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In this piece, ALEX OGBONNIA reviews the political career of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who clocks 51 this week.
The grace of God is the most suitable vortex that underpins the life of the Senate President and Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu was born on May 12, 1962 into the royal family of His Royal Highness,Late Igwe Mathias Ekweremadu, the Okwaa Anekeoji 1 of Mpu, Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The birth of every child is an epiphany of hope wrapped in a canvass of diverse possibilities. As hard as the parents may strive for an upward social mobility of the child, it requires the grace of God to twang the transcendental cord that excites the critical elements in the child for self awakening. Thus, while his peers at a very early age floundered, Ekweremadu flourished with a clear vision of his life mission. He pursued the vision with incandescent passion, valour, candour and honour.
For instance, Ekweremadu attended and left primary school as the teachers delight. He proceeded to St. Dominic's Secondary School, Ugiri, Imo State and Boys Secondary School, Umueze Awkunanaw. He obtained a Grade 1 in the West African School Certificate. He studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and earned LLB and LLM; and a BL from Nigerian Law School, Lagos. He also attended the Harvard, USA and the Oxford University for further trainings.
Only the initiated will appreciate that to achieve a sustainable success and stability in politics requires a combination of vision, passion, courage, intellect, humility, sagacity, perseverance, godliness and character. It is the consistent application of the above set of variables that incubates grace, which is the summary of virtues.
As a little known courageous young adult from a far less known community, Ekweremadu dedicated his life as a change agent that would transform his neglected area to national limelight.
Equipped with a frontier spirit and intellectual power, he set out to restructure the psychology and consciousness of his people through the chairmanship of Mpu Town Union. And later, he was elected the Chairman of Aninri Local Government Council. His excellent performance earned him the 'Best Council Chairman of the year' in 1997.
Based on his pedigree, he was appointed the Chief of Staff, Government House and subsequently, the Secretary to the Government of Enugu State. He ennobled the two offices with remarkable skill, exceptional diligence, elegance and panache. He demonstrated an extraordinary acumen in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. In 2003, Ekweremadu was elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent Enugu West Senatorial District on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. A peculiar Southeast enigma, each election recorded less resistance than the previous one.
In the Senate, he was elected the Deputy President of the Senate in 2007 and also in 2011. He was also elected the First Deputy Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament in 2007 and Honourable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2011.
A prodigy in parliamentary practice, Ekweremadu has several motions and bills to his credit. He is the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the 1999 Constitution Review. The widely acknowledged free and fair election of 2011 owes its credibility to the Electoral Reform facilitated by the Constitution Review Committees of the National Assembly.
He is a detribalieed patriot whose love, dedication, sacrifice and passion for Nigeria are legendary. A man who canvasses the centrality of morals in the dynamics of power. A classic public speaker whose incisive contributions in the Senate engender responsibility, nation building and hope.
At the ECOWAS Parliament, Ekweremadu savours with deep emotional attachment that he was unanimously elected as the Speaker, hence the unprecedented unity of purpose in the Parliament. He presides over the Parliament with finesse, statesmanlike verve, diplomatic élan and consummate consensus. He embodies the aspirations of the members. For instance, he has pursued the enhancement of the powers of the Community Parliament; rehabilitation of the Parliament building; provision of office accommodation to all members of the Parliament; institution of the 'Award for Good Governance'; protocol for punishment of coup plotters in the sub-region even after office; capacity building for both the parliamentarians and staff etc. To the parliamentarians it is a major paradigm shift.
Ekweremadu's quality representation resonates resoundingly with his constituency. He has parlayed his cognate experience into monumental achievements in Enugu West Senatorial District and beyond. He has transformed his constituency beyond the rust and tarnish of even the least charitable. He has converted his Senatorial District into a huge construction site with road rehabilitation and construction, rural electrification, solar lights, water supply schemes, health care service delivery, libraries, computer centres, youth development centres etc.
In human resource and capacity building, the Ikeoha Foundation which he founded in 1997 as a council chairman, complements his constituency outreach through scholarships to indigent students, micro-credit and widowhood support schemes, adult literacy centres, quiz and Ikeoha Football Cup competitions among others.
As an ''Ambassador of Christ,' he has strived to mainstream the youth in his community to God through the All Saints Anglican Covenant Church, Mpu. A church he built and donated to the Anglican Communion.
To his constituents, Ike Ekweremadu is simply a colossus, purveyor of morals, the angel of history that has been so anxiously awaited, the peoples Prometheus, jinx-breaker, visionary, reflective scholar and a soldier of democracy. He is the exponent of the popular Enugu sentiment who has enlarged the Ikeoha Sanctuary to accommodate persons of diverse needs from all parts of the state.
To any unbiased observer, Ikeoha's trajectory is a tribute to courage, service, humility, loyalty, integrity, generosity, resilience, diligence and spirituality.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu has to his credit several awards, honours and traditional titles. He was inducted as a Knight of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Diocese of Enugu (Anglican Communion); Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award; Doctor of Laws, LLD,(Honoris Causa), University of Uyo, etc. Traditionally, he has been conferred with the Ochiagha Ndigbo (Generalissimo of Igboland) by Eze Nri, the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition; and the Ikeoha Ndigbo (pride and strength of Ndigbo) by the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers. Ekweremadu holds the national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
He is happily married to Mrs. Nwanneka Ekweremadu and the marriage is blessed with four lovely children. Ekweremadu has demonstrated physical prowess, social renown, political mastery, friendly finesse, character comeliness, marital exemplariness, and dispositional humility.
As we solemnly mark his 51th birthday, we join all men and women of goodwill to wish Ikeoha many more years of fruitful service to the nation.
Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia Special Adviser (Public Affairs) to Deputy President of the Senate


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Nokia release Ovi Maps 3.06 updated betaDecember 6th, 2010 Tags: Brightkite, Facebook, FourSquare, GPS, Maps, Nokia, Ovi, Search, Social Networking, Symbian, Symbian^3, Traffic, WiFi
Another update to the v3.06 Ovi Maps beta has been released by Nokia Beta Labs, and although it features a few new features, the key one must be that it's now (finally) possible to download whole countries directly on your phone (although you'll need a Wi-Fi connection). However, this isn't perfect, when I tried it, it kept given a "Map download failed" error after about 187Mb through the 216Mb UK download, which resulted in me having to use the PC after all. When you first install the v3.06 beta, it will wipe your existing maps, as it needs a v3.06+ specific map data downloaded. Once you have done this one though, subsequent betas (and hopefully the final released version) will be able to use the maps already downloaded.
Having the facility to download directly on the phone, plus having a "check for map updates" option on the phone itself is very useful, and a good move (and something a lot of people have been asking Nokia for).
The other features of this beta include:
- New! Download street maps directly to your device! A new feature called "Update" on the main menu which allows you download Street Maps directly (via WiFi) to your phone without a PC! Please note that phones without WiFi (e.g. Nokia 5230) will not work.
- New! My Position and Search are now integrated (now called Map). When accessed, it will show your last map view
- New! Back button in Favourites
- New! Long tap functionality to delete & rename collections & routes
- New! Pop up for first time use – to inform user to download new map data (when upgrading 3.04 > 3.06 for the first time)
- New! Improved behaviours of transit lines settings in map toolbox (no more grey out)
- New! Compass calibration hint
- New! Refreshed place details information view
- Pinch to zoom interaction (Only available on Symbian^3 devices)
- Visually refreshed main menu and icons,
- New maps with public transport lines (as a new map layer) for subways, trams and trains in 80+ cities around the world. Just click the map toolbox icon and select Transit lines,
- Improved search experience – find places and addresses around you – or anywhere in the world – fast and easily. Browse places or enter a keyword in the search box. Now with suggestions and "did you mean?" functionality,
- New place pages with description, reviews, pictures and places nearby. Interact with places in a whole new way – you can check in, contact, navigate, save, rate, share, report or see place on the map,
- Share a place – send a place to your friends via SMS or Email. The SMS contains the address and a link to the place page with description, ratings, contact, URL and a mini map. The link opens up on the mobile browser (also on non-Nokia devices),
- Check in – keep your friends up-to-date with where you are and what you're up to. Check in to places and share it with your friends on Facebook and many more social networks. See places you've been to in your check in history,
- New Drive assistance mode with live traffic flow – after clicking Drive, you're instantly in drive assistance mode with live traffic flow and more. Once you start moving, get safety camera alerts and speed limit warnings,
- More folder with many rich content services relevant to your location. Personalise your Ovi Maps by selecting the services you'd like to keep on your main menu for instant access.
- Traffic flow: In Drive mode, a number of improvements to the traffic flow colour scheme and layout.
(The items marked New! are new in this update; the others were available in earlier v3.06 beta versions)
I like the new facilities, and the way the menus are being rearranged, and this bodes well for the final release. One word of warning; one of the known issues is that occasionally it will keep the GPS subsystem open (with the eventual battery drain); when I've seen this, I've found starting Ovi Maps back up and shutting it down again seems to have fixed, but it's something to watch out for. I also really like hitting the Drive option and being able to see my location on the map with traffic updates immediately available even without a destination set; this is another key feature for me, as I often want to use my phone's SatNav simply for traffic without a route calculated.
Although the Share (location) option now supports a whole range of social networking sites, I would still love to see sites such as BrightKite and FourSquare integrated directly into the interface, but hopefully that will come in time.

subset: commoncrawl


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We Are All In This Together
Egypt. Libya. New Zealand. Japan.
So much going on in the world right now, it's hard to know where to place your eyes.
For me, since Friday morning, it has most certainly been Japan. If you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember that I started 2010 with a trip to Japan. My first to the Far East and about as unforgettable as it can be.
I was there for a number of reasons, first and foremost to oversee a shoot for the annual report project that I was working on at the time.We landed in Tokyo where we spent a few days. I got a chance to meet quite a few of my colleagues based there, and had a few dinners with them. One was a gent named Naoya, and he and I have kept in touch throughout the year on both a business and personal level. He was the first person that I sent an email to when I heard about the earthquake. He responded almost immediately, saying he and his young family are doing well, but understandably shaken. He was still at the office working on crisis planning.
The second email I sent was to Rico. When I was planning this trip with my crew, I knew the culture and language would be an issue. I dropped my buddy Joe McNally a note and asked if he knew of a good fixer (i.e. someone that could help us navigate culture and language) in Tokyo. He recommended Rico, someone he had worked with a few years prior.
Rico stands five foot nothing but makes up for it in tenacity. Whether she was dealing with drivers, local security or just navigating us through the crowded streets, she was on it. Myself and the crew even joked about her style – a hand raised as high into the crowd as she could, fingers together like a beak pointing which way to go. This way, if we were separated from each other, we could pick her out right way.
Plus, she's a designer and photographer as well, so she helped in scouting locations for us too. I did hear back from Rico on Thursday evening and she too and her family are doing well in Tokyo. However, she did express concern for the folks we met, and the friends we made, on the second leg of our Japan visit.
On that leg, we headed by plane a few miles north, to the Hokkaido, Ukarawa region. And in January, much colder, much snowier than Tokyo. So much so, we dubbed it Snowkkaido.
This region is right on the coast, though, and it's these folks that I'm now fearing for the most. Still waiting to hear what kind of damage the tsunami did to that area. They were hit hard in 2003.
We landed in Sapporo then traveled about three hours up the coast to Urakawa, stopping in a couple of small towns a long the way. The Hokkaido region is pretty, a fishing down but with a number of horse stables. Even in the snowy weather we could see how pretty it was.
Made a few nice portraits of Rico there…
Again, met some pretty incredible people there, people we'll never forget even in the best times. But it's in the tough times, like that, that really takes me back to these trips. And my photographs help reinforce that time to me. Our feet were freezing in the snow and the wind was blowing, but we know we made some friends. I just hope they are all still doing well.
And this post is just about people I've personally met in my travels. This doesn't mention all the wonderful people from these regions – Libya, Egypt, New Zealand – that I've had the pleasure of "meeting" through the small world that is the Internet. Pretty incredible, actually.
We are all in this together….
© Mark V. Krajnak 2011 | JerseyStyle Photography | All rights Reserved
Unless otherwise noted, images captured with a Canon 50D, SanDisk digital film, finished with PS4 or PSE6 and Nik Software.


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Wanderland Music and Arts Festival 2017
Wanderland Music & Arts Festival 2017 on March 4 at Filinvest City Event Grounds, Alabang featuring The Temper Trap (AU), The Ting Tings (UK), Explosions in the Sky (US), Yuna (MY), Purity Ring (CND), Up Dharma Down (PH), HONNE (UK), LANY (US), Woodlock (AU), Gab and John of Urbandub (PH), Tom's Story (PH), Fools and Foes (PH), Reese Lansangan (PH), Lola Amour (PH), Banna Harbera (PH) and Mickey Sulit Music (AU) presented by Karpos Multimedia and Globe.
Ticket Prices:
Wanderer – P5,915
Wanderbuddies – 4 tickets for P19,350
* only available until January 31, 2017
Star Wanderer – P8,000+
– Wanderland kit
– Access to VIP viewing deck
– Access to VIP restroom
– Express entrance lane
– Two (2) free drinks
Star Wanderbuddies – 5 tickets for P35,000+
– Reserved VIP table for 5
– Access to VIP restroom
– Express entrance lane
– Ten (10) free drinks
* only available until January 31, 2017
IMPORTANT: Note that Wanderer and Wanderbuddies tickets are only available at SM Tickets' website and outlets. Star Wanderer and Star Wanderbuddies tickets are exclusively available on www.wanderlandfestival.com. Visit our website for full ticket details. All prices are exclusive of ticket surcharge.
More Concerts and Events
Tags 2017 concerts2017 music festivalsexplosions in the sky live in manilafilinvest concert groundshonne live in manilakarpos multimedialany live in manilasm ticketsthe temper trap live in manilathe ting tings live in manilaWanderland 2017wanderland festival 2017wanderland music and arts festivalwoodlock live in manilayuna live in manila
No Ticket Selling in the Comments Section. One thought on "Wanderland Music and Arts Festival 2017"
regarding wanderland 2017 ticket selling can I get in touch with the one handling and the promoter of the event. thanks


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WASHINGTON -- A consortium of five American and foreign high technology companies will set up offices near Baltimore-Washington International Airport to devise a plan to upgrade the air traffic control systems of the Soviet Union.
The Global Air Transportation Systems and Services group, led by Westinghouse Electric Corp., announced yesterday that it has signed an agreement with Soviet officials to come up with a strategy to improve the Soviet Union's air space system and integrate it with the rest of the world by 2005. The plan is due in September.
If the group succeeds, air travelers to the Soviet Union can expect cheaper airfares, shorter flights, and more convenient flight schedules.


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Questions About Your Product?
Digital Map Products provides technical support to product subscribers via telephone and email. The Support Team is available between 7am and 5pm pacific Monday through Friday.
Support requests can be submitted via email to <http://www.privatedaddy.com/?q=SwAITm4RD3xFbURaVitYQ3kbUjFOVA-3D-3D_777>.
Subscribers can also contact Support by calling
(888) 322-6277, extension 2
To best assist resolution of your problem, please document the activity you were performing when the question or issue arose.
If you discover inaccuracies in licensed data, be certain to contact Digital Map Technical Support to report the error.
Subscribers can also access our online Training and Support Center by clicking on the question mark "?" icon from within our LandVision and GovClarity products. The Training and Support Center has a wealth of helpful user information such as product documentation, feature videos, our online training schedule, frequently asked questions, best practices and more.
Managing Support Calls
Digital Map Products uses a hosted-application to log and manage support inquiries. The application enables our team to log each inquiry, assign it to an appropriate resource for resolution, and manage the entire process. Accessible through a web browser, it allows our entire organization to collaborate on client questions and view our service level performance.


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Premises licences
Premises licence: Variation applications
There may be a reason why you wish to vary a premises licence, such as to include further licensable activities or alter existing activities and operating times allowed by the premises licence.
Note: Some areas may be subject to a Special Cumulative Impact Policy so please check before making your application.
How to apply
Please read the guidance notes before applying for a variation of a premises licence. The notes explain policy issues, fees, how to complete the application and the required notification of the application. We advise you to speak to the Licensing Unit before making your application.
Apply online to vary a premises licence
By post
Will tacit consent apply?
Yes. After the 28 day consultation period has expired, if no representations have been received from Responsible Authorities or interested parties, then the licence is granted as applied for. We will issue the licence shortly after.
If there is a representation from a responsible authority or interested party then this will cause the application to be considered by the Licensing Sub Committee. A hearing will be arranged within 56 days from the date the application is made.


text: The periodical Previews from !%Thermo Scientific Inc.%! showcases the company's Pierce protein research products. Volume 12, Issue 2 includes articles on a variety of new products, such as the diazirine-based photoreactive cross-linkers for studying extra- and intracellular protein-protein interactions, and the streptavidin horseradish peroxidase conjugate for Elisa and Western blotting applications. The full-color 23-page publication covers new reagents to promote molecule coupling, a new solution in colorimetric assay development and a new high-content screening assay for monitoring programmed cell death. Charts, diagrams, photographs and references are provided.


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With apologies to my excellent NFP teacher, you didn't think we'd actually be good at following through on all those rules for very long did you? In fairness, my main goal was to make sure we had a longer space between kidlets than the last time around, and as soon as that was guaranteed my motivation waned considerably.
Expected arrival around the beginning of August.


text: Hello Dirk and Riccardo, I have been considering whether it would be possible to upgrade the 2.4 code base to work with the bat that is in the SVN. This is because there are a lot of new features that you two have added that would be nice to get into the user's hands. The big problem is that I am not sure exactly which changes in the Bacula core are needed to support it. Do you guys have any thoughts on this? Best regards, Kern ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. It's the best place to buy or sell services for just about anything Open Source. http://sourceforge.net/services/buy/index.php _______________________________________________ Bacula-devel mailing list Bacula-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-devel


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The screw back earrings measure approx. 1" by 3/4", the pendant measures approx. 2 1/4" by 1 3/4", the bracelet measures approx. 6 3/4" long and has 10 panels.
Mekkala Goddess of Lightning is featured on all of the pieces in this set. They are made of Sterling Silver and are marked on the back.
Siam jewelry uses a technique called Niello a combination of copper, silver and lead sulfides used in an inlay on engraved or etched metals.
Most of it was completely hand made.
Nielloware jewelery and related items from Siam (Thailand) were popular gifts from american soldiers who were taking R and R, to their wives or girlfriends back home from the 1930's - 1970's and tourists bring home souvenirs and gifts from extended vacations and trips abroad during this period.
Siam jewelery is very collectable because of the wide variety of items, variety of subjects, and the mystic of the country.
Please email me with any questions.
Thank you for shopping with us at Something Wonderful.
15 other shoppers have this item in their Cart or Wish List
STORE WIDE SALE 30% off items over $35. Happy Shopping
STORE WIDE SALE 30% off items over $35. Happy Shopping


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Three vestition and six professions in two days! It was a great weekend for the Irish Dominican Provence! Last Sunday we received three men into the noviciate with the clothing ceremony, in which the men get the habit of the Dominican order.
Then yesterday, Monday the 15th, six of us made our profession of obedience, poverty and chastity to the Irish Province. Three of us finished the noviciate and made our first 'simple' profession for a few years, and three brothers made their 'solemn' professions for the rest oft their lives.
I myself made profession for three years and afterwards moved to Dublin to start my studies! It was a great day a a great witness to hope for the (Irish) Catholic church! It shows there is real life in the church!
I hope to write some more about our profession day as soon as I am settled in into my new home! Some pictures about both days can be found on our website: http://www.dominicanfriars.ie/gallery/events.
This is my personal blog on which I post different stories and reflections on my life as a Dominican Priest of the Irish Province of the Friars Preachers. I am a convert to Catholicism, and really want to help other to also find Jesus Christ in their lives. Hence I am passionate about vocation promotion and generally talking about the change God can make in anybody's life! I try to do a weekly reflection on the Gospel as well post video's related to the Dominican way of Life
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Three vestition and six professions in two days!
1 comment:
- Brendan Allen said...
Congratulations Luuk to you and all the "new" Domincans!
- 17 September 2008 at 23:06
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
The Irish Dominicans have a website called Dominicans Interactive with online resources. We also have an iPhone/iPad App, which can be found in the iTunes App Store.


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Footage of the 2018 GA Peachtree District - Duluth Event is courtesy of Georgia FIRST A/V Team.
Red Alliance (4188, 6829, 1771) - 355
Blue Alliance (5332, 4026, 4468) - 268
To view match schedules and results for this event, visit The Blue Alliance Event Page: https://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2018gadul
Follow us on Twitter (@GeorgiaFIRST) and Facebook (PeachtreeRegional).
For more information and future event schedules, visit our website: gafirst.org
Thanks for watching!
Uploaded with FRC-Youtube-Uploader (https://github.com/NikhilNarayana/FRC-YouTube-Uploader) by Nikhil Narayana
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New web periodical online
The activities website of the European Handball Federation is offering regular updates on handball articles, studies and other publications.
On activities.eurohandball.com EHF lecturers, coaches and handball experts share their knowledge and experiences with all those who are interested in knowing more about a number of technical areas inside handball.
The newly published publication offers an in-depth insight into the guidelines for "Handball at School" by Juan L. Anton Garcia, a renowned expert in the field.
The 65-year-old Spaniard coached the Spanish youth and junior national teams in the 1970s and 1980s. He was also the senior national team's assistant coach from 1995 to 2000.
Between 1993 and 2004 he has been a lecturer for the International Handball Federation and a member of the IHF's Methods and Training Commission.
Since 2010 he is a member of the EHF's Methods Commission and also an EHF Master Coach since 2009. He has published several books on "Handball at School" and is the IHF's recognised expert in this field.
Garcia's guidelines for "Handball at School" can be downloaded here.
TEXT: EHF / ts


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Product Description
You can showcase your favorite 5×7 photograph in this hand painted nautical frame. The stripes will add interest to any wall!
This ready to hang 14×18 wood frame is cut, sanded, painted with 3 coats, striped with 2 coats, and distressed to achieve a slightly aged and weathered look.
It is is then layered with 1/4″ pieces of painted wood to add depth, character and color. Each piece of wood is sanded and painted prior to assembly and then it is retouched and gently distressed. An 5×7 piece of clear hard acrylic is mounted on the frame with decorative screws to protect your picture. The final touch is a galvanized boat cleat transforming this frame into a truly Nautical piece.
It has has a sawtooth hanger mounted on the back for easy hanging
Please allow 5-10 days prior to shipping.


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The Allsvenskan league is coming to it's final stage with a game for all or nothing, between IFK Goteborg and AIK. More →
More →
As 2017 is about to come to an end, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at our favorite sexy ladies this year. The list includes … More →


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Craft beer that has been flavoured with fruits
Showing all 7 results
Kiwi Pale Ale
A Sensation Of Flight In Craft Ale Form. A Pale Ale made with Kiwi juice super refreshing!
Rosehip Copper Ale: Craft Beer
This Is A Hybrid Child Of The Flanders Red Ale And The Irish Red Ale, With A Rich Coppery Hue
£2.50 – £27.75 Select options
Raspberry Hedonist (Wheat Ale)
A Raspberry Wheat ale using enough whole fruit Raspberries to make any fruit sensualist drool
Motion Of The Potion
Toil Toil boil and trouble, once you've had one you'll want a couple… A Brown Ale And Pumpkin Concoction Bound To Seduce Even The Most Reserved
£2.85 – £31.65 Select options
Nutty Ginger Biscuit Craft Beer
Nutty Ginger Biscuit Is A Refreshing Deep Saison Styled Beer
Krimbo Kongo
The Same Epic Banana And Chocolate Stout As You Know But For The Festive Period Kong Is Being More Generous With All His Friends!
£3.50 – £94.35 Select options
Showing all 7 results


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let's talk about it
pull up a seat and grab a cup of tea as our bloghers dish on the latest in marketing, business, and social media.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see Terms of Use for details.
Written by: Brittany J. P. Reese
When I started working on my first website, I researched, researched, researched. I felt the more information I knew about building and launching a website, the better. However, the more I learned and the more I researched, the more I felt it would take fifty million years to launch!!! There were so many elements, and I just knew I would have to acquire a PhD before I could understand them all - things like coding, graphic design, content, SEO optimization, etc. Considerably a beginner in the world of web design at the time, I understood the concepts individually. The problem was, I didn't understand how to link them together. How do I combine these elements? In what order do I implement these skills? Where is the starting point? Also, if I would have had to learn to code, who knows how long it would have taken me to launch my first site. No one who wants to make money NOW has that kind of time. The market is calling for the things you're offering. You must answer the call! After a little trial, error, and correction, I've figured out how to launch a functional and profitable website in just 24hours.
My partners and I have developed The Ultimate Guide to Build a Website in 24hrs to help anyone, especially beginner web designers and new entrepreneurs, build and launch a functional website in just 24hours. This will give you a clear and focused plan. The devil is in the details. This guide will help you avoid the stress so that you are successful.
From that guide, let's talk about your foundation. Where are you hosting your site? Your web host needs to provide many things. First they need to be affordable. Affordability is important to an up and coming entrepreneur. You want to keep your overhead expenses as low as possible so you aren't drowning in bills before you turn a profit. Your web host should also provide website builder options that offer attractive and user-friendly features. Drop and drag or plug-and-play are ideal. This allows even the most inexperienced web designer to look like a pro. It also eliminates the need to learn extensive coding. These user-friendly features are even more crucial if you are trying to launch an ecommerce site. The last thing a newbie wants to do is have to figure out how to code a shopping cart into his or her site.
In a team meeting at the top of the year, we had all of our associates compose a list of their top 3 favorite web hosting sites and tell why the site made the list. Here are the top 3 most popular sites chosen by our associates and a few reasons why they chose them.
Choose wisely. Your web host is your foundation. Build your website with a strong supportive structure, one that can withstand changes in your content, your products, and in the industry.
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Our focus is your success. We want to keep you informed, current & in-the-know.
August 2017


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Salons in Paris
Thursday, February 17, in Paris
Reinach1 came and took me to call on Miss Nathalie Barney2. A pre-historic (and stuffy) milieu à la Stenbock3 (poor fellow) with the most hideous paintings and sculptures done by young female artists patronized by her. Incense very strong, mélange of cheap Eastern things, good silver and flowers, white furs, pictures of nude or intense females everywhere.
She has an incorrigible "way-back." American twang, a good-natured, warm manners, is no longer pretty, and not at all tidy. The house was crowded and not dainty, all except the best bedroom (a circular Empire one) where she said Yoï4 made her decision to run away from her husband.
The Tylers5 and Charles Du Bos6 came here to tea.
4 Yoï Crosse (1877-1944): see note 2 on May 6
5 Royall ("Peter") Tyler (1884-1953): historian, diplomat, economist, and art connoisseur. See http://www.doaks.org/resources/bliss-tyler-correspondence/annotations/william-royall-tyler
6 Charles Du Bos (1882 – 1939) French critic and essayist.


text: I am visiting my daughter in DC and we made a reservation for Noras but now I am finding there are mixed reviews. So is Noras worth the price since service and food are unpredictable. Do you have any other suggestions for DC or Alexandria/Arlington area? Also we are going to Little Washington and any suggestions for dinner (no, we are not going to the Inn at Little Washington) would be appreciated. Also we are going to the Northern Neck. Do you have any suggestions for good lunch and dinner places that have fantastic seafood?


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Our Philosophy
Making wine is not rocket science. If it were man would not have been doing it for eight thousand years. But making good wine is another story. We are convinced that some of the wine made by our ancestors was pretty bad swill, and some of the stuff that reaches our table can be awfully bad stuff. Today, given the science of viticulture and enology, we should be able to produce a pretty good product, better than just drinkable, and sometimes approaching excellence.
We've found that a major ingredient in making good wine is patience. It's easy to get in a hurry, or to try to speed up a process. Fermentation, aging, testing and sanitation take time; unfortunately, some of our winemaking colleagues rush the process, or need to release product before it is time. We are a small boutique winery. We have no need to rush. Our wine is our product and we might as well take our time and do it well. We strive for excellence, but like a baker or a chef, we make some dishes better than others. We strive for consistency at a high level, and we will not cut corners to achieve it.
We watch our modest vineyards like a hawk, and ruminate over rainfall, diseases and pests. We do not claim to be organic, but try not to spray any more than we have to. If attacked with an infestation of some insidious beetle or worm we fight back. We prune and train our vines on post and wire trellises. We prune and spread the vines to allow more sunshine to reach the fruit. The result is bigger, stronger berry clusters with a higher natural sugar content. The higher the brix (French word meaning sugar content), the better the wine. We like to harvest around 24 brix (24% sugar content)
Missouri Norton is our signature grape -with deep purple berries producing a rich red wine. Norton thrives in our summer climate, and when cultivated and pruned right the vines are laden with plump bunches, often ten or more per vine, by August. Production of ten pounds per vine is not unusual. It's then a game of testing for brix, chasing off the raccoons who know a good thing when the see it, and picking the fruit at the peak of freshness. Our hillside vineyard produces some of the best Norton around. It's in full sun by 6 a.m. on summer mornings burning off the night's dew and drying the fruit. The vineyard is in full sunshine until evening assuring a good sugar content by harvest time. Sometimes at night a fog comes up from the river and coats the fruit with a misting of dew giving the fruit character. You can taste the dew, the summer sun and the wind blown Loess soil in a deep red glass of Missouri Norton.
Harvest at Yellow Farmhouse is a special event. It is a day of friendship and camaraderie. Linda has coffee and rolls ready before the first of the harvest crew arrives. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee hangs heavy over the deck as the early morning sun creeps over the river bluffs on the far side. Shadows disappear and the verdant vines show off their bounty in the bright September sun. Our pickers, mostly friends, relatives and neighbors, can pick the hillside vineyard in a morning, and by noon the fresh fruit is in the destemmer/crusher and ready for pressing. Our Director of Vineyard Operations, Paul Wilson, has an aire of satisfaction as the must is pumped to the big press. He has fought the Japanese beetles, drought, raccoons and pesky birds to bring the grapes from buds I early April to the product of which we are all so proud. Flowing juice from the crusher/destemmer to the press to the big stainless steel tanks in which the must is fermented into wine always brings a smile to Paul's face. "After all", he says "isn't that what we are all here for anyway?" He has probably got a point. Harvest day is the culmination of a labor of love that stretches from the planting of the vines years before to visible evidence of the result. The rewards of the harvest are vats of fresh pressed juice and a big lunch buffet for the harvesters on the deck overlooking the valley.
We are constantly sipping and sampling throughout the fermentation process. After the fermentation has progressed for several days an amazing thing begins to happen. The raw juice, impregnated with the yeast begins to change from a sweet not-so-tasty concoction to wine. Each day shows some improvement, and by the end of the fermentation process it is definitely recognizable as wine. Notice I did not say "good" wine, but it's wine. It's a long time from the end of the primary fermentation to a good wine, and here is where the patience part comes in.
Our wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks. As the lees form and sink to the bottom, we transfer ("rack") the wine to another tank leaving the settled remnants of the fermentation in the bottom of the tank. As the wine clears from the top of the tank we perform several rackings from tank to tank each time leaving the sediment lees in the empty tank. Before long the wine has cleared to the natural color that it will assume.
"We use the finest yeasts available to ferment our wine Most come from Europe or California. Selection of the proper yeast is a critical element in achieving the good results. The yeast is heated by mixing with warm water and blended with a yeast nutrient to assure its longevity. Fermenting all of the natural sugar in the grape is essential to a clean finish and perfect dryness. Testing and correcting for acid PH goes on constantly through the fermenting process. We stir our white wines daily during fermentation to assure that the yeast is constantly in contact with the sugar molecules. With our reds we have to "punch down the cap" that forms on the surface of the fermenting must. It's a thick mass of lees and spent yeasts that must be pushed down and stirred in daily to assure an even ferment of the must."
After the wine clears it is then transferred to oak barrels to "sleep" in oak for up to a year. In Missouri we are blessed with an abundant supply of a special oak that makes wonderful barrels. Large cooperages supply Missouri Oak barrels to wineries and distilleries all over the world. We've never really engaged in the debate over whether Missouri or French Oak is a better wine barrel. The truth is that each have unique characteristics that the winemaker can exploit to get the result he or she wants. We use Missouri Oak. Ours comes from a little cooper in Higbee, Missouri. Their barrels impart a smoky caramel oak flavor that we like for our wines.We are not afraid of aging our wines in stainless steel. Some wines (and some people) do not like the toasted oak flavor imparted to wines, especially whites, by oak barrels. We can leave our wines in stainless to age and the results can be quite spectacular. The choice is up to us, and we exercise that choice liberally. That is what is so nice about operating a boutique winery; choices can be made with different wines with diverse results and infinite variety.
We invite you to sample our wines. The best way to do that is with a Six Bottle Sampler or a mixed case. If you find something you like we'd like to hear about it. Everyone's palate for wine is different, and we have come to respect the diversity of our customer's tastes. We offer discounts for case purchases (mixed or straight cases)
To receive the best Yellow Farmhouse experience possible we invite you to become a member of our Wine Club. Just talk to one of our associates in the Tasting Room or visit our website's Wine Club area click here.
And whatever you do, get on our mailing list. You can do it on our website with just a click of your computer mouse. We'll share with you what is going on at the Yellow Farmhouse, and, of course, what is new. We are always releasing new wines and adding items to the Store. Let us know what you think and send us an email now and then. To signup for our newsletter click here.


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By 6.45, more than an hour before polling began, the queue had already started to form. As the door swung open on the first 60 expectant Libyans, a group of women were yodelling in excitement.
"I am an old man, I can hardly move," said Abdullatif Ibrahim Ghabsi. "But I am so optimistic, I forgot my pains and came."
Mr Ghabsi is so old – 83 – as to be that rarity, a Libyan who can remember the last election. It was in 1964, when a new band called the Beatles were in the British charts.
Flanked by an honour guard of grandchildren, he marked his ballot paper and slipped it confidently through the ballot box slot.
Others weren't so sure.
They showed the clerks their polling cards, had their signatures checked against their original registrations, and were handed their precious, foot-long square of blue paper. They stood looking at it, turning it over in their hands, before being gently guided by officials to a voting booth.
It is a fair bet that no British voter ever goes to vote carrying the national flag, complete with flagpole. They do here. At this polling station, in the Tripoli satellite town of Janzour, many had dressed up in their best clothes for the day.
"It is like a wedding for the whole country," said Muna Munir, in a jewelled headscarf and sandals. "We were always longing to be like other countries, free countries. Well, now we are."
It's not quite that simple, of course. Down the road from these happy scenes was a much stiffer test of Libyan democracy.
The old naval academy in Janzour has become a refugee camp for Libya's ethnically cleansed: the residents of what used to be a town called Tawargha, accused, often falsely, of "collaboration" with the Gaddafi regime during the revolution, now driven out, their houses and streets destroyed.
The Tawargans live here in what one of them, Ahmed Mohammed, calls "complete misery," fourteen to a room, men and women mixed together, subject to regular reprisal raids by the militias who are in many respects the real government of Libya.
In February, gunmen invaded the compound, killing seven people. Another refugee, Othman Omar, hasn't dared leave the camp for ten months.
The interim government alternates between shrugging its shoulders and wringing its hands.
Yet there is a polling station here. And what's more, it is busy. Though the mood is far from the celebrations elsewhere in Janzour, and though they have every reason to fear and distrust the "new Libya," the Tawarghans are giving this election a go.
"Despite the situation we're in, we still want to take part," says Mr Mohammed. "This is part of our participation in the revolution. We just hope the elections will give Libya a government strong enough to do something about our plight."
It's an excellent sign – one replicated in other parts of Libya where there were fears the elections would flop. In Benghazi, a raid on a polling station and the burning of ballot papers failed to prevent a generally high turnout.
And the Tawarghans' wish – a stable government which can keep them safe – is something that many other voters, too, told us they hoped the elections will deliver.
That, however, will be the stiffest test of all.


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Oral Defense for Final Year Masters Students
The Director, Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies (IDIS) Prof. Amb. Maria Nzomo challenged graduate students at the Institute to observe high academic and professional standards in their research projects. She added that IDIS has instituted a raft of measures besides deploying highly qualified and competent personnel to ensure students produce high quality research theses at the end of their studies.
Prof. Nzomo spoke during an oral defense session of some of her MA student's supervisee at IDIS on April 21, 2017.
During the event, nine students were given a chance to demonstrate mastery of their research topics as well as understanding of the research process, to a panel of four academics from the institute.
Upon presentation of their projects, the students heard from the panel regarding the areas to improve on before embarking on research work.
Frank Mwiti whose project is on the use of public diplomacy to counter terrorism in the horn of Africa termed the session eye opening.
"By sitting in and listening to the panelists' feedback, I was able to refine my thoughts on various aspects of the research," said Frank.
All IDIS students who intend to graduate in December 2017 are expected to undertake oral defense of their research projects in line with new guidelines issued by the University of Nairobi graduate school.
Prof. Nzomo cautioned students against engaging in academic malpractices such as plagiarism; emphasizing that violators would face disciplinary action.
The defense panel that was chaired by Prof. Nzomo also included Dr. Patrick Maluki; Dr. Mumo Nzau and Dr. Martin Ouma.


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Ozaki looking for lifetime best
Despite of arriving in the capital two days late, Japan's World Championships silver medallist Yoshimi Ozaki is hoping to race to a new lifetime best in this Sunday's Virgin London Marathon.
The 28-year-old, who moved into Japan's all-time top 10 with 2:23:30 to secure victory in the final edition of the Tokyo International Ladies Marathon in November 2008, hopes that her London debut will be a valuable experience.
"I'm here to go after my PB and if possible, to run 2:21," she said. "Coming into this week I've had heavy legs and I've been a little uneasy, but that feeling is getting better every day and I felt good on my run this morning. When I heard that we might not make the trip I was stressed but I realised I can still fit in my training so I'm not particularly worried anymore.
"London has always been the race that has brought together a mix of very good athletes and part of my reasoning for coming here is to gain more experience from battling it out in high quality race," she continued. "If I'm able to get a good result in this kind of field it will help improve my confidence going forward."
Ozaki, who was defeated into second place at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August 2009 by China's Bai Xue, has altered her preparation compared to previous marathons and concentrated primarily on speed training, along with increased mileage.
She lost out on the gold in Berlin when Bai pulled away from her in the last mile to win by just 10 seconds - the youngest ever women's world marathon champion at the age of 20.
With only three seconds between their best ever times, the World Championships medal duo could well be locked together again this weekend, but will their positions be reversed?
"This has all been a new experience and I won't know my real condition until I race," admitted Ozaki. "The increase in distance has been to develop my overall stamina but my coach is looking ahead to 2012 and wants to focus on my speed as well as overall strength."
She clocked a quick 70:06 in the All-Japan Corporate Half Marathon in March to guarantee her place on the Japanese team for the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships later this year
"I feel less pressure going into this weekend than I did going into the half marathon trial in Japan, but here in London I will be really testing myself. In the World Championships I just couldn't make that fast effort in the final stages. If I'm in the same position, I want to be able to do that on Sunday."


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By successfully completing this course, you will:
You can study this course from the comfort of your own home; in your own time and at your own pace; with helpful support and encouragement from our friendly tutors.
This course will enable you to understand the ancient Hindu concept of the seven energy systems within us all. In Yogic philosophy the chakras are spinning spheres which transform energy between matter and consciousness. Our body is a vehicle accompanying us through life and our chakras are 'wheels'. When our chakras become blocked, the vehicle cannot steer a healthy course.
No practical training is required to complete this course.
Successfully complete one Mind, Body, Spirit course and become an Adept in Mantic Arts of the New Age Foundation
Successfully complete two of these courses and become a Master in Mantic Arts
Successfully complete three of these courses and become a Fellow in Mantic Arts
You do not need to have any additional qualifications before studying this course.
No practical training is required to complete this course.
On successful completion students will receive the following award: The New Age Foundation certificate in Working with Chakras.
Be the first to write a review for this course.
If you are a former or current student of this course and would like to write a review, please email us.
"I thoroughly recommended these courses to help you build your skills. By taking three courses in the Mind, Body, Spirit section you can become a Fellow in Mantic Arts (F.M.A.N.F)."
Deborah, Tutor
Upon enrolment you receive your first course lessons.
You can study in your own time, at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. If you have any questions, or would like feedback or encouragement about your course or your studies then you can contact our friendly tutors by phone, email or post.
At the end of each lesson are a set of questions. Completing these can aid your learning and help you master each step before moving on to the next. Your next lesson will then arrive for you to continue when it suits you.
Having progressed through each lesson you can take your final examination at home, and at a date and time that suits you. Then, on successful completion you will be awarded your BSY certificate.
Our friendly course advisors are able to assist you on choosing the right course, answer any questions you may have or help you to enrol.
Please call Freephone 0800 731 9271.
Health and Harmony Magazine
Enrol on this course and you will receive a complimentary issue of Health & Harmony, our inspirational full colour magazine. Giving complementary and natural health updates and news, it also includes student profiles, lists the most recent award winners, and provides interesting articles and short stories.
There are two ways you can enrol on this course. You can:
To enrol by phone, please call our friendly course advisors on Freephone 0800 731 9271 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
There are two ways you can enrol on this course. You can:
To enrol by phone, please call our friendly course advisors on Freephone 0800 731 9271 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.


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Private Equity Tax Solutions
RSM's state and local tax advisors identified and helped a private equity firm obtain fully refundable credits worth more than $9 million over 10 years for a target acquisition.
The client: A private equity firm focused on the industrial services and manufacturing sectors.
The issue: The firm was acquiring a recreational vehicle manufacturer and wanted to maximize potential tax savings.
The solution: RSM's mergers and acquisitions knowledge and deep industry experience made us an ideal fit to design and implement all tax aspects of the acquisition.
Because our state and local tax professionals had significant knowledge of various tax credit and incentive programs in the target company's home state, RSM was able to identify and obtain an agreement with the state for fully refundable tax credits worth more than $9 million over 10 years, allowing the private equity firm to reduce its investment cost and increase the return to its investors.
Benefit of working with us: Recently, the firm decided to pursue a roll-up and IPO exit with four of its companies. In designing the roll-up, RSM put in place a structure allowing each separate management team and co-investor group to rollover their interests tax-free, while also providing a partial liquidity event to the private equity firm on the combination.
The team is also assisting with the public filings and ensuring that accounting matters are in alignment with SEC requirements. Because RSM audits the portfolio companies, working with us on the IPO saved the private equity firm from having to integrate a new auditor, an often complex task that can delay the IPO process.
By using the firm for tax, audit and IPO work, the private equity firm was able to save time, minimize hassles and optimize terms during the acquisition and exit of its portfolio companies.


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Using anti-retroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection is effective and – at least in the short term -- safe, according to a new review.
In six studies that looked at so-called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, the risk of acquiring infection was reduced between 49% and 62% for those who were given the drugs, according to Charles Okwundu, MBBS, of Stellenbosch University in Tygerberg, South Africa, and colleagues.
At the same time, there was no increase in the risk of adverse events, Okwundu and colleagues wrote in a Cochrane Review, although data on long-term safety and cost-effectiveness still need to be collected.
The review comes as final results of three of the studies -- Partners PrEP, FEM-PrEP, and TDF2 -- appeared online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The six placebo-controlled studies in the review were all in high-risk individuals not infected with the virus, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people in partnerships in which one person is infected and the other is not.
In two of the studies, participants in the active arm got tenofovir, while those in the active arms of the other four were given the single-pill combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine (Truvada).
One study, the Partners PrEP trial, initially had three arms -- placebo, tenofovir, and tenofovir/emtricitabine -- but the placebo arm was closed early because of a convincing benefit of treatment.
The four studies looking at the combination pill (with a total of 8,918 participants) showed that the treatment reduced the risk of acquiring HIV by 49% (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.86).
The two studies looking at tenofovir (with 4,027 participants) found a 62% reduction in risk (RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.63).
Overall, Okwundu and colleagues reported, the risk of adverse events was similar between active and placebo arms; there was little difference in rates of adherence; and participants did not change their sexual behavior to compensate for a perceived lowering of risk.
The three studies in the New England Journal of Medicine had differing study populations, although all studied heterosexuals, and -- in one case -- had a markedly different outcome.
The Partners PrEP trial looked at preventing HIV infection among couples in which one partner was already infected. FEM-PrEP, as the name suggests, studied women who were at risk, but were not necessarily in a relationship. And the TDF2 trial looked at both men and women at risk, but again, not necessarily because of relationships.
In the three trials, all participants got HIV testing, counseling on adherence to medication, management of sexually transmitted infections, and individualized risk reduction counseling.
Partners-PrEP: One Partner Infected
Researchers in the Partners-PrEP trial first presented their data in Rome at the 2011 meeting of the International AIDS Society, after their data safety monitoring board recommended a few days earlier that the placebo arm be closed.
The data were "overwhelming and clearly convincing," the trial's leader -- Jared Baeten, MD, PhD, of the University of Washington in Seattle -- said at the time.
The study followed 4,747 serodiscordant couples for up to 3 years.
The final results, Baeten and colleagues reported online, show 82 new HIV infections during the study -- 17 among the 1,584 participants taking tenofovir, 13 among the 1,579 on tenofovir/emtricitabine, and 52 among those on placebo. All were taken orally once a day.
The respective incidence rates were 0.65, 0.50, and 1.99 per 100 person-years, yielding relative reductions in the incidence of HIV of 67% with tenofovir and 75% with tenofovir/emtricitabine.
Both reductions were significant at P<0.001, compared with placebo, but the difference between the two arms did not reach significance, Baeten and colleagues reported.
There were no significant differences from placebo in deaths, serious adverse events, or serious adverse laboratory values in creatinine or phosphorous, the researchers reported.
Baeten and colleagues reported that the estimate of adherence to study drugs was high, both on the basis of self-report by participants and objective measures such as pill counts.
FEM-PrEP: Women at Risk
The FEM-PrEP study, on the other hand, showed little benefit for daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine among 2,120 women, possibly because adherence to the drug was low "despite substantial counseling efforts," according to Lut Van Damme, MD, PhD, of FHI 360 in Durham, N.C., and colleagues.
The study was stopped early, in April 2011, because of a lack of efficacy.
Final results, Van Damme and colleagues reported, showed that 33 women getting the active drug acquired HIV, compared with 35 in the placebo group, for incidence rates of 4.7 and 5.0 per 100 person-years, respectively.
The hazard ratio for the active arm was 0.94 (95% CI 0.59 to 1.52) and was not a significant reduction.
It seems likely, the researchers said, that the lack of efficacy was related to poor adherence, although 95% of participants reported they had usually or always taken their assigned drug.
But testing based on drug levels in the blood in a subset of participants suggested much lower levels of adherence – no more than 26% of those who acquired HIV had evidence they had taken the drug within 48 hours of the test, compared with up to 37% of those who remained seronegative.
The difference was not significant, Van Damme and colleagues reported.
TDF2: Risk Outside Relationships
The TDF2 study -- although it was also closed early, for logistical reasons -- showed a benefit for tenofovir/emtricitabine in men and women in Botswana, according to Michael Thigpen, MD, of the CDC, and colleagues.
In a modified intention-to-treat analysis that included 1,216 of the 1,219 randomized participants, the researchers found just nine new infections in the active arm compared with 24 among placebo recipients.
Those numbers yielded incidence rates of 1.2 and 3.1 infections per 100 person-years, respectively, and meant the efficacy of the drug was 62.2% (95% CI 21.5 to 83.4), which was significant at P=0.03.
Self-reported adherence was about 94% on both arms, and slightly lower by pill count, at about 84% in both arms, the researchers reported.
The study was closed early because of difficulties keeping people in the trial, mainly because they moved for work or school or had scheduling conflicts that led to repeatedly missing study visits, Thigpen and colleagues noted.
Comments Positive for PrEP
Outside experts said the three New England Journal studies show that pre-exposure prophylaxis can work among heterosexual men and women.
They "establish proof of concept that oral anti-retrovirals can protect uninfected men and women from HIV infection," said John Mellors, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh.
The caveat, he said in an email to ABC News/MedPage Today, is that "medication adherence is critical for efficacy."
Another caveat, argued Robert Schooley, MD, of the University of California San Diego, is how well the results will apply to the real world outside a clinical trial.
The studies "do prove" that taking the drugs will reduce the risk of heterosexually acquiring HIV, Schooley said in an email.
But "the difficulty is in envisioning how one would extrapolate the study results to the larger community," he added, noting that even in the context of a well-funded study, the TDF2 researchers "found it too chaotic to track and retain study participants."
How PrEP would work in a cash-strapped healthcare system is "difficult to envision," he said.
The first study to show that PrEP could work was among men who have sex with men, the so-called iPrEX trial.
It was followed by a large-scale study -- HPTN 052 -- among heterosexual serodiscordant couples that showed something slightly different: that if the infected partner is on treatment, the risk of passing on the virus is markedly reduced.
This article was developed in collaboration with ABC News.
The Cochrane analysis was supported by the Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care at Stellenbosch University, the Review for Africa Programme, the Nuffield Commonwealth Programme, and the South African Cochrane Center. The authors said they had no known conflicting interests.
The study by Baeten and colleagues had support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Baeten reported no conflicts.
The study by Van Damme and colleagues was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gilead Sciences provided the study drugs. Van Damme reported no financial links with industry.
The study by Thigpen and colleagues was supported by the CDC and the NIH. Thigpen is an employee of the CDC.
- Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
Primary Source
Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsSource Reference: Okwundu CI, et al "Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for preventing HIV in high-risk individuals" Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; 7: CD007189.
Secondary Source
New England Journal of MedicineSource Reference: Baeten JM, et al "Antiretroviral prophylaxis for HIV prevention in heterosexual men and women" N Engl J Med 2012; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1108524.
Additional Source
New England Journal of MedicineSource Reference: Thigpen MC, et al "Antiretroviral preexposure prophylaxis for heterosexual HIV transmission in Botswana" N Engl J Med 2012; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1110711.
New England Journal of MedicineSource Reference:
Van Damme L, et al "Preexposure prophylaxis for HIV infection among African women" N Engl J Med 2012; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1202614.


text: Hello, everyone. I have not rooted my 2.2 OTA [I felt compelled to say that] Moto Droid 1 [yet], but I was just sort of wondering since I couldn't find an answer anywhere. Rooting voids your warranty. Well, I don't know too awful much legal stuff, but... Even if the warranty is voided, you still have insurance, yes? I mean, for example I pay an extra $8 a month for the best insurance on my Droid [covering stolen, broken, malfunctioning, or lost]. But that's not the warranty, right? That's the like... 1-2 year long thing you get when you get the phone, or sign the contract or whatever. Basically I guess I'm wondering if by SOME chance I were to brick my phone [which I've heard you basically have to TRY to brick your phone to actually do it, it's quite uncommon, but please tell me if I'm wrong], what I WOULD be covered for, since I have insurance. I don't know if rooting voids the warranty and insurance, or... Yeah. So any help/answers would be appreciated. Thanks!


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Restaurant & Automation Specialists, Australian agents for MODU Sushi train conveyors recently installed a 26 metre sushi train at a new restaurant "Simply Sushi" located at Glenelg, Adelaide's premier seaside suburb.
After living in the US and Asia for 16 years, Simply Sushi's Managing Director Peter Sibly returned with his family in 2004 with a passion to bring to Adelaide a new level of Kaiten Sushi.
Simply Sushi is an elegant and unique restaurant where patrons are offered a vast array of sushi dishes and hot Japanese meals, prepared by chefs with over 15 years of experience in contemporary Japanese Cuisine but with a specific specialty in the art of creating fine sushi.
Simply Sushi is located at 108 Jetty Rd; Glenelg South Australia, a prime location which provides a large amount of passing trade from tourists and locals in this very popular beachside area.
Simply Sushi offers dishes to eat in or take away and boasts a menu that includes over 60 interesting and tasty sushi varieties, including it's signature soft shell crab varieties,
Peter Sibly said "Simply Sushi was conceived and opened to raise the bar in Kaiten Sushi cuisine in South Australia; by providing patrons with an excellent range of freshly prepared and reasonably priced sushi and other dishes in a relaxed, elegant environment. The 26 metre sushi conveyor system is an integral part of our success and was designed to best display and allow patrons easy access to the dishes."
He went on to say "We researched a number of suppliers for sushi conveyors and selected Restaurant & Automation Specialists and MODU because they had a very good product with the most competitive price and value for money."


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Written by Joshua Bouie
Aliens are not the only enemy in XCOM 2, time is just as deadly an adversary. Time seems to never be on your side, as you improve your home base and train soldiers to ultimately fight and die for humanity. There is a countdown for which the aliens will unleash devastation if not thwarted. This looming timer adds an incredible sense of fear and anxiety throughout your struggle as failure is not an option.
XCOM 2 is a beautifully brutal turned based strategy game that takes place on a strategic world map and isometric warzones. You are given command of the human resistance as they fight to retake earth from the ADVENT, an alien regime that has governed earth for 20 years. With earth now under alien rule, holographic propaganda and reverent statues line the streets and advent forces patrol them, searching for members of the resistance or any civilian who doesn't conform. Although human in appearance its clear by there distinct dialect and abilities something far more sinister is going on. They are powerful, brutal and have access to extremely advanced technology. You start your journey with access to basic weaponry and armor as you are made to feel as though you are truly a desperate guerilla force fighting an overwhelming enemy.
While the original XCOM had you taking more of a defensive role as the aliens were invading, this time around you are completely on the offensive. You are given access to a mobile home base called the Avenger. Here is where you will recruit new soldiers, engineers and scientist. Once you began to staff your base you can research new technologies and improve your fighting force. You send your guerilla force on squad based missions that are more about sabotage and intel gathering than all-out assault. You raid supply trains and intercept data transfers to halt the progress of the Advent's plan for human extinction. XCOM 2 ties its narrative and gameplay together in such a way that every mission feels as though it could be your last and every shot is incredibly important.
XCOM 2 employs a new concealment mechanic, allowing your soldiers to drop into the majority of missions unnoticed, allowing you to coordinate devastating ambush attacks. This reinforces the idea of a guerilla force. Firing a shoulder mounted rocket launcher into a group of unsuspecting enemies, ordering your heavy gunner to suppress them with concentrated fire, as your snipers pick off the rest is such an exhilarating experience. XCOM 2 uses procedural map and objective generation which ensures a different mission each time out. You will snipe from new rooftops and lay down walls of gunfire down different alleyways in each mission. This dynamic approach keeps gameplay fresh and adds longevity.
There are four classes each with 2 skill trees to select from, you can train your sniper as a marksman or a gunslinger, you can also mix skills from each tree. The specialist can hack security towers and provide aid to squad mates, the grenadier is the heavy weapons expert with suppressive fire and raw destruction. The ranger's blade and shotgun make them a deadly close quarters operative. There is a timer on each mission pushing you forward and adding tension, counting down the turns until your target escapes or the aliens extract precious data.
XCOM 2's overarching narrative exudes the same sense of urgency. As you move the Avenger across the globe establishing contact with other resistance groups, the aliens power is indicated by a progress bar at the top of the world map. This adds a real sense of tension which forces you to maintain a state of constant motion, constantly hunting down the enemy, saving distressed resistance bases or keeping precious supplies out of alien hands.
XCOM 2 is a great game but what keeps it from truly being an exceptional game are performance issues, at least on consoles. An unstable frame rate with constant dips and jittering, inconsistent AI, and load times easily seeing upwards of 30 to 40 seconds. These issues do not ruin the experience, but the fun does began to wane when these issues arise. Issues aside, my time with XCOM 2 has been a challenging and emotional experience and it is and absolute treat for anyone in search of a challenge on every level.
Every choice, every death and every shot fired feels like it counts, and it is this feeling of real consequence that makes for an incredible strategy game. As an experience that puts you in control, lets you celebrate victories, and forces you to truly feel mistakes, and allows you to grow as a tactician against all odds, XCOM 2 is a superb title even with the aforementioned issues.


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Lots of kid just celebrate Halloween because of the dressing up part. It's fun! The MOMS eat most of the candy. It's not fair to say something's wrong with Halloween because it's just something that people do for fun. And some people even have costume contests! It's just for fun, people.
Halloween is a great holiday filled with the joy of children. They get to be creative, eat a lot of candy and hang around with their friends. All of these are good things. People who think Halloween is evil need to relax and think about the joy of the children.
Why I understand that kids think Halloween is ''fun'' because of the candy and costumes, what we are failing to realize is that our kids coming home with a bag full of candy is unhealthy. It rots their teeth and just adds to the epidemic of obesity, not to mention this pagan holiday had demonistic origins behind it.
No there is nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween. It is fun for kids to get to dress up as their favorite character or something they want to be when they get older and then go and get free candy. What could possibly be wrong with that. It does not have to be anything more than that.
I don't think there's anything wrong with celebrating halloween. It's just a day where you dress up into cute little costumes and going around for trick or treating or to celebrate and nothing else. I am a Christian myself and celebrate the halloween with others and as what the person above said, some churches are against celebrating the halloween because they think it's celebrating and worshipping evil and satans when halloween is just meant for fun.
Seriously? Don't pretend you were serious. First of all, one bag of candy isn't all that bad for you. The cause of obesity in America is a fast food lifestyle and lack of physical activity. I eat like eight twinkies a day, and I'm like 150, because I exercise. Pagan ritual? Can you tell me where December 25 come from? Before Christianity, December 25 was Yule, a pagan holiday! Antipagans can be such hypocrites......
Some churches have put forth an arguement that celebrating Halloween is wrong because it celebrates the devil or witches and evil spirits. This is not true in reality however. Children do not go around because of Halloween and think that witches and ghosts are real. Children think of halloween simply as a time to dress up in costume and have fun, they do not place any level of importance on it, other then getting candy. There is nothing wrong with the kids having fun.


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I found an interesting article on the Internet explaining why a mortgage is not a contract. The article claims that a mortgage is not a contract, because "it is a deposit of money by customer (you) to banker." This article also explains how banks steal your money without your knowledge. As always, use your intuition and critical thinking skills to discern the information in the article below.
If for some reason you can not view the article (PDF), visit this link.


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The "CPANPLUS" library is an API to the "CPAN" mirrors and a collection of interactive shells, commandline programs, etc, that use this API....BINGOS/CPANPLUS-0.9176 - 06 Jun 2018 15:22:15 GMT - Search in distribution
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CPANPLUS::YACSmoke is an enhancement of the venerable CPAN::YACSmoke that uses the API backend of CPANPLUS to run tests on CPAN modules and post results to the CPAN Testers list. CPANPLUS::Dist::YACSmoke is loaded into the CPANPLUS configuration befo...BINGOS/CPANPLUS-YACSmoke-1.06 - 07 Dec 2018 11:03:29 GMT - Search in distribution
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This module implements most of the functionality of CPANPLUS::Shell::Default using CPANPLUS::Backend v 0.048 with most of the code coming from &_input_loop. The aliases assigned to the commands are the same letters as the original shell but with a pr...BOZO/Fry-Lib-CPANPLUS-0.01 - 28 Oct 2004 19:13:52 GMT - Search in distribution
"CPANPLUS::Dist::Deb" is a distribution class to create "debian" packages from "CPAN" modules, and all it's dependencies. This allows you to have the most recent copies of "CPAN" modules installed, using your package manager of choice, but without ha...KANE/CPANPLUS-Dist-Deb-0.12 - 08 May 2009 10:44:00 GMT - Search in distribution
Creates a "PAR" distribution of a CPAN module, using the "CPANPLUS::Dist::*" plugin structure. See the "CPANPLUS::Module" manpage how to pass formats to the install methods. See the "PAR::Dist" manpage for details about the generated archives....KANE/CPANPLUS-Dist-PAR-0.02 - 05 Oct 2006 15:15:59 GMT - Search in distribution
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This module is used as a plugin of CPANPLUS to transparently package CPAN distribution files into pacman packages as they are installed. This module can also be used by programmers to build packages in more complex ways. For example, it can create so...JNBEK/CPANPLUS-Dist-Arch-1.32 - 05 Oct 2015 22:54:24 GMT - Search in distribution
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This module is a CPANPLUS backend that recursively generates Gentoo ebuilds for a given package in the default overlay, updates the manifest, and even emerges it (together with its dependencies) if the user requires it. The generated ebuilds are plac...VPIT/CPANPLUS-Dist-Gentoo-0.12 - 15 Jun 2012 10:45:55 GMT - Search in distribution
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CPANPLUS::Dist::Mageia is a distribution class to create Mageia packages from CPAN modules, and all of their dependencies. This allows you to have the most recent copies of CPAN modules installed, using your package manager of choice, but without hav...JQUELIN/CPANPLUS-Dist-Mageia-2.103 - 20 May 2016 12:14:12 GMT - Search in distribution
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Task::CPANPLUS::Metabase is a Task module that installs the modules required for using Test::Reporter::Transport::Metabase with CPANPLUS for submitting CPAN test reports to the Metabase. Also included is metabase_cpanp script which will generate an a...BINGOS/Task-CPANPLUS-Metabase-1.16 - 13 Jun 2017 09:03:00 GMT - Search in distribution
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Do you prefer to manage all software in your operating system's native package format? This CPANPLUS plugin creates Slackware compatible packages from Perl distributions. You can either install the created packages using the API provided by CPANPLUS ...VOEGELAS/CPANPLUS-Dist-Slackware-1.027 - 30 Mar 2018 07:05:34 GMT - Search in distribution
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Try Catch Finally by Mark E. Gilbert is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Technical Humor – No Exceptions
Movie Inspiration: Speed Racer
You can never be too careful at those programming competitions these days. They're getting brutal.
CJ came up with the basic idea for this one while we were traveling on vacation earlier this summer. We bounced a couple of ideas around, but settled on the scene where Speed is getting briefed on all of the tweaks being made to his machine. We thought it would be funny for our Dude to be entering a programming competition, and having a similar need for defenses against cheaters.
Part of the fun for this one – ok, a LOT of the fun for this one – was coming up with the list of modifications. Jump jacks were left in, mostly because they were the most recognizable feature of the Mach 5, but also because it's just plain funny to think of a laptop having them. They give a whole new meaning to "booting up". One of CJ's original ones was having the cutting blades in the DVD-ROM drive, which was also awesome – don't even THINK of trying to peek at Speed's screen. I came up with most of the others, but got stuck with how to twist the homing robot. The movie described this as being able to transmit video footage from wherever the car was, so we converted this to a "Remote 3-D web cam". I'm not sure what exactly this means, but it sounded cool.
When I had it mostly finished, CJ remarked at how visually different this one is from most of the others, specifically the blue. She pointed out that since a lot of TCF end up being in the office, and since the most recognizable feature of an office tends to be the rows and rows of cubes, the color scheme tends to be very neutral. The technician's glasses were also a bit of a challenge. It took me four or five attempts to arrange them on her face without making her look cross-eyed.