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Imagine complete creative control and publishing freedom with the ability to publish filtered photos directly to your WordPress blog! Read more
Imagine complete creative control and publishing freedom with the ability to publish filtered photos directly to your WordPress blog!
About this project
We have been successfully KICKSTARTED!
The revolution has begun and we're so stoked to have such an incredible community surrounding not just the app but a philosophy that empowers creatives, artists, and content creators to own their content fully!
The story continues via our blog: http://blog.pressgr.am !!!
Below you'll find our original project overview.
Why Build This App?
I explain a little more (in person) why I'm building this app!
Want more details? Prepare yourself for an epic overview...
What is Pressgram?
Pressgram might seem like just another "_[fill_in_the_blank]_gram" app but it's functionally and philosophically different.
You see, I want to build an independent publishing platform that isn't beholden to strange and changing Privacy Policies, Terms of Service, or Licensing agreements under big-name publicly traded social networks for the users to get confused over.
Instead, I'm looking to combine my long-standing love with WordPress, the best open source publishing platform on the planet (it currently powers over 17% of the top 1MM websites) and my mobile device to create a new creative solution.
In an over-simplified nutshell, it's WordPress + iOS + Filtered Photos.
(iPhone right now ~~~> see FAQ for other versions!)
That's both WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress.org, by the way.
And it's going to be a 100% free download for everyone to enjoy, as long as I'm able to get this project kickstarted and the app built - which is why I need your help!
(Remember: You don't have to post every single time to WordPress - you will be able to select which ones you want to publish. And, you don't ever have to publish to WordPress either! You you can use it without as a great image filtering app!)
I suppose another way you could say it is... it's your filtered photos published directly to your WordPress-powered blog, when you want, where you want, how you want.
It's the first of it's kind as there's nothing out there quite like it.
Sure... functionally, it may not end up to be a Black Swan but philosophically it might just signal the beginning of one.
Here's a video explaining the Problem & Solution:
Your (Powerful) Creative Control
Functionally it's simple (and I hope to keep it simple) - but philosophically it's much, much bigger.
You see, you now get more creative control over your content than ever before. You won't have to "license" your photos from the app or the company - they are yours forever and you'll never see them anywhere else except your own profile and blog.
This is a boon for the artist, the creative, the independent content creator who doesn't need to worry about digital agreements or where they may end up seeing their own handiwork.
It's yours, for goodness sake. No worries here.
You see, we believe that true creative control is not just about act and process of creating but also publication, especially in today's digital economy.
So, with that being said, secondly, you get to publish your images directly to your WordPress-powered blog when you want. This means that when you share them through your favorite social network (I really like Twitter) it'll send your network and your friends to your own blog instead of yet another landing page where the corporate hounds are monetizing your traffic.
Oh, yeah, that's right. Think of all that traffic lost which might have helped you better monetize your blog or build that fledgling startup company that you're trying so hard to build.
This makes complete sense for a strategic online publisher, a business, an editorial/news blog, and others that need more control!
Those are your pageviews so you should get to keep them. Besides, that's one of the rewards for your content creation! No need to give them away to someone else. No need to line the pockets of another's purse.
Oh, and don't worry, you won't have to publish every single image to your blog - just the ones that you want to share via your blog.
The rest go into your profile, safe and secure to share with your growing network of other Pressgram lovers.
Oh, and don't forget about the all that great conversation that you get on Instagram but that you can't easily respond to or capture for a much larger audience. Well, imagine if you could have those conversations saved to your WordPress blog.
Yes, we'll create a synchronization between the Pressgram network (in app experience) and your published post so that you can continue the conversation in a much larger context.
Finally, social sharing via Twitter and others will come right out of the box. We'll have those for you because they are awesome.
Here are two videos sharing some more thoughts about Creative Control:
And... the Business Value of control as well:
And What of a Social Network?
Besides the neat functional differences with the publication to your WordPress blog and all of that awesome creative control, you'll still have the ability to create your own Pressgram creative social network.
Very much like other social networks of those other 'grams you'll have friends, followers, and the ability to manage privacy settings are all built right-in. Follow your own network of creatives and give them valuable critique and incentive to keep on creating.
Yet it's fundamentally different - because you understand the power of the creative and the importance of creative control. You and your growing list of select friends appreciate the sincerity and depth of everyone's publishing intention and motive - to create without oversight and with absolute freedom.
No childish games or hoops to jump through. Serious creative publishers networking with other creative creatives? Oh, but to dream a little more!
Here are some more thoughts on this:
Why I Need Kickstarter, and You!
Because building an app is good but building an app with motivated individuals, partners, and a global team is much, much better.
I started building the app for myself but when I caught a much bigger vision for a movement of great artists, entrepreneurs, and business owners and leaders taking control of their work, I knew that if it was going to be successful it would take more than just one lonely person working at night by themselves while eating ramen noodles.
So I need you guys to help us all get there. With your help we'll make it a movement, not just an app.
Ok, Great. So Who Are You?
Great question - I'm married, have two girls, got an undergrad degree from a "tech" school (post modern philosophy and UX psychology... WTF?!) and 2 Master degrees, one in education - go figure (learn more here).
Yes, I've got an interesting background. But I married a hottie.
But more than that I'm just like you. I love online publishing - I've been blogging since 2001. I love WordPress (I've made a living with it!) and I love taking pictures with my mobile device.
I'm also a proven software engineer having worked for a few Fortune 50 companies. That was fun, for a time, but then I started thinking that building apps for myself would be much more fun. So, I became a full time entrepreneur. I've raised angel and venture capital. I've had a number of successful exits, and I've had even more countless failures. But that doesn't stop me and just like you your failures don't define you.
In other words, I've done this a few times before. But, I've never done anything like Kickstarter - shoot, I'm sweating an anxious like no one's business, putting my own reputation on the line for this!
Hey, it's a bit thrilling to be honest.
You see, when I quit Facebook and left Instagram I thought that was it, done and done. But I still wanted to post pictures of my two beautiful daughters, my friends, and images of my growing startup.
But I didn't want to give up control of my images to Facebook or Instagram (apparently they are the same now) and instead I wanted to selectively publish them to my WordPress-powered blogs when I wanted to.
Just like you, right? Right.
Show Me the Money (Or How I Will Use Yours)
So here's the kicker (pun intended...?) - I've committed myself as far as I possibly can with the development of this app. I've spent the last 6 months concepting, designing, and architecting the application. I started sometime in late October of 2012 and have worked nights and weekends on it.
But it's not enough. Not even close.
Remember, I've got a full time job as a husband (B- average), father (B+ probably..?), and I continue to lead my venture-backed startup 8BIT (my partners probably think I'm like a C/C- average here... LOL...! Love you guys.). I do a lot of other stuff too to help pay my bills and close the gap for my mortgage and other assorted things like... food (sound familiar?). Contract work. Ugh. Yes. Ugh.
I've aways had side-projects and we believe in the power of these sideprojects. Our flagship product was once a side project. Twitter was once a side project. Blogger (Blogspot) was once a side project. Etc. Etc.
So I've always got one. Except, this time, this is feeling a bit "bigger" if you know what I mean.
So, I want to accelerate the timeline of launch as well as to ensure launch success. And I need to create more time for Pressgram and spend less time on other side projects and contract work.
This will help me focus my efforts on building a quality product in a reasonable amount of time.
Your help will directly fund the project timeline and the amount of time that I can spend on it. Remember, this is about one major thing: FOCUS.
And when focus happens things just naturally get better.
$50K Budget (Loosely) Broken Down:
1. $30,000 for core development of the functional (and awesome) MVP (minimum viable product). See roadmap budget below for more info. This is 100% app development - you won't see me going on vacation or anything. Just images of me at my desk working on it. This is insanely trim.
2. $3,000 for the first full year of server and hosting requirements for the storage of data (looking at AWS for this but open to suggestions). This is a super-rough estimate and may be low or high depending on the # of users that we get in FY2013.
3. $5,000 for quality assurance and technical scaling of the application. Iterative development. Ongoing short term support.
4. $2,000 for more design help. I've done all that I can design-wise and I've gotten a lot of help via existing design applications (see blog posts for more info) and toolkits but I'm going to need to contract out some of this.
5. $5,000 for strategic development help. I've built an iOS and a OS X app before so I know what I'm doing but I also know my own limits. I may need to bring in some help on certain parts so we can meet our deadline.
6. $2,000 for a sweet landing page design - The landing page at Pressgram really sucks right now. Actually, it's really nothing more than a signup form for more info at this point. I need to spend time on designing and developing that out right.
7. $2,000 for a sweet product video - I'd like to make a killer video for the landing page. As you can see above, I have zero video skills. But a killer marketing video would be awesome!
8. $1,000 for all the freakin' goodies I'm hoping to dish out to backers. I want to do the party so badly!
9. $??? for whatever is left over for late night ramen and diet coke. Lots of it.
10. $0... because I've already got everything else that I need since I'm building it on my own notebook and have 10 fingers that work really fast. Like 90 WPM with 99% accuracy fast.
Here are some more thoughts about Money and Building Apps:
Development Roadmap
I've been around for quite some time and have developed some very large scale applications - I'll be honest, I've charged a lot more for my previous consulting contracts than what I'm asking for here.
But I'm trying to keep it as trim and as MVP as possible. I have a crystal clear picture of the end-result and product but it's simply going to take a lot of time. Most people think you can bust out an iOS application like no one's business but it takes time, planning, and a lot of hard work to "throw one" together.
I've estimated that it's going to take anywhere between 1,100 - 1,400 hours to complete. Do the math really quick:
- That's 5.5 - 7 months of total work @ 40hrs per week working 8 hour days for 5 business days. This assumes that I'm working by myself.
- I believe I can cut this down to 4.5 months with the strategic allocation of funds and select design/development work. It's going to be tough but what the heck. Let's make a go of it.
I've given myself a semi-artificial deadline of August 2013 - that's 5 months.
Well, not completely. My iOS development program license runs out then:
So we have to get to work.
By the way - this isn't just some "guess" - I've worked most of it out:
There's an iOS and API segments and then a lot in between. Like I said, I've budgeted trimly and should be able to hit these deadlines.
Don't believe it actually takes that much time to create an amazing iOS app? Please read this amazing thread on Stack Overflow about iOS development costs and then come back.
Done? Good.
Finally, for those designers and UI/UX junkies out there, you can see that I've thought through the experience from beginning to end:
I want it to be simple, elegant, and easy to use.
Transparency & Partner Updates
I believe in transparency - sometimes to the point of going too far.
I've been blogging a lot about the experience and the challenges of building the application from the ground-up already so you can see that I've kept pace with keeping my audience up to date with things.
Go ahead and look back into the archives a bit and see what I'm sharing - I'm all about transparency:
You can read it here: http://blog.pressgr.am/
I share my thoughts and will keep you updated with the progress, like I already have. I love sharing updates because I believe that's just as important as the application launch itself.
If you back this project you're not just a "backer" - you're a partner in something amazing.
You can also follow the action on Twitter too: @Pressgram
As of today, the launch of this Kickstarter campaign, I have only one amazing follower... myself. Yippee.
Again, I'm big on tranparency and trust - and I'm also big on giving back. I think there's an opportunity to Educate people along this journey as well:
Crazy Stretch Goals
I'm pretty dubious that I'll be able to make it to my intended goal of $50k. I have a healthy dose of doubt and skepticism about nearly everything I do. Cynic by nature I suppose.
But, if we do make it past the initial goal then I have some obvious opportunities:
- $80K - ANDROID! Let's do it! GOGOGO!
- Anything else would be... nutso.
Ah. Now that would be neat!
How I Create Backer Confidence
As I've mentioned, I've already committed the last 6 months to working on it and I've just started laying code. Please, please, please - I want to continue to work on this app and I don't want it to take a million years to release!
The point is that I've taken a crazy idea that was stuck in my head and started building it already - this isn't some nebulous idea that has yet to be realized; it's already partly built! And I've kept at it over the last 6 months.
So here are some neat screens to get you excited and to help you build more confidence that I do what I say that I'm going to do - more to come via the blog!
Original Concepts (circa late 2012):
Some Original Wires (January, 2013):
High Fidelity Comps (February, 2013):
Sweet, right?
It's time to get crackin'.
I Need Your Help!
Obviously. Thanks in advance for all the tweets, the direct support, the fact that you shared it with your parents and your brother's sister's husband's cousin via a massive CC: email thread.
Thanks. You rock. Like this guy rock:
It's Go Time. Let's take on the "big" guys and create a sweet useful app while we're at it.
I'm working on it right now... and I'd love you to be a part of this awesome story.
Finally... if you want to see the original video that I created for the campaign, much longer, then here you go:
[Video showcases how incredibly bad I am at videos, creating and producing... but hey, I filmed at 3:00am in the morning. Music is via Tycho.]
You can now support and pledge via Paypal!
Send full amount to this email: firstname.lastname@example.com with a note about the Reward Tier you want.
Risks and challenges
There are tons of risks - the biggest one is the fact that Pressgram might not ever get created.
But if we do then the biggest risk is scaling and growth - that is, that it becomes vastly more popular than I had anticipated (I'm looking at a micro instance of EC2 AWS and scaling to 10,000 users in 2013).
At that point we'll need more money to manage the server growth and user support. More development time == more money and more risk.
If it doesn't grow it doesn't grow, but I can't imagine that it won't. WordPress ain't stopping and people won't stop sharing images. I'm in a good crowd.
The biggest challenge, though, is whether I should charge for the app to help support the growth of it. Obviously if it's a free app then it'll grow faster. If it's paid it'll add a bar of adoption that I'm not sure I'm interested in creating. But I'm not throwing advertisements on the app so direct monetization is out.
We'll have to get creative - me and my fellow kickstarter partners.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
Yes. 100% free. There will be no charge to download and use it.
So help back the project so I can build it for you!
Yes, that is the plan!
If we can reach our "Stretch Goals" then yes! I'd love to provide these as well.
No! You can use it to add filters to your images and never post them to a blog.
Nope! (That might be a little "spammy" if you did...) You will be able to select which ones you want to publish to your WordPress site so your blog readers don't get slammed with all your awesome filtered photos!
Those are my beautiful daughters. I can't get enough of them and I don't apologize for that.
Yes! Send full amount to this email ~~~> firstname.lastname@example.com <~~~ with a note about the Reward Tier you've selected. Done!
We answer that question here: http://blog.pressgr.am/open-source/
Pledge $1 or more
66 backers
App Lover - You love your iPhone, sharing images, and WordPress and would love to use Pressgram to combine all three. And hey, you can say that you helped make it happen, on the cheap. You get digital kudos by name on an epic credits page.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $10 or more
135 backers
Blogger - You're an independent online publisher who shares photos on via your blog like it's no one's business. You value your publishing and creative control; heck, you may be anti-establishment. You get digital kudos with a direct link to your blog or site.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $15 or more
33 backers
Digital Tinkerer - You enjoy blogging, tweeting, updating statuses like most people but would never call yourself "hardcore" - you just love it because it's fun! All the above and a personal thank you note from me!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $25 or more
59 backers
Serious Publisher - You're a passionate blogger and digital creative that's growing a brand and/or business around online content and rich media. You love pageviews and hate the fact that Instagram gives you none. Those pageviews are dollars lost and it's time to get them back. Digital kudos plus stickers to slap on your killer notebook. Show them with pride!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $35 or more
53 backers
LAST PUSH SWAG BONUS! - For the final 24 hours we're challenging all of the lower pledges to up it here so you can get a tshirt and stickers to show off your support of this incredible journey and story! GO FOR IT! For those already above this pledge level you will automatically have your swag and loot doubled, so don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you! See you at the finish line!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $50 or more
21 backers
Digital Native - It's like you were born on the internet or something. Life without creative media and publishing would suck. You want to maintain creative control and continuity with your content. And you're firmly anti-establishment. All the above rewards and even more stickers to pass out and/or giveaway.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $70 or more
24 backers Limited (26 left of 50)
I Heart WordPress - This is the BEST DEAL by far. If you love WordPress and know that WordPress has been very, very good to you, then this is your pledge amount! All the above rewards and a limited edition tshirt.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $100 or more
24 backers Limited (6 left of 30)
eBook Deal - Included in this reward are 6 Blogging eBooks that I've released (1 of them has never been publicly released!) covering topics of SEO, Content Strategy, Google Adsense, and developing a Killer WordPress Blog. Read more here: http://wpdai.ly/tbksebooks
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $125 or more
25 backers Limited (5 left of 30)
Social Media Guru - You actually make a living doing this type of stuff, blogging with WordPress and taking shots of more than just food. You paid someone to customize your blog and care infinitely about your digital brand. All of the above + BETA Access to help me test as well as help establish the new creative community!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $150 or more
8 backers Limited (17 left of 25)
Swag Lover - Yes, you... you lover of swag...! All the above + BETA Access + 2 additional t-shirts (do a giveaway on a blog or keep them for yourself) + even more stickers! Like, lots of them.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $200 or more
14 backers Limited (1 left of 15)
In App Shoutout - Besides getting all the above you'll find a permanent home WITHIN the app itself, on a very special dedicated page thanking you and linking directly to your blog site, business, or even twitter handle (you choose one). Be forever immortalized within the app!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $250 or more
7 backers Limited (3 left of 10)
True Creative - You're a creator of content, digital, published, and rich media. You have fans, followers, and even a well-read blog but it's not why you continue to create. You create because you can do no other. All the above + a limited iPhone/Desktop background set, individually numbered.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $325 or more
5 backers Limited (5 left of 10)
KICKSTART Kickstarter - I'm going to share with you all my notes, strategies, and methods of execution to launch a successful Kickstarter project and marketing campaign. If you were ever interested in launching your own successful project here on Kickstarter then this might be worth doing!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $500 or more
3 backers Limited (7 left of 10)
Destroyer of the Status Quo - You think differently and love the independent web. You love open source and you designed and developed your own WordPress blog. You may have even contributed to Core. All the above and a Pressgram-powered iPhone case.
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $800 or more
1 backer Limited (4 left of 5)
Professional Coaching - All the above plus an ONE (1) hour of 1 on 1 coaching about your next big idea. Bring it. It'll be the best hour of your life (or at least one of them). We'll coordinate via skype or phone.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $1,000 or more
1 backer Limited (4 left of 5)
Serious Acceleration - All the above plus TWO (2) hours of 1 on 1 coaching about your startup, your newest venture, your killer idea. Best bang for your buck here. We'll coordinate via skype or phone.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $2,000 or more
1 backer Limited (4 left of 5)
Kickstarter eBook Sponsorship - I learned a lifetime's worth of experience with Kickstarter and the crowdfunding phenomenon over the last 30 days and I've been encouraged to share my experiences via an eBook where I share every single bit of my strategy, tactics, and more. You get a full-page spread advertisement in the eBook that may find itself on 10's of thousands of desks this year - a great ROI if I do say so myself. We'll discuss marketing content/copy via email.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $3,000 or more
1 backer Limited (2 left of 3)
Team Coaching - I do this for a living and it's one of my passions. I'll come to you and coach you and your team for a full day about your startup, venture, or big idea. Included are personal assessments for team dynamics and more. We'll coordinate travel costs, timing, and schedule via email.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $7,000 or more
1 backer Limited (4 left of 5)
Forever Fan - You know it's going to be big and want to grow with Pressgram. All the above plus permanent residence as a backer on our forward-facing website with your logo, link, and all the street cred you deserve!
Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $10,000
0 backers Limited (1 left of 1)
10K - 10 is one of my favorite numbers and you'll be my favorite backer. Why? Because you believe this is more than just an app - it's a way of seeing the world and you get to impact every single person who sees that world through Pressgram. You get to name one of the filters in the app. And... Lots of stickers.
Estimated delivery:
Funding period
- (30 days)


text: <^^/^ f9&» O u N D Summer School Enrollment at All Time High Summer school enrolment for the first session of the summer semester shows an increase of 39% over the same session a year ago. Women outnumber men by only one, with there being more fulltirae women students than men. The total of 233 students is broken down by classes into the following figures: Freshmen 25 Sophomores 41 Juniors 42 Seniors 88 Special 37 These figures include a total of 20 teachers who are working toward their credentials and 12 foreign students. A total of 32 classes are offered, with 20 professors. Classes begin at 7:25 in the morning and run through the day ending at 5:00 p.m. (Each class is one and one half hours in length.) College Property Hearing Postponed California Baptist College has been notified by the Marcus Meairs Company of Riverside that the City Council postponed the rezoning of the college property until September; therefore, all operations are held up until a zoning permit is granted. Mr. Ralph De Marco of the Marcus Meairs Company stated "The City Council's delaying the decision until September works in favor of our company and against the other side." Mr. De Marco feels that this gives them time to off-set much of the propaganda that has been promoted during the last two months, of which time has proved that much of it is not firm or dependable. The CBC board of trustees cannot take any action until a decision of the City Council is made. In the meantime the business manager is reveiving offers of prospective campuses, and these will be presented to the board when they are requested. The City Council has made the statement that Riverside needs another shopping center, and it is the feeling that only one of the two that are proposed at the present time will be selected. If the college campus is not selected, then plans for building will be started in the near future on this site. If the school moves, then a complete campus will be planned, designed, and built. This will give us a complete campus; that is, one that has classrooms, auditorium, gymnasium, dormitories, etc. Presently, the school does not have either a gymnasium or an auditorium. Everyone should remember that the option, if exercised, gives the school two (2) years and nine (9) months time in which to rebuild its facilities. This is considered ample time by most people. California Baptist College Riverside, California

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I asked Garmin how to recalibrate the touchscreen on my nuvi 1300. Here is what they said. It worked, by the way.
How to re-calibrate the screen.
"Pre 2.70 software: Press and hold the power button until the Touch Screen Calibration appears on the display (approximately 30 seconds)
2.70 software and later: Press and hold the upper left corner of the touchscreen and power the unit on. Once the unit powers on release the power button and continue to hold the corner until you get the press dot screen. Follow the dot on the screen to calibrate."


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About Us
Veteran Friendly Community Initiative, Ongoing
For information on our work with West Virginia veterans, read a recent press release. The goal of the project, which is funded by the US Department of Veteran Affairs and spans four southern WV counties (Logan, Lincoln, Mingo, and Boone), is to promote housing stability among low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Community Health Worker Network, Ongoing
In another program, to improve health behaviors, Future Generations Rural America trains local leaders as Community Health Workers (CHWs). Read more about this program.
West Virginia Broadband Opportunities Program, 2010-2013
In 2010, the Future Generations Graduate School launched the West Virginia Broadband Opportunities Program to make computers and the internet more accessible and useful to West Virginia's families. This program partnered with one of the state's strongest volunteer networks--local fire departments.
With support from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this three-year program set up 60 public computer labs in the community centers of local fire departments.
Each fire department selected a computer mentor to offer basic computer classes to their communities. Other training partners, including the Monongahela National Forest, Mission WV, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, West Virginia Library Association, and the WV Partnership of African American Churches, offered additional classes to make broadband more useful for families.
Other Organizational Information
Future Generations Graduate School is based in Pendleton County, West Virginia, offering a Master's Degree designed for community leaders worldwide. The Graduate School is an outgrowth of Future Generations, an organization based in West Virginia since 1992, specializing in community-led development. More details are available at: www.future.org and www.future.edu.
The Future Generations Graduate School, a 501(c)3 non-profit institution of higher education, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association (www.ncahlc.org, ph: 800-621-7440).


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Northwest Hardwoods, Inc
9205 SW Gemini Drive Suite C Beaverton, OR 97008 Phone:503-277-2663 Tollfree:800-553-5345 Fax:503-277-2631
An excellent quality lumber for furniture, cabinetry and millwork, our Western Hemlock is manufactured to perform more like a hardwood than a softwood. The drying, conditioning and custom grading processes employed are the same as our other western hardwood lumber. Produced from a single species, Tsuga heterophylla, it does not combine other species commonly found in hem-fir. Its physical properties and visual appeal are similar to soft maple and alder, and it's available in six custom grades and thicknesses from 4/4 to 8/4.


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I stayed at apollo hotel for a night in December. I was offered freeupgrade of my room which was great on the part of the hotel staff. Thelocation is amazing with Hard rock cafe the next door andLeidsplein(loads of cafe, restaurants, great atmosphere in the evening)2 minutes walk way. Vary easily accessible by tram from the centralstation. The breakfast was fantastic as well. Great experience - Anonymous
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Good location, helpful front desk staff - Anonymous
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Excelent location. Large and confortable three-bed room with a private garden on the ground floor. Hotel staff polite ans attencious. Good breakfast buffet for european patterns. Just watch out the fact that many tourists squeeze every single bread on the basket with their hands... and of course, don´t eat them all! - Rejane
The staff were always very friendly and helpful. They also let me bring my dog, and were very nice to him as well :) The location was great, it was very near many of the main museums, within walking distance, and the tram stops were about 5 min walk away. Parking was more difficult, but we were able to find a spot on the street nearby, and parking is free on Sundays so we didn't end up paying much. Our room had a balcony so that was nice. Room had a safe to lock up valuables which was free, and - Anonymous
The location was great, the staff was friendly, the hotel itself is verylovely, and the room was clean and comfortable. The room was small, butnot the smallest I've seen, and a good deal for the price. - Audra
It is a quite location, central and easy access to transportation(tram no 12) to Amstel train station were euroline's terminus is.Polite staff, Good breakfast and good room service. They seem to bewilling to go out of their way to help. From the moment I arrived atthe station at Amstel to when I arrived to the hote , they guided meall the way through. - Dapirite
We had a great stay at this hotel. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was great - a good selection of different breads, cheeses and meat aswell as cereal, fruit and yoghurt. We would stay here again. - Carolyn
If you can get past the rather naff horse theme, this is a decent hotel for the price. We paid £380 for 3 nights during (uk) half term and at short notice which isn't bad for Amsterdam and have no complaints. The staff were helpful and efficient. The rooms are simple, clean, modern and comfortable if a little small and with limited views/daylight but better than many others we have stayed in. It's in a very convenient location for the usual tourist stuff such as the Rijksmuseum and Leidseplien. - Anonymous
Quadruple room is great value for money, 4 single beds just like picture and room felt larger once we were actually in it nice flat screen tv good breakfast friendly stafff great bathroom/shower (bath worthy!) great location - Austin
The location was really good and easy to get around the city. My room was spotlessly clean and I have no complaint whatsoever. On a quiet street and my room had a garden view. Rooms are smaller but this is normal for European cities. Expect that everywhere. This is really a 3+star hotel(Villeroy and Boch dishwear), andan empty room refrigerator to fill as you wish. Breakfast was also good on the balcony. - Anonymous


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Sponsored by: Brakes Plus
Jul 11, 2013 8:27 AM by Garrett Boyd
Westbound Highway 24 near Cascade is back open after a mudslide. The mudslide happened after 3:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.
Roads are clear Thursday morning and traffic is moving. However, there's still a lot of mud and debris on the shoulder of the highway. Make sure you're cautious if you're driving Highway 24.
2 months ago


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Led by Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a hero of the failed North African campaign, the group plotted to plant a bomb to explode at a Hitlers Wolfs Lair, killing Hitler and Heinrich Himmler. Their deaths would set off a homeland defense policy, code-named Valkyrie, which would enable the defense reserves to take over Berlin, the nerve center of the Nazi empire.
The buzz around the film has centered upon Tom Cruise as von Stauffenberg, with some Germans objecting to the American box-office idol portraying a man now lionized as one of the resisters. The historical von Stauffenberg is considerably more complex than the movie can reasonably show, though director Bryan Singer and screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander do imply the mixed motives which drove him.
Having lost an eye, part of his right arm, and two fingers n his left, Stauffenberg has both the ideal cover to plant the bomb intended for the Fuhrer and some real limitations on his ability to execute the plot. Singer cleverly emphasizes those limits as he focuses on von Stuaffenberg, eye patch prominent, claiming that he saw the bomb go off.
Problem is that, though the bomb did in historical fact explode, Hitler, whose portrait hovers continually in the films background, was not seriously injured. Though the conspirators came stunningly close to taking over Berlin, the movie emphasizes that the media of the timethe telephone and the radiofailed them. In effect, those who controlled the means of communication decided the schemes outcome. There are countless shots of characters talking on the phone.
The emphasis on the medium and the message slows down the action, somewhat. Those expecting an action movie will be disappointed, as the war movie segment ends after about five minutes. Instead, the tension becomes largely psychological, as the number of closeups indicates. Valkyrie is a surprisingly quiet film, its makers choosing to focus on the central characters agonizing choices about loyalty to his commander, the safety of his wife and children, the future of his country and Europe.
Cruise is acceptable in his role, and he has a strong, veteran supporting case to help him. Such luminaries as Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, and Tom Wilkinson take on important but minor roles. In fact, viewers might be uncertain about just whos who and what his function in the plot is. Not until the end do we know some of their titles and power. Further, the fate of von Stauffenbergs family, a major tension in the film, is resolved anticlimactically in its last frames.
Valkyrie is rated PG-13, a mark of the surprising restraint of its makers. Given the subject, this could have easily been a much more graphic, violent film, one that focused less on principle and more on bloodshed. Teens may well not be drawn to the movie, because of its slower pace and its historical complexity. Too bad, because this is a part of history that needs to be in all of our minds, when we need to choose, as one character says, principle over personal gain.


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It is official: SystemVision 5.10 is finished and available for download from SupportNet. Even though this release took a bit longer than normal to complete, I believe the wait is worth it. Key among the new features are the following:
Schematic symbol toolbar: Prior to SystemVision 5.10, placing symbols in a schematic required opening either SystemVision's Search/Place Symbols dialog or DxDataBook to first access the symbol library. While both methods are easy to use, opening either tool is just an extra step between users and creating a schematic. Enter the new SystemVision symbol toolbar. This new toolbar displays quick access buttons for several commonly used electronic components (think passives, diodes, transistors, opamps) and signal sources. To place a symbol, just click the button for the desired part to attach the symbol to your cursor, then move the cursor into your schematic to place the part. Want quick access to parts that do not appear in the toolbar? No problem: you can customize the toolbar to access any symbol from the SystemVision library.
Model Wizard: While models are the key to any simulation, a suitable model can also be hard to find or create. To help you develop your own model from a variety of data sources, SystemVision 5.10 introduces our new Model Wizard. This wizard helps you parameterize an existing SystemVision model to meet a simulation need, or create a model using a new VHDL-AMS, SPICE, or datasheet data source. The wizard walks you through the process, from selecting your model source, to creating a schematic symbol and connecting it to the model, to saving the new model and symbol to a project or shared library. Model Wizard sets a new standard for wizard-based, multi-physics simulation model development.
Datasheet Model Builder: Most electronic components have some sort of datasheet giving detailed information about the performance of the device. It is not always easy, however, to turn the datasheet details into a working simulation model. Why? Because you have to have a device model whose parameters match those in the datasheet. Datasheet Model Builder (DMB) is a new GUI-based tool for parameterizing datasheet-specific VHDL-AMS based models already in the SystemVision model library. The DMB user interface looks similar to a datasheet for the device, so you can take parameter values directly from datasheet tables and enter them in the DMB tables. The result is a new simulation model and symbol for the device. DMB currently supports modeling for standard passive components (resistors, capacitors, inductors), diodes, opamps, MOSFETs, Linear regulators, and transmission lines. We plan to add support for more devices in future releases.
In addition to these and other new features, Engineering addressed 70+ improvement requests, delivering on our continued commitment to develop and support functionality and features requested by the SystemVision user community.
For more release details, visit the SystemVision 5.10 download page at SupportNet, our award winning customer service website, to review the latest release notes. Better yet, contact your local Mentor Graphics field team or leave a comment and I will respond.


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On Second Thought The night air was hushed, for the surrounding wildlife that inhabited this forest instinctively feared him. Samson crouched naked in a shallow stream of cool water, scrubbing the blood off his body with his bare hands and pondering the last seventy-two hours of events that had brought him there.
Cigarette smoke swirled out of the opening door, serving as a rancid teaser of what awaited inside: the cloying smoke was joined by the odor of stale beer and various other noxious alcohols and the salty musk of unwashed humans and the gestalt of perfumes and colognes of those who did have a sense of hygiene. The dim lighting at least made the
Apex Predator The deer had not a chance against its killer. One minute, the old buck was munching languidly on summer grass so lush that its juices dribbled out of his mouth as he ate. The sun's rays beamed down through the treetops, warming the forest floor to the perfect temperature--it was a perfect day. Until a twig behind him snapped. From downwind emerged a dark mass of fury and teeth and before the buck could even take flight, its legs buckled under the impact of almost two hundred pounds brought to bear onto his back. Dark hands grasped his muzzle and an antler. And with a twist, the old male just past the zenith of his life reached its inevitable


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Tuition fee: | Not specified |
Start date: | |
Duration full-time: | 12 months |
Languages: |
Location: |
Disciplines: | |
Delivery mode: | On Campus |
Educational variant: | Part-time, Full-time |
You just visited a programme website!
Through studying this programme you will gain:
knowledge of methodologies and sources used by European historians
ability to evaluate, analyse and interpret sources of evidence
ability to marshal evidence and write a balanced argument
detailed knowledge and analytical skills from undertaking a dissertation
opportunity to study a European language
At Newcastle, you will benefit from seminars, lectures and tutorials delivered by professional historians in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
This programme will equip you with the skills and knowledge to continue academic research in history at PhD level. The degree also develops transferable skills required by many professions, including literacy, research and project management.
You take compulsory modules and optional modules, of which language learning is a compulsory component. The taught modules are delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, individual tutorials and self-directed learning.
You then complete a dissertation on a chosen period of a specific European country.
Compulsory modules
HIS8061 The Practice of History
HIS8098 Research Skills and Dissertation Training
HIS8052 Conflict in European History
HIS8053 Conflict in European History Case Studies
HIS8023 Dissertation
Optional modules
You will take a further 40 credits from the following:
HIS8107 Independent Study Project in History
HIS8065 Russian Language (Durham University)
FRE1065 Level A French General Language I
FRE1066 Level A French General Language II*
FRE1071 Level B French General Language
FRE2061 Level C French General Language
FRE4061 Level D French General Language
GER1062 Level A German General Language I
GER1063 Level A German General Language II*
GER1071 Level B German General Language
GER2061 Level C German General Language
GER4061 Level D German General Language
SPA1065 Level A Spanish General Language I
SPA1066 Level A Spanish General Language II*
SPA1071 Level B Spanish General Language
SPA2061 Level C Spanish General Language
SPA4061 Level D Spanish General Language
SML2014 Introduction to Italian Language and Culture
* Language Level A II can only be selected following Language Level A I in semester one.
An upper-second-class Honours degree, or international equivalent, in history or a related subject such as history and politics, politics, economics, English or sociology. We will also consider applicants on an individual basis with lower or non-standard qualifications.
Applicants whose first language is not English require IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.5 in writing), Pearson's PTE Academic Test 62 or equivalent.
IELTS band: | 6.5 |
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.
The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.
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To play on the infamous Allen Iverson quote, "Are we talking about Podcasting?" Why yes, yes in fact we are. How many people do you know that have even heard of the term "Podcasting?" I take it not that many, if any at all. This was a trend that was supposed to sweep the nation. Podcasting was supposed to be a hip, social norm.
So what happened?
If you don't want to label Podcasting dead, fair enough, but you have to admit it's on life support. While there are some businesses and organizations, such as NPR, which do run podcasts that continue to maintain a loyal following, they are the exception. The fact is that they already have the content in place; all it takes is turning their radio broadcast into a podcast. Voila!
For something that seems so simple, there is a lot of work that goes into podcasting. With so many other social media options for businesses to keep track of, options that are much more engaging of the audience, the few benefits podcasting has just simply aren't worth it for your business. Instead, get on the forefront of new trends like Pinterest and Foursquare. Figure out innovative ways to maximize the potential of these social networks, and maximize their impact.


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Snoring occurs when there's any kind of collapse, blockage or restriction to the upper airway that hinders the flow of air through the back of the mouth or nose. The snoring sound is created by the vibration of the soft tissues at the back of the throat. You may snore intermittently or frequently for a number of reasons:
If your snoring is accompanied by pauses, snorts and gasps for air, get referred to a sleep specialist to be tested for sleep apnoea. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition where breathing stops many times during the night. Symptoms include:
OSA may be caused by:
Left untreated it can leave you dangerously tired, irritable, and more vulnerable to high blood pressure and coronary disease.
This usually involves a trip to a sleep lab where you'll undergo polysomnography (tests measuring your physiological activity as you sleep).
If there's no convincing evidence that any of these products is effective at reducing snoring, what can you do? Experts say lifestyle changes are the best solution.
One of our 'guinea-pig' couples, Ruth and Ivan, reported back that they'd followed advice on lifestyle changes with considerable success. Ivan had lost some weight and, with the help of Ruth's gentle (and not-so gentle) prodding, had trained himself to sleep on his side. Ruth was very happy to say that over the last few months, Ivan's snoring has improved remarkably. It's rarely loud enough to wake her. When it does, it's because he's lying on his back. She gently nudges Ivan and he rolls over immediately — and the snoring ceases.
This article last reviewed April 2006
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Watch Best of Hasb e Haal with Sohail Ahmed, Junaid Saleem and Najia Baig.
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ViewsWatchers |
Madison is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 15,845,[1][2][3] reflecting a drop in population of 685 (−4.1%) from the 16,530 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 680 (+4.3%) from the 15,850 counted in the 1990 Census. It is known as "The Rose City". [edit] History
Native Americans occupied the areas that would become New Jersey and Madison following the retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier for many thousands of years. Settlements of the Lenape were agriculturally-based following matrilineal lines. Occupation changed with the seasons, the variable nature of the climate, and to preserve the fertility of the rich soil. Their fishing and hunting territories were wide-ranging and similarly divided among the three clans of the matrilineal culture in this Eastern Woodland environment. Trade with these native peoples for food and furs was conducted by the Dutch during the period of colonization of New Netherland. Although the European principle of land ownership was not recognized by the Lenape, Dutch West India Company policy required their colonists to purchase land that they settled, but typically, trading relationships were established in this area, rather than Dutch settlements. During the British colonial period, the earliest settlers of European descent arrived in this portion of the colony of New Jersey. Traditional native trails and pathways were followed as settlement began. Pressures upon the Lenape constantly drove them westward. About 1715 the village of Bottle Hill was established at the crossing of Ridgedale Avenue and Kings Road. Village governance principles followed the British model. The Luke Miller house at 105 Ridgedale Avenue is thought to be the oldest remaining home, having been built around 1730. During British colonial rule, Kings Road was a toll road that assessed fees levied by the government appointed by the English king. Farther south was the Shunpike, a road with a parallel path that was used deliberately by colonists to avoid the fees. Morris County, created in 1739, was divided into three townships. The portion of the village north of Kings Road was put under the governance of Hanover Township and the portion to the south, under the governance of Morris Township. A meeting house for the Presbyterian Church of South Hanover, as Madison was called at that time, was started in 1747 where the Presbyterian Cemetery still exists between Kings Road and Madison Avenue. With the Treaty of Easton in 1758, the Lenape were required to vacate their lands in colonial New Jersey and to move westward. Later, their leaders allied with the colonists during the American Revolutionary War in hopes of regaining former lands, but that was never realized.
In 1834, the name of the settlement was changed to Madison. On December 27, 1889, based on the results of a referendum passed on December 24, 1889, the village seceded from Chatham Township and adopted the newly created, borough form of government (when it first became available), in order to develop a local water supply system for its population of 3,250. Madison annexed additional portions of Chatham Township in 1891, and again each year from 1894–1898, which was followed by an exchange of certain lands in 1899 with Chatham Township. [edit] Research Tips


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Musculoskeletal System
Aquatic Exercise's Effect on Equine Osteoarthritis
Underwater treadmill therapy can significantly improve balance control in horses with osteoarthritis.
Photo by Courtesy Dr. Melissa King
Researchers Compare Joint Injection Options
A comparison of triamcinolone and a triamcinolone/hyaluronic acid combo yielded "unexpected" results, researchers said.
Photo by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor
Consider SDFT Attachment Problems in Lame Horses
If a horse is hind-limb lame, consider issues where the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) attaches to the hock.
Photo by Kevin Thompson/The Horse
Aquatic Exercise's Effect on Equine Osteoarthritis
February 27, 2015
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Pawing could be a learned behavior that might reflect an effort to ease pain in the limbs or abdomen, researchers said.... Read More
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February 19, 2015
Amino acids are one of the most significant pieces of the puzzle in a horse's diet and are used to build protein.... Read More
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A Review of Imaging Options for Subtle Lamenesses
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Researchers determined that exercise causes horses' back dimensions to change, which could negatively impact saddle fit.... Read More
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A collection of snippets from live shows over the past several years. These are coming straight out of the PA, so no worries of crowd noise and poor quality in this. Some ambient, some electronica, all impromptu.
You can download this release, as well as any of my others, by going here. As always, thanks for listening.


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Turfgrass is any species of grasses designed for certain sports areas or for residential lawns. Turf is a grass which may be natural or artificial. A perfect lawn is the combination of different types of turfgrass. The most common types of turfgrass include buffalo grass, Bahia grass, bent grass, village green and many more.
When your lawn looks great, it really pulls the attention of the crowd. The best option is to use the village green grass. It stays lush and green, with dense coverage throughout the seasons. It also uses less water and fertilizer. Turf grass helps you to improve the overall visual presentation of your lawn.


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South Africa: Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg
You are here: SAFLII >> Databases >> South Africa: Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg >> 2012 >> [2012] ZAKZPHC 43 | Noteup | LawCiteS v Madondo and Others (AR 512/11) [2012] ZAKZPHC 43 (8 August 2012)
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In the matter between:
APPEAL JUDGMENT Delivered on 08 August 2012
[1] The appellants, with the leave of the Court a quo (Kruger J), appeal against their convictions on three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, for which they each received the following sentences:
Count 1 : Murder - Life imprisonment
Counts 2 & 3: Murder - 15 (fifteen) years' imprisonment
Count 5 : Attempted Murder - 10 (ten) years' imprisonment
Count 6 : Attempted Murder - 5 (five) years' imprisonment
All three accused were found not guilty on Count 4, being an
additional count of attempted murder.
[2] Kruger J granted leave to appeal on the basis that the convictions were based upon the evidence of a single witness, Sibongokhule Xaba, and that "another Court may come to a conclusion, that this Court reached the wrong conclusion in accepting that evidence". Mr. Kemp S C, who appeared for the appellants, submitted that this was indeed so and that the reasoning of the Court a quo in accepting the evidence of Xaba and rejecting the appellants' versions was flawed, for reasons which I will deal with in due course.
[3] Central to a resolution of this appeal, is a consideration of the approach to be adopted by a trier of fact, when faced with the task of assessing the evidence of a single witness. In an oft repeated dictum, it is said that the evidence of such a witness must be "clear and satisfactory in every material respect", and that where the witness "has an interest or bias adverse to the accused" the evidence must be approached with caution.
R v Mokoena 1956 (3) SA 81 (A) at 85 H
In other words, the evidence "must not only be credible but also reliable".
S v Janse van Rensburg & Another
2009 (2) SACR 216 (C) at 220 G
but it is clear that "There is no rule of thumb test or formula to apply when it
comes to a consideration of the credibility of the single witness"
S v Webber 1971 (3) SA 754 (A) at 758
and "The trial Judge will weigh his evidence, will consider its merits and demerits and, having done so, will decide whether it is trustworthy and whether, despite the fact that there are shortcomings or defects or contradictions in the testimony, he is satisfied that the truth has been told".
S v Sauls & others 1981 (3) SA 172 (A) at 180 E – F
[4] An assessment of the evidence of Xaba must accordingly be conducted in accordance with the above dicta. What is immediately apparent in the evidence of Xaba, is that he was dishonest when asked, whilst giving evidence in chief by Mr. du Preez, who appeared for the State, what his relationship was with the first appellant. His reply was
"M'Lord, we did not have any problem. The relationship between us was harmonious".
However, when cross-examined he conceded that he had testified in court, two months before the hearing in the Court a quo, and had alleged that the first appellant had fired shots at him. Xaba also agreed that he had been forced to leave the Msinga area in December 2007, when he laid a charge of attempted murder against the first appellant, because of his allegation that the first appellant had fired shots at him. When he was asked why, in the light of this evidence, he had not disclosed the acrimony between the first appellant and himself, having maintained it was harmonious, he replied as follows:
"I did not find it necessary for me to do so, M'Lord, because even on that occasion there had not been any acrimony between him and I".
Xaba was quite clearly being disingenuous, in suggesting that there was no acrimony between first appellant and himself as a consequence, of the first appellant having fired shots at him. The extent of his bitterness as a consequence of this incident is indicated by a passage later in his evidence, whilst being cross-examined, when it was put to him that he had not been truthful in this regard, to which he replied as follows
"Yes, especially – it is correct, especially because there had not been any argument or quarrel between us for him to have shot or attempted to shoot me. I am not an animal to be shot at at random".
Even though Xaba thereby sought to explain the contradiction on the basis that when he said their relationship was harmonious, he was referring to the time before the first appellant shot at him, this is quite clearly not the case. When giving evidence in the Court a quo in August 2011, the state of their relationship before December 2007 was obviously irrelevant. The extent of his resentment at allegedly being shot at by the first appellant, is graphically illustrated by the emphasised portion of his reply, set out above.
[5] Of greater significance than the lie itself is the reason why Xaba lied in this regard. The only reason would be to mask the bitterness and resentment he harboured towards the first appellant, which if revealed would affect his credibility.
[6] A similar deceit is revealed in the evidence of Xaba concerning his relationship with the third appellant. When asked in evidence in chief, what his relationship was with the third appellant, he replied
"There was no problem between him and I at all".
However, he also stated that the deceased and he were in constant contact by telephone and the reason he was in Tugela Ferry on the day of the shooting, was because the deceased had
"........ requested me to fetch him, because of a fear for his life, because there is an occasion that an attempt was made on his life by Funeka, who had attempted to shoot him".
Funeka is the third appellant. I find it inconceivable Xaba did not harbour ill-feelings towards the third appellant as a consequence of this, although it may be that it was true that there was no direct hostility between the third appellant and Xaba.
[7] What this evidence reveals is that Xaba, on his evidence, had good cause to harbour ill-feelings towards the first and third appellants. Xaba quite clearly had grounds to be biased against the first and third appellants. As regards the second appellant, Xaba likewise said he did not have any problem with him and stated
".......he was not close to me however, because I only knew him generally".
He said at the time of the shooting he recognised the second appellant, but had however forgotten his name. He had however seen him again "quite some time" after the shooting in Gauteng, during September 2009, the shooting having occurred in July 2008. He said that the second appellant came from the same area of Msinga, but he did not see him regularly. He stated that when he saw him again in Gauteng he remembered his names. When asked whether he remembered his full names he replied "Yes, those that I think I know him by". He said merely seeing the second appellant again jogged his memory and the first name he remembered was Mphemba. He then applied his mind and then remembered "the second name, that is the middle name". In the statement Xaba made he says the names of the second appellant are Siphokuhle Mphemba Madondo, which are the names of the second appellant appearing on the record. It is therefore clear that the first name he remembered was in fact the second appellant's second name. What is strange is that when his memory was jogged he did not remember second appellant's surname, despite the fact that he said he had grown up with the first and second appellants and was able to identify the first appellant, and name his as Zamokwakhe Ntsebe Madondo, from the outset. I find it grossly improbable that the name of the second appellant that he would first remember, would be what is in fact his middle name and not his surname. In my view, what this again reveals is his distressing lack of honesty. In this regard, I respectfully disagree with the view of Kruger J that there was nothing improbable about Xaba suddenly remembering all three of the second appellant's names "given the fallibility of human memory".
[8] A further distressing example of Xaba's dishonesty is that he stated when cross-examined, that he had never left the Msinga area because of fear. However, when it was put to him that in the other proceedings referred to above, he testified that he was forced to leave the Msinga area in December 2007 and flee to Kimberley for fear of his life, he replied "Yes, indeed I did leave ,M'Lord".
[9] A further concern with the evidence of Xaba, is that he stated that after he had witnessed the shooting, he quickly returned to his vehicle, which was parked near the police station, to go home. When he was asked why he did not immediately report the identity of the assailants to the police, he initially said he "first went to make a report to my people at home". When he was asked why this was so, he replied "I went to first report at the deceased's family". Later he said that he did not report the incident "because they do not do satisfactory work at the police station in question", being Tugela Ferry. He said he had told the deceased's family that he had witnessed the shooting, but did not tell them who the culprits were. He agreed that he had only reported the identity of the assailants, to the police in April 2009, when he had made a statement. He initially proffered as an explanation for the inordinate delay in reporting the matter, the fact that the police at Tugela did not do a satisfactory job, but later when pressed to explain the delay he stated the following
"The reason M'Lord, is that at that stage and all along I did not have the contact number for the police in Pietermaritzburg and I had no confidence or trust in the police from Tugela".
He then agreed that when he was contacted by the police from Pietermaritzburg, regarding the matter where he had laid a charge of
attempted murder against the first appellant, only then did he make a
statement in the present matter.
[10] What is immediately apparent is that the reasons advanced by Xaba, as to why it took nine months for him to implicate the first and third appellants directly, and the second appellant indirectly, are grossly improbable. What is also of grave concern is that he only did so, after the first appellant had allegedly fired at him, causing him to lay a charge of attempted murder against the first appellant. The real danger consequently arises that Xaba falsely implicated the first appellant in the present case, in retaliation for the alleged attack upon him by the first appellant, and implicated the third appellant, in retaliation for the alleged prior attack upon the deceased. As regards the second appellant, it is not without significance that he was only named by Xaba some months after he had implicated the first and third appellant, under circumstances which I have described as grossly improbable.
[11] When all of the above is considered, it is quite clear that the evidence of Xaba was not clear and satisfactory in every material respect. Xaba was biased against the appellants and was neither a credible, nor reliable witness. Xaba was dishonest and I am not satisfied that he told the truth concerning the killings.
[12] I accordingly respectfully disagree with the conclusion of Kruger J that the evidence of Xaba, could be relied upon and was credible. In this regard, Kruger J found that the evidence of Xaba was not seriously challenged and in particular his evidence identifying the appellants as the persons responsible for the shootings, was not challenged and concluded that as a consequence ".....it does not render his evidence unacceptable, nor does it mean that he is not telling the truth". In reaching this conclusion Kruger J, with respect, misdirected himself as the following was put to Xaba
"You see, Mr. Xaba, my instructions are that the accused were never there near the Spar".
If however, I have misconstrued the words of Kruger J and he intended to convey that Xaba's identification of the appellants, was not shaken in cross-examination, the fact remains that Xaba's testimony remains unacceptable, for the reasons set out above. The fact that the reliability of the identification was not shaken in cross-examination because Xaba said he knew the appellants, it was broad daylight, he had a good vantage point and he saw their faces as they walked back to their car after the shooting, can have no bearing upon the serious shortcomings in the credibility of his evidence, which was revealed in cross-examination.
[13] I also respectfully disagree with the conclusion of Kruger J that the versions of "accused Nos 2 and 3 were not put to the witness Xaba and Inspector Dlamini, save to say that they were not present". It is difficult to see what else could be put to these witnesses as the appellants defence was that of an alibi and the first appellant and second appellant, could not remember where they were on the day of the shooting. The third appellant stated that he was at the taxi rank in Pretoria at the time of the shooting, but it is difficult to see how putting this to these witnesses would have been of significance, particularly as Dlamini, the Investigating Officer, by clear implication accepted when giving evidence, that the appellants had told him when he questioned them after they had been arrested, that they were not in the Msinga area, at the time of the shootings. Although it is correct as referred to by Kruger J, that the appellants denied instructing their Counsel that Inspector Dlamini had fabricated the statement of Xaba to implicate them, because he had no other witness in the case, I respectfully differ as to the weight to be attached to this apparent contradiction, in the context of the clear shortcomings in the evidence of Xaba. For the same reason I do not regard the observations of Kruger J of Xaba's demeanour, as being of significance.
[14] As regards the appellants' evidence, it is trite that they bore no onus to establish their alibis and if reasonably possibly true they were entitled to be acquitted. The evidence of the appellants' alibis must be considered in the context of a proper evaluation of the merits and demerits of the State and defence witnesses, as well as the probabilities of the case
R v Hlongwane 1959 (3) SA 337 (A) at 340 H – 341 A
S v Guess 1976 (4) SA 715 (A) at 718 H – 719 A
When considered on this basis and with particular regard to the conclusions I have reached as to the shortcomings in the evidence of the single State witness, I am satisfied that the evidence of the appellants is reasonably possibly true and that the State failed to prove their guilt on all of the counts beyond a reasonable doubt. The convictions accordingly cannot stand.
The order I make is the following:
The appeal succeeds and the convictions and sentences imposed are set aside in respect of all three appellants.
The following verdict will be substituted for the verdict of the Court a quo
"Accused Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are found not guilty on all of the counts".
I agree
I agree
LOPES J Appearances /
For the Appellant : Mr. K. J. Kemp S.C.
Instructed by : Hulley & Associates
C/o Mastross Incorporated
For the Respondents : Mr. R. du Preez
Instructed by : Director of Public Prosecutions
Date of Hearing : 03 August 2012
Date of Filing of Judgment : 08 August 2012


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Health Care Provider Rights
(Insurance Law Sections 3217-b, 3224-a, 3224-b, 4325, 4803 and Public Health Law Sections 4403, 4406-c & 4406-d)
Health Insurance Resource Center
The Insurance Law and Public Health Law include important protections for health care providers with respect to network participation, provider contracting, claims processing, and prompt payment for health care services. Some protections apply to all HMO and insurance coverage, while others apply only to HMO coverage and to managed care contracts offered by insurers (which most insurers do not offer).*
Participation in a Health Plans Network:
- New York does not have an any willing provider law and HMOs and insurers are not required to accept any provider who wishes to join their network.
- HMOs must maintain a network that is sufficient to deliver comprehensive services to their enrolled population.
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must make available, upon request, written application procedures and minimum qualification requirements that a provider must meet to be considered for participation in the health plans network.
HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must complete review
of a providers application to participate in their network within
90 days.
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must notify the provider as to whether the provider is credentialed or not, or if additional time is needed in spite of the health plans best efforts or because the health plan is waiting for additional information from a third party. The health plan must also make every effort to obtain the information as soon as possible.
- If an incomplete provider application is received or if the HMO or insurer offering a managed care contract is not currently accepting additional providers of the applicants type, the health plan should respond to the provider with such notice as soon as possible, but no later than 90 days from receipt of the application.
Provider Contracts:
HMOs and all insurers must include the following items in participating
provider contracts:
- The method by which payments to the provider will be calculated, including any retrospective or prospective adjustments;
- The time periods within which calculations will be completed, the dates payments and adjustments will be due, and the rates upon which payments and adjustments will be made;
- A description of the information relied upon to calculate payments or adjustments, and how a provider can access a summary of the calculations or adjustments;
- The process to resolve disputed, incorrect or incomplete information, and the process to adjust payments which were made using the incorrect or incomplete information; and
- The right of either party to seek arbitration under Article 75 of the Civil Practice Laws and Rules for disputes regarding payment terms of the contract.
- HMOs and insurers cannot transfer liability to the provider for activities, actions or omissions of the health plan.
Termination of Provider Contracts:
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract cannot terminate a participating provider contract unless the health plan gives the provider a written explanation of the reasons for the proposed contract termination and an opportunity for a review or hearing. This requirement does not apply in cases of imminent harm to patient care, a determination of fraud, or a final disciplinary action by a state licensing board that impairs the providers ability to practice.
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed
care contract must include the following in a notice of a proposed contract termination:
- The reasons for the proposed action;
- Notice that the provider has the right to request a hearing or review, at the providers discretion, before a panel appointed by the health plan;
- A time limit of not less than thirty days within which the provider may request the hearing; and
- A time limit for a hearing date which must be held within not less than thirty days after the date the hearing was requested.
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must adhere to the
following requirements with respect to any hearing:
- The hearing panel must be made up of three persons appointed by the health plan. At least one member of the panel must be a clinical peer reviewer in the same discipline and the same or similar specialty as the provider under review. The panel may consist of more than three persons however one third must be clinical peers.
- The hearing panel must render a timely decision. Decisions shall include reinstatement of the provider, provisional reinstatement of the provider subject to conditions, or termination. Decisions must be in writing.
- A hearing panels decision to terminate the provider will be effective at least thirty days after the provider receives the decision. However, the termination cannot be effective earlier than sixty days from the receipt of the notice of termination.
Non-renewal of a Participating Provider Contract:
- Either the health plan or the provider may exercise the right of non-renewal at the expiration of an HMO contract or a managed care contract offered by an insurer. If no express expiration date is given, either the provider or the health plan can exercise the right of non-renewal each January 1st upon sixty days notice to the other party. A non-renewal is not considered a termination and no appeal rights are granted.
Performance and Practice Information:
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must develop policies and procedures to ensure that participating providers are regularly informed of the information maintained by the health plan to evaluate the performance or practice of providers.
- HMOs and insurers offering a managed care contract must consult with health care professionals when developing methodologies to collect and analyze provider profiling data.
- Any profiling data used by an HMO or insurer offering a managed care contract to evaluate providers must be measured against stated criteria and an appropriate group of participating providers using similar treatment modalities serving comparable patient populations.
- Providers must be given the opportunity to discuss the unique nature of the health care professionals patient population which may have a bearing on the providers profile and to work cooperatively with the HMO or insurer offering a managed care contract to improve the providers performance.
- No HMO or insurer offering a managed care contract may terminate or
refuse to renew a participating provider contract solely because the
provider has:
- Advocated on behalf of a patient.
- Filed a complaint against the health plan.
- Appealed a decision of the health plan.
- Provided information or filed a report with an appropriate government body regarding the health plans actions.
- No participating provider contract with an HMO or insurer offering a managed care contract may contain provisions which supersede or impair the providers right to a notice of reasons for the termination and an opportunity for a hearing.
Patient Care and Treatment:
HMOs and insurers cannot restrict a provider from telling their patient:
- All treatments available for the patients condition, including treatments that may not be covered by the health plan.
- The provisions or terms of the patients health plan as they relate to the patient.
- HMOs and insurers cannot restrict a provider from filing a complaint to an appropriate governmental body regarding policies or procedures the provider believes may negatively impact the quality of care or access to care.
- HMOs and insurers cannot prohibit or restrict a provider from advocating on behalf of a patient for coverage of a particular treatment.
Claims Processing:
- HMOs and insurers must accept and initiate the processing of all health care claims submitted by physicians that are consistent with the current version of the American Medical Associations current procedural terminology (CPT) codes, reporting guidelines and conventions and the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) health care common procedure coding system (HCPCS).
- HMOs and insurers must provide the name of the commercially available claims editing software product that the health plan utilizes and any significant edits on their provider websites and in provider newsletters. Health plans must also provide such information upon the written request of a participating physician.
Overpayment Recovery Efforts:
Other than recovery for duplicate payments, HMOs and insurers must give
physicians thirty days notice before engaging in overpayment recovery
efforts. The notice must include:
- The patients name;
- Service date;
- Payment amount;
- Proposed adjustment; and
- A reasonably specific explanation of the proposed adjustment.
- HMOs and insurers must initiate overpayment recovery within twenty-four months of the date the original payment was received by the physician, except in cases involving fraud, intentional misconduct, abusive billing or when initiated at the request of a self funded plan or required by a federal or state government program.
- If a physician asserts underpayment of a claim, the HMO or insurer may defend or offset the assertion by overpayments that were made within the timeframe extending as far back as to the underpayment in question. If the underpayment is confirmed, the HMO or insurer may lessen or balance the amount owed to the physician by identifying an amount the HMO or insurer overpaid to the physician from the time of the underpayment to the present. However, the HMO or insurer may not collect overpayments in excess of the physician underpayment, unless the overpayment occurred within the last 24 months or an exception applies as described above.
Prompt Payment of Health Care Claims:
- Health care providers must be paid timely for their claims. HMOs and insurers are required to pay claims for health care services within 45 days of receipt, except in cases where the obligation to make payment is not reasonably clear or there is evidence that the bill may be fraudulent.
- If the obligation to pay is not reasonably clear, then an HMO or insurer shall pay any undisputed portion of the claim and either notify the member or provider, in writing, within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the claim that the health plan is not obligated to pay and the reasons, or request additional information needed to determine liability to pay the claim.
- Upon receipt of the information requested, or an appeal of a claim for the denied health care services, an HMO or insurer shall comply with the 45 day requirement for clean claims.
- Each claim or bill processed after the 45 day time period is a separate violation.
- If an HMO or insurer violates the prompt payment law, the HMO or insurer must pay interest on the claim. Interest is calculated as the greater of 12% per annum or the rate set by the commissioner of taxation and finance for corporate taxes pursuant to New York Tax Law Section 1096(e)(1). Interest is calculated from the date the claim or health care payment should have been made. However, when the amount of interest due is less than two dollars, the HMO or insurer is not required to pay the interest.
- To report a prompt payment violation to the Department of Financial Services, please select this link.
* Please note, a managed care contract offered by an insurer is defined as a contract which requires that all health care services be provided by a referral from a primary care provider and that services be rendered by a provider participating in the insurers network. In addition, in the case of an individual contract or a group contract covering no more than 300 lives, imposing a co-insurance obligation of more than 25% upon out-of-network services, which has been sold to five or more groups, a managed care contract also includes a contract which requires all services be provided pursuant to a referral from a primary care provider and that services provided pursuant to the referral be rendered by a participating provider in order for the member to obtain the maximum reimbursement.


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Entrust at RSA: 'Pass the Hash'
Jason Soroko, Entrust's head of malware research, is causing quite the RSA buzz with his latest video presentation: "Pass the Hash." Outlined in a blog post a few weeks ago, Soroko explains about a lesser-known attack vector that exploits single sign-on (SSO) technology added to Windows about 20 years ago. And it's still exploitable in most corporate networks. TheFebruary 25, 2014 in General -
Why We Need to Move to SHA-2
Previously, we advised that the SSL industry must move to the SHA-2 hashing algorithm for certificate signatures. We thought it would be helpful to provide the reasoning behind the position. In the context of SSL, the purpose of a hashing algorithm is to reduce a message (e.g., a certificate) to a reasonable size for use with a digital signature algorithm.January 6, 2014 in Public Key Infrastructure, SSL, SSL Deployment -
Should You Use SHA-2?
A common question we receive from certificate customers: should we ask Entrust to sign our certificate with a signature using the SHA-2 hashing algorithm?December 11, 2012 in Certificate Management, SSL, SSL Deployment


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Did you know that it is illegal to dispose of computers in landfills?
Safely & properly recycle old computers, monitors, TVs & more!
We experienced a great response from our Community Electronics Recycling events at the Palatine market & are bringing it to Rosemont!
Com2 Recycling will take your unwanted, obsolete electronics on Sunday October 21.
Please check back for exact location and procedures at the Allstate Arena
Click HERE for list of acceptable items.


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We believe greatness comes from fighting for a cause and out of a desire to put dreams above one's own well being. Those who work into the wee hours of the night and wake up in the early morning all in the pursuit of something greater than themselves are our heroes. All great men and women have a cause that drives them. We built Cherrycard to help support yours.
Many of today's world problems are solvable. There are people fighting tooth and nail to solve problems like poverty and world hunger day in and day out. There are realistic plans to eradicate diseases, eliminate poverty and bring clean water to the world. All that is standing in the way of achieving many of the world's most pressing problems is the money to carry out the plans. That's why, with your help, we are convincing merchants across the country to join together as a force for good to give money to your cause.
What's your cause?
If you have any suggestions of how we can better help support your cause please contact us. We love hearing from you.
The Cherrycard Team


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We are the College/Campus Ministry of New Life Church.
We are an awesome ministry within an awesome church. We don't want to act like Christians, we want to be Christians. That's not always an easy thing to manage… BUT the Bible says that participating in a good church and connecting with other solid Christian helps. That is where Pursuit comes in, we are the part of New Life Church that exist just for college age people, 18 and up.
We don't believe in spoon-feeding theology. We encourage a "thinking faith" based in each person growing in and understanding the Word. Pursuit helps in this area through Bible studies and discussions. We seek out the Truth with workshops and the conferences both inside and outside the walls of New Life Church.
Pursuit also encourages faith that is put into action. We participate in service projects, mission trips and other efforts that we think can make a difference in the world.
We all make mistakes. Faltering when you are all on your own can be devastating, but stumble when you have support all around you and it's just a minor setback.
Pursuit provides an open and welcoming group where people are safe to ask questions, be real, be themselves, find support, and explore and grow in faith.
If what you see above looks like something you are interested in, please check us out on Facebook.
We do a lot of special events like concerts, camping trips, beach and mountain retreats, white-water rafting, movie nights, game nights, cook-off competitions … you get the idea. Then, on a regular basis we do the stuff below.
Sunday Lunch = free home cooked meal. We do this most Sunday's after second service. Meet us in the Lobby after church and get directions.
Elevate^= our fast paced Bible study series. They last 4-6 weeks and we alternate between Cliff-Notes-style, broad overviews and in-depth studies. Check in with someone to see when our next one is ramping up.
ENCOUNTER = Special services for our rising generation. We come together with musicians from within our group and spend time worshiping God and focusing on messages that resonate with our generation.
Please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com if you have any questions
Fun Times with YP///Pursuit


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Family Tree Magazine recently identified FamilyLink.com as a program that excels in helping individuals organize their family tree data and find other researchers interested in their ancestral surnames and places.
Family Tree Magazine said, "This site [FamilyLink.com] from the growing database service, World Vital Records, most resembles popular social networking destinations such as Facebook. Your FamilyLink profile can include your picture and biography, as well as the surnames and places you're researching. You might also add your skills and experience, such as languages you know and the genealogy software you use. You can make your profile available to everyone or just your network of designated connections, and you can invite friends to join FamilyLink."
For more information, go to: http://familytreemagazine.com/


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A boy is reported by The Orange County Register to have been injured after he took and crashed her mother's SUV in Fullerton, California.
According to the Register, authorities said that the boy climbed into the vehicle's driver's seat and put it in gear to drive away at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The SUV reportedly "went out of the parking lot, sideswiping at least one vehicle" then crossed intersections with oncoming traffic then hit a tree and flipped at least once.
Fortunately, the SUV is reported to have landed upright.
Thankfully, the boy is said to have suffered only minor injuries but GoodLawd, it could have ended worse.
Children really shouldn't be allowed to drive, especially when they can't even see well over the hood.
According to one witness who talked with KTLA-TV, the boy was standing in the seat "trying to control that thing."
Image: Industriarts / Flickr (CC)


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New York Times best-selling author to speak at library
Sept. 26, 2010 at 4:26 a.m.
If you go
WHEN: 10 a.m. Oct. 2
WHERE: The Bronte Room at the Victoria Public Library, 302 N. Main St.
FOR MORE INFO: Contact the Victoria Public Library at 361-485-3302 or visit www.victoriapubliclibrary.org.
The Victoria Public Library will present New York Times best-selling author Linda Castillo for a book signing and discussion Oct. 2 of her Amish crime thriller series.
Castillo's most recent book is "Pray for Silence," set in the quiet town of Painters Mill, where an Amish family is found slaughtered on their farm, according to a news release. Kate Burkholder and her small police force have few clues, no motive and no suspect. Enter state agent John Tomasseti who arrives on the scene to assist.
He and Kate worked together on a previous case, and they're still setting the limits of a complex, difficult relationship. They soon realize that the disturbing details of this case will push those boundaries to the breaking point.
Castillo is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Texas with her husband and is working on her next thriller, which is also set in Amish Country.


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About Frisky Dancers
Frisky Dancers is a project dedicated to the production of professional videos of various kind of male erotic dance such as striptease, go-go dance and others performed by different dancers willing to join the project.
By now male erotic dance can be rarely seen on videos: there are quite a few films about male striptease and still less contain full strip show. Maybe such kind of a show is better to be seen in live but viewing it on high quality video will also bring much aesthetic and erotic pleasure.
Behind the The Frisky Dancers there are people who love the male beauty expressed in dance and would love to bring up to the public high quality videos of genuine male erotic dance.
We don not offer porn and we don't have full frontal nudity in the videos, just occasional one.
Creating the profesional videos with exprienced male strippers is a costly task – by signing up and downloading full videos you give a great help for further project development!