text:
|2011-10-13, 18:32
|Link #462
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 27
|2011-10-13, 18:37
|Link #463
~The Radiant Protector~
Can't say I see the appeal of Inori, but then again I do like the other females on their side better, from what little we've seen of them.
Other than that, it was a pretty okay episode. Not fond of the ending or Shu/his schoolmates but the characters might grow on me.
|2011-10-13, 19:11
|Link #464
User of the "Fast Draw"
I have to say nice job with the music in the first episode. The song at the start was great and really the music worked throughout the episode.
Really a solid first episode. Get some hints when it comes to Shuu and those weird flashes he saw.
Luckily not the first time I've seen a lead have to reach into someone's chest to pull out something . A crazy mix going on here with battles between mechs and then the lead comes out with that sword and starts taking care of business on foot . This should be fun.
Inori went through a lot this episode. Besides the whole weapon getting pulled from her, have explosions, being shot at with missiles, interrogation, and a music video on youtube .
|2011-10-13, 19:13
|Link #465
Bittersweet Distractor
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 27
Well got around to seeing this and it was a solid opener, but it didn't exactly blow me off my feet like I was expecting it to. I may have had too high of expectations placed on this series going into it. Still good episode nonetheless.
The OST is pretty good so far as I would expect from Sawano. There were a few too many stills like Fate/Zero episode 1 in this episode in the action scenes, but not too many things that felt too blatant. Art quality is fantastic.
I'm not too much into this main character so far. Perhaps I'll like him more as we go along, but I did not quite understand his angst or anything due to the pacing. I don't mind angsty characters, I actually tend to like them, but only so long as the angst is communicated well. I mean first Shuu was complaining first about not being to communicate well with those around him, but they never really expressed what he meant by that exactly so I was just left going "Huh?" Then he starts complaining about being a coward without hinting at any particular reason he feels bad for being a coward. I'm not sure if he particularly dislikes the occupation by foreign countries and why exactly he wanted to help Inori so much that he's willing to put himself in great danger (Just because he has the hawts for her?).
I'm sure they can explain this later, and I'm willing to wait for it. The only problem is that at this point of the story it kind of disconnects me from the character, and hence the story. If I can't care about the main character, then everything doesn't have the necessary impact. That's the key reason here why this episode didn't exactly blow me off my feet.
Not sure how I feel about the plot setup so far. The last anime in this time slot that dealt with diseases/parasites turned out kind of bad, so they'll have to convince me they can make effective use of it for this to be interesting. I assume that the plot is going to be very basic, terrorist organization seeking to uncover conspiracy and liberate country, or something along those lines. Maybe Shuu will have conflict of interests with them and try to be an idealistic fool. Who knows.
I guess what really was not helping me was the similarities in the character between Shuu and the character Shion in No.6 who turned out awful in his development. It's not just the personality but also the VA is the same so I almost feel like they're the same person. Shuu didn't quite establish a unique enough and appealing identity as such to me to really get into the story.
I hope the antagonists become more interesting in this story because so far I got a pretty weak impression from them. Just felt rather bland in how they were "evil." Nothing to write home about. More generally I want to see someone on either side arise and provide an interesting foil for the main character. Maybe Gai can be that, but then the antagonists will leave a lot to be desired. But we'll see.
Anyways, solid opener but Shuu leaves a lot to be desired as a main character so far to me. I don't like the Code Geass comparisons with Guilty Crown, but one thing Code Geass had that was really helpful in getting immersed into that show was an absolutely captivating main character. I don't see that here, and I'm just left rather cold on the prospects of his future development. As a side note though, Gai was really badass, so maybe I'll latch onto him for cool male character of the series.
|2011-10-13, 19:23
|Link #466
Have some salt
Oh dat animation. I kinda lol'd at the plot of having to grab into the girls' chest to gain power, but they this is animu!
Adequate setup; I sure like those character designs, wonder what the purple-haired chick will be like. I'll give it an 8/10
|2011-10-13, 19:34
|Link #467
The Dark Knight
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: From the deepest abyss in the world, where you think?
Age: 32
Not bad, music was nice.
Kinda reminded me of Code Geass episode 1 though
Though it seems that the mechas are controlled by thoughts and that the Occupation suits are remotely controlled Avatars?
|2011-10-13, 19:37
|Link #468
Join Date: Dec 2003
I hope Shu would not become a hero in angst for the first half of the series: though given any "bond of heart" weapon it is inevitable that he will have to go though emotional traumas some time down the road, and it may not be resolved until the very end of the series.
Like the OP and ED, do not like the music when Gai fought: it feel rather sudden (as if I am playing an RPG and the battle music just pop out mid-track when I encounter a fight).
"please, use me"
*puts hand into her chest*
can be quite misleading
|2011-10-13, 19:39
|Link #469
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
Production wise, this anime is unmatched for this season. I thought both the animation, character designs and music (Yes Yuki Kajiura, you are beaten for once) were all top notch, so in terms of treating your eyes and ears, this is the anime to watch for sure. Most likely better production values than even Fate/Zero.
However, in terms of story and characters, it could have been a bit better. For starters, the MC was pretty bland, angsty and a bit boring. Inori was bloody gorgeous to look at (tasteful fanservice rawr) but wasn't your typical moeblob either. I'm impressed. However, the character I liked the most was Gai - gogo badass types.
In terms of story, it's a lil on the generic side basing it on a rebellion + a pandemic and all, but it was in no way bad. Although some people are comparing this to Code Geass a lot, for now I'm not totally convinced. This is because Guilty Crown's opening episode lacks a major element which Code Geass had for it - thriller and suspense. I'm not feeling much of a suspenseful atmosphere atm, though it might partially got to with the MC being a bit boring on the character side. Could have used a more charismatic character like Light or Lelouche and it would have made this opening episode a lot better imo. It also felt a tad rushed, but no where as bad as say Persona 4 or Mirai Nikki.
Regardless, it is probably the 3rd best anime opening episode after Fate/Zero and Chihayafuru which is slightly below what I expected (I was expecting to be either par or just below Fate/Zero in quality). However, it's episode 1 and we still have 21 episodes to go so this is definitely a keeper.
Last edited by Pocari_Sweat; 2011-10-13 at 22:48.
|2011-10-13, 20:30
|Link #471
Osana-Najimi Shipper
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mt. Ordeals
Easily, EASILY the best new anime of this cour for me. Did I mention that "girl of his past" is pretty much almost guaranteed to be dead now? Yeah, me absolutely loving this show despite that says something, considering how big of a shipper I am.
|2011-10-13, 20:41
|Link #472
Join Date: Dec 2007
Was pretty awesome, the animation was FABULOUS to watch. The music as many have said was fantastic . If anything i felt that this first episode should have been 40 mins long (like fate/zero) as the pacing was really fast. Also not a fan of how the episode ended (before transition to ED).
|2011-10-13, 21:36
|Link #476
One-Eyed Dragon
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NJ, USA
Liked the visuals. Want the OST now. Were those past memories going through Shu's head? Nice to see him finally step up and do something that he wouldn't regret later. So what he actually got the government was producing on making better enforcers? Looks like a power for destruction. So badass when he jumped and cut it in half. Didn't get why Inori was involved in it. Is it because they said something about connecting hearts so it relies on 2 people to work the power? Gai was so awesome as well.
|2011-10-13, 21:37
|Link #477
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Australia
|2011-10-13, 21:41
|Link #478
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
|2011-10-13, 21:45
|Link #479
Swayin' to the beat
Join Date: Dec 2006
I don't think it's "My Dearest" either as the OP was being sung (or lipsynced) in the music video by Inori, and we know that the singing voice of Inori is Chelly. "My Dearest" is being sung by Koeda.
As for the anime itself... clichéd? Yep. But it looks good so far.
|2011-10-13, 21:47
|Link #480
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Balamb Garden
Preview episode 2
|action, noitamina, production_ig
|Thread Tools


text:
About the Sphere Project
The Sphere Project is a voluntary initiative managed by the International Red Cross, bringing a wide range of humanitarian agencies together around a common aim: improving the quality of humanitarian assistance and accountability to donors, constituents and affected populations.
The project operates internationally, and delivers content in key languages, and to audiences with widely differing levels of web access.
The project
The Sphere Project is the third website Treeline have developed for ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross). The site delivers the key Sphere Project Handbook in multiple languages, and provides a range of interactive tools to allow affiliates agencies to discuss and contribute to the success of the project.
As well as the core Handbook, the site delivers vital resources and training materials, an events calendar and meeting notes, and a set of interactive community tools.
Users can download or order materials via the website, and engage in multilingual discussions and debate about the issues raised.
Each area of the website is managed via Sphere, using our Treeline Content Management System. This allows non-technical editors to easily create content, moderate discussions, and track the project's progress via a simple point-and-click interface.
Treeline also provide consultancy, SEO services, content advice, training, support and hosting to Sphere personnel in their Geneva HQ, and across the globe.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I would suggest Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis, which has got a strong lily note. It is marketed as unisex, beautiful bottle and very stylish packaging, and if your dad loves flowers and floral perfumes, that might fit the bill.
It comes in perfume, scented bracelet, incense and even laundry detergent (!!). Give it a try!


text:
Hiking, skiing, water sports and more: Western New York's outdoor scene offers you an array of opportunities to be active year-round.
Spring, summer and fall offer mild weather perfect for outdoor pursuits:
Get out and enjoy:
Gorgeous landscapes, a world-class art museum and some of America's greatest architecture. And that's just for starters.


text:
H can now easily walk a half-mile or so (without driving us completely crazy). This means that she can walk to the closest subway station or the bus stop and back, which makes trips without the stroller a possibility. She can make it longer distances, but gets tired coming back, so we still aren't walking to Davis Square (about three-quarters of a mile away) without bringing the stroller as backup.
We also aren't walking to daycare because we want to get there quickly, so on snowy days I usually take H to and from daycare in the Ergo which makes my back pretty unhappy. However, I neglected to bring the Ergo during the last snowstorm and we walked to Porter Square which, in the snow, was a major accomplishment. We then did some shopping and took the 77 bus up Mass Ave and walked the quarter of a mile or so home. H was a trooper, but she did get tired by the end and I carried her some of the way.
This morning Dorea and I were thankful for our YakTraks as walking was challenging on the ice. I'm really wishing they made them for toddlers, so if you know of a ice traction device for toddler, please leave a comment.


text:
Now that there is a nascent movement taking form on the streets of American cities, the media are asking, Who are your leaders?, and, What are your demands?
The leaders will emerge according to their abilities. The demands will bubble up on their own as well—but here perhaps suggestions are possible. I hesitate to speak, because I do not happen to be writing from one of the #Occupy encampments, putting my personal comfort and safety on the line. However, I do have plenty of time to think (I work for a think tank, after all, so thinking is my job), and I want to help any way I can. So here goes.
I can envision an enormous list of possible demands. Our nation and indeed the world as a whole are on an unsustainable path. We're using up Earth's resources, we're undermining the viability of planetary ecosystems, and we're operating on the basis of an economic model that is fundamentally flawed. Changing all of that will require an array of initiatives and reforms too numerous to list. For a popular street-based movement to try to compile such a list and put it forward in the form of demands would be self-defeating.
A movement needs one or two simple but key demands around which everyone can unite. Let me suggest these (and they are by no means original):
1. Get money out of politics.
2. Strip corporations of legal personhood.
Why nothing about our desperately needed energy transition, or the crisis of unemployment, or the two pointless and endless wars in which our nation is embroiled? Because these cannot really be addressed without first confronting the two issues named. Political corruption forms the bottleneck preventing effective responses to any and all of the converging economic, environmental, and political crises our nation faces.
If the #Occupy movement can accomplish these two things, it may not directly solve all our problems—in fact, it may not be possible to solve some of our worst ones; we probably must think in terms of adaptation rather than avoidance. However, it will represent a historic turn back in the direction of democracy and away from plutocracy. It could make it possible for us to initiate a meaningful public discourse about the deep, systemic adjustments that will be necessary as the new century wears on. In short, these are issues worth putting forward so as to say, "Here's our line in the sand."
Just my two cents.


text:
i would like to join your company and make money for myself, at first i didn't trust the company but now i am convinced. i would like to know more. i do have an account but i'll try to found (STANDARD Account Type) in 3 months time, THAT'S IF IS STILL FINE WITH THE COMPANY ITSELF. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
The first thing that comes to our minds after browsing the homepage of easy-forex is "outdated". The broker's spreads, the services and platforms offered, the fact that it has a ridiculous manifesto on its website – all that just screams "old-fashioned" - and while there's nothing wrong with all things old-fashioned, the forex industry develops way too fast for such brokers to remain competitive.
FXTM a regulated forex broker (regulated by CySEC, FCA and IFSC), offering ECN trading on MT4 an MT5 platforms. Traders can start trading with as little as $5 and take advantage of tight fixed and variable spreads, flexible leverage and swap-free accounts.
easyMarkets is a CySEC and ASIC regulated broker offering access to over 300 trading instruments, tight fixed spreads, no slippage and a 50% deposit bonus.
XM is broker with great bonuses and promotions. Currently we are loving its $30 no deposit bonus and deposit bonus up to $5000. Add to this the fact that it's EU-regulated and there's nothing more you can ask for.
FXCM is one of the biggest forex brokers in the world, licensed and regulated on four continents. FXCM wins our admirations with its over 200,000 active live accounts and daily trading volumes of over $10 billion.
FxPro is a broker we are particularly keen on: it's regulated in the UK, offers Metatrader 4 (MT4) and cTrader – where the spreads start at 0 pips, Level II Pricing and Full Market Depth. And the best part? With FxPro you get negative balance protection.
FBS is a broker with cool marketing and promotions. It runs an ongoing monthly $999 forex contest, offers a $5 no-deposit bonus for anyone willing to try out its services, and an FBS MasterCard is also available for faster deposits and withdrawals.
FxChoice is a IFSC regulated forex broker, serving clients from all over the world. It offers premium trading conditions, including high leverage, low spreads and no hedging, scalping and FIFO restrictions.
HotForex is a EU Regulated broker, offering wide variety of trading accounts, including Auto, Social and Zero spread accounts. The minimum intial deposit for a Micro account is only $50 and is combined with 1000:1 leverage - one of the highest in the industry.
Exness is a leading forex broker, offering MT4 and MT5 platforms. Traders can take advantage from a true ECN environment and trade on ultra tight spreads, starting from 0 pips.
|Min Deposit
|MT4, Web,
|Review Website
|Cyprus, UK, Belize
|CySec, FCA, IFSC
|MT4, MT5, Web
|Review Website
|Cyprus, Australia
|CySec, ASIC
|MT4, Web,
Mobile app
|Review Website
|Review Website
|UK, Cyprus, Australia
|FCA, CySec, ASIC
|Review Website
|UK, Australia
|MT4, Trading
|Review Website
|UK, Cyprus, UAE, South Africa
|FCA, CySEC, DFSA, FSB
|MT4, MT5, FxPro
|Review Website
|Hong Kong
|MarketSpeed FX,
Trading Station
|Review Website
|MT4, MT5, Web
|Review Website
|Review Website
|Cyprus, South Africa, UAE
|CySec, FSCA, FSC
|MT4, MT5, Web
|Review Website
|MT4, Web
|Review Website
|Cyprus, UK
|CySEC, FCA
|Review Website
Hong Kong forex broker Rakuten Securities offers up to HK$700 Spending Limit Prepaid Card as a welcome gift to new account registrants. Here are all the details you need to know about the company's promotional offer, which is valid from now until the end of March 2019. Eligible to receive the Spending Limit Prepaid Card with HK$500 are only clients who have successfully opened a Rakuten FX live account and have not held or cancelled such an account within the past nine (9) months prior to the registration date of the promotional campaign. Read more
The UK's Financial Conduct Authority updated its warning list with unregulated forex brokers MarketGBP, Capital-Traders, and FXTRADE777 on Wednesday. According to the regulator, these brokers have been providing financial services or products in the UK without its authorization. In its official notices the UK financial watchdog keeps warning that "some firms act without our authorisation and some knowingly run investment scams". Our further reasearch on the three companies revealed that more likely all of them are involved in some sort of scam. Read more
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission ('CySEC') issued a warning against unregulated brokers World Trust Invest, Eurotrade Investments, and CoinOptions Trade on Tuesday. According to the regulator, the brokerage brands and their websites are not operated by Cypriot Investment Firms, authorized to provide investment services in the country. World Trust Invest (WTI) is obviously a Russian forex and CFD broker, as its website www.worldtrustinvest.com is available only a Russian language. It uses the UTIP platform and provides an address in Switzerland. Read more
The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – BaFin) has ordered Euro Wealth OÜ, operating Prestige Financial Markets brokerage brand, to cease offering illegal cross-border trading services to German investors. BaFin said that the above-mentioned company offers German clients CFDs on currencies, equities, commodities, indicia and cryptocurrencies thorough its website www.prestige.fm, and it is not authorized to do so. The regulator also noted that Euro Wealth OÜ was formerly known as Allpro Tech OÜ, and Nostro Technology OÜ. Read more
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) added unregulated forex broker 4XFX to its warning list previous week. ASIC advised investors not to deal with this broker, also known as FRG Europe OU, as it is not authorized to provide financial services in Australia and could be involved in a scam. 4XFX (operating via www.4xfx.com) claims to provide access to a lot of markets on both the MetaTrader4 and a proprietary web-based platform, but has failed to disclose its trading conditions clearly. The brand is allegedly operated by GRF EUROPE OÜ, a company based in Tallinn, Estonia. Read more
The US subsidiary of major forex brokerage XM has applied for a membership with the National Futures Association (NFA). This became clear from a filing by the broker's US entity Trading.com Markets Inc. (previously Trading Point US Inc.) with the NFA dated January 3, 2019. More specifically, the application is for Forex Dealer Member (FDM), NFA membership and Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer (RFED) status, which is quite an event for the US forex market. Only a few forex brokers have left legally operating there due to the heavily regulated environment and high operating costs - OANDA Corporation, IG and Forex.com parent GAIN Capital. Read more
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has identified certain gaps and issues in the existing EU financial regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies and considers that further measures need to be taken in the sector to ensure investor protection. This became clear from ESMA's Advice to EU Institutions (Commission, Council and Parliament) on initial coin offerings and crypto-assets published on Wednesday. Read more
HotForex is now licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and announced it commences operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Dubai arm of the HF Markets Group, HF Markets (DIFC) Ltd., acquired the DFSA license in December last year. "This is an important milestone for HF Markets. The UAE and the GCC offer very promising business prospects and we look forward to great success", commented George Koumantaris, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HF Markets Group. HotForex now enters a promising market, as the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region strives to diversify their economy away from oil. Read more
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK added SafeMarkets to its long list of companies that illegally target British customers and offer financial services without a license. "Some firms act without our authorisation and some knowingly run investment scams", stated the FCA in its warning. That being said, this may be the case with SafeMarkets, which offers trading in forex and various CFDs with a focus on cryptocurrencies. The brand is allegedly operated by Optiumcommerce OU, an Estonian company, which is not licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority, nor by the Estonian financial regulator. Read more
A regulatory filing with the UK's Companies House revealed that London-based forex and CFD brokerage Abshire-Smith is closing down its operations in the United Kingdom. The reason for the move is Brexit, as well as the restrictions on CFD trades imposed by European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) since last year, as reported by online media Finance Magnates. Abshire-Smith is a London-based broker established back in 2011 and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK since 2012. It also operates Nexsus Financial Markets brokerage brand. Read more


text:
Junior Member
Posts: 6
Karma: 10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Device: none
Need Help Creating an E-Book
Just joined the site, so hello to everyone.
Im here because Im struggling with an assignment Ive been given. I hope this is the right place to post about this.
Sorry in advance for the length of the post, but I want to include everything I think might be relevant. (Plus, the more I say, the more clear will be my modest level of understanding of computers, e-books, etc., which hopefully will lead folks to simplify their responses to something that wont thoroughly befuddle me.)
I work for a group of about 300 physicians. I handle their various writing projects, such as a monthly newsletter, random brochures, etc.
Ive just completed one of the most ambitious projects so far, a guide for cancer patients that the oncologists will distribute to their patients. I created it in Microsoft Publisher, and I also have it in pdf, since its easy to convert to that. Its about 125 pages.
Now the president of the group has decided that its so expensive to print that (plus binder, tabs, etc.) that hed like to make it available to patients as an e-book instead (or in addition, so they can have their choice and hopefully most will choose the electronic option). So Im now charged with making it into an e-book.
I come into this knowing basically nothing about e-books. I dont own an e-reader or whatever theyre called, certainly have never created an e-book.
Several hours of Googling led me to the following initial impressions (which may all be completely wrong; feel free to correct me on any point): ePub is the most common format for e-books, but many devices cannot read such files, as is true for all the alternatives. Many recommend simply leaving it as a pdf, which evidently just about all devices can read fine. If instead I choose to convert it to ePub or some such file type that is specific to e-books, I gather that that has certain drawbacks/consequences, including that it eliminates the pagination and basically makes it all like its one page so that individual devices divide it up however fits their size, it has only a very limited number of fonts and font sizes, it has only the basic keyboard letters and numbers and most common symbols, and it can unpredictably screw up graphics and text boxes and such.
Again, Im not saying all that is accurate, but thats what Ive read so far online.
Basically it sounds like it would be a nightmare trying to convert my Microsoft Publisher document to a file format like ePub. It has different fonts, headings of many different sizes, plenty of graphics and text boxes that Id want to keep on their current page, occasional less common symbols (like, say, the copyright symbol), and on and on. It was very much created to be a print document.
I reported all these early findings to the president of the group. His response is that what I read about the pagination issue is wrong, that whatever device he reads an e-Book on the pagination stays the same. He says pdf files are just very user unfriendly, that he hates trying to read a pdf, whereas an e-Book is a breeze and much more intuitive. As to it not converting well, his response is that hes willing to pay me to go through it page by page and line by line to clean up however it messes up the spacing and fonts and such. And for that matter to do so for multiple file types, since if neither ePub nor anything else will work for everyone, his solution is to make the book available in two or three or four electronic formats and patients can choose the one that best fits their device.
He also brought up the issue of how to even get the electronic version of the book to people. What hed like to do is have it available (in multiple formats) on the groups website, so people can click to download it from there. (It would be free; were not charging patients for it.) But hes under the impression that some formats, like the one Apple uses for its devices, are proprietary and you probably have to direct people to their website and maybe even pay to make it available there. So thats another thing I need to research.
So in summary, I need advice on at least the following:
1. What file type(s) should I change a Microsoft Publisher book to in order to make it so that everybody or almost everybody would be able to read it on their device, it would be as user friendly as possible as far as the reader experience, and it would enable me to keep it as close in appearance as possible to the print version of the book?
2. What do I then do with that file(s) so that people can readily read it on their device?
Thanks so much for any guidance you can give me.
Posts: 3,350
Karma: 10365140
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet
Welcome to the forum.
There are probably almost as many ways of producing ebooks as there are readers of this forum, and some of the advice and opinions expressed here have both proponents and opponents - including what I've just written.
My opinion, for what it is worth, is
- It is best to start with a Word document
- The Word document should then be marked up to valid XHTML
- And then packaged up to valid ePub format for Sony, Kobo, Nook, and iPads
- Then the valid ePub can be converted to mobi or azw3/KF8 for Kindles
- I suggest that you take pains to remember that ebooks are not print books.
I've obviously grossly over simplified the process - there are many different on ways of achieving the main steps in the list above - but it's a start for discussion.
I think most people would agree that pdf is the world's worst document for conversion into ebooks, and most people would agree that ePub and mobi or azw3/KF8 are by far the most important output formats.
Posts: 4,496
Karma: 121692313
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Heemskerk, NL
Device: PRS-300, PRS-T1
Most of the stuff you mention can be done in an e-book. Things like symbols, fonts and images. There are some restrictions though and especially for the fonts you must be sure you have the rights to distribute the embedded font.
Some stuff may not be available for all formats. For example on the mobi format for older Kindles.
Text boxes will usually not play nice and are very hard to do. And, your president is wrong and you are right. Pagination is being done on the fly and is dependent on the reader and font-size. That makes dealing with text-boxes and images hard.
There is also something called fixed-layout where you would not have issues with the pagination. However, only few readers can handle those.
frumious Bandersnatch
Posts: 7,113
Karma: 9648489
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Spaniard in Sweden
Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura
For a starter, just create a PDF, but with a reduced page size. Instead of setting the paper size to A4 or US-letter, set it to something more similar to the real screen sizes, 9×12 cm (3.5×4.7 in) is a popular size. Reduce margins to a minimum (1-2 mm) and the PDF should pretty readable in most ebook readers. Depending on the kind of book, this may require an extensive reworking of the layout.
The advantages of the PDF are that it's easy to create, you probably already have all the tools and skills for that, and that it should look the same in every device (just remember that there are many devices with no colour).
Then you can concentrate on creating the ePub (or mobi), which, as a first approximation, is similar to creating a web page with very few bells and whistles. If the book relies on many text boxes, fixed pagination and relative positioning of images, then a "standard" ebook is probably not the most adequate choice. If, however, it like a normal novel, with a single text flow and some interspersed images between paragraphs (or can be conveniently rendered as such), then conversion is straightforward.
frumious Bandersnatch
Posts: 7,113
Karma: 9648489
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Spaniard in Sweden
Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura
If "pagination" means what is being displayed on the screen at a given time, then you are right, it is not fixed. Change the device, screen size, margins, fonts, etc. and the content on the screen changes.
If "pagination" means the correspondence between "page numbers" and the text, then the president may be correct. Depending on the device or software, the reading program may assing (somewhat arbitrary) page numbers to the text, which are fixed and are not related with the screen display. You can then say "go to page #" and get always to the same part of the text.
Posts: 106
Karma: 472218
Join Date: Jan 2011
Device: Kindle 3, PaperWhite 2
I follow the same path as Alex. The tools are free (other than Word) and there are many resources on MobileRead to help you.
If there is a person in your organization that works with the website, their html skills will be of great help.
My workflow is:
1. Create the document in Microsoft Word, using only the stylesheets for formatting.
2. Save the document as a filtered web page.
3. Import that file into Sigil.
4. Clean up and create the epub file in Sigil.
5. Convert the epub file to a mobi file using Amazon's Kindle Previewer. This creates the file for Kindles.
This is just one of several workflows you can use, but it is a simple, inexpensive, and efficient method to create ebooks.
Junior Member
Posts: 6
Karma: 10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Device: none
I really appreciate the feedback so far. Slowly but surely I'm getting a sense for what I'm up against and how I might want to proceed.
I had a fairly long talk with one of the two main people who is putting the website together. His take is that PDFs are fine for people to download from the website, so he doesn't think it would be worth all the extra labor to try to convert what I have to an e-book format. He said that as far as the president of the group's concern that PDFs are unappealing and awkward to read compared to an e-book, that's likely because he's downloading them to his tablet as a PDF whereas if he pushed a different button the same file on the same tablet could be read more like an e-book.
He did say that moving forward if we want to do future content as an e-book that we would need to take that into account from the start, and so my approach would be very different from what it was this time when I was basically creating a print booklet. He says it's much easier to create an e-book from the beginning than to go back after the fact and convert something else to an e-book, which makes sense.
The president may or may not go along with his suggestion that we leave this one as a PDF, so right now I don't know if I'll need to try to convert what I have to an e-book file type. If it turns out I do, I think the responses in this thread will get me going in the right direction. Not that I currently know how to do all the steps that have been suggested, but at least I have the general approach now, and I can try to teach myself each step, in part by searching this site. Or maybe I'm being too optimistic that I'll be able to do that, but we'll see.
Posts: 639
Karma: 1559466
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: London, UK
Device: Sony PRS-505 & T1, Pocketbook Touch Lux 2 (626), Touch Lux 3
If this is not a one off exercise, there is an alternative, if your employer is willing to spend some money on software. Its called Jutoh - http://www.jutoh.com/ and there's a free trial version.
You don't need any technical knowledge about creating ebooks as Jutoh does it all for you and it will create multiple formats in one go. The user interface is like a scaled down version of MS Word including the ability to create you own styles. The current output formats are: EPUB, Mobipocket (requires add-on), Open Document (ODT), Text, HTB, MP3, HTML & Smashwords OpenDocument.
Once you've created your ebook you can check how it will appear on an eReader using the vendors PC software e.g. Reader Library for Sony devices, Kindle for PC from Amazon etc.
Also a suggestion for checking the output, which ever method you use to get there. Ask if any of your workmates own ereaders or other mobile devices and would they help test your output. I'm sure between all of them you should end up with a representative sample.
Whatever you decide good luck and I hope it all goes well.
Posts: 668
Karma: 1771606
Join Date: Nov 2011
Device: none
There is currently no "automagic" method of converting a complex publication to epub. The programs that claim to fail dismally on all but the most simple material.
But you don't need an epub. Export as PDF from your Publisher documents. Upload them to your webspace and put links on your web site. That's all you need. PDF is as near to a universal format as makes no difference. The tiny number of web site users who might not have the reader installed as standard can download it for free. There's no reason to complicate the issue with providing alternative formats.
If you want to display pages directly on the site, export a JPG as well and place it as a graphic in the usual way.
You could consider learning a better design program than Publisher. All that "easyness" is very restrictive.
Last edited by exaltedwombat; 02-16-2013 at 10:13 AM.
Posts: 21
Karma: 493474
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Northern California
Device: Acer A500
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It's not just the weather that's heating up as we move into spring. The cost of a newly constructed home is rising as the housing market enters its peak buying months.


text:
The New York Mets reportedly still have interest in free agent shortstop Stephen Drew, which is puzzling. If the Mets are to be consistent with their previous spending policies, they should pass on Drew and move on with Ruben Tejada.
The Mets backed off on outfielder Michael Bourn last winter as to not give up a compensatory draft pick. As it turned out, the Mets made a good decision, one that enabled them to get a look at Juan Lagares.
Not only would Mets have to give up a pick for Drew, they'd also have to start the package at $14.1 million. This would be one big E-6.
This for a 30-year-old shortstop who hit .253 with a .333 on-base percentage, 14 homers and 67 RBI last year for Boston. Yes, Drew played a solid shortstop, but for where the Mets are, for what they are attempting to do fiscally, and for their rebuilding blueprint, he does not make sense.
Nobody knows what the Mets will get from Tejada, but he's worth another look, especially for a team whose timetable to compete remains a year down the road.
Giving Tejada another year is a better, less-taxing option than to get hooked into Drew for at least three-years, which is what agent Scott Boras most assuredly will be seeking.
There are no guarantees with or without Tejada, or Drew, as to their performance, but from a building prospect, the Mets still have needs, some of them pressing and likely costly, that will be better addressed than adding Drew.
Your comments are greatly appreciated and I will attempt to respond. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos


text:
EZ MSP needed a new stationery design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 24 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
Headquartered in Yonkers, NY, EZ MSP is a leading IT consulting firm providing services and expert consulting to small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Our goal is to help you succeed, save money and make the most of your technology investment.
As an independent and unbiased consulting company, EZ MSP helps organizations assess their needs, plan and implement the right technology for the given goals, budget, and time line. This assures a custom-tailored solution to integrate with existing multi-vendor environments, and provide a growth path for the future.
The success of EZ MSP is based on a depth of experience and expertise distinctive in the computer and networking industry. Our industry experience of over 18-years range from system engineering, EMR implementations and network virtualization. Our staff consists of experts with industry experience, and in-depth knowledge of products and technology from Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, HP, and Sonicwall. EZ MSP also forms partnerships with selective technology vendors and consultants.
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Other Businesses.
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Tech Support: firstname.lastname@example.com
this card should be double sided.
we like red, black, blue.
the email template should look like the email template from mint.com, it will be used for support tickets.


text:
Marvel Select Deadpool Figurepar Diamond Select ToysDessiné par: écrit par: Date de relâchement: 2016-01-01
Marvel Select Deadpool Figure. A Diamond Select Release! Featuring everyone's favorite loud-mouthed, smart-aleck, super-assassin/mercenary, our Marvel Select line expands to include one of the most irreverent characters in comic history - Deadpool! Sculpted by Gabriel Marquez, this seven-inch portrayal of the infamous "Merc With a Mouth" depicts Deadpool in his most iconic costume and includes 16 points of articulation. Also included is a deluxe base depicting a damaged wall and street - perfect for on-shelf display!
Retail Price $34.95
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Note: This item has an additional shipping charge of $5.00
This item is limited to 1 per order1
There are 7 new arrivals this weekincluding:
Deadpool #1 Penny Dreadful #10 Deadpool #1


text:
Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas (pictured) has issued an appeal to Pope Francis to personally intervene against the enlistment of Arabic-speaking Christians in the Israeli army.
Ha'aretz reports that Ghattas' letter was delivered to the Vatican's representative in Jerusalem, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, in hopes that Pope Francis would address the issue when he visits the Holy Land in May.
Like most other minorities, local Arabic-speaking Christians are not required to serve in the Israeli army, but a growing number are choosing to do so, many at the encouragement of the Nazareth-based Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum.
Ghattas and other Arab MKs have grown increasingly hostile toward the activities of the forum. Recently, Ghattas'
colleague MK Hanin Zoabi called the forum's spokesman Shadi Haloul a "coward" and threatened that he would be dealt with on the streets of Nazareth.
In related news, the Knesset's Labor, Health, and Welfare Committee last Wednesday passed the second and third readings of a new bill that will differentiate between Arab Muslims and Christians.
The practical implication of the bill is that Christians will be recognized as an independent minority on local councils and labor committees. For Haloul and others, it means so much more. It means that they can finally step out from under the shadow of an imposed Arab identity.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
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text:
TRI7 Patch Jacket
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Honda's $33,000 Accord coupe wails like a Ferrari
This car seems alive. The engine crests 6,800 revolutions per minute and the entire frame of the Honda Accord coupe thrums as if awaiting release. My left foot drops onto the clutch and I shift to third.
The car takes a breath, then the process begins anew. The tachometer needle sweeps right. The front wheels scrabble madly on the asphalt, power overcoming grip. The dashboard's traction control alert blinks rapidly, the car's electronic mind trying to intervene.
If this Accord really was an animal, it would be a scrappy, jaw-snapping Tasmanian Devil.
Yes, we're talking about a Honda. An Accord even, that most mild mannered of family cars.
It's been a long while since I felt this good about a Honda. The company once seemed bullet proof (the quality of the cars certainly was), until a rash of recalls and the release of a new generation of Civic which was rather substandard.
Then there were a bunch of new models that few consumers seemed to want. The Crosstour crossover (and its Acura cousin, the ZDX), the CR-Z sports hybrid and the Insight, which Honda hoped would unseat the Toyota Prius as the go-to hybrid of choice. All are still available and rather unloved.
Major Makeover
The Accord got a huge makeover for its 2013 model year. The rejuvenated version helped push sales to more than 330,000 last year, a 40 percent uptick, making it the company's best-selling car. The vast majority of those were the most proletarian version: a four-door with a four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission.
Everyone knows that the Accord is for grown-ups. College kids drive Civics, their parents own the Accord. But the secret has always been that if one is mated to the right equipment, it can be buzzingly fun.
So it is with the one I'm testing, a combination of options which make it as rare as a Ferrari. At $33,140, my car has two- doors and a 3.5-liter V-6. And look, it's a unicorn! A manual transmission.
I've always loved a stick in a Honda, but these days they are an utter rarity, with 99 percent of Accord sedans sold as automatics. Only nine percent of the coupes are equipped with three pedals.
Red Lining
Which is a shame, because a Honda i-VTEC engine under full assault (and pushed into the redline by a manual) is as unique and special as the rumble of a 5.0-liter V-8 mated to a Ford Mustang or the wailing keen from a mid-engine Ferrari. A quality and timbre all of its own.
The i-VTEC V-6 doesn't produce crazy torque (252 pound- feet), and its horsepower, at 278, is modest. Yet there's an inherent rubber-band elasticity that keeps stretching into the higher rpms until you're not sure what will snap first, it or you. There's that moment when I've got the coupe at redline and I feel like the entire vehicle is just going to take off and launch into the sky.
That is a feeling which isn't mild mannered at all. It's exuberant and free-wheeling. One of my first cars was a manual- equipped Honda Civic and I lived for that feeling. The CR-Z sports coupe, released several years ago, should have delivered that same sensation. As a hybrid, it simply didn't.
Good Mileage
That's why I'm so thrilled to pilot this Accord. And it still gets 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
The interior has leather and is determinedly better than the previous generation. Still, some details are disappointing. Open up the storage compartment between the driver and passenger and you'll find a patch of unattached coarse material -- I wouldn't call it carpet -- sitting at its bottom, covering up raw plastic and several bolts.
If I bought this car for $32,000, that kind of stuff would drive me to distraction. Hyundai and Kia are doing better than that, and so too will Honda if it wants to continue to compete.
The most clever trick? Click the right blinker and a camera mounted on the right side of the vehicle activates, broadcasting potential blind spots onto the navigation screen.
Most consumers prefer the practicality of the sedan, and I get that. The coupe looks cooler, but you lose easy access to the rear seats and some legroom.
Luggage Room
So I also drove a $24,180 Accord Sport sedan around the rural roads of Michigan. It had a direct-injected, 2.4-liter four-cylinder. It got good gas mileage (24 city, 34 highway) and fit all of my luggage. Adult, right?
Right. At least until I put spurs to the thing. The Sport model has 189 hp and the smaller engine is still game for a healthy workout. It handles well, too. I spun the car around a series of loops and it gamely followed ever more aggressive cornering.
Honda has a ways to go before it's back in top form. The latest Accord proves that the blueprint is still there. The company just needs to embrace it.
The 2013 Honda Accord EX-L Coupe At a Glance
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6 with 278 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque.
Transmission: Six-speed manual.
Speed: 0 to 60 mph in about 5.8 seconds.
Gas mileage per gallon: 18 city, 28 highway.
Price as tested: $33,140.
Best feature: The buzz-worthy drive.
Worst feature: Some of the finer interior details still need attention.
Target buyer: The secret speedster.


text:
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render Well that's only batteries worth of 300$, but you should also at least have an BMS and inverter, and they also costs a lot. But the method t ...
Surturiel Helios is the Sun god, not the god of wind.
render Tesla Model X started a tradition of electric cars with wings? :)
ZakharPashoon i really love the design of the doors =)
ZakharPashoon Awesome how fast they got all cars sold oout =)


text:
Difference between revisions of "Aimilianos (Vafeidis)"
m (→Biography: fixed broken link)
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|Line 13:
::[http://abacus.bates.edu/~rallison/friends/reviews/1996reviews/golitzin_speake1996.htm FoMA book review]
::[http://abacus.bates.edu/~rallison/friends/reviews/1996reviews/golitzin_speake1996.htm FoMA book review]
* http://www.fhc.org/holycrossmonastery/upload/en/elder_sub13.html
* http://www.fhc.org/holycrossmonastery/upload/en/elder_sub13.html . .
* [http://www.stnina.org/journal/art/3.4.13 An Interview with Sister Aemiliane] of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery, Thebes, Greece (''St. Nina Quarterly'', vol 3:4)
* [http://www.stnina.org/journal/art/3.4.13 An Interview with Sister Aemiliane] of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery, Thebes, Greece (''St. Nina Quarterly'', vol 3:4)
Revision as of 06:21, June 14, 2006
The Right Reverend Archimandrite Aimilianos (Vafeidis) is the former abbot of Simonopetra Monastery. (There are many variations on spelling his name in English—Amelianos, Aemilianos, etc.)
This article or section is a stub (i.e., in need of additional material). You can help OrthodoxWiki by expanding it.
- Spiritual Instruction and Discourses, volume 1: The Authentic Seal. By Archimandrite Aimilianos. Ormylia, Halkidiki: Ormylia Publishing, 1999. 400 pages. ISBN 9608560330. (Available in North America from Alexander Press or Alexia Publications.)
- FoMA book review
- An excerpt from this book, Orthodox Spirituality and the Technological Revolution is available at OrthodoxyToday.org
- The Living Witness of the Holy Mountain: Contemporary Voices from Mount Athos. Translated with introduction and notes by Hieromonk Alexander (Golitzin). South Canaan, PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press, 1996. 311 pages. Price p/b £18.75. ISBN 1878997483. (Available in the UK from Orthodox Christian Book Service, 95 Spencer Street, Birmingham B18 6DA.)
- Last sermon of Archim. Aimilianos at Holy Cross Monastery, Thebes, Greece.
- An Interview with Sister Aemiliane of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery, Thebes, Greece (St. Nina Quarterly, vol 3:4)
External links
- Extract from O Holy Mountain by Fr Basil Pennington] (includes photo of Archim. Aimilianos]
Categories > Organizations > Educational Institutions
Categories > Organizations > Seminaries > University of Athens Theology School Graduates
Categories > People
Categories > People > Monastics
Categories > People > Monastics > Athonite Fathers
Categories > Spirituality > Asceticism


text:
SymphonyA SLICE OF HEAVEN FROM THE SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY
by Steve Osborn
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Under its vibrant new music director, Francesco Lecce-Chong, the Santa Rosa Symphony this past Sunday offered a nearly perfect afternoon of Mozart (Symphony No. 40) and Mahler (Symphony No. 4). While the two works share a common digit, the only element uniting them is genius. They made for a dazzlin...
RecitalKHOZYAINOV'S BRILLIANT PIANISM IN MILL VALLEY RECITAL
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, January 13, 2019
In its third concert of the season the Mill Valley Chamber Music Society Jan. 13 presented Russian virtuoso Nikolay Khozyainov. His intelligent and sensitive interpretations, masterful pedal work, and virtuoso technique left the near-capacity audience in Mt. Tamalpais Methodist Church astounded and ...
ChamberA COMPLETE MUSICAL PACKAGE IN ARRON'S OAKMONT RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Cellist Edward Arron has been a welcome artist at the Music at Oakmont series, and after his Jan. 10 recital it's easy to understand his popularity. His artistry is a complete package, with potent instrumental technique wedded to integral musical conceptions. In a nearly flawless concert with pian...
Choral and VocalCOMPELLING WEILL HALL MESSIAH ORATORIO FROM THE ABS
by Terry McNeill
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Each holiday season when a Classical Sonoma reviewer is assigned to cover a concert with Handel's seminal Oratorio The Messiah, the question arises about what new commentary can possibly apply to the often performed choral work. Well, if it's the American Bach Soloists performing the piece, written...
OperaPURCELL'S DIDO IN YOUTHFUL SSU OPERA
by Abby Wasserman
Wednesday, December 05, 2018
A doomed royal love affair, the theme of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, was brought to lovely life at Sonoma State University Dec. 5 in the school's Schroeder Hall. Conducted by faculty member Zachary Gordin, who also played continuo, the performance was only the second opera production presented by the...
SymphonySANTA ROSA SYMPHONY HERALDS THE HOLIDAYS
by Steve Osborn
Sunday, December 02, 2018
Antlers are typical headgear during the holiday season, but the ushers and one bassist at the Santa Rosa Symphony concert on Dec. 2 sported apples atop their heads. The red fruits were festive but perplexing until the orchestra began Rossini's "William Tell" overture, at which point even the dull-wi...
SymphonyA HERO'S ODYSSEY IN SO CO PHIL CONCERT
by Art Hofmann
Sunday, November 18, 2018
The audience at the Sonoma County Philharmonic's Nov. 18 concert was warned at the outset that the old Santa Rosa High School auditorium boiler was turned off, and there was a steady eminently audible tone in the hall. Conductor Norman Gamboa said the tone was an A, a high one. But there it was, a...
RecitalMTA BENEFIT CONCERT FEATURES FAURE, DVORAK, JANACEK AND BARBER WORKS
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, November 11, 2018
In a splendid concert Nov. 11 the Music Teachers Association of California, Sonoma County Chapter, presented their sixth annual benefit concert before 40 avid listeners in the Santa Rosa home of Helen Howard and Robert Yeats. Highlights of the performances, involving eight musicians in various perf...
RecitalSERKIN'S SINGULAR MOZART AND BACH PLAYING IN WEILL RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Friday, November 09, 2018
Returning to Weill Hall following a fire-related recital cancellation in 2017, pianist Peter Serkin programmed just three works in his Nov. 7 concert, three masterworks that challenged both artist and audience alike. It needs to be said at the outset that Mr. Serkin takes a decidedly non-standard a...
ChamberLUMINOUS FAURE TOPS LINCOLN TRIO'S SPRING LAKE VILLAGE CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, November 07, 2018
Familiarity in chamber music often evokes warm appreciation, and it was thus Nov. 7 when the Chicago-based Lincoln Piano Trio made one of their many Sonoma County appearances, this time on the Spring Lake Village Classical Music Series. Regularly presented by local impresario Robert Hayden, the Lin...
BRILLIANT RUSSIAN DUO IN REDWOOD ARTS COUNCIL OCCIDENTAL RECITALby Terry McNeill
Saturday, February 11, 2012
It's a rare occurrence in a cello recital that each programmed piece was both a masterwork of the literature and flawlessly performed, admitting nothing but awe and warm satisfaction from even the most seasoned string aficionado.


text:
Intervention for HIV-Positive Black Young Men Who Have Sex With Men (YMSM)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01502618
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : December 30, 2011
Last Update Posted : February 28, 2017
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
|Behavioral: Focus Group
|Not Applicable
Focus groups will be conducted at two Adolescent Medicine Trials Unit (AMTU) sites and will guide the selection of the intervention content areas and the development of the intervention manual. The intervention aims to increase participation in health promoting behaviors and improve self-worth and self-concept among HIV-positive B-YMSM. Specifically, the intervention aims to address the following health promoting behaviors: 1) increasing engagement in HIV treatment; 2) improving medication adherence; 3) reducing sexual risk behaviors; 4) reducing substance use behaviors; and 5) increasing HIV status disclosure.
Based on reviews of ATN 070 data and existing related interventions (ATN 068, ATN 073, Young Warriors, HLS), draft components of the intervention curriculum for B-YMSM will be developed. Four focus groups will then be convened (two per AMTU) with HIV-positive B-YMSM to a) obtain input on the draft intervention curriculum, b) refine intervention components, and c) examine psychosocial factors that may mediate or moderate the intervention effect. The focus groups will be implemented using a "Rapid Approach" which allows for a focus on key areas of inquiry by asking fewer questions and focusing on targeted responses of focus group participants. All focus groups will be digitally recorded and transcribed. The transcripts will be reviewed and data analyzed using a phenomenological approach; protocol team members and members of two Youth Advisory Boards (YABs), which will include youth who are existing members of ATN site CABs as well as youth recruited from other local agencies and organizations), will work on the analysis of the data.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|18 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Development of a Secondary Prevention Intervention Targeting HIV-Positive Black Young Men Who Have Sex With Men
|Study Start Date :
|August 2010
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|January 2011
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|January 2011
Experimental: Focus Group
The focus group participants for this study will be Black Young Men who have Sex with Men (B-YMSM) ages 16-24 years (inclusive) who are diagnosed as HIV-positive and receive medical care at one of the two participating AMTUs or their community partners.
Behavioral: Focus Group
N/A. Protocol is the focus group
- Produce an intervention focused on promoting critical consciousness among HIV-positive B-YMSM by using focus groups with HIV - positive B-YMSM [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
The focus groups will be conducted to:
- determine the needs of the intervention
- participants' views on the content areas that should and should not be included in the newly developed intervention
participants' views on the following areas of intervention design will also be obtained:
- the critical consciousness coaching technique;
- program structure (e.g., frequency, length, time);
- format (group sessions, individual sessions, combined sessions, internet sessions, weekend retreats); (d) session content (e.g., prevention skills, content areas, study incentives).
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|16 Years to 24 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Receives services at one of the selected AMTU sites;
- Male sex at birth and male gender at the time of the study;
- Self identifies as "Black" (including Black/African-American, Black Latino, Black/Afro-Caribbean, Black/African immigrant, or any self-identified member of the African Diaspora);
- HIV-infected as documented by medical record review or verification with referring medical professional;
- Between the ages of 16-24 years inclusive at the time of consent;
- HIV-infected through sexual behavior;
- At least one sexual encounter involving oral or anal sex with a male partner in the past year;
- Ability to understand both written and spoken English;
- Willingness to participate in a focus group discussion with other HIV-positive B-YMSM; and
- Willingness to provide signed informed consent or assent with parental permission as applicable for study participation.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active psychiatric condition that in the opinion of the site personnel would interfere with the ability to give true informed consent and to adhere to the study requirements;
- Visibly distraught and/or visibly emotionally unstable (i.e., exhibiting suicidal, homicidal, or violent behavior);
- Active drug or alcohol use or dependence that, in the opinion of the site personnel, would interfere with the ability to give true informed consent and to adhere to the study requirements;
- Acute illness that, in the opinion of the treating clinician, would interfere with the participant's ability to adhere to the protocol requirements and/or interfere with the protocol objectives.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01502618
|Study Chair:
|Patrick Wilson, PhD
|Columbia University
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01502618 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|December 30, 2011 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|February 28, 2017
|Last Verified:
|May 2016
Keywords provided by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill:
Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HIV Infections
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Slow Virus Diseases


text:
Gerda Blachmann
Born: April 24, 1923
Breslau, Germany
Gerda was an only child of Jewish parents. They lived in Breslau, a large industrial city on the Oder River. Before World War II, Breslau's Jewish community was the third largest in Germany. Her father worked as a salesman for a large hardware and building materials company. Gerda attended public school until age 9 when she was admitted to a Catholic girls' school.
1933-39: I walked through the city to see the aftermath of a pogrom. The windows of Jewish shops had been shattered. A torched synagogue continued to smolder. I begged my parents to leave Germany. Months later, they decided we should flee. We got visas to Cuba and left from Hamburg aboard the ship St. Louis on May 13, 1939. Arriving in Cuba on the 27th, we were told our visas were invalid. Denied entry, we had to return to Europe.
1940-44: Disguised as farm women, my mother and I drove a hay wagon past the German border patrol to a farm on the French-Swiss border. We walked down a small ravine, crossed a stream and then slipped under a barbed-wire fence that marked the official border. But we were apprehended by Swiss border guards and held overnight. The next day, we were put on a train with other refugees. No one told us where we were going or what was going to happen to us.
Gerda was interned in a refugee camp in Switzerland for two years, and then worked in Bern in a blouse factory until the end of the war. She immigrated to the United States in 1949.


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Author Notes: A few weeks ago, we went to the wedding of some good friends out on Long Island. Despite a few drops of rain during the ceremony, everything came off without a hitch, and the pre-reception cocktail was a particular highlight: it was a refreshing Pimm's cup, and bobbing within it were ice cubes that had berries embedded in them, almost like beautiful, rainbow-bright fossils in amber.
I told Amanda about the ice cubes that week, and we somehow got on the topic of her technique of making lemon ice cubes for lemonade (so that the ice doesn't dilute, but rather reinforces the flavor of the drink). I thought: why not combine the two? So here is my almost embarrassingly simple recipe for lemonade ice cubes, studded with fresh berries. They have a hint of sweetness, but not so much as to make them sticky. Give them a go, and let me know what you think!
—Merrill Stubbs
Makes: 1 tray of ice cubes
tablespoons sugar
cup lemon juice
Fresh berries of your choice
- Stir together ¼ cup hot water and the sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup cold water and then the lemon juice, stirring to combine. Put a berry (or two if they're small) into each hollow of an ice cube tray and then fill each halfway with lemonade. Put the tray in the freezer for an hour or two, until frozen. Fill the hollows completely with lemonade and freeze again until completely solid. Use to chill glasses of lemonade, or add to a Pimm's cup!
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
More Great Recipes:
Cocktail|Fruit|Lemon Juice|Make Ahead|Serves a Crowd|Spring|Summer|Alcohol-Free Drinks|Hors D'Oeuvre


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Roast Poussin with Champagne Grapes
Alison Attenborough | Yield: 2
Alison Attenborough knows how to make food look--and taste--beautiful without much fuss. Here she bastes poussin, or baby chickens, with mustard and roasts them with diminutive Champagne grapes.
- 2 Whole Free-Range Poussins
- Salt
- Coarsely-ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 small bunches champagne grapes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season the poussins generously with sea salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over high heat. When the pan begins to smoke, add the poussins and sear until all sides are golden brown. Transfer the poussins to a rimmed baking sheet. Baste the poussins with the mustard and season them again with salt and pepper. Insert the thyme and garlic into the poussins' cavities.
- Roast the poussins for 30 minutes, then add the grapes to the baking sheet and continue roasting for another 20 to 30 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer or knife into the poussin's thigh. The poussins will be done when the juices run clear.
- Serve the poussins and grapes alongside a simple watercress salad and crusty bread.


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|2008-07-04, 23:29
|Link #81
Yuuki Aoi
Join Date: Jul 2004
Loved Chiba Saeko's voice, especially having just enjoyed her with a totally different presentation in Strike Witches. I thought seiyuu dropped out of the business when they got married. Chiba-san seems to be getting more work. And that's a good thing.
And I liked the fresh energy of Itou Kanae as Hayamiya. Her performance in Shugo Chara appears not to be a flash in the pan.
And I agree with wao about derelict buildings. The feeling of past lives (I think that's what it is) makes them like temples, somehow.
|2008-07-05, 00:30
|Link #82
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
I remember liking the old OVA thanks to the awesomeness of Birdy so I thought going in I would enjoy this but they really exceeded my expectations.
I'll have to wait until there are subs to comment on the actual story but the animation side seriously delivered the goods, atleast for the first episode. Birdy's new design looks fantastic in motion and I love the colors used in the show especially for the special effects and tech. As noted earlier I too liked the interesting camera work. And the motion animation was really very nice with no shortcut stills and did some real justice to the action, so I really enjoyed Birdy's fight scenes.
The comedy of their interaction should be really fun, however I too hope that a large majority of most of the episodes focuses on Birdy, especially if the series really only goes 13 eps as she's the real star of the show and as a Science Fiction and action fan her part has always interested me more than the comedy.
If they can keep this up, I really do hope that the show will get to go beyond just 13 episodes, perhaps a full 26.
Last edited by DangerMouse; 2008-07-05 at 01:19.
|2008-07-05, 03:17
|Link #86
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
lol wut? The OVA rocked!
Anyways wonder if they'll tone down Birdy's power in the TV series in the manga she's overpowered, her opponents aren't that much of a threat to her. Though I'm only up to vol 8 in the manga so maybe more powerful villains/enemies will show up.
Spoiler for Possible powerful enemy:
|2008-07-06, 01:26
|Link #91
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Since I've read the manga I found some of the changes a bit annoying like adding a sterotypical gay guy in the series ugh and making Birdy into an Idol, the anime added alot of other new stuff which irks me. Overall it was still good, really liked the animation and the action scenes though it was a bit floatly. Anyways just don't know why they made so many changes when they could have followed the manga easily early on.
|2008-07-06, 03:57
|Link #92
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Holy shit, the 1st ep is fucking awesome. Superb animations, graphics, character designs and music. Can't judge about the story yet but the fight scenes just made me screaming for more. The only thing that is sin about this is Senkawa. Ugh, he completely ruined it just being there, typical generic male lead. I hope somehow he becomes GAR later on.
|2008-07-06, 06:31
|Link #94
Senior Member
I was quite skeptic at the beginning, but I was obviously wrong.
Birdy is quite a badass hot chick, isn't she? I really enjoyed the action scenes, and also Tsutomu doesn't seem too bad.
As for the OP and the ED I liked the first but not much the second.
Also, Kanae Itou (Hayamiya) voice acting was very good in my opinion.
|2008-07-06, 07:12
|Link #95
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: In a world all my own
I just watched the ep 1 sub from I-Z and was quite pleased. Some really great action/fighting sequenses, and the voice acters come across pretty well, too. It seems like so far at least they are doing a very good job of updating the original OVA.
Can't wait for the next ep!
|2008-07-06, 10:40
|Link #99
Join Date: Jan 2007
Don't know if it's online yet, but you can just download the torrent.
|action, sci-fi
|Thread Tools


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Trump to open Dubai golf course
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Donald Trump plans to extend his golfing empire to the Middle East, opening a course in the desert outskirts of Dubai in the latest sign the emirate's crisis-hit property market is recovering.
The Trump International Golf Club will be the centerpiece of a 28 million foot project being developed by DAMAC Properties that includes a luxury residential community, hotels, spa and international schools. It is being developed on land purchased from Dubailand, a much-hyped project that included a $1 billion Tiger Woods golfing estate. The Woods projected was shelved due to the economic downturn.
The Trump Organization has 14 award-winning courses under its ownership and management across the world, but this will be its first venture into Asia. It did not say who would design the 7,205-yard, par-71 course.


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The researchers behind Boston College's controversial Belfast Project face an anxious wait to discover whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will be allowed to access secret tapings they made with former paramilitaries.
The US Court of Appeal heard arguments last week from lawyers representing Anthony McIntyre and Ed Moloney, who wish to have their own case heard separately from BC, and prosecutors who say that their interests are adequately represented by the college.
In January, Judge William Young had ordered certain tapings be handed to the PSNI, ruling that Moloney and McIntyre lack the legal standing to oppose a US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty which compels both countries to share vital information.
The saga began last May, when US authorities acting for the PSNI demanded access to 26 interviews given to BC by former IRA members for the project on Northern Ireland's Troubles undertaken by former IRA man-turned journalist McIntyre and Bronx-based journalist Moloney.
Conducted between 2001 and 2006, the interviews only went ahead under the condition that they would not be released until the interviewees had passed away.
The PSNI request is part of an investigation into the murder of mother of 10 Jean McConville by the IRA in 1972, with later subpoenas zoning in on interviews given by former IRA operatives Dolours Price and the late Brendan Hughes.
Both have in the past accused Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams of running a secret death squad which kidnapped and "disappeared" at least nine people during the early 1970s, including McConville. There has been speculation that Price's interviews implicate Adams in the killing.
Eamon Dornan, representing McIntyre and Moloney, argued in court that there was no likelihood that the handover of the Price tapes to the PSNI would result in any prosecutions.
He said McIntyre had already been branded an informant by certain factions, and added that the project's participants face "the real risk of physical harm" should the recordings be turned over. The Northern Ireland peace process itself could be imperiled by such a decision, he said.
McIntyre's wife Carrie Twomey, herself an American citizen, has long outlined how she feels her family is in danger over the release of the tapes.
"My husband is being classified as an informer," she previously told The Irish Emigrant. "There is definitely that distinct rustling in the undergrowth. We're trying to get the grown-ups to step forward and do the right thing. This case goes completely against US foreign policy and leaves a lot of US citizens open to potential pitfalls."
Judge Young had ordered that all information from the interviews of Dolours Price be handed over to US authorities for eventual transfer to the PSNI, which BC complied with. The college has however lodged an appeal against a ruling that it hand over testimony from seven other paramilitaries. This appeal is set to be heard in June.
BC's failure to appeal the Price tapes ruling, however, has lead to a bitter war of words between the researchers and the college over exactly what should have been done to protect the archive.
McIntyre and Moloney say they have been betrayed by BC; the college says it is obliged to follow valid court orders relating to a criminal investigation.
Speaking with the Belfast Telegraph, Moloney said that were himself and McIntyre to lose their current challenge in the three-judge appeals court, they may go to the highest court in the land.
"If we lose by two to one, we will appeal it to the (US) Supreme Court," he said.
It is thought a decision on the matter could take weeks or even months.


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Despite the economic gloom, the number of titles produced annually in Russia continues to grow. The country is now #3 in terms of book production (approximately 125,000 new titles per year), after the U.S. and China. It also saw more than 20 million e-book downloads and some one million reading devices sold in 2011.
Closer ties with the global book community mark the biggest change in the Russian publishing scene, notes publisher Natasha Perova of GLAS. "We have Russia as the market focus at the upcoming BookExpo America, besides last year's London Book Fair. Who could have imagined anything like this 20 or even 10 years ago? Today, Russian publishers and literary agents are learning to promote their authors internationally following Western practices, when just a decade ago they saw no point in it or had no idea where to start or how to go about it."
Now for the bad news: a shrinking reading population will cause an estimated 5%–7% drop in sales this year (8% in 2011) for the publishing industry. For Oleg Novikov, vice-chairman of the Russian Book Union and CEO of Eksmo (one of the major publishers in town, with 22% of market share), it is imperative to get Russians to read again (and to read more). Last year, the Russian Book Union, the Federal Agency of Press and Mass Communication, and Moscow and St. Petersburg city governments supported an extended reading campaign, with some help from several Russian celebrities. This year, a similar program targeted at children is planned.
Says Novikov, "The industry decline is a huge issue for Eksmo, not least because of our leading market position. So far, we have managed to compensate for the drop in overall [print] sales—especially for fiction due to the popularity of e-book format—with those from segments such as business, professional, hobbies and crafts, popular literature, and children's books. In the longer term, however, the whole industry needs a society with a strong reading habit."
"We have been lamenting about declining reading habits in the past five years, and the harsh reality is here: Russia is no longer a nation that reads," adds CEO Arkady Vitrouk of Azbooka-Atticus, pointing out that efforts to arrest further decline would require sustained social advertising with plenty of government support and cooperation from all industry players. "Often, available market statistics show printed volume, not the total quantity sold to end consumers. This means that the drop in book sales has been understated all along and the issue much more serious than it appears to be."
The Distribution Dilemma
"The market is at a crossroads where people will head to the bookstore less frequently, and books are becoming more of an impulse purchase. Readers wanting to browse through books will opt to do it electronically," says Vitrouk, which started selling books from its Web site last October (with "current sales comparable to those of a small bookstore"). "Increasingly, people will buy books through nontraditional channels such as supermarkets, toy stores, and specialty stores. For instance, pharmacies would be an ideal place for selling health books, and gourmet [food] stores for cookbooks and wine titles."
The bankruptcy of the retail chain Top Kniga (despite massive cash injections from various companies, including AST) has created a ripple effect, the biggest problem being the loss of publishers' and consumers' trust and confidence. Major publishers such as Eksmo and AST that own distribution and retail networks might naturally benefit from such closures and expand their market domination. But rebuilding that trust and confidence could take a while.
"Bookstores see lower sales as consumers, facing an escalating cost of living and increasing financial burden, turn to kiosks and supermarkets that offer heavy discounting programs," adds president Yury Deykalo of AST. "So we are seeing very cheap editions selling in high volumes in these two new channels. How this will impact the future of bookstores remains to be seen, but it is not encouraging, to say the least. Publishers would have to figure out how best to distribute their titles and seek different channels to stabilize their sales."
A weak national distribution network, says editor-in-chief and director Andrei Sorokin of ROSSPEN, means that "major publishers that are geared toward the mass market are dependent on their own retail and distribution networks, something that smaller and academic publishers usually do not have. What is worse is that Moscow lags far behind other European cities in terms of bookstore numbers per capita. In short, Russia's book market structure is distorted and distribution highly monopolized. For academic publishers like ROSSPEN, it is an uphill battle every day."
Battling Pirates New and Old
Electronic piracy plays a part in declining book sales, and fighting it, says AST's Deykalo, requires determination and combined effort, as evidenced by his collaboration with his closest rival, Eksmo, in several piracy cases. "To stop book piracy, we should start with protecting music and TV content—a strategy proven effective in the U.S. But the battle involves money to educate people about copyright and legal downloads. And in these times of declining sales and shrinking margins, money is not that easy to come by." (E-book sales at AST represent a mere 5% of its bottom line.)
Adds Eksmo's Novikov, "Only 10% of downloads involve legally obtained content. Eksmo has been leading the fight, and we closed down 20 pirate sites and removed several dozen unauthorized download links to our titles last year. Obtaining digital rights for more Russian and translated titles is crucial as we go all out to protect our content from illegal downloading."
Over at OLMA Media Group, a focus on high-end illustrated books means that it faces far less piracy problems than its counterparts. "Still, pirated editions of our titles have appeared in various countries, especially in Ukraine. The worse news is that those books sell at half their retail prices in Russia," says general director Dmitry Ivanov. "We have seized nine such contraband print runs with assistance from the Ukrainian police. In one case involving an encyclopedia on Russian Orthodoxy, while we sold 78,000 copies, the pirate managed to reprint and sell 40,000. So, while the present focus is on digital piracy, traditional piracy is alive and well."
However, Ivanov is confident that publishing extensively researched and illustrated series such as his bestselling 18-volume encyclopedia on history is the right strategy for OLMA. "Given the proliferation of e-reading devices, the speed of broadband, and the tons of free material available online, there has been much skepticism about the longevity of reference titles among publishers and readers alike. It is a fact that many people turn to sites such as Wikipedia for information. But is the information reliable? Can it be used for publishing or research purposes? No, and no. So we believe that our reference titles will stand the test of time in the foreseeable future."components/article_pagination.html not found (No such file or directory)


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Equestrian Shield Leather Continental Wallet
€390.00 €390.00
€200.00 €200.00
All orders will be fulfilled by Burberry Limited and shipped from the UK. When you place your order, you accept Burberry's Terms and Conditions and confirm that you have read our Privacy Policy.
Size Guide
Use the Size Guide to choose the best fit for your measurements.
In this window, you can find out the shipping and returns options for the selected item.
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- A compact leather wallet in contrasting tones and textures with a hand-stitched equestrian shield.
- 10.5 x 8cm/4.1 x 3.1in
- Outer: 100% goat leather
- Inner: 100% leather
- Foldover flap with press-stud closure
- Two card slots
- Two slip pockets
- One extendable compartment
- Hand-painted edges
- Embossed Burberry lettering at front
- Made in Italy
Item 40734081


text:
LAS VEGAS — The icons of Las Vegas have always been easily recognizable, in terms of both the people and places that symbolize the city.
It's easy to envision towering neon signs in every colour of the rainbow; to picture Elvis Presley swathed in studded jumpsuits; or, to conjure up a scene of sequined showgirls decked out in feathers, bangles and towering head dresses.
But while the historical icons of Vegas were often brash and glitzy, the new icons of Sin City have become sophisticated and ritzy.
Where visitors once dined on the ubiquitous 99-cent shrimp cocktail (usually prepared by an anonymous cook), today it's common to find diners enjoying a $99 meal created by a celebrity chef who is a household name.
Vegas has come a long way, baby, and over the past few years, the result has been myriad new icons sprouting up along Las Vegas Boulevard — or the Strip — in the form of volcanoes, pyramids, castles, canals, statues and towers.
Nothing, however, has become more iconic of the new Vegas than the Bellagio hotel and resort, which has been key in the city's evolution from brassy to classy and which celebrated its 15th birthday this week.
Bellagio was built on the site of the former Dunes hotel, a 1955 structure that grew to become the biggest and best property in town by the 1960s.
Over the years, performances at the Dunes featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Liberace, the first Elvis impersonator on the Strip and the first topless review.
Rumour was that the Dunes was controlled by mob money, but that era ended when Vegas hotel guru Steve Wynn bought the property, imploded the hotel and began construction on a resort modelled after the Lake Como town of Bellagio, Italy.
On Oct. 15, 1998, the $1.6-billion Bellagio opened its doors — then the most expensive hotel in the world. A swanky invitation-only affair saw VIPs pay a minimum $1,000 per person to attend the opening and usher in a new era, becoming the "quintessential upscale Vegas choice," reported USA Today.
"It really changed the way the world thought about Vegas," says tour operator Mandy Sullivan. "Bellagio was glamorous; it became the No. 1 talked-about destination that year."
The Mirage Hotel had opened nine years earlier, starting the Vegas trend of hotels eschewing the once-famous neon glare for sophisticated flair; but, it was Bellagio that introduced a new level of refinement and opulence to the Strip.
"What Bellagio is all about is luxury," explains the resort's president and chief operating officer Randy Morton. "It's about exceeding guests' expectations from the minute they arrive until the minute they leave."
Guests are welcomed by the now world-famous Fountains of Bellagio, which have become a symbolic image used by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and as a common background in dozens of TV shows and movies, including Ocean's Eleven, What Happens in Vegas and The Hangover.
Choreographed to music from artists such as Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli and David Foster, the 1,200 fountains erupt, sway and dance in a mesmerizing display several times every day and night.
It's no surprise that the fountains remain the most popular free attraction in Vegas, with 15,000 people lining the street daily to take in a show. An Internet photo search for Bellagio fountains also demonstrates the feature's overwhelmingly popularity, with visitors from around the globe posting photos of the water spectacle, leading to millions of web impressions.
"They (the fountains) provide the iconic welcome when you arrive," says Morton, "and also provide a . . . suitable farewell, when you depart."
It isn't just the fountains, however, that have helped propel Bellagio to become a Vegas icon in just 15 short years. The resort is home to many unique amenities, including a lush conservatory, botanical gardens and a gallery of fine art, which has featured works by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol and many other artists.
Hanging from the lobby ceiling, there's also much-photographed hand-blown glass sculpture of 2,000 flowers by renowned artist Dale Chihuly.
Bellagio is also credited with kick-starting the celebrity chef movement in the city, demonstrated by its Circo and Le Cirque restaurants by Sirio Maccioni, Olives by Todd English, Prime Steakhouse by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Julian Serrano's Picasso (where artwork by the famous artist hangs on the walls) and Michael Mina's namesake restaurant.
A visit to Michael Mina shows how Bellagio sets the bar high, when it comes to fine dining.
An artful balance of culinary creations flows from the kitchen: a starter of caviar, crème fraîche and potato cake; a tuna tartare prepared tableside with pine nuts, ancho chili and sesame oil; a clam-and-crab risotto; and, a dessert tasting trio of red velvet genoise, passion fruit panna cotta and a root beer float with homemade sassafras ice cream.
No detail is too small and no effort too large when it comes to providing a first-rate experience.
The same holds true for Bellagio's resident Cirque du Soleil show — "O" — featuring 85 acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers and other artists who perform above, in and on top of a 5.6-million-litre pool that "magically" changes depth throughout the show.
The mesmerizing show — still one of Cirque's best — has grossed more than $1 billion since Bellagio opened and become a quintessential symbol of how Vegas entertainment has evolved, much in the same way that Bellagio reflects the overall shift to sophistication in the city.
Maintaining iconic status, however, takes significant work.
An army of 8,200 employees move about Bellagio with elegant precision to ensure every pillow is fluffed and every piece of crystal sparkling.
The results of an employee training program, aimed at taking service five steps beyond excellence, can be seen at every turn. Staff members are asked to greet all visitors, use their names whenever possible, smile, and acknowledge them with sincerity, says Morton.
"That," he says, "is the secret sauce of Bellagio."
It's a "sauce" that's proven incredibly appealing.
Occupancy rates range from 95 to 100 per cent; the hotel attracts almost twice as many international guests as other properties; and, it's received the AAA Five Diamond Award (the top hotel and restaurant award) 11 times. Fitting, it seems, for an icon.
For more information, check out:
- Bellagio at www.bellagio.com
- Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority at www.lvcva.com
- Michael Mina at www.michaelmina.net and in The Cookbook by Michael Mina (Bulfinch Press.)


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BERG working paper series
- Capital-Asset-Pricing Modell ; Mehragentensystem ; Volabilität ; Online-Publikation (1)
- Kreditmarkt ; Stochastisches Modell ; Online-Publikation (1)
- Method of simulated moments; moment coverage ratio; herding; discrete choice approach; transition probability approach. (1)
- Structural stochastic volatility; method of simulated moments; autocorrelation pattern; fat tails; bootstrapped p-values (1)
- Wirtschaftspolitik ; Agency-Theorie ; Online-Publikation (1)
Why a Simple Herding Model May Generate the Stylized Facts of Daily Returns: Explanation and Estimation (2012)
The paper proposes an elementary agent-based asset pricing model that, invoking the two trader types of fundamentalists and chartists, comprises four features: (i) price determination by excess demand; (ii) a herding mechanism that gives rise to a macroscopic adjustment equation for the market fractions of the two groups; (iii) a rush towards fundamentalism when the price misalignment becomes too large; and (iv) a stronger noise component in the demand per chartist trader than in the demand per fundamentalist trader, which implies a structural stochastic volatility in the returns. Combining analytical and numerical methods, the interaction between these elements is studied in the phase plane of the price and a majority index. In addition, the model is estimated by the method of simulated moments, where the choice of the moments reflects the basic stylized facts of the daily returns of a stock market index. A (parametric) bootstrap procedure serves to set up an econometric test to evaluate the model's goodness-of-fit, which proves to be highly satisfactory. The bootstrap also makes sure that the estimated structural parameters are well identified.
In the framework of small-scale agent-based financial market models, the paper starts out from the concept of structural stochastic volatility, which derives from different noise levels in the demand of fundamentalists and chartists and the time-varying market shares of the two groups. It advances several different specifications of the endogenous switching between the trading strategies and then estimates these models by the method of simulated moments (MSM), where the choice of the moments reflects the basic stylized facts of the daily returns of a stock market index. In addition to the standard version of MSM with a quadratic loss function, we also take into account how often a great number of Monte Carlo simulation runs happen to yield moments that are all contained within their empirical confidence intervals. The model contest along these lines reveals a strong role for a (tamed) herding component. The quantitative performance of the winner model is so good that it may provide a standard for future research.


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Walking through the Palace of the Fans facade, visitors enter a theater themed as an old ballpark. There is seating for 90 visitors in the wooden grandstand. At the front of the theater is a replica of a Crosley scoreboard (from the 1930s and 1940s era), flanked by two Crosley Field-themed light towers. The scoreboard is transformed into a screen on which guests see one of a selection of films on Reds history including on a new film on the 1990 Reds.
Purchase your tickets ahead of your visit to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
Wherever you're coming from, we're easy to find with many parking options.
Go behind-the-scenes at Great American Ball Park on a 90-minute guided tour.