text:
I am 12 years old and am not sure about cycling on the road. I thought that I could still ride on the sidewalk but a policeman pulled over and told me to get off the sidewalk and on the road and act like a regular motorist instead of a child.
I told my parents about this and they were not very happy about it - especially since my dad is a policeman.
Anyway, I am just wondering - would you rather have your son or daughter riding on the sidewalk or the road ?
Was I being disrespectful by cycling on the sidewalk ? I was very careful and would stop and pull off to the side if anybody was walking by me or towards me.
What do you think about kids cycling on the road ?


text:
1 . A packaged pourable liquid or a gel surfactant-containing formulation
comprising a visual cue, wherein the visual cue comprises a plurality of sheet-like elements of dispersed material, having opposed surfaces wherein the surfaces of the elements are configured such that when an element is located adjacent a flat inner surface of the package, the elements can only contact the inner surface of the packaging over less than 50% of a surface of the element.
2. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to claim two which has a viscosity at 20 sec"1 of from 100 mPa.s to 2000 mPa.s.
3. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the packaging is at least in part transparent.
4. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the ratio of the average diameter of the elements, measured flat, to the thickness of the elements is greater than 5:1 , preferably greater than 8:1 .
5. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the average diameter of the elements is in the range 1 -10mm, preferably 3-6mm.
6. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the average thickness of the elements is in the range 100- 2000 microns, preferably 200-500 microns.
7. A packaged surfactant-containing fornnulation according to any preceding claim wherein the elements are "star" or "flower"-shaped.
A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the elements comprise a hydrophobically modified polymer.
A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to claim 8 wherein the elements comprise the hydrophobically modified polymer (i), and a fabric benefit agent (ii), in a ratio of from 1 :50 to 99:1 parts by weight, preferably from 1 :40 to 95:1 parts by weight.
A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any of claims 8-9, wherein the elements comprise a hydrophobically modified polymer having a backbone selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, cellulose ethers, polyethylene oxide, starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl methyl ether-maleic anhydride, polymaleic anhydride, styrene maleic anhydride, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyethylene glycols, carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylic acid salts, alginates, acrylamide copolymers, guar gum, casein, ethylene-maleic anhydride resin series, polyethyleneimine, ethyl hydroxyethylcellulose, ethyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose and copolymers of the monomers thereof.
1 1 . A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the elements comprise a matrix material (i), and a fabric benefit agent (ii), in a ratio of from 1 :50 to 99:1 parts by weight, preferably from 1 :40 to 95:1 parts by weight.
12. A packaged surfactant-containing formulation according to any preceding claim which comprises from 0.05 to 10 wt.% of the elements and from 2 to 70 wt.%, preferably 10 to 30 wt.% of a surfactant selected from an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.
A process for making elements for inclusion in a packaged pourable liquid or gel surfactant-containing formulation as a visual cue comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an aqueous mixture of a hydrophobically modified polymer as defined herein, and a fabric benefit agent;
(b) drying the aqueous mixture to remove whole or part of the water from the aqueous mixture to form a sheet;
(c) forming elements from the sheet in the desired shape and/or size; and,
(d) optionally, further drying the elements; wherein, in at least one of the drying steps (b) and (d) one face of the elements is, at least in part, dried more quickly than the other.
The present invention relates to pourable surfactant compositions comprising lamellar elements as a visual cue, in particular liquid laundry detergent
compositions (including both powders and liquids), processes for making the elements which comprise the visual cue, the elements per-se, and to the use of said elements to deliver a benefit agent to fabric or to a wash and/or rinse medium during a wash process.
Pourable, laundry treatment compositions (particulate or liquid) generally contain ingredients which provide a benefit to laundered clothes. Examples of such ingredients include, but are not limited to, perfumes, enzymes, bleaches, shading pigments and dyes and fabric conditioning agents. These materials are also often the more expensive components of the laundry composition and are known as "benefit agents". It can be advantageous to protect (for example by encapsulation) benefit agents when they are included in formulations due to potential
incompatibility with other ingredients in the formulation. This incompatibility can cause the formulation to be unstable, or involve unwanted reactivity of the benefit agent with other formulation components and so cause the efficacy of the benefit agent, or other product properties, to be adversely effected.
It has been proposed to incorporate these benefit agents in a so-called "visual cue", and/or, where the benefit agent is stable in the composition, to include in the formulation visual cues to indicate that the benefit agent is present. The elements comprising the cue are delivered as part of the product dose and are soluble at some stage of the wash. One such visual cue is the coloured "speckle" which is often incorporated in enzyme containing laundry powders. This is often a particle of a salt such as sodium carbonate coloured with a suitable dye and does not itself contain the enzyme.
US2003/144161 A discloses particulate laundry detergent compositions especially high bulk density powders and tablets which contain low levels of aloe vera or another herbal extract beneficial to the skin. The herbal extract is preferably present in the form of coloured (preferably green) speckles.
Other visual cues that have been proposed or used have included beads, lamellar shapes such as flat rings and various "flower" shapes.
GB2358403A discloses a particulate laundry detergent composition which comprises a major proportion of white or light-coloured particles and a minor proportion of visually contrasting bodies of significantly larger average particle size in at least one dimension than the average particle size of the white or light- coloured particles. Preferably the bodies are of regular shape and uniform size and formed of brightly-coloured material which is preferably highly reflective and/or fluorescent. The visually contrasting bodies provide strong cues to the consumer for example to demonstrate the presence of a beneficial ingredient even if present in very small amounts.
GB2358404A discloses a particulate laundry detergent composition which comprises a major proportion of white or light-coloured particles and a minor proportion of visually contrasting particles of material capable of imparting a colour to the resulting solution when the composition is dissolved in water. The visually contrasting particles may contain a fluorescent material yielding fluorescent wash liquor or may contain a pH indicator which gives a coloured solution at high pH but a colourless or differently coloured solution at lower pH values. The visually contrasting particles and the visual effects in the wash liquor provide cues to the consumer for example to demonstrate the presence of a beneficial ingredient or to indicate that more product should be added.
WO2009/047125A discloses a granular laundry detergent composition comprising at least 5 wt percent surfactant optional builder optional further cleaning
ingredients a perfume and 0.01 to 10 wt percent of visual cues wherein the visual cue is shaped like a flower with petals, is coloured to have a naturally occurring petal colour and wherein the perfume is floral in essence. "Lamellar Visual Cue" is defined in the document as meaning visual cue particles in the form of planar film and flower shaped (or flower like) is defined as meaning a planar film shape that has the outline of the shape of a flower with petals. There is no suggestion that the flowers are other than flat, planar shapes.
WO2009/047126A discloses granular detergent composition comprising
0.1 to 10 wt percent soluble coloured lamellar visual cues made from a soluble film each soluble coloured lamellar visual cue having a planar cross-sectional area of from 5mm2 to 100 mm2 the relative density of the film being from 0.2 to 0.8 kg/I and the film comprising 10 to 90 wt percent surfactant.
Known lamellar elements for use as a cue are typically manufactured by cutting a shape out of a flat sheet of a suitable material.
WO2009/047124A discloses a laundry treatment composition comprising a laundry treatment base and from 0.01 to 10 wt percent of contrastingly coloured concave lamellar film particles which have a planar surface and a planar periphery and wherein: a) the periphery is shaped so that at least one straight line drawn through the planar surface intersects the periphery at more than two places; b) the concave lamellar film particles may be tiled; c) the concave lamellar film particles contrast in colour with the laundry treatment base whereby the concave lamellar film particles function as a visual cue. In this citation "concave" refers to the edge of the cue.
WO2006/079416 discloses a laundry detergent composition with lamellar body additives intended especially for use in powder formulations. The specification is concerned with the problem of the additives sticking in the drawer of a washing machine when the powder is dispensed. This problem is solved by making highly soluble cues using gum arabic. It is suggested that the adhesion of additives to the drawer during powder dispensing can further be reduced by making the cues curved with a radius of 0.5-2.0 meters, but the specification contain no teaching as to how such curved cues should be made. The elements making up the known cues have suffered from the disadvantage, particularly in liquid compositions, that they tend to stick to the inside of the packaging and to each other, so that dosage of the individual elements is irregular. Where the cue contains a benefit agent, this leads to a variable level of benefit agent being delivered, possible wastage when the package is "empty", and creates a negative impression in the mind of the user, reducing the probability that the product will be purchased again. Making cues of high solubility will not directly solve this problem as the cues would dissolve in the product.
We have determined that the adhesion of lamellar elements forming a water- soluble visual cue to packaging surfaces and to each other can be reduced by using elements which are not "flat". Accordingly, the present invention provides a packaged surfactant-containing, pourable liquid or gel, formulation comprising a visual cue, wherein the visual cue comprises a plurality of sheet-like elements of dispersed material, having opposed surfaces wherein the surfaces of the elements are configured such that when an element is located adjacent with a flat inner surface of the package, the elements can only contact the inner surface of the packaging over less than 50% of a surface of the element.
A benefit of the non-flat elements is that they not only show less of tendency to stick to the inner surface of the packaging but also less of a tendency to clump together. This improves the visual aspects of the cue and assists in ensuring that even dosage of the elements is maintained. Even dosage of cue elements is a particularly important feature of the product for end-users. The "flat inner surface of the packaging" referred to herein be notional as the packaging may not have a surface which is perfectly flat. The relevant test is to place the cue against a flat surface of the packaging material.
"Pourable liquid" as defined herein refers to a liquid having a viscosity of less than about 2000 mPa.s at 25°C and a shear rate of 20 sec-1 . In some embodiments, the viscosity of the pourable liquid may be in the range of from about 200 to about 1000 mPa.s at 25°C at a shear rate of 20 sec-1 . In some embodiments, the viscosity of the pourable liquid may be in the range of from about 200 to about 500 mPa.s at 25°C at a shear rate of 20 sec-1 . "Gel" as defined herein refers to a transparent or translucent liquid having a viscosity of greater than about 2000 mPa.s at 25°C and at a shear rate of 20 sec-1 . In some embodiments, the viscosity of the gel may be in the range of from about 3000 to about 10,000 mPa.s at 25°C at a shear rate of 20 sec-1 and greater than about 5000 mPa.s at 25°C at a shear rate of 0.1 sec-1 . Although the cue can also be used in powders, pourable liquid formulations are preferred. Pourable detergent liquids generally have a viscosity at 20 sec"1 of from 100 mPa.s to 2000 mPa.s. Typically, a low viscosity liquid will contain a structuring agent to assist in keeping the cues in suspension. One type of structuring agent which is especially useful in the compositions of the present invention comprises non-polymeric (except for conventional alkoxylation), crystalline hydroxy-functional materials which can form thread-like structuring systems throughout the liquid matrix when they are crystallized within the matrix in situ. Such materials can be generally
characterized as crystalline, hydroxyl-containing fatty acids, fatty esters or fatty waxes. Specific examples of preferred crystalline, hydroxyl-containing
structurants include castor oil and its derivatives. Examples include mixtures of hydrogenated castor oil and its hydrolysis products, e.g. hydroxyl-stearic acid.
Especially preferred are hydrogenated castor oil derivatives such as hydrogenated castor oil and hydrogenated castor wax. Commercially available, castor oil-based, crystalline, hydroxyl-containing structurants include THIXCIN® from Rheox, Inc. (now Elementis).
Preferably, the packaging is at least in part transparent. "Transparent" as used herein means that a composition, or a package according to the invention preferably has a transmittance of more than 25%, more preferably more than 30%, most preferably more than 40%, optimally more than 50% in the visible part of the spectrum (approx. 410-800 nm). Packaging materials with which this invention may be used include, but are not limited to: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyamides (PA) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), polyvinylchloride (PVC); and polystyrene (PS) or multilayer combinations.
The packaging may initially contain several doses of the surfactant composition. The invention is also applicable to so-called "unit-dose" liquid detergent
compositions which comprise a water-soluble pouch containing a single dose of the surfactant composition, but the preferred format of the composition is one delivered as a plurality of doses of a liquid in a bottle or other such container. Preferably the liquid is transparent. By transparent we mean that compositions of the invention are such that a sample of Arial 12 point printing can be read through a 1 centimeter cuvette containing the product (in the absence of the cue). A lamellar cue in a transparent liquid and an at least partly transparent container, provided that the elements do not cluster or adhere to the packaging, has a higher visual impact as compared to a cue comprising spheres consisting of the same volume of material.
A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention therefore provides a rigid, at least partially transparent container, which contains a transparent liquid laundry detergent composition, said composition having dispersed therein a plurality of sheet-like elements which are soluble in demineralised water but insoluble in the composition. A further advantage that the cue provides is that the elements can be used to carry useful benefit agents (in particular dyes) which, if not protected from the composition, would significantly change its visual appearance.
Preferably the ratio of the average diameter of the elements (measured flat) to the thickness of the elements is greater than 5:1 , preferably greater than 8:1 .
Typically, the average diameter of the elements will be in the range 1 -10mm, preferably 3-6mm. Elements smaller than 1 mm have a low visual impact whereas ones larger than 10mm can lead to irregular dosing. Typically, the average thickness of the elements will be in the range 50-2000 microns, preferably 100- 500 microns, more preferably 100-250 microns. As the elements get thicker they become more expensive in formulation terms and less easy to suspend. As the elements become thinner they have less benefit agent carrying capacity and more may be needed to deliver an appropriate level of benefit agent. Appropriate curvature can be achieved by several geometries. Generally, the lamellar elements may be folded or curled. Where the elements are "star" or "flower"-shaped, the "petals" may curve in opposing directions. In the context of the present invention a star or flower shape is one which has a varying radius preferably such that it has rotational symmetry.
Processes for making the elements include both forming elements which are already curved prior to admixture with other formulation components and, in the alternative, forming elements which curve on exposure to one or more other components of the formulation.
A preferred step for forming non-flat elements is to dry them unevenly, such that regions on opposing faces of the element are dried at different rates. This causes the elements to curl slightly, either directly on drying or when exposed to the formulation.
Depending on the benefit agent being provided, the cue may be designed to dissolve in the early stages of the wash, or may be carried over into the rinse and subsequently dissolve in the rinse. Thus, a further advantage of the cue is that they can deliver benefit agents which are otherwise incompatible with a formulation's other components. For example, a cue can be used to deliver perfumes into the rinse and reduce the extent to which the perfumes are removed by the surfactants present in the main wash. A preferred surfactant composition is a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.
It is particularly preferred that, for the embodiments as liquids laundry detergent compositions, the dosage in which the composition is applied is such that the wash liquor produced has a surfactant (other than soap) concentration of less than 1 g/L, more preferably less than 0.5 g/L. This is a low level of surfactant as compared with conventional wash liquors. It is also preferred that the dosage of a liquid detergent product containing the cue is less than 30ml and preferably less than 25ml. This is a low dosage as compared with conventional doses of laundry compositions. Such low dosage and/or low surfactant products have
environmental advantages in that the products require transport of smaller quantities of material and have a reduced usage of surfactants. However in order to persuade the user that the low dosage of product is effective, it is highly advantageous to include a visual cue comprising lamellar elements as this has a significant visual impact even in a low dosage of product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION All amounts quoted are wt.% of total composition unless otherwise stated.
Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts or ratios of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word "about".
Elements forming the Cue:
Preferred elements are made from a material having a polymer backbone which is water soluble prior to being hydrophobically-modified.
By 'water-soluble' used herein in relation to the polymer, it is meant that the polymer should dissolve in water such that when 0.1 g, preferably 0.3g, more preferably 0.5g of polymer is placed into 1 L of demineralised water at room temperature and shaken at 100 RPM on a rotator shaker at 20 Celsius for 2 hours, then removed from solution by filtering through a sieve or filter paper of appropriate size and dried, then the weight of the polymer removed is less than 95% by weight of that added. "Water-soluble", in the context of the cue means that the cue dissolves in the course of the wash.
By 'insoluble' used herein in relation to the modified polymer, it is meant that the polymer (and hence the elements of the cue formed from it) should not dissolve in surfactant solutions. Suitable polymers are ones which meet the condition that when 1 g/L of the modified polymer is placed into an aqueous surfactant mixture (a mixture of linear alkylbenze sulfonate (LAS) and nonionic surfactant (which is a reaction product of aliphatic C12 to C15 primary linear alcohols with ethylene oxide (7 EO)) where the surfactant concentration is greater than 5g/l at room
temperature and shaken at 100 RPM on a rotator shaker at 293K for 2 hours, then removed from solution by filtering through a sieve or filter paper of appropriate size and dried, then the weight of the modified polymer removed is within 95% by weight of that added.
Preferably, the cue is insoluble in an aqueous surfactant mixture (a mixture of linear alkylbenze sulfonate (LAS) and nonionic surfactant (which is a reaction product of aliphatic C12 to C15 primary linear alcohols with ethylene oxide (7 EO)) where the surfactant concentration is from 5 to 800g/l, more preferably greater from 5 to 500g/l, for example 50 to 500g/l.
Lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is a characteristic of a material that demonstrates good solubility in aqueous solutions at low temperatures, but separates from solution when the temperature is raised above the LCST (see Feil et al., Macromolecules 1993, 26, 2496-2500). The 'aqueous solutions' where the LCST effect referred to is shown for polymers of the present invention include water and aqueous surfactant solutions (including aqueous surfactant mixtures). Preferred LCST ranges of the modified polymer are from 5 to 55°C, more preferably from 5 to 50°C. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the modified polymer has a LCST in water of greater than 20°C, more preferably greater than 30°C. Typically, the elements comprise a matrix of, for example, the polymer with multiple discrete benefit agent entities embedded in the matrix. The discrete benefit agent entities embedded in the matrix can be the same or different benefit agents. A discrete benefit entity means, for example, a particle comprising encapsulated perfume, or a droplet of softening oil.
The elements preferably comprises a matrix material, preferably a hydrophobically modified polymer (i), and a fabric benefit agent (ii), in a ratio of from 1 :50 to 99:1 parts by weight, more preferably from 1 :40 to 95:1 parts by weight. Polymers suitable for use as whole or part of the backbone of the hydrophobically modified polymer are preferably selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, cellulose ethers, polyethylene oxide, starch,
polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl methyl ether-maleic anhydride, polymaleic anhydride, styrene maleic anhydride, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyethylene glycols, carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylic acid salts, alginates, acrylamide copolymers, guar gum, casein, ethylene-maleic anhydride resin series, polyethyleneimine, ethyl hydroxyethylcellulose, ethyl methylcellulose and hydroxyethyl methylcellulose. Copolymeric mixtures of polymers derived from the aforementioned backbones are also suitable.
Preferably the polymer has a backbone and side chains comprising hydroxyl groups.
The most preferred backbone for the polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol, and the polymer preferably has an average molecular weight of from 1 ,000 to 300,000 Daltons, preferably from 2,000 to 100,000 Daltons. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) can be supplied in a form comprising a certain amount of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), in that a level of the hydroxyl groups (OH) of the PVOH material is substituted with acetate groups (OCOCH3). Hydrolysis of PVAc is a common way to make PVOH. Thus the PVOH used herein generally comprise at some PVAc. The PVOH materials (either before or after hydrophobic modification) may comprise from 0.01 to 40% PVAc, preferably from 0.01 to 20%, more preferably from 0.1 to 15%, most preferably 0.5 to 10%, based on the % of the total number of monomers making up the polymer. As used herein, the term PVOH includes PVOH compounds with a PVAc level as previously defined.
Particularly preferred materials have a "degree of hydrolysis" of from 85 to 99%.
The preferred polymer is modified to comprise hydrophobic substituents. One method of modification is detailed in example 1 a. Preferred hydrophobic derivatisation groups include those based on parent groups selected from acetals, ketals, esters, fluorinated organic compounds, ethers, alkanes, alkenes and aromatics.
Highly preferred hydrophobic substituents are hydrocarbyl groups of C4 to C22 carbon chain length. These hydrocarbyl groups may be alkyl or alkenyl based, which can be straight chain, branched or comprise rings; it may also or
alternatively incorporate aromatic moieties.
More preferably the hydrocarbyl group has a carbon chain length of from C4 to C20, even more preferably from C4 to C15, most preferably from C4 to C10, for example, from C4 to Cs.
Hydrocarbyl chain lengths greater than C22 are undesirable as the parent material from which the derivatising group is obtained reacts poorly or not at all with the polymeric backbone. Hydrocarbyl groups shorter than C4 provide negligible additional hydrophobicity.
Especially preferred materials suitable for use to introduce the hydrophobic derivatisation groups onto the polymer are aldehydes such as butyraldehyde, octyl aldehyde, dodecyl aldehyde, 2-ethyl hexanal, cyclohexane carboxy-aldehyde, citral and 4-aminobutyraldehyde dimethyl acetal.
The hydrophobic material is preferably present in the polymer at a level from 0.1 to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer, more preferably from 2 to 30%, most preferably from 4 to 15%. In practice, with PVOH materials of relatively high degrees of hydrolysis, this means that preferred materials will have 5-15% of the -OH groups of the polymer replaced with the hydrophobe. Where the polymeric backbone is based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), the hydrophobic derivatisation material is preferably present at a level such that the number ratio of the hydrophobic groups to the free hydroxyl pairs on the backbone is from 1 :3 to 1 :30, more preferably from 1 :4 to 1 :20, most preferably 1 :7 to 1 :15. Additional modifying groups may be present on the polymer backbone. For instance, amines may be preferably included as a modifying group since this makes the polymer more soluble in response to, for instance, the change in pH and/or ionic strength from the wash to the rinse liquor. A particularly preferred polymer particle comprises a hydrophobic modified polymer of formula:
wherein the average number ratio of z to x is within the range of from 1 :200 to 1 :6, y is in the range of from 0.01 to 20% based on the % of total number of monomers making up the polymer (x + y + z), and R is a hydrophobic group being an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 3 to 21 carbon atoms, preferably from 3 to 6 carbon atoms. Most preferably R is C3H7.
Benefit Agents
While benefit agents are an optional feature of the elements comprising the cue, their presence is highly preferred in at least some of the elements. Various benefit agents can be incorporated into the elements. Any compatible benefit agent which can provide a benefit to a substrate which is treated with a surfactant composition can be used. Preferred benefit agents are in the laundry field, for example fabric benefit agents, and benefit agents which provide a benefit to a laundry wash and/or rinse medium.
Preferred examples include perfumes (both free and encapsulated), enzymes, antifoams, shading dyes and/or pigments, detergency builders, fabric conditioning agents (for example water-insoluble quaternary ammonium materials and/or silicones), sunscreens, antioxidants, reducing agents, sequestrants, colour care additives, density matching polymers, photobleaches, unsaturated oils, emollients and antimicrobial agents. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a disintegrant in the elements in addition to the benefit agent.
The elements are particularly suitable for use with particulate benefit agents (for example encapsulated perfumes) or water soluble/dispersible benefit agents.
Plasticiser and/or Crystallinity Disruptor
Where the elements of the cue are formed from a polymer the polymer preferably incorporates a plasticiser and/or crystallinity disruptor.
It is to be understood that the term "plasticiser" and phrase "crystallinity disruptor" are interchangeable such that a reference to one is an implicit reference to the other.
The plasticiser influences the way the polymer chains react to external factors such as compression and extensional forces, temperature and mechanical shock by controlling the way that the chains distort/realign as a consequence of there intrusions and their propensity to recover to their former state. The key feature of plasticisers is that they are highly compatible with the polymer cue and are normally hydrophilic in nature. The plasticiser will depend on the nature of the polymer making up the elements of the cue.
Generally, plasticisers suitable for use with PVOH-based polymer cues have -OH groups in common with the -CH2-CH(OH)-CH2-CH(OH)- polymer chain of the polymer particle.
Their mode of functionality is to introduce short chain hydrogen bonding within the hydroxyl groups and this weakens adjacent chain interactions which inhibits swelling of the aggregate polymer mass - the first stage of polymer dissolution. Water itself is a suitable plasticiser for PVOH polymer particles but other common plasticisers include: polyhydroxy compounds e.g. glycerol, trimethylolpropane, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, sorbitol, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, starches e.g. starch ether, esterified starch, oxidized starch and starches from potato, tapioca and wheat, cellulosics/carbohydrates e.g. amylopectin, dextrin, carboxymethylcellulose and pectin. Amines are particularly preferred plasticisers.
Various preferred surfactants are listed below. Particularly preferred surfactant compositions are those in the field of home and personal care, especially in the field of laundry, hair and oral care. The fully formulated compositions preferably comprise from 0.05 to 10 wt.% of the elements comprising the cue as previously described, and from 2 to 70 wt.%, more preferably 10 to 30 wt.% of a surfactant selected from an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or a mixture thereof. The elements forming the cue are more preferably present in the surfactant composition at a level of from 0.2 to 10 wt.%, most preferably from 0.2 to 5 wt.%.
The cue is preferably incorporated in a laundry treatment composition. The laundry treatment composition may, for example, take the form of an isotropic liquid, a surfactant-structured liquid, a granular, spray-dried, dry-blended or other particulate material. The composition is preferably a liquid or gel laundry composition. The laundry treatment composition may be a detergent composition for use in the main wash; alternatively it may be a composition for addition to a rinse cycle, for example a fabric conditioner. PROCESS OF PREPARATION
In one embodiment, the invention provides a process for making the elements of the cues of the invention, the process comprising the steps of: (a) provision of an aqueous mixture of a hydrophobically modified polymer as defined herein, and a fabric benefit agent;
(b) drying the aqueous mixture to remove whole or part of the water from the aqueous mixture to form a sheet;
(c) forming elements from the sheet in the desired shape and/or size; and,
(d) optionally, further drying the elements. The curvature of the elements may be instilled during the forming step (c), in the alternative the elements may adopt a curved shape when exposed to other formulation components of the end product. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a process for making the elements in which the drying step (b) or (d) is at least in part conducted unevenly, preferably with one face being dried more quickly than the other. This causes the elements to curl, either on drying or when exposed to other components of the end formulation. SURFACTANT
In general, the nonionic and anionic surfactants of the surfactant system may be chosen from the surfactants described "Surface Active Agents" Vol. 1 , by
Schwartz & Perry, Interscience 1949, Vol. 2 by Schwartz, Perry & Berch,
Interscience 1958, in the current edition of "McCutcheon's Emulsifiers and Detergents" published by Manufacturing Confectioners Company or in
"Tenside-Taschenbuch", H. Stache, 2nd Edn., Carl Hauser Verlag, 1981 . Preferably the surfactants used are saturated.
Suitable nonionic detergent compounds which may be used include, in particular, the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example, aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkyl phenols with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide.
Non-limiting examples of nonionic detergent compounds include: C12-C18 alkyl ethoxylates, such as, NEODOL® nonionic surfactants from Shell and
LUTENSOL® XL and LUTENSOL® XP from BASF; C10-CI2 alkyl phenol alkoxylates wherein the alkoxylate units are a mixture of ethoxy and propoxy units; C12-C18 alcohol and C6-C12 alkyl phenol condensates with ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block alkyl polyamine ethoxylates such as PLURONIC® from BASF; C14-C22 mid-chain branched alcohols as discussed in US 6,150,322; Ci4-C22 mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxylates, BAEX, wherein x is from 1 -30, as discussed in US 6,153,577, US 6,020,303 and US 6,093,856
Specific nonionic detergent compounds are G3 to C22 alkyl phenol-ethylene oxide condensates, generally 5 to 25 EO, i.e. 5 to 25 units of ethylene oxide per molecule, and the condensation products of aliphatic Cs to Cis primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide, generally 5 to 40 EO.
Suitable anionic detergent compounds which may be used are usually water- soluble alkali metal salts of organic carboxylates, sulphates and sulphonates having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term alkyl being used to include the alkyl portion of higher acyl radicals. Nonlimiting examples of anionic surfactants useful herein include: C9-C18 alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS); C10-C20 primary, branched-chain and random alkyl sulphates (AS); C10-C18 secondary (2,3) alkyl sulphates; C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy sulphates (AEXS) wherein preferably x is from 1 -30; C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy carboxylates preferably comprising 1 -5 ethoxy units; mid-chain branched alkyl sulpates as discussed in US 6,020,303 and US 6,060,443; mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxy sulphates as discussed in US 6,008,181 and US 6,020,303; modified
alkylbenzene sulphonate (MLAS) as discussed in WO 99/05243, WO 99/05242, and WO 99/05244; methyl ester sulphonate (MES); and alpha-olefin sulfonate (AOS).
The preferred anionic detergent compounds are sodium Cn to C15 alkyl benzene sulphonates and sodium C12 to Cis alkyl sulphates. Also applicable are surfactants such as those described in EP-A-328 177 (Unilever), which show resistance to salting-out, the alkyl polyglycoside surfactants described in
EP-A-070 074, and alkyl monoglycosides. Preferred surfactant systems are mixtures of anionic with nonionic detergent active materials, in particular the groups and examples of anionic and nonionic surfactants pointed out in EP-A-346 995 (Unilever). Especially preferred is surfactant system that is a mixture of an alkali metal salt of a C16 to Cis primary alcohol sulphate together with a C12 to C15 primary alcohol 3 to 7 EO ethoxylate. The nonionic detergent is preferably present in amounts greater than 10%, e.g. 25 to 90 wt.% of the surfactant system. Anionic surfactants can be present for example in amounts in the range from about 5 wt.% to about 40 wt.% of the surfactant system.
Methyl ether based surfactants can be used instead of the simple alkyl based surfactants described above.
The cationic surfactant may be a cationic fabric softening compound. Preferred cationic fabric softening compounds are water insoluble quaternary ammonium material which comprises a compound having two C12-18 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the nitrogen head group via at least one ester link. It is more preferred if the quaternary ammonium material has two or more ester links.
The composition may optionally comprise from 0 to 50 wt.% of a detergency builder. Preferably builder is present at a level of from 1 to 40 wt.%.
Builder materials may be selected from 1 ) calcium sequestrant materials, 2) precipitating materials, 3) calcium ion-exchange materials and 4) mixtures thereof. It is preferred that when an insoluble inorganic builder, e.g., zeolite is used, the size is in the range 0.1 to 10 microns (as measured by The Mastersizer 2000 particle size analyzer using laser diffraction ex Malvern™). Examples of calcium sequestrant builder materials include alkali metal
polyphosphates, such as sodium tripolyphosphate and organic sequestrants, such as ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid. Examples of precipitating builder materials include sodium orthophosphate and sodium carbonate.
Examples of calcium ion-exchange builder materials include the various types of water-insoluble crystalline or amorphous aluminosilicates, of which zeolites are the best known representatives, e.g. zeolite A, zeolite B (also known as zeolite P), zeolite C, zeolite X, zeolite Y and also the zeolite P-type as described in
The composition may also contain 0-50 wt.% of a builder or complexing agent such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid, alkyl- or alkenylsuccinic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid or the other builders mentioned below. Many builders are also bleach-stabilising agents by virtue of their ability to complex metal ions. Zeolite and carbonate (carbonate (including bicarbonate and sesquicarbonate) are preferred builders.
The composition may contain as builder a crystalline aluminosilicate, preferably an alkali metal aluminosilicate, more preferably a sodium aluminosilicate. This is typically present at a level of less than 15 wt.%. Aluminosilicates are materials having the general formula:
0.8-1 .5 M20. AI2O3. 0.8-6 SiO2 where M is a monovalent cation, preferably sodium. These materials contain some bound water and are required to have a calcium ion exchange capacity of at least 50 mg CaO/g. The preferred sodium aluminosilicates contain 1 .5-3.5 S1O2 units in the formula above. They can be prepared readily by reaction between sodium silicate and sodium aluminate, as amply described in the literature. The ratio of surfactants to aluminosilicate (where present) is preferably greater than 5:2, more preferably greater than 3:1 .
Alternatively, or additionally to the aluminosilicate builders, phosphate builders may be used. In this art the term 'phosphate' embraces diphosphate,
triphosphate, and phosphonate species. Other forms of builder include silicates, such as soluble silicates, metasilicates, layered silicates (e.g. SKS-6 from
Hoechst). Preferably the laundry detergent formulation is a non-phosphate built or largely un-built laundry detergent formulation, i.e., contains less than 1 wt.% of
The composition preferably comprises a blue or violet shading agent in the range from 0.0001 to 0.01 wt.%. The shading agents reduce the perception of damage to many coloured garments and increase the perception of whiteness of white garments.
The shading agents are preferably selected from blue and violet dyes of the solvent disperse basic, direct and acid type listed in the colour index (Society of Dyers and Colourists and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists 2002). Preferably a direct violet or direct blue dyes is present. Preferably the dyes are bis-azo, tris-azo dyes or triphendioxazine dye. The carcinogenic benzidene based dyes are not preferred. Bis-azo copper containing dyes such as direct violet 66 may be used.
The most preferred bis-azo dyes have the following structure:
ring D and E may be independently naphthyl or phenyl as shown;
Ri is selected from: hydrogen and C1 -C4-alkyl, preferably hydrogen;
R2 is selected from: hydrogen, C1 -C4-alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl and substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl, preferably phenyl;
R3 and R4 are independently selected from: hydrogen and C1 -C4-alkyl, preferably hydrogen or methyl; X and Y are independently selected from: hydrogen, C1 -C4-alkyl and C1 -C4- alkoxy; preferably the dye has X= methyl; and, Y = methoxy and n is 0, 1 or 2, preferably 1 or 2. Preferred bis-azo dyes are direct violet 7, direct violet 9, direct violet 1 1 , direct violet 26, direct violet 31 , direct violet 35, direct violet 40, direct violet 41 , direct violet 51 , and direct violet 99.
Preferred solvent and disperse dyes, are selected from, mono-azo or
anthraquinone dyes, most preferably, solvent violet 13, disperse violet 27 disperse violet 26, disperse violet 28, disperse violet 63 and disperse violet 77.
A preferred pigment is pigment violet 23. Examples of suitable organic dyes are disclosed in WO2008/017570. Preferred dyes also include Acid Violet 50 and Acid Blue 98. Polymeric shading/hueing agents are also preferred.
The shading/hueing agent may be present in the cues and/or in the bulk of the formulation.
The composition preferably comprises one or more enzymes which provide cleaning performance and/or fabric care benefits. Examples of suitable enzymes include, but are not limited to, hemicellulases, peroxidases, proteases, cellulases, xylanases, lipases, phospholipases, esterases, cutinases, pectinases,
mannanases, pectate lyases, keratinases, reductases, oxidases, phenoloxidases, - lipoxygenases, ligninases, pullulanases, tannases, pentosanases, malanases, arabinosidases, hyaluronidase, chondroitinase, laccase, and amylases, or mixtures thereof. A typical combination is an enzyme cocktail that may comprise, for example, a protease and lipase in conjunction with amylase and/or cellulase. When present in a cleaning composition, the aforementioned enzymes may be present at levels from about 0.00001 wt.% to about 2 wt.%, from about 0.0001 wt.% to about 1 wt.% or even from about 0.001 wt.% to about 0.5 wt.% enzyme protein by weight of the composition.
Preferred enzymes are cellulase, lipase, protease and mixtures including one or more of these. The enzymes may be present in the cues, and/or in the bulk of the formulation.
The composition preferably comprises a fluorescent agent (optical brightener). Fluorescent agents are well known and many such fluorescent agents are available commercially. Usually, these fluorescent agents are supplied and used in the form of their alkali metal salts, for example, the sodium salts. The total amount of the fluorescent agent or agents used in the composition is generally from 0.005 to 2 wt.%, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1 wt.%. Preferred classes of fluorescer are: Di-styryl biphenyl compounds, e.g. Tinopal (Trade Mark) CBS-X, Di-amine stilbene di-sulphonic acid compounds, e.g. Tinopal DMS pure Xtra and Blankophor (Trade Mark) HRH, and Pyrazoline compounds, e.g. Blankophor SN. Preferred fluorescers are: sodium 2-(4-styryl-3-sulfophenyl)-2H-napthol[1 ,2- d]trazole, disodium 4,4'-bis{[(4-anilino-6-(N methyl-N-2 hydroxyethyl) amino 1 ,3,5- triazin-2-yl)]amino}stilbene-2-2' disulfonate, disodium 4,4'-bis{[(4-anilino-6- morpholino-1 ,3,5-triazin-2-yl)]amino} stilbene-2-2' disulfonate, and disodium 4,4'- bis(2-sulfoslyryl)biphenyl.
The fluorescer may be present in the cues, and/or in the bulk of the formulation. PERFUME
Preferably the composition comprises a perfume. The perfume is preferably in the range from 0.001 to 3 wt.%, most preferably 0.1 to 1 wt.%. Many suitable examples of perfumes are provided in the CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and
Fragrance Association) 1992 International Buyers Guide, published by CFTA Publications and OPD 1993 Chemicals Buyers Directory 80th Annual Edition, published by Schnell Publishing Co. It is commonplace for a plurality of perfume components to be present in a formulation. In the compositions of the present invention it is envisaged that there will be four or more, preferably five or more, more preferably six or more or even seven or more different perfume components. In perfume mixtures preferably 15 to 25 wt.% are top notes. Top notes are defined by Poucher (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 6(2):80 [1955]). Preferred top-notes are selected from citrus oils, linalool, linalyl acetate, lavender, dihydromyrcenol, rose oxide and cis-3-hexanol. Perfume and particularly top notes may be used to cue fabric care benefits.
If the laundry treatment composition takes a liquid form, then it is preferred that the composition does not contain a peroxygen bleach, e.g., sodium percarbonate, sodium perborate, and peracid.
The composition may comprise one or more polymers in addition to any polymer present as the matrix of the elements. Examples are carboxymethylcellulose, poly(ethylene glycol), polyvinyl alcohol), polycarboxylates such as polyacrylates, maleic/acrylic acid copolymers and lauryl methacrylate/ acrylic acid copolymers.
Polymers present to prevent dye deposition, for example poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(vinylpyridine-N-oxide), and poly(vinylimidazole), are preferably absent from the formulation when a shading dye is present.
HYDROTROPE For compositions in the form of a liquid, it is useful to include a hydrotrope, which prevents liquid crystal formation. The addition of the hydrotrope thus aids the clarity/transparency of the composition and propmotes the visibility of the cues. Suitable hydrotropes include but are not limited to propylene glycol, ethanol, urea, salts of benzene sulphonate, toluene sulphonate, xylene sulphonate or cumene sulphonate. Suitable salts include but are not limited to sodium, potassium, ammonium, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine. Preferably, the hydrotrope is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, xylene sulfonate, ethanol, and urea to provide optimum performance. The amount of the hydrotrope is generally in the range of from 0 to 30%, preferably from 0.5 to 30%, more preferably from 0.5 to 30%, most preferably from 1 to 15%.
Bleach precursors (e.g. tetra-acetylene diamine and sodium percarbonate) cannot be added directly to a liquid formulation as the resulting peracid species would not be stable. By encapsulating the two precursors within the elements forming the cue the generation of peracid can be prevented until the composition is introduced into the main wash. A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a packaged surfactant-containing formulation comprising a visual cue, wherein: a) the surfactant-containing composition is a pourable, liquid or gel, laundry detergent composition; comprising: i) from 0.05 to 10 wt.% of elements forming a visual cue, and, ii) from 2 to 70 wt.%, preferably 10 to 30 wt.% of a surfactant selected from an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or a mixture thereof. b) the package is at least in part transparent, c) the visual cue comprises a plurality of sheet-like elements of dispersed
material, having opposed surfaces wherein: i) the surfaces of the elements are configured such that when an element is located adjacent a flat inner surface of the package, the elements can only contact the inner surface of the packaging over less than 50% of a surface of the element; ii) the ratio of the average diameter of the elements, measured flat, to the thickness of the elements is greater than 5:1 , preferably greater than 8:1 ; iii) the average diameter of the elements is in the range 1 -10mm,
preferably 3-6mm; and; iv) the average thickness of the elements is in the range 100-2000
microns, preferably 200-500 microns. In order that the invention may be further and better understood it will be described below with reference to examples.
Example 1a: Preparation of the Hvdrophobicallv Modified Polymeric Material:
A 10wt% solution of PVOH in water was prepared by placing 100g PVOH (Mowiol 20-98 (trade name), ex Kuraray Specialities) and 900g demineralised water into a flask and heating to 70°C. To this, 10ml of hydrochloric acid (36% aqueous solution) was added to catalyse the reaction and then butyraldehyde was added. The mixture was then stirred at 70°C for 5 hours under an inert atmosphere, after which time the heating was stopped and agitation continued for a further 20 hours at room temperature. The reaction mixture was then brought to a pH of 7 using a sodium hydroxide solution.
The resulting solution was precipitated into acetone to yield the acetalised PVOH polymer and washed repeatedly with acetone (500ml) and then water (50ml). It was then dried under vacuum at 70°C overnight to yield a white polymer.
Example 2: Preparation of cue elements: A solution comprising 3 parts of the hydrophobically modified PVOH prepared according to Example 1 , in solution (15% active) was mixed with 7 parts of slurry containing an encapsulated perfume (31 % perfume loading). The solution was used to form a film by pouring it into a Teflon™-film lined polystyrene bioassay tray. One set of samples was dried such that elements suitable for use in cues cut from the film remains flat when placed in surfactant, the other dried such that the elements curl in surfactant (radius of curvature ~ 8mm). Star-shaped elements were cut from the film using a hand punch.
The difference in drying conditions were, that for the elements which would curve, heat was only applied to one side of the film, whereas those that remain flat were dried by uniform application of heat to the film (hanging in an oven at 75 Celsius for 20 minutes). Uneven heating was accomplished by drying the film on a glass plate heated from underneath (at 75 Celsius for 20 minutes).
Example 3: Evaluation of adhesion:
A glass slide was taken and a small quantity of surfactant-containing product (Persil Small & Mighty) was placed 50mm from one end. A single element of which a plurality would form the visual cue was then placed in the surfactant and left for 10 minutes. The glass slide was then supported at a 40° angle to the horizontal and water at room temperature dripped onto the slide from a 3mm diameter nozzle so that the water ran down over the cue at a rate of 7ml/min using a peristaltic pump. The time taken for the cue element to detach from the slide and fall to the bottom edge was measured. In repeated experiments, the average time for a flat cue element was 902.25 seconds, whereas the average time for a curved cue element was 64.5s.
Example Release time Release time
(comparative) (embodiment)
(flat cue element) - (curved cue element) - sec.
3a 874 75
3b 1072 67
3c 702 60
3d 901 56 These results clearly show that the curved elements are far less liable to adhere to surfaces than flat elements.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Better. ;)
OverDose is a class, team& objective based multiplayer game set on a post apocalyptic Earth, were the Confederate Marine Corps and Marauders battle it out for supremacy over the destroyed cities of a war torn world. Using idTech2 as a base, we are writing our engine from the ground up to take advantage of modern day graphical options and details levels to bring you eye popping class based multiplayer mayhem. This isn't just war... Its an all out apocalypse!
Better. ;)
Something about them looks unnatural. The textures look fantastic, though!
Model looks good however texture's colors doesn't, need some correction IMO.
Reminds me of something, stack them on each other with a brown texture and you get what I mean. No offence xD
Were you intending for it to look like a ballsack? :D
Another new test of me making rocks, just trying a new method that works in conjunction with the other one I was testing. Just a different look. Better or worse?


text:
Martinu: Cello Sonatas / Zappa, Mainolfi
1 CD / Claves / 2009-05-12Works: Bohuslav Martinu: Sonata for Cello and Piano no 1; Sonata for Cello and Piano no 2; Sonata for Cello and Piano no 3
Performers: Mainolfi, Massimiliano; Zappa, Mattia
The Zappa-Mainolfi Duo was formed while the two were studying at Juilliard. They made their debut at Alice Tully Hall in 1995. Since then they...continue...
Flute Recital / Marina Piccinini, Eva Kupiec
1 CD / Claves / 2002-06-01Works: Otar Vasil'yevich Taktakishvili: Sonata for flute & piano in C major; Erwin Schulhoff: Sonata for Flute and Piano; Paul Arma: Suite Paysanne Hongroise, transcribed for flute & piano (after Bartó...
Performers: Piccinini, Marina
Oboe Concertos from Bohemia - Ingo Goritzki, Wojciech Rajski
1 CD / Claves / 2002-02-01Works: Bohuslav Martinu: Concerto for Oboe; Joseph Fiala: Concerto for Oboe in B flat major; Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda: Concertino for Oboe in F major, Op. 110; Franz Krommer: Concerto for Oboe in F major, Op...
Performers: Goritzki, Ingo
Conductors: Rajski, Wojciech
Ensemble: Polish Chamber Philharmonic


text:
Self Taught MBA: Empowering Homeowners at ArmchairBuilder.comcomments (1) November 13th, 2012 in Blogs
On his website, Luckado provides help through blogs and videos for small and large DIY projects, such as installing a glass-tile backsplash or replacing a roof. On larger projects, such as whole-house construction, he recommends that homeowners hire out as much of the work as possible, acting as general contractors to save time and money, and picking only a few projects to handle personally. "I think homeowners can get the best price and outcome by choosing which projects they would like to do themselves either because of the savings or just because they like doing it and have the skills," said Luckado.
Based in Hawaii, ArmchairBuilder.com has a following throughout the United States, Canada and England. "The UK has a major push to get people to build their own home. They are coming up with ways to make it easier for people to tackle the home-building process, as it was in the old days. Hopefully the U.S. will see how successful this is and follow their lead," Luckado said. He no longer takes on projects personally. "We will give guidance, but we don't take on specific local projects," Luckado said. "We are too busy at the moment creating content for ArmchairBuilder.com. Our philosophy is that through the Internet, we can help thousands (or hopefully hundreds of thousands) of people versus just a handful working one-on-one."
ArmchairBuilder.com launched in August of last year, so it's impossible to know now just how successful the business model will prove, but the concept lines up with a trend toward consumer empowerment that has already altered the fields of financial investment, medicine, law, and real estate. In Luckado's view, "There is a huge need for good-quality, trustworthy information about building, remodeling, and repairing homes. The building business doesn't have the best reputation. Our goal is to provide good information so people can save money and get exactly what they want without unnecessary hassles. So, yes, I think this business model has huge potential to help people, and if we can accomplish that, we have a business."
posted in: Blogs, business
Comments (1)
Posted: 3:54 am on May 15th
Log in or create a free account to post a comment.
Ultimate Deck Build 2016: Critical Connections Part 1: Ledger
The primary connection between deck and house read more
add to: my yahoo | igoogle | my aol


text:
9 Story Announces Int'l Sales of 'Arthur'
Toronto, Canada -- 9 Story Entertainment announces multiple international sales of the 16th season of the award-winning children's animated series ARTHUR (20x22'HD) to CBC ( Canada), CBBC (UK), ABC (Australia) and Noga (Israel).
9 Story became producer and distributor of the popular series in a co-venture with WGBH Boston and PBS commencing season 16. The series is now in HD and has been digitally refreshed. ARTHUR is the only kids' show that shares screen time on four public broadcasters around the world: PBS KIDS GO! (US), CBBC (UK), ABC (Australia) and, commencing with the 16th season, on CBC (Canada).
"We took great care to preserve the tradition of this beloved series, while digitally updating its animation, and couldn't be happier with its refreshed look and feel. We are delighted ARTHUR will once again be seen on these leading international children's channels," said Vince Commisso, President and CEO, 9 Story Entertainment.
Based on the best-selling books by Marc Brown, ARTHUR revolves around the adventures of an eight-year-old aardvark and his family and friends. The series has aired in 83 countries and is considered a phenomenon holding the title for one of the longest-running children's animated series in the U.S. It is the winner of four Emmy awards for outstanding Children's Animation Program, a BAFTA award, as well as a Peabody Award.
Source: 9 Story Entertainment


text:
Home Opinion Editorials Spell-checkers: Good tools, lousy teachers
Spell-checkers: Good tools, lousy teachers
Computers are marvelous tools — microchips helped put the words you're reading on this page, for instance.
But computers are lousy spelling teachers.
Which is why we disagree with the Oregon Department of Education's recent decision to allow seventh-graders and sophomores to use computer spell-checkers when they take state writing tests in January.
Our chief complaint is that spell-checkers entice students to bypass a crucial part of the writing process: proofreading.
And spell-checkers, though they'll spot the transposed letters in "recieve" every time, will not rescue young writers (or old writers, come to that) from other pitfalls in the vast swamp of common errors.
Mistakenly use "there" when "their" was called for? Both look right to the computer. So do other common sets of homophones such as "two-too-to" and "won-one."
Spell-checkers are equally useless in helping students deal with the vexing problem of where, or whether, to insert the comma.
We don't mean to imply that the state's spell-checker decision is a terrible scandal.
Spell-checkers are not evil. We use one every day (although, to our utter dismay, misspelled words still infect the paper, like bacteria).
But we're not talking about people who write for a living. The issue is what's the best strategy for teaching students the fundamentals of expressing themselves well on paper.
And spell-checkers, rather than instill those fundamentals, subvert them.
Student writers will misspell words and make other mistakes, of course.
But we prefer students learn to recognize those mistakes while carefully editing their own words, as opposed to relying on a computer.
The curious thing is that officials at the Department of Education agree with us.
Well, sort of.
Although the state will let seventh-graders and sophomores use computer spell-check programs during their writing tests, fourth-graders, who also take a writing test, are left out.
Those younger students have to rely on a dictionary or handheld spell-checker — neither of which, unlike a computer program, will find misspellings for you.
In other words, the state thinks fourth-graders will benefit from learning spelling the old-fashioned way, but students who are three to six years older won't, or at least not as much.
Having read the work of seventh-graders and sophomores — and taking into account our own frustrating foibles — we disagree.


text:
Related Content
Related Link
Delaware Nation Website
Corps hosts meeting with the Delaware Nation
Posted 12/30/2013
Baltimore District
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District hosted its first ever face-to-face meeting with a federally recognized Native American tribe on Dec. 4 at the district's headquarters in Baltimore.
The Corps met with the Delaware Nation, one of the country's longest standing Native American Tribes, to discuss a Corps project that could potentially impact what were historically tribal lands. Additionally, the meeting was held to foster the developing relationship between the Baltimore District and the tribe regarding the work that the Corps performs and its relation to areas of interest and significance to the Delaware Nation.
"Much of our district is Delaware Nation's ancestral homeland," Baltimore District Cultural Resource Program Manager Scott Watson said. "We want to use their expertise when we have projects that are in areas of significance to them."
The Delaware Nation, originally known as the Lenape Tribe, traces its roots back in time nearly 12,000 years. In 1778 Delaware Nation became the first Native American tribe to sign a treaty with the U.S. government and their close relationship with William Penn gave them a pivotal role in the establishment of Philadelphia.
The tribe's ancestral homeland spanned from Virginia to Massachusetts before they were forced westward as a result of settlers and government control. Now based in Oklahoma, the Delaware Nation strives to preserve and expand their culture, language and religion through economic development and education.
The relationship between the Corps and Delaware Nation, while new, is incredibility important. Through their historical expertise in the lands part of our district's area of responsibility, it is imperative the Corps works with the tribe to ensure lands of significance, many of which we are unaware of, are considered as we implement our mission.
"Native American groups attach significance to parts of the country and parts within our district that we may not be aware of," Watson said. "As a result, it's important we work regularly with them so that we can identify those areas and take into account the effects of our projects on land that has significance to their culture."


text:
Review Details
Earthway Fert-A-Ply Side-Dress Fertilizer Attachment 1500
Product Review (submitted on May 28, 2014):
I read all the great reviews. Thought it would be great. It doesn't fit right. keeps falling off. The handle doesn't work well. works great if I walk down the row holding it in my hand.


text:
Process of shortening or making smaller, two words put together by omitting a letter and adding an apostrophe (I'll, I'm...)
something that stands for something else; i.e, the blind woman holding scales is a _ _ _ _ _ _ for justice
repetition of beginning sound in poetry ex: (Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers)
A series of tables giving the days of the week together with certain astronomical information.
American literature
short stories, novels, plays, and poems written by authors from the United States
the act of making up your mind about something, the last sentence or paragraph in an essay
two words are homonyms if they are pronounced or spelled the same way but have different meanings
annotated bibliography
a bibliography that includes brief explanations or notes for each reference
the repetition of vowel sounds, vowel rhyme, the repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words: Please bake me a date cake.
convinces readers to think the way the author does about a subject, a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ive essay or letter
primary source
an original source that informs directly, not through another person's explanation or interpretation, the first source of information
a book to which you can refer for authoritative facts: encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, dictionary, thesaurus
secondary source
Text and/or artifacts that are not original, but written from something original (biographies, magazine articles, research papers).
Flickr Creative Commons Images
Some images used in this set are licensed under the Creative Commons through Flickr.com. Click to see the original works with their full license.
- "vowel" image
- "advertisement" image
- "business letter" image
- "fable" image
- "journal" image
- "legend" image
- "outline" image
- "short story" image
- "synonym" image
- "thank you note" image
- "atlas" image
- "title" image
- "bias" image
- "biography" image
- "compound word" image
- "cookbook" image
- "dictionary" image
- "fairy tale" image
- "nursery rhyme" image
- "autobiography" image
- "theme" image
- "poem" image
- "essay" image
- "metaphor" image
- "simile" image
- "symbol" image
- "genre" image
- "fiction" image
- "non-fiction" image
- "plot" image
- "root word" image
- "schedule" image
- "science fiction" image
- "setting" image
- "syllable" image
- "tall tale" image
- "acronym" image
- "advertise" image
- "almanac" image
- "American literature" image
- "anecdote" image
- "anthology" image
- "aphorism" image
- "argue" image
- "autobiography" image
- "bibliography" image
- "book review" image
- "brochure" image
- "caption" image
- "category" image
- "characteristics" image
- "conclusion" image
- "conversation" image
- "description" image
- "diary" image
- "drama" image
- "entertain" image
- "excerpt" image
- "fact or opinion" image
- "foreshadowing" image
- "glossary" image
- "guide words" image
- "graphic organizer" image
- "historical fiction" image
- "labels" image
- "manual" image
- "memoir" image
- "moral" image
- "narrator" image
- "persuade" image
- "persuasion" image
- "picture book" image


text:
Hollow Earth
Hollow Earth, or Agartha, is a little sandbox world I like to play around in sometimes. I don't really intend on doing anything with it (comics, animations, or even develop characters) I just like to play with the setting itself.
My version of Hollow Earth is loosly based off of all the current itterations of the same setting, and all the wacky conspiracy theories as well. Its a "lost world" situated inside of a planet. It is illuminated by an internal crystal sun called Atoma. Agartha is populated by dinosaur worshiping lizardmen samurai, friendly treefrog people and the "Illuminated," an aloof race of technologically and magically advanced people who migrated underground after their city on the surface world was destroyed thousands of years ago.
Agartha is also inhabited by evil monsters. The Illithids are constantly trying to use the power of the Atoma to awaken their sleeping, eldrich gods. The Naga, snake queens of Agartha, believe all of Hollow Earth belong to them, and want to enslave the entire population.
Hollow Earth is full of dinosaurs, giant insects and any prehistoric monstrosity you can imagine.
If anyone has any ideas about the denzians and landscapes of Agartha, please, feel free to draw it, I would love to see how others imagine the world in the middle of the Earth.
Love this concept!
BTW, do you think a vodoo goblin is a good idea for HTTGK?


text:
Pearlfisher's light-based branding for Tria Beauty
Pearlfisher has created a new look for beauty brand Tria, which produces light-based skincare products.
Sign in or register to continue reading. It's FREE
Existing users
Not registered?
It's FREE!
Registration only takes 2 minutes. Enjoy full access to the latest news, views and inspiration from the heart of the design industry.Register now


text:
Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament
The Gold Cup Invitational Tarpon tournament is the one of the oldest Tarpon tournaments in the United States. The Gold Cup has been referred to as the "Wimbledon" or "World Series" of tarpon fishing. The Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament is known worldwide, wherever anglers pursue the Silver King with a fly. The Gold Cup is an all release, fly fishing invitational that has attracted many premier fly fishermen and guides throughout its 52 year history. The tournament participants range from the expert to the novice who is trying to improve his fishing skills. All participants share one common interest - a passion for tarpon fishing. 2016 will mark the tournament's 53rd anniversary. The tournament will be held June 20th through June 24th in Islamorada in the Florida Keys. The tournament will fish out of the Lor-e-lei restaurant and marina in Islamorada. The tournament is limited to 25 anglers. Awards will be given for various categories and will consist of artwork by notable wildlife artists, as well as fishing tackle and accessories. The Grand Champion will also have his name engraved on the perpetual trophy alongside past champions that read like the who's who of saltwater flyfishing. The entry fee for the tournament is $2,000. and includes reservations for the tournament banquets for you and your guide. The angler is responsible for obtaining and paying his guide. Part of the proceeds from the tournament will go to benefit Children's support groups in the Florida Keys. Hot and cold breakfast will be provided each fishing morning as well as refreshments and snacks at the end of each fishing day. This is a competition, but it is between the angler and one of the world's greatest fighting fish - the tarpon. Great camaraderie and great fishing have lead to many life-long friendships being established at the Gold Cup. This is a fun tournament in the beautiful Florida Keys, fishing with fellow "tarpon addicts" for one of the truly great game fish. It just doesn't get any better. If you are a seasoned tarpon angler or a novice trying to become one, e-mail us for more information.
Contact Information
General Information: email@example.com
P.O. Box 1705, Islamorada, FL 33036


text:
May 6, 2016
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Logan Thomas threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third, leading No. 9 Virginia Tech to a 24-21 victory over North Carolina on Thursday night and another 10-win season.
The Hokies (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their sixth in a row since a home loss to No. 7 Clemson and remained on track for a rematch with the Tigers in the ACC championship game. Virginia Tech would clinch its fourth Coastal Division title in five years Saturday night if Virginia loses at No. 23 Florida State.
If the Cavaliers win, the Virginia rivals play for a berth in the conference championship game Nov. 26.
North Carolina (6-5, 2-5) lost its second straight. The Tar Heels failed to get anything going on offense until after the Hokies had taken a commanding lead, then made it tense for fans that remained in the stands on a frigid night.
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


text:
For Madera County 4-H
Jake Dowell, 10, a fifth grade student at Spring Valley School in O'Neals, is a third year member of 4-H. He currently has his Bronze Star and is the Spring Valley 4-H Club secretary this year.
Jake joined the Dixieland 4-H Club in 2009 as a mini member. Jake moved to Coarsegold and joined Spring Valley 4-H in 2010 as a mini member. He has been involved in several projects including mini gardens, dairy goats, meat goats, and veterinary science.
Jake enjoys showing his goats at the local fairs. He recently showed eight dairy goats at the Madera District Fair, where he won both Junior and Intermediate Dairy Goat Showmanship. He represented dairy goats in Intermediate Master Showmanship and received sixth place. He had the Predominant Breed Junior Champion, Senior Champion and Grand Champion. He also had the AOB Senior and Grand Champion Does, and Best Doe in Show.
Jake also showed two market goats and five breeding meat goats at the fair. He did very well in their classes. His market goat, Buddy, was the 4-H Champion Market Goat and the Grand Champion Market Goat. He had a great fair and in doing so was named the Outstanding Livestock Exhibitor...


text:
Newegg.com - A great place to buy computers, computer parts, electronics, software, accessories, and DVDs online. With great prices, fast shipping, and top-rated customer service - once you know, you Newegg.
If you are reading this message, Please click this link to reload this page.(Do not use your browser's "Refresh" button). Please email us if you're running the latest version of your browser and you still see this message.
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, Laptops, Electronics, HDTVs, Digital Cameras and More!
Sold and Shipped by RedsGear.com
Spyderco Police Knife C07PS Time and again law enforcement officers have opted for the Police Model since its debut in 1984. Spyderco packs as much blade length as possible into the handle for big cutting power in a slim profile. The Police Model has a David Boye dent cut out of the locking lever allowing you to gorilla grip the knife without accidentally releasing the lock. The blade is hollow-ground VG-10 and thick at the tip for added strength with a weight-reducing swedge along the spine. All stainless, the handle is perfect for engraving or embossing. Steel clip positions the knife for tip-down pocket carrySpecifications: Model #C07PS Length Overall: 9 7/16" (240mm) Length Closed: 5 5/16" (135mm) Hole Diameter: 15/32" (12mm) Blade Length: 4 1/8" (104mm) Cutting Edge: 3 13/16" (97mm) Blade Thickness: 1/8" (3mm) Blade Steel: VG-10 Weight: 5.6oz (159g) Handle Material: Stainless SteelContents: Spyderco Police Knife C07PS
This item is eligible for Newegg Premier benefits. Are you a Newegg Premier Member? If not, sign up today and get:
Your request will be processed within the next 24 hours.
Please add "firstname.lastname@example.com" to your address book to ensure delivery.See Today's E-Blast Promo


text:
I'm having trouble with trying to figure out who my babies father is?
I had sex with my boyfriend May 24th and turned around and had sex with my guy friend on May 25,26,27th but it was after 12 midnight so I consider the dates being the 26,27,and 28th but n-e-ways I am 19 weeks pregnant with my first child and I would like to know who my babies father is my doctor said I concieved the first week in June but I didnt have sex at all the first week of June so how is that so or possible and my ovulation calulater says I concieved between May 29th and June 2nd can someone please help me and let me know who the father could possibly be?
Posted: 10/02/2009 by a BabyCenter Member
Mom Answers
Sort by: best answers | most recent answers
1 - 1 of 1 answers
Try a DNA test without none of thenm knowing is best...posted 12/22/2009 by Titi2009
Answer this question


text:
For BvB Sumner Legacy hosted events, please visit our Event page.
For a printable schedule of events, please click here.
See pictures from the 60th Anniversary weekend here!
Gospel Festival, Thursday, May 15, 2014, 7pm <<Printable Flyer>>
Join us for an entertaining and inspiring evening featuring regional acts including: Flow and Soul Project, church choirs, dance groups and readings.
El Shaddai Ministries
920 SE Sherman
Monroe Kindergarten, Friday, May 16, 2014 , 11 am
Governor Brownback and Congresswoman Jenkins Commemorate 60 Years of Desegregation and Dedicate New Kindergarten Exhibit
Topeka, KS – Governor Sam Brownback and Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins will commemorate 60 years of desegregation in public education and dedicate the park's newly refurbished kindergarten classroom Friday, May 16, at 11a.m. at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. The event is free and open to the public.
The event will highlight the important role Topeka played in the fight to desegregate schools leading up to the 1954 Brown v. Topeka Board of Education decision and will be held on the steps of the historic Monroe school.
Joyce Scott Grigsby, local NAACP chapter president, will share her experience of growing up in Kansas when Jim Crow legislation was the law of the land. Joining her will be Lena Martinez and Morgan Michner, area high school students from the park's Youth Advisory Council discussing their experience growing up in a post-Brown world. The Williams Magnet School Kindergarten Choir will be on hand as well to honor the event with a song.
The event will mark the public dedication of the park's new kindergarten classroom. This 1954 modeled exhibit was refurbished by the park to meet the community's request for a representative classroom from a pre-Brown world. The park historian and staff worked closely with teachers and the state archives to design a room that accurately represented Monroe Elementary's.
Brown v Board National Historic Site
First Lady Michelle Obama, Friday, May 16, 2014, 5pm
The First Lady will be coming to Topeka for a special senior recognition event to celebrate the 60 year anniversary of the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision.
Kansas Expocentre (Tickets required)
Legacy Walk, Saturday, May 17, 2014, 10 & 1pm <<Printable Flyer>>
Walk from Monroe Elementary to Sumner Elementary, reversing the path Linda Brown travelled before the Supreme Court ended segregation in Topeka and the Nation's schools.
Two-hour ranger-led walk. Wear comfortable shoes. Return transportation will be available.
Brown v Board National Historic Site
Sumner Tours, Oral Histories, Future Use, Saturday, May 17, 2014, 9am-6pms
Join us to take a look at the building where the case began. Share your stories with staff on site to record vital oral histories and join the conversation on future uses of the school.
Sumner Elementary School
330 SW Western Avenue
Brown Foundation Banquet, Saturday, May 17, 2014, 7pm
The Brown Foundation offers a tribute to the seminal events of the Civil Rights Movement. Commemorate the 60th Anniversary with celebrity host Carl Boyd, speaker Danny Strong and keynote speaker Carolyn Maull (McKinstry).
Ramada Inn & Convention Center (Tickets Required)
Twitter Re-enactment of Brown v. Board of Education US Supreme Court Decision
Follow the site on Twitter @BRVB_NHS for a re-enactment of the Brown v. Board of Education US Supreme Court decision and the world's reaction.
Saturday, May 17, 2014 thru Sunday, May 18, 2014
Free on Twitter
Sumner Tours, Oral Histories, Future Uses, Sunday, May 18, 2014 1pm—6pm
Join us to take a look at the building where the case began. Share your stories with staff on site to record vital oral histories and join the conversation on future uses of the school.
Sumner Elementary school
Smokin' Blues and BBQ, Sunday, May 18, 2014 2pm—6pm <<Printable Flyer>>
Come experience community bonding and a good time. Featuring blues bands: That Damn Blues Band and Cleveland Blue; BBQ
Sumner Elementary school
For more 60th Anniversary events, please visit http://www.topeka365.com/events/upcoming/
For more National Park Service events, please visit www.nps.gov/brvb/planyourvisit/brownvboardevents.htm
A note from the City Councilman Nathan Schmidt:
Kansas was founded and organized as a battleground over civil rights. The New England Emigrant Aid Co. brought settlers here in the hopes of gaining statehood as a free state. John Brown and Bleeding Kansas followed. Kansas was also the destination for the Exodusters fleeing the south during Reconstruction. Shortly after the Civil War a strong movement for women's suffrage was begun herein Kansas led by Sam Wood and Susan B. Anthony. While defeated initially, Kansas became the 8th state to grant full suffrage in 1912 after suffrage for municipal elections was secured in 1887. Carrie A. Nation redecorated many saloons here which invigorated the temperance movement that served as the spearhead for the national women's rights movement of the early 20th century. Kathryn O'Laughlin was one of the earliest female members of congress in 1933, Susanna Salter was the first female mayor in the United States. Arthur Capper pioneered the treatment of physical disabilities, the Menninger family is the first family of mental health treatment. All of these actions and movements led to the Brown v. Board decision. That decision remains one of the most important civil rights decisions in this country and is seen globally by many as one of the most important civil rights decisions in the world.
To highlight all of this history we are organizing a civil rights celebration that will include music, theater, the arts, historical tours and participatory activities as well as a series of discussions on civil rights issues we face today. Contacts have begun to invite various local, state, and national voices from the present and the past to discuss all aspects of civil rights from segregation, to slavery, to civil rights in sports, politics, war etc. We hope to make this a very large discussion of civil rights issues as well as a discussion of our past and where we go from here. We hope to integrate the rebirth of the Sumner School, the school that started Brown v. Board, into this as a continuing center for work on global civil rights issues. Most of all however we are trying to reestablish a pride in our identity as a city of consequence, a city unafraid to face the most difficult issues of our or any time. Topeka holds a unique place in history as the national conscience, the place where tough realities are addressed and our future direction is defined. It is a story that needs to be more than told, it needs to continue to be lived. May 17, 1954 is the date that the Brown v. Board decision was handed down by the US Supreme Court. 2014 is also the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.


text:
Wednesday Jun 10 2009
County budget looks dismal
By: Gus Thomson, Gold Country News Service
Placer County supervisors received more dismal budget news Tuesday. Not only did the board approve an interim spending plan that estimates an 11.1 percent drop in spending in the coming budget year that starts July 1 but they heard from CEO budget analysts that there will be no quick bounce-back when a recovery occurs. "By all accounts, the recession is deeper and longer than previously thought," Assistant CEO Holly Heinzen said. Heinzen said that even if the housing downturn were to reverse itself, it would still be the following year or even 18 months out – when higher values would be reflected on property tax rolls – before the county would see the benefits in its bottom line. The 2009-10 budget is currently projected to be $769 million – down from this year's $865 million. But questions about actual revenue totals, impact on services and the state budget still remain unanswered. Discussion on the budget will continue through the summer before a final budget proposal is made in front of an Oct. 2 deadline. "It's important to stress that this is an interim budget," Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery said. "There are still a number of unknowns out there." The drop in expenditures reflects both a decrease in county capital spending because of the completion of the Bill Santucci Law Center and other large projects and a downward trend in tax revenues. The most notable decrease has been in county property-tax collections. They're expected to drop 2.91 percent next year – falling from this year's $97.48 million to $94.65 million. Property tax accounts for about a fifth of the county's discretionary income – money that isn't earmarked for a specific purpose and that is controlled by the county. Sales tax is expected to decrease 13.57 percent – from $13.4 million to $11.6 million. The public- safety sales tax, earmarked for the sheriff's department, is anticipated to drop nearly $4 million to $30.5 million. To balance the budget, the county has decreased its workforce from 2,605 employees in 2007 to 2,441. Another 62 positions will not be filled next year, according to interim budget projections. Projections into the 2010-11 budget year are for revenues to flatten out. But the county will be facing $23 million more in expenditures – most notably $8 million more in public-safety salaries tied to the 23-year-old Measure F. Approved by Placer County voters, it bases county Sheriff's Department pay on the average for neighboring law-enforcement salaries. General salaries and benefits for other county employees are also poised for an increase, rising from $162 million to $171 million under current labor agreements. Supervisors approved an interim-spending plan for the coming year that will be adjusted to reflect a state budget that could take away another $11 million. The county's budget for the coming year needs to be adopted by Oct. 2. Supervisor Rocky Rockholm offered some positive news, noting that the latest national consumer-confidence numbers came in Tuesday much higher that projected. "Consumer confidence was up to 54 percent – they were expecting 42 percent," Rockholm said. "That's a good sign."


text:
In recent years I have taught graduate-level courses in our department in international trade, international finance and economic development, while at the undergraduate level I have taught a number of courses in international economics, economic development and introductory economics as well as our senior honors seminar. The University community has recognized my teaching with a number of awards, including the Undergraduate Teaching Award from Economics students in 1993, 1995 and 1998, the Park Graduate Teaching Award in 2003 and 2005, and the William A. Friday/Class of 1986 Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001. This latter award is given to one faculty member at the university each year. I was also awarded a Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professorship in 2007 by UNC in recognition of my teaching and research success.
In recent years I have developed a number of new courses for our undergraduates. One, entitled The Economics of North Carolina, has been taught as a First-Year Seminar. Another, entitled International Economics from a Transactions Perspective, has been designed to serve students in our International Studies major.
The following course Web sites provide the background materials and structure used in many of my undergraduate courses.
One common theme found in most of my instruction has been the use of active learning and case method techniques for teaching economics. I have given seminars and workshops on this for the American Economic Association, the World Bank, and individual universities. My views on the importance of these techniques were reported in ECCHO, the newsletter of the European Case Clearing House, in the Spring 2001 and Autumn 2001 editions.
I have created a web library of cases that I have used in the classroom, and you are welcome to examine these.
Our department has also developed a training program for our graduate students to prepare them for their first experiences in the classroom. For the years 2000-2002, 2007-2008 and 2010-2015 I served as the instructor in that Teacher Training Program within the Economics Department at UNC.


text:
Intriguing UFO cases, relevant research and important people in the UFO community.
Going through the enormous jungle of information regarding the ufo phenomenon on the internet, it quickly becomes obvious that the vast majority of sites have a larger amount of myths and speculation than they have facts and unbiased views on the matter. This, unfortunately, goes for both debunker, skeptical and believer sites making it almost impossible to form an opinion based on facts rather than hearsay.
Our purpose is to allow our readers to form their own opinions using facts instead of the widely spread myths that most sites are built upon. We will publish as much information as we possibly can and in the process try to filter out rumors, myths and superstition.
Our goal is to be the best source of information regarding the UFO phenomenon online, both for skeptics and believers. We will achieve this goal by moderate the content in close cooperation with both skeptics and believers to make sure the information is factual and unbiased.
UFO stands for unidentified flying object, which at the current point is all it is. While the majority of UFO reports can be explained by natural phenomenon, hoaxes and misinterpretation there are some cases that has not yet been identified or explained, those are the cases this site will focus on. We will try to present you with the truth, nothing but the truth and hard facts as they unfold.
The most popular theory is that some UFO's are alien crafts visiting earth, and while we cannot prove that theory to be false, we cannot disprove it either. That said, there is a large amount of witnesses claiming to have seen extraterrestrial beings which should indicate that the matter is worthwhile to investigate. In the end, it's up to you to choose what you believe, but don't make that choice based on the false information that the majority of UFO sites contain. Don't ever trust everything you read unless you can verify the source, and use your common sense.
If you like what we are trying to achieve, please help us by:
Articles that are coming soon, currently in planning or production
Roger Leir, a man claiming to have surgically removed alien implants from people died March 14th 2014.
Whitley Strieber, born June 13th in San Antonia, Texas. He is an author of several book where the most known is "Communion", and the film version was released in 1989.
Richard C Hoagland, born 1945 in New Jersey, former employee of Nasa. Richard C Hoagland is the person most associated with the "Face of Mars", and claims that the U.S government and Nasa conspire to keep the evidence of lost pre-historic civilizations on the Moon, Mars and on some of Jupiter Moons.
Are there valid reasons to keep information about extraterrestrial contact secret? This article is strictly hypothetical but may contain some important keys in understanding the secrecy behind possible government interaction with extraterrestrial beings.
Dr. Roger Leir (1934 - March 14 2014) in California claimed he extracted alien implants from alien abduction victims. The implants are said to emit radio signals and to have have some pretty strange features.
These videos was posted on YouTube and caused global attention to be directed towards the videos showing the UFO from different viewpoints.
We aim to keep this article updated with a list of countries releasing ufo documents to the public, and information regarding the possible but unlikely official disclosure and the disclosure movement.
Founder of the Disclosure Project, Doctor of Medicine, ufologist, and lecturer.


text:
Matthews Fan Company produces handmade fans that combine superb ventilation solutions with sharp, contemporary design.
The Bruna Parede Wall Fan is available with the following:
- Cast Aluminum, heavy spun and stamped steel body
- Hand-balanced metal blades
- Metal safety cages
- Side-mounted, wall junction box
- Blades can be positioned vertically or horizontally across 180-degree arcs
- Limited lifetime warranty
- UL Listed
Finish: Black, Black Nickel, Bronze, Bronzette, Brushed Brass, Brushed Copper, Brushed Nickel, Chrome, Polished Brass, Polished Copper, White
- Fixture: Height 21", Depth 16"
- Plate: Diameter 5.5"
Need help with some of our terminology? Check out Lumens' Lighting & Design Glossary.
Quantity Available:


text:
Holiday Freebies
Here are some fun Holiday Freebies you might want to take advantage of this Christmas season!
Bass Pro Shop – Now thru 12/24 you can get a FREE 4X6 photo with Santa. They also have free activities, crafts, and more for the kids.
White Castle- Have lunch with Santa at particpating White Castle locations on Sunday, December 15th 11AM-2PM. Kids will get a FREE My Size Meal when they visit Santa. Limit 4 kids meals per adult. To find location near you, go here.
Video from Santa - At the Portable North Pole, you can create a FREE personalized Santa video by following the instructions. After you finish, you can play it for your child.
Phone Call from Santa- Sign up for a FREE account and make a personalized phone call from Santa. Then, set up a time for Santa to call your child and they can listen to Santa.
Walgreens - Get a FREE 4X6 Santa Photo at participating Walgreens locations. Plus, if you are the first 25 customers at the photo shoot, you will get a FREE Magnet Frame. Check your local store to see if then are participating and date.
Amazon – Get 25 Days of FREE Holiday songs to download.
Reindeer Cam- Watch Santa feed the Reindeer live daily at 11AM, 6PM, and 11PM EST Monday – Friday. Weekends they get fed at 6PM only. The kids can also view who is on the NICE list.
Printable Gift Tags - Print some FREE Mitten & Stockings Gift tags for all your gifts here.
- Thanks, ShortCutSaver!


text:
Another Ondra interviewby Björn Pohl - UKC Feb/2010
This news story has been read 570 times
This week's Friday Night Video is a humourous take on climbing partnerships. Does your belay buddy live up to stereotypical... Read more
In this podcast, I talk with American boulderer Jimmy Webb for an hour or so. The interview was made when we were in Helsinki for... Read more
Last year, Seb Bouin repeated Chilam Balam, ~9a+/b, in the Villanueva del Rosario cave in Andalusia. Now he has been back for... Read more


text:
bad things happen, or not.....
starting since friday morning something disappeared...
...or broke
my computer!!!!!
at first the one who checked it up thought it was the power supply. and now the mother board??? WTF
my mom will not like this....
more money to be spend if the worst happens (it means assembling a new CPU...) TTOTT stupid jumpy electricity in the place i live in >.<.
my last i wish is for the memory... i hope it's still there... or else I'll have to die a thousand times, a THOUSAND TIMES .
GRR. it's messing with everything. my mood everything(but don't blame my broken comp for the drama i just made )
an hour from now i'll be home playing SMT:devil survivor all over again trying to voice the characters (since i don't talk much it's a way to practice my speech )
or i'll be watching Wolf and Spice.
but on the weekend i have to lurk around the net shop again to draw.
and soo the gray days continue...
and right now i don't care about anything else other than GETIING MY COMPUTER BACK. i just realize it now but the computer has been a huge chunk of my life(i don't use it on useless games such as the games in facebook FYI, i use it to draw, browse artworks,do weird research, and watch anime thats my life ppl).
baaaaahhhhhhh try to get my DS away from me and your dead


text:
We are just beginning the process of looking for a source code control system. I realize we are behind, but better late than never. None of the members on our team have experience with any systems in their past so I was hoping I could find out some basic things to look for as we begin investigating different tools. Here is a little background on our team:
- Our group consists of developers and designers
- We work primarily on PC's with one or two on Mac's
- Many are not comfortable with command line based systems
- The majority of our development is for the web
- We develop in ASP.NET, ColdFusion, and PHP
A few we plan on looking into:
- SourceGear Vault
- Concurrent Versions System
- Subversion
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
- Rational ClearCase
- Team Foundation Server
- Git
- Tourtoise SVN
- Bazaar
Any experiences with any of these would be helpful to hear about.


text:
• Close to 600 fishermen descended on Lake of The Prairies for the fifth annual ice derby sponsored by Asessippi Parkland Tourism.
A total of fifty-four fish were caught with Dale Babuik, of Yorkton, winning the derby, catching an 85-centimetre carp.
Please subscribe to view full article.
Already subscribed? Login to view full article.
Not yet a subscriber? Click here to sign up