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Tribute to President Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Mr Federico Mayor
Director-General of UNESCO
"Félix Houphouët-Boigny left us a message in the form of a demand: peace. He made the search for peace the source of inspiration of his thoughts and the goal of his action, thus embracing the same vision as the founding fathers of UNESCO who expressed their conviction that "It is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed". He indeed admitted that throughout his life he was "guided by but one ideal, the ideal of universal fraternity". He used both the authority, which he gained as a result of his combat at the national and continental levels, and his aura of sage on the international stage, to further this ideal.
Continuing the African tradition of conciliation and interchange, he was able to restore to the concept of negotiation its dignity and primary function of being a method for settling conflicts which is in all cases preferable to confrontation and violence. This was the resolute choice of someone who had come to understand that true courage lay in listening, understanding and tolerance. "There is no problem in the world, however difficult and knotty; that cannot be solved through negotiation", he used to say, even in the midst of crises.
It should therefore come as no surprise that it was the inspiration of his message that led, here in Yamoussoukro in 1989, to the idea of "Peace Culture" – which has just been made a priority; by acclamation, by the General Conference of UNESCO.
It was to this very place in the heart of Africa that I came, just after my election, to seek the inspiration, vision, rigour and serenity which the intellectual institution of the United Nations system requires to be able to sow the seeds of peace, construct peace, and give each woman and man the means with which to gain control over their lives. I was able to find this inspiration and vision. President Félix Houphouët-Boigny let me share African wisdom with him, the wisdom of which the rich countries stand so urgently in need today. He shared the traditions of his people and their customs with me. He made me one of his people.
Nelson Mandela, joint first winner of the Prize with Frederik De Klerk, declared in Paris on the day when the Prize was awarded: "Your authority and wisdom are essential guides for us all". And it is with gratitude that we today pay a heartfelt tribute to former President Houphouët-Boigny, the Sage of Africa. We would like to renew our commitment to his spirit which is our guide to remain dutifully faithful to his memory and to the untiring daily combat for peace".
Mr Henri Konan Bédié
President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
"I am deeply moved as I address our illustrious guests today in the Foundation which President Félix Houphouët-Boigny bequeathed to the international community with a view to promoting peace, and which is named after him. He wanted it to be a repository of his message, akin to a jewel-casket to preserve the purest diamond, and, under UNESCO's supervision, to disseminate its content and significance to the four corners of the earth.
Sages may pass away, but their teachings live on.
The good seeds which he sowed throughout his life, by preaching love, friendship and fraternity with the assured gentleness of good Apostles, have sprouted.
His peaceful fight for peace among men and women will be continued by all Ivorians, steadfastly true to the memory of the person who was for us, at one and the same time, the first President of our Republic, the father of our independence, the builder of our State, and the symbol and bond of our national unity.
He sowed the seeds of peace, braving all the dangers. Deep in his heart, he cherished the constant hope to see the harvests gathered in, so that men and women might come to persevere with the solidarity required of them, like so many ears of corn reaped in fields of harmony.
From this building which was erected to ensure that his message will live on, we vow to him that his work shall continue, that the flame of his memory shall be kept alive and that his message of hope will be passed on to future generations, so that his ideal of justice, fraternity, peace and love may triumph".
Mr Abdou Diouf
President of the Republic of Senegal
"Much could be said about the builder, the States- man, the great African, and the sage that was President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. But one can still define the essence of the man simply by saying that in the autumn of a life which teaches us how much peace should be ranked above all else, President Félix Houphouët-Boigny gave his name to a prize awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization so that, even after his death, the work which he accomplished to such an outstanding degree, that of an untiring advocate of fraternity, could be continued.
He was universally acclaimed as such, during his lifetime. He thus counts among those who have given its fullest meaning to the term "dialogue": despite all our differences, to be able to come together, by virtue of our common humanity, and walk together on the road to peace".
Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Secretary-General of the United Nations
"Today, in Yamoussoukro, we can clearly feel the spiritual strength of the one we have gathered here to honour. His memory is what draws us here and gives us strength. His immanent presence surrounds us and sustains us. His moral authority continues to dictate the path we should take towards peace and development.
At various crucial times in my life as a diplomat, I often found President Houphouët-Boigny by my side. It is about that support that I should like to speak to you for a moment.
When I was Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Egypt, specifically when President Sadat took the initiative to go to Jerusalem, I found President Houphouët-Boigny tremendously understanding. He spared no effort to assist us and to make public his support and convince some reluctant African heads of State of the importance of that historic initiative.
It was during that same period, in 1979, that I ran into him again, on the occasion of the preparations for the Non-Aligned Summit, which was to be held in Havana. We were both concerned that communism would change the nature of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The following year, on the occasion of the special session of the Organization of African Unity in Lagos, I was greatly impressed, as were all the participants, by President Houphouët-Boigny's strong convictions concerning the economic development of Africa and by the persistence with which he sought to persuade the other African heads of State to share his vision of Africa, of an Africa based on the values of dignity and progress.
In the years that followed I met the President several times, at various events and summits of the French-speaking community. He used to like to speak about how he first became interested in politics and about the powerful yet complex ties which he always maintained with France.
Finally, I should like to recall that, on the occasion of the Paris summit, in 1991, he again promised me that he would vote in the United Nations for his friend Boutros.
He considered that, through my election to the position of Secretary-General, the United Nations would at last give the African Continent an opportunity to contribute to the progress of the whole international community.
I subsequently had many conversations with Félix Houphouët-Boigny. On several occasions, I asked him to use his influence in order to pacify inter-African conflicts.
I kept him informed of the crises which shook our continent, and which he followed to the end with the closest attention. His broad culture, his knowledge of history and his political intuition guaranteed the accuracy of his analyses and the appositeness of his counsel.
Then it was that I was able to measure the true greatness of Félix Houphouët-Boigny's personality: he was so profoundly African that he had attained a universal status.
This is the personal testimony that I wanted to express again today, before you here in Yamoussoukro, as a tribute to our great departed friend".
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Detroit Film Theatre
Friday, April 25, 2008
7:00 PM Detroit Film Theatre
(Israel/2007) Directed by Joseph Cedar
In 2000, after holding it for eighteen years, the Israeli military made the decision to evacuate the ancient Southern Lebanese mountaintop fortress known as Beaufort, which it captured in 1982. Joseph Cedar's gripping new film is a day-to-day and minute-by-minute dramatization – from the point of view of the soldiers – of the last days of that occupation, and of the delicate balance of resignation, anxiety and often shocking surprise that never loosened its grip until the very end. While the story is ripe for political analysis and discourse, director Cedar has instead fashioned something much closer to a pure combat film – one in which we get to know the individual soldiers and learn how much each has at stake. The tense, often breathless, tightly controlled atmosphere of Beaufort makes its inevitable violence that much more wrenching, and as the suspense increases and the film nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that we're been witness to the emergence of a major new directorial talent. In Hebrew with English subtitles. (131 min.) Fri., Sat. and Sun at 7:00
"Powerful and confident… the final conflagration is a doozy." -Leslie Felperin, Variety
- Friday, April 25, 2008: 7:00 PM
- Saturday, April 26, 2008: 7:00 PM
- Sunday, April 27, 2008: 7:00 PM
- Sunday, April 27, 2008: 4:00 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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Posted: October 20, 1997 in ACE Press Releases
SAN DIEGO - Some call it torturous, others exhilarating. But there's no denying its popularity – some see indoor cycling, commonly referred to as "Spinning," as the biggest thing to hit the fitness industry since step aerobics. What sets these classes apart from the usual boredom of stationary cycling is the visual imagery provided by instructors. Participants are led on a "virtual" outdoor road race complete with hills, valleys, straight-ways and finish lines.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) offers these helpful tips to make your first cycling experience a positive one:
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Founded in 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a nonprofit organization committed to America's health and wellbeing. Over the past 30 years, we have become an established resource for health and fitness professionals, and the public, providing comprehensive, unbiased research and validating ourselves as the country's trusted authority on health and fitness.
Today, ACE is the largest nonprofit health and fitness certification, education and training organization in the world with more than 65,000 certified professionals who hold more than 72,000 ACE Certifications. With a long heritage in certification, education, training and public outreach, we are among the most respected organizations in the industry and a resource the public has come to trust for health and fitness education.


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Shooters' Number
The staff settled on the dedication of this number in order to do partial justice to the pioneers of our small arms business. For years there have been certain officers in the Marine Corps who have given long and tedious hours toward the elevation of this vital phase of our professional life. This duty has been one of those things which has been popular with all, but one which only a few officers and men were energetic and persistent enough to keep on top.
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Set a 10-minute walk from the centre of Sofia, Sofia Central Hotel Apartments offers modernly furnished apartments, fully equipped for self-catering. Free WiFi is provided. The units come with a living room or a living area, fitted with a flat-screen TV with cable channels. A seating area with a sofa is provided. A designated dining area and a fully-equipped kitchenette are available. The bathroom features a shower. Cleaning and the change of bed linens are provided once a week All apartments are set within a 5 to 10-minute walk from restaurants and grocery shops. Sofia Airport and the Central Bus and Train Station can be reached within a 15-minute drive. Sveta Nedelya Square can be found within a 15-minute stroll and Sofia Mall Shopping Centre is set 985 feet away. Opalchenska Subway Station is located 657 feet away from the Sofia Central Hotel Apartments


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I saw something about a green mortgage on the Today Show. How do you make a mortgage green?
Ha ha ha ha!! The "Green" mortgage is referencing an enviromentally friendly mortgage. With new technological advances in the mortgage world, investors are now capable of offering a mortgage without using things like paper, ink/toner….. Some of the GREEN mortgages even offer the ability to E sign your documents. This basically means that a digital signature would be accepted and you may never even have to use a pen.
As a very large industry, mortgage professionals have recognized the enviromental footprint that we leave behind. In order to minimize this "footprint", mortgage professionals have gone GREEN.
Another enviromentally friendly offering by mortgage professional are interest rate incentives for borrowers who are purchasing enviromentally friendly homes… solar power.. etc, etc…


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Reform is neither easy nor quick; many reforms require years of work before producing measureable results. While patience and perseverance are two of the strongest assets of any education reformer, there are a number of strategies that educators have developed to increase their likelihood of success. These include making the most efficient use of available time, and capitalizing on the opportunities that risk may provide. This lesson reviews how some education reformers have responded to pressure in order to secure meaningful reform in their own schools.
Using Time Intelligently
"[T]he amount of time allowed for development, introduction, and institutionalized of assessment reform can have dramatic impact upon [the] ability to sustain reform efforts and to meet various objectives." set of skills that students need in order to function in the real world."
(Assessment, 5-11)
Sometimes it is better to allow for additional time up-front than to rush into reform. For example, the state of Vermont took two and a half years to develop a set of goals for education. Although the goals themselves could have been drafted rather quickly according to one State Department of Education official, the state instead made an effort to involve and inform the public, building "a general feeling of ownership" that they hoped would prevent the type of public outcry that derailed goal setting activities in other states (Systemic Reform, Vol. II, 86). Similarly, when embarking on an innovative curriculum reform emphasizing Latino and Chicano experiences, the principal at Evelyn Hanshaw Middle School (Modesto, California) spent a year planning the school program, recruiting faculty, and garnering support in the community (Student Diversity, H-16H-17, Appendix 32).
Taking Risks
Once introduced, reforms may require considerable time to gain widespread support. The change process often extends over a number of years, and this period of time can be stressful as individuals and organizations struggle to adopt new strategies. When risks are high, the pressure to produce results can be overwhelming; however, expecting returns too early in the process can be a prescription for failure. For example, when one elementary school in Louisiana was asked to simultaneously implement reforms and to demonstrate their effectiveness (e.g., through improved test scores), the reform effort faltered because test scores did not immediately improve. Concerned that the reform might not succeed, the district opted to drop the project and did not allot continuation funds. Protecting schools from immediate "high-stakes accountability" may be one key to success (Uses of Time, 7475).
Taking Risks For Reform: South Creek Middle School
Even though there was little political support to justify his position, the superintendent of South Creek School District lobbied to open and equip a technology magnet school. To increase the likelihood of success, a new school principal was hired one year before the school was opened. Charged with providing "state-of-the-art" instruction, the principal involved teachers and other school staff in curricular and instructional planning in the summer preceding the school year.
Careful planning and calculated risk taking paid off handsomely. In its first year, South Creek students scored second in their district in their mastery of grade 6 math objectives. Despite the fact that the school has next to the lowest SES (socio-economic status) composite in the district, South Creek students also score consistently higher than their peers on state assessments, and teacher satisfaction and student attendance are remarkably high.
(Technology, 55)
Reform is a process of trial and error; during the initial reform process, incremental course corrections are common. Given the slow process by which gains are won, several respondents in the Uses of Time study noted that it is possible to reduce the pressure to succeed early. The Wheeler School (Jefferson County, Kentucky), for instance, arranged for the superintendent to enforce a "hold harmless" provision in order to free staff to take risks when developing a high school dropout program. This provision enabled the teachers to experiment with innovative strategies. One unexpected outcome was that the opportunity to work together produced a more cohesive school environment and impressive scholastic results (Uses of Time, 75).
Nurturing Reform in the Midwest
The principal of an ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged Midwestern school implementing a Paideia curriculum notes that although the program has not resulted in an immediate improvement in standardized test scores, she is willing to wait for results. "We have to give this program time to work - even if it takes 10 years to see a difference," she said. In the meantime, the principal is focusing her efforts on monitoring program quality and implementation internally.
(At Risk, Vol II, 178)


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Erick Erickson, RedState.com
Congressman Issa will not get the documents he is requesting from the Department of Homeland Security.
The Daily Caller has the story.
Congressman Issa, now in charge of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent the DHS a demand for documents. Those documents have never arrived.
More troubling, according to Issa:
top DHS officials actually instructed career employees not to search for the documents he is requesting.
"I was disappointed to learn that on or about Jan. 20, 2011, DHS's Office of General Counsel instructed career staff in the Privacy Office not to search for documents responsive to my request," Issa says in the Feb. 1 letter.
More troubling, DHS officials have told career bureaucrats to send all the documents to Barack Obama's political team to review for sending the documents on.


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Celtics blogger roundtable: Opponents
Several of the best Celtics and NBA bloggers in the business were kind enough to join me for a roundtable to discuss the upcoming NBA season. They are, in no particular order, Jimmy Toscano of Celtics Blog, Jay King of Celtics Town, Ethan Norof of Bleacher Report, Jeff Clark of Celtics Blog, Steve Alexander of Rotoworld, Jon Duke of Celtics Stuff Live, Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com, Brandon Paul of CLNS Radio, and John Karalis of Red'sArmy.com. This is the sixth and final installment in a series previewing the season.
Well we're done looking inward and now make a not-so-zen-like transition outward to look at the rest of the Eastern Conference. I'd like to thank all the bloggers above for their time and work during this series. Hope some of you enjoyed it.
— Can anyone in the East beat the Heat?
Unfortunately, no. The Heat are here to stay, and now that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh have a year together under their belts, look out. A shortened season won't hurt them like it probably will for the Celtics, and the Heat actually have cap flexibility this season that will allow them to bring on even more talent. Who doesn't want to play in South Beach? It will probably come down to the Heat and the Bulls, but in the end the Heat will prevail. It's just a matter of time before James gets his ring. The only team that can stop the Heat are the Heat themselves.
— Rank the top five teams in the Eastern Conference:
1. Heat
2. Bulls
3. Celtics
4. Magic
5. Knicks
I desperately wanted to pick a sleeper, but just couldn't do it. The Sixers, Hawks, Pacers and a few others are on the door step, but aren't the same caliber as the five teams listed above. Additionally, I think the Heat and Bulls are on a different level than the other three, who are just trying to stay ahead of the teams behind them.
Health will be a huge issue for the Bulls and Celtics this season, as Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and most of the Celtics' old guys are all going to have to deal with limited rest and a 66-game season crammed into a short time frame. Obviously, this is the Celtics last shot at a title for a while (in my opinion), but much like my Colts, at least they got their title in our prime.
The Heat and Bulls very well may be the two best teams in the league, but I am getting the sense the Heat are going to get some solid role-player free agents and take it all this year. We'll see.
— What other team scares you the most?
Every team the Celtics face this year have gaping holes in their resumes… the Mavs did not return Chandler and Barea. Not unlike the Celtics, Kobe's Lakers are a year older. The Bulls will need much more from those not named Rose, and the Heat are a crew with undeniable talent but struggle when the games matter most. Still, I see Miami as likely the worst possible match with the Celtics, utilizing their speed, strength, and athletic ability to overwhelm members of the Big 4. Perhaps it was the lasting image of the Miami Heat running roughshod over the guys in green, or maybe it was Lebron legitimately making big shots from long distance for the first time in memory. Either way, the Heat showed themselves to possess what it takes to not only beat the Celtics, but humiliate them. The Heat are far from unbeatable, but they are a force to be reckoned with.


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On Monday, the Vermont Lake Monsters invited the various teams that participated in the WCAX-TV summer series, Meet the Monsters to Centennial Field. The players got free tickets to the game against the Staten Island Yankees. Before the game got underway, the young baseball players met the Lake Monsters and got their autographs. They all watched a special "best of" segment of Meet the Monsters on the big video board in centerfield.
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Nancy Reisman
Nancy Reisman's success is measured by how much she makes us care about these people. Her prose is evocative, the chapters alternating among the various points of view to yield glimpses into the characters' inner lives. Here is a moment near the end of the book where Sadie, the most "ordinary" of the siblings, recognizes the fragility of her world:
Sometimes a free afternoon downtown Main Street flooded with speeding coats and hats, and the rush of voices, and the brick buildings gilded and slightly pink, the clouds orange and violet before dusk seems wholly enough. It is a good life, she's sure, though she doesn't know why it seems so tentative and airy, or why the past seems to spring up at her as if in defiance, or how to name what she feels....
As the novel moves to its conclusion, as Goldie's disappearance is resolved and understood by the people who have loved her, I think most readers will find themselves, as I did, completely caught up in the small world of the Cohen family, completely convinced by the rightness of this novelist's vision.
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Update: Wildfire Holds at 502 Acres in Modoc County
ADIN, Calif. - CAL FIRE is battling a brush fire 5 miles northwest of Adin in Modoc County. As of Thursday at 5:30 p.m., the fire had burned 502 acres and was 50% contained. Forward spread of the fire has been stopped. CAL FIRE originally named it the 3-7 Fire. Now they are referring to it as the Fox Fire.
KRCR News Channel 7 Chief Meteorologist, Mike Krueger tracked lightning strikes in the area around 7:25 p.m. Wednesday.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Viewer Joshua Zolnay submitted photos of the fire that were taken by Christina Leventon.


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Death of a Hero: How Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was ambushedIMAGE: An NSG commando at the spot where the terrorist who shot Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan had positioned himself. 26/11 will always be remembered for the courage displayed by our security forces in overcoming the siege at the Taj Mahal hotel, Oberoi and Chabad House in Mumbai. For the elite National Security Guard, which was called in to defeat the terrorists, fighting a battle in unfamiliar terrain came with a heavy price attached: The loss of two commandos, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan at ... Rediff.com, 2 months ago
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Entries in 'retro' (12)
MCV's Review of the Year - Part 3: Events of 2016
Here's our take on the big events in the games industry this year.
Coleco cuts ties with Retro VGS manufacturer
The owner of the Coleco brand has said that it is no longer associated with the makers of a supposed retro console that was to carry its name.
Questions asked about legitimacy of Coleco Chameleon retro console
A retro console recently demoed at the New York Toy Fair could be little more than a hoax, it is being alleged.
Retro Mega Drive console sales surge 400% at Argos
A quarter of a century after its release in the UK, the Mega Drive could be a star performer this Christmas.
Dreamcast console sales spike following Shenmue III reveal
Sales of pre-owned Dreamcast consoles have 'gone through the roof' since Shenmue III was announced at E3.
Back to the '90s: Industry turns back the clock 20 years as 1990s mania hits the games business
Resident Evil 2 is the latest game to ride the wave of '90s nostalgia that has swept into the market.
GameStop online store now offers retro consoles and games
GameStop now offers a selection of retro consoles and games for purchase online.
GAME's back in the retro market
Retro gaming appears to be back on the table at GAME.
GameStop UK plots retro stock move
GameStop's American pilot scheme to start selling retro hardware, games and accessories could come to the UK.
GameStop preparing retro hardware pilot scheme in US
Sales and trade-in of retro hardware, games and accessories is to be reintroduced to GameStop stores in the US.
My Retro Game Box is Loot Crate for games
A new subscription service for retro gamers that follows the successful Loot Crate formula has been unveiled.
Declining nostalgia, not price, is Nintendo's biggest retro game problem, Adelman says
Few companies are as adept as Nintendo at selling you the same software over and over again, but Nintendo's former indie boss has questioned how long this can continue for.


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Magpie1's Traveler Profile
Recent Entries by Magpie1
A gifted day in more ways than one! - Nov 20, 2014
Well by default we ended up back in LA. Not by choice and I'm absolutely sure not by choice of the man who had a heart attack and died. Fortunately a group of cardiovascular surgeons were on the ...
Back where we started - Nov 18, 2014
Another airport, two more flights. San Fran to LA; LA to Dallas Fort Worth. This time with Delta and we were impressed - with their service at check in, planes and service onboard and they were on ...
The Countdown Is On - Nov 17, 2014
With Charlie as our chauffeur and guide, we headed off to San Francisco following breakfast. Charlie heads to SF every Tuesday to Friday to paint (as well as going to the opera and symphony orchest...


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I leave to future historians to sort out the mess that we know as the "National Security Agency" and its record of successful prevention of terrorist acts against the United States of America. Since September, 2001, there has not been an example of al-Qaeda making such an attack, although two brothers in Boston did their own interpretation of terrorism. It is unclear if the NSA ever identified the two brothers despite checking millions of phone records. President Obama has now come out and admitted that his choice for NSA head, James Clapper, was not exactly telling the truth to a Senate committee. "Jim Clapper, himself would acknowledge and has acknowledged that he could have been more careful about how he responded" to a question as to whether the NSA collected phone records of the American people. His answer was "not wittingly" and, he believes the response was "the least untruthful."
Of course, NSA official Keith Alexander never held back in lying. "I will tell you that those who want to weave a story that we have millions or hundreds of millions of dossiers on people is absolutely false." It is clear that both Clapper and Alexander lied. It is now clear that a leader would remove from his staff those who lie to members of Congress, let alone to the American people!!


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Lucy's Birthday
Trip Start Aug 20, 2009
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With the move into the house and the unpacking of the many boxes, Lucy's birthday preparations this year were very last minute. I can not remember a birthday when it has been rushing around the day before! At least we had bought some of her pressies for her during our stay at Disney World, and what a good choice they were, seeing as though she is now Tink mad
She was up bright and early as expected and had most of her pressies opened after a couple of minutes! She was thoughtful and left some pressies and cards for Daniel to open when he woke up. Glad she did, he would have been gutted if he hadn't been involved!
As her birthday was on Thursday, it was a quiet affair. After a quick visit to the supermarket to get supplies for her cake, Lucy and Dan played with the new Sylvanian, Littlest Petshop, My little Pony, Lego etc etc while I got to work on decorating the cake!
As some of you know, I have really struggled with converting my super quick cake recipe over to baking with butter! Lucy's cake was to fall victim to the same problem (although I can tell you that I have now sorted the matter and just replace some of the butter with milk!) There was a wopping big hole in the middle of her cake, it rose and then it fell........big time! After stuffing it with chocolate buttons and icing, no one was any the wiser! It was pretty quick and easy to convert the stodgy mass into a toad stool and some of Lucy's faries hid the dodgy bits! I was rather impressed with the look of the finished masterpiece, as were Lucy and Daniel, which is all that mattered!
After a quick lunch we headed into Auckland to visit the Fairy Shop in Ponsonby. It is a shop full of everything to do with fairies, and the odd bit of Pirates to keep the boys happy. Lucy visited it last year when we were over here, and has been desperate to visit again ever since we arrived
Luckily for Lucy the toy shop had a sale on. She knew just how much cash she had to spend and she spent every cent - she obviously can calculate money in her head quite well. We came out of the shop with 2 My Little Ponies, 2 fairies and some Littlest Petshop. Lucy and Dan then spent the journey back home ripping the boxes open in the back of the car!
For her birthday tea, Larissa, Brent, Emily and Issy came over. Lucy really enjoyed it as it gave her another chance to show the girls her toys and her new bedroom. They bought Lucy a netball ring which is now up on the wall on the deck for her and Dan to shoot through. The kids had pizza and the adults Thai curry then the dreaded cake! It looked good but was rather heavy to taste! I have to say, it has actually improved as the days have passed, or we have got used to it! But as I said before Lucy was happy so we were too :-)
Lucy's big treat came on Saturday when we headed north up to Pakiri Beach for some horse riding on the beach. It was a couple of hours from our house so we planned a couple of stop offs on the way
We next headed off for Goat Island Marine Park for a spot of lunch on the beach. This area is famous for there being lots of fish to snorkel with in the channel between the mainland and Goat Island. Unfortunately due to the direction of the wind, the sea was rather choppy so was not ideal for snorkelling. The children did enjoy a dip in the sea with their wetsuits and masks on and even though they saw no fish, they were happy. Once again, we have decided to come back here for us all to have a go. Mummy and Daddy are going to have to go out and buy wetsuits sometime soon!
We found a sheltered part of the beach for our picnic, which we ended up eating rather quickly due to a group of pesky seagulls and some rather cheeky ducks
Next it was off to Pakiri beach, which we could see in the distance - it looked rather an impressive white sandy beach which seemed to go on for ever! We were not disappointed, after driving down a gravel road we arrived at the riding centre. It was obvious from the start that we had made a good choice. The horses looked loved and well looked after and the staff knew what they were doing and were very friendly and helpful. After more coffee it was off to the helmet room and then on to the horses!
I think we were all looking forward to the experience, but for different reasons. I have missed not riding over the last 10 years or so, and was looking forward to getting back in the saddle. To Lucy, Dan and Jeff it was a new adventure. Jeff had a lovely looking horse called Cruise, who came out to meet us with his ears pricked - very interested and keen to go out.......always a good sign! Cruise had obviously been doing this for a while and gave Jeff a good ride, although it was Cruise who was in control
To get to and from the beach we had to ride through rather a deep river/stream which everyone enjoyed. Good job no one fell off as it would have been rather a wet ride and both Lucy or Dan would have had to swim as they wouldn't have been able to stand up in it :-/ The beach was as gorgeous as we had expected. Beautiful white sand all to ourselves, not another person in sight apart from our party of 6. Us and Jenny and Trev, our guides. The waves were crashing onto the beach. It was BRILLIANT :-) We all ended up with huge smiles on our faces for the rest of the weekend. What a fantastic birthday treat, which we will have to do again.
We drove back towards Matakana, happy and stopped off for super burgers - a great end to a brilliant day. The journey back didn't seem to take half as long, strange how it never does! Once back at the house we had two exhausted children to carry in and get into bed.............


text:
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• $7 for $14 to spend on food and non-alcoholic drinks
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text:
Water heater explosion in Beaufort County destroys house, injures homeowner
WASHINGTON, BEAUFORT COUNTY - A water heater exploded Wednesday morning, destroying a house and seriously injuring the homeowner, investigators said.
Mike Woolard was inside the home, located at 100 Pinetree Dr., near Highway 264 in Washington. Woolard was lighting his hot water heater when it exploded, causing serious burns to his arms and blisters on his face, said Beaufort County Fire Marshal Curtis Avery. It happened just after 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Woolard then ran outside the home, but left the door open, causing the fire to spread quickly, Avery said. When firefighters arrived, they saw flames shooting 20-30 feet into the air.
Avery said crews got the fire under control in 30 minutes, but the home is a total loss.
Woolard was taken to Beaufort County Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. His condition is unknown at this time; however, his family told NewsChannel 12 he is expected to be okay.
Washington Fire Department, Clark's Neck Volunteer Fire Department, and the Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. One of the firefighters is the nephew-in-law of the victim.


text:
Photo: Tria Giovan, Stylist: Heather Chadduck
The Living Room
What We Love
Shop the Look!
Chic Upholstered Walls: With just a hint of sheen, this fabric has blues, grays, and browns woven in―giving it depth and tying together the room's other fabrics with subtle variations of color and texture.
Lounge-y Seating: To make a large room feel cozier, Phillip created several conversation nooks―like that pair of slipper chairs by the fireplace―within the overall seating arrangement.
Shop the Look!
Sofa: Odyssey Quest, No. 9 Thompson, Jim Thompson Fabrics
Walls: Khiva, Jim Thompson Fabrics
Slipper chairs: Ottomania Izmir, No. 9 Thompson, Jim Thompson Fabrics
Flooring - BR-111
Paint - Valspar
Take a video tour of the Living Room with designer Phillip Sides.
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text: Ok, so I really have no idea what this could be but heres my situation. If I am in second or third (or any gear really-second and third just make it really obvious) and I start from around 2.5K and then gas it, it will climb to about 3K then shoot up to 4K then back down to about 3.5K and be normal again. Its just when I start in a gear under 3K and go past it it shoots up to 4 then back down to 3.5 then climbs normally. Can someone please help and explain whats going on


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Awarded as: Canada: British Columbia's Leading Boutique Hotel 2008
Ideally located just steps from the Telus Whistler Conference Centre, the signature group venue of Whistler. The Telus Whistler Conference Centre can host AGM's, gala dinners, board retreats, product launches and national sales meetings and conferences of up to 2,000 delegates.


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With the Memphis Small Cooking Grate - 2 pieces, you'll be able to expand your cooking surface by as much as 136 sq in, depending on your grill model.
- Stainless steel construction
- Mount on existing shelf holders for convenience
- Set comes with two cooking grates
These stainless steel grates measure 24.75" wide by 5.5" deep. They've been built to mount on the existing shelf holders above the main grates of your Hearthland Memphis Pellet Grill. Please note that the Hearthland Memphis Advantage Stainless Steel Pellet Grill can accomodate two of these sets, giving you the option of expanding your grill by four additional grates. Each set comes with two cooking grates.


text:
There's cold in them thar hills
Page Tools
Daniel Crooks captures another digital image of his sons Lucien (left) and Elliot. He has billions of bytes worth of photos of them.
Picture:Ken Irwin
There was not enough white stuff for a downhill slalom, but that did not bother Mount Macedon residents, who enjoyed several visits from the snow fairy yesterday.
Brooke Johnstone said staff at the Top of the Range Tearooms were run off their feet. "They don't get this chance very often, so they love it," she said. "They're just playing around, having snowball fights and what-not."
Ms Johnstone estimated that snow was about 10 centimetres deep on the ground, and locals expected more flurries during the day.
Residents were likely to wake to a white Sunday morning if conditions stayed chilly, said Ken Dickinson, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster. "It happens a couple of times every winter," he said. "It's not unusual to get two or three of these really cold air masses that produce snow around the nearby hills."
Snow fell at the top of the 1000-metre Mount Macedon, north-west of Melbourne, and as far down as 600 metres yesterday, he said.
Further east and closer to the clouds, state Environment Minister John Thwaites opened a visitor centre at Lake Mountain.
The $2.4 million centre, about 120 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, will house ski hire, a cafe, restaurant, and educational and interpretative services.
Infrastructure and toboggan runs on the mountain, which is popular with cross-country skiers and sightseers, have also been upgraded. The centre has environmentally friendly design features, including a "heat scavenging" system that collects surplus heat from power generators to create warmth.
Lowest maximum temperatures around the state yesterday included Mount Hotham, with minus 5 degrees, and Omeo, where it snowed mid-afternoon and reached a top of 3 degrees. Dunns Hill, in the Dandenongs, recorded a maximum of 5.3 degrees about midday.
Central Melbourne reached a comparatively warm top of 13 degrees.
It's not unusual to get two or three of these really cold air masses that produce snow around the nearby hills.
- Ken Dickinson, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster
More snowfalls are expected in nearby hills this morning, and the bureau issued severe frost warnings for the Mallee, Wimmera, northern country and north-east districts.


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Hello everyone! We have 4 group owners:
myself (aggiebride), starbux, Silverstar2011, and beccabride
If you have any questions, one of us should be able to answer, or feel free to ask the group on the group message board.
Please feel free to introduce yourself here, and let us know what your favorite book is (if you can manage to choose just one! :D)


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Woman charged over guard's death
Page Tools
The mother of two men charged with murdering a security guard
knew they were involved in the armed robbery and encouraged them to
flee the state, a Melbourne court was told today.
Tame Kohunui, 25, of Carrum Downs, and his 26-year-old brother John Turei Kohunui, of Springvale, were charged on January 12 with the murder of security guard Jason Gully.
The 31-year-old father of one was killed during a violent armed robbery at the Freccia Azzurra Club in the outer eastern suburb of Keysborough on November 28 last year.
The mother of the two charged men, Moya Biddle, 53, of Carrum Downs, today appeared for a filing hearing at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
She was charged with being an accessary to a serious indictable offence of armed robbery.
Homicide Squad Detective Tim Day told the court Biddle had knowledge her sons were involved in the armed robbery or some other serious indictable offence.
He told the court she urged her sons to flee the state after police approached her.
Biddle provided them with money, fed them and arranged transport, Detective Day told the court.
Magistrate Elizabeth Lambden released Biddle on bail and ordered her to surrender her passport and report to police of any change of address.
Biddle will appear in court for a committal mention hearing on April 20.
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text:
High-quality instrument and vocal miking made affordable.
The Sterling Audio ST55 / ST31 condenser mic package gives you an affordable means to record instruments and vocals with high-quality sound. It includes the Sterling Audio ST55 FET large-diaphragm and ST31 FET mid-size diaphragm condenser mics, the STPF2 mesh pop filter and the STSM4 shock mount.
Sterling ST55 FET Class A Condenser Microphone
The ST55 professional recording microphone raises the standard for acoustic capture of vocals and instruments. Based on an ultra-thin 3-micron gold-evaporated Mylar diaphragm, the ST55 also features a Disk ResonatorM that naturally extends high frequency response. Combined with Class-A FET circuitry, the ST55 provides incredible smoothness, detail and articulation for your recordings.
Sterling ST31 FET Condenser Microphone
The ST31 is an affordable microphone for making high-quality recordings of instruments. The ST31 features a mid-size ¾" diameter, 6-micron gold-evaporated Mylar diaphragm that is optimized to capture definition and detail of acoustic guitars, pianos, percussion, drum overheads, and more. The low-noise FET circuitry provides smoothness and warmth.
* Both ST55 and ST31 require 48V phantom power to operate.
Looking for an affordable solution for multi-purpose instrument and vocal miking? You've found it. Order the Sterling ST55/ST31 mic package today!
ST55 / ST31 Condenser Mic Package
Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


text: Add "drop_writes", "corrupt_bio_byte" and "debug" features to the flakey target. This work was motivated by a need to test the checksum support of the new DM multisnapshot target. I was able to successfully test multisnap checksums with the following: load a previously created multisnapshot pool that has a valid multisnap metadata superblock, when reading write 1 to the 352rd byte of the bio (352 happens to the offset to an unused compat_flags field in 'struct multisnap_super_block; the change causes the multisnap crc code to notice): echo "0 20971520 flakey 254:16 2048 0 5 5 corrupt_bio_byte 352 0 1 debug" | dmsetup create multisnap-metadata echo "0 209715200 multisnap-pool 253:0 253:1 128 32" | dmsetup create pool device-mapper: reload ioctl failed: Cannot allocate memory Command failed (NOTE: I need to cleanup the multisnapshot code so it doesn't throw errors on the floor, checksum failure returns -EILSEQ not -ENOMEM) The kernel log showed: corrupting data bio=ffff88007c8d5140 by writing 1 to byte 352 (rw=0 flags=0 bi_sector=2056 cur_bytes=4096) multisnap sb_check failed csum 4189028790 wanted 227629054 superblock validator check failed for block 0 couldn't lock superblock tm_open_with_sm failed device-mapper: table: 253:2: multisnap-pool: Error creating metadata object device-mapper: ioctl: error adding target to table Mike Snitzer (9): dm: factor out target argument parsing helpers dm flakey: use dm_target_offset() and support discards dm flakey: start of adding features dm flakey: add drop_writes feature dm flakey: add corrupt_bio_byte feature dm flakey: add corrupt_bio_byte read support dm flakey: switch corrupt_bio_data_dir to corrupt_bio_flags dm flakey: add ability to specify the corrupting value to be written dm flakey: add debug feature to control debug output drivers/md/dm-flakey.c | 203 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--- drivers/md/dm-mpath.c | 119 ++++++++----------------- drivers/md/dm-table.c | 40 ++++++++ include/linux/device-mapper.h | 18 ++++ 4 files changed, 282 insertions(+), 98 deletions(-)


text:
Our country is in the best of hands.
I don't know what a "barrel shroud" is, but then I didn't write the fargin' law regulating "barrel shrouds."
One of the more amazing thing about that clip is how when asked a directly whether she knows what a "barrel shroud" is she trots off into long-winded explantion about the purpose of the bill, before, finally, admitting she has no idea whatsoever.
This level of malpractice ought to be actionable.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Posted by Peter Bradley at 8:23 AM
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text:
Local Middle School Hosting Turkey Dinner for Hurricane Victims
A local community will band together to help Restore The Shore this Saturday, feeding those hit hardest by the storm. SoJO Midday Host Heather DeLuca will also be lending a hand.
What: 'South Jersey Cares' Thanksgiving Dinner
When: Saturday, November 24, 4pm-8pm
Where: Bell Oaks Middle School, Bell Road in Bellmawr, NJ (Camden County)
For: Hurricane Sandy victims from Hazlet, NJ currently displaced from their homes.
'South Jersey Cares' still needs your help. If you're able to donate turkeys or food items for this meal, or you can volunteer your time to help with dinner service, please email:
Karen Stebbins at firstname.lastname@example.com
For more on what you can do to help Restore The Shore, click here.


text:
Spring thaws bring driveway flaws
The spring thaw brings an end to icy roads each year. But for some people, driving woes are closer to home in spring than they ever were in winter.
After the cold weather recedes, homeowners with concrete or tar driveways may need to deal with potholes and cracks from freezing and thawing cycles. Those with dirt or gravel driveways might face the threat of becoming marooned in their garage until water from the spring thaw dries up.
Moisture, driveway layout, plowing practices and driveway materials are the culprit. If your driveway is flanked by raised ground, composed of moisture-retaining soil or is full low spots, it could likely use some work.
If your driveway looks like an impassable mud hole each spring, Charlie Swenson, owner of Pine River's Swenson's Aggregate and Construction, is one person who knows how to fix the problem. Swenson's has been fixing driveways and selling aggregate since 1998.
"The biggest cause of driveway washouts would be hard rains. Most of the time, you get the big washouts from the hard, driving rains, or else, if you don't have the snow pushed off the driveway in the wintertime and the snow runs onto the driveway, it can wash out a driveway, too. If you have a lot of snow and it melts fast, then you can have washouts," Swenson said.
First, Swenson recommends not driving through a muddy driveway.
"If they have a bad, rutted driveway I would try to stay off of it. If you put ruts in it, the ruts hold water. The longer the water stays there, the longer your driveway is going to have troubles. If you can stay off it for a few days and not put ruts in it, it's going to heal up some," Swenson said.
This is only a temporary solution. A more permanent solution for water in your driveway is aggregate, which can provide a solid driving surface that doesn't retain moisture.
"Some kind of rock, crushed concrete or crushed asphalt helps that. It helps bind up and makes the surface harder," Swenson said. "We put down a lot of Class 1, and it is high in binder, but we have a high extent of rock in ours, too, so it gets hard and stays firm and the rock helps everything stay hard. It doesn't get soft in the spring."
Swenson recommends crushed concrete for many driveways because of its binders and drainage, but for sloped driveways, his go-to material is crushed asphalt.
"If they have a pretty good slope in the driveway, then we recommend crushed asphalt, because crushed asphalt binds together better than any other product," Swenson said.
For those who want to do their own work, Swenson said the first step is to prevent pooling through proper plowing.
"You should have your snow pushed back clear of the driveway. It's tough to do in the winter like we've had because most people only have so much area to push the snow back. As you push the snow back, it starts to build up more and more and more. It gets taller and taller," he said.
Snow removal may be necessary.
Maintaining a properly graded driveway is the next step.
"Proper grading on a gravel driveway needs a proper crown. Dragging your driveway with a bedspring or a drag will help loosen up the ground some and aerate it and help it dry faster," Swenson said.
By crown, Swenson means that the driveway should have a high spot in the middle, with a slope to either side so water runs off as it melts or falls instead of pooling. Water should be able to run away from the driveway in lower spots on either side, sometimes into road ditches.
If your driveway is surrounded by higher ground, this can sometimes be difficult to achieve. In this case, maintain a solid crown, and drive in the center so long as it is solid. Don't let snow or debris slow down drainage on either side.
Grading is also good for removing ruts that hold water and make the problem worse,
Swenson said.
"They can do it any time so long as it isn't real muddy. If it is somewhat wet, they can do it and that will help dry it," he said.
For driveways surrounded by low ground, grading each year might prevent a muddy mess by itself. If not, aggregate is the key. It should be laid down after grading the driveway.
"The concrete usually runs about $12-$18 a yard. It just depends on where you are at," Swenson said.
Most driveway jobs can be done within a few hours. For do-it-yourselfers, the job might take a little longer. Like shoveling snow, aggregate can be heavy, so know your body's limits and don't hurt yourself.
Travis Grimler can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him at facebook.com/PEJTravis and on Twitter @PEJ_Travis.


text:
OLD Paint Removal on Interior Doors
Hi All,
I have a old house with beatiful doors that we want to keep, but they have layers upon layers of old paint on them (probably lead paint too).
We want to have the paint removed. I got one quote for $300 per door, but I could basically buy new doors for that and nice ones too.
We don't want to sand and release the dust into the air, but is it reasonable to use a heat gun and get the old paint to soften up and peel off with a putty knife??
Has anyone tried this before? Or does someone know a reasonable paint removal place in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada.
I would remove the door, lay it down, and used some liquid paint stripper. It may take a while, and you may have to use a number of coats to do the job, but in the end, it will be worth it. I had to do the same a few years back. After leaving the stripper on a while, I had to remove the "lifted" paint, then put on another layer of stripper. I used a putty knife to remove the paint. Don't be in a hurry, because the wood fibers will start to get soft, and it will be easy to split, or gouge the wood. The only sanding I had to do was at the end, and this was done very gently by hand. BTW, make sure the wood has dried good before sanding. As far as a heat gun goes, I have never used one, but would be curious as to how well it does the job.
*Lead Paint***
Unless testing proves otherwise, these doors must be considered a lead hazard
Those old paints, especially the gloss ones used on doors, could, and often do, contain lead
It is absolutely not safe to sand, scrape, media blast, use methylene chloride, propane torch or heat gun that operates over 700* F on these doors
It is best to bring them to a stripper
Even if they weren't on the short list for lead, I would still suggest bring them to a pro
Stripping is a horrid, messy, incredibly time consuming job which ultimately, after multiple attempts with multiple hazardous chemicals, could simply leave you with and even bigger mess of half stripped doors now covered with non-removable old paint goo, and buckets full of removed glop that is considered hazardous waste...even w/o the lead
I agree that the best way is to have them professionally stripped, but due to finances, these are things I have to do myself. However, when using a chemical stripper, there would be no lead dust to contend with, and unless it is ingested, would not pose a health hazard, as long as all paint were collected, and disposed of properly. As far as sanding goes, I was referring to a light hand sanding AFTER the paint was removed. As far as scraping them, when the wood is saturated with the stripper, there would be no danger of lead dust.
That being said, I completely agree about the time involved, and the BIG mess to contend with. I know if I had the money avaliable to pay for the job, I would have rather hired a pro to do this. My answer given was because this is a DIY forum, so I simply answered with a DIY answer. I do feel however, that the original doors should be saved if at all possible. They add to the historic charactor of the house, and are probably made better than most doors that are made today...not all, but most.
Slickshift, I do not claim to be a pro at this, so please excuse my ignorance, but if you would please explain why you say it is not safe to use a chemical stripper on lead paint. Is it the chemical itself, or are you referring to it being used on lead paint. I understand that using a chemical stripper can be a problem, simply because of the chemicals being used, but what is the problem when using this on lead paint? I am having to remove all the lead paint on the exterior of my house, and have read a considerable about on this subject before I ever started. I will never claim to know everything, so if you could explain, I, along with many others I am sure, would like to know this.
I've stripped one old door chemically. What a mess. The next 13 are going to get done with an IR stripper.
Lead Paint = Bad. Don't eat it, wear an approved breathing device. Don't work with it in your living space. For gods-sake don't sand it or use a high temp heat gun. Don't wear your paint stripping clothes outside of your work area. But the single most important thing you can do while removing it is to Wash Your Hands after working with old paint. A simple and cheap way to keep you and your family safe.
It's not a great DIY project anyway, but it's the lead
You still need to use all the haz-mat precautions when using a chemical stripper on lead paint
Suit, respo, clean room, etc...
It's only slightly safer than sanding
With some strippers, like those that contain methylene chloride, it's just as bad or even a worse hazard
Infrared strippers are used for safer lead paint removal
They work well
A little slow perhaps, but much safer than pretty much any other method
They are not cheap, however
One would have to do a few houses a year to make it worth the investment
This is not the brand I'm familiar with, but it's similar
Basically they all work the same
The stripper must sit over each spot for a while, that's why they have those attachments to hold it
It gets rather heavy rather quickly
I appreciate the info and link slickshift. I have been seeing these for a little while, and wondering if this would be better that what I am using. I am using the "paint-shaver" with the paint going into a HEPA vac. Virtually no dust, but at the edges is a different story. There are limitations. I wonder, once the IR remover has heated the paint (and wood) how much time do you have to remove the paint? Looks like you only would have a few seconds before it would harden up again. Hmmm, not you got me a thinkin.
You are correct about the "working" time, but I have not used one in the field for an accurate assessment (demos are one thing...real world another)
It certainly seems to have potential inasmuchas a total strip of a house is often the best course of action, and is excruciatingly messy (chips and dust)
I'm not sure how much time it saves in actual stripping, as the going is slow with these things
(the vid doesn't show 5 minutes of the tool sitting in one place...lol)
But I'd think it would
I'd say the time in clean-up would absolutely be reduced
Then of course there's the lead thing...it does look promising for that
If I had more total strips lined up I would probably consider investing in one
Well...obviously I've looked into them...so I'd say I'm considering investing in one
But total strips are something I try and avoid really...not fun
Yea, I know what you mean. The house I am removing the paint on (my house) is my avitar. As you can see, I have one heck of a job in front of me. The paint shaver I am using does a great job, but as I stated before, it can't get into every nook and cranney. I am considering the IR remover on thesae spots the paint shaver can't get to. Any way I look at it, its a huge job. There are just soo many layers of paint, I have no choice. What kind of prices have you seen on the IR paint removers? Probably out of my budget, at least the prices on some of the ones I have seen advertised are.
There are two competing models out there that I know of: Silent Paint remover and eco-strip. Range in price $400-$700. DIYers also make their own. I am going to buy one of the silent paint removers this month and I will let you know how I like it.
Check out this guy's site re: paint stripping http://rogcad.com/painting/contractors/index.htm
It's a great informative site.
Although the one I was looking at (http://www.silentpaintremover.com/index.htm)
technically is about 400 USD for the actual unit, realistically you need the attachments
That thing is just too heavy to hold hovering over siding all day
Even cherry picking the attachments a la carte, I couldn't see getting an reasonably well operating system going for less than 1200
Well, I guess thats out of my budget. You are correct about the weight. You can see in the videos that this thing is not really light weight. The brackets for holding it are a MUST I believe.
That was what I concluded
At least some, if not most, of the big guys would be needed
And the whole $2K kit wasn't a bad idea
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text:
Nanotech 2010 Vol. 1
Nanotechnology 2010: Advanced Materials, CNTs, Particles, Films and Composites
Chapter 1: Nanoscale Materials Characterization
Size distribution determination of nanoparticles and nanosized pores by small-angle X-Ray scattering on a multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer platform
|J. Bolze, S. Rekhi, K. Macchiarola, B. Litteer
|PANalytical B.V., NL
|57 - 60
|SAXS, nanomaterials, particle size distribution, specific surface area, porosity
|We present the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique for the investigation of crystalline and amorphous materials on a mesoscopic length scale ranging from ca. 1 - 100 nm. Dry powders or dispersions of inorganic and organic nanoparticles can be characterized with respect to their particle size distribution, specific surface area and inner structure. In case of porous materials the specific inner surface area and pore size distribution may be determined. SAXS is a fast method that does not require a specific sample preparation. It has a very good precision in particular also for very small particles and pores with a size below 10 nm, also allowing the revelation of multimodal distributions with unrivaled resolution. Automation for routine production control measurements in the lab is possible on a multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer platform. Application examples for the characterization of photocatalytic nanoparticles, porous nanopowders, nanocomposites and related materials will be discussed. The SAXS technique will be compared and contrasted with other particle and pore size techniques, with data comparisons. It will be demonstrated that a powder diffractometer commonly used for X-ray diffraction (XRD) applications can be easily configured for SAXS measurements.
|View PDF of paper
|Mail/Fax Form


text:
The SSSCat is a great product to keep your cat away from certain parts of your home. Most commonly used to keep cats off of counters it is a very effective method. The system emits a spray when the pet gets close enough to set off the motion detector. You do need to be careful because if you forget that it is on then you can just as easily get sprayed. This device is ideal for when you leave the house of go to sleep at night and your pets can be wandering around unsupervised.
A major benefit of using this method for training is that it is an indirect method of correction so you won't have your cat acting sour towards you because you've been shoeing it off of this and out of that. This keeps your pet happy with you rather than begrudging you for disciplining them.
The SSSCat combines a can of non-toxic spray and a motion detector so that when anything moves within its 3 foot range it will quickly disperse the spray. This will startle your cat and cause them to run off. Each can contains roughly 200 sprays and with this kit coming with 3 cans you can have your cat trained for multiple scenarios before you'd have to purchase any replacement cans. The detector uses 4 AAA batteries (not included) and the spray nozzle is adjustable allowing you more options and thus making the SSSCat work more effectively with your cat.


text:
Judicial Branch, State of New Hampshire
Laura Kiernan
Communications Director
603-271-2646 ext 2359
Swearing in ceremony for Justice Conboy broadcast live on the court website
July 8, 2009
CONCORD—The swearing in ceremony for Carol Ann Conboy as the 105 th justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court will be broadcast live on the Judicial Branch website Wednesday July 8, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. The oath will be administered by Gov. John Lynch at the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
To watch the event, go to www.courts.state.nh.us and click on the icon "Webcast."
Justice Conboy, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Connecticut, served as an officer in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam war. She received her law degree in 1978 from Franklin Pierce Law Center, after which she clerked for Judge Shane Devine, the former Chief Judge of the New Hampshire Federal District Court. She was a partner in the New Hampshire law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson and Middleton and practiced as a trial lawyer with a concentration in employment law.
Justice Conboy served for 17 years on the state Superior Court, most recently as Supervisory Justice of the Merrimack County Superior Court, before she was nominated to the Supreme Court by Gov. John Lynch in June. She has served as Chair of the New Hampshire Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, and Chair of the New Hampshire Superior Court Sentence Review Board. In addition to her judicial duties, Judge Conboy serves as a member of the Franklin Pierce Law Center Board of Trustees.


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Comprehensive Guide – Sugars –And- Sweeteners
Sugar is a sweet substance which occurs naturally in fruits in the form of fructose and in milk as lactose. A sweetener is both a naturally occurring as well as synthetically prepared substance which is used in place of sugar. They are added to food to kindle the sweet taste in the person consuming the food item. Sugar obtained from natural sources in the form of fruits is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fiber too, whereas food items to which sugar is added contains empty calories giving no nutrients.
Sources of Sugar
Sugar is obtained from various sources such as food sources or others, some of which can be elaborated as follows:
Food Sources
- Sucrose
Sucrose is obtained from sugar cane or beet juice which is low in sugar. This includes various forms like brown sugar, granulated sugar, confectioner's sugar and turbinado sugar. Raw sugar or granulated sugar is the residue left after evaporation of the sugar cane juice. Sugar crystals derived from the molasses syrup is used to make brown sugar. Powdered sugar or finely crushed sucrose is known as confectioner's sugar. Sugar in non-refined form made from sugar cane juice is turbinado sugar.
- Fructose
This form of sugar naturally occurs in all fruits, and is commonly known as fruit sugar. Honey, obtained from bees is a mixture of glucose, fructose and water.
- Corn Syrup
Corn is another source which is used to make sugar commonly referred to as corn syrup. It is a combination of glucose, maltose and dextrose sugars and is a regular ingredient of baked goods, soft drinks and some canned products.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are substances, sweet in taste having a distinctive chemical structure which in part matches sugar and the other to alcohol. They are plant extracts and are used to sweeten diabetic food items and are thought to be better than artificial sweeteners. Some of them are:
- Sorbitol
Sorbitol is advantageous as its caloric content is half that of regular sugar and its rate of absorption in the body is much lower. It occurs in its natural form in some fruits and berries and is formed from glucose.
- Erythritol
Erythritol is contained in some fruit and fermented food items. The percentage of sweetness is about 60% to 70% of table sugar. It is beneficial as it doesn't lead to tooth decay, doesn't increase blood sugar and has low caloric content.
Natural Sweeteners
Natural sweeteners are those sweeteners that are obtained from fruits, vegetables or herbs and are not altered drastically from its natural form or processed heavily before use. Some examples which can be given are molasses, honey, maple syrup, fruit juices and nectars. Some additional forms included here can be explained as follows:
- Raw Sugarcane Juice
Raw sugarcane juice is a nutritious sweetener with a natural sugar content of 15%. It has a host of health benefits like a low glycemic index, high content of minerals and proteins as well as anti oxidants. It is an important source of energy in unprocessed and unrefined form.
- Raw Organic Coconut Crystals
This organic, unprocessed sweetener is produced from the blossoms of coconut palm sugar which is a native of South East Asia. It is a low glycemic index item and most helpful in controlling lipid profiles and glucose levels. It has high contents of magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium and is a rich source of vitamins in varied forms such as Vitamin B2, B1, B6, B3 and C.
- Yacon Root
Yacon root is yet another low glycemic index sweetening liquid obtained by pressing fresh yacon root found in the Andean mountains of Peru. It can be used in the same way as honey, maple syrup. It provides many nutritional advantages like improving vitamin, calcium and magnesium absorption, boosting metabolism, controlling cholesterol and triglyceride levels and many more.
- Stevia Rebaudiana
Stevia is an herb whose leaves have a sweet taste, 30 times greater in sweetness than sugar. It is highly beneficial in controlling the blood sugar levels and hypoglycemia patients need to be aware of this fact.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are substitutes for sugar which are synthetic in nature; however naturally occurring herbs can also be their source. They seem better substitutes to sugar as they are calorie nil and need to be added in small quantities to get the required sweet taste. A few of them can be elucidated as follows:
- Neotame
This sugar substitute is about 7000 to 13000 times sweeter than sugar. It is a FDA approved product manufactured by NutraSweet.
- Sucralose
This product is manufactured in laboratories; though it is many times sweeter than sugar, it is not easily absorbable in the body.
- Aspartame
One of the most popular among the artificial sweeteners, aspartame is better known by its brand names of Equal and NutraSweet. Composed of 2Â amino acids called phenylalanine and aspartic acid this product which is 200 times sweeter than sugar is commonly used in the food and beverage industry.
While using any sugar substitute it is always better to tread with care and not get carried away by the hype surrounding it. All products which are sold as sugar-free may contain calories in some other form and prolonged use can be harmful to health. So, though it may help in weight management it needs to be taken in moderate quantities otherwise it will do more harm than any good.
Read http://www.raw-living-food-success.com/natural-sweetener.html#sthash.xjCWJbgx.dpbs
Read www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073
Read http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002444.htm


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Tomlinson tops Diaz; retains IBO belt
By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing
Photos: Werner Kalin
IBO 130 pound champion Will Tomlinson (19-0,12KO's) defended the title successfully when he was awarded a technical decision after seven rounds over Mexico's Daniel Ruiz (27-5-1, 19 KOs) in a scheduled twelve round bout at the Melbourne Pavillion, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on Friday. The fight was stopped prematurely due to a power failure that caused a blackout.
Tomlinson dropped Ruiz with a perfectly timed left hook in round one with respected American referee Steve Smoger applying the eight count to the visitor. Wild Will controlled the action in all the following rounds as he outworked his taller opponent connecting consistently with power left hooks and right hands that visibly hurt Ruiz. Tomlinson received a cut eye in round three due to an accidental head clash. Scores at the conclusion Gary Dean 70-62, Steve Scott 69-63, Adam Height 70-62.
Tomlinson looks ready to go after the best in the 130 pound division including champions, (IBF) Jorge Salgado, (WBC) Takahiro Aoh, (WBA) Takashi Uchiyama and (WBO) Adrien Broner.
In other action, classy light heavyweight Blake Caparello (12-0-1, 5 KOs) outscored tough as nails Kiwi Robert Berridge (15-1-1, 11 KOs) over ten rounds of non-stop action. Caparello went should to shoulder with aggressive Berridge and outworked him in most of the rounds to be awarded the decision. Scores were 97-95, 99-93, 97-93.
Also cruiserweight star Brad "Hollywood" Pitt (13-0, 10 KOs) defeated former world rated (WBA) Joel Casey (15-10-3, 10 KOs) over six rounds. Casey was down in round one from a right hand and suffered a cut over the eye in round four, which referee Malcolm Bulner had ringside doctor Peter Lewis inspect but it was ruled okay to continue. Scores 60-53, 60-54, 58-55.
Hot prospect 154-pounder Dwight Ritchie (8-0) dropped Michael Hermmann (2-2) in round one from right uppercut and went on to win by scores of 60-52, 60-52, 58-55.
Cruiserweight Kane Watts (8-1, 3 KOs) clearly outscored Walter Pupu'a (12-17, 8 KOs) over six entertaining rounds. Scores 59-57, 59-55, 60-54.
Light welterweight Brett William Smith (12-1, 7 KOs) stopped Brendan Batty (17-28, 12 KOs) at 2:39 of round three.
Super middleweight Hakan Tekin (1-0,1KO) made a successful debut by halting Paul Watson (1-1) at 1:30 of the opening round.
Light welterweight Qamil Balla (0-0-1) boxed a four round draw with Filipino Alan Tuniacao (3-5-7). Scores were 38-38, 38-38, 38-37.
Promoter Barry Michael. Televised on Foxtel Television Network. Ring announcer Howard Leigh.


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posted by Jefferson on .
A sample of 25.00 mL of 0.100 M HNO2(in a flask) is titrated with 0.150 M of NaOH solution at 25 degrees.
1) calculate the volume(Ve) of the NaOH solution needed to completely neutralize the acid in the flask.
2)calculate the pH for (a)the initial acid solution in the flask (b)the point at which 8.00 mL of the base has been added, (C) the equivalence point, and(d) the point at which 20.00 mL of the base has been added.
I can't do the entire titration for you.
1. mL acid x M acid = mL base x M base.
2. The secret to a,b,c,d, is in knowing where you are on the titration curve.
a. Pure HNO2. Before any NzOH has been added.
Ka = (H^+)(NO2^-)/(HNO2)
Substitute into Ka above the following:
H^+ = x
NO2^- = x
HNO2 = 0.1 - x
Solve for x and convert to pH.
b. Calculate moles HNO2 initially.
Calculate moles NaOH at 8.00 mL
Subtract moles NaOH added from moles HNO2 initially for moles HNO2 remaining unreacted. Divide by new volume to obtain M. Determine how much of the salt was formed (in moles) and divide by the new volume to find M. Then substitute into the Ka expression and solve for H^+, then convert to pH.
c. At the equivalence point, the pH is determined by the hydrolysis of the salt.
Kb for the NO2^- = (Kw/Ka) = (HNO2)(OH^-)/(NO2^-).
Prepare an ICE chart, substitute into the expression I've written and solve for OH^-, convert to pOH, then to pH.
d. The excess NaOH determines the pOH and pH. Determine how much NaOH has been added after the equivalence point, convert to moles, determine pOH, and pH.
Post your work if you get stuck.
hey did you figure this out....if so what answers did you get


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If you want a part-time job, get a full-time one and negotiate down. Or give birth. Those are still the main choices for professionals who want to work less than five days a week and need the security of a permanent position.
For all the trumpeting about flexibility and the rise of part-time work, employers are still as resistant as ever.
They may advertise their willingness to offer flexible work, but scratch the surface and you will find that almost all their part-timers are women who have transferred from full-time roles after becoming mothers.
There is no job market for part-time white collar roles. You will very rarely see them advertised and the recruitment industry seems uninterested in developing the segment.
So why do employers still baulk at offering part-time jobs to new staff?
Well, it appears they haven't been convinced by the truckload of research that shows the benefits of employing part-timers or offering job share positions.
Their "ideal" worker keeps regular business hours, five days a week. And according to a recent survey of employers, they would prefer them male and childless too.
Part-time work is regarded as a "grace and favour" arrangement to retain people. It is certainly not yet a lure to attract new ones.
The director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA),
"Women come back from maternity leave and they want to work part time, but they get poor quality jobs and there are loads of people underemployed," she says.
While 43 per cent of employed women work part-time, the bulk of those jobs are low paid, casual and not at the professional level. (With men, 13.5 per cent work part-time.)
Before Conway stepped into the WGEA role in 2011, she was company secretary and general counsel of Caltex Australia. She left before she was able to see it through, but she had prepared a change program that would have seen every job at Caltex redesigned or re-examined to find out whether it could be done flexibly.
Flexible options usually include part-time, job share, compressed hours or working from home.
Conway says: "People make assumptions about how jobs can and should be done.
"There are many good jobs that can be done flexibly if people are willing to redesign them. Particularly at the senior levels, it is hard, detailed work setting aside your assumptions and preconceptions."
One of Australia's largest companies,
In April, it launched a pilot project which makes flexible work available to every worker in its customer sales and service division.
That equates to around 10,000 jobs in locations such as corporate, call centre and shops.
The head of diversity and inclusion at Telstra,
"I think there was a call made early on that they couldn't think of any role that couldn't have some degree of flexibility within it," Roderick says.
Managers who may have been resistant to the idea have been encouraged to look at the benefits.
"They may have to work through some ideas they hadn't thought of yet, but the trade-off is more engaged employees, better retention and productivity and more diversity," says Roderick.
"The benefits outweigh the inconvenience."
He says the project should not require any extra work on behalf of managers, but they may have to think more creatively.
It is still early days for the project, but "flexibility" has started to appear in some of the job descriptions on the Telstra careers site.
At the time of writing, only three of 117 jobs were advertised as permanent part time and a further 15 were offered on a flexible basis. However, the launch of the project should mean that hiring managers are more receptive to applicants who would like to offer themselves for shorter work weeks.
Across Telstra, five women (out of 270 people) work part time in executive management, 333 women and 40 men (out of 9324) in middle management and 1156 women and 426 men (out of 24,739) in operational roles.
The benefits of hiring part timers were clarified recently in a report on women and productivity by EY (formerly Ernst & Young).
While it has long been said that part timers are more efficient and work harder than their full-time colleagues, this report dug into the data to see whether it this was just wishful thinking.
What it found was that women in flexible roles (part-time, contract or casual) appear to be the most productive members of our workforce.
"Women in flexible roles waste only 11.1 per cent [of their time], compared to an average of 14.5 per cent for the rest of the working population," say the authors of Untapped Opportunity: the role of women in unlocking Australia's productivity potential.
EY declared that Australian and New Zealand employers could save at least $1.4 billion on wasted wages by employing more productive female employees in flexible roles.
"In an average year, these women effectively deliver an extra week-and-a-half of productive work, simply by using their time more wisely. In other words, for every 71 women employed in flexible roles, an organisation gains a productivity bonus of one additional full-time employee," say the report's authors.
So much for the myth that part-timers are not pulling their weight. They are just using what time they have more productively.
However, they are not rewarded for their ingenuity and dedication. Research also consistently shows that careers are sidelined by part-time work, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the "mummy track".
The report may have focused on women, but EY executive director of people, organisation and change,
They may pay a harsher penalty for their choice, however, as mothers who work reduced hours are seen to have an "excuse". Men may be seen as simply uncommitted, which partly explains their slow take-up of flexible work practices.
Rolland says the higher productivity of part-timers may not be all good news. It could be a sign that they just have to work harder than everybody else to earn acceptance.
"Often, when I go into organisations and look at women working part-time in a role they have negotiated down from full-time hours, nothing has changed around the content of that job. Nothing has been taken away," she says.
"The expectation is that they will deliver as much in three or four days as they did working full time and it is up to them to negotiate that change."
Basically, in cutting down their hours, they have negotiated a massive salary cut.
One of the great advantages for companies offering part-time positions also turns out to be a career penalty for employees.
Employees become very loyal for a simple reason: Where can they go?
Part-timers are held hostage in their jobs because of the difficulty of finding another employer who will hire them with reduced hours.
Says Conway: "The mobility of part-time workers is tough. Until we have men working flexibly, you won't see the whole suite of flexible work options accepted as business as usual".
Eight years ago, she was applying for a full-time position as general manager of human resources for the state's Department of Primary Industries with a covert plan to turn it into a job share arrangement so that she could still be there for her family.
"I found myself a job share partner and we applied separately," she says.
When it was clear that the department wanted her for the job, she presented her plan and ended up being the first job-share appointment at executive level in the South Australian public service.
"It was quite novel at the time, but there is more of it now," she says.
Now Ranieri has the task of implementing a flexible work program throughout the South Australian public service – the state's largest employer.
This is an important element in prolonging the working life of ageing employees, who would like to wind down their hours before retirement, as well as young people who want to blend work with studies or other interests.
"We are giving some training and development to managers about how to carve up jobs," she says.
"We will explore it before someone asks for [flexibility]", she says.
Ranieri says she thinks private sector employers are reluctant to be proactive because they don't know how to do it.
She says they should take a look at organisations where it has been handled effectively.
"I think it is nothing more than education," she says
One company in the recruitment industry that has delved into the area of part-time jobs is online job board HireMeUp, which operates in the non-white collar jobs market for people who want work in jobs such as food service, nursing and childcare.
Co-founder of the company,
"I think for the recruitment industry, it may actually be a numbers game. I just don't think the fees are there for a recruiter to charge for part-time staff – especially because there's a myth they don't stay very long," she says.
Anson says recruiters earn a fee of about 15 per cent of the salary of the successful candidate, which means they would rather concentrate on the higher value full-time executive jobs.
However, she says the vast numbers of people who want to work short weeks are a great resource.
"There are huge amounts of value in getting the right part-time people. There is a massive talent pool there and we know we can monetise that because there are so many of them," she says.
Anson and her business partner,
Sometimes the process of bringing about change is a matter of converting one person at a time.
Recruitment expert,
"You have the potential of getting higher-quality skills using that approach," says Vas, co-founder of the Australasian Talent Conference.
For the $200,000 salary, the client hired a part-timer who would normally command a bigger pay packet.
"It was a really good win. When you are doing permanent part-time, you are often doing as much in four days as you do in five. You are more driven".
While some employers may worry about the added costs of part-timers, Vas says that if they are high performers, they may be two or three times more productive than an average full-timer.
"You create leverage," he says.
Some professional services firms have shown a willingness to explore this market by signing up to a web-based venture, ProfessionalMums.net, a recruitment tool for mothers.
EY, PwC and Clayton Utz have become foundation partners of the venture, which was recently launched by former BRW editor, Kate Mills.
While there are glimmers of hope that the spread of flexible work conditions for existing employees may develop into a part-time job market, Conway says employers probably need a crisis before they will get serious about redesigning jobs.
A few years ago, it looked as if a shortage of talent might do the trick, but the global financial crisis has taken much of the urgency out of the issue.
There are still business leaders in Australia who say they refuse to have a woman in their boardroom, says Conway, who hears the tales from her extensive network of contacts.
So it is not surprising there are determined pockets of resistance from powerful people who fight change.
"You can see what we are dealing with," she says.


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Posted by Augie Ray on October 27, 2010
MySpace has seemed passé ever since Facebook lapped MySpace two years ago, but the news of MySpace's demise was always a bit exaggerated. While Facebook catapulted to international success, MySpace continued to chug along with tens of millions of unique visitors each month. It's still the 40th most popular site globally according to Alexa, and when Forrester published our report on Peer Influence Analysis and Mass Influencers, many were surprised when the Q4 2009 data demonstrated more influence impressions on MySpace than on Twitter. But while MySpace perhaps wasn't getting the due it deserved, there was no doubt its importance to marketers and its influence in the social media world was on the wane. Change is in the air — soon a new MySpace will launch that will help it regain some of that lost luster.
Make no mistake — the days of MySpace as a general-purpose social network taking on Facebook are long gone, and MySpace recognizes this. Instead, as has long been rumored, the revitalized MySpace is focusing on entertainment, and this means connecting with Facebook and Twitter rather than competing with them.
Posted by Nate Elliott on October 5, 2010
Something amazing has happened to social media in the past couple of years: Overall adoption of social technologies has effectively reached saturation. We're now at the point where more than 80% of US online users engage with social media - and although there's been some hand-wringing over the fact social media adoption has plateaued at that level, let's keep things in perspective: 80% engage with social media! That's as many people as own a DVD player or use SMS.
This kind of scale gives marketers the potential to generate reach through social media. Sure, it's a new and unfamiliar kind of reach for many marketers - rather than just shouting uniform messages at millions of people, they must engage directly with their audiences and then hope those audiences turn around and talk to and influence millions more users. But as we've proven, this new model of reach can also provide the same kind of massive scale that the old reach models did: Just a tiny handful of Mass Connectors will create 256 billion influence impressions in the US this year.


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As expected, Yahoo Inc began carrying out lay-offs up to 1,000 employees on Tuesday, as part of job cutbacks announced last month, several employees at the company's headquarters said on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for Yahoo, which is seeking to fend off an unsolicited takeover bid by Microsoft Corp, declined to comment on the cutbacks beyond the general outlines Yahoo executives provided in an investor conference call last month.
Yahoo Staff Layoffs [uk.reuters.com]


text: Home / About GSS Gear About GSS Gear Thank you for visiting our site! Since our inception, GSS Gear has strived to become the preferred supplier of tactical and outdoor gear. No matter your location, we are dedicated to providing the best solutions and outstanding customer service. From the Firefighter and EMS Professional; to federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; all branches of the military; and those simply enjoying the great outdoors, GSS Gear has the gear to accomplish your mission. With dedicated account managers, a customer service team and strong leadership we have a world-class team to support you. Additionally, we make procurement easy whether you visit our ProShop, shop our website, or purchase through our GSA, ServMart, or DOD eMALL. GSS Gear is classified as a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the Small Business Administration.