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Welcome to argus's Member Page
See my Clippings See my Journal See my trade list Send me an email
I'm fairly new in the horticulture scene. I was originally a herpeticulturist with up to 200 herps, but my girlfriend converted me to the plants. I am most fascinated by the strange and unusual types. My favorites are Amorphophallus, Aristolochias, Ceropegias, nepenthes, and sarracenias. I have a collection of each as well as a collection of orchids and succulents. I hope to eventually propagate and sell/trade some of these wonderful plants!
I live in: United States
My zone is: 9B / 10A
My favorite forum 1 is Aroid.
My favorite forum 2 is Carnivorous Plants.
First registered on August 19, 2005 .


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The Detroit Red Wings sent left winger Marek Tvrdon from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye on Monday, rather than sending him back to the Vancouver GIants.
Tvrdon is eligible to play in the WHL as … Continue reading
Grand Rapids Griffins RSS
Marek Tvrdon isn't playing much in AHL, but Detroit isn't ready yet to send him to WHL Giants
Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Martin stated via email Sunday night that his club has no plans currently on sending left winger Marek Tvrdon back to junior, even though the Vancouver Giants product has played just two exhibition … Continue reading
Giants with Tvrdon, Franson and Thrower as overage trio? Fun to consider, but not likely
You can draw up a scenario today where the Vancouver Giants would have arguably the best overage class in club history next year, with Cain Franson, Marek Tvrdon and Dalton Thrower filling the maximum 20-year-old spots.
You can also fathom … Continue reading
AHL trying to bring back fans with battle royale (VIDEO)
The NHL is back, and hockey fans everywhere flocked to arenas and TV's this past weekend to watch the action. There were goals, assists, pulled goalies and shootouts.
It was awesome to have our old hockey back.
For anyone who … Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


text: Welcome to the Abermule WebsiteIt is hoped that this site will evolve into a community facility, used by the school, groups, the council, church, individuals and businesses of Abermule and the surrounding area. It will keep everyone informed and up to date with events and activities around. Until that time we have a very important job to do. "STOP THE ABERMULE HUB"That is the prime reason for starting the site. We will keep you informed about the plans of the Electricity Generating Board and what can be done to stop them and we can stop them if we shout loud enough. We all have to work together, they are a well organized and financed opposition so we must coordinate our actions if we are to stand any chance of success. The site is split into relevant pages which are access able by clicking on the pictures down the side and the top navigation bar. FILL IN YOUR CONSULTATION FORMSFor help see Action Page Contact email@example.com telephone 01686 630113 if you want to help or have information that will be of use to us.We want to include other people who can be contacted , remember this is your site we need your help, you need your help, read 'Property page' to find how you have already been affected. Please contact us if you want to help. E-mail above to be put on contact list. There will be links to other websites where you can find more information, if you have any please e-mail us. We have much more information now,if you have any questions mail us. ______________ Read this to see what we can expect if the hub comesThe London Array is a 25 acre site for offshore windfarms there are no overhead lines coming in, that is the icing on our cake. ______________ Special announcementsThe windfarms, listed by National Grid, that will supply the Hub will have an average output over a year of only 200 MW. This is equivalent to: and is only 4% of the Welsh Assembly Government's yearly Renewable Energy Target. This return is not commensurate with the blighting of 40% of Mid Wales with huge turbines, multiple overhead lines on metal pylons and a 20 acre transformer hub. According to consultants Capita Symonds the construction of the windfarms alone would be 'the largest infrastructure project ever seen in Wales'. ___ Admitted at Kerry:- "There are up to 20 wind farm application waiting until the consultation procedure is over before being submitted. This will more than double the prospective farms and the associated visual blight and powerlines heading for Abermule, maybe. ____________ The FutureThis page gives the known plans of the National Grid and the generating boards. It will also speculate on unknown growth of the proposed site and power lines. You can be sure that we are only being informed about the least of the development, after all they claim they can not speculate upon what may happen in the future, we must, once the substation is here all increase in generation from wind farms in Powys will come through Abermule _______________. PropertyThis is where we can look at the visual effects and the property values now and in the future. There are extracts taken from articles and studies of similar developments giving average losses to local residents. ________________ HealthArticles on various studies into the harmful effects of overhead power lines carrying up to 400,000volts can be read here. Some will deny there is a problem, the government advise best practice is to site lines away from areas of population, if there is a remote possibility of a problem we should stop the hub. There is already speculation about a heath problem hot spot caused by a 32,000 volt power line. We are facing a future of lines carrying more than twelve times that. _____________ PhotographsWhat it says on the can. ____________ ActionSee all the news. What you can do to help. What action is planned. Meeting dates ____________ |


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This weeks simple project was to try to get the new transmission fitted into the car. The new gearbox is different then the Tremec TKO 5 speed that was in the car and also different then the original top loader that was in the car. The new Texas Transmission T101A is a heavy duty gearbox from some Nascar or related type of racing. It's similar to a T10, but bigger in some dimensions. The first issue was to "get the shifter in the hole". So the blown engine block was bolted to the Tilton bell housing and then transmission and dropped back in the car. Motorator Matt helps out the Professor in some minor hacking to the transmission tunnel. Against better judgment Ganz didn't cut enough…
The Ripper : Transmission Swap P1
5 Responses to "The Ripper : Transmission Swap P1"
lol same creeper i've got. Works great!
Thanks guys.
All of these videos are very inspirational.
LOVE the FrankenMiata feature.Makes me think a piss poor schmuck such as myself can have a lot of fun on the cheap.p.s. $53 or ~$290 to register? I lived in northern IL. A winter beater(aka expendable car that has a working heater) purchase price $250,to register $300.
So no pt 2 video?I saw the pics,but no video.
Not complaining,just asking.


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Does miadora sterling contain nickel?
Haylee Jewels Sterling Silver 1/10ct TDW Round-cut Diamond Ring (H-I, I3)
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This attractive ring is made with round-cut white diamonds set in sterling silver. The styled ring shines with a highly polished finish.White diamonds
- Diamond: Seven
- Diamond cut: Round
- Diamond measurements: 1.35 mm wide x 1.35 mm long
- Diamond weight: 1/10 carat
- Color: H-I
- Clarity: I3
- Setting: Pave
- Metal: Sterling silver
- Finish: High polished
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- Weight: 1.79 grams
- Ring setting: 8.3 mm wide x 21.2 mm long x 3 mm high
- Band: 2.2 mm width
Diamond total weight: 1/10 carats TW
All weights and measurements are approximate and may vary slightly listed information. *T.W. (total weight) is approximate. 1/10 carats T.W. may be 0.08 to 0.12 carat. Treatment code N (white diamonds). See Treatment Guide for further information.
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Dimensions | See Description |
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Model Number | FC040W-XA9A |
Metal | Sterling Silver |
Stone | Diamond |
Diamond Color | H-I White |
Total Diamond Weight | Up to .5 Carats |
Ring Style | Bands Pave |
Diamond Cut | Round |
Gemstone Color | Silver White |
Stone Shape | Round |
Band Width | 2-3 mm |
Birthstone Month | April |
Clarity | I2-I3 |
Jewelry Setting | Pave |
Metal Color | White |
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Vintage Beauty I love this very classy and has a vintage style look it does look very expensive and i receive many compliments on this if you are looking for a vintage style unique ring you found it Thank You overstock
Read Moreklea1980 May 3, 2014 - Helpful 0
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love this ring! I absolutely love this ring! I have had it for over two months now and I wear it every day. I get a lot of compliments on it all the time. I am a nurse so I am constantly using hand sanitizer and washing my hands while wearing the ring. The silver is still shiny and the diamonds are still glittery. It has not turned my finger green. I just can't say enough about this ring. It isn't too thin but not too thick- just right. In fact, I came back to this page to look at the measurements of this ring to use while shopping for another ring. A ring with a thin band sometimes makes my finger look like it's pudgy and bulging out around the narrow band, but this band is just wide enough that it doesn't do that without being so wide that it looks gaudy. It is just right. I just couldn't be more thrilled with this ring! Get it! You won't regret it!
Read Moremelaniedawn Dec 15, 2013 - Helpful 0
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Good for the price This ring is very pretty. Don't get too close because "Diamond" is used loosely here. The stones are not clear at all, more of a milky white. I bought this to wear to work instead of my wedding set because I work in an environment where they could get damaged. For that purpose this ring is adequate.
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My new favorite ring! I really wasn't expecting much because of the price. I was very surprised and I am so happy. It is my new favorite ring. I wear it as my wedding band when I want to wear silver and I love it.
Read Moreclearanceqn Oct 23, 2012 - Helpful 0
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probably 10 points of diamonds. no way .50 of diam not at all what I expected,very small diamonds. you can hardly see them.
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Delicate design I am very pleased with this ring as it is a nice size but delicate enough so that it's not gaudy. The diamonds are very small but add a nice little detail. I love it as my right hand ring and use it every day!
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Don't Hesitate One More Minute! I had ordered a more expensive ring, and was so disappointed in the quality and comfort I gave up thinking I could find anything I would enjoy as a wedding band for under $500, but since it was only for the days I didn't want to wear my yellow gold engagement ring I just couldn't justify spending that much. My husband had preferred this ring when I ordered the more expensive one, but I was skeptical on the quality since it was so inexpensive. Before giving up on ordering a band online I decided to give this one a chance. It is perfect and I'm so happy with Overstocks policy on orders and returns and the speed they fill them. To return the other ring because of sizing and bulkiness, they sent me a shipping label and I didn't have to pay a thing to return it. I decided that with a policy like that it was worth another try. I am so glad I found this. I have been shopping and obsessing for weeks and it's such a relief and for so much less than I could have imagined!
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Diamonds I LOVE this ring! It has the antique look and feminine laciness I was looking for. The sparkle of the diamonds is beautiful. I would totally recommend this ring to anyone. A GREAT deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Perfect I loved this ring when I saw it. And I loved it also when I received it! It is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a ring to wear as my wedding band on casual days. Love it!
Read Moretinatolbert Nov 21, 2012 - Helpful 1
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Questions & Answers
I can confirm that this doesn't contain nickel.
why is this titled 1/2ct yet the description has total diamond weight 1/10
Unfortunately it was mislabeled. This is 1/10.
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text:
I'm not the coordinator, but this is the message from them: Please come and join the local green thumbs for an afternoon plant swap. Yes, a plant swap. No money needed, just something that has roots, could grow roots or came from a root. And remember, the more you give the more you receive. For every plant you bring, You take one home. Here are the basics- Where: Greenville Glen 1101 Garlington Rd, Greenville, SC 29615 Tables, snacks, beverages will be available as will soil and pots but bring your own gloves. Please remember to bring---- Here are a few of the "Haves" that participants plan to bring for the swap- Wants- what people are looking for Purple heart plant a.k.a. Wondering Jew Cuttings of- |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by amalgamate 7 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 9, 14 at 23:29
A few more things to know from the coordinator: If you're not sure how to divide your perennials, especially if they are ones with eyes or you're just nervous about taking a knife to your plant... just come early and either myself or another experienced gardener will be glad to show you. If you only have one or two kinds of plants... don't worry, that's why we are doing this. Bring what you can, and others will be happy to share. Bring as many of that one kind that you can spare. The more you bring the more you get. If you have a plant/shrub at your house that cannot be divided but you love and want more of... Bring stems/branches/leaves, if they have grown. If not snap a picture, and we may be able to tell you how to propagate it. If you see that you have a shrub that someone is wanting cuttings of, please take the cuttings just before you come, wrap the ends in a damp paper towel and put in a bag. This will insure the end doesn't dry out by the time it gets to its new home. I would also like to have a table dedicated to "Name That Plant"- we all have mystery volunteer plants that sprout in the spring and for the life of me I can never be sure if I planted something there if its from a seed the birds left behind. So if you have a plant your not sure of, please bring it. We'll set them out with a pen and paper and see if anyone knows what it is. |
- Posted by WhitewaterVol none (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 2:51
I haven't been to this plant swap before - do plants need to be in individual containers? I have a bunch of daylillies (older orange variety that I have in excess) that I have planted with several per container that I can bring. I also have some early blooming daffodils (mix of single and double flowered ones - no guess which the individual bulbs are) done the same way. Some excess Itea "Henry's Garnet" that I brought from our previous house that doesn't really have a place at our new home, and some other excess plants. Do I just bring these plants in larger containers or do I need to plant them into individual pots? |
- Posted by amalgamate 7 (My Page) on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 15:29
WhitewaterVol, I'm not coordinating the swap but am just passing along the message for it. From what I understand, you can come at least 15 min early, and someone over the swap will help you divide them. It's also ok if you don't know exactly which variety the plants are. Hope to see you there! |
- Posted by WhitewaterVol none (My Page) on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 9:53
I had forgotten but we will be gone all next weekend. Maybe next time. |
amalgamate, I probably can't come to the swap, because I will be on call for work. I have to be able to respond quickly. I have a lot of bulbing type flowers that need to be divided. I'm not sure what the proper name would be, maybe bearded Iris? I think Mom called them flags or something like that. I bought my parents house in 2011 after Dad died. They have been neglected and it is probably too shady where they are now since the trees have grown a lot. I'm not a flower person, if I can't eat it I ignore it on the most part. ;) I can't remember the colors or what the blooms look like, the late frost killed all of the blooms. Do Y'all have some place that I could drop them off early as a donation? I would hate to just dig them and dump them, but I have no place to put them right now without them being in the way of my future plans. The yard is a mess and I'm going to be doing a lot of ripping out and stuff. I could also bring cuttings from a huge snowball bush and an unnamed fig tree, I think it is a brown turkey. I'm not sure if it is the proper time to take cuttings from them though? I do know that they root very easily. |
This post was edited by wertach on Mon, Apr 21, 14 at 13:40
I hope everything turned out well! I guess you didn't see my previous post? |
Do they ever have one of these in the fall? |
- Posted by WhitewaterVol (My Page) on Mon, Sep 1, 14 at 0:43
I don't know if they do a fall swap but I have a number of plants in excess i would love to swap. I have a couple of hosta varieties, a couple of daylilly varieties, Henry's Garnet Sweetspire, daylillies, black eyed susan, liriope spicata, and purple iris in excess. I'd love to swap for things I don't have, particularly good shade plants. |
This post was edited by WhitewaterVol on Tue, Sep 2, 14 at 0:15
- Posted by amalgamate 7 (My Page) on Mon, Sep 1, 14 at 13:08
I'm sorry wertach -- I didn't notice your posts until now. In the Spring, there was talk of having a Fall swap but I haven't heard any plans for it. |
Let me know if you have a fall swap. I have plenty of the bearded Iris. |
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W56- Coming to you from California
August 23, 2011 in Guest Blogger, World 056 News, World News, Worlds 51-60 News
Thanks to an annonymous friend, I'd like to bring you a very well written and interesting look at the current W56 situation…
(Please be aware I'm posting this a few days after receiving it, so information may be late or outdated.)
I hope you enjoy this interesting read while I remain on vacation in California. I'll give you some updates on what I've been up to when I get back, and then I think you'll understand the lack of blogs! Don't wory though, I'll be back and at 'em shortly!
Although some of these tribes (for example RW and W2V) are not directly attacking each other, they are all involved on one vague side or another.
The same can be said of the West war consisting of Haul! and CODE vs. OHYEAH, FARMA, S-D, +B+, RUST and Wall as well as many smaller tribes warring CODE in the south.
These two wars are connected by a thin line by way of an Old alliance with Code and a MoM alliance with Haul!. If these alliances are tested, it could become a world war. Anyways, back ontopic. I wrote this because I heard on the 20th page of the blog thread, before it was closed, that you could. Below are the fruits of my labour. Will be starting it off with a bit of analysis on the top 10 and then onto a bit about the major wars happening and lastly a bit on the players. I would have liked to have an interview too. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time or effort.
Top 10 Analysis:
1 Old
Old, having gained top a month ago, has secured itself as the far and away biggest tribe in the world. It is around 47% bigger than the second ranked tribe MoM. The reason Old is so large is for two reasons. Firstly, Old have the highest average points per player in the top 20. This is mostly due to having seven of the world's top 20 players, including the entire top three. Secondly, they have a very large member count (75 members), the largest in the top 10 tying with +B+ and the third largest in the top 20. All of this makes Old a considerable force in this world and a nasty opponent to go up against, especially in a one vs. one match.
Looking at Old's growth, other than today, in which one member left Old, the tribe is constantly growing quickly and has the highest number of conquers in the world for the last week at 734. Then again though, it has the highest amount of losses at 510, though how many of those are internals remains to be seen. Interestingly, a point that has been posted on the forums about Old and their two major wars with MoM and W2V, is that they expend a lot of ODA to gain villages. Old claims that this is due to catapult operations, whilst others argue otherwise, however one cannot deny that Old's ODA is rising faster than any other tribe in the top 20. MoM, who used to be the far and away ODA leader, is soon to be passed by Old, hardly a month after Old passed its points total.
Despite Old being the undisputed top tribe, because I don't think anyone is going to budge Old for a while, I do have a few concerns regarding them. The main concern being that not everyone in Old is properly participating in the war. There are only 34 people conquering against MoM, despite that war going on for nearly a month and it is something that Old could consider looking at changing if they want to increase their chances of winning what looks like a hard war. Overall though, I severely doubt that Old are going anywhere. Despite a short-term loss in their wars against MoM and W2V, they are still winning overall due to some impressive operations against MoM members early on. If they could replicate those effects, I think Old could start winning this war again.
2 MoM
MoM is the tribe that a lot of forum goers think deserve to be top. They undoubtedly have more war experience than any of the tribes surrounding it. Despite a shaky start to both the Old war and the RW war, MoM is winning both on the short term statistics. More significantly, they seem to have damaged RW's growth significantly, seeing them drop out of the top 5 after MoM recruited from them. This recruitment may be the beginning of the end of the RW war.
(Sorry! We'll look at this new development more in a later issue…)
The point graph certainly seems to think so. This will allow MoM to focus more on Old, who don't seem to have the same problems as RW, growing perfectly fine despite having the 2nd, 6th and the 17th ranked tribe on them and have shown themselves to be capable of causing MoM serious damage as shown in the myvampire and saeldar operations early on in the war.
MoM seems to be growing well, not quite as fast as Old, however they aren't losing as many villages either. One of their top players, sheepshaun left MoM to join Old to much anger on the public forums. However, they have replaced his bulk with the recruitment of Camay from RW, which is slightly ironic due to their chastising of Sheepshaun betraying MoM. Interestingly, Sheepshaun is not doing terribly (considering his position) against MoM. Although he is losing 22-10, he is putting up a fight with a sharp increase of ODD to nearly 5 million, impressive due to the closeness between him and MoM and the shortness of the fight (he left but a few days ago). It will be interesting to see if Sheepshaun can hold up against the pressure or if he is the internaller that MoM says he is.
Nevertheless, MoM is still a tribe to look out for. The world has expected great things from MoM since the start of the world and MoM has not failed to deliver. However, this game is all about consistency and one mistake or bad turn can ruin a tribe in days as has happened to S-D. It will be interesting if MoM repeats their previous successes by pulling out in the end. The public can only wait, watch the flame wars go on and hope for another spark of brilliance.
3 Haul!
After a brief stint in second, Haul is now back in third. However, this is not to say that Haul! is going downward (on the contrary, MoM has just recruited). Until very recently, Haul! were losing their wars, but thanks to the entrance of Code into the war, Haul! have been greatly relieved on their S-D front and have started recovering in the war statistics. I managed to find some statistics against S-D from around 2 weeks ago. Two weeks ago, Haul! were losing 12-47, now they are winning 32-6. This is great news for Haul!, who will be happy to see one of their enemies crumbling. In the long term, this will allow Haul! to relocate their troops to another front.
Growth wise, Haul!'s points has been up and down for the last month, mainly due to players leaving and joining. The most significant of those leaves was a group of around 8 or so players who left to various tribes on the 13th of August. Chief among the tribes that these players left to were a FARMA support tribe and Sand. Haul! have managed to replace those members though with players from S-D, who look to be disappearing from the war. However, I am of belief that this creates a long term problem in terms of a worsening of relations with Code. If this isn't sorted out, it could cause Haul! a bunch of long term problems after S-D collapse and Haul! and Code share a border.
However, the main problems for Haul! are OHYEAH and FARMA, who are still winning against Haul! comfortably, despite Code's entrance to help end S-D. The next thing that Haul! will want to do is to push against these tribes and the ability of Haul! to do so, will help determine how this war is going to go. However, saying that, Haul! now do have the advantage, its just a case of pressing it home.
CODE were a generally unknown entity until recently. They were voted the least aggressive tribe tied with Just- (no, that isn't a good thing) in the comprehensive survey. They were known for being recruited by Old, having some big internal issues and generally not doing much on the world stage. Fortunately, they have decided to war and have done so in style. Less than two weeks ago, they embarked on a journey to war S-D. Two weeks later, they have arrived and the leader of S-D has quit and the tribe has started falling apart.
With 571 villages nobled in the last 7 days, CODE are conquering more than every tribe bar Old and are growing at a fast pace. They have S-D to expand into, so a lot of future growth. One could say that if CODE has truly got their internal issues sorted out, they are on a good track. Their only other problem has to be their relations with Old, which seemed to have soured in the last few weeks.
I expect some players of Old think that CODE is a tribe that they cannot rely on, and that is not a very good position to be in, especially if you are allies with Old. This has caused a lot of anger, which has come to light in the public forums, casting doubt on the relationship between Old and CODE. There also seems to be problems with Old recruiting Code members a while back, especially northstorm, who has chosen not to return to Code and stay in Old. This is likely to cause some tension. Overall though, I think Code are on the right track as of present and have to look a little towards the future, especially their future expansion (they have a choice to war MoM) and how they view their alliance with Old. It will be this latter factor as well as relations with Haul! that will determine CODE's future moves.
something that is rarely seen in this world, with 5 conquers in a second and 18 in an hour. Isnt that a world record?
Beyond that though, OHYEAH seem to be doing very well in their war against Haul!, despite this slight but amusing distraction. However, this is because Haul! aren't focusing on OHYEAH at all. To be fair, OHYEAH aren't focusing on Haul! that much either. Focusing on Haul! might be a good idea due to their general size and the fact that they are just finishing off S-D and the likelihood is, that OHYEAH will be next.
If I had any other criticism to post, it would be that OHYEAH seem to have a propensity to noble barbarian villages of very small size, less than 100 points small. They are hard to build up…actually just a waste of time to build up. Let the noobs build them up and then noble them, that's how it works. Other than that, it will be interesting how OHYEAH progress in the future. Unfortunately, they are a bit of a gap in my knowledge of this world and it would be good to know a bit more about them too.
Here is a tribe that I do know a bit about. They have some highly profile wars against Old and a past one against !?! and have made a name for themselves. Their entrance into the Old-MoM war was similar to CODEs entrance into the Haul!-S-D war in that it helped one side (in this case MoM) gain an advantage in the statistcs. Unfortunately, W2V is not strong enough to bring down Old like CODE brought down S-D, so expect a long drawn war, even though W2V are winning in the statistics.
One of the things most impressive about W2V is that they are using their nukes very effectively, as has been shown by ODA to village gain stats posted on the public forums, which has made it obvious that W2V is being very careful when nobling Old villages. Another thing is that Old does not seem to want to cap much against W2V, at least in the short run, this has got them to be losing by over 75 villages, a gap which is increasing all the time. However even these losses seem to hardly dent Old's seemingly perpetual strong growth.
This suggests that it is going to be a long war. However, W2V are starting well. We will see how they hold up in the long run. One of the things that is in their favour, is they are only fighting Old and therefore can concentrate on them a lot more than MoM can, or Old can concentrate back on it. If they can use this keep the pressure on Old, it will make life for Old players hard.
It has been claimed by MoM PnP posters that RW is as good as dead. With a 7 million point drop in the last few days as well as MoM recruiting their biggest player (camay), it would seem things are bad for RW. That does not mean to say it is over. RW are still fighting back, have got 35 against MoM in the last week and 10 in the last 48 hours. However, RW are still losing in the last week against MoM.
Personally, although I don't really know who leads RW, I think the leader has a tremendous task ahead of him should he want to keep RW in the shape they are in. RW have dropped from rank 5 to rank 7. Furthermore, lots of players have been leaving with more to probably follow. Lastly, RW were winning the MoM war, they aren't now. RW will have to put extra effort into change that. Ultimately, what was supposed to be a relief to RW against MoM (Old joining in the war), has turned out to be bad. This is because MoM has performed well under pressure and upped its game against RW. If it continues, RW will undoubtedly fade, leaving Old to fight MoM, W2V and other tribes on its own.
FARMA, best known for mohua and his fight and eventual victory against MoM (I think MoM just gave up, though correct if I am wrong), among other things that I cant really remember at this point. FARMA are warring against Haul! and doing well. They should be really able to take advantage of their position surrounding a kinda isolated Haul! cluster in the north to take even more villages, which I think they will do in the next week.
It is unlikely they will have much problem from Haul! in the near future, they are safe due to a lack of beneficial border for haul! to attack with. It is interesting that FARMA has taken a few of Haul!'s players in the north to help them, this will likely be a morale blow to Haul! in the long term. Overall, there isn't much to say, they are growing well and I don't see anything much stopping them in the near future as long as they don't do something stupid.
S-D had a leader I actually liked the most out of the top 10 excluding my own tribe (not top 20). I honestly thought they would do very well as they were winning against Haul!. How wrong I was. It just goes to show that a tribe's situation can change in a fraction of time. I cant really say much more. They will drop out of the top 20 and the best will be recruited by Haul!/Code/Ohyeah. The rest will be rimmed.
+B+ are a rim tribe, originally a family tribe, who are one of the tribes warring Haul! There are two big losers from the western war (excluding the mini rim tribes fighting Code). The first is the tribe above (S-D), the second is this tribe. +B+ should really be doing well against Haul!, seeing the odds stacked against Haul! (until recently of course) but aren't. This is probably because +B+ aren't that good of a tribe in terms of ability and organization.
And its showing, +B+ are losing by 40 villages in the weekly statistics. However, unlike the tribe above, +B+ have the opportunity to turn this around from a Haul! expansion war into a real fight. All they have to do is attack Haul! back. When they do that, then maybe they will get a better opinion.
Now that is all done, I thought we would have a little look at the two major wars going on right now. I will start with the Eastern one because it contains the biggest tribes and is argued about a lot more on the forums.
Tribes: Old, RW
Side 2:
Tribes: MoM, W2V, WET, Dork
Timeframe: 24/07/2011 00:00:00 to 19/08/2011 09:34:56
Total conquers against opposite side:
Side 1: 862
Side 2: 756
Difference: 106
Overall, Old and RW are winning. This is quickly changing due to the advent of W2V into the war as well as MoM's recovery in the statistics. Heres the same statistics from last week:
Side 1:
Tribes: Old, RW
Side 2:
Tribes: MoM, W2V, WET, Dork
Timeframe: Last week
Total conquers against opposite side:
Side 1: 230
Side 2: 384
Difference: 154
What this really shows is that this war is full of twists. A war that started with Old and RW winning easily has changed to show Old losing in the short term and RW struggling against MoM. However, I do not think this war is close to finishing, despite the bad look of the short term statistics for Old and RW. This is partially because such advantages have been achieved before (take the Old vs MoM statistics earlier in the war for example) and more importantly been recovered from.
RW may drop out, depending on the extent of the damage internally, however it will probably take a lot to break Old, even with 4 tribes on it. This will ultimately create a war of attrition unless something major changes in the next few days. As with all wars of attrition, the success of operations and the breaking of players will be key to victory. So far, MoM and W2V seem to be doing well, putting big pressure on LIL SPASM, frijolez and link in a box, who aren't responding well to it. Old have shown they can do it too, having taken myvampires and Saeldar out.
Ultimately, this war keeps getting more and more interesting. I think it is a little too early to call a winner. I think even if RW does fall as some people say it will, Old still has a reasonable chance of beating the 4 tribes against it on its own. This will really depend on Old's ability to use its nukes and defence well as well as doing some well placed operations on the enemy.
The western war (the other one) is just as big as the Eastern war, containing top tribes on both sides. First blood seems to have been struck by Haul/Code against S-D, but it is anyone's game. Lets see the stats (I am not going to put in the Code rim gangbang as it is kinda separate from the Haul! gangbang (the main war):
Side 1:
Tribes: CODE, Haul!
Side 2:
Tribes: S-D, FARMA, OHYEAH, +B+
Timeframe: Forever
Total conquers against opposite side:
Side 1: 703
Side 2: 624
Difference: 79
Yet again, very close, with Haul! and Code just about winning. +B+ and S-D are losing in their stats 151 and 193 respectively, which is the main reason it is in Haul!/Code's favour. If it was just FARMA and OHYEAH at war with Haul!, then haul! would be losing by 255 villages. This is where a lot of the pressure against Haul! originates, as well as from S-D who was winning until Code stepped in.
With S-D retiring from the battlefield, expect Haul! to focus a lot more on OHYEAH. I think the short term future of the war will be determined by how well OHYEAH does against Haul! Other than that, I expect FARMA to continue to do well and +B+ to continue losing villages and more of S-D to be recruited by Code and Haul! over the next week or two.
Also we have to look at how those rim tribes are doing against code. I am sorry, I cant keep track of every single irrelevant rim tribe, so it might be the wrong stats:
Side 1:
Tribes: CODE
Side 2:
Tribes: .:::., Wall, R I M, RIM-2, ~R~, RUST
Timeframe: Forever
Total conquers against opposite side:
Side 1: 419
Side 2: 80
Difference: 339
Two of the tribes I was meant to add into my stats have disbanded. That really says it all to me. The coalition against Code, whilst looked promising originally, did not have the manpower or the co-ordination to face up against the southern giant. I think Code will continue to get more and more villages from these tribes and ultimately make more of them disband.
Anyways, in conclusion, its looking to be an interesting world and I am really happy just to blog a little bit of it. Thank you for reading this block of text and if you have any questions whatsoever, just ask AoL and he can get them answered.
Once again, a huge thank you to the annonymous blog donor! A lot of work is put into TW Blogs and it takes writing one to really understand the time and, more than that, effort that we donate to you all.
Thats it for this issue, signing off from California, where it never rains and u6 has a life! (weird isn't it!)


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Lynn of Rogersville writes:
Hello, My husband and I are in the market for a new queen mattress. Both side sleepers but I like a pretty firm mattress and he likes a much softer. I don't like most pillowtops at all cause we roll to the center on most and I also have been told they don't wear as well cause they can't be flipped? I am not normally very crazy about the latex as I worry about weight of them and deterioration of the actual foam? Our weights are approx 220 and 195 lbs. I am hoping there is a more firm plush type that will accommodate my husband and yet be firm enough for myself. We are willing to pay for very good quality mattress that will give us a great nights sleep. I also like the higher end fabrics on the top especially. We like most hotel mattresses In Westin, Doubletree, etc. Any suggestions for one that may please both of us? Thank you.
Hi Lynn,
That is not as tall an order as it would seem. There isn't, however, one mattress that will accommodate the two of you successfully for any real length of time.
The mattresses at hotels are pretty cheap...and then covered with a topper. I suggest you do the same.
Start off with a Sealy Posturepedic if you're looking to keep your cost down, or a Stearns & Foster if you can afford better. Get something in a luxury firm and add a soft latex topper. The topper adds comfort that does not detract from the underlying firmness. It's your best long term solution.
Check our website for prices on all those things.
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text:
The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
Our Partners
Al Akhbar - Lebanon
Al Masry Al Youm - Egypt
Asia Sentinel - Hong Kong
Bivol - Bulgaria
Carta Capital - Brazil
CIPER - Chile
Dawn Media - Pakistan
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La Repubblica - Italy
La Jornada - Mexico
La Nacion - Costa Rica
Malaysia Today - Malaysia
McClatchy - United States
Nawaat - Tunisia
NDR/ARD - Germany
Owni - France
Pagina 12 - Argentina
Philip Dorling - Fairfax media contributor - Australia
Plaza Publica - Guatemala
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Rolling Stone - United States
Russian Reporter - Russia
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The Hindu - India
The Yes Men - Bhopal Activists
Sunday Star-Times - New Zealand
Community resources
courage is contagious
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.
[Eurasia] KYRGYZSTAN/US/AFGHANISTAN/MIL - Kyrgyz leader supports idea of turning US transit centre into "civilian port"
Released on 2012-10-11 16:00 GMT
Email-ID | 1062343 |
Date | 2011-11-29 18:13:20 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
Text of report by privately-owned Kyrgyz news agency 24.kg website
Bishkek, 29 November: Journalists are stoking up the issue about the
transit shipment centre in Kyrgyzstan, but the issue is a stable one,
Roza Otunbayeva said today at her last news conference in the capacity
of interim president.
She said that there is an agreement with the USA on the deployment of
the base in Kyrgyzstan until 2014. "Listen, is the base for geopolitical
ambitions? Are they not carrying out some tasks in Afghanistan? It is
definitely unstable there. What do you think?" she asked the
"We do not know as much as the West and America about the situation in
Afghanistan. Afghanistan is one and a half hours of flying distance from
us, but we are deaf here and do not know what is happening there. People
are dying there," she said.
"Every week, 2,000 people and a large amount of cargo are transported
through the transit shipment centre. We should understand that
everything is serious there. The coalition forces are going to leave.
Barack Obama is not what he used to be when he got elected. Now he has
got black circles under his eyes. The harshest criticism is under way. A
crisis is coming. The issue of troops withdrawal is great pressure on
the president," she said.
"What if the base closed? We are under pressure from drug trafficking.
They are saying that Atambayev is demanding the closure and I am
delaying it. The new government and the president will decide on this.
Today I can answer [as a person] in transition to being a private
citizen. Let us make judgements based on the situation. I share
Atambayev's opinion that it could be a civilian port. We need it very
much as a transit point from Asia to Europe. There is no other way and
let us look at how the situation in Afghanistan develops," Roza
Otunbayeva concluded.
Source: 24.kg website, Bishkek, in Russian 0513 gmt 29 Nov 11
BBC Mon CAU 291111 ad/nj
(c) Copyright British Broadcasting Corporation 2011


text:
The impact of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on healthcare delivery has been widely discussed and debated. But what does it mean for the design industry? In this era of big data, cloud computing, and sophisticated analytical tools, the ability to manage and measure has increased, and healthcare models are changing based on these abilities. With the Affordable Care Act, the onus to manage and measure will be even greater because it will be linked to reimbursement models with strong fiscal implications.
The Affordable Care Act and evidence-based design
Politics aside, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act will transform just about every aspect of healthcare delivery. Sweeping reform legislation targets nine essential components, ranging from access to affordable care to the improvement of patient safety and care quality. One of the fundamental components of the law is the transformation of the reimbursement system. Instead of only paying hospitals based on the volume of care provided, the Affordable Care Act shifts the reimbursement model to one based on care quality.
Hospitals are now financially rewarded for improving the patient experience as measured through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, through the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), hospitals will also be reimbursed based on their ability to reduce patient harm as a result of hospital-acquired conditions. Through the use of evidence-based design findings, designers create important solutions that can help to address these pernicious problems.
So, what solutions can designers provide as part of an integrated approach to improve the patient experience, reduce patient harm, and—as a consequence—potentially realize increased CMS reimbursement? There are two items on the HCAHPS's inpatient survey that pertain to the built environment—noise and cleanliness—both of which can be improved with good design, as noted in the table (below). Key patient safety targets, typically tracked by hospitals, and simple interior design solutions that can help to achieve these targets based on robust evidence and best practice precedents are also listed in the table.
In fact, a large body of evidence indicates that the physical environment impacts many essential healthcare outcomes including patient and staff safety, patient stress and satisfaction, staff effectiveness, the quality of care, sustainability, and healthcare cost. Just as medicine has increasingly moved toward "evidence-based medicine," where clinical decisions are informed by research, healthcare design is increasingly guided by rigorous research linking the physical environment to healthcare outcomes, and is moving toward evidence-based design. The underlying assumption is that the built environment provides the stage for all care delivery, and consequently impacts care delivery outcomes.
Accountability in design
The evidence-based design process relies on using credible research to inform design decisions and then clearly articulating the potential impacts of these design decisions on a broad range of healthcare outcomes. By measuring healthcare outcomes pre- and post-occupancy, and then sharing the results, not only is the team held accountable, but it also contributes to the growing body of knowledge.
Accepted by designers and facilities alike, this accountability is evident in the growing number of hospitals that are part of The Center for Health Design's Pebble Project, which is committed to measuring, tracking, and sharing outcomes. Design firms with in-house research departments focused on human and organizational outcomes and design and health professionals who are getting their credentialing via Evidence-based Design and Accreditation (EDAC) and Lean Six Sigma training also contribute to accountability.
The EDAC and Lean Six Sigma training allows professionals to become well-aware of the methods to integrate research into design and to then undertake systemic approaches to improve processes based on reduced waste, increased efficiencies, and enhanced collaboration of caregivers.
Emerging trends
How are these initiatives changing what we see in healthcare design today? According to Tom Harvey, FAIA, a senior vice president at HKS, Inc., who is also president of the Center for Advanced Design Research & Evaluation, our industry is in
a position to pose new design hypotheses that stem from what we have learned through evidence-based design research to date. Today's architects and interior designers need to more aggressively integrate research intent into their design processes and decisions. Some examples of design hypotheses that could contribute to improved HCAHPS scores, as well as other beneficial comparative metrics for clinical outcomes or operational and financial performance, could include the following:
Average size of inpatient units will be reduced, leading to:
• Increased direct caregiver time spent with patients
• Decreased distractions and multi-tasking that host opportunity for error
• Improved caregiver focus by reducing fatigue and distractions
• Reduced noise levels that will improve environmental ambiance and satisfaction
• Lower facility operation costs
Medical technology integrated with design will facilitate greater deployment of resources to the bedside, resulting in:
• Decreased size of inpatient units
• Increased direct caregiver and family time spent with patients
• Decreased opportunity for error from distractions and multi-tasking
• Improved caregiver focus by reducing fatigue and distractions
• Reduced noise levels that will improve environmental ambiance and satisfaction
• Improved patient sense of control and overall satisfaction
Information technology will enable new environments that foster greater team collaboration throughout the workplace for healthcare, encouraging:
• More rapid response to patient needs and inquiries
• Engagement of a broader caregiving and consulting team
with the patient in real-time
• Improved, and more consistent, clinical pathways of care to support prudent decision-making that reduces cost of care and increased patient/family responsiveness
In addition, we will see a rise of collaborations between the health sector and the construction and design industry, a trend towards lean construction processes and integrated project delivery teams, and partnerships between academia and industry. This will create a robust and actionable knowledge base to inform cutting-edge design practice.
Affordable Care Act and accountable design
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act provides the design community with a singular opportunity to provide evidence-informed solutions that will help to reshape the healthcare experience. Given the growing need to become analytical and evidence-informed designers, we predict that, in coming years, we will see a broad array of new hypotheses explored. Those projects with successful research findings will emerge as new, validated best practices. Today, we are at the cusp of a wave of change, and many challenges lie ahead for healthcare organizations as they undertake quality improvements.
The built environment is an essential component in an integrated bundle of solutions to improve care and maximize reimbursements. Success depends on the early engagement of the design team so that it can discuss with owners the impact of design decisions on healthcare outcomes, using a lifecycle rather than a first-cost investment approach. A collaborative approach—with shared accountability, a commitment to improved outcomes, open dialogue, and interdisciplinary and informed teams—will lead this new era of affordable care and accountable design.
Upali Nanda, Ph.D., is vice president and director of research at HKS, Inc. in Houston. Eileen Malone, RN, MSN, is a senior partner at Mercury Healthcare Consulting in Alexandria, Virginia. Anjali Joseph, Ph.D., is vice president and director of research at The Center for Health Design.


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'The Human Experiment' Trailer: Are You Getting Enough Chemicals in Your Diet?
Movie News By Nathan Adams on August 30, 2013 | Comments (2)What's the reason humanity has become so plagued with diseases and mental disorders that historically have not existed over the course of the last fifty years or so? A new documentary from producer Sean Penn and directors Dana Nachman and Don Hardy called The Human Experiment theorizes that it's all of the chemicals that have been introduced into our food and our environment by greedy corporations and ever expanding industry. Okay, so this documentary doesn't so much theorize this as it fervently believes it and aggressively calls its viewer to take action against the corporations who are operating with little or no regulations and certainly without any sense of morality or restraint. This is probably the movie most concerned with chemicals since The Bourne Legacy. Take a look at the trailer, provided by THR, and decide if this is an issue you can get behind.
Neil Miller
Scott Beggs
Rob Hunter
Kate Erbland
Christopher Campbell


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Removing Ferrari Cylinder Heads
HomeThe cylinder heads of Ferrari V-12 engines have a well deserved reputation for being challenging to remove. This difficulty is primarily due to the very close tolerances between the head studs and the head, with a small contribution from the head gasket. Over time, these steel studs corrode the aluminum head, bonding the two together with significant strength.
I had previously decided to rebuild my 330 engine, so it was already out and on the stand, with the distributors, carbs, and exhaust headers removed. I felt it wise to remove the camshafts first, to avoid any risk of damage to them. This was accomplished by first removing the cam chain sprockets, then removing the rocker arm assemblies. There are six of these assemblies per cam, and I started by taking off the unloaded assemblies first. At one point, the camshaft was rotated by those springs still in compression, so watch those fingers!
Once the camshaft and rocker arm assemblies were off, I removed the large front cam chain assembly. It turns out this isn't necessary for removal of the heads, as there were no intersecting parts, just recessed rubber gaskets for the coolant inlets.
Ever the optimist, I tackled the first head by firmly grasping it with both hands and tugging smartly. This accomplished exactly what you'd expect - absolutely nothing.
So I went to Plan B: Hit it with a rubber mallet... but non too enthusiastically really, as I didn't want to break or bend anything! This was not as adventurous as it seems, as most everything else had popped free easily with a gentle tap. Hoping it was just the gasket holding it on, I tried to persuade it from the ends and the middle. This also accomplished exactly what you'd expect - again absolutely nothing. One thing I had been cautioned against was trying to pry them loose, as the aluminum is relatively soft, and any damage to the head or block guarantees the need for more expensive machining work. The literature even suggested using wedges hammered in to raise the heads, but I had no desire to try that either.
So on to Plan C: Make a puller. Used by many Ferrari shops, this tool pulls the head up by the rocker arm studs, by pushing down on the head studs. I made my head puller out of some old board I had lying around. It was 1/2 inch solid Oak, which seemed stout enough at the time, with aluminum strips epoxied across the grain. The holes were located simply by lining up and marking using the head, and were drilled slightly oversized. BTW, the holes are not symmetrical, top to bottom and side to side, so don't make any assumptions.
I used 3/8 inch carriage bolts to push down on the head studs, as they have the threads their complete length, and would ultimately fit deep into the head pushing each stud. I dressed the bolt tips flat on the disk grinder, so the head studs would not be damaged. As these carriage bolts were fixed in height by their nuts, I turned the cam rocker nuts to make it work, meaning I had to adjust the carriage bolts every 1/4 inch as the nuts bottomed out. A shop puller would have these bolts threaded into the tool, so the bolts get turned - MUCH more efficient to use, but requiring greater precision and higher cost to make.
A good clean around the head gaskets was done, and the puller assembled onto the head shimmed up above the spring keepers, to give room to pull the head up to the board. The carriage bolts were made tight between each head stud and the board, with the top nut there to stop them from moving around. This part actually worked out OK.
The studs where hosed down with penetrating fluid, and after increasingly tightening down on the cam studs, a tiny gap opened up around the gasket at one end of the head. I got my hopes up, but after that all the wood did was pop, compress, and bend. Adding nuts to the rest of the cam studs didn't help, and even the metal strips started to bend and separate from the wood. Tom Yang brought up a very good caution about the wood letting go and leaving only part of the head under stress, with the attendant chance of cracking the head: At that point I got spooked and pulled the wood off the motor. I still say the design was sound, albeit a bit 'shadetree', but that wood was no match for 36 years of corrosion.
So on to Plan D: Make a better puller. My good friend Bill White had long ago offered to make the puller from steel, so I took him up on it. Using the wooden one as a template, this one is in 1/2 inch cold rolled steel (heavy!) and has carriage bolts on all the head studs (Thanks Bill!). Bill said he can make these up for anyone who is interested.
I started with a little torque on all the rocker nuts (spiraling from the center out), and eventually ended up working each head off a 1/8 turn at a time, adjusting the carriage bolts 1/4 inch again every time the nuts bottomed out. Patience was needed, and each head wanted to come up crooked. I ended up working the nuts more on one end than the other, eyeballing and measuring the gap often to keep it even. The initial 4 1/2 inch cariage bolts ran out of thread and had to be replaced with 6 inch ones, as the darn heads fought me all the way to the very top of the head studs (don't drop it!). Interestingly, both heads are the *same* unsymetrical casting - I expected to have to flip the puller over for the opposite head, but this wasn't necessary.
Both heads came off without any damage, and what was found is a story for another day. Fwiw, the head studs did not appear corroded, it looks to be just the aluminum. You can see this as white powder in the head stud threads in the picture above. The first head took a couple of weeks altogether, working on it during spare evenings. The second one took 4 uninterrupted hours one Sunday, so it can easily be done by one person. Given the configuration, I'll wager it could be done IN the car too, if the need arose. Good luck! If anyone has any questions/comments, I can be reached at the address below.
Preceding Page | | HOME | | Next Page
Revised: March 5, 2002 Copyright © 2002 Jonathon Brent


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Space 2.X: The Private Rocket Race Takes Off
- |
- 7:50 pm |
- Permalink
Later this year, SpaceX will launch its much larger Falcon 9 rocket. If all goes well, the craft will make several orbits around the Earth before splashing down off the California coast. If the mission is a success, a commercial payload will be launched before the end of 2009.
The Falcon 9's capsule, Dragon, is designed to carry cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA.
An engineering model of the SpaceX's capsule, Dragon, is used to test configurations of the craft.
Photos: Dave Bullock/Wired.com


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14 October 2009
Roads to Rome, Brussels, London...
Roads to Rome? Not any more.
Since I started this blog with its topical name four years ago, I've moved to Brussels, where it became Rues des Bruxelles. I've recently moved to London. Now what?
These are no longer Roads to Rome or Rues des Bruxelles. It's now... "London Somethings" or "Somethings of London." Or something.
*Roman Road is the name of the major road off which our own street leads.
But unless you can come up with something better, or convince me otherwise, I'm already leading towards London Mews. Mews seem like a particularly English term to describe a particularly English thing. It's also a pretty hilarious and apt homonym (Mews/Muse).
If you don't like it, or any of the other options I've helpfully put into a poll for you above, you can choose your own term from this list:
alley, approach, arcade, avenue, bank, boulevard, brow, buildings, causeway, circus, close, cottages, court, crescent, croft, drive, embankment, esplanade, gardens, gate, grove, hill, lane, lawn, link, mead, mews, mount, parade, passage, pavement, place, promenade, quay, road, row, side, square, street, terrace, vale, view, villas, walk, wall, way, and yard. this list was taken from here.
Just combine the type of roadway/passageway with the word "London" and you're there. Or get creative if you're a creative type. Leave any ideas not listed in the poll in the comments.
Thanks for your help.
UPDATE: So we'll go with 'London Mews' the far-and-away vote leader with 4 - including my own. The rest had zero. Although some pretty good ideas were also suggested in the comments. Thanks guys.


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Full title reads: "A Bygone Craft. Making a hide covered coracle for salmon fishing on the Boyne, the only place in Europe where such hide boats are still in use."
River Boyne, Ireland.
Various shots of two elderly country gentlemen making a coracle - an ancient boat made from twigs and hide. The start by pushing long twigs into the ground and then weave a basket like structure. They bend the twigs and tie them together to form the rounded structure of the boat.
The structure of the coracle is carried away and covered with a large piece of animal hide to make it water proof.
Shots of men pushing a coracle out onto the river, just below a weir. The lay nets out across the river to catch fish.
Shots of a man rowing a coracle into shore.
N.B. Lovely film illustration of an ancient way of boat making.


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Christmas is a time for family to gather and friends to visit. A time to spread peace and happiness all around. Lights hung on tree branches, bright bows on the perfect presents and the crackle of the fire in the fireplace are all part of this special time of year. LPGA.com caught up with Jennie Lee to find out her thoughts on the perfect gift and how she would be spending the holiday break.
What gift would you recommend to fans to give the golfer in their life?
Training tools to make them excited about practicing.
Are you an early Christmas shopper or will you save it all until the last minute?
Definitely early, I start when November rolls around.
What are your holiday plans?
I will be relaxing at home with my family.
Topics: Lee, Jennie


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Tue, Oct 11, 11 at 8:21
If this former head of the Ukraine can go to jail for possibly fixing gas prices, then certainly Bush et al should go on trial for making illegal invasions and causing unconstitutional mayhem and obscene enrichment of the few and mighty.
Surely all agree? |
Here is a link that might be useful: a little clue that US regime has not changed
Follow-Up Postings:
Surely I can't. Obama has just been Bush 3 for the most part, IMHO, and would you put him on trial, too? |
He didn't initiate the illegal invasions. |
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Gov. Nixon encourages Missourians to recognize those who served in nation's military this Veterans Day
- Details
- Parent Category: News
- Category: State and Regional News
- Written by Rob Viehman
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Gov. Nixon recognizes St. Louis-area businesses that have taken the Show-Me Heroes pledge to recruit and hire veterans
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – This Veterans Day, Gov. Jay Nixon is encouraging Missourians to recognize and thank throughout the year the dedicated men and women who have honorably served in our nation's military.


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New Revised Standard (NRS) | New International Version (NIV) |
7 For Egypt's help is worthless and empty, therefore I have called her, "Rahab who sits still." | 7 to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing. |
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Revised Standard Bible Version Online) | 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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I know the subject title is a little weird, but that is the only way I can describe a couple areas in my yard. The front of the house faces east so I get some morning sun. The neighbor across the street has a large maple that blocks some of it and I have a huge (120ft) pin oak right out by the street as well, but it is on the north edge of my property and is limbed up high enough that it does not really affect the morning sun. Where it gets interesting is the area underneath the oak is obviously in shade most of the day, but then it gets about 2-3 hours of intense afternoon sun and I cannot figure out what to plant there at all. I have almost the exact same scenario in the back yard. The yard is wooded but the utility company came through this past summer and took down 16 small trees plus limbed up several of our larger trees creating the same shade most of the day but intense afternoon sun for a few hours along our back fence. Any suggestions on plants that can handle some filtered sun/shade for a majority of the day but handle the intense rays of the hot afternoon sun for a few hours? Sorry for the long description and rant, but I am at a loss of what could work in these areas. |
Follow-Up Postings:
I think I would plant some understory trees that would shade the hosta or other perennials from the really harsh afternoon sun. I don't know what would work in Kansas, but here dogwoods, redbuds, serviceberry, etc can be placed strategically to allow the morning sun, but block the afternoon sun. I do feel your pain-we are about to lose a couple of oaks that have shaded one of my hosta beds. So sad. Good luck. |
- Posted by garden_crazy z5 N IL (My Page) on Sat, Mar 2, 13 at 20:20
There are some great plants out there that would appreciate 2-3 hour of direct sunshine, maybe daylilies, perennial geraniums, persicaria, garden phlox, etc., and leave the heavier shade to the hostas and shade plants. I have my shade plants under trees with plants needing some sun along the edge where they get some rays. Lots of possibilities!!! -Be glad for the sun which lets you diversify! If you need more ideas some pics of your yard would be helpful. Lots of experience to tap into with various forums here! gc |
- Posted by darobi2459 (My Page) on Sun, Mar 3, 13 at 0:42
The hydrangeas may not bloom well for other reasons. soil, nutrients etc...Try more sun liking hostas (lighter green generally) Heuchura, Astilbe, tiarella, I really have to recommend a book that I have read a few times over! Under a oak it maybe a water drainage, availability problem. Check that book out at a library maybe? Loads of information as well as suggestions for plants. |
Here is a link that might be useful: making the most of shade
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News Archives
Cary M. Maguire Fellow's Featured in the Wall Street Journal
Center for Ethics Cary M. Maguire Fellow Anthony Catanach is quoted in a Wall Street Journal article on the top CFOs. To read the article, click here
Published December 30, 2014
Cary M. Maguire Fellow's Latest Accomplishments
Anthony Catanach, the Center for Ethics Cary M. Maguire Fellow and author of the blog Grumpy Old Accountants has been selected by Infinit Accounting as one of the "10 Blogs Every Accountant Should Be Reading."
In addition, Dr. Catanach co-wrote an article for the October 2014 issue of Strategic Finance magazine titled, Non-GAAP Nonsense: Fixing the Problem Once and For All. To read the article, click here.
To learn more about Dr. Anthony Catanach, click here.
Published October 28, 2014
Cary M. Maguire Lecture in Applied Ethics
The Financial Transparency Debate: Reflections and Future Prospects.
This lecture took place on June 9, 2014 at Park City Club in Dallas, Texas and was entitled "The Financial Transparency Debate: Reflections and Future Prospects." Dr. Anthony Catanach, the Cary M. Maguire Fellow, delivered a thought-provoking presentation that included a look at what has happened since the financial crisis of 2007/2008 and the parties that can influence financial reporting transparency in the future.
Learn more about the Lecture »
Published June 10, 2014
Anthony Catanach's New Blog Post
Take a look at Anthony Catanach's new blog post on his blog, Grumpy Old Accountants, http://grumpyoldaccountants.com/
Published October 15, 2013
Anthony Catanach is One of The Top 50 Accountants on Twitter
Anthony Catanach, the Cary M. Maguire Fellow at The American College made the list of top 50 accountants on Twitter! Follow the link to see, http://www.mastersinaccounting.info/top-accountants-twitter/
Published October 15, 2013
Anthony Catanach's Interview on Bloomberg TV
On September 17, 2013, Anthony Catanach, the Cary M. Maguire Fellow at The American College, was interviewed live on Bloomberg's Market Makers and runs down the red flags companies can look for when evaluating their chief financial officer and what should be expected of the position. To watch the interveiw, follow this link, http://www.bloomberg.com/video/evaluating-your-cfo-look-for-these-red-flags-DA4LK1HbQSy98epHUmWqrQ.html
Published October 15, 2013
Jim Mitchell in the Journal of Business Ethics
Jim Mitchell, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics, was a contributing writer for an article in the January 2013 edition of the Journal of Business Ethics titled, "Modeling Ethical Business Culture: Development of the Ethical Business Culture Survey and Its Use to Validate the CEBC Model of Ethical Business Culture". To read the article, please click here.
Published January 25, 2013
Julie Ragatz's Recent Interview on Bloomberg TV
On October 3, 2012, Julie Ragatz, Director of the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services, was interviewed live on Bloomberg TV's "Bottom Line". Speaking with Mark Crumpton, Julie discussed how the Center and The American College protect consumers by training practitioners to become more sensitive to ethical issues and to think more critically about ethical solutions.
If the above video does not play, watch the video on Bloomberg.com.
Published October 04, 2012
Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics Dedication Ceremony
On September 24, 2012, the Center for Ethics held a re-dedication ceremony in Foundation Hall at The American College, officially renaming the Center the "Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services". The Center also held The Cary M. Maguire Lecture in Applied Ethics during a luncheon in the MetLife Learning Center. The Lecture was given by Dr. Anthony Catanach and entitled "Open Secrets: Transparency or Financial Disaster, Which Do You Want?".
View the slideshow of photos from the event »
Learn more about the Lecture »
Published September 24, 2012
Honoring Cary M. Maguire
Click on the link below to see the transcript of the Hon. Ralph M. Hall's recognition of Mr. Maguire to the House of Representatives earlier this year.
Over a span of two decades, which included multiple trials, appeals and mayors, Mr. Maguire succeeded in a property rights dispute against the city of Houston, TX. Throughout this ordeal, his courage and faith that justice would ultimately prevail served to further strengthen his character and perseverance.
Published September 20, 2012
What Investment Fraud Costs The Scammer
In an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Professor Julie Ragatz discusses the consequences and expected punishments of being convicted of investment fraud.
"There is a consistent standard," yet results vary with public outrage and other factors, says Julie Anne Ragatz, director of the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services at American College, the insurance and investment school in Bryn Mawr. Read the full article »
The article was originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on May 22, 2012.
Published May 22, 2012
The Ethics of Dealing with Older Clients
In an article from The Wealth Channel Magazine, Jim Mitchell explains what The College's Code of Ethics means in regard to meeting the needs of senior clients.
"You may be recommending exactly the right thing for them, but if they do not understand, they may resist your recommendations..." Read the full article »
The article was originally published in The Wealth Channel Magazine, Fall 2011, TheWealthChannel.com.
Published October 10, 2011


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Showing posts tagged with: Review Show all posts
Posted Thursday, 26 May 2011
Jaaga Sound & Lights
The Sound & Lights exhibition at Richmond Town has been open almost a week now. I took some shots last night to share, and to give a sense of the show for those who can't be here.
The view from outside Jaaga |
From the outside you can see work by Tobias Rosenberger (the two video panels) and Pooja Mallya (the kinetic 'nest' at the top). This is the work that draws in passers-by and local residents who may not have been previously connected to Jaaga - it's clearly visible from the Hockey Stadium and up and down Rhenius Street.
Eve Sibley's permanent installation, the Vertical Garden is as always on display on the front and side of the building. The plants are watered automatically by a custom-designed hydroponics system periodically throughout the day.
Inside we have work from eight Indian and international artists, and a number of other contributors. The show is open from 6.30PM until 10PM every night until the final night on the 29th of May.
The work is sonic, visual, kinetic, and electronic, very much in keeping with the themes at Jaaga. At the end of the show the building will be torn down! ...and recreated in it's new home at Double Road.
Lisa Kori-Chung 'Jaagaad' |
Lisa Kori-Chung has created a reactive sound installation out of discarded electronic components. As you spin the wheels, glitchy but tonal sounds are generated. The piece is pure hardware electronics, with no software intervention.
Andrew McWilliams 'Gravity' |
My work, Gravity, is a three-panel sound and video installation on the ground floor. The work is self-generating: the sound is continually synthesized with new parameters and the video slowly responds to the sound.
Agnese Mosconi 'Murale' |
Agnese Mosconi has created Murale, a kinetic, responsive installation on the second floor. The flowers respond to your movements by opening and closing, and making noises as you pass by. The piece is modular in the form of a climbing plant, like a parasite.
Corin's workstation for 'Sonosphere-I' |
Corin Faife composed music and designed a system which allows it to respond according to the movements of people in the building. The mood decisions are based on webcam and sensor data, different combinations of movement in different parts of the building are interpreted according to a mood matrix.
Sharath Chandra 'Prime Actant' |
In the video installation 'Prime Actant', by Sharath Chandra, the show itself is self-referenced. It contains media related to the artists and their works, and the webcam incorporates visitors into the installation too.
Tobias Rosenberger 'Figures' |
Tobias Rosenberger's work video work is visible on two floors, from both inside and outside the Jaaga building.
On the roof there is also a gentle and reflective multichannel sound installation which is a collaboration between Abhijeet Tambe (Lounge Piranha) and Rosenberger. It features words and music loops, and is a popular space to relax and enjoy the evening.
Pooja Mallya 'Cues in the Nest' |
The 'nest', which hovers above the roof of Jaaga used to be a space for quiet solitary contemplation, served only by a single chair and a view of Shantinagar... until Pooja Mallya turned it into a kinetic light installation! It is now furnished with a carved metal logo, lights, fabric wings and a moving frame.
Power-Up Electronics programmable LED boards |
The people at Power-Up Electronics have created a number of programmable LED boards, and installed them across the building. Together they slowly drift to different colours and change the mood and visible texture of the Jaaga space.
If you haven't already had a chance to see the show, please head down between now and the final day on Sunday!
Posted Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Jason Bruges Studio
Jason Bruges is a well-known name in the interactive arts & architecture in the UK. Nine years ago he started a studio that:
"create[s] interactive spaces and surfaces that sit between the worlds of architecture, interaction design and site-specific installation art. Our projects range from large-scale building facades and public art to interactive interior environments and products"
There is a whole team (17 credited on the website), producing under this name and they take on a number of large scale commissions in any given year.
Looking through the 2009/2010 work, there seems to a preoccupation with repeating forms, particularly illuminated forms. The form could be LED/OLED's, pandas, glass panels, or so on - but they are always arranged in a simple pattern or series, most commonly a 2 dimensional grid. Each repeated item has the capacity to move or illuminate, but no one form is ever dominant over another in terms of it's abilities or importance. Each form is only different from each of it's peers by virtue of it's location within the space.
This 'equal rights' placement of forms reminds me of the pixels in a computer screen. All have the same capabilities, but and their state at any given moment is a function of their position with respect to all other pixels.
In work like the Platform 5 installation, at Sunderland Station in the UK, this metaphor is almost too indistinct to be called a metaphor. In work like Wind to Light, this metaphor is stretched. Each light is powered by something beyond the control of the installation - the weather. So it's not just responding to the environment - it's life (i.e. it's power source) depends on the environment. Which explains why when I went to see it, there was nothing there! The weather was too calm.
What does hold is the concept of autonomous units, whose potential for contribution to the whole is no more or less than that of each of it's peers. This appears to be one of the calling cards of Bruges work. This article is the first in a series of short written investigations into major studios, and i'm interested to see how commonly i'll find this concept in other work.
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This week's U. S. Drought Monitor map is linked below.
In Oklahoma, both the D-2 and D-4 categories grew and D-3 got a little smaller accordingly. I am shocked at how much D-4 spread over Kansas. A little over 63% of Jay's state is in Exceptional Drought. That is pretty astonishing. I noticed even Hawaii has some severe drought, which is hard to imagine in such a tropical paradise. Hopefully in the next couple of months our usual late summer and early autumn rains will return in force and we'll be looking an improving drought monitor maps each week. If you want to look at a specific state, click on that state on the U.S. map, and that will bring up that state's region, then click on the state again there on the regional map to get the state map. Dawn |
Here is a link that might be useful: U. S Drought Monitor Map 8/14/2012
Follow-Up Postings:
Since rain is falling, I'm going to link Saturday's KBDI here. Hopefully when we look at Sunday's KBDI map, we'll see some lower KBDI numbers. Remember that drought ends bit by bit over a sustained period of time. Let's hope that today's rainfall is the beginning of prolonged rainfall that will get us back out of drought by Christmas, or at least well on our way out of drought and back to more normal conditions by then. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Today's KBDI
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Until September, Canouan liked to boast that, being located below the 15th parallel, natural disasters were not a concern—hurricanes were something other Caribbean islands worried about. Then Ivan swept in and gave this far-flung outpost of the Grenadines a good swipe.
As it turns out, the island was already on familiar terms with damage, though of a different sort. At Carenage Bay Beach & Golf Club, it seemed that everything that could go wrong did. The luxury resort had opened on Canouan in 1999. It closed just three years later, vexed by design and logistical issues—including too few flights to the island to fill a reasonable number of hotel beds. It was one of the great flameouts in resort history.
But don't get out your handkerchief quite yet. The property's owners at Canouan Resorts Development (CRD) are not easily discouraged, they are not impatient, and they are not poor. Far from it. Carenage relaunched last summer with a surgically tweaked new look, having replaced a clunky pastiche of tropical styles with something a whole lot sleeker and more sophisticated. Among the catalogue of "enhancements" is a Bellini bar, an exhaustive spa with extravagant cliffside treatment palapas, a romantic motorboat that ferries guests to and from the airport, plus the next must-have in hotel fitness centers, a boxing ring.
The place also reopened with disciplined new management, Singapore-based Raffles International Ltd., and a resonant new name, Raffles Resort Canouan Island, that has put the region on notice. The rebranding of Carenage marks the arrival in the Caribbean of a legendary hotel company that helped make "invisible" Asian service the industry's gold standard.
The paint on the walls is still wet, but this time CRD may have finally got it right.
On my first morning at Raffles Canouan, I woke to find that the golf cart I had parked nose-first in front of my villa had been magically turned around while I slept. It was a small gesture by a phantom staffer—reorienting the cart so I could shoot straight out to breakfast—but a telling one. Oooh, I thought, logy from two too many $300 martinis the night before, a person could get used to this ($300 is not a typo). If this was how it was going to go all weekend, the readings on my indulgence meter would be crazy-high.
Two hundred million dollars was heaped on the property the first time around. A large chunk of that sum paid for infrastructure, from 20 miles of roads to desalination plants producing 640,000 gallons of water a day. For the makeover, CRD's shareholders, headed by Swiss-Italian banker Antonio Saladino, dug deeper into their pockets and came up with another $39 million. They did this as casually as one of them might charter a plane to St. Moritz for the weekend. Dianne Collen, Saladino's liaison, confirmed this over a baroque dinner of lobster with duck gizzards at the resort's La Varenne restaurant.
"We've never been frightened of spending money," Collen said, biting into a gizzard.
Of Raffles Canouan's four restaurants, La Varenne is the fussy fine-dining option, housed in Villa Monte Carlo, a grandiose whitewashed building with a swooping gable. It's a place where, according to printed material left in my room, "Culinary precision to preserve flavors dominates every single dish." That's a noble mission, but in pursuing their dream of a resort on Canouan, CRD's investors have often looked as if they were trying to invent a new extreme sport (division: hospitality). Four Seasons was approached on two occasions to run the resort, and both times said no. Still, Saladino and company are determined to reverse the property's fortunes. Canouan has been called the little island that couldn't, and the words sting.
Hindsight is 20/20, but it's hard not to see Carenage as a missed opportunity, one Raffles is betting its reputation it can recoup. Within casting distance of Mustique (on a clear day you can see Princess Margaret's former villa), Canouan has an embarrassment of assets: sugar-sand beaches, the best snorkeling this side of the Maldives, and topographical eye candy, including mountains that top off at 877 feet. Five years ago barely anyone had heard of the island, save for yachties, lending it a mysterious, exotic allure. Is there a traveler on earth who doesn't nurture a pioneer fantasy, who doesn't dream of getting in on the ground floor of a place before the crowds arrive and it's anointed a classic?Carenage would be that place.
Or not. For although on paper the property was a shoo-in to become the Caribbean's next great mono-destination, it was also a magnet for trouble. The late Luigi Vietti, Carenage's superstar principal architect, enjoyed a long leash. His design for Porto Cervo—the locus of Sardinia's ritzy Costa Smeralda development—is always held up as a masterpiece of urban planning. But Vietti made a catalogue of mistakes on Carenage that were as basic as they were expensive.
For reasons that died with him, he placed the entrance beside an inelegant service area. The 13,000-square-foot pool was positioned alongside and on the same level as the beach, allowing pounds of sand to be blown into it every week. Vietti was handed a sensational, amphitheater-like setting over which to disperse the 61 villas that would house 156 guest rooms, but many of the villas looked like, well, bunkers. Nobody noticed until it was too late that they had been built without air-conditioning; to correct the problem, cooling units were installed on the roofs. I don't know about you, but when I'm paying $900 a day for a bay view in something called an Orchestra Suite, I prefer it without a lot of nasty whirring machinery in the foreground.
It was a case of not minding the store as the store was being built. Having faithfully executed Vietti's plan, Elena Korach, general manager of CRD's construction arm, has just come off 28 grinding months of undoing large portions of it.


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It's Catholic Schools Week!!
Open House | Our final open house event will be Sunday (2/1). Encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to attend. | ||
Spirit Wear | Feb. 1st is the next deadline for all Spirit Wear orders. Be sure to get your order in before this deadline. | ||
Daddy/Daughter | Tickets are still available for the first-ever Daddy/Daughter event at All Saints! Open to all preschool through 8th grade daughters and their dads! Get your tickets today! | ||
Preschool,Pre-K Program | Our full-time preschool & pre-kindergarten program will kick-off in the Fall. Learn more today! | ||
Application Period | Open enrollment is fast approaching for our Early Childhood and Kindergarten programs. Be sure to check out these forms and make sure you're ready to enroll your student. | ||
Alumni Basketball | Calling all ASCS Alumni – sign-up today to attend or participate in our annual basketball game scheduled for March 7, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. | ||
Open House Events | Our annual open house events will be on back-to-back Sundays (Jan. 25, Feb. 1). Encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to attend. | ||
Service Log | Don't forget to register your volunteer service hours (10/family) for this school year. |


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