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Tarte Starry Eyed Limited-Edition Shimmering Lash/Liner Collection
Afraid of full-on holiday glitter makeup, but still want a little something special for parties? You're not alone! Try this sparkle-for-newbies set, which includes Tarte's champagne shimmer eye liner and beauty blogger-approved (we have it in our makeup drawer right now!) Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. The combo provides you with long, fluttery, voluminous lashes and subtly glimmering lids, without making you look like you fell eyes-first into a bucket of Christmas glitter.
$30 at tarte cosmetics | Buy03 Jan, 2013 in Body


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Brian Cavazos-Galvez played hero again Saturday night. Pinch hitting with two outs in the eighth inning of a tied game, the Albuquerque native slugged a solo home run to propel the Isotopes to a 6-5 victory over the host Las Vegas 51s.
Albuquerque (45-53) took two of three from Las Vegas (56-42) as both teams head into the Triple-A All-Star break. The Isotopes split a doubleheader Friday.
The 51s led 5-3 entering the eighth inning when Jamie Romak smashed a leadoff home run on a line drive to left-center field. Brock Peterson followed with a single and Mike Baxter drew a walk.
Walter Ibarra grounded into a 6-4-3 double play but Peterson made it to third base. With Cavazos-Galvez batting for reliever Matt Magill, Las Vegas reliever John Church threw a wild pitch, enabling Peterson to score the tying run.
Cavazos-Galvez then untied the game with a towering home run to left-center. It was the first pinch-hit homer by an Isotope this season and followed a walkoff home run and a walkoff RBI double by Cavazos-Galvez during the last homestand in Albuquerque.
The 51s got the tying run to third base in their half of the eighth, only to see Brandon Allen pop up to second base to end that threat. Yimi Garcia retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Magill (5-5) earned the victory as he struck out two batters and allowed just one hit in 1.1 innings. Isotopes starter Drew Carpenter gave up five runs, three earned, on seven hits and three walks while striking out five in 4.2 innings.
Casio Grider hit his first career Triple-A home run leading off the third inning. Roger Bernadina was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while Joc Pederson went 2-for-4 with a double.
Pederson and pitching coach Glenn Dishman will travel to Durham, N.C., for Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star Game, which can be seen on MLB Network. The Isotopes will resume their season at home Thursday at 7:05 p.m. against the Sacramento River Cats.

subset: commoncrawl


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Munro, Anne and Rainbird, Helen (2004) Opening doors as well as banging on tables. An assessment of UNISON/employer partnerships on learning in the UK public sector. Industrial Relations Journal, 35 (5). pp. 419-433. ISSN 0019-8692Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2338.2004.00324.x
The academic debate on partnerships has so far mainly focused on whether there are mutual gains for both unions and employers and whether they support or undermine branch organisation. This debate is here assessed in relation to learning partnerships, which are considered to be a distinctive form of partnership and represent a process of institution-building.
|Item Type:
|Print ISSN:
|Electronic ISSN:
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|learning partnerships; Unison/employer partnerships; UK; public sector; learning;
|University Divisions/Research Centres:
|The Business School
|Dewey Decimal Subjects:
|300 Social sciences > 370 Education
300 Social sciences > 330 Economics > 331 Labor economics
300 Social sciences > 330 Economics > 336 Public finance
|Library of Congress Subjects:
|L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
|Item ID:
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|RAE Import
|Date Deposited:
|04 Feb 2008 15:10
|Last Modified:
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Books > Contemporary
Love's Rhythm
by Lexxie Couper
Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, Red Hots!!!
Length: Category
Buy the eBook now from Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble
…brimming with humor and emotion…you'd best get out the ice water and fan, readying yourself for some hot rock-star lovin' ~ USA Today
Book Summary
His music moves the world. Can his love move her heart?
Nick Blackthorne knows all about words of love. They're the reason he's the world's biggest rock star. The irony? He turned his back on love a long time ago, lured away by the trappings of fame.
An invitation to a friend's wedding is a stark reminder of how meaningless his life has become. When he enters that church, there's only one woman he wants on his arm—the one he walked out on a lifetime ago. But first he has to find her, even if all she accepts from him is an apology.
Kindergarten teacher Lauren Robbins once had what every woman on the planet desires. Nick. Their passion was explosive, their romance the stuff of songs…and it took fifteen years to get over him. Then out of the blue Nick turns up at her door, and all those years denying her ache for him are shattered with a single, smoldering kiss.
But molten passion can't hide the secret she's kept for all these years. Because it's not just her heart on the line anymore…and not just her life that'll be rocked by the revelation.
Product Warnings
Remember your first crush on a rock star? Now add smoldering sex, a raw and undeniable passion, soul-shattering orgasms. And secrets …
Copyright © 2012 Lexxie Couper
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
"Hello, Lauren," a deep male voice said behind her.
Lauren squealed. An honest to goodness squeal. At the same exact second she spun on her heel and swung her satchel, weighed down with two textbooks, her uneaten lunch, car keys, half-empty water bottle, twenty-two hand-drawn self-portraits tucked in a sturdy cardboard folder, her purse and her iPad.
The satchel smashed into the temple of the man standing behind her.
There was a solid thud, a surprised oof, followed by an even more surprised, "shit, that hurt," before the man went down like a bag of bricks, collapsing to the ground in one fluid, graceful drop. No, not just the man, the rock star. The rock star the whole world idolised, the one who'd grown up in this very parochial town with her.
The rock star who'd stolen her heart in that life she refused to think about.
Lauren's mouth fell open. Her pulse turned into a sledgehammer. She stared at the motionless man lying at her feet, refusing to believe what her eyes were telling her. Nick Blackthorne was here in Murriundah, and she'd rendered him unconscious with the very satchel he'd given to her fifteen years ago.
"Oh, no."
The words were a whispered breath. She dropped to her knees, the ground's winter-damp seeping through the linen of her trousers as she reached out with one hand and gave Nick's shoulder a gentle push. "Nick?"
He didn't move.
Oh boy, Lauren, you've KOed the world's biggest rock star.
She shoved him again, a little harder this time. "Nick?"
He didn't make a sound. Not a bloody one.
Her heart slammed into her throat, just as hard as the satchel had hit his head. She licked her lips and brushed a strand of his black hair from his forehead. He was just as gorgeous as always. Older, yes. He was almost thirty-seven after all, but the years looked good on him, so good. In fact, they suited him. When he'd been a teenager, he'd been god-like in his beauty. When he was in his twenties, that god-like beauty had verged on painful to look at. She'd spent many nights lying in the bed they'd shared for a year and a half, gazing at him while he slept, wondering at his perfection, her belly knotting with love, her sex constricting with longing. And then it had become just her bed, Nick nothing but a ghost in her heart.
She'd stopped reading articles about him somewhere in his late twenties, knowing each one would only make her stupid heart ache. But it was impossible to avoid seeing images of him. He kept popping up on the national news. Australia loved one of their own, especially when they'd won a Grammy or Billboard Award, or when they were dating Hollywood royalty or British royalty, something Nick Blackthorne seemed to do on a regular basis. Even worse was the local Murriundah Herald, the small newspaper constantly keeping the town aware of their famous son and his activities. Those images were hard to escape, and when she had let herself stare at them for longer than a heartbeat, she'd noticed his late twenties and early thirties only elevated his looks to a lived-in sexiness. The tiny seams around his eyes, the lines by his nose, they all heightened what she'd never forgotten—Nick Blackthorne was a sexy, sexy man. And now here he was, unconscious on his side in the Murriundah Public School's muddy playground, looking even sexier than she remembered.
Damn it, what was he doing here? What the hell was he doing back here?
For me?
She frowned, shaking her head at the notion. No. Nick wouldn't be here for her.
Could be. Isn't that what you've dreamed about for the last fifteen years?
Her frown turned into a scowl. No, it bloody well wasn't. She had moved on. She wasn't still the naïve young woman with impossible fantasies and fairy-tale wishes of happy-ever-afters. And if he was here for her—her heart smashed harder into her throat at that thought—he could bloody well bugger off. The last thing she wanted was—
He groaned. A barely audible noise deep in his chest.
Lauren started, a tiny yelp slipping from her. "Nick?"
She nudged his shoulder again, but the groan was about it. "Well, at least I know I didn't kill you," she muttered, giving him a glare. He lay there on the cold ground, long, lean body decked out in black jeans, a black shirt and a black leather jacket she knew would cost more than she earned in a month.
Lauren rubbed at her mouth. What was he doing here? And was he alone? Surely he travelled with an entourage? A bodyguard? She'd seen enough paparazzi images of him to know there was usually a hulking great big guy shadowing him wherever he was. Where was that guy?
She sat back on her haunches, studying the empty playground around her. There were no massive hulking great big guys running at her, which meant she would have to deal with the unconscious Nick.
A tight twisting sensation stirred in the pit of her belly and she bit back a groan. She was not going to get all horny and excited at the idea of dealing with Nick. Besides, there wasn't a hope in hell she could lift him by herself and carry him to her car, even if she wanted to. At five-foot-six and one-hundred-and-thirty pounds wringing-wet, she wasn't exactly the lugging-unconscious-rock-stars-around type even if said unconscious rock star had more than once lay full-length atop her in bed, on the living room floor, the kitchen bench, the—
Lauren slapped her hands to her face, killing the utterly insane train of thought. God, was she an idiot? What the hell was she doing thinking about Nick making love to her?
"You a masochist, Lauren Robbins?" she snarled under her breath, grabbing at her satchel/instrument of destruction before digging her phone from its lethal contents.
She turned it on, keying in Jennifer's number. Hopefully, her best friend was sticking with Friday-afternoon tradition and had closed her vet clinic early. Jennifer was used to dealing with heavy, unresponsive animals, being the only vet in the district. Dealing with an unconscious Nick Blackthorne would be a breeze.
"I've got the margaritas chilling in the fridge already," Jennifer Watson said the moment the connection was made, not bothering with any kind of greeting. "Tell Josh you'll be home later than normal tonight."
"I've got a problem, Jen," Lauren answered, trying hard not to let her gaze roam over Nick. Trying but failing, damn it.
"What's up? And if you tell me you're marking school books I'm coming over there to thump you."
"I'm not marking school books, Jen." Lauren rolled her eyes. "Now shut up and listen carefully."
Jennifer made a dramatic ooh sound before laughing. "Okay, Miss Robbins, I'm listening. What's your boggle?"
Lauren bit at her bottom lip. "Umm, you know how I told you I once dated Nick Blackthorne?"
Jennifer let out a sharp snort. "You mentioned it in passing years ago and never let me bring up the subject again. Is this a confession? Did you lie to me? Or are you going to tease me some more with tales of your past? Did you also date Hugh Jackman? Guy Pearce? Geoffrey Rush?"
Lauren laughed, rolling her eyes. "No, I didn't. But I did date Nick Blackthorne."
"And I'm going to say the same thing I said when you told me before—lucky bitch. Now tell me what's up?"
Lauren took a deep breath. "Well, he's here now."
Silence answered her. For a good twenty seconds or so. Then Jennifer said, "Nick Blackthorne is here?" Her voice, normally calm and laced with mirth, like she knew a really funny joke and was on the verge of sharing it, raised an octave. "In Murriundah?"
Lauren gazed at Nick's face, his stormy-grey eyes shuttered by thick black lashes resting on cheekbones high and strong. A decidedly purplish bruise was beginning to make itself known on the side of his face. "In Murriundah," she answered on a sigh.
Jennifer made a strangled little sound. "And?"
"And I just knocked him unconscious in the school playground."
"What the—"
Lauren jerked the phone from her ear.
"What the hell do you mean you just knocked him unconscious?" Jennifer continued, her voice far from calm and loud enough Lauren could hear each word even with the phone nowhere near her ear. "Why? With what? And why? Jesus Christ, Robbins, who are you really and what—"
Lauren returned her phone to her ear. "Jenny!" she snapped, "I don't have time right now. I need your help. I can't move Nick by myself and I can't leave him on the ground. He'll catch a cold—"
"A cold?" Jennifer interrupted. "You can't leave him on the ground because he'll catch a cold? How 'bout you can't leave him on the ground because he's Nick Blackthorne?"


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A new study finds fussy infants and toddlers typically watch more TV or videos than other children.
"Interestingly, the kids who were less likely to be able to self-regulate had more media exposure," Dr. Elaine Shulte said.
Boston Medical Center researchers questioned the parents of nearly 7,500 children at 9 months and 2 years old. They found that the infants and toddlers whom parents characterized as most fussy, or who have difficulties with self-soothing, falling or staying asleep, or controlling their emotional state, also had the most media exposure. Researchers say kids with self-regulation problems watched about 9 more minutes of media per day at age 2.
They say early childhood is a critical time for forming lifelong media habits and suggest pediatricians help parents develop a healthier media diet.
"The whole point of the study is to emphasize that parents should not use media, TV, videos as the pacifier. We know that kids who are exposed to more media, early in life are more likely to have speech and language problems, which leads to reading problems and learning problems," Dr. Shulte said.
Complete findings for the study "Television viewing, bedroom television, and sleep duration from infancy to mid-childhood," can be found in the journal "Pediatrics."


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The following are local restaurants that have been recommended by Hamilton visitors, staff and students, along with their location and distance from campus.
The listing of area restaurants is intended as convenience for visitors to Hamilton College, but does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by the College. Information is subject to change.
* Area restaurants are reviewed and published on an semi-annual basis. If you would like to have your establishment considered for addition to this page, please Email Liz Spaziani (email@example.com).


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The number of home based franchises continues to grow and in some franchise segments the home based feature exists in the majority of the franchise companies. Looking back into franchise history the typical franchise was a bricks and mortar franchise whether it was a KFC, Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds.
From 3,500 franchise brands Forbes magazine has ranked the top 20 US franchises that it estimates offers buyers the best return on investment.
CANTON, Mass. — Jon Luther has stepped down in December as executive chairman and a paid employee of Dunkin' Brands Inc. But he will continue strategic leadership as the chairman of the company's board of directors.
Irwin Barkan plaintiff, ME, filed his appeal June 18, 2010 in the US First Circuit Court of Appeals in Barkan vs. Dunkin Donuts Inc., case # 10-1247.
NASSAU COUNTY, NY – A Nassau judge ruled last week that Patrick LaFontaine, professional hockey player and inductee in the Hockey Hall of Fame, can move forward with his fraud claims again
I am writing a book about my 'truth is stranger than fiction' 9-year battle with Dunkin' Donuts, which exposes the dark underbelly of franchising and the civil justice system. My story is unique but the theme has been repeated with hundreds, no thousands of franchisees around the world, yet the media silence has been deafening. To learn more about my book read more...
FranchiseFacts' Satisfaction Index (FFI) is a comparative rating created to measure franchisee satisfaction with their business and their franchisor.
A federal judge has ruled that franchisees may explore Dunkin's ulterior motive in terminating their franchise agreements.
Bellingham, MA (Blue MauMau) —The DD Independent Franchise Owners Group, the largest association of Dunkin' Donuts franchise owners, has appointed Professor Patrick Kaufmann, a marketing professor of Boston University, to its Board of Directors.
Visit the legal directory
Visit the supplier directory


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21 Apr 13:22 2004
Re: Generators take 2 (was Generator Expressions)
I just took a look at how generators are designed in C# 2.0 which seem quite nice. Basically the trick is that a generator could return a new java.util.Iterator instance which maintains its own state. e.g. myGenerator() { yield 1 for (x in 3..6) { yield x } } if I then did list = [] for (x in myGenerator()) { list.add(x) } assert list == [1, 3, 4, 5, 6] So what we'd need to do to implement these kinds of generators is... * reserve 'yield' as a keyword (worth doing now just in case) * any method which uses 'yield' must return any type, Iterator or Object. i.e. its a compile error for the return type to not support Iterator * we then transform the AST of the method code to create an inner class which implements Iterator to walk through the 'yield' statements. This basically means that all the local variable state in the method becomes state in the Iterator implementation class. Then the iterator class would need to maintain a kinda stack pointer to know where it was last time since the last yield statement. In pseduo-code we transform the above generator method into something vaguely like myGenerator() { return new Foo$myGenerator() } // inner class which implements the generator... class Foo$myGenerator extends Generator { private Iterator iteratorForXLoop; private int lastSwitchPoint = 0; boolean hasNext() { switch (lastSwitchPoint) { case 0: setNext(1) ++ lastSwitchPoint return true } case 1: iteratorForXLoop = (3..6).iterator() for (x in iteratorForXLoop) { setNext(x) lastSwitchPoint = 2 return true label2: } ++ lastSwitchPoint return true case 2: goto label2; default: return false } } The basic trick is to store all local state inside the inner class as state which is available across each iteration loop and then we need to be able to jump back inside loops. I'm sure there could be some other issues in there somewhere - this is all just off the top of my head - but I'm sure at the bytecode level the above is easily possible. Though its gonna be quite hairy to do with the current bytecode generator. I'm very keen as soon as possible to put in a Java AST abstraction we can use at the bytecode generator to make the bytecode generation of normal Java-like statements easy to do as well as of groovy things like closures (maybe modules soon too) and one day maybe generators as well. This will hopefully put an end to these awful verify exceptions we get in certain circumstances James ------- http://radio.weblogs.com/0112098/


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Taylor Crowned Conference Champion In The Steeplechase
May 3, 2014
AMHERST, Mass. - On Saturday in Amherst, Mass., at the UMass Track and Field Complex the Minutemen hosted day one of the 2014 Outdoor Atlantic 10 Championship and are now in sixth place overall going into the final day of competition on Sunday. Antony Taylor shined in his final Atlantic 10 Championship with his golden performance in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
Taylor completed the steeplechase in front of a roaring home crowd in just 9-minutes, 5.27-seconds to win the event and claim his first Atlantic 10 Championship. The gold medal performance is UMass' first since Sean Busch won the pole vault at the 2011 Outdoor Atlantic 10 Championship. He is the first A-10 Champion in the steeplechase from UMass since 1999 when Brendan Sullivan won the event.
Also scoring in the steeplechase was Paolo Tavares. The freshman ran the event in 9-minutes, 19.56-seconds for a seventh place finish.
UMass also found success in the field recording three scoring performances. Zachary Blum recorded a height of 6-feet, 0.5-inches in the high jump to tie for seventh place. In the pole vault Nate Abraham set a height of 13-feet, 9.25-inches for a fifth place effort while Greg Copeland recorded a 13-foot, 3.5-inch mark to finish seventh.
The Minutemen positioned themselves for success in the finals on the A-10 finale qualifying seven Minutemen for the finals.
Five of the seven came in the hurdles with Stephen Bigelow and Zack Grube qualifying in the 100 meter hurdes. Bigelow finished the event in 14.57-seconds to place second in the preliminaries. Grube was seventh with a time of 15.19-seconds.
Grube also qualified in the 400 meter hurdles with Peter Farlow and Blum. Farlow recorded the top time of the trio for a sixth place finish in the preliminary round with a time of 55.44-seconds. Grube was just behind his teammate at the 55.56-second mark for a seventh place effort. Blum finished in 56.04-seconds to grab the nine spot and qualify for the finals.
The other two qualifying times came in sprints with Pat Farnham running the ninth fastest time in the 100 meter dash. Farnham finished the sprint in 10.97-seconds. Zack Hildenbrandt crossed the finish line of the 400 meter dash at the 48.71-second mark to qualify with an eight place finish.
The Atlantic 10 Championship will continue tomorrow, May 4 at 8:45 AM.
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Happy after Thanks Giving!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
First I want to say I Hope everyone Had a Fantastic Thanksgiving!!
I had told myself before ThanksGiving day, I was going to watch what I eat, the portions, and calories, but not deprive myself either.
A normal Thanksgiving, I eat a good breakfast to hold me over till dinner. ( usually at 1:00 or 2:00) eggs, bacon, pancakes, OJ,
this year Low fat yogurt and a banana.
helping cook, I have to taste the gravy while stirring it, the turkey when cutting it, the potatoes after mashing... you get the picture.. ( I did none of that this year, didn't even lick a spoon!!
Normal for me turkey dinner, two pieces of turkey, one piece ham, 2 or 3 dinner rolls, 2 cups mashed potatoes lots of gravy, jello salad, stuffing, corn ( mom mixes creamed and reg corn together.) green bean casserole, a few carrots tomatoes and a pickle to make my plate look more healthy.
hour after dinner, 2 - 3 pieces of what ever pie we have, usual pecan, apple and pumpkin, topped off with ice cream.
later in the day, another plate of leftovers , heaped full.
This year I was thankful I had lost weight and wanted to remain that way.
2 small pieces of turkey, 1 cup mashed potatoes, maybe 1/4 cup gravy. 2 cups steamed vegetables, ( that I fixed just so I had something healthy to fill up on) , 1 cup cubed and roasted sweet potatoes. 1 roll,
an hour after dinner: 1 slice pumpkin pie, with 2 table spoons lite coolwhip.
snack later half bag popcorn.
I was actually at the bottom of my calorie range..wooohooo!
a couple days later i have to admit on pizza and movie night. I only had 2 pieces of pizza, but pigged out on 5 bread sticks. thank goodness I hadn't ate much the rest of the day because amazingly enough I was still in calorie, fat and carb range. ( high end of carbs and fat.)
So that brings me to today. I was hoping I had at least maintained my weight, I knew I was doing good on food intake but my fitness minutes has gone way down in this cold overcast weather. So I went to Walmart this morning and bought myself a new scale. brand health meter. cost around 25.00. a little more than I planned but it guaranteed to be within .2 lbs of the correct weight ( I'm sure manufactures don't lie right.
I usually weigh in on WED but I couldn't wait. 250 lbs ... That's down 5 lbs since I went to the docs about 3 weeks ago!!!
I am soo Happy!
If you read my other blogs you know my other scales were off 10 lbs and then my grandsons broke them. but from my calculations, I have lost ( since last weigh in) 4 lbs.
That makes me want to exercise!! doing a happy dance for sure.
I was so worried about the holidays , I always gain at least 10 - 20 lbs over the winter.
I'm determined that will not be the case this winter, in fact I am going to do my best to lose another 15 lbs by spring.
If we set our mind on something we can reach the stars!
I hope you are having a wonderful week! staying warm and having fun
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Sounds like an awesome thanksgiving dinner! Congrats on the overall weight loss and on the new accurate scale!!
2030 days ago
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AWESOME job!
I love the comparison between most years and this year. And when you read everything you still ate it sounds like a perfectly balanced and still totally holiday appropriate meal!
Way to go!!!!
2032 days ago
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I am SOOOOOOO proud of you! Not only for the weight loss, but for sticking to your plan on Thanksgiving. Obviously you did better than I did! Hope Mom didn't give you a hard time, but it sounds like you had a reasonable plate of food, so maybe she thought it was enough?
Funny how that winter weight gain goes...holiday meals, plus weather too cold to exercise outside plus all the fresh veggies are suddenly the starchy kind=winter weight! Me, too. Was happy to find sliced yellow squash in the freezer section last grocery trip--maybe I can keep losing too. 5 lbs. by Christmas--race you!
And obviously, that scale was a good investment. Now if only you can keep the boys from playing with it!
2033 days ago
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The holidays & winter are definitely tough. You sound ready to take them on and win with a loss!! You can do it!!
2033 days ago
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Good for you.
2033 days ago
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About The Lingerie Addict
My name is Cora Harrington, and I'm the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Lingerie Addict. It often surprises people, but I don't actually come from a lingerie background. I didn't start off in PR, fashion, or marketing either. Rather, The Lingerie Addict began as a hobby, something I did after coming home from my dayjob in nonprofits.
The Lingerie Addict is built on the idea that lingerie is fashion too. Very often, the world of intimate apparel is relegated to afterthought. It's the outerwear, the accessories, the jewelry, and the makeup that get all the attention. The importance of lingerie is seen as negligible. Here at TLA, we seek to change all that. Here, lingerie is the star. Here, lingerie is the center of the – the foundation of – the perfect wardrobe.
More than anything, I want The Lingerie Addict to feel like a welcoming, inclusive, and empowering space for all, but especially for women. We're officially a Body Snark Free Zone, and TLA is actively passionate about promoting diversity of all kinds, whether that's in terms of size, race, sexuality, age, ability, or gender identity. In addition to the blog, TLA also consults with a very limited number of lingerie brands per year. You can learn more about our consulting services here.
If you'd like to reach me directly, my email address is firstname.lastname@example.com. While I try very hard to respond to all emails, I do ask that people give me at least a few days turnaround time as The Lingerie Addict has grown quite large since its early days!
If you'd like to inquire about advertising with The Lingerie Addict, please send your email to firstname.lastname@example.com. News, tips, article ideas, and guest post submissions should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com. Sales post submissions should go directly to our Sales Editor at email@example.com.
I hope you like it here! Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.
Cora Harrington
For PR and Media:
If you are a PR professional or writer looking for some quick background information on me, please feel free to copy and utilize any information contained in this section, including photos (please remember to include the appropriate credits for all photographs).
Brief Bio:
Cora Harrington is the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Lingerie Addict, the world's largest blog dedicated to the fashion of intimate apparel. With over 600,000 page views per month, and a social media following over 275,000 strong, The Lingerie Addict is a destination for people who believe that lingerie is fashion too. Cora Harrington has been quoted as a lingerie expert on the websites for CNN, Vogue Italia, Forbes, Fox News, Time, and Today, and in 2014, the site became one of the top 100,000 websites in the world according to Alexa.com. Though originally from Georgia, Ms. Harrington currently resides in the Seattle, WA area.
For additional information and inquiries, please write to: email@example.com.
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Trent McCotter wins Inaugural Greg Spira Award
Posted by admin on April 30, 2013
Anyone who knows of Trent McCotter's work as a member of SABR will not be surprised that his research garnered the first Greg Spira Award. Greg was a dear friend of our site who passed early last year. Baseball-Reference.com is honored that we could co-sponsor an award in his honor.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 at 9:31 am and is filed under Announcement, Awards, Baseball-Reference.com. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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Author: Attorney Desk Reference Manual
Last updated: May 2003
Statutes and Other Law
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
In General
Remedies for Breach of Warranty
Express Warranties
Warranty of Title
Implied Warranty of Merchantability
Implied Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose
Exclusion or Modification of Warranties
Cumulation and Conflict of Warranties
Third Party Beneficiaries
Economic Loss v. Non-Economic Loss
Defenses to Breach of Warranty
New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act (Lemon Law)
Lemon Law Conditions for Any Remedy
Lemon Law Seller's Affirmative Defenses
Used Cars: Power Train Components
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
Overview and Scope
Basic Disclosure Provisions
Requirement for Full Warranties
Prohibition of Tie-Ins and Other Requirements
Common Law Implied Warranties
Application by Analogy to the UCC
FTC Used Car Rule
Coverage of the Rule
The "Buyer's Guide"
Other Requirements Relating to the Buyer's Guide
Other Requirements of the Rule
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Back to Attorney Desk Reference Manual Table of Contents
With respect to the sale of goods, the Code provides for express warranties as well as for several implied warranties. It also makes provision for exclusion or modification of such warranties, the effect of the operation of multiple warranties, and the scope of persons protected by the warranties.
Express warranties by the seller are created, provided they are a part of the basis of the bargain, by:
It is not necessary that seller use formal words such as "warrant" or "guarantee." Nor is it necessary that seller intend to make a warranty. However, expression of the seller's opinion or commendation of the goods does not constitute a warranty, nor does mere "puffing."
"Part of the Basis of the Bargain" is broadly interpreted. The term "bargain" encompasses the entire transaction and surrounding circumstances and specific evidence of reliance on a statement is unnecessary. The customer must usually only show that he read or heard and believed the statement, but other circumstances or contractual disclaimers can make it unreasonable for the buyer to believe that statements or promises were part of the basis of the bargain.
The statement need not be made by the actual retail seller, but can be the manufacturer's statement or promise, or that of a third party that gets introduced into the bargaining process.
In early 1975, Congress enacted the Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, found at 15 U.S.C. §§2301-12. The Act applies to consumer product warranties – i.e., a consumer product being one "normally used for personal family or household purposes," and it has been implemented by FTC regulations found at 16 C.F.R. §701 et. seq.
Under the Act, effective July 5, 1975, every warranty in writing must fully and conspicuously disclose in simple and readily understood language the terms and conditions of such warranty, including whether the warranty is a full or limited warranty in accordance with the standards set forth in the Act. (SEE SECTION ON MAGNUSON-MOSS BELOW). To the extent of any conflict between the provisions of the Act and the Commercial Code, the Act controls under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. constitution.
- pass without objection in the trade; and
- be fit for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are used; and
- run of even kind, quality and quantity within each unit and among all units involved; and
- are adequately contained, packaged and labeled; and
- conform to the promises or affirmations of fact made on the container or label.
- Other implied warranties may arise from course of dealing or usage of trade.
- These implied warranties can be excluded or modified pursuant to 810 ILCS 5/2-316.
- Note that in consumer fraud cases, you may also have a breach of the implied warranty of merchantability. For example, a vehicle sold with an odometer roll- back would not "pass without objection in the trade" and would thus be unmerchantable.
If the seller, at time of sale, has reason to know the particular purpose for which the goods are required, and that the buyer is relying on the seller's skill or judgment to select or furnish suitable goods, there is an implied warranty that the goods shall be fit for such purpose.
Whether or not goods are sold for a "particular purpose" depends on whether the buyer is to put the goods to a specific use peculiar to his business or circumstances. It is to be distinguished from ordinary or general use.
This implied warranty can be excluded or modified under 810 ILCS 5/2-316.
a) If words or conduct tending to negate or limit an express warranty cannot be reasonably construed consistently with the words or conduct relevant to the creation of an express warranty, negation or limitation is inoperative.
b) All implied warranties are excluded by expressions like "as is," "with all faults," or other language which calls the buyer's attention to the exclusion of warranties, unless circumstances indicate otherwise. Note, however, that an "as is" warranty disclaimer does not shield the seller from non-UCC fraud claims.
c) There are no implied warranties with regard to defects which an examination before entering the contract ought to have revealed, if the buyer has examined the goods as fully as desired or has refused to examine them.
d) An implied warranty can also be excluded or modified by course of dealing, course of performance, or usage of trade.
In the absence of b), c), or d) above, the warranty of merchantability can only be excluded or modified if the language mentions merchantability, and in case of a writing, must be conspicuous.
In the absence of b), c), or d) above, the warranty of fitness can only be excluded or modified if it is in writing and conspicuous. The language need not mention fitness and is sufficient by stating, for example, "There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof."
Remedies for breach of warranty can be limited in a manner consistent with 810 ILCS 5/2-718 and 810 ILCS 5/2-719 of the Act. Under 810 ILCS 5/2-718, damages for breach by either party may be liquidated in the agreement but only at an amount which is reasonable in light of the anticipated or actual harm caused by the breach, the difficulties of proof of loss, and the inconvenience or nonfeasibility of otherwise obtaining an adequate remedy. A term fixing unreasonably large liquidated damages is void. Under 810 ILCS 5/2-719, the contract may provide for remedies in addition to or in substitution for those provided in the UCC and may limit the buyer's remedies, unless the limitation is unconscionable.
The General Rule is that warranties, whether express or implied, shall be construed as consistent with each other and as cumulative.
If that construction is unreasonable, the intention of the parties determines which warranty is dominant.
An express warranty displaces an inconsistent warranty of merchantability (e.g. "I will replace defective parts").
An implied warranty of fitness displaces an inconsistent express warranty.
Any of the above warranties, express or implied, extends to all family and household members of the buyer as well as to guests in the home if it is reasonable to expect that the family or household member or guest might use, consume or be affected by the goods and who suffers harm by breach of the warranty.
The Illinois Supreme Court has held that the UCC warranty provisions, rather than theories of negligence or strict liability on tort, govern actions for purely "economic loss." "Economic loss" is distinguished from physical harm or property damage, and includes damages for inadequate value, costs of repair and replacement, or lost profits.
"Economic losses" are recoverable only under a breach of warranty theory whereas other types of losses including personal injuries are recoverable in tort. The distinction is important because recovery under the warranty provisions, as opposed to under a tort theory, are subject to limitation by contract and the third-party limitations of 810 ILCS 5/2-318.
Defenses include: buyer's negligence, assumption of risk, misuse of the product, non-compliance with conditions to warranty coverage, expiration of express warranty period, and statute of limitations (4 years after the cause of action accrues).
Persons who purchase a new vehicle for primarily personal, household or family purposes have a remedy under this act where the new vehicle fails to conform to all express warranties applicable to such vehicle if that failure substantially impairs the use, market value or safety of that vehicle.
The Act provides a cause of action against the "seller," defined as the manufacturer, the manufacturer's agent or distributor, or that manufacturer's authorized dealer. A "new vehicle" means a passenger car, a second division vehicle having a weight under 8,000 pounds, and a recreational vehicle, all as defined in the Illinois Vehicle Code. The Act also now applies to converted, modified or altered vehicles, where the conversion or modification was to parts causing the vehicle not to perform according to its warranty.
Such persons must elect whether to proceed and settle under this Act or to bring a cause of action under the Illinois Commercial Code. Persons who elect the former are barred from the latter.
The buyer must allow the seller a reasonable number of attempts to bring the new vehicle into conformance with the applicable express warranties.
A presumption arises that a reasonable number of attempts have been undertaken where, within a period of one year or 12,000 miles after delivery, whichever occurs first:
This presumption only applies if the manufacturer has received prior direct written notification from or on behalf of the consumer, and has had an opportunity to correct the defect.
Any replacement vehicle provided to the consumer pursuant to this Act is also accorded the same protection of the Act.
Where the nonconformity is the result of abuse, neglect or unauthorized modifications or alterations.
Where the action is brought beyond the statutory limitations period. Any action under this Act must be commenced within 18 months following the date of original delivery of the car to the consumer.
Unless the used car is sold "as is," Section 2L of the Consumer Fraud Act requires the dealer to contribute to the cost of the repairs on power train components for thirty days from the date of delivery, unless repairs become necessary because of abuse, negligence or collision.
Power Train Components are the engine block, head, all internal engine parts, oil pan and gaskets, water pump, intake manifold, transmission, and all internal transmission parts, as well as the drive train (shaft, joints, axles and axle parts, and wheel bearings).
The Dealer's Contribution for a car less than 2 years old is 50% of parts and labor; a car 2 to 3 years old 25%; a car 3 to 4 years old 10%; and none for a car over 4 years old.
The Remedy if the Dealer Fails to Contribute: Any person who violates this section commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud Act, and is subject to the remedies provided for in the Act.
The Act does not create any new warranties. The Act was designed to promote better understanding for consumers purchasing products with written warranties through specific disclosures; to make it easier for consumers to obtain court enforcement of a warranty by providing for attorneys fees and costs; and to stimulate the production of more reliable products by requiring clear disclosure of what the warranty promises.
The main features of the Act are disclosure in simple and readily understood language, minimum requirements for full warranties, prohibition of tie-ins, and recovery of attorneys fees.
The Act applies only to consumer products manufactured after July 4, 1975. 15 U.S.C. §2302(e). Consumer products are defined as any tangible personal property normally used for personal, family or household purposes. 15 U.S.C. §2301(1). Most of its provisions are restricted to products with written warranties. However, damages and attorneys fees for breach of an implied warranty are available.
The Act requires that for each warranty within the scope of the Act, the terms of the warranty must be disclosed before the sale, clearly and conspicuously, in easily understood language, including the following information.
The Act requires that every warranty be labeled as full or limited. If a written warranty meets the minimum standards in 15 U.S.C. §2304, it is a full warranty. Otherwise, it is a limited one.
A full warranty must, at a minimum, comply with the following:
The Act prohibits a warrantor from tying the performance of warranty obligations to the buyer's use of a particular product or service. For example, it is now illegal for a car manufacturer to honor its implied or express warranty only if all maintenance and service work is performed by one of its dealers. 15 U.S.C. §2302(c).
Prohibited tie-ins include tying a warranty to the use of only authorized parts or to a certified product, and giving a longer warranty for a product when purchased with a tied-in product.
There are a number of less important prohibitions and restrictions applicable to all written warranties. First, the warrantor cannot grant itself the sole authority to determine a defect or nonconformity. For example, a warrantor cannot warrant a product against any defect in material or workmanship and then state that it alone shall determine what is and what is not a defect. Other prohibitions cover subjects such as warranty registration cards, warranty extensions during repair effects, and advertising and labeling.
Private Right of Action: A consumer can sue, individually or as Representative of a class, for violation of the Act. Possible violations of the Act arise when there is a failure to honor a written warranty, or to honor any implied warranty created by state law, or to comply with any requirement of the Act or regulations. 15 U.S.C. §2301(d). But, the Act does not provide a cause of action for breach of all written warranties, only those appearing within the four corners of the identified "full" or "limited" warranty described by this Act, Skelton v. General Motors Corp., 660 F.2d 311 (7th Cir. 1981).
Parties Who Are Liable: A consumer has a claim against any supplier, warrantor or service contractor who fails to comply with any obligation under the Act, the regulations, a written or implied warranty or a service contract.
Jurisdiction: Most suits under the Act will have to be brought in state court. Section 15 U.S.C. §2310(d) grants federal court jurisdiction only when the amount in controversy is $50,000 or more for an individual claim. In a class action, there is no federal court jurisdiction unless each individual claim is at least $25, the total amount in controversy is at least $50,000 and the class has at least 100 named plaintiffs, not just class members.
Relief: A consumer with a cause of action can sue for "damages and other legal and equitable relief." 15 U.S.C. §2310(d)(1). The word damages is not defined, but presumably it includes any monetary loss, including consequential and incidental damages, as well as personal or emotional injury. The measure of damages is not specified, but where appropriate, the Uniform Commercial Code will control. Punitive damages are not recoverable in Illinois. There are no statutory damages.
Attorneys Fees and Costs: A prevailing consumer may be awarded attorneys fees and costs. This provision is very important. It applies to the buyer who prevails on a claim for violation of the Magnuson-Moss disclosure rules or for breach of a "written warranty." Most significantly, the buyer who prevails on a UCC implied warranty claim can obtain attorneys fees if the product was manufactured after July 4, 1975.
Preconditions To Suit: The consumer must meet two conditions prior to suing. First, if the suit is for failure to comply with a warranty obligation, and the warranty requires use of a valid, informal dispute resolution mechanism, the consumer must use that mechanism before suing. Second, the consumer must afford the warrantor a reasonable opportunity to cure the defects.
Common law implied warranties are especially useful in sales transactions not governed by the UCC, such as contracts for labor, services, and real estate. In the past twenty or so years, courts have implied warranties in contracts for labor and materials or for services. Illinois has been more stingy than other states in this regard, but courts applying Illinois law have held that one who contracts to perform construction work impliedly warrants to do the work in a reasonably workmanlike manner. Dean v. Rutherford, 49 Ill.App. 3d 768, 364 N.E.2d 625 (4th Dist. 1977). Auto repair contracts are good examples of contracts in which warranties may be implied.
Many of the courts finding an implied warranty in the common law have analogized to the implied warranty provisions of the UCC. Although such provisions are limited to sales of goods, comments to §2-213 make clear that this limitation was not intended to preclude common law evolution in other contractual circumstances.
Some cases imply a warranty that services be performed in a "workmanlike manner," where the consumer must show that the work was not done properly. This is similar to the UCC implied warranty of merchantability. When the common law implied remedy is one of reasonable fitness for the intended use, it is akin to the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose.
This Rule, which became effective on May 9, 1985 generally covers all used motor vehicles (certain exceptions include motorcycles and leased vehicles sold to the lessee). The Rule applies to all used car dealers who have sold at least five used vehicles in the last year.
The FTC Rule requires that each used care for sale contain on a side window a "Buyer's Guide" providing the following information:
The Rule also specifies that it is deceptive for a used car dealer to:
The Rule also makes it an unfair practice for any used car dealer to:
It is a violation of the FTC Act to violate the Used Car Rule. As with any FTC rule, there is no private right of action under the FTC Act for rule violations. However, a Rule violation is actionable under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 et. seq. Since the FTC Used Car Rule was in part promulgated under the federal Magnuson-Moss Act, a good argument can be made that it is a Magnuson-Moss Act violation to violate the Used Car Rule. See 15 U.S.C. §2309(b).
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Animal behaviorist Jackson Galaxy is heading to Oregon to see if he can help out Lux and his family. Last week, after Lee Palmer kicked Lux for scratching the family's seven-month old child, Lux flew into a fury and trapped the family in their bedroom. They called 911 in a panic, unsure of what else to do.
When Jackson Galaxy first weighed in on the situation, he said that it was possible that Lux had a painful health condition, like an abscessed tooth. He also said that people who watch his show understand that there's always a human element to situations like this. He couldn't say with any certainty what happened with Lux, because he hadn't met Lux or the Palmer family.
In an article by Associated Press writer Sue Manning, Jackson Galaxy reiterated the possibility that Lux is in pain, or otherwise not feeling well. He also said that he's worried about people's response to the situation. Manning quoted him as saying, "Every parental site on the Internet blames the cat for this confrontation. Every pet site blames the family." He said that something is definitely wrong there, because cats don't act out this way for no reason. However, he believes everyone needs to back off from the hysteria.
One of the things that Jackson Galaxy suggests is annual vet visits, and he's right. The ASPCA agrees with him that aggression can be a troubling symptom of a medical problem. It can also signal a complication with a known medical problem. When the cat is older, aggression can also be a sign of confusion. The effects of something like feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome can be very frightening for a cat, which can prompt it to act out.
If the problem isn't medical, and the cat hasn't known abuse, the ASPCA recommends that you do consult with a behaviorist. Aggressive cats are dangerous. They're capable of inflicting serious injury, despite how small they are.
DVM 360 says that vets should never suggest that treatments will prevent any future aggression. Vets should also suggest re-homing an aggressive pet. The site lists the different types of aggression, which are:
- Fear-induced aggression (defensive "attacks")
- Play aggression (when your cat bites or scratches you because it's playing)
- Redirected aggression (when a cat attacks someone or something other than the source of their upset)
- Petting-induced aggression (when petting suddenly becomes too much for your cat to handle and it bites you)
- Territorial aggression (fighting between two pets over territory)
- Intermale and maternal aggression (males trying to claim territory or fighting over a female, and a queen protecting her kittens)
- Pain-induced aggression (different from defensive aggression, this happens when the cat is in pain)
Pain-induced aggression can come from tail-pulling, and will almost certainly result from getting kicked. Since the Palmer family said that Lux had a history of violence, it's still possible that this is pain-induced aggression from a medical condition. It's still more likely, however, that his rage was defensive.
Jackson Galaxy's work with Lux and the Palmer family will be filmed for "My Cat from Hell." The new season starts on April 26.


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fashionable favors
Do your party favors a favor and package them in an oh-so-hip favor box from Paper Source! These petite pillow and takeout boxes look great embellished with a ribbon or sticker and come in a wide variety of solid hues and mod patterns that are sure to add a hip, unique touch to your wedding, occasion showers, or parties! Boxes sold in sets of 5 and range from $4 – $6.50/set.
Comments 2
- September 13, 2006 by jennifer
- tags:
- gift wrap
- party favors
- posted in:
- Fabulous Finds
- Stationery & Wrap
1Anonymous SAYS:
Sooo cute!
2Bubbalooz SAYS:
wow !I love these .You are so spoilt for beautiful choices in the States/There is nothing like all these beautiful things in N.Z!


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Rated 5 out of 5 by 1 reviewer.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Pia82 Better Than Expected For some reason I thought these would be like the ginger chews, soft. These are in fact mints like pressed powder altoids, except they taste delicious! The flavor isn't overpowering and faintly of chai spices. If I had known how good they'd be I would have gotten more. December 21, 2013
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Go to the following links to learn more about volcanic gases and their effects:
Volcanic Hazards: Gases (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, hyrdogen chloride, and hydrogen fluoride)
Since the 1980's, volcanism has been the main alternative hypothesis for the K/T extinction event. Through the early 90's proponents of the volcanic hypothesis argued that all the evidence for an impact (iridium anomaly, shocked quartz, etc.) could more easily be explained by massive volcanic eruptions for which there was direct evidence in the form of flood basalts in India (Deccan Traps).
The discovery of the Chicxulub Impact Structure, and the determination of both its very large size and geologic age clearly ended the argument over whether there had been an impact at the end of the Cretaceous. The legacy of the volcanists is, however, a very strong one, with intense debate now centered on the contribution of the massive volcanic eruptions to not just the K/T extinction, but to many major extinction events, including the greatest biologic crisis in the history of the earth - the Permo-Triassic extinction event.
Flood Basalts are formed by a series of fissure eruptions (where lava is extruded from long fractures in the earth's crust as opposed to volcanoes) which occur over a long period of time. Theoretically, the massive amounts of basaltic magma for these eruptions are the result of plume of magma rising from a destabilized "D" layer found at the core/mantle boundary deep inside the earth (see figure below).
The magma rises towards the surface in the form of a plume (see figure below) which forms a "hot spot" on the earth's surface. Depending on the size of the plume, the hot spot can result in tremendous upward stress on the base of the crust forming long fractures which result in fissure eruptions, or can produce large single volcanoes such as the volcanoes which form the Hawaiian Island chain.
The end product of fissure eruptions over long periods of time is a lava plateau, a large flat area in which all topography has been eliminated because the low viscosity basaltic magma fills all the pre-existing valleys and depressions. In Washington State the Columbia River Plateau (15 million years old) is such a structure, formed by about sixty separate flows which total up to 2 kilometers thick in some areas.
As mentioned above, the Deccan flood basalts have been pointed to as an alternative candidate to the impact for the cause of the K/T extinction. Why? Because they possibly represent a forcing mechanism for dramatic climatic degradation, and also date around the K/T boundary (see figure below).
The Deccan Traps in India consist of over 2,000,000 cubic kilometers of basaltic lava flows, in some areas reaching a thickness of over 2,400 meters. Estimates of annual basalt production range from 2 to 8 km.3 per year. The amount of lava of and by itself is not the feature that scientists are interested in. It is the amounts of various gases given off by these eruptions that are of interest. The current estimate is that during the formation of the Deccan Traps, the following amounts of gas were given off:
33 trillion tons of CO2
6.6 trillion tons of SO2
66 billion tons of fluorine and chlorine
The next question is the amount of time. If old estimates that the Deccan Traps were erupted over 5 million years or so are correct, then the effects of these gases is minimized. However, recent paleo-magnetic work on the Deccan Traps suggests that they were erupted over the space of only 500,000 years. If this were the case, then the amount of greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere in the form of CO2 and sulfur aerosols, plus the amount of acid rain generated would have had severe impacts on the environment. One model predicts that as the gases built up there would be a drop in average global temperature of about 3 to 5 oC, followed by a long term global warming of roughly 5oC. This variation in climate over a relatively short period of time, in conjunction with acid rain, would have a major environmental impact.
But isn't this all moot since we've found the impact crater a Chicxulub? Maybe not. There may be a correlation between the occurrence of mass extinctions and the presence of flood basalts (see figure below).
It is important to note that while there is no confirmed evidence for an impact at the Permo-Triassic boundary (although there are some Wannabes), there is the largest flood basalt accumulation in history, know as the Siberian Traps. These flood basalts total over 3,000,000 km.3 of basalt, easily 33% more than the Deccan Traps. The exact length of time it took for the Siberian Traps to be extruded is still debated, but it did occur in conjunction with the great mass extinction at the end of the Permian.
The correlation of flood basalts versus mass extinctions through time would suggest that major environmental changes caused by what is in effect massive natural air pollution caused, or at least strongly contributed to the extinctions.
If we take the 33 trillion tons of CO2 which has been suggested as the total given off during the extrusion of the Deccan Flood Basalts, and average it out over 500,000 years, we come up with about 66million tons/year. This is equivalent to the amount of CO2 being produced yearly in the 1920's. A recent EPA estimate for the amount of CO2 currently being added to the atmosphere is 7 Gigatons. Think about it.


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Magazine of the painting blogosphere.
Patricia Maloney reviews Lawren Harris: The Idea of North at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, on view through January 24, 2016.
Maloney writes: "The paintings in The Idea of North are fluid, frictionless semblances of place, composed of rhythmic forms that fold and undulate. They are ideas instead of sites. Each group shares the distinctive traits that signal the artist's style during this period: centrally composed landscapes with slaking light and scant vegetation. Trees are bare or dead. The time of day is indistinguishable. Mountains and clouds predominate, homologously shaped by the same forces: wind, water, snow. Architecture is almost entirely absent ... Harris's landscapes are unpopulated, and we are situated at their edge, peering in, as if not to sully them."
Nicola Homer reviews From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, on view through March 8, 2015.
Homer writes: "Although Carr was one of the most advanced artists in Canada in 1913, she could not sell a single work. So her paintings languished for more than a decade in the lodging house that she opened to provide a new stream of revenue in 1913... That could have been the end of her story. But instead it was just the beginning. In 1927, the director of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa learned of Carr's existence and selected her to be the principal exhibitor of a major show about the art of British Columbia. In Ottawa, she encountered the Group of Seven, whose member Lawren Harris, said: 'You are one of us.' Their collaboration opened a new chapter for Carr: she began to paint dramatic landscapes such as Indian Church (1929), with trees towering like totem poles at Friendly Cove, where Captain Cook landed in 1778. This friendship encouraged Carr to discover her own spirituality in the forest and the sea, reflecting the belief system of "theosophy" – the idea of searching for the divine in the everyday."
Laura Cumming reviews From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, on view through March 8, 2015.
Cumming writes: "Dulwich has more than a hundred paintings and drawings on show, but [the] forests are the peak – the pitch – of them all. It feels as if the great firs, oaks and spruces, the birches and maples of British Columbia are Carr's own private totem poles. They have force of personality for her, with their uprushing trunks and dancing boughs, and their enduring, towering masses. Forests are like cities in her art, places where humanity comes together, even though there is never another person in sight."
Philip Koch muses on the paintings of Lawren Harris.
Sarah Milroy reviews the recent exhibition Painting Canada: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London.
Milroy writes that "Ross King [recently] debunked the popularly held Canadian view of these artists as pioneer woodsmen-savants, revealing instead their ties to the painterly traditions of Britain, France and Holland. This well-timed exhibition thus allowed us the opportunity to reconsider their accomplishments in light of this argument, demonstrating how their passionate love of the land was married to a painterly sophistication honed in dialogue with inherited artistic traditions."
Emma Enderby reviews the exhibition Painting Canada: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven on view at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London through January 8, 2012.
Enderby writes: "United by a common aim to challenge accepted authority, the modus operandi of Thomson and the group was to create a visual language and artistic identity to express the Canadian landscape, breaking all previous moulds... However, we also gauge from the work how these artists were interested in exploring and grappling with the desire for a new artistic identity through experimentation with style, such as (post) impressionism and fauvism."
Edited by artist Brett Baker, Painters' Table highlights writing from the painting blogosphere as it is published and serves as a platform for exploring blogs that focus primarily on the subject of painting.
Painters' Table website © 2010-2015 Brett Baker
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Video: All-access with Purdue on Signing Day
On Monday night's "Big Ten Football Report," we went all-access with Purdue and new head coach Darrell Hazell on National Signing Day. Plus, host Mike Hall interviewed Penn State recruiting coordinator Charles London, who helped the Nittany Lions ink this class. Watch our Purdue signing day feature now and catch Hall's interview with London in this post.


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The United States is the world's largest consumer of sweeteners, including high-fructose corn syrup. Besides ranking as one of the largest global sugar producers, it is one of the few countries with a significant output of both sugarbeets and sugarcane. It is also among the largest sugar importers. The U.S. sugar program uses price supports, domestic marketing allotments, and tariff-rate quotas to influence the amount of sugar available to the U.S. market. ERS monitors the sugar market, offering the following:
Last updated: Thursday, June 04, 2015
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Rooms & Rates
Aloft Phoenix-Airport
Standard Amenities
Experience life in one of Aloft Phoenix-Airport's 143 bright and breezy Aloft rooms. Whether you're turning in for the night or heading out and about, you'll find plenty of perks that plug you in and help you make the place your own.
Each space sports loft-inspired modern design, with nine-foot ceilings and extra-large windows that create a free-flowing energy. Our signature platform beds and spacious bathrooms with oversized showerheads are sleek, stylish, and utterly inviting. And every detail is designed to fit your lifestyle, from streamlined storage to technology that keeps you connected. So break the monotony of travel and discover a fresh, inspiring alternative.
All Aloft rooms have either one king or two queen beds, plus all the complimentary amenities listed here.
Aahh…breathe deep. Our Aloft guest rooms are smoke-free.
Accessibility Features
- Disability Accessible Rooms Available
- Hairdryer
- Walk-in Shower with Oversized Showerhead
- Tried and Blue™ by Bliss® Spa Bath Amenities
- In-Shower Amenities Dispenser
Bed Features
- Choice of One King Bed or Two Queen Beds
- Rollaway Bed Available
- Signature Platform Bed
- 1.1 Cubic-foot Mini-fridge
- Complimentary Coffee and Tea
- Complimentary Bottled Water
- In-Room Movies (Charge)
- Free Newspaper on Weekdays
- In-Room Magazines
- International Direct Dialing
- Data Port Line
- Easy-to-Program Alarm Clock
- 42" LCD Flat-Panel Television with Cable Programming
- Free Local, Credit Card and Toll Free Calls
- plug & play connectivity station
Room Amenities & Services
- Smoke Detectors in Room
- Customizable Wake-up Calls
- Iron/Ironing Board
Room Features
- Workspace with Ergonomic Desk Chair
- Pool, City or Mountain View
- In-Room Safe
- 9-Foot Ceilings and Extra-large Windows
- Windows that Open
- 100% Non-Smoking Guestrooms
- Individual Climate Control
- Full-Length Mirror
Internet Access
Stay connected – Fast & Free WiFi access is available to guests at all Aloft Hotels.
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Singer, songwriter, speaker, application developer and all around entrepreneur Ryan Glen speaks out about a taboo subject matter in his upcoming book "Abused by the Thought of Leaving". Abuse has been a topic that has been pushed under the rug for years because of fear. Women, children and even men have been subjected to emotional, sexual. mental and or physical abuse. Ryan Glen uses his platform to address something that is well known but not talked about.
Abuse isn't something that only happens to the less affluent or those with a particular social status. This matter is widespread and effects everyday people as well as high profile individuals. Women and children bear the brunt of abuse at the hand of people that want to feel superior. Most often the abuse is generational and come from the hand of family and close friends. Men are typically the aggressors even though there are women who have engaged in such behavior. After investigation of various cases, those same men had been victims of some form of abuse themselves. This does not excuse them, but it is to help them.
Dealing with abuse and it's aftermath has been somewhat complex. Perhaps due to the victims living in fear of retaliation from the aggressors or in regards to children, adults don't pay attention to the signs or they don't investigate when a child divulges this sensitive information. For some victims,unfortunately, death became their escape, whether it was suicide or at the hand of the aggressor. Know that there is always help. Contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline or Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline if you are a victim or know of someone being abused. There is never an excuse legitimate to warrant abuse of any kind.
Over the years, entrepreneur Ryan Glen has garnered success and awards for his plethora of endeavors. He's created national and international attention with his game applications, UnWord and Word Palooza, found on iTunes. Currently, Ryan has been working on a new business venture, Bizibid, which he exclaims is the "Priceline.com for the service industry". Bizibid will soon be revealed to the general public in the near future. As Mr. Glen juggles his many business hats, he's penning a riveting novel addressing abuse.
Ryan Glen's passion for writing is undeniable. "Abused by the Thought of Leaving" was born from a revelation he received from God. He began pouring himself into researching and gathering testimonials from victims to bring his fictional main character Winter Mildred to life. Even though the character is fictional, her experiences are real. Ryan's realistic style of writing transports the reader as if they are there themselves.
Due for release later this year, "Abused by the Thought of Leaving" is sure to be a New York Times best seller. Whether Ryan Glen is developing mobile applications, holding speaking engagements or creating new business ventures, he contributes his time to worthy causes including walking to support Kile's World, a non-profit named in honor of celebrity entrepreneur ex-wife of Usher Raymond, Tameka Raymond's son Kile Glover, who passed away after a boat accident in 2012. In dedication to the victims of abuse, Ryan Glen salutes them for their bravery to come out and for sharing their testimony of survival to bring awareness to those who silently suffer.
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At the end of the Law and Order episode "Innocence" (S20E16) A.D.A Cutter's former mentor (and opposing lawyer) reveals the secret that Cutter never made his bachelor's degree in order to discredit him for the sake of her case. At the end Cutter gets a letter from the Chamber of Lawyers which criticizes him but says that it doesn't have any influence on any of his past cases. He basically get's out of it relatively smooth. He then says to D.A. McCoy something along the lines of: "Luckily turned out all right in the end." to which McCoy just replies "Are you sure about that?"
What does McCoy mean with this reply? Does he imply that there will indeed be consequences for Cutter, be they reputational or even job-related (maybe even from his boss McCoy himself). Or does he want to say that Cutter lost more than he might think at the moment, considering that this case turned into a personal struggle with his former and long-respected mentor? Given that I haven't seen the last few episodes left (or cannot remember much from doing so) it may actually be a foreshadowing of future events when this scandal eventually keeps coming for Cutter (feel free to dismiss this question as trivial if this is indeed the case).
(Not to forget the usual disclaimer that this might have been intentionally left open for interpretation or there isn't much more to this quote than a bit of a thoughtful ending sentence as seems to be usual for Law and Order anyway.)


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Aug 13, 2014 10:00 AM
Fusion Beauty may want to rethink the name of their Nip Line Erase Instant Line Eraser ($45) - at first glance, we totally thought this stuff was for ladies battling wrinkled nipples. As it turns out, the "nip" refers to nipping wrinkles in the bud, so maybe we just have boobs on the brain. Confusing name aside, we love all of our other Fusion products, so we're excited to see if this stuff can help erase the wrinkles caused by squinting at computer screens while online shopping all day.
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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From the Revolutionary War to the current war in Afghanistan, the U.S. has suffered 1,321,612 casualties to war, but now we are facing a highly contagious epidemic that is already responsible for more deaths every year than all the wars in the history of our country. That epidemic – hereafter described as Fitness Aversion Syndrome (FAS) – has been spreading across the country for decades and is accelerating at a rate that threatens to overwhelm our medical resources.
It has been scientifically proven – but largely ignored – that physical inactivity is a primary cause of most chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and arthritis. Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. and account for 70% of all deaths or 1.7 MILLION each year. These diseases also account for major limitations in daily living for almost 1 of 10 Americans or about 25 million people.
Incredibly, "chronic diseases are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems in the United States," says the CDC. But, it seems you can't even "give" exercise away.
Even when fitness memberships are free, those who need it most don't use the facilities and services available to them. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Community Health – "Utilization of a Free Fitness Center-Based Exercise Referral Program Among Women with Chronic Disease Risk Factors" - adult female patients of a community health center with an affiliated fitness center, in Boston, MA, were included in the study if they received a referral to the fitness center from their primary care provider.
The results? Only 503 (40 %) of the 1,254 referred women in the study sample activated their membership but, once activated, 96 (19%) never used the facilities even once, 359 (71%) used it only sparingly, and only 48 (10%) used the facilities regularly. This is indicative of how insidious FAS can be when it completely defies logic or common sense and continues to wreak havoc on the health of our society.
It is well-known that physical activity can improve health, appearance, and quality of life – all things to which it would seem most people would naturally aspire - so what is it about exercise that is so repugnant? Why this "aversion" to something so good for you? After all, the minimal amount of physical activity recommended by the CDC is only 150 minutes a WEEK or less than 1% of the total of 10,140 minutes in a week. Hmm.
The cure for FAS? Unfortunately, exercise requires self-motivation and self-discipline whether you "like" it or not. If you don't do it, there will be a price to pay, and FAS will likely lead to a chronic disease or worse. It's a choice – to exercise or not - that may largely determine the course of the rest of your life. Readers affected by FAS can get help now by contacting their local hospital, health club, or community health center or YMCA to learn about how to cure FAS and stop this epidemic in its tracks.
Of course, fitness legend Jack LaLanne preached the cure for decades, "you have to move, people – and do it with enthusiasm!" Was anybody listening?


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Bruce Springsteen's new album, High Hopes, brings forth an important musical question: how effectively can an artist of the highest caliber hope to put old parts together to form a shiny, new polished product? Each of the songs on his new album has a history. Clearly, assembling them is a project that would take the best engineering as well as just a little of that human touch.
The album is neither authentic nor unauthentic. The bold production from Ron Aniello (and also Brendan O'Brien) is somehow both slick and subtle, often at the same time. Talented Tom Morello's presence is intriguingly awkward with an emphasis on the intriguing side.
The original, spacious 1995 "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is, arguably, one of Springsteen's best recordings ever. And Tom Morello's electrifying live guitar and co-vocals on the rock version are equally worthy of documentation. Putting together a new recording on High Hopes capturing all of that certainly reflects a welcome challenge. Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan trading vocals on the reworked "Girl from the North Country" at the opening of Dylan's Nashville Skyline is perhaps similar conceptually to this scenario in some surreal way.
It should be noted that High Hopes' music is serious in intent, almost heavy. The core vocal narrative of the album is cohesive but one also senses something missing. Interestingly, this sense of absence becomes an emotional core to the album itself, a needed subtext up against a wall of referential moments.
Ultimately, High Hopes, despite its understandable flaws, accomplishes a remarkable feat. This album is memorable and should be noted as a template for bringing previously existing songs together as something new. Yes, the music is up and running with its varying driving rhythms in full gear, affirming the answer to the old original hopeful question of what album production options are truly possible for an artist who continues to be high at the top of today's musical landscape.


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Jomanda Big Chubba Sheepey Sheep
Get a whole lot of hugs from this big fella. This cuddly sheep is so gorgeous with the wooliest arms and big soft ears. His big grin is sure to bring a smile to your face every time you see him. All Jomanda products are made with extra love, care and attention with the emphasis on all our products is quality and durability.
- Price: £17.99
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Jomanda Big Chubba Sheepey Sheep
Size: 35.5cm high
Safety: Meets the European Toy Safety Standard EN71 and are certified as suitable from birth.
Materials: 100% Polyester
Jomanda name all their sheep and attach a please love me ticket.
Size: Approx 35.5 cm
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This morning my co-worker and I headed on down to our local Subway to get the advertised "Free Muffin-Melt."
As we were walking, another co-worker drove by and said, "Y'all going to Subway?"
And we said we darn-tootin' were!
There were two golden balloons at the door of the Subway, and there were surprisingly few people there.
And so it was that we got our free muffin-melt breakfasts! And there was also a small coffeepot with free coffee!
My co-worker decided to buy a cookie while we were there, and I just said, "That's how they get your money...."
So take your muffin-top down to Subway and get you a muffin-melt and a nice little coffee. You can't beat free!


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Two Incoming Red Raiders Compete in TGCA All-Star Match
Don Flora had a pair of incoming freshmen play in the TGCA All-Star match.
July 17, 2012
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech volleyball incoming freshmen Lydia McKay and Meredith Rankin both played last week in the Texas Girls Coaches Association 4A-5A All-Star match held at Arlington Lamar High School.
McKay and Rankin both played for the East squad that was swept in three sets by the West, 25-15, 26-24, 25-13. The All-Star selection marks the second-straight year an incoming Red Raider has played in the match after Breeann David and Amy Rose were both on the West roster in last summer's 1A-2A-3A match.
The pair arrives at Tech following successful prep careers where McKay earned district 19-5A MVP honors last fall when she helped lead Katy High School to the regional quarterfinals, while Rankin was a 2011 TGCA All-State selection out of Kingwood High School.
McKay and Rankin will be part of 11 expected newcomers to the volleyball roster this season. The Red Raiders report for fall camp on Aug. 7 in anticipation for the Aug. 24 season opener at the Boston College Invitational.


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Romney accuses Obama of sympathizing with attackers who killed U.S. ambassador and three others
Eager to exploit the slaying of four American diplomats in Libya for political gain, Mitt Romney has only disgraced himself.
See HERE:
Mitt Romney responded to violence against American officials in Libya and Egypt by accusing the Obama administration of apologizing for and sympathizing with the attackers.
On the evening of Tuesday September 11th, just hours after protesters of an American-made YouTube video denouncing Islam stormed the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and Egyptian demonstrators attacked the United States Embassy in Egypt, the Romney campaign rushed a statement to reporters accusing the Obama administration of failing to condemn the attacks and linking the protests to "Obama's failed Middle East policies."
The campaign's response disregarded Romney's self-imposed pledge not to engage in partisan mudslinging on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, though it came before news broke that four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, were killed in the violence. The Romney team was so eager to connect Obama to the unrest, however, it urged reporters to ignore its initial midnight embargo and print the criticism on Tuesday night.
The GOP's charge accusing Obama of apologizing for terrorism came in response to an early statement from the American Embassy in Egypt "shortly after noon" on Tuesday, before the attacks began. The statement condemned the intolerant film, but could not speak out against violence that had not yet occurred. "The United States Embassy in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions," it said, denouncing the "unjustified breach of our embassy."
The administration distanced itself from the Embassy, noting that its statement "was not cleared by Washington and does not reflect the views of the United States government," and then denounced the violence and deaths that occurred.
However, President Obama released a statement this morning condemning the attacks and rejecting the anti-Islam video.
And see HERE:
The Romney campaign, which dismissed foreign policy as a "distraction" yesterday, now hopes to exploit the violence to advance Mitt Romney's political ambitions.
Before violence erupted at the American consulate, the U.S. embassy condemned the fringe YouTube video. Romney, in an official statement, said "the Obama administration's first response" to the violence was to "sympathize with those who waged the attacks" on our consulate. That's not what happened.
I genuinely want to know what kind of person sees a foreign attack on Americans — an attack that has reportedly led to four U.S. deaths — and thinks it's acceptable to lie about the violence to gain a few points in the polls. The campaign isn't going Romney's way right now, but is that an excuse to exploit the death of Americans with cheap rhetoric? In the face of violence abroad, this was Romney's first instinct?
And see HERE:
This kind of political opportunism isn't surprising coming from Mitt Romney. It's just another example of his utter lack of conviction—other than the conviction that he is entitled to do or say whatever it takes to win. But what this statement does illustrate is that Mitt Romney doesn't have what it takes to be president. Political attacks are one thing. But Romney launched this particular political attack without knowing all the facts.
As it turns out, four Americans were killed, including our Ambassador to Libya. Romney issued his statement before those basic facts were in. Given the nature of Romney's statement—a political attack based on a false characterization of what President Obama had done—that sort of shooting from the hip reveals a lack of impulse control that we simply cannot afford to have in a president.
4 Comments
Lybia is Obama's baby, own up, and to think He gave these haters 1.2 BILLION dollars from broke America, NOT his money , you should be worried about how he spends the taxpayers money..shameful
Sarah Palin was the VP choice over Romney because of her skills in foreign relations.
Of course not, Romney can't see Russia (or Libya) from his backyard in Utah.


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The 68th annual Tony Awards were presented on June 8, 2014, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Top nominee "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" won four Tonys, including best musical, out of the 10 nominations that it received. "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" went into the ceremony with eight nominations and won five Tonys, including Best Revival of a Musical. The awards were more evenly spread out in the categories for plays, since one play did not dominate in winning most of the categories. Multiple winners included "A Raisin in the Sun" (which won three Tonys, including Best Revival of a Play), "All the Way" and "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," which won two awards each. (A complete list of winners can be found at the official Tony Awards website.) After the Tony winners give their acceptance speeches, they usually stop by the press room to pose for photos and do interviews. Here is what this celebrity Tony winner said in the press room.
Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical
("Hedwig and the Angry Inch")
What would advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?
I was very proud of my 15-year-old self. I had been cast in a TV show ["Doogie Howser, M.D."], and I was doing crazy things that people that age rarely get to do. I'm glad it happened to me and that I got to perform with TV actors, movie actors and theater actors. Getting to perform live is an incredible experience.
When are you getting married to your partner David Burtka?
I have no idea. We're right in the middle of this juggernaut. When things calm down. They haven't calmed down in the past few years.
When you performed as Hedwig tonight, you did some bumping and grinding on some of the celebrities in the audience. They seemed very surprised. Were they really surprised or was it all an act?
One of the benefits of having hosted the show previously is I can sneak around and get the intel on who's sitting where. Yes, they weren't alerted to the fact that things were about the happen — naughty, dirty things.
(Click here to watch the performance.)
You have some interesting nail polish on right now. Can you comment on it?
We have twin 3-and-a-half-year-olds, so nail color is something we do all the time. We have fingernails and toenails breaking, so I don't really think about it. This [nail color I'm wearing] is Midnight. Mike Potter, who does the ["Hedwig and the Angry Inch"] hair design and makeup design, and who did the first incarnation on the movie, has his own [makeup] line.
Have you had any wardrobe malfunctions on stage in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"?
We've been lucky with the costume. The great thing about the show is that the conceit is that it's a one-night performance. So if anything is going wrong, I can just stop and knock it out.
Just the other night, the safety pin got lodged between my fishnets. And I kept feeling it stabbing me. I thought it was the hair, and it wasn't. It kept hurting! So finally, I had to stop the show and squat down, and someone in the front row yanked it out.
What kind of preparation did you do for your role as a transgender woman in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"?
I did a lot of preparation, actually, because I knew it was coming, six months down the pike before we started. I stopped doing upper-body strength training, which I had been doing a lot of for the TV show ["How I Met Your Mother"], because you never know if you're going to be shirtless in that show.
And I really wanted to change my posture and change my silhouette more than anything, so losing weight helped me do it, because it eliminated pectoral strength. I did tons of cardio to gain lots of flexibility. I got custom heels really fast. I worked with Spencer [Liff], the choreographer. I had some drag queens that gave me some tips.
What has the past year been like for you?
It's been spectacular. I can't believe this has all happened in a 12-month span. It's been a remarkably awesome year for me. To have hosted last year's Tonys and to have the opening number be bigger than I thought it was going to be, and then Season 9 of "How I Met Your Mother," which I was very proud of.
And then the comedy western movie ["A Million Ways to Die in the West"] that I got to be part of, and then David Fincher's movie ["Gone Girl"] that's coming out in October [2014]. Then "Hedwig" started, we moved to New York, and the response to the show has been wonderful, and people are anxious to come and see it, and people voting for me. It's been a blast.
In "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," you always kiss someone in the audience. Aren't you afraid of getting mononucleosis?
[He laughs] Not mono, but Liz Caplan, who's my voice coach/voice supervisor, has a handful of pills I'm supposed to be taking and oregano oil. I even had my blood work done. I've just got to keep my levels high. Lots of vitamin C.
For "Hedwig," it's important for me to do pre-emptive, preventative work, so I don't have to get sick and take medicine because I'm sick. If I hurt my foot, I have to do physical therapy because of my foot. So I do a lot of physical therapy and a lot of vitamins and a lot of liquids and cardio. I'm trying to ride above it before I get sick.
Can you talk about the special place that theater holds in your heart?
The first show I ever saw in New York was "Les Misérables." I was a kid from a small town in New Mexico who had randomly been cast alongside Whoopi Goldberg in a film. It was the coolest thing ever. It was called "Clara's Heart." We filmed it outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Part of the movie took place in Jamaica. My character wasn't in those scenes [in Jamaica].
I was bummed that everyone got to go to Jamaica except me. So the producer Marty Elfand flew our family to New York City from New Mexico. We had never been there, ever.
I had heard of the music of "Les Misérables," so he got us tickets to that show. I got to sit in the last row and got to watch this giant revolve and this massive swell of music and emotion. And it sort of overtook me. When you see something like that for the first time, you realize what it can be.
I love plays, and I think that they're great, but when there's a musical element and it's done right, you can speak about your emotions more freely, and you can play with structure in a different way, because everything lyrically rhymes. I think you can key into everybody's emotions better in musicals. That's what I try to do sometimes on stage.
For more info: Tony Awards website
2009 Tony Awards Gift Lounge
2009 Tony Awards Press Room
2010 Tony Awards Gift Lounge
2010 Tony Awards Press Room


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The Metropolis Klout Spring Social, held in Vancouver on March 8, 2014 at Metrotown, modeled the latest strategy in influencer marketing by bringing together key social media influencers with top brands like Purdy's Chocolates, Nars Cosmetics, L'Occitane, and Benefit Cosmetics.
With content marketing steadily on the rise, smart brands are directing more attention to building relationships with social media influencers and finding ways to empower them to create visibility for their products or services.
The recent shopping social in Vancouver was by invite only to select Klout influencers, who were presented with a party-style event, complete with DJ booth, over $3,000 in raffle prizes, sweet treats, food samples, and a spring trends presentation that featured styles from Metropolis Metrotown clothing retailers.
Klout.com, a site that measures a user's influence on various social media platforms, actively celebrates online influencers through their Klout Perks program based on users Klout rating. According to the site, the purpose of the Klout Perks program is to connect brands worldwide with influential content creators to create authentic earned media.
Building experiences to inspire social sharing
The Metropolis Klout Spring Social is an example of how brands are starting to engage online influencers by building an experience around them that is worthy of sharing. By finding out what inspires and motivates content influencers, brands can leverage their interests, social media habits and lifestyle trends to create compelling events and content that inspires social sharing.
Twitter was a-buzz before, during and after the event, as invited influencers shared their excitement online:
"Excited! I'm going to #METROPOLISxKLOUT Spring Social event @metropolisatmet!"
"@KloutPerks @klout @MetropolisatMet hanging out at a private function at Metropolis at Metrotown. Great music! Fantastic people!!"
"Huge thanks to @klout & @MetropolisatMet for the fantastic evening at #METROPOLISxKLOUT! Great event, good ppl & amazing prizes. Thx again!"
The Metropolis Klout Spring Social was the first Klout event in Canada and seemed to be an overall success for all involved.
"It was excellent," said Metropolis Marketing Director, Judy Black. "We're so glad we were able to accommodate Klout for this event. It was an opportunity to celebrate our Klout readers and writers, introduce our new MetStylist.com app, and showcase some of our retailers that people might not be aware of...If Klout decides to continue with this event next year, we would be more than happy to host it again."


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