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MCC faculty and staff persons interested in publishing pages on the MCC Web site should read and become familiar with all sections of this document. The purpose of these policies and procedures is to ensure that the MCC Web site operations and network administration runs efficiently and effectively, and that the MCC Web site maintains a consistent look and navigational feel that is paramount to a professional presence on the World Wide Web. Please observe all College policies regarding publications, reproduction of copyrighted materials, computer usage, privacy, etc.
The following standards apply to all Web publishers whether they are administration or academic departments, campus organizations, or individuals:
Web publishers are
Violations will be treated seriously and may result in loss of computing privileges, other disciplinary actions, and possibly legal actions.
Official Web pages include all pages hosted on www.monroecc.edu: the MCC home page; audience specific menu pages; academic department and program pages; office, administrative, and support unit pages; and news and information pages. Nonofficial pages include individual faculty, staff and student organization Web pages created using the Manila program. These pages are hosted on web.monroecc.edu.
Official Web pages residing on the Internet and the intranet are required to follow these Web Publishing Standards. Non official pages are not required to follow the Web Publishing Standards, with these exceptions: Non official Web pages residing on any MCC server must be ADA compliant and free of copyright violations, privacy policy violations, commercial advertising, and inappropriate material.
Designating a Department Web Liaison
Each department, office, and group wishing to have a presence on the MCC Web must designate a primary Web liaison. The liaison is responsible for making sure that his or her department, office, or group's Web site adheres to the college's Web Publishing Standards. The liaison may delegate the steps needed to maintain accordance with the Standards, such as page and content creation, but remains the primary informational contact for inquiries regarding the site.
Once a liaison is designated, please contact the MCC Webmaster at email@example.com with the contact's name, title, department, phone number and e-mail address. Each area must designate a liaison to obtain space on the Internet or intranet server. In the absence of a designated liaison, the chair or director will be listed as the default liaison.
Using the Official Logo and Logotypes
The official logo, logotypes, and seal may not be altered in any way and should always be used in their original proportions and configurations. No ornamentation or words may be added or deleted. Overall enlargements or reductions are permissible, but alterations—narrowing, heightening, widening, and/or lengthening—are prohibited.
While placement of the logo and supporting typography will vary according to specific design needs, great care must be taken to ensure that the marks are always legible. Scans of original logos should not be used, as they reduce clarity.
The logo may be reversed from a solid field of color, provided the reproduction is of high quality (to preserve legibility). Electronic logos may not be edited or manipulated, and page authors should not create new versions of the logo or logotype.
Please contact the College and Community Relations Office with additional questions regarding logo usage.
The official college seal is reserved for official documents. Examples include diplomas, awards, commencement programs, or special items for the President's Office. Contact the College and Community Relations Office for more information.
While customized logos for Academic and administrative offices are not encouraged, departments or programs with a major external presence and mission distinct from the academic mission of the institution may, in some cases, be permitted to create and use unique approved logos. Examples include the MCC Foundation and the Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute.
Any office or department wishing to create a customized logo or to modify the official college logo should work with the College and Community Relations Office throughout the process.
Pictured below are the Web safe versions of the current MCC "Branding" color palette. For information about the use of the palette on MCC Web pages, contact the College and Community Relations Office.
ffcc33 ff9933 6699cc 99cc66 663366 999999
All page and font colors used on MCC Web pages must be selected from the 216-color (browser-safe) palette, available online at www.nedcomm.nm.org/doc/webcolor.htm.
Sans serif typefaces such as Arial or Helvetica are optimal for displaying running text on the Web. Many fonts that work well in print are not suitable, and in fact can be unreadable on a Web page. Text must be readable (a minimum font size of 12 pixels is recommended), and font colors should be selected from the 216-color (browser-safe) palette in contrast to page color for maximum visibility. Black text on a white background is strongly recommended.
Because content is so important, official Web pages must be maintained and up-to-date. For example, once an event, class, or deadline has passed, information about it should be removed from the Web page.
In addition to removing out-of-date information, "stale" content (old articles, news, and announcements) should be replaced on a regular basis.
Furthermore, only active files should be kept on the Internet server. Inactive files, such as old Web pages, should be removed from official directories and stored locally or on the campus network.
Advertising on Official Web Pages
Commercial advertising is not permitted on any Web page residing on a MCC server. Noncommercial advertising of a department or program event is permitted however, on official pages.
Understanding Copyright and Fair Use
In accordance with U.S. copyright law, material that carries a copyright may not be reproduced without express permission from the copyright owner. Permission, however, is not needed when utilization falls under what the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 deems fair use. Additional information about copyright is available through the U.S. Copyright Office online at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright.
If a copyright complaint is filed with the college, the material in question will be removed from the college's Web site immediately—provided that the complainant sufficiently identifies the copyrighted material and asserts that use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law. The college's copyright infringement policy is online at http://www.monroecc.edu/websubmit/copyright.htm.
For those who are maitaining their own Web pages, either department pages, or Manila sites, here are a few general guidlines for good design. Web sites should be accessible, easy to use, and relevant. A clean, navigable site that features useful, up-to-date content will serve users whether they have low or high speed connections. To enhance usability, these best-practice guidelines should be followed:
1. Fonts
2. Page color
3. Background images and other graphics
4. Content
5. Site architecture
The Description Tag:
A description tag is just what it sounds, a description of your webpage. This is just a plain text quick summery (1 or 2 sentences) that describe the content of your webpage. This description should NOT contain quotes or special characters.
Think of a keyword as what people would be searching on to find your webpage and the combination of words they would use. These words can include those not found on the page or unpopular search terms. For example, if we had a page describing how the drop/add process, we may want to include keywords such as: drop, add, withdrawal, withdraw, banner, student records, leave, quit, calendar, deadline, failing, absences, academic leave, time off, etc..
MCC Web pages must be accessible to all visitors with vision, motor, or hearing impairments, as well as those with older equipment, handheld devices, and laptop computers. Using best-practice design principles will help make official sites accessible, but additional guidelines must be followed to ensure ADA compliance.
According to Technology Policy 99-3, all official New York State Web sites are to meet the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) 14 Web accessibility guidelines under priority-level one. Web page authors must consult the most current version of this widely referenced set of standards, available online at http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/, to gauge the accessibility of their pages. Below, however, are some general accessibility guidelines:
1. Images
2. Downloads and plug-ins
3. Page layout
Web pages must be tested in a variety of Web browsers (for example, Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer, Safari) before being posted. Older versions of many browsers are available online.
Browsershots provides some free Web based testing of pages on different browsers, versions and operating systems.
Official pages should be viewable at all screen resolutions, on both the Mac and PC platforms, and through as many Web browsers as possible. Official and unofficial pages must be ADA compliant. Several freeware utilities are available to help page authors test screen resolution.
Links to the MCC Web site from appropriate institutions are encouraged. To increase traffic throughout the entire site, consider linking to other MCC documents that might benefit site visitors (maps, course listings, contact information, etc.).
What Should Be In Your Web Site?
Academic department sites should, at a minimum, contain the following information:
Administrative department sites should, at a minimum, contain the following information and should ideally be coordinated on a divisional level:
Faculty sites created using Manila are at their owner's disposal. Generally, most faculty sites contain:
Some faculty also have included example projects, links related to the course material, and PowerPoint presentations. Current faculty sites can be found under "Faculty Web Pages" in the "A-Z Index" of the MCC site.
How to Submit Graphics for Web PublicationGraphics may include photos, approved clip art, charts, drawings, etc. You may provide graphics electronically. We can crop and compress graphics as needed to fit within the site format and to allow for fast download times over the web.
Please note: if you are loading photos onto your Manila site, be sure to compress them before uploading them. Photos generally should be no larger than 50 KB, though no more than 20 KB is preferred, with a pixel width that will not push page content past the horizontal boundaries of the screen. (Several free photo editors, such as Paint.net Picasa, VicMan's Photo Editor and Picnik.com, are available on the web.)
How to Submit Documents for Web Publication
Documents will be presented on the web either as HTML web pages, or as Adobe .pdf (portable document format) files. Please provide content for your pages in electronic format, either by attaching them to a Computing Services Request form, or transferring them through the M drive shared directory. We do not offer keyboarding or transcription services.
Documents that will become html pages may be provided as MS Word, RTF or any other text-based file. Highly formatted Word doc files (i.e. with tabs, columns or tables) are not easily converted to html. Documents that need to maintain very specific formatting, that do not translate easily to web presentation formatting, may be saved and presented as PDF documents.
For documents to be presented as .pdf downloads, send the document either as a Word or text-based file, or as a .pdf file attached to a Computing Services Request form. If you want to present a .pdf but are unable to convert it yourself, please attach the Word file and we will convert it for you. (Free .pdf converters such as PDF Creator, PrimoPDF, and PDF995 are available on the web.
Appropriate Content, Implementation, and Purpose
Official and unofficial pages must not violate state or federal law, or any college policy. Also, official and unofficial pages must not feature obscene, harassing, or discriminatory content or contain any other inappropriate information.
Examples of appropriate Web page content include up-to-date contact information (phone, fax, e-mail, mailing address); the latest department, office, or center news and events; original articles; commonly requested forms; and other resources. Official Web pages should convey professionalism and congruence with the college's mission.
Only active files should be kept on the Internet server. Inactive files, such as old Web pages or image files, should be removed from official directories and stored either locally or on the campus network (M drive).
Institutional pages should not duplicate the following master information: Course Descriptions, Master (Class) Schedule, Programs of Study, Academic Calendar, or College Directory information. This master information should be displayed from the appropriate database source, either through links or includes.
Faculty and staff members may add a supplied 100X150 pixel image and additional professional information to their individual directory pages through a request to the Computing Services Web Development team.
Page submitters who wish to request corrections of the MCC master information must do so through the MCC departments responsible for the information. These departments are:
|College Directory
|Communications & Network Services
|College Directory - additional information and images for individual staff pages
|Computing Services, Web Development team
|Class Schedule:
|Records and Registration
Course Descriptions
Programs of Study
Academic Calendar
|Academic Services, Curriculum Office
Understanding the Web Page Review Process for Official Pages
New Web pages and existing pages undergoing extensive changes are subject to the Web page review process. Extensive changes include redesigning a site or adding substantial new section(s) to a site. Other changes, including content additions or subtractions, do not need to be submitted to the Web development team for review. All sites, whether subject to the review or not must be in accordance with these Web Publishing Standards.
Web pages are reviewed for consistency with the college's Web Publishing Standards. If pages do not agree with the Standards, the primary Web contact will be informed that the pages were not approved, with reasons stated. Primary Web contacts are encouraged to contact the Webmaster via email@example.com to discuss extensive site changes while still in the planning stage.
In accordance with Technology Policy 99-3, MCC made a commitment to be in agreement with the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) 14 Web accessibility guidelines under priority-level one. All MCC Web sites are obliged to be ADA compliant. The Web development team will review campus Web pages for consistency with the W3C's accessibility guidelines. If pages do not agree with these guidelines, the site's primary Web contact will be contacted.
College Web review is conducted at two levels of compliance; content and technical. Web page content is reviewed by both the Web Communication Manager in the College and Community Relations office and the Web Manager/Webmaster in ETS Computing Services. The Web Communication Manager is responsible for the user experience, editorial and visual look of the pages, and compliance to current MCC brand standards, copyright and privacy policies. The Web Manager/Webmaster is responsible for compliance to accessibility; file, link and page code structure requirements, and how the visual elements of the page(s) work within the overall structure of the MCC Web site.
Accessing the Work In Progress Directory to Create and Edit Web Pages
All institutional HTML pages on MCC's web site are created in the Work In Progress (WIP) directory of the web server. Finished pages are then "moved live" to the public server by the CS Web team members.
When departments have staff that are developing and revising department pages themselves, pages in the WIP directory are currently developed and edited using Adobe Contribute. This content management program allows designated staff to add and edit content on Web pages, in a secure WYSIWYG editing environment. To get started with Contribute, contact the Webmaster at firstname.lastname@example.com for set up and instruction.
How to submit Web pages for review:
When Web Pages Violate the Publishing Standards
If an official page is not in accordance with the Web style guidelines, a notice will be issued to the site's primary Web liaison via e-mail. If the problem has not been rectified within ten business days, another e-mail notice will be issued. If the situation remains unchanged for another five business days, a final e-mail notice will be issued.
Depending on the violation, the Web page will be removed from the college's official server if the issue has not been resolved by the second business day following the final notice. See below for issues that prompt immediate removal of a page from the server.
Situations that would prompt immediate Web page removal:
College and Community Relations' Role in the MCC Web Site
College Relations is responsible for the overall content of the MCC Web presence, including editorial and graphic elements, and the user experience.
ETS Computing Services' Role in the Campus Web
In conjunction with College and Community Relations, the Web development team in ETS Computing Services, ensures that best practices in Web design, usability and accessibility are adhered to. Computing Services is responsible for the college's intranet site, http://mymcc.monroecc.edu/. The intranet audience—MCC faculty, staff, and students—is internal. Please contact Computing Services through a Computing Services request form for information about posting pages on the intranet, developing secure applications, and obtaining space on the Internet and intranet Web servers.
Web page design training using Contribute or Manila is available for faculty and staff the ETS Web Development team. One-on-one training is available for those needing additional assistance with the development of their Web pages. To request assistance or training in using Contribute, contact email@example.com. For Manila training, contact email@example.com.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Food. A simple four letter word that can conjure up emotions, memories and even physical reactions. Food plays a central role in many parts of our lives. It is more than an object to feed our physical hunger; it is used in celebrations, coping with depression or anxiety, and can become an obsession.
Have you ever considered why many individuals struggle with overeating? Food can certainly be a pleasure which we should not deny ourselves in moderation. But when food begins to take on roles outside of fueling our bodies, it can lead to obesity and poor health.
There are literally hundreds of resources, books, articles and programs that claim to help individuals lose weight and control impulsive eating. However, many people will try and fail repeatedly. But why? Because they fail to address a fundamental element required for any long-term results, which is to change our beliefs about what food means to us and realizing we eat food for reasons other than relieving hunger.
According to Tom Venuto, nutrition and weight loss expert, "The end of emotional eating begins the moment you become AWARE of your behavior patterns and your beliefs about food (because with that awareness comes the power to change them)." Mr. Venuto has formulated a simple yet extraordinary method called the AWARE formula:
• Become AWARE of your emotional eating behavior patterns.
• WATCH out for the thoughts, emotions, events and situations that trigger those behavior patterns.
• ARREST the patterns when they happen.
• REPLACE the old, emotional eating behavior with more constructive alternatives, outlets or coping mechanisms to satisfy the emotional need.
• ESTABLISH new beliefs about food and the right reasons for eating, then repeat them as affirmations until they're hard-wired in as the new pattern.
The first step is to become AWARE of your destructive or emotional eating patterns. Keeping a detailed food journal is key to this process, and should be done for at least one to three months. Write down not only the foods, but the circumstances, surrounding eating particular foods. Were you alone and bored, watching TV, as you devoured a bag of chips, or were you upset with a loved one when a quart of ice cream disappeared within minutes? The journal helps you WATCH for the triggers that lead to certain eating behaviors.
Once you have identified the triggers, you can ARREST the behavior before it starts. This is a matter of asking yourself a few questions. Am I hungry and why do I want to eat this right now? If you are not hungry and you have realized you are responding to a subconscious trigger to eat, then you can stop it. However, sometimes the urge to eat is so strong you cannot simply walk away but feel compelled to eat anyway.
The best strategy to deal with this is to plan in advance to REPLACE the old behavior with an alternative, such as going for a walk, in response to an emotional need. These alternatives can also be placed in your journal for easy access. Maybe your trigger is a person or place. Then come up with positive reactions or strategies to help yourself. If you struggle with snacking on unhealthy foods at home, then remove them from your house. Out of sight, out of mind. If someone is consistently attempting to sabotage your efforts, ask them a simple question: "Why are you offering me these foods?" Understanding their motives is the first step in diffusing their efforts.
Finally, the most important step is to establish new beliefs about food until they replace the old subconscious bad habits. Beliefs can be changed, but it takes a little work. But you decide what your beliefs are, no one else. You may be living your life with your parents' or peers' belief system and not even realize it.
How do you change your beliefs about food? First, you must decide what you want your beliefs to be, such as food is fuel for my body and essential to optimal health. When you BELIEVE your body is a high-performance, complex machine and food is the fuel to feed your body, it will be impossible to mistreat it by eating unhealthy foods. Write down what you want your beliefs to be, read them daily and they will replace the old habits. It is not about removing the old habits, but replacing them with positive ones.
By following this five step process, you will find yourself on the road to better health, emotionally and physically.
Dr. Laurie Marbas is a family physician at Grand River Hospital and Medical Center in Rifle.


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Far Hills, NJ (Sports Network) - The United States Golf Association (USGA)
announced Thursday that the Pete Dye Course at French Lick (Ind.) Resort will
host the 2014 USGA Men's State Team Championship. The event will take place
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2.
The championship will be the first USGA event held at French Lick Resort and
the 21st to take place in the state of Indiana. The 2014 U.S. Women's Mid-
Amateur Championship will be held from Sept. 6 - 11 at Harbour Trees Golf Club
in Noblesville.
"The Men's State Team Championship demonstrates the camaraderie and pure
enjoyment drawn from this game we all love," said Thomas J. O'Toole Jr., USGA
vice president and championship committee chairman. "We are very happy to
bring a USGA championship to the French Lick Resort and are confident that the
Pete Dye Course will provide a challenge for the championship participants."
The newest of the four courses at French Lick Resort, the Pete Dye Course
opened in 2009 and hosted the 2012 Big Ten Men's Golf Championship. It will
host that event in 2013 and 2014 as well.
The Sports Network


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I had a similar problem with the Memphis locals OTA. When the "big switch" was supposed to happen I got home and noticed that all of the OTA channels had an "off the air" banner attached. I did the OTA antenna resetup and now I have nothing for any of the OTA channels....
Any suggestions?
Don't know exactly what your issues are, but see sore_bluto post #144 above. If you can articulate exactly what your issue is, maybe we can help. We had an issue here in New Orleans that took 2 months to get fixed.


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Amigo's Cantina is ideally located close to the Old Harbour on Lemms Corner. The close proximity to the ocean makes Amigo's a place where friends and family can relax and socialize and enjoy the aroma of coffee, good food and the fresh sea breeze.
Breakfasts are enticing with strong coffee and freshly baked breads and croissants. We also offer the traditional English breakfast with a spicy twist. With combined flavours from Spain, Portugal and Argentina, as well as Mexico and Mozambique, lunch and dinner are a real treat and experience.
Add a dash of South Africa and the menu is a mixture of tasty and fresh dishes prepared with the best ingredients and some pride. Patrons have the choice of crisp salads, warming soups, flavoursome starters, and main meals encompassing 'carne', seafood and chicken. Or share a combo platter with a friend. The menu offers one vegetarian fare and there is a small kiddies menu.
Dine on a trinchado starter, followed by a West Coast paella, and finish off with a fruit and nut cassata. Amigo's Cantina has a Café Bar area with a smoking section. Choose something off the cocktail menu while the sun sets below the ocean.
Take a helping of warm and cosy for ambience with a dollop of comfort food and one is sure to be having a traditional South African meal at Annie se Kombuis. Located on the west coast of the Western Cape, this Hermanus eatery is firm favourite with visitors all year round.
Annie's is all about traditional South African food. With an outstanding range of venison fillets to the likes of Kudu, Eland, Oryx (Gemsbok), Springbok and Ostrich the menu has exotic appeal. The traditional fare is all the favourites prepared the old fashioned way: Bobotie, Smoorsnoek and Waterblommetjies and many other pies and offal dishes. The Oxtail remains a popular choice. For those that believe in pudding (and rightly so) there's sweet custard, Malva pudding and Cape Brandy Pudding – hard to resist!
The wine list supports local wine producers of the Overberg region. With a great selection on offer, wine lovers will not be disappointed.
Annie's also hosts popular music evenings as entertainment for visitors to the sea-side town and locals alike.
Anya's Mum is tucked away on a narrow street in Hermanus. If not for the brightly coloured building one might not notice it, but once inside you are enveloped by the homely coffee shop style and aroma of freshly baked and prepared foods.
This mother and daughter team have been running for a few years and just seem to add that family feel to their establishment. One of the things they agree on is that they are serious about coffee.
Pop in for a home-made breakfast – hot, hot, hot and extremely fresh – and your daily dose of caffeine. Cut into a fresh quiche for lunch! The menu changes daily and is filled with the spontaneous creations of this duo. They offer occasional dinners and specials are regularly offered, such as pizza night or set menu dishes.
The back garden is a great place to hide from the outside world on a hot day. Truly a lovely setting and atmosphere!
Trading hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday and from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. The establishment only accepts cash payments.
Bamboo Beach is an intimate, beach bistro with a unique ambiance. The menu varies daily, depending on what's fresh and available. Delicious desserts will tempt your taste buds and of course their famous wood-fired gourmet pizzas are to die for. Ever tasted fresh Cape Salmon cooked in the pizza oven with fresh garden herbs.
One of the most exciting and unusual restaurant in the world, Bientang's Cave is a more than just a dining experience.Located in one of the most stunning Marine Reserves on the coast of the Western Cape and a mere 10 metres from the water's edge, this unique restaurant is in a prime spot for watching whales play in the ocean as you dine on the finest seafood.Between May and December every year, Southern Right whales visit the shores of the Western Cape and Bientang's Cave is perfectly placed to be able to see these magnificent creatures as you sit on the deck and sample from the fantastic menu and the extensive, award-winning wine list.
Bite 2 Eat is in a great location with an outdoor seating area overlooking the ocean and the Hermanus Old Harbour. It is a great place to stop for a quick bite and a good cup of coffee while out exploring the town and all its markets.
The small shop is packed with sweets and nibbles and black boards with their self-help menus. The design and décor remind one of a retro sweet shop with the bold red and candy jars everywhere.
The menu offers homemade soups, sandwiches, wraps, pies, quiche and a delicious selection of breakfasts – French toast, American-style crumpets, berry and banana flap jacks and of course the traditional hot English breakfast.
Choose your favourite style of coffee or have a freshly made smoothie. Sit down and have some cake or cheese with a piping cup of coffee while admiring the view before you trot off to finish your explorations.
With a motto like "Life's too short for bad food." B's Steak House in the seaside town of Hermanus certainly lives up to its claim. B's has won and been runners up for the Steak House of the Year Award (1999, 2000 and 2001). So, what to expect? Steak prepared to perfection.
The relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant has a 'Sante Fe' feel with its orange and blue colour scheme which is enhanced by the solid wooden furnishings and airy double volume ceiling. The loft area creates a relaxed post pudding space for guests to linger a little longer and indulge in a good brandy and a Cuban cigar.
And then there's the steak. With a descriptive chart to guide on preference of preparation, one can be guaranteed that B's will go to great lengths provide its patrons with steak as they like it. Firm menu favourites include the Chateaubriand and Carpetbagger.
Not only does B's offer the very best steaks, but as an essential compliment to any steak meal, its wine list is also award winning (Diners Club award).
Visitors also do not have to go home empty handed. Meat products such as steak, wors and biltong as well as a range of sauces can now be purchased from the restaurant's new butchery counter.
Burgundy restaurant embraces the best local produce that the fisherman's village of Hermanus has to offer. Patrons can expect the freshest daily catch dished up and served in style at this charming eatery.
The restaurant is housed in the oldest building in Hermanus and is ideally situated on the sea front with the harbour close by. Patrons can really just sit back and soak up the sites and sounds of the village while taking a meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Burgundy is focused on presenting the freshest catch of the day. Expect cuisine that is rich in texture, colour and flavour. Other menu items include meat dishes as well as lighter options such as cakes served with aromatic coffee. The freshly baked bread will be hard to resist, no matter the time of day.
The restaurant also has a wine list that reflects the wines of the Overberg region. Wine lovers will not be disappointed with choice for the perfect accompaniment with a main meal.
Don't miss out on the incidental whale watching that the restaurant's view offers.
The Café at Hubbard's Cupboard finds itself in a pretty little nursery in the sea-side town of Hermanus. The café offers its guests a tranquil setting for recharging one's batteries with a light meal after a bout of sight seeing or shopping.
The restaurant is sunny and has a lovely look out onto the nursery. It is a cosy spot for a small celebration like a baby shower or kitchen tea.
The menu offers all the coffee shop favourites ranging from health breakfasts, light meals like quiche and other tea time treats like muffins, scones and cakes.
The restaurant also sells homemade preserves, biscotti or shortbread. Other items for sale include pastries and olives.
Caffé Blu Espresso Bar is found in its own designated spot at the Checkers Centre in Hermanus. The establishment boasts its own superior coffee blend that is also on sale within the store. They get their great roasted coffee beans locally at a micro-roastery in the village. The blend is a mixture of a Guatemalan bean, Honduras and Costa Rica beans and an Ethiopian bean.
They offer a variety of espresso-based drinks as well as smoother drinks such as cappuccino. Pick your cup and order one of the all-day breakfasts, prepared on the spot. Or have a rooibos-type drink and snack on a freshly prepared pastry or sandwich. A range of iced drinks are also available.
Have your choice from the light meals menu served from 11 am to 4 pm. The options include gnocchi with butternut and blue cheese, Tuscan pasta salad with artichokes and a homemade dressing, or try the homemade pie, plus more.
Caffé Blu values its customers and has brought about loyalty cards with the occasional free coffee or your choice to rather donate, or the Blu Student Card for scholars with great discount deals.
Trading hours are Monday to Saturday, from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and Sundays and holidays from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Cocos Island Grill and Bar is one of the best restaurants to visit when you want to appreciate the spectacular view Hermanus has to offer. The restaurant overlooks the ocean and distant mountains all the way to Gansbaai. The relaxed and casual atmosphere is enhanced by couch-type seating in certain areas.
The restaurant and bar are open seven days a week, 365 days a year. The service is always of high standard and consistent, making it a popular place to eat out. The cuisine is varied with an island influence and a bit of South Africa sprinkled on top.
The menu covers everything from finger foods to a full a la carte menu. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and so Cocos offers health and traditional options with the possibility to add extra to your dish.
Sit down and have a quick bite with the extensive list of salads, nachos, toasties, burgers and casual meals. A basket of poppers is always a hit. Mains consist of grill options and seafood options. Spoil yourself with a dinner of sticky pineapple chicken, ended with a banana split – while enjoying the different types of cocktails available.
The bar offers their own beer and the whole ambiance changes over the weekend with an upbeat and lively DJ starting off the dance floor on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 pm. Cocos offers exceptional views, comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, great food and a great vibe to enhance every day of the week.
Mere meters from the sea shore of Grotto beach in Hermanus is Dutchies, a delightful Dutch eatery. Guests are easily charmed by the select, Dutch inspired menu and the cosy atmosphere that the restaurant presents.
Dutchies abounds with atmosphere and guests love the personal attention of the restaurant owner mingling with visitors. In summer outdoor seats under umbrellas, soaking up the view is a must.
The Hollandse Biefstuk on offer for mains is a clear indication that this is proud to be Dutch establishment. Other menu items include Calamari, a Seafood platter and Chicken kebabs. The dessert menu is just a delight with African Dream which is Amarula ice-cream dipped in chocolate and crowned with a chocolate slab and Blueberry Cheesecake.
The restaurant charges a small fee for corkage.
EAT restaurant is located in the tranquil Hemel – en- Aarde Valley of Hermanus. Living up to its name, this eatery encourages, if not demands that patrons do just that: EAT.
Guests can choose to be seated indoors or enjoy sit back and soak in the spectacular views from the restaurant's courtyard. Either way the atmosphere of the restaurant has upmarket and relaxed.
EAT's contemporary menu has a variety of items to suit every appetite. Try the Sweetcorn fritters as comfort food. While those with a more demanding palate will appreciate the Pear, Blue Cheese and Caramelised Cashew Nuts as an appetizer. End with a delectable dessert of Deep Fried Ice-cream with caramelised berries. The mains on offer caters for the not so hungry in the form of snack baskets, while the carnivores will certainly tuck into the Rib Eye or Rump steak selection without being asked twice.
The restaurant offers some great entertainment in the summer months.
EAT offers a relaxed setting that is wheelchair friendly.
Experience Italian hospitality at Fabio's. Located in the heart of Hermanus, with St Peter's church as part of the picturesque backdrop and the sea at its doorstep, this genuine Italian eatery is popular venue for locals and visitors alike.
The ocean view from the Peroni deck on the sidewalk allows diners to people - watch in true European style, creating a relaxed and trendy mood.
The menu offers a selection of pizzas, pastas, meat dishes and fish, all prepared in the Italian vernacular. Guests would do well to keep an eye on the specials blackboard for the chef's latest experimental dishes (that often land up on the menu as a permanent fixture). Signature dishes include the Seafood Lasagne and the Parma Rock Pizza (Parma ham and Rocket) that is served on a thin crispy base. For dessert the Tiramisu is a decadent indulgence.
The wine list comprises a host of local offerings from the Overberg region as well as some Italian wines to round off the dining experience.
The restaurant also has a deli which sells a range of imported pastas, coffee, filled pastas and olive oils for those who want to take a taste of Italy home with them.
Fisherman's Cottage Restaurant in the holiday town of Hermanus is a quaint, rustic establishment that serves up a selection of seafood and other South African favourites in a charming setting.
Fisherman's Cottage is gains its character from its historic significance. The restaurant building is an original fisherman's cottage that dates back to the 1890 and forms part of the old harbour museum in the fisherman's village.
Today guests happily sit at its rustic bench tables be it indoors or at the covered patio and enjoy the prepared catch of the day. The extensive seafood menu delivers peri-peri Yellow Tail, Calamari, seafood curry or Mussel and Shrimp spring rolls. Other menu items include venison dishes such as Gemsbok Loin and Eland Steak. Be sure to check out the blackboard for the specials.
In winter the best seats are close to the log fire.


text:
|Play Dough Play Date
Event Type: Children's Program
Age Group(s): Children
Date: 2/20/2013
Start Time: 10:30 AM
End Time: 12:00 PM
Have fun with play dough and clay tools. Sharing is a must. Parents need to supervise their child. Clay and tools need to stay in the program room. Please do not forget to clean up.Findlay-Hancock County Public Library
Location: Children's Programming Room


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Kitty's Lamb and Marinade
From the Island - Kitty Williams and Joyce Same
5- 7 pound leg of lamb, butterflied (you'll have 2 fillets)
1½ to 2 tsp. rosemary
1 big clove of garlic, minced
1½ Tblsp. soy sauce
1½ Tblsp. vinegar
2 Tblsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tblsp. olive oil
In a glass baking dish or a big zip lock bag, mix all marinade ingredients.
Make sure lamb fillet is completely covered with marinade. Cover tightly or seal. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Grill to desired doneness – 20 minutes per side for medium rare.
Slice across the grain and serve with mint sauce or mint jelly.
Terri's notes:
~ Talk to your meat man! You may have to order the leg of lamb, you probably will have to ask him to butterfly (or fillet) it for you.
~ You'll have 2 fillets, depending in the size of your crowd, you can grill and serve both, or freeze one for later. Marinade recipe is for 1 fillet.
~ Don't over-cook, lamb is best when it's still pretty pink in the middle.


text:
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Ray Whitney scored twice in a big third period
as the Dallas Stars took a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
Vernon Fiddler also had two goals and added an assist while Alex Goligoski
scored for the Stars, who have won three straight.
Dallas starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen left the game in the first period
with a lower body injury after allowing one goal on eight shots. Richard
Bachman stopped all 22 shots in relief.
It was a big two points for Dallas, as the team now has 41 on the season and
sits two back of Detroit for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Drew Doughty had the lone goal of the game for the Kings, who have dropped
their past two. Jonathan Quick allowed all five goals on 31 shots in the loss.
The Kings sit in fourth place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of
San Jose.
The Sports Network


text:
Katadyn Group
Please note that our Emergency Food Packs are currently not available in the United States and Canada
One of the most important precautionary measures we must take for emergencies is to ensure that we have enough food to eat in case of a supply crisis. The Emergency Food Packs guarantee optimal nutrition when times get rough.
© 2016 Katadyn Products Inc.


text:
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Keyano Lavender ScrubThe moisturizing Body Scrub is ideal for body treatments, manicures and pedicures and will leave the skin soft, rejuvenatedand revitalized.A rich, moisturizing body scrub that exfoliates the skin leaving it soft and revitalized. Available in 10 oz and 80 oz sizes.
beautiful and calming scrub
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Out of Stock
Item # POC0064
Don't worry though, we have a lot more Neck Protection in stock than that.View Similar Products
POC Spine Ergo BUG Armor $0.00
Knowing your ability to walk has been given extra security by the POC Spine Ergo Bug Armor when you go huge is priceless. This spine protector follows the natural curve of your back, and its interlocking injected polypropylene panels flex freely as you move. POC's air induction system evacuates excess heat and moisture while maximizing airflow. The waistband is strategically placed to minimize restriction and fit comfortably for athletic use. POC also make separate, snap on Cervical and Coccyx protectors to increase your safety.
Tech Specs
Size chart
|Back Protectors
|Body Length
|59 - 65in
(150 - 165cm)
|65 - 71in
(165 - 180cm)
|Pocito Back Protectors
|Body Length
|39 - 49in
(39 - 49cm)
|49 - 59in
(49 - 59cm)
|Hip Shorts
|Waist Circumference
|28 - 30in
(71 - 76cm)
|31 - 33in
(79 - 84cm)
|34 - 36in
(86 - 91cm)
|Bone VPD Arm
|Forearm Circumference
|7.9 - 10.2in
(20 - 26cm)
|10.6 - 13in
(27 - 33cm)
|Bicep Circumference
|8.7 - 11in
(22 - 28cm)
|11.4 - 13.8in
(29 - 35cm)
|Joint VPD Knee
|Calf Circumference
|11.8 - 13.4in
(30 - 34cm)
|13.4. - 15in
(34 - 38cm)
|15 - 16.5in
(38 - 42cm)
|10cm Above Knee Cap Circumference
|14.6 - 16.1in
(37 - 41cm)
|16.1 - 17.7in
(41 - 45cm)
|17.7 - 19.3in
(45 - 49cm)
|Joint VPD Shin
|Shin Length
|Bone VPD Leg
|Leg Length
|13.8 - 16.9in
(35 - 43cm)
|16.9 - 20.1in
(43 - 51cm)
|Joint VPD Elbow
|7.9 - 9.8in
(20 - 25cm)
|9.8 - 11.8in
(25 - 30cm)
|11.8 - 13.8in
(30 - 35cm)
|8.7 - 10.6in
(22 - 27cm)
|10.6 - 12.6in
(27 - 32cm)
|12.6 - 14.6in
(32 - 37cm)
- How to Measure:
- For best results, take measurements over your underwear.
- Calf:
- Measure the circumference of your calf at the widest point.
- Knee Cap:
- Measure 10cm above the center of the knee cap.
- Underarm:
- Measure the circumference around your underarms.
- Bicep:
- Measure around the fullest part of your biceps.
- Shin:
- Measure from the center of your ankle bone to the center of your knee cap.
- Leg:
- Measure from the center of your ankle bone to the center of your knee cap
Reviews & Community
Gots you back!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I've been using this back protector for about 3 seasons now and its great and can take a beating. Stays in place no matter how many tubbles and flips you do (not purposely haha). Only minor issue I noticed that the slides/clip that go around your shoulders unclip at times but it surprisingly stays in place. Happens rarely I will most likely throw a small quick tie around it to keep it positioned but overall its great.
is the M/L a medium? poc website has xs-s,...
is the M/L a medium?
poc website has xs-s, m, and l-xl...no M/L
I just want to make sure I get the right one...
Yeah, the M/L is the medium. I think our system is having a hard time differentiating that spec and in converting to something that it recognizes.
will you have size m?
will you have size m?
Hey there Canp,
We do currently have size M in stock. Check the drop down menu above.
Good stuff!
I wear this every time I'm on the hill. I cannot tell anymore when I'm wearing this. It also keeps you a bit warmer in the winter.
Would this spine protector serve somewhat...
Would this spine protector serve somewhat as a back support to alleviate my back pain due to disc herniation ?
Does it somehow interfere with hip mobility while skiing ?
I've used other back protectors/supports before and after an 85% discectomy/laminectomy on L5-S1 about 15 years ago. I'm going to tell you to talk to your Dr before you go this route. On one hand, even though it initially takes some getting used to, you do get some relief and they do tend to move as naturally as 5 segments can when covering 24 independent vertabrae. On the other hand, like any kind of brace or wrap, just like throwing down a bunch of Vicodin, you tend to find yourself overdoing it and not knowing until the drugs wear off, or you decompress your spine...after the damage is done. These are a safety device, not a medical device. I don't know what your particular situation is, but as odd as it may seem, I always found an incredible amount of relief from excruciating pain while skiing (although it ended my aerial career) and on my inversion table ( best $300 I've ever spent)...right up until I had surgery and it made the quality of my life tolerable again. Be careful, and again, talk to your Dr or a specialist about this or anything that might be just a stop-gap on your way to making matters worse. Hope this helps and that you find the relief you deserve.
how many centimeters from the top of the...
how many centimeters from the top of the defense to the bottom of?? lenght? weight?
m -
Love it
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Very comfortable and extremely functional. Always seems to save me.
How do I measure body length?
How do I measure body length?
Are you asking about the sizing chart? It is just your height, in centimeters.
I feel Like this would be sort of a pain...
I feel Like this would be sort of a pain to ski with. Any input?
I don't have this specific spine protector, but mine is similar. They're really no problem to ski with at all. They fit snugly to your back and don't restrict any movement unless it's something that would hurt you. It pretty much feels like you're wearing a backpack that weighs nothing. Also, mine saved me from a serious spine injury last season, so I'd say it's worth it.
I want to add to add addition to my ergo...
I want to add to add addition to my ergo bug, what is the different between Coccyx Addition and Cervical Addition
One addition goes on top (cervical) for neck protection and one goes on the bottom (coccyx) for coccyx protection.
Sweet Armor
Love this back protector, you don't feel it on at all, only time you actually notice you are wearing it, is when you wipe out and land on your back and only thing you feel is comfort when without it you'd be feeling pain, toke a good amount of fall and its holding up great, highly recommend!!!!!
I was going to ask 'What is POC Spine Ergo...
I was going to ask 'What is POC Spine Ergo BUG differ from POC Spine Ergo?'
but someone already answered it below, but it don't answer why BUG is starting from $99.95 when regular Ergo is about $160 if BUG has more comfortable cushion layer would you buy more comfortable one?
Yeah that is pretty weird. It looks like the ERGO is made of more durable material, and it also comes with cervical and coccyx attachments instead of the Bug where you need to buy those separately.
is there a difference between this and the...
is there a difference between this and the poc spine ergo?
ergo bug has a more comfortable cushion layer
is there a difference between this and the...
is there a difference between this and the poc spine ergo?
just came back from killington. great time.. thank god i had this Poc spine ergo bug armor.. i took some nasty spills especially in the stash. and if it was not for the spine protector then definitely i would be injured right now.. im still soar and have bruises but not paralized. be safe then sorry and spend couple hundred on ur own saftly. dont forget the helmet!
Not for tiny people but sweet otherwise
I bought the XS/S and I'm 5'1" and 105 lbs. This thing is supposed to be like a helmet for your spine. It didn't fit me, but that's not too surprising, since I'm rather youth-sized. I'm gonna return it and checkout some kids stuff =P
Otherwise though, this piece of equipment looks really sweet and is well-constructed. It will work for anyone with an average build, I'm guessing.
what size should i get if i'm exactly 6...
what size should i get if i'm exactly 6 feet?
The size is based on Torso length...I'm 5'8" and I wear the medium. I would recommend the Large.
I understand that the Spine Armor protects...
I understand that the Spine Armor protects from spine impacts, but does it have any protection against hyperextension of the back? If not, is there anything out there that does?
What is the difference between the POC...
What is the difference between the POC Spine Ergo BUG Armor and the POC Spine Ergo Armor?
Matt -
After conducting a little bit of research, I found that the difference between the two spine protectors is the type of foam molding used to prevent impact. EPP is a multiple-impact, high density foam that feels rubbery to the touch, is lightweight and used in the Spine Ergo Armor. EVA is another high density foam with similar properties, but its striking difference is in its environmentally friendly production process. Since a purchase of the POC BUG series products provides a 1% donation to the IPA, Instituto Permacultura da Amazonia, this makes for an eco-friendly choice.
I have used both spine protectors, and they both function equally as well. The EPP warms up with the body temperature to fit comfortably in a variety of different body positions, even when it's cold on the slopes. The EVA molding tends to be a little stiffer, but as far as impact absorbtion/distribution, it performs right on par.
Hope this helps!


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Thank you very much for the opportunity to discuss with the Commission today the Administration's views on the issues raised by our continued detention of enemy combatants at the Department of Defense facility at Guantanamo Bay, and specifically, the Department of State's efforts with the international community on these matters. Currently, there are approximately 375 members of al Qaida and the Taliban detained at Guantanamo, including senior al Qaida planners like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and al Qaida fighters who have personally attacked Americans. The Administration is acutely aware of concerns that have been raised both at home and abroad about long-term detentions of individuals at Guantanamo. Our challenge has been to explain to the world that the United States and other democracies around the world share a common problem in dealing with dangerous terrorists intent on harming our civilian populations, while at the same time being mindful of the need to operate lawfully and in a manner that preserves our commitment to principles of human rights and international humanitarian law. As Legal Adviser to the Department of State, I would like to explain to you today the international legal background for our detention of enemy combatants at Guantanamo, as well as the significant efforts the Department has undertaken to address the concerns raised by our friends and allies.
Let me begin by emphasizing that the majority of detainees in Guantanamo were detained by U.S. and coalition forces in or near Afghanistan during the armed conflict between the United States and Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002. Our military forces were acting in self-defense in response to the attacks by al Qaida against our country on September 11. The Taliban had refused the request of the United States to turn over those responsible for those vicious attacks to face justice in the United States, choosing instead to harbor al Qaida. This inherent right to act in self-defense was recognized by the international community, including the U.N. Security Council and NATO.
Because the United States was and is in an armed conflict with al Qaida, the Taliban its affiliates and supporters, it was proper and continues to be lawful and appropriate for the United States and its allies to detain individuals who are fighting us in that conflict. One of the most basic precepts in the law of armed conflict is that states may detain enemy combatants until the cessation of hostilities. It is not consistent with international law to argue that the United States and its allies had the right to use force in self-defense but did not have the right to detain individuals incident to that use of force unless we planned to charge them with a criminal offense. The Supreme Court has confirmed this authority in the Hamdi and Hamdan decisions.
The legal authority to detain enemy combatants dovetails with a practical reality: many of the people we have captured in this conflict are extremely dangerous individuals who by their past actions have proven their ruthlessness, destructive intent, and flagrant disregard for universally accepted norms of armed conflict. These include the architects of 9/11, the Bali bombings, the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole, and the Embassy bombings in Africa. It is not reasonable or responsible to suggest that these individuals should simply be released to rejoin the fight, where they could further harm our nation or our allies.
Despite this general recognition that the United States acted lawfully in detaining the Taliban and al Qaida combatants incident to the armed conflict in Afghanistan, and is justified in continued detention of dangerous terrorists like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah, the Administration understands fully that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has been a lightning rod for international and domestic criticisms. Many of these criticisms stem from misperceptions about the conditions at Guantanamo Bay. While critics continue to imagine orange-jump suited detainees in cages, visitors to Guantanamo, such as Madame Lizin who will speak after me, have recognized that the true conditions there mirror, and in some respects improve upon, those of high security prisons in Europe and the United States. And the horrifying images of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib caused many to conclude that widespread detainee abuse takes place at Guantanamo, when in fact U.S. and international groups have found no evidence of ongoing detainee abuse there. The Detainee Treatment Act, the Department of Defense Detainee Directive, and the revised Army Field Manual on interrogation collectively provide detainees at Guantanamo a robust set of treatment protections that are fully consistent with, and in some respects exceed, our international obligations, including Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
Other criticisms stem from a sense that detainees at Guantanamo are in a "legal black hole," because they are not being prosecuted domestically. It is simply incorrect to suggest that the detainees have no legal protections absent criminal prosecution. All detainees at Guantanamo have received Combatant Status Review Tribunals confirming that they are properly detained as enemy combatants, and under the Detainee Treatment Act detainees have the opportunity to challenge that determination in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. To our knowledge, these procedural protections are more extensive than those used by any other nation to determine a combatant's status.
And the Administration remains committed to trying by military commission those who have violated the laws of war or committed other serious offences under the MCA. After the Supreme Court in Hamdan set aside the original system of military commissions, we worked with the Congress to create a new set of military commission procedures that are fully consistent with U.S. law and Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. While the Department of Defense can describe to you the latest developments regarding military commissions, it remains important as a matter of international law that we hold those responsible for serious war crimes to account.
Although we may disagree with many of the charges leveled against U.S. detention policies, the Administration recognizes the need to address the concerns that we have heard. As the President said on September 6th of last year, "we will work with the international community to construct a common foundation to defend our nation and protect our freedoms." Secretary Rice has made dialogue with our allies on these difficult issues a priority. We demonstrated continued American commitment to international human rights instruments by leading large interagency delegations presenting reports on U.S. compliance with the Convention Against Torture and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights last year in Geneva, and we are currently working on a one-year follow up report to both treaty bodies on our actions in response to their recommendations.
At the Secretary's instruction, I have undertaken extensive bilateral and multilateral efforts to discuss a common approach to counterterrorism policies. I have traveled to a dozen countries to speak with government officials, legal scholars and academics, and the media to answer questions they have about U.S. detention laws and policies and to emphasize the importance the United States attaches to complying with our international legal obligations. I have also engaged in seven rounds of discussions with the legal advisers of the 27 EU countries, and held additional discussions with the legal advisers of the member states of the Council of Europe, with the intention of moving towards a common approach to the international legal issues posed by the conflict with al Qaida.
Together with Under Secretary Hughes and the Office for War Crimes Issues, which has the State Department lead on Guantanamo transfer issues, my office also regularly conducts press briefings and appears in the international media in order to answer questions about Guantanamo, the Military Commissions Act, and other U.S. detention laws and policies. The Department has been the lead on U.S. Government public diplomacy efforts on this issue, and consistent with that role we have engaged in outreach to schools and universities, and to the international bar association. We have also facilitated visits to Guantanamo by international groups including the OSCE, led by the Special Rapporteur for Guantanamo, Anne Marie Lizin, the U.K. Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, and a group of EU parliamentarians, as well as members of the international media. These visits have led to positive contributions to the international dialogue, and we will continue to work with the Department of Defense to facilitate future visits.
Although differences remain, I believe there is a growing international recognition that the threat posed by al Qaida does not neatly fit within existing legal frameworks. Madame Lizin's report from last July recognized that "there is incontestably some legal haziness" regarding the legal status of members of international terrorist organizations. Indeed, she recommended the formation of an international commission of legal experts to examine the question. Likewise, at last year's U.S.-E.U. summit, then-Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel acknowledged that we face "legal gray areas" regarding detention of terrorists. Most recently the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.K. House of Commons wrote that the Geneva Conventions dealt inadequately with the problems posed by international terrorism, and called on the U.K. government, in connection with state parties to the Geneva Conventions and the International Committee of the Red Cross to work on updating these Conventions for modern problems. Although we do not – and will not – always see eye to eye with our European allies, I am encouraged that we have reached some degree of common ground, and that there is a growing acknowledgment that international terrorist organizations like al Qaida do not fit neatly into the existing international legal system.
Progress on this front aside, the President has stated that he would like to move towards the day when we can eventually close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. The Ambassador for War Crimes Issues Clint Williamson and I have worked hard with the Department of Defense to reduce the population of Guantanamo. While the Department of Defense can provide you more information on the current population at Guantanamo, it is critical to note that more than half of the original population of the facility has now been transferred or released. As of today, approximately 375 detainees remain, and of those, we have approved approximately 75 for transfer or release. Although our critics abroad and at home have called for Guantanamo to be shut immediately, they have not offered any credible alternatives for dealing with the dangerous individuals that are detained there. Our experience has shown that transferring or releasing a detainee from Guantanamo is quite difficult. It is our policy that we do not transfer detainees from Guantanamo to countries where it is more likely than not that they will be tortured, and as news reports have made clear, this has resulted in our inability to transfer or release groups of detainees such as the ethnic-Uighur, Chinese-national detainees to their home countries. In other instances, countries refuse or are unable to take responsibility for mitigating the threat posed by their nationals, meaning that we cannot repatriate them while protecting our nation and our allies. Moving forward, it is critical that the international community recognize, as the UK Foreign Affairs Committee recently did, that many of the detainees at Guantanamo pose a threat not just to the United States but to its allies, and that the longer-term solution to Guantanamo, including resettlement of detainees who cannot be repatriated, is a responsibility shared between the United States and those allies.
Commission members, the United States has long been a beacon of hope and opportunity for people across the world, and we must continue to serve as a leader in protecting human rights. Our history and our values result in the United States being held to a high standard on human rights issues, and we embrace that responsibility. We recognize that many people around the world view Guantanamo as inconsistent with U.S. values. We have worked hard to address those concerns, both through dialogue and changes to our policies. We will continue to work hard to take the steps necessary to protect Americans and the international community, while at the same time respecting our commitment to the rule of law. I look forward to answering any questions that you might have.
Click here for the previous year's Testimonies


text:
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- A jailhouse basement isn't exactly the first place you'd look to find Christmas cheer.
But thanks to nearly 400 Christmas Eve volunteers, the kitchen at the DeKalb County Jail was overflowing with holiday spirit.
For two decades, this has been the kitchen for Hosea Feed the Hungry. One of the largest commercial kitchens in the area, volunteers have flocked to the jail every Christmas Eve for years.
Head Chef Nick Johnson has led this effort for 31 years. He says it takes dedicated volunteers to pull off such a massive undertaking.
"[These are] some of the best people in Atlanta, sitting here on Christmas Eve, working in a jail," Johnson said.
Two shifts of volunteers worked more than five hours to produce 700 turkeys, 2000 cans of vegetables, 500 trays of stuffing and 300 gallons of gravy.
"This is what this is at Hosea, it's family," said Elisabeth Omilami, Hosea Feed the Hungry CEO. "It's because nothing makes Christmas better than love and concern."
Christmas dinner will be served at the Georgia World Congress Center beginning at 10am. More than 6,000 people are expected to show up at GWCC; another 4,000 meals will be delivered to homes of needy families.
Omilami said they prepare meals for 20,000 people and never have food left over.


text:
New York anticipates a larger and much earlier harvest this year than it had in 2009.
The Canadian harvest started today in Ontario's Niagara region, the earliest commercial picking there in more than 20 years.
Sweetness codes could be a feature of every bottle of Alsace wine if the new president of the Alsace trade council has his way.
France's Languedoc region claims a new grand cru and grand vin system will ��simplify' life for its consumers.
The red wine sealed in high street retailer Marks & Spencer's new cup-a-wine range has struck gold at the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Decanter readers will have the chance to meet top Piedmont producers at a rare London tasting.
Drinks giant Constellation insists its retention of the Amberley Estate brand name after selling off the assets does not set a precedent for future divestments.
A sparkling Riesling from New York's Finger Lakes region has taken the top prize at the 25th New York Wine & Food Classic competition.
Wine producers in Western Australia's Margaret River have united in their call for plans for a coal mine in the area to be scrapped.
A new service called Vignerons a la Maison has launched in France, offering consumers the opportunity to have a winemaker come to their house, and hold a tasting of their wines.
The founder of Great Western Wines has revealed why he sold his business to London importer Enotria.
Car owners could soon be filling up their tanks with a new whisky-derived fuel, according to scientists at a Scottish University.
UK importer Enotria has acquired wine supplier Great Western Wine.
Vodka might be considered Poland's national drink but the Poles would rather drink wine today, according to a new survey seen by decanter.com.
Scan your favorite wine blogs every day.
Search over 150 wine blogs
Click to visit the blog or browse all of the bloggers intros.
Wine bloggers reach new audiences and readers find new wine blogs and keep up with their favorites.
Link to WineWonks


text:
News and Announcements
|04 April
|Alert Notice 456: Monitoring of V854 Cen Requested
April 4, 2012: Bram Ochsendorf (Leiden Observatory, Netherlands) has requested monitoring by AAVSO observers of the R CrB variable V854 Cen in support of observations to be made using the XSHOOTER instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Paranal Observatory in Chile. Ochsendorf and colleagues have already observed V854 Cen at maximum and now need to observe it during a fading episode.
|04 April
|VStar Version 2.13 release
Its been more than a year and many "test versions" in the making, but a new and much improved version of VStar (Version 2.13) is now formally available. To read more about VStar and download a copy, please visit the VStar overview page and click the "Download VStar Now" button.
|03 April
|Online Talk w/Sky & Telescope Editor Bob Naeye
April 6, 2012 Update: The talk is over and went very well. We had a max of around 22 participants and the interaction with Bob was very informative. We attempted to record the talk using the built-in recording feature of the webinar software we are using (GoToWebinar by Citrix). It created a Windows Media Video (.wmv) file that plays correctly on a few Windows computers we tested on. However, when we tested it on OS X machines using a wide variety of video players we could never get it to fully work. We also attempted to upload it to YouTube and their software rejected the format as well. So we can't promise it will work on all computers. We are investigating alternatives for recording future webinars.
Click here to download a recording of the talk (170MB WMV file).
(There is some technical chit chat at the beginning - you may want to skip 5-10 minutes into the recording for the good stuff)
|28 March
|Special Notice #273: Possible Nova in Ophiuchus = PNV J17260708-2551454
March 28, 2012: A possible nova in Ophiuchus was announced on the IAU CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page (TOCP) page with the name PNV J17260708-2551454. It was discovered by H. Nishimura (Shizuoka-ken, Japan) at unfiltered magnitude 12.1 on 2012 March 25.789 UT on three frames using Canon 200-mm f/3.2 lens + Canon EOS 5D Digital Camera. Spectra suggest that the object is an Fe II-type classical nova.
|28 March
|Special Notice #272: Possible Nova in Centaurus = PNV J13410800-5815470
28 March 2012: A possible nova in Centaurus was announced on the IAU CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page (TOCP) page with the name PNV J13410800-5815470. It was discovered by John Seach (Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia) at magnitude 9.2 on 2012 March 23.386 UT using a DSLR with 50 mm f/1.0 lens. Spectra indicate that the object is a classical nova.
|27 March
|Special Notice #271: Correction to AAVSO Special Notice #270
March 27, 2012: In the email version of AAVSO Special Notice #270 (Possible Recurrent Nova in the LMC = TCP J04550000-7027150), the discovery magnitude was given as U=10.7. It should have been given as unfiltered magnitude 10.7.
|27 March
|Special Notice #270: Possible Recurrent Nova in the LMC = TCP J04550000-7027150
March 27, 2012: A possible nova in the LMC discovered at unfiltered magnitude 10.7 on 2012 March 26.397 UT (name of discoverer not given) was reported on the IAU CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page (TOCP). Spectra indicate the object may be a recurrent nova.
|24 March
|Special Notice #269: SUPERNOVA 2012aw IN M95 (NGC 3351) = PSN J10435372+1140177
March 24, 2012: Most of the information in this Special Notice was announced in IAU CBAT CBET 3054 (Daniel W. E. Green, Ed.). Three independent discoveries of SN 2012aw in M95 are reported:
|23 March
|Special Notice #268: Chandra observations scheduled for CH Cyg and monitoring urgently needed
23 March 2012: The Chandra X-ray satellite observations of the symbiotic variable CH Cyg have been scheduled as part of Dr. Margarita Karovska's (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) campaign. Please see AAVSO Alert Notice 454 and AAVSO Special Notice #267 for complete details on this observing campaign. The HST observations of CH Cyg have already been made.
|16 March
|Alert Notice 455: V834 CAR = Nova Car 2012 = TCP J10502000-6406480
March 16, 2012: V834 CAR = Nova Car 2012 = TCP J10502000-6406480
|16 March
|Solar Bulletin - Volume 68, Number 2
The February 2012 Solar Bulletin is now available.
|15 March
|Special Notice #267: HST observations of CH Cyg scheduled and monitoring urgently needed
March 15, 2012: As announced in AAVSO Alert Notice 454 (http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-454), Dr. Margarita Karovska, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has requested multiband photometry (all possible bands), high-speed photometry, spectroscopy, and visual observations of the symbiotic variable CH Cyg in support of HST and Chandra observations. She is studying the central region of CH Cyg and its jet.
|14 March
|New eJAAVSO preprint: Effect of Online Sunspot Data on Visual Solar Observers by K. Larsen
New eJAAVSO preprint (ej155): "The Effect of Online Sunspot Data on Visual Solar Observers" by K. Larsen
|10 March
|Dr. John Percy Wins CASCA's inaugural Qilak Award
|09 March
|Charts and Sequences Update March 2012
New data released from the AAVSO Photometric All Sky Survey (APASS) has allowed us to revise, repair and update many reported chart errors as well as create new sequences for variable star sequence requests and regions of the sky previously lacking reliable photometry. As a result, the following stars have new or revised sequences, and you should update your records accordingly.
|06 March
|New eJAAVSO preprint: "Recent Minima of 150 EB Stars" by G. Samolyk
"Recent Minima of 150 Eclipsing Binary Stars" by G. Samolyk
|03 March
|Aviso Especial de AAVSO #266: Posible Nova en Carina (TCP J10502000-6406480)
|03 March
|Special Notice #266: Possible Nova in Carina (TCP J10502000-6406480)
3 March 2012: John Seach, Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia, reports his discovery of a possible nova in Carina on 2012 February 26.543 UT at magnitude 10.2 on 3 images with digital SLR, 50 mm f/1.0 lens. No object was seen at the location on survey images taken on February 23.424 UT 2012. A possible image of the nova was seen at magnitude 11 (limit of visibility) on an image taken on February 25.733 UT 2012. Seach reports no object was seen on the POSS2 red image, and no variable star, comet, or minor planet was reported at the position.
|02 March
|Alert Notice 454: Monitoring of CH Cyg requested for Chandra and HST observations
March 2, 2012: Dr. Margarita Karovska, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has requested visual and photometric observations of the symbiotic variable CH Cyg in preparation for and support of Chandra and HST observations scheduled for later in March 2012. Dr. Karovska's observations will be a followup investigation of the central region of CH Cyg and its jet that was discovered a couple of years ago. AAVSO observations are requested in order to monitor the state of the system and correlate with the satellite observations.
|01 March
|Two New CHOICE Classes Announced: Light Curves and CCD Imaging
Registration is open for two new CHOICE classes to begin in May. The classes are:
Registration can be done via the online store page here.
|01 March
|Special Notice #265: Bright Symbiotics in Sgr, Cyg, and Oph
March 3, 2012: Observer S. O'Connor reported late last week that the symbiotic stars V4018 Sgr, CH Cyg, and V2523 Oph all appeared to be in outburst or brighter than normal. He reports: V4018 Sgr at V=11.59 on JD 2455981.021 (2012 Feb 23.521); CH Cyg at V=7.30 on 2455982.976 (Feb 25.476); and V2523 Oph at V=11.67 on 2455981.0 (Feb 23.5). Other more recent visual observations of CH Cyg by G. Holmberg (vis=7.6 on 2455983.4993) and D. Barrett (vis=7.4 on 2455985.6013) confirm the star is well above magnitude 8.0 at this time.
|29 February
|AAVSO Bulletin 75 for 2012
Predicted Dates of Maxima and Minima of 381 Long Period Variables for 2012
|27 February
|Blog Post about Foster Brunton Updated
I've updated the staff blog post about Foster Brunton and his experience in Guam in WW2. We received a lot of nice feedback on the article and I added some additional information about Mr. Brunton that we received.
|23 February
|Visual Observing Manual in Persian
The Manual for Visual Observing of Variable Stars is now available in Persian (Farsi).
|23 February
|Alert Notice 453: Monitoring of S Dor requested for multiwavelength campaign
February 23, 2012: Dr. Noel Richardson, Georgia State University, has requested monitoring of the luminous blue variable (LBV) prototype S Doradus as part of a multiwavelength campaign he is coordinating to study the photosphere of this star. At present the observations planned include:


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A look back at the memorable moments that happened in the entertainment industry on Nov. 6.
1947: NBC's "Meet The Press" went on the air.
1957: "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" premiered on CBS. During this series, the couple agreed to divorce.
1975: the Sex Pistols played their first concert, at a London art school dance. Ten minutes into it, the school social programmer unplugged their amps.
1988: Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, announced they were seeking treatment for alcoholism.
1990: Fire swept through the backlot at Universal Studios in California, destroying sets used in "Dick Tracy," "Back To The Future Part 2″ and other films.
1999: Country singer Lee Ann Womack married longtime boyfriend Frank Liddell in a private ceremony.
Today's Birthdays: Director Mike Nichols is 82. Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 81. Singer Eugene Pitt of the Jive Five is 76. Singer P.J. Proby is 75. Country singer Guy Clark is 72. Actress Sally Field is 67. Singer Glenn Frey is 65. Actor Lance Kerwin is 53. Bassist Paul Brindley of The Sundays is 50. Singer Corey Glover of Living Colour is 49. Actor Peter DeLuise ("seaQuest DSV," "21 Jump Street") is 47. Actress Kelly Rutherford ("Melrose Place") is 45. Actor Ethan Hawke is 43. Actress Thandie Newton is 41. Model-actress Rebecca Romijn is 41. Actress Taryn Manning is 35. Actress Emma Stone ("Zombieland," "Superbad") is 25. Actress Mercedes Kastner is 24.


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Awesome as always, Mike! I like the wake behind the ships.
Hey folks,
Been a little while since my last post so I figured I'd pick up the slack and show some recent work.
Here's a couple of poster maps created for the current D&D Lair Assault adventure "Talon of Umberlee". D&D Lair Assault
Hope you like.
Awesome as always, Mike! I like the wake behind the ships.
Gamer Printshop - We print RPG Maps for Game Masters!
Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG) Google+ community
Those are very cool maps! I really like the design of the tavern.
Absolutely fantastic!
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Ghoraja Juun, my largely stagnated campaign setting.
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
Thanks guys! I love working at poster size and luckily I've gotten a few I can really sink my teeth into this year. Wait until you see the game board art for WotC's Lords of Waterdeep coming out next March. It's pretty badass.
Nice work. Does it have a name?
My GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Campaing: http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/panorica


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May 28, 2016
Alabama tailback Eddie Lacy, cornerback Dee Milliner and right tackle D.J. Fluker are entering the NFL draft.
Lacy and Milliner announced their plans to skip their senior seasons Friday at a news conference. Coach Nick Saban says Fluker couldn't be there but made the same decision.
Milliner is considered a potentially early first-round pick. He had two interceptions and 22 pass deflections.
Lacy was MVP of the national championship game after rushing for 140 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Fluker started 35 games for the Tide and was a second-team Associated Press All-American.
Fluker and Lacy are regarded as likely early round selections.
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 firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Who hasn't admired the energy of Antique Olive Nord? All other ultrabolds seem sluggish in comparison. Nord exudes Excoffon's animation and Gallic impatience with the rules. Tobias Frere-Jones cross-bred the weight, proportion, and rhythms of Nord with the casual grace of his own Cafeteria, gaining informality and a dancing vitality on the page. In his words, Asphalt swings with "a lively, if faintly inebriated gyration"; FB 1995
Among other uses, Asphalt is recommended for Magazine and Book use.
Related People· Tobias Frere-Jones


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Related Articles
- Manmohan Singh: Adequate energy supply at affordable price key for economic growth in IndiaManmohan Singh pitches for nuclear power, says economic growth in India requires energyRBI should pause rate hike, focus on growth: HSBC chiefAs manufacturing sector lags, SBI sees more asset quality pain in store
The World Bank has projected India's economy will grow over 6 per cent in 2014-15 and 7.1 per cent by 2016-17 as global demand recovers and domestic investment increases.
In China, growth is estimated to stay flat in 2014 at 7.7 per cent, slowing to 7.5 per cent for the next two years, reflecting deleveraging and less reliance on policy-induced investment.
Global GDP growth may firm up to 3.2 per cent this year from 2.4 per cent in 2013, stabilising at 3.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent in 2015 and 2016, respectively, the World Bank said in its Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released today.
According to the report, the global economy is projected to strengthen this year, with growth picking up in developing countries and high-income economies appearing to be finally turning the corner five years after the global financial crisis.
"Growth appears to be strengthening in both high-income and developing countries, but downside risks continue to threaten the global economic recovery," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
"The performance of advanced economies is gaining momentum and this should support stronger growth in developing countries in the months ahead. Still, to accelerate poverty reduction, developing nations will need to adopt structural reforms that promote job creation, strengthen financial systems and shore up social safety nets," he said.
According to the report, in South Asia, weaker growth in India, following several years of rising inflation and current account deficits, has opened up a large negative output gap, which is projected to gradually close as the economy slowly recovers. Better Indian performance will be heavily reflected in the region's growth, which is expected to strengthen to 5.7 per cent in 2014 and about 6.7 per cent in 2016, it said.
Growth in South Asia is estimated to have been a very weak 4.6 per cent in 2013, mainly reflecting weakness in India.
Growth appeared to be recovering toward the end of 2013, and regional GDP on a calendar-year basis is projected to slowly accelerate to about 6.7 per cent in 2016, mainly reflecting stronger growth in India and a cyclical recovery in investment and external demand, it said.
"India's growth is projected to rise to just over 6 per cent in FY2014-15 and to increase to 6.6 per cent in FY2015-16 and 7.1 per cent in FY2016-17," the World Bank said. "Growth in India will be led by


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Transportation assets can include many different types of equipment, and are generally particular to a specific industry segment. As I mentioned in my earlier blog entry, there are many segments of the Travel & Transportation industry, each their own "industry". Likewise, the assets that support these industries can be common or unique to each. Those who offer asset management solutions typically segment assets by "classes", as each asset class must be managed differently in a enterprise asset management (EAM) system.
The five Asset Classes include Facilities, Fleet, IT, Linear and Production. Facility assets are generally things like buildings, and in an industry segment like Airports can include the landside and airside facilities. Fleet assets can range from cars & trucks to buses, trains, aircraft and vessels. Information Technology (IT) assets can include equipment like servers, network hardware, desktops and telephony. Linear assets include roads, railway, pipeline and cable, and Production assets can range from equipment on a production line to conveyers to power plants.
So, why are these different? Facilities tend to be one of the largest asset classes. When doing facility maintenance you often to work based on time, such as checking an air compressor monthly, or a safety system the first and third Tuesday of each month. Facility assets typically stay on one place, so have a fixed location. Fleet assets often use time and usage to determine preventive maintenance, similar to a personal car that has scheduled inspections every three months or 3,000 miles. These assets do not stay in one place and can be repaired in many different locations. IT assets are often repaired based on service requests, especially desktops and laptops, and can also move around. Linear assets, like a highway, use measurements such as mile or kilometer markers, and are maintained in place. Unlike Fleet or IT assets, Linear assets are not replaced with a new asset but are typically maintained or extended. Production assets are similar to facility assets, but may have much more complex preventive maintenance schedules.
All of these assets have benefited from technology advances. This is the "Smarter Planet" story for Asset Management. Facility assets can have smart security or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that have monitoring devices that alert the asset management system prior to failure. So, the air compressor on the roof of an office building can send an alert that it is failing and can be repaired before your office gets hot. This type of system is most often called Condition Monitoring. The Condition Monitoring devices can integrate to the asset management solution to send alerts that create service requests or work orders, initiating a repair or early preventive maintenance task. Newer devices can be very small and use the existing WiFi network in the building to communicate an early failure warning.
For Transportation assets this capability can be called Health Monitoring or Telematics. By sending a diagnostic code from the vehicle it allows the garage to know that engine temperature is high or tire pressure is low, and can alert the driver while also letting the dispatcher know so they can route the vehicle to a repair facility. The primary purpose of these same devices is often for dispatching and scheduling of equipment, where the operations or logistics teams to track assets, and reroute when needed, such as skirting traffic delays. The devices communicate over satellite, cellular, radio or WiFi networks providing critical information to both operations and maintenance.
So, how does Smarter Planet help in Transportation? Within asset management if the maintenance team knows of a failure before it occurs then they can get the asset repaired and the operations team can work to reroute passengers or freight if needed. Early information leads to better service, and can also reduce costs associated with in-service failures, often called road calls or incidents. This improved performance will result in lower fuel costs and carbon emissions and can extend the useful life of the assets. For many of IBM's clients this has also led to higher labor utilization, greater understanding of inventory needs and improved asset reliability and availability. Those seem like some pretty smart benefits to me.
Asset Management in Transportation
Asset Classes and Smarter Planet
Kenneth Donnelly 27000269JE email@example.com Tags:  asset maximo asset-management transportation service-management eam smarter-planet 4 Comments 6,568 Visits
Transportation assets can include many different types of equipment, and are generally particular to a specific industry segment. As I mentioned in my earlier blog entry, there are many segments of the Travel & Transportation industry, each their own "industry". Likewise, the assets that support these industries can be common or unique to each. Those who offer asset management solutions typically segment assets by "classes", as each asset class must be managed differently in a enterprise asset management (EAM) system.
Asset Management Best Practices in Transportation
Kenneth Donnelly 27000269JE firstname.lastname@example.com Tags:  transportation maximo asset eam fleet smarter-planet asset-management service-management 3,812 Visits
Before discussing what are some Best Practices for Asset Management for the Transportation segments, it is important to define what we mean by a "Best Practice". I find the easiest business example is Three Way Matching in Accounting. With three way matching, an accounts payable (AP) person will first match three documents before issuing payment to a vendor. The AP person will look at the Purchase Order, compare that to the Vendor's Invoice and the Receiving documents from the company's receiving department. So, in essence, making sure you are billed for what you ordered, both in product, quantity and price, and making sure that the product and quantity was what was received, and undamaged. This seems to be common sense for most people, but when dealing with large numbers of orders, vendors who have historically provided proper quantities and documentation, and backed up receiving departments, it is possible to get sloppy. Enforcing three way matching makes good business sense and is a best practice, or a practice that the best organizations use.
In Transportation Asset Management there are many best practices. For instance, capturing all the tasks performed as well as all the costs of a repair on a work order is a best practice. Many companies fall short of this today, even those who have invested in industry leading Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions. First, let's consider companies without a good EAM system. It is not uncommon for me to hear that a company is charging material to the asset, labor to the shop or depot, and services to a General Ledger (GL) code or account setup for that vendor, while tooling is not charged or tracked at all. Typically these companies use work orders only to identify work that needs to be performed and may not close out their work orders.
Like the three way matching best practice, good asset management best practices need to be enforced and technicians need to be trained. In moving towards this best practice of capturing all costs, the first step is to evaluate the EAM solution and make sure it is capable of capturing all costs: labor, materials, services and tooling. If the EAM solution can collect each of these, then the next step is to put in place a program to train the mechanics/technicians, storeroom staff, supervisors, administrative support, planners, managers - everyone that will use the EAM system - on how to record time, charge materials, capture tooling and connect internal or outside service costs back to the work order. The work order is there as a record, at a specific point in time, of all work and costs performed.
By having all costs and tasks on a work order, including costs by task where appropriate, the organization can do many things. They are able to compare repairs of similar equipment, thereby identifying equipment accruing greater than average costs. The organization can compare similar repairs between shops or people, identifying a need for training or standardization of processes. They can view trends, perhaps how costs increase based on age, resulting in better plans for overhauls or asset retirements. The best Transportation companies are very effective in capturing all their costs and see this as a cornerstone to having solid data for making decisions. Some industries organizations, such as the American Trucking Association (ATA), use specific standards called Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) to capture costs and work more consistently, allowing for its members to compare to others in the industry. Other transportation segment like railways, metro systems, shipping, airports and seaports, do not have similar "universal" standards for recording work and capturing asset management costs. It is left up to the company or their advisers to choose the best way to capture costs consistently. Regardless of whether standards exist, the company should have consistent coding schemes within the organization and ensure all costs are captured so proper analysis can be performed.
So, what are some other Transportation Asset Management best practices? Here are some examples:
These are some of the key items that every Transportation organization I speak with has at the top of there list. As with any list like this, it is not all inclusive, but these are often the first areas of focus that a top organization will pursue on the path to becoming a Smarter Transportation organization.
If you have questions about these, or would like to know more about some of the best practices I listed, please let me know and I will provide greater detail in future blogs.
How Asset Management Affects the Passenger Experience
Kenneth Donnelly 27000269JE email@example.com Tags:  asset-management eam smarter-planet rail innovation maximo transportation asset service-management 2,957 Visits
IBM recently issued multiple press releases discussing the use of Maximo with several key public transit systems in North America. These included Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Washington Metropolitan Area Mass Transit Authority (WMATA). Here are the links to these press releases.
- IBM and the Long Island Rail Road Improve Commuter Experience
In particular, the press release with LIRR talked about improving the commuter experience, but all of the press releases had a relationship to the commuter experience, or as I like to call it, "passenger experience".
Rail Innovation and Asset Management
Kenneth Donnelly 27000269JE email@example.com Tags:  asset service-management transportation eam innovation maximo asset-management smarter-planet rail 2 Comments 5,722 Visits
I traveled to
What is the Transportation Industry?
Kenneth Donnelly 27000269JE firstname.lastname@example.com Tags:  airport transportation asset marine rail fleet aviation eam transit 7 Comments 4,935 Visits
The term "Transportation" can mean many things to many people. Most businesses, including IBM, who sell goods or services to transportation type companies refer to a Transportation Industry, at least for product, sales and marketing purposes. In IBM in particular we use a term that others use as well called Travel & Transportation. In reality, which companies or organizations that fall into these categories depends on how they see themselves.


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This aluminum Wilton cake pan is shaped like a cupcake, making it perfect for classroom parties, cupcake parties and other special events. Use it to make a cupcake-shaped cake with just one package of cake mix or your favorite cake recipe.
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To make hair manageable, while keeping it moisturized, healthy and flexible, Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Hair Styling products offer a range of formulas that work with your hair. Even hair damaged from environmental stresses -- sun or pollution -- or too-frequent coloring can regain its bounce and shine. Using his experience in the demanding hair salons of Beverly Hills, Nick Chavez has developed these styling products to keep your hair healthy, full and manageable so that it can accept the style you want to keep.
With his motto of "Every Day Gorgeous™" the Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Hair Styling line shows his passion for beautiful and manageable hair. From roots to tip, when hair is healthy it is easier to work with; there is no need to fight against it. Instead, let the ingredients of these styling products build up body, shine and flexibility in every hair strand to give you natural styling control. And control comes in so many different ways. The line of Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Hair Styling products offers you so many choices from which to select.
Control is all about choice: How you style your hair and what you use to make that style work. The line of Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Hair Styling products gives you an entire range of choices, for every style and any mood. Choose your style and take control!
The wonderfully moisturizing oil extracted from the desert-loving argan tree of Morocco provides elasticity and manageability of your hair. You can get all of its advantages in Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Angel Drops With Argan Oil. Use one drop or three, depending upon the thickness of your hair, and this oil nourishes and protects the shafts for a pre-styling primer that doesn't weigh your hair down.
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Going for a piecey, finger-styled look? Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Amazon Body Building Styling Clay contains carnauba wax and refined kaolin to give you great definition and hold.


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Hi there,
I was after some help and advice on an issue I'm experiencing when using the ZCSPST Import Wizard.
I'm taking a PST file that has encrypted email present and after it has been run through the ZCSPST import wizard and sent to a Zimbra Cloud Account I'm unable to view the content of these encrypted emails it just seems to display " An Error occurred during the processing of this message !"
I have installed the certificated needed, and Zimbra have enabled the Secure Email Zimlet. Any ideas?


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Has our fave fashion f-up gone and gotten herself married? It seems (maybe) so.
Stephanie Myles for her "On Court with Stephanie Myles" column at The Gazette is reporting that Bethanie Mattek has gotten hitched and will be missing next week's Aussie Open:
There will be no fashion show at the Australian Open this year.An insurance guy? Meh.
Bethanie Mattek, sadly, is a no-show.
She's gone off and gotten married, and is taking a break and skipping the Australian swing.
Who's the lucky guy?
He's a civilian named Justin Sands, the head of the Arizona office of a Pennsylvania-based company called the Specht Insurance Group.
Anyways, it's too bad Bethanie won't be making Melbourne (if this story proves true) because her game seemed to be getting better while her fashion foibles seemed to be getting less, eh, eye-catching. Yeah.
In any case, congrats to you B.
(image via Getty)