text:
"Living near loud traffic increases your risk of having a heart attack," the Daily Mail today reported. The Mail added that the link "could be due to noise causing stress and sleep disturbances". However, donning earplugs at night isn't necessarily the answer to preventing heart attacks.
The Mail's headline is based on a large urban Danish study showing that for every 10dB increase in the volume of road traffic noise exposure there was a 12 per cent increase in the risk of having a heart attack. This was the case for estimated traffic noise at the time of the heart attack and over the preceding five years.
This does not mean that traffic noise alone causes heart attacks. The authors speculated that higher noise exposure may increase stress and sleep disturbances, and that these in turn may lead to more heart attacks.
Similarly, the group that went on to have heart attacks was significantly less healthy than those who didn't. While the researchers tried to adjust for this, there is still a chance that the association with road noise is just a coincidence.
This is an intriguing study. It highlights an association between traffic noise and the risk of heart attack, but it has not established cause and effect. The effect of traffic noise on the heart may be influenced by sleep disturbances or associated changes in lifestyle habits such as smoking, but these theories remain unproven and require further study.
Where did the story come from?
The study was carried out by researchers from universities, societies and other research institutions based in Denmark and The Netherlands. It was funded by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the Research Centre for Environmental Health, Danish Ministry of the Interior and Health, and the Danish Cancer Society.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed science journal PloS One where the article is freely available online.
What kind of research was this?
This was a large prospective cohort study that aimed to investigate the association between residential exposure to road traffic noise and the risk for new cases of heart attack that were not associated with air pollution and other known risk factors for heart attacks.
The study authors stated that both road traffic noise and ambient air pollution have been associated with risk for ischaemic heart disease. However, the evidence for this comes from only a few inconsistent studies that included both exposures. Ischaemic heart disease is characterised by a reduced blood supply to heart muscle that can cause symptoms of chest pain (angina) and decreased exercise tolerance.
The media reporting of this story was balanced, with coverage that included quotes from researchers suggesting that the relationship between traffic noise and heart attacks may be influenced by sleep disturbances. However, this is a theory put forward to explain the results, but has not been proven by this study alone.
What did the research involve?
The study was based on a cohort of 57,053 people who lived in the two largest Danish cities (Copenhagen and Aarhus) and who were born in Denmark. The participants were aged between 50 to 64 years old and were required to have no history of cancer when they enrolled in the study, which they did between 1993 and 1997.
At enrolment all the participants answered questions about food intake and lifestyle habits, including:
- detailed information on present and previous smoking
- physical activity
- their health status, including self-reported information on diabetes and social factors
Trained staff members also measured blood pressure.
The participants were followed up until 2006 to document cases of heart attack and death that were obtained from linked medical and death records. On average people were followed up for 9.8 years, during which time researchers identified 1,600 cases of first-ever heart attack (myocardial infarction); 331 of which were fatal.
Exposure to road traffic noise and air pollution from 1998 to 2006 was estimated for all participants based on their residential address history. This estimation of noise exposure, measured in decibels (dB), used a noise-modelling programme called SoundPLAN, which the researchers said has been the standard method for noise calculation in Scandinavia for many years. This included inputting many measures of traffic including average daily traffic, vehicle distribution, travel speed, width of the road, distance of the person's house from the road and information about the building height. However, the researchers did not measure noise levels for each participant. No information was available for "noise barriers" either – it is unclear whether the researchers meant earplugs or similar devices, or traffic-calming measures.
Associations between expected exposure to road traffic noise and new cases of heart attack were analysed to account for the influencing effects of air pollution and other potential confounders including age, sex, education, lifestyle factors, railway and airport noise.
The analysis calculated the risk of heart attack for each single year of age in the person's life, and the average risk over the five-year period immediately before the heart attack.
What were the basic results?
The final analysis was based on 50,614 participants whose addresses were known and met the enrolment criteria. The key results were:
- There was a total of 1,600 cases of heart attack; 331 of which were fatal.
- Estimated residential exposure to road traffic noise was significantly associated with new cases of heart attack.
- The relationship between road traffic noise and heart attack was a "linear dose-response relationship". This means that as the amount of noise increased, the risk of heart attack also increased at a proportionate level.
- For every 10dB increase in noise exposure (at the time of the heart attack) there was a 12 per cent increase in the risk of having a heart attack (incident rate ratio: 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.22).
- There was very similar risk increase for noise exposure over the five years immediately before the heart attack occurred (incident rate ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.23). The similarity is partly explained by the fact that most people hadn't moved house in the last five years as so their traffic noise exposures were estimated to be similar in at the time of heart attack and in the previous five years.
- For every 10dB increase in noise there was a trend towards an increased risk of having a fatal heart attack (incident rate ratio: 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 1.43).
- There was no significant association found between exposure to pollution and heart attack.
Those that had a heart attack were more likely to have high exposure to traffic noise and air pollution in their lives. They had also reached a lower educational level and were generally more unhealthy at enrolment, having:
- smoked more
- drunk more alcohol
- eaten less fruit and fewer vegetables
- done less physical activity
- higher blood pressure
- higher total cholesterol
- a higher BMI
- a higher prevalence of diabetes
How did the researchers interpret the results?
The researchers concluded: "Long-term residential road traffic noise was associated with a higher risk for MI [heart attack], in a dose-dependent manner."
This large cohort study of Danish adults shows that people who went on to have a heart attack had a significantly higher exposure to road traffic noise in the five-year period preceding the heart attack, and that the increase in risk was proportionate to the amount of noise exposure.
This study had many strengths, including its large cohort size, prospective design, objective measures of heart attack occurrence and the relatively large number of heart attacks observed in the study period.
However, the study had some drawbacks that make it difficult to conclude firmly that experiencing traffic noise increases your risk of heart attack. These include:
Those who had heart attacks were already more unhealthy
The group that went on to have heart attacks was significantly less healthy than those who didn't (they smoked and drank more, and did less activity). While the researchers made every effort to adjust for this fact in their statistical analysis, there is still a chance that some of the observed increase in risk associated with noise exposure is in fact due to that group having a much less healthy lifestyle in general.
Unrepresentative sample
The study authors acknowledged that the study population was not representative of the wider Danish population as the participants lived mainly in urban areas. The study findings may not be directly applicable to people living in more rural areas and other countries outside Demark.
Single outcome measure
- The study only looked at the effect of noise exposure on having a heart attack. No other diseases such as stroke or cardiovascular disease were investigated.
- Similarly, only traffic noise was examined, not noise from listening to loud music in headphones or work-related noise such as a noisy factory. These findings are specific to road noise and not to noise in general.
Accurately measuring noise experienced by individuals is difficult
- The estimation of the noise exposure is unlikely to have been carried out perfectly. Noise was not directly measured at an individual level. Instead, estimates of expected levels were calculated from residential addresses and road traffic information. This is likely to have introduced some inaccuracy. The authors suggested that these inaccuracies are likely to be spread equally across all participants and so are unlikely to change the main study conclusion.
- No information was collected on bedroom location (to estimate levels of night-time noise exposure), noise from neighbours, earplug use and hearing impairment. All of these are factors which could influence noise exposure for individuals.
Cannot prove cause and effect
- The authors stated that the causal link between traffic noise and heart attack is still unclear. They did not suggest that traffic noise causes heart attacks but speculated that higher noise levels may increase stress and sleep disturbances that in turn may lead to more heart attacks.
- They also hypothesised that stress and sleep disturbances can cause changes in lifestyle habits, including increased tobacco smoking, which could explain the association between traffic noise and heart attack observed in their study. Surprisingly however, the study reported finding indications of a high effect of road traffic noise on heart attacks among people who had never smoked.
This intriguing study highlighted an association between traffic noise and the risk of heart attacks. However, there is no proven causation yet established. The effect of traffic noise on the heart may be influenced by sleep disturbances or associated changes in lifestyle habits such as smoking, but these theories remain unproven and would require further study.
The best way to avoid having a heart attack is to steer clear of risk factors such as smoking and eating a salty, fatty diet. Make sure you also get plenty of exercise. It is too early to recommend moving to a quieter neighbourhood or sleeping with earplugs in.
Analysis by Bazian
Edited by NHS Website
Links to the science
Sørensen M, Andersen ZJ, Nordsborg RB et al.
Road Traffic Noise and Incident Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Cohort Study
PLoS One. Published online: June 20 2012


text:
It's impossible to go through the 2000 Super Bowl season without remembering the Ravens' divisional playoff win over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
There is no better game in team history. I covered it live and have watched it six times on tape. The game was exciting, exhilarating and exhausting. There were more subplots and story lines than a TV reality show, and as much drama and theatrics as any prime-time event from World Wrestling Entertainment.
In that 60-minute period, a season was played out in microcosm as Ravens coach Brian Billick milked every ounce of energy and passion from his players, and from himself.
Final score: Ravens 24, Titans 10.
The tone of the game was set minutes before kickoff, when the Titans aired a video on their JumboTron of Billick talking to his team in the locker room after the Ravens had beaten the Titans, 24-23, in the regular season.
The tape fired up the then-record Adelphia Coliseum crowd of 68,527, and Billick was clearly irritated as he paced the sideline, running his fingers through his hair numerous times as he muttered to his players, "Well, it's out there now; you've got to back me up."
It was on.
Tennessee scored a touchdown on its first possession, and the crowd was on Billick. But when the Ravens scored early in the second quarter, Billick faced the Tennessee bench and the cameras caught him dropping some forceful expletives.
It was a 60-minute dogfight, like the old footage of "The Flintstones" where the cavemen take turns pounding each other over the head. It was vintage Baltimore football.
The Ravens had no offense that season and none in that game. They had the ball for only 19 minutes, 31 seconds, and gained only 134 yards of total offense. Their only time inside the red zone came on a 56-yard pass from Trent Dilfer to tight end Shannon Sharpe, which was followed by a 1-yard touchdown run by Jamal Lewis.
But that's how the Ravens won that season. They were scrappy, a team that bonded together after the double-murder trial of star middle linebacker Ray Lewis in the summer. Even some of the no-names contributed in that game, like defensive end Keith Washington, who blocked two field-goal attempts by Al Del Greco, one resulting in a 90-yard touchdown return by defensive back Anthony Mitchell.
Poor Del Greco. One of the best kickers in NFL history, he missed three field-goal tries in this game, including a 31-yard attempt that hit the left upright.
It's a good thing he did, because the Ravens had trouble stopping the Titans, who finished with 317 yards of total offense. But on four trips inside the 20-yard line, the Titans managed just one touchdown.
The game belonged to Lewis. He drove Steve McNair, the Titans' quarterback, into the ground in the second quarter, injuring his shoulder, and stole a pass off the hands of running back Eddie George that he turned into a 50-yard, game-clinching touchdown with 6:41 left.
Lewis and George were great friends, but on this day, Lewis destroyed him numerous times. It was no contest. But what was touching was George's walking into the Ravens' locker room after the game and the two players hugging.
It was a great day for two gladiators with mutual respect for each other.
But the final moment belonged to Billick. It was warm on that January day in Nashville, and at the post-game news conference, sweat poured off his face and his hair was matted to his head.
A reporter asked Billick about the Ravens' trash-talking before the game.
Without hesitating, Billick said: "When you go into the lion's den, you don't tippy-toe in. You carry a spear. You go in screaming like a banshee …"
In that one moment, Billick captured the soul of every fan in Baltimore who heard him. Heck, I wanted to play for him that day.
In our business, after so many years, we often become cynical and unappreciative of what we do because we do it every day. But that was one game I'm glad to say I was at. It was that thrilling, that entertaining.
I'll never forget.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Manu Ginobili's shoe can't contain him
San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili's foot went right through his shoe Wednesday in the second quarter of the Spurs' game against the Detroit Pistons. Ginobili was moving to his left to defend when his foot burst through. With a fresh shoe, Ginobili led San Antonio to a 120-110 win.
[h/t USA Today]


text:
The Carolinas Regional Council (later Carolinas Council) was founded in 1971 when there were nine chapters in the two Carolinas with approximately 2,000 members. It was the first Council formed of the twenty-four Councils in the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and was chartered in 1975.
One of the prime movers in the formation of the Carolinas Council was Charles W. (Chuck) Lent who had a long history of very active IMA involvement. Before moving to this area, he had been President of the Lansing (Michigan) chapter. After moving here, he was President of the Charlotte chapter and the first President of the Catawba Valley chapter, which he was instrumental in getting organized. In between, he served as a national director and was a national Vice President (1966-1967. He was a natural to spearhead the organization of the Carolinas Council and become its first President.
In the early years, the Council concentrated on chapter operations and developing a "team spirit" among the member chapters. The success of this effort was evident at the annual conference in Dallas in June 1973 when ten of the Council's thirteen chapters won banners and one chapter received the Stevenson Trophy. Over the years, the Carolinas Council expanded reaching its peak in the mid-1980s with 22 chapters and approximately 4,000 members. The Council currently consists of 14 Chapters with nearly 2,500 members.
During one of the Council's early meetings, it was decided to institute a means of recognizing accomplishment by individual chapters, specifically to recognize a "Best" and "Most Improved" council member chapter each year, similar to the competition categories and awards at the National level. After deciding on traveling trophies inscribed with each year's winners, the next question was the nomenclature. Several names were suggested and listed on a handy blackboard. Two names stood out to everyone. By acclamation, the competition and trophy for the "Best" chapter was named for Chuck Lent. Almost as obvious was the naming of the "Carolinas Trophy" for the "Most Improved" chapter. Rules for the Intra-council competition were established and, as with the national competition, have been modified over the years to emphasize different aspects of chapter performance and participation in Council activities. As the importance of professional development grew, it was decided to add a trophy to recognize the Council member chapter that obtained the highest number of professional education points in the Institute's inter-council competition. This award was first made during the 1989-1990 council year and is referred to as the Carolinas Professional Development Award.
It soon became obvious that chapters (especially the new and smaller ones) needed assistance in the area of Professional Development, so the Council began sponsoring an Annual Accounting Conference for all chapters in the Council.
The first conference was held in the fall of 1974, in Charlotte, NC, and was a huge success. A conference has been held annually since that time with recent conferences held in Myrtle Beach, SC in late April or early May in conjunctions with one of the Council's CLEW sessions and the Spring Council meeting.
Three professional development meetings are also held each year in conjunction with the other three Council meetings. Location of these meetings rotates throughout the Council territory with different chapters planning and hosting each meeting. In addition to professional development meetings on the morning of Council meetings, many chapters are currently providing a Regional Education Assistance Program (REAP) on the Friday before the council meeting. The REAP programs typically offer a full eight hours of CPE with a professional speaker provided by the IMA national office. The Carolinas Council usually offers between twenty to fifty hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) each year.
The Council provides many leadership-training opportunities for Council officers and directors, chapter delegates, and other participants. (Each chapter has three voting delegates but all members are urged to attend Council meetings and participate in Council activities). The Council is a strong supporter of the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified in Financial Management (CFM) programs and assists chapter members in attaining this professional recognition.
The Corporate Development Program is an important area of Council activity. Council members call on corporate leaders in the Carolinas to acquaint them with the benefits of IMA membership. They discuss the CMA and CFM certification programs as well as other educational benefits of membership. Since many of the Council representatives are in positions of responsibility with their respective organizations, they are "naturals" for this activity. Initial efforts in this area have resulted in membership growth and enhanced the image of IMA as a truly professional organization.
The newest area of Council activity is the Financial Executive of the Year Award. This program is co-sponsored by accountants on call and the Institute of Management Accountants and the first award was given in 1997. Nominations of deserving individuals (Nominees are not required to members of the Institute of Management Accountants) who reside in the area serviced by the Carolinas Council are made through accountants on call offices. A selection committee of three Council members and one accountants on call representative select the winner. The winner is recognized at a special luncheon held at the Spring Accounting conference in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The success of the Carolinas Council is due not only to providing professional development, and annual accounting conference, leadership training opportunities, and corporate development activities, but also its goal of serving the IMA membership in the most professional manner possible. That is what today's Management Accountant demands and deserves.


text:
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text:
Editor's note: This review was originally published June 20 2009.
Le Club Chasse et Pêche
Rating 4 out of 4
423 St. Claude St. (corner St. Paul St.)
Phone: 514-861-1112
Website: www.leclubchasseetpeche.com
Open: Lunch Tues.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner Tues.-Fri. 5-11 p.m.; Sat. 6-11 p.m.
Licensed: Yes
Credit cards: Major cards
Reservations: Essential
Vegetarian friendly: Yes
Parking: Difficult. Try the lot on St. Paul St. near Bonsecours.
Price range: Starters $12-$24; main courses $29-$37; desserts $10-$13. Lunch: starters $7-$14; main courses $13-$23; desserts $5-$7.
MONTREAL - There is a Relais & Châteaux property called Le Vieux Logis in Trémolat, deep in the French Périgord, that has the most beautiful outdoor dining room. I had lunch there three summers ago on my mother's birthday, sitting on teak furniture under a ceiling of linden trees. We all started out in a terrible mood (it had been a long trip), but by the time the café and mignardises hit the table, we were friends again.
Montreal's terrasse scene gets plenty of hype, but I'll pass on those rooftop patios filled with sangria sippers and scene soaker-uppers. My fantasy terrasse, like that one in Trémolat, offers bucolic views, chic table settings, exquisite food and a cast of smooth waiters and sophisticated rosé sippers. You won't find many like that in the city, but there is one hidden behind the Château de Ramezay that fulfills all of my terrasse fantasies. Even better, it's run by the staff of Le Club Chasse et Pêche.
By now most Montreal - and many foreign - foodies are familiar with Le Club Chasse et Pêche. Opened four years ago by chef Claude Pelletier and maitre d' Hubert Marsolais, "Le Club" (the nickname coined by regulars) quickly garnered praise as one of the city's best restaurants. Pelletier is one of Montreal's top chefs, but he's also a low-key kind of guy who shuns the spotlight. That's where Marsolais comes in. Charming, cool and ever-present in the dining room, Marsolais always has a smile on his face and a biodynamic wine for you to taste.
Not much has changed at Le Club since it opened. These seasoned restaurateurs were already working on a high level, so it's not as though they were learning on the job. Yet with main-course prices originally in the $20 range (I knew it wouldn't last), there's no missing how much more the "addition" is in 2009. And the inclusion of a terrasse last year resolved the problem of lunching in Le Club's dark dining room mid-summer.
Accessed either from the front of the château or on St. Claude St. just up from the restaurant, this 50-seat lunch-time-only terrasse is perched above the walled Governor's Garden, and covered by a large white awning, which means rain is rarely a burden. The gravel floor is not ideal for those with stilettos or fancy purses, so leave those at home. Still, the crowd here is pretty posh, so cut-offs and flip-flops should be avoided as well.
What you shouldn't avoid, though, is a glass of wine to get the meal rolling. Le Club's terrasse menu includes 19 selections of predominantly French wines by the glass ranging from $7 to $16. As for the food, prices are reasonable (lunch-time main courses cap at $23 versus $37 at night) ingredients are first-class, and presentations are pretty, pretty.
A recent lunch began with three starters: a snow-crab timbale, gravlax and a cold lobster soup. There's a ladies-who-lunch look to these plates that seduced me from the outset. Happily, everything tastes as good as it looks.
Paired with a mango salsa, the delicate crab salad was sweet and briny, with an added bit of crunch provided by slices of watermelon that had been marinated "sous-vide" to enhance the flavour and crisp-up the texture. Gorgeous.
The gravlax was just as good. Presented on a cucumber terrine layered with a subtle mint jelly, the toothsome slices of salmon added saltiness to the mix, and a few smears of yogourt pulled it all together. As for the soup, though more tomato in flavour than lobster, this cold potage was a real treat with a glass of rosé under the sun.
Main course shone as bright. A large plate of grilled octopus was served on a bed of chickpeas, red peppers and watercress with cubes of aubergine throughout. Octopus is huge on the restaurant scene right now, and this plate is one of the best. I also relished the elk tataki served on crisp green beans mixed with enoki mushrooms and dollops of tapenade. Though a bit peppery, this dish is still a winner, and, at $19, a steal considering the generous portion.
We wrapped up the meal with three desserts, a feisty Key lime tartlet, a dense chocolate cake and a cranberry square topped with a serious vanilla-bean ice cream.
There was no denying the Club Chasse et Pêche terrasse is quite the experience. Which left me wondering, how's the main restaurant at night?
Accompanied by Gazette wine critic Bill Zacharkiw, I returned to test the dinner fare and hear Bill's comments on the wine list, one of the restaurant's many strengths.
Dinner started off strong with a roasted quail starter served with lamb's lettuce and golden cherries laced with that chefs' fave, the Canadian ice-wine vinegar called minus-eight. I love quail, and I eat it whenever I can. This quail, with a soft texture and a rich, foie-gras-like flavour, was the best I have ever tasted.
Across the table, Bill worked his way though another octopus dish, grilled again but this time paired with cherry tomatoes and jalapenos. Though he found the seasoning lacked a hit of lemon to raise the acidity level, I felt the octopus needed nothing more to make it shine.
We both agreed, though, that the main courses were superb. Mine, a filet of Tasmanian trout paired with rock shrimp and the season's last (and tiniest) fiddleheads, was a complete success from the delicate texture of the fish to the overall spring feel of the dish.
Bill's, the house classic surf and turf, featured sweetbreads and lobster. I may have even like this dish better, as the lobster was perfect and the sweetbreads were crisp, not the least bitter. Swirled around the stack was a bisque-like sauce, making the whole dish as luxurious as delicious.
Desserts ended the meal on an even bigger high. Bill's, a caramel tart served with a bitter chocolate sorbet, was simple yet so perfectly flavoured that I bow to pastry chef Masami Waki for her bang-on caramel cookery. The girl also knows how to make a crumble. The one I tasted, apple and banana topped with a quenelle of dulce de leche ice cream, was heavenly.
Service was relaxed yet solicitous, and as for the wine, Bill said, "The list is researched, interesting and, above all, fairly priced for a restaurant of that calibre. I know a lot about wine, but I would be crazy not to ask their opinions on what to order. And that is the real jewel of the wine service there, the general knowledge of the staff."
I really can't say enough about my meals at Le Club Chasse et Pêche. There's a little voice inside telling me four stars might be excessive for a restaurant with a pretty relaxed ambience and no fancy tasting menu. But when everything is flawless, that's the only rating that fits.
So voilà!


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Auto Publishers Price Starting at
*Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your atual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors.VIEW OUR INVENTORY
Trend-setting style; boxy design opens up lot of passenger space; versatility for cargo; improved ride and handling; a feature set unlike other compact cars
The biggest news for 2017 is the addition of a new engine and transmission set powering the Exclaim trim. Featuring a turbocharger, the new engine makes 40 more horsepower than the one it replaces and it's mated to a new dual-clutch style gearbox. In addition to the new engine, the Soul also gets a small redesign to the front fascia with new headlights and fog lights. Inside, an additional USB port has been added to aid in charging devices, while a new 8-way power adjustable passenger seat is also available.


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Marussia is not racing on a "level playing field", team chief executive Graeme Lowdon has told the Guardian newspaper.
It emerged earlier this year that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone decided to limit the official prize money to only the top ten teams, explaining why Marussia was not offered a new commercial deal for 2013.
Additionally, an extra $10 million per year paid until now to the new teams Caterham, Marussia and the now-defunct HRT was cancelled.
Lowdon complained: "All we ask for is a level playing field. We are not asking for much."
He said the lack of income is compounded by F1 teams' current business model, with exorbitant spending translating into laptime.
"You can buy success, to some extent," said Lowdon. "Most teams, if they have money, will spend it and, if you spend everything you have and then find out you are not getting it, you have a problem.
"All teams should be treated equally. For whatever reason, that does not seem to be the case."


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Today we got the honor of watching Mallory walk across the stage and graduate from the U of A. Our family has LOVED having her live here for the past four years and are very sad and excited to see her go to Lousianna to continue on with her education. Mallory we are so proud of you and how hard you have worked to receive your degree!
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Mallory is a College Graduate!!!!!
Posted by Lindsey at 10:27 AM
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HONOLULU Airfare, hotels, guided tours and pricey luaus a Hawaii vacation can add up, especially now that hotel room prices are back on the rise.
But walk past the expensive hotels in Waikiki, the tourist epicenter of Honolulu, and the greatest attraction of all awaits, for free: the beach.
With miles of coastline in Oahu, theres certain to be a sand, sea and surf spot to your liking.
But if thats not enough, there are plenty of other great things to see and do without spending a dime. Here are five:
Royal Hawaiian Band
This 32-member band including three tuba players, a steel guitarist and a bassoonist dates back to the days the monarchy ruled Hawaii. The band was founded in 1836 by King Kamehameha III, and now runs as its own municipal agency. Today, it plays free concerts around Hawaii, with a standing date every Friday at noon at Iolani Palace near downtown.
Royal Hawaiian Center
This mall in Waikiki has its own cultural programming budget, offering free music every night and free activities every day, from lei-making to hula and free performances twice weekly from dancers and musicians from the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Manoa Falls hike
This is one of the most popular hikes on Oahu, loved by tourists and locals for its natural beauty. Fair warning: Although its only eight-tenths of a mile, its not exactly a cakewalk. But if you want something different or easier, you can always go to the states trail website http://goo.gl/hY4QL to find your path.
Uss Arizona Memorial
This popular site at Pearl Harbor actually is a grave, a resting place for crew members who died in the Pearl Harbor attack of Dec. 7, 1941. Visitors can see it on a first-come, first-serve basis, and many go to see a significant piece of history and pay respects to those who died.
Hawaii State Art Museum
The Hawaii State Art Museum is free and well-located in historic downtown Honolulu, offering a bonus of seeing other historic buildings in the neighborhood. Its open five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, and offers rotating exhibits.


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Balsamic Strawberries with Arugula
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 15 minutes
In the original How to Cook Everything, I featured these strawberries as a peppery, slightly sweet compote in the fruit chapter. In Italy, where balsamic vinegar originated, strawberries with balsamic are served as a dessert. But the combination is equally fantastic in a savory salad.
3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
01 Toss the strawberries with the vinegar and black pepper in a large salad bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
02 Add the arugula, sprinkle with salt, and toss again. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently one last time. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
Balsamic Strawberries with Arugula and Goat Cheese. Before the final toss in Step 2, crumble 4 ounces of goat cheese over the salad.


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PrepaYd Wireless' MVNO agreement, essentially putting PrepaYd out of business. I've heard nothing new since then from PrepaYd or Sprint.
PrepaYd's threatened law suit against Sprint doesn't seem to have been filed. I suspect that PrepaYd is insolvent and Sprint has cut them off for non-payment.
If you are a PrepaYd customer and don't want to lose your number I recommend porting out now. If I'm right and PrepaYd is broke, sooner or later they will close up shop completely and it will be difficult or impossible to port.
You need your account number and passcode to port. Your account passcode is your four digit security PIN. The only way to get the account number seems to be by contacting PrepaYd or a PrepaYd dealer.
If you want to use your current PrepaYd phone you need to port to another Sprint MVNO that supports "Bring Your Own Sprint Phone" (BYOP) such as EcoMobile Ting, Red Pocket CDMAS, Expo Mobile, RingPlus or Chit Chat. See Sprint and Sprint MVNO Prepaid Plans Compared for details of each operator's plans.
The PrepaYd meltdown began on 2/14 when PrepaYd dealers received this message:
We regret to inform you that Sprint has terminated PrepaYd Wireless' Sprint MVNO Agreement and that we will no longer be able to activate new customers on PrepaYd Wireless. We have suspended all Top Ups and activations. We have made the Account Numbers available for you Customers in the Dealer Portal under the Customer Report. We are in the process of filing an Anti-Trust Claim against Sprint for what we believe have been anti-competitive and unfair business practices by Sprint to PrepaYd, Wireless Customers, Wireless Dealers, and to other Sprint MVNOs. If you have felt that at any point Sprint has harmed you or your customers in any way to contact us at [email protected].
PrepaYd also issued a press release (copied below) saying that it's filing an anti-trust suit against Sprint and asking other MVNOs to join them in the suit and for customers who feel they have been harmed by Sprint's actions to contact Prepayd:
PrepaYd, Inc. Announces it seeks other Sprint MVNO's to Join proposed Anti-Trust suit over the Sprint MVNO Program
PrepaYd provides wireless services to U.S. residents with little or poor credit
Henderson, NV (PRWEB) February 14, 2014
PrepaYd Inc. formerly Known as Prepaid Card Holdings, Inc. (OTC: PPDC.PK) which is a Sprint Mobile Virtual Network Operator "MVNO" announced today it is looking for additional past and present Sprint MVNO's to join PrepaYd in an Anti-Trust suit involving the Sprint MVNO program. PrepaYd has prepared a suit to be filed in the District Court , Clark Count , Nevada.
PrepaYd is currently interviewing law firms to represent them on this matter.
Wireless subscribers whose phone was shut down with little notice, MVNO shareholders, creditors and dealers who wish to be part of this proposed anti –trust lawsuit please send an email to [email protected] detailing how you were harmed and what your estimated damages were.
Originally publisher 2/14/2014, updated 2/20/2014
Press release source: PRWEB


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Loaded with herbs and pecorino.
Stuffing is essential on the holiday table, loaded as it is with bread and just enough vegetables to sop up gravy while feigning healthiness. Switch things up to offer the noncarnivores a chance at a real meal, and try this bread pudding (using vegetable or mushroom broth).... Read More
View Recipe


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OTTAWA - The Conference Board of Canada's said Friday that its index of consumer confidence is down in December for a third month in a row amid concerns over job prospects and the economy in general.
The Ottawa-based forecaster's index, based on surveys conducted in the first weeks of December, dropped by 2.4 points from the previous month to 77.9.
That was still eight points above where it was at the end of 2011 but lower than before the 2008-9 recession, the Conference Board said Friday.
Among other things, it found an elevated concern about future job prospects and the Canadian economy in general — although respondents indicated slightly less concern about their current financial situation.
"The percentage of respondents who said they expect more jobs in their area decreased 0.8 points to 16.6 per cent, while the share that expect fewer jobs climbed 1.5 points to 21.1 per cent," the board found.
"When asked if they felt they were better or worse off financially today than they were six months ago, 17 per cent of respondents said they were better off — up 0.4 percentage points from last month," the board's analysis says.
There was a corresponding decline of 0.4 of a percentage point to 19.1 per cent in the number of people who felt they were currently worse off than six months earlier but the report noted "negative responses continue to outnumber positive ones by a significant margin, much as they did for all of 2012."
"Survey results also indicated a considerable amount of trepidation about future finances," it said.
"The share of respondents who said they expect their financial situation to worsen over the next six months now stands at 17.4 per cent, which is 2.8 percentage points higher than last month and no better than it was one year ago."
In addition, it said the share of respondents who said they expect their finances to improve over the same period dropped 0.8 points to 23 per cent.
"Attitudes toward major purchases recorded a minor improvement," the report says.
"Consumers are asked if they feel that now is a good or bad time to purchase a car, home, or other major item. This month, 39.3 per cent said it is a good time—up from 38.5 per cent in November. But optimistic responses continue to be far outnumbered by negative ones, with 48.7 per cent answering that now is a bad time to make a major purchase — a concern for holiday shopping."
The latest survey was conducted between Dec. 6 and Dec. 18. The index uses 2002 as a base of 100.
The overall December national reading of 77.9 was down from 80.3 in November and 81.1 in October.
On a regional basis, Quebec and Ontario had the lowest December readings (64.1 and 68.4, respectively). the highest readings were British Columbia (109.4) and the Prairies (97.4). The Atlantic region was above the national number at 79.8.


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A resource is any aspect of the computing system that can be manipulated with the intent to change application behavior. Thus, a resource is a capability that an application implicitly or explicitly requests. If the capability is denied or constrained, the execution of a robustly written application proceeds more slowly.
Classification of resources, as opposed to identification of resources, can be made along a number of axes. The axes could be implicitly requested as opposed to explicitly requested, time-based, such as CPU time, compared to time-independent, such as assigned CPU shares, and so forth.
Generally, scheduler-based resource management is applied to resources that the application can implicitly request. For example, to continue execution, an application implicitly requests additional CPU time. To write data to a network socket, an application implicitly requests bandwidth. Constraints can be placed on the aggregate total use of an implicitly requested resource.
Additional interfaces can be presented so that bandwidth or CPU service levels can be explicitly negotiated. Resources that are explicitly requested, such as a request for an additional thread, can be managed by constraint.


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Hans Gissinger
Brown Betty recipes started showing up in the late 1800s, although nobody is sure who "Betty" was. Traditionally, a brown Betty is made with apples, breadcrumbs, and spices. In this updated version, pears stand in for the apples and the breadcrumbs are enriched with almonds. Keep in mind that this dessert is best eaten the day it's made (but any leftovers would be nice for breakfast).
- Yield
- Makes 8 to 10 servings
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
- 3 tablespoons poire Williams (clear pear brandy) or regular brandy
- 6 5x4-inch slices white sandwich bread with crust (such as buttermilk bread), torn into pieces (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 21/2 pounds firm but ripe pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Vanilla ice cream
- Combine cherries and brandy in small bowl; let soak until cherries soften, 1 to 2 hours. Drain (reserve brandy for another use).
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine bread pieces and almonds in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Spread crumb mixture evenly on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crumb mixture is light golden and crisp, about 16 minutes. Transfer crumb mixture to medium bowl; toss with melted butter. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
- Mix 1 1/2 cups hot water and honey in 2-cup measuring cup. Combine drained cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and cloves in large bowl; stir to blend well. Add pear cubes and toss to coat.
- Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of crumb mixture over bottom of prepared baking pan. Spread half of pear mixture over crumb mixture. Top with 1/3 of crumb mixture, then remaining pear mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over. Pour water-honey mixture over.
- Cover pan tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until crumb mixture is golden brown on top and pear filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool at least 20 minutes. do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then cover and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 300°F oven 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Per serving (analysis does not include ice cream): 319.4 kcal calories, 31.1 % calories from fat, 11.0 g fat, 4.0 g saturated fat, 15.0 mg cholesterol, 53.9 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g dietary fiber, 34.9 g total sugars, 46.7 g net carbohydrates, 4.4 g protein


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Get access to our best deals, events and more
First distilled in 1865, Hennessy Very Special (V.S.) is the most popular cognac in the world. This three-star concoction comes from Hennessy's finest young eau de vie, which is a brandy whose name literally translates to water of life. Oddly enough, it won't bring you everlasting life, but you will think you've died and gone to cognac heaven.
Aged in oak barrels for four years, Hennessy V.S. brings complex flavors such as apple, citrus, fresh grape, French oak and grilled almonds to your glass. What sounds like a delicious summer salad is quite nice in cognac form, and it's the perfect drink for conversation or sitting out on a patio and enjoying life. It's a true showing of the expertise and ingenuity of the world's finest cognac producer.
If you're a cognac purest, there's no better way to drink Hennessy than neat, on the rocks or with just a sprinkle of water. This lets the flavors come out in full force, and the taste is like a roundhouse kick to your taste buds.
Cocktail drinkers will also enjoy the complex flavors in drinks like the Big Apple. Inspired by legendary hip-hop artist Nas, the Big Apple contains Hennessy V.S., apple brandy, herbal liqueur, agave nectar, lime juice and bitters. Once you've had one of these, you'll be spinning freestyle rhymes in no time.


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Toronto: 'Parkland' cast talks 'eerie' scenes
TORONTO — History is already a hit at the film fest here, with a schedule that includes 12 Years a Slave, Rush, Devil's Knot and Dallas Buyers Club.
But Parkland (out Oct. 4), a deep dive into the day JFK died, will surprise you. The Texas-set story vacillates between multiple perspectives over three days following the president's death. The camera moves swiftly, from the ER doctors (Zac Efron, Colin Hanks) trying to save JFK at Parkland Hospital to the brother (James Badge Dale) and mother (Jacki Weaver) of Lee Harvey Oswald (Jeremy Strong).
Just hours before Parkland's premiere here, Hanks, Efron and Paul Giamatti, who portrays Abraham Zapruder, the shell-shocked bystander who caught the assassination on his Super 8 camera, gather at a table in a private dining room at the InterContinenal Hotel.
"The first day of this movie was my first day on Dealey Plaza. That's an eerie place anyway," says Giamatti. "I had to stand up on the thing (Zapruder) stood on, and I had to shout the stuff he shouted. It was odd. It was definitely creepy. It felt out-of-body and strange."
The goal of Parkland, says Hanks, was to "tell the stories of those people that were on the outer edges of the story that were greatly affected, but are not necessarily the first people you think about when you tell the story."
"It was hugely educational for me," says Efron, whose character must try and save Oswald's life just two days after losing the president. "I knew very little about this day. For me, it's always been shrouded in a lot of mystery and various conspiracy theories. It was nice to see a succinct telling of what really happened on this particular day."
Parkland, co-produced by Hanks' father, Tom (long-known as "a history buff," as the son reminds), and Bill Paxton, was shot documentary-style. Improvisation during long takes was encouraged.
In an early scene, Efron's more inexperienced character refuses to accept the president's death and continues to try to pump his heart.
It was a strange scene, he says. "The (actor) looked just like the president, just like JFK. There's one scene I swear I must have broken his ribs while I was resuscitating him."
"We were seriously concerned about breaking this guy's ribs," says Hanks. "We had to give compressions for like an hour. My shoulders got incredibly sore."
Not to mention their fears about the required medical verbiage. "It was a whole lot of 'Nurse, get me gauze! We need more of that! Bring that in!' " recalls Hanks.
"People spoke a certain way back then," says Efron. "Half the words in my vernacular are out the window: "Dude, we're losing him! Dude, it's the president, bro!' "


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Turn Mirror / 215 eur
Designed by Line Depping
Decorate your wall with the simple and aesthetic Turn Mirror shaped as a beautiful drop of water. The ash frame is formed by a bending technique that makes it possible to bring the wooden strip together at the ends.
- Details
- Ash / Mirror
WxDxH: 22x2,5x45 cm
Item no. 1480001
- Packaging
- WxDxH: 33x48x6 cm
Weight: 1 kg
- Material and care
Proper usage and maintenance
Proper usage and maintenance is vital for getting the most out of the valuable resources we have. Our designs are made to last for generations, but just like everything else, they need a little care to get there.
Ash is commonly found in temperate regions in the northern hemisphere as well as in middle/northern US. The Skagerak ash comes from European forests.
Ash is a light type of wood with a living structure. Its strength and durability make a good choice for indoor furniture and accessories.
Use a damp cloth and soapy water. Wipe with a dry cloth to ensure a spotless surface. If the pores of the wood should rise use a sandpaper (grit 120-150).
Dust it several times a week in order to maintain a clean surface and protect the finish from building up soil. Use a clean, lint-free, absorbent cloth for general dusting.
Cleaning and maintenance
Clean the mirror with a damp cloth and wipe with a dry cloth. To achieve a spotless surface, finish with a spray glass cleaner. Be aware that the spray glass cleaner might leave spots on other materials such as wood, so be careful.
About the designer / Line Depping
"Design should be simple, obvious and without any feeling of self-exaltation – and then it ought to include a humane touch." Based on this belief, Line seeks to develop new projects and objects that puts functionality to the forefront, and she loves to challenge herself combining new materials and styles. Wooden materials are without doubt Line's preferred choice for designing, but she stays open to contest her own comfort-zone and try out new material combinations. Her approach is workshop based, which allows her to re-develop her creations throughout the whole process.


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The 13th edition of the Eastern Partnership Panel on Security, CSDP and Civil protection convened on 7 November in Brussels. The Panel gathered over 70 participants from all EaP countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus), Member States, EU institutions and Civil Society Forum.
The Panel was introduced by Pawel Herczinsky (Managing Director of CSDP Directorate, EEAS) and co-chaired by EEAS (Ms Alison Weston, Head of CSDP Partnerships and Agreements Division in Security and Defence Directorate) and DG ECHO (Ms Julia Stewart-David, HoU in charge of the Civil Protection Policy, Emergency Management Directorate, DG ECHO).
The participants were briefed on the progress in the area of EU security and defence including on cyber issues, Eastern Partnership cooperation, EEAS policy on working with Partners, Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and EU-NATO cooperation.
The Panel also discussed the cooperation activities for 2020 as well as proposals of new areas of cooperation for the future. The next Panel meeting is scheduled for spring 2020.


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Always, always, always read the fine print or the EULA. Not paying attention to the rules can get you in trouble, though in this case, 'the rules' are kind of absurd.
So the point of alphas and betas are, ostensibly, to test games out and report bugs, yes? According to Ars Technica, the EULA on the Sim City beta states the following:
"If you know about a Bug or have heard about a Bug and fail to report the Bug to EA, we reserve the right to treat you no differently from someone who abuses the Bug. You acknowledge that EA reserve the right to lock anyone caught abusing a Bug out of all EA products."
Which is to say, not reporting a bug on Sim City might get you banned from all EA games. That's... a tad extreme. Even if you abuse a bug in one game, does that mean you should be banned in all EA games? Is not reporting a bug really the same as abusing a bug? Hmm.
As Ars notes, there's no guarantee they'll actually ban players for this, especially given that it would be difficult to even tell if a player never reports it. Still, in spite of the low likelihood of anyone getting banned off all EA games because of Sim City bugs, the wording is alarming.
Sim City beta EULA includes company-wide ban for unreported bugs [Ars Technica]


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ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA ACTIVISM: PAST, PRESENT, AND DIGITAL FUTURES by Lori Kido Lopez A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (COMMUNICATION) August 2012 Copyright 2012 Lori Kido Lopez
Object Description
|Asian American media activism: past, present, and digital futures
|Lopez, Lori Kido
|Author email
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|Annenberg School for Communication
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Date approved
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
|Banet-Weiser, Sarah
|Advisor (committee member)
Jenkins, Henry
Nguyen, Viet Thanh
|Asian American media activists have worked for decades to promote a greater diversity of roles for Asian Americans and a greater number of Asian Americans both behind and in front of the camera. In this dissertation I investigate this complicated interplay between activists and media producers, particularly within the context of practices that have contributed to these impacts but that might not so readily be identified as activism, such as the creations of Asian American online videographers and bloggers, and the work of advertising agencies in Asian American communities. Given that such efforts rely on the premise that the media representations teach us what it means to be a citizen and who counts as a citizen, on a broader level this investigation helps us to better understand how Asian American citizenship in its many different forms has been imagined and enacted. The relationship between Asian American activists and the media industry is importantly connected to the idea of the citizen-consumer, or powerful groups of consumers who articulate their market value as a means for impacting societal change. Although scholars within Asian American Studies have traditionally been hesitant about theorizing consumer culture as a site for constituting Asian American subjecthood, this investigation of media activism offers a new perspective on the relationship between marketing, consumer culture, and political action within Asian American communities. Moreover, by exploring this kind of activism through the specific lens of Asian American cultural citizenship, I argue that transnational identity formations have altogether altered the way we should theorize Asian American media activism.
|Asian American; media activism
|Part of collection
|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
|Publisher (of the original version)
|University of Southern California
|Place of publication (of the original version)
|Los Angeles, California
|Publisher (of the digital version)
|University of Southern California. Libraries
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|University of Southern California
|Lopez, Lori Kido
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|The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.
|Repository name
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|USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 7002, 106 University Village, Los Angeles, California 90089-7002, USA
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|ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA ACTIVISM: PAST, PRESENT, AND DIGITAL FUTURES by Lori Kido Lopez A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (COMMUNICATION) August 2012 Copyright 2012 Lori Kido Lopez


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Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) and Quuppa, a leading provider of real-time locating systems (RTLS), today announced an agreement to resell and distribute the Quuppa Intelligent Locating System™ as part of the Corning ONE™ Wireless Platform in the U.S. and Canada.
Quuppa's Intelligent Locating System is a full solution with equipment, software, tools, and services that delivers real-time asset tracking of Bluetooth®-enabled smart tags and Bluetooth low energy (BLE) devices. The technology gives customers the ability to precisely track the location and movement of any object, even fast-moving ones, with sub-meter position accuracy.
The ONE platform is the first all-optical solution to converge nearly every wired and wireless connectivity need into a single, unified infrastructure. This means the local area network (LAN) that delivers internet, Wi-Fi, security, building automation and access control lives on the same network as the distributed antenna system (DAS) that delivers cellular – all sharing the same power, backup, and fiber backbone for simple, convenient network management.
In the past, companies that wanted to add applications like RTLS services had to deploy parallel networks, each with their own cabling. When deployed together, Quuppa's location technology can leverage ONE's fiber-based infrastructure, eliminating the need for an additional network and reducing installation time and cost.
"The ONE platform leverages dedicated fibers for voice, video, and data – and unlimited applications – all in one composite cable that supports nearly every connectivity need," said Mike O'Day, vice president, Wireless Market Development, Corning. "Quuppa's Intelligent Locating System is a great example of how current and future applications easily fit into Corning's vision of an all-fiber communications network that delivers unparalleled connectivity at an attractive cost."
Quuppa CEO Kimmo Kalliola noted, "Ensuring accurate, real-time location tracking indoors is a vital piece of today's converged network. "This agreement enables Corning to offer customers more options for supporting all their network needs, plus an application that helps manage valuable assets."
For more information, please visit the ONE Knowledge Center; or contact Aravind Chamarti, email@example.com at Corning or Kimmo Kalliola, firstname.lastname@example.com at Quuppa.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Corning's financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the effect of global political, economic and business conditions; conditions in the financial and credit markets; currency fluctuations; tax rates; product demand and industry capacity; competition; reliance on a concentrated customer base; manufacturing efficiencies; cost reductions; availability of critical components and materials; new product commercialization; pricing fluctuations and changes in the mix of sales between premium and non-premium products; new plant start-up or restructuring costs; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, or major health concerns; adequacy of insurance; equity company activities; acquisition and divestiture activities; the level of excess or obsolete inventory; the rate of technology change; the ability to enforce patents; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; stock price fluctuations; and adverse litigation or regulatory developments. These and other risk factors are detailed in Corning's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.
About Quuppa
Quuppa (www.quuppa.com) provides reliable real-time sub-meter positioning for location-based solutions and services. Quuppa systems have been successfully applied across various industries including healthcare, industrial internet, retail, security and sports. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Quuppa is a privately-owned independent company, and is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
About Corning Incorporated
Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science. For more than 160 years, Corning has applied its unparalleled expertise in specialty glass, ceramics, and optical physics to develop products that have created new industries and transformed people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in R&D, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and close collaboration with customers to solve tough technology challenges. Corning's businesses and markets are constantly evolving. Today, Corning's products enable diverse industries such as consumer electronics, telecommunications, transportation, and life sciences. They include damage-resistant cover glass for smartphones and tablets; precision glass for advanced displays; optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions for high-speed communications networks; trusted products that accelerate drug discovery and manufacturing; and emissions-control products for cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.


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This small, fast and flexible mobile digital X-ray system delivers quality diagnostic images on a managed budget. The superb ease-of-use and wireless workflow offers a wide range of diagnostic capabilities to a busy imaging department.
Call +30 210 61 62 000
Request contact
By clicking on the link, you will be leaving the official Royal Philips Healthcare ("Philips") website. Any links to third-party websites that may appear on this site are provided only for your convenience and in no way represent any affiliation or endorsement of the information provided on those linked websites. Philips makes no representations or warranties of any kind with regard to any third-party websites or the information contained therein.
Easy access to tight spaces
Ease-of-use with wireless workflow
Wide range of diagnostic capabilities
3 clicks to a complete exam
Superb post-processing
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Exceptional price to performance
Proven quality and reliability


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Prairie Mountains
This thunderhead, according to radar, was at this time over Duluth, 180 miles to the east.
It was difficult to capture all of this on camera as the clouds were about seven times as wide as this depicts.
In the gardens, Dear Leader's funeral pyre finally had an appropriate backdrop.
The corn got a new lease on life with the rain two days ago.
This was taken one mile north of the nursery behind the old Clinton Swenson place. Sadly, Clinton, a grand old neighbor, passed away yesterday.
Faaberg Lutheran Church, Rindal.


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Akashganga™ - Everything You Need For Milk Collection.
At a time when people thought that advanced technology like IT is the domain of few prevail aged people - say 3-4% of Indian populations, we, at Akashganga, were determined to make it Travel - to the 96-97% of the population - the Rural People, make it to so easy and user friendly that even the educationally disprivilaged population could use it their benefit across the gender and social divides
Akashganga™ - Everything You Need For Milk Collection.
Shree Kamdhenu Electronics Pvt. Ltd. (INDIA) provides one stop solutions to the dairy sector Since 1996 under the brand name 'AKASHGANGA' ™. We offers a total integrated solution for Automatic Milk Collection Systems(AMCS). More than 8,750 AMCS units are already installed.
Simple, but appropriate solutions to facilitate timely collection of milk and threby generating higher earnings for the rurarl milk producers by introducing Quantity, Quality based Payment System for the Milk Producers.
Akashganga Client List
Slowly but steadily, today more than 8,750 such units are installed.
Our Strength
Villages > 8750
Districts > 72
States > 17
Country > 5
Participating rural families >7,00,000
Solutions for co-operatives, government & private sectors. NGOS...
Akashganga's Product List
Akashganga designs and develops customize and userfriendly, simple tools for dairy industry which can be beneficial to farming community at large. In this endeavor AKASHGANGA has designed Computer based low cost Automatic Milk Collection Systems (AMCS), which are working at more than 8750 locations in India.
Automatic Milk Collection System (AMCS) - Computer
Akashganga designs and develops customize and userfriendly, simple tools for dairy industry which can be beneficial to farming community at large. In this endeavor AKASHGANGA has designed Computer based low cost Automatic Milk Collection Systems (AMCS), which are working at more than 8750 locations in India.
Akashganga—Microprocessor System
1. Report generation in regional language possible with External Printer
2. System can work on in built battery optionally provided with the system.
3. Simple & Easy to operate. Password protected data
4. Host of reports can generated @ BMC after Data transferred from VLC.
5. Fully 12V Battery Operated System with charger can be delivered ( SOLAR Ready).
Akashganga-Milk Analyzer
1. Simultaneously measures Fat, SNF and Added Water
2. Minimizes possibility of any manipulations.
3. Small and convenient to carry Portable Solution.
4. Non-destructive testing method. Very easy to handle and operate.
5. 1st to Introduce this Analyzers in India way back in 2000 configured the same to suit Indian Dairy Industry.
Akashganga-Milk Purity Meter (Rakshak)
1. Result in 1 Second
2. No Chemicals used in Testing.
3. No Recurring Cost.
4. Minute Adulteration of upto 1% can be detected.
5. Leading.. Faithful... & Affordable Cost..
Akashganga UltraSonic Cleaner
Akashganga UltraSonic Cleaner is an unique but application specific product specifically
designed for Homogenizing raw milk sample Degassing raw milk sample
1. More Accurate and Precise Milk Analysis.
2. Ideal way of Degassing a Milk Sample.
3. Ease of use.
4. Virtually Maintenance Free due to Robust Design.
5. Long Life compared to conventional Water Bath Cleaners.
Akashganga Data Processor Unit (DPU)
1. Simple and Easy to operate
2. Milk Payment Receipt
3. System can operate in manual mode incase of analyzer / weigh Scale Failure
4. Password Protected data edit/update to avoid unauthorized access to the data.
5. Edited/Updated records are indicated in Milk Payment receipts.
6. Smart Card & PC based Data Upload.
Akashganga Nano
Designed using the latest state of the art technology and industry standard Microcontroller, the Akashganga nano is equipped with all features and requirements of the Milk Collection Center. Nano is designed considering the minimum requirements of the collection point yet it is bundled with almost all the requirements.
Akashganga- Electronics Weighing Scales
1. Latest Micro controller based Design
2. High Accuracy loadcells (Stainless steel)
3. No Moving parts
4. High quality Stainless Steel top (SS 304)
5. Overload & Shock Load protection
6. Auto Digital Calibration
7. Bright FND display (Red/Green)
8. Inbuilt battery backup (24 Hours).
Akashganga- Electronic Weigh Bowl
1. Latest Micro controller based Design
2. High Accuracy load cells (Stainless steel)
3. No Moving parts
4. High quality Stainless Steel Bowl (SS 304)
5. Overload & Shock Load protection
6. Auto Digital Calibration
7. Bright FND display (Red/Green)
8. RS-232 for Computer Interface.
Akashganga- AutoHandle
1. Replaces manual Operation
2. Less breakdown and low repairing cost
3. Builds cusotmer's faith
4. Guarantees uniform results.
Akashganga Milking Machine
1. Very Easy to operate and maintain
2. Technology that milks @ 4-5 liters of Milk/Minute
3. Hygienic Milking and Clean Milk Production
4. Machine is easily adaptable and gives a pulsation feeling to the Cattle avoiding pain in the udder.
5. No Leakage or Spillage of Milk.
6. Milking till the last drop.
Akashganga Software
Inhouse Software Development department for customised software development. We provide experienced dedicated Application Development teams, combining business and industry knowledge with technology, who work closely with clients to develop comprehensive solutions.
Akashganga RMRD Software
This software is developed looking into account the specific needs of Dairy Milk reception Docks and is generating reports as per the existing records maintained by the system. The software has been developed in the regional language looking into its perspective which includes milk reception, session receipts of total milk, employees attendance recording,society wise milk not received, Data transfer between two milk centers etc.
Akashganga AMCS Software
Automatic Milk Collection System (AMCS) provides several advantages over the traditional manual method which was time taking and due to that the milk got spoiled. The AMCS speeds up the entire process, thereby reducing the spoilage of milk. Wait time for the farmers decreases from 45 to 10 minutes. Automation of the measurements eliminates the potential for milk purchasers to misrepresent the quality of the milk and cheat farmers out of a fair price.
Akashganga Financial Accounting Software for Village Co-Operative
An Unique Software developed especially to meet accounting needs of the Village Dairy Co-Operatives incorporating existing book-keeping and accounting records. It generates following reports. It also gives out member wise payment details as per the supplies made by them in the form of a ticket.
Visit of Honorable Ex. President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Honorable Ex. President Of India Dr. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM and Dr. Amritaben Patel(Chairperson-National Dairy Development Board) visit the Navli Village CoOperative (ANAND- INDIA) where AKASHGANGA Automatic Milk Collection System is installed.
What We Do
Akashganga is an Indian company that introduces e-Business solutions to rural dairy cooperatives for improving the milk collection process. Employing an electronic system, Akashganga establishes one-stop shops that automate all aspects of the milk collection process. This automatic system is more accurate and efficient than traditional milk collection processes. In addition, Akashganga delivers financial software solutions for village dairy cooperatives.
Akashganga's Video
For every system installed, Akashganga saves farmers an hour per day in wait time, sells 8000 liters in sample milk that can be sold rather than thrown away and increases the annual bonus per farmer by up to 5%. Though our calculation factored in the increased bonus and sample milk savings, it did not quantify the time saved or the indirect impact on the farmers' families. If you consider that the system saves 400,000 farmer hours per day and touches the lives of over 1.6M people, the $28 SROI is probably conservative.
Complete Solutions
Total solutions to dairy cooperatives:
AKASHGANGA offers one shop stop for rural milk cooperative societies by complete automisation of all functions using effective information technology.
Team of Experienced Service technicians to provide timely and regular services even to remote places. Trained and dedicated persons to impart training to semiliterate members of the Village Co-Operative. Total, integrated solution for Automatic Milk Collection Systems.
Through its Automatic Milk Collection Systems (AMCS), AKASHGANGA is using simple technologies to revolutionize the dairy industry in India. The Dairy Cooperative Societies that use the system are able to process greater quantities of higher quality milk, while also saving money through reduced staff requirements. For farmers, lines are shorter, less milk is spoiled and payment is quick and accurate.
Akashganga's Founders
Company foundation: A group of seven dynamic, young entrepreneurs got together and founded the company with less than INR 0.5 million as seed money. Mr. Sulax Shah the main brain behind the concept, earlier developed a microprocessor-based black box and was told about its appropriateness for the dairy industry. Company displayed this product in an Agricultural Fair in 1997, which won the First Prize.
Akashganga Team
With strong team of professionals, who work in close proximity and co-ordination with one another. Experienced Production Engineers, Service Technicians and other personnels whose experience, expertise and hard work helps to satisfy customer effectively and efficiently. Also, the team of Marketing Professionals are well versed with the for catering to the demands of our clients.
Contact Us
102, Shivam Complex, Nana Bazar,
Vallabh VidyaNagar - 388120,
Dist: Anand (Gujarat) - INDIA.
Phone : +91 2692 235390
Tele Fax: +91 2692 232636.
Email: email@example.com
Akashganga™ is a pioneer dairy industry service provider since 1996.Phone: +91 2692 235390,E-mail: email@example.com An ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company


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Singer grew up '20 Feet From Stardom'
"Any artist worth her salt," Merry Clayton notes, "would love (at) some time in her career to be acknowledged and to know that what you did was worth -- and be very happy and very proud of that."
Clayton is certainly getting her props these days.
The singer -- best known for her force-of-nature featured vocal on the Rolling Stones' 1969 hit "Gimme Shelter" as well as a stint with Ray Charles' Raelettes -- is among those spotlighted in "20 Feet From Stardom," the acclaimed new documentary about backup singers that hits theaters this week. But Clayton's legacy as a lead singer is getting its due, too, with the release of "The Best of Merry Clayton," a compilation culled from three albums she released between 1970-75.
So it's a fair bet that Clayton's obscure status will be boosted considerably during the coming weeks, and perhaps even further if a hoped-for tour featuring her and some of the other "20 Feet" subjects -- including Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Tata Vega and Judith Hill -- comes to fruition.
"I've always considered myself to be, really, honestly, just a singer," says Clayton, 64. "Whether I was singing background, sideground, frontground or under the ground, I was always just a singer and it was always my pleasure and my honor to do whatever I needed to do musically. I didn't matter where I was seated in the music. I was just happy to be there."
Clayton came to music early. Born on Christmas Day -- hence the name Merry -- in New Orleans, she began singing as a child in church and continued after the family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 9 years old. She befriended gospel greats such as Mahalia Jackson and Linda Hopkins, mimicking the former so closely that Clayton earned the nickname Little Haley from her fellow congregants. "Every time I would sing I would just get transported to another place," Clayton remembers. "It was always such a joy for me to sing all the time, and I was always surrounded by great singers and great musicians who would come to the church and spot me and say, 'There's that little baby, that Little Haley over there. She's gonna sing with us.'"
Clayton also became friendly with the members of Darlene Love's vocal group the Blossoms, who were frequently used as session singers in Los Angeles, and particularly with Gracia Nitzsche, who, in turn, introduced Clayton to her husband, producer Jack Nitzsche. Nitzsche incorporated the teenage Clayton into his studio corps, starting in 1962 with Bobby Darin's "You're the Reason I'm Living" -- though Clayton's mother would only give permission if Darin and Nitzsche agreed to supervise her daughter's homework and make sure she took a nap before she sang.
"I was like 'The Kid' in that scene," Clayton says. "I was 'that singing little girl -- she's not afraid to sing anything.' They just always called me for different things that were going on that they thought I would be great for or that they thought would be great for me at that time in my life." That even included a Nitzsche-produced version of "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" the same year Betty Everett made the song a Top 10 hit.
Immediately after graduating from high school in 1966, Clayton joined the Raelettes -- partly through the patronage of church friend Billy Preston, who'd signed on as an organist. Clayton calls it a dream come true, "the most precious and greatest time in my entire career. To be a Raelette was an honor at that time." It was hard work, too -- but, Clayton says, it only made her a better singer.
"We would get to a city and Ray would set up in the hotel ballroom with a big piano and rehearse the girls for, like, four or five hours," remembers Clayton, who also met saxophonist and conductor Curtis Amy, here late husband of 32 years, during her tenure with Charles. "He wanted his girls to be perfect in their harmonies and in their pitch, so he rehearsed us vigorously.
"But for Ray to teach you what he knew about singing, was ... well, he said, 'Sister Merry, I know that you know how to sing because if you couldn't sing you wouldn't be here. But Brother Ray wants to teach you how to really, really sing, and how to sing within a group of four ladies.' And that's what he did. I got my master's (degree) from Ray Charles."
That certainly served Clayton well as she racked up a résumé that included sessions with Carole King, Burt Bacharach, Joe Cocker. Elvis Presley and many more.
The most legendary story, however, remains a late-night call -- "I already had my hair up in rollers and was in my pajamas, in bed," she says -- that the pregnant Clayton received to come to the Rolling Stones session where "Gimme Shelter" was recorded.
Advised by her husband that it would be worth her while, Clayton threw on a fur coat, wrapped a Chanel scarf around her curlered coif and was whisked to the studio for a memorable experience.
"Everybody's looking at me kind of weird, like, 'Who is this woman who comes to the studio with rollers in her hair and a scarf on her head?' but they were really glad to see me," Clayton says. "Then they put the track on, and I'm hearing these lyrics -- 'war, children, it's just a shout away,' and then the next stanza is 'rape, murder,' and I'm like, 'Are these lyrics correct? You've got me saying 'rape?' Who's being raped? Who's being murdered?' I really wasn't sure this, you know? "So they explained the song to me, and once I got the gist of it I said, 'Why don't you guys go in (to the control room) and let me do this. It won't take me very long.'
"And I started singing and something came over me, like a spirit came over me and I started singing the rape, the murder and started thinking about all the stuff that was going on in the world and the (Vietnam) war and the whole bit, and I was screaming from the pit of my soul.
"And I saw them hootin' and hollerin' back behind the booth, and Mick (Jagger) is screaming and Keith (Richards) is carrying on. I said, 'Ooh, I can't wait to hear what they have.' And it turned out wonderful and the rest is history."
Capitalizing on "Gimme Shelter's" success -- it's No. 38 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time -- producer Lou Adler signed Clayton to his Ode Records label, where she cut a version of the song as the title track for her first album in 1970.
She would record primarily covers for her three releases, including bold socio-political choices such as Neil Young's "Southern Man," which took on a considerably different meaning when sung by an African-American woman during the early '70s.
"Lou chose 'Southern Man,'" Clayton says, "and at that particular time there was so much racial unrest in the country. I couldn't be out on the front lines, so the forum I had to protest was through my music. "Instead of walking around with signs saying 'Black Power' or something, I could sing 'Southern Man' or 'Sweet Home Alabama,'" which Clayton did with Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd for their 1974 hit.
Clayton's solo career also included an appearance in the all-star presentation of the Who's rock opera "Tommy" during 1972 in London, where she portrayed the Acid Queen. Her deal with Ode finished with 1975's "Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow," while she released two more albums -- 1979's "Emotion" and 1994's "Miracles" -- and had her highest-charting song with "Yes," her contribution to the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack.
The "20 Feet From Stardom" film shines a spotlight on Clayton and her accomplishments, and took her back to the former A&M Studios in Los Angeles, where she recorded so many times.
But she's also happy that so many of her compatriots are also showcased in the film, along with tributes by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Mick Jagger, Sheryl Crow and others.
Clayton hopes viewers get a sense not only of the singers' contributions but also of the community and rare bond that exists between them.
"This is a film about women who had staying grace in this industry and were determined to do it like sisters," she explains. "We were able to have husbands and have families and have children and still be able to sing and keep our bodies and our minds and our spirits together.
"These are all brilliant singers who have been doing this for 40, 43 years, and you can really see we still love each other and support each other. So I just hope people get the message of love and dignity and the stay-togetherness of women that have done what we have done and sung what we've sung for so long -- and are still doing well."
The other sisters of song
In addition to Merry Clayton, the Morgan Neville-directed "20 Feet From Stardom" focuses on a core group of other singers, mostly from Los Angeles, and their careers. Five others sharing the spotlight include:
Darlene Love: The voice of many Phil Spector hits, often uncredited, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Lisa Fischer: New York-born vocalist who won a Grammy Award for her 1992 single "How Can I Ease the Pain" and has worked with Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Sting and, since 1995, the Rolling Stones.
Carmen Rosa "Tata" Vega: A veteran of the cast of "Hair" who released four solo albums for Motown's Tamla imprint and has backed Stevie Wonder, Andrae Crouch, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rare Earth and Elton John.
Claudia Lennear: A member of Ike and Tina Turner's Ikettes who also performed with Joe Cocker, Humble Pie, Delaney and Bonnie, and Leon Russell's Shelter People. She's been cited as the inspiration for the Rolling Stones hit "Brown Sugar" and also appeared in the 1974 film "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot." She's now a school teacher in Los Angeles.
Judith Hill: The "baby" of the group at age 29, Hill was to be Michael Jackson's duet partner on the 2009 This Is It show in London and sang at his memorial service that year. She competed in the latest season of "The Voice" and was surprisingly eliminated on May 28 after making the Top 8.


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ClanLib 2.0.3 was released today.
It contains a brand new display target - the GL1 - which works on pre OpenGL 2.0 cards. Notice, it is still under development
The CTalk example has now become a usable IRC client and has a brand new name: Carambola Chat. If anyone is looking for a gorgeous looking IRC client, check this one out.
Also new example demonstrating clanDatabase/clanSqlite was added: SQL.
Advanced use of framebuffers (canvas) is now demonstrated in CanvasAdvanced example.
Expect lots of bug fixes and other enchancements as well