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Middle East Based EPC Company, ADC Energy Systems LLC Selects Ramco ERP on Cloud
03 Dec, 2012, 11:40 GMT
DUBAI, UAE and CHENNAI, India, December 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Ramco Systems (BSE - 532370, NSE - RAMCOSYS, MSE - RSST); an enterprise software product company focused on delivering ERP on Cloud, Tablets and Smart phones, today announced a deal from ADC Energy Systems, Dubai for its ERP on Cloud. ADC Energy Systems is a leading provider of engineering and construction solutions for industrial and commercial cooling, heating, refrigeration and energy systems, serving the UAE and other GCC countries. Ramco recently announced the global availability of its ERP on Cloud. Ramco focuses on building mobility, user-friendly interface and industry specific functionality to its product.
Ramco ERP on Cloud will be addressing the requirements of ADC, across UAE, KSA and Qatar. As part of the agreement, Ramco will provide its full suite ERP including Finance, Project Management, Real Estate, Inventory, Procurement and Sub-contracting, Sales and CRM, and HCM and Payroll, with specific functionality for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) vertical. Ramco ERP will interface with MS SharePoint (Document Management System) and Primavera.
Mr. Ibrahim Sleiman, CEO, ADC Energy Systems, said, "We are happy to associate with Ramco Systems. We have been growing rapidly and needed a robust ERP that will connect our operations across locations into one integrated system. We evaluated multiple global ERP providers and chose Ramco as it offered a comprehensive ERP solution with industry specific features that address the unique needs of the EPC industry. This coupled with the benefits of a cloud offering - lean IT set-up, automatic upgrades and cost savings tilted the decision in favor of Ramco. We are looking forward to go-live on the new system to help us better track and monitor our projects, resources, inventory and financials in addition to adhering to complex and ever changing regulatory requirements."
Commenting on the win, Mr. Virender Aggarwal, CEO, Ramco Systems, said, "We are pleased to add ADC Energy Systems to our growing league of global customers which includes Construction and EPC majors like DLF, Ranhill, Gulf Precast, Singapore Housing Development Board among others. ADC Energy Systems has been at the forefront of adopting the latest technology to support its growth plans. With this prestigious win, the flexibility, depth and breadth of Ramco's offering has appealed to the discerning customer."
The EPC industry is witnessing growth coupled with challenges related to time and cost overruns and shortage of manpower and material. The need today is for a completely integrated application that helps improve efficiencies and better utilize resources. With the advent of cloud technology, businesses are able to leverage the full power of ERP at a fraction of the cost. This has opened up a whole new market and Ramco is leveraging this with its comprehensive ERP with industry specific functionality.
About ADC Energy Systems:
ADC is a leading company in providing EPC (Engineer, Procure and Construct) solutions for Industrial and Commercial Cooling, Heating, Refrigeration and Energy Systems serving the Middle East and North African Region. With over 400,000 TR of District Cooling experience in the UAE, ADC continues to build on its strengths in providing turnkey solutions to its clients. ADC offers solutions in the fields of Industrial Refrigeration, District Cooling, Turbine Inlet Air Cooling, Renewable Energy, Combined Heat and Power and Infrastructure works. The Grain, Milling & Food Business Sector (GMFB) has been the company's new focus wherein ADC with its key alliances and partnerships are not only qualifying and bidding but being awarded Large Strategic Grain Storage Terminals, Grain Milling & Handling Facilities, Industrial Food Businesses & Cement and Mineral Mining Applications. ADC's competitive advantage lies in its local market knowledge, strong engineering background and the creation of strategic alliances, all of which are reasons for ADC's success today. ADC Energy Systems continues to build on its capacity; knowledge and commitment to deliver the most cost effective & efficient District Cooling & Energy Systems in the region. Visit http://www.adcenergysystems.com
About Ramco Systems:
Ramco Systems provides next generation, end-to-end enterprise solutions on Cloud, Mobile and Tablets. Built on Ramco VirtualWorks®, all Ramco products are cloud architected by design and address the entire business cycle from transaction to analytics. Part of the USD 1 Billion Ramco Group, the company offers ERP, HCM, SCM, CRM, Financials, Asset Management, Process Control, Project Management and Analytics to 40+ verticals. Globally, Ramco has over 150,000 users from 1000+ customer organizations across 35 countries. The company currently has 17 offices spread across India, USA, Canada, Europe, Middle East, South Africa and APAC and employs over 1,800 employees. For more information, visit http://www.ramco.com;
Follow Ramco on Twitter @ramcosystems/read latest news & updates on http://www.ramcoblog.com/
For further information please contact:
Vinitha Ramani
Ramco Systems Ltd.
Mobile : +91-9840368048
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
SOURCE Ramco Systems


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PuErh Tea Types
What is puer tea? PuEr has two distinct categories, Sheng 生 & Shu 熟 (Shou) PuEr. Sheng PuEr translated means raw or green PuEr, whereas shu/shou can be translated as cooked or baked though ripe is a more suitable term for PuEr tea. Due to it's leaf colour sometime people refer to Shu PuEr as black PuEr.
Sheng PuErh production is the tradition method, it was not until the late 1960's and early 1970's that the China Tea Corporation began production of Shu PuErh.
PuEr Tea Production
Sheng PuEr Tea 生普洱茶 production has evolved over centuries, potentially millennia and many of processed may have arisen by chance. Sheng PuEr, like many Dark teas is well suited to post fermentation. A naturally process which combines bacterial and fungal fermentation which potentially occurs over decades during which time numerous factors may influence the ultimate outcome.
The raw tea leaf, which traditionally receives very little processing beyond wilting and drying, is commonly pressed in tightly packed forms. There is a lot of different views on how and when these teas should be enjoyed. Traditionally the local ethnic groups would drink them fresh and as such not store for long periods, however many modern consumers believe the teas should be kept and stored ideally for at least 3 years before drinking.
Both Raw and Ripe Puerh tea use a type of finished leaf, mao cha (毛茶), as base material; the only difference being that once leaving the mountain, Ripe Puerh consists of a the second stage production (artificial fermentation), whereas Raw Puerh is merely sorted, compressed and packaged.
Shu or Shou PuEr 熟普洱 is the result of a relatively modern process in which research begun on in the late 1960's. Shu PuEr production requires the raw leaf to be ripened using a controlled process which encourages bacterial and fungal fermentation. The processes is controlled by varying the ambient temperature along with the humidity.
PuErh Tea Forms
PuEr Tea comes packed or pressed in many shapes and sizes/weights. This traditional evolved as a way convenient storage, transportation and exchange.
Pressed tea has been for centuries an effective medium of exchange. Tea money often was pressed with a whole in the middle in order that could be strung together making them easily divisible. One of the most common form over the last century, Qi Zi Bing PuEr 七子饼普洱茶, pressed as 357g cakes, derive their name, 'seven sons', from the fact that they are packed 7 to a 'tong'. A tong weighs 2.5kg and is wrapped in dried bamboo leaves and bound. A tong is in turn bound, with bamboo straps in a Jian, usually which consists of 6 or 12 Tongs.
Other forms of PuEr tea include, Zhuan, or bricks; Mu Gu Zhuang, mushroom shape; Tuo, bird's nest; Yuan Zhu Zhuang, column; Gua Zhuang, melon (these are often stacked in ever smaller sizes up to the high of a person!), along with a diverse range of impressively pressed tea in the form of pictures include some that are several metres in length and/or height! The Melon, or Golden Mellon (Jin Gua), is commonly associated with the Tribute teas given to the emperors of the Qing Dynasty period.
Wild and Ancient Tea Tree PuErh Tea Leaf
Higher quality and sort after PuEr teas come from tea trees that can be up to two thousand years old. Our Yunnan & Sichuan gallery has pictures of a wild tea tree that is believed to be a thousand years old, surrounded by semi wild tea trees originally cultivated during the Song dynasty over five hundred years ago. Old trees, those over sixty to seventy years old are often referred to as Gu Shu 古树 (ancient tree).
Those tea trees which are genuinely wild, which there are relatively few, are referred to as Ye Shu 野树 (wild tree). PuEr tea that is solely from these types of teas is becoming increasingly difficult to come by and it is important to remember this when buying. More often than not PuEr tea labelled as such is mixed with younger leaves. Furthermore because of the increasing demand, there are a considerable number of forged teas begin produced in GuangDong, FuJian and other tea producing regions.

subset: commoncrawl


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If your current shaving creams are irritating your skin, a switch is what you need. Try one of these shaving creams next time.
Electric razors have gotten better and more affordable over the years. Get a clean shave (no shaving cream required) with these top picks.
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I used to be a slovenly brute. OK, not so much slovenly as... average. My morning routine including a shave, shower, and deodorant. I figured that was all a guy had to do to look good. [more]
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West Coast rappers Roach Gigz and IAMSU! connect to shoot a video for their collaboration "It's Lit." Roachy Balboa Round 3 is out now.
Roach Gigz – It's Lit (Feat. IAMSU!) (Official Music Video)
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IAMSU drops off the official video for his single "Shmop House". The record appears on his recently released project 06 Solara, which you can…
IAMSU "6 Speed Wins" (Official Music Video)
After dropping his Boss Up 4 project back in November, IAMSU supports the project with a visual for "6 Speeds Wins". Watch the Sean…
Iamsu – Addy (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
Following up his "Prescription Plan" visual from a few days ago, Iamsu connects with Snoop Dogg for a new record "Addy". His next project…
Iamsu – Prescription Plan (Official Music Video)
Iamsu revisits his Boss Up mixtape with a video for "Prescription Plan". Directed by Chito Floriano.
Mozzy – My Eyes (Feat. Iamsu) (Official Music Video)
Sacramento rapper Mozzy revisits his Fake Famous project with the official music video for "My Eyes" featuring Iamsu. Directed by The Brooks Brothers.
Iamsu – Boss Up 1 & 2 (Mixtapes)
Iamsu releases his new mixtape series titled Boss Up. The two mixtapes contain 13 songs in total with features from Show Banga, E-40, Mansa,…
Iamsu – The Way It Go (Official Music Video)
After releasing his Kilt 3 album last year, Iamsu is preparing to release his next studio album. Today he releases a brand new single…
After releasing the video for his single "Boss Up" a week ago, Iamsu enlists the help of E-40 for the official version.
Iamsu – Boss Up (Official Music Video)
Iamsu hits us with a new visual for "Boss Up", directed by Chito Floriano.
Mistah FAB – Still Feelin' It (Remix) (Feat. Snoop Dogg, G-Eazy, Iamsu, Nef The Pharaoh & Ezale)
Bay Area legend Mistah Fab links with Snoop Dogg, G-Eazy, Iamsu, Nef The Pharaoh and Ezale for the official remix of "Still Feelin' It".
Show Banga – How We Rock (Feat. Iamsu) (Official Music Video)
HBK rapper Show Banga liberates the official video for "How We Rock" featuring Iamsu from his mixtape Showtime 2. Directed by Redwall Studio.
Bobby Brackins – Faithful (Remix) (Feat. Ty Dolla Sign & Iamsu)
Bobby Brackins liberates the official "New Bay" remix of his radio friendly single "Faithful" featuring Ty Dolla Sign and Iamsu.
Iamsu! – Up All Night (Feat. HBK CJ) (Official Music Video)
Iamsu! and HBK CJ party in the streets and the club till the break of dawn in the official music video for "Up All…
Iamsu – Phone & A Gmail (Official Music Video)
Revisiting his Kilt 3 album, Iamsu shares a new video for the record "Phone & A Gmail". Listen to Kilt 3 here. Directed by…
Iamsu returns with the third edition of his Kilt series. The project features 12 records with contributions from Sage The Gemini, HBK CJ, Kool…
Iamsu – The Feel (Official Music Video)
After releasing the official video for "Game Time" last month, HBK rapper Iamsu is back with another one for "The Feel", produced by DJ…
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MILTON, Ont. - The federal government says it will spend $9.2 million this year to improve safety at railway crossings.
The money is being made available as part of a cost-sharing agreement with railways and governments that have authority over local roads.
Transport Canada says the improvements could include installing flashing lights and bells, gate barriers and other devices at crossings.
The Transportation Safety Board has said there have been 658 accidents over the last 10 years at so-called passive railway crossings, including 59 deaths and 107 serious injuries.
Studies suggest accidents and fatality rates drop significantly after grade crossing improvements are completed.
There is also money to encourage the closure of some railway crossings.
"This investment will enhance safety for pedestrians and motorists at over 600 locations across the country, and help save lives," Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said in release.
Last March the Transportation Safety Board said the federal government should conduct research into new low-cost alert systems to bolster safety at passive railway crossings.
It made the finding in a report into a collision involving a camper van and freight train near Broadview, Sask., that killed four people in broad daylight in August 2012.
The report said a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train travelling at 85 km/h sounded its horn and had its lights on, but struck the van broadside at a railway crossing that had only standard reflector warning signs.
The report warned the risk of such accidents remains until better warning systems are required at railway crossings without bells, lights and gates.


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Task Force on the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus
The Task Force on the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus is responsible for the preparation of the thematic assessment on the water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus in transboundary basins which is a part of the Programme of Work under the Water Convention for the period from 2013 to 2015.
The work of the Task Force seeks to address, through improved understanding, problems related to low coherence and a lack of integration between sectoral policies, which result in negative impacts on the status of shared waters. The aim of the nexus assessment is to identify intersectoral synergies that could be further explored and utilized in selected transboundary river basins, and to identify policy measures and actions that could reduce tensions between sectoral objectives, avoid unintended consequences of resource management and resolve trade-offs between sectors. Such efforts support long term water-food-energy security and a transition to a green economy.
The Task Force brings together the concerned sectors representing the Parties and non-Parties to guide and oversee the assessment work.


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Amherst is the leader in providing simple, affordable and dignified funeral, cremation, burial and memorial services. Our award-winning services have continued to become the gold standard for respectful care for both the departed and the surviving family (please read testimonials from families we served). Amherst is fully licensed and experienced to provide a full range of services any traditional funeral home has to offer. We serve entire Lower Mainland: from Hope to West Vancouver.
Our mission is to bring you simple, easy-to-understand and comprehensive cremation, burial and funeral service packages with up-front pricing, no hidden-fees, no hassle, and no sales pressure.
We honour Memorial Society Memberships: we serve all members of any memorial society or funeral co-op, honouring prices currently in effect for those members (Although honestly, our current prices are lower than theirs).
We work with you to bring you just the service you want: no more, no less. We respectfully guide, assist and provide you with cost-saving options in every step of the final arrangements. Amherst's funeral, cremation, burial and memorial service packages include value-added benefits that other funeral homes and providers charge over and above our standard prices.
Unlike what most are led to believe, you DO have options. We simply believe that funeral, cremation and burial costs need not be overly complicated and financially draining, especially at moments of grief.
From our heart-of-downtown Vancouver location, not only do our services cover our neighbouring Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver and West Vancouver; they extend to the entire Lower Mainland including:
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Wherever you are in lower mainland, you have the chance to bring our Award-winning services right to your doorstep: We do come to you for arrangements and for most return deliveries. Our convenient online arrangements are also available 24/7.


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Visitors to Costa Rica often wonder why the Costa Ricans are called "Ticos." The name "Tico" comes from a charming peculiarity of Costa Rican speech–the frequent use of the diminutive. "Tico" is a word ending that suggests "littleness."
Several suffixes indicate smallness when attached to the end of a Spanish word. These suffixes include "-ita," "-ito." For example, a dog ("perro") that it small might be called a "perrito." Or a girl ("niña) who is small might be called a "niñita."
But Costa Ricans often take this notion of smallness one step further, doubling the suffix. When this doubling happens, a "t" often appears before the final suffix, rendering it "-tico," the famous nickname for a Costa Rican. Interestingly, this phenomenon happens with the word "chico," one of whose meanings is "small." In the diminutive, the word is "chiquito." To indicate something really small, someone might use the word "chiquitico," with the "-tico" suffix.
"Poco" is the word for "a bit," so "a little bit of water" would be "un poco de agua." A Costa Rican would typically use "poco" in a diminutive form–"poquito"–"a little bit." But most Costa Ricans would further miniaturize the concept to "poquitito" or "poquitico." Thus, a Costa Rican who wants a drink would commonly ask for "un poquitico de agua," using the "-tico" ending.
Costa Ricans all generally have very cheerful dispositions, and their use of the diminutive illustrates this national tendency to be cheerful and pleasant. Something small is generally considered something inoffensive or even attractive, and the smaller the better.


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Former South African President Nelson Mandela is "responding positively" to treatment for a recurring lung infection after being admitted to hospital overnight, the government said on Thursday.
"He remains under treatment and observation in hospital," it added in a statement, without giving further details about the health of the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader.
Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president in 1994, has been mostly absent from the political scene for the past decade, but remains an enduring and beloved symbol of the struggle against racism.
He is renowned at home and abroad for spending 27 years in prison fighting the last bastion of white rule in Africa and then promoting the cause of racial reconciliation.
Mandela has been frail and in poor health for several years.
He was admitted briefly to hospital earlier this month for a check-up and spent nearly three weeks in hospital in December with a lung infection and after surgery to remove gallstones.
It was his longest stay in hospital since his release from prison in 1990 after serving almost three decades for conspiring to overthrow the white-minority apartheid government.
Mandela has a history of lung problems dating back to when he contracted tuberculosis as a political prisoner.
As he has receded from public life, critics say his ruling African National Congress (ANC) has lost the moral compass he bequeathed it when he stepped down as president in 1999.
Under such leaders as Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo, the ANC gained wide international respect as it battled white rule. Once the yoke of apartheid was thrown off, it began ruling South Africa in a blaze of goodwill from world leaders who viewed it as a beacon for a troubled continent and world.
Almost two decades later, this image has dimmed as ANC leaders have been accused of indulging in the spoils of office, squandering mineral resources and engaging in power struggles.
Mandela spent much of last year in Qunu, his ancestral village in the poor Eastern Cape province. But since his release from hospital in December he has been at his home in an affluent Johannesburg suburb, closer to sophisticated medical facilities.
Source: Bd news24


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Alex Frith has been a children's author for more than a decade, covering every topic on Earth, from prehistoric animals to robots with artificial intelligence, and everything under the Sun, from the origins of the Universe to the adventures of Thor, God of Thunder. At home he reads too many comics, and attempts to raise three children with an awful lot of help from his wife, and no help at all from his cat.
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CitiBusiness® Preferred Banking
Expect the best — and get the best from Citibank.
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By Claire Walla
As of Monday, July 25, New York is all systems go. Just 30 days after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the marriage equality act into legislation, same-sex couples can now officially apply for a marriage license and be legally wed in the state of New York.
While some gay couples living in New York have already tied the knot in one of the five U.S. states where same-sex unions are already legal, and though some couples will opt to wait a bit before they listen to the wedding bells ring, the clerks' offices in East Hampton and Southampton Towns are already seeing requests for the paper contracts.
Glenda Hayes of the East Hampton Town Clerk's office said their offices had received three requests for marriage licenses from same-sex couples on Monday, July 25 and one request the following day. The numbers in Southampton Town are a bit higher. According to Southampton Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer, the town issued 19 marriage licenses just this past Monday, in addition to one on Tuesday and another on Wednesday.
Though the office seems to have been inundated at the start of the week, Schermeyer explained, "that was really because we were gathering applications from the week before. We allowed people to begin filling out their paperwork early on," she said, adding that all of the applications that were started last week could only officially be filed on Monday. So, in that sense, the number of licenses she issued was pretty on-target. "We kind of had an idea [of how many we would be issuing] based on the number of phone calls we had coming in," she said.
Though any couple that obtains a marriage license through a New York clerk's office is free to marry in any part of the state, Schermeyer explained that she herself officiated ceremonies for three of the gay couples who had requested marriage licenses this week.
For the Reverend Katrina Foster, pastor of St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Amagansett and Incarnation Lutheran Church in Bridgehampton, the first wedding with two men she will preside over will take place this Saturday, July 30. She added that her first wedding with two women will be held in October.
"Both of my churches are excited to host the weddings for both couples," she said. In fact, the passage of the Marriage Equality Act came nearly two months after Incarnation Lutheran Church officially adopted a statement of public welcome to all "regardless of age, race, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation," etc.
In light of the fact that the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Center has barred its priests from presiding over gay ceremonies, Reverend Foster is working to get the word out to the community that she can do the job.
"I've done some outreach to gay-specific communities" to get the word out that there is a pastor in the local community who can officiate a Christian service for a gay couple, she said. "I was just at a professional meet-and-greet [put on by the East End Gay Organization] the other night and I said, 'If you need someone to officiate, I'd be happy to speak to you.'"
While Pastor Foster said her office hasn't exactly been inundated with requests from gay couples, she said she's not exactly surprised. While it may be the case that some couples feel strapped for options, she said it's also very likely that there are a number of gay couples who will choose not to marry.
"More and more, a lot of people [gay or straight] are choosing not to engage in a hetero-normative construct," i.e. marriage, she said. While that may sound overly complicated, when it comes down to it, it's really very simple. "They just want to be themselves," she said. "However they choose to be."


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Meth trafficking ring busted; 12 charged
ASHEVILLE – Federal authorities say 12 people believed to be members of a methamphetamine trafficking ring are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Asheville said in a statement that seven of those charged were arrested Tuesday during an early morning round-up by federal, state and local law enforcement.
A criminal indictment unsealed last week says that between June and July of last year, ring members conspired to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, or more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing meth.
The indictment alleges that the defendants ran their drug ring primarily in Buncombe, Cleveland and McDowell counties.
All 12 defendants face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.


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Scribble Press is an iPad app that lets you create and illustrate stories and share them with others. It is an award winning app and I can see why. There's a lot of fun to be had by both young and old. If you're a parent, teacher, or homeschooling, this is a must-have app for iPad.
Inspiring the Story Teller
I installed Scribble Press on my iPad recently and was amazed how quickly my seven year old picked up on how to use it. It took her about 5 minutes to figure out how to start using the built-in story templates and create her first story. That's when I knew this FREE app had a lot to offer. Scribble Press is really about empowering the creative mind and giving them all the tools needed to create a story from start to finish. For the beginner, there are story templates that your children can pick from, such as "My Babysitter Is a Zombie". The story pages are outlined in advance. All the child has to do is fill in some of the blanks with names and such. It doesn't take long however, for your child to graduate from the templates to creating full-blown stories of their own. The other day my daughter read me a story she created that literally made me laugh out loud. How cool is that?!?
Illustrating Made Easy
The illustrating tools are incredible in Scribble Press. Your child can go to the marker wall, pictured below, and choose from an enormous amount of brilliant colors and different types of media. They can use markers, crayons, stamps, and much more. Not only can your child tell a story, but they can express their inner artist. If you're a teacher, or homeschooling, I could see this being a great tool for inter-discipline teaching by combining language arts and visual art concepts. You might even use this app for team building by having one child write the story and another child illustrate the story.
The newest version of Scribble Press also lets you create graphics without having to write a story. This is pretty nice because, as you can see in the first picture above, there is a little shopping cart where you can purchase a hard copy book as well as, other nifty products with your illustrations on them.
Pros: Scribble Press makes story creation fun. The newest version allows multiple account creation on one iPad so you can set up separate profiles for multiple people. The story templates are there to inspire the young writer, but it is advanced enough to let them create stories from scratch. There are lots of illustrating tools and they can share their work with parental approval.
Cons: At the moment I don't really have any to report. This is simply one of the best apps I have seen. Some may view the fact that additional templates cost money as a negative, but they're not that expensive.
Scribble Press, in my opinion, is a 5 star program, and I would recommend it as an educational tool for anyone trying to teach children to write. Quite frankly, it's fun for adults too. For more information, visit their page in the iTunes store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scribble-press/id487300076?mt=8.


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The story
Save the universe from destruction
Join our intergalactic heroes for an incredible new adventure. Intrepid Lombax mechanic Ratchet and his loyal robotic sidekick Clank were tasked to escort a dangerous criminal to the Vartax Detention Center – but neither expected what was awaiting them…
A daring orbital jailbreak leaves Ratchet and Clank lost and abandoned in deepest space, where they uncover an inter-dimensional event that threatens the universe. Can you use a variety of crazy weapons and amazing new zero-gravity gear to stop this dastardly evil plot?


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Gluten Free Beer from Harvester Brewing
Seeking out the best in malty, hoppy refreshment.
Drink options for celiacs and those who choose to avoid gluten have gotten better in recent years; once upon a time there was really only wine, but now there's the exciting artisanal cider movement and more and more gluten-free beer. Back in 2010, we could only find a handful of decent bottles available. We were really impressed by Omission from Widmer Brothers, which was released in early 2012. And Harvester Brewing offers another Oregon-brewed option; the brewery, which brewed its first batch in November 2011, focuses exclusively on gluten-free beers, all using roasted chestnuts in addition to frequently-seen GF beer ingredients like sorghum.
We tried their pale ale, dark ale, and red ale, which are available in Oregon and Washington for now. The dark ale uses dark-roasted chestnuts from a McMinnville, OR farm to provide a deep caramely-roasty flavor, along with certified gluten free oats, sorghum, cane sugar, tapioca malodextrin, and Oregon-grown hops. The beer has a nice orangey hop flavor, but the bitter edge of sorghum lingers on the finish. Try this one with walnuts or aged cheeses (or a nice thick pork chop.)
The best of the three brews, though, was the pale ale, which has a heavier dose of Nugget, Cascade, and Meridian hops, offering a mix of orange-like and piney pot-like hop flavors which covers over some of the difficult flavors gluten-free beer can offer. It offers hints of lemon marmalade and mango chutney, and would work well with curries.
We were less convinced by the red ale, which was quite earthy and offered a smoky sweetness and char on the finish that didn't mesh quite coherently with the rest of the beer's flavor. We'd be curious to try the IPA, since we far preferred Harvester's hoppier options.
Have you tried the beers from Harvester Brewing? Any other gluten-free brews to recommend?
About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Former Texas officers face drug conspiracy charges
Were members of the so-called Panama Unit
By Christopher Sherman
Associated Press
MCALLEN, Texas — A federal grand jury indicted three more former South Texas law enforcement officers on drug conspiracy charges Wednesday, bringing to seven the number of members of a now-disbanded drug task force to face charges.
The superseding indictment added three more former Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies who were members of the so-called Panama Unit, a joint task force between that agency and the Mission Police Department targeting street-level drug sales in that South Texas city, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office.
Also added to the case were Fernando Guerra Sr. and Fernando Guerra Jr., who had been separately charged last month. According to documents filed in the elder Guerra's original case, he sat atop a drug trafficking ring that employed corrupt police to steal drugs from other traffickers. Guerra Sr. told the confidential informant that whoever was responsible for delivering the cocaine to him at the pre-determined location would be stopped by corrupt police officers and arrested.
"According to Guerra Sr. and Fernando Guerra Jr., the driver would be charged with only a portion of the narcotics and the rest would be given to Guerra Sr. and Guerra Jr. by the corrupt law enforcement officials," according to documents filed in that case. The elder Guerra would then sell the stolen cocaine and give the confidential informant 30 percent of the proceeds.
Wednesday's indictment merges the Guerras' cases with their alleged former police co-conspirators from the Panama Unit. The Guerras' attorneys did not immediately return calls for comment.
The new indictment charges former Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies Salvador Joel Arguello, 34, Claudio Alberto Mata, 34, and Eric Michael Alcantar, 29, with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine. Two other deputies had been previously charged. It was not immediately known if the newly indicted had retained lawyers.
Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said the new charges were expected. He said that once he heard the other deputies were under investigation, he requested their resignations.
Trevino declined to discuss what his internal investigation of the unit has revealed in terms of how the group went wrong. He has received legal approval to begin a program of periodic polygraph testing of deputies to try to ferret out corruption.
Trevino's son Jonathan Trevino, a former Mission police officer, was also a member of the unit and is among those facing drug conspiracy charges.
Also indicted Wednesday was Alvaro Gilberto DeHoyos, 25, who court documents say installed compartments in truck trailers to hide drugs.
The original case against the four task force members charged in December alleged that all four "utilized their positions as law enforcement personnel to escort and protect loads of narcotics."
Authorities set up a sting after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department that conducts internal reviews received a tip in August about two task force members stealing drugs.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press


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Mic is just back from Royer with a check up and new ribbons. Complete with all the bits. Not used since. Perfect. Preamp is perfect as well.
$1500 for the mic, $700 for the preamp shipped and PP'd.
If you'd like pictures, PM me, but they look just like they do on the companys' web sites


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CREW TV brings you closer to the industry's
most influential leaders and thinkers. Click on the videos below to watch the interviews:
Experts can talk all day about the benefits to buying multi-family properties over singles, but investors are often scared by the financing challenges and the condition of many of those apartment buildings. Should they be? Jemima Codrington reports.
Video transcript below:
Jemima Codrington: Making the change from single family investing to multi family investing can be a daunting task. But it also can reap the biggest rewards. We get the scoop on when and why you should consider multi family investing in this week's Investor Insight.
Whether you are a novice investor or a seasoned pro, multi res has lots to offer.
Tarik Gidamy – TheRedPin.com
Tarik Gidamy: I think you can consider it at any stage. As a first time investor, it's a great stable way to start earning income from day one, paying down your mortgage and getting a real feel for property and what you can kind of do with it down the road.
A lot of investors who buy multi res in terms of adding to their portfolio constantly, because they re-finance and do a lot of things, it's definitely a great vehicle so that you can not pay capital gains and just keep something long term.
Jemima Codrington: The older state of some multi residential buildings coupled with the maintenance costs has some investors running scared. But those older gems may have hidden benefits.
Tarik Gidamy: The beauty of multi res is the fact that an investor can keep it and earn the cash flow and if they are content with the cap rate and everything else at the current moment, but also have that upside potential to be able to take tenants out, renovate, increase the cash flow, increase the cap rate and do that to the point where it becomes a great cash flow property, then re-finance and hopefully buy another one and do it all over again, it makes sense to a lot of investors.
Jason McGuire, Real Property Management Service
Jason McGuire: Investors start to consider multi residential investments when they have got little more of a serious cash flow with money to invest in these properties. They reduce your cost per door, which typically means greater return on your investment and it also mitigates your risk. You know, instead of having just one or two units with rent coming in, if you have got 10, 20 or 100, so if one tenant doesn't pay rent, you are really in a better position really when you can afford some of the smaller hiccups we call them.
Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Devin P. McComb has joined the firm's Seattle office as a partner in the Real Estate & Land Use practice
Grimsby skyline to be reshaped by tallest buildings in city: two-tower residential complex
Connect Asset Management Challenges the Financial Community to Invest in Downtown Toronto Real Estate for a Good Cause


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Cherokee can quickly list what she wants for her 2-year-old daughter, Arorah. She wants her to grow up in a stable home, feel financially secure and go to college. This is important to Cherokee because growing up, she didn't experience those things.
Through Promise 1000, United Way of Greater Kansas City is connecting vulnerable families to services that help young children, from prenatal to age 3—the first 1,000 days of life. The program brings community agencies together for a home-visiting system that delivers services to families who most need them.
For Cherokee and her partner, Nick, the program is helping them do what is best for their daughter, despite some obstacles. Nick works in maintenance and Cherokee is a barista. They don't make a lot of money, and only one of them can stay home to parent. When they found out about Promise 1000, they knew it would help them build a stronger foundation for Arorah.
"There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but there is such a thing as a better parent," said Cherokee. "I want to be there for her. I don't want to miss a thing."
A collaborative initiative of United Way, Children's Mercy Hospital, the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City (HCF) and area home-visiting programs, Promise 1000 is dedicated to improving maternal and newborn health; reducing the incidences of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence; and improving the economic self-reliance and safety of participating families. The program's work is guided by scientific research confirming that a stimulating and nurturing environment is essential for optimal brain development, which in turn leads to school readiness and good health.
This year, the program received a two-year, $550,000 grant from HCF to help increase the number of families receiving home-visitation services. As parents, Nick and Cherokee have no role models to turn to for guidance, and they appreciate the fact that this comprehensive program is based on home visitation. "It happens on our time and in our house," said Cherokee, who adds that available transportation can be a huge issue in getting resources if you're struggling financially.
Nick says the home visitations can extend into areas of the family that might not seem directly related to parenting, such as job stress. However, solving issues helps him be a better parent, he explains. Thanks to Promise 1000, "we are stronger as a family, and we just do better."


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Release 0.42a
Reworked Hashing system and conflict resolution
Added Queue System for torrents
fixed issues with kad publishments
solved some mulekad issues
Add proper a4af management for eMule
Added file prealocation to prevent freezes when writign at fare indexes
Make grabber search file not startable
add file dialog now parses urls from text
Add info to summary window, captcha solvers hosster bans active stuf etc..
Add port warning
store last directory from which DLCs or torrents were opened
handle the case better when some links are temporary down
if no other sources start downloading auto switch to archive hash wait 2 minutes (if no sources available wait 30sek)
save passwords in archive links
reworked archive handling
added mega progress
reworked SCT block handling
Modifyed part request to improve part clustering
Fixed known bugs:
- [color="#008000"]Neo26: Stopped MultiFile disappeared bug: Screenshot[/color]
- [color="#008000"]Neo26: Wrong .dmp filename scheme (hour in the middle of date)[/color]
- [color="#008000"]onOehTsIsihT: Advanced progressbar bug Screenshot[/color]
- [color="#008000"]Neo26: Firefox open a new tab each time a link is opened from NeoLoader[/color]
- [color="#008000"]onOehTsIsihT: FW status bug[/color]
- [color="#008000"]onOehTsIsihT: NeoLoader sometimes can't create temp file[/color]
- [color="#008000"]onOehTsIsihT: Can't define multifile: http://board.neoloader.com/bugs/3337-0-41-bugs-15.html#post17062[/color]
- [color="#008000"]onOehTsIsihT: Crash when download multiple files from NeoShare[/color]
Additionally to Torrent and eMule file sharing, NeoLoader now also has its own sharing network.
NeoShare is a anonymous P2P filesharing network that uses NeoKad to route packets between cryptographic endpoints. The implementaion provides TOR/I2P anonymization to those who want it, as well as plausible deniability to all other users. A node initiates a secure comminucation channel which is indistinguishable form a node mearly relaying data frames. The data frames are relayed using a unidirectional convergent mesh routing towards the tunnel exchange points in the target area. This method ensures that slow relaying nodes do not pose a bottle neck in the tunnel. All data is transferred using end-to-end encryption (using EC-Diffie-Hellman key exchange and AES 256 bit encryption). Additionally all communication between each hop is encrypted so that a traffic analysis can not reveal the route of data frames through the network.
To sped up your Torrent and eMule Downloads:
We have a unique feature called "Hoster Cache". When you add your hoster accounts (free or premium) to NeoLoader, your client will upload data from the Torrent and ed2k network to file hosters. Other NeoLoader clients can then download the data directly from hosters. So the uploader multiplies his own upload bandwith by using hosters as a "cache" to spread files. You can test our new Hoster Cache Feature using this TestFile. You find the password to your NeoLoader under Settings -> General. (Address can be left empty, assuming NeoLoader is running on the same host as your WebBrowser).
Download TestFile
Mac OS X
Linux (x64)


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See all countries >
OHCHR in Afghanistan2012-20132008-20092006-2007
Recent news
Archived news(over 3 years old)
Human Rights Reports OHCHR/UNAMA
Since 2002, OHCHR has been working with and supporting the human rights component of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). There are ongoing efforts to enhance UNAMA's capacity to meet with its obligations under the Afghanistan Compact, the new framework for international cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, and its new mission mandate. These efforts include strengthening the human rights unit (HRU), particularly at the regional and sub-regional offices.
OHCHR Afghanistan project supports the work of UNAMA HRU in building the capacity of the Government and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). The AIHRC is recognized as the primary agency for protecting and promoting human rights in Afghanistan and focuses on six programmatic areas: human rights education, monitoring and investigation of complaints, protection and promotion of women's rights, protection and promotion of child rights, transitional justice, and rights of persons with disabilities. OHCHR is also providing technical expertise to the Government on meeting its treaty reporting obligations in a joint project with the Government and UNDP.
In addition, OHCHR serviced the mandate of the Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Afghanistan , which was discontinued at the 61 st session of the Human Rights Commission in 2005. At that session, the High Commissioner was given the mandate for monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in Afghanistan to the next sessions of the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. The new Human Rights Council at its resumed second session requested for the High Commissioner to continue monitoring the human rights situation in Afghanistan and to regularly report to the Council paying special attention to the rights of women and the achievements of technical assistance in the field of human rights.
UNAMA HRU is expected to be strengthened through the deployment of more human rights officers to the regional and sub-regional offices. The role of UNAMA's human rights officers (HROs) will include not only monitoring and investigating human rights violations, but determining the extent to which state building efforts are successful in promoting and protecting human rights. HROs will work in close cooperation with AIHRC and other members of civil society in order to create greater awareness among the Afghan people, particularly women, of their human rights and the availability for redress in respect to human rights abuses, as well as to enhance the monitoring and investigating capacity in the regions. OHCHR will also deploy human rights officers to be located in UNAMA HRU to provide support and assistance in the latter's work with the AIHRC.
UNAMA's HROs are also expected to be placed in Kabul to strengthen its capacity in the area of transitional justice in order to ensure implementation of the Action Plan on Peace, Reconciliation and Justice in Afghanistan and to contribute towards ending impunity. Consultations will be carried out with stakeholders in the regions; advocacy for the implementation of the Plan will be undertaken; and the foundations for the eventual investigation of mass graves will be laid.
OHCHR/UNAMA will advocate for the respect of and adherence to international human rights norms by the Government. Training will be offered on the implementation of human rights standards. This training will be based on OHCHR manuals and guidelines, which will be translated into local languages. OHCHR HROs will also be placed in Government ministries and departments to enhance the national capacity to comply with treaty obligations.
OHCHR/UNAMA will also work to have human rights principles and standards incorporated into all UN activities in the country. Guidelines on rights-based approaches will be disseminated and coordinated strategies on human rights will be developed. The mainstreaming of human rights in all UN development activities will be further supported by the participation of the Chief of UNAMA HRU, as the High Commissioner's Representative in Afghanistan , in the meetings of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT). The role of the Chief of UNAMA HRU in the UN Country Team will be supported by the OHCHR HROs deployed to Kabul and located in UNAMA HRU.
Greater awareness among the Afghan people, particularly women, of their human rights and the availability of redress for human rights abuses.
Enhanced human rights monitoring and investigating capacity in the regions.
Enhanced conformity of national laws and policies with international human rights standards.
Contributing towards holding accountable those responsible for serious war crimes and crimes against humanity with a view to ending impunity.
Human rights principles and standards incorporated and adhered to in all United Nations activities in the country.
Field Operations and Technical Cooperation
Division (FOTCD)
Contact is in Geneva, Switzerland.
Asia Pacific Section
Tel. +41 22 928 9650
Human Rights Unit, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
Representative, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Kabul, Afghanistan
E-mail: email@example.com
Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
Geneva Conventions
ILO Conventions
International Criminal Court
Refugee Conventions


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Government Closes In On Deal for Automakers
White House has stringent requirements for any aid given to automakers.
Dec. 8, 2008 -- The White House has received a draft of a bill from Congress that would aim to keep Detroit's Big Three carmakers rolling at least into early next year.
The draft bill would call on President Bush to select one or more people within the executive branch to authorize, disperse and oversee a loan for the auto industry.
On Monday morning, White House press secretary Dana Perino said a deal was "very likely" to be hammered out by the end of the day. Still, by Monday afternoon, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said no deal had been struck but added that she was encouraged by the way negotiations were proceeding.
Congress and the White House have been working to hash out a tentative agreement that would give General Motors and Chrysler a short-term infusion of about $15 billion in low-interest loans to stay afloat in the months ahead. Ford has also requested loans but will have to wait.
Senators began debate on the proposal at 3 p.m. today. Leadership staff on both sides of the aisle are predicting a Wednesday vote on the auto bailout in the Senate. House lawmakers return tomorrow.
Still, details of the plan, including what kind of oversight and conditions would be imposed on the automakers, could be cause for disagreement. On Monday afternoon, White House officials were concerned that the draft bill does not make explicit enough that loans would only go to companies that can prove they are viable.
"Long-term financing must be conditioned on the principle that taxpayers should only assist automakers executing a credible plan for long-term viability," the White House said in a statement Monday evening. "We'll continue to work with members on both sides of the aisle to achieve legislation that protects the good faith investment by taxpayers."
Today, Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee said $15 billion might be too little money, but added, "It's better than nothing."
The auto companies had requested more than double that amount of money, but lawmakers have decided that it will be up to a new Congress and a new president to find a longer-term solution. According to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, 54 percent of those surveyed oppose giving automakers up to $34 billion in federal loans, while 37 percent support it.
The $15 billion would come from funds Congress had already provided to the carmakers to help finance fuel-efficient technology. The White House has resisted calls to give the industry a loan with money allocated for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, signed into law this fall.
Democrats on Capitol Hill are cautiously optimistic the plan will pass, but it won't be easy. For starters, congressional Republicans have not been involved in crafting the proposal, and as evidenced at hearings on the subject last week, there are also plenty of rank-and-file Democrats opposed to bailing out Detroit.
In the Senate, 60 lawmakers would need to support the bill in order for the proposal to overcome a threatened filibuster by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. Just who could be tapped to oversee the loan is not yet clear. On Monday, a spokeswoman for Kenneth Feinberg, a Washington, D.C. lawyer whose name has been floated, told ABCNews.com that Feinberg said he knows nothing about it and has not been offered the position.
Some Call for GM's CEO to Resign
Some members of Congress have also recently suggested that the auto companies need a change in leadership and proposed that that stipulation be included in the plan. Connecticut's Sen. Christopher Dodd has suggested that General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner be replaced. This weekend, President-elect Barack Obama, while expressing support for congressional efforts to help the auto industry, also referred to decisions that should have been made decades ago by an industry with a "head-in-the-sand" approach.
Today Perino declined to comment when asked if the White House thought the Big Three needed new leaders.
In an ad in Automotive News, GM made its case to American taxpayers. Wagoner told lawmakers last week that GM, without an infusion of $4 billion in taxpayer loans before the end of the year, would go bankrupt and have to be liquidated.
"We know some Americans have questioned why the federal government should assist the auto industry, specifically when so many other sectors of the economy appear to be at serious risk too," the company stated. "The answer is because we have already lost a number of industries that spin raw materials into finished products that can be purchased by the citizens of this nation and, just as importantly, those of other nations."
"A healthy manufacturing base generating exports is critical to the economy and national security of the United States. The auto industry is the backbone of this country's manufacturing base. This is why we need to borrow money from U.S. taxpayers," Wagoner argued in the ad.
New job loss numbers released last Friday from the Labor Department added urgency to the auto industry's effort. The numbers revealed 533,000 job losses in November.
November was the worst monthly report for job losses since December 1974 and the sixth worst month since 1929, when record keeping first started.
"It now goes to the actual stability of the financial sector itself," Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said Thursday after a Senate hearing on the topic. "The banks and financial sector would be threatened if the Big Three go under."
"Context is especially important this morning," Frank said Friday. "A failure to some extent of three of our major domestic manufacturing entities would be a very serious problem in any case. In the midst of the worst economic situation since the Great Depression, it would be an unmitigated disaster."
As automotive industry leaders made their case to both sides of Congress last week, James Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, told senators that failures at the Big Three automakers would be devastating for small businesses because it's difficult for a dealer to get people financed for cars when banks are hesitant to give them money.
"To our people, to these small-business people, it is a tsunami, it is not a ripple," Fleming said.
On Monday, Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli also posted a message to employees.
"Assuming the receipt of the bridge loan, concessions from all Chrysler's major constituencies and our continued restructuring and transformation, Chrysler would manage through the current economic downturn and generate adequate cash to begin repayment of the loan in 2012," he wrote.
"While the situation in Washington remains dynamic, I am very encouraged by the developments over the weekend and the growing interest shown by Congress and the administration to provide needed financial assistance to the three Detroit automakers."
On Monday, members of the United Auto Workers, active workers and retirees, were on Capitol Hill to make the case that the auto industry deserves financial help from the government.
Frank Hammer, a retired GM worker, rejected the notion that the major automakers are suffering severe problems because of high wages and costly benefits for workers.
"The blame lies directly with the reckless behavior of Wall Street and the politicians who have removed all constraints on their unbridled greed," Hammer told reporters at a news conference.
"We urge Congress to endorse the bridge loan immediately, although we reject the notion that auto workers must make further concessions for its approval," he said.
ABC News' John Hendren, Jon Garcia, Dean Norland and Z. Byron Wolf contributed to this report.


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Financial aid sought for undocumented students in Connecticut
HARTFORD -- Undocumented students who can now attend state colleges at in-state tuition rates are lobbying hard to also be allowed to apply for state financial assistance to help make college affordable.
The $8,500 tuition rate at state universities is unaffordable for many of them, according to advocates.
They will present a petition to the Higher Education Committee and Employment Advancement Committee today, the last day it can raise the bill.
CT Students for a DREAM are asking that the bill get a public hearing and a vote.
State Rep. Andres Ayala, D-Bridgeport, proposes that all students eligible for in-state tuition, regardless of immigration status, receive financial aid if they need it to ensure that the system is fair and treats everyone equally.
The state, however, is facing a deficit in fiscal 2014 of more than $1 billion with aid cut to municipalities and social services. Tuition is also slated to increase at the state universities by 5 percent as the state's contribution continues to drop.
"I have lived in Connecticut since I was 5," said Cynthia Perez, a student at Southern Connecticut State University, "I went to elementary school, middle school, and high school here. Now, all I want is the chance to be treated fairly and equally and to chase my dreams. This bill would help give me that chance."
Advocates argue that making college more affordable will improve high-school graduation rates and will also help the economy by boosting the potential earning power of these students.


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Child Safety Seats - Recalled?
Has your child's safety seat been recalled?
Just as automobiles and many other products may be "recalled", child safety seats may be recalled because of a defect which could injure your child if a crash occurs. When you hear about a child safety seat (CSS) being recalled, find out which model and manufacturing date(s) are affected, then call the toll-free number of the CSS manufacturer for more information.
If you're not sure whether or not your CSS has been recalled, or you don't know the correct phone number for the manufacturer, call the Auto Safety Hotline in Washington, D.C., toll-free, at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Visit this link to check the current recall list. www.nhtsa.gov/recalls
Before you call, write down the brand, model number and manufacturing date of your CSS. This information is printed on labels affixed to the child seat. (If necessary, check under the padding and other less obvious places for the labels.) Bring the seat to the phone so you can answer questions about it.


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Feature Flick: Mercedes S350 Diesel Takes on Legendary 450 SEL 6.9
The Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 is considered by some to be one of the greatest sedans of all time, along with its predecessor, the equally-epic 300 SEL 6.3. In the dark days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, "high-performance" was defined by anything that could do 0-60 in less than 10 seconds. Suffice to say, the 6.9 dispatched the deed in considerably less time.
In a demonstration of how far technology and engineering has come in the intervening decades, the editors of Autoexpress decided to pit the former king against the most parsimonious and frugal example of the current S-Class, the S350 diesel. The two vehicles weigh around the same amount, and on paper, their respective engine outputs are remarkably closely-matched. The S350 diesel has the advantage of having more than double the number of gear ratios of its predecessor, as well as modern traction aids.
The two cars stayed quite close to each other down the track, with less than a car length separating the two for most of the distance. Did high-tech efficiency, or big-displacement boisterousness finally prevail? We won't spoil the outcome for you. Watch the video below of these unlikely relatives battle it out below.
Source: YouTube


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Transportation Letter to Parents 2020-2021
Fee Rebate Schedule 2020-2021
Bus Rebate 2020-2021
Kindergarten to Grade 6 students are eligible for transportation when they live further than 1.2 km from their designated school. Check your address at the school with the transportation walk limit map or contact CCSD Transportation at 403-500-2458. When numbers warrant, morning and afternoon charter transportation (and noon service for kindergarten children) will be provided for kindergarten to Grade 6 students who are required to travel outside their community to their designated school.
Kindergarten to Grade 6 students who attend programs of choice and live more than 1.2 km from their school are eligible to receive transportation.
Junior and senior high students who live
further than 2.4 km from their designated school may purchase Calgary Transit
monthly bus passes at a reduced cost for travel to and from the school. Each
year, eligible students or their parents must fill out a CCSD rebate form to
receive the monthly rebate.
Rebate Forms
Rocky View School District Transportation Office is responsible for arranging transportation for CCSD students in kindergarten to Grade 12 who reside in the Airdrie, Chestermere and Cochrane areas. For information about service, families should contact their local Catholic school or the Transportation Department at 403-500-2458.
For those students in Calgary who live outside of the eligible walk limit areas and must instead take Calgary Transit, you can use CalgaryTransit's Google trip function to plot your bus trips.
Calgary Catholic School District / Parents / Transportation


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08 August, 2013 | (01 hr)
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Too often executive management does not think proactively of reputational risk management. While many companies have a variety of functions -- compliance legal, audit, risk -- that concern themselves with aspects of reputation risk management, too often these efforts are disorganized or in silos. The CEO and the executive team need to take responsibility for this area, but the buck doesn't stop with them. Ultimate accountability for reputation risk management lies with the board of directors, but too often they too do not seem to be prepared for this type of oversight.
This webcast will outline several specific measures that senior executives and board members involved with risk management can consider to improve reputational risk oversight and practice within a company.
In viewing, participants will:
- Explore the world of reputation risk management
- Understand what the CEO's role in reputation risk management should be
- Review the role of the board in reputation risk oversight
- Learn specific take-aways for improving executive & board performance in reputation risk management
Audience: Senior executives including functional executives (general counsels, CFO, COO, CEO, chief compliance and ethics officer, heads of audit, HR, risk, CSR, Investor Relations), members of boards of directors and more specifically audit committee, governance committee and risk committee members
Richard M. Levy, Ph.D.
Richard Levy has been chairman of the Varian Medical Systems Board of Directors since 2002. He was CEO of the company from 1999 to 2006.
Levy holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and a doctorate in nuclear chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley.
...Full Bio
Andrea Bonime-Blanc, JD, PhD
Dr. Andrea Bonime-Blanc is the lead cyber-risk governance author and researcher for The Conference Board. She is the chief executive officer of GEC Risk Advisory LLC, the global governance, risk, ethics, compliance, reputation, and crisis advisory firm, serving executives, boards, investors, and ...Full Bio


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Executive Branch Ethics Act
Responsibilities of Agency Designated Ethics Supervisors
The designated ethics supervisor for each department in the executive branch is the commissioner. The designated ethics supervisor for the University of Alaska is the president. These officials typically delegate the responsibility to another public officer. The designated ethics supervisor for the commissioner is the governor, who has delegated this responsibility to Shawn Henderson, Administrative Director of the Office of the Governor.
Designated ethics supervisors should refer to the 2019 Designated Ethics Supervisors Handbook (503KB PDF), available from the state ethics attorney, regarding their responsibilities under the Ethics Act. Briefly, as designated ethics supervisor, you must --
- Ensure that your personnel office provides a copy of the guide, Ethics Information for Public Employees, to all new employees -- and keeps a supply of disclosure forms.
- This guide, other educational materials, disclosure forms, statutes and regulations are available for review and copying on the Department of Law ethics website. If access to this page is not available, please contact the Attorney General's office at 269-5275.
- Review all disclosures, investigate potential ethics violations, make determinations regarding conduct, and take action.
- Remind employees to report their outside employment (see disclosure form) at least once each calendar year (July 1). The Department of Law will send you a reminder in June.
- Keep employee disclosure statements (of potential violations, outside employment, receipt of gifts, and interests in grants/contracts/leases/loans) on file in your office. Disclosure of a gift received from another government must be forwarded to the Office of the Governor.
- Submit an ethics report to the Department of Law in April, July, October, and January for the preceding quarter. You will receive a reminder. There is a sample report on the ethics web page.
- Mail, email or fax to Jennifer L. Williams, Paralegal, Department of Law, Opinions, Appeals & Ethics Section, 1031 W. 4th Avenue, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK, 99501, email@example.com, fax no. 907-258-4978.
You may request ethics advice from your agency's Assistant Attorney General or from the State Ethics Attorney, Maria Bahr, at 269-5285 or email@example.com. Please direct questions about reporting procedures to Jennifer L. Williams at 269-5275 or email@example.com.


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D-backs' Corbin, Skaggs enjoy friendly competition
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tyler Skaggs, Randall Delgado and Patrick Corbin are the three main competitors for the final open spot in the starting rotation this spring.
While Delgado is a newcomer, having been acquired in the Justin Upton trade this winter, Skaggs and Corbin are very close friends who were drafted the same year by the Angels.
The pair have played together throughout the Minor Leagues and were traded in the same 2010 deal from Los Angeles to Arizona.
"We've been together for all these years, and every time we've gone out there we'd always try to have a better game than the other, and that's just how it is," Corbin said. "We joke about it and have a good time with it."
Corbin said rather than focus on who he is competing with, he's just worried about trying to do the best that he can.
"I just want to continue what I did last year and build off of that," he said. "You can't really go out there and worry about that even though he's a good friend of yours. I think if you go out there worrying about it, I think it's going to affect you in a negative way more than a positive way. That's kind of how I take it. I just think at the end of the day it's just a matter of time for both of us to be up here or somewhere."


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Jane Fonda attended the 2015 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday (January 11) in Beverly Hills, California.
The megawatt star donned a sexy red Versace dress from the brand's recent Pre-Fall collection.
While Jane would look amazing in anything, this outfit is a little reminiscent of the Ice Capades. There's something about the embellished sleeve and side peek-a-boo that screams costume. Instead, I would've loved to see Jane in the dress's original form: bare sleeve and maybe even with the up-to-there slit.
But, in true Jane fashion, the actress's hair is perfectly coiffed and she is spotting some serious accessories. If you're not hypnotized by her Bulgari earrings, you're in the midst of figuring out how you can snag her Rauwolf clutch.
Credit: Style.com & Getty


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[Trigger warning for transphobia. Major spoilers for The Crimes of Grindelwald in the last quarter of this post. Skip that part if you haven't watched the movie yet]
I've always defined myself as a Potterhead.
I started reading the series when I was 11 and I basically grew up with Harry. I've depended on the series a lot emotionally over the years. You wouldn't expect a person who's been referred to as "cold" and "aloof" their entire life to break down crying at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But I did. Twice.
THAT'S how much I love the world J. K. Rowling created.
But she needs to stop.
The woman who made an entire generation fall in love with the written word is slowly losing their respect. And it's entirely her fault.
Now, this is nothing recent.
We all saw the beginning of her downfall in 2007, right after Deathly Hallows released, when she announced Dumbledore was gay. Back then, I was really happy for the LGBTQ rep. But maybe I should have listened to the other side. Maybe it really was "too little, too late".
As stupid as it sounds, people love saying that maybe she thought it was too much to include a gay man in what was widely considered a children's book. It was still 2007. Hey, it's not like it was a 2018 movie, where Dumbledore could be out and proud, right?
Think again.
David Yates, in an interview about The Crimes of Grindelwald–a movie JKR wrote the screenplay for–enraged us all by saying Dumbledore wouldn't be "explicitly gay".
Playing it safe after all these years, are we? Always.
She did, however, have a decent response for this on Twitter.
The Cursed Child hoopla.
Seriously, what even was that book? No, it wasn't bad because it was a play. As a person who reads a lot of plays, I have it on good authority that the book wasn't bad because of its format.
The story was lukewarm, the characters nothing like the original ones in the main series, and what on earth is a Panju? That is not an Indian name and JKR apparently missed out on the research this one time.
But I still made excuses for her. She wrote it with two other people. It's not fully on Rowling.
Her transphobia–the final straw.
What sealed the deal for me about the fall of my childhood hero was her transphobia. My hero, the vocal SJW and supposed trans-ally, was discovered to be transphobic. This quote from Silkworm about a trans character, Pippa, should've made it apparent to me, but as always, I made excuses.
'If you go for that door one more time I'm calling the police and I'll testify and be glad to watch you go down for attempted murder. And it won't be fun for you Pippa,' he added. 'Not pre-op.'
And then the "men in dresses" tweet happened. Jo 'liked' a blatantly transphobic tweet and I felt outraged. Her representatives were quick to blame it on butter fingers, and well, it happens to all of us.
But it didn't stop there.
There was yet another transphobic article (Me Too, Now What? (sex, the left, and gender identity) she apparently slipped and liked.
It really was the last straw for me. I unfollowed her on Twitter and convinced myself that it was okay to love the art but hate the artist (barf).
Which brings us to The Crimes of Grindelwald. (Spoiler alert!)
Until this movie, I was perfectly fine with the world she had created. It was just she who was the problem.
And then I actually watched the movie.
I didn't go in with many expectations, especially after the whole Nagini debacle. Did she really think it was cool to make the Asian rep someone who goes on to be owned by a white male?
But it was even worse than I expected.
The movie completely ignored several canon themes and timelines. Most of the actors seemed closer to cardboard cutouts who can talk than actual artists. Oh and the twist in the end? It simply didn't make sense.
There are good twists in the tale and there are some that have you going "where the fuck did you pull that out of and how are you going to take the story further?"
This one was the latter.
While the Potterverse kept stressing on how it's "our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities," this movie completely ignores it and tells us our bloodlines matter more. Leta Lestrange? Aurelius Dumbledore? It's all in the last names!
Canon? What canon?
Remember how Dumbledore said the following about his refusal to go after Grindelwald?
"It was the truth I feared. You see, I never knew which of us, in that last, horrific fight, had actually cast the curse that killed my sister. You may call me cowardly: You would be right. Harry, I dreaded beyond all things the knowledge that it had been I who brought about her death, not merely through my arrogance and stupidity, but that I actually struck the blow that snuffed out her life… I think he knew it. I think he knew what frightened me. I delayed meeting him until finally, it would have been too shameful to resist any longer."
HA! No, apparently this wasn't the reason. It was a fucking blood pact.
Dumbledore said this in Deathly Hallows because…well, who cares? Anything that was in the original series can be edited later with a tweet, right, Jo?
Remember how in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, the big reveal was his "friendship" with Gellert Grindelwald? Too bad Harry didn't watch this movie instead of hunting for horcruxes. Turns out their relationship was pretty common knowledge in the '20s.
Oh oh and Rita Skeeter surely didn't talk to Bathilda Bagshot enough, or she would've found out about the fourth Dumbledore, Credence. Surely, at least Elphias Doge would've known?
There were a lot of other inaccuracies such as Dumbledore being a DADA teacher (it was Transfiguration, you nitwits!), Professor McGonagall uncharacteristically chasing after Leta instead of using a wand, and Nicolas Flamel's age being used for a silly gag (I'm pretty sure the Philosopher's Stone doesn't offer immortality at the price of strength).
This movie is just one inaccuracy piled on top of another with a bunch of theatrics, lightning-fast character arcs, and messed up timelines.
[For a more coherent review about the absolute dung bomb that this movie was, read Hpboy's review here.]
I'm actually done this time.
After years of making excuses for Rowling, I can say with conviction that I'm done.
I'm done with her constant edits to the story because diversity is seemingly just an afterthought.
I'm done with her transphobia and SJW facade.
I'm done with her trying to milk the Harry Potter cow for all it's worth.
The next time I hear Hedwig's tune, I definitely won't tear up.
[Edit: The earliest version of this blog post alluded to allegations that Johnny Depp was abusive. It's since been disproved and this post has been edited to reflect that.]
~ Shruti


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I'm sure I'm not the only person on the forum to have suffered a dislocated shoulder. Mine's also fractured (socket break). The consultant has given a 12 month schedule for rehab to as good as it'll get; driving again in a couple of months or so, strengthening not to begin for 3 or 4 months.
Given that the mechanics of running aren't the same as (say) tennis, weightlifting or gymnastics, does anyone have experience of where starting running again might fit into this timeframe?
Further down the line, is it worth considering a sports shoulder brace, and if so, which ones are good?


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During these 2010 Major League Baseball playoffs, you didn't have to spend money on pricey playoff tickets, or even watch the games on a spankin' new high-def TV, to see the latest buzz in MLB.
Twisted around many stars' necks has been a thickly braided and variously colored rope made by Phiten, a Kyoto-based company with U.S. operations and distribution. Phiten, if you don't know, manufactures a series of "health bands" – like the models that have proliferated throughout MLB clubhouses – which they claim can reduce fatigue and speed up recovery after hard workouts and intense competitions.
And professional athletes from all sports are hooked on them.
Despite widening coverage of this latest craze, hard analysis of the science and tech behind the bands and necklaces has been scarce. According to Phiten's patent application, the company creates its rope products by heating metals in high-pressure water until the deposit breaks apart. The water bath filled with small metal particles is then used to coat the fabric of the necklaces now seen so prominently around players' necks.
But for how much detail exists in their patent applications, Phiten and its global distributors have scant evidence for how – or how well – their products really work.
Phiten was started in 1983 by Yoshihiro Hirata, a former chef and self-taught alternative-medicine guru. Registering their inventions under the company name Phild Co., Hirata and his colleagues have patented products ranging from an entire series of "health bands" to improved curling and hair-straightening irons.
On their websites, Phiten and one of its U.S. distributors, Ace Sporting Gear, claim that the necklace "regulates the body's energy flow by stabilizing ions." The necklaces work so well, say the companies, that "90% of users typically find their pain reduced by 70-100%."
Their reasoning for why the titanium-laden rope transfers healing powers to the body relates to how strenuous exercise alters the chemical composition of our bodies. Sore muscles, they say, are caused by ion imbalances. Returning harmonious balance to the salts of our body using water-soluble titanium, Phiten postulates that the braided necklaces help muscles relax and heal.
Now, the idea of balancing the ions in our body in order to improve sports performance is nothing new. One of the most famous sports nutrition products of all time, Gatorade, keeps athletes going through the use of similar principles. When we sweat, we lose water and electrolytes (ions), and Gatorade, being a balanced salt solution, helps athletes rehydrate. But PepsiCo, which manufactures Gatorade, hasn't simply made unfettered claims about how its product works in the body, as it has backed up its billion-dollar business with years of peer-reviewed research.
While Gatorade has built a product around our knowledge of how the body works, Phiten's claims seem to clash with our current understanding of biology. Most experts agree that muscle soreness isn't necessarily due to ion imbalances, as Phiten claims. Rather, the by-products released as muscle cells consume energy, and microscopic tears in the muscle fibers themselves produce aching arms and legs.
Phiten's website links to the Society of Aqua Metal Research, a Japanese scientific facility prominently noting their intertwined relationship with the manufacturer on their homepage.
Aside from a few symposium reports, the only peer-reviewed research found on the site is a study submitted by Daniel P. Wadsworth earlier this year. Admittedly, Wadsworth's group found no effect of wearing aqua-titanium clothing on performance or recovery of athletes who were tested in standard shuttle sprints over a five-day period. While some of the athletes who wore the aqua-titanium clothing had small increases in their joint range of motion, the authors weren't sure what role the fabric played. In other words, the aqua-titanium shirts may have been made from a more stretchy fabric that could have contributed to or caused the gains in joint mobility the researchers measured.
If the science behind the product is so thin, why are so many athletes using them? It's possible that the financial gains of sponsorship deals may have spurred the number of players clasping these braided ropes around their necks.
But even more likely, the superstitious nature of our sporting elite may have gotten the better of them. Athletes are notoriously ritualistic. Just ask Moises Alou who would "frequently urinate on his hands" to keep his touch with the bat. But solid science has shown that lucky charms, however irrational, can indeed affect the outcome of a task, presumably because they affect the mental state of the wearer.
Maybe these aqua-titanium ropes do nothing more than provide the mental safety net for professional baseball players as they step up to bat. (Of course, at $36 a pop to the public, that's a mighty pricey safety net.) And if that's the case, Phiten-wearing players such as Andres Torres – the San Francisco Giants' outfielder and leadoff hitter who's hitting .333 in the World Series – more than likely don't care.
Because whether it does anything or not, even the smallest lucky charm that has accompanied players to the top of their sport deserves a nod of respect.
Image: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Follow us on Twitter at @bmossop and @wiredplaybook, and on Facebook.
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Son of ex-Sounders player realizes his gift -- not with his feet, but his mind
SEATTLE -- Imagination has brought Aaron D'Errico back to soccer. Not on a field, but through a comic book.
D'Errico said he always wanted to play soccer like his dad, who was the first pick of the expansion Sounders in 1974 and captain of the U.S. National Team.
"My mother was a beautiful model. My dad, this amazing, muscular soccer star. It was like having Wonder Woman and Superman as your parents," explained D'Errico.
But their son, Aaron, as titled in one poem, was more like The Crooked Prince.
"If you make a fist, that's what my legs are doing consistently," D'Errico said of his cerebral palsy.
And while his dreams of pro soccer were dashed early on, his love for comics never died.
"I'm out to show the whole world, show them, show them what they can do," D'Errico said.
Mentor to Aaron, Pat O'Day said, "He came in because he'd drawn a picture of me. I was astonished … I always felt that I had some skills at spotting creative people! And, boy, I saw one when Aaron came in the door."
It was a meeting Aaron calls, "a cosmic coincidence."
After all, O'Day was also an original co-owner of the expansion Sounders. But not until years into their friendship did O'Day realize he was helping the son of a former player.
Close to 40 years after David D'Errico first played in Seattle, his son now realizes his gift – not with his feet, but with his mind.
It starts with his original creation, Ammon Walker, who, despite cerebral palsy, dreams of becoming a soccer star like his dad. Ammon modifies the virus that causes cerebral palsy, and turns it into a supernatural power.
D'Errico has written the first 22-page issue. But he's searching for an artist to help him bring Ammon to life and is hosting a worldwide search online.
"Some people have it and some people don't, and he has it," said O'Day.
D'Errico said, "I took something that would be considered a definite hindrance and said, You know what? In my imagination, I can overcome this.
One of my favorite quotes is from Spiderman: 'With great power, comes great responsibility.' I realize that if people, once they started paying attention to my work, I had the responsibility to do good things with it.
"And that's why I do it," concluded D'Errico.