text:
Adam Donaghey produces movies, is a partner at the historic Texas Theatre, co-founded the Oak Cliff Film Festival, freelances for D Magazine, & ♥'s #Foodie #CraftBeer #FishTacos #StarWars
Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
Adam Donaghey, founder of Zero Trans Fat Productions, is an award-winning independent film, commercial & television producer and production manager from Texas. His work has been nominated for both the Independent Spirit and Gotham Awards, and has been showcased at fests including Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, Sitges, LA Film Festival, AFI Fest, Hamptons Int'l Film Festival and Thessaloniki; and via distributors including IFC Films, Factory 25, XLRator Media, Cinetic Media, Fandor, Gathr, Vimeo, Cinelicious, the Lifetime Channel, the Lifetime Movie Network, Investigation Discovery, and American Public Television. Adam has produced, production managed and coordinated regional and national commercials for major brands such as McDonald's, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Hasbro, Polaris, Warheads, and Monster.com; and music videos for artists including the Eli Young Band, Kip Moore, Granger Smith/Earl Dibbles Jr., and Randy Rogers Band. Adam is a Partner and Vice President of Aviation Cinemas, Inc., the holding company operating the historic Texas Theatre, an art house and national landmark in Dallas, Texas. Financed by Howard Hughes in 1931, the Texas Theatre received national attention after the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged shooter of President John F. Kennedy. Adam also Co-Founded and programs for the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Adam regularly speaks and judges at universities, film festivals and industry related workshops, conferences and competitions; and is a freelance film columnist for D Magazine and MovieMaker Magazine. Adam is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a B.A. in philosophy.
There's really nothing more rewarding than being an integral part of an artistic, creative collective with the sole goal of developing meaningful and enlightening projects. My primary role in filmmaking is as a producer. That term is so ambiguous and I'm often asked exactly what I do. Being an independent film producer, I try to do as much as I possibly can to support the project. My aim is to help finance, or obtain financing, first and foremost; and then to see the production through pre-production, principle photography, post-production and distribution. My duty is to maintain stability throughout, but most importantly, to help realize the writer and/or director's artistic vision.
Zero Trans Fat Productions promises to develop, produce and deliver intelligent, artistic, and entertaining films and videos; to function as an integral part of the creative, collaborative process; and to broaden the horizons of film production in the state of Texas.


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Autism is difficult to diagnosis. When the diagnosis is made, it can be difficult for parents to accept. Denial is the first response, and it may last for so long that treatment may be delayed.
Parents are usually the first to suspect that something is wrong. A previously normal child will suddenly act oddly. Language development may stop or regress. Social reactions may become inappropriate or disappear. Bizarre behavior may appear, such as emotional breakdowns or obsessive repetition. Such symptoms should be mentioned at routine doctor visits to determine if a specialist needs to be consulted.
Professionals who specialize in autism—child psychiatrists, child psychologists, developmental pediatricians, and pediatric neurologists—will observe the child's behavior, social contacts, and communication skills. They will assess mental and social skills and develop a detailed history of the child's behavior. Some doctors ask parents to bring in videotapes of the child at home. Photo albums and other records may help identify time sequences.
If autism is suspected, other tests may include:
A variety of age-appropriate questionnaires and skill tests compare a child's abilities and responses to standards established by testing thousands of children who do not have autism. Some test motor skills, like stacking blocks. Some test visual and coordination skills. Some compare daily activities with others of the same age.
These are comparative evaluations of individuals at the same age with respect to age-appropriate intellectual skills, like pattern recognition and problem solving. An IQ is the ratio of the child's calendar age to his intellectual age—the average performance of others at a given age. For example, if a 5-year-old child performs like a 10-year old, his IQ would be 200.
Thousands of tests evaluate physical health. Some are done routinely, like a blood count and urinalysis. Others types of blood and urine tests are done only rarely for unusual conditions. Your doctor will select tests that are appropriate.
Genetic disorders are detected by looking at genes. Certain genetic disorders are associated with autism, like tuberous sclerosis and fragile X syndrome.
This test records the brain's activity by measuring electrical currents through the brain. Abnormalities may indicate a seizure disorder, which is commonly associated with autism.
MRI scans use magnetic waves to make images of the inside of the body. In this case, it is often done to look for abnormal brain growth that may be related to the cause of your child's autism.
Autism spectrum disorder. National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml. Updated October 2016. Accessed March 14, 2017.
Autism spectrum disorders. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113665/Autism-spectrum-disorders. Updated April 29, 2016. Accessed March 14, 2017.
Behrman RE, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2007.
Goetz CG. Goetz's Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2007.
Jacobson JL, Jacobson AM. Psychiatric Secrets. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley & Belfus; 2001.
Stern TA, et al. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2008.
Last reviewed March 2017 by Adrian Preda, MD Last Updated: 3/15/2015

subset: commoncrawl


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European Commission - Press release
Mergers: Commission clears Western Digital's acquisition of Hitachi's hard disk drive business subject to conditions
Brussels, 23 November 2011 - The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technology (HGST), a subsidiary of Hitachi of Singapore recently renamed Viviti Technologies, by rival Western Digital of the US. The approval is conditional upon the divestment of essential production assets for 3.5-inch hard disk drives (HDD), including a production plant, and accompanying measures. Western Digital cannot complete the acquisition of Viviti until it has found a suitable purchaser that is approved by the Commission.
" Hard disk drives are a key component of computers and other sophisticated electronic devices as they are used to store a growing bulk of data in the digital economy. The proposed divestiture will ensure that competition in the industry is fully restored before the merger is implemented," said Commission Vice-President in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia.
The Commission's in-depth examination showed that there are separate worldwide markets for HDDs based on their form factor (3.5-inch or 2.5-inch) and end use (such as desktop computers, mobile computers, consumer electronics devices and enterprise business critical and mission critical applications). The Commission also identified a separate market for external HDDs (or XHDDs), which is downstream from HDDs, in the European Economic Area (EEA) 1 .
On the markets for 3.5-inch Desktop HDDs and Consumer Electronics HDDs, the merged entity would only face competition from the recently merged Seagate/Samsung. This is a problem because for security of supply reasons, most customers on these markets multi-source HDD purchases. Toshiba only recently entered the market for 3.5-inch Business Critical HDDs and it is uncertain whether it could replace the competitive constraint presently exerted by Viviti..
To gain regulatory clearance, Western Digital proposed to divest essential production assets for the manufacture of 3.5-inch HDDs, including a production plant, the transfer or licensing of the IP rights used by the divestment business, the transfer of personnel and the supply of HDD components to the divestment business. WD committed not to close its proposed acquisition of HGST before concluding a binding agreement for the sale of the divestment business to a suitable purchaser approved by the Commission.
As a result, the Commission concluded that the proposed merger, as modified by the commitments, will not significantly impede effective competition in the EEA.
Western Digital notified its proposed acquisition of HGST to the Commission on 20 April 2011. Pursuant to a priority rule ("first come, first served") based on the date of notification, the present merger is assessed taking into account the Seagate/Samsung merger in the same sector that was notified one day earlier and approved by the Commission on 19 October (see IP/11/1213). After the Seagate/Samsung merger, there remain worldwide four active HDD suppliers: Western Digital, HGST, the merged Seagate/Samsung and Toshiba. The proposed WD / Hitachi transaction would reduce the number of competitors to three and in some markets to two. The Commission was concerned that the transaction would have a negative effect on prices and consumers in Europe and opened an in-depth investigation in May 2011 (see IP/11/660 ). A statement of objections, setting out the concerns, was sent to the parties on 18 August.
Hard disk drives ("HDDs") store and allow access to data. They are used in desktop computers and laptops, consumer electronics devices such as DVR players, as well as servers and data centers run by companies. External hard disk drives ("XHDDs) are finished products sold to consumers. They allow consumers to supplement the storage space of their computers, small networks or consumer electronics devices. HDDs are their key component. Solid-state drives ("SSDs") are data storage devices that use a different technology (flash memory). They have improved technical characteristics such as faster access and higher reliability but are sold at a much higher price than HDDs.
Western Digital ("WD") designs, develops, produces and sells HDDs, SSDs, XHDDs and media players. WD also produces key HDD components, such as read/write heads and media.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies ("HGST"), recently renamed Viviti Technologies, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. It develops and manufactures HDDs and SSDs, branded XHDDs and also produces key HDD components such as heads and media.
Merger control rules and procedures
The Commission has the duty to assess mergers and acquisitions involving companies with a turnover above certain thresholds (see Article 1 of the Merger Regulation ) and to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.
The vast majority of mergers do not pose competition problems and are cleared after a routine review. From the moment a transaction is notified, the Commission generally has a total of 25 working days to decide whether to grant approval (Phase I) or to start an in-depth investigation (Phase II).
There are currently three other ongoing phase II investigations: In the first one, the Commission is examining the proposed acquisition of NYSE Euronext by Deutsche Börse (see IP/11/948 , with a deadline of 23 January 2012). The second one assesses the proposed acquisition of Synthes by Johnson and Johnson, both US companies active in the area of orthopaedic medical devices (see IP/11/1306 , with a deadline of 19 March 2012).
The last ongoing phase II investigation was opened a few days ago and concerns the acquisition of control over the sugar trader ED&F MAN by Südzucker of Germany (see IP/11/1327 , with a deadline of 23 March 2012). A non-confidential version of today's decision will be available at:
The EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
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Hey guys
After I've seen so many great medieval/fantasy figbarfs, I decided to do one too (Mostly inspired by Andhe 's fantastic work), I also wanted to use some stuff I got in trades recently.
I hope you like it!
Critism is apperciated .
Ranger (Lenfald), Druid (Outlaws), Light Infantry (Garheim), Hero (Loreos)


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Generic Lexapro is a high-quality medication which is taken in treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. This remedy acts by balancing your brain. It is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Active Ingredient
Generic Lexapro is a perfect remedy against depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
This remedy acts by balancing your brain. It is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Lexapro is also known as Escitalopram, Citadep, Elpram, Cipralex.
Generic name of Generic Lexapro is Escitalopram.
Brand name of Generic Lexapro is Lexapro.
Take Generic Lexapro tablets and liquid form orally with or without food.
Do not crush or chew it, shake the liquid form of Generic Lexapro.
Generic Lexapro can be used by 18 year-old patients or over.
The treatment can be resulting after 4 weeks.
Take Generic Lexapro once a day at the same time every day with water.
If you want to achieve most effective results do not stop taking Generic Lexapro suddenly.
Missing a dose
Do not take double dose. If you miss a dose you should take it as soon as you remember about your missing. If it is the time for the next dose you should continue your regular dosing schedule.
If you overdose Generic Lexapro and you don't feel good you should visit your doctor or health care provider immediately. Symptoms of Generic Lexapro overdosage: rapid heartbeat, vomiting, confusion, tremor, sweating, convulsions, loss of memory, dyspepsia, coma, feeling drowsy, nausea, lightheadedness.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F) away from moisture and heat. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date. Keep out of reach of children.


text:
(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) reported higher quarterly profit on Thursday that matched Wall Street estimates and it raised its full-year earnings forecast.
The world's biggest coffee chain cited increased sales in the United States, its top market, despite an industry-wide spending downturn in February due to a U.S. payroll tax increase that lowered take-home pay.
Revenue was slightly below analysts' estimates and the company's shares fell nearly 3 percent in afterhours trading. They had gained nearly 3 percent in the last five days and nearly 12 percent year to date, fueled by expectations of strong performance.
"While there's been some choppiness that others have been reporting out there, I think what's remarkable about our results is the steadiness of our (same-store sales) growth in the U.S. for example," Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said in an interview.
Sales at stores open at least 13 months, or same-store sales, rose 6 percent globally.
In the U.S.-dominated Americas region, which contributes about 75 percent of Starbucks' revenue, same-store sales rose 6 percent. That included gains of 5 percent in the number of transactions and 2 percent in the amount spent per visit. The components add up to 7 due to rounding.
Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix were expecting increases of 6.2 percent for the Americas and 6.1 percent overall for Starbucks' company-owned stores.
Same-store sales rose 8 percent for China and Asia Pacific and fell 2 percent for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Seattle-based Starbucks is a destination for relatively affluent consumers with extra money to spend on premium drinks such as lattes and mochas. As a result, it has been more resilient to dips in consumer spending such as the February pullback prompted by the increase in U.S. payroll taxes.
ITG restaurant analyst Steve West said Starbucks is almost a victim of its own success.
"The expectation bar keeps getting higher and higher until, finally, you can't beat it," he said.
Starbucks said net earnings rose to $390.4 million, or 51 cents per share, in the fiscal second quarter that ended on March 31 from $309.9 million, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding a 3 cent-per-share gain on the sale of its stake in a Mexican venture, earnings were 48 cents per share, matching analysts' average estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose 11 percent to $3.56 billion. Analysts were expecting $3.59 billion.
The company said it expects earnings of $2.12 to $2.18 per share this year, up from a prior target range of $2.06 to $2.15.
Starbucks shares fell to $59 in afterhours trading from their close at $60.50.
Reporting by Martinne Geller in New York and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles. Editing by Andre Grenon


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Well...any place that wants to dominate Myeloma as much as I do has a room reserved in my heart.
It all started last Friday during a trip to The James (Ohio State's Medical Center) where I was meeting a couple of friends who shared the same passion to dominate Myeloma. They set up a meeting with Dr. Benson, Myeloma Specialist at Ohio State. They invited me, I accepted, and I soon found myself in enemy territory 8 days before the big game.
Dr. Benson offered to give my friend a tour of his facility, all his research and provide insight in how he intends to dominate Myeloma and find a cure.
With the last two blood tests showing a trace of Myeloma after almost two years of being cancer-free, I was willing to hear anyone out on their plans to kick Myeloma, even if it met traveling to Columbus.
The two hour time slot with Dr. Benson flowed over to three hours, and I must say, I left full of more hope than ever that the days of Myeloma are numbered, for me and the ~25,000 people in the US who are are diagnosed each year.
What I liked about Dr. Benson:
- His Attitude: He is a former collegiate soccer player who has quiet competitiveness about him. You can tell, he is this fight to Win the Championship...a Cure.
- The Team: He has built a team that consists of four Myeloma Specialists (that's a ton!) and 8 NPs (wowzers!) and has a number of bright minds in their graduate and fellowship program focusing on dominating MM.
- The Innovation: Having self-identified as an entrepreneur over the last few years, I appreciate innovation, especially in the area of Myeloma research aimed at zapping MM! Below is a top secret photo Dr. B revealed to us that shows Myeloma being doMMinated..literally. The top photo is some happy go lucky Myeloma. The bottom photo is its obliteration.
With all this new found excitement and support of The Ohio State' Myeloma Research, don't be confused, tomorrow I want the scarlet and gray to be dominated, just like Myeloma. The passion I have to beat Ohio on the football field is much similar to the passion to kick cancer, but I am grateful that the shared passion that fuels this college football rivalry can be used to work together to dominate Myeloma for everyone!
Just to bring some balance to this post so folks don't think I am at all becoming a Buckeye, I want to give a major thanks to Jim Brandstatter and Coach Hoke for giving me the opportunity to continue to raise awareness for Multiple Myeloma this past Wednesday at Pizza House. Both schools are working to doMMinate this disease.
Remember, Hope is sometimes found where you least suspect to find it or the last place you would ever want to look. Keep Battling, keep the Faith and Go Blue!


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Rosalie A. "Ro" Wheeler, 83, of Sarasota, Fla., died Feb. 26. A memorial service for family and friends to celebrate her life will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Marion Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her sons: Edwin Jr., with his spouse, Cheri, of Marion, and Christopher, with his spouse Helena of Bethesda, Md.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one sister, Mariwilla (Bill) Lumb of Junction City, Kan.; and one brother, Rex Myers of Kansas City, Kan.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edwin Sr.; her mother; father; and six siblings.
Ro was born on Oct. 10, 1929, in Wakefield, Kan., where she attended school and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1947. She went on to attend Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.
She married Edwin Wheeler Sr. on Sept. 3, 1950. They had two sons, Edwin Jr. and Christopher.
Ro was a devoted wife and mother. She had a passion for volunteer work. Among the many committees she served were the Junior League, the Smithsonian Institute of Washington, D.C., and the Meridian House International of Washington, D.C.
Ro lived in Topeka, Kan.; Wilmette, Ill.; Bethesda, Md.; Longboat Key, Fla.; and Sarasota, Fla.
Ro enjoyed traveling the world, playing tennis, corresponding with friends and family, and entertaining. Once she retired to the Sarasota area, she enjoyed the beach, biking, bridge, reading, and cultural activities of Sarasota. Ro was an active member of All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church of Longboat Key, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Wakefield Museum, 604 6th St., P.O. Box 1973, Wakefield, Kan. 67487.


text:
Your normal tools, nothing exotic!
New valve stem seals $20-$30 from Auto pro, Repco,
A 14-17mm open ender spanner
A spare rocker rail so no matter if you damage it.
Normal and needle nose pliers.
Feeler guages to set valve clearance.
A magnetic pen would be a good idea.
And someone to keep you company.
First, remove all things over the rocker cover,
throtal cable, inlet plumbing, spark plugs + leads ect
Undo and remove the two 17mm nuts holding the rocker
cover down, (its a good idea to put all the nuts and
bolts you remove into a margarine container so you
don't miss place them), carefully remove the rocker
cover as so not to damage the two rubber bushes that
reside under the 17mm nuts, also take care with the
rubber rocker cover gasket.
You should now be able to clearly see the rocker
rail and rockers. There are 5 bolts which hold this
down, 2 of which are the bolts which hold the rocker
cover down. They should be 13mm jobs. Remove the two
spider retainers on both outside bolts. Undo all
5bolts in segments! Don't remove them completely one
at a time, as you might bend the rocker rail, undo
them in stages.
Take note of which way the rail sits on the engine
as it will need to go back on the same way.
If you don't have a spare rail to use, carefully
clean and remove all the rockers and spacers of the
rail. (MAKE ABSOLUTE SURE YOU CAREFULLY PLACE THESE
CAME OFF) You will need to clean the rail as well as
the rockers, because the rockers won't easily slide
over oil crud build up. Using some insulation tape,
tape up the rail where the spanner will contact. Use
as much as you need as a $2 roll of tape can prevent
damage to a potentialy expensive engine part!
Using a 19mm socket on the harmonic balancer (crank
pully), turn the engine over till it's on TDC. With
the engine on TDC you will be able to do cylinders 1
and 4 both inlet and exhaust.
It's a good idea to plug the oil drain holes in the
head with a rag/s to prevent small bits falling into
the sump!!
Using two of the rail bolts, place the rail back
where it normaly sits, (minus the rocker gear of
cause), screw in the two bolts only 2 turns (choose
the two nearest bolt holes, one either side of the
spring), carfully slide the spanner under the rail and
over one of the spring retainers. Screw down the
bolts in turn by 2 - 3 turns at a time. The valve
will slowly push down till either the retainer
lostens against the valve colletts or the valve
touches the piston. Keep screwing down the bolts till
they are screwd all the way in.
With a magnet or a pair of needle nose pliers, remove
the colletts and place them in a safe place (pockets
are good, just don't miss-place them). Now you can
undo the bolts in the same fashion as you did them up.
The free lenght of the spring will be longer now that
it's not compressed so you may have a little tension
left when the bolts are at the end of their threads.
Remove the retainer and spring (there is also a
hardend steel washer that sits under the spring, make
doubly sure that this is in place before you reinstall
the spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), clean and put to one side.
Again take note of which way the spring sits as it
should go on one particular way. Using a flathead
screw-driver, pry off the old valve stem seal, you may
need to use a pair of pliers to remove it easily.
Now with the new seal, lubricate it with new oil,
push it over the top of the valve stem, and carefully
tap it home with a small hammer using a 13mm or so
socket that neatly fits over the top of the rubber
ring (but doesn't touch the valve) which forms the top
of the new seal. You can also use a 13mm ring spanner
or similar to do the same thing, just tap the shaft of
the spanner till the seal is pushed all the way down
to the base of the valve stem.
It all sounds quite complex as its hard to put into
words, but is very easy once you have done one. =7]
Make sure the washer is in place before you
re-install the spring (the right way up =7] ), place
the retainer over the valve, and compress the spring
in the same way as the first time around. Carefully
re-install the colletts, use a small screw driver to
centre the valve shaft in the retainer to make it
easier to push in the colletts. Once they are in
place, undo the bolts and the valve spring should be
back to origninal condition.
Repeat for opposite valve on that cylinder, and
opposite cylinder in the block. ie 1 and 4 2 and
Once you have succesfuly done both valves on 1 and
4, turn the engine over till #2 and #3 are on TDC or
#1 is on BDC. You can check the height of the piston
in #2 or #3 by using a torch and looking down the
spark plug hole, turn engine over till piston is at
its heighest point.
Repeat valve spring process again.
Once all vavles are done, its time to re-install all
the rockers, spacers, and tension springs back onto
the rail. Re-install rail, and check and set valve
clearance. 11thou or .28mm note: this is the hot
clearance and will need to be re-checked when engine
is at operating temp!


text:
Traxson, Kaufman named to academic all-Big12 team
Courtney Traxson, a junior volleyball player at Kansas State University and daughter of Ron and Patty Traxson, Peabody, was one of eight KSU Wildcats recognized Tuesday as a member of the Academic All-Big 12 Volleyball Team.
Traxson, an outside hitter, was named to the first team. She is studying psychology. Dakota Kaufman of Durham joined her, making the second team honors list. Kaufman, a junior outside hitter, is studying elementary education. She is the daughter of Tim and Debra Kaufman of Durham and a graduate of Hillsboro High School.
To qualify for academic all-Big 12 honors, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the previous two semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of their team's scheduled contests. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 GPA or better and second team members are those have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.


text:
I would need to look up that word if I came across it out of the blue. It's just a fancy way of saying "diversion". And that's what the visit from Chris, Frances and Owen was, a divertissement of the best kind.
They were here for a few days and then went to San Diego to visit Frances' brother and his wife. Frances has a college roommate who lives in that area, so there was a visit with them and a day at the San Diego Zoo before coming back here. They left to return home this morning after we had breakfast together. I'm not very good at goodbyes. If all goes well, they'll be back to visit at Thanksgiving.
Frances used her organizational skills to help me put some things in proper places. I'm in awe of her abilities and regretful that I lack
that talent. My room has a high ceiling and tall walls, but still, I suspect we have too many framed pictures. I made myself part with three items. The theory is that keeping a photograph makes parting with the item easier. I'm not so sure about that. I get a pang when I look at the pictures. When Tim discovered that I had taken this picture to the donation room, he scurried down and rescued it for himself.
Chris pounded nails and got some things up on the walls. Miles to go, though. Hopefully Tim and I can get everything in order by Thanksgiving.
Tim's car is a jeep and difficult for me to climb into in the best of times, so it was Chris who took me on my first outing.
First stop was the post office where our credit union has a branch.
I had three checks to cash, one made out to Mr. Bob. The tellers
were fond of Mr. B. and glad to see me out and about.
I can't recall if I told you about asking a charge nurse a month ago, when I might have a margarita. She thought a minute, no doubt mentally going down my list of medications and said,
"I don't see any reason why you couldn't have one now." To which I responded, "I don't know how to get to a Mexican restaurant". She didn't know, either.
If you're a parent or a grandparent, always take a book with you. For that matter, it makes sense even if you're going solo.
Tim finds it sad to drive past our old house, but he wasn't with us. I'd give my eye teeth to know what the new owner found worth
saving in the back garden. I'm not brave enough to go look.
Last stop was at Diane & Roger's. They called to see if I was open to a visit from them at the Manor and I suggested that we save them gas money.......we were right there. Due to the 100 degree weather we didn't talk for long, but it was a fitting end to our outing.
My brother had a saying as a tot when he wanted a repeat performance of a mechanical toy, "Make it again go". That's how I felt the other day.


text:
Israel Hotels
Number of hotels in this location - 5
Map Key:
The Biblical holy land, Israel is home to some of the world's most historically, culturally and religiously significant sites, principally in its capital Jerusalem. The most vibrant city - Tel Aviv - is home to big business, beautiful beaches and a busy nightlife, and is one of the region's top tourist hotspots.
Choose Hotels by Availability
Hotels in Israel
Tel Aviv
Perhaps the most popular city in the region for tourists, Tel Aviv has a vibrant nightlife and beautiful beaches. Situated on Israel's Mediterranean coastline, the city is famous for its big business and distinctive white buildings.
Please note that information contained in these location guides was correct at the time of research, but may be liable to change. Any mentioned attractions/points of interest can change or close. Maps are a guide only. If you do find any inaccuracies or know of something you feel deserves inclusion in our guides, please email your comments to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
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Unauthorized Access Prohibited.
This Web resource is for authorized staff and business associates of Stanford Children's Health only.
If you are not an authorized user, do not attempt to access this site. All connection attempts are monitored and recorded.
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© Stanford Children's Health. All rights reserved.


text:
* Record Australian heat wave saps soil moisture
* Australian spot wheat basis at premium to CBOT
* Farmers hold back grain stocks, eye higher prices
* Warm conditions forecast to continue until March-end
By Naveen Thukral and Colin Packham
SINGAPORE/SYDNEY, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Australia's worst heatwave on record is scorching the grain belt, potentially hurting wheat sowing prospects in the world's second biggest exporter this year and deepening concerns over global supplies amid a relentless U.S. drought.
Wheat planting in Australia is at least two months away, but temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) have already sapped the soil of much-needed moisture, analysts and traders say.
A decline in Australia's wheat production for a second consecutive year could fuel a rally in benchmark Chicago futures , which jumped to a one-month high on Tuesday on expectations that drought will lower yields of the winter wheat crop from the United States, the world's top exporter.
"A lot of areas may go into planting with not much soil moisture, where as last year we had good summer rains so the crop was planted with full moisture profile," said a Melbourne-based analyst. "Supplies are going to tighten and we could see wheat lead a rally in the grains complex."
Australia's grain belt includes most states, excluding the Northern Territory. Western Australia and New South Wales are the largest wheat producers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in its January report on farm product supplies, reduced global wheat inventories by almost 10 percent to 176.64 million tonnes at the end of the 2012/13 marketing year in June.
Wheat ended 2012 as the best performing commodity on the Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB index as the market was buoyed by lower production in some of the world's top exporting countries, including Australia and Russia.
Australia's wheat production last year fell by almost a quarter from an all-time high of nearly 30 million tonnes in 2011. Russia's wheat exports this year are estimated at 10.5 million tonnes by the USDA, half of what it shipped a year ago.
Australian new-crop milling wheat futures for January 2014 delivery have climbed almost 6 percent since the beginning of last week on concerns over hot weather.
"Australian basis are firming which reflects the market is nervous," said Stefan Meyer, a manager for cash markets at brokerage INTL FCStone in Sydney. "Growers are not selling grains."
Spot basis for Australian prime wheat are trading at a premium of 65 cents a bushel over March CBOT contract, which according to traders is a huge spread as most of last year the basis were 40 to 60 cents under CBOT futures.
The record-breaking heat wave has so far melted road tar and set off hundreds of wildfires. The hot conditions are set to last until end-March, the weather bureau said, forecasting a 60 percent chance that temperatures will exceed the average across the New South Wales and Queensland wheat belt.
The average maximum temperature earlier this month exceeded 39 degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days, breaking the previous record of four consecutive days in 1973.
Much of New South Wales, where most of the premier hard wheat is grown, received less than 40 percent of its average rainfall in the last three months, and rain is likely to be within average limits across both the east coast and Western Australia, the weather bureau has said.
Rains following a tropical storm have, however, eased some heat stress in parts of Queensland this week.
The storm crossed the Queensland coast with heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 100 kph (60 mph) on Tuesday. It is forecast to move further inland before tracking south on Wednesday.
"We have had excellent rains in some parts of Queensland," said Meyer. "It was up to six inches in some areas." (Editing by Miral Fahmy)


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This is sooo beautiful! I love it!!!!! I was wondering if you would be okay with it if I (POSSIBLY) used this as a book cover (for an e-book) for the book shown at this page: www.wattpad.com/story/7270506-… . It is such a beautiful image, and it would look wonderful as the cover to the e-book. Again, I may not use it even if I do have your permission, due t other possible arrangements. However, I would love it if I had your permission in case there is a change with the other possibilities.
Thank you!


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When President Obama spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about Ukraine last week, there could have been an awkward moment prompted by the arrest the day before of a double agent allegedly working secretly for the CIA within German intelligence. At least there likely would have been, had Obama known about the arrest or the undercover spy to begin with.
But the president went into the call blind and Merkel didn't bring it up, according to White House National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden. The incident has left "frustrated" White House officials to question why the CIA didn't immediately tell the administration about the bungled operation, The New York Times reported.
It's unclear who is responsible for the breakdown in communication about the arrest -- Hayden and the CIA won't say -- but two retired senior intelligence officials told ABC News it should not be surprising that most likely the president and his national security advisor all along were not aware of the alleged recruitment of the German agent, as well as that of another recently discovered purported U.S. spy in the German Defense Ministry.
As former White House counter-terrorism advisor and ABC News consultant Richard Clarke put it, "never in a million years" would the president be briefed on what Clarke called such "totally mundane" recruitment targets. A third retired senior CIA covert operations specialist disagreed in this case, saying it was a "real possibility" the White House was aware of the operation.
Either way, all three former senior officials said it's up to the CIA's "good judgment" whether to let the White House in on what one called "pure espionage."
How Do You Say Awkward in German? Kerry, German FM to Talk Spying
Ally: Germany's Merkel Not Amused by US Spy Case
Ex-CIA Head: 'Shame on Us for Being Caught' in Germany
There are times when by law the CIA must not only inform but seek the approval from the president for certain operations -- most notably for covert actions. Covert action is defined by U.S. law as "an activity or activities of the United States government to influence political, economic or military conditions abroad, where it is intended that the role of the United States will not be apparent or acknowledged publicly…" As put more simply by former CIA Inspector General L. Britt Snider, covert action is "doing something in another country merely beyond gathering information."
Some more recently exposed major covert action programs include the CIA's targeted killing drone program, the joint CIA-military mission to kill/capture Osama bin Laden and the reported Stuxnet cyber-attack on the Iranian nuclear program.
Do you have information about this or another story? CLICK HERE to send your tip in to the Investigative Unit.
In his book "Good Hunting," longtime CIA veteran Jack Devine, who once led the CIA's largest Cold War-era covert action program assisting the mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Russians, emphasizes that all CIA covert action over the years – including the most controversial – were approved or ordered by the president at the time.
"It is true that the CIA's biggest mistakes involved covert action," writes Devine, who spent more than 30 years in the shadows for the Agency. "But it is also true that these mistakes, without exception, also involved operations carried out at the behest of presidents pursuing flawed policies. And for every covert action that failed spectacularly, there have been others that enabled presidents and policy makers to achieve ends in the nation's interest with an unseen hand, which is almost always preferable to a heavy footprint."
Retired veteran CIA attorney John Rizzo told ABC News, "Covert actions are the ones that have tended to become messy over the years, going back to the days of the wink and nod from the president" and now come with a whole "legal regime" to ensure that all bureaucratic checks are in place, including briefings for the correct members of Congress.
But none of those rules apply to the CIA's regular intelligence collection, or "pure espionage," according to Rizzo.
"Unlike covert action, the president does not have to approve intelligence collection operations. That's what CIA does, recruit foreign agents when they can," said Rizzo, author of "Company Man". "There'd be no reason for [Obama] to have known, for instance, if the CIA has in fact recruited German citizens."
Clarke said the only time the CIA would likely inform the White House about a recruitment mission is if the target is politically sensitive.
"Let's say you were recruiting the secretary to a president... You're recruiting the butler to the prime minister, something fairly high up," then, Clarke said, the CIA may decide to inform the White House. "But it's up to the CIA pretty much to determine what a politically sensitive recruitment is."
Devine told ABC News that in his mind, the equation is simple: "This is espionage. Espionage doesn't require the president's approval. Having said that… if you think the case is going to get to the president's desk, you should brief him on it."
The German operation has certainly hit the president's desk, as well as newspaper headlines the world over.
When asked if the president was originally briefed on the alleged recruitment of the Germans, National Security Council spokesperson Hayden said she would "definitely" not get into "who knew what and when."
While Devine said doing anything with human intelligence in Germany was risky due to raised tensions after revelations months before that the U.S. was tapping the communications of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, both Rizzo and Clarke said that from what's been in the media, the suspected agents wouldn't fit the bill for being "politically sensitive" enough to require a White House heads up.
"If [the German allegations] did happen, this was just a classic recruitment of a foreign citizen," Rizzo said.
Unless something goes wrong, as it apparently did in Germany.
In that case, Clarke said the CIA should have informed the White House immediately, most likely the with word coming from CIA Director John Brennan to Susan Rice, the president's National Security Advisor.
"I'm sure it wasn't intentional" that the president wasn't briefed until after the call with Merkel, Clarke said, guessing that the news maybe just hadn't spread rapidly enough in the intelligence community.
Whatever the case, the U.S. may have underestimated the diplomatic fallout of the bungled operation. Twice the U.S. Ambassador in Berlin was summoned to German government offices to "clarify" the spying allegations, and Thursday the German Foreign Office announced it had requested America's top intelligence official in Berlin be sent packing. The Foreign Office said today on Twitter that the move was a "necessary and appropriate action to [the] breach of trust."
"The way I see it, if you consider this with a healthy dose of common sense, it's a waste of energy to spy on one's ally," Chancellor Merkel said Thursday, according to a translation by German news outlet DW. Other prominent German politicians demanded the U.S. cease all spying in their country.
For days the White House, the CIA and the State Department have either declined to comment or offered deflecting statements, but have not denied the allegations.
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki announced Thursday Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to speak with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in coming days.
"I would also say that, last year the president underwent a review of all of our intelligence gathering," Psaki said. "The Secretary was engaged in that, as were administration officials across the board. There are, of course, a range of factors that are taken into account… keeping Americans safe, keeping allies in other countries safe as well as taking steps to reform and revise some of our systems when needed, and he did just that."
However, Psaki was presumably referring to the government's review of signals intelligence in the wake of disclosures about National Security Agency's electronic eavesdropping, a review that doesn't deal with old-fashioned human spying.
ABC News' Mary Bruce contributed to this report.


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admin. Interior Design. November 17th , 2017.
Owning a piece of rustic desk is always a joy you can incorporate to your home interior design so you can introduce the beauty of natural wood element that can improve the look and feel of the room. The possibilities of rustic desk ideas also vary, starting from rustic desk with hutch to one with shelves that can improve the functionality at the same time. As for today, we will focus on rustic furniture piece that is made from salvaged or reclaimed wood.
The reclaimed wood rustic desk can be considered as an heirloom-quality furniture piece handcrafted by an artisan with solid wood construction. Before being turned into a furniture piece, any wood must go through a drying process first, either kiln- or pressured- dry or air-dry. The drying process is important to release moisture naturally, stabilize, and relax before being used. This is why keeping the humidity in the home between acceptable level is a must if you want to maintain and care for your reclaimed wood desk properly.
The acceptable level of humidity in the home ideal for your reclaimed wood rustic desk and other furniture pieces is between 35 and 45 percent. It is important to maintain the humidity level since if the moisture is too low or too high, it will create an environment which can cause the wood to crack. Install a home dehumidifier or humidifier to overcome this issue, which can benefit not only your salvaged wood furniture, but also your health.
On the other hand, it is also important to limit the exposure to UV or sunlight. Bright and direct sun is hostile to us humans, and it can give the same damaging effect to furnishing, including your wood rustic desk. Constant exposure to sunlight or UV can result in fading and warped finishes. Therefore, avoid using the desk in any space of the room where sunlight is plenty. If you have large windows installed in the room, consider installing UV protection too.
Maintain the beautiful natural wood texture and look of your reclaimed rustic desk by polishing the surface regularly. The choice of furniture polish is ideally the good quality citrus-based on. Use either semi-solid or liquid polish. Avoid aerosols which can introduce silicone oils as well as other contaminants to the furniture, no matter how convenient they are to use. Even though semi-solid or liquid polish requires more work to use, it worth the effort.
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We at TinyApps7 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Company') will handle all user information with respect to the Company's "Barcode & QR Code Scanner" service and all its related services (hereinafter referred to collectively as the 'Service') in accordance with the following.
Collected Information
The Company shall collect following user information:
User Information
1) the user's mobile phone number and email address/ a password for Barcode & QR Code Scanner;
2) the phone-book stored on the device;
3) profile information (Service display names, gender, body profile information such as the skin, hair, nails and eye attributes, profile photos, messages etc.), full name, date of birth, and etc.;
4) users' credit card information upon first purchase;
5) cookies;
6) user's IP address;
7) device information (OS type, serial number, mobile advertising ID, hardware information etc.) browser type, and browser language;
8) anonymous location data, including but not limited to user's geo-location and WiFi network to which a user's device is connected or in-range where applicable.
Purpose of User Information
The collected user Information shall be used for any of the following purposes:
1) to find people who the user knows, or who know the user;
2) to provide our services to you;
3) for customer service, security, archival and backup purposes in connection with the provision of our services;
4) to prevent fraudulent use of the Services by any users;
5) to provide you with better advertising and direct marketing experience;
6) to develop our new services and improve our existing services.
7) for aggregated customer analytics and market research purposes.
Disclose the Information
The Company will NOT disclose user information to any third parties without the user`s consent, unless it is disclosed to a third party contractor engaged by the Company as set forth below or is otherwise required by laws and regulations of certain jurisdiction the Company is doing business.
Third Party Contractor
The Company may engage a third party contractor to handle the personal information collected from the users to achieve certain purpose concerning the use of the Service, if Company, at its discretion, believe it to be necessary. The Company will reasonably evaluate the eligibility and capability of such third party contractor, execute a confidentiality agreement with it, and make it set up a system to manage the collected information.
Shared Use of Information
The Company may share the user's personal information with a business partner, provided that the Company shall inform the user of the purpose of information sharing, the name of the business partner, and the information to be shared such a business partner.
Location information
The company may share user's anonymous location data with other third parties for interest-based advertising, aggregated customer analytics and market research purposes.
Measurement of Advertising Effectiveness
To measure the effectiveness of the advertisement, the Company may install third party modules in the smart phone versions of the Services.
Children's Privacy
No Service provided by the Company is to be used by minors. Consequently, the company will not knowingly collect user information from minors. If, however, the Company, via notice or learn by itself, that it has collected any user information from minors, the Company will deactivate that user account and take reasonable measures to promptly delete such user information from our records.
Opt-out right
You may limit the disclosure of certain Non-Personal Information by your mobile Device to the Company and our business partners by adjusting the advertising settings on your mobile Device.
Modifications to this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be revised periodically. Notices will be sent to users to advise the changes.
If an user has any questions about this Privacy Statement or any complaints or comments on how the Company handle the user information related to the Service, please write to email@example.com.
This Privacy Policy has been created by TinyApps7 February 4th 2017.


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In this page you will find all the answers today's puzzles for 7 Little Words.
Sometimes it is difficult to pick up with all the daily updates of Secen Little Words, so when you cannot find the answers to a certain day please make a search on the homepage.
Wait in an airport 7 little words
Answer: Layover
Now just arrage the group of letters to match the answer.
Other puzzles for February 8 2018 7 little words
- Exercised as power
- Wait in an airport
- Roebuck's business partner
- Insect that chirps its name
- Hard quality
- Fashion designer McCartney
- What a hanger-on may ride
- Kim wife of Andy Murray
- Athenian statesman
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Let us help you get the most out of your speech recognition software! Courses cover subjects
such as Speech Application Design, API Development, Speech Application Tuning, and many others.
These courses give developers and business personnel opportunities to learn about speech
development on our premises or via live webinar. International customers have the option to
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LumenVox training is key to accelerating your learning curve. Through a combination of
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LumenVox training will give you the guidance you need to successfully design, develop, deploy,
and refine your applications. We tailor our training to meet your particular needs.
People responsible for developing, maintaining, marketing, and/or selling LumenVox speech
recognition technology will benefit. Also, anyone with an interest in designing, developing,
tuning, testing, or maintaining any speech telephony system.
Our team of expert instructors is committed to your success. Every LumenVox instructor has a
background in computer telephony, application development, and speech recognition. We are
familiar with the development challenges you will encounter on a daily basis and will offer
solutions to routine problems, as well as creative approaches to not-so-routine problems.
© 2018 LumenVox, LLC. All rights reserved.


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The Art collection offers a number of beautiful patterns and designs to appeal to a number of different styles. All rugs in the Art collection are hand crafted from jute and imported from India. Taupe
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Hill-Rom 8-Pin Din 6-Button Hand Control (B) Straight Cord, 6-Button
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Hill-Rom/Big Boyz 8-Pin Din 6-Button Hand ControlManufacturer: Legend Medical
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AP article or White House press release?
Research ››› ››› JEREMY CLUCHEY
A December 21 Associated Press article on President Bush's expected tax reform proposals used the same language as the White House to describe Bush's agenda on taxes. And the article quoted five supporters of that agenda but no dissenters.
AP economics writer Martin Crutsinger opened the article by unquestioningly referencing "President Bush's campaign to make the tax code simpler, fairer and more pro-growth." This description echoed nearly verbatim a December 15 White House economic fact sheet that advocated for Bush's tax reform agenda by contending that "America's taxpayers deserve, and our future economic prosperity demands, a simpler, fairer, pro-growth system." After noting opposition in Congress to a proposal to "eliminate state and local income tax deductions" that would "nick" Democratic-leaning states more than they would hurt Republican-leaning states, Crutsinger wrote: "The money, though, has to come from somewhere."
Rather than providing a balanced report and analysis of Bush's likely proposals, the article featured comments from five individuals, all of whom are supportive of the Bush administration and its tax agenda and three of whom are current or former Bush administration officials:
- "'The president has said he wants to look at all the options that would make the code fairer, less complex and more growth oriented,' Treasury Secretary John Snow said in an interview."
- "'There are only a handful of things where there is real money and that is where people are going to have to look,' said Glenn Hubbard, who was a key architect of tax policy as Bush's first chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers."
- Pamela Olson, assistant treasury secretary for tax policy, "agreed that a radical overhaul of the tax code could prove too daunting for Bush 'because the whole economy is built around the current income tax.'"
Two of the individuals quoted represent conservative organizations:
- "'Our members think the current tax code is way too complicated, but given the realities of the budget deficit and the embedded interests in the current tax code, it is very hard to make major changes,' said Dan Danner, senior vice president for public policy at the 600,000-member National Federation of Independent Business [NFIB]. His group campaigned in the early 1990s to "Sunset the Code" and replace it with a simpler tax system."
The NFIB Political Action Committee gave $750,416 in contributions to federal candidates in 2004; 98 percent of that amount went to Republicans. The AP reported on November 4 that the NFIB "welcomed Bush's reelection."
- "'These things may seem like incremental steps, but if he can do even some of them, it would be a tremendous boon for the economy,' said Stephen Moore, head of the conservative Club for Growth."
Stephen Moore is president of the political action committee Club for Growth, a group committed to electing candidates that favor lower taxes. Moore is also a contributing editor for the conservative journal National Review who claimed in a November 17 column that polygamy is a "core value" of the American Left and suggested that liberals "create a workers' paradise off the shores of France" where "You can all speak French, allow Janet Jackson to show both her breasts, create a cradle-to-grave welfare state, drink Starbucks lattes, read the New York Times every day, scramble the satellite signal for Fox News, and worship your new leader, Michael Moore!"
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Clé de Cartier watch
excl. sales tax
Clé de Cartier watch, 40 mm, Manufacture self-winding mechanical movement, caliber 1847 MC. Steel case, key set with a synthetic spinel, silvered flinqué sunray effect dial, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal and case back, steel bracelet. Case thickness: 11.76 mm. Water-resistant to 3 bar (approx. 30 meters/100 feet). Cartier always seeks to perfect the harmony of each one of its creations. Because of this, the carat weight and the number of precious stones can vary slightly from piece to piece. Please do not hesitate to contact our sales team should you require any further information regarding our creations.
Cartier continues to reign as the master of watches with its latest collection, Clé de Cartier. With soft curves, clean lines, and a rounded profile, the Clé exudes a minimalist elegance. The design is a testament to precision, balance, and proportion. Great mastery went into creating fluid lines and a harmonious design. The 35 mm and 40 mm Clé de Cartier models house the caliber 1847 MC, the new Cartier Manufacture Movement.


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21 People Who Are This Close to an EGOT
Jun 21, 2017 5:10 PM EDT
John Legend and Bette Midler did what few before have done at the Tony Awards this year. Their Tony wins -- Legend as a producer of Best Revival of a Play winner Jitney and Midler for Best Actress in a Musical for Hello, Dolly! -- put them one award… Read more


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The Johnson Family Foundation (jff) supports the development of healthy, vibrant and just communities where individuals, families and the next generation of leaders will thrive.
JFF funds programs to improve the health of our environment; promote equality and social progress; and support education and youth.
Our grantmaking is place-based and, in LGBT issues, national in scope.


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Coins need to be cleaned depending on the coin metal and according to
the dirt, crustation, and/or oxidation present on the coin. We have attempted
to break down the different methods and show some examples of the types of
uncleaned coins and the best method for cleaning them. Here are some favorite
methods used for cleaning coins:
** In order to become proficient at this method of cleaning, I would
recommend practicing on some cull/broken coins.
Distilled Water (level 1)Technique:One of the gentlest
methods of cleaning coins is using distilled water (DW) soaks. This requires
that you soak the coin for 24 hours remove the coin and gently scrub the coin
with a soft toothbrush. Change the water and then repeat until the coin is
clean.Theory:Distilled water contains almost no dissolved minerals.
When you put a coin in DW the minerals on the coin transfer to the water until
the DW is saturated with minerals.Good Candidates:
Soap and Water (level 1)Technique:Soak your coins in soap
and water and gently scrub the coin with a soft toothbrush. Repeat until the
coin is clean.Theory:Soap works by lowering the surface tension of
water allowing the water to penetrate the dirt, by emulsifying grease, and by
absorbing dirt into the foam. Good Candidates:
Olive Oil (level 1)Technique:Place your coins in a
container and cover coins completely with olive oil. Allow to soak for 1 to 6
months or longer. Change oil if it becomes discolored. After the soak period
clean the coins with soap and water and gently scrub the coin with a soft
toothbrush or clean mechanically if required. Repeat until the coin is
clean.NOTE: to clean the oil off of the coins a detergent specifically
designed to remove oil and grease may be required. Gringgotts Coin Cleaner has
been recomended. Do not use any cleaner that contains
chlorine.Theory:The oil penetrates the dirt and loosens it from the
coin.Good Candidates:
Mechanical Cleaning (level 2)Technique:Use brushes,
toothpicks, bamboo skewers, dried rose thorns, and for the more experienced
coin cleaner, battery-powered Dremel Diamond-dusted bits and dental picks to
loosen and remove dirt. Work from the outer edge of the coin to the center of
the coin.Theory:Using a tool to physically dislodge or scrape the dirt
off of a coin.Good Candidates:
Calgon® (level 3)Technique:Using a toothpick, apply
Calgon® to the oxidation and encrusted spots on the coin taking care not to
get the Calgon® on the patina. Let it set for a few minutes then rinse. Use
a toothbrush or a toothpick to dislodge the oxidation. Repeat until the coin is
clean.Theory:Calgon® is designed to be used as a water softener
with high mineral content water. Calgon® "removes" hard water minerals from
water.Good Candidates:
Ammonia (level 4)Technique:To make your own silver coin
cleaning solution, mix one part ammonia to six parts water. Soak coin in
solution then gently scrub the silver coin with a small soft toothbrush to
loosen dirt. Be careful not to scratch the metal. Always rinse after cleaning.
Repeat until the coin is clean. Be careful not to use ammonia on silvered or
fourree coins or coins with a high bronze content.Theory:An alkaline
gas composed of nitrogen and hydrogen. Aqueous solutions of with 5-10% ammonia
are sold as household ammonia. Best for cleaning oily dirt.Good
CLR (level 4)Technique:Best used as a spot application to
oxidation to soften and break it up. Do not allow it to come in contact with
the patina as the patina is a form of oxidation. Always rinse after cleaning.
Repeat until the coin is clean. Ususally the coin is corroded under the
oxidation and will have lost all detail.Theory:CLR is a diluted acid
that removes calcium, lime & rust.Good Candidates:
Ultrasonic (level 4)Technique:A home or commercial
ultrasonic cleaner unit is required to clean coins in this manner. Dip the coin
in solution for 1-3 minutes to clean the surface of the coin. Home units are
usually not powerful enough to clean heavily encrusted coins. Commercial
ultrasonic cleaners can be much more effective, but may damage the surface of
the coin and leave it pitted.Theory:Ultrasonic cleaning applies
intense, high-frequency sound to liquids, producing intimate mixing and
powerful chemical and physical reactions. The process ("cavitation") is, in
effect, "cold boiling" and results from the creation and collapse of countless
microbubbles in the liquid, producing shock waves.Good Candidates:
Formic Acid (level 4)Technique:A solution of 5-30 percent
formic acid in de-ionized water is effective for dissolving copper compounds
without affecting silver chlorides. Formic acid can also be used to brighten
silver that has already been cleaned with another chemical or technique.
Theory:Cupric oxide disloves and horn silver flakes off with gentle
cleaning. For the best description on how to use formic acid please refer to
the following page:http://nautarch.tamu.edu/class/anth605/File13.htmGood
Always read and follow manufacturer directions that come with any
Tumbling (level 5)Technique:Using special tumbling medias
such as pecan shells or stainless steel shot, the coins are mixed in and
tumbled until they are clean. This process can damage ancient coins but is very
good when used on modern coins that have not been subject to centuries of
corrosion.Theory:Rotary or vibratory tumbler is used to knock dirt and
deposits off of the surface of the coin.Good Candidates:
Electrolysis (level 5)Technique:Electrolysis is a very
quick and efficient way of cleaning coins, unfortuantely, it will often clean
the patina off the coin. Electrolysis can clean a coins so well that it will
reveal pitting and scarring that may not have been visible under the dirt or
patina. Because of the dangerous chemicals given off when using salt
(chlorine) as an electrolyte and stainless steel (chromium) as a cathode or
annode, it is highly recomended that sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate
(baking soda) are used instead of salt and carbon or copper conductors instead
of stainless steel. You should never use any solution that contains chlorine
around coins as it will damage the coin and promote bronze disease in bronze
coins.In order to make a simplest of electrolysis machines you will
need a 9V battery, 2 copper wires, distilled water, and baking soda. 1. Mix
one tablespoon of baking soda in about 1 pint of water.2. Connect one
copper wire to the positve (+) end of the battery and put the other end in the
baking soda solution with the insulator stripped back about an inch.3.
Connect the other copper wire to the negative (-) end of the battery and wrap
the other stripped end of the copper wire around the coin so that it makes a
good connection to the coin.4. Put the coin on the wire in the baking soda
solution, but not touching the other wire.5. The coin and wire should begin
to bubble and the dirt and corrosion should loosen and fall off.6. After a
few minutes, remove the coin and gently clean with a paper towel.7. Repeat
if necessary.Even the best "zapped" coin takes a lot of work, and specialty
tools, to complete the "after-electrolysis" cleaning and final
preservation.To learn more about using electrolyisis to clean coins and
how to make or purchase a better electrolysis setup, please visit
CoinZappersTheory:The electrolytic process
requires that an electrolyte, an ionized solution (such as sodium carbonate or
sodium bicarbonate in distilled water), complete an electric circuit between
two electrodes. When the electrodes are connected to a source of direct current
one, called the cathode, becomes negatively (-) charged while the other, called
the anode, becomes positively (+) charged. The positive ions in the electrolyte
will move toward the cathode and the negatively charged ions toward the anode.
This migration of ions through the electrolyte constitutes the electric current
in that part of the circuit. The migration of electrons into the anode, through
the wiring and an electric generator, and then back to the cathode constitutes
the current in the external circuit.** For example, when electrodes are
dipped into a solution of hydrogen chloride (a compound of hydrogen and
chlorine) and a current is passed through it, hydrogen gas bubbles off at the
cathode and chlorine at the anode. This occurs because hydrogen chloride
dissociates (see dissociation ) into hydrogen ions (hydrogen atoms that have
lost an electron) and chloride ions (chlorine atoms that have gained an
electron) when dissolved in water. When the electrodes are connected to a
source of direct current, the hydrogen ions are attracted to the cathode, where
they each gain an electron, becoming hydrogen atoms again. Hydrogen atoms pair
off into hydrogen molecules that bubble off as hydrogen gas. Similarly,
chlorine ions are attracted to the anode, where they each give up an electron,
become chlorine atoms, join in pairs, and bubble off as chlorine
gas.**Good Candidates:
Coin preservation:
The best way to preserve you coin is with Renaissance Micro-Cryystalline
Wax Polish, used by the British Museum. One 200ml can will last a lifetime.
Other methods include: Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish and other waxes.
Here are some basic facts about cleaning inorganic deposits:
Inorganic deposits: For our definition, inorganic deposits are: deposits
that are soluble (can be dissolved) but are not alive and did not come from a
living organism.
The most common way to clean inorganic deposits require acidic
cleaners. Acidic cleaners: lemon juice, vinegar, club soda, ketchup, fats and
oils (sunflower oil, lard, olive oil...etc)
The trick is to clean the unwanted inorganic deposits while saving the
patina (which is a form of oxidation).
We know that there are many more methods and new ones being discovered
every day. If you have any cleaning methods you would like to share, please
email us. click here to
email us.
**Definition of electrolysis from encyclopedia.com
Before and After Photos:
15 Minutes of mechanical cleaning with Ultra Fine Dremel Bit:
Silver cleaned using 15 min. 10% formic acid bath then 15 min. ammonia


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As agencies review travel budgets, they must preserve workforce mobility.
As scrutiny of federal travel intensifies, agencies are getting road weary.
In November 2011, President Obama issued an executive order requiring agencies to review their travel budgets and reduce costs by 20 percent. Then came the fallout from costs associated with the General Services Administration's ill-famed Las Vegas conference. Now Congress is considering three pieces of government travel legislation that would beef up oversight and cost containment even more.
Amid the all uproar, one travel program should be reviewed separately on its own merits -- the Federal Employee Relocation Management Program. The program was authorized by legislation in 1983 to facilitate permanent transfers to new assignments. The nation was in a recession at the time. The idea was that professional relocation services could improve mobility in support of missions, save agencies money through efficient and cost-effective moves, and reduce out-of-pocket costs for employees. The legislation authorized contracts for relocation services as an employee benefit to replace or supplement self-managed moves.
The latest recession is far deeper than that of the early 1980s, and its impact on government operations and productivity is well-documented.
Law enforcement agencies have had to issue waivers and create alternative programs for employees who cannot comply with their mandatory mobility agreements. The Defense Department's civilian agencies, which transfer employees as part of career advancement programs, also have been affected. Agencies that have specialized workforces requiring mobility for food safety, air traffic control and disaster relief report that employees turn down relocation assignments 40 percent of the time on average because of the recession.
The Worldwide Employee Relocation Council's 2011 Transfer Volume and Cost Survey showed that employees are turning down transfers because of depressed housing markets, negative home equity situations, and family resistance to moving.
Agencies must evaluate their relocation programs separately from temporary duty travel budgets. Permanent transfers are critical to missions, and managers should preserve relocation programs that address the needs of employees during tough economic times.
Some agencies have eliminated direct reimbursement programs for employee transfers and have announced "hire local only" policies to save money. But if local talent does not meet requirements, agencies can end up having to advertise nationally and paying moving costs for new hires. Restricting agencies to hiring locally can impair the recruitment of top talent.
Professional relocation contracts can improve cost-efficiency, recruitment and retention. Federal managers should consider the following suggestions when evaluating the cost and effectiveness of their relocation programs:
Cost Savings
Determine how much money your agency is losing by allowing employees to manage their own moves and receive direct reimbursement for their expenses. Direct reimbursements must cover federal, state and local employment taxes, which can increase payouts by as much as 50 percent. In addition, an agency can save $8,000 to $12,000 on the sale of an average $300,000 home through a relocation contractor that can conduct an amended value transaction or buyer value option sale.
While direct reimbursements are easier to track in agency budgets, they are more expensive. The self-managed process takes significantly longer, can delay arrival at the new assignment, and requires significant outlays of employee cash. Relocation contracts eliminate the need to write a personal check at the closing table, provide 100 percent of equity in advance to find a new home and bill allowable prepaid closing costs directly to the agency.
Real Estate Expertise
Professional assistance with selling and buying real estate leads to better deals and faster decisions. Relocation contracts also can help guide employees through the short sale process, if necessary, to avoid foreclosure.
Security Clearances
Relocation management counseling can head off financial liabilities that can jeopardize an employee's credit ratings. This is especially important for employees who have security clearances, which are contingent on a clean financial record. Loss of a security clearance can lead to a job downgrade or dismissal. In that case, agencies could face the additional cost of conducting background investigations for replacement employees in need of clearances.
A Single Source
An agency can craft a relocation contract that provides a single source for the moving process, property management, entitlement counseling, expense reporting, spousal employment assistance and transition services. Professional relocation counseling is also available for renters, who comprise about half of the relocation market. This all leads to quicker, cost-effective moves and better agency productivity.
Supplemental Staff
Relocation services contracts can augment in-house travel staff, which is especially beneficial at agencies with decentralized operations. Contractors can guide employees through a successful move and provide agencies with accurate and immediate accounting of expenses for the requisite reports to the Office of Management and Budget, the General Services Administration and Congress.
Permanent moves are a crucial part of government operations and must be viewed separately from temporary-duty travel and conference schedules as Congress considers new legislation and agencies evaluate spending in response to fiscal constraints.
Reducing permanent transfers by an arbitrary percentage is not the answer. Agencies can control their budgets and move necessary employees by managing moves through relocation contracts.
Linda Rothleder, president of relocation management consulting firm Rothleder Associates Inc., is a former executive director of the Public Employees Roundtable.
NEXT STORY: GSA appoints Federal Acquisition Service chief


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The insert plate is easy to install. You cut (or rout) a 12" diameter hole in a table, install the four plate levellers on the underside of the table top, clamp your router to the plate and set it in. It is a breeze to quickly bring the plate flush to the table surface using the magnet-tipped thumbscrews in the levellers. The powerful 3/4" magnets in the screw tips grip the plate securely to prevent rotation in use. You have two choices for removing the plate: you can buy the optional cam lifter or you can install the included brass pry-pad (in a shallow 1-1/4" dia. hole overlapping the 12" hole) and use a screwdriver as a pry to break the magnetic bond. Either works well but one is more elegant.
The router table insert plate includes the steel plate, two router clamps, four magnetic levellers, a pry-pad, two inserts (with 1/2" and 1-1/2" holes), a pin wrench, and an instruction manual. Sets are available. The first set includes the insert plate and our table fence with T-track adapters. The second sets adds our right-angle sled. Select "Acc" below for more information on the fence and lengths of T-slot aluminum extrusions available.
Made in Canada.
Some products are no longer available.


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Immobilization Versus Immediate Motion After Anterior Submuscular Ulnar Nerve Transposition
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01781494
Recruitment Status : Withdrawn
First Posted : February 1, 2013
Last Update Posted : December 2, 2014
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that immediate elbow motion is safe after anterior submuscular ulnar nerve transposition, and will not result in disruption of the repaired flexor pronator origin, under which the nerve is placed. The advantages of immediate elbow motion after submuscular ulnar nerve transposition for performing activities of daily living and self-care are evident, however theoretical advantages include early "gliding" of the transposed ulnar nerve with a lower risk of nerve adhesions and subsequent traction neuritis, as well as improved blood flow and quicker, more complete, recovery of nerve function.
A group of 44 consecutive patients that are determined to be candidates for anterior submuscular ulnar nerve transposition based on history, positive findings on physical examination, and confirmatory electrodiagnostic testing will be prospectively randomized to either immediate motion or long arm cast immobilization after surgery. All patients will be counseled about the two postoperative treatment options (immobilization followed by protected range of motion versus immediate range of motion), risks involved with each treatment protocol, postoperative follow-up and need for radiographs. If they choose not to participate, they will be treated by the same postoperative protocol currently used by the principal investigator: arm sling at rest for six weeks with intermittent active assisted range of motion exercises.
|Condition or disease
|Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
|Procedure: Immobilization followed by protected range of motion Procedure: Immediate range of motion
|Not Applicable
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|0 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Immobilization Versus Immediate Motion After Anterior Submuscular Ulnar Nerve Transposition: Affect on Flexor-pronator Integrity
|Study Start Date :
|January 2014
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|November 2014
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|November 2014
Active Comparator: Immobilization
Immobilization followed by protected range of motion
Procedure: Immobilization followed by protected range of motion
Experimental: Immediate range of motion
Immediate motion after anterior submuscular ulnar nerve transposition
Procedure: Immediate range of motion
- Change in the distance between the ligaclips on lateral elbow radiographs [ Time Frame: Baseline to 3 months post-operatively ]
- Isokinetic strength testing of elbow flexion, forearm pronation, and wrist flexion [ Time Frame: Baseline to 3 months post-operatively ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Candidates for anterior submuscular ulnar nerve transposition based on history, positive findings on physical examination, and confirmatory electrodiagnostic testing in Mayo Clinic Arizona
Exclusion criteria:
- Pregnancy
- Patients who have had prior ulnar nerve surgery
- Patients with other documented neurogenic processes identified on electrodiagnostic studies (ie: peripheral neuropathy, cervical radiculopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Workman's compensation patients
- Subluxing ulnar nerve
- Elbow contracture or stiffness
- Negative electrodiagnostic studies
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01781494
|Principal Investigator:
|Kevin Renfree, MD
|Mayo Clinic
|Responsible Party:
|Kevin J. Renfree, Assistant Professor of Orthopedics, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01781494 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|February 1, 2013 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|December 2, 2014
|Last Verified:
|November 2014
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Ulnar Nerve Compression Syndromes
Nerve Compression Syndromes
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Ulnar Neuropathies
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
Sprains and Strains
Wounds and Injuries


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Beaumont fire rescue responds to structure fire at Idylwood
On Sunday July 8, at 10:30 a.m., Beaumont Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire reported at 5335 Idylwood.
Firefighters found one room on fire in the home. They were able to contain the fire to that room, but could not avoid smoke damage to the rest of the home.
The occupant was not at home at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries. Firefighters determined that the fire was caused by the washing machine.
Red Cross was called to assist the family.


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Familial/Genetic Risk for Testicular Cancer?
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"
My father died of untreated testicular cancer at 63 years old. My brother was diagnosed and treated successfully 5 years ago for testicular cancer. What risk does that pose for myself (37 year-old female), for my younger brother, and for my son and nephews? There is very little info available on the web regarding familial risk, especially for female relatives.
David J Vaughn, MD, Medical Director of the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine, Hematology-Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, responds:
This is unclear at the present time. However, given the 2 direct family members who are affected, it is likely that there is some genetic component. There is an ongoing study being conducted at the NIH looking into the genetic links for families with multiple cases of testicular cancer. This study is including females. For more information about the study, visit this site: familial-testicular-cancer.cancer.gov
In addition, a visit to a geneticist who specializes in testicular cancer may help you to further evaluate the risk for your family members.


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Dec. 11, 2004
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Jamie Broback scored 21 points and led No. 16 Minnesota to its seventh straight win, a 69-42 victory over Santa Clara on Saturday.
Janel McCarville added 17 points for the Golden Gophers (8-1) and Shannon Schonrock made a pair of 3-pointers to move into third place on Minnesota's career list with 121.
Quinn Thomas scored 12 points to lead the Broncos (3-4), who were held to their season low in points and shooting percentage (29 percent). Michelle Cozad had 10 points.
The Golden Gophers are on pace to set the school record for scoring defense set by last year's team at 59.7. They displayed their defensive prowess by holding the Broncos 31 points under their average.
Santa Clara, which was playing its third Top 25 team in 15 days, entered play averaging a West Coast Conference best 73 points per game.
Minnesota successfully pounded the ball inside against the Broncos, with McCarville and Broback getting most of their points in the paint. The Golden Gophers outscored Santa Clara inside 26-13. Minnesota held a 26-2 advantage at one point.
The Golden Gophers never trailed in the game, as Santa Clara missed six of its first seven shots.
Minnesota made 14 of its first 21 shots and used a 19-2 run to open a 22-point lead late in the first half. McCarville scored eight points during the Golden Gophers' run, in which the Broncos were held scoreless for more than 6 minutes.
April Calhoun hit a driving layup with 8 seconds left in the first half to give Minnesota a 40-19 lead.
The Golden Gophers were making their first trip to California since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2003 at Stanford. Minnesota won the Santa Clara Shootout in 1992.


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The astounding pic is part of What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs post which is grouped within Dining, Chairs, Dining Room and published at April 13, 2015 9:52:19 pm by rchadmin
What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs: Modern Upholstered Dining Room Chairs With Arms
Dining room chairs play a huge role in the dining room area. Their appearance and how they'll fit in is very important, but as well as the amount of comfort they will offer. The following are things to know about getting the right chairs.
Chair Sizes
Most dining room tables are 30 inches high, while standard dining room chairs are normally 18 inches high. The distance between the height of chairs and the surface of the table is what determines the level of comfort people will get. This is something you'll need to thoroughly consider before purchasing dining room chairs - as much as they may be appealing and enticing, they need to be of the right height in relation to the table to provide optimum comfort.
Purchase Dining Room Chairs (all lists searchable and sortable)
A thumb rule to keep in mind is that the back of your dining room chair must always be higher than the table's surface.
Dining Room Chair Styles
There are numerous designs and styles of dining room chairs, making it impossible to name them all, except of course for a couple of popular ones. Regency, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Ladder-back , Mid-Century and Windsor are common styles of chairs, and these can be frequently found.
Upholstered Dining Room Chairs
These kind of dining room chairs add comfort, style and softness to the room. If you decide on using dining room chairs for your home, you also need to consider what will go into your dining room before getting the fabric. If you have kids in the house, then you may want to consider something like patterned fabric that can easily hide stains. Leather is another good alternative that can be wiped off easily.
With all these in mind, you can now go ahead and pick the right chairs to compliment the design and accent of your home. Also make sure to purchase chairs that blend with wall colors and overall outlook of your home.
The appealing photograph is part of What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs has dimension 1024 x 768 pixel. You can download and obtain the Modern Upholstered Dining Room Chairs With Arms images by click the download button below to get multiple high resolution versions.
Here is main advice about Dining Room. We have the source for more photograph about Dining Room. Check it out for yourself! You can discover What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs and view the What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs in here.
Back to What's to Know About Getting the Right Dining Room Chairs


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NORTH SALT LAKE — Another Utah refinery has agreed to pay a penalty to the Environmental Protection Agency and to upgrade emissions controls for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
Big West Oil LLC will pay a $175,000 fine and spend approximately $1.8 million on emissions controls at its North Salt Lake refinery.
The EPA and U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement jointly last week.
Big West, a subsidiary of Flying J, will also invest $253,000 to improve monitoring and management of potential releases of hydrofluoric acid at the refinery.
"This settlement will result in substantial reductions in harmful air pollution and, building on previous settlements with area refineries, marks another step forward in improving the quality of air Utahns breathe in the Salt Lake City area," said Robert G Dreher, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environmental and Natural Resources Division. "Big West will be required to install advanced technology pollution controls that will benefit the health and the environment of its neighbors and future generations."
The settlement comes on the heels of a $400,000 penalty levied on the Chevron Refinery on Aug. 1, 2013, and a $115,000 fine levied on Holly Refinery on Dec. 20, 2012.
"EPA continues to secure significant settlements with refineries that benefit public health and improve air quality in our communities," said Shaun McGrath, EPA's regional administrator in Denver. "Today's agreement will help bring Big West Oil's refinery up to date with industry standards to protect the environment."
"Big West has been working with EPA and the State of Utah for a number of years on ways in which Big West can reduce air emissions at its North Salt Lake refinery," company spokesman Brett Bailey said in an email.
"We have appreciated EPA's and the state's willingness to work with us in finding workable methods for making the desired reductions. The mutually agreed decree entered on Friday will require Big West to spend tens of millions of dollars on pollution control equipment and procedures, and will result in significant reductions in emissions," he said. "As a company, Big West is committed to responsible environmental stewardship, while providing great jobs for the state of Utah and supplying the fuel that runs our economy and benefits all of its citizens."
He also noted that in agreeing to the consent decree, the company admitted no liability, a fact noted in the EPA's announcement.
"We just took the approach that rather than fighting over alleged violations, we should see if we could work with EPA on what they wanted us to improve," Bailey said.
Under the agreement, Big West will install a state-of-the-art flue gas filter system to control particulate matter emissions and to place ultra-low nitrogen oxide burners on four heaters and boilers. The company will also install a caustic scrubber system at the sulfur recovery plant.
The company will also spend $253,000 on a supplemental environmental project to install a laser detection system around the perimeter of the hydrofluoric acid alkylation unit that is expected to improve the detection and response to releases of potentially hazardous acid.
When fully implemented, the controls and requirements under the agreement will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide by approximately 158 tons per year, nitrogen oxides by approximately 32 tons per year and particulate matter by approximately 36 tons per year, the EPA said. Reductions of volatile and hazardous pollutants, such as benzene are also expected as a result of compliance with leak detection and repair requirements.
The refinery employs 185 people and refines 35,000 barrels of oil daily, according to the company website. It refines crude oil from Utah, Wyoming and Canada, and ships to seven western states.


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Let your friends know! Update your Facebook status or send a Tweet to share these 360-degree views.
More Panoramic Views
This exclusive collection of interactive panoramic pictures lets you explore the hospitality venues at Pittsburgh's PNC Park with full 360-degree views.
The Pirates Press Conference Room is ideal for presentations, workshops, trade shows or other events with classroom, rounds or theatre-style seating. You can combine it with the adjacent Lexus Club to form an elegant dining setting or break-out meeting space for all-day conferences.
Capacity is 50 to 250 guests, depending on room set-up.


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Black Friday and Cyber Monday – Early Results Show Promise but it is a Omnichannel Marathon
Thanksgiving holiday came and went with Black Friday breaking records from last year.
The highlights of the numbers that have been quoted in the press today are:
- Sales increased 6.6% over the same day last year, representing $11.4 billion in retail purchases and biggest amount ever spent during the day.
- Retail foot-traffic increased by 5.1% over 2010 Source: Shoppertrak
Looking beyond the headline numbers, here are some other interesting data points:
- Black Friday has been stretched with pre-promotions and longer shopping hours. Retail sales were up over 3.5% the week of November 12th and 18th
- Data from ShopperTrak indicated that consumers are visiting fewer stores per trip (being more efficient due to time crunch) with average of 3.1 stores down from 3.19 last year. Shoppers are also doing more research on purchases before the trip.
Another report from ComScore shows that Black Friday extended online before Cyber Monday.
Bfads.net, number one most visited web site on Black Friday promotions
Source: ComScore
- $12.7 billion has been spent so far online to date this holiday season with $816 million in Online sales on Black Friday
- Thanksgiving Day online sales increased 18% to $479 million (perhaps after dinner shopping instead of watching Thanskgiving football?)
- Top five online retail properties (excluding auction sites) are Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Apple with Amazon having 50% more visitors than any other retailer
What does this mean for retailers? Here are some thoughts:
- While the initial Black Friday numbers are promising, a lot of the numbers are driven by promotions and door buster sales. Since 20% of the sales for some retailers are done inthe holiday season, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Omni channel is here to stay. Consumers are researching online and shopping across channels (web, store, phone, mobile).
- Omni channel is not a zero sum game, increase in e-commerce does not necessarily decrease store sales, and longer store promotion for Black Friday does not necessarily cut into e-commerce sales. Well executed omni channel strategy by retailers increases wallet share of the consumer.
Want to learn more about OmniChannel? Check out the upcoming Big Idea session "Catch 'em and Keep 'em. Satisfying Today's Shoppers" on January 17th at National Retail Federation Conference, New York
For more information on Cisco at National Retail Federation 2012, please visit http://www.cisco.com/go/nrf2012
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
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by Janet Keeler Wilcox
Lead me down your snaky trails
of twisting paths and flinty glaze
to ocher canyons etched in fire
by sunlight's lofty rays.
Ride me o'er your slate blue riffs
As canyon shadows fall,
Where night birds dance above the lake
And lonely eagles call.
Toss me high on rugged waves
Douse me 'til I'm blue,
Bounce me through the rocky course
where voyagers are few.
Swirl me past your eddies
Etched by frothy hue.
Take me to your glens and coves
that Anasazi knew.
Wind me 'round your sandstone fjords
Of sandwiched mauves and grey,
Circle me with stony walls
That time has worn away.
Spray me down your waterfalls
Sooth me in your pools.
Shower me o'er your coral ridge
Where sandstone calmness rules.
Hide me in your tombs of jade
Where elusive peace lies still,
And mirrored reflections tranquilize
the agitated will.
Guide me to the journey's end
To canyons sprayed with gold
Where calm respite is heaven sent
And river tales are told.


text:
The 111th AAA Annual Meeting is quickly upon us. It will be held in San Francisco this year from November 14-18. To get our online community ready for the meeting we'll be giving away Annual Meeting gear throughout the month of October.
If you haven't done so already, register now for the meeting and the workshops you'd like to attend. Also be sure the book your hotel today – rooms are selling out quickly.
Check back in on the AAA blog on Monday for your change to win Annual Meeting gear! Until then, enjoy the weekend.