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Vancouver, Washington restaurants have banded together to raise funds for Oso landslide relief. Chef/Owner Willem Paul Klitsie of Willem's on Main in downtown Vancouver announced today that "Dine Around Vancouver" to Support Oso Relief will be held on Wednesday, April 23rd. As a resident of and business owner in Washington state, Klitsie is committed to providing much-need financial support for Vancouver's neighbors to the North who were affected by the Oso landslide. Klitsie invited the Vancouver restaurant community to join him in his effort and as a result, 10 restaurants are participating in "Dine Around Vancouver."
Klitsie will donate 15 percent of sales from lunch and dinner served at Willem's on Main on April 23rd to the American Red Cross. Specifically designated for the "Oso Landslide," this percentage of sales on April 23rd from Willem's and all of the participating restaurants will be donated to the Snohomish Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Just one day after the one month anniversary of the terrible tragedy in Oso, restaurants in the Vancouver community joined forces and are committed to supporting relief efforts in the aftermath of this horrific landslide.
On Wednesday, April 23rd, the following Vancouver restaurants will be donating a portion of their sales to the American Red Cross to help survivors of the landslide:
South Pacific Restaurant & Bar


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Botsford Hospital registered dietitian Gina DeAngelis shared with us this simple and healthy recipe for trail mix. Have the kids help for a fun activity that will get them thinking about eating healthy. It combines sweet and salty flavors while providing protein, so it makes a great after school snack.
- 1 cup cheerios
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 cup mini pretzels
- 1/3 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts or hulled sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Store in plastic bags or a covered container for up to 2 weeks
Nutrition Facts:
Yield: 6 servingsCalories: 169 Fats: 8g Sodium: 74mg Carbohydrates: 24g Fiber: 1g Protein: 4g
Gina counsels children and their families at Botsford Pediatrics about healthy nutrition. To make an appointment call (248) 477-0100.

subset: commoncrawl


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Authorities are searching for this woman, a chatting bank robber who strolled up to the counter at a South Florida bank on her cell phone. The robbery occurred at a TD Bank on Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach. The crime occurred June 4, but authorities are now releasing the voluble bandit's photo in the hopes that someone will recognize this talk-and-rob crook.
The African American woman was wearing a white tank top, blue hat and appeared to be in her early 20s, said the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. She passed a note to the teller demanding money and fled on foot. She's described as approximately 5 feet 4 to 6 inches tall, skinny, and was wearing a brown wig. Police said it's unclear if she was actually connected to someone on the phone, or was just blabbing in it as part of her ruse.
WPTV out of West Palm Beach also carried a different photo of the woman. Police are asking that anyone who can identify this person to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
When it comes to multitasking, it appears that cell phones have the full access pass. Evidently we can now add bank robberies to the list of places and events no longer immune to cell phone blabbers.
See also:
Father beats teacher with a baseball bat: Teacher was texting 15-yr-old daughter


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Our sweet Archimedes "MEATY" Bones (or as we say...boneSHHH!) ---born 11/28/08---- our first bullllyyyy!!!
And SOPHIE Bubbles *Rapscallion* (LOL!) ---born 4/3/11----our second bulllllyyyy!!!!
Sophie's very first day home with us....awwww........May 2011.......tooo sweet for words!!!
Appreciate it. Yea he's still better a little bit here and there but still better than he was. I did a bunch of cleaning and dusting today because I think it may be in my house cause he always seems clear when were not here. Also I have maintenance dude replacing my hvac filter stuff tomorrow to make sure my air is clean in here.
-Sherm was here.


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Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel
- Location:
- Address: No. 80 Nanzhugan Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing
- Tel: 65283366 (Book this hotel, call 800-2682918)
- Hotel Name in Chinese: Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel
- Lowest Price: $82
Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel is a comprehensive business hotel located in the southwest corner of Chaoyangmen Bridge, adjacent to the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other several ministries, Workers Stadium and Sanlitun Bar Street as well. The hotel is also situated in the famous Beijing Wangfujing commercial circle, adjacent to Beijing Railway Station and Airport Shuttle, so you can enjoy convenient access to the hotel.
Opened in 2009.
- Prices not include 18% service fee and tax.
- Payment Method: pay using our secure online payment service or pay at the hotel at some hotels.
- Triple/quad occupancy may require an extra bed at extra cost.
Hotel Amenities
|Hotel Services
|Car rentals, Medical clinic service, Wake Up Call, Permanent English-speaking staff, Business Centre, Copy Service, E-mail, Fax Service, Typing Service
|Room Amenities
|Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Color Television, Telephone, Bath and Shower, Internet access
Hotel Amenities: Elevator, Parking, Business Floor or Executive Floor, Air-Conditioned Facilities, Beauty Salon, Sauna, Meeting Room, Deposit Box at Front Desk, Fire Detector, Chess & Playing Cards Room
Dining Facilities: Chinese Restaurant, Western Restaurant
Print the Taxi Directions
- Please drive me to Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel, thank you!
- 请送我到Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel,谢谢
- Address: No. 80 Nanzhugan Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing
- 地址: No. 80 Nanzhugan Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing
- Tel: 65283366
Similar Hotels as Beijing Yingcheng Business Hotel
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It is a 22-storey building ...
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From: $ 82
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From: $ 82
Check out the list of all 1183 hotels in Beijing


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The Lunchbox Laboratory, a Seattle based restaurant chain, has created a stir with its latest Easter advertisement. Today's special is a buy one get one free deal on a Burger of the Gods. With Washington State being only one of two states legalizing marijuana, the Lunchbox Laboratory depicted Jesus holding a joint in one hand and a burger in the other hand.
The caption states that when Jesus returns, he will seek a Burger of the Gods. Apparently, some people found the unholy parody of Jesus with a burger and a joint as blasphemous.
Restaurant owner John Schmidt said he wanted to create a buzz to attract business on a typical slow business day. He said that Easter doesn't draw much of a burger crowd, so he turned to a little inspiration to get some people in the doors.
Considering that Schmidt limited the ads to subscribers only, he managed to get some free ad time from local and national media. Apparently, Schmidt didn't expect to gain so much attention over his ad, but it's said that any publicity is good publicity.
A Q13FOX.com article mentions that some conservative talking heads have a problem with Schmidt's ad. Someone asked if Schmidt would depict Martin Luther King Jr. or Muhammad holding a joint. Schmidt made it clear that he isn't anyone's moral compass, and if anyone is looking to him to play that role, he or she is probably misguided. He's just a business owner trying to sell a burger.
The company's Facebook page has a variety of good and bad reviews. The following comments appeared on the company's Facebook page:
"I liked your food until you blasphemed my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will not support this kind of thing."
"I support you and your ads! I can take a joke, apparently not everyone can. Keep up the good work!"
"I dare you do that with Allah! I doubt you have the guts as you know what will happen to you guys- us Christians are more civil then that and I won't go to your business because of your crap."
So what would Jesus do if he visited Seattle? For all anyone knows, he might stop in for the buy one get one free burger deal, and give his free burger to a homeless person. Besides, the advertisement gives new meaning to the "burger joint" term.
Read more about this story at the Q13FOX.com website or visit the Lunchbox Laboratory for more information about their burgers and promotions.


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JOHN H. McCONNELL, Founder
John H. McConnell was the majority owner, chairman and governor of the Columbus Blue Jackets and the founder of Worthington Industries. A business leader, noted philanthropist and beloved community leader, Mr. McConnell passed away on April 25, 2008 at the age of 84.
Mr. McConnell was born on May 10, 1923, in Pughtown, West Virginia. The son of a steel worker, he grew up during the Great Depression. He served aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga during World War II and married his high school sweetheart, Peggy Rardin, upon his discharge from the Navy. He then used the GI Bill to enter Michigan State University, where he studied business and played football.
While working for Weirton Steel Corp., Mr. McConnell identified a niche in the industry for custom steel processing services. He used his 1952 Oldsmobile as collateral for a loan and, in 1955, launched Worthington Industries and the steel processing industry. Today, the company he founded in Columbus is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and employs 8,000 people in 69 facilities in 11 countries. It has annual sales of approximately $3 billion.
He served as chairman of Worthington Industries until 1996 and retired from the board in 2002. Although he stepped down from a formal leadership role in the company, Mr. McConnell's leadership style, which has been included in the business curriculum at Harvard University and praised by management guru Tom Peters, still drives the company's culture. That philosophy, based on the Golden Rule: "We treat our customers, employees, investors and suppliers as we would like to be treated," is the subject of Mr. McConnell's 2004 book, "Our Golden Rule."
Through his humanitarian and community efforts, Mr. McConnell became widely recognized as one of Columbus' most generous citizens. His charitable contributions led to the McConnell Heart Hospital at Riverside Hospital, which provides treatment and prevention services for heart-related illnesses. The more than $15 million donation to develop the hospital and the McConnell Heart Health Center was the largest gift ever received by Riverside Hospital or its parent company, OhioHealth.
In 1997, Mr. McConnell led a group of investors to bring the National Hockey League to Columbus and the Blue Jackets played their first game in September 2000. The arrival of the team brought an influx of development and community pride to Columbus. Before the team even took the ice, he made sure the Blue Jackets organization would serve its community in other ways, too. The Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation was established in March of 2000 to help improve the quality of life throughout central Ohio.
Mr. McConnell's love of sports was also evident through his role as an early investor in the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer franchise and his involvement as a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club and the Arena Football League's Columbus Destroyers.
Through his work ethic, business acumen, philanthropy, sense of community and genuine desire to do the right thing for his customers, employees and community, Mr. McConnell established himself as a leader, not only in Columbus, but also throughout the steel industry and the business world.
Mr. McConnell was named Chief Executive Officer of the Year by Financial World magazine and Industry Week magazine recognized him for Excellence in Management. He was the recipient of the Horatio Alger Award and the National Football Foundation Gold Medal Award. He received the 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, the Ohio Governor's Award and the Michigan State University Outstanding Alumni Award. He was inducted into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame, the Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame and the Columbus Hall of Fame.
If you would like to honor the memory of John H. McConnell, you can do so in one of two ways:
Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center
The Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center is named after Mr. McConnell's late wife, Peggy. The Arts Center was envisioned to fulfill community needs for a central arts and community gathering space. It will enhance the richness of community life, strengthen the educational environment, and increase opportunities for the arts as a vocation or fulfilling avocation. It will be a centerpiece venue for the arts community, featuring a 220-seat auditorium, classrooms, studios, offices and exhibit spaces. Most of these areas will be multi-use and will be available for public and private meetings as well as social gatherings. In 2007, he made a $1 million contribution to the center, which is expected to open in the spring of 2009. Contributions can be sent to the following:
Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center
P.O. Box 986, Worthington, OH 43085
or on-line at www.worthingtonarts.org/arts_center.php
John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund
The John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund was established by the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, in the name of Blue Jackets players. The fund will be used to award annual scholarships to central Ohio high school students who personify the character and leadership of Mr. McConnell, who was the team's majority owner and chairman as well as the chairman of the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation. The scholarship fund enables fans to join the players in honoring Mr. McConnell's philanthropic legacy and his deep-rooted belief in the importance of giving back to the community. Contributions may be sent to the following (checks payable to: John H. McConnell Fund):
Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation
John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund
Columbus, OH 43260-3170
or on-line at www.BlueJacketsFoundation.org
John H. McConnell Photo Gallery
A Celebration of Life and LegacyRick Nash Speech at A Celebration of the Life & Legacy of John H. McConnell
Remembering John H. McConnell - quotes from people about Mr. Mac's Life and Legacy
At Home with John H. McConnell - Dispatch Feature


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Brendan Shanahan pokes the puck past Colorado's Patrick Roy as Roy does his now-infamous "Statue of Liberty" to show the world he had made a tremendous save on Steve Yzerman.
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Saturday, November 8, 2008
Fogged in
This has been a busy day of meetings and exhibit openings so just a quick post today. One of the things which always amazes me about working at the O'Dell House Museum is the ever changing landscape in front of the museum. The museum is located on the waterfront in Annapolis Royal and faces the picturesque Victorian community of Granville Ferry with the North Mountain in the background. Between Annapolis and Granville Ferry lies the Annapolis Basin, an offshoot of the Bay of Fundy. As the Basin is subject to the same sort of tides as the Bay of Fundy, the landscape is always changing. The difference in the height of the water between high and low tide is about nine meters (29 feet). To put this in perspective, the tide rises or lowers about a foot every fifteen minutes. Because of this, the landscape is never the same as the last time you looked. As I go along with this blog, I will post additional images of what is one of my favorite scenes.
There have been some interesting things happening with the fog recently. When I arrived this morning, there was a layer of fog hanging just above the water and another layer somewhat above it. In between the layers of fog, Granville Ferry was as clear as can be. I have included a photograph at the bottom of this post.
The museum's waterfront location is also wonderful for the wildlife which visit. In the last month I have seen seals, porpoise, bald eagles, herons, loons and an array of sea ducks. It is pretty amazing to be able to step out of work and see porpoise gracefully surfacing.
All for now,
Posted by rgsheritage at 5:04 PM
Labels: Granville Ferry
2 comments:
Drove down through Town today, saw the neat fog over the river, realized I didn't have my camera on me! I should have gone home to fetch it... Glad you captured the moment!ReplyDelete
- Anne CrossmanNovember 9, 2008 at 7:20 PM
What a good blog, Ryan!ReplyDelete
Anne C.
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Saliyapura Educational Farm
Saliyapura Educational Farm (Saliyapura and Anuradhapura)
New facilities complete by mid-2007
Saliyapura Educational Farm was first developed by Sarvodaya to provide a living example of non-chemical fertiliser and pest control methods to encourage local farmers to move away from the heavy use of agro-chemicals which has become the norm throughout Sri Lanka. These non-chemical techniques were used extensively in years gone by but have been largely forgotten now.
The farm is financially non-sustainable and so the CTI is introducing farm tours with lunch on site for groups of tourists visiting Anuradhpura (20 minutes away). We will also be building a small house to accommodate 'voluntourists' who want to work on the farm for a few days or more. The income from the tourism-related activities will support the costs of the farm and its education programme.


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Terry Camilleri Movies and Career Information
Nov 30, -0001
Terry Camilleri is an Australian actor. Camilleri was born in Malta and made his feature film debut in Peter Weir's 1974 film The Cars That Ate Paris. Terry appeared in the 1983 hit sequel film Superman III. He portrayed the Emperor Napoleon I in the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. He also made a cameo appearance in Weir's The Truman Show. Other appearances include as Special Branch police officer Hemmings in the science fiction film Incident at Raven's Gate. In 2003 he appeared in the film Hey DJ. In 2006, as part of the World Cup campaign in Australia, Camilleri played the character of "History", an 800-year-old orc-like creature for the Nike "Stuff History" advertisements. Which is part of Nike's soccer Joga Bonito adverts. In 2009 Camilleri appeared in the film Knowing directed by Alex Proyas.
- Terry Camilleri Movies before 2015
- Gigli 2003
- Backroads 2000
- Invisibles (1999) 1999
- Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure 1989
- Coffin Rock
- Cars That Eat People (Voitures qui ont mangé Paris)
- Night the Prowler
- Oddball and the Penguins


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White Collar Crime, Personal Injury, mediation,Christian lawyer, Atlanta,
The Fenn Little Law Firm
Choosing the right company for your service is easy when you turn to us. We are honored to be your choice for excellent service that caters to your needs.
To schedule an appointment, complete the form below with your name, contact information, and appointment date request. A confirmation will appear after you click "Submit." A representative of our company will then contact you to confirm your appointment. We look forward to working with you!


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Valentine's Day is on Wednesday and stores are feeling it as last-minute shoppers try to find gifts for their valentines.
Justin Gentile is not a last minute shopper this year, but he does have some tips for those who are on a rush.
"You always have to have a plan, you have to know what they like," said Gentile. You have to pay close attention when you're talking to her so you can pick up on these little hints so you can get them along the way before the actual day."
Stores have specials to help those who have procrastinated more than Gentile. Jewelry stores like "Heart Of Gold" have heart shaped pendants which can be perfect gifts for this time of year.
"The woman can show off to her friends not to say look what I have, but look how I'm treated , that's what makes jewelry so special," said Randy Janis, Owner of Heart Of Gold.
Flower shops say that they are also feeling the rush. They said that Valentine's Day is the busiest time of the year behind Mother's Day.
Redding Flowers is offering not only flower bouquets but also candy bouquets for those who don't like flowers.


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ASU Choirs
The ASU Choirs, under the direction of Dr. William Hobbins, have appeared with the Augusta Symphony on the ASU campus, the University of South Carolina - Columbia and USC- Aiken. They have also performed in historic downtown Augusta venues such as Sacred Heart Cultural Center, and Church of the Most Holy Trinity. In the spring of 1999, the ASU Choir performed on the MS Tropicale while cruising the Florida Keys, the Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern coast of Mexico, including ports-of-call in Key West and Cozumel.
ASU Department of Music
Maxwell Theatre
Assisted listening devices are available at the box office.Services are available for persons with disabilities. Some services may require four weeks advance notice. Contact the Testing and Disability Services office at 706-737-1469 or email@example.com
Last Updated: 6/27/2016  |  Support Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com (706-667-4100)   |   Powered by UniversityTickets Financial transactions secured with 2048bit SSL


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Taking Power Back: In Boulder and Beyond
by Lynn Hill
When I first started climbing, I took advantage of any opportunity to escape the city and go climbing in beautiful places with my friends. I still do. But over the years, this freedom and beauty has eroded as the world has become more populated, more polluted, and more corrupt than ever. Though I continue to find peace through climbing, I can no longer escape my sense of responsibility to help protect life and harmony on this planet.
Today was election day in many parts of the United States. Patagonia ambassador Lynn Hill shares her thoughts on why it's important to stay involved in the democratic process and not get discouraged. -Ed
[Above: Lynn Hill speaks in front of Boulder City Hall, Colorado. All photos: Beth Wald]
Many people in the world oppose corporatocracy, but many of us have given up hope that it can be defeated. But I figure that the lessons I've learned through climbing may be of value in this fight for justice. No matter how hard the climb or how tired I may feel during those crucial moments of difficulty, I never give up the effort. With the right motivation and vision, I believe that even the most improbable goals can be achieved!
It's not surprising that my network of climbing friends and connections has been instrumental in planting the seed of environmental activism. (For example, Patagonia was one of the first outdoor companies to advocate and support numerous environmental non-profit groups).
A few years ago, one of my dear climbing friends, who has a common interest in both social and environmental change, told me about the work of Bill McKibben, an environmental leader who had started the nonprofit organization 350.org. (The number 350 refers to the parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere that is considered safe for the health of the planet. At this time, this number has increased to 392. Visit 350.org for more on its missions and activities). When I heard that Bill McKibben was going to be speaking at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival, I went there to meet him in person and to see what I could do to help. Bill was more than happy to welcome me in spreading awareness about global warming, and I agreed to be involved in the 350.org International Day of Climate Change Awareness event in Boulder that year. Since then, awareness and support have grown tremendously - as evidenced by the number of people from all over the country who showed up in Washington DC this August (and more recently this past weekend) to protest the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. It was the largest nonviolent protest in over a generation!
While momentum is building across the globe, I've continued to take part in a number of other actions in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado, where unity in my local community is helping move our city toward increased sustainability.
From my involvement as a clean water advocate, to demonstrations at our local coal plant, to public speeches in front of the County Commissioners and City Council, to appearing in ad campaigns by the Boulder Clean Energy Action group and at environmental rallies, I – along with my community – am getting louder and more involved.
Boulder pushes for a cleaner environment at the local level, but comes up against significant resistance due to its franchise agreement with Xcel Energy. The franchise agreement is a 20-year contract that has kept Boulder tied to Xcel's electricity (roughly 90% fossil fuel-based). This agreement expired in 2010: this was a golden opportunity for Boulder citizens to forge a new, clean energy future controlled by the community.
In this November's election, Boulder stands ready to municipalize its electric supply so that it can create its own utility, one with competitive rates, cleaner energy and, most important, accountability. [Editor's note: Boulder's election was held on November 1 and the ballot measure passed by a couple hundred votes.]
It's a long road to bring power back to the people who are concerned about their environment and their community, and away from corporations who answer to the bottom line. I believe that we are showing through action and deed that we are ready to realize a new vision of clean energy and sustainability. We can no longer allow greed and corruption to destroy our planet and our future. As in rock climbing, when the going gets tough, we need to do everything possible to rise to the challenge.


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- Product 513143
Guild GAD-30R Acoustic Design Series Orchestra
- Write a Review
The GAD-30 R from Guild is a stunningly good guitar for a very moderate price. It features the orchestra body style with many quality appointments: S...Read More
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An upper-class acoustic for a plebeian price.
The GAD-30 R from Guild is a stunningly good guitar for a very moderate price. It features the orchestra body style with many quality appointments: Solid Sitka spruce top and solid Indian rosewood back, sides and bridge. Ebony fingerboard on mahogany neck, bone nut and saddle, wood bindings, mother-of-pearl inlays, tortoise shell pickguard and abalone dot inlays are all features you'd expect at a much higher price. And it includes a Guild hardshell case.
Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.
- Body Style: Orchestra
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Bracing: Guild Scalloped
- Back: Solid Indian Rosewood
- Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood
- Bridge: Indian Rosewood Pin Bridge
- Neck: 1-Piece Mahogany
- Fretboard: Ebony (12" Radius)
- Width at Nut: 1-3/4"
- No. of Frets: 20
- Scale Length: 25 1/2"
- Hardware: Chrome
- Machine Heads: Grover Sta-Tite Tuners
- Finish: High Gloss (Polyester)
- Dovetail Neck Joint
- Ornate Mother-of-Pearl Position Inlays
- Abalone Side Dot Position Inlays
- Mother-of-Pearl Headstock Logo
- Ebony Bridge Pins with MOP Dots
- Ebony End Pin with MOP Dot
- Bone Nut and Saddle
- Wood Body Bindings
- Tortoise Shell Pickguard
- Back Center Wood Mosaic Inlay
- Case: Includes Deluxe Hardshell Case
- Strings: Replace with Guild L350 Phosphor Bronze,
- p/n 3500350000, Gauges .012, .016, .025, .032, .042, .053
Reviewed by 22 customers
Displaying reviews 1-10
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- Tone machine
- none
Best Uses
I had a 70's Gibson j-50 that I kept in my office to have near me, but it started to get weird on the top and would not stay in tune. It was nice but frustrating. One day I sold it on ebay in about a 15 minutes. I turned around and bought a new one of these GAD 30R Nat. It needed a new nut as the one it came with was mis sawn. After the pro set-up I must say this is an awesome guitar. I have an Gibson J-45, that I use when I need to but I prefer this one. It rings, and is sooo beautiful. I've had it a couple years 5-6 and I have no regrets. Mine was less expensive than they are today, but I still think these are a real bargin.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
I've had my GAD 30R for several years now, and wanted to share my long-term experience. It is a truly outstanding value at this price point. Make no mistake, this guitar is not in the same class as higher-end Martin and Taylor OMs or Grand Concerts, and posts to the contrary are very misleading. However, you will not find a guitar in its price range in anywhere near this class, and I've played for 20 years and have owned many and played them all. This blows away the Epiphone and other competitors, trust me. I can afford a high end guitar, but as I play mostly classical, I just can't justify the extra couple grand to upgrade, and I really enjoy playing this one. Compared to the Martins and Taylors, the Guild has thinner lower bass and more brittle treble notes. The upper bass and mids are very sweet and rewarding, though, and the guitar plays amazingly smoothly. The guitar sounds a little thin when strummed (get a dread or higher end OM/GC for that) , but it is rich and very resonant when played fingerstle. This is an absolutely beautiful guitar, with the figured maple binding, pretty rosewood, and aging toner on the top. All in all, a great guitar. I'll eventually buy a high-end steel string, but will keep this as an awesome first real guitar for my son.
I have had my GAD-30R for about 6 months now, and I cannot say enough about it. First off, as good as it looks in the pictures, wait until you see it in person. Beautiful workmanship and the quality just shines through it. I took off the crappy strings it comes with and replaced them with some Ernie Ball Earthwoods, and my God. The sounds that comes out of this guitar is heavenly, beautiful tone, deep resonant lows and sweet crystalline highs. All of my buddies dropped their martins and taylors and wanted to play my guitar every chance they got. And of course with the hardwoods used, the tone will only improve with age. The case is very sturdy and high quality, with a retro tweed outside, and nicely plush interior. I cannot emphasize enough what a steal this is; buy it, you will not regret your purchase.
Got the Antique Burst model from MF (btw MF incorrectly shows an Iced Tea model instead). Owning US-made Martins and custom-made parlors, I was wary of Chinese manufacturing but took a chance based on reviews here and Harmony-Central, as well as satisfaction with a recent MF purchase of the GAD-G212E (which I will review later on). The only flaws I see are some excess brace glue on the inside near the soundhole, and a less than optimal fit (loose) inside the OHSC. There was also some excess treatment on the ebony fretboard (noted in other reviews), easily buffed off with a polishing cloth. And as noted by others, it took about 48 hours to acclimate to my temperature/humidity-controlled studio to settle-in. After a week, I?m pleased with the feel and sounds obtained from fingerstyle, flat-picking and moderate strumming, even with the stock strings and setup. I prefer this 30R?s neck over the modified V on my Martin 00-18V (both are 1-3/4? wide at nut). Hope it holds up over the years.
As noted by several reviews here, this is a great acoustic guitar for the price. The materials are very nice, producing a good tone and feel, not to mention it's very pleasing to the eye. I bought the natural wood grain, and I couldn't be more pleased as it looks much better in person than in the photos here. The workmanship is that of a guitar easily twice its price, and it plays just as good as many acoustics I've played in the $1200-1800 range. That said, if you've ever played a top-end Martin or something in that range, this Guild is not that... but you wouldn't expect it to be! It's lightweight and a good size, not producing a booming resonance but a warm, rich sound. As also noted, the case is a vintage looking tweed that was much better than I expected to come with the guitar. Overall, this is a 4.5* instrument when you factor everything in... there are better acoustics out there, but none that even get close to sniffing the price of this little gem.
I just bought mine very slightly used. I already own a Martin D-16, Gibson J-200, and Guild CO-2. I wanted something like the Guild, but less pricey, that I would feel more comfortable traveling with. I thought this might be very much like it, and I was right. Everything about it made me feel at home immediately. I did change the strings and bridge pins. It came with Extra Light strings, and I put on light Martin "Eric Claptons". The ebony bridge pins were not in good shape, one was split and a couple more were ragged. I put in Tusq. Other than that, this thing is beautifully made, no excess glue inside, I love the ebony fingerboard like my CO-2. I have not done a side-by-side tone comparison, no need. This GAD-30R is an amazing value, plays like guitars costing many times more. I will be happy with this for a long time, and no longer fear the airlines. At least not quite so much.
I've owned this guitar for about 8 months now. I'm a beginner, but have made great progress with this baby. Even when I mess up, this guitar sounds great. After trying some different string set-ups, I went back to the original strings she came with - GUILD phosphor bronze lights. I am an average sized woman and this guitar is just so comfortable in my arms.
I have owned my Guild GAD 30 for some time now, probably about six months. I have played it for family and friends and around the house. I would say it is a great guitar for the money. The wood is beautiful, the tone is superb for its size and the case is cool too. The only thing I would not do with it is play it at a large venue gig. It just doesn't project well enough for that kind of gig.
So yes, all 5 across the board may be quite a bit biased, but this guitar deserves it. For the price, you really can't do much better, considering what all you get from this guitar. You get ALL solid woods, Grover Sta-Tites, real wood binding, a cool Tweed case, and my dealer threw in a whole bunch of stuff free of charge. It is light, but a durable guitar to say the least. I would love to see Guild put Nitro finishes on these guitars and wonder what kind of tone I'd get if I did. Now however, it's an intimate tone, perfect to accompany singing. It doesn't have the boom of my low end Martin, and that makes me happy actually. This guitar is more even toned to me, and I like the quieter voice. Overall, a VERY nice guitar that would still be a steal at it's retail price. My lust for higher end Taylors, Gibsons and Martins has ended and this probably will be the last acoustic I own.
I've owned one of these guitars now for a few months. When I bought this guitar I was actually looking for a dreadnaught body style with a super bright sound. This guitar is the exact opposite, but I was struck by its sound, feel, and excellent price, so strongly that I had to have it. This guitar wants to be loved in a tender way. Playing hard on this instrument would be like beating a kitten. Treat it gently and it will purr oh so sweetly; lay into it, and the results will not be pleasant at all. Picking on this instrument sounds great, and finger picking is just heavenly. Looks and construction are great. For the price, you can't go wrong.
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Anything worthwhile in life needs regular, positive attention. Including relationships.
If you want your most important relationships to grow and thrive, you need to care for them.
At this time of year, when the weather is warming up and we're living in an energy of newness, try a little "spring cleaning" with these 4 easy tips that will bring fresh energy into any relationship:
1. Create new energy with a new script.
Choose a relationship that's feeling a little blah. Create a new script by writing in detail what you believe your ideal friend (or spouse, or parent, or child) would be like. Now live by that script yourself.
2. Talk about what you want.
If you spend all your time talking about the parts of relationships that bother or drain you, you will only create more of what you don't want. Start talking about what's working and what you want more of. Watch it show up in the relationships you value most.
3. Stop expecting. Start allowing.
Let go of the worry that people in your life have to be a certain way. Say out loud, "I am grateful that I bring out the best in others without even trying." And check back on the blog next week for some in-depth pointers on the art of allowing.
4. Say only positive things about other people.
Try it. For one whole day. Whenever you talk about someone else, only say good things about them. That goes for your spouse, your children, your friends, your in-laws, your co-workers… even the people driving around you on the road. Your relationships will shift in a really positive way.
I desire all the best for you as you spruce up your relationships and enter this spring in joy and delight!
God Bless You,
Carol Tuttle
PS – Believe me, I have spent a lot of time and focus on creating strong and mutually supportive relationships. I know that it's worth it. Let me help you strengthen and save your relationships.
Get a copy of my CD course, Healing Your Relationships Issues. I know it will help you.
It covers the relationship issues that adults face and shows you clearing methods to shift to a fresh new perspective in any relationship in your life, new or old.


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Skydiving.com now has a network skydiving location serving Saint Stephens and Washington County in Alabama. Call Skydiving.com at 1-800-617-7948 for details, free information and specials on skydiving in Saint Stephens, AL today!
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Welcome to U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service's Global Energy industry webpage. It provides the most recent market research, trade leads and event information in the Oil & Gas, Coal, Electricity Infrastructure and Smart Grid, and Renewable Energy industries.
Energy is the vital force powering our U.S. business including manufacturing, the transportation of goods and U.S. service offerings through the transferring of our technical expertise both in America and to economies worldwide. With an estimated $500 billion dollars spent on energy annually in the U.S., energy supply and demand continue to play a pivotal role in our national security and the economic output of our nation. To maintain this important sector of the U.S. economy, the U.S. Commercial Service strives to provide assistance that's aimed at increasing the industry's global competitiveness.
Our worldwide team of Global Energy Specialists is prepared to assist in increasing your export sales.
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HANNOVER MESSE 2016, Partner Country USA
An Opportunity for Global Connectivity, More Details…
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The Latest Developments in the European Energy Market:
|Offshore Northern Seas 2014 Catalog Show -- Architectural/Constr./Engineering SVC, Environmental Technologies, Oil/Gas Field Machinery, Oil/Gas/Mineral Prod/Explor Serv., Pollution Control Eq., Pumps/Valves/Compressors
|Pre-Register for this event
|Event Summary:
The US Commercial Service Energy Team is organizing a Catalog Exhibition at Offshore Northern Seas 2014, held in Stavanger, Norway, August 25-28, 2014. US companies are invited to exhibit their catalogs, brochures,CD's or company literature in the US Commercial Service booth at the show but space is limited.
Companies seeking to increase their exposure in the Norwegian marketplace and/or in other locations in Europe are encouraged to participate. All of the main global players are represented at this biennial conference which alternates with Offshore Europe held in Aberdeen, Scotland. With over 1250 exhibiting companies and 60,000 visitors from 109 nations, ONS has established itself over the past 40 years as one of the world's major meeting places for companies working in the oil and energy industry. Participation in ONS provides a wealth of opportunities to do business, build networks and lay the groundwork for future agreements and contracts.
A Catalog Show is an extremely low-cost, yet effective way to evaluate interest in your products or services. For a registration fee of only $300, we will display your literature and represent your product at the U.S. Commercial Service booth at the trade show. Upon completion of the event, we will send you a results report of all the companies that expressed interest in your product, and all the trade leads we collected from end-users that visited our booth.
|Vidar Keyn, Oslo
Head of Section
Phone: +47 21 30 88 34
|Delilah DeSouza, New Orleans
International Trade Specialist
Phone: Direct 504-915-3301 Main #504-589-6546


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Kaylie Stone, 13-year-old daughter of Stacey and Tracy Stone of Gurdon, showed the Reserve Grand Champion Single Fryer Rabbit Saturday during the Junior Rabbit Show at the Arkansas State Fair. She also showed the Grand Champion Meat Pen Rabbit. She is a member of FFA and Clark County 4-H.
Location, ST | website.com


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Cedar Creek 34RLSA fifth wheel abounds in exclusive innovation and luxury living bringing you a truly exceptional travel experience. The back half features dual armchairs with an end table in between against the back wall, closet, plenty of counter space, an island countertop with dual sinks, and two slide outs – one housing a sofa and free standing table with chairs, the other, an TV/fireplace entertainment center, and the appliances for the space-efficient residential style kitchen. Up front you will find a vanity with overhead TV and cabinets, a roomy side aisle bathroom, wardrobe with shelving and drawers, washer/dryer, and a slide out for the queen-sized bed with shelving on each side.
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The AM Roundup: Microsoft's Victory, 'Reading Law,' More
Smartphone wars: The technology industry is buzzing that Microsoft could emerge a winner after Apple Inc.'s big patent suit victory. But there's a catch: Consumers must be convinced they want what Microsoft is selling. WSJ
Silenced: A Russian court sentenced opposition activist Lena Osipova to eight years in prison on drug charges on Tuesday, the Kremlin's latest shrug at international criticism of its crackdown on political dissent. WSJ
Bookshelf: David B. Rivkin Jr. reviews "Reading Law" by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and legal writer Bryan A. Garner. "Justice Scalia and Mr. Garner have written a remarkable book that reshapes the long-running debate about what it means to be a judge and the very role of the law in our polity," Mr. Rivkin writes. WSJ
No fault: An Israeli judge ruled on Tuesday that the state wasn't responsible for the death of Rachel Corrie, the young American woman who was run over by a military bulldozer in 2003 as she protested the demolition of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. NYT
Paying the bills: A New Zealand court on Wednesday granted Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom access to an additional $4.84 million to pay legal fees and living costs, loosening restrictions placed on the Internet tycoon under investigation by U.S. authorities for online piracy and fraud. Reuters


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Police say thieves are juvenile girls
Went to the house of the thieves
Two puppies - a shih tzu mix and a Chihuahua mix are back where there they belong, safe and sound, after being snatched by young thieves Sunday afternoon.
There's more to the story when you become an Insider. WCPO Insider's membership is an additional benefit on top of everything you can get for free on WCPO.com. We created an entire digital organization dedicated to bringing you exclusive access to in-depth stories that you can't get anywhere else, handpicked events, and incredible savings on things you love to do. To find out more click here.
CINCINNATI -- Two puppies - a shih tzu mix and a Chihuahua mix are back where there they belong, safe and sound, after being snatched by young thieves Sunday afternoon.
Mike Raleigh owns Animal House Pet Store in Mount Healthy. He said two girls carried large handbags into his store at about 4:15 p.m., put one puppy in each bag and walked out. His shop's surveillance camera caught the entire robbery.
The shoplifting happened while two men distracted Raleigh and another employee, making it easy for two girls to get away with the pups.
A Forest Park woman heard about the puppy theft, knew where the puppies were taken and called Raleigh with the helpful tip Monday morning - the tip that saved the day.
"(The woman) Gave me the address," Raleigh said. "I went to the location, the residence, and at that point I was able to identify this puppy in particular that was there. We were notified the other puppy was at a residence about five houses down."
When Raleigh showed up at the first house, he said the family had no idea the shih tzu mix was stolen.
"She happened to be babysitting a little girl, which happened to be the daughter of the people that stole the puppy," Raleigh said. "The little girl was able to tell us where she lives and where the other puppy was."
It wasn't the theft that worried Raleigh, but rather, the safety of the animals.
"We look forward to finding each one of these guys a great home and not knowing what happened, where they're at, how they're being cared for is really scary," he said.
The two girls have warrants out for their arrest and are charged with misdemeanor theft.
Now that the puppies are back at Animal House, both need loving, forever homes.
Interested? Visit Animal House online, or call (513) 931-6139.


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why am i told i had a misscariage
i have had 4 emergancy scans over the last month im ment to be 9 weeks and at every scan they couldnt see baby or heart beat the pregnancy is developing well yolk sac. fetal cord and fetal sac all going well but no baby or heartbeat can be seen. they want to terminate it am i wrong in refusing it? because im concerned that there is a baby there just they cant see it. is it true that a baby still cant be seen at 9 weeks. please can someone give me answers im going insane with all this stress and i dont want to terminate something that could well be a life. please email me answers at firstname.lastname@example.com
Posted: 03/19/2013 by akirag2010
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thankyou for replying to my question i tried the site you posted and posted my question on there but seems no one has answered. i need to know whether others have gone through what i am going through right now and tell me what i can do. i dont want to have the termination if there is a possibilty that a baby is there but is hidden or cant be seen. i read online that some woman have gone through this and they have had healthy babys. its stressing me out and i need to know how i can go about this in the right way.posted 03/20/2013 by akirag2010
Answer this question


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MyCole Pruitt caught eight passes for 98 yards and became SIU's all-time leading receiving tight end with 105 career receptions.
Sep 7, 2013
CARBONDALE, Ill. – In a game in which the two teams combined to miss five field goals, No. 14/16 Eastern Illinois edged Southern Illinois with a game-ending field goal in double-overtime to hand the Salukis a 40-37 loss Saturday night at Saluki Stadium. That ended SIU's streak of 11-consecutive wins in home openers.
EIU's Cameron Berra kicked the game-winner from 36 yards. It came after Southern was held scoreless in its second overtime possession when Thomas Kinney missed a 37-yard field goal attempt from nearly the same spot on the field.
"It's heartbreaking," SIU linebacker Bryan Presume said. "All of the guys put their hearts into the game, and we just fought to the end, but we couldn't get it done."
Both teams scored from two yards out on their first overtime possession. Eastern's Taylor Duncan punched the ball into the end zone on the first overtime drive to give the Panthers a 37-30 lead. Kory Faulkner and the Salukis answered with a two-yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt to knot the game at 37-37. It was Faulkner's fourth touchdown of the game and Pruitt's second.
SIU Coach Dale Lennon said he considered going for the two-point conversion with a trick play after Pruitt's touchdown but reconsidered.
"I had a call, and then I called a timeout," Lennon said. "I thought too much about it. Maybe I should have went with my gut instinct, but that's hindsight. I wanted to give our team a chance. That was the thing I was trying to figure more than anything."
Southern survived a potential game-winning field goal in regulation when Tyler Williamson blocked Berra's 20-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
"(The blocked field goal) allowed us to stay alive," Lennon said. "We talked defensively about fight, bite, scratch, claw or do whatever you have to do to make a play. You can't fault the effort."
SIU had overcome a 30-23 deficit to tie the game at 30-30 with 2:19 left in regulation. The Salukis tied the game when Faulkner found John Lantz for a 17-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-10 from the EIU 17-yard line.
Faulkner threw for 294 yards without any interceptions, and was one of three Salukis to run for over 50 yards in the game. Malcolm Agnew and Tay Willis ran for 57 and 51 yards, respectively, helping SIU to keep pace with Eastern's high-powered, no-huddle offense.
EIU's Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 440 yards and four touchdowns. Three of his touchdowns came in the first half as Eastern built a 21-10 lead.
"It's a struggle keeping up with their offense," Presume said. "They are so up-tempo, the chains weren't even set sometime when they were running the next play. We did better than most teams usually do against them. We just didn't do enough to get the W."
Although it was a game dominated by big offensive numbers, EIU Coach Dino Babers praised the Saluki defense.
"They are very, very good in the defensive line," Babers said. "It's a physical team. It was a physical game. This is a good football team. We'll probably see them in the playoffs."


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Wounded, ill and injured Marines and service members from eight countries took part Wednesday in the third annual Marine Corps Trials at Camp Pendleton.
The trials organized by the Wounded Warrior Regiment promote skills to be successful not only at the trials but in life. The regiment has been helping Marines and sailors serving in support of Marine units since 2007.
Athletes competed in archery, shooting, wheelchair basketball, floor volleyball, swimming, cycling and track and field. Each athlete competed in several events.
Many athletes won multiple medals. Fifty Marines from the trials will represent the Corps at the 2013 Warrior Games at the Olympic Training Center and Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., in May.


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JAMS International Arbitration Rules
Effective August 1, 2011
Download JAMS International Arbitration Rules in PDF format
JAMS International and JAMS provide arbitration and mediation services from Resolution Centers located throughout Europe and the United States. Our arbitrators and mediators hear and resolve some of the most complex and contentious disputes. Our arbitrators and mediators come from the highest ranks of the legal profession. These highly trained and experienced ADR professionals are dedicated to the highest ethical standards of conduct. Parties wishing to write a pre-dispute JAMS International arbitration clause into their agreement should review the sample arbitration clauses. These clauses may be modified to tailor the arbitration process to meet the parties' individual needs.
NOTICE: These Rules are the copyrighted property of JAMS International. They cannot be copied, reprinted or used in any way without permission of JAMS International, unless they are being used by the parties to an arbitration as the rules for that arbitration. If they are being used as the rules for an arbitration, proper attribution must be given to JAMS International. If you wish to obtain permission to use our copyrighted materials, please contact JAMS International at +44 207 583 9808.


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- Filed Under
PRESS RELEASE: Direct from Greer State Bank
Greer, SC – - January 21, 2014 – - Greer State Bank recently launched their mobile banking app designed to provide customers with on-the-go banking.
The mobile app enables customers to access their bank, bill pay and credit card accounts anytime, anywhere. Bill payments can be made anywhere and the app allows the customer to view upcoming bills, get notifications about payments, and real time confirmations that payments have been scheduled.
Cash flow and account balances can be checked in real time. The banking app provides a comprehensive view of account transactions including merchant details, available cash, available credit and more through the app dashboard. All activity is fully secure which allows customers to transfer funds and move money where they need it, when they need it.
"People are constantly on the go, but not always able to visit one of our branch locations," says Vic Grout, Chief Banking Officer and Executive Vice President, Greer State Bank. "The convenience of mobile banking lets a customer easily manage their finances whenever they choose to best fit their schedule. This new mobile app is just another one of the tools we provide to enhance the banking experience for our customers."
The Greer State Bank mobile banking app is currently available at the Apple App Store and Google Play for online banking customers. The download is free.
About Greer State Bank
Now in its twenty-sixth year of operations, Greer State Bank serves the greater Greer community with three branch offices and a fourth branch office in the Taylors community. Greer Bancshares Incorporated trades in the over the counter market and is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol GRBS. More information on Greer State Bank can be found on the company website at http://www.GreerStateBank.com.


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Bellator MMA CEO Bjorn Rebney spoke with MMASucka.com on a variety of topics, including some of the crossover fighters that will be competing in TNA Wrestling.
- In it, Rebney said King Mo and Rampage Jackson "really do hate each other." He said they've hated each other for 2 years but he asked them to squash it, at least publicly, as a favor to TNA and Dixie Carter.
- Rebney said he talks to Dixie regularly and now that Rampage's fight is over and he didn't get injured, they're going to "really rev up the wrestling training." They have wrestling coaches in Southern California to help him get through to process of "becoming a well-rounded professional wrestler."
- Asked if Rebney was worried about Mo or Rampage getting injured in a TNA ring, he explained they are world class athletes and it's a risk they are willing to assume.
Click here to read the interview in its entirety.


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I'm enrolled in these Craftsy classes:
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Machine-Finished Hand Appliqué
Start Foundation Paper Piecing
Embroidering Texture & Dimension by Hand
Start Free-Motion Quilting
Garden of Quilted Possibilities
Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine
Strip Your Stash
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Quilting Quickly II
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Designing Modern Quilts
Color Play for Quilters
Improvisational Piecing, Modern Design
The Art of Cloth Dyeing
A New Look at Longarm Quilting
Pre-Cut Piecing Made Simple
Creative Quilting with Your Walking Foot
Bag-Making Basics: Drawstring Bag & Bucket Bag
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|Home > RNJ > 2010 > November/December > Opportunities for People with Disabilities in the Virtual World of Second Life
Opportunities for People with Disabilities in the Virtual World of Second Life
The virtual world of Second Life® (SL) offers people with disabilities a chance to explore new worlds without being limited by their disabilities. Many people with disabilities use SL for information, support, and entertainment. SL is a computer-based simulated environment in which participants are represented by a human-like avatar. The avatar can move through the environment, manipulate objects, and participate in day-to-day activities that most people take for granted, such as walking, dancing, and communicating. In this article, the authors focus on the benefits that information, socialization, and community membership can offer people with disabilities and some of the resources that are available for them in SL. SL communities, groups, and activities also help increase self-worth and empower people with disabilities. Participating in a virtual world enriches the overall quality of life of people with disabilities and may enhance their physical, emotional, and social adjustment.
In the digital world of Second Life® (SL), people with disabilities have a chance to experience life beyond the limitations of their disabilities. In virtual worlds, computer-simulated environments host avatars, which are digital representations of a specific person. The avatar can manipulate objects and participate in day-to-day activities that most people take for granted, such as walking, dancing, and communicating. SL provides benefits to people with disabilities such as information, socialization, and community membership. SL communities, groups, and activities help increase feelings of self-worth and empowerment. Nurses caring for patients in a rehabilitation setting can use SL as an enrichment tool to help disabled, chronically ill, and convalescing patients improve their overall quality of life and enhance their physical, emotional, and social adjustment.
What Is Second Life?
Virtual worlds like SL have 3-dimensional (3-D) layouts in which multiple users can interact and communicate with one another. SL is a free online, computer-simulated environment where millions of real people are represented by avatars. A person is free to create an avatar that is similar in appearance and personality to himself or herself or one that is entirely different. People with disabilities can choose whether to have their avatars exhibit their disabilities. The individual user chooses a unique name for his or her avatar and can individualize hair color and length, eye color, body shape, height, and clothing. Personalization can be accomplished by using free features or Linden dollars (SL official unit of trade) to purchase more realistic skin and hair or designer clothing and furniture from virtual shops.
Avatars can walk, fly, or teleport (instantly appear in another location on command) to thousands of exciting locations and communicate with other real people from around the world through instant messaging or voice conversations. According to the SL website (www.secondlife.com), this 3-D virtual world is imagined, created, and owned by its residents.
Linden Lab, the privately owned company founded in 1999 that created SL, has established a code of conduct, but residents are responsible for maintaining their own safety by using intuition and discretion to determine the extent or accuracy of their communication and level of interactions with others. If an avatar is accosted or injured by another, an abuse report may be filed and Linden Lab will investigate and resolve the situation.
SL's popularity has grown dramatically, with millions of users from all over the globe occupying a virtual land area of more than four times the size of New York City. SL is a tool for innovation, attracting artists and musicians, nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurs, universities and scholars, large commercial brands, and government agencies seeing the potential for collaboration, education, communication, business, and organizational development. For example, the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh College of Nursing used SL to enhance its second-degree, accelerated online Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. This nursing school purchased land in SL and developed a virtual campus where faculty have established office hours in tree-house offices and conduct real-time class discussions with students who live all over the country. Faculty members and students have customized avatars and stay connected using built-in voice conferencing, text chat, and group messaging systems. Students learn by watching demonstrations and attending virtual meetings. Faculty members have created avatars with specific illnesses and scripted responses so students can participate in safe simulations by interacting and caring for these patients, practicing skills, and role playing. In addition to the campus, this nursing college built a virtual public health office so students could gain experience in public safety and other aspects of public health. A disaster scenario at an industrial plant allows students to practice disaster preparedness, triage, and protocols.
Benefits of SL for People with Disabilities
Although many find it difficult to think of SL as more than an online gaming experience, SL is something very different for people with disabilities. In SL, people with disabilities are not limited by their disabilities. They can seek and build relationships and attend group therapy and rehabilitation services. Many people with disabilities feel as though they have escaped the confines of their disabilities in SL.
One of the coauthors (Figure 1), Timothy Carey (Tim), has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which is caused by a genetic mutation resulting in the absence of dystrophin, a protein critical for the maintenance of muscle cells. DMD primarily affects young men and has progressive symptoms, such as muscles forming scar tissue and turning into fat. Loss of muscle mass results in muscle weakness of the legs and pelvis, which can spread to the arms, neck, and other areas. Reduced endurance, enlarged calf muscles, and difficulty standing may be early symptoms. As the condition progresses, muscle tissue wastes and leads to paralysis with increased sensitivity to touch. The heart and muscles of the lungs also become weaker, and eventually the affected individual will require a ventilator and possibly heart medication.
Tim was diagnosed with DMD at the age of 3 after his mother noticed he had trouble getting up from the floor toward the end of the day. He was aware that he was challenged because he could not run like the other children. Many children did not understand why he had trouble standing up or running. Until he needed a wheelchair at age 8, he avoided calling attention to his disability. As he got older, he grew fond of fast-flying airplanes and wanted to be a pilot. As the disease progressed and his physical ability declined, his future ambitions changed from pilot to air traffic controller, to architect, to landscaper, to solid-state electronics, and finally to computer programmer. He eventually earned a 2-year degree in computer programming from a local technical college and a 4-year degree in mathematics and computer science from a local university. In 1999 he started a website development business based out of his home.
Even though there are recreational activities available in SL, he does not consider SL a game. His avatar (Figure 2), Timm Short, is a pilot, builder and architect, inventor and innovator, programmer, and a man of charity who attends church. As a pilot, he provides free tours of SL in his airplane or helicopter (Figure 3). As an SL builder and architect, he designed his dream home and airport in the sky. Others were so impressed with his work that they enlisted him to help build their dreams as well. He uses his programming skills to help people with disabilities participate more easily in SL. For example, he is creating an SL object that allows an avatar to assist another avatar. This invention will allow a friend or a healthcare provider to help a person with a disability when he or she becomes fatigued and unable to use a mouse. Another SL device Tim is developing will help people who are hearing impaired communicate by enabling an avatar to use sign language.
At 36 years old, Tim's disease has progressed to the point where he can only slightly move his fingers. He rarely leaves his home to socialize unless he is going to a doctor's appointment or meeting with his parents or a healthcare provider. When he first logged on to SL, he had two thoughts: as a professional computer programmer and Web developer, he thought SL was the future of the Internet, and as a person with a disability, he was amazed at how liberating it felt to have his avatar walk, fly, and socialize.
For many people with disabilities, SL is an extension of their lives. Because people with disabilities have similar access to everything in SL that people without disabilities have, their disabilities are not readily apparent unless they choose to make them obvious. When a user discloses that he or she has a disability, others do not seem to react as they would in the real world because the disability does not exist in SL. SL provides opportunities for Tim to socialize, including taking field trips with friends, dancing, horseback riding, and windsurfing at the beach, and other activities (Figures 4–6). Tim is in charge of the dance and party committee for the Hope Village, which will soon be the nonprofit oganization Bright Hope Community. He also participates in educational activities in SL that include furthering his knowledge of SL programming, transcribing books to be read in SL, and learning more about landscaping and cooking. Tim participates in these activities in SL for the same reasons others do in the real world; they enrich and add meaning to his life and give him the opportunity to meet people.
In 2008 Tim received a grant to create a website advocating for people with disabilities called DisabilityVoice (www.DisabilityVoice.us). The website helps inform people with disabilities about SL and the advantages of joining that community. The site offers original articles about people with disabilities and offers free advocacy pages to people who help people with disabilities socially, politically, or for public change.
Research Support for the Potential Benefits of SL
Research suggests that SL is beneficial for people with disabilities because it improves their quality of life and sense of self-importance. Just as Tim experienced, Kizelshteyn (2008) found that SL made it possible for people with disabilities to participate in day-to-day activities most people take for granted. They are able to walk, dance, and communicate with others in cafés, nightclubs, and other gathering places. Kizelshteyn's ethnographic qualitative study involved 15 formal interviews and 50 informal conversations with SL residents about the socialization and support they received in the virtual world. Kizelshteyn concluded that the multitude of social and recreational activities available in the virtual world improved the quality of life for disabled, convalescent, and chronically ill people.
Antle (2004) identified social support from friends to be a significant factor associated with self-worth in 85 people with spinal cord injuries ages 8–23 years. The study also identified friendships as contributing to self-worth. In addition, Wilson, Washington, Engel, Ciol, and Jensen (2006) found that emotional support provided to youths with disabilities had a positive impact on their level of functioning. Wilson and colleagues examined the relationship between perceived social support, psychological adjustment, and functional ability in youths with physical disabilities. To obtain demographic and disability-related information, 37 youths with neuromuscular diseases and 33 with spina bifida completed a Child Health Questionnaire, Functional Disability Inventory, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. In the study, social support appeared to play an important role in the psychological adjustment and functional ability of this population. The relationship between social support, function, and adjustment may be moderated, to some extent, by age and gross motor functioning. SL offers people with disabilities countless opportunities to socialize, obtain support, and develop friendships that help improve their emotional well-being and functional ability.
Communities in SL
There is a large community for people with disabilities in SL. Virtual communities provide a sense of connectedness (Antle, 2004) and empower people with disabilities (Mactavish & Iwasaki, 2005). A community was created in SL for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Elfline (2008) quotes the group's cofounder, Kat Klata: "Here, I've developed close friendships, and I feel connected to the world... If I didn't have SL, I would be staring at the wall or the TV" (p. 51). Elfline notes that people can explore personal identities in SL. For example, a person can be a different race, gender, or another slight variation of him or herself through the creation of an avatar. This concept is especially attractive to people with mobility issues because anyone can walk, fly, or teleport in SL. Another member of Klata's support group, Maladrera Reymour, stated, "I couldn't even walk to the end of my street, but SL brought the world to my door" (Elfine, p. 51).
One acquaintance of Tim's, Huntress Catteneo (avatar name), shares how she feels about community life for people with disabilities in SL:
In real life we struggle to meet people, never mind actually make friends. We can't walk, see, hear, or speak without swearing or stuttering, and few people can understand our dark moods, odd behaviors, or phobias. We are all around, yet often go unnoticed, ignored, or shunned… It is hard to reach out to the 'normals' around us; we see their looks, hear the comments whispered as we pass, and we feel isolated and alone.
But it is different now; we have found something interesting that gives us a new lease on life, a better life, a 'second life.' I can fly here, high into the clouds, even up into space, and, even though I fear heights, I can handle it here. Flying here has even lessened my anxiety when riding those horrible glass elevators in the real world.
I have found groups of real people with problems just like mine who[m] I can talk to openly and honestly, and through our experiences we can help each other. We have a voice here even if we have none outside of this place. The small communities here join with all the wonderful individuals and become one very big community that spans our little blue planet.
It is easy to make friends here. People see me now. Even though my form changes, they no longer see my illness, my scars, my deformity, my disability—they just see me. I have a sense of humor, an eye for beauty, a caring heart, and a brightly burning intelligence that just loves to be tested. There is so much I can do here that others appreciate and encourage. I can give back to the community that has inspired me and in return I grow, emerge, bit by bit, from my shell and realize I never need to be alone again.
I am real here in this unreal world, and I notice that, after talking to many others here, the community we have lost in our 'normal' lives is starting to return. I am not quite so invisible now. I am not the feared leper you think will infect you. I am your neighbor, your work colleague, and the person who travels on the same bus as you every day. I am no longer hidden. I am part of a community, and I love it.
Virtual Ability Community
Virtual Ability is one community in SL that helps people with disabilities move beyond the barriers that separate them from being a part of society (http://virtualability.org/default.aspx). Virtual Ability is an orientation site that integrates people with a wide range of disabilities into SL society and offers a place for support and mentorship. Members learn how to walk, shop, play, and have fun. Residents are offered information, encouragement, training, companionship, referrals to SL resources and groups, and ways to contribute to the community. In some circumstances, the group helps newcomers by referring them to sources for assistive hardware and software or offering individualized attention with training and orientation.
In February 2009, Virtual Ability had more than 200 members and a reputation for being the leader in helping people with disabilities in SL. People with disabilities learn about the benefits of virtual world communities through the Virtual Ability group's Virtual Ability Island (VAI; Figure 7). Avatars can stay at Cape Able and find entertainment at the VAI Sanctuary. Virtual Ability, with the help of the SecondAbility Mentors group, is completing outreach work to inform people with disabilities, their doctors, and their caregivers of the benefits of virtual worlds. Virtual Ability maintains ties with a group called the VirtualGuidedog project (http://world.secondlife.com/group/b2debe82-5156-9dd2-2d27-5b9600b4e9a6), founded by Charles Mountain. He is working to perfect a guide-dog script that can help the blind, print-impaired, or those who are unable to use the standard interface in SL by telling them who or what is around them.
Gimpgirl Community
Jennifer Cole (SL username JennyLin Arashi) and other women with disabilities who felt the need for a community that understood women and their needs started another supportive community, Gimpgirl, in 1998. The Gimpgirl Community is a safe place where people with disabilities can express who they are and discuss important topics such as abuse, violence, sexuality, parenting, intolerance, health, and politics in a healthy and pressure-free environment. Women of all ages and sexual orientations with disabilities can find support at Gimpgirl, which welcomes partners of women with disabilities, researchers with written permission, and anyone who supports women with disabilities academically, personally, or politically. The community has weekly support group meetings for participants comfortable with discussing their issues from a personal perspective. The Gimpgirl Community also lists resources on their website, www.gimpgirl.com. The Gimpgirl Community hosts mailing lists, sponsors, and polls, and is active on Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Eventful Calendars, Twitter, Livejournal, and LinkedIn.
A variety of activities (Figure 8) are available in the Gimpgirl community, including a skybox where weekly support meetings are held, a first-floor lounge, and a roof for dancing and hanging out by the pool. There is also a 60-avatar auditorium for large events, a main house with an art gallery, and an Affiliates Pavilion where other communities for people with disabilities can have a presence.
Dreams Community
SL also offers sites to promote health for people with disabilities. One of the goals of these health-promotion programs is to provide an opportunity for leisure and enjoyment and enhance the overall quality of life by reducing barriers to good health. Dreams (Figure 9), an interactive health-related community, has an area for teaching and holding discussions and events. Dreams supports two main groups, ShockProof and Brigadoon Explorers. ShockProof offers support to stroke survivors and their loved ones and those afflicted with transient ischemic attacks. Members learn from each other and are educated about the warning signs of a stroke, vascular disease, and the recovery process. Brigadoon Explorers was started in July 2004 by John Lester (SL username Pathfinder Linden) and is a place for individuals with Asperger syndrome and autism (to congregate as a supportive community and for parents, teachers, and others to learn).
The Path of Support is located on VAI and has various billboards displaying words such as fibromyalgia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, dementia, cancer, and Alzheimer's. The Path of Support was created by Drangea Lyndhurst (avatar name), a Virtual Ability member, as a place for people to find out about therapeutic peer support. Knoh Oh (avatar name), an informatics specialist, now manages the Path of Support, which would not exist without Virtual Ability support groups or SL communities like Gimpgirl Community and Dreams.
In addition to people with disabilities, nurses dealing with patients requiring physical, psychological, and cognitive rehabilitation or those who are chronically ill, convalescing, or homebound may find SL an inexpensive and useful therapeutic tool. SL accounts are free, and orientation to the virtual world takes approximately 2 hours. Those new to the virtual world immediately experience a sense of community. There are numerous mentors who help newcomers traverse the virtual world and introduce them to social and therapeutic opportunities.
SL could become part of a rehabilitation plan for people with disabilities, enabling patients to learn more about their own conditions, health and well-being, and resources available to enhance their quality of life. Participation in support groups and communities of people who understand what they are going through improves their sense of self-worth and augments their adjustment and functional ability by providing opportunities for socialization, encouragement, friendships, and fun. In addition, people with disbilities who are unable to work in the real world may be able to find work or volunteer in SL. SL offers people with disabilities a chance to explore new worlds without the limitations of their disabilities, offering them hope and promoting a higher level of emotional functioning. There are unlimited possibilities for how SL can be used in the rehabilitation of patients.
About the Authors
Stephanie Stewart, PhD RN, is a professor of nursing and director of nursing innovation at the College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, in Oshkosh, WI.
Timothy A. Carey, BA, is the owner of Golden Fire Computer Productions in Appleton, WI.
Terri S. Hansen, MSN RN, is an academic staff member at the College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, in Oshkosh, WI. Address correspondence to her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Antle, B. J. (2004) Factors associated with self-worth in young people with physical disabilities. Health and Social Work, 29(3), 167–175.
Elfine, J. (2008). Exploring a Second Life. Momentum, 1(4), 51.
Kizelshteyn, M. (2008). Therapy and the metaverse: Second Life and the changing conditions of therapy for convalescent and chronically ill users. Washington University Undergraduate Research Digest, 4(1), 17–26.
Mactavish, J. (2005). Exploring perspectives of individuals with disabilities on stress-coping. Journal of Rehabilitation, 71(1), 20–31.
Wilson, S., Washington, L. A., Engel, J. M, Ciol, M. A., & Jensen, M. P. (2006). Perceived social support, psychological adjustment, and functional ability in youths with physical disabilities. Rehabilitation Psychology, 51(4), 322–330.


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1/28, 6:00 pm
Puyallup City Hall
William Stoner Council Chambers
333 S. Meridian, 5th Floor
Puyallup, WA 98371
The Puyallup City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 commencing at 6:00 p.m. with a short executive session and then an open session.
The agenda item scheduled for the open session will be a discussion of, and possible final action on, a proposed moratorium for the Shaw Pioneer area, the purpose of which will be to allow the City to determine whether to extend a zoning overlay, known as the Shaw Pioneer Overlay zone to the area.
The special meeting shall take place in the William Stoner Council Chambers, located on the 5th Floor of Puyallup City Hall, at 333 South Meridian.


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College Hockey:Two-Fer: Gauthier Provides Offense, Pioneers Reach WCHA Title Game
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The first goal was nothing special, Gabe Gauthier said. The second goal?
"Very special," Gauthier said.
That seems fitting, considering Gauthier's second goal of a WCHA Final Five semifinal game Friday came in overtime. Gauthier scored 42 seconds into an extra session to send top-seeded Denver to Saturday's championship game with a 2-1 victory over North Dakota in front of an announced crowd of 13,132 at the Xcel Energy Center.
The winner was the junior center's 20th goal of the season, and it allowed the Pioneers to escape with a victory with what they considered a subpar effort.
"We didn't play our best game tonight," Gauthier said. "North Dakota came out ready to play; they tested us the whole night. To come out with the victory was a hard-fought effort by us."
The result gave Denver coach George Gwozdecky his 400th career victory a day after he was named the WCHA's Coach of the Year for a third time.
Gauthier and North Dakota defenseman Nick Fuher scored first-period power-play goals before the game got tight. Denver goaltender Glenn Fisher and UND's Philippe Lamoureux traded big saves before Fisher came out the winner after the first shot of overtime.
Gauthier swung around North Dakota's Rastislav Spirko to get to the center of the zone and fired a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net for his 10th career game-winning goal for the Pioneers (27-9-2).
North Dakota (21-14-5) missed an opportunity to become only the third team since the WCHA moved to the Final Five system in 1993 to advance to the championship game after winning the play-in game. Northern Michigan did it in 1993 and Michigan Tech matched that in 1996, but neither was able to win the title.
The fifth-seeded Sioux put forth an effort that belied the fact that they had won the play-in game just 16 1/2 hours before the start of Friday's game. They also didn't appear rattled by early second-period injuries that took forwards Brady Murray and Robbie Bina out for the rest of the game.
Murray appeared to injure a shoulder, while Bina was taken to a hospital after leaving the ice on a stretcher following a hit by Denver's Geoff Paukovich, who was suspended for Saturday's championship after the tape was reviewed by league officials following the game.
"I'd be lying to tell you there wasn't a lot of emotion there, but the key is to try to channel your emotion and control what you can," Sioux coach Dave Hakstol said. "Right at this point in the season, you need to win a hockey game. I think that's where we tried to focus."
Both teams had a tiebreaking goal waved off in regulation. Denver's Gauthier directed a puck into the net with a stick above the level of the crossbar in the first period and had the score negated on a video replay.
North Dakota's Travis Zajac thought he broke the 1-1 tie with 7:28 remaining in the third period on a quick turnaround shot after a deflection off a Denver player's skate. The goal judge and referee Don Adam both signaled a score, but video replay showed that an off-balance Fisher stopped the puck just before it crossed the goal line.
"I think the puck came up into my pants so it disappeared off the ice when I lifted up, and that's why he thought it went in," Fisher said. "I couldn't tell if it was [in] or not after the play happened."
The intensity picked up in the final minutes of the third period, with Lamoureux called on to make three big saves. He stopped a Luke Fulghum shot from the right side and a quick rebound from the top of the crease with just over five minutes remaining.
Three minutes later, he made a save on a Jon Foster attempt that left a great rebound opportunity for the Pioneers' Paul Stastny on the left side with Lamoureux down on the ice. But Stastny backed away in an attempt to find an angle to shoot, and his shot went wide right.
Add that to a stop on Denver's Jeff Drummond on a late-first-period breakaway, and you've got another solid outing by a North Dakota goaltender. Jordan Parise had started the last seven games — which coincided with the Sioux's seven-game unbeaten streak — but UND coach Dave Hakstol went with Lamoureux as part of a preplanned schedule, he said.
"I'm proud of Phil Lamoureux," Hakstol said. "He gave us a big performance tonight. He gave us the opportunity to win."
Denver had good reason to be proud of Fisher, who was 1-2 in his last three games before Saturday. He said it was his best effort of the season.
"To date, I think it was because of what was on the line," Fisher said. "I thought I did my job right tonight."
Each team scored on its first power-play chance of the game. Parked in front of the net, Gauthier put away a pass from Paul Stastny despite North Dakota defenseman Matt Jones getting a stick on Stastny's crossing attempt.
Fuher evened things for the Sioux just past the halfway point of the first period with a hard wrist shot from between the circles that eluded the block attempt of Denver's Adrian Veideman and found the top left corner of the net.
But Gauthier came through with the winner, giving the Pioneers a chance to win their second major championship of the season after claiming a share of the MacNaughton Cup.
"Gabe's one of these guys, over the course of his career, he's enjoyed this time of the year the best," Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky said. "He loves the playoffs. It's almost like he saves up a little bit extra for the playoff time of the year."
The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the "Flag" link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.
Please also keep "woofing," taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.


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Virgil Schmitt, Extension Field Agronomist
Fiscal Year Submitted:
POW Title and Number:
100 Corn and Soybean Production and Protection
Crop Advantage Series Improves Profits
Crop producers are living in an era of extremely high input prices with sagging value for their output. Producers also have an unprecedented number of options from which to select inputs, making decision-making more complex each year. Profitability hinges on excellent management utilizing the most current unbiased research to evaluate and implement, if appropriate, new techniques and technologies.
What Did You Do?:
Iowa State University conducted a series of producer-oriented meetings called "Crop Advantage." One of those meetings was held in Burlington in southeast Iowa in partnership with a seed company, an agricultural supplier, and a commodity organization. Three hundred early-adapter producers attended, average size of operation represented by the producers being approximately 670 acres.
Several individuals who attended both the 2009 and 2010 Crop Advantage Series meeting in Burlington were surveyed regarding the 2009 meeting. 2010 attendees were also surveyed regarding the 2010 meeting.
Attendees of the 2009 meeting indicated that they:
Of the attendees in 2010, Ninety-six per cent of the attendees returning the evaluation rated the program as good or excellent. On the average, attendees thought the information from the program would improve their profits by $10.30 per acre, suggesting an average program value of over $6,900 per farm for a total value of over $2,000,000.
100 Corn and Soybean Production and Protection
Page last updated: April 13, 2010
Page maintained by Linda Schultz, email@example.com


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Looking for a perfect late summer getaway where you can compete in a KCBS Sanctioned Mississippi State Championship? The Fifth Annual Stand by your Grill cookoff will be held in the heart of Mississippi's scenic hill country. Find your True South! Located at the beautiful Jamie Whitten Historical Center and Park on the majestic Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the cookoff is halfway between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama. With more than $10,000 in prize money, this cookoff will be like no other - experience the scenery and hospitality of the Deep South during August 14 and 15, 2015!
Good Mississippi music, a top-notch championship contest, and world-famous Southern Hospitality are waiting for you at Stand by your Grill in Itawamba County, Mississippi - the heart of Mississippi's scenic Hill Country and birthplace of country music legend Tammy Wynette! Prize payout for the professional division is: Grand Champion Overall ($2,500) plus Trophy; Reserve Grand Champion ($1,000) plus Trophy; 1st Place all categories ($500) plus Plaque; 2nd Place all categories ($225); 3rd Place in all categories ($200); 4th Place in all categories ($175); 5th Place in all categories ($150); 6th Place in all categories ($120); 7th Place in all categories ($75); 8th Place in all categories ($70); 9th Place in all categories ($60); 10th Place in all categories ($50)
1505 South Adams Street - Fulton, Mississippi


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Ecological rating of the Subjects of the Russian Federation - Monitoring and assesment of environment protecrion status in the regions of Russia
InformationLocation: Moscow Sectors: Green industry, material efficiency and waste minimization; Biodiversity, Forests and other Ecosystems; Social sector and green economy: education, health, employment, equity; By: Russian FederationType: NationalSource: All-Russian non-governmental organization ?Green patrol?Year: 2008
Ecological rating of the Subjects of the Russian Federation
Monitoring and assesment of environment protecrion status in the regions of RussiaProject Objectives:- ? Formation of ecological rating of the Russian regions on the basis of publicly available information and assessment of environmental and ecological character ? -Promotion of sustainable development of the Russian Federation in the interests of its citizens ? Fostering environmental programs in regions, ? Promoting the development of civil society in the Russian Federation, ? Promotion of environmental education The evaluation identifies 15 indicators, which cover three main areas of monitoring in the regions: ? Environmental protection ? Protecting and improving of human environment and human health, ? The status and development of the industry to meet the requirements of environmental safety. Rating is calculated quarterly for all Subjects of the Russian Federation.


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March 2014, TruckingInfo.com - Editorial
By Rolf Lockwood, Executive Contributing Editor
Executive Contributing Editor Rolf Lockwood discusses wheel integrity and the importance of technicians being well-versed in the rules of fastening wheels properly.
Tags: FMCSA, CSA, Wheels, Wheel-offs, Technicians
October 2013, TruckingInfo.com - Feature
By Jim Park
There's no mystery to why wheels come off trucks. The National Transportation Safety Board in 1992, and Ontario's Ministry of Transportation in the late 1990s, both concluded after exhaustive studies that inadequate maintenance was the root cause of a series of fatal wheel separation incidents.
Tags: TMC, NTSB, Tires, Wheels, Accuride, Timken, Spicer, ConMet, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Wheel-offs
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Brian Fletcher from Eaton, will answer your questions
Air Lift Offers Air Spring Kits for Ram ProMaster
Rotary Lift Incoporates Speed Into In-Ground Lift
Frame Rack Accommodates Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Noregon Releases JPro Professional 2016 Version 2


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iHerb Customer Reviews
Savings of: $10.57 (46% off)
Sorry, this product is no longer in stock.
Posted by Reviewer1682534 on Jan 18, 2011
This product didn't lower my cholesterol as I had hoped...It DID however, speed up my metabolism and I lost 15 lbs. in 7 months...Not a lot but I'm proud of it...Source Naturals is an excellent brand...
Great for acne!
Posted by Reviewer2293885 on Mar 20, 2011
Within only a few weeks of taking this product, my acne began to clear up. I have tried more acne products than I can count, and this is the only one, other than tetracycline, that has ever worked for me. And its NATURAL! best product ever!
My Favorite for Thyroid Boost
Posted by Reviewer1396367 on Feb 12, 2011
I have tried lots of other things to boost my thyroid. After using this, my hormones got balanced, my eyebrows filled in and my metabolism got a boost. This is supposed to help convert T4 to T3. I use this with Iosol.
As advertised
Posted by Reviewer2639352 on Aug 25, 2009
Increases effect of statin prescription and has cut my LDL in half
Good for Fat burning!
Posted by Reviewer1567510 on Jul 08, 2014
I always lose fat more easily on the end of my diet with this supplement, taking 3-4 tabs a a day! This brand has the best price also!
Great for lowering cholestrol
Posted by Reviewer2167039 on Nov 05, 2010
I initially bought it to burn fat, however feel that there are other herbs that work better. I recommend this for anyone trying to lower bad cholesterol -- works great and the dosage is optimal.
Dont work for me
Posted by Reviewer2155735 on May 25, 2012
After two months my blood lab test showed markedly increased lipid levels, although the good colesterol had increased the total was almost double that when I had been on statins.
My favorite
Posted by Reviewer2427281 on Jan 17, 2008
Helps the thyroid convert T4 to T3, also lowers cholesterol.
Great for Thyroid metabolism issues
Posted by Reviewer2281650 on Jan 16, 2010
This has really boosted my energy and helped me work with my thyroid issues.
So so
Posted by FEED-ME-MORE on Apr 09, 2012
Not a miracle. I guess one must look after he/she's diet, exercising and overall healthy lifestyle, so then this product suppose to help and if not and one will only rely on this product, so he/she will probably feel no big use and improvement.


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This week's Golden Apple winner teaches math, science, and computers at St. John Catholic School in Panama City.
Darlene Thornhill was nominated by a parent who writes:
Mrs. Thornhill has been an inspiration to my children all year. They love her and as a result love the subject that she teaches.
"She teaches us in a different way. She teaches us so that we can understand it more than I've ever been taught before. She teaches us where we are able to engage in the activity and it makes us able to understand it alot better," Sarah Montgomery, 8th grade, said.
"Mrs. Thornill is very passionate about what she does, she puts a lot of care into her thought process and she is very detail oriented and I think the kids understand that she cares about them and their success and achievement," Kaycie Blaylock, principal, said.
"Some of my kids that I've taught since I've been here they are now becoming doctors and lawyers and astrophysicists. They are doing all kinds of wonderful things and it's just amazing to watch where they have started as these little kids and that they are becoming very productive members of society and their faith is still with them," Thornhill said.
"The Golden Apple is really neat and I think that she deserves it because she makes sure every student has everything they need to move on and I think she stops to make sure that everyone is knowing everything before we move on to make sure no one is left in the dust," Elizabeth Pozen, 8th grader, said.


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Emergency Department Utilization
In 2008, more than 20 percent of children had at least one visit to a hospital emergency department (ED). Children living in households with incomes below the U.S. Census Bureau's poverty threshold ($22,025 for a family of four in 2008) were more likely than children living in households with incomes above the poverty threshold to have visited the ED. Just over one quarter of children living in poverty made one to three ED visits during the year, compared to fewer than 20 percent of children living in households with incomes above poverty. Similarly, 3.0 percent of children from lower-income households made four or more visits to the ED, compared to 1.0 percent of children from higher-income households.
Emergency department utilization also varies by age: 26.6 percent of children under 5 years of age made 1–3 visits to the ED in 2008, compared to 15.4 percent of children aged 10–14 years. Children under 5 years of age were also the most likely to make four or more ED visits (2.1 percent). There were also racial/ethnic differences in ED utilization: 23.3 percent of non-Hispanic Black children made 1–3 visits to the ED in 2008, compared to 19.8 percent of Hispanic children and 18.9 percent of non- Hispanic White children (data not shown).
According to the 2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the most common reason for a visit to the emergency department among children under 15 years of age was fever (15.1 percent), followed by cough (6.6 percent), and vomiting (5.5 percent). The most common primary diagnoses treated in ED visits were acute upper respiratory infections (9.2 percent), otitis media (middle ear infection) and Eustachian tube disorders (6.6 percent), and fever of unknown origin (5.8 percent; data not shown).1
1 Pitts SR, Niska RW, Xu J, Burt CW. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 emergency department summary. National Health Statistics Reports, No. 7; 2008 Aug.↑