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I'm contemplating visiting Ecuador for three weeks to a month, any suggestions? I've read that if you want to go to the Galapagos it's better to wait to book until you are there?
Ecuador and the Galapagos
8 Replies Date Popularity
Are you thinking of going fairly soon? The high season for the Galápagos is from December to mid April and July/August, which does mean that cheap deals are harder to find… although the weather is lovely. If you're thinking of booking a tour, it is often better (ie cheaper) to book from Quito or Guayaquil. The time of year that you visit will impact where in Ecuador you might want to travel (the climate is very different on the coast, or in the highlands or Oriente) and you don't say what you might like to on your visit… if you've got three weeks to a month, and are planning to spend at least some of this time on the Galápagos, you might want to keep the mainland tour to a minimum. I always think that exploring a smaller part of the country means that you really get to know the people and place.
The capital city has beautiful preserved colonial squares, churches and monasteries, as well as great nightlife. There's loads of cycling, hiking and climbing that you can do nearby – Volcán Cotopaxi is an absolute must and deserves a climbing tour of two or three days (make sure that you use a reputable tour company such as Gulliver http://www.gulliver.com.ec). If you want to take it a bit easier then pretty Baños has hot springs, or you can head to the beach resort of Canoa, which is a surfer hangout popular (but not overrun) with travellers.
Rachel Mills 04/02/13
Hi Kingy35,
Not sure if by "better" you mean "cheaper", but it is definitely possible to cut your costs by organizing a last-minute deal to the Galápagos Islands – especially in the low season (May to June, and September). It's worth doing your homework and trying tour operators based in Quito or Guayaquil (as Rachel has suggested), which you know have their own boats. For the best prices you should book at Puerto Ayora; there are no guarantees, however, so you might wait for several days (or even weeks) for a space.
Boat tours are definitely the best way to visit and land-based tours are also available. It is possible to travel around independently too, by taking flights (with EMETEBE) and cooperative-run boats between the islands, but these do restrict you to the inhabited areas. However, it is still possible to take day-trips from the larger towns.
(ps Not sure when you're thinking of travelling, but you might be interested to know that we will be publishing a new edition of The Rough Guide to Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands in September this year).
Alison Roberts 04/02/13
I'm very much at the beginning stage of my planning so this all looks very useful. Hopefully i'll spend some time in the Galapagos and also visit the capital, but I am also keen on getting out and doing some hiking/exploring. Would love to see a volcano and some wildlife, so i'd guess the cloudforests would be a good stop too. Having worked in a thermal pools complex in NZ i'm always keen for a dip in a hot pool too. Thanks again for the advice/inspiraton.
Kingy35 04/02/13
No problem – happy planning!
Alison Roberts 04/02/13
Hi there!
Do you know any good company that offers tours to galapagas?
cristian21 16/02/13
Hello I can suggest a very good tour operator that is based in the city of Guayaquil. Galapagos Best they are situated on Boyaca ave 905 and Junin office number 7 phone number 042300470 they can also be found in the travel agency book called transport. Ask for Silvana she can arrange a custom tour for you. Von voyage.
Fernando Gutierrez 16/10/14
Hi @cristian21,
As you know, there are lots of companies that offer tours, so you'll definitely want to think about what is important to you. (i.e. Do you prefer a tour that caters to scuba divers, Are you prone to seasickness, Do you want hot water for showers, etc.) My personal (and positive) experience was aboard the Encantada (http://www.encantadasailboat.com) about ten years ago. If you plan to book a trip while in Ecuador, consider going to an ex-pat hangout as the regulars there may have recommendations.
Also: We've just added Ecuador to the featured destinations here on the site. You can read about the Galapagos and more here: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/ecuador/gal%C3%A1pagos-islands/
Rebecca Behan 08/03/13
My recommendation would be that you organise the tour to the Galapagos when you arrive in Quito (if that is where you are to arrive) as it will be much cheaper. The centre of Quito called the Mariscal there are plenty of places that will do it. If you do it on the first day then you can give yourself time before you go (as in you could do it at the end of your holiday). You would be looking at a minimum of $1100 for one week for a tour. Just for the flights and park entrance fee is $500 alone. Unless you have lots of time I wouldn't recommend doing it independently as the boats between the islands are small and may only run twice a day which means you could end up waiting a day or two which is not ideal if you are on a tight schedule.
As is mentioned above there are a few good places to visit around Quito such as Banos for the hot springs (make sure to check on the volcano activity as the town was closed 6months ago because of it), Otavalo for the markets and Mindo for wildlife. These are all within 3hrs bus ride.
If you haven't been to the jungle before I would highly recommend it. Ecuador is one of the few places where is is not far away from the mountains (relatively). Its possible in a few places and can be organized in the Mariscal in Quito. I went near Lago Agrio up north and it was brilliant. Just make sure that you go for as long as possible because 2 days (out and in) are taken travelling so you don't see anything those days.
You haven't given that much info but my recommendation would be
• Quito and surroundings (Banos, Otavalo, Mindo) (one week)
• Galapagos (1 week)
• Jungle (1 week)
If you need any more info I wrote about Quito and around Quito on my still being updated website. I hope they are of help to you
I hope this is of help.
TravellingforfunRoss 18/06/13
Hi kingy35,
We visited The Galapagos in April and DIY-ed it fairly cheaply (800 GBP per person). More details here if you need it: http://www.atlasandboots.com/galapagos-on-a-budget.
Kia 14/10/15


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Gay marriage
What you said? I agree with it. :)
And I am neither gay, or polygamous. :) I'm just a hippie in a Republican body, lol.
Should all people have equal rights, including marriage equality? Hell yes.
You get ONE person not two, three, four, five ect on your health insurance as your spouse. Its greedy and stupid.
Quoting Monamou:
What about health insurance, inheritance, or in a medical emergency?
Quoting MultiPara:
Well of course, but legally - there is no point.Quoting Monamou:
I understand your pov. I just feel everyones relationship is based on what that couple wants/needs.
Quoting MultiPara:
There is absolutely zero point in being legally married if you do not plan on being monogamous.Quoting Monamou:
Why? If you dont mind answering :)
Quoting MultiPara:
I'm not for polygamy .


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As a NASCAR driver, my life is competition. It's about pushing the limits within boundaries that keep me and all other drivers safe. I'm fortunate to have supportive sponsors and the means to have the most state-of-the-art safety equipment. In my case, talent and financial backing allow me to fulfill my dreams.
It's sad and unfair that my older brother doesn't have the opportunity to do the same. Why? Adam was born with an extra chromosome: Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome. That one little chromosome causes developmental and intellectual delays for Adam, but he gets up and competes with the world every day.
Adam has an awesome life. He loves helping my Dad manage my Ford dealership in Perry, Ga., and he's my biggest fan, cheering trackside at every race.
But he could have more. He should have more.
Research on Down syndrome has made tremendous strides over the last few years, and new discoveries are now fueling several promising clinical trials that one day may help improve learning and memory in those with the condition. However, a lack of funding is a major reason why my brother and the more than 250,000 Americans living with Down syndrome don't have treatments yet.
The National Institutes of Health allocate proportionately and considerably less funding for Down syndrome research than what's allocated for other diseases and disorders with much smaller populations. I'm not arguing those conditions should receive less funding; I'm saying that Adam and everyone living with Down syndrome deserve to know we're invested in helping them, too.
Research shows that people with Down syndrome are likely to develop Alzheimer's disease — as early as in their 40s — and that they are at risk of a faster aging process than people without the condition.
Given the link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, the implication for us all is that research to help people with Down syndrome may not only help the more than 5 million Americans affected by Alzheimer's, but it may hold a unique key to delaying or preventing Alzheimer's in everyone.
Research could also help Adam and others get the brain boost they need to push beyond their current limits. Treatments could mean the difference between Adam living with family for the rest of his life or being able to live independently.
My family and I support research for all people with Down syndrome. For 10 years, The LuMind Foundation (the new name of the Down Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation) has supported research to improve cognition and prevent or delay Alzheimer's in people with Down syndrome. I can't think of a more strategic research investment.
But we can't do it alone.
Together, we can make progress toward defeating Alzheimer's and improving the quality of life for people with Down syndrome — all at the same time. What's more, the benefits of this type of breakthrough will forever change the outlook and definition of aging.
Today, on World Down Syndrome Day, please support research for the Down syndrome and Alzheimer's communities. Visit www.LuMindFoundation.org to learn more about the new frontier of research. If we could match support with dollars, Adam — and all our friends with Down syndrome — will have a better chance of beating Alzheimer's and experiencing the cognitive advances that you and I enjoy every day.
David Ragan of Concord, N.C., is a NASCAR driver.
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Vehicles travel along Second Avenue South on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, in Wisconsin Rapids. The City Council approved a measure this week that would alter the lane configurations of the road in an attempt to improve safety and eventually raise the speed limit back to 35 mph. The city lowered the speed limit to 25 mph in 2008.
Following through on a promise they made in 2009, Wisconsin Rapids officials took the first steps to raise the speed limit on Second Avenue South.
The City Council approved an agreement, 7-0, Tuesday with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to make changes to the road, which doubles as highways 54 and 73, from Riverview Expressway to Gaynor Avenue. Council member Jim Stack was absent from the meeting.
The alterations will include changing pavement markings and widening a section of the road to allow two southbound lanes to enter the roundabout, all in an attempt to expedite ...


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Tue Jul 30, 2013 - 1:53 pm EST
Prince Grape and the magical fairy dust
July 30, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - My little sister was once a pro-choice, vegan animal rights activist. She believed we shouldn't kill bees trying to get their honey. To try to convince her that a fetus was a life as worthy of protection as a honeybee, I used the magical fairy dust argument on her. It goes like this: the birth canal is only a few inches long - is there magical fairy dust that is sprinkled on a fetus as it passes through the birth canal that confers humanity? A few inches higher, before the fairy dust, killing ok. A few inches lower, after fairy dust, killing not ok. Magical!
Sis came around eventually. The magical fairy dust argument is powerful because it highlights the semantic contortions necessary to reconcile abortion with the widely (though not universally) held idea that you shouldn't kill humans. Similarly, the pro-life movement seeks to focus attention on partial-birth and late-term abortions, and, more recently, the post-birth "abortions" of the Gosnell case, even if those situations represent a minority of abortions. It's because they challenge the it's-not-a-baby moral cover for all abortions by forcing us to address the killing of beings that look an awful lot like babies.
Which brings me to the Royal Birth. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I have taken a gleeful delight in following all the details of His Royal Tiny-ness. In my web-surfing on the subject, I came across the happy anecdote that the Duchess of Cambridge had nicknamed her unborn bundle "Grape" because that's how small he was at some point in the pregnancy, long before he looked much like a baby at all. I suspect she was reading one of those pregnancy sites that tell you, "at week X, your baby is the size of a grape."
The fact that the pop-culture media were so charmed by the "Grape" christening reveals the true fairy dust. It's not contact with a few vaginal inches. The real fairy dust is being wanted. Because this Royal Heir was so wanted, hoped-for, fawned-over, delighted-in, he was treated in the womb – even when he was as small as a grape - with the same loving protection and attention that he now will have outside it. Not just his mother, but the whole world thought of him as a person, spoke of him as such, gave him a nickname. Why? Because he was wanted.
Click "like" if you are PRO-LIFE!
We see this on a less grand scale all the time with our pregnant friends and family. We coo and fuss. We ask them if it will be a girl or a boy (words we usually reserve for humans). We ask them what they'll name their baby. We want to know if the baby is kicking yet. We never ask a pregnant woman how her fetus is doing.
But the other side goes to extreme pains to avoid using the b-word. The semantic difference is a moral necessity if we are to condone the killing of one and the doting on the other. A baby is wanted. A "pregnancy tissue" isn't. But is the longing or lack thereof of one's mother truly an acceptable basis on which to confer or deny humanity? After all, you can't kill a person already outside the womb for being unwanted by her mother, or because her dad was a rapist or a relative. But inside the womb, your fate as either a human to be fussed over or a "thing" to be disposed of is entirely dependent on what someone else thinks about you. Would Prince Grape have been a non-human if the Duchess of Cambridge had not wanted him? Aborted him at six months - not really the little prince just yet? Talk about unequal protection under the law.
Blessed Mother Teresa once offered a powerful challenge to the idea that being unwanted was sufficient reason to kill the unborn. In front of then-President Clinton and the assembled Washington illuminati at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast, she pleaded, "[p]lease don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child." In other words, if you can kill the unwanted but not the wanted, then how about if Mother Teresa wants them? Is that a sufficient amount of maternal wanting to call them humans again and let them be born?
Here's hoping that one day every, unborn baby will be wanted. But until that day, I'd settle for every unborn baby being considered as human as His Royal Grapeness.
Katy French lives in Washington, D.C., where she is an epidemiologist who works on anti-malaria programs in Africa.
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Carnegie art museum names new chief curator
Catherine Evans has been appointed the new chief curator of the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland.
"I am thrilled to accept this position ... at a time when museums are reimagining their roles in the 21st century," Evans said in a news release.
Evans comes to the museum from the Columbus Museum of Art, which she joined in 1996. She was curator of photography and also served as the chief curator. In 2001, she spearheaded the acquisition of the Photo League collection for which the museum is known nationally and internationally.
Lynn Zelevansky, the Henry J. Heinz II director of the museum, calls Evans "a great asset to the museum and the city."
"Along with scholarly chops and extensive museum experience, she brings to the position of chief curator a background in innovative cross-departmental programming involving technology and viewer participation," she said in the release.
Unlike past chief curators at the museum, Evans will not be responsible for one particular department or collection, but oversee all curatorial departments and functions.
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About this Order
This order concerns violations by Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. ("Atlantic Southeast" or the "Carrier"), of the Federal statutes prohibiting U.S. and foreign air carriers from subjecting any air traveler to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.
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"Elements" at Starved Rock
Elements is the new name for the Main Dining Room at Starved Rock Lodge. In addition to the new name, a new menu was unveiled at 5:00 pm Friday, January 17, 2014.
A new, hand-crafted sign hangs over the entrance to welcome guests to the historic venue built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
The Lodge's Main Dining Room has stood the test of time for its comfortable, relaxed setting and as a place for lasting memories and moments.
As Starved Rock Lodge celebrates its 75th Anniversary, naming the dining room gives it its own identity. "We were committed to staying true to the heritage of this unique place, inspired by nature and architecture," said Terry Cross, Lodge CEO and president, "The name Elements is the embodiment of the environment here as it relates to the essence of great food and drink." -
See more at: http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/new-element-starved-rocks-75th-anniversary/#sthash.QcSIoYjO.dpuf
- Starved Rock Lodge2668 East 873rd RoadPhone: 815-667-4211
North Utica, IL 61373


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When he meets with franchise president and CEO Tommy Smith this week, coach Mike Munchak will be seeking more time to turn around the Titans.
If his wish is granted, he should not only be grateful, but also perhaps a bit surprised, given the climate of impatience in the NFL when it comes to head coaches.
Almost every head coach in recent years has either made at least one playoff appearance or been fired by the time their third season was complete. ...


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David Cameron wades into Scotland's independence debate today with a warning that Alex Salmond's plans to break up Britain could devastate the Scottish defence industry.
The Prime Minister is expected to deliver the warning on a visit to a Scottish defence contractor at which he will argue that Scotland would lose global influence if it left the Union.
"Being part of the UK opens doors for the Scottish defence industry around the globe," he said in advance of the visit. "When we sell Typhoons overseas, this benefits jobs and growth for companies making components in Scotland.
"Scotland counts for more


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Braden Predmore, a freshman at Newark High School, shows his mother art projects on display outside the auditorium Thursday evening. Predmore participated in 'school within a school' class in conjunction with the Granville Studio of Visual Arts.
- Filed Under
Raymond Leslie often struggles to stay focused on a lecture in class.
But when he's holding a camera, or creating a piece of art, the concepts start clicking.
"I'm a visual learner," he said. "I like to take pictures and get a visual perspective on things that can't be said." ...


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Declaring that the DoE has "trivialized the whole notion of community involvement …" in school closures, the Supreme Court of the State of New York has reversed the DoE's attempt to close nineteen of our schools. According to the court, the legislators who created the law that guides closures "…created a public process with meaningful community involvement." The DoE did not follow that law. In particular the court seemed to take offense at the DoE's own suggestion during the course of the case that in the future "…rather than being ordered to comply with the Education Law, they should be permitted to develop their own guidelines for compliance…" That's not a new position for the DoE — that they believe they can write their own rules — and it is nice to see the arrogance of it (my words, not hers) alluded to by the judge.
[Read the full decision here.]
What is more, the court noted that there was "boilerplate treatment and a lack of meaningful detail regarding the impact on students of the proposed closures, " and especially in special programs. What would happen to the LYFE Centers in some of the closing schools, programs that include child care and parenting classes for students with children? What would happen to the special programs of Choir Academy? It was the DoE's responsibility to inform and engage the community on these matters, but it had not.
The decision is good news. As anyone knows who has looked at my postings on Edwize over the last few months, I do not believe that these schools are indeed "failing" schools, even by the DoE's standards:
- Fourteen of the nineteen schools did not meet the DoE's own standard criteria for closing. DoE admitted exactly that in at least five of the Impact Statements that the DoE issued when it moved to close the school.
- What is more, the school grades on the Progress Reports seemed to strongly correlate with a basic demographic rather than quality of the schools. Schools without self-contained students received A's with far more frequency than schools that served these students, while the schools that served them got — too often — D's.
Schools that continually fail their students need to close or be changed in significant ways. But school closures are destabilizing for the communities around them and the students who attend them. And that's why we need to get it right.
Getting it right means a true assessment of the school, and a true engagement of the school community. The DoE did not do either.
A few months ago, I wrote that I thought the schools deserved an apology and a reprieve. We have the reprieve, though the DoE is sure to appeal the decision. Will we get the apology too?


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text:
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15 Surprising Facts About Immigration
Immigration is a hot-button issue. It's important to be informed about the facts. Here are some compelling numbers to help you start a discussion. To continue the conversation, make sure you check out the BuzzFeed Brews Special Edition Immigration Summit Sponsored By The Charles Koch Institute.
The estimated number of undocumented individuals living in the United States.
The percentage of the foreign-born population in the U.S. that are undocumented as reported by the Census' American Community Survey .
The estimated amount of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. from Mexico, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
The number of Asians who arrived in the U.S. in 2010, according to the latest Census data.
The number of languages spoken in the United States, as reported by the APA Presidential Task Force.
The current cost of apprehending, detaining, processing, and transporting one individual in deportation proceedings, according to a 2010 report by Center for American Progress.
The percent that immigrants are more likely to start new businesses than existing Americans, as reported by The New York Times.
The percentage of American physicians and surgeons are who are not born in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The percentage of Americans who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
The estimated amount of money undocumented immigrants contributed to the nation's gross domestic product in 2006, as reported by USA Today.
The percentage of U.S. Nobel Laureates who are immigrants, as reported by The Huffington Post.
The percentage of Fortune 500 companies founded by an immigrant or his or her children, as found by a report from the Partnership for a New American Economy.
The estimated percentage of agricultural field workers who are undocumented in the United States, as reported by The Huffington Post.
The number of years undocumented immigrants would have to wait for citizenship under the Obama plan, as reported by The Washington Post.
The number of individuals deported in 2012, as reported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


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Gregson certainly enjoyed completing this clever puzzle. The letters absent from wordplay gave the quotation - "_____ is a geographical expression" (Metternich), missing the word Italy which was indicated by the title. When entering words in the grid extra letters gave the names of seven Italian cities, which had to be replaced by large dots. In grid order: Milan (sawmill/cyanogenesis), Turin (ring out/statute), Venice (ventpipes/delice), Genoa (stroamed/cyanogenesis), Florence (florescence/pretence), Rome (acid drop/same), Naples (unapplied/plessors).The continuous line of 19 straight lines drew a map of Italy with the seven cities lying in their correct situations. The main difficulty would be in joining the dots to form the correct outline.
Letters not entered are shown by square brackets. Letters absent from wordplay in thematic clues are in bold type.
*44a National independence in prospect but not inevitable, legally speaking (4)
NISI N (national) + I (independence)
2a Twitchy county councillor died aboard vessel (8)
SACCADIC CC + d (died) in SAIC
19d Reptile contributing regularly to the Sun (4)
TEGU odd letters of ThEsUn
*2d Special decoration for person: it shortly could be law (7)
STA[TU]TE]S (special ) + tatu + t (shortened form of it)
23d Making a circle around the moon, perhaps mistakenly inhale nitrogen (9)
*21d Water-carrier entered violently, dropping Ecstasy (10, two words)
*46a Omniscience sees nothing in a flower (8)
PANSOPHY O (nothing) in pansy
15a Blank note covered in old filth (6)
IGNORE N in gore
26a Learning to lake spades inside garden boundary? It's blooming time (11)
[FLORE]SCENCE LORE (learning) + S (spades) in FENCE
*39a Stable stone by lake (5)
STALL ST (stone) + L
28a Disciples in abundance (5)
SONSE Disciples is SONS
13a Urge island sticks to seaweed (6)
OREXIS ORE (seaweed) + IS (island)
5d Mere ten-centilitre bottles a con, perhaps (8)
*33d Highly charged with rows of blue and white shields (6)
VERREY Highly = very
14a Woodcutter? One with William's trouble (7)
SAW[MIL]L A + Wm + ILL
*42a Become fatigued, lacking energy for a month (5)
TISRI tir(e)
1d Snappy clothes I provide at back streets (10, two words)
TSOTSI SUIT I SUIT (provide) after TS TS (ST rev.)
17d Received a letter back describing talk with no fluency (7, three words)
UM AND AH Had a mu (rev.)
8 Beat back tailless beast (4)
MALL Llam(a) rev.
12 Remain anonymous in insalubrious surroundings (4)
STAY A in STY anonymous is abbreviated to A as in Alcoholics Anonymous.
16 Clearly sound note, following drummer (7, two words)
[RIN]G OUT Ringo (Starr) + UT
18 Outlets for little boy caught in turbulent events (9)
[VEN]T-PIPES PIP in anag. Events
22 Strong one in left-leaning protest took steps (7)
STR[OA]MED STR (strong) + A in DEMO (rev.)
24 Sow lettuce, initially in Egypt (3)
ELT L in ET (Egypt)
29 River lover concealing source (3)
EAU (B)eau
30 Imitate cricket, with vital energy leading to runs (5)
CHIRR chi +RR (runs)
31 Sweet abandon, hooked on drug (8, two words)
ACID D[RO]P drop (abandon) after acid(drug)
34 Hit croquet ball, but not with end of mallet (3)
ICE (T)ice
36 Pure peace organisation apparently gave false impression? (9)
UN[AP]PLIED UN + app + lied
37 Foot has end of toe behind throwing-line, following the rule (7)
TROCHEE T (the) R (rule) + oche + E (end of toe)
40 Shanty town in preferred city (6)
FAVELA fave + LA
43 Approached artist's chamber (6)
CAMERA came + RA
45 Navy aircraftsman's term of abuse (4)
NERK N (navy) + erk
3 Blue book about old poison production process (12)
CY[AN]O[GEN]ESIS (Blue) CYAN + O (old) + Genesis (Book of Bible)
4 Saddle horse with cropped tail (3)
COL Col(t)
6 Tasty treat of French insects (6)
DEL[ICE] de + lice
7 Soldier Corps goes up in smoke (3)
C (corps) + GI rev.
9 Fallout shelter run in American security operation? (8)
ALOPECIA LOPE (run) in A (American) CIA Nice hidden definition!
10 See about Latin rogue (5)
LOREL Lo + re + L
11 Throw fish back in Edmund's river (3)
LEE eel rev.
20 Pierre's ready to eat mushroom in principle (7)
PRECEPT cep in prêt
25 Harsh treatment of earl in leg-side fielding position (8)
ONCEOVER E (earl) in ON (leg-side) COVER
27 Unvaried modesty has husband leaving (4)
SA[ME] s(h)ame
29 Education, for example, raised incisiveness (4)
EDGE Ed + e.g. rev.
32 Hammers crowd changes direction, with standing room only up at the end (8)
P[LES]SORS Press (change R to L(eft)) SRO rev.
35 Scots claim Conservative Party (5)
CRAVE C + rave
38 E number used by producer of bone meal bread? (4)
ETEN E + ten ref. Giant in Jack of the Beanstalk -" I'll grind his bones to make my bread"
40 Name of upwardly-mobile old fool (3)
FON n(ame) of reversed
41 Wash cloth wrap (3)
LAP 3 meanings
42 Way pipe reverses (3)
TAO oat rev.


text: Dakota Schlag Guide For: Colorado Utah Hometown: Park City, UT | Franklin Lakes, NJ Favorite Food: Sashimi or Ropa Vieja (Cuban) Favorite Music: Hip Hop or Classic Rock Favorite thing about working for O.A.R.S.: Working with wonderful, fun, optimistic people from all walks of life Greatest Memory: Getting hired from guide school! Other Hobbies: Skiing, mountain biking, surfing Time with O.A.R.S.: Since 2014


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- Table View
- List View
George Washington: Gentleman Warriorby Stephen Brumwell
Winner of the prestigious George Washington Book Prize, George Washington is a vivid recounting of the formative years and military career of "The Father of his Country," following his journey from brutal border skirmishes with the French and their Native American allies to his remarkable victory over the British Empire, an achievement that underpinned his selection as the first president of the United States of America. The book focuses on a side of Washington that is often overlooked: the feisty young frontier officer and the early career of the tough forty-something commander of the revolutionaries' ragtag Continental Army.Award-winning historian Stephen Brumwell shows how, ironically, Washington's reliance upon English models of "gentlemanly" conduct, and on British military organization, was crucial in establishing his leadership of the fledgling Continental Army, and in forging it into the weapon that secured American independence. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including original archival research, Brumwell brings a fresh new perspective on this extraordinary individual, whose fusion of gentleman and warrior left an indelible imprint on history.
White Devilby Stephen Brumwell
In North America's first major conflict, known today as the French and Indian War, France and England-both in alliance with Native American tribes-fought each other in a series of bloody battles and terrifying raids. No confrontation was more brutal and notorious than the massacre of the British garrison of Fort William Henry--an incident memorably depicted in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. That atrocity stoked calls for revenge, and the tough young Major Robert Rogers and his "Rangers" were ordered north into enemy territory to take it. On the morning of October 4, 1759, they surprised the Abenaki Indian village of St. Francis, slaughtering its sleeping inhabitants without mercy. When the raiders returned to safety, they were hailed as heroes by the colonists, and their leader was immortalized as "the brave Major Rogers." But the Abenakis remembered Rogers differently: To them he was Wobomagonda--"White Devil."
White Devil: A True Story of War, Savagery, and Vengeance in Colonial Americaby Stephen Brumwell
In 1759, during the Anglo-French wars in North America, British officer Robert Rogers was sent on a revenge mission against Abenaki Indians in Canada's St. Lawrence Valley. The mission was fraught with danger and became legendary throughout the British Empire and is now credited with having begun the "special forces" tradition in the US army. Those on the other side, of course, saw things a bit differently, decrying the massacre of the men, women, and children of the village of St. Francis as being the actions of a Wobomagonda ("White Devil"). This text tells the story of the mission by piecing together the testimonies of those on all sides of the incident. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Select your format based upon: 1) how you want to read your book, and 2) compatibility with your reading tool. To learn more about using Bookshare with your device, visit the "Using Bookshare" page in the Help Center.
Here is an overview of the specialized formats that Bookshare offers its members with links that go to the Help Center for more information.
- Bookshare Web Reader - a customized reading tool for Bookshare members offering all the features of DAISY with a single click of the "Read Now" link.
- DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - a digital book file format. DAISY books from Bookshare are DAISY 3.0 text files that work with just about every type of access technology that reads text. Books that contain images will have the download option of 'DAISY Text with Images'.
- BRF (Braille Refreshable Format) - digital Braille for use with refreshable Braille devices and Braille embossers.
- MP3 (Mpeg audio layer 3) - Provides audio only with no text. These books are created with a text-to-speech engine and spoken by Kendra, a high quality synthetic voice from Ivona. Any device that supports MP3 playback is compatible.
- DAISY Audio - Similar to the Daisy 3.0 option above; however, this option uses MP3 files created with our text-to-speech engine that utilizes Ivona's Kendra voice. This format will work with Daisy Audio compatible players such as Victor Reader Stream and Read2Go.


text:
Enjoy a warm welcome at the Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel. We are ideally located in the city's suburban airport business district, near local attractions, shopping, and restaurants. Our eighth floor features a unique vantage point overlooking downtown Calgary and the Rocky Mountains.
A great night's sleep awaits you in one of our 305 guest rooms and suites, in the cozy Sheraton Sweet Sleeper® Bed, featuring a decadent duvet and pillow-top mattress. Connect to what matters at the Link@Sheraton(SM) experienced with Microsoft®, our connectivity hub in the heart of the lobby.
Find hours of enjoyment at our own Oasis River County, the area's largest hotel indoor water park. Zip through our two giant waterslides, make a splash at our large main pool, or unwind in our hot tubs after a full day of adventure.
Gather with friends or family for a memorable evening in our recently renovated restaurants and lounges. Savor a leisurely dinner with tableside service at the award-winning Carvers Steakhouse, and taste wines during our Sheraton Social Hour in the Lobby Lounge.
Whether you are planning a dream wedding, a product launch, or a business conference, our 16 meeting rooms can easily accommodate a range of group sizes. Leave the planning to us and let our on-site professionals tailor your next event.
The Club Lounge, accessible to Sheraton Club guests, offers complimentary breakfast, evening hors d'oeuvres and a variety of beverages. It's the perfect environment to meet with your team, connect with friends, or relax in front of a 42" Plasma HDTV. More >
10,000 Starpoints for a free night. Redeem
Check in: 3:00 PM Check out: 12:00 PM


text:
Large Diameter Pipes
Ductile Iron(DI) Spun Pipes
Seamless Tubes & Pipes
Process Flowcharts
The O.P. Jindal Group is a USD 18 billion conglomerate. In a short span of three decades, the Group has emerged as one of most dynamic business houses in India and established leadership position in all its area of activities.
Founded in 1952 by Shri O. P. Jindal, a first-generation entrepreneur, the group today is a leading steel producer with interests spanning across the spectrum from mining iron ore to manufacturing value-added steel products.The core team of the group comprises the four sons of the founder.
The O.P. Jindal Group has charted out an aggressive growth plan over the next decades.
All the Group companies are well poised to take advantage of the huge opportunities presented by India.


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BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall told reporters Monday that BYU had been "approached" by the Big East.
On Oct. 25, CBSSports.com reported that the Western contingent of possible future Big East members was making a push to add BYU
"There is a push," Mendenhall said Monday. "And there are conversations that are in place for the Big East to convince or to have BYU join that conference. I trust our athletic director (Tom Holmoe) and President (Cecil) Samuelson to deal with all that."
With the upcoming departures of TCU and West Virginia to the Big 12 and Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC, the Big East will need seven schools to get to a 12-member football league by 2014.
Last week, CBSSports.com reported that the Big East's presidents and chancellors gave Commissioner John Marinatto authorization to extend invitations to Boise State, UCF, Houston, SMU, Navy and Air Force. Boise State, UCF, Houston and SMU will join the league together as a group, sources told CBSSports.com, once Boise State finds a conference home for its Olympic sports.
Sources told CBSSports.com that all six schools are committed to joining the Big East. However, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported that Air Force remains undecided. If Air Force stays in the Mountain West, the Big East would need two schools – presumably BYU and another school.
That's where San Diego State comes into play. The Aztecs weren't shy about their interest in joining the Big 12 and now have turned their attention to the Big East.
Despite the obvious geography and travel concerns, the biggest reason for San Diego State's interest in the Big East is to be a part of an automatic qualifying BCS league. The Big East is guaranteed its BCS status through the 2013 season with a new BCS cycle beginning in 2014.
"Certainly there are a lot of questions on our part, but with the landscape changing the main benefit that I could see on a short term scale would be inclusion into the BCS system," Mendenhall said about BYU. "That's up in two years. Again whether the Big East is able hold that spot with the new teams coming in? My guess would be yes."
San Diego State feels the same way. Despite the great distance to the Eastern league members (Cincinnati, UConn, South Florida, Navy, Rutgers, UCF), San Diego State would prefer an all-sports membership – or at least in football and men's basketball – sources said. They also would be receptive to a football-only membership and could be in a Western division featuring Boise State, Houston, SMU, BYU and Louisville.
San Diego State leads the Mountain West in football attendance this season (38,802) and since 2010, the Aztecs have won a combined 48 games in football and men's basketball, the nation's highest total. San Diego State men's basketball team also has won 20 or more games and advanced to postseason play in six consecutive seasons, including back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
San Diego State athletic director Jim Sterk declined comment to CBSSports.com, but recently told the San Diego Union-Tribune: "The best-scenario is that we're in a league with an automatic qualifier, an enhanced television package and we're generating revenues to run all our programs. That's the No. 1 goal, whether that's with the Mountain West, Big East, or Big 12."
Last week, Boise State president Bob Kustra received authorization from the state of Idaho's Board of Education to join the Big East as a football-only member. The Broncos still must find a conference home for their Olympic sports before making the move.
Kustra told the board that Boise State has made it "very clear" to the Big East "we would go in with a western partner."
That could be Air Force, BYU or San Diego State – or two of those three schools.
Mendenhall said he did not know how quickly BYU would make a decision about the Big East. The Cougars are playing in their first season as a football independent after leaving the Mountain West Conference.


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Pairing my LG headphones through the conventional Bluetooth settings works perfectly, re-establishing a paired connection every time. Then Throw kicks in and wants to establish a new connection, which invariably messes things up.
I've tried starting the pairing process from scratch with Throw, but when using the headphones subsequently, it occasionally fails to make an auto connection when I turn the headphones on.


text: > View Product Details Please select the size of the product. Please enter valid quantity. Marc Jacobs camel quilted leather 'Westside' boston bag overview details Retail: $1,150.00 Reduced: $517.99 20% Off : $414.39 color : We're sorry. This style is sold out. Camel Fresh and innovative, Marc Jacobs delivers eye catching handbags marked with the exquisite details you love. Color: Camel Supple glazed quilted leather with polished goldtone hardware Logo padlock detail at front Two-way top zip closure 18'' leather and chain top handles with 9'' drop Fabric lining with interior zip pocket and patch pocket Measures approximately 12'' at widest x 9'' tall at center x 7'' deep; weighs 3 lbs. Leather; Italy; style#321460101


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MHP News
MHP's SoftSecond Loan Program honors Rockland TrustAugust 29, 2012
BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2012- The Massachusetts Housing Partnership's SoftSecond Loan Program today announced Rockland Trust has received its HomeSafe Award in recognition of the bank's outstanding success making loans to working-class, first-time homebuyers in Massachusetts.
Since January 2010, during a time when many lenders were pulling back from making home loans, Rockland Trust made more than 40 loans to low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers in 28 communities throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, making it one of the state's top 10 "SoftSecond" lenders. The SoftSecond Loan Program from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership has helped thousands of Massachusetts residents achieve their dreams of affordable homeownership throughout its 21 years.
"Rockland Trust has continued its commitment to helping first-time homebuyers fulfill their dreams of homeownership by making good loans that keep homebuyers in their home for the long run," said Clark Ziegler, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. "Rockland Trust's support of SoftSecond has not only helped first-time homebuyers, it has helped promote owner-occupied homeownership and neighborhood stability."
During the past two decades, SoftSecond has maintained a remarkably low record of delinquencies and foreclosures, and performed equal or better than prime mortgage loans in Massachusetts made to borrowers with substantially higher incomes. In addition to offering low, fixed-rate financing and relieving homebuyers from paying private mortgage insurance, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's SoftSecond program offers rigorous pre-purchase education and post-purchase services for homebuyers.
"At Rockland Trust we are committed to doing our part to strengthen the communities where we operate and take action to deliver upon that commitment," said Chris Oddleifson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rockland Trust. "The SoftSecond program allows us to make the dream of owning a home a reality for many who never even considered it a possibility. It's truly an honor not only to help these individuals and families throughout the state fulfill that dream, but also to help stabilize their communities through home ownership."
Rockland Trust's support of lower-income homebuyers has reached many communities in Massachusetts, including: Athol, Blackstone, Bourne, Bridgewater, Brockton, Fall River, Framingham, Franklin, Halifax, Hanson, Lowell, Marshfield, Middleborough, New Bedford, Pembroke, Plymouth, Quincy, Rockland, Saugus, Taunton, Watertown, Weymouth, Wrentham and Yarmouth.
About SoftSecond: SoftSecond is the state's most affordable and effective mortgage for first-time homebuyers who make less than the area median income. Created in 1991, it has helped more than 16,000 homebuyers purchase their first home and has provided more than $2.6 billion in private mortgage financing. The average total household income of a SoftSecond homebuyer is $50,000 and the program has maintained a remarkably low record of delinquencies and foreclosures, and performs equal or better than prime mortgage loans in Massachusetts that are made to borrowers with substantially higher incomes. For more information on SoftSecond and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, please visit: http://www.mhp.net/homeownership/.
About Rockland Trust Company: Rockland Trust Company is a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Massachusetts with $5.1 billion in assets. The sole bank subsidiary of Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ:INDB), Rockland Trust provides a wide range of consumer, business, investment, and insurance products and services. Ranked "Highest Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the New England Region" in 2012 by J.D. Power and Associates, Rockland Trust's network consists of 67 retail branches, ten commercial lending centers, four investment management and four residential lending centers located throughout Eastern Massachusetts and in Rhode Island. To find out why Rockland Trust is the bank "Where Each Relationship Matters", please visit www.RocklandTrust.com.
Rockland Trust Co. received the highest numerical score among retail banks in the New England region in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on 51,498 total responses measuring 13 providers in the New England region (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI & VT) and measures opinions of consumers with their primary banking provider. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed January-February, 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit www.jdpower.com.


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WAPA promises rolling blackouts will get better today
Published: August 5, 2014
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
ST. THOMAS - The last two days of rolling blackouts on St. Thomas should be coming to an end, according to V.I. Water and Power Authority officials.
WAPA Executive Director Hugo Hodge Jr. said the last feeder was brought online about 9:30 p.m. Monday.
Monday night, WAPA issued a press release that it planned to continue rolling blackouts, but on a reduced scale, as a precaution.
Hodge said he believes the load can be managed by asking hotels and other large consumers that have generators to use their generator power instead of drawing from the grid.
"If it's a very hot day, we might need a little rotation," Hodge said.
He said they would put out a rotating blackout schedule today, but hopefully they will not have to use it.
The power to the island went down Sunday when Unit 23 was down for preparations ahead of the conversion to propane, and WAPA lost Unit 14 and Unit 18.
Unit 23 is planned to be back up and in service next week.
Hodge said plant personnel was taking Unit 18 down for maintenance and planned to put Unit 14 into service in the meantime.
However, Unit 14's starting diesel engine failed and the generator would not start.
"We had a spare, but it takes a while to install it," Hodge said.
It was finally installed Monday night, at about 9 p.m.
Unit 18 needs a part for the control system, Hodge said.
They did not have a spare part for that system, because when the conversion to propane occurs, the old control system will be replaced, Hodge said.
The part is expected to arrive at 1 p.m. today, and should not take long to install, according to Hodge. He anticipates Unit 18 will be up and running by the late afternoon.
For more information on rotating blackouts and to see a feeder map, go to www.viwapa.vi.
- Contact Aldeth Lewin at 714-9111 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Originally Posted by RattyMouse
A new low and it's only Monday, too. Ai-yah...
I'll stick to using cameras.
That's desperation for you.
The contemplation of things as they are, without error or confusion, without substitution or imposture, is in itself a nobler thing than a whole harvest of invention
Francis Bacon
I'll provide a sample if you get the electron microscope.
Once a photographer is convinced that the camera can lie and that, strictly speaking, the vast majority of photographs are "camera lies," inasmuch as they tell only part of a story or tell it in a distorted form, half the battle is won. Once he has conceded that photography is not a "naturalistic" medium of rendition and that striving for "naturalism" in a photograph is futile, he can turn his attention to using a camera to make more effective pictures.
Andreas Feininger
So where did those "images" come from then?
Okay... I'll say it...
Those are some shitty photographs!
Randy S.
In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni.
haha reminds me of that artist that actually made images using his/her mouth by placing film inside, but not swallowing! Cant remember the name though...
Originally Posted by Photo Engineer
So where did those "images" come from then?
Thats what I was thinking!!
Will Ex-Lax give 1-hour processing?
I do use a digital device in my photographic pursuits when necessary.
When someone rags on me for using film, I use a middle digit, upraised.


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Article | July 31, 1999
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text: I always loved returning to Aldiana in Hammamet as the staff is so friendly. It is like coming 'home' . They treat you like family and always go out of their way to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The resort itself is very relaxing, lots of areas to while away the day. from the Adult pool to the... More


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Hostelling International Tripbook for
European Tour
27 Entries
Brussels - Jacques Brel Youth Hostel
At the Jacques Brel Youth Hostel, located in the heart of Brussels, you'll find a friendly, international atmosphere with shops and public transport right on your doorstop. Inside the hostel there is a fully equipped kitchen, Wi-Fi, Internet access, bar, library, laundry and games, and outside there is a patio area where you can enjoy a Belgian beer from the bar and chat to fellow travellers. There's also an organic breakfast served everyone morning which is included in the price. Jacques Brel hostel also regularly plays host to many events including concerts, exhibitions and theme nights....
Brussels - Bruegel
The Bruegel Hostel is a great city centre hostel situated just 5 minutes' walk from the Brussels Central Train Station and Grand Palace. It is an ideal place to stay for exploring this intriguing city. Accommodation is in 1 - 4 bedded rooms, and facilities include a dining room with self-service restaurant, bar, TV room, common room, courtyard garden, Internet access and breakfast, which is included in the price....
Génération Europe Youth Hostel
The Youth Hostel Generation Europe is located in a superb location in the midst of the European capital, 15 minutes walk from the Grand Place and next to the famous Saint-gery's area and the Rue Antoine Dansaert, there are a lot of things to see in this beautiful city, the hostel has 40 rooms, from 2 to 8 beds and equipment, such as a kitchen, laundry, tv room, games room, Internet access, and a barbecue.organizzare guided tours and generation Europe also has the sole privilege of proposing paths for the rv park, we will be carried out extensive renovation between January 6, 2014 and June 30, 2014 and this will affect the bedrooms, as well as the common areas + te parking area for motorhome.il responsible for the site and all the members of the team of the generation Europe Youth Hostel will continue to do their best to welcome you in the best possible conditions during this time is to assure you a high quality service.
Mechelen - De Zandpoort
De Zandpoort hostel is located in the centre of Mechelen, city known as the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands and its fame is dated from the 16th century, the reigning period of Margaret of Austria. There are many beautiful buildings in the Main Square from this splendid period....
Gent Hostel De Draecke
In an excellent location in a quiet street right in the city centre, HI De Draecke Gent hostel is just 150m from the famous medieval Castle of the Counts. Retaining an attractive period facade, it offers a high standard of accommodation with rooms all containing private bathrooms. Facilities include TV, Internet access (hotspot), bar and self-service restaurant....
Köln - Riehl City Hostel
Köln - Riehl City Hostel is situated on the edge of a park in the Rhine meadows of Riehl. The riverside path is ideal for cycling or inline skating....
Frankfurt - Haus der Jugend
Located only 1 kilometre from the centre of the old town, the hostel, Haus der Jugend, is located close to Frankfurt's opera house, museums, concert halls and restaurants. We offer different types of rooms, from vast dormitories to single or double rooms with individual bathrooms....
Prague - Hostel Downtown
Prague Hostel Downtown is a cosy hostel located right in the historical centre of Prague, about 5 minutes' walk from the Old Town, Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Squares. Hostel Downtown offers private rooms as well as dorms, free Wi-Fi in the whole building, free Internet access, a large fully-equipped kitchen and a fantastic common room which includes a piano and a guitar so the budding musicians among you can show off your talents (or just enjoy listening to others play). At Prague Hostel Downtown you are provided with a free map of Prague to help you get around, and there are daily free tours, regular pub crawls and tours to attractions such as Kutná Hora and Karlštejn Castle.
Prague - Hostel Advantage
Hostel Advantage is a cosy hostel located right in the centre of Prague, 100m from the I.P.Pavlova underground station and within a 5-minute walk of the Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske namesti), one of Prague's main city squares and a vibrant centre for bars, clubs, restaurants and shops. The hostel offers dorms and private rooms, free buffet breakfast, free Wi-Fi and Internet access, fully equipped kitchen, key-card entry system and there's a great restaurant serving Czech and international cuisine. Prague Hostel Advantage is a perfect point of departure for walks through the historic centre of Prague, visits to Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square.
Prague - Travellers Hostel Praha
Travellers Hostel is located in the very centre of Prague, within walking distance of all the main sights and in the middle of the nightlife area. The city's famous Roxy Music Club is just 50m away and the Palladium Shopping Centre is 200m away. The hostel offers a wide range of rooms, from dormitories to private, all simply furnished with large windows that flood the rooms with natural light....
Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark
Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark is located in the green heart of Amsterdam, right in the middle of the famous Vondelpark. It is within walking distance from the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum and the Leidseplein. Vondelpark hostel has 2, 4 and 6-bedded rooms and some large dormitories, all with showers, toilets and a washbasin....
Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburg
Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburg hostel is situated east of the centre in a typical Amsterdam neighbourhood. Housed in a former school dating from about 1900, visitors can enjoy ultra-modern facilities in a classical setting. The hostel is ideally suited to accommodate groups, providing access to various multifunctional areas within the building....


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The World's First Prepaid Lifestyle JET CARD
The World At Your Fingertips
Imagine having your own travel department with no fixed costs or overhead. As a true integrated transportation company, World Class Jets provides all of your travel solutions with one phone call.
Executives, VVIP's, and celebrities have entrusted World Class with their travel logistics allowing their critical company resources to focus on other activities.
Whether planning a trip for business or pleasure, acquiring an aircraft, or moving freight across the globe, World Class Jets is capable of meeting your logistical needs.
World Class Jet Services, Inc. is an air charter broker who is an agent of its customers and does not own or operate any aircraft. All executive charter flights are contracted with certificated Part 135 air carriers. Operators providing service for World Class Jet Services' clients meet the standards set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).


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Rucha Hasabnis, Vishal Singh & Giaa Manek in Saath Nibhana Saathiya.
Rucha Hasabnis,Vishal Singh & Giaa Manek in Saath Nibhana Saathiya in Saath Nibhana Saathiya TV Show
Courtesy: Saath Nibhana Saathiya
Popular Search Terms: rucha hasabnis tv show actress cute photos, saath nibhaana saathiya vishal singh, rucha hasabnis and vishal singh, vishal singh saathiya, jiya manik and rucha sirhyal actor, picks of rusha hasabnis or vishal sing.
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TV Show Saath Nibhana Saathiya
Celebrity : Vishal Singh , Rucha Hasabnis , Giaa Manek
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giaa you looking great in shareee
Rucha Hasabnis you rock
Gonna miss you
Cutie pie ur ...love u a lot...
Holy sequance in sathiya...good going..
What a cute picture..the three of Ull look soo nice here...
love you raji,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
looking sooo cute love u giaa
luv u all and missing jiiaaa a lot in sns and a kind rqst pls bring her backkk pl pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls
nyc pic...:)
A very nice picture
All looks very cute


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- Filed Under
Having gone to three overtimes with Ossining (N.Y.) on Sunday in an epic 106-100 loss, no one would have blamed St. John Vianney if it was missing a little something on Monday in a key Shore Conference Class A Central contest at Manasquan.
Yes, the Lancers would have likely gotten a pass under the circumstances, but excuses are not something the program ever hides behind.
Down as many as five in the fourth quarter, the Lancers, ranked No. 2 in the Asbury Park Press Top 10, rallied behind freshman point guard Kelly Campbell, who scored nine of her 18 points in the fourth to steal a victory from the No. ...


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Being eco-friendly has never looked so good. With a stage, sprung floor, and top-notch sound and lighting system, the Hall is perfect for live concerts or theatrical events, seating 200 people comfortably while leaving room to dance. The projector with extra large screen is ideal for showing movies, slide shows, or power point presentations. You might have to bring your own wedding bells, but the Floyd EcoVillage not only hosts the space for beautiful wedding ceremonies and receptions, we are also fully equipped with the tables, chairs, and dinnerware needed to furnish your special event. Create an indoor/outdoor atmosphere for any of your events with our large patio and pond side amphitheater as well. Conference-goers will find the large foyer a great place for conference check-ins, information booths, and breakout session gatherings. And the state of the art commercial kitchen has enough room to create a decadent meal for 200 or an intimate dinner for 2. Our well maintained campground provides you a peaceful place to regenerate, and with walking trails, central fire pit, and unlimited hot water showers, there is no reason you can't stay the whole weekend. Stop by and visit so we can show you what we have to offer.
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance,
access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
Joni Johnson, CTP, TMPVirginia Tourism CorporationNational Sales Manager804-545-5544800-811-4296
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@MISC{Vedaldi_multiplekernels, author = {Andrea Vedaldi and Varun Gulshan and Manik Varma and Andrew Zisserman}, title = {Multiple Kernels for Object Detection}, year = {}}
Our objective is to obtain a state-of-the art object category detector by employing a state-of-the-art image classifier to search for the object in all possible image subwindows. We use multiple kernel learning of Varma and Ray (ICCV 2007) to learn an optimal combination of exponential χ 2 kernels, each of which captures a different feature channel. Our features include the distribution of edges, dense and sparse visual words, and feature descriptors at different levels of spatial organization. Such a powerful classifier cannot be tested on all image sub-windows in a reasonable amount of time. Thus we propose a novel three-stage classifier, which combines linear, quasi-linear, and non-linear kernel SVMs. We show that increasing the non-linearity of the kernels increases their discriminative power, at the cost of an increased computational complexity. Our contributions include (i) showing that a linear classifier can be evaluated with a complexity proportional to the number of sub-windows (independent of the sub-window area and descriptor dimension); (ii) a comparison of three efficient methods of proposing candidate regions (including the jumping window classifier of Chum and Zisserman (CVPR 2007) based on proposing windows from scale invariant features); and (iii) introducing overlap-recall curves as a mean to compare and optimize the performance of the intermediate pipeline stages. The method is evaluated on the PASCAL Visual Object Detection Challenge, and exceeds the performances of previously published methods for most of the classes.
Developed at and hosted by The College of Information Sciences and Technology
© 2007-2015 The Pennsylvania State University


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That was my child dying - June SteenkampComment on this story
Pretoria - Reeva Steenkamp's mother June wishes she could have been there to protect her daughter when she was shot dead, she told ITV News in an interview televised on Tuesday.
"She's locked herself in the toilet and she's been shot and she's in pain and... I wish I could have been there to protect her," she said.
"That's my child that I gave birth to and it's hard for me that she's dead, that she's gone. That was the time I broke down. The screaming, you know. That was my child there that was screaming, that was injured and dying."
She said she was at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday to represent Reeva and wanted the man who shot her dead, Oscar Pistorius, to acknowledge her presence.
"I wanted to see him and him to see me. I just felt that I had to do that.
But he didn't look at me or anything. He just, he just walked straight and looked ahead."
She said it was important to forgive and not let the anger "burn me up", but added that she would not forget what happened.
She told ITV News that her husband Barry was not at court after suffering a stroke from the stress of Reeva Steenkamp's death.
"He is devastated, he can't deal with it anymore. It's just too much for him. It's been a build-up and build-up. He's got medication now to help him but he could never have been there today. He would probably have collapsed and maybe had another stroke."
June Steenkamp was not in the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday to attend the second day of Pistorius's trial.
He seemed more relaxed and on one occasion turned around to look at the public gallery and at the place where June Steenkamp was sitting the previous day.
He is charged with Steenkamp's premeditated murder and contraventions of the Firearms Control Act.
He shot and killed Steenkamp through the closed door of his toilet in his Pretoria townhouse on February 14 last year. He says he mistook her for an intruder.
Click here for IOL's live blog about the Oscar trial.
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Great Lakes Ice Cover Apr 10th, 2003
|What a great image! This image was taken at 11:15AM on April 10th. Most of the ice has disappeared on the Great Lakes. You can still see lots of ice-covered lakes however in Ontario, Canada. Lake Oneida in Central New York is ice-covered as well. The white areas in New York are snow cover from a recent snow/sleet/ice storm.


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M is for the Million Things She Gave Me
This Sunday, we're throwing a little party in honor of Moms everywhere. We hope that you can come -- and bring your Mom!
First, Chef Shellie Kark is going to take us on a tour of New York Jewish Deli cuisine, with her demo and sampling of traditional knishes. YUMMM.
But that's not enough! Our friends at Whole Foods Market have chipped in so that we can serve a sweet deli finish -- like rich cheesecake. And we just might have a surprise or two for our Mom's.
The day is a tribute for all mothers; my own mom passed away in 1995, but I celebrate her spirit! If you've lost your mom, please come and toast to her spirit.
We love our Moms! And if you've got a photo of your mom, grandma, your favorite Mom-figure -- please send it to me by Wednesday evening via firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll include it in a special slideshow of Our Moms at this event!
Sunday, May 8, 1:30-3 p.m., Central Library, Level B2 Conference Center.


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Gun Control Debate thread
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 726
Originally Posted by
Okay. Here is my take on the gun issue. I have and own several. My children know and respect them, as well as they respect life. If someone is not right, and or lost in this world, no amount of legislation is going to stop them from hurting themselves or someone else. Guns have become the scapegoat for a failing society. Parents need to get off their dead asses and parent. Stop trying to be a friend. Create and lead good solid human beings that know the difference between right and wrong....evil and good. If it means a spanking or saying no....by all means DO IT!!!! If that fails and you need help, please ask for it....seek it out.
The old addage that guns dont kill people does not hold up any more. Guns do kill, but only when the PERSON holding it intends for that to happen. Wake up! What rate of loss is acceptable? If we ban what the MEDIA labels as an assult rifle, they will use something else...hopefully not kill as many. But how many dead is too many?
You cannot and I mean cannot ban or control guns. Its that simple. Did it work during prohibition? Does it work with drugs? Is it not illegal to drive a car drunk? How about something as simple as pirating music? Ever hear of black markets? This needs to be addressed for sure, but lets look at the root cause and not the tools used. I own guns, I am not a criminal, I will not use them for evil, but there are those that do. We need to asking WHY!!!! Address that!
Unfortunately, no amount of spanking or tough talking-to will stop a manic depressive schizophrenic who hears voices telling him he's a supervillain (superhero, super-agent, super-whatever-the-fuck-his-fantasy-du-jour-is) and the only way to realize that divine plan preordained just for him is to walk into a movie theater or an elementary school and start killing. Mental illness is not a function of bad parenting, neither it is always easy to recognize or treat. Paranoid schizophrenia is usually not apparent until late teens or early 20s and often manifests with a sudden onset. Autism spectrum disorders aren't associated with violent tendencies. I don't see how you can blame societal failings on the latest incidences of mass shootings. All of the shooters clearly had some form of mental or developmental instability that ran much deeper than a simple garden variety case of lacking family life.
And yes, we can control guns. It's been done before and it is being done quite successfully in many countries around the world. The examples are many and they've been repeatedly stated in this thread so I won't waste time on citing them yet again. As for us, we can at least start with enforcement of the existing laws, require background checks for ALL gun sales (the responsible, law-abiding citizens shouldn't have any problems with that), institute basic mental health evaluations (again, should not be a problem for a responsible gun owners - if anything, every sane human being should be glad that potentially violent individuals won't get their hands on guns) and ban semi-automatic weapons. These were designed for close combat and there's no conceivable reason for these guns to be on the streets. Yes, we all know that they are used in target shooting and that's a fun hobby to have. But some hobbies need to be restricted for the common good. After all, it is also fun to drive fast but we have speed limits for a reason. Time to grow up and realize that some toys are actually bad for us.
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Last month saw the Home Office release the latest batch of Crime Statistics for England and Wales.
There were few notable things about the blanket of numbers produced, but something did catch the eye. Burglaries have gone up by 14% since the Conservatives gained power, and violent crime 6%.
There are two respected measurements of crime in the UK. One is by the police, and the other is the British Crime Survey. As the BCS measures unreported crime, it is the more respected of the two, with the police having a reputation for under-recording crime. The police, with their under-representation of crime, recorded a 4% drop in crime levels. The British Crime Survey recorded a 1% rise.
This compares to Labours record in government, which saw a massive 49% drop in violent crime. There are many arguments that Conservatives may give for this. There was a global downward trend in crime, for example. There was also a recession, causing a lot of hardship and poverty. These are both seemingly good points, but can both be thrown into doubt by one simple comparison, and one that David Cameron has used a lot in recent Prime Ministers Questions – that of the comparison between Labour-run Wales and Conservative-run England.
You may have heard Cameron berating Labours record in Wales, claiming that whilst they are cutting the NHS, England's Conservatives are actually increasing the budget (whilst carefully skating over the fact that the majority of this increase is going to the 'reorganisation' to privatise large parts of the NHS, not to patient care. He also ignores the fact a recent poll showed that 86% of Doctors in Wales are glad they aren't in England). In crime statistics, however, this works against him. You see, in Wales, crime is reported to have dropped by 8%, compared to England's 4%. Crime is dropping twice as fast in Labour-run Wales than it is in Conservative-run England.
This swiftly disposes of the argument that crime follows a worldwide trend – it's hard to think of two countries more similar and intertwined than England and Wales.
The argument that the increases in crime are due to the recession, poverty and hardship also fall in the light of this evidence. Wales has a much higher rate of poverty than England. In fact, it was reported by the BBC last year that one in three children in Wales live below the poverty line (although it's not all bad for Welsh youngsters – they were the most likely to respond that they had 'lots' of friends out of the four constituent countries, and of course they've got subsidised tuition fees to look forward to, again as a result of their Labour government).
One last alternate argument could be that crime and punishment is not actually a devolved issue. The phrase 'clutching at straws' would come to mind, but this claim can be disproved regardless. Numerous studies have shown that it's not policies on crime and punishment that affect crime the most; it's the social situation they find themselves in. For example, places in the Middle-East have highly authoritarian and strict laws and punishments, whereas places in Africa experience near lawlessness (the horrific statistic that a girl in South Africa is more likely to be raped than she is to learn to read comes to mind), yet both experience higher crime levels than countries like the UK. These social situations, that affect crime so highly, are devolved to Wales. Things like education and training, economic development and social welfare have been devolved, and they do affect crime statistics.
It therefore stands to reason that Labour policy has been twice as effective as Conservative policy in the reduction of crime – David Cameron can criticise Labours record in Wales all he wants, but he'd do well to take notice. They're doing something right that he's getting wrong.