text:
On his website, independent advisor Brian Solik bluntly describes himself as a "former Wall Street broker." In a video aimed at prospective clients, the 50-year-old Solik expounds on investment options "you may not have heard about from your Wall Street advisor." And a squib about his financial philosophy includes a shout out to non-stock investment strategies.
Talk about reinventing yourself. After working nine years at a major wirehouse and losing faith in the stock market, Solik has developed the ultimate anti-Wall Street niche: how to protect yourself from Wall Street and the IRS.
His firm's tagline, "Take Control. Protect Your Future," pretty much sums up his guiding principles — and his career path. Any regrets?
"None at all," says Solik, who moved to the independent channel in 2009 and now operates Wealth Preservation Strategies of NJ in Toms River, N.J. "I can still do Wall Street. I can still offer Wall Street investments. I'm not missing anything. Now, I've broadened my strategies, my education, my offerings. I'm a much more thorough advisor than I ever was. I would never want to go back."
For a lot of former brokers, the transition to the independent space has resulted in creative, new business niches as they redefine themselves in ways that would have been largely undoable as brokerage employees.
As consultant John Furey, who heads Advisor Growth Strategies in Phoenix, notes: "It's a transformational event. It's liberating. When they go independent, they are now able to really build that defined niche and grow assets in the way they choose. It allows for creativity. Once you have complete control of your business, you can be creative in a variety of ways. It's a canvas for you to paint."
Russell Gebhard founded Houston-based Sovereign Investment Group in 2005 after experiencing eight Wall Street mergers over an 11-year period. "When I ended my career with the wirehouses," he says, "I'd come to realize that the brand name on the card isn't really the important part, it's the relationship." Today, his LPL Financial affiliate supports 24 ex-wirehouse advisors who manage over $800 million in client assets.
While he continues to cling to the vernacular of the traditional wirehouse — "book of business" and "broker" — Gebhard says that in his waning days as a broker he'd become an "anti-management guy" disillusioned by the constraints of his workplace.
With Sovereign, Gebhard set out to create the place "I'm thinking of in my head — a place that took all the good parts of the wirehouse and left the oppressive management, the quotas and the conflicts behind." Not only does he strive to provide a robust infrastructure for his advisors, Gebhard assigns huge importance to two other components that make up the firm: transparency and opportunity. "Sometimes I think 'What would they do over there?'" says Gebhard, referring to the wirehouse model. "I want to be the opposite of that."
The jump to independence can represent an end to "same old, same old" — a trigger that often leads advisors to fresh thinking about what it is they do every day and why, according to Philip Palaveev, president of Fusion Advisor Network.
"It's an invitation to start fresh, almost like selling a house and moving to a new one. You throw away the junk and buy new furniture," he says. "In the process, advisors often discover they already have a nascent niche in a specialized market. It's not like they wake up one day and say 'I wish I could work with airline pilots.' They realize they have a few airline pilots and decide they want to grow that."
It's also an invitation to conduct a crucial self-inventory, adds Palaveev. What makes me different? What makes me qualified to address this niche? How will I develop it? Here's a snapshot of five advisors who unleashed new niches as a result of going independent.
The Niche: Equity Indexed Annuities and Cash Value Life Insurance
Brian Solik didn't all of a sudden decide one day to go looking for, as he puts it, "a nice fancy niche that would be popular." It found him. "I had started to lose faith in Wall Street in 2008 and 2009 and I started to question why Wall Street was always bullish. The obvious answer: That's what they sell."
At about the same time, the wirehouse where Solik worked changed its commission structure. "I was not going to change my strategy just to meet a quota," says Solik. So he left.
"I just didn't trust Wall Street investments. I wanted to know what else was out there," he adds. "I want to have the freedom to do what's right."
Solik, now affiliated with TFS Securities, began to research equity indexed annuities and cash value life insurance as ways to protect clients against market gyrations and the IRS. He liked what he saw.
"Cash value life insurance can be set up properly for tax-free withdrawals while equity indexed annuities provide a tax shelter. They both can be very conservative, and no one I knew in the brokerage world was doing it," he notes. "It's a huge part of my business. And when the markets are going up and down and people are flipping out, no one is giving me a call wondering if their principal is at risk. It's wonderful."
The Niche: Non-traditional Assets in Retirement Accounts
With the fluctuation in the stock market, advisor Laurie Bachelder five years ago identified what she calls an "explosion" in demand for true non-traditional investments. Opportunity, right? The problem was that she couldn't convince her independent broker-dealer to support her new niche.
"It was like I had three heads," says the 42-year-old Bachelder, who in 2007 formed a fee-only RIA called NUA Advisors through TD Ameritrade plus several special asset custodians in order to invest in non-traditional assets.
Since the creation of the Individual Retirement Account in 1974, Americans have been able to invest their tax-deferred retirement accounts in almost any asset of their choosing including non-traditional assets such as real estate, show horses, cows, domain names and sports teams. Exclusions include life insurance and collectibles. Yet, Bachelder says, the vast majority of advisors routinely steer clients exclusively to stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
"It's an option that is ideal for individuals who do not have cash on hand to invest, who want to diversify their portfolios, or simply want to invest in assets they know and understand. If you own dressage horses and you're not comfortable in the stock market, why not invest in dressage horses? Our specialty platform wasn't intended to replace traditional investing," adds Bachelder, who is based in Portland, Maine. "It simply adds balance."
This year, NUA Advisors will roll out nationwide a program called A2, or Advisor to Advisor, under which it will handle non-traditional assets for other advisors. "It's not just educating the public, it's educating the professionals," says Bachelder. "We want to make sure everyone has a chance to do this."
The Niche: Eastern Iowa's Retirement Expert
As an advisor at a national bank brokerage, Craig Adamson had no fulltime assistant and worked 16 hours a day. That was mostly okay. The Marion, Iowa advisor loved working with clients and embraced the new financial planning software that the firm had introduced.
As time went on, however, the assistant Adamson had been promised failed to materialize. He was unable to charge a fee for the financial plans he created. Worse yet, he says, he was hammered in performance reviews for spending too much time with clients.
"For me, the biggest thing about being independent is when I talk to somebody, I don't have to sell them anything. At the bank, I knew I had that hanging over my head. I knew what my reviews were like. I was successful," says Adamson, a two-term Marion city councilman. "It just wasn't fun."
When Adamson, 39, founded Adamson Financial Planning 11 years ago, he did it with the goal of becoming his region's retirement planning expert. At the moment, he oversees $25 million in assets for 150 clients.
"This was what I was born to do," says Adamson, who affiliated with LPL Financial. "And now I can hold myself out as unbiased. There is no proprietary product line-up. Now I can use everything, it's just a matter of figuring out if you need it. I left the bank on a Friday the 13th. It seemed like a good omen. That whole day I felt like a new person."
The Niche: Exit Planning for Business Owners
At his 26-year mile marker in a career at wirehouses, Peter Roth was a successful sole practitioner with $160 million in assets under management. Here's what he didn't have: no niche, no continuation plan for clients and no equity in his business.
Two years after establishing Kingwood, Texas-based Roth Financial Partners through Raymond James Financial Services, Roth has a team that includes nephew Kevin Roth, a mergers and acquisition specialist who heads up business development. Assets have jumped to $198 million — largely attributable to a new niche: exit planning for business owners. He also has a continuation plan for employees and clients, and he's got equity in the business.
Roth, 58, says that owning his business has allowed him to have more meaningful conversations with business owners as they exit their own enterprises. And, as many owners remain concerned about the ongoing nature of their businesses, clients have come to appreciate the forward-thinking team-based structure now in place at Roth Financial.
Now that he is a business owner responsible for payroll, health care and employees, Roth says he has an entirely different mindset than he did as a wirehouse advisor. "I now think the same way as the independent business owner. I am that guy. I can relate emotionally and strategically with what's going on in his head. It's hand in glove. It's a great fit," he says.
"This has unlocked a door for me. It's really fun to dig my teeth back into something new. I've got the passion back. I've got the energy back," he adds. "When you're back in love with what you do, it's exciting to go out and look for new money. With a niche, I'm doing it smarter."
The Niche: 401(k) Specialist
Raymond Rodriguez had a great ride with wirehouses as a producer and branch manager but after three decades he and a partner formed an independent advisory firm so that they could offer a more robust platform to clients.
"I saw opportunities out there that I wasn't able to avail myself of," says Rodriguez, a partner with Private Group Wealth Management in Corpus Christie, Texas. "I kept having this sense that there was more I could do for my clients."
He had no idea at the time how much more.
After starting his Schwab Institutional-affiliated RIA in 2005, Rodriguez, now 65, detected a weakness in the retirement advice his clients were getting about their 401(k) plans. So what does he do? He becomes a 401(k) specialist.
"A lot of plans we approached weren't being serviced properly, weren't being provided with a broad range of investment options, and they certainly weren't being given the option in many cases for low administrative costs," notes Rodriguez, whose firm has $60 million in assets under management. "What it boiled down to is you'd see plans that didn't provide a broad range of options because they were locked into packages tied to a broker-dealer."
Over the past few years, Private Group Wealth has become a force in the region's 401(k) market — creating tailor-made plans that are also highly competitive. The firm currently represents five plans representing 350 participants.
"You see an investment opportunity or a vehicle and you ask yourself: How can I improve that? On the broker-dealer side you can't do that; on this side you can" says Rodriguez. "As small as we are, we've started to accelerate our growth. I think we could be over $100 million in assets under management in the next couple of years. In the 401(k) area, we'll go up against anybody. Chances are high, we'll beat 'em."


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Carol Hudson Among Seven To Be Inducted Into CoSIDA Hall of Fame
By ODU Athletics
May 18, 2010
Carol Hudson Among Seven To Be Inducted Into CoSIDA Hall of Fame This July Long-Time Sports Information Director To Be Honored at CoSIDA Convention
NORFOLK, Va. - Carol R. Hudson, Jr., Old Dominion University's sports information director since 1985, will be inducted in the College Sports Information Directors Hall of Fame at the organization's annual convention in San Francisco, Calif. on July 6.
Hudson will join six other current and former sports communications professionals that will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, including Roger Crosley of Emerson College, former CoSIDA president Max Corbet of Boise State University, John Eggars (Oregon State), Dave Kellogg (Air Force Academy), Larry Happel from Central College and CoSIDA's Director of External Affairs Barb Kowal. Kellogg and Eggars were selected by the Veterans Selection Committee; the other five were selected by a vote of former CoSIDA Hall of Fame inductees. Carol Hudson has served the industry well for over 30 years as the sports information director at Hampton University from 1981-85, and in the same capacity at Old Dominion University since 1985. Hudson was a member of the CoSIDA board of directors for six years, and attended every convention since 1981, with the exception of 2009 when the state of Virginia economic crisis curtailed convention travel.
Hudson has also served twice as the president of the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) and as the president of the Black College Sports Information Directors. He currently co-chairs the CoSIDA Scholarship Committee and was awarded the 25-year CoSIDA recognition in 2008. He is also a member and past president of Virginia (VaSID) and the Black Sports Information Director's of American (BCSIDA), as well as a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. At Old Dominion, Hudson is a member of the Hall of Fame Committee and is active with the department's Monarch ReachOut community service program.
A 1972 graduate of Norfolk Catholic High School, Hudson was the manager of his high school basketball team, which was coached by Ed Fraim (ODU '64), Old Dominion's former Assistant Athletic Director for Fundraising. He has been a virtual fixture at ODU since his high school graduation serving as a student manager for the university's baseball and basketball teams, as well as a graduate intern in the sports information office under the late Joe Law, the university's first full-time SID from 1976-78. He also served as a deputy assistant for the Sheriff department in Chesapeake from 1979-81.
Hudson earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1976 from Old Dominion, as well as his master's in urban studies in 1979. This year, the CoSIDA Hall of Fame class and the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame class will be recognized together in an evening banquet, taking place July 7 (6-8 p.m.) at the Marriott Marquis, site of the CoSIDA San Francisco workshop. For more information on all the inductees see please visit: http://cosida.com/news/2010/5/18/0518103222_3673.aspx

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You know the only thing better than peppermint white hot chocolate? Pink peppermint white hot chocolate!
This time of year my Starbucks drink of choice is the peppermint white mocha which is pretty much the best thing ever but when I'm not feeling coffee, I go for the peppermint white hot chocolate but their version has nothing on this pretty pink one!
Before Nicole and I started this Thirsty Thursday thing I had no idea hot chocolate was so easy to make from scratch but seriously, if you haven't done it, you need to. I'm always so disappointed in the white hot chocolate mixes but this homemade version makes up for it.
Nicole made Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls which would go perfectly with this hot chocolate!
- 2 cups milk
- 1 candy cane crushed
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
Set aside about 1 tablespoon of crushed candy cane.
Heat milk over medium heat until warm (do not boil). Stir in candy cane until dissolved. Removed from heat; stir in white chocolate and continue stirring until it's completely dissolved.
Coat the rim of your mug with the corn syrup and dip in the crushed candy canes you set aside.
Pour hot chocolate into your glass. Serve hot.


text: Led by the obnoxious and proud Jimmy Pop, Bloodhound Gang are an alternative rock band out of King of Prussia, PA, who rose to fame in the late '90s thanks to lyrics filled with sexual innuendo and sophomoric humor. Formed by Pop and friend Daddy Long Legs in 1992, the group was first called Bang Chamber 8 before they lifted the name Bloodhound Gang from the '70s children's public television show 3-2-1 Contact. Calling Howard Stern a key influence, Pop designed the band to "hurt everyone's feelings; it makes us feel better about ourselves." Naming one of the group's early demo tapes The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Hitler's Handicapped Helpers proved they meant it, but the Universal-associated label Cheese Factory Records shared the Gang's sense of humor and released their debut EP, Dingleberry Haze, in 1994. Many of the EP's tracks would land again on the 1995 album Use Your Fingers, the group's first and only release for Columbia, a label Pop felt never quite "got" the band. Split between Red Hot Chili Peppers-influenced funk-rock and Beastie Boys-influenced rap-rock, the album featured an intro from flamboyant comedian Rip Taylor and a loud cover version of Kim Wilde's '80s anthem "Kids in America," plus the minor hit "Mama Say." Columbia dropped the band and Daddy Long Legs left soon after to form Wolfpac, so Pop hired replacements and took the band back to the Cheese Factory label for its 1996 album, One Fierce Beer Coaster. Geffen reissued the album just months later and helped push the single "Fire Water Burn" up Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it peaked at number 18. Not the most impressive number, but the track "had legs" and remained an in-print single in the United States for the next two years. In 1998 their cover version of the Association's hit "Along Comes Mary" kicked off the soundtrack to the stoner comedy Half-Baked. Building on this momentum, their 2000 album Hooray for Boobies was their true breakthrough. Titled just Hooray on the clean version, the album featured "The Bad Touch," an infectious dance-pop number with the chorus "You and me baby ain't nuthin' but mammals/So let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel." The international hit was followed by the ode to a porn star "The Ballad of Chasey Lain" along with the "Rock Me Amadeus"-sampling single "Mope." With plenty of time devoted to touring Europe, where they were drawing huge audiences, their next album, Hefty Fine, didn't appear until 2005. The album was promoted by the singles "Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo" and "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss," the latter of which would be remixed by "stadium techno" powerhouse Scooter. ~ David Jeffries


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Sound Off for March 30, 2013
Interesting how the ACLU is involved in making sure the little vipers don't have their freedom of speech denied. Ugly business in Torrington. Too bad.
As a parent, I am very concerned that the bullying log at THS was blank. My daughter, had a problem at the school. She was harassed, intimidated, and bullied. When I met with the resource officer, she asked me what my definition of bullying was. I spoke to her and gave her the definition; she said that there's many forms of definitions of bullying. An incident report was supposed to be filled out.
I went to the police department twice. I never got a copy of an incident report. I was also never instructed or directed to the bullying log that I had supposedly had access to, but I didn't even know even existed.
I wonder how many of other parents are in similar situations with a number of students in the intimidation and assaults that go on at THS.
I am extremely concerned that I was never directed to fill out a form in the bullying log. I also would like to know how many assaults, physical assaults have taken place at THS in the last three years.
The hypocrisy has reached record highs as Obama and Biden have spent millions of taxpayer dollars on vacations and International travel despite dire warnings of doom and Armageddon from the administration due to sequestration. The latest example of Obama administration fraud and deceit is the additional purchase of millions of rounds of expensive hollow point ammunition. The scheme calls for 1.6 billions rounds of hollow point ammunition to be purchased over the next 5 years. Department of Homeland Security has already reportedly purchased over 1.2 billion rounds of the costly ammunition while refusing to offer congressional investigators any reason for the dramatic increase.
The administration has attempted to scare citizens with talk of crippling DHS personnel cutbacks, planned furloughs of agents, reductions in overtime and a hiring freeze that will increase wait times at ports of entry, including international arrivals at airports.
The administration has been unable to give a rational explanation as to why there is such a dramatic surge of hollow point ammunition purchases yet is publicly dramatizing cutbacks, furloughs, cutting overtime and a hiring freeze. Is this yet another one of Obama's tricks to deceive taxpayers.
North Korean madman Kim Jung-on has correctly sized up the pacifist, peace at any cost American President. Jung-on has seen the crippling military cutbacks and downsizing demanded by Barack Obama that leaves the US with few resources to defend the far East against military aggression.
Jung-on has also observed the American President back down when threatened and retreat from any military intervention even when American vital interests are at stake. So it is little wonder that a third rate dictator would threaten America and Obama is quick to stand down.
Is there any truth to the rumor that "alleged" dog rescue abuser Frederick Acker is still taking dogs out of the Bridgeport Dog Pound and using state spaying certificates to have them spay/neutered? The monthly reports of the Environmental Protection Department, Canine Division should be checked going back to November. These reports on who in the state received the certificates is public record.


text: I have been drawing and painting all my life and completed training to be a commercial artist. As well as painting scenes of the past, my paintings encompass all areas of interest from landscapes to portraits and still life studies. I paint primarily in oils. My style is traditional and sometimes post-impressionistic depending upon the subject. I have been fortunate to receive many awards and to be accepted into national shows. I also teach oil painting for all levels and have been doing so for several decades. Currently I teach oil painting classes in North Carolina.My paintings are exhibited in galleries, businesses, and private collections. Thank you for your interest in my art!


text:
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Come to us to find a wide range of cars for sale, and you'll certainly find one that matches your lifestyle. With a Buick and Chevrolet store, a Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM shop, and a dealership dedicated to used cars, there's no chance you'll leave without discovering a car that piques your interest—and always at a fair price.
We'll never pressure you into a car-buying situation you're uncomfortable with, so rest assured that you're in good hands. Additionally, our finance team will work closely with you to come up with a loan or lease arrangement that fits your budget with monthly payments you can afford. From there, you can always return to us for repairs and maintenance when needed.
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text:
Also, back down to more or less my lowest weight since I started this journey, which is where I was pre-West-Nile virus.
I'm really happy with myself right now, and happy with my physical strength and stamina. I'm exercising enough, currently, that the challenge is keeping up with my body's protein and carbohydrate demands in a healthy way, which also means I can be a little more self-indulgent in terms of The Discipline than I have been for a long time.
Man, it's nice to have a cider or a cookie basically whenever I want. I mean, I'm still hungry a lot (I'm hungry right now: I get to start making dinner in half an hour, though) but it's not a rigorously controlled 1700 calories a day. It's more like 2100 with some slough in it, and since I've gotten really good at getting all my nutrients into 1700 calories, I've got 400 calories of eating stuff basically because it tastes good to play with.
Which means tonight I am making little individual chocolate chip microwave blondies, after scott_lynch and I get back from weightlifting.
In other news, Shoggoths in Bloom publication date and the Titanium Physicists podcast discussed over on the other blog.


text:
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Apparently, your snow lady better not be a hussy
In New Jersey, Eliza Gonzales and her 21 year old daughter and 12 year old son created a tribute that puts your fat round balled snowman to shame. They created a Venus de Milo.
Until the local police department was called. And an officer was dispatched. And told them to cover up her snowy lady bits. You know, the fake lady bits that don't actually look like lady bits at all. Yes, those snowy lady bits. So they found a bikini and a sarong for their creation.
I understand the need to protect children from certain imagery but this seems like a big white stretch to me. Perhaps I am too liberal.
Said Gonzalez "[She is] curvaceous, bodacious and booty-licious," And you have to love a Mom who not only can make the world's best snow art but also one who knows the word booty-licious. She also knows the word douchelicious because that word applies to the tattler.
55 comments:
- Unknown said...
I am so incredibly impressed. I can't make a snowman to save my life, and there are people out there that can do this? Rock on.
- December 16, 2010 at 9:10 AM
- Bird Shit said...
People need to relax! That snow art was fabulous! LOL
- December 16, 2010 at 9:29 AM
- Unknown said...
You do have to wonder about some people. Honestly, I think it's more suggestive with the clothes on.
- December 16, 2010 at 9:32 AM
- secret agent woman said...
If it had been obscene, that might have made sense, but it's a recreation of classical art! And in fact, looks more suggestive with the clothing.
- December 16, 2010 at 9:32 AM
- Inspired by eRecipeCards said...
well, thank goodness there were no crimes to investigate and the police had time to do important stuff
- December 16, 2010 at 9:48 AM
- Simply Suthern said...
Are you kidding me??
That green top and blue sarong do not go together. Where are the fashion police?
- December 16, 2010 at 9:50 AM
- ellen abbott said...
they should have just used pasties and a leaf.
- December 16, 2010 at 9:53 AM
- Unknown said...
that is pretty sad; they did such a nice job!
- December 16, 2010 at 9:57 AM
- Kristie said...
funny! i'm in NJ and didn't hear about this! I am doing a book giveaway from a GA author - thought maybe you'd be interested .. check it out ... http://needcoffeeplease.blogspot.com
- December 16, 2010 at 10:06 AM
- C.J. said...
people who tattle, ewwwwwwww, bunch of idle idiots! Personally, I think the sculptured one is lovely. Merry Christmas to you and yours, I am off to GA on Sunday for Christmas at my daughters.
- December 16, 2010 at 10:11 AM
- foxy said...
Well now, that is just ridiculous! I love their creativity!! I have to say, though, I'm not really surprised that some disgruntled SCROOGE called them in. People complain about freaking everything these days.
- December 16, 2010 at 10:14 AM
- Secret Mom Thoughts said...
Some people get jammed up about silly things. The snow women is fabulous.
- December 16, 2010 at 10:23 AM
- Kristi Faith said...
freakin'. hilarious!
Love this post, thanks for sharing!!
- December 16, 2010 at 10:25 AM
- Eric said...
It's hard enough to render accurate form in clay, but snow? These people are good.
Yeah, at first, the over-censorship thing sometimes makes me think we are on a hellish expressway to theocracy in the US. But then, I realize it's just that the police in those instances are not using sound judgement. Book burnings and women in burkas are next?
- December 16, 2010 at 10:33 AM
- Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...
Perhaps I am too liberal, you say.
Perhaps most people are just idiots. Venus de Milo is art. There are no lady bits showing. Hell turn on TV and you'll see much more than young people are watching!
Add this to my list of why I am misanthropic these days.
- December 16, 2010 at 10:34 AM
- jules said...
The original is art, and so is hers! I can't believe they made her cover it up! Ridiculous!
- December 16, 2010 at 10:51 AM
- Unknown said...
Seriously?? Do people have nothing better to do with their time? I think she did an awesome job *way better then I could do*
- December 16, 2010 at 10:57 AM
- Kristina P. said...
People suck.
- December 16, 2010 at 11:00 AM
- BB said...
Goes to show you...us Jersey Girls know fine art when they see it! I can't believe someone actually called the police.
- December 16, 2010 at 11:22 AM
- Tricia said...
- December 16, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Yummy !!
- December 16, 2010 at 11:55 AM
- Big Fat Gini said...
Well, that's certainly a lot better thank the KKK snowman in Idaho (Iowa?) a few weeks ago. And across from a school with a noose around it's neck to boot!
Some people need to relax. It must be nice to have so little to worry about that they need to harass their neighbors over something so silly.
As a side note, it's frustrating to me when people use the term "conservative" in such a negative context. I may vote Republican, but I'm no John Ashcroft.
- December 16, 2010 at 11:56 AM
- Drew said...
Wow! That is seriously impressive!
If I was the police officer who got that call I'd have told the tattler to stuff it and go have some egg nog.
- December 16, 2010 at 12:11 PM
- mCat said...
Raising boys, we never had normal snowmen. I just would hide in the house and pretend I didn't notice.
And the neighbor whose reindeer always ended up in inappropriate poses in the morning? I have no idea about those.....
Serio - my boys made my hair gray
- December 16, 2010 at 1:37 PM
- KittyCat said...
First I have to say that is very impressive that they made one. 2nd What the hell? SOmeone has too much freakin time on their hands to call the cops.
What is wrong with ppl now a days.
Great post!
- December 16, 2010 at 1:51 PM
- brokenteepee said...
This is the same mentality that put the fig leaf on David....
- December 16, 2010 at 3:15 PM
The snow lady didn't have nipples so they should have been good. You see no worse on a cartoon or on a naked mannequin in the store.
- December 16, 2010 at 3:25 PM
- MommyLisa said...
I totally agree its more suggestive with the bikini and saraong than naked snow.
- December 16, 2010 at 3:26 PM
- MommyLisa said...
I wonder what that tattler would have thought about the giant fallus that was *ahem* erected on the porch steps of my sorority house by our neighboring frat?
- December 16, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- Ed said...
That's HOT!
Gives me a North Pole in my snowsuit.
- December 16, 2010 at 3:38 PM
- VEG said...
Heavens! Won't someone think of the children? The precious little snowflakes might learn that people don't actually look like Barbie dolls under their clothes then where would be be? With a revolution on our hands.
Seriously? It's like the other day I read about 11 things Walmart have banned in their time and one was a t-shirt that said "Some day a woman will be president". Enough people complained about that sentiment to get Walmart to ban it. What the EFF?
Let the lady have her excellent snow art. It doesn't even have NIPPLES or a cooji-cleavage for god's sake.
- December 16, 2010 at 4:06 PM
- Kat said...
First off, I can't believe how incredibly talented these people are. That is truly amazing work. And secondly, I think the tattler was afraid that someone in their household might get their tongue stuck (a la A Christmas Story), and therefore decided to head off any ensuing scandal at the pass. Just a thought... Kat
- December 16, 2010 at 4:41 PM
- B.o.B. said...
Is it just me or does it actually look trashy in the bikini? It went from art to street ho. Tsk tsk tsk.
A little culture never hurt anyone...
- December 16, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- undomestic mama said...
That's horrible! Is it wrong that I would have wanted to go make another one in the neighbor's yard overnight? It's not suggestive in any way and looks way sexier with the additions.
- December 16, 2010 at 5:50 PM
- Babes Mami said...
The clothes def make it more sexy!
I love 'sprinkled with apprx 200 flakes of snow'. As your state neighbor I know how crazy everyone gets at the thought of snow!
- December 16, 2010 at 8:12 PM
- K A B L O O E Y said...
Buncha maroons, I tell ya.
- December 16, 2010 at 8:21 PM
- injaynesworld said...
People can be such idiots. What a cool Mom. No pun intended.
- December 16, 2010 at 9:45 PM
- Allyson & Jere said...
Ummmm, I beg to differ. Officially cold everywhere BUT sunny ol' Arizona, where we've been lounging in shorts and t-shirts. UGH! I'd prefer a little chill. But whatevs.
I love more than anything that you used the word douchealicious! I shall add it to my repatoire, as I love, LOVE to use the word douche. It's just so fantastically descriptive.
- December 16, 2010 at 11:24 PM
- Unknown said...
Very creative and artistic. And sometimes people just need to MYOB - I guess that didn't happen in this case. I like it and it would not have bothered me.
- December 17, 2010 at 12:51 AM
- Myya said...
Are you kidding me! Some people have to always bitch about something. That looked awesome, some major snow-crafting skills came out to play with that sculpture.
- December 17, 2010 at 3:30 AM
- Inge' said...
Guess I have been a perv since birth. When I was younger, some girlfriends and I decided to build a snowman. This turned into a snow woman complete with all the lady bits and we even used grass for authenticity! She stood on the side yard facing the street for several days and no cops were called.
Course I was probably high at the time so you have to factor that in!
Have a great Christmas!
- December 17, 2010 at 3:36 AM
Hmmm. I remember a Thanksgiving in Wisconsin about 20 years ago, where we were blasted with snow. Our "after the feast" entertainment was to build an anatomically-correct snowman. He was a very happy snowman if you get my drift. I will never forget watching my 11-year-old niece taking two snowballs and...well, you get the picture.
- December 17, 2010 at 6:41 AM
Great post and I love the picture. Excellent art. I really cannot believe how stupid some people can be, but then there are insecure jerks everywhere I suppose, aren't there?
In my opinion, if someone finds that offensive, then they should rush out and find themselves a shrink, because they have a real serious problem!
Incidentally, is it just me, or is the version with the bikini bra and sarong closer to being sexy?
- December 17, 2010 at 7:24 AM
- bluzdude said...
If I were her, I'd be sorely tempted to make a 2nd snow sculpture; one so graphic and immodest that it would put poor Ms. de Milo to shame...
Or, maybe just carve the text of the First Amendment into the snow.
- December 17, 2010 at 10:26 AM
- vanilla said...
Nice jobs, beautifully done, both the original art and the reporting here. The needlenose neighbor and the modesty police, not so much.
We have a small replica of Rodin's "The Kiss" which we are compelled to put in the closet when certain visitors are expected.
(Kidding. It's always on display.)
- December 17, 2010 at 1:54 PM
- Intense Guy said...
Whoever filed the complaint sucks.
- December 17, 2010 at 3:06 PM
- South Florida Lawyers said...
That's pretty impressive, how pointless to force them to cover it up.
- December 17, 2010 at 4:23 PM
the snow art is amazing. The person who called the police is a fool.
- December 17, 2010 at 4:58 PM
- Mom in High Heels said...
That is amazing. This is one of the things I dislike about being an American though. Heaven forbid a child see a naked snow breast.
- December 18, 2010 at 3:37 AM
Really? Who is so ridiculous to call the police department over a snow sculpture. Oh, someone in NJ.
- December 18, 2010 at 8:46 AM
- Sarah at The Stroller Ballet said...
Oh my goodness. Don't want to be crude, but those neighbors need to remove the sticks from their rear ends. Enough said.
- December 18, 2010 at 8:04 PM
I hope she creates the Statue of David next.
There's a very good chance that neighbor had no idea this was art. If it was a naked Snooky or James Gandolfini they'd be fine.
- December 18, 2010 at 8:43 PM
- Aunt Juicebox said...
I'd have made her some pasties.
- December 18, 2010 at 11:15 PM
- Cathi said...
That is a work of art!!! :) xxoo
- December 20, 2010 at 6:37 PM
- Rubes said...
- December 28, 2010 at 10:56 AM


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Siteimprove Releases New Trademark Monitoring Feature for Web Governance Suite
loka 02, 2014
Today, Siteimprove launched a new feature within their Web Governance Suite that enables users to monitor for consistent Trademark usage. This new feature allows users to ensure that names, copyrights, and trademarks are presented accurately according to organizational standards.
Protecting intellectual property is essential in today's constantly evolving digital marketplace, yet many organizations lack the resources to maintain constant vigilance of their trademarks across a large online presence.
Siteimprove customers will now have access to a specific Trademark section within the web governance dashboard that lists all instances of trademark symbols (©, ®, ™) across their website, allowing users to identify any incorrect uses of these important brand elements.
The new trademark monitoring feature helps you:
- Ensure consistent presentation of organizational trademarks
- Locate errors, duplicates, and inconsistencies
- Monitor for names, products, and services that should never be displayed without a trademark
The Trademarks feature is designed as an extension of Siteimprove's Policy feature, which allows website managers to flag unwanted content while monitoring for content consistency across their entire website.
"It can be difficult to ensure that all of your trademarks are displayed correctly on your website – especially if you have a lot of them," said Kate Sygrove, Project Manager at Siteimprove. "Siteimprove's Trademark feature ensures that you will be able to not only locate inconsistencies, but to fix them quickly and easy."


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Hi guys,
welcome to the Gridrunner Revolution support forum.
This is the brand new forum after the big servers migration of LS, this forum is to give technical support for all the users of Gridrunner Revolution.
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One of the best lines I heard in the past few weeks was "That train has sailed." Combine that with a crazy schedule and we now have a SQL Crazy train that floats from event to event.
Next whistle stop is Providence Rhode Island at…
Event Details
|Event Date:
|September 21, 2013
|8am – 6pm
|1408 Division Rd East Greenwich, RI 02818
|Available on the Location page
|Join the conversation with #sqlsat213
I was able to present at Providence last year and I have been lucky enough to have been asked back. This year I will be giving two sessions, and they are the same sessions as last year. Let's see how well we can do this year.
I am looking forward to this trip. There are a few people I haven't seen for a while on the east coast. This will afford me the opportunity to chat and network with these folks again.
If you visit the event website, you might even catch a glimpse of the featured speakers.
Here are some of the courses that stood out to me. Sadly, some of them are in direct conflict with my presentation times.
Paresh Motiwala (twitter)
Database Forensics – Part 1 and 2
These are the days of increasing cyber and computer crimes. As DBAs and guardians of corporate data, it is your paramount duty to not only prevent any data loss but also discover lost , damaged or sabotaged data. But how can you do that without destroying evidence? Remember electronic evidence is extremely fragile. In this the first of the two part session, we will explore the following: 1. Fundamentals of Computer Forensics 2. Tools to use in Computer Forensics–Data Acquisition 3. Processing a crime scene 4. Network Forensics and Live Acquistions. 5. Submitting reports
Session Level: Advanced
Mike Hillwig (twitter)
What the VLF?
Experienced DBAs know that SQL Server stores data in data files and transaction log files. What is less commonly known is that the transaction log file is broken up into smaller segments known as Virtual Log Files, or VLFs. Having too many VLFs will cause performance to suffer. And having too few will cause backup performance to suffer. How do you strike the right balance? In this more advanced session, veteran DBA Mike Hillwig will show you what VLFs are, how they're created, how to identify them, and how to strike the right balance between too few and too many.
Session Level: Advanced
DBA's Rules for Dummies… And Developers
In many organizations, there is a rift between DBAs and developers. The root cause is that there isn't often an established framework between what the DBAs need to manage the data and what developers need to help solve business problems. Many DBAs think that developers just write code without considering the impact to the data. And many developers think that DBA means 'Dont' Bother Asking." In this session for developers, veteran production DBA Mike Hillwig will help you understand the DBA's needs in order to help you bridge that gap in your organization and work better to help solve business problems.
Session Level: Beginner
Sebastian Meine (twitter)
15 aspects of SQL Server indexes that you might not know
You probably know that indexes make you queries faster. But do you know why? Knowing how the different index types work under the covers will help you make the right decisions when (re-)designing you indexing strategy. After attending this demo rich session you will be able to – Explain the differences between SQL Servers 9 "index" types – Identify the layout of SQL Server data on disk – Decide which index types are the right ones to use for a given query – Assess the impact of the Key on access speed
Session Level: Intermediate
I am curious about the forensics. I am intrigued about the presentation that Sebastian is doing on indexes. I want to sit in on Mike Hillwigs topics because I heard he wants to be ribbed and heckled. Both of Mike's sessions are at the same time as mine. I'll have to catch him some other time. Unless…
DB Forensics 2 and Sebastian's presentation are at the same time, so I will only be able to hit one of those two as well.
That means, I will probably float around from session to session or in the hallways or maybe in a lounge somewhere to either network or talk shop with anybody who might be doing the same thing. There are a lot of good sessions and it is really hard to play favorites and pick just one and sit in that the whole time. 😉
So I have to ask. Will you be joining the SQL Crazy Train at our whistle stop in Providence? If so, come say hi and we can chat.


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Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness were seen walking their daughter Ava, 8, to school in New York City on Friday (September 13).
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness walk their daughter to school
Posted by Alisa on Saturday, September 14, 2013 / Comments: (0)
Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson
Posted by Alisa / Comments: (1)
Working Girl star Melanie Griffith and her daughter, Dakota Johnson, 24, were seen attending the Don Jon premiere in New York City on Thursday (September 12).
Brian Austin Green and Kassius
Brian Austin Green and his 11-year-old son Kassius stopped by Walgreens in Studio City, CA on Thursday (September 12). Brian's wife expectant actress Megan Fox and their 11-month-old son Noah weren't with the pair. Kassius's mother is actress Vanessa Marcil.


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Then there's a nice link on the bottom left of the home page which takes you to a link enabling you to reset your password.
The password resetting mechanism involves the site having to email you. If the email address the site holds is incorrect or out of date then that can't happen.
The above has happened today. I got an email bounce resulting from a member trying to reset their password. That member is going to have to email me for help - which I will of course gladly give.
However it would be much better if everyone took a moment to check their site profile (the one you get to under "My Account", top left) and confirm that their email address is both correct and refers to the account that they would prefer TMC to contact them on, should the need arise.


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Some X11 programs actually read directly from the /dev/input/ devices to do global shortcuts anyway. "Mumble" for example.
No announcement yet.
X11 Turns 25 Years Old Today
new posts
Originally posted by russofris View PostI do not think the word "global" means what you think it means.
Allow me to restate. Wayland does not appear to support X11 hotkeys. We shouldn't refer to X11 hotkeys as "global", since they're not really "global". I guess you could say that they're "global" to X11 applications. I fully expect things like Alt-Tab will still work under Wayland, through the Wayland or WM hotkeys.
"Hotkeys" will work just fine without X11, just like they do under NT, OSX, Linux, and any other X11-less stack.
Allow me to restate.
Alt-Tab usage insider Wayland and global keys events exposed to external (not Wayland itself) apps are two different cases, one doesn't necessarily mean the other.
Also, I'm asking about a usable solution, not fringe solutions, not recompiling the kernel or directly reading the keyboard device or so, no nonsense.
E.g. a portable way across all X11 based distros is using XGrabKeys and the generic string "XF86AudioPlay" for the "play" key, can you provide working portable code across Wayland based distros and across keyboards? Show me the code (the solution, as I said earlier, must be based upon software installed by default, you just use the API that it provides).Last edited by mark45; 09-16-2012, 02:24 AM.
The "installed by default" argument is nonsense, because of course no popular distro will expect you to want your volume hotkeys to work without X. So they install by default something that handles them inside X.
actkbd is hardly a fringe solution comparable to writing your custom kernel modules. It's a portable linux daemon that reads the keyboard events from /dev. If you insist on writing your own daemon, that's the portable way to do so. It will work in X, console, wayland, or even no display at all but still a keyboard attached
Originally posted by curaga View PostThe "installed by default" argument is nonsense, because of course no popular distro will expect you to want your volume hotkeys to work without X. So they install by default something that handles them inside X.
i love that the 800 pound gorilla is not discussed. the ability for windows or osx (maybe, im not sure) to survive a driver crash and preserve the apps. modern toolkits have this ability but no-one uses them. this makes the linux desktop an utter joke for the normal user because X.org crashes close all the apps and disrupts the work. and you can't lie to me that they don't happen often because they do. canonical is too cheap to do regression testing so you are probably gonna get at least a few x.org crashes a year.
i'm sure x11 cranks cannot weasel out of this out easily.
>Your a relic, dude.
No, actually I am not.
>We must move forward no matter
There is a difference between progress and pointless bullshit that removes useful features.
>how much old folks like you want to remain in the past for nostalgic reasons.
Not for nostalgic reasons. And I am all for improvements. I am pro-PulseAudio, and cautiously pro-Systemd, for example.
Also, not old. I am 30, and I never used Linux (or any *nix) till 1999. Hardly an oldtimer.
>How exactly can you "assure" it?
*boggle* Have you seen a Windows graphics driver crash?! It is a BSoD. Apps don't survive that.
>And note that a driver crash in Linux means a kernel panic or at least an X server crash.
No shit. Happens to mean a kernel panic in Windows as well!
Originally posted by mark45 View PostI do not think you understand what I mean.
Allow me to restate.
Alt-Tab usage insider Wayland and global keys events exposed to external (not Wayland itself) apps are two different cases, one doesn't necessarily mean the other.
So we are on the same page, can you name an application for which you would use an X11 hotkey, and what X11 hotkey you would be using?
Hitting "Play/Pause/Stop/Next" on an MM keyboard will likely work fine under Wayland in media applications prior to 1.0. I cannot imagine it being overlooked.


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a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.
sited along a wine route of mexico's 'valle de guadalupe,' twenty-eight underground villas are scattered across the sloping topography.
titled 'together apart', the projects were influenced by the studio's reflections on the nature of social gathering during the 2020 pandemic.
connections: +1230
'anandaloy', which means 'the place of deep joy' in the local dialect, has received the obel award 2020.
the minimalist villa is designed for a couple's new life after retirement.


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The 59-year-old faces allegations from "several women" over offences which date back up to 35 years, his solicitor said. Davidson answered bail on Wednesday and was rearrested after police received further complaints.
His solicitor Henri Brandman said his client "vigorously denies" all the allegations against him.
Mr Brandman said: "Several women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back on average 20 years, one dating back 35 years. The complainants were all adults at the time of the alleged events.
"Jim vigorously denies the allegations. He answered police questions as fully as he is able after this passage of time. He has not been charged with any offences."
The former Big Break and Generation Game host answered bail after he was held in January by detectives working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation prompted by the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said a 59-year-old man had been "further arrested on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with further allegations made to Operation Yewtree". He was arrested on January 2 in west London, along with a 53-year-old who was held in Hampshire. They both answered bail and were released until May.
In January, Mr Brandman issued a statement relating to the initial allegations, which were made by two women in relation to alleged events 25 years ago.
He said at the time: "The complainants were then in their mid-20s. Jim vigorously denies the allegations. He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time."
So far 11 people have been arrested under Operation Yewtree.


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Welcome To Datameer Version 7.0
Installing and Configuring Datameer
Setup Guide
The Setup Guide is for people who are installing Datameer for the first time. Check the requirements and supported platforms, then download and install Datameer. Where to next? The Concepts Guide helps you get started.
Administrator's Guide
The Administration Guide is for people with Datameer administration rights. It helps you set up users and connections, import data, set up jobs, configure the Hadoop cluster settings, database drivers and email server. You might also find the Hadoop and Datameer, FAQ, and Support Forum useful.
Hadoop and Datameer
The Hadoop and Datameer guide is for people with Datameer administration rights. It helps you set up and configure the Hadoop cluster settings for several different environments, learn about and use third-party monitoring software, and learn about using Datameer and Hadoop with VMware.
Using Datameer
Datameer User's Guide
The Guide for Analysts is for analysts, system administrators – anyone who uses Datameer. It helps you get started accessing data, working with workbooks, and analyzing data. Try creating a worksheet, then add formulas, sort or filter the data and use the widgets to create infographics that lets you visualize your data different ways.
Datameer Functions
The Datameer Functions guide explains how to use the Formula Builder and then provides a reference to the more than 240 built-in functions that are available to you. In addition, because Datameer is extensible, you can use functions from third-party tools or write your own commands.
Extending Datameer
Developer Guide
The Guide for Developers resources are for software developers who want to create their own plug-ins for Datameer. Take a look at the Developer Tutorials and the API documentation.
Where to Get Help
Evaluating Datameer
The Contact - Help - Evaluation resources are for people who want to take a closer look at Datameer. You can evaluate Datameer in the cloud on Amazon EC2 or you can try Datameer in a standalone environment using a VMware image. You can read more about both options and evaluate Datameer using the choice that is best for you.


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Grade of MG– A grade of "MG" (Missing Grade) is issued when the instructor does not submit a grade for a student by the grading deadline. Students who receive a "MG" should contact the instructor or department head to determine the reason why a letter grade was not issued and when the grade will be recorded.
Grade of X– A grade of "X" is normally issued when a particular course continues to meet after the grading period of a semester. Students who receive an "X" should contact the instructor or department head to determine when the grade will be recorded.
Grade Changes– If a student believes that an error has been made in issuing a final grade, the student must contact the course instructor no later than three weeks into the following semester. If the instructor agrees that there was an error made, the instructor will fill out a change of grade form. The instructor will then submit the form to the department head for review and signature. Once reviewed and signed by the department head, the change of grade form is forwarded to the college dean for final review and a signature. The college dean will then forward the form to the Registrar's Office for processing. This process will take several days or up to two weeks. If your grade does not get corrected, contact your instructor. Please do not call the Registrar's Office about the status of a change of grade because the Registrar's Office will not have any knowledge or information about your grade change until the completed form is received. When the Registrar's Office receives the grade change, students will be able to view the corrected grade on mynmu.nmu.edu. All forms received by the Registrar's Office are uploaded to the computer daily.
Students who believe that they have been unfairly graded in a course should follow the appeals procedure outlined in the NMU Student Handbook.
See the following links for more information.
Helpful Grade Links
GPA Calculator
Improperly Recorded or Incomplete Grades and Student Complaints
Grading System
Directions for Obtaining Grades
- on the Web, go to MyNMU
- enter your User ID and Password*
- click the Student Services folder tab
- click the Academic Services folder tab
- under Student Records, click View Grades
*If you do not know or have forgotten your user ID and password go to myuser.nmu.edu to look it up or reset it.
Print an Official Copy of Your Grades
Open window on computer that displays your grades; (see above directions)
- on your keyboard, press ALT + Print Screen (PrtSc)
- open FrontPage or Microsoft Word
- right click your mouse and select paste
- print grades and save document
- on your keyboard, press CTRL + P
- print grades
Grade Report Confidentiality
In accordance with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Northern Michigan University policy prohibits the release of grade reports to anyone other than the student.


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Sandy Beach •
Sandy Beach
Pastel, 5×7″
©2014 Elizabeth Rhoades
• All Rights Reserved COPYRIGHT The compilation of all content on this site is the exclusive property of elizabethrhoadesfineart.com and is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display, incorporate into another web site, or in any other way exploit any of the content, in whole or in part without the specific permission of elizabethrhoadesfineart.com. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of any proprietary artwork on any website, in e-mails, or in other media without express written permission from Elizabeth Rhoades.


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Take in some of the best views in town at our sophisticated rooftop lounge, complete with sleek banquettes and its own outdoor terrace, as well as an amazing selection of signature cocktails, Spanish wines and tapas.
- Open
- Monday, Wednesday & Friday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Signature Drink
- Capa GinTonic
Caorunn gin, Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, Gala apple, juniper, Key lime, botanicals
More Dining Options
- Details
Ravello Demonstration Kitchen
Light, bright and versatile, this spacious kitchen features a wall of windows, its own outdoor terrace and a spacious kitchen prep area where one of our chefs can expertly lead you through an interactive group dinner or host a private cooking class.
- Details
With tall, arched windows and an outdoor terrace, our modern Italian restaurant invites you to start your day with breakfast at our omelette station and decadent buffet, or feast on fresh house-made pizzas and pastas as well as Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi's creative interpretations of regional Italian and Mediterranean cuisines. Ravello also offers Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & His Pals on Saturdays.
- Details
With two outdoor terraces and an elegant dining room, our 17th-floor signature steakhouse serves fresh Florida seafood, Spanish-influenced tapas and expertly grilled cuts from our wood-burning grill in a romantic setting named among the Best 100 Wine Restaurants in the US by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
- Details
The perfect place to unwind after a round of golf or to simply retreat, this lakeside restaurant serves a mix of American clubhouse favourites and Cuban-inspired dishes within the picturesque setting of our golf clubhouse.
- Details
Take a break from your lounge chair and join us on a covered lakefront platform for a wide array of refreshing flavours and familiar favourites at our casual pool bar and grill.
- Details
In-Room Dining
Whether you want to share a romantic dinner on your terrace, enjoy a quiet evening in with the family, or just sleep in a little bit longer, our extensive in-room dining menu offers just what you're looking for, day or night.
- Details
Lickety Split
Order your favourite latte and breakfast pastry, grab a sandwich or salad to go, or cool off with a few scoops of creamy gelato at our convenient lobby café, perfect for when you need a quick bite (or a refreshing treat).
- Details
The Lobby Bar
Meet up with friends for a "Cucumber Fields" cocktail, a crisp glass of wine or a craft beer in our vibrant lobby bar, and stay for the delectable bar bites, enticing entrées and sweet specialties created by our talented pastry team.


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Ways to donate to The Pirate Castle
If you'd like to support our community projects and help make a difference, donating to The Pirate Castle couldn't be easier!
We are hugely grateful for every piece of eight or shiny doubloon to help fund our raft of canal-based community projects - here are some examples of how your donations help keep us afloat and make our work possible:
£30 funds a new spray deck or safety equipment for youth and community kayak sessions
£100 funds an accredited kayak instructor for 1 day of our inclusive Holiday Schemes
Our supervision ratio for youth kayaking is 1:8 and at least 3 instructors are needed every day during Holiday Schemes to meet demand - even more in the summer!
£250 fully funds a Camden Community Cruise on our fully accessible canal boat for disability and special needs groups, families in hardship and vulnerable local residents
£400 funds accredited training for one of our volunteer canal boat skippers
We are an official training centre for the National Community Boats Association and train all of our volunteer skippers and crew in-house to rigorous standards
If you shop online, you can raise money for Pirate Castle projects for free!
Yes, that's absolutely FREE!
We're registered with easyfundraising.org.uk. It's a completely free online service that lets you raise money for The Pirate Castle whenever you shop online - you just need to register with them and away you go!
To make it even easier, you can download the nifty 'donation reminder' to make sure you never miss an opportunity to grab those free pieces of eight for us! There's even a downloadable App for those of you who do your shopping on the run!
You can buy goods from over 4,000 retailers and suppliers – including big names such as Amazon, eBay, M&S, Tesco, John Lewis and many, many more – from clothing and DIY stores to travel websites and holiday companies.
It's easy! Simply click the link below and follow the instructions:
You can even make a secure online donation using PayPal!:
With grateful thanks from all of The Pirates!


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New ways to shop
Get free expert advice online or in-store.
Success! It's in the bag.View Bag and Checkout Continue Shopping
30 day returns online
12 month jewellery warranty
Get free expert advice online or in-store.
15%# off Sitewide
FREE standard shipping for all orders over $70. Orders under $70 will be charged a flat fee of $9.90.
Once your order has shipped, please allow 2-7 business days for delivery depending on your location. Orders requiring ring sizing take up to three (3) additional business days to complete.
If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you may return it online or in-store within 30 days of delivery for an exchange or full refund. Subject to meeting the requirements of our refund policy.
For more information, visit our FAQ page.


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Bike & Walk to School
Remember walking or biking to school when you were a kid? Do you remember the proud feeling of freedom once you became one of the "big kids" who got to head off to school without a parent? That walk or bike ride to school offered kids the chance to burn off some energy before sitting behind a desk all day and taught personal responsibility. Unfortunately, those "Leave It To Beaver" memories of catching up with friends, skipping down the sidewalk and joking about teachers are almost gone in today's America.
Thirty years ago, more than 66% of all children walked or biked to school. Today, less than 13% of all students enjoy the many benefits associated with walking or biking to school. Today's kids don't learn how to cross a street safely. They don't learn how to safely ride a bicycle. They don't get the exercise at a time when physical education classes are being cut. If you want to give your kids the same opportunities you had growing up, the Wisconsin Bike Fed can help. The Wisconsin Bike Fed can work with you to get a program started at your kid's school that encourages children in your community to walk or bike to school. We can point you in the right direction or come in with a turnkey program complete with instructors, bicycles and a proven curriculum designed around your district's learning targets. We can even help you find funding to run your program through the federal Safe Routes to School grant program.
The Bike Fed has educated more than 10,000 students through our Safe Routes to School programming in communities across Wisconsin, including Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Union Grove, Appleton, Sturgeon Bay, Oregon, Waterford, Marshall, Sheboygan and West Allis. Safe Routes to School is a federally funded program to increase the number and safety of kids walking and biking to school through "the five E's" of traffic safety: education, engineering, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.
Benefits of Safe Routes to School programs include:
- Increasing students' levels of physical activity, leading to improved health
- Lowering the number of parents driving their children to school, leading to less traffic congestion around schools
- Improving air quality surrounding schools and reducing automobile emissions
- Giving children an early start in understanding traffic rules, preparing them to become responsible motorists later in life
- Helping students develop a sense of responsibility as they understand the importance of following traffic rules
How We Help
The Bike Fed is available for hire to plan or implement a Safe Routes to School program in your community or at your child's school. Our proven curriculum meets many school districts' required learning target and can be tailored to your specific needs. Our two-week-long Safe Routes program is a complete curriculum package. We arrive at your school with instructors, bicycles, helmets and all other materials. Our instructors will do all pre- and post-testing as well as grade homework and provide the classroom teacher with those grades.
Safe Routes to School: Bike Camps
Bike Camp is a two-week summer program that combines our Bike Driver's Ed curriculum with additional bicycle riding. While the academic-year Safe Routes to School bike education program is 10 hours, Bike Camps are generally 24-30 hours.
Bike Camp is taught in 2.5- to 3-hour-long daily sessions over the course of two weeks. With the additional 20 hours of bicycle riding and practice to neighborhood and citywide destinations, Bike Campers become excellent and safe bike riders.
Daily bicycle field trips give kids a chance to master biking skills and learn about their communities. Bike Camps may have a theme, such as urban agriculture (with bike rides to community gardens and farmers markets) or environmental exploration (with rides to nature centers and preserves).
To get a quick feel for our Bike Camps, listen to this profile from Radio Milwaukee 88.9 FM. With years of experience and the largest Safe Routes to School program in Wisconsin, the Bike Fed can help your community plan and implement a Safe Routes to School program. Our team of bicycle and pedestrian professionals can educate, plan, map and analyze your community to improve the environment for active transportation. We can also provide in-class education to children in schools or provide training to adults on implementing Safe Routes to School and teaching Walking Wisdom and Bike Driver's Ed.
The Bike Fed's full range of services includes:
- Bicycle plans
- Safe Routes to School plans
- Safe Routes to School Train-the-Instructor workshops
- Program planning and community outreach
- Grant writing assistance
- In-school education
- Bicycle maps
- Pedestrian and bicycle crash maps and analysis
- Bicycle parking design and plans
We also have tools available to help you start your own Safe Routes to School programs.
Safe Routes to School: Curriculum
Bicycle Fed's Safe Routes to School Curriculum, Walking Wisdom and Bike Driver's Ed, is available for download below. Any nonprofit organization or school may use the materials as long as they give credit to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. Permission is not given to for-profit organizations to use these materials without special permission. Walking Wisdom and Bicycle Driver's Ed was produced by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin with funding from Milwaukee Public Schools and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, administered through the Milwaukee Police Department. Both education programs are hands-on, involve walking or biking and include a series of homework assignments:
- Walking Wisdom, a two-hour course taught over two days, which focuses on pedestrian safety. This class is open to 2nd and 3rd graders
- Bike Driver's Ed, a 10-hour course taught over 10 days, which focuses on street bicycle safety. This class is recommended for 5th and 6th graders but can be tailored to 7th and 8th graders.
To download a free copy of both curriculums, please click here (PDF). The file is approximately 3 MB. Thanks to the Bicycle Transportation Alliance for assistance with this project.


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There are 123 programs in college football's top division. In late August, 53 received at least one vote in one of the two major preseason polls, including eight of the SEC's 14 teams.
There are 123 programs in college football's top division. In late August, 53 received at least one vote in one of the two major preseason polls, including eight of the SEC's 14 teams.
Auburn? What respectable coaches or writers would have attached their name to that disaster? The Tigers went 3-9 last season and entered this one with a new coach, a new quarterback and little reasonable hope.
Florida State inspired a bit more optimism. The Seminoles started 11th in The Associated Press poll and 12th in the coaches' poll, but were several spots behind Clemson, the presumed darling of the ACC.
A parlay of Auburn-Florida State in Monday's BCS championship game, at the Rose Bowl, would have given a bettor a happy new year. As this season's presumed powerhouses were toppled one by one, the Tigers and Seminoles rode different, but equally dynamic offenses to an unlikely championship showdown.
"This is what you play for, this is what you prepare for," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "A team has a one-year identity, a one-year life span, and this is the ultimate goal, what you want to get to."
This is the final BCS title game, before college football turns to a four-team playoff, and it's been a heck of a last run for the maligned system. Auburn could become the only team in the BCS era to start a season unranked and end it as champion. The Tigers would unseat, well, Auburn, as least-likely BCS champs.
Three years ago, Auburn started the season No. 23 and won the championship. Only four times in 15 years has the BCS champion started the season ranked outside of the top 10 in the AP poll.
So even if Florida State wins, it would be a notable four-month rise to glory. Auburn's would be historic.
Consider that a year ago, the Tigers beat only New Mexico State, Alabama A&M and Louisiana-Monroe (in overtime). They scored 13 or fewer points in six games and were shut out twice.
"Last year at this time, we were just sitting around watching all the bowl games," Auburn receiver Reese Dismukes said. "Really, in the back of your head, you just want to get to a bowl game. You don't want to be sitting at home in December and January. That's not fun at all."
Expectations were mild when Auburn hired Gus Malzahn, its former offensive coordinator. The brainy Malzahn coached Arkansas State to a 9-3 record in 2012, his first year as a college head coach.
Even if the Tigers didn't improve immediately under Malzahn, they would change. Malzahn brought his fast-paced offense to Auburn and found his perfect field general when JC quarterback Nick Marshall transferred in and beat out three other challengers. The Tigers went to work, quickly.
"I don't think anybody was standing after the first workout," receiver C.J. Uzomah said. "We were dead tired, and we knew it was going to be different."
Immediately, Malzahn set a tone. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said the new coaches never reviewed a full game film from the 2012 season.
"He came in and he really focused on the players and what we had to bring to the table," defensive end Dee Ford said. "It had to be a player-driven team, and we really had to buckle down and work hard. It was going to be hard. He told us that the entire year it was going to be very hard."
It certainly was. Behind Marshall and tailback Tre Mason, Auburn's offense improved immediately, and averaged 31 points in a 3-0 start. But then the Tigers were soundly beaten by LSU, 35-21, on Sept. 21.
Malzahn went back to his lab. He further tweaked Auburn's offense and added more zone-read plays that would accentuate the strengths of both Marshall and Mason. The Tigers offense took off and averaged 45.3 points over the season's final nine games, and Mason made a late case for the Heisman Trophy.
Of course, the Tigers also got some breaks. A final-minute, desperation, deflected 73-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to Ricardo Louis allowed Auburn to edge Georgia on Nov. 23. Two weeks later, Chris Davis' impossible 109-yard return of a missed field goal as time expired ended Alabama's title-game hopes.
Luck, deserved or not, hasn't been part of the equation for Florida State. The Tigers reached the BCS game with a few bolts of the lightning. The Seminoles have been more like an avalanche on both sides of the ball.
Florida State, with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston, has the country's highest-scoring offense (53 points per game) and its most stingy defense (10.7 points allowed per game).
If the Seminoles score at least 28 points against Auburn, they will break Oklahoma's NCAA record for points in a season (716 in 2008). Under first-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, the Seminoles have allowed seven or fewer points in seven of 13 games.
After a 4-0 start, the Seminoles stamped themselves as national contenders by stomping then-No. 25 Maryland, 63-0, on Oct. 5, and smashing then-No. 3 Clemson, 51-14, two weeks later.
The Seminoles, who went 9-4 in 2011 and 12-2 last season, have made steady improvement and seem to be peaking. They have allowed a total of 31 points in their last four games.
"Every year that I've been at Florida State, we've gradually gotten better," junior defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan said. "We win a couple more games every single year, and I knew there was something special about this next team coming up."


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A year after its launch, VOD initiative IFFR In the Cloud is looking to boost viewers by increasing its online visibility.
IFFR In The Coud, Rotterdam's collaboration with digital distributor Under The Milky Way is now a year old – and lessons are being learned on both sides on how to maximize the impact of the festival's films in their own iTunes room.
"It's not like you press a button and the film is online," said Jacobine van der Vloed, manager of IFFR In The Cloud.
Jeremy Teicher's Tall As The Baobab Tree was the first IFFR title to appear on iTunes through IFFR In The Cloud. Initially, the film was available in Belgium and Luxembourg and sold slowly. The Netherlands was added in January and the aim is to spread to around 40 territories.
The attraction of the scheme for Rotterdam producers is obvious.
They don't have to make an investment up front. Under The Milky Way and the festival pay for films to be put up on iTunes. The average cost per title for uploading, encoding and providing two subtitle tracks is around €795 per film. Once 400 units are sold, the rights holder stands to begin to make money.
Under The Milky Way has worldwide connections from London to Paris to Tokyo – there is therefore the chance to reach a global audience.
More and more IFFR titles are now being added to iTunes. They come from the Festival's Tiger competition and its Bright Futures and Spectrum sidebars.
Given the huge amount of material available on VOD, the challenge is to get the films on iTunes noticed.
"It's not only about the digital distribution of these films. It is really about how people find them," van der Vloed observes.
By marketing and branding the films together under the Rotterdam flag, IFFR and Under The Milky Way hope to make them far more conspicuous than they would be if launched on VOD on their own.
Why iTunes rather than the many other online sites available?
"iTunes is one of the most well known platforms. If you want to have visibility, I think you should really go with a large fish," said Melissa van der Schoor.
In the long run, the films could spread further than iTunes. According to van der Vloed, Under The Milky Way has deals with Google Play, Amazon, Daily Motion and Vudu among others.
"We offer the rights holder the possibility also to have it (the film) on those platforms but then there are sometimes additional costs involved because the encoding house needs to deliver different materials to different platforms."


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|Up a level
Gupta, Jancy and Mohanan, A N and Sehara, D B S (1995) Entrepreneur gains success in scientific prawn and crab culture. Indian Farming, July 1. pp. 34-38.
Immanuel, Sheela (1995) Training programme for fisher-women on preparation of food from seaweed — An evaluation study. Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series, 137. pp. 11-13.
Raje, S G and Singh, V V (1995) Fishing Fleet Maintenance at Versova: An Example of "Emancipation Through Co-operation". Fishing Chimes, 14 (11). pp. 42-44.
Rajeev, P and Srinath, Krishna (1995) Perception of farmers about group action in prawn culture and an action plan for group farming. Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series, 137. pp. 8-11.
Sathiadhas, R and Narayanakumar, R and Sehara, D B S (1995) Exploitation of marine fishery resources and their utilization. In: Proceedings of Fourth Swadeshi Science Congress, 5 - 7 November 1994, Kochi.
Sathiadhas, R and Srinath, Krishna and Narayanakumar, R and Reghu, R (1995) Socio economic study of two brackish water sites in the state of Kerala. Technical Report. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi.
Srinath, Krishna and Rajeev, P (1995) The use of sea safety measures by fishermen. Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series, 139. pp. 8-9.


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Game theory and elephant mating patterns
Issued on: Modified:
INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Thurs. 28/07/11, The US debt crisis makes headlines across the world. In the IHT, David P. Barash attempts to explain the psychology behind it, using game theory and elephant mating patterns. The Guardian describes the scene in front of the Libyan embassy in London after the UK officially recognised the rebels. Finally, Indian and Pakistani newspapers are positive about yesterday's meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers.


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UMKC says it won't renew charter for Derrick Thomas Academy
Charter school opened in 2002
The University of Missouri at Kansas City said it is ending its sponsorship of the Derrick Thomas Academy.
In a news release, UMKC said it would not forward a request for charter renewal to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
"An honest assessment finds that the academy is not fulfilling the terms and conditions of its charter, is not compliant with charter school law, and is failing to consistently deliver a quality educational program to its students," said Phyllis A. Chase, director of the UMKC Charter School Center, in a news release.
The charter school opened in the fall of 2002, but UMKC said the academy failed to meets its overall goals for academic performance and was placed on academic probation three times in the last four years.
The UMKC Charter School Center said it will work with parents and staff to make sure that students can complete the school year without interruption.


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Safety is always a priority in the workplace, and workers in some industries, such as construction and traffic control, are particularly vulnerable to workplace accidents. Art Promos carries a large selection of promotional imprinted safety wear, including vests, jackets and shirts that are designed to pull double-duty. Not only do they make workers highly visible to the public and help keep them safe, they also serve as an advertising opportunity for business owners.
Our inventory of custom safety workwear includes clothing items that are appropriate for a variety of different work situations as well as variations in weather. Art Promos' safety wear styles are ANSI-approved so there is no compromise when you want to combine advertising with safety. In fact, advertising on promotional safety vests, jackets and shirts lets your employees as well as the public know that you care and that you're committed to workplace safety.
Promotional safety wear has a variety of other uses besides protecting workers on a job site. Logo reflective wear is also ideal for:
There's one more benefit to customizing your reflective safety wear with your company logo: it will help distinguish your workers and your safety wear from other people and companies who are working on the same job site. No more lost safety vests! You'll save money, raise your profile and keep workers and the public safe with custom imprinted safety wear.


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Ex-Obama fundraiser named in $500M Solyndra loan probe
WASHINGTON -- A former Energy Department adviser and fundraiser for President Barack Obama pushed for a West Coast solar company to receive a half-billion dollar federal loan, despite pledging to recuse himself because his wife's law firm represented the company, newly released emails show.
The emails show that Steve Spinner, who also helped monitor a clean energy loan guarantee program, was more actively involved in a loan for Solyndra LLC than administration officials have acknowledged.
The emails, released by the administration in response to congressional investigators, show that Spinner was actively involved in a planned September 2009 trip by Vice President Joe Biden to Solyndra's Fremont, Calif., headquarters for a groundbreaking ceremony. Biden did not go on the trip, but spoke via satellite. Solyndra declared bankruptcy last month after receiving a $528 million federal loan.
In the emails, Spinner, who founded a sports fitness company, repeatedly pushed Energy Department and White House budget officials to ensure that the loan was finalized before Biden's planned trip. The loan closing was announced at the groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 4, 2009.
"How -- hard is this? What is he waiting for?" Spinner wrote in an Aug, 28, 2009, email to a DOE official. "I have the OVP (Office of the Vice President) and WH (the White House) breathing down my neck on this. They are getting itchy to get involved."
Later that day, Spinner asked the same DOE official to "walk over there and force him to give you the answer."
The emails refer to a DOE loan guarantee official who was evaluating the Solyndra information.
A White House official declined to comment when asked if Spinner's conduct was appropriate.
The Obama administration allowed news organizations to read the emails Friday as it prepared to send them to investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The panel has been looking into the Solyndra and more broadly at the $38 billion loan guarantee program.
Spinner, who was an adviser to Energy Secretary Steven Chu from April 2009 to September 2010, pledged in writing not to have "active participation" in any solicitation, due diligence or negotiation related to the Solyndra loan, which has become an embarrassment for the White House and a rallying cry for critics of Obama's clean energy program.
Spinner's wife, Allison Berry Spinner, is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a firm in Palo Alto, Calif., that represented Solyndra on the DOE loan. Federal records show the firm received at least $2.4 million in legal fees related to the loan.
In one email, Spinner asks a DOE official whether the White House budget office has completed its review of the Solyndra loan.
"Any word on OMB? Solyndra's getting nervous," he wrote, four minutes after receiving an email from Solyndra.
Energy Department spokesman Damien LaVera said Spinner was a liaison for the loan program under the economic stimulus law, but that he played no role in evaluating individual loan applications.
"Because his wife agreed not to participate in or receive any financial compensation from her law firm's work on behalf of any loan program applicant, Mr. Spinner was authorized to oversee and monitor the progress of applications, ensure that the program met its deadlines and milestones, and coordinate possible public announcements," LaVera said in an email Friday.
Spinner "was not allowed to make decisions on the terms or conditions of any particular loan guarantee or decide whether a particular transaction was approved," LaVera said, adding that the arrangement was approved by the Energy Department's ethics officer.
Spinner now is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think-tank closely identified with the Obama administration, where he focuses on energy policy.
A biography on the CAP website says Spinner "helped oversee the more than $100 billion of loan guarantee and direct lending authority for the Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program and the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program."
An administration official, speaking on condition that he not be identified because of the congressional investigation, said Friday that Spinner "clearly was actively involved in facilitating between DOE and OMB," the White House budget office, but said his main focus was the planned Biden trip for the Solyndra groundbreaking.
Administration officials cited an August 2009 email from Aditya Kumar, an aide to former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, now Chicago mayor. Kumar asks Spinner who are Solyndra's major investors and receives a detailed answer.
The White House "doesn't even know the names of the (Solyndra) investors," said the official, rebutting oft-repeated claims by some GOP lawmakers that the Solyndra deal was approved to benefit Oklahoma billionaire George Kaiser, a Solyndra investor and Obama fundraiser.


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QlikView Connector
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Because it the only one who can transform and validate the data while loading it into QlikView
There are several several QlikView connectors available to the users. All they do is bring the data into QlikView but they do not do anything with the data. ETL-Tools QlikView Connector can transform and validate Strings, Numbers, Dates, Postcodes, Phone Numbers, Driving Licences and much more. All this can be achieved without writing a single line of code.
ETL-Tools QlikView Connector can be run as stand-alone QlikView application, so user can design data transformations and validations and even create QVX files, or it can be run from the QlikView itself when loading the data
The connector is developed for QlikView 10, but also works perfectly with later versions of QlikView.
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Miller & Carter Bristol City Centre
Marriott Bristol Royal, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TA 0117 456 9606
Marriott Bristol Royal, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TA 0117 456 9606
We're delighted to welcome you back to Miller & Carter Bristol City Centre.
Important booking information - please read
The safety and well-being of our guests and team members is our top priority. In order to keep everyone safe, for now we are only accepting bookings for a maximum of 6 people.
As our suppliers gear themselves back up for service, some ingredients and some dishes on our menus may not be available. In the short term therefore the descriptions on menus may not always accurately reflect the contents of the dish.
Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you soon!
1. When selecting a menu for an event this is simply to give us an idea of what you may order, however you will be offered all available menus at your table on arrival.
2. On busy peak times we may have to limit table sizes, we do this to ensure we are able to serve the freshest food with the best possible hospitality to all of our guests.
3. When available parties of six or more may have to be seated on separate tables due to our restaurant layouts.
4. On the day of dining we can only hold tables for 15 minutes past the time you have booked.
All deposits are non-refundable if cancelled or amended within 7 days prior to booking.
For special offers, news and exclusive treats from Miller & Carter Harrow, simply sign up to Steak Club and we'll be in touch soon!
We are delighted to reopen on the 4th July, to help create a safe environment for everyone we will be running a reduced Main menu. Our 'Dates & Steaks' and 'Sunday' set menu will both be temporarily unavailable.
You can see what further measures we've put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our guests and team here.
The largest table size we can accommodate is a party of 6. We will be unable to accommodate joining tables together for larger bookings due to social distancing limitations.
Please arrive no earlier than 5minutes before your booking time due to limited waiting areas.
If possible, please use contactless payment to minimise handling cash.
To use our booking form on mobile or tablet devices, private browsing will need to be turned off.
On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, open Safari then tap Private to turn private browsing off.


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Rainbow-colored Vanamo with navy blue weft and Karpalo-pattern. 100 % GOTS certified organic cotton. The fabric is lively and it has a three dimensional structure that comes more apparent after washing. The wrap is not slippery and stays well on place when wrapped. Thick quality (289 g/m2): suitable for babies and toddlers as well.
Washing & care: the recommended washing temperature is warm 40 degrees of celsius. We recommend washing the wrap before starting to use it because the fabric will reach the optimal density and thickness after the wash. Each wrap has some extra length to compensate shrinking. You can use a tumble dryer at low temperature but please remember that tumble drying will wear out the fabric faster. Ironing with steam at medium temperature will make the wrap softer.


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DetailsRead more
- Cotton
- Regular fit shirt
- Button-down
- Point collar
- Single pocket shirt
- Stitched pocket
- Tonal Longhorn embroidery on chest
- Two side back tucks
- Long sleeve
- Adjustable cuff
- Branded buttons
- 100% Cotton
The Collins shirt is a wardrobe must have, it is a perfect classic fitting shirt made from 100% durable cotton. Easy wear & can be paired with your favourite chinos & leather boots. Finish off the look with a leather belt.
Size & Fit
- Model wears size: M
- Model Measures: 6'2 , Chest:39 , Waist: 32'
Care Instructions
- 100% Cotton
- Care: Cold Machine Wash
- For further care instructions, please refer to the garment care label
Delivery & Returns
In-stock items 7-10 business days
Special order items 6-8 weeks
Free Shipping on orders over $150
Find out more about our returns policy
Free ShippingOrders over AU$150
Easy 30 Day ReturnsIn Store & Online
Premium Boot Repair ServiceRepair your boots 'as good as old'


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Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Rolled Oats - 32oz (Kosher)
Item# AGGC001
Product Actions
Additional Information
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats are pure. They are grown by over 200 farmers on clean, dedicated oat-growing fields. They plant only "pedigreed" seed stock. Each farm delivery is sampled hundreds of times and tested with an R5 ELISA gluten test to ensure the absence of gluten. Advanced color-sorting removes undetected impurities. The oats are packaged in a 100% gluten free facility and tested once more for gluten to ensure their purity. 32oz bag (Kosher)


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Frugal Friday~
The Fan Favorite from last week is this adorable dresser redo featuring burlap shelves from Liz Marie. So beachy and fun!
And now for my Frugal Round-up!
Salvage Savvy shared a fabulous round-up of ideas to make with hollow-core doors. Lots of great uses for those things!
I loved these rain gutter bookshelves shared by Clean & Scentsible. Such a frugal and cute idea!
Now it's your turn!!
You know "da rules"...
1. Please link directly to your post and not just to your blog.
2. Please link back the Shabby Nest (you can use the pretty new button on my side bar to make it easy.) I only feature projects in my Frugal Round-up that link back to The Shabby Nest. I have passed up some great features because they didn't link back..so please use common courtesy and return the link! MWAH!!
3. Please visit other participants and leave them comments! Help them feel "the love!" And don't forget to "like" your favorite posts so they can become the "FAN FAVORITE!"


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Though Fringe's Captain Windmark is looking a little worse for wear in this new poster touting the Fox drama's final four episodes (kicking off Friday at 9/8c), the steely intensity in his eyes suggests that Team Fedora most definitely has some fight left in it as "The Final Battle" nears.
RELATED | Fringe Team Shares Scoop on Olivia's MIA Ring, Astrid's 'Moment' and More
After this Friday's outing, which is titled "Anomaly XB-6783746" (of course!), Fringe returns Jan. 11 and then finishes up its five-season run with a double bill on Jan. 18 (starting at 8/7c). What is your latest theory on how al this ends?
RELATED | Fringe Boss Reveals Finale Title, Says Series Ender Is 'Massive… Really Big'


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Information & everything related to the VW Golf Mk2, including Golf GTI & GTI 16v, Golf Syncro, Rallye Golf, Golf Limited, Golf Country & Golf Mk2 citySTROMer... Some would say the best ever Golf of its time and a modern classic.
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Posts tagged "arctic monkeys"
Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys @ the Target Center
Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys @ The Target Center
May 15th, 2012
It was a night of showmanship last night at the Target Center. The Arcitc Monkeys opened for headliner, The Black Keys, and wouldn't let a soul sit down – not that they wanted to. In fact, just as my mom tried to take a seat, frontman Alex Turner introduced "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair". That seemed to be the theme throughout the night, as Turner and the Monkeys' incredible stage presence – complete with spins, dives, and knee-slides – preceded a remarkable show from The Black Keys. It's easy to forget that the Keys have such a vast repertoire, but we were swiftly reminded as they gracefully swan-dove in and out of their first five releases, occasionally surfacing to play some hits from their most recent albums, Brothers and El Camino. As they closed their set with "Lonely Boy", I was speechlessly glad to be able to see and participate in a 15,000-person semi-choreographed dance taken straight from the music video for the song. After a teasingly long absence, singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach, and drummer Pat Carney returned to the stage to finish with three tracks, ending in a guitar-shredding, extended rendition of "I Got Mine" off of their 2008 album, Attack & Release. I believe I speak for the entire arena when I say I left with a strong feeling of satisfaction at their performance. Bravo, boys.
Written by Alex Dziura, Radio K Communications Manager