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The OMNI sound system has 50 speakers, driven by 8 amplifiers that produce over 24,000 watts of sound through 6 channels and a giant sub-bass stack to give the audience that "you are there" feeling.
The Corporate Membership program allows your company to be part of one of the finest educational resources and cultural treasures in North Texas. Being a Corporate Member includes a host of exclusive benefits that vary based on the membership level you choose - ranging from complimentary tickets and preview invitations to discounts for your employees and entertainment benefits.
Click here for a downloadable "At-a-Glance" chart of the various Membership levels and related benefits.
By becoming a member today, you are providing intregral support for the Museum's exhibits and programming and making a unique investment in your employees, their families, and the quality of life in our community.
For more information, please contact the Development Department at 817-255-9367.
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's Corporate Members are among our community's leading businesses and provide invaluable financial support for this Museum's education and community outreach programming.
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is grateful to the following businesses for their generous support of the Corporate Membership program:
Burns & McDonnell Foundation
Fidelity Investments
Frost Bank
Pier 1 Imports
University Car Wash
For more information, please contact the Development Department at 817-255-9367.


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This publication features success stories from countries where UNDP support has resulted in transformative changes, including by fostering the growth of institutional and human capacities.
To qualify as a transformational success, a story needed to demonstrate tangible and sustainable achievements, substantiated by data and personal testimonies. Since these depend on significant changes in institutions, attitudes and behaviours, which require long-term efforts, each story chronicles a development intervention that generally spans a 5-to-10-year period.
The third volume of Empowering Lives, Building Resilience, compiles sustainable energy success stories from UNDP's work, demonstrating the transformational change in the lives of people and societies. The stories explain how UNDP uses grant resources to catalyse larger flows of public and private financing, scaling up investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. They also document the far-reaching positive impact of sustainable energy on economic development, poverty reduction, health, education and the environment.

subset: commoncrawl


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Library Media Program Rubric
Library Media
School Library Media
The Library Media Center plays an integral role in the education of students. It is our responsibility to help enrich, supplement, and coordinate the existing educational programs in a manner that supports the philosophy of the Floyd County School District.
As library media specialists, our mission is "to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information" (8). Together, we can work for the betterment of our students in their quest to be life long learners.
Empowering Learners, Guidelines For School Library Media Programs. American Association of School Librarians. Chicago: 2009. Print.


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Caught in the Act!
Plus: Taylor Swift goes shopping at a flea market, Tori Spelling and more
• Another week, another unannounced party visit? Will Smith surprised organizers at an exhibit put on by Five Four Clothing and Cyrcle, an L.A.-based art group. "His visit was so unexpected," a source says. "He just walked around eating ice cream sandwiches and taking pictures." The actor, who arrived with a female friend, was in a "joking mood," the source says, and even teased one of the designers about their work. He also tried to buy one of the pieces, but it had already been sold, so Smith made plans to visit Cyrcle's studios and commission a work.
• Taylor Swift was well-accessorized for her shopping trip at the Melrose Trading Post, a flea market in West Hollywood. The country singer, in a Deepa Gurnani headband, was in good spirits as she braved the heat and browsed hours before her concert. Swift was recognized by several fellow shoppers, but was ultimately left alone to shop without being hassled.
• Tori Spelling watched her kids Liam and Stella laughing and dancing to music spun by a deejay while dining at the Malibu Inn. The mom-to-be enjoyed a lobster roll and rice crispy treats during her meal with a friend. The same day, Gerard Butler lunched with a pal on the patio of the newly-renovated restaurant.
• On a break from filming his new sci-fi movie Elysium, Matt Damon visited one of Vancouver's most popular attractions with his family: the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park. The actor, wife Luciana and their kids were spotted checking out treetop views from all over the park and enjoying the nice weather.
• By JENNIFER GARCIA, JESSICA HERNDON, CHRISTINE KILPATRICK and DAHVI SHIRA


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#29745 by Kirshnikhov
Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:50 pm
Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:50 pm
Yeah definately the GD movie Eyes, amazing. Although that brings me to a question. The version found on the GD soundtrack is 13:02, however on the 2005 release So Many Roads 5 CD box set there is a version of what i am convinced is the same eyes but 18:32. The jams are exactly the same with the addition of one where the GD soundtrack goes into the outro. If someone could fill me in on this id appreciate it, ive been scratching my head over it for a while now.


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First trip to London
On my first ever trip to London, I was going with nobody but myself. My goal was to visit some of the main attractions and to also shop in different areas. The problem is usually that shopping can get hard without a good amount of transportation to get to the main parts of the city. I decided to consistently find a person to help me get from one place to the next. A taxi goes a long way to help get you from one restaurant to your hotel.
I was kind of bored one night because I had nothing to do, so I decided to see if I could meet up with somebody to date. As a guy, I can get pretty bored. Without a girl by my side, I can get lonely. Some of the dating apps I have on my phone just didn't have a good amount of girls for me to meet up with in London.
I decided to check out if there were any escorts I could find in London. I discovered this one agency that had countless London Escorts in their roster. It allowed for me to choose the escort I wanted, and anything I wanted in what she could do for me I could outline so that she would do it all for me. This London escort specifically was super fun and willing for anything.
I outlined I wanted a London escort who was attractive, sexy, and would be willing to do anything I wanted in the bedroom. She also had to be willing to enjoy doing anything publicly.
I met her at the restaurant, but since she knew what I looked like, she decided to get frisky right away. She put her hand on my shoulder, and then slowly put her fingers rolling down my back and slightly whispered in my ear that she was finally here. Her voice was so faint and quiet, but I knew what she was saying and she ever so discreetly put her hand in the back of my back pocket. She put her hands in my front pocket and tried to cop a feel for my dick, and she slowly felt the head and just took her hand out. We decided to ditch the restaurant, and so we went straight for the nice public park with almost nobody there.
The London escort was sexy, blonde, and had a fit body. She was beyond attractive, and she was ultimately very quiet in a sexy way. It seemed like all she wanted was to have sex, and this is something I was totally fine with. At the park, she quickly brought me behind a tree and took off my belt. She dropped my pants, felt my raging hard cock, and sucked me off right behind the tree. A hot girl passed by and slowly watched while another another guy from afar noticed what happened. My escort let me bang her eyes out right then and there even though others was watching it all.
We caught a taxi when we finished, and we decided to visit my hotel room. I slowly finished her off in the bedroom. She sucked me off again just one more time before she took her clothes and walked out. And we did all of this before I ever heard her name. It was the best experience I had in London with an escort. Her name Ana, believe me she is the best London escort you can find in town!


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When it comes to Android devices, there are some beautiful handsets at the top of end of the market. The Desire, Desire HD, Desire Z, Galaxy S and Streak to name but a few, all pack specifications to lust over but sadly more often than not a price to match. Android isn't just winning people's hearts and minds in the realms of power devices however, also taking place is a subtle yet concerted attack at the lower end of the market, with devices such as the Pulse, Pulse Mini and ZTE Racer from Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE instrumental in the battle. Manufacturers of the aforementioned power devices are also targeting the entry level - HTC with their 'Mini Desire' the Wildfire, Samsung with the Galaxy Portal / Spica and a host of similar devices at knock down prices not to mention Sony Ericsson with their cute and strangely appealing X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro.
So what constitutes an entry level / low end / budget device?
Everyone's definition is likely to vary a little, but for me the segment is defined by the device being on sale either SIM free or on prepay for under £200. The HTC Wildfire and Galaxy Portal can be purchased on 3 for £199, the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini and Mini Pro retail for £169 / £179 respectively at phones4u / O2, the Pulse Mini and Pulse (Maxi?) are sold by T-Mobile for £79 / £99 and the ZTE Racer will set you back £99, again on 3.
The Orange San Francisco is an 'own-brand' version of the ZTE Blade. The San Francisco brings the Android OS to Orange's own-brand city-themed range for the first time, priced at £99 on prepay (plus a mandatory £10 topup) - putting it very much in the bargain basement section of Smartphone ownership.
Now, saving a few pounds can easily be a false economy if it comes at the expense of important aspects of the Smartphone experience (Pulse Mini - i'm looking at you here!) so is the San Francisco another 'miss' or an unexpected hit?
Read on to find out!
In the box
Predictably, the box contents cover 'what you need' rather than including any extra niceties! You can check out my unboxing video below, but in the box you'll find..
- The handset itself, in a plastic bag with a thin plastic transit screen protector on
- a 2GB microSD card (in the phone itself)
- your prepay topup card
- your SIM card
- a 'read me first' quick start guide
- a microUSB to USB cable
- A 1250mAh battery
- a 3.5mm headset
- a very comprehensive paper user guide
- a guide to what you can do on your san francisco 'once you're up and running'
- a UK mains to USB plug
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Hardware - overview
Specifications are as follows...
- Android 2.1 Eclair
- Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz processor
- UMTS 900/2100 MHz
- GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz
- 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus
- 3.5" WVGA (800x480) OLED capacative touchscreen
- WiFi 802.11 b/g
- Bluetooth
- FM radio
- Accelerometer
- Digital compass
- Light sensor
- Proximity sensor
- 116mm / 56.5 mm / 11.8mm
- 130g
- 4 hours talktime (lol)
- 9 days standby (lol)
Let me walk you around the device.
The front of the device is dominated by the 3.5" WVGA OLED screen. Above the screen sits the primary 'San Francisco' branding and below the screen sit the Home, Menu and Back buttons. The buttons are physical buttons (as opposed to capacitive touch buttons) with a very positive click and are backlit in white. The back button also has a green / red flashing backlight. The screen surround is shiny black and flows into the soft touch grey finish that covers the bulk of the device. The front also houses the proximity and light sensors.
The left of the device has a silver strip accent and the microUSB port (into which the microUSB cable goes 'upside down'). The right of the device also has a silver strip accent, the volume up / down buttons and the speaker.
The top of the phone has the power button (which again depresses with a positive click) and the 3.5mm headphone jack. The base of the phone is home to the battery release cutout and the microphone. The 3.2 megapixel camera is on the back cover, which removes in one piece and also includes the top of the device. There is a small Orange logo on the back.
The microSD slot is underneath the battery cover.
Note: You can view full resolution versions of the device photography in my Flickr set.
The San Francisco is packing a fairly basic Android 2.1 Eclair build with some Orange customisations thrown in for good measure. You won't find a UI overlay in the style of HTC Sense or Sony Ericsson *scape here, but that's not necessarily a bad thing... the standard Android UI is pretty decent nowadays.
We'll talk more about the various applications that Orange have added / changed later in the review, but there is also one notable omission from the San Francisco - Google Talk. I'm not sure if this harks back to the bad old days when Orange used to pull MSN Messenger from Windows Mobile devices but it does seem rather strange.
In use
So far so good, but now the acid test... what's it like to use?
First the hardware.
When you buy a budget device you expect it to be cheap and plasticky. And in some ways the San Francisco is - there is obviously little metal in the construction and the entire device has a 'soft touch' plastic finish. That said, I really like it! It feels good in the hand, is noticeably lighter than my Nexus One / Desire but still feels like it's well made. While it doesn't feel as 'premium' as the aforementioned HTC devices, the exterior looks like it will wear better than the shiny all plastic finish of my Galaxy S. If you've ever held an Acer Liquid, you will have witnessed one of the worst examples of plastic construction ever - it twists, creaks and generally feels like it's going to fall apart. Not so on the San Francisco - if I hold one half in each hand and twist there is zero movement. This thing is SOLID.
So, the finish is decent and the weight is good (as is the size and general shape)... let's move onto what is arguably the devices 'pièce de résistance' - it's 3.5" WVGA AMOLED screen. Of course, to get a WVGA screen on a sub £100 device is impressive. At 3.5" and OLED it's nothing short of miraculous and the quality doesn't disappoint. While it gives away a little in crispness of it's whites to my OLED equipped Nexus One, the screen is still exceptional - coupled with the high resolution and good size it makes using the San Francisco a pleasure. The capacitive screen means that only the softest of touches is needed to elicit a response... although capacitive technology does mean it can't be used with gloves (a worthwhile tradeoff imho!)
Screen aside, the design is pretty well thought out. The top left wouldn't really by my first choice for a microUSB port (I prefer them on the bottom), but it's not a huge issue. The power button is sufficiently difficult to accidentally press but effective when you do (with a short vibrate from the device to tell you the press has been registered) and the volume rockers too have a nicely defined click. The 3 buttons on the front also have a decent action, although the fact they are completely flush with the case / screen makes them a little awkward to press instinctively... the positive side of this being that they are harder to press accidentally. The San Francisco is devoid of dedicated notification LEDs - the 'back' button flashes red and green for some notifications, although i've yet to work out the logic to this exactly! :lol: Having a 3.5mm jack (and on the top of the device too) is a real positive point, although with the stock headphones at least some users have reported the volume output as a little quieter than they'd have liked.
The microphone is positioned well and i'm glad to see a speaker that isn't on the back of the device, I could never understand the logic of designs where the speaker was covered when the device was sat a table. The speaker is loud and clear, providing decent music playback and also making the San Francisco a very good speakerphone. Call quality in general seems very good.
The San Francisco includes the full complement of technology... GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Accelerometer, Digital Compass... gone (thankfully) are the days of compromising in these areas. I have found the GPS lock speed particularly impressive, Bluetooth has happily hooked up to my car and my wireless headphones and the WiFi hangs on to my Fritz!Box router with no problems at all. Interestingly, some users in the forum are noting problems with WiFi (and have had to swap units in store to get their WiFi working) - we'll keep an eye on this as it develops and flag here if it becomes a serious issue. The accelerator and compass performed as one would expect in our tests, with very good response times.
The San Francisco features proximity and light sensors, which I would normally class as premium features. The promixity sensor turns off the phone screen when you put it to your ear (and turns it on again when you take it away) and the light sensor can be used to auto adjust the brightness of the screen. Both features work very well, although strangely the auto brightness feature is disabled out of the box. Some devices I have seen with auto brightness change the level so frequently and bluntly that it's really not worthwhile, but the San Francisco implementation is very good.
So all good so far... where are the inevitable compromises on this budget device? Well, there are two really (aside from the somewhat cheap headphones included in the box), and the first one is the camera.
Put simply, if you're not in good light, the camera on the San Francisco is a waste of time. I've included some sample shots below, but imaging is definitely not the phones forté. That said, it depends on how important the camera is to you as to whether it's a showstopper. If the camera is bad, then the camcorder is pointless. Again, i've included some samples below, but the quality is SO poor that I can't see it every really being used in anger. There is a chance that ZTE may be able to up the recording bitrate in a future software update... we'll keep our fingers crossed.
The second compromise is the processor speed. In a world where lots of devices seem are shipping with 1GHz Snapdragon processors, the San Francisco makes do with a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM 7227. This is not a disgrace - the same CPU is employed by HTC in their 'Legend' Android phone - it just means that in general use the device is not quite as snappy as the Snapdragon equipped devices. It's a bit slower, but not unusably so.
If I had to sum up the hardware experience of the San Francisco, I would describe it as very good. The CPU speed is not an issue for the majority of users, the camera is the main weakness if that is important to you.
How about the software then?
ZTE / Orange have taken a very straightforward Android 2.1 build and attempted to strengthen a couple of it's weaker points, then loaded it up with a bunch of Orange crap. I'm not really a fan of 'operator customisations' (who is?) and the San Francisco hasn't done anything to change my mind.First of all - the good software tweaks.
The standard Android keyboard is OK - but not great - so I'm very pleased to see one of my favourite input methods, TouchPal, bundled on the device. TouchPal provides a very good qwerty as well as great 12 and 20 key layouts, hats off to ZTE / Orange on that one. Interestingly, fellow Chinese manufacturer Huawei also bundle TouchPal on device.
Another area of weakness IMHO in stock Android is the dialer. I LOVE the feature we see on Windows Mobile and now on HTC Android devices where you can 'predictive dial' people by name on the number pad... and thankfully ZTE have built this into the San Francisco. Somewhat bizarrely the UI is a virtual carbon copy of the HTC implementation but it works... so i'm grateful.
A fairly basic FM radio application is included and has something of an oddity in that you can only listen to it via the headphones. On most devices, if you have the headphones connected (to work as an antenna) you can configure the application to output the sound via the internal speaker. Not so on the San Francisco - it would be great to see this application improved in a future release. There is no RDS in the application.
The standard Android email application has been removed (Gmail still remains of course) and replaced by 'Orange Mail' which is a rebranded version of the excellent 'Seven' email software... allowing push mail of just about any email account including HoTMaiL, POP3 and IMA4 and many more.
A simple Task Manager is included, a useful addition.Now for the not so good software.
Orange have included their own App / Games / Ringtones stores (an attempt to monetize the platform in the light of no 'operator share' in Android Market earnings) and in another example of unnecessary duplication of existing functionality, Orange Maps is preloaded. Orange Maps - like Google Maps - uses offboard map storage (meaning a data connection is necessary) but unlike Google Maps it isn't free... in fact it's quite expensive. I can't see anyone using this (or the Orange stores).
Other additions include a replacement alarm clock application (which offers only a couple of extra features over and above the original), Orange Contacts Backup, Orange Photo Upload, Global Time (a somewhat counter-intuitive world time application), a Homescreen selector (Orange have included their own customised launcher but thankfully have also included the stock version), Orange Wednesdays and Your Account (both already available via the Android Market) and a very poor Weather application.
A few demo applications are included on the device, including 'Documents To Go' office viewers from DataViz and 'Guitar Hero 5' and 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' from Glu games.
Every cloud has a silver lining (apparently), and in this case it is the face that the Orange customisations are easily removed. This can be achieved either with some nifty file explorer work after rooting or by installing a custom ROM. I won't go into these options here, but suffice to say both are exceptionally easy, so don't be put off by the orangification of the device. B)
Summing up again the software on the device, I would say that it is solid (reliable - I've not had any crashes with the exception of the 'Sound Recorder' bug as yet and no real slowdowns) starting point. The beauty of Android is that you can very easily customise your device via the Android Market and the San Francisco makes an awesome blank canvas. It has bags of space, not too much pre-installed junk slowing it down and you can easily tailor it to your perfect device... providing you're not lusting after a comprehensive UI overlay like HTC Sense of course.
Note that the San Francisco has 512MB of RAM - this is very generous and on par with the highest spec devices... this helps prevent slowdowns as applications are less likely to be switched out of memory.
To view all 74 images in full, visit the Orange San Francisco Screenshots Flickr set.
White is right
If you watched my unboxing / overview above... you'll have noticed that the box is actually designed for either the grey San Francisco (as we have here) or the white model! Nothing is known about the availability (or indeed price) of the white model yet... but as a sucker for white devices, i'll be first in line when they come to market! :lol:
Battery life
Battery life for me is absolutely on par with my other devices - I generally eke a day of pretty decent use (push mail, browsing, tweeting etc.) out of the device. Off the charger in the morning, back on needing charge at bed time. Effectively, i've not found the San Francisco either great or horrible in the battery life stakes.
In conclusion
If you hadn't guessed already... i'm pretty comprehensively blown away by the San Francisco. Even ignoring it's price, this is a device that I would be happy to own and happy to carry around as my everyday phone (in fact i've been doing just that and i've rarely missed my more 'prestigious' devices). Factor in that this phone is just £99 and it is just incredible. This is £300 cheaper than a HTC Desire. Food for thought!
A new benchmark has been set and I can't WAIT to see what handset comes out that eclipses the San Francisco on price vs performance. I have a feeling that it won't happen for a while, such is the accomplishment here.
There are two things that concern me a little. The first is that Orange will see the huge success of the San Francisco and increase the price. While the phone would still be great value at double the price, that would be a real shame considering the extent of the achievement here. The second concern is that the San Franciscos will become very hard to buy... I hope Orange ordered a lot - these are going to sell by the truckload. :lol:
Paul's Orange San Francisco Pros and Cons
- Price
- Price
- Price
- Stunning screen
- Lots of RAM
- Full complement of specs
- Near vanilla Android 'blank canvas'
[*]Poor camera
[*]600MHz processor can't keep up with the latest Snapdragons (but it is good enough!)
[*]Orange junk (albeit easily removed)
[*]FM radio can only be played through headphones and not through the speaker
The San Francisco is available to buy from Orange Stores or via Orange online. Visit Quidco to potentially earn up to £12 cashback. NHS staff, local council staff and students may be eligible for discounts, call 0800 079 2000 for further information;
SIM unlocking
The San Francisco can be unlocked for only $4. Visit this topic for further details.
The San Francisco can be rooted using our Superboot image. Visit this topic for further details.
Peer comparison photos
From top - T-Mobile Pulse, HTC Hero, Orange San Francisco, HTC Wildfire, HTC Desire
Have your say
Thanks for reading my review... i'd love to hear your thoughts! Whether you agree or disagree with what i've written, please reply below. B)
Sample camera pictures
Click on the images for the full size version, additional images to follow. You can find more user contributed pictures in this topic.
Sample video
Videos to follow.
- Price
- Android 2.1 Eclair


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Stop the Homework Battle
There are many ways the homework battle can start and forms it can take. It can be a recurring theme from previous years where the student ignores, procrastinates or just plain forgets to do homework until the parent starts questioning the lack of scholarly pursuits. Or it could start when the number of missing or poor homework grades becomes evident on Schoology or through a note/call from a teacher. Another possibility is that the battle is postponed until the end of the first semester and the lack of homework results in a mediocre report.
Parents don't need to despair. There are some great ways to help your student fulfill their academic potential without resorting to strategic battle plans. Here are some tips that can help:
Organization is the key to winning any battle. For students this includes several important steps. They need a way to keep track of assignments that works for them. It can be a wall calendar, calendar on their computer/phone or an academic planner. The most important part is getting into the habit of using it to track homework assignments, tests, project due dates and other activities.
The second part of organization is planning how to keep track of books, handouts, returned homework, syllabus etc. Again what form this takes is flexible and should depend on the student's preferences. What isn't acceptable is letting papers become lost, crumpled, destroyed or misfiled with another class. Some students like a binder that they can keep their work in. Others prefer notebooks and folders. The form isn't important but getting into the habit early of putting everything in its place is.
Scheduling time to do homework is the next step and often the most challenging in our hectic activity filled lives. Finding a routine within your household to do homework helps the student prioritize their assignments. Whether it's after dinner or before breakfast just knowing that there is dedicated time for homework each day will help relieve everyone's anxiety.
Environment counts too. Students often respond well when they realize that you think their homework is just as important as making dinner or doing chores around the house. Too often students go off to their bedrooms, shut the door and turn on the music before starting their homework. Creating a central quiet location to do homework where you can provide assistance when necessary and help encourage focus as needed is essential.
Call for reinforcements when needed. Sometimes students need to get assistance with certain subjects. Tutors provide a great resource for families. A tutor can help students understand the skills needed to be successful in whatever subject they are studying. Tutors can help students identify what they need to work on and then help them plan how to be successful. Tutors help with study skills, writing, math, science, standardized testing and anything else that might come up in school. And most importantly students often respond to working with tutors more positively because they are a third party.
Parents can help students win the homework battle by utilizing these tips and working with their children to find the balance between school, sports, activities and fun. Call or email The Study Hall for more information on tutoring options at firstname.lastname@example.com or 236-3949.


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Mesa Auto Glass – What Should I know?
Simply put, this is glass that you would find in an automobile. Not too many know that in Mesa there are two major forms of auto glass. Each one is used on certain windows in the automobile. Both types of auto glass are more impact resistant and stronger than regular glass.
What Are the Different Kinds Of Windshield Replacement Mesa Services that are Available?
Laminated safety glass-this glass is generally used on a car's windshield. It is comprised of a couple of pieces of glass that has a slim layer of vinyl. The glass is then heated and pressed together in an autoclave, which is a type of oven. When this glass receives a tough impact it will shatter also but usually the shattered pieces will stick to the vinyl and not fall on the ground.
If the windshield just has a tiny vein or nick, the auto glass professional may be able to repair the tiny vein or nick to keep it from spreading further. The repair will generally take fewer than thirty minutes in Mesa. The vein or nick is cleaned thoroughly and dried. Resin is injected and a material like Mylar is used to hold it in place. The professional cures the resin by using an ultraviolet light.
Should You be Fixing Windshield Cracks?
But I Thought You Said This Windshield Was Original Equipment?
Here is a common story for a consumer. A person has a brand new or leased vehicle and a piece of glass becomes damaged. They call an auto glass company and the consumer is told OEE is an original equipment equivalent replacement piece for their vehicle. But when the auto glass technician shows up to complete the replacement, the piece of glass does not actually have the vehicle makers OEM manufacturer logo.
OEE - Parts produced for installation in the "aftermarket" by third party companies.
What Is OEM Auto Glass? (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
When a new vehicle is designed the vehicle maker can use an existing windshield part from an older model vehicle, or they can create a whole new windshield and part number. If the decision is made to create a whole new windshield the vehicle maker contracts a glass manufacturer to create the part. The glass manufacturer and vehicle maker create a unique mold and a unique molding/firing process to produce the OEM windshield (Original Equipment Manufacturer). The parts are installed when the vehicle is assembled at the vehicle makers factory.
6. Rear View Mirror Brackets And Sensors - Aftermarket windshields (OEE) use a different process to adhere the mirror brackets to the glass. I find that their quality of adhesion and location is not as accurate as OEM parts. In fact, aftermarket distributors repeatedly drip glue on the glass below the bracket which may stain the black ceramic band on the interior side of the glass. When it comes to sensor components such as a rain sensors, the problem it not as rampant. But on a BMW windshield, a mirror bracket not correctly aligned may hinder the re-installation of the mirror's plastic cover assembly which hides the sensor and bracket.
So Which Windshield Should I Choose, OEM or OEE?
The biggest impact on your decision will be budget. OEM parts are almost always higher priced. Most consumers simply choose OEE because they have no choice, everyone needs to save a few bucks. Don't be scared of choosing aftermarket glass though because safety is mostly impacted by the technician installing the windshield correctly, not the glass itself. But if you really love your vehicle and expect the best quality, you should choose OEM. And if you are leasing your vehicle, your dealer may have restrictions on what type of glass is acceptable upon returning the vehicle. You may get a fee added if you have an aftermarket glass installed. Call your dealer for more information.
Should You be Fixing Windshield Cracks?
Automotive window replacement can be done by the novice if he or she takes their time and has some instruction. It doesn't require any special knowledge or expensive tools to replace car glass, but it does take patience! Here we will talk about replacing a fixed car glass that is bonded to the car body instead of being set into a removable frame.
If you are going to replace car glass that is not set in a frame, then you will basically have to "cut" the old glass out of the car. This procedure requires a few inexpensive tools that are often not in a common tool collection. You need a piece of piano wire to use as a saw, and a couple of inexpensive suction cup handles to lift out the old glass (if it is still in one piece) and to place the new glass into position without touching the edges of the glass.
The first step is to remove any molding that goes around the window. Molding can be attached in several different ways. It may be attached with some sort of clips, glued on, or may be just pushed onto a lip on the car body. This is one place where factory service information comes in handy! Some glass is flush-mounted with the exterior surface of the body and does not have any molding to remove. You also may need to remove one or more trim panels inside the car. Before starting to cut out the broken car window, apply tape to the car body all the way around the window to protect the paint. Next, use an awl to create a hole through the adhesive between the glass and the body. Then push a piece of piano wire through the hole, grab a helper to work the other end of the wire, and use a sawing motion to cut the adhesive all the way around the window. Once you have completely sawn all the way around the broken car window, use the suction cup handles to pull the glass out of the car body.
After the new adhesive has been applied and any recommended curing times have been observed, use the suction cup handles to install the new glass into position. Evenly press the glass into the adhesive until it is fully seated all the way around. Do not disturb the vehicle for several hours according to the adhesive instructions, and then be careful not to slam the doors and or drive on any excessively rough roads for several days until the adhesive has had time to fully bond with both surfaces.
That covers the general procedure for auto glass installation. Automotive window replacement can certainly be done by a driver that doesn't have any experience or training in this area, but some jobs are definitely easier than others! If this procedure doesn't sound like something you want to tackle yourself, there certainly isn't any shame in taking your car to an auto glass shop for a replacement, and most shops will even come to your home or workplace to do it for you.


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Hot on the heels of our video on the donuts of Portland, Holy Donuts, the "progressive donut shop" located at 194 Park Ave. in Portland, will be featured on an upcoming episode of "Anderson Live" on Fox.
The Christmas Eve episode, set to air at 3 p.m. this Monday on Fox, will feature Anderson Cooper and co-host Gayle King doing a segment on unusual holiday foods. The show's producers discovered Holy Donuts' bacon cheddar donuts – which I have sampled, and can attest to their deliciousness – and invited owner Leigh Kellis to New York to film for the show.
Holy Donut opened earlier this year, and makes a variety of gourmet donuts using Maine potatoes and sea salt. In addition to wild varieties like the bacon cheddar, the dark chocolate sea salt and sweet potato ginger, they make gluten free donuts, as well as both meat and vegetarian hand pies. They are open from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.


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Support our nonpartisan, nonprofit research and insights which help leaders address societal challenges.Donate
- Authors:
Publication Date:
March 2007
The retirement playbook is being rewritten by demographics—an older workforce working longer—and by the law—the 2006 Pension Protection Act, which increased options for flexible retirement in companies with defined-benefit plans. Even before this law, phased retirement under defined contribution plans and through rehiring retirees was a growing trend. While the viability of phased retirement depends on the nature of the job, companies should start by looking at their own talent challenges, not their compensation issues. Case studies of YourEncore and Bon Secours Richmond Health System show what these two companies are doing with phased retirement.


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New Drupal warning module
One of the first things requested from a Drupal developer before contributing a module is to check whether the functionality is already implemented in another module. Because I couldn't find something similar but I do not feel confident that my search was conclusive let me explain what my Drupal warning module does.
The warning module was created as part of my war against comment spam. Mollom already does a tremendous job of blocking most of the comment spam (+-300 a day), but since my site was listed on do-follow lists I attracted a lot of spammers commenting (on-topic) on my articles as normal users, but leaving behind URLs to commercial and unrelated websites.
My blog is moderated since I don't want to encourage spammers anyway, but it is as important to clearly advertise that to anyone potentially adding spam.
For this reason a big warning box above the comment entry notifies the user that any effort spend would be in vain if they are to promote unrelated websites. And that the website is moderated anyway. The default message for the comment form currently is:
I used to get on average 10 to 15 spam comments with peaks of 30 spam comments. But since using this module for 5 days the average number of spam comments dropped instantly to 3. Some people apparently still do not take me serious :-)
The warning module could also be useful for other purposes since the warning message is configurable. And currently the module allows for 2 disclaimers: one for registering a new user and one for leaving a comment.
So if you want to test this module, you can find it for now at: http://svn.rpmforge.net/svn/trunk/tools/warning/
If you have suggestions or improvements, or you know another module that basically does the same, let me know. Also, this is my first Drupal module so any help with what I am doing is greatly appreciated.
Luckily it is a very simple module :-)
Update: The Warning module is now available from Drupal's Modules website at: http://drupal.org/project/warning
Looks nice. I've been
Looks nice. I've been thinking of throwing something like this together myself for my own site.
Some comments:
- "Disclaimer" is the wrong word to use here. To disclaim is to absolve one's self of legal responsibility or privilege, which is not quite what your module's doing. Maybe something like "Comment warning" would be better.
- In various places in your code, you're adding items to arrays without initializing them first. The fact that PHP lets you do this is one of the biggest anti-features in computer programming history. (And for those who have strict error reporting enabled on their PHP interpreter - and when you're coding, you really should that enabled - it will cause a visible error.)
- In your hook_help() function, you shouldn't concatenate several t() lines like that. Instead, put the whole thing inside a t(). Also, @user-management should be !user-management - we don't want t() to try to escape characters in paths.
- Finally, there's some style issues with regards to the comments and the if/else block in hook_form_alter. Check out the Coding Standards page on D.o.
All in all, not bad for a first module… definitely a better start than some of my first hackjobs.
Thanks for the nice feedback.
Thanks for the nice feedback. Concerning the name I am not sure what would be best. I called it disclaimer because it could be used for that while all other names I came up with didn't fit well.
"Comment warning" does not fit the bill because it is not just specific to comments. I decided to simply call it warning. Currently it is for adding warnings to forms, but we could also extend it to allow for adding warnings to other elements.
Is there a way to enable PHP error messages from Drupal. I looked at the Devel module but haven't found that option. What I would like is to only have these errors as user 1 (or for specific roles). That would help debug modules/sites as a group without necessarily impacting normal users.
For the hook_help() function using more than one t(). I thought it was nicer if the translation people would not see the HTML tags. It would also mean that modifying a single paragraph would not render the complete text useless. Is there a guide about best practices for this ?
Thanks again for your feedback. I will rename the module when I do the next batch of updates. :-)
RE: way to enable PHP error messages
Try the drupal-6.x-dev release, that will show you the PHP notices..
details: http://drupal.org/node/291026
I don't think there's a way
I don't think there's a way to only enable errors for user 1, but if you enable it in the php.ini file for your local computer (not any live server), then only you will see the errors it produces. Add this line:
error_reporting = E_ALL & E_STRICT
There's also the Coder module, which can find common errors, though I think it's more for finding style guide violations than PHP errors - I'm not sure. (I myself don't use it as much as I should… and my code features tab breaks instead of spaces due to a limitation of my code editor of choice, so it brings up that error on every single line of code whenever I run it…)
By the way, I noticed you're using my Mollom Stats module. Sweet. :)
It would have been nice if
It would have been nice if the error_reporting could be enabled by a module (even if that means it may not be enabled from the start of the runpath). And being able to enable it only for certain roles makes it possible to have a few site-admins debug/report those issues without the need of a staging environment, since it wouldn't impact normal users and normal performance.
I hope this becomes part of the work they are doing at: http://drupal.org/node/291026 (thanks to pasqualle for the info btw).
BTW I am convinced that your mollom block should go in the main mollom module. And I found it on your site :)
This is just what I need!
For me also, about half of the comments that get through mollom are human-generated spam. There seem to be just a handful of websites targetting me, and the come and go over time. Most are selling SEO services, but also financial services and random tangible products now and then too. I don't mind if their website is respectable, not with too many ads, and they leave a meaningful comment – but then that wouldn't be spam now would it! It's the ones who fail to meet one or more of those criteria that I delete, or sometimes just remove the user's website link.
To the point, this module is just what I ned and I installed it. I look forward to testing it's progress.
Som Feedback
I like the idea..
So I quickly tried seeting it up ..
Upon enabling the module I ran into the following warning which actually happens on different locations
warning: Missing argument 2 for variable_get(), called in /htdocs/blog/sites/www.krisbuytaert.be/modules/warning/warning.module on line 80 and defined in //htdocs/blog/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 490.
Apart from that I only saw the warning page AFTER the submit of a comment .. not when I open up the comment page.
Not sure if that's the idea.
Oh and throw it on the Drupal project sites.. then Drupall will let me know when to upgrade )
The module should help a lot in reducing the amount of spam in the moderation queue. I've been running a module that does something similar but only on selected nodes, with great success. Every now and then someone still calls my bluff, I guess they don't believe me either ;)
As for code feedback;
- there still are a few variable_get()'s without second argument. Even though its unlikely they will ever be needed, the parameter is still mandatory in D6.
- do you really need that global variable?
- maybe pass the message through filter_xss_admin.


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The National Union of Teachers (NUT) passed a resolution at its annual conference in Torquay seeking fresh walkouts as early as this summer amid concerns over the Government's changes to public sector pensions.
It came just hours after the NASUWT, which is holding its conference in Birmingham, agreed to escalate its industrial action campaign against attacks on pay, pensions, working conditions and job losses – raising the possibility of strikes in the autumn term.
The latest moves by the two unions means that schools across the country could now face walkouts from the summer onwards.
The NUT's motion, which was heard in private, called for the union to work with its local divisions with the "aim of organising a further one-day national strike before the end of June."
It also raised the possibility of targeted regional and local action in both the summer and autumn terms. Any action by the NUT could affect schools in England and Wales.
The motion instructed the executive to "seek to build a coalition of unions committed to further strike action in the summer term and beyond to defeat the Government's proposals".
Speaking after the debate, NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "The overwhelming majority of teachers and their organisations have clearly rejected the Government's policy for the teachers' pension scheme.
"The NUT conference has now agreed a comprehensive strategy and position to make sure that we are able to take action in order to give life to that rejection of the pensions and in order to win something better for our members so that they don't have to work longer, pay more and get less."
Ms Blower said it was "important that the Government takes this seriously", adding that there were fears that the Government would announce will rise beyond 68 to 69 or 70.
She added that the "determination to continue this campaign is absolute."
Action over the summer term would coincide with the exams seasons, when tens of thousands of teenagers sit qualifications including GCSEs and A-levels.
Ms Blower yesterday insisted that it is not the union's intention to disrupt the exams period.
The NUT, along with a number of other trade unions, has been embroiled in a row with the Government over public sector pensions for more than a year.
It argues that the Government's proposals will leave teachers paying in more, working longer and receiving less when they retire.
Ministers insisted that changes are needed to ensure public sector pensions are sustainable for the future.
The union, which declined the Government's latest pensions offer, took part in a walkout over pensions on June 30 last year, as well as joining the TUC's national day of action on November 30.
NUT members in London also staged a one-day walkout last month.
This morning, the NASUWT passed a resolution arguing that continuing their industrial action campaign is "the best means of protecting and safeguarding the interests of teachers and state education until the next general election."
It warned that in the face of a "vicious and unjustified assault on teachers, it will be essential to intensify the industrial action campaign".
Proposing the NASUWT's resolution, union treasurer Brian Cookson said there had been an "unprecedented, vicious, prejudiced and totally unjustified attack on the public sector" in the last two years.
He said that education is on the front line of an attack on workers' rights, pay cuts, and increased pension costs.
"As teachers we are supreme professionals and we must be treated as such. As our general secretary has said, "teaching is not rocket science, it is more difficult than that!" We want to achieve the best for the children we teach. We care about the future. We believe in education as a right."
He added: "Colleagues, we must avoid at all costs a shopping list approach to industrial action. Industrial action must have a carefully planned focus, a strategic approach.
"During the next term our members will really see the effects of a protracted pay freeze, a rise in pension contributions, see their pay fall, look at the prospect of a pay freeze and draconian curbs on pay for three further years, the scrapping of national pay rates on top of the mounting assaults on our professionalism you witness every day.
"We not only have the capacity to respond, we can build on it daily throughout next term. We know we may be in it for the long haul but, colleagues, we will respond and we will win.
A Department for Education spokesman said the teachers' pensions deal is "as good as it gets".
"It guarantees teachers one of the best pensions available but keeps a lid on rising costs for the taxpayer," he said.
"We've been in serious talks for months with unions to address their concerns and reach a final settlement. Reforms to public sector pensions are essential – the status quo is not an option."
The spokesman added: "It is absurd to say our school reforms are a 'vicious assault' on the teaching profession. They are all about putting children first and raising standards."


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A local company Aaron Technology Sdn Bhd has encounters a problem on providing their customer
with a proper receipt for the purchase item. This is because all the information is store in the text file
called customer.txt which is hardly understand by their customer. The sample file is shown below:
Text file format: <Receipt No.> <Payment Term> <Customer Name> <Item No.> <Item Name> <Quantity> <Price>
Therefore, your task is to generate the customer receipt in the form of formatted text file and save it as
receipts.txt. The output of the file is shown below:
Develop java program that can be use to extract the data from customer.txt file and transform it to
become a readable receipt format as shown above
sample output: on attachment


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Digital Production
The Gnomon Workshop offers the most comprehensive set of Digital Production tutorials anywhere. The broad scope of the tutorials contained in this section range from foundational understanding of the software tools all the way to the professional application of these tools and concepts used by artists working in the film and game industries.
Entertainment Design
The Gnomon Workshop is widely regarded as the global leader in training tutorials for the designer working in the entertainment industry. With tutorials ranging from foundational drawing and design concepts to process tutorials from some of the top concept and character designers in the world, there is surely something here to inspire.
As the tattoo industry has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years, the need training in this field has also grown. In these video tutorials, some of the top tattoo artists in the world share their techniques and their take on the art of tattoo. The tutorials range from absolute beginner level to advanced color and blending techniques used by some of the world's best.
The Gnomon Workshop offers professional training on most of the software applications used in today's digital pipelines. There are foundational titles to introduce users to the software and tools, as well as advanced production titles that discuss application tools and processes vital to the production of digital assets and media.
Professional Training for Artists
The Gnomon Workshop seeks out the most highly-regarded traditional and digital artists and technicians currently working in the entertainment and design industries. Our instructors have shared their practices working at such top studios as Pixar, ILM, Blizzard, and many more.Instructor GalleriesInstructor Interviews
Born in Winnipeg, Canada, David Krentz graduated from the Character Animation program at California Institute of the Arts in 1993. He was immediately hired into Walt Disney Feature Animation as a Layout Artist. He migrated into a Lead Character Designer position for a four year stint on Disney's Dinosaur. His love for dinosaurs, anatomy and character proved a valuable asset to that benchmark CG film. After leaving Disney he went on to pursue a freelance career, where he stretched his creative wings doing many different kinds of jobs on many different projects. He enjoys sculpture (digital & clay), storyboarding, creature/character design and concept illustration. He maintains ties to the scientific community, where he often lectures on developing performance-centric creatures for film and recreates new dinosaur finds from the bones up. David is one of the founding members of Ninth Ray Studios, a super-group of story driven concept artists. He contributed to such movies as Fantasia 2000, Dinosaur, Treasure Planet, Spider-Man 2, Valiant, The Ant Bully, John Carter of Mars and Outlander as well as many other live-action and animated films currently in pre-production.
"This is the dinosaur demo I have been waiting for all my life. David Krentz has the rare ability to turn science into art, and infuse dinosaurs with soul."
Try a Class on Campus
Gnomon specializes in computer graphics education for careers in the entertainment industry.


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Q: My daughter's teachers have been telling me that she has trouble with her executive functions. I know she is not organized and often forgets to finish her homework, but I am not sure exactly what they mean. Can you clarify the term?
A: In their book, Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents, Peg Dawson and Richard Guare explain:
Executive skills allow us to organize our behavior over time and override immediate demands in favor of longer-term goals. Through the use of these skills we can plan and organize activities, sustain attention, and persist to complete a task. Executive skills enable us to manage our emotions and monitor our thoughts in order to work more efficiently and effectively. Simply stated, these skills help us to regulate our behavior.
Among the individual skills that allow people to self-regulate are:
Planning: the ability to create a roadmap to reach a goal. This also includes the ability to focus only on what is important.
Organization: the ability to keep track of multiple sets of information and materials.
Time management: the ability to understand how much time one has, and to figure out how to divide it in order to meet a goal.
Working memory: the ability to hold information in mind even while performing other tasks.
Metacognition: the ability to self-monitor and recognize when you are doing something poorly or well.
Response inhibition: the ability to think before you speak or act.
Sustained attention: the ability to attend to a situation or task in spite of distraction, fatigue or boredom.
If your daughter's teacher is saying that she has trouble with executive skills, consider looking into Executive Function Disorder. Those who suffer from EFD have trouble with the skills listed above, forcing them to struggle with assignments that others perform with ease.
Q: Ever since my son started coming home with failing grades, I have been getting reports of his pushing other kids around and intimidating them verbally. Of course, the whole family has been working to correct this scary behavior, but I wanted to know if you had any insight into whether his grades are related to his behavior?
A: Bullying and failing grades often go hand-in-hand. Sometimes the victim of bullying can begin to fail in school because he is focusing all of his energy on simply getting through the day, rather than concentrating on the material at hand. On the other hand, occasionally, bullying and failing grades manifest themselves differently. At times, children begin to fail in school and then lose faith in themselves leading to lower self-esteem. They then try to gain self-esteem by putting others down. Therefore, it is possible that your son began to struggle academically and subsequently took out his disappointment on his classmates.
And, while bullying is detrimental to the victim, it is also proven to be harmful to the bully himself. Children who bully are more likely to drop out of school or have trouble sustaining long-term relationships in the future. So, it will not only be helpful to your son's classmates to address the bullying, it will be helpful to your son as well.
Academics and social skills often go hand-in-hand. Children with low self-esteem because of their grades will frequently act out socially. Conversely, children who struggle socially will occasionally give up in school because they feel disconnected from the classroom. While we don't usually think that helping children academically will improve their social skills, the two often coincide.
So, yes, it's possible that your son's failing grades are affecting his self-esteem. This lower self-esteem might in turn prompt your son to pick on other kids in order to make him feel better. One solution? Get him comfortable academically. The rest may follow.
Q: My teenager daughter seems to quickly switch from one mood to another. She might be very happy and relaxed at the dinner table and then suddenly, for no apparent reason, get frustrated and angry. I know mood swings are normal for this age, but I wanted to know how much anger is too much?
A: Teenagers are notorious for their mood swings and out of control emotions, including anger. Let's look at the origin of these emotions. First, adolescents are going through a lot of physical changes. Second, for years, they have lived happily in the cocoon of their family and now suddenly are gaining freedom and seeing options outside of the home.


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Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced plans on Thursday to spend more than A$10 billion ($7 billion) to restore the nation's ailing rivers, making dwindling water supplies his priority in an election year.
CANBERRA -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced plans on Thursday to spend more than A$10 billion ($7 billion) to restore the nation's ailing rivers, making dwindling water supplies his priority in an election year.
The 10-year plan includes A$6 billion to repair and cover irrigation channels along Australia's Murray-Darling river basin, an area the size of France and Spain that accounts for 41 percent of the nation's agriculture.
With much of eastern Australia in its sixth year of drought, inflows into the Murray River in 2006 were at 40 percent of the previous record low, prompting authorities to cut water allocations to farmers along the 2,500 km (1,550 mile) river.
"The current trajectory of water use and management in Australia is not sustainable. In a protracted drought, and with the prospect of long-term climate change, we need radical and permanent change," Howard told the National Press Club in Canberra.
Howard, who has served almost 11 years in power and who faces a tough election in the second half of 2007, said water security was Australia's biggest environmental challenge.
The environment is shaping up as a major election issue, with the Labor opposition 10 percentage points ahead of Howard. Popular new Labor leader Kevin Rudd promises to sign the Kyoto Protocol and combat climate change.
Farmers welcomed Howard's plan and their support could shore up backing for his conservative government in a swathe of constituencies along the Murray River.
"It's a strong announcement. There are probably few issues that are more important to all Australians than the efficient management and security of water supply," National Farmers' Federation president David Crombie told reporters.
Environmentalists said the plan contained enough money to tackle the country's water problems head-on.
"The Murray-Darling system is suffering from decades of too much water being taken out, leaving rivers, wetlands and wildlife literally dying for a drink," Australian Conservation Foundation Executive Director Don Henry said.
But the plan also requires the support of four Labor state governments, which have been asked to hand over their rights to run the river system to the national government.
Howard described his plan as a revolution for the world's driest inhabited continent, saying it would plug leaks and halt evaporation in Australia's major waterways and irrigation systems by paying to cover and line open irrigation channels.
The Murray-Darling catchment covers 1.06 million sq km, or 15 percent of Australia's landmass, and plays a crucial role in supporting Australia's economy and rural life.
It is also the major source of fresh water for the city of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia state, which draws 40 percent of its water from the river.
Without action, the government says supplies from the Murray could be unfit to drink within 20 years for the city of about one million.
Irrigators use an average 14,000 gigalitres of river water a year, which is about 70 percent of water used in Australia. But up to 30 percent is lost before it reaches the farms. One gigalitre is 1,000 megalitres, or one billion litres (260 million US gallons).
Howard said the plan aimed to save about 3,000 gigalitres a year, including 2,500 gigalitres in the Murray-Darling.
He also announced an inquiry to look at how to better develop vast areas of remote tropical northern Australia, which has plenty of water but where there is little farming. ($1 = A$1.28)
Source: Reuters
Contact Info:


text:
BCS Learning Zone - Excel Intermediate Workshop
Business Computer Solutions Ltd
Event Details
Welcome to the BCS Learning Zone!
Business Computer Solutions offer a range of workshops, covering different topics. Each session has up to eight delegates attending, giving you the opportunity to ask plenty of questions and expand your knowledge. The sessions have no cost*, and the 'workshop' format enables you and fellow delegates to determine what is included. So have a think about what you would like to learn and what will help you with your job role before attending one of our workshops. It really is all about you!
Imagine our Excel Basic session with the heat turned up a little bit, that's this workshop! With your existing understanding of Excel, this will up your level of knowledge and give you the confidence to create some amazing documents. The following topics are an example of what will be covered:
- Linking worksheets and workbooks
- Viewing options: hide, freeze, split rows & columns
- Page set up and printing: headers, footers and scaling
- Sorting and filtering data
- Conditional formatting
- Charts and graphs
With an experienced trainer, touch screen PCs and plenty of tea & coffee, it is an opportunity for you to either brush up your skills or start from the beginning. Either way, we're looking forward to seeing you!
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
If you are driving, there are off road car parking spaces just outside the building and allocated visitor parking spaces at the front of the building.
There are local transport links if you are using public transport. Please feel free to contact us if you have difficulty getting to us and we can arrange to pick you up.
What can/can't I bring to the event?
Just bring your good self! Refreshments are provided.
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
Please feel free to contact Eden on 01843 572600 or email@example.com with any questions you may have,
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
If you remember, fantastic. If you don't, don't worry!
*What if I can't make it?
Although the sessions have no cost for BCS clients, if you fail to notify us of non-attendance within 48 hours of the event, we will reserve the right to invoice your business £50 per non-attendee.
Please feel free to contact Eden with any questions on 01843 572600 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
When & Where
Business Computer Solutions
Unit 16, Leigh Road
Haine Road Industrial Estate
CT12 5EU Ramsgate
United Kingdom
Business Computer Solutions Ltd
Business Computer Solutions Ltd 'Learning Zone' is a chance for you to discover something completely new or to brush up on your existing knowledge. We host workshops that will help you with everyday programs such as Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint, as well as a 'Work Smarter with your Computer' workshop, in a relaxed environment.
The 'workshop' format enables you and fellow delegates to determine what is included, with the examples of topics covered listed in each workshop description. So have a think about what you would like to learn and what will help you with your job role before attending one of our workshops. It really is all about you!
With touch screen PCs, small groups of up to eight per workshop and an experienced trainer, it's your opportunity to learn and ask plenty of questions. We offer half day workshops with both morning and afternoon sessions on multiple dates. You may even see a ninja!
Our support agreement clients can send two participants along to any of the workshops listed.
If you want to learn from the start or just improve on your existing know how, please contact Eden on 01843 572600 or firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.


text:
Mustad LiBero Equi-Librium
Maximum hoof Enrollment
LiBero Equi-Librium is a 3/4 fullered horseshoe coming in 22 x 8 (size 3x0 - 4) and 25 x 8 (size 3 - 5). Available with side clips. Due to the great shape, it allows for an effortless fitting process and gives rollover from the quarters to the toe segment.
Ask the expert
Questions about this product?Let us know
Where to buy
Find your nearest dealer
Product summary
- Model
- Front, typical left and right
- Clips
- Front quarter clips
- Sizes
- Front 3*0-5
- Weather
- All weather
- Indoor
- Terrain
- Turf/Grass
- Sand
- Activity
- Classical dressage
- Cross-country
- Dressage
- Endurance
- English pleasure
- Eventing
- Leisure
- Show jumping
Find your nearest dealer
Good to know
- rolled toe and quarters create an omnidirectional shoe, enhancing a smooth transition for when the horse needs it
- wide heels for more support
- sole relief to minimize sole pressure
- only available with side clips
Douwe Dokter, farrier in The Netherlands
I always strive to deliver the best shoeing for every horse
Age is no barrier when you love what you are doing
Carl O'Dwyer - Victorian, Australia FarrierRead story


text:
At least 11 B.C. Interior sawmills had hazardous levels of wood dust a week after WorkSafeBC issued cleanup orders following two deadly explosions in early 2012.
The provincial safety agency issued new rules for managing wood dust and ordered sawmills across the province to clean up the day after an explosion and fire at Lakeland Mills in Prince George on April 23 killed two workers and injured two dozen. It was the second fatal sawmill explosion this year in northern B.C. The first, at Babine Forest Products in Burns Lake on Jan. 20, killed two workers and injured 19.
To gauge compliance with its cleanup order and new regulations, WorkSafeBC inspectors conducted an inspection blitz beginning in early May.
After the inspections, The Vancouver Sun obtained WorkSafeBC reports from 46 mills in the Interior of B.C., where dry pine-beetle-killed timber is being milled. Of those, 11 still had dust levels constituting an explosive hazard a full week after the second fatal blast in Prince George.
The mills cited had failed to adequately clean up, despite enormous publicity surrounding the two explosions in which wood dust is suspected to have been a factor. Among the sawmills found to have a hazardous wood-dust buildup in the May inspection were three Tolko plants: Kelowna, Soda Creek in Williams Lake, and Lavington near Vernon.
Also cited in WorkSafeBC inspections for high wood-dust levels were a Canfor plant in Quesnel, Carrier Lumber in Prince George, Conifex in Fort St. James, Joe Kozak Sawmills in Revelstoke, Downie Timber in Revelstoke, North Enderby Timber in Enderby, Kanada Wood in Enderby and Vaagen Fibre in Midway.
Tolko executive Bob Fleet said the first round of inspections served as a report card to the industry under the new WorkSafeBC rules, which stipulated one-eighth inch of dust covering five per cent of a mill's area is a combustible hazard.
"They changed the rules and then they did a rapid set of inspections across all of the British Columbia industry. All of the B.C. sawmill industry co-operated 100 per cent with them," said Fleet, vice-president of environment and forestry for Tolko.
"I think if you were to sort of date stamp the reports, the worst findings would be on day 1 and they would get progressively better by the time they got to day 15," he added. "And they might even be in 100 per cent compliance to the new rules by day 15. And I don't just mean Tolko, but everyone."
Fleet said explosive potential of wood dust in sawmills was not well known, a common refrain among industry players and workers.
However, he stressed Tolko and other companies are now taking steps to keep dust levels down, including increasing cleaning and making sure dust suction equipment is working properly. That could be as simple as taping up a hole in a duct, said Fleet.
Tolko has also reminded its workers they have the right to refuse work they believe is unsafe.
The Vernon-based company told its supervisors they can shut a mill down if they believe they are exceeding dust hazard levels because extra-dry timber is being milled.
"We've communicated to all our managers — stay in compliance with the new rules," said Fleet.
Other companies, such as West Fraser Timber, took quick cleaning action before the new dust hazard levels were issued in April.
West Fraser appeared to take the most proactive approach to the potential risk from wood dust.
After the explosion at Babine Forest Products on Jan. 20, managers at the company's 100 Mile House mill inspected the plant, increased cleanup on graveyards and weekends, reviewed its emergency response plans, inspected emergency lighting and firefighting equipment and started experimenting with using mist to control dust, according to the WorkSafeBC inspection reports.
At its Fraser Lake sawmill, a dust removal firm was hired and spent more than a month vacuuming "excessive" dust areas.
West Fraser declined to comment on its efforts to reduce wood dust levels at its mills.
United Steelworkers north-central B.C. union head Frank Everitt said after the first explosion, it was still business-as-usual at most sawmills in terms of how they dealt with wood dust.
It wasn't until the second explosion in April that the industry started putting more focus on the explosive potential of wood dust, said Everitt.
"Nobody wants to be in this position where we have another explosion or any fatalities. That would be something awful," he said. WorkSafeBC manager Bruce Clarke acknowledged some of the mills did not meet the new cleanliness standards in May.
But he said he believes industry is acting to reduce the wood dust explosion hazard. "I think every mill is making headway right now, otherwise I would expect to see penalties [issued by WorkSafeBC officers]," said Clarke.
The WorkSafeBC inspection reports also clearly show that after the first explosion at Babine Forest Products, investigators were examining wood dust as a factor in the deadly blast.
Investigators collected 23 samples of dust, sawdust, fine and partly burned sawdust from throughout the sawmill site at Burns Lake.
Safety regulators and industry representatives have not directly linked the two deadly explosions to wood dust, but dry wood dust from beetle-killed pine is being investigated as a factor in both.


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The Deep State
President Obama says he didn't know the U.S. government was tapping Angela Merkel, and you know, maybe he didn't. I have come to wonder if we don't have what amounts to a deep state within the outer state in the U.S.—a deep state consisting of our intelligence and security agencies, which are so vast and far-flung in their efforts that they themselves don't fully know who's in charge and what everyone else is doing. Maybe they're bugging so many people it's hardly news to them when they bug the chancellor of Germany. Maybe they mentioned it to the president, maybe not. Maybe they don't know.
Mr Obama has gone from seeming like someone who doesn't quite know what's going on in his government to someone who doesn't really want to. He has perfected a sense of surprise. He's always finding out at just the moment you are, and feeling your indignation.
So maybe he didn't know. Maybe our intelligence and security apparatus—so huge and full of money since 9/11, so self-encased and self-perpetuating—didn't tell him.
Before we think about that, should we be tapping Merkel's phone?
No, for a simple reason: Because it is wrong. She is our friend. She is our ally. She leads a great nation. As such—friend, ally, greatness—she deserves respect. It is not respectful or friendly to invade her privacy and spy on her in this way.
It also seems sort of nuts. Does the National Security Agency think Angela Merkel is planning to blow up Times Square? That would be just like her, wouldn't it? Does the NSA want to get the mood of her government before the trade talks commence? Then they can do it the old-fashioned way, through old-fashioned human measures: "Hey, source in the foreign ministry, what are you hearing?"
America has been embarrassed by this. A president with more than adequate political smarts would never OK it. But our intelligence and security agencies? That vast edifice that always wants whatever new technologies are available and whatever new targets are around? Sure, they would do it. After all, it's not their job to look after America's reputation in the world, it's just their job to get the goods and say they got them. Maybe they don't get into sources and methods even with presidents.
Particularly obnoxious on this question are the American policy thinkers and journalists who, when asked about the Merkel taps, put on their world-weary professional wise-guy face, looking like tragic suburbanites who once read a John le Carré novel and can't forget the shiver of existential dread, and say that everyone does it, governments spy, get with the program, this is the way the world works.
Sorry, but tapping the private telephone line of one of your most important friends in the West is not how the world works, it's how, once she finds out and the world finds out, it falls apart.
A president would, naturally and out of sheer diplomatic courtesy, tell his intelligence community to cut it out. What I'm wondering is: Do they cut it out? Who would know if they didn't? Maybe they will choose to be courteous to the president, stop the tap and present Germany with evidence the tap has stopped. But maybe the deep state will think it doesn't have to be pushed around by some joker who'll be gone in a few years, to be replaced by another joker.
Yesterday on "Face the Nation," I was on a panel that included Tom Johnson, Philip Shenon and Bob Woodward. We talked about the tendency of government agencies to cover up their mistakes, hide their internal agendas and lie. We'd been discussing Shenon's impressive book on the JFK assassination and the making of the Warren Report. He documents the extent to which agencies and actors in those days withheld and even destroyed information that should have gone to the Warren Commission.
Anchor Bob Schieffer noted that the first things agencies under duress tend to do is "try to make sure they can't be blamed for something. And, clearly, that is why the FBI and the CIA did not come clean with the Warren Commission."
Woodward referred briefly to Watergate, and added: "I think there's a theme here in all of this . . . that connects somewhat to what's going on now." He spoke of "the power of this secret world—CIA, FBI," in the past, to know of or be involved in activities such as assassination plots against Fidel Castro, and not divulge those activities to a commission that was ostensibly searching for potential motives behind the Kennedy assassination.
Woodward brought it to the present. "We look now at what's going on with all the NSA wiretapping and people saying, 'Well, they didn't know, or they did know.' It clearly is much more extensive than people expected. You connect this with the drone strikes in Pakistan, and Yemen, which is our government conducting regular assassinations by air. You know, what's—what's going on here? Who is in control of it? And who can find out? You know, I think—it's in the New York Times this morning that there is a review that Susan Rice, the National Security Adviser for Obama, has done on Mideast policy. They need to review this secret world and its power in their government because you run into this rat's nest of concealment and lies time and time again, then and now."
I agreed with Woodward. His stated concerns are very much my growing ones. And the pertinent questions are, as he says, "What's going on here?" and "Who's in control?"
What Woodward calls "this secret world" I have come increasingly to think of as the deep state…


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Local rocker drills for million-plus prize
Late last month, 31-year-old musician and contractor Zach Snider headed to Texas for an event at which he might have heard screams of "drill, baby, drill" and might even meet someone named Carl the Carpenter. But despite the timing just days before the election, this event was no political rally: it's the Irwin Ultimate Tradesman Challenge, a contest with a million-dollar-plus prize that Snider nearly won last year.
"He beat the time of the eventual winner last year," says Irwin spokesperson Adam Colborne. "But his jig wouldn't properly fit in the holes he drilled."
"When $1.26 million is on the line," Colborne explains, "it can be pretty nerve-racking."
Indeed, Snider–- who plays in the band Straight Punch to the Crotch–- admitted he was out for revenge as he went to the competition, which was held Sunday at the Texas Motor Speedway during the Dickies 500. While was wielding a bass guitar the night before departure at a local Straight Punch gig, the weekend in Texas was all about the tools.
"They present you with a two-by-six," says Zimmerman, "with two marks at each end, and they give you a chalk reel, a tape measure, and an Irwin drill bit. And you snap two chalk lines and drill four holes."
Sounds simple, but accuracy counts.
"If the jig doesn't fit, then they won't count the time," says Snider. "That's what got me in Phoenix last year."
As if all that's not competitive enough, there's an added element of drama this year: Snider's business partner at Alloy Workshop, an East Market Street architecture/construction/design firm, won his own place in the competition. Thirty-five-year-old Daniel Zimmerman would actually be competing against Snider.
"It's bittersweet," says Snider. "Last year he just came along as my coach and spiritual advisor."
Alas, the two local men gunning for the top prize fell short of the times needed to advance to the final round of Irwin's Ultimate Tradesman Challenge. According to an Irwin spokesperson, the four finalists logged times 22.57 to 25.20 seconds at the Dixie 500. Charlottesvillian Daniel Zimmerman came up just 1/100th of a second short with his time of 25.21. And last year's near victor, Charlottesville's Zach Snider– perhaps concerned about his disqualification last year over an unfitting jig– logged a time of 25.98.
"It's like deciding a baseball game on a single pitch. Every now and again you're a little off," says Snider. I'm looking forward to next year."
–last updated 6:01pm, November 24


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Cruelty-Free Hair Dye
Let's talk hair color! Whether you're looking to cover up some grays or funk it up a bit, cruelty-free hair dyes are definitely on the market. Although I wish this list were longer, I'm grateful that we at least have a handful of options (if you can think of more, please share in the comments).
- Herbatint (~$14): If you're interested in switching to a hair color that's less harsh (fewer chemicals, no ammonia, paraben-free), balanced with plant extracts and herbs, you should give Herbatint a whirl. They have all the basic shades in permanent and semi and a couple earthy, edgier shades too. I've been ogling this particular one… so pretty!
- Manic Panic ($12): Whether you're looking to explore your funky wild side with some hot pink luscious locks (I so rocked this in high school and college) or looking for a simpler (and more conventional) brown or black, Manic Panic's got you covered. Their line of semi-permanent hair color doesn't contain ammonia or peroxide, and it actually leaves your hair feeling healthier.
- Special Effects Hair Dyes ($14.65): I ♥ Special Effects hair dye! This stuff has wicked staying power, and they carry all the same types of cray-cray colors that Manic Panic does. One day, hopefully sooner than later, I plan on Cupcake Pink-ing it up—it's deliciously gorge!
- LUSH ($22.95): Looking for totally natural, plant-based henna color? LUSH carries henna bars in red, brown, and black tones.
- Aubrey Color Me Natural ($13.33): Available shades include dark brown and mahogany, and these dyes are free of phenylenediamine, coal tar dyes, and synthetic chemicals of any kind.
- Paul Mitchell Ink Works – Available at Paul Mitchell salons and beauty supply stores.
- Daniel Field (£7.85): Available in a variety of shades, all organic, and mineral-based.
- Sante Herbal Hair Colors ($12.50): Free from synthetic colorants, fragrance and preservatives. Vegan plant powder with organic henna extract.
If you prefer going to a salon, try:
What's you favorite vegan-friendly hair dye?
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
Filed in: vegan hair care
Comments (91)
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What Walmart hair color and which Sally brands,don't test on animals?I can't get a clear answer
Supposedly Jerome Russel is cruelty-free (or at least claim to be) and the hair dye smells delicious, doesnt bleed like special effects or Manic Panic, which frankly suck. 🙂 punky colors is by tgem & I've used it since I was 8 & first dyed my hair green!
What about Naturtint, I know they are vegan.
I have been using natural hair dyes for years, and have never had any issues with dying over pre-existing colour until I used this product. The shade that came out was no where near the colour I bought, and it did not even cover my whole head in colour, instead just dying my roots.
Customer service is worse than the product, having had no warnings on their website about dying over top of lightened hair, I was met with rude & uneducated assumptions about the condition of my hair based off of a picture I sent of the result. There is no compensation or they did not offer any solution to fix this problem, instead insisted it was my fault.
NEVER using this product or anything from Naturatint ever again – there are MUCH better products on the market, and chances are they are right beside this one, so make the smart choice.
naturtint is not on the leaping bunny list… neither is daniel field or even lush. leaping bunny certification is the only certification available, so why list companies/products that don't have this seal of approval?
I'm still learning about being a vegan, my boy friend is a vegan and I've just started my journey in the vegan lifestyle. I'm a hairdresser by trade and I'm starting my own mobile business & need some help in sourcing vegan products I can use. I need to find hair colours & styling products. I know that De Lorenzo, Manic Panic & Aveda are vegan friendly. Can you please give me more info on other salon brands like – Nak, Indola, Vitality's or any other brand that you know of.
Thank You
Aveda is currently on PETAs list for not testing on animals . Also, per Daniel Fields' website- you cannot lighten hair w/o hydrogen peroxide ( which is a chemical ) . He does not have any blonde/ lightening colors for that reason.
Will the HerbaTint plum colour go over dark brown hair? I'm allergic to bleach and can't actually lighten my hair but I'm dieing to go purple.
Hi, If you are allergic to bleach but want to lighten perhaps Daniel Field's hair lightener would be okay for you. HTH, Fi
I'm actually contemplating between the herbatint flash fashion plum or violet.
But read some.. not-so-fantastic reviews on how the color turns out.
I too, have dark brown hair, so I'm still thinking about it.
Have you tried it yet? If so, how did it go?
I called both Aveda and Paul Mitchell and neither are vegan.
Hello there! Thank you for publishing this list.
I'd like to ask, how do you know Daniel Field is cruelty-free? Because it's not in leaping bunny nor vegan society lists and I didn't find any information about it's policy on their website.
I personally love Special Effects hair dye. It's made from all vegetable ingredients and not tested on animals as far as I know. And they have tons of bright colors which is awesome!
A couple of years ago I bought a color depositing shampoo and conditioner set (red). It came in a brown box and I could've sworn I found it here. I wanna buy it but I can't remember the name. Am I crazy or did you remove it from the article?
Can anyone recommend a cruelty free, Vegan system to tint eyebrows and lashes?
pretty plum 🙂 of herbatint
Daniel Field is vegan friendly, he does hair dye as well as shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. They are such good quality that I've converted several of my non-vegan/veggie friends. They deliver worldwide from the UK.
I know Revlon has been cruelty-free for years, but that is no longer the case. According to PETA (who I don't actually support because of their stance on companion animals) for a company to be able to sell products in China, the Chinese government requires animal testing. PETA removed Revlon from their cruelty-free list when they started selling in China. Revlon will not confirm or deny the allegations, which tells me all I need to know. http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/tags/Revlon/default.aspx
Also, Revlon has never signed Leaping Bunny's Program: Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics(CCIC) http://leapingbunny.org/action1.php
You're talking about lots of vegan hair dyes, such shame in Mexico companies don't even know what veganism is and problably if they knew they wouldn't give a shit
I'll try to look for this brands on Texas 🙂
Revlon is testing on animals in China, Peta pulled them from the cruelty free list
1st off big thanks to this site – it's a wealth of info
As for vegan friendly salon hair dyes (and products) … Affinage products are vegan and cruelty free.
There are a few salon owners that care – I know as I'm one of them 🙂 x
Does this include all affinage products in Australia?
Amber Roper: Are you 100% sure about Affinage being vegan? Double checking before I order some colours! 🙂
REvlon DOESN'T test on animals BUT does it contain Animal by-products? Thanks!
I think Punky Color is vegan too. It's similar to Special Effects and I've heard good things about it so it's worth checking out.
I always heard Special Effects wasn't vegan…can someone tell me otherwise? I like Manic Panic but it doesn't last very long and someone recommended Special Effects to me, then said, Oh nevermind, it's not vegan. I'm confused!
What are the downsides to Revlon? Thanks!
Revlon ColorSilk has animal products in it, including hydrolyzed silk and Oleyl Alcohol (from cows or fish).
oops! i meant organic color systems, sorry!
paul mitchell color contains beeswax & lanolin:( scruples color is vegan & so is organic salon systems.
I live in Denmark and is looking for vegan blond highlights of really good hairdresser quality. I plan to bring the product to my organic and green hairdresser and have them do the highlights. Do you have any suggestions?
Best regards, Ditte
Per Daniel Fields' website – nothing natural or vegan will lighten hair . Only hydrogen peroxide 🙁
Naturtint is my favorite vegan hair dye by far. It's much healthier than regular brands, no ammonia, etc. It can be found at Whole Foods, health food stores, and online. Nothing is more natural than henna but it's just too difficult for me to work with. Love Naturtint!
Mehandi pure henna and indigo. It's the best place to get henna and indigo from! http://mehandi.com/
Yay! Thank you thank you!
If we wanted to go to salons we can go to ones that use Revlon Professionals, Paul Mitchell, and Aveda, right?
Revlon are not cruelty free…sadly they do test on animals 🙁


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(AP) State attorney employee fired in Zimmerman case
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press
A state attorney's office employee has been fired after testifying about concerns that prosecutors didn't turn over photos and text messages from Trayvon Martin's cellphone to the defense in George Zimmerman's murder case.
Ben Kruidbos received a termination letter Thursday accusing him of misconduct and "violating numerous state attorney's office policies and procedures."
It accused him of disclosure of confidential information, sabotage of property or equipment, and misuse of state attorney equipment.
Attorney Wesley White says Kruidbos wasn't surprised by the firing.
Kruidbos retrieved photos and deleted text messages from Martin's cellphone and testified during a hearing June 6. Zimmerman's attorneys were seeking sanctions against the state for not properly turning over the evidence from Martin's phone.
Judge Debra Nelson said she would revisit the matter at the trial's end.