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3Delight for Katana.
From Katana 3.0 onwards, Katana ships with cutting-edge rendering engine, 3Delight. It's super-easy to get up and running: simply install it at the same time as you install Katana.
Interactive renders are free, and batch rendering licenses can be purchased as a permanent license with maintenance via the Katana and 3Delight Render bundle.
New level of artist focus
Rendering can be a complex problem which, through common workflows, pulls an artist away from working efficiently. The 3Delight team have invested their time and ingenuity to take a different approach. Artists are provided a simpler set of controls and elegant workflows, so they can make intuitive choices supporting their primary goal: the artwork.
Incredible Live Rendering
Live rendering in Katana with 3Delight is a liberating experience. Changes to almost all aspects of global controls, lights, cameras, geometry, shaders, and scene content update quickly during a live render. Start a live render session and just work: the Katana monitor becomes like another viewport.
Simplified Global Controls - DLSettings
Overall render quality and speed is controlled by two decoupled parameters: Samples and Pixel Samples. 3Delight intelligently manages all per ray type samples, leaving the artist more time to focus on lighting. The DLSettings node also provides a unified location for live rendering optimizations, AOV management, and 3Delight specific workflows.
Art Direction Focused Control Parameters
Art direction needs and the design of modern ray tracing don't always combine into artist friendly controls. With 3Delight, complex physical phenomena like volumes have WYSIWYG art directable parameters for transparency and scattering, yet utilize physically correct maths to provide the best of both worlds.
Multi-light - Light Mixing
In 3Delight Display, a lighting artist can click and drag on top of an image to rebalance light intensities of individual or groups of lights. All edits are fed back to the GafferThree nodes in Katana so changes are captured at the source. This workflow is a complement to live renders as the images can be at final high resolution quality, creating a rich collaborative workflow with art directors and clients.
Artist-Friendly Render Viewer
3Delight Display is the dedicated render viewer that comes with 3Delight. With contact sheet style AOV displays, OCIO color management and 4K playback, it's a robust tool in it's own right. 3Delight Display is a key component in the Light Mixing workflow.
Powerful lighting tools
3Delight for Katana has a range of lighting tools that provide a multitude of options for lighting artists. All lights and objects with incandescence utilize the same light sampling technology. Therefore no single lighting tool has limitations of noise, speed, or quality relative to the others.
Typical Lights (Area, Spot, Point and Distant)
3Delight comes with basic lighting tools like distant, point, spot and area lights. The area light contains multiple shape options of square, disc, sphere, and cylinder which can be changed during live renders. The spot light has barn doors built-in and the point light can be modified to cast physically accurate hard or soft shadows.
Powerful Object-Based Lighting Tools (Mesh and Incandescent)
The Mesh light takes any polygon or subdivision model and turns it into a light source. This is the go-to tool when standard area light shapes don't match art direction needs. The Incandescent light controls a scene objects incandescence, even if it's mapped with textures. CEL statements allow control of complex arrays of objects from one light. The Incandescent light can be used with VDB volumes to illuminate a scene from things like fire and explosions.
Flexible Image Based Lighting Options (Sky and Environment)
3Delight provides two powerful options for light contributions from environment-based sources. The Sky light is based on the Hosek-Wilkie model to provide analytical recreations of environment illumination with simple artist controls. The Environment light uses HDRIs for customized accurate scene lighting. Both utilise the advanced 3Delight HDRI sampling technology, providing fast renders, accurate scene shadows, and removing the need for any blurring, or use of lower resolution images.
Light Filters
3Delight for Katana has a simple set of light filters that are a balance of flexibility and performance. The Decay light filter allows an artist to customize the intensity falloff of the light from the source to its first bounce, with subsequent bounces following the rules of physics. The Gobo light filter allows an artist to control the output of their light by the use of LDR or HDR slidemaps.
Supercharged rendering engine
The core 3Delight engine has been fine-tuned for superfast rendering of displacement, hair, depth of field, motion blur and other complex production requirements. Built to scale linearly by core, you can maximize your hardware investments. A custom, system-level texture memory management system facilitates efficient renders even with large texture datasets.
Unified Sampling
The NSI powered 3Delight is built on top of an intelligent unified sampling approach. This enables artist friendly controls like a single sampling control to all the shading elements: BRDFs, lights and environments. Using 3Delight, an artist spends less time fine-tuning technical settings and more time being creative.
Powerful Light Sampling
3Delight has a unique, rapidly converging light sampling algorithm that allows you to render large amounts of light sources (hundreds of thousands) efficiently. All light sources in 3Delight share this sampling approach. Therefore the relative cost of each light type is consistent, giving freedom of choice to the artist.
HDR Image Sampling
3Delight's HDRI sampling algorithms converge extremely fast and the pre-blurring of textures is not required. Illumination and shadow qualities align with the size and intensity of the HDRI content. Quality HDRI captures directly translate to quality illumination.
Instancing and Memory
Rendering very large scenes utilising instances is a fundamental part of 3Delight's NSI architecture design. Render start-up times are fast and memory footprints are low. Both instance source and instance ID based workflows are supported.
Atmosphere and Volumes
3Delight has fast and robust support for Atmosphere and Volume shaders, with all adjustments fully supported in a live render. VDB Volumes can light a scene via their shader incandescence or by using the Incandescent light in the GafferThree.
Pipeline strength
3Delight combined with Katana is a powerful toolset for your production pipeline. The plugin provides workflows that focus on an efficient import of scene data in multiple formats, robust OSL shading language support, and efficient transfer of image data to the compositing pipeline.
Deep EXRs and Cryptomatte
3Delight has an easy two-click setup to enable deep renders. 3Delight for Katana can export Geometry ID, Scene Path ID, and Surface Shader ID in EXR or Cryptomatte ready EXR files.
OSL Shaders with UI from Metadata
All patterns and shaders in 3Delight are written in OSL. The display of the shading parameter interfaces in Katana is automatically driven by the OSL meta-data. Implement your own full shaders, closures, or patterns and use them in either Katana or Maya.
NSI Archives
Some workflows in Maya do not have an easy path for transport to tools like Katana. The 3Delight NSI Archive is the simplest way to transfer complex setups like Maya Mash to Katana for rendering. It's 3Delight's renderer ready archive format.
Xgen and Yeti
3Delight for Katana has dedicated Xgen and Yeti nodes, as these are very common tools for scattering objects or and hair/fur. The Yeti node allows for interaction with the cache settings to modify the results on a per sequence or shot basis. The Xgen node allows for the loading, display and rendering of assets generated through Maya's Xgen toolset.
New modern architecture
Nodal Scene Interface (NSI) is the API that powers the new 3Delight engine. NSI is both a nodal and hierarchical scene description, allowing 3Delight to be incredibly nimble during live rendering, flexible for production needs, quick to develop for and highly adaptable for many DCC programs. The API documentation can be found below.Download


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These are the last two love letters I found from Benjamin Atkinson (1884-1975) to Hilda Pinborough Atkinson (1896-1984). I do hope there are more hiding among the boxes of letters I'm archiving! Such a delightful way to get to know the people behind the names and numbers. I was going to write some thoughts on the insights I feel I've gained into Ben & Hilda's personalities, but I'll keep them to myself for now and let you draw your own conclusions.
Only note, when Ben references his "Wifes mother," he is referring to his deceased wife, Florence Hettie Woodcock (1887-1925).
Happy Genealogy Hunting!
Letter Postmarked Dec 31 1926
Benjamin Atkinson to Hilda Pinborough
Dec 30-26
Sweetheart Happy New Year
Lots of em
My Dearest Hilda
I received your welcome Letter & was very glad to hear from you once again & pleased to hear that you enjoyed your Christmas you say that there was one person lacking I suppose that was (me) I will try & do better next time. I was buying Xmas cards for all I got 1 for my Mother & my Wifes Mother & I like to have a little fun once in a while so I got one for your Mother. I am sorry if I hurt her feelings as I do not intend to hurt anybody if I know it.
I enjoyed my Christmas looking after my Partner he was a pretty sick man but he got alright before Monday Something the matter with his stomach I will tell you what I had for xmas dinner when I see you because I know you will laugh to think how some people are. I have not heard from the kiddies since Christmas so I do not know how they got along but I know they missed their Daddy & I know I missed them too also (you) & others. you want to be careful & not overdo yourself by trying to do too much your letter tells me that your pretty busy now be careful (won't you Dear).
So when I come home I would like to see you just as well as when I left I am glad to hear that your Chapel has been Dedicated & would like to have been there as I do love to hear Pres Grant speak. Well Dear I appreciate your gift & I will try & make good use of it when I get back I think it very nice. Thanks very Much. according to your presents somebody must be thinking besides ourselves I have not dropped anything only to you & I don't know for sure yet till we meet again it is up to you to decide you sure have got some good news for me when you say
you like me better all the time. I did not think that letter would reach you before xmas but I am glad it did & glad that you enjoyed it so much I do enjoy getting ours. You ask me was I happy. Well I can say yes. always. but I will be much happier when you say (yes). You spoke of your eyes in your last letter & what other folks would say to me about them. I have took that into consideration more than once & the more I see of you & receive your letters the more I love you. not just to get married but I think & know that you will make me a good companion & I know that I will try & be a companion to you
Well I have got some good news for you but I won't tell you till the last of this letter so keep on reading you do not want to cheat me out of your lovely letters as I look forward to them & I know when to expect them I hope you have got the beds made by this time & also got warm. I am glad you think more of me than making beds they can keep. If you could not make the beds I guess I could help you it won't be the first time that I have helped in the house & I guess I can help do it again I was always willing to help in home if need that is what makes life happy is to help one another when necessary
you say you work under a boss to do the housework they say if you work to long for the same boss they think they own you so it is good to make a change sometime to get results. How would you like to be your own boss? Well Dear, I could say lots I realize your condition but I always try to mind my own business & if we can do that & try & keep our own home in order it is sure grand. yet we can't help notice other people & think how inconsistent they are sometimes & I think they ought to be left alone to do some for themselves and if one can't do it it is up to the other to help What is Life. Only what we make it. We can either make it hell of Heaven.
I have had some experience along that line. you have not. Only what you see & I can guess what you have to put up with but I know the Lord has blessed you and he won't forget you as long as you don't forget him. Well if I was near to you with my arm around you I could tell you lots of things to cheer you up so I guess I had better wait till I get home again as it won't be long now altho' the weather is so nice down here & I understand it is cold up there but I guess they have not burnt all my coal yet I had 9 tons in the basement Now I am going to tell you when you get this letter that it
is Monday evening & you can answer it at night & mail it tuesday Morning & I will get it Friday evening now this is the good news I think we will get them down here latter part of next week the boss has no more work at present and if he don't get any more it won't be long before I will be home to tease you a little so get all your sewing done & rested up if you have not sent that cake keep it & we both can eat it I hope you got the candy I thought you would like a little to eat evenings you said you would have you answer ready pretty soon (Are you ready yet?) Shoot if you feel
like it Remember me to mother & all the rest of the family that are interested in me May the Lord bless you & keep you well & Help you to perform your daily labors
Your Loving Sweetheart
Some Extra more coming.
Excuse Pencil
Don't work too hard & rest up
I am glad you liked your purse as it was a puzzle to know what to buy you & it took me about a week of window shopping to select it. The next letter I write I can come pretty near telling you when I will be home I got your letter this evening & mail it this night. Lots of Love. Ben.
Postmarked Jan 4 1927
Ben to Hilda
Phoenix Ariz
Monday 3rd 1927
Dearest Hilda
I received your letter this evening & was glad to hear from you once again. I feel so Happy that I hardly know what to write but I will try to pencil a few lines of what I am thinking of. I received the Cake also but I will not sample it until I finish this letter as you said I must eat it in small pieces & I just got thru supper I received a letter from Mother & she informs me that you remembered the children & Her Christmas which was very kind of you.
Well Dear I see by this letter that you have answered my question to be my companion & Partner and I am willing to do the best I can in making life a pleasure for you & I know you are willing to do the same for me I do not think you have made any Mistake in the matter as I have felt that the first time I met you that you was the one for me & I think that we will be perfectly Happy together if we both work for that end which I think we will I know that you will have
to finish teaching school but that can be arranged very nicely. I will be very glad to ask Mother for you but for Dad I think not as the girls always belong to their Mother & Mother tells Dad. anyhow you say no more Piggly Wiggly now I guess you will be just as anxious to kiss & hug as much as I was, won't you? Ha Ha I do not know how many more points in this gamble but I think one of the main points have been reached. We will learn to gamble when we figure on getting Married
everything seems to be a gamble in this life. I was surprised to get the good news by letter as you said you wanted to see me first but you can see me second got the news first and that will not be long now I guess you will be glad to see me more than ever now I know I will be glad to see you because I am more interested in you than when I left I have been wondering what your Mother thinks about it but I guess she is like all Mothers like to see their children do as they have done I guess you will surprise lots of your friends when they
hear about it. I know I will get a roasting from Lucy when she sees me because I am always teasing her. Well Dear your letter was the best news since I met you and this letter will be good news to you I am leaving for home either Friday or Saturday as we are thru down here I will be home either 11th or 12th Tuesday or Wednesday so get some rest & keep me a date for somewhere around that time as I am not sure what day it will be as the roads are not as good as when we came down here
and it will take longer to get home I figure 4 days but I will call you up when I get there We will try & have some good times later on next week Good bye for the present Praying the Lord to bless you & keep you safe & well
From Your Loving
The weather down here is all Sunshiney warm days no smoke no clouds
I am Much Happier Now. Still Happy. PS Remember me to Mother
I will receive your letter in answer to this one at 281 J Street
Some Extra for what you wrote me in answer to my question
Parting thought - Who is Lucy?
Click here to read: Love Letters from Ben to Hilda (Part 1 of 3)
Click here to read: Love Letters from Ben to Hilda (Part 2 of 3)
ACCURACY NOTE: All letters are mostly transcribed as written. I try to stay true to the writer's penmanship including the spelling & grammar mistakes, missing punctuation, run on sentences and such but, in some cases, I add in periods to make the letter easier to read. These old letters had few if any paragraph breaks, so I sometimes add them by the "page turn" to make it easier to read. And yes, sometimes I make a few mistakes in transcription.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pettiagala Estate Ceylon is a very elegant high-grown FOP leaf with a highly aromatic and flowery, yet tart, flavor.Ingredients: black tea
Price is for 1 ounce. Change "quantity" to reflect the number of ounces you'd like.
All prices are in USD.
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text:
Frequently Asked Questions
1What do I do if crabgrass is already in my lawn?
Apply baking soda to crabgrass when it is wet. This will not hurt your grass, but it will kill crabgrass. You may need to experiment with this to get the correct rate.
2Are the materials you use to treat safe for people and pets?
When lawns have been treated, please allow two hours for treatment to dry before allowing pets on lawn. This also applies for adults and children. All materials Superior Spray Service uses for indoor and outdoor service are safe for adults, children, and pets.
3What happens if I have other pest problems that are not guaranteed by your service?
Please feel free to call Superior Spray Service at any time during normal business hours. We will be more than happy to answer any questions to the best of our ability.
4How will I know when you have provided service?
An invoice will be left in the front door for Superior Spray Service lawn and ornamental service. When lawns are treated, you will also see a sign posted in the lawn.
5I am a seasonal resident. Should I take any preventative measures before leaving?
Yes, please do not allow traps to dry up in sinks and showers, as roaches can enter through these areas if that happens. It is recommended to have someone run water every few weeks to prevent this.
6Should I worry about my stored food items when leaving?
When leaving, make sure that all stored food products are in sealed, unopened containers to help prevent contamination from dried food beetles and grainery weevils.
7 Is there anything I need to do prior to having Superior Spray Service treatment for fleas?
Yes. All floors should be cleaned or mopped and must be thoroughly vacuumed before treatment is done. Please ensure to dispose of the vacuum bag to prevent reinfestation. Pets must be vacated from the home, or placed in a non-treated room, for a minimum of two hours.
8 If I am having a major roach infestation, what additional measures, if any, do I need to take?
Superior Spray Service recommends that all areas, such as underneath sinks and kitchen cabinets, be completely cleared of pots, pans, dishes, and food items. In addition, these areas must be wiped down and cleaned thoroughly, so treatment can be completed.
9I seem to get a lot of flying insects around the outside of my home. Is there anything I can do to help this?
Yes. Try changing your outside lighting to yellow light bulbs. Flying insects are not attracted to these so readily, which will help keep the spider population down too. You may also find flying insects around homes that are situated around lakes, more so than not.
10How do I know that I will receive the attention that I desire for my pest control services?
Our customers will always have easy access to the owner/CPCO, not just office personnel if they ever need it.
11When I call Superior Spray Service, will I be sure that I will get a returned phone call?
Superior Spray Service makes it a top priority to call customers back as soon as possible


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We are located in the heart of downtown Goshen, one block south of the Courthouse. If you can't find us by using the map, give us a call or e-mail for more specific directions.
LifeSpring Community Church
116 S. 3rd Street
Goshen, Indiana 46526
(574) 533-0315
E-mail: email@example.com
Sunday Morning: 9:30 A.M. - Coffee & Pastries in the Living Room
10:00 A.M. - Worship Service
Weekly Prayer Times:
Wednesday - 9:00-10:00am
Thursday - 5:00-6:00pm
Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday, 1-3 P.M.


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You can be someone who knows your way around making a product or service look appealing to the customers. However, in order for you to do your job right you need to have the correct tools. Since your objective is reaching a large group of people you will be trying different methods to get your message across to them. Short message service is one such service that is used by many.
In order for anyone to do UAE SMS marketing right they need to have a proper service provider who offers their services with a number of advantages for the user. Therefore, when choosing such a service provider you need to pay attention to the following facts.
Message Type Options
When you are getting a service provider to support your SMS advertising plan you should first see what kind of a message you will be able to send using that service. Different service providers offer different options. If you can send a message with a personalized message to fit your product or service with the brand name as the sender's ID that will be great. It would be even better if you get the opportunity to arrange sending these messages following a schedule.
You have to of course think about the prices or the fee for such a message service. Doing a campaign to promote your product or service should also happen within a set budget. If the service provider you are looking at provides their services with no monthly obligation and provides you the service without any set up charges, you should consider about hiring them. Also, if they offer another advantage in the pricing front such as no extra charge for having a sender's id, you will be in good hands. Link here http://www.smartvision.ae/marketing-solution/whatsapp-marketing.html to gain idea about a marketing tool that can help you promote your products and services in a better way.
Reach of Customers
You are trying to acquire such a short message service so that you can reach a large group of people using a simple message that will inform them about your product or service. Therefore, it the service provider has the ability to give you multilingual support that means you get to reach people who speak different languages. That is a huge advantage for you. Then, some service providers let you select the group of people you want to reach out by filtering them based on their country, income, age, city, etc. If you get such a specified reach too you are in luck.
Based on the message type options, prices, reach of customers you can decide which short message service provider you should choose in order to run your campaign more successfully.


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Yanyā Punhi is a festival celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal. The main attraction of the festival is the procession of chariots and masked dancers representing deities and demons.
Yanyā Punhi (Indra Jatra) is a holiday related to Hindu god king of heaven, Indra. The festival begins with the carnival-like erection of Yosin, a ceremonial pole, accompanied by the rare display of the deity Aakash Bhairab, represented by a massive mask spouting beer and liquor. Households throughout Kathmandu display images and sculptures of Indra and Bhairab only at this time of year. Finally, the Kumari, or virgin goddess (living goddess), leaves the seclusion of her temple in a palanquin and leads a procession through the streets of Kathmandu to thank Indra the rain god. Yanya Punhi is dedicated to lord Indra, the king of heaven. This is a week long festival which begins after the erection of Yosin, a ceremonial pole. The main feature of this festival in Kathmandu is a week long display of gigantic mask of Aakash Bhairab and procession of Kumari, the living goddess along with other two living gods Ganesh and Kumar.


text: Share: Comments Print October 19, 2013 at 2:30 PM Five things to watch: Reviewed Posted by Bob Condotta Better late than never, here's our post-game review of how our Five Things to Watch unfolded: 1, The running game: As I wrote before the game, Arizona's biggest statistical strength ran right up against Seattle's — its run defense, which ranked fifth in the NFL, allowing 90.7 yards per game. Seattle, meanwhile, was second in the NFL in rushing per game at 157.7. Seattle came closer to its average than did the Cardinals, with 135 yards and 4.2 per carry, which was a big key for the Seahawks in pulling away for a 34-22 win. 2, Turnovers: For the third straight game, Seattle got a push in turnovers, each team losing two. Seattle's two picks led to 14 points while Arizona's two fumble recoveries led to 10. Seattle has yet to lose the turnover differential in a game this season, and coach Pete Carroll undoubtedly thinks that's no coincidence in the team's 6-1 record. 3, Sherm and Fitz: As I wrote before the game: "The best individual matchup of this game will occur when Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman faces off against Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald, a certain future Hall of Famer." Sherman wasn't always directly against Fitzgerald, but he played his part in holding Arizona's most dangerous offensive weapon to just two catches for 17 yards. The pass rush (displayed above in a John Lok photo) helped greatly in the effort, as well. 4, The passing game: The most important number of the night here was Russell Wilson's 122.1 QB rating, his highest of the season. His efficiency meant a lot more than the total yardage number of 235. Wilson was 18-29 and for the third time this season did not throw an interception. And as has been well-documented there should be help coming in the passing game soon with the return of Percy Harvin. 5, Special teams: Seattle had had big breakdowns the previous two weeks leading to easy touchdowns for the opponents — a blocked field goal against the Colts and the fumble on the field goal against the Titans. But Seattle played a clean game in special teams against the Cardinals, other than the penalty that nullified Golden Tate's apparent punt return for a TD. Steven Hauschka hit two more field goals and is now 16-17 on the season, the only miss the block against Indy. Comments


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TURBOSPAN News, a Mission Report From Asia, February 2017
01-Feb-2017 – Salcete, Goa (INDIA) – "TURBOSPAN News" is a monthly newsletter that brings you news, stories, and developments on how TURBOCAM's people are reaching out with God's love to bring aid and help to those in need. From providing food and clean water to the hungry, to building schools and churches, we are committed to demonstrating God's love and mercy by attending to people's practical needs while bringing them the Gospel message.
Take a look inside:
Mysore – The Nireekshe Center celebrated Republic day on January 26. Gifts were distributed to the attendees.
Read more:
TURBOSPAN News, February 2017 (173 KB)


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We woke up to snow this morning. Libby was too little to remember snow from last year, so it was fun to see her experience it for the first time. She was super excited to put her snow boots on and started taking giant steps while we were still in the house. Good to know walking in deep snow will come naturally to her!
She was either mesmerized or confused by the snow at first and just stood still in the driveway for a solid few minutes while taking it all in.
Eventually, she started stomping her feet and running into neighbors' yards and having a grand ol' time.
|Aren't baby snow boots adorable?


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Nowadays, exotic car rentals are growing in dominance. This is most probably due to the expensive price of antique and luxury cars that people have to resort to rentals because they can not afford to own a whole new one. Most people do not want to invest in something so expensive that even maintenance fees are too huge priced. If you are looking for cars that you've got always dreamt of owning, you might benefit from car rentals instead of owning a new .
Have you ever experienced driving one day to see a luxury car drive past you? Don't you would like to you could own one and feel the thrill of driving that kind of car? Dream no more, because it is heading towards become a reality. Vehicle rentals, your dreams are about to come fact.
Or perhaps, you need attend a special black tie occasion. Surely you don't want to drive your old car to the event, would you? Whether you are attending a special day or you don't obtain your sports car a person are travelling, rental cars will help you with this.
There are so many cities that offer car rentals services. You have to check personally with the store if they have luxury cars, sports cars, or antique cars for rent out. You will have to pay a higher amount of insurance though, and your driving records will be checked. Some rental companies may require a credit card rating, so be sure you obtain that ready.
If you would like to the price of car rentals, these special cars usually cost as much as a night in a grand hotel. A lot of companies usually set their price at about one percent of your original price in the car per ceremony. That price is quite reasonable, if you believe about the regarding the car as well as just you are in order to be use it.
Each company has their own perks and promotions, so be sure to check out for them. Many of these perks include free delivery of vehicle to your home, a complete introductory guide or instruction before using your vehicle, and a GPS system. You may decide some extra services such as having a chauffeur if you are attending special scenarios. Of course, car wash is entirely considerably you, but many businesses clean the car before you will be ready take it for about a drive.
Although car rentals usually put a limit on your driving speed, this can only be for the safety of you along with the car. Aside for this insurance, you may be paying for other services, so you should ask the rental company for all the services and charges that you should certainly pay before deciding to rent a luxury car.
Whether you are taking the car to thrill a girl, a home business client, or in simply want to experience the thrill of driving a car that was only available in your dreams, car rentals can be of service to your needs. You don't have to be a billionaire if you want to drive that car, an exotic hire car is all you need!
Imagine Lifestyles
101 NE 79th St, Miami, FL 33138, USA
+1 305-432-3205


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Springfield….State Representative Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) gained unanimous support for HB 771 in the Illinois House today. Bryant says in the face of budget cuts, and a shortage of volunteers to join fire departments across the state, HB 771 will provide needed assistance.
"In Illinois, 70 percent of all firefighters are volunteers," Bryant said. "HB 771 allows a volunteer firefighter to purchase one set of tires for their vehicle every three years at a reduced price per the fire district's joint purchasing agreement. The goal is to provide a little bit of help to the folks that volunteer to fight fires and keep us safe. I want to thank my colleagues for their unanimous support for this legislation."
HB 771 now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.


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Band Parents Council Meeting Wednesday, Jan 9 @6:30
Winter Concerts
Western Bands will present several concerts this week:
Winter Jazz at the State
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
State Theater, Bay City
7:00 pm
featuring performances by Central, Dow, Western, Meridian, Essexville
Winter Band Concerts
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Bryant Auditorium, Bay City Western
6:30 pm - Middle School Bands
8:00 pm - High School Bands
both concerts are FREE
Band Parent Meeting: Wednesday Nov. 28
SVSU Pre-Solo & Ensemble Clinic
This event is being held at Saginaw Valley State University on February
2, 2013. Warm-up and performance times will be announced after
registration has closed at 5PM on December 14th, 2012. Registration is
free. There will be a classical saxophone recital afterwards at 7:30pm
in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall on campus that is free as well.
The event is for woodwinds (solos and small ensembles), brass (solos and
small ensembles), percussion (solos), and piano (solos) only.
Please contact Dr. Jane Girdham (firstname.lastname@example.com) for further information.
REGISTER: http://svsu.edu/music/outreach/presoloandensemble/
High School Band Photos
Individual band portrait photos are being taken by Harbour Light Photography on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 during the students' exam period. Students are not required to purchase a photo package but if you are choosing to do so, please send payment in Tuesday (11/20) morning with your student. See the attached picture for photo package prices. Students also received an order form with price information. Please make checks payable to "Harbour Light Photography."
Most students do not need to bring anything special or dress specifically for the photos. A uniform and gloves will be provided to students for the photos. Colorguard members should bring in their uniform top please.
If payment is made on Tuesday 11/20, it is expected that photos will be delivered before Christmas vacation.
Cookie Dough Fundraiser Begins!
The annual band cookie dough fundraiser has begun! Get your orders in on or before November 26, 2012! All sorts of wonderful, delicious flavors are available. Each tub is $12 and will directly benefit the band and the students. Please contact a band student to order yours today!
Band students are encouraged to try to sell at least 10 tubs each. Students may take order until November 26, 2012 when all order forms must be returned with full payment. Please make checks payable to Western Middle School and combine your entire payment into one check if possible. All orders must use the official order forms provide by the school - no photocopies or handmade spreadsheets please!
Certain incentives are available for students participating in the fundraiser! Please see your student's letter for more information.
All cookie dough orders must be picked up on Friday, December 14, 2012 between 2:30 and 6:30 pm in the auditorium. You may send anyone you wish to pick up your order.
Annie jr. on stage at WHS this weekend
Meijer Community Rewards
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Our Organization Number is 572796
Program Overview
Bandorama 2012 Tonight @6:30pm
Admission to the concert is $2 per person at the door. There is a reception in the commons immediately following the concert.
For this performance, Middle School families are asked to sit on the main (lower) floor bleachers. High School families are asked to sit in the upper gym bleachers. Thank you for your cooperation!
Football Playoff Game
The Bay City Western High School Football Team will begin their playoff run at Traverse City Central on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 7:00 pm. The band will not be going to this game.
We wish the team all the best and know that they will win! When the team wins we will possibly have a second playoff game in Midland on Nov. 2. The band would plan to perform at that game as a pep band. Put it on your calendar!
Bay City Central Band Member Killed in Auto Accident
"GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Michigan State Police have identified Autumn Rose Elwell, 17, of Bay City as the victim of a fatal crash on I-96 near U.S. 131 early Saturday." (MLive article).
Autumn (in photo on right) was a senior member of the Band City Central Band and a saxophone player. The Western Band family extends its sincere condolences to the Elwell family and the Central Band family.
The Western Band family will be collecting donations for flowers and preparing a card to send to the family. Donations can be sent to class with your student and given to Mr. Heydenburg or Ms. Schlosser.
Band Parent Meeting: Wednesday Oct. 17
Midland Marching Showcase
School Cancelled Tuesday, Sept. 18
Band Parents Meeting Schedule
The Band Parents Council has set forth its meeting schedule for the 2012-2013 School Year. Please plan to come to our meetings and support your student!
- Wednesday, October 17, 2012 @7:30 PM
- Wednesday, November 28, 2012 @6:30 PM
- Wednesday, January 9, 2013 @ 6:30 PM
- Wednesday, February 6, 2013 @6:30 PM
- Wednesday, April 24, 2013 @6:30 PM
Also thank you to our newly elected executive board:
- President: Kim Arsenault
- VP of Fundraising & Public Relations: Jennifer Swiecicki
- VP of Volunteers: Ronni Ettline
- Secretary/Treasurer: Kellie Deming
First Band Parents Meeting: Wednesday Sept. 5 @6:30 pm
First Day Paperwork available
Yard Signs!
MSBOA All-State Band Information available
The information about the process and materials is available from the MSBOA website. Actual music will be available from Mr. H or Ms. Schlosser in the first few weeks of school. Auditions are typically held in November or December at another school.
More information will be available at school in the first few weeks.
HOME football game Thursday 8/23 (changed)
Warrior Night 8/27 @5:00pm
Westernbands on Twitter!
I suppose you are supposed to 'follow' the twitter feed. Since I have no idea what I'm doing with twitter at the moment, that's all I can say. Hopefully you will teach me what to do ;-)
Website Updated for 2012
2012 High School State Solo & Ensemble Results
2012 District Band Festival Results
The Seventh Grade Band earned an overall Division I rating. The Eighth Grade Band earned and overall Division II rating. Both the High School Concert Band and Symphonic Band earned Division I ratings, with the Symphonic Band earning 'straight I's' for the eighth consecutive year. Since 2001, the High School Bands have earned Division I ratings every year except in 2003.
BCW Festival Rating History
This year, the bands will not be participating in the state festival.


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Microsoft Edge's tab preview thumbnail feature can be very useful especially if you have too many tabs open, and want to find a particular tab quickly to switch to it.
Personally, Edge's tab preview or peek feature is super awesome, but needs a little improvement. It can be obtrusive when you accidentally hover over the tab area when trying to access the navigation buttons. If you want to disable tab previews and display only the web page title when hovering over a tab, here is a registry hack to do so.
Disable Tab Previews in Microsoft Edge
Start Regedit.exe and go to the following registry key.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge\TabbedBrowsing
Create a DWORD (32 bit) value named TabPeekEnabled
Leave the value data for TabPeekEnabled as 0
Exit the Registry Editor, close all instances of Edge and open it. When you hover over a tab, you'll only see the page title instead of tab preview thumbnail image.
Automate the above steps using REG file. Download disable_edge_tab_preview.zip
About the author
Ramesh Srinivasan founded Winhelponline.com back in 2005. He is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for 10 consecutive years from 2003 to 2012.


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Online Degree
Are you happy with your current job? Is your company providing an opportunity to raise your salary and upgrade your career? If you are unhappy with your present position, it's your time to upgrade yourself. If you are a business owner, you may need to improve your knowledge or skills.
We cannot avoid globalization because we are live in 21st Century. Competition between people and countries are in speed of light. What should we do? Many people are still live in old fashioned. They don't like to change their mindset. The world is move and change minutes by minutes. We need to change step by step. People who live on the top also improve their ability to face the competition. They attend the seminar to enhance their knowledge in certain area. It's depending on their positions, but we also find that some people need to move to other area that really new, something very different than their current expertise. Most of them enroll to post graduate or join a short term courses. Many people registered to conventional university, and the other signed-up to a distance learning campus (online campus). The advantages of the online campus are:
• You don't have to attend the regular class.
• Just use your computer and online to the Internet.
• You can enroll to online college/university outside your country.
• You can still working at the office or stay at home as a house wife.
. For business owner, you don't have leave your current business.
Online campus or universities are available in many countries such as USA, Europe, England, Japan, Singapore, etc. You don't have to move the country that provides online study. Just use your computer, at home, at the Internet cafe –almost everywhere, as long as your computer can connect to the Internet. There are many subjects that you can choose such as: MBA, Master degree in Law, Economic, Social Sciences, Hospitality, Marketing, Tourism, Administration, General Studies, Business, General Communications, and other online short course or lessons.
What you need is your strong motivation because nobody will watch you. Before you decide to enroll, makes sure that youready to focus with your goal, so you'll earn your degree or diploma/certificate faster. If you get a master degree or Bachelor Degree from online campus, you'll have a better opportunity to enter a new world in working environment. Also, you will gain more respect from others because you looks more confidence than before. If you want to try something new, online campus or distance learning is the best solutions to change your life. Business world is open for people who have more knowledge and skills. Whatever is your choice, make sure that you achieve your goal.


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It's kind of funny that I'm posting a look that is not really Valentine's Day themed on Valentine's Day, but here goes a new look on the blog.
I love florals, I love pretty and bright colors, and I also love the black/gray colors.
You can find all of that in this look, with the scarf giving a pop of color and point in the entire outfit.
Shirt - Zara (www.zara.com)
Pants - Zara (www.zara.com)
Shoes - BP from Nordstrom (www.nordstrom.com)
Scarf - Unknown
Clutch - Ross (www.rossstores.com)
I got this cute clutch that says "Sunday Funday" for only $5 at Ross. What a steal for just five dollars. I really like it, even though I feel a little weird to carry it on a day that is not a Sunday.
The little fur ball was not a part of the clutch, I went ahead and just attached it for this look.
I love that I can take it off and attach it on any of my other bags if I wanted.
I love that I can take it off and attach it on any of my other bags if I wanted.
The thing I love about this top is the side details. The top itself is super simple with no prints on it, but that side detail really makes the top special. It gives such a feminine feel to what can be just a simple and plain top. I love the fact that they are slits, and I love the fact that there is kind of like a frill detail that gives it the dressy feel.
Fun fact: I made a bet with two of my friends to lose 20 pounds by June, which means I have to really watch my diet and the kinds of food I consume, as well as making sure to exercise enough.
I hope I can succeed so I don't have to pay my friends HAHA.
Let's go, 20 pounds by June!
Grace Yourself.


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I noticed something a couple weeks ago which I have come to see as absolutely clutch to the teaching, but which for most of my life I have mostly ignored. (Shame on me.) Don't worry; it's not some secret code or anything. I'm not smart enough for that. It's just the verse that comes right at the end of the passage which seems to generally be left out of the party when it comes to talking about the armor of God. Verse 18 says "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." Prayer plays a critical role in our obtaining/wearing/using the armor of God. I've been piling through this great book by R.C. Sproul recently entitled How Then Shall We Worship?. The chapter I read today seemed to be one of those great God moments where He helps you see something from a new perspective. It was a chapter about prayer. Sproul mentions the time when Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. Luke records it this way:
Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a 'den of robbers.' "
My perception for a lot of my life was that tabernacle worship and subsequently temple worship was more about sacrifice than anything else. Sproul comments "Jesus did not call the temple a house of sacrifices or a house of preaching. He called it a house of prayer. The temple's chief designation was that it was to be the focal point of the nation and of the people for prayer." You see, when it comes to how prayer relates to the pieces of the armor of God (truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation and the Word of God), it is not an additional piece. Prayer is how we use the armor! Prayer is an open line of communication with our Maker, our Savior, our God. It is expressed in so many ways: in corporate gatherings, by a family with joined hands before a meal, in silent, desperate breaths during a crucial moment, in our hearts during our routine comings and goings as we walk with the Spirit. I think these are the sorts of things the apostle Paul had in mind when he said "pray continually" in his first letter to the Thessalonian church. God is expanding my point of view regarding prayer. Rather than thinking of prayer as a formal thing a pastor does in church or as the thing we have to do in order to begin eating a meal, we need to think of it more like breath. I need to be breathing in and breathing out prayer, in all occasions with all kinds of requests, continually relating with Jesus in each part of my day. In this way I hope to be fitted with a helmet, a shield, a strong belt, breastplate and a double-edged sword with which I may claim victory in my life through the power of Jesus Christ himself, the very power that raised him from the dead! Walk with me, brothers and sisters. To victory!
~Jonathan P. Blycker


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Browse All Iraqi Recipes: Iraqi Appetizers | Iraqi Soups | Iraqi Salads | Iraqi Vegetarian | Iraqi Meat Dishes | Iraqi Snacks | Iraqi Desserts
Iraqi Cooking and Food Edit
Overview of Iraqi Cuisine History Edit
Iraqi cuisine represents the multiethnic-multicultural civilization at prevailed on the banks of Euphrates and Tigris, the two rivers that flow through the 'Garden of Eden'. Just as Iraq is the crossroad of Eastern and Western Culture, the food there is also no different. The fruit and meat items from the cradle of civilization taste good, smell good. The rich aroma and taste of shrimp with rice or its taste will hardly ever go from the nose or tongue of one who has enjoyed it.
Tracing the history of Iraqi cuisine has never been easy and the farthest we go into the past are up to the times of Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians, though clay tablets tell the cuisine history of Mesopotamia with cuisine inscriptions of about 4000 years old. Medieval era and modern times saw many differences in Iraqi cooking. Muslims from India, Africa and from different parts of the world migrated to Iraq, making all other groups minority and giving unique tastes to Iraqi cooking. Christians, Jews and different Muslim communities have unique cooking methods. Iraqi cooking generally uses a lot of lemon, mint, dill, parsley, and coriander.
Cuisines of Iraq Edit
Cuisines of Iraq have been evolved over many hundreds of years. Being the crossroad of eastern and wjnmb k]estern cultures, Iraqi cuisines also exhibits the diversity and mix of traditional cooking styles of Lebanon, Italy, China, India, Turkey, Iran, partly because of large scale migration of Muslims from different parts of the world and partly due to the invasion of Iraq by neighboring countries.
Vegetables mix with meat in different Iraqi cuisine styles. Beef, lamb and poultry are main meat items as Muslims don't eat pork. Soups and have and meat. Many cuisines of Iraq has meat and fish mixed with rice and vegetables like beans, chickpeas, lentils, okra, onions, tomatoes etc. Minced meat stuffed with nuts and raisins is still a delicacy in Iraq.
Preparation Methods for Iraqi Cooking Edit
Iraqi cooking takes all the different forms of modern day cooking like baking, grilling, frying, stuffing, pickling and simmering. The most striking part of Iraqi cooking is mixing fruit with meat.
Special Equipment for Iraqi Cooking Edit
No special equipments are a must of Iraqi cooking. For better frying of river fish, iron frying pans are used instead of non-stick skillets. Baking pans, non-stick kadaiis etc. are the basic equipments for Iraqi cooking. Modern cooking also supports the use of electric ovens or gas stove, along with tandoori ovens (earthen ovens).
Iraqi Food Traditions and Festivals Edit
There is nothing as such as Iraqi food festival. Iraqi food tradition starts from the Babylonian times, later enriched by Jewish and Arabic style cooking. Iraqi food tradition has created the complexities to get categories inside categories. Iraq cooking tradition is not only Muslim but also Jewish and Christian. One fourth of the total Iraqi population was once Jewish –a hard thing to believe. Religious festivals, just like everywhere else in world is a time to exhibit the culinary skills. Kurdish, Shiite, Sunni cooking styles merge in Iraqi food tradition.
People in Iraqi Food Edit
Cooks and chefs experienced in Iraqi cooking serves the meat and vegetable dishes in New York and London. Though Iraq has lost to the military power, some of its delicacies have conquered the taste buds of even the worst critics of Iraq. If you are an experienced cook following Iraqi cooking tradition, share your knowledge and experience with the world here.


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A quick intro: small caps are the uppercase (capital) letters that have similar or the same height as the lowercase letters. They are used in headings and body text to emphasize abbreviations, acronyms or definitions.
There are actually two types of small caps: the real (you see in books) and the fake ones (you are likely working with). The real small caps are designed by type designers to match the stroke thickness of other characters. The fake ones are generated automatically by scaling down the capital letters. As the result, fake small caps don't have the same stroke thickness.
This scaling trick creates an inconsistent text color: the uppercase letters appear bolder and darker in comparison with the fake small caps. In example below the first headline has thicker capital W, T and M, while the second headline looks consistent.
In a paragraph fake small caps appear like visual gaps, since they are much lighter than the surrounding text.
Now the bad news. In MS Office you always get the fake small caps even if the font contains the real small caps. That's the way MS Office works with small caps: it will always scale down capital letters. Sometimes you can find a font that has small caps as a separate file (usually such fonts have an SC abbreviation in their name). In this case you can work with small caps as with any other font.
Unfortunately, neither Mac OS nor Windows has system fonts with a separate small caps file. This means you will never work with real small caps in MS Office if you only use the preinstalled fonts. Never ever in your life you will create those beautiful small caps. The easiest solution to this problem is to abandon small caps altogether (in most cases you don't really need them). There are many other ways to highlight text without sacrificing good typography. But if small caps are absolutely required for your project, I recommend to check out a free font Alegreya (both serif and sans serif versions). This font has small caps as a separate file, so it can be used in Microsoft Office.
If you work with Adobe software, the situation is a little bit better. You can use real small caps that come with certain fonts. Although be careful: if the chosen font doesn't have real small caps in the main file, you will get the fake ones generated the same way as in MS Office. It is safe to use the following fonts in Adobe software, since they have the real small caps:
Two free fonts to consider:
If you have MS Office installed, keep an eye on Calibri and Palatino Linotype. Even though MS Office itself doesn't allow to use the real small caps, you can access them through Adobe software.
My general advice: never use fake small caps. If you are not sure which small caps you get in a particular font, just don't use them.
Additional reading:
• Book chapter by Mathew Butterick on practicaltypography.com
• Article by Ilene Strizver on fonts.com
• Book chapter by Ellen Lupton on thinkingwithtype.com


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FDR once said we had nothing to fear but fear itself.
I don't know if he was speaking from personal experience or as a philosophical discourse but today most people seem steeped in fear.
The media helps fan the flames and pour on the gasoline to keep the blaze burning. One would almost think they had some sort of vested interest in keeping the fear alive.
Well, of course! Fear sells papers!
Fear also keeps people a little de-stabilized and malleable.
But one should realize this goes a little the other way as well. People who operate through such means have a certain understanding of them. In other words, they are afraid.
In reading 1984, the reader is quickly chilled by the awesome power of Big Brother to control so many people even down to their thoughts.
What is not stated so simply is that Big Brother is running scared. Why else does he need an army of thought police and spies inserted into all parts of society?
And this was Britain in the future. Britain, where guns are not as widespread as here, as Piers Morgan is so quick to point out.
Even without the widespread ownership of guns, the totalitarian rulers would still be dominated by fear.
Totalitarian regimes are held in place by a very small minority and those few strongarms they can bribe, cajole, or threaten well enough to carry out the wet-work necessary to keep them in power. And small minorities can quickly be tossed over by the majority.
Of course, it would take mobilizing the majority to some sort of action.
And humans are, fortunately, capable of withstanding only so much. At some point, things will break down and the majority will rise against anyone.
Do you think the French Revolution came about because a widespread coterie had been meeting clandestinely for years, planning and coordinating the uprising?
No. It happened spontaneously. People had simply taken all they could. When the tipping point was met, there was no turning back.
People who had been actually planning an overthrow of the government were swept away by the sudden violence that appeared out of nowhere.
You can understand why the "secret" society remains a secret.
You can understand why the conspiracy keeps itself in the darkened shadows.
They are living in constant fear.
Of us.
Tags: 1984, big brother, fdr, fear, french revolution, guns, paranoia, piers morgan


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Morning 9: McIlroy Hollow | Pelley: Why us? | Charity golf scam
By Ben Alberstadt (firstname.lastname@example.com)
May 3, 2019
Good Friday morning, golf fans.
1. McIlroy Hollow
Whether it's the swing tuneup or a return to a track he's feasted upon, Rory McIlroy is tied atop the leaderboard after round one at Quail Hollow
2. Woods to receive Medal of Freedom on Monday
Victor Mather at the New York Times…"Tiger Woods will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump on Monday, the White House said Thursday."
3. Why us?
…that's the question European Tour chief Keith Pelley is asking regarding his sport/tour being "singled out" for criticism for Saudi involvement…
4. Meanwhile, in Chengdu…
EuropeanTour.com report…"Wu Ashun delighted the home crowds with a brilliant 65 that handed him a two shot lead heading into the weekend at the Volvo China Open."
"The home favourite won his maiden European Tour title at this event in 2015 and has gone on to triumph twice more, making him the most prolific Chinese winner in European Tour history."
5. AVD tied at the top
Owner of arguably the sweetest swing in golf, Anne van Dam is tied at the top after one.
6. Under the lights…
BBC Report…"Ireland's Leona Maguire has slipped off the top of the leaderboard at the Dubai Moonlight Classic."
AP Report on the Women's Amateur Four-Ball finish…
8. The Strickerless Stricker charity tournament
A morsel of a wild fraud story in which Steve Stricker's name and image were used without his knowledge…
9. Cobra Q&A
FYI: GolfWRX is hosting a live Q&A with the Cobra R&D team
Details below.
Join GolfWRX for a Live Q&A with COBRA Golf about their 2019 lineup. The experts at COBRA Golf HQ in Southern California will gather to answer your questions LIVE! Ask anything about COBRA PUMA GOLF you'd like. Have a question about the new COBRA King F9 Speedback Driver? The latest in golf R&D? The equipment that COBRA athletes Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Lexi Thompson play? Ask away! Here are the details…
Who's On The Chat?
Tom Olsavsky, VP of Research & Development
Mike Yagley, Sr. Director of Innovation / AI
Tim Beno, Principal Research Engineer & Pro Tour Support
Doug Roberts, Sr. Director, Club Design & Metal Woods Lead
Karl Clausen, Senior Manager, R&D – Irons
When Is It?
Friday, May 10 at Noon ET / 9am PT
Bonus COBRA Giveaway!
A few lucky GolfWRX members who have their questions answered will win some awesome gear from COBRA Golf! Posts chosen at random. Grand prize is a COBRA KING F9 Speedback Driver.
Morning 9: Will Captain Woods pick Tiger? | Would new Tour Champ format have altered past outcomes? | Pelley on slow play
August 20, 2019
Good Tuesday morning, golf fans.
1. Captain Tiger's expectations
AP report…"Tiger Woods wants the eight players who made his Presidents Cup team and four more under consideration as captain's picks to play tournaments and stay sharp over the next three months leading to the December matches Down Under."
2. …but will TW pick himself?
ESPN's Bob Harig with Woods' remarks on the matter…
"Woods said Monday that although the final decision remains his, he won't participate as a player unless that is what all involved want. And even then, he might not."
3. How Tiger will remember 2019…
Golf Channel's Will Gray…
"The rest of the tournaments I didn't really play as well as I wanted to," Woods said. "But at the end of the day, I'm the one with the green jacket."
4. What if…
Golf Digest's Ryan Herrington on what the past FedEx Cup finales would have looked like with the current seeding…
5. Steph Curry bankrolls Howard golf
Our Gianni Magliocco…"NBA star and avid golfer Stephen Curry has donated a seven-figure sum to Howard University in a move that will see men's and women's golf teams at the school for at least the next six years."
6. U.S. Am ratings…
Per Geoff Shackelford…"According to Sports Business Daily, the 2019 BMW Championship drew a 1.9 Saturday audience and a 2.4 for Sunday's final round on NBC, well up over non-Tiger-contending Wyndham Championship's previously played in this schedule spot. The 2018 Wyndham drew a 1.9."
"The slide in US Amateur interest and visibility continued with a .4 Saturday and a .3 for Sunday's finale on Fox going head-to-head with most of the BMW final round. Talk about an event screaming out for a change in its Monday to Sunday format to avoid being an afterthought."
7. Do away with the Tour Championship name?
Randall Mell says it no longer applies…
8. Ogletree's tough love short game lesson
Golf Digest's Ryan Herrington on the discussion between Georgia Tech's coach and the eventual U.S. Am winner…
9. Euro Tour chief on slow play
Keith Pelley penned an op-ed of sorts for EuropeanTour.com, that reads in part…
"Slow players, on the other hand, have become increasingly prevalent and problematic in our game in recent years, to the extent that we risk fans, both core and casual, switching off if we don't do something about it."
European Tour announces 4-point plan in a bid to tackle slow play
On Monday, the European Tour announced a four-point plan aimed at tackling the issue of slow play in the game.
The plan, which will come into effect this November, will focus on four areas—regulation, education, innovation and field sizes.
Of those four areas, notable updates include that players will now only have to breach the time allowances twice in a round to incur a one-stroke penalty, and players who are put on the clock at least 15 times next season will now be fined £26,000 compared to the £9,000 fine they currently face.
In their statement, the European Tour said
"When players are out of position and either being monitored or timed, a one-shot penalty will be incurred after two bad times – currently a player would be 'monitored' and if he breaches the time allowance (50 seconds for first to play, 40 seconds for second or third to play) he will then be 'officially timed' and would then have to breach twice more before being given a one-shot penalty. Players will, however, have the option to request one time extension per round, giving an additional 40 seconds to hit a shot on this request."
The Tour will also look to reduce the number of players in the field at events where possible, while rules officials are set to be proactive regarding targeting slow players on the course.
Speaking on the four-point plan, Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, stated
"We are already at the forefront of pace of play management in the professional game, but after being mandated by our Tournament Committee to be even firmer in dealing with this issue, the time was right to take these additional steps.
I believe the plan we are implementing for the 2020 season will bring about meaningful change that will make golf even more enjoyable for the players and our fans, whether they are at the course in person or watching on television."
To retain their European Tour card, each member will have to pass an interactive online rules test, while a trial pace of play timing system will be implemented at the Tour's flagship event at Wentworth next month where there will also be larger gaps between start times over the weekend's rounds.
Tour Rundown: How the pros (and amateur) got it done this weekend
The Presidents Cup automatic-qualifying chase came to an end on Sunday. While students returned to schools across the country, and football teams played their 2nd preseason games. 8 USA golfers and 8 World professionals were named to their respective teams. Each captain has f our at-large selections to make. For team USA, the unfortunately-underperforming Rickie Fowler may have two weeks for more Farmer's Insurance commercials, as he finds himself in the #11 slot. Only Tiger Woods' beneficence will save him from an early vacation. Xander Schauffele left nothing to chance this time around. After being ignored for a Ryder Cup captain's pick last year, he made the PCup team on merit this year. The World team still has a load of Aussies (3 at last count) but has the presence of golfers from Taipei, Mexico, China, South Africa and Japan. This year's competition at Royal Melbourne has the potential to be quite memorable, assuming that the qualifiers don't lose their edge over the next four months.
As for individual competition this week, we had lots of it. Playoff events on two tours, a male US Amateur champion to go with last week's female winner, and a terrific story of rags to riches on the Champions tour. Seize the day and enjoy this week's Tour Rundown.
BMW Classic
You had to chuckle a bit this week as another of the game's vaunted hollows caved to the expansive skill of the modern golf professional. Medinah #3 has long been held as a bastion of defense, but this week, well, they ate it up. Hideki Matsuyama shot 63 on Friday for a course record, then did it again on Sunday. Not only did he not win (he had 73 on Saturday) but his course record lasted all of 24 hours. Matsuyama did finish 3rd at -20, 2 shots behind Patrick Cantlay. The fellow who broke Matsuyama's fresh course record was someone for whom 2018-19 has been relatively quite: Justin Thomas. So quiet, that is had been 53 weeks since his last victory. Thomas blistered Medinah Tres with 8 birdies and 2 eagles on Saturday, moving oh-so-close to the hallowed, sacred 59. In the spirit of generosity, he made bogey at the 6th (after opening with 5 birdies) to not completely eviscerate Matsuyama's record (and Medinah's spirit.) Of course, JT would open Sunday with a bogey, to give just a bit of hope to the chasers. He had 2 birdies on the outward nine, steadying the ship but certainly not assuring himself of anything. After making 6 at the par-5 10th (twice as many strokes as he needed 24 hours earlier) Thomas was once again forced to dig deep. In the past, he has been unable to follow up super-low rounds with the needed performance, but he was up to it on this day. The Kentucky lad made 4 birdies over the closing 8 holes to hold off Cantlay by 3.
Nationwide Championship
Scottie Scheffler knew that he was headed to the PGA Tour after this year's FedEx Cup playoffs. The Korn Ferry Tour playoffs would offer him an opportunity to better his standing, and he accomplished that task during week one of the finals. Scheffler, 3rd place during the regular season, vaulted into 1st on the strength of his 2-shot win over the Killer Bs (Brendan Todd, Beau Hossler and Ben Taylor.) Scheffler played like a seasoned vet, despite his 23 years of age. Scheffler made just 4 bogies during his final three rounds of 68-67-67 at the Ohio State University's Scarlet course. That miser's touch separated him from his chasers and gave him his 2nd win of the season. 25 PGA Tour cards were awarded during the regular season, and 25 more will be delivered at the Korn Ferry tour championship on September 2nd. If nerve-wracking putts are your flavor, stay tuned over the next fortnight.
Real Czech Masters
Thomas Pieters reminds you of every great range superstar. His swing exudes control and power, and you can't help wondering how he doesn't contend every week. That's the mystery of golf, but Pieters reminded us why he has played Ryder Cup golf for Europe with a win this week in the Czech Republic. The tall Belgian sat 2 back of Edoardo Molinari after 36 holes, then took charge with a 66 on Saturday. On his heels was the young Spaniard, Adrian Arnaus, who posted middle 65s to stand one back on Saturday evening. The final round was half-shootout, half-stumble. Defending champion Andrea Pavan came out of the woods with 8 birdies over the first 15 holes. On a day when he needed perfection and 10 birdies, Pavan closed with 1 bogey and 0 birdies to tie Sam Horsfield for 3rd spot. Arnaus had three bogies on the day, and 2 of them came on the heels of birdie and eagle. The opposite of bounce-back, Arnaus gave Pieters breathing room with those mistakes. Closing with birdies at 16 and 18, Arnaus reached 18 below par, to put pressure on the leader. Pieters was 4-under on the day through 12 holes, and needed only to avoid disaster over the closing stretch. He stumbled with a bogey of his own at the 16th, but finished with pars to claim his 4th Euro title, 2nd at the Czech Masters, and 1st since 2016.
Dick's Sporting Goods Open
Sometimes, the right person wins. Doug Barron epitomizes journeyman; he had to Monday-qualify to get in this week, and even has an are-you-kidding suspension on his record … for testosterone supplements. He's not a big guy, and has low testosterone. He's not Fred Couples, nor Langer, nor McCarron. Today, however, he is the Dick's Sporting Goods champion. Barron and Miguel Angel Jimenez began the week with 65s, and Barron never let up. He followed with 68 on Saturday, and came home in 66 on Sunday, for a 2-shot victory. Understand that he had one of the game's great personalities, and top golfers, on his heels on Sunday. Fred Couples turned in a tremendous 63 to finish at 15-under par, 2 clear of 3rd-place Woody Austin. Couples had the luck of the sleepy on his side: he dunked his tee shot on the par-3 14th hole, took his penalty drop, then chipped in for 3. Staying at the birdie-par timeshare in round 3, Couples had 9 of each to put serious pressure on Barron. How did the unlikely winner respond? Nearly identical to Freddie. Barron had 0 bogies on the day, and only 1 the entire week. The title elevated him 50 spots on the Schwab Cup money list, giving him an opportunity to move into the season-ending, playoff chase over the next 8 events.
U.S. Amateur rests in Ogletree's arms
Andy Ogletree and John Augenstein were a perfect match in the U.S. Amateur final at Pinehurst. Ogletree was the 18th-ranked golfer in on-site qualifying, while Augenstein was #20. Both have had distinguished careers in college (Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, respectively) and both were named yesterday to the USA side for the upcoming Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool, in England. In a most unique final, the morning 18 was played on the #4 course, while the afternoon round took place on the #2 layout. During the AM, 10 holes were won by the golfers, while 8 were halved. Augenstein stood 2-up after 18, but Ogletree delivered a warning bell with a birdie at the last. Ogletree returned to the course in identical form, making birdie on the 2nd hole to close within one hole. Augenstein remained in command, as most holes were halved until the 29th. At that juncture, Ogletree seized command with 3 wins in the next 4 holes, moving from 2 down to 1 up. A par at the par-3 17th hole, the 35th of the day, gave the Georgia Tech golfer a 2 up lead with 1 to play, making him this year's national amateur champion.
In other news, the USGA added 7 golfers to its Walker Cup side. The one surprising move was the naming of Ricky Castillo, #9 in WAGR rankings and winner of 2 matches at Pinehurst, as 2nd alternate. The USGA decided that Steven Fisk and Alex Smalley, both ranked lower than Castillo, were better bets for success. Fortunately for the California kid, he is 18 and should have an opportunity to make both the 2021 and 2023 squads.
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