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On Our Way Home
The title is just because of the pretty big 'Bronx' graffiti on the entrance to the GW bridge. One thing about that Circle Line cruise was that it did pass under every bridge in Manhattan. That alone was worth the ticket. It even went by what we used to call "The Little George Washington" bridge which we used to walk across as kids. It was only when I was older than I learned that we lived in an area of the Bronx called Highbridge.
There is an interesting history to the Little GW… as I believe it was the first bridge built in NYC, but I'd have to check into that. The last time I looked, it was still in operation.
3 Comments
December 19, 2010Ah, you live up there…? But I could've sworn it was refurbished and opened up again. But I'll take your word for it. DB
Steve Rosenbach
December 19, 2010I'm crazy for bridges, especially ones like this one with arches. It's a really great photo, and the infrared really works well here.
BTW Dave, are you still posting at Pixiq?


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The Mekong River, known as the Khong River by locals, has long served as the central form of connectivity from the Tibetan Plateau down through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It brings together these varying cultures, while its banks and valleys create one of the world's most biodiverse and fertile areas. This melding of disparate tastes, ingredients, and techniques has resulted in the bold, complex harmony that is the hallmark of authentic Southeast Asian cuisine.
Just steps away from Miami Beach's local haven and tourist hotspot Lincoln Road, Khong River House offers an oasis of reclaimed wood, soaring ceilings and dimly lit Edison bulbs housed in antique Asian birdhouses. Gracefully perched white stone Buddhas look down on an impressive gin-laden bar and an open floor plan, save for two cozy semi-private booths. The kitchen centers on the core of rural Asian society: family. Khong's multicultural culinary team spans generations, and celebrates family recipes – both ancient and new – and collaboration between talents. This sense of community translates to the table. True to Asian culture, the food is meant to be shared. Fiery curries, rich noodle dishes, herbaceous broths, tangy house pickles and sweet sticky rice are just a few of the flavors to come from Khong River House's humble tribute to the food, flavors and traditions of the Mekong region.

subset: commoncrawl


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Prison to test the use of iPods in West Virginia
The U-S bureau of prisons is testing the idea of allowing iPods at a women's prison in West Virginia.
If all goes well, it would allow them for many of its 200-thousand or so inmates nationwide this year.
The mp3's would be sold at the prison.
Inmates will have access to a song list of about a million titles, but no songs with explicit lyrics will be downloaded.
A bureau spokeswoman says the music could help prisoners deal with idleness, boredom and stress.


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Tell Us What You Think About e-Books
The Duke University Libraries recognize that the format of the book, along with the content, plays an important role in the research process. The Libraries are committed to advocating for optimal e-book functionality in every phase of the research process. The guiding principle behind our E-Book Advocacy Statement is that e-books should have the described functionalities as an essential part of research support.
The Libraries are
- exploring the complexity of the research process and how e-books fit within this process
- learning from readers about their preferences
- advocating to publishers on behalf of researchers' needs
16 Responses to Tell Us What You Think About e-Books
[...] all of these matters, too. If you are a member of the Duke Library community we'd like to hear from you! We'd also like to hear from those affiliated with any TRLN institution, as the decisions we [...]
Robert Zaleski says:
I love e-books and honestly wish I never had to use a paper book for school again. My main reasons for this are:
1. E-books have a search functionality which is so crucial when you want to quickly locate all the instances of a name or concept in a text.
2. E-readers have built in dictionaries that quickly allow me to look up words as I'm reading.
3. E-books are weightless, so I can bring them all with me on my kindle and write research papers outside in the gardens.
4. E-books allow for highlighting and are backed up/ synced with other devices. E-books remove the organizational headache of holding and maintaining a bunch of print sources. Never again will I lose my notes on something I read.
5. E-books are environmentally friendly. I don't care about this one that much but I know that this point will help a lot of people make the switch so it's an important quality.
Graduate Student says:
eBooks have numerous frustrations, and in my research, I would prefer a hard copy about 80% of the time. I have recently gone so far as to request a title [snip] from as far away as Wake Forest U since all libraries in the area, maddeningly, use the eBook.
The issue here was that I am a beginning programmer and need to reference the book/instructions at the *same* time that I am typing the "code." Since I don't have two screens, the only way to do this is with a hard copy. This is largely personal preference– I don't have an ipad, etc. and, additionally, can't bring put an ebook on my nightstand to read before bed, make physical notes in, quickly turn the pages of, etc.– but if I were under the gun, I couldn't readily use the eBook for practical reasons either– if I open two windows simultaneously (one with the eBook, one with the code), the eBook print rapidly becomes too small for me to process a page of information at a time (and/or text along with illustrative graphics that I need to see).
Secondly, until eBook platforms (laptops, desktops, iPads, kindle, etc.) can consistently replicate the level of eye strain a book (i.e. vs. LCD screen) presents, I will prefer eBooks– and I have 20/10 vision Anecdotal evidence here might be my mother, who has retinal cancer and recently retired from her teaching job and took disability, in no small part because the long hours of engaging with a screen strain present an excessive eye strain. I think there are real disability/ADA issues here that would suggest that a hard copy of a book should be readily available as an alternative to an eBook (even if, say, the hard copy had to come from a distant library– I smell a grant!).
Finally, in the absence of an accessible print copy, if a patron herself tries to "convert" an ebrary book into a print copy herself (via printing pages), there is a printing limit– and this is if it's even possible to print the pages using the software (I've gone so far as to take screen shots and paste them into a Word doc rather than use an eBook). I understand that restriction is probably due to licensing agreements that make eBooks cheaper to libraries than print copies (and, along these lines, publishers don't want people "cheating"); however, I think patrons can widely intuit the strategic move here and, to be honest, resent it.
As you could observe, there is real, widely-distributed opposition to eBooks, across all generations and disciplines– for all the reasons above– that won't (as I suspect many publishers believe) inevitably phase out as the digital tide sweeps over us.
Thank you so much for looking into this. I hope my commentary isn't too direct here, and is helpful.
Graduate Student, English Department says:
Comments about netlibrary/ebsco ebook platform:
Viewing Suspensions of perception: attention spectacle, and modern culture 1999 by Jonathan Crary (http://search.library.duke.edu/search?sugg=&source=duke&Nty=1&N=0&Ntk=Keyword&Ntt=Suspensions+of+perception%3A+attention+spectacle%2C+and+modern+culture)Text is too small to read on screen.
When adjusted bigger, text doesn't wrap to fit screen; increasing the font size shows only part of page and reader must scroll back and forth, sideways.
Resets zoom at every page turn.This interface is horrible.
John Wright says:
I'm sure e-books are useful at times and I'll leave their praises to others.
My main concern is that increasing e-availability will (over the next ten years) cause libraries to degenerate and lose funding until they are nothing but named websites from which one can get various scanned books, but no assistance, advice, or sense of academic community.
Markos Hadjioannou says:
Yes! This is a fundamental concern of the issue. In general, I think e-books actually create a platform for the increase of control on the way readers use books. They offer some new functionality, but for the time being I think this probably is limited to a sense of immediacy: immediate downloading; immediate access to the material; immediate search capabilities. That said, it dictates the way you actually search through a book, the way you copy a book, and it eliminates entirely the importance of a book's length and spatial development. So, not only are we presented with a culture that satisfies itself through the narrow terms of an interface-user community – essentially deeming the library culture as unnecessary – but we are also forced to accept very determined ways of approaching a work. That said, I think the most interesting function of an e-book would be to work WITH hard-copy books; not AGAINST them.
Sara Seten Berghausen says:
Kindle and other eBook editions broadly available for download are typically priced lower than a printed book, so researchers commonly assume the same is true for the Libraries' eBooks. However, scholarly titles available to the Libraries through netlibrary/Ebsco, eBrary and other platforms and publishers in my experience are most often the *same price* as the print edition. If we would like multiple user access (such that more than one researcher can access the ebook simultaneously), the price is even higher.
Alex Chen says:
The ebsco host ebook platform is nothing more than a collection of PDFs. To call this ebooks is inconsistent (or a false comparison) with the kindle (or other) platform.
As it stands, ebooks are far too difficult to integrate into a workflow via ebsco. The lack of a proper epub format makes reading on a dedicated ereader very difficult.
UPGG graduate student says:
I really enjoy recreational reading on my Kindle, but I don't think it can really handle the scientific articles I need to read for class. Maybe in a few years the technology will be there but for now, it's basically just for novels for me. However, some of my social science friends like doing their reading on e-readers – they don't have as many tables and figures to contend with.
Micaela Janan says:
E-books are useful for teaching when an unlimited, or at least very high, number of users can access the same book at the same time–this is superior to putting a single (or even multiple) copies on reserve for students. There are also times when I need to look up something in a book outside of library hours, and access then is priceless.
I recently had the rude experience of discovering that the Ebsco e-book I had told my students they could access on line was limited to being checked out for 5 days by ONE user at a time! That is so ridiculously inferior to a hard copy I don't know where to begin; obviously Ebsco keeps on charging the library a yearly fee for this miniscule access, so year-over-year, it ends up being more expensive than getting a hard copy.
Also, Duke can't lend ebooks via ILL. The more titles we acquire as ebooks, the less useful we shall be to our ILL partners. Not a good idea, when (e.g.) UNC-CH has many out-of-print titles in my own discipline (classics) and other disciplines that our collection does not.
And lastly, what happens when the company who controls the database when the ebook originates goes bankrupt or changes hands? That information will no longer be accessible, whereas a hard copy will be on the shelves as long as human ingenuity can preserve it. We are not beholden to any outside commercial entity for hard-copy titles we have already acquired, but e-books make us servants to the e-masters of those books.
Graduate Student, music says:
I have found little use for the ebook platform through the library website — the formatting is difficult to read and awkward to navigate. Until someone comes up with an easy way to page through the book–and easily page to end notes without having to manually go searching for the page you were originally reading–I will continue to use print over electronic form.
One of the greatest possibilities with ebooks is the portability–kindle, iPad, other eBook readers. Many of these devices, however, present problems of their own: most academic presses are not on kindle (last I checked); you CAN upload PDFs onto a kindle, but the interface makes it IMPOSSIBLE to actually read the thing unless it's formatted perfectly; the back light of the iPad (and other like devices) give me extreme eye fatigue; and it is not possible use library books (which limits my reading to only books I've purchased).
There seems to be the technology to solve these problems, but the time/energy/money has yet to be invested. Until then — regular print, print, print, print, print is the way to go.
Andrew Bonner says:
I wanted to leave one piece of feedback about the E-book Advocacy Statement. There is one feature that I would like to see highlighted as a desirable benchmark: reproduction of pictures, charts, and other visual materials in a manner that is legible and placed correctly within the text. Perhaps this is so obvious that it was overlooked, but it has been one of my primary sources of displeasure in e-book experiences (especially with books formatted for the Kindle). Perhaps the average paperback can be converted to a stream of ASCII with little loss of content, but for many scholarly publications, the layout, ancillary materials, and ability to print special characters is crucial. I was just looking at a new ebook that seems to do a good job of this: http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE004918598
Aisha Harvey says:
Andrew, thanks for this feedback. The e-book example you linked to is very useful to us at the library.
Aisha Harvey, Duke Library E-Book Strategy Committee Member
Holly says:
E-books are good so long as the formatting quality is really high. I would also need to be able to access them on my ipad, as I don't want to have to read them on my computer screen. Some e-book access so far has been frustrating – for example reference books where only one volume has been scanned and uploaded. If it is cheaper to have the print copies then the library should take that route. I am for e-books overall so long as the access is as good or better than print and the quality of the book is at a high level, for example, as good as a Kindle book.
Stefan says:
The one problem I have with the e-book readers is that the interfaces are, frankly, terrible.
For Ebrary
While reading _Specters of the Atlantic_ in ebrary, to navigate through pages I have to read, scroll down the page, get to the bottom of the page, then scroll back up to the top of the page in order to click a button to get to the next page. This is absurd. There is no reason why the text cannot just fit to the screen. Google does it with any ebook you purchase from the google book store. It is clear that whoever designed the ebrary interface never actually sat down to read a book for it. If it is too difficult to fit the text to the screen then why can't we just scroll down through pages like one would while reading a pdf in Adobe on the computer? The button-click-to-turn a page interface seems like a needless encumbrance.ebscohost ebook reader is even worse.
While reading _Suspensions of Perception : Attention, Spectacle, and Modern Culture_, I clicked to make the text bigger on a given page because the default text size is minuscule. But then, when I clicked the button to go to the next page, the text size was reset to the microscopic default size. That means I would have to click the text increase button _again_ to get the text back to a readable size. Additionally, once the text is at a reasonable size, the page is bigger than the reading window. This means that in order to read all the way to the end of a line of text you need to scroll over to the right, and then scroll back to the left in order to start reading the next line of text. Again, why can't an interface be designed where the text just fits to the screen? Just trying to read one text involves an endless number of clicks and scrolls, which is absurdly distracting when I'm trying to read a book and follow an argument. There is no reason why this can't be better, and Duke Libraries should insist that these ebook companies redesign their interfaces. -
Chris Jack says:
I love to read printed book rather than eBook. Although eBook has some advantages but I don't know the reason of attractiveness of printed book.
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I am looking for a dining room table and have always thought that solid wood was the way to go so I was looking at the kincaid sturlyn rectangular pedestal table: https://www.kincaidfurniture.com/item_detail.cfm?pid=5234 But our designer brought this hooker sheridan table to us. http://www.hookerfurniture.com/index.cfm/furniture/furniture-catalog.show-medium-collections/home-furniture/573/dining-room.cfm the hooker table looks beautiful but I'm a bit concerned about the quality, it has mdf and veneers which just does not sound as good to me. What are your thoughts? |
Follow-Up Postings:
Both tables are imported and neither is made from all solid wood. Their construction is very much alike. |
- Posted by Freethinker99 (My Page) on Sun, May 26, 13 at 9:34
It's difficult today to find and American made solid word dining set. You might look for some smaller "boutique" manufacturers. |
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Discussion on drug testing methods including urine, hair, saliva, etc; how to detox and pass drug tests.
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The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
Our Partners
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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
Revised - Analysis Proposal - 3 - Mexico/US - Calderon's visit to the US
Released on 2012-10-18 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 1134924 |
Date | 2011-03-02 16:19:24 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | email@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
On 3/2/11 9:41 AM, Karen Hooper wrote:
Type 3
Thesis: With very little room for compromise on either side on the main
issues at stake -- immigration, gun control, and greater US
participation in Mexican security -- Calderon's visit to the United
States is political theater designed to appease his domestic audience.
**op center wants something along these lines for pub after Calderon's
meeting with Obama (which is tomorrow).
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: DISCUSSION - Mexico/US - Calderon's visit to the US
Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:21:42 -0500
From: Karen Hooper <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Reply-To: Analyst List <firstname.lastname@example.com>
To: Analyst List <email@example.com>
Calderon will be in the US tomorrow (meeting with Obama on Thursday and
Boehner at some point during the two-day visit). He's most likely going
to be pressuring the US on gun control, immigration laws (with an eye on
the insanity going on in Arizona) and US drug consumption. For its part,
the US will be pushing for a greater role for US agencies to operate
autonomously against Mexican drug cartels in Mexico.
Compromise on any of these issues is unlikely. Calderon's main benefit
here is that he gets to paint himself as pressuring the US to take care
of the problems on the northern side of the border. This is for the
benefit of a domestic audience that is gearing up to vote in a pretty
critical governor election in June -- one that will set the stage for
the 2012 presidential transition. The PRI is making big gains at the
expense of the ruling PAN party, and with increasing insecurity being
the main issue alienating voters at the moment, it behooves Calderon to
push as much of the responsibility for the violence as he can towards
the US.
While we've gotten insight that allowing higher levels of US involvement
in Mexico is being considered by the GOM, the same considerations we've
always discussed apply: It's politically dangerous for Mexico to
publicly allow the Untied States to operate on Mexican soil, despite the
likely operational benefits. Given the delicate political balance right
now, this doesn't seem like something that will change under the
remainder of Calderon's presidency.
Another issue that possibly hangs in the balance is US budget cuts. The
republicans have backed off one some of the cuts to border patrol and
ICE that they had originally proposed, but the two week extension that
they passed today isn't a final decision. Most likely, however, there
will be a compromise that doesn't hurt border security, since it's an
issue on which the republicans are pretty vulnerable to criticism.
Any other thoughts relevant to his visit?


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UO women lose yet another starter, point guard Stanulis, to a knee injury
Already decimated by injuries this year, the Oregon women's basketball team has learned that senior point guard Laura Stanulis will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Stanulis, a former walk-on from Portland, was injured in the second half of the Ducks' loss to Arkansas in Hawaii on Sunday. She collided with an opposing player while going for a steal in Oregon's full-court press.
Stanulis is the second starter lost to a season-ending injury since the year began, after small forward Lexi Petersen. They're joined on the bench by three players still recovering from offseason injuries — guard Ariel Thomas, wing Deanna Weaver and post Janitah Iamaleava.
The 14-player roster also includes redshirting transfer Katelyn Loper and Liz Brenner, who is still competing with the UO volleyball team. Thus, the women's basketball team is down to just seven available players entering Sunday's 2 p.m. home game against Denver.
Check back later today for reaction from UO coach Paul Westhead, to Stanulis' injury and on the team's status going forward.


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Mother and Son → Donny's Lessons from Mom
Comments Off
Ever since he had returned from the farm, Donny had watched his mother for signs of sexuality. Until that point, Donny hadn't even thought about her having a sex life. She was simply his mother, a person who was always there. As far as he had been concerned, she might as well have been asexual. Of course, he knew that she and his father must have engaged in sex to conceive him, but beyond that he hadn't thought about it. That his mother might have a sex life, that she might, in fact, be having a sexual relationship with some man even that point, was now very much of interest to him.
Heretofore, Donny hadn't paid much attention to how his mother looked. Now, though, he did. He realized that she was very pretty and that she had a voluptuous figure. He started (more…)


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Our Animal Action Education programme helps children learn and care about animals
IFAW's political advocacy work
- The PROTECT campaign
- How can I work in my community to help animals?
- How is IFAW working to help animals through the CITES treaty?
- What are IFAW efforts for animal welfare at CMS?
- What is the International Whaling Commission (IWC)?
- What is the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW)?
- How can I learn more about ecological sustainability?
Political advocacy news
Today the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced plans to open up the Atlantic Ocean to drilling, and offer more Read more »
On Sunday, President Obama announced plans to shield over 12 million acres of pristine northern landscapes from dangerous Read more »
Vast throngs of Chinese are very technologically savvy.
Chinese tech companies are capitalizing on the fact that 632 million Read more »
There aren't too many elephants or rhinos wandering the streets of Worcester or the Hub, but Massachusetts is about to Read more »
A week ago the IFAW team had arrived for Advocating species listings at CMS in Quito, Ecuador.
Now the 11th Conference of Watch Video »
The countries represented at the 11th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species Watch Video »
Today some groundbreaking decisions have been taken for the survival of sharks and manta rays throughout the globe at the Watch Video »
There are many reasons why the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) rescues and protects animals around the globe. Watch Video »
A murky multi-million dollar trade in wild animals and their parts is booming over online marketplaces, with questions being asked as to the legality of many advertisements offering endangered species for sale.
A shocking report released today by the Read more »
Japan today announced plans for a new 'scientific' whaling programme in the Antarctic, just months after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled its whaling in the Southern Ocean was illegal and must stop.
The Japanese govern Read more »
A significant step was achieved today at the Convention of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) with world leaders reaching consensus to list the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) to Appendix II, a decision that will be finalized on Read more »
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) www.ifaw.org is thrilled to announce that sharks, mantas and devil rays will receive increased protections during the 11th Conference of the Parties (CoP 11) of the Convention on the Conservation of Mi Read more »
At the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) www.ifaw.org is pushing for stricter wildlife protection measures.
During the high-level Ministerial Meeting held today Read more »
The Norwegian government has announced it will consider a move to stop propping up an unnecessary commercial seal hunt citing the need to manage "economic priorities."
"This is brilliant news thatcould save tens of thousands of seal Read more »
IFAW recently investigated how CITES is enforced in the European Union, and given the amount of wildlife goods being seized, Read more »
It's been more than 40 years since a small group of concerned citizens banded together to stop Canada's cruel com Read more »
Following the North Atlantic right whale migration, my colleague Mary Trainor and I headed south to Jacksonville, Florida Read more »
Today, IFAW releases the report Wanted – Dead or Alive; Exposing Online Wildlife Trade and the scale of the trade is Read more »
A murky multi-million dollar trade in wild animals and their parts is booming over online marketplaces, with questions being Read more »
There are many reasons why the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) rescues and protects animals around the globe. Read more »


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all inclusive is disgraceful, food which looks like slop in a tray, hotel full of rude eastern europeans, unhelpful and rude staff, thomas cook should remove this hotel from its brochure. we were told we would be put up in the sister hotel across the road but still had to come into this hotel for food and drinks.....if your booked... More
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Seattle - September 18, 1997 - The Office of the Insurance Commissioner and the Office of the Attorney General today announced major action has been taken to improve the way auto-related products including credit insurance and service contracts are sold to consumers.
Lawsuits were filed under the Consumer Protection Act against two major service contract and credit insurance sales consulting companies. Agreements were reached with four dealers and two other insurance consulting firms to promote the use of fair and non-misleading tactics in the sale of automobile related products.
According to Attorney General Christine Gregoire, an investigation was launched after it was alleged that various sales tactics were being used during negotiations to buy a car as a way to conceal that the payment quoted contained more money than needed to actually purchase the vehicle. The extra money was then used to cover the costs of additional products and services such as auto-related credit insurance and service contracts.
Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn and the Attorney General resolved the investigations when the six companies signed settlement agreements which include claims process and payment of insurance fines, attorney fees and costs and to promote fair and non-deceptive selling practices in quoting payments to consumers.
"These companies fully cooperated with the State's investigation," said Gregoire. "As a result they have agreed to make sure consumers are fully informed about the products they buy and their costs."
Those businesses are:
The lawsuits were filed in King County against Associate Dealers Group (ADG) of Bellevue, Washington, Inc. and Resource Dealer Group (RDG) of Illinois (Cause No.97-2-15754-4 SEA) and Universal Underwriters Life Insurance Company and Universal Underwriters Service Corporation (both of Missouri) (Cause No. 97-2-15752-8 SEA)
The practices which are the subject of the RDG/ADG lawsuit are known in the automobile industry as "packing" or "loading" the payments. Under the alleged tactics, the defendants encouraged auto dealers' staff to use certain sales techniques in combination with the "packed" payment to reduce the likelihood consumers would object to the inclusion of extra products based on cost. Words such as "protected" payment; or "it's included"; or "it's provided"; were allegedly used to imply that the product was included free or at a reduced cost. Universal allegedly advocated for the use of packed payments by some of its dealers in Washington.
Consumers coming out of hours of lengthy negotiations may have failed to focus on the additional cost for the optional products, even when disclosed in writing, because the payments they were quoted throughout the negotiations never changed.
"If it cost $270 a month to buy a car, dealer personnel might quote $300 and use the difference to hide the actual cost of extra products making the customer believe it was all part of the deal," said Gregoire.
"The practice of 'packing' in the car industry must be eliminated and resolving these cases will be a major step toward making sure that happens," said Gregoire. "Consumers have the right to expect and dealers have the responsibility to accurately quote monthly payments."
Insurance Commissioner Senn expressed concern about the widespread misquoting of payments in the automotive industry and their capacity to mislead so many consumers.
"Consumers should always question the cost and benefit of all products, but be very cautious when buying credit insurance," said Senn. "If you don't know the details of the coverage and the price, then don't buy it."
All of the auto dealerships signing consent decrees and settlements have agreed to establish complaint handling procedures. Consumers who want more information or who would like to file a complaint should call the Attorney General's office at 1-800-551-4636 or visit the AG homepage at www.atg.wa.gov or call the Insurance Commissioner's Office at 1-800-562-6900.


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The Queue: Questions, comments, complaints...
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Allison Robert is your hostess today.
I have absolutely no idea what the hell the above video is about, but have been required to place it there on threat of firing by Alex Ziebart. Questions, comments, complaints? Send them to him!
Pyril asks...
(On the faction champions fight in Trial of the Crusader): Why would Blizzard force PvE players to basically learn PvP skill sets now, when they've been so good about keeping them seperate to this point? Any chance the encounter will be reworked? GC has said he doesn't want to force raids to bring certain classes, but if you don't to this encounter it's a 3 hour wipe fest.
Is the encounter likely to be changed? No, at least not its basic mechanics. Blizzard fielded similar complaints concerning the Priestess Delrissa fight in Magisters' Terrace, which could be an incredibly ugly experience on heroic if you didn't have CC or weren't well-geared. But are aspects of the encounter likely to be nerfed, or at least tweaked? Maybe, maybe not. It'll depend on how much trouble Blizzard sees people having with the fight.
What's certain is that the Faction Champs encounter is a very common target for complaints right now. Some of this is the result of players still gearing up, but others are voiced by people who intensely dislike the arenaesque feel of it all, or who run a raid setup that's less-than-ideal for whatever champion comp they get that week. I think you're entirely correct in saying that the fight becomes significantly more difficult (or at least more gear-dependent) if you're running a raid with limited options for purging/dispelling the mobs' buffs or keeping their healers locked down, and it's probably that aspect of it that Blizzard's keeping an eye on.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Features, The Queue


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Weldin Stewart: Insurance co's can't impose Sandy-related hurricane deductibles State Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart says insurers aren't allowed to impose hurricane-related deductibles on Delaware homeowners whose property was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Stewart's office Friday sent out a statement saying Sandy wasn't packing sustained hurricane-force winds when it hit here, so insurance companies that try to impose hurricane-related deductibles on Delawareans will have to answer to her department. State residents who need information on resources available to Sandy's victims can find that info on the Insurance Department's website, and anyone with a question for the Commissioner's office can call 1-800-282-8611. |
Copyright © Jan 25, 2015, WDEL/Delmarva Broadcasting Company. All Rights Reserved. Advanced permission from Delmarva Broadcasting Company required for publication or rebroadcast. |


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Welcome to the…
West Herr Select Vehicle Purchase Plan
An Automotive Benefit Package for Corporate Employees and Organization Members.
Since 1950, West Herr has been dedicated to establishing life-long customers by providing value with every purchase and a good-neighbor policy when it comes to serving our customers and our community. The West Herr Select Vehicle Purchase Plan is a commitment to this dedication.
West Herr Select is a premier automotive benefit for employees and members of local organizations in Western New York that have established a special relationship with West Herr. Because of this relationship we are able to offer the services and discounts in this plan – at no cost to the company or employee.
Select members can expect a relaxed and enjoyable shopping experience at West Herr dealerships when they work through our Select Concierges. They are trained to assist members and their immediate family through the buying process with no sales pressure.
We look forward to serving you and your family,
Scott Bieler President West Herr Automotive Group
Got Questions about your benefits? Call us at (716) 202-3091


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Planning & DIY: Resources
Start your DIY project right here! There's nothing like a job well done, and planning is the all-important first step. Check out the Mighty Helpful FREE MitrePlans, online tools and informativearticles. All the help you need is right here.
In this section
MitrePlans Our FREE MitrePlans provide you step-by-step advice on how to complete your project including a product check list! |
Online Tools Use our interactive tool to design the kitchen you imagine. |
Articles Get the right advice and learn from experts on a range of house and garden topics. |
Events Search for a local event near you to obtain professional advice from renovating to building and everything in-between. |


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Your #lovecapetown weekend: What's on from Friday 30 January to Sunday 01 February, 2015
Rob Peters
Music, wine and a day at the races, it's all happening in the Mother City this weekend! -
20 of the best clubs and bars in Cape Town
Rob Peters
So you're looking for a night out are you? A couple of drinks you say? Maybe you want to cut loose on the dance floor, but aren't sure where to go? Our handy list of 20 of the most popular clubs and bars in the Mother City will help you on your way then! Enjoy! -
Mixing it up for the J&b Met: Your last minute shopping guide
The J&B Met is mixing-it-up and with the dawn of 2015 we are all Made For The Mix – which means anything goes! If you're still looking for the perfect outfit, these stores need to be your last-minute stop before a day at the races. -
Clovelly Golf Course is a hidden gem
Dan Nicholl
Founded by Raymond Ackerman, the Clovelly golf club was the first South African sports facility to break down apartheid's strict regulations in the 1970s. Today, it's better known as a short but challenging layout that's gentle in still conditions, but a fierce test when the wind gets up.
Loading blog articles, this will just take a moment!
Howzit bru? Let's waai possie and gooi a dop (and other strange South Africanisms)
A truly laduma moment.
Photo courtesy colm.mcmullan
Officially, South Africa has 11 languages, second only to India, with 22. Many more languages are spoken in the country besides, from Greek to Gujarati and a number of local creoles and pidgins. There are, however, some sayings that are commonly used and understood across our country, despite (or perhaps because of) its polyglot nature. Here's a brief introduction to some South Africanisms adapted from local languages.


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Latest additionsAbstractThe Big Match - Lexis v WestlawLexis and Westlaw are the biggest names in subscription legal database provision. The author provides a comparative critical examination from his experience is of academic subscriptions to the services - including their American academic contentPreprint of an article by Paul Norman, former Reference and Online Services Librarian at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, published in Legal Information Management, the journal of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians Norman, Paul (2004) The Big Match - Lexis v Westlaw.
Files available for downloadg |


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The Nez Perce Condominiums complex features both 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom condominiums, each with 2 full baths. They are perfect for your Jackson Hole vacation stay. They are fully furnished condominiums in the Teton Village area that include such amenities as a full kitchen, fireplace, balcony, washer/dryer and ski locker. These condominiums offer great value and views of the valley or surrounding mountains.
Swimming pool - outdoor
Hot tub - outdoor
Complimentary self parking
On shuttle route to lifts
Teton Village
On shuttle route to liftsHotel
Nez Perce
Teton VillageOn shuttle route to lifts
Rental Shops
- Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- The Garage
- Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
- Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse
- The Blue Lion
- Amangani Grill
- -the kitchen
- Local Restaurant and Bar
- Nani's Cucina Italiana
- Nikai Sushi
- Silver Dollar Grill
- Snake River Grill
- Trio An American Bistro
- Wild Sage @ The Rusty Parrot Lodge
- Mangy Moose
- Rendezvous Bistro
- Alpenrose at the Alpenhof Lodge
- Il Villagio Osteria
- The Peak @ Four Seasons Jackson Hole
- Westbank Grill @ Four Seasons Jackson Hole
- North Grille
- The Granary Restaurant
- Cascade Restaurant at Teton Mountain Lodge
- gamefish
Policies including cancellation vary by property. With questions about this property's policies, contact a Ski.com Mountain Vacation Specialist.


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The original deal pioneer keeps on pinching pennies and cracking wise. No, that price isn't a typo.
Go to Woot
Candlepower and puppet shows are so passé. Get the newest TVs, speakers, home theater gear, and more.
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Make it, build it, improve it. But whatever home project you've got in mind, start by saving money on it.
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Sports, fitness, and outdoors deals, because saving money is only one of your passions.
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You don't have to spend a lot to look like you do. Werk it and twerk it with amazing deals on designer watches, handbags and more.
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Last chance deals for hardcore cheapskates. Catch 'em before they - you guessed it - sell out.
Go to Sellout.Woot
448,761 deals (and counting) from around the web, shared and ranked by a community of deal fiends like you. Go to Deals.Woot.
Wootalyzer's Pricing Post! - The price of today's woot item is saved here for future reference------------------------------------------------------------Ooma Telo VoIP Home Phone System$139.99 + $5 ShippingCondition: Refurbished*DISCLAIMER* Wootalyzer! is in no way affiliated with Woot!, and this post may not always be here!
Once you get through the number porting nightmare, this is really an awesome piece of kit. I pay $3.50 a month for home phone!
I love my Ooma and my $3.49 monthly bill. My calls are crystal clear also.
I have an Ooma Hub--love it--great sound quality and it's nice to only have to pay $3.47 a month.
Same here. It saved me from a lot of cash by allowing my over talkative fiance an alternative to her cell phone while at home. We were able to lower our cell minutes as a result. Good product.
Oompas work on phones now too?
REALLY!!?!? HOW many of these did Amazon buy!? I want a real Woot... not this "thing"
I got in on Ooma when there was no fees. I haven't paid a landline phone bill in 3 years. Quality is great.
Might as well get Magicjack+ ;-/
Wooted. I did my part to move on to the Barrels of Crud
This seems like an awesome device. Hadnt realized what it was before. I guess its a good thing Woot keeps bringing things back. If it doesnt catch my attenion first time around, Ill start wondering what it really is by the third or fouth time.
Can you setup a fax machine on one of these?
Got one of these bout a year ago. Nice! Phone bills are much less. Sends voice mail to your cell.
Clearly only the 1% buy this seeing how 99% are still unsold.
Love mine though I haven't attached my Google Voice number to it. Porting is pretty painless, generally. I have paid for the premium service so it works out to 13$ a month or so, but totally worth it.
Does anybody in the tri-state area know if it's really worth it to get this device? I'm currently on one of the triple play packages from Cablevision (bundled phone, internet, and cable service). If I cut out the phone line I'm pretty sure the other two fees go up. Has anybody done the research to determine what is better?
I'd buy one of these for the $3.50 phone bill, but almost everyone I know has ditched their home phone. I kind of like calling the parental units (we are both on verizon) and not watching minutes for THEIR bill.
mnollar wrote:Clearly only the 1% buy this seeing how 99% are still unsold.
I am the 99%
JirafaBo wrote:Can you setup a fax machine on one of these?
Yes - I have without a problem.
Absolute piece of garbage. I bought one back in 2011. It worked for about 30 days and then died.... rubbish!
sinbot wrote:KAAAAHHHHHHHNNNNN!
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Yes. The Ooma support pages are very helpful. See http://www.ooma.com/node/485 for example.
One of the best purchases I have ever made on Woot. I've had mine now for a few years. I hear porting your number is a pain but I didn't bother so can't comment on that aspect. Prior to this I had vonage for about 6 years and I can say the quality of my ooma line is as good or better than I ever had with vonage and I now only pay $2.76 a month!
Sounds good, but will it kill the brain parasites I already have?
I use both a fax and and old Tivo that needs phone service. Just use *99 before dialing and it should work fine.
rotorcop2 wrote:Absolute piece of garbage. I bought one back in 2011. It worked for about 30 days and then died.... rubbish!
I disagree. I bought one which has worked perfectly. My parents subsequently bought one, which they take back and forth between NY and FL, with a NY and FL telephone number. Either number will reach them at either location, which is very cool. Two friends have also bought one, the most recent being a refurb from the last woot off. All love it.
This one is a refurb so here is your chance to buy it back!
Yes, you can use a fax, DVR, security system, etc on these, though Ooma won't guarantee that it will work - liability and all. You will want to configure a dialing prefix (*99) to reduce the compression rate. I have a Dish DVR and it works fine. Yes, you can disconnect the landline, connect the wall jack to the Phone jack and get dialtone for the whole house. The warranty through Woot is half of a refurb you get direct from Ooma - six months vs one year. The one from Ooma costs an extra $20, vs $40 for a year of add-on extended warranty.
dbdoberman wrote:Sounds good, but will it kill the brain parasites I already have?
If they have BlueTooth turned on.
With enough force, I believe it will kill just about anything.
I've had mine for 4 years. Never had a problem. If only everything else I own worked as well. Set it and forget it.
Consumer Reports says the call quality is better than most old-school wired providers, much less cell providers.
At least they're letting us wake up by putting this slow mover out there...
Gett'em quick they are flying off the shelves. 97% more to go!
Mine was replaced with a new one when it quit. No problem. If it breaks again, I'll get another or let them fix it.
The MagicJack Plus has made this obsolete....Look for big Ooma price slashing 1st qrt. Replublic cell service is better the Ooma.
adubisalive575 wrote:This one is a refurb so here is your chance to buy it back!
I love mine. Works great and paid for itself in 6 months.
View All →


text: Hinchliffe SR et al. – Although the assumption of comparability underlying the relative survival method may not be reasonable, it does not have a concerning impact on the estimates of relative survival, as most lung cancer patients die within the first 2years following diagnosis. This should serve to reassure critics of the use of relative survival when applied to lung cancer data.


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LYMAN: Impact of Mauritania Coup Unclear
Princeton N. Lyman interviewed by Esther PanSee more in Mauritania
See more in Mauritania
John Campbell and Asch Harwood state, "The conventional wisdom that sub-Saharan Africa has moved beyond military coups may be wishful thinking."
See more in Mauritania; Guinea; Madagascar; Nigeria; Democratization
Campbell evaluates the implications of the Boko Haram insurgency and recommends that the United States support Nigerian efforts to address the drivers of Boko Haram, such as poverty and corruption, and to foster stronger ties with Nigerian civil society.
Koblentz argues that the United States should work with other nuclear-armed states to manage threats to nuclear stability in the near term and establish processes for multilateral arms control efforts over the longer term.
The authors argue that it is essential to begin working now to expand and establish rules and norms governing armed drones, thereby creating standards of behavior that other countries will be more likely to follow.
Maximalist finds lessons in the past that anticipate and clarify our chaotic present, revealing the history of U.S. foreign policy in an unexpected new light. More
This clear and authoritative book presents a sweeping account of China's global resource quest and the unrivaled expansion of its economy. More
The story of the tragic and often tormented relationship between the United States and Pakistan, and a call to prepare for the worst, aim for the best, and avoid past mistakes. More
Learn more about CFR�s mission and its work over the past year in the 2014 Annual Report. The Annual Report spotlights new initiatives, high-profile events, and authoritative scholarship from CFR experts, and includes a message from CFR President Richard N. Haass.
Read and download »


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========== Syndicate ==========
Hush Money
Type : Support
Cost : 1
Subtype : Attachment. Item.
Game Text : Attach to a character. Response: after attached character enters a discard pile, each opponent must sacrifice a resource and a support card, if able.
Flavor text :
Illustrator : John Moriarty
Collector's Info : EE R87
========== Neutral ==========
Mystic Bounty Hunter
Type : Character
Cost : 3
Skill : 3
Icons : CCI
Subtype : Sorcerer.
Game Text : Action: sacrifice Mystic Bounty Hunter to return to their owners' hands all Attachment cards in all discard piles.
Flavor text : Their organization had a knack for finding lost treasures that O'Donnell envied.
Illustrator : Laurel Austin
Collector's Info : EE C218
Ok, let's say I have MBH in play and attach Hush Money to her.
Then I activate MBH ability: what happens now is:
1) I pay the cost for the ability, saccing MBH.
2) As of faq 2.0. page 1 Rules Qualification on Attachments, Hush Money discards immediately
3) MBH ability has it effects, returning Hush Money to my hand
4) Now it's time for response: since faq 2.0 specifies: "Some cards respond to leaving play, or to effects that may cause them to leave play. Such responses can be triggered as if the card were still in play. Note that only Response or Forced Response effects can be triggered in this manner, and they must respond to leaving play or the effect that cauuses them to leave play. Cards may not take "one last Action" before they leave play." and having carrying character discard piled is "the effect that cauuses them to leave play", Hush money should trigger from my hand (an out of play state), right?
5) Ok, I admit I suck at "if able". Say that my opponent has resurces but no supports, does the sacrifice fizzle or he has to sac the resource nonetheless?


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oh boy....kind of glad I couldn't watch this game and the one against the sabres because of being out of town for work........9 goals against can't be good. we schooled the bruins not long ago...is it already time to blow things up? wish we could see some consistency :(
thought I was going to have a heartattack when Ott got that tying goal. anyway a much needed win regardless of how it went.
@BPsotka actually I believe the one in world juniors was Pogge when Canada went unbeaten and he actually had a shutout streak going on as well. they didnt see the puck go in, got another win and shutout haha. where is justin now =/
and the Monster with NHL first star honours haha. but anyways, the boys need to play a more consistent game. another effort like the one against chicago and we wont be beating the ducks either.
how is it that ex-leafs always seem to score on us. damn Kostka
how bad does leivo feel? knockdown on reims but gets his first goal. good thing we got bernier!
@TuckerForPunishment @adeel @Marlies Man LOL trueee
@Marlies Man Scrivens and Giguere with the flawless G stats lol!
Laviolette got fired lol. I seem to recall someone predicting this. hahaha
just finished watching highlights...but boy doesn't look like Reims was doing too well tonight. looks like Bernier has got Carlyle's vote now. otherwise, still good thing the team found a way to win this game in SO! hope we keep on with these W's
@Canadian kid @adeel @Wilbur yeap. it's too bad because I really like reims. but i do feel bernier will eventually win out =/
@Canadian kid @adeel @Wilbur true. way too early anyway :P
@Wilbur @adeel @Canadian kid hahahaha. who knows though, somebody has to emerge from that graveyard...right? lol
@Wilbur @Canadian kid that would be interesting. maybe philly will want in too
@Marlies Man @adeel yea woops. even better though haha
oh shit nope las vegas says tsn
by the way. bryzgalov is close to signing a deal in LA....ECHL though :)
@Canadian kid as long as we don't trade him for raycroft
@Black_Hawk wasn't much of a fight really. i think he go a shot in though.
@Wilbur @Black_Hawk LOL
@Conis yea i brought this up earlier hahaha. quite a joke. but that leiweke connection man haha
@Dangle_My_Berries @DJBrianBurke wow quite a story. welp he's not a leaf anymore. not my problem :p
new thread my friends
good win for the leafs. great game by bernier. but im feeling reimer for saturday
@Dangle_My_Berries we're all ears
@Shift_Disturber1 @adeel just goes to show the stars thing is a real joke. not like we didn't know that beforehand though right
@Shift_Disturber1 @adeel yea seriously. shoulve been like Bernier bolland...maybe brayden schenn so it's doesn't look rigged hahaha
@Shift_Disturber1 @adeelhttp://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2013020004&navid=nhl:topheads dat Tim Liewieke connection
Hahaha Troy Bodie 1st star on nhl.com that's a good one
what a good game by bernier. guy looked poised and sound positionally today. gotta love Reims still, but man this is a good headache to have I guess
@Cameron19 @JeffNB @wiski LOLLLL
@Burtonboy meh. I myself wasn't really crying about grabo. just noting his great start, and my own wishes that he'll keep doing well since I like the guy :p
@Cameron19 pretty scary to think about it really
@RyanHancock1 @adeel yup he definitely played well.
@Cloud09 @adeel great pick up, at least for tonight! i wanted to draft him late but someone picked him up before i had the chance haha
aw man grabo is having a good night. good for him, I think he'll be great this season. wish I had him on my fantasy team :p


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Life is so hectic. Taking time out of the day to follow a skincare routine may sometimes feel as if it's out of reach for all of us. But following these simple seven steps will offer women at any age beautiful skin for many, many years.
Although a day spa visit may frequently pop up on your calendar, it's still super critical to follow these tips – with them, they'll offer excellent results.
Step 1: Wear Sunscreen
Let wearing daily sunscreen, even on overcast days, become second nature to you. The sunscreen of today isn't thick and greasy like years ago. Now, advanced sunscreen technology is featherweight and silky. An example of this is a product from La Roche Posay. An oil-free formula, La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, goes on sheer. Packed with antioxidants, it's also water resistant.
Moisturizers, including tinted moisturizers, may also have a SPF shield from the sun. Shoppers can find this in products such as Intellishade SPF 45 Matte Tinted Moisturizer by Revision Skincare.
Not using a solar defense leads to premature skin aging. Signs of wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and uneven skin tone will creep up sooner than later. Using sunscreen on a regular basis will slow down the skin aging process.
The sun is most powerful between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If possible, try to retreat indoors throughout this timeframe to give your skin a break.
And don't forget to double check that the sunscreen you're lathering on hasn't expired. If it has, it won't offer the ultimate skin protection you need.
And above all, purchase a broad spectrum sunscreen. Reapply it every few hours, and more so, if you've been swimming or perspiring.
Step 2: Treat Skin with Care
Facial skin is delicate. Here are some tips to be mindful of, such as:
• Limit your time in hot water to avoid dehydration
• Don't tug or pull on your skin (especially around your eyes) when cleaning or removing makeup.
• Pat skin dry and leave skin slightly damp for rehydration
And when it comes to cleansing, pick a non-soap cleanser to avoid facial dryness.
Step 3: Toss out the cigarettes
Smoking can accelerate skin damage. It slows down blood flow in the skin, steals oxygen from it, and robs it from its nutrients. Over time, smoking creates dull skin and deep wrinkles begin to set around the mouth and eyes.
Step 4: Alcohol Intake
Although it may be nice to kick up your heels with a glass of wine after a day of hard work, keep track of what's consumed. Alcohol dehydrates the skin and gives it a rough texture. So if a young looking appearance is your goal, reduce the alcohol intake.
Step 5: Moisturize
Mature skin becomes dry and really needs a moisturizer to pump up fine lines. A good moisturizer adds water back into the skin. Thumbing through a moisturizer inventory, you're bound to find an array of them with antioxidant features and anti-aging rich properties. In addition to a hydrating boost, the nuances to these different formulas are just endless.
Kinerase products offer a nice line of moisturizers. During the day, users reach for Kinerase Ultimate Day Moisturizer, while in the evening, they apply Kinerase Ultimate Night Moisturizer. Both improve skin texture and offer excellent treatment for hydration.
And please don't limit a moisturizer just to your face. From head to toe, the whole body needs attention, too. Areas to pay close attention to are the neck, chest, and elbows.
Avoid using a body moisturizer on the face – it'll be too rough and harsh.
Step 6: Eating Healthy and Sleeping Well
It's easy to say but hard to do. It can't be ignored that a balanced and nutritious diet benefits your whole body from the inside out. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will do wonders for the skin.
And a good night's rest leaves skin with an unmistakable youthful glow – you've probably discovered that before on your own.
Step 7: Implement a Skin Care Regimen
A skincare routine is the best way to look and feel young. As skin matures, though, different products and regimens may need to be tweaked to gain maximum benefits.
When starting a new skin care system, all is well the first few weeks, and then sometimes the interest begins to fade for many of us after that. Please don't stray and stick with the regimen.
Working alongside your skincare professional will keep you on track so you can reap the full rewards to more beautiful skin.


text:
Recently acquired cornerback Antoine Cason will arrive in Charlotte in two weeks for the start of the Panthers offseason workouts.
Hes already preparing for the jokes.
If Carolina players know anything about Casons only year in Arizona, it likely involves his 43-yard fumble return in the Cardinals 22-6 win against the Panthers last season in Week 5.
After scooping up the ball following a fourth-quarter sack of Cam Newton, Cason was trucking down the sideline for the end zone ... until Newton ran him down at the Panthers 9.
You can envision the introductions at Bank of America Stadium when Cason shows up for his first day of work.
Hey, Antoine, welcome to Charlotte. Theres a great steak place in SouthPark. Wait, arent you the guy Cam caught from behind?
Cason said Friday he plans to laugh along with his new teammates.
Everyone there is going to talk about that one. But its always fun jokes, Cason said in a phone interview from Long Beach, Calif. Youve got to have thick skin and continue to get better.
Cason still has a home in Phoenix, but hes looking forward to escaping the desert and getting a fresh start in the Carolinas. The Arizona weather didnt bother him.
Standing on the sidelines was the big turn-off.
Cason agreed to a one-year deal with the Cardinals last March. Two days earlier, Arizona had signed Jerraud Powers, another free agent corner, to a three-year contract.
With Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson entrenched at one of the Cardinals cornerback spot, either Cason or Powers was going to be the odd man out.
It was Cason.
While Powers started 16 games, Cason played sparingly for most of the season. When rookie Tyrann Mathieu was injured, Cason was the Cardinals nickel corner over the final four games.
Cason still managed to make an impact. He intercepted two passes against Tennessee in a Week 15 victory returning one 20 yards for a touchdown and recovered three fumbles during the season.
But the role was not what he was accustomed to.
It was a learning experience for me. Ive never been in that situation, and I fought through it, he said. I just went about my business as if I were a starter and told myself when I get a chance, Im going to do what I do.
Cason, 27, San Diegos first-round pick in 2008, was a three-year starter for the Chargers, beginning in 2010. The Chargers led the league in total defense and pass defense that season with Panthers coach Ron Rivera as their defensive coordinator and Steve Wilks, the Panthers secondary coach, holding the same position in San Diego.
When Cason became a free agent again this year, there wasnt much of a market for him. Kansas City was the only other team to offer him a contract.
He fired his agent, and hired Drew Rosenhaus to represent him. On March 21, Cason signed a one-year deal with the Panthers worth $730,000, the minimum for a veteran with four to six years of experience.
Cason believes his familiarity with the Panthers system will be critical.
Thats huge because they know me. And we know each other, Cason said. They know how I can play. I know how they coach. I believe in them. I respect them as coaches and men.
Despite his background with Rivera and Wilks, Cason doesnt expect to have a starting job handed to him. But with the Panthers replacing two of their top three corners, Cason will have an opportunity to redeem himself after his lost year in the desert.
Im not done. Im still a starter and I can show that, Cason said. That was one of the things I continued to tell myself all year. Whenever I get my chance, Im going to make the most of it.
Rivera believes Cason will help fill a leadership void in the secondary after the departures of Captain Munnerlyn and Mike Mitchell in free agency.
One thing about Antoine, he always wanted to be first in doing anything during drills and his attentiveness to things, Rivera said recently. Hes not a No. 1, but hes a solid corner and he does things the right way. I know he was their nickel or dime corner in Arizona.
But he still did things that we look at and say, That will fit us. Were comfortable with that.
The rumblings around the league last season were that Cason had lost a step a perception that was not helped by his inability to outrun Newton to the end zone.
Cason said reports of his diminished speed have been greatly exaggerated.
I was running around (Newton). Hes so long, he got his arms around me, Cason said. Give me five more yards, I would have had him.
And you know, Cason added, Cam isnt a slow guy.
3 Extra Points
• Free agent safety Thomas DeCoud arrives in Charlotte on Sunday for a two-day visit with the Panthers. DeCoud, a Pro Bowler with Atlanta two years ago, struggled with the rest of the Falcons defense in 2013. But DeCoud like newcomer Roman Harper has a vast knowledge of the NFC South. Worst-case scenario, DeCoud would be a proven backup if Charles Godfrey recovers from Achilles surgery and agrees to restructure his deal.
• The Panthers are in contract talks with defensive tackle Colin Cole, a free agent who essentially came off his couch to start 13 games last year for the leagues top-ranked defense. Cole, 33, who made the veteran minimum salary of $840,000 in his first season with Carolina, isnt a guy whos going to fill up a stat sheet. But at 6-2 and 335 pounds, he is a space-eater who played well in 2013 after being out of football for two years.
• Steve Smith might be a Baltimore Raven, but hes still an involved member of the Charlotte community and hasnt lost his sense of humor. Smiths foundation is sponsoring a Memorial Day road race at the Siskey YMCA in Matthews called ... the Lace Up Son 5K. Smith, cut last month after 13 seasons with the Panthers, is expected to attend the May 26 race to meet runners, sign autographs and perhaps extend an Ice up, son greeting to anyone unfortunate enough to have pulled a muscle.
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19314 Detroit Road Rocky River OH 44116 (440) 356-1542
Debbie and Bill Brink, owners of Pure Enchantment, are proud to introduce their collection of Natural Skin Care Products to you. It all started on a family vacation in Wilmington, North Carolina, "and the rest is history," as they say. There, Debbie was introduced into the world of Natural Soap. "I couldn't believe how soft it made my skin feel!" It soon became her passion and "Pure Enchantment" began.
Established in 2003, Debbie researched to find the finest natural ingredients and worked to perfect her recipes, testing each formula in order to assure high quality. The results are natural products that your skin will love. Now that's "Pure Enchantment!"
We would like to thank you for taking the time to consider our products which are handcrafted in Rocky River, Ohio.
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In addition to our own Pure Enchantment line of hand poured, natural skin care products, we offer "Life is Good" apparel & accessories, "Vera Bradley Baby", "Root" & "WoodWick" candles, teas, cozy soft ropes, slippers and everything to pamper you or somebody special. Remember, personalized gifts, and baskets can be shipped worldwide.
Stop in today and experience Pure Enchantment for your yourself. Pure Enchantment, where pampering is a natural thing!


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Emails To Our Daughter
27 comments:
- meg-made said...
How precious and special for her to read one day. I kept a bit of a journal when I was pregnant but then haven't written in it since my baby came along (nearly two years ago now) and so I hope you do a much better job of keeping them going. She's a lucky little lady to have such a thoughtful mama xx
- April 23, 2014 at 10:24 AM
- megan said...
That gives me chills thinking about the day she will read them! So special.
- April 23, 2014 at 10:26 AM
- Caroline {Virginia Sweet} said...
Incredible! What an amzing idea! What a great idea for boys too...think about giving it to your son's wife when they get married.
- April 23, 2014 at 10:29 AM
- Emily Helm said...
This is SUCH a sweet idea...I've never heard of anyone doing this before, but it is so great! Another great idea is getting a bottle of wine each year & saving it for when they turn 21 (or graduate college, etc) and they are given a great collection of wine! I always thought that was a fun idea, especially since I love wine!
- April 23, 2014 at 11:21 AM
- BLovedBoston said...
I love this idea and totally plan on stealing it one day!! :)
- April 23, 2014 at 11:29 AM
- Shayna @ The Fancy Yancey said...
Aww I love this idea!! So, so sweet & I'm sure she will cherish them once she's of age!
- April 23, 2014 at 11:57 AM
- Delta Daisies said...
What a WONDERFUL idea!
- April 23, 2014 at 12:06 PM
- desiree Hanlon said...
so cute! I just read an article somewhere about a family doing this for all of their children. Very neat!
- April 23, 2014 at 12:12 PM
- Jillian Manesh said...
this is SUCH a sweet idea!!! xo jillian - cornflake dreams
- April 23, 2014 at 12:19 PM
- Dee Stephens said...
GREAT idea! I almost sent you a letter today for a book exchange. Then decided not too. I'll wait for Baby R to get here! Closer on a name?
- April 23, 2014 at 12:37 PM
- Leslie said...
What an amazing idea! Thanks for sharing. :)
- April 23, 2014 at 1:17 PM
- wahine0814 said...
One of the sweetest things I've ever heard, and so simple! Love it :)
- April 23, 2014 at 1:20 PM
- Laura {happily ever} Parker said...
I have heard of other people doing this and I think it is so sweet! I have been keeping a journal for little miss but have been slacking lately!
- April 23, 2014 at 1:26 PM
- Mandy said...
I did this for Easton and I'm so glad I did! I also gave out his email to close family and friends so they can share their memories with him as well! I cannot wait until he is 18 and I can give him that password. I just hope email is still around in 17 years!
- April 23, 2014 at 1:34 PM
- melissa said...
So sweet! Have you seen the commercial where the dad does that for the daughter? I'm not sure if it's microsoft or apple but it's adorable. Made me cry everytime it would air.
I keep a small notebook by my bed and write notes to my daughter in it at night sometimes. Hopefully when she's older she'll appreciate knowing what mom was thinking way back when. :) - April 23, 2014 at 1:42 PM
- Jane {In The Pink & Green} said...
This is such a sweet idea!
- April 23, 2014 at 2:01 PM
- Paige Viollt said...
What a sweet idea! I will definitely have to remember this for the future!
tomatoesforcucumbers.com - April 23, 2014 at 2:43 PM
- Chrissy@SimpleJoysBlog said...
Such a sweet idea!
- April 23, 2014 at 3:07 PM
- The Southern Wife said...
I love this idea.
- April 23, 2014 at 3:56 PM
- Alyssa at Southern Abundance said...
This brought tears to my eyes! What a wonderful way to show her the love you have for her before she is even born!
- April 23, 2014 at 4:47 PM
- Ericka said...
What a great idea! I never thought about something like this, but how sweet!!
- April 24, 2014 at 11:47 AM
- Karen said...
Dearest April, I did this, too, only without the electronic ease. I wrote letters to Ben all through my pregnancy and even beyond. I think the last one was when he turned 25. Some of them are full of hope, some of joy, some of heartbreak and sadness. But they are stories of his life. He hasn't asked to read them yet, but someday he will and they will let him know how profoundly he has always been loved. What you are doing is priceless and beautiful. Something your daughter will cherish all the days of her life. Much love, Aunt Karen
- April 24, 2014 at 1:48 PM
- Morgan Rae said...
This is such a fabulous idea, and something I will definitely plan to do! Thank you for sharing!
- April 24, 2014 at 3:06 PM
- Heather (My Little HEA) said...
That's has to be one of the sweetest things I've read about doing. I love it and totally something I would love to do someday!
- April 25, 2014 at 7:18 AM
- Rebecca Castleberry said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 25, 2014 at 12:37 PM
- Julie @ Just the Joy's said...
What a fabulous idea!!! Love it!
- April 25, 2014 at 2:56 PM
- Brittany Fry @ The 26th of August said...
This is a beautiful idea! Thanks for sharing, I think I am going to start doing the same thing for when we are able to get pregnant
- May 2, 2014 at 11:56 AM


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New Century Version (NCV) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 Then the man led me to the outer east gate way, | 1 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, |
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Century Version Online Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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The Pineville-Ballantyne Community Athletic Association, whose majority of participants live in south Charlotte, recently reached out to leaders in Pineville in hopes of finding funding and support, and possible incorporation… Read more
Charlotte Catholic legend Jim Oddo announces retirement
Jim Oddo has been a fixture roaming the Charlotte Catholic sidelines on Friday nights since 1973, but this week the legendary coach announced he won't return for his 42nd season… Read more
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The annual Charlotte Woodcarvers Club showcase will return to south Charlotte this weekend, bringing with it some of the most popular cartoon characters of all time. The Showcase of Woodcarvings… Read more
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Another Whole Foods Market could be coming to south Charlotte, if the Charlotte City Council approves plans for the proposed Waverly mixed-use center off Providence Road near Interstate 485. Developers… Read more
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Finding ways to change the world proves to be an intimidating task for many high school students, but thanks to Charlotte-based nonprofit Mothering Across Continents, 18 local high school students… Read more
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"There are many ways to measure what's happening to our environment," said Jan Valder Offerman, one of more than 150 guests who attended the recent opening reception for the "Disappearing… Read more
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"People still talk about films that we screened in year one or two," said Debby Block, reflecting on a decade of helping run the Charlotte Jewish Film Festival that kicks… Read more
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Thursday, November 27, 2003 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.
Women's College Basketball By J.R. Rardon
As a high-school basketball standout at Cedar Park Christian and Shorewood high schools, Amy Taylor was one of the most prolific scorers in Washington girls basketball history. Many nights it seemed she just couldn't miss. Until, that is, she took her biggest shot of all. Two years after securing a coveted Division I scholarship to Oregon, Taylor walked away from the Ducks' program to be among friends and family at Division II Seattle Pacific. She said her experience at Oregon was alternately rewarding and unfulfilling but was most valuable for its lesson of self-discovery. "I don't regret the decision," said Taylor, a 5-foot-8 junior who has stepped in as a starting point guard at SPU. "But my reasons for going D-I probably wouldn't play into the decision if I was doing it now. All the hype that goes with it doesn't matter to me." What matters to Taylor now is that she is just 20 minutes away from family and the church in which she grew up. She can play in front of and, in one case, alongside longtime friends. She can pursue her physical-education degree in a Christian academic setting. And, of course, she can continue playing basketball without the one-year wait that would have accompanied a transfer to another Division I school. "Everything about it is awesome," said Taylor, 20. "And everyone I talked to said I should do it." Transferring to SPU has reunited Taylor with junior guard Trisha Hermanson of Buckley, her former teammate on a summer select team. Also on the team are junior guard Michelle Beaumont of Bellingham, a former opponent at Sehome High School; and assistant coach Jamie Craighead, Taylor's teammate at Oregon her freshman year. And it's not like Seattle Pacific is that big a dropoff from Division I.
Despite graduating three seniors, SPU is again the favorite for the GNAC title and ranked 22nd in Division II. The Falcons got another D-I transfer in Portland State's Jenny Poe, a sophomore guard from Enumclaw who will be reunited with older sister Kristen Poe, a fifth-year senior forward. Taylor will replace graduated Kerie Hughes, GNAC player of the year and female athlete of the year for all sports. "Amy's just gotta do what she can do, not what Kerie did," said coach Gordy Presnell, NCAA Division II's reigning coach of the year. "Amy is very strong, very intense, and that's where she's going to make an impact for us." In a way, the move to SPU from Oregon brings Taylor full circle. She broke onto Washington high-school basketball as an eighth-grader, when she played varsity for Class 1A Cedar Park Christian of Bothell. After three high-scoring years with the Eagles, she transferred to 4A Shorewood of Shoreline, in large part to bolster her chances at playing Division I. Taylor finished 15th on Washington's list of career scoring leaders and secured that coveted scholarship. Now, after two years as a backup shooting guard at Oregon, she has reversed course to end up at a smaller, Christian school. "It's pretty ironic that I've transferred the same time both times, after my sophomore year," Taylor said. "Now, my personal life outweighs everything else, and everything surrounding this program is better for my life." Basketball may have been a focus through high school, but it has never been Taylor's whole life. The daughter of the pastor at Calvary Fellowship in Mountlake Terrace traveled much of the world and worked short-term missions in Mexico, the Philippines and Japan. She is also an accomplished vocalist and keyboardist whose hobby is writing songs on the piano for friends. Her career highlight at Oregon was singing the national anthem, in uniform, before a Women's NIT game against rival Oregon State as a freshman. Oh, there were basketball highlights. Taylor said her two years with the Oregon coaching staff provided valuable lessons in both life and the game. Taylor averaged 4.0 points, was named the team's most improved player and earned the Harry Ritchie scholar-athlete award. Taylor says her role has changed since high school. "Coming from Oregon and not really scoring at all, I don't see myself as I did in high school," said Taylor, who had 12 points, nine assists and three steals in SPU's two wins. "We have a lot of weapons, and my main priority is helping the team in any way I can. "I just thank God He gave me the opportunity to come home and play in front of the people I love. Sometimes I think it's too good to be true." Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company |
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What is beauty? What is taste and fashion? Is beauty something to be studied calmly and sensibly or is it something seriously engaging? As the ideas of fashion and beauty cross race and financial status, it all begins to blend together.
Yet what is considered to be beautiful and fashionable doesn't exist in an abyss. It both manipulates and is manipulated by our ever-changing environment. Moreover, because fashion is meant to be worn, our perception of what makes us beautiful changes along with the latest trends.
Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. Real people are not airbrushed or wafer thin. People are recognizing that being too skinny or too large is not the path to good health. People are becoming more aware that being fit and satisfied are the definitive "in" for beauty trends.
'Beautiful' will be a woman you just can't look away from - naturally beautiful, maybe someone you would consider to be average and not so flashy, graceful but still curvy! The style and beauty watermark of the next decade will be a natural looking, health conscious woman.
We, as a society, have acknowledged and now accept the lie of flat abs, jutting collar bones, and boney hips as the 'ideal'. When in truth it is unappealing as well as detrimental to our good health. The female body is designed to be curvy. We must welcome and embrace the natural beauty of a female's design and understand that beauty and fitness occur in all shapes and sizes.
As a society, the health and future of young women should be our priority. Fashion should be diverse, from fun and flirty to classy and sophisticated. Life is shifting as we know it and the battles seem almost continuous. We are going to see the true beauty of life very soon!
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- A luxe white t-shirt should enjoy pride of place in every wardrobe. Invest in this luxurious jersey number from Chloé - its oversized cut is perfect for throwing on with candy coloured denim for off-duty model style at its very best! Model is a UK 6 and is wearing a size IT 42. This item is designed to be oversized.
- White oversized jersey t-shirt featuring a boat neck and three-quarter length batwing sleeves. Chloé T-Shirt simply pulls on and has a raised designer logo embroidery to the front.
94% viscose, 6% elastane. Hand wash. - THIS ITEM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE
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