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Three major bills put thai politics at a crossroads again
ON MONDAY, the government will be putting forward three important bills for parliamentary debate. All these bills involve huge sums of money, and it will be interesting to see how the Bhum Jai Thai Party, one of the main coalition partners, will react to them.
The first bill is a Bt400-billion loan package introduced as an executive decree. The opposition Pheu Thai Party had earlier protested that this bill was not an emergency, forcing the government to seek a ruling from the Constitution Court. Last week, much to the relief of the government, the Constitution Court ruled that the package was not unconstitutional. Government coffers are running dry and its borrowing requirements are strung up by legal complications. It desperately needs this bill to be passed so it can keep the machinery running. The second bill involves a Bt400-billion loan package for long-term commitments. Unlike the first bill, this one is being introduced as an Act. The last bill being put forward is the 2010 budget. It will be a test for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, because he will need all his artful manoeuvres to get the job done. Satit Wongnongtaey, attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, has told all Democrat MPs to be at Parliament and make sure these bills are passed. He also signalled that the coalition partners should display the same commitment, otherwise the Thai economy and the public will suffer. However, the question still remains; how will Bhum Jai Thai react to the bills, especially the executive decree? After all, Bhum Jai Thai was betrayed by the Democrats last Wednesday, when Abhisit, once again, delayed the approval of the Bt64-billion bus-leasing deal for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, which comes under the jurisdiction of Transport Minister Sophon Saram. Sophon is a key member of Bhum Jai Thai, which is controlled by Newin Chidchob. There had been a tacit agreement between Newin, Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban and Abhisit that the bus-leasing deal had to be pushed through, otherwise it would be impossible for Bhum Jai Thai to continue supporting the government. Commissions that can be earned from this project are so huge that it has drawn plenty of flak from both the public and the lawmakers, particularly the Senate. Abhisit is under so much heat that he has had to put off making a decision by telling the government think-tank, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), to come up with recommendations within a month. The NESDB is tasked with seeing if it would be better for the BMTA to lease or to purchase the fleet of 4,000 NGV buses. The Finance Ministry, under Korn Chatikavanij, is also working on a parallel study to see if it is feasible for the BMTA to purchase the fleet once the lease ends. Both Newin and Sophon believe the Democrats have let them down. However, the Democrats are also caught in a dilemma. They want to push the bus deal through, but are afraid that they won't be able to justify it.Obviously, the month the NESDB will spend studying the project will give the Democrats some breathing space. Besides, the Democrats can also use it as a bargaining tool with Bhum Jai Thai. If Newin really wants the bus-leasing deal to go through, his party will have to vote in the Bt400-billion borrowing package. This must have given Newin a great deal to think about. What if the Democrats were to betray him again? Though he can trust Suthep, who is believed to have control over Abhisit, what about the other Democrats? Can they be trusted to play the game? Lately we have heard that the Democrat phu yai, or the respected elders, are not planning to let the bus-leasing deal see daylight. If the deal gets Cabinet approval, it will signal the demise of the Democrats in Bangkok come elections. The party's future is at stake here. If Bhum Jai Thai were to vote down the Bt400-billion loan package in retaliation, the Democrats could then tell the public that the bill - which would have kept the country going - got torpedoed by the coalition partner. Parliament would have to be dissolved and new general elections called. By then, the Democrats would have built an alliance with the People's Alliance for Democracy, which is now in the process of setting up a political party called Phak Karn Muang Mai or the New Politics Party. With Pheu Thai getting smaller, Bhum Jai Thai is expected to emerge as a formidable player in the next elections. Also, ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra is believed to be making plans for other satellite parties.In other words, Thai politics will continue being polarised between two opposing forces - the Democrats and the New Politics Party against Bhum Jai Thai, the Pheu Thai and others.If Bhum Jai Thai were to show support by voting for the bills, then Abhisit would continue being delicately balanced on the tightrope of the premiership. Still, we all know that Newin will not bite the bullet for too long, and Thai politics is once again going to be navigating a dangerous road. In other words, there's more turmoil lying in wait.
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The siren series In-ear monitors are named after famous rock songs about women. Jerry Harvey Audio produced a special version of the Roxanne tuned for the Astell&Kern in 2014. The collaboration was so successful that the two companies will now release two more models. The first new model is the Layla. This all new flagship model is nothing short of stunning visually as well as sonically....
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subset: commoncrawl


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Ordering Information
Down Beat Jazz Magazine
What "Variety" is to movies and the theater "Down Beat" was to Jazz. The periodical was published in Chicago and was filled with all the industry news as well as a comprehensive list of where the bands were playing, classified ads, and a feisty letters to the editor column called "Gutbucket Drippin's." The 24 page newspaper began publishing in 1934. It came out on the first and fifteenth of every month. We have a small selection of issues from 1942 to 1944. In spite of the fact that World War II was in full force there were a surprising number of musical performances to entertain those supporting the war effort at home. Also included were the names of musicians called up for active service. All of the issues are in fairly decent condition. $25.00 each
May 15, 1942 (Vol. 9, No. 10) Cover: Betty Martin. Articles: Artie Shaw, Anita Boyer, Jerry Wald, Tommy Dorsey, Alvino Rey, Glen Gray's Casa Loma, Hal McIntyre. (Stock number 003DB4205b)
June 15, 1942 (Vol. 9, No. 12) Cover: Amy Arnell. Articles: Bunny Berigan, Janet Blair, Glenn Miller, Jimmy Dorsey, Eddy Duchin, Django Reinhardt, The Four Teens, Jerry Wald. (Stock number 003DB4206b) SOLD
August 1, 1942 (Vol. 9, No. 15) Cover: Connie Haines. Articles: Frankie Carle, Louis Armstrong, Cy Shribman, Ray Scott, Richard Rogers and Hart, Benny Goodman, Merry Eilers. (Stock number 003DB4208a)
August 15 1942 (Vol. 9, No. 16 Cover: Bill Blair Articles: Cy Shribman, Casa Manana, Paul Wimbish, Ray Scott, Mel Powell, Billy Taylor, Cozy Cole, Judy Starr, Teddy Powell, Joe Glaser. Ray Eberle, Doris Ryan, Frank Sinatra. (Stock number 003DB4208b) SOLD
October 15, 1942 (Vol. 9, No. 20) Cover: Johnny Richards & Pat Kaye. Articles: Gas rationing and a freeze on rail travel close the road to band travel, Jimmy Dorsey, Snub Mosely, Claude Thornhill, Harry James, Arturo Toscanini, Glen Miller, Georgia Gibbs. (Stock number 003DB4210b)
January 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 1) Cover: Del Courtney and Mary Jane Dodd. Articles: Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Jan Savitt, Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Blue Drake, Ray Noble, Ray McKinley. (Stock number 003DB4301a) SOLD
April 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 7) Cover: Gracie Barrie. Articles: Paul Whiteman, Claude Hopkins, Betty Rann, Kay Kayser, Jerry Wald, Kenny Sargent, Artur Rodzinski, Sonny Burke, Dave Jacobs, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman. Right corner missing. (Stock number 003DB4304a)
June 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 11) Cover: Eugenie Baird. Articles: Rudy Vallee, Tiny Hill, Duke Daly, Duke Ellington, Hal McIntyre, Pee Wee Monte, Pee Wee Irwin. (Stock number 003DB4306a)
June 15, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 12) Cover: Vaughn Monroe and Candy. Articles: Joe Harris, Ralph Muzzillo, Allan Reuss, Dick Gabbe, Gracie Barrie, Helen O'Connell, Dick Haymes, Harry James, Virginia Maxey, Bob Allen, Will Osborne, Charlie Spivak, Anita O'Day, Bobby Sherwood, Charles Trent, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman. (Stock number 003DB4306b)
July 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 13) Cover: Jean Dean. Articles: Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, Anita O'Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, E'lane, Milt Ebbins, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Art Hodes, Wilford "Min" Leibrook, Manny Strand, Bix Beiderbecke, Eddy Duchin. (Stock number 003DB4307a)
July 15, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 14) Cover: Kay Starr and Joe Venuti. Articles: James C. Petrillo, Bing Crosby, Tommy Pederson, Roy Eldridge, Hal McIntyre, Art Hodes, Jerry Wald, Bobby Sherwood, Xavier Cugat III. (Stock number 003DB4307b)
August 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 15) Cover: Nan Wynn. Articles: Raymond Scott, Ted Fio Rito, Johnny Long, Jerry Wald, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Phil Napoleon, Ben Pollack, Gene Krupa, John Pateakos, Chico Marx. (Stock number 003DB4308a)
November 1, 1943 (Vol. 10, No. 21) Cover: Lynn Gardner. Articles: Charlie Spivak, Irene Daye, Vaughn Monroe, Charlie Barnet, Freddie Slack, Gloria Van, Louis Armstrong, Jan Savitt, Helen Forrest, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne. (Stock number 003DB4311a)
January 1, 1944 (Vol. 11, No. 1) Cover: Johnny Long and Patti Dugan. Articles: 1943 All-American Swing Band, Freddie Slack, Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Shep Fields, Hal McIntyre, Karl George, Lionel Hampton, Clarence Hutchenrider, Tony Briglia, Glen Gray, Bob Anthony, Tommy Morgan, Ray Eldridge, John Kirby, Jo Stafford, Ziggy Elman, Bobby Hackett. (Stock number 003DB4401a)
June 1, 1944 (Vol. 11, No. 11) Cover: Betty Hutton. Articles: Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa & Carol Bruce, Charlie Vinal, Hank Biagini, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Judy Garland, Leonard Vannerson, Tab Smith, Tommy Dorsey Jack Robbins. (Stock number 003DB4406a)
June 15, 1944 (Vol. 11, No. 12) Cover: Donna Dae. Articles: Jack Jenney, Boyd Raeburn, George Paxton, Glenn Miller, Jack Robbins, Don Redman, Dolly Mitchell, Teddy Wilson, Mildred Bailey, Leonard Sues, Gene Krupa. (Stock number 003DB4406b)
August 1, 1944 (Vol. 11, No. 12) Cover: Bob Weitman and Charlie Spivak. Articles: Glenn Miller, Louis Jordan, Horace Henderson, Bon Bon Tunnel, Boyd Raeburn, Helen Forrest, Fred Waring, Duke Ellington, Helen Ward, Lois Bannerman, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Juan Tizol, Sam Donahue, Peggy Mann, Betty Bradley, Bob Chester. (Stock number 003DB4408a)
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At the Classic Swing Golf School, they pride themselves on ensuring customer satisfaction. The entire staff is dedicated to helping each student achieve his/her golf goals while exceeding their expectations. Conveniently located in Myrtle Beach at Legends Resort, Classic Swing strives to provide the highest quality instruction along with the most fun and relaxing environment available.
The Classic Swing Golf School offers 3-Day Golf School programs that begin every Monday and Thursday throughout the year. Packages include the Commuter School, Commuter Plus that includes meals and 3 rounds of golf and Full Packages including lodging, meals, and golf. The Classic Swing Golf School is very proud of their Junior Golf Programs and their Ladies Only Schools as well. Classic Swing Golf School is the most affordable Top 25 Golf School in America as based on the November 2008 issue of Golf Magazine.
The Classic Swing Golf School is lead by Ted Frick. Among many other accomplishments, Ted was the 2005 Carolinas PGA Section Teacher of the Year and named one of the Top 3 Instructors in South Carolina for 2007-2008 by Golf Digest.
The Legends Resort is home to the "Best Practice Facility in Myrtle Beach" as voted on by the readers of Myrtle Beach Golf Magazine. This award winning facility is host to a thirty acre driving range with more than twenty target areas and is the largest on the east coast. The short game facilities include multiple chipping areas, pitching areas, greenside bunkers, and a five-acre putting green. Legends features covered and indoor hitting areas for those days when Mother Nature takes over, and the entire facility is lighted until 11:00 p.m. daily.
An informal motto used at Classic Swing Golf School sums it up best:"We love what we do and we GUARANTEE improvement!"--Ted Frick, Owner/CEO & Director of Instruction


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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A minority partner in Pilot Flying J has been named in a new lawsuit filed against the truck stop chain, owner Jimmy Haslam and other Pilot officials.
London-based CVC Capital Partners, as well as a Pilot entity called FJ Management, are named as co-defendants in the lawsuit filed by Illinois trucking firm Arka Logistics Inc.
The complaint (see document in viewer below) makes the same basic claim found in 15 other lawsuits filed against Pilot Flying J since federal agents raided the company April 15 -- that the company cheated trucking customers out of fuel rebates.
But the Akra Logistics lawsuit widens the defendants targeted to include what is apparently Pilot Flying J's biggest equity owner aside from Haslam family members. CVC said in April that it owns less than 20 percent of Pilot. Privately held Pilot doesn't reveal the stakes of its owners.
Arka also is raising a racketeering claim, which would allow for triple damage awards if the trucking company prevails. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, also seeks class action status.
CVC has as one of its advisers R. Brad Martin, the Pilot board member who is overseeing Pilot's internal investigation into fuel rebate shortages. Martin, who is a "member," or equity owner of Pilot, is not named as a defendant in Arka's lawsuit. Martin began serving July 1 as interim president of the University of Memphis.
Arka's complaint also lists FJ Management, identified as a Utah corporation based in Salt Lake City. Records show FJ Management also is an equity owner in Pilot Flying J.
Pilot Flying J spokesman Tom Ingram said in a statement Wednesday: "We've been advised by counsel that class action lawsuits in a matter like this are expected and no surprise. Our counsel will review them as they come and defend them appropriately."
Haslam has denied knowing of any fuel rebate scheme, and after the claims were aired, vowed to reimburse trucking companies for any money they were owed, plus interest.
Arka accuses Pilot Flying J and the co-defendants of violating the federal racketeering statute in its handling of monthly credits and refunds on fuel purchases.
The lawsuit alleges Pilot Flying J's actions with the rebate program amounted to a conspiracy in which Pilot Flying J executives and other employees engaged in multiple acts of mail and wire fraud.
Pilot "repeatedly, systematically, unlawfully, intentionally and fraudulently" reduced rebates owed to trucking companies, the complaint says, in order to increase Pilot's profitability and the compensation of Pilot executives and other current or former employees.
Shoreline Transportation of Alabama USA Inc., also made racketeering claims, in a lawsuit filed in May.
Under federal law, if juries support the racketeering allegations, Arka and Shoreline would be entitled to triple damages and costs, including attorney fees.
Aside from Haslam, executives named as defendants in the Arka lawsuit are President Mark Hazelwood; Chief Financial Officer Mitch Steenrod; Brian Mosher, director of national sales; John Freeman, vice president of sales; and Scott Wombold, vice president of national sales.
Five sales managers have pleaded guilty to the rebate fraud, with more pleas possible in coming weeks.


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Geriatric Physical Diagnosis: A Guide to Observation and Assessment
Malani PN.
Published online April 16, 2008
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Anibal Sanchez did everything in his power to get the Detroit Tigers a win in Game 1 of the ALCS. Sanchez finished his outing with six innings pitched of no-hit ball.
Jim Leyland pulled Sanchez before the bottom of the seventh inning. His pitch count was already at 116 pitches, and since Detroit was leading 1-0 going into the inning, Leyland didn't want to take any chances. He opted to bring out Al Alburquerque and hand it over to his bullpen.
With the move, the Tigers manager made history, via the Detroit Free Press.
No pitcher has ever exited a post-season game while throwing a no-hitter in the sixth inning or later. #tigers2013— Freep Tigers (@freeptigers) October 13, 2013
Sanchez finished with 12 strikeouts and six walks, via MLB on FOX.
BREAKING: Anibal Sanchez's night is over. He pitched 6 no-hit innings with 12 Ks but walked 6 and threw 116 pitches. #postseason— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 13, 2013
Those 12 strikeouts are the most against the Red Sox in postseason history, via ESPN Stats and Info.
Anibal Sanchez's 12 K are the most by any pitcher against the Red Sox in postseason history.— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 13, 2013
What pushed the pitch count up so much for Sanchez was his six walks. While he was working the Boston hitters very well, he was having a bit of trouble with his control. Fifty of his 116 pitches were balls. He still remains in good company, though, via CBS Sports's Danny Knobler.
Only other pitcher with 6 walks, 12 K's in a postseason game: Walter Johnson in 1924 World Series. And it took him 12 innings.— Danny Knobler (@DannyKnoblerCBS) October 13, 2013
The Tigers took the lead in the top of the sixth after Jhonny Peralta singled to center, which allowed Miguel Cabrera to score.
Sanchez is no stranger to a no-hitter. He threw one with the then-Florida Marlins in 2006. Should he have gone the full nine innings, it would have been just the third no-no in postseason history. Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the 1956 World Series, and Roy Halladay had one in Game 1 of the 2010 ALDS.


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Guest post from Charmian Flowerday, RSPB Project Manager
Last Monday was quite a special day for me –
Now don't get me wrong, I know that going to visit a farm in a small village in Cambridgeshire to see construction work might not be everyone's idea of an inspiring way to spend your morning - but in my book it was.
I'll start at the beginning... one of the things I love about the RSPB is that it's ambitious, and we've got some pretty ambitious targets for practicing what we preach about combating climate change. Our aim is to reduce the emissions we produce as an organisation by 3% each year and to generate half of our energy from renewables by 2020.
My part to play in this big plan has been to deliver a project to install solar photovoltaic panels on our reserves. I'm also a fundraiser and the extra challenge was to deliver this at no overall cost to the RSPB. As a charity, if we want to do anything we have to raise the money from somewhere to do it.
So almost exactly a year ago we started to assess which of our reserves might be suitable for solar PV on roofs or as new car port canopies. There were lots of things to consider - from physical constraints (you can't use a car park shaded by trees!), to what we planned to do on the reserve in the next few years (no point in putting PV on a building that's going to be completely changed in 6 months time), to how big an electrical connection there is (you need to connect to the national grid and some of our sites are pretty remote). Another big consideration was the effect development might have on wildlife – PV panels are pretty low risk as there are no moving parts, and we picked roofs and car parks especially since they have low wildlife value. Even so, some of our reserves like Dungeness are so special that even the car park is really important for bugs!
From over 200 reserves, we put together a suite of about 30 suitable sites. We found an investor who was willing to pay for the work in exchange for the income the systems would generate through the government's Feed In Tariff (FiT) scheme, and we geared up for delivery by the deadline when the FiT was due to change at the end of March 2012.
A few months into the project, disaster struck – the government announced an early change to the FiT rate, a move that caused a lot of controversy and that killed our plan stone dead. We thought that was it, but thankfully early in 2012 we found a new investor who was willing to support the construction of roof based systems on half a dozen of our reserves at the new FiT rate. Fantastic! Since then, we've been working away with Solarcentury and Ethical Power to get everything installed by the end of July when the next set of changes come into effect.
Back to the story... So after 12 months of planning, here I am at Hope Farm about to get my first glimpse of solar panels being installed.
I met Gerry, the guy from Ethical Power who has been managing all the installations and who I've spoken to on the phone a lot – great to put a face to a name – and he showed me all the work that was going on. When I arrived the electricians were busy installing the inverters and smart meters that will manage the electricity being produced by the system. The rails that hold the PV panels were already fixed to the roof and the team was busy attaching the shiny blue PV cells, the bit that we all recognise.
So on Monday I went away from Hope Farm with a smile, having seen a piece of the big plan in action – all in all, a pretty good day in the "office".
Guest Blogger: Jim Densham – Senior Land Use Policy Officer (Climate) at RSPB Scotland.
After 7 years of hard work the kind people at the RSPB allow staff to take a sabbatical. Quite a lot of RSPB staff do bird surveys for their sabbatical but whilst I love nature, I'm only an occasional birdwatcher (when I remember my binoculars). At the same time as I was thinking about what to do on my sabbatical, I had been chatting to a colleague about 'slow travel' and was working on how we can do better at telling people about real examples of the impacts of climate change on birds and wildlife – especially impacts we are already seeing on our reserves. So my sabbatical Green Travel to Green Places fuses those two things:
I am doing my journeys in weekly chunks through the summer and I have recently finished the first week, taking day trips from my home in Glasgow. Already I've seen quite a few climate related things on my low-carbon journeys.
RSPB Baron's Haugh reserve – Floods and high water levels have been much more frequent on the Clyde in recent years and this is causing problems for birds at Baron's Haugh. The wetland is often flooded at winter, but even when I visited in June heavy rain upstream meant water levels were up, the river bank had been eroded and nests had been lost.
RSPB Skinflats reserve and the Inner Forth - Climate change is causing sea levels to rise and is squeezing and eroding the remaining saltmarsh habitat between the tidal river and the sea walls. Without the protective saltmarsh, sea defences need more regular costly maintenance or could be breached leading to a potentially disastrous flooding. At the Skinflats reserve I saw how the RSPB is working to return a field to a saltmarsh habitat by carefully managing water levels and how more of this habitat recreation along the forth could help to prevent future flooding.
RSPB Loch Leven reserve - Managing the water levels on the reserve is increasingly difficult. With climate change projections showing even less summer rainfall in the future the reserve staff are creating new reservoir area to store winter rainfall on the reserve. This will help to keep the wetlands wet through the year.
RSPB Lochwinnoch reserve – It's well known that we will expect to see bird species moving north with climate change. Although I didn't see them on my visit, the reserve staff told me that nuthatches have been more frequent here since 2001 and are moving north.
It has been a wonderful experience so far – especially showing that you can get to RSPB reserves without a car. It has also been fascinating to see how our dedicated reserve staff are working to manage the reserves in new ways which will help wildlife to adapt to the impacts brought on by the changing climate.
You can find out more about my travels and future journeys at my blog Green Travel to Green Places http://greentraveltogreenplaces.wordpress.com/ or follow me on twitter @JimDensham
Are you taking the slow travel route this summer? Do share your experiences!
Dominated by the Grangemouth oil refinery and Longannet coal-fired power station, the Inner Forth in Central Scotland might seem like an odd place for a vast area of visionary wildlife conservation. But when the RSPB's UK climate change team came together on a rainy Scottish morning, the Forth Estuary was teeming with birds. From noisy, piping oystercatchers shooting overhead, to rolling flocks of redshanks, this is an area that's already rich in wildlife.
Here we are looking fairly soaked.
Jim, smiling at the front, summed up the Scottish approach to weather perfectly when he said it wasn't as bad as the previous day because it was slightly less heavy rain – I wonder whether Eskimo communities have more words for snow, or Scottish people more words for rain. Anyway, the poor conditions are why this is such a terrible photo.
The RSPB's Inner Forth Futurescape project plans to improve the prospects and visibility of the wildlife on the estuary. Improving the visibility won't be hard given both the terrible weather and the decidedly primitive current birdwatching facilities:
The prospects may seem harder to address. Climate change is one of the long-term threats to the estuary and its wildlife. Fossil fuels like the ones processed and burned here on the Forth are locking us in to long-term climate change and its consequences, which for the Forth means sea level rise and a greater likelihood of flooding and coastal erosion.
Without pause in our efforts to slow global warming, the RSPB is tackling this challenge head on and making the most of an opportunity. At our Skinflats nature reserve, we're trialing a new approach of creating more space for the river at high tide, expanding the existing saltmarsh. Not only could this help 'soak up' future flood events better; it is also great for wildlife. We hope in future this can be done on a bigger scale to protect farmland and communities along the estuary. The new saltmarsh habitat is peppered with pools and gravel islands that will soon become ideal habitat for nesting birds like terns and for wintering wading birds. A great place for local people to enjoy the wildlife and natural beauty of a great estuary. And also, perhaps, a place to bring home the need for, and limits to, efforts to adapt to climate change.


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Spring has hardly begun and New York temps are a bit chilly, but it was still a "Hot Night in Harlem" for the 70th anniversary of the legendary Apollo Theater.
In fact, New York's most famous theater was sweltering with talent Sunday night, in a star-studded tribute celebrating black music and benefiting the ongoing restoration of the theater that started in 2000.
Among the celebrities and performers who packed the theater was Denzel Washington, who recalled attending shows as a child. "To be up there again tonight, to be on that stage and look out in the audience, I imagine myself at 8, 9, 10 years old," he told PEOPLE.
"Law & Order's" Jesse L. Martin also turned out for the event, as well as "Kill Bill" actress Vivica A. Fox, who told PEOPLE that the Apollo provided a great sense of history. "I felt very honored that they asked me to be a part of this show tonight," Fox said.
The show also drew many comedians, ranging from Bill Cosby to Chris Rock to Dave Chappelle.
But the evening's main focus was the on the music, and the tributes were many. Among the performers who took the stage were Natalie Cole, Ashanti, Harry Connick Jr., Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, who noted Ray Charles's lasting effect on country music.
Cole, who performed a version of the Etta James classic "Something's Got a Hold on Me," told PEOPLE she was a bit nervous to perform on the Apollo's storied stage. But that, she said, was a good thing. "My dad (Nat "King" Cole) always told me getting nervous was good. It means you want to do your best," she said.
Nods to other influential musicians such as Al Green, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington were offered by a host of artists, as well as performances by classic groups including the Four Tops, the Temptations, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
The show will air June 19 on NBC and a DVD of the event will be released the same month.
Denzel Celebrates Harlem's 'Hot Night'


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|Some very strong argumentative points in support of her position..
Update: Jeff Goldstein notes lefties and some conservatives are all excited about a satirical story about Todd Akin and the benefits of breast milk. I am sure the La Leche League is all over this! And what about Mayor Bloomberg? Apparently most leftists and sadly some conservatives do not know what satirical means. I blame our failed education system!


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Under Armour High Tide Softshell Hoody
Nylon / Elastane
Manufacturer's Description
Visit Under Armour's High Tide Softshell Hoody page.
Retailers' Descriptions
Here's what other sites are saying:
Under Armour Men's UA High Tide Softshell Hoody. 4-way stretch improves mobility/comfort and accelerates dry-time. Strategic vent zones enable the body to dump heat at key "hot spots". Rain-Resistant fabrics feature Durable Water Repellent finish, keeping you dry and protected. Wind-Resistant materials optimize core temperature regulation for maximum comfort. Zippered secure chest pocket. Zipper secure hand kangaroo pocket. Bottom hem cinch. Side Access zip. Molded cuff tabs. 90% Nylon / 10% Elastane. Imported.Fit: Loose Available Sizes: Small,Medium,Large,Extra Large,Extra Extra Large, Available Colors: Black,
- Under Armour
Under Armour High Tide Softshell Hoody
The Under Armour High Tide Softshell Hoody is not available from the stores we monitor. It was last seen September 27, 2011 at Under Armour.
If you're looking for a new soft shell jacket, check out the best reviewed current models.


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A collection of call stories from Baptist women ministers.
70 backers pledged $2,640 to help bring this project to life.
We have a title!
The book is trucking along. Editors did not have any big changes for the manuscript and the artists are hard at work on the cover. And because of that, we... Read more
Book is finished!
Earlier this afternoon I sent a completed manuscript to the publisher! I will keep you all updated as I learn more about the timeline. At this point, assuming no major... Read more
Signed contract!
It is official! I have signed a book contract with Nurturing Faith (see the picture here). If everything goes as planned, I will submit the manuscript in early September and... Read more
Successfully raised $2,640 with 70 backers
Project launched


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Happiness, to some, elation;
Is, to others, mere stagnation.
Days of passive somnolence,
At its wildest, indolence.
Hours of empty quietness,
No delight, and no distress.
Happiness to me is wine,
Effervescent, superfine.
Full of tang and fiery pleasure,
Far too hot to leave me leisure
For a single thought beyond it.
Drunk! Forgetful! This the bond: it
Means to give one's soul to gain
Life's quintessence. Even pain
Pricks to livelier living, then
Wakes the nerves to laugh again,
Rapture's self is three parts sorrow.
Although we must die to-morrow,
Losing every thought but this;
Torn, triumphant, drowned in bliss.
Happiness: We rarely feel it.
I would buy it, beg it, steal it,
Pay in coins of dripping blood
For this one transcendent good.
Poet: Amy Lowell
Poem: 16.
Volume: Sword Blades & Poppy Seed
- Sword Blades
Poem of the Day:
Oct 6 2010
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GMAC Talks Big Wave Tour at Nazare and Teases Biggest News of His Career
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The inside track on the BWT paddle event and a tease that Nov 19 will see announcement of the biggest news of his professional career.
An hour and a bit up the road from the planned Wavegarden
An hour and a bit up the road...
Tyler still leader but battle for world champion headed to France
Tyler still leader but battle...
This could be perfect
Also featuring Rob Machado, Kassia Meador, Balaram Stack and Greg Noll
Also featuring Rob Machado,...
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What did empowerment mean to you? What were your goals, what were you working for with the programs and various alliances you formed?
Well, I think that, uh, power, uh, uh, very succinctly, and this is a quote directly from Bobby Seale, saying, uh, was, "is the ability to define phenomena and make it act in a desired manner." And what we were trying to do was trying to organize, um, Blacks, particularly in the Panther party, we were trying to coalesce with other organizations that was trying to organize, uh, natural allies of the Panther party and the Black community, and to, a, a community and a political vehicle and a political force that would be able to bring about fundamental changes in the lives of, in the quality of lives in, in, in the overall Black community. That's what's really the engine, that was the burn, that was the, the, uh, the motivation that most Panthers had, uh, was to bring about social and economic and, uh, uh, political justice for people who had been denied that, uh, since the, since the beginning of their existence in this country.


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I'm loving these stickers I wish I had them with all the boys!
Friday, March 15
5 months
Graygray turned 5 months on the 10th. Where in the world did the time go. We weighed him and he is 12lbs 12 ozs. I'm not ready for my baby to get so big. He has started doing new things the past few weeks. He rolls from belly to back. He wants to sit up really bad. He has figured out how his toys work. He loves anything that spins. He is definitely a big Mama's boy but lately has been a big Daddy's baby. His brothers are his hero. He lights up when they are around. He still hates the carseat but we put Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the ipad and it calms him down. He LOVES MICKEY! We are seeing more of his personality coming out. He is such a joy!!!
Posted by Jamie at 8:02 AM
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LAKEWOOD, N.J. - "So . . . what you're saying is, you want a swirly?"
Bob Stumpo stands over the batboy. Stumpo is 6-feet-4 and 220 pounds, and his appearance is that of a soldier. His head is shaved, his jaw square, his shoulders thick.
And the batboy? Nick Cottone is tall for his age, but he's only 15 and wiry. And shy. Stumpo, muscled arms exposed, repeats the question. "You want a swirly?" A smile creases his face, and his voice cracks into laughter. He pats Nick on the arm.
The boy walks away, Stumpo still laughing. Nick strolls past Stumpo's locker, past manager Mickey Morandini's office, past more lockers, past the big black leather chairs and the big-screen TV and the assistant coaches' office. And past Matt Campbell.


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quote: The second the car in the lane next to you started moving toward your lane, the computer controlled car would have acted.
quote: Even GM admits it's solution didn't work in the city, where reaction times matter most. That tells me automated driving isn't ready for complex or dense traffic flows, just like Reclaimer said.
quote: For years we heard lots of automakers pay lip service to the concept of autonomous driving, with some even spending a good deal of money and time investigating it. GM was perhaps foremost in the field prior to its bankruptcy. Over a half-decade ago, back in Jan. 2008 we road along in a modified 2008 GM Tahoe which won the DARPA's (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) 2007 Urban Challenge. As the car zipped around the obstacle course in sunny Las Vegas, Nev. it quickly became apparent why the vehicle won the smart car challenge -- it was pretty good at avoid collisions... really good, in fact. As a demo, a second test driver would cut off the GM car or otherwise block its path. In every case the GM vehicle knew what to do, performing better than many human drivers would in such a case.
quote: The system is designed to ease the driver's workload on freeways only, in bumper-to-bumper traffic and on long road trips; however, the driver's attention is still required... because the system will have operational limitations based on external factors such as traffic, weather and visibility of lane markings. When reliable data is not available, such as when there are no lane markings, the system will prompt the driver to resume steering.
quote: But don't look at GM's solution. Look at Google's. It can't drive faster than 25mph. There aren't that many accidents at those speeds, and collision avoidance is pretty simple. Let's bump this car up to 65mph and put it on an Atlanta highway. Or send it to the Bronx and have it navigate the Grand Concourse or Cross-Bronx Expressway during rush hour gridlock. Pretty sure we'll see accidents.
quote: I don't know if humans are better drivers than software, but I DO know that our current AI technology sucks, and humans are far better at decision making.
quote: AI plays a relatively small role in all this. The computer controlled car sees and knows about every object around it and is tracking all of their movements .


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Historical Downtown Apartment
尺寸20 平方米
Floor No.4
- 互联网/无线网路
- 毛巾
- 厨房
- 电视机
|Via delle Pinzochere, 50122 Firenze, 意大利
Very quiet and comfortable, decorated in classic style, with a wonderful view on the typical Florence roofs (you can even see the Dome not so far from the bedroom window). Ideas for a romantic holiday in Florence (max 2 guests - bed size 120x195 cm) or for a lonely long stay for writers and teachers (max 1 month - no washing machine and no oven).
If you are looking for a perfect place in Florence you can choose the classy Brick Decimo. You will love the area, really central and close to Sant' Ambrogio district (really typical and characteristic). On your arrival at home you will find a welcome letter filled with useful advices and a map of the area, plus fresh fruits and a bottle of red Chianti wine!
Do not miss the opportunity to be in the heart of the city, near the main attractions, with all the comforts you need! At the Brick Decimo Apartment you will feel like a Florentine in his home town!
|Check-in before
Me and my boyfriend have spent 3 days in Florence and we ran all day to see everything. The position of the apartment was great,not too much tourist around but still easy to reach anytime we needed to. We met Maddalena on the last day and had a nice chat! She's amazing!! The apartment it's little but has everything you could ask for and it is really beautiful. We surely recommend it!
The appartment is very nice and well located, as it says in the description. Maddalena is really a lovely person and a very caring host. In our stay one of our computers got broken and she could get one for us (really saved us as we needed it for our work). She was also very flexible with the check-out. If I ever come back to Florence I will definetly stay at this appartment again. Highly recommended!
Very nice welcome, nice appartment decorated with taste! Perfectly located near centre. All you need for a short trip to Florence!
Maddalena es una excelente anfitriona. Nos dio muy buenos consejos para conocer Florencia y en todo momento estuvo atenta. El piso se encuentra muy bien situado y se puede ir a todas partes caminando. Thank you Maddie!!!
Das Appartment ist sauber und sehr geschmackvoll eingerichtet, die Lage sehr gut, weil Alles gut zu Fuß erreichbar ist.
Die Gastgeberin ist bemerkenswert freundlich und hilfsbereit.
Jederzeit wieder.
Appartamento piccolino, ma perfetto per due persone, fornito assolutamente di tutto il necessario. Posizione perfetta per muoversi agilmente e visitare la meravigliosa Firenze, anche con soli 3 giorni a disposizione! Maddalena è stata gentilissima dall'inizio alla fine del soggiorno! Consigliato!
Accueillante et gentille, Maddalena nous a permis de passer un très bon séjour. L'appartement était idéalement situé, en plein centre de Florence. Nous avons apprécié les quelques fruits et recommandations sur la ville laissés par Maddalena à notre arrivée. L'appartement était propre, agréable à vivre et très charmant.
Nous recommandons !
Grazie Maddalena!
L'appartamentino è davvero molto grazioso e ben fornito, La posizione dietro la bellissima chiesa di Santa Croce direi che è un lusso! Maddalena è stata gentilissima nel darci indicazioni e consigli.
Unica pecca, la tv non funzionava, ma in cambio abbiamo ascoltato la radio ;)
Un ottimo modo per godersi Firenze e sentirsi come a casa :)
The flat is very nice and appointed!!
The view is awesome...
Maddalena is very nice and has a lot of good tips!
I really enjod the time!!
it was a beautiful classy apartment located directly in front of the park. Though, this building is obviously historical one with the large gate for the carridge or something, there is also the lift! The apartment is located obviously one of the nice residential area in Florence, so it's very quiet & very safe (& clean).
We took the bus from the central station & the bus stop is just 3min far from the apartment. it was very convinient.
the apartment it self was well equipt. We had to learn, how to use the bathroom.
Otherwise everything is fine & with this price you can't complain.
We definitely stay at this apartment again.
Last but not least Maddalena is a great host. She gave us very nice tipps & we enjoyed thoroughly the toscany foods and atmosphere.
- 住宿品质保证
- 屋主通过电话验证


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Fishing Line Bin Recycling Program
UPSAC is working with NOAA to install and maintain line recycling bins all along the California Coast. This program will help the environment by reducing line debris from fishing in our ocean waters.
The UPSAC will work cooperatively with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) to build, install and maintain fort Fishing Line Recycling Bins at saltwater piers and/or shore fishing (angling) locations in California. Fishing line discarded into the environment is very slow to degrade and may entangle diving birds, fish, invertebrates (crabs, lobsters, etc.), turtles, marine mammals, and even swimmers and divers.
Ken Jones, President of UPSAC, said, "The all-metal line recycling bins to be used for the project were developed by UPSAC and are based upon proto-type bins that have been installed and in use at Guadalupe Beach in Santa Barbara County for over a year." The bins will be place at piers and shoreline areas in souther and central California as agreements with local governing organization are obtained. Ken also noted that by visiting the UPSAC web site, you can track the program accomplishments and find the closest recycling bin.
The program manager for the project, Marty Golden, the NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Coast Recreational Coordinator was very excited about the project. He said, "This is a great example of the things that can be accomplished by the California Saltwater Sportfishing Action Team." Marty is the Chair of the Team, which is designed to build partnerships between angling organizations and between them, get various government agencies involved with marine resources to enhance the marine angling experience.
"Partnering with UPSAC, an organization committed to preserving pier and shore angling, can make a huge impact in reducing the amount of marine debris entering the ocean," says Holly Bamford, Program Manager for the NOAA Marine Debris Program. "We are glad to be part of this effort to increase recycling and strengthen marine debris prevention programs."
The NOAA Marine Debris Program works to support national, state local and international efforts to protect and preserve our nation's natural resources and coastal waterways from the impacts of marine debris.
The NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to providing and preserving the nation's living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management, and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.


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One of the most frequent problems handled by BCIS is that e-mails arenot coming through. There are a number of things you can try beforegiving up and calling the Help Desk.First thing to check is whether your CAPS LOCK key (on the left side ofthe keyboard) is on. (Usually this causes a CAPS LOCK indicator tolight up on the upper right of the keyboard.The network doesn't care whether your password is in caps or lower case,but the e-mail server does. It will reject any password with a capitalletter or a space in it.If you just forgot your password, you can call BCIS and have us look itup. Be prepared to prove you're who you say you are, though. We don'tgive out passwords to just ANYONE.
The Information Services department's goal is to provide a reliable technological environment that allows students, faculty and staff to carry out the mission of the college more efficiently.
Information Services provides the leadership in technological solutions for Bakersfield College. It maintains the data network infrastructure, all computer software and hardware and provides training to staff and faculty on matters of technology.


text: Explore Peru Where to go When to go Getting there Getting around Accommodation Food and drink The media Fiestas, festivals and public holidays Outdoor activities Sport Travel essentials Share Peru's astonishing ecological diversity has helped to produce an exciting cuisine. The national dish – ceviche – is made from fresh seafood marinated in lime juice and chillies, then served with sweet potato, a cob of corn and salad. Washed down at Sunday lunchtime with a cool Cusqueña beer, it's an experience not to be missed. Cuy (roast guinea pig), an exotic local speciality, is also worth a try, even if the thought may be off-putting. Street snacks are tasty and good value – grilled meats and empanadas are available almost anywhere, alongside delicious tropical produce. Finally, don't leave without sampling the national tipple, pisco sour: a mix of Peruvian pisco, lime, syrup, egg white and bitters – delicious and surprisingly potent. Read More


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Janesville man arrested for child abuse
JANESVILLE, Wis.--- A Janesville man is in jail charged with child abuse.
The Janesville Police Department says Brandon L. Quinn is charged with Physical Abuse of a Child. The 23-year-old Quinn was arrested Wednesday evening.
A caller told police that children may be in danger. Police eventually found the child walking in the 600 block of South Main St. with an adult. The police officer saw the children had injuries to their arms, legs, faces and heads. They were taken to the hospital to be checked.
The children are now with Child Protective Custody.


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How to wrap a pull through for a Lee Enfield...
Tools and Technologies
Rifle Country
> How to wrap a pull through for a Lee Enfield...
August 31, 2004, 09:54 PM
I just updated this page and thought I'd share it.
If you enjoyed reading about "How to wrap a pull through for a Lee Enfield..." here in TheHighRoad.org archive, you'll LOVE our community. Come join
today for the full version!
August 31, 2004, 11:58 PM
Interesting stuff...
September 1, 2004, 01:29 PM
A question for you SMLE...
Just how sturdy is that pull-cord for the Enfields? It doesn't look like it would hold up to a lot of abuse.
I wonder if the Brits carried several of them...just in case.
I've got a '42 Long Branch No4Mk1 myself. I've never been interested in it's authenticity so I've never picked up the pull-though for it.
September 1, 2004, 08:28 PM
The older, natural fiber pull through will wear out over time. The end loop was expressly for use by the armourer to pull broken pull throughs out. There are some nylon pull throughs out there that were mostly for the L1A1 SLR, but they will work for the LE and are virtually unbreakable.
September 3, 2004, 10:18 PM
I've added a little more info on using the pull through.
September 12, 2004, 02:36 AM
I've updated this page again. Added a lot of info from "The Service Rifle and How to Use It"
September 19, 2004, 07:57 PM
Yet ANOTHER up-date. Now there is a link to a source of genuine GI issue flannelette for use in cleaning your rifle.
June 23, 2005, 11:01 PM
Just thought I'd bump this for grins. Perhaps some of the new folks haven't seen it yet.
Al Diehl
December 12, 2012, 02:24 PM
I know that this is an old thread but,... Is there a new link or, has someone saved this info elsewhere, because the link is no longer any good. Thanks.
December 12, 2012, 08:03 PM
My web page is down due to lack of funds to pay web hosting. I hope to get it up and running soon.
The info is also here;
Al Diehl
December 13, 2012, 08:39 AM
Thank you. About 2 minutes after I posted this I found that site. Thank you very much for your assistance.
If you enjoyed reading about "How to wrap a pull through for a Lee Enfield..." here in TheHighRoad.org archive, you'll LOVE our community. Come join
today for the full version!
vBulletin® v3.8.6, Copyright ©2000-2016, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.


text:
Regularly Purchased Together
Browse Great Planes
Product Feature Page
Manufacturer's Product Web Page
Email Me When Available
Compatible with NiCd, NiMH, LiPo LiFe and LiIon battery types
Displays load current, power, battery voltage and used capacity that
can be stored and used to select the best combination of motor,
ESC, battery and propeller
Measures lithium cell and pack voltages, determines whether cells are
balanced, measures lowest and highest cell voltages, gap voltages,
remaining battery capacity and more
Connects between battery and model's power system
2x16 LCD screen
One year limited warranty beginning at date of purchase
PowerMatch Power Meter and Balancer with Male Star Plug on the
on the input lead and Female Star Plug on the output lead,
Balancing Wire Harness, 2S - 7S Balance Board and Instruction
Voltage Measurement Range: 4-8 NiCd or NiMH cells; 2-7 LiPo, LiFe,
LiFe, or Li-Ion cells
Maximum Range: 4.0 - 30.0V
Lithium Balancing Accuracy: 10mV per cell
Lithium Balancing Connection: ElectriFly compatible FlightPower
adapters included
Lithium Max. Node Current: 180mA max.
Maximum Rated Current: 80A instantaneous
Maximum Capacity Displayed: 65,000mAh (65.0 Ah)
Auto Off: After 30 seconds of inactivity
Protection Systems: Reverse polarity; low LiPo voltage alert w/auto
Case Size: 3.9 x 2.6 x 1.0" (100 x 65 x 25mm)
Weight: 4.5oz (127.8g)
jxs 11/30/11
updated tlc 11/12/15


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State Senate Recognizes Work of California's Engineering Sector
SACRAMENTO, CA -February 14, 2014 – The California State Senate today recognized the contributions made by engineers to the state's infrastructure and economy with Senate Resolution 27, presented by Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres). The resolution commemorates National Engineers Week (February 16-22), an annual celebration held during the week of George Washington's birthday.
Washington, the first President of the United States was trained as a land surveyor and, according to some sources, spent part of his military career as an engineer.
"As a civil engineer, I am proud of the achievements engineers have made throughout history. Engineers keep California at the cutting edge of leading industries and will continue to lead major advances through the 21st century," said Senator Cannella. "Engineers demonstrate the values of curiosity, passion and dedication, answering problems in the most resourceful, economical and innovative ways," he added.
"Engineers partner with State and Federal agencies, regulatory agencies, and private owners and use their technical expertise to solve complex problems," said Brad Diede, Executive Director, ACEC California. "Whether it is through improving levees, reducing traffic congestion, protecting our aquatic resources, or relocating 100 year old railroad tracks, engineers are always working to build a better California."
National Engineers Week celebrates how engineers make a difference in our world and increases public dialogue about the need for engineers.
To read the entire resolution, click here.


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Food Waste: From Farm to Fork
EPCAS Summer General Assembly in Copenhagen
From 31 July until 2 August, Thomas Kascha will attend the European Party Caterer Association General Summer Assembly. Since the beginning of this month SD Trading is a proud member of EPCAS.
During these days Thomas will be attending several sessions. One of the issues he will be discussing is "Food Waste". The issue of Food Waste is a political hot topic that needs to be addressed. Currently 'from farm to fork', between 40 to 50% of the entire food production is thrown away. Therefore EPCAS has decided to cover this topic as a sub-theme during the Summer General Assembly in Copenhagen.
Food Waste
As mentioned the sub-theme of the General Assembly is "Food Waste". There will be some speakers who will present this issue from different perspectives. Food Waste is a political hot topic, as various advancements are being undertaken to reduce the amount of food wasted around the world. "All the world's nearly one billion hungry people could be lifted out of malnourishment on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in the US, UK and Europe." – Tristam Stuart, author of exceptional book 'WASTE'.
Participants EPCAS Summer General Assembly
|Thomas Kascha
|SD Trading (NL)
|Frank Lantz (Host)
|Lantz Catering (DK)
|Camilla Lantz
|Lantz Catering (DK)
|Martin Færgemann (Host)
|Kai Thor Catering (DK)
|Tina Færgemann
|Kai Thor Catering (DK)
|Nathalie Gouband
|Fauchon Receptions (FR)
|Frank Wassermann
|Arena One GmbH (DE)
|Stephan Thewalt
|Arena One GmbH (DE)
|Alexander Gausmann
|Arena One GmbH (DE)
|Pauline Hoogmoed
|Catersource Magazine, Conference & Tradeshow (US)
|Frank Steffen
|Steffen Traiteur (LU)
|Tom Steffen
|Steffen Traiteur (LU)
|Erik van Welzen
|Erasmus Catering Services (NL)
|Noud van den Boer
|Koninklijke Van den Boer Groep (NL)
|Warren Dietel
|International Caterers Association/Puff 'n Stuff Catering (US)
|Kim Bogte
|European Parliament (EU)
|Artur Junqueira
|Grupo Ibersol (PT)
|Anca Mitu
|Privileg Catering (RO)
|Cálin Mitu
|Privileg Catering (RO)
|Eduard Telitsyn
|Imperial Palace Group (RU)
|Andrey Gorozhankin
|Diamond Catering (RU)
|Andrey Zablotsky
|Diamond Catering (RU)
|Esther Conde
|Esther Conde Catering (ES)
|Agneta Johansson
|Le Citron Vert (SE)
|Xavier Fruy
|A&X Fruy Traiteur (BE)
|Ann Verduijn
|A&X Fruy Traiteur (BE)
|Sven Bodry
|RAK Porcelain Europe S.A. (LU)
|Peter Kandels
|Ecolab (DE)
|Esther de Vaal
|Libbey Glass (NL)
|Bart Leemans
|Koppert Cress (NL)
|Dorrie Ambaum-Eilers
|Neptunus Structures (NL)
|Tom Ambaum
|Neptunus Structures (NL)
|Maarten van den Dries
|Delta Wines (NL)
|Bouwe Metz
|Mise en Place (NL)
|Verenice Vandewall
|Traiteur de Paris (FR)
|Peter Visscher
|EPCAS President/SixContinents Catering Alliance (NL)
|Georg Broich
|Broich Premium Catering GmbH (DE)
|Charles van Goch
|Mise en Place (NL)
|Arnaud Rannou
|Mychefcom (FR)
|Manuel Otero
|European Hotel Managers Association (ES)
|Ruedi Bachmann
|Management Consultant/Juran Institute (CH)
|Alessandro Barbisotti
|Backstage Catering (IT)
|Gaia Vigliotti
|Backstage Catering (IT)
|Henk Verhaest
|Gourmet Invent (BE)


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Local Cold Storage Warehouse Worker Files Federal Unfair Labor Practice Charge against UFCW Union
Union officials post coercive notices to mislead workers into dues-paying ranks
Rochelle, IL (September 19, 2013) – An Americold Logistics warehouse employee has filed a federal charge against a local union for violating her rights and posting coercive notices in the workplace designed to mislead workers into dues-paying ranks.
Karen Cox of Dixon filed the federal charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.
In June 2012, a local affiliate of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unionized Cox's workplace. However, union and company officials did not reach a contract until June 2013. During that time, Cox began a campaign to remove the unwanted union from her workplace. In August, the workers voted in a secret-ballot election whether to remove the union from their workplace. At the request of the union hierarchy, the results of the election have been impounded pending review by the NLRB.
In September, union officials posted a notice in the workplace demanding workers become full dues paying union members, or they will be fired.


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This item is out of stock and will never be back in stock. If you purchase this item we will remove it from your order and refund you the purchase price. The page is here for reference only.
Dye Precision 2011 Shorts - BaselineThe Dye Precision 2011 Baseline shorts are straight-cut. Comfortable fit.
Please wait, your items are being added to the cart...


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The Pangaea String Quartet will perform "Music from the World to Tigard," an evening of classical and contemporary compositions at the Tigard Public Library on Friday, May 28, at 7 p.m.
The repertoire includes original compositions by violist Toby Loftus, such as the "Cardiac Arrest Tango," as well as jazz standards by Duke Ellington and the Gershwins and classical works.
Joining Loftus will be violinist Marya Kazmierski who has performed in the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Oregon East Symphony and Classical Revolution PDX. Second violinist Avril Bondy has also performed with the Columbia Symphony and is a Suzuki String instructor.
Loftus, a Tigard resident, plays in the Newport Symphony Orchestra and Classical Revolution PDX. Cellist Larry Wright rounds out the quartet and also plays in the Columbia Symphony Orchestra.
This free musical performance will be held at the Library Community Room.
For more information, please call Adult Services at Library at 503-718-2517 or visit the Library's web page at: http://www.tigard-or.gov/library/ and click on Adult Events.


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Workshop on pest control, bug management to be held in Erie
The Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) and the Penn State Extension Office on Wednesday are hosting an informational workshop on pest control and insect management.
The "Pest Walkabout" will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the LEAF Education Center, 1501 W. Sixth St., and coordinated by Ruth Benner, a pest-management educator with the extension office in Millcreek Township.
Attendees will learn how to control unfavorable pests and how to manage beneficial insects, and there also will be discussions on common landscape diseases.
The workshop will include take-home materials to help attendees apply their new knowledge in their own backyards.
Comfortable shoes are recommended as the walkabout will take place through the arboretum. The cost to attend is $5. Registration is recommended, either by calling 453-5323 or by going to www.leaferie.org/events.
A number of walk-ins also will be allowed to be participate, officials said.
See Wednesday's Erie Times-News and GoErie.com for more coverage.


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Frequently Asked QuestionsThis section is to answer some of the more commonly asked questions in the world of cosplay.
Bleaching and Dyeing
Contact Lenses
- If you are using the bleach as directed, this is a myth! Here is my source.
If used properly bleach will not wear down fabric or shorten the lifespan of your piece. I suggest reading through the link above for more information on the proper use of bleach and how this was tested.
- Natural fibers like cotton or silk can be dyed using regular dye such as RIT. Synthetic fibers such as polyester or acrylic generally cannot be dyed using normal means but they can be dyed by special dyes made for those fabrics. A fabric that is a mix of natural and synthetic fiber may not dye evenly or to the color desired, so do a patch test if possible!
For dyeing synthetic fabrics I suggest reading through this page on disperse dye.
If you are unsure what the make-up of your fabric is you can find out with the burn test
- Yes! Contacts were originally made as a medical device to work in place of glasses and so most lenses can be bought to match your glasses' prescription. Some places will not sell contacts without having a valid prescription from an optometrist even if you want plano lenses.
Please note that many stores carry plano (0 power) lenses that are readily available, prescription lenses need to be made to match your eyesight and may take some time to be made or ordered. For example, a box of prescription blue lenses my boyfriend ordered from a glasses store took about half a week.
Binding Warning: Binding too tightly or for long periods of time can restrict your breathing, cause dizzyness, pain or discomfort. In serious cases the restriction can cause a rib to crack. So practice safe binding! Don't bind with ace bandages or tape, do bind with a chest binder. Listen to your body, take the binder off if you experience pain and discomfort.
The most common, and safest, method of binding is using a binder or a compression vest. These are garments made for being worn to compress the chest evenly, which means the pressure is also distributed evenly. You can learn more about purchasing a chest binder here.
In the past, it was common to suggest ACE bandages for binding but they are no longer recommended by the community because of the dangers associated with them. ACE bandages do not compress evenly and constrict tighter over time which causes severe chest pain or broken ribs. Tape was also suggested in the past, but has the same issues and can also cause welts due to trapped sweat and skin being ripped off during removal.
You can find more binding information and tutorials here
- Cosplay (Costume + Play) is dressing up in a costume as a specific character. Usually this term is used to describe dressing up as an Anime (Japanese Animation) character but can also mean dressing up as someone from a book, videogame, television show, or comic. It can also include mascot characters and original designs, or dressing up as a celebrity or icon. Cosplay is usually done to express their love of a character or their interest in some form of media.
You might be thinking cosplay is something that happens during Halloween, and it does happen then, on a very large scale. However, people typically wear cosplay costumes outside of Halloween at events such as conventions (trade shows), photo shoots, group meet ups and events.
Another difference from Halloween is that cosplayers like to make all or part of their costumes themselves. Most cosplayers are amateur costumers, they don't have formal training, but they still can produce works that appear professional. A cosplayer who makes their costume can be skilled at wig styling, makeup, sewing and prop construction!
- A convention is a trade show, a large event where companies and dealers can show off their products or service. The conventions talked about in conjunction with cosplay are usually based on a specific fandom, such as a sci fi convention, video gaming convention, comic book convention or Japanese animation convention.
A con usually involves a dealers room, which is a giant marketplace with a variety of vendors and exhibitors that allow you to buy merchandise for a lowered price, pick up freebies, or try out their products. Beyond that, there are usually a collection of fan-run events such as costume photoshoots or get togethers. At the larger conventions there might be media showings, informative panels, dances, costume competitions, concerts, gaming competitions and a variety of other events.
Conventions can last one to four days and may require the purchase of a convention badge for entry.
- This is a trickey question without an absolute answer. Costumes can cost anywhere from $10 to $1000 or more! It all depends on who is making it, how much materials cost, and how complicated the outfit is.
Average cosplay, by my definition, is the kind that are generally found at cons, online or at costume stores. They range from $60-100+ (USD) and they are usually just part of the costume - the shoes, wig or accessories are not included.
Costumes you make yourself can be any range, depending on what you are making. My costumes were about $100-200 for the more simple ones and are about $300-500 for more complex ones.
Costumes from a commissioner will usually cost about $100 and up, since you are paying for the materials and the cost of them making the costume for you.
- While they are considered fashion and not cosplay, many people do wear them to conventions.
There is such thing as cosplay-lolita (and I am sure there are cosplay versions of the other styles), which is basically a lolita outfit that is worn while cosplaying a character from a series, or it can refer to a lolita that is wearing it like a costume (usally this means they are not following "proper" rules of lolita, or are wearing costume-ish accessories like cat ears)
It is always a good idea to research a style before you wear it.
- Sometimes you want to wear the same costume for more than one day at a con, but you don't want it to be dirty or smelly, so what are some things you can do?
First, plan ahead. Before wearing the costume make sure to have a shower, use deoderant with an anti-persparent (to help prevent sweating). Wear a thin shirt underneath the costume if possible, to keep the costume off your body.. however if the costume has many layers or is very warm then you may want to go without. Carry a stain remover pen to get rid of stains that may appear throughout the day and avoid activities that may make it dirty (like walking through mud).
You will want to take the costume off at night, so if you are staying at the con then you will probably want to bring an extra pair of clothes or PJs. This allows you to let the costume air out at night. If the costume isn't too bad then you can use a stain remover pen to remove any small stains, give the outfit a light cover of febreeze and then let it air out in front of a window. For more extensive problems, such as a very smelly or dirty costume, you can ask if the hotel has a washer and dryer available - some do. If not, you can spot wash a costume in the sink, or hand wash a costume in the tub. You can use the hairdryer provided to help speed up drying. If your costume is an absorbant material, it may take a long time to dry and would be better to spot wash.
For the next day, you will want to change anything you can, such as socks and underwear. Make sure to have another shower before wearing the costume and once again put on deoderant.
- A good thread on the subject is this one since it has a lot of opinions.
My answer is that you can never get too old for cosplay, just as you can't get too old for dressing up at halloween. As you age you may change your costume choices to fit your age, your skill level and your wallet but there is never an age where you just shouldn't do it anymore.
- Sometimes you want to wear the same costume for more than one day at a con, but you don't want it to be dirty or smelly, so what are some things you can do?
First, plan ahead. Before wearing the costume make sure to have a shower, use deodorant with an antiperspirant (to help prevent sweating). Wear a thin shirt underneath the costume if possible, to keep the costume off your body.. however if the costume has many layers or is very warm then you may want to go without. Carry a stain remover pen to get rid of stains that may appear throughout the day and avoid activities that may make it dirty (like walking through mud).
You will want to take the costume off at night, so if you are staying at the con then you will probably want to bring an extra pair of clothes or PJs. This allows you to let the costume air out at night. If the costume isn't too bad then you can use a stain remover pen to remove any small stains, give the outfit a light cover of Febreeze and then let it air out in front of a window. For more extensive problems, such as a very smelly or dirty costume, you can ask if the hotel has a washer and dryer available - some do. If not, you can spot wash a costume in the sink, or hand wash a costume in the tub. You can use the hairdryer provided to help speed up drying. If your costume is an absorbent material, it may take a long time to dry and would be better to spot wash.
For the next day, you will want to change anything you can, such as socks and underwear. Make sure to have another shower before wearing the costume and once again put on deodorant.
- Most people choose poses by mimicking what the character does in the show, movie, game etc. A good way to choose poses is to look up a variety of reference pictures and print off ones with poses that are interesting and easy to get into quickly. Interesting poses generally involve an action of some sort.
For example Medusa (left) is standing very stiff, so it's not very interesting. Sakura (right) is in an active pose so it is more interesting to look at.
Once you decide on several poses, practice them in front of a mirror. Some poses are unflattering, they can make you or the costume look weird. So look for ones that make you look good! Another way to test poses is to get a friend to photograph you in them. Try to avoid poses that majorly block the costume, for example being all scrunched up, since the costume is usually what you want to show off. If you are doing a photo shoot with many photos being taken, then it is okay to have shots that block the costume since there will be others that don't.
You can also decide poses on the spot by interacting with the environment. Is there a tree? You could climb it, lean against it, sit under it, hang off it, or hide behind it ... this goes especially well if you think about the character's personality.
This Posing Template is a fun way to learn and practice poses before a convention.
- You can either buy a costume that is pre-made from a shop or get one custom made from a commissioner. For more information on commissions see "What is a Commission"
The easiest place to buy a costume is online, ebay offers a lot of cosplay shops with pre-made costumes, you can also find a lot of results on google for cosplay shops. Also check out our Where to Buy list for a variety of sellers!
If you are planning to buy online make sure to check out: Commissioners NOT to go to, The Commissioner Review Thread and Merchant Reviews.
You can also buy cosplays from some comic/anime stores or at conventions, and used costumes can be bought from cosplayers who are selling them.
- I wrote an article about this subject called Starting a Cosplay that goes into more detail than I do here. I suggest giving it a read through, but here is a quick overview:
- Start by collecting reference pictures of the character you want to cosplay
- Break down the costume to its' most basic parts (vest, shirt, pants, top hat)
- Decide if it would be within your skill to make the costume, alter existing pieces to make the costume, or buy the costume premade.
- If you decide to make it then choose a pattern, buy the materials and look for tutorials to help.
- A commission is where you get someone to make you a custom cosplay, or prop. Unlike buying a pre-made costume they will make it for you using your exact sizes, and if you have anything specific you would like (a certain fabric, a different color, an extra piece) they will most likely include it. The downfall to commissions are that they take more time since they make it themselves, and that it usually is a bit more costly because you are paying for their time and skills.
While some sites and ebay stores offer commissions, you can also ask for commissions in cosplay.com's marketplace
- The internet is your best tool for reference pictures because it is so easy to find them! When looking for reference pictures it is always good to choose a variety of references to get some different views of the costume. I like to have a mixture of: Screenshots of the media, fan art of the character, and photos of other cosplayers.
- Take your own pictures if you own a copy of the media
- Search google image search
- If it is a show you can find clips of it on youtube and screenshot it.
- Search photobucket.com
To get screenshots of the media you can:
- This is a question that pops up from time to time, I mean what better way to enjoy your time at Disney World or another Disney park then by dressing up as a character and getting a photo? However, there are many stories about people being told to change out of costume by employees in the park or being denied entrance to the park. Can these be validated? Not really, it is the internet afterall! Though I will direct you to the Disney World FAQ's opinion on dressing for the park:
- Adult costumes or clothing that can be viewed as representative of an actual Disney character
- Masks (unless you are dressing up for a particular event)
- Clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics
- Excessively torn clothing
- Clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment Objectionable tattoos"
From Disney World's FAQ
"Ensuring that the parks are family friendly is an important part of the Disney experience. In that spirit, we ask you to use your discretion and common sense. Attire that is not appropriate for the theme parks (and which may result in refusal of admittance) includes but is not limited to:
Please note that dressing up as a non-Disney character (ex. Sora from Kingdom Hearts, or even a random anime character) could possibly count as an adult costume that can be viewed as a representative of an actual Disney character. It would be up to Disney's staff to determine if your costume is acceptable or not.
And this exerpt is from Disneyland's FAQ:
"Only Guests ages 9 and under may wear costumes into the theme parks. Costumes should be child friendly, meaning they must be non-obstructive, non-offensive and nonviolent. The following are not permitted:"
But Disneyland's site mentions that there are exceptions where adults are allowed to wear costumes to certain costume events such as Mickey's Halloween Party.
If you would like to double check, particularly if you are attending a different version of Disney park, you can always call the park ahead of time to ask if wearing a costume would be okay.
- The best thing you can do to help improve what you look like in pictures is to find pictures of you and pinpoint what makes you look good and what makes you look bad. Then try to eliminate the bad from your posing and focus on including what makes you look good. You can always ask for advice from friends or family, or even fellow cosplayers!
- Wear makeup. Even if you are cosplaying a male you should have at least the minimum of makeup on. Foundation helps smooth the tone of your skin and cover pimples or scars. Mineral powder prevents shine in photos.
- Practice posing. Interesting poses help make you look good! If you stand stiff with the peace sign you aren't going to look as nice as if you get in character. If you practice in front of a mirror you can see what looks good and what looks bad so you can remember the good poses for the day of the con.
- Take better photos. Most "in-the-hallway" convention photos suck. Bright flash, red eye, poor quality image, weird angles, not a nice background (garbage can eww), people walking by, blurry, there is so much that you can't really control. Even if you don't have a professional photographer at your disposal you can get a good picture. Find a nice area and have a friend take some photos of you, check them out, adjust yourself or costume as needed, and then take some more. Choose the best ones to represent your costume.
Some general tips for improving photos of you:
- Distressing is when you make something look worn or used. It is useful in costuming because when you make a costume it looks brand new, and that might not work for certain characters. These are a couple ways to make your costume look more broken in:
- Use sand paper to wear down areas that would have a lot of wear, such as on the knees or elbows.
- Washing the piece several times to fade the color and soften the fabric.
- Fray edges where wear would occur (such as bottom of a long pantleg).
- Create stains with watered down paint, coffee or tea.
- Green acrylic paint that has been watered down and applied with a thin brush can mimic grass stain.
- A dark powder paint with a little water can be used to create dirt stains without using real dirt.
- Bleach can be used to remove colour and stains.
- You may need to stick something to your skin such as elf ears, a pair of horns, or maybe even a fake mustache! When sticking stuff to your skin you will want to be extra careful. The same glues used on props can't be used on the face because they may cause heat or chemical burns, or cause other damage! So what can be used on the face?
- Eyelash glue is used for attaching false eyelashes to the eyelid and can be used to attach lightweight pieces to the face.
- Spirit gum is a common skin glue which is commonly used to attach ears and other prosthetics. It works best in small amounts and suggests a remover to take it off.
- Pros-Aide / Pros-Aide II is used for putting appliances or other makeup components on the skin. Will work for latex, foam latex and gelatin prosthetics. Pros-Aide's suggested remover is Isopropyl Myristate. Pros-Aide II is more easily removed, All Pur is the suggested remover.
- Ben Nye Prosthetic Adhesive is good for latex appliances and clown noses. I requires Bond Off! Or a similar remover.
- Kryolan Medical Adhesive is a silicone-based adhesive for extremely sensitive skin. It requires Medical Adhesive remover to be taken off.
- Ben Nye Glitter Glue is a glue for rhinestones and sequins to be held firmly in place. It is washable with water.
- Stoppelpaste or Stipple wax is used to apply crepe hair to skin for a un-shaven,five o'clock shadow look or to stick on glitters. It is removable with soap and water.
- If you want to change your skin color but don't want to use a body paint to create the effect a solution would be to use a catsuit or hoodless zentai suit.
You can buy these suits online to fit your measurements. They come in most colors and you can get them in vinyl or spandex. You can airbrush or paint over them to create a more realistic look with shading and highlights, or create designs such as tattoos. The biggest benefit is that they cover you evenly and you can wear the outfit multiple times without having to re-do makeup on the body.
Because they are hoodless you may have a visible neckline on the suit, and you will still have to color the face with paint.
- For most liquid body paints there is a setting powder that is used to finish the application and allow the product to dry.
It is also good to use a makeup sealer overtop of the makeup to give a protective layer over the makeup preventing it from rubbing off easily. Makeup sealer can be bought over the counter in most beauty stores. The one I have is a spray that dries quickly. If you need a quick fix I have heard that hairspray works as a substitute.
For better protection, particularly for full body makeup, I suggest using Liquid Latex Body Paint since it dries at room temperature and stays on for a long time but can be removed with soap and water. Though there are allergies to latex and you should always do a test patch if using the product for the first time. If it is still tacky after application baby powder can help prevent it from being sticky.
- Simply put it is a group of cosplayers who cosplay together, usually from the same series. They might compete in the masquerade together, make youtube videos, have their own webpage, or just do group photoshoots. Some groups only cosplay from one series, while others cosplay from many series.
- People to cosplay with at a convention and hang out with
- Groups are more impressive , and more recognizable than individual costumes. This leads to more photos and more people recognizing who you are.
- Everyone in the group can help each other with the costumes, making for a better costume for everyone involved. For example: Those good with props can handle props, and someone who does great things with wigs can handle the wigs.
- Masquerade skits can be coordinated and practiced long before a convention, making for an interesting and well done performance
- Being in a group can give you more motivation to get your costumes done on time
- That entirely depends on the group and what their goals are. They might only want people who live near them, people they have decided they like, people who have specific skill sets or people who have a certain level of skill preforming or creating a costume, they also might be looking for a specific character.
If you are looking to join an existing group it is best to ask about it. Don't be sad if they aren't accepting new members, many cosplay groups are just a group of friends and they might not be looking to expand to include others.
- Most cosplay groups start with a group of friends who attend conventions together. This is probably one of the best options because you likely live near each other which allows you to help each other out with costumes, and you know you attend the same conventions. The only thing keeping you from being a fancy group is choosing a group name!
If you don't have a group of friends who cosplay but are interested in being part of a cosplay group you can either join an existing one or make your own. My suggestion is to check out boards for conventions in your area and get to know people. (cosplay.com has country specific boards, and facebook usually has groups or event pages for conventions). There are usually people looking for other cosplayers to hang out with from the same series, or to participate in group photo shoots, or even participate in masquerade skits.
A cosplay group can be for just one con, or ongoing!
- Depending on the prop there is a wide variety of materials you can use depending on your budget and your skills. Some of these materials are:
- Wood / wooden dowels
- Metal
- Cardboard/Papermache
- Wonderflex/Plastic/ PVC pipe
- Foam -> craft, insulation, green or styrofoam
- Clay
- Resin
- Model Magic
- Sculpty
- There was a site made just to answer this specific question! This to That.com is a site that gives you glue advice for sticking one thing to another and offers several solutions for each query.
- Every convention has different prop rules, from extremely strict to very minimal. It is important that you find out the rules for props at conventions to make sure that you can bring yours in! It would suck to make an amazing prop and be told you have to leave it in the car or hotel room! It is even worse if your prop causes you to be expelled from the convention without refund.
To find out what your convention's guidelines are, check the convention's website for a weapon's policy. If a convention has a weapons check (a booth that makes sure props are con-acceptable, usually offering a prop tag or badge stamp or similar marking for an approved prop) then they will most likely have a list of what they will and will not allow.
If your con doesn't have a weapons policy on the website, or you are unsure if something will be allowed there should be contact information on the convention's website. If possible, contact someone who is in charge of the weapons check since they will be the most likely person to be able to answer your question! If your prop is particularly borderline (ex. very realistic looking gun) you may want to bring a printed copy of the approval with you to avoid any issues at the convention.
If your con doesn't have a weapons policy, contact information, or just doesn't have a website and you would like an idea if your prop is okay then you can try asking on a convention's forums (if they have a forum) or on a local cosplay board (Ex. cosplay.com's country specific forums). Previous attendees can offer their opinion based on past experiences with the weapons check and policies! Please note that while you can get some decent feedback, opinions from other con goers aren't necessarily what the policies actually are.
When in Doubt!
Avoid functional firearms, sharpened metal blade weapons, real explosives and anything that is illegal in your country.
In Public (Outside the con area)
Use discretion when in a public area. Realistic looking weapons (knives, guns) should be hidden if possible or sheathed. Also avoid swinging around your prop or playing with a medium/large prop in a crowded area. You don't want to scare someone who does not know that a convention is going on! This will also help prevent issues with security/police, and keep your prop from getting broken.
- First, you should look for sewing classes in your area. This way you can learn from a pro and they can teach you the proper way to do everything. Sewing classes will probably be hosted by local fabric, sewing and craft stores, and sometimes they are held by sewing machine stores. There may even be sewing classes run as a city program.
If you cannot find a sewing class, then ask around your family if anyone can help you sew or learn the basics. You could also look into getting a sewing book. I have heard sewing for dummies is a good book for learning, but you should look around and find one that suits your needs - you might want a book with more pictures and diagrams, or you might want something that is very descriptive.
To actueally start a project, you will probably want a Sewing Pattern which gives you instructions on how to sew what the pattern is for. When learning to sew it is good to start simple, start with things you can exactly find patterns for rather than needing to alter them. Avoid anything too big! Stuff like t-shirts for example are pretty easy, something like a vinyl bodysuit is much more challenging.
As for learning to sew in general, and learning to sew specific things, I sugguest looking for tutorials.Youtube and deviantart are great places for tutorials, but you can find a lot on google. I run a tutorial list here, under "tutorials", that is a giant list of hundereds of sewing and cosplay tutorials. I also have a twitter account Cosplay Tutorial that updates daily with new sewing and cosplay tutorials.
- A pattern is used in sewing as a guide to how to make whatever the pattern is for. It is a package that tells you how to make a certain thing. It has instructions, shapes you pin to the fabric to cut out, a thing on the back that explains what size you should make, a list of the amount of fabric you need and sugguested fabric, and a list of what else you may need.
- Patterns can be bought online or at most sewing stores, some wal-marts, and some craft stores. In stores, usually there are pattern books you look through to decide which one you want and then you give the reference number to someone who works at the store, and they can give you the proper pattern. You can also look at these pattern books online, as the pattern companies have it on their websites
Sewing Patterns.com
- This means the pattern package comes with the instructions, and pattern pieces, for more than one outfit. They are usually very similar outfits. Don't worry though, the instructions will tell you what pieces to use for your specific piece.
- I find the best way to choose a fabric for a costume is to go to the local fabric store and look around. I look for fabrics that are the colors I need, it is easier to find the color as is than to experiment with dyeing! Once I find the colors I need I feel the weight, the stretch, I check if it is see-through and compare it to my references. I also compare my costume with what it might be in real life, for example a pair of jeans would be made of denim and a wedding dress might be made of bridal satin.
If you are not sure what the "real life" version of your costume might be made of you can look at sewing patterns. On the back there are fabric suggestions that can help you make your piece.
It also helps to have a general knowledge of fabrics . This is a list of fabrics that explains some of the fabric's characteristics which can be helpful for your search. This is a guide to fabric basics which can help you learn the differences between fabrics and make an educated choice.
- A wig cap is a nylon cap that is made for hiding hair under a wig. They are usually sold by the same retailers that sell wigs, and are usually around $5 or less. You can use a wig cap multiple times, and for multiple wigs. Usually it is good to get a skin colored cap, or one that matches the wig you plan to wear it with.
How to Put on a Wigcap
- Aside from using dyes made specifically for wigs, you can dye wigs with ink. Check out these tutorials for more details: Ink Dye FAQ, Sharpie Dye FAQ
- Most hair products can be used on a wig. Hairspray, spiking glue, freeze spray, etc. The product you cannot use on a wig is hair GEL. Gel is made to work with the oils in your natural hair, and so it won't work properly on a wig, though it's okay since gel isn't as effective in making anime style spikes.
Other products you can use on a wig are white school glue and tacky glue, they are good for antigravity spikes and usually cost less than hair glue. Both will wash out of wigs with warm water. Avoid super glue and epoxy glues since they generate heat and can hurt the wig, they also do not wash out. Additionally, you should avoid hot glue because it can melt fibers, it also will not come off the wig.
- The person who gets the final decision on this is the cosplayer, and I have seen both wigs and real hair used well in cosplay. Though, the general opinion of the community is that you should use a wig whenever possible, and use your own hair if it already looks very close to that character's hair.
- A wig can be styled weeks before a con allowing you to get it looking perfect with time to spare. Real hair usually has to be styled day of the convention. Any cutting and dyeing of real hair should be done week of the convention so it looks best, though dyeing should be done as close to the convention as possible to avoid fading.
- Real hair can look greasy very easily because of the oils from your scalp which is why it should be washed the day of the convention or the night before the convention. On the flip side it can also get really dry and frizzy which can make it hard to style properly. Wigs tend not to get greasy because a wig cap generally separates the wig from your actual head and hair.
- Wigs can be re-worn multiple times very easily. Once you are done with it you can sit it on a wig head and leave it be until you need it again. With regular hair you'll need to cut or dye your hair every time you want to wear the costume, assuming you don't regularly keep the character's hairstyle!
- Wigs allow you to have many different hairstyles in one weekend. Some cosplayers like to wear two, three or even more costumes at a convention. A wig allows them to jump between styles, lengths and colors with little effort.
- Some things you just don't want to do to your regular hair. Like dye it multiple colors when your workplace might not allow it. Wigs can be glued and caulked, spiked vertically , have various pieces attached right into the mesh. You can hot glue right on the wig, although fibers may melt!
- Wigs are easier to style overall, unless you have someone to help you style your own hair. Wigs allow you to have a 360 view of the head, meaning you can style the back and visibly see what you are doing. For antigravity spikes you can physically turn the wig upside down and leave it for a couple hours to dry.
Though I am a wig shipper myself, I find that my costumes improved greatly after I started using wigs even if my hair was close before. There are many benefits to using a wig over your real hair! Here are some of the pros of using a wig:
- When you color a wig you are adding one color over another color. Because of this it is not possible to get a lighter color when using a dark wig as a base. A red wig will not turn pink. The same is true for regular hair, except that with regular hair you have the option to bleach the color out of the hair to make it lighter. You can't bleach a wig to remove the base color.
When buying a wig that you plan to dye it is best to buy a white wig or a light blonde one since it will take the color the best. A secondary option is to choose a wig that is a lighter version of what you want to make: you could do navy blue on a light blue wig, or red on a pink red.
So rule of thumb, always start with a lighter wig and go darker!


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How to Paint a Staircase
Preparation is important when painting a staircase. Follow these essential tips to successfully accomplish this project.
Benjamin Moore does not sponsor, recommend or endorse any third-party product, service or information provided in this video.
Use the simple painting tips in these how-to videos to achieve professional-looking results.


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YouTube is the most popular website for uploading and watching videos on the web. However, many YouTubers don't know that they also offer an editing tool that allows users to edit the videos that they upload, making cuts, replacing soundtracks, and adding transitions. While the YouTube Video Editor is a very simple editing system, and isn't likely to replace your iMovie or Final Cut, it still offers some great tools that can simplify your YouTube video production process. Read on to find out more about what the YouTube Editor can be used for and watch our video tutorial on how to use it.
When does the YouTube Editor come in handy?
The YouTube editor is not a full-fledged video editing system. It is extremely simple, only offering very basic functionality. However, there are a few instances that it can really come in handy. These instances include replacing your soundtrack, creating a reel or compilation, and making basic edits on your YouTube videos.
Replacing Your Soundtrack
Have you ever uploaded a video to YouTube only to have your soundtrack removed due to a copyright violation, or uploaded a video and then decided that you would rather have a more upbeat soundtrack or that you'd like to take out the sound completely and replace it with a song? The YouTube Editor is great for this. Using YouTube's AudioSwap feature you can swap out your own soundtrack for a song from YouTube's library of popular music.
You can swap out the audio on your video directly by clicking the "AudioSwap" link from the video page, while you are logged into your YouTube account, or you can create a new video using your old footage but replacing the song using the YouTube Editor. We will show you how to do this in the video tutorial below.
It is important to note that when you use YouTube's AudioSwap functionality your entire audio track will be replaced. YouTube's music library cannot be used as background music. Also, once you have used AudioSwap to replace your audio you cannot get your previous audio back. The change is permanent. However you can swap your audio as many times as you'd like.
Creating A Reel Or Compilation
If you have uploaded a lot of videos to YouTube and are thinking about putting together a reel or compilation of your videos to show friends, fans or potential employees then the YouTube Editor is a great tool. Rather than having to import all of your video files into your favorite video editing software, edit your video, add a soundtrack and then upload your reel or compilation to YouTube you can do everything online directly from the YouTube site.
The YouTube Video Editor lets you create a new video by putting together clips of all of the other videos you have uploaded to the site. You can then add a soundtrack from the YouTube AudioSwap library to complete your reel or compilation. Again, we show you how to do this in more detail in our video tutorial.
Remixing Or Making Basic Edits To Your Videos
If you have already uploaded a video to YouTube but decided that it is too long or that you'd like to add another clip to your video you can do this easily with YouTube's Video Editor. The editor makes it easy to create a brand new video cutting up your old footage, adding new bits, changing out the music and more without having to leave the YouTube site.
Check out our tutorial video below to find out more about how YouTube's Video Editor works and then play around with the tool to make a video of your own. In our video, we cover the basics of the YouTube Video Editor interface and then show a few examples, including how to use the editor to replace audio, to make a reel and to edit or remix a single video. Of course, feel free to share your edited YouTube video with us in the comments and let us know if you have any questions!