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Milwaukee Recreation's mission is to enrich and strengthen the community by promoting healthy lifestyles, personal development and fun through memorable recreational and educational experiences for people of all ages and abilities.
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Visit our south side older adult community community center which offers a variety of programs for individuals over the age of 50.
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Milwaukee Recreation (the Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Recreation & Community Services) serves to strengthen and extend the bond between public education and the community. Founded in 1911 by legislation that was reportedly the first of its kind to assign a local public school system the responsibility for conducting recreation programs, Milwaukee Recreation has maintained a leadership position throughout its history. Multiple use of public school facilities for community services, especially in the evenings, has earned Milwaukee Recreation the distinction of being recognized nationally as the "City of the Lighted Schoolhouse."
Milwaukee Recreation enriches the lives of Milwaukee's youth, adults, and families through many innovative programs. These programs are designed to improve the academic achievement of all students during non-school hours, strengthen families, reduce crime in the neighborhoods, and enhance the well-being of all residents.
Milwaukee Recreation's mission is to enrich and strengthen the community by promoting healthy lifestyles, personal development, and fun through memorable recreational and educational experiences for people of all ages and abilities.
Milwaukee Recreation personnel include over 40 full-time program & clerical staff, plus approximately 2,500 part-time employees hired annually as instructors, leaders, field attendants, umpires and referees. Over 100 schools and community locations are programmed on an annual basis to serve the Milwaukee community.
Milwaukee Recreation
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Milwaukee, WI 53208
Phone: (414) 475-8180
Fax: (414) 475-8541


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You are here
A closer look at the Volkswagen XL1
This is Volkswagen's moon-shot car. We've just spent the day poring over it and have come back amazed. Welcome to the madly boffiny XL1.
It looks like a mini-supercar, it's as specialist as a Veyron, and it's certified in the official tests at 314mpg and 21g/km CO2. Which means it practically runs on thin air (it actually tested at 340mpg, but the officials imposed a rounding error - from 0.83/100km to 0.9). Yet it's comfy and decently roomy for two, has air-con and navigation, and will cruise at 100mph.
It's got a one-piece monocell RTM carbonfibre tub, with carbonfibre panels. That's just like a McLaren P1. The drivetrain of the XL1 has P1 principles too: a mid-mounted engine, rear-drive, with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, a boosting electric motor and a plug-in hybrid battery pack. Except instead of a turbo V8 petrol engine, the XL1 has a 0.8-litre two-cylinder turbodiesel.
See more pics of the Volkswagen XL1
To be fair, that 314mpg figure includes a a few miles running on battery power obtained from the grid, depleting the battery. But if you didn't plug it in and ran it as a simple hybrid, the engineers say it'll still go through the test at 141mpg. The diesel tank is just 10 litres, but about £1 of electricity and £3 of fuel should get the car 300 miles.
The diesel engine develops 48bhp, the e-motor 27bhp. They can run independently or together. Performance is only equivalent to a basic supermini, but the XL1 should be fun to drive, with its mid-engine balance, very low centre of gravity, racecar-type front suspension and sheer agility - it's so light it doesn't even need power steering.
VW have said it will build a production run limited to just 50, but if there's demand for more they will do them. But they won't name the price. Having seen what it's made of and how it's made I'd say they ought to charge supercar money. But they can't charge supercar prices for a car that takes 12.7 seconds to get to 62mph. It's going to be a huge money-loser.
So why the heck have they done it? As a technological beacon for the Group, and as a testbed for new technologies. Not just for the carbonfibre tub or extreme aero either. In fact the exact same driveline will be put in the nose of a Up! next year. And with double the engine (a 1.6 TDI) the same thing will come in a plug-in hybrid Golf. And on the day we saw the XL1, Audi announced the A3 e-tron, which has the same hybrid system but a 1.4 petrol engine. Petrol means the A3 e-tron can be sold as an alternative to the plug-in Prius for people who actually like cars.
The whole plug-in architecture is scaleable and modular, and the VW group is convinced it's the most viable alternative drivetrain for the future.
There's carbonfibre all over this car, and everything else is specialist and lightweight. Lovely little wishbones in the suspension, lightweight dampers, carbon brakes, magnesium wheels, carbonfibre one-piece seats, a dash of compressed chopped wood fibres, the list goes on.
Net result, a weight of just 795kg, which is the same as their mental target, the Mk1 Golf. Now that Golf was a four-seater, but it was slower and far less safe and economical than the XL1 and much more sparsely equipped.
If you want a Top Gear guess, the price will be £50,000-plus, and even that would be far too low for VW to make a profit on it. Anyway, hang on for the Geneva show and they'll tell us exactly. We'll have a drive of it by then too.
Meantime, do you like the idea of a rocket-science economy car, or is it wasted effort?
What do you think?
This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear's code of conduct (link below) before posting.

subset: commoncrawl


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Saints John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus, of Egypt
Saints John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus lived in Egypt in the fourth century, and are mentioned in the life of Saint Onuphrius.
After he had buried Saint Onuphrius, Saint Paphnutius came upon an oasis which impressed him with its beauty and abundance of fruit-bearing trees. Four youths inhabiting this place came to him from out of the wilderness. The youths told Abba Paphnutius that in their childhood they had lived in the city of Oxyrhynchus (Upper Thebaid) and they had studied together. They had burned with the desire to devote their lives to God. Making their plans to go off into the desert, the young men left the city and after several days' journey, they reached this place. A man radiant with heavenly glory had met them and led them to a desert Elder. "We have lived here six years already," said the youths. "Our Elder dwelt here one year and then he died. Now we live here alone, we eat the fruit of the trees, and we have water from a spring." The youths gave him their names, they were Saints John, Andrew, Heraclemon and Theophilus (Dec. 2).
The youths struggled separately the whole week long, but on Saturday and Sunday they gathered at the oasis and offered up common prayer. On these days an angel would appear and commune them with the Holy Mysteries. This time however, for Abba Paphnutius' sake, they did not go off into the desert, but spent the whole week together at prayer. On the following Saturday and Sunday Saint Paphnutius together with the youths was granted to receive the Holy Mysteries from the hands of the angel and to hear these words, "Receive the Imperishable Food, unending bliss and life eternal, the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, our God."
Saint Paphnutius made bold to ask the angel for permission to remain in the desert to the end of his days. The angel replied that God had decreed another path for him. He was to return to Egypt and tell the Christians of the life of the desert-dwellers.
Having bid farewell to the youths, Saint Paphnutius reached the edge of the wilderness after a three day journey. Here he found a small skete, and the brethren received him with love. Abba Paphnutius related everything that he had learned about the holy Fathers whom he had encountered in the desert. The brethren wrote a detailed account of what Saint Paphnutius said, and deposited it in the church, where all who wished to do so could read it. Saint Paphnutius gave thanks to God, Who had granted him to learn about the exalted lives of the hermits of the Thebaid, and he returned to his own monastery.
Saints John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus are also commemorated on June 12 with Saint Onuphrius.


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Front Porch Punditry » Political News and Views » General Political News and Opinion » How Republicans Won Phase One Of Impeachment
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#1 | How Republicans Won Phase One Of Impeachment Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:06 pm
'Coup' Concerns Suddenly Don't Seem So Far-Fetched [Hanson] » « Rep Turner Gets Witness To Admit Bombshell, Debunking CNN Headline There was more real evidence at the Salem witch trials.


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WOOD STAIRS 4U is a full-service design and build stair contractor with a wide range of experience with interior staircases and railings. We can help you with all phases of replacing and installing interior staircases and staircase railings, whether you're planning to remodel and update your current stairs or build a completely new staircase.
WOOD STAIRS 4U is a fully licensed and insured business, serving most all of New Jersey. For more information about our services or to request a free estimate, contact us today. Be sure to visit our gallery to see examples of our work. We look forward to speaking with you!
Satisfaction that you can depend on and superior attention to detail are our highest priorities!
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The Augusta Chronicle
"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."
– John F. Kennedy
Your world changed. Overnight.
There can be little doubt that America will be a different country in the years ahead than it has been historically. New rails have been laid on the collectivist track we've been put on, and the engineer has been told to go full speed ahead.
[Full Story »]


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Behind the Scenes at Elysian's New Brewery in Seattle, WA
As demand for craft beer continues to grow, Seattle's Elysian Brewing has expanded by opening a 35,000 square foot production facility in south Seattle. I had the opportunity to stop by the new space, located in Georgetown, on the day they were brewing their first batch.
It's a 60-barrel, 4-vessel system that will fill quadruple-sized 240-barrel fermenters. Currently there are 10 of those fermenters with room to add 8 to 10 more. In addition to the massive fermentation tanks that fill the space, what really stands out is the elevated brewdeck. With it, the brewers have easy access to the mash tun, wort kettle, and the whirpool tank; plus plenty of space for storing hops. But the real reason for the oversized brewdeck is not just for hops—it's to fit pallets of pumpkins for Elysian's pumpkin-inspired beers.
The inaugural beer in the shiny new tanks is their winter seasonal, BiFrost. Along with BiFrost and other seasonal beers, the Elysian production brewery will concentrate on their core line-up of beers which includes The Immortal IPA, Dragonstooth Stout, The Wise ESB, and Avatar Jasmine IPA. Brewing these beers in the new facility means they can meet growing demand—and the other brewpubs can be freed up for experimenting and specialty beer production.
While they've started brewing beer, there is still a lot of construction taking place at the production house. For example, a custom-made conveyor system is being built in the bottling and packaging room, allowing Elysian to offer their beer in six-packs for the first time.
Check out the new space in the slideshow »
This new operation is for production only; there is no tasting room to visit in this space. To drink from the source, you'll need to visit one of Elysian Brewing's other three locations—the original brewpub in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Greenlake brewpub in Tangletown, and Elysian Fields near Seattle's two stadiums.
Elysian Brewing Company
5510 Airport Way S., Seattle, WA 98108 (map) 206-860-3977; elysianbrewing.com
About the Author: Paul Gibson originally hails from Carlsbad, New Mexico, so it's no wonder he prefers the Northwest's cooler temperatures and its vast selection of hoppy delicious beers. As a kid, he first started taking photos with an Instamatic of his friends on their BMX bikes. Now he takes photos of beer, breweries and on occasion street photography, events and concerts--minus the Instamatic. You can see more of his photos on Flickr.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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7 Ways Buyers Sabotage Their Offers
Chances are when you decide to make an offer on a house you love, you want it accepted, or at least to reach agreement with the seller after some negotiations.
It can be challenging enough when it's just you and the seller, but when there are multiple offers, the odds are not in your favor to begin with.
You want to put your best foot forward, of course. But there are some key ways that buyers can, and do, sabotage offers. The good news is these are all avoidable.
This will ruin your chances of getting your offer accepted pretty fast, and be an immediate turnoff. Most buyers need to use a mortgage to buy a house so you MUST get pre-approved, and not just pre-qualified, by a reputable lender who does a thorough job of checking your credit, assets, income and debts.
If you and your lender cannot document you are financially qualified to buy the property, and close, why would any seller accept your offer?
Not including a letter will send a pretty strong message to a seller that you are not financially qualified, you are not taking the process seriously, or both. And be sure the letter is current. Pre-approvals need to be updated after a period of time – check with your lender on expiration – and an outdated letter will wave a red flag.
Submitting a low ball offer is a quick way to sabotage what you are submitting, especially in a market where there are multiple offers and many homes are selling at or above asking price.
In certain price points lower offers may be less of an issue, typically at the high end, but this is something to discuss with your agent.
The risk with a low offer is that you will not only sabotage your chances of negotiating with the seller but your offer might simply be rejected out-right, without a counter, or even ignored. And while sellers may be counseled by their agents to not take low offers personally, the reality is many will be insulted and that harms your chances of further discussion, or eliminates them entirely.
Offers are NOT just about price. A whole host of issues with terms and conditions, other than price, can prevent negotiations or at least make them more challenging. The more demanding you are in your offer, the greater the likelihood the seller will say no, especially when there are cleaner offers to consider. Some of this depends, of course, on what is important to the seller. For example, if they really want or need 30 days and you demand 60 or more, or vice versa, that's a problem.
If your offer is a low one plus you are making requests the seller deems unrealistic, your offer is at even greater risk of rejection.
Asking for the seller to pay your closing costs will likely be an issue, at least in a seller's market. You might demand all the appliances, as well as request the seller leave other items, but if the seller already stated certain appliances aren't staying, and you are asking for personal items, that will also make your offer a no go. Put yourself in the seller's shoes…are you being unrealistic about your terms and conditions?! And adding insult to injury by including a low price?
What is typical for a deposit (EMD) will vary by the market, but a low deposit is certainly not going to demonstrate to the seller you are a serious buyer. This is even more critical when there are multiple offers and others are submitting substantial deposits. If your deposit is lower that what is typical for the marketplace, or not competitive with others, you can be sure the seller will not be impressed, and the listing agent will be advising them on this as well. Don't be cheap and sabotage your offer!
This may not be totally in your control since you are working with a buyer agent (you are, aren't you?) but any offer submitted should be complete, without errors, contain all the appropriate signatures, and include all the necessary paperwork (that will vary from state to state, and even by market).
Before you sign you should review the offer in its entirety, whether you do this in person with your agent or online, and make sure it represents your wishes correctly.
Sloppy paperwork and errors are a big red flag and will sabotage your offer, even a good one. You want to start off on the right foot, don't you? A sloppy offer could suggest you and your agent are going to be sloppy about other things as well during the transaction…this will not pave a smooth path to closing.
They say "when you snooze you lose" and that's certainly a strong possibility in a busy seller's market. Waiting to make an offer because you need to think about your decision will certainly sabotage your offer pretty quickly in many cases.
This is not to say you should decide hastily…that can be a huge mistake, too. But being prepared to move forward, by being pre-approved, understanding the local market conditions, and creating a strong offer and clean terms and conditions, will maximize your chances and avoid sabotaging all the efforts made in creating an offer in the first place.
This is key, and it covers a lot of issues. The local market conditions – such as buyer demand and available inventory – play a big role in pricing, whether there are multiple offers, the types of terms and conditions included in offers, how quickly you need to move, and more.
Your agent will presumably explain these conditions to you and help you understand what they mean for your offer strategy. If your aget doesn't you have a more serious problem!!.
Not knowing the local market conditions, or worse ignoring them and just going down your own path, despite the best advice, will surely sabotage your offer. Yes, you have the right to make decisions when offering on a property, but ignoring good advice will have consequences.
It's your choice!
If you want the house, listen up and put your best foot forward!


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Emilio Tenuta is Vice President of Corporate Sustainability for Ecolab. He is responsible for linking Ecolab's market strategy with the company's sustainable solutions delivered through partnerships with more than 1.3 million customers in more than 170 countries.
Emilio Tenuta's 30-year tenure at Ecolab, includes 25 years of technical and marketing management experience in various industries including Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Lodging, Healthcare, Primary Metals and Automotive. In the past five years Tenuta has led Ecolab's strategic sustainability journey focused on corporate responsibility, internal environmental stewardship and helping customers operate more sustainably. He is actively involved in advancing global sustainability practices, with a significant focus on water stewardship. In partnership with Trucost – and a multi-stakeholder advisory group – Tenuta led development of the Water Risk Monetizer, industry's first financial modeling tool to assess water-related risks.
Tenuta is actively involved in advancing sustainability practices. He sits on the National Restaurant Association CONSERVE sustainability advisory council. He is also an active member of several industry organizations, including Practice Greenhealth, Net Impact and the sustainability work group for the World Travel and Tourism Council. Over the past four years, Tenuta has forged strong partnerships with a number of NGO's to support management of water and energy risks in the industrial sector, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), UN CEO Water Mandate, The Nature Conservancy and World Economic Forum (WEF).
Tenuta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master's Degree in Business from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.


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A memo to Justin Bieber: think before you speak. Or write.
Where Bieber goes, controversy seems to follow these days, and a recent visit the teen made to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam was no exception. Upon leaving, Bieber left an entry in the site's guest book that, while seemingly well-intentioned, makes the singer seem, well, tone-deaf.
Justin Bieber and other child stars gone bad
"Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber," Bieber wrote, according to the Anne Frank House's Facebook page — using the term applied to his hordes of (mostly teenage and female) fans. Really, Justin?!
According to the Anne Frank House, Bieber visited the house with friends and his security team Friday night, before performing a concert in Arnhem on Saturday. He spent more than an hour in the museum.
TV Scorecard: What's renewed? What's canceled?
Frank, of course, died in a concentration camp in 1945 at age 15 after she and her family were captured by Nazis in Amsterdam.
Do you find Bieber's entry offensive?


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Access control - Badge management
Program and issue new badges easily
All your badge creation steps can be largely automated, including creation of card layout, programming and printing, thus minimising the effort required. The required data can be easily taken from the access control database without having to re-enter the information. The production of these access cards can be executed central or remote.
Manage lost, replaced, and misplaced passes with a single click
With Kaba exos, you can program temporary and replacement badges for as long as necessary with a single click, minimising the risk of breaches due to misplaced or forgotten badges.
Kaba exos also helps you track the history of replacement badges along their entire life cycle. This provides you with a continuous history of the users' security clearance, current status, movements and access.İndir


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Filters: Author is Beckley, B. [Clear All Filters]
Towards development of a consistent orbit series for TOPEX, Jason-1, and Jason-2." Advances in Space Research 46 (2010): 1513-1540. Abstract"
Towards a Seamless Transition from TOPEX/Poseidon to Jason-1." Marine Geodesy 27, no. 3 (2004): 373. Abstract"
Terrestrial waters and sea level variations on interannual time scale." Global and Planetary Change 75, no. 1-2 (2011): 76-82. Abstract"
A reassessment of global and regional mean sea level trends from TOPEX and Jason-1 altimetry based on revised reference frame and orbits." Geophysical Research Letters 34 (2007): 14608. Abstract"
A preliminary evaluation of ocean topography from the TOPEX/POSEIDON mission." Journal of Geophysical Research 99 (1994): 24565-24583. Abstract"
A Preliminary Estimate of Geoid-Induced Variations in Repeat Orbit Satellite Altimeter Observations." Journal of Geophysical Research 95, no. C3 (1990): 3033-3040. Abstract"
New models for satellite altimeter sea state bias correction developed using global wave model data." Journal of Geophysical Research 111, no. C9 (2006). Abstract"
Comparison of Global Mean Sea Level Time Series from TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, and Jason-2." Marine Geodesy (2012): 120830133821002. Abstract"
Characterization of Global Mean Sea Level Variations Observed by TOPEX/POSEIDON Using Empirical Orthogonal Functions." Surveys in Geophysics 18 (1997): 293-302. Abstract"
Assessment of the Jason-2 Extension to the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 Sea-Surface Height Time Series for Global Mean Sea Level Monitoring." Marine Geodesy 33, no. 1 supp 1 (2010): 447-471. Abstract"


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Currently 3.57/512345 Rating: 3.6/5 (Total votes: 7)
Rating: 3.6/5 (Total votes: 7)
What's New in This Release:
· Input url prompt
· UI prettify
Bug fixes:
· Crash when playing multimedia files and dialing phone number and viewing pictures.
· Crash when URL including illegal characters.
· Crash when changing background pictures.
What's New in 0.8.0:
· Night Mode
· User guide just in time
What's New in 0.7.0:
· Swipe down across the screen with two fingers to create new window, otherwise to close the current window
· Lock or unlock screen rotation
· Check for update feature added in setting interface
· Remove the splash screen
· Reduce footprint of installation package nearly 1MB
What's New in 0.6.1:
· Personalized website navigation, easy to customize your favourite bookmarks;
· Full-Screen Mode
What's New in 0.5.6:
· Try entering a search word, than click the icon
· Add save traffic mode
What's New in 0.5.3:
· A substantial increase in speed to solve lag problems
· Support for custom background image of bookmark management screen
· Setting interface optimized, the use of more simple, convenient
· Elimination of dozens of bugs, the program runs more stable
· Bookmark database upgraded
» show more


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So I'm writing a game (or toy, rather), which involves manipulating a 3d object with the mouse. I'm trying to get the most intuitive control that I can.
I've implemented the "Arc Ball" mouse control. I'm happy with how it "feels", except for when I drag the mouse outside the range of the virtual ball.
Currently when the ray from camera to mouse-pointer in world-space does not intersect the virtual sphere, I simply find the closest point to it.
This results in something that acts like this example (not my code, just an example I found with the same implementation as me).
Notice the behaviour change when you click and drag away from the cube.
I'm not sure if it makes sense, but I am hoping for some way of allowing the cube to continue to rotate no matter how far away the mouse pointer gets, while still maintaining the useful property of standard Arc Ball that returning the pointer to the starting point will undo all rotation.
Any suggestions?


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Uncle Sam offers two different tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements.
One expired at the end of 2011, but the fiscal-cliff legislation resurrected it for 2012 and 2013. The other credit covers expensive stuff and can be a big tax-saver. Here's what you need to know to cash in at tax return time.
$500 credit for garden variety energy-saving improvements
The first credit is 10% for certain qualified home-improvement expenditures and 100% for certain other qualified expenditures, subject to an overall $500 credit cap. You must reduce the cap by credits claimed in earlier years. While the $500 cap is modest, the credit covers a broad range of energy-saving expenditures for your principal U.S. residence (vacation homes and foreign residences are off limits), and there are no income limits (even billionaires are eligible).
The 2010 version of this credit was much more helpful. It equaled 30% of qualified expenditures with a $1,500 cap. The current stingier version will expire at year's end unless Congress extends the deal again. So you might need to take action this year to benefit — if you haven't already reached the $500 cap.
Credit for improvements
For the following home improvements, the maximum credit equals 10% of qualified expenditures (excluding costs for site preparation, assembly, and installation).
- Exterior windows including skylights and storm windows, subject to a $200 credit cap.
- Exterior doors including storm doors.
- Insulation.
- Metal and asphalt roofs with heat-reduction components.
Credit for equipment
For the following equipment, the maximum credit equals 100% of qualified expenditures (including costs for site preparation, assembly, and installation), subject to the applicable cap.
* High-efficiency central air conditioners; electric heat pumps and electric heat pump water heaters; water heaters that run on natural gas, propane, or oil; and biomass fuel stoves used for heating or hot water. The cap for all this stuff is $300.
* Furnaces and hot water boilers that run on natural gas, propane, or oil — subject to a cap of $150.
* Advanced air circulating fans used in natural gas, propane, and oil furnaces — subject to a cap of $50.
Make sure to buy certified stuff
You must obtain a manufacturer's certification that the product in question qualifies for the credit. The certification may be on the product packaging, or you may be able to print it out from the manufacturer's website. In any case, keep the certification with your tax records. You won't need to attach the certification to your Form 1040, but you will need to include Form 5695 (Residential Energy Credits) with your return.
Generous credit for more-exotic (and expensive) energy-saving improvements
There's another completely separate credit for 30% of expenditures to buy and install more exotic, and expensive, energy-saving equipment for your home. Big expenditures can generate big credits. There are no income limits, and this credit will be available through 2016, so there is no big hurry to cash in on this one. If your 2012 credit is so large that you cannot use it all up on last year's return, you can carry the excess credit forward to 2013 and beyond.
Qualified expenditures
The credit equals 30% of qualified expenditures (including costs for site preparation, assembly, installation, piping, and wiring) for the following gear.
- Solar water heating equipment for your U.S. residence (including a vacation home).
- Solar electricity generating equipment for your U.S. residence (including a vacation home).
- Wind energy equipment for your U.S. residence (including a vacation home).
- Geothermal heat pump equipment for your U.S. residence (including a vacation home).
- Fuel cell electricity generating equipment for your U.S. principal residence. Vacation homes don't count here. The maximum annual credit is limited to $1,000 for each kilowatt hour of fuel cell capacity.
Unfortunately, you can't claim the credit for equipment used to heat a swimming pool or hot tub (that would be too good to be true). Special rules apply to expenditures for residential co-ops and condominium buildings.
Make sure to buy certified gear
Once again, you must obtain a manufacturer's certification that equipment qualifies for this credit, too. The certification may be on the packaging, or you may be able to print it out from the manufacturer's website, or the contractor that installs the equipment may give you a certification from the manufacturer. Keep the certification with your tax records (but don't attach it to your return). Also be sure to keep proof of how much you spend, including any extra amounts for site preparation, assembly, and installation. To claim the credit, file Form 5695 with your Form 1040.
Additional breaks may be available
You might also be eligible for state and local tax benefits, subsidized state and local financing deals, and utility company rebates. Hopefully the energy savings, together with the tax breaks and any other available incentives, will justify the cost.


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The Aluminium Framed Noticeboard with Fire Retardant Cloth are for use in non-sensitive areas. These boards can be mounted portrait or landscape, and mounts through concealed corner fixings. These aluminium framed noticeboards use the same attractive display stitchbond fabric as our Resist-a-Flame® range but with a standard fibreboard core. The fabric is individually tested to BS5867 Part 2 2008; Type B curtains, drapes and blinds.
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Replacement Sheet Metal and Body Parts
Replacement Sheet Metal
When doing old car restorations sometimes its simpler to replace an entire panel, instead of trying to straighten it, or repair rust spots. Whether you're working on a classic American car from 1957 or a truck made as recently as 2007, Eastwood has sheet metal to help you fix it. Fenders, door skins, floor pans, quarter panels, rocker panels and more for Chevy, Dodge, Plymouth and other popular cars and trucks. So why waste your time trying make do when you can replace it with OEM quality sheet metal parts.
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Find Your Nearest Changing Station
New dad or old hand, one thing never changes. Diapers get dirty, and it can be hard for a daddy to find a place to change one.
Insert your address/zipcode to find your nearest dad-friendly changing station. Click on the Map Markers for additional information.


text:
Interesting things in your Genome
From Epigenome.net
A human genome is a structured machinery of storing and controlling genetic information.
A genome contains symmetry, fractality, layers, repeats, and structures.
Understanding a genome is like understanding an information universe.
What you can get from genome sequencing and genometyping.
Disease association with genes
Personal ancestry through SNPs
Physical attributes through SNP variation


text:
Tired of vampires thrusting their hips into human ladies all over your television screen? Too bad! NBC is now getting into the "vampire hump show" business with its own 10-episode supernatural period piece, called Dracula. Starring world-class humper Jonathan Rhys Meyers (you will remember his frequently unclothed body from The Tudors and Match Point) this series has been marketed as "Dangerous Liasions meets The Tudors," and you know what that means: humping. And lots of it.
According to Deadline: "Dracula (Meyers) arrives in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. In reality, he hopes to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier but falls hopelessly in love with a woman who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife." So yeah, basically a version of Dracula.
Now if they could only find a way to make vampires actually sexy on broadcast TV.
[via Collider]


text:
Back to school guide: mobile phones
Grab a back to school bargain as we roundup the best phones for students
The latest Internet-capable smartphones are a great study tool if used wisely.
These days a smartphone is a must-have for many students, whether they go high school, college, TAFE or university. We've rounded up some of the best phones for students, from basic budget offerings like the Android-powered Huawei IDEOS U8150 to the waterproof Motorola Defy, and the ever-popular Apple iPhone 4.
1 / 16
The HTC Desire HD builds on the original Desire by adding a larger screen and updated software (from both Google and HTC). Aside from its questionable battery life, most of the Desire HD's flaws are minor. Put simply, the HTC Desire HD is a multimedia and Web powerhouse; it is one of the best smartphones on the market.
- Review Date:
- Reviewer:
- Manufacturer:
- 3rd Nov., 2010
- Ross Catanzariti
- Rating:
- Price:
- $ 999.00
- Pros:
- Massive 4.3in screen
- Excellent performance
- Great Web browser
- Cons:
- Poor battery life
- Removable plastic compartments are awkward
- Poor volume buttons


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With vast swathes of golden sand hugging a ragged sea cliff, and the smooth waves of the Mediterranean lapping beneath a looming fortress, it's easy to explain ALANYA's booming popularity among tourists. The beachside sprawl of uninspiring yet all-encompassing restaurants, shops and nightclubs serves merely as a colourful fringe to the charismatic old city; peel yourself away from the watersports and overpriced cocktails and you'll find a city heaving with historical gems, atmospheric places to eat, and hiking possibilities.
Brief history
Little is known about Alanya's early history, but it's thought to have been founded by Greek colonists who named it Kalonoros, or "beautiful mountain". Things were pretty quiet until the second century BC, when Cilician pirates began using the town, known by now as Coracesium, as a base to terrorize the Pamphylian coast. Eventually, the Romans decided to put a stop to things and sent in Pompey, who destroyed the pirate fleet in a sea battle off Alanya in 67 BC. In 44 BC, Mark Antony gave the city to Cleopatra as a gift. Romantic as this might sound, there was a practical reason for his choice: this area was an important timber-producing centre, and Cleopatra needed its resources to build up her navy. In 1221, the Byzantine city fell to the Selçuk sultan Alâeddin Keykubad, who gave it its present name and made it his summer residence. Most buildings of historical importance date from that era.
Find out more
Antalya to Alanya
Book through Rough Guides' trusted travel partners
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The latest articles, galleries, quizzes and videos.


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freenode/#clasp - IRC ChatlogSearch
15:00:36 Bike with-debug-info-generator expands into code that copies the body like... six times... wtf
15:05:18 Bike with-rtv needs to be bound around hoist-ast. which is kind of unfortunate, i think it does llvm stuff
15:56:20 Bike seems to die after module-before-optimize teh same way
15:56:26 Bike so maybe it's still an arrangement problem
16:08:41 drmeister Are you building on your mac for the next hour?
16:08:58 drmeister How about if I limit myself to 16 procs?
16:09:47 Bike nah, go crazy
16:10:19 drmeister Ok
16:14:19 drmeister So - what example crashes cst right now?
16:14:54 Bike (lambda () (block nil ((lambda () (return)))))
16:15:20 drmeister (funcall (clasp-cleavir:cleavir-compile nil '(lambda () (block nil ((lambda () (return))))))) ?
16:16:04 Bike you don't need the funcall, it dies during compile.
16:16:15 drmeister Uh huh - ok
16:34:23 Bike note to self, multiple-vvvalue-bind fix is still not incorporated b/c of having to update sicl
16:34:49 DVSSA Hi everyone.
16:35:11 Bike hello
17:04:51 DVSSA drmeister: I've read through those papers you've sent me. When would you like to discuss them?
17:38:17 drmeister Shinmera: what is your documentation system called?
17:39:07 drmeister Hi DVSSA
17:40:39 drmeister Maybe Friday?
17:41:14 drmeister I have to read them and get the rest of the students to read them.
17:41:43 drmeister At least one has
17:41:55 drmeister I read them last six years ago
17:42:10 drmeister I may be repeating myself
18:23:53 DVSSA drmeister: Friday after 3pm works. What exactly are our goals for the discussion exactly?
18:24:02 DVSSA So i can better prep
19:45:50 Bike foundation.cc has a bunch of string functions in it for some reason
19:46:01 Bike like not even lisp ones, just random things that could be in the STL
20:00:16 drmeister Those string functions are intrinsic to clasp lispification of C++ strings.
20:00:58 drmeister We could move them - but we can't delete them unless their calls are replaced wherever they are made.
20:01:11 drmeister Any progress on cst?
20:02:47 Bike i deleted a few of them no problem
20:02:52 Bike some of them are used in cando, though
20:02:57 Bike they don't seem to be used in clasp
20:03:14 Bike that is,none of them seem to be used in clasp
20:03:26 drmeister Which ones are used in cando but not clasp?
20:03:46 drmeister And yay on deleting them if they weren't used.
20:03:57 Bike stripCharacters and trimWhiteSpace
20:04:37 Bike there's also a couple #defines in core.h that should probably be moved to cando, or deleted if cando has moved on
20:04:42 Bike and no, not sure what's going on with cst
20:04:54 Bike gotta... stare hard at the ll i guess
20:05:21 Bike i thought maybe i'd shared a variable between basic blocks, but the obvious case of that doesn't seem to be it
20:05:35 Bike i don't suppose the validator could tell me the problem?
20:05:54 drmeister You have the llvm-ir in a .ll file?
20:09:25 Bike that's what the 'Human readable bitcode' switch does, right?
20:09:32 drmeister Yes
20:09:45 drmeister It should generate .ll files rather than .bc files.
20:10:29 Bike i will in a second, then
20:12:34 Bike but i am curious about the validator
20:12:56 drmeister The validator is supposed to catch all problems - but my experience is that it doesn't.
20:15:39 Bike in this case it did though, right? that invalid record error.
20:15:46 RickyRat ** NICK Nazrin
20:16:31 Nazrin ** NICK RickyRat
20:16:37 kpoeck (unintern t) seems to be one of the fastest way to get a segmentation fault: 11
20:16:41 drmeister I thought that message was from trying to load it into the linker
20:17:17 drmeister kpoeck: Can you give me an example that will segfault?
20:18:21 kpoeck (unintern t) segfaults
20:18:44 Bike how does the linker know it's invalid?
20:18:47 kpoeck trying a getReadOnly() in ool Package_O::unintern_no_lock
20:18:57 Bike i don't think we have any kind of package locks to prevent uninterning
20:19:06 Bike it's fine to unintern a constant
20:19:13 Bike just not a standard one
20:19:28 kpoeck perhaps the same trick you did for makunbound works
20:20:23 kpoeck so getreadonly() is the wrong test?
20:20:36 Bike yes.
20:20:49 Bike unintern is about symbols, anyway, not their bindings. it doesn't care if there's a constant binding or whatever
20:20:52 kpoeck perhaps just not unintern something from common-lisp
20:21:00 Bike it's just that, specifically, symbols in the CL package can't be uninterned, yes
20:21:03 Bike probably also core: and stuff
20:21:25 kpoeck than let we try to protect the internal packages
20:21:35 kpoeck let me ...
20:22:54 Bike it's probably going to be more involved
20:23:02 kpoeck at the end of the ansi-tests t prints as #:t, weird
20:23:35 kpoeck I thought i is by a direct unintern, but no, must be something more complex
20:25:22 Bike sbcl has a whole manual chapter http://sbcl.org/manual/index.html#Package-Locks
20:26:09 drmeister kpoeck: Oh - sorry (unintern t) - got it.
20:26:49 drmeister Bike: It doesn't know it is invalid - I think it fails while loading the bitcode. I've never been able to do anything with a bitcode file that includes bad bitcode.
20:27:12 Bike but it doesn't crash or anything
20:28:42 drmeister I don't know if it's the validator or the linker that is having a problem and if it's the linker I don't know if the linker is crashing. All I know is that I see that error message when I try to load bitcode files that have bad llvm-ir into any tool.
20:35:10 Shinmera Colleen: tell drmeister look up staple
20:35:10 Colleen drmeister: About staple https://shinmera.github.io/staple#about_staple
20:46:51 karlosz should i be defining primops for new ast nodes i introduce? i see that clasp doesn't really do that
20:49:02 Bike well primops are just symbols
20:49:20 Bike "defining" one just means adding a method on convert-cst or whatever
20:49:39 karlosz yeah
20:49:46 Bike which clasp does
20:50:00 karlosz right
20:50:07 karlosz so i was thinking over the approach you suggested yesterday
20:50:23 karlosz which was to return the ast in function=info
20:50:48 karlosz is there a disadvantage to just writing compiler macros instead and returning the right source form instead?
20:51:09 karlosz that way i won't have to make the ast's myself, and i can do the &rest inlining
20:51:22 karlosz are compiler macros guaranteed to expand?
20:51:43 Shinmera compiler macros are prohibited from expanding if the function is declarednotinline
20:53:04 karlosz hm... do you think it would be reasonable to punt to the default, slower bytecode sequence if a user explicitly declares something like print notinline?
20:54:00 karlosz im not quite sure when someone would explicitly declare a standard CL function notinline
20:54:14 karlosz or what an implementation is expected to do with it generally
20:54:18 karlosz what does clasp do?
22:25:42 Bicyclidine karlosz: declaring a standard function notinline is prohibited, i think
22:25:58 Bicyclidine ** NICK Bike
22:26:16 Bike but you must have an actual function somewhere, so just generate a call to that
22:27:27 drmeister Bike: It got to the last file and I had to run to catch the train.
22:27:37 Bike the suspense...!
22:27:47 drmeister Yeah - right?
22:28:03 drmeister Someone is going to have to rock me to sleep tonight.
22:29:05 drmeister Did you push the latest changes to cst-catch?
22:29:30 Bike I don't think so
22:33:05 drmeister Bike: Yeah - cando used operator< and operator<=
22:33:10 drmeister where did you delete them from?
22:33:14 Bike General_O
22:33:32 Bike what on earth does cando do with them
22:34:09 Bike or do you just mean on numbers
22:34:17 Bike https://github.com/clasp-developers/clasp/commit/6cd1e493760edd13d6c606e2ec84f0f3936d5bbe this is the commit
22:34:23 drmeister It has a units package - remember when the Mars Orbiter skipped off the Martian atmosphere and was lost in space?
22:34:29 drmeister This is to prevent that.
22:34:42 Bike can the operators just be defined in the particular class?
22:35:40 Bike comparison between generals seems like a bad idea
22:35:59 Bike like, you don't want to allow comparing a dimensionless number with a unit-ed thing
22:38:08 drmeister It makes sure that you are comparing quantities to quantities.
22:38:22 Bike but then it can just be defined for the unit-ed class, right?
22:40:39 drmeister Well, I've got clasp_number_compare(x,y)
22:40:43 drmeister I could use that.
22:41:35 Bike so it can't just be defined for the class?
0:42:20 RickyRat ** NICK Nephromancer
2:14:21 DVSSA drmeister: Should we set a time for that skype?


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I am honored by his words and delighted he found value in the hundreds of power kicks I recorded so far.
Here are his words:
"In need of some motivation lately I found www.vitalcoaching.com together with its podcasts and plethora of downloadable MP3s.
Presented by Francisco Bujan the founder and director of Vital Coaching, these podcasts bring a refreshing air of encouragement and motivation to anyone in need of an emotional boost.
Francisco's bright and bouncy presentation gives these podcasts a nice welcome edge and you can't help feel inspired and motivated by what he says.
Check out Vital Coaching at www.vitalcoaching.com with its numerous MP3 files or simply subscribe to Vital Coaching's podcasts via iTunes here."
Thanks again Alex!
I appreciate your words and feed back!


text:
Mediation provides couples a safe environment to have a positive discussion around child and money issues. Mediators are objective and help you both discover the right way forward. Call us today to find out more
How Mediation Works Slough
Family mediation Slough is a completely voluntary process. Though all divorcing or separating couples have to undertake at least one mediation session, called a MIAM or Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting Slough, there is no obligation to continue further.
Mediation Slough is one of the best ways to help a conflicted family reach a consensus about various legal issues like alimony, child support, asset distribution, finance management and child custody. A court case should be the last resort as mediation is much easier, faster and less traumatic (especially if there are minors involved) than a lengthy court case.
We at Country Wide Mediation Slough offer highly professional mediation services for families undergoing a divorce or separation. The process starts with a first assessment session, where the mediator is assigned to the family. The mediator discusses the broad issues in the first meeting.
This is a chance for the mediator to judge how much mediation can help the family and what type of sessions would best suit them. It is also presents the family with the opportunity to figure out how, when and where they would like the meetings to happen.
If they feel uncomfortable with the assigned mediator they can ask for the help of another mediator.
Mediators often host separate sessions to accommodate families who have moved away as well as ex-partners who do not wish to have joint sessions for a variety of reasons.
Over 3 or more sessions, the mediator will take on the role of a neutral, third party observer and help the parties discuss their issues and come to an agreement about various pertinent matters.
Family mediation Slough happens in a completely impartial, open environment. The mediator aims at creating an atmosphere of open and calm discussion.
This makes it very easy for conflicting parties to open up about their expectations and try to come to a compromise. A court environment is very rigid and formal, and leaves little room for negotiation or reconciliation.
Mediation is a much gentler process and can sometimes even result in a settlement which preserves family relationships and heals them in the long term.
Mediation is all about making the process of negotiating a new family situation easier. It is particularly beneficial for the minors involved, who are often deeply impacted by the psychological toll a lengthy court case takes on their mind. Mediation is a very positive way of settling differences.
Mediation Slough is not a legal service, nor is it a great replacement for therapy. It is much wider than that, offering the celebrations a chance to discover common ground outside of the court. Since the decision is shared, it is a lot easier to adhere to it rather than an externally enforced order from the court.


text:
Photo from Magatha Trysty's Facebook page.
Magatha Trysty's new CD single "Brighter" is a catchy mid-tempo song about a guy trying to prevent anyone from finding out his girlfriend has split, while lying to himself about being better off without her. Singer-guitarist Chris Bevard adroitly handles the ironic lyrics, and harmonizes with singer-piano player Catherine Louise. The cohesive blend of garage rock and power pop, along with the coed dynamic, is similar to the approach the Chicago-based quartet used on its previous three-song, self-titled EP. (See my review in Archives, under May 19th, 2010.)
Magatha Trysty has been distributing free copies of "Brighter" in record stores to promote upcoming gigs, like the one tomorrow night at The Abbey Pub . That's where they first came to my attention, performing as part of the 2010 International Pop Overthrow. They'll be opening for Em & Them and Bear Lake, and also have a show coming up at The Elbo Room on July 27th.


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The Almero is another of our large windmills.
This high quality windmill is made of pine which is coated with four coats of Sadolin™. Each windmill is hand made in our craft work shop in Suffolk (England).
We use stainless steel ball bearings to allow easy movement of the sails, even in the gentlest breeze. As with all our windmills the top swivels on a stainless steel pin, which locates into a steel housing.
Dimensions: Height 165cm (5' 5") To top of sails.
Delivery Cost: £78.00*
* - UK Mainland Only


text:
Credibility. Affordable Quality. Convenience. These set our graduate programs apart.
Sure, you can Go West from home (online), near your work (some education and nursing programs), or by attending our main Carrollton campus or satellite Newnan and Douglas sites. Flexible delivery options make it convenient for you, the adult learner. But you can also be confident that you're earning a valuable degree or certificate from a respected university. UWG is a public, SACS accredited, brick and mortar institution with a history of academic excellence. In fact, we've been educating students since 1906. Our diverse student population is spread across the country and internationally.
Depending on the program, you can earn your degree online, face-to-face, or in a hybrid setting. You'll be taught by experienced, well-credentialed experts and you can expect low student-teacher ratios.
Come find out why Princeton Review calls UWG a Best Southeastern College and "one of the best overall bargains – based on cost and financial aid – among the most academically outstanding colleges in the nation."
Areas of interest include:
- Education
- Master's, Specialist, Doctoral, Non-degree educator certification, Endorsements
- Nursing
- Master's, Doctorate, UWG certificates
- Business
- Master's
- Arts and Humanities
- Master's , Non-degree educator certification, UWG certificates
- Science and Mathematics
- Master's, UWG certificates
- Social Sciences
- Master's, Doctoral, UWG Certificate


text:
Leave it to a gamer to come up with a set of rules to help survive a zombie apocalypse.
Early into zombie comedy Zombieland we learn that Columbus is a Code Red-chugging, World-of-Warcraft playing college student. But what did he do for a living before people went all cannibal on him?
According to this deleted scene, featuring Guitar Hero World Tour, he was a clerk at the local Tech Town. Dig those 80's arcade sounds pumping out of the green screened TVs.


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Sigma DP1s Review
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 2.5Mb.
The Sigma DP1s's image quality is very good, much better than most compact cameras that we've reviewed, and on a par with many entry-level DSLRs and the latest Micro Four Thirds cameras.
The Sigma DP1s handled noise extremely well, with only the fastest JPEG setting of ISO 800 showing some noise, slight loss of detail and colour desaturation. I'm a little puzzled why Sigma chose not to include ISO 1600 and 3200 settings as on the DP2, which on this evidence would have been pretty clean and made the DP1s more versatile.
The Sigma DP1s dealt with chromatic aberrations so well that I struggled to find a single example from our test shots. The images were just a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpening setting, but you can increase the level in-camera, or use Adobe Photoshop later. The night photograph was very good, with the maximum shutter speed of 15 seconds allowing you to capture enough light for the majority of after-dark situations.
The built-in flash worked quite well indoors, with no red-eye, adequate range and fairly good overall exposure. Macro performance was the only fly in the ointment, allowing you to focus as close as 28cms away from the subject, which means that you'll need to buy the DP1s lens hood and then fit a third-party close-up macro filter if you want to get really close to your subject.
There are 5 ISO settings available on the Sigma DP1s. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with JPEG on the left and RAW on the right:
ISO 50 (100% Crop)
ISO 50 (100% Crop)
ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)
Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The images are just a little soft at the default sharpening setting of 0. You can change the in-camera sharpening level to one of the 10 preset preset levels (0.2 increments on a scale of +1 to -1) if you don't like the default look.
Original (100% Crop)
Sharpened (100% Crop)
File Quality
The Sigma DP1s has 3 different JPEG image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option, and there's a RAW mode too. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.
|14M Fine (2.98Mb) (100% Crop)
|14M Normal (1.80Mb) (100% Crop)
|14M Basic (1.23Mb) (100% Crop)
|14M RAW (1.23Mb) (100% Crop)
Chromatic Aberrations
As with the DP1, the Sigma DP1s handled chromatic aberrations so well during the review that I struggled to find a single example to show you. You won't notice any chromatic aberrations in almost all photos from the DP1s.
Example 1 (100% Crop)
The Sigma DP1 doesn't offer a dedicated Macro setting. The closest distance that you can focus on a subject is 30cms away from the camera when it's set to Full Focus mode. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.
Macro Shot
100% Crop
The flash settings on the Sigma DP1 are On, Slow Synchro, Red-eye Reduction, Slow Synchro + Red-eye Reduction and Flash Compensation. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
Flash Off - Wide Angle (28mm)
Flash On - Wide Angle (28mm)
And here are a couple of portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On or the Red-Eye Reduction options caused any red-eye.
|On (100% Crop)
Red-eye Reduction
Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)
The Sigma DP1s's maximum shutter speed is 15 seconds, which is good news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds, aperture of f/8 at ISO 200. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.
Night Shot
Night Shot (100% Crop)


text:
Or browse results titled :
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Ergotby Acid Smoker
Experimental sample based folk. Something you'd expect to hear on Paw Tracks... 2060
Jupiter Sprites EPby Jupiter Sprites
"Washes of dreampop underlie undeniably catchy vocal melodies and rhythmic intrigue." 2060
Interchange EPby Lost Integrity
Downtempo electronic music from Olympia/Astoria/Los Angeles musician. Great for night driving, and getting nostalgic about that one friend who used to make you breakfast. 2060
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featured on Bandcamp Weekly Nov 10, 2015
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text:
Typhoon Slams Into Flood-Ravaged Japan
After historic flooding killed hundreds and a record-breaking heat wave killed scores in Japan this month, the country prepared to weather yet another disaster as Typhoon Jongdari made landfall on the country's main island of Honshu Sunday, BBC News reported.
The typhoon injured 24 as it passed over western Honshu and the southern part of the island of Kyushu Sunday, The Japan Times reported.
The storm left 150,000 without power, according to BBC News.
The typhoon's unusual westward path was expected to take it through the regions most devastated by flooding earlier in the month, which killed 225 people over all, the National Policy Agency told The Japan Times.
However, a decision by authorities to evacuate those regions ahead of the storm paid off, as no injuries or damages were reported in those regions following Sunday's storm.
"I was afraid of getting more torrential rain, but I'm relieved that we did not have any major damage this time," Nobuhiro Kanetomo of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, one of the areas most damaged by the earlier flooding, told The Japan Times.
Perhaps the most dramatic damage caused by Typhoon Jongdari came Saturday evening when waves shattered the windows of a Pacific coast restaurant called Hotel New Akao in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture.
"Waves came for the third or fourth time and at that moment I heard the big sound of windows breaking and saw glasses and water approaching me. They broke in a way that I recall seeing in the movie 'Titanic,'" The Japan Times reported that a man told a Tokyo Broadcasting System reporter.
Four guests and one worker were injured in the incident.
The typhoon also brought sweltering temperatures of nearly 40 degrees Celsius to Hokuriku, The Japan Times reported.
Authorities warned people in affected areas not to let down their guard yet.
"The effects might continue for a while. Please remain vigilant against the risk of rises in river levels and landslides, even after the typhoon has passed," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, according to The Japan Times.
This is the 12th typhoon of the season, and the barrage of disasters is starting to demoralize some people.
"A typhoon on top of the already dreadful situation depressed me. I don't know if I can get over the damage but I'll just keep doing what I can," 70-year-old Toshiaki Nishitani of Saka, Hiroshima Prefecture told The Japan Times.
- Typhoons, Floods, Heat Waves Batter Asia ›
- Severe Floods in Japan Kill at Least 34 People - EcoWatch ›
- Severe Floods in Japan Kill at Least 34 People - EcoWatch ›
By Bill Sullivan
Black licorice may look and taste like an innocent treat, but this candy has a dark side. On Sept. 23, 2020, it was reported that black licorice was the culprit in the death of a 54-year-old man in Massachusetts. How could this be? Overdosing on licorice sounds more like a twisted tale than a plausible fact.
The Root of the Problem
The unfortunate man who recently succumbed to excessive black licorice consumption is not alone. There are a smattering of similar case reports in medical journals, in which patients experience hypertension crisis, muscle breakdown or even death. Adverse reactions are most frequently seen in people over the age of 40 who are eating far more black licorice than the average person. In addition, they are usually consuming the product for prolonged periods of time. In the most recent case, the Massachusetts man had been eating a bag and a half of black licorice every day for three weeks.

Licorice is a flowering plant native to parts of Europe and Asia. Its scientific name, Glycyrrhiza, is derived from the Greek words "glykos" (sweet) and "rhiza" (root). The aromatic and sweet extract from its root has long been used as an herbal remedy for a wide variety of health maladies, from heartburn and stomach issues to sore throats and cough. However, there is insufficient evidence to support that licorice is effective in treating any medical condition.

Glycyrrhizin (also called glycyrrhizic acid) is the chemical in black licorice that gives the candy its signature flavor, but it also leads to its toxic effects.

Glycyrrhizin mimics the hormone aldosterone, which is made by the adrenal glands when the body needs to retain sodium and excrete potassium. Sodium and potassium work together as a kind of cellular battery that drives communication between nerves and the contraction of muscles. Too much glycyrrhizin upsets the balance of these electrolytes, which can raise blood pressure and disturb the heart's rhythm. Other symptoms of excessive licorice intake include swelling, muscle pain, numbness and headache. Examination of the man who died from consuming too much licorice revealed that he had dangerously low levels of potassium, consistent with glycyrrhizin toxicity.

It should be noted that a number of licorice-based foods do not contain real licorice, but use a flavoring substitute called anise oil, which does not pose the dangers discussed here. In addition, despite its name, red licorice rarely contains licorice extract. Instead, red licorice is infused with chemicals that impart its cherry or strawberry flavor.

Products that contain real licorice are usually labeled as such, and list licorice extract or glycyrrhizic acid among the ingredients. Be advised that some products, such as black jelly beans or Good & Plenty, are mixtures of different candies that contain both anise oil and licorice extract.

Hidden Dangers That Increase Risk
Glycyrrhizin has the distinct licorice flavor and is 50 times sweeter than sugar and has been used in other types of candy, soft drinks, tea, Belgian beers, throat lozenges and tobacco. This can make it challenging to keep track of how much glycyrrhizin has been consumed, and a combination of these products could trigger adverse effects.

Some people take dietary or health supplements that already contain licorice, which increases the risk of toxic effects from eating black licorice candy. Certain medications such as hydrochlorothiazide are diuretics that cause increased urination, which can lower potassium levels in the body. Glycyrrhizin also lowers potassium levels, further disrupting the balance of electrolytes, which can produce muscle cramps and irregular heart rhythms.

People with certain preexisting conditions are more susceptible to black licorice overdose.

For example, patients who already have low potassium levels (hypokalemia), high blood pressure or heart arrhythmia are likely to have greater sensitivity to the effects of excessive licorice. Those with liver or kidney deficiencies will also retain glycyrrhizin in their bloodstream for longer times, increasing their risk of experiencing its adverse effects.

What to Do?
If you're a fan of black licorice, there is no need to ban it from your pantry. Eaten in small quantities from time to time, licorice poses no significant threat to otherwise healthy adults and children. But it is advisable to monitor your intake.

With Halloween approaching, be sure to remind your kids that candy is a "sometimes food," especially the black licorice. The FDA has issued warnings about the rare but serious effects of too much black licorice, advising that people avoid eating more than two ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks or longer. The agency states that if you have been eating a lot of black licorice and experience an irregular heart rhythm or muscle weakness, stop eating it immediately and contact your health care provider.

Some scientists have further cautioned against the routine use of licorice in the form of a dietary supplement or tea for its alleged health benefits. A review article from 2012 warned that "the daily consumption of licorice is never justified because its benefits are minor compared to the adverse outcomes of chronic consumption."

- 10 Foods to Avoid if You're on a Low FODMAP Diet - EcoWatch ›
- 12 Powerful Ayurvedic Herbs and Spices with Health Benefits ... ›
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
Material Revolutions: Shirts Made from Shellfish, Biodegradable Rum Bottles and Reusable Fast Food Containers
In the age of consumption, sustainability innovations can help shift cultural habits and protect dwindling natural resources. Improvements in source materials, product durability and end-of-life disposal procedures can create consumer products that are better for the Earth throughout their lifecycles. Three recent advancements hope to make a difference.
1. Allbirds Shirts Made From Shellfish
Sustainable sneaker start-up Allbirds is known for its thoughtfulness for consumers and the environment. The four-year-old shoe company has become hugely popular by creating comfortable shoes made from responsibly sourced materials like tencel and wool, reported Fast Company.

Recently, Allbirds launched its debut apparel line with garments for men and women made with eco-friendly materials that have a low carbon footprint, the report said.

Introduced along with the line is a new t-shirt material called "TrinoXO," which is made from wool and discarded snow crab shells from Canada's seafood industry, reported CNBC and CNN. The shells are the "number two discarded resource on earth," Allbirds claims, reported Men's Health.

"Discarded material is the holy grail when it comes to sustainable fibers," Jad Finck, Allbirds head of innovation and sustainability, told Fast Company. "It's far better for the environment than getting raw materials from scratch."

The shells have antimicrobial properties that keep clothes fresh even after hours of wear, without the need to add "extractive" materials like zinc or silver, Men's Health reported. This allows for longer periods of wear between washes, reducing clothes' environmental footprint.

"We knew we wanted to be a real brand, and had this vision that we'd be an innovation company first, and a product company second," co-founder Joey Zwillinger told Vogue. "And our products would solve problems for people in a natural way, and show the world that you don't have to compromise on the planet for amazing products."

2. Bacardi Biodegradable Rum Bottles
By 2023, Bacardi rum will be sold in 100% biodegradable bottles, Business Wire reported.

The alcohol giant is collaborating with Danimer Scientific, a leading developer of biodegradable products, to create the new bottles using the natural oils of plant seeds such as palm, canola and soy, the report said.

According to Yahoo Finance UK, the new bottle will biodegrade in a wide range of environments, including compost, soil, freshwater and seawater. After 18 months, the bottle will disappear completely without leaving microplastics.

"Nodax PHA is one of the most promising eco-friendly materials in the world today because it delivers the biodegradability that consumers demand without losing the quality feel they receive from traditional plastic," said Danimer Scientific chief marketing & sustainability officer Scott Tuten, reported Thrillist. "The material provides the best of both worlds, and we look forward to working with Bacardí and incorporating PHA into their iconic packaging."

Bacardi is also creating a sustainably sourced paper bottle, Yahoo reported.

The manufacturing of both new bottle types will save energy over petroleum-based plastic ones. Bacardi plans to share the technology with competitors to help in the global fight against plastic pollution, and aims to be 100% plastic-free by 2030, reported Thrillist.

3. Burger King Reusable Fast Food Containers
Fast food giant Burger King plans to launch reusable Whopper boxes and soda cups by next year. Partnering with TerraCycle's zero-waste packaging division Loop, Burger King will nudge customers to return the specialized packaging for hygienic washing and reuse, similar to how milk bottles used to be returned, reported MarketWatch.

"During COVID, we have seen the environmental impact of increased takeaway ordering, which makes this initiative by Burger King all the more important," said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle and Loop CEO, according to MarketWatch.

Customers who don't feel comfortable can opt-out of the service, ABC News reported. Those who are willing to try will be charged a small deposit upon purchase, and when the packaging is returned, they will receive a refund, reported CNN.

Burger King and TerraCycle are aiming for a container that can be used at least 100 times, reported Fast Company.

"The benefit is, you're able to serve your guests without having to create that single-use item in the first place," Matt Banton, global head of innovation and sustainability at Burger King, told Fast Company. "This product is durable enough to go through the system multiple times, so it's ultimately reducing our environmental impact, and minimizing the amount of single-use packaging that we have to produce as well."

Burger King has also committed to sourcing 100% of its customer packaging from renewable, recycled or certified outlets, and recycling all customer packaging at its restaurants in the United States and Canada by 2025, reported CNN.

Strongest CBD Oils to Buy in 2021?
There are many different CBD oil brands in today's market. But, figuring out which brand is the best and which brand has the strongest oil might feel challenging and confusing. Our simple guide to the strongest CBD oils will point you in the right direction.
Just in time for Halloween, scientists at Cornell University have published some frightening research, especially if you're an insect!
The ghoulishly named ogre-faced spider can "hear" with its legs and use that ability to catch insects flying behind it, the study published in Current Biology Thursday concluded.
"Spiders are sensitive to airborne sound," Cornell professor emeritus Dr. Charles Walcott, who was not involved with the study, told the Cornell Chronicle. "That's the big message really."
The net-casting, ogre-faced spider (Deinopis spinosa) has a unique hunting strategy, as study coauthor Cornell University postdoctoral researcher Jay Stafstrom explained in a video.
They hunt only at night using a special kind of web: an A-shaped frame made from non-sticky silk that supports a fuzzy rectangle that they hold with their front forelegs and use to trap prey.
They do this in two ways. In a maneuver called a "forward strike," they pounce down on prey moving beneath them on the ground. This is enabled by their large eyes — the biggest of any spider. These eyes give them 2,000 times the night vision that we have, Science explained.
But the spiders can also perform a move called the "backward strike," Stafstrom explained, in which they reach their legs behind them and catch insects flying through the air.
"So here comes a flying bug and somehow the spider gets information on the sound direction and its distance. The spiders time the 200-millisecond leap if the fly is within its capture zone – much like an over-the-shoulder catch. The spider gets its prey. They're accurate," coauthor Ronald Hoy, the D & D Joslovitz Merksamer Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior in the College of Arts and Sciences, told the Cornell Chronicle.
What the researchers wanted to understand was how the spiders could tell what was moving behind them when they have no ears.
It isn't a question of peripheral vision. In a 2016 study, the same team blindfolded the spiders and sent them out to hunt, Science explained. This prevented the spiders from making their forward strikes, but they were still able to catch prey using the backwards strike. The researchers thought the spiders were "hearing" their prey with the sensors on the tips of their legs. All spiders have these sensors, but scientists had previously thought they were only able to detect vibrations through surfaces, not sounds in the air.
To test how well the ogre-faced spiders could actually hear, the researchers conducted a two-part experiment.
First, they inserted electrodes into removed spider legs and into the brains of intact spiders. They put the spiders and the legs into a vibration-proof booth and played sounds from two meters (approximately 6.5 feet) away. The spiders and the legs responded to sounds from 100 hertz to 10,000 hertz.
Next, they played the five sounds that had triggered the biggest response to 25 spiders in the wild and 51 spiders in the lab. More than half the spiders did the "backward strike" move when they heard sounds that have a lower frequency similar to insect wing beats. When the higher frequency sounds were played, the spiders did not move. This suggests the higher frequencies may mimic the sounds of predators like birds.
University of Cincinnati spider behavioral ecologist George Uetz told Science that the results were a "surprise" that indicated science has much to learn about spiders as a whole. Because all spiders have these receptors on their legs, it is possible that all spiders can hear. This theory was first put forward by Walcott 60 years ago, but was dismissed at the time, according to the Cornell Chronicle. But studies of other spiders have turned up further evidence since. A 2016 study found that a kind of jumping spider can pick up sonic vibrations in the air.
"We don't know diddly about spiders," Uetz told Science. "They are much more complex than people ever thought they were."
Learning more provides scientists with an opportunity to study their sensory abilities in order to improve technology like bio-sensors, directional microphones and visual processing algorithms, Stafstrom told CNN.
Hoy agreed.
"The point is any understudied, underappreciated group has fascinating lives, even a yucky spider, and we can learn something from it," he told CNN.
In 'Road Map for a More Sustainable Future,' NY Regulator Tells Banks to Consider Climate Risks in Planning
By Brett Wilkins
Regulators in New York state announced Thursday that banks and other financial services companies are expected to plan and prepare for risks posed by the climate crisis.


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Today The Amazing Spider-Man launched an international press day, with cast members and director Marc Webb. And not only did they premiere a brand new trailer, but we saw a giant sizzle reel. What did we think of Hollywood's new Peter Parker, and what did we see? We describe our first impressions for you, below!
Spoilers ahead...
High School Hell:
Peter Parker pulls up to his high school, camera in hand (so we remember he's a future photographer for the Daily Bugle). A group of bullies, so handsome they could only exist in the OC, are forcing a skinny nerd to keg stand a plate of spaghetti. "Take a picture, Parker" the squarest jawed brute orders. "No," Peter responds. They then proceed to beat the ever loving shit out of him. "I'm still not going to take the picture," Peter wails after one fella kicks him in the gut.
Fast forward a few days (and clearly after he's been bitten by that radioactive spider) a bully throws a basketball at Peter's noggin. In return, Peter thrusts him against a row of lockers. BY THE THROAT. Cut to an empty hallway, with Uncle Ben (played by the charming Martin Sheen). He's scolding Peter about the pointlessness of revenge. This is where Andrew Garfield shines. He's very good at channeling angsty/angry teen without going full-blown brat.
Uncle Ben sees Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) over Peter's shoulder, "You're the girl on his computer!" he exclaims. Peter is mortified — and it's adorable. The two then proceed to have a supremely (500) Days of Summer-esque conversation, complete with a heavy-handed Mumford & Sons "Little Lion Man" soundtrack (not sure if that was the actual song — it might have been Coldplay's "Kingdom Come," but you get the gist). While I'm almost certain that couldn't have been the final soundtrack, the whole thing just smacks of the Starbucks music reel. And while I will certainly purchase a soundtrack like that, I worry about the Breaking Dawn Part 1 effect where the music interrupts the dialog. This was my only concern throughout the entire sizzle reel, and that's a very good thing.
The Villain:
So Gwen and Peter make a date. Meanwhile Peter discovers his scientist dad's old briefcase, kept hidden by Uncle Ben and Aunt May (Sally Field, who doesn't speak once in this footage, sadly). This is where we realize that Peter is also a bit of a whiz kid. He unloads his father's briefcase and finds an old clipping of Dr. Curt Connors. Cut to Oscorp, where Connors is escorting a bunch of students around and saying, "Before you ask, yes. I'm a southpaw, not a cripple." He then reveals his plans to fix his arm. He and Peter meet, and Peter scribbles some nonsensical math equation on a blackboard, thus solving the problem to Doc Connors' secret serum.
Connors injects himself, and later you see his new hand sprouting out of his stub. Little bits of skin are peeling around his new limb. Naturally, he goes completely mad. Why? Not sure. There's a scene with a collection of stopped cars on giant bridge. A lizard creature starts throwing cars left and right, and then claws through the hood of one man's car. The hands are all scaled. You can hear Peter screaming, "Doctor Connors, this isn't you," and the camera cuts to a bird's eye view of the bridge, each car The Lizard threw is bobbing up and down, held by a single piece of web.
How Andrew is Different Than Tobey
Perhaps the most striking difference between Toby and Andrew's versions of Spider-Man was in the scene where Andrew ruthlessly teases a car thief with his new powers. It was hilarious, and cruel as only a snotty teen can be. But who cares, the guy is a robber. At some point the thief pulls out a knife and Andrew falls to the ground screaming, "is that a REAL knife? My one weakness, argh" — only to jump up and web the guy to the wall. He's being a total dick, and it's great. By the way "Street Fighting Man" by the Rolling Stones was playing throughout this, which was fairly on the nose, but still: It's the Stones.
Also the obvious difference is also that Andrew uses web shooters that he makes himself, presumably from the contents he finds in his father's briefcase.
As far as their aerobatic work, Andrew's is infinitely different. In fact, Andrew does the bulk of his superhero work kicking ass on the ground, flipping around and avoiding the eye of Capt. Stacy, who UNMASKS HIM! But it looks like Andrew manages to flip and karate kick his way out before getting recognized. Lots and lots of flipping.
The Climax?
Perhaps the biggest reveal of the sizzle reel was some sort of odd climactic show down between Peter and The Lizard. There appears to be a massive showdown on top of the OSCORP Tower. And Peter just rips down the whole tower. In another scene this odd blue cloud appears over the OSCORP Tower (pre-destruction). I wonder if this has something to do with — SPOILER ALERT — all the Lizard minions and Lizard toys we've seen. Is Dr. Connors trying to populate the world with Lizard people, just like Magneto in the first X-Men movie? Naturally this is a big maybe.
The biggest takeaway from this footage was that it looked good. The 3D looked great, the action was intense and thank goodness for adorable skinny Brit boys who know how to brood. We're very excited.


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Twins are on the right path back to contention
Minnesota restocked rotation in offseson and has elite prospects on the way
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- On the first day of full-squad workouts, all of the Minnesota Twins wore "Stand Up to Cancer" shirts.
The Twins did this in support of their general manager, Terry Ryan, who is recovering at home after undergoing skin cancer surgery.
This was a gesture that was so pure, so essentially decent, so heartwarming that you were grateful just to be on hand to witness it. Terry Ryan never would have asked for anything like this, but the shirts showed the genuine respect and affection he has generated among the rest of the organization.
"It was a good idea by Dustin [Morse, Twins director of baseball communications and player relations]," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "For Terry, and for everybody else who is going through this.
"I've always said the Twins try to do the right things. It's another circumstance here that presented itself, and Dustin rose to the occasion. I thought that was pretty cool. It says a lot."
Ryan was the general manager responsible for the organizational success when the Twins rose above small-market adversity and won six division titles in nine years. He stepped aside into an advisory capacity after the 2007 season, but was asked to return to the general manager role four years later.
The Twins, in the meantime, have suffered through three straight losing seasons. There is an argument to be made now that the corner is being turned, that Minnesota's next steps will be on the road back to success. The Twins have some of baseball's best prospects coming through their system. They don't figure to contend head-to-head with the Tigers for the American League Central title this year, but this season could function as a building block for Minnesota.
MLB.com's No. 1 prospect for 2014 is outfielder Byron Buxton, 20. The No. 3 prospect is third baseman Miguel Sano, also 20. Alex Meyer, a 6-foot-9 power pitcher, is ranked No. 32. Kohl Stewart, 19, drafted last year as a high school pitcher, is No. 61.
The core problem for the 2013 Twins was the starting pitching. Minnesota starters compiled the worst ERA in the Majors at 5.26. In an attempt to become more competitive in a hurry, the Twins committed $84 million to three veteran starters -- Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey.
All three have had notable success in the Major Leagues, although in the cases of Hughes and Pelfrey, that success did not occur in 2013. Pelfrey was pitching in his first year following Tommy John surgery.
One way or the other, the Twins will have more proven Major League pitching in the rotation with the addition of Nolasco and Hughes. And they will have more Major League level rotation depth. Significant improvement could fairly be expected.
"I sure hope so," Gardenhire said with a small smile. "I'm not saying we hit rock bottom last year, because you can always lose more, but it felt like rock bottom. I think everybody involved -- myself, my coaches, the fans, the press -- didn't feel very good. I hope that was as low as you want to go. We felt pretty bad about ourselves.
"So we definitely had better be better than that. I believe we will be. I'm pretty confident about that. I'm excited about it, to tell you the truth."
So Minnesota may find reasons for genuine optimism this spring. What hasn't been lost with this organization is the sense that it stands for something, that playing for it and representing it has value and care must be taken to preserve that value.
When Gardenhire talks to his players on the first day of full-squad workouts, as he did Saturday, it is not a baseball-only address.
"One thing we touch on is this community, how much it means to us. Taking care of yourself, on and off the field," the manager said. "We don't need any distractions, so it's always important for us to handle ourselves well.
"And the fans, they come out here to see us, they're Twins fans. We always touch on that -- how important it is for you to always take the time to say hello to somebody. You never know, you might make their day.
"And that's what baseball is really all about. We're playing a kids' game, and we should share that with the people who are out there watching. [Those kids] want to be on that field. They're hoping some day to get there, so I want our players to treat them with respect. I think our players do a nice job."
When you saw the Twins wearing "Stand Up To Cancer" shirts in place of uniform jerseys Saturday, you got the picture. The AL Central standings have not been kind the last three seasons, but this remains an organization headed in the right direction.


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Mises.org Publish Date:
January 23, 2014 - 12:00 AM
In the modern United States, federal laws are now so numerous and written so broadly and vaguely, that it is nearly impossible to make it through the day without breaking at least one of them. And through it all, an enormous government apparatus of prisons, prosecutors, police, and bureaucrats remains well-funded, powerful, and nearly impossible to oppose in court.
Recorded at the Mises Circle Southwest Regional in Houston, 18 January 2014. Includes an introduction by Jeff Deist.
The Police State [3]


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Information about the documents we will accept and what to do if you don't have them.
All financial services firms within the UK follow guidance on the documents that are acceptable to verify the identity of its customers.
As an M&G customer we will always try to verify your identity using an electronic verification system first. However, if this is not possible we will then ask you to provide two pieces of documentation:
At M&G, we usually request a UK passport or driving licence and utility bill to check your identity and address. However, we understand that our customers may not have these documents or may be unwilling to send them to us in the post.
We've put together a list of documents that we can accept for verification purposes.
We require you to supply one document from each section below. Some documents appear in both sections. We'll need to see two separate forms of identity, so you can't use one document to cover both sections. Where address details are displayed this must reflect your current residential address.
We recommend that you don't send original documents through the post using a non-secure service as we can't accept liability for their safety en route to us.
We're happy to accept copies of documentation if they're certified by a professional person. See below for details of who can certify copy documents for details.
We return all documentation to you using a recorded delivery service.
Driving licence
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and other benefits-related documents
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
HMRC notifications of:
Child benefit
Residence permits and identification cards
Local Authority documents
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) documents
Residence permits & identification cards
Utility bills
Utility bill (not a mobile phone bill) or a certification from a supplier of utilities confirming the arrangement to pay for its services on pre-payment terms. This must be dated within six months
Financial statements
All statements must be dated within six months. Online statements can only be accepted if they are certified by the issuer as a true copy, if they agree to do so.
We understand that you may not have the documents we have requested. In this situation, we may be able to accept some of the following as evidence of your personal identity or address:
If you live in a nursing home and can't provide any of the documents listed, we can accept a letter from the manager or warden of the nursing/residential home confirming permanent residence there. This also applies if you are Financial Adviser to a customer who is resident in a nursing/residential Home.
Usually, this would support a piece of documentation in List 1 such as an original notification letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirming the right to a state pension.
If you are providing documents on behalf of an incapacitated customer then an original Court Order appointing a deputy may also be accepted. This must be in respect of an appointment by the Court of Protection and name both the customer and the appointed deputy.
We accept copies of documents certified as a true copy by a senior ranking officer. For details see "Certifying your documents" below.
In addition, we can accept an original UK Armed Forces ID card, or an appropriately certified copy.
Contact us if you don't have any of the documents listed above but can provide one the following:
As a UK-registered company, we prefer to receive documentation translated into English. However, we may be able to accept your documentation if your name and address information is clear and we are able to recognise the bank or utility company that generated it.
In all other instances, you may provide an appropriately certified copy where the certifier also specifies the document they are certifying and ensures that your name and address is highlighted to us.
We can't accept photocopied documents unless they are correctly certified by an appropriate individual. See page 5 of our Verifying Your Identity Guide for our full certification requirements, including the required certification wording.
This guide also provides the reasons why we may verify existing customers and the answers to your frequently asked questions


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Divergent Trailer Premieres at MTV Video Music Awards
The young adult novel turned film comes to theaters in March 2014
Just before the VMAs on Sunday, MTV premiered the an exclusive clip for Divergent, the Neil Burger-directed adaptation of Veronica Roth's young adult novel, starring Shailene Woodley.
The fast-paced trailer gave fans glimpses of tattoos, death-defying leaps, flying knives and gun-toting soldiers.
As Beatrice "Tris" Prior, the book and film's 16-year-old protagonist and narrator, Woodley lives in a futuristic dystopian Chicago, where society is broken into five factions, each dedicated to a different virtue. Abnegation (where Beatrice was raised) is for the selfless, Dauntless is for the brave, Amity is for the peaceful, Candor is for the honest and Erudite is for the intelligent.
At 16, teenagers must choose where they'll fall based on an aptitude test, sometimes leaving behind their friends and families.
Kate Winslet, Miles Teller, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer and Zoe Kravitz also star in the film.
After Divergent, Tris's tale continues in Insurgent and will be concluded in Roth's final installment of the series, Allegiant, which will be released in October.
There's plenty of time to choose your faction and read the books. Divergent comes to theaters March 21, 2014. Watch the trailer now:
Get More: 2013 VMA, Artists.MTV, Music


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Published in May 1997, this map of South Asia contains extraordinary detail including points of interest, dams, and ruins in addition to cities and geographical features. Half of a two-map set, this map was printed with an educational map of India and the article "India: Fifty Years of Independence."
Coverage Area: India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma), Bangledesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Andaman and Nicobar Islands