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Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Case Nos. AVU-E-10-01, AVU-G-10-01, AVU-E-10-03
August 10, 2010
Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712
Website: www.puc.idaho.gov
Commission conducting hearings, taking comment in Avista cases
Avista Utilities customers have an opportunity to comment on two proposed rate adjustments.
The first is a proposed settlement to a rate case filed by the company last March that would phase in a 9.25 percent electric rate increase over three years, with the first year increase of 3.6 percent effective Oct. 1. On the gas side, the increase would be 1.9 percent phased in over two years. Commissioners will conduct a telephonic public hearing on that proposal on Aug. 26 at 7 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.
The second is the company's annual Power Cost Adjustment, (PCA) which would increase rates for one year an average 2.6 percent, also effective Oct. 1. The commission is taking written comment on that request through Sept. 16.
If the base electric rate increase settlement is approved, the residential rate for an average customer who uses 1,000 kWhs per month would increase by about $3.50 per month from $80.90 to $84.40. If the one-year PCA is approved, an average residential bill would increase by $1.88 per month.
General rate case
When Avista filed its general rate case last March, it requested a one-time 14 percent increase in electric rates and 3.6 percent increase in gas rates. Several parties to the case, including those representing customer groups, have reached a settlement in the case that, with the help of a deferred tax credit, significantly reduces Avista's original request. The settlement proposes to phase in the rate increase as well as the tax credit to mitigate the impact of the increase given the current state of the economy.
Parties to the case, including commission staff, the Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho and the Snake River Alliance, state they believe the proposed settlement is a better deal for customers than could have been achieved through hearings. In addition to the aforementioned, other parties agreeing to the settlement include Avista Utilities, Clearwater Paper Company, the Idaho Conservation League and Idaho Forest Group LLC.
The commission is not bound by the settlement and will independently review it to determine if it is in the interest of both customers and the utility. The commission may accept, reject or state additional conditions under which the settlement will be accepted. The three commissioners who decide the case will take public testimony in a telephonic hearing on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. (Details on how to participate in the hearing are included at the bottom of this press release.)
The commissioners will also conduct a technical hearing on this matter, also on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time in the commission hearing room, 472 W. Washington St., in Boise.
The proposed annual revenue increase for Avista on the electric side is $21.25 million. The company requested $32.1 million. On the gas side, the proposed annual revenue increase is $1.85 million. Avista requested $2.6 million. The proposed increases are to be offset by $17.5 million of deferred income tax. The offset will be phased in over the first two years of the three-year phased rate increase so that increases would be as follows:
-- Oct. 1, 2010 -- 3.6 percent electric and 1.9 percent gas.
-- Oct. 1, 2011 – 3.9 percent electric and 0.72 percent gas.
-- Oct. 1, 2012 – 1.74 percent electric and 0 percent gas.
The settlement also proposes that Avista increase funding for low-income weatherization from $465,000 to $700,000 per year. The settlement parties also agreed that Avista provide $40,000 to Community Action Partnership agencies for low-income outreach and education programs about energy conservation. The company will also conduct five energy conservation workshops for senior citizens in five Idaho communities no later than Dec. 31, 2011.
The commission is well aware of the impact of rate increases in today's economy, particularly on customers with low and fixed incomes. It has received dozens of comments from concerned customers asking the commission to deny Avista's application. While the commission does all it can to find expense reductions and other methods to mitigate the impact of rate increases, state law does not allow the commission to reject rate increases without review. State statutes require that all regulated utility rate requests be considered by the commission to determine whether the expenses the utility seeks to recover through customer rates are needed to serve customers and if they are prudently incurred. The commission may deny expense recovery if the company fails to provide evidence that adequately supports the new expenses as needed to serve customers and prudently incurred. All commission decisions can be appealed to the state Supreme Court by the utility, intervenors or customers.
Avista claims the increases are necessary because of escalating power supply costs, increased costs to meet new federal requirements that ensure reliability, and the need to replace aging infrastructure.
Power supply contracts that provide Avista customers with about 100 average megawatts, about 10 percent of the company's entire retail load, expire at the end of this year. The power provided by these contracts is about 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is well below the cost to replace that power. Also included in this case are about $21 million in costs related to a power purchase agreement with the owners of the Lancaster natural gas generating station near Rathdrum. About 80 percent of Avista's requested increase is attributable to the Lancaster agreement, termination of the low-cost power contracts and increased customer load.
Power Cost Adjustment
Below normal hydro generation and costs associated with the Lancaster generating plant resulted in more power supply expense than included in base rates resulting in Avista's proposed one-year 2.6 percent PCA surcharge. If approved by the commission, the surcharge would increase from the current 0.344 cents per kWh to 0.532 cents per kWh.
The annual PCA increases or decreases rates depending on conditions outside the company's control that can dramatically alter power supply expense. Those conditions include variations in hydroelectric generation caused by lack of streamflows or unanticipated changes in fuel costs or wholesale market prices for energy.
During those years when power supply expenses are less than what is already covered in base rates, customers receive a credit. During years when power supply expenses are greater than included in base rates, customers get a surcharge. Both the surcharge and credit last for 12 months and then a new adjustment will be calculated to adapt to changing conditions and updated projections. The updated PCA is effective Oct. 1 of each year. Unlike a general rate case, a PCA increase does not increase company earnings. The PCA surcharge is collected from ratepayers, kept in a deferred account, and then passed directly to wholesale power and fuel suppliers.
Customer comment
To listen in or to testify during the telephonic Aug. 26 public hearing regarding the proposed settlement to the general rate case, customers may dial toll-free 1-800-920-7487. You will be asked to enter a "participant code," which is 76373262. Participants are asked to place their calls within 15 minutes before the start of the 7 p.m. Pacific Time hearing although calls will be accepted after the hearing begins. The process will then continue as follows:
The telephonic hearings make it possible for customers to testify without having to leave the comfort of their homes to do so. It also saves the considerable expense of time and travel for commissioners and staff .
Those wanting to provide written comment in the Power Cost Adjustment case must do so by Sept. 16. Comments can be submitted via e-mail by accessing the commission's homepage at www.puc.idaho.gov and clicking on "Comments & Questions About a Rate Case." Fill in the case number (AVU-E-10-03) and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.


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BRUSSELS — A Belgian man wrongly diagnosed as vegetative for 23 years told The Associated Press Tuesday that the discovery he was fully conscious brought him a feeling of rebirth after decades of loneliness and frustration.
Car-crash victim Rom Houben was diagnosed as being in a vegetative state but appears to have been conscious the whole time. An expert using a specialized type of brain scan that was not available in the 1980s finally realized it and provided him with the equipment to communicate.
Houben told AP Television News that years of being unable to move or communicate left him feeling "alone, lonely, frustrated, but also blessed with my family."
"It was especially frustrating when my family needed me. I could not share in their sorrow. We could not give each other support," he wrote, punching the words letter by letter into a touchscreen with one finger held by an assistant at the 't Weyerke institute in eastern Belgium. The 46-year-old Houben is now communicating with one finger and a special touchscreen on his wheelchair. "Just imagine," he wrote. "You hear, see, feel and think but no one can see that. You undergo things. You cannot participate in life."
A leading bioethicist, however, expressed skepticism that the man was truly communicating on his own.
The therapist, Linda Wouters, told APTN that she can feel Houben guiding her hand with gentle pressure from his fingers, and that she feels him objecting when she moves his hand toward an incorrect letter.
Arthur Caplan, a bioethics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said he is skeptical of Houben's ability to communicate after seeing video of his hand being moved along the keyboard.
"That's called 'facilitated communication,'" Caplan said. "That is ouija board stuff. It's been discredited time and time again. When people look at it, it's usually the person doing the pointing who's doing the messages, not the person they claim they are helping."
Caplan also said the statements Houben allegedly made with the computer seem unnatural for someone with such a profound injury and an inability to communicate for decades.
When Houben was asked how he felt when his consciousness was discovered, he responded: "I especially felt relief. Finally be able to show that I was indeed there."
"Just like with a baby, it happens with a lot of stumbling," he wrote.
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Re-examining similar cases
The doctor who discovered that Houben had been wrongly diagnosed said that he is re-examining dozens of other cases.
Dr. Steven Laureys, of Belgium's Coma Science Group, said he has discovered some degree of consciousness using state-of-the-art equipment in other patients but won't say how many. He looks at about 50 cases from around the world a year but none are as extreme as that of Rom Houben, who was fully conscious inside a paralyzed body. Many center on the fine distinction between a vegetative state and minimal consciousness.
He said Tuesday that: "It is very difficult to tell the difference."
His studies showed that some 40 percent of patients with consciousness disorders are wrongly given a diagnosis of a vegetative state.
"It is clearly unacceptable. It is four times out of ten that they think the patient is in a vegetative state but in reality he is minimally conscious," Laureys said.
Patients from Europe and around the world brought to his center in Liege for a second opinion go through and PET scans, MRI's and a battery of other tests during a weeklong reassessment.
"Sometimes patients fly in and there is all this hope. But after the tests we have to confirm they are the opposite case from Rom and that there is no error," Laureys said. "But that too helps the family accept reality."
In Belgium alone there are some 350 patients diagnosed as in a vegetative state, he said.
Family kept believing
Over the years, Houben's family refused to accept the word of his doctors, firmly believing their son knew what was happening around him, and gave no thought to letting him die, said his mother, Fina. She was vindicated when the breakthrough came.
"At that moment, you think, 'Oh, my God. See, now you know.' I was always convinced," she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
The discovery took place three years ago but only recently came to light, after publication of a study on the misdiagnosis of people with consciousness disorders.
While a 23-year error is highly unusual, the wrong diagnosis of patients with consciousness disorders is far too common, according to the study, which was led by Laureys.
"Despite the importance of diagnostic accuracy, the rate of misdiagnosis of vegetative state has not substantially changed in the past 15 years," the study said. Back then, studies found that "up to 43 percent of patients with disorders of consciousness are erroneously assigned a diagnosis of vegetative state."
The issue is fraught with difficult medical and ethical questions. Patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state with no hope of recovery are sometimes allowed to die, as was done in 2005 with Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged Florida woman at the center of the biggest right-to-die case in U.S. history. Her feeding tube was removed.
"It makes you think. There is still a lot of work to be done" to better diagnose such disorders, said Caroline Schnakers of the Coma Science Group.
Houben was injured in an auto accident in 1983 when he was 20. Doctors said he fell into a coma at first, then went into a vegetative state.
A coma is a state of unconsciousness in which the eyes are closed and the patient cannot be roused. A vegetative state is a condition in which the eyes are open and can move, and the patient has periods of sleep and periods of wakefulness, but remains unconscious and cannot reason or respond.
During Houben's two lost decades, his eyesight was poor, but the experts say he could hear doctors, nurses and visitors to his bedside, and feel the touch of a relative. He says that during that time, he heard his father had died, but he was unable to show any emotion.
Over the years, Houben's skeptical mother took him to the United States five times for tests. More searching got her in touch with Laureys, who put Houben through a PET scan.
"We saw his brain was almost normal," said neuropsychologist Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, who has worked with Houben for three years.
'We continue to search and search'
The family and doctors then began trying to establish communication. A breakthrough came when he was able to indicate yes or no by slightly moving his foot to push a computer device placed there by Laureys' team. Then came the spelling of words using the touchscreen.
Houben's condition has since been diagnosed as a form of "locked-in syndrome," in which people are unable to speak or move but can think and reason.
"You have to imagine yourself lying in bed wanting to speak and move but unable to do so — while in your head you are OK," Vanhaudenhuyse said. "It was extremely difficult for him and he showed a lot of anger, which is normal since he was very frustrated."
With so much to say after suffering for so long in silence, Houben has started writing a book.
"He lives from day to day," his 73-year-old mother said. "He can be funny and happy," but is also given to black humor.
Recently he went to his father's grave for the planting of a tree.
"A letter he wrote was lowered into the grave through a tube," his mother said. "He closed his eyes for half an hour, because he cannot cry."
There is little hope that Houben's physical condition will get better, but his mother said she refuses to give up: "We continue to search and search. For 26 years already."
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Two stems of lush Lavendar meet in a vivid garden of select florals in this ideal sympathy sentiment.
Through the Nature Conservancy's Plant a Million Trees Program, PreferredFlorist.com will arrange to have a tree planted in the Atlantic Brazillian Rainforest for every floral or plant arrangement purchased from our store.
© Preferred Florist.com . All Rights Reserved 2012 | Sitemap | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy


text: Jensen's work has been largely influenced by the great 18th century Dutch Master, Jan Van Huysum. From 1833-1835 Jensen lived in a Scandinavian artist colony in Rome, where he met the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldson (I 768-1844), Thorvaldsen's vases are rendered in these paintings, and are on display in the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen today. Upon his return to Denmark in 1835, Jensen was appointed a professor at the Royal Danish Academy. o Works by Jensen can be seen at the Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Altona Museum,The Oldenburg Museum,The Copenhagen Museum,Thoravldsen Museum, and The Montpellier Museum.


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ROCHESTER — Rochester students at Spaulding High School weighed in with their thoughts on the Rochester Police Department's new policy for truant behavior, which imposes fines on parents of students who miss an excess amount of school.
ROCHESTER — Rochester students at Spaulding High School weighed in with their thoughts on the Rochester Police Department's new policy for truant behavior, which imposes fines on parents of students who miss an excess amount of school.
Junior Shatayah Emerson, 16, said she wasn't sure how she felt about the new policy, since she doesn't miss a lot of school herself. But, she thought a fine could positively pressure more of her peers to attend class.
"I know a lot of kids who skip school for no reason," Emerson said.
Senior Devin Sobleski, 17, said he sees a lot of students missing class, possibly because they don't feel they're getting anything out of their education. In Sobleski's mind, though, that's a mistake, he said, he doesn't want to see parents held accountable for their children's mistakes.
"I feel that (truancy) shouldn't have anything to do with the parents. It's not the parent's fault. It's all the kid's," he said. "If the students feel like they don't want to go to school, it's their life they're throwing away."
The Rochester police's new policy allows violators to opt out of pleading guilty in court to a large fine and instead take a four-week educational course at the police station with their children.
Senior Katie Lagace, 17, said heard a lot of her peers talking about the new "diversion program" at school this week and she thought maybe they were blowing it out of proportion.
"It might sound extreme but I don't think it's as bad as everyone's drumming it up to be," she said. " … I don't think (truancy) is like, a humongous issue, but it's big enough that it's affecting certain students."
Senior Cassie Miltner, 17, said she was recently called to a "truancy meeting" at the high school where dozens of students were told about the new policy and how they could face fines. Miltner said she had mononucleosis, a viral infection, for several weeks this year, and had to miss a lot of school. Even with her doctor's notes, she said, she has been singled out. She feels it isn't fair for students who genuinely need to miss class.
"I feel like it applies to a lot of kids at the school … I definitely think (officials) made (the policy) out to be more than it should be," she said. "They said they'd get the police involved and we'd have to go to court. They're definitely making a bigger deal of it than they should … A lot of kids don't really care that much, but there are a lot of kids who really do try to go to school. So, I think it's half and half, basically."
Junior Jenny Diamond, 16, said she had mixed feelings on the subject because she doesn't miss a lot of school.
"It is a problem. A lot of the kids are always absent," Diamond said. " … I feel like a (fine) would scare people and make them angry, maybe. I've been hearing a lot of kids complaining about it already."


text: This bob can be cute on almost anyone even children. The neck or nape section is cut to the lowest part and is trimmed to encircle the neck. From there the angle drops about a few cm to the jaw line. It forms a almost boomerang shape but is very trendy and up to date with the times yet still looks amazingly timeless.


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Former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) indictment on corruption charges yesterday led political allies to react with both surprise and dismay, raising claims about political retribution against the outspoken critic of the current administration.
Prosecutors accuse the 88-year-old, still highly respected in government circles, and a former top aide of siphoning money from a secret diplomatic fund to help set up a private think tank during his presidency from 1988 to 2000.
The charges, announced by prosecutors in a high-profile morning press conference, come at a sensitive time. The presidential and legislative elections are seven months away and Lee is seen as a father figure to many in the pro-independence camp.
The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), which Lee helped to establish in 2000, immediately dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign designed to discredit the former president and his supporters.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was more cautious.
"The allegations show that President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) re-election campaign must be in dire straits," TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said. "It's an obvious attempt to use the judiciary to incite political strife."
Huang and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the party's presidential nominee, are expected to appear with Lee at a previously scheduled fundraiser tonight.
DPP spokesperson Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said the judiciary should demonstrate caution to avoid creating the impression that it is politically biased, given the current political environment. Chen also emphasized the DPP's lack of involvement in the case.
Lee was the chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) at the time of the alleged offenses, as well as being elected president, Chen said.
"We hope the judiciary can take a consistent look at the past 50 years of KMT administration, all the way up to Lee, and determine whether all cases of potential misuses of secret government funds have been properly handled," he said.
As the nation's first democratically elected president, Lee counts as allies both pan-blue and pan-green politicians stretching from his time as an up-and-coming KMT official. His political stance gradually shifted toward pro-Taiwanese independence.
One sign of his widespread appeal was at a birthday celebration in January, when Lee welcomed Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and senior politicians from both the KMT and the DPP. Ma was the only key political figure left off the guest list.
DPP lawmakers were more outspoken about the case in the legislature.
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) called it a sign of "selective processing" given that many other senior politicians have also faced allegations that they misused secret government funds.
"The courts are owned by the KMT, exemplified by the case we see here," Gao said.
DPP caucus chief Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said the court case could potentially affect the January elections and the DPP's cooperation with the TSU, which identifies Lee as its spiritual leader.
However, KMT Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) urged the public to respect the judicial process.
"If the defendant is innocent, I'm sure the judiciary will clear his name," he said.
Presidential Office spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-chi (范姜泰基) said the office would not comment on any ongoing cases.


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Our children's nutrition is vital to their health and development, both in school and in sports. Teach your kids about healthy choices today to establish healthy habits for tomorrow. Set a good example by involving them in meal planning, introducing them to cooking and portion control and getting active!
If you're pregnant you have probably heard the phrase eating for two. It's true that a pregnant woman's calorie intake grows during pregnancy, but simply doubling your calorie intake is not the solution for you or your baby.
Regardless of whether banana selfies are an effective way to protest racism, banana snacks are undoubtedly an effective way to refuel the body.
New Dole Unaudited Results For 2012 and Business Update
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California – January 24, 2013
Dole Food Company, Inc. ("Dole") today announced that ITOCHU Corporation ("ITOCHU") and Dole received unconditional approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to implement the sale of Dole's worldwide packaged foods and Asia fresh produce business to ITOCHU.
"The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China officially approved our antitrust filing, with no conditions or requirements, in a decision dated January 21, 2013," said C. Michael Carter, Dole's Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "We are grateful to the case team of China's Anti-monopoly Bureau of MOFCOM for their professionalism and commitment to the timely review of our transaction with ITOCHU. We have now received all seven required regulatory approvals, and Dole expects to complete the sale within the next 30 days."
Dole also announced fiscal year 2012 results for the two lines of fresh produce business that will remain with the new Dole following the consummation of the sale transaction: fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. The historical results of the Dole worldwide packaged foods and Asia fresh business being sold to ITOCHU are classified as discontinued operations.
Selected Financial Results from Continuing Operations (the two lines of fresh produce business remaining with the new Dole)
Fiscal Year
December 29, 2012
December 31, 2011
(in millions)
Revenues, net
Adjusted EBITDA
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings
Revenues decreased 11% to $4.2 billion for the year ended December 29, 2012, primarily due to the divestitures of our fresh fruit subsidiaries in Germany and Spain, which represented $539 million of sales in 2011. Fresh fruit revenues, excluding the impact of the divestitures, decreased 2% as a result of lower pricing in North America bananas and unfavorable euro and Swedish krona foreign currency movements in Europe. This was partially offset by higher volumes of fresh pineapple sold and improved pricing for Chilean deciduous fruit. Fresh vegetables revenues increased 8% primarily due to improved pricing for packaged salads and sales from the October 2011 berry acquisition, which contributed $68 million to sales in 2012. This was partially offset by lower pricing for fresh-packed vegetables. Excluding the sales from the berry business acquisition, fresh vegetables revenues improved 3%.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $146 million for the year ended December 29, 2012 compared to $196 million in the prior year. Fresh fruit Adjusted EBITDA decreased primarily due to lower pricing for bananas in North America as well as higher fruit costs in Europe, partially offset by lower shipping costs in Europe. In addition, fresh fruit earnings were impacted by provisions totaling $26 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2012 in connection with the possible resolution of certain legal-related matters. Fresh vegetables Adjusted EBITDA was comparable. Higher earnings in the packaged salads and fresh berries businesses were partially offset by lower pricing experienced during the first half of 2012 across all major fresh-packed vegetable product lines. Packaged salads earnings increased primarily due to improved pricing. Fresh berries earnings increased as a result of the berry business acquisition, partially offset by higher growing costs.
Segment Information (the two lines of fresh produce business remaining with the new Dole)
December 29, 2012
December 31, 2011
Revenues from external customers
Fresh fruit
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit EBIT
$ 103.5
$ 138.8
Fresh vegetables EBIT
Total operating segments
Net unrealized gain (loss) on foreign denominated instruments
Share-based compensation
ITOCHU transaction related costs
Operating expenses
Total EBIT before disc. ops.
$ 24.2
$ 109.3
2013 Guidance
"Fresh fruit performance in 2012 was below 2011, and we expect this trend to continue in 2013," said Mr. Carter, who will be assuming the added role of President and COO in connection with the ITOCHU transaction. "We continue to see aggressive contract negotiations in the North American banana market, driving earnings in that market to lower levels. We expect fresh vegetables Adjusted EBITDA to improve in 2013, but not enough to offset the expected continued decline in the North America banana market. Overall, we expect 2013 Adjusted EBITDA for the new Dole to be at the low end of the guidance range we announced on January 2, 2013, assuming no major market changes."
"In light of the competitive fresh produce market conditions, we are assessing the new Dole's capital requirements and other possible near-term funding resources, such as Dole's Hawaii land holdings," continued Mr. Carter. "Potential investments could include increasing the number of fresh fruit farms owned and operated by the new Dole, and required updating of our owned vessel fleet, which has an average age of 21 years."
After the consummation of the ITOCHU transaction, Dole will retain six refrigerated container vessels, ranging in ages from 14 to 24 years, as well as seven break-bulk refrigerated vessels, ranging in ages from 19 to 27 years. Three of the break-bulk vessels will continue to be used by the Asia Fresh produce business following completion of the ITOCHU transaction, under a ships usage agreement between Dole and ITOCHU. Dole also has four other break-bulk refrigerated vessels under a charter arrangement which will terminate at the end of 2013, and are currently under sub-charter to a third party, and a fifth vessel under charter that is scheduled to terminate in June 2013, subject to possible extension.
The new Dole will also retain approximately 24,700 acres in Hawaii on the Island of Oahu, of which approximately 16,500 acres are listed for sale. Dole farms pineapple, coffee and cacao on approximately 2,900 acres, and has an additional 1,800 farming acres which are not currently in production. The remaining 3,500 acres comprise gullies, washes, and other natural non-productive land. Dole currently estimates the relatively short-term monetization of the approximately 21,800 acres of land that Dole is not currently farming, to be in the $175 million to $200 million range. This range, which exceeds the current net book value for this land, is based on a recently completed internal assessment confirmed by a nationally recognized commercial real estate services firm..
Audited Financials
Dole expects to timely file its annual report on Form 10-K by March 14, 2013, including its audited financial statements for fiscal year 2012. At that time, Dole expects to issue an earnings release and will host a conference call with investors.
Non-GAAP Measurements
Earnings before interest, taxes and discontinued operations ("EBIT before discontinued operations") and Adjusted EBITDA are measures commonly used by financial analysts in evaluating the performance of companies. EBIT before discontinued operations is calculated from income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings by adding interest expense and equity earnings. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated from EBIT before discontinued operations by: (1) adding depreciation and amortization; (2) adding the net unrealized loss or subtracting the net unrealized gain on foreign currency and bunker fuel hedges; (3) adding the foreign currency loss or subtracting the foreign currency gain on the vessel obligations; (4) adding the net unrealized loss or subtracting the net unrealized gain on foreign denominated instruments; (5) adding share-based compensation expense; (6) adding charges for restructuring and long-term receivables; (7) adding ITOCHU transaction related costs; and (8) subtracting the gain on asset sales. These items have been adjusted because management excludes these amounts when evaluating the performance of Dole. Net debt is calculated as total debt less cash.
EBIT before discontinued operations and Adjusted EBITDA are not calculated or presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and are not a substitute for net income attributable to Dole Food Company, Inc., net income, income from continuing operations, income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings, cash flows from operating activities or any other measure prescribed by U.S. GAAP. Further, EBIT before discontinued operations and Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations as used herein are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. However, Dole has included these two measures herein because management believes that they are useful performance measures for Dole and for securities analysts, investors and others in the evaluation of Dole.
Dole has provided earnings guidance to give investors general information on the overall direction of its remaining businesses following the sale transaction. The guidance provided is subject to numerous uncertainties, including, among others, the timing and ultimate consummation of the sale transaction, overall economic and capital-market conditions and the markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. Dole does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update its forward-looking statements, including projections and future prospects.
This release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward- looking statements, which are based on management's current expectations, are generally identifiable by the use of terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "intends," "anticipates" and similar expressions. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied herein include the timing and whether the sale transaction is consummated, weather-related phenomena; market responses to industry volume pressures; product and raw materials supplies and pricing; energy supply and pricing; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; economic crises and security risks in developing countries; international conflict; and quotas, tariffs and other governmental actions. Further information on the factors that could affect Dole's financial results is included in its filings with the SEC.
Exhibit 1 - Reconciliation of income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings* to EBIT before discontinued operations and Adjusted EBITDA
December 29, 2012
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings
$ 5.9
$ 95.1
Interest expense **
Equity earnings
Earnings before interest, taxes and discontinued operations ("EBIT before discontinued ops")
Depreciation and amortization
Net unrealized (gain) loss on derivative instruments
Foreign currency exchange (gain) loss on vessel obligations
Net unrealized (gain) loss on foreign denominated instruments
Share-based compensation
Charges for restructuring and long-term receivables
ITOCHU transaction related costs
Gain on asset sales
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 145.8
$ 195.7
*Dole has reconciled EBIT before discontinued ops and Adjusted EBITDA to Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings, because the latter is the GAAP measure most directly comparable to EBIT before discontinued ops and Adjusted EBITDA that can be computed at this time. Dole has not yet completed the final calculation of its income tax provision, and will not be in a position to do so for several more weeks. In view, however, of the imminent closing of the transaction with ITOCHU, the results and prospects for the fresh produce businesses that will remain with Dole will be most directly relevant for investors. Therefore, Dole determined that it was advisable to disclose the 2012 results for such businesses as soon as possible, reconciling to the available GAAP measure most directly comparable to EBIT before discontinued ops and Adjusted EBITDA.
**Interest expense reflects only interest on debt not required to be repaid in connection with the ITOCHU sale transaction, as well as interest accrued on liabilities related to certain legal-related matters. Interest expense incurred on debt required to be repaid as part of the ITOCHU sale transaction is classified within discontinued operations.
We hold strong as industry leaders from a dedication to customer relations.
Dole's Organic Program is at the forefront of organic agriculture.
Our fleet sails regularly throughout the US, Canada, Latin America and Europe.
Explore the wide variety of career opportunities that we offer!


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This question is inspired by another SU question I came across earlier today: What to do with old hard drives? It made me think about two long-dead laptops I have with perfectly good screens still inside. One is a Dell Inspiron 5100 and the other is an Averatec E1200, but responses need not be geared towards those particular models' screens.
Rules, based heavily on the original question's:
Objectives and suggestions to keep in mind when you post an answer :
- Should showcase your geekiness, be plain ol' fun, serve a social purpose or benefit the community.
- Your answer need not be limited to only one screen. For a really good answer, I'll go out and buy additional leftover screens.
- Your answer need not be limited to one project per screen.
- If additional accessories need be purchased, make sure they are common. Don't tell me to get a moon rock or something.
- The projects you suggested should serve a useful purpose; art is nice, but functional art is way better.
Thanks in advance, folks.
EDIT: Found another related question. Fun projects to do with an old 17" LCD monitor
EDIT 2: I, for one, am enjoying the new outpouring of creativity here. Best fifty bucks... I mean, rep points... I ever spent.
EDIT 3: That does it. At the end of the week, there was a tie for most votes between the accepted answer and the game platform answer. The game platform answer was cooler, but less reasonable as a project to actually do; in other words, it was more moon rocky. Unfortunately, I think fencepost had the best comment on the topic, which is that displays on their own have no good interface. Thanks for playing, everyone!


text: john ryan pike is the person you thought couldn't possibly exist; although he did, and we were lucky enough to have known him, to have loved him. he was the perfect balance of compassion, talent, humor and intelligence all wrapped up in one great package with an infectious smile as a bow.he passionately pursued his interests that varied from musical composition to innovative home-brewing and agriculture. he took advantage of every opportunity presented to him and created many of his own along the way. he packed more life into his twenty-three short years than most do in a lifetime, and he left us all wanting more.a respected drummer and lyricist long before his days with ra ra riot ©, he independently wrote and recorded more than 400 songs. in addition, he has countless others in the formative stages of his journals and hundreds of saved notes scribbled on post it's and scraps of paper; which were often found in his pockets when his mother would do laundry. saving each and every "scrap", his family encouraged his talent, and he was lucky enough to have access to various musical instruments as well as mentors who were able to nurture his talent. music allowed an outlet for his creativity. he was able to express himself through lyrics and melodies, finding resolve in his musical constitution.john's interests were abundant and certainly not limited to his music. he was an autodidact who perpetually sought to better himself and his intellect. loves which ranged from gardening, family, friends, crossword puzzles, animals, and the preservation of the environment, he was an avid reader and used this to become an "expert" on any topic he became interested in. he was a true testament to the old adage "you learn something new every day." even after graduating magna cum laude from newhouse school of syracuse university, he did not see his education as complete. he always saw himself as a "work in progress", an inspiring notion to us all. as a natural 'helper,' an aspect of his personality that could not be denied, he has inspired those left to mourn him to give back to the community that gave rise to such an amazing individual.john himself was a gift and his sudden and tragic death was not a loss felt exclusively by his family and friends, but rather by an entire community of neighbors, supporters, and fans. everyone who knew him felt the need to "do something" in his memory. john brought out the best in those around him and in everyone he met; and in the spirit of all that is john, friends and family felt it necessary to share john's gift and love of music with his community.


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Our Android friends over at The Dept has just released their latest and greatest tee, Control 71. Buy this shirt, put it on and keep an eye on your control panels. As with all shirtd from The Dept, Control 71 was created, designed, and silk-screened by graphic designer Richard Leighton.
Control 71 is printed on an American Apparel blank, is available in three different colorways and can be purchased now for $20.


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SMITHFIELD, R.I. (AP) Dyami Starks led five players in double figures with 17 points as Bryant blasted Wagner 82-59 Saturday in Northeast Conference play.
The Bulldogs (13-4, 6-0) remained unbeaten in conference play with their eighth consecutive victory.
Bryant, which led throughout the game, took a 36-26 halftime lead into the locker room. Wagner (9-8, 3-3) made just six of its 30 shots from the field in the first half, including a 2 for 15 nightmare beyond the 3-point arc.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, got balanced scoring. Frankie Dobbs scored 15 points, Alex Francis and Joe O'Shea added 12 points apiece and Corey Maynard chipped in 11. Starks and Dobbs each hit three 3-pointers as Bryant was 8 of 16 from long range.
The Seahawks finished 5 for 26 on treys. Bryant also outscored Wagner 36-22 on points in the paint.
Jonathon Williams led the Seahawks with 17 points. Eric Fanning added 13.


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OK. That's it. It's time this social media "lesson" got a review.
On March 3, former Miss Phoenix Jean-Sun Hannah Ahn was crowned Miss Seattle.
Soon after, KIRO-FM's website, MyNorthwest.com, reported that back in December, before Ahn had decided to compete for the Seattle crown, she had tweeted, "Ew I seriously [am] hating Seattle right now," and "Take me back to az!!! Ugh can't stand cold rainy Seattle and the annoying people."
KIRO's Linda Thomas wrote, "She should reconsider the way she uses social media if she wants to be a public figure."
The story went viral. The Associated Press, the L.A. Times, the Today Show and others picked it up. Haters hated. Clicks soared. Ahn began her tenure in a theater of apology. And as the dust settled, The Seattle Times ran a recap that started like this:
Once again, class: There is no such thing as a private tweet.
As one social-media expert explains, "If what you tweeted would run as a headline, would you be OK with that? If not, don't use it."
No. No, no, no, NO.
If you are not a celebrity, a media personality, a tip-toeing brand or anyone otherwise shackled by fame or circumstance to predictable expression, then please, for the love of all we value, ignore this advice. It's not for you. It can't be for you.
You are the free people of the social Web. If you filter what you share based on whether it could be a headline somewhere, what is most awesome about social media — their power to help us harness our passions — could degrade into the same mix of fear, caution and artifice that cripples so much of our public discourse.
I'm not saying that venting your frustration at a city or its people is a step on the path to a better society. But feeling free to be ourselves with our own social networks, to say what we think without a blown-up fear of being misunderstood by peering strangers — that just might be.
Social media provided, in my view, the first automated documentation of a human truth — that we are more than what we say or do at any one time. Sometimes I'm happy. Sometimes I'm mad. Sometimes, you can bet, I complain about Seattle's weather.
I'm mindful of what I say on Twitter, just like, on another level, I'm mindful of what I say out loud. But I'm not going to sum myself up in 140 characters for the convenience of quick judgment. That's not what the medium is about. It's by putting the pieces together that you begin to know the real person. We know that — we see that — and that's awesome.
It's typical and acceptable for media of all shapes, sizes and pedigrees to treat politicians, celebrities and other prisoners of scrutiny as ticking time bombs, able to blow their own character away with a single phrase.
Want it to be acceptable for them to do that to you?
It doesn't have to be.
Let me not play innocent here. I've earned many a page view as a journalist off the over-judged, overblown but somehow fair-game stumbles of public figures, including public figures who didn't know they'd been elevated to that status when they said whatever was so buzzworthy. You, meanwhile, have clicked eagerly on that story and the next, because that's the game and that's how we play it.
So I understand where everyone who extracts a social media "lesson" out of Ahn's bad day is coming from. They're giving good tips to stay safe in a cruel new world, one with more ears in more places than ever before.
But maybe this world isn't as cruel as the lesson implies. Maybe, instead of expanding the boundaries of scrutiny, we can take a cue from what social media has shown us about ourselves and expand the boundaries of understanding. This new world has more voices in more places than ever before, too. And it's not enough just to have a voice. We have to use it. We have to keep it sharp.
Increasingly, we'll need to defend it.
Look at where we're headed. Facebook's one-click "Like" button is all over the Web. On Twitter.com, the Twitter retweet has gotten easier, while quoting a tweet to add your own comment has gotten harder. The companies, brands and content creators learning to navigate social channels don't want you to engage with their posts anywhere near as much as they want you to pass them along. You are copy machines. Steps toward virality. Proof of penetration. Followers. Likers. Stats. If it sounds like a regression to the Nielsen rating days of traditional media, that's because it is.
Somewhere down the line, social media voices that started out following their own rules began to fit neatly into one or another predictable package. Out of convenience, out of complacency, and yes — out of fear.
Tweet what you'd want in a headline? Nah. Tweet what you have in your heart. The big stuff and the little. The good, the bad, the human. If someone doesn't understand it, discuss it. If someone attacks it without trying to understand it, call them out on it. It's their problem. Not yours.
Not ours.


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Lebanese officials Thursday strongly contested their country's inclusion on recent lists of states allegedly facilitating money laundering, saying it was all a misunderstanding.
The lists were drawn up the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Financial Stability Forum grouping the Group of Seven industrial countries and four other states.
The first put Lebanon among 15 territories considered to be money laundering havens due to their failure to cooperate with efforts to curb such activities, and the second said it was one of 25 which were "generally seen as having a low quality of supervision and/or being non-cooperative with onshore supervisors, and with little or no attempt being made to adhere to international standards."
Riad Salame, the governor of Lebanon's central bank, said Beirut had taken measures to stop money-laundering several years ago and should be taken off the lists.
They had been compiled from wrong data, he said, as Lebanon had no offshore business sector.
Finance Minister Georges Corm told a press conference that he had contacted financial authorities in the United States and other countries to inform them about the Lebanese banking system.
Corm said there had been misunderstandings about offshore activities and Lebanon's classification as a tax haven. But he said Beirut had no intention of lifting banking secrecy.
"There is no case of money-laundering here, while in the United States they recently discovered a bank handling dirty money," he charged.
A vice-president of the central Bank of Lebanon, Marwan Nsuli, said Lebanon fulfilled "17 or 20" of the 25 criteria laid down by the FATF for being classed a as cooperative.
He said the law would be amended to make it impossible to set up offshore banks or other financial institutions in Lebanon - BEIRUT (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)


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About this Quilt
Ghoulies & Ghosties: FREE Halloween Lap Quilt Pattern
Ghoulies & Ghosties
Designed by Kelly Corbridge
Finished Quilt Size
55 1/2″ x 71 1/2″
Number of Blocks and Finished Size
18 Sixteen-patch Blocks 8″ x 8″
6 Appliquéd Bat Blocks 8″ x 8″
6 Appliquéd Cat Blocks 8″ x 8″
5 Appliquéd Ghost Blocks 8″ x 8″
Download Templates: Click here to download full-size printable templates for this FREE Ghoulies & Ghosties quilt pattern. (Problems downloading our PDF? Click here for troubleshooting tips.)
Templates are printed reversed and without seam allowance for use with paper-backed fusible web.
You Need:
|Backing (piece widthwise)
… 3 5/8 yds.
Paper-backed fusible web
1 1/4 yds.
Batting … Twin size
Sewing thread
Machine quilting thread
Cut It!
|White solid
… 5 Template C
Rust/black plaid
… 4 strips 8″ x 58″, cut on lengthwise grain
Step 1. Arrange and sew 4 rows of 4 assorted medium/dark plaid and stripe 2 1/2″ squares each (See Diagram I). Sew rows together to make Sixteen-patch Block. Make 18 total.
Diagram I
Step 2. Trace Templates A-C on paper side of paper-backed fusible web. Cut apart, leaving small margin beyond drawn lines. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse to wrong side of appropriate fabrics; cut apart on drawn lines.
Diagram II
Step 3. Finger-press assorted medium/dark plaid and stripe 8 1/2″ squares (Diagram II) as shown for each appliqué block; use folds as placement guide. Position template fabrics as shown (turning the bat differently on each square). Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse in place. Appliqué edges by hand or machine using buttonhole stitch (Diagram III).
Diagram III
Step 4. Referring to Assembly Diagram, arrange and sew 7 rows alternating appliquéd blocks with Sixteen-patch Blocks. Note: Kelly arranged her appliquéd creature blocks in diagonal rows. Sew rows together. Stitch rust/black plaid 8″ x 58″ strips to sides; trim even with top and bottom. Sew remaining rust/ black plaid strips to top/bottom; trim even with sides.
Assembly Diagram
Step 5. Layer and baste quilt top for quilting method of your choice. Kelly machine ditch quilted the seams and appliqué. She added a meander on the border. Bind quilt with black solid fabric.
You might also like…
More FREE holiday and seasonal themed quilt pattern downloads from McCallsQuilting.com Quilt Pattern Index.


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Thousands of people are coming together on April 20 to form human banners spelling out I ♥ Arctic. Together we are calling on our political leaders to protect the Arctic from activities that put this fragile environment at risk, such as oil drilling and industrial fishing.
Become a part of this global mobilization in cities from Buenos Aires to Bangkok and from Berlin to Bangalore: join or organize a human banner event!
What happens in the Arctic affects us all - that's why we are coming together on April 20 to take joint action across the globe!
To spread the word about the I ♥ ARCTIC project, we ask you to help us with photographing as many people as possible with the I Arctic speech bubbles. Once uploaded, shared, liked and retweeted across Social Media, these photos will help to mobilise many people to join us on the big day on April 20!
More Downloads: The "I" and "ARCTIC".
Spread the word: Going to an event? Excellent! Then let the internet know! Tweet, Facebook, Google+ about it! Tip: Use #ilovearctic as your tag.
Organize: If you'd like to organize an event, please download the organizer's toolkit here, including ideas for getting more people involved. Let us know what you are planning, and register your event by filling in the form below. If you'd like to get in touch with the organizer-team at Greenpeace, please send us an e-mail to
Get the Pic Badge: Add the I ♥ ARCTIC badge to your Facebook picture.
Grab your camera and join in the speech bubble photo mobilization: Download the speech bubble toolkit here.


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Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Hako, Te Aupouri
(1965- )
Chris's work is largely influenced by his heritage and traditional Māori forms and concepts which he then lends a contemporary edge to thus allowing the forms to evolve. His work ranges from jewellery through to larger stone sculptural pieces.
Spirit Wrestler Gallery
101-1669 West 3rd Ave.
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6J 1K1
Toll Free: 1-888-669-8813
Phone: 604-669-8813
one block West of the Granville Island gates
Between Pine St. and Fir St.
Tuesday to Saturday, open 10-5
Sunday and Holidays, open 12-5
© 2019 Spirit Wrestler Gallery. All Rights Reserved.


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AUGUSTA — It didn't take long for former Attorney General William Schneider to find a new job in state government.
On Monday, Gov. Paul LePage named Schneider the deputy director of the Office of Policy and Management, a quasi-investigative agency that LePage created last year to replace the State Planning Office.
Schneider, a Republican, served two years as the state's top lawyer when Republicans held a legislative majority, which they lost to Democrats in November's elections. Schneider's tenure as attorney general ended Monday afternoon when he was replaced by Democrat Janet Mills. His new job was announced a few hours after Mills was sworn in by LePage.
Schneider will work for agency director Richard Rosen, a former Republican lawmaker from Bucksport. LePage appointed Rosen to the job in December, shortly after Rosen finished his fourth term in the state Senate.
"I am grateful that former Attorney General Schneider will continue his public service to the state of Maine," Rosen said in a prepared statement. "I am enthusiastically looking forward to this new opportunity to work with him to identify and implement efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state government."
The Office of Policy and Management is charged with reviewing and advising on state agency budgets, streamlining agency operations, and evaluating the effectiveness of economic policy. LePage modeled the agency after the Legislature's Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability. The Legislature's watchdog agency is backed by the Government Oversight Committee, which has subpoena powers.
Similarly, the policy and management agency has the power to subpoena financial records from state agencies, after receiving approval from a state Superior Court. The office was created with the mission of finding $1 million in annual savings in state government.
It receives about $400,000 a year in state funding.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to serve my state in this important role," Schneider said in a written statement. "As someone who always keeps a copy of the U.S. Constitution in my pocket, I have a great appreciation and respect for the mission of this office and this administration. Throughout my work in Maine state government, I have continually fought to ensure government is fair, open and accountable while best serving its citizens, and I look forward to doing that in my new position."
Schneider, 53, is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he majored in engineering and computer science. He has a law degree from the University of Maine and started his law career as an intern prosecutor in the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office.
He is also a retired Army captain and Green Beret. He served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002, including a two-year stint as assistant House Republican leader.
In 2012, Schneider was one of six Republicans who ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Olympia Snowe.
He finished sixth in that contest despite winning some early campaign infrastructure support from Snowe.
So far, Schneider is the only one of three Republican officers elected by legislators in 2010 to be brought into the LePage administration. Secretary of State Charlie Summers was replaced Monday by Democrat Matt Dunlap, and state Treasurer Bruce Poliquin was replaced by Democrat Neria Douglass.
Poliquin and LePage had worked closely together in the past two years. Adrienne Bennett, LePage's spokeswoman, said Monday that she was not aware of any plans to bring Poliquin into the administration.
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Nation & World
Girl, 10, dies after being ejected from festival ride in New Jersey
Lisbon Falls woman completes the Triple Crown of Hiking
Nation & World
California power outages highlight economic disparity
Nation & World
Search continues for missing worker in New Orleans hotel collapse
Working: New Gloucester's YOLKED food truck serves it all, chicken and egg included


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Obama slings arrows, jokes at WHCD
The White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night gave President Barack Obama a chance to take humor-laced shots at those things in Washington that rub him the wrong way — Republicans in Congress, the media, his critics — and he also directed plenty of friendly fire at himself.
"I look in the mirror and say, 'I'm not the strapping young Muslim socialist that I used to be,'" Obama quipped at one point, reflecting on how he's aged into a second term.
Story Continued Below
( WATCH: Obama's full remarks at WHCD)
While he was kidding about himself, Obama sharpened his sword when it came to the GOP.
"Some folks still don't think I spend enough time with Congress. 'Why don't you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?' they ask," Obama said. "Really? Why don't you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?" The line earned Obama one of his loudest applauses of the evening from the 2,700 in attendance at the Washington Hilton.
Along the same lines, Obama vowed to take his "charm offensive" on the road to "a Texas barbecue with Ted Cruz, a Kentucky bluegrass concert with Rand Paul and a book burning with Michele Bachmann."
"My 'charm offensive' has helped me learn some interesting things about what's going on in Congress. It turns out absolutely nothing," Obama said.
( PHOTOS: Stars, politicos, media at WHCD)
The campaign is long over, but the president fired away at wealthy conservative businessman Sheldon Adelson, who spent much of 2012 working against Obama's reelection.
"Did you know that Sheldon Adelson spent $100 million of his own money last year on negative ads? You've got to really dislike me to spend that kind of money. I mean, that's Oprah money. … Sheldon would have been better off offering me $100 million to drop out of the race."
( PHOTOS: Red carpet arrivals at WHCD)
It wasn't all jokes, however. Obama offered some more somber thoughts about recent events to the star-studded crowd.
"Our thoughts are not far from the people of Boston, the people of West, Texas," the president said. "There are people in the Midwest who are coping with some terrible floods. So we've had some difficult days. But whenever the day seems darkest, we have seen humanity shine at its brightest; we've seen first responders and National Guardsmen dash into danger, law enforcement officers who live their oath to serve and to protect and everyday Americans who are opening their homes and their hearts to perfect strangers."


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Ordering Offline
We want you to be comfortable when you order from our site. If you wish, you may order offline, so you don't have to supply your credit card data on the site.
To place your order:
- First select the products you wish to buy and place them in your shopping cart by clicking the appropriate icon or button.
- Edit those items (quantity, etc.) as desired in "View Cart."
- Continue shopping until you have selected all the products you wish to buy on this particular trip to our store.
- Go to Checkout by clicking the button on the "View Cart" page or one of the "Checkout" icons or links on catalog pages.
- Login to your Customer Account or, if this is your first time shopping with us, select to "Create Account: Click here to create a new account." Verify, change, or create your billing address.
- Select your shipping preference and fill out the Shipping information form (some fields required) if you are shipping to one address. Note that if you request shipment to more than one address, additional address fields will be presented to you on the screen that follows.
- Select "Provide your payment information over the telephone" or "Purchase by mailing a check" under the Payment Method section, then click Continue.
- Verify that the information carried over from the Shipping information form is correct, and then select your Shipping Method preference. Some items may be shipped from locations other than our warehouse or you may have opted shipment to multiple addresses, in which case you may be asked to select multiple Shipping Methods and/or Ship To addresses.
- After you verify your order information and click the "Submit" button, the following screen will provide you with a link to a printable order form. You may then print and send your order to us with a check for the total order amount or we will contact you by telephone to discuss your payment preference.
- Print out this page or save it to print out later. The form will also be emailed to you as a backup measure so you may print it out from your email if desired.
- Send the form with a check or money order to the following address: Masthead Marketing & Distribution | 2638 National Dr | Dallas, TX 75041
- Or to pay by phone Call toll free 1-877-577-5803, and we can take your credit card information over the phone OR send you a PayPal invoice if you prefer.
Our site meets the mandatory Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance, which is in place to protect customers' private information for orders both online and in office. When you place an order online through our site, your credit card information is not placed on the site, nor is it stored. Rather, when you are ready to commit to your order (i.e., submit payment), you'll be taken offline to our secure PCI Compliance processing gateway, Authorize.net, where your credit card information will be verified and authorized in the amount of the ordered placed.
Because BuyCorrosionX.com meets PCI Compliance, you can rest assured that your personal data is protected when making an online order with us. We encourage you to protect your credit card information by placing your order online and not by phone or fax. We apologize in advance if this causes any inconvenience, but we feel your personal data is best protected when you are in control of that information and not us. We look forward to your online order.
If you have any questions about the product before placing your order, please feel free to contact us toll free at 1-877-577-5803 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central time (Monday Friday) and we'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
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We want you to have a great experience purchasing products through our site. If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the merchandise or receive a damaged or defective product, please email us at email@example.com with a description of the problem. We will work out the details so they are satisfactory to you.


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It's time to check the important stuff like spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and subject/verb agreement. While this probably isn't your favorite step in the writing process, it's an important one!
Each sentence starts with a capital.
All names of people and places begin with a capital.
Titles in a person's name begin with a capital.
Each important word in a title (that doesn't refer to people) begins with a capital letter.
Handwriting is neat or the paper is printed from a computer.
Story starts at the beginning, or with the most exciting event.
Beginning and ending make sense.
Quotation marks surround all words that are part of a direct quote.
Commas separate items in a list, appear within sentences that have direct quotes.
All sentences end with a period or other appropriate ending punctuation.
Spelling and Sentences
Words are spelled correctly. If you are using a computer, remember to use the spell check function.
All sentences are complete and include a subject and a verb.
All subjects and verbs agree.
this Editing Checklist.


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A simply spiffing day out
A simply spiffing day out
In fact, just 500 lucky riders were successful out of 4000 who applied.
Savile Row salutes the sartorial cyclists
The tailored two-wheelers set off from Marleybone at 12 noon before heading towards Trafalgar Square via Savile Row, where the traditional tailors doffed their caps to the besuited brigade of bicyclists, and the Houses of Parliament. The pedalling procession then pootled on towards Lincolns Inn Fields.
The need for tweed
It was not a race nor were there competitors, despite the Daily Mail Online's assertions to the contrary! They must not have been familiar with the etiquette of cycling before the days of Wiggins, Cavendish and the appalling sight of behinds clad in overly tight Lycra shorts! In fact, The Tweed Run is the very antithesis of a race as the entrants, on a wide range of mounts that included penny farthings, tandems, old-fashioned racers, fixies, and vintage cycles trundled merrily through the streets at a very civilized and sedate pace, waving at pedestrians and the patiently waiting (most of them!) motorists as they went.
A nice sit down and a lovely cup of tea
Eventually the parade of posh pedallers reached green space of Lincolns Inn Fields for a picnic lunch and afternoon tea - leaf tea poured out of giant teapots and served in bone china teacups of course! There was even a spectacular birthday cake to celebrate the fifth running of the event, complete with tweed icing. Polite chitchat was made and outfits admired, whilst the accompanying French-style musicians created a very civilised atmosphere.
Roll up, roll up!
For the more energetic, a few genteel games were provided for entertainment. These ranged from throwing a tweed cap over a pigeon (fake, obviously) on the Cordingly stand to croquet to guessing the number of sweets in the jar on the CTC stand. Thanks to volunteer Pippa who helped man the stand clad in a gorgeous retro-flavoured outfit in CTC's colours of yellow and blue, complete with penny farthing blouse.
The last hurrah
Finally, the colourful cavalcade departed en route to its final destination in Kings Cross. The musical accompaniment continued thanks to some very 21st century iPods attached to cycles and there was even bicycle dancing when, as if on cue, 'Singin' in the Rain' started playing just as the heavens opened. With stiff upper lips, the riders pedalled on to the warmth of the hostelry and the final prize giving ceremony, where the sponsors rewarded the most elegantly attired men, women and steeds. Tally ho till next year!


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January 2009 Market Update: Brooklyn, NY
There is a buzz in the air in Brooklyn right now which seems to be pointing to a busy Brooklyn real estate market for 2009. With todayŌĆÖs swearing in of Barack Obama the predominant feel in Brooklyn is one of hope and excitement. I believe this will have a positive effect on consumer confidence, especially with regard to buying a home in 2009.
As I stated in my previous Brooklyn, NY regional blog entries, record low mortgage rates combined with the correction that has taken place in home prices over the past year makes for many opportunities for a purchaser to get a great deal!
So far in January the market has been brisk. We have had a great surge of online consumers making inquiries on properties listed on the major ŌĆ£onlineŌĆØ real estate portals. There has been a big response to our open house marketing; we had one property in Park Slope where we had 25 home buyers show up in a two hour time period. As usual, motivated buyers and sellers (and dare I say real estate agents) are making deals happen.
The main thing I stress to my agents is to pre-qualify their homebuyers, make sure they are educated about monthly carrying costs and then show them every single solitary property that is within their price range. Do not worry about meeting the purchaserŌĆÖs expectations; simply show them everything out there and then some. The serious buyers will then pick the home that best meets their needs.
We just finished compiling our numbers for 2008. Sales volume for my company was down, but only by 3%, which relatively speaking is great (teetering on awesome). This is due to the fact that Continue reading this post


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Adult Residential Care Home
Adult Residential Care Home
Hale Nohea is an exclusive memory care home servicing Haleiwa, dedicated to providing your loved one with exceptional personalized care, stimulating activities, and round the clock assistance, in an understanding and loving environment near Haleiwa. We are an all-inclusive luxury Type I Adult Residential Care Home exclusively serving five residents around Haleiwa.
Our Goal is to provide a caring environment located near Haleiwa for those with Alzheimer's or Dementia related disabilities with the utmost understanding, safety, respect, patience, acceptance, and friendship around Haleiwa.
Our Haleiwa Philosophy is to provide a healthy environment and a wellness of being with joy surrounding Haleiwa.
Who we best serve: Hale Nohea focuses on ambulatory* Alzheimer's and Dementia related residents ranging from stages 1-6 located near Haleiwa. Click here for Alzheimer's Association description of these stages.
Stage 1: no impairment
Stage 2: very mild decline
Stage 3: mild decline
Stage 4: moderate decline
Stage 5: moderate, mid-stage
Stage 6: severe cognitive decline
*Our closely located Haleiwa residents must be ambulatory, (meaning able to walk on their own or with limited assistance, cane or walker). This level of mobility allows us to take all nearby Haleiwa residents on frequent outings in a public forum, allow for group exercise activities, and to maintain a consistent active lifestyle among all the residents.
The stages of Alzheimer's that our Residents experience in our nearby Haleiwa facility are closely monitored and frequently evaluated. Should relocation be necessary around Haleiwa due to advancing stages of illness, we offer full assistance in finding the appropriate resources and placement for your loved one near Haleiwa.
We Service the Following Cities and Towns: Honolulu | Hawaii | Oahu | Kaimuki | Kahala | Hawaii Kai | East Oahu | Diamond Head | Waikiki | Kailua | Kaneohe | Waipahu | Pearl City | Pearl Harbor | Haleiwa | Laie | Waimanalo | Waialua | Kapolei | Aiea | Kunia | Wahiawa | Camp HM Smith | Hickam Village | Kahuku | Barbers Point | Fort Shafter | Hauula | Manoa | Palolo | Ewa | Ewa Beach | Makaha | Kalihi | Moanalua | Makiki | Maunalani | Ala Moana | Aina Haina | Kauai | Maui | Molokai | Big Island | Lanai.


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A Burmese spring
Issued on: Modified:
After half a century of military dictatorship, there are signs of growing democratic openness in Burma. After freeing Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in 2010, the regime has now released political prisoners and opened a dialogue with separatist guerrillas. Our reporters travelled across the country to find out why one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world is suddenly opening up.
I had not been back to Burma for 12 years. I was banned from entering the country after being arrested and expelled. I had not imagined that one day I would see the streets of Rangoon again, not to mention witness this incredible freedom of speech or these photos of Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy icon. Once forbidden, such photos are now openly shown.
So what happened? Why are these merciless dictators, who have been ruling the country with an iron fist for half a century, suddenly giving the impression they are throwing in the towel?
To try to understand, I went to Naypyidaw, the new capital, where the country's masters - generals converted into democrats – are holed up.
What I discovered was a ghost town of 80 square kilometres dug out in the middle of the jungle. It is a surreal showcase of a Burma dreamed up by old despots; a sort of tropical Pyongyang.
Indeed, the mirage stops at the gates of Naypyidaw. In the neighbouring village, the people are feeding on rats found by the roadside?
By moving deeper into the country, I rediscovered the Burma I know, with checkpoints, soldiers, and villages without electricity. In the Karen state in the country's far east, the former rebels are dreaming of the millions of dollars they could make from smuggling, thanks to a fragile peace deal just signed with the government.
Business for peace, this is the Burmese version of democracy.
"Of course we wondered if the situation here might not degenerate like in Libya or in Syria", a high-ranking military official close to the government told me later, explaining why the junta had decided to go from outright terror to a "flourishing and disciplined" democracy.
So that is the answer. There is only one goal: to remain in power.


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Appears I am the first one on here so.....Just recently purchased a new Kymco 450i UTV after many months of research and test rides. I have found the Kimco to be of great quality when compared to many other popular brands. First a full year warranty, next about 30% less in overall cost.
Dropped the skid plates ( yes full skids plates from the factory) and examined the welds of the frame. All welds are full and complete all around the box frame, no hit and miss welds. Full powder coated frame not just paint. FI injected 450cc engine with a great reputation having been used in their ATV's for some time. Best vibration free ride and smoothest ride from all the test rides I have taken in many different brands. They have direct parts connection with a phone call at the NC factory. Only complaint in more than a year and a half of production on this model is the notchy shifter, it is tricky to get used to but it is getting better. Also comes with 25" tires, many brands come with smaller tires. Full independent suspension, bench seat for easier getting in and out and easy steering even in diff lock mode. So far I am quite impressed with this machine as has been 99% of their owners so far. For anyone interested in a mid sized UTV check this one out. I am an older mature gent from NW Ohio always looking for people to go riding with family is grownup and out on their own so now is my time to get out and enjoy the outdoors.


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WSM Smoke Day 15 will be celebrated on Saturday, May 25, 2019! Post your Smoke Day plans, recipes, and menus here! Closed to new discussion.
Posts from WSM Smoke Days 8-14. Closed to new discussion.
Smoke Day 2018 in Raymond
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NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Enjoy and evening of Dan Fogelberg music courtesy of Don Campbell on Saturday, March 23.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fogelberg was a multi-platinum selling artist, with hits such as "Leader of the Band", "Longer", "Same Old Lang Syne" and a large and diverse catalog of over 20 albums. He passed away in 2007 after a three-year battle with prostate cancer.
Dan remains a huge influence and musical hero of Campbell, so much so that over a two-year period Don recorded 23 of his favorite Fogelberg songs from 11 different albums, releasing a double CD, "Kites To Fly: Celebrating The Music Of Dan Fogelberg" in November 2012. Don is making a donation from the sales of this CD to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria and the World Wildlife Fund.
Don and his band have opened for a long list of folk, country and rock music greats including America, Jonathan Edwards, Shawn Colvin, Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson, and Randy Travis, as well as performing locally at Maudslay Arts Center. Don was the National Winner of the Texaco/True Value Country Showdown at the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville TN; he was named Maine's Best Singer-Songwriter in the Maine Sunday Telegram's Annual Readers Poll for six consecutive years and named Male Artist of the Year at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. His music is inspired by sources as diverse as the Celtic and Canadian Maritimes music of his family to Dan Fogelberg, Vince Gill, the Beatles and novelist, Stephen King. Writing in genres including adult contemporary, country, Celtic, Christmas, bluegrass, and rock, Don has also thrived as an indie musician for over 11 years, with his own record label and publishing company, Playbutton Records and Donski Music Publishing.
Don averages between 150-200 performances per year primarily with the New England-based Don Campbell Band and his smaller ensemble, the nationally touring Restless Campbells. Don will release a new original adult contemporary project in early summer 2013.
Welcome them back to Newburyport when they perform on the Firehouse Center for the Arts stage on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22 for members and $20 for non-members; and may be purchased in person at the box office (Wed-Sun, noon-5 p.m., by calling 978/462-7336, or online at www.firehouse.org


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Preparation for the Birds (Sept 2009-Janurary 2011)
Preparation for the bird's arrival began roughly a year and a half ago. Meetings with private landowners, USFWS official public meetings, obtaining the proper permits, and education and outreach presentations were only the beginning of laying the foundation for the birds' arrival.
Pen construction began in October of 2010. The pen site is located within the state owned property of White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area…the same vicinity where "Mac", the last Louisiana whooping crane had been captured and removed in March of 1950. Within the large, 1.5 acre pen, a smaller netted acclimation pen was built. This pen is 70 feet in diameter. This pen would allow the birds to acclimate to their new home in Louisiana while allowing observers to monitor their daily activities without disturbing the birds. Two feeding platforms were also built-one within the large pen and one within the netted pen to provide pelletized food to the cranes.
The most important preparation for the birds was taking place hundreds of miles away at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland. Patuxent was responsible for hatching and raising all 10 of the birds bound for Louisiana. Every day, countless hours were devoted to these birds by the staff at Patuxent. Thanks so much to Jane Chandler, Dr. Glenn Olsen, and the wonderful Patuxent staff for doing a terrific job getting the birds "ready" for their LA home!
Carrie Salyers


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This is a wicked idea! Mine expires next july..Savannah wrote:I'm giving thought to carrying my passport to playa bars, if I visit any. It expires in February, and what better way for it to be of service before then? It has been literally good for nothing (in the traditional sense) as I'm not sure I've actually left the country in the last 10 years. No wonder I'm so pathetically excited about the street names being cities of the world. I've been living a cloistered life. Couldn't even persuade anyone to cross the border into Tijuana with me when I was at Comicon last year. Those swine! (I need to see Mexico! Even Fake Mexico!)
oh wait..
I kinda need it to get back over the border into Canada. And I need my driver's liscense to drive.
Do you think people would accept photocopies? I'm sure I would lose it.
That being said, I didn't get carded once last year. And I waited until I was 21 to even go to the burn. (22 now.)


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Louis Daignault (ISN)
June 26, 2013, Ottawa, ON (ISN) – Canada is in second place just one point behind the Netherlands in Group C in men's World League volleyball going into this weekend's play. In the group, Portugal and the Netherlands split their past weekend matches while the other four teams were idle.
Netherlands stands first with four wins and two losses for 13 points. Canada is also 4-2 with 12 points. The one point difference is because Netherlands lost one of its matches in five sets which is worth a point. Finland is third with nine points followed by Portugal and South Korea with seven and Japan with six.
Only the top team in Group C, which is the wild card group, advances to the World League final next month in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Canada rounds out its preliminary schedule overseas on June 28-29 (Friday, Saturday) in Finland and July 6-7 in Japan. The Canadians played their first six matches at home splitting series with the Netherlands May 31 and June 1 in Quebec City and Portugal June 7-8 in Mississauga before sweeping the South Koreans June 14-15, again at the Hershey Centre.
Canada's top players so far include Adam Simac of Ottawa who ranks third in league blocking with an average of 0.95 per set, Dan Lewis of Oakville, Ont., is 10th in digs, Fred Winters of Victoria is 12th in receiving and Dustin Schneider ranks 13th in passing. Gord Perrin of Creston, B.C., is Canada's top scorer with 73 points.
In the other two Groups, the top-three as well as host Argentina advance to the final. Brazil and Bulgaria are tied for first in Group A with 11 points, with the U.S., third at eight while France has six, and Argentina and defending champion Poland only three. The Poles are 0-4 with three losses in five sets.
In Group B, Italy is first with 15 points, the Russians follow at 13 Serbia has 10, Germany seven, Iran three and Cuba is stunningly 0-6 with no points.
Sportsnet will broadcast all four upcoming Canadian matches including the first two live from Tampere. Here is the schedule:
Canada vs. Finland
Friday, June 28 @ 11:30 a.m. EST
Live on Sportsnet One; Tape delayed on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific (National) @ 2 p.m.; Encore on Sportsnet One @ 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 29 @ 11:30 a.m. EST
Live on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific (National); Tape delayed on Sportsnet One @ 5 p.m.
Canada vs. Japan
Saturday, July 6 @ 01 a.m. EST
Tape delayed on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific (National) @ 10:00 a.m.; Tape delayed on Sportsnet One @ 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 7 @ 01 a.m. EST
Tape delayed on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific (National) @ 10 a.m.; Tape delayed on Sportsnet One @ 9 p.m.
Canada's World League roster for matches June 28-29 in Tampere, Finland and July 6-7 in Osaka, Japan.
Players: Dustin Schneider, Brandon, Man.; Josh Howatson, Victoria; Louis-Pierre Mainville, Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile Perrot, Que.; Dallas Soonias, Red Deer, Alta.; Blair Bann, Edmonton; Fred Winters, Victoria; Gord Perrin, Creston, B.C.; Toon Van Lankvelt, River, Man.; Dan Lewis, Oakville, Ont.; Jason Derocco, East St. Paul, Man.; Rudy Verhoeff, Calgary; Justin Duff, Winnipeg; Adam Simac, Ottawa; Graham Vigrass, Calgary.
Head coach: Glenn Hoag, Gatineau, Que.
Assistant coach: Vincent Pichette, Gatineau, Que.
Team manager : Julien Boucher, Quebec City
Statistician : Murat Haktanir
Therapist: Mathieu Séguin
www.volleyball.ca and www.fivb.org


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Graeme.Isaacs needed a new twitter background design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 27 designs submitted by 7 freelance designers.
IT Success Recruitment Services
We are an IT Recruitment Company, we recruit IT Professionals for both permanent and contract roles. We are based in Melbourne, but we also recruit for clients in Canberra and Brisbane
We want a Twitter background to fit with the new Twitter page that they have released.
Our audience is technical and the tweets will be about everything to do with technology and recruitment.
We want an edgy yet professional looking page that captures the attention of people and also gives out vital info such as our website http://www.itsuccess.com.au and also our phone numbers for Melbourne and Brisbane and also our logo which is attached.
Our company colours are two different shades of blue and a green which you will see from our logo and would like to incorporate these into our page design.
Logo RGB colours:
Green: R:140, G:198 B:62
Blue in success: R: 1 , G:114, B: 174
We want the page to reflect that we are technology related and very much focussed on people, jobs and we build relationships with both our clients and candidates
We also have a little man on the main page of our website which can be incorporated but is not mandatory.
Please be edgy, professional and catch the eye


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Wu-Tang Clan make a big announcement today, they've worked in top secret over the past few years on a new album "The Wu– Once Upon A Time In Shaolin", of which they will release a single copy, to be sold for millions.
Wu-Tang Clan have been working on a new album for some time now, we first found out about the reunion album a year ago, when the title was announced as A Better Tomorrow. Since then plenty more rumors have developed, including some conflicts about Raekwon not hitting the studio to lay down his verses.
It appears as though during the time they were working on and discussing the reunion album, they were also working in top secret on another record, confirmed to be titled, The Wu– Once Upon A Time In Shaolin. Details on this album have surfaced today, and Wu-Tang are running with that #newrules hashtag, and will create just one copy of this album.
The Clan have been recording this album in top secret over the past few years. In the course of the past three months, a British-Moroccan artist by the name of Yahya (whose work is often commissioned by royal families and the elite of this world) has made a hand-crafted container to hold the double disc LP.
The legendary New York group are treating The Wu– Once Upon A Time In Shaolin as any other valuable piece of art-- they are making solely one copy, and will sell that one copy for multimillions of dollars (the exact price tag has yet to be specified).
RZA spoke to Forbes about the ambitious endeavor, "We're about to sell an album like nobody else sold it before. We're about to put out a piece of art like nobody else has done in the history of [modern] music. We're making a single-sale collector's item. This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king."
While you may not be able to afford this collector's piece, rest assured that A Better Tomorrow will be your standard commercial release, available to the masses.
As RZA tells Forbes, The Wu– Once Upon A Time In Shaolin was produced for the most part by Moroccan native Tarik "Cilvaringz" Azzougarh. As it turns out, Cilvaringz was once just a fan of the Wu, and during a fateful concert night in 1997 he met RZA and somehow stayed in touch as the producer honed his craft. Obviously their relationship developed to the point that the entire crew was down to work with him.
Wu-Tang Clan plan on taking this secret album on not-your-average-tour: it'll visit museums, galleries and festivals across the country, and like any art exhibition, there will be a cost to attend, likely between $30-$50. Once the visitors go through heavy security to make sure no recording devices are smuggled in, they'll be able to listen to the 128-minute album through headphones provided by the venue, as an extra precaution. As the producer says, "One leak of this thing nullifies the entire concept."
The album will only become for sale (in the millions) once the tour runs it course. It may be a private citizen or a large company that will purchase it, either option is open.
RZA says, "The idea that music is art has been something we advocated for years. And yet its doesn't receive the same treatment as art in the sense of the value of what it is, especially nowadays when it's been devalued and diminished to almost the point that it has to be given away for free."
What are your thoughts on this creative initiative? Are you with it?


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Taipei City Government officials made a big deal out of the demolishment of the flashy CA Club Cafe on Wednesday — less than a day after its grand opening gala — on the grounds that it had been illegally constructed on the Breeze Center Mall's second-floor terrace. However, the story appears to be less about vigilant city officials than about oblivious bureaucrats keeping their heads in the sand until they are forced to take action.
The city's Construction Management Office said it had received a tipoff on Monday that the cafe had been built illegally. It made a point of saying that its inspectors remained at the mall to ensure the cafe was completely dismantled.
Many media reports about the closure of the cafe focused on Hong Kong entertainer Eric Suen (孫耀威), the most prominent of its investors, whose NT$35 million (US$1.18 million) presumably went down the drain as workers were removing the luxurious accoutrements.
Yet Suen had not been shy about promoting the venture, with an Apple Daily story on Nov. 13 featuring a photograph of him posed on a couch next to a silver coffee table and a large ice bucket filled with bottles of champagne.
The cafe, which had been operating for a few weeks, had also widely promoted its "CA Carnival" with a Belgian DJ on Nov. 1 and the appearance of Grandmaster Flash on Saturday night last week.
While much of the media attention focused on the nightclub operations, the cafe side was open during the day, serving lunch and afternoon teas, all of which was noted on its Facebook page.
So this "illegal" structure had been operating very openly without anyone in city hall appearing to notice. And if the tip was received on Monday, why did city officials allow the grand opening festivities — breathlessly covered by TV and press reporters — to go ahead and wait until the next morning to take action?
The obliviousness of city officials to illegal buildings and structures until someone complains is legendary.
A little over a year ago, New Party Taipei City Councilor Wang Hong-wei (王鴻薇) slammed the city government for ignoring the illegal sale of space in newly built Neihu (內湖) office buildings as residential units. City land use regulations state that buildings in Neihu's fifth rezoning district cannot be used for residential purposes, but units in eight out of 13 buildings had been sold as luxury apartments.
Department of Urban Development officials promised more inspections and to ask construction firms to offer assurances that their projects would only be used for industrial or business purposes.
Then there is the practice of the city launching a crackdown on illegal rooftop apartments or additions every few years. Rather than rely on aerial photographs to spot such edifices, however, the searches are carried out by street-level inspections, or depend on complaints from the public. This means that tens of thousands of these dinglo remain.
After a deadly nightclub fire in Greater Taichung in March 2011, fire department authorities in Taipei — and elsewhere — found that many of the clubs, KTVs and theaters that they inspected did not meet safety standards. This was despite the wave of MTV and KTV fires in the early 1990s that led to a massive crackdown on entertainment venues.
Taipei City and other municipal authorities apparently prefer to take a reactive stance rather than be proactive about construction and safety standards. So promises of action and public relations stunts like tearing apart the CA Club Cafe should not count for much or be accorded much praise.


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Annapolis, MD
Baltimore, MD
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Chicago, IL
Dension, IA / CRAWFORD COUNTY
District Of Columbia
Chicago Ridge, IL
Ocean City, MD
Weschester County, NY
Virginia Beach, VA
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You can follow the discussion on Who's trying to steal your bike (and what tools are they using)? without having to leave a comment. Cool, huh? Just enter your email address in the form here below and you're all set.
I will guide you through the 3 simple steps to find the best bike lock in 2018. I've got the ultimate guide on how to lock your bike. And much, much more!


text: Hoodies for Men presents this quality Harajuku 3D Print 3D Hoodie. Ideal as a streetwear or designer hoodie or just a casual hoodie around the house, its fun to wear. The hoodie has quality double stitching and high-quality that won't wear or tear for years to come. Various designs are available.


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