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Lack of care and attention threatening Bright Angel Park
I have been using Bright Angel Park for more than 25 years.
I have become very concerned.
Someone accesses the park on a regular basis on an ATV, particularly after a snowfall. I was told signs were going to be posted prohibiting ATV's but they never appeared.
They get at night when no one is around. I am concerned that sooner or later some vandalism will be done to the buildings.
The ATV riders enter the park through the trail at the end of Howie Road North. It is obvious a barrier is required here.
The CVRD Parks website mentions a mandate to protect parks ecosystems. Allowing ATV's into Bright Angel will do nothing to further this. They may already be disturbing some of the trail -side areas where wild flowers such as Bleeding Hearts, Fawn Lilies and Trilliums grow in the spring.
Last spring someone took a weed-whacker to some of the trails. My wife and I were dismayed to find they had whacked down or severely damaged many wild flowers. One of the delights of the park has always been the native plants. They should be protected at all costs.
Late summer 2010 saw a lot of damage done to other plants during an apparent fire risk reduction campaign. This was a joke.
Not only did they cut down a lot of native Indian Plum shrubs, they left the branches to dry out on the trail, only adding to the fuel load to a potential fire!
There often seem to be many RV's allowed in the camping area, full to overflowing, which never used to happen. I don't believe the park can withstand this volume.
Especially annoying are the giant RV's whose owners often keep their motors idling during especially hot days so they can run their air-conditioners. This is completely in appropriate in any park.
Another issue I noticed in the summer was the vandalism down by the river. I have picked up and recycled many beer bottles and cans over the years but this year was especially bad.
Someone was lighting beach fires by the river and leaving them smouldering.
I spotted fairly uncommon bank swallows by the river. They appeared to be nesting or at least interested in a hole in the sandy bank on the railway side of the river.
A few days later I noticed that someone had plugged the hole with a rock.
Such disdain for nature is very distressing anywhere, but surely we can encourage better behaviour inside such a once-beautiful but increasingly threatened park.
Richard Mortimer of Cowichan Station filed this letter to the CVRD parks department.
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None of this planet's most majestic endeavors can be effectively explained, the inherent mystery and oddity contributing to their permeating whimsy. We might never know how Stonehenge or the Pyramids came to be, might never truly understand or be able to describe the aurora borealis. And a quandary just as great comes attached to the latest wonder upon which humankind has stumbled: a homemade, live action version of the Pixar classic Toy Story, which you can watch below.
In your journey through the first few minutes of the feature-length video (seriously, it's the entire movie), you might entertain the question, "Why, pray tell, would somebody make this?" And in striving for an answer to said query, you'd likely return to the sage words of mountaineer George Mallory, who'd come to take on the peaks of Everest with a vigor that would eventually cost him his life. And why? "Because it's there." The exact same reason why someone might want to reenact an 80-minute animated movie with their own action figures.
So if you're feeling for whatever reason dismayed, lost, sullen, fluish, all in all without the drive or inspiration you once knew, just look to Live Action Toy Story: a prophecy devoted to the idea that sometimes, you don't need a reason. Sometimes, all you need is an idea. An idea that just seems sorta funny, strangely enticing, just crazy enough to work.
For more details on the project, check out the fan film's Facebook page. And take note: if you think something sounds awesome, even if you can't explain why, it probably is. So go for it.
[Photo Credit: Live-Action Toy Story Project]
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'Hunger Games: Catching Fire': Can Jennifer Lawrence Resist Finnick's 'Seductive Purr'? — PICS
Megan Fox's 12 Hottest Moments (Moviefone)

subset: commoncrawl


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Japan's Lawmakers Backpedal on Reforms
TOKYO -- Uh oh! Is Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi losing his appetite for reforming this country's economy? It's hard to avoid this conclusion in the wake of decisions made by his government in the final days of 1999.
First and foremost, the three-party ruling coalition announced on Dec. 29 its intention to delay by one year the introduction of a plan to limit depositor insurance. Fearing a run on weak banks four years ago, the government implemented an emergency measure to provide full-deposit protection. That measure was to be replaced by a scheme on April 1, 2001, whereby protection would be limited to 10 million yen ($95,000) per customer if a bank goes under.
Why the one-year delay? Many of Japan's regional banks and local credit co-ops fear that once full-deposit protection is lifted, customers will withdraw their funds and put them in stronger, bigger financial institutions, like the national publicly traded money-center banks. This in turn would likely drive some of the weaker local banks out of business along with the farmers and small companies that borrow from them.
This is exactly the kind of shakeout many experts think is long overdue. But lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party (the LDP is the dominant force in the ruling coalition) aren't particularly excited about inflicting this kind of hardship on key voter blocs in the run-up to a lower house election, which must be held by Oct. 20.
Tokyo's financial regulators have long believed that imposition of limited depositor protection next year would force banks to get their act together and send a strong signal to the markets that Japan is genuinely committed to financial system reform. While some LDP lawmakers share these objectives, electoral politics ultimately carried the day. Credibility be damned. Another reform put on hold: consolidated taxation. Unlike in the U.S., profitable companies in Japan can't take tax write-offs against losses accrued by their subsidiaries. To reduce tax exposure on Japanese companies and increase their international competitiveness, the government was planning to establish consolidated taxation beginning fiscal 2001. This initiative has also been postponed for a year. The delay had nothing to do with elections. Instead, according to Garry Evans, a strategist for HSBC Securities in Tokyo, it smacked of a resurgence of the Ministry of Finance. Consolidated taxation means reduced tax revenue. That's bad news for MOF, which is growing increasingly panicked about Japan's soaring budget deficit. Evans thinks the one-year delay had MOF's fingerprints all over it. Yet another significant setback for reform came in the guise of a government recommendation to scale back preferential tax treatment for individual pension plans similar to defined-contribution 401(k)s in the U.S. Scheduled to win parliamentary approval this spring, these new pension plans could come on line as early as this fall. Again, the tight-fisted MOF was almost certainly behind the decision to limit the tax benefits of the 401(k)-like plans. This half-baked approach may save MOF a few bucks, but one must question the wisdom of undercutting the attractiveness of the schemes, which are critical in helping Japan cope with its aging society and represent an important fix for the nation's hopelessly underfunded defined-benefit corporate pension plans. Finally, in another sign that politicians are growing less interested in pushing the reform envelope, the LDP antideregulation committee established last fall has been hard at work. Japanese media reported last week that the committee, comprised of more than 100 LDP lawmakers, is creating four separate working groups to study the negative impact of regulatory changes on Japan's small enterprises, which are big backers of the LDP. The committee has said it will make recommendations to the government this spring, and these are sure to include measures intended to derail the deregulatory movement in the country. For now, this committee is probably more interested in pre-election posturing than anything else. But the antideregulation lawmakers are supported by none other than LDP policy chieftain Shizuka Kamei and their movement represents a troubling shift away from getting the government out of the way of business and encouraging growth under a more market-oriented system. Will these attempts to ease up on reform subside after the lower house election this year? Don't bet on it. Once that poll is finished, the LDP will set its sights on an upper-house election that must be held in the summer of 2001. Lacking a majority in that chamber, the LDP will be working furiously to win the support of its traditional voter blocs, such as the construction industry and farm lobby. And it's these folks that are most threatened by the painful reforms that must be implemented before this economy can return to sustainable recovery. More importantly, an acute sense of impending doom is what finally drove Japan's lawmakers to get off their hands and start passing reform legislation. Well, the government has stabilized the nation's banking system, the economy will almost certainly see positive growth this fiscal year and unemployment is no longer rising. So where's the impetus for change? For an awful lot of LDP members, it's apparent there is none.Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
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Every kid needs a space for creating. If you lack space at home, check out the article's other options and let the creating begin!
Originally posted on Make::
Makerspaces are becoming more and more popular. If you are not familiar, a makerspace or hackerspace is a place for people to gather and make stuff. Each is pretty much unique, but they all share a sense of community and a joy for making things and sharing knowledge. However, even if you are lucky enough to live close to one, it may not be particularly kid-friendly. So, where should you take your young makers when they want a place to turn their ideas into reality with their own hands?
That's an excellent question. So I did some research and here are five great places you can go with you kids to make things.
1: Home Improvement Centers
Two of the largest home improvement brands in the United States are Home Depot and Lowe's. Home Depot offers a new free Kid Workshop on the first Saturday of every month. The projects…
View original 1,390 more words


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Waterston, Alisse
Personal Website
- PhD CUNY Graduate Center - 1990- MA Columbia University -BA New York University
Alisse Waterston is a cultural anthropologist who studies the human consequences of structural and systemic violence and inequality. Her areas of specialty include urban poverty and policy issues in the U.S. related to destitution, homelessness and substance abuse, health, welfare and migration, and applied policy-related research and writing. Her most recent work focuses on the processes and aftermaths of political violence, ethnic and religious conflict, displacement and transnationalism, remembering, diaspora, cultural trauma and identity formation, issues of enormous importance as we struggle in a world marked by the shadows of war and other forms of violence. Professor Waterston is author of My Father's Wars: Migration, Memory and the Violence of a Century an intimate ethnography in the Routledge Series on Innovative Ethnographies. Alisse Waterston is President-elect of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and will serve as AAA President in 2016-2017. She is Editor of Open Anthropology,the public journal of the American Anthropological Association. Professor Waterston is a Soros International Scholar affiliated with the Gender Studies Department, Tbilisi State University, Republic of Georgia.
MyFather's Wars: Migration, Memory, and the Violence of a Century
AnAnthropology of War: Views from the Frontline
Anthropologyoff the Shelf: Anthropologists on Writing
Love,Sorrow and Rage: Destitute Women in a Manhattan Residence
StreetAddicts in the Political Economy
War and violence studies: intimate ethnography, 20thcentury transnational violence; Polish-Christian/Catholic and Polish-Jewishrelations ("The Poland Narratives"); Polish-Christian immigration, northeasternPoland & Greenpoint, NY.
Urban research projects: Mexican migration to theeast coast; Poverty, homelessness and marginalization in NYC; Gender andpoverty; Youth and the labor market in edge cities.
Media projects: Knowledge, awareness andusage of media and telecom in urban US; minority employment in media industry.
Gender studies: Gender, poverty andhomelessness; Gender at the intersection of ideology, affect, habitus and political economy.
Urban Ethnography
Structural and Political Violence
Poverty and Homelessness
Diasporic Communities
Scholarly Publishing; Transition to Digital Publishing
Anthony Marcus, Chairperson 524 West 59th Street, Room 9.63.22, New York, NY 10019 Phone: 646.557.4782, Email: email@example.com


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Sponsored Programs
Funding for research and creative work at USD comes from external sources (government agencies, foundations, private corporate partners) as well as focused internal programs. Whatever the source, the competition for financial project support is keen. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs provides assistance and consultation to support faculty and student researchers and scholars in their efforts to gain a competitive edge. Sponsored Programs staff manage a rapidly growing number of funding applications from USD, submitting nearly 350 proposals last year.
Useful Reference Information
Official Name and Address: | University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069-2390 |
Congressional District: | SD-001 |
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Authorized Organizational Representative: | Mary Berry, PhD, Interim Vice President for Research |
Financial Point of Contact: | Jerry Bartling, Director of Grants Accounting |
Administrative Point of Contact: | Jocelynn Fitch, Lead Grants Specialist |
Additional grantsmanship resources such as training, budget forms, and writing and editing assistance for faculty and staff are located in the myUSD Portal.
For Collaborators & Funding Partners:
Please contact ORSP Sponsored Programs staff for assistance with:
- Obtaining signatures for awards and contracts
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- Information about Facilities & Administration costs
- Locating USD faculty with specific expertise as potential project partners
- General information requests


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Runner's World Video
January/February 2015 Issue PreviewSee what RW Editor in Chief David Willey picks out his favorite things about the Jan/Feb issue. |
Weekly Workout - Band WalksThis quick routine will strengthen your hip abductors and glutes. |
The Perfect Runner's LunchUltrarunner Gregory Gourdet shows you how to make one of his favorite dishes. |
Weekly Workout - Hip ExtensionBuild strength in your glutes and hamstrings with this quick move. |
IDO: Running in the ColdDr. Metzl tells you how to avoid injuries while running in the harshest conditions. |
Find the Perfect Pair of ShoesHelpful tips for your next visit to the running store. |
The Best Shoes in the World 2014See what four shoes RW's international editors picked as the best of 2014. |
2015 Shoe PreviewsFirst impressions of upcoming shoes from The Running Event trade show in Austin. |
Test Kitchen: Breakfast BitesTry these vegan energy bites before or after your next run. |
Quick Bites: Pumpkin PowerLearn how to prepare a pumpkin to add to your runner-friendly meals. |
Training Tip - Learn to Run Another DaySometimes a rest day is better for your training than pushing it. |
Improve Your Balance with Ultra Trail Champ Scott JurekGet ready for the ice and snow with these balance drills from Scott Jurek. |
Training Tip - Hip Flexor StretchGet hip to this simple stretch that will relax tight hip flexors. |
Training Tip - Piriformis StretchSee how a simple tennis ball can offer a world of relief. |
Word on the Street: Champs to ChafingMarathon participants weigh in on the important topics. |
The Right Way to Peel an AvocadoStop scooping away the most nutritious part of the avocado. |


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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - View original article
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (June 2007) |
In social science foodways are the cultural, social and economic practices relating to the production and consumption of food.
Contents |
"…everything about eating including what we consume, how we acquire it, who prepares it and who's at the table – is a form of communication rich with meaning. Our attitudes, practices and rituals around food are a window onto our most basic beliefs about the world and ourselves." (Harris, Lyon and McLaughlin, 2005, pp. VIII-IX).
Anthropologists, folklorists, sociologists, historians, and food scholars often use the term to describe the study of why we eat what we eat and what it means. The term foodways, therefore, looks at food consumption on a deeper than concrete level and is inclusive of yet goes beyond sustenance, recipes and/or taste. Topics like social inclusion and exclusion, power, and sense making are explored under the umbrella term foodways. Further, the ways in which food shapes and is shaped by social organization are essential to examination of foodways. Since consumption of food is socially constructed, cultural study is also incorporated in the term.
Anthropologist Mary Douglas, explains: "A very modest life of subsistence contrasts with our own use of goods, in for example, the use of food. How would we be able to say all of the things we want to say, even just to the members of our families, about different kinds of events and occasions and possibilities if we did not make any difference between breakfast and lunch and dinner and if we made no difference between Sunday and weekends, and never had a different kind of meal when friends came in, and if Christmas Day had also to be celebrated with the same kind of food?" (1992, p. 23).
According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, the term "Foodways" refers to "the study of the procurement, preparation, and consumption of food". The website Foodways of Austin characterizes foodways as "the culinary practices of a people and land, historical and popular". The website facilitates people gathering around a meal table, sharing foods and stories—especially historical narratives of the origins of foods from diverse cultures. The reason Foodways of Austin focuses on the medium of food is because, according to its creators, food "plays a defining role in local and national cultures. What people eat and how they eat it reflects numerous factors, such as landscape, societal, spiritual, artistic, psychological, political, economic, and other conditions".
While in fields like anthropology, the production, procurement, preparation, presentation and consumption of foods have always been regarded as central in the study of cultures (see, for example Lévi-Strauss 1966, the use of the term foodways in popular culture is used as an oriented way of looking at food practices. In this sense, the term is a consumer culture expression that encompasses, in popularly understandable and debatable formats, contemporaneous social practices related to foods as well as nutritional and culinary aspects of foods.
The terms foodways also seems to be employed in the sense of "ways of food" of a region. For example, the website Michigan Foodways is devoted to "exhibitions and public programs focusing on Michigan's unique contributions to the national culinary tapestry". Similarly, the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut published the book Saltwater Foodways, focusing on the foods of New Englanders, both as seafaring people and when ashore. Southern Foodways Alliance, with links to the University of Mississippi, explores the foodways of the American South via oral history projects, films, sharing of recipes, and promoting teaching of foods and cultures of the region.
The Foodways Section of the American Folklore Society and the Department of Popular Culture at Bowling Green State University bring out an annual publication called Digest: An Interdisciplinary Study of Food and Foodways. In addition to scholarly articles, this annual compendium carries reports of works in progress on food and foodways, including photo essays, course syllabi, announcements; and reviews of books, periodicals, conferences, exhibits, festivals, museums, and films.
Immigrant foodways also feature prominently in America. For example, at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, located in Southeastern Massachusetts which has a very large immigrant population from Cape Verde, Cape Verdean Foodways are described via recipes from these southern Atlantic islands.
In contrast to just anthropological treatments of food, the term foodways aims at a highly cross-disciplinary approach to food and nutrition. For example, the refereed journal Food and Foodways, published by Taylor & Francis, is "devoted to publishing original scholarly articles on the history and culture of human nourishment. By reflecting on the role food plays in human relations, this unique journal explores the powerful but often subtle ways in which food has shaped, and shapes, our lives socially, economically, politically, mentally, nutritionally, and morally. Because food is a pervasive social phenomenon, it cannot be approached by any one discipline". Launched in the late 1990s and publishing four issues annually, the journal Food and Foodways encourages multidisciplinary contributions by "anthropologists, biologists, economists, ethnobotanists, historians, literary critics, nutritionists, psychologists, sociologists, and others who use food as a lens of analysis".
In consumer culture research, contemporary and postmodern foodways are topics of interest. In an article in the journal Consumption Markets & Culture, from Taylor & Francis publications, Douglas Brownlie, Paul Hewer, and Suzanne Horne explore culinary consumptionscapes through a study of contemporary cookbooks, with chic recipes often turning intensely into a kind of "gastroporn", creating a "simulacrum of desire" as well as a "simulacrum of satisfaction."
Brownlie, Douglas, Paul Hewer, and Suzanne Horne (2005), "Culinary Tourism: An Exploratory Reading of Contemporary Representations of Cooking," Consumption, Markets and Culture 8, (March), 7-26.
Douglas, Mary (1992), :Why Do People Want Goods?" in eds. Shaun Hargreaves and Agus Ross, Understanding the Enterprise Culture, Edinburgh University Press, 19-31.
Harris, Patricia, David Lyon and Sue McLaughlin (2005), The Meaning of Food, CT: The Globe Pequot Press.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude (1983), The Raw and the Cooked: Mythologiques - Volume 1, Paperback Reprint Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.


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If you're planning to keep pounding the pavements and park paths over the Christmas break, (we salute you), we've found just the thing to train in: Nike's Oslo Glam Printed Women's Tights. A fitness equivalent to the Christmas jumper, these festive leggings boast style and function.
Sporting a Scandinavian-inspired digital print they're super pretty – boring black leggings begone – while the Dri-FIT fabric takes care of sweat, allowing you to train in comfort.
Priced at £40 they won't break the bank and can easily double up for off-duty looks too. Got to love dual-purpose fashion.
Now, where did we put our trainers?!
Oslo Glow Printed Women's Tights available from Nike Town London / Nike online


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Jonah Raydio #65: Episode To Be Stupid
By Katie Levine on July 10, 2014
"Weird Al" Yankovic and Chris Hardwick are on this episode of Jonah Raydio. You're welcome. Filling in for Cash Hartzell is the host of Feliz Navipod, Tony Thaxton. Weird Al's new album comes out July 15 and on vinyl in August. Check out his song "Albuquerque," cut with Breaking Bad. It totally works!
Brought to you by Blue Collar Distro
Follow everyone on twitter
Weird Al Yankovic @alyankovic
Chris Hardwick @nerdist
Tony Thaxton @tonythaxton
Jonah Raydio @jonahraydio
Featured Songs
"Lisa" by Don't Stop or We'll Die
"Black Mission Goggles" by Man Man @manmanbandband
"American Business Activities Since 1890" by The Manx @themanxband
Aww yiss. Weird Al is the man.
'the world is our burrito" was that meant? I love you guys.
Great episode. Al is always so fun to listen to. Can't wait to see him on Meltdown!
Great show. Love Weird Al. Probably something you noticed after the fact but the studio chatter behind the songs you are showcasing is a bit distracting.
I must let you that my 8 year old son LOVES Weird Al and knows all of the words to Eat It and I Lost on Jeopardy. He laughed uncontrollably when we played One More Minute for him. The new album is so great.
Oh NO! I need a professional proofreader!


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Encounters with large hungry carnivores, close shaves with extinction, dangerous views about conservation, Chris will expose the truth about our wildlife. Illustrated with photographs and film clips.
This talk took place on 17th October but you can watch Chris's video about AfriCat and the inspirational work they are doing with big cats to keep them free and in the wild.


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Not just a home rental, but a Private Island Complex in the Ozello Keys. Experience the Real Florida here on the Nature Coast; only minutes from Crystal River and Homosassa.
Land bridge access with electronic security gate gives you the privacy and convenience of driving to/from your own private island with amenities you won't get from any other home rental! No traffic noise to hinder the awesome wildlife and beautiful serenity here.
Swim or relax in one of the 2 spas or the 45' solar-heated pool with 2 32' waterfalls and wet bar. As you relax in one of the stargazing chairs by the bonfire ring (wood included with your stay), watch one of Mother Nature's night shows, unhampered by city lights.
All linens, towels and dishes are furnished in both units, each having a full kitchen with dishwasher, microwave, stove and all cooking utensils, including glasses, dishes, pots and pans.
Rent both upper and lower homes (2 bedroom 1.5 bath each) and only your group will be in Paradise*.
When you rent here, you rent an island retreat complex with many amenities. Be sure you know what is included with your rental, as we have become aware of others making it appear they have enough kayaks for your group; most have 1 or 2 at best, whereas we provide 14. Whether it's paddling with dolphins or exploring some of the 300 islands with one of the 14 kayaks/2 canoes that come at no extra charge, this alone could save a family of 16 more than $800 a day!
Rent a private island, not just a home-in-a-row on a canal. 360 degrees of open water views with very few boats going by!
We also can set you up to snorkel with the manatee or have a private all day tour of Crystal River, including snorkeling and fishing on your own private pontoon boat with your own licensed guide.
Make this the vacation of a lifetime for just a few dollars more.
*Caretakers on property to take care of any needs you may have.
I am a semi retired artist. I bought this island to retire to. After having several of my art customers come stay. i thought, would't it be nice to make a living sharing this beautiful natural spot with those that would never get to stay on an island like this. Or kayak the islands with dolphins Private Island home, land accessible, many amenities you will not get with an in-town home. *
"This island was abused. I had gone by by boat and saw siding falling off. Major piles of trash every where. I thought how could any one do that to a estuary property. So 48 hours later I owned it. Private Island home, land accessible, many amenities you will not get with an in-town home. * Specializing in groups of 12 to 20, great for family reunions or gatherings. * FREE use of 14 kayaks and 2 canoes (save up to $700/day). * FREE firewood for nightly bonfires. *"
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is one of the best places in the state to view manatees, some of which are treated here before being released into the wild. An excellent value at $13/adult, $5/child, spend the afternoon at the zoo and research center (15 minute drive from Paradise).
Rainbow Springs State Park offers swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing (squirrels, otter, turtles, alligators, songbirds, hummingbirds, red-shoulder hawks, osprey, barred owls, and various water birds).
Weeki Wachee Springs is where underwater performances by mermaids (women wearing fish tails) can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting. Visitors can swim at Buccaneer Bay, see the Misunderstood Creatures Animal Show, or take a riverboat ride down the Weeki Wachee River.
Crystal River Archaeological State Park is a 61 acre National Historic Landmark, activities include salt and fresh water fishing, bird watching and a boat tour of Crystal River.
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park contains the remnants of the once-thriving 5,100-acre sugar plantation, serving as a supplier of sugar products for southern troops during the Civil War.
Take a manatee snorkel trip for as little as $30 (let us know and we can book it for you).
Many Orlando area amusement parks and attractions are just a day trip away.
Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Event | ||||
Sale rates
Nov 20 2014 -
Mar 13 2015
2 night minimum stay
Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add $15 per night, per additional guest | |||||||||
Summer rates
May 30 2015 -
Sep 10 2015
Changeover Day: Saturday 7 night minimum stay
Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add $10 per night, per additional guest |
Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency (USD) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.
90 days or more out 1/3 down 1/3 60 days out 1/3 30 days out
90 days or less bal in full call for other arrangements
Private Island home, land accessible, many amenities you will not get with an in-town home.
* Specializing in groups of 12 to 20, great for family reunions or gatherings.
* FREE use of 14 kayaks and 2 canoes (save up to $800/day).
* FREE firewood for nightly bonfires.
* We offer the ultimate in privacy and security for your group.
For the cost of renting a kayak each day
"Open water views. Few boats a day go by so very private. With help on site if you have a problem I am here to take care of now now not in 2 or 3 days like most rentals. We are very different in that this property has about 50 hours a week put into it to maintain the pool waterfalls tiki yard and more. Please email to see out site direct for over 130 photo"


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Anti TNF therapy is changing the way AS is managed
In people with AS, along with some other forms of inflammatory arthritis, a protein called tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is over-produced in the body. This causes inflammation and damage to bones, cartilage and tissue. Anti TNF therapy blocks the action of TNF and can reduce inflammation.
The five anti TNF drugs licensed by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of AS are:
Approved by NICE for use in AS
Licensed for use in non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis
Suitable for people with Crohn's disease
Can help reduce the severity and frequency of uveitis attacks
Self administered by an injection pen device once fortnightly
- Not yet been reviewed by NICE but likely to be available in many rheumatology departments
- Licensed for AS and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis
- Self administered by a pre-filled syringe once fortnightly
Approved by NICE for use in AS
Not approved for Crohn's disease
Self administered by an injection device once or twice a week
Also available in a pre-filled syringe
Approved by NICE for AS
Not approved for Crohn's Disease
Self administered by an injection device once monthly
Not approved by NICE for AS on the grounds of cost
Administered in an out patients clinic by an infusion (drip) every 8 weeks
Who can have anti TNF therapy?
Many people with AS do not need anti TNF therapy because they are managing well on medications such as NSAIDs along with physiotherapy.
If you have been through a range of different therapies, are in pain and your AS is really having a negative impact on your life then do ask your rheumatologist at your next appointment if they think you are eligible and suitable for anti TNF therapy.
Remember that only consultant rheumatologists can prescribe anti TNF therapy. Your GP cannot offer it to you. So if you are not under the care of a rheumatologist do ask your GP to refer you.
If you want to see a rheumatologist but aren't sure where you should go then you can always call Sally Dickinson on the Helpline.
For more details you can look at the full NICE guidelines. You can also look at a quick reference guide and a version aimed at patients.
Will anti TNF therapy work for me?
The evidence shows that anti TNF therapy works in around 8 in 10 AS patients and the benefits do not seem to wear off over time. There is no proof as yet that anti TNF has a positive impact on radiographic (x-ray) progression of the condition or that it can prevent new bone formation.
People get best results from anti TNF therapy when they use it alongside a daily stretching and exercise routine.
Anti TNF therapy usually stops working when you stop taking it. On average people relapse within 14 weeks of stopping therapy. The main reasons for having to stop therapy are:
Deciding to start a family
Serious infections
If you need or plan to stop treatment temporarily for any reason, it is important to plan and discuss this with your consultant well in advance.
What are the risks and side effects?
Anti TNF therapy has relatively few side effects. The most common are injection site reactions and minor infections.
As yet the long term side effects and risks of anti TNF therapy are not fully understood because they are still a relatively new treatment, however there is now over 10 years experience of using these treatments in patients with other types of arthritis and no pattern of serious long term side effects is emerging. Safety data is being collected by in large registries around the world, principally the UK, (British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register), mainland Europe and Scandinavia.
Last reviewed: May 2014
Please note that while NASS have made all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any error or omission. NASS can take no responsibility for your use of the content. Material included in this website is for general use only. The content provided is for information purposes only and is in no way intended to be a substitute for medical consultation with a qualified professional.


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Found the same room at a different price? Tell us, and we'll offer to match it.
The Globe and Crown (formerly Globetrotters)
3 | Self Classified Hotel | Ratings explained |
Yeovil is a vibrant market town situated on the southern border of Somerset, 130 miles from London, 40 from Bristol and 30 from Taunton. Sherborne Castle and Montacute House are only a short drive away


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Friday, July 15 2011 |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:04 PM (EDT) |
With a black and orange design on their non-reference video cards, itÆs no surprise that we jumped on the chance to take a look at one of Zotac's AMP! Cards. The card they sent was their Nvidia GTX 550 Ti AMP!, an overclocked version of the card wetook a look at this past March. With the core clock set at a steamy 1000 MHz IÆm excited to see how well their aftermarket heatsink will perform. While we are at it we are going to bring out our reference card and run through our SLI testing also. Not only do you get overclocked numbers, but we can see how well this budget card performs when you double up. |
Arctic Sound P281 DJ Headphones Review @ ViperlairArctic Sound P281 DJ Headphones Review @ Viperlair |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:04 PM (EDT) |
The Arctic Cooling Arctic Sound P281 DJ Headphones are quite comfortable to wear. They are not particularly heavy, and the padding on the headband supports the top nicely on your head. The soft leather cushioning inside the cups presses gently against your head, and if you're not a huge hulking beast you should find your ears will fit inside the cups. If you do happen to have big ears, you'll be thankful of the soft leather cushioning. Glasses wearers will also be happy as I managed to listen to music and watch a few films for hours without any discomfort. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:03 PM (EDT) |
But building an ITX system can be a slight pain as you are normally working within a tight space. But it gets no tighter as Sapphire has graced the world with the smallest PC in the world. This is SapphireÆs second attempt as such a system. The first was a huge success but lack a few necessities one would one in a PC system today. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:03 PM (EDT) |
Corsair hit a home run in the latter half of 2010 with the release of their Vengeance 12GB 1600mhz kit. Buyers on Newegg raved about the stability of the kit, and the ability to run the Cas9-rated sticks at Cas 8. While this is something that would not impress most RAM overclockers, it did seem to put a smile on a lot of mid- to high-level PC users. Corsair seems to want to follow up their success with the recently released 12GB 2000Mhz version of the Vengeance ram with a slight difference. This kit claims to only need 1.5v to run at their rated 2000Mhz speed. Many other 2000Mhz kits recommend 1.65v to perform this feat. Being able to run high performance RAM at lower voltage settings without giving up performance would pique the interests of almost any PC user. Today, we are going to see how well the new Vengeance kit stacks up against other 2000Mhz kits currently on the market, and if the modules can deliver competitive 2000MHz performance while only requiring less juice than the competition. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:03 PM (EDT) |
Corsair presents the love child of the Obsidian 800D and the Graphite 600T series. The result is certainly stunning, as the Obsidian 650D offers the best of both worlds, with excellent interior design and great exterior looks & functionality. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:02 PM (EDT) |
The Corsair SP2200 Soundsystem arrived Technic3D. The SP2200 is designed for gamers and media enthusiasts who want a compact 2.1 speaker system that doesnÆttake a lot of space. 46 Watts of total power, with 30 Watts dedicated to the 6" subwoofer, ensure room-shaking bass and clean, crisp audio reproduction at any volume level. Excellent stereo imaging with agenerous ōsweet spotö ensure a competitive advantage in games and realistic music and movie audio? We will check this and many more in the following Review. |
SteelSeries 5H v2 Limited Edition (Medal Of Honor) Headset Review @ eTeknix.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:02 PM (EDT) |
Headsets are one of the peripherals that gamers love. For this reason lots of limited edition products are designed specifically to cater for the game in question. In this case we are looking at the Medal of Honor edition of the standard 5H v2 headset. As far as it looks, they have just given the headset a paint job, but sometimes looks can be deceptive. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:02 PM (EDT) |
Today we really have the right piece of hardware to test; and of course to hear! It looks really tempting at first sight so let's play with it to hear what Roccat has prepared under the hood of the Kulo Virtual 7.1 USB Gaming Headset for you, our dear readers . This is the second version of the Kulo stereo Gaming Headset, featuring a 7.1 USB sound card. How cool is this Kulo really? |
Thermalright Macho HR-02 CPU Cooler Review @ Real World Labs |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EDT) |
The very recently launched Macho HR-02 CPU Air Cooler is actually an TY-140 140mm PWM silent fan bundled with the already excellent, yet somewhat bulky standalone HR-02 passive CPU Cooler by Thermalright which also passed from our test bench almost a year ago. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EDT) |
So what makes this card different then? To put things bluntly, the main attraction of this particular variant of the IceQ family is that this HIS video graphics adapter can be paired with another graphics card. WhatÆs so special about that I hear you ask? Well, up until now, we enthusiasts have had to utilise SLI or Crossfire to pair our GPUÆs and even then we were restricted to using cards from the same base manufacturer, NVIDIA or AMD. The difference with the HIS HD6970 2GB Mix is that you can you crossfire the card with another AMD GPU from the same family as per normal Crossfire specifications but (and here's where it gets interesting), you can also Mix it up with an equivalent card from NVIDIA! |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EDT) |
The Patriot WildFire is a 120GB SSD using the latest Sandforce SF-2281 controller, and 32nm MLC NAND memory. Together these components promise enterprise-level performance in a package priced for hardware enthusiasts. Hit our review to see if the WildFire can live up to its name, or if it ends up burning out prematurely. |
Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage Review @ Legit Reviews |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EDT) |
The Seagate GoFlex Satellite is more than just a shell on a 2.5" 500GB notebook hard drive supporting USB 3.0 connectivity with an external power brick. This drive has its own battery supply and integrated 802.11n wireless access point all in the same form factor as other external drives in the GoFlex line. I was amazed by how easily and quickly I was able to use this product right out of the box. It was a simple operation to move content on to the GoFlex and stream it back off to any wireless device.. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:00 PM (EDT) |
Many months after the initial launch there are a wide variety of HD6970′s available on the market, some with custom coolers and others with enhanced PCB designs. Today we are looking at the new HD6970 board from HIS, which features both. |
Patriot Javelin S4 4-Bay Media Server Review @Hi Tech Legion |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:00 PM (EDT) |
The Patriot Javelin S4 is an entry level NAS aimed for home and small office use. The Patriot Javelin S4 can fit up to 4 SATA2 drives and 12TB of total storage (3TB x 4). The Javelin S4 supports RAID 0,1, 5 and 10 configurations as well as a hot-spare drive. Since it is designed to be a home media server, the Patriot Javelin S4 supports both MAC and Windows and is uPNP and DLNA compatible. Other features inside the Patriot Javelin S4 4-bay media server include remote mobile phone app playback support for both iOS and Android devices, built-in Bittorent download manager, iTunes server capability, Logitech Squeezebox capability, data backup and Apple TimeMachine support, multi-user management and various internet sharing capabilities. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EDT) |
For the cooler itself, I can say a few things. The heatpipe layout is ideal, and the construction is solid. I wish that the base was finished to a finer surface, as it could use a good polishing to reach that mirror finish. The rubber fan straps could be a little clumsy if the install was done in the case, as they have to stretch around the corners. With metal clips, you can easily "hook" the hard to reach areas first, and then place them around the opposite corner. This isn't the case with the rubber straps, but it's cool to see something different. I wouldn't have made it my first choice if I was handling the design, but it works! |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EDT) |
When one thinks about Cooler Master, the first thing that comes into mind is cases, power supplies, and cooling accessories. Recently, however, Cooler Master has been venturing into the peripheral market for gaming enthusiasts. Many other companies have begun to add peripherals to their product lineup as well. In order to stay competitive with other companies, Cooler Master has developed the Spawn gaming mouse as part of the CM Storm series of Cooler Master's gaming peripherals. This mouse was developed as an affordable solution for gamers who want a competitive edge over their opponents. Retailing at $50, this product is designed as a mid range gaming mouse developed for "claw-grip" style mouse users. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EDT) |
Started in 1994 Mushkin Enhanced has been well received for years by enthusiasts for their RAM's overclocking ability and sharp aesthetics. Mushkin has many different lines ranging from their Essentials for budget conscious consumers all the way to their Redline series which utilizes the cream of the crop integrated circuits to get the fastest speed possible with tight timings. The Redline series has been well received by overclockers and so pushing on that success Mushkin has released the Redline Enhanced 1600Mhz 7-8-7-24 kit utilizing their proprietary Ridgeback heat spreader. Benchmark Reviews will be running this kit through its paces to see if it stacks up the competition or if falls short when it really matters. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EDT) |
The F1A75-V Pro will be ASUS' flagship model regarding AMD's FM1 APUs' Llano. Therefore it's able to score with a long featurelist. But first of all we will check if it is able to convince from a layout and design perspective. |
Bitcoin Mining GPU Performance Comparison - AMD vs. NVIDIA @ HardOCP |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:58 PM (EDT) |
Bitcoin mining is a new form of virtual money. The economics of it are fascinating, but the real interest for us is that you can use your GPU to accelerate the mining process, and you'll be shocked at the difference between NVIDIA and AMD GPU performance. If you want to setup a Bitcoin box, this article will get you moving in the right direction. |
Tuesday, July 12 2011 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:07 PM (EDT) |
Laptop cooling products are something we have seen more and more of on the market. You can usually find something designed for your purpose just by looking around. You might be going for cooling, comfort, or some combination of the two. The Cooler Master NotePal X-Slim aims for the cooling side of things with an emphasis on being compact and portable. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:07 PM (EDT) |
NZXT, a company that is known more for their PC cases, have released their fourth fan controller. Th Sentry Mesh controller is definitely more on the simpler side of things, using hassle-free sliders to control the fan speeds of which are connected. Nothing more, nothing less; simple function, simple results. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:06 PM (EDT) |
The Dell Vostro 3350 is a 13.3-inch ultraportable laptop that's geared towards small business users. It has fantastic battery life and mobile broadband capabilities, but it only has average performance in the end. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 PM (EDT) |
Today we will take a look at the newest gamer oriented case from CM Storm called Enforcer. It is a midisized case with a window and some nice features. |
Crucial Ballistix Sport PC3-12800 CL10 12GB Kit Review @ Real World Labs |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 PM (EDT) |
The latest Ballistix Sport DDR3 1600MHz 12GB CL10 triple channel memory kit may not be suitable for hardcore overclockers and enthusiasts but it's a very good choice for people who are out to get an 12GB triple channel kit with price as the determining factor. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 PM (EDT) |
Being unique, heavy, featuring a complex design and working with big name BMW meant that the cost of the Level 10 soared way beyond what many would spend on a chassis. Now, Thermaltake are back with a simplified version of the original Level 10 ¢ the Level 10 GT. In essence this is the smaller brother of the original design and comes with a smaller price tag too. We first saw the Level 10 GT at CeBIT 2011 and since then we have been keen to review this new product. So letÆs begin our analysis of the Level 10 GT from Thermaltake. |
GIGABYTE Z68X-UD7-B3 Intel Z68 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 PM (EDT) |
If we were to look at strictly the performance of the GIGABYTE Z68X-UD7-B3, I would have no complaints. Unfortunately, I can't look past what I feel are short comings of the Z68X-UD7-B3. It seems to me, that GIGABYTE took the P67A-UD7-B3 motherboard, slapped the Intel Z68 chipset on it and called it good. The problem with doing that is that it pretty much leaves out the features that separate Intel Z68 chipset from the P67 chipset. You would expect that the boards would be priced close to the same, but that is not the situation that we have here today. We found that the GIGABYTE Z68X-UD7-B3 is currently retailing for $349.99 plus shipping and the GIGABYTE P67A-UD7-B3 is retailing for $294.99 after rebate. That means that there is a $55 price difference between two identical motherboards. What do you get for $55? Intel Smart Response Technology (SRT) for SSD caching... |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 PM (EDT) |
Today we are going to look at the Corsair Obsidian 650D Mid-Tower case which is the smallest model in the Obsidian range. It shares the same styling cues as the larger 700D and 800D cases but comes in at a much more affordable price point. It doesnÆt look like Corsair have compromised much on the feature set to achieve this lower price, though, so we are excited to look at the case in more detail. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:01 PM (EDT) |
The ASUS F1A75-V Pro motherboard is part of AMDÆs FM1 APU based desktop line-up. The ASUS F1A75-V Pro is equipped with the Hudson D3 FCH, designed to support PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (at 4x speed) graphics as well as 6 SATA III and 4 USB 3.0 ports. Since the F1A75-V Pro is an ASUS motherboard, it uses a DIGI+ VRM power design for precise power delivery, high performance and rock solid stability. For extra connectivity, the ASUS F1A75-V pro also has two more USB 3.0 ports and an additional SATA III port via Asmedia USB3 and SATA controllers. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:01 PM (EDT) |
Around the same time that SandForce emerged as the leading force in the SSD controller market, OCZ Technology, a company that is known for its memory, shifted its focus to concentrate on SSD storage. A quick glance through OCZ's website shows that the company carries no less than 10 lines of SSDs with different form factors and different interfaces. OCZ has SSDs for the SATA 3 Gbps, SATA 6 Gbps, PCI-Express, SAS, and USB interfaces, and in 3.5-inch, 2.5-inch, and 1.8-inch form factors. OCZ demonstrated its commitment to get ahead in SSDs when it purchased Indilinx for 32 million USD in 2011. The shift in focus paid off well for OCZ, as it has become one of the biggest players in the SSD industry. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:00 PM (EDT) |
If you're overclocking your CPU, you're going to need a better cooler than the one that shipped with your CPU. There are many aftermarket alternatives, but enthusiasts know that Thermalright's products should always be on their short list. The problem is the high-performance coolers can cost quite a lot, with prices of more than $75 for top-end air coolers and well over $100 for good all-in-one water coolers. Thermalright tries to address this problem with the Macho HR02 cooler, which they pitch as their "mainstream enthusiast" product. At an MSRP of $39.95, it comes in well under most high performance coolers, but will its performance match theirs? Benchmark Reviews puts this product to the test. |
Monday, July 11 2011 |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:28 PM (EDT) |
PowerColor's a familiar name to the AMD Radeon community. If they don't offer the widest variety of variations on AMD's reference designs, I don't know who does! They have no fewer than eight different versions of AMD's Radeon HD6850 card, ranging from factory-overclocked "PCS+" variants to a single-slot-cooler version to the one Benchmark Reviews is looking at today: the passively-cooled PowerColor SCS3 HD6850 1GB GDDR5. This card uses a massive fan-less heat sink to offer the performance of an HD6850 without any noise at all, and is certainly one of the highest-performing graphics cards I've ever seen with a passive cooler. Will this really work? How far will it overclock? |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:27 PM (EDT) |
AKG's K701 boasts one of the widest sound stages available out of any set of cans, and with the use of Dolby's tech that wide sound stage becomes so much more. These same technologies that helped Corsair's HS1 USB headset make movies much more enjoyable by making me feel more involved apply here as well, but the largest difference, mostly thanks to the K701s, is that games are incredible to play. Not only can I immerse myself visually in a game world, I can also immerse myself sonically in it. It's great fun and a huge joy that I haven't experienced in some years since I moved away from Creative's offerings with EAX. Had I been able to test the Xonar U3 in person before purchasing, using my K701s, I would have been very compelled to purchase it based solely on its gaming performance. |
NZXT H2 Classic Series Silent Midtower Case Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:27 PM (EDT) |
NZXT supplied three quiet 120mm fans with the H2 and there are two more spots to add more fans. All fans and optional fan areas have filtering to keep most of the dust and debris out of the interior of the case. And with an integrated fan speed controller and lots of sound dampening material throughout the case, the system can stay cool and quiet! |
Sapphire HD 6950 Dirt 3 Edition DX11 Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:26 PM (EDT) |
The Sapphire HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition Video Card uses a stock clocked HD 6950 with 2GB GDDR5, but certainly comes in with quite a bit more than a reference board. Naturally, the Sapphire HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition is named for its inclusion of a free copy of Codemaster's newest driving game Dirt3, as well as Sapphire's own TRIXX utility, but the offerings do not stop on the software side. Pulling the HD 6950 D3 Edition from the box, you are greeted with a card that looks as far from reference as you can get. A molded black housing covers the board of the Sapphire HD 6950 D3, with two fans mounted for additional, and quieter, cooling. A look in the side shows hefty heat pipes to add to the already enhanced cooling capacity. |
Gigabyte A75M-UD2H FM1 Llano Motherboard Review @ eTeknix.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:26 PM (EDT) |
As we already know, Bulldozer is what everyone is waiting for, but on the way saw a couple of stop gaps for AMD Fusion, the first being Brazos which gave us a low-powered APU that combined the best of both CPU and GPU and still to this date, we believe is perfect for HTPC or server usage. In fact, we believe that so much that we have the Asus E35M1-M Pro powering our server, whilst the Gigabyte E350N-USB3 sits comfortably in our HTPC so we certainly found a use for them. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:25 PM (EDT) |
With most SSD manufacturers focusing on transfer speeds by choosing the incredibly fast SandForce SF-22xx SATA III controller for their latest solid state drives Apacer has decided on taking the price/performance path by sticking with their award winning previous generation SF-1222 controller. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:25 PM (EDT) |
WeÆve tested a few Synology products here at XSR over the past couple of years, but theyÆve always been big Diskstations with plenty of storage capacity, or the physical space to add a large ammount of your own. Today IÆm looking at something a little different. It still has Station in the name, but it wonÆt be building any ōGood robot UsÆesō, this one is a USB variant. No storage space of its own, but able to use your network and attached drives as its own personal data bank. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:24 PM (EDT) |
PowerColor's exclusive HD 6870 X2 unifies two HD 6870 graphics processors on a single card. This approach offers performance that can compete with other high-end cards like GTX 580. In our testing we saw nice results that make this card a worthy alternative in today's high-end graphics card market. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:23 PM (EDT) |
When we looked at Llano, we determined that its CPU performance is similar to Athlon II X4 or Phenom II X4 840 processor, so why would a discrete GPU user choose Llano instead of an Athlon II X4 or Phenom II X4? Should the user choose a more expensive CPU for gaming? Firstly, Llano is more power efficient and runs much cooler than the 45nm processors. We'll be testing the second question today. |


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Winter Wow!Fest Events
February 18-20, 2011
Downtown Traverse City - Open Space Park - Mt. Holiday
Don't let cabin fever set in this winter – get out and enjoy some great winter fun in Traverse City at Winter Wow!fest.
The Cherry Capital Winter Wow!fest is a weekend celebration of winter fun including food, music, ice and snow sculptures and lots of fun wintertime activities that the entire family will enjoy.
Downtown will be alive with ice sculptures lining the streets in the Front St. District in the heart of Traverse City's famed historic shopping district. Snow sculptures will be on display at the new Winter Wow!fest Celebration Central where the excitement will begin on Friday night with Winter, Wine and Wow! and continue all day on Saturday with non-stop events, family activities, music, food, beer and lots of fun! You won't want to miss all the action!
Sign up or purchase Tickets for Winter Wow!Fest Events:
Winter, Wine & Wow Friday, February 17 5:00pm - 10:00pm |
Monster Dog Pull Saturday, February 18 10:00am - 1:00pm |
Snowball Softball Tournament Saturday, February 18 9:00am - 5:00pm |
Soup'r Chili 5k Saturday, February 18 10:00am |
Monster Dog Pull Rail Jam Winter Wine&Wow Softball
For more information visit: Winter, Wine & Wow!


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Sponsored Post: DIY Animal Magnets and Astrobrights Paper Giveaway
April 2, 2014
This month, I've partnered up with Astrobrights paper to bring you a fun kids craft and an awesome giveaway! The lucky winner will receive a generous package of Astrobrights paper in 26 attention-getting shades and also a $50 gift card to Office Depot. I've been using Astrobrights papers for years (literally — since my college job at the campus print shop over a decade ago) and is my go-to paper for projects and print jobs that need to pop and stand out.
To enter giveaway, just leave a comment at the end of this post sharing how you would use Astrobrights paper to color your world! Giveaway closes Friday, April 11th at 12 midnight PST. Good luck!
Instructions for DIY project below…
Astrobrights paper
Self-adhesive magnets (I used a magnet strip that I cut down)
Glue stick
Various round objects (such as a glass or spice jar) for tracing
Step 1: Cut out photos of your children in the shape of a circle. Mine were about 2″ in diameter.
Step 2: Cut a circle out from cardboard, same size as the photo. Glue photo to cardboard.
Step 3: To make a lion's mane, cut out two circles (each circle larger than your child's photo) in contrasting colors. Cut an opening so the photo can peek through. Fringe the edges and glue mane pieces together, then attach to photo.
Step 4: Add ears and whiskers.
Step 5: Lastly, attach magnet to backside. You're finished! My kids thought these were silly and giggled at their masked faces!
Find Astrobrights on Facebook , Pinterest, Tumblr and Twitter.
Update: Congrats to Marty, comment #2, on winning the gift pack from Astrobrights! Thank you all for reading here and participating in the giveaway!
Hot Wheels Car Maker Review + Giveaway
September 26, 2013
To end the week, I have a fun giveaway for you. Hot Wheels recently sent us their car maker to try out and I can't tell you how excited the boys were over creating and designing their own cars. It's like the perfect collision (eh, accidental pun) of two worlds; cars and crafting!
The kit comes with enough supplies to make 10 car bodies. Only three chassis were included, but the kids enjoyed switching out the different bodies. Two types of molds output a car shape and a truck, all easily customizable with various decals.
The process was really simple; insert a plastic stick into the top of the car maker (a purple stick is already placed so the first car is inevitably purple), slide one of the molds into the car maker base, and (get this!) follow the voice instructions because the machine talks. And plays music, which only adds to the drama of the artistic process.
The car maker takes about 7-10 minutes to melt down the plastic stick (all done safely inside the car maker) after which you're prompted by Mr. Hot Wheels himself to push down the lever. You'll have to wait another 10 minutes for the plastic to cool down enough to handle, but everything is self-timed and the door at the base will pop open when ready.
A little tool helps you easily pop the car body off the mold. This part was a tiny bit messy, but overall it was a low-trash/debris project. Obviously the plastic isn't as durable as its die-cast metal counterparts, BUT you get to add your own stickers — which the boys enjoyed.
This is definitely a favorite toy of ours. You can purchase directly from the Mattel website, but Mattel was generous enough to offer one lucky reader a kit of their own! To enter, simply leave a comment at the end of this post. Edited: Wanted to add that I just created a Facebook page for Ambrosia Creative. Feel free to leave a second comment/entry for yourself for liking my new Facebook page, thank you!
Giveaway closes October 7, 2013 and I will contact the winner by email. Good luck!
Giveaway: Furniture Makeovers Book
July 26, 2013
I recently worked on my first (amateur) refinish, so the timing felt perfect when Chronicle Books invited me to take part in their latest blog tour!
Barb Blair is the founder of Knack Studios and also a miracle-worker with furniture pieces that are past their prime. Her book, Furniture Makeovers, has over 26 techniques to transform old furniture and 30 examples of before-and-after makeovers with instructions on how to do it yourself.
If you're interested in getting your hands on a free copy along with a tote back from Knack Studios, just leave a comment below! Giveaway closes next Saturday, August 3rd at midnight EST. Good luck!
Update: Congrats to Marty, comment #28 for winning the Furniture Makeovers book!
So Pretty! Felt Book Review and Giveaway
May 9, 2013
Chronicle Books recently published So Pretty! Felt, a DIY book by author Amy Palanjian and contributing crafters. I was sent a copy of this beautiful book to review and Chronicle kindly wants to offer a copy to one of my readers too!
If you love working with felt and are comfortable with sewing (or hand-stitching at a minimum) you would be excited to thumb through these fabulous projects with step-by-step instructions. Just last night, I put together an easy geometric felt bunting for the boys' room and will be tackling the modern table runner above next!
You can purchase So Pretty! Felt from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Chronicle Books. To win a copy, leave a comment below. Giveaway ends next Thursday, May 16, after which I'll contact the winner via email. Below are more reviews and book giveaways:
Thursday, May 9 – The Sweetest Occasion
Friday, May 10 – West Coast Crafty & One More Mushroom
Saturday, May 11 – Mod Podge Rocks
Monday, May 13 – Handmade Charlotte & Fabric Paper Glue
Tuesday, May 14 – MINT & A Spoonful of Sugar
Wednesday, May 15 – Positively Splendid & Hart and Sew
Thursday, May 16 – Rouge and Whimsy & So You Think You're Crafty
Friday, May 17 – Aesthetic Nest & Dollar Store Crafts
Kiwi Crate Review and Giveaway
April 3, 2013
The boys and I recently had the privilege of sampling a craft kit sent by the folks at Kiwi Crate. The boys are always impressed by packages addressed directly to them, and were even more impressed at the two colorful wind-powered projects inside! There were a few "ooohs!" and "whoas!" as spontaneously captured:
Each Kiwi Crate comes with all the supplies you need for a particular project. I had pulled out my tape and scissors from my own craft supplies, but there was no need because even those are included in each kit! The best part is, we were sent a sibling crate which has plenty of materials for each child. Because the boys had their own sets, there was no fighting, no squabbling, no whining-and-dining (as my mom likes to put it). This may very well have been one of the least stressful craft sessions we've ever done!
My five-year-old needed assistance, oh, maybe 50% of the time. But my 7-year-old was able to accomplish the projects mostly on his own. The materials are colorful, neatly packaged, and kid-friendly. Each project occupied the kids for about 25 minutes and they were completely engaged the entire time! Here are the finished wind cars:
Working on the wind sock:
Subscribers benefit from free shipping and recieve never before released crates. Single crates would be great for birthday gifts, rainy days, or nice to test run if you're not ready to commit to a subscription.
We had such a great experience with our kit, I am thrilled that Kiwi Crate has offered to send a crate to one of my readers! To enter, please leave a comment mentioning which single crate you'd be interested in. Giveaway ends next Thursday, April 11 at midnight, and I will contact the winner directly.
Kiwi Crate also has a giveaway going on right now where you can win every item in their DIY Materials Pop-up Shop along with a table from Pottery Barn.
Good luck!!


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White Plains, New York, is widely known as the hometown of Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. But White Plains has plenty more to offer, including prestigious Chemical Peels providers. Select a name from the directory below to learn more about a White Plains Chemical Peels provider or to schedule a consultation near White Plains, New York City, Newark, Long Island, and beyond.
Phone: 877.576.8239
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(UN translation)
France fully supports resolution 1863 (2009) and welcomes its unanimous adoption by the Security Council. I should also like to thank Ambassador Khalilzad for the decisive role he played in the negotiation of the text.
Inaction is not an option given the tragedy facing the Somali people. We are thinking in particular of those millions of people who are currently dependent on international aid and of those waves of displaced persons fleeing the violence who find themselves in the most precarious of conditions on the Afgoye road.
On the other hand, to decide to establish a peacekeeping operation when the necessary political and security conditions are not in place would be to destine the Blue Helmets to failure and to give false hope to one of the most traumatized populations of Africa. It would also have been wrong for us to commit blindly to deploying a peacekeeping operation at an arbitrary date.
The approach spelled out in resolution 1863 (2009) allows us both to send a strong political signal and to begin to take concrete action in Somalia itself. The resolution sends the new and realistic political message that the Security Council is ready in principle to establish a peacekeeping operation once the necessary conditions have been met. The resolution is very clear on this point. It is also very clear in setting out that, once those conditions are met, a subsequent decision will need to be taken by the Council.
Naturally, that decision will be taken in response to political and security developments in the situation. In that respect, we look forward to the Secretary- General's delivery in April of a detailed report that will equip the Security Council to take a decision at that point.
Major events are taking place. The Ethiopian army has now withdrawn from Mogadishu. Following the resignation of President Yusuf on 29 December 2008, presidential elections are being planned for 26 January. The risks are great, but it is crucial that the Somali parties seize the political opportunities before them to implement fully the Djibouti agreement, make it completely inclusive, pursue political dialogue and start the work to improve security in certain areas.
Resolution 1863 (2009) enables the Security Council to act right now to support the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). We wish here to pay tribute in particular to Uganda and to Burundi for their efforts. It also makes it possible to support the joint security force created following the Djibouti agreement. The resolution calls on the Secretary-General to establish a trust fund and to organize a donors conference to find additional resources, as well as to establish a logistics support package for AMISOM, as he proposed on 19 December. All of this can and should be done quickly, in a spirit of transparency and, of course, in full respect of the budgetary principles of the United Nations.
The Security Council has chosen to act in and off the coast of Somalia. On the sea, through resolutions 1846 (2008) and 1851 (2008), the fight against piracy is now actively under way, with the notable participation of members of the European Union and of many other nations. On land, resolution 1863 (2008) provides for a number of steps that have to be translated into reality. Whether we are talking about the financial measures that I have just mentioned or the assignment to Somalia of a special representative of the Secretary-General, these are all tools to help the Somalis to live up to the promise of the Djibouti agreement to restore peace finally to Somalia.


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Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, Pihaena, Moorea
Editor's Pick
French Polynesia
Tel: 689 551 111
Fax: 689 551 011
Concierge.com's insider take:
People often make comparisons between Tahiti and Hawaii; by that model, if Bora Bora has the upscale gloss of Maui and Tahiti the bustling energy of Oahu, Moorea has the verdant, rootsy soul of Kauai. The feeling is maintained by this hotel's small scale—a Hilton since January 2009, it includes 54 overwater bungalows and 52 garden and beach bungalows. Then there's the simple but luscious food: You'll never get tired of the fresh fish and vegetables in vanilla sauce at the beachside restaurant. Even the spa, where you can get a vigorous pounding by a Tahitian masseuse, feels refreshingly down to earth. Overall, the vibe here is more authentic than at other Moorea resorts; and there are quirky details, like the fat and friendly giant eel that lives under the floating bar and gets fed a regular diet of merguez sausage.