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My absolute favorite thing about camping is the necessary campfire dessert-- s'mores.
Judging from the amount of recipes and varieties of s'mores available on the internet, I don't think I'm alone in my affection for the gooey dessert.
Without further ado, seven delicious s'mores recipes:
|The Girl Who Ate Everything
|Capernaum Home
S'mores Pie:
|Cookies and Cups
|How Sweet It Is
|How Sweet It Is
How are you taking advantage of these beautiful Fall evenings?
I hope you are enjoying your weekend!


text: Uh oh, a while back I reported that 10.4.9. upgrade had gone without a hitch so far, well, that is untill I tried to run Logic again. There are several audio unit plug ins that now do not work. Does anybody know what has changed in 10.4.9 to make these plug ins behave that way, is there a patch? Otherwise, I will have to start hunting the web again for updates of these plugins, which is rather cumbersome, an Apple 'fix' would be far preferred.

subset: commoncrawl


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Product was successfully added to your shopping cart.
This floral print bell sleeve dress is exactly what you need for that special dinner or date night you've been planning! Curl your hair, throw on some heels, be confident, and take on the world in this cute little dress!
- Fit and flare
- 32" length
- Long sleeve
- Back tie
- 100% polyester
- Hand wash cold, line dry
- Imported
**Dimensions are approximate and reflective of size small.
- Be the first to review this product


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If you're looking for a used car, we've got one for you. It's a Fiat that Pope Francis rode around in during his recent visit to America. And it could be yours, if as they say, the price is right.
Specifically, we're talking about one of two black Fiat 500Ls used to shuttle the Pope and his entourage around the City of Brotherly Love. It will go up for auction this weekend at the Black Tie Tailgate charity event leading up to the Philadelphia Auto Show on Saturday, January 29th.
The second Fiat used during the Pontiff's trip will be displayed at the auto show from January 30th to February 7th and may also be auctioned.
Fiat provided the United States Secret Service with several of the cars to use during the Pontiff's visit to Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York last year. The automaker then donated them to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
The auction of will be conducted by the Maxx Spann Real Estate and Auction Company and if you can't be there in person, no worries. You can also place your bid online. Proceeds will be distributed among several charities supported by the archdiocese.
Pope Francis has made it a point to use mainstream cars for transportation, rather than the luxury vehicles often previously associated with the papacy. For two years running, Consumer Reports has named the 500L the least reliable car you can buy, but it didn't break down while it was in the service of the Vatican.
If you miss out on the auction, the sticker price for a new Fiat 500 is $20,325.
YouTube: please specify correct url


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How to Free Up Space in Ubuntu
In this tutorial, we are going to show you how to get more free space apart from deleting the trash or deleting the .ISO files. Despite Ubuntu not having defragmentation and disk clean-up tools, we can accomplish this ourselves. By doing this, you will open up more free space to utilize.
Clean the APT Cache (And Do It Regularly)
Basically Ubuntu stores all its updates downloaded and stored in a cache of the disk. This process is to ensure that you have the files for future reference. This is a great advantage for a user who regularly adds and removes applications, which may require you to configure or reinstall the required packages, or if you have a poor connection. However, behind the scenes what happens is that the apt package cache consumes memory which may swell to several hundred MB's. We can check the amount of consumption consumed by the apt packages by issuing the following command:
du -sh /var/cache/apt/archives
To clean the apt cache on Ubuntu simply run the following command:
sudo apt-get clean
The apt get clean command will erase ALL the packages stored in the apt cache. If users are facing a slow or discontinuous or capped connections, you may want to consider skipping this step.
Remove Old Kernels
# sudo apt autoremove –purge
Reading package list… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
The following packages will be REMOVED
linux-headers-4.4.0-22* linux-headers-4.4.0-22-generic*
linux-image-4.4.0-22* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-22-generic*
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 4 to remove and 201 not to upgrade.
After this operation, 350 MB disk space will be freed.
The user should approach this step with the utmost caution. We do have a choice of the kernel to boot up, which is smart way especially if any missing occurs while using the latest ones. It's easy to remove old kernels in Ubuntu. You can do it from the command line using the following command:
sudo apt-get autoremove –purge
This command will only remove kernels that are no longer needed and installed from the Ubuntu archive through system updates.
Uninstall Apps & Games You Never Use
Most of the unnoticed area of our computer is where we install the software for temporary use or to handle a particular task for that moment. However, by erasing that software from our PC, it will allow us to free up some space on our computer.
To remove a specific app by name run:
sudo apt-get remove package-name1 package-name2
To remove packages and dependencies that are no longer required (because you've uninstalled other packages or newer versions have replaced them) run the following command:
sudo apt-get autoremove
Use A System Cleaner like BleachBit
BleachBit software was developed in Python programming language and uses PyGTK. This software allows you to wipe out every app, cache, log and system process which are not easily found. The most identical software for BleachBit will be CCleaner. This has the power of removing everything and anything which should be used with caution. BleachBit can be directly installed from the Ubuntu software center. You must run this program as root and check the boxes which the user wish to clean up. Click 'Preview' to get an estimate of how much space they take up, and click "Clean" to remove them.
Stay up to date
Updating the software is an important thing. In Linux, it regularly frees space rather than every new update adds more overhead package updates.
If you need any further assistance please contact our support department.


text: Taking Turns | Video Preview >>> Visit Helix Studios <<< Tyler Hill and Sean Ford | Photo Set >>> Visit Helix Studios For The Full Scene <<< Follow Taking Turns | Helix Studios | Tyler Hill and Sean Ford Super stud Sean Ford waits seductively outside a crowded bar, up to no good and looking for trouble. Tyler Hill turns up and plants a wet one right on his kisser! Bold and beautiful, both boys bring it back to the bedroom for a back and fourth flip fuck. Tumbling between the sheets, the dynamic duo explore, inspect and taste every inch of each other inside and out! These are two of the most beautiful golden boys you'll ever see taking turns treating each other like the trophy boys they are. We'll go ahead and say "You're Welcome" now! 0 Average User Rating 0 votes Rate This Item Your Rating: 0 Submit Porn Studio:Helix StudiosPorn Models:Sean Ford, Tyler HillPorn Genres:Anal Sex, BlowJob, Fingering, Flip-Fuck, Rimming, Twinks Spread the Love, Share Us!


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The Essential Things All Hunters Should Have!
Hunting is not just all about having high-end weapons and other equipment, but it is also about overcoming the harsh and most inconvenient environment. Thus, to be an effective hunter, you should be prepared for whatever is ahead of your hunting venture. You should take note of these essential things that all hunters should have during hunting sessions whether you are a professional hunter or is a newbie in the field. Read more "The Essential Things All Hunters Should Have!"


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MON, AUG 3, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Doughnut Eating Contest Video
Here's some shaky video of Saturday's Doughnut Eating Contest. Big thanks to Light in the Attic for dreaming it all up and making it happen. Thanks for everyone who came out. Next year seems like a long, long time away…..
Watch it here


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Welcome to Bullock Funeral Home
THE GOAL at Bullock Funeral Home is to achieve the highest of standards in compassionate services, preparation, at-need services, after care services, and professionalism for the Sumter and surrounding communities.
With an honest approach, quality service, and affordable prices, Bullock Funeral Home is confident and ready to serve Sumter and the surrounding communities. We encourage you to stop by Bullock Funeral Home at 1190 Wilson Hall Road or call (803) 469-3400 with any questions, you may have. It is evident that the reason for the continued success at Bullock Funeral Home is because Bullock Funeral Home is the funeral home "Where Caring Makes the Difference." When it's the last time you can honor your loved one, why not give them the best....Bullock Funeral Home & Crematorium.


text:
Other jobs you might be interested in
Casual Dining
Part of BRG Hospitality
a smart, chic and authentic taqueria that embodies the warmth of traditional Mexican cooking, and the fun and genuine hospitality that defines New Orleans. It is a collaboration of two old friends who just happen to be world class chefs. It bridges traditional Mexican food with a cutting-edge, modern approach to dining that utilizes the very best ingredients.
Serious food in a fun environment is the name of the game. Stepping through the door will bring guests out of their everyday routine and into an inspired atmosphere reminiscent of Mexico City.
Sánchez adds, "This is the food that I love to cook when I'm having fun, and that's what resonates with people. It's all from the heart!"
(504) 304-6615


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GhoulWritten by Michael Carr on July 24, 2009
"Fuck Italy man, they lost our bags in Rome and we went without undies for 4 days," Ghoul singer/guitarist Ivan Vižintin tells me over skype, the rough treatment of his genitals showing in his voice and face.
I suggest he douse them in olive oil for some relief and he's not impressed.
With Ivan and his brother, Ghoul bassist Pav, in Italy, guitarist Anthony down the snow and drummer Hanno in Melbourne it might seem as though the band are 'taking some time apart', or 'getting to know themselves." Ivan however assures me this is not at all true.
"We love each other to bits, in a completely homosexual way. They're my best mates and we always have a good laugh and piss off each others parents by playing really loudly."
While they may not be undertaking some sort of musical trial separation, you could forgive them for needing some time off from self-producing their forthcoming debut album, a process the band are approaching with frustrating perfectionism.
"The album is maybe 60% done," he tells me voice lagging here and there. "Sounding massive, more refined, more developed… just better. We're really proud of it so far. Hopefully it will turn some heads. Heaps and heaps of drumming… and percussion… and rhythm."
Since their EP Mouthful of Gold, Ghoul shows have been evolving into a more ferocious beast. The band is eager and hungry for blood.
"We're trying to take bigger risks. Our live show has improved tenfold and hopefully that will improve further. Trying to incorporate new instruments and ideas into our sound constantly. Our influences have shifted a bit – we're just growing up. Slowly."
And it's a good thing too as the band are set to perform with i like cats and Danimals as part of Exquisite Corpse's 1st Birthday celebrations, a night where the band misspent a lot of its youth.
"Our fist EC gig was with i like cats," Ivan types. "They played this intense set. Jaie (i like cats) and Pav made this intense bass stack and the whole place was shaking. Afterwards this DJ in a mask kept playing breakcore while some weird rape performance art was happening in the cube. Oh, we broke our floor-tom and I scared some girl to death by glaring at her for 3 songs."
Taking place on July 30th at The Oxford Art Factory the free event promises to once again a deliver a night of musical excess and complete sensory indulgence. Well in step with this line of thinking, Ivan drops a few little hints as to what dollops of sonic silliness the Ghoul guys are bringing to the party.
"Anthony will not be bringing any doms this time round so please supply your own," he tells me with a laugh. "There's supposed to be some massive jam at the end, I will be playing lead melodica and haircut stylings."
Be sure to get down and have your locks chopped by Ivan mid-psych-jam.
Ghoul play Exquisite Corpse's 1st Birthday on July 30th.
Check out http://myspace.com/ghoulsydney


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Msitu: Forage & Feast
I am a foraging tutor who runs courses and I also make preserves and cakes from foraged ingredients. I am a full time wild food specialist who loves nothing more than sharing my love of foraging with others. I have taught foraging in Leeds since 2007 and now also do farmer's markets, where I sell my unique preserves made with foraged ingredients as well as gluten free food.
Contact Mina
Email Mina • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram


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Your cart is currently empty!
Material: 100% Beech wood, bottom part is natural with matte lacquer and top part is stained.
How to care:
Wipe with dry cloth.
Sold out
Piano Serving Set with Wood Handles
Size: 10.5" Stainless steel with wooden handlesHand wash Only.
Iittala - Collective Tools Serving Spoon
Collective Tools is a complete toolbox for contemporary dining which functions individually or as a set. Whether it is a serving tool or a pepper mill, these stainless steel design objects feel immediately enjoyable in the hands. Collective Tools enhance any Iittala cutlery collection.
Iittala cutlery is made of austenic, rustproof 18/10 steel, which consists of 18 % chromium and 10 % nickel. Chromium protects the steel against corrosion. The addition of nickel to the alloy increases its corrosion resistance while adding a bright polished appearance, hardness, and exceptional resistance to all temperatures.
Iittala cutlery is either polished or matt-brushed. Polishing guarantees a shiny surface and rust resistance. The mat-brushed cutlery is first polished in order to improve the rust resistance, then brushed mat and washed.
Stainless steel is an extremely durable material. However, it may rust under certain situations. At this time, a material completely resistant to rust has not yet been discovered. Therefore, it is essential that you take good care of your Iittala stainless steel cutlery. After dinner, immediately wash, or at least rinse, the cutlery. The cutlery should not be soaked for a long period of time. Do not use steel wool for cleaning. If you wash the cutlery in the dishwasher, the cutlery basket should not be loaded full and the blades and spoons should have some space between them. Open the hatch door when the cutlery is left in the machine after washing, as humidity is not good for the cutlery. Vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, rhubarb, and salt can leave tiny, dark spots, or even rust, on the surface of the cutlery if it is not rinsed or washed after use. Even though the cutlery is very durable, it may become scratched, discolored or worn with time. You can make old cutlery shiny again by doing the following: Boil 1 liter of water and add 1 dl of washing powder. Boil the cutlery in the mixture for 15 minutes and rinse properly afterwards. Sometimes the stains are especially hard to remove. If this is the case, use a vinegar-solution of 1 dl vinegar and 1 liter water.
Collective Tools Cheese Slicer
Ergonomically designed for complete comfort and balance, the Cheese Slicer by iittala is a must have for cheese lovers. Designed by Glen Oliver Law and Antonio Citterio, the Cheese Slicer is part of the Collective Tools family of products. Forged from stainless steel, the Collective Tools are practical and beautiful, making them excellent gifts or additions to a foodie's cooking arsenal.
Design Antonio Citterio & Glenn Oliver Low, 2000
Material: Stainless Steel Brushed
Approximate size: 8.25″
DesignHouse Stockholm
Pick Up Tongs
Stig Ahlström has designed a universal kitchen tool for cooking, serving and eating. The Pick Up tongs are ideal for cooking or serving.
Bamboo with stainless steel joint. L 34 cm (13") ). Hand wash only. Lubricate with oil for kitchen products.
Imported from Sweden


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Welcome back to another challenge with the Just A Scrappin' Design Team!
This weeks challenge was to make a card, project or layout for Halloween using green, purple and orange. Also, add ribbon.
Size: A2 (5.5 X 4.25)
Teddy Bear Parade Cricut Lite Cartridge
Stampin' Up Cardstock: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Soft Suede, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango
Patterned Paper: Haunted Recollections Stack
Sentiment: My Pink Stamper; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Die: My Creative Time - Stitched Oval Die
Other: Michael's Ribbon - Plum
Bear - 3.75h
(TddyBear) 2.88w - Chocolate Chip - Delete all belly cut and lines
(TddyBear-s) 3.28w - Basic Black
(Layer) 2.05w - Soft Suede
Witch Outfit - 3.75h
(Witch) 2.51w - Tangerine Tango
(Witch-s) 6.14w - Basic Black
(Layer) 2.28w - Perfect Plum
(Layer-s) 1.54w - So Saffron
I hope you love this little witchy as much as I do! I also love the sentiment, it will definitely go out to one of my girlfriends. They know my quirky sense of humor :)
Make sure you head over to Just A Scrappin' to check out the Design Team members and their awesome creations. Don't forget to add a link to your new project for this challenge. We LOVE to see what all of you create!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Just A Scrappin' DT Challenge # 26
Posted by Bridget at 12:00 AM
Labels: Gypsy, Just A Scrappin' DT, My Creative Time, My Pink Stamper, Stampin' Up, Teddy Bear Parade
1 comment:
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This particular article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.
The authors of this article cited 26 references, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How to Apply for Disability in Texas
In this Article:Understanding the Disability Eligibility RequirementsApplying for BenefitsAppealing the Denial of Disability BenefitsCommunity Q&A26 References
State and federal programs offer income-replacement benefits to people with short-term or permanent disabilities. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the federal government's disability insurance programs known as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). While some states, like California, also administer state benefits, Texas only administers the federal programs.
Part 1
Understanding the Disability Eligibility Requirements
1Learn who is eligible. To be eligible for federal disability benefits, you must have a qualifying disability. This means that you must be unable to engage in "substantial gainful activity" for at least 12 months.[1] Furthermore, SSA considers an individual disabled if:
- They cannot do the work they did before.
- They cannot adjust to other work because of a medical condition.
- The disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least 1 year or result in death.[2]
2Understand which agency administers benefits. While disability benefits are funded by the federal government (SSA), Texas's Division for Disability Determination Services (DDS) makes the eligibility determination. To do so, individuals apply for Social Security benefits at their local Social Security Office, and their applications are then forwarded to DDS for a disability determination.[3] The final decision to grant or deny benefits, however, lies with SSA.[4]
3Calculate your benefits. The amount of SSDI benefits that you can receive will depend on how much you paid into the Social Security system during your working years. By contrast, SSI is a need-based program; monthly payments are established by the federal government.[5]
- The maximum amount of SSI an individual may receive each month is $733; a couple may receive $1,100.
- To view the SSI federal payment amounts for 2015, click here.
Part 2
Applying for Benefits
1Gather information. You will need to provide information about the following to SSA:[6]
- Your date and place of birth, as well as your Social Security number
- Information about your current spouse, as well as any former spouses (name, date of birth and death, Social Security numbers, and the date and location of your marriages and divorces)
- Names and dates of birth of your minor children
- The name and contact information of someone who knows about your medical condition, such as a doctor
- The names, addresses, and phone numbers for all doctors, hospitals, and clinics where you were treated, as well as your patient ID numbers and dates of treatment
- The name and contact information of your employer for this year and the past year
- The amount of money you earned this year and last year
- A list of the jobs (up to 5) that you worked in the past 15 years before you became unable to work, and the dates you worked those jobs
- the beginning and ending dates of any military service you had before 1968
- Your bank's Routing Transit Number and the account number (if you want benefits electronically deposited)
2Locate necessary documents. To apply for benefits, you will need various documents that establish your legal status as well as your financial and medical history. Gather these documents before applying:
- Birth certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were not born in the United States
- A copy of your Social Security statement[7]
- W-2 forms and/or self-employment tax returns for last year
- Award letters, pay stubs, settlement agreements or other proof of any temporary or permanent workers' compensation-type benefits
- Information about any workers' compensation benefits that you applied for or intend to apply for[8]
- Medical evidence, including medical records, doctor's reports, names of medicines taken, and recent test results
- U.S. military discharge papers if you had military service before 1968
4Undergo a medical examination (if requested). After applying for the benefits, your application will be sent to a Disability Specialist. If the Disability Specialist needs more information about your disability, then you may be asked to undergo a medical exam.
- Exams are often scheduled where little evidence supports the claim of injury or where sufficient time has elapsed since you have seen a doctor.[9]
- The exam will be brief—maybe only 10 minutes.[10]
- You should attend the exam. A Disability Specialist can close a file for "failure to cooperate" and declining a medical exam would justify denying your claim.[11] If you accidentally miss the exam, you will be allowed to reschedule.
5Await benefit determination. Disability claims are decided within 90-120 days.[12] The process may be longer if you are scheduled for a medical examination. After the medical examination, the Disability Specialist will make an initial decision about whether you are disabled.
- If you are determined to be disabled, then you will begin receiving retroactive disability benefits. Alternately, if your claim is denied, then you may appeal.
- If you are denied, you will be sent a denial letter. Save this. It will contain important contact information as well as information about appeals.
Part 3
Appealing the Denial of Disability Benefits
1Request reconsideration. If your claim is denied, you should request reconsideration.[13] Another DDS representative will review your claim and possibly request additional information. Contact the Social Security Office that denied your claim to request reconsideration.[14]
- You have only 60 days to request reconsideration, so it is best not to wait. Once you receive your denial letter, call and request the reconsideration paperwork.
- You might want to provide updated medical records, statements from treating physicians about your medical condition, or a reason why you think your claim should be approved.
- The success rate for reconsideration is very low (around 13%).[15] Nevertheless, requesting reconsideration is a necessary first step that allows you to subsequently appeal to an administrative law judge, where your chances (should you have legal representation) are higher.
- If the second DDS representative denies your claim, then you may appeal.
2Request an appeal hearing. To appeal a denial, you must request a hearing with an administrative law judge. In Texas, you must request an appeal within 60 days of the date of the prior denial.
- You should seek out an attorney at this point. The attorney will request the appeal paperwork and file it.
- The average wait time for a hearing in Texas is 8 months.[16]
3Hire an attorney or SSA advocate. Based on the nature and complexity of your case, it may be beneficial to consult with an attorney or advocate. Advocates may be lawyers or non-lawyers.[17] Securing legal representation may significantly improve your chances of getting your disability claim approved.[18]
- More than 60% of cases are won at this level when the claimant is represented by an attorney or advocate.[19]
- Disability attorneys and advocates work on contingency. Under this arrangement, you will not pay any fees unless you win the appeal.
- You will still have to cover costs, such as the cost of mailing, photocopying, or requesting medical records. You should anticipate costs of around $200.[20] Typically, an attorney will front these costs; if you win, then the amount will be deducted from your back-award benefits. If you lose, you will then be billed.
- By law, attorneys and advocates can collect only 25% of the award of the past-due benefits awarded, up to $6,000.[21]
- To find an experienced attorney, you can search the Texas Bar Association's Referral Service. Or you can search "disability lawyer" and your city or county into a web browser. Because attorneys in this field work on contingency, your consultation should be free.
4Prepare for your appeal hearing. Disability hearings are conducted before an administrative law judge who will evaluate the information you provided. To win, the administrative law judge must determine that you have a disability based on SSA laws.
5Attend the hearing. The judge will review your medical records and see if you have a severe medical impairment. Also, the impairment must qualify as a disability for a year or more.[24]
- An impairment qualifies as a "disability" if it meets SSA's list of impairments or prevents you from engaging in work that will produce substantial, gainful income.[25]
Community Q&A
- While it may be time consuming, it might be more beneficial to apply for SSA in-person rather than online. You can ask SSA representatives questions, which will facilitate filling out the claim correctly the first time.
- The vast majority of disability applications are rejected at the initial level of consideration. Accordingly, few people get lawyers until the appeal stage, which is the stage at which having an attorney makes the most difference.[26]
- You should not seek an appeal without the advice of an expert in disability law.
- ↑ 42 U.S.C. 423 (d)(1)(A)
- ↑ http://www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/dqualify4.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/disability-resources-texas.html
- ↑ https://hhs.texas.gov/laws-regulations/handbooks/adc-dahsr-appendices/a-legacy-compassionate-service/services/disability-determination-services
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/disability-resources-texas.html
- ↑ http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/apply.html#a0=2
- ↑ http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/apply.html#a0=2
- ↑ http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/apply.html#a0=3
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/social-security-medical-exam.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/rude-quick-exams.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/social-security-medical-exam.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/disability-resources-texas.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/topics/social-security-disability-advocates
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/topics/social-security-disability-advocates
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/disabilityquestions2-12.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/question16.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/question16.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.ssdrc.com/state-texas-tx-getting-started.html
- ↑ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/assistance.html


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I have been working at Microsoft now for 3 years and 4 months (side note: it's by far the best company I have ever worked for). You would think by now I know about every Azure product, but we release new products and services at such a tremendously fast pace that almost weekly I discover something I did not know about. Today was one of those days as I discovered Azure DevTest Labs, which was made generally available in May 2016 (it public previewed in November 2015).
Here is the overview:
Developers and testers are looking to solve the delays in creating and managing their environments by going to the cloud. Azure solves the problem of environment delays and allows self-service within a new cost efficient structure. However, developers and testers still need to spend considerable time configuring their self-served environments. Also, decision makers are uncertain about how to leverage the cloud to maximize their cost savings without adding too much process overhead.
Azure DevTest Labs is a service that helps developers and testers quickly create environments in Azure while minimizing waste and controlling cost. You can test the latest version of your application by quickly provisioning Windows and Linux environments using reusable templates and artifacts. Easily integrate your deployment pipeline with DevTest Labs to provision on-demand environments. Scale up your load testing by provisioning multiple test agents, and create pre-provisioned environments for training and demos.
Azure DevTest Labs addresses the problems in Dev/Test environments today majorly through four aspects:
- Quickly be "ready to test" – DevTest Labs enables you to create pre-provisioned environments with everything your team needs to start developing and testing applications. Simply claim the environments where the last good build of your application is installed and get working right away. Or, use containers for even faster and leaner environment creation
- Worry-free self-service – DevTest Labs makes it easier to control costs by allowing you to set policies on your lab – such as number of virtual machines (VM) per user and number of VMs per lab. DevTest Labs also enables you to create policies to automatically shut down and start VMs
- Create once, use everywhere – Capture and share environment templates and artifacts within your team or organization – all in source control – to create developer and test environments easily
- Integrates with your existing toolchain – Leverage pre-made plug-ins or our API to provision Dev/Test environments directly from your preferred continuous integration (CI) tool, integrated development environment (IDE), or automated release pipeline. You can also use our comprehensive command-line tool
Jeff Gilbert's TechNet blog has some great blogs on Azure DevTest Labs as well as Praveen Kumar Sreeram, and there are some excellent short videos by Microsoft to help you get started.
You'll need a subscription that provides you monthly Azure credits to use DevTest labs. Besides the pay-as-you-go option, there are free options and subscription options:
- A new Visual Studio Professional subscription is $1,199 ($50 Azure credits per month), but only $799 for renewals. $50 monthly Azure credit means it's basically only $200 a year if you use all the monthly credits
- A new Visual Studio Enterprise subscription ($150 Azure credits per month) is $5,999, renew at $2,569.00
- New Visual Studio Test Professional Subscription ($50 Azure credits per month) is $2,169, renew at $899
- MSDN Platforms subscription ($100 Azure credits) *
* MSDN Platforms is available exclusively through Microsoft Volume Licensing. For pricing and purchase details, contact your Microsoft account representative, Microsoft Partner, or an authorized volume licensing reseller.
More info:
Getting to know Azure DevTest Labs
How to Use Azure DevTest Labs for Test Environments and Dev Machines


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Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology is the scientific
study of the workplace. Rigor and methods of psychology are
applied to issues of critical relevance to business,
including talent management, coaching, assessment,
selection, training, organizational development,
performance, and work-life balance.
Nancy T. Tippins
GTE Telephone Operations
S. Morton McPhail
Jeanneret & Associates
Calvin C. Hoffman
Southern California Gas Company
Wade Gibson
Psychological Services, Inc. (PSI)
This Workshop will explore the problems and issues associated with
transporting validity in real world situations. There is little guidance from legal and
professional documents and apparently no one "right" way to conduct a
transportability study. The Workshop leader will review the information contained in
documents such as the Uniform Guidelines, the Standards for Educational and
Psychological Testing, the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel
Selection Procedures, relevant court cases, and relevant I-O literature.
The Workshop will then highlight issues that practitioners must
confront such as:
Three experienced practitioners will present examples of their work
transporting validity from one situation to another and discuss how they have answered
these kinds of questions in specific, real world situations. The Workshop will close with
a group discussion of the questions on transportability that are posed.
Nancy T. Tippins is the Director of Employee Capability and
Competency Design at GTE Telephone Operations in Irving, Texas where she is responsible
for Selection Methods, Staffing Policies and Procedures, Career Planning, and Leadership
Development. Nancy is a Fellow of SIOP and APA, and is currently Member at Large for SIOP
and serves on APAs Board of Professional Affairs. She is a member of several private
industry groups including the Dearborn Group, the National Staffing Forum, and the Equal
Employment Advisory Councils Ad Hoc Committee on Employee Selection. She received
her M.S. and Ph.D. in I-O psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
S. Morton McPhail received his doctorate from Colorado State
University and is a Principal and Vice-President of Jeanneret & Associates where he
has served as Project Manager and Principal-in-Charge for dozens of test validation
projects in both the public and private sectors. His work has included development and
implementation of procedures for transporting validity evidence within and across
organizations and job families. Mort has served as expert counsel and provided testimony
in numerous matters of litigation during his 20-year consulting career and also serves on
the SIOP State Affairs Committee.
Calvin C. Hoffman is Operations Quality Consultant with Southern
California Gas Company, the countrys largest distributor of natural gas. He is
responsible for the measurement and improvement of customer satisfaction metrics and for
internal process improvement consulting. He holds a B.S. degree in psychology from Kansas
State University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in I-O psychology from the University of
Nebraska. Cal is on the editorial board of Personnel Psychology, and is a member of
the Personnel Testing Council of Southern California, SIOP, and the American Society for
Training and Development.
Wade Gibson received his Ph.D. in industrial psychology from
Bowling Green State University and is Director of Test Publications for PSI where he has
managed dozens of research projects involving procedures used to transport validity for
PSI-published tests. In consulting activities at PSI, he has developed and implemented
similar procedures used to transport validity for client proprietary tests and has
provided litigation support and expert witness testimony in matters involving validation
and employment statistics. Wade has published numerous scholarly and professional papers
on various testing issues.
Coordinator: Wade Gibson, Psychological Services, Inc. (PSI)
1999 Conference Registration Information
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Probably The Greatest Most Tasteful Guitarist / Band Leader ever
RobertaSparrow wrote:On this date in Rory history: December 30
Were you there? Have any stories? Any new information?
12/30/1975 Dublin IRL Carlton Cinema
12/30/1976 Dublin IRL National Stadium
12/30/1978 Dublin IRL National Stadium
12/30/1983 Killarney IRL Gleneagle
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Amid the gently rolling hills of Middle Georgia's beautiful Peach County, you will find Fort Valley State University. Our University is committed to embracing students' dreams for a successful future. Acting with the combined strength of our outstanding faculty, a determined staff and a supportive community, FVSU is determined to help make student dreams come true. We reach out to every individual student to offer opportunities that spur initiative and inspire real and lasting achievement.
Founded more than 100 years ago, Fort Valley State University embraces a history that weaves together culture, a commitment to personal and intellectual growth and a deep sense of community. What students of every era have found here is unequaled leadership across a wide scope of programs. Our status as an 1895 state land-grant university has led to remarkable innovations in agriculture and related fields. FVSU has one of the top teacher education programs in the state of Georgia. And, our comprehensive liberal arts curriculum continues to set new standards of excellence. Keeping up with technological advances, we offer top-notch online programs and the opportunity to keep abreast of FVSU's goings-on through Facebook and Twitter. We have an excellent relationship with the city of Fort Valley and surrounding areas. Our communiversity efforts bridge the gap between town and gown. The university regularly brings the local community onto campus for special events which showcase our students' achievements.
We invite you to experience life in the Valley! We are a short drive from Atlanta. Come visit our campus and let us wrap you in our southern hospitality. We believe that if you visit our beautiful campus, you will come to love it as much as we do. You are only a few clicks away to apply for admission or schedule a campus visit.
If you have questions that are not answered on our website, please contact our office at 1-877-GO2-FVSU (1.877-462-3878) and a member of our professional staff will gladly assist you. We encourage you to Be Bold, Be Amazing, Be Prepared, enroll at Fort Valley State University.


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Well a new month brings a new sketch courtesy of Stuck?! Here is the October 1st sketch.
My take:
I kept this one relatively simple. The picture is of Jayden and his great grandpa in Idaho. He absolute adores this little boy. I am so glad I had my camera handy to catch this moment as it's one that my grandson will treasure when he is older.
The layout is my fave combo of Graphic 45 & Tim Holtz embellishments. The two never fail me.=)
For the alphas, I simply painted them with acrylic paint and used Glossy Accents to achieve the dimesional look.
A closeup of my cluster, lol not a flower cluster but I HAD to have my usual cluster one way or another. =)
Stop by Stuck?! to check out the other takes on this sketch. Check out the 8.5x10 takes from the 2 new CT members! Awesome layouts all around.


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Class: Flavors of the Triangle: Alley Twenty Six
Wine Pairing Included
Chef: Shannon Healy & Carrie Schleiffer
Description: Alley Twenty Six, opened in 2012, has recently undergone a reincarnation. Guests will find a mix of libations that compliment the new food. Greg Cox, food critic for the News & Observer says: "Healy's fans won't be surprised that the blend he came up with goes down easy."
Menu: Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Alley Twenty Six Tonic, Bibb Lettuce, Pickled Cucumber and Jalapeno, Chipotle Mayo served with Pickled Rum Punch; Butternut Squash Soup,Spiced Jumbo Lump Crab, Coconut Milk, Lemongrass, Cilantro served with Coconut Gin & Tonic; Potato Crusted Fish, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Bacon, Mushroom Ginger Sauce served with Bourbon and Ginger with Maple and Bitter Mushroom Tincture; Sweet Spiced Braised Short Rib, Rosemary Sweet Potato Mash, Pecans, Braised Winter Greens served with a Cranberry Scotch Poinsettia with Rosemary; Liquid Dessert - Eggnog


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COSTA MESA — Alex Lopez didn't care what he would get for Christmas. He just wanted something — a gift from Santa under his tree to open on Christmas day.
Before this year, when a group of nonprofit organizations along with South Coast Plaza collaborated to throw a Christmas party for 400 homeless and motel children, the 13-year-old, who lives at a shelter with his brothers and mother in Garden Grove, would have nothing for Christmas.
"We've all been through hard times; we got no presents on Christmas day," he said. "So, I really don't care about what I get as long as I get something and have a Christmas with my family."
The Gifts of Love was organized and presented by South Coast Plaza, The Happiness Project in Huntington Beach, the Young Presidents' Organization YPO Southern California Chapter in Irvine and the Festival of Children Foundation in Costa Mesa for underprivileged children from around the county Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight.


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ICDA Appoints Two Key Board Members
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ICDA Appoints Two Key Board Members
The International Commodities and Derivatives Association (ICDA) has today announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors.
Dr Stéphane Graber, Secretary General of the Swiss Trading and Shipping Association (STSA) and Dr Paul Lynch, CEO of itarle, a leading provider of multi asset algorithmic trading and analytics services for the sell-side, have joined the association with immediate effect.
Take the lead from today's leaders. FM London Summit, 14-15 November, 2016. Register here!
Stéphane Graber
In his previous role, Stéphane Graber was instrumental in unifying three regional associations under a single umbrella and was the driving force behind STSA's professionalisation ... (read more)
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Scroll down to find out more about our initiative.
Key actors from the science, policy and industry communities across Europe have established the EU Nitrogen Expert Panel. The general objective of the Expert Panel is to contribute to improving Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) in food systems in Europe, through:
(i) communicating a vision and strategies on how to improve NUE in food systems in Europe;
(ii) generating new ideas, and recommending effective proposals and solutions; and by
(iii) acting as referee in controversial issues, and by communicating authoriatively.
The Expert Panel gathered for the first time in Windsor, United Kingdom on 15-16 September 2014, and agreed on a definition of NUE as an indicator for crop production at a national scale. There were 12 experts from science, four from policy and three from industry. They came from nine EU countries. Since then, the Panel meets biannually to further develop to science.
Scroll down to read the latest news or click on the upper right corner to download the EUNEP reports.
The EU Nitrogen Expert Panel consists of:
Oene Oenema,
Wageningen University
Tassos Haniotis,
DG Agriculture
The EUNEP meets biannualy to work on their developments on nitrogen use efficiency. You can read the news to the right to find out more about future endeavors, plans and meetings, as well as read about the previous meetings that took place around Europe.
All reports and relevant publications by the EU Nitrogen Expert Panel can be found on the upper right corner of this website under the title "Reports".
News by EU NEP
News by EU NEP
News by EU NEP
News by EU NEP


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Top rolex watch brand is more than a century. It has always been the superior performance and distinguished symbol.It is also one of almost all the city boy pursue life goal.Also someone once worn by the President of the United States, for example, Dwight Eisenhower. In 1956, the rolex watch company gave him a watch "the date of the Normandy invasion", so the watches is also called "watches".
And now have rolex oyster type, di tong, cut three series. At the end of march, rolex oyster famous watches series of five new members.in 2016 the Basel World (Basel World 2016) and horological exhibit in the grand launch.However, analysts say, despite the rolex continuously launch new style.But in Asia, especially China's sales is increasingly threatened by omega. Nowadays, omega pay more attention to brand marketing.The gap between the shrinking and rival, rolex, therefore rolex day no better than before in the future.
Rolex five appearance
Rolex Basel in 2016 and horological exhibit on the 5 watches.Their design inspiration comes from the wearer's idea of success, challenge the limit, beyond the self. The birth of the new watch, in pursuit of the latest technology and design at the same time.The more the continuation of the brand's classic tradition, manifests the rolex on wrist diligence the rigorous attitude, oyster type motion explorer type II is one of the outstanding representatives. The wrist in 1971, which will become the necessary equipment for a number of adventure, rolex more so and exploration has been wedded boundary.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the improved model 2016 – type oyster type motion explorer II will watch case widened to 42 mm, and are equipped with a rolex is a new generation of 3187 movement. Research and development of the machine is equipped with two patents of rolex: PARAFLEX patent cushioning device and diamagnetic blue PARACHROM hairspring. On appearance design, explorer type II more special salute to 1971, the original design, device for 24 hours orange indicator arrow. Black dial with more black pointer style, build a "phantom" effect, pointer like floating on the dial.
In the new 2016, remarkable circle is another innovative design CERACHROM word, by rolex patent research and development, combined with high scientific and technological achievements, effective scratch-resistant loss, resistance to erosion and permanently keep shining. Designed for sailing event timing research and oyster type constant moving yacht mingshi type II is equipped with this word, and at the same time have unique mechanical memory countdown function.
Another with the same word of wrist watch is famous oyster type type constant dynamic universe di tong, digital circle in new black appearance, heavy fact of outer ring adhering to the 1965 circle design on black word.
Rolex launched two ladies watch this year, also adopted the rose gold and eternal ROLESOR diamond composite material. New 36 mm since 2009 and 31 mm dress after, add new style for ladies' watches again this year – the latest oyster type motion is 26 mm couture log type design, and equipped with ROLESOR gold (1539.20, 17.90, 1.15%) steel or platinum steel combination.
The battle for Asian
Rolex watches always enjoy international reputation, but in recent years because of lack of changes in style, its sales showed a trend of decline; On the other hand, the Swatch group, omega, with fashion style, increasingly get the favour of emerging market consumers, so its sales are growing.
From the aspects of brand design positioning and marketing strategy, rolex and omega is the representative of the international famous brand. Both high performance in both waterproof and dustproof, accurate and durable, the fine is designed to help people beyond the limit, overcome difficulties.
Rolex sale and popularity than the omega in the past, the two also have the Swiss origin neighbors in the past has been peaceful. In recent years, omega launched a provocation to rolex. "Our ambition is clear: we want as an equal with rolex, and over it in 3 to 4 years." Omega belongs to Swatch group (Swatch) CEO Nick? Sea, (Nick Hayek, Jr.) Four years ago had said.
Clocks and watches of smoke on the battlefield. Omega the rising star to shake the old king rolex, also will not be easy.
In the 1970 s, rolex and omega is the distance between. In the late 1970 s, when Japanese quartz watch, wandered the world, the traditional Swiss watch suffer, omega and rolex has been recovered, the two different strategies to cope with the situation, make them on the path of the different, the former will target for the Japanese brand competition, focus on manufacturing quartz watches and mechanical watches; The latter will watch as "jewelry", to develop in the high-end market.
Omega Ladymatic stainless steel set auger watches
Later, it turns out, rolex correct, omega second start falling behind.
So omega decided on a turnaround in the brand marketing strategy, understand the characteristics of the hero brand prototype and implication to the narrowing the gap with competitors.
Research institutions IC analysis 500 million groups of 10 countries Internet search data, found that in 2009 China's Internet search for watch brand, omega accounts for a quarter, rolex accounted for 18%. In 2009, Swiss watches 1/5 of sold in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Aimed at China's rich
Watches, pens, and now the car has been one of the world's most men crazy three "fuck". Car represents wealth, pen is the symbol of wisdom, then watch is undoubtedly a man for the best interpretation of taste and fashion.
And rolex watches since it came into being, has always been a "true taste, high quality" the symbol of life. Many successful men are to have a cherished rolex watches as achievement of a risk, even in the electronic age.
In the aspect of collection, the watch is still to be China's absolute first choice, 44% of people questioned in the rich choose collect watches, increased by 10% than last year. And, according to the national average millionaires have 3.7 watch.
April 16 in Shanghai held the third annual "top brand peak BBS". According to divulging, at present China's luxury market potential customers has reached 175 million people, in the global brands flock, men supplies more to play a leading role in the Chinese luxury market. And China's luxury market showed a remarkable feature is dominated by men, including a mid-range price (2.5 ~ 50000 yuan) watch the rebound of wrist watch category, including Cartier, longines, omega, rolex and rudder for the top five brands.
With the improvement of people's living quality, the consciousness of men for personal adornment also got unprecedented increase along with the internationalization trend. A good watches, rolex, omega, for a man to reveal not only personal status, there is a kind of understanding for life taste.
More watches available:


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I found this amazing story in Peter Jassie's lovely, and interesting, newsletter, "Funky Munky" from South Africa. And, please bear in mind that English is Paul's second language.
It was about 5 years ago that I first heard about a fishing camp called Kapirinengu, situated at the confluence of the Chewore river and the Zambezi, on the border of the Sapi and Chewore safari areas (down stream from Mana Pools game reserve).
No amount of enquiries through friends in Zimbabwe, or at the Zimbabwe wildlife authorities, could produce any information about this seemingly mystical place. Maps of the area are hard to come by, even Google Earth will get lost there! On a visit to Mana Pools and Mongwe fishing camp (in Hurungwe safari area, about 10km from Chirundu) 3 years ago, not even the warden at Makuti or the staff at Mana Pools could be of assistance.
Browsing on the internet one day, I came across a site called Zim4x4 and started corresponding with the inimitable Dick Pitman, who offers guided self drive tours, backup and advice for people keen to explore the lower Zambezi, or anywhere in Zimbabwe for that matter. He had established exclusive relationships with safari operators, concessionaires and authorities in that area, and explored and opened the routes. And he could take me to Kapirinengu!
Crossing the river
By sheer co-incidence, we had already planned to stay over at Doma Safari lodge en route to the lower Zambezi, to go and search for Kapirinengu ourselves. This was also a stopover for Dick and a group that he was escorting down the escarpment, so we agreed to RV there and join them, destination Kapirinengu!
My brother Pieter and I left Joburg at 5:45 on the 9th June 2010. We spent only two hours at the border at Beit Bridge, paying a R300 fee for "assistance" (if you know what I mean). Nothing had materialized about the promises of a one stop there, and it was total chaos on the Zim side, as usual.
An African road in the bush
The road northwards is getting quite bad now. It is bumpy and wavy, with the edges deteriorating and potholes in sections. The fences are down, so stray animals and wandering locals are a serious hazard. This also a major trucking route, so one is confined to a cruising speed of about 80km/h. Driving at night in Zimbabwe is not advisable.
There are now also toll stops ($1 fee) at frequent intervals in Zimbabwe, and after every one there is then a police road block a few km further. Heaven knows why they cannot be combined? We passed through 5 of these double stops up till Chinhoyi, and a few traffic police stops as well. We were well received and advised, and warmly welcomed at all times, but they do waste an awful amount of time. Only once, on our way back, did we have to pay a $15 spot fine for a faulty tail light on the trailer (no receipt necessary).
A typical African stop-over - all luxuries included in the price
We slept over at Rhino Camp, just by the Shell garage at Runde River. $30 for 2 bed room, en suite. It was neat, clean and comfortable. Electricity (and in some places water) supply in Zim is still a problem, luckily the lights came soon after we had arrived. The management and staff there are very friendly and helpful, and they offer very good exchange rates for Dollars or Rands. We had a delicious steak and kidney pot pie for supper for only R30.
Fuel is available mostly everywhere in Zimbabwe these days (one is advised to take at least one jerry can along just in case) for around $1.10/litre, and we filled up in Chegutu on our second day.
We were about 40km from Chinhoyi when our trailer's brakes suddenly jammed. Catastrophe! The trailer's draw bar had broken. Low and behold, a well spoken local young lad with the name of Elias immediately came and offered assistance, and he knew a man with a welding shop not far away. Off him and I went to fetch the man with his welder, generator, angle grinder and the only piece of scrap in his yard: a piece of angle iron of just the right size! One hour later we were on the road again. Remarkable.
Got anything for a hungry Elephant?
We could not reach Doma Safari lodge that evening as planned, so we stayed over at the Orange Grove Hotel in Chinhoyi. $40 for a two bed room, en suite, but the bath plug did not fit (bring your own). The lights eventually came on around supper and we had a tasty but small portion of spaghetti bolognaise for $4.
To get to Doma Safari Lodge, turn off to Mhangura at Lions Den (lekker biltong sold there!), about 25km north of Chinhoyi. We had further directions from the lodge management, and the route culminated in an easy bush road of about 12km to the lodge.
It is about a three hour drive from Harare to Doma Safari Lodge. They have recently obtained a concession from the local council of about 250 square km in the Maninga Conservation Area and the Doma Conservation Area, on the eastern border of the Doma Safari Area.
Some exercise and testing the depth
They operate hunting safaris from the lodge and can do personalized hunting or photographic packages. Most species of game are available, except cheetah and rhino, but elephant is mostly only shot where and when they become a problem for the locals. Sable antelope is one of their big draw cards. The owner, Gordon Duncan, says that they are also actively involved with the local community in rehabilitating and restocking the area, and controlling poaching. One can also do guided walks or game drives.
Crossing a river takes a long time
Their self catering bungalows are cosy, comfortable and well equipped; you only have to bring your own food and gas. The kitchen's got most of what you need: stove, deepfreeze and fridge, pots and pans and cutlery. Bedding is provided, as well as cleaning staff. Each party is also provided with a man-friday, a fire is made every day in the donkey and fire wood is provided. The power generator only runs from 18:00 to 22:00, but if you bring some diesel, longer hours can be arranged. We paid $25 each per day for a two room bungalow (sleeps 4 or 5). Larger groups pay $75 per day per bungalow.
As we are not hunters, our main interest was the beautiful dam next to which the lodge is situated. The dam has also been stocked with two local species of bream: Robustus (called Nembwe in Zim and Yellow Belly in Zambia) and Niloticus – both good fighters, and it is over populate with small bass and other species of bream. We spent many pleasant hours fishing, with reasonable success considering it was the wrong season, from our 3,5m aluminium boat, spending 6 days there.
Who's for supper?
The staff there were extremely friendly and helpful. They even took our trailer to Mhangura and back for us, for additional strengthening to the repairs. We could thus enjoy all or time relaxing and fishing. Gordon invited us to watch the rugby test between the Springboks and France on DSTV in their bar, kindly providing beer and snacks.
We met up at the lodge with Dick Pitman and his group of intrepid travellers that he was guiding along, on the16th June. They were a party of four families from South Africa, fully equipped with 4x4's, trailers and all the off road bells and whistles, and more.
They all had a mutual arrangement that one of the families would be responsible for at least one evening meal on the trip down from Doma Safari Lodge through Doma Safari Area, down the escarpment to the Zambezi. It all started that first night at the lodge with a sumptuous braai (with salads and everything). Man, these people can cook!
Look, a pussy cat - larger and with a mane!
What was intended to be a day and a half's trip down the escarpment, eventually took three days to do 315km, and every night we were treated to something spectacular, right there in the bush! My brother and I actually started feeling awkward: how could we ever make up for this? We can't cater for twenty people! It was agreed that were we had to do a fish supper, of fish that we had to catch, once we had reached the Zambezi, Fat chance!
The road down the escarpment passed through the Doma, Chewore and Sapi Safari areas. It was not so much 4x4-ing as slow and cumbersome – rocky, steep slopes, deep gulleys, detours, tall grass (very bad when this is in the 'middle manntejie') and a few not to bad dry river bed crossings. First gear 2x4 mostly, here and there low gear 4x4. Dick gave every one a radio to be able to keep in contact en route, and we ended up being dubbed 'sout en peper' for our call signature.
After spending a night camping in the bush on the ridge of the escarpment, one river crossing was a bit dubious, so we had to divert via Angwa Bridge in order to get to Mkanga Bridge. This resulted in a 40km detour, but one has to report to the warden at the outpost of Zim Parks at Mkanga Bridge when travelling through that area. There we camped at Bird Camp, an abandoned camp that used to be used by the bird watchers of Zim. The 2km access road to that camp was horrible! They had ice, can you believe it? There is also an old camp (used to be a rangers dwelling) by the bridge that belongs to Zim Parks, currently being renovated.
At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of our third day of bundu bashing, we finally got to Kapirinengu and the mighty Zambezi. What a relief. One of the intrepid party, Johan Buys and family, had come all the way from Paarl and had spent seven days sleeping over en route up till then. They were understandably a bit "gatvol" of making and breaking camp by then! He was blessed, how ever, with catching one of the first nice sized tiger fish.
What a magnificently beautiful place is Kapirinengu! In the safari areas surrounding the Mana Pools game reserve, there were some places set aside in the old days that were intended as fishing camps. Kapirinengu is one of them. Of late, since things started to go wrong in Zim, it had been neglected, abused and abandoned. It is now being renovated by Terry Kelly in conjunction with Zim Parks, and we were some the very first people to visit again for a long time. Dick Pitman had arranged special permission for the group, as the camp would only opened on the 1st August 2010.
What a magnificently beautiful place is Kapirinengu! In the safari areas surrounding the Mana Pools game reserve, there were some places set aside in the old days that were intended as fishing camps. Kapirinengu is one of them. Of late, since things started to go wrong in Zim, it had been neglected, abused and abandoned. It is now being renovated by Terry Kelly in conjunction with Zim Parks, and we were some the very first people to visit again for a long time. Dick Pitman had arranged special permission for the group, as the camp would only opened on the 1st August 2010.
It is situated in the Chewore Safari Area where the Chewore river meets the Zambezi, across the river from the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, so there are no settlers there (hence no netting), lots of wildlife, and very good fishing. The river starts to converge around there as it approaches the Mpata gorge downstream, so the water is deep and fast flowing, and the tiger fish are mean, lean, fast and furious. Upstream other river broadens, with islands in the middle and more branches.
Breaking camp
There will be nine campsites under an immense grove of huge acacias (anaboom in Afrikaans) each with their own ablutions, a light and power outlet, with a central freezer room and other facilities. They will also have ice. Power will be from a generator, with a battery and inverter system in parallel. They envisage the development of a lodge and mooring facilities for boats in future. Campsites will be around $120 per day, maximum 6 per site. If you don't have a boat, such could be available, depending on demand and prior arrangement. One has to be self sufficient, but the management (or Dick Pitman) can also arrange an operator (details in the addendum) that can put together a package including transport, fishing and catering.
We two "ou manne" were truly put to shame by the rest of the party, them catching all the fish in the first few days, from the banks "nog al" – while we had our little titanic to explore the whole river! The river was in flood (Kariba dam being 93% full), so fishing was not at its best. Johan buys got a 4kg specimen, Dick one a bit smaller and Marius Agenbag's son Karel got the best one on his dad's rod, when dad was napping. I put them all whole in the hot coals for our turn to cook, wrapped in tinfoil and dosed with garlic, mild chilli, salt & pepper, oil and lemon juice. Delicious, even if I say so myself, luckily it went down well.
Banquet coming up - to morrow!
They all left after 4 days for further adventures, but we stayed on for another 5 days. Pieter eventually caught a 4kg tiger as we were drifting along the Zambian side, and I caught my first nice size on his rod, off of a sandbank, while he was in the bushes. Terry Kelly very kindly took us out on his boat and taught us a few tricks, helping me to catch a 5,5kg specimen. We really enjoyed our sojourn there, lions roaring in the distance at night, a big old bull elephant wandering around the camp at odd hours, bokkies in the open plain behind camp, fish eagle to wake one up at dawn……..
One does not have to do the arduous journey that we did to get there. From the main Harare – Chirundu road, stop and get permits at the ranger's office at Marongora (just down the escarpment from the town of Makuti). Take the turn off to Mana Pools, but beware that the first 30km of gravel was just about the worst of our journey. It is a real vehicle and trailer breaker. At the boom by the T – junction, turn right and follow the main gravel road for about 40km. Watch for the sign to Chewore in the bushes and turn left (there might even be a sign for Kapirinengu). From there it is a reasonable bush track of about 60km, remember to turn right at Jesi road and stick to the main track. There are quite a few turnoffs that are used by hunters and Park management, but the main track is always the most used one.
When the sun goes down...
Our last destination was the Kafue river. Except for the last 30km of the Mana Pools access road (mentioned before), the many counters to report at the one-stop border post at Chirundu, and a badly potholed section of road south of Kafue town, things went well and we reached Eureka Camp in Lusaka without incident on the 29th June.
The next day we met up with a friend, Terrence Scarr, who had flown in from Capetown. After restocking food and drink and fuelling up again, we hit the tar road for Mumbwa the next day. Yet again a few police road blocks, but we were treated with respect and friendliness by all. It's just that Zambians en mass have no sense of distance or speed and cannot give directions. We were told by one traffic officer that the general speed limit is "more than 100km/hr", and distance estimates would vary from 10km to 30km for the same destination.
Following prior directions, obtained from Kafue River Camp, through the outskirts of Mumbwa, weGoogle Earth found the main "good gravel" road north to Kasempa. It was actually ok, except for the first 40km or so, and one could comfortably cruise at 70km/hr, watching out for animals and oncoming vehicles, as one passes through parts of Kafue National Park and the adjacent game management areas. We had to cross the Kafue by ferry ($20) at Lubungu, go a few km down the main drag and take the well marked turn off to the camp on a 12km dirt track.
Kafue river camp is also a new development, as are many of the lodges sprouting up in the area, but it was the only one offering self catering camping facilities at affordable prices (we paid only $20 per day). They also have a lodge kind of operation, with ready pitched safari tents, en suite (about $50 per day per person sharing, self catering) under thatch, bar and dining area.
They do offer the services of a chef for lodgers, just bring your own food. Each camp site has ablutions, but they are not all on the river bank. Fire wood is provided, fire made in the donkey, and a man-friday assigned for general camp duties. They also have a few ready pitched canvas tents around the camp site, but I'm not sure how these are utilised. The camp was still in the final stages of development when we arrived. They offer fishing excursions and guided tours and/or walks in the park and there is a full time game ranger seconded to the camp.
The Kafue river was a bit treacherous and narrow, full of hippos, rocks and submerged obstructions, so we did not use the titanic very much. The Kafue was also in flood, but fishing from the banks was good, if you could find an open area between the mangrove-like trees, and if one's also not too scared to walk around in the bush, unarmed by yourself. We caught a few nice pikes and bream on spinners, and lots of smaller bream on worm.
There were lots of lion (heard them every night, and one morning there were tracks through camp) and elephant about, but the game was generally skittish because of hunting in the game management area we were in. Lots of bushbuck and puku around camp.
The "hotel" kitchen
The people of Zambia are very friendly, warm and welcoming, and good English is spoken everywhere. Even in the smallest remote villages this is true: We spent a whole day trying to locate the northern entrance to the Kafue Nat. Park, about 100km north of Kafue River Camp, driving up and down one section.
The road that we actually had to take was so terrible that we would not believe any one, even after several people had pointed it out repeatedly. This turn off was marked "Kabanga Wildlife Sanctuary", with no indication that it eventually would lead to the Park, or anywhere near, or to an entrance gate, or a town called Ntemwa adjacent to the Park.
We also had no idea as to how far we would have to travel along this road to get to the Park – estimates by locals varied from 8km to 25km. It was badly rutted and looked like it was last used in the rainy season, so after trying about 5km, we gave up and turned around. We did not want to have a vehicle break down or some other catastrophe, being only one vehicle (Pajero) in unknown territory, on an unused road.
What a pity! Zambia stands to lose many potential visitors to the northern section of Kafue Park due to this problem. One could reach there in a Mercedes Benz, and even drive around the Park on good roads they say, just to denied access by this short, impassable section. One hopes for their own sake that they upgrade it soon.


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... I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.......Psalm23:6
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Traverse City in winter......................
This is a place of wonderful natural beauty. No point in looking at the town really,its a town like any other. Maybe more peaceful than most, but that is changing. Its growing and with that comes all the other stuff.
Here is the lighthouse out on the Peninsula all done up for Christmas
Point Betsy looks a little bleak.
I don't know why but I love this picture
The beaches are clear of people and if the roads are oK its wonderful to walk along them.
If the roads are not good. Well we stay home
So you wonder why the power goes out? Actually, here in town it seldom does. The trees sometimes come down because some trees are really old.
We are one of the top 10 destinations for winter sports. This is the VASA race.
Downtown in winter is pretty
Bummer.......our quiet town is busy all year now thanks to Good Morning America we are not the top destination for summer and so the "fudgies" dont go home anymore. Good for local business and thats why we need snow whether I want it or not. It is pretty............but......sigh!!!!!!
Linking up with Our World Tuesday with thanks to the host
Linking also with Timewashed Blissful Whites Wednesday
5 comments:
- Magic Love Crow said...
Great photos!!! Beautiful place to live ;o) Sorry it's so busy all the time! I love the forest picture too! What are fudgies?
- January 5, 2013 at 6:26 PM
- Bluebell Woods said...
haha, well the pictures come from the local web site, I try to stay inside in winter. Fudgies are what tourists are called. We have an amazing fudge shop and everyone goes home with some Doug Murdocks fudge,,,,,,,so they are known fondly as fudgies
- January 8, 2013 at 6:51 PM
- Black Jack's Carol said...
This is a beautiful post! I lived for 10 years in a small Quebec town in the Laurentian Mountains where ski hills and summer cottages keep the tourist industry booming. Your explanation of "Fudgies" made me smile. I hope you are safe and warm and that the snow will soon give way to beautiful summer vistas.
- January 9, 2013 at 1:06 PM
- Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...
Wow! Stunning beauty!
- January 10, 2013 at 1:50 PM
- Barb said...
A lovely landscape. No wonder people visit.
- January 15, 2013 at 6:45 PM


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Daily API RoundUp: GDELT, Hubstaff, Healthgraphic, Matroid, Exceed, Microsoft Power BI
Seventeen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Recognition, Chat, and Satellites. Highlights today include the GDELT Geo API for visualizing news keywords and the Sellbrite API for multi-channel eCommerce functions. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.


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Monitoring Load Balancing for WebAccess Servers
Novell Cool Solutions: Tip
By Dave Hatfield
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Posted: 2 Oct 2007
When using multiple GroupWise Web Access servers behind a load balancer, such as the F5's BigIP, for redundancy you need to be able to monitor each server to detect any failures and remove the server from the pool. The default monitors only check for ICMP, or specifically for port 80, which will not give you the full picture.
In our setup we have four servers. Almost 99% of the time when they fail, the web server (Apache) stays up, resulting in users being redirected to the troubled server - and they cannot access their mail.
In our case we are using GroupWise 7, so here's the solution we used:
1. Go into Monitors.
2. Create a new one (we called ours "GWWA_monitor").
3. Set the send string to "GET /gw/" and the receive string to "Novell Web Services".
4. Save this configuration.
5. Go into the pool management and select the pool that handles the Web Access servers.
6. Set the Health Monitor to use the custom monitor just defined. This will apply to any servers that are members of this pool.
Note: The receive string could vary in your environment if you have modified the default login page.
Novell Cool Solutions (corporate web communities) are produced by WebWise Solutions. www.webwiseone.com


text: Mumbai: Key Indian equity market indices were trading flat on Thursday amid volatility as investors continued to pursue profit-taking on the previous rises. The indices had risen for six consecutive trading days before falling on Tuesday. The markets were closed on Wednesday for the Eid-ul-Fitr. Heavy selling pressure was witnessed in automobile and IT stocks. The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained by 5.25 points or 0.06 per cent, at 8,341.20 points. The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 27,209.97 points, traded at 27,218.44 points (at 1.42 p.m.) -- up 51.57 points or 0.19 per cent from the previous close at 27,166.87 points. The Sensex has so far touched a high of 27,251.11 points and a low of 27,148.68 points during the intra-day trade. The BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of the bulls -- with 1,563 advances and 1,047 declines. Both the key Indian indices had ended on a lower note during the previous trade session on Tuesday after six consecutive sessions of gain. The barometer index had edged down 111.89 points or 0.41 per cent to 27,166.87 points, while the NSE Nifty lost 34.75 points or 0.42 per cent to 8,335.95 points on Tuesday.


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February 27, 2017
- intersect (verb)
- \in-ter-SEKT\
- What does it mean?
- 1 : to divide by passing through or across : cross2 : to meet and cross at one or more points
- How do you use it?
- A small creek intersected the trail, but it was shallow enough that we were able to walk across it without getting too wet.
- Are you a word wiz?
Language scholars trace "intersect" back to the root word "secare." What do you think "secare" means?We'll cut to the chase: D is the right answer! The Latin verb "secare" means "to cut." Combining it with the Latin prefix "inter-" gives us "intersecare," which roughly means "to cut between." The past participle of "intersecare" is "intersectus," the parent of "intersect." Several other English words referring to something cut or divided derive from "secare." A couple of examples are "segment," meaning "any of the parts into which a thing is divided or naturally separate" and "insect," meaning "any of numerous small invertebrate animals (as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously made up of segments."


text: Although it failed to recoup its lofty $90 million budget, The Stepford Wives remake was not quite the flop that everyone had anticipated. Despite reshoots (always a film's death knell) the film managed a respectable $60 million gross, and Paramount hopes interest will continue for DVD, where they will be releasing the film in a special edition this Fall. Streeting on November 9th, the DVD will see a bevy of features, including: Separate anamorphic widescreen and pan & scan discs Dolby Digital English and French 5.1 Commentary with director Frank Oz "A Perfect World: The Making of The Stepford Wives" featurette "Stepford: A Definition" featurette "Stepford: The Architects" featurette "The Stepford Wives" featurette "The Stepford Husbands" featurette 6 deleted/extended scenes Gag reel Teaser and theatrical trailers While the merits of the film may be debatable, this looks like it will be a meaty little disc.


text: Note: There is an update post at the end of the thread, current as of 10/22/2014. I am happy to announce that the Washington Electric Vehicle Advocacy PAC (WEVA PAC) is now live and has accepted its first donations. More information is available at the wevapac.com web site with the link below: Home The WEVA PAC is a strictly non-partisan organization lobbying and supporting law makers for key issues on EV policy. Examples include: - Support for continuing the EV sales tax exemption - Fair treatment for EVs in road taxes - Support for a free market that welcomes any car company that is innovating with electric vehicles The WEVA PAC needs contributions and volunteers. Donations We are looking for donations from as many donors as possible to show the level of support for EVs that a state with the highest per capita EV use can rally. Even small $10 donations have significant value here. To make donating as easy as possible the web site supports on-line donation via paypal. But we are also looking to build a significant fund in order to have the maximum possible impact in Olympia. Because of this we are looking for a small number of large donors to jump start its operations as a select group of founding members. We are looking for founders to donate $1000. This is certainly a significant ask. But when you consider the impact of EVs and sustainable transport on society it will be money well invested. And recall that in Washington the EV you may have purchased (or are looking to purchase) came with no sales tax (an almost 10% savings) and a $7500 federal tax credit. The WEVA PAC can be an excellent place to "pay forward" with some of those funds. Volunteers The WEVA PAC is also looking for a number of volunteers. Web site builder - The [very] basic WEVA PAC web site needs a talented volunteer to give it the attention it needs. Fund Raising Chairperson - We are looking for a volunteer to coordinate our initial fund raising activities. Volunteers to Lobby in Olympia - We would like to collect a list of registered WA voters who are willing to spend a day or two working with legislators in Olympia. We are especially interested in people reaching out to the representatives and senator from their own voting district Graphic Artist - To help with the web site and to design a WEVA PAC Logo If interested in helping please e-mail: [email protected] The WEVA PAC is registered with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. Its operations will be completely transparent with all donations and spending documented with the state and explained to supporters. I think existing EV advocacy groups like Plug In America and the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA) are doing a great job in general education (ex: National Plug In Day) and informing our legislatures of the wisdom of EV friendly laws. But the recent overwhelming votes in Olympia to pass the dealer protection act (93-3 and 47-0) convinced me of the power of money and a strong lobby. In addition the situation in New Jersey and other states was just more confirmation for me that we need to at least try to fight back. For example, even though the press talks about Ohio as a success for Tesla, it limits Tesla to only one more store and freezes all other possible car start ups out of the direct model. This is in addition to other key EV issues that will be raised in the next legislative session in Olympia. For example extending the EV sales tax for electric cars. I would like the WEVA PAC to provide money to back up the enthusiasm of EV owners (like the great turn out of Tesla owners in Olympia on short notice) and existing advocacy groups. I you would like additional information please PM me or email [email protected]


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If you are a User who needs information about their Personal Data, contact the Owner directly using the contacts below.
If you are the owner of this privacy policy, head to the iubenda website to understand why this policy has been deactivated.
DAYVU LLC, 1515 Benton Blvd Apt 1925 Pooler, Georgia, United States 31322, email@example.com


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A section for all forms of motorsport Race, Rally, Trackdays, Driftind, Drag......
Info Request: block stamping
27-11-2018, 18:48
Show us and tell us all about your competition vehicle.
GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY
17-12-2018, 18:14
A Forum Dedicated to the Proposed Old Ford Sprint Championship in 2007
Help with hill climbing.
29-09-2016, 21:09


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|By Admin1 (admin) (adsl-70-240-139-65.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 126.96.36.199) on Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 1:15 pm: Edit Post
1977: Pam Sharp served in Ghana in Kumasi beginning in 1977
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Pam Sharp can be contacted at smithie52azianetdcom
Country of Service: Ghana
Cities you served in: Kumasi
Arrival Year: 1977
Departure Year: 1978
Work Description: Forest botanist fopr Ghana
Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:
am retired and living in Las Cruces, NM
Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:
in retrospect, a great experience
Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:
anybody in Kumasi in 1977-78
Originally posted: July 30, 2002
Looking for another volunteer who served with this Group?
If you know this volunteer or someone from his or her group and are looking to reconnect with them,
leave a message above where it says "Create New Conversation."
If this is your profile, post any additions, updates or corrections to your profile below where it says "Add a Message."
RPCVs: To add your own RPCV profile click here.
| The Peace Corps Library
Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today.


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15% off Tickets with LOL Events
To kick start our partnership with LOL Events, catch Japan's award winning comedy performance group – Gamarjobat! This world-class comedic duo are among the best physical theatre performers and put on a display of mimes, sketches, and more hilarity that's bound to keep you entertained.
For some truly stand-up privileges, enjoy 15% off tickets when you make purchases online and earn 1 Enrich Mile for every RM1 spent!
Terms & conditions apply.
- 15% discount is only available for online purchase through Ticketpro (Malaysia shows) and Sistic (Singapore shows)
- Members are required to enter their Enrich membership ID at check-out
- For each RM1 spent, 1 Enrich Mile will be awarded
- Miles earning is only applicable for purchases made through Ticketpro (Malaysia)
- Miles shall be awarded until limit has been reached
- Miles will be credited to your account within 45 working days


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"The Twilight Saga" tour of Europe continues! After attending the "Breaking Dawn" premiere in gay Paree earlier this week, Ashley Greene and Robert Pattinson kept on country-hopping, this time skipping next door for another premiere event in Brussels, Belgium.
This Euro-tour kicks off the countdown to the big, exciting world premiere in Los Angeles on November 14—but despite the roughly five bajillion promotional appearances and pre-screenings on their schedule, Rob and Ashley don't appear to be showing any fatigue just yet! The pair posed on the red carpet before heading inside for a screening, with Ashley looking perfectly polished in her glittering gold L'Wren Scott dress. And Rob...well, okay, he's looking a little scruffy—again—sporting his now-signature beard and several inches of exposed chest. Been hitting the Belgian waffles and chocolate too hard, Rob? Or are you just refusing to bring your A-game as ladylove Kristen Stewart is still absent due to filming conflicts?
Click on the image above to see more of the "Twilight" cast on the publicity trail!
How do you like the looks of our "Breaking Dawn" stars on their European tour? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!


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Many of you have been asking, "What's the deal w/the Adobe Illustrator test?", "What will you gain from passing and receiving certification?" and "Why are you taking it?"
I'm passionate about graphic design/web design. I've been designing T-Shirts, posters, flyers, business cards, websites, stickers, etc. for the past 11 years w/out any formal training. I'm hungry for 1.) knowledge in graphic design/web design to strengthen me as a professional designer 2.) a "paper shield" (degree/certification that I can add to my resume and hang on my wall.
I talked with alot of universities, did alot of research on the web, and landed on Adobe's Website reading up on their Certification program. ADOBE is the Undisputed Heavy Weight Champion in the graphic design/web design world, manufacturing the powerhouse programs: Adobe Photoshop (photos), Adobe Dreamweaver (web layouts), Adobe Illustrator (illustrations, layouts), Adobe InDesign (books/magazines), Adobe Flash(animated web images).
If I did go to a university the major bulk of the education would be training on how to use Adobe programs. I decided to go with Certification through Adobe. If afterward I still crave more education/training then I will go from there.
Adobe Certifies you as a "Master" when you have received Certification in each of the programs listed in the "suite". So you see, Illustrator Certification is the first step towards receiving "Master" status from Adobe.
CS Design Master
Adobe® Acrobat® Professional
Adobe InDesign®
Adobe Illustrator®
Adobe Photoshop®
CS Web MasterAdobe Acrobat Professional
Adobe Dreamweaver®
Adobe Flash®
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Why Adobe Illustrator test?
Many of you have been asking, "What's the deal w/the Adobe Illustrator test?", "What will you gain from passing and receiving certification?" and "Why are you taking it?"
2 comments:
The website is looking bit flashy and it catches the visitors eyes. Design is pretty simple and a good user friendly interface.ReplyDelete
adobe illustrator courses
Thirdly, to use scanned images as background elements within your drawings which can act as guides and points as reference for the artwork you create. And, finally, to base new elements you create on elements that already exist within your drawings.Adobe CS5.5 Design & Web PremiumReplyDelete


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Autistic Spectrum Disorder
What is an autistic spectrum disorder?
A child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) does not develop normally in several ways, such as having problems communicating and getting along with others. ASDs may also be called:
· Autism: Autism is a disorder in which a child has problems with communicating and getting along with others. They have unusual or repetitive actions and narrowly focused interests.
· Asperger Syndrome: This is a mild form of autism. A child may have good language skills, but have trouble being around others, and have unusual interests and behaviors.
· Rett Syndrome: This is a very rare developmental disorder that affects only girls. Babies develop normally for the first 6 months before symptoms start.
· Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: This is a rare disorder in which a child develops normally until about age 3 or 4 and then suddenly starts to show symptoms of autism.
What is the cause?
The exact cause of ASD is not known.
The brain makes chemicals that affect thoughts, emotions, and actions. Without the right balance of these chemicals, there may be problems with the way your child thinks, feels, or acts. A child with this disorder may have too little or too much of some of these chemicals.
If a woman is infected with a virus, has diabetes, or does not eat a healthy diet while she is
pregnant, it increases the risk that the child will develop an autistic spectrum disorder. Exposure to certain chemicals and medicines during pregnancy may also increase the risk. Low oxygen levels from long labor or premature birth may also increase the risk.
ASDs sometimes run in families. There may be certain genes linked to autism. If the father is older than age 40 when the mother gets pregnant, it may increase a child's risk.
Children with one of these disorders may have physical changes in their brain. These changes may mean that some parts of the brain are more active or less active than in other children. Children with other brain problems and genetic syndromes such as fragile X syndrome are sometimes also autistic.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of ASD vary. No two children with ASD are exactly alike.
Social Skills
Most children with ASD seem to have a lot of trouble learning the give-and-take of dealing with people. They may also have trouble controlling their emotions. This can take the form of crying or verbal outbursts.
Communication Problems
There is a wide range of communication problems. Some children with ASD never talk. Some talk or make noises early in life and then stop. Others are just slow to start and don't start to talk until age 5 to 9. Those who do speak often use language in unusual ways. They also don't always understand tone of voice or nonverbal communication, such as a smile, a wink, or a frown.
Repetitive Behaviors
Children with ASD sometimes repeat movements. Some flap their arms or walk on their toes a lot. They also develop strong habits and routines. They may get very upset at the slightest change in routine.
How is ASD diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will ask about your child's development at each well child visit. Tell your provider about any concerns you have and any behavior that seems unusual. As a parent or caregiver, you are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in your child. Do not ignore problems, thinking that your child is just a little slow and will "catch up." Early treatment helps reduce symptoms. It increases your child's ability to grow and learn new skills.
Your child's healthcare provider will examine your child and ask about their symptoms and your family history of any medical and mental problems.
Because it can be inherited, your healthcare provider may want to screen your other children for symptoms. If your healthcare provider thinks your child may have an autistic spectrum disorder, they will refer you to specialists such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, or neurologist. They can do more testing and advise you about treatment. Your school board may also provide testing services for your child.
What is the treatment?
There is no one best treatment for all children with ASD. Before you decide on your child's treatment, find out what your options are. Learn as much as you can and make your choice for your child's treatment based on your child's needs.
A team of professionals will help evaluate your child and put a plan together. You may also ask your healthcare provider to review the plan. Ask and find out all the services that may be available for your child.
Usually children are placed in public schools and the school board provides all needed services. These will include working with a speech therapist, occupational therapist, school psychologist, social worker, school nurse or aide. You may want to visit public schools in your area to see the type of program they offer to special needs children.
Treatment will also include doing activities at home.
How can I help my child?
· Your child's therapist can help you learn ways to work with your child at home.
· Look for your child's strengths. No one knows what your child may be able to do in time, so don't set your expectations too low. Encourage your child to try new things.
· Join a support group. Support groups can help by sharing common concerns and solutions to problems with other families in the same situation. You can find these services through your healthcare provider, schools, therapy programs and local and national support organizations.
· See a mental health professional to help you cope with your stress.
Another document you may find useful is entitled the "First 100 Days Kit" created by Autism Speaks. This is a tool kit to assist families in getting the critical information they need in the first 100 days following an ASD diagnosis. This resource kit can be downloaded at www.autismspeaks.ca.
For more information
Autism Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island – Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture
Autism Canada


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In August, REI invited its 5.5 million members and the outdoor community to decide how to share $500,000 with 10 passionate nonprofit partners. Images from the 10 selected trails are available.
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