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By Lisa Capobianco
Staff Writer
Southington native Brian McKernan had just started training for a new season of races this past September. One day he was running outside near his home in Lynbrook, Long Island when suddenly a car struck him.
McKernan has suffered near-fatal injuries, including a blood clot in the brain, which has since been completely treated. Although he has just started to walk, McKernan will continue to undergo extensive rehabilitation at home.
"He is so positive about everything even though he is going through hell," said Michael Collin, a close friend who has known McKernan since middle school.
Collin and a group of friends who graduated from Southington High School with McKernan plan to hold a benefit dinner later this month to help raise money for his treatment. So far they have started an online fundraiser on youcaring.com called "B-Strong, which has received over 180 supporters. So far, McKernan's friends have raised almost $17,000. Their ultimate goal is $25,000.
"Everyone has been so generous," Collin said. "It is a nice way to get the community together."
Described by his friends as a loving husband and passionate sociologist who puts others before himself, McKernan is fighting to regain is strength. Trevor Grayson, who has known McKernan since elementary school, said he wants to help out his best friend in any way he can.
"He is one of the nicest people I know," Grayson said. "He makes sure that everyone has a good time."
The benefit dinner will take place on Friday, Nov. 29 at Polish Falcons Nest 307 from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Besides food and drinks, the event will also feature raffle prizes including gift cards, a flat screen television, an acoustic guitar donated by KORG and Lag Guitars and concert tickets donated by Live Nation, CT.
Although McKernan will not be able to attend, he will join guests via Skype to spend time with his family, friends and supporters.
Collin said he hopes members of the community will come out to celebrate McKernan's strength, courage and resilience while raising money for his recovery.
"We all still have Southington as our home base—it is nice to rally up Brian's friends and the community to bond over helping each other through those tough times," Collin said.
Anyone interested in attending the event can buy tickets during regular business hours at Serafino Pharmacy or at the Law Office of Kelly, Crispino & Kania. Tickets cost $20 and any remaining tickets will be available at the door. Donations can also be made at www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/b-strong/89948.
Holding a benefit dinner for a friend
By Lisa Capobianco


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Blueberry Buckle With Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Recipe
A blueberry buckle is a coffeecake with a struesel topping. The batter is really thick and heavy, and some effort will be needed to spread it into the...
eggs, +powdered sugar, +flour, +brown sugar, +sugar, +heavy cream, +blueberries, +cake, +whipped cream, +cream cheese, +streusel, +cinnamon, +salt, +lemon zest, +vanilla extract, +baking powder, +butter
Cheese, Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese and Ham and Cheese
eggs, +bread crumbs, +cheddar cheese, +ham, +onion powder, +elbow macaroni, +paprika, +black pepper, +swiss cheese, +butter
Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Ice Cream Recipe
Southern red velvet cake is usually a tall layer cake, slathered with cream cheese icing and studded with pecans. In this version, the cake is low (like...
eggs, +baking soda, +buttermilk, +cocoa powder, +powdered sugar, +cream cheese, +white vinegar, +egg yolks, +flour, +heavy cream, +salt, +pecan, +vanilla extract, +food coloring, +skim milk, +sugar, +vegetable oil, +water, +white chocolate
Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts
Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts
Blueberry Cream Cheese Brunch Buckle Recipe
The cream cheese gives this coffeecake a rich, dense texture, and the crunchy brown sugar streusel tops it off perfectly. Prep:15m
eggs, +butter, +cinnamon, +flour, +blueberries, +vanilla extract, +sugar
Blueberry and Cream Cheese Dutch Baby
I love Dutch babies or oven baked pancakes. This blueberry one is a little different from the usual apple recipe. The honey whipped cream cheese is really...
eggs, +flour, +butter, +blueberries, +milk, +salt
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake II
"This cake is so moist and easy! It is delicious served as a coffee cake or as a dessert. The blueberry glaze makes it a very pretty cake, too."
eggs, +powdered sugar, +vegetable oil, +water, +sugar
Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
"Whole wheat, honey, blueberries, and a cream cheese filling make these muffins special."
eggs, +baking soda, +blueberries, +buttermilk, +honey, +olive oil, +salt, +sour cream, +flour, +vanilla extract, +sugar
Banana-Sour Cream Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
I got this recipe from the Kraft Food and Family magazine. Each bit of this unbelievable cake brims with the sweet flavor of ripe bananas and a nutty walnut...
eggs, +banana, +vegetable oil, +sour cream, +cake mix
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake I
"This recipe is so easy and is so good! Great for breakfast with a cup of coffee, or for dessert."
eggs, +blueberries, +vanilla extract, +vegetable oil, +sugar
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Serving the Galactic Empire comes with some murky moral questions: Is the Rebel Alliance really a terrorist organization? Is political stability worth the destruction of an entire planet? Should I serve in a military that doesn't even teach me how to shoot properly? As the short film "Love Wars" reveals, those questions become even more complicated when you're hiding the fact that you're gay.
Love Wars could have been nothing more than an amusing trifle, but the filmmakers actually take the time to explore the conflicted feelings of two men who believe in the Empire's cause, but can't take their relationship public. It's also a poignant reminder that, as disposable as they may seem, Stormtroopers aren't all the same under the uniform.


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RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Jiri Tlusty scored twice and Cam Ward allowed only a first-period goal Thursday in bringing Carolina a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh.
In a meeting of division leaders, the Hurricanes ran off four goals in a row to hand Marc-Andre Fleury his first loss in six appearances.
Chris Kunitz scored for Pittsburgh with 6:46 to go in the first period, but Ward was perfect the rest of the way while stopping 26 shots.
Eric Staal tied it just 25 seconds from the first intermission and Tlusty gave Carolina the lead 4:03 into the second on a slap shot.
Jeff Skinner recorded his eighth goal of the season less than 2 minutes later and Tlusty tallied again 21 seconds from the end of regulation.
The four Carolina goals came on 29 shots.
Carolina went into Thursday's games as the only winning team in the Southeast Division.


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Fire & Ice: Hindenburg and Titanic
Open March 22, 2012 to January 6, 2014
The first two lines from Robert Frost's poem Fire and Ice inspire the exhibition's title. They are appropriate in view of the natural elements that caused the catastrophes and that so many lives ended because of them.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.


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Ellen Page came out as gay Friday night at at the Human Rights Campaign's Time to Thrive conference, and the Internet is bursting with happiness and pride. It's awesome. However, there's a small group of gross bigots and delusional uber-straight (SO SO STRAIGHT) dudes who feel the need to make a fuss about it. Here's some of the most bothersome tantrums, for your puking pleasure:
At least Kevin Bacon is bringing the awesome:
Watch the speech one more time below, but first have all the tissues handy because you're gonna need 'em.
Follow Laura on Twitter.
Photo: Getty Images


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Dossier - The Professor part 5
Walkthrough - Dossier - The Professor part 5
At the far right end of this location, you should spot a locked door leading further rightward. Once you're able to hack it open, you'll find a rather roomy location with two human refugees locked inside. It appears they were scared to ever let their presence be known here, and have been hiding from the Vorcha and Blue Suns alike. First, pillage this room -- the medical kit near the kitchen and the safe along the right wall should surrender a healthy amount of credits for you to utilize. Once that's done, you can then speak with the refugees themselves. They'll tell you their story, and you can pick their brains about any number of subjects, but ultimately, you'll have to bid them adieu. We used our Paragon prowess to guarantee their safe passage back to the doctor's location, which scored us Paragon points. You can do this, or explore Renegade options, or simply leave them on their own. How you react here is up to you, but make sure you make this stop before continuing. If for any other reason, the thousands of credits you find here should be all the convincing you need.
Now, backtrack to the central section of the room, and move forward to the back end, behind the wall enemies were earlier hiding behind. Be careful of any unused explosives here, and as you work your way toward the door on your left, be sure to raid the Turian corpse you encounter for a gun upgrade. Follow the corridor away from the door once you've walked through it, and you'll find all sorts of Vorcha enemies on your left, along with their Varren dog-like creatures. Vorcha heal automatically, so when you attack them, you have to kill them all the way, or it'll be like you never attacked them at all after a few seconds. There are stairs on your right that you can use to flank this location, but because there's plentiful cover here, it's not really necessary. Deal with a few enemies, push forward, deal with a few more, push forward again, and so on and so forth. This should draw out not only the last remaining Vorcha in your direct vicinity (in the form of, primarily, of Blood Pack Troopers), but also more Vorcha from the area to your right as well. Gather any ammunition you need once the conflict is over -- it should be strewn all over the ground around you, and you'll no doubt be needing it.
Before turning the corner and heading rightward at the top end of this room (following the curving red line on the ground is a good way to figure out which direction you should go from here), you should first breach the door on the left side of this room. This grandiose supply closet contains some Element Zero for you to acquire, but it's the door leading out of the room to an adjacent room (hotel style) that's of real interest. When you walk into this abandoned apartment, you'll find a couple of human scavengers making themselves at home, and looting what little has been left behind. As usual, you can speak to these guys however you'd like, imploring them to stop looting (Paragon) or encouraging them to do as they please (Renegade). You can also just as easily pick their brains without commenting on their activities. Either way, be sure to give these guys a visit before you head back to the previous room, where all of that Vorcha blood was just spilled.
We're almost to the clinic now. In fact, the Vorcha massacre you just took part in represented the final enemies you'll be dealing with for the time being. As we mentioned earlier, simply follow the glowing red line on the ground as it curves rightward past a pile of burning corpses. As the line swings rightward again, you can approach the door and walk down some stairs, where a clinic sign can be seen on the wall. You're almost home free. As you approach the clinic's front door, take heed of the guard's warning, as he speaks to you from the left. If you try any funny business here, you'll have to deal with him and an army of mechs. Then again, with all of the stories you've been hearing about this mysterious doctor, you may well be more afraid of the doctor than anyone else.
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The Genesis UDP project is a class library that implements a lightweight UDP server and client using the .NET sockets functionality. It uses UDP to keep the amount of data being sent across the network low, and has many features such as basic encryption, sequenced packets, and a reliable channel.
Genesis communicates via "command packets" - a command packet is one or more UDP packets that have a 2 byte opcode, and a variable number of string fields. Unreliable packets can be up to 512 bytes, reliable packets can be longer but are split up by Genesis and sent in sequence. There are a few internal opcodes used by Genesis, but apart form that, how packets, opcodes and fields are handled is totally the responsibility of the host application developer.
There is also an optional encryption system, it is not too advanced but if enabled, will generate a random 320 bit key for each connecting client and use that key in an XOR encryption algorithm. This is quite secure as no two clients share the same key, however it relies on the initial connection packets not being sniffed. Adding public/private key encryption etc. is a possible enhancement to the library. It is possible to be selective over which connections are encrypted and which are not.
Genesis works on the basis that every instance of Genesis can be both a client and a server. The line between the client and the server is blurred, as any application that uses Genesis can both connect to servers and accept connections from clients. Of course, clients can't just connect by default - the appropriate events must be hooked in the host application to enable the functionality. A server is defined as the remote host that accepted the connection, whilst a client is the remote host that initiated the connection. As an instance of Genesis can do both, it can be both a server and client to other Genesis instances. Servers and clients are known collectively simply as hosts.
The diagram above shows how the idea of clients and servers works in Genesis. Each blue box represents an instance of the Genesis library - none are specifically designated servers or clients as both can potentially accept and initiate connections. The definition of server and client is only valid in the context of a single Genesis instance. Let us consider "Genesis 1", it is connected to servers 2 and 3, and 4 is connected as a client, this is determined by the directions of the arrows (the arrows represent which box initiated the connection). If we look at the perspective of "Genesis 2", we see there are just two clients, 1 and 3. However, if we look at the perspective of "Genesis 4", there is one server, "Genesis 1". Notice how "Genesis 1" can be both a client or server depending upon the context.
The idea for Genesis was based on looking at the network protocols of the various online FPS games such as Quake and Half-Life, which use UDP to allow fast communication between the game server and its connected clients. These implementations have the option to send reliable and sequenced packets - abilities which are also incorporated into Genesis. The original intention for Genesis was to be the start of an underlying network API for a game engine written in .NET, however its potential is so great it has been given to the community as a standalone project.
There are three interfaces that must be used to implement the Genesis functionality. These are:
The IConnection objects hold information about each connection to a remote host, whether that host is a server or a client. ICommand holds information about a single command packet, including the opcode and data fields. IGenesisUDP is the actual communications class that controls all of the functionality.
Included with the source are two projects "GenesisChatServer" and "GenesisChatClient". These are a pair of projects that implement a chat system similar to IRC. Using these projects as a reference point should help with understanding the Genesis classes.
Let's look at the GenesisChatServer - this project shows how Genesis can act as a server to serve other instances of Genesis (the clients).
First, we need to declare and instantiate the Genesis object in the host application.
private GenesisCore.IGenesisUDP m_UDP;
m_UDP = GenesisCore.InterfaceFactory.CreateGenesisUDP("ChatServer");
Notice how the class InterfaceFactory was used to create an instance of Genesis.
The GetLocalAddresses method is used to return a list of local IP addresses on the current machine - and is used to populate a combo box in the chat server application.
string[] addresses = m_UDP.GetLocalAddresses( );
In order to handle the Genesis communication events, they must be hooked as per the code below:
//Hook genesis core events
m_UDP.OnListenStateChanged += new ListenHandler(m_UDP_OnListenStateChanged);
m_UDP.OnConnectionAuth += new ConnectionAuthHandler(m_UDP_OnConnectionAuth);
m_UDP.OnCommandReceived += new IncomingCommandHandler(m_UDP_OnCommandReceived);
m_UDP.OnConnectionStateChanged += new
OnListenStateChanged is called when the state of the Genesis communication changes, it can be in one of two states: "Listen" or "Closed", which is just effectively like enabling or disabling the communication. When Closed, Genesis will drop all remote connections and close the socket.
OnConnectionAuth is called when a client has sent authorization information - this is where the client can be rejected if, for example, the logon credentials are not accepted. In the chat server example, the connection is rejected if the nickname is too short or if the server password is incorrect. Notice how a rejection reason can be sent back to the client. Everything is controlled by modifying the ConnectionAuthEventArgs object sent with the event. The command containing the authorization information can be accessed by the AuthCommand property of the event arguments.
private void OnConnectionAuth(object o, ConnectionAuthEventArgs e)
if(e.AuthCommand.Fields[1].Length < 3)
e.AllowConnection = false;
e.DisallowReason = "Nickname too short.";
else if(e.AuthCommand.Fields[1].Length > 15)
e.AllowConnection = false;
e.DisallowReason = "Nickname too long.";
OnCommandRecieved is called when a remote host sends a command to Genesis. The eventargs for this event allows access to the ICommand object interface (via the SentCommand property) that contains the information relating to the command sent, and allows access to the data fields and opcode. There is also the ability to get the object corresponding to the remote host that sent the command (via the Sender property). This event is only fired from authorized hosts. The chat server uses this event to handle incoming chat messages and user list requests.
OnConnectionStateChanged is fired when a remote host connects or disconnects from the Genesis instance. The eventargs contain information regarding the host, whether it connected or disconnected, and a disconnection reason if the latter. The chat server uses this event to send a connected user list to the newly connected clients.
Let's look now at the client side of the chat project, "GenesisChatClient". This is similar to the server application in that it instantiates an instance of Genesis and hooks up various events, however some new events are hooked:
m_UDP.OnListenStateChanged += new ListenHandler(m_UDP_OnListenStateChanged);
m_UDP.OnLoginRequested += new SendLoginHandler(m_UDP_OnLoginRequested);
m_UDP.OnAuthFeedback += new AuthenticatedHandler(m_UDP_OnAuthFeedback);
m_UDP.OnConnectionStateChanged += new
m_UDP.OnCommandReceived += new IncomingCommandHandler(m_UDP_OnCommandReceived);
m_UDP.OnConnectionAuth += new ConnectionAuthHandler(m_UDP_OnConnectionAuth);
m_UDP.OnSocketError += new SocketErrorHandler(m_UDP_OnSocketError);
m_UDP.OnConnectionRequestTimedOut += new
OnLoginRequested is triggered when the server requests the login details from the client. The client must send a command packet back to the server with the opcode OPCODE_LOGINDETAILS and the appropriate data fields. In the chat sample, this packet contains the user's nickname and the server password:
private void OnLoginRequested(object o, LoginSendEventArgs e)
new string[] {txtServerPW.Text, txtNickName.Text} );
spState.Text = "Sending login details...";
spState.Text = "Connection rejected - " + e.Reason;
The Connected property of the LoginSendEventArgs object is false if the server is unable to accept the connection, for example, if it has reached the maximum capacity. The reason for the rejection is also accessible if needed, in the Reason property.
OnAuthFeedback is triggered when the server has made a decision on whether or not to accept the connection. The eventargs contains a value that determines whether the auth succeeded, and the reason for the failure if otherwise.
OnConnectionAuth is fired when a remote host tries to connect to Genesis, remember this is used in the chat server for authenticating remote hosts. The chat client can accept no connections (as it is acting as a client), so a small piece of code is entered here to reject the connection and send a rejection reason back. If the event was not hooked at all by the client application, the connection would still be rejected, but no reason would be sent to the host attempting to connect.
private void m_UDP_OnConnectionAuth(object o, ConnectionAuthEventArgs e)
//Clients don't accept connections.
e.AllowConnection = false;
e.DisallowReason = "Can't connect directly to a chat client";
One thing of importance is how connections are established from the client. It starts in the chat client with the following code:
/// <summary>
/// Connect to server button was clicked
/// </summary>
private void btnConnect_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
server_ip = txtServerIP.Text;
m_UDP.RequestConnect(ref server_ip,
out server_req_id);
spState.Text = "Connecting...";
btnConnect.Enabled = true;
The RequestConnect method handles initiating the connection. Notice that the server IP parameter is by reference; this is because it is possible to pass the method a host name (rather than an IP address), but the IP will be resolved and the actual string will be changed to the IP address. This allows the host application to take advantage of the hostname resolution, and is required when using other functions within Genesis (as many of the connection search functions will only accept the remote host IP address). The other parameter to note is the last parameter, which is an out parameter and returns the connection request ID. This ID is a number unique to all connection requests and allows a connection request to be cancelled via the CancelConnect method.
Note that establishing a connection is an asynchronous operation, and to catch whether a connection has succeeded requires the use of two events, OnConnectionRequestTimedOut and OnConnectionStateChanged. If the connection attempt times out, the former event is fired. If the connection attempt succeeds, then the latter is fired with arguments that show a connection has been established. Both of these events allow access to the remote host address and the connection request ID generated at the call to RequestConnect to allow differentiation between different connections and connection requests. This can be seen implemented in the GenesisChatClient project.
Genesis wraps this functionality in very easy to use method. Two of the methods reside in the IConnection object, these are shown below:
int SendUnreliableCommand(byte flags, string opcode, string[] fields);
int SendReliableCommand(byte flags, string opcode, string[] fields);
These two methods allow sending a single command packet to the remote host associated with the IConnection object. The opcode and fields can be any data the host application recognizes, valid values for the flags are given below (from Constants.cs):
//Command packet flags
public static byte FLAGS_NONE = 0;
public static byte FLAGS_CONNECTIONLESS = 1;
public static byte FLAGS_ENCRYPTED = 2;
public static byte FLAGS_COMPOUNDPIECE = 4;
public static byte FLAGS_COMPOUNDEND = 8;
public static byte FLAGS_RELIABLE = 16;
public static byte FLAGS_SEQUENCED = 32;
Of the flags available in the Constants.cs file, only one should ever be used manually in the method calls, and that is FLAGS_SEQUENCED which applies a sequencing to unreliable packets. The other flags are automatically set by Genesis and should not be changed by the host application.
It is possible to broadcast a command packet to multiple remote hosts using the following methods in the IGenesisUDP interface:
int SendUnreliableCommandToAll(BroadcastFilter filter,
byte flags, string opcode, string[] fields);
int SendReliableCommandToAll(BroadcastFilter filter,
byte flags, string opcode, string[] fields);
These methods work exactly the same as the first two, except they take broadcast filter flags, which are defined in Constants.cs as:
public enum BroadcastFilter : int
None = 0, //Filter out everything
Servers = 1, //Send to servers we are connected to.
Clients = 2, //Send to clients connected to us.
All = Servers | Clients,
//Send to both servers
//and clients (every connection).
AuthedOnly = 4,//Only send to authed clients or servers we are authed with.
This allows the broadcast to be limited to servers, clients, and optionally only those connections that have successfully been authenticated.
It is important to note that the events in Genesis are thrown on a separate thread - not the UI thread. This means that the Invoke method is needed to pass the event to the UI thread, if changing UI elements is your goal. The chat server uses this technique to change the UI based on event data.
When the StopListen method is called, Genesis automatically sends out a disconnection packet to all of the remote hosts connected to it to inform them that it is shutting down.
The only method within Genesis that can take a hostname instead of an IP is RequestConnect. All other methods need an explicit IP address.
This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.
A list of licenses authors might use can be found here
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text:
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"In our dealings with Dean Group, we have always been provided with quality personnel in a timely manner. It has always been a pleasure dealing with Dean for their expertise, personal commitment, and energy to meet our goals."- Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment


text:
The sequel to my Morrowind mod Desert Region. This puts the Desert Region gang several millennia in the future in the state of California.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
Just a preview of what will come in next month's release.


text:
Fueled by a burgeoning economy, shoppers have slowly but surely rekindled their love affair with plastic. A new MasterCard analysis shows that in 2012, U.S. credit card volume grew by $172 billion year-over-year, an increase of 8.4%.
We've pretty much done a complete 180 since the onset of the recession. Back in 2008, Americans shifted more than $140 billion from credit to debt card spending.
You could say consumers are simply feeling more secure about their ability to handle credit card bills these days. But looking closer at the study, we found two dangerous signs that we could be getting in over our heads again.
More than half of credit users say they continuously carry a balance on their accounts and 54% of consumers say they use credit for rewards, up a full 9 points from 2008.
Credit lenders are incentivizing overspending and consumers are clearly taking the bait.
Already, we can see the effect rewards are having on credit use. The average credit card transaction is only $93, signaling that consumers are leaning on credit even for everyday purchases in order to get rewards.
Warning Signs
Credit perks are all well and good if you're planning on paying your card down each month. But what's the point in cashing in credit rewards if you're dragging your credit score down and running the risk of paying late payment fees in the process?
There's real danger in relying on credit cards just for a few extra cashback points. First of all, carrying balance on your credit card is one of the easiest ways to lower your credit score. You're basically telling lenders that you're willing to rack up charges without having the means to pay them off in quick fashion.
"The amount of debt a consumer carries tends to be highly predictive of future credit performance because the amount a person owes has a direct impact on her or his ability to pay all their credit obligations on time each month," says Barry Paperno, consumer operations manager for myFICO.com. "While having debt doesn't automatically put someone in a high-risk category, as balances increase, the probability of having difficulty making payments on time each month increases."
In an ideal world, everyone would pay down their credit card balance in full each month. Realistically speaking, most experts recommend keeping your total debt load at one-third of your available credit limit.
We'd recommend going even further. A recent FICO report found that people with the highest credit scores typically carried debt loads less than 7% of their total limits.
A good rule of thumb: If you're about to use a credit card, just ask yourself if you'd be making that purchase if you were using cash instead. If the answer is no, chances are you're better off keeping that card parked in your wallet.


text:
There's classic, and there's stuck in the past. There's timeless, and there's timelessness that adapts to changing times. With an unwavering focus to make our best even better we took our anthem, the 51-30, and brought it forward. We kept the same burly design and molded dial features that made the 51-30 a Nixon favorite for years, and we joined them with a flyweight titanium construction. This, combined with a hardened mineral crystal, make this watch the lightest and strongest model in the 51-30 family. The result is a timepiece that takes tradition to an nontraditional place.
Movement: Swiss made quartz 3 hand, Ronda 513AIG6.
Dial: Inverted 51-30 Titanium dial with Superlum hands and indices.
Case: 51mm Custom Titanium case and bezel with hardened mineral crystal.
Band: Titanium 3 link band with stainless steel double locking closure with micro adjustment.


text:
Whitetails of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization representing whitetail farmers and hunting preserves in the state of Wisconsin.
Our mission is to promote Wisconsin's whitetail deer farmers and this specialty livestock industry. Our goal is to help educate those interested in raising whitetail deer and share information regarding whitetail deer breeding, production and health care. W.O.W. also assists its members in marketing their deer products and hunting preserves within the state and nationally.
Whitetails of Wisconsin is very active in lobbying efforts with the state legislative and government departments. W.O.W. works to see that laws and regulations are fair and encourage a vibrant whitetail farming sector in Wisconsin.
This website is full of useful information regarding our Association and whitetail deer farming in general. If you have any questions, please use the Contact Us form.
Member Services:
WI Bucks
Farm Directory
Hunting Ranches
Associates Directory
Classified Ads
Association Menu:
About WOW
Board of Directors
Membership Information
Contact Us
Other Resources:
Media Center
Upcoming Events
Industry News
Resource Links
Library Articles


text:
filming underground with the BBC
As well as organising bespoke activities to meet your needs, we keep a diary of regular activities which are 'open', so that you can just book a place.
We use Eventbrite which is a well regarded event booking system, however you can also contact us by phone, email or via the form on the right
We can provide activities to meet your needs, but need a little information in order to give you a quote.
Please fill in the form below and we will get back to you as quickly as we can. There is no obligation and we are always happy to help.


text:
UPDATE: $100,000 Reward Offered in Cold Spring Officer Tom Decker's Case
COLD SPRING - Dive teams are back in the Sauk River in Cold Spring today (Monday)searching for a 20 gauge shotgun authorities believe was used to kill Officer Tom Decker.
During a news conference this afternoon, the BCA's Drew Evans says the dive teams are expected to be in the water today and tomorrow (Tuesday). He says they still believe it was a shotgun that was used in the killing of Decker, despite a report released over the weekend that indicates officer Greg Reiter saw the shooter holding a handgun.
He says they're also looking for the public's help to find the owner of a van seen in the area of the shooting.
Evans says the van they are searching for was seen in the parking lot around the time of the shooting, then headed west down Main Street.
Authorities also announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the cast. They have two electronic billboards up in St. Cloud, as well as a paper billboard in Cold Spring. There have been over 200 tips so far.
To make an anonymous tip:
1-877-782-5683 for the Stearns County Tip Line
1-877-996-6222 for the BCA Tip Line
email a tip to the BCA
In light of a police report that came out over the weekend, reporters also asked a lot of questions about the second officer that was at the scene that night, part-time officer Greg Reiter. However, Evans gave few additional details. He says Reiter has been interviewed several times and continues to be cooperative. Reiter is on standard administrative leave right now. One reporter asked if Reiter is considered to be a suspect. Evans would not answer that question directly. Evans was also asked if Reiter acted appropriately, which he declined to comment on as well.
The man who was arrested an hour after the shooting, 34-year-old Ryan Larson, remains a person of interest, even though he has not been charged.


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Collected here is a listing of the program items that will be held in English. This should be final, but if I spot changes later on, I'll update them here. Duration of the items is one hour unless specified otherwise.
- 15.00 Science in Science Fiction (Pannuhalli)
How much is enough science in science fiction? And how much is TOO much? Tommy Persson (chair), Toni Jerrman, Alastair Reynolds, Johan Jönsson, J. Pekka Mäkelä
- 16.00 Adam Roberts Interview (Valssaamo)
- 17.00 On Writing: The GoHs are interviewed on writing (Merikaapelihalli)
- 18.?? (after the opening ceremony) George R.R. Martin GoH Speech (Merikaapelihalli)
- 11.00 The New Breed—Modern Vampire Mythos (Pannuhalli)
Ever since Anne Rice introduced vampire Lestat to the unsuspecting audience, the children of the night have transformed from blood-thirsty Balkan nobility into something a bit more… sexier and about as blood-thirsty. Tanja Sihvonen (chair), George R.R. Martin, Tarja Rainio, Päivi Väätänen
- 14.00–15.30 George R.R. Martin GoH Interview (Merikaapelihalli)
- 15.00 Alastair Reynolds Speaks and Reads (Valssaamo)
- 16.00 Hugo 2009 Discussion (Turbiinisali)
The panel of experts say what they think about the current crop of the Hugo Award nominees. Marianna Leikomaa (chair), Ben Roimola, Tommy Persson, Cheryl Morgan, Adam Roberts
- 17.00–18.30 Adam Roberts Speech (Turbiinisali)
- 18.00 Alastair Reynolds GoH Interview (Pannuhalli)
- 11.00 Journey into Space (Turbiinisali)
Have space, will travel. A serious discussion about possibilities, fantasies and realites of the space travel. Alastair Reynolds, Antti Oikarinen
- 12.00 Big Is Better But Small Is Beautiful (Pannuhalli)
Does fantasy have to be big and epic? Is there room for something less grandeur? General preconception of fantasy still tends to veer toward the door stopping bulky pseudo medieval mammoth, but that is not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Jukka Halme (chair), George R.R. Martin, Johan Anglemark, Markku Soikkeli, Cheryl Morgan
- 13.00–15.00 Researchers' Field-Trips to SF (Watti-Kela)
SF Research in Finland: A Report from the FINFAR Meeting. Merja Polvinen; The Rise of Post-Pulp: Jack Vance's Dying Earth Series. Mika Loponen; others TBA
- 14.00 Book Talk (Turbiinisali)
What to read when all the translated books have been read? Jukka Halme (chair), Cheryl Morgan, Hannu Blommila, Marianna Leikomaa
- 15.00 Book Then, Book Now, Book in the Future (Valssaamo)
Book is a book, except when it's not. The future of book is the question: will there still be books as we know them now? Is the electronic version The Way or is there a third alternative? Jukka Halme (chair), Tommy Persson, Johan Jönsson, Alastair Reynolds, Juhani Hinkkanen
- 16.00 Doctor Who (Valssaamo)
Travel with the Timelord through time and space. Kristoffer Lawson.
- 17.00 George R.R. Martin Reading (Merikaapelihalli)
Update July 7: Minor corrections to program participants
Update July 1: Researchers's Field-Trips to SF added (Sunday)


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Filter Regulator Lube Packs Reduce Valve Operation Hazards
Smith Flow Control has introduced a series of filter regulator lube (FRL) packs to ensure the right amount of torque is set to the company's Easi-Drive system. FRL packs manage the output available to drive the valve, preventing human error that can result in improper use of the system.
Easi-Drive is a valve operating system that actuates hard-to-operate valves in power plants, oil refineries and water and chemical processing facilities. It is suitable for use wherever there are manually operated valves with high-operating torques.
FRL packs have been designed in a range of colors, so they can be identified and applied correctly to a range of valve systems. Packs can be factory-set on a second regulator to limit the pressure to the specially calibrated torque device, reducing the output available to drive the valve. This means that even though an operator can adjust the first regulator, the second will be set to a maximum pressure point that can never be surpassed.
The FRL packs have been adapted to include storage for the pneumatic gun, making it easy to carry the equipment and assemble the system on site.


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What is this website about?
- This is the blog where I put my cute things.
Who is Laurel Green?
- Laurel is an oversized female lemur, born in 1987, in southern Ontario.
How do I contact Laurel Green?
- You can email Laurel at: [email protected]
- You can tweet me at: @Laurel_Green
- You can friend me on facebook at: facebook.com/green.laurel
- You can like my facebook page at: facebook.com/LaurelGreenBook
- You can add me to your Google+ circles at: google.com/+LaurelGreenPlus
- You can add the page for this blog to your Google+ circles at: plus.google.com/103862424758776170346
- You can join my Google+ community at: plus.google.com/communities/110114411056336170528
- You can follow my Pinterest boards at: pinterest.com/laurelgreen
- You can follow my tumblr at: tumblr.laurelgreen.com
- You can follow my Instagram feed at: instagram.com/laurel_green
What are your commenting policies?
- Please do not use obscenities.
- Please do not spam.
- Feel free to comment on ancient posts. I like knowing that my old stuff is still getting noticed
- Please talk to me. I'm so lonely.
May I share things from this website on other sites, like Pinterest or tumblr?
- You can share my stuff wherever you like, as long as you credit me and leave any watermarks or signatures intact.
- Please do not leech my images.
- If you wish to use my work or derivatives of my work for commercial purposes, you must contact me and obtain my permission.
This work by Laurel Green is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Hey! I can't find the post I'm looking for! Where is it?
- If you are having trouble finding a post you can try looking in the sitemap or the archives. There is also a searchbar in the sidebar.
There are so many different sections to this website, how can I possibly keep track of them all?
- You can go check out the Splash Page to see snippets from the newest posts of each section, check my Twitter, check out my Updates Tumblr, or you can subscribe to the amalgamated RRS feed.


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CRYSTAL PURSE, WATCHES, EARRINGS & ACCESSORIESCRYSTAL READERS, SUNGLASSES & EYEWEAR ACCESSORIESON SALEOther
Crystalls Accessories is the clear-cut source for all your austrian crystal accessory needs. Featuring delicate and custom created accessory items, all handcrafted with genuine Swarovski crystals. Crystalls.com offers quick, secure, and convenient online shopping with a rich array of products to choose from.
We accept the following payment methods for U.S. Domestic Orders:
Standard shipments are delivered solely in the United States via USPS or UPS Ground Service. The cost is a convenient flat rate, depending on the total amount of the order:
Express shipments:Express Delivery shipments are delivered via UPS Air Service.
Please note: Express service is for delivery in the United States only. Surcharge may be applied to all shipments sent to Hawaii and Alaska. There will be an additional charge on all express shipments. Please email: firstname.lastname@example.com for further details.
Multiple shipments:It is possible to ship items from one order to three different addresses within the United States. The cost of a multiple shipment is the same as standard or overnight, plus a $10 handling fee for the second and third additional shipping address.
Delivery time: If you're trying to estimate when a package will be delivered, consider the following:
International: Payment is accepted via PayPal Service for international orders. International shipping and handling charges will apply to your order. Receiving party may be responsible for additional payments for duties and taxes.
All items are custom made to your order specifications. Therefore, we do not allow returns or exchanges. This also applies to all sale items. If an item is shipped and received damaged, notify us immediately and we will replace it with the identical item.
All claims must be made within 5 days upon order delivery. No shipments will be accepted in return without a valid return authorization. Authorized items must be returned in its original, new, and unused condition.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
Other questions?
For product information or sales questions please email: firstname.lastname@example.com questions on orders, to place special or international orders email: firstname.lastname@example.com all other questions or for additional information email: email@example.com


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DEVI was a film the devout and the conservative in the 1960s did not take kindly to. But as a conservative of the present time, I find the film an accurate depiction of social reality in the begining of the century that went by.
A landlord (Kalikinkor)'s devotion for the Mother Goddess and his affection for his daughter-in-law (Doyamoyee) is one day combined in his dreams (in which the images of the two are juxtaposed) and he is convinced that the daughter-in-law is an incarnation of the Mother Goddess. The lady is publicly pronounced as such when a beggar boy (on whom the doctors had given up) is completely cured after being placed on her lap. Her husband (Umaprosad)'s attempt to flee with her to the city is foiled by her own fears and insecurities. Things come to a sad end when her so-called divine powers fail to cure her nephew (her elder brother-in-law's son who she was particularly attached to) and the boy dies. Her husband, a rationalist deeply infuenced by Brahmo thought, accuses his father of murdering the boy. Doyamoyee loses sanity.
The story, penned by Probhat Kumar Mukhopadhyaya, is originally said to have been plotted by Rabindranath Tagore.
Brahmo rationalism is upheld by Umaprosad, who not only regards his father's religious orthodoxy an outcome of the pre-modern system of education, but is also prepared to help out a friend wed a widow (considered sacrilege in the Hindoo society of those times). In the course of a heated exchange with his father after the latter declares Doyamoyee the Godess incarnate, Umaprosad accuses him of having taken leave of his senses.
The conflict of tradition and modernity has been very ably depicted in this film by the Master. It is wrong to say that Hindoo religion was given a bad name in DEVI . If there was a villain in this film, it was the superstition that pervaded Hindoo society in Bengal at the turn of the last century. A must-see.


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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed the first comprehensive national system for reporting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by major sources in the United States.
"Our efforts to confront climate change must be guided by the best possible information," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Through this new reporting, we will have comprehensive and accurate data about the production of greenhouse gases. This is a critical step toward helping us better protect our health and environment – all without placing an onerous burden on our nation's small businesses."
Source: EPA


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Jerry Sandusky Scandal
Jerry Sandusky transferred to state prison in Greene County
Convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky essentially will spend the rest of his life in solitary confinement.
Sandusky, 68, was transferred today to a maximum-security state prison in southwestern Pennsylvania where he will be confined to his cell for all but one hour a day as he serves his 30-to-60-year sentence.
The former Penn State football coach will be in "protective custody" at State Correctional Institution at Greene, which is outside Waynesburg, Greene County, and houses many of the state's death-row inmates.
Prison officials assigned Sandusky to restricted housing like this out of concern for his safety from other inmates.
"Given the high-profile nature of this individual, coupled with the nature of his crimes, this makes him very vulnerable in a prison setting," said state corrections secretary John Wetzel in a statement.
Last week, the former Penn State football coach was taken from the Centre County Correctional Facility to the state prison processing center in Camp Hill to evaluate which prison would suit his needs the best.
Sandusky's attorney Joe Amendola said he is analyzing the assignment and will consider what to do next.
Corrections Department spokeswoman Susan McNaughton said Sandusky will spend 22 to 23 hours a day in his cell, and when he is out, he will have extra supervision and escort.
Sandusky will be allowed one hour of exercise a day and showers three times a week. Sandusky can have a TV, radio and other personal property with permission from the prison.
Meals will be served in his cell, as are other prison services such as counseling, religion and medication.
He is allowed visitors, but they will be no-contact visits.
Sandusky is asking for a new trial on the grounds his attorneys did not have enough time to prepare his defense on child sex abuse charges.
SCI-Greene is an 1,800 bed facility and houses most of the state's death-row inmates. It's about 25 miles south of Sandusky's hometown of Washington.


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He Was Never a Real Yankee, But…
Yesterday, one of the biggest pitchers of our generation stepped down and retired. And he was big not only in terms of his height, but what he accomplished on the baseball field.
Pitcher Randy Johnson (all 6'10" of him) better known by his famous nickname "The Big Unit," announced his retirement from baseball after 22 illustrious seasons. He stepped down at the young age of 46, proving that 40 is pretty much the new 30.
Over the course of his 22 seasons in the majors, Johnson pitched for six teams; The Montreal Expos, the Seattle Mariners, the Houston Astros, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the New York Yankees, and he finished his career in 2009 as a member of the San Francisco Giants.
Johnson accomplished so much over the course of his career and he is basically a dead lock for a first ballot Hall of Fame induction. He made 10 All Star Game appearances and tossed a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves on May 18, 2004.
He won Five Cy Young Awards, 303 Games, a World Series Championship and a World Series Most Valuable Player Award (he shared the honor in 2001 with teammate Curt Schilling as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who beat the Yankees in the '01 fall classic).
With the type of career he had, he practically deserves his own room in Cooperstown.
Oftentimes people wonder how he got the nickname "Big Unit." When Johnson was a member of the Expos back in 1988, his teammate Tim Raines accidentally collided with him in a batting practice session. Raines exclaimed, "You really are a big unit!"
The rest, as they say, is history.
I've only had the pleasure of seeing Johnson pitch one time, of course as a member of the New York Yankees. The night was June 21, 2005, Yankees vs. the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Yankee Stadium. I was so psyched to see this future Hall of Famer pitch a game for my favorite team.
Unfortunatley the Big Unit had a rough night.
Johnson scattered seven earned runs behind eight hits in just three innings, giving Tampa Bay a commanding 7-2 lead by the end of the third inning. He walked a batter, struck out three, and gave up three home runs.
It was frustrating to watch, but believe it or not, the Yankees came back and won the game, beating Tampa Bay by a score of 20-11. By the end of the game, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, and Gary Sheffield all hit home runs (Sheffield even left the park twice!)
Yes, the final box score looked like something you might see at Giants Stadium across the river, but I was just thankful the Yankees won. It was an eventful game to say the least!
Although Johnson had a miserable outing, I can vividly remember the reception he got when he jogged out to the bullpen to warm up before the start of the game; the crowd roared for him and showed him a lot of respect; all the respect well-deserved for a pitcher of his caliber. He just didn't fit in with the Yankees and that was evident from the moment he got to New York.
When he first arrived in the Big Apple, Johnson went to take a physical examination in Manhattan. A CBS camera crew caught him and tried to follow him around the City while asking him questions. Johnson got annoyed and shouted angrily at the cameraman, resulting in a confrontation.
Sure enough, all over the newspapers and media outlets the next day was the Big Unit, slapping away the camera. He apologized for the incident, but everyone I talked to said they didn't think he could handle New York after what had happened. Those thoughts were well-founded, because after just two seasons in pinstripes, he was gone.
As a member of the Yankees, Johnson won 34 games, had some rough postseason starts, and was involved in a little scrap on the streets of Manhattan. But on the bright side, he never lost to the Red Sox when he faced them.
Following 2006, Johnson had one more year left on his contract with the Yankees. However, he asked for a trade back to Arizona, where he spent most of his career and a good portion of his life. His brother had died and he wanted to be closer to his family, so he asked for the trade and the Yanks granted him his wish.
I will always feel that his heart and soul was never in New York, but always with the Diamondbacks and in the National League in general. To me he was never an American League pitcher, even after all the years he spent with the Mariners.
When I think of Johnson, I think of the National League because almost everything that he really ever accomplished came when he pitched there. And that isn't a bad thing; it's good that he was able to find a niche in the NL and have such a successful career pitching in that league.
My congratulations to you, Mr. Johnson. You are truly one of a kind and one of the all-time greats. With such prodigious longevity you will undoubtedly be in the Hall of Fame some day. Nice work!


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Norwest Auto sales has been your choice for Buy Here Pay Here Auto Sales in the same location for over twenty five years. We are very proud of our return and referral business and feel it says a lot about the way we deal with our customers. Having built relationships in the community allows us to offer a large variety of pre-owned and lease return vehicles. Please call or come by to see how easy it is!
We offer in-house financing based on your length of employment and time residence (6 months minimum on both.) Down payments are between 20% and 30% based on the price of the vehicle. Please be advised that our standard interest rate is 20% with no credit check. A lower interest rate may be available based on your credit score.
3 year (36 month) financing available on select vehicles for approved applicants! Please take note, we cannot approve you online. Please come in to fill out an application. Call or e-mail us and we will send one. Thanks for your interest!
We can also bind insurance on site in most cases!


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Celebrate your love in a Couples Boudoir Photoshoot! A great gift to capture the connection you have on camera!
After arriving at the studio you will enjoy a style consultation, after this the lady will recieve an expert make-up session followed by hair styling. The professional photographer will capture you both in different poses together, and with background changes will work with you to create the perfect setting to capture each shot. After the session you can view your images* and select aan A4 print to take home.
As an added touch to make the experience even more special, you can also enjoy £50.00 off wallhangings and £50.00 off albums or portfolios if you are struggling to choose just one image!
A great gift for couples for Valentine's Day, a fun gift for friends for a birthday or a gift experience to mark a happy occasion.
What's included:
- 3 hour photo shoot in your own lingerie and accessories
- View images after the session and select a complimentary A4 print
- £50 off wallhangings
- £50 off albums or portfolios
- A £30 booking deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your appointment and is refunded at the viewing
*Instant viewing may not be available in some studios, but a convenient date and time to return and view your images will be arranged
Detailed Information
- For one couple boudoir portrait photo shoot consisting of various images being taken in your own lingerie and accessories.
- Studios are not allowed to offer semi-nude or artistic nude genres of photography
- Strictly over 18's only
- Please allow 3 hours per photoshoot experience including viewing time in some studios
- You will receive one complimentary A4 print. You have the option to purchase additional prints after your shoot but are under no obligation.
- Gift recipients must be UK residents
- Available Monday to Sunday depending on location. All dates & times are subject to availabilty - please check when booking
- Instant viewing may not be available in some studios, but a convenient date and time to return and view your images will be arranged
- A fully refundable booking deposit of £30 must be paid at time of booking, this is refunded at the viewing if cancelled with at least 48 hours prior notice to the session
- Deposits will be lost if you fail to attend your appointment unless cancelled or rearranged within 48 hours of making the booking


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What's "action short of strike action"?
What's "action short of strike action"? Loud and sustained tutting?
Hewlett-Packard workers have voted in favour of strike action in the UK, following a ballot among members of the Unite union who complained about 150 customer engineers being shunted over to a subsidiary company. Unite said 77 per cent of members at HP voted for a staff walkout, while 85 per cent called on "action short of …
"we will take the necessary measures to deliver the services that our clients require"
They could have done that in the first place, if they had not been so keen to cut staff to levels that prevent delivery of services. Sooner or later, share owners will wake up to the fact that Hurd doesn't care if the company goes down the tubes, he's just in it for himself.
I'm sorry, but we are pricate sector white collar workers in IT - everyone in the industry has seen pay cuts, redundancies, reduction in benefits, end of final salary pensions, etc - it is unfortunately a fact that in the current climate, things had to change. These people who are talking about striking need to think about what it is really going to do to help the situation and whether they are truly that hard done by in the bigger picture! I'm sure plenty of people would love to be in their position. I don't suppose they would have been that sympathetic to the people who have joined the industry in the last 10 years who never even had the chance of a final salary pension whilst they were accumulating vast sums!
We know about losses, we havent had pay rises for 10yrs, we have had other benifits cut. The point here is our savings will go to the managers at higher level who have brought about this change, they will get massive bonuses on top of thier bloated salaries for screwing us over.
What we dont like is the calas way this has been done and the fact that we have ended up with the bare minimum, if the employer as they stated did in fact engage with the union and negotiate then there wouldnt be a problem.
So I take it Man Mountain you have gone in to work today and asked for a 30% cut in your pay have you? because when you calculate the loss of pension and other benifits thats how much some of us are down, you add this on top of the no pay rises for 10yrs and you looking at somewhere around about 40-50% cut in our total rewards so dont go on like we dont know about cuts.
I would actually be willing to take a temporary pay cut if my company was in trouble, the truth of the matter is the share price has never been higher and we are making Billions of pounds of profit every quater. They are just sqeezing us because its an easy way to improve profit margins so the big wigs can give themselves justified massive bonuses. You wait I bet Hurd gets many times his salary in a bonus.
When I joined HP as a Customer Engineer 30+ years ago we weren't just the best of the breed, we were recognised as such by the industry in independent customer surveys year on year. We were all devoted to the mission of giving superior customer service. But all that changed when Hewlett and Packard handed over the reins, and succeeding CEO's saw to it that the family silver was put up for sale to squeeze that last 0.1% profit increase out of the quarters results.
Today, the industry might think that Hurd is the greatest gift to company profit making, but in reality he's nothing more than a barrow boy who knows how to make a quick deal in the marketplace. The shareholders are only interested in their own smutty profits and don't give a damn about long term performance. The things that once made HP a great company have long gone, and to be fair to Hurd that happened in the decade before he came along. But he's cheap garbage regardless.
Hewlett and Packard were giants in terms of their leadership abilities. Those that have taken over the reins since would need a stepladder to reach the pigmy division of the scale that H&P trod before them.
Good luck guys, I feel for you. My years of being an HP Customer Engineer took place in the days when HP actually respected us and treated us like decent citizens.
Please try and put a positive spin on this fantastic company move!
How will we notice a difference with a work-to-rule with HP engineers? One of the big reasons we got rid of all our PHUX kit was the lack of ability to deal with items not on the PH engineers script.
Not exactly cutting edge if you see what I mean.
Having said that - there used to be some good engineers; the quality of engineers fell dramatically just when the Compaq screwup happened. The good engineers left - which was a shame because despite PHUX, the kit was reasonable but did have the tendency to die more freqently than any other kit in the DC. Perhaps there's a correlation. Who knows? Who cares, it all got skipped anyway.
One day, and it may be a few years off yet, people will start to remember customer service and with any luck historic crap from companies like HP will count against them. I for one am tired of the additional cost of small items that should just be part of a service. The little things that grease the wheels of contract life. All this messing with support staff impacts us customers but we still don't see any reduction in charges or have much of a say in how service is delivered. I think come rebid time the ITT should countain an ethical staff approach clause and have bidders show how they have treated staff and services.
I feel for you guys, but life isn;t going to change anytime soon. But one day.....


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From a proposed temporary main stadium at the heart of Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid, to newly designed ecofriendly shelters with a shelf life of 18 months being sent to Afghanistan, to a gallery enclosure for the 2008 Venice Biennale made entirely of string, the walls that define modern living space – the architecture of today – are becoming increasingly ephemeral. Driven at one extreme by a cultural thirst for "the new" and at another by rising global needs of displaced populations, this dematerialization will only continue to expand, say architects and cultural analysts. And as money for big-ticket buildings runs scarce and pressures to reduce humanity's environmental impact mount, a symbiosis between experimental and utilitarian elements in the architectural landscape can only grow.
"We are becoming a temporary society," says New York architect Marc Spector.
"There is an accelerating temporality to modern life," says Los Angeles designer Benjamin Ball, whose firm, Ball-Nogues specializes in provisional structures.
This is due in part to the fact that attitudes toward physical space in the developed world have altered dramatically, says Roberta Feldman, who teaches a course on the psychology of space at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "We used to place a huge value on permanence and place, but that's gone," she says, adding "we want the novel, the next, and we're happy to throw away and move on in order to accommodate that." At the same time, growing populations of refugees, disaster victims, and homeless around the globe (the United Nations currently estimates the number of internally displaced persons at 25 million worldwide), are bringing home the increasingly urgent need for creative solutions for impermanent communities.
"We need both the experimental and the useful practitioners at a time like this," says Charlie Hailey, author of "Camps: A Guide to 21st-Century Space." The festival and art circuit have become rich birthing grounds for inventiveness, says Mr. Ball, who recently supervised provisional structures for the Coachella music and art festival, a three-day event in the California desert. The architect worked with a team of students at Southern California Institute of Architecture (Sci-Arc), a professional school in downtown L.A., to brainstorm artful but practical answers to the needs and wants of festivalgoers. "Elastic Plastic Sponge," an elaborate confection made of lavender- and khaki-toned PVC piping, was both an illuminated sculpture that lit up the night sky with a soft purple glow and also a misting station for parched patrons as they reveled in 100-plus degree F. heat.
Remnants of the enclosure appeared in the school's Sci-Arc's recent student show downtown. "After this, the materials will be recycled," says Colleen Elkins, Sci-Arc director of development, as she strolls past the jumbled pile of pipes.
Such a brief life cycle is a large attraction for architects, says Ball, many of whom used to wait years to realize a single creation in the real world. "Now there's been this blurring of the line between art and architects," he points out, one that allows designers to try out new ideas much more quickly. This ability to conceive even grand architecture in temporary terms becomes important when a community demands change, as they have in Chicago, where many residents have demanded a low-impact Olympics in the city's 2016 bid.
A traveling exhibit from New York's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, "Design for the Other 90%," addresses the question of how to translate the freewheeling creativity of a festival setting into useful design. Featured are such items as the Global Village Shelter, a prefabricated, biodegradable laminated cardboard "home" that can be assembled without tools and has been sent to Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Pakistan during recent natural disasters. The new materials, manufactured by Weyerhaeuser, will last up to a year and a half. The exhibit is funded in part by the Lemelson Foundation in Portland, Ore., a nonprofit that seeks out and supports innovative design. Executive director Julia Novy-Hildesley says she has seen a significant shift among young designers in the past decade. "It used to be, not too long ago," she says, "they were all interested in consumer items like making the next jet-ski pack or a really cool toothpaste tube." Now, she says, there is a new sense of moral imperative. "They all want to make the next ecofriendly shelter. They all want to have an impact for the betterment of the planet," she adds.
There may be no more vivid intersection of the wildly experimental and the practical than Burners Without Borders (BWB), a spinoff of the annual Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert of Nevada – an event devoted to spontaneous, low-impact community creation.
Spawned in 2005 in the wake of hurricane Katrina, the shoestring, all-volunteer BWB works to inspire recruits from around the globe to take the lessons gleaned from their years of creating themed art camps with few resources and apply them to "burning" human needs. The team is currently at work in places such as Pisco, Peru, where they have created a water sanitation system for victims displaced by the recent magnitude 8.0 earthquake.
"We wanted to take all that crazy, experimental energy and pull it back to the other side," says Carmen Mauk, BWB director. To encourage others to do the same, the group recently scraped together $6,500 to disperse grants to 15 similar projects around the world. "We decided to do our own little stimulus package," she adds.
Such communal effort is a hallmark of design in the future, says Mr. Hailey, as is the increasing attention to a concept of architecture as an idea. "We may find that communities will no longer rely on the big monuments such as stadiums or concert halls to define themselves," he says. He suggests that whereas city leaders will not lose an interest in iconic structures such as the Frank Gehry-designed museum in Bilbao, Spain, which became a magnet for economic development and led to the term "the Bilbao effect," they will increasingly rely on temporary constructs instead. He points to such evanescent creations as the artist Christo's "The Gates," in Manhattan's Central Park, as an example of a large-scale, highly engineered, but fleeting work that also served the purpose of helping to define the city's artistic but also functional landscape.
"In the future," he says, "we will begin to see more of the Bilbao effect, but on the fly."


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We Are The World Wrecks
As you've probably guessed by now, most of the wrecks on this site are made right here in the good ol' US of A. Which may be a sad point of pride, but we'll take it. (America! Heck yeah!!)
Still, in an effort to give our American bakers a much-needed shot of schadenfreude, we've decided to search through 16,000 submissions to find a few wrecks from other countries.
"But Jen," you're thinking, "isn't that kind of like William Shatner picking on Andrea Boccelli for singing a single note slightly off-key one time while he had a cold?"
Yeah, kind of.
Are we going to do it anyway?
Heck yeah!!
From Denmark:
I'm not sure if these are actually cakes or just giant Danishes, but whichever it is, keep in mind that someone thought the green icing was helping.
From Egypt:
You might think camouflage triangles, shooting stars, and neon splattered rings would be a little crazy, but that white pom pom thing really pulls it all together.
From Taiwan:
I don't know what it is, but I think it wants to kill me.
From Morocco:
Is that...Doc? From Snow White? Hey, I think it's Doc!
No, wait. The little trees are all knocked over.
Must be Sneezy.
From Iran:
That's either a fish or a rubber chicken. Final answer.
Courtesy of the Ivory Coast, here's one way to cover up messy handwriting:
From our friends over in China:
Say, is your tank dripping, or are you just happy to see me?
And finally, from Mexico:
I will now yell at a Mexican cake in a bad Scottish accent.
"Heed! Down in front!
"Would you look at the size of that girl's head? That's a 'uge noggin'! It's a virtual planetoid! It has its own weather system!"
Thanks to Stephanie B., Heather B., Alisa K., Cindy P., Lisa, Amanda D., Jacquie B., & Clau for that veritable tapestry of nations. A world showcase, if you will, providing illuminations for our own American Adventure.


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The FCC, acting with unusual speed, has taken the regulatory lash to Verizon. Last year, the company launched a "retention program" designed to keep customers who were thinking about switching from Verizon landline service to phone service from Comcast, Time Warner, or Bright House. Those customers were then contacted and offered "discounts and American Express reward cards" to stay with Verizon.
That doesn't sound so bad, except that Verizon contacted customers only after a phone number transfer request was in process from the new phone company. As FCC Republican commissioner Robert McDowell put it for the majority (PDF), "Today's action underscores long-held Commission policy that using proprietary customer information for marketing efforts cannot take place during the window of time when a customer's phone number is being switched."
You don't really want to
leave Verizon, do you?
When customers attempt to switch a phone number, a complex industry-crafted process goes on behind the scenes. As part of that process, Verizon gets tipped off that one of its customers is about to jump ship. It contacts them, offers incentives, and tries to convince them to stay on—none of which it could have done without the notification. The FCC notes that such retention marketing would have been fine if done before the customer tried to switch; "win back" programs after a switch would have been acceptable, too. But doing it in the middle of the process, using proprietary information provided to Verizon only for the purpose of smoothly switching carriers, crossed the line.
Unlike some important FCC decisions, today's was a 4-1 that didn't break down along party lines. Chairman Kevin Martin found himself the odd man out.
"Customer retention marketing is a form of aggressive competition that has the potential to benefit consumers through lower prices and expanded service offerings," he said in a statement. "Moreover, the cable companies engage in such practices to keep their video customers from switching to other providers. I am therefore disappointed that the Commission would prohibit these practices, which promote competition and benefit consumers and particularly disappointed that they would do so and prohibit practices from only one class of companies."
That statement, going as it does against the other four commissioners, won't do much to help Martin overcome the widespread perception in tech policy circles that he routinely favors the telephone companies.
Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat, characterized the decision differently (PDF). "There is nothing pro-consumer about allowing Verizon to wait until a customer decides to terminate service before making the company's best and final offer," he said. "After today's ruling, Verizon will have additional incentive to focus on making sure that all its customers are happy with their service, rather than reserving the red carpet treatment for those who have already decided to leave but whose transfer has not yet been technically implemented."
The complaint, filed earlier this year by the cable operators, orders Verizon to halt the specific retention program in question.


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Right at crossroads on gay marriage
For opponents of same-sex marriage, the hardest part of the fight begins now.
Their agenda lost at the Supreme Court Wednesday, with dual rulings striking down the Defense of Marriage Act and clearing the way for gay unions in California. They're on the wrong end of a sharp shift in national public opinion on gay rights. Even within the GOP, many party leaders wish their core issue – the cause of upholding traditional, heterosexual marriage – would just go away.
Story Continued Below
The Republican and social conservative leaders who have waged the fight against gay marriage know they're in a bad spot nationally. Few have any illusions about the scale of the challenge ahead of them, if they are going to hold the line against same-sex marriage – let alone roll back gay unions in the dozen states where they're already legal.
( PHOTOS: Scenes from SCOTUS during Prop. 8, DOMA arguments)
But this set of beleaguered Christian conservative leaders also knows this: Thirty-six states have gay marriage bans in place, and the electoral base of one of the two major political parties is firmly on their side.
In their view, that means they have time – at least through the 2016 election – to press their case in the court of public opinion, and to lean on the Republican Party in Congress and the states to dig in for the same long fight.
They may have to lean hard, given the all-but-stated preferences of the Republican elite in Washington for skirting social issues – and the open endorsements of same-sex marriage from some of the party's most powerful donors, such as industrialist David Koch and hedge fund investor Paul Singer.
( Also on POLITICO: What DOMA ruling means for gay marriage)
But National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown said the direction of the GOP won't be decided merely "by the political class."
"Any Republican who runs for president will have to support this position. He will lose in the primary if he does not. Period," said Brian Brown, who heads the National Organization for Marriage. "The people who make up the party overwhelmingly support marriage as the union of a man and a woman."
Faith and Freedom Coalition head Ralph Reed, the longtime Christian conservative organizer, predicted a resurgence in activism targeting the courts, as well as pressure on Congress to limit the effect of the DOMA ruling.
"We will now seek the passage of federal legislation to remedy this situation as much as possible given the parameters of the decision," Reed said. "They underscore why people of faith must remain engaged and energetic in seeing genuine conservatives nominated and confirmed to the federal courts."
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins expressed relief that the Court didn't find a civil right to same-sex marriage, giving social conservatives time to try and alert the country to what they view as the unintended consequences of gay marriage.
The former Louisiana politician added, however, that the right has realistic expectations for what they will and will not be able to accomplish in the immediate term.
"I think when [voters] see … parents losing their rights to teach their children, churches losing their religious liberty," said Perkins. "I think you'll have leadership on the issue rising in a more pronounced way. I don't know that it will come from the ranks of politicians. They're not known for having a lot of backbone."
( Also on POLITICO: GOP leadership on DOMA: It's up to the states)
In the near term, traditional marriage advocates said they hope Congress will act to protect preferences for heterosexual marriage in areas like the immigration system – a potential snag in the push for comprehensive immigration reform as the issue heads toward the Republican-held House of Representatives.
The limitations of the political environment, for social conservatives, were on display Wednesday as a range of reluctant reactions trickled in from GOP leaders and the Republican Party's 2016 field.


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Wreck and Roll
Ever thought it was IMPOSSIBLE to have all of your favorite 80s hits in one place? That there was simply NO WAY to hear all of the hottest artists together in one jam-packed jam session? That you could ever only enjoy that much music in some magical world, where thousands of songs could easily fit on a lightweight portable device? Well, you're right. (That would be CRAZY.) So until then, we're offering you the musical deal of a lifetime!!
That's right, with the "Wreckin' Rock Power Mix," you'll never miss a beat. This colossal power-collection comes delivered to your doorstep in 6 dominating power-boxes of 23 LPs or 39 power cassette tapes. That's 846 power-hits!
We'll include the tastiest of licks, like:
"I'm writing on sunshine, whoa-oh! I'm writing on sunshine, whoa-oh! And I bet it tastes good! HeH! Alright now!"
"Ooh, what a feeling! When you're dancing on the... seriously, did you notice that this cake was written on upside-down? Really... look at it again."
Do do dooo do do doo do do doo do do doo do dooo dooooooo."
...and more! You'll never find a more rocktastic compilation of all of the best artists from yesterday and beyond. And if you call now, we'll also include a FREE bonus 8-track cassette of all of the best songs from the 70s! These songs will blast your earholes into another sound dimension!!
Other artists include Emily W., Cassandra B., and Becky W. in the hot 80s trio "The Wreckinettes." Bonus tracks by Susan A., Megan P., Sarah A., and Annie H. from the popular ballad band "Susan and The Wreckies." And of course, no compilation album would be complete without the greatest hits of top rocker hair band, "Possum Wreck Slashers," with vocal styling from Jessica E., Amanda H., and Rachel C. Rock on!!


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Petition Submitted To Require Congress To Wear The Logos Of Their Corporate Donors
from the the-esteemed-Congressman,-brought-to-you-in-part-by... dept
The idea that members of Congress should wear the logos of their corporate sponsors is as old as the internet itself, but it appears that someone's finally doing something about it. (Or at least bringing it to the attention of the current administration where it can be handed a set of talking points.) A petition at "We the People" requests that Congress members switch over to NASCAR-style representation, and wear their "affections" literally on their sleeves.
Since most politicians' campaigns are largely funded by wealthy companies and individuals, it would give voters a better sense of who the candidate they are voting for is actually representing if the company's logo, or individual's name, was prominently displayed upon the candidate's clothing at all public appearances and campaign events. Once elected, the candidate would be required to continue to wear those "sponsor's" names during all official duties and visits to constituents. The size of a logo or name would vary with the size of a donation. For example, a $1 million dollar contribution would warrant a patch of about 4" by 8" on the chest, while a free meal from a lobbyist would be represented by a quarter-sized button. Individual donations under $1000 are exempt.This may seem as frivolous as requesting the construction of a Death Star or the immediate expulsion of Brits who criticize the NRA, but the underlying frustration with today's political world is evident. Many Americans are experiencing the sinking feeling that their future is in the hands of corporations and their purchased legislators, cutting them out of the loop. The periodic call to "throw the bums out" either goes unanswered or just results in a new set of bums
Holding legislators accountable often seems impossible, so if you can't beat 'em, shame 'em. If members of Congress are willing to capitulate to the highest bidder(s), the least they can do is display their true loyalties for all to see. The application of corporate logos would make it obvious at a glance who might be influencing elected officials' stances on various issues. As enjoyable as it would be to see this put into action, the idea itself comes wrapped in its own set of problems.
To begin with, this would place entirely too much importance on the visible logos (or lack thereof), replacing informed opinions with snap judgements. Mistaken conclusions would be drawn. A relatively logo-free Congressman would be perceived as a righteous lawmaker in a sea of purchased sinners, no matter the voting record or moral stature. The wrong conclusion could also be drawn in the opposite direction, turning a legislator's eerie resemblance to a stock car into a maze of twisty corporate conspiracy theories, all alike. Or something in between, like this hypothetical: A Congressman covered in logos of corporations that employ hundreds in his district -- sell-out or man of the people?
Another problem is that no matter what dollar amount is used as the cutoff line, donors will still find a way to get their money into the right hands while avoiding turning "their" legislator into a logoed farce. If the loophole isn't big enough to allow the (relatively) easy flow of money, the law will be amended until it is. No representative wants to look like they're corporate property and very few corporations are willing to roll on ungreased wheels.
Another issue is the distraction factor. If implemented, our already contentious partisan politics will devolve even further, resulting in pointless attacks based on who's wearing what corporate logo, or how many they're wearing. I firmly believe a legislative branch suffering from vapor lock is preferable to one that feels a day without an introduced bill is a wasted day, but sooner or later some important stuff needs to get done. It took our legislators four years to pass a "yearly" budget. Delays like this hurt actual taxpayers. I can only imagine how much longer that particular ordeal would have continued if logo-related arguments were added to the mix.
That brings us to the ultimate problem with this petition: a huge conflict of (self) interest. The very people petitioners want covered in logos are the same people who'd prefer their benefactors remain hidden. Not coincidentally, they're also the people that introduce, vote on and pass laws. It's damn near impossible to push a bill through Congress when a majority of legislators oppose it. And no matter how entertaining this would be, bypassing the legislative process to get this enacted (executive order?) screws with the underlying checks and balances, something no one should be encouraging.
All that being said, I'd still like to see the petition hit the "RESPONSE NEEDED" mark. If nothing else, it will send a message to the administration (and our lawmakers) that the American public views its representatives as little more than water carriers for big business and special interest groups. I'd also like to see the administration's response to this message. Most likely, it will point out that this information is readily available at the government's own Federal Election Commission site, not to mention informational powerhouses like OpenSecrets.org (whose site is much easier to search and navigate). It may also express concern over a loss of "decorum" should this be implemented, what with serviceable dark suits replaced with day-glo blazers covered in corporate logos.
If I had my way, I'd select a third option: have the petition be submitted as a bill and watch legislators go insane trying to take it seriously ("The public has spoken!") while simultaneously finding some way to torpedo the legislation without looking completely irate ("Stupid public! Why won't it shut up?!?"). A few days or weeks of logo-related panic would possibly bump C-SPAN ratings into the single digits and warm my cold, cynical heart ever so slightly.
Filed Under: corruption, lobbying, money, patches, politics, transparency


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Ivory cream hand-painted card candle tube with drip effect. 3 ¼ inch inch high by 1 inch wide suitable for use with LHblackP13:10x82-SES lampholder. Made in the EU. Dimensions: w=24mm (Internal), h=85mm.
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Many prominent golf companies and pro tour players have taken to Twitter to talk about their equipment. Here is a round-up of some of the most interesting golf equipment-related Twitter entries from the week of Sept. 15-21, featuring Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter, Anna Nordqvist and more:
September 20
Kevin Burns Golf
@kevinburnsgolf Each of our putters is custom built with tungsten weights. The weight is determined by the length of the putter. Part of our custom program.
SeeMore Putters
@SeeMorePutters Owner - Jim Grundberg heads back to Burlington, IA (boyhood hometown) for Golf Week Conference Challenge event -... Click here to see photo
(Note: @Titleist sent out several updates from a company video shoot in Atlanta today. Here are the highlights, listed in chronological order:
@Titleist And our TV shoot in Atlanta begins... up first at 7 am - Geoff Ogilvy Click here to see photo
@Titleist Geoff Ogilvy's been hard at work for the last couple hours... Click here to see photo On deck: Michael Sim
@Titleist Thanks for the help, Geoff. Click here to see photo Michael Sim, you're up! Click here to see photo
@Titleist Michael Sim just chipped in on the first take. He is now 1-under for the TV shoot Click here to see photo
@Titleist Heart rate monitor or one of our TV shoot cameras? Click here to see photo and Click here to see photo
@Titleist Now on screen (and signing some future Team Titleist prizes): Bill Haas Click here to see photo and Click here to see photo
@Titleist After lunch, the TV shoot continues... Guess who's next? Click here to see photo and Click here to see photo
September 18:
Ian Poulter
@IanJamesPoulter Friends, massive Spring/Summer sale on at www.ijpdesign.com and up to 70% off clearance. Some amazing savings to be had whilst stocks last!!
September 17
Oliver Wilson
@Oliver_Wilson "@LeChizzers: how often does your average pro practice then?" Not enough or they wouldn't be average! Serious note, impossible to answer.
Billy Horschel
@BillyHo_Golf Out early doing a putting session before lunch.
Lisa Strom
@strommiegolf Love the new putter!! Red line for red circles!! Click here to see photo
@ray_matthew Click here to see photo Odyssey Black Series Tour Designs Milled 2-Ball Blade
Vokey Wedges
@VokeyWedges We feel getting fit for wedges is as important as driver or irons. Find out more about Vokey's fitting methodology here: Click here to read more
Nike Golf
@nikegolf Behind the scenes of the AK interview at the Oven Click here to see photo
@nikegolf Nike Athlete Lucas Glover worked with his trainer this morning before heading to The Oven. Click here to see photo
@FootJoy Follow @FootJoy, win these beauties signed by @IanJamesPoulter. One FJ follower randomly chosen Thurs 9/23. Click here to see photo
Wilson Golf
@WilsonGolf Click here to see photo - I'm here in the Wilson UK office checking things out! Sweet new office for Amersports UK!
@WilsonGolf WOW! Impressive! Great pic! @ifavre @WilsonGolf My favorite golf ball but stacking 3 of them? Impressive! Click here to see photo
September 16
Maria Hernandez
@Mariasgolf Full Swing with Maria Hernandez: Hey!I forgot to tell you guys, you can read an interview about me on www.ladieseu... Click here to read more
Nicole Hage
@NicoleHage So my aunt has joined me in NYC-we r on the same floor and when I went to her rm we were so excited to see each other and were making a ton
@NicoleHage Of noise--the neighbor across the hall comes out and its Alonzo Mourning! (Who I didn't know it was him until we chatted for a bit)
@NicoleHage I had my clubs w me so we talked about golf and gave him a quick lesson in the hall!
Anna Nordqvist
@ANordqvist Had a great time with my friends at @PingTour in Phoenix today! Got some good work done with my clubs and my putting - thank you guys! :)
Oliver Wilson
@Oliver_Wilson @McIlroyRory Yeah but can you cook & putt at the same time? Click here to see photo
Rory McIlroy
@McIlroyRory Nice little evening putting session! Click here to see photo
Nike Golf
@nikegolf Nike Athlete Lucas Glover crushing some drives for the high speed camera today at The Oven Click here to see photo
Ping Golf
@PingTour It's Anna Nordqvist! Here she is tinkering with loft in our putting laboratory. Click here to see photo
@PingTour Here is @ANordqvist trying out a few different driver options today. Click here to see photo
Nike Golf
@nikegolf 11 year Nike Athlete @TrevorImmelman talking about the Nike products he uses today at The Oven Click here for more
@nikegolf Nike Golf Athlete @Paul_Casey working some drivers today at The Oven! Click here to see photo
Vokey Wedges
@VokeyWedges We currently have a BV Wings staff towel 24 x 48 (very large) available in the Vokey Store but are working on a new one for you guys!
Cleveland Golf
@ClevelandGolf You have a gap yardage, do you muscle a Gap Wedge or go with a controlled Pitching Wedge?
@Titleist New video: @BradFaxon explains how learning to read the grain can help you putt better. Click here to see video
September 15
Vokey Wedges
@VokeyWedges Check out this video of Vokey Team wedge guru Aaron Dill stamping @BradFaxon's wedges on the Tour Van: Click here to see video
@VokeyWedges Check out our newest WedgeWorks Exclusive lineup-- Vokey TVD C-C in Oil Can Zero finish! Click here to see photo
Wilson Golf
@WilsonGolf We've posted some pics on our FB of the new 2011 Equipment! Check it out! Click here to see photo
Nike Golf
@nikegolf Nike Athlete @suzannpettersen working out this morning before heading to The Oven to shoot some Nike Golf ads! Click here to see photo
@TitleistEurope Titleist Tour Technicians turn to Lumberjacks! Click here to see photo
Vokey Wedges
@VokeyWedges WedgeWorks Exclusive C-C's are here! Bright Brushed Chrome and the new Oil Can Zero now available Click here to see photo
Nike Golf
(Note: Tiger Woods took questions and gave answers via the @nikegolf Twitter account. Here are some equipment-related highlights – note that his answers are posted first, followed by the submitted questions:
@nikegolf TW: I would try them both out RT @pavlock25: @nikegolf what do you recommend for a 4 handicap the slipt cavity VR irons or the TW Blades
@nikegolf TW: I don't practice as much as I use to but I am often thinking about it. RT @CraigVogt: @nikegolf TW - How much do you practice?
@nikegolf TW:Loft is your friend,use as much as you can without spinning the ball too much RT @hearthop67:@nikegolf what is a good loft for ur driver?
@nikegolf TW: Zero RT @bluntman42: @nikegolf Tiger!!! How much offset is on your irons???
@nikegolf TW: I have played the same loft, lie, length of club & shaft since I was 13 RT @fairwaystevie: @nikegolf tiger: are you irons standard loft?
@nikegolf TW: Yes about 10 years ago, a 4-iron, I shot a 76. RT @mattybo24: @nikegolf Tiger, Have you ever played an entire round with only 1 club?
@nikegolf TW: As of right now, no. RT @waggleroom: @nikegolf Tiger, Any changes to your equipment in response to working with Sean Foley?
@nikegolf TW: Backup putter, wedges & driver. RT @anthonylockett: @nikegolf how many back up sets of clubs do you bring when your in a tournament?
@nikegolf TW: Hybrids are great for helping players get the ball up in the air. RT @hjlow: @nikegolf what is tiger's opinion on hybrids?


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We chose the City Suite. It's a decent contemporary room with double beds. The beds are very comfortable.
One minor issue, they should have built a glass wall between the bedroom and living room because you can clearly hear the TV noise. Or at least not to disturb the person sleeping in the bedroom.
We went to the hotel restaurant called "F" for New Year's Eve dinner. The restaurant was still empty except for a family having a la carte. I chose the table near the buffet area but we were told it was already reserved. But there was no "reserved" sign on the table and knowing HB he's always ready to assert his rights. I was expecting the staff to lead us to another vacant table or should have asked us to choose another one. But none of that happened. After much discussion and realizing we couldn't have it, I quickly picked the farthest table in the restaurant. The service was very good though later that night. We left the restaurant around 9:30 and 80% of the tables were still unoccupied.
Food was just okay, nothing spectacular. Our only favorites were the roast suckling pig, shrimp and ice cream.
It was a pretty quiet New Years Eve, but we made the best out of it. HB was playing around like a little kid while I was preparing our midnight snack - Krispy Kreme and Ponkan. :) Then we watched the countdown on television.
The following morning, HB started the New Year with a stomach pain from eating last night. But I'm glad that he was sweet enough to go with me to the restaurant even if he wasn't really feeling well. Breakfast food is average and some are recycled so it isn't quite deserving of an excellent rating.
I'd like to mention this, the female restaurant manager or supervisor (I'm not sure her position) with her staff were poking fun at someone. You know that exchanging glances and smirking. They were too f*cking obvious. And who the f*ck are they to ridicule someone. (Pardon the vulgarity.) I have traveled around Asia and stayed in many 5-star hotels but have never seen hotel staff treating a guest like that. She's supposed to set a good example to the staff who works under her. No matter what color, weight, physical disabilities or odd appearance, we are not different than each other on the inside. We cannot always control the way we look, but we can control the way we think, and the way we treat others.
I really feel sorry for people who are so full of negativity. It's bad luck for business and life.
Another thing, when we were leaving the restaurant I politely requested another female staff for a very small thing - two pieces of small bread only (not the whole plate, okay) to bring to our room since we were in a hurry to go back and as I have said HB was unwell. But she was told by this female manager again to simply reject my request. The female staff was apologetic (I like that) but she never gave me the reason why. And this manager had no decency to tell me in person when she was only a few steps away from me. She was like turning down my request with such a great pride. Prima donna-ish! That woman really needs to go back to Hotel 101 and learn more CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS and MANNERS.
I'm wondering, if they had known I'm a blogger maybe it would have been a different scenario. Perhaps they would have given me a box of bread or another free buffet tasting as they always do in exchange for a good review or write-up.
I don't tell hotels or restaurants that I'm a blogger because I want to be treated well as a "PAYING GUEST" and not as a blogger. That's the reason why I generally decline invitations. I want to experience "real" customer service and to give honest review. Blogging is not my source of income. It's just my outlet to a few things I'm passionate about.
Overall, I hate to say it but we are disappointed with the service and some of the staff at Best Western Premier F1 Hotel and food isn't up to par. We were told by the front desk that dinner starts at 6:00 but later found out it was 7:00. Also no one at the hotel offered to help us carry our bag when we checked out. Furthermore, elevators are very slow even when it is not busy. We probably will not go back for a long time; it was unfortunate that things turned out that way.
Best Western Premier F1 Hotel
Best Western Premier F1
Best Western Premier
Best Western
Note: This is based on my own personal experience. I wrote this not to put down the business but hoping the management and staff read this review and do something to improve it.


text: Technology Services provides and maintains a high quality, cost effective telecommunications services, consisting of the transport network infrastructure and supporting equipment for voice, video and data connectivity inclusive of cellular, wireless and electronic devices for the University. The Printshop provides the highest quality of duplicating services to all offices, departments, faculty and staff by providing fast, reliable, turnaround time, building strong customer relations, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Our office is located in College Hall room 140 at 358 Hamburg Turnpike. Hours of OperationMonday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.