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Riding on the Internet of Things to become a smart nation
Roundtable participants:
- Lee Chew Chiat, Public Sector Industry leader, Deloitte South-east Asia;
- Shamus Weiland, managing director, CIO Consumer Asia-Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Global Product Development, Citi;
- Anmol Singh, principal research analyst, Gartner;
- Tan Teik Guan, mentor-in-residence, Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd
Moderator: Amit Roy Choudhury
WITH Singapore making progress on its journey to becoming a Smart Nation, The Business Times homes in on the Internet of Things (IoT), a technology to make the services associated with a smart nation - such as digital healthcare, smart energy and digital manufacturing - possible. An IoT network enables connected devices to communicate, send information and formulate actionable intelligence. Industry experts discuss the opportunities and the way forward for IoT in Singapore. Be low are excerpts:
The Business Times: The Internet of things (IoT) is the buzzword in the technology sector and research agencies have quoted huge numbers when discussing the market opportunities it represents. Do you think some of the buzz is just hype, or is IoT really transformational in scope?
Lee Chew Chiat: The buzz around IoT revolves around machine-to-machine communication, cloud computing, networks of data-gathering sensors, mobile and instantaneous connection. What people don't realise is that IoT is already here. It is not just about machines being "smart". It is about sensors that gather data. IoT comes together when you connect sensors and machines.
IoT has myriad applications in the public sector and has already proven to be transformational. Smart watches and Internet-enabled appliances aside, some of the most significant implementation of IoT-based systems within the manufacturing, logistics and healthcare sectors are already in place and transforming the world.
The value that IoT brings lies in the information it creates. It has powerful potential for boosting data analytics. Strategically deployed, data analytics can help organisations translate IoT's digital data into meaningful insights that can go into developing new products, business models and better living for people.
That said, the challenge lies in limiting IoT to our existing operating environment and incorporating it into what we do to create insights and reduce variables for businesses.
Shamus Weiland: Intelligent connectivity of machines to each other will allow for optimised, unfiltered decisions and create a tipping point. The pace of change and results will be exponential versus anything previously experienced.
From the Renaissance to the Internet Age, I believe we are now embarking on a period of intelligent automation which will be enabled by the IoT combined with artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other evolving innovations.
Anmol Singh: At Gartner, we expect IoT to be the most game-changing IT initiative since cloud computing in terms of its impact on both business and enterprise IT. Driven by business' desire for increased efficiency and new revenue opportunities, IoT will spur a new wave of IT systems to store and analyse the flood of data generated by thousands or millions of devices, or "things". The unprecedented volume, velocity and variety of this data will force organisations to change their IT infrastructures, especially their data management and analytics systems, and adopt new platforms, practices and mindsets.
Tan Teik Guan: I believe IoT presents a real and distinct opportunity for the industry. From a technology perspective, it adds two more dimensions - data and connectivity - that can be exploited by new-generation products and services. Just look at how Sony, with its portable Walkman, seeded the concept of mobility with on-demand availability - music in this case. I would like to see a Singapore company take on the IoT challenge and transform the world.
BT: How vital do you think IoT and its related technologies like cloud computing, wearable devices and monitors and big-data analytics will be to build a smart nation?
Chew Chiat: Over the past 50 years, Singapore has seen ample proof of just how powerful technology can be. Consumer project makers, healthcare providers, retailers and distributors, our government - all have learned to use IT to get better and quicker at responding to marketplace demands. In the next decade, we can expect smart machines to enter offices, factories and homes in numbers we have never seen before. They will become integral to teaching, medicine, production, security, and virtually every domain of our lives.
The adoption of IoT technologies will be a key component for smart nation services and enable the exploitation of technology and innovation to address challenges, such as the increased strain on healthcare facilities and resources, traffic planning and congestion prevention, with the aim of enhancing residents' quality of life.
As business cases are refined, you can scale technology solutions to the enterprise. There is no need to reinvent the wheel for IoT initiatives. Activating and connecting existing infrastructure could also leapfrog some implementation steps.
Establishing appropriate protocols to ensure connectivity, public safety, cybersecurity and fairness will be a complex undertaking, but essential for future success. In line with this, our government must also transform how it regulates industries, develops new policies and undertakes procurement.
Shamus: I believe open software through API (application programme interface) gateways, cloud computing, and intelligent connectivity of machines and devices will have a part in enabling Singapore to build a smart nation. Given these capabilities are easily available, creating the right balance of security and protection versus openness and innovation will be critical to success. Governments can help by investing in digital capabilities like national identification as well as creating incentives for innovation.
Anmol: Data analytics and user-based services enriched by IoT technologies are becoming increasingly crucial in optimising smart-city operations.
The implementation of IoT and related technologies, however, also leads to an increase in operational and maintenance costs that governments must consider. Examples of potential operational and maintenance costs include that for wireless network connectivity and counter measures against cyber attacks.Teik Guan: We must recognise that the Smart Nation initiative is much bigger than IoT. Yet, if we look at the five sectors highlighted by Minister Heng Swee Keat during his budget speech on SG-Innovate, namely Smart Energy, Digital Manufacturing, Fintech, Digital Health and IoT, we will realise that IoT stands out as the only horizontal sector that cuts across all the industries. So regardless of programmes that are launched within the banking or health or government segments, you can be sure that IoT will feature in them.
I'd like to point out a key technology factor that's missing in your question - skills and talent development. To achieve smart nation status, we need people who are more savvy in choosing and using technology effectively, as well as a talent pool of ICT (infocomm technology) practitioners who can contribute in the industry, as entrepreneurs or in ancillary positions.
BT: IoT means lots of data being generated and shared via the cloud, sometimes without human intervention. Since data means money, robust cyber security is a must as Anmol pointed out. The additional point is that many companies, which do not have the natural cyber security instincts, like consumer appliances makers, TV manufacturers and others are building and selling gadgets that connect to the Internet. Security and patching of OSes (Operating Systems) may not come naturally to these companies as it does to, say, Microsoft. What kind of security risk does this pose, and how can security issues be addressed without stymying growth in IoT?
Chew Chiat: Too often, software and products today are built to work as intended, and cyber security is factored into the equation only after the product is out on the market. Hence, it is important that vendors, government and enterprises build security into the IoT from the beginning.
One of the key pillars in Singapore's Smart Nation initiative is security. Emerging IoT solutions for security and privacy are promising. These include making users' mobile phones their security and privacy key that can confirm device pairing, leveraging cryptography, instead of a keyboard and passwords.
Today, IoT devices are using disparate platforms. As technology matures, there could be a possibility to create common platforms like that of IoS (Apple's operating system for mobile devices) and Android where security for IoT devices can be made secure and user privacy can be preserved.
Shamus: Security in the new digital age will be best achieved by applying the same capabilities that allowed machines to be intelligent and connected to ensure that machines stay protected and safe. The point is that innovation must be applied to security mechanisms in the same way it is applied to provide everyday life enhancements. We must evolve security measures to individual biometric markers that are not only more secure, but are also more convenient to consumers.
Anmol: The constrained nature of IoT devices open up new attack vectors and vulnerabilities using the security threats that apply to general-purpose devices (such as laptops and PCs) on IP-based arbitrary networks. These vulnerabilities could be exploited to introduce a range of threats targeted at compromising security and performance of IoT devices. It becomes even susceptible as IoT networks include multiple devices using a variety of communication channels from bluetooth to Internet to cellular.
When it comes to securing sensors and devices, lack of proper identification and authentication of devices could lead to serious security threats for IoT, some of which include eavesdropping or snooping where an eavesdropper is listening on the commands issued and data transferred on the network, revealing some sensitive information about the operation of the infrastructure.
Teik Guan: You are right to point out that IoT projects tend to generate a lot of data, although I disagree that big data should be one of the expected outcomes. As the industry matures, I believe that we will start to see differentiation between good IoT projects versus poorly designed or implemented IoT projects.
For example, in domestic-IoT, say within a household setting, I may expect an IoT-enabled washing machine to be able to download the most resource-efficient, least garment-abrasive algorithms to wash my laundry, or even re-order detergent at the lowest price when stocks are low, but I certainly don't want the washing machine to be informing online shopping portals of my preferred brands of shirts or the condition of my socks. Can there be a set of standards or best practices in play?
In industrial-IoT, the need for security becomes even more apparent. Large amounts of data (from cameras, voice transmissions, video images and transaction information) are likely to be collected, aggregated, processed and subsequently applied on. A breach, in this case, becomes even more dangerous. How about companies that abuse the data they have legitimately collected? I expect that the industry needs not just robust security, but a convergence of standards, best practices and monitoring and enforcement to get IoT to take off.
BT: Please give a personal overview of how a combination of IoT and smart cities are expected to transform our daily lives. Also how do we as individuals ensure that security is not compromised at a personal level?
Chew Chiat: In the area of healthcare monitoring, wireless sensing technology embedded in the walls of buildings, or any fittings, can monitor breathing, heart rate and other vital signs in real time. ... This will transform our healthcare from a reactive model to one that is more proactive.
Shamus: Basic tasks no longer require human mindshare or task ownership, as these are now owned and performed by machines. Grocery purchases, transportation, maintenance and repair of machines, including the most important machine - our bodies - will be executed or informed by machines. Just like today, risks must be considered in this open and technologically connected world, but we are already seeing a generational shift in expectations on what should remain private versus what should be shared.
Anmol: A common healthcare scenario where an elderly person with critical diabetes condition is diagnosed for increased levels of blood sugar by a wearable device on his or her wrist and the nearby healthcare service provider is notified of the condition. While the IoT technologies ensure alerting and monitoring of person's health status, a smart city infrastructure ensures timely response and delivery of services in this scenario to save a life.
Teik Guan: At the onset, I would expect the proliferation of IoT to deliver on convenience and resource-optimisation solutions. Commuting to work should be a breeze; I don't imagine having to queue for my coffee; and I look forward to having lower utility bills. In the medium term, I hope the industry will gravitate towards innovating in IoT to address deeper social issues, such as ageing population, health and food nutrition. To me, if we can harness IoT to effectively improve lives, not just making things more efficient, then we will truly be a smart nation.
On the security front, I would encourage everyone to be mindful of your direct and indirect digital footprint as you go on with your daily lives. Data that is not captured can't be stolen or misused. Separately, I would like to see the regulators take a more serious view in monitoring and enforcing data privacy standards in the IoT space.
This series is brought to you by Deloitte
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Overview :
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subset: commoncrawl


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Variation in Performance of Two Co-Occurring Mosquito Species Across Diverse Resource Environments: Insights from Nutrient and Stable Isotope Analyses
Document Type
Publication Date
Biological Sciences
- Inputs of animal and plant detritus are the main energy sources for food webs in a number of isolated container systems, including discarded automobile tyres and tree holes. Containers are dominated by mosquitoes in the genera Culex and Aedes, which among other differences often engage in different foraging behaviours. We hypothesised that because Aedes feed more by browsing surfaces, whereas Culex often filter the water column, these mosquitoes would show variation in performance and differentially affect detritus. Effects of different ratios of animal and plant detritus on survival, mass, and development time for two common container mosquito species, Culex restuans L. and Aedes albopictus Skuse, were examined. We also quantified detrital contribution to biomass via isotopic and nutrient analysis and the effect of larvae on detrital decay.
- Adult male and female mass of both species was highest with some animal detritus and lowest in only leaf detritus. Aedes albopictus survival was higher than C. restuans across most detritus ratios.
- Aedes albopictus had higher values of 15N and in some cases 13C across all detritus ratios compared with C. restuans; A. albopictus had lower nitrogen in tissue. Aedes albopictus appeared to be more efficient at obtaining potentially limiting nutrients and had a greater overall effect on detrital decay – a possible consequence of greater foraging effort.
- Findings further support the view that mosquito performance can be influenced by detritus type, and provide a more precise hypothesis (i.e. lower need for nitrogen) that may explain the superior competitive ability of A. albopictus over other container mosquitoes.
Publication Title
Ecological Entomology
First Page
Last Page
Recommended Citation
Winters, A. E.,
Yee, D. A.
(2012). Variation in Performance of Two Co-Occurring Mosquito Species Across Diverse Resource Environments: Insights from Nutrient and Stable Isotope Analyses. Ecological Entomology, 37(1), 56-64.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/8336


text: by Tran Longmoore 01/30/2018 - 00:04 in Schools 0 Comment Six Saline High School student musicians performed with the Michigan All State Band in Grand Rapids. These students were chosen by audition out of thousands of student musicians across the state. They prepared and performed an extremely challenging concert of collegiate level music in 2 days of rehearsal with Scott Boerma-Director of Bands at Western Michigan University. Pictured from left to right are Emma Rose Reilly, clarinet, Leah Keller, flute, Zack Gabanyicz, trumpet, Holden Collins, tuba, Paul Kiyabu, trumpet, and Paul Crowley, saxophone, "Congratulations on an outstanding performance," said Nate Lampman, director of bands for Saline Area Schools. Saline Area Schools MusicAll State BandEmma Rose ReillyLeah KellerZack GabanyiczHolden CollinsPaul KiyabuPaul CrowleyView the discussion thread. Tran Longmoore Tran Longmoore is a veteran community journalist. He is founder and owner of TheSalinePost.com. He is co-publisher of The Saline Post weekly newspaper. Email him at [email protected] or call him at 734-272-6294. Follow the author on or visit Personal Blog


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It's known as the water tower of Asia, and it's drying up. Alanna Mitchell looks at how Pakistani farmers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region are using solar-powered water pumps to combat the effects of climate change. Part of an ongoing series of stories about innovative projects in the developing world, a partnership between the International Development Research Centre and Canadian Geographic.
Solar solutions
How solar-powered water pumps are helping Pakistani farmers adjust to climate change
January 19, 2016


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Ragnarok Online: Knight Platinum Skill Quest Guide
From a swordsman to a knight, it looks like you're really intent on making the most out of your grand adventure in Rune Midgard! Is it because you want to become stronger? Is it because you want to reach the pinnacle of success in the way of the sword and spear? Do you want to become the most honorable and valorous knight in Ragnarok Online? Well, you'll be needing all the help you can get.
Now that you're a knight, you have to learn all the necessary skills that can assist you in your adventure. Platinum skills are no exception! They are quite simple and not that strong, but they sure can be helpful and useful in the long run. There is only one available platinum skill for the knight class, namely Charge Attack.
This guide will help you master it. Read on and blaze the trail to becoming a knight like no other in Ragnarok Online!
Knight Platinum Skill
Charge Attack
Charge Attack
Requirement: Your Job Level as a Knight should be 40 or above.
Quest Instructions:
1. Talk to Essofeit who is inside the Knight's Guild in Prontera (coordinates: prt_in 85,99). The Knight's Guild is located at the farthest northwest corner of Prontera. Essofeit can be found standing near the counter.
2. After talking to him, Essofeit will ask you to observe the other knights training outside.
3. Go outside of the Knight's Guild, move a bit towards the right of the guild, and locate the training knights.
4. Click the invisible NPC right beside the Grand Master. Alternatively, you can just walk around the Grand Master in order to automatically initiate an NPC conversation.
5. Talk to the Grand Master who is right beside the invisible NPC.
6. After talking to the Grand Master, talk to the three knights adjacent to him in the following order:
- Zabi (coordinates: prontera 78, 354)
- Gon (coordiantes: prontera 73, 357)
- Jiya (coordinates: prontera 78, 357)
7. Return to the Knight's Guild and talk to Essofeit.
8. Go outside and talk to Gatack who's standing right next to a tree. He is not so far from the Grand Master and the three knights.
9. Gatack will require you to gather the following items:
- Witherless Rose x3
- Candy Cane x5
10. After gathering the needed items and giving them to Essofeit, he will teach you the platinum skill—Charge Attack!
Skill Description: Charge Attack is an offensive skill that deals ranged damage to a single enemy. The damage dealt by this skill depends on the distance of the target from you. The farther the target is, the more damage is dealt. Consequently, the farther the enemy is, the longer the cast time is as well.
Have you already learned this knight platinum skill?
Questions & Answers
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Hip-Hop Rumors: Gucci Mane in Rehab? Kanye/Amber Expecting? Latifah To "Idol"?
AllHipHop Staff
All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.CONGRATS, J-HUD!Jennifer Hudson and fiancé David
Otunga welcomed their son late last night. The two opted not to know the
sex of the baby they brought both pink and blue
to be on the safe side. The baby allegedly weighs
seven pounds and fourteen ounces and was named David Daniel Otunga,
Jr. after his father. - Miss Mouth
THE DAILY TWO SENSEJoe Budden wants to "square dance" with Raekwon. Cick here.
I dont want anybody to die. I wrote an editorial that explains my point. Look for it later.
Now, I just added all that conspiracy stuff as food for thought. Its always good to spark some brain cells minus the use of drugs. It was not meant to take any shots at anybody in particular. So dont apply the theories to me, because there was no undercurrent there.
Lastly, I know why Jay-Z is ignoring The Game, thus far at least hes getting down with Oprah! You cannot be engaged in a savage rap beef and be cool with the O!
Lastly, I want to introduce to you all MISS MOUTH! She is my new illseed assistant and a gossip chick. Shes been hitting me with rumors and stuff for some time and shes stepped up. Shes going to be contributing regularly. This is sorta a trial period, but I think shes going to stick around.
As a matter of fact, here is one of her rumors!
By Miss MouthSeems like there is some controversy over this rumor. I had this sucker up in July. SMH. - illseed
The legal affairs of Gucci Mane are enough for a full section on this site. It seems we are constantly trying to catch up with his arrests, court dates, probation violations and all sorts of other f***ery that is encompassed in the world of Gucci. A few weeks ago it was widely reported that Gucci had once again pee peed dirty on his probation test and therefore was again locked up. However while it was not true that he was in jail he did violate his probation and his lawyers had to work out some deal to keep him free.
Well I am hearing the deal they struck involves Gucci going to rehab for a period of 2 months. That is why we havent seen much of him on the concert tip and no new web videos. Im told Gucci has been in the rehab facility in rural Georgia for the past week or so and will continue to be there for at least another month.
This guy is just crazy, in my opinion. It must be some insanely enticing weed this guy is getting his hands on for him to risk all this for it. Whatever it is I just know I want some of it [Source: 24hourhiphop.com]
Man, Kanye and Amber are rumored to be having a child.
Why do I think this is pure bogus? All I know is these people just
start rumors out of nowhere. Apparently this rumors started from some
sort of dramatic lifestyle change by Amber. Did she stop drinking and
smoking? Seems that would cause a rumor or too or maybe she just wants
to life clean? Anyway, Kanye ahhhh forget it. If there is something to
this, best wishes.
Gosh. You know I have a weak space for stars personal business. On the real, I do. Now, that is why this will be a blind item. I got word that there is a major comedian that has been committed to a mental institution for about a week. This person reportedly was checked in or checked himself in, because of a touch of paranoia. The person seems to feel that there are people following him/her and out to get him/her. From my sources this person has basically stopped eating and only wants to chain smoke. The individual is under lock-n-key meaning has extra security measures surrounding them. DAG!
Jas song aint so bad, but its no Pop Life, which is the classic song by Prince.
Shout out to J'Fuzion! Google the Prince version if you get a shot.
Looks like Simon isnt playing at all. What I am getting is that they are moving on replacing Paula really fast straight up! Now, you know they arent playing when they pull Victoria Beckham out! Simon is reportedly very good friends with Vick and want her on the show. On the flip side, I heard she is merely a one-time, one show replacement not for the whole season. Not too bad. Vicky cant sing too well anyway. On the other side, I am hearing that Queen Latifah might be the one that will truly fill Paulas seat. Shes got that kind-heatrted flavor going on too so it might work.
Paulas got a lil trick up her sleave .rumor has it, she might go to Dancing With The Stars. You may not know, but she is an accomplished dancer that used to choreographed for the likes of Janet Jackson.
You know whats crazy? I keep hearing that Soulja Boy has a dope live show.
Drake is finished. He wont be back on the Americas Most Wanted tour. Hes healing and chilling in Toronto.
Dj Lexx hit me up and wanted to know where J. Cole and why he wasnt on the BP3 album with Jay?
There are rumors buzzing that 24, the anti-terrorism show might be cancelled. Why? The show is expensive as heck to make. They are suggesting that it will be a pure business deal, because it is very popular.
Oopps! Jay-Z is going ot be in O magazine, not The Oprah Winfrey show. DAG, Oprah!
Illseed Note: Miss Mouth is a handful!
Nick Cannon is such a flake. I agree with Wendy Williams he is less of a man for not being able to defend his wife against Eminems vicious attacks. Now he is claiming that her obsessed video is about him and not Eminem. She needs a divorce immediately. Em is such a bully, I hate him. Where was this fighting spirit when Royce the 59 was getting in his ass or when that comedian sat on is face on national TV??? He is only good for beefing with female pop stars.
Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal was in Hermosa Beach on Sunday for a volley ball game against Olympic Gold medalist Misty May-Treanor. As part of his upcoming reality TV show Shaq has vowed to walk two miles in a pink Speedo if he loses to May-Treanor!
Singer Prince is in the news due to a lawsuit he filed in June. Prince moved out of the home he rented in Beverly Hills, he left behind a $300,000 security deposit. 3121 Rep Inc., the company that claimed to have brokered the lease for Prince, has sued the owners to get the money back. But the owners say Prince made all the payments himself 3121 was just an intermediary -- so the money should go straight to him. Now the two sides are suing each other, with Prince caught in the middle 3121 wants the money they says is theirs, the owners just want their attorney's fees paid.
World Awards Media states that members of Michael Jackson's family and a "high-profile lineup of international stars" are planning a tribute concert to be held within a few weeks in the Austrian capital. No date has been set, but a venue has been picked Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna. Also, after weeks of speculation regarding the burial site, The King of Pop has been laid to rest. He was buried in an unmarked plot at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills over the weekend. According to recently leaked autopsy results the singers death was due to a lethal amount of powerful anesthetic Propofol in his system when he died.
Why is everyone tripping, I love Solonges new look.
Guess whos back and fatter than ever? American Idol winner Reuben Studdard was seen in DC this past weekend. Those Louie Bags have been duplicated so much that even when one is ACTUALLY REAL it looks like a FAKE. I hate them!!! Im more of a Fendi girl myself!!!
Rumors are swirling around the ATL that Tiny is dating boxer Floyd Mayweather while TIP is locked up. You dont have to be a psychic to predict an asswhooping in her future. Allegedly Mr. Money Maywether himself attended her recent birthday party in The A.
Why is this Kate chick from John & Kate Plus 8 getting so much press? Does she really deserve her own show when broads in the hood have been pushing out multiples & duplicates for years
According to the AP, a Florida man stands accused of downloading child porn. That is not the sign the world is ending. The sign is this fool attempting to blame is pussy cat. Dude is a rat and blamed his poor cat. Now, who is the pussy? SMH. The dude claims that his cat downloaded the thousand-plus images of child porn on his computer. He says the cat juxed him when he was trying to download music. With the way the RIAA is going at cats, get it..cats? The way they are going at cats, he might be better off with the kiddie porn. Nevertheless, Keith Griffin of Jensen Beach faces 10 counts of possession of child pornography and is being held on $250,000 bond in the Martin County jail.EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY 2
Instead of doing a Signs The World Is Coming To An End, I am doing another fail.
Here is the video:
Here is the report from kfor.com:
A Racine woman says she was just "playing the game" when a cable reality show offered to pay for her wedding if she acted like an out of control bride for the cameras. Her acting may have this bridezilla playing the real life role of an inmate.
Most brides don't want to be portrayed poorly like the ones featured on the show Bridezillas, but Karee Gibson says she was given the unique opportunity to appear on a reality TV show. Bridezillas follows the lives of engaged women, casting their busy schedules in an emphatic and sometimes humorous fashion.
Gibson said, "I thought it would be a nice opportunity for me to show my acting skills, cause I've always wanted to be an actress and also a way for my family to get some income to help me pay for my wedding."
Gibson claims her bad behavior on the show was all an act. Gibson says, "I'm not like that at all and that's why it was fun for me because I'm not like that at all and that's why I'm getting so upset because everybody thinks I'm like that because I did such a good job acting and that's not me."
Her convincing appearance on the show could land her in jail. Gibson is on probation for a fight she got into in high school. Her probation officer says her behavior on Bridezillas is a violation of her parole.
The 21-year-old wife and mother has been ordered to report to the Racine County Jail Monday afternoon. Now her decision to appear on Bridezillas is one she regrets.
Her P.O. is a major HATER!
Damita Jos ex boo Jermaine Dupri has broken his silence on what really made him part ways with Island Def Jam earlier this year. He claims that he will never do business with the company again. He blamed Def Jam's inability to place confidence in his role as president as one of his underlying issues for leaving.
"They [weren 't] prepared for a person like myself. They [were] basically out for themselves. I never was on a team like that. I was always on a team that was supportive of what I wanted to do and this time it was more like 'we need you to do this.' People know me to create new artists [and to] continuously come with new people. Once I realized I was basically on my own in that building, I said 'it's time for me to get out of here.' I saw the decline of Def Jam and I was just like 'I don't want to be a part of a sinking ship.'...[There's] definitely hard feelings because I'm not cool with people stunting my growth. I'm a person that keeps growing. Everybody knows the history of Jermaine Dupri. Everybody knows what I've done from day one from one group to the next, it was all new artists and you have to continue doing that. If you get in the way of that you stunt that growth. They [have] bigger problems to deal with, I mean I'm not running around like 'f*** Def Jam!' I'm just saying I would not really deal with them ever again...It feels like it's a resurgence of independent labels...It just feels like the right thing for me." (The Boom Box)
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My Holly Tree Is Losing Leaves
Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images
Holly trees produce pointed leaves with serrated edges that stay on the tree all winter, accompanied by bright red berries. If leaves start dropping off of the holly tree, it is time to look at the cause and see what can be done.
Holly trees may start to drop their leaves due to a disease called holly leaf blight, or they may be responding to environmental factors, like intense cold. Scale insects, which leave behind sooty mildew, may also cause holly leaves to drop off.
Dealing With Disease
Improving the air circulation through the holly tree will reduce the proliferation of the spores. Raking up and destroying fallen leaves rather than composting them is recommended. Ground cover plants placed underneath the tree reduces the splash of rain back onto the tree's branches.
Dealing With Insects
The scale insects that produce black sooty mould on the tree's branches and leaves may be removed by hand, with a direct spray of water or with insecticidal soap.
- Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images


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The draft specification for the next-generation 802.11n standard has been completed, but final ratification isn't expected until next year. Wireless networking vendors, however, have already started offering routers and access points based on the draft version of the technology, and Dell will now allow some notebook customers to purchase 802.11n cards bundled into their PCs.
The 802.11n standard comes with two important advances: faster link speeds and wider operating range, as the result of the MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) standard at the heart of the technology. Home users who upload a lot of pictures or video through their home networks will love the rate increase, and some will now be able to take their notebooks out on the deck or into the backyard, said Clay Rayborn, product marketing manager for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at Dell.
There's a catch, however. The idea behind releasing products based on draft wireless standards is that users will eventually be able to upgrade to the final standard simply by downloading a firmware update from the manufacturer. But there's no guarantee that firmware will be able to accommodate all of the changes that could take place in the standard between now and March 2007, when final ratification and certification is expected.
As a result, some products that use chips from one wireless chipmaker might not work seamlessly with products that use chips from a different manufacturer. The Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry group, has recommended that potential 802.11n buyers wait until the final standard is ratified by the IEEE and the Wi-Fi Alliance has begun certifying products. Both events are expected to take place early next year.
Dell is recommending that consumers who want the 802.11n speeds use routers based on the same Broadcom Intensi-Fi technology used in Dell notebooks, Rayborn said. The card will still work with products from other vendors, but not necessarily at 802.11n speeds or ranges.
The card is an option, starting today, on XPS and some Inspiron notebooks. It costs $59, and can hit peak data rates of 270 megabits per second, as compared to 802.11g's top speed of 54Mbps. Real-world speeds will generally be slower in both cases, due to interference or certain types of building materials.


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Latest Jobs Vacancies Open in Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines is the leading airline of Singapore , with its main hib in Changi Airport Singapore. The company has a strong presence in Southeast Asia and in particular the work on routes between European, Oceania and North America. Affiliated companies include SilkAir- …Read More »
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Be kind.
Help others.
Event + Response = Outcome
Everyone is just as busy as you are. We all have the same 24 hours.
When you're feeling down, do for others. It will make you feel better.
When making a parent phone call, put yourself in that parent's position and ask yourself what you would want to hear.
You can't take words back.
Don't speak in anger.
The universe listens and responds.
The Serenity Prayer is real.
The Golden Rule is real.
Say yes more.
Learn to say no.
You do you.
Written goals are better.
Dream big.
Make your own fun.
Perfection is impossible.
Deadlines are deadlines.
A clean desk is possible.
A messy desk isn't a moral failure.


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LPD searching for theft suspect
Lubbock police are looking for a female suspect in connection with a Tuesday afternoon theft at Ulta Salon in the 6000 block of Marsha Sharp Freeway, according to a Lubbock Police Department news release.
Around 12:25 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, the woman took cologne and perfume items from the store.
The woman is described as Hispanic, in her early 30s and last seen leaving the salon in a green Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Police ask that anyone with information call Crime Line at (806) 741-1000.


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Pepsi bottling firm G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottling has said it is improving its communications with a new network using HP kit, including wireless deployments at a number of factories.
The firm said the new network will "improve business agility while lowering costs". G&J wanted standardised technology to reduce complexity in its network environment, provide a more scalable architecture, and increase flexibility.
With the deployment at the core and edge of it network, said HP, G&J has been able to speed up and secure business processes, including order processing, billing, and logistics for distribution to thousands of retail customers.
As a result, G&J says it can now respond to changing market conditions, such as adding new distributors, faster and easier, while at the same having reduced total cost of ownership by 35 percent.
"Over the years our networking architecture has evolved to become complex and difficult to manage. As such, we needed a solution that could bring us back to a simple, agile infrastructure that was closer to what we started with," said Chris Witzgall, vice president of information services at G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottling.
The firm brought in HP networking partner SARCOM to complete the work. Witzgall said, "SARCOM proposed an HP solution that has enabled us to simplify our network infrastructure, improve business agility, streamline management and reduce ongoing costs."
G&J is using HP ProCurve 3500 Series and HP ProCurve 8212zl switches at the edge and core of its network. This month HP wireless connectivity systems will start to be rolled out across the firm's 12 locations.
Last year, PepsiCo signed a deal for BT to implement Cisco videoconferencing at all its large offices around the world.
The company wanted to use the Cisco Telepresence system to cut costs and improve communications within the company, as well as with its retailers and distributors.
Photo: Pepsi


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Eyetoy: Monkey Mania Hands On Preview
When Sony released the Eyetoy to the market, they probably didn't expect it to get as big as it is now. With many publishers putting Eyetoy small games into their titles and of course Eyetoy standalone titles available it was always going to be something that people would be interested in, especially due to its pick up and play quality. In our opinion thus far the Eyetoy games have suffered from one major problem and that is a lack of single player focus and also longevity. Monkey Mania will fix this and we recently went limbs on to see just how the game is shaping up.
Monkey Mania works on one of Sony's most popular games, Ape Escape. There is no real storyline behind it other than you take control of a monkey as your character (the monkey characters are customizable for each player) and play throughout a variety of small games. Thus far it doesn't sound that different to titles such as Play but where the game differentiates itself is the single player focused game, with a board game style used and in this way it feels a bit like Mario Party.
Of course the Eyetoy uses your limbs for control but we found ourselves moving around more and having to use more movement to control these games offering a more intense workout of your body. This is not a game you can play for hours and hours on end because you will get tired. The game at its core is made up of a number of small games like Play but they are a lot more varied and appear that along with the board game section will give the game a lot more longevity which should make it appeal to even more people. The game is also not focused at the younger market.
The single player mode as mentioned before really focuses on the board game section of the game. You, as the monkey, move around the board having to collect bananas. It's not a board game in the sense of moving from A-B to win, you have to acquire enough bananas before being able to finish the game. Of course along the way you can lose bananas by landing on particular spots, and also be thrust into small games via the same means. One thing which puzzled us was that not every spot launches a small game, and in fact the only time you know a spot is going to launch a game, is basically when it happens. This does keep the game a bit suspenseful but perhaps a few more spots by the time it comes out could be good. However remember that we didn't play this for an overly long time and really only scratched the surface.
The small games as expected revolve around the monkeys. Not all the games were present in the build we played but we got to try out a wide variety of what will be on offer. Games range from cutting bananas to feed young monkeys, swinging your arms during a baseball match, rubbing dirt off a monkey before slapping them (Ed - Hiyooo!), arranging a monkey's hair and generally doing things with a lot of monkeys. Although at first look it may not seem that different to a game like Play, it is. We found ourselves wanting to keep playing this game, where as with Play II, despite its depth we found quickly we wanted to stop playing. The graphics probably also help in this aspect. The monkeys are quite detailed and those who have played the Ape Escape games will instantly recognise the characters. The cartoon style graphics from Play and Play II have been retained which suits quite well.
Monkey Mania will probably be the Eyetoy game that gets previously uninterested gamers into this peripheral. It is a game that will finally give the Eyetoy some much needed longevity and even be a great game when you're playing alone, something which has always been a problem thus far with the ET games. Monkey Mania is currently scheduled to ship in March.
Last updated: Apr 7, 2020 at 12:28 pm CDT
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PGA TOUR releases 2013-14 season schedule
John Swantek with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio talks to Andy Pazder, EVP and Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR, about the release of the complete 2013-14 schedule.September 09, 2013
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR has announced the full schedule for the 2013-2014 season, which features 45 FedExCup tournaments.
For the first time, the PGA TOUR season moves to a wraparound schedule bridging two calendar years. The 2013-2014 season opens with the Frys.com Open in San Martin, Calif. (Oct. 10-13), and culminates Sept. 11-14, 2014, with the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, the fourth and final FedExCup Playoff event.
"We have an exceptionally strong schedule as we transition to the new season structure," said Andy Pazder, Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. "The season has a solid and interesting start with three domestic and three international tournaments, providing players with a great opportunity to get a jump in the FedExCup standings. The schedule then resumes in January with the traditional swing through Hawaii before moving to the West Coast. We are very pleased with the flow and stability of the new schedule."
As previously announced, the season's first six tournaments offer full FedExCup points in 2013-14. In addition to the Frys.com Open, those are the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas (Oct. 17-20); the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Oct. 24-27), which becomes an official PGA TOUR event for the first time; the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China (Oct. 31-Nov. 3), which also becomes an official event; The McGladrey Classic at Sea Island, Ga. (November 7-10); and the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico (Nov. 14-17). The McGladrey has increased its purse by $1.4 million to $5.5 million, and the OHL Classic has raised its purse to $6 million from $3.7 million after moving to its own date. All six will be televised exclusively on Golf Channel in the U.S.
The season then breaks for approximately 1½ months, through December. Several unofficial tournaments are held during that span, including the biennial World Cup of Golf at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia (Nov. 21-24).
The schedule resumes in January with the traditional two-week swing through Hawaii – the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui, which concludes on Monday, Jan. 6, and the Sony Open in Hawaii in Honolulu (Jan. 9-12) – before starting a six-week stretch on the West Coast with the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation in La Quinta, Calif. (Jan. 16-19). Golf Channel maintains exclusive four-round coverage of the PGA TOUR before CBS Sports begins five straight weeks of weekend coverage beginning with the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego (Jan. 23-26). Golf Channel maintains early-round coverage through most of the remaining schedule, except for the major championships.
The West Coast schedule concludes with the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz. (Feb. 19-23) on CBS, followed by six straight weeks of weekend television coverage by NBC Sports, which carries through Florida before moving to the Valero Texas Open and Shell Houston Open. New to the Florida Swing is Valspar as title sponsor of the Tampa Bay area's tournament, now known as the Valspar Championship (March 13-16).
The TOUR remains in the Southeast and returns to Texas over the next seven weeks, beginning with the Masters (April 10-13) and ending with the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in Fort Worth (May 22-25). CBS continues weekend coverage through most of this stretch, save for NBC's coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (May 8-11).
Another seven-week block continues primarily through the Midwest and Northeast, starting with the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio (May 29-June 1), and through the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill. (July 10-13). CBS will have weekend coverage of six of these, with the exception being NBC's coverage of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (June 12-15).
Following The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, UK (July 17-20), the PGA TOUR begins the final four-week push to the FedExCup Playoffs, beginning with the RBC Canadian Open (July 24-27), which will be held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club, home of The Presidents Cup 2007. The next week features both the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, and Reno-Tahoe Open, followed by the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. (Aug. 7-10), and then the Wyndham Championship, which again finalizes the 125-player field for the FedExCup Playoffs.
The Barclays leads off the Playoffs by returning to Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J. (Aug. 21-24). That is followed by the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston with a Monday finish on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 1); the BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver (Sept. 4-7); and the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola (Sept. 11-14). CBS will broadcast the weekend of The Barclays, and then NBC takes over for the final three events.
As announced last week, the Sanderson Farms Championship in Madison, Miss., will not be contested in 2013-2014 as it moves from July to the front end of the 2014-2015 schedule, opposite the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions. With the move, the TOUR no longer will have a tournament the same week as The Open Championship.
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Leon Vandermeersch's Address at the First Formal Meeting of the International Committee for the Study and Translation of the Five Canons. The Five Canons refer to the five ancient Chinese books--The Book of Poetry, The Book of History, The Book ...
Ouyang Zhongshi: "Of the numerous and valuable epitomes of Chinese culture, Chinese characters are most significant. The promotion of Chinese culture should begin with Chinese characters."
Chinese cuisine is one of the basis of the culture of China. Highly valued around the world , today is the first reason why foreigners visit China.
Chinese antiques are experiencing a collector's fever. Many antique collecting associations have emerged and there are countless antique expositions. Ten millions of chinese regard collecting as investment, recreation, and the fashion.
Chinese cuisines are based in the beauty of harmony. It is also the highest aesthetic ideal of Chinese traditional culture.


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© 2020 Pearson Frank | |


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TUESDAY, July 20, 2010 (HealthDay News) -- Sure, that new gizmo you just bought looks simple enough, but a new study suggests that consumers frequently overestimate their ability to use a new product -- and then may quickly give up on mastering its use at all.
As reported online in the Journal of Consumer Research, a team at Brigham Young University and elsewhere had people perform a number of tasks that were new to them. Participants were first verbally taught how to do something, such as tracing a line with the aid of a mirror, typing on a strangely laid-out keyboard, or folding t-shirts in a novel manner.
Before actually performing the tasks the participants were asked to indicate how well they thought they would do. Following a short amount of actual practice, all were asked once again to predict their performance.
The authors found that while people's pre-performance opinions as to how adept they might be were overly optimistic, their post-performance opinions made a quick about-face. After trying the task, participants tended to become negative about both their long- and short-term prospects at mastering the task, with many being pessimistic that they would ever improve.
However, after a lengthier amount of practice -- equal to about 20 minutes of attempts -- opinions did start to trend back in a more positive vein, with participants feeling they could ultimately complete the task and becoming more accurate in predicting their skill levels.
"Much of parenting is about teaching children that persistence pays off -- that tasks which initially seem difficult become easier with practice," the team wrote. "The results of these studies suggest that, despite whatever lessons our parents might have sought to teach us, most of us have not fully learned the lesson."
The researchers, including George Loewenstein, a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, Darron Billeter, assistant professor of marketing business management at Brigham Young University, and Ajay Kalra, professor of marketing at Rice University, noted that prior research has suggested that consumers actually grow more attached to products the more they make use of them.
More information
People have different learning styles, according to experts at the University of South Dakota.


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Thursday, 2 July 2015
Naomi Miss Thompson
We will miss you Miss Thompson and have fun at your new school.
Naomi term 2 mario
press play to watch my movie.
Naomi Term 2 Mario from Team 3 PES on Vimeo.
Naomi Matariki
Matariki is the maori new year and it is about the seven stars and they are all sisters and the biggest star is the oldest star and her name is Matariki. The other thing about Matariki is that heaps of people celebrate on that week or night and sometimes they can see the seven stars up in the sky.
One Story of the Origins of Matariki
Papatuanuku the earth mother and Ranginui the sky father they were together and tane mahuta separated them to bring light so all of his brothers.
how to see Matariki
you can see Matariki in late May and early June. You can see Matariki in the northeast horizon
and in half an hour before dawn.
Maori New Year - Traditional Celebrations
As the sun rises there will be a whole lot of things like kumara potato and cabbage. As you will be calmed there will be preparation for you ahead and time of remembrance.
Naomi kapa haka
Last friday My school Junior kapa haka group performed at assembly we had to sit at the back row of the hall and we could not see because of the seniors. Mr burt called us and we had to take off our shoes when we were getting on the stage.
we were excited I was a little bit scared at first but then I smiled and had fun. We sang a haka and a waiata a waiata is a song our haka was called toia mai and our song was rona.
When we finished we beled and we went off the stage and went back to our seats and put our shoes on. Our leader was whea saffron and whea patty and her brother.After Kapa haka we carried on watching assembly.
The End
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I am going to be traveling a LOT this month. I only have 1 week at home. I am on the road otherwise.
I am planning on making the most of these trips. I am maximizing points earned on everything as much as I can. I am also trying to maximize my off time so I can get some things done personally while I am away. This week is researching where to go and what to do for Easter Island. I will research Mendoza while in Detroit.
My weeks on the road are going to be a tiring whirlwind of driving all over the place, working, and changing hotels pretty frequently. That means lots of packing and unpacking my bad. I always try to analyze how to pack better and find dead weight in my bag that I don't need to carry. This will be especially true once I get my new bag and test it out!
I could opt to just watch TV or play on the internet in my hotel room each night. I still do that to an extent to rest my brain but also have some sort of small goal to work towards. I can get back home after a trip and feel like I made progress while on the road instead of falling behind. Efficiency is key!
It doesn't matter what city/state/country I am in. I need to always be moving forward on my goals. That is the key to success.
Making the most of time on the roadLabels: goals, work travel
I am going to be traveling a LOT this month. I only have 1 week at home. I am on the road otherwise.
by Frugal Backpacker on Monday, February 27, 2012


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Godden works with mayor, challenger Szwaja differ on true role of City Council
Jean Godden does not go after headline-winning, legacy-building political victories. She does not champion an overarching vision for Seattle.
Nor does the city councilwoman believe it is the legislative department's job to drive Seattle's legislative agenda. Godden leaves that to Mayor Greg Nickels.
The council is more effective, as Godden sees it, by assuming a "secondary" role -- exerting itself mostly by reviewing and revising Nickels' ideas.
When the mayor proposed electrical rate cuts, Godden's committee nearly doubled the reductions. When Nickels declined the council's call for increased library funding, Godden helped add it to the city budget. When he introduced legislation to protect environmentally sensitive areas, Godden successfully advocated for some stricter rules.
"I've been a very effective leader in energy, environment and technology, and I think that I have a number of initiatives that are under way that I think would be good to see to completion," Godden said. "I'm a good, hard-working council member, and I think people do get value for their money."
Godden's challenger, however, points to that same record as evidence of failed leadership and acquiescence. "Without asking any serious questions, I think, she has an attitude of simply going along," said Joe Szwaja, who often campaigns that he will stand up to Nickels and "big developers."
"My history has been as a strong advocate to stand up against powerful people who abuse folks who don't have power," he said at a forum sponsored by an immigrant-rights group.
It's widely believed that Godden will easily defeat Szwaja on Tuesday.
Although she gets mixed reviews from several powerful special-interest groups, Godden is a widely known and well-liked former newspaper columnist. She is supported by numerous unions and most local Democratic Party organizations. Szwaja, by contrast, is well-known mostly among fellow public schoolteachers and activists in leftist and Green Party circles.
Godden has raised about $218,000 for her campaign, reports filed with the city show. Szwaja has raised about $87,500.
Jean Godden
Godden was a columnist, reporter and editor for both Seattle daily newspapers for almost three decades, a career she mentions frequently at City Council meetings and at most campaign appearances.
Godden, 76, lives in View Ridge. She is a widow with two grown sons.
She often campaigns that voters should retain her so she can follow through on initiatives expected to come before the committee of which she is chairwoman, Energy and Technology. For example, for several years, Seattle officials have been studying the idea of hiring a private company to wire Seattle for public broadband Internet access.
"We've been having a conversation about it, and it seems to me that we are very interested in proposing and working on and having a dialogue about having fiber (cables) to the home," Godden said. "Seattle, of all places, ought to be one of the first cities in the U.S. to do this."
When discussing her accomplishments, Godden most often points to the committee she heads. "I got it because nobody else wanted it," she said. The committee has since approved measures that Godden says improved business practices at Seattle City Light and reduced the city's greenhouse-gas emissions.
Although those measures originated in Nickels' office, Godden said her committee made important contributions. For example, Godden's committee added to an environmental ordinance restricting pesticide and herbicide use, she said.
Godden's committee chairmanship work won her the endorsement of Washington Conservation Voters, said Marcus Courtney, co-chairman of the organization's King County chapter. Godden impressed the group by teaching herself about their issues and building "very positive relationships" with environmental groups. Washington Conservation Voters did not endorse Godden in 2003 because she did not understand their interests, he said. "She made significant progress in the last four years," Courtney said.
During votes of the full council, Godden does not often find herself in the minority. But she did distinguish herself during the council's debate over Nickels' proposal to require special business licenses for nightclubs. Godden successfully introduced a surprise amendment that effectively torpedoed a compromise measure.
Szwaja has accused Godden of misusing public resources to support her campaign. Her City Council calendar lists campaign appearances, sometimes including notes such as details of campaign staff schedules or reminders to thank donors, Szwaja said.
The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission dismissed a complaint on the matter that was filed by one of Szwaja's volunteers. He has appealed.
Godden says she did nothing inappropriate.
"It's difficult for them, apparently, to get much traction in his campaign, so he has to pick at these little things that he thinks might be of importance," she said.
Joe Szwaja
Szwaja teaches at Nova, a Seattle Public Schools alternative high school. He served on the Madison, Wis., City Council from 1986 to 1993. In 2000, he ran on the Green Party ticket as an unsuccessful challenger to U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott.
Szwaja, 51, lives with his wife in Ravenna. He has a grown son and three grown stepchildren.
His campaign speeches are thick with promises to advocate for social justice and government accountability. More to the point, though, is what he is running against. From the beginning, he has focused his energy on decrying corporations, developers and the current council -- especially, of course, Godden.
For instance, he told one crowd: "We have to have a City Council that has guts to stand up to police and provide proper checks and balances." Szwaja also says the council and Nickels hand out too many concessions to developers and "tax giveaways to wealthy folks."
Szwaja calls his opponent "Go-Along Godden," claiming she is too reliable a vote for Nickels. He points to Godden's support for Nickels' earlier proposal to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunneled highway. Nickels and others dropped that idea after Seattle voters overwhelmingly rejected it in a non-binding vote last fall. "I'm happy that 70 percent of the people disagreed with her," Szwaja said at a forum.
His own plan for the viaduct? "I'd work toward a solution that will move people and freight with the fewest carbon emissions," Szwaja said. He generally supports the popular yet still conceptual "surface alternative," which would entail demolishing the elevated highway and diverting traffic to existing streets.
Szwaja has sought to depict Godden as an ally of business interests. At a forum, he said Godden "actually supported" electrical rate reductions that would benefit Nucor Steel Seattle.
Godden responded: "I'm surprised to hear Joe mention Nucor -- which has 275 working-wage jobs. It's true they're not union, but let's hope that the union would go in there and take care of that."
If elected, Szwaja has vowed to promote affordable housing, protect open space and push for city laws requiring employers offer "livable wages." He thinks Seattle ought to consider implementing "congestion pricing" -- imposing tolls on heavily used roads during rush hour to reduce congestion.
Szwaja has been endorsed by the Seattle Education Association, a union representing public teachers. "He's a favorite son," said Wendy Kimball, group president. "He brings fresh and different ideas."


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When parents are estranged from their adult children and/or those children's spouses, they can generally be prevented from spending time with their grandchildren if the kids' parents choose not to give them access.
If grandparents (or great-grandparents) take the matter to court, judges are mandated to consider what is best for the children, just as they are in parental custody cases. Specific state laws vary regarding grandparent visitation and custody. Therefore, if you are living part of the year in Arizona -- as many people do -- but the case is being heard in another state, it's essential to know what that state's laws are.
Generally, however, courts will consider:
-- The ability of the children's parents to take care of them
-- The motivation of the grandparent for seeking visitation or custody
-- The emotional and physical health of the children
-- The strength and length of the grandparent/grandchild relationship
Here in Arizona, intact families are exempt from visitation suits by grandparents. They can only sue for visitation or custody under the following conditions:
-- A parent is deceased
-- The parents aren't married
-- The parents have been divorced for at least three months
-- A parent has been declared missing for three months or more
If none of the above circumstances applies, your best option is probably trying to work things out with the child's parent(s) to reach an agreement where you are able to see them. If one of these situations does apply, or if you strongly believe that your grandchildren are in harm's way, it's wise to seek the guidance of an experienced Arizona family law attorney.
Source: FindLaw, "Factors Considered for Grandparent Visitation and Custody," accessed May 12, 2017


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Book by FHSU grad shares the makeup of an entrepreneur
By Randy Gonzales
University Relations and Marketing
HAYS, Kan. -- Out of a job and needing money, Elizabeth Demas turned to selling Avon, something she did for fun while attending Fort Hays State University. She was so successful, she wrote a book to help other direct sellers.
Demas, who lives in Independence, Mo., graduated from FHSU in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in informatics. She was laid off in 2003 from her position with a major telecommunications company in the Kansas City area. In her first six months selling Avon, she reached more than $10,000 in sales. She eventually grew her Avon business to the point where she now has 100 members in her team and owns two licensed Avon Beauty Centers in the Kansas City metro area. Her Overland Park store has sold more Avon products than any other location in the country. In 13 years, Demas has sold more than $5 million of her company's products.
The decision to write a book came from Demas' desire to share her success story with others -- and hopefully help them succeed. Demas' self-published book, "From Knocking on Doors to Making Millions," is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
"I realized, 'Why not pass on that knowledge, help other people be successful,' " Demas said.
While conducting research for the book, Demas consulted other sales experts and found a common denominator for success.
"I interviewed 23 other direct sales experts in the industry," she said. "The interesting thing, they're all successful in different areas, but they're passionate about it."
Demas' advice for recent college graduates is to realize they are unlikely to have just one career, one job, in their lifetime.
"I think just knowing that in this day and age a career is more fluid," she said. "Everyone knows you don't just get a job and get a gold watch 30 or 40 years later. Just know it's fluid, and you're at your starting point."
Demas, 42, is constantly reinventing herself. From the telecommunications industry to selling Avon to writing a book -- and now she recently was certified in Verbal Aikido, which is the philosophy of managing and transforming verbal attacks effectively and peacefully.
"It's advanced communication skills with emotional intelligence," Demas said.
Dr. Mark Bannister, dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at FHSU, had Demas in several of his classes. He remembered her as a bright and enthusiastic student.
"I hope being an informatics major, she learned to innovate and become a lifelong learner," Bannister said.
Demas' son, Rahasya, just completed his first year in the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science program at FHSU this spring semester. KAMS is the state's premier academic high school program for the best and brightest high school students.
"He was so bored, just sleeping through high school," Demas said. "He was worried about leaving all of his friends, but I think he has a deeper bond with the kids in KAMS."
"I think it's very exciting when we have multiple generations of a family who attend Fort Hays State and believe this is a university that serves them well and opens doors for them," Bannister said.
Opening doors is the key to direct selling. In her book, Demas details different ways to get a foot in the door -- sometimes literally. The first part of the book is devoted toward determining what a person's goals are. After that, it's different sales techniques.
"The rest of the book is all the different ways you can sell (with) direct selling," Demas said. "You kind of take the one (approach) that speaks to you. Everyone is looking for that magic bullet, that magic pill that is going to make them successful."
It all goes back to finding your passion.
"What I did isn't necessarily someone else's path," Demas said. "Everyone has to find their own path to success."


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External Links
Stub for external links – my link farm is getting too big!
Also… check out Eclectica, a selection of individual articles that have attracted my attention, available as a standard web page (with the ability to go back to earlier flags), a feed, or in the sidebar of this page.
- Assorted external posts (not by me) that have grabbed my attention.
- Economics and Business Links
- Humor
- Sustainability – sociologically and environmentally
- Theology and Religion – OK, there is a skeptic bias here, but there is also stuff that promotes tolerance, with more to come.


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Quick Sip: Black Stallion Estate Winery 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Today's Quick Sip is the Black Stallion Estate Winery's 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. Black Stallion Estate Winery is located in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley and situated on the grounds of a historic equestrian center. Remnants of the original 36 horse stalls are still visible today, although you are likely to find more wine production equipment than horse-related items. The winery prides itself on crafting high quality wines that are elegant, distinctive, and approachable. Their 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon endured a challenging vintage and delivers very good quality for a reasonable price. For further information and where you can find this enjoyable wine, please see my tasting notes below.
|Black Stallion Estate Winery 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon
Review: Black Stallion Estate Winery 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $28): This Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 5% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah. In the glass, the wine displays a medium-deep garnet color with inviting aromas of blackberry, currant, and plum interlaced with brown spice and hints of mocha spice. The aromas come through on the palate with the addition of appealing black cherry fruit flavors. In the mouth, it is full-bodied and well-balanced, with a velvet-like texture, supple tannins, and a spice accented, full finish. Overall, this wine is accessible (easy-to-drink), budget friendly (under $20), and a wonderful choice to enliven any occasion or add to the dinner table. Region: Napa Valley, California. (Other info: ABV 14.5%, matured 18 months 25% French oak, 25% new French oak, natural cork enclosure.) 89 Points.
This review is sponsored by:


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Featured Woman in Technology: Carey Payette
Carey Payette is a senior software developer at American Electric Power (AEP). At AEP, she holds the role of Lead Developer or Technical Solution Owner on multiple projects. Carey defines the application architecture and technologies to use on these projects as well as participating in the actual coding. Projects range from customer self-service websites, to equipment inventory and maintenance systems, as well as work management software and call center systems.
Carey also sits on multiple company-wide panels to evaluate new technologies and make recommendations on the best ones to adopt. Because she learns these new technologies during the evaluation process, Carey is the go-to person for other employees coming up to speed. She is well-known within her company as an enthusiastic person who is excited about technology and willing to discuss it with anyone.
What is the best part of Carey's job? "I really enjoy teaching and mentoring people. I like to get people excited about technology and where it's going. It's a constant struggle in a large enterprise to get new technologies accepted...it's both a fun challenge and sometimes a source of a great deal of stress," she says with a smile.
Carey is inspired by the larger developer community who gets out there and discusses technology. "Enthusiasm is contagious!" The fast pace of technology excites her too. She recently had to predict what her company would need in 2010, and she joked that there had better be Surface computing in place. Carey reads technical magazines and websites to keep up with what's going on. Carey is also addicted to Twitter; you can follow her at https://twitter.com/careypayette.
Carey is extremely active in the software development community. She serves as president of the Central Ohio .NET Developers Group, as well as president of AEP's internal developers group. Carey also participates in the local speaker's circuit, currently presenting on Silverlight, the DLR, and IronRuby. Finally, she is also forming a developers' group in Sudbury, Ontario, her hometown. "Make friends in the developer community and inside your organization. The more people you know and network with, the more sources of expertise you can tap into when you need guidance in a particular area," she advises.
On top of her job and numerous contributions to the developer community, Carey has three young sons. "My guilty pleasure is that with my two-year-old, I can still get away with reading technical books to him like it's Dr. Seuss. At long as you read in a sing-song tone, he doesn't care what you say. Last night, we read The Ruby Way!"
Carey has a flex schedule at AEP. She works four 10-hour days (Monday-Thursday). She spends Fridays with her children. While her husband gets to work early and gets home early, Carey works from about 9am until 7 or 8pm. She has the flexibility to work from home as well, which allows her to have lunch with her kids and see them on breaks. While she's working, a babysitter watches the children at her house. "Family is #1. If you feel like you're not around enough for your family, you're probably doing too much." Carey also advocates building downtime into the schedule. "Take some time for yourself, at least an hour a day. Even if it's just an hour before bed, do something for yourself...not cleaning!!!"
Hopefully, girls who enjoy math and science are guided to computer science or engineering fields. Although Carey excels in logic, she was drawn to programming not for the math aspect, but for the language aspect. Carey is very good at picking up languages. Natively an English speaker, she went to French schools and studied German in college. Computer languages made sense to her as well. Carey learned Pascal in a programming class in 10th grade, and she was hooked. (She originally wanted to be an Air Force pilot!) In 1999, Carey earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. She is currently halfway through an MCIS from the University of Denver online, specializing in web development and information security. "I'm just a geek at heart!"
Carey's advice to other women in technology: "Read The Pragmatic Programmer and learn a new language every year. Keep an open mind...every technology exists for a reason; you just need to find its strengths."


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Business Flooring Installation
Planning on installing new floors in your office or retail space? Our installation team at Sands is second to none. We are trained, certified, experienced, and fully qualified to deal with virtually any commercial floor installation - with as little disruption to your day-to-day business as possible. We deploy a number of leading edge techniques to makes this possible, all while still maintaining our focus on providing the best in value for our clients. Don't know where to start? Not only can we install your new flooring, but we can help you with product selection, colour options, and styles; we even offer ongoing maintenance to help keep your flooring looking as good as new for years to come. Get in touch today to speak with someone from our team with a FREE flooring consultation.
You can request a FREE, no-obligation consultation simply by filling out the form below. Our design & installation team can provide you with samples and recommendations to get you the best commercial flooring for your business. We also offer stand-alone maintenance services, including commercial carpet cleaning, hard surface floor cleaning, and everything in between to keep your commercial flooring products in the best possible shape, and to retain their value for years to come.
Need new flooring for your business? Call (905) 475-6380 or reach us toll-free at 1 (800) 387-9602.


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Seemingly healthy clients may be anything but. Clinical exercise physiologist Dr Bill Sukala has some pertinent advice to save you from ever having to call 000 for one of your clients.
Picture this: a prospective new training client approaches you and tells you he wants to book a package of personal training sessions with you. He is 42 years old, 170cm tall, and weighs 110 kilograms, with most of his fat located around his abdomen. He works a high-pressure corporate job that has him working very long hours (in addition to a long, crowded commute).
Filling in your risk factor questionnaire, he writes that he 'does plenty of walking around the office', and has 'no problems with his blood pressure, blood sugar levels, or cholesterol'. He also claims he doesn't smoke cigarettes, although you notice a faint whiff of smoke emanating from his clothes.
He's excited to embark on his new health kick and wants you to start him on his fitness regime today. You've got a couple of timeslots free in your afternoon schedule, so what do you do?
- Agree to his wishes and take him to the gym floor for a warm up
- Tell him you need to do more testing before you can train him.
The reality is that many people who join fitness facilities have medical problems, both known and unknown. Assuming that your clients are healthy unless they disclose otherwise is a potentially dangerous approach. These are serious questions that must be properly addressed, as your client's safety and your (and your club's) liability could be on the line.
To help protect everyone involved, you need to prepare yourself for 'apparently healthy' clients who may actually be ticking time bombs. You can minimise risk (but never eliminate it) by putting a series of checks into place.
Risk factor questionnaires
When prospective clients fill out risk factor questionnaires you are relying on their honesty or best judgement without any corroborating information.
For example, they might declare that their blood pressure is normal, but how can you be certain unless you check it? And if you do check it, how sharp are your manual blood pressure skills? And when you get a number, what does it actually mean? Your textbooks tell you that a blood pressure of 140/90 is the threshold for high blood pressure – but if you get a reading of 138/88, does that mean the client is free to exercise?
See no evil, feel no evil …doesn't mean evil isn't there
The problem with heart and metabolic problems is that neither you or your clients can see or feel them. For example, there are plenty of people walking among us with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. In combination, these conditions magnify damage to critical arteries and greatly increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke.
Exercise increases both heart rate and blood pressure. In a setting of underlying metabolic disease, these increases can potentially create instability in coronary artery plaques, causing them to rupture, leading to a heart attack – something you don't want happening to one of your clients.
The perfect metabolic storm
Clients with big bellies have a higher likelihood of their internal biomarkers, i.e. glucose, insulin and lipids, being out of balance. It may appear to be 'profiling' – making assumptions about people from their physical appearance – but there is much scientific evidence linking wide waistlines to health problems.
Deep belly fat, also known as visceral fat, embeds itself around the organs and secretes harmful substances known as adipocytokines into the bloodstream. Adipocytokines have a number of adverse effects on metabolic health, including:
- blood vessel constriction, leading to high blood pressure
- insulin resistance, leading to diabetes
- altered fat metabolism, leading to high cholesterol and triglycerides
- inflammation, contributing to plaques in coronary arteries and insulin resistance.
Where to from here?
Consider the following in handling would-be metabolic time bombs:
Be prepared
Before you let a single member through the door, can you answer the following three questions?
- Does the facility at which you train clients have an automated external defibrillator (AED) in place?
- Are you certified in first aid and CPR, including operation of the AED?
- Do you have your own protocols in place for when a member becomes unconscious?
Know your limits
On a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable do you feel working with people with multiple risk factors or documented medical conditions?
If the thought of working with a potential time bomb makes you squirm, you should refer your client to an advanced trainer or experienced clinical exercise physiologist. They can work with the client first to establish safe exercise boundaries and then refer the client back to you with these guidelines.
It is also advisable to pursue continuing professional development opportunities that expand your knowledge of the various medical conditions you might encounter in your role as a fitness professional.
Spot early signs and symptoms
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Advanced heart problems and diabetes often reveal themselves through outward signs and symptoms.
Heart conditions
With regards to the heart, look out for changes in complexion, clammy skin, chest pain, pressure, or tightness, particularly localised to the left jaw, arm, shoulder or back. All these could be indicative of an underlying cardiac condition which would merit further evaluation by a medical practitioner.
In many cases, people will exhibit signs and symptoms before a full-blown heart attack. If your client is experiencing chest or associated pain, stop the training immediately and, if the pain does not subside on its own, call an ambulance. If it does, advise your client that they must see their doctor before they exercise again.
In the case of diabetes, low blood sugar is more likely to be experienced during or after exercise. Exercise is a very potent medicine which, depending on the person's individual response, can cause blood sugar levels to drop to dangerously low levels (called hypoglycaemia).
Blood glucose is the central nervous system's high-octane fuel source. This explains why common symptoms of low blood sugar are dizziness or light-headedness, fatigue, slurred speech, impaired coordination and confusion.
High blood pressure
High blood pressure is unlikely to reveal itself but, in some cases, a significant drop in blood pressure (hypotension) can result in dizziness, confusion, and loss of coordination. Because these are similar to hypoglycaemia, it is advisable to check both blood pressure and blood glucose levels (you can purchase a glucose meter at any chemist).
Denial is not a river in Africa
People – most often men – with health problems are often in denial, even when they know something is wrong. If you identify someone who is high-risk, you should tell them to make an appointment with their GP for further referral and tests. Tell them they will need a signed release from their doctor before you train them again.
Some people will ignore this recommendation and seek out another trainer. Before this becomes a problem, let them know that doing so would put them in harm's way and would also be misleading to the other trainer if they didn't reveal their health issues. If the other trainer is made aware of the health concerns, then proceeding with training sessions would be negligent.
Take home message
People with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors and documented medical conditions frequently train at fitness facilities and with personal trainers. With established screening, assessment, safety, and referral protocols in place, risk to both clients and trainers can be minimised. When training clients in facilities, management should be prepared for any medical event by ensuring staff members are trained in emergency protocols. Trainers should seek out additional educational opportunities to learn about cardiac and metabolic conditions, safe exercise prescription and monitoring, and handling potentially dangerous signs and symptoms.
Dr Bill Sukala is the creator of Health Pro SEO (healthproseo.com), a website and SEO training consultancy helping health professionals increase their online visibility. He has over 25 years' experience as a health practitioner and over a decade of web programming and SEO experience. Bill has used these skills to create health content on his site drbillsukala.com which outranks powerhouses like WebMD, Amazon, and major universities and hospitals. He has numerous articles that rank first on Google page 1 and have garnered millions of page views.


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life in the Kearsarge areawhat's happening in the Kearsarge/Lake Sunapee area of NH
Archive for Guild
Need some warmer clothing?
I know I have to give up and pack away my sandals and shorts. I can't wear my Birkenstocks and cropped pants with my quilted fall jacket. (I've been telling myself that it will warm up later and I can take the jacket off, I haven't taken the jacket off!) I'm afraid the folks on one of those makeover shows will come and take me away – or make me look at my posterior in one of those horrible three-way mirrors. If you're like me and need some warmer clothes, check out the Dorr Mill Store in Guild (right outside of Newport). You can get everything you'd need – sweater, pants, jackets, hats – for a cool, fall day.


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Octopus Fun Float: For a Great Big Splash
Most pool toys are designed for only one person. And unless you buy two or three of each, everyone has to wait their turn to use the product. Well, not with this toy. Several children can enjoy the Octopus Fun Float all at the same time! Not only will the kiddies enjoy it, the parents won't have to deal with pool squabbles either!
It's a float, it's a game - all wrapped up in one bright yellow octopus! The octopus has six "kid catcher" hoops, which the kids use as floats. The smaller tentacles, which are angled upward, are used for the ring toss game. You can even use the ring toss game on the lawn or deck!
And this ain't no tiny toy either! The float measures about 85 x 85 x 34 and is made of 12 gauge vinyl. The toy includes 4 inflatable floatable rings and a repair patch, just in case. Recommended for children 3 and up, the Octopus Fun Float, by Intex, retails for about $20, depending where you purchase it.
Source and Photo: ToySplash and Camping Gear Depot


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At the Hyannis Fire District's annual meeting Wednesday, fiery concerns about hydrants were raised by citizens, and temporarily extinguished by Hyannis' board of commissioners.
At the Hyannis Fire District's annual meeting Wednesday, fiery concerns about hydrants were raised by citizens, and temporarily extinguished by Hyannis' board of commissioners.All articles were approved unanimously, but not without questions on several.Regarding an article to fund $6,880,498 in district endeavors, Hyannis town councilor Jim Munafo recommended the board restore $270,000 for fire hydrants to the budget. In preparing the budget, the commissioners chose to provide no funding for hydrant costs, a traditional expense previously paid to private water companies, and now to the town-owned Hyannis water division. Transferring responsibility for the hydrants to the Hyannis water division, Munafo said, could cause strain between the fire district and the town."We're looking at some serious capital expenditures," for the municipal side of water supply, he said.Though Munafo's suggestion was ruled out of order, board chairman Paul Sullivan explained that the district's removal of the hydrants from the budget was a reaction to the town's control of the system. The district has never been in the water supply business and has relied on the former Barnstable Water Company to provide hydrants at a fee to the district. Sullivan said that responses from the town regarding hydrant costs were unsatisfactory to the board.Although the "fire district's position is an understandable position," Munafo said, "I believe this is going to create some difficulty."Also contested was article 8, which called for $648,000 to be used to pay the overtime of district employees.Some in the audience of more than 30 raised concerns over the effect on Hyannis taxes and whether the amount should be funded by other means. Sullivan said the amount would affect the tax rate by only six to seven cents, a smaller amount than in the previous fiscal year. He added that to the best of his knowledge, the amount had always been funded from taxes. ElectionsRunning unopposed for re-election to the board of fire commissioners were Dennis Sullivan, who received 88 votes, and Benjamin Perry, who received 89. There were 19 blank votes.


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Drying hands in a public restroom invariably poses a minor environmental dilemma. Paper towels equal chopped-down trees, hand dryers use a lot of juice, and wiping hands on pants is just plain antisocial.
The Airblade is a new type of hand dryer which can use up to 83 percent less energy than traditional devices. It's the fastest hand dryer on the market, taking only 10 seconds to dry a standard size pair of hands (versus as long as 40 seconds for the competition), thanks to a unique motor which propels a 400-mph stream of air through a gap the width of an eyelash.
The Airblade blows air at room temperature, rather than heating first. It also only works when hands are inserted, unlike timed hand dryers which can keep on blowing long after the user has lost interest.
The net effect is drier hands and considerable savings on the electric bill.
In addition, Dyson says that the Airblade's greater effectiveness makes it ultra-hygienic, since damp hands are more likely to transfer bacteria.
Another environmentally irrelevant but happy side effect of the Dyson product is that because it doesn't use hot air, it's less likely to cause chapping. In fact, the Airblade has been endorsed by the British Skin Foundation (not to be confused with the less reputable British Skinhead Foundation).
The Airblade isn't yet available in North America, but if you happen to be popping across the pond you can pick one up for a cool £599 ($1,200 or so.)
This article originally appeared in Plenty in July 2007.
Editor's Note: Dyson's Airblade is, in fact, now available in the United States as of 2009.
See also:
• Sustainable restroom tips and ideas