITES
Ingridients: Siberian Sturgeon caviar, salt, E285
The taste of roe is exquisite and mild, so it will be doubtlessly appreciated at its full value by gourmets and connoisseurs of natural black osetra caviar!
Siberian sturgeon caviar is a valuable, nourishing and very delicious delicacy that will adorn any dish. This type of caviar features black color with slight brown hue.
Siberian osetra caviar is harvested only from not frozen, fresh sturgeon grown in the aqua farm in Poland. Including black sturgeon caviar in your ration on a regular basis, you improve your overall health, raise immunity, improve memory and protect yourself from many diseases. Black sturgeon caviar includes many vitamins and minerals such as iodine, zinc, calcium, sodium, folic acid, vitamins A, B, D, etc. High amount of fatty acids Omega prevents formation of cancer tumors and stabilizes the nervous system. Besides, it has been proved that Siberian sturgeon caviar positively influences your skin and favors decelerating of skin aging.
0 items


text:
Advanced Search
Professional Development | News
New Jersey City University (NJCU) in Jersey City, NJ, will offer more than 50 online courses produced by professional development provider Teq for continuing education units.
Teq will supply the professional development courses broadcast both live and in person to students, providing an online component for what has been New Jersey's largest public teacher training school since 1929.
Teq has more than 50 archived online professional development (PD) courses available that New Jersey teachers, many of whom may not be able to attend full- or multi-day sessions on campus, will be available to take advantage of. It provides a format in which teacher-students can interact virtually — albeit live — with instructors and then review the recorded video at their own pace.
Teq will supply the online courses and NJCU will issue continuing education units (CEUs) for their completion.
"We are excited that our courses and content have met NJCU's rigorous standards for CEU credits," said Teq President Chris Hickey.
Teq's offerings that will be available to NJCU students on a rotating basis range from "Math and Your Interactive Whiteboard" to "Early Childhood Literacy," "Google Apps" and more.
At the graduate level — which is the track that most teachers interested in professional development are involved with — NJCU offers multiple master of educational technology programs and a doctor of education degree in educational technology leadership. Located in New Jersey's second largest city, NJCU focuses on meeting the needs of students who teach in urban, multicultural and multilingual classrooms.
"By working with Teq Online PD, we are able to support professional development to a broad base of teachers, extending NJCU's online educational technology programs nationwide," said Laura Zieger, professor and chairperson of NJCU's educational technology department.
"We are enabling students to stay a step ahead of the latest trends in education," added William J. Bajor of the university's division of academic
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.
All Webcasts
Many k-12 educators today are reconsidering what an effective education should look like. As they search for ways to better engage students based on their individual talents, interests, and learning styles, creativity becomes a critical skill and key enabler.
Read more...
All Whitepapers


text:
Shipping to: Israel
Gold hydrogel eye mask with honey extract – a touch of glamour for a fresh, toned face.
You Are Golden Eye is the perfect way to treat the eyes, restoring skin's natural vitality. This gold hydrogel mask adheres perfectly to the eye area.
For single use.
Eyes will regain a fresh, toned appearance, whilst skin regains its natural vitality.
Remove the two clear sheets and apply the patches to dry, clean eye area. Leave on for 15–20 minutes before removing. For single use.
For a more intense cooling effect, store the mask in the refrigerator.
Yordanka Poleganova, internationally renowned fashion illustrator, created the packaging for KIKO's new line of masks. With clean, basic lines and primary colours, Yordanka created striking artwork that evokes her bold, elegant, modern and extremely cool style. It perfectly conveys the glamorous and innovative spirit of these masks.
The cost varies depending on the delivery service and the destination country of the order. For more details see the "Delivery information and costs" page.
More information
Shipping times may vary depending on the service chosen. In the countries served by Swiss Post (Asendia) only, delivery takes an average of 6-7 working days (up to a maximum of 10) from the order being dispatched. In countries where the Skynet service is also available, the shipping time is 2-4 days after being dispatched by courier. More information
Purchases made on KIKO are secure and guaranteed. All information relating to payments, including personal information and credit card information, is protected through an advanced encrypted data transmission system. Under no circumstances will KIKO file your credit card number, nor will it use or keep the information you provided on its own systems.
You have 14 business days from the date you receive the items in which to exercise your right to return the goods. Please let Customer Service know about any problems relating to the goods received.
To use a promotional code, select "Have you got a promotional code?" on the shopping cart page and insert the characters indicated in the appropriate field. If your code is inserted correctly, the amount and/or content of the Shopping Cart will be recalculated based on the promotion applied.
Brightening eye base that improves the hold and enhances the colour of your eyeshadow
Fantastici !
Ci sta


text:
Commissioner's Award of Excellence
- JUNE 2014 WINNERS - Maria Bachman, Brian Hansen and David Marreel
County Corrections;
Category - Productivity
Maria Bachman, Brian Hansen and David Marreel, the Lancaster County Corrections Transition Team, were presented with the Commissioners Award of Excellence Award for June, 2014 at the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners meeting today. The team was nominated for this award by Brad Johnson of the Lancaster County Corrections Department in the category of Productivity.
These officers comprised the transition team responsible for the Department's move to the new facility. They helped prepare for the transition by becoming experts in certain areas, provided specialized training and conducted countless tours.
In his nomination Mr. Johnson stated "Maria Bachman wrote over 320 post procedures and developed the facility schedule. She researched and organized our bid and ordering process for the kitchen's small wares and the entire facility's janitorial purchases. She was also tasked with bidding and purchasing many other items ranging from inmate clothing to pod mailboxes. Brian Hansen became the subject matter expert on the Key Watcher system, touch screens, video monitoring, video visitation, staff phones and PDAs. He also took the lead with monitoring punch list items. David Marreel acted as my person of contact for many of the vendors and contractors that worked in the new facility between the time we took possession and moved into the facility. He answered many of the mundane questions that arose in a project of this size. He supervised inmate crews that helped clean, wash and fold inmate clothing and linens and oversaw the distribution of much of the equipment and materials within the building."
Mr. Johnson concluded "Much of the work these team members conducted was self-initiated. They each recognized tasks that needed to be completed and took steps to see that these tasks were completed in a professional manner with safety and security in mind. They represented our department and Lancaster County with professionalism in their countless interactions with other agencies and companies."
Maria Bachman began working for Lancaster County on August 12, 2002, Brian Hansen on September 9, 2003 and David Marreel on January 22, 1998. They are all employed at the Lancaster County Department of Corrections.
Brent Smoyer, Vice-Chair of the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners, stated "The Board of Commissioners is pleased to recognize Maria, Brian and David with this award. They provided outstanding service to Corrections and Lancaster County during the move to the new Corrections facility. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners I would like to thank them for their diligent efforts to help make the move into the new facility go smoothly."
The Commissioners Award of Excellence award recognizes employees who consistently provide outstanding service and work that demonstrates exemplary personal commitment to Lancaster County.


text:
General Contact
Kieron Moir
E: email@example.com checked!
Enrol your child
QHow do I enrol my child?
We offer everyday adventure and activity to hundreds of thousands of young people across the UK.
There are fun and exciting activities and opportunities in each of the five sections:
- Beavers (ages 6–8)
- Cubs (ages 8-10½)
- Scouts (ages 10½–14)
- Explorer Scouts (ages 14–18)
To enrol your child, simply contact your local Group and make an enquiry using the contact details on this page.
QHow can my child benefit from joining Scouts?
In an independent survey of over 2,000 parents of Scouts, nine out of ten parents said Scouting is worthwhile and nine in ten said their children find Scouting enjoyable.
As your child progresses through Scouts you should be able to see signs of the impact their Scouting adventure has on them.
QWe're moving to a new area, can I transfer my child to a new Scout Group?
If you're moving to a new area, transferring to a new Scout Group can be great way of helping your child settle in and make friends. You should let your child's current leader know as soon as you can that you're planning to move.
When you know where you're moving to, search for the local Groups in the area on www.scouts.org.uk and make contact directly to arrange for a new place.
You can also call the Scout Information Centre on 0845 300 1818. They will be able to put you in touch with a Group in your new area.
If you're moving abroad, the Information Centre will be able to give you the details of the Scout organisation in that country.
QMy child is moving up a section; what do I need to do to help them prepare?
When the time comes to move up to the next age range, a young person can have mixed feelings: excitement at moving on, sadness at leaving friends behind. Making the transition as smooth as possible goes a long way to helping your child settle into their new section.
First of all you need to check what the process involves with your child's current Section Leader as it can vary locally. You might need to put your child on a waiting list for the next section or, in some cases, it may happen automatically.
QHow much does it cost to send my child to Scouts?
This will vary depending on your Group but it is likely to be between £50 and £100 per year, which is collected weekly, monthly, every term or annually, depending on local arrangements. This fee usually covers the cost of the hire or upkeep of the meeting place. Trips, camps and activities are usually charged separately.
Cost should not be a barrier to anyone taking part in Scouting and if this is an issue, you can speak to the local Section Leader in confidence.
QWhat do Scouts wear and where can I buy it?
Scouts wear a uniform depending on the age range. All Scouts (adults and young people) wear a coloured scarf or necker, the colour of which varies depending on the Group. Uniform can either be bought from Scout Shops or your local district Scout Shop (the adults in your child's Group will be able to give you more information).
Become a volunteer
QI'd like to get involved, but I don't have any skills?
Volunteers can help in many ways. You might have first aid knowledge that you could teach the group, or you might be able to teach our Scouts a thing or two about DIY.
If you're good with accounts you could be Group treasurer, or if you're a culinary whizz you could run cooking sessions with the young people. Everyone has a skill (whether you know it or not) and we can make use of it.
QI would like to volunteer but I don't have the time?
Volunteering for The Scout Association is easy, fun and flexible. We have a huge variety of roles to suit everyone, and whatever role you choose, we'll make sure you're properly trained and supported.
You can do a couple of evenings a month or one hour a week: how much time you give is completely up to you.
With whatever time you can give to Scouting, hopefully we'll be able to inspire you by showing how easy and rewarding it can be to volunteer with Scouts.
QCan you tell me more about volunteer training?
Our award-winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouting as our young people.
Our modular training scheme delivers the full spectrum of required skills. Volunteers can choose training modules that are relevant to the role that they do, ranging from leadership to running residential experiences and first aid.
Our training scheme was recognised with a National Training Award from UK Skills. It is one of the reasons why we have managed to increase our volunteer numbers over the past few years, against the national trend.
QWhat else can I get out of volunteering?
As well as gaining externally recognised skills and having a brilliant time, Scouting also offers the chance to build on personal skills, like teamwork, confidence and leadership.
Over 90% of our volunteers believe that the skills and experiences they have gained through Scouting have been of relevance to their working or personal lives, so we're certainly doing something right.
A study of volunteers found that more than two-thirds of respondents reported a direct correlation between their volunteer experience within Scouting and gaining employment or career development.
View the placement of badges on the Beaver Scout uniform:
View the placement of badges on the Cub Scout uniform:
View the placement of badges on the Scout uniform:
View the placement of badges on the Explorer Scout uniform:
View the placement of badges on the Scout Network uniform: