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PR-savvy hemp growers have banded together like Haight St. musicians in a concerted marketing blitz. Hemp milk, hemp oil, and hemp seeds all infiltrated our office over the last week or so and, confronted with a cornucopia of hemp products, we wondered, What's the best way to test all this stuff? As is often the case, the best answer was also the most obvious: hemp brownies.
Our ambitions were, ahem, high. Could we disguise the overly grassy tastes that the seeds and oil were leaving on our breath, and still maintain the benefits that the hemp promised to provide? And being the traditionalists that we are, it only seemed fitting to use the time-honored recipe for herbal brownies, which is to say, using brownie mix (though one of our editors proudly claims that his mom always made her herbal brownies "the old fashioned way"). But would it work? Our mix called for 1/3 cup each of water and vegetable oil, as well as the addition of an egg. Hemp oil and hemp milk made perfect substitutions for the water and vegetable oil because (as you can see in the image) the glowing green oil, yellow yolk, and dark, creamy, chocolate hemp milk mixed together in such a way as to give us a good indication of the psychedelia we were sure to experience. But just to be sure, we stirred in 1/4 cup of hemp nut seeds.
35-38 minutes later (not including cooling) we were in business, man. Ian fired up some Phish on the kitchen's iPod, we dimmed the lights, and then just, you know, chilled. We were ready for each bite of fudgy, hempy brownie to wash over us. We were ready to expand our palate and our minds. Sadly, the reality of the situation deviated a bit from what we had envisioned. "Feeling anything?" "No, but at least that gross hemp taste is gone." "Have another one, maybe something will happen." "Wait, I think I feel it. No, nevermind. That's just the omega-3 buzz." We'd love to report that our memories got a little fuzzy, we gained a craving for Funyons, and our notes drifted into scribbles of unicorns. But sadly, all we gleaned from this experience is that the magical chemical formula that goes by the street name "Duncan Hines" has a virtually indestructible flavor profile. Even when you make it with awful hemp oil and terrible hemp milk, a boxed brownie tastes like a boxed brownie.


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Mejbaur Rahman Sumon completed his academic education at Charukola (Institute of Fine Arts, DU) and started his career as a director. Many of his television production got much popularity very recently. Star Showbiz caught up with him at his office to know his life and work.
1. What inspired you to become a director?
I grew a habit of drawing from very early age. The profession of direction did not start very smoothly for me. Years of attachment in the related field brought me in the direction. Earlier, I used to listen to songs, especially to Sumon Chattapaddhay, and learned guitar. In fact, I had no plan that I would be a director. Later, I grew a philosophy that I need to be a 'jack of all trades, master of none'. I think my academic education at Charukola (Institute of Fine Arts) played a role here.
2. What was your first direction as a director?
It was in the year 2000 that I with some of my friends like Shobboshachi, Masud Hasan Ujjal and others made an animation movie named 'Gopal Bhar'. But my own production began with 'Ami Arupar Kache Jachhi' in 2006. Later on, I worked on several television productions which was aired on different television channels.
3. Who are your favorite directors and actors of all time?
My first movie experience began with 'Ojantrik' by Hrithik Ghatak. Although, I watched Satyajit Ray very late, I am highly inspired by him. Besides, Bruce Lee was my teenage life hero who made me think. I saw the work of Quentin Jerome Tarantino and Andrei Tarkovosky with much wonder. Alejandro González Iñárritu is also my favorite.
4. Who have you enjoyed working the most?
I have worked with very limited artist in my production until now. In fact, my numbers of productions are limited to 19 all together. Besides, I don't go for very famous artists for my production rather I choose less famous artists. In this perspective, I can name Jaya Ahsan only who I work with the most. She is not only a artist to me, but also a team member of my production.
5. Do you have any embarrassing memory as a director? Did you ever make a mess of things?
Ummm, I am very organized in my work. In fact, I am organized even to my petty works. Therefore, I never messed up with anything in life.
6. What are some of your observation on our movie industry?
I think it is very difficult to establish a new trend here. People are very attached to the old form of storytelling. It is because we have not developed enough from our old trend that flourished in the sixty of seventy decades. We have a backward move, I guess. Instead of developing our presentation and style of films unlike other neighboring countries, we have failed to present new things before the audience. We have limitations in script and representing them. Moreover, our stories are not related to our realities of life or experience rather taken from Indian films very often.
7. In your opinion, what are the most important things missing from overall media today?
I think we lack sensible and educated producer who can undertake newer forms of stories and produce them. Besides, we have many other things missing here. We could do a lot better if we had some facilities in our technical aspect of production. I think we need a reform in the Film Development Corporation (FDC). Digitization, shooting set with modern facilities, digital camera, proper editing panel and sound devices are very urgent in the FDC today.
8. Television directors are often seen trying their hand at making movies. Do you think television direction is a starting point to get to movies?
No, I don't think so. It is a fact that we have no film and media institute here for which reason people are going for television production first. I think direction is something acquired not experienced through television production. Therefore, anyone producing television productions might succeed at movie making until and unless he imbibe the art of direction in him.
9. What would be your word of advice for those who want to enter the world of making television dramas?
I am not experienced enough to advice people. But I would expect that people who are willing to make television dramas would maintain some uniqueness in storytelling. Representing the culture and lifestyle of Bangladeshi people, everyday stories of people living here and expressing our tradition and heritage is important through production.
10. You are not making any television fiction for so long. What are the causes behind this absence from production?
It is true that I am not making television production for so long. Actually, I am preparing myself for a good move. I am looking forward to making fiction with new kind of stories which will satisfy my own impulse rather than satisfying the producers. As you know that, it is very difficult to find any producer for creative work here. Therefore, I am preparing myself with everything so that I can make a good production. In the meantime, I am making television commercials. For those who think I am spoiling my talent making television production, I would humbly say that I am not. Believe in me and stay connected. I will come back with good production.

subset: commoncrawl


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Last week I blogged about the one pot I couldn't live without, my enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven. And that got me thinking about more kitchen tools that I hold near and dear to my heart—one in particular, my cast-iron skillet. Some of my all-time favorite recipes are made in a cast-iron skillet.
I love cooking in cast iron because it conducts heat beautifully and, if given a little TLC, the skillet will last a lifetime. Its straight high sides are the perfect vessel for a one-skillet meal, which is great for easy cleanup, and you can even use it to make dessert. A cast-iron skillet may not be fancy, but it's great to have around.
Here are a few of my cast-iron skillet recipes:
Peach & Blueberry Cobbler This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It's especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.
One-Skillet Bean & Broccoli Rabe Supper If beans and greens are not a part of your regular menu, this one-pot dish will change your mind. Sausage and garlic flavor the broccoli rabe and beans while the big, rustic croutons soak up the broth.
Tuscan Cabbage and Mushrooms Savoy cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and leeks are braised together in this earthy Italian side dish.
Pan-Roasted Chicken & Gravy: A cast-iron skillet is the perfect vessel for a simple roast chicken. Almost every side dish, be it vegetables, legumes, pasta or rice, goes well with it. Try Tuscan Cabbage & Mushrooms (above).
Crispy Potatoes with Green Beans & Eggs: This is a one-skillet meal, reminiscent of diner fare at roadside restaurants across the U.S. It can be made with either leftover or raw potatoes. Even while making dinner in a hurry, don't rush this dish: you want to cook the potato cubes until they are crispy outside but still creamy inside.
Do you have a cast iron skillet? What do you cook in it? Tell us what you think below.
TAGS: Hilary Meyer, Healthy Cooking Blog, Dinner, Family meals, Kitchen tools
EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.


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Mentor Graphics Director of Corporate Development to Speak at Canaccord Adams Annual Seminar
WILSONVILLE, Ore., August 7, 2006 - Dennis Weldon, Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations at Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT), will present at the Canaccord Adams 26th Annual Summer Seminar on August 8, 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts. More information is available at http://www.canaccordadams.com/aboutus/events.htm
What: Mentor Graphics presentation by Dennis Weldon, Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, at the 26th Annual Canaccord Adams Summer Seminar.
When: Tuesday, August 8, 2006 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Where: Boston Marriott Long Wharf, 296 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
About Mentor Graphics
Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of over $725 million and employs approximately 4,050 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.
Mentor Graphics is a registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Bartash
Mentor Graphics


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CW12 Directory ResourceArticle Details
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U.S. Soccer will broadcast one match during each round of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The "Game of the Round" will provide fans with the chance to watch a pre-selected match on ussoccer.com during the 101st edition of the tournament, which includes a record 80 teams.
The "Game of the Round" kicks off on May 7 with a Massachusetts matchup between amateur sides Mass Premier Soccer (U.S. Adult Soccer Association regional qualifier) and Western Mass. Pioneers (Premier Development League) at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Massachusetts. In the second round, ussoccer.com will air a Richmond, Virginia, derby when the Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) take on RVA FC (National Premier Soccer League) at Sports Backers Stadium. The matches for following rounds and the specific "Game of the Round" live stream will be announced at a later date.
Live Stream Schedule
Date | Game | Time | Venue |
May 7 | Mass Premier Soccer (USASA) at Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) | 7:30pm ET | Lusitano Stadium; Ludlow, Mass. |
May 14 | Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at RVA FC (Richmond Virginia FC) (NPSL) | 7:00pm ET | Sports Backers Stadium; Richmond, Va. |
The expansion from 68 to 80 teams in this year's tournament field includes both the largest number of amateur teams (42) in the tournament proper - exceeding the previous record of 34 set last year - as well as the largest contingent of pro clubs (38, surpassing last year's record of 34), with all Division I, II and III professional sides participating for a third consecutive year. An additional record for the competition will see 24 second-round matches played, exceeding the previous high of 18 in a single round (2013 first round).
A new scheduling feature will provide many pro teams the opportunity to play an early-round Open Cup match on a weekend date (a first in the competition's modern era). This possibility for fourth round games June 14-15 is the result of a league break Division I (Major League Soccer) and II (North American Soccer League) clubs will take during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, recognized as U.S. Soccer's National Club Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 100 consecutive years dating from 1914. This year's winner will earn a berth into the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions' League, $250,000 in prize money and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports. The runner-up will take home $60,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will earn a $15,000 cash prize. D.C. United is the defending U.S. Open Cup champion, having won its third tournament title (following triumphs in 1996 and 2008) after a tense 1-0 road victory over Real Salt Lake on Oct. 1, 2013. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
Tournament Format and Match Dates
The 2014 U.S. Open Cup will be conducted on a single-elimination, one-game-knockout basis utilizing a tiered-bracket format. Teams will be paired geographically. In the event that three or more teams are from the same proximity, pairings for these teams will be made by random selection. Pairings will be arranged to prevent the possibility of a lower division team playing a parent club (e.g. Portland Timbers U-23s [PDL] will not be pitted against the Portland Timbers [MLS], should both teams be in the competition in the same round) except for the Final.
• First Round-May 7 (16 amateur teams: 5 PDL, 4 USASA regional qualifiers, 5 NPSL, 1 US Club Soccer, 1 USSSA): Teams from the same qualifying pool cannot be paired with each other.
• Second Round-May 14 (8 First Round winners, 26 remaining amateur teams (14 PDL, 6 USASA regional qualifiers, 6 NPSL), and 14 Division III USL PRO clubs): Teams from the same qualifying pool cannot be paired with each other.
• Third Round-May 28 (24 Second Round winners and 8 Division II NASL clubs): Each Division II team will be matched geographically to play the winner of a specific Second Round pairing. The winners of the 16 remaining Second Round matches not paired with a Division II side will play each other.
• Fourth Round-June 10-18 (16 Third Round winners vs. Division I MLS clubs): Each Division I team will be matched geographically to play the winner of a specific Third Round pairing. The exact date for each match will be determined by the club selected as the home team from among those dates where the visiting team doesn't have a league game already scheduled. The date selected must allow the visiting team at least two rest days before and after the match date.
• Fifth Round-June 24-25 (16 Fourth Round winners face each other): Each Fourth Round pair will be matched geographically with another Fourth Round pair to determine the Fifth Round possibilities.
• Quarterfinal Round-July 8-9: Each Fifth Round pair will be matched geographically with another Fifth Round pair to determine the Quarterfinal Round possibilities.
• Semifinal Round-Aug. 12-13: Each Quarterfinal Round pair will be matched geographically with another Quarterfinal Round pair to determine the Semifinal Round possibilities.
• Final-Sept. 30-Oct. 1


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Ithmaar Bank Bahrain Ithmaar banking Group Bahrain Banking
Tuesday, 19 May 2009 00:00 |
Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa Al-Khalifa CEO of (Economic Development Board) EDB said "the GCC will emerge from the global economic crisis faster and stronger than others." What do you think of this assertion and how would you assess the situation in the Bahrain banking sector and its ability to overcome the financial economic crisis? What are the prospects for the banking sector in Bahrain for 2009-2010, what is your personal opinion? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: I think that wisely many of the banking groups here, ourselves included, have from an early stage in the evolution of the global financial crisis decided to concentrate attention on the protection on the bank balance sheets in the interest of share holders and depositors. So the main focus has been on the existing assets to protect those and to ensure adequate flow of funding so that the banks balance sheets are intact and will, of course, be in good shape when recovery occurs in terms of impairment provisions. That has been the focus as opposed to aggressive pursuit of new business at the present time. I think the national conservatism will mean the initial focus will be on local opportunities. Of course this region is, itself, in a relatively sanguine position during the global crisis due to the large financial resources and liquidity available in the region amongst some of the sovereign wealth funds despite their portfolios being subject to marketed unrealized losses and impairment provisions. Overall, basically they are in a relatively strong position compared to other regions around the world. Ithmaar Bank sees the oil price recovering somewhat already and I think the outlook is as soon as we see the more firm recovery conditions in particularly in the western and Asian markets the, oil price will recover more substantially and stabilize at a higher level. That of course, sets a very good tone for the banking industry in this region so I see a reinforcement of the trend that has occurred in the last several years whereby the regions investors are looking more than ever before at the development opportunities available in their own economies and regions. We see a lot of infrastructure development still needed in the GCC and the board of the Middle East and South Asia so I see that becoming a significant focus at the increasing interest at the defense of industries like agriculture. In the last couple of years we have seen the recognition for developing some kind of solution for the food security issue so likewise that is a sector that has a lot of attraction for investors and financial institutions that serve these investors. I think there is a lot out there that will be particularly relevant for the economic development of our region that will attract support from the regional banks and I am also hopeful that the big institutional investors in the region and high net worth individuals will recognize the strength during this recent crisis of the regional banks and that this will lead to more capital info into the regional banks. Whereas in the past there has been a lot of focus on frozen capital in banks outside of the region and some of those banks have had difficulty in the recent crisis so I see the outlook is for a steady return to asset growth fueled by both capital injections but also increased depositing within the region as regional investors see the relative strength of investment and banking prospects in their home region during the recovery period from the world recession. You mentioned that we stand ready to seize opportunities for prudent business development in accordance with the group's robust medium term strategy. Also in Feb. 2009 Ithmaar reported 85.2 million BD in consolidated profits for 2008. These are amazing numbers in the midst of global economic downturn, so what ability made you perform this well in the crisis? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: I think that a strength our group has is that we have diversity. Banking is all about risk assessment and risk diversification and it has been a long standing principle of this group to diversify in terms of the type of businesses we are in the financial sector. Ithmaar Bank has a presence across the whole range of sub-sectors in the financial industry. We are in leasing with the first leasing bank we are in insurance with the Islamic equivalent, through Solidarity. We are in corporate and retail banking through Shamil Bank, through Faysal Bank Ltd. (FBL) in Pakistan and through the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK). We're in real estate development through our 100% owned subsidiary Ithmaar Development Company. We are also in private banking through Faisal Private Bank in Switzerland which is the first Islamic financial institution to be granted a Swiss banking license. In terms of the types of financial industries were in we have a well diversified presence for our group and within those institutions we have good diversification policies in our asset portfolios and I would say we are relatively conservation (like many of the institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain) in building assets. Of course, geographically we are also diversified. I mentioned that we are in the GCC and also the broader Middle East region and in Europe. We have an outreach policy; we don't see ourself as just a Bahraini or regional financial institution, we see ourselves as potentially a global financial institution but I don't say that in a grandiose way. What we expect to see now out of the crisis is mergers out of the mega financial institution. Were not talking about that and saying we are a global financial institution in our outreach but we are a smaller financial institution, a tight knit financial institutional group where are geography is unlimited in terms of the business that we will do. And as we get away from our center here in Bahrain and in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia and we get into other parts of the world, there, of course, we will not go alone into bus dev but we will go into joint ventures with other leading players in that region or that area with a specialty in international finance. For example, Ithmaar Bank has a sugar cane farm trust that Ithmaar Bank put together with ex-Rothschild bankers in Australia which is a pretty unusual piece of business to have been generated by a financial institution based in the GCC. We have already started to open up opportunities in Australia to our investors in the Middle East. We have four entry points already into China with joint venture partners, I won't go into details but one of them is CITIC. We have a 20% holding in CITIC International Assets Management Company in Hong Kong which invests international funds in China. This is our strategy that makes us open to a lot of opportunities. Everywhere we are looking for quality, we are looking for good quality risk and obviously the best returns possible in that risk category. In order to get those opportunities for our own investments within the group and for our own credit extensions and of course for our customers through the funds that Ithmaar Bank manage on their behalf, we are looking at a global sweep. In today's world in the aftermath of this crisis, there is a lot of asset deflation taking place and a lot of good opportunities out there. Now the problem isn't so much the opportunities in which to invest and the pricing for those (which people are fairly comfortable with now) but the problem is "have you got the liquidity and have your clients got the liquidity to invest?" I think Ithmaar Bank is in a privileged position because we all know that in this region there is still a decent amount of liquidity and people have been cautious and by nature conservative in this region which is a good thing. Now gradually Ithmaar Bank will see them open up and invest more and we will be there hopefully presenting them with the right opportunities. With the fallen oil prices some say there is a liquidity squeeze in the region, is this a problem, how would you assess this? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: Obviously with the fallen oil prices, they went up very fast. They weren't that low in a plus 100 dollar a barrel level but they came down to around 40 dollars. I have been in the region for about 17 years and during that period I have seen the price go down to about 10.5-11 dollars and there were many years during the 1990s where all of the GCC governments were using 18 dollars a barrel for their budgets. It was relatively recently in the early part of this decade that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was saying that the target oil price was in the range of 20 to 25 dollars and in those days looking forward to 40 dollars a barrel was a dream world. I think that if we, as expected, see a 65-70 dollar a barrel stabilization in the next two years that that will be very comfortable for this region. In the mean time there may be some adjustments needed if people were looking towards 60-65 dollars a barrel and being at 40 dollars you have to make and adjustments to trim in the short term. This is only a short term adjustment and there has already been tremendous infrastructure development in this region during the run-up in the oil prices and that is going to continue, maybe not at the same pace in the next eighteen months, but as soon as recovery comes I am sure there will be an actual march on this. I think the great thing is that you haven't had an actual crisis of credit in the region. There have been any significant defaults. What has been the main challenge for Ithmaar bank? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: I think that a main challenge to be global. To be global you have to continue to attract the supportive interest of your core investor base. We hope that whilst there will be a tremendous concentration on the opportunities in this region that we are involved in for the internationalization of our group in our strategy and aspiration that will depend on the continued interest in other parts of the world by our investors that aren't just investing here. Traditionally, heavy investors were very heavily focused (and still are) on Europe and the USA. Ithmaar Bank sees a growing shift in interest toward Asia and I think Asia will be a major engine of recovery from this crisis but also a major engine of growth on a sustainable basis going forward two or three decades. I see a much closer relationship developing between the Middle East and at least Asia but we need for that sort of understanding to be reinforced on the part of the Middle Eastern investor. There are a lot of opportunities for them to get familiar with the risks and rewards out in the Asian markets and that will help us develop our own aspirations for the group, we see a lot of potential there. The challenge is to sell this and to make sure that we make sure to introduce conservative opportunities to be invested in from investors from this part of the world because the most important thing particularly with the Middle East market is still that it is very much a relationship market which is unusual in today's world of international finance. A relationship market means that the customers have to gain trust in the financial institutions so you have to invest a lot of time in building that confidence that can also be easily lost with one bad experience. The challenge is to constantly meet the expectations you set for yourselves amongst your client base. You can't afford to get something wrong as much as you may be able to in transactional markets or misdeal. The customers here expect the banker to be very good and reliable advisor to them on investment opportunities. The quality of what we show has to be uniformly good. That's the big challenge in being a banker in the Middle East where the clients are very (and rightfully so) demanding in terms of quality. We are going to deliver an award for the "Greenest" company that we have interviewed and by "Greenest" I mean oriented toward sustainable development and environment and by award we mean to put this company in front of the others. I would like to know what is your strategy and policy towards this "Green" issue internally with your company and towards the investments that you are doing with your clients? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: Within the bank I think the concentration on IT and making sure that our IT is cutting edge we have the usual pleas to our employees not to print unnecessarily so we can try to conserve on paper through everybody being well endowed with IT equipment and that is something we take very seriously. I think that because of the past experiences of some of our investment professionals at Ithmaar Bank that have been involved in infrastructure funds and the Islamic development bank infrastructure fund (the first fund for this region) that both this group as an investor and then some of the people actually at the fund manager before coming to Ithmaar bank. So we have been involved with that infrastructure fund sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank. We have also been involved as a founder, investor, and on the board of the general partner of the infrastructural growth capital fund which is the largest infrastructure-related fund in this region- two billion dollars. In both of these funds we have had environmentally friendly policies when looking at the investments, particularly in infrastructure because of the participation by multilateral credit institutions whose policies all reflect the policies of the World Bank group. There is an big emphasis then on environmentally friendly projects so that is something that we are doing to stay "green." We have a big group initiative with two partners from the regions in the GCC. This partnership has a much broader geographic vision called Vision 3. It brings together the institutional sponsorship of Ithmaar Bank, the Gulf Finance House, and of Abu Dhabi Investment House. All three have been quite active up until now in, amongst other things, real estate development- particularly high quality real estate development- the Barring Financial Harbor, the Gulf Finance House, there have been entertainment sitters by Abu Dhabi Investment House, energy sitters by Gulf Finance House. In Vision 3 we are bringing all of this together and we have three major investment platforms under Vision 3. One is the infrastructure platform for investment banking and fund management, there is one in agriculture (that I mentioned earlier with the food security desire on the part of regional governments) and then third, the entertainment and hospitality industry. These are the three platforms. In each of these it involves some real estate development obviously whether its in a building or tilling the land and in all of these areas there are going to be environmentally friendly sustainably energy type policies that you are referring to. That is an overriding objective of sophisticated financial institutions in today's world. From this part of the world the investors have high ethical aspirations so that's why Islamic banking and finance has such a strong following here. Many investors whose portfolios are so large that in this stage they don't find they can satisfy all of their investment needs through the Islamic Shari'ah compliant instruments. Thus, there is a strong demand for Islamic instruments so respect for the environment is an important ingredient in that. Even though this is a region that has developed energy in the conventional formats there is a lot of interest in putting investment into "greener" energy coming out of some of the regional sovereign wealth funds. That is something that we at Ithmaar bank should do to find the right energy friendly opportunities. We are, for example, in early discussions with somebody in Asia about a sustainable energy focused city but I can't give anymore details at the time. To finalize the interview, how would you define and characterize your expansion plans and your international and global strategy (basically going global) and what is your long-term vision for Ithmaar Bank? Ithmaar Bank, Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain: The long term vision for Ithmaar Bank is to be the leading financial institutional group based in the ME operating globally as an investment bank with its subsidiaries and associates focused in the Shari'ah compliant products and services. We see a tremendous opportunity to participate in the growth opportunities around the world and in supplying financing, whether its equity or complimentary financing from the ME. That's where our main investment base is to the growth areas of the world in particularly those areas where I mentioned infrastructure, agriculture and the hospitality industry with our partners. We aspire to be the leading, not necessarily in terms of size, but in the quality of what we're providing both to our investment clients and to the users of their funds in the regional and international market. |
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Previously, Square Enix has simply ported old games (Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II) or given us smaller, unambitious titles. But back in March, a new iPhone-exclusive game was announced on their Facebook page: Chaos Rings. We're very interested in this title, because it'll be Square's first full-blown attempt at a complete RPG designed exclusively for the iPhone platform. Some details have already been released, but we've got some new info, too.
So what do we know so far? Chaos Rings' plot will revolve around a battle tournament in which five teams of two fight to the death for the ultimate prize: eternal life. Each group features a separate storyline, with all five tying together at the end. As for the technical quality of the game, it's actually pretty impressive—don't judge this by the screenshots, look at the trailer! The 3D graphics are shockingly good. Not console-quality good, but definitely a step up from most iPhone games.
As for the battle system, it relies on strategically balancing your partners. There are "Solo" and "Pair" attack options; attacking in a pair might do more damage, but it also places both of your characters at risk. Following the tournament-based premise, teamwork is crucial. You'll also have access to "Genes," which provide special skills and magical powers. One weird detail posted with the new information is the differences between male and female characters. Each team is a man/woman pair, with the male characters being stronger and the female characters being fast but more fragile. Was sexism really necessary?
That caveat aside, Chaos Rings looks very interesting. It'll be the first "real" JRPG for the iPhone, after all, complete with turn-based battles and 3D graphics. We expect only the best from Square Enix. Chaos Rings' release date is unknown, but the developer claims that things are moving ahead of schedule. In the meantime, check out the new screenshots!
Tagged with: chaos rings, jrpg, rpg, square enix


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Tampa and Southwest Florida
Floridians are increasingly feeling the effects of diabetes as thousands of people suffer from the disease, and many others may have diabetes and not know it! It is estimated that one out of every three children born after 2000 in the United States will be directly affected by diabetes.
That is why the American Diabetes Association's Southwest Florida office is committed to educating the public about how to stop diabetes and support those living with the disease.
We are here to help.
Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes
Tampa, Florida
We Step Out to do our part to Stop Diabetes! Participants are changing the future and making a positive impact in the lives of those who are affected by diabetes. Step Out participants are committed to walk and raise money in this inspirational event not because almost 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, but because they walk among us in our lives and at the event. -
I Decide to Stop Diabetes Day
Tampa, Florida
November is American Diabetes Month® and a time to communicate the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of diabetes prevention and control. In concert with the other American Diabetes Month activities, churches across the country are engaging their communities in celebration of ID Day at Church, a nationwide movement to Stop Diabetes® on the day. -
2015 Southwest Florida Tour de Cure
Bradenton, Florida
Tour de Cure is more than just a cycling event. A day full of fun and excitement where riders of all levels join forces in the fight to Stop Diabetes® and raise critical funds for diabetes research, education and advocacy in support of the American Diabetes Association. So take the Ride of Your Life and sign up today!
Program Info
Live Empowered
This community and faith based education programs and workshops aims to increase awareness of the rates of diabetes among African Americans. The initiative educates this audience about the seriousness of diabetes and its complications by teaching the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and educating those with or at risk for developing diabetes about prevention and management. Educational programs and workshops, such as "I Decide to Fight Diabetes Day at Church" and "Project POWER" are important components of Live Empowered.
For more information, please contact Alisa Barksdale at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Family Link and Youth
Learning to live with diabetes does not happen overnight – and our message to parents and children is you do not have to do it alone. Family Link connects families with other families of kids with diabetes. Our goal is to help connect parents with mentors who understand how they are feeling, and through fun and social diabetes education events, offer families an opportunity to learn more about diabetes and meet other families of children with diabetes.
If you would like to be part of our Family Link Program, please contact Alisa Barksdale at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Safe at School
The American Diabetes Association is the leading advocate for the rights of children and adults with diabetes. Children spend most of their time at school. The Association provides parents with resources and training modules to help them work with their child's school to create a medically safe learning environment for your child. Parent "Safe at School" workshops are offered twice a year.
For more information, please contact Alisa Barksdale at email@example.com.
Work Place Prevention
Stop Diabetes at Work is a program of the American Diabetes Association, which provides the resources for employers to use in the workplace to help employees need to live healthier lives — whether they are working to prevent diabetes or to manage diabetes if they have already been diagnosed.
For more information on how to get your company involved, please click here.
Volunteer Center
We welcome your help.
Your involvement as an American Diabetes Association volunteer — whether on a local or national level — will help us expand our community outreach and impact, inspire healthy living, intensify our advocacy efforts, raise critical dollars to fund our mission, and uphold our reputation as the moving force and trusted leader in the diabetes community.
Find volunteer opportunities in our area through the Volunteer Center.


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Brake Terence, Whereinthe Worldis My Team? Makinga Successof …
Hopefully, this is urban legend, but current solid research estimates that electronics use about 8% of the total energy supply. can't resist ending this oneâ€way chat with a smiley. I wonder if Brake has also used the … Fetch This Document
Smiley The Ghetto Child – Im Legend (T-Remix) – YouTube
Remix for Smiley The Ghetto Child's New Single Im Legend Originally produced by Dj Premier 9:35 Watch Later Error DJ 456 URBAN FLEX SHOW INTERVIEW SMILEY THE GHETTO CHILD by tonykenyattamusic 134 views … View Video
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He took a closer look into stories about drink spiking, snuff movies, organ theft, and the Smiley Gang. The vivid stories tend to be first-person narratives but bear resemblance to urban legends. Elissa R. Henken introduced a genre of proverb legend, chwedl dihareb – a genre of legends … Retrieve Doc
PROMOTED EVENTS COMEDY TOURS 2007: Unpredictable tour with Jamie Foxx 2007: Mike Epps/Ricky Smiley 2007 Circus (southeastern tour). 1996-2000: Battle of the Bands tour THEATRE Present-1993: Various urban "Back then I was a legend," says McGruder. "That's where I got my initial momentum for coordinating … Read Content
Urban Legend – Trailer – YouTube
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Fiscal Year 2011 Has Begun For The Zia Chapter, PVA Let's …
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Tier 5 Unemployment Extension – About.com Job Search – Job …
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Toolbox Of Countermeasures And Their Potential Effectiveness …
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1992 ascs aerial photos 1987 usgs dlg 1996 mdot field inventory paved or surface treated divided highway gravel unimproved corporate limits urban limits legend forth t 1 n t 2 n t 1 n t 2 n r 1 e r 2 e r 2 e r 1 e 24 33 24 smiley st. whetstone dr. church st. st. winans graves st. … Read Full Source
THE 38th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS NOMINATION RESULTS Announced At …
Outstanding Male Artist  Chris Brown (Zomba)  Jay-Z (Island Def Jam)  John Legend (Sony Urban)  Lionel Richie (Island Def Jam)  Prince (Universal Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster" – Michael Eric Dyson (Basic Civitas)  "The Covenant With Black America" – Tavis Smiley … Access Document
In The Sky This Month Visible Planets In The Night Sky
This urban legend may have started in 2003 when Mars was as close to Earth as it has ever been in recorded history, 55.76 million kilometers (34.65 million in a mediocre 2000 movie called "Mission To Mars" Smiley Face on Mars I f you look hard enough, you can see anything on Mars, including this Smiley Face. … Get Document
MEMBERS C.v. SNB-REACT As Of 13-10-2010 SPORTS / FOOTWEAR
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Wikipedia:Templates For Discussion/Log/2011 October 3 …
Might as well delete a template that inserts a smiley. — Michel Vuijlsteke 14:59, 3 October 2011 (UTC) It may be an urban legend popularized by a film, but supposedly the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 banned the use of the letter "Z" as graffiti. … Read Article
Integral in the revitalization of the city's urban core. BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP SITE – CITY OF HINESVILLE FIGURE 2 SITE VICINITY MAP LEGEND Contact: Kenny Smiley 912-368-4445 Liberty County Family Connections, Inc … View This Document
Smiley (Official) Traliler – YouTube
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ROCKY MOUNT A IN PBS February 2012 – Ward-Winner And
12:00 Tavis Smiley NEW! 12:30 Make "Kinetic Wave Sculptures" 303-871-7720 STEPPIN' OUT WITH BEN VEREEN FEBRUaRy 3, 7:30pm Tony award-Winner and Broadway Legend a family of urban raccoons as they navigate the complex world of a big city. … Visit Document
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The policy focuses on the county's associated urban growth areas, those areas adjacent to existing Lucy Johnson, Mary Earl, Hank Mann-Sykes, Dennis Sheeran Community Campus Committee: Carol Smiley County budget Legend: 1. Pres: President; 2. CGR: Community & Government Relations Committee; 3. … Doc Viewer
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Talk:Ozzy Osbourne/Archive 1 – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
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Vanessa Williams, Isaiah Washington, Chandra Wilson, Shaun …
Biography: Barack Obama" (Biography Channel) É "Crisis in Darfur" (NBC) É "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" (HBO Sports) É "Tavis Smiley: Katrina Lupe Fiasco (Atlantic) É Mario Vazquez (J Records/Arista) Outstanding Male Artist É Chris Brown (Zomba) É Jay-Z (Island Def Jam) É John Legend (Sony Urban) É … Read Content
Denver Public Schools Director Districts
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Has Wal-Mart Stopped Selling Fabric? – Sewing – Learn How To …
This is NOT an urban legend- it has happened here!! I was so disappointed. Sort of conflicts with the 'falling prices'/Smiley Face 'tude, eh? … Read Article