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Welcome to
Quintessentially British
An understated style. Defined by a rather unconventional sense of sophistication. With taste that is rarified, yet a touch audacious. Timeless and elegant... but always infused with a charming dash of wit and whimsy.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The online store Networkwebcams.co.uk is operated by NW Systems Group under the marketing brand Network Webcams. The people in our company have been involved with network video since the technology first appeared in 1996/97.
Member of Law Society Children Panel, Member of Law Society Family Panel and Member of Resolution
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A North West based graphic design & marketing agency – specialising in using our talents to partner you in developing your business.
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Brazilian Politicians Want To Offer Snowden Asylum After Learning Of US Spying On Brazilians
from the making-friends-around-the-globe deptYou may have heard that one of the latest revelations from Ed Snowden's whistleblowing efforts concerned the NSA's spying on Brazilians with a rather extensive program.
As the headline suggests, the crux of the main article details how the NSA has, for years, systematically tapped into the Brazilian telecommunication network and indiscriminately intercepted, collected and stored the email and telephone records of millions of Brazilians.Of course, as each new country learns more and more about US spying on their citizens, the outrage against the US seems to grow. The Brazilian government has now kicked off an investigation, but perhaps more interesting is the fact that some Brazilian Senators are using this story to suggest that the country offer asylum to Snowden. Frankly, the spying on people outside the US by the NSA is hardly a surprise at all, since it's long been known that the NSA doesn't need any warrants concerning the spying on foreigners. However, from a diplomatic standpoint, this is (once again) making things tricky for the US government. But not just because more and more countries are "demanding answers," but also because this seems to be leading more countries to considering more strongly whether or not to grant Snowden asylum. Perhaps if the US didn't treat so-called "allies" as enemies, it wouldn't be having this problem in the first place.
Filed Under: asylum, brazil, diplomacy, ed snowden, nsa, nsa surveillance


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Schweitzer Keeps Good Company
Selkirk Recreation District
The Selkirk Recreation District's mission is to assist, and enhance the recreation opportunities and transportation system within the Selkirk Recreation District's boundaries. In 1999 a vote by the eligible voters who reside at Schweitzer created the district. District funding is provided by a tax levy. For more information, visit their website.
Visit Sandpoint
Visit Sandpoint, a part of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, supports tourism in our community through consistent exposure and customer service. The fabulous town of Sandpoint, Idaho is truly an unspoiled and historic spot, tucked away on the panhandle of north Idaho. Between shimmering Lake Pend Oreille and the beauty of Schweitzer Mountain, Sandpoint is quite a place. Visit Sandpoint shares the community's passion for the area with our visiting guests everyday. For a vacation planner or more information on Sandpoint, click here.
The Schweitzer Mountain Community Association (SMCA)
SMCA serves as a residential and commercial association with the primary goal of enhancing the community through services and capital improvements. The SMCA provides services such as architectural review for owners and developers, enforcement of community rules and regulations, support for charitable concerns.
Idaho Skier License Plate
Help support Idaho Ski Areas Association (ISAA) by buying an Idaho SnowSkier License Plate. All proceeds go to ISAA. Get your snow skier plate here!


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April 17, 2007
By Paul Feinberg
To get to Sally Choi's ('06) office, you are required to step through a metal detector, while your belongings ride past security guards on a conveyor belt. You must sign in and receive a visitor's pass from uniformed personnel, who then direct you to the third floor of Los Angeles' City Hall. There, an exceptionally friendly staff asks you to take a seat in an ornately tasteful waiting area adorned with paintings by Diego Cardoso. Before long, you're lead through a maze of staircases and hallways, past seemingly endless rows of cubicles before reaching her office.
Sally Choi is Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, Finance and Performance Innovation. She first made news in November at the time of her appointment; she is the first Korean-American woman to be a deputy mayor in Los Angeles and that alone caught the attention of the local media, particularly the Asian press.
Her duties are twofold. On the financial end, she is responsible for preparing the city's $6.7 billion budget for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. On that front, she says the greatest challenge is making sure that the city remains on a fiscally responsible path while making investments in critical city services. "The budget has a structural deficit," she said, due to revenue shortfalls from 2001 when the fallout of the dotcom bust and 9/11-related terrorism issues left Los Angeles short of projected revenues. "We're required to present a balanced budget every year, with goals of expanding some programs and also reducing the structural deficit." Currently, the cooling of the once white-hot real estate market is cutting into revenue growth, intensifying the challenge facing Choi and her staff.
"We have to look for efficiency," she said. "The question is, 'How can you work smarter and make sure you find the best use for taxpayer dollars?'"
Mayor Villaraigosa's main concern is public safety. He has a goal of adding 1,000 net new police officers over five years and the city is committed to adding 780 of those officers next year. "That's a top priority (in the budget)," Choi said. "But even the police department isn't exempt from finding efficiencies in their operations."
The budget process is complex. Choi and her staff work closely with the City Administrative Office (CAO) to prepare the budget for the mayor. He then submits it for scrutiny by the city council; where the budget committee headed by Councilman Bernard Parks holds hearings where Choi presents. Then, it's back to the mayor, who can accept the council's changes or veto them. He then re-submits the budget to the council for approval. The current budget was submitted to the council on April 19th, but isn't scheduled to be finalized until June.
The other side of Choi's responsibilities relate to the performance management unit, a concept implemented by Villaraigosa and modeled after strategies employed by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The mayor has instituted a set of performance objectives with obtainable outcomes that Choi likens to a strategic plan for Los Angeles. There are six focus areas with 26 outcomes. For each of these there are a set of objectives and initiatives to meet those objectives. For example, in the focus area of energy and the environment, the mayor would like to plant 1 million trees.
"All of it is monitored by our group," Choi explained. "My team evaluates each plan and monitors the progress. There are a lot of ambitious goals, both performance goals and fiscal goals and we track (those) as well."
Leadership Training
Prior to joining the mayor's team, Choi served as assistant general manager for the city employees' retirement fund, where she helped manage about $10.1 billion dollars in assets (the fund is now at $10.8 billion). She continued to work there while a student in UCLA Anderson's Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) Program. She decided to earn an MBA to increase her career opportunities and enhance her management skills.
Choi joined the mayor's office just months after completing her class work at UCLA Anderson. She says that the leadership training she received at Anderson was immediately applicable. "My Anderson experience gave me the confidence that I could lead a team and a large organization," she said. "It taught different ways to come up with ideas on how to solve problems and to be creative. All of that leadership training in addition to finance training really helped me to think outside the box."


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Since few days I try to install Xaseco on my server but I get always this error :
I'm using wampserver with php 5.6.16
Code: Select all
[PHP Warning] mysql_connect(): MySQL server has gone away on line 32 in file C:\Users\*******\Documents\TMS\TmDedicatedServer\ASECO\plugins\plugin.localdatabase.php
[PHP Warning] mysql_connect(): Error while reading greeting packet. PID=15260 on line 32 in file C:\Users\**********\Documents\TMS\TmDedicatedServer\ASECO\plugins\plugin.localdatabase.php
[PHP Warning] mysql_connect(): MySQL server has gone away on line 32 in file C:\Users\********\Documents\TMS\TmDedicatedServer\ASECO\plugins\plugin.localdatabase.php
[ASECO Error] Could not authenticate at MySQL server! on line 33
Press a key to continue...


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Young Simmons - Turn My Swag On Freestyle
Young Simmons (Rev Run's Son) spits a freestyle off Soulja Boy's "Turn My Swag On"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Backing up your data is one thing, but being able to access it is quite another. One of the dangers of storing data backups locally is that it is at risk of loss, damage or theft. If you lose the data on your main hard drive because your computer is stolen, there's a reasonable chance that your backup will also go missing. This is why backing up to the cloud is a good idea, and Acronis True Image 2013 enables you to do this.
Storing backups in the cloud means that data can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, and this is what the mobile version of the app enables you to do. Automatic synchronization means that if you have files on your computer that you would like to be able to access when you are out and about, you do not need to remember to copy them to a portable drive, they will be ready and waiting for you to download whenever you want.
But the mobile app is about more than accessing the data you have backed up from your computer. You can also use the app to upload files from your mobile so they can be shared with other computers and devices. There is the option of creating a list of favorites for easy access to your most frequently used files. You can choose to automatically sync your photos and videos so the pictures and footage you shot are backed up for you.
But it does not end there. While it is incredibly useful to be able to access files of you own online from different machines, if you have uploaded images to Acronis Cloud, you may well want to make them available for other people to see. To help with this, the app enables you to create public links that you can share with other people. As well as giving you helpful backup options that complement the desktop version of the program, the mobile app is a great tool for sharing your images with friends.
A handy backup and sharing tool for your iOS or Android device.


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More than 3,000 Muslims stormed a Christian enclave in the city of Lahore, Pakistan, and proceeded to burn down an estimated 100 to 160 homes, marking a peak in violence toward religious groups.
The Muslim group was looking for a 28-year-old Christian man who is accused of blaspheming the Islamic prophet Mohammed, a criminal offense under Pakistani blasphemy laws. This latest bout of violence may not lead Pakistan to reconsider its blasphemy laws, but it will certainly draw the international community's attention to religious persecution in the region.
In Pakistan, blasphemy can result in the death penalty or several years in prison. Blasphemous acts include desecrating a place of worship, burning pages of the Quran, and defaming the Islamic prophet Mohammed. Pakistan's blasphemy law is leveled only at those blaspheming Islam, and does not provide protection for any other religious group.
An estimated 1,274 people have been accused of violating the blasphemy laws. At present, there are an estimated 16 Pakistanis on death row and another 20 individuals serving life imprisonment for blasphemy against Islam. Thirteen percent of the accused were Christian, 50 percent were Muslim, and the remaining comprise other minority religious groups.
The alleged precise statements of the Christian man in this latest incident are largely unknown. Some observers say that a Muslim man made the accusations of blasphemy against the Christian man in order to seek revenge the morning after the two men had been involved in a drunken brawl. After the police arrested the accused, many Christians fled the region fearing persecution for his alleged statements.
The minority Christian community had reason to fear backlash. Vigilantism is not uncommon in Pakistan, where rioters often take matters into their own hands to settle personal disputes. And just last year, a 14-year-old mentally challenged Christian Pakistani girl was put on trial for burning pages of the Quran. While the charges were ultimately dropped, the trial was representative of Pakistan's repressive political culture on matters of religion.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and other senior officials have ordered an investigation into this latest string of events. The Pakistani government has pledged the equivalent of $2,000 in assistance for each family affected.
While a few of the Muslim rioters are now in custody, charges are unlikely to be levied. The fate of the Christian man in custody is still unknown.
Two years ago, Pakistan's Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti were assassinated by religious extremists because of their efforts to roll back the controversial blasphemy laws. The current Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., Sherry Rehman, has also been under threat from extremists due to her support for re-examining the legislation and removing the death penalty as punishment. In January the Supreme Court of Pakistan approved admission of a blasphemy case against Ambassador Rehman for remarks she made on a television program in November 2010.
The latest rampage against the Christian community in Pakistan is significant, says Heritage's Lisa Curtis:
This is yet another example of the growing influence of extremist ideologies that are endangering minority communities and jeopardizing democracy, and will ultimately, if left unchallenged, turn Pakistan into a failed state. Pakistan's founding father, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, supported the idea of Islam serving as a unifying force in Pakistan and envisioned the country functioning as a multiethnic, multi-religious democracy. Unless and until Pakistan's leaders recommit to these ideals that helped form Pakistan as a nation state, the country will become engulfed in escalating lawlessness and sectarianism. It is time for Pakistan to draw the line on extremism and protect its minority populations by amending the blasphemy legislation.


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Bridges brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 163 Designs von 22 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Yogofrút (with an accent in the letter "u")
Yogofrút is a family owned business that serves frozen yogurt*. The business will open in 2 months and will be located in Lewisville, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex) in a strip mall.
The frozen yogurt business stands for a healthy approach to having dessert. It also emphasizes a fun and welcoming environment. Consumers visit a Frozen Yogurt store to spend time with friends, chat and have a sweet treat.
This business wants to relate its product to the health related characteristics of fruit as well as its qualities (color, shape, texture). It also wants to establish a close relation with its consumers and be more personal than its competitors.
The logotype should transmit the following feelings: refreshed, energized, invigorating, satisfying, and of course, FUN.
The environment of the store is one of cleanness yet playfulness, exotic (tropical fruits) and slick graphics.
Some good references for this product are:
*frozen yogurt: Frozen yogurt is a variant of ice cream. While maintaining the same properties of a sweet and pleasant dessert, frozen yogurt is low in calories and based on yogurt, making it healthier. It's a very popular item for the crowd who is health conscious but still want to have fun going out for some ice cream/frozen yogurt.
The target audience in order of relevance is:
1. Youngsters between the ages of 15 – 22 years old. (high school and college level)
2. Families with young children between 5 – 14 years old.
3. 30+ year old fitness-oriented people (both men and women)
Given the product and the age of the consumer audience the design style can be dynamic, innovative, creative, fun, colorful, energizing, refreshing and clean yet professionally executed.
1. Most of the marketing will be done online with extensive use of social media. Animation, music, video, special promotions, contests and so on will be part of the promotional pieces; so, keep in mind that the logo, or part of the logo may at some point be animated, (see this sample: http://www.yogenfruz.com) or part of a screen saver, a mobile download and so on. NEVERTHELESS, the logotype should be a compact design, a unit treated as a whole.
2. The logotype will need to be highly scalable, from printing on a teaspoon to printing on a banner or outdoor display.
3. Okay to incorporate fruit shapes. Open to various colors and type faces.
4. Final work in vector art (AI) and PSD.
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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LINDdesign was founded in 1994 by Gareth Lind. The firm excels in print and web design
services for a wide range of clients, focusing on cultural and environmental organizations, books and the public sector. With an emphasis on typographic excellence and
editorial clarity, Lind cuts through the clutter to deliver messages
with stylish impact.
With over 20 years of design experience, Lind can also craft headlines and slogans that add punch and humour. He has written copy for the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ampersand Printing and the River Run Centre. "Good design includes good writing," Lind says. "If form is built around poorly written content, it falters."
What's with the hand?
Successful design seamlessly merges thought and execution, style and function. Mastery of a craft starts with the hand. Lind considered Left-hand Graphics as an alternative business name but opted against it because of the negative connotations -- from "two left hands" on down to "sinister." Still, his dominant hand is the left one. Growing up in a world that favours righthandedness accounts in part for the offbeat point-of-view he brings to his work.
Where's the degree?
Gareth Lind never had time to get one -- he hit the drafting table running. A self-taught cartoonist, Lind has always been a quick learner. At 17, his movie-ad satires were printed regularly in Festival, a Toronto reperatory cinema guide. Using pen and rub-down Letraset, he gave these spoofs detail and authenticity.
This didn't pass without notice. Rosanne Baker-Thornley hired Lind to apprentice with her fledgling design firm, Bakersmith Graphics. There he learned everything from computer typesetting to laying out pages for print using blue guides, hot wax and hand-drawn keylines. "I value the fact that I was able to catch the tail-end paste-up," says Lind. "This important knowhow still forms the skeleton of design today."
In 1988, cartooning again opened a design door. A meeting to present a comic strip concept led to Lind being hired as art director of the Toronto weekly Metropolis. (His comic strip was accepted too.) There, designing a tabloid on Mac SEs with nine-inch screens -- not unlike painting a landscape through a pinhole -- Lind entered the computer age.
In 1990, he joined his wife Christel Herick in Düsseldof, Germany, where he learned German, worked at a design firm and then freelanced. In 1993 he and Herick resettled in Guelph. He started LINDdesign and launched a weekly comic strip, Weltschmerz, which ran in Ontario papers from 1994 to 2008.
In 1996, he became a member of the Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, the first graphic designers association in North America to be accredited by government.


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Rupert Banner is the Vice President of Business Development at Bonhams in New York. He works closely with the US Motor Car Department, both by developing and supporting auctions throughout the U.S. and internationally.
He has been surrounded by the car hobby since his youth, regularly attending car auctions for more than 30 years. His career has included 17 years at two international auction houses, where, in his latter years, he headed a worldwide car department and handled numerous notable sales including the car collection of Sir Elton John.
In just seven years with Bonhams, Banner has helped develop the calendar of U.S. auctions. He has pioneered new venues at the Simeone Automotive Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and in Amelia Island, Florida, and he has handled the successful single owner collection sales of Richard C. Paine Jr. and Dr. Ralph W.E. Cox Jr.
In this time, Banner's consignments have totaled more than $95m, with a diverse range of achievements including breaking the world record for any Alfa Romeo with the 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C-35 Single Seater at $9.4m, discovering a 1928 Mercedes-Benz Typ S Tourer still in its original family's ownership from new which went on to sell for $4.45m, and, for last year's new Mercedes-Benz factory auction, he sourced a rare 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roadster which was sold to benefit two Swedish charities. Other highlights have included the sale of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's BMW M1 Art Car, the Deemer family 1907 American Underslung 'Honeymoon' Roadster and the 'holy grail' for Vintage Bentley enthusiasts: a 1930 4½ Litre Supercharged 'Blower' at more than $4.6m
An active enthusiast for the hobby, he is an entrant on the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run each November and has regularly competed on road tours such as the Tour Auto, Copperstate Rally and New England 1000.


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- Event: Other, December 15, 2018
Don't know the code?
If you don't know the registrants' Guest Access Code, there are several easy alternatives: Visit our Gift Ideas section, which offers a wealth of wedding and shower gift suggestions, or purchase a gift card, which allows recipients to make their own selections from our high-quality assortment.


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Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed he is working on a memoir. But what will he name it?
MarketWatch readers have weighed in on Twitter with some snarky plays on your favorite novels. Share your own titles with a comment below or tweeting to @Marketwatch using #bernankebooktitles.
— Sally French
Follow Sally on Twitter @SAFMedia


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I stepped outside and Neighbor Kate was there, about to begin her run. Ran a little over a mile with her until she turned off on the snowmobile trails, and I went on with my planned road route.
Today was also warm. Happily ran in the Vibram Five Fingers. Another gorgeous day on tap for tomorrow, but alas, I'll be returning to work after having the last week off, and it'll be a busy one with a long committee meeting following the school day, so will probably take a rest day.
Good end to the week, which consisted of 53.8 miles running, 8.0 kilometers skate skiing, and a good session of indoor rock climbing.
Ran 3.1 miles @ 9:41/mile pace.
Paved roads.
Slightly hilly.
40 degrees, sunny.
VFF Sprints, shorts, windbreaker, short sleeved shirt, cap.


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Ignorant NY Times Reporter Argues That The Public Domain Is Damaging Film
from the say-what-now? deptIn January, I wrote up an article that discusses the importance of the public domain -- something we've covered many times before. Without repeating various discussions we've had many times before, there is overwhelming evidence that a healthy public domain is important to both preserving old culture and developing new culture. But you wouldn't know that at all if you happened upon a recent, bizarre and totally misleading (to the point of being downright ignorant) article in the NY Times written by Nicolas Rapold, which is based on the entire premise that the public domain has somehow destroyed old films. Even the title makes no sense, claiming that "Even Good Films May Go to Purgatory," in which "purgatory" is the public domain. That's kind of hilariously wrong. In fact, it's much more reasonable to argue that it's copyright that creates a true purgatory for creative works.
Professor Paul Heald's ongoing research about the public domain has shown multiple times that excessive copyright is making creative works effectively vanish, while ancient public domain works are much more widely available. Take a look at the following chart, for example, highlighting how new books available on Amazon show a massive dip until you hit 1923 -- an important year, because works published before that year are mostly in the public domain:
But that's just the beginning of the problems in the article, which keeps going back to its basic premise that the public domain is bad, as if that's a simple fact. The entire crux of the article seems to be based on the fact that because some works are in the public domain, it means that lower quality video exists of those works. It bemoans various famous works that fell into the public domain, simply assuring all readers that this is a horrible fate that should never be allowed to happen to our culture.
The whole thing is based on the false belief -- which Rapold seems to accept without question -- that without copyright, there is no incentive for anyone to "restore" or keep a pristine copy of a work. This is the myth -- often pushed by copyright maximalists -- that public domain works are somehow "underused." Except that actual empirical research by Christopher Buccafusco and Paul Heald explored this assumption and found no support for that argument. In one experiment, they tested and compared audiobooks of public domain books vs. books still under copyright and found that -- as in other similar studies -- there is no evidence that public domain works lead to under use:
Lack of availability has been the most prominent concern expressed by Congress and commentators about works falling into the public domain. If works tended to disappear when their copyright terms expired, a plausible argument could be made for term extension because these lost works would be unavailable for future readers, users, and creators. Consistent with several previous studies,92 however, we found that audio books were significantly more likely to be made from older bestselling public domain works than from bestselling copyrighted works from the same era. Even excluding audiobooks available for free at www.librivox.org, the public domain works were more available to consumers in audio book form. For the full sample, public domain works were twice as likely to be available, and for the sample of enduringly popular works, public domain titles were 20% more likely to be available. These data suggest that copyright status, in fact, seems to reduce availability, even for the most popular books. Even today, there are no unabridged audio recordings for three of the most popular novels of the 1930's, Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd Douglas, Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordoff and Hall, and Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather, and D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover (1930) did not appear as an unabridged audio book until 2011.And while Rapold does highlight that certain old films that are in the public domain have degraded versions now available, he appears to simply assume the reason is that they've fallen into the public domain. He makes no effort whatsoever to prove the two are connected. Of course, it's actually not that difficult to discover works under copyright where the masters have similarly degraded and are disappearing in part because no one can have a copy to preserve it. Just a few years ago, we wrote about some important historical film archives that were literally being eaten away by fungus.
Part of the reason that many old works are degraded has little to do with its copyright status, and much more to do with the fact that the original copies were poorly cared for -- and, at the time, there was little way for others to make copies and preserve them. That, of course, is now changing, since so many people can help in the preservation process. A robust public domain, combined with inexpensive (or free) tools to allow anyone to preserve works, would easily lead to much higher quality preservation. Yes, there will be some poor quality copies out there, but just because some exist, it doesn't mean that good quality copies won't also be preserved.
Rapold's ignorance on the subject is especially problematic given that we're about to face a big debate in Congress on the issue of copyright term extension. As we've noted plenty of times, the big copyright legacy players have spent decades making sure no new works will ever enter the public domain by continually pushing out the supposedly "limited" copyright term. We're rapidly approaching the next deadline and there will be a massive lobbying campaign claiming that if works from 1923 are allowed into the public domain, all sorts of horrors will happen in response. Ridiculous and flat out wrong articles like Rapold's will be used to support that position, despite the fact that all of the empirical evidence suggests that argument is simply not true.
That the NY Times would publish such a piece highlights, yet again, how the famed newspaper so frequently appears to have little actual knowledge of the subjects it covers, often being a useful propaganda engine for certain special interests who can "place" a bogus story in a way that can have an impact on policies.
Filed Under: copyright, film, paul heald, public domain


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Total: $0.00View Recent
The Military Glitz offers the best of both worlds! These fierce boots combine the combat boot look with the flexibility and comfort of a memory foam sneaker. Lace up for a customized fit or access the side zipper for quick costume changes. Pastry's signature glitter and stud detailing will dazzle on the dance floor. Hip hop dance design, perfect for performances and casual wear inside/out. Durable glitter panel and vegan leather upper; lightweight construction; flexible traction outsole featuring 'spin stripes,' side zipper; memory foam footbed; quick change zipper feature; stud detailing on collar and vamp.Runs Small- Order 1/2 Size Up For Adult, 1 Size Up For Kids.
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text: The year 2012 should be remembered as the coming of the Ultrabook, and many of the year's coolest ultra-portables carry that moniker. The key design elements of fast performance, powerful graphics and energy efficiency have all been in evidence in various combinations from system builders large and small. Indeed, Intel's Ultrabook spec has inspired a generation of devices that are thin and lightweight yet instantly responsive to the user's every need at a price that's within reach of most people. Though not all are Ultrabooks, here are 10 of the year's coolest laptops.


text: Kazakhstan is a state that is interested in an integration with other economies. This is due to the lack of direct access to the sea, small population size and density, the post-Soviet legacy of regional specialization. The integration processes in the economy of the Republic started from its independence. But lately there has been an ambiguous attitude in society to some initiatives. Objective of the project is to provide a competent and clear explanation of the reasons and steps in the course of today economic integration in Kazakhstan.


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Maybe this time they are getting it right.
Better late than never, but the Mets say they are now shutting down Jose Reyes until he's able to swing pain free from both sides of the plate. The decision came as the outcome of last night's pre-game circus that first had Reyes in the lineup, and then scratched with the news he'll be put on the shelf.
The ringmaster of the circus, of course, is Jerry Manuel, who has irresponsibly bungled this from the outset.


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Exploring the Nitrogen Cycle in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Estuary
Valier Galy, Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry
Project summaryNitrogen (N) is one of the major nutrients in the ocean and plays a crucial role in biogeochemical
cycles. In the coastal ocean, the chemical speciation and availability of N control both water
quality and primary productivity. Yet, the input of organic N from rivers to the ocean has not
been precisely quantified and the behavior of the different chemical species of riverine N in the
coastal ocean is still poorly understood. The study of N cycling in estuaries and coastal waters is
therefore a major scientific and societal endeavor.
Here, I propose to study N cycling in the estuary of one of the largest suppliers of sediments and
water to the ocean, the Ganges-Brahmaputra (G-B) River system. Preliminary measurements of
particulate N concentration and isotopic composition indicate a strong increase in particulate
organic N loading and 15N depletion from the Ganges-Brahmaputra Rivers to the estuary and
shelf sediments, suggesting intense dissolved inorganic N assimilation in the estuary by
autochthonous heterotrophic organic matter production.
This project seeks to analyze sediments and water samples collected along a transect across the
estuary from the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers to the Bengal Shelf. The
evolution of the concentration and isotopic composition of different N species across the salinity
gradient will be used to follow N assimilation in the estuary. The abundance and isotopic
composition of lipids derived either from vascular plants or autochthonous heterotrophic organic
matter will be used to infer changes in the composition of the organic matter pool.
The two major scientific outcomes of this study will be 1) a quantification of the discharge of
riverine N (dissolved inorganic N, particulate organic N) into the Bay of Bengal and, 2) a precise
characterization (speciation and isotopic composition) of the riverine N input to the coastal
ocean. These are important scientific goals with implications for 1) the understanding of the
global N cycle and, 2) the interpretation of the sedimentary record of particulate N, specifically
C/N and 15N variations.


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Advanced Search
MOOCs | News
People seeking a better understanding of enterprise computing strategies have the chance to attend a free, self-guided, self-paced open online course hosted by Syracuse University's School of Information Studies (iSchool). And by "enterprise," the school means mainframe-scale — the kinds of systems used to solve large and complex computing problems and that require high availability, high performance, high reliability and high security.
Participants who finish the coursework successfully will receive a certificate of completion from the university's iSchool and IBM.
The goal of this course is to help build up student skills in managing the systems that play a role in supporting big data, cloud, mobile, social business and security initiatives.
There are no prerequisites for the class, which begins on Monday, September 1. It's taught by two faculty members who run the bachelor degree programs in iSchool: Susan Dischiave, director of the Science in Information Management & Technology for iSchool; and Dave Dischiave, director of iSchool's Global Enterprise Technology and Systems & Information Science.
"We believe that by creating these MOOCs, which are a suite of new and relevant technology courses available to the public domain, we help fulfill part of a broader mission of the modern university by providing access to affordable and continuing education,"said David Dischiave in a statement.
According to Dischiave, IBM will be providing fact checking for enterprise security content, which references z/OS and the System z enterprise-class servers as examples of a "security-hardened operating system and computing hardware."
Students who register for the course on this iSchool page will receive information about where to attend via email. It is being hosted on CourseSites, a MOOC platform run by Blackboard.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at email@example.com or on Twitter @schaffhauser.
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Updates from Visiting Nurse Association of OhioAugust 23, 2017
The Center for Medicare Services this month released a new tool, "Hospice Compare," which rates hospice organizations on various criteria. VNA of Ohio's Hospice program scored well above the national averages in all categories. See how we compare...
Program Helps Those Recovering from Opiates Manage Withdrawal, Stay in Treatment [Video]
VNA of Ohio is in its third month of the Ambulatory Withdrawal Management Pilot Program. Hear from people who have already been helped by the program and from those working with the clients. Watch the video...
VNA of Ohio Hosts Nursing Students from Taiwan
Several times a year, VNA of Ohio hosts nursing students from countries around the world. This past July, students from Taiwan shadowed field nurses at VNA to learn more about how home healthcare is delivered in the U.S. Learn more about the unique partnership...
Upcoming Events
The Impact of Population Health Annual ForumThursday, September 14, 2017 • 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Our 3rd Annual Forum will feature a panel of experts on how to understand population health and what benefit it offers. Register today...
3rd Annual Rockin' for the CauseThursday, October 5, 2017 • 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of small plate dining, silent and live auctions, and live entertainment by local talents. Register today...
Special thanks to our event sponsors!
Minute Men Staffing Services
The Fedeli Group
Medical Mutual of Ohio
Busch Funeral & Crematory Services
Reidy Medical Supply
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The Braff Group
McBee Associates, Inc.
Health Aid of Ohio
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs probably didn't expect to be tied atop the AFC West and fighting for the playoffs a month and a half ago, when they were off to the hottest start in the NFL. Then again, the Oakland Raiders probably didn't either when they were off to a scuffling start.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs probably didn't expect to be tied atop the AFC West and fighting for the playoffs a month and a half ago, when they were off to the hottest start in the NFL.
Then again, the Oakland Raiders probably didn't either when they were off to a scuffling start.
But the two bitter rivals are in precisely that position as they prepare to face off Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
They are both 6-6 and tied with the Los Angeles Chargers for the division lead, ready for a four-game sprint to the finish line.
"It's that time of the year you've got to come out, you've got to play well," said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team has lost six of its past seven.
"This league is so competitive and every week is an important week. No different than this week here. Very, very important."
Make no mistake: These are vastly different teams than the ones that met in October, when Derek Carr threw for 417 yards and three touchdowns and the Raiders rallied for a 31-30 victory.
The loss was the second straight for the Chiefs following a 5-0 start, and seemed to deflate the entire organization.
They rebounded to beat the Broncos before their current four-game skid, which has been lowlighted by losses to the lowly Giants and Jets.
The Chiefs also will be without star cornerback Marcus Peters this time. Reid suspended him for this week's game against his hometown team after a series of embarrassing incidents, including a temper tantrum last weekend in which he chucked an official's flag into the stands.
"This is it. We're in the fourth quarter of the season. Three out of the four are division games," Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. "We can't get ahead of ourselves. Right here, we have a team that beat us earlier this year and we have to find a way to rebound."
The Raiders are a much different team this time, too.
Marshawn Lynch is coming off his first 100-yard performance of the season, and the star running back is starting to look like the Beast Mode of old.
On defense, linebacker NaVorro Bowman — who played his first game for Oakland against the Chiefs — has grown accustomed to the Raiders' scheme.
Then there's momentum, pure and simple. The Raiders have won two straight and three of four, their lone loss coming against the Patriots.
"There's a better feel when you're winning and doing things well. For us, it's about the next game," Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said.
"We went through it, we had our stretch. I talked about it the other day. The Chargers had theirs' the first four games. We had ours' four in a row after winning two. The Chiefs have had a little bit of a spell. Yet we all sit here at 6-6 with an opportunity.
"Which team takes the most advantage of that opportunity is sitting there?"
BEST BEAST: The Raiders have topped 100 yards rushing in three straight games to provide needed balance on offense. Lynch is averaging 93 yards from scrimmage the past four games with four TDs. "It's starting to flow for us," Raiders left tackle Donald Penn said. "The offense is opening things up for us. We're just happy with the way things are flowing right now."
BOWMAN'S BOOST: Bowman signed with Oakland three days before playing the Chiefs in October. Since then, he's led the team in tackles and is second in snaps, and he has takeaways in each of the past two games. "He's had a calming influence," Del Rio said. "He loves to play. You feel him on game day. He's very much in control. I think he's been a calming influence for some of our younger players."
UNDER PRESSURE: After ranking last in the league in sacks through the first 10 games, Oakland has eight in the past two games.
Bruce Irvin and Denico Autry have led the way with three each, and Khalil Mack has two, including a strip-sack of the Giants' Geno Smith last week. "It's definitely been what we're looking for," Del Rio said. "The guys are cutting it loose and playing a little more aggressively. Coverage has been tighter and I think they go hand in hand."
ALEX'S REBOUND: After a hot start, Smith had cooled off during the Chiefs' losing streak, averaging just 224 yards passing over a four-game span. But he broke out of the funk last week against the Jets, throwing for 366 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-31 loss.
REVIS PITCH COUNT: Reid sat recently signed Darrelle Revis for the second half against the Jets, ostensibly because he had played a lot of first-half snaps. But when asked whether the seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback would be on a pitch count again, Reid demurred. "Right now with him it's just getting him back in the swing, day to day and communicating with him," Reid said. "He's a veteran player, and he's a good communicator, so we'll just talk with him as we go forward here."
For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL


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Fiction: Make-Believe or Something More?
Special note: This blog post was written by Edward Reges, M.A. '16, East Carolina University Department of English, as part of a special series highlighting the Stuart Wright Collection.
Few could hope to have such an accomplished life as Robert Penn Warren. Three time Pulitzer Prize winner and the first Poet Laureate of the US, Warren's prolific and versatile career includes ten novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous poems, dramas, and literary criticisms. He is also one of the most influential of the New Critics, a group that evaluated literary work by close reading and valued highly polished, difficult works characteristic of the Modernist period. Warren was taught by fellow Stuart Wright Collection author John Crowe Ransom.
Among several typescripts, manuscripts, and personal correspondence, the Stuart Wright Collection boasts more than 40 poems and over 60 pieces of literary criticism by Warren, many of which are unpublished or include revisions to original text in the poet's own hand. This work of literary criticism preserves Warren's remarkable views on literature. One such essay, titled "Fiction: Why Do We Read It?" shows the passion and importance he invested in fiction. On page 5, Warren quotes Freud's assertion that the "'meagre satisfactions' that man 'can extract from reality leave him starving.'" What then can slate our hunger? According to Warren, it is fiction. On the same page, Warren asserts that:
In it we find, in imagination, not only the pleasure of recognizing our past, but the pleasure of experimenting with experiences which we deeply, and perhaps unwittingly, crave but which the limitations of life, the fear of consequences, or the severity of our principles forbid to us.
Thus, it is Warren's belief that the act of reading fiction is not an escape from reality, but rather an escape to fiction (p2).
This is not the only role of fiction, however. Throughout "Fiction, Why Do We Read It?" Warren compares fiction to a daydream accessible to multiple individuals. It is this accessibility that makes fiction a social experiment of sorts. Warren explicates this concept on page 7:
To enter the publicly available day dream you have to surrender something of your own identity, have to let it be absorbed. You must identify yourself with somebody else, and accept his fate. You must take a role.
A reader may wonder at this point what value there is in surrendering a piece of their identity. After all, it is a piece of us, it is us in a sense. To sacrifice any bit of identity seems to compromise our sense of self. Warren doesn't think so, however; in fact, he believes the opposite:
Play, when we are children, and fiction, when we are grownup, lead us, through role-taking, to a knowledge of others. But role-taking leads us, by the same token, to a knowledge of ourselves, really to the creation of the self. (9)
What Warren is saying is that to understand ourselves, we must have something to compare ourselves to, much like the relationship between light and darkness or hot and cold. Our concept of self, however, stems from within, not from perceptive senses like sight or touch. In order to make a comparison of who we are and who others are, we must take the role of someone else. At this point we can start to make statements such as "I'm not as brave as Aragorn" or "I could never fall in love with a vampire." Comparisons such as these allow us to understand what we are and what we are not as individuals.
One would think, with the importance Warren grants fiction, that he would be an enthusiast of education in fiction writing.. In fact, Warren was adamant that fiction should not be taught in a university. On the second page of a literary essay titled "Courses in Writing," Warren states:
It [the university] should realize that writing, except as a craft [technical and trade writing], is not to be taught – that the ideal is to create some semblance, however modest, of the natural community in which writing is learned by process of trial and error, of self-exploration of form.
Warren believes that fiction comes about from experimentation and peer review, not instruction. To instruct someone on how to compose fiction is to deny fiction its intrinsic value, supplementing it with popular styles and format in an effort to make a piece successful. To the new critics, nothing could be more villainous.
For more information on the New Critics, try the summary given here. For more insight into the mind of poet, author, and ersatz philosopher Robert Penn Warren, request one of his boxes from the Stuart Wright Collection and head to the third floor of Joyner library to enjoy.


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> select price
Green Envy
Product DescriptionThe verdant green of summer is truly something to desire. Green Envy is filled with carnations, hydrangea, and spider mums in calming shades of green. For the mom or friend who would rather be outdoors than on the couch, bring the love of the garden inside this summer.
You might also be interested in these arrangements
When you order custom designs, they will be produced as closely as possible to the picture. Please remember that each design is custom made. No two arrangements are exactly alike and color and/or variety substitutions of flowers and containers may be necessary. Prices and availability of seasonal flowers may vary.
Our professional staff of floral designers are always eager to discuss any special design or product requests. Call us at the number above and we will be glad to assist you with a special request or a timed delivery.


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sobstbaum needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 15 designs submitted by 7 freelance designers.
We manufacture natural sandstone veneers in a special high-tech process from our own opencast mine located in Germany. Details on our product can be found here:
For pictures of our mine please have a look here:
http://www.literoc.de/de/produkt.html (german only, but pictures should give you some clues)
You may find some sample projects using our material in our gallery:
1. We wish to appeal home owners and builders looking for exclusive materials giving their homes a stylish and unique touch.
2. Craftsmen looking for new construction materials for their portfolio
3. Construction material resellers
A site we like a lot can be found here:
We want it STYLISH. I don't think I need to provide more details, we love the look of the sample website provided above. We do not want to have a copy, but definitely something in this style.
If you think it is necessary to fit our logo into the new design style you may modify our logo a bit, but we would like to stick to the basic concept of the swush.
Will provide daily feedback.
Please provide
Web file format - .png and layered .psd (RGB)


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Disappointingly though, the celebrities didn't go all out to wow us at Elle. There was none of the risque fashion, the retro glam or the fashion forward looks that had us mesmerised.
Instead, they sported some sleek yet safe choices.
Diana Penty and Jiah Khan gave us the two standout looks of the evening. While Diana covered up in a slinky black gown with a cinched in waist, Jiah brought the drama with a sequin and feather creation by Falguni and Shane Peacock.
In comparison, the others - including Soha Ali Khan and Evelyn Sharma - looked quite dull.
But don't take our word for it. Check out the stars and their fashion and make up your own minds!
In picture: Jiah Khan


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How To Enter An Emerging Foreign Market
Do you want to tap into a foreign emerging market, but don't know where to start? Small and medium-sized companies generally do not have the resources they need to successfully work emerging markets on their own. But there is a lot of information out there that companies can draw on, including government agencies, university centers, and private firms. With some key tools and good planning, you can develop the foundation you need to safely export to an emerging market.
Before you begin, ask yourself these questions.
Harvey James, assistant professor of economics at the University of Hartford, says the answers to those questions are key to anyone embarking into an emerging foreign market. "If you want to enter a market because you think everybody is doing it, you will likely fail," James says. "If, however, you are convinced that there is a market for your product or service in Mexico, Argentina, China, or any other emerging country, you have a better chance of succeeding."
Take a little advice from Lou Hoffman, CEO of
the Hoffman Agency, a privately
held, high-tech public relations firm based in San Jose, Ca. Hoffman determined that there
was potentially a good market for his company in China in 1996. Common sense and initial
industry research gave him the fuel to investigate the opportunities there. "Just the
fact that there's more than one billion people in China awakening to the potential of
capitalism and embracing computers caught our attention," says Hoffman. "If the
China PC market grows at 29 percent per year through 2002 as firms predict, (the market)
will pull even with Japan as the number-two PC market in the world behind the United
States. In short, we simply used the Web, magazines and newspapers to understand the
buying power in China (today and tomorrow) when it comes to technology-related
I. Develop Your Plan
Once you have figured out that there is a reasonable market potential for your product, it's time to come up with a plan. If you are new to exporting, the U.S.Trade Information Center offers tips for developing an export strategy in the site's FAQ section. These include:
Joe Durek, who leads the international program at Lintek, a privately held, chemical-free pest control company with offices in Florida and more than 30 countries, recommends calling The Small Business Administration for help. The SBA's VISTA program will provide experienced executives to review your initial marketing plans and advise you on the best strategy to enter a specific market.
Back to Outline
II. Research The Emerging Market(s)
Once you have developed an initial plan, you are ready to begin the next phase of hard-core research. If you haven't determined them already, you could figure out the growth potential of a few target areas. For instance, you can focus on regions such as Europe, Latin America and Africa, or you can choose specific countries to research in detail. Some analysts believe it's more efficient to choose a region as opposed to a country. Your best bet is to find and research the largest or fastest growing markets as potential export areas for your products.
The U.S. Agency for International Development provides a comparison of growth rates for five regional groups, including the United States, in its Global Merchandise Trade publication. For instance, the publication indicates that from 1987 to 1997, Asia and the Near East increased import and export rates faster than any other developing regions in the world.
Back to Outline
III. Know Your Classification Systems
If you are new to exporting, be aware that most product sites use certain classification systems to group products. As you review the list of systems below, note that each system has various levels of digits and only the HS, SITC, and CPC are commodity-based.
Harmonized System (HS). This is an international system used to classify traded products for both tariff and statistical purposes. Individual product categories are represented by six-digit codes, but any country may append additional digits. The United States uses 10-digit HS codes for collecting merchandise trade data. Examples of the Harmonized System include the codes 020319 for swine meat and 100300 for barley cereal.
Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). This five-digit classification is used to report aggregated national trade statistics to compare international products. Examples of the system include 01221 for swine meat which is chilled or frozen and 04300 for barley cereal.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). This was the former four-digit economic classification system used to describe industries of the U.S. economy. It was replaced by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) in 1997. Like the NAICS code, this system is used when comparing trade with employment or shipments.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). This is a five-digit economic activity classification jointly created by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The official NAICS site has a table that shows how the NAICS code is compared to the defunct SIC code. For instance, 0116 is listed "soybean" under the SIC system but 11111 is "soybean farming" under the NAICS system. Another table shows the number of employees and the number of businesses within the industry in the United States. Starting with 1999 data, NAICS trade data replaced SIC data. National implementation normally requires use of a sixth digit to identify industries not recognized by other countries.
International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). This is a four-digit economic activity classification published by the United Nations. This classification system is typically used to compare production and trade data for multiple countries. For example, 3111 means slaughtering, canning and preserving meat, and 3119 means manufacturing cocoa.
A. Determine Your Export Potential
Now that we have learned the product identification systems, let's find out if your product is a good fit for an emerging market. Your best bet is to find out what types of products are currently exported to the area. One of the best ways to evaluate a product export potential for a given country is to contact the U.S. Commercial Service and have them do product research, said Lintek's Durek. This research is done for a nominal charge, which in most cases is under $250. Also, consider where your competitors are currently operating. Researching your competitors on the Internet will determine if they have a Web site and whether they list the countries to which they export.
You can also get a good feel for your export potential by evaluating your firm's strengths and weaknesses and by comparing them with qualities of successful exporters.
Also, before entering an emerging market, you should find out how strong a presence the United States has in that country. To research how many Western companies were doing business in China at the time or had plans to do business in that country, Hoffman contacted the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). He found out that virtually every major Western tech company and many "emerging" tech companies were already physically in China. One good source is the U.S. Department of Commerce's report of the Top 50 Purchasers of United States exports in 1998.
The National Trade Data Bank is often touted as the number one choice to find export and trade statistics. The service is fee based, costing $150 a year to sign up. Although you generally have to have an idea of where you want to export in order to fully use its resources, the site is helpful for learning the standards associated with exporting a particular product to a specific country or region. Here is how you can use the site to research emerging markets:
Country Commercial Guides, located on the Globus and NTDB page of Stat-USA, are useful for obtaining information about a country's commercial environment, market conditions, economic situations, political environment, best export sectors, trade regulations, investment incentives, finance techniques, upcoming trade events, marketing strategies, services for exporters, business travel tips, etc. The CCG also lists important government and trade association contacts.
International Marketing Insight Reports (also on Globus and NTDB) are short profiles of specific foreign market conditions or opportunities prepared by the Department of Commerce's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, the Department of State, as well as multilateral development banks in overseas markets. These reports provide information on a dynamic aspect of a particular market. They may focus on specific projects, industry profiles, finance and marketing trends, regulation and import changes, trade show opportunities, or government policy updates.
Industry Sector Analysis Reports (on Globus and NTDB) are profiles of different industries in various world regions. The profiles analyze market opportunities. For instance, with the click of the mouse, you can find out about exporting pet food to Argentina. The information is organized alphabetically according to the country and the product.
If you are thinking about providing a service rather than a product to a country, unfortunately a greater volume of data is available for products, simply because it is easier to track products than services. However, the Bureau of Economic Analysis' "Survey of Current Business" Web site presents data on cross-border trade in private services. Also, check with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Service Industries. The site includes the "Top Ten U.S. Services Exports." The office also has a 20-page report titled U.S. Services Trade Highlights on its Web site.
B. Focus On Target Markets
Now that we have found out if our product is a good fit with current exports to the emerging market, we are ready to research the emerging markets in greater detail. A great online source is Emerging Markets Companion. The site's news and research on developing countries, such as its Country Profiles, can help you narrow down your list of emerging markets. Here you can explore the demographics, geography and politics of countries located in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Asia, and Africa.
As you research each country profile, look for social or cultural patterns or behaviors that will make your product a good fit for your region of research. Contact the consulate offices in your target areas and find out if their regions have trade offices in other countries.
C. Experience is the Best Teacher
Experts agree that nothing beats real life experience within a culture when it comes to export know-how. If you can network with people who have lived in or have some type of connection in your emerging country, the information they provide will be invaluable.
Some of the most important issues concerning entering into an emerging market are experience-based rather than research-based. For instance, only a consultant or an associate who has conducted business in South Africa can shed light on discrimination issues, professor James says. You can read about it in books, but that isn't the same as experiencing it yourself or having a conversation with someone who has seen it first-hand. "A black business owner from the United States may have a difficult time doing business in 'white' areas of South Africa, even though legally apartheid has ended," he says. "Similarly, a white business owner trying to sell products in black areas of South Africa may have trouble." James supposes that most companies fail because of the difficulties they have with these "softer" issues: culture and ethics. "It is reasonably easy to draw up a business plan, get funding, and even begin manufacturing products for sale abroad," he says. "It is more difficult to learn about the cultural aspects of what makes business work in different countries."
While it is important to understand the cultural and business nuances of a country, it is also important to realize that you should not change your business practices if the new practice will result in a loss, says Lintek's Durek. "If a country's business practices require 'net 90' on an order and you can only extend 'net 30' and make a profit, don't change your policy in expectation of changing the country's net policy in a few months. It will not happen."
There's no question for any company entering an emerging market that unexpected roadblocks will surface, says Hoffman. "Instead of viewing these roadblocks as a negative, we viewed them as a positive in the sense that they would make it tougher for other companies to follow in our path, and our competitors would likely lack our strength of conviction which ultimately enabled us to break through each and every roadblock," he adds.
A manageable business task in the United States could turn into a complicated matter in a foreign country. Each region conducts business differently, and in many cases the only way to learn these nuances is to experience the area during cultural trips. "There is a tendency for Americans to look at the world with a Western mentality," Hoffman says. It's helpful to consciously remind yourself to remove this type of thinking and see the situation with fresh eyes. For example, Zong Li, a Chinese national who opened the China office for the Hoffman Agency, tried to buy an advertisement for the company in China. This is a routine experience that takes less than 30 minutes in the United States. However, in China, an ad must gain approval stamps from the proper government agencies before the newspaper is allowed to run it. Here's what happened.
Step 1: Li started off with a meeting with the Foreign Enterprises Service Bureau, where she was told that the ad was missing required "verbiage." The ad required adjustments.
Step 2: Li went back to the hotel business center to redo the ad.
Step 3: Li went back to the Foreign Enterprises Service Bureau where they reviewed and approved the ad.
Step 4: Li went to the Beijing Commercial and Industry Bureau (Talent Market Section) to get this agency's approval, but this agency said the ad was wrong and needed to be redone.
Step 5: Li went back to the hotel business center to redo the ad for the second time.
Step 6: Li had to go back to the Foreign Enterprises Service Bureau. Since the ad was changed, its stamp of approval was no longer valid. Li explained about the different requirements from Beijing Commercial and Industry Bureau and after much discussion and multiple meetings at the Foreign Enterprises Service Bureau, they finally approved the most recent ad.
Step 7: Li went back to the Beijing Commercial and Industry Bureau and received the seal of approval.
Step 8: Li took the ad to the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper. Seeing that the ad had the proper stamps, they allowed the company to pay for the advertisement, but the payment had to be processed before they would take the ad for publishing.
Step 9: Li went back to a different department at the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper. Before the ad actually runs, this department checks the validity of all the stamps of approval and processes payments.
Li's advertising ordeal shows that even being a native won't teach you all you need to know about the way a country does business. However, this example can give you an idea of what you should expect.
Quite a bit of this kind of research can be conducted on the Internet. The Global Emerging Market Data Base provides overviews of emerging markets as well as economic, political and financial information. Use the database to access information about a country's political situation, economic overview, trade information, or cultural information.
Next, check the general economic and business conditions in the areas you have chosen. Pay attention to dramatic inflation levels or currency exchange fluctuations. Note if the economy is expanding or contracting. Identify if the economy is dependent upon specific trading partners and in turn, their economic or political stability.
The Federation of International Trade Associations provides links to detailed resources for countries and regions. Check the section called "Regional Resources and Multilateral Trading Areas," where you will find subheadings for the following areas and regions:
Under each subheading there are pull-down menus for countries in each region, or you can select the entire region for research.
D. Questions To Ask
As you conduct your research, try to answer the following questions:
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IV. Detailed Emerging Market Risk Resources
The most important risks for entering an emerging market are political and market stability.
If you would like to get free, thorough data from a financial analyst, check out Duke University Professor Campbell Harvey's Country Risk Analysis Web site. Among other things, this site has an updated chronology of important financial, economic, and political events in emerging markets. The chronologies are organized in linked charts for 28 countries, including emerging markets such as Argentina, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa.
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V. Country Reports
The Louisiana State University Web site, voted one of the best sites by faculty members at the Harvard Business School, also has its share of country reports. If you haven't been able to answer questions on a country's economic stability, inflation outlook, political or social concerns, or currency issues, this site may provide the answers.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's >Big Emerging Markets page provides information indexed with an overview, statistics and links for several key emerging markets.
The World Bank has two-page summaries of major indicators for 190 countries. The E-Conflict World Encyclopedia also offers extensive info on many countries. Some of the material is from the CIA World Fact Book. Additionally, the United Nations' Infonation allows you to select up to four indicators for up to seven countries and view the results. The UNESCO site provides 11 of the 75 indicators per country, published in the "Statistical Yearbook." The U.N. provides profiles of employment and wages by country for three-digit ISICs in its statistics area.
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VI. Tariff and Customs Information
In the planning stages, you should find out if tariff restrictions that could significantly raise the price when exporting to an emerging market. Next, find out how to determine the tariffs and taxes for your export.
First, classify your product according to the Harmonized System (HS) code. The numbers, also called Schedule B numbers, are used by customs officials. Use the U.S. Census Bureau's site to classify your products in the HS system. Now, you can use the number to determine the tariff and tax information at the following sites:
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VII. Money Conversion
Other sources of risks include currency fluctuations. For instance, to do business in Mexico, you must convert dollars to pesos. If the dollar/peso exchange rate fluctuates dramatically, a low cost investment in Mexico could become expensive when measured in U.S. dollars. Here are some monetary conversion links to help you:
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VIII. International Legal Help
During your country research, take note of local laws concerning licensing and intellectual property in your chosen country and investigate the region's copyright laws. Find out if the laws are enforced and be aware of any laws that may make it difficult to sell your goods.
Lawyers have the most comprehensive checklist of considerations on the Web for entering an emerging market. To make certain that you have all the bases covered in your research, answer all the questions in Lex Mundi World Reports. For additional legal advice, search for a lawyer anywhere in the world using the Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Locator.
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IX. Financial Help
After two years of repeated economic crisis in some emerging markets, the largest challenge facing companies wishing to invest or trade with these regions is the reduction in available bank financing, says analyst Elizabeth Morrissey, managing partner of Kleiman International Consultants, Inc., a Washington, D.C. independent analyst of emerging banking and securities markets. Most U.S. banks have scaled down their lending to these regions following losses resulting from previous exposure, she says.
"Emerging countries are not cash rich but they can sometimes give nice incentives to outside investors," adds Karen Jeffery, president of Pacific Island Investments, a brokerage firm with headquarters in Waikola, Hawaii. "I came down here and created alliances with people. The Internet is a good resource. I contacted investment boards and chambers of commerce for information. I also got to know government personnel and Prime Ministers," Jeffery says.
"Eye on Banking" lists banks worldwide, including the biggest emerging markets. The Geographical List is easy to maneuver just click on the region or the area on the map for a listing of banks in the area. There is also an alphabetical list if you have a specific bank in mind.
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X. Payment Systems Links
Get information on the basics of bartering, using letters of credit, counter-trading or electronic payments from the Federation of International Trade Associations site. The site provides links to the Trade Compass Site, which provides an explanation of what letters of credit are and how are they used. The FITA site also includes links to other sites that provide professional bartering services.
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XI. Directories of Banks
Export-Import Bank of the United States offers programs on loans and guarantees, working capital, export credit insurance, project financing and other programs to U.S. companies. The Web site has a special section on country information, including country fact sheets.
The European Bank has information on financing and export programs to/from countries located in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
A member of the World Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the world's leading multilateral source for loan and equity financing for private sector projects in developing countries.
The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, also a member of the World Bank Group, encourages the flow of foreign direct investment to its development member countries. Its primary means of facilitating investment is through the provision of investment guarantees against the risks of currency transfer, expropriation, and war and civil disturbance (so-called "political risks").
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation provides political risk investment insurance to U.S. companies.
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XII. Operating Abroad
A final consideration is how your U.S. business will operate abroad. Should you produce in the U.S. and export, or do build a manufacturing operation in the host country? Should you go it alone, or establish a local business partner through a joint venture, strategic alliance, or licensing agreement?
Each of these different options have advantages and disadvantages. As an overly generalized rule, the more risky the expected business operation is in the foreign country due to political, economic and economical reasons the greater are the advantages of finding a "local" partner. For U.S. firms, doing business in the United Kingdom is generally easier than doing business in China. The reason is obvious the local partner can help bridge the cultural gaps, and also help hedge against the harder political and economic risks. Of course, the disadvantage is simply the effort required to find an appropriate partner.
It took intermediary Scott Romeo, president of Arizona-based New Horizon International Consulting, nearly 18 months to reach a deal with a client in Vietnam. Although he has seen many companies who put out feelers for partners on the Internet, he says the best way to build a relationship with an overseas partner for export is through good old-fashioned personal contact. "That contact came not through the Internet but from a personal relationship from an individual who was traveling through Vietnam (who) made the contact, built the relationship and then brought us the project," Romeo says. "We then had to develop the relationship as well. While the Internet helped with communication, we had to fly the two parties to the United States for personal visits before they signed any contract."
If you plan to operate your business within the emerging country, having an insider's knowledge of the area is even more vital to your success. Michael Dalke, president of Resource Pacifica, began his Pacific island architectural firm after his Beverly Hills company landed him a furniture construction job in Indonesia. He didn't want to return to the hustle and bustle of city life after spending time in the island's serenity. He learned about the people and their customs and made his business there by fulfilling a need. He found his niche by building ecologically sound resorts using termite-proof lumber.
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XIII. Federal Programs
If you plan to go it alone, lean heavily on the federal government. The U.S. government has several programs to give you the support you need, including foreign experts to put you on the inside track to doing business in an emerging market. For instance, the SBA and the U.S. Department of Commerce provide a variety of services aimed at benefiting small and medium-sized business exporters, including:
Export Working Capital Program (EWCP). Provides short-term, transaction-specific financing. The SBA guarantees up to $750,000 or 90 percent of the loan amount, whichever is less. Exporters may use this program for pre-export financing of labor and materials, financing receivables generated from these sales, and/or standby letters of credit used as performance bonds or payment guarantees to foreign buyers.
The International Trade Loan Program (ITL). Helps small businesses that are engaged or are preparing to engage in international trade, as well as small businesses adversely affected by competition from imports. The SBA can guarantee up to $1.25 million, less the amount of SBA's guaranteed portion of other loans outstanding to the borrower under SBA's regular lending program.
U.S. Export Assistance Centers. USEACs offer a full range of federal export programs and services under one roof. Clients receive assistance from professionals at the SBA, the Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and other public and private organizations.
Service Corps of Retired Executives. SCORE provides individual counseling from retired international executives to prospective exporters. SCORE has 400 locations and more than 13,000 members in the United States.
Small Business Development Centers. SBDCs offer in-depth business counseling and training. It operates in cooperation with local colleges and universities.
Export Legal Assistance Network. ELAN provides free, one-time consultation from an attorney experienced in international trade law.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Offers a wide range of information on export potential, international markets, plus trade leads and contacts. It also conducts trade missions and catalog exhibitions, and assists firms participating abroad in trade shows. This organization's Web site offers up-to-date information on issues involving U.S. business.
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XIV. International Trade Associations
Many of these associations offer a wide range of services. Most conduct regular meetings with qualified speakers and provide networking opportunities with others involved in international trade. The Federation of International Trade Associations (see Web site below) lists more that 350 member associations.
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XV. Consulting Firms
Trade consultants can provide information on domestic and foreign trade regulations and overseas markets, and can assess overseas commercial and political risk. They often specialize in product lines and/or geographical areas. Some small law firms, accounting firms or specialized marketing firms also provide international trade consulting services. GIC Group is one of the best known firms in this arena.
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XVI. Shipping Resources
The Federation of International Trade Associations has shipping resources including directories, shipping schedules, airports, seaports and tracking sites.
ClearFreight is a customs broker and freight forwarding company. The company's Air Freight Resources site provides airline cargo links, trade organizations, aviation related links, and a real-time air waybill tracking service. Its Ocean Freight Resources site includes links to worldwide ports, freighter services, ocean shipping, as well as maritime organizations.
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XVII. Go For It!
You now have some solid resources and advice for entering into an emerging market. Keep in mind that a new market will present challenges for which you simply can't plan. "It is imperative that each new exporter learn as much as they can about the country," says Durek.
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XVIII. Resources
Roger E. Axtell, "The Do's and Taboos of International Trade: A Small Business Primer" (John Wiley & Sons 1994)
Bill Bishop, "Global Marketing for the Digital Age" (NTC Business Books, 1999)
Keith Lewis, Matthew Housden, "An Introduction to International Marketing" (Kogan Prage Ltd., 1998)
Kenneth D. Weiss, "Building an Import/Export Business" (John Wiley & Sons, 1997)
Business Tools
How to Expand Your Business Globally
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Copyright © 2004 Virtual Advisor, Inc.


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The Curse of Villebois
I should have known better.We're racing bikes through what is left of a former insane asylum. A few rotting concrete walls and several deadly spikes of rebar growing out of the ground here and there are the only remnants of the building that was Dammasch State Hospital, but the ghosts are out in force.
I should have known better than to mess with the ghosts of crazy people but I can never seem to leave well-enough alone.
At 90 seconds into my race I am 9th wheel in the field and feeling good. The course is technical. Think BMX meets mountain bike short track. Gravel. Lots and lots of gravel.
Heading into the first bit of hard-packed washboard, I am leery of my rear tire. I'm running a tubeless set-up. In theory these tires are money. In practice, they're making me worry. This course has been eating up tires all day long – especially the tubeless variety.
The first loud "KSSS-AHHHHHHH" comes on an uphill section and the two girls to my left make long vowel sounds with their mouths in the form of ooooooooooos as they fly by. I can feel the ground through the rim.
"How bad is it?!" I call to a woman behind me.
"You're dead in the water." She replies. And that's that.
I dismount, confirm that the tire is finished, release a long string of expletives, and then shoulder the bike and start to run.
"I like running." I tell myself. So I dig in and off-road through the loose dirt and gravel. I have no idea how far away the pit is, so I settle into a nice pace that only marginally makes me want to vomit. My heart rate is through the roof and my whole race is fucking screwed.
The rest of my field comes around me, offering their condolences and best wishes. It's a bittersweet respect we have for each other, isn't it? I want them dead despite their postured support. I want them dead so I can fleece their jersey pockets for Gu and then take their functioning bikes.
Ok, not really. In reality, I love each and every bit of encouragement. But I could sure use a bike right about now.
The pits are three million miles away and along the journey I realize that my cycling shoes are approximately 2mm too short. I wager that I will lose a left big toenail in this battle.
I grit my teeth and huff my way through the flat, fast pavement section as warm blood gathers between my toes.
This is a bike race, right? You wouldn't know it to look at me. I run at least a mile before I finally reach the pits.
Once there I find my backup wheels amid hundreds of others. I release the rear brake to remove the wheel but the process confounds me. Blood like an attack in my ears. Oxygen so far away I don't know what it is anymore. I'm fucking wasted. I'm not thinking straight.
In an instant, a competent bystander comes to my rescue and the spare rear wheel is in place. Back in action. What is this bike underneath me? How does this thing work?
The speed is sweet and suspicious.
It doesn't last long.
200 meters out of the pit and I shear the sidewall of the fresh tire on a sharp rock. I notice a small child to my right only milliseconds before I scream, "FUCK!"
I want to feel bad but, really, kids need to learn about the hard knocks of life, right? Flatting your fucking pit wheel certainly qualifies. At least that's what I tell myself as I shoulder the bike and run for the next 1.4 miles.
Along the way, I see my friend Gregg on the side of the course and beg him to go back to my tent and get me another bike for the pit. I have no business doing this, I realize, because all hope for a decent result is lost and there is nothing left to win except for post-race beer and agony so I should just give up.
But of course I don't. Why? Because this haunted course is making me crazy and I am rabid for the cowbell.
Gregg runs for the tent. I run. I cringe as the bottom bracket smashes rhythmically into my lower back. That feels good. Like black skin and tender swelling. Lay it on.
A lap later, I return to the pits and find my boyfriend waiting for me with a spare bike. I hand off my inoperable battleship and pick up his Specialized, a bike I have never ridden. The seat is too low and the bike is too big, so I blow a few corners before I get my bearings. Then I put power into the pedals and set out to make up some time.
But the ghosts have other ideas for me.
The third rear tire of the day flats terrifically on a set of camel bumps and I pull off to the side in disbelief. More expletives. More innocent ears forever marred.
"Bum luck!" a man calls from the crowd.
"Bum luck!?" I call back, "This is my third fucking flat of the race! This is more than bad luck – it's a curse!."
I want to cry but instead I run and laugh maniacally. This is past the point of absurd. I set off to finish what I've started. Why stop now?
The spare bike is heavier than my own but the top tube is more comfortable on my rapidly bruising shoulder. I note that I can no longer sense the blood in my shoes. It must have dried up. I cheer through gasping breaths as my familiar opponents pass me once again.
My race has lapped me two times over but here I am. Running. Just daring the big toenail to come off. Just waiting for something worse. Just begging for the race to be over. I come by my team tent to a wall of cheers.
I pass by the Ironclad team tent and they offer me beers and rear wheels. A woman I know from the A field passes me and offers me her bike. The spectators cry out, "Good job, 113!!" and it makes me reconsider the luckiness of my favorite number.
Then? All at once. It's done.
I run my useless spare bike across the line and collapse with my head in between my knees. The women that I usually finish alongside are already done with their post-race banter. Everything is over. This is the glory-less 42nd place finish on foot.
Screw glory. I want a homebrew.
Matt presents me with sacred, super-dark homemade beer in exchange for my heroics. I drink faster (and more) than I should. At 11.4%, the effect of half a 22oz bottle is nearly instantaneous. The world gets soft and colorful as the elite men race past me in a whirlwind.
I cheer. And scream. And wail on a cowbell. And drink. And drink. And drink.
One hour later I am sideways and pissed off and smiling uncontrollably.
This is 'cross, suckers. This is 42nd place as you've never seen it before.
Let the blood dry. Pass the beer.
9 Responses to "The Curse of Villebois"
Bummer! I guess I should feel lucky I only flatted once.
…but do you REALIZE how much CHARACTER you built on those hallowed grounds? I'm almost envious.
Great post Heidi ! Loved it. That is all your punctures for the season accounted for now…banked, paid for, done and dusted..
You should have joined us on Sat..much smoother terrain. Hope to see you at the next event in Salem…
That's why I went to work instead of racing.
Silly girl . . . .
Welcome to the bottom of the results. It's no easier down here, is it? :) I like to think that I'm starting at the bottom and working my way up!*
Heiser Farm was a bitchen course with a whopping mud puddle. You missed out.
Although Villebois sounded like fun.
*Not really. I fight tooth and nail for every slipped position. At the end of each race I swear I'm going to pack it in for the season and then practice like a Shaolin Monk for a year and then really kick ass in 2009. Of course, every week I'm back at the race, fending off the slings and arrows of mediocrity. :)
I enjoyed your recount of the race! Better luck this week!! Great writing, btw
Great write-up! It put me right there with you. Hope yo toe feels betta.


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Including the change in gas prices in Texas during the past week, prices yesterday were 8.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 39.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 42.2 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 16.7 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.
"The steady climb of retail gas prices is likely to continue following double-digit increases in wholesale prices with fuel production tightening in the majority of the country's refineries," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Gregg Laskoski. "Los Angeles has climbed to $4.28 per gallon with a 55-cent average price increase in the past month, and that rate was surpassed in Chicago ($4.09 average price) and Detroit ($3.86 per gallon average), where motorists saw 63- and 64-cent respective increases over the same period. New York crossed the $4 threshhold too."
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Suspect charged in New York subway death
New York --
A suspect told police she shoved a man to his death off a subway platform into the path of a train because she has hated Muslims since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, prosecutors said.
The woman, Erika Menendez, was charged Saturday with murder as a hate crime.
Sunando Sen was crushed by a 7 train in Queens on Thursday night, the second time this month a commuter has died in such a nightmarish fashion.
Menendez, 31, was awaiting arraignment on the charge Saturday night, District Attorney Richard Brown said. She could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Menendez was arrested after a tip by a passer-by who saw her on a street and thought she resembled the woman in a surveillance video released by police. She admitted shoving Sen, authorities said.
"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers," Menendez told police, according to the district attorney's office.
Sen was from India, but police said it's unclear if he was Muslim or Hindu. The 46-year-old lived in Queens and ran a printing shop. He was shoved from an elevated platform on the 7 train line, which connects Manhattan and Queens. Witnesses said a muttering woman pushed him on the tracks as a train entered the station and then ran off.
The two had never met before, authorities said, and witnesses told police they hadn't interacted on the platform.
On Dec. 3, another man was pushed to his death in a Times Square subway station. A homeless man was arrested and charged with murder in that case. He claimed he acted in self-defense and is awaiting trial.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday urged residents to keep Sen's death in perspective as he touted new historic lows in the city's annual homicide and shooting totals.
"It's a very tragic case, but what we want to focus on today is the overall safety in New York," Bloomberg said.


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Music Releases
w-inds.'s KEITA collaborates with AAA's Hidaka Mitsuhiro
It's been revealed that w-inds. member KEITA and rapper SKY-HI's (AAA's Hidaka Mitsuhiro) collaboration song will be released via iTunes on February 27.
This was announced on February 20 during a special program on 'Nico Nico Namahousou'. The collaboration was materialized when SKY-HI followed KEITA on Twitter. Their collaboration song is another version of KEITA's solo debut song, "Slide 'n' Step", called "Slide 'n' Step -Extended Mix- feat. SKY-HI (AAA)".
<Slide 'n' Step -Extended Mix- feat. SKY-HI (AAA)>
Source & Image: Oricon
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