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Networking is an invaluable means of generating new business leads and keeping up to date with industry developments. Making the right contacts is crucial to developing your business. But what are your networking options?
With limited time and resources to spend on networking, it might be tempting to think you can do it all online these days. But meeting business contacts face-to-face at networking events, conferences and exhibitions is still important to build trust and develop leads.
"You can start business relationships online, but it's only when people read your body language, smile and shake hands that they really want to do business with you," says founder of marketing consultancy Kintish Limited, Will Kintish, a specialist in training people in off and online networking.
Start by finding out what kind of networking options are useful for your business sector. These can be off or online and don't have to be straightforward networking events.
"Too many people don't engage with other delegates at a conference, or spend all their time at an exhibition by their own stand," stresses Kintish. Any platform or event where business owners get together is a networking opportunity.
Check local business support organisations or chamber of commerce events calendar and ask friends, family and business partners for tips and ideas. If you are unsure how to network effectively, consider attending training workshops and events.
The key benefit of online networking is convenience: it can take place at any time and you do not need to travel. It also exposes you to a wider pool of potential contacts who you can pinpoint in a way that removes the chance that characterises many traditional networking events.
"By being active you can build your network quite quickly," explains Penny Power, founder of business networking site Sunzu (previously known as Ecademy). "Aim to make the most of every contact you get. Remember, if your contact can't help you directly, they might refer you on."
You should not neglect physical networking options, because they are a good way to build a lasting relationship. Networking online is a 'virtual handshake', not a replacement for face-to-face networking.
Things sometimes work much quicker if you meet someone, and it's easier to assess if you want to do business with each other. Before deciding which platform or events to target, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to get out of them.
"Think about your objective, budget and how much time you want to spend," advises Kintish. "For example, your objective might be to find new customers in your target market or suppliers in a particular industry."
"There are thousands of networking groups, it can be difficult to decide which the best ones are to spend your time on," Kintish points out.
Make the most of any slow periods, by building up your contact base. "If you don't have much work on, it could be beneficial to attend two or three networking events per week and find new clients," says Kintish.
"Always make time to go to occasional networking events, perhaps outside of your normal working hours," he concludes.

subset: commoncrawl


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WOW! Wonders of Water
I can't wait to be a... WOW! Girl
It's big. It's bold.
It's Girl Scouts!
and you belong in it!
Rainbows, wetlands and the underwater world await.
All you need for a fun, WOW! Girl Journey.
We are calling ALL BROWNIES (girls in grades 2 and 3) to dive in and be part of our WOW! Girl initiative. Whether you're a registered member or new to our organization, you and your daughter can join us in our journey to explore the Wonders of Water.
Girls will find out what they can do to protect water as we dive into cool water experiments and hands-on water fun.
For information about the program contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Make sure to visit our Council Calendar for upcoming WOW! Events
pH2O WOW!Girls Photo Contest
- Love, Save and Share Water - DEADLINE to register is July 25.
Calling all Girl Scout Brownies, for a Summer Water Photo Contest!
Grab your cameras and friends and show us your favorite water shots!
1 photo per girl can be submitted in one or both of the following categories:
A photo of your favorite body of water
(example: wetlands, ocean, lake, spring, swimming pool, etc.)
A photo of you participating in your favorite water activity (swimming, fishing, canoeing, drinking a cool glass of water, etc.)
Photo submission deadline is August 25.
Have fun and get creative! More details below.
Turn Off Your Water!
Girl Scout Troop 703 in Marathon, Florida called for people to "Turn off your water"


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Becoming a UW-Rock County student is as easy as 1-2-3!
Step 1: Apply online for admission to UW-Rock County at https://apply.wisconsin.edu/ and pay the $44 application fee.
Step 2: Have official transcripts and Advance Placement (AP) scores sent from your high school and any colleges you've attended to UW Colleges. Note: High school students who apply before actually graduating from high school, will have to re-submit a final official high school transcript. A copy of a GED or HSED transcript is also acceptable.
Step 3: Send a copy of your ACT scores to UW Colleges as soon as you submit your application if you will be graduating from high school or have graduated from high school within the last two years. You can ask your high school to send this with your transcripts or you can order it at www. actstudent.org if you didn't have it sent to UW-Rock County when you took the test.
Note: Applications will be processed only after you complete Steps 1-3 above.
After UW Colleges receives your application, application fee, official transcripts and ACT scores, you will receive an admission letter from UW-Rock County. Typically this occurs within two weeks of receiving the required information. If you have not received an admission letter after two weeks of submitting all of your admissions materials, please contact UW Colleges.
Another important step is to apply for federal financial aid at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and use the UW Colleges Code #003897 for UW-Rock County on the form. The earlier you apply after January 1, the more opportunities you may have for certain types of financial aid. For full consderation of financial aid options apply by April 15. Also look for scholarship opportunities. If you need assistance with applying for financial aid, please contact Student Services at (608) 758-6565 ext. 200.
If you'd like to take the next step in getting to know UW-Rock County better visit UW-Rock County.


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Clive Stafford Smith, legal director of Reprieve, lawyer for more than 50 of the men at Guantanamo, author of The Eight O'clock Ferry to the Windward Side: Seeking Justice in Guantanamo Bay, discusses the "enemy combatants" held at "Gitmo," why he's doing what he's doing, how the men ended up there, torture, the secrecy surrounding the situation, examples of innocent men being held there and the remaining ghost prisoners around the world.
MP3 here. (17:57)
Clive Stafford Smith is the founder of Reprieve and has spent 25 years working on behalf of defendants facing the death penalty in the USA.


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This past week was a time for outrage and anger regarding the treatment of our nation's finest…our Veterans. The Warriors who are always there when we need them; who sacrifice more than any other public servant, and seldom ever discuss their business with those who are not a fellow brother in arms, finally had their case heard by the public. Veterans have earned a place of honor and respect of a sometimes no so grateful public. Ending the week highlighted by the disgraceful performance of the VA, an aging Veteran sent me this video...it deserves to be viewed by all.
We have a shameful government which has allowed the bloated bureaucracy to over shadow the promises made to our warriors, much in part due to their desire for self aggrandizement, personal gain, and the forgotten promises made to the American people who put them in office. By their action, which borders on criminal negligence, they have lost control of not only the Veterans Administration, the BLOB we graciously call bureaucracy, but all government entities which are unfettered terminal cancers supported by the hard working taxpayer.
This week the Veterans Administration was called to task about a long smoldering list of complaints that can aptly be called reckless, fraud, and abuse perpetrated upon the most honorable citizens of our country. Had not such abuses directly led to the deaths of several Veterans who were either denied treatment or were given the two-step shuffle in scheduling an appointment to be seen by a doctor, the public would have never known. And to think the VA managers in charge, many of whom were give bonuses for expediting the patient appointments by cooking the books with complete disregard for the potential to bodily harm to those they have a duty to serve, many will simply get a pass.
President Obama expects the public to believe that he only "learned about the issues at the VA after reading about it from news sources", when in fact the Regime was thoroughly briefed by the Bush Administration about such problems back in 2008. Documentation and testimony however, reveal Obama was aware of the delay problem as far back as 2005 as noted by World News Daily who wrote…
"On June 28, 2005, for example, Obama complained at a hearing on the VA medical care budget (he was a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee ) that somehow it seems that we're willing to trot in front of flags and take photographs with soldiers, but when it comes to the appropriations process, we're not there." The article went on to quote Obama in 2005, "disabled veterans are waiting hundreds of days just to get their claim processed".
NOTE: WND, formerly WorldNetDaily, can best be explained by its mission statement: "WND is an independent news company dedicated to uncompromising journalism, seeking truth and justice and revitalizing the role of the free press as a guardian of liberty. We remain faithful to the traditional and central role of a free press in a free society – as a light exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power".
But that's not all…The WND article quoted Obama as adding, "With the recent announcement that the VA is facing a shortfall of approximately $1 billion in fiscal year 2005 it seems that our concerns are well founded. Unfortunately, the VA's current shortfall, and larger shortfalls predicted for future years, has confirmed that your Administration (referring to Bush) has not prudently addressed the budget impacts of these conflicts (Iraq and Afghanistan)."
With this bit of "reminder history", here we are 9 years later Obama saying he only being became aware of the problem in recent news reports. When will the incessant lies cease? This pattern of deceit is just one in a long series of misleading statements, innuendo, and outright lying to the American public whether it is Benghazi, the IRS targeting opponents of the administration, NSA spying, Fast and Furious gun running, Immigration, the number of Obamacare enrollees, Obamacare-you can keep your insurance, doctor, hospital, and family insurance savings will be $2500 per year, and on and on, and on.
With all this and to make matters even worse, it took Obama three weeks to make a public appearance and statement about the issues regarding the VA. Prior to Obama's appearance however, in a recent White House briefing, Jay Carney even had the temerity to state "the president had identified problems with the agency as a candidate and pledged to take action to improve the services for veterans". I believe he failed to convince not only me, but the majority of Americans when he went on to state, "What you have seen since President Obama took office is that he asked for and received from Congress significant increases in the Veterans Affairs budget." What he didn't say was that $489,000,000 of the increase went to VA conference room furnishings and upgrades.
The media in general should hang their heads in shame as they have refused to investigate and bring to light the President, Cabinet Members, the Legislators, and bureaucrats who are trying to usurp the U.S. Constitution through the Administration's mantra of "change" which nearly 60% of the voting public rejects wholeheartedly. We are side-tracked by their "exposes" on Girls Gone Wild During Spring Break, General Motors Recalls, Legalization of Marijuana, Chris Christie and Bridgegate, Gay Marriage, Will Hillary run for President, the Kardashians, the elevator battle between Jay Z and Solange (Beonce's sister), month-long coverage of Flight 370, and other minor/insignificant issues, while Rome is Burning.
The media with few exceptions have covered-up the malfeasance, waste, deceit, and budgetary mis-management of those in the Administration and have ceased being the watch dog for the American public. A glaring example of how the media has become derelict in competent reporting is the President's claim the economy, while not robust, is headed in the right direction, and that under his astute handling we have seen the addition of 3.5 million jobs due to the Recovery Act and that overall there have been 8 million new jobs created under his administration. Sounds impressive, but such misleading information has gone unchallenged by most of mainstream media with few exceptions.
8 million jobs would be a growth of 133,000 jobs each month, right (12 month/year)? Unfortunately the Bureau of Labor Statistics tell us it takes about 140,000-180,000 new job creation each month just to keep up with the number of new people entering the job market form immigrants and school graduates. Hey America…We are going BACKWARD!
Getting back to the VA situation, the President says he wants to wait for the Inspector General's report before taking any significant action; this is after saying how important Veteran care is and that he's mad as hell! They've had five, going on to six years to address this problem and he wants to wait for the IG report. Have you noticed a pattern here with this Administration? It goes like this:
Phase One: Claim they know nothing about the issue at hand and that they only discovered the problem after hearing about it in the media.
Phase Two: Fain outrage and concern and generally concoct some bogus scenario to provide everyone involved with CYA.
Phase Three: The President makes a public appearance and states it is his number one issue and he will get to the bottom of it and see that those in charge face severe consequences.
Phase Four: No real investigation on the Administration's part occurs, no one is held accountable, and nobody loses a job. At best, those in charge are put on PAID LEAVE (does Lois Learner ring a bell?), moved to a different position, given a promotion and moved, none OR all the above! When Congressional oversight occurs, the Administration puts up roadblocks at every turn, fails to comply with requests for documents, redact documents turned over so they are nearly unreadable, and government employees called to testify before oversight committees plead the Fifth Amendment.
Phase Five: Stand by and wait for the next shoe to drop.
The handling of the Veteran's Administration fiasco this time around may be different as the government has really "stepped-in it" with the problem effecting some 23 million Veterans and is causing lost of life. They have taken the right, first step in allowing some Veterans to seek care outside the VA System, but the sad part about this, is that the VA has always had the ability to let Veterans seek care outside the system; it's that we are now just learning this after the alleged loss of more than 20 lives.
For those who are reading my thoughts on the VA issue who may not be a Veteran or have a family member affected by the Veterans Administration, I advise you to hold on to your hats, as this is just the tip of the iceberg and is a harbinger of things to come under Obamacare. Imagine if the Veterans are treated this way, and they are the most deserving of all citizens, what is in store for the average Joe-citizen.


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"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fans are anxiously awaiting season 10, and now new spoilers have been revealed by Hollywood News Daily on April 16.
According to the report, the Paddy's Pub gang will be featured on a local game show titled "Philly Feud," where the Reynold's family will, of course, make fools out of themselves on television.
Dennis and Dee Reynolds will just be themselves on the show, and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fans know that means vulgarity out of the twins.
Meanwhile, Frank Reynolds will continue being his usually creepy self in season 10, and will likely freak out all those around him while appearing on the game show "Philly Feud."
Recently, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" was renewed by it's network, FX, for two more seasons, meaning fans will be watching Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Dee, and Frank up until at least season 12. The show now becomes the longest running live action comedy show on television.
Are you excited for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" season 10?
Suggested Links
- 'Days of Our Lives': Peter Reckell returning as Bo Brady?
- Bob Newhart: 'Big Bang Theory' to feature comedian in 'Star Wars' episode
- 'Pretty Little Liars' spoilers: Why Jason could be 'A'
- 'Boy Meets World' reunion: Rider Strong returns as Shawn in 'Girl Meets World'
- 'Days of Our Lives' spoilers: Abby pregnancy test results tampered with?


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The Romanian languagein computers era
SMS story
The time stands still: a SMS text message treats with contempt most of the world languages, just as it did from the very beginning.
The strange nature of hobby: ZX Zone
It's something not human. It's an 8 bit computer, calledSinclair ZX Spectrum.There are many sites around treating this subject, however, I tried to focus on something less usual: the +3.
Who am I ?
My name is Cristian Secară. Secărică is just a nickname. Read here a few words about me, just in case you're curious...
Legend for the above flags: = pages written in Romanian = pages written in English
[Top of this page]
Last updated 04.01.2016 (What's new ?)© 1999-2016


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Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes and generally progressive politics, has passed a bill outlawing the use of triclosan, the germ killing agent used in antibacterial soaps, according to a May 21, 2014 news article published by Newsmax.
Minnesota governor Mark Dayton signed the bill to ban triclosan, making Minnesota the first U.S. state to take such decisive action. The ban eliminates triclosan from most all consumer hygiene products.
Triclosan is a chemical known to fight germs, but there are potential risks. Tests on animals show that triclosan disrupts the production of hormones that the body needs for normal development and reproduction. Further, some studies suggest that triclosan helps the body develop resistant bacteria. These reasons helped convince Minnesota governor Mark Dayton that a ban was in the best interests of the citizenry and would help safeguard the public health.
Minnesota is the only state so far to enact a ban, but supporters say Minnesota's ban is an important first step.
"While this is an effort to ban triclosan from one of the 50 states, I think it will have a greater impact than that," said Minnesota State Senator John Marty, one of the bill's supporters. Marty went on to say that the ban in Minnesota could result in similar actions in other states and, in due time, could lead to the eventual phasing out of tricolsan by manufacturers. One major manufacturer, Proctor & Gamble, has already decided to eliminate triclosan. The Cincinnati- based consumer products giant says it will phase it out completely by the end of 2015.
Many parents have expressed concern over triclosan due to its potentially negative effects. Yes, it can help kill germs but the negative possibilities outweigh the benefits in the minds of many. Even if the tests have been conducted only on animals and even if there is no conclusive evidence that triclosan has the same effects on humans, it is still a risk many parents would rather not take.
Official data from the Food and Drug Administration shows that triclosan is used in about 75 percent of all antibacterial liquid soaps and personal hygiene products sold in the United States. The FDA has vowed to revisit the subject of triclosan and reconsider its safety at some point in the near future.


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I was suppose to get married Aug 10th but I choose not to get married.
I need to get rid of it to take my son on vacation, I have addtional pictures am willing to split shipping costs or even pay for it. I am hurting for the money. I did have a buyer and he just lead me on. I would like to contact via email or phone i have no problem. 219-895-3091 or email@example.com thank you
willing to reduce just want a legit buyer
- Label Size: 14
- Street Size: 14
- Bust:
- Waist:
- Hips:
- Height with Shoes:
- Alterations: no alterations new in all original packaging and garment bag. gown by Mori Lee 1824 Bridals. The gathered skirt claims attention with flower accents at just the right places. A fully embellished bodice and a sweetheart neckline scream sophistication and uber elegance. You will feel and look unforgettable in this divine gown. Removable Handmade Flowers Included Color: Candlelight , off white,ivory
- Color: Ivory
- Silhouette: Mermaid
- Material: Satin
- Neckline: Sweetheart
- Style: Classic, Corset, Floral, Glamorous, Not white, Ruching
- Condition: New
- Original Owner: Yes
- Has Original Receipt: Yes
- Preservation Method: Clean, dry garnmet bag purchased from the dress store and dress as picked up from the store on Aug 29th 2013 to maintain in a safe place now its home in my closest.
- Terms of Sale: All Sales Final
- Location: hobart, IN
- Will Ship to: Other
- Payment Methods Accepted: Other
Please read our BUYER'S GUIDE before purchasing a dress online.


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Join Gregg Braden as he shares what he's found in this powerful seminar based on his New York Times best-selling book, The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles and Belief.
Starting at: $20.00
In this compelling on demand event, bestselling author and futurist Gregg Braden marries his expertise in science and technology with the intimate knowledge preserved by the world's indigenous elders to answer the questions on everyone mind: What does our changing world mean to us? What can we do to ease the transition?
Starting at: $14.95
A User's Guide to the Universe: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits: Gregg Braden - On Demand LectureFormat: On Demand Downloads
Join best-selling author, scientist, and spiritual teacher Gregg Braden as he shares the case histories, true-life accounts, and powerful discoveries in this exclusive two hour On Demand Lecture.
Starting at: $15.00
In this compelling new work, best-selling author and visionary Gregg Braden merges his expertise in leading-edge science with present-day realities to answer the questions on everyone's minds: What's causing the extremes in our world? What do the global trends mean in our personal lives? How do we make everyday life better for us and our families? Through his powerful synthesis of easy-to-understand science and real-world circumstances.
Starting at: $49.00
Join best-selling author, scientist, and spiritual teacher Gregg Braden for an unprecedented look into what you can expect in your life, and for the world, as we approach the end of the present World Age cycle in 2012.
Starting at: $20.00


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DIY: A 10 round Magazine for the Savage 110 Long Action Rifle
Here's a quick post showing how we converted a Remington 7600/7400 long action magazine for use in a Savage 110/111 (long action). The 10 round metal Remington magazines can be found at outlets like Cheaper Than Dirt at about half the cost of a factory 4 round magazine. This can save you quite a bit of money since the OEM Savage 4 round magazines cost anywhere from $40-$50!
Here are the tools that I used:
.060″ diamond burr
1/2″ sanding drum
Drill press
.090″ drill bit
Dial Calipers
Tap or small center punch
Small sharp scribe
Small flat screwdriver
Needle nose pliers
small ball-peen hammer
(If you have access to a milling machine this project would be a breeze)
Locate the magazine catch slots on your Savage magazine
Measure carefully and scribe their location onto the Remington magazine, center-punch and drill .090″ holes at the extreme corners of the mag catch slots.
Remove the metal between the holes with the Dremel .060″ diamond burr. Do both sides.
Slightly bend the tab out with the flat screwdriver and finish the bend with the needle nose pliers, compare to your Savage factory mag.
Remove the excess feed lips from the Remington mag with the Dremel sanding drum, duplicating the profile of the Savage mag. Be sure not to damage the follower.
To make things easier, you can hold the follower out of your way by depressing it into the magazine and inserting a small screwdriver through the large slot in the side of the mag.
Wipe off any visible dust and shavings and test fit the magazine in your rifle.
You will probably need to angle the top of the magazine box inward to get the magazine to insert completely and the button catch to snap into place.
Use the ball-peen hammer and tap the top/sides softly until they match the Savage mag profile and can be seated completely into the rifle.
Once it's finished, deburr everything and clean the magazine out well.
Cycle the action with cartridges in the magazine to be sure you don't have any feed issues. Use touch-up bluing to protect the exposed metal.
This project took about an hour to complete.


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Magazine of the painting blogosphere.
PT Blogosphere
Provisional Painting
May 4
[IMAGES] Installation photos from the exhibition Provisional Painting on view at Modern Art London through May 25, 2011.
The exhibition, curated by Raphael Rubinstein, takes it's title and premise from Rubinstein's 2009 essay "Provisional Painting" in which he writes: "Provisional painting is not about making 'last paintings', nor is it about the deconstruction of the medium. What the various works in the show share is neither style nor content, neither techniques nor materials, but rather a profound willingness to suspend closure, to leave painting open."
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West Side Story is the 1961 musical based on the Broadway play. The Jets and the Sharks are two rival gangs who fight each other in New York. One of the members, Tony, goes to a dance and falls in love with Maria. There's a catch: Maria is the sister of the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo. The gangs decide to fight, Tony tries to stop the fight but is unable to save his friend, Riff. He kills Bernardo in a rage and decides to go to the police. What will happen to him and Maria?
This is a really good, creative interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that ranks right up there with other creative revisionings of Shakespeare's plays, such as Throne of Blood. The music is really good and has some great satire, especially "Officer Krupke" and "America." Interestingly, the Juliet character, Maria decides not to take her life, which makes her a little bit more mature than Juliet. The love story is ambiguous enough that they might have been happy if they married. Honolulu musical fans should watch this movie.
More at: Tricia's Retro Film Reviews
Buy West Side Story at Amazon.com


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- Original PM: Copy / Pasted the first part as well -
LoNer1 wrote:
Hey man,
You wanted a tutorial, so here it is! I included images explaining what I mean with some things / techniques. I also provided links, (re)sources and 3rd part tutorials (hosted on other sites) I recommend you to read this a couple times through. Not everything will stick after 1 read. Also visit the links provided often when creating skins
Small introduction:
I was like you a short period ago, an experienced texture artist, but I was lacking in some departments. And after going to polycount, NGHS and asking around on the internet to some of the amazing texture artist we all know out there (Hans / Millenia, The Snake, racer445, nicolai, vladimir etc.) I filled up the gaps a bit. I don't want to say I'm on a next level now, that we differ, but I want to tell you that after reading and watching countless video's explaining the nature of textures and how you should have a steady workflow (which I personally lacked) I had something to improve upon, and expand upon
Also, asking around to various artist helped me create my own style, which is crucial for keeping "The Flame Burning" inside, the will or desire to go on with what you're working on. Trust me when I say (from personal experience) that trying to copy someone's style wont give you any satisfaction, no, it's creating something unique you can brand as your own that gives you that feeling. I've had it after each and every skin I did the last couple of months, and trust me, I did A LOT of skins. I'm just not someone who constantly updates his moddb profile with progress, only some 'last development' / 'recent' shots in-game.
Also, I'm not a texture artist only. When I did the LR300 skin, I told myself it wasn't enough. What I do, when I create a skin now is; Get the material for the weapon set up in my mind, what material do I want it to look like?; Next up, create the skin and finalize it, and after this, I create custom sounds which fit the skin material. I wont leave a plastic reload sound on a weapon which now looks like metal, no, I create a totally new, correct OGG commented metal reload sound. This, Twist, is what people in the game industry want today. Someone who doesn't specialize in one thing and that thing only. How many modellers are there around, who don't just create models? They also: texture the model, sometimes if applicable rig the model, optionally create sounds for it and some are able to import it into any engine, with their custom assets and levels. That's almost a whole AAA team. Keep that in mind It's always fun expanding your horizon!
Well, enough blabbering, without further a-do, let's start the learning process shall we?
The Tutorial
This tutorial will provide you with the basics of texture-creation for next-gen games / CG / portfolio pieces featuring ultra quality textures. Mind that 'ultra quality' doesn't always mean bigger textures. There are many ways to optimize your textures for a specific scene, game or environment. This tutorial has been adjusted to provide you with both the basics of texturing for any game or cg-work, but also the basics of texturing for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, which use some unique features no other engines have used IIRC.
You will need some things to get started with this tut:
- Adobe CSx (x = any version, 3.0 or higher) w/ Nvidia Normalmap Plugin
- PaintDotNet 3.5.10* (or higher)
*I have a set of ready to use plugins installed which always come in handy, let me know in the comments if you want it uploaded and ill update the tutorial!
- Any kind of mesh-viewer, preferably with a reload-texture kind of interface which auto-updates the skin in the viewer once upon a save. I advise 'MeshView' or Milkshape3D.
- Any kind of texture-viewer. Preferably one that auto updates in real time, or just when reloading the texture. I advise CrazyBump, it's a magnificent program!
1.0.0 - Material
Defining the material used in the texture is key to achieving the feel you want the texture to have in your mind or are trying to recreate. You need to learn the difference between RAW-surface textures and Smooth-surface textures. You should also study photo's, learning how various things look in real life. Simple things like this, just looking at the ground below you, the stones of the garages nearby or any surface, will learn you how things look in real life. You will develop an eye for these kind of things, so you can easily correct artefacts in your skins
You will learn how to define your materials in this chapter.
1.0.1 - Material Settings
This subchapter will focus on the real life situations some materials are used in and how the 'change' over time, like rust, corrosion, tear, desaturation, biological changes etc. So you can create realistic skins, which will look more realistic than a weapon texture with a rust filter applied to it, or a texture overlay technique (which most beginning texture artist use [I was guilty of this])
Defining your material is sometimes hard to achieve because of the curcomstances they're in. Creating a metal base for something is not an easy task from scratch, you need to know what kind of metal you want, brushed metal, corroded metal, metal with rust etc. So, you need to read this next article, which will explain most of it in detail:
Source: Nextgenhardsurface.com
1.0.2 - Material Definition
After reading the above article you know how to define your material. This is a test which will test your current skills. Only with trial and error you'll get the result you want.
Create a metal texture with corroded and rusted sides. Make it look like it's been exposed to various natural elements, like rain, cold, warmth and make it 512x512. It doesn't have to be tileable, but that's a plus if you know how to do that.
Try and do It in one run. If not, start over again. Just start with a base texture and modify it. Keep going till you have the desired effect. You may always use reference images to get what you want, but dont cut out parts of an external texture. The goal here is that you try to achieve it by yourself and have the knowledge of how to do it.
(You dont have to share the result, but when you do, expect 'some' feedback)
I did it with this particular silencer, you might recognise it:
And mine: (purposely showed the WIP texture, not finalised because of obvious reasons)
As you can see, it's quite a different texture and base from the one (vanilla STALKER) above it, and this all has been created from the above image! You can upscale the texture, apply a vertical blur filter to it with the distance of 200, multiply that layer and you have your 1:1 base!
I've also started another project for BF2, I am busy with some textures for a friend of mine, ProfKiller_LT. You see the rust and corroded metal return in this Screen here:
1.0.3 - Material Details
Adding detail to material these days is not done in the diffuse, but in the specular map. This can be done in any way, from adding external texture overlays to creating scratches by yourself with a 1px/2px brush tool. This is the best way is to highlight the details of a weapon in a newer engine, but we are going to do something different for the Xray engine.
As we don't have a 'real' specular map (it is stored in the red channel of the _bump), only a shadowmap (IIRC a cavity or AOmap) and inverted RGB-normalmap (actually not a bumb map at all) we are going to practise a new technique I created for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. I don't take credit for this, as many people could have done it before me, but I call it Alpha Transparent Specular Mapping. The Xray engine determines specularity on both base of the transparency in the diffuse map (alpha) AND the red channel inverted RGB-normal, with the shadow maps projected on top of that. If your shadow map is incorrect and your diffuse is alpha channeled, expect some really, really weird artefacts! But if your shadow is good, matches your normal, and you applied the above mentioned technique, you will see an amazing result in-game.
How to apply ATSM? Well, there are various techniques. (*This is the last step in texturing! you apply this AFTER flattening the image and creating normals!)
The magic wand tool; select the parts you want to have a little bit of gloss in-game (metal parts / scope lenses / screws etc.) and cut them into another layer, and make that layer transparent ranging from 255 to 0, where 0 is totally transparent. DO KNOW that 0 - 128 transparency means a lightbeam in your hands in-game with a vanilla shadow map. That's REALLY reflective. I'd suggest going from 255 to around 215 for metal parts. I created an image below showing how i layered this technique for a really nice effect. (Yes, it takes some time, but creating a realistic skin will take some time)
The pencil tool; This one is a bit time consuming, but it will give you almost total controll over what you want to be transparent. The 3rd technique is the best. With this one you use the pencil tool with a white color to create 'scratches' and tear on the skin. Then, when you're done, select all the white, go a layer down to your finished diffuse texture, cut it out of the diffuse and copy it to the pencil layer. Now, it will look like a normal skin again, but there's one difference. And that's the fact that your details (scratches etc.) are in a separate layer. Now, make that layer transparent. Try to not create a big difference in transparency (image below)
(Pencil) Blocking out; This technique takes a lot of time, layers and CPU and GPU power. But a decent GTX260 Black Edition will be more then enough to do this (I speak from personal experience). Use the pencil tool to do almost the same like the above, but use different colors. Try and make a transperency ramp, which means that the transparent layers go down in an univorm way (minus x with each layer) so, if you want the diffuse to be 255 and the lowest transparency 220, you create 7 layers that go down 5 transparency each time for every 1/2/3/4 pixel(s). This sounds like rocket science, but it really isnt. See the image below for reference
After you're done using any of the above techniques, flatten the image and you're done! Do mind that this is the LAST thing you need to do for skins in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - NEVER create normals of alpha textured diffuses. This will result in weird normal maps.
Skin Dimensions
Keeping image size in mind
Appropriate Diffuse Weapon skin for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.:
(Pistol texture) 1024x1024 or preferably 512x512
(Full weapon texture) 2048x2048
(Partial weapon texture featuring only things like grips or stocks) 2048x512
(Scopes, as you want less stretching on the scope) 2048x1024
Appropriate Normal map S.T.A.L.K.E.R.:
(Pistol texture) 1024x1024 w/ 1024 shadow maps (Recommended to use with 512x512 diffuses)
(Full weapon texture) 2048x2048 w/ 1024x1024 shadow maps
(Partial weapon texture featuring only things like grips or stocks) 1024x512 w/ 1024x512 shadow maps
(Scopes, as you want less stretching on the scope) 1024x512 w/ 1024x512 shadow maps
*Misc. items like the Binocs are also recommended to have 1024x1024 maps, because they're used often. But things like the bolt, vog25 and grenades are recommended to have either 256x256 or 512x512 maps w/ 512/256 normals and shadows.
I suggest you to create skins accordingly to these settings. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is CPU intensive, not GPU. If it was the other way around, you could easily create 2k x 2k normals and shadow maps, because the new generation GPU's can easily handle 8192x8192 maps. (I'm running a crysis mod with skins at this dimension) But stalker won't handle these sizes, especially not for skins as 10 ak74u's with texture sizes of 2048x2048 and normals w/ shadow maps will make your game lagg, A lot. So, you need to optimize your textures.
Keep in mind that weapons which won't get shown often can easily have the above mentioned sizes, like the Gauss gun, but giving pistols such a high res. texture is never a wise thing to do. Try to keep pistols at a small size, but give them 1:1 bump maps. AR's could easily be 2:1 OR 1:2. Creating a bigger normal will always compliment the gun, no matter the texture. If it's a difference of 1:2 it wont be that bad. (talking 1024px² diff. and 2048px² normal, not 512px² to 1024px²)
Upsizing Skins
Like we all know, upsizing skins wont ever do the skin good. It will make it 2 times more blurry with every resize. But, upsizing does offer a good base for blocking out the skins.
What I mean:
Normal 512x512 skin: Media.moddb.com
Upsized 1024x1024 skin: Media.moddb.com
*Above was in W.I.P status
See how they look alike, But mine is still higher quality? That's done by blocking out the various parts of the skin and start building upon them from the blocks. You highlight certain parts of a skin with a color, for instance, the grip with purple (after the resize ofc.) and everything attached to the grip or that's part of the grip gets the same color. Same goes for the slide, everything part of the slide gets the same color as the slide itself. That's called blocking out, and you do this in serparate layers. You should also know to name your layers, so when you want to disable something you know what to disable. Trust me, when making my HD G36 skin (136 layers) it was a pain to search for the things i wanted to disable I didn't name them all. Always name your layers. It takes little time and saves you a lot for in the future. (for this you want to use a mesh viewer to be totally sure you got everything right)
Bad layering:
Good layering:
One thing, see how everything here alignes to each other? You use upsizing to create a base for your skin, do a blockout and then have the base of your new skin set up. Next up is determining the material, setting it up and searching for references. Start texturing the skin and after you're done apply the ATSM.
Moving on, next subject:
When you're totally done with the diffuse (without ATSM), you are going to create a normal map from this skin.
Now, if you're familliar with the normals in stalker, you know they differ from normals used in newer engine's and 3D renders. We need to invert the channels and add another blue channel. I've seen a lot of handy tutorials for this, so here you go:
and a video tutorial:
Well that was it, the tutorial. Read it through another time and keep expanding upon your skills. Try to go to polycount to get some feedback on your textures etc. don't be surprised if racer445 himself critiques your skins. He and Mill did for me, and while they were extremely honest, they helped me a lot. Both of them are really experienced texture artists and anyone can learn a lot from them
Cheers man!
External tutorials links:


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Valerie Gatto is beautiful. She's 24 and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. She also happens to be Miss Pennsylvania 2014 and vying for the coveted Miss USA 2014 title that will be decided on Sunday night in Baton Rouge, La.
She's also the product of a violent rape...
Valerie Gatto told the "Today Show" June 5 that she wants to use her mother's rape as a lesson to all women about sexual assault.
"Being a child of a rape, not knowing who my father is, not knowing if he's ever been found, most people would think it's such a negative situation," she told "Today." "Being a voice is life-changing, and I just want to keep going."
Gatto told "Today" that her mother had been attacked on the streets of Pittsburgh when she was 19 years old. A man wielding a knife had dragged her into an alley a brutally raped her. He would have killed her but for a brief flash of light that prompted him run, leaving the young woman badly abused but alive.
Learning later that she was pregnant, Gatto's mother said she had originally intended to give her child up for adoption but had decided to keep the baby.
"Something bad happened to me," she told a much younger Valerie Gatto, the young woman confided on the show. "A very bad man hurt me, but God gave me you."
"Unfortunately, we have to be aware of these crimes," Gatto told "Today."
"I hope to show others how to be proactive, what to do, to be present, to be aware of your surroundings."
Currently the young Miss USA hopeful is chasing acting opportunities. If she wins the Miss USA 2014 crown Sunday, she will only the second Miss Pennsylvania to ever win the coveted title. The last time the Keystone State saw their hopeful get the tiara was in 1971 when Michele McDonald took the crown.
Valerie Gatto will compete with 50 other contestants at the Miss USA Pageant in Baton Rouge on Sunday, June 8. The winner will be announced live at the end of the ceremony and Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady will pass on the crown and title of Miss America. The 63rd Miss USA pageant begins at 8 p.m. (EST) on NBC Television.
Suggested Links
- More Melissa King sex video footage released: Proof porn model is beauty queen?
- Ex-Miss Venezuela killed in robbery in front of her 5-year-old daughter
- Stacie Juris, Miss Illinois USA 2013: Trending for arrest or wearing no pants?
- Miss Universe 2012: Miss Venezuela lands in the nonsensical answer hall of fame
- Miss Utah awkwardly flubs Miss USA 2013 question on female pay inequality


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In an exclusive interview with Renée Ward, Wolfe who has founded several successful businesses including Name That Toon, CelebriDucks, and Cocoa Canard shares his perspective and advice for today's teens looking to earn money this summer and throughout the year.
Ward: Did you have a paying job when you were a teenager?
Wolfe: Yes. In high school I worked as a stock clerk at a clothing store for a few weeks and I knew it wasn't for me. The next year I was a water ski instructor at a summer camp and I found that I was good at it. My first job out of college I worked as a retail credit card collections clerk at a bank, one of the most boring jobs you could imagine!
Ward: How did you learn about your jobs?
Wolfe: Back then I learned of these jobs through the newspaper help wanted ads.
Ward: Why do you think you were hired for these jobs over others?
Wolfe: I shared that I felt I would be a good worker. I told them I would do what I was told and put a lot of energy into it....and in fact I did. I also had a decent enough outgoing personality such that I got along with co-workers.
Ward: Did anything go wrong on the job? If so, how did you overcome the challenges?
Wolfe: Thinking back on the stocking job in high school, I am amazed at how much I chafed and bristled at authority. It was bad authority. Authority that was cold. I didn't like it. I knew at that moment that I would never treat my employees or run my business like that if I had one.
At the bank job, I really didn't understand what I was doing. I was on the computer doing background research for the telemarketers who would call delinquent customers. I was often not given enough information to completely do my job effectively so I really did not have the freedom to feel fully relaxed, comfortable, or in any way inspired in my position. It was mind numbing. The deadest environment you could imagine.
I took this job right out of college when I really didn't know what I wanted to do in life. I was an English/Religion major. I came out of college thinking about the meaning of life rather than how to make a million dollars.
I realized that I am definitely not one of those people who will easily work in an environment structured by someone else. I saw that I needed a certain amount of creative freedom to truly function effectively and stay emotionally involved with the job at hand.
Ward: Did you have a "mentor"? If so, how did that help you?
Wolfe: No, not really. Not at those jobs. I was pretty much on my own. I was thrown right into the fire to produce for my superiors.
I've been inspired most by Milton Hershey of Hershey Chocolate fame. It was a trip to the chocolate factory that I took as a child and one that I truly enjoyed--one of the best experiences of my life.
Why Milton Hershey? Because he was one of the biggest failures. I don't know anybody that has failed more than him and should have given up. His is an astounding story. He succeeded when he finally figured out how to innovate in a different way.
Ward: What did you learn from your first jobs that has prepared you for what you are doing now?
Wolfe: I learned that I needed to control my own destiny and be my own boss. That if I'm going to work to make money in this life, I have to do what I feel emotionally connected to, something I feel passionate about. Just taking a job and working in a miserable environment to get a paycheck was never going to satisfy me. Never. Thus I went out and eventually started three successful, very fun and creative businesses that I owned 100% and I never looked back!
Ward: Why do you think you have developed such an independent streak?
Wolfe: I lost my father when I was 12. My mother then had to go out and work to raise three kids. I have two sisters and I am the middle child. It was a dicey environment. As such, I was survival oriented at a very early age, hyper sensitive and driven.
I never felt that my life was entirely secure. I was always looking for a sense of security somewhere, somehow. And I was dismayed when I found something that I thought would be an ideal environment to make me feel secure wasn't, whether at home or at work.
I think there are other people with an early childhood similar to mine that grow up to own our own businesses where we have control of our own destiny. I live or die by my own hand. So in a sense there is something more reassuring about it. But, it's not for everybody. Some people need a more structured environment like my daughter for example.
Once I got going on doing my own thing, I went nuts.
Fortunately the things I tended to throw myself into, even though I didn't always know what I was doing, were things that I was so passionate about. I believe it was my passion that gave me the capacity to draw people in to help me. These are people who are smarter and more talented than me that help me build my businesses.
I joke that I'm the king of outsourcing. I know what I don't know. I think it's that one quality that has allowed me to fill in my insufficiencies, my gaps, to become the largest publisher of artwork from television commercials, the top custom duck manufacturer probably in the world, and definitely the only one making them in America because I brought the entire industry back here.
Ward: So how did you get started?
Wolfe: One day I'm in a store and I look on the wall and there's an original hand drawing of Micky Mouse from the 1930's that was used as the prototype for the subsequent animated cartoon. And I said to myself, oh my God, you mean you can buy these things. This is a piece of history where it all began. I looked at that drawing on the wall and the creative process so inspired me and the fact that someone could own it, that's when I decided what I would do. Then I had to figure out how to do it.
I started a business to buy and sell those things. Just like that. I borrowed $1,000 and paid it back within a year. The business really got going when I got the idea to market the artwork from television commercials and I started with the Coca-Cola polar bear. It took me a year to convince them to let me market it and my company at the time, Name That Toon, took off. I sold the business after I got into ducks.
The idea for CelebriDucks came about at a party after a few drinks. That is, making rubber ducks that look like celebrities. Most people would just have discarded that idea but I called King Features who had the licensing for Betty Boop. I could tell that they were being polite because they thought they had someone crazy on the phone and just wanted to get me off the phone and hoped that I'd never call back. So I went ahead and figured out how to have a prototype made and sent it to them. They called me back and said let's talk.
CelebriDucks really took off when we made the Allen Iverson duck, when he played for the Philadelphia 76's complete with all of his tattoos. It looked more like him than he did.
My spooning chocolate company, Cocoa Canard, manufactures a chocolate that mixes with water like it's in milk. We call it the espresso of hot chocolate. I'm inspired by the product. It's in a whole new category. A chocolate making ritual experience. You can spoon it. You can whip it.
Ward: As a result of your experience, what advice do you have for today's young adults seeking to land a job and/or earn money?
Wolfe: Honestly Renée, I'm one of those guys that can barely read a profit and loss statement. I go by intuition and what I feel inspired by, and then surround myself with smarter people to help execute. It has to have an emotional connection for me and then I make it a business. That's my formula for success.
So I say, be willing to work, learn your craft and how to get along with people.
For example, if I was a plumber, I don't have the skill set but I have respect for the profession, I'd find a way to make that business fun and interesting. I'd have mascots. I'd do it in a way that would make it more than just fixing pipes.
Additional tips for teens as a result of this interview:
Job title search terms to use "stock clerk", "water ski instructor", and "retail".
If you have the temperament to be your own boss, in general, teens under 18 cannot form legal business entities and your parent or legal guardian will have to do so on your behalf. That's because parents and guardians are generally responsible for the actions and obligations of their minor teens. But, with your parent or guardian's help this experience will also look great on future job and college applications. And, will give you a chance to learn about business first-hand.
Not sure what you want to do or what kind of job to pursue? Take a look at the Association for Career and Technical Education's (ACTE) career clusters and take a Career Clusters Interest Survey. This may help give you focus and direction in your job hunting.
The Career Clusters Interest Survey
For more job advice visit--Teens4Hire.org's My First Job page.


text: There are many names you could associate with Mustang tuning, but few are as iconic as Steve Saleen. The American tuner extraordinaire made a name for himself tweaking the Ford muscle coupe under the Saleen brand until he left his own company to start SMS Supercars. But now that the two have been reunited, word has it that Saleen is moving ahead with plans to produce a new mid-engine exotic to follow in the footsteps of the famed S7.


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The Complete Limited Editions Guide
- 19.70 x 21.50 cm
- PLC (no jacket)
- 256pp
- Illustrated in colour throughout
- First published 2014
This sequel to the classic Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide is a global survey and reference guide to the very best and most collectible limited-edition sneaker designs released over the last decade
'If you want the must-have sneaker, there is one source you have to consult – 'Sneakers'' – Huffington Post
'If you want to learn everything about limited-edition sneakers, you need this book … a bona fide must have … will surely satisfy your sole' – Complex.com
'All the information a sneakerhead could want about many of most appealing athletic shoes that have recently been launched' – Women's Wear Daily
• See the video of some major sneaker-heads with their thoughts on collecting
Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide was a phenomenal success and a key influence in the transformation of sneaker collecting from an underground subculture into a mainstream, multi-billion dollar business. Following publication of that book, sneaker brands began reissuing classic designs and creating shoes that would spur the second wave of collecting: limited editions and collaborations between the brands, invited artists, designers, musicians and cultural icons.
This sequel showcases the very best of this new sneaker culture, featuring more than 300 designs arranged by brand. Each sneaker is accompanied by informative text and a 'data' box listing Edition, Pack, Year Released, Original Purpose, Technology and Extras.
Essential for both the hardcore sneaker freak and the first time collector, this book will also attract and seduce fashion and design aficionados.
Also of interest
Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide
Shoes A-Z: Designers, Brands, Manufacturers and Retailers
Street World: Urban Culture from Five Continents
Contemporary Menswear: A Global Guide to Independent Men's Fashion
Street Sketchbook


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REVIEW: Guardian of Fate by L. J. Kentowski
Guardian of Fate by L. J. Kentowski
(Fate #1)
Self-Published (Dec 2011)
Kindle, 302 pages
Paranormal Romance
There are demons on earth that will have your soul if they cause an accident resulting in your death, to try to stop these demons harvesting more souls the angels have sent human guardians to interfere, trying to prevent the accidents from happening. Cassandra (Cassie) is one of these Guardians and the main protagonist of Guardian of Fate, which is written from her point of view.
Shadows were immortal demons from a place called the Underworld. They were sent to this earth to collect people's soul, forcing them into an eternal life in some hellish world. The victims were never meant to die and never suspected a thing out of the ordinary, because the demons were devious entities that made their deaths appear as natural, accidental events.
Cassie is a college student who around trying to live a normal life receives visions, in these visions she is able to see the next target and how their life would be taken, giving her knowledge allowing her to interfere so she can prevent the accident from happening. When Cassie has a vision she has to act upon it immediately, dropping anything or anyone without explanation, meaning she has only one friend, her house mate Nora and has been unable to have a boyfriend for quite some time.
Cassie's latest vision is different, the demon seems to be able to sense Cassie and this time she is unable to save the victim. Discouraged and feeling guilty, Cassie makes her way to a bar where she meets the bartender, Caleb. Good looking, and interested in Cassie, Cassie feels the attraction, then in walks another hot man, Hunter. With no chance of finding a boyfriend for a while, Cassie finds two hot ones at once.
Hunter and Caleb are both interested in Cassie and both are having very different approaches at claiming her affection, Hunter is domineering and direct trying to take what he wants and always turning up unexpected while Caleb is more sensitive, giving Cassie a choice.
I must admit I was not a fan of Hunter, I dislike men thinking they can just keep trying things on waiting for the moment you eventually cave in, Cassie is a strong heroine, she has a sense of responsibility and a desire to save those around her even if it means putting herself in danger. I Liked Cassie's personality and I connected easily with her however, when it comes to Hunter, we find Cassie's weakness.
With her soul in danger, Cassie has to work out who she can trust before it's too late and a dangerous attraction could result in eternal torment. With everyone around her keeping secrets, trust could be more difficult to find than Cassie could ever imagine.
When I come across new authors that I have heard nothing about I am always a little sceptical, there was no need to be with Guardian of Fate, the writing flowed, the plot was clear, I definitely enjoyed it more than I anticipated. Cassandra is a good heroine, courageous, kind and easy to connect with, add in hot demons, action, romance, a bit of sex and a decent plot and you have an enjoyable read.
There were a few aspects of Guardian of Fate that I was uncomfortable with, Hunter for me was a little too domineering and didn't listen to Cassandra enough for my liking, it was the only part of Cassandra's personality that let her down as she was easily swayed but saying that, I wonder how easily persuaded I would be, if I hadn't had any intimacy for a while. 😉
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


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Animal welfare activists will address the mayor and members of the San Bernardino City Council on Jan. 21, 2014, regarding the atrocities and violations of law at the city-run shelter in San Bernardino. They will ask the matter to be agendized for future discussion.
San Bernardino City Animal Services is under fire by animal welfare activists for what they say are violations of the Hayden Act and retaliatory actions against those who speak out. The city's shelter is under the control of the police department.
Maria Sanchez, one of the central and most outspoken activists, received a visit from a detective from the San Bernardino Police Department at her home in neighboring Riverside County. He left a card and then returned a second time to confront her personally.
Andrea Neyses was threatened with arrest, searched, and cited for allegedly giving treats to the animals at the shelter by San Bernardino Police Officers, an accusation she denies. The citation has never been processed and she continues to be denied her day in court to fight the charges and be heard. She is told to "check back."
The public section of the city council meeting begins at 4 p.m. with public comment usually starting between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., depending on the agenda. Speakers do not have to be there at the beginning but do need to arrange to have speaker slips turned in before the public comment section begins.
Activists welcome both speakers and those who simply want to support the effort with their presence. City Hall is located at 300 North D Street, San Bernardino. Free parking is available in the adjoining parking garage in designated areas. For more information, check out the Event Page in Facebook.


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After being oh so close, the Dominican Republic finally qualified for a major international hoops tournament last year at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship in Caracas, Venezuela. The 2014 FIBA World Cup marks the first time the Dominicans are participating in the event since 1978.
The Dominicans, under the direction of University of South Florida head coach Orlando Antigua, are led by Jack Michael Martinez and James Feldeine (Quinnipiac). Martinez, a 6-foot-8 forward, is a high-energy beast on the boards who can score in the low-post, while Feldeine is their best overall scorer.
Martinez averaged 12.0 points and 9.4 rebounds during the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.Feldeine had several monster games during the FIBA Americas Championship. He tallied 21 points in an upset of Argentina and then hug 20, 17 and 21 on Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Canada, respectively.
This is the Dominican's first appearance in a world competition since 1978, though they have come close numerous times. They came close at the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship but finished fifth after a close loss to Canada, who ended up getting the final spot for the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.
In 2011, the Dominicans finished third at the 2011 FIBA Championship, yet only the top two teams clinched a place at the 2012 London Olympics – the Dominicans have never made an Olympic appearance.
Then the Dominicans lost a must win game against Nigeria, to miss out on one of the three spots open for the Olympic in the 12 team FIBA Qualifying Tournament in Venezuela.
Other key players include Houston Rockets guard Francisco Garcia and Eulis Baez, who played collegiately at Florida International and Western Illinois.
Former University of Louisville point guard Edgar Sosa is also a familiar name on the Dominican roster as is Eloy Vargas (Kentucky), Orlando Sanchez (St. Johns) and Ronald Ramon (Pittsburgh).
The Dominican Republic, ranked No. 26 in the World by FIBA, is in Group C along with the USA, Finland, Turkey, New Zealand and Ukraine.


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Home /
INFORMATION SESSION: The School of Public Health invites you to their information sessions...
The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan would like to invite you to learn more about our graduate programs in Epidemiology, Health Behavior Health Education, Health Management and Policy, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health Sciences. Join Mary Beth Carroll, Recruiting and Admissions Coordinator, for one of our in-person or virtual information sessions.
The sessions will consist of an admissions presentation, current student panel, and Question/ Answer portion.
Please see our Recruitment Calendar for a complete list of the event dates and times.
If you are unable to attend any of our events, please feel free to email us to arrange an individual appointment.


text:
May 15, 2008 12:38 PM
Fashion and function mesh at last in this must-have carry-all. The brilliant Butler Bag ($165) comes equipped with rows of internal compartments, ensuring that you'll never have to dig through a black hole of "stuff" to find your keys or cell. Made of stylish, top-grain leather in a variety of colors (we're really digging the orange-y Spicy Ginger), the Butler Bag is a must for every girl on the go.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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I was in love with Ghost when it was Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, and that guy who plays the President on Scandal.
What is it about Ghost that makes it a classic movie and now a classic Broadway musical (now playing at The Fabulous Fox Theatre)? Of course - it's a love story. A love story so strong that it lasted beyond the boundaries of death and between a couple that was so well suited for each other it makes you say, I want love like that. I want a hot pottery scene set to Unchained Melody. I want an incredible loft in Brooklyn. But more than anything - the crazy deep love connection, a one true love. Sure, Molly may find another love but will it ever be anything like Sam. Who knows?
With all that said, the beautiful love story of Ghost that made people cry when Demi Moore says, "Ditto" as Patrick Swayze is lifted into heaven is just as strong on stage as it was on screen, and for all of us who loved the movie, it is worth every penny to relive it on stage.
Some of the scenes that play well on film and you wonder how they'll pull that off on stage - the subway scene, the heaven/hell departures, walking through doors were completed so creatively with a digital screen that it allows the audience to not lose any belief. And - of course, there's the comedic relief of Oda Mae Brown. All I think I need to say is "Molly..you in danger girl."
Catch this Ghost before it's gone. Bring your tissues. Playing at the Fox Theatre November 5 - 10. Purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.com or the Fox box office.


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Norman Hajjar, managing director of PlugInsights (the research division for the electric vehicle software analytics company Recargo) has completed an "electrifying" 12,184-mile cross-country tour behind the wheel of a stock Tesla S model car. While most people, however, would expect a more direct route, Hajjar's journey ended up being more roundabout as he had to keep to areas when he could recharge the vehicle when necessary. This meant traveling through Washington and Oregon before traversing the length of California before heading east to Maine by way of Wyoming and South Dakota. He then headed south to Florida, before driving to north again to Pennsylvania, finally retracing his western route back to the company's headquarters in Venice, CA. To accomplish his mission, Hajjar said he drove 14-16 hours a day for just over three weeks. Had there been more fast-charging stations along the way, he might have even made it sooner. As it was, Norman charged a total of 91 times. He used 59 different Superchargers a total of 86 times, once every 120-130 miles according to his estimate.
"I'd just keep driving until I got drowsy, and then I'd pull off the road," Hajjar reported. "Sometimes that would be at 3 am, so there was no point in getting a hotel room."
Note: According to a spokesman for Recargo, the journey was " meant to symbolize what's currently possible with America's EV infrastructure and (drawing on the findings of last year's inaugural PlugInsights report) emphasize the need for a better-developed public fast charging infrastructure." He also stated that this campaign involved no affiliation between Tesla and Recargo.


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Greg Griffin
Position: Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right
Height: 6-7 ▪ Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: September 6, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio
College: Idaho State University
Draft: Phoenix Suns, 4th round (5th pick, 71st overall), 1977 NBA Draft
NBA Debut: October 18, 1977
Sponsor this page for $5 and help Basketball-Reference.com provide this service. Your message will replace this ad.


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Hellur, I'm XxLost-HomexX or if you really care, my name's Jessica, but I prefer Jess. I'm 19 and from Canada where I train my penguins to run on a large wheel for power. (can't get internet any other way.. D: ) I pretty much spend my time drawing or with my friends, or both because I tend to end up drawing all of their characters.
Aaand~ I'm open for comissions! 030.. But seriously, i'm bored, and I need pictures that I can put lots of detail and time in.. Because quite frankly I don't try hard when i'm drawing for myself, and it'd be nice to be known a little more here on DA.. OAO;
But yeah, for comissions just message me some sort of detail of any sort. Not that hard to do, right? :'D
Arigato~! _(^_^)'_


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Home » Events » Implicit Bias Events
Implicit Bias Events
An Ohio State group, the Implicit Bias Collaborative, has come together to develop a series of programs on the issue of implicit bias and its impact at the university. Implicit biases are unconscious attitudes that may affect our behaviors. This collaborative includes The Women's Place, Kirwan Institute, Office of Human Resources, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Project CEOS, Gender Initiatives in STEMM, Diversity and Identity Studies Collective at OSU (DISCO) from Arts and Sciences, Wexner Medical Center, University Senate Diversity Committee, OSU Center for Ethics and Human Values, regional campus deans, and others. This group has planned the following events.
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming implicit bias events. Please check back for updates in the summer or fall.
Past Events
Winter 2014 InterACT class students
April 14, 2015
Making the Invisible Visible: Exploring Implicit Bias and Micro-aggressions, performed by InterACT
Sponsors: The Women's Place, the University Center for the Advancement of Teaching, and the Department of Theatre
Tuesday, 3 - 4:30 pm
Location: Ramseyer Hall College Commons, Room 260
Fee: free
Instructors, administrators and students subconsciously negotiate moments of implicit bias and micro-aggressions in the classroom. The InterACT theatre ensemble will unpack some of these subconscious moments that contribute to the culture in the classroom and the workplace. This interactive performance-based workshop will allow participants to explore the challenges of their own implicit bias and those of their students. InterACT is a theatre ensemble that uses interactive performance techniques to open dialogue around complex issues and then explores strategies and problem-solving techniques. After the performance, the student actors stay in character and field questions from the audience about the issues raised in the drama.
(The following event was not planned by the collaborative, but also focuses on implicit bias.)
February 12, 2015
American Denial
Sponsors: Student Life Multicultural Center and WOSU
Thursday, 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Location: Student Life Multicultural Center Alonso Family Room
Fee: free
In the wake of recent events that have sparked a national dialogue on race dynamics, join us as we watch and discuss American Denial. American Denial explores the impact of unconscious biases around race and class, using Nobel Laureate Gunnar Myrdal's 1944 investigation of Jim Crow racism asking: How could America's belief in liberty and equality also enable Jim Crow segregation? This film uses Mydral's inquiry to probe, through a diverse chorus of commentators- the power of unconscious biases today in what some have called post-racial America.
Post-screening community discussion featuring:
- Cheryl Staats: Senior Researcher, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University
- Madison Eagle: Coordinator of Leadership & Inclusion Program, YWCA
- Bowen Marshall: Program Manager for Open Doors and Special Projects, Office of Student Life at The Ohio State University
- TJ Stewart: Assistant Director of Intercultural Programming at the Student Life Multicultural Center
For more information, contact Jaz Mickey.
November 14-16, 2014
Art of Hosting Training Focusing on Implicit Bias
Sponsor: The Women's Place
Location: Hickory Lakes, 12495 Ault Rd, Pickerington, OH 43147
Fee: $50 (subsidized rate for OSU faculty & staff only); registration deadline: Nov 1
Take advantage of this highly subsidized training valued at $600. The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations (AoH) blends a suite of powerful conversational processes that invite people to step in and take charge of the challenges facing them in an inherently more democratic way than most conversations. People who experience AoH typically say that they walk away feeling more empowered and able to help guide the meetings and conversations they are part of towards more effective and desirable outcomes.
The Women's Place (TWP) is working with the Implicit Bias Collaborative to explore how implicit bias impacts the creation of an equitable and inclusive university environment. We invite you to come together for this three-day experience to delve into implicit bias as you develop Art of Hosting skills. You will:
- Learn methodologies in hosting, designing, and harvesting meaningful conversations
- Experience meaningful conversations around implicit bias to seed a larger initiative concerning implicit bias on campus
- Learn how to contribute to the university community by hosting and designing conversations that matter in their own contexts
Dates, Timing and Meals: The training will run Friday, November 14 through Sunday, November 16. Please plan to arrive for registration at 8:30am on Friday. This retreat is nonresidential, with activities beginning at 9am and concluding by 5pm on Friday and Saturday and no later than 3pm on Sunday. Training cost includes training materials, lunches and snacks for all three days.
After you register, we will email you payment instructions.
Video of the Beyond Implicit Bias event described below is available — see the photo link following the event description.
Russell Fazio
Cheryl Staats
Quinn Capers
March 26, 2014
Beyond Implicit Bias: Motivations and Actions
Sponsors: Implicit Bias Collaborative (see above for a list of members)
Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Saxbe Auditorium, Drinko Hall/Moritz College of Law
Fee: free, register by March 19
*The event will also be available remotely on Carmen Connect
Join the Implicit Bias Collaborative as we delve further into implicit bias by examining how motivations affect action and the possibilities for overcoming biases with Ohio State experts on the subject. Cheryl Staats, researcher from the Kirwan Institute, Professor Russell Fazio from Ohio State's Department of Psychology and Ohio State's Dr. Quinn Capers, IV, associate dean, College of Medicine and assistant professor, cardiovascular medicine, will present.
Dr. Fazio, the Harold E. Burtt Chair in Psychology, is an American Psychological Association Fellow and recipient of a National Science Foundation grant and many National Institute of Mental Health grants, among others. His research is centered on the study of attitudes, such as prejudice and stereotyping, and focuses on attitude formation, change, and accessibility, attitude-behavior consistency, and social cognition. He is the author of "Attitudes: Insights from the New Implicit Measures" and has articles published in numerous journals.
Staats is the author of "State of the Science: Implicit Bias Review," an extensive document that synthesizes a broad range of scholarly literature on how unconscious racial associations influence human decision-making and outcomes. The "Implicit Bias Review" highlights how cognitive forces that shape individual behavior without our awareness can contribute to societal inequities. Much of her current work focuses on implicit racial/ethnic bias.
Dr. Capers was named one of America's Best Doctors of 2009. He is associate dean for admissions in The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and an assistant professor of clinical medicine and director of Peripheral Vascular Interventions in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Capers was a National Research Service Award grantee of the National Institutes of Health as a cardiology fellow. In 2010, Dr. Capers received the Carter G. Woodson Award for Outstanding Community Service from Defense Supply Center in Columbus.
If you attended the fall 2013 semester implicit bias workshops, please RSVP for this workshop as it will go beyond the introductory material of those preceding it. Lunch will be included, RSVPs are required. Register by March 19.
Click the image to view an Adobe® Connect™ video presentation of the Beyond Implicit Bias event (please be patient if there is a delay in the loading process.)
(The following event was not planned by the collaborative, but also focuses on implicit bias.)
January 23, 2014
Conversations in Implicit Bias with Dr. Amy Brunell and Dr. Phil Mazzocco
Sponsor: The Ohio State Mansfield campus
Thursday, 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Location: Bromfield Hall, room 212, Mansfield Campus or view the event on your computer (see instructions below)
Fee: free
The presentation will focus on the topic of implicit bias, a form a prejudice hidden within the subconscious mind. Implicit bias can exist in individuals who do not consciously consider themselves to be prejudiced. Nevertheless, this subconscious bias can influence thoughts, feelings, and actions. During the presentation, Dr. Amy Brunell and Dr. Phil Mazzocco, both professors of psychology, will discuss how you can determine if you harbor implicit bias, as well as discuss what you can do about it.
This event can be viewed remotely at https://carmenconnect.osu.edu/bias
Users can enter the room with their OSU credentials or as a guest.
Meeting Name: Conversations in Implicit Bias
October 29, 2013
Health Disparities
Presented by Dr. Shannon Harrington
Sponsors: The Women's Place, Wexner Medical Center, OSU Center for Ethics and Human Values
Tuesday, noon - 1:30 pm
Location: 160 Meiling Hall
Fee: free, registration required by Oct 23
Dr. Shannon Harrington, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, will address health disparities.
Dr. Harrington is a post-doctoral Fellow at the Harvard Cancer Center-Dana Farber Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston. She has been a nursing educator for six years and has 11 years of acute care experience in medical surgical nursing in a variety of settings including both in-patient and out-patient settings.
Harrington obtained a BS in nursing from Old Dominion University, a master's in nursing with a concentration in Health Systems Management from the University of Virginia, and a doctorate in nursing from the University of Virginia. Her research interests include: healthcare disparities, quality of care, breast cancer, health promotion/disease prevention, and the impact of poor nutrition and lack of exercise on health outcomes.
In addition to conducting research and teaching, she has been a national presenter at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress in 2011, speaking on disparities among African American women with breast cancer.
Lunch will be included. Seating is limited. RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com by Oct 23.
October 22, 2013
Overcoming Implicit Bias Workshop
Presented by Brian Nosek
Sponsors: The Women's Place, Office of Gender Initiatives in STEMM, Project CEOS, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Kirwan Institute, Arts and Sciences' DISCO, Columbus Partnership
Tuesday, 2 - 4 pm
Location: Saxbe Auditorium, Drinko Hall/Moritz College of Law*
Fee: free
Dr. Brian Nosek, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia and member of the Harvard-based Project Implicit, presents this workshop on recognizing and overcoming implicit bias. Nosek co-founded Project Implicit, an international collaborative network of researchers investigating implicit social cognition — thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control.
Project Implicit is the product of a team of scientists whose research produced new ways of understanding attitudes, stereotypes and other hidden biases that influence perception, judgment, and action. It translates that academic research into practical applications for addressing diversity, improving decision-making, and increasing the likelihood that practices are aligned with personal and organizational values. Nosek investigates the gap between values and practices — such as when behavior is influenced by factors other than one's intentions and goals.
Before attending the workshop, we recommend that you take Project Implicit's online Implicit Association Test (IAT) to get a sense of your unconscious biases.
*If Saxbe auditorium is full when you arrive, you can view a simulcast of the event in the MLK Theatre on the first floor of Hale Hall, 154 W 12 Ave.
October 17, 2013
Matinees that Matter: Implicit Bias
Sponsors: Wexner Medical Center, Kirwin Institute
Thursday, noon- 1:30 pm
Location: Davis Heart and Lung Research, 473 W 12th Ave room 170
Matinees that Matter presents "Best Practices Videos" created by the Wexner Medical Center. These videos depict actual situations in which many types of biased behavior are exhibited, followed by depictions of non-biased behavior in the same situations. Discussion will follow moderated by Wanda Dillard, director of community development at the Wexner Medical Center, and Cheryl Staats, research associate at the Kirwan Institute. Lunch is included. RSVP to email@example.com.
October 16, 2013
2013 Annual Women's Reception
Sponsor: The Women's Place
Wednesday, 4 - 6 pm
Location: Longaberger Alumni House, Sanders Grand Lounge, 2200 Olentangy River Rd
Fee: Free and open to campus and Columbus community
Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate Ohio State women, catch up with colleagues and friends, and just have fun! All faculty and staff (men and women) are invited. The reception is an excellent opportunity to meet people from all areas of the university community.
This year we will highlight women who work, either formally or informally, to increase, support, and/or educate about diversity, in addition to recognizing women who have been recently hired or promoted. Valerie Lee, vice provost for Diversity and Inclusion, vice president for Outreach and Engagement, and chief diversity officer will be our honoree. Special guests include President Alutto and Provost Steinmetz.
We hope to see you there!
September 23, 2013
"Your Perception Is Not My Reality"
Sponsors: Ohio State: No Place for Hate, the Office of Student Life, the Student Life Multicultural Center, Kirwan Institute for The Study of Race and Ethnicity, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Frank W. Hale, Jr. Black Cultural Center, and the Bell National Resource Center.
Monday, 6 - 7:30 pm
Location: Hale Center, MLK Lounge
Fee: Free
Panel Discussion of the role that implicit bias plays in human interaction, ways to identify it, and how to address it. The Trayvon Martin outcome will be examined. Panelist include:
- Kwame Christian, Research Associate Kirwan Institute,
- Charles Noble, Legal Policy Analyst Kirwan Institute
- Tom Rudd, Director of Education and Emerging Research
A PowerPoint presentation from the lecture described below is available — see the link following the lecture description.
Dr. Denise Sekaquaptewa
Dr. Jennifer Linderman
September 13, 2013
Faculty Recruitment Workshop: Strategies and Tactics for Recruiting to Increase Diversity and Excellence (STRIDE)
Academic Leader Development Series
Sponsors: The Women's Place, Gender Initiatives in STEMM, Project CEOS, Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Human Resources
Friday, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: 160 Cunz Hall
Fee: free, registration required
Learn practices that will maximize the likelihood that diverse, highly qualified candidates for faculty positions will be identified, and, if selected, will be successfully recruited, retained, and promoted. Members of the STRIDE Committee, University of Michigan's National Science Foundation ADVANCE program that specializes in diversity hiring practices, will lead the workshop.
- Who should attend the workshop?: deans, department chairs, search committee chairs and search committee members
- Goal of the program: learn evidence-based strategies for recruiting, retaining, and promoting exceptional faculty at Ohio State
Jennifer Linderman and Denise Sekaquaptewa will facilitate the workshop. Dr. Linderman is a professor of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, and a member of the Centers for Systems Biology and for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics at the University of Michigan. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. As associate director of the University of Michigan ADVANCE Program and director of the ADVANCE program in the College of Engineering, she works to improve faculty recruitment, retention, climate and leadership at the university.
Dr. Sekaquaptewa is a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She also serves as associate director of the University of Michigan ADVANCE program and has served as an associate editor for the journals Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Learn more about STRIDE.
STRIDE PowerPoint presented during the lecture
September 11, 2013
Implicit Bias Conversation
Sponsor: The Women's Place
Wednesday, 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Location: Hale Hall
Fee: free
Have you noticed that most university leaders are from the same demographic group? That some types of people get ignored in meetings? That some categories of employees are treated differently from others? Bring what you've noticed to an "unconference" on unconscious associations at Ohio State, and let's talk about what we all notice and no one discusses! Join The Women's Place for candid conversations — let's talk about real change!
July 29-31, 2013
Art of Hosting Training
Sponsor: The Women's Place
Location: Mansfield Campus, Student Union, Eisenhower Hall/Memorial Center
Fee: $150; register by July 15
The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations (AoH) blends a suite of powerful conversational processes that invite people to step in and take charge of the challenges facing them in an inherently more democratic way than most conversations. People who experience AoH typically say that they walk away feeling more empowered and able to help guide the meetings and conversations they are part of towards more effective and desirable outcomes.
The Women's Place (TWP) is working with others in the university system to explore how implicit bias impacts the creation of an equitable and inclusive university environment. We invite you to come together for a three-day, residential retreat to delve into this issue as you develop Art of Hosting skills. You will:
- Learn methodologies in hosting, designing, and harvesting meaningful conversations
- Experience meaningful conversations around implicit bias to seed a larger initiative concerning implicit bias on campus
- Learn how to contribute to the university community by hosting and designing conversations that matter in their own contexts


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The Federal Reserve has recently proposed new rules in credit card lending to only consider one's personal income and not the household's income. Essentially, this sounds smart. They are trying to prohibit those without a steady income from taking on credit, especially those unable to repay their debt. However, Margaret Ryznar points out an outstanding point in her most recent ... Read More »
Home > Tag Archives: Margaret Ryznar


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Condemned man's bogus claim
It has been nearly 29 years since Ronald Post shot 53-year-old Helen Vantz twice in the head while she was working as a clerk at a motel in Elyria. And 28 years since he was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Post has stayed alive through various appeals, all rejected by courts up to the Supreme Court of the United States. But his most recent claim is also the most novel.
During his incarceration, Post has gained weight — a lot of weight. His lawyers claim he is 480 pounds. The state said it recently weighed him at 396 pounds. The lawyers claim that his weight and medical condition create "a substantial risk that any attempt to execute him will result in serious physical and psychological pain to him, as well as an execution involving a torturous and lingering death."
State's responsibility
It is incumbent on the state to conduct executions in a dignified and humane manner — regardless of the brutality a murderer may have shown his victims.
Patients even more obese than Post undergo medical treatments every day that require the insertion of IVs. Obesity would not be a cause for abandoning medical treatment for an innocent person; it is not a reason to postpone Post's long-overdue date with the executioner. That date, set by the Ohio Supreme Court, is Jan 13, 2013.
A bullet through the head doesn't care if the target is fat or skinny.
I feel so sorry for the victim's family-that they have to see/hear this murderers bo-hoo-hooing. He has had 28 years to relax, breathe air, stuff his face with so much free food[from us tax payers]that he now weighs 480 lbs. What ? Is an IV painful? I have had hundreds in my life-as most of us have had a few at least. I have seen lots of obese patients in hospitals with ivs and it doesn't look painful. Also, if he thinks the drugs won't kill him-just a matter of how many lbs[or kgs] and a proper lethal dose can be calculated. He should be concerned with all the pain he has caused others,obviously he will never comprehend thie aspect. I think the best death sentence for him would be STARVATION as he would have more time to ponder his existence.


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Pullman Forum Hotel - Dongguan
- Location:
- Address: 32 Middle Dongcheng Road, Dongcheng District, Dongguan, Guangdong Province
- Tel: 0769-23368888 (Book this hotel, call 800-2682918)
- Hotel Name in Chinese: 东莞旗峰山铂尔曼酒店
- Lowest Price: $150
Pullman Forum Hotel is close to the picturesque Qifeng Park in the center of Dongguan, only several kilometers from the coach station and 25 kilometers from the railway station.
All 260 guest rooms and suites are equipped with satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, minibar, hair dryer, Wi-Fi, IDD, air conditioning, bathtub and so on.
The hotel provides chess room, tennis, billiards, swimming pool, fitness, sauna, badminton, SPA, fitness movement, sauna center, table tennis, recreation center, outdoor children's paradise.
- 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
|Luggage service, Car rentals, Laundry service, Child care, Room service, Express check-in/check-out, Medical clinic service, Currency Exchange, Wake Up Call, Parking Service, Airport Shuttle, 24hr Reception, Permanent English-speaking staff, Business Centre, Copy Service, E-mail, Fax Service, Typing Service
|Room Amenities
|Air conditioning, AM/FM radio, Alarm clock, Color Television, Cable/satellite TV, Complimentary newspaper, Coffee/tea maker, Telephone, Hair dryer, In-room safe, Electronic Lock, Iron and ironing board, Refrigerator, Mini Bar, Bath and Shower, Non-smoking rooms available, In-house movies, Internet access,
Hotel Amenities: Elevator, Parking, Business Floor or Executive Floor, Air-Conditioned Facilities, Indoor Swimming Pool, Beauty Salon, Sauna, Business Center, Gift Shop, Gymnasium , Suitable for wheelchairs, Meeting Room, Ballroom, Deposit Box at Front Desk, Airline Desk, Fire Detector, KTV, Chess & Playing Cards Room, Wifi
Dining Facilities: Chinese Restaurant, Western Restaurant, Cafe, Bar, Lounge Bar
Print the Taxi Directions
- Please drive me to Pullman Forum Hotel - Dongguan, thank you!
- 请送我到东莞旗峰山铂尔曼酒店,谢谢
- Address: 32 Middle Dongcheng Road, Dongcheng District, Dongguan, Guangdong Province
- 地址: 32 Middle Dongcheng Road, Dongcheng District, Dongguan, Guangdong Province
- Tel: 0769-23368888
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Check out the list of all 145 hotels in Dongguan


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Xavier Labour Relation Institute, Jamshedpur conducted the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) for admission of MBA courses in India. It is also considered to be the important entrance exam for MBA. Candidates who wish to take up a career in management this is the right path to start up with.
Eligibility criteria for XAT exam:-
• Candidate must have bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized College/ University with at least 50% marks (40% for reserved category).
• Students appearing for final year can also apply for this test.
XAT 2014 Dates:-
XAT exam is conducted once in a year in the month of January.
Online Registration: 12 August, 2013 to 22 November, 2013.
Examination Date: 5 January, 2014.
XAT Exam Preparation Tips:-
According to the XAT toppers, practicing Maths past papers thoroughly is important. Join the best coaching institute to get the perfect knowledge for appearing XAT exam. Start your preparation from basic topics. . Solve as many questions as you can to increase your speed which would help you during exam.
List of Books for XAT Exams Preparation:-
• Target New XAT 2013 by Disha Experts
• Data Interpretation & Sufficiency by Career Launcher
• Verbal Reasoning by R K Agrawal
• Quantitative Aptitude by R K Agrawal
XAT 2014 Pattern:-
XAT exam papers in all contain 4 sections:-
• Analytical Reasoning & Decision Making
• Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning
• Data Interpretation & quantitative Ability
• Essay
First 3 sections are allotted in all 2 hours and 20 minutes and 40 minutes for the last Essay section.
Each question carries 1 marks and incorrect answer deducts 1/3 mark.
XAT 2014 Syllabus:-
Analytical Reasoning & Decision Making:-
• Conditions and grouping test
• Data arrangement test
• Logical ability
• Decision making
Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning:-
• English grammar based question
• English proficiency
• English comprehension
• Logical reasoning
• Data interpretation and quantitative ability
• Data sufficiency
Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability:-
• Elementary Mathematics
• Mensuration
List of Colleges in India accepting XAT score:-
• Acharya School of Management, Bangalore
• Asia Pacific Institute of Management, Delhi
• Birla Institute of Management Technology, Noida
• Bengal Institute of Business Studies, Kolkata
• Institute of Technology and Management, Mumbai
• MIT School of Business, Pune
Top Coaching Institutes for XAT in India:-
• Smart Training Resources
• Agrawal's Study Centre
• Triumphant Institute of Management Education Pvt Ltd (T.I.M.E)
• Global Educational Counsel
• Ascent Education


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One Direction's Harry Styles has stepped in it this time. Styles is being reviled for claiming that One Direction is bigger than The Beatles. All the activity and media furor over the 50th anniversary of The Beatles first official visit to U.S. shores apparently had this boy band checking out archival footage.
That, according to Styles, is when it hit him. He told New Musical Express recently: "We all sat and watched the film of the Beatles arriving in America. And, to be honest, that really was like us. Stepping off the plane, the girls, the madness. It was exactly the same as when we got there — just 50 years earlier."
Statistically-speaking, One Direction is the first group to ever have their entire first three discs debut in the number 1 slot. When it comes to actual sales, however, one online source noted that even if one takes into account that today's figures are "skewed by Billboard's decision to include streaming data and even viral hits" there is no comparison.
The Beatles 1964 Capitol Records premiere platter, Meet the Beatles! has sold more than 5 million copies. The Beatles' The Beatles' Second Album has gone double platinum and The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night has sold over 4 million copies. Compare that 11 million plus sales figure to One Direction's sales on their firs t3 CDs which have been approximately 4.8 million.
Do the math. That is a good 200,000 short of The Beatles U.S. debut alone. Mind you, that's not even mentioning The Beatles' musical impact, mmmkay?
Styles did at least admit: "(N)one of us think we're in the same league as them music-wise. We'd be total fools if we did. Fame-wise, it's probably even bigger, but we don't stand anywhere near them in terms of music."
Indeed, Mr. Styles, you would. If you truly feel the need to compare your boy band to far more famous folks, perhaps you should, as one online writer suggested, take "another page from The Beatles — and aim higher: Much higher."
My name is Phoenix and . . . that's the bottom line.