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If you want to know what Forged Alliance Forever is, click here.
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Forged Alliance is a stand-alone expansion of the 2007 Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game "Supreme Commander". It was the spiritual sequel of the 1997 RTS game "Total Annihilation".
Supreme Commander has many unique features that truly set it apart in the RTS realm :
- Flux economy. Unlike the majority of RTS games, you don't collect a finite amount of resources, but build resource-generating buildings. These buildings give you mass and energy per second.
- Flux Army Creation. You don't need to babysit your factories. You can make them produce and loop an infinite queue of units.
- Strategic Zoom. Use your mouse scroll wheel to pan and zoom around the map. From the barrel of your tank to the whole map with a little move of your finger, you won't need minimap anymore.
- Unique Resource. In other RTS games, time is not a resource. A unit is built in X number of seconds, period. In Supreme Commander, if you really need a unit RIGHT NOW, you can assist its creation to have it quicker. On the contrary, if you don't have enough resources, it can still be built, but will take longer to finish.
- Improved User Interface. You can make patrols of units, tell a factory to build the same units as another, make automatic rally points using air transports… All you need for focusing on your fights and your strategies, not micromanaging your base.
- Simulated projectiles. All the ballistic projectiles are physically simulated. You can dodge a bullet, avoid an artillery shell or avoid a missile in real time. A plane can collide with a missile, a projectile on a high arc trajectory can collide a plane, and even nuclear missiles can collide with your air force… It's all accurately simulated.
- Truly epic scale. The game is not without micro, but it's mostly about large quantities of units. It's not uncommon to give orders to hundreds of units at once while thousands have already died. The map size goes from 25 km2 up to 6561km2 !
- Strategy is the key, not APM. As you command big armies, what will make the difference between a glorious win and the shame of a loss is your strategy, not how fast you can click.
- Complete Intel System. You have radars, sonars, radar jammers, stealth units, stealth generators, and even unit cloaking !
- Multi-Environment Battles. You fight on land, air, sea, and even in orbit. Fights can occur in forests, desert wastelands, in cities, in the middle of the ocean and hundreds of other settings.
- BFU. Big F***** Units, also called Experimentals. Costly, dangerous and impressive ! They carry the strength of entire armies.
- Nukes, giant robots and lasers. They are awesome. BOUM. Nuclear weapons that can shoot across the planet, artillery that can fire a shell ten miles, battleships, giant robots, submersible aircraft carriers, spider-bots and more add a level of detail and a sci-fi appeal found nowhere else in the genre.
Forged Alliance bring to that a new playable faction, new units and better game dynamics, bringing to the world one of the most complete RTS experiences ever created.
Forged Alliance Forever is extending Forged Alliance even more, bringing new patches, game modes, units, ladders, and an exclusive Meta-Game.
Still not convinced ? Then take a look at these awesome videos made by Rake. All the sequences are made from in-game content and are NOT cut-scenes !
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Hi All,
I would like to introduce you to a new radio modem that we developed for very long range datalinks!
Some of the key features of the RFD900 are as follows:
These modems are designed to support long range applications, while being easy to use and affordable.
These modems have been flying in various platforms and have demonstrated excellent performance in real applications.
RFD900 modems are now available at: http://store.rfdesign.com.au
Support within APM planner and the radio configurator from Michael Oborne is already available.
It works seamlessly with APM planner, all radio Mavlink parameters are available.
Update, December 2014: The RFD900+ with improved specifications is available now at:
Seppo Saario
Views: 112312
Hi Greg,
The radio is a clean-sheet design. It is based on a Si1002 transceiver from SiLabs which allows a software solution called "SiK" to be used on it.
SiK is also used on the 3DR radios, so protocol, framing, hopping etc. is identical which allows them to talk to each other (900MHz versions only).
One thing that I needed was long range and diversity. Diversity being especially useful as it automatically chooses the best antenna for each packet it sends/receives. For UAV or mobile applications, having two antennas, one in each polarisation, reduces the chance of link loss significantly. I have not seen any ISM band radios to date that support diversity by default.
Nice work! The 3DR radios are decent, but they didn't really incorporate that many of the features I had initially planned when I proposed the idea of creating a Si1000 based telemetry radio. They chose to go with the HopeRF module instead of creating an original design or using the reference design. It's good see there's still some good engineers out there willing to do more than slap a module on a carrier board.
A few questions come to mind...
Have you done any tests to check your actual receive sensitivity? 3DR claims to have a sensitivity even higher than the HopeRF module they use, despite the fact that I pointed out how foolish and obviously false that claim is.
Which amplifier chip did you use (RMFD, Skyworks, Maxim, etc.)? Or did you use a discrete design?
Is there a passthrough? That is can you turn the amp on and off?
Can you vary the RF output by changing the Si1002 output? Or is the amp gain controllable in some way?
How much current does the unit draw at various output levels?
I see there seem to be at least 6 pins exposed. Have you thought about using your unit as a RX replacement? That is do you think you could output PWM or PPM or even some simple relay/GPIO control?
Sorry to hammer you with so many questions, but it looks like you've actually produced a unit very similar to the one I envisioned and suggested on this forum last September and I'm excited!
Hello Jake,
Thanks for the feedback ! -
I have done receive sensitivity tests on the prototype hardware, but I will repeat them on production boards with improved enclosures to get definitive figures. (With datarates, bandwidths and BER specified).
The PA used is a MAX2235 from Maxim, it has some nice features such as auto-ramping to reduce transient spurious, reasonable gain and cost. Some parts from RFMD were tempting though :)
There is no passthrough? (PA bypass), but the amplifier is turned off when it is not transmitting.
The gain of the PA can be controlled by PWM output. Currently it has 8 bit resolution, but can be 16 bit with software update. The output power from the Si1002 into the PA is still controllable, but by default it is set to a fixed level, and 16 power control levels are available.
Yes, there are some extra IO exposed :)
- These are usable for almost anything which is nice (crossbar selection of pin functionality).
RE: RX replacement..... something interesting is already in the works. :)
In terms of general IO control, there are already plans to have AT control of these extra pins.
Production PCBs are due to arrive tomorrow (30th May), a verification build is scheduled towards the end of the week to make sure everything is still good! On the production boards I will measure data on sensitivity, current consumption, etc. This will be incorporated into the datasheet.
Will post updates on how things are going and updates on availability shortly - in the meantime, anything else I can help with, let me know :)
Amazing work Seppo! You're really pimping the potential of the Si1002!
I had been looking at using Maxim PAs, but then SiLabs released some reference designs and eval/dev cards using a RMFD chip and one with a Skyworks chip. And I like to stick close to reference designs since I'm no RF engineer. RMFD actually claims their chip was specifically designed to work with the Si100X chips, so I figured it would be worth a look if I could actually find a distributor for their chips.
With my current aerial test platform I can't really spend too much current on the radio and it doesn't have the range to matter much anyways. But on my gas platform I will definitely need the range. I was hoping that the transmit power (and current) could be controlled to only use what it needs for the range in any case.
Hopefully Tridge's code is modular enough to trim it down for some control features to be added. I mentioned awhile back that it's a shame that the most powerful processor on the plane is relegated to just running the radio. I don't know enough about using external memory, but it would be pretty cool to run the whole autopilot and radio from the Si100X. A single chip solution for all the processing on the plane would be pretty slick (and cheap and would use a lot less power).
I look forward to learning more about your project. It seems you've now produced THE top end telemetry radio on the market.
One last question off the top of my head... I notice the HopeRF module in the 3DR radios have the Si1000 overclocked to 30mhz. What speed are you planning to run at? And do you think overclocking the Si100X chips is a good idea or even needed?
Hi Seppo,
Do you intend to manufacture RFDxxx for Europe....868MHz...433MHz..etc.?
Best regards
There are a couple of oscillators on the Si100x, 24.5MHz is the default internal oscillator that the processor uses. There is a 30MHz external crystal for the transceiver which is as per the datasheet. The RFD900 uses the 24.5MHz internal oscillator for the processor and 30MHz for the radio, same as the HopeRF / Si100x reference designs.
The RFD900's will be available locally and through distributors. Support is also available locally to make they operate as intended. An Australian based web-store is in development where modems and cable/antenna kits can be purchased.
Will keep you updated on when everything goes live !
Hello Nick,
There is definite interest in looking into European radios, but will focus on the 900MHz initially. The next month will be dedicated to a smooth launch of the RFD900. After that, what would you forsee as the best band to develop?, 868/433? - bearing in mind duty cycle limitations at 868 and lower power at 433MHz
Cheers, Seppo
Hi Seppo,
I think 433 would be the better choise.
Best regards
Hi all,
i have 2 DNT900 module for sale.Contact me if you are interested.

subset: commoncrawl


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Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Game Has Changed
Perspectives June 2007
A mere generation or two ago, a strong back, stamina and loyalty were a guarantee of regular employment. But with the rise of the high-technology sector and the gradual shifting of the economy away from agriculture and manufacturing, brainpower is the name of the game these days.
"We live in a knowledge economy," says Michael Pratt, associate professor of business administration. "What really differentiates high-performing organizations from less successful ones is the quality of their people."
This in itself comes as no surprise; who hasn't heard businesses tout the idea that "our people are our greatest asset?" But this time business leaders really mean it.
"As knowledge workers become more important, this idea has come back in fashion and is no longer just a philosophical position; it can mean life or death to a business," says Pratt.
New Players
And who are the players in this new game? The key players now are what Peter Drucker dubbed, back in 1959, "knowledge workers" — those people who can work independently while bringing a body of special knowledge to the work situation and who can solve complex problems and create brand-new solutions.
As the Oldsmobile ads might say, "these are not your father's employees."
Knowledge workers can be found anywhere from the corner office to the factory floor, says Alice Martin, a 1981 M.B.A. graduate and vice chairman of human resources at NIBCO, an Indiana-based manufacturer of sophisticated plumbing and flow products. She tells of a machinist on the factory floor who designed and built a machine that reduced the number of people needed for a particular task and also reduced the set-up time.
He was recognized with the Associate Recognition of Excellence award, one of the highest honors at the company.
As valuable as these employees are, they can be a challenge to manage. Let us count the ways: they have minds of their own, which creates both opportunities and challenges for a company; they must feel empowered or otherwise engaged in the process to do their best work; they can't be powered simply by being plugged into an outlet; finding just the right fit of employee to task is more difficult than finding the proper cog for a wheel; and routine maintenance — that is, a regular paycheck — is not, typically, enough to keep these kinds of people happy.
In addition, today's workers have skills that are complex enough that the cost of replacing them has become a very expensive undertaking. Although estimates vary widely, the cost of replacing an employee can range from one-third of an employee's annual salary, to as much as 150 percent of a manager's annual salary. As the balance shifts toward organizations with "brainpower," these assets of people and their ideas have become harder to interchange and more valuable than ever.
Playing by the New Rules
And the new rules? Well, they are definitely not the old rules, which were: get hired at our company; subsume your identity into ours; and we will give you a paycheck and job security for your entire working life.
Corporations broke those rules with massive layoffs over the last several decades, and, consequently, employees' sense of loyalty to a company has waned. The new rules are more about looking out for number one; talented employees move from company to company to increase their knowledge base and skill set. Longevity at an organization used to be, by definition, a good thing; changing jobs frequently was suspect. That is no longer true.
The rule change in employer/employee dynamics has really hurt organizations when it comes to recruiting and, especially, retaining knowledge workers, says Pratt.
"These are folks that have a high level of skill or expertise in a particular area, which means they are eminently employable somewhere else," he says.
As Daniel Pink, author of Free Agent Nation, puts it, "Talented people need organizations less than organizations need talented people."
Not only might this talent go to work for your competitors — witness the recent exodus of talented software designers from Microsoft to Google — but they might even start their own business, creating yet another competitor.
Pass Go, Collect $200
So, what are companies doing to "to stay in the game"?
There is no easy answer or "Get out of Jail Free" card. And, in fact, the answer varies from company to company and employee to employee. Economic theory contends that money is a key motivator of an individual's behavior, however for knowledge workers money alone is not always the answer.
"Although there is disagreement in the field about whether and how much money is a motivator, I have argued that money is not the way to do it," says Pratt. "Money tends to be the easiest, but not always the most effective motivator. Because if that's all that's keeping your employee, someone can offer them more and they'll leave."
On the other hand, sometimes a bonus, when given spontaneously, sends a great message. At NIBCO, for instance, Martin, has authorized managers to give out $500 spot bonuses for jobs well done, an initiative that has generated new ideas as well as employee enthusiasm.
Retaining Workers: No Trivial Pursuit
When considering what satisfies and motivates knowledge workers, managers might find some surprising revelations. In many cases, knowledge workers are yearning less for money or prestige and more for meaningful work and the autonomy to get it done to the best of their ability. This means that good managers find themselves removing institutional or logistical obstacles for these employees so they can put their powers to use, rather than riding herd on them.
"That's a different role than managers are used to," says Pratt.
Managers who recognize that most people are driven to improve themselves also will find that riding herd is unnecessary.
"People love training; they love to be able to improve themselves," says Martin. Among several new programs Martin has developed, several involve training opportunities. For example, she has hired a bi-lingual trainer to help guide new supervisors on the factory floors of NIBCO's plants throughout the United States, Poland and Mexico.
"Often a good operator gets promoted to manager but they might not know how to be a good manager," says Martin.
While knowledge workers value autonomy and self-improvement, they also value their work community.
"Managers tend to underestimate the importance of working with people you like," notes Pratt. "Workers like to have a sense of community, to have good relationships with each other."
"There's a saying in human resources," notes Martin. "People join you for the paycheck but they leave because of the people. We are making it so nobody wants to leave us. By having picnics and parties, they get to know their colleagues and they don't want to leave."
Part of the Team
That sense of community can sometimes extend to the organization as a whole. If an employee feels that their workplace reflects who they are as a person, that increases their sense of identity and loyalty, says Pratt, who has studied this dynamic in several companies.
For example, a person who sees themselves as young and hip might seek to work at a company like Google, while someone who sees themselves as a little more "establishment" might prefer to work at an organization like IBM. Self-identification is not the same kind of blind loyalty the quintessential "organization man" of the 1950s was expected to have, but it does increase an employee's sense of belonging and, thus, loyalty. If, as a cultural system, a company gives workers something they can believe in and feel good about, that is good management.
Another aspect of good "brainpower management" is a no brainer; and that's open and honest communication, even when — or especially when — delivering bad news.
Speaking of tough tasks, Martin describes having to close one plant and one distribution center last year. She traveled to both places and made the announcement herself.
"At the end of the day, people came to thank me for coming myself to make the announcement," she said. "People appreciated that."
NIBCO also put its money where its mouth was. It offered every single employee at the two closing locations either a $20,000 bonus to move to another NIBCO location — and a $10,000 donation to the employee's charity of choice — or a large bonus for staying at the current location up until it closed.
Human Resources: No longer the Benchwarmer
With all this focus on quality employees, it stands to reason that human resources divisions have become more involved in helping to identify, recruit, develop and retain knowledge workers.
"The role of human resources has begun to change," says Joseph Broschak, assistant professor of business administration, who notes that the executive vice president of human resources is now often a management level position. "Businesses are recognizing that the way you manage your human resources can have a bottom-line impact."
This is certainly true at NIBCO.
"Human resources had been an area that had not gotten a lot of attention and I was brought over to be a change agent," says Martin. Much of that change has involved boosting morale, such as publicly recognizing a job well done. NIBCO's Excellence Award program, mentioned earlier, recognizes people involved in creating a new product, saving the company money or creating a safety innovation. Last year's candidates for the awards saved the company a total of $1.6 million.
In addition to saving the company money, says Martin, the award was one of several set up to energize NIBCO employees, who are known as "associates" at NIBCO.
Another morale booster was an award specifically for customer service representatives. "Customer service is a thankless task, dealing with unsatisfied customers," says Martin of the new award. "The representatives can get very depressed and discouraged."
The representative of the month, chosen for high-quality service, receives a $1,000 bonus and three runners-up receive dinner for two at a nice local restaurant. At the end of the year, a customer service representative of the year receives a $5,000 bonus.
"In human resources so much of what we have to do is negative and I really want to balance that out with positives," says Martin of her company's efforts.
Battle for Brainpower
Articles like a recent one in the Economist titled "The Battle for Brainpower" suggest that the thirst for talent is becoming insatiable at the same time that the reservoirs of knowledge workers are running dry. This idea was also famously put forward in the book The War for Talent published in the early 1990s. Yet, despite this hand wringing, it appears that the premise is not universally accepted.
In some ways it comes down to basic, personal philosophy. Some believe that talent is a finite resource and that someone either has it or doesn't. Others believe that talent can be nurtured and grown and that sometimes home-grown talent is the best kind of all, since it is steeped in the values and culture of the organization.
"If you say 'don't develop your own talent,' then yes, there's a limited pool," says Broschak. "But for the companies that say, 'we know what we want and we can develop our own employees,' that is a successful company."
Another argument that weakens the premise of the talent pool running dry is the position that talent, unlike money, is not the same across all industries or organizations. Broschak notes that what qualifies as talent at one organization is not necessarily the same as at another organization.
"It really comes down more to fit, rather than just pure talent," he says. "Who are the best people? They are the ones that best fit the needs of your particular company, or a particular segment of a company. What is needed or what works in one place won't work in another," he says. "That in itself increases the availability of talent."
Ultimately, even though managing people has not gotten any easier, businesses are paying closer attention to the practice. This benefits both employers and employees, and that's a game where everyone wins.


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World Watches as CCAMLR Stalls on Ross Sea Marine Protection
2 November 2012, Hobart
World Watches as CCAMLR Stalls on Ross Sea Marine Protection
The meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) wrapped up in Hobart, with no agreement on Ross Sea Protection.
ECO Spokesperson, Cath Wallace said the meeting failed to adopt the joint USA-New Zealand proposal for marine reserves and marine protected areas in the Ross Sea.
CCAMLR has agreed to a special meeting in Germany in July 2013 to further discuss marine protection in the Ross Sea and East Antarctica.
Wallace said that behind closed doors, some powerful fishing
countries have blocked attempts to achieve marine protected
areas in the Ross Sea and East Antarctica." The main
problem countries named by the citizen group AVAAZ, include
Russia, China and Japan.
Cath Wallace is in Hobart but has not been in the meeting.
"This result is disappointing but not unexpected – but it is not the end of the matter either" said Cath Wallace.
"We always knew proposals would be contested. This is just round one of the struggle to protect that last largely intact ocean environment.
"It is always difficult when there are consensus decision rules and some parties are bloody-mindedly self interested."
"ECO has seen this before: we struggled for eight years in the 1980s before we overturned the agreement Antarctic countries negotiated to allow mining in Antarctica.
"This struggle will also take time. The world has woken up to the damage that toothfishing is causing, to the impacts of the loss of the last largely intact marine ecosystem."
ECO welcomes the large component of a no-take marine reserve in the joint US-NZ proposal but said it still does not cover the core slope and shelf. "Neither the New Zealand nor the US proposal gave sufficient protection to the Ross Sea and the Antarctic Ocean Alliance will continue to press for much more.
New Zealand made a spirited defence of marine protected areas in principle: that was welcome.
CCAMLR members have forgotten that the convention is a
conservation agreement linked to the Antarctic Treaty and
not a fishing only agreement.
"Some thinking in CCAMLR is still stuck back in the days when people just took fish without a thought for the ecosystem."
Globally there has been a rejection of the "fish and don't protect" approach as shown by the Antarctic Oceans Alliance, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition and its members, ECO and the more than one million people who signed a petition for AVAAZ.
"ECO hopes that the NZ and the US will look for greater ambition for the last intact ocean. Overall, CCAMLR and its members need to get real that this is the last intact ocean ecosystem: the world is watching and will be paying close attention to what happens next."
1. The Environment and Conservation
Organisations of NZ is the national alliance of groups with
a concern for the environment. ECO is a long standing
member of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC)
which has monitored Antarctic meetings for over 30
2. The Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is headquatered in Hobart where it meets for its annual meeting to make decisions on fisheries management and marine protection in the Southern Ocean. CCAMLR first met in 1982 and has 25 members including the European Union.
3. CCAMLR committed itself in 2009 to establish a network of representative marine protected areas across the Southern Ocean by 2012 but has so far established only one south of Orkney Islands east of the Antarctic Peninsula.
4. The latest CCAMLR meeting was discussing protection proposals for three areas: the Ross Sea region from New Zealand and the United States; East Antarctica from Australia, France and the European Union; and to protect areas currently in ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula which could collapse due to climate change from the UK and the European Union. None of the proposals were agreed to at the meeting.
5. For further information see the Antarctic Ocean Alliance website, www.antarcticocean.org, and the Last Ocean www.lastocean.org.nz, and Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (www.asoc.org)


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The Best PG Adventure Movies
List Rules Add your favorite movie to the list if it's missing, but only if it's the correct rating.
List of PG adventure movies, ranked from best to worst with movie trailers when available. This list takes the best PG adventure movies and pits them against each other to see once and for all what the greatest PG Adventure movie of all time is. This list of popular PG adventure movies includes information like who directed the film, when it was released and which actors starred in the movie. If you think the top PG Adventure movie isn't as high as it should be then be sure to vote it up so it can take its rightful place among the other great PG Adventure films on this list. If you're trying to find a specific PG Adventure film you can search this list and filter to find what you're looking for.
List movies include Jaws, Back to the Future and more.
If you're trying to find out "What are the best PG adventure movies?" and "What are the most famous PG adventure movies?" then this list is the perfect resource for you.
Use this list if you're looking for some new adventure movies that are rated PG. Between Netflix, Hulu and other services there are thousands of great adventure movies rated PG, so get out there and start watching.Share the list with your friends to see how their opinions stack up against yours. (181 items)
Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese have both directed a Adventure PG film, as have other really creative and talented directors.


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|Mobile Site
|eMail Author
|Caption Comp
|Monthly Poll
|Sudden Death
|Colour Key
|Cookie Usage
|Series :
|The Next Generation
|Rating :
|Disc No :
|Episode :
|First Aired :
|26 Oct 1992
|Stardate :
|Director :
|Robert Scheerer
|Year :
|Writers :
|Rene Echevarria
|Season :
|Guest Cast :
|Why, if they are rushing to assist Tagra IV, does the Enterprise-D appear to be at impulse speed every time we see an external shot?
At one point Riker comes into sickbay and tells Amanda he was looking for Crusher to ask her what nutrients she wanted to send to the planet. Amanda tells him she will relay the message, and he leaves. A moment later Crusher walks in. So... if Riker wants to ask this question why not just tap his combadge and say "Riker to Crusher"? Or if he wants to do it face to face for some reason, why not say "Computer, locate Doctor Crusher"? Both of these things are absolutely routine.
|Great Moment :
|Q turning Beverly into a dog and Amanda turning her back, all without the good doctor noticing.
|Body Count :
|Factoid :
|The premise for this episode was written by seventeen year old Matt Corey, who originally wrote the role of Amanda as male so that he could play it himself!
|Copyright Graham Kennedy
|Page views : 21,141
|Last updated : 23 Nov 2014


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On April 9th in 1963, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill became the second person to become an Honorary Citizen of the United States.
Although this was the first time Congress had resolved that it was to be bestowed by the President of the United States, on a foreign national – he was granted citizenship of eight individual states as a prelude.
Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia commemorates this event.


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Friday night, I finally gave Acid a chance. I am, of course, talking about one of the line of "botanical" cigars made by Drew Estate. (Had you worried there, didn't I Ma? 🙂 And don't worry, "botanical" doesn't mean pot or anything hallucinogenic.)
I've been interested in trying out the Drew Estate Acid line for a while now, but I had no idea where to start. A friend helped me decide. At a gathering of former colleagues, he surprised me with an Extra Ordinary Larry. The Extra Ordinary Larry is a cigar from the Drew Estate's "Purple Line", with an unusual size that I'd like to call the "Obese Toro" (6 x 60). (And since this is my blog, I'll call it that. You heard it here first! 🙂 )
Before we get started with my impressions, the vital stats. (Note: As other cigar bloggers have noted, the cigar manufacturer's website looks pretty nice, but is amazingly useless for anybody interested in any cigar backgroud information. I had to get these from another source.)
The Cigar Stats
Country: Nicaragua
Length/Ring: 6 x 60
Shape: Toro
Wrapper: Maduro
Strength: Full
The Pre-Smoke
The cigar was extremely aromatic. You could smell the infused botanicals and essential oils through the wrapper. The odd smell made the cigar was a 15-minute celebrity at the gathering. Everybody wanted a quick sniff before I started smoking. Comments ranged from "wow" and "weird" to "dude, you're smoking my aftershave!" (Exact quote. Seriously.)
The scent was floral, and though I'm more used to detecting the attributes of traditional cigars, it seemed to be either a rose or even a mild lilac smell. There was also a spiciness that reminds me of cologne or perfume.
The Burn
Unfortunately, nobody was really prepared to smoke a cigar. Aside from physically possessing a cigar, all the other accessories were missing. So it was a tooth-cutting, cigarette lighter, standing-outside-the-pub experience. Fortunately, the weather was great, and only a little breezy.
In spite of the lack of the proper equipment, this cigar burned very evenly and reasonably coolly. The ash made it to around 2 and a half inches before it dropped.
The Flavor
I think the flavor was pretty interesting. The first third of the cigar smoked much the same way it smelled. Roses, lilacs, grapes and sweet spice. Midway though these flavors seemed to fade a bit but were still present. In the final third, it started to smoke more like a traditional cigar. Slight wood flavors began to creep in. Just before I put it out, it became all spice and pepper and would have been tough to identify as an acid cigar.
The Strength
The Drew Estate website identifies this as a medium to full cigar, but in my experience it was a light to medium right up until the final third. At the final third it built up power quickly, but was only full for the last 2 or 3 pulls before I put it out. And I had been smoking this cigar more quickly than I normally would. (I had a lot of cigar to get through, and a party full of non-smokers to get back to!)
One of the best indicators of the strength was that it had no affects on my state of mind, no light-headedness and I was easily able to rejoin the festivities without feeling impaired.
My Conclusion
The Extra Ordinary Larry is a $10 – $11 cigar, and probably a bit spendy to smoke regularly, at least at at the price you pay for singles. I'm OK with that price range, but only if its a cigar I really, really enjoy. Consistently. And one I would be interested in smoking often.
This cigar was a fun smoke, but probably not a cigar that I'd want to light up every day. There's a good chance I'd buy more singles from time to time, and only for immediate smoking. But probably not before I try some of the other Acid flavors. (Unless, of course, my friend buys me another!) In the meantime, I'm going be sticking with more traditional cigars. (Since I originally wrote this post on my crackberry, I had an great experience with a CAO Gold. But more on that later.)
A note for newer cigar smokers: As any seasoned smoker knows, you can't put these acid cigars (or any other type of aromatic alternative cigars) in your humidor with standard cigars. It will ruin the flavor of your other cigars, and probably leave a mark on your humidor's cedar lining permanently. If you're thinking about smoking a lot of these, you'll probably want to buy a humidor specifically for your desired flavor.
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Select a City
Auburn, KY
Best Farmers' Markets around Auburn, KY
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12 South Farmers Market
3000 Granny White Pike
Nashville, TN
Season: Summer Market Hours: May 7, 2019 - October 2019Tuesdays, 4 PM - 7 PMLocation: 3000 Granny White Pike
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Adair County Fairgrounds Farmers' Market
409 Fairgrounds Street
Columbia, KY
Season: Summer Market Hours:June 14 - September 13, 2019Tuesdays and Saturdays: 6:00 am - 10:00 am Location: Adair County Fairgrounds, 409 Fairgr...
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Allen County Farmers Market
106 West Public Square
Scottsville, KY
Season: Summer Market Hours:June 15 - September 7, 2019Thursdays and Saturdays, 8:00 am - 12:00 pmLocation: 106 West Public Square
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Amqui Station Farmers Market
303 Madison Street
Madison, TN
Season: Summer Market Hours:May 2019 - October 2019Sundays, 11am – 2pmLocation: 303 Madison Street, Madison, TN 37115
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Ashland City Farmers and Artisans Market
100 Public Square
Ashland City, TN
Season: Summer Market Hours: May 25, 2019 - August 2019 Saturdays, 4 PM - 7 PMLocation: Downtown Ashland City, in the Cheatham Co...
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Barren County Regional Farmers' Market
2433 Scottsville Road
Glasgow, KY
About Bringing fresh local produce to our neighbors. Fresher 'cuz it's local Season: Year Round Market Hour: Friday and Saturday, 8am - 2:30pm ...
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Beech Bend Farmers Market
315 Beech Bend Road
Bowling Green, KY
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Bounty of the Barrens Farmers' Market
301 West Main Street
Glasgow, KY
About Us:The Bounty of the Barrens Farmers Market is a local, producer-only market offering a variety of seasonal produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, ba...
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Bowling Green Farmers' Market
1751 Scottsville Road
Bowling Green, KY
Bowling Green Farmers Market is comprised of individual vendors selling their wears in season. You can find more than just produce, although locall...
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Boyce Community Farmers Market
10029 Woodburn Allen Springs
Alvaton, KY
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Bradford Square Farmers Market
4000 Fort Campbell Boulevard
Hopkinsville, KY
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Breckinridge County Farmers' Product Market
1377 South Highway 261
Hardinsburg, KY
Season: Summer Market Hours: June 8 - October 26, 2019Saturdays: 6:30 am - Sellout June 11 - October 29, 2019Tuesdays: 3:00 pm - Sellout Locatio...
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Cadiz - Trigg County Farmers Market
19 Main Street
Cadiz, KY
Season: Year Round Market Hours:April 6 - September 28, 2019Wednesday and Saturday, 7:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: 68 Main Street April 10 - Septe...
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Caldwell County Farmers Market
206 East Market Street
Princeton, KY
Season: Summer and Fall Market Hours:May 4 - October, 2019Thursdays, 4PM - 6 PMSaturdays, 8am - 1pm Location: 206 East Market Street
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Cannon Country Farmer's Market
1424 John Bragg Highway
Woodbury, TN
Season: Year Round Market Hours: Saturdays, 6:00 am - 12 pmTuesdays and Thursdays, 7am - 11am Location: Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John ...
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Cave City Farmers' Market
502 Mammoth Cave Street
Cave City, KY
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Clarksville Downtown Market
One Public Square
Clarksville, TN
The market will offer several different produce vendors with fresh, local fruits and vegetables, baked goods, local honey, musicians, and onsite ch...
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Columbia Farmers' Fresh Market
East 5th Street
Columbia, TN
The Farmers' Fresh Market... offers customers the opportunity to buy locally grown produce, fruits, flowers, plants, jams & jellies, baked good...
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Community Farmers' Market
2319 Nashville Road
Bowling Green, KY
Season: Year Round Market Hours:Tuesdays, 2PM - 6PMSaturdays, 8AM - 1PMLocation: 2319 Nashville Road
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Cookeville Farmers Market
201 Mahler Avenue
Cookeville, TN
Season: Summer Market Hours: May - October 2019Saturdays, 7AM - 12PM Location: 201 Mahler Avenue
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text:
No. 1 Florida pulls away late to top South Carolina
- Florida beat South Carolina%2C 72-46
- Michael Frazier hit 11 3-pointers -- a school record -- and finished with 37 points
- Florida is one win away from the a perfect regular SEC season
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Michael Frazier II got one directive from his Florida teammates against South Carolina — whenever he saw daylight on the court, let the ball fly.
The result was a school-record 11 3-pointers — the most ever in a Southeastern Conference game — and career-high 37 points as Frazier helped the top-ranked Gators move a game away from a perfect SEC regular season with a 72-46 victory over South Carolina on Tuesday night.
"They told me if I got a crack to let it go," Frazier said.
BOX SCORE:No. 1 Florida 72, South Carolina 46
That was the easy part for Frazier, the sophomore who frequently found himself open and made the Gamecocks pay.
"Somehow, some way we didn't express to our players that Michael Frazier can shoot the basketball," South Carolina coach Frank Martin said.
The Gators (28-2, 17-0 SEC) are a game away from going undefeated in the SEC, something no team not named Kentucky has accomplished since Alabama's 14-0 run in 1956. Florida coach Billy Donovan shrugged that off, preaching his players will take the same approach to Saturday's Senior Day meetings with the Wildcats as they have each game all season.
"I still think there's things in front of this team," he said. "We can't get wrapped up in the moment."
BRACKETOLOGY:Projecting field of 68
Frazier's performance topped the 1986 mark of Florida's Joe Lawrence, who had nine against California. It was also the most ever in a league contest, although Rotnei Clarke hit 13 in 2010 and Alex Dillard made 12 in 1994 but both Arkansas players did it against non-conference opponents.
Frazier didn't feel anything special in warm-ups, but knew he was onto something with his five 3-pointers in the first half.
In the second half, it was Frazier who broke things open with four 3s during a 23-5 run after the Gamecocks (11-19, 4-13) had cut a double-digit lead to 39-35.
"We were just really amazed at how open he was getting and how he kept knocking them down," Florida center Patric Young said.
No other Gator reached double digits in points.
Mindaugus Kacinas had 12 points to lead South Carolina, which was coming off a win over Kentucky.
Frazier blew past his old career best of 21 points set earlier this season against Texas A&M. He was 11 of 18 from 3-point range while the rest of the Gators were 0 of 13.
The Gators built an 11-point lead early in the second half but Brenton Williams had a four-point play and followed with a 3-pointer to get the Gamecocks within 39-35 with 13:05 left.
But Frazier connected on a 3, Young had a three-point play and the rout was on. Frazier added four more 3-pointers over the next 6 minutes to stretch the lead to 62-39 with 4:42 left.
As time wound down, South Carolina students chanted "Georgia Southern," reminding the Gators of their football loss to the FCS school last fall.
Florida came in having clinched the SEC regular-season title last week when second-place Kentucky was beaten twice, including a surprise 72-67 loss here to the Gamecocks last Saturday.
The Gators steadily moved through in pushing to the unbeaten conference season, a run that started in January with a 74-58 win over South Carolina.
Florida, though, has not dominated on the road the way it has at home in recent weeks, winning its past four road games by an average of six points. This one proved just as tight for the top-ranked team in the first half.
Frazier started off hot with two of his five first-half 3-pointers to give the Gators a 7-0 lead. Florida's defense forced three turnovers in the first 5 minutes.
But the Gamecocks, still fresh from the court-storming celebration three days ago, took Florida's punch and came out swinging themselves with a 12-2 run to move in front and stayed with the nation's top team the rest of the half.
There were four ties and five lead changes over the final 10 minutes and it was Frazier who broke the last tie with his last 3 of the period to send the Gators to the break ahead 28-26.
Frazier had 15 points in the period as the rest of Florida's big guns misfired in the opening half. Leading scorer Casey Prather was held to one free throw while Scottie Wilbekin was just 1-of-5 shooting for two points.
Young finished with nine points and Prather had seven. Wilbekin did not score in the second half.


text: Sexy. Glamorous. Innovative. Victoria's Secret is the leading specialty retailer of lingerie and beauty products, dominating its world with modern, fashion-inspired collections, prestige fragrances and cosmetics, celebrated supermodels and world-famous runway shows. Victoria's Secret Beauty is sexy, sophisticated and ultra-feminine. Victoria's Secret Beauty develops prestige beauty products in categories such as fragrance, color cosmetics, skincare and personal accessories.


text:
What if someone said something to you, trying to discourage...
She's Not Afraid.85912035
- by heymota
- Rating:
- Published: 24 Jul 2013
- Updated: 26 Oct 2013
- Status: In Progress
about a girl named Audrey, who has been abused most of her life. one day Harry finds her beaten up in the park and takes care of her. she doesn't really like him at first, but she begins to trust him, and starts to like him, but does he like her as much as she likes him?
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Title: The Gold at the Starbow's End
Author: Frederik Pohl
Year: 1972
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
A very decent collection of stories, most of them somewhat long since there are only five in total. Not really a bad story in the bunch; I enjoyed them all, to varying degrees. Nothing here is probably going to strike you as a work of genius, or the best of what the genre has to offer. But all are satisfactory reads, for sure.
Title: Isaac Asimov's Utopias
Editors: Gardner Dozois, Sheila Williams
Year: 2000
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
This anthology contains stories originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction which ostensibly have something to do with the topic of utopias. My take goes like this: "Mountain Ways" by Ursula K. LeGuin is a halfway interesting look at different marriage customs, but the other eight entries are some of the most yawn-inducing stories I've ever read. And the utopian aspect is pretty vague in most of them.
Title: Science Fiction in the 20th Century
Author: Edward James
Year: 1994
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
A highly readable account of science fiction — its history, culture, themes, and so forth. It's probably hard to ever find a book of this nature that's strikingly innovative; after all, any generalized critical work is going to cover roughly the same ground. But I did like the way the author expresses himself, and I did learn things I didn't know before, so I consider it time well spent.


text: Play Sewing precise buttonholes made easy With the BERNINA 530 SE Dressmaker, sewing buttonholes of the exact same length is no longer a problem. Simply set the desired buttonhole length and sew. The BERNINA 530 SE Dressmaker saves the set length and automatically repeats it with each successive buttonhole, as many times as you wish. You achieve precise results that meet the highest standards with no resetting and very little effort. This one-step automatic system demonstrates the BERNINA 530 SE Dressmaker's high standards for comfort, convenience, and ease of operation. A winning combination of cutting-edge know-how, long-standing experience, and Swiss precision.


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New Macrolide for Treatment of BRD and Control of Respiratory Disease at High Risk of Developing BRD
Merck Animal Health announces the US approval of ZUPREVOTM (tildipirosin) a novel, new macrolide antibiotic for the management of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) that offers excellent combination of effectiveness and convenience.
ZUPREVO is indicated for the treatment of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle, and for the control of respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni. These bacterial pathogens are commonly associated with respiratory disease in cattle.
"BRD is the world's most common and costly beef cattle disease, taking a substantial toll annually on animal health, productivity and welfare," said Joseph Roder, DVM, PhD, anti-infectives marketing manager for Merck Animal Health. "Effective BRD treatment and control is critical to protecting cattle and keeping beef operations sustainable. ZUPREVO provides both options and puts you in control."
Speed, duration, convenience
According to Markus Rose, DVM, PhD, senior development manager at Merck Animal Health, ZUPREVO gets its combination of effectiveness, bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity from its unique 16-membered, tribasic molecular structure. The macrolides inhibit protein synthesis at the ribosomal level. Because of its structure, ZUPREVO offers a distinctive combination of performance properties; prolonged concentration in lung tissue (site of action) and bronchial fluids, and rapid absorption in the system*.
*Studies show that tildipirosin is rapidly absorbed from the site of injection, reaching peak plasma concentrations in just 45 minutes. Tildipirosin also yields higher and more persistent plasma concentrations. In trials, lung concentrations of tildipirosin in cattle treated with ZUPREVO were found to be above 1 µg/g after 28 days.
Tildipirosin also has the lowest single dose volume of any BRD treatment available 1 mL per 100 lbs. of bodyweight, subcutaneously, with a maximum injection volume of 10 mL per injection site which means fewer injections in large animals. It's highly soluble and the formulation is easy to inject, even in cold temperatures. To help producers remain flexible, ZUPREVO also offers a withdrawal time at 21 days, as registered in the United States.
*The correlation between pharmacokinetic data and clinical effectiveness is unknown.
It's about control
According to Dr. Roder, the introduction of ZUPREVO is an excellent addition to Merck Animal Health's extensive Lung Health platform for cattle, which in the United States includes the therapeutics RESFLOR GOLD® (florfenicol and flunixin meglumine), NUFLOR GOLD® (florfenicol), NUFLOR® (florfenicol), Vista vaccines, and diagnostic tools and services that allow veterinarians and producers to develop customized BRD management strategies.
"With the addition of ZUPREVO, the Lung Health platform now has a complete range of solutions for BRD diagnosis and treatment," Roder said. "Our customers told us they wanted greater control over BRD. By continuously improving our Lung Health product and service offerings, we are aiming to give our customers just that."
The official United States launch of ZUPREVO took place in May 2012. It is currently available in Europe.
For more information on ZUPREVO, log on to www.usa.zuprevo-cattle.com or contact a local Merck Animal Health representative.
About Merck Animal Health
Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com.


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Kennedy Center Opera House Tickets
For Tickets Call 1-800-840-9227
Representatives available Mon-Fri 7am-12pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am-11pm
Kennedy Center Opera House Information
This is a venue known for performing arts, located in Washington DC, DC. Opened in September of 1971, the venue features seating for 2,294 people. This venue has hosted events for Chicago The Musical, Kinky Boots, Phantom Of The Opera, and Sound Of Music, among other theatre events.
Box Office Tickets offers tickets to all the best shows. Check above for all available dates and times. Order your tickets online, or you can reach customer service by calling toll-free (1-800-840-9227), or via Live Chat.
100% Buyer Guarantee. Tickets will arrive before event and refunds are given for any canceled event.
2700 F St. NW
Washington DC, DC 20566


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So long, and thanks for all the fish
April 24, 2014 at 02:29 PMLaunched in 2007, PrairieStateOutdoors.com quickly caught fire and became Illinois' premiere outdoors website.
Whether your passion was in bagging deer, hooking fish or enjoying the passive beauty of nature, PSO was there to give you the latest news and commentary.
Several people need to be thanked for their efforts over the years. Jerry Smith designed the template that still graces this website today. Peoria outdoors editor Jeff Lampe helped launch us as a joint effort between the Journal Star and State Journal-Register. When Jeff caught the entrepreneurial bug and set out on his own in 2010, Springfield outdoors editor Chris Young stepped into the role and keep us going. He left PSO in February 2014 to become spokesman for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
But we especially thank you, our passionate readers. You shared your stories, photos and even videos and helped us to ignite a fervor for the outdoors.
It's time for us to say goodbye. Six years of content will remain in place, but PrairieStateOutdoors.com will be dormant. We've had a lot of fun, but it's time to get outside.


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Congregation Anshai Torah has been the spiritual home to the Dallas Jewish Community since 1980 when Anshai Emet was formed. In 1998 Congregation Shomray Torah was formed and later that year the two merged to form what is now Congregation Anshai Torah. We now provide spiritual, educational, cultural, social activities, programs, and services to more than 560 families.
Welcome to our website!


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Add lasting, late-season color to sunny borders and rocky hillsides with this glorious Heather. The compact, upright plants produce spikes of rich red buds against a background of green foliage. Plants hold their color from late summer into fall and even later in a favorable site.
Heathers prefer full sun and well-drained, acid soil (some gravel or peat moss dug into the soil before planting will do the job), and they need protection from cold winter winds. They are ill-suited to growing conditions in the South and the desert Southwest.
For information on growing and care, click Growing Guide.
The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.
We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the Shipping Details box for each item. Please refer to the Shipping Details box to determine the earliest shipping time. Unless you specify otherwise, fertilizers, tools, and other non-plant items are shipped with your plants or bulbs. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at expected time of delivery.
We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.
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Latin Name Pronunciation: kuh-loon'uh
Plant Calluna out of the way of winter winds in full sun and well-drained, acidic soil that retains moisture. A 3–6″ layer of peat moss, dug in before planting, helps to satisfy all three soil requirements.
Plants prefer lean soil; do not fertilize. In Zone 5 (-20°F), cover lightly with evergreen boughs in late fall and spray an antidesiccant (available at garden centers) to prevent winter winds from "burning" the leaves. As new growth emerges in spring, prune to shape plants and to remove winter damage.


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These are the rules for joining the Peter Cushing Fanlisting.
Be a fan of Peter Cushing. You do not need to have a website.
If you do have a website, please provide a link to this site's main page, using either one of these buttons or plain text. If I can't find the link, your site will not be included in your listing. (It's always a good idea to put the URL to your fanlistings "joined" page in the comments field, especially if your site is in a language other than English.)
If your site contains material that is not appropriate for younger viewers, please do not submit it. If you do, it will not be included with the rest of your information.
Images must be stored on your own server. If it is found that you have linked directly to graphics on this site, the link to your own site will be removed.
The only information required in the listing is your name, country, and a valid email address. Your email address will be made public only if you select that option on the join form. Otherwise, it will remain strictly private.
Please give me a real name or a reasonable nickname, without numbers or StIcKy CaPs. Inappropriate names will be edited.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Trouble with the form? Need to edit? Email me with the info.


text:
Ahoy there!
Did someone say it was Tuesday? The first Tuesday of the month by any chance? Hmm, well, in that case – it's time for a bit of TiLiiT!
Like the new logo? 😉
Don't worry, it won't be that large every month! I just fancied showing off a bit in February…
So, er, brrrrrrrrrr, it's been a bit cold, right? The weather here in the UK, as always, has been very peculiar. We went from two foot of snow and -12 to 13 degrees, sunshine and howling winds – all within ten days!
As you lot are busy reading this, I will be sunning myself in the Italian mountains and indulging in rather a lot of apres and probably-not-so-much ski! 😉
No, I jest. I love my snowboarding and hopefully, by the time you read this, I will have mastered some of the more scary runs and honed my technique a little…
THIS is my baby:
And THIS is me trying my gear on again after two seasons of it languishing in a suitcase!
Note to self: make sure you don't actually snowboard in your pj's, Saffi! 😉
Anyho', must crack on, lots to do before I head off to the slopes…
So, what's on the agenda for this month then?
Well, I wanted to talk about something specific today. Something that affects readers and writers alike.
I happened to be perusing the charts the other day (as you do) on Amazon and I came across a book that caught my eye. Here it is:
OK, now personally, I have never heard of this guy and consequently, haven't read any of his books, so take note: this post is NOT about him or his books. Right? We got that? Good.
No, the reason behind my post isn't about any of the above, it is about what I found on the reviews for the book on Amazon and what your opinions are as readers and writers.
Take a look (you may have to click on each pic to read them properly or go here to see them online)
Don't pull any punches do they? And hey, why should they?
If you part with your hard-earned cash and buy something, anything and you don't end up getting what you bargained for, you're gonna moan right? It's human nature.
I am a paying reader as well as a writer, so I can see things from both perspectives.
In this particular instance it is clear that this 'book' certainly isn't a book and there are questions as to whether it even qualifies as a short story. It seems that it is basically a very short (and from one or two reviews, not even a very good one) story, followed by page after page of excerpts for other Chris Carter books, that most readers have already read.
No. That is just not cricket.
I can't condone this from any angle.
Now, I have no doubt that Chris himself had very little, if no, contol over this; I am presuming his publisher made the decision to put it out there in a bid to generate a buzz for a forthcoming release, but the paying public are not happy that they did.
This book has a 2.9/5 star rating now. NOTHING to do with the content or writing it seems. Just a bunch of angry readers who were excited at reading a little snippet from an obviously-rated fictional character and instead, were well and truly ripped off.
There are a gazillion blog posts and articles around the web that cover ebook pricing and how fair it is to fill the percentage/page count of an ebook with promotional stuff, I read tons of them a week, but what I want to know from you guys, is what YOU think is fair as the buying public. How happy are you to see other books advertised at the end of one you have just read? What price difference do you think is reasonable between a full-length novel and a novella/short story?
I don't want to get into the indie vs traditionally published debate, I don't care and nor do I think it should make any difference. What I want to know is, if you buy a book and it consists of only 60% story and 40% hey-buy-my-next-book! marketing, are you gonna be enraged?
Don't get me wrong, I know as well as anyone how important marketing and social network sharing are for books on e-readers etc but here at the SD camp, we limit ours to a link or two at the end of the book and keep the boring stuff at the beginning to a bare minimum.
When I am sat, relaxed on Saffi Island (as Mark calls my imaginary sanctuary) in my beach chair, being fanned with hand-picked palms and shadowed by a dazzlingly white-suited servant, holding aloft a tray of chilled champers and I power up my Kindle (other e-reading devices are available from many other high street and on-line retailers. Saffina Desforges neither represents or receives any monies from…nah, only kidding) to start a new book, the last thing I want is page after page of crap. NOR do I want a rushed, half-assed effort at a story, brought to a bitter and untimely end just to make way for twenty other pages of books that I have already bought. Sure, tell me that if I enjoyed what I have just read, then I can go wherever to look at some more, and even put the cover and first couple of pages of a forthcoming release in as a teaser, but don't and I mean DO NOT waste 35 pence of the 99 I have just spent, showing me your previous three offerings.
'Cos guess what? If you do, I will probably not buy any more of them. I might also head straight over to the product review page and leave a scathing one star tirade, even though I kinda enjoyed what I have just read.
And whilst I am on the subject: £16.99 for an ebook????!!!!! Really? Nah.
We always try to price our books reasonably and in relation to the word count, content and length of time it has been published. You will see that our main novels are mostly under £2.00.
One of the Rose Red Rhymes is 99p and the other 77p. That is because one is slightly longer than the other. Oh and note to Simon & Schuster (Chris Carter's publisher), out of the 63 pages in the higher priced book, 60 of them are actual book, not advertising. *sigh*
We promise to always keep our book prices reasonable. They may vary slightly from time to time and on different platforms or genres, but we will never knowingly or willingly over-price a book. We want to provide our readers with the best quality covers and content and as much value for money as they deserve. That comes from being readers first and foremost.
So what do you lot think? What say you on this much-discussed subject? Go on, the floor's yours…
UPDATED ~ FEB 2013. Check this out! Even worse than the above! A short story, already released under a different name and then regurgitated and sold for £7.99 on Kindle as a novel! SHOCKING!


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Rapidly increasing in popularity, square foot gardening is the most practical, foolproof way to grow a home garden. That explains why author and gardening innovator Mel Bartholomew has sold more than 2 million books describing how to become a successful DIY square foot gardener. Now, with the publication of All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition, the essential guide to his unique step-by-step method has become even better. Bartholomew developed his techniques in the early 1980s and has been teaching them throughout the world ever since. In the process, he has made improvements and refinements and continually adapted his practices to keep pace with modern times. In this new volume, he furthers his discussion on one of the most popular gardening trends today: vertical gardening. Bartholomew also explains how you can make gardening fun for children by teaching them the square foot method. Finally, an expanded section on pest control helps you protect your precious produce. Rich with new full-color images and updated tips for selecting materials, this beautiful new edition is perfect for brand-new gardeners as well as the millions of square foot gardeners who are already dedicated to Bartholomew's industry-changing insights.
Pages: 272
Weight: 1.61
Item Number: 6645


text:
Events Calendar
Explorers Room is open
Sunday 18 August 2019, 10:20am - 11:45am
Hits : 20792
Families who will be attending worship may leave infants and toddlers with our Explorers Team from 10:20–11:45 or bring them into part or all of the worship service. Our Comfort Room is at the back of the Sanctuary in case a parent and baby need to step away for a while. The worship service can be heard in the Comfort Room.


text:
A Federal Trade Commission investigation into Facebook's $1-billion acquisition of Instagram threatens to delay the social network's IPO date, according to a new report.
The report says the FTC is investigating the Menlo Park-based company's take over of the photo-sharing app to see if it stifles competition.
Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 billion in April.
The FTC has already spoken to two of Facebook's competitors. The probe is considered normal for acquisitions so large.
But it could still delay the public launch date of Facebook's stock, which is largely expected to occur next week.
The Financial Times reports that the average FTC investigation can take between six to 12 months.
Facebook said in its filing it expected to go public before the close of the second quarter. The company cannot integrate any of Instagram's features until the FTC approves of the merger.
If the deal is blocked, Facebook would be required to pay Instagram $200 million.


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Roundup Ready (RR) alfalfa will be granted non-regulated status under a decision USDA announced Thursday. This follows weeks of debate in a host of areas over USDA's potential decision.
"After conducting a thorough and transparent examination of alfalfa through a multi-alternative environmental impact statement (EIS) and several public comment opportunities, APHIS has determined that Roundup Ready alfalfa is as safe as traditionally bred alfalfa," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "All of the alfalfa production stakeholders involved in this issue have stressed their willingness to work together to find solutions. We greatly appreciate and value the work they've done so far and will continue to provide support to the wide variety of sectors that make American agriculture successful."
But the decision won't end the legal issues for this matter. The Center for Food Safety has pledged to seek a court order to reverse and void USDA's decision. "We will be back in court representing the interest of farmers, preservation of the environment and consumer choice," said the group's Executive Director Andrew Kimbrell.
But others were pleased with the decision, including House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), who said in a statement, "Genetically engineered alfalfa has been subjected to an extensive multi-year review and the conclusion has always been the same: it's safe. A product that has been repeatedly found to be safe should be deregulated. I am pleased that USDA used sound science and respected the limit of its statutory authority to make this decision."
In addition to the non-regulated status for RR alfalfa, USDA announced the following actions as well:
- Reestablishing two important USDA advisory committees - Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture, and the National Genetic Resources Advisory Committee. These two committees will tackle a broad range of issues, from ensuring the availability of high quality seed, to helping ensure that growers have access to the best tools available to support their production choices, to whether risk management and indemnification options can play a role;
- Conducting research into areas such as ensuring the genetic integrity, production and preservation of alfalfa seeds entrusted to the germplasm system;
- Refining and extending current models of gene flow in alfalfa;
- Requesting proposals through the Small Business Innovation Research program to improve handling of forage seeds and detection of transgenes in alfalfa seeds and hay; and,
- Providing voluntary, third-party audits and verification of industry-led stewardship initiatives.
Vilsack also said a decision on RR sugarbeets and one on a corn variety for ethanol production would be made soon.
Here's a link to USDA's release.
Here's a link to USDA's Q&As on this decision.


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Working styles were improved, communication was revitalized, and cooperation with agents was elevated to new heights.
Transform working styles and encourage more challenge seeking among employees.
Invigorate internal and external communication to enhance business quality.
Replace the internal web conferencing system.
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.(MSI) introduced an easy-to-use, cloud-based web conferencing service.
The ability to hold more timely meetings led to livelier communication both internally and with overseas branches and agents.
The ability to seamlessly share materials and screen functions allowed meeting participants to better follow along.
Planning Team, Human Resources Department
Mr. Takayuki Ochi
"The web conferencing service has been useful in improving the way our employees work and in creating time for our employees to continue undertaking new challenges.
We also have been focusing on showing our employees how to use this service more effectively."
Deputy Manager
Marketing & Sales Systems Unit, Marketing & Sales IT Promotion Offce, Marketing & Sales Planning Department
Mr.Yusuke Hashimoto
"It is very convenient that the service can be used right away whenever we need it.
There is much more communication now both inside and outside the company. We use the service for training as well as for meetings."
Terminals & Network Group, Systems Operation Department
Mr.Manabu Nishimura
"Arcstar Conferencing Web Conferencing features an extremely wide range of functions. NTT Communications's superb service capabilities were a great help in configuring and testing the service."
MSI sought to enhance the quality of its business by upgrading its employees' working styles.
MSI operates a global insurance and financial services business. It has a large number of agents and is known for its particularly strong presence in the Asia region. Since 2011, MSI has been actively working to improve how its employees work and has begun constructing an ICT infrastructure to serve as the foundation for that purpose. MSI has achieved a steady stream of successes, an example of which was its being chosen as one of the "Diversity Management Selection 100" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2014.
"Spearheaded by the Human Resources Department, MSI is carrying out its 'Be Professional for All' initiative as an organization-wide effort. The goal is to encourage our employees to become 'true professionals' as we aim to improve each employee's level of growth and motivation, and to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the company as a whole. We have also formulated a strong approach to fostering an awareness of the need to create time in order to continuously undertake new challenges. We understand that, in addition to ICT infrastructure areas such as streamlining and systemizing operations, everyday improvements are very important. One of such improvements was utilizing the web conferencing service that recently replaced our old system." (Mr. Ochi)
MSI had used web conferencing before for communication between departments and offices, and with its agents. There were a number of problems with the system, however, including poor user-friendliness and aging equipment.
"With the previous internal system, we had a limited number of devices that could connect to the network and they could only be connected in certain places (meeting rooms). Something that also became a problem was the slow startup time, which partially owed to how old the equipment was. The web conferencing system we used to communicate with our agents was separate from the internal web conferencing system and few people used it. So we decided that when the support period for the system ended, we would replace it with a new service that was easier to use and that could be used more often." (Mr. Nishimura)
MSI is now using a cloud-based web conferencing service that is easy to use and delivers stable performance.
After a study period lasting approximately one year, MSI decided in April 2014 that it would use Arcstar Conferencing Web Conferencing ("Web Conferencing") from NTT Communications. After advance deployment of the system at select offices, company-wide use of the system began in January 2015.
"Two major reasons why we selected this service were its higher level of stability and greater ease of use compared with the other systems and services that we considered. Because it does not require any special software and is available for use immediately whenever we need it, we decided that this was also an advantage for agent staff as well as participants outside the company." (Mr. Nishimura) In addition to the reasonable cost of the proposal coupled with the extensive record of success and feeling of reliability that comes with NTT Communications, MSI reported that the impressive user support system was a factor in favor of Web Conferencing.
"We expect greater use of web conferencing will result in more inquiries. When we thought about providing support not only for our 20,000 or so employees but also for agents outside the company, there was no way that purely in-house support would suffice. The sophisticated help desk support was thus a key factor behind our decision. " (Mr. Nishimura)
During the period between selecting the service and deploying it company-wide, the service functions and other details were configured to meet MSI's requirements and policies. This was another area where the high support capabilities of NTT Communications were put to use.
"The functions that users would be allowed or not allowed to use were decided in detail based on our company's policies regarding problems such as preventing information leakage, ensuring security and protecting people's portrait rights as their faces are imaged. Although it took time to make specific changes to and test system operation, the assistance provided by NTT Communications was a great help." (Mr. Nishimura)
Web Conferencing was also used to conduct briefings after deploying the system, with a lecturer in Tokyo explaining the use of the service to around 1,000 persons in offices across Japan. This training was essentially completed in seven days, and was highly praised for its convenience and efficiency.
Employees became much more willing to use Web Conferencing and communication was energized.
The shift to Web Conferencing expanded the list of connectable devices to include PCs, tablets, and smartphones, vastly improving on the convenience offered by the previous system environment, where few devices could be connected. MSI can now hold meetings in a more timely manner, and the number of meetings has approximately doubled.
"The previous system required 30 minutes to one hour of preparation prior to a meeting, but now we can get started at a moment's notice. We can feel the benefits everywhere, as it is easier to hold and participate in meetings, and Web Conferencing now supports a broad range of devices. We can connect instantly with offices and agents located far away. In our global operations, we are already using it at our overseas offices. We had a lot of requests from our overseas subsidiaries, so it good that we were able to carry this out. Unlike telephone conferences, no communications charges are incurred, helping us to cut costs." (Mr. Hashimoto)
Being able to instantly share the necessary materials during a meeting is another point that has been rated highly.
"When new materials become necessary during the course of a meeting, we can distribute them right away. The previous system required users to register in advance the materials they wanted to use, so this is a big improvement. Because we can also directly show the movement of the mouse pointer and screen operations, we can now more effectively explain to agent staff how to use the tools, and our operations are proceeding much more smoothly." (Mr. Hashimoto)
MSI is using Web Conferencing not only for meetings but also increasingly for internal training involving several dozen people at a time.
"Previously this kind of training was carried out face-to-face each time, but because we have offices across the country, conducting training on the web has definite advantages in terms of scheduling the training, travel time, and other areas. The chat functions are used effectively, allowing instructors to communicate with one another and participants to ask questions. This kind of internal use is increasing as people become more proficient with the system and gain expertise, and I expect this will allow us to have a better communication with the agent personnel." (Mr. Hashimoto)
In order to actively promote effective ways and specific advantages of using the service, as well as ideas for how it can be used, MSI is also using the service internally for in-house news delievry and on-demand video streaming. By achieving a good combination of web-based communication with conventional face-to-face meetings, MSI is aiming to further raise the quality of employee and agent operations in the future.
"Stimulating our employees and making sure that they can continually accept new challenges is one of our responsibilities in the Personnel Department. Instead of just one-way communication, it is important to ensure that information is correctly understood by the other party. For this reason, we will continue to use trial and error to study how we can make the best use of the ICT infrastructure and tools in the future." (Mr. Ochi)
Arcstar Conferencing Web Conferencing
Arcstar Conferencing Web Conferencing is a Cloud-based web conferencing service you can use anywhere there is Internet access. Meet online with customers, partners, and team members wherever they may be, with all the ease of a face-to-face meeting.
Company Profile
Name: Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited
Head office: 9, Kanda-Surugadai, 3Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Paid-in capital: ¥ 139,595 million (as of March 31, 2015)
Employees: 14,859(Non-consolidated basis, as of March 31, 2015)


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No matter where they stand at the end of the day, the important thing is that they stand. In a physically and emotionally draining sport that shows an athlete's weaknesses and strengths and pushes his limits daily, each competitor can be proud that they stuck it out through all the pain and trials of the season.
The 2011 Utah State Wrestling tournament will hold a different memory for each individual wrestler, but Monticello High School fans will remember a year in which a mostly young and inexperienced team made many great accomplishments.
Fourteen Buckaroos made the trip to the state tournament to compete, with seven bringing home medals, and ten gaining valuable tournament experience that they will bring back to the team next season. As a team, the young MHS squad finished in third behind Altamont and Duchesne.
At the end of the day, Brian Robinson and CJ Cordasco stood atop the podium and claimed their moment of glory as they were crowned 1A State Champions.
Robinson, a sophomore, battled hard against a strong Duchesne opponent in the semi-final round, finishing with a big 11-5 victory to earn a spot in the finals. Under the spotlight on the center mat, he faced off against an Altamont senior.
Robinson had been in the same position his freshman season, and came up just short of a championship. He had no intention of finishing in second place this time.
Robinson battled hard through the first period, but couldn't find a way to open a lead. He came from the bottom in the second period, and worked tirelessly to turn his opponent. As the time ticked away, Robinson put him on his back and worked for the pin, pushing with all his might as he saw the clock near zero.
The ref raised his hand to slap the mat a mere second before the buzzer sounded, sending Robinson and the large Buckaroo crowd into a frenzy of excitement celebrating the championship.
Senior CJ Cordasco won a state championship in 2010, so he knew how it would feel to have his hand raised again. It was something he planned and worked for all season long.
Cordasco cruised through his weight class, pinning both early opponents on his way to the finals, where he faced Chris Manzanares of Wayne. The two had met several times before, including the region championship the previous week, and at the 2010 state tournament, where Cordasco defeated Manzanares in the semi-final round leading to a championship for Cordasco and a third place medal for his opponent.
Manzanares came prepared to change the result, but Cordasco fought hard, staying one step ahead throughout the match, and earning an exciting 5-3 win.
Finishing with hard-earned second place medals are freshman Hunter Bowring and senior Coltan Musselman.
Bowring had an impressive first showing at the state tournament, winning with an exciting fall in the first round, and putting up a strong 6-1 win against the female phenom from Altamont in a pressure-filled match.
In the finals he faced the returning state champion, junior Jory Owens of Panguitch. Bowring battled well with the more experienced Owens, taking control in the early round, and putting him on his back several times but was unable to hold him there long enough to score points. In the end, Owens was able to gain control and defeat Bowring 10-2.
Musselman made his plan to return to the center mat for the championship match clear from the beginning. Winning both early rounds by fall in the first period sent him back to the finals for the fourth time in his career, hoping to add a second state championship to his medal collection.
Musselman faced Tanner Lewis of Duchesne. The match was intense as the two battled to near exhaustion for every point. With a 2-2 tie going into the third, Musselman earned a takedown to put him ahead as the time ran down. With only 30 seconds left in the match, Lewis mounted a final attempt at the win, getting a reversal and tying the score, but as the clock neared zero the worse case scenario happened and Lewis turned Musselman just long enough for a near fall count resulting in a heartbreaking 7-4 loss.
Bringing home a well deserved third place medal is senior Trevor Wagstaff. Coming in as the underdog in his first match was no deterrent for Wagstaff who put up a strong 18-8 win over his Duchesne opponent. A tough loss in the next round put him in the consolation bracket, where he battled back with a 9-0 win. In the consolation finals, the match remained close until the end when Wagstaff dug deep and found the strength to finish strong in a 14-8 victory.
Junior Tim Ryan and senior John Mayne each brought home fourth place medals from the tournament.
Ryan came ready to wrestle and made it clear in his first match, pinning his opponent in only 18 seconds. Ryan put up a great effort in the next round, but it wasn't enough to put him in the finals.
In the consolation bracket he fought back from the loss, winning with an exciting fall despite suffering a knee injury in the match. In the finals he battled hard but came up short in the loss.
Mayne had a tough loss in the first round, but showed great determination, winning his next two matches by fall to stay alive in the tournament and make it to the consolation finals, where he was defeated.
Austin Wilcox and Nephi Barlow came out strong for the Buckaroos with first round wins by fall, but losses in the next match sent them both to the consolation bracket. Wilcox came out strong but got in a position he couldn't fight out of, resulting in a loss and ending his tournament. Barlow was forced to forfeit out of the tournament due to illness.
The first round was tough on Dailyn Warren, Roque DeAnda, and Jake Giles, as they each suffered a loss, but they battled back to win big matches in the next round. DeAnda and Warren won by fall and Giles earned a thrilling 3-1 victory.
Eric Anderson and Kelland Brewer each made their first appearance at the state tournament. They both wrestled strong and gave tremendous effort in their matches.
The Buckaroos lose four seniors, but look forward to the future with the remainder of this young and talented team.


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What would companies be like if twenty-somethings ran the show? A new survey of 800 young people in the United States and United Kingdom provides a glimpse of how the so-called Millennial generation (aka Generation Y) works and thinks.
The survey, titled Millennial Inc., was conducted by the marketing firm Mr. Youth and the market research firm Intrepid. Among its findings:
- Say goodbye to the long boardroom table and say hello to the round table. Collaboration, shared responsibility and consensus rule Millennial Inc.
- Sometimes dubbed the ADD Generation,they are always searching for work that keeps their attention. In fact, the number one reason in both the UK (34 percent) and US (37 percent) for switching jobs was, "Just Needed a Change." That need for change far exceeds the desire for a better salary, benefits, or a more senior position. The average 26-year-old has craved stimulation so much, they've changed jobs an astounding seven times from age 18, in search of something more.
- In a world where anyone can be an author, director, photographer, journalist, comedian, actor or ad man, Millennials are used to a democratized playing field where good ideas and work rise to the top. Individuals with big ideas are successful and gain respect through their work, and Millennials expect this to be true everywhere, especially in their career.
- Seniority and tenure are dirty words to Millennials. Authority is earned and proven through direct interactions, not given blindly based on titles and experience.
The survey is an example of how ethnography — the study of human cultures — has moved into marketing and business, as leaders of all sorts try to adapt to a heterogeneous culture. Ethnography.com points to jobs and resources in this growing field.
– Posted by Tom Abate


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Aufrichtig uses positive reinforcement – a treat or a "good-boy" – when the dog does a command correctly. His training methods work in harmony with the dog's basic drives and instincts, teaching the owner how to communicate with their dog. Aufrichtig gives the owner homework that requires about 20 minutes a day working with their pet.
"While you are doing the training during the week you are building a bond of trust and understanding with your dog that will carry on for many years to come," said Aufrichtig, adding that dog training is a continuing process.
Since dogs are basically "pack animals," Aufrichtig said that in order for an owner to get the dog's respect he must be the "pack leader." He said that unfortunately most owners see and treat their dogs as human and not as dogs.
"It's very important that the owner of the dog become leaders and the alpha of the pack," said Aufrichtig.
He said that to do that the owner must use calm assertive energy. Aufrichtig recommends that as part of the dog's training, the owner take the dog on long walks.
"Not only is it good physical exercise for a dog to walk, but it's also mental exercise," said Aufrichtig, adding that a dog needs 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day.
Aufrichtig has been professionally training dogs since 1984, working with dogs from 8 weeks to 8 years old.
Aufrichtig recently gave a talk to the members of K-9 Korral's Round Up in Forest Park. The group runs the Forest Park Dog Run located on Park Lane South and 85th Street in Woodhaven.
Group president Paul Toomey said after Aufrichtig's one-hour talk, "Our members got a chance to address some of the problem areas they were having training their canines. Most walked away having learned something new about their dog and all appreciated Robbie's humanitarian and positive approach to dog training that he's learned over the last 20 years of training dogs."
Aufrichtig recently wrapped up an intensive two-week in-house training session of a five-month old Doberman Pincher named Brandy. Owner Joann Orobello of Howard Beach brought the puppy to him for a course in behavior and obedience. In addition to requesting that Brandy be house-broken, Orobello wanted Aufrichtig to correct Brandy's penchant for tearing up flower beds.
When Orobello met Aufrichtig and Brandy at the Forest Park Dog Run she was delighted with Brandy's transformation from when she first brought Brandy in for training.
Aufrichtig said the most important thing in his training is getting the owner and their dog to form a bond.
"This is what makes for a good, quiet, peaceful family life," he said, "and that's what makes me happy."
Aufrichtig offers an initial free evaluation and consultation for your pet, and can be contacted at (646) 402-2388 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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ferretnet necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 41 diseños de 20 diseñadores freelance.
I run a small business, originally offering design services but have now moved into concentrating on publishing and maintaining internet publications of my own - and I need a new logo!
Desired Color Scheme:
You decide!
Desired Style:
The logo should look modern, glossy and professional. I don't like using the term "Web 2.0" because it suggests something a little too plain for what i'm looking for.
The logo must look good in various colors, and on various colored backgrounds too as
Accepted File Formats:
Illustrator AI / Vector
I need a new logo for my company to complete my transition from a designer, to an internet publisher, as the current logo is starting to look very tired and un-interesting.
It needs to be professional looking, but in a modern way, not classic old-style fonts. A slightly glossy look would be good, and it should be a graphic rather than just text with various effects applied to it.
My company will create, publish and maintain entertainment related websites covering subjects like gaming, music, tv and mobile entertainment.
To summarise, I need a modern fun looking logo that looks good on screen and print, can be changed to different colors easily and adapted for display on different colored backgrounds.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A U.S. Senate Republican and a Democrat agreed Sunday resigned CIA Director David Petraeus should still testify in Congress about the Libya terror attack.
Petraeus, former U.S. Army chief in Afghanistan, resigned his CIA post last week after conceding he had an extramarital affair.
But Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said Petraeus still needs to testify about the Sept. 11 terror attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador.
"Well, I think he needs to answer" security questions about the attack, Coburn said on NBC News' "Meet the Press." "He was obviously the person in charge of the CIA and he has information that probably other people don't have. So I think it's still going to be important that his input comes into the conclusion and what we find about what went wrong ... We obviously weren't prepared. I think you have to spend time to find out what happened and how it happened. And get to the bottom of it so we don't see this kind of mistake again."
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed.
"Yes, I think first we ought to see what (interim CIA Director Michael) Morrell has to say and is he able to give the committee the information that General Petraeus dug up when he was over there in Iraq and then we should take it from there," Schumer said.


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|North Colorado Springs looking at the mountains
Believe it or not, I was able to see the smoke on the mountain from 85 miles outside Colorado Springs. I wondered at the first distant sight of the mountains if that could possibly be the smoke. Then I tried to reason (looking at the Garmin which told me I was 85 miles away) that this couldn't be the smoke, but I kept my mind trained on the area as we got closer to the city and I realized eventually that, yes, you could see smoke from 85+ miles away.
|The sun emerging from the smoke
We drove north on I-25 toward Monument, Colorado for dinner. It was rush hour and traffic was pretty heavy. The smoke grew so thick that the street lights began to come on and ash fell lightly from the sky. The horizon to the east (180 degrees opposite the fire) was darkened by the heavy smoke and the sun which had previously been entirely enveloped in the smoke emerged a deep red.
|A helicopter battling the fires
We are safe where we are staying, and where we are looking to move is likewise safe. I pray for the people that are losing their homes and memories, and I pray for the emergency responders that are working around the clock trying to keep this city safe.