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Product Description
Rustoleum (Anglo) Supergrip Safe-T-Epoxy is a traction enhancing epoxy resin coating for application on to smooth and potentially slippery floors.
Best Uses
Suitable for concrete, wooden and stone floors to provide an safe anti-slip surface. Designed to be applied using a roller, this epoxy anti-slip epoxy resin is suitable for heavy wear areas such as concrete and stone floors. Safe-T-Epoxy contains fine, traction enhancing aggregate which provides a strong coat that acts as a primer / sealer.
Usable life of the mixed components is approximately one hour at 15 to 20°C. Can be applied using either a roller or brush. If applying on to concrete floors ensure floor is completely clean and dry. It is not recommended to apply on to smooth/dense concrete or concrete containing a curing compound which will prevent good adhesion. The product must be stored for a minimum of 8 hours prior to use at a temperature range of between 15°C to 25°C
Technical Details
- Matt to low sheen finish
- Coverage: Approx 30m2 per 5 Litres for one coat
- Rollers should be cleaned with warm soapy water before the product has cured.
- Care should be made that no partly cured material is not kept on the roller during application
- Do not allow product to freeze.
- Curing Time: To handle - overnight, 7 days to full hardiness
- Available in 5 Litre tins in various colours
Data Sheets
The manufacturers data sheets are available for download from this website. It is your responsibility to read and understand all aspects of the data sheets before you place an order and prior to application. Please pay special attention to the preparation, mixing and application temperatures of the product, cleaning of substrate and environmental factors such as temperature, rain etc. Quoted coverage rates are based on the manufacturers theoretical rates and may vary depending upon substrates absorption, texture and application. We always recommend a test is carried out to ensure suitability.
Customer further agrees that Promain have no liability for any errors or omissions contained within the Product Data Sheets and are not liable for failure due to misapplication or inadequate substrate cleaning and preparation. For more information please refer to our Terms & Conditions.


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Twitter launches a new #music app.
"After being teased by celebrities who were given first dibs on the program, Twitter's music app is finally live to the masses on Thursday. Twitter #Music, as the service is known, uses Twitter activity to find new musical artists, highlight musicians' music-related tweets and show which musical artists your favorite musicians follow on Twitter. #Music also allows users to easily listen to songs and tweet songs to their followers.
The goal of #Music is to help people discover new music through Twitter. Before now, the service was only available to celebrities like Ryan Seacrest, who were given exclusive access to the app. Twitter #Music is currently available as a free app for iOS on iTunes and the web version will roll out over time on Thursday. An Android version is forthcoming, Twitter says. . ." The Huffington Post does a great job of telling the story of what the new music app is all about so please hop on over there and get the full details industry, especially artists!
Also, be sure to read Twitter 101 on Hashtags and Music Promo by Tosin Adeda so you get up to speed in promoting your music on the social media platform.
Twitter #Hashtags & Music Promo In Nigeria By Tosin Adeda
First of all, before I go in to the topic and why I bothered writing about it, I will briefly explain what an hashtag is, and what it is used for.
What is a hashtag?
"A hashtag is a word or a phrase prefixed with the symbol #,a form of metadata tag. Short messages on microblogging social networking services such as Twitter, Tout, identi.ca, Tumblr, Instagram, or Google+ may be tagged by including one or more with multiple words concatenated, e.g.:
#Wikipedia is an #encyclopedia
Hashtags provide a means of grouping such messages, since one can search for the hashtag and get the set of messages that contain it." – Wikipedia
Function of a Hashtag
"Hashtags are mostly used as unmoderated ad-hoc discussion forums; any combination of characters led by a hash sign is a hashtag, and any hashtag, if promoted by enough individuals, can "trend" and attract more popular, it will appear in the "Trending Topics" area of a user's homepage." – Wikipedia
Ok so now I believe we all have a general idea of what the hashtag is, and its function on the social media like twitter. For those of us who are twitter users, I'm sure we would agree with me that hashtags are most of the time used for fun, to joke and most importantly get a form of trend.
These days, entertainers especially musicians have now taken the initiative of actually creating hashtags, to promo their materials. If you ask me, it's a brilliant initiative, after all the social media isn't meant for fun alone, it can be used to promote and boost business.
Now to the reason why I decided to write this article, Nigerians on twitter would testify to the fact that, there are twitter handle known for trending Hashtags on Nigerian twitter (Brilliant if you ask me, at least it takes the stress away), majority are known for asking random/catchy questions about topics like sex, social lives, etc, that will easily catch the attention of it's/his/her followers.
These kind of hashtags and the questions that follow are meant for fun and fun alone, so it's kind of alarming and silly, when an artiste who wants to trend a song on twitter, pays a so called "Online promoter" to help trend his/her song. Why is that? Let me give a scenario (My next paragraph).
Lets assume I'm an artiste, and I'm about to drop a new track, titled "Let's Rock". I want to trend on twitter, obviously so that more people can get to hear my song and stuff. I pay an online promoter, who promises to make my song trend; he/she creates a hashtag and calls it #LetsRock. The promoter starts to ask random questions, with the hashtag #LetsRock, ending each question. The promoter wants to trend the hashtag by all means, so he/she asks very catchy/silly and most times dirty/sexual or dumb questions.
We all like to get naughty and stuff, so the questions go round, people answer; more people answer and so on and so forth, till the hashtag #LetsRock trends on twitter. The promoter tells me the artiste that my song is trending and stuff, I check my trends and I see the hashtag #LetsRock trending.
The question now is Fine, the hashtag #LetsRock gets to trend on twitter, but really should I be happy? For me, it's a BIG NO,
and I'll explain why.
My intentions were to get my song to trend, and get more people to hear my song, reason why I paid a promoter. The title of my song #LetsRock trends on twitter fine, but really did the song itself trend? Did the link for people to download trend? Did more people get to hear the song? Your guess is as good as mine.
Only the song title in form of a hashtag trended, my song didn't trend. Any random person who checks his/her trend and sees #LetsRock as probably the No 2 trending topic in Lagos, gets curios to know what the hashtag is about, clicks on it to view tweets about it, what does he/she? Random questions and answers, that has nothing to do with your song. Is that what you paid for? Did you pay for people to have fun on twitter or for your music to trend?
I noticed this is common with upcoming and potential Nigerian music stars; I get the fact that you are desperate for recognition and stuff, but in the midst of it, you've got to be smart and wise. Do not let anyone in the name of "Online promoter" play on your intelligence.
Below are a few tips on how to make use of twitter to promote your music.
Always tweet your music links from time to time, on a daily basis. Yeah you want to have fun and tweet random stuff, but if music is your hustle, you've got to take it serious.
Let the first tweet that appears in your FAV's be about your music, and a link to download it.
Let the website in your twitter BIO be a link to download your music.
Learn to bombard the DM's of your followers with your music links, and solicit for them to tweet it.
Always search tweets about your song titles, and your name, and retweet them.
Tweet your music links @ people that matter, you never know who will listen.
When using a hashtag for your music, paid or unpaid for, make sure that tweets about the hashtag are not random questions, talk about the music, yourself, links to your music.
That's all the tips I can remember for now, hopefully you'll find them useful.
Lastly, always remember that its not just about trending, it's about trending your music.
Recent Posts
- AML142: The Business of Music in North Africa
- AML 141: Meet Camille Storm, Founder of C&C Distro, a Kenyan Music Distribution Company
- AML 140: Abiola Oke & Richelieu Dennis Sexual Harassment Claims: Lessons for Employers & Executives
- AML 139: Beyonce's 'Black is King': Merch & Music Royalties for the African Artist
- @NYPost Please Correct your Misleading Headline Stating a "Beyonce-Endorsed Burna Boy Makes Afrobeat go International"

subset: commoncrawl


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2018 July 16 17:40
Great Lakes announces receipt of $70 million San Jacinto award
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation ("Great Lakes"), the largest provider of dredging services in the United States and a major provider of environmental and infrastructure services announced today the receipt of a $69.8 million award on the San Jacinto River in Houston, Texas.
This unique and challenging project is the first major Houston-area flood-control project after Hurricane Harvey and will restore a 2 mile-long stretch of the San Jacinto River to its pre-Harvey state. After the storm passed and flooding subsided, a sandbar remained blocking an important drainage route. The State of Texas requested emergency assistance from FEMA which then chose to use the expertise of the United States Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District to manage the project. This project is one step in the local, state and federal governments' efforts to reduce the risk of flooding in this community.
With a long history of working in Texas, Great Lakes is proud to be chosen to execute this project. Great Lakes' Rivers and Lakes division will work with the Galveston District to dredge approximately 1.8 million cubic yards of material and has already begun mobilizing for this high priority project which will feature multiple portable dredges and booster pumps as well as 10 miles of slurry pipelines. Great Lakes will partner with Callan Marine of Galveston which will provide one of the dredges for the project.
David Simonelli, President Dredging commented, "We are excited to work with the Galveston District and Callan Marine on this important project to improve the San Jacinto River capacity after the devastation brought by Hurricane Harvey and the corresponding flooding. This project is ideally suited for our Rivers and Lakes division and will keep our equipment busy into the second quarter of 2019. In addition to the recent awards announced last week, this project helps us to maintain our position as the nation's leading dredging contractor."
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation ("Great Lakes" or the "Company") is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States and the only U.S. dredging company with significant international operations. The Company is also a significant provider of environmental and remediation services on land and water. The Company employs experienced civil, ocean and mechanical engineering staff in its estimating, production and project management functions. In its over 128-year history, the Company has never failed to complete a marine project. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. The Company's Incident-and Injury-Free (IIF®) safety management program is integrated into all aspects of the company's culture. The company's commitment to the IIF® culture promotes a work environment where employee safety is paramount. Great Lakes also owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. dredging industry, comprised of over 200 specialized vessels.
Другие новости по темам: dredging, Great Lakes


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France has become the first country to enact a blanket ban on all single-use plastic dishware.
Under a new law which went into effect last month, the country gives manufacturers until 2020 to ensure that all of their disposable cups, plates and utensils are made of environmentally friendly products and can be composted at home, according to France's the Local.
The ban may make it harder for some parents throwing birthday parties or couples enjoying picnics, but it has been celebrated by many in France and around the world.
Finally an intelligent ban! France bans all #plastic bags, plates & cups #ClimateChange #Anthropocene https://t.co/6n7RxOj39O via @mashable— Annu Jalais (@AnnuJal) September 20, 2016
France Becomes First Country To Ban Plastic Cups And Dishes— Michal Jaster (@michal_jaster) September 20, 2016
Viva la France! https://t.co/1eCfZDhC9E
However, CBS News reports that the ban has angered some in France, particularly manufacturers of plastic ware. Pack2Go Europe, a Brussels-based organization representing European packaging manufacturers, says it will keep fighting the groundbreaking ban.
"We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law," Pack2Go Europe secretary general Eamonn Bates told the Associated Press. "If they don't, we will."
The plastic ban is part of France's sweeping "Energy Transition for Green Growth Act" that was passed during the summer of 2015.
CNN reports that the law will require all disposable tableware be made from 50 percent biologically-sourced materials that can be composted at home by January of 2020. By January of 2025, that number will rise to 60 percent.
The French Association of Health and Environment reports that 150 single-use cups are thrown away every second in France. Only about 1 percent are recycled, in part because they are often made of a mixture of polypropylene and polystyrene that cannot be recycled.
France has become the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic cups and plates https://t.co/VGD8dghUCs pic.twitter.com/SjOMuds1jC— CNN (@CNN) September 20, 2016
Over 8 million tons of plastic wound up in our oceans in the year 2010 alone, according to scientists at the American Association for the Advances of Sciences. They warn that the number could increase tenfold in the next decade unless countries step up their waste management practices greatly.
France, which hosted last year's COP21 Climate Change conference in Paris, hopes to become a world leader in taking action to combat climate change and enacting environmentally friendly legislation and energy solutions. The UK's Independent reports that French lawmakers say the idea behind the ban on plastic products is to promote a "circular economy" of waste disposal, "from product design to recycling."
French President François Hollande says that the ban is part of a larger push intended to make France "an exemplary nation regarding reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying its energy model and increasing the deployment of renewable energy sources."
Plastic products are harmful to the environment and wildlife, in addition to posing health risks. One reason for this is that plastic does not biodegrade and only breaks into smaller pieces. These pieces are often mistaken for food by wildlife, especially in oceans. Also, millions of barrels of oil are used every year manufacturing plastic goods, which contributes to climate change.
Proponents of the ban also point out that there are health risks linked to drinking out of plastic cups and eating off plastic dishes. These health risks tend to be higher when the food or drinks are hot, such as drinking hot coffee from plastic cups or eating hot foods from plastic bowls or plates.
Supporters wanted the ban to take effect in 2017, but Ségolène Royal, the French environment minister, was worried that the ban could be seen as "anti-social" in socialist France because low-income families often use plastic plates and utensils. As a compromise, the ban won't take effect until 2020. This should allow manufacturers more time to transition to environmentally friendly products and consumers in France plenty of time to prepare for the change.
The ban on plastic dishes follows a similar ban that took effect in France this July, which bans all plastic bags in grocery stores and markets.
@Greenpeace I have forbidden the use of plastic bags in France. It was difficult but it's done.— Ségolène Royal (@RoyalSegolene) August 14, 2016
France bans #plastic #bags, what about the rest of the EU? https://t.co/3x4zPitkBZ— Just For EJF (@EJFshop) August 22, 2016
However, while many other countries, states, and cities around the world have banned plastic bags, France is the first to ban plastic single-use dishes.
France seems to be doing well with its goal of leading the way in positive changes for the environment.
This year France has banned plastic bags, cups, cutlery, plates, and enacted a law requiring supermarkets to donate unsold food to charities— lu (@_luseal) September 17, 2016
Supporters in the United States are now calling for lawmakers to follow France's lead and step up their commitment to combat plastic, waste and climate change.
[Featured Image by Eugene Buchko/Shutterstock]


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Choosing the perfect area rug can be a challenge to say the least, which is why I've got your back today with this CC and Mike Guide to Buying the Perfect Area Rug! And the extra good news is that there is a limited time sale going on in CC and Mike the SHOP where our best selling rugs are 20 percent off with code RUGS20. Now not all our rugs are on sale but our best sellers are. So, I thought this was a good time to circle up and show you not only what all our best sellers are, but WHY they are best sellers. In addition, I'm going to show you photos of each rug used in different projects AND design boards that I have used the rugs in for upcoming projects. I'm also going to tell you what colors I like to use the rug with and what stylistic preferences the rug lends itself to. So, by the end of this post I hope this CC and Mike Guide to Buying The Perfect Area Rug, helps you buy the perfect area rug for your home. Trust me, these are all beauties and they wouldn't be in CC and Mike The Shop if I hadn't seen them in person and fell in love with them!
This beauty is perhaps my absolute favorite rug and has been a best seller in our SHOP as both an area rug and a runner. IT IS CURRENTLY SOLD OUT in the larger sizes (above 3×5) but the good news is you can pre-order yours now to ensure that you get one from the next shipment which will be June 2019. I just used this rug in our Kane Project remodel and you guys, I'm dying that I can't show you the photos. There is a very big and exciting announcement coming that is associated with that project so I can't reveal the photos until then. For now, let's just say this rug is a BEAUTY and I'm using it in multiple projects. It's phenomenal and can go with so many different colors and styles. The versatility of this rug is one of my favorite things about it and I highly recommend ordering it up for your own home!
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS WITH THIS RUG: I love this with denim, rust, black, gray, light green, white, and even navy and blue tones. I am including a design board I did for the Kane project so you can see how it looks planned into that living room with a black statement wall and wood and a more eclectic vibe. You could also take this in a more neutral/traditional direction by simply changing out the accessories, art, and prints for more neutral stripes and tones.
This rug. You guys, I SWOON. It goes with everything. We even used brick, wood, and a black statement wall in the Kane project and it looks good with all of it!
Remember, it's sold out but you can preorder to receive yours on the next shipment. It makes the most beautiful kitchen runner too!! We matched it in the living room on the Kane project and used it in the living room AND as the kitchen runner and I'm just in love with how it turned out.
The Anastasia rug line is such a beautiful and affordable option for large area rugs. You will see three different Anastasia rugs in this post atheyhe are all best sellers of ours. The Anastasia Ivory/Multi is what I have used in our personal bathroom to refresh it for Spring and Summer.
STYLE: Traditional, Transitional, and can also go toward a more Glam vibe if used with the right colors
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: Blush and pink tones, navy, gray, black, light green, light denim/chambray
The Anastasia rug also makes a beautiful kitchen runner and is so affordable. We love ours in our Kitchen!
You can shop our kitchen here including our GOLD LANTERN PENDANTS and ANASTASIA RUNNER from CC and Mike The Shop, here:
In December when I went to market, I absolutely fell in love with the SKYE line of rugs. You will see that I have used them in multiple design boards for upcoming projects as well as putting them in my own home such as my master bathroom before. I truly want one of these rugs in every room in my house. I used the Ivory Berry rug in my personal bathroom and in a teen girl room for the Beaver Lake Project, and I also used the charcoal mutli skye rug throughout the Frisco project as a runner. These rugs are beauties as runners or as area rugs and I can't recommend the line enough. For the Skye Berry Rug in particular, here are my recommendations:
STYLE: Traditional (if used with grays and muted tones), Eclectic and Boho (if you used it with funkier acessories, Glam (if used with gold and white (as soon in our Frie Teen room)
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: White, Pink tones, gray, navy, black, denim.
And below is a Sneak Peek at our Skye Berry used in a teen girl design for the Beaver Lake Project.
Don't just stop with the SKYE Berry rug. They are ALL Beauties! I recommend these rugs in any all rooms in your house from living rooms to laundry rooms to kids rooms to dining rooms. Seriously you guys, these rugs are STATEMENT MAKERS in the best possible way and I highly recommend this line of rugs.
ANASTASIA CHARCOAL SUNSET (as pictured in the master bedroom of @thespoiledhome)
Here is another one of the Anastasia rugs! This rug has very earthy tones and I love how Sandi of @thespoiledhome used it with very natural colors, wood, and earthy toned, organic prints framed by the beds. This is exactly how I recommend using this rug!
Style: Farmhouse, Organic, Traditional (if used with more silvers and grays and white frames with different art and more traditional pillows such as stripes)
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: blush, light blue, copper and rust, LEATHER, gray, black and white, denim
I love this photo on Sandi's rug that really shows the colors in the carpet. You can see why I say you can pull out blush and copper tones and even blues with this rug when you look at this photo. I also think it would look amazing with LEATHER!
ANASTASIA BLUE SLATE (as pictured in the master bedroom of Shalia from @thespoiledhome)
Next up is our Ansastasia Blue/Slate rug. Gosh, this rug is a beauty. It has more subtle grays and green/blue tones. I LOVE it in living rooms and bedrooms and think it's just such a classy, neutral rug. You will see that I used it in the design board for the Frisco Project living room (below) and pictures will be coming after install!
STYLE: Traditional, modern farmhouse
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: Neutrals, Gray tones, Blue/Greens
I love this rug so much! It makes a beautiful runner and area rug. We also are using it as the entryway rug in the Frisco project. The pattern has a more formal feel to me and therefore this rug can go in a "dressier" direction with the right selections, or it can be casual. Regardless of which way you choose to take it, the Silver Slate Loren is a timeless rug that will stand the test of time. You can see below where I also used it in a design board for the Frisco project and I believe it shows how the Silver Slate Loren gives the room just a bit more formal look than the Anastasia.
Style: Traditional, More Formal (if desired). This is a great rug to use with dark painted walls as well since it has a nice light feel and pattern to it.
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: Neutrals, gray, this rug can be used with a light lavender or blush, stripes and classic patterns, light denim
The NYLA slate is the rug we have in our dining room. It is a beauty and is one of those rugs I see myself having forever. The pattern lends itself to a bit more formal feel in my opinion and I love it for dining rooms, master bedrooms, and living rooms. I love the rug with our dark green walls painted in Benjamin Moore Dark Harbor. The rug pairs really nicely with green and gray tones.
STYLE: Traditional, Transitional
Our custom drapes can be ordered from Drapery Nation and our buffet is from Scout Design Studio
The final rug on the CC and Mike Guide to Buying the Perfect Area Rug is this beauty that my friend Nicole used in her master bedroom. First of all, she is a design genius and second of all, this rug is so phenomenal and I want it for my master bedroom and/or living room. It's such a beauty that it sold out in a heartbeat but the good news is, you can pre-order it at CC and Mike the Shop to make sure you get one before they sell out again. This rug looks AMAZING with leather and deep greens, blacks, copper and has an eclectic vibe that I absolutely love. OMG can we talk about how amazing it would be in a study as well with dark black or natural wood cabinets. Trust me, you're going to be seeing this one in some upcoming design boards and projects from me AND you're going to see it in my house soon. I just can't decide if I want to do the living room or master bedroom. Stay tuned!
Style: Eclectic
COLORS CC RECOMMENDS USING WITH THIS RUG: Olive, leather, chocolate brown, black, white, greens, copper/rust, denim,
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the CC and Mike Guide to Buying the Perfect Area Rug! Hope you find a beauty for your own house and if you do, send me pictures so I can see. It just makes my heart so happy thinking about our rugs in your homes!


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Estimated Elapsed Time: 3 weeks
The Sweet Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a beauty pageant for girls ages 15-18 as part of a fundraiser for a new community pool. Just go with it. It's going to be hosted in the Sweet Valley High auditorium, and Jessica is stoked to participate, because she knows she'll win. Elizabeth is horrified at the concept of the pageant because she believes they're sexist, outdated, and bring women back. So she decides to stage a protest in hopes of changing the minds of Sweet Valley officials. Jessica is horrified that Elizabeth would do this, so the two girls end up fighting a lot and not speaking to one another for most of the book.
Meanwhile, Jessica gets serious about the competition. She hopes to attract the attention of Steven's college buddy Frazer McConnell, who so far has been completely uninterested in her. She also loves the idea of winning–and the rumors about the increasingly extravagant prizes for the winners doesn't seem to hurt her desire, either. People at school keep talking about the prizes, and the winning amount keeps going up–like up to $10,000, which Jessica thinks will buy her a car. But she doesn't consider for a second that giving away that kind of prize money would completely negate the fact that this is a charity fundraiser? Whatever.
Liz is determined to bring the pageant to a grinding halt. She enlists the help of her friends to sign a petition and even goes to the mall to collect signatures and hand out flyers. The group protests in front of the Chamber of Commerce and continues to fight the good fight, much to Jessica's dismay.
As determined as Liz is, Jessica also has a lot of drive and resolve. She figures her biggest competition is not Amy Sutton, who is going to twirl her baton as a talent, but Maggie Simmons, a talented actress at SVH, and Sharon Jefferson, a deaf pianist. Okay. So Jessica decides to take some dance lessons to brush up on her skills. With the help of a loan from her mother, she's able to pay for lessons with Mr. Krezenski, who is actually kind of awesome throughout the book. He's hard on her but tells her she has enormous potential, which helps push her even further towards her goal.
Right before the night of the pageant, Liz discovers a loophole in the SVH bylaws or something. The school can't host an event that is for-profit (it's not really, though) without the express permission of the school's superintendent who has been out of the country all this time. But before she brings this evidence to Mr. Cooper, she talks to Jessica, who tells her about how hard she's been working, and Liz's resolve crumbles. She doesn't say anything, and the show goes on.
During Jessica's dance number, she trips and falls, but gets back up and finishes. She's humiliated, though, and rushes backstage to pack her things and leave halfway through the competition. Liz goes to try to talk her into staying, but Jessica refuses. So Liz puts on Jess's swimsuit and does probably the grossest twin switch the series has seen yet (but we aren't at the Secret Diaries yet, so whatever). Then Jessica ends up rejoining the evening in her dress, and wins the competition! Hooray!
The book ends with Frazer McConnell finally asking Jessica out. Like this was going to end any other way–we already have our ambiguously gay dude in Sweet Valley.
Trivia/Fun Facts:
- Rumor alert: the prizes for the contest allegedly include a shopping spree at Simple Splendor, a brass bed, a stereo, $1,000 cash (or maybe $5,000)
- Actual prizes: free bowling, free video rentals, a haircut, and like $100 cash
- Jessica's perfect pageant dress is a pale pink chiffon number with a full skirt and stitched pearls on the bodice.
- Cara has a cousin named Barbara, and apparently she's pretty hot.
- The school district's superintendent has been away in the Soviet Union to meet with educators there. WHY, though?
Memorable Quotes:
- "Until that day, she had known Mr. Krezenski only by reputation. Elizabeth had watched a special on public television about his career as a dancer and his dramatic, daring escape from some little country in Eastern Europe, and she had talked about practically nothing else for a week after the show." (55)
A (Totally Unqualified) Critical Analysis:
To be honest, this might actually be my favorite Sweet Valley High novel, which makes it harder, though not impossible, to snark on. So here are my thoughts on this:
I see both sides of the argument here, but Elizabeth's argument is a lot stronger. Beauty pageants are totally sexist, totally outdated, and totally ridiculous. But that's just it: they're ridiculous. For the most part, people don't take them seriously, which is probably why Elizabeth has so much trouble drumming up strong support for her cause: NO ONE CARES.
That being said, I think it's super, super weird that this event attracted underage girls to parade around in their bathing suits and no one batted an eye. That doesn't raise red flags for anyone? Really?


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About me
I am a Research Communications Officer at the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management. I am also a researcher at the Department of Zoology, Stockholm University.
You can read more about my research on my website. There you also find my updated publiction list.
PublicationsA selection from Stockholm University publication database
2017. Bodil Elmhagen (et al.). Polar Research 36 (suppl. 1)
Climate change can have a marked effect on the distribution and abundance of some species, as well as their interspecific interactions. In 1992, before ecological effects of anthropogenic climate change had developed into a topical research field, Hersteinsson and Macdonald published a seminal paper hypothesizing that the northern distribution limit of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is determined by food availability and ultimately climate, while the southern distribution limit of the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is determined by interspecific competition with the larger red fox. This hypothesis has inspired extensive research in several parts of the circumpolar distribution range of the Arctic fox. Over the past 25 years, it was shown that red foxes can exclude Arctic foxes from dens, space and food resources, and that red foxes kill and sometimes consume Arctic foxes. When the red fox increases to ecologically effective densities, it can cause Arctic fox decline, extirpation and range contraction, while conservation actions involving red fox culling can lead to Arctic fox recovery. Red fox advance in productive tundra, concurrent with Arctic fox retreat from this habitat, support the original hypothesis that climate warming will alter the geographical ranges of the species. However, recent studies show that anthropogenic subsidies also drive red fox advance, allowing red fox establishment north of its climate-imposed distribution limit. We conclude that synergies between anthropogenic subsidies and climate warming will speed up Arctic ecosystem change, allowing mobile species to establish and thrive in human-provided refugia, with potential spill-over effects in surrounding ecosystems.
Article The changing contribution of top-down and bottom-up limitation of mesopredators during 220 years of land use and climate change2017. Marianne Pasanen-Mortensen (et al.). Journal of Animal Ecology 86 (3), 566-576
Apex predators may buffer bottom-up driven ecosystem change, as top-down suppression may dampen herbivore and mesopredator responses to increased resource availability. However, theory suggests that for this buffering capacity to be realized, the equilibrium abundance of apex predators must increase. This raises the question: will apex predators maintain herbivore/mesopredator limitation, if bottom-up change relaxes resource constraints? Here, we explore changes in mesopredator (red fox Vulpes vulpes) abundance over 220years in response to eradication and recovery of an apex predator (Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx), and changes in land use and climate which are linked to resource availability. A three-step approach was used. First, recent data from Finland and Sweden were modelled to estimate linear effects of lynx density, land use and winter temperature on fox density. Second, lynx density, land use and winter temperature was estimated in a 22650km(2) focal area in boreal and boreo-nemoral Sweden in the years 1830, 1920, 2010 and 2050. Third, the models and estimates were used to project historic and future fox densities in the focal area. Projected fox density was lowest in 1830 when lynx density was high, winters cold and the proportion of cropland low. Fox density peaked in 1920 due to lynx eradication, a mesopredator release boosted by favourable bottom-up changes - milder winters and cropland expansion. By 2010, lynx recolonization had reduced fox density, but it remained higher than in 1830, partly due to the bottom-up changes. Comparing 1830 to 2010, the contribution of top-down limitation decreased, while environment enrichment relaxed bottom-up limitation. Future scenarios indicated that by 2050, lynx density would have to increase by 79% to compensate for a projected climate-driven increase in fox density. We highlight that although top-down limitation in theory can buffer bottom-up change, this requires compensatory changes in apex predator abundance. Hence apex predator recolonization/recovery to historical levels would not be sufficient to compensate for widespread changes in climate and land use, which have relaxed the resource constraints for many herbivores and mesopredators. Variation in bottom-up conditions may also contribute to context dependence in apex predator effects.
2016. D. P. J. Kuijper (et al.). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences 283 (1841)
Large carnivores are frequently presented as saviours of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning through their creation of trophic cascades, an idea largely based on studies coming primarily out of relatively natural landscapes. However, in large parts of the world, particularly in Europe, large carnivores live in and are returning to strongly human-modified ecosystems. At present, we lack a coherent framework to predict the effects of large carnivores in these anthropogenic landscapes. We review how human actions influence the ecological roles of large carnivores by affecting their density or behaviour or those of mesopredators or prey species. We argue that the potential for density-mediated trophic cascades in anthropogenic landscapes is limited to unproductive areas where even low carnivore numbers may impact prey densities or to the limited parts of the landscape where carnivores are allowed to reach ecologically functional densities. The potential for behaviourally mediated trophic cascades may be larger and more widespread, because even low carnivore densities affect prey behaviour. We conclude that predator-prey interactions in anthropogenic landscapes will be highly context-dependent and human actions will often attenuate the ecological effects of large carnivores. We highlight the knowledge gaps and outline a new research avenue to study the role of carnivores in anthropogenic landscapes.
2015. Bodil Elmhagen (et al.). Ambio 44 (1), 39-50
It has been hypothesized that climate warming will allow southern species to advance north and invade northern ecosystems. We review the changes in the Swedish mammal and bird community in boreal forest and alpine tundra since the nineteenth century, as well as suggested drivers of change. Observed changes include (1) range expansion and increased abundance in southern birds, ungulates, and carnivores; (2) range contraction and decline in northern birds and carnivores; and (3) abundance decline or periodically disrupted dynamics in cyclic populations of small and medium-sized mammals and birds. The first warm spell, 1930-1960, stands out as a period of substantial faunal change. However, in addition to climate warming, suggested drivers of change include land use and other anthropogenic factors. We hypothesize all these drivers interacted, primarily favoring southern generalists. Future research should aim to distinguish between effects of climate and land-use change in boreal and tundra ecosystems.
2014. William J. Ripple (et al.). Science 343 (6167), 151-+
Large carnivores face serious threats and are experiencing massive declines in their populations and geographic ranges around the world. We highlight how these threats have affected the conservation status and ecological functioning of the 31 largest mammalian carnivores on Earth. Consistent with theory, empirical studies increasingly show that large carnivores have substantial effects on the structure and function of diverse ecosystems. Significant cascading trophic interactions, mediated by their prey or sympatric mesopredators, arise when some of these carnivores are extirpated from or repatriated to ecosystems. Unexpected effects of trophic cascades on various taxa and processes include changes to bird, mammal, invertebrate, and herpetofauna abundance or richness; subsidies to scavengers; altered disease dynamics; carbon sequestration; modified stream morphology; and crop damage. Promoting tolerance and coexistence with large carnivores is a crucial societal challenge that will ultimately determine the fate of Earth's largest carnivores and all that depends upon them, including humans.
2013. Marianne Pasanen-Mortensen, Markku Pyykonen, Bodil Elmhagen. Global Ecology and Biogeography 22 (7), 868-877
Aim Climate change and loss of apex predators can affect ecosystem structure and function through modified limitation processes. We investigated, on a continental scale, whether mesopredator abundance is limited from the top down by large predators, as predicted by the mesopredator release hypothesis, or by bottom-up factors. The mesopredator in focus is the red fox Vulpes vulpes, a key predator in many ecosystems due to its strong effects on prey abundance. Location Europe and northern Asia. Methods Data on red fox density were compiled from published papers and reports. For each site, we collated presence-absence data on large carnivores (Lynx lynx, Canis lupus, Canisaureus) and remote sensing data for factors potentially related to bottom-up limitation (winter severity, summer temperature, human density, primary productivity, tree cover). The data were analysed through structural equation modelling. Results The presence of lynx had a direct negative effect on red foxes, suppressing fox abundance. Also winter severity had a negative effect on red fox abundance, and in Eurasia as a whole this effect was partially mediated through lynx. Within the lynx distribution range, winter severity was the only bottom-up factor significantly affecting red fox abundance. Outside the lynx distribution range, primary productivity, summer temperature and human density had a positive effect on red fox abundance. Main conclusions Our results show that apex predators can limit mesopredator abundance on a continental scale, thus supporting the mesopredator release hypothesis. Winter severity also affected red fox abundance, partially due to an interaction between lynx and winter conditions. On the continental scale a complex network of processes operates with varying effects depending on mediation processes. Our results imply that apex predators can have an important effect on ecosystem structure by limiting mesopredator abundance, and we suggest that apex predators may dampen increases in mesopredator abundance driven by global warming.
Article Changes in vole and lemming fluctuations in northern Sweden 1960-2008 revealed by fox dynamics2011. Bodil Elmhagen (et al.). Annales Zoologici Fennici 48 (3), 167-179
Cyclic dynamics with extensive spatial synchrony has long been regarded as characteristic of key herbivores at high latitudes. This contrasts to recent reports of fading cycles in arvicoline rodents in boreal and alpine Fennoscandia. We investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of boreal red fox and alpine arctic fox in Sweden as a proxy for the dynamics of their main prey, voles and Norwegian lemming, respectively. We analyse data from five decades, 1960-2008, with wavelets and autocorrelation approaches. Cyclic dynamics were identified with at least one method in all populations (arctic fox n = 3, red fox n = 6). The dynamics were synchronous between populations, or coupled with a 1-yr lag, in 8 of 13 pairwise comparisons. Importantly though, the dynamics were heterogeneous in space and time. All analytical approaches identified fading cycles in the three arctic fox populations and two northern red fox populations. At least one method identified similar patterns in three southern red fox populations. Red fox dynamics were cyclic in the 1970s primarily, while arctic fox dynamics was cyclic until the late 1980s or early 1990s. When cyclic, 4-yr cycles dominated in arctic fox and northern red fox, whilst 3-4-yr cycles was found in southern red foxes. Significant cyclic regimes reappeared in the 1990s or 2000s in two red fox populations and one arctic fox population. Cycles and regionally coupled dynamics appeared associated in northern arctic and red foxes. This study supports accumulating evidence which suggests that cyclic and synchronous patterns in the dynamics of lemmings and voles are nonstationary in space and time. Furthermore, the similar patterns of change in both fox species indicate that persistence of cycles is governed by similar mechanisms in lemmings and voles.
2010. Bodil Elmhagen (et al.). Journal of Animal Ecology 79 (4), 785-794
1. The Mesopredator Release Hypothesis (MRH) suggests that top predator suppression of mesopredators is a key ecosystem function with cascading impacts on herbivore prey, but it remains to be shown that this top-down cascade impacts the large-scale structure of ecosystems.
2. The Exploitation Ecosystems Hypothesis (EEH) predicts that regional ecosystem structures are determined by top-down exploitation and bottom-up productivity. In contrast to MRH, EEH assumes that interference among predators has a negligible impact on the structure of ecosystems with three trophic levels.
3. We use the recolonisation of a top predator in a three-level boreal ecosystem as a natural experiment to test if large-scale biomass distributions and population trends support MRH. Inspired by EEH, we also test if top-down interference and bottom-up productivity impact regional ecosystem structures.
4. We use data from the Finnish Wildlife Triangle Scheme which has monitored top predator (lynx Lynx lynx), mesopredator (red fox Vulpes vulpes) and prey (mountain hare Lepus timidus) abundance for 17 years in a 200 000 km2 study area which covers a distinct productivity gradient.
5. Fox biomass was lower than expected from productivity where lynx biomass was high, while hare biomass was lower than expected from productivity where fox biomass was high. Hence, where interference controlled fox abundance, lynx had an indirect positive impact on hare abundance as predicted by MRH. The rates of change indicated that lynx expansion gradually suppressed fox biomass.
6. Lynx status caused shifts between ecosystem structures. In the "interference ecosystem", lynx and hare biomass increased with productivity whilst fox biomass did not. In the "mesopredator release ecosystem", fox biomass increased with productivity but hare biomass did not. Thus, biomass controlled top-down did not respond to changes in productivity. This fulfils a critical prediction of EEH.
7. We conclude that the cascade involving top predators, mesopredators and their prey can determine large-scale biomass distribution patterns and regional ecosystem structures. Hence, interference within trophic levels has to be taken into account to understand how terrestrial ecosystem structures are shaped.
2007. Bodil Elmhagen, Steve Rushton. Ecology Letters 10 (3), 197-206
It has been argued that widespread extinctions of top predators have changed terrestrial ecosystem structures through mesopredator release, where increased abundances of medium-sized predators have detrimental effects on prey communities. This top-down concept has received much attention within conservation biology, but few studies have demonstrated the phenomenon. The concept has been criticized since alternative explanations involving bottom-up impacts from bioclimatic effects on ecosystem productivity and from anthropogenic habitat change are rarely considered. We analyse the response of a mesopredator (the red fox) to declines in top predators (wolf and Eurasian lynx) and agricultural expansion over 90 years in Sweden, taking bioclimatic effects into account. We show a top-down mesopredator release effect, but ecosystem productivity determined its strength. The impacts of agricultural activity were mediated by their effects on top predator populations. Thus, both top-down and bottom-up processes need to be understood for effective preservation of biodiversity in anthropogenically transformed ecosystems.


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Bruce Bethke was a regular contributor to Amazing Stories in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as to a wide variety of other magazines. A critically acclaimed and award-winning science fiction novelist, he takes strangely perverse pride in knowing that he once managed to convince the editor of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine that his unabashed swashbuckling pirate story was in fact a science fiction story. Bethke can be contacted through his Web site, www.BruceBethke.com.
Bruce Bethke
Good. Bad. I'm the Guy with the Lightsaber.
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Alimentary, My Dear Catherine
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- From Castle Dracula to Merlotte's Bar & Grill
- James Bond: Now More Than Ever
King Kong 2005
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Star Wars as Anime
from Star Wars on Trial
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Nowadays, almost every single business is capable of generating terabytes of data from internal business processes to external sources. For sure, data will never cease to flow in.
The main point is what to do with it. In fact, data only becomes useful when it is transformed into valid information, which is when it can be used to support the (right) decisions.
The real challenge here is to define and implement a process to make this transformation within the available budget and, at same time, keeping up with the speed that the business imposes in order to react to customers' demand and competition.
This article looks to Artificial Intelligence as a tool to help businesses convert data into valid information and automate simple decisions. In order to do this, we developed a Proof of Concept (PoC) with the Social Customer Service (Social Media) department. For the AI we used Wit and for case management solution, Salesforce.com was used.
The objective of the PoC was to enable Users to rebook flights using Artificial Intelligence (Wit). That is, to process a request without human intervention while giving the Users the impression of talking with humans and not with a chatbot.
What's Wit?
Wit - speech or writing showing such perception and expression, powers of intelligent observation, keen perception, ingenious contrivance, or the like; mental acuity, composure, mental faculties. (dictionary)
The main goal of the Wit is to give a system the capacity of converting loose sentences into structured data.
The Wit API allows HTTP GET calls to return the extracted meaning from a given sentence based on examples. The API authenticates with OAuth2 and returns JSON formatted responses.
Yes a tool that allows a system to give feedback in real time simulating intelligent responses.
And we, Right It Services, managed to integrate WIT into Salesforce. How?
Well, first we defined all the keywords that were meaningful for a given business topic and the respective responses wanted for each/group of keywords.
Next, we loaded in Salesforce the questions/sentences and automatic display of the result on real time chat window, as you can see in the image below.
How was this technically implemented?
Before going into technical details, let us explain some Wit concepts.
Wit encapsulates internally two types of objects: Intents and Entities.
The Intent is what you want, what you really need – it's the object that groups the keywords to find in text. In our experiment, the customer's requests are normally formulated as questions. In Wit language, those are known as expressions.
Example: You want to ask about the weather. The expressions are then grouped it in an Intent named "Weather":
- What is the weather in London?
- How is going to be the weather tomorrow in Lisbon?
It's in the Entity level where you define proper responses that you want to send back when the word "weather" is use. For example, "what is the weather for tomorrow" adding a date in the equation.
The Entity is the word that you can "mark" in the text to be more precise, for instance a time/place/city. This will help to find the right response for the request.
For instance: "What is the weather forecast for tomorrow in Lisbon", adding even more detail to gain more confidence in the response.
With these two objects, you will have all you need to teach Wit to respond accurately: all the logic behind lies here!
So, when you ask something, Wit will try to find in your text the most amount of Entities possible and try to find the Intent that is closest to your text. Then, it will return the response/answer, including also the confidence level . The confidence level is a categorization that goes from 0% to 100% and represents the level of trust of a given Wit response. The response is given in the language that was requested. In this PoC, no language detection was done within Wit (out-of-scope).
Now that you understand how Wit works, let us try to explain how we integrated it with Salesforce.
The first challenge was to set the connectivity along with the parsing of the result. The second was to use the look and feel of Salesforce with the appearance of a normal conversation, having a question or expression and the response below.
In terms of connectivity, we created a Visualforce Page and placed there JavaScript code that used Ajax to perform the connection and used JSON to get the responses synchronously. Then, the tricky part was to manage the results... Each question made and response returned were stored in an object called "Conversation By User", which saves the last interaction even after a logout.
Let's look into two examples
Request: "What is the weather tomorrow?"
Wit JSON result:
(jsonResult,{"msg_id":"188db66c-eff4-4396-8ec2-5f9a04a39b9a","_text":"What is the weather tomorrow","outcomes":[{"_text":"What is the weather tomorrow?","confidence":0.385,"intent":"Involuntary","entities":{"message_subject":[{"confidence":0.9720439175337532,"type":"value","value":"weather","suggested":true}]}}],"WARNING":"DEPRECATED"})
Request: "I need to change my address"
Wit JSON result:
(jsonResult,{"msg_id":"8bac66cc-0938-4e57-a718-6e2197446f82","_text":"I need to change my adress","outcomes":[{"_text":"I need to change my adress","confidence":0.712,"intent":"Voluntary","entities":{"message_subject":[{"confidence":0.9949072860994589,"type":"value","value":"change my adress","suggested":true}],"CaseTopic":[{"confidence":0.6697589129133823,"value":"destination"}]}}],"WARNING":"DEPRECATED"})
It looks complicated but with the method JSON.deserializeUntyped you can extract the result easily.
Insert each results in the Object "Conversation By User" and then show it on the Visualforce Page using the controller to do the queries. This object will store all conversations from all users, grouping them by user and date.
Now, with this, you just have to set the most Intents and Entities in your system in a way that allows users to have intelligent conversations with Salesforce, Microsoft SharePoint, Oracle... CRM or not, it doesn't matter: "the Cloud may be the limit"...
Then look into your company and let your imagination flow...Does your company sell pizza and your clients want to place an order, without having to dial to a call center or send an email? You name it...


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John and Julie are in full gear...the parties have begun! We are thrilled to have a NEW LAMb "explorer" there with our on the ground team - the Wrights. James Weening from Barrie is there too - scouting out and helping out. Go James! We are praying for you and for your time serving our dear friends, children, elderly and disabled.
Check the blog:
THE LAMb Team


text: REDEVELOPMENT: SMALL BUSINESSES HOPE EVENTS WILL DRAW NEW PATRONS TO THEIR STOREFRONTS. Newhall District Events Drum Up Late Night Business By Jessica Vernabe Monday, July 4, 2011 Tweet Entertainment: The "Senses" event in Newhall draws crowds downtown for live music performances and more. Many downtown Newhall businesses are staying open late in hopes of capturing a windfall from Santa Clarita events, aimed to boost business in the city's redevelopment area... Take 1 minute to subscribe and you'll get this story immediately, plus: Already a subscriber? Sign in 26 biweekly issues Subscriber-only digital content for prime stories Book of Lists — the most comprehensive business resource in the Valley region Yours for only $49 First name: Last name: Email: Address: Zip: CC Number: Cvv: Exp Month: Exp Year:


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When home brewing is mentioned, the first question that beer lovers ask is what they need to get started. It may sound impossible but with the right equipment, it is possible. The starter kit might sound pricey but it is affordable and that is the only time you will have to spend a lot while brewing.
A Good Thermometer
In beer production, there are the recommended temperatures in each phase. For example, the temperature should be normal which means it's not too hot or too cold before adding the yeast. How do you measure the temperature? You can only do so with a good thermometer otherwise your easy may not be effective or good beer production will just be a dream.
Just like commercial beers are measured, you will need a hydrometer. This is a device that will help you measure the alcohol strength in your beer and this is done after brewing is completed.
A Long-Handled Spoon
You will need a long-handled spoon in order to stir the brew comfortably. The best material for the spoon is stainless steel. Avoid spoons that are too short as you could burn your hands as well as spoons that are made of wood. A fairly long and large is the most ideal.
A Fermenter
Once you are done with brewing, you will need a fermenter to store the beer. This is where you will transfer your beer once you have made it. There are various fermenters that you can choose from.
Get a Plastic Hose and Bottle Filler
The beer should be transferred to a bottling bucket after successful fermentation. To do this, you will need a plastic hose and bottle filler. To transfer your beer to the individual bottles, you should connect the plastic hose to a siphon and bottle filler. Avoid using the hose only as it will be a challenge to transfer the beer and instead use bottle filler that makes things less messy.
Beer Bottles and Caps
Get unused bottle caps. Ensure that you sanitize your bottles before you transfer the beer into the. It's highly advisable that you use tinted bottles to preserve the beer better. Once you have transferred the beer into the bottles you will need to fix the caps using a bottle capper.
It's not such an easy task to make your own brew at home but when you practice, it will not be such a hard task. Ensure that your alcohol strength is as you wanted it thus have a hydrometer to measure that. Sanitizing your equipment, surfaces and hands is pretty important.


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By Cailyn Derickson, UNC Media Hub
HUQOQ, Israel — A line of military tanks rolled down the streets of Jerusalem. A screeching siren pierced the air, and people ran from their houses and ducked into bomb shelters.
"Are those the air raid sirens?" Jodi Magness asked her friends.
It was 1973 and the Yom Kippur War had just broken out. Syria and Egypt had invaded Israel.
Magness, 16 at the time, and her friends climbed onto the roof of an apartment building. Below them, they watched a never-ending line of military vehicles drive into the distance. Jerusalem was under a black-out, and the city was dark. The lights from the surrounding villages speckled the sky line.


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Ace Kingdom has a thorough and comprehensive Help page that probably has the answer to your query. However, if you can't deal with your problem all by yourself, do not hesitate to contact the live support. In our experience, the customer support can take longer to respond, but this is only because there are a lot of players. Sure, no player deserves to wait in line, but sometimes things are how they are and nobody can change them, well, not instantly. Another more reliable way is to simply send them an e-mail and the provided address. For urgent matters, we recommend you to give them a phone call.
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|Ace Kingdom Casino Review Overview
|Ace Kingdom Casino
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|Popular Slots Covered:
|6.5 %
|34.1 %


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Wednesday just seems to keep happening, like… every week!
This week… What's been going on this week. Well, I finished my Butterfly Garden quilt top and now it's stashed away in a closet with the backing fabric. It's looking like it's going to be a donation quilt. While I think it's pretty, I just don't love it.
The Summer Sampler Series is going pretty well. Today's block is a millionty HSTs and we have errands to do outside the house today, so I may not get it done until tonight or even tomorrow. Here's my blocks so far:
Crochet- I actually have done some! I just need to do some more. 😀
Potty-training- I'd say we're about halfway there! She's pretty much day-trained, now we just need to work on using the potty in public places (public toilets terrify her, I can't say I blame her) and diaper-free nap and bedtimes.
Thank you Lee! Go and check out Lee's great blog and other WiPs!


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Honouring Educational Leadership
Corner Stone Publications and Global Montessori Coaching Institute are emerging educational networks, committed to provide latest and globally accepted trend to Education sector of Pakistan. Particularly established with a vision to change dynamics of teaching and learning processes of education in Pakistan in compliance with international 21st Century horizon. Corner Stone Publications and Global Montessori Coaching Institute aims to organize an awards ceremony to honour the educational leadership across the country. Nominations are invited from Principals, Directors and School Heads.
Eligiblity Criteria:
1. Schools offering Matriculation Stream.
2. Schools displaying excellence in any discipline within last five years.
3. Schools with 500 strength minimum.
Asmat Zahra CEO Global Montessori Coaching Institute
Ali Farhan CEO Corner Stone Publications


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Haqqani is an author, journalist and political activist, who has served as political adviser to Nawaz Sharif and spokesperson for Benazir Bhutto. He was also Pakistan's ambassador to Sri Lanka and he taught international relations at Boston University.
As the United Nations Security Council's sanctions team visits Pakistan, and pressure builds on it to act against Hafiz Saeed, THE WEEK speaks to author and former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, on the islamist militant, Donald Trump's Pakistan policy and why he thinks Pervez Musharraf is a 'desperate' liar. Excerpts:
Aid cuts by the US to Pakistan have happened before—$800 million by the Obama administration, right after Osama bin Laden was taken out of Pakistan, for example. Why should we see President Trump's response to Pakistan as a departure from the past?
I think what must be taken into account is President Trump is not acting just impulsively. Something has built up over the years. President [George W.] Bush's efforts of incentivising Pakistan into changing its position, President Obama's effort at offering incentives first and then caution later—all that hasn't worked. Now, the American system, so to speak, is willing to look at alternatives. And, there are those who say they can be engaged with Pakistan, but, at the same time, recognise that you will not succeed as long as Pakistan continues to support the Taliban. If it acts as the arsonist and fire brigade, both at the same time, the fire is not going to go out.
But, break it down into specifics. When you and Lisa Curtis, now in the Trump administration, co-wrote a seminal paper on Pakistan, you said that America had to understand that Pakistan was not an ally. You said the option must be kept open for Pakistan to be declared a terrorist state and, most significantly, you said that America must retain the option to directly target safe havens of terrorists inside Pakistan. Are you then saying that the use of force is very much on the table for Trump?
Let's start with the first point that the American alliance with Pakistan is actually over. What makes nations allies? It is a shared interest or a shared enemy. Well, in this case, there is no shared interest.
Cutting off aid by itself is not enough. You agree?
Cutting aid alone will not work....
Are you recommending hot pursuit and attacks on safe havens inside Pakistan?
I am not recommending anything specific, right now. Let me explain the context. If you are not allies, then the constraints on your policy and your actions that come from having a country as an ally are removed. That includes hot pursuit.
This is very important. You are saying the first thing America has to recognise is that Pakistan is not an ally. Because, you don't owe the same answers that you would to an ally.
Absolutely. Similarly with drone strikes. Previously, because you were conducting drone strikes in the territory of an ally, you were bound by the restrictions, or boxes, an ally puts on them. You can do them [strikes] only in these boxes, along the border or in tribal areas. The Trump administration has already done at least seven drone strikes that have been outside the old boxes—they have been further deep.
So, if you stop seeing Pakistan as an ally, other options are more easily on the table?
Absolutely. More than that, it also becomes possible to do targeted sanctions against individuals from the security services. So, Pakistan has to have a complete rethink. Do we want to go from our 70-year embrace of Uncle Sam to a new embrace of Auntie China just because we hate Brother India? Or, do we want to reconsider all our foreign policy options?
Naysayers say that Trump's approach to Pakistan may push it into China's embrace. They point out that the the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is bringing billions of dollars worth of infrastructure into Pakistan, and that Pakistan has become a virtual colony of China.
Pakistan is already as close to China as it can be. CPEC was planned and its execution had started long before President Trump said anything about Pakistan. The question is, do the Pakistani elite now want to go on a holiday to Beijing rather than to New York? Do they want their children to be in Fudan University rather than Harvard? I don't think that time has come. Pakistan as a nation has wasted 70 years by thinking of its national purpose as being in competition with India.
The reason many of us are cynical is because of terrorists like Hafiz Saeed. The prime minister of Pakistan goes on national television and refers to him as 'sahib', says that there is no case against him.
But, the prime minister is unlikely to come on television and say 'Husain Haqqani sahib has no case against him. So, he is welcome to come back to Islamabad tomorrow.'
So, Haqqani cannot go to Pakistan and cannot contest an election, but Hafiz Saeed can demand to contest elections and can be called sahib?
And, Husain Haqqani, right now, probably doesn't want to go and contest an election, and Hafiz Saeed probably does.
Does that dichotomy capture the crisis of Pakistan for you?
Yes, it does. I have always said that Malala Yousafzai cannot go back. Forget about this Haqqani, I am too small a person. Malala is Pakistan's Nobel Laureate and an icon to the world. There are many people who are respected outside Pakistan, but in Pakistan they are painted as enemies of Pakistan. That shows that Pakistan is actually already isolated in a certain way.
Former president and army chief of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, who called you a traitor, supports Saeed.
There are cases of treason and violation of the constitution against general Musharraf that are pending and he hasn't faced those proceedings. So, it would be better for him to restrain his choice of words. But, he is an elderly general who cannot come to terms with him not being in the limelight anymore. So, he tries to get attention by saying the most outrageous things, including what he said in defence of Hafiz Saeed, even though his government, while he was in power, was the first to put restrictions on Hafiz Saeed.
But, now he is the biggest supporter of Hafiz Saeed. And, if Saeed is allowed to contest in elections, Musharraf would like to tie up with the front organisation of the Lashkar. But, the Pakistan military protects their former chief and he was allowed to leave the country. How can India make sense of this?
There is no sense to it. For a former army chief to think of an illegitimate group, which is recognised as a terrorist group, only undermines the Pakistani state.
Why do you think no government in Pakistan is able to stop Saeed?
I think that it has to do with the lack of will on the part of our security establishment.
Why would Trump's Pakistan policy be any different?
First of all, we must understand that President Trump does not get into the nuances. He has a relatively straight calculator. Second, he sees the economic dimension as more important. India is a future economic partner. He sees no benefit in Pakistan.


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|Important Items in this Area
|Contain Materia
|Cursed Ring
Shopping in Mideel
If you've been talking to people while exploring with the Highwind, you'll probably have heard some mention of the Lifestream and some "southern islands", which, as far-fetched as that seems, is Cloud's only chance of having survived. There are no other leads, so head over to some islands along the south-eastern corner of the map, where you may have done some grinding earlier in the game during the "Exploring With the Tiny Bronco" section of the guide. Now that you have the airship, you can land on the elevated part of the island that contains the town of Mideel, nestled in some jungles.
Enter the town, which seems unaffected by all the strife outside. Must be nice. There's an item shop under a bridge to the east wherein you'll find a… very aggressive shopper who has decided to make a run on the stores given the impending crisis. Talk to her and listen to her hysterics, then talk to her little white chickabo (that's a baby Chocobo, of course) and, if you have some Mimett Greens, feed them to it and scratch behind its ear to get the Contain Materia .
Note (Contain Materia): Contain Materia allows you to cast some of the strongest attack spells in the game, including the spells "Freeze", "Break", "Tornado" and "Flare"… once it's leveled up, anyways. Pairing it with the Added Effect Materia will give you immunity to the Confusion, Petrify and Stop status effects (Stop is not otherwise prevented by a Ribbon).
Item Shop
|Phoenix Down
Head up some wooden stairs and enter a weapon shop, where the burgeoning monopolist is again trying to buy up the entire store's stock. Talk to her again, then talk to the store owner, who will be selling what is arguably the best assortment of weapons and armor any shop has had yet. Most of the weapons have an Attack score in the mid 70s with six Materia sockets (three pairs of joined sockets). The Crystal Bangle is also an upgrade over the Diamond Bangle, but it's debatable if it's superior to any of the elemental armors you found earlier. Last and least, the Wizard Bracelet is a treat for anybody who wants as many Materia sockets as possible… and who doesn't care too much about defense. Before you leave, inspect the back door in the weapon shop, which will allow us to obtain a free accessory shortly.
Weapon Shop
|Crystal Sword
|Crystal Glove
|A-M Cannon
|Crystal Comb
|Crystal Cross
|Crystal M-Phone
|Crystal Bangle
|Wizard Bracelet
Return outside and continue up another flight of stairs, then cross the bridge to the west to reach the accessory shop, which doesn't seem like much of a shop at a glace. Talk to the lady cooking and she'll sell you some accessories. When you're done here head outside and look for a man standing on the corner of the accessory store's porch. Walk west from him until you head a "clink" sound, then search the ground to find a "Beat-up Useless Old Key". Beat-up? Old? Sure. Useless? Not quite. Return to the weapon shop and try to use the key on the door. When things don't go according to plan, tell the shopkeeper the truth and he'll tell you a downright silly story about the door, but you will get a Cursed Ring accessory, which will greatly boost your stats… if you don't mind being put under the effects of the "Death Sentence" spell every battle.
Accessory Shop
|Fire Ring
|Ice Ring
|Bolt Ring
|Fairy Ring
|Jem Ring
|White Cape
Leave the weapon shop and head down the wooden stairs to the east, then go north to find another shop, this time a Materia shop. Talk to the deranged shopper again, then peruse the merchant's wares, which… aren't terribly impressive.
Materia Shop
|HP Plus Materia
|MP Plus Materia
|Transform Materia
|Gravity Materia
|Destruct Materia
Alive, But Not Well
Exit the Materia shop and then travel west under the weapon shop to find a dog, which Tifa can't help but interact with. While doing so, she overhears two geezers talking about some "pokey-headed young thing" who "washed up here on the shore". As they keep talking, they seem to be obviously describing somebody you know, and Tifa is only too quick to interrupt them. They'll point her to the nearby clinic, and Tifa throws caution to the wind and rushes in, only to find out that "alive" doesn't necessarily mean "well".
A short time later, Tifa will come out of the clinic and make an unwelcome announcement. Apparently, Cloud is the only thing that matters to her, and despite the fact that sitting here with him will do no good, that's exactly what she's going to do. Well, it's not like she could be out helping, or that Cloud is dead if Meteor hits anyways, right? Back on the Highwind what's left of the team will discuss their next steps.
Note: After all the chatter, when you're back in control you can return to Mideel and enter the house west of the dog, where you'll find an Elixir on a bed. If you snatch it, the old man will complain, but you'll get to keep your ill-gotten gains.


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Initiatives are grassroots democracy at its best
Guest Commentary
Last updated 10/11/2018 at 5:52pm
Tis the season.
We have four seasons in Eastern Washington: basketball season, dry season, fire season and political season. We are slowly making it through the season for politics. As bad as it seems, it could be worse.
We could be in a presidential election year. National politics are depressing. Issues don't seem to matter. Am I the only one who is tired of having my favorite TV program interrupted by candidates bashing each other? If this continues into "Dancing With the Stars," I am going to scream.
How many good people are we willing to sacrifice on the altar of partisan politi...
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Christmas music goes country on Monday, Dec. 5, during Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas Concert. The concert, part of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 2016-2017 Furgason Bravo! Series, will take place in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at 7:30 p.m.
"We're thrilled to present an artist such as Michael Martin Murphey who has had such longevity and success across musical genres," said Dr. Lari Young, Director of the PAC. "This will be his 12th consecutive year coming to the Island University."
Murphey, a guitarist, singer and songwriter, is an accomplished musician who began his career in Dallas in the 1960's. His music blends country, folk and rock music into a unique musical style all his own. Widely respected in the pop and country western music scenes, Murphey's story-telling song, "Wildfire," reached No. 1 on the Radio & Records Chart and Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart. Murphey came up with the innovative concert concept, "Cowboy Christmas," in 1987 and has since become a trademarked touring show.
"It is my hope that Murphey's concert will touch the audiences' hearts," said Young. "The timeless songs he performs and the unique atmosphere he creates is something you don't see and hear every day."
Tickets cost $25-$35 for general admission and $7 for children and Islander students with a valid SandDollar$ ID. Tickets can be purchased online at http://tamucc.tix.com or by phone at 361.825.ARTS. Discounts are available for A&M-Corpus Christi faculty, staff and students at the PAC Box Office.
Sponsors for the 2016-2017 Furgason Bravo! Series include Whataburger and Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation's Arts and Cultural Commission.


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Market Commentary for 7/26/18
I've noticed far fewer bad corn crop pictures and farmer complaints this year versus previous years. Most farmers are generally happy with crop conditions. Usually by mid-July at least some farmers are complaining about drought conditions and wondering why corn isn't at $5. This could be a sign for a huge crop, or at least a very good crop.
Some in the trade have focused discussions to ear weight as a reason why prices should increase. They say too much June heat forced corn to grow too fast, which compromised the health of the plant and the weight of the ear. If true, this could have a big impact on yield production. In the past few years though, ear weight ended up being higher than many thought, which caused underestimating national yields prematurely.
Still, in 2010 many thought there would be a record production in August, but final national yields were 10 bushels less than what was estimated. There is still a lot of growing season left until harvest and no one knows for sure what final yields will be.
Don't Give Your Storage Away
All too often farmers are too focused on cash prices and don't pay enough attention to their storage expenses. However, if farmers want bigger premiums and profits, they need to think about grain marketing differently than "conventional" wisdom. This is especially true in years when grain prices are at or under breakeven points. Following illustrates a mistake many farmers make who do NOT have 100% on-farm storage capacity.
Many farmers make their first, and maybe only, sale before harvest for December or January delivery to capture some market carry premium while also allowing them to core their bins during the winter. This makes perfect sense for farmers with 100% on-farm storage, but for farmers who don't have full storage on their farm, it is usually a mistake.
For example, in May corn prices for harvest delivery were $4.25 while January delivery was $4.35. This meant there was a 10 cent market carry premium for a farmer to hold their grain after harvest for 2 months (i.e. 5 cents/month). Seeing this premium, some farmers sold some of their corn they were storing at home thinking they were getting a good deal. But now corn is under $3.80, and since these farmers don't want to sell for that price, they will likely have to pay storage fees at a commercial facility for around 5 cents/month waiting for prices to increase.
Put another way, these farmers likely will wipe away all market carry profits from the original trade on grain storage fees waiting for higher prices on stored corn in a commercial facility. If these farmers have to wait for 6 months after harvest looking for a big rally they will be incurring 30 cents in storage fees. In the end these farmers are 20 cents behind. (10 cent profit from market carry sale, less the 30 cent 6 month storage fee on any unpriced grain in commercial storage).
Obviously I understand the need to core bins centers in the winter and I appreciate that farmers are trying to secure market carry with January delivery. However, a better idea would be to sell grain for harvest delivery on that first sale and look to make more harvest sales down the road as prices increase. Most end users will allow farmers to move a sale for harvest delivery forward in time if it is discussed ahead of time with the buyer. Most end users should be willing to pay the farmer a premium to do so, because the market is paying a premium to hold grain in storage and it's harder to buy bushels later on than during the middle of harvest.
Many farmers can wait until February or even March to core their bins centers out, this could provide another additional two free months of on-farm storage. This allows for even more time for prices to rally on any unpriced grain, and that doesn't even take into account the possible basis bump potential. Thus, by waiting, farmers aren't "giving away any storage."
It's difficult for farmers without 100% on-farm storage to estimate their storage needs each year. That's why I suggest hedging with futures. This allows for flexibility in deciding when, where and how much grain to move. Plus it leaves the option open to pick up market carry premium too. Flexibility in your grain marketing strategy and sometimes "going against the grain" will lead to increased profitability.
To get my enewsletter sent directly to you every week, send me an email: [email protected]
Jon Scheve
Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC
This email material is for the sole use of the intended recipient, and cannot be reproduced, disseminated, distributed or electronically transmitted, including any attachments, without the prior written permission of Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC.. Even though the information contained herein is believed to be reliable, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness, and the views and opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. Trading commodities involves risk and one should fully understand those risks before buying or selling futures or options. This data is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be used for specific trading strategies.


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Few people on Wall Street are as polarizing as Eddie Lampert, the billionaire majority shareholder of Sears and Kmart. His friends say he is reticent, while his critics find him aloof. His pals talk about his very high standards, while some observers say he is condescending, overly critical, and disengaged. Some people praise his determination and persistence, while others see only inexplicable stubbornness in sticking to failed ideas. "His critics will say he's not really a team guy. He is a team guy," insists Lampert's close friend David "Tiger" Williams, a well-known Wall Street trader. "The Eddie I know works incessantly because he's a 'figure-it-out guy.' "
Williams believes that Lampert is a target for criticism because he is "a very shy person" and avoids the public eye. But Mark Cohen, who was C.E.O. of Sears Canada from 2001 to 2004, and now is a professor at Columbia Business School, says that Lampert is "the wizard behind the curtain, managing the business from Florida or Connecticut or aboard his yacht" via teleconference and taking from the company all he can. While admitting he runs the company primarily from Florida, Lampert counters that he has put a fortune of his own money into the business. Cohen responds that Lampert's money is collateralized against hard assets, of which Lampert will take control if the company defaults on the loans. (A spokesperson for Lampert says that can happen only if Lampert is the highest bidder, and the purchase is approved by the bankruptcy court, "generally speaking.")
Once a wunderkind, who at 25 established his own hedge fund, ESL, Lampert is 55 now and celebrating the silver anniversary of managing his own money and that of a few select billionaires, such as entertainment mogul David Geffen, Michael Dell, Thomas Tisch, and the Ziff publishing family. He has had legendary successes, such as his investment in AutoZone, the auto-parts retailer, in which he made a profit of around $750 million, at least 20 times his investment, and AutoNation, the car dealership, from which he has made $1.5 billion (and in which he still owns a large stake). He has also made winners out of Honeywell, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Liz Claiborne Inc.
But today those triumphs are largely obscured by his worst mistake: the 2005 merging of Sears, the iconic retailer whose doorstop mail-order catalogue was once a fixture in nearly every American home, with the downmarket Kmart chain, which he had brought out of bankruptcy in 2003. Twelve years on, this blundering into retail has made him a poster boy for what some people think is wrong with Wall Street and, in particular, hedge funds. Under his management the number of Sears and Kmart stores nationwide has shrunk to 1,207 from 5,670 at its peak, in the 2000s, and at least 200,000 Sears and Kmart employees have been thrown out of work. The pension fund, for retired Sears employees, is underfunded by around $1.6 billion, and both Lampert and Sears are being sued for investing employees' retirement money in Sears stock, when the top brass allegedly knew it was a terrible investment. (Lampert's spokesperson responds, "ESL never encouraged anybody to invest in Sears Holdings stock. The associate stock-purchase plan began in 2006. It was perceived to be an effective employee retention and incentive tool.")
In 2013, Lampert, who was chairman of the board, had himself named C.E.O. of Sears Holdings, as the combined company is known. He's had a rough four years since then. The company has suffered some $10.4 billion in losses and a revenue decline of 47 percent, to $22 billion. Those stores that remain open are often shabby, with minimal inventory and few customers. A year ago the company admitted, for the first time, that there was some risk of its ability to continue as "a going-concern," a technical accounting term that sent shudders through the ranks of Sears's employees, vendors, and creditors, because it is often a precursor to a bankruptcy filing.


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Catania airport serves eastern Sicily - a truly magical area of Sicily. These luxury villas are all close to the airport meaning you can enjoy a care-free holiday in soaked in Sicilian sun. With extraordinary settings and wonderful surroundings, these villas are a real treat. Spending time by the pool, or soaking up the sun on the terrace will be a daily occurrence. If you want to head out and explore there's a whole world of fun and exciting things to discover: from Mount Etna to Catania, with beautiful beaches, wineries and much more as well!
Spectacular Views
Panoramic Pool
Relaxing Jacuzzi
Exceptional Gardens
Tennis court
Jacuzzi and Sauna
Panoramic view
Large pool
Eco-friendly estate
Direct beach access
Exclusive location
Large garden
Sea views
Nearby beaches
Hydro-massage pool
Heated saltwater pool
Gym & Finnish Sauna
Tennis court
Pool with hydrojet
Mediterranean garden
Walk to town
Stunning sea views
Nearby beaches
Infinity pool
Pool with a sea view
Outdoor jacuzzi
Located in town centre
Viale Leonardo da Vinci, 145 - 90145 Palermo, Italy
Registered in Italy: 291319 - VAT No. IT06007910828
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Going Back To Cali!
TORN is heading to Hollywood! Bright lights…big city..all but a very few (we'll miss you Tehanu) TORN staffers are heading to southern California like one big geeky migration! Strangers from distant lands are gathering for the 75th annual Academy Awards and our 'Two Towers: One Party' event! Stay tuned for more! [Party Details]Posted in Old Main News on March 20, 2003 by xoanon


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Parrot Circular Pattern Bedsheet
Click on image to zoom
Hand embroidered parrot in a circular pattern on peach colored bedsheet and pillow cover in best available cotton. Hand crafted supporting eye capturing designs and colours.
- Pack of one piece
- Material : Cotton
- Pillow size : 28 inches X 18 inches approx.
- Bed sheet size : 100 inches X 88 inches approx.
- A set of two pillow covers and a bed sheet.
- Product & color may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your screen settings
- As it Appears
Posted in: Bed Sheets
Product Code: BL-61/13282
Size: 18.00
Discount: 35.00%
Material: Cotton
Color: Multicolor