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Source: ibis Styles Cairns
"Kick off your Far North experience" and "enjoy the infectious holiday vibe" (Lonely Planet) with a visit to Cairns. For just $89 per night, stay at ibis Styles Cairns in a Standard Room including breakfast for two and a late checkout.
Valid for stays on select dates from 1 September until 31 March, 2015
Source: Weyba Gardens Resort
Visit Noosa, a destination which Lonely Planet has described as having 'a stunning natural landscape of crystalline beaches and tropical rainforests' and stay at Weyba Gardens Resort for just $379 per 5-night stay. This saves up to 42% off what you would usually pay.
Valid for 5-night stays until 18 December
Source: Bugzies Seafood Restaurant
Bugzies Seafood Restaurant in Broadbeach is offering a 'Bugzies Natural Catch' seafood platter accompanied by a bottle of sparkling wine for just $59 for two people. That's as much as 62% off the regular price.
Valid until 7 October
Source: Shane's Water Sports
Get a thrilling introduction to flyboarding on the Gold Coast with this exclusive offer from Shane's Water Sports, where a 15-minute lesson is now just $49 per person -- that's a saving of 55% off the regular price.
Valid until 15 September. Blackout dates apply.
Source: Royal Woods Resort
A 2-night stay in a private villa on the Gold Coast is now available for just $189 per stay for two people. This exclusive offer from Royal Woods Resort is 32% off the regular price.
Valid for stays until 10 December. Not available on select dates
Source: McMahons Restaurant at Quay West Suites Brisbane
Loved by 87% of previous Travelzoo guests, McMahon's Restaurant within Quay West Suites Brisbane in the CBD is offering a 3-course dinner for just $59 for two people. Saving 60% off the regular price, this deal also includes valet parking for one car for a deluxe dining experience.
Valid until 31 October
Source: FIX Cocktail Bar at Hilton Surfers Paradise
Host a cocktail party for up to 20 guests in a dedicated area of FIX Cocktail Bar at Hilton Surfers Paradise, including canapés and drinks from just $699 -- that's just $35 per person.
Valid until 30 October
Source: Mercure Clear Mountain Lodge
Enjoy a stunning mountain escape just 40 minutes' drive from Brisbane and stay at Mercure Clear Mountain Lodge for just $149 per night in a Standard Room. This offer saves up to 40% off what you would usually pay and includes full buffet breakfast for two, a bottle of chilled bubbly or house wine on arrival and more.
Valid for stays Sunday to Friday until 20 December. Saturday night stays are $35 extra, payable direct
Source: Salt grill by Luke Mangan
In an exclusive 1-night event, a 5-course degustation created by celebrity chef Luke Mangan is available to Travelzoo subscribers for just $179 for two people. With each course paired with matching wines, this dinner event is regularly worth $300 for two.
Valid on 17 July only
Source: Palazzo Versace
The Gold Coast's famous fashion hotel, Palazzo Versace, is offering Travelzoo subscribers the chance to stay for $349 per night, twin share.
Jun 12, 2014 - Sep 19, 2014
Source: Hilton Surfers Paradise
Indulge in a 'Signature High Tea', served in the Executive Lounge at Hilton Surfers Paradise overlooking the city and ocean, for just $59 for two. This exclusive offer includes a celebrity chef crafted food service, a bottle of sparkling, plus parking, and would regularly cost $140.
Valid until 18 September
Source: Mercure Cairns Harbourside
Mercure Cairns Harbourside is offering Travelzoo subscribers the chance to stay two nights for just $219 per stay including breakfast, a bottle of wine, parking and free Wi-Fi.
Valid for 2-night stays from 1 June until 6 October. Blackout dates apply.


text:
Saga Pet Insurance is designed exclusively for pet owners aged 50 and over. With our policies you won't need to worry about the unexpected vet bills as we provide up to £5,000 each year, depending on the level of cover you choose.
In addition to vet fees all of our policies also include the following as standard:
when speaking to one of our UK based advisers.
Saga Pet Insurance could give you peace of mind from just £3.46* a month for a cat and £6.06 a month for a dog. In fact 10% of new customers were quoted this or even less between March and May 2014. Please see the links below for more information about Saga Pet Insurance......
Our new 2015 brochures are available to view online or order by post today.
The aim of Saga Respite for Carers Trust is to give carers a break, by providing hundreds of free holidays a year for carers and their companions.
Step into England's story with a 12 month membership for as little as £29. Simply use SG10W at the checkout.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Dice.com jobs board listed more than 84,802 IT jobs at the beginning of August, roughly the same number as a year ago. Of those, more than 50,000 are full-time. It's not possible to tell from the data how many of the listed jobs were created recently.
To be sure, the employment picture for IT professionals is better than it has been for some time, but getting the most money for your labor still requires smart career planning.
These are the hot certifications
Despite the one-quarter improvement in certification premiums, noncertified skills still command a greater premium. That's a long-term trend, and it remains to be seen if it will change.
In 2004, noncertified skills premiums hit a 13-year floor of 6.59 percent, compared to certification-related premiums of 7.79 percent, according to Foote Partners. By the spring of this year, the balance had shifted, with noncertified skills commanding a premium of 8.71 percent compared to 6.69 percent for certified skills.
"If you look at what employers want, you'll see that many of the skills and competencies that they need are not easily certified, or certifications for them simply don't exist," Foote said back in January when the premium value of certifications sank to an all-time low.
In the latest quarter, the premiums for noncertified skills that increased the most were management/methodology/process skills, up 6.3 percent; database skills, up 4.3 percent; and messaging and communications skills, up 1.9 percent.
Noncertified skills that command the highest premiums, regardless of changes in the second quarter, included TOGAF (the Open Group's enterprise architecture methodology), complex event processing, data governance, Apache Hadoop, big data analytics, and business process management.
In the certified column, the hottest certifications now include Open Group Master Architect, EMC Cloud Architect Expert, GIAC Security Leadership, Oracle DBA Administrator Certified Master, Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT, and Certified Information Security Manager.


text:
Lebanon Reporter
---- — The following people, with name, age, address, charge and arresting agency, were booked into the Boone County Jail; charges are preliminary and may be changed subject to review by the Boone County Prosecutor's Office.
Thursday, Aug. 22
6:36 p.m. — Christopher Lohss, 23, Zionsville, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, public intoxication, OWI-BAC of .08 or more, Lebanon Police Department.
6:18 a.m. — Jose I. Albarado, 40, Plainfield, possession of a controlled substance, Boone County Sheriff's Office.
4:18 a.m. — Hnin Hnin Ei, 21, Carmel, failure to appear, Boone County Sheriff's Office. Wednesday,
Aug. 21 11:41 p.m. — Chadley D. Long, 50, Indianapolis, public intoxication, OWI-BAC of .08 or more, possession of marijuana/hash/hash oil, possession of paraphernalia, Zionsville Police Department.
10:44 p.m. — Caryline S. Kern, 33, Lebanon, OWI-BAC of .08 or more, public intoxication, BCSO.
3:29 p.m. — Shawn Sondergard, 32, Paragon, probation violation, Jail Corrections Officer.
For calls for service for the same time period, see Thursday's Lebanon Reporter.


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American Indians who use tribal I.D. cards face harassment when they try to cross the border between the U.S. and Canada.
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Food, drink and nutrition
Green MP slams 'expensive bias' towards nuclear, gas and big energy players; calls for focus on smaller generators and community schemes 22.05.12
The Government will today publish its draft energy bill, with proposals for a reform of the electricity market aimed at unlocking the billions of pounds of investment needed in low carbon infrastructure over the next 10 years.
The Coalition has made clear its plans to build 16GW of new nuclear without tapping into public money, yet has been repeatedly forced to deny that the contracts proposed under the Electricity Market Reform (EMR) represent a subsidy.
Brighton Pavilion MP and leader of the Green party, Caroline Lucas, said:
"While I welcome efforts to address the UK's dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our exposure to volatile energy prices and boost long term investment in renewables, this draft energy bill is deeply flawed and looks likely to benefit only the industry's most powerful players.
"The Government has made a big noise about being 'technology neutral' and not putting all of its eggs in one energy basket, but the Electricity Market Reform proposals expose a clear bias towards nuclear and gas.
"We know that subsidising new nuclear would fly in face of the Coalition's promise not to use taxpayer's money for nuclear, yet no matter how much Ministers deny it, EMR will gift EDF and other potential nuclear operators with billions of pounds in subsidies over the lifetime of a power station."
Caroline Lucas continued:
"If we're to avoid ending up with an insecure, dirty and expensive electricity system, we need a far more ambitious energy bill from this Government, which contains an absolute commitment to decarbonise electricity generation by 2030 - based on advice from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
"What has also been missing from the EMR proposals to date is a recognition of the vast, untapped potential of energy saving.
"The Energy Bill must introduce mechanisms - such as a feed in tariff for energy efficiency - to equalise support for demand reduction and energy saving as a matter of priority."
On gas, Lucas said: "Like nuclear, the obsession with gas is another expensive distraction from a decisive and rapid shift to an efficient and truly sustainable power system.
"Gas has a role to play as a bridging technology and in meeting peak demand, but the Energy Bill must categorically rule out a new dash for gas - both to keep energy costs for householders and businesses down, and to meet our carbon targets.
"A strong Emissions Performance Standard on gas fired power stations is essential, but what we have so far from the Government is utterly inadequate - with the CCC also warning that allowing unabated gas-fired generation from new plants through to 2045 risks diverting much needed investment away from genuinely low carbon technologies like wind and solar."
Lucas concluded: "Finally, an energy bill fit for the 21st century must have at its heart the Coalition's own pledge to 'support community ownership of renewable energy schemes'.
"Medium scale renewables are the squeezed middle of energy policy, largely ignored by the main parties - but their potential is illustrated by Germany, where renewable sources are now responsible for over 20% of Germany's electricity, with communities generating around a quarter of this, compared to less than 1% in the UK."
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Three juveniles were cited for reckless burning Monday for causing a brush fire in the Santa Cruz River between Twin Peaks and Cortaro roads.
Northwest Fire District responded at 5 p.m. to scene, where three boys were using fireworks and caught buffelgrass on fire, Capt. Adam Goldberg said.
Two of the boys were 11, and one was 15, Marana Police Sgt. Jose Alvarez said.
They were released to their parents but will have to appear in Pima County Juvenile Court within 15 days, Alvarez said.
Firefighters limited the blaze to a half acre, Goldberg said.
"Several units including a type 6 brush truck, were called to fight the fire in heavy fuels," Goldberg said. "Although no structures were in danger, access to the fire by large pumper trucks was limited.
"Crews used hand tools and the brush truck as the primary pieces of equipment to fight the fire. The fire was wind driven."
Goldberg said Monday's incident and a similar one last month worry firefighters as spring and summer approach.
"Today was the first day of spring break for the Marana School District," he said. "Northwest Fire urges parents to review fire safety tips with their kids, reinforce safe behaviors and ensure that access to matches and lighters is removed."
Copyright 2013 Tucson News Now. All rights reserved.
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Nordenia which owns two plants in Cape Girardeau County has a new owner.
In a news release on its website, a German company called Mondi announced that it has acquired Nordenia.
According to Mondi, the new business unit is led by the former Nordenia CEO Ralph Landwehr from the headquarters in Greven, Germany. Mondi says it completed the purchase Monday, October 1. Heartland News placed calls to Nordenia and the phone message now refers to the company as Mondi Jackson Incorporated. It's not clear what impact the sale will have on the company's local facilities or workers, any.
In a statement, the company says that the new acquisition offers "Mondi the unique opportunity to be a leading company in the area of consumer packaging, with a significantly extended product range, high-quality innovative products, and excellent service."Mondi explained in a press release the motivation behind, and financial effects of the acqusition:
The acquisition of Nordenia offers significant benefits and opportunities for Mondi Group:
• Creates a leading consumer packaging business through the combination of Nordenia and Mondi Group's existing consumer packaging activities
• Enables the Group to build on deep, long-term customer relationships across both businesses
• Brings an established platform in high-growth emerging markets. Mondi Group expects to capitalise on Nordenia's leading technology, product portfolio, customer know-how and manufacturing capability to expand further in these regions
• Is expected to deliver pre-tax cost synergies in excess of EUR15 million per annum by 2014, in addition to the potential revenue opportunities created by the combination
• The implied enterprise value of EUR655 million represents 6.6 times 2011 EBITDA4 and 9.3 times 2011 EBIT4
• The combination is expected to result in pre-tax cost synergies in excess of EUR15 million per annum by 2014
• The Acquisition is expected to be underlying earnings enhancing immediately and double digit underlying earnings enhancing by 2014, including cost synergies6
• ROCE for the Acquisition is expected to be in excess of Mondi Group's through-the-cycle target of 13% by 2014, including synergies
• Mondi Group expects to maintain its investment grade credit rating of Baa3/BBB-
• Post the Acquisition, pro-forma 2011 net debt to EBITDA7 is expected to be approximately 1.7 times and Mondi Group will have remaining undrawn committed bank facilities of in excess of EUR500 million
• Mondi Group's dividend policy of 2 to 3 times cover through-the-cycle will be unchanged.
As part of the Acquisition, Mondi Group says they will assume Nordenia's EUR280 million bond, which has a coupon of 9.75% and is due in 2017. Mondi officials say bond holders have an option to put the bond to Mondi Group on completion of the acquisition. Also they say Mondi Group has the option to repay the bond early, subject to a make whole premium during the period to July 2014.
Following the completion of the acquisition, Mondi Group says they will reorganize its Europe & International Division into four businesses.
According to the group, these will be Uncoated Fine Paper ("UFP"), Packaging Papers, Fiber Packaging and Consumer Packaging.
Nordenia will form part of the Consumer Packaging business which will be led by Ralph Landwehr. Further details of the Group's restated historical segmental information will be given at the time of the Group's half yearly results announcement.
Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.
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The ashes of someone's loved one found floating in the Intracoastal Waterway are now in a Hollywood crematorium, waiting to be claimed.
The ashes were found inside a brass urn in the Intracoastal a week ago and later turned in to Geronimo Mena Jr. of Guiding Light Cremations in Hollywood.
Mena said he thinks someone attempted a burial at sea, but the urn did not sink because it was full of air, floating to the surface near the 163rd Street Bridge.
Someone on a waverunner found the urn last week.
"I am sure the family did that with the best of intentions but their plan backfired," said Mena, who did not handle the original cremation, but got involved as a goodwill gesture after hearing about it. He is certain the ashes are human remains because of the color, texture and presence of bone particles.
Locating relatives would be easy if the urn had a name on it, Mena said. Instead, the ashes inside the urn had a string tied around a plastic bag, not the customary metal tag identifying the person and the crematorium.
In his two decades of incinerating the dead, this is the second time that Mena said he has been in charge of someone's lost and found ashes.
"Ten years ago, police handed me an urn that had been forgotten in the trunk of a rental car," he said.
The ashes were properly tagged and Mena was able to contact the driver, who happened to be the wife of the deceased.
"The woman thanked me and could take the urn back home."
In this case, if nobody claims the remains after 120 days, Mena said he will scatter them himself, as required by law.
It is forbidden to scatter cremated ashes in the Intracoastal.
Burial at sea of human remains should take place at least three nautical miles from land, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.


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Psst, Don't Tell Anyone: 'Wave' of Dems Leaving the Party 'Over Marriage, Religious Freedom Concerns'
The Catholic News Agency's Michelle Bauman reports that there has been a "wave" of recent defections and departures from the Democratic Party that could be as many as several hundred. The establishment press is clearly being remiss in failing to note them at all -- something which would not be occurring if it involved Republicans going to the party of the left.
The reasons for the moves primarily relate to President Obama's endorsement of same-sex "marriage" and the assault on religious freedoms inherent in his administration's requirement that employers who offer health insurance plans, in Bauman's words, "cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences." Excerpts from her report follow the jump, including a notable quote from Artur Davis, the former four-term Democratic congressman who announced to very little press coverage in late May that if he runs again for public office, it will be as a Republican:
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Democrats leave party over marriage, religious freedom concerns
A wave of local and state Democrats throughout the U.S. are leaving the party due to controversy over its leaders' support for "gay marriage," as well as concerns about religious freedom and the defense of the unborn.
"There comes a time when you have to stand on what you believe in," said Greg Waggoner, sheriff of Leake County, Miss. "And I can no longer have any connection with the Democratic Party if that's the route they're going to take."
Waggoner was one of seven local Mississippi Democrats who formally switched his party affiliation to Republican on May 30.
He said that the Democratic Party took an "extreme left turn" when its national leaders "endorsed same-sex marriage" in recent weeks, presenting a direct conflict with his faith and allegiance to Christ.
Firmly committed to the belief that marriage is a union "between a man and a woman," he realized that his views were better reflected in the Republican Party.
According to the Mississippi Republican Party, more than 50 Democrats in the state have switched their affiliation since "Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama have taken over the national Democrat party."
Other states – particularly those in the South – have had a similar experience, as Democrats are exiting the party at a significant rate. The shift is being attributed to increasingly liberal stances by leaders of the Democratic Party.
... This support for "same-sex marriage" was a concern for Rick Murphrey, mayor of Kings Mountain, N.C., and prominent Pennsylvania committeewoman Jo Ann Nardelli, both of whom were lifelong Democrats before they recently switched their party affiliation to Republican.
... Among the reasons ... (Artur Davis) cited for cutting ties with the Democratic Party was the contraception mandate, which contradicted his belief that "faith institutions should not be compelled to violate their teachings because faith is a freedom, too."
If Mississippi's experience of 50 switches is happening at even half that rate in several other states, that would mean that hundreds of declared Democratic Party politicians are now former Democrats.
As to Davis, I did a search on the quoted phrase in the excerpt above (still in quotes) at Google News. Only five results came back. Only two were from establishment press sources. One of them was a "Notable and Quotable" item at the Wall Street Journal, which carried the full text of what Davis posted at his web site; the other was in a Right Turn blog post at the Washington Post by Jennifer Rubin. The lack of other results shows that the few establishment press sources which might have carried the news of Davis's move didn't quote one of his primary reasons for making it.
I suspect that many of those who have recently become former Democrats would echo what former Democrat Ronald Reagan said when asked why he left the party: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. It left me."
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
- Tom Blumer's blog
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Roy Acuff
Submitted by oldfart on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 5:36am.
Remember that song: "I saw the light"?
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the Jim Jones Party
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 7:04am.
It's an amazing thing to watch the democrat party commit political suicide by following obama down the road to disaster. The best thing for the democrats would be for obama to lose. Without needing to defend the indefensible the democrats could reorganize and put themselves back on a politically sound course.
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Don't think so.
Submitted by c5then on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 10:39am.
Obama is not the driver of this manifastation in the Democrat party, he is the effect of it. The Democrats have been heading this way for over a decade. Bill Clinton was a moderate Democrat (who knew?). Obama represents the more "mainstream" democrats and is STILL not liberal enough for a sizable minority in the party.
One of the main reasons that the Republican party seems to have shifted way to the right is because the Democrats have shifted way to the left.
I remember when I was much younger there was actually an overlap between the Democrat and Republican parties. A more conservative member of the democrats could have been a more liberal member of the republicans or vice versa. Today there seems to be a pretty big gap between then two.
I think that if Obama loses in November (Oh I hope so), the democrats will move even furhter to the left.
Here is a prediction to test my theory...When the SCOTUS strikes down the "Individual mandate" in Obamacare as unconstitutional, and therefore the whole law must be declared unconstitutional because they did not include the severability clause (on purpose), the democrats lead by Pelosi and Reid will harangue the SCOTUS for a bas decision and lament that there are too many "conservative" justices on the bench. They will not put forth a "mea culpa" and appologize for a poorly written and thought out bill that became a flawed law. If the problem is REALLY extreme, they may even start to make noises similar to FDR where they propose to expand the SCOTUS to a "more reasonable size for today" and add a few Federal Appeals districts to help with the case load, which will necessarily mean an addition of that many more justices to the SCOTUS...
Lets see if I'm right.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
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yes but..
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 11:40am.
My point is that, yes, the democrats have drifted far Left but obama is forcing them to defend his erratic and unprofessional conduct of the office of President. Obama is truly the amateur and he is forcing much wiser political pros like Bill Clinton to do and say dumb things just to cover for obama. Behind the scenes it's got to be gettin' ugly among the democrat old timers.
In 2008 voters were given a manufactured fantasy to believe in as if it represented a real person. Turns out obama is just a composite like his girlfriends. The mythmakers can't spin their tale of a 'God among us' again and the actor himself can't seem to find a role that will bring the audiences back either.
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I have three friends here in
Submitted by Seashell on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 7:36am.
I have three friends here in SC that are Democrats and they too are leaving the party over the marriage issue. Biden may have really shot Obama's chances.
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When they do report it,
Submitted by RESTLESS 1 on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 9:18am.
It will reported as a purge of bigots frm their graces.
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And there will be emphasis on
Submitted by Free Stinker on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 9:40am.
And there will be emphasis on the Southern States that this happens in.
There will be limited or no mention of the Northeastern (w/higher Catholic population) States where there is a similar exodus from the Dems.
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They're leaving because
Submitted by celator on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 10:16am.
They're leaving because they've figured out that leaders of the Democrat party aren't Democrats anymore. With 80+ members of Congress being members of the Democrat Socialist party (an offshoot of the New Party), with communists (Van Jones, and that Mao lover communications director), etc) having served in the White House, with the corrupt Holder (Issa: "you are a poor witness") as AG, well the list goes on. And then, on top of the manure pile which used to be the Democrat Party sits Obama.
Of course they're leaving the Democrat party. It will be a full blown stampede by this fall.
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That's nothing...
Submitted by c5then on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 10:25am.
Wait till they see the number of rank and file members who decided to leave the party already, but we won't see their declarations until the night of Novemeber 6th.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
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Dems Leaving Party
Submitted by Tex Expatriate on Fri, 06/08/2012 - 4:30pm.
The few Dems leaving the party cited by Blumer presage a vast number of Dems who have finally had it with America's most genuine communist party. I am in a food business where I encounter a lot of old-time and newly minted Democrat Socialists. I used to take their money for my goods. Now I refuse to serve them, and I tell them why. People say I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I sell all my product to good people, so what's the loss?
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South was Democrat
Submitted by Netstatter on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 7:20am.
I grew up in a South that was solidly Democrat. To be a Republican was anathema. Then the Democrat party veered Far Left in the late 60's and early 70's. Now, the South is solidly Republican.
It is correct to say that the Democrat Party is committing suicide by allowing itself to be taken over by far-leftists. It remains to be seen if the Democrat Party will survive.
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text:
Rwanda: Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding
- How to Choose a Program
- View SIT Study Abroad Undergraduate Research / ISP Collection
- View the 2014 Overview Brochure (PDF, 2MB)
- View the 2014 Semester Catalog (PDF, 8MB)
- View the 2014 Summer Catalog (PDF, 1MB)
- View Our Photo Galleries on Flickr
- Academic Resources/Library
- Track Your Application Online
- US State Department "Students Abroad"
- SIT Study Abroad Gear
Key Features
Explore Kigali.
The program is based in Kigali, Rwanda's capital city. Kigali is home to many commissions, organizations, and government bodies related to the program's study of post-genocide restoration and peacebuilding. A major genocide memorial and information center is located in the neighborhood of Gisozi.
Kigali is a medium-sized modern city in which clear signs of a successful recovery from the devastating impact of the 1994 genocide are visible. However, parts of the city also reflect the poor living conditions many Rwandans still endure. Kigali's neighborhoods stretch out over the many hills on which the city was built, which provide breathtaking views over the city and the surrounding valleys.
Attend thematic seminar on post-genocide restoration and peacebuilding.
The program's thematic seminar features lectures by leading Rwandan academics and professionals working in the areas of genocide studies, peacebuilding, and development.
Key topics of study include:
- The origins of conflict, ethnicity, and genocidal outbreak in Rwanda
- The social and psychological impact of genocide on survivors and their descendants
- National and international involvement in genocide prevention and peacebuilding
- Interrelations between peace, justice, reconciliation, and forgiveness
- Refugees and displaced people in post-conflict environments
- The institutional and collective strategies of remembrance or forgetting, and strategies to fight denial
- Rwandan history and culture
Study the Kinyarwanda language.
Students receive intensive instruction in Rwanda's official language, Kinyarwanda. Formal instruction in the classroom is complemented by experiential sessions on shopping, dining out, and Rwandan cooking and music. Students are able to improve their language skills by speaking with their host families and through interactive assignments.
Acquiring a basic knowledge of Kinyarwanda is important for entry into Rwandan culture, and it helps students conduct the field research for their Independent Study Project.
Learn field techniques and methodologies for working with topics surrounding genocide.
The program's field study seminar introduces students to the fundamentals of research tools and the ethical norms of doing research in a post-conflict environment. As part of the course, students engage in briefing and debriefing sessions to process their experiences surrounding the memorial visits.
Complete an independent research project.
Students complete an Independent Study Project (ISP) that gives them an opportunity to explore a topic, community, or situation related to the post-conflict transformation that particularly interests them. The ISP is conducted in consultation with the program's academic director, lecturers, and practitioners.
Sample topics for the ISP include:
- Refugees and displaced people in the Great Lakes Region
- Approaches to nation building
- Transnational conflicts and their impact on economic and social development
- Language and identity
- Issues surrounding collective memory and memorials
- Democracy and freedom of speech in post-genocide environments
Although certain topics and geographical areas may not be permitted, projects can be conducted in a wide range of locations and on a wide range of topics in Rwanda.
Duration: 15 weeks
Program Base: Kigali
Language Study: Kinyarwanda
Prerequisites: Coursework in conflict theories recommended. Read more...
View Student Evaluations for this program:
About the Evaluations (PDF)
Fall 2013 Evaluations (PDF)
Spring 2013 Evaluations (PDF)
Fall 2012 Evaluations (PDF)
888.272.7881 (toll-free in US)
Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA


text:
Paid research opportunities only thru http://t.co/HIuhE7uB8A newsletter. #sweating #hyperhidrosis watch for announcements next week!
miraDry (a treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis or excessive underarm sweating) was cleared by the U.S. FDA in January 2011: making it the first novel treatment option for hyperhidrosis to be introduced in nearly 7 years! miraDry now available in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe.
A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy in 2013 showed that miraDry was effective in treating both axillary (underarm) hyperhidrosis and axillary osmidrosis (foul-smelling sweat). As part of the study, 11 patients in Asia were treated with miraDry and then evaluated 7 months later for improvement of symptoms. At the follow-up, 83.3% of the underarms treated were determined to have experienced a 2 point improvement in the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS). Among those underarms that had exhibited foul odor (osmidrosis), 93.8% showed good to excellent results.
In of April 2012, clinical data from two study sites affiliated with the University of British Columbia showed that miraDry was successful in reducing underarm sweat in over 90% of patients through the final study visit (which was 12 months after treatment.) The average sweat reduction was 82%. Patients rated their satisfaction with the treatment at 90%.
Recently, Carolyn Jacob, MD wrote the following in an article published in the March 2013 edition of peer-reviewed Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery:
"The treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis can be rewarding using noninvasive microwave technology. Because the microwaves preferentially target the region of skin where the sweat glands reside, leading to localized thermolysis of the sweat glands, patients can now benefit from permanent targeted sweat reduction. The microwave treatment has been shown to be safe and effective in >6000 procedures to date."miraDry has been developed by Miramar Labs of Sunnyvale, California.
While miraDry is promising news for those who suffer with underarm sweating, it cannot be used to treat excessive sweating in other areas such as hands or feet because the procedure has been optimized to take into account the physical attributes of the underarms.
miraDry uses a non-invasive handheld device to deliver precisely controlled electromagnetic energy beneath the underarm skin to the specific area where sweat glands are located, resulting in thermolysis (decomposition by heat) of the sweat glands. While the sweat glands are being eliminated through electromagnetic technology, the top layers of the skin are simultaneously cooled and protected. Sweat glands do not grow back after treatment so the effect can be seen almost immediately and results are lasting. For best results, two procedures spaced three months apart are recommended.
While Miramar Labs is the first and only company to gain FDA clearance to use electromagnetic energy to combat excessive sweating through eliminating or damaging sweat glands, the technology has been used safely in other areas of medicine for years. Established medical uses of electromagnetic energy include applications for cardiology, cosmetics, general surgery, urology, and oncology.
The miraDry procedure is performed in the physician's office and typically takes one hour. Local anesthesia (usually lidocaine injections) will be administered before starting the treatment. Patients usually experience little to no discomfort during the procedure and there is minimal to no downtime afterwards. A mild over-the-counter pain medication and ice packs are generally recommended for a few days. Most patients are able to return to normal activities or work right after the procedure, and can typically resume exercise within several days.
The safety data from clinical studies of miraDry has been reported as very good. Common side effects include mild to moderate temporary swelling and discomfort in the treatment area lasting about one week. Mild numbness or altered sensation of the skin in the underarm area can last several months. While sweating is an essential body function for temperature-control, the underarms house less than 2% of the body's sweat glands. According to experts, the elimination of these sweat glands should, therefore, have no effect on body thermoregulation and compensatory sweating (sweating on other body parts, common after ETS surgery) has not been shown to be a concern. To learn more about research findings and the miraDry procedure, click here.
"Prior to the miraDry procedure, there were limited options available for treating axillary hyperhidrosis, none of which offered a lasting, non-invasive solution. While temporary, non-invasive solutions and local surgery have been available, miraDry provides my patients with the opportunity for a truly lasting solution in a non-invasive office procedure."
said Dr. William P. Coleman III in a Miramar press release in February 2011. Coleman is Clinical Professor of Dermatology and Adjunct Professor of Surgery at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, Founder of Coleman Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery Center in Metairie, Louisiana, and Past-President of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
After medical school, newly graduated M.D.s head off to residency programs to learn their specialties. In the United States, dermatology residencies are typically three years in length, during which time...Read more
Botox-Like Lotion Being Tested: No Needles Needed Pause your summer fun for a moment and imagine rubbing-in a lotion (no, not sunscreen!) that can stop excessive sweating for months using the...Read more
The ONLY Dress Shirt that PREVENTS SWEAT MARKS We've just discovered SmartWeave 100% cotton dress shirts for men and women with an innovative weave to keep you looking smart, whatever the weather or...Read more
If you have excessive underarm sweating you already know it's uncomfortable, embarrassing, and usually something you have to think about all the time. But it's easy to lose perspective on how much sweat...Read more
Having trouble getting a good night's sleep? Gaining an extra hour of daylight is a fine beacon of spring, but it's just another obstacle to getting a solid 8 hours....Read more
No matter what's on the menu, do you sweat profusely when you eat? Or when you simply think about a meal? You may have a unique and distinct form of...Read more
International Hyperhidrosis Society has received the GuideStar Exchange Seal a leading symbol of transparency and accountability provided by GuideStar, the premier source of nonprofit information.
International Hyperhidrosis Society is a 2014 Top-Rated Nonprofit!


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Gordon Matta-Clark's City Slivers is now playing on HIGH LINE CHANNEL.
HIGH LINE CHANNEL features daily screenings of silent art films and videos projected onto a building wall next to the High Line at West 22nd Street. Screenings, which are viewable from both the High Line and West 22nd Street, begin at dusk and run on a loop until 10:00 PM.
We are now accepting proposals for food and beverage concessions on the High Line in 2012.
Food and beverage are important public amenities that enhance the High Line experience in a positive and significant way. We are committed to working with unique and entrepreneurial concessionaires whose product is innovative, sustainable, and affordable.
Read more about High Line Food. Download the Request for Proposals (RFP).
Help us give holiday gifts to more than 300 kids in our neighborhood.
Bring unwrapped gifts for kids ages 4 to 14 to the High Line Holiday Toy Drive between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 10 or Sunday, December 4.
Join us on Wednesday, November 30 at 6:00 PM to celebrate our new book, High Line: The Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky. Bring your copy of the book, or purchase one at the store and get it signed by Friends of the High Line Co-Founders Joshua David and Robert Hammond.
A portion of the proceeds during the event will benefit the ongoing maintenance and operations of the High Line. Visit our Event Calendar for the store location.
Join the conversation about the future of the final section of the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards.
All stakeholders have committed to saving the High Line at rail yards and opening it to the public. It is now time to plan the design and construction.
Visit our Event Calendar for the meeting time and location.
Rail Yards Community Input Meetings are made possible by the New York Community Trust – LuEsther T. Mertz Advised Fund.
Winter hours take effect on Thursday, December 1. The High Line will be open daily from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM through the duration of the winter.
Please check the High Line Web site or follow @highlinenyc on Twitter for updates about park conditions and hours of operations during snow storms and icy conditions.
Join us on Saturday, November 12 or Monday, November 14 for Half-Mythical, Half-Legendary Americanism, an original dance-theater work by Tyler Ashley and the SARAHS presented in partnership with Performa 11 and the Times Square Alliance.
Watch a video for a sneak peek at the performance.
On Friday, October 28, Friends of the High Line debuted Sue de Beer's Haunt Room, an interactive structure designed to induce haunted feelings with infrasound, an audio tone below the threshold of human hearing.
Haunt Room is located in the 14th Street Passage on the High Line.
The structure will be open daily between noon and 6:00 PM through December 4, 2011.
High Line Art is presented by Friends of the High Line and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. High Line Art Commissions are made possible by Donald R. Mullen, Jr., with additional support from Vital Projects Fund, Inc. High Line Art is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Google Street View now features the High Line between Gansevoort Street and West 30th Street, allowing you to plan your visit, take a virtual stroll, and explore the park in a whole new way. As part of an broader initiative to give virtual access to parks around the world, Google visited the High Line in June, 2011 to capture the park in the glory of spring.
Read more about the project on our blog.
The future of the final section of the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards took a major step forward today.
For the very first time, all stakeholders have now publicly stated their commitment to preserving and transforming the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards, including the spur over 10th Avenue, into public open space.
Today's announcement was made at a press conference to mark a lease agreement between the Related Companies and Coach. The New York-based retail company, which is currently based on West 34th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues, plans to occupy 600,000 square feet of new office space within a new building to be built at the northwest corner of 10th Avenue and West 30th Street. The Related Companies will begin construction of the building in 2012, effectively breaking ground on the planned development for the Hudson Yards.
Read the Mayor's press release to learn more about the development project.
At the press conference, Mayor Bloomberg announced two pieces of major news for the High Line:
The details of the necessary legal agreements to allow the High Line to move forward still need to be finalized, but this consensus is without a doubt the most significant step toward our ultimate goal of preserving the entire historic High Line.
Once the City's acquisition is complete, Friends of the High Line expects to design and operate this section of the High Line through a public-private partnership with the City of New York, just like the park south of West 30th Street. We have already made significant progress on raising private funding to support the High Line's final section and build the park's endowment, including a $20 million commitment from the Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation, as well as $5 million pledges from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Donald Pels and Wendy Keys. We are also grateful to other generous supporters who have funded our advocacy work and all rail yards programming: the New York Community Trust and its LuEsther T. Mertz Advised Fund, Greenacre Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
There is more work to be done, of course. We look forward to working with all of the stakeholders to finalize the City's acquisition. We would like to thank Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Manhattan Community Boards 2 and 4, the Related Companies, and Coach for their commitment to the High Line. We would also like to thank CSX Transportation, Inc. for its commitment to donate the final section of the High Line to the City, and for its historic and ongoing support for the project.
Stay Connected with the High Line


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Chiefs WRs Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston and Jonathan Baldwin vs. Packers CBs Rod Woodson, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields
The Chiefs' wideouts have enough natural ability to cause some real problems for the Packers corners this Sunday, although QB Tyler Palko had been having a hard time consistently connecting with them (2-7 TD-interception ratio), leading to the switch to Kyle Orton as this week's starter. Bowe, who made the Pro Bowl last year after totaling 72 catches for 1,162 yards (16.1 yards per catch) and 15 TDs, has not been as productive this season (only four TDs) but is still the team's primary target. The 23rd pick in the 2007 draft has at least six catches in four of the past six games. Both Bowe and Baldwin, the Chiefs' No. 1 pick this year, are big, physical receivers with excellent leaping ability and body control who will offer a challenge for Williams, who regressed in the last game and appeared tentative tackling.
Baldwin, who missed the first month of the season because of a thumb injury suffered in an altercation with teammate Thomas Jones, is capable of making great acrobatic catches but lacks polish and consistent focus. Should he get lazy on his routes, look for Woodson to capitalize, as was the case on Woodson's seventh interception (tied with two others for the league lead) last week, when Raiders WR Darrius Heyward-Bey didn't finish off his route and Woodson capitalized. Shields also had an interception last Sunday, and through 13 games, Woodson, Williams and Shields have combined for a little less than half of the Packers' lead-leading interception total (14 of 27).
Finishing routes is not a problem for Breaston, a smart, shifty precise route runner who played under recently fired head coach Todd Haley in Arizona. Breaston is a quality pass catcher out of the slot but is undersized and has brittle knees.


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Howard Siegel L'70
HOWARD SIEGEL is a 1970 graduate summa cum laude of Syracuse University College of Law where he was Order of the Coif, Editor-in-Chief of the Syracuse Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board. Upon his graduation, Mr. Siegel served in a judicial clerkship for the New York State Court of Appeals from 1970-1972.
Mr. Siegel is senior partner in Pryor Cashman LLP's Entertainment Group in New York City. He has represented clients in all aspects of the entertainment business for more than 35 years, with a particular emphasis on the music industry. He has served as counsel to many of the industry's most prominent recording artists, songwriters, producers, managers, and executives.
For the past three years, Mr. Siegel has been selected as one of New York's "Super Lawyers" published by Law and Politics, a distinction limited to the top 5% of all attorneys in the New York metropolitan area. In 2007 and 2008 he was recognized as one of the entertainment industry's "Top 100 Power Lawyers" as complied and published by the Hollywood Reporter. Mr. Siegel is the former Chair of the Section on Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law of the New York State Bar Association, former Chair of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on the Music and Recording Industry, and an Associate Member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is Editor-in-Chief of the nationally distributed book, Entertainment Law and is co-chair of the Practicing Law Institute's national annual program on entertainment law.
Mr. Siegel writes extensively in the areas of copyright and music industry developments, he lectures frequently on topics germane to his practice and has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law for over 15 years. In October, Mr. Siegel will be introducing his client Steven Van Zandt as the keynote speaker for the American Bar Association's annual Entertainment Law Forum in New York City. Also in October, Siegel is chairing the New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section's panel on Ethics in Entertainment Law.
Mr. Siegel is an avid Harley-Davidson rider, and has logged hundreds of thousands of miles during his 30 years on the road, often writing articles about his travels which have been published in various motorcycle magazines. He also holds an "Extra Class" Amateur Radio license and has communicated by short wave radio with thousands of other "ham" radio
Related Links:
Commercial Division, New York State Supreme Court
The Hollywood Reporter, "Power Lawyers 2007 - Talent
ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries
New York State Bar Association: Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section
Practicing Law Institute
Harley-Davidson USA
American Radio Relay League
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Frank Carbonetti L'99
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Gerard 'Rod' Saggese III L'99
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|Game 14: #20 Tigers vs. #16 Massachusetts
|Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Semi-Finals
|Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | 7:30 p.m.
|Towson, Md. | Johnny Unitas® Stadium
|Click Here | 410-704-2244
|Spiro Morekas (PXP), Greg LaCour (Color)
|Live Stats
|Live Video
|Game Notes
|Towson | Massachusetts
TOWSON, Md. – After securing their fourth outright Colonial Athletic Association regular season title in seven years, the 11th-ranked Tigers will begin their quest at a CAA championship on Wednesday night when they host the University of Massachusetts at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
In the other semi-final, second-seeded University of Delaware will host third-seeded Drexel University at Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
The semi-final winners will meet on Saturday, May 8 at the site of the highest remaining seed for the CAA Championship Game at a time to be determined.
After dropping a 12-10 verdict against 15th-ranked Hofstra on Saturday night, the Tigers enter the CAA Tournament with a 6-7 record. The Tigers won four of their five CAA games, including a 10-9 victory over the Minutemen at Garber Field on April 10.
Graduate student Christian Pastirik led the Tigers in their loss against Hofstra on Saturday night, scoring a career-high four goals along with two assists. The Tigers' leading scorer with 24 goals and 19 assists, Pastirik ranks sixth in the CAA with 43 points. He scored two goals in the Tigers' victory over the Minutemen.
Meanwhile, senior midfielder Will Harrington has contributed 24 goals with five assists. He also leads the CAA with seven extra-man goals and ranks fifth in the CAA with 101 shots.
Harrington scored two goals, including a man-down marker in the fourth quarter, against Hofstra on Saturday night. He has scored a goal in all 13 games this season for the Tigers, including a career-high five goals against Stony Brook on March 6.
Junior goalkeeper Travis Love has continued to play well for the Tigers after becoming the team's starter on March 16. He has posted a 6-4 record and has stopped 55.2 per cent of the shots he has faced, which ranks second in the CAA. With a 9.43 goals against average, he ranks third in the CAA.
Following a 12-6 loss against Drexel on Saturday afternoon, the Minutemen will enter the CAA Tournament with an 8-5 overall record. In its first season in the CAA, Massachusetts posted a 2-3 league record.
Freshman attackman Will Manny led the Minutemen in the loss on Saturday by scoring a goal with two assists while junior Ryan Liebel contributed a two-goal performance.
Sophomore goalkeeper Tim McCormack made 12 saves in the loss for the Minutemen, which was their third setback in the last four games.
Manny leads the Minutemen with 26 goals and 18 assists while sophomore midfielder Anthony Biscardi has scored 21 goals with 14 assists. McCormack, who has started all 13 games for the Minutemen this year, has posted a .525 save percentage while allowing 9.86 goals per game.
Sophomore midfielder Carl Iacona scored two goals, including the game-winner with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter, to lead the Tigers to the 10-9 victory over Massachusetts earlier this season. Harrington scored three goals in the victory while sophomore attackman Matt Lamon added two goals with an assist.
Biscardi scored three goals in the loss for Massachusetts while Manny contributed a pair of goals with an assist.
The Tigers and the Minutemen will be meeting for just the third time in a series that is tied at one game each. Prior to this season, the teams had not met since March 28, 1963.


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text: Think of them as the tour-guide version of Patsy and Edina from Absolutely Fabulous -- if those two ever were sober enough to write a book. Knowing that the agenda of the average gay or lesbian traveler is a bit different from that of Mom and Pop Smith from Des Moines, Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro proffer a guide book to the Disney resorts that specifically caters to gay and lesbian readers. While sniping at each other only occasionally, they offer candid, informative and always-humorous opinions on everything from hotels and attractions to restaurants and shows. The writers also provide information about nearby theme parks and local gay life surrounding the Disney landscape. Additionally, the book boasts: "fairy facts," unique tidbits of trivia about every attraction in the parks; vital tips on how to make the most of your stay, such as which restaurants offer the best bang for your buck and how to avoid all the long lines; help on finding the parks' "gay goodies" like Ellen's Energy Adventure (starring none other than Ellen DeGeneres); and where to grab a kiss without feeling stared at. With additional commentary provided by gays and lesbians surveyed from across the country, there's something for everyone: singles, couples, parents with kids, singles looking to be coupled and couples looking to be single. Even people long-familiar with Disneyland and Walt Disney World will want to pick up this funny, irreverent and insightful look at how they, too, can experience family at America's family Mecca.


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text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Sacramento County coroner has identified the body found hanging from a downtown office tower as a 30-year-old Washington state man. Craig Fugate of Vancouver was found Monday morning hanging from a rope on the side of an 18-story high-rise. Police believe he was trying an extreme graffiti attack because they found spray paint and an etching tool used by taggers on a ledge above him. The coroner identified the body on Tuesday but lists the cause of death as undetermined because an autopsy has not been performed. Fire officials said Fugate appears to have died accidentally of asphyxiation when he created a harness from the rope and lowered himself. The rope then cinched tightly around his body. Police said surveillance cameras showed Fugate entering the building alone on Sunday.(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Town Square
Kathy McKeithen leaves council seat fighting
Original post made on Nov 27, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 12:00 AM
on Nov 27, 2012 at 11:20 am
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.
As someone knowledgable about both the Brown Act and elected public office I commend the Town Manager for his balanced approach to keeping the council informed on a timely basis while avoiding the actions prohibited by the Brown Act.
Hopefully we will all come to realize that it is the Town Manager who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Town and then let him get about doing that business.
on Nov 27, 2012 at 11:29 am
Roderick is fast shaping up to be another Jerry Gruber. He didn't last long (even with the troika of Marsala, Lewis and Carlson running things), and if Roderick doesn't get the message that sunlight is the best disinfectant, he won't last too long either. These records will be given to the public one way or another. If Atherton city attorney didn't learn their lesson on the last round of records requests, new ones will be launched. Judges may have to decide. Cary Wiest getting elected doesn't disable the public records act which, if you read it, encourages the broadest possible disclosure.
on Nov 27, 2012 at 11:38 am
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.
Get rid of... - Please get your facts first before you post.
Here is what the League of California Cities states:
"The Brown Act creates six exceptions to the meeting definition:
Individual Contacts
The first exception involves individual contacts between a member of the legislative body and any other person. The Brown Act does not limit a legislative body member acting on his or her own. This exception recognizes the right to confer with constituents, advocates, consultants, news reporters, local agency staff or a colleague."
"On the other hand, a unilateral written communication to the legislative body, such as an informational or advisory memorandum, does not violate the Brown Act." Roberts v. City of Palmdale (1993) 5 Cal.4th 363


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I am the owner of http://www.conceptscifi.com. We are currently looking for some good quality pieces for inclusion in our E-zine.
Specifically, we are interested in anything Sci-fi related such as:
- Short stories
Articles on writing technique
If you would like to submit a piece of work then please visit our submissions page at http://www.conceptscifi.com/submissions.htm for further information.
Many thanks,


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We're lucky that we have access to one of the best views during the Toronto Urban Photography workshop. The roof on the building that Sean Galbraith lives in reveals a stunning skyline…
…and a high ledge that my tripod is just a little bit too short for.
Well okay, it's not too short, but in order to get a proper view of the city, I'd have to fully extend the middle column which for a 2-second exposure is a bit too shaky. So in order to be able to peek over the side and have a solid and stable foundation for longer exposures, I have last year decided to completely collapse the legs of the tripod (very stable!) and hang the camera upside down under it (low center of gravity, also very stable).
As you see, the only potential problem with the setup is that right behind the edge of the railing comes an eleven floor drop, which is why I had the stap hanging this way. During the exposure and the setup, my arm was always through the loop. There was also no wind and no real chance of the tripod being bumped, and the rubber feet did a great job holding it in place. Still, just the slightest bit scary.
But in the end it was worth doing it like that:
What are your unconventional tripod setups?
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International Festival of Authors
Bringing together the world's best writers of contemporary literature
The 35th edition of the IFOA runs October 23 to November 2. Tickets go on sale September 9!
IFOA Book ClubSeptember 17 2014 - 6:00 PM
Meet other book lovers, discuss fascinating topics and expand your world.
READING/INTERVIEW: Ben Lerner and Ian McEwanSeptember 17 2014 - 7:30 PM
Authors Ben Lerner and Ian McEwan read from and discuss their latest novels.
READING: Peter May and Eric McCormackSeptember 17 2014 - 7:30 PM
Authors Peter May and Eric McCormack read from their latest works.
Downloadable resources for authors, publishers and media will be available soon.


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A former Peru police officer who was fired after Tasing a 64-year-old nursing home resident with advance-stage Alzheimer's disease has filed a court appeal in Miami County to get his job back.
Gregory Martin was terminated in August by the Peru Board of Works based on a recommendation from Peru Police Chief Steve Hoover.
The dismissal stemmed from a June 17 incident in which Martin Tased Alzheimer's patient James Howard five times — four while on the ground, according to eyewitnesses — at Miller's Merry Manor Nursing Home. Officers said Howard was combative and wouldn't obey their commands to get onto a stretcher to go to the hospital, according to police reports.
Hoover made the recommendation after a two-week investigation into the incident, after which he determined Martin violated department code that says officers "shall not use more force in any situation than is necessary under the circumstances."
The board listened to two days of testimony during the hearing before deciding to fire Martin.
Martin filed an appeal with Miami County Superior Court 1 last month, claiming the findings and conclusions of the board were erroneous. Court documents state Martin believes the court should reverse the board's decision and award back pay, wages and benefits accrued since he was fired.
A court date is pending after Martin's attorney, Kristina Lynn, filed a motion Sept. 21 to change judges in the trial. Bill Berkshire is representing the police department and the city in the hearing.


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26-07-2009 14:55
I was disappointed to find that my new N97 does not permit remote control from the console of my car audio system. This feature previously worked excellently with my older N95 and allowed me to play music tracks on my phone - skip, ffwd, reverse, play, pause etc without touching the phone at all.
At present my new N97 pairs with the car audio system and audio is played through it, however the player must be controlled from the phone, for skiping or seeking track, this is not possible whilst driving and therefore quite inconvienent.
I have a JVC KD-AVX44 Car Audio system.
Has anyone has had success (or simular failure) utilising this feature with the N97? It would be appreciated if this problem could be resolved. As I have encountered no information on this problem after searching on Google, I have not yet been able to rule out if it is the Audio system at fault. Therefore I would also like to know wether anyone has managed to get the AVRCP profile (remote control) working with other systems from this phone?
28-07-2009 20:20 - edited 28-07-2009 20:22
I also have this problem. I have the JVC KD-BT22. With my N95 8GB and a SE phone works fine, but the N97 wont change track, play or pause.
I think this profile has been left out. I can't find a list of N97 Bluetooth profiles anywhere.
Hope they can fix this as I want it to replace my iPod Touch as my music source in my car.
29-07-2009 5:34
I am having the same problem with the JVC KD-AVX44 going from the N95 to the N97. I can play music but not control it. I can answer calls though which is something. I have emailed JVC Australia to see if a firmware update will occur to include the N97 Bluetooth compatibility however the response was that it was unlikely and advise to contact Nokia if the problem could be resolved with their device.
So now I'm looking if there is any way to tweak the N97 AVRCP to behave like the N95 by using some sort of app. I imagine this will be very difficult because nowhere have I read of even attempting to do this.
brightquark, keep us informed on any developments in your discoveries as I shall within this thread
04-08-2009 0:03
Just read the manual for the N97 and it says;
This device is compliant with Bluetooth Specification
2.0 + EDR supporting the following profiles: Dial-Up
Networking (DUN), Object Push Profile (OPP), File
Transfer Profile (FTP), Hands Free Profile (HFP), Headset
Profile (HSP), Basic Imaging Profile (BIP), Remote SIM
Access Profile (SimAP), Device Identification Profile
(DI), Phonebook Access Profile (PBAP), Generic Audio/
Video Distribution Profile (GAVDP), Audio/Video
Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Advanced Audio
Distribution Profile (A2DP). To ensure interoperability
between other devices supporting Bluetooth
technology, use Nokia approved accessories for this
model. Check with the manufacturers of other devices
to determine their compatibility with this device.
So the phone does support it, maybe they forgot to turn it on, or JVC need to update their firmware.
Weird though that it worked fine with the N95 8GB, I presume all Bluetooth profiles are the same in other handsets?
04-08-2009 0:40
19-08-2009 3:03
I am having a similar issue. I used to have an E75 and it was able to sync with my Audi's audio system. I could read my phonebook, missed called and so on. Now with the new N97 I cannot. It is not making much sense since the E75 came out several month before the N97 and they have very similar systems. When speaking with Nokia Customer service he explained to me that the E75 had object push protocol and the N97 does not. I am not sure if this is similar or the same as object push profile but I would also like some help with this issue.
27-08-2009 22:45
I have a Pioneer FH-P800BT in my car and It works perfectly with the N97, even better than with my N95. I can fully control the music player via bluetooth and even the phone book transfers flawlessly. I could not use auto connect with the N95 because the BT audio had to be connected before the HF phone or it would just plain drop the BT connection, the N97 does not do this.
The only flaw I am finding is that I can no longer change tracks while using OVI Maps 3.01, but it did work with the Maps beta. I only with I could see the track and artist on the screen of my 800BT via Bluetooth but I can do it if I hook it up to the USB port (and it charges the phone too!!)
I am not having the same luck connecting to a TOIMTOM, the phone works but the contacts won't transfer, so I transferred all my contacts to my BlackBerry 8830, used that to transfer contacts to my TOMTOM and voila, I had all my contacts in TOMTOM.
24-10-2009 17:17
I completed the v12 firmware update and have since tried the phone again with my Car Audio system. Unfortunately I am still not having any luck with this. I hope V20 provides support for this feature, I am considering returning this phone otherwise.
27-10-2009 15:54
Same phone, firmware, stereo and same problem!
Just registering that it's an issue really, I'll update this if I have any luck with it.
Pleased I didn't get rid of the N95 yet though, still works perfectly as ever.
30-10-2009 20:47
04-11-2009 12:13
I have now upgraded the phone to the latest V20 firmware and have some interesting results. Whilst still far from perfect remote control seems to now work with the KD-AVX44 car stereo. Most surprisingly I can now also get the song name which is currently playing on the car display which is a bonus, something the N95 never did. It did however lose connection on initialisation and sometimes during a track skip but at least developments are moving in the right direction.
Reliability is still poor, and overall (all the other problems I'm still having with this phone - frequent lockups etc) I am ready to go back to my N95
04-11-2009 14:32
05-11-2009 4:10 - edited 05-11-2009 4:12
I've also upgrade my N97 to v20. I've now got the song information and track time coming up but the bluetooth connection is extremely unstable. I can now skip and pause the music however about 90% of the time this will cause the bluetooth connection to fail. This also occurs just when one track finishes and a new one begins.
I believe it must have to do with bluetooth having to get the new song information from the phone and this must muck up (or overload?) the connection.
As brightquark has said, developments are in the correct direction however the new instability makes it not worth using. It terms of listening to music, it was better before the upgrade. At least the music was seemless.
Keeping working on it Nokia. Many people are looking forward to the solution.
02-12-2009 4:15
This was a very horrible discovery to me, i just installed the KD-AVX44, a few days ago and now i find out that i can't use the Bluetooth audio, i can't even get the N97 to pair with the deck i just get a connection error every time i try. But my girlfriends iPhone connected right away and works perfectly with the deck.
I really have to ask Nokia, what are you doing. Something like this should not be an issue espically at the cost of the N97.
Don't make me lose faith in you Nokia fix this issue and do it quick. With the number of issues this phone has had I'am starting to get very annoyed with the quality of the phone.
13-12-2009 22:49
As Nokia said that You should use only original products!!!
So i've bought CK-600 and try to use it with N97.
Phone function is working ok, but music player.....
In start display shows me that first phone and second music player is connected. But when i switch to music all functions ( play, skip, stop ) doesn't work!
So i think it is A2DP problem, and i hope that Nokia worker is going to tell me what is going on in this **bleep** Nokia. Flagged phone and car kit and......?
Are You gonna to fix it? when new software is going to go?
16-03-2010 16:00
Hey there all, anyone sorted this yet?
I've upgraded to firmware 21.0.045 on my N97 (PID 0587991).
This has changed the problem from irregular, to constant.
The handsfree and bluetooth music players are both unusable now.
It just drops both connections whenever you try to do something. Press the answer button on the phone, skip tracks, pause track, hang up. All these actions will cause the connection to be dropped.
30-05-2010 7:38 - edited 30-05-2010 7:44
I realize this topic is a bit dated, but thought I'd contribute with my own experience using the N97 with a variety of different aftermarket car stereo receivers.
First, it should be noted that there is really no single deck that will work flawlessly with this PoS. Nokia's Bluetooth implementation was already lacking in other N-series devices (N95/N96/N85…), but the N97 is by all accounts the most troublesome device also in this regard.
Maybe the most annoying aspect is that music playback skips every now and then, no matter which unit you have. This seems to particularly be the case when the phone is busy redrawing screens (e.g. the main screen, when you exit an application), or otherwise under heavy load. In all fairness, though, I had similar issues with both the N95, N96, and to a lesser extent, the N85.
Another annoying factor is that even for those units where AVRCP controls generally work, the N97 is not always responsive to them. For instance, if you have not explicitly started the Music Player on the phone, the "Play" button on your car stereo will not work. (And as we know, getting the N97 music player up into the "Now Playing" screen in order to resume your last playlist is quite cumbersome in itself). Also it generally seems to be less responsive when the Music Player application is not in the foreground.
That said, I have found a couple of brands/models that work reasonably well with this beast: The Sony CDX-BT2x00 series and newer JVCs (like the KD-A805, which I have finally settled on myself).
Here is a breakdown of my experience with different brands/models, in my own chronological order:
02-07-2010 9:21
i have problem in connection bluetooth of caraudio system with nokia n97 mini for calling
please help mi


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A Colorado woman was impaled by a light pole after she crashed because she was texting and driving.
WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Senator Thom Goolsby on Monday
pulled no punches when commenting on one of the possible candidates for his
seat in Raleigh.
"I was interested to see that the 'Benedict Arnold' of
the Democratic Party, Elizabeth Redenbaugh, decided to throw her hat into the
ring for this seat," Goolsby said during an interview late Monday. He is referring to the former New Hanover
County School Board member who announced Saturday that she will run for the
Democratic nomination in the District 9 Senate race. Goolsby mentioned
Redenbaugh's vote against a proposal for neighborhood schools in 2011, and
subsequent switch from the Republican to Democratic party.
"You have someone who ran originally as a Republican, who
then betrayed everyone in the county and voted against neighborhood schools,
wanted to bus our children all over the county, and then switched parties to
become a Democrat," Goolsby continued. "I don't know anyone who would trust
anyone with that kind of value system."
Goolsby also took a swipe at Redenbaugh's appearance at
the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte in September of 2012. "I also find it quite curious that she's the
one who was at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte last year,
touting how wonderful Obamacare was. If those two ideas, busing children all
over the county and Obamacare are the two big things she's going to run on, I
think she's going to have a hard time getting anyone to pay serious attention
to her and her idea of how government should work either at the state or
federal level running for the North Carolina Senate."
Redenbaugh emailed a response when contacted about
Goolsby's comments. "I look forward to sharing with the voters over the
coming weeks and months my position on all the issues that have an impact
on the quality of life in New Hanover County, such as how to improve our
public education system and bring jobs back to North Carolina, and I am
not going to start my campaign by exchanging insults with the outgoing Senator
from District 9," Redenbaugh said.
Filing period for legislative candidates begins February 10, 2014 and runs through February 28, 2014.
Copyright 2014 WECT.
All rights reserved.
1 Julian Price Place
Charlotte, NC 28208
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
Blog Archives
Excrement Excavations and YOU! (or, worst quests in WoW)
This is part of a Blog Azeroth Shared Topic – check out other articles about this topic from great authors around the WoW blogging community!
One of the very first things that anyone will do when they log into World of Warcraft on a new character will do is accept a quest. There's a big shiny yellow exclamation point above a nearby NPC that draws you in and compels you to right-click them. Then, for whatever reason, if you kill enough pigs you'll get a reward! How awesome is that?
More often than not, it's very awesome. Even moreso since the Cataclysm old world redesign, WoW's quest design has been amazing. Not too long ago, I did an article about some of my favourite quests in the game. This time we're going the opposite way, to some examples of the worst quests that are out there today. Not surprisingly, they mostly come from Outland and Northrend – but this is partly because I haven't done all of the new content yet.
RNG – the bane of all existence
The infamous random number generator (RNG) can be one of the best or worst things in the game. It is blamed for drops from mobs and bosses, block/parry/dodge/hit/miss chance, spawn rates, and quest item drops. There is a reason why the RNG is hated so much, and it's because of the simple fact that it's so very random.
Any quest that does not have a 100% chance to drop your item has the possibility to require you to spend an unhealthy amount of time trying to get what is required. Lately it seems that the drop rates for many quests have been improved, but there are many that are still very annoying. Good examples are in Zul'Drak, the quests to collect bat wings and spider ichor.
Isn't killing a BAD thing?
Falling in line with the RNG is the "kill mobs until something happens" style. Apparently the leaders or commanders of certain groups of mobs only appear after a certain amount of people die. It makes me very glad that I don't serve under them.
Three examples that came to mind immediately are all from Northrend. In Howling Fjord, you have to kill a number of Vrykul until the commanders show up for you to impale with a battle standard. In Zul'Drak, shortly after going to Zim'torga, many trolls need to die in order for certain mobs to show up and take their shinies. I just did this quest again yesterday, and it took way more time than it should have.
Excrement Excavations
This post could not happen without some mention of the poop quests. First appearing in Burning Crusade, there has been some sort of quest like this in random places since. To this day, my wife won't do the Hellfire Peninsula one.
The above-noted quest is called Shizz Work, and is given by a goblin foreman near Thrallmar. Part of a quest chain and open to both factions, it involves using a flute to summon a felhunter and digging through its "leavings" to find some keys. After digging through each pile, you get a debuff called "Stanky" that doesn't do anything but give you a green smelly aura.
Good idea, but enough already!
Once Blizzard finds a quest mechanic that they like, they tend to stick with it. Sometimes a bit too much, at times. There are quests where it's a fun mechanic, such as taking an abomination and blowing things up with it, but the amount of things required to blow up is a bit much.
A good example of this is the a quest in Zul'Drak for Drakuru to require a total of 60 trolls to be killed to draw out the three chieftains. I really enjoy things exploding, but it could have easily be done in half the amount of trolls and have the chieftains come with every 10 instead of every 20.
In closing…
Thankfully there is a good variety of types of quests in the game. Blizzard has done a great job, especially in the new Azeroth, of mixing things up. I hope that eventually we'll see a revamp of Outland and Northrend, and with that we can see some of the new mechanics introduced to these areas.
Character Identity
This is part of a Shared Topic, started by Akabeko of Red Cow Rise. Make sure to check out more great posts from other Blog Azeroth authors!
What defines a person? What is the thing that is at their core, which makes them who they are? There can be many things that do this, which can be small or large parts of their lives. As a gamer, we have a way to extend these definitions of ourselves into the virtual world through the characters we play.
Of course, not everyone does this. There are people who play only for the enjoyment of what a certain character can do or a role that is required. I believe that someone who truly enjoys playing a certain character does so because it's something they can identify with.
Looking back at the characters I've played over the years, I can see a progression of how I identified with these characters and why I chose what I did. More so, I can see why I've stuck with my Tauren Druid so long and still really enjoy playing him.
Of my many characters, I'm only going to focus on two: my previous main, a Blood Elf Paladin and my current main, a Tauren Druid.
I stuck with my Paladin for a long time, starting on BC launch day and raiding as a healer through Tier 5 stuff (Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep). This was my first experience playing a melee oriented class that I actually enjoyed, as previously I had played only ranged/magic classes in my online gaming career. With this character, I found that I could identify with him somewhat.
In real life, I'm a very ordinary guy. I work for a living, I have a great family, I do very normal stuff. However, part of what I do in my job is help people out (since I work for a bank, it just happens to be financial help), and that is part of who I am.
When I focused on being a healer and a paladin, I could identify with what the paladin is supposed to be. A protector of others, putting other people ahead of one's self. As I was healing my guildmates and keeping them alive through these encounters, I could see myself in that role as well. Because of this, I believe that I stayed with the character for a while.
The Paladin was a member of the Blood Knights, originally siphoning power from M'uru, and thinking that he was just doing this for his own advancement. Yet, as time went on he realized that he actually liked being able to help others out. Rather than just being another Blood Elf minion, he established himself as a member of his guild and a vital member of a raiding team. When he found out about the betrayal of Prince Kael'thas, he decided to focus on the friends he had made in his guild and only be loosely affiliated with the Blood Knights, even though the Sunwell was restored.
My current main character was born because my wife had recently started playing WoW as well, and we wanted to level characters together. She had created a Tauren Shaman, and I wanted to create a new Druid – hoping that it was better than the original time I tried to level one in Vanilla. We had a lot of fun, and made it to max level in Burning Crusade, and I eventually made him my new main.
I see my Druid's identity as part of that original experience. He was going through the world with his wife, trying to help people out and bring glory to the Horde. His loyalty is first to his family, then to his fellow Tauren, then the Horde. This is basically how I am in my real life situation.
Our experiences shape who we are, in-game and out. Whether that is a traumatic experience that makes you cringe when you see spiders, or a smile whenever you see kittens because you just love them. If you value protecting others by keeping them safe, a healer or tank might be a good option for you because it aligns with natural personality. If you protect others by removing things that would cause others harm, there's DPS for you. What type of DPS? Take out your frustration by stabbing things as a rogue. Enjoy setting things on fire as a warlock.
WoW's longevity can be credited to a number of things, and I believe that relatable characters is a very big part. I wrote about this before regarding NPCs, but this definitely also applies to player-controlled characters as well. Why have a hero if you hate being that person?
Five Things Gaming Can Teach
While browsing through Blog Azeroth not too long ago, a former Shared Topic caught my eye. Titled "What has WoW taught you?", I realized that there have been a number of things that I've learned in my time playing World of Warcraft (as well as other online games). Thinking about it, I'm reminded once again how certain positions in online games warrant being mentioned on resumes.
People Management
If anyone has ever been a guild leader, guild officer, or raid leader, they'll know that this is very true. Managing people is a very difficult task on any level, and something that may have been thought as small and insubstantial can easily turn out to be the opposite. Raid organizers from Vanilla will probably shudder a little bit, as filling 40 raid slots while maintaining optimal balance was extremely difficult.
As soon as people start voicing their opinions, or certain people want certain things while other people want other things – managing this and keeping cool is an incredibly important skill to have in any situation. Companies can have seminars and courses specifically on people management. Consider your WoW experience as the preliminary stages.
So much to do, so little time to do it. I'd say a large majority of people have a set amount of time to play WoW. Whether that time is two hours after the kids are in bed or all day because you have nothing better to do, there is still a limited number of minutes to do what you want. Figuring out what to do in the ideal order can help organize things much more efficiently.
If you have certain daily quests to do, it might be better to start out with certain ones first because you'll need to use your hearthstone to get out of there. After that, the other areas where you do the next sets of dailies might have a portal to go back to your capital city, so the cooldown on your hearthstone isn't as big of a deal.
Every job that is out there requires some sort of time management. The average job has an eight-hour day, and there's certain things that need to be accomplished in those hours. By prioritizing certain things, it can increase productivity and make life a lot easier.
Keyboard Skills
Before I played my first MMORPG, my typing was horrible. I was the typical "hunt-and-peck" person, and I hated the "home row" style that was trying to be forced upon me at school. The game I played at first had a focus on role-playing and required quick responses with good grammar. In not much time I was able to increase my words per minute and the quality and accuracy of what I was typing.
Any data entry or administrative job requires this. There may even be jobs that have a typing test as part of the interview process, and even getting the job could rest on these skills. Fortunately online gaming makes practice enjoyable.
The person who likes to collect things must possess a lot of patience. Whether you're a hunter camping a rare spawn to tame or waiting for the Time-Lost Proto-Drake to spawn so you can get the mount, there will be a lot of down time. Learning to be patient is a very important thing, or else it's very easy to go a little bit crazy.
Anyone who has ever worked in customer service has good experience with this. You're ringing through their order, and they take forever to count out the change in their wallet while there's a long lineup behind them, all tapping their feet. There are times where you just have to take a deep breath and go with it.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
Crap happens, deal with it. Very few things ever go according to plan, and it's essential to be flexible and work with what life gives you. The perfect raid composition can still end up being a bad experience because people may not know the fight, people might disconnect, among other things. Just roll with it, keep on keeping on, and all those other phrases.
Life is full of surprises, and there's nothing we can do about it. If an urgent file is dropped on your desk with 15 minutes to go before you leave, we have to deal with it one way or another. How you deal with it, however, is up to you.
If you're the leader of a level 25 guild and have been running things for a while, I think that it would be a great thing to put on a resume. Everything that I just mentioned are very real skills that can be transferred over to any life situation. Hopefully one day employers will realize this.
Who says geeks don't know how life works?
Professionally Speaking
This is part of a Blog Azeroth Shared Topic.
Of all the time sinks in World of Warcraft, there remains one that is not only a way to spend lots of time, but also lots of currency as well. People will debate until the end of WoW which is the best, which is the worst, which is the most boring, which is the most fun… which I will give my thoughts as well. I speak of our friends, professions.
There are a good variety of professions, as well as opinions about them. My main character is currently maxed in all of his professions except for archaeology, having: skinning, leatherworking, cooking, fishing, and first aid. Altogether, I have personally found these skills to not be too bad to skill up with, having decent rewards. Going from a pure min/max perspective, they're not the best ones, but it comes to the laziness factor in certain things.
Here are my thoughts on professions in these categories: best, worst, most boring, and most fun. For this purpose, I'll be defining "best" as looking at it from min/max standpoint, "worst" being the least beneficial, with "most boring" and "most fun" being self-explanatory.
Best profession: my thought for this is jewelcrafting. There are a great amount of benefits from this, mainly being the jewelcrafting-specific gems that have the bigger bonuses, as well as the bind-on-pickup trinkets that can be used to supplement them. These, along with the incredible resale value of the products made, make a very attractive profession to get. I find that it's rough to get the skill up to around 300, but after that it gets much easier (or so I'm told, my highest JC is only around 150).
Worst profession: to me, this one is first aid. In the grand scheme of things, a bandage will do very little to help out in a battle. On my characters that have no way to heal themselves except through food and bandages, I still have found myself to rarely ever use bandages. If I'm in combat, I'm being damaged enough that the channeling will be interrupted easily, and if I'm out of combat I have food to heal me more efficiently. I'm maxed in first aid, but this is mainly for the achievements and nothing else.
Most boring: this is a no-brainer, of course it's fishing. Though there is a great amount of benefits from cooking the fish you get, it doesn't stop the skill from being tremendously boring. If it wasn't for the daily quests, I doubt that I would have it maxed yet. The introduction of getting a skillup when completing the Orgrimmar (or Stormwind) dailies made this profession bearable. I've tried to watch movies, TV, read books, many other things while fishing to break up the monotony, but I've yet to find something that works.
A close second to fishing, however, is mining. It's almost a requirement for certain other ones, and if you choose double gathering for your professions you'll be able to make good amounts of cash. Yet, if you choose it along with one of the other professions that needs the smelted bars (blacksmithing, engineering, jewelcrafting) you have to go out and mine the ore, then wait for your character to smelt it. When you're smelting hundreds of bars, you might as well go make a sandwich.
Most fun: it seems that many people have this same thought, which is engineering. In all honesty, how can a profession that allows you to create explosive sheep not be fun? One downside to this one is the amount of materials that are required to make certain items can sometimes get quite exorbitant. The rewards, however, are worth it – I remember back in Vanilla, many paladins would pick up engineering for the trinkets so they had something ranged. There are mounts like the flying machines and mechano-hog, the various types of engineers' goggles, and now the cogwheel sockets for engineer-only stuff… among many other really neat things that can be made. It's one of the professions that I have never maxed, but is high on my list of wanting to do.
The runner-up for this would be alchemy, out of sheer usefulness. Being able to make your own potions and elixirs is a huge benefit for any sort of use, whether it's in PvE or PvP. There are the alchemists' stones which are a great addition for any up-and-coming player, and the fun things like pygmy oil which will shrink you and eventually turn you into a sand gnome. Then there's the pinnacle of them all, the Vial of the Sands – who doesn't want to turn into a dragon?
Blizzard has done a great job of giving us a choice for things to waste time in. They created WoW in the first place, why not create something inside it to make it even more of a time waster?


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This was the quickest boarding we have experienced so far.Our stateroom was available when we boarded and we were having lunch in the Windjammer by 2PM.
The weather cooperated and the seas were calm for the first three days.
New Year's Eve was fun but we thought there would be a more organized celebration ie Fireworks or something special in the lounges and bars.There was a special menu,hats and a few balloons at our table.We rang in 2012 in the 19th hole lounge.
We stayed on board in Port Canaveral on New Year's Day and enjoyed the quieter ship.
We arrived in Nassau on 01/02 to find the shops were closed for a local holiday parade.We weren't planning to shop but it was a major disappointment for first time visitors to Nassau.We took a cab to Atlantis,$4/person one way,and had a great time in the casino with our friends.
Our third port,Coco Cay, was cancelled due to a high wind warning for 01/03 so we stayed in Nassau a second day.The forecast was correct.It was cold and extremely windy.The seas were high and it was pretty rocky until the wee hours on 01/04.
The last sea day was calm and sunny but too cool to be outside for any length of time.
Disembarkation was the usual chaos at the elevators getting to our assigned waiting area.We were at our bus with luggage by 8:45 with all but four passengers but waited on the bus for over an hour for them.But departure time was 10AM so we couldn't be too upset. We were all early,they were on time.