text:
Narrow down the 154 results:Map View
Amsterdam is so much more than tulips, bicycles and the Red Light District, though it does have those things in abundance. This city built on canals has diverse neighbourhoods, sated in culture and history.
Whether you're in search of the bohemian, free-thinking Amsterdam or a perfect destination for book-lovers, you'll find a district here to suit you. The compact centre is easy to navigate, whether by bike, on foot or on the water – and each area has a good range of budget accommodation to choose from.
The main tourist destination, the central area of Amsterdam attracts tourists to its main squares – Dam and Nieuwmarkt. Dam has the best of the historic buildings, whilst Nieuwmarkt offers Holland's take on Chinatown. The Old Centre is also where the Red Light District can be found, but the bars, cafes and restaurants of the area nowadays attract a wider range of visitors than the traditional stag party gangs. The so-called 'New Side' of Amsterdam's centre is relative to the ancient history of this place – it is still full of buildings dating back to the medieval times. However, it provides a quieter and more intellectual pace of life compared to the Old Side and is a book-lover's paradise. It's home to the Amsterdam Museum and Spui Square, which boasts three large bookstores. Plenty of budget accommodation can be found here.
Once a traditional, working-class neighbourhood, Jordaan has been completely regenerated and is now a very popular district with young, trendy things. It still retains a bohemian spirit, attracting artists of all types and keeping up a long tradition of folk music. It is the perfect place to explore art galleries, boutique restaurants and quirky markets - and it is just a five-minute walk to the main sights of the Old Centre. Hostel and budget accommodation can be found here, as well as mid-range hotels.
This upmarket area surrounding the Old Centre boasts some impressive architecture and is also home to the Anne Frank Museum, so it's the perfect neighbourhood for those seeking to soak up the history of Amsterdam. The Negen Straatjes – nine streets sandwiched between two canals – provide an alternative shopping destination with plenty of independent fashion boutiques to choose from. By night, this is a main clubbing area, and with plenty of well-priced hotels, you won't have far to stumble back to in the wee hours of the morning.
Why not make the most of Amsterdam's canals and choose a houseboat stay? Providing easy access to just about any district you choose, houseboats offer competitive prices compared with mid-range and budget hotels – as well as a unique experience. Some houseboats are on a B&B basis, suitable for solo travellers or couples, whilst others are available as self-catering 'apartment' boats, good for larger groups.
x The average starting price for a place to stay in Amsterdam is 1,078 nok per night.
Eerste Helmersstraat 34 1054 DHOutstanding 100%
mandyrut Best place to stay in Amsterdam...The owners are amazing and they will do anything to help. The room is so clean. Breakfast is provided daily and is more then you can eat. Plus they stock the fridge with more food and drink then you need. I told all my friends it was like staying with family that mind there own business. I will be back as it was the best hotel I have stayed in while visiting Europe.
s.pye499 We stayed for 4 nights in this Inn,10 mins walk to the tourist centre,but far enough out to be quiet.clean,simple straight forward,a two bedroom facility,believe could sleep up to 6,both rooms double,but make sure you specify you want a double or two singles.Met at beginning of stay,and seen at end,no receptionist.The guy who meets and greets is friendly and helpful,gives you his number if any probs.Sorted us out bike hire,the only way to get around Amsterdam if your adventurous. Met the owner by chance,real nice guy,just likes the idea of letting his house out to holiday makers.No kitchen,loads of eating places in town and locally.Perfect for family,or group of friends wanting very reasonably priced nice place to stay.In residential area with residential neighbours above and below and either side,so if your'e in to late night partying would cause issues and possibly ruin a good little place to stay.Steve and Gemma.
brian-milg The noise from the street may annoy someone who stays here but everything else is just right. The stairs are steep as well but that is an Amsterdam thing. I have stayed in many Amsterdam hotels and this was my best experience. I travel on business and often go to Amsterdam and I certainly will try here first when I go to Amsterdam again.
Tim.Moran This is dead set the best hostel i have ever stayed in. I have been traveling for the past two years and this hostel is my favorite. The staff are FANTASTIC and hospitable with great knowledge of the area. Beds are extremely comfortable and rooms are warm as :) would recommend anyone to stay here 10/10 place :) thanks cocomama for the wonderful experience
plt1963 Great location and fantastic value for money. Staff extremely accommodating. Breakfast was exceptional (not cooked). Facilities basic and rooms tiny. If over 6ft tall it would be problematical but in truth it is a ship so hardly surprising. All in all it couldn't be better for the money.
riana.dekl The apartment is situated in the heart of Amsterdam, but just outside the hussle and bussle of the main tourist spots (and red light district). It is also close to Centraal Station, so walking to the apartment with your baggage in not an issue. We were greated by Angela, a very friendly lady. The kitchen is stocked, with a few things, including hams, cheese, bacon, juice and milk for breakfast...we thought that was great. We really enjoyed our stay and would recommend this place to everyone. If climbing stairs is an issue, I would not recommend this apartment...it has three sets of stairs that can be rather daunting at first. Rent a Vespa(scooter) when in Amsterdam. It beats walking and riding a bicycle and it will make it possible to see the "real" amsterdam further away from the city centre. Overall we had a great stay at Jacob's home!
colettecra We had a really lovely stay in Amsterdam made even better by Easy Nuh Man being a real home from home. The whole place was really clean and fresh. The room itself was very spacious with high ceilings and the bed soooo comfortable I struggled to get out of it! Big airy kitchen with everything you might need if you want to cook or just prepare some breakfast. Nice big windows everywhere too. Great shower and use of washing machine. Location is perfect - lots very nearby but not noisy at all. Really good street for shopping and 2 mins from the museums and Vondelpark. Nice restaurants nearby if you don't want to go into the centre but trams on the doorstep if you do which are very quick and easy to use. Really nice touches like fresh flowers in the room and weather forecast for our stay! Nick was a great host and made us feel very welcome. Will definitely stay here again!
Peter52p this hostel is about 15 km from centre of Amsterdam but this was not a problem as they have an hourly shuttle which takes you to local station and then it is about 15 min on metro to central station and about 30 min to airport. staff are very friendly and have good knowledge of many languages and on how to find a large number of interesting places to visit, site and facilities are very clean and well laid out and very good value for the money, they have on-site computers and wire less connection if you have your own laptop. also they have a very well equipped kitchen with free coffee and tea if you wish overall I would strongly recommend and would use again. so enjoy with regards Peter Hallett
thodi84 the beagle is a relaxing and comfortable place to stay in the center of amsterdam. always a good choice for travellers!!! thanks a lot for the nice time
Hendrikje Stoffelsstraat 1 Navigation: Nachtwachtlaan 11Excellent 90%
inmaone An experience to repeat the situation of the ideal boat for relaxing, clean, well maintained, near of the central station. Joanna is lovely and will provide bicycles, essential in Amsterdam.
Create your own travel plan including Amsterdam as one of your stops. You can use it to store all your research (even hotels found on other websites!)
Do you have questions about Amsterdam? You might try asking in our active travel forums and see if anyone else has been there.
Keep your family and friends up to date with your trip by starting your own travel blog!


text:
Welcome Guest, click here to register
Your cart is currently empty.
Surprising? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely! A novel treat to celebrate a leisurely late morning meal or afternoon snack.
For customer assistance please call 1.800.826.1752
© Stonewall Kitchen. All Rights Reserved.
All of the content on this site is copyrighted by Stonewall Kitchen. Stonewall Kitchen is a registered trademark.
No images or copy on this site may be used without written permission by Stonewall Kitchen.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Whether you're teaming one up with a plain t-shirt for a casual style or cutting a dash with some smart trousers, look sharp with our Topman suit jackets and blazers range.
Big on this season's agenda are prints like florals. It's all about making the right impression in a big way, and with these bright coloured skinny suit jackets you couldn't possibly lose. For a toned down yet classic feel, our premium Italian tailoring range is for you, which boasts nothing but the finest fabrics and sharpest cuts. Why not experiment with some new materials like our flannel blazer? Team up with some jeans and loafers for a smart casual look that never fails.
We're sorry these products are no longer available.


text:
Whether just getting started with a garden or maintaining one for several years, picking out the right decor can be a challenge. Do you go with greenmen sculptures for the trees or opt for statues that hang from the limbs? Do you limit your garden sculptures to topiary or go for a classic display of Greek-themed statues? Is decor in the backyard going to follow a certain theme or blend Asian sculptures with African animals? No matter how you decide to decorate the garden, the huge assortment of classic and unique decor at Design Toscano gives you a cornucopia of garden statuary options.
If the garden lacks any decor whatsoever, decide on a theme (or not) first and foremost. If going for an Asian-themed garden, Pagoda Lantern sculptures are a good choice. Their simple design and easy-going appearance make them a versatile and ideal addition to any type of flowerbeds.
Speaking of flowers, garden fairies also work well with just about any type of garden on account of their small size and naturally enchanting appearance. The detailed beauty of Fiona the Flower Fairy makes this one of our more popular fairy sculptures.
If you already have an established, well decorated garden, you might want to consider something unique like a life size tiger or Bigfoot.
Save on the best decor for both the backyard and the interior of home and office at Design Toscano.


text:
This will be a multiple part blog taking a look at the "TOP 10" up and coming talent in the WWE Developmental brand: FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) this has been an idea I've been toying with for a little while now. So please, lets' take that look. FCW has been THE 'E's talent farm since 2007. Then it was the 2nd talent system behind OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) but, in 2008
Updated 08-23-2011 at 04:09 AM by Rated_R(ob)KO
In recent news after Summerslam, on August 19, 2011, Lisa Wright, Managing Director of Council for Unity, wrote a letter to the be a STAR Alliance (beastaralliance.org) questioning their affiliation with the WWE. The letter was sent after she received an e-mail, which pointed out the "fat jokes" regarding Vickie Guerrero, apparently referring to Monday Night Raw when Vickie Guerrero was at the
Updated 08-21-2011 at 09:41 PM by Frank
I've been watching Alberto Del Rio ever since he came to the WWE. In fact, he came through on a house show loop when he still had the Dos Caras Jr gimmick going for him. It's been said that he is a master backstage politician, and that he has worked his way up enough to deserve the WWE Championship. He succeeded in this goal at Summerslam.
I'm not very impressed with him, and I haven't
Updated 08-21-2011 at 09:42 PM by Frank
Yay part 3 is coming up and to those who are intrested. It wasn't up yesterday because of two reasons :
1. I was busy yesterday and had an impromptu dinner out with my family
2. My precious Google Chrome keeps crashing and I can't fix it. Forcing me to download Internet Explorer 9 (which takes 15-20 minuets) just to get the blog up.
But enough of my whining lets get on
Updated 08-20-2011 at 08:34 AM by Mr.Turtle
Hey guys hope all is well. Lately both companies have shocked me with the worked shoots we've been seeing lately. I'm all for it and I think many of the fans are as well. I've noticed nothing but amazing promos from guys in both WWE & TNA and thought I'd blog about whom I feel are in the top 10.
Before I get started, I'm warning you guys that the majority of the list are TNA
Updated 08-19-2011 at 06:33 PM by knox
A few things have been on my mind lately, mostly how TNA sucks worse than a leech on my ass. Then I was looking at the latest blogs, saw one dissing Mark Henry which is a load of B.S, then I noticed one pitching ideas for the Divas which compelled me to write this. Frankly, I think anyone who does not see the work the Divas have put in are blind misogynists (Look it up) who have no respect for the
Updated 08-19-2011 at 01:28 PM by Frank
(This was my first blog i ever wrote. It was written shortly after CM Punks return to TV after Money in the Bank.)
How many people at going to read this? To be honest, I'm not quite sure of the answer to that one. For starters, I'm just an average fan who wants to share my opinions on a sport (yes, I will call it a sport) that I have been enthralled with since I can remember. A lot
Hello Wrestling World,
First off, I am happy to be a part of this community as a fan of wrestling (WWE to be exact). Second, I wanted to discuss John Cena's comparison to Superman and how the superhero persona applies to John Cena not just in the wrestling ring, but also how he carries himself outside of the business.
Going without saying, the "Superman comeback"
Hey I put this as a blog incase I rant.
I think everyone is either really enjoying, or a lot happier with the way WWE has moved forward in the last few weeks. I've enjoyed it a lot. Really tho. there are a couple changes which are significant for me and the major one is CM Punk
When I see CM Punk as he is now I do a little check over his career. He's always been a real
Updated 08-18-2011 at 09:42 AM by Frank
Hi there, me again with the second part of this review. As always if you haven't already read part 1 I suggest you do that first, otherwise, lets get on with part 2.
WWF Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian vs. The APA
E&C come out first and talk smack about Dallas. They even mention the JFK assassination, which was probably a tad too much. APA then comes out and Bradshaw
© 2011 eWrestlingNews, All Rights Reserved.


text:
Supply pact hailed as turn from conflict to compromise
The United States and Mexico on Tuesday signed a landmark pact designed to bring more stability to water supplies from the Colorado River and deliver fresh flows to help rejuvenate the once-lush delta wetlands just south of the border.
Water officials and environmentalists hailed the agreement as a milestone in U.S.-Mexico relations that promises immediate and sweeping benefits. They said it also sets precedence for future alliances in a region historically known more for conflict than compromise.
"It will help ease turmoil along the river," said Halla Razak, who tracks Colorado River issues for the San Diego County Water Authority. "This will have a monumental effect."
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and high-ranking Mexican federal authorities witnessed the accord-signing during a ceremony held at the Hotel del Coronado.
"We are not just neighbors with Mexico, we are true partners," said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor.
José Luis Luege, head of Mexico's National Water Commission, called it "the beginning of a new stage in water relations" between the two countries.
The pact is more pilot than permanent, extending just five years until it has to be reopened. It establishes a number of policies for both sides, including defining rights to Lake Mead water, repairing the earthquake-damaged irrigation network in the Mexicali Valley and guaranteeing flows for fish and wildlife in the Mexican delta.
"Even though we are two separate nations, we do share one water supply," said Jeanine Jones, California's principal expert on the river. "We do have to work together to get better together."
Salazar said the agreement shows an evolution toward cooperation between all parties with a stake in the Colorado River and could act as an "international model" for other river-sharing negotiations, such as those involving the Rio Grande.
"We have chosen collaboration over conflict," he said.
Salazar cited several looming challenges that the pact is meant to address. Growth is one. Another is climate change, which scientists said is taking a toll on the entire Colorado River system by prolonging dry spells.
"We are connected by our alliance on the Colorado River, and together we face the risk of reduced supplies in the years ahead," he said.
The agreement, formally known as Minute 319, will be carried out under the overarching 1944 U.S.-Mexico water treaty. It was negotiated through U.S. and Mexican sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission, a U.S.-Mexico panel created to address border issues.
U.S. Commissioner Edward Drusina said the agreement will help authorities in both nations gain insights for future agreements to "better manage water resources on the Colorado River for decades to come."
But not everyone is on board.
The Imperial Irrigation District, which holds legal rights to three-fourths of California's allocation of Colorado River water, refused to endorse the deal. It deadlocked on Nov. 16 with a 2-2 vote. The board was split because of its concerns that there has been considerable resistance from the Metropolitan Water District to the Imperial district's efforts to bank surplus water in Lake Mead.


text:
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 4 Tablets
Servings per Container: 62
If symptoms persist for more than 7 days or worsen, contact a licensed health care provider. If you are pregnant or nursing, seek the advice of a licensed health care provider before using this product. To be used according to label indications and/or standard homeopathic indications.


text:
You are here
2014 Dallas Regional Event
2014 Dallas Alumni Event
Thursday, January 16, 2014
7:00 p.m. Reception
7:30 p.m. Dinner
AT&T Stadium
Dallas Cowboys Locker Room
1 AT&T Way
Arlington, TX 76011
Park in lot 6 and enter through gate F. There will be stadium staff to guide you to the locker room. Parking is free.
President Dan DiBiasio and Chris Burns-DiBiasio along with host, Bruce Mays, BSEd '65, cordially invite you to share your love for Northern and reminisce with alumni and friends at the AT&T Way. A brief presentation will follow dinner which will include an update on the university by President Dan DiBiasio and a Northern perspective from current students. Please join us in celebrating Ohio Northern University in your area!
Cost is $30 per person.
So the chef will have enough food prepared, kindly register online at onualumnicommunity.com on or before Friday, January 10, 2014.
A username and password is not required to register online for events. For questions, please call (866) ONU-ALUM. If you would prefer to write a check, please make checks payable to ONU Alumni and return to Ohio Nothern University; Office of Alumni Relations; 525 South Main Street, Ada, OH 45810.


text:
Here are a couple of stories posted on TheCamoShop's Facebook page!
I shot him barrel side not knowing the yardage.
We had to drag this buck two miles to get it out of the woods!"
~Michael Dewitt
Need camo? Get everything you need right here.My brother scared this deer and another one right into me.
I took the bigger of the two lined up broadside, hit the release and he turned towards me.
I hit him in the throat at thirty-five yards."
~Michael Dewitt


text:
Creativity comes standard!!!
8balldesign is a group of enthusiasts with a strategic approach, bringing together creative minds and technical wizards. We move not yet determined boundaries of internet marketing and creative websites.
We mix professional customer service with a maximum dose of good humor and creative thinking - this is our recipe for a surprising effect. We create, build and execute marketing strategy for smaller, more local and foreign comapnies.
Creativity comes standard.
Services providedDesign & User Experience, E-commerce, Hosting & Infrastructure, Marketing, Mobile apps, Modules & Themes, Multimedia, Project Management, Web Development
Community Showcase listings
Email: lp.ngisedllab8@ofni
URL: www.8balldesign.pl
Andrzeja Struga 78/A35 Lodz, Poland


text: Everyone Likes Choice. We sometimes take that philosophy to the extreme by offering hundreds of boards to choose from. Each are unique and there are chess boards that fit virtually any budget.This Walnut and Oak chess board is an ideal affordable option to show off your chess pieces. It is a simple, clean chess board design with raised feet for added style.Made in China.


text:
State Agencies |
Online Services
Find more...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nearly 150 Ohio schools are being recognized today by the Ohio Department of Education for sustaining high academic achievement among their students, including many from economically disadvantaged homes.
The Department named 141 Schools of Promise and 37 High Performing Schools of Honor.
The Schools of Promise award program recognizes schools attaining solid student achievement in reading and mathematics while serving a significant number of economically disadvantaged students. As an incentive to help close achievement gaps in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education developed the Schools of Promise program to identify, recognize and highlight schools that are making substantial progress in ensuring high achievement for all students.
The Schools of Honor initiative builds upon and expands the Department of Education's existing Schools of Promise program. The U.S. Department of Education approved the new Schools of Honor program as part of Ohio's flexibility waiver for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2012.
"Schools of Promise and the prestigious High Performing Schools of Honor are examples of what can happen when principals, teachers, parents and community members all believe that children can learn," said Dr. Richard A. Ross, superintendent of public instruction. "These schools overcome challenges, sometimes significant challenges, to provide a high-quality education to Ohio children. What they have done is working and I am urging them to help other Ohio schools learn how they can overcome their challenges as well."
Schools of Promise must have a 75 percent or better average proficiency rate on the Ohio Achievement Assessments and the Ohio Graduation Tests for the 2012-13 school year. They must also have: a 75 percent proficiency rate in two subgroups; an A or B grade for their annual measurable objective (AMO) for narrowing performance gaps between groups of students on the local school report card; an A, B, or C progress grade on the local school report card; and a graduation rate of A or B. The schools must also serve 40 percent of more economically disadvantage students.
You can find a complete list of Schools of Promise here.
High Performing Schools of Honor must have a 90 percent or better average proficiency rate over a five-year period on the Ohio Achievement Assessment an Ohio Graduation Test plus meet several other criteria. These include a 75 percent proficiency level for four significant subgroups on the same tests; an annual measurable objective report card grade of A, B, or C; a progress grade of A, B, or C on the report card; and a graduation rate over a five-year period of 90 percent or higher. The school must also be Title 1 eligible and serve 40 percent or more economically disadvantaged students.
You can find a complete list of High Performing Schools of Honor here.


text:
Grand-Am takes step toward DTR series - Comments
We welcome your comments. Commentary and photos submitted to StarNet (azstarnet.com) may be published or distributed in print, electronically or other forms. Opinions expressed in azstarnet.com's comments reflect the opinions of the author, and are not necessarily the opinions of the Star, StarNet, or its parent company. See the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information.
Our guidelines prohibit the solicitation of products or services, the impersonation of another site user, threatening or harassing postings and the use of vulgar, abusive, obscene or sexually oriented language, defamatory or illegal material. You may not post content that degrades others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability or other classification. It's fine to criticize ideas, but ad hominem attacks on other site users are prohibited. Users who violate those standards may lose their privileges on azstarnet.com.
You may not post copyrighted material from another publication. (Link to it instead, using a headline or very brief excerpt.)
No short set of guidelines such as this can spell out all possible instances of material or behavior that we might deem to be a violation of our publishing standards, and we reserve the right to remove any material posted to the site.
What's Hot
- 1 High Court: Arizona can't require citizenship proof to register to vote
- 2 Who highjacked Tucson's crosstown freeway?
- 3 Is California trying to take our water?
- 4 Lake Mead decline below 1,075 feet is symbolic
- 5 Supreme Court upholds Arizona's congressional lines
- 6 Audio overkill? Some question benefits of 'high-res' music
- 7 Decades-old Aviation Parkway plan moving forward
- 8 Pregnant border crossers being detained more, longer
- 9 Tucson weather: Strongest thunderstorms SW of Tucson today
- 10 Berk: Cats say goodbye to a special fan
Follow the Arizona Daily Star
Featured businessesView more...
Deals, offers & eventsView more...
Save yourself time and money with DIY Painting projects! Leave it up to Cole's Custom Painting to get the job done right at an affordable price. Call us today at (520) 461-4300 or (520) 544-4343
Cole's Custom Painting, LLC. has proudly served the Tucson com…
Troops Aluminum in Tucson offers 30+ colors of seamless gutters and 20 years of experience! Call us today! 520-822-1972
We have a variety of colors available for our seamless gutters…
Horseback Riding Lessons for Every Level of Rider! Lucky Charm Riding Center (520) 245-3104
Welcome to Lucky Charm Riding Center at Ironwood Ranch! We of…
Contact Stetson Painting for all your Interior & Exterior painting needs. Call Stetson Painting at 520-322-0684
Call Stetson Painting, LLC. today at 520-322-0684. We have spe…
Dealing with general pain and swelling? Try Arizona Cactus Ranch Products call 520-624-4949
Arizona Cactus Ranch products are 100% pure, concentrated natu…


text:
Topics in PathologyEvent Details: 12:00 p.m., April 04, Learning Resources Center
Mark Manary, M.D., professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, and Isabel Ordiz-Luis, Ph.D., research scientist at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, will present "Biofortification of Peanut in Order to Improve Human Nutrition and Health" during Topics in Pathology at noon Monday, April 4, in Pitlyk Auditorium C, Learning Resources Center.
|Mark Manary, M.D.
Mark Manary, M.D.
Mark Manary received a degree in chemistry and chemical engineering from MIT, and an M.D. from Washington University, where he is now a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine. He worked in Tanzania after his residency training in 1985, and has spent 10 of the last 25 years in Africa. Since 1994, he has devoted himself to the treatment and alleviation of childhood malnutrition in Malawi. Manary is best known for his work in developing peanut butter-based, ready-to-use therapeutic food, which allows severely malnourished children to be treated at home. In addition to this field work, since 2005 he has been affiliated with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, where he works on improving cassava and peanuts for Africa. He is the founder of the not-for-profit Project Peanut Butter.
|Isabel Ordiz-Luis, Ph.D.
Isabel Ordiz-Luis, Ph.D.
Isabel Ordiz-Luis received her B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in biology from the University of Oviedo in Spain. She started working for Dr. Roger Beachy in 1997 at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, where in collaboration with Dr. Carlos Barbas they became the first team to demonstrate the application of synthetic six-zinc finger proteins to control gene expression in individual cells such as tobacco protoplast, and in the whole tobacco plant. In 1999,Ordiz-Luis moved to Saint Louis to continue working for Beachy at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and since 2010 she has worked at the Danforth Center with Manary.
|Peanut plant in root induction medium


text:
Dec 3, 2007
Support Gunner
4 comments:
- Andy said...
Laurens, why don't you post the LDD file I sent you too? Maybe someone wants to have a look at it ;) But if you do, remember to tell about the missing gear that I can't place because of the (very annoying) gear meshing bug in LDD.
- Dec 4, 2007, 2:13:00 AM
I want to ask something about Google SketchUp and NXT.
Did you get all the models parts for the NXT and Technics from any library like LDraw or did you make your own ?
I know other Lego CAD software like MLCad and LDD. LDD is cool but don't support all Lego Technics parts. MlCad it's so good but don't like the renderer and don't want to export work with another raytracing soft for render like PovRay.
Thanks a lot.
- Dec 6, 2007, 1:21:00 AM
- Laurens Valk said...
Hi Albert,
The parts were modeled by Payton White. Not all parts for the nxt are available yet. You can make your own eventually.
Though the parts for this model were all available in the 'LEGO-technic-library' made by Payton White.
You are right about the renderers for MLCAD, these can be confusing to use. You don't need any for Google Sketchup.
Although I must mention that there is no option for building instructions. I made them manually.
Hope this helps.
- Dec 6, 2007, 1:49:00 AM
- Jake said...
I need a Mac Programing download or text instructions on programming it!
- Jul 5, 2009, 1:14:00 AM


text:
Chesterfield Velvet Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed
Generous padding and deep hand tufting ensure all the comfort of a fine Chesterfield sofa, transforming a child's bed into a luxuriously cozy spot for sleeping, lounging and reading.
- Amply padded ends with deep hand tufting creates a comfy, cozy retreat
- Upholstered in leather or stain-resistant fabric
- Features hand-hammered upholstery tacks along the sides that reflect the tradition of artisan tailoring
- Fabric bed features kiln-dried hardwood rails and ladder in a weathered oak finish
- Features a ladder and 2 guardrails for top bunk; bed can be purchased with ladder on the left or ladder on the right
- Platform support on top bunk designed for our full-size Low Profile Mattress; slat-roll support on bottom bunk designed for a full-size regular or Low Profile Mattress
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that top bunks not be used for children under 6 years of age
- Assembly will be provided upon delivery
- Stocked in sand Belgian linen and fog vintage velvet. All other options available via special order.
Shown in fog Vintage Velvet with weathered oak finish.
Chesterfield Velvet Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed
- Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed (with Ladder): 60"W x 85"L x 70"H
- Clearance Under Bunk: 6"H
- Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed Weight: 440 lbs.
Chesterfield Velvet Full-Over-Full Bunk Bed
Chesterfield Velvet Twin-Over-Twin Bunk Bed
Chesterfield Upholstered Bunk Bed
Chesterfield Leather Bunk Bed
Euro Top Plush Mattress
Low Profile Mattress


text: BBC Radio 4 interview. Peter yesterday gave an interview about this weekends Live 8 'Africa Calling' event to Radio 4's 'PM' programme. We think the interview will air on this evenings programme, broadcast at 5PM B.S.T or live and on demand via the BBC website. BBC Radio 4 PM programme website. Share : Tweet ‹ Live 8: Africa Calling: Live web streams Africa Calling: "I feel panicked underneath!" ›


text:
"Customer service is priority #1 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We value our customers and strive to be the best shopping experience- when you buy from us, you are buying lifetime service."
-Dan Thomas, CEO and Founder
We take pride in offering no hassle returns. In the event of a return, please call, email or chat with us to receive a solution to the problem. For apparel that doesn't fit quite right, Click here to see our Fit Guaranteed Program.
We will stand behind all products we sell with regards to manufacturing defects in workmanship and material. Most products are limited to the manufacturer's warranty. However, we will do everything in our power to take care of the problem.
Live chat: Click here
(Leave email if after hours)
Call us: 1 800 336-5437
7am-7pm Mon-Fri 8am-4pm Sat (Mountain Standard Time)
Each review submitted enters you into a $100 gift card monthly drawing, and a $500 gift card quarterly drawing!
Comments On Jun 12, 2015:These rims are impressive. I had to venture over rocks, 10 miles of four foot deep sand and clay whoops, metal bridges, creek jumps, motocross tracks, rocks, you name it! It tackled it with confidence. I switched back and forth between the 18 and 19 inch rear during the race because of flats, and the 18 was so much better for traction, but I could feel the track better with the 19 because of the thinner sidewall tire. Maplesville, Alabama threw everything it could at these rims, and not a singal flat spot or bend was made in the tire at this race. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Apr 20, 2015:really amazied at the quatiliy fo the wheels, they come with everything and are already assembled
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Apr 03, 2015:These are trick looking wheels at a budget cost.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Mar 24, 2015:look nice and seem to hold up to off road abuse. no issues yet
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Mar 20, 2015:Purchased these rims in early 2014. First thing I noticed is the rims were not 100% true where they are welded together. However, with the tire mounted they spin very true. Plus this minor defect was still way better than my stock rims which were way out of round and beyond repair.
I race expert O/30 in the USRA desert series and after a full season of abuse and frequent flats I am pleased to report these rims have held up very well, arguably better than the stock rims would have. No dents, and they still spin as true as the day they were new, which while not perfect was still good. I have only tightened the spokes once, and still haven't needed to replace bearings.
If you are looking for rims these are well worth the money. they're not the best you can buy, but they are plenty good and a little more durable than oem, which is always a plus in the desert.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Mar 15, 2015:Got these as an extra set for road tires. They look great and you can't beat the price.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Mar 12, 2015:Stop thinking about it an just buy them! Great quality product. Couldn't be happier.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Mar 12, 2015:I did not want to give an opinion on these wheels until I had some hours on them. These wheels started out on my 2012 KTM 300XC, they were on that bike for 100 hours, a few harescrambles, and at least 10 enduros. they are now on my KTM 450 and have an additional 50+ hours on them. The first thing I will tell you is I havent changed a wheel bearing yet, I have not tightened a spoke yet, And I have not dented, cracked or injured the wheels in over 150 hours of use. That is impressive! My factory wheels made it 35 hours on the rear bearings before they were wore out and the factory front wheel made it to the 50 hour mark before the bearings needed changed The Tusk wheels have 3X the hours on them and are still going strong with no signs of wear. Thumbs up Tusk these wheels are great! Now if I could just get a coupon to order a tusk wheel for my YZ..!
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Feb 14, 2015:So far so good! Much less $$ than the Warps, Excels, Pro Rims, or any others. Fit and finish is superb. Rims were true and tight when they came in. You do need rim locks and rim tape but these wheels and hubs have been great so far. I bought them because my stock 450 rear wheel continued to break spokes. Tusk and Rocky Mountain continue to deliver great products!
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Feb 02, 2015:Look awesome, hope they hold up well.
Was this review helpful?


text:
Organization Website: http://courtinnovation.org
Former Interns: Abbee Cox, Columbia '14; Catherine Ku, Princeton '14
Organization Description
Times Square Ink (TSI) works closely with Midtown's fatherhood program, Dad's United for Parenting (D-Up), to provide New York City non-custodial fathers, who are over the age of 24 and have a son or daughter that does not live with them, many of whom have criminal histories, with comprehensive parenting and job training/placement services. TSI/D-UP clients enroll in a six-week workforce development and fatherhood program that covers topics such as resume-building, co-parenting, cover letters, child discipline, professionalism, and networking, among others. Clients ago through a 22-session cognitive behavioral therapy course called Thinking for a Change. All clients who attend the program are eligible for program incentives and free family activities and events.
Guggenheim Internship Description
The Guggenheim intern will co-facilitate job readiness workshops: resume skills, interview techniques, cover letters, etc. In addition, the intern will:
• Assist program staff with curriculum research and workshop implementation
• Assist in developing marketing materials and upkeep of social media outlets.
• Assist with data entry of clients which includes intakes, assessments, case notes, job placements, and job retention.
• Help organize events for clients, which include alumni events, family trips to museums and sporting events, and graduations.
• Assist in outreach to potential employers and community partners.
• Provide administrative assistance to Employment Specialist and Program Coordinator.
• Facilitate a court-mandated employment group, Pathways to Employment, to help defendants reconnect with work and additional resources.
Other possible projects may include increasing participants' use and familiarity with social media, strengthening the use of email (through games and activities for clients), creating press packets for referral sources and community partners, and brainstorming ideas for possible alumni and family events.
Internship Qualifications
TSI/D-Up is looking for an intern that is willing to speak to a group of 20+ men on a regular basis and is interested in strengthening their facilitation skills, and networking skills. There is some administrative work, but plenty of time for creativity and innovation. We are looking for someone that is comfortable with public speaking and being in front of an audience.
Interns are expected to attend once-a-month alumni events from 5-7pm.
Expected start time: 9:00 am
Expected end time: 5:00 pm
Required Dates: None: Available as of 06/03/2013
Internship Length: 8 -10 weeks
Midtown Community Court - Times Square Ink Job Training Program Internship Application


text:
Note: This high-calorie recipe is especially for teens with cystic fibrosis (CF), who often need to consume additional calories to help them meet their nutritional needs.
This tastes great when served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Yum!
Prep time: 80 minutes
Serves: 8
Serving size: one 1" slice
Nutritional analysis (per serving):
330 calories
17 g protein
17 g fat
330 mg sodium
51 mg calcium
Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.
Variations and suggestions:
This bread freezes very well. Eat half this week and freeze the rest for another time.
Reviewed by: Allison Brinkley, RD, CNSC, LD/N
Date reviewed: July 2012
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-


text:
The Children's Place is the leading baby girls clothes store in the United States. With fresh fashions, quality materials and fun designs, it's the affordable baby girls clothing brand that you can trust.
The Children's Place range of baby girl clothes is designed to be comfy, durable and stylish. For playtime, our range of tops, bottoms, dresses, rompers, pants and shorts are quality made and make it easy to dress your baby girl in fun outfits.
For bedtime, there's a selection of baby girl sleepwear and baby girl pajamas that you can count on to keep her comfortable and cool when she sleeps. When summer comes, The Children's Place is also where you can find baby girl swimwear and swimsuits for fun in the water.
Looking for clothes featuring your favorite characters? The Children's Place has you covered! From Frozen and Disney Princesses to Minnie Mouse and Hello Kitty, we have a range of officially licensed items perfect for your little princess.
The Children's Place also has a wide selection of baby girl shoes, as well as fun accessories to complete the look. When school rolls around, we have a range of baby girl uniforms to make sure they're dressed for success in the classroom.


text:
Behold, the AutoPilot Version 2. After four years in development, the AutoPilot v2 is here at last with high-accuracy programing and many new features. The AutoPilot system is a digital controller for your air suspension that features 8 user-defined ride heights that can be accessed at the touch of a button. The v2 has an all-in-one 4-way manifold with built in ECU that allows for easy compressor control with adjustable cut-off pressure. The manifold also includes built in pressure sensors and push-to-connect fittings available in either 1/4" or 3/8" sizes for easy installation.Features of the v2 Include: - 8 User programable ride-height presets- Manual control mode- User adjustable compresor kick-on / cut-off pressures- Auto calibration- User adjustable backlight color / brightness- Compressor wear-down testing- Compressor timer- Rise on start- User adjustable unit of measurement (PSI/BAR)Suspension Kit Includes: - (2) Front air struts- (2) Sway Bar End Links (with Air Lift Performance Series struts ONLY)- (2) Rear air bags with brackets- Anodized end caps with corrosion resistant paint on the struts- (4) Bag fittings matched to your line size- All required hardware- 1 year manufacturer warranty
Join Our Mailing List
Copyright © Built with Volusion


text:
The Slave Route
Ignorance or concealment of major historical events constitutes an obstacle to mutual understanding, reconciliation and cooperation among peoples. UNESCO has thus decided to break the silence surrounding the slave trade and slavery that have affected all continents and have caused the great upheavals that have shaped our modern societies.
The Slave Route Project, launched in Ouidah, Benin, in 1994, has three objectives, namely to:
- Contribute to a better understanding
of the causes, forms of operation, issues and consequences of slavery in the world (Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the
Indian Ocean, Middle East and Asia);
- Highlight the global transformations and
cultural interactions that have resulted from this history; and
- Contribute to a culture of peace by promoting reflection on cultural pluralism, intercultural dialogue and the construction of new identities and citizenships.
The project has played a significant role in securing recognition by the United Nations, at the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban in 2001, of the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.
ØEvents (Scientific Commitee Meetings and Others)


text:
Here are a two myths about millennials:
Myth No. 1: They don't have any disposable income so why should we care
Facts: They already have 21 percent of consumer discretionary purchasing power (or about $1.3 trillion) and influence many purchase decisions made by Generation X and baby boomers.
Myth No. 2: Millennials are a selfish generation that only care about themselves
Facts: They are interested in making a difference and are more likely than non-millennials to support a friend or family in causes they care about. They are also more likely to donate their time than non-millennials.
Secrets to creating more millennial brand love
Millennials want to be active participants in your brand. They want to be part of it. The brands that figure out how to do this will win. Here are a myriad of ways that brands can embrace the "participation economy":
1. Co-create products, services and experiences
Millennials not only want a say in creating their optimal brand, but also how they experience that brand. Allow them to co-create and you'll be amazed by their interest, ideas and engagement.
SEE ALSO: Want to connect with millennials? Market your brand at a music festival
2. Leverage technology within their brand authority
Millennial-mindset consumers know that "Useful is the new cool" and great brands are simplifying the consumer journey and creating added value consistent with their brand authority. Nike is a perfect example of this. Nike started in 1964 simply as a distributor for a Japanese shoe company. Instead of just selling shoes, they have decided to reinvent their company, becoming the authority for athletic footwear and apparel. Now their mission is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete through products and sponsorships well beyond footwear.


text:
Spotlight for Career Services ProfessionalsApril 17, 2013
Salaries and experience levels for professional positions in career centers did not change significantly over the past year, according to results of NACE's 2012-13 Career Services Benchmark Survey.
The director of career services, for example, has an average 16 years of experience and is paid $69,107, an increase of only 2.7 percent over 2011-12 survey results.
This year's survey includes a breakdown for institutions by Carnegie Classifications™, so schools can compare their demographics with like schools.
Highest-paid directors work at "very high research universities" with an average of $96,644. Lowest paid, with an average of $49,666, are directors at two-year schools located within a four-year university. Salary differentials across the different classifications of schools are highest at the director level.
Six of the nine professional positions surveyed showed an increase in average salary. There was a decrease in average salary for three positions.
The increase in average salary included:
The decrease in average salary included:
The executive summary of the 2012-13 Career Services Benchmark Survey is available for free at www.naceweb.org/career-services-survey/; the full report is also available through this link (survey participants can access the full report at no charge).
JobplaceNACE Blog: http://blog.naceweb.org/
NACE's Tweets: @NACE.org
email@example.com NACE StaffCareersNACE's Newsletter: Spotlight
©2015 National Association of Colleges and Employers. All rights reserved.


text:
The St. Johns County Public Library System is pleased to announce that Alex Grecian's The Yard has been chosen as this year's St. Johns Reads book. A tale of murder, forensics and the teeming mysteries of Victorian London, The Yard takes the reader to a world where criminology was a new science and fear and depravity lurked just below the surface of 19th century civilized London society.
The Yard is now available for reservation and checkout. The library has created a full slate of programming for the month of February, centered on the reading and enjoyment of this exciting mystery. From book talks to films and programs about the Victorian Language of Flowers, there will be something for everyone! The big finale will be an appearance by Alex Grecian himself, on Saturday, February 23 at the County Auditorium!


text:
- Amgad Muhammad
- Cairo , Heliopolis
- Egypt
This conversation is closed.
What's the point of novels?
All of us would agree that reading for facts and knowledge widens our perspective, but what does reading novels do?
Do we read novels for the sole purpose of entertaining ourselves or does it make us intelligent in some way?
How can one take lessons from a story that was made up and characters that do not exist?
Is reading novels just a waste of time? a sort of video game for those who like to read?
May 9 2013: getting experience is risky, because by definition you get into the learning situation with no experience, and thus you are unable to avoid trouble. that's why we need simulated environments to learn, and in fact all developed animals do that. that is why we play. that is why we have formal education. and that is why we have novels too. you can put yourself in a virtual position without actually realizing losses but on the other hand reaping any "real" (material) benefits.
but of course there are vitamins and there are artificial flavorings. some of these simulated environments give you no meat, but only a feeling that you have eaten something. some of them are actually poisonous or addictive. but just like flavored and colored drinks does not invalidate the general concept of drinking, useless novels should be considered as bad examples, and not the rule.
May 9 2013: Krisztián, thank you! thank you for writing your thorough opinion on the matter.
I totally agree with you, but what would you call a "bad novel" ?
What would make a novel a "colored drink", poisonous, or addictive?
May 9 2013: for example novels (or anything) having the sole purpose to reinforce the current views of the audience, so they feel good about themselves, regardless of the validity of said views. i would call that a flavored drink with artificial sweetener. if i named examples, it would immediately derail the conversation into a flame war between the fans and the haters, so i would rather skip that.
Wanda Ramos
May 9 2013: Wow, you just read my mind, and wrote my thoughts in a better way that I could have written! :)
- +1
I was a vigorous reader when I was a child and a teenager. Nothing thought me more about good behavior in general, and gave me better counsels about life, friendships, family and such subjects, than the novels I loved to read. Adults chastising me weren't effective, because they never explained to me why I should do this, or why I shouldn't do that. And I always want to know the reason for something. Good books filled this need for me.
May 9 2013: thanks. btw i recently came to that conclusion when i tried to define "game", in the light of some recent video game debates about what can we call a video game, what are the requirements of it. i can't just pass by such a question. i have to find and answer to it, it spins in my head :)
Delta M
May 13 2013: This brings to mind one of my dearly loved quotes by Neil Gaiman, "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
- +5
They teach us something about ourselves and our place in the world. They touch our emotions and stir our dreams. They way we react to what we've read is as personal as the way the author wrote what they felt, no two books are written the same, and no two readings of the same book are read the same.
Stories - all stories - be they any length in any medium, from novels to flash fiction, from bedtime fairy tales to spoken elder circles - stories are important because they are an expression of human soul. They take someone else's experiences and make them your own, they reach across time and space, bridging generations and nations and cultures.
Even if dragons don't exist, it's important to teach that they can be beaten.
To quote again, Terry Pratchett sums it up as, "Humans need fantasy to be human." I truly believe that. Novels are proof that we are still human.
Coco May
May 12 2013: To me, it's giving you another person's perspective... How differently they would look at things. And sometimes it becomes a way to get away from the reality of my own life... I can end up going into the world of the novel.May 11 2013: The best novels are stories that resonate with us, that entertain while also teaching us something about life, or love, or happiness, or dangers. I believe that a great story can change the way you think about things - regardless of what genre it is. I believe you can be moved as much by a well-told popular novel as you can by anything on a literary prize list.
- +3
When we read fiction we relax and allow the author to take us by the hand to wander through a world of their creation. As we're enjoying the story, learning about the characters and situations in which they find themselves and the worlds in which they live, new ideas can be conveyed that we might not be receptive to had they been delivered in a lecture or non-fiction account. I believe that amazing stories can enrich our knowledge of the world around us almost without us realising. Our imagination is our greatest asset and stories feed this.
As an author, the greatest compliment anyone can pay me is when they tell me, 'I loved your story. After I finished the book I kept thinking about what happened to this character/ that situation/ my own experience of what the story was about...' Stories that move us, make us consider our own experiences and stay with us long after the last page are powerful and make life a lot more interesting. Even if they're about vampires, or spies, star-crossed lovers or hard-bitten detectives...
May 12 2013: Hey Miranda, thanks for spending some time writing your thoughts on this, I really appreciate it.
My question to you is regarding this sentence: "I believe that amazing stories can enrich our knowledge of the world around us almost without us realizing".
Does this apply to fake stories as well? to stories that are made up, that might be directive or trying to draw an image of a reality that cannot exist, to pursue false dreams. Do you get me :S ?
Sometimes I reflect upon stories and contemplate upon their ideas, but then I think, well the story is made up, so maybe the character cannot do this or that, and maybe such circumstances are illogical and won't happen in real life, so why bother?
May 12 2013: Thanks for your kind words!
I think even if stories are made up and we don't agree with them, the point is that they have provoked a reaction. Sometimes it's good to read someone else's idea of the world to determine our own. Fiction provides a 'safe place' to consider it. And in any story, however fantastical, there are elements of real life and human experience. It's in the skill of the storyteller to bring those elements into the story. As such, I don't think anything is wasted - if it makes you consider it even for a moment, I think it has value!May 12 2013: Miranda, I just searched your name on goodreads, I didn't know you're like, a real author :D
I Will definitely mark some of your work to-read. Best of luck!
Yusuf Khan
May 9 2013: i feel the point of reading novels are actually ways to stretch out our mind and flex our thought patterns into ways we could not conceive previously.
- +3
A good example i can use to show this is one of a typical speech topic for children at school. Children who read novels tend to learn to express themselves better than children who go all out for the content part. and the difference is learnt from the well worn art of writing. this cannot be directly deciphered by a child in elementary school really yet, but then get a feel for it and apply the same logic to the way they handle things!May 9 2013: Novels are one way of showcasing imagination.
Imagination gives knowledge 'wings'.May 26 2013: I don't think I have a particularly comprehensive answer to the question but I can draw some aspects to the answer from experience. I study political science and the one thing I am invested in the field in is the reflection of political theory and political sociology (along with history, psychology and a host of other related disciplines) in novels. There's an hypothesis actually that in some contexts - like that of the Arab world - authors of novels are far more capable to translate the reality in their works than 'objective' political scientists and scholars. A major part of this has to do with the 'emotions'. While there has been a trend in humanities and social sciences lately to better understand 'emotions' and deconstruct them as text and context, the methodology is not yet crystallized and therefore the same study can result in paradoxical results. Novels on the other hand rely on the emotional response of the reader and they are therefore far more apt at deconstructing the emotional makeup of a group or phenomenon, be it political or otherwise. The problem however arises in the fact that in order to translate the author's dealing with emotions into something 'practical' so to speak, one would have to deconstruct the novel itself which usually butchers the art of it all. The beauty and brilliance of novels is interrelated, they are not separate. The brilliance of relation to emotions as well as objective theories,perspective or hypotheses is also the aesthetic beauty of a reader's attachment to the characters of the novel.
May 27 2013: What concerns me through out the 80+ comments so far is that some of you guys think that playing with emotions in a novel is a good thing as it makes the reader more absorbed in what the author is trying to convey. But you're also saying that novels help us see through an abstraction of what might have been or what might become. Isn't it a little worrisome that perhaps the view of things the author is providing is delusional and we don't even know it? That we're building conclusions and opinions on a work that puts emotions ahead of facts and objectivity?
I find what you said about novelists being more objective at certain points very interesting. Perhaps they, even though not obliged, are more realistic than most of our political observers! Thanks Nadine for jumping in.
Jun 1 2013: I just have a question re your point on authors of novels being delusional: do you equate that with subjectivity or are they separate? i. e. would you call a political scientist who calls for an extreme ideology delusional despite their objective approach to the subject?
And yes, I do believe that authors of novels are more realistic; I just don't think that necessarily has to mean that they are objective. In fact, I believe that part of why they manage most of the time to be so realistic is that they don't shy away from subjectivity and emotion; they don't treat them as obstacles to reaching, finding or describing the truth.
Jun 3 2013: 'Objective approach to the subject', how is that even possible :D ?
I don't think I get your question. But if you're asking if being delusional and being subjective are the same, No. They're certainly not. But I can't rely on a 'subjective' narrative to build my opinions or else I'll be in 'delusion'.
My point here is that YES novels can definitely tell us more about a certain view. But does it help us shape our own? Do we get cursed by the author's narrative and become unable to pick the side we would rationally go with?
Farah Fitria
May 24 2013: It shows me that in the end I never walk alone and that the suffering I've been through is normal.May 19 2013: Characters of Novel may or may not exist but what about rest ?
- +2
I travel back to time when read Shakespeare or Homar to understand culture, people, society etc of that time. It's really cheap to go for such time travel.May 13 2013: Novels are a means for a writer to tell a story that he feels is worth telling. They need to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The writer has complete control over can characters, settings, events and storyline and can use them as tools to evoke emotions, intrigue, passion, suspense, or any of a wide range of other feelings in his reading audience. Often, the story will have sub-plots, hidden meanings, symbols, and veiled commentary on aspects of current society or political figures. Novels challenge readers to use their cognitive skills to uncover some of these messages, interpret the true meaning of the story, remember the bits and pieces of characters or details about a situation that offer clues about a bigger theme, and think about the author's dream.
If the novel is not at least entertaining, it will be doomed to obscurity. If it does not stir something in the readers, it will not be very popular. If it does not challenge the intellect of the reader, they will become bored. Every time you read a novel, you are exposed to a different method of conveying a message. If you study the means of conveying the message, you may learn how to better deliver your own. The theme or setting for a novel may convey attitudes, politics, or sentiments of people of the period. The novel may serve as a record of big period issues, such as slavery, women's rights, war, poverty, or injustice. The characters may represent certain traits of all humans and show how these traits serve the character in a set of circumstances. The results may cause the reader to reflect on his or her own value system, morality, or belief system.
Novels are hardly a waste of time, but a different learning experience. I think with the development of other media forms in the past 100 years that they are not as dominant a communications form as they once were, but they offer an intellectual experience that other forms of communication just can't match.
Tim Bradley
May 13 2013: Novels are a great way to educate kids through the context of a story, one way we humans learn effectively.
- +2
Reading for entertainment is also a great way to strengthen the creative and imaginative parts of the brain--written stories require participation of the reader to envision the characters based on purely written information. Plus, it's fun.May 12 2013: "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Grapes of Wrath", "The Heart of Darkness", "Lord of the Flies"; these are all novels that helped me to better understand the world and the characters that inhabit it. It helped teach me about morality, compassion, justice, bravery and also about the effects of greed, envy, hatred and cowardice. My world is so much more rewarding because of novels. Oftentimes fiction can point more clearly to truths and reality than can nonfiction. We need both.
May 9 2013: I just ran across this quote on my book club site, and wanted to share it with you:
- +2
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers." ~ Charles W. Eliot
May 9 2013: Like all other types of entertainment, some are upbuilding and educational and help you grow as an individual, while others are not worth the paper they are written on.
- +2
May 9 2013: What would make a novel not worthy?
Thanks Mary for joining in.
May 9 2013: Everyone has a different answer to this. It is very subjective.
- 0
I already stated in my first comment what would make a novel worthy....it must educate me, upbuild me and help me grow as an individual.
Unworthy then would be fluff..... One example......lots of authors have jumped on the 'vampire' train and written all kinds of _____ (you can fill in the blank). Do people actually read that? How is it going to make me a better individual? How will it educate me? How will it upbuild me?
There is a book group I know called "Literary snobs"........Mind you, I dislike snobs of all sorts, but, I think when it comes to novels, and books in general, it's ok to be choosy. Don't you?May 9 2013: I think it enhances inspiration and imagination, encourages people to do or think outside of their profession.
It could serve as sort of inspiration and reality flee.May 8 2013: I nearly wept when I read this, specially from someone coming from Heliopolis.
For those that don't know before the Great Library of Alexandria, there was Heliopolis. Everyone including the likes of Pythagoras, Herodotus, Ptolemy, Plato, Orpheus, Homer, visited there, learned there, exchanged ideas there.
Now consider that, democracy, philosophy, and believe it or not the structure of plays (and so our modern day novels) all stems from the learning and understanding of the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egyptians.
But what were these plays for? And similarly what are novels for? Well in fact every novel, every play, every story tells us something about the human experience, of human nature, a tale of morality if you wish, or simply put the exchange of ideas. And so by seeing them, by reading them, we inherently learn about ourselves, and hopefully we realize and understand more about who we are, and avoid the tragedies and comedy of errors, and drama, that beset us on all sides as we travel through this life. And through such realization and understanding hopefully we can become better, tolerant and a more enlightened humanity.
So Amgad be like the phoenix rise from the ashes, of misunderstanding of novels, on the altar of the very sun god which happily and conveniently is located in... Heliopolis.
I hope to see you, and many others, one day, in the great city of Heliopolis. That is my dream.
May 8 2013: Hi Tify, I think this is a misunderstanding.
I'm not anti-novels, in fact, half of the books I read are novels.
This discussion is not meant for people to defend novels but rather to define that thing we experience through the pages that I personally cannot name. I wanted to know what the people of TED thinks of novels, whether they knew why we love them or not.
I know that novels deepens something in us that we can't tackle with other forms of art. But I don't know why or how, I thought it would be nice to discuss it here.
Hope I cleared it out.
May 8 2013: Hi Amgad, no my friend no misunderstanding :)
I get what you meant, but I, like the ancient Egyptians, tend to encode answers, which will lead you to ask more questions. At least I hope it does, because when it does, it forms a tree of questions and answers, that tree being the tree of knowledge. And as a tutor, I always like to encourage people to find the answers themselves (with a little help) as it's more satisfying to the questioner to believe they found it out, to see (pupil) for themselves, as it further encourages them to know they have that capability to find out so much more.May 8 2013: As a child, I loved the days when I could go to the library so I could bring home as many books as I could carry. This love never left me, even though now I have less time to enjoy catching up with my favorite fictional heroes. I enjoyed novels because they provided an escape and enticed my imagination. This in turn enhanced my creativity. I didn't realize until I was a more mature reader how much novels affected me. Books taught me morals and lessons. The characters of books showed me the importance of never giving up, no matter how defeated I felt. The most important effect books had on my was that I learned to think critically in everyday life. Initially, I only analyzed books when my teachers required it and standardized tests asked me. By the end of high school after reading hundred of books, I thought critically about books, life, my future, etc. I think this was the greatest gift given to me. Books were my constant companions and they taught me how look at something and think something different.
May 9 2013: My childhood was a pile of comic books, I don't think I would be reading anything today if it wasn't for them.
I like to believe that comic books are novels for children :)
Thanks for your warm participation Morgan
May 9 2013: Haha, that's fantastic! I think you're right. I wish I had read more comic books. Maybe they would have inspired me to improve my very lacking artistic abilities? You're quite welcome!
May 13 2013: My childhood was a series of Sweet Valley High books and today I can't put down books about neuroscience, reading, learning or anything else I find interesting. So, I'd say, the time reading wasn't wasted even though Sweet Valley High may not be classic material.May 13 2013: I wrote a grant years ago to purchase comic books for my classroom library. They're wonderful for children learning English as they are full of pictures and figurative language.May 8 2013: Novels are a unique medium. Yes, they can be nothing more than rainy day entertainment and as a novelist, I indulge in that now and then. I could watch a stupid rom-com movie, but i am nothing more than a recipient and when I read the same silly rom-com novel, I am interacting and forming the scenes and action in my own mind. In my novel 'Cast the First Stone' I wanted to explore the internal conflict of a young professional cyclist who decided to go along with a team doping program. Why? I just wanted to know and what I found during my research frightened me to the point where i gave up writing it for two years and instead wrote another book "Open Your Heart with Bicycling..." The result is a book that made a lot of people very uncomfortable. I have finished writing a new novel that falls generally into the thriller genre, but more along the lines of John leCarre. I have been fascinated and disturbed by the expanding and vitriolic culture wars, and I experience them most in my own Catholic church. In this novel, both the liberal LGBT faction and the ultra militant conservative faction resort to violence as they fight over issues such as abortion, gay marriage, female ordination etc. I didn't want to take sides, but rather examine how far these culture wars could go and what the consequences might be. I would hope this will start a discussion on that very topic now before the violence happens. Ok, that's my humble contribution.
May 8 2013: Thanks for your participation Shawn, it really adds to the conversation.
So I guess what you're trying to say is that novels can be a way of living a situation or experience that would otherwise not exist in real world. Interesting.
Good luck with your writings.May 27 2013: Re: "How can one take lessons from a story that was made up and characters that do not exist?"
This is at the core of religion
Ben Jarvis
May 27 2013: i think it's immensely beneficial to read about imaginary worlds and situations. what has happened is interesting to be sure, but what about what could have happened? it also tends to get us into the habit of thinking about what could be rather than only what is, and it's this thinking about possibilities that drives all human progress.
- +1
May 27 2013: "what could have happened? ".. I like that, thanks Ben for joining us.May 26 2013: They can introduce a topic that is controversial.. They can capture a time period or emotion. They can give understanding of a subject or persons or event. For example Trinity by Leon Uris is a novel that describes irish history and its revolution with more emotion than any historical text could ever convey.
Novels can also be good entertainment just like movies or television.
eslam ali
May 24 2013: many novels are made due to inner voice of writers that
- +1
1- they have the skill to express their fiction in the form of story
2-they really have a story
3-they can show their expressions in such way
4-they need to share their feelings with other people
5-money can be gained by such way (some of them )
for the point of being how to make use of fictional stories in our life, many novels express existed stories but not by these names particularly
for novels that speak about the past or it`s events are historical many writers add info. about the nature of life in such times and the reader starts to imagine how the life was
finally, we can say that, to make it real, you have to make it a story :)
i can`t deny that lots of us read to relax their minds or make time pass or get rid of boring moments but also we can`t deny that reading is the best for all of us and reading in all fields to have open mindset that able to accept right different ideas and widen our horizons by imagining novels events :)May 19 2013: It is all about reflection. Writers reflect about an experience they had or a manifestation of how the world should be. And in all cases, it gives an eye on human behavior; how to see life from the two sides. Plus we usually don't have the time to live all the experiences there is to live. So novels transfer these hypothetical experiences and wishes through an emotionally appealing context. For me, it is easier to relate to a fictional character experience than a biography of the world's greatest whatever! No offense intended but usually real biographies tend to exaggerate the writer's agony and accomplishments and it is always only one side of the story.
May 19 2013: I'd recommend you read Ghandi's autobiography. He told his story in a way that would make you feel he was so ordinary, and that's why he's who he's :)
Thanks for your time Shereen!
May 22 2013: I have read Gandhi's autobiography. One thing I ascertained about him is that he was not an ordinary man by any means. The way he lived his personal life, the way he fasted and the ideas he had about celibacy as a married man were unusual to say the least.
He was a good man and wanted peace and harmony for everyone but you should read his autobiography again. You will discover he was unique in many ways.
May 22 2013: Yes, I agree with everything you said. What I meant was that when he crafted his words to convey his story he didn't exaggerate. It felt normal to him to do what he was doing.
When I watched documentaries and other material about Gandhi I felt they were trying to make him look idealistic, they tried to hide his imperfections, which in all cases made him who he is. I loved this autobiography in particular cause it made me feel that everybody can be Gandhi, that those great characters were not magically better than the rest of us. I think this is the greatest thing a great man can teach, how to be great by example.May 22 2013: Yes, it is true that often Gandhi is idealised but he never wanted that. He was one of the great people, not everyone can be a Gandhi. But he was a human being as well. He lived his life as he chose and he believed in everyone's right to do that. He did what he did with his life because he felt that it was the only thing he could do.
He did it for his country and people.
W. Ying
May 19 2013: .
- +1
Good novels are the concentrate of life experiences.
They help us know invalid (harmful) happiness and be happy validly.
.May 18 2013: There is always something to be learned by reading any kind of literature. It keeps the brain cells working too.
Ashwin Kumar
May 13 2013: Novels do promote regular reading habits. It's always better to have a hobby where you entertain yourself and also learn something from it. Although the images that are personified in the novels may be false that might not widen your knowledge but still it instills that reading spark in you. The more interesting it is, the more connected you are !
- +1
adesh saxena
May 13 2013: Reading novels is never a waste of time.
- +1
Its a way of interaction.
The situation described in a novel may be entirely new for you but it prepares you for the future.
Science tells us that more new neuronal connections are made with new learning.May 13 2013: Novels heighten emotional connections to the written language and increase empathy. When an emotional trigger happens, memory strengthens and learning happens. Check out the book Brain Rules by John Medina.
Maria Uuetoa
May 12 2013: Hello,
- +1
When I read novels, I get a chance to acquaint myself with the inner thoughts of the novelist through their character and that allows me to think over some points of view to a problem or phenomenon.
I don't think reading novels is a waste of time nor that it is purely entertainment.
C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien for example surely write with elements which make their stories video-game-like but still they give us their philosophy or a theory (of good and evil, beauty and injustice, etc.) that we can contemplate about even a long time after reading their novels...May 12 2013: For me it's simple, where non-fiction gives facts and figures, novels give insight into often creative and different approaches to certain situations. They can promote, motivation and self-reflection more readily than non-fiction. In my opinion they widen our knowledge through two different means.May 12 2013: Though I haven't felt my appetite for fiction waning in recent years, I do agree with Brent about the importance of language. Sometimes a simple, but original, metaphor or turn of phrase can bring the reader up short - make us wonder how we had never seen that connection before. A good writer constantly surprises us with the possibilities of language, and if the story is a page-turner all the better.May 12 2013: Ah, that's OK Greg. I can see you have a wicked sense of humour. Actually, my appetite for fiction has declined recently, primarily, I believe, because I rarely emerge having learned something new, anything that has enriched my own perspective. Novels can make you laugh and even cry. This is good, strengthening the emotions. What else is there? The stories are just someone's imagination. Is that valuable? Maybe not.
So that leaves us with the language. Is it typical talk that one could hear over the fence or on a bus? Not terribly useful. But, if the words are carefully chosen, forming expressions you have never heard, using metaphors that carry you higher and farther and deeper than you have ever been, verbs and adjectives appearing in surprising ways and places, then you will have learned the power of language.
In life, we speak rather simply, to exchange news or views, yet we do not see our listeners' mouths open with fascination, intrigue, delight at hearing unique expressions that have made their minds work harder than their ears.
I fear that most authors race forward with their narratives convinced their characters and events will do the heavy lifting. Not true. Tell a reader a saga of fantasy and at the end the tale soon drifts unremembered, and the reader not remarkably rewarded. Yes, we can suspend our disbelief for quite some time while we flip the pages but surely it is better to be endowed with belief, with the recognition that words are art, that a word can be worth a thousand pictures. Certainly not all of us can paint, but we can all speak and if a novel doesn't show you how to add colours and dimension to what you want to say, then the writer has wasted your time.
I bet that's how you feel, Greg.
Jun 3 2013: I admire your love for language. But I think that a beautiful formulation of language can be expressed in any medium. A novel, a book, a movie. It doesn't give a reason for why we should look for it in novels instead of any different medium.
Thanks Brent for joining us,May 11 2013: We read novels to find ourselves, to be reassured that we aren't alone in all our loneliness. Much as one can see a star better without looking directly at it, we sometimes need that bit of distance to see and forgive ourselves--laugh at ourselves and go forward.
May 12 2013: getting ourselves out of this world and taking a look at things from distance,,, I like that.
Thanks Carol for your contribution!
Thomas Beek
May 11 2013: Novels explore ideas, usually via a narrative structure that mimics life.
- +1
Jun 3 2013: Amgad, my friend, you courageously persist with your question: why do we love novels or not? The fact that you pose it several times shows you have not yet received an answer. Perhaps the focus should be how do novels spark appreciation or not? There haven't been any comments addressing that, maybe because we don't really know how they please us, only that they do, or don't.
Excluding my previous rant about words being the all-important medium, let's look at the plot, characters, and message, if there is one. Does the plot needs a beginning, middle and end? That's a bit linear. Consider the effective flashbacks in movies, showing events that are explained much later. I would quite enjoy a novel that began with "Rest in peace, you miserable bastard!" and then be carried to an earlier time to learn why the deceased deserved that final salute.
An end? Jeffrey Archer wrote a short story that had no end, asking the reader to select one. That was fun. A middle? Does your life have a middle? I doubt it, given all the peaks and valleys that often fling us onto different trails, causing us to start again.
Many say they emerge with new knowledge, fresh perspectives, donated experiences that allow one to avoid the possible pain or mistakes of the personal challenge. Valuable indeed, if that's true. Grisham hasn't taught me how to be a lawyer, broker or corporate partner.
We can, however, walk the sewage-filled London streets with Dickens and see how far we have come. Why do we like Fagin but hate Scrooge? Therein lies his art. We can wonder at the convoluted system of marriage with the Bronte sisters and Austen. So the 'how?' could be authors' exposures of what we once were, what we might have continued to be, what we are now and what we might become. Those are valuable lessons, aren't they?
I'll stop here, but fortunately, this will not mean the end of this thread.May 10 2013: Reminds me of Harry Nilson's "The Point." All novels have one or more points, even if you can't find it. However, it is not the novel that has the point really, it is the thinker. A novel gives one the setting for a train of thought(s) that are usually a chance to grow. Not in the way one thinks, normally, but down different roads or directions. In a conversation one has cultural issues that do not afford one the opportunity to go far, because the other participants want you to go down their path or train of thought. Now there are novels that construct a reality which is more rewarding than others, but there is often a repetitiveness that is boring and ends up being a book we do not finish. There is also the fact that if the novel is not giving you a construct that you want or understand you may not be ready or actually be past it's usefulness for various reasons. Often books that we think of fondly and try to read again are a complete letdown and makes us think about why did we like that book. Now for another issue; emotional stimulation. We all know that women like romance novels, while men generally do not (we actually bought that Playboy for the pictures no matter what we said about the articles!). We are a mass of chemicals and thought processes and living is playing or using these as we grow. That growth puts us in a lot of different states that need different stimulus. So Novels are primarily for thinking about subjects or metaphysical gymnastics that are relevant to the developmental level we are at. Then we come to the handicap of novels, which is our common reality. A novel has to have a reality or construct for your mind to exist in. Fantasy and Science Fiction novels are free to create a setting that does not or never will exist for us to think in. A good example is God. Older novels and movies had to have the existing religious trappings, and usually the "accepted" one. So to be truly free in a novel one had avoid this reality.
May 10 2013: Thanks Jerry for your comprehensive view. I like how you made novels look like friends, we can be open and vulnerable when discussing their ideas cause we're not fearful of judgment or being labeled.
sarah cheng
May 10 2013: Novels are from life . From novels ,we can experience different lives without taking prat in . we see the right and wrong in the novel thus causing a subtle influence on the behavior in reality .May 8 2013: in my opinion, information is inferior to fabrication. What was it that Einstein once said about imagination and knowledge...?
- +1
May 9 2013: Had to look that one up Scott. Here it is for the rest of us to enjoy.
- +1
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." Albert Einstein
Don Anderson
May 8 2013: The most read novel is "The Lord of the Rings" and although every character and location in is made-up/fictional the morals and virtues are real. So good novels are entertaining lessons, that have a long lasting effect on us.
- +1
Electronic games is still a young art form, and at its best will be a combination of a great novel with visual art, preforming art, and music in an interactive manor.
And as a whole it can become greater than the sum of its parts.
Right now they are somewhere between a cave paintings and the Mona Lisa, comic books and Gone with the Wind, chanting and Beethoven's 5th, it being a team art form it likely the reason most don't see it as an art form.
May 8 2013: To be honest with you I never read or watched any of the lord of the rings :D
But I like the sound of this: "good novels are entertaining lessons, that have a long lasting effect on us".
As for games, I don't want to shift the topic of the conversation here. But I find most electronic games to be a mean of entertainment we can hardly say they try to teach us values or lessons, specially if you're playing a villain or a member in a gang. Of course not all games, but quite a few. My point was; should reading a novel be just a way of entertainment or is there a secret value we harvest as we read along.
Thanks for jumping in, Don.
Fritzie -
May 8 2013: In reading novels, when we think about the characters and their situations, we consider hypothetical paths to solving problems that often have a universality to them and observe different modes of interacting with others. These experiences, though the situation is fictional, extend our experience (of the what ifs and possible consequences) and add to our range of ideas for solving our own problems, for empathizing with others in a variety of situations, and for dealing with relationships and conflicts.
- +1
Movies can do the same, except that in novels we have more control of our processing pace. It is a longer, often more thorough experience, and we can pause or reread.
I cannot speak to the comparison to video games, as I do not play them, but it would seem novels and movies both have a greater ability to capture complex characters and situations.
The only Egyptian novelist whose work I have read is Naguib Mahfouz. I thought the Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street) was a masterpiece.
Another masterpiece, I think, set in Egypt is Lawrence Durrell's The Alexandria Quartet, which tells the same story in four different novels from the perspectives of four main characters.
May 8 2013: Great comment. I can see why you host many threads.
You summarize so much of my poorly formed thought -- that I have very little (if anything) to add here.
I guess the best thing about novels in English, is having a department of English to study with at University. If you are a native speaker of English, and English is your first language, the novel in English is most of what you study in the field of English language and literature.
If we got rid of the novel, we wouldn't have any English majors in college. Not only that, but there wouldn't be a publishing industry either. Some might argue the point, but I'll keep things the way they are for now. And as far as the novel is concerned, what would we replace them with?
There is too much about reading fiction that I enjoy.


text:
Browse our selection of kettlebells to find the ones that fit your strength training needs. Kettlebells have been around for a long time, but have recently gained popularity in mainstream strength training as trainers and athletes look to add variety to their workouts.
Power Systems line of Kettlebells includes both cast-iron and vinyl coated kettlebells and a unique style of kettlebell we call the Kor Kettleball which is great for those just starting out with Kettlebell training.
Now displaying all 10 products


text:
All pastry jokes aside, PIE is a fully-customizable replacement for the stock on-screen navigation buttons found in more recent versions of Android. It stays hidden off-screen, only to be brought to life by a predefined gesture. PIE can be manifested on all four sides of the devices, and there's even an option to set up multiple trigger areas, making this not only a neat mod to look at, but a convenient one, too.
Of course, long-time Paranoid Android users are probably shouting "Hey, this isn't new!" – which is completely true. This has been a feature in the ROM for some time, but it's now reaching its final stages of development. Where there used to be lag, you'll only find smooth transitions and blazing speeds. The dev team re-wrote the navigation code from scratch (as opposed to simply modifying the AOSP code, like in the past) to ensure a buttery smooth experience. Judging by that video, I'd say they achieved that goal. Of course, they're not completely finished yet, so there are still a few bugs to work out.
PIE isn't just about a new navigation experience, either – it also offers customizable colors, status information (like clock, date, et cetera), notifications, and toggles. One nice thing about PIE is that it's dynamic, meaning its size will be defined by the device's dpi; in other words, you won't see a stretched phone UI on a tablet.According to PA's post on Google+ highlighting this feature, updated builds of the ROM with this freshly-baked PIE should start rolling out as early as tonight. You can head here, as well as Paranoid Android's site, for more information.
Been using PA's PIE since Alpha stage. What can I say? Completely reclaimed all screen space and getting better and better each day. The BEST 3rd party ROM I've used. Yes, better than CM and AOKP (tried both, too).


text: Drip Irrigation - Low Flow "Water, water everywhere," begins the old poem. Sure, there's still plenty of water on this planet. However, if the experts are right, we're going to have a lot less of it in the coming years. Climate change, politics, pollution; all of this affects how much water we'll either have, or be able to get access to, in the future. More


text:
Stamina Seated Inversion Therapy System
|Eligible for Free Shipping, No Minimum! (see promotion details)
|Members of The League get 5% back when you spend $100! (see promotion details)
Product Details
The Stamina® seated inversion therapy system is a chair that converts to an inversion table. It's easy to get on and off, and it offers improved circulation and relief from many forms of back pain. A hand brake holds the chair for simple mounting and dismounting, while skid-resistant rubber floor protectors provide maximum stability and security.
- Cushioned, comfortable upholstery
- Skid-resistant rubber floor protectors for maximum stability and security
- Padded handlebars for easier inversion and easier return
- Heavy-duty steel frame construction
- Attractive pewter-colored frame
- Nylon tether strap to control inversion
- Ratcheting leg lock system with push-button lever release holds ankles securely
- Leg support adjustment to fit thigh length
- Quick-adjust footrest puts you into the correct position to invert
- Folds for easy storage
- Locking pivot arms
- Adjustable lap belt
- Fits users of most heights
- Hand brake holds chair for easy mounting and dismounting
- Foam-padded ankle support for added comfort while inverted
- Assembled Size: H 54.5" x W 27.5" x L 50"


text:
Confiscating contraband or ill-gotten gains from bad guys is a big part of the job for law enforcers. Whether it's billions in assets of white collar criminals or multimillions worth of drugs, stolen items, or even an ancient dinosaur skeleton, a seizure can serve different purposes.
Authorities seize assets like $18 million yachts in white collar cases to liquidate and auction them off to help pay back victims. When it comes the criminal world, a seizure of say $180 million worth of cocaine found on a submarine in the Caribbean removes illicit goods from the market, in addition to providing evidence to build a prosecution.
What are some of the major seizures and big busts in recent years? Click on to see 10 cases that were record-breaking, major, or just bizarre.
Tune into an all new season of "American Greed," premiering Thursday, Feb. 21, at 10 p.m. EST/PST.
By Jeanine Ibrahim
Posted 19 Feb. 2013


text:
user score
gw score
FlatOut 2 Summary
FlatOut 2 Review
31 August 2006 | By Josie de Dios
FlatOut 2 promises to bring back the well-loved car racing game where you take part in ensuring harm against those AI drivers going against you.
Latest news
Bugbear's Next Car Game now on Kickstarter
04 November 2013 | By /staff
FlatOut developer Bugbear Entertainment has now taken their Next Car Game project onto Kickstarter having only accepted pledges through their own website until now. It's been Greenlit on Steam.
Their Kickstarter campaign is asking for $350,000 and it has 27 days to go. So far a little over $24,000 has been pledged from around 730 backers. A "sneak peak" tech demo is due if successful.
FlatOut 3 hits Steam on 13th December
06 December 2011 | By JonahFalcon
Strategy Informer can reveal that FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction will be released on Steam on the 13th December, with a preorder bonus of a 10% discount from now until the 12th.


text:
I've been in Chicago for the last few weeks setting up our first satellite office for my company. While Silicon Valley may be the home of big data vendors, Chicago is the home of the big data users and practitioners. So many people here "get it" that you could go to a packed meetup or big data event nearly every day of the week.
Big data events almost inevitably offer an introduction to NoSQL and why you can't just keep everything in an RDBMS anymore. Right off the bat, much of your audience is in unfamiliar territory. There are several types of NoSQL databases and rational reasons to use them in different situations for different datasets. It's much more complicated than tech industry marketing nonsense like "NoSQL = scale."
[ Andrew Oliver declares the time for NoSQL standards is now. | Also on InfoWorld: NoSQL standouts: New databases for new applications | Get a digest of the key stories each day in the InfoWorld Daily newsletter. ]
Part of the reason there are so many different types of NoSQL databases lies in the CAP theorem, aka Brewer's Theorem. The CAP theorem states you can provide only two out of the following three characteristics: consistency, availability, and partition tolerance. Different datasets and different runtime rules cause you to make different trade-offs. Different database technologies focus on different trade-offs. The complexity of the data and the scalability of the system also come into play.
Another reason for this divergence can be found in basic computer science or even more basic mathematics. Some datasets can be mapped easily to key-value pairs; in essence, flattening the data doesn't make it any less meaningful, and no reconstruction of its relationships is necessary. On the other hand, there are datasets where the relationship to other items of data is as important as the items of data themselves.
Relational databases are based on relational algebra, which is more or less an outgrowth of set theory. Relationships based on set theory are effective for many datasets, but where parent-child or distance of relationships are required, set theory isn't very effective. You may need graph theory to efficiently design a data solution. In other words, relational databases are overkill for data that can be effectively used as key-value pairs and underkill for data that needs more context. Overkill costs you scalability; underkill costs you performance.