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Coal worker, Ashiky, 22, in Jharia coal mine in Jharkhand. Coal workers are some of the most severely affected from the ill effects of coal.
© © Greenpeace / Peter Caton
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Faculty Resources and Guides
Welcome to the Office of Academic Affairs Faculty Resource Page. The materials housed here will provide you with information about academic regulations and procedures which are central to the life of our college. Please explore these pages. We will be updating them soon, and we welcome suggestions for additional materials.
Dr. David Hadaller
Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs


text:
Manufacturer: TIC Manufacturer: Premium 3 Results
Tic outdoor omni sub woofer, gs50 omnispeaker® sub woofer
Terra-forms speaker, 150 watts.
TIC GS-50 8" Omni-Directional In-Ground Subwoofer
Offers the largest "sweet spot" of any speaker type. Fill your exterior living space with sound. Sitting off center which ruins normal mono directional speakers has no adverse effects upon Omni Speakers. You can submerge yourself in pure sound whether in front, behind or to the sides of the omni speaker. This is what "surround sound" systems try so hard to copy. Multiple...
Klipsch Synergy SUB-10 Subwoofer Speaker - 200 Watts (Black) [Electronics]
A masterpiece of sound and design, the Synergy Series Sub-10 shakes things up with its rock-solid performances. Its extraordinary power adds a dose of "reality" to movie explosions and other special effects, as well as reveals commonly elusive lower musical tones.


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Danner DFA 4.5" GTX® Canteen Uniform Boots 15402
Featuring a patent pending Vertical Insertion Arrestor (VIA) technology insert which provides abrasion resistance and superior control in fast roping applications, the DFA is a vertical assault weapon.
Product Features
Danner boots are built off measurements recorded on the Brannock Device. The Brannock Device is the silver foot measuring tool found in nearly every shoe store, so an accurate measurement on that device should give you a good idea of what size Danner boots to purchase. You can also download a printable Brannock chart from our site here
The Danner brand is know for its high quality and craftsmenship of their boots. Danner pays attention to the details. They understand there may be similar ways to craft a boot but there are not similar standards. And, true to the Danner name, Danner prides themselves in crafting the highest standards. The Danner Boot line consists of top quality Danner Work Boots, Military Boots, Law Enforcement Boots, Hunting Boots and Hiking Boots. Patriot Surplus carries a full line of top boot brands. Click Here
Product Reviews for Danner DFA 4.5" GTX® Canteen Uniform Boots 15402
Product Features


text: I think you have other problems...either the sill wasn't sloped properly or there is a leak in the flashing allowing moisture to get in behind. My guess is that there is more damage there than you can see. It doesn't sound like there is enough left to do a decent repair.


text:
Best Western Hotel le Galice Aix en Provence - Rooms in perfect condition.
Hotel Elysée Etoile Paris - Tired after sightseeing ideal.
Hotel Villamare Sicily - Charming hotel and excellent dinner.
Hotel du Cadran Paris - Really close to Eiffel tower, restaurants, shops.
Hotel Saint-Petersbourg Opera Paris - Budget Friendly
BEST WESTERN Hotel Universo Rome - The location is fantastic.
BEST WESTERN Hotel President Rome - Close to the city center.
Hotel Aris Garden Rome - Hotel located in the business district.
Hotel Sylvabelle Marseille - Best hostel of Marseille.
Hotel Moliere Paris - Spacious rooms.
Hotel Moderne Saint Germain Paris - Great location, friendly staff.
Hotel Auberge de la Source - Natural environment.
Grand Hotel Baia Verde Catania - 162 air-conditioned guestrooms.
La Moresca Hotel Marina di Ragusa Sicily - Very special place for discerning travelers.
Hotel Spa Cartagena Colombia - The staff there watching every detail.
Hotel Montmartre Paris - Hotel Montmartre Paris
Resort Appia Antica Rome - Very nice, clean and friendly place!
Hotel Spa Rennes - You can easily find your peace of mind.
Hotel Grands Boulevards Paris - Hotel Grands Boulevards Paris
Hotel Resort Bunaken Indonesia - Rooms feature modern decor.
3-star Hotel Aruba - Our accommodations are fully equipped with AC, wifi, LCD TV, private porch or balcony.
5-star Hotel Marrakech - Correctly decide if you book here.
Hotel Mercure La Sorbonne Paris - A lot of restaurants in the close area.
Hotel Place d'Italie Paris - Great hotel in quiet area.
KC San José Colaye Hotel - The room was large, and well lit, with comfortable, clean beds.
Hotel Elysees Bassano Paris - The front desk is open 24 hours a day holds.
Hotel San Francesco Al Monte Naples - We have double and executive rooms and junior suites which can accommodate 2 persons.
Hotel La Ferme Saint Simeon Honfleur - High end rustic hotel.
Dante Hotel Florence - Just a few minutes walk from the Cathedral.
Hostel Prague - Near historic sites.
Hotel Le Lapin Blanc Paris - Bright and spacious rooms.
Villa Marie: Luxury hotel Saint Tropez - The location is indeed very nice and peaceful.
Les Fermes de Marie : Hotel de luxe Megeve - Multilingual staff at the 24-hour front desk can provide tour/ticket assistance.
Cour des Loges: luxury hotel Lyon - Truly an award winner.
Altapura: 5 star hotel Val Thorens - Great hotel, great staff, great everything.
Hotel Mont-Blanc Megeve: 4-star hotel Megeve - The location is in the heart of the town.
Domaine de la Baume - The Sibuet magic still works.
Lodge Park Megeve: luxury hotel Megeve - If you want to switch can do so here.
La Bastide de Marie: charming hotel in Provence - Absolute perfection.
BEST WESTERN Hotel Alexander Park Chambery - Clean rooms with comfortable beds.
Hotel Chatillon Montparnasse Paris - The hotel is the ideal place for either business or leisure trips.
Europe Hotel Paris - The surrounding area is filled with traditional bistros, cafés and smart restaurants.
Hotel du Prince Eugène Paris - Free Wi-fi and other services offered.
Hotel Concortel Paris - Overlooking rue Pasquier.
Gardette Park Hotel - A peaceful vacation.
Hotel Le Bellechasse Paris - Quiet street.
Boutique hotel Paris - Comfortable rooms are beautifully appointed.


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Click here to view the 2009 Interpreting for the Theatre Brochure
TDF is putting the "Interpreting for the Theatre Program" on hold and will not run the program in 2011. Please check back for more information in fall 2011.
Sign Language Interpreter Alan Champion combines his performing skills with his sign language background to interpret live theatre. The American Theatre Wing "In the Wings" interviewed him on his career. Champion discusses how his career developed, and the personal and professional significance of the 1980 Tony Award winning play Children of a Lesser God as well as remembering some favorite shows that he interpreted on Broadway for TDF.
This training has been attended by participants from 36 different states, as well as individuals from Canada and the Netherlands. Most of the classes and all of the forums are conducted in American Sign Language (ASL). Body Awareness classes and a few other sessions are conducted in spoken English. As a program participant, it is essential that you are able to communicate fluently in both languages. TDF recommends that all participants be certified as proficient in ASL by RID. The training is offered annually each June, and applications are accepted through the first week of November.Audition RequirementsAfter TDF has processed your initial application, we will mail you the required audition material, which consists of two videotaped monologues and their accompanying texts. We cannot consider alternate audition material.


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A wardrobe essential that's far from basic. Round glass crystals are surrounded by prongs in gold plating. Wear them with everything, day to night. You can't go wrong.
Our promise to you....
Each and every piece of our jewelry is:
See our Return Policy.


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Our Technology
All manufacturers begin with the same basic material, bismuth telluride; but it is beyond that elementary level that the Tellurex performance advantage begins. A variety of additional alloys can be combined with bismuth telluride to create superior semi-conductor materials. At Tellurex, the super-efficient performance level of our modules results from a proprietary combination of patented materials and proprietary manufacturing methods that produce robust, efficient performance levels, and knowledgeable sourcing.
Our Tellurex patented process adds structural integrity and durability to our raw thermoelectric pellet material. The enhanced hardness of the finished material enables our modules to withstand harsh environments and remain reliable, day after day, year after year.
These basic factors combine with our know-how to give our modules a performance advantage over our competition. Our patented materials and manufacturing process are the basis of unmatched thermoelectric power and reliability that can endure the most challenging operating conditions. We are always working to further improve our materials and to solidify and expand our competitive advantage.
For more information, please click on the links below:


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India Hicks Island Living®
Spider Lily Shower Gel
Caress and cleanse skin in one scented sweep with India Hicks Island Living Spider Lily Shower Gel. This deliciously fragranced, gently cleansing gel creates a smooth lather in the shower, brilliant bubbles in the bath and a splash of island elegance in your daily routine.
- Honey extract helps hydrate skin
- Hibiscus flower and algae extracts help condition skin
- Formulated without mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol or sodium lauryl sulfate
Product Actions
The story of
India Hicks Island Living®
The daughter of famed British interior designer, David Hicks, and the goddaughter of Prince Charles, India Hicks is uniquely attuned to life's luxuries. For our Island Living Collection, the acclaimed model, designer and author became our creative partner, working with us to summon the scents of her Bahamas residence.
The delicate spider lily is the star fragrance of our Island Living bath and body products. Its tropical accords are blended with the scents of the sea, salt and sand, fruit trees and flowers. Plus, drawing on island wisdom, we infused mango, avocado and coconut to help protect and nourish, aloe vera to help hydrate and soothe, and rejuvenating salts and minerals from the sea.
Island Living home fragrance is inspired by the island breezes that sweep over India's veranda at sunset, bringing with them the scent of casuarina leaves, palm fronds, orange blossoms and salty air.


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Explore the sunniest capital of Scandinavia with this 24-hour ticket aboard an open-top double-decker bus. See all the main sights of Oslo as you hop on and hop off at 17 conveniently located stops around the city.
With great views from the top of the bus, strategically placed stops and an interesting commentary, this truly is the best way to see the main sights of Oslo.
You can hop on and off as many times as you like aboard this open-top, double-decker bus. There are 17 stops, and the entire route takes approximately 90 minutes. The bus departs every 30 minutes from each stop. Tickets are valid for 24 hours only.Oslo, the oldest and sunniest of the Scandinavian capitals, was founded by Harald Hadrade in the 11th century and is surrounded by mountains at the head of a 70-mile (100 kilometer) fjord. You can visit Akershus Fortress, or feel like a real Viking at the Viking Ship Museum.
Schedule details
Admire the Viking ships in Oslo!
Select a month to view a calendar of availability and departure details.
Departure Point:Tour starts at Oslo Cruise Terminal & Akershus F., however you may board the bus at any one of the 17 stops around the city.
Departure Time:
- Every 30 minutes between 10am and 4.30pm
Pricing information
Click the link below to check pricing & availability on your preferred travel date. Our pricing is constantly updated to ensure you always receive the lowest price possible.
Additional information
Oslo City Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
- Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
- Pre-recorded commentary
- Entrance fees
- Food and drinks
- Optional gratuities
Additional Information:
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- In wet weather, a transparent roof shelters from the rain
- Wheelchair accessible vehicles
Itinerary:Bus Stops Include:
- Oslo Cruise Terminal & Akershus F.
- Bjorvika Viewpoint
- Oslo Opera House
- Clarion Royal Christiania Hotel
- Oslo City Hall & Tourist Information
- Stortinget, The Norwegian Parliament and Karl Johan Street
- Hard Rock Cafe Oslo and The National Gallery
- The Royal Palace and The Ibsen Museum
- The Vigeland Sculpture Park
- Norsk Folkemuseum, The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
- The Vikingship Museum
- The Kon-Tiki Museum, The Polarship Fram and The Norwegian Maritime Museum
- The Vikingship Museum
- Norsk Folkemuseum, The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
- Aker Brygge, Tjuvholmen
- Oslo City Hall and Tourist Information
- Christiania Square and Akershus Fortress
Voucher Info:
You must present a paper voucher for this tour. We will email a link to access and print your voucher at the Lead Travelers email address. What's this?
Local Operator Information:
Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.


text:
Here are two helpful procedures to help with sqlserver database work.
sp_lock2 code
USE [master]
-- ==================================================================
-- Author: Mathew Nolton (based on sp_lock in sqlserver)
-- create date: 05/15/2009
-- Description: Returns lock information similar to sp_lock but
-- with additional object name information.
-- ==================================================================
create procedure [dbo].[sp_lock2]
@spid1 int = NULL, /* server process id to check for locks */
@spid2 int = NULL /* other process id to check for locks */
-- ======================================================================================================
-- set options
-- ======================================================================================================
set nocount on
set transaction isolation level read committed
-- ======================================================================================================
-- do the work.
-- ======================================================================================================
select convert (smallint, [req_spid]) as [spid],
[rsc_dbid] as [dbid],
db_name([rsc_dbid]) as [dbname],
[rsc_objid] as [ObjId],
object_name([rsc_objid]) as [ObjName],
[rsc_indid] as [IndId],
object_name([rsc_indid]) as [IndName],
substring ([v].[name], 1, 4) as [Type],
substring ([rsc_text], 1, 32) as [Resource],
substring ([u].[name], 1, 8) as [Mode],
substring ([x].[name], 1, 5) as [Status]
from [master].[dbo].[syslockinfo] [s]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [v]
on [s].[rsc_type] = [v].[number]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [x]
on [s].[req_status] = [x].[number]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [u]
on [s].[req_mode] + 1 = [u].[number]
where [v].[type] = 'LR'
and [x].[type] = 'LS'
and [u].[type] = 'L'
and ( @spid1 is null or [req_spid] in (@spid1, @spid2) )
order by [spid]
sp_lockcount code
-- ==================================================================
-- Author: Mathew Nolton (based on sp_lock in sqlserver)
-- create date: 05/15/2009
-- Description: Returns count of locks.
-- ==================================================================
create procedure [dbo].[sp_lockcount]
@spid1 int = NULL, /* server process id to check for locks */
@spid2 int = NULL /* other process id to check for locks */
-- ======================================================================================================
-- set options
-- ======================================================================================================
set nocount on
set transaction isolation level read committed
-- ======================================================================================================
-- do the work.
-- ======================================================================================================
select count(*)
from [master].[dbo].[syslockinfo] [s]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [v]
on [s].[rsc_type] = [v].[number]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [x]
on [s].[req_status] = [x].[number]
inner join [master].[dbo].[spt_values] [u]
on [s].[req_mode] + 1 = [u].[number]
where [v].[type] = 'LR'
and [x].[type] = 'LS'
and [u].[type] = 'L'
and ( @spid1 is null or [req_spid] in (@spid1, @spid2) )
I have been wanting to write some posts lately of some productivity tools and tricks. My last post was for a VS-Addin for updating the reference paths for all "selected" projects in your visual solution set.
This post is for a sql script that enables you to drop a series of stored procedures, UDF's or Views. I thought about adding tables but then I would have to handle keys/constraints as well....maybe next time.
PRINT N'Dropping procedures/functions...'
declare @name varchar(256), @type varchar(2), @sql nvarchar(1000), @printText varchar(1000)
-- declare cursor
declare localCursor cursor local fast_forward read_only for
select [name], [type]
from [sysobjects]
where [type] in ('P','TF','FN','V')
and (
[name] in
'[Put procedure/view or udf name here]',
'[Put another procedure/view or udf name here]'
order by [type],[name]
-- now open the cursor
open localCursor
fetch next from localCursor into @name, @type
-- now loop through building list.
while @@fetch_status=0
if( @type = 'P' )
set @printText = 'Dropping procedure ' + @name + ' ...'
set @sql = 'drop procedure ' + @name
else if ( @type in ('TF','FN') )
set @printText = 'Dropping function ' + @name + ' ...'
set @sql = 'drop function ' + @name
else if ( @type in ('V') )
set @printText = 'Dropping view ' + @name + ' ...'
set @sql = 'drop view ' + @name
print @printText
exec sp_executesql @sql
fetch next from localCursor into @name, @type
close localCursor
deallocate localCursor
-Mathew Nolton
Update Project References Add-In Visual Studio doesn't natively support the ability to update all selected project's within a Solution with the same reference paths. This is important (at least to me) if you have to download from your source control system a different version of your source code. Since you typically do not check in your project preferences into source control, you will be stuck with the mundane task of selecting your project, setting the reference path, select the next project, etc. This add-in enables you to select a given set of projects within your solution, set your reference paths and make updates across all selected projects. For example:
You have a couple of options
To use the add-in, copy the files UpdateReferencePaths.AddIn and UpdateReferencePaths.dll to your add-in directory. Typically, this is located at: C:\Documents and Settings\[Your User Name Here]\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Addins
Get the Add-In and the source code here: http://www.cybral.com/tools.aspx#updatereferencepaths
-Mathew Noltonhttp://www.cybral.com
I have been evaluating the use of Scott Mitchell's RSSFeed control for a new version of my website (it's not done yet) for my consulting company that focuses on the Cable Sector of the Telecommunications Industry and I wanted to display relevant information for both Web Services and the Cable Sector. The control is very nice (and free). During my investigation I wanted to perform a couple of actions that were not quickly apparent but still quite doable once I dug a bit deeper. Specifically, I wanted to be able to:
To put all items in a single row, I noticed that it has a boolean called 'Wrap' for an ItemStyle; however, I could not get this to work so I took a nother approach. I modified the RSSDocument to shorten the title to display it correctly. Here is how I did it:
First the code to wire it up:
cableNewsFeed.DataSource = getList( [DataSource], __maxTitleLength, cableNewsFeed.MaxItems );
Next the code to create the list:
protected RssDocument getList( string dataSource, int maxTitleLength, int maxFeedLength )
// create the engine and get the xml document
RssEngine engine = new RssEngine();
RssDocument sourceDocument = engine.GetDataSource( dataSource );
// all of the properties on the document are 'Get' only, so I created a copy.
RssDocument results = new RssDocument( sourceDocument.Title, sourceDocument.Link,
sourceDocument.Description, sourceDocument.Version, sourceDocument.FeedType,
// get the max offset ( i pass it this in to the method based on the max items of control).
int countOffset = sourceDocument.Items.Count-1;
for( int i = 0; i < maxFeedLength && countOffset >= i; i++ )
// get the item to clone
RssItem item = sourceDocument.Items[i];
// shorten the title.
string title = getTitle( item.Title, maxTitleLength );
// add the 'New' item.
results.Items.Add( new RssItem( title, item.Link, item.Description,
item.Author, item.Category, item.Guid, item.PubDate, item.RssEnclosure ) );
// return the results.
return results;
Method to create the title:
protected string getTitle( string title, int maxLength )
int length = title.Length;
if( length > maxLength ) title = title.Substring(0,maxLength);
return title += "...";
If I were really industrious I would have created the method based on the GDI+ MeasureString method. However, I am not guarenteed that everyone will have the font on their machine. I still think it is worthy of doing this, but maybe later.
Next, I wanted the tool tip to display the description of the RSSFeed. To do this, I wired up the ItemDataBound event:
Now the method:
private void cableNewsFeed_ItemDataBound(object sender, RssFeedItemEventArgs e)
( ( System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl )e.Item).ToolTip = e.Item.DataItem.Description;
The results (btw, it will probably be under a different company name with different verbage):
Very recently I came across an issue that required the creation of a new class derived from XmlSerializer. For reasons I don't want to get into here, we serialize an object instance into XML and store it into a database column so that we can reconstitute it later. This is a great approach except for the issue of changing class definitions.
Lastly, if you are just changing the definition of a top level class, then I suggest taking a look at XmlAttributeOverrides on msdn; however, if you are changing the definition of a class that aggregates other classes and one of your contained class has a different class definition, you need to look at using:
XmlAttributeEventHandler, XmlElementEventHandler or XmlNodeEventHandler
These events allows you to control the creation of these internal aggregated classes.
For example, if you have the following class definition for ItemOption that contains a collection of objects of type ProductAttribute and your ProductAttribute definition has changed, then this is a good candidate for creating your own XmlSerializer derived class.
(Simplified For Brevity)
public class ItemOption
protected string _name=null;
protected string _description=null;
protected ProductAttributeCollection _generalAttributes=new ProductAttributeCollection();
public ItemOption(){}
#region properties
[XmlElement ("Name")]
public string Name
get{return _name;}
[XmlElement ("Description")]
public string Description
get{return _description;}
public ProductAttributeCollection GeneralAttributes
get{return _generalAttributes;}
For the purposes of brevity, let's say that all you did was change your ProductAttribute definition from using XmlAttribute to XmlElement.For example:
public abstract class ProductAttribute
#region Member Variables
protected string _name = null;
protected object _value;
protected bool _canOverride = false;
[XmlElement("Name")] <-- Used to be XmlAttribute
set{_name = value;}
public object Value
get{return _value;}
set{_value = value;}
[XmlElement("CanOverride")] <-- Used to be XmlAttribute
public bool CanOverride
get{return _canOverride;}
set{_canOverride = value;}
public ProductAttribute(){}
public ProductAttribute(int id, string name, bool canOverride, object attributeValue)
_id = id;
_name = name;
_value = attributeValue;
_canOverride = canOverride;
The reason is that the Xml stream will contain XmlAttributes and your class definition is expecting XmlElements. This also means that you will have data stored that correspond to two different versions of your class structure. To resolve this issue, I suggest creating your own XmlSerializer class. You want to do this because XmlSerializer will notify you when it encounters an unknown node/element or attribute. You just need to wire it up.
For example, I chose to use the XmlNodeEventHandler and to wire it up, you merely need to:
UnknownNode += new XmlNodeEventHandler(_unknownNode);
Then you need to create the _unknownNode f(x) to handle these events. In the following example, I have other derived classes from ProductAttribute and I omitted some of the method code for brevity, but the example illustrates how to handle this:
protected void _unknownNode(object sender, XmlNodeEventArgs e)
object o = e.ObjectBeingDeserialized;
if (o is ProductAttribute)
ProductAttribute productAttribute = (ProductAttribute)o;
switch (e.Name)
case "xsi:type":
case "Name":
productAttribute.Name = e.Text;
case "CanOverride":
productAttribute.CanOverride = Convert.ToBoolean(e.Text);
if (o is BooleanAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
productAttribute.Value = Convert.ToBoolean(e.Text);
else if (o is DoubleAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
productAttribute.Value = Convert.ToDouble(e.Text);
else if (o is IntegerAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
productAttribute.Value = Convert.ToInt32(e.Text);
else if (o is LongAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
productAttribute.Value = Convert.ToInt64(e.Text);
else if (o is PresentationAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
productAttribute.Value = e.Text;
else if (o is LocationAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
else if (o is ImageAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
else if (o is StringAttribute && e.Name == "Value")
The key thing to remember is that the property o.ObjectBeingDeserialized contains a pointer to the object having difficulty with the Deserialization process. In the example above, you just cast it and set the correct items depending upon the other properties contained in XmlNodeEventArgs. Also, you will noticed that I have a check for xsi:type that does nothing. I did this because even if your class definition and the Xml jibe, the XmlSerializer does not recognize this attribute name and will raise the event. Therefore, I want it to break out of the method as soon as possible.
Hope this helps
Mathew Nolton
Well, I finally got around to making the XmlPreCompiler even easier to use. As some of you may or may not know, the XmlPreCompiler is a tool based on a tool Chris Sell's originally created to help developer's handle the xml serialization error:
"File or assembly name ctewkx4b.dll, or one of its dependencies, was not found" exception?
The new version of the tool has the following improvements:
I am also in the process of making it an AddIn into the new Visual Studio 2005 (1/2 way done). I also am evaluating doing some disassembling of the code in a manner similar to reflector....I am mostly doing this for my own understanding but also for some things that I want to be able to do with classes in the future.
Anyway, download it and enjoy,
The Cable sector as well as the entire Telecommunications industry has been expending a large amount of resources to sell bundled products and services. This means that instead of just offering Analog and Digital Cable Services, Cable and Telecommunication Companies are offering Cable, High Speed Internet, Digital Telephone, Digital Video Recorders, High Definition TV, etc. in a "Bundled" product.
The sale of a bundled products and services is easier for a customer requiring fewer mouse clicks and faster checkouts and a single monthly bill. The benefit to the Cable and Telecommunications companies is that is greatly enhances customer retention, revenue and market penetration as can be evidenced by this article.
Cox Communications Announces First Quarter Financial Results for 2005
Previous Posts on Consulting in the Cable and Wireless Sectors: Part 1: Consulting in the Cable and Wireless Sectors
Part 1...Commerce Solutions:
The Cable and Wireless sectors are unique. Over the last several years I have done considerable consulting in these sectors. Most recently I have lead the design and architecture of a Channel Sales System that now has 65% of a Web presence for one of the larger companies in the cable sector. Much of the remaining 35% will convert and/or continue to leverage web services of this same system. We are also using this system for Interactive TV and Telephony. It is a blast.
Prior to building this system and during the course of building this system, we evaluated a number of packaged commerce solutions. Many/most of these packaged "commerce" software rarely meets the needs of a cable company. That is why "Build" instead of "Buy" became such a strong consideration. Vendors often state that a Cable Company is not in the business of bulding software. True, but cable (and wireless companies) are in very competitive sectors and it is absolutely crucial that they control their own destiny. So, although a cable company is not in the business of writing software; it is in charge of remaining competitive. Some cable companies have gone down the vendor path only to do an about face.
The issue is that being beholden to a vendor can really cost the company time to market....and Time-To-Market is crucial...and a driving factor for many businesses...not cost.. For example, let's say that a vendor is 6-12 monthis behind the curve; or the vendor panders to many industries instead of just Cable. This means that it is very difficult for a company to react quickly to changing market conditions. Nothing kills a marketing campaign such as a commerce solution that does not meet the needs of the business. Or that it does but with considerable customization. Furthermore, if you customize vendor software, you further exasperate the probem...because you will still have to upgrade and customizations typically have to be reapplied to an upgrade....it is a vicious cycle....one that some vendors enjoy because it leads to continued consulting service sales.
Typically packaged commerce solutions either:
a) Handle the marketing/sales well but do not handle fulfillment/billing elegantly...(e.g. bundling is big in these sectors but not all vendors really handle this well).
b) Handle the fulfillment/billing farely well but rarely handle the marketing/sales.
c) Deployment. Vendors rarely take into account what it takes to get software deployed across a large organization. For example, Microsoft and PUP files....argggg...what a mess. This is exasperated by the fact that many large companies are maintaining many environments.....Development, QA, User Acceptance Testing, Preview, Staging, Production....to name a few. Any pain points with deployment are therefore magnified.
d) Cable and wireless companies are really a service company with some product. They are shipping bits/bytes along with some equipment and professional services (installation and maintenance). Furthermore products and services are intertwined. This means that the typical "Amazon" sales metaphor really does not hold.
e) Cable companies are made up of numerous business units, often called franchises...they can almost be thought of as separate companies. They are typically selling the same basic products and services but with a twist (e.g. different movie channels...different bundles of service). They also must be able to react quickly to local competitive market conditions. The key here is that they are selling the same basic products and services....but they are marketed differently. So many vendors say....Hey just create another catalog item!. Huhhh. This means that if you are going to have a common commerce solution, you are going to have many dimensions to your data and/or multiple implementations....possibly down to the household. This also means that maintaining 50 different catalogs is not the answer as some vendors suggest and some companies implement. A company must be able to maintain their data. The more catalogs you have the more data you have to maintain.
I hope to continue with further discussions and rants about consulting in the Cable and Wireless Sectors....
I found this paper about "Failing Fast" while reading Paul Lockwood's blog. It refers to Martin Fowler's wiki about writing code to Fail Fast. This technique has been around for a while; however, I honestly have always been more of a proponent of writing defensive code.
However, after writing defensive code for years and reading this paper I am starting to rethink my approach. I am not saying that I am doing away with defensive coding. I still believe that writing defensive code makes very robust code; however, there are times when the Fail Fast technique makes sense. For example, I wrote a piece of code that stores some common lookup information in a cache on the server. The base code looks like this:
try{ _leaseDuration = Convert.ToInt32( ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings[ _leaseDurationLookupKey ]); if(_leaseDuration==0)_leaseDuration = __defaultLeaseDuration; <--( Defensive technique: Add this line of code)}catch{ // an error occurred. this means that the lease property is not // configured properly in the configuration file. so set it to // its defalt value. _leaseDuration = __defaultLeaseDuration; <-- This line of code would rarely get hit.}
The issue is that Convert.ToInt32() will convert a null value to 0....and it is one of the reasons I typically advocate using Convert.ToXXX() methods over a simple cast. It is much more forgiving; however, it has a side-effect of masking potential issues. Following a Fail Fast technique I should opt to do a straight cast e.g.
_leaseDuration = (int)ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings[ _leaseDurationLookupKey ];
and then in my catch block, I should have thrown an exception as opposed to setting its default value.
In other words:
try{ _leaseDuration = Convert.ToInt32( ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings[ _leaseDurationLookupKey ]); <--(Fail Fast Technique)}catch{ throw new ConfigurationException ( "Could not lookup Lease Duration!!!" ); <--(Fail Fast Technique)}
The question then arises, when to use which technique?. Some people would advocate using 1 versus the other always. However, I believe you must always be pragmatic and that being a purist is a form of dogma and doesn't always lead to the best overall solution. If you think about it, Defensive coding and Fail Fast are not mutually exclusive. Defensive coding means that you are evaluating different execution paths and handling accordingly. However, a pure defensive technique might be to force the code down a different execution path if certain situations occur, a Fail Fast technique would be to throw your hands up and state "fix the problem". The question you then ask, when do you fail fast?
Just a few thoughts,
A friend of mine who always seems to find pranks and funny minutia on the web came across this and sent it to me. It takes a few minutes to read it but well worth the time.


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On Sept. 1, 1908 L. W. Jones resigned his position as Supt. of the power plant but continued as a committee member. O n May 10 ,1911 it was decided that in order to furnish the power to the Normal School, it would be necessary to run the electric plant for day service on Tuesday and Saturday the entire day and on Wednesday and Friday for a half a day. I n addition, the engineer would be required to run the plant from sunset to sunrise each night. A new company was organized in February of 1912 known as the Cedar Electric. Co. It was financially capitalized at $25,000 and the common stock had a par value of one dollar per share. Lehi was selected as incorporator and was named as the manager. In 1915 he was elected president of the Cedar Electric. Company." In 1919 on March 15th, the Cedar Electric Co, circulated an information sheet that read as follows: "The Dixie Power Company is negotiating with Cedar Electric CO. lo purchase their plant and conditional on the citizens subscribing to Power Co. stock at $100. par to make the line extension from the company lines at Mountain Meadows to Cedar City, a distance of approximately 30 miles, the reduction sub station and changes in Cedar town system at an estimated cost of $36,000." Your local company can continue to give you satisfactory service for lighting and small moton load for some time to come but its present plant is inadequate for furnishing power for the pumping requirements on lands in this valley." " We are also confronted with costly replacement to our steel pipe and distribution system and this would not increase our output. \Ve therefore deem it to he for the best interest of Cedar City and Iron County to dispose of our present system and encourage the bringing into our district sufficient power to develop our latest resources.'' "We therefore ask you to become a share holder with us in the utiility company and help build up our county and at the same time make what we believe to be a good investment." Very truly, Cedar Electric Company The Dixie Power Co. took over the Cedar Electric Co. April 1, 1919. The plant in Cedar City was run only a short time and then the redwood flow line and steel penstock, tog-ether ~vithusable materials from the building, were moved to the hydro plants near Veyo, Washington Co., Utah. The water wheel was later moved to the Parowan Flour Mill to replace one there which had a broken shaft. After the building was removed the dynamo (A.C. generator) remained there on the comrete base for years and was finally removed during a scrap iron drive.'Xehi's sons said they were cetainly happy when the power plant was sold hecause it had just heen a drudge to them. They said, after they sold it, the C' 171
Object Description
|Lehi Willard Jones: Biography
|Jones, York F., 1925-; Jones, Evelyn K.
|Jones, Lehi Willard, 1854-1947; Cedar City (Utah) -- Biography; Cedar City (Utah) -- History; Mormon Church -- Utah
|Life of Lehi Willard Jones, centering in Cedar City, Utah, 1854-1947, and history of much of the development of Southern Utah
|Lehi Willard Jones
|Date Digital
|Date Original
|Image; Still image
|Digitization Specs
|JPEG image for display. Archived TIFF image was scanned at 300 dpi with a CreoScitex EverSmart Jazz+ scanner.
|Contributing Institution
|Digitized by: Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah
|Woodruff Printing Company
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|Digital image c2008 Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University. All rights reserved.
|CONTENTdm file name
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2500 Griffin Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL | Directions 3331226.062161 -80.173846
Mon-Sat 4:30-10:00
Sun 3:00-9:00
Neighborhoods: Dania Beach
Provided by CityGrid
Bin #30-68
I have visited Tropical Acres for the past 30 years and never had to make a complaint about the meal, with a very pleasant atmosphere, we celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, where our people came from as far away as West Palm Beach, and enjoyed the evening and the meal, so much they did not mind the long drive.
A very nice atmosphere for the newly dating couple too! The piano player was an added bonus.
I have been fortunate enough to share dinner with husband & dear friends very often at Tropical Acres. I love the food....everything is always yummy, and served "hot" and "promptly". We especially love our time before dinner...we have appetizers & drinks in their great bar.....our favorite bartender Tom always takes care of us. Tom is polite, personable & thoughtful. I recommend Tropical Acres to all ages...no matter what your food preferences are!!
Ordered breshetta for an appetizer and it fresh and everything I remember from Italy. I had a 8 ounce sirloin with gargonzola cheese on top and a 4 ounce lobster tail all cooked to perfection. Keylime pie was creamy and the Graham crust fresh. Piano player seemed loud but we were only 4 tables from him.
Spent a weekend in Ft. Lauderdale and went to Tropical Acres at the recommendation of our hotel. Classic steak and seafood house with excellent service, sublime steaks and fish (really, where can you get escargots as an appetizer anymore?), attention to detail. Not cheap, but certainly in line with other high-end steakhouses. Oh, I should mention that we were there on a Thursday evening and the place was packed...and there were two retirement parties going on in private rooms, too! There was a piano player, who played softly in the background. No, it's not a young crowd (at least it wasn't when we were there), it may not be "hip" or "trendy", but it was well worth the money and we'll definitely go back.
Been a patron of Tropical for over 25 years. Consistently good food and service! Bartender Tom makes Happy Hour an event all the time!
Gorgonzola toast a real favorite! Steaks and Prime top of the line!
Have been going to Tropical Acres since I was a kid with my parents (many years ago) - reliable good food, nice older atmosphere. Introduced my spouse to the restaurant and we now enjoy our weekly Friday night dinners at the bar with Tommy - a great bartender who goes out of his way to make everyone's evening pleasant.
This was one of the greatest places we have eaten at in all out travels. The pork chop and the steak was heavenly!!!! The service was outstanding!!!
Tropical Acres makes the best steak I've ever had. We ordered the New York Strip for Two. Pittsburg-style - charred on the outside, very rare on the inside. I don't know where Tropical Acres gets their steaks, but this is by far the most tender and flavorful New York I've even eaten. I can't buy that steak at my local Publix.
We sat at the bar, it's own separate room with dark wood and fish tanks. I highly recommend sitting in there if you can. And Tommy the bartender is totally on the ball making sure the drinks were fresh and the food was served steaming hot. No waiting there!
While on vacations stopped at the restaurant for dinner. Ambiance was very nice and relaxing with a piano player. The Ceasar salad and the onion toasts were delicious.
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In Ericeira with character, the 70\'s Hostel is a new look with a bit of nostalgia. If you are cultural or sports... More Info »
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The house is located on walking distance from many restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and supermarkets. And the beach is... More Info »
A cozy 2 bedroom newly redecorated house with garden in Ericeira center village. The house was completely renovated... More Info »
Anise White Apartment is the ideal accommodation for your vacations for two in the charming village of Ericeira.... More Info »
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With astonishing sea views all over the rooms lounge area and guest kitchen you will fill at home staying with us…... More Info »
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Charmingly illustrated with the many historic sites that have made Philadelphia famous, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Phillyware's delightful ceramic trivet will make a stylish centerpiece and extends its usefulness by serving as a willing hot seat when serving meals. Learn More
Go sightseeing in your very own kitchen with Phillyware's charming dish towel (17" by 31"). Perfect for lovers of all things Philadelphia, this stylish dish towel is delightfully decorated with many historic landmarks that have made the City of Brotherly Love famous, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Learn More
A delicious hostess gift, Di Bruno's famous homemade cheese spreads make a wonderfully creamy experience atop our twice-baked crostini. Learn More
Great for every occasion, this is the perfect gift for the gourmet enthusiast who enjoys quality and choice. Enter your recipients email address in the shipping address section during checkout for quick and easy delivery! Learn More
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Showing 1-1 of 1 Family Resorts.
Mandolin Resort
Nambucca, Australia
From $76Details
On Queensland's Sunshine Coast with beautiful sandy beaches, rainforest and lush hinterland, right on the vast Pacific Ocean, Mandolin is the perfect place for your next holiday. Mandolin offers magnificent panoramic views from every balcony.... more
- Property Size: N/A
- Open Dates: Open Year Round
- Nearby City: Alexandra Head
- Nearby Water: N/A
- Conference Facility: No
- Restaurant Onsite: No
- Pets Allowed: No
- Kids Allowed: Yes
Vacation Type(s): Beach, Family
Data Provided By: Mandolin Resort
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Tooth decay is the disease known as caries or cavities, which is the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard outer layer of your teeth. Tooth decay is a highly preventable disease caused by bacteria with many contributing factors.
The answer is that everyone who has teeth is at risk for tooth decay. We all host bacteria in our mouths which makes everyone a potential target for cavities. Risk factors that put a person at a higher risk for tooth decay include:
Preventing tooth decay and cavities involves five simple steps:
Click here to view the
Online Resources of Oral Health
Last reviewed: 3/31/2013
Topic Index
Illustrations of the Mouth
Oral Health / Dental Specialists
Prevention of Oral Diseases / Dental Problems
Specific Oral Health & Dental Problems
Dental Procedures
Online Resources


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Hilton Waikoloa Village offers planners a wide range of meeting and entertainment options in an expansive oceanside complex that nonetheless provides plenty of opportunities for groups to experience the resort as their own.
Just 18 miles from the Kona International Airport on the Big Island's sunny Kohala Coast, with direct flights from Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix, and Chicago, the Hilton Waikoloa boasts the most hotel meeting space in the Pacific outer Islands—some 250,000 square feet in ballrooms, exhibit facilities, promenades, boardrooms, and outdoor venues. This includes a convention center with 60,000 square feet of function space in 21 meeting and banquet rooms.
As for guest rooms, there are 1,240 in three towers, each with its own pool complex, so groups booking all or part of a tower will feel as if they are within their own resort. Linking the towers is a mile-long covered walkway featuring an amazing 1,800-piece collection of Asian and Pacific art. For those who don't want to stroll, Swiss-made trams and mahogany boats provide alternative transportation along the resort's lush waterways.
On a recent press trip, our group enjoyed a fabulous dine-around, traveling from three of the resort's nine restaurants via boat. On our last night, we had front-row seats for Legends of the Pacific Luau, a fresh and professional performance in a dedicated venue that serves delicious Hawaiian food for audiences of up to several hundred.
One of the highlights for our group was a dolphin encounter at the hotel's Dolphin Quest educational center, where we got into the water with the dolphins and experienced first hand just how special these creatures are. Needless to say, the Dolphin encounters would be an incredibly popular option for meeting groups and their families.
There is plenty of shopping within the Hilton Waikoloa, but plenty more in the surrounding Waikoloa Beach Resort complex, featuring two large outdoor shopping and dining areas. Meeting groups can also choose to stay at Kings Land, the newest Hilton Grand Vacation Club resort. The 112-acre self-contained complex is located between two of the state's finest golf courses, Kings Course and Beach Course. Convenient shuttles link hotel, shopping, Kings Land, and golf courses.
And if that is not enough for your group, the Waikoloa Bowl at Queen's Gardens is an open-air venue along the Pacific Ocean that can seat 5,000 people, and has hosted performances by groups such as Earth Wind and Fire, the Beach Boys, and Journey.
Of course, there are the attractions of the Big Island itself. We toured Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site, in an excellent expedition led by Hawaii Forest & Trail, one of the oldest and best-established guide companies on the island. Groups have wonderful touring options on the Big Island, from Kohala Waterfall excursions to an evening atop the magnificent Mauna Kea for unparalleled stargazing.
The Big Island of Hawaii is the most ecologically diverse of all the Hawaiian islands, with natural environments ranging from desert plains to rain forests. There are numerous archeological sites and everywhere reminders of the ancient Hawaiian culture that is believed to have originated on this island. Attendees can truly have an in-depth experience of Hawaii on the Big Island.
According to Debi Bishop, general manager of the Hilton Waikoloa Village, 65 percent of the hotel's group business is in corporate incentives, with medical meetings and national associations also strong markets.
"With 1,000 employees, we are the largest employer on the island," she adds. "We have a staff that is truly dedicated to making sure we deliver the very best program for our guests and meeting groups. It's a way of life for us."


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.
Annual to bamboo-like; roots generally fibrous
Stem generally round, hollow; nodes swollen, solid
Leaves alternate, 2-ranked, generally linear; sheath generally open; ligule membranous or hairy, at blade base
Inflorescence various (of generally many spikelets)
Spikelet: glumes generally 2; florets (lemma, palea, flower) 1many; lemma generally membranous, sometimes glume-like; palea generally ± transparent, ± enclosed by lemma
Flower generally bisexual, minute; stamens generally 3; stigmas generally 2, generally plumose
Fruit: achene-like grain
Genera in family: 650900 genera; ± 10,000 species: worldwide; greatest economic importance of any family (wheat, rice, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, forage crops, ornamental, weeds; thatching, weaving, building materials)
Reference: [Hitchcock 1951 Manual grasses US, USDA Misc Publ 200; Clayton & Renvoise 1986 Kew Bull Add Series 13]
See Glossary p. 26 for illustrations of general family characteristics. Generally wind-pollinated.
Annual or perennial herb, generally tufted, sometimes from rhizomes or stolons
Stems generally erect
Leaf: sheath generally smooth, glabrous; ligule membranous; blade flat to rolled
Inflorescence panicle-like, densely cylindric to openly ovate
Spikelet: glumes generally subequal, back generally glabrous, vein generally finely scabrous, 1-veined, generally acute; floret 1, < glumes, generally breaking above glumes; callus glabrous to densely hairy; lemma generally 5-veined, veins not converging, sometimes extended as short teeth, awned from back or not; palea 0 to ± = lemma, translucent; anthers generally 3
Species in genus: ± 200 species: especially temp Am, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: pasture)
Reference: [Carlbom 1967 PhD OR State Univ]
Some cultivated in pastures, lawns.
Perennial 17100 cm; rhizomes < 50 cm
Leaves: ligule 47 mm; lower blades 720 cm, 25 mm wide, flat
Inflorescence 722 cm, lanceolate to narrowly ovate in outline, ± open to dense; 1° branches ascending to ± appressed, lower 15 cm
Spikelet: glumes 2.54 mm; callus hairs 1.52 mm; lemma 23 mm, awn 0; palea minute, << lemma; anthers 1.52.3 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=42
Ecology: Open oak woodland, coniferous forest
Elevation: < 1500 m.
Bioregional distribution: w Northwestern California, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, n South Coast, Western Transverse Ranges
Distribution outside California: Oregon
Horticultural information: TRY; GRCVR.
|YOU CAN HELP US make sure that our distributional information is correct and current. If you know that a plant occurs in a wild, reproducing state in a Jepson bioregion NOT highlighted on the map, please contact us with that information. Please realize that we cannot incorporate range extensions without access to a voucher specimen, which should (ultimately) be deposited in an herbarium. You can send the pressed, dried collection (with complete locality information indicated) to us (e-mail us for details) or refer us to an accessioned herbarium specimen. Non-occurrence of a plant in an indicated area is difficult to document, but we will especially value your input on those types of possible errors (see automatic conversion of distribution data to maps).


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While computer speeds and capabilities have accelerated exponentially, disk-based performance has remained stagnant. Attempting to run virtualized applications on a hard-disk drive (HDD) based storage infrastructure will inevitably lead you towards scaling and performance problems.This whitepaper provides a demonstration of the ease with which VMware View based Windows 7 desktops can be deployed on a Pure Storage FlashArray. Read on to find implementation details and recommendations in addition to performance and scalability findings.
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You must earn 10,000 points to post other members' whiteboard
Did my research and if I could retract my statement, I would. Thanks for the feedback!
Maybe we could be buddies?
Glad to be your new local GB! 3.7M points - good job!! Let's hope I can keep it going. Take Care
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and a Happy Holiday Season, wishing for a prosperous 2014 for you and your family! Thanks for a another great year! We did get a White Christmas here with some more snow on the way, I'm sure the children are happy! : ) Thanks Buddy! Ron
Hey DEG, I'm a local Vegas guy who recently joined GB, but going strong!! I've received very good support from other GB's and would like yours. Care to be buddies?
That would be a great choice, I'm enjoying my '06 VW TDI Beetle !
Good post on the diesels DEG, hard to educate a closed mind huh?
the website guidelines about what articles are considered relevant for posting: "News should be relevant to our members in the U.S. and Canada. Topics should not be solely about gas or oil prices going up or down; they should have more substance." "Relevant topics include: energy, clean energy, petroleum (oil, gasoline, and other fuels), automobiles, transportation (primarily autos), and vehicle safety. Other stories may be posted, but are subject to removal."I think "other stories may be posted" is why the moderators allow (and post) varied topics
"Nice story. But it has no bearing on the price of oil/gas/diesel." … why do you think all five stories can only be about gas? Anyone can post, --show how it's done by posting five a day that are only about gas :)
DEG, Thank You for the birthday wishes! It's been a good day so far even though I had to work. But, work is done for today and I have had a wonderful dinner this evening with the wife and our two daughters. I appreciate your friendship and thanks again for the birthday wishes!


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NV Clean Energy Hub
NV Clean Energy Hub
$5.5 Billion Investment in Nevada since 2010 in Clean Energy Development Learn more ›
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Greening Las Vegas
CEP and Green Chips worked with the Clark County Commission to power the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign with Nevada's own solar energy! Learn more ›
Vote with your dollars and reward businesses for investing in clean energy improvements that Nevadans care about! Learn more ›
In the Community
In the Community
As an educated and engaged citizen, YOU have the power to further our clean energy economy! Learn more ›
National Clean Energy Summit
National Clean Energy Summit
The country's most visible and influential gathering of leaders and top policymakers has celebrated six years of clean energy development discussions! Learn more ›


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Fans Can Submit Comics To CGC @ New Orleans Comic Con!
Dont miss CGC @ Wizard World!
Fans Can Submit Comics To CGC and CCS At Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
Ever wonder how much your comics are really worth? Condition can make a difference of thousands of dollars in the value of a book.
The first step is having the book graded, and Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con attendees have a one-stop shop in respected industry leader CGC, which will be accepting submissions for regular processing on all service levels during the event, Feb. 7-9 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
These include Modern (published 1980-present, valued at less than US $200), Economy, Standard, Express and more! Stop by the CGC booth (location TBD) to submit comic books or magazines for regular turnaround. All submissions will be sent to CGC offices in Sarasota, Fla.
CCS will be also accepting submissions for all service levels (including pressing, restoration and restoration removal). Pressing rates begin at $12 (Modern/1975-present, value $200 or less). All submissions will be sent to CGC offices in Sarasota, Fla.
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Welcome to the Minnesota College Savings Plan website.
Everything you need to learn about opening and managing your Minnesota College Savings Plan is located right here. You can access your account, set up savings goals and even sign up for e-Delivery. Also, be sure to check out the Investment Options available through the Plan.
Give a gift that can last a lifetime
Give your employees an added benefit at no cost to you
Reduce your paper files and help the environment
Start your college plan by calculating your savings need


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Beau & Emily's Wedding – Real Wedding Planner By All Around Raleigh DJ
by Eric Hodgen">Eric Hodgen, in Blog,
We had the pleasure of joining Beau & Emily for their wedding on October 20th, 2012 at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church of�
We know how important your wedding day is to you and all the special people you've invited. We take extreme pride in putting on a great personal performance for you. Whatever you want is our pleasure to deliver.
We have A LOT of experience with every kind of event from teen parties to anniversary parties to church festivals.
Your corporate event is an excellent chance for you to really get to know your customers and co-workers. All Around Raleigh DJ Company will give you unlimited contact and planning with your DJ because we realize every organization and party is unique
We proudly serve the Raleigh area with professional and fun DJ services. We are one of the most widely requested Raleigh Wedding DJ companies and we are also proud to offer DJ services for: Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, private parties, corporate events, birthdays and school dances, to pool parties and holiday parties!
All Around Raleigh DJ has been Raleigh's choice for DJ and Wedding Services for last 8 years and has a reputation for excellent sound, on time service, and great parties.
Whether you're planning a wedding reception, Mitzvah, corporate party or private party, All Around Raleigh DJ Company is the best decision you can make. When you really think about it, what really makes a great party? The entertainment of course!
We are proud to be one of the highest rated DJ's in the greater Raleigh area, and encourage you to read our outstanding reviews on Google, The Knot & Wedding Wire!
We're committed to our clients from start to finish. Please fill out the form below to set up your free consultation.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
22Feb 2013
by Eric Hodgen">Eric Hodgen, in Blog,
We had the pleasure of joining Beau & Emily for their wedding on October 20th, 2012 at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church of�
30Dec 2011
by Kirk Sporman, in Blog,
Dancing With The Stars has made ballroom dancing at wedding receptions very popular. Its d
April 6th, 2013 - "Eric was phenomenal to work with. He provided his MC and DJ services during our wedding reception."Caroline & Andrew
April 5th, 2013 - "Eric was fantastic through our whole wedding planning and the actual event! He kept our crowd moving, was right on cue with the timing for events throughout the reception (cake cutting, garter toss, ect)."Lori & Dustin
March 23rd, 2013 - "My fiance and I signed with Eric when we first met him at a wedding show. We are not the impulsive type, but having priced out DJs and learned what to look for, his pricing was fair and we had a feeling that he knew what he was doing."Vivian & Neal
March 15th, 2013 – "Eric DJ'd both my wedding ceremony and reception. He was easy to work with before the wedding, making himself available, listening to what my fiancee and I wanted and didn't want, and provided some much needed guidance to us when he could tell we were getting overwhelmed."April & Jeremy
March 9th, 2013 – "Eric from All Around Raleigh DJ was great. He was our wedding reception DJ and he nailed it. We enjoyed meeting with him a few times before the wedding and had a few special requests that he handled well."Candice & Josh
January 12th, 2013 – "Eric from all around dj in Raleigh was great. He did a wonderful job at our wedding and helped make it amazing. All of our guests had a great time and they all said the dj was great."Kristen & Herbert
All Around Raleigh DJ is a mobile disc jockey and wedding entertainment company that has been entertaining the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Cary, Morrisville and surrounding NC areas for many years.


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Theatre at Grand Valley presents PS Series
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
Photography, Film & Video, Theatre
Grand Valley theatre students hone their skills in all aspects of theatre in these Performance Studio Series, fully staged, student directed and acted productions.
The Most Massive Woman Wins, by Madeleine George, examine issues of body image along with four women anticipating surgery. The four characters represent a range of body types, yet all expect liposuction to bring them happiness.
WASP, by legendary comedian and actor Steve Martin, famous for his roles in more than 40 films including Planes Trains and Automobiles, The Jerk, and Father of the Bride, turned his talent to playwriting in this dark, absurd, one act comedy that examines ideas on love, success and happiness.
Performances December 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m.; December 9 at 2 p.m. All tickets are $6 in advance, $7 day of show. Phone (616) 331-2300, or visit www.gvsu.edu/theatre.


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Detroit and Berlin are iconic cities; symbols of cultural and economic domination, as well as of collapse, and (potential) rebirth. Detroit and Berlin have ideological similarities that go far beyond industrial power. As beacons of culture, Detroit and Berlin have both been on the cutting edge of arts activities. Berlin is a crossroads of European film, art, music and food; Detroit is a center of African-American culture, with global credibility in jazz, techno, and emerging cultural expressions.
The Detroit - Berlin Connection looks at the futures of these two great cities and
looks at the measures being used to reinvent industrial cities for the 21st century. Scroll down to find stories, slideshows, videos and more.
The Detroit - Berlin Connection was made possible in part with support from the following:
The German Marshall Fund of the United States - A public policy institution that works to strengthen transatlantic relations. More at gmfus.org.
The Kresge Foundation - Seeking to influence the quality of life for future generations. More at kresge.org.
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan - Promoting and facilitating community philanthropy. More at cfsem.org.
With greatest gratitude to:
John Austin
Edith Castillo-Rincon
Margaret Gary


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Results 16 to 20 of 36
Thread: The Best Celebrity Names
April 25th, 2013 02:00 PM #16
I like that show, too. It's addictive. Here are some more:
Zac & Kate Hanson: Junia Rosa Ruth (sorry, I think I got the wrong Hanson earlier. I guess name skillz run in the family!)
Drew Barrymore & Will Kopelman: Olive Barrymore - I love the playful first with the stately surname middle
Claire Danes & Hugh Dancy: Cyrus Michael
Gisele Bundchen & Tom Brady: Vivian Lake
Kelsey Grammer: Faith Evangeline
Mira Sorvino & Christopher Backus: Mattea Angel, Johnny Christopher King, Holden Paul Terry, and Lucia (cannot for the life of me find a middle for Lucia)
Bryce Dallas Howard & Seth Gabel: Theodore Norman & Beatrice Jean
April 25th, 2013 06:12 PM #18
Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix: Indiana August and Atticus
Amy Adams: Aviana Olea
Prince Edward, the Duke of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex: Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary and James Alexander Philip Theo
Peter and Autumn Phillips: Savannah Anne Kathleen and Isla Elizabeth
Alexander and Claire Windsor, the Earl and Countess of Ulster: Xan Richard Anders and Cosima Rose AlexandraZelia/Elja • Nineteen • Name and history nerd from an early age • I have a blog.Trying hard to export beautiful old Danish names, magical Danish nature names and exotic Greenlandic names.
Current favourite combinations: Henry Ásgeirr Edmund • Amaury Charles Fyodor • Alexander Adelin Lórien
Cosima Ingrid Zenobia • Matilda Ivalo Galadriel • Gaia Margaret Undómiel
April 25th, 2013 07:25 PM #20
April 26th, 2013 02:24 PM #22
April 26th, 2013 09:29 PM #24
Last edited by caramichelle; April 26th, 2013 at 09:32 PM.


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Content found for Disaster_Accident
Hurricane Sandy: Help Those in NeedROC Sandy Relief!Volunteers in the Rochester area are teaming up to help those in need dow...
Blog Posts
The Farm stopped by WBEE and performed "Be Grateful" on 12/5/12.
Five peoplewere killedand at least 40 more injured when a stage collapsed at a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair Sa...
A fire destroyed the Nashville home of Trace Adkins on Saturday afternoon. This photo is from local Nashville newspaper, The ...
Check these images of The White House being struck by lightning. It happened during a freak storm on Easter Sunday night. No ...
Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and more are auctioning off their flood damaged guitars to benefit uninsured musicians and the lik...
Image Galleries
Terry and The Bee Crew were out at Volunteers Of Amercia in Brockport!
Steve Hausmann and The Bee Crew were out at the Rochester Riverside Conevetion Center for the Rochester Home Show!
Billy Kidd and The BEE Crew were out in Macedon at The Tractor Supply Company!
Newman and The Bee Crew were hanging out at the Riverside Convention Center for the Rochester Boat Show!
Jeremy Newman and the BEE Crew were hanging out at the ESL booth at the Avon Corn Fest!
Thanks for coming to hang out with the WBEE Crew for the Red Wings game at Frontier Field!
Steve and the WBEE crew were out at Barbara Jeans in North Rose on Saturday
Billy the Kidd and the WBEE crew were out at Marketplace Suzuki on West Henrietta Road
Steve and The WBEE crew gave away prizes at Family First Federal Credit Union
Newman out at the Auto Show giving away prizes (Rochester Riverside Convention Center)
Newman and the WBEEcrew was out at 130 Eastern Blvd. in Canandaigua giving away prizes.
Steve Hausmann and the WBEEcrew giving out Rascal Flatt tickets with Kubota.


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For the fifth summer, Lynette Owens & Associates (LOA), a hotel marketing firm based in Rancho La Costa, CA, brought together a group of senior insurance executives and hoteliers for the annual LOA Insurance Advisory Board Meeting.
In an always luxurious setting, these top guns come together in no-holds-barred meetings to discuss issues of common interest related to insurance incentive conferences and events.
This year's LOA Insurance Advisory Board Meeting convened at The Greenbrier, the grand, 218-year-old resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV, that has variously served as a health retreat, a military hospital, and a holding station for European and Japanese nationals stuck in the United States when World War II began-not to mention a Congressional fallout shelter (see story, page 64).
In this historic and relaxing setting, advisory board participants shared marketing and motivational strategies while building relationships-and getting in a few rounds of golf as well.
Senior Executives and the Meeting Planning Process How do they fit together? The CEO's role in meeting planning can be everything or nothing. It depends on the CEO. Your job as a marketing officer or meeting planner is to keep the CEO involved at the level he or she wants. But you should always look for the CEO's buy-in."
So said Paul Amato, a guest attendee at the 1996 Lynette Owens & Associates Insurance Advisory Board meeting.
Amato, president and CEO of Columbus Life Insurance Company, took to the lectern during a morning session to discuss his own involvement in the planning and development of incentive meetings, as well as his perspective on keeping the lines of communication open within the meeting planning team.
Later, back at the office in Columbus, OH, Amato sat down with Mark Wilkerson, the company's chief marketing officer, and Wanda Bowling, convention and meeting planner, for a conference call to get down to the specifics of working as a team on two of the company's most important regular meeting planning projects: the yearly President's Club and the National Convention, held every other year. In a conversation peppered with humor and philosophy, these three key players, each on a different rung of the Columbus Life ladder, demonstrated how mutual trust and respect creates the cooperation that is critical to the incentive planning process.
Masses, Not the Classes First decision? The site. "The President's Club is usually at a five-star resort. This is for 80 to 100 qualifiers and their spouses," Amato explained. "The National Convention is a family convention. This is also always held at a resort, but it's a different experience because we invite kids. We need a bigger resort and a unique resort. We want the children in particular to see what goes along with the hard work their parents do."
Bowling generally does the site inspections, often at properties either Amato or Wilkerson has seen and recommended.
It sounds like a setup for a conflict that many meeting planners say they have faced in their careers-a CEO or senior executive choosing a site based on his or her preferences or relationships rather than one that fits the group's profile.
Amato dismissed that possibility in his company-not because he wouldn't love to select his favorite sites for the meetings (they'd all be in the mountains, so he could get a big dose of mountain-biking), but because the negative long-term effects would be so damaging. "It's a self-serving attitude that spells the demise of a good convention," he said. "You've got to select a flexible property. One that satisfies the masses, not the classes."
Wilkerson backed him up. "We're very unselfish people," he said. "One thing that's an advantage is that Paul comes from the field. He's come through the company, and he knows the makeup of our people."
Getting Down to Business Amato's "satisfy the masses, not the classes" message doesn't mean a meeting planner should bypass the CEO in incentive conference decision-making, however. "When a meeting planner says, 'I don't need CEO approval,' that's trouble," Amato told members of the Lynette Owens Advisory Board. "If the CEO has never been involved, at least give them the opportunity to be involved. Let them choose: In or out!" When meeting planners resist involving the CEO, he suggested, "they might be planning career suicide."
New advisory board member Dave Dwyer, second vice president, agency services division at The Travelers in Hartford, said that if meeting planners are concerned about job security in today's corporate environment, they need to position themselves as critical to the process.
"Which they can be," he said, "as long as they understand how meetings and incentives fit into the company's marketing strategy and budget considerations. Meetings must have a meaningful business purpose. And meeting planners have to demonstrate to senior management that they understand what the business purpose is and that they are part of the team working to achieve the desired results."
Dave Hill, vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer at Americo in Kansas City, MO, expanded on Dwyer's point. "The roles of the meeting planner, the chief marketing officer, and the CEO have changed," he said. "We're part of a strategic business unit. We're all profit-center managers now. Because of this change, the CMO and the CEO must be involved [in meeting planning]."
Creating the "Wow" Back in his office, Amato explained that he is invited to all the conference planning meetings that Bowling holds with Wilkerson, and he attends as many as he can. "I am involved from the get-go," he said.
And he stays involved-from site selection to speaker selection to theme party planning. "Paul usually selects the outside speakers-often it's someone he's seen at MDRT, LIMRA, or some other industry meeting," Bowling said. "We also have a relationship with a speaker's bureau: There's a person there who knows us and our group."
That's for the National Convention. Speakers at the President's Club meeting usually come from the field force and are chosen by CMO Wilkerson. Once in a while, he'll take to an outside speaker. "Mark comes up with the topics and personally calls these guys to ask them to do the presentations," Bowling noted.
Once the outside speakers are chosen, Bowling gets involved in working out the contracts. Once the field speakers are chosen, she calls them all to talk about scheduling, rehearsing, what they should wear. Working with the agents is a part of the job she seems to love. "I know almost every one of our convention qualifiers personally," she said.
Even when it comes to social functions, Amato wants to lend his creative flair. But sometimes he has to be enticed to go out on a theme party limb. For example, the President's Club always wraps up with a final night theme party, but the National Convention never has-mainly because, at 600 attendees, it's a pretty big crowd.
But when Bowling did her site inspection at the Yacht and Beach Clubs Resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, they showed her a Lion King theme party "that just knocked me out," she said.
"I went to Paul and he said, 'Give me a cost figure.'"
She did.
He said, "We've never done it."
She said, "I've seen it."
He told her if she could cut down the cost, he'd consider it.
She shaved a bit off the price and reallocated some money from elsewhere in the program and finally got Amato to agree on the plan.
It worked. "It was the most magnificent party we've ever had," she said. And it serves to illustrate the trust and communication that is the foundation of Amato's working relationship with his meeting and convention planner.
For Bowling, Amato's involvement doesn't add another layer of work, she said, "it adds a layer of security."
Added Wilkerson, in agreement: "Planning these meetings is very much a cooperative effort, from the time it starts to the time it ends."
Where Credit Is Due Wanda Bowling gets more than just support from the senior executives on her meeting team-she gets some sincere pats on the back.
"After we pick the site and plan the business and social functions, we just show up," Amato said. "Wanda makes it happen. All the 'wow' comes from Wanda. That's the meeting planner's job-to kick off a meeting in a way that will wow [the qualifiers]."
He isn't the only one who appreciates her work, either. "When we introduce the home office people at the meeting," Amato pointed out, "she gets the greatest applause."
Top Secret Strategy Meeting? Has Lynette Owens Found a Venue for You . . . The Greenbrier's secret is out. In the event of a nuclear attack, the vice president of the United States, members of Congress, and some of their aides will hightail it to White Sulphur Springs, WV and a 112,000-square-foot bunker built under The Greenbrier's West Virginia Wing.
Well, that's what they would have done until a few years ago when a newspaper reporter exposed the plan-and the bunker-to public view.
After the story was published, the Federal Government decided to move out of the 35-year-old facility, and once the last box of freeze-dried beef stroganoff was removed (it took 100 tractor-trailer loads to clear the place out), ownership of the bunker was handed over to the Greenbrier. (Actually, there are still some freeze-dried-food boxes left in floor-to-ceiling stacks. The tour guides tell you they're empty.)
Stranger than Fiction The so-called Emergency Relocation Facility (code named "Greek Island") was built between 1958 and 1960, when a visitor to The Greenbrier would have been told that the hotel was building a new wing. Indeed it was-but that was only part of the story. The emergency facility's 153 underground rooms were designed to hold 1,000 people for 60 days. Those 1,000 people would be Congress, the vice president, and their aides-without family members. Spouses and children would check in above ground, at the Greenbrier.
Lots of people knew about the bunker-locals, a coterie of hotel staff who helped to maintain it-but most people didn't, including Ted Kleisner, who joined the hotel as president and managing director in 1987. After coming on board, Kleisner found himself the subject of an oddly thorough security check. At the same time, he looked into the hotel's books and noticed discrepancies. "I worried that I was part of something that wasn't above board," Kleisner told Stone Phillips of NBC's "Dateline" news program last fall.
Then he was told about the bunker and about Forsythe Associates. To the uninitiated, Forsythe was a television-repair company with a very conscientious chief technician, Paul E. "Fritz" Bugas, and an office across the street from the hotel. In fact, Forsythe Associates was a cover for the government and Bugas was the man in charge of bunker maintenance.
What did that maintenance include? Among other things, holding subscriptions to magazines like Time and Newsweek and changing them in the spartan bunk room "lounges" every week for 35 years.
It was members of Congress who were tired of spending their constituents' money on a project that seemed to have outlived its usefulness who supposedly leaked the bunker information, including blueprints, to the reporter who broke the story four years ago.
Hidden in Plain View If you've ever held a meeting at the Greenbrier, you've probably already been in the bunker. You just didn't know it. The exhibit hall and two meeting rooms (Governor's Hall and the Mountaineer Room) are part of the emergency facility, and can be closed off from the rest of the West Virginia Wing and the hotel by three-and-a-half-foot-thick, 25-ton blast doors. Governor's Hall, the intended meeting room for the House of Representatives, has precisely 435 seats.
The bunker also contains:
* nuclear/biological/chemical filters for the air being drawn in from the woods,
* a Halon fire-fighting system,
* three generators,
* three, 24,000-gallon water storage tanks,
* three 15,000-gallon fuel oil tanks,
* an incinerator that can burn 500 pounds of trash per hour (and double as a crematorium),
* gas masks, straitjackets, riot control gear in case of a bunker mutiny, filing cabinets full of blueprints of the bunker, file upon file of maintenance and operations manuals, 800 phone lines, a dentist's chair, an operating room, even a photo backdrop for Congressional briefings broadcast to those above (the photo is of the Capitol, complete with cherry tree branch).
For the Hotel That Has Everything So, what do you do when the government gives you a giant underground burrow?
For now, the Greenbrier is giving guided tours, to which meeting planners can add breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the cafeteria. (No freeze-dried fare, of course.) Doomsday theme parties have also gone over big. But what Greenbrier management really wants down there is a casino.
"It would be Monte Carlo-style gaming," explains Randy Wilcott, the hotel's director of sales. "You'd have to be a guest of the hotel, and the casino would be open limited hours. We'd operate it strictly as an added amenity."
To that end, the Greenbrier is attempting to get a bill passed in the West Virginia legislature that would allow the property, as an individual entity, to run a casino. Wilcott predicts gaming could be a reality by 1998. But even if slots and tables don't arrive at the bunker any time soon, no meeting planner booking the property should fail to build in a tour of the facility. Especially now, while you can still be admitted through the blast door in the woods by a guy named Harlan-one of those who kept the bunker secret for 30 years.
You probably won't hear from point man Fritz Bugas, however. "He's having a hard time talking about it," says tour guide John Combs of Bugas, his boss, "after keeping it a secret for so long."
Progress Report Lynette Owens & Associates (LOA) is a hotel marketing and representation firm that specializes in promoting luxury resorts to the life insurance industry. Now in its eighth year, LOA has added some top properties to its roster over the past 12 months. New LOA members are The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL; El Conquistador in Las Croabas, PR; Grand Traverse Resort in Grand Traverse, MI; and Keystone Resort in Keystone, CO.
Owens promises "exciting developments" for her firm in the coming year. Meanwhile, she can be reached in Rancho La Costa, CA at (619) 759-0510; Pam Ferguson, vice president of sales and marketing, is in Monett, MO at (417) 235-0404; and Carol Silverthorn, director of sales, can be reached in Temple City, CA at (818) 292-1271.
The Breakers-Palm Beach, FL Dave Burke, VP, Marketing Jim Mostad, Director of Sales
This year was the 100th anniversary for this classic resort-a resort that is still family-owned. Guests are now enjoying the results of last year's $75 million renovation, which enlarged all guest rooms. A $42 million soft-goods renovation began this summer. Next comes a renovation of the golf course. Then, in 1998, the hotel will break ground on new meeting space including a 20,000-square-foot ballroom plus a spa and nightclub.
The Broadmoor-Colorado Springs Dennis Lesko, VP, Marketing Chris Gilbert, Dir. of Insurance Sales
This 78-year-old resort has undergone many refurbishings and expansions over the past several years. To expand its appeal beyond the golf crowd, the Broadmoor has added tennis, a spa, a children's program, and hot-air ballooning to its growing list of activities. One popular new addition: the walkway across Cheyenne Lake, which has helped the property's separate buildings cohere and makes group movements easier.
Lana'i Resort Partners-Island of Lana'i; Christine Chusano, Director of Sales, Eastern Region
The big news for Lana'i's Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay Hotel is that guests can now take care of Hawaii's required agricultural inspection of luggage on Lana'i, and check their bags through to the mainland. Also new: "sporting clays," the latest in simulated hunting experiences. The Lodge offers 102 rooms; Manele Bay has 240 rooms; while the Lana'i Conference Center holds up to 250 attendees.
La Quinta Resort & Club-La Quinta, CA; Laura Gydesen, Dir. of Insurance Sales
La Quinta's 640 casitas are complemented by a new ballroom, the Salon de Flores, with 16,000 square feet of space, bringing total meeting space to 66,000 square feet. The 18-hole Mountain Golf Course has joined the PGA West TPC Stadium Golf Course, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, and the Dunes Course. Next up: The tennis clubhouse will be reborn next fall as a 6,000-square-foot spa.
Monterey Plaza Hotel-Monterey, CA Mike Boyer, Dir., Sales & Marketing
The 285-room Monterey Plaza Hotel has made a concerted effort to establish itself as a meeting destination, with 60 percent of its business now coming from groups. The hotel tripled its meeting space to a total of 16,000 square feet, added a business center, and expanded its catering/convention services department. The hotel's location on Cannery Row, halfway between Fisherman's Wharf and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, is one of its prime attractions.
The Registry Resort-Naples, FL Jeff Hewitt, Director of Sales
The 474-room Registry Resort is on three miles of natural beach on the west coast of the Sunshine State. The property's Tower guest rooms are undergoing a complete soft-goods renovation. Resort guests have three country clubs with five championship golf courses to choose from, plus 15 tennis courts and three pools. In addition, the resort has 38,000 square feet of meeting space. The Registry Hotel Corporation recently announced the addition of a Fort Lauderdale property, to open next January.
Villas of Grand Cypress-Orlando, FL; Jack Talmage, Director of Sales and Marketing
If you're looking for an oasis in bustling Orlando, Talmage says, this is it. With just 146 villa-style rooms, the Villas of Grand Cypress makes small groups the center of attention. Besides, Talmage points out, the property's 45 holes of golf mean that the room-to-hole ratio is three-to-one. The property has 7,000 square feet of meeting space and recently renovated all rooms.
Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage (CA) Stan Hershenow, National Sales Manager
Nestled in the mountains, the 239-room Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage this year opened a full-service health spa, a first for Ritz-Carlton. A proposal for constructing a golf course on a wildlife sanctuary next to the resort goes up for public vote this month. Anticipating approval of the plan, Hershenow says the Tom Fazio-designed championship course could open next November. The property is currently undergoing a soft- goods renovation.
The Greenbrier-White Sulphur Springs, WV; Randy Wilcott, Dir. of Sales Kevin Rosa, National Sales Mgr., Insurance
This historic, 640-room property is making a concerted effort to be a modern meeting venue while retaining the charm and grandeur of its past. Some changes: The Modified American Meal Plan will now include the Golf Club restaurant, giving guests a casual venue choice. With groups getting younger, Wilcott says, the property is adding a nightclub next year. And gaming may arrive at the Greenbrier by 1998. After $1 million in renovations last year, the resort is putting an additional $4 million into the golf club during 1997.
Paul Amato, President, Columbus Life Insurance, Columbus, OH
David Bourgeois, Senior Vice President/CMO, Annuities, Royal Maccabees Life, Southfield, MI
Robert Dube, Senior Vice President, Group, Lafayette Life Insurance, Lafayette, IN
David Dwyer, Second Vice President, Agency Support Division, The Travelers Companies, Hartford
James Ewing, Vice President, Sales, The Mutual Group, Brookfield, WI
Jack Hardin, President, The Source Group, Knoxville, TN
Jack Hayes, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Kansas City Life Insurance, Kansas City, MO
Jim Henson, President, Occidental Life of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC
William Hess, Senior VP, Marketing & Sales, F&T Life Insurance, Syracuse, NY
David Hill, Vice President of Marketing/CMO, Americo, Kansas City, MO
Richard Hollar, Senior Executive Vice President, Marketing, Old Line Life Insurance, Milwaukee, WI
Patrick Kenney, Vice President/Director of Agencies, Security Mutual Life, Lincoln, NE
Jerry Stillwell, Vice President, Sales, Columbus Life Insurance, Columbus, OH
"We were the worst airline in the sky," Linda Ferguson, sales manager for conventions, meetings and incentives at Continental Airlines, bluntly told the Lynette Owens Insurance Advisory Board Group in August.
But over the past year, new CEO Gordon Bethune and new COO Greg Brenneman have turned Continental's fortunes around in a most dramatic way. Perennially last in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rankings of on-time performance and baggage handling, and first in customer complaints, Continental this year did what no airline has ever done. The carrier moved up from last to first in the independent J.D. Power/Frequent Flyer survey of airline passengers in the long-haul (500 miles or more) category.
"Gordon made the company aware of the team concept," Ferguson said, attributing the airline's success in part to the incentive programs the new management instituted. To start off, all Continental employees were given $65 every month Continental made the top three in the DOT's on-time ranking. Now, employees get $100 every time the airline makes it to number one in the rankings.