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Buy any 5 cards for $20 using code CARDS5FOR20 Buy any 10 cards for $40 using code CARDS10FOR40
For only the warmest of fuzzies.
5 x 7 inch greeting card. Blank inside.
Made with responsibly source 100% recycled (30% post-consumer) FSC paper. Printed in the Midwest with vegetable based inks (what up, no chemicals or petroleum!). Comes with a recycled kraft paper envelope.
Favorite Puffy Pin
Buy any 3 pins for $30 using code P3FOR30Buy any 6 pins for $60 using code P6FOR60
An ode to that puffy. The one you will never give up on... no matter how many surgeries you have to perform on it.
Show some outdoorsy pride with this 1.25 inch soft enamel pin. Rubber clutch.
Outside Please Card
But seriously, can we go outside please?? Like... now?
5 x 7 inch greeting card. Blank inside. This card has a fun pattern on the back for an extra punch of good vibes.
Outside Please Sticker
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Please. All the time. Outside. Seriously. Let's go!
Great for water bottles, cars, laptops... really anything that needs a little extra somethin' somethin'. Durable. Waterproof. 4 inch all-weather die cut sticker.
Last Socks Card
There's nothing more sacred than that last pair of clean socks you have been stashing away on a long trip...
Lit And Legit Card
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Gear Postcard
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All the essentials on one postcard. Now if only we could find them all in those colors in real life... am I right??!
Postcards are the perfect way to keep your people informed of your adventures when cell service isn't an option. Just be sure to pack a writing utensil too! 5 x 7 inch postcard.
Made with responsibly source 100% recycled (30% post-consumer) FSC paper. Printed in the Midwest with vegetable based inks (what up, no chemicals or petroleum!). Comes packaged in a clear, biodegradable sleeve.


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((((((((((Miscellaneous Dance))))))))))
Original Soundtrack (Lp), S^Express
Work my body over-The Album (Lp), DSK
Information Society (Lp), Information Society
Jody Watley (Lp), Jody Watley
The Pressure ^ Pt. 1 (Double 12^), Sounds of Blackness
Rhythm is gonna get you, Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine
Please don^t go, Double You
Why should I Cry?, Nona Hendryx
Street Dance, Break Machine
Boogie Nights, Will To Power
Dur Dur D^ Etre Be^Be^ (It^s tough to be a baby!), Jordy
Sayin^ Sorry don^t make it right, Denise Lopez
In the evening, Sheryl Lee Ralph
This could be the night (Beatstreet Battle music), Cindy Mizelle
Baby Talk, Alisha
Go West, Pet shop Boys
Straight up, Paula Abdul
Let the beat hit^em (the remixes), Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Girl-if you take me home / Let^s dance against the wall, Full Force
Love and emotion, Stevie B
Situation, Tom Jones
Don^t take my mind on a trip, Boy George
Remember, Fascination
Do you want it right now, Siedah Garrett
Come back, Londonbeat
Prove your love, Taylor Dayne
Groove Master, Arrow
Summergirls, Dino
Heartbeat, Seduction
Hot-Hot-Hot / Columbia Rock, Arrow
Back to the island, Baha Men
Good things come to those who wait, Nayobe
King Tut, Paul Hardcastle
Tarzan Boy, Baltimora
Tell it to my heart, Taylor Dayne
With every beat of my heart, Taylor Dayne
Precious little diamond, Fox the Fox
I wonder if I take you home, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
All night passion, Alisha
Fall down (spirit of love), Tramaine
Skip to my lu, Lisa Lisa
Chains of love, Erasure
She^s a lady, Tom Jones
Welcome, Gino Latino
My forbidden lover, Tapps
Power of love-love power, Luther vandross
Lifetime Love, Joyce Sims
19 / The Asylum (It^z Weird), Paul Hardcastle
I think we^re alone now, Tiffany
High Energy, Evelyn Thomas
We Connect, Stacy Q
Color my love, Fun Fun
Nasty (Cool summer mix), Janet Jackson
When I think of you, Janet Jackson
Say it-Say it, E.G. Daily
What^s on your mind (Pure Energy), Information Society (4 Copies Available)
Tina Cherry, Georgio (3 Copies Available)
People are still having sex, La Tour (2 Copies Available)
Can you feel the beat, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force (2 Copies Available)
Conga, Miami Sound Machine (2 Copies Available)
You look marvelous, Billy Crystal (2 Copies Available)
Sweetheart, Rainy Davis (2 Copies Available)
Don^t Go Re-mixes, Yaz (2 Copies Available)
In the heat (of the night), Klinte Jones (2 Copies Available)
Some kind of lover, Jody Watley (2 Copies Available)
Sending all my love, Linear (2 Copies Available)
The best things in life are free, Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson (2 Copies Available)
Good Vibrations, Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch (feat. Loletta Holloway) ^ (2 Copies Available)
Lambada, Kaoma (2 Copies Available)

subset: commoncrawl


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Starting with new recruits in central government since 2004, the NPS has been rolled out for states, PSUs, private firms and even individuals. Whats the potential of the pension sector and how does the scenario change after the passage of the PFRDA Bill
The potential for pension coverage is vast. We still have 88% of the population without any pension cover. Although the NPS corpus is doubling every year, we cant put a limit as to how much the corpus will grow in the coming years. Most of the states have joined NPS as they have realised that they cant sustain their pension liability (under the old defined benefit system). Apart from the central and state government employees, 926 companies have joined NPS since December 2011.
With statutory status (following the passage of the PFRDA Bill), investors will have greater confidence in NPS. We already have a hold on pension fund managers (PFMs). But the Bill gives us more powers to regulate the sector through steps like imposing penalties on errant PFMs.
Considering that a vast majority of workers in the unorganised sector are without pension cover, will the focus be on spreading NPS among individuals and corporates What strategy are you adopting to ensure that
Yes. The focus is on individual and corporates. Thats why we have given the role of marketing to fund managers. It is wrong to expect banks to market the pension products. So we have increased the fees of PFMs to make it attractive for them to sell pension schemes. Beyond that, it will increase the charges.
NSDL enjoys a monopoly status as a central record keeping agency (CRA) and it is alleged that this has prevented further reduction in charges. Is there a case for appointing more CRAs to foster competition and reduce charges
CRA charges have come down over the years. As the corpus grows, the CRA charges will come down further (as a percentage of the corpus). As more members join, we are looking at appointing a second CRA. We will have a request for proposal and then evaluate both on technical and financial parameters. NSDL also has to renew its licence after 10 years of operation. We have to go a long way. Competition (among CRAs) will improve efficiency. But we cant expect too much reduction of cost as then efficiency and quality of services will be compromised.
Why not link charges to different slabs of investment or raise the minimum investment limit of R6,000 per annum so that the charges as a percentage of the corpus come down
You cant impose different charges depending on the value of investment. The administrative charges are same for all. However, point of presence (PoP) charges vary depending on the corpus of an individual. We are not thinking of revising the minimum investment limit as of now.
Are there any plans to relax the investment pattern of NPS
We have already taken up with the government that their employees should get the same choices as private sector employees. First, in the investment pattern and, second, in choosing their PFMs. The government has agreed on the investment pattern. We have gone back to the government on PFMs saying why should they (government employees) be confined to PSU PFMs.
The finance ministry has agreed on that also, but we are waiting for a formal communication. Once we get that, we will notify the new rules.
Will you hike the equity exposure in NPS beyond 50%
We are not thinking of that as yet.
PFRDA has allowed 8 PFMs so far. Are there more applicants How many PFMs will you allow to enter the pension business
There is already a flurry of applications including that from major foreign pension funds. But we are being selective. We are looking at 15-20 PFMs over the years. If we find some very good PFMs, we may allow them to manage NPS.
Now that the Pension Bill is passed in Parliament, do you see major FDI inflows
The FDI limit in pension is linked to that in insurance. I am happy with 26% FDI cap. We will be happier with 49%. But the sectoral cap is a non-issue for pension as the minimum capital requirement is just R25 crore. Like mutual funds, the capital requirement is less in pension. Increasing FDI to 49% will provide for only R5.75 crore additional FDI in each PFM. FDI is important for insurance sector as it is a capital guzzler. FDI is needed in pension for attracting technology and expertise.
But dont you expect foreign pension funds to forge joint ventures with Indian firms for pension foray
Some of the foreign companies have already tied up with Indian firms and formed pension fund management companiesReliance Capital has a joint venture with Nippon and DSP has tied with Blackrock. Both of them have got licences.
How do you intend to tackle the competition that NPS faces with similar products of insurance, mutual funds and even EPFO
NPS is the only genuine pension product in the country. Others are masquerading as pension products but are not pure pension products. They are pretenders. They were being sold because NPS was not available a few years ago. NPS has the least cost and the best returns. Soon, those pension products of insurers will see a decline in their business now that NPS has picked up.
There has been comparison between PFRDA-regulated NPS and EPFOs schemes over benefits and charges. How do you justify that NPS is better
The track record speaks for that. The NPS offers far superior returns than EPFO schemes. Even the finance minister has said that new subscribers of Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) should be shifted to NPS. There is an element of subsidy in EPS but not in the case of NPS. World over, everybody is going for market returns. Even the EPF is offering market returns as the interest is dependent on returns from GSec, state government securities and PSU bonds. As interest rates have fallen over the decades, the EPF has been lowering its interest to subscribers. There is no getting away from the market. The other way is to ensure high returns is getting government subsidies.
While it is true that market fluctuations will not affect EPFOs returns as it doesnt trade in bonds, the PFMs under NPS trade in bonds and equities to reap the benefits of capital appreciation and pass on the benefits to subscribers. Thats the professional way of managing investment. After all, thats what they (PFMs) are paid for. Thats what PFMs and MFs are all about.
Not all the PFMs have performed better as the NAVs vary across schemes and PFMs. How will you ensure that investors get the best deal
We evaluate PFMs every month. Crisil has been appointed as a consultant to carry out the evaluation. On top of that, the NPS trustees meet and evaluate the performance every quarter. PFRDA also does its due diligence. As provided in the Pension Bill, we will soon constitute a technical advisory committee comprising professionals and experts to review various rules and suggest changes as the sector evolves.
The FSLRC has favoured a unified regulator for the financial sector. Do you see merit in that argument considering that there could be turf wars between PFRDA and others over pension products
I will not comment on FSLRCs recommendation. I have given my feedback to the finance ministry. There cant be any turf war because we have been constantly saying that pension products of insurers will be regulated by IRDA and that of PFMs by PFRDA.


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Welcome to the home page of Lights 2 Flag - a web site designed by motor racing fans for motor racing fans
If you're interested in any type of motor sport on four wheels there will be something on this site for you!
Some highlights include....
Our warts and all track guide aims to give practical information for those visiting a circuit for the first time - for example how to get there, where to stay, where to eat, the best viewing areas.
Touring cars - news and features on the BTCC, WTCC, DTM and their support races
F1 - the pinnacle of motor sport
A1 GP - the world cup of motor sport
The review section contains reports on goods and services available to motor racing fans - for example motor sport tour companies, books, DVD's etc
Our historical section is an area where you will find features about classic races of the past, your favourite drivers as well as motor sport trivia
Why not visit our blog for our no holds barred take on the latest motor sport action or leave a comment in our guest book ?
We hope you enjoy visiting our site and welcome your feedback


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Update: May 2011 – Hey, if you like my writing, you should check out my new website: Sustainable Diversity with fresh new and more in depth material!
I haven't updated since July, but October was one of my best months yet. Despite being in the middle of finishing my masters degree (my albatross), I have found a window of opportunity to get a quick update in. Just to show this site has not left my mind, far from it, ideas are countless still. My next update should be during the winter break between fall and spring semester. So… in preparation for a more in depth article on Latin America I'm going to tell you about the Darien Gap.
What is the Darien Gap?
This question is more difficult to answer than I had originally planned. 'What is the Darien Gap' is like asking 'What is physics?' Sure – there's the simple answer that it's the study of matter and energy and how they interact with each other… but anybody who has ever studied it knows that physics is the greatest mindfuck there is. And like physics, the complexity surrounding the Darien Gap might be equally boggling. And also like physics, there is a simple answer: the Darien Gap is a small swath of jungle that sits on the border of Central and South America on the edges of Colombia and Panama. It's a mere 31 miles wide from the Caribbean Coast to the Pacific Coast and various thicknesses depending on your source and what they consider to be the Darien Gap since it's not an entirely defined region. But as I said, this simple answer to the question "What is the Darien Gap' does it no justice. If I were to create my own answer to this question I might simply call it the most insidious place on Earth.
And there was no light matter in choosing the word 'insidious' either. The Darien Gap is insidious in every aspect of the definition. Merriam-Webster describes insidious as "awaiting a chance entrap: treacherous, harmful and enticing: seductive" and the Darien Gap is most definitely both seductive and treacherous. The following are real-life situations and issues directly involving the seduction and treachery of the Darien Gap. And these stories are so extreme that they could only be fact because fiction wouldn't believe them. But the Darien Gap is virtually unheard of despite its global reach. The 31 miles of unbroken jungle seems paltry to the behemoth Amazon to the South, yet it is crucial to understand the power it holds. But for all these stories to truly have weight, we need to understand the setting: The Darien Jungle itself.
The Darien Jungle
The Darien Jungle consists of some of the most impassible and impossible terrain on the planet. In some areas rocky cliffs reign supreme while other areas are so swampy that you could hide a few passenger jets deep in the swamp with plenty of room to spare. Some rainforest areas have been described as if being in a giant Cathedral with nothing but dirt on the ground and nothing but canopied trees above, other areas are shrouded in a constant fog of clouds. The picture to the right is from one of the only places I could find quality pictures from the Darien Gap. Most pictures are small or grainy or poor quality in some way. Thomas Griffioen's website has a lot of high quality beautiful pictures from the area, his set of pictures will really help you get a feel for the area. Through these pictures the seduction of the Darien Gap becomes obvious. In fact, it seduced this entirely different man to be the first to cross the Darien Gap by motorcycle and he had this to say about describing one part of the jungle:
After two hours on the trail we arrived at the marker on the Panama Columbia border. The hills were getting steeper and longer, sometimes it took three of us to get a bike up a hill. At places the trail was on the side of a steep hill. One slip, bike and rider would plunge into a deep valley that would be almost impossible to get out of. To make problems worse, there were many fallen trees and the jungle seemed to be getting thicker. We could barley see the sky and the jungle seemed like perpetual twilight zone.
He also took some pictures. Ian Hibell, a bicyclist that made the goal to bike from the tip of South America to Alaska went through the Darien Gap and you can see him hiking through a torturous swamp. And that is actually the only video I have of the Darien Jungle deep in its own heart. To think so very few primary resources of any place teeming with life on the planet in the 21st century is shocking.
And hidden deep within the jungle along the coast not accessible by road lays nothing less than one of the most unique fishing locations on the planet. The Tropic Star Lodge's website proudly acknowledges that they are rated the number one salt-water fishing resort in the world. Built in 1961 by a Texas oil rancher it has become an expensive fishing resort that lures the rich and famous across the planet including John Wayne and Saudi Shieks.
As in any unexplored jungle, it is needless to say that species of both plant and animal life still lay undiscovered inside. So naturally there are also numerous species that have been discovered that are endemic within the Darien Gap area. The Darien Gap is also a safe-haven for quite a few endangered species. Of these endangered species you might stumble across a Howler monkey, so surly in disposition it is the only untamed monkey by Native Americans. The Giant Anteater is another endangered species crawling through this tropical dimension. I'm going to take a minute to grind my axe here – I hate it when species like this are endangered, I've express this same feeling in my ocean entry about the endangered Leatherback turtles that eat jellyfish. Speaking from one human to another, we do not want species like this to go extinct. I know the anteater looks like a joke with legs but truly this animal is really smart and useful. Like bats and Leatherbacks they get rid of the pesky primordial species that are always trying to overwhelm the planet to turn the Earth back in to the golden age of when simple-celled organisms and insects ruled the planet. Ants are ridiculously plentiful, nobody is complaining about the scarcity of ants, and nobody is all too keen on hanging around with ants – so why aren't we worshiping these creatures that have adapted a nose to actually inhale them? AND it's the BIGGEST of them ALL! These animals are worth not only saving but actually growing their population. But instead we blindly go around eradicating these useful complex species from our planet in favor of the mechanical insects and primordial jellyfish. Why are we so stupid as to pick stinging, burning, biting, insects over silly-looking ant-eaters, flying mammals, and cool turtles, I will never understand this…
But I digress… Another endangered species found in the Darien Gap is the Bush Dog – super cute little guy right there. The white lipped peccary is a hog-like species that are notoriously aggressive and travel in packs. So you might be going for a random stroll through the Darien Jungle when all of a sudden you hear a large herd of white lipped peccaries coming your way – you better climb up the nearest tree because these little guys are nasty and they aren't afraid of people. The lesser capybara is another rare and endangered species, it also weighs in as the worlds largest rodent. But before you cringe in disgust it's clear the picture that it looks less like a rat and more like a guinea pig. And giant guinea pigs should be cool in everybody's book. In fact, looking at this animal makes me understand that even rabbits had to have come from rodent ancestry. Another endangered species is the Oncilla, a super cute 5 – 10 lb wildcat, I suspect living in a jungle they could get pretty nasty though. Baird's Tapir is the last endangered animal I'm going to showcase even though it is not the last endangered animal in the jungle; this strange mammal travels largely alone through the inexplicably unforgiving jungle trying to survive despite lower and lower numbers. These Tapirs take over a year to give birth after being impregnated and have to survive in a jungle in addition to being hunted by humans. I'm surprised any animal lives a year in that jungle with all the predators and deadly insects. Finally, some of the native residents of the Darien Jungle are the Embera tribe, traditional warriors of the region. Hunting with blowpipes and into some serious body painting, these native inhabitants have survived the Darien for centuries.
The Darien Scheme
So how unforgiving can the Darien Gap be? Well, listen to the story of how the Darien Gap defeats the country of Scotland. Yes – Scotland! How does a 30-mile swath of jungle in Central America defeat a country half a world away? Well, Scotland had existed as an autonomous entity for roughly 1000 years without compromising their independence. Yet it is well documented that at the very minimum the Darien Gap accelerated dissolution of Scotland and the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
William Paterson was a Scottish fellow who got rich by creating the Bank of England. And for his second trick he decided to return to his native Scotland and create a trading empire out of the tiny kingdom to the North. The cartography of the world had been complete enough at the turn of the 18th century and Paterson recognized a trading monopolists dream. It was clear beyond a doubt that the narrow isthmus of Darien, a mere 30 miles across (have I stressed that point enough yet?), would be ideal to establish a trading monopoly. Paterson was certain that if the Scottish government and the people of Scotland backed this plan they could colonize this isthmus and establish a crucial trading route from the expansive Atlantic and mighty Pacific.
I can only imagine Paterson's vision. Any completed map of the world back then would clearly show the unique geographic feature of an incredibly thin strip of land sitting conveniently between two massive continents. I can even feel his excitement – the Panama Canal would not be created for another 200 years – plenty of time to make Scotland the ultimate trading monopoly on the planet. For all these years the Kingdom of Scotland sat in the shadow of the likes of England, France, and Spain colonizing half the planet while Scotland held no successful colonies. And here was Scotland's prodigal son – William Paterson – a successful businessman with capital to invest getting ready to give Scotland its just due in the light of exploitation. No longer will England, Spain, and France be the only countries patting each other on the back for the capitalization of whole regions of the planet – in fact they'll now be at Scotland's mercy because they will have control of the Darien isthmus – and thus have control of the simplest trading route between the two monster continents. It would be an unavoidable monopoly and it would be Scotland who would benefit.
So Paterson started pitching this "scheme" to the Scots, and the Scots bought it – hook, line, and sinker. The Scots invested £500,000 which totaled about 50% of the nations capital. There was hardly a Scot who didn't throw whatever money he could at this global conquest. Originally, the Scots weren't going to bare the entire load and Paterson had worked the English and Dutch into the deal who subsequently backed out. To this day scandalous rumors float around questioning if this was done intentionally with the foresight of what would happen in Darien. Volunteers for the first trip to Darien were easy to find and were packed on a boat, 1,200 in number, and sailed 4 months across an expansive ocean to settle in their distant tropical paradise, build a colony, and make money! Of course when you cram 1,200 people on a boat for 4 months across an ocean at the turn of the 18th century enthusiasm tends to diffuse rather quickly. The Scots arrived in Darien sick and filled with dead – including Paterson's wife.
They unloaded their ship and began setting up their colony in the exact jungle in which I've already took the liberty to describe for you. And if things were bad on the boat they only got worse in the unforgiving heart of tropical Darien. Jungle diseases quickly began decimating the population and rations were becoming thin. Back at home Scotland sent a resupply ship which got shipwrecked. It then took even longer to send two ships which began their 4 month journey to Darien too late. The colony, decimated, took to the jungle in search of nearby plantations run by other nations. The resupply ships, only equipped for the basic necessities for a fully operating colony landed at Darien in shock and dismay to find nobody. 1,200 resupply colonists reached Darien but it is said that as few as 30 survived. With a complete and utter disaster realized it's believed that Scotland became so crippled it forced the 1707 Act of Union with England.
The Pan-American Highway
So we just read some history of the Darien region, now let's fast-forward to modern day. But again, let's step away from Darien for a moment and head to the top of the world where the small town of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska sits on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. Like Darien, this is a place on the planet where most people avoid. In fact, Prudhoe Bay has only about 50 residents all toiling in a remote, lifeless region of the planet to pump oil back to civilization for us to consume. According to their website that looks like it was made in 1995, there are 0 families that live at this northernmost town in North America. A few years ago Prudhoe Bay got some notoriety when BP spilled over a million liters of oil.
Now let's go the the very opposite now – the bottom of the world, Ushuaia, Argentina – often regarded as the southernmost city in the world. Not as extreme as Prudhoe Bay, Ushuaia enjoys milder weather despite its location. What do these two places have in common? They are both the starting and ending points of the Pan-American Highway – a highway created to span across the expanses of two continents. Unbroken lay the chain of highway from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia standing as a testament to the power of mankind over nature… well unbroken everywhere except for the Darien Gap.
Yes, you could take the Pan-American Highway and cross its distances from the icy Arctic, where no trees live through the towering rockies and conifer forests, down through the North American deserts, into unstable Central American countries shrouded in jungle, but in the small backwater of Yaviza, Panama the Pan-American Highway stops. A seemingly impenetrable wall of jungle faces you here – you are staring at the Darien Gap. Nothing but raw jungle stands between you and Turbo Colombia. From Colombia, you could follow along the Pacific through Ecuador, Peru, and Chile into the ribbed backside of the Andes Mountains. The final leg of the intensely long journey would be through country of Argentina, showcasing its capital – Buenos Aires, before turning sharply South along the Atlantic to Ushuaia.
And it's this fact that draws people to want to know more about the Darien Gap. We have a road that has conquered all aside from this stretch of jungle. Why hasn't the jungle been breached? Why haven't we connected this highway that would be an unrivaled global achievement? What power does this Darien Gap have that we cannot tame in this 21st Century? It turns out that these questions are presumptuous, because despite its inaccessibility, it was purposefully left unfinished.
Now, I know what you're thinking – With all the endangered species I listed above it's clear that a highway cutting through this very narrow and diverse jungle is something that humanity as a species would never dare ruin because the preciousness of diversity in life far outweighs the worlds longest road. But the truth is a terrible livestock disease that exists in South America does not exist in North America. The disease is called Foot and Mouth Disease, from Outside Magazine:
FMD is the doomsday plague of the livestock industry, an illness whose outbreak can shake global stock markets. Most recently, an epidemic of FMD ravaged England in 2001, causing more than $7 billion in economic losses. No cases of the disease have been reported in Panama, and the last U.S. outbreak occurred in 1929. But in Colombia, FMD was endemic during the 1970s and remains present today.
"If FMD were to invade Central America, it could have very rapid access to the United States," says Harold Hofmann, 61, associate regional director of the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency within the Department of Agriculture that's charged with protecting the U.S. food supply from pests and diseases. "Therefore, the government's plan is to keep it as far away as we can."
Not only did the Pan-American highway never get finished but the creation of the Darien National Park was a result of the fear of this disease. A national park ensured no livestock would be raised within its boundaries. The United States has been puppeteering this region because it is precisely the country standing to lose the most if this disease crosses over. The United States Health Inspection Service has a $4.5 million regional budget working towards eliminating both FMD and a critter known as a screwworm whose larvae eat the flesh of cows.
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
So Darien is purposefully closed off, and with essentially good reasons. But when we look closer, we see there is still yet more to the story. It's essential to remember the Darien Gap is insidious. And while we look at the Darien Gap and see 3 feet tall kitties and cute rodents and endangered species that need to be saved, the people who live with the Darien see the jungle as a giant death trap. Not simply for the natural causes of death – which are many – but because the Darien Gap has been home to Americas oldest terrorist organization. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are a by-product of over a century of civil war in Colombia. In the 1960s, rallying behind Marxist ideas, FARC was organized and began financing through the drug-trade. Today FARC is a multi-billion dollar drug-dealing enterprise supplying the United States with at least 60% of its cocaine. This is unfortunate because this is financing a group who recruits child-soldiers and kidnaps anyone of seemingly value and holds them in remote jungle prisons for sometimes years. The FARC have found their way to the Colombia-Panama border and are living (among other places) in the Darien Jungle kidnapping those they could use in any way and killing those who don't help in any way. There will be no arrest for your murder when you are murdered in the jungle, because you will never be found. Due to FARCs power people such as Hugo Chavez, leader of Venezuela, use them to cause confusion among accountable established nations by committing a certain amount of support for them. The United States has paid particular attention to them due to their influence.
Other rebel/terrorist groups that exist in this region are the National Liberation Army and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. All groups kidnap for some money. National Geographic Adventure magazine reporter, Robert Young Pelton, and two others were kidnapped for 10 days by the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia attempting to trek the Darien. When asked advice for travelers considering going to the region he responded:
The Darién Gap is an extremely dangerous place—it's probably the most dangerous place in the Western Hemisphere, definitely in Colombia. It's used as a conduit for drugs. There are no police there, there's no military, the trails aren't marked. Kuna Indians are freaked out now because of the violence being perpetrated against them. Unless you have a lot of experience in Colombia, I wouldn't suggest it. [For the most part] the jungle there is not viewed as a place that is pristine and beautiful—it's looked at as a place where you get killed. Because no one bothers gathering information, like I did. I mean, I know how you can hike the Darién now. But you have to have a group of armed men with you.
Destruction of the Darien Gap
Despite the Darien Gap existing (albeit dangerously) into the 21st century, it is guaranteed that it will not exist into the 22nd century. In fact it seems the Gap has less than a decade until the natural plug is breached and the Americas are irrevocably connected. Deforestation of the Gap is rampant. The rebel groups infest the interior making it incredibly dangerous for any sort of ecological protection. And the clock ticks until the final, slim, remaining barrier between North and South America is breached and the transference of Foot-and-Mouth disease to the North will be uncertain. The Native Embera tribe and jungle animals are losing their home tree by tree for basic subsistence and the result will be the elimination of an ecosystem of transcontinental importance.


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Le tre Sorelle is a cute villa with well-furnished apartments that enjoy wonderful views of the Campania countryside and the sea in the distance. The terrace is the perfect place to sit to take in the views and then have swim in the pool that is only shared by four apartments.
The villa is situated near enough to the small town of Casal Velino (approx. 2 km) so that you can pop to town to dine, enjoy an evening in the piazza and do the shopping. The town itself is very interesting, yet is untouched by mass tourism as yet. It has a small harbour and a pleasant promenade.
Read more about Le Tre Sorelle
However, after a day lounging around the pool, you don't have to go in to town to eat if you don't feel like driving you can just head downstairs in-fact! On the ground floor is the restaurant Le Tre Sorelle, which is particularly known for its fish dishes. Biagio the owner gets fresh produce daily from the port of Acciaroli, so the menu depends largely on what they have fished that day. They also serve delicious pasta dishes with the fresh vegetables from nearby farmers and of course meat dishes. The restaurant is not very big inside, but has good covered terraces with sweeping views of the landscape in front of the house.
The two apartments are located on the first floor of the house, but the very sloping site means that you have direct access to the garden from both of them. Both apartments have balconies with sea views and a room with a small table and two chairs at the entrance. They are decorated with attention to detail and are comfortable. They are both equipped with air conditioning. The other two apartments that share the pool are next door in Villa Franca.
1 bedroom apartment Giallo - sleeps 2/3:
- The apartment consists of a living room with a kitchenette and loft with a single bed (best for a child), a double bedroom and a balcony with a sea view and a bathroom with a toilet and shower.
2 bedroom apartment Blu - sleeps 2/4:
- The apartment consists of a living room with a kitchenette, a double bedroom and a balcony with a sea view, a bedroom with bunk beds and a bathroom with a toilet and shower.


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Astrology is a Science which is used to Control the Minds, Thoughts, Feelings, Speech, Action and Behavior of the person.Vashikaran is a Mystical gift bestowed by our Rishis and Sages. It was devised with one Aim i.e.To Attract the one you Desire or to bring your beloved under your control. This Mystical Eastern Art is been used since ages.Whether he/she is married or unmarried, younger or elder, from any caste or religion or even angry with you but he/she will becomes of you within a few days.
You can get your your love back or Ex beloved back now easily by taking the right decision. some people lost their love due to lake of knowledge.
You can get your lost love back or ex love back by vashikaran and with the help of mantra powers in few days.
I also deals in many other problems like husband/wife in illicit relations, Son/ Daughter out of order,Love is the essential or this is a part of life in everyone. But the everyone cannot get his or her love in there life. Every one is seeking loveDo you know about what actual is mantras?
Mantra is a combinations of words.These combinations of words (mantars need to be chanting again again n again to full fill your desire. But mantras needs to chants in proper method.There are different type of vashikaran mantras,
Lost love back Baba the most powerful vashikaran mantras for love spells help in love marriage and anyone can fullfil the desire immediately.Free vashikaran mantras for love get in effect only when it is chanted in proper method by the vashikaran expert person.Now here the question is what we can get from vashikaran mantras or which wishes we can fulfill by vashikaran mantras.
There is heaviness and weight on the heart and constriction in the throat. At times, there could suddenly be blue marks on thighs without getting hurt, or faster & erratic heartbeat and breathing without any physical exertion. There are quarrels in the family without any reason.


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In a little noticed development, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow last month selected one of the leaders of a Russian LGBT sports group to participate in a sports exchange program in the U.S. organized by the State Department.
Lesbian athlete Elvina Yuvakaeva, co-president of the Russian LGBT Sport Federation, arrived in Washington last week with a five-member delegation of Russians working on the 2014 Winter Olympics set to take place in Sochi, Russia Feb. 7-23.
Under the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program, Yuvakaeva and the Russian delegation will visit several cities to meet with professional U.S. sports teams and organizers of past Olympics games in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The meetings are aimed at providing information helpful to the Russians' effort to promote and carry out the Olympic Games in Sochi.
Yuvakaeva said she will also be meeting with U.S. organizers of the 2014 Gay Games, the quadrennial international LGBT sports competition scheduled to take place next summer in Cleveland. In addition, she said she will make use of her U.S. visit to promote a first-ever LGBT sports competition her organization is planning to hold in Moscow next March called the Open Games.
"Two years ago our organization was registered as an NGO [non-governmental organization] by our government," Yuvakaeva told the Blade in a Sept. 15 interview. "And our small victory was in the papers," she said, noting that the registration of organizations in Russia is considered a form of government recognition.
"In our papers the government saw that L means lesbian, G means gay, B means bisexual, and T means transgender," she said. "So we understood that the government saw us and we are visible to our government and society."
A State Department spokesperson on Tuesday declined to comment on the potential political significance of the selection of a lesbian sports activist for the U.S. exchange program.
Observers of the controversy surrounding calls by some LGBT activists in the U.S. and Europe for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics in response to a recently passed Russian law that critics say subjects gays to persecution are likely to view Yuvakaeva's selection as a signal of U.S. opposition to Russia's policies on gays.
President Obama, who has expressed concern about Russia's so-called "gay propaganda" law, included Russian LGBT activists as part of a contingent of representatives of Russian civic organizations with whom he met during his recent participation in the G-20 international economic summit in St. Petersburg.
"Quite frankly, I'm not going to get into a political thing like that," said Susan Pittman, director of media relations for the State Department's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.
"I would merely reiterate that these people are selected after their applications are in and they're reviewed by the embassy and the consulates," she told the Blade.
"These particular programs – we have a number of them throughout the year," Pittman said. "They include emerging leaders in a variety of fields – in professions, in sports, in the arts, in culture. The whole idea is to bring these people here in order to be able to establish relationships with their American counterparts."
Yuvakaeva said a U.S. Embassy official approached her and invited her to apply for the exchange program in August while she attended an embassy reception. The reception, to which she had been invited, was held at the embassy in honor of U.S. athletes participating in the 2013 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) track and field competition that took place Aug. 10-18 in Moscow.
Among those attending the reception, Yuvakaeva said, was American runner Nick Symmonds, who created a stir when he spoke out against the Russian law against gay propaganda after receiving a silver medal in the competition. Sports writers said Symmonds, who is gay, became the first international athlete to criticize the gay propaganda law while on Russian soil.
Yuvakaeva said the Russian LGBT Sport Federation was founded in 2010 as a non-political organization with the purpose of promoting and facilitating sports among Russia's LGBT community. Among other things, it serves as a representative of the Russian LGBT community on the board of the International Federation of Gay Games.
She said Russian authorities have not sought to revoke the group's registration following the approval earlier this year by the Russian parliament of the gay propaganda law, which Russian officials have said is aimed at protecting minors from homosexuality.
According to Yuvakaeva, authorities consider the Russia LGBT Sport Federation to be in compliance with both the propaganda law and a separate law banning certain organizations from receiving money from foreign groups or governments on grounds that the Russian sports group is non-political.
"The only thing is we couldn't invite minors to our events and we wouldn't spread some information among minors about our events because it's outlawed," she said in discussing the impact of the gay propaganda law on her group.
Concerning the Sochi Olympics, Yuvakaeva said the Russian LGBT Sport Federation opposes calls for a boycott on grounds that it would have a negative impact on the athletes and the LGBT community.
"My position and our official position is that a boycott of Sochi is a bad idea because the Olympics is a big event which is held every four years," she said. "So Olympic athletes are preparing for this event a minimum of four years and it means Olympic athletes cannot compete and don't have an opportunity to win medals."
She said her organization also believes a boycott would have a negative impact on public opinion of the LGBT community in Russia and elsewhere.
"Our suggestion is to ask athletes, for example, at the opening ceremony to hold hands," she said. "Same-sex people can hold hands during the opening ceremony to support LGBT people in Russia and all people."
Although she won't use her U.S. visit to campaign against a boycott, she said she will make her views known on the subject when she meets with LGBT sports representatives in the various U.S. cities to which she will travel through this month.
Among her priorities during her U.S. visit will be to promote and possibly raise money for the upcoming Open Games next year in Moscow, Yuvakaeva said. In what could be another first, she said she will ask officials of the Coca-Cola Company to consider contributing money for the Open Games when she and the Russian delegation meet company officials during their visit this week to Atlanta.
The delegation was scheduled to meet the Coca-Cola officials in connection with the company's role as a sponsor of the Sochi Olympics.
"I want to ask Coca-Cola about these funds because they can make a PR campaign that says, OK guys, we're sponsors of the Sochi Olympics. And in the same situation we support LGBT athletes in Russia because we gave some money for the Russian Open Games," she said.
"So I think it might be interesting for them," Yuvakaeva said. "We'll see."
While Yuvakaeva visits various U.S. cities in her participation in the State Department's exchange program, Konstantin Yablotski, the other co-chair of the Russian LGBT Sport Federation, is in Los Angeles promoting the Open Games on the West Coast.
Yablotski, a figure skater who competed in the 2010 Gay Games in Germany, and Yuvakaeva, an avid snowboarder and badminton player, are each committed to advancing LGBT equality in Russia through sports, Yuvakaeva told the Blade.
She said the sports planned for the Open Games, for which both LGBT people and heterosexual athletes are invited, are track and field, basketball, volleyball, badminton, soccer, tennis, table tennis, swimming and cross-country skiing.
Yuvakaeva said that while foreign athletes would be welcome to participate in the Open Games, her organization was still deliberating over the extent to which foreign participation may be possible due to logistical limitations and security and safety issues.
"Our main goal is propaganda for a healthy sports lifestyle among the LGBT and society," she said.


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Declutter flutter? We're not here to tell you to get organized, because if you're not already organized, odds are you've been told you need to declutter and get organized and it hasn't made any difference.
So how about this: That mess in your room? It's not just a biohazard. It's actually clogging up your brain and making you a little bit dumber.
Why clutter makes you stupid
Picture a casino. Flashing slot machines, glittering lights, relentless sound effects. And a big electric bill. The average casino on the Las Vegas "Strip" faces tens of millions of dollars in power costs per year. Now, ask yourself: Do casino operators pay for all that power just because they think this stuff is pretty?
No, they pay because all that clutter makes you stupid. You see, clutter competes for your brain's attention, like any other distraction. The more clutter, the more distraction, the more likely you are to stuff your money into the casino operator's pocket.
Researchers have finally confirmed what casinos have long known: Clutter reduces your brain's ability to focus and process information. Princeton University scientists recently published a study using magnetic resonance brain scans to confirm that peak mental performance occurs in a de-cluttered environment.
How to de-clutter: The 60second Purge
Grab a box and a timer. Go to your room. Put the box in the center of your room. Set the timer to 60 seconds. Ready? Set? GO!
Give yourself the next 59 seconds to find 10 things you haven't used (or looked at) in a year and dump them in the box.
That dog-eared guide to WoW gold strategies? Check. That pair of jeans with the hole in an…unfortunate place? Yep. A bent paper clip? Um, OK. Whatever ten items your eyes land on, don't think about it: If they meet the criteria, just dump 'em in the box!
When you're done, ask your parents (or whomever is in charge) if you can stow the box someplace. Tell them it's for a science experiment—that often works. Then walk away.
Tomorrow, rinse and repeat. Another 60second Purge. Add the harvest to your collection. The next day, another 60second Purge. More bounty! Do it for a week. Seven whole days. Now take a look at your pile of stuff and ask yourself: Do I really want to put it all back? If the answer is "NO," just get rid of it. NOW.
Hurt a little?
If you've ever watched an episode of Hoarders, you know some people can't get rid of anything. Those are extreme cases, of course. But most of us have a hard time letting go—even of things we really don't need, really don't want anymore, and probably won't use again. A team from Yale University may have discovered why: When you give something away, the pain-signal processing area of your brain can react just as it would if you'd smashed your little toe.
So there it is: The same regions of your brain that shriek if you cut off your right arm raise a ruckus when you give away something you haven't looked at in three years. But now that you know what's really going on, it won't hurt so much. We hope.
Now that your workspace is a zen sanctuary of concentration, here's what you must do to make the most of it.


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Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda
Kethol is an adventurer with an easy smile, a man who is quick with a quip and quicker with a sword.
His partner, Pirojil, the ugly one, looks impressive and deceives people into thinking he's stupid to their sorrow - for his might and loyalty are worth a kingdom.
And the fledgling wizard Erenor, a man who tries to stay two steps ahead of his enemies, as well as one step ahead of his friends.
Loyal retainers they are, sworn to Jason Cullianane, a man who walked away from a crown, and who has been trying to convince all the almost-warring factions that he doesn't want the job back. Their lives aren't very easy, what with keeping Jason from getting killed by yet another conspiracy, rescuing some damsel or whatnot in distress, and squirreling away something for the ever - diminishing prospect of retirement. And now it looks like our heroes might wind up succeeding in none of their schemes, for there are plots within plots, and Kethol has been forced into a disguise not of his own making. There is magic aplenty in the air (and on the ground), and in order to save a kingdom, they may have to pull off a complicated scheme that could kill them all - or land them in positions of supreme power. But, hey, whoever said that a soldier's life was a cakewalk? Set in Joel Rosenberg's best-selling Guardians of the Flame series, Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda is the third adventure of the journeymen soldiers of Castle Cullianane (and their sometimes ill-fated leader) in all their raucous glory. A fun, fast-paced read, it's a rollicking roller coaster of a book that will have fantasy fans reaching for more.


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Discussion in 'Trading' started by krazykarl, Jul 14, 2006.
anyone else hiding in gold and oil right now?
all equity markets are getting crushed, not just US.
smells like a wholesale asset liquidation, and I truly hope I'm wrong. But probably not.
This ain't purdy.
let's discuss what it will take to stop this dive....
i've got nothing. even the fed pausing at this point wouldn't have an effect IMO.
to me it feels like there is a massive rotation out of equities into very few commodities as a direct result of geopolitical issues.
any other thoughts?
just when things look like they coudn't get worse...they tend to get better.
yeah. gold and crude. maybe foodstuffs if things get really hairy.
If Israel and the Hezbollah would put away their sticks and stones and stop escalating we might see oil pullback to $70 and the market bounce away from the recent lows..... for a moment.
The markets will fix itself -regardless of isreal and hezbollah. The market recovered from 911-this is nothing.
this isnt the stage where"things couldnt get any worse" that wont happen for about 2 years..or whatever the average bear market cycle is. the top of this was in May..we are only 2 months into it. people said that about NASDAQ as well in 200, 2001...still hasnt recovered over 5 years later
we will get a bounces..but overall the general market direction is down.
read Trader vic...he has better explinations than i as to how the markets act in different bear/bull stages.
i for one am very, very short...almost across the board with a couple small longs here and there (consumer staples, oil, gold).
I think most people here with experince agree that most bull positions should only be exremely short term and only made in very oversold situations based on these market conditions.
man. listen. you should read only and stop posting for a while. it is blatantly obvious that you really dont undertand markets.
1. fix itself-yes...the markets normalize with time and return to their moving averages. That doesnt mean they always go up. they dont, nor are the currently
2. Recovered from 9/11- I emplore you to visit the 10 years graphs on all of the major indices...NONE sir have recovered. the Nasdaq is 1/2 what it was in 2000, the S&P has not made a new high form that time period, and the Dow barely recovered to where it was during ...and is braking back down.
no amount of hope will change the markets. you should study and understand them before puting you money and reputation at risk.
Separate names with a comma.


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Did you know that Shipshewana, Indiana, is the third largest Amish community in the U.S.? Most people visit for the famous flea market & tourist attractions, but it's also known for the generous hiking and biking trails. Here are some resources about things to do and places to eat in Indiana's Amish Country.
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Enjoy a relaxing weekend away with your honey from your normal, hectic life. From antiquing to cheese tasting, you'll find that Shipshewana has everything you need for a romantic trip!
Lets...go...shopping! Plan a girls trip to the Midwest's Largest Flea Market in Shipshewana, and also enjoy relaxing in Amish Country with good food and entertainment.
Here in Shipshewana, simple living is a choice. You'll slow down, and enjoy time in Shipshewana learning about the Amish lifestyle, taking a buggy ride, and savoring local cuisine.
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"David has shown incredible dedication to the organization and is an integral part of the continued growth and success of SRG."
- Peter Karpinski
Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) June 14, 2012
Sage Restaurant Group (SRG), the Denver-based independent restaurant group dedicated to creating experiences where food, drink and inspired design meet and mix, today announced the internal promotion of David Marsh to the role of Senior Vice President of Operations.
Joining Sage Restaurant Group in 2009 as the General Manager of Food and Beverage Operations for the company's Portland-based Urban Farmer and Departure restaurants at The Nines hotel, Marsh brings more than 20 years of restaurant industry experience to his newly appointed role. As a General Manager, Marsh earned a reputation for excellence while overseeing the successful operations of both unique concepts, receiving recognition as an SRG "Leader of the Year" in 2011.
As Senior Vice President of Operations, Marsh will direct food and beverage operations for Sage Restaurant Group's ten distinct restaurant properties: The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar and Second Home Kitchen + Bar, in Denver, CO; Kachina, Southwestern Grill in Westminster, CO; Temple Downtown in Providence, RI; the acclaimed Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago, IL; Braddock's in Pittsburgh, PA; and Urban Farmer Steakhouse, the Original Dinerant and Departure in Portland, OR.
In this role, Marsh will lead property teams in the development and execution of revenue-generating food and beverage programs while consistently exceeding expectations of SRG's discerning clientele. In addition to business and guest-base growth, Marsh will be responsible for overseeing in-room dining and catering operations for all SRG restaurants, all located adjacent to hotels, as well as talent management, team building, and personnel development.
"It's an honor to welcome longstanding Sage Restaurant Group team member David Marsh to our Denver corporate office as he joins the executive team as our new SVP of Operations," said Peter Karpinski, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Sage Restaurant Group. "David has shown incredible dedication to the organization and is an integral part of the continued growth and success of SRG. His proven strategic execution and leadership abilities are sure to add great value to all of our operations in this role."
A graduate of Brigham Young University, Marsh held numerous other hospitality leadership roles before joining SRG in 2009, including management positions at South Lake Tahoe's iconic Riva Grill and various properties within the Morton's Restaurant Group umbrella.
About Sage Restaurant Group
Sage Restaurant Group creates experiences where food, drink and inspired design meet and mix. These independent restaurants, adjacent to hotels, deliver exceptional catering and in-room dining experiences. Wherever they are located, Sage Restaurant Group's concepts feature a distinctive scene and a subtly infused local vibe designed to appeal to a guest who is hungry for life. For more information, please visit http://www.sagerestaurantgroup.com.


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Position(s): New Jersey (2015-17)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 267.238.7201
Chief James V. C. Yates is a 40 plus year fire service veteran who began as a volunteer with Lawrence Road Fire Company, in Lawrenceville, N.J., in 1970. He served in all line and administrative capacities including Fire Chief and President.
In 1974, he began his career service as a firefighter at Trenton Mercer Airport, Ewing, NJ. Other career firefighter positions included Naval
Air Station Lakehurst, Lawrence Township, NJ, and Fire Marshal at Fire District #2 Hamilton Township, Mercerville, N.J.
Recognizing the value of a new life safety technology, smoke detectors, in 1978 then Assistant Chief Yates persuaded management of a 1000 unit high density housing project to install the devices. To ensure public safety, numerous community education programs were conducted which required all residents to attend. Subsequent to the program Assistant Chief Yates won the prestigious NFPA Learn Not to Burn national fire prevention contest award.
A 1978 graduate of Mercer County College, with an Associate Degree in Fire Science, and the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers Program (EFO), he is an Assistant Professor of Fire Science at his college alma mater.
In 1985, Chief Yates was hired by West Windsor Township and serves as Director/Chief/Fire Marshal of the Division of Fire & Emergency Services which includes twelve career and twenty per diem Firefighter/EMTs that staff an engine, ambulance and perform fire code plan review and enforcement, HazMat/confined space team response as well as, CERT Team management and training and emergency management in a combination career/volunteer system.
Chief Yates holds the designation of Chief Fire Officer (CFO) from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and MIFireE from the Institution of Fire Engineers and is a member of a number of organizations, including; New Jersey Career Fire Chiefs Association, New Jersey Fire Chief Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Eastern Division and National Fire Protection Association.
IAFC members have easy access to trusted resources that build confidence, enhance skills and help serve their community more safely and effectively.More Info


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525 Grams
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The 2003 Ironman Pro DVD - Report and DVD Review
Bodybuilding Video & DVD Reviews
The 2003 Ironman Pro DVD - Report and DVD Review
2003 IronMan Pro Invitational (DVD)
Carrying 267 pounds of lean beef on his 59 frame, JAY CUTLER - the Ultimate Beef - stormed to victory with a perfect score in every round. A shredded MELVIN ANTHONY edged out FLEX WHEELER with new pro TROY ALVES making a sensational debut.
Go to:
Go to:
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for the 2003 Ironman Pro Main Page!
Back To Top
Pro Invitational
Prejudging and SHow
Marsee Auditorium
El Camino Community College
February 15, 2003
Los Angelos, CA, USA
The DVD started off with the lineup out on the stage. There was a lot of variability in muscle quality, ranging from world class to less than amateur quality (
Jocelyn Pelletier
from Canada). Maybe this guy just likes being up on stage, but I do believe it is an insult to the paying fans and the hungry amateurs that he is on the stage. Granted, he did earn his pro card the old fashioned way - but WAY back in the day. Maybe the IFBB should have a rule where you need to show up to a contest in shape in order to compete.
The lineup started off with the standard quarter turns. Jocelyn was lined up next to
Quincy Taylor
. LOL!!! This was quite a sight - here was the smallest guy in the worst shape on the stage next to a guy who is 6'4 and 285 pounds shredded. It was ridiculous to see them side by side. Since the Ironman is an open show and under IFBB regulations must allow any pros to compete, maybe the promoters decided to put Jocelyn and Quincy side by side in order to highlight this differential in physique quality (and frankly, to embarass Jocelyn). Not to be too hard on 'ole Jocelyn, he was quite amazing back in his day.
The next bunch of competitors lined up and were announced one at a time. 42 year old
Aaron Baker
was on the stage and looking fantastic! He looked younger than he was both in the face and in the body. Not to mention he had the vibrance of a man much younger. Maybe
indeed are the fountain of youth. Granted, I should point out it is sheer speculation that Aaron does steroids - just an educated case of mine. For all I know, he may just be using regular creatine.
Jay Cutler
was side by side with
Troy Alves
and it was then that I noted his flaw. Granted, his waist and hip structure is somewhat large, but the main flaw is simply that he has overwhelmed his frame with too much muscle. At 5'9, 267 pounds of shredded muscle will not look all that aesthetic no matter how well you hold it. I wish the ironage school of
would acknowledge that a major flaw in bodybuilding today is simply the overwhelming muscle mass, and not so much lack of lines. Jay DOES have lines, but it's hard to look "pretty" when your muscularity is so enormous.
The initial callouts consisted of Jay Cutler, Melvin Anthony, Troy Alves, Flex Wheeler, and others. The 6'4 Quincy Taylor was in line next to the 5'6 Ahmad Haidar. They both looked incredible, but I could only imagine how much more imposing Quincy would be in person.
When Johnnie O. Jackson was called out, his dense muscularity was sickening. Darrem Charles was in his usual peak condition and Quincy Taylor was so tall and huge that he caught the eye instantly. He was completely towering over these
like no other
ever has - other than
Lou Ferrigno
and Ralf Moller, who were 6'5 and 6'7 respectively.
As mentioned before, the physique quality varied quite considerably in this contest.
Tommi Thorvildsen
was similar to Jay Cutler in that he was (and usually is), cut but "soft". His muscularity wasn't as dense and grainy as those like Johnnie O. Jackson,
Ronnie Coleman
Dorian Yates
Rich Gaspari
, and others known for their hardness. The thing about Jay Cutler is that for all the muscle he has, he is as strong as he looks. What I find about those who are hard as nails is that they are much stronger than they look.
Bertil Fox
for example was hard as a rock and a lot stronger than he looked (even though he did look incredibly strong). Tommi though, IS very strong, and much stronger than he looks. So my question would be: why doesn't he have the hardness you would expect that would come with that mighty strength? I guess the other factors at play are genetics, steroids, and proper
. Everybody responds differently.
Back to the show, Troy Alves, Darrem Charles, and Melvin Anthony lined up for some quarter turns and how had classic physiques. If these are the kinds of physiques you appreciate in bodybuilding - reminiscent of 1980s bodybuilding, then this DVD is definitely for you. These guys looked fantastic. Next up, Flex Wheeler traded places with Darrem to pose with Troy and Melvin. Flex is 5'10 and 1/4 and Troy and Melvin are both 5'8. This made Flex appear slightly more lanky than the others and also more classical looking in appearance - although they all have
classic physiques
, and I do find that 5'8 to 6'0 is basically the perfect height to accentuate those qualities.
Next for some more callouts, Jay Cutler posed with Flex Wheeler and Melvin Anthony. Jay was in the middle and it was sort of organized by height, with Flex on the left and Melvin on the right. They were 5'10, 5'9, and 5'8, respectively. They all looked fantastic and had really nailed it in terms of overall conditioning. They all had different strengths and weaknesses, with the only common property that they came in to this show in condition. Jay's
dwarfed the others in terms of size and thickness in both the rear double
and rear lat spread. All three had very detailed backs though. Jay's triceps looked incredible in the side
- he has some huge guns and some massively thick
. Jay's
were also thick and shredded - cross striated and filled with separation - some of the freakiest in the world today.
Troy came to take Jay's place in the lineup and immediately I suspected that it would be Jay Cutler in first place and Troy, Flex, and Melvin would be fighting for the top spots following to fill out the top three - all three top spots would get an invitation to the
2003 Mr. Olympia
that year. On that note, the 2003 Mr. Olympia was
Ronnie Coleman
's most dominating performance ever in my opinion! And Flex Wheeler agrees.
It was clear at this point in the show that Jay dominated the competition in terms of size and thickness and that he was sufficiently shredded and shapely to win the whole show. Granted, he didn't have the most aesthetic in the lineup, as there were several guys who I would say did, but these days contests are judged based on who comes in the biggest and in the best condition, whilst preserving as much shape and symmetry as possible. Back in the day, it was judged primarily based on genetic structure, with conditioning and posing a high priority, and size only secondary to these factors. If you do not approve of how the NPC and IFBB judges their contests, I would advise you all to contact them and explain this. It is only through the voice of the fans that any change can be activated in this organization. Granted, I am extremely entertained by the new crop of freaks, but I would never want to look like them and I couldn't imagine it being healthy. On this note, this was Flex Wheeler's last contest, due to his kidney problems which he claims were genetic, but which I believe were aggravated by the nature of the competitive
lifestyle. Sometimes, how desperately you want to win is only mediated by how wreckless you want to be. Sad but true.
More callouts were taking place, and dense and shredded muscle were all over the map. Speaking of maps, you could run motocross races on the backs of a lot of these guys because their condition was so ridiculous. The pros continued through their mandatory poses and were looking great. While there was natural variability among the competitors, they all came into the show in good condition. Amazing how well they performed given that they were competing for peanuts (a paltry $20,000 total prize money). I do believe that that the Ironman prize money is a joke, but if athletes continue to enter the show in great condition and put on great entertainment for the fans, what incentive do the promoters have in increasing prize money? This is simple economics 101 and something that
Shawn Ray
does not understand - the promoters are not obligated to provide any extra money to the competitors in addition to the money that market conditions allow for. If the pros have a problem with this they should STOP COMPETING. I would not be competing in this contest or in any of the dinky grand prix events for that matter - not with the prize money that they have. Unless of course I was like Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler and basically assured a win. But the
continue to compete so they have no one but themselves to blame when the prize money doesn't get increased. Nobody is forcing them up on stage with a cattleprod. It would be nice if they got more money, but the promoters are thinking about their bottomline and as such, have no reason to change their business model. This is basic economics 101 as I mentioned earlier.
Flex Wheeler
Flex posed to "The Only One For Me" by
Brian McKnight
. As always, his posing was slow and graceful, highlighting the type of physique that he possessed (shapely and aesthetic). This was quite a good performance in that it was his last one). He looked very good. The separation in his thighs and conditioning in his back was excellent. His
pose was a winner as always. He did the splits at the end of his routine.
J.D. Dawodu
J.D. is somebody I haven't heard about much lately (as of February 2006). He looked incredible and was very thick. J.D. posed to "Faboulous" by
. He looked like a truck and was dense and hard too. His music quickly changed to "Bang Bang" by Dr. Dre. This guy would be quite a sight to see in person - he was built like a brickhouse. His music changed again and it was clear he put some time planning out this posing routine. He did an excellent job with it. His final posing song was "Good Times (I Get High)" by
Styles P
Jocelyn Pelletier
Jocelyn posed to "Fuck You Like An Animal" by
Nine Inch Nails
. Jocelyn wasn't very good. The end.
Quincy Taylor
Quincy posed to "My Love is Your Love" by
Whitney Houston
. This man was 6'4 and in good condition in good size. Not much else matters if you're looking to be entertained by a freak - he looked incredible. His
is somewhat "bottom heavy" and the main criticism he gets is that he still needs more mass on his enormous frame. He is big. "Large and in charge" as Lonnie Teper said.
Tommi Thorvildsen
Tommi posed to "Hunting High And Low" by
. He didn't appear to be as shredded as he could have been or maybe it was just a tan that he was lacking. His overall hardness didn't appear as good as it could have been. Tommi has been criticized for his structure. He does look good but lags in the
. If he brought up this areas as well as focussed on overall size and conditioning I think he would do better. Granted, these are a lot of improvements he would need to make, but that is the nature of competitive bodybuilding. Tommi did a backflip while posing to "Lose Yourself" by
! Who says these big guys are muscle bound?
Johnnie O. Jackson
Next, Johnnie O. Jackson posed to "Beautiful" by
Christina Aguilera
. Johnnie's
are a notable weak point, but otherwise he looks good. He is as hard as a rock and in great condition. His back is thick and just plain out of sight. He looks as strong as he is. Very impressive. Next Johnnie briefly posed to
Tupac Shakur
before ending his routine.
John Hodgson
John had some quality muscularity, especially for a guy I hadn't really hard about before. He looked awesome. He posed to a powerful Opera like song, much like the kinds that
Ronnie Coleman
uses during his Olympia routines (such as the
2004 Mr. Olympia
). He had good overall balanced and my only advise for him would just be to continue to do what he has been doing. He had some good diamond cuts on his
Jay Cutler
Jay had a well put together posing routine. He seemed to be the clear winner the moment he stepped on stage. He had the same conditioning as he did at the
2001 Mr. Olympia Contest
, but was bigger than he had been at that show. He posed to "Time to Say Goodbye" by
Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli
. I'm not sure if Jay has the lines necessary to pose to these slow operatic songs, but he did it pretty well, and that particular song does have some strong points for Jay to exploit his size. He was incredibly muscular and had excellent balance given his size. In the end, he posed to just that - "In the End", by
Linkin Park
, speeding things up a little bit. He also had the voice of Arnold saying "That's what I call posing" in
Pumping Iron
. Lonnie Teper jokingly said that Jay needs to work the
a little bit.
Troy Alves
Troy had your typical physique straight out of the seventies or eighties. You have to wonder how he would have performed if he was up against those guys in those days. Of course we would need to find a time machine to find out. He looked excellent in his twisting back poses.
Melvin Anthony
is without question one of the best posers in the IFBB today and he showed that again during this contest. He posed to the song "Dontchange" by
Musiq Soulchild
. His 27 inch waist was displayed to his advantage throughout the
! He looked amazing. This was exactly the type of posing song he needed to use to his advantage. His thighs were deeply striated just like
's were back in the day. He sped up his posing a little and went to his usual robotic/dancing posing routine. He really has the moves, lol. His gravity defying moves were highlighted on the stage. One day I swear he's going to fall over with this routine, lol.
Eddie Abbew
Eddie was another thick and dense
. He had pretty good lines and overall balance.
Tevito Alelehei
He posed to "Beautiful" by
Christina Aguilera
. He had great overall balance and a superb tan. His conditioning and midsection were both very balanced and he looked very good.
Christian Lobarede
Christian has a somewhat awkward physique. His waist is wide and square and his
don't start until closer to his armpits. This is just genetic so there's not much he can do about it. He posed to "No More Drama" by
Mary J. Blige
. He looked pretty wideset in the most muscular poses.
Ahmad Haidar
Ahmad posed to "I'm Alive" by
Celine Dion
. He had your typical classic physique. Great balance with no major strengths or weaknesses. Great abs and midsection! Somewhat smallish on the
, but he did look good. He looked more moderate than some of the bigger guys. Ahmad was a good poser to boot. A worthy competitors in the greatest bodybuilding shows on earth. As
Shawn Ray
said, he makes you say
"I wish I had abs like that - I wish I had balance like that."
One of Ahmad's early inspirations was
Samir Bannout
. Lebanon is relatively small and to have a
Mr. Olympia
winner come from the place you grew up would definitely be motivating.
Darrem Charles
Typical Darrem. Excellent poser and fantastic overall conditioning. Darrem has good balance but I feel he is an example of where some people who are ignorant to bodybuilding criteria will equate "small" to meaning "symmetrical" or "balanced". Darrem looks good because he isn't overly muscled to the point where it looks disgusting. This does NOT mean he looks great in the mandatory poses or has wonderful Lee Haney proportions. I would go so far as to say that
Ronnie Coleman
, even at 300 pounds and shredded, has a superior shape to Darrem. Darrem only looks better to most people because he is not a freak. He has a body for everyday life.
Aaron Baker
42 years young! This was his last professional contst, and he looked great. Aaron is 45 right now and will be 46 in the fall (2006). Very impressive! He came in huge and shredded. He was one of the most underrated pros of his day. His arms were fantastically large. His waist was small and his legs were separated and feathered. He looked great, no question about that. His back double
pose was out of sight, his glutes were hard and his posing was full of energy. Looks like yet another pro who found the fountain of youth. Aaron posed to "Baby Love" by
Mother's Finest
The Ironman Cinematography Award to
Wayne R. Gallasch
GMV Productions
John Balik from Ironman Magazine then presented a well deserved award in cinematography to Wayne Gallasch of
GMV Productions
. John made the great point that Wayne had the foresight to know that the history of
bodybuilding on video
would have great value in the future. He was definitely right, and while the audience for these videos have been small throughout the years, they are definitely taking off right now. Wayne will soon be reaping the rewards of all that hard work in creating his enormous archive of bodybuilding history.
The top 6-10 places were then announced:
10 - J.D. Dawodu, England
9 - Johnnie O. Jackson, USA
8 - Aaron Baker, USA
7 - Ahmad Haidar, Lebanon
6 - Quincy Taylor, USA
For the top five, comparisons between the competitors were made. They hit the following comparisons:
Front Double Biceps.
Front Lat Spread.
Side Chest.
Back Double Biceps.
Back Lat Spread.
Side Triceps.
Abdominals and Thigh.
Amazingly, Melvin Anthony made Flex look like he had a large waist! Jay's
pose was still the most ridiculous of them all - maybe not the most aesthetically pleasing around, but his abs were so deep cut and shredded. His thighs were separated and feathered and absolutely huge. Dwarfing the thighs of the competitors.
Some awards were presented next:
The Art Zeller Bodybuilding Photography Award to Leo Stern Presented to David Stern
The Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill Pearl
After these awards were presented, they top five posed down to "Push It" by
. There was a lot of quality muscle at this lineup, and as I've said to Shawn Ray more than once, as long as pros are willing to get up on stage and compete for peanuts, they WILL BE PAID PEANUTS. That is simple Economics 101. It's called the free market, and if pros refuse to exercise their market power by boycotting this show, the promoters will have absolutely 0 incentive to increase the prize money. Simple solution to increasing the Ironman purse: STOP COMPETING IN IT. It really is that simple. I sure as hell would not be competing for a $20,000 (which only this year in 2006 went up to $30,000).
The Most Muscular Award was presented by UHB as well as an award for $1,000 along with it.
The top five were then announced:
5 - Darrem Charles, USA
4 - Troy Alves, USA
3 - Flex Wheeler, USA
2 - Melvin Anthony, USA
1 - Jay Cutler, USA
2003 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational Winner
Overall Review:
This was another good production from GMV, and another high caliber second tier show - perhaps TOO high caliber. When I hear bodybuilders bitching about increases in prize money, yet see them competing in this dinky shows with no money, I have to think some of them are just meatheads. Of course, it's not always the same bodybuilders complaining. Someone like Shawn Ray will do all the complaining and others like Troy Alves will compete. Maybe Shawn should consider that Troy is probably competing because he WANTS to, and couldn't care less about the prize money. Or maybe he has a problem with the prize money - in which case he has no right to complain about it because he does have the right to choose not to compete after all. In any case, I don't have much sympathy for the low prize money. I would personally not compete in this show, or any show paying this little, unless I was sure to win, or at least make back the money it costs in food, supplements, and the mass quantities of steroids, GH, insulin, diuretics, etc, etc, that is required to be competitive in the pro ranks today. The purse has increased to $30,000 as of this year (2006), and hopefully it goes up in the future, but only time will tell. As you can see from the pictures posted, this is a good contest to check out if you like seeing bodybuilding action.
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New York City FC 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1 | 2019 MLS Match Recap
Keaton Parks scored his first MLS goal and Alexandru Mitrita added his ninth three minutes later to put first-place New York City FC in front en route to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
The two goals, coming inside the final six minutes of the first half, were enough to extend NYCFC's unbeaten run to seven matches and ensure they finish Week 28 atop the Eastern Conference standings.
For the moment, the Cityzens moved six points in front of the second-place Philadelphia Union, who play later Saturday at home against LAFC.
Chris Wondolowski scored his MLS record-extending 158th career goal and 14th of the season, but the Quakes fell to their second consecutive defeat and fifth in their last seven games.
San Jose began the weekend in fifth in the Western Conference, and depending on other results later could end it as low as eighth and one place beneath the playoff line.
- 20' - SJ - Chris Wondolowski | WATCH
- 40' - NYC - Keaton Parks | WATCH
- 43' - NYC - Alexandru Mitrita | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Wondolowski's 14 goals are his most in an MLS season since he scored 16 during the 2015 campaign. The 36-year-old could yet post 16 goals for a fifth time during his 15-year career. Meanwhile, NYCFC have now taken seven of nine points since losing their leading scorer, Heber, for what is expected to be a layoff of roughly a month total with a hamstring injury.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: After struggling to see time early in the season, Parks has blossomed over the last few months. His goal combined his sweet distribution with some opportunistic finishing on the second attempt.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Ronald Matarrita. The fullback made several brave interventions inside his own penalty area, and for the most part limited San Jose's Argentine playmaker Cristian Espinoza, who entered Saturday with 12 assists.
Up Next
- NYC: Sunday, Sept. 22 at FC Dallas (6 pm ET | UniMás, TUDN, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
- SJ: Saturday, Sept. 21 at Atlanta United (3:30 pm ET | Univision, TUDN, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)


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Overview of MSP related maritime uses
- Current uses:
- Shipping
- Under water cultural heritage
- Nature conservation
- Ports
- Military
- Fisheries
- Oil and gas exploitation
- Future uses:
- Submarine cables and pipelines
- Offshore renewable energy production
- Mineral extraction
- Issues: nature protection and recreation
Which maritime spatial plans exist?
There exists the Comprehensive Plan of the Republic of Lithuania (and its part "Maritime territories"). The part "Maritime territories" of the Comprehensive Plan of the Republic of Lithuania, that complements the terrestrial spatial planning, was adopted by the Seimas (the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania) in 2015.
The objectives of planning are: to ensure the transparent, known conditions of the use of the territory in the whole state and in the space under responsibility of the Republic of Lithuania, and to implement a consequent planning of land and sea territory in one document.
MSP legislation
Maritime Spatial Planning in Lithuania is included into the national legislation regulating spatial planning, namely the Law on Territorial Planning and its secondary legal acts. The revised Law on Territorial Planning (2013) includes stipulations on sea space planning. Part of the marine space (up to 20 m isobath) also falls under the regulation of the Law of the Coastal Strip. Basing on the stipulations of national legal acts, Lithuanian marine territories were planned while extending the existing Comprehensive Plan of the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania by one more part – Marine territories, which included marine spatial solutions for the Lithuanian territorial waters and the EEZ.
Coherence with other processes
In order to achieve the Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Government of the Republic of Lithuania approved the Program of Water Field Development in 2017-2023 and its action plan to determine the Lithuanian Programme of Measures (PoMs).
National MSP authority & Contact
Ms. Algimantė Treinienė
Senior Advisor
Construction and Territorial Planning Policy Group
Ministry of Environment
A. Jakšto 4 /9, LT-01105 Vilnius. LITHUANIA
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Ms. Asta Rokickienė
Senior Specialist
Construction and Territorial Planning Policy Group
Ministry of Environment
A. Jakšto 4 /9, LT-01105 Vilnius. LITHUANIA
E-mail: email@example.com
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Mr. Vitalijus Auglys
Head of Pollution Prevention Policy Group
Ministry of Environment
A. Jakšto 4 /9, LT-01105 Vilnius. LITHUANIA
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Last Update 18.04.2019


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Senior Management
Michael FalconeChief Executive Officer
Michael Falcone was appointed as a director of MMA Capital Holdings in 1999. Mr. Falcone is employed by Hunt Investment Management and is the Chief Executive Officer of MMA Capital Holdings, a position he has held since 2005. Mr. Falcone provides overall leadership for the Company, focusing on strategic planning, risk management and business development. Prior to his involvement with MMA Capital Holdings, Mr. Falcone served as Senior Vice President and Partner at The Shelter Group, a Baltimore based real estate development and property management firm where he began his career in 1983. Mr. Falcone is a graduate of Dartmouth College and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Dave BjarnasonChief Financial Officer
Dave Bjarnason is employed by Hunt Investment Management and is Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of MMA Capital Holdings, a position he has held since 2015. Mr. Bjarnason joined the Company from Fannie Mae, where he was a finance officer and served in senior management roles in Fannie Mae's accounting policy, external reporting and financial planning and analysis functions. Prior to joining Fannie Mae, Mr. Bjarnason served in senior finance, consulting and financial statement audit roles with JPMorgan Chase & Co., CapitalSource, Inc., Freddie Mac, Deloitte LLP and KPMG LLP. Mr. Bjarnason is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant.
Gary MentesanaPresident and Chief Operating Officer
Gary Mentesana is employed by Hunt Investment Management and is President and Chief Operating Officer of MMA Capital Holdings, a position he has held since 2018. He is responsible for the general management and oversight of the performance of the Company. Mr. Mentesana previously served as head of the Company's US Operations Segment, head of its Affordable Housing Group, and as its Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Mentesana's tenure with MMA Capital Holdings began in 1988 with the Company's predecessor, the SCA Tax-Exempt Fund Limited Partnership. Prior to joining MMA Capital Holdings, he worked for Coopers and Lybrand and was a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Mentesana is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island.


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A Vibrant Master Planned Community - Watch Video
Be part of our blossoming community.
Gain expert advice from each builder's friendly team and don't leave without visiting the onsite Land Sales Office to find out about our newest release. View our latest releases by clicking on the below links.
Why choose Cherrybrook?
With 5 beautiful display homes to discover, explore and draw inspiration from, it's no wonder people are making tracks to Cherrybrook before embarking on their first or next home building project.
The Cherrybrook Display Village is where you will discover the next generation of the modern family homes and be inspired by the latest in design, interior trends and building products.
Cherrybrook is the address where desire and design have definitely moved in together.
• Set amongst a stunning natural landscape, Cherrybrook will comprise of a total of 330 residential lots set across 38.6 hectares of beautiful landscape.
• Experience the lifestyle you always wanted in an amenity-rich, fully connected community.
We have many ways to help you get into your new home sooner, including an extensive range of fixed price house and land packages.
Our packages have been created hand in hand with our builder partners to ensure fantastic value. With a wide range of packages available, there is something to suit every taste, style and budget!
Explore our packages today. Click on the below link.
Cherrybrook is a residential community providing a range of housing choices in a well planned modern residential setting that provides places to live, learn and play. Located in the heart of Cairns growing Southern corridor and just 15 minutes from the CBD, Cherrybrook offers family friendly lifestyle options to suit every taste, budget and lifestyle.
Close to schools, amenities and wide open spaces, your backdrop is World Heritage National Park – so it will never be built out ensuring the security of your investment.
Tailor made for growing families, surrounded by bikeways and parks, life at Cherrybrook is simply effortless.
Be spoilt for choice. Cherrybrook is host to an abundance of lifestyle amenities making it the perfect location and investment for your new home:
Cherrybrook offers a family-friendly lifestyle, where you can enjoy easy access to parkland, playground, gazebos, walking trails and bike paths. Your new home will be just minutes from the convenience of everyday amenities such as:
It's the new version of modern family – living with extended families is on the rise and it's changing the way we design our homes and develop our land.
In response to this growing trend, every release in Cherrybrook will feature lots specifically designed to benefit generational living. Our display village builders also offer a wealth of experience and a range of homes that set new standards for multi–generational living.
The innovative design offers separate but connected living areas within the one home each include their own kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. Double car garages have separate entry doors into the home to complete the dual-zone design which aims to accommodate different groups of the "modern family".
Generational Display Home – access via Land Sales Office
Open: Saturday & Sunday 11am – 4pm
Elevated, flat and registered land is now selling – close to all that matters.
Cherrybrook is Cairns most affordable master planned community. It's home to the lifestyle block where you will find elevated, flat and registered land ready to build on without delay. Build your dream home or choose a house & land package from one of our many preferred builder partners.


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New member
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
- Messages
- 1,575
- Location
- Augusta, KS
Semper Fi to your father and to all my other brother's and sister's in arms. You fight for all of us and we owe all of them a debt of gratitude. Whether said or not, you all are in our hearts. I know the spouses who remain at home go through a tremendous amount when we're gone. Without them, we could not do our job.Thank for for his and your service


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The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation kindly accepted a presentation of footballs and training wear from Shell Trinidad Limited at their Atlantic Avenue offices on Tuesday.
The contribution was made by Andrew Hart, country representative for Shell Trinidad to Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation President Oliver Camps with General Secretary Richard Groden as well as Shell head of distributors for East and West Caribbean Victoria Singh also present at the handing over of the 150 odd Nike footballs. Hart explained that his company felt the urge to offer their assistance in whatever small way. What happened is that we had a promotion sometime ago where we brought in these footballs and kits and we felt it would be appropriate now to hand over some of it to the Football Federation. We thought it would definitely be a neat contribution towards helping in whatever development and preparations that may be taking place," Hart told TTFF Media.
We are hoping that they can come in handy for the national teams in their preparations for matches which would be keeping in what our hopes are for the development of the sport. Hart also commented on Shells support for sport in the region.
Generally Shell has always been supportive of sports in the region dating back to the Shell Shield cricket competition and then we went into the Shell Caribbean Cup which was a football initiative for a few years. People would also be aware that we have gone back into cricket now in a different form, this time being the cricket academy in Grenada. We are always active especially where youth will be involved and even where football is not our main focus right now because of our sponsorship of the cricket academy, getting more involved is always a possibility for the future, Hart said, adding that Shell is very much active in Trinidad having been here for the past 95 years. Currently their focus is on the manufacturing of lubricants for export throughout Caricom. He boasted that they manufacture and sell close to 120,000 barrels of engine oils per year with distribution done through Laughlin and De Gannes Limited.
We are always looking for other opportunities of business, Hart said. Camps, who was manager of the T&T senior team which won the first ever Shell Cup tournament in 1989, was grateful for Shells contribution.
We have been associated with Shell before dating back to 1989 with the Caribbean Cup. I would like to thank them on behalf of the TTFF for their contribution and we can assure them that it will be well used in preparing our teams as well as being used in our youth coaching clinics, said Camps.


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The radiographic image below is of the right hind pastern of a 4 year old mare that presented for a prepurchase exam. The mare had only been under saddle for 6 months. During the active exam, the mare cross-cantered when lunged to the left. In addition, the pastern area was "thicker" when compared to the opposite hind limb and the mare was moderately positive to flexion of the limb in question. Due to the suspicion of a significant problem, the right hind pastern was radiographed. The yellow arrows highlight new bone growth along the edges of the pastern joint. The bone growth or osteophytes are large and proliferative. These findings are indicative of advanced osteo-arthritis of the pastern joint otherwise known as "high ring bone".
|Figure 1
In Figure 2, the same osteophytes are noted as the course around the front of the pastern joint. The yellow arrows point to the osteophytes or irregular "white" structures along the edge of the pastern joint.
|Figure 2
Figure 3 and 4 are radiographs of a normal pastern joint. There are no osteophytes noted along the margins of the pastern joint. Notice in Figure 4 the smooth, curved border of the normal pastern joint. Interestingly, the pastern imaged in Figures 3 and 4 was radiographed because it palpated "thicker" than the opposite limb. Fortunately, there was no evidence of pastern arthritis.
|Figure 4
|Figure 5


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