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9/24/13 at Yankee Stadium
I need to start by saying that I don't like Bobblehead Dolls — no disrespect to everyone who does, but for me, personally, they don't mean anything. I avoid Bobblehead giveaways (and other popular promotions) because things tend to be insane, and I have more fun when there are fewer fans. That said, the Yankees were going to be giving away Mariano Rivera Bobbleheads at this game to the first 18,000 fans — a total nightmare as far as I was concerned — but I showed up for two reasons. I'll explain everything in a bit, but first, here are some photos of the MASSIVE crowd outside the stadium. This was the scene near Gate 6:
As you can see below, the line wrapped around the corner and down the street under the elevated subway tracks:
Here's another look at the crowd outside Gate 6:
Keep in mind that there are four gates at Yankee Stadium:
Gate 2 = left field
Gate 4 = home plate
Gate 6 = right field
Gate 8 = bleachers/center field
In other words, the photos above only show one-quarter of the mayhem.
Want to see what it looked like outside Gate 4? Yes, of course you do, and I hope you appreciate my photographic effort because in order to get there, I had to work my way through this crowd:
I should mention that I took these photos at around 4:45pm — a mere 15 minutes before the stadium was going to open — but I'd arrived before 3pm. My friend Tak was holding my spot (and watching my backpack) near the front of the line outside Gate 2 so that I could wander with my camera.
Anyway, at the Babe Ruth Plaza, which is located at the midpoint between Gate 6 and Gate 4, there was actually a civilized line of fans:
But get this — there was another line running parallel to it (and in the opposite direction) along the outer edge of the property:
There was no security. There were no barricades. I had no idea where the lines started or ended or which gate they were even heading for.
Total chaos.
This was the scene outside Gate 4 . . .
. . . and of course there was a very long line outside Gate 2 — so long that I couldn't see the gate from the end of it:
I wish I'd taken a few pics of what happened next, but (a) there wasn't actually much to photograph and (b) I got caught up in the stress of it all. It was so messed up that I couldn't believe it at the time and I'm shaking my head now while writing this: when the stadium was supposed to open at 5pm, the Bobbleheads hadn't yet arrived! So guess what happened? The stadium DIDN'T open. And there was no telling when it would.
I was tempted to leave. I swear, I was THIS close to stepping out of line and marching back to the subway, but I decided to stay, at least for a little while, for two aforementioned reasons. First, my friend Ben Weil had bought me a ticket so that I could get the Bobblehead for him, and second, I'd heard that there were going to be commemorative balls used during the game with a Mariano Rivera logo. The free ticket was nice, but the chance to snag one of those balls was the clincher. That's why I was willing to endure this madness.
At around 5:10pm, I had a brilliant idea and waved over a security guard to pass it along: let people in who don't care about the Bobbleheads, and everyone else can wait outside until they arrive. Haha, yes! I'd have to go on eBay later and buy Ben a Bobblehead, but it'd be worth it to pretty much have the stadium to myself during BP, which I was now missing. The security guard called a supervisor over, and the supervisor said no. Shocker.
Long story short: the gates finally opened at around 5:35pm, and security handed out vouchers for the Bobbleheads, so in addition to having waited outside the stadium for TWO hours, I was gonna have to wait in another effin' line to actually get the damn thing.
I was *very* nervous about getting shut out. Between the size of the crowd and missing a huge chunk of BP, this was going to be one of my toughest challenges. I ran into the left-field seats, saw that several lefties on the Rays were taking cuts, and hauled ass to the right-field side. Ten minutes later, I was holding these:
They were home runs hit by the same guy (not sure who), and I caught them both on the fly. For the first one, I drifted 10 feet to my left and made a careful two-handed catch. For the second, I hurried 30 feet to my right, climbed back over a row of seats, drifted a few more feet, and reached high over my head for a back-handed grab. That one felt GOOD.
When there was a quick break in the action, I photographed my voucher . . .
. . . and headed back to left field:
Did you notice me in the photo above? (Photo credit: Andy Bingham.) I'm standing just to the right of the TV camera in the front row, and as you can see, I'm holding a ball. It was thrown to me by Fausberto.
That was it for BP. Normally I'd complain about "only" snagging three balls, but given the circumstances, I was thrilled. Here I am holding the baseballs next to young man named Josh:
Josh recognized me from this blog and asked to take a photo (which he later sent to me), and tweeted about it.
I also met a guy named Sean who tweeted about our encounter.
Nice people.
A little while later, I got a ball tossed from the bullpen by Rays bullpen catcher Scott Cursi. Then, just before game time, I headed up to the bleacher terrace and got my fifth ball of the day from Mike Harkey. He usually throws a bunch of balls into the crowd after the starting pitcher is done warming up. Here he is tossing the final ball into the bleachers:
That was the 18th ball that Harkey has ever thrown to me, tying Livan Hernandez for the most. (Heath Bell is next with 17. I gotta let him know he's slacking.)
I was eager to hurry back downstairs when a man standing next to me recognized me and asked me to sign a ball. His name is Dave. Here he is with it . . .
. . . and for the record, yes, he asked me to write that.
On my way through the center field concourse, I saw a guy in handcuffs being escorted by a police officer:
Sorry for the crappy quality of that photo. It's actually a zoomed-in screen shot from a video, but anyway, I wonder what that guy did to end up cuffed. Any guesses? I'm thinking he either used the glove trick or put his feet on a cup holder.
I barely made it back to the Rays' bullpen in time to see Matt Moore finishing his warm-ups:
He ended up tossing me the ball — my sixth of the day — and I handed it to the nearest kid.
Now, as for those commemorative balls . . .
Do you remember when I flew to Atlanta on September 29, 2012 *just* for the purpose of snagging a Chipper Jones ball? I had found out about those balls from a high-ranking employee at Major League Baseball. He had recently told me about the Mariano Rivera commemorative balls. More specifically, he said they were going to be used during the final four games of the season at Yankee Stadium. He had told me about other balls in the past, and he was always right. He's the most reliable source I could possibly ask for, so you can imagine how stunned and disappointed I was to snag THIS ball after the 3rd inning:
It was a 3rd-out ball tossed by Ben Zobrist. My first thought was . . . did he somehow pull a switcheroo and throw me the infield warm-up ball instead? The answer is no. Zobrist is a 2nd baseman, so there's no way that he would've handled an extra ball on his way back to the dugout. The only player who ever does that is the 1st baseman. I had seen Zobrist make the play and jog in. I kept my eye on him the whole way, and THAT was the ball. Ugh!! I heard from a confused friend later on who also snagged a gamer — another regular ball.
I immediately emailed my guy at MLB, told him about the regular ball I'd just snagged, and asked if the plan to use the commemorative Mariano balls at the final four home games had changed.
He wrote back several innings later and said that the balls *were* supposed to be used.
I had NO idea what to think at that point, and I was actually quite upset. Remember the guy who'd bought me tickets two months earlier for the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game in exchange for half the balls I snagged? Well, based on the info about the Mariano balls that I'd gotten from MLB, he had already bought me a Legends ticket for the following game so that I could attempt to snag two of them — one for him and one for me — and now there was a chance that his money was going to be wasted.
I needed to take a walk, and the timing was actually good. The Yankees had made an announcement that fans could redeem their vouchers and claim their Bobbleheads "near the Turkey Hill Ice Cream stand at Gate 2" from the 3rd inning until half an hour after the game. Well, when I headed up the steps into the concourse, here's what I saw:
The line (if you want to call it that) extended all the way from the 3rd-base side . . .
. . . into the center-field concourse. Two words: SCREW THAT. I went back to my seat and watched the game (which the Rays ended up winning, 7-0, pretty much demolishing the Yankees' chances of reaching the postseason). At one point in the later innings, two fans returned to their seats nearby with Bobbleheads.
"Excuse me," I said, "how long did you guys have to wait in line to get those?"
"An hour and a half," they said.
It would've been nice to have the stinkin' Bobblehead in my possession by the time the game ended, but whatever. I figured I'd get one eventually since I *did* have a voucher. I mean, it wouldn't've surprised me if the Yankees ended up running out, but that wasn't my problem. I had talked to Ben during the game, and he told me it was fine to wait until it was over to go get it. I was hoping that the line would be shorter after the game, but no, it was even longer. Here's a screen shot from a video that shows it snaking through the center-field concourse:
I'd post the video if not for all the four-letter words that I was mumbling under my breath.
The line wrapped three-quarters of the way around the 100 Level concourse — from the 3rd-base side around the left-field foul pole, into the center-field concourse, and into foul territory along the right-field foul line. I got on line at 10:52pm. Here's what it looked like ten minutes later:
By the way, I use the phrase "on line" when I'm the last person ON the line. I don't feel that I'm "in" in the line unless I'm actually surrounded by people on both ends. Got it?
As the line crept along and moved into the left-field corner . . .
. . . I had a few thoughts:
1) What if I'm still in line after half an hour? Are the Yankees going to stop handing out Bobbleheads? If they do, there's going to be a riot.
2) Who paid for all the cops to work overtime — the Yankees or taxpayers?
3) Why the hell weren't these Bobbleheads shipped to the stadium earlier, like, oh, you know, a MONTH earlier? Obviously, the Yankees had been planning this for a while. Why wait until the last second when something could (and did) go wrong and screw everything up?
Here's a photo of the line behind me:
Half an hour came and went, but the line was still moving.
Eventually, after 35 minutes, I entered the home stretch:
Here's how I was feeling at the very end:
Thanks for the ticket, Benjamin. I hope you enjoy playing with your little dolly-poo.
• 7 baseballs at this game (six pictured here because I gave one away)
• 654 balls in 86 games this season = 7.60 balls per game.
• 518 balls in 80 lifetime games at the new Yankee Stadium = 6.48 balls per game.
• 958 consecutive games with at least one ball
• 30 stadiums this season with a game-used ball: Citi Field, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Angel Stadium, PETCO Park, AT&T Park, Safeco Field, Kauffman Stadium, Rangers Ballpark, Minute Maid Park, Great American Ball Park, Progressive Field, PNC Park, Camden Yards, U.S. Cellular Field, Comerica Park, Rogers Centre, Miller Park, Busch Stadium, Wrigley Field, Target Field, Nationals Park, Marlins Park, Tropicana Field, Turner Field, Citizens Bank Park, Dodger Stadium, Chase Field, the Oakland Coliseum, and Coors Field.
• 7,113 total balls
(For every stadium this season at which I've snagged a game-used ball, BIGS Sunflower Seeds will donate $500 to Pitch In For Baseball, a non-profit charity that provides baseball equipment to underprivileged kids all over the world. In addition to that, I'm doing my own fundraiser again this season for Pitch In For Baseball, and if you donate money, you'll be eligible to win one of these prizes.)
• 39 donors for my fundraiser
• $3.48 pledged per ball (if you add up all the pledges)
• $24.36 raised at this game
• $2,275.92 raised this season through my fundraiser
• $15,000 from BIGS Sunflower Seeds for my game-used baseballs
• $38,781.92 raised since I started my fundraiser in 2009


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Understanding the Mega-Merger Conditions
Inside the FCC's Approval of the SBC/AT&T and Verizon/MCI Mergers
Wednesday, December 7th ~ 2 pm - 3:30 pm ET
Price: $299
The FCC's approval of these two groundbreaking mergers comes with a long list of "enforceable conditions" which the companies must satisfy. And, virtually all of the conditions are aimed at allaying well-founded industry concerns that the consolidation of such immense market power means less price competition, diminished innovation, and fewer choices. The FCC's conditions affect carriers and end-users alike, and impact services from UNE loops and transport and interstate special access, and range from freezing prices for select services to the new companies having to divest dark fiber capacity in major metropolitan markets.
But as always, the devil is in the details - FCC insiders are expecting the order to exceed 250 pages - and that's why we've organized this special 90-minute audio. features top-rated speaker, Andy Regitsky, an industry veteran who's an expert at boiling down complex FCC rulings and documents to reveal their impact on you.
Join Andy and your peers and you'll:
Understand how and why CLECs can expect a boost in key markets when impairment triggers for dedicated transport and hi-cap loops are recalculated in all of Verizon's and SBC's markets.
Get the details on the condition that freezes UNE rates for 24 months.
Find out what the freeze on Verizon's and SBC's wholesale special access rates means for competitors and end users. Remember, most end user contracts with interexchange carriers include "re-sold" special access in the deal.
Discover which cities are affected by the dark fiber divestiture mandate...and who is likely to snap up the capacity and under what terms and conditions.
See if the "Service Quality Measurement Plan" for interstate special access offers any real protection for buyers.
Learn if the freeze on local DS-3 and DS-1 private line protects only existing customers...and if so, what pricing can you expect for new orders.
Tough and important questions all...and these are just a few. NOTE: The FCC's conditions cover DSL and internet services too. Participating in this audio conference is the best way for you to cut through the noise, and quickly and accurately understand the ins and outs of each condition imposed - and where the opportunities and pitfalls are for your company.
Top-Rated Expert Speaker:
Andy Regitsky
President, Regitsky & Associates
Andy Regitsky provides regulatory policy expertise to local and long-distance carriers. Mr. Regitsky's 16 years of experience in access charges, interconnection, universal service and telecom regulation make him the industry's foremost access and interconnection expert. Prior to forming Regitsky & Associates, he held senior positions at MCI and AT&T and also served as CompTel's Vice President of State Affairs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'best practice'.
Found 5 results
In the game "Monster Wants Candy," I see this in the source code, and I was wondering why this was done. I've tried doing this myself but keep failing. This is what I mean: var Candy = {}; Candy.Boot = function(game){}; Candy.Boot.prototype = { preload: function(){ // preload the loading indicator first before anything else this.load.image('preloaderBar', 'img/loading-bar.png'); }, create: function(){ // set scale options this.input.maxPointers = 1; this.scale.scaleMode = Phaser.ScaleManager.SHOW_ALL; this.scale.pageAlignHorizontally = true; this.scale.pageAlignVertically = true; this.scale.setScreenSize(true); // start the Preloader state this.state.start('Preloader'); } }; (source: https://github.com/EnclaveGames/Monster-Wants-Candy-demo/blob/gh-pages/src/Boot.js) var gameWidth = 800, gameHeight = 600; var game = new Phaser.Game(gameWidth, gameHeight, Phaser.AUTO), BootState = function () {}, gameOptions = { playSound: true, playMusic: true }, musicPlayer; BootState.prototype = { preload: function () { this.game.load.image('loadingbar', 'assets/images/loadingbar.png'); this.game.load.image('logo', 'assets/images/logo2.png'); this.game.load.script('LoadState', 'js/gamestates/LoadState.js'); this.game.load.script('pollyfill', 'js/lib/pollyfill.js'); this.game.load.script('utils', 'js/lib/utils.js'); }, create: function () { game.renderer.renderSession.roundPixels = true; Phaser.Canvas.setImageRenderingCrisp(this.game.canvas); this.game.state.add('LoadState', LoadState); this.game.state.start('LoadState'); } }; this.game.state.add('BootState', BootState); this.game.state.start("BootState"); I also note that I don't take "Game" as an argument in my game state functions, unlike Monster Wants Candy which has the argument "game" in it's bootstate. Have I been doing something wrong? I'm following most of the tutorials and example code I've seen so far, though I am aware those may not always be good examples of best practice. Thanks in advance for replies and sorry for the long post. I'm a bit of a JS and Phaser noob, I'm mainly just aiming to learn good practice with this project.
Big resolution animation - best practice - phaser
eran-ravid posted a topic in Phaser 2Say i have an animation that suppose to run in the background as the background itself while the game still playing. What is the best practice to play large animation? By large animation I mean: - animation resolution greater that 500X500 px - very long animations (much frames, more than 24) By best practice I mean: - play in good performance while not interrupting the game performance - what type of animation to use (atlas? sprite-sheet? mp4? different method?) - how to load it in phaser - how to implement it in phaser I also would like to know if there is a better profiler tool than phaser-debug that also shows the graphic-card's memory usage.
A lot of primitives render, with color upadeting, best practiceHas any best practice for renderig a lot of pixes (dots) with updating colors dynamicly? Like falling stars or roket flame by pixel partials. Can anybody help me? Here is example of that whot i wont to do http://jsfiddle.net/cE7F8/6/ its work, but i wont do it faster, cose will be more then one object like this. Sorry for bad lang
Migrating to Phaser from AS3 - single onMouseDown Event listenerHello! I'm migrating from AS3 to HTML5 and decided to use Phaser. That's great, many thanks for creating it! I have a question about organizing the MouseDown event listener. Let's say I have 100 sprites on the screen, and if the player click on any of them, the sprite's data should be traced. In AS3 adding event listener to each of the sprites I could do: stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onMDown);......private function onMDown(e:MouseEvent):void{ if (e.target is Sprite){ trace("you clicked on: "+(e.target as Sprite).name); }}Is there such a way in Phaser? I understand, that when creating these sprites in Phaser I have to do: for (var i=0; i<100; i++){ var spr = game.add.sprite(Math.random()*600,Math.random()*400,'PIC_SPRITE'); spr.name = 'Sprite'+i; spr.inputEnabled = true; spr.input.start(0, true); spr.events.onInputDown.add(onMDown, this);}...function onMDown(item, pointer){ console.log('you clicked on '+item.name);}So, I wonder, do I really need to add onInputDown to each sprite? Perhaps, the same effect could be achieved by adding a single function to game.input.onDown, like I did in AS3 adding a single function to stage onMouseDown?
I can't find a good answer to this question. I want to create an HTML5 game with phaser framework and convert it into Android/iOS app (webview). The game suppose to work a lot with database (update, select) Do any one can suggest me the right way to work to be able after that to convert it with minimal time wasting? Thanks


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Posted onSeptember 4, 2018 by Loudoun
You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head. Be Kind to Yourself ~ Anonymous
I am guilty of being unkind to myself. My first Pole Con I remember one of the vendors had a board up that said what would you tell your younger self. And I without thinking had written "Be Kind to yourself." I have often felt that as women we tend to be very critical of ourselves from the way we look to the car we drive. Today I urge you to be mindful of your conversations with yourself. If you find yourself being unkind to yourself STOP!!! Call on your super power AKA affirmations. In a conversation with yourself the following must be mentioned
I am Strong
I am confident
I am beautiful
I am sexy
I am a Goddess
I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around, life is cyclical we see it all around us. Much like our hip circles 🙂 🙂 anyway I digress.
When you feel an unkind thought for a co worker, your lover, or your friend; take a moment to yourself and ponder a bit. What happened to you today or the day before that made you feel terrible. Were you made to feel terrible by someone's action or words? Is your unkind thought germinating out of your hurt. If so, it is your opportunity to stop the cycle of hurt and start the circle of kindness. It will make you feel like a Goddess.
Majority of the times we go through these circular cycles subconsciously and the vicious circle of hurt just keeps on passing around. Being aware of your feeling the need to be unkind to someone in itself is huge because that consciousness brings you closer to yourself. A further conversation with yourself will have you questioning your urge to be unkind, which will have an unraveling effect and bring you closer to yourself . Was there another person involved who made you angry or upset. If it is your own insecurity, acknowledge them recognize them and then be kind to yourself. If it is another person words or actions that have made you feel awful you need make sense of that feeling, is there any truth to their words. Always remember the following famous words and move on.
Be Kind. For everyone you know is fighting a battle ~ Plato


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RMOC members Gordon and Nancy McCurry won the Mixed Veteran division at the recent Dakota Rogaining Championships, May 8-9, 2010. See their race report and photos here.
Race Report by Gordon McCurry
Nancy and I had a good time at this event, being a casual six-hour drive from the Denver area. The terrain in Custer State Park was great but with quad-numbing hills, much steeper than at White Ranch. The park is full of large game animals too -- we saw mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bison right near the finish, deer, and at night even two mountain lions. Wow!
Cold temperatures prevailed with the record low on Friday night of 19 degrees before the Saturday noon start, and temps in the 30s and low 40s during most of the race. Some snow lingered on the north-facing slopes from a storm several days prior. It spit rain and snow on us from around 11:00 pm to 2:00 am during the race, but we were well prepared (actually, over-prepared) with clothes.
Lots of downed timber in many areas led to slow going, but other areas had open, grassy valleys. A network of old logging roads were also of great help in getting us quickly along certain legs. French Creek crossed the southern third of the race area and made for tricky crossing to get to a high concentration of high-point controls. The Start / Finish area was well equipped and the race organizer did a fantastic job with everything.
The sun came out brightly by mid-day Sunday so after the finish we were treated to mild temperatures and a wonderful western-style barbeque of buffalo with all the fixins as the results were tallied and awards presented. Really one of the best 24-hour rogaines we've been to.
We ended up selecting a good route to connect controls, which is key to doing well at these races. Some mistakes along the way caused us to drop a few controls after dawn on Sunday but then we added one at the end. Our goal was to find 31 of the 51 controls and we ended up with 28, for a total of 1,610 points (our target had been 1,790). Even so, this was good enough for first place in the Mixed Veteran category and the highest score of any coed team. However, for these races, the real satisfaction comes from picking a good route and doing good navigation. In this regard we had probably the 2nd or 3rd best race of our rogaines. A post-race analysis shows that Nancy and I covered about 43 miles and 8,600 feet of elevation gain.
Sharon Crawford and her partner won the Mixed Super-Veteran category. The other RMOC'ers present, Ken Lotze and Carol Johnson, were hampered by food poisoning Ken got the day before the race. Kudos to Ken for doing the race anyway and sticking with it, with their team earning a reasonable score compared to most other mixed teams.
The race organizer posted a nice Race Report with results and his observations. If he does another of these events next year we strongly encourage everyone from RMOC to come out for the 4-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour events -- less than a tank of gas from home and fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities. There was talk of an event in June 2011, which will bring warmer and drier conditions. The area is full of tourist-type activities (Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse), plus good hiking and climbing for those still up for more.
As a post-script, Nancy and I have been gearing up for months for the Big Muddy rogaine in central Oregon over Memorial Day weekend. The Dakota Rogaine left us feeling relatively fit and healthy so we were excited about our chances at this next race. Unfortunately, during a bike ride last Sunday, Nancy crashed and broke her collarbone. She escaped other injuries and is recovering alright so far but will be out of action for four to six weeks. With much disappointment we realized the Big Muddy will have to wait until next year.
Gordon at French Creek.
Nancy with some "friends" at the Start / Finish area.
Gordon at a 50-point control on Sunday morning.
Ken and Carol at the Start on Saturday.
Additional Photos from Sharon Crawford:
Original rogainers, Custer State Park, SD.
Sharon Crawford and Mike Shifman, Mixed Super-Veteran winners.
Roaming buffalo, Custer State Park, SD.
Rick Emerson, Dakota Rogaine Race Director.
Eric and Mary Smith of New York, Mixed Super-Veteran second place.
Ken Walker and Glen Brake, Male Super-Veteran winners.
Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, SD.
Original mammoth bones, not fossilized, Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, SD.


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Rosetown, Saskatchewan, en route to Calgary. One of the last grain elevators I'll see in a long time.
I've arrived in Calgary for the last leg of the Go See Run Eat Drink Western Canadian Farewell Tour. I've got a few days here staying with my sister, brother-in-law and niece before the big flight out on Sunday morning. On the agenda: seeing a couple of friends, attending my niece's daycare wind-up, last-minute trip-related shopping, oh, and building a 6' x 14' shed for my sister's back yard. No sense in hanging about doing nothing for 3 days, eh? I think once I get to London all I'll want to do is sleep for a week. Then again with the transit strike it may take me a week just to get from the airport to my hostel.
I'm still feeling completely unprepared. The list is shorter, but it's still there: establish secure online document storage, attach earpiece to Skype headset, print approximate itinerary for non-techno relatives without blog access, get two more small luggage locks, get a smaller water bottle, slice up Rick Steves guide books to eliminate unnecessary sections, and print a few things that need to be carried as hard copies.
As for being mentally prepared, despite the fact that the countdown clock says something ridiculous like 3 days, I still really can't believe it's actually happening, and I can't shake the "What have I done?" feeling. I really hope some excitement starts very very soon.
Packing the Aeronaut for the jaunt to Calgary was as discouraging this time as it was the first time. It seems that my list of stuff has surreptitiously ballooned since the last attempt. The final pack on Saturday night will require some extremely hard-nosed decision about things I thought were non-negotiable. I really need to embrace the "If in doubt, throw it out" theory. Things that have already fallen prey to this rule: long underwear, light gloves, buff, the folding Orikaso cup and the plastic sleeve the Orikaso stuff came in. Things on the chopping block: hand sanitizer, one t-shirt (there are 2 others, plus one for running), some first aid kit stuff, the retracta-safe cable lock, the Rick Steves shower caddy, the small travel towel, the Absolute Shoulder Strap... and so on. If absolutely necessary, I'll divide stuff between the Aeronaut and the daypack, and carry two bags, but that would really be admitting defeat.
I have NOT received my UK passport yet, and my hopes of having it in time to enter the UK without having to provide proof of onward travel are fading fast. I paid 3 USD per minute to phone the "What's Going On With My Passport Application Information Line" last week. I spoke (as quickly as possible) to a woman with a very thick Scottish accent who confirmed that my application was received, and that my payment had been processed, which means my application has been accepted and they will be issuing me a passport. However she said there was a "significant backlog" in applications, so I shouldn't expect to receive the passport until 20 working days after they processed my payment. That was on May 6th, so 20 working days from then is approximately last Thursday. Thank you Miss Scotland. I'm now relying on the receipt and confirmation of my Russian Tour and my Eurail pass to prove that I won't be staying forever to go on the dole and watch "Coronation Street". I've also got a colour printout of a scan of my UK citizenship certificate (of course the passport people have the original...) so really they should just shut up, let me in, and give me a cup of tea and a nice biscuit.
(Aside: One reason it's so important to be certain they'll let me in to the country is that United Airlines won't even let me on the plane if they think I'll be turned back. If I get all the way to London and the British border officials refuse me entry then United Airlines has to pay to return me. So if the United folks at the Calgary airport look askance at my Russian tour documents and my copied citizenship certificate, I'll be going nowhere on Sunday.)
It looks like I may need to have the passport sent to an obliging English relative for me, in the hope that it will arrive before I leave that country on about July 5th. Even if it can't ease my entry to England, at least it can get me into the short "We're all Europeans Here" line-up at all future EU borders.
Ok, this has been a bit of a downer post, eh? At least it's actually summer here in Alberta, instead of that lingering chilly spring that's been going on in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Also, I just got off my first real Skype call, and after a bit of technical difficulty, it worked, with video and everything! Nice to see you, Steve.
Off to bed.


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I have always wanted to volunteer abroad, but there was always the question of how I could go about doing this. Then, I heard about Solidarity in Action (SIA) from a friend at school, and I decided to join SIA's social justice trip to Peru in 2010. I'll be honest and say that I really did not know what to expect, despite the very thorough briefings I received from my trip leaders. For the most part, I expected to teach Peruvian children, maybe help build stairs or fix up a school, and teach children how to brush their teeth. Little did I know that I would be jumping into the two weeks that would evidently change how I saw the world. Yes, I taught children English, I taught children how to brush their teeth, and I helped fix up a daycare, but what I got out of these experiences was so much more than the satisfaction of helping a community for a few days.
The gratitude expressed by the community members was overwhelming. People you don't know – who don't even speak the same language as you – hug you, and sometimes even cry, while they hold the first tooth brush they have ever owned. It's humbling to see, and the emotions you feel in simple moments like these is astounding.
To return to South America with Solidarity in Action was the simplest choice I ever made. I knew that's where I belonged. In the spring of 2011, I traveled to two countries: Peru and Ecuador. Though we were working with very different communities in either community, the same level of acceptance and sense of community was present in both.
It is these experiences that fueled my drive to truly understand what the term 'solidarity' means. I am still looking for an adequate definition, but each time I return to South America, the meaning becomes a little more clear and close to my heart.
– Jamie Prong, SIA Trip Leader (Peru 2012, Peru 2011, Ecuador 2011)


text:
LNGS Client U.S. Cellular Authorized to Receive First Installment in Phase I Mobility Fund Support
LNGS Client U.S. Cellular (and its affiliates) was authorized by the FCC to receive its first installment of $13 million in Phase I Mobility Fund Support [link] to construct new networks in West Virginia, Illinois, Maine, Iowa, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. In October 2012, the FCC auctioned off $300 million in one-time Mobility Fund (Phase I) support to carriers that agreed to provide 3G or LTE service to areas that do not currently have mobile voice and broadband coverage. LNGS client U.S. Cellular submitted winning bids for over $40 million of the $300 million in available Mobility Fund Phase I support. [Public Notice and Awards] At the end of June, the FCC began to authorize the initial distribution of Phase I support for auction winners [Public Notice].
LNGS contacts: David LaFuria (email@example.com), Todd Slamowitz (email@example.com) and Marc Paul (email@example.com)


text:
United Kingdom
United States
World English Go to Usborne.com
Usborne Quicklinks
Quicklinks for internet-linked books
Websites to visit
Explore the pulling power of magnets
Experiment with coin towers and paperclip chains
Find out about poles in a short animated video
See dancing magnetic liquid made from magnetite
Read a story about pigeons and the Earth's magnetic field
How do fairground rides use electricity and magnets to brake?
Find out how to make an electromagnet
Ask an adult for help.
Watch a physicist make a simple train using magnets
Find out more about magnets and magnetism
Scroll down to watch a video. The video begins with a short advert.
Watch iron being pulled out of breakfast cereal
Lots more experiments with magnets to try
Choose an experiment, or click on "Activity Books" for more fun magnet activities.
Pictures to download
p198 - Magnets stored with keepers
p200 - Magnets attracting pins
p204 - Inside a magnet - domains
p210 - Making an electromagnet
Children, make sure you follow these three simple rules when using the internet:
For more tips, see Internet safety for children.
Adults - we recommend that children are supervised while on the internet. The content of a website may change at any time and Usborne Publishing is not responsible for content on sites other than its own.
For more on internet safety, see Internet advice for adults.
Websites with interactive content may not work on your tablet or smartphone, but you can view them on a computer. Find out more…
Pocket scientist
Pocket scientist - The blue book
"A handy pocket-size and packed full of information...a meaty introduction to the science behind everyday things."
The Guardian
In a handy pocket-size and packed full of information...a meaty introduction to the science behind everyday things such as how we communicate, how we stay healthy and how machines work. The book provides good links to internet sites to make it easy for readers to search for further information if they want to.
The Guardian
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text:
This is my version of a compilation of different recipes for Orange Juice Cake.
Preheat oven to 325(F) degrees. Grease bundt pan well. Mix the first five ingredients for about two minutes, or until batter is smooth and there are no lumps remaining. Transfer batter to the greased bundt pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until cake tests done with toothpick being inserted and coming out clean.
While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add sugar and orange juice to the butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes and then invert on to a plate or cake platter. Poke some holes in the top of the cake and drizzle the top with the warm glaze. You can reserve a little of the glaze to top individual servings with if desired.
Yellow cake mix will work if you can't find orange, but the orange is the best.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
|Serving Size: 1 Serving (99g)
|Recipe Makes: 10 Servings
|Calories: 193
|Calories from Fat: 173 (90%)
|Amt Per Serving
|Total Fat 19.2g
|26 %
|Saturated Fat 7g
|35 %
|Monounsaturated Fat 8.2g
|Polyunsanturated Fat 2.9g
|Cholesterol 98.9mg
|30 %
|Sodium 5671.5mg
|196 %
|Potassium 89.5mg
|2 %
|Total Carbohydrate 3.4g
|1 %
|Dietary Fiber 0.1g
|0 %
|Sugars, other 3.3g
|Protein 2.5g
|4 %
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database
Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition.
Calories per serving: 193
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.


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While using a stinky bathroom, Shannon, age 5, "That's why! A stinky boy came in here!"
Friday, December 27, 2013
Posted by Nadia at 2:41 PM 0 comments
Evil sister
Friend, age 8, "I guess I just can't trust my evil sister!"
Posted by Nadia at 10:51 AM 0 comments
Mom, "If you guys don't start bringing the pencils back to me, you're going to have to start using blood to do your work."
Shannon, age 5, "Blood?"
Elizabeth, age 8, "Yeah, the thing that pops out when you have an owie."
Posted by Nadia at 10:51 AM 0 comments
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Boose gumps
Elizabeth, age 8, "I've got boose gumps!"
Posted by Nadia at 4:16 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Unicorn fortress
Random boy at the park, "This is my unicorn fortress!"
Um, what?!
Posted by Nadia at 1:42 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Good Gracious!
Taylor, age 9, commenting on a parade float, "Good gracious! Holy Cow!"
Posted by Nadia at 2:38 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Wake up, Dad!
Michael, age 17 months, knocks on the bedroom door. "Wake up, Dad!"
Posted by Nadia at 3:21 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Shannon, age 4, "Michael, you're talking!
Posted by Nadia at 12:29 PM 0 comments
Playing with friends:
Posted by Nadia at 12:27 PM 0 comments
Elizabeth, age 7, "It's raining outside, I need to go potty, and I'm wearing flip flops!"
Posted by Nadia at 12:26 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 8, 2013
Shannon, age 4, "...heart, fix it with glue. That's how we be happy or sad!"
Posted by Nadia at 11:25 AM 0 comments
Elizabeth, age 7, while cutting apart a cereal box, "Sorry about this mom, but, I'm creative!"
Posted by Nadia at 11:23 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Taylor, age 9, "That's what smells so good!"
Mom, "What smell?"
Taylor, "The smell that I smell!"
Posted by Nadia at 5:16 PM 0 comments


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I'm a recent Whig convert, and in that, a rather young one. Being 18, I'm probably the least expected to care so much about politics or the nation. Though who else my age will? I'm one of few Whigs in Louisiana, and am asking for some tactics to reach out to my peers. After all, my peers and I are the future of The Party. I'm grateful for any response. ~Thank you Jody Bachus
Do you like this suggestion?
Showing 3 reactions
Caitlin Taylor commented 2018-04-18 11:39:20 -0400Hi, I'm also a recent convert and I've found the easiest way is to just reach out. During this last election cycle I met several that weren't thrilled with either candidate but felt like there was no other choice. You have to show them that there is and the only way to break that is voting your conscience instead of the "lesser of two evils".
Caitlin Taylor tagged this with good 2018-04-18 11:39:19 -0400
Jody Bachus published this page in Whig Forums 2018-02-17 01:23:17 -0500


text:
Hi. This might be from the Binding Universe, but perhaps not. I'm not entirely sure it fits.
On a high cliff, in a faraway country, there is a monument. It is a long slab of metal, upon which are engraved many words, in many languages, and it is capped with a short pole.
There is a legend, in that country, that the monument was once a sword, that each word on it's surface is one of the names of it's victims, and that it swelled to include the new one whenever it took a life. There is but one exception; an old, old inscription on the hilt, reading: "Wonders Cease".
The legend says that the sword has been taken up many times, by many wielders, but not once lost or stolen, and that the last great hero of the land, weary of it's weight, planted it in a cliff near where it was first forged. He went his way, and never took up arms again.
Perhaps it is true.


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One of the biggest limitations of hand vacuums is the reach.
It's a great tool to use as quick spot cleaning tool. However one big limitation of a handheld would be its inability to clean floors.
The new BDH2020FLFL solves this issue by adding a floor vacuum extension to the package so that you won't need to get down on all fours to clean floors.
Will this effectively replace a stick vacuum?
Well to be honest it won't but the addition of this tool gives you the option to spot clean loose dirt on floors. But let's find out what consumers think of this hybrid stick / handheld
In a recent article by The Sweet Home, they called this the best portable vacuum, even over the higher rated BDH2000FL because this one has a floor tool included in the package which makes it even more versatile.
A quick look at the features
- Uses a 20 volt lithium ion battery
- Lightweight – weighs less than 4 pounds
- Equipped with a 4 foot flexible hose
- Extension wand attachment makes it usable on floors
- Other attachments include pet hair brush tool, crevice tool, 2-in-1 nozzle/brush tool
- Filter is washable
- It's a bagless vacuum
- Cyclonic filtration keeps dirt away from the filter thus maintaining performance as the bin gets full
- Lightweight and easy to carry around
- Has several attachments to clean different types of dirt like dust, pet hair and larger debris like cheerios
- Floor attachment allows you to clean floors without bending over
- Decent suction at 25 air watts (only 3 less than a Dyson DC59 at normal mode)
- Charges in around 4 hours
- Great for stairs
- Lacks agitation to clean carpet (strictly a bare floor cleaner)
- Small dirt capacity
- Only for spot clean ups nothing more
- You will need to wash the filter often
- Hair or any statically charged dirt tends to stick on the inner walls of the dust bin
- Noisy – sounds like a lawnmower according to some reviews
What can you expect from the Black & Decker BDH2020FLFH?
Feature wise this is similar to the BDH2000FL I've reviewed in the past, the main difference is that this new model has an extension wand plus a floor attachment that transforms this from a hand vacuum to a stick.
The floor tool however does not have a motorized brush which makes this very limited on carpet.
And oh, it has a little bit more suction compared to the previous version.
This one packs 25 air watts of suction power while the BDH2000FL has 22 air watts.
Attachments and accessories
It comes with four attachments – crevice, 2-in-1 nozzle/brush, pet hair brush and stick vacuum flood head tools
You can attach all the tools on the extension wand so this extends reach.
Charging time
Black and Decker did not specify official charge times but based on consumer reviews, it will take between 4 to 6 hours to fully charge.
In a review done by The Sweet Home, they reported a 4 hour charge time.
Filter clean up
Emptying the dirt canister is easy, all you need to do is pull a latch then open the door. But it can be messy to empty especially when there is some moisture as dirt tends to clump up.
Statically charged dirt also will tend to stick on the inner walls. So you may need to use your filters to empty or take out the whole bowl and wash it in a sink.
The good thing with the cyclonic filtration is the filter does not clog as fast.
Again in the review by TheSweetHome, they had to wash it after every two charge cycles.
But judging by what they clean, I would consider it the worst case scenario. It would all depend on the type of debris you are cleaning and how often you'll use it.
Yes, filter is washable so running cost won't be high.
Run time
The average run time again based on reviews is around 15 minutes. The guys at the sweet home got 16 minutes in a full charge so expect it to be at a 15 minute range.
It comes with a 2 year warranty, 1 year shorter than the Black & Decker BDH2000FL.
Bare floor performance
Even with the floor tool, this handheld is at its core a spot handheld tool. But it is a nice addition because it allows to clean floors.
Take note however that if you are using the floor tool that suction will decrease slightly based on some consumer reviews.
If you are using the other attachments, suction is strong enough to pick up even larger bits of dirt like cheerios or pet liter.
Carpet performance
This variant does not have a motorized brush so it won't be able to clean carpet.
It will only be good enough to clean up loose surface dirt.
All of the tools that come with this is only usable to clean surface dirt.
Pet hair removal
To clean up pet hair the BDH2020FLFL uses a round shaped and textured tool that has a hole in the middle.
It is made from rubber. So it will follow the contours of the surface you want to clean.
This is great to use on upholstery like sofa or chairs and even pillows.
Unfortunately the floor tool does not have a motorized brush that will pick up pet hair off carpet.
It relies purely on suction to pick up dirt so you cannot use this to clean pet hair on carpet.
Product Specifications
|2-in-1 nozzle /brush tool
Long crevice tool
Pet hair tool
Stick vac floor head
|20 volt Lithium Ion
|Charging base
|Charging time
|4 hours
|Battery life
|15 minutes
|Net weight (with battery)
|Shipping weight
|6.9 pounds
|Overall length
|14.4" (without the floor tool)
|Battery indicator
|Filter type
|2 stage filter:
1 - plastic mesh
1 - cloth
(both are washable)
|Dirt capacity
|17 oz
|Air Watts
|Manufactured in
|2 year limited on vacuum, battery and charger
Customer Reviews
People love the power of this handheld saying that it is more than enough for spot clean ups though they noticed that the power dropped when you put on the extension wand and floor tool.
Also the floor tool did not have any brushroll which makes this virtually useless on carpet. But it is still usable on hard surfaces.
One consumer even mentioned that it was impossible to move this back and forth on carpet.
Pet owners will find this one useful because even without the pet hair attachment, it still has enough power to pick up pet hair using the crevice or combo tool.
The pet hair brush would be most useful on upholstery as the rubber contoured tool will adapt to the contours of any sofa or chair.
As with all electronic tools there are some complaints of lemon units as a few consumers complained about the lack of suction.
Noise is also another issue as a number of people complained that it sounded like a lawnmower.
There were several complaints about the manual not easy to read. Black & Decker should improve this in the future.
Overall, consumers loved the portability and versatility that this product brings in the table.
It may not have the most powerful suction. But it isn't no chop liver. It will hold its own even against pricier handhelds like the Dyson.
Though don't expect too much from the floor tool because it does not have any motorized brush and the long extension wand saps some of the power.
Where can I buy this?
You can buy this versatile handheld from Amazon for less than $110. And it'll be eligible to their free 2-day shipping if you join Prime.
They also sell extended warranties of up to 3 years if you want that extra peace of mind.
To wrap up
This product is great for people looking for a hand vacuum light enough to carry around but has an attachment to clean floors without the need to bend down.
This would be great for people like me who have some back issues. This is an upgraded version of the BDH2000FL that has slightly more suction and a floor tool to clean up floors and even stairs.
This is a great little tool to have for small messes especially if you have toddlers running around.
Take note that the floor tool does not have any motorized brush. So use this only to clean up surface dirt you'll still need a full sized vacuum for deep cleaning.
If you don't need the floor tool, then the BDH2000FL or the BDH2000FL would be more than adequate alternatives.
The extension wand is useful though to clean hard to reach areas like the ceiling and has enough suction to suck in cobwebs and dust bunnies of air vents and you don't even need a ladder to do so.
Overall this is a great lightweight vacuum for light messes where a full sized vacuum would be too cumbersome to bring out.


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1050: The Tour of Alberta
1050 is a photo essay segment where we tell a story with photos (worth 1000 words) and captions of 50 words or fewer.
I've been to the Tour of Alberta annually since it's first running, but this was the first time I brought a camera.
The weather on the day was perfect for racing: cool, dry, without a breath of wind. A great crowd gathered on the course that wound from Churchill Square, up Bellamy Hill, past the Legislature and back around Victoria Park Road.
With teams in attendance ranging from European powerhouses to strong continental squads and even the Canadian National Team, the Tour of Alberta is always wide open for an upset, having been won by a different rider each year since it was started.


text:
Emerald Golf Links is more than just your best option for a round of Atlantic City golf. It's also one of our area's top venues for hosting the special days in your life, from a fairy tale wedding to an important banquet. Here at McCullough's Emerald Golf Links, we have everything you need to plan a memorable event.
We have two private dining areas. Our quaint dining room is the perfect setting for groups up to 60 guests. The deck offers views of our lake and 18th fairway with seating for over 100. This muli-seasonal room is covered with a roof, furnished with canvas curtains, hurricane shutters, and heat making this space available for all-seasons.
Our award winning chef, Ken Klein, offers menus for every palate and price point. By far the best value in the area. Contact us for your next banquet function. Fill out the form on this page to start the planning process now! A member of our staff will be in touch with you within 24 hours or less.


text:
Philly-based videographer Jake Krolick made the trek to Dover, DE last month to take in the sights and sounds at the Firefly Music Festival (see his photo gallery here). Jake put together a short and sweet video mashup highlighting the eclectic nature and beautiful aesthetic appeal of the festival. Check it out below. – EDITOR
Firefly Music Festival 2013 - Mash-up


text:
The "best of the rest" – stories that caught MDN's eye that you may be interested in reading:
Whitehall officials discuss Marcellus shale concerns
Whitehall officials are doing their homework to determine if they should join with other Pennsylvania municipalities and pursue a lawsuit challenging a state law that takes away local rights to restrict natural gas drilling through Marcellus shale, the borough manager said last week.
Dominion Project Is On Its Way Up
Wheeling News
Driving along W.Va. 2 south of Moundsville, one will notice the Dominion Resources natural gas processing plant springing up on one side of the road, with multiple stacks of pipe on the other side.
Conference explores shale potential
Charleston Daily Mail
The first-ever West Virginia Marcellus to Manufacturing Ethane Development Conference, scheduled next Wednesday and Thursday at the Civic Center, is aimed at attracting companies that can use the resources made available by the natural gas-rich Marcellus shale.
Landowners pay to have Trumbull records digitized
A group negotiating oil and gas mineral agreements for Trumbull County landowners is about to put up more than $250,000 to make centuries-old property deeds more accessible to the public.
Most of Pa. Marcellus gas drilling in 11 counties
Data from the state show that many counties don't have any gas drilling wells tapping into the gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation and may never have any despite the proliferation of them elsewhere.
Who's Taking Rental Space?
Wheeling News
Marcellus Shale gas drillers may be patronizing local lodgings, restaurants and stores, but their presence could cause concern for Section 8 residents.
Butler County intends to collect millions in drilling fees
Valley News Dispatch
Butler County commissioners Wednesday approved an ordinance that will allow the county to collect millions in fees from Marcellus shale gas drilling.
At the EPA, environmentalism isn't a 'spectator sport'
The Daily Caller
Lisa Jackson's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is at it again. Already having been called out on flawed science for its ground water studies in Wyoming in the fight over the practice of hydraulic fracturing, the agency is now clashing with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


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Started Aug 2, 2018 0 Replies 0 Promotions
Discounts on resort purchases - if the cruise ship will be docked at an island or port for part of the trip, many cruise ship operators offer discounts on purchases made at participating vendors.…Continue
clothboard has not received any gifts yet
Posted on August 2, 2018 at 4:30am 1 Comment 0 Promotions
One of my pet peeves is watching people use knives incorrectly. Clean the knife first after use, then dry before storing it away. Use a wooden board for chopping and cutting. Plastic boards require more cleaning, and they are not quite as gentle on the edge of a knife as wooden boards. Our parents just told us that knives were dangerous and to keep away from them. To truly sharpen it, an abrasive surface that is harder than the knife must be used, such as a diamond honer.Although Im not…Continue
My name is Ahuva, I'm a Soldier from Israel. I picked interest on you after going through your short profile and demand it necessary to write you immediately. I have something very vital to disclose to you, but I found it difficult to express myself here, since it's against our military rules here for security reason.Could you please get back to me on (firstname.lastname@example.com) for the full details.
Have a nice day,
© 2020 Created by Wu-Tang Management and Wu-Tang Clan. Copyright 2018 An Official Wu-Tang site. Powered by


text:
A Florida mother of four jumped into a pond and battled a gator that tried to make a meal out of her dog.
Seven-and-a-half feet of gator skin did not stop 52-year-old Lori Beiswenger from running to the rescue of Hope, a 9-year-old terrier mix.
According to NBC affiliate WPTV, the encounted occured when Beiswenger and Hope were outside near the sixth hole of her family-owned golf course, Point O'Woods, in Inverness.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
While she was busy gardening, Beiswenger heard a piercing scream come from the pond behind her. When Beiswenger turned around, she was met with the sight of a gator pulling Hope into the water.
Beiswenger became frantic and screamed for help. With no one around to hear her screams, Beiswenger decided to jump in and fight the gator for her dog's life.
Beiswenger pulled the gator's tail, and the gator began thrashing and still held on to Hope. She said she pulled the gator's tail a second time, and then a third.
The third time, Beiswenger says the gator looked at her. Fearing for her life, Beiswenger got out of the water with Hope still in the gator's jaws.
Then Jodie Daniels, a golf course volunteer who was teeing up on hole one, heard the commotion.
Listening to Beiswenger's pleas, Daniels grabbed a golf club and waded into the water until he was knee deep.
When he realized the club wasn't long enough, he went and got a shovel. He pulled the bloodied dog up with the gator still attached.
Hope ran for dry land with the gator following behind. Daniels then hit the gator on top of the head with the shovel and the gator swam off.
Beiswenger picked up Hope, put her in a golf cart and drove to the clubhouse. Once there, she grabbed a tablecloth and secured the wound. She then rushed Hope to a nearby vet.
Hope had to undergo a three-hour surgery but went home that same night.
The next day, a private company trapped the gator. Beiswenger says she read the gator its Miranda Rights, and the company killed the gator. The gator's meat was sold to a local restaurant.
Hope is expected to have her stitches removed on Saturday.


text:
The WA Greens MP Alison Xamon has described proposed new petroleum regulations as a step forward but says they do not go far enough to protect the environment.
Under the changes resources companies would have to disclose which chemicals they inject into the ground to release gas during a practice known as fracking.
The changes mean WA's emerging unconventional gas sector will be subject to Australia's toughest disclosure laws.
But Ms Xamon says more transparency is needed.
"There are still a lot of other areas in the regulations which also require transparency and unfortunately we don't have a commitment that the chemicals that are going to be used are going to be independently assessed prior to approval to their suitability to fracking," she said.
The Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore says the new arrangements are a strong move towards full transparency.
"I can't think of any way that I can satisfy the Greens," he said.
"It doesn't matter how transparent you are, they'll always find a reason why it's not transparent enough.
"We are are putting in place regulations now which require companies to disclose the chemicals they've used in a fracking operation. It's not been done anywhere, it is a significant improvement in the transparency of the operation."
Ms Xamon also says penalties for those who breach conditions should also be increased.
Under the changes, resource companies would receive a fine of up to $50,000 for breaches of conditions and individuals up to $10,000.
"Unfortunately the fines which have been prescribed within the regulations are still woefully inadequate," she said.
"We would expect that there should be a significant in the level of fines that apply where there has been a breach."
Mr Moore agrees that the fines need to be tougher.
He says under the 1967 Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act the ability to increase fines for resources companies that breach conditions are limited but his department is looking to update the Act.
"I do agree that they are not high enough, considering what we're dealing with here," he said.
"The Department of Mines and Petroleum is currently doing a review of all of the penalties right across their legislation with a determination to change whatever needs to be changed to bring them up to more contemporary levels.
"There will be no doubt that these penalties will be increased one these reviews have been completed. "
The Greens are calling for a moratorium until their concerns about the new regulations are addressed.


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Hello Readers!
Last September 24, 2014, I attended a spectacular event that's very close to my heart.
Take note. It was no ordinary fashion show;
It's fashion for a CAUSE.
The Best Dressed Women of the Philippines (BDWP) Annual Ball is now on its 11th year.
It's all about raising funds for the benefit of the Philippine Cancer Society.
This Ball was spearheaded by the stylish BDWP honorary chair Imelda Ongsiako-Cojuanco.
The event was so endearing that I can't help but share it with you.
Here are some pictures that my friends and I managed to cover.
Before the celebration started, my friends and I had some cocktails at the ballroom foyer.
We got the chance to appreciate the display of some of the ball gowns of the past awardees...
....as well as a photo exhibit of the 2014 Awardees,
and one of them being Jennifer Helen Weigel Sarmiento.
I am so proud of you Tita! A big Congratulations! :)
Like any Gala, there are Princesses of the Ball.
Here are my top picks.
I intentionally got their back photo for added emphasis of their gowns.
Always remember that whether you prefer elegant or simple,
it's all a matter of how you carry yourself with it.
While waiting for the ballroom doors to open,
we found ourselves surrounded by good company of friends.
With my bestfriend Jasmin Sarmiento and her gorgeous mom
who is part of the Best Dressed Women of the Philippines
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
Now with Kathleen Ann Vargas Jabasa. It's nice to see you again!
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
What makes Cebu my second home
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
With my friend Hazel Lim- Lee Hok and 2014 BDWP Awardee Pauline Lim
Congratulations Pauline! You look ethereal.
It was nice bumping into both of you at the event.
Checkout the back of Pauline's gown.
It's so regal.
Now it's time to witness the unveiling of the 2014 notable women of the society.
The program started with some incredible ballet performances.
The ballet was followed by a fashion show by BDWP Ambassadors for Life and
an awarding of Men of Exemplary Influence.
In the middle of the program, there was also an auction held.
It was a prized artistry from one of the best Filipino talents Mr. Ramon Orlina.
Good job to Mr. Johnny Litton for also facilitating the whole event.
Loving how the lights were dimmed just a few minutes before the fashion show.
The moment we have all been waiting for...
Congratulations to the 2014 Best Dressed Women of the Philippines!
I myself would call them Women of Substance.
They are fashion forward yet selfless individuals who are
living proof that real beauty comes from within.
Continue empowering society and serving as inspiration to make better version of ourselves.
My Favorite Gowns during the Fashion Show are worn by the following:
It was also a night of Serenades while everyone was enjoying dinner.
The Program Finale was the Awarding of the 2014 Best Dressed Women of the Philippines.
Here are some photos of their walk of fame! Congratulations to all Awardees.
Aww, just look at this very sweet gesture! How touching! :)
We are so proud of you Tita Jennifer.
You walked with so much beauty and grace. You totally owned it.
The event was a big success! Kudos to the Annual Ball Organizers.
Time for more pictures :)
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
Hi Katsy Lee. You look pretty in that white gown of yours.
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
Truly, it was a dream come true for all the BDWP Awardees.
Hopefully I'll get an opportunity like this knocking at my door someday :))
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
Love this picture of Tito Edgar and Tita Penny :)
Congratulations again Tita
This is the beginning of beautiful things to come!
Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of this event.
I enjoyed every part of it.
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
credits to Jasmin for the photo above
Looking forward to seeing my best friend Jas and her twin
to follow the footsteps of their mom.
Stay in love u guys! <3
Lots of Love,


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Micro-granular pre-starter stimulating the development of the fore-stomachs. Primopasza is TMR choice which stimulates early and proper development of forestomachs in young calf form the 3rd day of their life.
Provides a rich, completely blended feed of plant components, a high concentration of protein, energy, minerals and vitamins and is low in fiber The job of a high quality calf starter Primopasza is to transition a calf from a liquid diet to dry feed at weaning while maintaining the growth and health of the animal Amino acids are needed for proper tissue growth. Carbohydrates are needed to provide energy for growth and proper development of the animal's rumen. Minerals and vitamins are needed to keep the bones strong and keep
the animal healthy.
• Years of research have gone into every bag of Primopasza Calf Starter to get your calves through weaning and on their way to becoming a productive animal in the herd.
• reduces the period of drinking milk replacer – shortening the weaning process
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• PRIMOPASZA is designed to be fed from 3rd day of calf's life,
• should be administered at will, in small quantities and prepared fresh daily,
• Polmass recommends to use feeders with the relevant teats to feed a constant fodder such as PRIMOPASZA,
Once the calf consumes 1.5-2.0 kg PRIMOPASZA a day we can wean the calf off the milk replacer.
|all milk protein


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Jocko Flocko
A lot of people dream of being a NASCAR driver. Jocko Flocko, a Rhesus monkey, got to be the next best thing — a NASCAR co-driver. The year was 1953. Stock car racer Julius Timothy Flock, aka Tim Flock, decided to race with a monkey as a gimmick. Flock nicknamed his pint-sized co-driver "Jocko Flocko" and outfitted him with his own uniform (No. 91). He even gave him a custom-designed seat [source: Tim Flock].
Jocko sped around the track with Flock during eight exciting races. Unfortunately, Jocko wasn't destined to make this new job a permanent career. Flock explains on his website what happened: "Back then the cars had a trap door that we could pull open with a chain to check our tire wear. Well, during the Raleigh 300, Jocko got loose from his seat and stuck his head through the trap door, and he went berserk! Listen, it was hard enough to drive those heavy old cars back then under normal circumstances, but with a crazed monkey clawing you at the same time, it becomes nearly impossible! I had to come into the pits to put him out and ended up third. The pit stop cost me second place and a $600.00 difference in my paycheck. Jocko was retired immediately. I had to get that monkey off my back!"
Flock, meanwhile, went on to an illustrious career as a two-time NASCAR Grand National Champion and the only driver to win in every NASCAR division on Daytona Beach [source: Tim Flock].


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Volcanic ascents: cautionary tales from Villarrica 6 January 2010Posted by admin in Chile, natural hazards, Villarrica.
Tags: Chile, Villarrica, volcanic hazards
Villarrica volcano in Chile, one of the country's most active volcanoes, is popular among walkers and climbers, who come to the Parque Nacional Villarrica to enjoy the beautiful scenery and (when Villarrica's activity allows) the challenge of ascending the 2,847-metre volcano's slopes. But a volcano does not have to be erupting to be dangerous, and Villarrica certainly has its dangers.
On Saturday 2 January a snow avalanche struck a party of tourists who were climbing to the summit crater, leaving one Brazilian tourist seriously injured and a number of his companions slightly hurt. The avalanche, reportedly 100 metres in width, occurred in good weather conditions and took the party (and their mountain guide) completely by surprise. This is the first time such an avalance, apparently caused by unstable snow cover slipping on the underlying ice, has caused problems at Villarrica. In response, the park authorities closed the slopes to tourists pending a detailed survey of snow and ice conditions on the volcano.
The picture above (copyright Roberto Alarcón N.), kindly submitted by Werner Keller of Proyecto Observación Volcán Villarrica (POVI), shows Villarrica on 2 January 2010 following the avalanche referred to above and two further avalanches; the scars are clearly visible in the snow. The avalanche struck the tour party at around 2000 metres a.s.l., having descended about 600 metres, accumulating loose volcanic debris on the way. The front of the avalanche lobe was 2-3 metres deep. More information can be found at the POVI website.
These latest events make an article published by the Spanish newspaper ABC at the end of December particularly timely. 'Los israelíes y el volcán Villarrica' is subtitled 'the volcano holds within dozens of tragic stories'. Villarrica is the centre of 'a real tourist bonanza', says the article, 'visited annually by thousands of climbers who long to conquer it', but many are ill-prepared for the ascent: '"People have lost respect for the volcano," says one of the guides who accompany the kids on their route to the summit. "They come without the things they need. They think it's a game, then get us out to rescue them."'
Villarrica is a particularly popular climb among young Israelis preparing for service in the Israel Defence Forces. As one of the guides explains, 'they mostly come without experience and with insufficient equipment. They think it is the desert and are not properly equipped'. Some have even died on Villarrica, which is why climbers heading for the summit pass a memorial to two Israelis killed while climbing the volcano in April 1987. The climbers keep coming, however, including many Israelis, put off neither by the grim memorial nor by the fact that if they do get into trouble they will be liable for the costs incurred in rescuing them.
Los israelíes y el volcán Villarrica – ABC, 28 December 2009
Exclusivo: Turista brasileño afectado por alud en Volcán Villarica se encuentra en buenas condiciones – Radio Bío-Bío, 3 January 2010
Suspenden ascensos al volcán Villarrica tras deslizamiento de hielo el sábado pasado – El Austral, 5 January 2010
Amplían en 24 horas prohibición de ascender a volcán Villarrica – La Tercera, 3 January 2010
Global Volcanism Program: Villarrica – summary information for Villarrica (1507-12=)
Volcán Villarrica – information from the Observatorio Volcanológico de los Andes del Sur
SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile (Spanish)
Proyecto Observación Visual Volcán Villarrica – Villarrica Visual Observation Project
- 1. Melissa Lowman - 9 January 2010
I agree…. Villarrica is a b*tch of a volcano to assent. I attempted it having NO (ZERO, Nada, Zilch) mountaineering skills or experience and thought it would be a good idea in early Feb 2008. While Llaima was erupting, and got some excellent photos of some ash belches from 2000m on Villarrica. I was suffering from a traveler's cough and upper chest infection. Traveling with 4 graduate students from the US. The 2 boys did finish the 2800-something m to the summit and myself and another female traveler made it just beyond 2000m before coughing up blood and vomiting. Our hiking group had boots that were heavy and too large, crampons which few of us had ever used before, heavy backpacks, headlamps (we started at 4am in pitch blackness) and ice axes which we were ill prepared to use. We hiked past the ski lifts 2 feet up and sliding 1 foot down the entire way in the volcanic ash slopes. It was an amazing adventure and torture all in one. The volcano fumed at the top, puff puff puff its gas emmision that we had eyed from 20-30 miles away all week in local towns in the region.
At 2000 m looking down over the town of Pucon and the shadow of the valley below the cloudline I felt completely insane for wanting this experience. Thinking one wrong step on these steep slopes, not really knowing what I was doing, and the only thing to save me was the ice axe in my hand from sliding to my death in the event I tripped or slipped…. because our guides had informed us if we used our crampons (while sliding down the mountain) we could crack our spines and die instantly…
Never made it to the summit of that damn volcano/mountain. Thinking to myself that someday, someday I will attempt it again, after more training and more studying. But reading today what happened with the avalanche and the tourists, I'm really not surprised. We do stupid things in foreign countries because we feel invincible. Until life comes crashing down before us.
My best wishes to the victims of Villarica. My gratitude to the volcano that makes me enjoy the minor hills and valleys I live in all the much greater!!
Sorry comments are closed for this entry


text: October 11, 2016 drwfandel Newsletters/Did You Know? Wellness Family Newsletters Kids and Chiropractic The Benefits of Bone Broth Understanding Fatigue Concussion at All Ages Laundry Chemicals Honey Tech Neck Tummy Time Meal Planning for Pregnancy Breast Health Seasonal Affective Disorder Put the Awe Back in the Holidays Did You Know? Back To School Blood Pressure Chiropractic For All Ages Posture Flu Shot Mattresses Fructose Immune Function Kids and Chiropractic Pregnancy Small Children Sugar


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It has become customary for many B2B transactions to start, develop, and end without any personal interaction outside of technology. Email marketing and email correspondence are a part of everyday life for many thriving businesses. However, those who overlook the importance of conducting electronic business as they would in person-to-person business can easily lose out on profits.
What Is Internet Etiquette?
Just because you are not able to look at a person in the eye when doing business, doesn't mean you can forego basic manners and civility. How you present yourself online and through emails makes as much of a difference as it would if you were standing in a room of people. Email etiquette is important for any business and there are many ways a business can fail by acting improperly.
Avoiding Electronic Pitfalls
People who interact online are often more open because there a certain sense of anonymity with the Internet. Business owners, especially new ones, are eager to meet people and let them know about their products and services. However, many times their efforts are disregarded because they fail to remain professional and in some instances actually are offensive to potential clients or customers. Since many online business have little chance of creating a personal impression, it is crucial that online business marketing and communication be conducted in the utmost professional manner.
Here are some tips to get you started to better Internet etiquette:
Use Common Sense and Discretion
This is a popular topic for many. Funny jokes and silly forwarded emails may be hilarious to you and your friends. But think twice before sending it out to your customer database. What you may find funny, others may find offensive. Use common sense to control what you are putting out to the public as it all comes back to represent you and your business. If you have a particularly good relationship with some customers, use your personal email to send jokey messages and keep work email for work-related information.
Keep It Simple, Clean, Professional
Unless you are promoting your art or very specific creative services, you'll want to keep your websites, emails, and blogs simple and to the point. Creativity is fine but don't use several types of fonts, colors, pictures, and other designs on yourself if they will take away from the meat of the matter. You want people to focus on your professional business experience and not on your gallery of cutesy photos or crazy fonts.
Get to the Point
When you are sending out email marketing materials or announcements, write what you want to say in a concise manner and get right to the point. Don't send your email list page long missives and large attachments. Make your content clear and easy to read. Don't talk over people's heads. Be personable and informative but know when to stop talking.
Tone Matters
While it may seem like emails are just a bunch of words, people do clearly hear the tone in other's writings. You're objective is to let people know how your business can provide solutions. It is not meant for you to brag on and on about how great your company is. Speak respectfully in your writing and proof it before sending to make sure the right message is getting through.
Different industries will have different etiquette standards but overall politeness and professionalism are the two most crucial parts of communication when representing a business voice. Practice your etiquette with every email and social media action because you just never know who might be listening.


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October 25, 2010
The Church Closet – The IC and the Homosexual Agenda
It looks like the IC is having their very own coming out party in this decade, with many popular pastors and public figures in the Christian community in record numbers announcing to the world they are homosexuals. With the increase in wickedness and the spirit of Antichrist abound, more of some major players in the IC are sure to also admit they are homosexuals in the coming future. Read the rest of this entry »


text: Hopix 10 Posted May 9, 2010 The Beginning of Exogenesis Part 1 sucks!!! Just the strings before the band kicks in, it is just a poorly written string piece with poor execution as well. This strongly lets down Exo. for me along with the "spread are coads to the stars bit" The rest is pure win though.... I am actually saddened by this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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[Startup of the day] Serial entrepreneurs start StudyBud to make each graduate 'employable'
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'Employability' is one of the biggest areas of concern in today's world. While there are several initiatives that ensure students get a great education, there still is a great gap in the market. Research shows that India's challenge would be to make its graduates employable.
In fact, over 80 percent of engineering graduates are not only unemployed but are actually unemployable according to corporates, who find that they lack the necessary skill sets. It was to combat this problem that Anubhav Jain and Dhruv Bhushan, friends from their IIM days, started StudyBud, a platform that focuses on providing company-specific products to educational institutions.
From pre-assessing every student's aptitude and technical skills to learning modules which provide complete knowledge and skills pertaining to the campus rounds, StudyBud looks into all aspects of employability. Students can use the platform to attempt over 10,000 questions and take mock assessments.
The performance is continuously monitored over 50 metrics using the Admin Interface by the college administration. It also provides recruitment assistance in its associated companies to the students. StudyBud gets involved with college administration, acting like a part of their internal team, and uses technology to solve their employability related issues.
The beginnings
Speaking of how they got the initial idea, 32-year-old Anubhav says,
"We were running a startup in the classroom training and employability skill development space for almost two years when we realised the need to scale and grow. We had been constantly receiving good feedback from our students and there was a time when we had to say 'no' to multiple colleges because we could not sign up any more new clients as our bandwidth did not allow us."
However they found that the students faced a few challenges while preparing for campus recruitment, especially in understanding the requirements of companies coming into the campus.
The team decided to incorporate the feedback and build a product that not only helped combine the monotonous training sessions into a quality learning module for students, but also used technology to help them prepare in a more targeted and focused way through targeted learning and company-specific assessments
Anubhav adds that they spent nine months building their company-specific assessment engine and convinced a college for a pilot in February 2014.
"Our biggest validation came when during the campus recruitment by a company, the accuracy of prediction of our company-specific assessment was found to be more than 84 percent and then we decided to make this our primary offering," says Anubhav.
Working through the bureaucracy
However, the ride hasn't been easy. The biggest challenge the team found was in working with a fragmented industry and the widespread corruption. Anubhav adds that most educational institutions in India are run in a highly bureaucratic way.
There are multiple layers of decision makers, or people who impact the decision making process. This leads to practices which hamper the quality of offerings and the ultimate result is failure for students.
This is why they reached out to the value chain from both ends — the students who were the end users and the top management who were the single point decision makers.
Building the team
The next task at hand was to set up the team. Anubhav and Dhruv have worked together since 2008, and have co-founded over four startups. Anubav met the CTO, Sunil, through a common friend. The business development team — Kalyan, Praveen, and Prasanth — all have multiple years of experience in educational sales and have stayed with the duo primarily because of their belief in the product.
"But the most important of our team members is Anil Sir. We met Anil Sir during one of our sales pitches for KIT Kanpur. He liked the idea so much that during our first meeting, he spent three hours understanding our product and providing us with valuable inputs to add to our offering. An IIT Kanpur graduate, he has a passion towards technology-driven learning and we knew from that day that he was the right mentor for us," says Anubhav.
Bridging the skill gap
Over the past couple of years, startups focusing on bridging the skill gap have been fast growing.
There is the ex-Tiger executive-founded Great Learning, which focuses on skill development. There is also WAGmob, recently acquired by EdCast, which focuses on sales force training. Ronnie Screwvala and Mayank Kumar have started UpGrad, which focuses on skills training and follows a similar industry mentorship model. There also is Simplilearn.
StudyBud claims to have grown from 2,000 students in 2014 to 8,000 students by the end of 2015 and claims to have doubled its user base in the past six months, having reached 20,000 students as of June 2016.
The team claims to have a revenue run rate of Rs. 1.2 crore in this year, with the last two months being cash-flow positive. "We have been growing at more than 15 percent month-on-month in the last six months and are expected to reach the milestone of over 50,000 students by the end of 2016," says Anubhav,
Their revenue model is B2B2C — they sell directly to educational institutions, with students as the end user. A typical association with a college is worth Rs 3 to 5 lakh depending on the number of students.
Currently bootstrapped, the team plans to reach over 100 college associations, 500 corporate tie-ups, and 50,000 students in the next six months to drive faster revenue growth. The team is currently developing an Android app and plans to launch the same sometime next month.
"We are currently recruiting for the Chennai, Pune, and Lucknow regions and will soon be present in all the major education hubs of the country," adds Anubhav.
Want to make your startup journey smooth? YS Education brings a comprehensive Funding Course, where you also get a chance to pitch your business plan to top investors. Click here to know more.
- Dhruv Bhushan
- Anubhav Jain
- Studybud
- EduTech
- skill training
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- education online
- online skill training
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The pearly sheen of the tabletops, the glimmer of the glassed-in wine wall and the pendant lamps masquerading as gauzy white puffballs all gave Reef a cool holiday glamor last night. The lights of the downtown skyline sparkled beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, which added to the effect.
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Alison Cook
Reef hostess Courtney gets into the Santa spirit.
I can't remember the last time I dined out on Christmas Eve. By 6:30 pm the huge room was a little over half full with a dressier-than-usual crowd, some in big family groups with presents in tow; and by the time I left at 7:30, the house was nearer two-thirds full. Absent the usual raucous bar crowd and crush of weekend diners, the atmosphere felt delightfully relaxed, with the staff trading hugs and handshakes with regulars, toasts being raised, everyone in a good mood. Courtney, the hostess, had dressed in festive red satin with a Santa hat, an adorably goofy holiday touch. You couldn't see her and not start smiling.
I had promised to join two friends for a glass of wine and a few bites before I went on to a party–and what bites they turned out to be.
Chef Bryan Caswell has added some interesting new dishes to his winter menu, including a stunning house-made sweet potato ravioli appetizer layered with lively flavors and textures. Shards of smoky bacon from Caswell's Waller County hogs; crisp batons of tart green apple; squares of roasted sweet potato; fragile flash-fried greens: they all add to the fun of the rich, soft, filled pasta underneath. And for all the ingredients, the dish hangs together as a single statement. That's skill.
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Alison Cook
Sweet-potato ravioli from Reef's winter menu.
Caswell, who's devoted to local market vegetables, is making a salad of roasted winter squash these days, and it's a good one. With its cargo of slick serrano ham and salty parmesan slivers, the dish has the affect (and protein factor) of a mini-entree. Loved the accent of cracked coriander seed, too.
I felt a genuine pang when I had to leave. So much had been left untasted. The braised veal cheeks with salsify, pear and poblano salad were calling to me. So were the new chicken and parsley dumplings with root vegetables and roasted garlic. Not to mention the intriguing Redfish on the Half-Shell with fried mac & cheese. (Fried mac & cheese! Partner Bill Floyd practically chortled as he described this improbable treat to a tableful of guests.)
The idea of a broccolini side with golden raisins and pine nuts made me a little wistful, too. Oh, well. I'll be back. That's what the new year is for.


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Safety matters and you can help show it by recognizing exceptional safety performance with unique safety recognition displays.
Recognition Mission has been helping organizations with their custom recognition needs, sales awards, sales achievement displays, appreciation plaques, recognition plaques, recognition displays and employee recognition solutions. Our unique manufacturing capabilities, creative designs and commitment to customer satisfaction have lead to our success. We are a leader in on-site recognition of your star performers, employees, customers, vendors and executive staff. Our systems include: MagTech, Clear Change, Permanent Etch, Pocket D-print, Interactive Kiosk, Vista Frame, Defined Area, Stand-off, and Changeable Frames. Blog


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Underwater Robots
Motion and Force Control of Vehicle-Manipulator Systems
- Citations
- 2.1k Downloads
Part of the Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics book series (STAR, volume 2)
Part of the Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics book series (STAR, volume 2)
This book deals with the main control aspects in underwater manipulation tasks. The mathematical model with significant impact on the control strategy is discussed. The problem of controlling a 6-degrees-of-freedoms autonomous underwater vehicle is deeply investigated and a survey of fault detection/tolerant strategies for unmanned underwater vehicles is provided; experimental results obtained with the vehicle ODIN are presented. The presence of a manipulator is further studied in the aspects of kinematic, dynamic and interaction control. The purpose of this second edition is to add material not covered in the first edition as well as streamline and improve the previous material.