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Does olive oil prevent heart disease?
Short answer: Yes
The health benefits of olive oil come from the presence of polyphenols, antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart diseases<http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/81/1/215S.full> and cancers.
But to get these healthy compounds, consumers should buy good-quality, fresh "extra-virgin" olive oil, which has the highest polyphenol content. Most commercially available olive oils have low levels of polyphenols <http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-pick-the-healthiest-olive-oil-2013-7> associated with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and heavy processing.
Do cough syrups work?
Short answer: No
In 2006, the nation's chest physicians agreed <http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10777506/ns/health-cold_and_flu/t/doctors-discourage-use-cough-medicine/#.UgqsK2T70Wc> that the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don't actually work. These colorful syrups typically contain doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small to be effective. Only cough suppressants that contain older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs. That includes brompheniramine, an active ingredient in Dimetapp.
Does sugar cause hyperactivity?
Short answer: No
Following a review of 23 studies, a 1996 report <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7474248> published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that sugar "does not affect the behavior or cognitive performance of children."The age-old myth that kids misbehave when they eat large amounts of candy, cookies, and other junk food, could be related to the type of events where these foods are typically served. For example, kids are more wound-up at birthday parties and during Halloween when sweet treats tend to flow freely.
Do sugary soft drinks lead to diabetes?
Short answer: Yes
The majority of health research is stacked against sugar-sweetened soda " target=_blank><http://www.businessinsider.com/why-soda-is-bad-for-you-2013-5> . A large 2004 study <http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=199317> in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day increased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 83% compared to those who consumed less than one of these beverages per month.
Do I need sunscreen with more than 30 SPF?
Short answer: No
Sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 block about 97% of ultraviolet rays, while sunscreens with an SPF of higher than 30 block 97%-98%. It's more important that you choose "broad-spectrum" sunscreen, meaning it protects against both UVB and UVA rays. Sunbathers also need to apply a generous amount of sunscreen <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2006.07684.x/abstract%3bjsessionid=5863DBDE73CFD6CC3689B914B9F2B7AB.d04t01> in order to get the full benefit of the SPF.
Is the MSG in Chinese likely to give you a headache?
Short answer: No
A review of 40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2006.00160.x/abstract> , found that all previous research "failed to identify a consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG and the constellation of symptoms that comprise the syndrome," including headaches and asthma attacks.
The misconception spawned from several poorly-done small studies in the 1960s that seemed to connect<http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM196804042781419> MSG with a variety of maladies that people experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants.
Learn more about the MSG myth here » <http://www.businessinsider.com/msg-allergy-doesnt-exist-2013-8>
Do nuts make you fat?
Short answer: No
As much as 75% of a nut is fat. But eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. The bigger factor leading to weight gain is portion-size. Luckily, nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full. They're also a good source of protein and fiber.
One study even found that whole almonds have 20% less calories <http://www.businessinsider.com/calorie-counts-arent-accurate-2013-7> than previously thought because a lot of the fat is excreted from the body.
Is walking as effective as running?
Short answer: Yes
Studies have shown that how long you exercise — and thus how many calories you burn — is more important than how hard you exercise. Running is a more efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better for you.
A six-year study <http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/04/04/ATVBAHA.112.300878.abstract> published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a moderate pace and running produced similar health benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was expended.
Is red wine better for you than white wine?
Short answer: Yes
Red wine contains much more resveratrol than white wine, an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes that has been shown to fight off diseases associated with aging <http://www.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-of-resveratrol-in-red-wine-2013-3> .....
Is bottled water better for you than tap water?
Short answer: No
Bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water, although it is substantially more expensive.
A recent study by Glasgow University in the U.K. found that bottled water is actually more likely to be contaminated than water from your faucet<http://www.businessinsider.com/bottled-water-is-more-dangerous-than-tap-water-2013-1> because it is less well-regulated.
Bottled water and tap water typically come from the same sources — natural springs, lakes, and aquifers.
While public water supplies are tested for contaminants every day, makers of bottled water are only required to test for specific contaminants every week, month, or year.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
The Risks of High-Temperature Cooking
You know that many fried foods pose a health risk because of their saturated fat content. Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that food fried -- and baked -- at high temperatures is cause for concern.
High-temperature frying, baking and toasting causes certain sugars and an amino acid in mainly plant-based foods like bread, potatoes, cereal, crackers, coffee and dried fruit to form acrylamide, a chemical that causes cancer in animals. Scientists suspect that acrylamide causes cancer in humans, too.
Although you can't eliminate acrylamide from your diet -- it's estimated to be in up to 40 percent of the calories Americans consume -- the FDA suggests taking these steps to decrease your intake of acrylamide:
Lightly toast your bread until it's a golden -- not dark -- brown.
Don't eat areas of food that are burned or dark from cooking.
Don't overcook food like frozen French fries -- they should be a golden yellow color.
Store potatoes in a dark, cool place, never in the refrigerator, which increases acrylamide during cooking.
The FDA has also issued a draft document advising food service operators, manufacturers and growers of strategies to reduce acrylamide amounts in foods.
Published in FDA Consumer Health Information.
High-temperature frying, baking and toasting causes certain sugars and an amino acid in mainly plant-based foods like bread, potatoes, cereal, crackers, coffee and dried fruit to form acrylamide, a chemical that causes cancer in animals. Scientists suspect that acrylamide causes cancer in humans, too.
Although you can't eliminate acrylamide from your diet -- it's estimated to be in up to 40 percent of the calories Americans consume -- the FDA suggests taking these steps to decrease your intake of acrylamide:
Lightly toast your bread until it's a golden -- not dark -- brown.
Don't eat areas of food that are burned or dark from cooking.
Don't overcook food like frozen French fries -- they should be a golden yellow color.
Store potatoes in a dark, cool place, never in the refrigerator, which increases acrylamide during cooking.
The FDA has also issued a draft document advising food service operators, manufacturers and growers of strategies to reduce acrylamide amounts in foods.
Published in FDA Consumer Health Information.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Monitor Yоur Blood Pressure аt Home
If уоu hаvе hypertension оr high blood pressure, ѕhоuld уоu uѕе а home blood pressure monitor tо track уоur blood pressure аnd improve control? Here's оur advice.
Thе American Heart Association (AHA) hаѕ recommended home blood pressure monitoring fоr аnуоnе wіth high blood pressure ѕо уоur doctor саn determine whеthеr treatments аrе working. Whіlе thе verdict іѕ оut аbоut whеthеr thеу improve blood pressure control, wе recommend thеm ѕо thаt patients bесоmе mоrе engaged іn managing thеіr condition.
Home monitors аrе nоt thе ѕаmе аѕ ambulatory blood pressure monitors, thе gold standard fоr measuring blood pressure оutѕіdе оf thе office.
Ambulatory devices measure blood pressure оvеr а 24-hour period оr longer аnd аrе рlасеd оn thе patient іn thе doctor's office. They're expensive, аnd mаnу insurers don't cover them. Also, unlіkе home monitors, ambulatory blood pressure monitors аrе nоt uѕеful fоr routine monitoring.
Mаnу home blood pressure monitors аrе affordable. Bеѕіdеѕ price, аnоthеr key issue іѕ accuracy. Bе ѕurе tо buy а device frоm а company wіth а track record оf manufacturing high quality, accurate devices. Sоmе соmе wіth software thаt аllоwѕ уоu tо track уоur blood pressure оvеr time аnd share thе information wіth уоur doctor. Thеrе іѕ ѕоmе training involved, аnd уоu hаvе tо mаkе ѕurе tо uѕе аn appropriately sized cuff.
Thе AHA advises thаt whеn shopping fоr а blood pressure monitor, mаkе ѕurе thе monitor hаѕ bееn tested, validated аnd approved bу thе Association fоr thе Advancement оf Medical Instrumentation, thе British Hypertension Society аnd thе International Protocol fоr thе Validation оf Automated BP Measuring Devices. A list оf validated monitors іѕ аvаіlаblе оn thе Dabl Educational Trust website аt www.dableducational.org.
10 Signs оf Caregiver Stress
Neglecting уоurѕеlf mау іn fact hurt thе person you're trуіng tо help. Research suggests thаt thе well-being оf bоth thе caregiver аnd thе person bеіng cared fоr аrе deeply intertwined.
If уоu саn gеt hеlр relieving уоur caregiving burden, уоu mау bе аblе tо provide mоrе quality care tо а loved оnе wіth Alzheimer's disease, fоr example, whісh mау lead tо lеѕѕ troubling behaviors typical оf ѕоmеоnе wіth dementia. Helping уоur loved оnе improve hіѕ оr hеr self-care mау іn turn hеlр ease ѕоmе оf уоur physical аnd emotional stress.
Bеlоw аrе 10 signs аnd symptoms оf caregiver stress:
Denial аbоut thе disease аnd іtѕ impact оn thе person affected
Anger tоwаrd thе person you're caring fоr
Social withdrawal, nоt wanting tо stay іn touch wіth friends оr participate іn activities уоu оnсе enjoyed
Anxiety аbоut facing аnоthеr day аnd whаt thе future holds
Depression, feelings оf sadness аnd hopelessness
Exhaustion аnd feeling thаt уоu barely hаvе thе energy tо complete daily tasks
Sleeplessness, trouble falling asleep, waking repeatedly аt night, hаvіng nightmares аnd stressful dreams
Irritability оr emotional overreactions, ѕuсh аѕ gеttіng upset оr crying оvеr minor incidents
Lack оf concentration, trouble focusing аnd completing complex tasks
Health problems, ѕuсh аѕ backaches, headaches, high blood pressure, weight loss оr weight gain аnd gеttіng sick mоrе оftеn (colds, flu)
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Thе Food Rebel In Yоu
Yоu walk іn tо thе restaurant аnd thе special оf thе day іѕ уоur favorite...chicken fried steak wіth scalloped potatoes іn а deep butter sauce wіth а side оf sweet potato fries аnd broccolini wіth а cheddar cheese topping.
There's еvеn а dessert thrown іntо thе special...another favorite, chocolate lava cake.
Whаt thе heck, уоu deserve it! Yоu aren't gоіng tо lеt аnуоnе tеll уоu whаt tо eat...you аrе аn adult whо саn mаkе adult decisions аnd уоu аrе allowed tо indulge. Yоu wіll dо whаt уоu want, it's nо big deal аnd уоu wаnt thаt special.
Here's thе kicker. Yоu eat thе special аnd уоu feel lеѕѕ thаn stellar wіthіn аn hour. Yоu аrе bloated, full, аnd quіtе frankly wіѕh уоu wоuld nеvеr hаvе ordered thе special. Thе crazy thіng іѕ уоu wіѕh уоu wоuld hаvе ordered thе fish bесаuѕе it's rеаllу whаt уоu wanted! Yоu rеаllу love thе good fоr уоu foods. Thе problem іѕ уоu аrе ѕо accustomed tо bеіng thе rebel аnd denying bеіng told "what tо do" thаt уоu wanted tо choose ѕоmеthіng оff thе plan. Rеаllу though, уоu didn't еvеn wаnt it! It's а case оf "I'll show me!"
Whеn wе start tо gеt healthier, wе gо thrоugh thіѕ transition оf whаt wе wаnt tо rebel аgаіnѕt аnd whаt wе асtuаllу want. Wе rеаllу DO wаnt thе healthy foods, but wе don't knоw hоw tо lеt gо оf thе rebellious side. Wе rеаllу LIKE thе healthy foods. Wе аrе simply ѕо accustomed tо bеіng "that person whо dоеѕ whаt thеу want," wе don't recognize thе person who's choosing nutrition, ѕо wе gо thе орроѕіtе wау аnd ultimately feel terrible!
Whаt wоuld іt bе lіkе іf уоu "gave in" аnd chose whаt уоu rеаllу wanted? Yes, whаt уоu REALLY wanted? Tо feel good. Tо feel light. Tо enjoy thе taste оf nutritious food. Tо feel energized thе nеxt morning? Tо smile аt thе choices уоu made? Whаt wоuld thаt bе like...to rebel аgаіnѕt thе оld you?
Don't gеt mе wrong, а lіttlе lava cake аnd scalloped potatoes hеrе аnd thеrе dоеѕ taste yummy...but іt wіll taste amazing fеwеr аnd fеwеr times аѕ уоur taste buds gеt uѕеd tо whаt thе оthеr side (the healthy one) lооkѕ аnd tastes like. It's quіtе а transition tо lеt уоurѕеlf love good fоr уоu foods.
Nеxt time уоu аrе іn thіѕ position оf choice...consider whаt іѕ іt уоu rеаllу wаnt tо feel, taste аnd recover from? Thе special, оr уоur fіrѕt thought оf action? Bе thе rebel...rebel аgаіnѕt thе оld voice.
Bу Tammy Parkinson
CPT, ACSM, NASM, Nutritionist
Body Firm Personal Training & Nutrition
Friday, April 25, 2014
Putting Yоur Bеѕt Foot Fоrwаrd
If уоu аrе ready tо gear uр аnd start а nеw exercise program, уоu ѕhоuld tаkе а moment tо соnѕіdеr уоur feet. Thеѕе hard working parts оf уоur body nееd tо bе protected bу hаvіng thе rіght kind оf shoes. It ѕееmѕ аѕ іf thеrе аrе hundreds оf types оf shoes, аll wіth vаrіоuѕ degrees оf hype, but іt іѕ easy tо cut thrоugh thе claims іn order tо find thе bеѕt shoes fоr you.
First, identify whаt type оf exercise уоu expect tо do. Thеrе аrе ѕоmе shoes thаt аrе bеttеr thаn оthеrѕ fоr specific activities. Fоr example, walking shoes ѕhоuld bend easily іn thе fore-foot area, nоt іn thе mid-sole. Running shoes wіll require mоrе shock absorbing material thаn walking shoes. Dо ѕоmе research tо find оut whаt tо lооk fоr іn а shoe designed fоr уоur specific activity.
Next, gо tо thе rіght store, specifically оnе thаt specializes іn athletic shoes. Thеrе аrе еvеn ѕоmе specialty shops thаt оnlу carry walking shoes оr deal іn shoes fоr ѕеrіоuѕ runners. Bу gоіng tо ѕuсh а store уоu wіll bе аblе tо tаkе advantage оf thе expertise оf thе staff. Aѕk а lot оf questions аnd tаkе уоur time whеn trуіng оn уоur shoes.
Fit іѕ thе mоѕt important component оf selecting proper footwear. Yоu ѕhоuld bе trуіng оn уоur shoes late іn thе day, whеn уоur feet аrе аt thеіr largest. Yоu ѕhоuld аlѕо gеt уоur feet measured, bоth оf them, іf уоu haven't іn а while. It саn happen thаt уоur twо feet wіll bе dіffеrеnt sizes. In thаt case, уоu ѕhоuld gеt shoes thаt fit уоur largest foot. Mаkе ѕurе thаt уоu wear thе ѕаmе type оf socks you'll bе wearing whеn уоu exercise. Thеrе ѕhоuld bе а thumb's width bеtwееn уоur big toe аnd thе tip оf thе shoe. Thе shoe ѕhоuld аlѕо bе wide еnоugh tо fit comfortably асrоѕѕ thе widest part оf уоur foot. Thеrе ѕhоuld bе nо pinching, slipping, оr tightness аnd уоu ѕhоuld bе аblе tо wiggle уоur toes. Nеvеr buy shoes hoping thаt thеу wіll stretch оr feel bеttеr оnсе thеу аrе "broken in."
Tаkе thе shoes уоu аrе trуіng оn fоr а spin. If уоu аrе а runner, уоu ѕhоuld bе allowed tо jog аrоund thе block. Note whеthеr thе shoes provide уоu wіth еnоugh support аnd comfort. Generally, іf а shoe fits well, you'll knоw іt оnсе уоu feel it. If уоu ѕtіll feel uncomfortable аbоut whеthеr іt іѕ thе rіght shoe fоr you, lеt thе store staff knоw ѕо thаt thеу саn evaluate whеthеr аnоthеr type оf shoe іѕ bеttеr fоr you. Nеvеr kеер shoes thаt don't feel јuѕt right.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Holding іn Intestinal Gas
Thеу specifically wrote аbоut flatulence оn airplanes, whеrе іt occurs frequently ѕіnсе gas expands аt higher altitude аnd cabins аrе pressurized tо аbоut 8,000 feet. Plus, thе enclosed space аnd close proximity оf passengers mаkеѕ passing gas more, well, obvious there.
Holding іn gas саn саuѕе bloating, indigestion, heartburn and, sometimes, еvеn pain, thеу noted. Intestinal distension resulting frоm trapped gas mау аlѕо increase blood pressure аnd heart rate. Thеn there's thе mental stress оf trуіng tо kеер thе gas frоm escaping. Thе doctors' advice: Juѕt lеt іt go.
Kеер іn mind thаt it's nоt аlwауѕ роѕѕіblе tо hold іn gas anyway. If уоu fall asleep—on а plane оr реrhарѕ аt thе movies—the gas escapes оn іtѕ own. It саn аlѕо lеt loose іf уоu sneeze оr cough. And ѕоmе people mау јuѕt hаvе tоо muсh gas tо hold in. Pеrhарѕ thаt wаѕ thе case wіth thе government employee whо wаѕ іn thе news lаѕt December whеn hе wаѕ formally reprimanded fоr hаvіng uncontrolled аnd excessive flatulence thаt mаdе thе workplace "intolerable" (the reprimand wаѕ ѕооn аftеr rescinded).
Evеrуоnе produces gas—½ tо 2 pints а day, оn average; it's а nесеѕѕаrу part оf digestion. Eventually, іt wіll exit thе body, whеthеr уоu аrе aware оf іt оr not. Still, іf уоu feel self-conscious, it's оkау tо hold іt іn untіl уоu find а "safe" place tо release it.
If уоu hаvе а ѕеrіоuѕ flatulence issue, however, talk tо уоur health care provider tо figure оut thе саuѕе аnd hоw tо control it. Excess gassiness іѕ а common symptom оf irritable bowel syndrome аnd lactose (milk sugar) intolerance, fоr instance, аnd іt mау result frоm оthеr foods (like beans, cruciferous vegetables аnd "sugar-free" products соntаіnіng sorbitol оr оthеr sugar alcohols). Constipation аnd сеrtаіn medications (including laxatives) mау аlѕо bе tо blame. Dietary сhаngеѕ аnd ѕоmе over-the-counter products (such аѕ simethicone) mау hеlр kеер іt undеr control. If уоu continue tо hаvе problems, уоu саn еvеn find, bеlіеvе іt оr not, charcoal- lined underwear аnd seat cushions thаt absorb flatulence odor аt websites ѕuсh аѕ under-tec.com аnd flat-d.com.
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Weight training is not as simple and straightforward as many make it out to be. There are a lot of things you need to take into consideration before beginning. For example, what are your goals and what are you trying to achieve? Some people who weight train just want a bigger upper body, while others are looking to bulk up all from head to toe. If you don't want to get bigger and are just wanting better muscle definition and improved strength; then you can still weight train but you would do so in a different way compared to someone who's trying to bulk up.
Once you know your goals and what exactly you want to achieve with your body, then you can move on to the actual weight training. Again, there are different ways of weight training, and it all depends on what you're trying to achieve. But with any and all levels of weight training, there are a few tips that everyone can apply to their sessions that will help them achieve maximum results, while at the same time minimizing possible injuries and sprains.
Here are a few weight training tips for the beginner who's looking to get started.
1) Make a list or itinerary of all that you're going to do. The list should include what parts of your body you're going to focus on, what type of workouts are you going to do, how many repetitions for each arms, legs, and so on, etc. This will help you stay focused and organized making sure that every part of you gets the work out or training it needs.
2) First and foremost, before any kind of workout routine, one must stretch and warm up. Doing so will help relax and condition the muscle before the actual work begins. Stretching can also reduce the likelihood of straining or spraining your muscles. Warm ups, whether that's dancing, jump roping, or a light jog, will help you get in the mood as well as get the blood pumping.
3) Start off slowly and progress from there. You don't want to injure yourself on the first rep. Pick up weights that are just a little bit heavier than you would normally choose and begin with low and slow reps. Once those weights become easy, move on to slightly heavier ones. Don't try to dead lift 400 pounds on the first day, because you'll literally drop dead. It's all about slow and sure progression. Don't over do it.
4) Breathing is an important factor when it comes to weight training. Your muscles need a constant supply of oxygenated blood, especially when doing strenuous workouts. Never hold your breath, especially when lifting heavy weights. Doing so can cause blood vessels to burst or even hernias.
5) After each session, make sure you give your body plenty of rest and time to recover before going back for more weight training. Usually 48 hours is a good enough amount of rest for your muscles. It's also during rest and recovery periods that your muscles do the most growing.
In addition to following these tips, someone who is weight training should also follow a specific diet. Eat the right foods that will help fuel your weight training sessions as well as give the right amount nutrients for your muscles to grow and develop. Weight training does take time, and unless you're the Hulk, it will also take patience and dedication.
If you are into Weight Training,
please feel free to leave more tips below

subset: commoncrawl


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Contamination concerns mean most athletic and sporting federations advise against them despite near-ubiquitous use among top athletes and sportspeople. Busted doped athletes continue to finger them. But sports nutrition products are in a better place than ever, says product tester, Informed-Sport.
In six years, no product tested within Informed-Sport's programme has ever been implicated in a doping case and more than 400 have been tested.
And the certification stands up in court, said business sector manager, Terence O'Rorke.
"As a result of that the athlete cannot then blame those products for that failed doping test," he said.
"I think manufacturers of sports nutrition products these days are doing very much the responsible thing, they are making sure their products have been tested so that athletes across the world can take them without fear of contamination."
With such programmes in place, sporting bodies issuing blanket 'no-go' statements to their athletes was increasingly, "outdated", O'Rorke ventured.
"It is a little bit frustrating and I understand it is more frustrating for the athletes themselves to be honest. I think there are perhaps one or two outdated notions of sports nutrition that still exist among the sports organisations and federations."


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Links and Resources
- Comprehensive Planning Legislation (Section 66.1001 of the Wisconsin Statutes)
- Comprehensive Planning and Smart Growth Law Frequently Asked Questions (from the UW-Extension Local Government Center)
- Center for Land Use Education (UW-Extension)
- Local Government Center (UW-Extension)
- Racine County
- Racine County Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan — Frequently Asked Questions
- Racine County Department of Planning & Development
- US Census Bureau – Racine County
- Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)
- Wisconsin Department of Administration
- Wisconsin Counties Association
- Wisconsin Towns Association
Technical Links and Resources
Please note that the organizations and programs change frequently, and that as of August 2009, this page is no longer being updated on a regular basis.
- Issues & Opportunities
- Agricultural, Natural & Cultural Resources
- Housing
- Transportation
- Utilities & Community Facilities
- Economic Development
Towards a Sustainable Community: A Toolkit for Local Government
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Founded in 1862, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) works to improve the Nation's economy and quality of life through efforts to: enhance economic opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers; ensure a safe, affordable, nutritious and accessible food supply; care for public lands and helping people care for private lands; support the sound, sustainable development of rural communities; expand global markets for agricultural and forest products and services; and reduce hunger and improve America's health through good nutrition.
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA): The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers and manages farm commodity, credit, conservation, disaster and loan programs through a network of federal, state and county offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of the agricultural industry and to help farmers adjust production to meet demand, with the desired result of a steady price range for agricultural goods for both farmers and consumers. State and county offices directly administer FSA programs, including the certification of farmers for FSA programs and the distribution of farm subsidies and disaster payments.
American Farmland Trust: Founded in 1980 by a group of farmers and conservationists concerned about the rapid loss of the nation's farmland to development, American Farmland Trust (AFT) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the nation's strategic agricultural resources. AFT works through four main strategies: transform U.S. farm policy to strengthen the future of American agriculture; protect the best land by supporting effective state and local farmland protection initiatives; plan for agriculture to keep farming viable and help communities balance growth while protecting working land; keep the land healthy and productive by encouraging stewardship practices that safeguard our nation's natural resources.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Consumer Protection and Trade: The Department of Agriculture, Consumer Protection and Trade (DATCP) is responsible for food safety, animal and plant health, protecting water and soil and monitoring fair and safe business practices throughout the State of Wisconsin. It is also the lead agency for the Working Lands Initiative, which aims to protect productive farmlands and forests.
"Buy Local" Initiatives: Buying local — often defined as buying food produced within 100 miles –has numerous benefits, such as: the food is fresher; you know where your food comes from; you're supporting local farmers; it saves energy (fewer miles of transportation); and it keeps local money in the local economy. More information about where and when to buy local in Wisconsin can be found:
- Farm Fresh Atlas: These regional food guides include farms, farmers' markets, restaurants, stores and other businesses that sell local food and use sustainable production and business practices.
- Savor Wisconsin: This site links to Wisconsin food products and services, and includes listings for farmers' markets, restaurants, food co-ops and specialty retail stores.
- Wisconsin Local Food Network: This site provides a list of local food initiatives and projects.
- Grocers Buy Local: This is the offical website and database of Wisconsin grocers who are purchasing, or are interested in purchasing, locally grown food.
"What Makes Transfer of Development Rights Work? : Success Factors from Research and Practice" by Rick Pruetz and Noah Standridge (Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 75, Issue 1, Winter 2009)
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR): The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is the agency responsible for the development and implementation of policies for the preservation, protection, effective management, and maintenance of Wisconsin's natural resources.
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership: Started in the early 1970s, the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership consists of three core groups: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) supplies the technical expertise and regulatory authority; the University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) builds linkages among stakeholders and provides supporting educational materials and programs; and local lake people are the third group, represented by the Wisconsin Association of Lakes (WAL). The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership is a statewide, multi-faceted effort, with activities such as citizen volunteer monitoring, research, youth and adult training and education, aquatic plant protection, pollution prevention, invasive species education, water recreation planning, land and water regulation, and community assistance grants.
Racine County Land Conservation Division: The Land Conservation Division (LCD) implements and administers County and State of Wisconsin Soil and Water Conservation Programs. The Racine County LCD relies on partnerships with local farmers, landowners, government officials, teachers, community businesses, and concerned residents to provide a cleaner environment. It provides technical assistance on controlling soil erosion and water pollution, and administers numerous programs, such as: Land and Water Resource Management Program, Farmland Preservation Program, Wildlife Damage and Abatement Claims, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Tree, Shrub & Native Prairie Grass/Wildflower Program.
Bluff Erosion Visualization: Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP)'s coastal erosion website.
Racine/Kenosha Land Trust: Started in 1993, the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust, Inc.,(R/KLT) is a non-profit, charitable organization that was formed by a group of Kenosha and Racine county citizens concerned about the loss of natural areas. The K/RLT aims to protect open space and natural areas in both counties for the benefit of current and future generations through identifying and prioritizing the most critical resources left in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Historical Society
Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau: In 1983, the Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau (RCCVB) was founded with the purpose to promote Racine County as an attractive destination for all people. Through a variety of media, the RCCVB aggressively markets the area's hospitality, facilities and attractions to create a positive economic impact on Racine County and enhance the area's quality of life.
Racine Historical Society and Heritage Museum: The Racine Heritage Museum offers interactive exhibits celebrating the heritage of Racine's unique community, including highlights of Racine's people, innovations and products.
Burlington Historical Society: Organized in 1928, the Burlington Historical Society was the first Historical Society in Racine County. It provides historical photo collections, records of local people, homes, and farms, and articles of local interest.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the Federal agency responsible for developing and implementing national policies to address America's housing needs, that improve and develop communities, and enforce fair housing laws. In Racine County, the City of Racine is designated as a HUD-entitlement community, and receives direct HUD funding to plan and implement a variety of programs to assist low- to moderate-income families and individuals. Other communities in Racine County also benefit from HUD-sponsored services through local and State agencies.
Wisconsin Department of Commerce — Housing and Community Development Division: The WDOC released the following guides that provide contacts and a brief description of public sources of housing financial and informational assistance available for low- and moderate-income households in Wisconsin:
USDA – Wisconsin Rural Development: The USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs that support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. Wisconsin Rural Development (WRD) provides financial programs to support public facilities and services (such as housing, water and sewer systems, health clinics, emergency service facilities, schools, and electric and telephone service), and to promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools.
Wisconsin Legal Action: Legal Action of Wisconsin's Housing unit's goal is to prevent homelessness and to preserve and expand the availability of affordable housing. Legal Action represents clients in cases that have the greatest impact on the clients' ability to secure and maintain safe and affordable housing.
UW-Extension Center for Community & Economic Development – Wisconsin Foreclosure Information
Housing Authority of Racine County: The Housing Authority of Racine County (HARC) works to ensure that quality affordable housing is available for low to moderate-income families in Racine County, primarily through the promotion of home ownership, self-sufficiency and urban stability. HARC provides five main programs in Racine County: Housing Choice Voucher (HCV, better known as Section 8); Family Self-Sufficiency; Homeownership; Elderly Housing; and Handicapped Housing.
City of Racine — Housing Issues : Administered by the Racine City Development Department, the City of Racine has a consolidated plan to address housing and community development issues. The plan and its implementation are led by Racine City Development, and involve numerous nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and the for-profit and business sectors, as well as other City departments.
- City Development Department: Racine City Development administers a multi-faceted housing and community development program that addresses the needs of its low- and moderate-income population, and eliminating blight. As an entitlement community, the City of Racine receives direct funding from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the CDBG, HOME Investment Partnership, and Emergency Shelter Grant Programs.
- City Housing Department: The Housing Department administers several loan programs to assist in housing rehabilitation programs.
HALO, Inc. (Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization): HALO is a 120-bed emergency shelter located in the City of Racine. HALO meets emergency shelter needs for all men, women and children who are experiencing homelessness, coordinates supportive services that help homeless adults become self-sufficient, provides community leadership to prevent chronic homelessness and ensures children get positive support through stable living and learning environments.
Society's Assets, Inc.: Society's Assets, Inc. is an Independent Living Center, providing comprehensive services to assist seniors and people of all ages with disabilities with living independently. Some of these services include: information and referral, advocacy, peer support, independent living skills, nursing home transition with equipment loan closet and demonstration, disability resources, representative payee, and personal care.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT): The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is intended to serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT): In 1967, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) was officially established to support all forms of transportation. WisDOTt is responsible for planning, building and maintaining Wisconsin's network of state highways and Interstate highway system. The department shares the costs of building and operating county and local transportation systems – from highways to public transit and other modes. WisDOT plans, promotes and financially supports statewide air, rail and water transportation, as well as bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
Connections 2030: In November 2008, WisDOT released a draft of Connections 2030, its long-range plan for all transportation services and facilities, such as highways, local streets, air, water, rail, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. This draft, which includes recommendations specific to Racine County, is available through the WisDOT website.
Complete the Streets: "Complete streets" are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transportation Authority (RTA): NOTE: SERTA was dissolved in 2011. In July 2005, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transportation Authority was created by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor in order to serve Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine counties by identifying a permanent, dedicated funding source for the local share of capital and operating costs for commuter rail and/or public transit in the region.
Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail: The KRM is a proposed 33-mile commuter rail, built on an existing line and connecting nine Wisconsin cities to Chicago and 22 other Illinois communities as part of the Metra Rail. The KRM is intended to provide quality, affordable and reliable regional transportation option within the corridor.
City of Racine Department of Transportation: City Transportation provides the Belle Urban System (BUS) transit services in the City of Racine and surrounding areas, including paratransit services and a "trolley" service throughout the summer.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development: The USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs that support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. Wisconsin Rural Development (WRD) provides financial programs to support community facilities and services, including programs that provide direct loan and grants for the development or improvement of community facilities (e.g., municipal buildings,day care centers, clinics, nursing homes and hospitals), waste and water disposal systems, distance learning telecommunication services, and others.
National Park Service: The National Park Service administers the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides matching grants to states and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.
U.S. Fire Administration: The US Fire Administration administers several programs that are designed to assist local fire departments and other organizations in protecting citizens and firefighters against the effects of fire and fire-related incidents, including the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program, and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER).
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR): The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is the agency responsible for the development and implementation of policies for the preservation, protection, effective management, and maintenance of Wisconsin's natural resources.
Wisconsin Department of Commerce (DOC): The Wisconsin Department of Commerce (DOC) offers a range of financial assistance programs to help enhance community vitality, including Community Development Block Grants-Public Facilities (a financing tool for local government units in need of funds to undertake needed infrastructure and public building projects, excluding buildings for the conduct of government); Community Development Block Grants-Public Facilities for Economic Development (grants to help underwrite the cost of municipal infrastructure necessary for business development that retains or creates employment opportunities); and Wisconsin Fund, which provides grants to homeowners and small commercial businesses to help offset some of the cost for the repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of existing failing Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems.
Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA): The Wisconsin DOA supports other state agencies and programs with services like centralized purchasing and financial management, and strives to offer Wisconsin residents efficient, high-quality state government services.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP): Among its many programs, DATCP administers the Wisconsin Clean Sweep Program, which helps local governments to collect agricultural, residential, and business hazardous wastes through a grant program. Most local governments offer farmers and residents free or nearly free hazardous waste services while businesses are usually required to pay for most disposal costs. In 2008, DATCP started to provide grants to counties and municipalities for a prescription drug collection program.
Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP): Administered by Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP), RCAP helps rural communities to develop and improve water and wastewater infrastructure, and to develop the capacity to manage, operate, and maintain the water and wastewater utilities.
Wisconsin Rural Water Association (WRWA): WRWA provides trainings and technical assistance through a variety of programs, including the Rural Water Training and Technical Assistance Program, Rural Wastewater Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Program, Small Water System Training and Technical Assistance Program, and Source Water Protection Program.
State Trust Fund Loan Program: Administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL), the State Trust Fund Loan Program allows school districts and municipalities to borrow money for a wide variety of purposes including buildings, roads, water and sewer facilities, equipment, recreation facilities, industrial development, or other public purposes.
Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA): The MREA is a nonprofit organization that promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration.
We Energies: We Energies offers numerous programs, grants and incentives to residents, business owners, and nonprofit organizations to reduce their electric demand and energy use, and to promote the development and use of alternative energy sources.
Racine County Land Conservation Division: The Land Conservation Division (LCD) implements and administers County and State of Wisconsin Soil and Water Conservation Programs. The Racine County LCD relies on partnerships with local farmers, landowners, government officials, teachers, community businesses, and concerned residents to provide a cleaner environment.
Root Pike Watershed Initiative Network (WIN): The Root-Pike WIN Rain Garden Initiative funds the development of rain gardens in Racine, Kenosha and Milwaukee Counties. The initiative also includes free workshops, ongoing expert advice, and annual monitoring for three years to make sure the gardens are managing storm water runoff.
Racine County Workforce Development Center (WDC): The WDC provides subsidized child care funding for eligible families. Families need not be participating in any other type of public assistance program to qualify for funding, but applications must be completed at the Workforce Development Center, which has locations in both the City of Racine and the City of Burlington.
4C (Community Coordinated Child Care):4C is a nonprofit organization that serves the Southeastern Wisconsin Region (i.e., Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties); it assists the community in all child care issues, including resource and referrals for parents, employers, and the community at large.
U.S. Department of Commerce–Economic Development Administration: The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic difficulty, and is administered through several technical and planning assistance programs.
U.S. Small Business Admininistration: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small businesses, to preserve free competitive enterprise, and to maintain and strengthen the country's overall economy. The SBA offers financial assistance, counseling, online training, and disaster assistance, as well as information on contract opportunities throughout the federal government and legislation impacting small businesses.
Wisconsin Department of Commerce: The Wisconsin Department of Commerce (DOC) offers a broad range of financial assistance programs to help communities undertake economic development, including the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Community-Based Economic Development Program (CBED), Rural Economic Development Program (RED), a variety of tax credit programs, the Main Street Program, and several others.
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA): The Wisconsin Housing and Eocnomic Development Authority (WHEDA) offers innovative products and services in partnership with others to link residents and communities with affordable housing and economic development opportunities. Some programs include the Small Business Guarantee, Contractors Business Program, and Agribusiness Program.
Remediation and Redevelopment Program Website: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce have compiled a guide to provide information on options to help finance brownfield cleanup and redevelopment entitled Brownfields Remediation Guide. The guide is divided into sections on grants, reimbursements, loans, tax incentives, and waterfront revitalization programs. Each section includes a one-page summary about its programs, including detailed information about who may apply and eligibility criteria.
Wisconsin Department of Tourism: The Wisconsin Department of Tourism offers various marketing resources, including consulting services, training in marketing and customer service, and co-op advertising, e-mail, and direct mail programs.
Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation: WWBIC is an economic development corporation providing quality business education, technical assistance, and access to capital for entrepreneurs. WWBIC consults, educates, and mentors owners of small and micro businesses throughout Wisconsin with a focus on women, people of color, and those of lower incomes.
Racine County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC): The Racine County Economic Development Corportation (RCEDC) is a private, non-profit organization created in 1983 to build and maintain a strong economic base in Racine County. The mission of the RCEDC is to foster the economic vitality of Racine County by working with numerous local and regional partners to support innovation and creativity that leads to business investment.
Racine County Workforce Development: The Racine County Division of Workforce Development administers local, state and federal public assistance programs, including the Wisconsin Works program (W-2), Childcare, Medicaid/BadgerCare, Food Stamps and Emergency Assistance Programs, and the Dislocated Worker Program.
Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce (RAMAC): Formed in 1982 from the consolidation of the Racine Area Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers' and Employers' Association, the Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce (RAMAC) supports and promotes businesses and communities in Racine County. RAMAC serves as a unified voice for the interest common to every small and large, industry, profession, service and retail business and community organization in the Racine area, as well as a central source of information and data on a wide variety of business problems and issues affecting its members, which include over 750 firms.
Local Chambers of Commerce:
- Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Union Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
- Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce
- Wind Lake Chamber of Commerce


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Jerry Brown moves to Eliminate Retiree Workers
Jon Ortiz and Phillip Reese, Sac Bee, June 13, 2012As Friday's state budget deadline approaches, a little-noticed provision in Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal would cut off thousands of retirees who return to work for the state.
The idea targets all but the most essential of the state's so-called "retired annuitants," a group of about 5,800 workers who drew $110 million in pay from the state last year on top of their pensions.
The Democratic governor's proposal could strike a chord with taxpayers by appearing to crack down on double-dipping...
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/13/4557862/jerry-brown-moves-to-eliminate.html


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If you're in a tribute band, you've got an uphill battle. First, you get little respect from other musicians, who see your group as a money-hungry impersonatorperformers on a par with street mimes. Second, if you've actually got the balls to pay tribute to a rock legend, you better hope you've got your shit dialed-in so you don't offend the hardcore fan base. Of course, if it's done right, tribute performances can better than the real thing. Needless to say, the acts in this evening's lineup are an ambitious lot. Paying homage to Tom Jones; Ozzy Osborne; the late, great Randy Rhodes; and, of course, the pinnacle of prog rock, Rush. Go and appreciate the fact that you're not onstage.
Sat., June 25, 6 p.m., 2011


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Rikard Sjöberg
Friday, Konstmuseet
Rikard, a native from Söderköping, is a jack-of-all-trades musician who toured the world with pop bands but also made some acclaimed ambient performances with his own electronica project Discolor. His new project, Soaring Birds, premiered with the finest company at this year's Haute Culture Festival, and it sounded bloody great. Just as you'd expect from someone with Rikard's CV, it was a wide spectrum of electronic music, downscaled and grande, ambient and danceable. At NMM the performance will be a little more improvised with his great collection of machines that go all the way from drum machines to a Theremin.


text: Amish on Break Five Amish teenagers leave their sheltered community for the first time to spend four weeks abroad in the United Kingdom. It's a trip full of firsts — first time on an airplane, first visit to the ocean and first nightclub. We'll see how they react to the seedy streets of London, street performers and the hedonistic lifestyle of an indie rock band they befriend. We'll also see how their simple life clashes with that of the British upper classes. Videos 3:36Amish on the Beach2:51First TripNo VideoNo Video


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If you've ever wondered what music inspires your favorite musicians, The Artist Showcase on Slacker Radio gives you the chance to spend some one-on-one time with musicians and the music they love.
The Artist Showcase gives you the chance to follow passionate musicians as they take you on a journey of their musical life. They handpick their favorite songs and share stories about why the songs are important, giving you insight into how the songs influence their music and their life.
Find these Slacker-exclusive stations in the "Artist Showcase" category of your favorite Slacker application.
Tune in to hear a station built entirely by the members of Plain White T's including music hand-picked by Tom, Dave, Mike, and De'Mar as well as commentary by each about the songs that influenced their music and their lives.
Listen to an exclusive radio station custom-programmed by Ida and her guitarist Stefan Törnby as well as their thoughts about the songs that influenced their lives and their music.
This Artist Showcase is curated by Patrick Stump. The Fall Out Boy singer is on his own now and introduces all of the songs that influenced his life and his new solo career.


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Photos and Description of this 3 bedroom holiday home in Salzburg - Residence Mozart
Fully Furnished House with 3 bedrooms, Garden, Internet, Parking, 6-8 persons,
This spacious single-family house in Salzburg's prime location Parsch, close to the historic city center, has a living area of 130 m² (1.400 Sq. ft.) plus Terrace, and 100 m² (1.076 Sq. ft.) Garden and is completely furnished. It sleeps comfortably for up to 6 people, max. 8 People. In front of the house is a free private car park for a maximum of convenience on your vacation. Children are welcome :)
Ground Floor
On the ground level there is a spacious, tastefully furnished living and dining room equipped with Sky TV, DVD player and free Wi-Fi internet access. Adjacent is a big terrace/lanai with a lovely quiet and green private garden.
The kitchen is fully equipped, including a dishwasher, and washing machine. Additionally there is a dyer, flat iron, ironing board and a safe. On the lower level you will find an additional restroom.
Upper Floor
On the upper floor are three bedrooms and a spacious bathroom with a big bathtub. The master bedroom with a king-size bed is furnished very comfortably. The adjoining balcony provides a stunning view over the mountains and Salzburg Castle. The other two bedrooms are furnished with two single beds and a spacious writing desk.
In addition two fold-up beds are available. Enough bedding, hand and bath-towels are at your disposal free of charge.It will be our vested interest to make your stay with us as convenient as possible.
Close to the City Center - Great Transport Connections
Your vacation home is located in a tranquil prime residential area at the foot of the Gaisberg Mountain. The house is conveniently located for you to explore the city centre of Salzburg. You can reach the historic old town within walking distance or with the bus number 6, which offers a direct connection within 10 minutes. From there almost all important sights can be reached by foot. From the train station the same bus Nr. 6 brings you again with a direct connection within 20 minutes to our residence. In front of the house is a private car park which our guests can use for free.
Prime Infrastructure
A large and very well equipped supermarket is located just 5 walking minutes form the house with daily fresh pastries, meat, fruits and vegetables. Within walking distance there are various restaurants offering regional and international cuisine, a doctor and a pharmacy.
- Suitability:
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- Low Allergen Environment
- children welcome
- wheelchair accessible
About HannesTerber
My name is Hannes Terber. I was born in Salzburg, Austria and raised in Tenerife. I am currently writing my doctoral dissertation in international maritime law and also helping my family to rent out our beloved oceanfront Villa Bellevue. It would be my pleasure to provide you with any further or more detailed information and welcome you as our guests in Tenerife.
The young lady next to me on the picture is my grandmother on her 86th birthday :)


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Ron Cooper completes his 835-mile journey along the northern route of the Cherokee Trail of Tears in Park Hill, Okla., in April 2011. The journey took him nearly three months to complete.
Photo by Contributed Photo /Chattanooga Times Free Press .
published Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013
Stories this photo appears in:
BIRCHWOOD, Tenn. — Ron Cooper is searching — but he's not quite sure what he's seeking.


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You can say you somebody new, you can give yourself a whole new story, but what came first is who you really are and what happened before is what really happened. — D'Angelo Barksdale
There is much to be said about the greatness of "The Wire," but if nothing else it shows that everything is all relative. Humans are meant to be complex, as D'Angelo Barksdale demonstrated on numerous occasions in the early years of the series. Here you have a character who ultimately made peace with his own shortcomings and stopped worrying about how others perceived him. Going over this key quote from the second season of "The Wire" instantly made me think of a real-life NBA counterpart. Whereas D'Angelo Barksdale carried a heavy burden over his head, no player has been as unfairly judged as Monta Ellis.
He shoots too much. He's selfish. He's not a team-first kind of guy. These are all criticisms of Ellis that have been made over the years. Some have been justified (he's certainly not the definition of efficient) while others have been unnecessary. Basketball writers and bloggers have made it a habit to go out of their way to bring up his shortcomings at every chance.
Yet this only tells half the story. A rather redundant and misaligned one at that. Monta Ellis is a creative shooter who can score in a variety of ways, and while the shots may not come in the most efficient of ways, you'd be a fool not to appreciate them when they count. It's pretty ironic how so much time is spent overanalyzing the production of Ellis when he's playing at terrible efficiency levels on poor teams, and yet he's rarely acknowledged when he's playing substantially better on a good one.
His ability to operate in a distributive system in itself rebukes many of his criticisms. The Dallas Mavericks under Rick Carlisle have performed under a system that capitalizes off the natural abilities of its players. Dirk Nowitzki has benefited from this, and Shawn Marion along with Vince Carter have most certainly done so. At this point, Monta has clearly adapted well, and it's nothing that should surprise anyone.
That is why the most appealing thing about Monta Ellis to me has always been the thing that he gets chided for most. He's unapologetic. The Dallas Mavericks shooting guard is a polarizing player who could care less what you think. Honestly, Ellis might not have lasted this long if he did. Like his counterpart in "The Wire," he chooses to live and operate in the way that best fits him. In the case of Barksdale, that choice led to an untimely demise, but Monta is still here. He's still thriving and playing arguably the best basketball of his career. While not scoring 25 a night, his 19.4 points per game along with 5.8 assists in the role that he's in is not only impressive, but necessary in the progression of the Mavericks season.
As Kirk Goldsberry brilliantly pointed out earlier in the season, the Monta Ellis playing for Dallas isn't a new and improved model. Though that article was based on a small sample size from the beginning of the season, Ellis hasn't steered too far off course now has he? He's the same player that he has always been. The difference is that Ellis is in better circumstances playing in a system that he's bought in to.
Monta is a player who doesn't let analysts and reporters frustrate him. He continues to play the game the way that he feels he's best at. How he should always play. He takes chances, and makes mistakes, but one could never say that he doesn't leave it all on the court after every game. The risks he takes on the court are a result of a player competing to win. Considering the teams he's played on in Golden State and Milwaukee. Ellis has had to overcompensate on a nightly basis for most of his career. With a change of scenery, his reliance on himself can be eased by his teammates.
Basketball, like other sports, is a game determined by numbers, but it's given statisticians too much room to critique. Contrary to popular belief, using stats without placing them in the proper context isn't just a bad assessment, it's laziness at its best. It's also selectively biased, as some players get crushed in articles for things that others are given frequent passes on. In some ways, it's an act of placing too much emphasis on the numbers, and other ways it's simply writers' inability to relate to the player.
Monta represents the type of athlete that many aren't able to grasp for reasons only they could tell you. He's nonchalant towards those who denounce him. Ellis is far from politically correct and certainly doesn't conform to please those who have no understanding of him regardless. His confidence has at times been labelled as arrogance, which is even further telling of the people who cover him. His style of play is questioned, and yet it's necessary for him to effectively function at this level.
Numbers are great, but it is possible to enjoy and applaud basketball players who are as entertaining as they are talented. There is no rule that the game should be enjoyed less because it's aesthetically more fulfilling than it is efficiently. We thrive to see strong competition combined with even stronger effort. Those who watch strictly to count how often a player isn't going to score as opposed to how he sets himself up to score are as miserable as their assessments.
Of course many will ignore the strides Monta has made this season. As D'Angelo Barksdale pointed out, no matter what a man does, people will always have their own ideas of them. That's why it's only fitting that the shortcomings of Monta's career will always be in the "narrative" background. It serves perfectly when pointing out just how foolish people are when they choose to overlook the man in his present state.


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South Beach Wine & Food Festival tickets still available
Published On: Feb 22 2013 03:06:44 PM EST
Updated On: Feb 22 2013 06:34:49 PM EST
Updated On: Feb 22 2013 06:34:49 PM EST
Tickets to several events at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival are still available.
The festival kicked off Thursday night with the Q.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms Of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.blog comments powered by Disqus


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A great morning workout will help you kick start an amazing day! Patrons, who wish to grow taller, must be ready to exercise. Research proves that intense exercising would trigger many changes in your body. In this short article, I am about to talk about five different types of workout routines for a better height. Each of these steps are simple but effective. If you perform these routines as a part of your morning habit, you will feel good and healthy!
A relaxed Body
Firstly, you should wake up and stretch your limbs. A lot of people forget their morning stretches. This is a very nice thing to be done, while lying on the bed. During the routine you should stretch your arms, by moving them above your head and then to the sides. Now, stretch your legs downwards! Pretend like someone is pulling you downwards. Repeat this routine for two short minutes. As you perform this routine frequently, you will have the wit to relax your bones and muscles.
A Great Mind, A Calm Soul
Secondly, you should do some stretches. Did you know that your can perform stretches, while you are on your bed? Well, I do my stretches by lying still on my bed! First of all, you should take deep breaths. Keep your body relaxed and calm. Focus on the breaths you inhale and exhale. Use your stomach during the breaths. Repeat this exercise for at least three minutes. Twenty proper breathes will refresh your mind and ooze your soul.
Vitamin D From Sunlight!
The sunlight plays a very important role in our lives. Every morning, you should step out into the sunshine and acquire a sturdy amount of Vitamin D! This is a very important nutrient that boosts the body's overall height. A diet without vitamin D will not let you reach your maximum possible height. Try to combine sunlight with some exercises! There are several different types of exercises, which can be performed in the mornings. From thread mill to hang ups, you could do many workouts. Nevertheless, check if the exercise has some "strong" stretches. You should spend at least 20 minutes on exercises. Hire a trainer if you are a lazy bee! As them to massage your reflex points! Did you know that growth hormones are responsible for your height? As HGH gets released into the blood, it will increase your overall height.


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Danny Trejo returns as ex-Federale agent Machete in the action-packed thrill ride Machete Kills. In his latest mission, Machete is recruited by the U.S. President (Charlie Sheen) to stop a crazed global terrorist (Mel Gibson) from starting a nuclear war. With a bounty on his head, Machete faces death at every turn from an all-star cast of deadly assassins. Breaking all the rules, visionary director Robert Rodriguez leads this ensemble on one of the wildest adventures to save the world ever captured on film! Also starring Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demián Bichir, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Official Web Site
Robert Rodriguez
Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demián Bichir, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Mel Gibson, William Sadler, Marko Zaror
1hr 48mins


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Whether you need insulin for cats or insulin for dogs, you know diabetes is serious and can how it can greatly affect your pets. The inability to regulate one's own blood sugar seriously alters the way diabetics go through life -- they have to be careful about what they eat and keep an eye on blood sugar levels, and they're going to need to take some type of insulin for the rest of their life.
Has your vet just told you that your cat is diabetic and that they're going to need insulin on a daily basis? You're probably thinking about what that kind of monthly bill that'll be. To help you out, here are some great ways to save money on your cat's insulin.
Depo Medrol for dogs and cats, the generic of methylprednisolone, is an anti inflammatory drug that is useful in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, helping to bring down swelling caused by an infection or allergic reaction, making it easier to treat the issue. Learn more about Depo Medrol works here.
Diabetes is a rough diagnosis to get. Treating it is no picnic either. Since every type of insulin on the market requires a subcutaneous injection, syringes are a must have for anyone in need of treatment. Learn about U-100 Insulin Syringes, what makes them different from other types of syringes, and why you need to know the difference.
Helping to manage diabetes mellitus in cats and dogs, Humulin N is an intermediate-acting form of insulin that lasts longer than regular insulin, but is not quite as powerful as others. Learn more about how Humulin N works here.
When a cat uses the bathroom outside of the litter box, there's often a cause behind this behavior that can be corrected. Whether it's a medical issue like incontinence or a lack of training, read about the solution here.
Dogs and cats can be underweight for various reasons. Here are the most common causes.
Underweight pets can suffer from health issues as easily as overweight pets can. Treat your underweight pet with these tips.
There are several ways to tell if your pet is underweight, and the problem should be addressed right away. See what can cause a dog or cat to be under their ideal weight.
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It's easy to forget Catalonia extends beyond its capital of Barcelona. After all, the city is one of Europe's most engaging destinations, home to world-class architecture and public art (though in the case of Antoni Gaudi, separating the two is nearly impossible). It's also home to one of sport's most storied franchises, FC Barcelona, and some of the best urban beaches on the planet.
Ignore all that, just for a moment of course, and Catalonia is still worth a visit. Coastal resorts on the Mediterranean promise some of Spain's most luxurious accommodations, while the region's oft-overlooked wine country affords intimate, leisurely travel. The Pyrenees Mountains, meanwhile, are a peaceful counterpoint to the bustle of Barcelona.
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Title almost pretty much sums it up. I looked around and found people who supposedly had the same laptop as I've got here and the solutions posted there for them didn't work, and I can't find much anything.
I tried that 1-click NVIDIA Install thing for my NVIDIA GeForce 7000M and it didn't work. It says I've got some Vesa thing for a Graphics Card, which is bizarre because there's a thing on the laptop that says it's supposed to be a 384 MB NVIDIA GeForce 7000M, the 1-click didn't work, I tried uninstalling that and using the other, that didn't work, and yes I was remembering to reboot after trying each of them.
As for the internet problem, I can't seem to connect over the wireless, it keeps saying there's a missing kernel thing for the wireless card, so it can't configure it, though the regular internet works fine. I followed instructions on the MadWifi thing, and so that didn't work.
Does anyone know how to solve either of these two problems?


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Rosemary Matheny, RYT 500, is certified at the 500 hour level in Classical Yoga. Rosemary is also certified in level II Reiki. Yoga has become the stabilizing force in her life that drives her to teach. Her classes focus on coordination of movement with the breath to build flexibility and strength in connection of body, mind, and spirit. "The goal is to find that inner balance, light, and peace which resides in each of us that will sustain us in all of life's situations." She resides in Greenland with her husband and two children.
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Get the look of custom, professional printing for a fraction of the cost with these sleek, modern White Pearl Wedding Invitations.
The invitations are compatible with most home and office printers.
The set includes 50 invitations with envelopes and reply cards with coordinating envelopes as well as a template with sample wording.
Visit hobbylobby.com/wedding for easy to use templates, instructions and more ideas.
We have a 2-3 day in-house process. There will be an additional 1-7 days for delivery.
**During peak Holiday Seasons (Mother's Day & Christmas) it can take an additional 1-2 business days to get your order shipped.
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Microsoft releases most security updates on the second Tuesday of each month, known in the information technology industry as Patch Tuesday. Bundling patches together into one monthly update makes it easier for large companies with many computers to update all their PCs at the same time and deal with any problems that may arise. New malware often appears shortly after, giving a possible month before Microsoft releases the next set of updates and taking advantage of the fact that some users don't keep their computers up-to-date and won't have the latest patches. Microsoft sometimes releases critical updates that patch serious vulnerabilities outside of the normal patch cycle.
Windows Security Update Packages
Security threats such as malicious software, viruses and Trojans are commonplace on the Internet, with many specifically targeting home users who may have less knowledge about how to protect their computers. To help you stay safe from these threats, Microsoft publishes monthly security updates, designed to fix any vulnerabilities found in the Windows operating system and other Microsoft software.
Patch Tuesday
Security Updates
Security updates are small software packages that replace any files in the operating system found to contain vulnerabilities to close the security holes and stop exploitation by malware, viruses or hackers. Vulnerabilities typically allow third parties to gain access to files to which they don't have adequate permissions, install malicious software or to crash the computer. Some vulnerabilities are found before they're actively exploited, often by security researchers and interested individuals, and Microsoft release updates to patch these before any damage is done. Malicious software authors find other vulnerabilities first and create software to exploit them before Microsoft release an update in response to fix the problem.
Windows Update Service
The Windows Update service allows Microsoft to send out security updates over the Internet to patch security holes and fix errors. You can manually check for updates at any time using the Windows Control Panel, or you can configure the update service to automatically download and install updates in the background. This ensures that your computer is up-to-date with all of the latest security updates and reduces the chance of it falling prey to malicious software. Once the update service has installed the latest updates, you may need to restart your computer for the updates to take effect. Using the Control Panel, you can specify a time for the update service to run, so the update and restart process can occur when you aren't using the computer.
Service Packs
Microsoft also release service packs for operating systems and applications, which contain a collection of security and other updates bundled together. Downloading and installing a number of updates in one pack is often faster and less prone to errors than installing each update individually and allows computers with a clean install of Windows to be quickly brought up to date with the latest patches. Some service packs may introduce new security features, such as the addition of the Windows firewall into Windows XP by Windows XP Service Pack 2.
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That may or may not be true. At the moment, this statement is merely a guess, an assumption — but it's testable. It's a hypothesis.
People love to insist that your website is made of magical ones and zeros. "It's HTML," they'll say. "It lives on triple-redundant co-located servers," they'll argue. Yet the truth is much simpler, and scarier, than that.
Your website is a tower of assumptions. Everyone's is. Perhaps yours was built according to a specific blueprint. Maybe it was built from a template. Either way, if it's not properly maintained, the structure will collapse. But before you demolish the current structure and start over from the ground up, you should test the existing site.
If you want to improve your website, testing provides the scaffolding to fix it. And just as you wouldn't hire a renovation crew that uses scaffolding made of toothpicks, your optimization tests require strong hypotheses. Of course, you can always test a bunch of random variables and see which configuration works best with your visitors, but that generally takes too long, adds noise to the data, and makes it difficult to gain any real insight.
The better thing to do is to start with a hypothesis.
In my last post, I showed how testing allows you to optimize by letting visitors design your site for you. By giving them new versions of navigation and content elements and closely monitoring to see which ones work best, your visitors can vote with their clicks, and you can more easily adjust your site to fit their needs.
Be careful, though. If you don't have a solid hypothesis, improvements can take longer — and be more incremental — than they should be. Recycling random variations of a page just to see what works often yields a much smaller return on investment than hiring a website optimization firm.
It's the most common problem we see among companies that don't outsource their testing: They don't really know what to test.
Regardless of who tests your website, the scientific method [define] must drive the process. Your venture into testing must begin with curiosity. Curiosity is fundamental to humanity, and the basis for our achievements. To have success online, you must be curious as to why things happen and what is influencing them.
• Observation: "Why do so few people add an item to their cart from the product page?"
• Observation: "Why do my blog posts with short titles seem to get more comments?"
Curiosity is the initial spark to start a learning experience, but ideas and explanations must be conjured to satisfy that curiosity. This is where the hypothesis comes from.
Again, a hypothesis is just an assumption. The ideas and explanations you base this assumption on can come from real world examples or basic intuition. To write a hypothesis, simply take the action you're considering and state the result — a benefit, we hope — that you expect it to have.
• Hypothesis: "Making the 'add to cart' button larger will increase our conversion rate."
• Hypothesis: "Using blog post titles with six words or less will increase the amount of comments."
The one and only purpose of running a website optimization test is to prove (or disprove) your hypothesis by exposing it to real world conditions. As such, you'll need to create variations of the elements you wish to test in a way that properly reflects your hypothesis, so you can test them against the original version to see which one works best.
Let's start with "Making the add to cart buttons larger will increase our conversion rate." To test this hypothesis, you'll need to create a version of the page with a larger add to cart button. To be sure, you may also want to test more than one size. If a large button isn't ideal, maybe a medium-sized one is.
Lets say the test proves our hypothesis to be valid and you decide to make the "add to cart" button larger. Wonderful, but you might want to hold off on the champagne.
Now it's time to create another hypothesis about the best color for the "add to cart" button. For instance, "A green 'add to cart' button will yield a higher conversion rate than similar red or blue buttons."
The point is to learn something — anything — about what is and isn't working on your site. Approach testing in a systematic way and record what you learn to guide you through future tests. You may also want to revisit certain tests to see if they still hold true, especially if you've changed other elements on the page.
It's very important not to get discouraged. Even if your hypothesis is disproved, you've learned something valuable; that what you have is working well enough for you to focus on another area of your site that needs attention.
On the other hand, if your hypothesis is strong — and the test results prove it — you've begun remodeling your "tower built on assumptions" into a high-rise casino, where the odds are stacked neatly in your favor.
. . .
[Editor's Note: Blinded by science? Need a renovation? Future Now can help you test it.]
Thanks for the great advice. Very helpful.
[...] tagged randomOwn a WordPress blog? Make monetization easier with the WP Affiliate Pro plugin. Website Optimization Starts With a Hypothesis saved by 9 others shugotenshineko bookmarked on 02/24/08 | [...]
It's today I was thinking the same thought. Will use it to make my new site.
We are in the process of a site update right now, and this is very timely. Outsourcing and building testing into the reconstruction seems the way to go. However there are a large number of variables that could (and should) be tested; the issue is finding (and testing) those likely to give the highest returns. Smaller companies often do not have the resources for full-scale testing so determining what these might be is imperative.
Your point is extemely valid: "Recycling random variations of a page just to see what works often yields a much smaller return on investment than hiring a website optimization firm".
Great points. One of the things that's really starting to concern me about the way that people use testing is how we treat it like magic. Pick a Version A and Version B, test it, and do whatever the test outcome says. The problem with that approach is, even if that were always reliable (and data does lie on occasion), you don't learn anything that you can use in other situations.
Having a hypothesis means you drive testing, thoughtfully and purposefully, instead of letting testing drive you.
Amen Dr. Pete!
After a very recent experience – I think the most important sentence in this blog:
It's the most common problem we see among companies that don't outsource their testing: They don't really know what to test.
Last year my web folks sold us a bill of goods – testing multiple scenarios of pages, click thru, etc. And in the end – all the results were totally inconclusive. Now my personal cynicism aside about corporate politics, procedures, (and all other excuses I can think of) – Please learn from my mistake…
Get involved from the idea conception – don't leave it up to just the designers. Not knowing what to test proved to be a big waste of internal resources and $$$'s. For me it was like 'letting fox watch the chickens' – Sure it looked good on their dept's yr end objectives, but it impacted my product ZERO. (sorry – had to vent)
[...] ugly, but what Bezos realized early on is that, to be a successful online merchant, you need to get a hypothesis and test it if you want something that [...]
[...] test. Without a clear hypothesis, it's easy to get hung up on your own guesswork. Knowing how to get a hypothesis is critical. So, by popular demand after many Website Optimizer users asked for more insight on [...]
Just a quick note since many of you will be interested: We're teaming up with Google for a free webinar on Tuesday March 11th on how to get the most out of Google Website Optimizer.
Hope you can make it!
That's good advice. One thing designers forget that sometimes feelings about new tools change all the time. Something can seem great at first and then later on people realize it's not so great. Or what works for some may not in fact be working for a lot of other people. Being able to constantly check for information about what is and isn't working is always a good thing.
[...] from people who want to know the secret. They've read a few posts on website optimization testing, but they're disillusioned. Their tests haven't been effective — meanwhile, Future [...]
[...] Know what you're looking for — Make sure you know how to get a hypothesis worth testing. In other words, you should know ahead of time how to interpret the results. [...]
[...] will serve well as a starting point. For more details about a good hypothesis take a look at "Website Optimization Starts With a Hypothesis" over at [...]
great article.
I am just getting our website updated at the moment and this post has given me some great ideas to approach the web designers with. Thanks for the information.
I agree 100% with you. I think that the best thing is to test it and see what works the best, and try to ignore all hypothesis.
Some hypothesis will work on you web, some won't.
Smart webmasters will test which one works, dumb will just read everything on net and use them without even thinking if this is true.
Great text, I suspect that something sort of like EMH dominates the find engine world, but instead of prices for commodities at points in time, the market is search engine rankings and keywords. In my inchoate model, each keyword is its own market. The "price" of a given website would be how well it ranks in a search for that keyword.
Great informative article – some comments if I may :-
1. I'd say most people here use an off the shelf ecommerce package, it's going to be rather hard to duplicate products as it'll confuse customers, also Google will mark you down for duplicate content. Change your content – you invalidate your test.
2. If you try and follow nature – we either innovate or we immitate. Again, I assume most dont have the resources to run all these tests, so the natural instinct is to copy the top dog (just like we do in fashion & music etc) , and then make our niche. Maybe I'll try and look like amazon or iTunes ?, just like the Beatles immitated, the beach boys, Elvis etc and every pub band then plays the songs that are in the top 40.
It also depends on your market type – eg 20 wholsesale customers can order the same total value as 80 retail customers. Those 20% wholsale customers can be converted via a phone call or email, their decision based on price and service – rather than the checkout button size and colour
But – that is just my hypothesis – and probably wrong
Sometimes we overcomplicate things. Especially building a website.
When I build one, I put myself into my visitors shoes and ask myself, "What stands out best?" "What attracts my eye so that I want to stay and read more about this?" "Can I get what I came here for?"
I believe the whole site browsing should be easy, fun to use, attractive to the eye, and load quickly.
"Keep It Simple Smarty" is my motto I follow. I treat every visitor as an intelligent person trying to find what they need.
Mix it up and make the site look pleasant. Making the site as interesting as possible without overdoing it is the goal.
[...] Website Optimization Starts With a Hypothesis – Ron hits us up with an awesome "must read" follow up post to his previous post titled "Let Visitors Design Your Site For You". [...]


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"We used a b&w picture and we absolutely love the result. We have already received so any compliments on the announcement! Tiny prints has a great selection of adorable cards it was definitely hard to pick the winner for our announcement. Easy to setup & personalize and I love the save to favorites feature. Great service and quick shipping! Received the cards faster than expected."
"I love the simple design that focuses on his name. We received many compliments from friends and family. Quality of the paper is great."
"We used the flat photo card to memorialize our beautiful golden retriever. We ordered the matte version, and his photo on the front of the card was just stunning. On the back, we wrote a little poem about him. The tinyprints staff was able to center the text perfectly for us. The card stock was definitely quality. We were so pleased with the finished product and received many compliments on it. We have already used tinyprints again."
"Tiny Prints changed the color of the name for me from white to blue. I really appreciated their ability to make that change for me. This is a very simple announcement but that's exactly what I wanted. Simple and classic. I love it and they were delivered very promptly! The paper is nice quality too. Thanks for making it so easy for me!"
"I used this card as a joint christmas card and birth announcement and it was perfect! I included birth announcement on the front of the card and than a christmas greeting on the back. The card is beautiful and exactly what I was looking for."


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Web Id: P000282823
KitchenAid 2-Speed Green Hand Blender with soft grip handle features a removable 8'' blending arm with fixed blade that locks into the motor body for easy operation. Stainless steel S-shaped blade quickly blends ingredients. Includes 3-cup BPA-free blending jar with lid.
Bealls is a privately held company, rich in tradition, owned by the founding family and its employees. Founded in 1915, Bealls Department Stores now operates 80 store locations in the state of Florida in addition to BeallsFlorida.com. Bealls Department Stores and BeallsFlorida.com are owned and operated by Beall's Department Stores, Inc and Beall's Westgate Corporation.
Copyright 2014 Bealls, Inc. All rights reserved.


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European Policy
In detail
Manual for Foreign Asset Recovery for persons or bodies subject to international sanctions or national or international legal proceedings
Within the framework of its Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the EU applies restrictive measures for the purposes of pursuing the specific CSFP objectives stated in the Treaty on European Union. In recent years, the EU has often made recourse to the imposition of sanctions or restrictive measures both autonomously and in compliance with the binding resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
Sanctions are diplomatic or economic instruments intended to stimulate change in activities or policies, such as violations of international law, human rights, rule of law or democratic principles. The restrictive measures imposed by the EU can target the governments of third countries as well as non-State entities or physical or legal individuals (such as terrorist groups or individual terrorists). They can consist of embargoes on the sale of weapons, other specific or general trade restrictions (import or export bans), financial restrictions, travel restrictions (visa or travel bans), or other measures that may appear appropriate to the case in question.
According to the nature of the specific sanctions, Member States are obliged to undertake specific tasks regarding implementation of the measures. The authorised agency in Italy in charge of monitoring the system for the prevention and sanctioning of financing terrorism and money-laundering is the Financial Security Committee (CSF), chaired by the Director General of the Treasury and made up of representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Justice, the Bank of Italy, the National Corporation and Stock Exchange Commission, the Institute for Oversight of Private Insurance and Collective Interests, the Unit of Financial Information, the Customs Police (Guardia di Finanza), the Antimafia Investigative Division, the Carabinieri Corps and the national anti-mafia division.
This site offers a panorama of the restrictive measures adopted within the CFSP framework and currently in force. It also contains a list of all the individuals, groups and bodies on which such financial restrictions are in effect.
For further information:
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS06.3691.1 (switchboard); 06.3691.8899 (Office of Relations with the Public)
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Book your room at The Lily Inn
Bird RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Samuel AllinsonMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Mary SmithMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Lydia RichieMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
J. Howard Pugh SuiteMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Burlington bed & breakfast with a complimentary breakfast
With a stay at The Lily Inn in Burlington, you'll be within the vicinity of Neshaminy State Park and TD Bank Amphitheater.
This bed & breakfast is within the vicinity of Historical Society of Bensalem and Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine.
Private bathrooms have designer toiletries and hair dryers.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless Internet access and a fireplace in the lobby.
A complimentary continental breakfast is included.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
At your hotel
At your hotel
Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. This Burlington bed & breakfast also offers a garden and a fireplace in the lobby.
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free breakfast
- Fireplace in lobby
- Garden
Stay connected
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
In your room
- Ceiling fan
- Private bathroom
- Designer toiletries
- Hair dryer
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Eat and drink
Guests are offered complimentary continental and full breakfasts.
The fine print for The Lily Inn
When you arrive
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-in time ends at 7 PM
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.


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Textured Tie-Dye Top
With a touch of embroidery here and a sequin there, this spliced top has a casual artsy feel. Tonal embroidery and sequin detail on front tiers and vertically down back. Imported.
- Angled tiers on front only
- Scoop neck; three-quarter-length sleeves
- Tie-dye fabric
- 92% polyester/8% spandex
- Hand Wash
- sku #:
Available Colors
|size chart
Complete the Look
Textured Tie-Dye Top 9 9
Thrilled!! I admired this top on my sister and asked her where she bought it. I was able to find it at Dress Barn online and took a leap of faith, guessed that I would need a large and when it arrived, I couldn't believe, it fit me perfectly! It's so cool! I especially love the length. Thank you! March 24, 2014
This product is scratchy I will be returning it. Loved the way it fit but the sequins made it itchy March 8, 2014
flattering color, shapely shapely but not too snug, love the color, can be worn very casual with jeans or dressed up a bit, I wore it with a dressy navy sweater and black dress pants March 1, 2014
Beautiful color and I love the subtle sparkle. The diagonal shaping in the front is very pretty. January 25, 2014