text:
|Wenzhou train collision
An image of the wreck; after the collision, four cars of the rear train fell off the Ou River bridge, slamming into the ground more than 20 m (66 ft) below
|Saturday, 23 July 2011
|Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang
|28°00′48″N 120°35′24″E / 28.01333°N 120.59000°ECoordinates: 28°00′48″N 120°35′24″E / 28.01333°N 120.59000°E
|People's Republic of China
|Rail line
|Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway
Part of Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen PDL
|China Railway High-speed
|Type of incident
|Collision, derailment
|Railway signal failure[1]
|More than 210 people
On 23 July 2011, two high-speed trains travelling on the Yongtaiwen railway line collided on a viaduct in the suburbs of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China. The two trains derailed each other, and four cars fell off the viaduct.[3] 40 people were killed,[2] at least 192 were injured, 12 of which were severe injuries.[4] Officials responded to the accident by hastily concluding rescue operations and ordering the burial of the derailed cars. These actions elicited strong criticism from Chinese media and online communities. In response, the government issued directives to restrict media coverage, which was met with limited compliance, even on state-owned networks.
The collision was the first fatal crash involving high-speed rail (HSR) in China, and the third-deadliest HSR accident in history, after the 1998 Eschede train disaster in Germany and Santiago de Compostela derailment in Spain. High speed was not a factor in the accident, however, since neither train was moving faster than 99 km/h (62 mph), a moderate speed for a passenger train.
The accident, the first of its kind, had a profound impact on the development of high-speed rail in China. Public confidence in high-speed rail eroded, leading to lower ridership. Construction of high-speed rail lines in China was halted as the accident was under investigation. Speeds on other major high-speed rail lines in China were reduced. China's reputation in high technology was scrutinized internationally.
In response to the accident, Railways minister Sheng Guangzu announced a comprehensive two-month railway safety review. The official investigation completed in December 2011 blamed faulty signal systems which failed to warn the second train of the stationary first train on the same track, as well as a series of management failures on the part of railway officials in carrying out due procedure.
The Chinese government has invested billions of dollars in the rapid expansion of its high-speed railway network in recent years, including over RMB¥ 700 billion (US$109 billion) on high speed rail in 2010.[5] China's high speed rail now stretches across more than 8,538 km (5,305 mi) expanding to 13,000 km (8,100 mi) by 2012, and is planned to double to about 16,000 km (9,900 mi) by 2020.[5][6][7] The nation's entire 91,000 km (57,000 mi) rail network carried 1.68 billion rides in 2010 with little or no cause for alarm.[5] According to BBC, by 2012, mainland China will have more high-speed railway tracks than the rest of the world put together.[8]
Railway signalling systems are designed to prevent any train from entering a stretch of track occupied by another train. But in the Wenzhou collision, Train D301 ran at high speed onto track occupied by Train D3115. This indicates a signal failure.[1] The 28 July 2011 announcement, by the Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signals and Communication, that signal equipment had a design flaw, and that it would "shoulder responsibility" for the accident,[9][10] confirmed that the accident was a result of signal failure.
The signalling technology installed on Chinese 200 to 250 km/h (120 to 160 mph) high speed lines, including the Ningbo–Taizhou–Wenzhou Railway where the accident occurred, is Chinese Train Control System CTCS-2 [1] which is the Chinese version of European Train Control System Level 1.[11] The CTCS-2 system uses the classical technology of track circuits to detect the presence of a train on a piece of track. In addition, CTCS-2 uses both fixed-data balises (track-mounted transponders) and controllable-data balises controlled by a Lineside Electronic Unit (LEU) to transmit essential information and signal instructions from the Train Control Center to trains. Information and signal instructions are transmitted by the balises as "telegrams", which are picked up by a balise transmission module mounted under the head of the train, and sent to an on-board "vital computer" for decoding. Using the data it has received, the computer calculates a "speed control curve" showing the maximum speed the train can maintain while allowing sufficient braking distance before any danger. The information is displayed to the train driver on a monitor.[2] Should the driver disregard this information by overspeeding, or enter a danger zone, the Vital Computer can make an automatic brake application.
As of 31 July 2011, Chinese authorities had failed to provide any logical explanation of why the safeguards built into the CTCS-2 signal technology had failed to work in the Wenzhou collision. Various announcements indicated both defects in equipment (lightning strikes had disabled devices) and defects in operating procedures (staff operated signals in "manual mode"). Chinese official announcements were both confused and confusing. An Lusheng, the chief of the Shanghai Railway Bureau, was quoted as saying that a device had "failed to turn from green to red." But CTCS-2 equipped trains do not rely on drivers observing green or red wayside signals, the driver has a computer-controlled monitor in front of him. Early announcements spoke of Train D3115 being stopped by a lightning strike, but that would not cause the accident. The second train D301 should not have been allowed to run into it. Whether Train D3115 was stopped by lightning or for any other reason is irrelevant.
The fuzzy and confused official announcements up to 31 July gave increasing hints that a lightning strike caused some wayside-mounted piece of signal equipment to malfunction (the official investigation report in December 2011 identified a trackside LKD2-T1 signal assembly which malfunctioned after being struck by lightning, causing a false indication in the control center that a section of track was unoccupied). If the equipment was not fail-safe, an incorrect response by staff could then cause an accident. Significantly, on 28 July 2011, An Lusheng "faulted the quality of equipment, personnel and on-site controls. He described safeguards as 'still quite weak'."[9]
On 4 August 2011 a high-ranking work safety official ruled out the possibility of natural disaster having caused the train crash. "Now I can say for sure that this is not a natural disaster," Huang Yi, the spokesman and a leading official with the State Administration of Work Safety, said during an on-line chat hosted by people.com.cn, the online arm of People's Daily. He added that the railway authorities had also pointed out loopholes and deficiencies in safety management, which had emerged in the accident.[12]
The official investigation, completed in December 2011, blamed faulty signal systems which had failed to warn the second train of the stationary first train on the same track, as well as a series of management failures on the part of railway officials in carrying out due procedure.
The two trains involved were based on technology from Bombardier and Kawasaki.[13] Train CRH1-046B is a variant of the Swedish Bombardier Regina, while the second train CRH2-139E is a derivative of the Japanese E2 Series Shinkansen 'bullet train.'[7] Kawasaki and other companies in Japan are currently challenging China's high-speed rail project for patent license violations. The Chinese maker has been attempting to patent the same technology and alleged improvements.[14] The trains were of the "D train" class and thus in the first generation of China's express trains, not the faster "G train" class, which travel at 300 km/h (186 mph).[6]
On 23 July, at roughly 20:00 CST, CRH train D3115 (CRH1-046B), carrying 1,072 people[15] and travelling from Hangzhou to Fuzhou South came to a halt over a viaduct near the Ou River. Shortly after, CRH train D301 (CRH2-139E), carrying 558 people[15] and running from Beijing South to Fuzhou, crashed into the rear-end of the stationary D3115.[6][16]
The cause of the crash was initially said to be a lightning storm occurring 20 miles (32 km) south and 60 miles (97 km) west of the viaduct.[17] Lightning reportedly struck the first train, which caused it to stop on the tracks.[6] However, five days after the incident, the Beijing National Railway Research & Design Institute of Signals and Communications Co. Ltd., a railway research institute, claimed responsibility, stating in a report that a signal on the track failed to turn red, and staff failed to notice the error.[18]
A much more detailed description of what happened in the accident, correcting earlier accounts, was published in the December 2011 report of the official investigation.[19] The first train D3115 was stopped not by losing power as a result of the lightning strike, but was stopped by the signal system, the Automatic Train Protection (ATP). The lightning had struck a trackside LKD2-T1 signal assembly, burning out its fuses, and violating the rule that it should be 'fail-safe' this had caused an incorrect indication in the control center that the track section containing train D3115 was unoccupied (the so-called 'green signal'). The driver He Li of train D3115 worked to override the ATP and, after more than seven minutes of waiting, at 8.29 p.m. he got the train moving again, overriding the ATP. As train D3115 entered the next section of track, where the track circuits that indicate the presence of the train were working correctly, the control center now saw that the track section was occupied.[20] But driver Pan Yiheng of the following train D301 had already been given instructions to proceed onto the section of track where D3115 had been stopped, when the control center had a false indication that the track was unoccupied. Despite a message from the control center that D301 should proceed with caution, less than half a minute later train D301 running at 99 km/h (62 mph) collided with train D3115.
The fifteenth and sixteenth coaches at the rear of D3115 and the front four coaches of D301 were derailed — four coaches fell off the viaduct. Three carriages came to rest horizontally on the ground below while the fourth came to rest vertically, one end on the ground and one end leaning against the viaduct.[16][21]
The medical teams responding to the accident consisted of staff from Zhejiang No. 1 Hospital, Zhejiang No. 2 Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital and Taizhou Hospital.[17] The evening of the event, 500 Wenzhou residents gave blood in response to early radio appeals by the local blood bank.[17]
A survivor, Liu Hongtaohe, recalled that "the train suddenly shook violently, casting luggage all around. Passengers cried for help but no crew responded" in an interview with China Central Television.[22] CCTV reported on 25 July that the Railways Ministry had declared that 39 people were killed and 192 injured.[7] Two-year-old Xiang Weiyi was the last person rescued, 21 hours after the train crash.[23] Her parents had been killed in the crash.[7]
Soon after the accident, the damaged railway carriages were seen being broken apart by backhoes and buried nearby.[24] Chinese regulatory bodies gave as the preliminary cause a lighting strike on one of the line's overhead power lines.[7]
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing said on 25 July that two U.S. citizens were among the dead.[7] The Italian consulate of Shanghai said that an Italian citizen was among the dead: Assunta Liguori, a 22-year-old student of the Università degli studi di Napoli L'Orientale. Liguori was travelling with Giovanni Pan, a 23-year-old student from L'Orientale, of Chinese origin.
CPC General-secretary, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao called for "all-out efforts to rescue passengers".[6][18] Train operations were suspended on the line while damaged infrastructure was repaired. Fifty-eight trains were canceled the following day.[25] Sheng Guangzu, the Railways Minister, ordered an investigation into the accident, and arrived at the scene of the accident on midday 24 July.[22] He also apologised for the horrific accident.[26] Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang flew into Wenzhou to lead rescue efforts.[27]
The Ministry of Railways announced that three high ranking railway officials were fired immediately after the crash. They were identified as Long Jing, head of the Shanghai Railway Bureau; Li Jia, party secretary and the deputy chief of the bureau, He Shengli.[28][29] The Chinese government had sacked railways minister Liu Zhijun in February 2011, for allegedly taking over 800 million yuan in kickbacks connected with contracts for high-speed rail expansion.[5] Zhang Shuguang, the deputy chief engineer of China's railways, was also arrested in February 2011 and alleged to have amassed $2.8 billion in overseas accounts.[30] The government ordered a two-month nationwide safety campaign on 26 July, as the families of victims demanded more answers. Sheng Guangzu apologised for the collision on behalf of the Railways department and said the campaign would focus on improving China's high-speed network.[31]
Government officials had not explained by 25 July why the second train was apparently not warned of the disabled one before the crash took place.[7][32]
Lawyers in China were ordered by the Wenzhou Judicial Bureau not to take on cases from the families of the crash victims. According to a statement issued by the Wenzhou Lawyers' Association, lawyers were told not to take cases because "the accident is a major sensitive issue concerning social stability". The Wenzhou Judicial Bureau later apologized for the statement, saying its wording had been formulated by the Lawyers' Association and had not been approved.[33]
The Wenzhou train collision had an immediate and major effect on China's high-speed rail program. The Chinese government formed a commission to investigate the accident[34] with a directive to report its findings in September 2011. On 10 August 2011 the Chinese government announced that it was suspending approvals of any new high-speed rail lines pending the outcome of the investigation.[35][36] The Minister of Railways announced further cuts in the speed of Chinese high-speed trains, with the speed of the second-tier 'D' trains reduced from 250 to 200 km/h (155 to 124 mph).[37] The speed of the remaining 350 km/h (220 mph) trains between Shanghai and Hangzhou was reduced to 300 km/h (186 mph) as of 28 August 2011.[38] To stimulate ridership, which had suffered due to concerns about safety, on 16 August 2011 ticket prices on Chinese high-speed trains were reduced by 5 percent.[39]
The train crash sparked public anger on the safety of high speed trains in China and on the handling of the accident, even in otherwise tightly controlled Chinese media.[40] Quality and safety concerns will likely have a serious impact on China's ambition to export cheap high speed train technology to other countries.[41]
In November 2011, the state-controlled Beijing News reported that an investigation by the Chinese government into the collision has concluded that "poor management of the local railway administration" was to blame.[42] The final report, which was released after a delay in December, found 54 officials responsible along with flaws in the design of the local control centre and some onboard components.[43]
The Chinese authorities have been accused of attempting to silence reports into the cause of the crash. The Chinese Communist Party's propaganda department has reportedly ordered the media not to send reporters to the scene, not to report too frequently and not to link the story to high-speed rail development.[44][45] Thompson Reuters reported that the propaganda department issued directives to the nation's media instructing them to not question or elaborate on reports of the train crash. In their coverage, media were directed to promote the theme 'in the face of great tragedy, there's great love.'[46] Xinhuanet released a number of state-sponsored, touching stories as Propaganda Department's indication, such as "Love in this sublimation," "a city of love and warm" and comments.[47][48] Still, according to the BBC, several Chinese newspapers published editorials criticising the railway ministry, and the state-run Global Times had an unusually scathing editorial.[49]
On Friday, 29 July a second directive was issued banning all coverage of the story 'except positive news or that issued by the authorities'; the sudden ban forced newspapers to scrap seven-day anniversary stories they had prepared. The China Business Journal scrapped eight pages, 21st Century Business Herald twelve pages and the Beijing News nine pages. The state-run Xinhua newswire was forced to warn subscribers not to use an investigative report it had issued.[50] The ban was flouted[51] by Beijing-based weekly The Economic Observer, which published an eight-page feature[52] on 30 July, with a front-page letter pledging to pursue the truth on behalf of Xiang Weiyi, the 2-year-old survivor who was orphaned in the crash.
On 28 December 2011 the official accident investigation report presented to the State Council was released to the public.[20][53][54] According to this report, the accident occurred due to severe defects in the design of control center equipment, lax equipment inspection and failure to adequately respond to equipment malfunction caused by lightning.[55][56] The report names 54 officials as bearing responsibility for the accident and the botched rescue effort.[55] The most senior official implicated in the report is former minister Liu Zhijun, who had been detained on corruption charges before the accident, but nonetheless is accused of improperly raising the operating speed of the Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou Railway and compressing the construction schedule of the railway, which resulted in curtailed safety inspection of the line.[56] He is also blamed for failing to assign proper duties to a newly created office within the MOR to oversee passenger-dedicated high-speed railway lines, failing to resolve bureaucratic overlap in the oversight of HSR safety within the Ministry that weakened regulatory oversight, and failing to direct subordinates to institute proper review and inspection procedures for newly developed signaling equipment, which led the defective LKD2-T1 signal equipment to be put into operation.[56] Other senior MOR officials cited include deputy minister Lu Dongfu, MOR chief engineer He Huawu and former MOR deputy chief engineer Zhang Shuguang.[56]
The report also assigns fault to executives and engineers of the China Railway Signal & Communications Corp., which designed, produced and installed the defective equipment, executives of the Jingfu Railway (Anhui) Corporation, which permitted the faulty equipment to be installed improperly in breach of the contractual terms.[56] Numerous officials of the Shanghai Railway Bureau, which operates the line, are also singled out for blame including former bureau chief Long Jing, who was fired shortly after the accident, as well as deputy bureau chief, Wang Feng, who ordered that wrecked train carriages be buried in pits dug on-site.[56] The chief and deputy chief of Wenzhou South Station are faulted for inadequate oversight of employees.[56] Among the most junior persons cited is Zang Kai, a worker at Wenzhou South Station who discovered signal failure on the D3212 Train but, in breach of protocol, failed to file a log report of the malfunction and did not communicate with the D301 Train.[56]
Whether or not you believe [this explanation], I believe it.
— Wang Yongping, Ministry of Railways spokesman
On orders from the authorities, the rescue effort concluded less than a day following the accident, and the damaged train cars were seen being broken apart by backhoes and buried nearby.[57][58] The Railway Ministry justified the burial by claiming that the trains contained valuable "national level" technology that could be stolen.[59] However, hours after the rescuers had been told to stop searching for survivors, a 2-year-old girl was found alive in the wreckage.[57]
Chinese media was especially skeptical of the rescue efforts, particularly the burial of trains. In a press conference, the spokesman of the Railway Ministry, Wang Yongping, said that the burial was for facilitating the rescue work. The answer prompted heckling and gasps of disbelief from the journalists assembled. Wang then said to the press, "whether or not you believe [this explanation], I believe it." ("至于你信不信,我反正信了.")[60] This phrase eventually became an internet meme. When asked why a little girl was found after the rescue work had been announced finished, Wang said, "This was a miracle. We did find a living girl in the work thereafter. That was what happened." ("这是一个奇迹。我们确实在后面的工作当中发现了一个活着的女孩,事情就是这个样子.")[61] There was no evidence that experts or officials entered the front car to investigate the cause of the accident when it was buried.[62] Families of the victims of the crash were outraged at what they viewed was an inadequate investigation, as well as poor organisation and relief in the aftermath of the disaster.[63] Images of the wreckage being shovelled into the pits were circulated widely on the Internet, and led to speculation over a possible mishandling by the government or concealing evidence crucial for the ongoing investigation.[24]
If nobody can be safe, do we still want this speed? Can we drink a glass of milk that's safe? Can we stay in an apartment that will not fall apart? Can the roads we travel on in our cities not collapse? Can we travel in safe trains? And if and when a major accident does happen, can we not be in a hurry to bury the trains?
— Qiu Qiming, CCTV anchor
Despite reported directives from the Propaganda Department, Chinese media, both independent and state-owned, directly criticized the Ministry of Railways and voiced their skepticism of the government. Such challenges to officially-sanctioned orthodoxy were bold and rare, particularly on programs aired on China's state-owned television.
In one instance, in response to Wang Yongping's assurance at the press conference that the Chinese railway system was running on "advanced technology", news anchor Bai Yansong retorted on CCTV, "The technology may be advanced, but is your management advanced? Are your standard operating procedures advanced? Is the supervision advanced? Is your respect for people advanced? Are all the minute details advanced? At the end of the day, is your overall operational capability advanced?"[64]
Similarly, Qiu Qiming of CCTV program 24-Hours launched into an on-air tirade about Chinese society: "If nobody can be safe, do we still want this speed? Can we drink a glass of milk that's safe? Can we stay in an apartment that will not fall apart? Can the roads we travel on in our cities not collapse? Can we travel in safe trains? And if and when a major accident does happen, can we not be in a hurry to bury the trains? Can we afford the people a basic sense of security? China, please slow down. If you're too fast, you may leave the souls of your people behind."[65]
Qi Qixin, a professor at the Transportation Research Institute of Beijing University of Technology, remarked that "the problem may have come from the mistakes of dispatching management, instead of technological failure," and "The system should have an ability to automatically issue a warning or even stop a train under such circumstances," in a press release.[7] Ren Xianfang, senior analyst at IHS Global Insight in Beijing, said that the pace of development in China had been "phenomenal", but warned it could not be sustained in the long run.[5]
The driver of the crashed train, Pan Yiheng, was hailed as a hero in some quarters on 26 July, for preventing the disaster from becoming worse. He tried to brake the train to keep it from crashing into the rear of the train ahead; he was killed when the brake handle pierced his chest in the crash. It has been stated that had he not acted, at least one more train car would have been derailed, likely increasing the death toll.[66]
Internet users were sceptical that the crash was caused by a natural disaster, instead blaming officials, with one frequently forwarded comment on Sina Weibo microblogging service stating "When a country is so corrupt that one lightning strike can cause a train crash ... none of us are exempt. China today is a train rushing through a lightning storm ... we are all passengers".[44]
MOR Spokesman Wang Yongping gained particular notoriety online, with netizens parodying his various statements and attacking his credibility and character. Numerous cartoons, and even a music video ridiculing him, appeared.[67] On 16 August, he was dismissed from the Ministry of Railways, ostensibly because of his botched handling of the press conference. Wang endured severe stress throughout the negative publicity online, and he was eventually transferred to a position at the Organization for Cooperation of Railways in Poland on 18 August. In reaction, a web post commented sarcastically "Quick! Sell all your Polish high-speed rail stocks!"[67] Some commentators defended Wang, saying he was merely a scapegoat in a corrupt system.[67]
Shares in CSR Corp., which built one of the two trains in a joint venture with Canada's Bombardier Inc, fell by 14%, while China Automation Group Ltd., which was responsible for the design and production of the safety and control systems for railways, saw its shares fall by 19% in Hong Kong on 24 and 25 July.[68] China Rail Construction, builder of more than half of the nation's rail links since 1949, fell 6.7%.[58] Shares in China Railway Group also temporarily slid down 7.7%. The high-speed rail woes added to negative market sentiment from the US debt deadlock, sending the Shanghai Composite Index down 3 per cent to 2,688.75.[7] CNR shares fell 9.7%.[58]
An official at Saudi Railways Organization, the kingdom's train network operator, declined to comment on the Chinese crash or whether it might affect the company's decision to award a part of a 2009 $1.8 billion rail contract to a Chinese company.[7] Edwin Merner, the president of Atlantis Investment Research Corp. in Tokyo, reckoned the crash would cause a temporary loss of trust in Chinese railway technology.[58]
The crash drew sharp contrasts between China and Japan, with both Chinese online commentators and international publications pointing out that Japan has never experienced a crash on its high-speed rail lines, despite being in operation for over forty years.[69] Many Japanese experts zoomed in on the accident, which was headlined on the front page in almost all major Japanese newspapers the morning after it occurred. In an editorial titled "Chinese government must stop cover-ups, trivializing life", the Daily Yomiuri called for the national overhaul of signaling systems and lauded the role of social media. The Economist editorialized strongly against the Chinese government, asserting that the accident has "shown the limits of dictatorship."[69] At Miller-McCune, Shank and Wasserstrom opined that the crash marks a serious "legitimacy crisis" for the Chinese government and could mark the end of a "confident era."[70] David Bandurski wrote in the International Herald Tribune that the accident and its response was "emblematic of a callous, unresponsive political culture that prioritizes instant results over public well-being and accountability." Bandurski called China's high-speed rail development an unsustainable venture mired by political intrigue, corruption, and a 'Great Leap Forward'-style mentality.[71]
Conversely, Robert Zeliger of Foreign Policy drew comparisons between China's railway safety record and those of India and the United States. Citing journalist Lloyd Lofthouse, Zeliger points out that between 2007 and the time of the Wenzhou crash, 20% of the 177 accidents during this period actually occurred in the United States, 15% in India, and only 4% in China. He highlighted the much higher death toll of accidents on India's railways.[72] Meanwhile, the Hindustan Times, while criticizing the Chinese government's response, recognized the need for India to "learn from" China's accident and apply further scrutiny to its own rail networks.[73]
|url= missing title (help).


text:
The World : North America : USA : Chicago
The Ledge at Sears Tower (Willis Towe...
Loading ...
Panoramic photo by Jeffrey Martin Taken 11:07, 29/07/2009 - Views
The Ledge at Sears Tower (Willis Tower) Skydeck
The World > North America > USA > Chicago
(Note: A big thanks to the great Willy Kaemena for getting this panorama stitched so quickly while I'm on holiday! Thanks Willy!)
Here is the window box known as THE LEDGE - at the "skydeck" on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower (recently renamed to Willis Tower but no one seems amused by that). This glass box / Ledge is one of four located at the observation deck of the Sears Tower.
I had heard about this a few weeks ago and promised myself to take a trip here. Somehow I didn't think this would be a big deal - hey, just pay some money and take an elevator to the top, right? I forgot that the Sears Tower (now known as Willis Tower because some jokers RENTED 3 floors of the thing) is a world-class tourist destination and one of the must-sees in Chicago. On top of that, these glass window boxes have been getting some serious international press these days. So this is what it took to get here. Your mileage may vary.
1. Wait in 1/2 hour line outside in baking sunshine
2. Take elevator DOWN. Wait in a second line in basement, in the name of security - metal detector, etc.
3. through the metal detector, now there is a movie - some historical short film about the tower. Our two babies aren't so interested in this. However it's required. Only if you pay EXTRA you are able to NOT WATCH the movie :-D So instead we wait outside. We cannot go straight to the elevator. only those who bought the "fast pass" can really skip it. We wait outside until
it's finished.
4. Another (short) line to the elevator.
5. Elevator going up. Breast feeding the little one to avoid painful ears. The bigger one sleeps.
6. At the top! It's a busy day (monday morning!). Lots and lots of people. Look for the glass box.
7. Another line. Everyone wants to see the damn glass box. Is it worth it? I'm guessing not.
8. Our line halts. Some video camera man has cut to the front and has his tripod set up with the blessing of the security guards.
9. Line isn't moving. lots of people in front. We switch to another line. (there are 3 of these windows - 1 is out of order)
10. Finally. At the edge. This won't be scary at all, I think to myself. Camera ready. (no tripod)
Looking down.... Holy #@$(*#, this is scary. Whooooaaaa this is really scary!!! Take a very cautious step, and another. Whoahohoho this is scary.
So, that's the skydeck of the Sears (Willis) Tower. Pretty Amazing. Yes, it's worth it.
Do you want to get on the Ledge? ( http://www.360cities.net/image/sears-tower-skydeck-window-chicago/...
The spectacular view from the Skydeck of the Wilis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, in downt...
Willis Tower (formerly named and still commonly referred to as Sears Tower) is a 108-story, 1,451-foo...
Wikipedia: "Willis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, is a 108-story 1,450 feet (442 m) skyscraper in...
June 2007 Chicago in front of Sears Tower. WIKIPEDIA: "Willis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, is a...
Willis Tower (formerly named and still commonly referred to as Sears Tower) is a 108-story, 1,451-foo...
More interactive content like this at bestpanoramas.com Follow me on Twitter One of my favorite panor...
Downtown Chicago a few blocks from Sears Tower and Union Station
Ranked No. 41 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies, CDW is a principal source of te...
Overview and History
Chicago, the windy city. Tough cops, friendly people, blues, stock yards, football and house music! Come on in, the water's fine! (you will freeze your heinie off in that lake, boy!)
It's another one of those names corrupted from Indian words. The Miami-Illinois indians used the word "shikaakwa," which originally meant "striped skunk" in reference to wild leeks.
Chicago plunked down on the edge of Lake Michigan barely one hundred and fifty years before deep-dish pizza was invented there. Nobody knows how people survived before this culinary delight bubbled up from the subterranean empire to decimate your diet.
The first trading post showed up in Chicago in the late eighteenth century. It was followed by U.S. Army Fort Dearborne, which was eradicated in the war of 1812 at what is known as the Fort Dearborne Massacre.
Chicago has three million people and is the third-biggest city in the United States. It grew up quickly, being incorporated as a city only in 1837. As they say, location is everything, and Chicago used its central position to become the primary railroad hub linking the eastern and western United States. Nice one. This allowed such later innovations as mail-order retailing and the Pullman sleeping car.
The eastern states in the U.S. were settled on foot and on horseback, but the western states were laid out by railroad. Just look at the straight lines on the map and you'll see. Except where a state has a river for one of its borders, it's all surveyors and transits making those long cuts across the open terrain.
Cowboys drove herds of cattle across these plains and ended up in the Chicago stockyards. The advent of refrigerated rail cars opened up the potential of shipping butchered meat across long distances, and the beef industry took off running, trampling several vegetarians in its path.
Along with the beef industry comes a lot of cow poo (bullshit, people) and Chicago took some rather extreme measures to deal with it. First, the city built the inaugural United States sewage system and directed the "runoff" into the Chicago river, so it could go out into the lake and stop stinking up the place.
Oops! The steers were smuggling so much poo into Chicago that it began polluting the city's fresh water supply, which also came from the lake. Human growth thus officially surpassed Nature's capacity for filtration and detoxification. There was too much manure for the lake to handle.
Stop the cattle money train, what are you nuts? Let's go BIG! The Chicagoan solution to this problem was to reverse the flow of the Chicago river by connecting it to the Mississippi with a canal, and send the dirty doo-doo downstream. The Illinois-Michigan canal was the result, running from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River for barges going south to the Gulf of Mexico. Barges and fertilizer. Smells like money to me, boy! Transportation to the southern states
Then what happened? The Chicago Fire struck in 1871 and destroyed a third of the city, the business district included. Rebuilding in style, Chicago erected the world's first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building. This was so revolutionary that it launched an entire school of architecture.
Chicago is famous in American culture for a few other fun inventions, such as the 1893 World's Fair, Al Capone the gangster, and the Manhattan Project which created the world's first controlled nuclear reaction.
The bustling economy and central location placed Chicago at a crossroads for American music and culture. Black Americans coming up from the South in the 1920's brought jazz and blues music with them, and three generations later that same spirit sprung back out to become house music, invented by Jesse Saunders and Frankie Knuckles among other geniuses.
Getting There
Three big ones: O'Hare, Midway and Gary-Chicago Internatonal Airports. O'Hare is one of the busiest in the world, claiming to be number two on the list amidst hot contention in a world-wide battle to the finish.
You can use Chicago's excellent public transportation to get from the airports into the city, or take a shuttle bus, taxi or private limousine. Here are some maps.
Getting around within Chicago is easy. The whole system is called the Chicago Transit Authority or CTA. They offer an elevated train (commonly called the "L"), commuter trains and buses. Fares are $2 per ride.
The city is laid out in a grid with its center being the intersection of State and Madison streets. From there, the addresses radiate outwards with numbers increasing in increments of 100 per block -- a bike messenger's dream come true.
And Chicago is one of the most biker-friendly cities in the U.S. Even a city-sponsored bike map!
People and Culture
Diversity is the word. Black, white, hispanic, it's all mixed up here. You've got history from German people, Polish, Irish, Scandinavian, and Italians, AND, Chicago has the second largest population of Serbians after Belgrade!
Things to do & Recommendations
You've got tons of museums and galleries to explore here. The Art Institute of Chicago and Science Central are good ones to start with, then go poke around on Navy Pier when you want to go for a walk.
You've got to have some local food here. Chicago pizza is a national treasure.
Night life: go dancing here, I don't care what anybody says. There's Hydrate, Crobar (admittedly it's a chain) to get you going. From there, ask around to find the local spots we can't tell you about until we see you sweaty and smiling at 5am.
Neighborhoods to investigate in between everything else:
Local words of wisdom from the Mighty Emily D:
"Ok if you want a good hotdog, blink and one will appear; nearly every neighborhood has a good, cheap hotdog joint.
If you want a Chicago special, go to Hot Doug's on the northside, the "Sausage Superstore and Encased Meats Emporium". Get the duck-fat-fries. Be prepared for lines out onto the street right after the doors open. Doug is at 3324 N. California Ave and is at the counter to take your order.
For a good time go to Timber Lanes. Good for cheap beer and a jukebox filled with Journey. 1851 W. Irving Park Rd. Hard to find hole in the wall. No strobe lights. Just good, clean bowling fun.
The Inner Town Pub is off the overly-beaten-path in Wicker Park. Since it's not on the main drag, it is naturally a favorite spot for the hipsters. Despite the crowd, it still offers wonderful visions of sugarplum deerheads, animatronic santa claus(es), Schlitz, stale popcorn, and real live mustaches. Inner Town Pub is at 1935 W. Thomas St.
If you are searching for the perfect Louis XIV style couch and a long flowing wig, check out the furniture and wig district at the 1300-1400 N. Milwaukee Ave drag.
If you want to park your car in a dangerous spot while visiting, I recommend the alleyway that runs parallel to the train tracks.
I lived across the street and saw a man eat a very bloody rat next to my car there.
For shopping/fooding/playing, continue walking north towards one of Chicago's Five Corners: the intersection of North Ave, Milwaukee Ave and Division St. It is the hub of cheesy bars, a Blue Line stop, second-hand/boutique clothes, used books, Fluvog shoes (!) booze and good late-night music. (and more banks popping up by the minute.)
That's that."
Text by Steve Smith.

subset: commoncrawl


text: You will discover the newest and biggest assortment of NPS Corporation Lab Safety at LabPlanet. The top name brand NPS Corporation Lab Safety are found here at LabPlanet, the experts in Lab Safety. You can always look forward to the most competitive prices from LabPlanet, and for most online orders more than $29.95 you receive FREE S&H. We normally ship next day, so your item will be at your doorstep fast. You can rest assured knowing that most NPS Corporation Lab Safety for sale at our online store are brand new and supported by a full manufacturer's warranty and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Each customers is different. We understand this and do our best to provide more information than our competition to help our online shoppers make the best decision. Browse how to where we give you quality suggestions on finding the optimal NPS Corporation product to meet your specifications. The first place to express your thoughts and seek advice is our . Call, chat or e-mail; they can respond to any concern in regards to your NPS Corporation Lab Safety. As you are aware, you can rest easy about your decision we have all the important information you need to make a wise decision. We also offer unbelievable reliability throughout the checkout stage. Our secure servers, our Better Business Bureau status, and our Yahoo Fraud Prevention Policy all assist to ensure your privacy. We were also given the distinctive Internet Top 500 label. At LabPlanet, our online shoppers will uncover a great combination of the best selection of quality NPS Corporation products at low pricing with helpful customer service, and a leading product expertise. We also have a simple return policy that will render you speechless.


text:
The exhibition will run from August 5-7, 2013 at The Koa Art Gallery with a reception on Wednesday, August 7th from 5-7pm.
We hope that you'll be able to join us!
|The Koa Art Gallery's Student Art Show 2013. Featured artwork: Strength (2013) by Nicki Ralar
|Black and white photographs being positioned for installation
|Installation tools
|Gallery manager Rosie Eckerman and our main installation guy,
Jeremy Shea handling a large display case
|Jeremy looking for the right nails and screws to hang artwork
|Jeremy taking measurements
|We also had help from our most recent intern, Shaemus Tarrant.
He's with us all the way from Australia!
|Installation view of a finished wall. Looking good!
|The creative process: Koa Gallery director, David Behlke conversing with student installation personnel.
|Gallery assistants Jeremy Shea and Nicki Ralar contemplate the perfect placement for a painting by Russell Sunabe
|Nicki assists gallery director, David Behlke arranging early illustrations by Russell Sunabe
|Another painting by Russell Sunabe
|Installation is a painstaking but rewarding process. Director Behlke discusses placement with an installation assistant


text:
By mitchp
via java.dzone.com
Published: Jan 25 2012 / 09:31
It's time to brush up on your understanding of various search scenarious in the human-information seeking process. This this paper from EuroHCIR 2011 should provide some excellent research to think about. It's also available in pdf form from the HCIR website.


text:
Route Guide - iPhone / Android - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New - School of Rock
Routes Sorted
L to R R to L Alpha
This short little pitch has really cool rock, all the black quartz knobs remind me of Sierra granite. There used to be an old buttonhead that somebody has chopped in the last 4 years that protected the final move onto the shoulder, lame. But you still don't really need it if you just came up one of the Thumb routes, your already prepared.
Once you top out the upper slab on the Thumb hike up along the west side of the Thumb proper. You will be hiking in steep dirt with the occasional bouldering move. From the notch that separates the summit from the land form hang to the south. The Summit pitch climbs the north side of the block.
A big nut for the first step over move from the notch.


text:
Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort
Caneel Bay is an exclusive resort located on the remote island of St. John, in the heart of the United States Virgin Islands. Nestled within the lush island greenery of the Virgin Islands National Park, this 170-acre resort boasts 7 secluded beaches overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea...more
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
Nestled within a 30-acre beachfront estate, The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas blends classic European elegance with warm Caribbean hospitality. The resort overlooks sparkling turquoise waters and white-sand beaches on the eastern tip of the island and features 180 guestrooms...more
The Westin St. John Resort & Villas On Great Cruz Bay, surrounded by lush green hills of the emerald isle, lies The Westin Resort, St. John. Just minutes from the pristine Virgin Islands National Park, the resort is grand in terms of seclusion and abundant activity...more
Marriott Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort
Overlooking gossamer ribbons of turquoise and azure water, brilliant bougainvilleas and impossibly blue skies, you find yourself swept up in a moment that could happen here at Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort in romantic St. Thomas...more
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort is a fun, casual, 65 room resort with Caribbean flair nestled along a 1000 foot palm lined beach overlooking the Caribbean. Guests can choose either the European Plan or an All Inclusive Plan...more
Secret Harbour Beach Resort
Situated on over four acres of tropically landscaped beachfront & hillside, this all-suite Beachfront and ocean view resort is nestled on a tranquil crescent- shaped bay, fringed with palm trees with dramatic views of the Caribbean waters...more
Point Pleasant Resort
Point Pleasant Resort is a 128-villa style resort nestled on a 15-acre preserve. The resort offers three intimate pools and sun decks nestled among the lush hillside, cozy hammocks hidden high above the horizon and a secluded beach at the foot of the nature trail...more
Sapphire Beach Condominiums
Sapphire Beach Resort and Marina, while we may never find true perfection in this world, there are certain places that come wonderfully close. This resort is just such a place. A Caribbean vacation at Sapphire is as close to paradise as you'll find this side of heaven...more


text:
Appartements AJO Johann - City Wien Leopoldstadt(3 stars)Engerthstraße 217 View on map
Unfortunately there are no hotel reviews available. Be the first to review Appartements AJO Johann - City Wien Leopoldstadt and help other guests.
Show on map:
We are searching for the best available offers...
Information about Appartements AJO Johann - City Wien Leopoldstadt
Hotel Information
Hotel amenities
- Non-smoking room
- Internet
- Central heating
- Car park
Room amenities
- Writing bureau
- Satellite TV
- Fan
- Coffee and tea
- Bathroom
Other hotel information
- Gay friendly
- Pets allowed
- All public and private areas are no smoking zones
Nearby - Hotels and Things to do
- Hotels
- Things to do & See


text:
One-stop shop for your property
Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia & Bulgaria
      Client Online Login
Future City / Salwator City, Krakow
Future City / Salwator City was built by the property developer Salwator.
Future City is located on Staniczyka street in Bronowice, Krakow.
The Future City / Salwator City development is connected by tram (lines 4, 8 & 13) to the city centre which is a short distance away. The area is a quiet residential neighbourhood and is relatively desirable, being close to the city and having road links out of the city.
Apartments on higher floors in Salwator Tower have great views of the city.
With so many apartments being built in one area and so many apartments sold to foreign investors there may be risks of oversupply particularly if an investor has bought in one of the later phases.
Tenants are typically middle class professionals, who can afford that bit quality.
We have a full property management, rental and resale service available for properties in the Future / Salwator City development.
Contact us for a detailed and up to date rental & resale quote for your property in Krakow.
Find out more about our Polish property management services here.


text:
Videos > Danielle Maye > Danielle Maye clicking her wet clit bean
Twistys At Twistys you are guaranteed to have access to videos of the hottest stars in the industry. With daily video updates, over 1 million scorching photos, and more girls than u can shake your dick at, you wont know what to fap off to first!
Featured Pornstars:
- Danielle Maye


text:
This is a tweet from Jon Heyman:
Millwood has deal with #mariners
One way of reading this is "Kevin Millwood has signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners."
Another way of reading this is "Kevin Millwood has joined his fourth organization since last March."
It's true. A free agent last winter, Millwood signed with the Yankees on March 25. He went to the minors and became a free agent again on May 1. He signed with the Red Sox on May 19. He stayed in the minors and became a free agent again on August 6. He signed with the Rockies on August 8. He went to the majors and posted a 3.98 ERA! Then he became a free agent again. Now he's a Mariner.
He's a Mariner on a minor league contract, Heyman says. But Millwood has to be considered a strong favorite to make the Mariners' rotation out of camp. There's uncertainty behind Felix Hernandez and Jason Vargas, as Hisashi Iwakuma dealt with shoulder problems last season and will be transitioning from Japan, Hector Noesi started just seven games all year, and Blake Beavan and Charlie Furbush are youngsters with their own questions.
Millwood's not a rotation lock, but he's a rotation probable. It doesn't hurt that Mariners manager Eric Wedge and pitching coach Carl Willis had him with the Indians in 2005. Veteran leadership and all that. Millwood could be expected to serve as a stabilizing force and mentor until or through midseason. He's a stopgap, but he's a stopgap who could conceivably be of use in the development of guys like Noesi, Beavan, Furbush and Danny Hultzen.
Millwood was effective with the Rockies last season in nine starts. Over the last three seasons overall, he's posted a 103 ERA+ with two strikeouts for every walk. To add a little color, the story of his signing with Seattle was first broken by his sister on Facebook:
So the Mariners' fan base just grew.


text:
Erie Police and the Erie County Coroner are on the scene of a body found in Roger Young Park.
Little information is known at this time. The body appears to be that of a male, black and perhaps in his 20's or 30's.
The area is being treated as a crime scene and the death is being considered suspicious but that is standard police procedure.
In fact, initial reports from the scene say that there is no obvious reason to suspect foul play at this time.
Look for more on this investigation on WICU TV 12 and SEE NEWS.


text:
Berlin Senate
Berlin Senate
The tourism and congress business have developed into a main pillar of the Berlin economy – these economic factors, which are important for the State of Berlin, will be sustainably promoted and strengthened by measures from visitBerlin: the prime aim of our company is the increasing net value creation and thus the targeted tourist marketing of Berlin as an important contribution to the business development of the city. In cooperation with the Berlin Senate and other partners of the city, we carry out professional city marketing for the German capital city.
Along with many other projects this close cooperation has also been reflected online since the beginning of 2010: the city portal www.berlin.de and the tourism portal www.visitBerlin.de have concluded a strategic cooperation agreement to communicate current information about the city to Berliners and visitors to Berlin, and to present attractive offers, particularly in the hotel sector.
Apart from that the city's marketing campaign www.be.Berlin.de is the main visual when promoting Berlin in the tourism and convention industry.
- SeeMust Sees in Berlin: top sights, Museums and city tours — all at a glance!
- Sightseeing
- Museums + Art
- Sightseeing Tours
- Group travel to Berlin
- Berlins locations of world history
- ExperiencePackage offerWhat's going on in Berlin? Berlin events, insider tips for shopping, dining, and nightlife in Berlin.
- Events
- Shopping
- Food + Drinks
- Nightlife
- Berlin offers more
- Autumn in Berlin
- InformPractical information for your stay in Berlin: map, Berlin's districts, public transport and Berlin Tourist Infos.
- City info
- Travel information
- Tourist Information
- Group travel to Berlin
- Find + BookBook your trip to Berlin: hotels in Berlin, the Berlin WelcomeCard, tickets and package offers.
- Berlin WelcomeCard Package offerThe ultimate Berlin ticket: the Berlin WelcomeCard. Find out where you can get discounts and read all about our Berlin tours.
- Tours + Savings
- Product information
- Partners
- visitBerlin-Shop


text:
By SAMANTHA MANNING 6 News Reporter
MARYVILLE (WATE) - After almost two hours of discussion, the Blount County School Board approved the budget for the 2013-2014 school year during Thursday's meeting.
The school district has a budget next year totaling $81 million, which is roughly $1.6 million less than the board had this year.
The district was hoping to see up to $2.5 million more in revenue generated from a wheel tax, but it was voted down in a referendum earlier this month.
"It certainly would have been a step forward as opposed to now we're having to take a rather large step backward," Blount County Director of Schools Rob Britt said.
More than 20 teachers and almost 50 part-time teaching assistants will be cut along with a guidance counselor, assistant principal and two custodians.
The district is also cutting new funds for textbooks, library books and new technology.
"In five, ten or fifteen years there's no way that our children can appreciate the budgets and the priorities that our community has placed on education," Blount County School Board Member Trevis Gardner said.
Gardner voted against the budget, saying the cuts are too detrimental for the students.
The board did approve an amendment that would save 42 teaching assistants from being laid off, but it's contingent upon county commission approval because the money will in part be coming from increased projected sales tax revenue.
1306 N. Broadway NE Knoxville, Tennessee 37917
Telephone: 865.637.NEWS(6397)
Fax: 865.525.4091
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
This results in a non-toxic, realistic fake blood or stage blood.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:
- Mix creamy peanut butter with a sufficient amount of white corn syrup to make a runny mixture.
- Add (non-sudsy) soap and food colors and mix well.
- Stir more corn syrup in until the desired consistency for your fake blood is reached.
- Refrigerate unused fake blood in an airtight container.
- Inexpensive white corn syrup is said to be thicker and more suitable for the fake blood than its costlier relatives.
What You Need:
- 1 c (250mL) peanut butter
- 1 qt. (1 L) corn syrup
- 1/2 cup (125mL) soap
- 1 oz (30mL) red color
- 15 drops blue food color


text:
If you are like me, you are tired of the gong show surrounding suspensions in the NHL. Whining coaches, players and GM's, the scrutiny on Shanahan, the inconsistency of the calls, out of touch fines etc, etc......etc. I have a solution that just may work to clean up the whole mess and make the NHL look a little less bush league in the process.
For years, we have heard Don Cherry, Mike Milbury and a host of other blowhards speak about how if they let the players police the action, there would be far fewer of these head shots, intentional knees, boardings and other "lack of respect" infractions in the NHL. In my opinion, they are half right, the players do need to be able to police the action but not with their fists.
My solution is the players discipline committee. Under this structure, just as every team has a player union rep, each team would have a discipline rep who would be the captain or someone designated by the captain. These players would sit on a 5 man suspension committee. Each division polices another division in the other conference. This way 1) it can't be maintained that the decisions are being made to influence a teams position in the standings or playoff run because the disciplinarians have no dog in the fight, 2) emotions over the in question players past conduct with the decision makers would not permeate the discussion because the teams with players involved only play each other twice a year.
Under the first phase of the new regime, the league, who sets and controls the rules and owns the on ice product may designate a hit from a previous game a suspension offense. From that point on it moves to committee. The league would send an information package to the members of the discipline committee involved. The package would contain 1) video of the infraction from all angles available, 2)the player in question's disciplinary record,3) medical prognosis on the injured player and 4) the game situation under which it occurred, time, score etc. Each player rep would watch and read the package and then indicate the suspension warranted. (must be at least one game if league determines it to be suspendable. The league would then give the average of the 5 suggested suspensions. Fines will be tied to salary and remitted to a league charity as would be forfeited salary. (Call me a Commie, but owners should not receive a windfall from the bad conduct of their employees.
The benefits of this are many.
1. Players have control of the product and can't complain about result.
2. Responsibility for the suspension is spread so the whipping boy aspect is eliminated
3. Coaches and GM's will bitch and moan less about the length of the suspension because taking league players to task over this will make them unpopular amongst the players.
4. Retribution will hopefully give way to justice as players will feel like the in question player got what was coming to them and it was delivered by the players.
5. The league will look good because it appears that players are now involved in decisions involving player safety and can enforce their own "code" without dropping gloves.


text:
Sonic X-treme
|Sonic X-treme
Conceptual box art of Sonic X-treme.
|Sega Technical Institute
|Chris Senn
Chris Coffin
|Mike Wallis
|Hirokazu Yasuhara (head designer)
|Ofer Alon
|Ross Harris
Fei Chang
Richard Wheeler
Stieg Hedlund
Alan Ackerman
|Howard Drossin
|Sonic the Hedgehog
|Sega Saturn
|Release date(s)
Sonic X-treme is a cancelled platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Early versions were considered for several systems until ending up as being developed by Sega for the Sega Saturn, with the intended release being around Christmas of 1996. However, after getting stuck in development hell and missing that deadline, the game was eventually cancelled. Had it been finished, it would have been the first fully 3D Sonic game and the first original Sonic title developed for the Sega Saturn.
Mega Drive/Genesis and 32X years[edit]
Development of the game was started by Sega Technical Institute, a U.S.-based developer that had worked on games such as Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Sonic Spinball. It was originally developed for several other Sega game consoles prior to the Sega Saturn. In its earliest conception, after the completion of Sonic & Knuckles in 1994, the game was set to be released on the Sega Genesis, as a side-scrolling platform game, much like the first four Sonic games for the same system.[1] As the Genesis was coming upon the end of its lifespan, it was eventually moved to the Sega 32X under the code-name Sonic Mars.[1] (The reason for this name being that the Sega 32X was originally codenamed Sega Mars[2]). This version of the game would have featured Sally Acorn and the other characters from the Saturday morning animated series, Sonic the Hedgehog.[3] Even at this stage, the game's design changed wildly, going from "an isometric view, and a 2.5D side-scroller, but eventually settled on a 3D view set on a floating plane."[1] Eventually designs evolved beyond what the Sega 32X was capable of, and the system itself was struggling sales-wise, so the game, among many in development for the system, was shifted to the Sega Saturn console.[4]
Saturn and PC years[edit]
The game in this form was initially developed separately by two teams in parallel starting in the second half of 1995. One team--led by designer Chris Senn and programmer Ofer Alon--was in charge of developing the main game engine, while the other team--led by programmer Chris Coffin--worked on the "free-roaming, 'arena-style'" 3D boss engine.[5] Senn and Alon's "fixed-camera side-scroller" with the ability "to move freely in all directions" was similar to Bug! and featured a fish-eye camera system (called the "Reflex Lens") that gave players a wide-angle view of the action.[1] Levels appeared to move around Sonic.[5]
In March 1996, Sega of Japan representatives, including CEO Hayao Nakayama went over to STI's headquarters to check up on the game's progress. They were unimpressed at the progress made on the main game engine, but they had actually watched an old, outdated version of the main game's engine.[6] The representatives left before they were allowed to watch the most recent version, but were conversely so impressed by the boss engine that they requested the entire game be reworked to be like that instead.[6] This was devastating to both teams; to Senn and Alon's team because their work was rejected based on outdated work, and Coffin's because they had far more work ahead of them, with a strict December 1996 deadline nearby.[6]
In order to attempt to make this deadline, the team was moved into a place of isolation from further company politics, practically moved into the company's office, and worked sixteen hours a day.[6] Additionally, since their approach was similar to the Nights into Dreams... game engine, they requested if they could have access to it as a starting point. This request was granted; however, after two weeks of work on it, it was taken away, as the company hadn't secured permission from the engine's creator, Yuji Naka, who threatened to leave the company if it was used.[7] This further wasted development time.
Two major hurdles are credited to stopping the project. Senn and Alon had initially continued on with their game engine, undeterred by their work's original rejection, hoping to pitch it to Sega's PC division.[8] However, it was eventually rejected again, and it, along with more company politics, prompted Alon to leave Sega.[8] Secondly, Coffin, who had been overworking non-stop to get the project out, came down with pneumonia.[8]
This solidified the fact that the game could not be released by the end of the December 1996 deadline and thus, the project was cancelled. Instead, for the holiday season in 1996, Sega decided to concentrate on an alternative Sonic project, Sonic 3D Blast, and Nights into Dreams..., the game designed by Sonic original creator Yuji Naka.[8]
For many years, very little content from the game was ever released beyond screenshots that had been released to the media in promotion of the game prior to its cancellation. However, in 2006 a copy of a very early test engine was sold at auction to an anonymous collector who bought it for 2,500 dollars.[9] An animated GIF image of the gameplay was initially released, and the disk image itself was leaked on July 17, 2007 after a fundraising project by the "Assemblergames" website community purchased the disc from the collector.[10]
In 2006, the game's director, Chris Senn, opened the Sonic X-treme Compendium web site and began revealing large amounts of the game's development history to the public, including videos of early footage, a playable character named Tiara, and a large amount of previously unreleased concept music related to the title. He also was given permission by Hirokazu Yasuhara, the level designer for the majority of the original 16-bit Sonic titles, to post level designs that were going to be put in the game. Senn, along with the community, announced intentions to recreate the game,[11] but their efforts deteriorated, and the project was canceled in January 2010.[12]
With the game constantly changing platforms, engines, and development teams, there were many loose storylines in consideration.[13] The main storyline used in promotion of the game in magazines involved a Professor Gazebo Boobowski and his daughter, Tiara, who are the guardians of the six magical Rings of Order, as well as the ancient art of ring-smithing. Gazebo and Tiara fear that Dr. Robotnik is after the six Rings of Order, and call on Sonic to get the Rings before Robotnik can. Dr. Robotnik ends up kidnapping Gazebo after he requests Sonic's help, making it so Sonic has to retrieve both him and the Rings of Order.[13]
To further the traditional "Sonic formula", every level was designed in a tube-like fashion; Sonic would be able to walk onto walls, thus changing the direction of gravity and the rotation of the level itself, much like the special stages in Knuckles' Chaotix. In addition, an unusual, fish-eye lens-styled camera was put into place so players could see more of their surroundings at any given time.[11]
At one point in the development process, there was a possibility for 4 playable characters: Knuckles the Echidna, Tiara Boobowski, Miles "Tails" Prower, and Sonic the Hedgehog,[11] with each character having a unique gameplay style.[14] Knuckles and Tiara would have had traditional-style play, having top-down and side-scrolling views respectively. Sonic had the fish-eye style levels, and Tails would play in first person flight mode. Tiara had the Ice Blade to fight her enemies. Sonic himself was to be equipped with a large set of new moves, including a "spin slash", a ring throwing ability, and a downward dash.
Other characters intended to be included in the game were Nack the Weasel and Metal Sonic, who would have been a boss character in the final level.[13]
There were six planned Zones: Jade Gully, Crystal Frost, Red Sands, Blue Ocean, Metal Blade and Galaxy Fortress.
The Sonic X-treme debacle has been cited as a reason for the ultimate failure of the Sega Saturn.[2][15][16][17] With the Sonic the Hedgehog series being attributed to much of the company's prior system, the Genesis, success, and Sony and Nintendo both having flagship 3D platformers available early in the life cycle of their consoles (Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64 respectively), Sega was expected by fans to follow suit and produce an official 3D Sonic game.[18] With the game's cancellation, the Saturn never did receive an exclusive Sonic platform game, but rather only the Genesis port of Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Jam, a compilation of the 2D Genesis Sonic titles, and Sonic R, a racing game. Sonic's debut in a full 3D platform game wasn't until 1998, with Sonic Adventure as a Dreamcast launch title, well after the discontinuation of the Saturn. The game's cancellation also led to the overworking, and ultimate disbandment, of Sega Technical Institute.[11]
Websites such as Destructoid and GamesRadar have speculated the game could have been a source of inspiration for future games such as 2007's Super Mario Galaxy.[11][19] Many journalists would also note similarities between X-Treme and Sega's 2013 game Sonic Lost World.[20][21][22]
- ^ a b c d "Sonic X-Treme Revisited - Saturn Feature at IGN". Retro.ign.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b "Feature: The Sonic Games That Never Were". Nintendo Life. 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ Sally Acorn and other Freedom Fighters in Sonic Mars
- ^ "Page 3 - The greatest Sonic game we never got ...". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b "Page 4 - The greatest Sonic game we never got ...". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b c d "Page 5 - The greatest Sonic game we never got ...". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "Page 6 - The greatest Sonic game we never got ...". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b c d "Page 7 - The greatest Sonic game we never got ...". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ Snow, Blake (2006-03-09). "Man pays $2500 for Sonic X-treme demo". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ Michael McWhertor (2007-06-04). "Sonic X-Treme "Nights Version"". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b c d e "What could have been: Sonic X-treme". Destructoid. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "Game Forums @ Senntient.com / Public Announcement Regarding Project-S". Senntient.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b c "Sonic X-treme". Retro Junk. 1996-11-30. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "History of Cancelled and Unreleased Video Games - Part II". Vgzero.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ Guest Author. "4 Video Games That Shouldn't Have Been Cancelled". Ruhanirabin.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "What Hath Sonic Wrought? Vol. 10 - Saturn Feature at IGN". Retro.ign.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ by WiNG. "The Rise and Fall of Sonic - Video Game Blog - Gamervision - How Gamers See the World". Gamervision. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "A website about unreleased video games". Lost Levels. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "The greatest Sonic game we never got to play". GamesRadar. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "Sonic Lost World trailer reminds me of Sonic X-treme". Destructoid. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ Zach Walton. "Sonic Lost World Sure Looks A Lot Like Sonic Xtreme". WebProNews. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ Sliwinski, Alexander (2013-05-28). "Sonic: Lost World finds gameplay footage". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-08-01.


text:
ADA Info
Well it's a new year and although the holiday decorations and artworks are about to come down, new posters and displays will be replacing them throughout the next couple of months. All of the submissions for the public bulletin board were awesome! Be on the lookout for upcoming holiday coloring pages. If you have any recommendations or creative ideas you would like to share, please let us know. We are looking forward to putting up more patron-created art in the near future.
Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Makes sense, right? January is the first full month of Winter, and aside from cold soups like gazpacho, soups are traditionally craved, crafted, and consumed during the colder months of the year.
If you want to celebrate National Soup Month by trying your hand at making soup, HCPL has got you covered! You may know that the Dewey Decimal number for general cookbooks is 641.5, but did you know that soup cookbooks have their very own Dewey number? It's 641.813. Of course, many general cookbooks have soup recipes in them, but if you're looking exclusively for soup recipes, you should start at 641.813. Here are a few of the titles you'll find there:
The temperatures are dropping outside while we try to keep warm indoors. Why not warm up with some "cold titles"? We have a selection of books with cool or cold titles. Put them on hold now before these titles become hot!
Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Frozen Heat by Richard Castle
Ice Lake by B.J. Daniels
Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
Ice Cap by Chris Knopf
Cold City by F. Paul Wilson
Christmas overwhelmed me with so much new technology. I wonder what my kids were even thinking. They tell me it is time for me to get with it. If you or anyone else is feeling like this, come by the library every Saturday in the month of January and February. We have (Tech Tutors) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. available to help you. Bring your Nook, Kindle, IPod's, I Pad or any other E-reader. There are books available on our catalog to help. No fear Northwest Branch is here.
Have you seen the recent additions to our public bulletin board? Next time you stroll through the lobby, take a moment and appreciate the colorfully decorated reindeer, snowman, and gingerbread houses of our artistic young patrons. We will continue to put up any holiday or winter themed works brought to us throughout the remainder of the year. Coloring pages are still available and although space is limited, we will display all submissions. Happy Holidays!
Harris County Texas
Mobile Site
About the Library
Locations & Hours
Holiday Closings
Library Cards
Military Library Cards
HCPL Digital Media Catalog
Interlibrary Loan
Meeting Rooms
Purchase Suggestion
Library Jobs
Job Search Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask a Librarian
Staff List
Connect with HCPL
Staff Login
Information for Persons with Disabilities: Harris County Public Library will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who are interested in attending library programs. To make a request for yourself or someone you know, please notify the Branch Librarian two working days in advance of the program.
The Harris County Public Library Website by Harris County Public Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. It is designed for 1024x768 resolution and Internet Explorer 7+, Firefox 3+, and Safari 3+ browsers. For additional information, see our Credits page.


text:
foreword by Richard Saul Wurman Information design is the newest of the design disciplines. As a sign of our times, when the crafting of messages and meaning is so central to our lives, information design is not only important--it is essential. Contemporary information designers seek to edify more than to persuade, to exchange more than to foist upon.
One Rogers Street
Cambridge MA 02142-1209
Suite 2, 1 Duchess Street
London, W1W 6AN, UK
Contact Us


text:
MINNEAPOLIS -- Hennepin County authorities have dropped a felony domestic assault charge against free-agent forward Dante Cunningham. Cunningham was charged in April for allegedly choking his then-girlfriend. Hennepin County prosecutor Mike Freeman made the announcement Monday and said there "is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Cunningham committed the crime. Cunningham maintained his innocence throughout the process. He told The Associated Press he is "ecstatic and ready to move forward in life." Cunningham spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He became a free agent this summer, but several teams told him they would wait for the legal process to play out before considering signing him. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game the past season.Associated Press
Based on conversations I've had with multiple sources, I'm getting mixed signals about his return. Williams said during exit interviews he was looking to land a three-year contract. If he can net that on the free agent market, he's gone. I've read multiple reports suggesting that Dallas is his preferred destination, but a source with knowledge of his thinking told me his camp remains engaged "in conversations with a lot of teams." The Blazers can offer Williams as much as $3.15 million because he's a "non-Bird Rights Free Agent." But they have no intentions of giving him three years. If it becomes clear Williams will have to settle for a one-or two-year deal, the Blazers would still be contenders.Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2014/07/chris_kaman_on_trail_blazers_i_want_to_help_the_te.html
Houston is finalizing a deal to send Omer Asik to New Orleans, league source tells Yahoo Sports.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 26, 2014From the almighty Woj. Rockets clearing cap space to pursue Melo/LBJ.
Pelton: I'd trade LMA for #1 pick
Mark (Portland) [via mobile] Would you trade Aldridge for the #1 pick? To me, it seems like 4 years of low contract plus 4-5 more years after that is better, but most Blazers fans seem to prefer Aldridge.
Kevin Pelton (3:57 PM) I would. To me the big advantage is the low cap number for the No. 1 pick in the summer of 2015, which would give the Blazers the opportunity to re-sign their starters and potentially add someone else. And there's the chance Aldridge walks then, in which case it would be great to get a valuable asset for him. But I can sympathize with fans who don't want to break up a quality team for a player who might never be as good as Aldridge.http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/50763/nba-insider-kevin-pelton
I'd also like to interview Damian Lillard—that shot he made in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets, oh my God. I met him for the first time at the 2012 draft, and you just got that feeling that this kid has got something special. He's been so well grounded and so ready for his first playoff experience, and it would be great to talk to him about that.http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2054437-craig-sager-in-his-own-words-inside-his-recovery-and-the-nba-world-he-misses
"There's a snake in my locker, dog" - T-Robhttp://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/trail-blazers-snake
OpThomas Prime! Because he's a truck/semi.Me, unable to wait for game 1 vs. Spurs.
Don't Underestimate Wesley I'm not sure any player has shuttled between "overpaid" and "underpaid" more often in popular conception since the Blazers swiped Wesley Matthews from Utah via the full midlevel exception. But here he is, humiliating a listless James Harden in the post, raining triples, and hounding Harden on the other end. Matthews can slide to bulkier small forwards if need be, helping to unlock Nic Batum's flexibility on defense. Daryl Morey wishes he had a wing like this.http://grantland.com/features/nba-playoffs-2014-the-power-of-the-pretty-good-guys-gortat-ariza-courtney-lee/
Can confirm Masai Ujiri has spoken with both Adam Silver and Rod Thorn and will not be fined or disciplined re Saturday's pep rally comment— Mike Ganter (@Mike_Ganter) April 21, 2014 Twitter
"No one with the Blazers is complaining about the job Terry Stotts is doing, but team sources say his standing in the locker room would be helped if he made more of a concerted effort to strengthen his relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge, his All-Star forward. Stotts is working on the final season of his contract and there has been no talk of an extension."http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lawrence-all-star-weekend-players-fight-tennessee-tax-article-1.1607126#ixzz2sr30oYpb
As part of the new SB Nation launch, prior users will need to choose a permanent username, along with a new password.
Your username will be used to login to SB Nation going forward.
Please login to your Vox Media account. This account will be linked to your previously existing Eater account.
As part of the new SB Nation launch, prior MT authors will need to choose a new username and password.
Your username will be used to login to SB Nation going forward.
We'll email you a reset link.
If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.
You must be a member of Blazer's Edge to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Blazer's Edge. You should read them.
You must be a member of Blazer's Edge to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Blazer's Edge. You should read them.
Choose an available username to complete sign up.
In order to provide our users with a better overall experience, we ask for more information from Facebook when using it to login so that we can learn more about our audience and provide you with the best possible experience. We do not store specific user data and the sharing of it is not required to login with Facebook.


text:
panchayati raj 3rd grade teacher exam answer key Barmer ,panchayati raj IIIrd
grade teacher Barmer merit list 2013,master Barmer pad merit rankwise list
download, Panchayati Raj Barmer 3rd Grade Answer Key 2013 Primary Higher Level, Barmer
Panchayati Raj 3rd Grade Primary Teacher Answer Key 2013, Panchayati Raj 3rd
Grade Higher Level Teacher Answer Key 2013, Barmerpanchayat.gov.in
Panchayati Raj Department Rajasthan Barmer Jila Parishad conducts the 3rd Grade Teacher primary and Higher Level Exam. Huge Number of Candidates has applied in this Exam. The Candidates who have applied and appeared in this exam are now waits for the answer key.
Panchayati raj Barmer is Going To Release answer key and merit list for Third grade teacher exam 2013.
3rd Grade Hindi Answer Key,
3rd Grade Science Answer Key,
3rd Grade Social Science Answer Key,
3rd Grade English Answer Key,
3rd Grade Mathematics Answer Key
PANCHAYATI RAJ Barmer Dist. 3rd Grade Teacher Exam Date and timing :-
Date :- 11-10-2013
Primary Level is for class Ist to Vth :- 09 AM to 11 AM
Higher Level is for Class VIth to VIIIth. :- 03 PM to 05 PM
Barmer Zila Parishad conducts the 3rd Grade Teacher Primary and Higher Level exam in two shifts on 11-10-2013
Primary and Secondary level Syllabus is different from each Other. The Difficulty Level of exam will be similar to higher secondary. Candidates can also get the answer key and cut off marks


text:
Was the paint so high because of rust?
And where did you get the crate motor? Cost?
No rust, but he took the bed off, painted the frame, the stock paint has three pearls in it and cost $1400.00 for the paint. Hood, roof were a mess, they were down to the primer and some slight rusting on the roof, and he took them to bare metal. This guy usually only does restoration of old cars and is very respected here. He did an amazing job......
New engine came from my local Chev dealer, It cost me $1912.00. Included new front balancer. Complete except for the intake.
Edited by Coolmaker, 08 September 2012 - 08:46 AM.


text:
Product Delivery Availability For:
Ashburn, VA
Change Location »
Change Location »
- Welcome!
- Sign in
- Create an Account
Seeking sleek décor? Look no further than the luxurious Silvano collection. This contemporary group is upholstered in sumptuous 100% leather in a chic white color. Each piece boasts padded seat cushions and angled pillowtop arms. Shaped wooden legs provide support.
Silvano Leather 2 Pc Living Room
- Upholstery: 100% Leather.
Proper cleaning and maintenance is suggested by taking advantage of Rooms To Go's force field leather protection.
All merchandise is available, but not shown in every showroom. Call Internet Sales Support Staff at 1(888) 709-5380 Option #1 for details.
From the contemporary style to the supple leather and sumptuously padded seating the Silvano sofa is truly a luxurious choice. Soft and buttery to the touch, the 100% leather upholstery is durable and breathable too. Built on a sturdy long lasting frame and rendered in a chic white color the sofa boasts angled pillowtop arms and wooden legs.
if purchased separately,
DETAILS See In Store
Cuddle up and enjoy sumptuous seating for two with the contemporary Silvano loveseat. Its 100% leather upholstery is incredibly soft to the touch while padded seats and arms provide luxuriously comfortable support. Wooden legs extend from the base.
if purchased separately,
DETAILS See In Store
87"W x 39"D x 36"H
71"W x 39"D x 36"H


text:
Taylor Provost left Peabody High last spring after a solid soccer career for the Tanners and a 2011 state championship in hand, along with being a top student; her winning ways continued this fall on the field for Roger Williams University.
The Hawks took the Commonwealth Coast Conference title, but ran into the Division III buzzsaw that is Messiah College of Pennsylvania. Messiah won three out of the last four national championships and clinched its ninth title on Saturday defeating Ohio Northern University, 5-1.
Messiah had given up six goals all season heading into the game with RWU, and only beat Provost and her teammates 2-1, although one of those scores was an "own goal" by RWU.
"We were excited to play them, nervous, but we showed we could keep up with them; it was a great game," Provost said. "It was exciting for us to realize we could play on their level."
Provost, an 18-year-old freshman, now dons No. 10 to play defense for Roger Williams.
Provost was a co-captain on both the girls' soccer and basketball squads her senior year and was named an all-star in both the Northeastern Conference and Agganis Classic for soccer. She was on the honor roll all four years and a member of the National Honor Society.
"When I played at Peabody, I loved my team, my teammates, [but] it's more intense in college -- we're together all the time: we play together, we eat together, we live together, it's very intense," Provost said.
She got a chance to show the folks in Peabody how she's progressing as a college athlete during a few home games against local college teams this season. The Hawks took on Beverly's Endicott College, beating the Gulls, 2-1, during the regular season in September and took them out in the CCC playoffs on penalty kicks -- both games were in Rhode Island -- with Provost's hometown fans coming down to cheer her on.
Roger Williams knocked out Salve-Regina, 3-1, in the CCC quarterfinals, setting up the playoff re-match with Endicott. That game was decided on penalty kicks, 3-2, after ending up tied 0-0 in regulation.
Provost lives off Lowell Street in the central part of Peabody when she's home from school with her mom, dad and younger sister Kasey, who now plays soccer at Pingree. Kasey hopes to be back on the field next year after a knee injury ended her 2012 season.
Both sisters were part of the Tanners' championship team last year.
"Beating Endicott was great, they're definitely one of our big rivals, but it was more fun for me, to come up and play at Gordon College during the regular season," Provost said. "So many of my family and friends came to see me play, we lost the game, our only conference loss, but it was great to play so close to home."
Gordon won the regular season game, 3-2, in Wenham, and the Hawks would have to wait until the playoffs for another shot at the Fighting Scots. That chance came on Nov. 1, once again in Wenham, this time Roger Williams won the game, 1-0, clinching the league championship for Provost and her team, with the stands filled with her family and friends from Peabody.
Provost is undeclared at RWU, but has her eye on the business school, and has joined the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity.
"Peabody High prepared me very well for college soccer, working with teammates, playing hard and tough soccer," Provost said. "I learned to play hard until the end and really, really keep your focus up for the whole game, and that's exactly how all of the games are played in college."
"I learned to never take an opponent lightly -- any team can win any game, especially in college," she said.
"I was nervous about the transition from high school to college, but soccer made it easier," she added. "Our team has such a close [bond], everybody is friends with each other. It made the transition from high school to college so much easier."
Nine freshmen suited up for the Hawks this season, and Provost said they all were welcomed warmly by the upperclassmen on the squad.
"I miss my friends and family, I actually knew where people were going to sit in the stands at high school games," she said. "I'm excited where I am now, [however], college has been great so far."


text:
A while back I said that I would highlight some hidden gems for the Panthers to look at. Who knew I would get to busy to do so, and for that, I'm sorry. So let's get to it.
Shamarko Thomas 5'10, 210, Syracuse, SR.
Thomas plays the game with reckless abandonment and loves to throw his body around on the field, seeking big hits against the ballcarrier. Thomas plays too aggressive and too often bites on fakes, finding himself constantly playing from behind. A willing and tough run defender, he has a future at the next level if he can stay loose and disciplined with his coverage responsibilities. --Dane Brugler
My thoughts. Big hitter and a tackling machine. Need help in coverage and plays to wild sometimes. A 4th or 5th round pick would be great.


text:
6th Annual Health Literacy Research Conference
November 3-4, 2014
Bethesda, Maryland, Hyatt Regency Bethesda
Registration is OPEN!
Important Dates:
Abstract acceptance notifications go out: August 15, 2013
Early registration fee ends: September 8, 2014, 11:59pm EST
Hotel deadline for conference rate: October 2, 2014
The Health Literacy Annual Research Conference is an interdisciplinary meeting for investigators dedicated to health literacy research. It is an opportunity to advance the field of health literacy, a method to raise the quality of our research, and a venue for professional development.
Our aim is to attract a full range of investigators engaged in health literacy research including those involved in a broad array of public health, health services, epidemiology, translational, and interventional research activities.
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 2R13MD003392-05 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and by 1R13HS022529-01 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
This meeting is supported in part by OPTUM.


text:
We use cookies to optimise your experience on Travelzoo. By using our website, you are agreeing to allow this. For more information, see our Privacy & Cookie Policy »
Valid March 6, 2014 - July 26, 2014; Thursdays-Saturdays only during merchant's club hours. Club opens at 10:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended for VIP access and required for the $199 deal; space is subject to availability. Present voucher upon arrival. Tax, if applicable, and gratuity are not included; for the $199 deal, an 18% gratuity based on the full value will be added. Not valid on holidays or holiday weekends, during special events or on black-out dates including May 3 and May 24 (call merchant for specific date restrictions). For the $199 deal, a 24-hour cancellation policy applies; voucher subject to forfeiture. Must be 21 years of age or older with a valid photo ID to use this voucher. Limit one purchase per person; may buy additional as gifts. If purchase limit is exceeded, voucher is subject to forfeiture. Proper attire is required to attend nightclub.See all terms
M – F, 9am – 9pm ET
We are now transferring you...
We are now directing you to {0} where you can purchase today's Travelzoo Local Deal directly.


text:
Partners' actions keep voter photo ID off the books for August primary
EDITORIAL NOTE: This guest blog post was written by Andrea Kaminski, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.
This week, the League attended a special meeting on Capitol Hill conducted by Senators Mark Begich and Harry Reid concerning voting rights. We were one of several invited organizations, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, the NAACP, the ACLU and the Asian American Alliance for Justice.
Great news: A federal court recently ruled to make it easier to vote in Ohio! And it gets better – the League of Women Voters of Ohio (LWVOH) is working hard to ensure that all Ohio voters are equipped with the information they need to vote.
"Today was an important step; the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on voting rights and discrimination. The end result of that discussion: we must pass the VRAA and quickly," said Elisabeth MacNamara, national President of the League of Women Voters.
This afternoon, I joined members of Congress and leading civil and voting rights leaders at a press conference to call on Congress to move the Voting Rights Amendment Act (VRAA) forward.
In January, a bipartisan group of Representatives did something that is rare nowadays: they put aside politics to govern. By introducing H.R. 3899, the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 (VRAA), Representatives Sensenbrenner, Conyers, Scott and Lewis came together to forge workable, common sense solutions that would modernize the elections process and protect voting rights against discrimination.
This morning, I joined with leaders from Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the NAACP at a press conference to urge Congress to begin moving the bipartisan Voting Rights Amendment Act by holding a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee.
EDITORIAL NOTE: This guest blog was written by Carrie Davis, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio
This afternoon Representatives James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), John Conyers (D-MI), Bobby Scott (D-VA), John Lewis (D-GA), and Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced common sense legislation that would repair and restore the Voting Rights Act. This bipartisan effort to fix the damage done by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Shelby v. Holder is necessary to restore and protect the rights of voters across the country.
The Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014, a bipartisan bill is carefully crafted to protect the rights of all voters from discrimination and repair the damage to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 inflicted by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Shelby v. Holder.
Join our online community
Other WorkSitemap


text:
Puntuación basada en
7 Comentarios
4,6 en agosto 10, 2013
We arrived late and left fairly early, but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Three Chimneys. We loved the ambiance of the room, and the modern bathroom! The bed was comfortable, and we opened the skylight so we didn't need the air conditioner. . I would have preferred the lamps to have lighter shades, and thus give a little more light to the room, but that is a personal preference. We would definitely recommend this inn to others.
4,2 en marzo 30, 2013
Great location; lovely room especially with the fire place to warm us; would like more light for reading in bed. Wish we had eaten dinner at the restaurant... smelled great!
4,6 en febrero 21, 2011
The inn was very lovely and beautifully frunished, the staff was very friendly and accomodating and the food was excellent. Very good value for the money. We had a very nice mini vacation, enjoyed our stay and would recommend to our friends and family.
4,8 en abril 15, 2009
charming, beautiful inn with tastefully decorated rooms, lovely antiques, and brimming with charm! Attached restaurant and tavern delightful!
4,8 en marzo 22, 2009
Food was delicious, large portions and beautiful presentation. The rooms are very spacious, comfortable and cozy. The breakfast was hearty served with excellent service with a smile. I especially enjoyed the afternoon social on the screened in porch overlooking their lush gardens. The Inn brings you back in time...Sits hidden on top of a hill, amazing how large and private. Worth the trip for dinner and an overnight stay--very charming!
5 en abril 16, 2008
Wonderful dinner and complimentary breakfast way exceeded my expectation.
4,4 en enero 21, 2008
Entrees and dessert was not even adequate. Pork was overcooked, caesar salad didn't even resemble a caesar salad and chocolate cake was very dry. 20% tip was put on bill although service was extyremely slow and not worth 20%.


text:
By Nelson Benton
The Salem News
---- — Regardless of how one feels about the merits of the extended year at Salem's Saltonstall School, one has to admire the willingness of school board members Brendan Walsh, Janet Crane, Jim Fleming and Nate Bryant to stick to their principles on this matter.
In the days leading up to Monday night's vote, huge pressure was applied by parents, the mayor, a former mayor, the city's state representative, at least one city councilor, the state university president, the business community and this newspaper to maintain Saltonstall's unique, 190-day schedule. And those testifying at Monday's meeting were overwhelmingly in favor of the same.
Peabody's school committee would have folded like a house of cards in the face of this consensus. Not Salem's.
The majority stuck to their contention that Saltonstall's MCAS scores do not justify the extra $150,000 it costs to keep school in session during part of the summer.
Threats abound that some school board members will be made to pay at the polls this November. Fleming and Bryant won re-election to four-year terms in 2011; so it will be Walsh, a former school administrator and frequent contributor to the News' opinion pages, along with Crane, who figure to be at risk this fall.
One who has already thrown her hat in the ring is Rachel Hunt, administrator at the Salem Academy Charter School, who has butted heads with Walsh in the past over the issue of institutions like hers that receive public funding but do not answer to an elected school board. Hunt also came out publicly in favor of maintaining the extended year at Saltonstall.
Several sources have reported a large and enthusiastic crowd that included state Treasurer Steve Grossman at a fundraiser to benefit Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll at the city's newest restaurant, Opus, Sunday night.
Grossman made it clear at last weekend's Democratic convention in Lowell that he intends to run for governor next year. Driscoll, who appears bound for easy re-election as mayor this fall, was also at the convention and has often been mentioned as a potential candidate for statewide office, as well, in 2014.
If it's the treasurer's office she covets, however, she could face a challenge from another north-of-Boston candidate in state Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, who's been making the rounds of party events lately and had an impressive presence outside the conventional hall last Saturday.
Want to buy a home you can't afford? Move to Lynn.
That seems to be the message from the City Council there, which recently passed legislation providing maximum protections to those who find they overextended themselves when taking out a mortgage.
According to Isaac Hodes of Lynn United for Change, one of the main backers of the new ordinance, "We're not here because people don't want to pay their mortgage but because they happened to buy a home during an unprecedented housing bubble and their mortgage was never affordable."
Not that banks were without blame for the foreclosure crisis, but whatever became of the admonition, "Buyer beware?"
Nelson Benton covered North Shore politics for 40 years before retiring last year from The Salem News.