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Satisfaction with healthcare visits compared to other consumer services
Among the 84% of Americans who visited a doctor's office within the past year, nearly half (47%) reported being very satisfied with their last medical visit; an additional 36% described themselves as somewhat satisfied.
As might be expected, satisfaction falls short of levels observed for several other industries, particularly those with more of a focus on providing a pleasurable experience: very satisfied ratings are behind those reported for Americans' last restaurant visit (63%), their last online purchase (62%), and their last bank visit (59%). Very satisfied ratings are comparable to those recorded for U.S. adults' last hotel stay (49%), car purchase (47%) and department store visit (44%), and are ahead of those observed for their most recent health insurance company interaction (29%) and last mobile phone store visit (28%).
Dissatisfaction with most recent healthcare provider visits (17%) is comparable to levels observed for recent mobile phone store visits (also 17%) and health insurance company interactions (18%).Many factors contribute to patients' experiences with their doctors and other healthcare providers. When asked to rate a series of factors on their importance in driving a positive experience, the clear top issue in patients' minds is their doctor's overall knowledge, training and expertise (with 83% rating it very important). Their doctor's ability to access their overall medical history (62%) and time spent with their doctor (59%) are the next most vital factors, while appearance and atmosphere of the doctor's office (26%) and minimizing paperwork (29%) are the least important issues.
Gap for Online Services: Results show a similar disparity for all of the tested services, including (among others) email access to doctors (12% have; 23% very important, 30% important), online appointment setting (11% have, 21% very important, 30% important) and online billing and payments (10% have, 21% very important, 29% important).
"Customer experience matters in healthcare and will continue to impact purchasing decisions and customer retention," notes Debra Richman, Senior Vice President, Healthcare Business Development & Strategy, Harris Interactive. "The healthcare consumer is increasingly evaluating brand equity, convenience and product or service value as they make choices. In an increasingly competitive healthcare marketplace, a positive customer experience will serve to differentiate health plans and providers."
Link to entire article ---http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/mid/1508/articleId/1074/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx


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Colorado Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, second from left, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, left, of South Korea, throws and catcher A.J. Ellis catches during the first inning of their baseball game, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

subset: commoncrawl


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Breast Cancer Health Center
Q&A: Breast Cancer in Young Women
Q: Are symptoms of breast cancer in younger women the same as in older?
Yes, Lichtenfeld says. These may include a mass in the breast, unexplained pain, a change in the texture of the skin, redness, or inflammation.
Any changes in the nipple should be looked at, too, says Kruper, as well as an enlargement in one breast only.
Q: What should a woman do if she notices any of these symptoms?
"Go see your doctor and expect the symptoms to be taken seriously," Kruper says.
Q: What can women under 40 do to lessen breast cancer risk?
"Maintain a healthy body weight and exercise regularly," Lichtenfeld says. "Follow a healthy diet, preferably more plant-based than meat-based."
He gives the advice to keep a healthy body weight, he says, despite a lack of evidence of a link between obesity in childhood or young adulthood and breast cancer. "On the other hand, in postmenopausal women, obesity is a risk factor increasing the risk of breast cancer," he says.
Exercise should be consistent, Kruper says. She tells her patients to get in 40 minutes, four to five times a week. It should be a good cardiovascular workout, she says -- ''not just Pilates or yoga."
Be aware of how much alcohol you drink, Lichtenfeld and Kruper agree. Alcohol raises breast cancer risk, experts agree, but much is not known about the link. Even small amounts of alcohol have been linked with a higher risk, Lichtenfeld says. The American Cancer Society recommends no more than one drink a day, he says.
"According to the research, the less you drink the better," Lichtenfeld says.


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Charlie Clips is currently prepping the release of his new mixtape "Lenox Ave Beast 2″ and gives us a taste of what to expect with this ode to the NY Knicks. The tape will be dropping January 6th.
Listen and download the track below.
Download: Charlie Clips – NY Knicks


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Rangers get swept by the Pirates
Photo: Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer
Texas relief pitcher Tanner Scheppers sits on the ground after fielding Jose Tabata's infield hit in the eighth inning of the the Pirates' 7-5 win during the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. the Texas Rangers major league baseball game at Ranger Ballpark in Arlington on Wednesday, September 11, 2013.
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While Campbell city staff doesn't expect a budget surplus in fiscal year 2015, consensus is that the city will break even.
Campbell city staff, the city council and members of the public met on May 5 to discuss the city's operating budget and capital improvement plan. No formal action was taken. The first round of decisions will be made June 3 and council will make final budget decisions on June 26 before the fiscal year 2015 begins July 1.
The total city revenues for 2015 are expected to be $53.7 million, a 6.1 percent increase from last year, while expenditures are expected to be $53.2 million, a 5.5 percent increase from last year.
Jesse Takahashi, the city's finance director, said the city's economic fluctuations reserve will be fully funded. During the economic slump, the city pulled from the fund. Since the economy has recovered, the city utilized a budget correction strategy that replenished the funds in less than five years.
The four-hour meeting saw the council comb through the voluminous budget, with a solid 45 minutes devoted to debating whether--and how--the city would fund a proposed full-time collection specialist who would assess the city's historical collection and make recommendations to the city.
The proposed collection specialist would document items within the museum's collection and determine whether they are being cared for correctly, according to Regina Maurantonio, recreation and community services director.
"In order to know how to move forward, we need to have a better sense of what the city owns and what our responsibility is, and the museum collections specialist would do that," Maurantonio said.
Both the museum and the Heritage Theatre receive subsidies from the general fund, per city policy. The museum is allotted $150,000 per year, while the Heritage Theatre is allotted $100,000 from the general fund each year. This year, the museum is about $55,000 in excess of its subsidy, while the theater is about $120,000 in excess. The additional money needed for the museum would come from the general fund, additional money for the theater from the Preservation Enhancement Fund, Maurantonio said.
"The concern is, in future years, we may not have the funding to fix something if it breaks at the Heritage Theatre, which is what the Preservation Enhancement Fund was set up to do," she added.
Originally, staff had estimated that a full-time collection specialist would cost the city about $56,000. Linder recalculated and concluded that, with benefits, that salary would be closer to $65,000.
"I'm not asking for a policy change at this point," city manager Mark Linder told the council members. "I'm just asking for a one-year exemption while we figure out what we ought to do."
Councilman Evan Low was averse to going against the city's policy.
"I just fundamentally believe that if we have a policy in place, we should enforce the policies...and adapt accordingly rather than during budget times look at one time expenditures for two years," he said
Maurantonio said the collection specialist's analysis could provide information that could help the city determine whether to change its policy, including how much money is needed to run the museum programs and funding options.
Councilman Jason Baker said he supported an exception to the policy in this case because the situation is a "unique crisis."
"To me, it's hard to make a decision in terms of policies as far as how much subsidy the museum should have without getting a handle [on this], which is the purpose of the collection specialist," he said.
He added that the policy is meant to deal with day-to-day expenses.
"I feel this is not a day-to-day expenditure; it's an extraordinary expenditure for a short period of time to get a specific thing done, and that's why I think it falls outside the policy," he said.
Linder said he'd bring a policy change option to the June 3 meeting for the council members to consider.
For more information, visit the city's website, ci.campbell.ca.us, hover your mouse over "Agendas and Minutes," select "City Council" and click on 'May 5, 2014 City Council Study Session."


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Of course!
Out of Africa
Overall, not a hair movie, but the scene where Robert Redford
washes Meryl Streep?s hair . . . definitely memorable.
Legends of the Fall
Was anything more tragic than Julia Ormond cutting those
luscious tresses? (Well, maybe when she offed herself.) And Brad
Pitt?s grunge/sensitive New Age cowboy hair plays a strong
supporting role.
Romy & Michelle?s High School Reunion
Hair second only to costumes. Tubular.
For obvious reasons.
Valley of the Dolls
Extreme bouffantage.
Cate Blanchett?s stunning locks almost scared me.
Well, duh.
Jessica Lange with blue snakes as hair. Hello, Medusa!
Bo Derek makes cornrows safe for white people.
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Madrid plan to nick Suarez off Liverpool: Liverpool are bracing themselves for a £70 million raid from Real Madrid for striker Luis Suarez, according to a report in The Sun. The paper reports that the bid will trigger a get-out clause in his new Anfield contract, with an offer to be tabled at the end of the season and before the World Cup starts.
Assuming the report is accurate, the Reds would be powerless to stop Suarez leaving.
Real have yet to decide whether to offer Karim Benzema or highly-rated youngster Alvaro Morata as part-exchange, the article adds.
Paper Round's view: Real Madrid are one of the biggest and richest clubs in the world, and as such can expect to be able to attract the best players on the planet, but their inevitable pursuit of pretty much any player who rises to prominence is getting rather tiresome. No one, it seems, is safe from the dastardly Spanish club and clubs like Liverpool must be heartily sick of the battles they are forced to wage every transfer window to hold on to their best players. Suarez, of course, didn't do his club any favours last summer, when he flirted outrageously with Real, not to mention Arsenal, and we are yet to see if he is still tempted by a move to the Bernabeu. That is assuming his latest get-out clause actually exists on his contract...
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Lallana to snub Chelsea, United for Liverpool: Adam Lallana is set to become "the first piece in Liverpool's Champions League jigsaw next season", reports the Daily Mirror. The Southampton midfielder is set to snub the advances of Manchester United and Chelsea in favour of a move to Anfield, despite his boyhood fan allegiances to Everton. The Merseyside club believe they can do a deal for around £20m, with Saints owner Katharina Liebherr prepared to green light a sale.
Paper Round's view: Now this would be a real coup for Liverpool, not only to land a talent as exciting as Lallana, but to do so amid interest from Chelsea and United. Such a move would show just how far Liverpool have come (and perhaps how far in the other direction United have slipped) and would indicate in what light the Brendan Rodgers project is now viewed. And if Lallana did go to Anfield, the club would only be in an even better position to challenge for the title again.
- - -
Van Gaal talks stall over Giggs: Manchester United's negotiations with Louis van Gaal have hit a hitch over how interim manager Ryan Giggs would fit into the Dutchman's substantial back room entourage. The Independent reports that Van Gaal left his Algarve holiday home on Monday with no deal secured and that there is a growing sense that talks to install him as David Moyes' successor at Old Trafford have not gone as smoothly as hoped. The reason for that is the Class of '92, for whom there is a growing clamour to be accommodated within the new set-up. There are suggestions, the paper claims, that it might be difficult for Van Gaal to accommodate Giggs and his former team-mates. The report adds that United are not minded to impose Giggs on Moyes' successor.
Paper Round's view: It seems as though much depends of Giggs himself, and what role he would be satisfied with playing. With United apparently not forcing Van Gaal to take Giggs on board, and the Dutchman seemingly keen on including him in some way, the delay to the talks is most likely coming from Giggs, and what he wants for himself and his current interim staff. That's fair enough, but while Giggs can expect to end up with some role to play, the likes of Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville are in less of a strong position to demand they are retained once a new manager takes over.
- - -
City to splash on defence this summer: Manuel Pellegrini is set to spend big this summer in an attempt to address Manchester City's defensive problems. The Telegraph reports that the title-chasers have identified a need for at least two defenders and a holding midfielder once the transfer window opens again. Talks with Porto over the £30 million-rated centre-half Eliaquim Mangala and midfielder Fernando are at an advanced stage, while Bacary Sagna is a confirmed target, with the Arsenal full-back ready to move to City on a free transfer after rejecting Arsene Wenger's attempts to tie him to a new three-year deal at the Emirates Stadium.
Paper Round's view: Finally, City's focus seems to be shifting away from recruiting big-money flair attacking players and towards what the club has sorely needed for a while now - a truly world class defender. Whether Mangala fits that bill, or indeed Sagna, is still perhaps open to debate, but at least City are in the market for one. And, should they win their remaining Premier League games, incredibly they will have managed to get away with neglecting that aspect of their squad this season.
- - -
Mel doomed: Pepe Mel's tenure as West Brom manager will be terminated at the end of the current season - whether the Baggies stay up or not. The Daily Star's exclusive informs us that the Spaniard's days look numbered at The Hawthorns after the club began the search for a new manager and a possible overhaul of their coaching set-up. The prospect of Mel being replaced is being "openly discussed" behind the scenes in the Black Country and a parting of ways "could suit both parties", the paper claims. Tensions still exist between the manager and some players, with some of his squad complaining about his methods and that they are struggling to understand his broken English.
Paper Round's view: Mel has done superbly well to give the Baggies a fighting chance of survival this season, overseeing three wins in their last seven games, but if he and his methods are not popular with players, the writing must be on the wall. Still, if West Brom do stay up and he goes, he at least will leave with his reputation intact.
- - -
- Soccer
- Sports & Recreation
- Real Madrid
- Luis Suarez
- Adam Lallana
- Ryan Giggs
- Van Gaal
- Manchester United


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Benjamin Moore: Paints, Stains & Finishes
- Location: multiple locations and online
- Website: benjaminmoore.com
Store History
- Founded: 1883
- Founded by: Benjamin and Robert Moore
- Headquarters: Montvale, NJ
There are a handful of Benjamin Moore colors that continually make the rounds on decorators' favorite lists. Apartment Therapy's Color Therapist, Mark Chamberlain, has written about a bunch of them, especially their grays (Coastal Fog, Silver Fox, Knoxville Gray) and off-whites (Swiss Coffee, Cove Point, White Dove, Decorator's White).
The price point for Benjamin Moore paint is a little higher than other hardware store brands, but so is the quality. Their low-VOC Aura and no-VOC Natura lines are even more expensive, but they've performed well in the Apartment Therapy test lab.
The company recently began an online ordering service, where you can shop for paints and supplies (including 2 ounce samples) on the web and have them delivered to your home. If you'd rather look in-person, Benjamin Moore is sold at hardware and paint stores across the country.
• The Best Off-White Paint: Benjamin Moore
• Silver Fox by Benjamin Moore
• Coastal Fog by Benjamin Moore
• Benjamin Moore Historic Colors: Verdigris & Grey
• Knoxville Gray by Benjamin Moore
• Benjamin Moore Color Forecast 2009
• Clinton Brown by Benjamin Moore
• Classic Brown by Benjamin Moore
• Beach Haven by Benjamin Moore
Photos: Benjamin Moore


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Paypal temporarily disabled
"Truly Smile" by Goodfellow
Categories: Anime & Manga, Cartoons & Comics, Gaming
Characters: Reader, Various, You
Description: The reader is always smiling and looking past her own pain to help others. She's always trying to make people laugh even if its at her own expense but she holds a deep sorrow that secretly overwhelms her. Will someone figure out what she's holding back? Will our dear reader finally break? Will something happen that just tears her down? Will she be okay?
no drabbles.
no songfics.
Posted: 10/13/09 | Deadline: None
This website is solely for non-profit entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made from this website whatsoever. All fan fiction represented in this archive are © their respective owners and/or authors. All original works are © their respective authors. No reproduction of the written works in this archive is permitted without prior consent of their respective authors. All Rights Reserved. Icons used on this site are from famfamfam.com. Protected by Spam Poison Bleach, Ichigo are © Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo, Dentsu, and Tite Kubo.


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RANCHO PALOS VERDES -- In a sometimes testy appearance at the D9 conference here, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said his biggest mistake as the company's CEO was that he didn't react quickly and effectively enough to Facebook.
Facebook is the first large-scale, general way online of verifying and disseminating an Internet user's identity, Schmidt said. That sort of personalization could help with many things that Google does, such as improving search results or providing better driving directions.
Schmidt said he recognized four years ago that Google needed to counter Facebook and even wrote memos to that effect.
"I did nothing about the memos I wrote," Schmidt said. "The CEO should take responsibility. I screwed up."
Schmidt's comments came during a wide-ranging conversation with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, reporters for The Wall Street Journal's All Things D website, which puts on the D conference. The conversation with Schmidt was the opening session of the conference.
During his appearance, Schmidt discussed everything from privacy to Google's relationship with Apple and other big tech companies to his fears concerning how governments will try to regulate the Internet.
Privacy has been a particular sore spot for Google, prompting multiple government inquiries into the data Google collects and what it does with it. Most recently, with the revelation of a location-tracking file on Apple's iPhone, questions have been raised by privacy experts, industry insiders and -- as Swisher said, by Apple CEO Steve Jobs -- about the type of location data collected by phones running Google's Android software.
Schmidt said the company tries to be transparent with users about how it's using their data. It collects users' location data for certain applications, such as Google Latitude, which users opt in to using. It also is specifically designed to share location with other consumers. The company also collects anonymized location information but doesn't retain it, he said.
Regarding Apple, Schmidt acknowledged the relationship could be tense but said Google had recently renewed its deals with Apple for search and maps for the iPhone.
Schmidt recently stepped aside as Google CEO and was replaced by co-founder Larry Page. In his new role as executive chairman, Schmidt spends a lot of his time on the road making sales calls, he said. One sales deal that he wasn't able to complete was with the music companies, he noted.
Google recently launched a cloud-based music service that allows users to store their digital music files on Google's servers. But the company launched the service without the support of the major music labels.
"We've been attempting to convince the music industry" to work with Google. "We haven't been successful."
Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-920-5021.


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Learn how to recognize and avoid danger during "Common Sense Self Defense," a free self defense workshop, from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30 in the Lake Coeur d'Alene Room of North Idaho College's Edminster Student Union Building.
The workshop will be led by certified instructors from Common Sense Self Defense Northwest Greg Beeman and Susan Toulme. Beeman is a black belt in the Filipino art of Combat Arnis and a 15-year veteran law enforcement officer and police defensive tactics and firearms instructor. Toulme has been involved with Common Sense Self Defense Northwest for three years with an emphasis on women's personal protection.
The two will teach that self defense is about security and the best approach to security is avoidance of dangerous situations. The session will focus on crime prevention as well as techniques to survive a close-range attack.
The self defense workshop is free and open to the public. Free popcorn will be provided to participants.
The workshop is sponsored by NIC Counseling Services as part of the Food for Thought series.
Information: (208) 769-5970.


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Brookfield Buys Challenger's Inexus
Challenger Infrastructure Fund has entered into a binding sale and purchase agreement with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for U.K. utility and infrastructure provider Inexus for a potential sale price of 35.6 million British pounds (US$55.5 million).
The price implies an enterprise value of around £747 million for 100% of Inexus, representing a forecast enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization multiple of 16.3 times.
The Rothschild-advised fund, which sold LBC Tank Terminal Group to a consortium of pension funds earlier this month, will seek to be wound up for an estimated cost of 6.2 million Australian dollars (US$6.2 million).
Chief executive Emil Pahljina expects to distribute A$1.28 a share to shareholders in September, in addition to a 5 Australian cents/share distribution to be paid on August 31.
The stock rose 6.6% in early afternoon trade to A$1.29 a share.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @WSJAustralia


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This report details which major company is eyeing SLW for a potential
hostile take over.
Copy and paste to your browser and remove "###" : SLW.refer-us###.in
Great job !
good report!
thanks a lot man!
good job!
good report! thanks
silver-coated spam
Correct. And notice all the kudos hit the message board at about the same time. It's a spammer with a bunch of different screen names.
very nice and good report!
Read the report and it says exactly nothing..Really sucks.


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Selected scientific papers
This section contains a selection of Dr. Breggin's scientific articles spanning 1964 to the present. They can be arranged chronologically in order to facilitate an overview of his work over the years.
DocumentsDate added
Order by : Name | Date | Hits [ Descendent ]
A dangerous assignment (2001) 03/01/2001
"A dangerous assignment," In Howard Rosenthal (Ed.). Favorite Counseling and Therapy Homework Assignments: Leading Therapists Share their Most Creative Strategies, pp. 58-59. Philadelphia: Brunner Routledge, 2001.
"Empowering Social Work in the Era of Biological Psychiatry." (2001) [The annual Ephraim Lisansky ecture of the University of Maryland School of Social Work.] Ethical Human Sciences and Services, :197-206.
"Empathic Self-Transformation in Therapy." Excerpt from Dimensions of Empathic Therapy , P. Breggin, G. Breggin and F. Bemak, editors. Springer Publishing Company, pp. 177 - 189, 2002.
"Fluvoxamine as a Cause of Stimulation, Mania, and Aggression with a Critical Analysis of the FDA-Approved Label." International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 14: 71-86, 2002. Originally published in Ethical Human Sciences and Services, 4:211-227, 2002.
Psychopharmacology and human values (2003) 01/01/2003
"Psychopharmacology and Human Values." Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 43: 34-49, 2003.
"Suicidality, Violence and Mania Caused by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): A Review and Analysis." International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16: 31-49, 2003/2004. Originally published in Ethical Human Sciences and Services, 5:225-246.
Recent U.S., Canadian and British regulatory agency actions concerning antidepressants (2005) 01/01/2005
"Recent U.S., Canadian and British regulatory agency actions concerning antidepressant-induced harm to self and others: A review and analysis." Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 7, 7-22, 2005. Simultaneously published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16, 247-259, 2005.
"Recent regulatory changes in antidepressant labels: Implications for activation (stimulation) in clinical practice." Primary Psychiatry, 13, 57-60, 2006.
Politics, practice, and breaking news (2006) 02/01/2006
"Politics, Practice, and Breaking News." Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 3-6, 2006.
"Court Filing Makes Public My Previously Suppressed Analysis of Paxil's Effects." Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 77-84, 2006.


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Bowl invite? One win, maybe two, are needed
The big picture seemed meaningless for Cal after the scary injury to tailback Jahvid Best on Saturday. But when the smoke cleared from a 31-14 loss to Oregon State, Cal found itself in sixth place in the Pac-10 with surprising Arizona headed to town next week.
After the Bears (6-3, 3-3 Pac-10) suffered blowout losses to Oregon and USC, they made a goal to go 7-0 the rest of the way. That would have given Cal a 10-win season and a likely berth in a high-profile bowl game.
With three games left — two against teams ahead of them in the Pac-10 standings — the Bears simply are trying to keep up with the middle of the pack.
"Now we're going to try to go 6-1," Cal linebacker Mike Mohamed said. "It all starts next week against Arizona. We want to finish out the homestand with a win and just take it from there. We want to close out the Pac-10 with another three wins."
Arizona is tied in the loss column for first place in the Pac-10. Stanford, the Bears' opponent on Nov. 21, is 5-2 in the conference after knocking off No. 8 Oregon on Saturday. Cal finishes the regular season Dec. 5 at Washington.
It's not an easy road, and although the Bears are bowl eligible already, they likely will have to win at least one of their three remaining games to ensure a berth in the postseason.
"The focus was one at a time all the way through," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "That doesn't change. We need to regroup and make sure that we are ready."
"Basically, they read the defense and found ways to get more of their personnel into areas where we were short," Cal cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson said. "That turned out in big plays for them throughout the game."
— Jonathan Okanes


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About the Book
"A cross between Mary Higgins Clark and Betty Crocker."
—Baltimore Sun
"The Julia Child of mystery writers."
—Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph
No one cooks up a tastier stew of murder, mystery, and mayhem than New York Times bestselling author Diana Mott Davidson. Entertainment Weekly calls her "today's foremost practitioner of the culinary whodunit." And now it's Crunch Time, as Davidson's delightful series protagonist, caterer and amateur sleuth-extraordinaire Goldy Schulz, digs into a deadly smorgasbord that includes a heaping helping of murder, a double dose of arson…and nine adorable beagle puppies!
Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz cooks up big trouble as she tries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia. When the rental house shared by Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair moves in with cop-turned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead and his house is set on fire, nearly killing Goldy, Yolanda, Ferdinanda, and nine beagle puppies that Ernest recently rescued from a puppy mill.
Concerned for her friends, Goldy invites them to stay with her while the sheriff's department investigates. Yet even Goldy's house isn't safe and, after a failed break-in by an unknown intruder, a policeman is assigned to keep an eye on things. The action really starts to rev after a second body turns up. Swapping her chef's hat for a sleuthing cap, the intrepid Goldy turns detective. But she's got to move fast. It's crunch time to close in on a killer, before he can close in on her.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"Terrific." — Richmond Times-Dispatch on Crunch Time
"Fans who relished Davidson's previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too." — Booklist on Crunch Time
"Enjoyable." — Publishers Weekly on Crunch Time
"Davidson's fans will not be disappointed." — Kirkus Reviews on Crunch Time
Product Details
- Imprint: HarperLuxe
- On Sale: 04/05/2011
- Trimsize: 6 in (w) x 9 in (h) x 1.673 in (d)
- Pages: 736
- List Price: 26.99 USD
- BISAC1: FICTION / Contemporary Women
- BISAC2: FICTION / Mystery & Detective / General


text: Comments on GOP talks about energy in weekly address TypePad 2013-02-09T15:18:11Z Jim Van Nostrand http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/ tag:typepad.com,2003:http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/02/gop-talks-about-energy-in-weekly-address/comments/atom.xml/ Thomas Nass commented on 'GOP talks about energy in weekly address' tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c64169e2017d40e9c484970c 2013-02-09T22:51:43Z 2013-02-09T22:51:43Z Thomas Nass http://www.sciline.com The only things that are certain about the Republican, 3-D(Delude, Deceive and DIVIDE), Party is that they all Despise Obama... <p>The only things that are certain about the Republican, 3-D(Delude, Deceive and DIVIDE), Party is that they all Despise Obama to the point of insanity. If Obama says Yes they say No. If Obama says No they say Yes. Their unabashed Allegiance to the "Interests" of their "Special Interests" proprietors is also most disturbing. To say nothing of their predisposition for lying! All at the expense of this Country's best interests! Their War with President Obama on everything he tries to do, is nothing but a distraction from their inability to do anything useful for this Country and their WAR on LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS! Along with their child-like, spiteful, revenge for the American Voters rightfully denying them the opportunity of running this Country into the ground! If appears that Bipartisanship is becoming an illusion. If this becomes a reality, it won't be long before our Democracy follows suit! </p>


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Top Definition
Creator of Sluggy Freelance, and all around pioneer of web-comics. Pete has managed to post a new comic daily since 1997, and has collaborated with comic creators Ian McDonald and Clay Yount to further expand the Sluggy Universe. Creator of icons Torg, Riff, Zoe and Bun Bun Pete has been the impetus of modern web comics and inspired many in the field to begin their own works. He irregularly appears in his own comic as a glowing avatar, and has been known to feed his minion Shirt-Guy Tom to rabid, puffin-dingos. SluggyFreelance, and by extension Pete Abrams, was awarded the Epic Shortbread of 2004 by WebSnark (and by extension Eric Burns).
Pete Abrams unique style of esoteric goof lends the appropriate atmosphere to immortalize a trio of Generation Y slackers.
by o'riyley July 07, 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?


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FEB 16, 2013 - E! Online
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Maya Rudolph is long past being a Bridesmaid, she's going to a mom again!
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The relationship between diet and disease
The relationship between diet and disease
A 'balanced' diet refers to the minimum consumption of nutrients to provide the essential requirements of the body. Deficiency states, whilst no longer an overt problem in developed countries, continue to cause disease states in underdeveloped countries, due to famine or war. Where one or more of the essential nutrients are absent in the diet or there is inadequate absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, this is referred to as malnutrition.
Conversely, the majority of diet-related health problems in developed countries relate to excessive intake of essential and non-essential food and drink. Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, salt and alcohol have been linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus type II, dental caries and certain cancers. Obesity and malnutrition may occur in the same individual. Health promotion in affluent nations, in which these dietary components are freely available, is aimed at awareness and empowerment of the individual to eat a 'healthy' diet, i.e. one in which the essential nutrients are present but not consumed to excess. Education concerning obesity should be focused on awareness that food consumption must match physical activity. Current trends indicate that a third of the adult population will be obese by 2020. The dietary requirements of an individual throughout life are dependent upon the energy and growth requirements, e.g. during pregnancy, lactation and childhood. In addition the degree of physical activity and concomitant disease status must be considered. The 'balance' in the diet must take into account the dynamics of the human being.
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- Report: #985248
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Complaint Review: petro
petro2nd avenue 11th street opelika, Alabama United States of America
petro i go to this store on daily base. and he are cheating peolple out their money with atm machine opelika, Alabama
*Consumer Comment: He are cheating people?
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 12/20/2012 08:21 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/petro/opelika-Alabama-36801/petro-i-go-to-this-store-on-daily-base-and-he-are-cheating-peolple-out-their-money-with-985248. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 Consumer Comment
He are cheating people?
AUTHOR: Stacey - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, December 20, 2012POSTED: Thursday, December 20, 2012
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Dearest Lucas,
Revisiting India for the second time, I have been able to look with more aware eyes at the world I am living in. I can recognize those areas that I have romanticized?like the savory food that I now remember really does set my mouth on fire?and the things that I had underplayed in my memory?the sunlight as it filters through the dusty air in the morning traffic, which casts shadows on the people walking down the streets in their colorful dress. Much of it feels like d?j? vu or scenes from a dream so far away? every day. But the excitement of my first week in India was overshadowed by the news of aggression in Iraq.
It seems to have overshadowed everything, except one thing: the World Cup game: India versus Australia. I was fortunate enough to attend the valediction ceremony for a Bangalorian theological college, during which the guest valedictory speaker noted that they had feared that no one would come to the ceremony because the cricket game was on television. This was no understatement as I noted the empty and unusually silent main streets of the city. Even the cows and horses and dogs that often loom on the sidewalks and wander through the streets had stayed in for the match. Today?s newspaper cover story, as it has been during the past week, was in fact two stories with two equally large photos: one of the cricket match and the other of the Iraqi conflict.
But most importantly my daily thoughts, while trying to focus on my thesis, have been focused on the news of the clashing of arms occurring in the middle east. While I know no one presently in direct contact with the occurrences there, friends from all parts of the world (Spain, Turkey, London, Guatemala) are writing to me with thoughts, prayers, sadness and hopes about the current situation. While India has vocally spoken out about the war, people everywhere, in southern Bangalore (where I am) and New Delhi and various other cities are protesting, as I am sure you know. I hear that the protests in the States are louder and stronger than they have ever been in history. While I cannot join these protests, I hope to stand against this violence by being here (wherever here is)?
An hour or so ago I emerged from an interview with a Friends World adjunct faculty member who spoke about what he sees as the very essence of the FW mission statement, which is the idea of world citizenship. The statement declares, ??take as its mission the development of well-educated world citizens?? and while the mission goes on to specify the manners in which these ?world citizens? will be educated, the exact definition of this kind of person is left ambiguous. As a Friends World student, what exactly am I attempting to do as I strive to be a world citizen? The faculty member spoke of the humanitarian, a person viewing the people of the world as both similar and different. We are all humans, and in that we share a bond. On a large scale we act with similar patterns and functions and manners. On a more specific scale, our particular contexts and cultures define our identities, those aspect of our beings that separate us into group and individuals and make us very different from one another. The defining characteristic of a world citizen, he suggested, was one who views the world as the humanitarian does?with a conception of the commonalties and the diversity of people in our world?and who not only takes this perspective but also attempts to bridge this gap. This bridge won?t be built through the ending of poverty or world peace, but through an attempted understanding of these gaps that exist. In my travels, not only this year but in my past 2 ? years with Friends World, I have experienced the clashing and crashing of cultures in which my level of knowledge of these other peoples has been embarrassingly small. But my attempt, my attempt to understand from the perspective of those I encounter who are so different, is how I hope to protest against this war that I feel has escalated with the help of a great lack of sincere attempting to understand?to want to understand.
Much love to you, Lucas. I hope you are well and safe. See you very soon!!!!!! How time flies?
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From Special Report: Global Opportunities - May 2012
IA S8-9 280512 Global opps_Eurozone crisis
What happens if Greece exits the eurozone?
If the rest of the currency union did not finance Greece, the effects of the resulting contagion would be profound.
Although the news has been full of warnings of Greece leaving the eurozone, this saga has been going on for more than two years, leaving many questioning what is different this time.
The significant change is that Greece has had an election without a clear winner. No party has been able to form a government but the voters sent a clear message to its parliament and the politicians in Brussels that the current policy of stringent austerity is unacceptable.
The party with the second largest number of seats is opposed to the terms of Greece's bailout and particular its austerity measures, and if there is another election next month it is expected to be able to form a government.
If Greece did not then comply with the terms of the bailout it would not receive the funds which are necessary to repay its debts and keep the government functioning.
To coin a phrase, 'It is different this time'. Greece has failed to implement many of the conditions necessary to qualify for the quarterly disbursements of funds from the bailout when the IMF and EU inspectors travel to Greece to check on their progress.
However, the difference is that there has been a government in power that has previously accepted those conditions and after fraught 11th hour negotiations has agreed to implement enough of them to satisfy the IMF/EU policy makers.
If a new radical government is elected it will have a mandate to oppose the terms of the bailout. In this scenario either the eurozone authorities will have to carry out their threat to force Greece out of the currency union or accede to the demands of the new government.
If it is the latter, the governing authorities will lose all credibility with regard to their ability to enforce discipline in the periphery countries.
Polls suggest that up to 70 per cent of Greeks would like to remain in the euro while a similar number voted for parties that were opposed to the terms of the bailout. In other words the Greeks want the best of both worlds.
The leader of the Syriza party has said that if Greece did not comply with the bailout conditions there is no way that the eurozone would force the country out of the currency union as it has too much to lose.
The only way that the Greeks can get what they want is if the eurozone authorities surrender to the demands of the Greek government. Given recent public pronouncements this is very unlikely although some small concessions, such as an extension of the period to implement the austerity measures, may be made. Therefore, it all comes down to a game of brinkmanship and who blinks first.
Forced to leave
The legal aspect of a departure from the eurozone is a grey area. There is no legal provision in the European treaties for a country to leave the eurozone. However, if Greece defaulted on its debts it would be tantamount to exiting the currency zone.
An added complication is whether Greece would leave the EU as well as the eurozone as there is also no legal provision for leaving the currency union without also exiting the EU. If Greece still wanted to be a member of the EU – but not the eurozone – it would then have to reapply for membership.
Of course, there would be many difficulties in Greece introducing a new currency. Firstly, it would have to decide the exchange value of the new currency. What it may do is to convert euros into new drachmas at a 1:1 rate and then let a floating exchange rate determine the true market value. Based on recent devaluations such as Argentina and Russia the new currency could depreciate by up to 70-80 per cent.
Analysis suggests that it would need to devalue by roughly 40 per cent for Greece to regain competitiveness within the eurozone, but in any event the fall will be large it will probably lose at least half its value against the euro.
Secondly, there is the logistical challenge of introducing a new currency. It cannot be expected that overnight all the ATMs and vending machines can be converted and that day-to-day cash transactions can be done in new drachmas. Ideally, the plan to launch a new currency would be conducted in secret as happened recently with the creation of South Sudan.
However, the exit of Greece has been predicted for a long time so there would be little element of surprise. From a logistical point of view it is possible that cash transactions could still be settled in euros for a limited period before becoming illegal.
As less than 5 per cent of all monetary transactions are settled in cash this may not present too much of a problem and in the meantime the necessary changes, such as converting the ATMs, could be made.
As with any investment decision, such as changing to a cheaper energy supplier, there is a lot of inertia and the average Greek person is concerned about whether he or she has a job and sufficient money to live. Once the devaluation becomes a reality there is likely to be a stampede to get euros out of Greece before they are converted into lower value drachmas. To limit the flight of capital the government may impose exchange controls and secure borders and prevent money leaving the country.
If Greece defaulted and left the eurozone the banks would go bust. The Greek banks hold large amounts of their government's bonds which would become worthless and, furthermore, the ECB would stop funding the banks.
The Greek banks rely on the ECB for their day-to-day liquidity, especially as they have been losing deposits, and so they would not be able to function. Furthermore, the Greek banking system is due to receive €40bn as part of the second bailout so this would no longer be available. To recapitalise the banking system the new government would have to print new drachmas once the currency conversion had taken place.
If the government had to print money to salvage the banks the spectre of inflation would raise its head. The devaluation of the new currency would already be causing a significant increase in prices due to the rising cost of imports and an ultra-loose monetary policy could make it much worse. Not only would the banks need new capital but the government would have to fund its deficit through the creation of new money. This means that as Greek public sector is still spending more than it receives in taxes and other receipts (called a primary deficit) it would have to cover the shortfall by printing new drachmas.
The other implication of its deficit is that Greece would have to continue to impose austerity measures until it creates a primary surplus. Therefore, far from being better the initial effects for Greece and its population would be devastating.
Uncompetitive nations
The main reason the periphery countries have struggled so much within the eurozone is that they are so uncompetitive. This reflects both the domestic economy where wages, pensions and other costs are too high and also the external account where the euro is at a level that is far too high. While it can and has been working hard to reduce internal costs to improve competitiveness through the austerity measures, Greece can do nothing about the euro exchange rate, which is the same for all 17 members of the currency union. While it is caught in the straitjacket of the currency union it can only become more competitive through 'internal devaluation', which has been self-defeating because the economy has shrunk so much. A floating exchange rate provides another means of adjustment to improve competitiveness.
The history of other countries that have devalued recently, such as Argentina, Indonesia, Russia and even Iceland, suggests that after the initial very difficult period of transition that may last a year or two the benefits start to show. Even Iceland is doing quite well now and is able to raise money in the debt markets at reasonable yields.
Greece is tiny in the context of the eurozone (it represents roughly 2 per cent of its GDP) and you are probably wondering why the rest of the currency union keeps on financing it. The reason is that it is not Greece itself that is the problem – it is the contagion it would cause to the rest of the eurozone and even beyond.
A default by Greece could potentially be compared to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers that triggered a chain of events that led to the financial recession from which we are still suffering.
Ted Scott is director of global strategy at F&C Investments
More in this report
- Still in Europe for the long haul
- Prognosis for ailing Greek patient does not look good
- US a winner in sentiment stakes
- Companies that the managers favour
- Broadly positive about emerging markets
- Why the smart money could still be in Asia
- The risks to Asia remain
- Unearthing the roots of recovery
- US finally on the road to recovery
- Aiming to grow capital in companies of different sizes
- Growth will make a return next year
- Mixed fortunes for Asia as Europe struggles on
- US growth prospects continue to improve
- Chances still abound to bag UK plays
- Questions of balance in the UK economy


text: God Hates Finland. Finland (better termed Fagland) is land of the sodomite damned. Finns wallow in cesspools of their own semen and hold festivals with the special intention of corrupting young children (the festivals of Juhannus and Vappu). Homosexuals and the sexually "liberated" compel citizens into drunken orgies and depraved acts, damning the country under God's wrath. K is a noted faggot and smells the devil's feces. godhatesfags.com


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OAKLAND -- Reenie Raschke Photography is returning to Montclair Village after a three-year hiatus, during which she had her popular portrait studio further up the hill.
"I wanted to be next to the people again," Raschke said. "I wanted to see the kids. It's energizing."
Raschke's new digs will be located at 1950 Mountain Boulevard on the second floor, above Nelly's Java coffee house. Raschke plans to celebrate her grand opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Raschke snapped photos of local families for seven years between 2003-2010 on La Salle Avenue, first as Sarber's Portrait Studio, and then on her own as Studio Montclair. Raschke specializes in family portraits, maternity and pet photography, and commercial headshots.
"I want to show people how beautiful they are," Raschke said. "It hurts when I don't capture something and it feels good when I do."
Raschke began her career on the other side of the camera as a model. She was often unhappy with the photographers' finished product.
"I know what people want to look like," said Raschke, who first picked up a camera when her children Alice and Henry -- now 20 and 21 years old, respectively -- were babies.
Raschke is a Bay Area native and has lived and worked in Montclair since 1987. She launched her professional career in 1998.
"Watching the growth of families is awesome," Raschke said.
Raschke also volunteers with an organization called Lay Me Down to Sleep that documents the brief lives of babies that are not going to live. Raschke is called by local hospitals to create a slide show of infant's brief lives that are often used as a mourning tool.
Raschke's interest in the project was sparked when she found a well-worn photograph of a dead baby in her grandmother's attic.
"It's up to me to get it in the can," she said. "The moment is gone. If mom and dad can relive that moment, they can smooth it out. It's like therapy."
Raschke's other local ventures include a holiday pop-up store in 2011, called the Montclair Collective, which sold local artisanal goods. She also published a coffee-table book entitled "My Town Montclair," which can be purchased on her website and at select stores around Montclair Village.
Raschke will also celebrate the reopening of her portrait studio through the month of May with a special offer of $100 for a sitting fee. For more information about her business and to view her work, visit Reenieimages.com.


text: MUMBAI: The board of Daiwa Mutual Fund (MF), the Indian asset management of Japan's Daiwa Securities Group, will sell its schemes but may retain the MF licence. The group has decided to adopt a 'scheme transfer' method to exit its domestic fund business. The company will soon start looking around for potential buyers for the fund portfolios, said a source close to the development.


text: Design a full wave bridge rectifier with capactior filter to supply 12V dc to a 100Ω load. A ripple voltage of 0.4Vpp is required. Diodes are assumed to have 0.7V drop. Determine the 60Hz transformer secondary voltage and the size capacitor required. What would be the PIV for the diodes?


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Posted by Eleonore on 28/8/2011, 22:50:26, in reply to "Re: most elegantly and most dreadfully dressed"
User logged in as Eleonore
If the result is even worse than that of her daughter, I'll pass. I already think the image of the Duchess of Castro will haunt me in my sleep after a heavy dinner
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: And too much 'nip/tuck' and botox if you ask
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: and surgery to new heights.
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text: What makes a great album? There is no one thing that makes an album "great". Is it the quality of the music? The talent of the musicians? Sometimes, but some of my favorite albums were made by bands who were not what you would call "great musicians". The Misfits or The Ramones come to mind. Is it lyrical content? Again, sometimes but not necessarily. A song need not contain flowery prose or well executed poetry to make it great. So, what is it then? Art appreciation (and music, even metal, is certainly an art form) is subjective, to say the least.


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Sports Gallery
Rangers lose second straight game to Mets, 8-5
Photo: Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer/Staff Photographer
Texas starting pitcher Derek Holland throws a first-inning pitch during the New York Mets vs. the Texas Rangers major league baseball game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Sunday, June 26, 2011.
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Ready to shake the winter doldrums? Get outdoors and hop on your bike. However, use your head, that is a helmet on your head, along with bicycle safety practices. Leftover winter sand on the street can be particularly hazardous. And, you need to share the road safely with those big cars and trucks you've been in all winter.
Your brain is your best asset
Even a low-speed fall on a bicycle path can cause brain injury. Bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of injury from a bicycle crash by 85%. Seventy to eighty percent of the 1000 deaths each year from bicycle crashes are the result of head injury. Bicycles are the second leading cause of childhood injuries, after automobiles. Doesn't it make sense to protect your (and your child's) head?
Helmet fit: A bicycle helmet should be level on your head, touch all around, be comfortably snug, and not move more than an inch in any direction.
Helmet color: The brighter, the better
Keep it simple: Thin straps, complicated adjustments, aerodynamic designs, visors, and excessive vents are generally less safe and less user friendly than the plainer alternatives.
Helmet resources: All helmets made for U.S. sale after March 10, 1999 must meet the US Consumer Product Safety Commission standard -- look for the sticker. Review helmet specifications and warranties.
Don't wait to replace your helmet: Even if there's no visible damage after a crash, replace your helmet. Also, most manufacturers recommend replacing your helmet every five years.
This information provided by the Group Insurance Commission .


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29 Absolutely Terrible Craft Ideas
Do we really need to DIY things out of lint?
1. Baked potato hamster.
2. Toilet paper earrings.
3. Louis Vuitton printed assault rifle.
4. Leg warmers for a stool.
5. Another waste of knitting: men's shorts.
6. Monkey chair.
7. Playing card corset.
8. Under-the-sea-themed cake with live fish.
9. Tampon gun and bullets.
10. Tampon ghost.
11. Heart-shaped tampon earrings.
Instructions are here, not that I condone this.
12. DIY tampons.
Back to basics.
13. Paula Dean wine glass decal.
14. Studded butt pockets.
Sit down and feel the burn!
15. Carved pumpkin with breasts giving birth.
For legitimately great pumpkin craft ideas, try these instead.
16. Hand-painted jeans.
Would you call these sperm a "tattoo print"?
17. Figurines made from clay made from dryer lint.
18. Deformed foot cake.
19. Paper Chanel bag.
Straight from the Paris runways.
20. Duck foot pumps.
21. Razor blade soap.
22. Fake flowers, made from buttons.
And what appear to be coasters.
23. Unicorn bike with horn and tail.
24. Deer hoof Christmas ornament.
25. Fake eyelash necklace.
26. Fake bird's nest as scrunchie.
So "Carrie Bradshaw getting married" — but in the worst way.
27. Preserved orange peel hair floret.
And you were going to throw that out. Silly goose, you!
28. Handbag lamp.
With FEET!
29. Lamp made of melted legos.
- Donald Trump's campaign chief Stephen Bannon said "he doesn't like Jews," according to his ex-wife.
- Facebook shifts to algorithms to decide which stories to highlight in its trending news section after allegations of liberal bias at the company.
- Far-right protesters climbed Berlin's famous Brandenburg Gate to protest against refugees. About 1.1 million asylum-seekers arrived in Germany last year.


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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:41 pm
Post subject: OMG....BFP with my 3rd
I still don't quite believe it but have definitely just got my BFP.
Having done a test early & getting a very feint BFP on fri, then did another this morning to check & BFN. Was getting a bit confused so have just tested again (4 times) and got a BFP on ALL 4!!!!!
Can't believe it's happening.
x x x


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Product Review Submission
Write a review of this product to share your opinions with others.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about one of our products! Try to be as accurate as possible by placing some facts about the product based upon your experience. Please focus on the product performance and quality and why you do or don't recommend this product. Once reviewed by our staff, your review may be posted on AWMA.com. Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for more information about the review process.
|3 Piece Tri-Color 9" Throwing Knife Set
- 9", 3 piece set.
- Includes rainbow, black and silver knives.
- Includes nylon sheath.


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Provides: Extra battery life
Developer: HyperMac
Minimum Requirements: MacBook with MagSafe power connector
Price: $199.95 – $499.95
Availability: Now
Apple has made their best effort to maximize battery life in their notebook line, but sometimes it's just not enough. Even if battery life has been extended since previous models, the new MacBooks don't support swapping of batteries (at least not in a usable fashion). So, what do you do? Call up HyperMac I imagine. They have a new external battery, and it does its job.
It's a simple problem with a simple fix. You need more battery life, so you need more power. You can fix this problem in a number of different ways. You can dim your backlight, turn off WiFi, and work in battery saving mode. You could bring a power adapter along everywhere you go. But what if you don't have access to a power outlet? What if you're in a car? Since the entire MacBook line only accepts MagSafe connectors, you are extremely limited in your power options. You'd have to buy a power inverter in order to power up your MacBook in a car. Or would you?
Turns out, you have another option. Not only can HyperMac's External MacBook Power battery help alleviate some of your power woes in the form of an external battery (with MagSafe connector), you can also get a car adapter for the included MagSafe connector (no battery necessary). At the time of this writing, the HyperMac Car Charger is included at no additional charge for the top 3 capacity models. Heck, the darn thing will even charge your iPhone or other USB device (but what other device could you possibly need?).
How well does it work? Superbly. I got the chance to try out HyperMac's top of the line model, the 222Wh. They have a chart on their site with expected battery life extension by model of MacBook assuming WiFi ON, 50% display brightness and Better Battery Life setting. I, of course, just can't compromise, so I tested it with full brightness, tons of apps running, all antennae on, etc, etc. The chart says that my unibody MacBook Pro should get about 4 times more battery life than normal, so I knew it wasn't going to live up to that. But to my amazement, it recharged my MacBook Pro (from dead) 3 times before giving up the ghost. I'm seriously impressed.
How about the design? Not bad, especially for external batteries. These things tend to be on the ugly side of ugly, but this one is very tolerable. It's made out of aluminum and has a white plastic end for the capacity display and connectors. The unit chargers fairly quickly, considering it's size. Be forewarned, the higher the capacity, the larger the unit, but this is detailed on HyperMac's site; no secrets here. Still, 5 pounds is not really that bad; heck, that's about a 30% improvement over a mediocre Will Smith movie.
HyperMac offers the External MacBook Power battery in the following sizes: 60Wh, 100Wh, 150Wh, and 222Wh, though they get progressively out of the range of affordability quite quickly. But if you need extra battery life, you need it, and price may not be a deterrence. In all truth, the only downside to these batteries is their price compared to their utilization. Do yourself a favor and think about how often you're really going to use this, and then make your decision. If you do decide you need an external battery, you will be very happy with your HyperMac purchase.


text:
Gliwice, Poland - Infinite Dreams, award-winning mobile games publisher released an update for 'Let's Create! Pottery HD'. The popular iOS app, which has been downloaded over 2'000'000 times goes universal as well as the lite version. Additionaly 'Let's Create! Pottery HD' is on crazy sale for 48 Hours!
One of the most innovative app on iOS devices gets major update which offers high-resolution, eye-catching gorgeous 3D graphics, intuitive and fun control system and tons of relaxing moments. The game is available as a Universal app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices and supports retina display and iPad 2 optimization.
Version 1.30 brings on board Game Center Achievements, improved modeling and different background themes as additional content to purchase inside the app. Pottery fans should also value new localizations in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinise, Japanese and Polish.
'Let's Create! Pottery HD' will be on sale for 48 Hours. To celebrate with Fans, Infinite Dreams decided to cut the price by 80%. Now you will get this amazing app for $0.99 only! This offer ends on Tuesday 9th August, so don't miss the opportunity to buy the full version at lower price!
It is worth pointing out that 'Let's Create! Pottery HD' was number one app in the Entertainment category of App Store in 50 countries including United States, United Kingdom and China. Until today game has been downloaded over 2'000'000 times!
Everyone who buys or already bought 'Let's Create! Pottery HD' can upload and view other people's creations on the community portal ( www.potterygame.com). The login system is based on the Facebook Connect feature. If you have a Facebook account, you can use the same login and password in order to access the 'Let's Create! Pottery' Community Portal.
Game materials:
• Gameplay tutorial video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Myr4kw8QMM
• Trailer video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxMb5f085lw
• Let's Create! Pottery HD iTunes direct link: http://bit.ly/lgi7cQ
• Let's Create! Pottery HD Lite iTunes direct link: http://bit.ly/k9wHsR
Pricing and Availability:
Let's Create! Pottery HD is priced $4.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide through the App Store in the Entertainment category. Promo codes are available for qualified reviewers. Please specify the website or blog you represent when making your request.
Game Info:
Become a true artist and create "one of a kind" pottery items and share them with your friends! Throw the clay on the wheel, release all your artistic talents and take benefit of dozens of materials available in order to create your own design! Even when you glaze and fire your very first pot you will feel accomplished and relaxed as pottery is the best way to relieve your everyday stress and find your inner peace. An amazing, therapeutic and uplifting experience you can enjoy with your family and friends!
Follow Infinite Dreams social channels to get the latest news about 'Let's Create! Pottery HD' and other Infinite Dreams games:
Twitter - http://twitter.com/idreamsgames
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/idreams.fan
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About Infinite Dreams Inc.:
Infinite Dreams Inc. is a game development studio located in Gliwice, Poland. With over 10 years of experience in the industry the company focuses on creating top quality games for all most popular mobile operating systems including iPhone OS, Android and Windows Mobile. The company cooperates with major international publishers and software distributors in Europe, North America and Asia. Sky Force – a title created and published by Infinite Dreams – is the highest rated Polish mobile game of all time. Currently the company is one of the most important software providers for the next Nokia's OVI Store. Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep by Infinite Dreams was the best-selling and top rated N-Gage game in 2008. The company is also an official and certified Sony PSP, Nintendo WiiWare and Nintendo DS developer.
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CHAMBERSBURG — The Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter will hold its first Easter hound hunt at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24, at the shelter, 5051 Letterkenny Road West.
Plastic Easter eggs will be stuffed with dog treats and participants are asked to bring their dogs for the hunt. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded for the pup who finds the most eggs.
Cost for participation is a minimum $5 donation to the shelter.
Following the hunt, the shelter will hold an Easter bonnet contest. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded to the dog with the cutest bonnet.
For more information, contact the shelter at (717) 263-5791 or log onto cvas-pets.org.
Location, ST | website.com


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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Police say a former University of Michigan student who was reported missing after failing to show up at the school's graduation ceremony is believed to be alive.
Ann Arbor police say 21-year-old Brice Moss was last seen at 2:40 a.m. Saturday by a roommate. Police say his mother, who is from Detroit, believed he was going to graduate that day.
AnnArbor.com reports (http://bit.ly/L679sO ) Friday that police still list Moss as missing but the investigation has determined that he left voluntarily. The university has said Moss was a student from summer 2008 until April 2011 but has not been enrolled for more than a year.
Police were seeking information on his whereabouts.


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Definition of bough in English:
- People are collecting the branches and boughs of trees smashed down by the icy snow.
- He quickly picked apples from the boughs of the tree, throwing them forcefully down upon the heads of his assailants.
- In Woodlore, for instance, the bough of a tree spreads its yellow branches against a green background.
Old English bōg, bōh 'bough or shoulder', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boeg 'shoulders or ship's bow', German Bug 'ship's bow' and 'horse's hock or shoulder', also to bow3.
bow from Old English:
The bow of a ship has nothing to do with a person bowing in respect or a support bowing under pressure. The nautical bow (early 17th century) is in fact related to bough (Old English), the limb of a tree. Its immediate source, in the later Middle Ages, was German or Dutch. The phrase a shot across the bows, 'a warning statement or gesture', has its origins in the world of naval warfare, where it is one which is not intended to hit, but to make ships stop or alter their course. See also buxom. The archer's bow and the act of bending, both Old English, are related and come from Germanic roots. The archer's bow got its name from the shape, which also appears in Old English rainbow and elbow (Old English). The first part of the latter gives us the old measurement the ell, a variable measure, originally the distance from elbow to fingertip, which comes from the Indo-European root that also gives us ulna (mid 16th century) for the bone that runs from elbow to wrist.
Words that rhyme with boughallow, avow, Bilbao, Bissau, bow, bow-wow, brow, cacao, chow, ciao, cow, dhow, Dow, endow, Foochow, Frau, Hangzhou, Hough, how, Howe, kowtow, Lao, Liao, Macao, Macau, miaow, Mindanao, mow, now, ow, Palau, plough (US plow), pow, prow, row, scow, Slough, sough, sow, Tao, thou, vow, wow, Yangshao
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Sock Dreams
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Sock Journal
« Stripeys at the beach | Warmest toes »
by niqkita
October 29th, 2004
Last day at the beach
I'm actually wearing this exact combination now…
EG Tights~ Mercury rising with the new M Boooties
The tights are, of course, warm & comfy…
these booties stay on really well and come in two sizes, a smaller range that covers sizes 6-8, they are even perfect on my 8.5s, the larger, a medium 9-11 also fits my 8.5 with a bit of room to spare in the heel and they could be shrunk just a little if you washed them in hot & dried them on high heat. I like to wear booties for lots of reasons, they are light weight on warm days when you don't want alot of sock, they are great for wearing over other socks around the house to keep the feet cleaner longer, they are perfect padding to make those slightly large shoes you love but rarely wear fit snugglier and they're nice to slip on at bedtime when you don't want a big warm sock over your legs but don't want cold toes either.
We've got a nice little selection of colors to start with these and should be able to get even more colors in the future.
Say goodbye to the shore because tomorrow we're testing wool!
one lonely comment:
I *LOVE*LOVE*LOVE these beach shots! Yay!


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Multiple dead in shooting at Navy Yard in Washington
Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Police and firefighters respond to the report of a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, September 16, 2013.
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Algebra Introduction
Here's a video that shows graphs in action.
When you have an equation like 2x + 3y = 6 and no other clues, sometimes all you can do is plug in numbers randomly and hope that everything works out.
No, seriously. That's a real math thing.
Take that equation, for example. If you plug in a few random numbers for x, you might notice that you get results like these:
x = 0, y = 2
To represent this data visually, we draw a graph with an x-axis and a y-axis and plot these points like so:
Either those dots are starting to form a line, or that's an awfully big coincidence. (It's the first one.) If you keep plugging in random numbers, you'll continue to get points that fall along this same line. It's mathmagic. You can therefore represent all the possible solutions for both variables by connecting the dots on your graph.
As with all algebra, we're not just talking about some arbitrary line and some arbitrary grid. This line can be used to represent real information. Think about that vegetable garden you were tending. (Can't remember? Oh, that's right, we were the ones counting your vegetables.) If your tomatoes seem to be growing at the same rate as your onions, you should be able to predict how many onions grow in your garden for every tomato. This data is important, because you have to know how many toppings you'll be able to put on top of your burger.


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In his battle against politics, CPRIT's Gilman warned that `we are not all equal'
AUSTIN — In his classic novel Animal Farm, George Orwell satirized Stalin's Soviet Union.
Among the memorable phrases that captures totalitarian propaganda is when the animals are told: "All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others."
That passage informed a recent email exchange between Dr. Alfred Gilman, the top scientific officer of the state's cancer-fighting agency, and Jerry Cobbs, chief commercialization officer of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, or CPRIT.
Our story about how Gilman said he was told to resign as chief scientific officer after he objected to what he saw as political interference in the $3 billion program is here.
The following email exchange is among several obtained by The Dallas Morning News under the Texas Public Information Act that document Gilman's increasing concern that the politics of "geography" and "quotas" – spreading the money around the state to placate powerful interests — would infect CPRIT.
On March 15, Gilman asked Cobbs why a deadline was extended for applicants seeking millions of dollars from CPRIT to set up "incubators." An incubator tries to link scientists and business experts in hopes of bringing new technologies and therapies to market.
Cobbs replied: "I brought in an expert on incubator formation and management [Nancy Zeleniak – who is one of our commercialization reviewers] to provide hands-on guidance to prior and prospective clients.
"After she reviewed their proposals, it was apparent that they needed more time to prepare a viable plan. She is active on this now. The month extension hopefully allows time for Nancy to work her magic," Cobbs wrote.
Gilman replied: "Did she review everyone's proposal?"
"Yep," wrote Cobbs. "She also is working with the 'Dallas' group."
Gilman replied: "Ya know, frankly, I just don't get it.
"Why do we think people who cannot write a decent application can run a decent program? And if we hire one consultant to work with all of the applicants do we not end up with proposals that look more alike than different?"
Cobbs replied: "I fundamentally agree. I'm learning (a difficult process) that therein lies the difference between the private sector and working with public money. We've lost the sublime purity of a Darwinian approach and accepted more of a muddled Orwellian outlook; we're all equal."
That's when Gilman puts the hammer down.
"Well, we are damn well not all equal.
"What's the point of evaluating proposals if that is the assumption? It's also unfair to extend deadlines for [requests for applicants] (as opposed to meeting abstracts). You penalize those who did their work and got it on time to favor those who were either too disorganized or too incompetent to do it.
"I look forward to reading about incubators in Mule Shoe and Brownsville.
"We are all equal means stooping to the common denominator and that is a sure way to fail at commercialization and to fail utterly in making any progress against cancer. The B team or worse (the C team) does not make progress in this intensely difficult and competitive area.
"If this is truly the consequence of working with public money then I'd rather go fishing. I guess we are supposed to be grateful that we got to do it correctly for a few years," Gilman wrote.
On May 8, Gilman announced his resignation, effective Oct 12.
You can follow our investigative reporting team on Twitter. We're also on Facebook.


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SAN JOSE, California – San Jose Sharks (@sanjosesharks) Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced that right wing Adam Burish (@aburish37) underwent successful back surgery today to repair a disc problem.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles.
No timetable has been set yet for Burish's return to the ice.
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Articles on this page are available in 2 other languages: Chinese (Simplified) (12), Dutch (1) (learn more)
Brief Summary
Comprehensive Description
Elle habite les terrains ouverts plus ou moins recouverts par la végétation herbacée, en particulier les cultures de céréales, mais aussi les friches, les prairies sèches, les lieux incultes en zone rurale...
L'Alouette des champs se nourrit plutôt d'insectes en été, de graines de céréales et plantes sauvages aux autres saisons.
Elle vit en groupe en dehors de la saison des nids, en général quelques dizaines mais parfois plusieurs centaines d'oiseaux. L'espèce est monogame (rares cas de bigamie) et la fidélité du couple est régulière d'une année sur l'autre. Elle est territoriale et chante depuis le sol, sur un perchoir ou en vol. Le vol nuptial comporte plusieurs phases, la plus longue correspondant à un vol sur place. Le chant émis pendant la phase ascendante caractérise les périodes de formation des couples et de disputes territoriales. La parade aérienne dure en moyenne 2 minutes, mais des temps exceptionnels de 20 minutes sont rapportés.
Le nid est installé à découvert ou au pied d'une touffe. C'est une simple dépression garnie de feuilles et tiges de graminées, parfois protégée par des cailloux. La ponte de 3 à 5 œufs (maximum 7) débute à la fin mars. Il peut y avoir jusqu'à 4 couvées. L'incubation dure 11 jours et les jeunes s'envolent à l'âge de 18-20 jours, ayant quitté le nid 10 jours avant.
Skylarks are native to North Africa, Asia, and Europe. British populations do not migrate, but populations from eastern Asia migrate to southeastern China and populations in the eastern Palearctic migrate to the northern Mediterranean. Skylarks have been introduced to Australia, Canada, Hawaii, and New Zealand.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced ); palearctic (Native ); australian (Introduced ); oceanic islands (Introduced ); pacific ocean (Introduced )
- Grzimek, B. 2003. Family: Larks. Pp. 353-354 in M Hutchins, ed. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Animals, Vol. 2, 2nd Edition. Detroit: Gale.
Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDING: British Isles, Scandinavia, northern Russia, and northern Siberia south to northwestern Africa, northern Mediterranean, Asia Minor, northern China, Korea, and Japan. NON-BREEDING: from breeding range south to northern Africa, Persian Gulf, and eastern China. INTRODUCED: established in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii (all main islands; most abundant on Hawaii, Maui, and Lanai), and British Columbia (Vancouver Island). Recently spread to mainland of British Columbia and to San Juan Islands, Washington (AOU 1983)
occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
National Distribution
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Breeding
Physical Description
The sexes are alike in the plumage, but males are slightly larger. Skylarks usually range in size from 18-19 cm. They have a wing-span of 30-36 cm. Females of the species can weight 17-47 g, while males can weigh 27-55 g. Their bills are short but strong. Skylarks generally have streaked black-brown plumage, some have a yellow or grey overall tone. Their underside is a buff-white. Skylarks have brown-streaked crown feathers that can be raised to a small crest.
Range mass: 17 to 55 g.
Range length: 18 to 19 cm.
Range wingspan: 30 to 36 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Average basal metabolic rate: 0.722 W.
Length: 18 cm
Skylarks live in areas of open country. They are generally found living in extensive croplands, marshes, or meadows. They prefer to live among cereal grasses or low green herbage. Skylarks avoid wooded areas, even areas with isolated trees seem to be unsuitable. Skylarks feed, nest, and do most other activities on the ground.
Range elevation: 1000 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland
Wetlands: marsh
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
- Cramp, S. 1988. Alauda arvensis. Pp. 188-205 in S Cramp, ed. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa:the birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. V, 1 Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe with North America and the Middle East. London: A & C Black.
Habitat and Ecology
- Terrestrial
- Freshwater
- Marine
Comments: Open country, grasslands, tundra, marshy and sandy areas, and wide forest clearings (AOU 1983). BREEDING: Nests in a shallow depression on the ground, lined with roots, grasses, and hair.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 28 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 0
Temperature range (°C): 7.803 - 11.597
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.227 - 10.807
Salinity (PPS): 5.715 - 35.226
Oxygen (ml/l): 6.271 - 8.295
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.231 - 0.640
Silicate (umol/l): 2.022 - 12.889
Graphical representation
Temperature range (°C): 7.803 - 11.597
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.227 - 10.807
Salinity (PPS): 5.715 - 35.226
Oxygen (ml/l): 6.271 - 8.295
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.231 - 0.640
Silicate (umol/l): 2.022 - 12.889
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
Trophic Strategy
Skylarks are omnivores that eat seeds and insects. Skylarks are known to eat weed seeds and waste grain. They also eat invertebrates such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, millipedes, earthworms, and slugs. They forage on the ground, searching for food visually.
Animal Foods: insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods; mollusks; terrestrial worms
Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts
Primary Diet: omnivore
Comments: Feeds on seeds, grains, and small invertebrates (including: insects, spiders, earthworms, slugs, and millipedes) (Terres 1980).
Skylarks eat pests such as caterpillars and weed seeds that are detrimental to crops.
Small falcons (Falco) prey on adult skylarks, but these predators are not common. Nestlings and eggs are taken by ground-dwelling predators, such as foxes (Vulpes) and snakes (Serpentes). Humans used to prey upon these birds, capturing them in clap-nets and selling them. This greatly reduced their numbers, but the practice has since been prohibited in England. Skylarks are cryptically colored, helping to camouflage them as they search for prey on the ground.
Known Predators:
- small falcons (Falco)
- foxes (Vulpes)
- snakes (Serpentes)
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
General Ecology
During winter, gathers into feeding flocks that may include > 100 individuals.
Life History and Behavior
Male skylarks are more vocal than females. Skylarks are known for the complex songs employed by males. Song flight usually begins with a silent ascent. When they reach an altitude of 50-100 m they begin to hover and circle over territory while continuing to sing. They then begin a spiral descent and cease to sing once 10-20 m are reached. The song itself consists of loud, trli or dji whistles in varying pitch patterns. Frequent repetition occurs as well as trills and tremolos with varying speed, pitch, length, and timbre. Skylarks may also sing on the ground with much the same singing pattern but often quieter, shorter, and consisting of more warbling and pauses.
Skylarks also communicate through a dry chirrup, prriee and prreet call.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Life Expectancy
The annual mortality rate for adult skylarks was measured as 33.5% in England. One skylark was documented as living to 8 years 5 months old.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 10.2 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 10.1 years.
Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
Male skylarks sing throughout the day, starting in the dawn hours. The song is mostly heard February through July, but a more faint song can be heard throughout the rest of the year. They usually begin their song after flying into the air 10-20 m. They then progress to flying 50-100 m up, then slowly spiral down with periods of hovering in the air. This can proceed for 10-15 minutes. The song itself usually consists of singing trills and cadenzas along with babbling and mimicry. It is used as a display to attract females.
Skylarks pair early in the year between April and July. Courting may include high-speed chases in the air and their renowned singing behaviors. The birds are monogamous but only about half of mating pairs remain together after a year.
Mating System: monogamous ; cooperative breeder
Skylark nests are often found near short vegetation and consist of a shallow depression in the ground. The depression is lined with stems and leaves, and the inner part is lined with finer materials like hair. The nest is built primarily by the female, although the male may help to form the depression in the ground. Skylarks lay 3-4, sometimes 5, eggs.
Breeding interval: Skylarks breed once yearly.
Breeding season: Skylarks breed from April to July.
Range eggs per season: 3 to 5.
Range time to hatching: 11 to 15 days.
Average time to hatching: 11 days.
Range fledging age: 8 to 10 days.
Average time to independence: 25 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
Average eggs per season: 3.
Females build the nest with little help from males. Once the young are hatched both parents care for them. Adults gather food for the young by making a pile of insects on the ground. When enough insects are collected, they are carried away to young and the soft parts are fed to them. Females incubate eggs for a period of 11-14 days. Both males and females protect the nest. Hatchlings leave the nest between 8-10 days after they hatch. Skylarks often have two, and sometimes three, broods each season.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Male, Female)
- Bannerman, D. 1953. Skylark. Pp. 33-40 in The Birds of the British Isles, Vol. 11. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.
- Bruun, B., H. Delin, L. Svensson. 1992. Birds of Britain and Europe. London: Hamlyn.
- Cramp, S. 1988. Alauda arvensis. Pp. 188-205 in S Cramp, ed. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa:the birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. V, 1 Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Grzimek, B. 2003. Family: Larks. Pp. 353-354 in M Hutchins, ed. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Animals, Vol. 2, 2nd Edition. Detroit: Gale.
- Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe with North America and the Middle East. London: A & C Black.
Clutch size 3-4. Incubation 11-12 days, by female. Nestlings altricial and downy, tended by both adults, leave nest about 9-10 days after hatching, may not fly until about 21 days old (Terres 1980).
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Alauda arvensis
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 27 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
-- end --
Download FASTA File
Statistics of barcoding coverage: Alauda arvensis
Public Records: 29
Specimens with Barcodes: 43
Species With Barcodes: 1
Conservation Status
The population size of skylarks introduced in North America is declining due to development in their habitats. Skylarks in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii are stable. In some areas agricultural practices, and loss of open grasslands and farmlands does threaten skylark populations.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Year Assessed
National NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: N1B - Critically Imperiled
NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure
Status in Egypt
Winter visitor.
Population Trend
Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Skylarks are known to ravage spring cabbage plants and consume corn and other crops cultivated by humans. The advantage of skylarks consuming pests and weed seeds outweighs the disadvantage of their taste for certain crops.
Negative Impacts: crop pest
Skylarks consume the seeds of weeds and detrimental plants as well as detrimental insects. This is advantageous to farmers.
Positive Impacts: controls pest population
Eurasian skylark
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2009)
The Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis) is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range, many birds move to lowlands and the coast in winter. Asian birds appear as vagrants in Alaska; this bird has also been introduced in Hawaii, western North America, eastern Australia and New Zealand. The Japanese skylark is now usually considered a subspecies.
The Eurasian skylark is 16 to 18 centimetres long. It is a bird of open farmland and heath, known throughout its range for the song of the male, which is delivered in hovering flight from heights of 50 to 100 m, when the singing bird may appear as just a dot in the sky from the ground. The song generally lasts two to three minutes, but it tends to last longer later in the mating season, when songs can last for 20 minutes or more. The male has broader wings than the female. This adaptation for more efficient hovering flight may have evolved because of female Eurasian skylarks' preference for males that sing and hover for longer periods and so demonstrate that they are likely to have good overall fitness.
Like most other larks, the Eurasian skylark is a rather dull-looking species on the ground, being mainly brown above and paler below. It has a short blunt crest on the head, which can be raised and lowered. In flight it shows a short tail and short broad wings. The tail and the rear edge of the wings are edged with white, which are visible when the bird is flying away, but not if it is heading towards the observer. The Eurasian skylark has sturdy legs and spends much time on the ground foraging for seeds, supplemented with insects in the breeding season.
The Eurasian skylark makes a grass nest on the ground, hidden amongst vegetation. It is sometimes found nesting in bracken, using it for cover. Generally the nests are very difficult to find. Three to six eggs are laid in June. A second or third brood may be started later in the year. The eggs are yellow/white with brownish/purple spots mainly at the large end.
Effects of UK agriculture[edit]
In the UK, Eurasian skylark numbers have declined over the last 30 years, as determined by the Common Bird Census started in the early 1960s by the British Trust for Ornithology. There are now only 10% of the numbers that were present 30 years ago. The RSPB have shown that this massive decline is mainly due to changes in farming practices and only partly due to pesticides. In the past cereals were planted in the spring, grown through the summer and harvested in the early autumn. Cereals are now planted in the autumn, grown through the winter and are harvested in the early summer. The winter grown fields are much too dense in summer for the Eurasian skylark to be able to walk and run between the wheat stems to find its food.
English farmers are now encouraged and paid to maintain and create biodiversity for improving the habitat for Eurasian skylarks. Natural England's Environmental Stewardship Scheme offers 5 and 10-year grants for various beneficial options. For example there is an option where the farmer can opt to grow a spring cereal instead of a winter one, and leave the stubble untreated with pesticide over the winter. The British Trust for Ornithology likens the stubbles to "giant bird tables" – providing spilt grain and weed seed to foraging birds.[2]
The RSPB's research, over a six-year period, of winter-planted wheat fields has shown that suitable nesting areas for Eurasian skylarks can be made by turning the seeding machine off (or lifting the drill) for a 5 to 10 metres stretch as the tractor goes over the ground to briefly stop the seeds being sown. This is repeated in several areas within the same field to make about two skylark plots per hectare. Subsequent spraying and fertilising can be continuous over the entire field. DEFRA suggests that Eurasian skylark plots should not be nearer than 24 m to the perimeter of the field, should not be near to telegraph poles, and should not be enclosed by trees!
When the crop grows, the Eurasian skylark plots (areas without crop seeds) become areas of low vegetation where Eurasian skylarks can easily hunt insects, and can build their well camouflaged ground nests. These areas of low vegetation are just right for skylarks, but the wheat in the rest of the field becomes too closely packed and too tall for the bird to seek food. At the RSPB's research farm in Cambridgeshire skylark numbers have increased threefold (from 10 pairs to 30 pairs) over six years. Fields where Eurasian skylarks were seen the year before (or nearby) would be obvious good sites for skylark plots. Farmers have reported that skylark plots are easy to make and the RSPB hope that this simple effective technique can be copied nationwide.
In culture[edit]
When the word "lark" is used without specification, it usually refers to this species (OED). A collective noun for Eurasian skylarks is an "exaltation". Although the OED describes this usage as "fanciful", it traces it back to a quotation from John Lydgate dating from about 1430. The verb "skylark", originally used by sailors, means "play tricks or practical jokes; indulge in horseplay, frolic". The verb and noun "lark", with similar meaning, may be related to "skylark" or to the dialect word "laik" (New Shorter OED).
The bird is the subject of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley (To a Sky-Lark), George Meredith (The Lark Ascending), Ted Hughes (Skylarks), and numerous others; and of pieces of music including The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams (inspired by the eponymous poem). It is also the bird emblem of Kumamoto Prefecture.[3]
- ^ BirdLife International (2012). "Alauda arvensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ BTO News Number 269, March to April 2007, page 15
- ^ Kumamoto Prefecture- The East Asia Local and Regional Government Congress
Further reading[edit]
- Lidster, James (2007) Identification: Skylark and Woodlark Birdwatch
Names and Taxonomy
Comments: Formerly named "Eurasian skylark" (see AOU 1995).