text:
Post Profile for Your Business
Submit Press Release
Join Now
Sign In
Press Releases
Business Directory
Products & Services
Recent Press Releases
Press Release Pricing
Submit Press Release
Products & Services
Press Releases
Press Release Pricing
News by Category
News by Country
News by US Region
Recent News
PR.com News on Your Site
Press Releases
GL Communications Inc
Press Release
Receive press releases from GL Communications Inc:
By Email
RSS Feeds:
GL Announces Enhancements to Its LTE Diameter Protocol Simulation Tool
Gaithersburg, MD, February 06, 2014 --(
)-- GL Communications Inc announced today its enhanced MAPS™ Diameter Protocol Emulator.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Jagadish Vadalia, Manager Product Development of the company said, "The Diameter protocol is intended to provide a framework for Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) applications such as network access, roaming, and IP mobility. AAA protocols are used to determine whether the user is allowed to connect to the network (Authentication) and use a particular service (Authorization). It is also used to track network resources used by end-user for accurate billing (Accounting)."
He added, "Using MAPS™ Diameter one can test almost all 4G network elements such as MME (Mobility Management Entity), HSS (Home Subscriber Server), EIR (Equipment Identity Register), AF (Application Function), AS (Application Server), CSCF (Call Session Control Function), PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function) ,PCEF (Policy and Charging Enforcement Function) , SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) and PDN GW (Packet Data Network Gateway)."
Mr.Vadalia further added, "As an enhancement to the existing MAPS™ Diameter Emulator, GL now offers support for emulating Sh interface, multiple transport handlers (SCTP/TCP), and enhanced Test beds to handle interfacing to multiple clients/servers.
"The MAPS™ Diameter Emulator can now simulate User Data Handling procedures over Sh interface besides existing support for several other procedures over S6a, S6d, S13, Cx/Dx, Gx, and Rx interfaces."
He added, "The MAPS™ Diameter Emulator gives the users the unlimited ability to edit messages on supported interfaces to support various procedures.
"Call handling scripts of the application provide statistical information about total calls, active calls, completed calls, passed calls, and failed calls."
Important Features
User-friendly GUI for generating hundreds of UE Signaling (Load Testing) over SCTP/TCP Layers
Impairments can be applied to messages to simulate error conditions
Supports customization of call flows and message templates using Script editor and Message editor
Ready-to-use scripts for quick testing
Supports scripted call generation and automated call reception
Provides protocol trace with full message decoding, and graphical ladder diagrams of call flow with time stamp
Script based & protocol independent software architecture
Provides call statistics and associated captured events and error events during call simulation.
About GL Communications Inc.,
Founded in 1986, GL Communications Inc. is a leading supplier of test, monitoring, and analysis equipment for TDM, Wireless, IP and VoIP networks. Unlike conventional test equipment, GL's test platforms provide visualization, capture, storage, and convenient features like portability, remotability, and scripting.
GL Communications has over the years worked with major telecom equipment vendors (EVs) and system integrators to meet the testing requirements arising at various stages of telecommunications product development life cycle.
With its proven expertise of over 25 years, GL has a comprehensive suite of telecom testing solutions to verify and ensure 'quality and reliability' of variety of telecom networks including Wireless, and high-speed fiber optic lines.
GL's test tools range from simple PC-based software test tool to all-encompassing hardware units with futuristic expansion capabilities. GL's test solutions cover wide array of networks – 4G (LTE), 3G, IP, Ethernet, T1, T3, E1, E3, OC-3/STM-1, OC-12/STM-4, and traditional PSTN networks.
GL's tools are widely used by the telecommunication industry for conformance testing, automated stress/load testing, performance testing, remote accessibility, centralized web-based control and analysis, fault testing and analysis, and customized testing.
For more information about GL's complete line of products,
Shelley Sharma
Phone: 301-670-4784 ext. 114
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact Information
GL Communications Inc
Mr. Shelley Sharma
Click here to view the list of recent Press Releases from GL Communications Inc
Promote Your Business
Press Release Pricing
Email this page to a friend
Contact Us
About Us
Terms of Use


text:
Wholesale Marine Boat Propellers
Selecting the the right boat propeller is key to maximizing your boat's performance. You may be pleased with the performance of the propeller that came standard issue, or may be wondering if there might be something better. For advice when selecting the right propeller for your boat from our large inventory of competitively-priced propellers, speak to the boating professionals at Wholesale Marine. We stock Michigan Wheel, Turning Point, Bravo and Quicksilver propellers to fit Evinrude, Mercruiser, Mercury, Johnson, Volvo Penta, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and more. Additionally we offer sturdy stainless steel, lightweight but durable aluminum and traditional bronze propellers for nearly every craft.
Tips for Knowing When to Replace Boat Propellers
How can you tell if your propeller requires replacement? There may be an obvious reason for doing so. For example, if your prop has sustained visible damage to a blade. However, even when your propeller is performing within manufacturer's recommended guidelines, you may be looking for an upgrade. Reasons for replacement include:
● Close inspection reveals broken or cracked blade(s).
● Upgrade to different material such as aluminum or stainless steel.
● Upgrade to different number of blades, from 3 to 4 for example.
● Upgrade to a larger size propeller to improve acceleration and top end performance.
● Want to carry a replacement propeller on board "just in case."
Select the Right Boat Propellers for Maximum Performance
The drive train is an important system on any engine-driven vehicle, car, truck or boat. For land vehicles, the system dead ends at the tires, where the rubber truly meets the road. There the choice is simple: select the right tire for the roadway. The difference for water-based craft is, of course, that the drive train ends at the propeller which connects the horsepower to the water. Choosing the right propeller is therefore very important. Propellers are available in a wide assortment of sizes and shapes. Sizes are referred to in terms of diameter and pitch. To make the best selection, match the propeller to the manufacturer's wide open throttle (WOT) range. The right propeller will turn the minimum engine RPMs required by the manufacturer with its throttle fully advanced.
The next consideration is diameter. This will also determine the propeller's RPM capabilities. Remember, overall engine performance can be improved by selecting the right propeller. Oh, and how many blades do you want? "Standard rule" is the fewer blades, the faster the vessel. However, this rule is not a cast in concrete. The deciding factor will always be the particular application the boat is used for in order to determine the number of blades required to achieve the best engine performance.
Before you go online looking for a degree in boat propellers, speak with the boating pros at Wholesale Marine. We've got your back and understand every aspect of boat maintenance and repair. We'll be glad to listen to your requirements and recommend the best propeller options for your craft based on how you use it. When you have a boating supply need or just want to explore your upgrade options with a pro who shares your passion for all things nautical, call us at (877) 388-2628.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Hostesses, Just when I'd thought I'd seen almost every possible tablescape combination on the web, you've all blown me away by the original Passover table ideas that you've found the time to set, snap, and share with all of us here at The Jewish Hostess. All in all about 20 seder tablescapes were sent in! Here's the first batch- Thank you all for your sharing your talents and holiday creativity with thousands of Jewish women worldwide who check in on our site for holiday inspiration. And for all of the hostesses who love to browse- PLEASE comment below with your favorites!! We need to pick some winners!!! Enjoy the rest of the holiday. Marlene
p.s. don't miss the newest table setting ideas and easy healthy recipes once a week to your inbox! CLICK HERE!
1."Hi Marlene, Happy holidays, I got creative this year!" Terri Harary
2.A Bountiful Passover Table by Rochelle Falack- (note the reading glasses at the head of the table!)
3. A Seder Tablescape that helps feed the less fortunate in Israel- by Miriam Kairey
"This year I have added a special mitzvah to my seder. I purchased place cards from Meir Panim. Each card represents a donation to feed the hungry in Israel. So as we are feasting we can remember our cousins in Israel, some of whom are unfortunately not eating as abundantly. On my table is a chicken dish I just made up.
Crunchy Chicken Cutlets
- 2lbs. thin boneless chicken breasts
- Breading: 8 boards matzoh
- 4 Tbs dried oregano leaves
- 2 Tbs. coarse salt
- 2 Tbs. Paprika
- 6 eggs
Break up 4 Matzoh boards in the Cuisinart. Add half the other ingredients. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Some of the matzoh will be finely ground and that is ok. Empty crumbs into a bowl and repeat. Bread chicken by dipping into dry crumbs, then eggs, then dry crumbs again. Fry until golden.
Happy Pesach wherever you are!" Miriam
4. Thank You Patti Rotman!
"Our family has made the trek from Toronto to Florida for 23 years to celebrate Passover with special relatives. With so many decades and age ranges represented, our table always combines fun and tradition. From the frogs "jumping" out off each wine glass and a "plague" finger puppet at each place setting, to the cover for shmura matzah, we always celebrate in a joyous, traditional and inclusive fashion. Chag sameach to everyone at the Jewish Hostess" Patti Rotman
5. Springtime White and Garden Greens By Allison Srour
6."Splitting of the Sea" by Kim Tawil- Gorgeous napkins and flowers in each glass!
7. Claudia does it again! by Claudia Bildirici
- "I used a red vinyl fabric bought about 3 yards cost 30.00
- This was to represent blood. and cleaned up like a dream even after the
- wine was spilled!
- The aloe vera plants were to look like the desert….
- Under each plate over the charger was a picture of frogs
- The masks were ordered from amazon and had the plagues on each. Kids
- got a kick out of the adults who wore them during the seder
- It was a fun table to be at!
8. Bringing the Outdoors In! by Natalie Greenberg
Hi Marlene-
I was really inspired to create a beautiful seder table this year after viewing all of the ones on your website.
This year we will be so many people that we do not fit in my dining room! So I set up in the living room.
I have green accents in the living room so I used that idea to create a spring seder look.
I rented tables and cloth toppers ( they look like trellises!) from All Affairs, and everything else I own.
The created the place card holders from votive candle holders that I already owned and filled them with
babys breath and then a name card. I will use the leaf platters for all of the greens.
I am so pleased with my look- can't wait to finish cooking and sit down to enjoy!
Have a very happy holiday- send my love to your family.
Love, Natalie Greenberg
9. A Glamourous Seder Table by Gladys Haddad- Gorgeous as usual, Gladys!
10. Israeli Soldiers Celebrate Pesach -sent in by Margo Sugarman of The Kosher Blogger.
Hi Marlene,
I hope you had a wonderful chag. I saw this on Facebook and I thought of you and had to share it. It's a picture of some soldiers in the Israeli Navy celebrating their seder in an unusual setting. The table may not be a gorgeous as yours, but it's certainly unique!
Chag sameach ve'kasher, Margo
11.Passover Table By Connie Billie- Thank you Connie! Love the blues, and loving the wine carafes!
12. Sarah Beyda's Passover Table Setting- Cool silverware setup!
13. As Sweet As It Gets!-
"Dear Marlene,
Hag Sameach! I enjoy following your blog-
We had a fun seder for 24 relatives and friends. My husband made the seder fun for the many kids at the table as well as the adults. There were hand motions for the order of the seder, role-playing, lots of questions and festive singing. For karpas we like to do a fun vegetable dish so that people do not wait to eat until too long. This year, for karpas I served a roasted eggplant and tomato napoleons with pesto. It was delish! At dinner we enjoyed brisket, apricot chicken, quinoa salad, roasted veggies, and sweet potato. For dessert, we had my signature Pavlova, an apple cake, and a chocolate mousse cake from my aunt. All had a delightful time. Thanks, Oksana V. Bella www.assweetasitgets.com
p.s. don't miss the newest table setting ideas and easy healthy recipes once a week to your inbox! CLICK HERE!
Related articles
- Three Fantastic Authentic Passover Tablescapes by Kineret Spector (thejewishhostess.com)
- Sarah's Passover Seder- How to Make Your Table Look Like a Million! (thejewishhostess.com)
- A Down to Earth Cozy Passover Seder (thejewishhostess.com)
- Claudia's Bento Box Inspired Passover Seder Plate (thejewishhostess.com)
- A Seder Table That Could Split The Sea! (thejewishhostess.com)
- The Jewish Woman's Guide to Maintaining Sanity on Passover (thejewishhostess.com)
- A Persian Passover Seder at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica (thejewishhostess.com)


text:
This is really important. I know so many people that are hooked on this stuff. Please help spread the word!
As always, I am very thankful to team up with Steve Spangler on this important mission. Please visit his site to learn more about how you can help:
Please Take Action! Understanding the Dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide


text:
In mid-1959, Fender introduced lavishly appointed new versions of its original solidbodies — the Telecaster and Esquire. The models were named "Custom Telecaster" and "Custom Esquire" (perhaps influenced by Gibson's Les Paul Custom). These guitars retained the basic characteristics and functions of the standard versions while showing a polished, classy new look.
This month's guitar has the classic appointments of a late 1959 Custom Telecaster, which include an alder body finished in 3- color sunburst, white binding around the top and back, a three-ply greenish pickguard, and a gold Fender logo with "Custom Telecaster" written below. The rest of the features match those of a standard late-1959 Telecaster: a "slab board" rosewood fingerboard with clay dots, a slim neck profile, and single line Kluson Deluxe tuning machines.
Unlike many other late-fifties Fenders finished in three-color sunburst, this guitar has retained most of the red tint originally applied. The unstable red stain used by Fender at that time would often fade when exposed to sunlight, leaving only the black and yellow parts of the sunburst. Evidence of some fading on this example can be seen in the three dark rectangles on the upper bout. As was customary at the time, the original owner had his initials stuck to the guitar with mailbox letters, shielding those areas from light for more than three decades.
One of the best sources for detailed information on most kinds of Teles isThe Fender Telecasterby A.R. Duchossoir.
Dave''s Guitar Shop
Daves Roger's Collection Is tended to by Laun Braithwaite & Tim Mullally
All photos credit Tim Mullally
Dave's Collection is on dispay at:
Dave''s Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601


text:
If you're looking for cringeworthy discussion that has no earthly place being on television, look no further than this clip from NFL Network yesterday. (And for the record, South Park is in the midst of its 16th season on Comedy Central. It's like trying to explain The Simpsons to someone. If they don't already know, why bother?)
Tipster Josh M. alerted us to this clip, with the following explainer:
In one of the weirdest, peak-under-the-Lizard-People-veil sports broadcasting moments in my memory, the on-air "talent" try eerily to explain animation in general, the concept of South Park, and the concept of catchphrases, all in the year 2012. The creepiness factor is then compounded when they trip over their lines, and in an attempt to recover, SIMPLY RESTART THE SAME INSANELY CREEPY DIALOGUE, signaling that the entire thing was scripted to begin with. It gets awkward. Like they're all realizing they they've...said too much. Why? Why would they do this?
Why, indeed.


text: Quick view Musashi 1 Tier Multifunction Sword Stand $19.98 This sword stand is perfect to show off your sword collection. Don't leave your swords lying around collecting dust; display them with style and pride! Great for every collection! This high gloss black wood table sword display stand will holds a sword in... Compare Out of stock


text:
Video: South Florida football star runs over sideline reporter
A South Florida high school football star ran over a sideline reporter during the middle of an interview, and it was all caught on video.
Amy Campbell, a Florida-based reporter for FOX Sports NEXT, was interviewing FOX recruiting analyst Chad Simmons when Ermon Lane came sprinting into the shot and knocked Campbell to the ground.
MOBILE USERS: Tap right here to watch the video
It all went down Tuesday at The Opening, a summer camp for the nation's top prep football players in Beaverton, Ore.
"It all happened so fast," Campbell told WPBF.com. "I'm fine now. My knee is pretty bruised, but ... it's pretty amazing I wasn't hurt worse. Glad to know I can take a hit."
Lane, regarded as one of the top high school wide receivers in the country, will be a senior at Homestead High School in the fall. Some recruiting insiders say he might decide on a college this summer, and the consensus seems to be that he'll stay in-state at either Miami, Florida State or Florida.
As for Campbell, she took to her Twitter account to post several updates after the collision, including a photo of herself with Lane above the caption: "Still friends!"
"(Lane is) one of the athletes I cover regularly, so we have a pretty good relationship," Campbell said. "I'm glad it was a guy I know and not a total stranger. Now we can laugh about it for a long time."
Watch the video of the collision below:


text:
We've already seen some idiots deep fry a PSP and then try to eat it. Now, let's look at photos taken by—I assume—a less stupid person.
Less stupid, only because he doesn't try to actually eat the burnt DS Lite, but still pretty stupid!
Burning electronics is never a good idea, considering the toxins released or the possibility of an explosion.
Another thing that is never a good idea? Setting off fireworks indoors while dressed as Gatchaman. Likewise, dumb idea.
The DS Lite is a great handheld—my favorite Nintendo one. Pity to see someone destroy it.


text:
Keep indoor floral arrangements simple
Springtime doesn't need to be limited to the backyard. Bringing fresh cut flowers indoors freshens the air and transforms a home into a warm-weather paradise without changing a pillow, swapping a curtain or dipping a brush into a can of yellow paint.
"It brings the whole season alive indoors," says Lisa Oberle, owner of Oberle's Florist & Greenhouses in East Meadow.
Before grabbing a bit of everything you've got growing in your backyard, however, Oberle recommends keeping your indoor flower arrangements light and simple -- which may be the opposite of winter, where it's bare outside and plush inside.
"Most people have such a plethora of things outdoors during the summer, so that's where the focus is," she says. "Take simple cuts indoors."
Vases filled with single-floral arrangements of sunflowers or zinnias are simple, but they really brighten up a room -- and they're grown locally, so they won't cost a fortune in the summer, says Richie Ribustello, manager of Central Florist in Valley Stream.
Natural greenery and bright flowers also enhance a home by adding color, while white roses in a bedroom offer a soft, light, romantic touch, says Robyn Baumgarten, owner of Accessories by Robin, an interior design service and accessories firm in Woodbury.
Spring and summer are all about being carefree and light, so it's only natural that your flower arrangements follow that pattern, say Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo, co-authors of the newly published "The Flower Recipe Book" (Artisan, $25).
They say they love stashing garden roses, weedy wildflowers or even summer fruits and berries in an arrangement. Those kinds of combinations make a statement because the flowers and fruits aren't readily available at other times of year.
Once you've selected your flowers, it's time to figure out placement.
Indoor vases can be displayed anywhere from the center of a kitchen island to the top of a bedside table. But one thing to keep in mind is that cut flower arrangements should never be placed in direct sunlight, which can wilt the flowers quickly, Ribustello says.
Place them in the coolest area of your home, ideally in a spot that's in some shade, and aim to change the water every other day.
Flowers can drastically change the feel to a room, and adding the right arrangements to a room can up the romance level in a bedroom, make the kitchen feel more festive or turn a living area into a place that really feels alive. The key is in the flowers you choose, the settings you arrange and the vases you select. Here are some ideas local designers came up with in Long Island rooms.
This time of year is all about outdoor living -- but you still do the bulk of your living inside your living room.
So when the team behind Garcia/Maldonado, a Manhattan interior design and architecture firm, created the flower decor for the living room inside their East Hampton office, they decided to combine the best of both worlds.
"The house is on an acre of land in the middle of the woods," says Guido Auen, business partner. "All around was trees. We really tried to create the cohesiveness from the outside in."
Bafa nyc inc. (by artists for artists), a company created to support low-income New York artists through flower design, created the flower arrangements. All bafa flower products are made by local artists, and the profits support their ongoing professional endeavors. They worked with Hittendales Florists and Greenhouses, an East Hampton nursery that provided the bigger foliage.
In this case, florists and designers came together to enhance the space with local, seasonal flowers such as hydrangeas and delphiniums. "The decision of which flowers to use in a space should be determined by the size of the space, the color scheme and the layout, as well as, of course, the amount of natural sunlight in a space," says Louis Jon Garcia-Maldonado, president of Garcia/
Maldonado. "Seasonal considerations are an important factor in determining which flowers to use, but most crucial is that there is harmony and balance between the design of a space and all of its elements. Flowers should not be overbearing, but should mirror the beauty of the room."
Here, the flowers echoed the lush, full, green surroundings, almost as if the outside continued growing indoors.
One good thing about flowers, Auen says, is that, because they only last for about a week, you can change the arrangement to suit your mood and have a fresh room at your disposal.
"Houses are so much about the mood and the ambience you want to create," he says.
When you put flowers in the bedroom, it's best to stick with soft, soothing colors such as pinks and purples or whites and pastels so the room remains a place for romance and sleeping, says Andrew Zecher, president of Andrew Scott Events in Lindenhurst.
Zecher, who designed this Centerport bedroom's arrangements, says the scent of a flower in a bedroom is also essential. But the bedroom scents should be subtle, in contrast to other areas of the house, where bolder scents and colors are more acceptable.
"The flowers that I did choose all have a very soft, sweet aroma, like the peonies," he says. "They are very soothing to the senses."
The best placement for flowers in a bedroom is on your nightstand, Zecher says. You'll be able to smell them all evening -- and you can even stick lavender there because studies have shown that the scent helps with insomnia. If the flowers are on your nightstand, they'll be the last thing you see before you go to sleep and the first thing you'll see when you wake.
"Your bedroom is your sanctuary -- the one place you can truly relax," Zecher says. "By bringing some beautiful fresh-cut flowers into your bedroom, you'll add to your relaxation and . . . romance at the same time."
Kitchen bouquets should look fresh, organic and natural -- just like the kitchen itself, says Jamie Charlton, owner of Artistry in Flowers in East Hills and the designer of the bouquets used in this Dix Hills kitchen.
To bring the fresh, organic theme to the extreme, Charlton created a box of herbs, which she displayed as floral decor, filling the wooden crate with cilantro, two types of parsley and basil.
To keep the cost down, Charlton chose big yellow tulips, which are available at many local markets.
She used three bottles already in the kitchen as vases, as well as Champagne flutes and highball glasses, sticking to the kitchen theme.
"It looked like I brought the outside of the house into my kitchen," she says.


text:
Quick Answers
How does Auto Supplies Replenishment work?
Auto Supplies Replenishment is available on most Xerox models, check here for eligibility. Some devices send usage data to determine when supplies are necessary. For other models, usage is determined using the pages printed. The system is designed to maintain one month of supply, customized to your usage. In some cases, that means the only stock you need is in the machine.Here are some things you can do, to ensure you have what you need:
Remember, if you have a heavy job that will use toner/ink faster than normal, notify us in advance and we'll send you the supplies that our systems won't be able to predict.
How to Order Online
Read the Metered Supplies User Guide or view our training video for instructions on how to register and activate an account to order your metered supplies.
Click the Register button below to register for a new Metered Supplies account. After creating your account you will receive an email containing a link to complete the registration process. You will need to provide a serial number and zip code associated with your machine's shipping address.
Register / activate
|Note: If an error occurs during your registration, or for further assistance, please contact the Metered Supplies Customer Support Center at:
7:00 am to 6:00 pm CST
Please have your device serial number(s) ready.
Once your Metered Supplies account is activated you will be able to:
Learn about Metered Supply Contracts
A metered supply contract:
- provides the user certain supplies on a cost per copy basis. These supplies are the discretion of Xerox and remain the property of Xerox until consumed. Inventory quantities on location may not be sold or used in other equipment.
- requires meter reads be furnished periodically for billing purposes, but additional meter reads may be requested to validate the quantity of supplies beyond the expected usage.
- requires providing periodic inventory counts of supplies. These counts may be requested when ordering supplies or at any other time.
- requires the return of unused supplies covered under the contract at the time of equipment removal.
- specifies that Xerox may invoice additional charges for excessive supply usage.
Order Metered Supplies Online
Register / activate
Login to your Metered Supplies account here: Manage my metered account
Login to your Metered Supplies account here: Manage my metered account
Metered Supplies Resources
Other Resources


text:
Phone: 800.666.2980
COVID-19 Notice
At UniLink, the health and well-being of our employees, customers, associates, and communities is...
more information
UniLink Saves 24-Branch Bank Tens of Thousands
A 24-branch bank needed to begin scanning photo ID images into a network folder, but they did not...
more information
California Credit Union Looks to UniLink for More than Check Scanners
A California credit union that was previously working with UniLink for check scanners reached out to...
more information
Jack Henry User in Wyoming Consults with UniLink to Find ID Scanner Solution
A Jack Henry user in Wyoming wanted to automate more parts of their new account opening process by...
more information
UniLink Helps Fiserv Users Find Products that Meet Their Specialized Needs
A Fiserv user in Michigan was unable to find a validator that met their expectations. They decided...
more information
Louisiana Bank Is Ready for Tech Turn with Support from UniLink
A UniLink customer had recently decided to update their check scanners to a completely different...
more information
Michigan Bank Prolongs Life of ID Scanners with Help of UniLink
A UniLink customer was having issues with their photo ID scanners. Thinking that they were nearing...
more information
Jack Henry Users Trust UniLink with Migration to Front Counter Teller Capture
A Jack Henry bank wanted to migrate from a back counter capture environment to a front counter...
more information
UniLink Helps Maryland Credit Union Find Document Scanners They Love
A UniLink customer in Maryland was interested in replacing their document scanners and needed some...
more information
UniLink Customers Are Provided with Holistic Solutions for Tabletop Financial Hardware
A Virginia-based credit union was purchasing hardware through and using the repair services of their...
more information
Quick Quote
Switches, Routers, Firewall Devices
Maintenance Services
Refurbished Equipment
Check Scanners
Financial Printers
E- Signature Pads
ID & Card Scanners
Document Scanners
Cash / Currency / Coin Handling
MICR - IRD Laser Printers
Small Form Factor PCs
Check Joggers
Check Scanner Supplies
Financial Printer Supplies
Document Scanner Supplies
Laser Printer Supplies
Instant Card Issuance
Touchscreen Display Signage
Inventory Tools
Retail Guardian Shields
Help Desk Tools
POS Solutions
RDC Sales & Marketing
RDC Software
Software Solutions
Image Gallery
Search Products
Equipment Brokers
Buy / Sell Used
Financial Equipment
Quick Contact
Click To Email
Our Privacy Policy
Upcoming Tradeshows
Copyright © 2020 Unilink, Inc.


text:
Todd Hollenshead: PC Makers Like Piracy. Secretly.
Browsing Quarter-to-three, I discover that Tom "Tom Bramwell" Bramwell's interview with John Carmack and Todd Hollenshead has caused a little internet drama, picked up by 1UP. To paraphrase, Hollenshead argued that PC manufacturers secretly like that there's piracy on the PCs, as it's something which makes people buy PCs. After all, unlike console manufacturers, they don't make any more profit if people actually buy games or not.
Which left Jim and I a little bewildered on a couple of points.
The first one is… well, yeah. Thinking back to school, when people were buying Amigas there was a knowledge that one of the advantages of the format was that while it may cost more, owning one meant your money on games went further. You bought what you could and pirated the rest. This is an obvious boon to the consumer. Equally clearly, since PC manufacturers aren't stupid, they're aware of the reasons people buy a gaming PC, so they're aware of this. If you did a cold analysis of the numbers, I suspect the optimum level of profit for PC manufacturers would be one where there was just enough piracy to still count as an attractive thing, but insufficient to make the market unsustainable.
The second one is… well, why? As in, why are you saying this, Mr Hollenshead? For example: "I think that if you went in and could see what's going on in their minds, though they may never say that stuff and I'm not saying there's some conspiracy or something like that – but I think the thing is they realise that trading content, copyrighted or not, is an expected benefit of owning a computer." If he's aware of the fact they'd never actually say it, why is he? How does it profit him to state something that's clearly true when all that stating that truth will do is get on the PC manufacturers back? As Jim puts it, what does he actually want them to do? "Please Download Responsibly" stickers on every new PC? About the only answer which makes sense is that as a long-term PC developer he's just being really pissed off – which, to be fair, I suspect happens to almost every PC-developer given time.


text:
I started Light Bulbs back in Oct. last year and just recently it finally hit it's 20 page minimum required over talking about it here. The comic updates every Monday with a new page. It's an ongoing sci fi / fantasy story that has slowly had an art style developed for it, as when reading it you'll notice the art changing from the beginning to now. I'm going to sum up it's basic here from the description I have for it with Top 100 Web Comics ....(the sad note to that is it's at a very high numbered rank right now).
In brief:
"A wizard from the 10th century is summoned into the 22nd century to act as a teacher. Sadly the wizard can barely conjure magic thanks to a total global lack of other wizards. To restore magic to the world first the world must be restored it's self."
Currently I know only one person a friend of mine online is reading this. I'd love feed back over it, but please bare in mind I'm well aware of how the art looks in the first few pages. Here's a page of the comic:
The link to this web comic series can be found in my signature.
Also note and this is not about the comic. I'm having a major surgery tomorrow and won't be able to reply to comments promptly. Because of the surgery I have multiple pages stored in the server ready for posting when the file date comes up.
Light Bulbs - An Ongoing Story Line Type
This is where you advertise your webcomic to your new audience, and get it reviewed by the community. Read the rules before pitching.
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1
- lightbulbs
- Newbie
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:04 am
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
Preston Bailey's 2011 season as an offensive lineman at Middle Tennessee State ended after seven games because of an injury. The school granted him a medical scholarship, but Bailey is accused of doing more with it than simply pursuing his Liberal Studies degree. Police say they found items like marijuana, scales, and cash at Bailey's apartment, and afterward he told them how he got his alleged operation off the ground:
"He admitted he got his start-up money for this illegal drug business by using scholarship money that he received from MTSU as a football player," said Kyle Williams with the Murfreesboro Police Dept.
Bailey has been kicked off the team, and his scholarship has been revoked. He's been charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to sell, which obviously wasn't part of his meal plan. Just another NCAA athlete who went pro in something other than sports.


text:
Template::XML - XML plugins for the Template Toolkit
dom = XML.dom('foo.xml');
xpath = XML.xpath('bar.xml');
simple = XML.simple('baz.xml');
rss = XML.simple('news.rdf');
The Template-XML distribution provides a number of Template Toolkit plugin modules for working with XML.
The Template::Plugin::XML module is a front-end to the various other XML plugin modules. Through this you can access XML files and directories of XML files via the Template::Plugin::XML::File and Template::Plugin::XML::Directory modules (which subclass from the Template::Plugin::File and Template::Plugin::Directory modules respectively). You can then create a Document Object Model (DOM) from an XML file (Template::Plugin::XML::DOM), examine it using XPath queries (Template::Plugin::XML::XPath), turn it into a Perl data structure (Template::Plugin::XML::Simple) or parse it as an RSS (RDF Site Summary) file.
The basic XML plugins were distributed as part of the Template Toolkit until version 2.15 released in May 2006. At this time they were extracted into this separate Template-XML distribution and an alpha version of this Template::Plugin::XML front-end module was added.
Andy Wardley wrote the Template Toolkit plugin modules, with assistance from Simon Matthews in the case of the XML::DOM plugin. Matt Sergeant wrote the XML::XPath module. Enno Derksen and Clark Cooper wrote the XML::DOM module. Jonathan Eisenzopf wrote the XML::RSS module. Grant McLean wrote the XML::Simple module. Clark Cooper and Larry Wall wrote the XML::Parser module. James Clark wrote the expat library.
Copyright (C) 1996-2006 Andy Wardley. All Rights Reserved.
This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
Template, Template::Plugins, Template::Plugin::XML, Template::Plugin::XML::DOM, Template::Plugin::XML::RSS, Template::Plugin::XML::Simple, Template::Plugin::XML::XPath


text:
Living to tell
One Holocaust survivor shares her story
Heather Berry
Heather Berry
Heather Berry
Survivor Erika Mandler hopes sharing her story will help stop the atrocities of World War II from being repeated.
Friday, March 11, 1938, would forever change 15-year-old Erika Raab's life.
After dinner, Erika's father turned on the radio to hear the president deliver news her family had long feared would come.
Young Erika and her family lived in Vienna, Austria, and their president was telling the country that he was surrendering Austria to Adolf Hitler.
"We were horrified," says Erika. "My mother said, 'This is the beginning of the end of us.'"
Whether they liked it or not, the Raab family was about to be affected by the Nazi Holocaust.
Once hesitant to tell her story, today the Chillicothe resident relates her story of
tragedy and hope to all who will listen.
"To forget is the greatest sin," Erika shares with groups. "I am here to tell my story because my mother and father cannot speak for themselves. So many wonderful, innocent millions were killed for no reason other than because they had a different religion."
Hitler had been in power for five years and was expanding his plans to create a master race — an effort that would result in the murder of nearly 6 million European Jews. From his rise to power in January 1933 to his suicide on April 30, 1945, Hitler made life a living hell not only for Jews, but for anyone who didn't agree with his plan of ethnic cleansing.
"You cannot imagine the instant change in people," says Erika, now 86. "Overnight, my non-Jewish friends were told by their parents that they couldn't be seen with me or couldn't call me. And all I could think was, 'Why am I so different now?'"
Jews were no longer allowed to attend college. Parks now displayed signs that read "Dogs and Jews not allowed." All Jews were required to wear a yellow Star of David on their sleeves.
Soon hiding from the Nazis was all any Jew thought about. Erika's parents, who owned two hotels and restaurants in Czechoslovakia, planned to leave Austria. The Raab's knew they wouldn't be allowed to take Erika and her brother Kurt with them. So, in the spring of 1938, they left their children in the care of a grandmother who lived in Vienna and hoped they see them again one day.
"We later found out our parents business wasn't going well and they had closed up the hotels and moved in with a cousin in Czechoslovakia," says Erika. "We soon realized if we didn't try to get to our parents now, we might not get another chance."
Erika and her brother, Kurt, pose for a formal portrait in Vienna. This was one of the only photos Erika was able to save following her escape
from the work camp, Novaky.
In September, Kurt found a way to cross the Austria/Czech border illegally for 400 German marks. One hot night, Erika and Kurt took a train to the last station on the border.
"The guard asked for our passports and told us to follow him," says Erika, recalling how German soldiers abetted their plan of escape.
The guards took the Raab children to a field and told them to follow the light on the horizon that would lead them through a "no-man's land" to the Czechoslovakian border.
At dawn, they reached the border, only to be sent back to Vienna by soldiers.
Devastated and exhausted, Erika and her brother began walking. As they plodded along, the siblings noticed a prayer bench under a cross in the middle of a field. "So there we sat, two Jewish kids under the Virgin Mary and a cross, and we began praying for a miracle," says Erika. "And soon, we saw two figures walking toward us."
Those figures were officers of the Czechoslovakian Army. They took pity on the youths and got them train tickets to Trencin, where their parents were now living. The duo arrived to teary parents who thought they'd never see their children again, recalls Erika.
Life, while not free of Hitler's influence, went on for the Raabs. During the next year, Erika's parents got an apartment, and her mother began cooking for families. Kurt, fluent in English, gave private lessons while Erika found a job as a tailor's apprentice. Young Erika even had a suitor named Erich Jokel and, in June 1940, the couple was married at her parent's home.
The newlywed's joy was short-lived. Soon after they married, Erika's husband was forced to work on the railroad. In the spring of 1941, he received a letter stating that he was being relocated for work. Instead, the train he boarded took him to Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp.
"I never saw him again," says Erika. "I found out later that he'd been taken to his death."
In March 1942, Erika, her parents and her brother were taken to Novaky, a work camp where 1,600 Jews were imprisoned. The work camp was guarded by the Slovakian army. "We felt Novaky was probably paradise compared to camps in Poland or Germany because we got to stay together as a family in a small room with four bunks."
One of the physicians at the infirmary, where Erika's brother worked, was Dr. George Mandler, who had arrived at Novaky six months before Erika's
family — and who soon fell in love with Erika.
George and Erika, left, see the Statue of Libery for the first time as they enter New York Harbor.
While not ideal conditions, the family was happy to be alive and together. But one dreadful day, that nearly changed. It was the fall of 1943, and every inmate at the camp was told to line up outside the barracks. The commander read the names of 300 prisoners who were to be sent to Auschwitz. Horrified, all four members of Erika's family were called out.
According to Erika, George stepped forward immediately and told the commander, "If this woman goes, I go." Since the commander needed the doctor, he agreed to allow Erika to stay. But Erika insisted her family stay as well. George pulled all the strings he could, and the commander spared Erika's family certain death.
"The horrifying part was that for us to live, four other people had to replace us," says Erika with tears in her eyes.
The family stayed at Novaky until the following fall, when the Slovakian Army suddenly opened the gates of the camp and told the prisoners they were free. At that time, many of the men, including George, chose to join the army and fight the Germans.
The next six months, Erika says, were some of the most horrible of her life. The only place they could hide safely was in the steep mountains of Slovakia.
The couple dug trenches into the mountainside for shelter, using tree branches as mattresses. The snows were heavy. Food was scarce. Lice plagued the couple. And to add to the difficulty, Erika was pregnant.
In March 1945, George and Erika joined Russian paratroopers for a march to the eastern side of the mountains, recently liberated by Russia. It was their only way to freedom and it would take five, grueling days of walking in waist-deep snow to get there.
"I was 7 months pregnant now and could hardly go on," says Erika. "To keep my strength up, George would pour sugar in my mouth as we walked."
After marching day and night, they ended up in a small village and were welcomed by the Russians with fresh food, milk, clean clothes and much-needed medical attention.
Weeks later, Erika gave birth to a baby girl who died after ony two days.
In the coming months, George and Erika learned the fate of her parents who were taken to concentration camps where they later died. She did find out, however, that her brother, Kurt, was alive.
George and Erika registered to emigrate to the U.S. and four years later, headed to New York City.
George and Erika pose with their daughter, Camilla, who was born after the couple arrived in Chillicothe.
"When we arrived in New York harbor, we couldn't believe we were staring at the Statue of Liberty and that we were alive and free," exclaims Erika.
Upon their arrival, the two obtained their American citizenship. Erika began work as a dressmaker and George got his license to practice medicine. Desiring to head further west, George answered a medical journal ad that brought him to Chillicothe in 1951. He and Erika made the north-central Missouri town their permanent home.
For many years, George wouldn't talk about the many atrocities of the Holocaust. It wasn't until after George passed away in 1994 that Erika really thought about the importance of sharing their story.
Encourged by her second daughter, Camilla,
born in 1954, Erika began sharing her experience with schools and church groups about how enduring the human spirit is and how deadly intolerance can be. She says it's important for everyone in the world to know what happened so it's not repeated.
"When my generation is gone, who will be here to talk about it? We must tell our stories and we must never, never forget."
You may contact Erika Mandler at 1616 Clay St., Chillicothe, MO 64601 or by sending an e-mail to her at email@example.com.


text:
Wholesale Trade: Farm Products and Livestock
This industry comprises businesses primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of agricultural products (except raw milk, live poultry, and fresh fruits and vegetables), such as grains, field beans, livestock, and other farm product raw materials (excluding seeds).
This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of agricultural products (except raw milk, live poultry, and fresh fruits and vegetables), such as grains, field beans, livestock, and other farm product raw materials (excluding seeds).
Before starting a business, you probably will need to register with the Florida Department of State, the IRS and the Florida Department of Revenue. For businesses located outside of the State of Florida, evidence of registration with their Division of Corporations or Corporate Registry may be required.
When you have completed those steps, you may need a business license from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Businesses in this category should check with the Department of Environmental Protection for applicable air, water and waste permits.
Business owners in this category may also wish to explore assistance offered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Register your business with the Department of State
Department of State
The Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations serves as the state's central depository for a number of commercial activities. These activities include a variety of business entity filings, trade and service mark registrations, federal lien recordings, judgment lien filings, uniform commercial code financing statements, fictitious name registrations, notary commissions, and cable and video service franchises.
Steps to Opening
Agency Introduction
The Department of State (DOS) is where you register your business. You can search and access filed information for corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships, trademarks, fictitious name registrations and liens. Also, electronic filing and certification can be processed via the Department's website.
Sunbiz offers several methods in which information can be submitted to the DOS for filing.
Apply for your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the nation's tax collection agency and administers the Internal Revenue Code enacted by Congress.
Steps to Opening
Agency Introduction
If you are required to report employment taxes or give tax statements to employees, you need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to send with all items you report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or Social Security Administration. If you do not intend to hire others, you may skip this step.
You may apply for an EIN online if your principal business is located in the United States or U.S. Territories. The person applying online must have a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN, ITIN, EIN). You are limited to one EIN per responsible party per day.
Register your business with the Department of Revenue
Department of Revenue
The Florida Department of Revenue administers three programs: general tax administration, property tax oversight and child support. The general tax administration program works with Florida businesses that are required to register for, collect, report and remit the taxes and fees administered by the Department.
The Department also manages the State of Florida's New Hire Reporting Center. Federal and state laws require employers to report newly hired, re-hired and temporary employees within 20 days of an employee's start date. This information is used to assist the Department's child support program with child support orders. The employment information reported through the state's New Hire Reporting Center is also used to detect and prevent public assistance and reemployment assistance fraud.
For additional information, please visit floridarevenue.com.
Steps to Opening
Agency Introduction
A business owner or contractor may need to register for, collect, report and/or remit one or more of the taxes, fees and licenses administered by the Florida Department of Revenue. This is dependent on the structure of a business, the activities of a business, and whether the business hires employees. In addition, businesses must report newly hired, re-hired and temporary employees through the State of Florida's New Hire Reporting program managed by the Florida Department of Revenue.
Reporting Employment Information
The Department manages the State of Florida's New Hire Reporting Center. Federal and state laws require employers to report newly hired, re-hired and temporary employees within 20 days of an employee's start date. The Department's Child Support program utilizes employment information and employer cooperation to assist with child support order compliance. The reported employment information through the state's New Hire Reporting Center is also used to detect and prevent public assistance and reemployment fraud.
Register your business to report newly hired, re-hired or temporary employees within 20 days of an employee's start date.
The Department of Revenue's Child Support Program works with employers in a variety of ways to ensure compliance with child support orders when applicable. Employers must work with the Child Support Program to respond to income withholding requests and to enroll children in medical insurance plans. Once registered with the New Hire Reporting Center, businesses will be able to access the Child Support Employer Services website to report employee termination and bonus or lump sum payments, request replacement copies of income withholding notices currently in place for employees, and use the Program's online calculator to get pro-rated child support amounts for employees that have more than one child support case.
Business Taxes, Fees and Surcharge
Businesses in this category may be required to register for, collect, report and/or remit one or more of the following taxes and fees.
Most corporations and certain entities conducting business, or who are incorporated in Florida, including out-of-state corporations, must file a Florida corporate income tax return.
Register online or by submitting a Florida Business Tax Application (Form DR-1), or by filing the Florida Corporate Income/Franchise Tax Return (Form F-1120).
Reemployment Assistance gives partial, temporary income to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own and are able and available for work. If your business will employ workers in Florida, you may register online or submit a Florida Business Tax Application (Form DR-1).
Before conducting business, anyone selling, renting, leasing or repairing goods, providing certain services, charging admissions, or renting or leasing short-term lodging, housekeeping accommodations, or commercial real property must register with the Department of Revenue.
Additionally, use tax is due on the use or consumption of taxable goods or services when sales tax was not paid at the time of purchase.
Register online or by submitting a Florida Business Tax Application (Form DR-1).
This surtax, imposed by most Florida counties, applies to most transactions subject to sales or use tax. Businesses must also collect the applicable discretionary sales surtax from the purchaser at the time of sale, then report and remit it to the Department of Revenue.
No additional registration is required.
Apply for a license from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) supports and promotes Florida agriculture, protects the environment, safeguards consumers, and ensures the safety and wholesomeness of food. FDACS licenses and inspects various businesses and professions in Florida, such as bakeries, milk producers, weights and measurements, pesticide dealers, oyster harvesting, pre-packaged food sales, beekeepers and travel agents, among others. A variety of different businesses may need to coordinate with FDACS to obtain applicable licenses, registrations and/or permits.
Steps to Opening
Dealers in agricultural products must be licensed and bonded with the FDACS.
Markets are primarily cattle; some also sell swine, sheep and goats, as noted. Goats, horses, etc., are sold on regular market days if consigned. These markets also hold special sales in addition to the regularly scheduled weekly auctions.
All persons holding, sponsoring, or conducting a public sale at which thoroughbred horses are offered for sale shall obtain a license from the FDACS.
Explore assistance from the Department of Economic Opportunity (optional)
Department of Economic Opportunity
In collaboration with our partners, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) assists the Governor in advancing Florida's economy by championing the state's economic development vision and by administering state and federal programs and initiatives to help visitors, citizens, businesses, and communities.
Steps to Opening
Agency Introduction
The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) utilizes public and private sector expertise to attract, retain and grow businesses and create jobs in Florida. It also provides valuable resources for businesses and entrepreneurs; assistance with recruiting workers; and statistical information regarding Florida businesses and employment. Your business may qualify for various state or federal assistance.
Your business may qualify for various state or federal assistance programs.
Additional Local Government Information
Steps to Opening
Federal & Local Government Requirements
This checklist provides state and local requirements. Remember to check federal requirements for your business. The following organizations and websites can help:
- Florida's Small Business Development Center Network (FLSBDC) – State designated as Florida's principal provider of small business assistance, the network provides no-cost, professional business consulting, in-person and on-demand training, and access to business research resources to help Florida businesses—no matter their stage of business—grow and succeed.
- Florida Chamber of Commerce – Throughout the Florida Chamber's 100 year history, its number one goal has been to encourage a business friendly climate that allows job creators to do what they do best – create private-sector jobs and contribute to Florida's economy.
- County Websites – Florida's county governments require various licenses, permits and filings above and beyond state requirements, depending on the type of business you wish to open. Find out about other public services and opportunities related to Florida counties and their governments by visiting the Florida Association of Counties website.
- City Websites – Business owners should be aware of local government requirements, especially local business taxes (occupational licenses), building permits and inspections, planning and zoning, and community and economic development opportunities. The Florida League of Cities offers a comprehensive, alphabetical listing of municipality websites and additional information about local events and government requirements.
Disclaimer: The State of Florida operates OpenMyFloridaBusiness.gov as a public service to Florida residents and visitors worldwide. While efforts were made to verify that the content of this website is accurate and comprehensive, it is recommended that you consult with a professional (e.g., attorney, CPA, SBDC, etc.) to ensure you meet all requirements before starting your business. OpenMyFloridaBusiness.gov is not responsible for the content of external websites.


text:
Frozenbyte's Trine 2 looks like it's shaping up to be one of the prettiest games in recent memory. These new grabs from the puzzle/platormer sequel offer up a wild spectrum of color that shows off Trine's 2 co-op gameplay. It's available for pre-order now, just ahead of its December release date. European consumers will have the option to grab the collector's edition, which includes a soundtrack, art book and a digital download for Trine 1. Look for Trine 2 to hit XBLA, PSN, PC and Mac in a couple of weeks.
You can contact Evan Narcisse, the author of this post, at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


text:
New In : Women's Clothing
Browse our women's new-in collection and discover the latest clothing styles, with premium-quality design that just boasts summer sophistication. Featuring flattering cuts, timeless silhouettes and impeccable tailoring, you can refresh your wardrobe with luxurious pieces you'll wear time and time again.
New In
Turn Back Lapel Coat£250.002 Colours Available


text:
As America's trusted home care providers, Visiting Angels® offers a comprehensive collection of services, each one customized to your loved one's needs. Our caregivers provide the support and assistance your loved one needs to continue living safely at home.
At Visiting Angels, we recognize this is often a time of stress. Many families come to us with immediate care needs. While we act quickly to pair our clients with qualified caregivers, we often start by explaining exactly what kinds of services you can expect from our home care providers.
Every care relationship we enter starts with a thorough consultation with you and your family to understand your concerns and needs. We can then confer with other caregivers involved in your loved one's care, including physicians, nursing staff, social workers, and occupational or physical therapists. Together, we can create a plan that meets your loved one's care needs and helps keep your loved one safe at home.
At Visiting Angels, we believe the best way to provide care is to provide personalized home care services. Your needs are different from your neighbors or friends. We'll never ask you to choose from a menu of services. Instead, we'll create a care plan that ensures your loved one has the support they need when they need it.
The compassionate caregivers at Visiting Angels can be there to:
We recognize your needs are unique, so we provide care that is flexible and matches your senior loved one's schedule or routine. Our caregivers are available during the day, evening, and overnight. Caregiver visits can be scheduled for weekdays, weekends, or holidays. Additionally, around-the-clock care can be arranged by most of our locations*.
We also work with families who have short-term care needs. Seniors returning home after a hospital stay, often require short-term care assistance to help with recovery. Through our Ready-Set-Go Home program, we provide care that helps reduce the possibility of hospital readmission.
In the case of palliative care needs, we assist those suffering from serious and chronic illnesses while they undergo treatment. We work in concert with all other medical personnel to help improve the quality of life for your entire family.
Seniors who wish to remain living safely in their own homes trust our home care providers to support them in numerous ways. We are here to be the bridge between your loved one and their community, routine, and needs. With Visiting Angels, your loved one will never be alone.
* Not all locations provide around-the-clock care. Please check with your local Visiting Angels office for availability.
Other Articles
Your team associate Patsy that has come is not great, she is awesome. Can't thank you enough!
Your team associate Patsy that has come is not great, she is awesome. Can't thank you enough!


text:
(covers information from several alternate timelines)
Death is the permanent end of all life functions in a lifeform (or part of a lifeform in the case of tissue damage). It can also mean the absence of life or state of being dead. Many cultures address this process as it applies to sentient beings in spiritual terms, including the holding of wakes, memorials, and funerals following the death of an individual.
In 2365, Nagilum, in the guise of Data, asked Captain Jean-Luc Picard what death is. According to Picard there are two contemporary philosophies. One is the belief that death is the transformation into an indestructible and unchanging form. According to this belief the purpose of the entire universe is to then maintain that form in an afterlife in an Eden-like place. The other, contrary belief, is that death is simply blinking into nothingness. Picard himself believed that the existence of lifeforms is part of a reality beyond what is currently understood as reality and therefore both philosophies are insufficient. (TNG: "Where Silence Has Lease")
Death is sometimes perceived as an event that is common to all living things. In 2366, Captain Jean-Luc Picard used death and his own mortality as a way to show Nuria and her people that he was no different than they were, and certainly not a god they named "the Picard". (TNG: "Who Watches The Watchers")
According to Apollo, the race of the Greek gods was immortal, but also for them there was a point of no return. As their species could alter their form, it was possible for them to spread so thin that they would disappear from existence. Apollo poetically described this event as returning to the cosmos on the wings of the wind. Apollo was the last of the gods to die in 2267. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")
Sargon considered himself dead although his mind was stored and active in energy-form inside a receptacle. He described the final destruction of his consciousness as departing to oblivion. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")
The Borg Collective considered death to be an irrelevant concept in their philosophy. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds") When a drone was damaged beyond repair, it was simply discarded. All of the drones experiences and memories lived on inside the collective consciousness. This was considered immortality by the Borg. (VOY: "Mortal Coil")
Artificial lifeforms can cease functioning through induced self-destruction. (TOS: "The Changeling")
Death may also be seen as a personification, attributed to a single entity, figure, or symbol. In this form, Death is known by many names, one of the more common being the "Grim Reaper". In 2370, the USS Enterprise-D encountered an alien probe that began to transform the Enterprise into an alien city, complete with hieroglyphic symbols, one of which was the symbol for Death (TNG: "Masks"). In 2267, Lazarus equated his parallel universe counterpart as "Death" and "Anti-Life" (TOS: "The Alternative Factor"). Neelix (and possibly other Talaxians) also have a concept of a "specter of death" (VOY:"The Cloud", "Jetrel")
In 2369, while explaining the nature of linear time to the Prophets, Commander Benjamin Sisko also explained the concept of death, stating that Jennifer Sisko was a most important part of his existence, but that he had "lost her some time ago." The Prophets, however, showed him that he spent much time in his mind dwelling on Jennifer's death, reliving his tragic experience on the USS Saratoga, that he "existed" there, something that was most certainly not linear. (DS9: "Emissary")
Many cultures considered death to be something welcomed, not feared. These included Klingons, whose culture put a high premium on honorable death, and the Vaadwaur, whose children were taught to fall asleep each night imagining different ways to die. (VOY: "Dragon's Teeth")
For most lifeforms, death is a permanent state. However, sometimes resuscitation is possible:
- In 2259 of the alternate reality, Leonard McCoy used Khan Noonien Singh's blood to revive a dead tribble, and then James T. Kirk, who had died from radiation poisoning after reactivating the USS Enterprise's warp core. (Star Trek Into Darkness)
- In 2267, Montgomery Scott was killed by the Nomad probe. Nomad subsequently "repaired the unit Scott". (TOS: "The Changeling")
- In the same year, Leonard McCoy was killed by a knight's lance, in an environment that created reality from people's thoughts. McCoy's resurrection was brought about by the power which created the knight in the first place, after Kirk realized what was occurring. (TOS: "Shore Leave")
- In 2285, Spock experienced death, but with his katra having been placed into Leonard McCoy and his body regenerated on the Genesis Planet, he was able to live again. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
- Tasha Yar killed Yareena with a poisoned, spiked weapon. Dr. Crusher revived her. The details of how exactly this was achieved weren't described. (TNG: "Code of Honor")
- The Kobali were capable of reanimating dead lifeforms in order to procreate their species, however the reanimated corpse would have a limited memory of his or her true life. (VOY: "Ashes to Ashes")
- Species 149 were medically advanced and had the ability to reanimate the dead. They were assimilated by the Borg, allowing the Borg to reanimate a drone as much as 73 hours after death. Neelix was also brought back from being dead using this technique after Seven of Nine proposed it as a medical treatment, but as his death did not match his culture's beliefs regarding an afterlife, he was profoundly disturbed by the experience. (VOY: "Mortal Coil")
- Data noted that his off-switch provided for an experience comparable to death, albeit one that permitted a simple resurrection. (TNG: "The Schizoid Man")
- In 2369, upon his death, Kobliad criminal Rao Vantika transferred his consciousness to Doctor Julian Bashir and continued living in Bashir. (DS9: "The Passenger")
Quotes on Death
"He's dead, Jim."
- - Leonard McCoy (various)
"How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life..."
"Today is a good day to die."
"...this was the day that I lost Jennifer. I don't want to be here."
"Then why do you exist here?"
- - Benjamin Sisko and a Prophet in Jennifer's form, on a replication of the USS Saratoga (DS9: "Emissary")
Related topics
- After death
- Causes of death
- Casualty reports
- Casualty lists
- Bajoran Militia casualties
- Civilian casualties
- MACO casualties
- Mirror universe casualties
- Starfleet casualties (22nd century | 23rd century | 24th century)
- Redshirt
- Other
Additional references
- Episodes:
- ENT: "Dead Stop"
- TNG: "The Bonding"
- TNG: "Half a Life"
- DS9: "The Storyteller"
- DS9: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
- DS9: "To the Death"
- DS9: "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night"
- VOY: "Death Wish"
- VOY: "Coda"
- VOY: "Barge of the Dead"
- Movies:
- Novels:
- Comics:


text:
Happy National Bake Cookies Day! So preheat the oven, crack open some eggs and let's get baking!
German Chocolate Brownie Bars with Brown Sugar Pecan Crust are not cookies but just as delicious and extra special for this sweet baking day!
German Chocolate Brownie Bars with Brown Sugar Pecan Crust and Coconut Pecan Topping
- 16 ounces pecans
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted buttery spread, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted buttery spread
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted buttery spread such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread, at room temperature
- 1 cup rice milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups toasted, chopped pecans
- 2 cups packed sweetened coconut
- To make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until broken up into tiny pieces. Add the sugar and pulse until combined, then pour in the buttery spread and vanilla. Continue pulsing until combined.
- Press the pecan mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the crust feels firm.
- While the crust is baking, make the brownies: In a medium saucepan, melt the buttery spread. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sugar until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
- Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined and pour the batter into the prepared pan, on top of the pecan crust.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow brownies to cool completely before topping.
- To make the topping: While the brownies are baking, mix the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat in the buttery spread, then slowly beat in the rice milk and vanilla until combined. Pour into a medium saucepan set over low heat.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is puffy and begins to thicken (180 degrees), about 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Spread all of the mixture over the top of the brownies.
Chocolate, coconut and pecans oh my! So many elements and textures make these brownies stand out from all the rest.


text:
Windows Phone 8 has been official for two weeks now. Handsets hit the stores just days ago, and we've been busying our fingers learning all the ins and outs of Microsoft's newest mobile OS. There's a lot to love about Windows Phone 8—slick user experience, bright live tiles, and unique hardware—but it takes some time to get to know new software. And since we're already elbow-deep in it, we thought we'd bring you a quick cheat sheet on some of the more common questions about Windows Phone 8.
1. What's the deal with the Microsoft account?
Much like an Apple ID (or a Google account), Microsoft has created an umbrella for all its various groups and that umbrella is your Microsoft account. Formerly known as a Windows Live ID, a Microsoft account is the email address and password you used for Windows Live ID, Xbox, Xbox Music, Outlook.com, Hotmail, Windows 8, SkyDrive, Zune, MSN, Find My Phone or Messenger, so there's a pretty good chance you already have one.
And that's a good thing, because you're going to need one to get apps, games, music, and videos from the Store, play Xbox games, get Twitter and LinkedIn feed on your People hub, create and restore backups, chat using Messenger, sync documents with SkyDrive, or find, ring, lock, or erase a lost phone. If you're starting from fresh, setting up a Microsoft account is as easy as filing an email, choosing a password, and completing a few additional fields.
Ideally, you'll have one Microsoft account and everything will sync back to that. However, many people have more than one account that can be used as a Microsoft account. Perhaps you've got an Outlook.com login at work and an Xbox login at home, or maybe you have separate Zune and Xbox Music accounts. Can you join all these accounts under the big Microsoft account umbrella? Unfortunately, no. If you have more than one account, you'll have to choose which one you'd prefer to make your Microsoft account. This is not easy to reverse, so choose wisely. Usually, you'll want to choose the account you use the most, or the one that has the most information you'll want on your phone. So, if you select your Xbox account to be your Microsoft account, you'll get your Gamerscore, avatar, and achievements on your phone. If you use a Zune or Xbox Music account, you'll be able to play any music bought on those accounts on your smartphone, and get new music. The advantage of picking one account to be your main Microsoft account is to take advantage of the way the services are connected, such as pulling up photos on your TV via SkyDrive when you're using your Xbox, or moving a chat conversation from your phone to your PC.
2. How do I get contacts into my phone?
One of my favorite parts of Windows Phone 8 is the People hub that gathers all your contacts from various email and social media accounts into one location. When I want to see what's up with my sister, I don't have to check Facebook, Twitter, emails, and our more recent text threads, all I have to do is pull up her contact card in my Windows Phone 8 handset. However, that functionality first requires you to import all of your contacts into your shiny new handset. And there are several ways to do this, depending on where your contacts are coming from.
Switching contacts over from a SIM card is the easiest: Tap the People app, then the ellipses (…) in the bottom right corner, which will bring up the Settings option. From there you should tap Import SIM Contacts, if they haven't already automatically imported.
If your contacts are in an Outlook, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or a Microsoft Office 365 account, you'll need to add that account to your Windows Phone 8, and the contacts will get automatically imported. In order to add an account, go to Settings > Email + Accounts, and tap—wait for it—Add an Account. It's pretty straightforward from there: Your phone will ask you to identify the type of account (Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, Google, LinkedIn, etc), then you can enter your login information and sync the account with a few taps of the Next button.
If your contacts are trapped on your PC and you have Microsoft Office Outlook with Exchange, you should be able to import them via your Microsoft account. If you don't use Exchange, you'll need to save your contacts with a Microsoft account that has a cloud-based email service such as Outlook. Your contacts will automatically sync with the address book on your phone when you sign in with your Microsoft account. You may first need to install the Microsoft Office Outlook Hotmail Connector, and then use it to add your Microsoft account to Outlook. Copy your contacts and calendar to Outlook.com, then follow the steps in the Sync Outlook to Windows Phone wizard.
Of course you can also just transfer contacts, emails, and calendars to the Microsoft account you've set up on your Windows Phone, or add them manually by selecting the + icon in the All list in your People hub.
3. How do I organize my contacts?
So now that you've synced your contacts list, your People hub might look like an overwhelming archive of everyone you've ever met as the All section holds each and every one of your contacts alphabetically. However, there is a way to fix that with the help of Groups and Rooms.
Rooms are an invite-only section on your Windows Phone where people you've invited—via text message—can join. Members of a Room can share photos, videos, notes, or a private calendar, or participate in group chat (if they have Windows Phone 8). Groups, on the other hand, are a less official way to categorize your contacts and don't require an invitation. Groups only show up on your phone and your Microsoft account and display all the members' social updates in one place. You can text, email, or IM the whole group at once, but they do not have access to your calendars or photos.
If you don't have a number for a contact, you cannot add them into a Room. Members of a Room also become your Messenger friends or that they are in your SMS record, which allows you to chat with them in the room. If you leave or delete a room, or remove someone from a room, they will still show up in your Messenger section unless you remove them. You can see who you've invited to a Room by checking the Messaging section where your invites should appear as text message threads.
All the members in a room can add photos and videos, add and change calendar items, send group chat messages, and add and edit notes. They can't see personal messages, or anything on your phone that you haven't specifically shared with the Room. You can see social updates from the members of a Room if you're connected to them on a social network. If you haven't accepted Dad's friend request on Facebook, you won't see his updates in the Family Room, for example.
In order to set up a Group or Room, go to your People hub and find the Together section. Then tap the + icon and choose which you'd like to start. From there you'll use the + icon to add members from your contacts list. For Groups, just tap the contact name to add them; for Rooms, the contacts will get a text message inviting them to join the Room. When they do, the Room will be available on their phone. (Only Windows Phone 8 users get the whole Room experience, other handsets have limited functionality. For example, Windows Phone 7 and iPhone users can join a room and see the shared calendar, but they won't be able to participate in group chat.) When you're done adding people, tap the green checkmark or Done.
While it's awesome to segment out contacts into groups, there is a limit: five Rooms and each can have 10 members; Groups can each have no more than 25 members, but there's no limit to how many Groups you can have.
4. How do I move media between my computer and my Windows Phone?
Much like Apple needs iTunes, Windows Phone 8 requires an app to move music, photos, and videos between a PC and a handset. However, if you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8, your computer will direct you to the right app when you connect your Windows Phone 8 handset to it. If you've got Vista or are an XP holdout, you'll need to use Windows Explorer; if you're a Mac user, you'll need to find the Windows Phone app in the App Store.
From there, the app or program should guide you through the process fairly quickly, although it's worth noting that each option has slightly different functions. The Windows Phone app for desktop and Mac also syncs with iTunes, for obvious reasons; while Windows Explorer is the only way to copy documents between your phone and your computer (something that will come into play in the section below). All options will move music, photos, videos, and ringtones between your phone and your computer, as well as automatically copy photos and videos to your computer when your Windows Phone handset is plugged in.
You can add ringtones within the Windows app by clicking Add Music and then Add Songs. From there, select Settings > Ringtones + Sounds and tap the Ringtones list to select your ringtone.


text:
Jackson leaders vote on water fix
Residents in the Town of Jackson have a new plan for clean drinking water.
Town leaders decided Thursday to tie in to the nearby Village of Jackson's water system while the town creates its own well and water system.
"This being the village water for a primary source satisfies the immediate need," said Doyle Busse, a town resident. "And the town water, getting our own wells, takes care of us as a town once again, once they get the wells dug. So I think it's a good decision."
Nearly 55,000 gallons of gasoline spilled in July 2012 from a pipeline. The fuel contaminated close to 30 wells in the area, and residents have been using bottled water ever since.
Officials had three options before Thursday's meeting: tie into the nearby village's water system, buy water and maintain their own system or create their own new wells.
"Whatever they do, as long as they give us clean water," said resident Shirley Swiecichowski. "We paid $12,000 to have our well dug, now we can't use it."
Westshore Pipeline will pay for the fix. The company's cleanup work continues with emergency repairs to reinforce pipeline in a nearby marsh area.


text:
2,270 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 •
I don't often say this but Go Royalty. Right thing to do, though I'm still trying to understand who would pardon this sicko. Thoughts, comments?Morocco's king revoked on Sunday the pardon of a convicted Spanish pedophile that sparked angry protests in the North African nation.
"King Mohammed VI has decided to withdraw the pardon previously accorded to Daniel Galvan Vina," the royal office announced on its official website on Sunday.
The statement said the "exceptional revocation" was ordered by the king because of the "gravity of the crimes committed by the person concerned, as well as out of respect for victims' rights."
According to official newspapers, Galvan was convicted of raping 11 Moroccan children and sentenced 30 years in prison in September 2011. The children ranged in age from 4 to 14.
Galvan, a retired professor, was arrested in December 2010 after he was found with CDs and external storage units containing pornographic images of him raping children.
It was unclear whether Galvan had left the country, as several media reported, but the monarchy said the king has ordered the Minister of Justice to speak with his Spanish counterpart about the actions that would follow the revocation of the pardon.
On Friday, hundreds of angry demonstrators protested outside the country's Parliament building in Rabat, the capital, to protest the royal pardon, according to media reports and social media websites.
A statement posted on the official Moroccan monarchy website on Saturday said that the king had not been informed of the details about the case.
The king "has not been informed on all gravity of the despicable crimes committed by this person," the statement said. The monarchy also said that it will investigate what led to Galvan's release.
Galvan was one of 48 Spanish prisoners who were pardoned. King Juan Carlos of Spain thanked King Mohammed for his action, according to a statement on the Moroccan monarchy's site dated July 31.
Meanwhile, Moroccans on social media are trying to organize another protest in the next few days.


text:
Much of the Harry Potter we see gives the characters a soft touch, making them friendly and familiar. Angela Rizza's intricate illustrations take a different tack, rendering our hero as a stern-faced figure of myth, a high wizard in a hooded sweatshirt.
Rizza leans toward high fantasy illustrations, including some wonderfully detailed Lord of the Rings work. Her Harry Potter pieces seem to place some distance between the audience and Harry. Rather than being a character who grew up alongside his readers, this Harry seems to be a more remote figure, perhaps one whose story is being told decades later, already canonized in the minds of those experiencing the story.
Rizza has prints of these and the rest of her Harry Potter series available from her Etsy store.
Harry Potter Illustrations [Angela Rizza via Design You Trust]


text:
The Fall | 25/01/18
Crows Feet Are Ingrained On My Face
A tribute to Mark E. Smith by Richard King.
In 2010, following the success of the Von Südenfed record, it was agreed that Domino would release the next album by The Fall. I was charged with writing the biography for the release and was given a number to ring in order to speak with Mark E. Smith. Elena Poulou answered the phone and in the background I could hear a raucous noise I assumed to be the band rehearsing. Although this was unlikely as I was calling Mark and Elena at their home.
'Sorry,' Elena said as the noise increased in volume and now included laughter and animated shouting 'could you call tomorrow same time, it's not convenient'.
When I telephoned the next day Elena answered once again, apologised for the day before as Mark came briskly to the phone.
'Alright, yeah' he said 'we're going to get this record out. What's taking so long?' Mark E Smith then chuckled and for the next ten minutes he spoke with the combination of politeness, indignation and occasional contrariness on which his reputation rested.
I asked him about the new album's opening track 'Bury Parts 1 & 3', 'I fucking hate the place' he said, as well as the album's closing number 'Weather Report 2' a song that shared an emotional tenderness and tone with 'Bill Is Dead' from the 1992 album Extricate.
'Well,' he continued 'I really like the band at the moment and think it's the best we've sounded. I mean I would say that but I mean it.'
The defining characteristic of 'Weather Report 2' and 'Bill Is Dead' is the rarely heard vulnerability in Smith's voice and a lyric in which he talks openly and dramatically about his life. There was a pause that indicated this brief moment of sentimentality was sufficient and that our conversation had now ended.
Your Future Our Clutter was well received and continued the momentum The Fall had regained at the turn of the century, when a run of strong releases, the renewed interest in Post Punk and their discovery by a new generation led to one of their most energetic and popular periods.
No one would ever doubt Smith's work ethic but by the late 1990s his well-documented behavioural problems, together with the sense of The Fall operating on a treadmill of contractual obligations and cash in hand reissues had curdled his doggedness. Some of the records from this period such as Levitate and The Marshall Suite are eerie in a way few other Fall records are eerie. On them Smith sounds under resourced, both financially and emotionally, to resist his investiture as an Indie National Treasure. A situation he clearly finds intolerable. The productivity rate of the prole art threat had by now threatened the band's future. At the concert I attended at Dingwalls in '98 the band played as a trio of Smith, Julia Nagle and a drummer, Kate Themen. For ten minutes towards the end the choreographer Michael Clarke joined them on bass. Many present found the performance riveting, but I suspect most assumed they had witnessed the band's final London concert.
Parts of their subsequent survival lie in the regard and mystique with which The Fall were held outside the UK. In the record shop I worked in almost twenty-five years ago, I came close to convincing a young Will Oldham to part with a portion of his fee from the previous night's concert for a mint copy of Fall In A Hole. On a visit to the Domino office Bill Callahan once enquired about the merits of 1997's Levitate, a record very few people I knew had bothered listening to. And despite his regular criticism of the band, Pavement covered The Classical from Hex Enduction Hour for a Peel Session that year. Its inclusion moved the DJ to send the band a personal note of thanks.
It's not difficult to imagine how exotic the early Fall must have seemed to young people in America with enquiring minds. On the 1981 live album A Part Of America Therein, the band are introduced as being from the 'From the riot torn streets of Manchester, England'. The Fall's music of that era is as evocative of Britain in the early 1980s as any World In Action documentary. The lyrics to 'Winter' feature a 'cleaning lady', 'alcoholics dry out house', and a 'feminist Austin maxi with anti nuclear sticker'. The accompanying music is played by a band with a listlessness that, like much of the country at the time, is almost pathological.
The performance the band gave on the Peel session version of 'Winter' is particularly dramatic. On many of these recordings Smith's voice is often louder in the mix and the BBC studio arrangements clearly suited the band. Perhaps Smith was also aware how symbiotic the relationship between The Fall, the radio session and the DJ had become. These were sessions listened to by people who resisted the idea of Smith as an avuncular curmudgeon. They saw him more as an avant-garde Johnny Cash: a man in a black leather jacket and the same neat haircut who was incapable of stopping and whose eyes had become ingrained with crow's feet at an early age. Someone who lived by their wits and was well aware they were sharper and more resilient than those of his contemporaries.
Three years ago I invited Smith to do a Q&A at the stage at Green Man Festival I was then curating. He and the band arrived backstage in their usual manner, in a vehicle branded in the livery of Salford Van Hire. For two hours they sat in the sunshine decompressing from the journey down, laughing and drinking but not to excess, merely enjoying the moment.
When it was time for Smith to take the stage I led him to the side entrance. His right arm shot out with an involuntarily spasm.
'Fucking hell' he whispered 'I didn't know it was this big, can you get us a beer?' I duly passed him a can that he downed in one, before strutted on to the stage with a theatrical sniff and his usual swagger. He received an ovation from the nine hundred people gathered there to see him and for a brief moment a smile cracked across his face. The interview was sponsored by the music magazine Mojo and consisted of questions sent in from its readers. For the next 50 minutes he held forth on matters that provoked his ire: music magazines, Mojo in particular, festivals, Stewart Lee and matters he found inspiring, including Ultramagnetic MCs and Methodism.
Fantastic Life.


text:
NBA: LeBron James is humbled by fourth MVP trophy
MIAMI >> Miami Heat practice had ended, and LeBron James lingered under a basket, fetching free throws for two teammates as he awaited his turn to shoot.
At the other end of the gym, Dwyane Wade shook his head as he watched the NBA's most valuable of players engage in the most mundane of drills.
"He doesn't -- you can see him -- rest on his greatness," Wade said. "He continues to work at it. That's what makes him special. He leaves nothing to chance."
The formal announcement of James' fourth Most Valuable Player award is planned for Sunday, the eve of the Eastern Conference semifinals for the Heat. The honor will vault him into an elite category shared by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, the only other players to win the award at least four times.
James said he was humbled to keep such company.
"I'm a historian of the game," he said. "I know the game. I know these guys paved the way for myself and the rest of us."
James' other MVPs came in 2009, 2010 and 2012. He and Russell are the only players to win the award four times in five years, and he and Abdul-Jabbar are the only players to twice win the award in consecutive seasons.
At age 28, James isn't resting on his laurels. That's why he kept shooting with teammates Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers after practice Saturday, while the other Heat players had headed for the showers.
"I don't know my ceiling," James said. "I don't stop trying to improve my game -- just like today, being in here with Rio and Ray, the last guys to leave the court. I want to continue to maximize what I have."
James said his primary goal remains helping the Heat win a second successive NBA title. They're scheduled to open their conference semifinals series at home Monday against the winner of the series between Chicago and Brooklyn, which went to Game 7 on Saturday night.
The Heat have been idle since Sunday, when they completed a series sweep of Milwaukee. The most scrutinized subject during the layoff has been Wade's sore right knee, and while he expects to play in Game 1, he said he'll likely have to cope with discomfort for the rest of the playoffs.
"I told the coaches, `Don't ask me how I'm doing,"' Wade said to a cluster of reporters. "The mind is a powerful thing. Everything is mind over matter. So when you're dealing with something, you're dealing it. You understand what it is.
"But when people continue to pat you on the back and ask you if you're doing all right and how you are feeling, you start to feel like, `Well, something is wrong with me."'
Wade smiled at the media scrum.
"So I would like for you all not to ask me anymore. Thank you."
Injuries to Wade and other stars around the league this postseason stand in contrast to James' durability, one of his most remarkable traits. In a 10-year career, he has never missed more than seven games in a season, suggesting he's likely to remain a force -- and an MVP contender -- for years to come.
Jordan was 35 the last time he was chosen MVP, in 1998. Abdul-Jabbar won for the final time at 33, Chamberlain and Russell at 31.
"Who wouldn't love to continue to play at an NBA level in the mid-30s?" James said. "We all would want that. Health is always the No. 1 thing."
Healthy, James keeps improving, and the consensus among the Heat and their opponents is that this season was his best yet. He averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting a career-best 56 percent for a team that won a league-high 66 games, including 27 in a row.
That's after leading Miami to the 2011-12 NBA championship and then helping the U.S. win a gold medal at the London Olympics.
"We tell our organization and our fans, `Don't take this for granted,"' coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's a once-in-a-generation player, and you knew it when he came into the league. There are No. 1 draft picks, and then there are No. 1 generational draft picks that are heads and shoulders above everybody else. They don't come around very often."
While James pledges to be even better in 2013-14, teammates wonder what part his game can improve.
"I don't know," Udonis Haslem said. "I'm running out of stuff, man."
"Maybe next year he'll shoot 70 percent," Chris Bosh said.
In search of his ceiling, James hung around after practice Saturday, shooting extra free throws.
"He's on the verge of winning four MVPs in five years, and he'll be the last one to leave the gym today," Wade said. "He understands the gift God gave him. He understands that not many have it and it doesn't last for too long, and he wants to make sure he maximizes all of it."


text:
Princess of Hope & Sphinx Like Structure 740 Year Old Mountain Near Gwadar, Makuran Coastal Highway!
Hingol National Park is located along the Makran coast in southwestern Balochistan Province, southwestern Pakistan. It lies within sections of Lasbela District, Gwadar District, and Awaran District. The Gulf of Oman of the Arabian Sea are to the south.[1]The provincial capital of Karachi is approximately 190 kilometres (120 mi) to the southeast on the coast.
Princess of Hope: The Princess of Hope is a statue, founded in Hingol National Park lies on the Makran coast in Baluchistan and approximately 275 km from Karachi. The name Princess of Hope was given by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on her visit to this area acting as the UN Ambassador of Goodwill in 2002.
The Natural Sphinx: Only companion of Princess of Hope is a Sphinx like structure. The Sphinx are mainly associated with Egypt, which were sculpted figures as Egyptian deities. These Sphinx like the Great Sphinx of Giza were constructed on the order of the Pharaohs to depict the pharaoh being the son of God. These have many religious and cultural symbolisms.
Sphinx, EGYPT
Sphinx, Makran-Gawadar
Princess of Hope & Sphinx – Structure Cause: The coast of Makran has muddy hills with very fast winds blowing throughout the year. These fast winds cut through the muddy hills and mountains and can result in a natural rock formation shaped like a standing lady (Princess of Hope) or sphinx. The Natural Sphinx is obviously not as sharply carved as the sphinx in Egypt however this is worth seeing once in a lifetime.
Princess of Hope along Makran Coastal Highway:
Sphinx along Makran Coastal Highway: