text:
Dear GSBA Members,
You are the best!
As we come to the close of 2015, we want you to know we remain steadfast in our commitment to your success. We will continue to offer you top quality opportunities to reach the LGBT and allied market; provide you with important business and community information; showcase your business as one which supports equality; connect you with outstanding like-minded business leaders, and be your voice on the city, state, and federal level as we advocate for small business, and continue our unwavering commitment to advance equality and diversity in the workplace; and, of course, ensure a better future for all by investing in the next generation of leaders through our Scholarship Fund.
Thank you for choosing to be a GSBA member.
Some of GSBA's 2015 proudest moments:
* Launched a new GSBA website
* Created GSBA's first Small Business Council
* Filmed by Logo TV for a video about the GSBA Scholarship Fund
* Had a leadership role in advancing trans-inclusive health care policies
* Participated on the Mayor's Hate Crime Task Force
* Received a $10k grant from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in partnership with Wells Fargo to promote LGBT Certification
* Raised over $750,000 at a sold-out TASTE of GSBA
* Awarded $350,000 in scholarships to 48 students
Before we say goodbye to 2015, please take 3 very important steps:
1. Renew your 2016 GSBA membership
2. Make a difference in the life of an LGBTQ student by making that important and very feel good donation to the GSBA Scholarship Fund
3. Start 2016 by registering for our January programs
Have a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year,
Louise Chernin, President & CEO
By David Ward, Legal & Legislative Council with Legal Voice and Chair of the GSBA Public Policy Task Force.
I'm a gay man who works for Legal Voice, a non-profit organization in Seattle that advances women's rights in the Northwest. The issues I focus on include gender-based violence, family law, and LGBT rights. Sometimes, I'm asked why a women's rights organization would make LGBT rights a core part of its mission, which Legal Voice has done since the 1980s. And the answers show how closely intersected the women's rights and LGBT rights movements are – or should be.
First, both movements challenge gender stereotypes. The women's rights movement fights the idea that women and men should act in certain ways based on their gender and that their roles in society should be defined (and limited) by their gender. The LGBT rights movement challenges the same gender stereotypes – like the idea that a marriage should only be between a man and a woman, or that men should be "masculine" and women should be "feminine." Because such gender stereotypes often find their origins in religious doctrine, both movements must fight against allowing religion to be used as a license to discriminate under the law.
Both movements also must focus on ending gender-based violence and harassment. Violence against woman and violence against LGBT people are both the result of a culture that permits violence against "others" to be normalized. When a trans woman is murdered or a gay man is attacked on the street, it is often because the attacker feels a privilege over a person who is marginalized in our society. The same is often true when women are harassed on the street, sexually assaulted, or victimized by domestic violence.
The two movements are also linked in our efforts to protect bodily autonomy – the right to control your own body. In the women's rights movement, this includes the right to decide whether to have an abortion. In the LGBT rights movement, bodily autonomy includes the right to decide how to express oneself sexually, as well as the right to have a body that matches your gender identity. To achieve bodily autonomy, the women's rights movement must fight for insurance coverage for abortion care, while the LGBT rights movement must fight for insurance coverage for transition-related care for transgender community members.
These are just some of the reasons why the women's rights and LGBT rights movements are so closely linked – and why both movements should support each other and work closely together in our common fight for equality.
This letter was submitted to the Seattle City Council on August 10. The bill passed unanimously.
Dear Councilmembers:
On behalf of the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), we are writing to express our strong support for CB 118455. This important legislation will help ensure that transgender and gender nonconforming people have safe and equal access to restroom facilities in City buildings and other places of public accommodation in Seattle.
CB 118455 will advance this goal in a cost-effective manner by:
As the nation's largest LGBT and allied chamber of commerce, GSBA strongly supports this effort to protect the civil rights of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. These protections are also good for Seattle businesses. They will help ensure that transgender and gender nonconforming people – a large and growing community in the Seattle area – will be able to patronize Seattle businesses without fear that they will be denied access to appropriate restroom facilities. As a result, we would expect this ordinance will promote increased patronage of Seattle businesses by transgender and gender nonconforming customers.
Thank you for your consideration of our views and for the Council's leadership on this important issue.
Jay Petterson, Public Policy Chair, GSBA Board of Directors
David Ward, Chair, Public Policy Task Force
by Rachael Brister, VP of Marketing & Tourism
From August 11-14, over 800 LGBT and allied entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate representatives and LGBT chamber leaders from across the country and around the globe descended upon Ft. Lauderdale Florida for the NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference.
Attendees take part in three days of symposia, panel discussions, development seminars and special events designed to generate business opportunities and build strong relationships with corporate champions and one another.
I was fortunate enough to be one of those attendees along with GSBA President & CEO Louise Chernin and GSBA Board members Drew Ness and Jenny Harding. GSBA is a founding member of the NGLCC and we have sent representatives to this conference almost every year and even hosted it in Seattle in 2009.
We were not the only GSBA representatives at the conference. Some of our small business members are very active with NGLCC including George Pieper of OutSmart Office Solutions and Elise Lindborg of ZippyDogs, both of whom are certified LGBT businesses. Both have been named Supplier of the Year by NGLCC, in 2012 and 2013, respectively. It was great to see them around the conference and watch them in action as they presented in breakout sessions, were matched with corporate procurement officers to discuss potential business or exhibiting in the marketplace.
Another GSBA member took center stage….literally. TomboyX was a contestant in the LGBT Biz Pitch, a fast-paced competition among three LGBT entrepreneurs selected to give their best 10-minute presentations on their company. They gain valuable feedback from an expert panel of angel investors, venture capitalists, and other business experts. Participants have the potential to continue their dialogue with the judges, and one lucky winner is awarded a $10,000 cash prize as well as a brand positioning package valued at $20,000. Co-Founder and CEO of TomboyX, Fran Dunaway, delivered a fantastic presentation complete with models showing of their top selling product, the boxer brief. Her knowledge, enthusiasm and overall great line of products paid off because TomboyX won the competition! Congratulations to Fran and her team for a great pitch.
Throughout the conference the breakout sessions are categorized for the different types of attendees. One of these tracts is for LGBT chamber leaders from across the country. Earlier this year, I submitted a proposal, along with the Co-Founders of Travel Gay Canada, to present one of these sessions on Tourism. Our proposal was accepted and along the way we added an additional presenter: the President & Co-Founder of the Argentina Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Driving Economic Growth Through Tourism
Tourism plays an important economic driver for many communities and LGBTBEs. This session will highlight the importance LGBT tourism can have on a community, and how local and international LGBT Chambers of Commerce can work with their members, their tourism industry, and their destination marketing organizations to create value through increased visitation and tourism receipts. From the session, participants will receive concrete takeaways that they can use to grow business for their own Chambers, LGBTBEs, and communities.
I focused on what GSBA has been able to accomplish in the LGBT Tourism realm, how we promote our members in this industry and the successes and challenges of a Chamber-based Tourism initiative. I was proud to highlight the diverse and generous support we receive from our Tourism sponsors and I emphasized the importance of creating strong partnerships with sponsors -- that our Tourism sponsors offer so much more than just a signed check.
And speaking of checks, a major highlight of the week was the $10,000 grant GSBA received from NGLCC and Wells Fargo. GSBA was awarded a grant to increase our efforts around LGBTBE certification. Read more about that here.
And on a personal note, in addition to thoroughly enjoying my experience presenting at the conference, I was a giggly fangirl for the keynote plenary on the 1st day of the conference. The one and only Suze Orman told her story of being an out lesbian in the world of finance and her rise to become one of the world's leading authorities on the subject. She also spent time answering questions from the audience, often with no-hold-barred answers. Before she spoke, she took the time to pose for selfies. This fangirl, unfortunately, did not make it to the front of the ballroom fast enough. But it was such a thrill to hear her speak, I can overlook the fact that I did not get to post a #SuzeSelfie.
Find out about events, programs, late-breaking news and more.
GSBA's quarterly magazine.
Download a copy here.
400 East Pine Street, Suite 322
Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 363-9188
Fax: (206) 568-3123
To email a staff member visit the GSBA Staff Page


text: Overview Discussion topics Recent activity Members 1–3 of 3 comments Need feedback: Or just read! Posted by MJRay on February 16, 2011 Add reply Share Send to a fan or friend Short link: MJRay Advice posted February 16, 2011 Thank u i will return the favor as well StrawBarry posted February 17, 2011 On all your works? MJRay posted February 17, 2011 That would be great! Back to top

subset: commoncrawl


text:
STARunderground (Swingers Talking And Relating)
About This Show
Show Info: STARunderground is an assembly of open-minded individuals living life to the fullest, sharing ideas, learning from each other and striving to build a lifestyle community that embraces all who choose to take part. We can only grow with your help. Our hope is to educate and entertain those who share our love of sex positivity: from the novices, to the explorers, to the veterans. We want to offer an interactive experience that is engaging and enlightening; one that will encourage questions and curiosity from its members. We would love to see this experiment grow into a true resource for those in many lifestyles. Oh…and world peace. Don't forget world peace. We offer an interactive, multimedia approach through our blogs, articles, podcasts, and other content that will hopefully keep you coming back for more. We also will ask for opinions, content, and help. After all, it's not fun unless you get to be part of the group. And what's swinging if you can't do it with a group? We also will be having many different types of events to give anyone interested the opportunity to become a part of the community in person.


text:
The Days Inn Connecticut Avenue hotel is a great hotel for the budget traveller. It is not as centrally located as some other properties, but with its close proximity to a metro station, clients can easily access all that Washington DC has to offer. (07/10:JB)
The Days Inn Connecticut Avenue hotel is located in uptown Washington DC, a block and a half from Van Ness Metro Station. The hotel is less than 2 kilometers north of the National Zoo and within walking distance of Howard Law School, American University, and University of District of Columbia.
Contemporary looking 6 story mid-rise motor inn with interior corridors, built in 1984.
Medium-size lobby.
Pets are allowed


text:
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5 years ago by
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1,431 people viewed this
The months of Spring are February, March and April.
Snow Drop
Saint Bridget's Day is on the first of February. We make crosses on that day to remind us of her.
Return to Ireland
Build their nests


text:
The battle for Vijay Mallya led United Breweries-promoted Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited's 26% stake is heating up. Saroj Poddar's Zuari Fertilisers and Chemicals filed a counter offer for the company on Tuesday at Rs 68.55 per share, almost 9% more than the offer made by Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corp 10 days ago.
Zuari has made the offer along with United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd and other associate companies like Kingfiser Finvest India and McDowell Holdings Ltd. Mallya's UB Group holds 22% stake in Mangalore Chemicals but half of it is mortgaged with lenders while Zuari holds another 16.43% in the company. Zuari's Tuesday's offer values the company's stake at a little over Rs 211 crore.
Last month Deepak Fertilisers had started a takeover battle with UB Group with an unsolicited offer for 26% stake in an open offer to the company's shareholders at Rs 61 per share that was subsequently raised to Rs 63 per share on May 2. Zuari's offer is an attempt at thwarting the company's minority shareholders to accept Deepak Fertliliser's offer that may result in UB Group losing its management control. It could not be immediately ascertained whether Deepak Fertliliser would revise its bid further.


text:
Please Note: University employees, students and alumni may submit ENMU-related announcements for the Greyhound Gazette. Off-campus announcements are only accepted from non-profit agencies, institutions and causes.
Announcements for the Greyhound Gazette must be submitted at least three business days before their intended publish date.
For more information, email the Greyhound Gazette at email@example.com, or call 575.562.2154.


text:
HP or no HP: The PC lives
Suggestions that the PC is dead are greatly exaggerated. Flexibility, innovation and users' storage needs will keep it around a good long while.
Suggestions that the PC is dead are greatly exaggerated. Flexibility, innovation and users' storage needs will keep it around a good long while.
Dolby's new PC Entertainment Experience 4, or PPEv4, pushes the capacity of one of the weakest sound players on the planet: the laptop. Built into the new line of Acer Aspire Ethos computers, PPEv4 sounded great and didn't disappoint at CES this week...
Laptops can be stolen. Neoflyer asked the PCWorld.com Answer Line forum for tips on protecting them.
Are physical keyboards soon going to be a thing of the past? At a splashy event here in New York City, Acer Tuesday announced its new concept for a laptop: The Acer Iconia. The name's gravitas is appropriate given that it's the first laptop to ditch ...
Sluggish sales and hard-to-get loans may blight the business landscape, but cutting energy waste can bring a big payoff to a small company. To shave liabilities off your profit-and-loss statement, aim to slash your power consumption instead of your w...
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Visit our shop for the best deals on hot products
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
HP OfficeJet Pro 8730
A smarter way to print for busy small business owners, combining speedy printing with scanning and copying, making it easier to produce high quality documents and images at a touch of a button.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8730
I've had a multifunction printer in the office going on 10 years now. It was a neat bit of kit back in the day -- print, copy, scan, fax -- when printing over WiFi felt a bit like magic. It's seen better days though and an upgrade's well overdue. This HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 looks like it ticks all the same boxes: print, copy, scan, and fax. (Really? Does anyone fax anything any more? I guess it's good to know the facility's there, just in case.) Printing over WiFi is more-or- less standard these days.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8730
As a freelance writer who is always on the go, I like my technology to be both efficient and effective so I can do my job well. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 Inkjet Printer ticks all the boxes in terms of form factor, performance and user interface.
Windows 10 for Business / Dell XPS 13
I'd happily recommend this touchscreen laptop and Windows 10 as a great way to get serious work done at a desk or on the road.
Windows 10 / HP Spectre x360
Ultimately, I think the Windows 10 environment is excellent for me as it caters for so many different uses. The inclusion of the Xbox app is also great for when you need some downtime too!
Windows 10 / Lenovo Yoga 910
For me, the Xbox Play Anywhere is a great new feature as it allows you to play your current Xbox games with higher resolutions and better graphics without forking out extra cash for another copy. Although available titles are still scarce, but I'm sure it will grow in time.


text:
Kung Fu Panda Shifu let's get started gif
Adam Rifkin stashed this in Begin!
Thank you turing_inequivalent for making this gif: http://reddit.com/r/HighQualityGifs/comments/2wl5vd/kung_fu_panda/
Stashed in: gifs, Music Videos!, Reaction GIFs!, Kung Fu Panda, High Quality gifs, @fergie, gif Tournament!, turing_inequivalent
To save this post, select a stash from drop-down menu or type in a new one:
Captain America Winter Soldier elevator scene gif gfycat:
Before we begin, does anyone want to get out of the elevator?
Thank you Lykan_ for this gif:


text: Hi all. I have a second monitor in extend displays mode. When I change the taskbar option in Taskbar Properties "Taskbar buttons" to "Combine when taskbar is full" the second monitor still combines the buttons. Is this a bug or something wrong with my installation? I've included a screenshot: Cheers


text:
Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.
When you're not feeling well, try a dose of gratitude! You'll be surprised at the results.Continue reading
Losing weight is hard. This Scripture gave her an idea...Continue reading
A neglected old garage is given a new life and reveals wonders.Continue reading
We don't need to add tomorrow to our worries.Continue reading
A freak accident left a Kansas farmer near death. His neighbors prayed every day for weeks. Even the doctors were surprised by the results.
While these tips are written with single moms in mind, almost anyone can save more money with a little organizing, budgeting and internet savvy--and make a little more, too!Continue reading
A non-profit has helped create a village of tiny homes for veterans in need.Continue reading
As we observe Memorial Day, here are some fun facts and interesting history behind the holiday.Continue reading
In this daily devotional, a family says a prayer on Memorial Day after making a discovery.Continue reading
This Memorial Day, don't overlook those close to you who have served their country.Continue reading
Visiting The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery brings home the sacrifice our military men and women make for freedom.Continue reading
Let a colorful, healthy and seasonal salad freshen up your dinner plate.Continue reading
Explore this checklist to discover where stress is trying to put down roots in your body.Continue reading
When you say "yes" to everything, what's important takes a back seat. Some thoughts on time management, learned from the military.Continue reading
Thinking about adopting a dog? Here are some ways it will change your life for the better.Continue reading


text:
YS Engines Regulator Body A
YS Engines
Discontinued Online
This item is discontinued and no longer available for purchase. You may want to search our site for a similar item.
This is a replacement Y.S. Regulator Body A, and is intended for use with the Y.S. 56SR Engine.
This product was added to our catalog on February 18, 2010.


text:
ColdOne® Knee Wrap
The ColdOne® Knee Wrap provides quick and efficient relief to stop swelling and pain from an active sprain or strain or from a reoccurring injury to the ACL, meniscus, kneecap or other knee muscles, tendons and ligaments. The "no hole" design drives cold deep into all areas of the knee, including the kneecap, for maximum cold compression therapy to reduce swelling and pain. The knee wrap will continue to provide full compression even when thawed for continued support. Used by athletes, trainers, individuals with knee pain, orthopedic clinics and surgical hospitals for the treatment of inflammation and pain as a result of injury or knee surgery. One size fits most. MSRP $55.00.


text:
Submit News
New Nanofoam Could Improve Body Armor for Soldiers, Quake-Proof Buildings
Jason Mick
March 29, 2013 8:50 AM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Porous material uses robust honeycomb-type design
Sponsored by the
Army Research Office
University of California, San Diego
Structural Engineering
Professor Yu Qiao
and his Ph.D student Cang Zhao have developed an impressive array of nanofoams that disperse the force of an impact better than previous materials.
The researchers began by creating foams with honeycomb like pores that ranged from 10 microns (micron-foams) to 10 nanometers (nano-foams). The pours encompassed between 50 and 80 percent of the foam's total volume. The pores were created using either combustion or acid etching, followed by dry curing.
The team discovered that the foam with the smallest pores -- the 10 nm pore-size nanofoam -- absorbed impacts the best. Larger foams suffered so-called "damage localization" when exposed to trauma. The energy absorbed was poorly distributed, leading to failures. As a result, these foams would be poor candidates for body armor or building materials.
Smaller pore size films performed better. [Image Source: UCSD]
The work is far from over. The current foams, which will be presented at the
Research Expo
April 18 on the UC San Diego campus are made of silica. While the results are promising, the team believes polymeric or
metallic nanoporous foams
of similar pore composition may perform even better.
The team used a special gun to test the impact resistance. [Image Source: UCSD]
The superfoams have a broad variety of potential applications. They could be used in body armor for athletes to
prevent traumatic injuries
, be
used by soldiers
to prevent
war wounds
, and even be used to boost tall buildings' ability to
withstand terrorist blasts or earthquakes
Professor Qiao
, "We are getting some impressive results. People have been looking at preventing damage from impacts for more than a hundred years. I hope this concept can provide a new solution."
UCSD [press release]
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text:
Eric Hu
Beautiful graphic work by New York-based designer Eric Hu. More below.
Beautiful graphic work by New York-based designer Eric Hu. More below.
Poster designs by illustrator and designer Derek Kim aka Network Osaka. More beautiful work below.
Works by Helsinki-based designer and illustrator Linda Linko. Her designs are mostly handmade, avoiding the use of any computer programs until the final stages of each work.
"I like incompleteness. If everything's polished to perfection, where's the space for imagination?"
Lots more work below.
Last year Amsterdam-based copywriter Pim de Graaff designed a product to remind people to enjoy everything they already have. His product, Nothing, is simply a block of wood. Actually, it's a block of wood that comes with a rather hefty price tag of €199. A product like this would be infuriating if Pim wasn't donating all of the proceeds from Nothing to Oxfam, an organization which fights poverty worldwide. Something to consider when buying gifts this holiday season!
There are only 10 of these white Nothings (he sold the black ones last year) so if you want one jump over here: YouNeedNothing.com
Beautiful poster designs by Felix Pfäffli. He has taught typography, narrative design, and poster design at the Lucerne School of Graphic Design. More work below.
The folks over at It's Nice That have just released their annual round up of the best art and design from the past year. The book features over 300 pages of artwork, interviews, graduates, and exhibitions. Oh, and it even comes with a postcard signed by one of the featured artists. Have a look inside the 2014 It's Nice That Annual, below.
Illustrations by London-based Peter Judson. More below.
Poster designs by Glasgow-based Emer Tumilty. More below.


text:
Mission Statement
The mission of the National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR) is to conduct high-quality, objective research and policy analyses of the organization, financing and delivery of health care in the United States. The Institute works to identify key health policy issues, identify policy options, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of policy options to help inform policy makers and other decision makers about how to expand access to high-quality, affordable health care to all Americans.
What's New
Capital Investment by Detroit-Area Providers
Research Brief •
Michigan regulates the supply of medical facilities and services through the Certificate of Need (CON) process. Among the activities subject to CON review are construction of new medical facilities, starting certain new services, acquisition of major pieces of equipment, and transfers of ownership. Michigan's original CON law was enacted in…
Changes in Payer Mix and Net Income for Detroit-Area Hospitals
Research Brief •
The Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage in three significant ways: by increasing eligibility for Medicaid, mandating that individuals have insurance coverage, and providing subsidies to make insurance more affordable. In Michigan, data from the most recent Current Population Survey shows that the percentage of the population without insurance…
Financial Impact of Medicaid Expansion for Health Plans
Research Brief •
Michigan accepted the opportunity to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, and the Healthy Michigan program began enrolling recipients in April 2014. Enrollment quickly grew to 600,000 persons with household incomes up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. The expansion population generally comprised single adults without children.…
Provider Payment Trends and Strategies in the Detroit Area
Research Brief •
A key element of the Affordable Care Act has been promoting changes in the way Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers pay hospitals, physicians, and others for the health care services they provide. When the era of managed care began more than 30 years ago, health insurers moved away from the…
The Promise and Challenge of Implementing a Community Health Worker Strategy to Reduce Infant Mortality
Research Brief •
The authors would like to thank: current and past program leadership and support staff; the outstanding team of Community Health Workers who serve as Community Neighborhood Navigators; and the WIN Network program participants who freely and enthusiastically shared their experiences. Detroit has a serious infant mortality problem. Infants die there…
Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage in Southeast Michigan
Research Brief •
Introduction Since the launch of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) coverage expansion in 2014, millions of previously uninsured Americans have enrolled in health insurance.[1] The ACA coverage expansion has two primary components: expansion of Medicaid eligibility to low-income adults and financial assistance to help individuals purchase private coverage through the…
Effects of the Affordable Care Act on the Health Care Safety Net in Detroit
Research Brief •
Introduction Since its passage in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has introduced a series of health care financing and delivery reforms to expand coverage, invest in health care infrastructure, and implement changes to improve quality and costs. In 2014, the ACA's coverage expansion began in Michigan through the launches…
Balancing Access and Costs: Health Benefit Structures for Privately Insured People
NIHCR Research Brief No. 21 •
Health insurance benefit structures, particularly cost-sharing amounts, can either encourage or discourage patients from seeking care. The goal is to strike the right balance so out-of-pocket costs don't discourage people from getting needed care but do prompt them to consider costs before seeking discretionary care. In 2011, contracts between the…
Limiting Tax Breaks for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Cadillac Tax vs. Capping the Tax Exclusion
NIHCR Research Brief No. 20 •
Among the most expensive "but nearly invisible" federal expenditures is the roughly $250 billion1 annual tax break for employer-sponsored health insurance. Under current law, the value of both employer and most employee contributions for health insurance are excluded from employee federal income tax and employer and employee payroll taxes. While…
Health Reform 2.0: Alternate State Waiver Paths Under the Affordable Care Act
NIHCR Research Brief No. 19 •
State leaders interested in reforming their health care systems face a dilemma. Every state's health care system is utterly dependent on funding flows from federal health programs and subsidies in the federal tax system, but federal programs, in some cases, run counter to state political cultures and priorities. Section 1332…


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London, Jul 23: The Chinese Railway Ministry is starting the world's fastest train service next Friday, linking Beijing with one of China's Olympic co-host cities, nearby Tianjin.
Zhang Shuguang, head of the Ministry's Transport Bureau, said that the new Chinese trains could ferry passengers at the speeds reaching 350 kilometres per hour. He said that the trains, which will have aircraft-like cabins rather than traditional carriages, have reached 394kph in tests. "Its operational speed is the fastest in the world. It's very comfortable and quiet. There's a French train that has gone 500kph in tests, but only in tests," New Scientist magazine quoted him as saying.
Media persons had a sneak preview of the trains on a government-organized trip on Tuesday. July 22. The Railway Ministry said that the trains could run on the new 2.93-billion-dollar Tianjin line every three minutes, and each train could carry around 600 people between landlocked Beijing and the port city of Tianjin.
Wang Yongping, a spokesman for the Railway Ministry, said that the ticket prices had yet to be set, though it would be "within the limits of what the masses can accept". He even told the media that the cavernous new Beijing South railway station was the largest in Asia. He said that the station would house connections to two subway lines, and a future high-speed railway to Shanghai.


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Assessment appeals grow as home values drop
Homeowners in Cobb and Fulton counties are facing impending deadlines on appealing the tax assessments on their properties, and, in light of the dismal housing markets, many homeowners should consider appeal, said Camille Brannon, founder of Campbell & Brannon LLC.
"We saw a rush of business as the deadline approaches," Brannon said. "People are just having to take the bull by the horn and make sure their tax values are correct."
The firm is a full-service mortgage banking law firm that, at one time, focused mainly on the closings of new home sales.
But in the current market, the firm has shifted some of its focus to tax assessments, Brannon said.
Fulton County homeowners have until between June 28 and June 30 to appeal the way their property was assessed, she said.
Gwinnett homeowners will receive notices this month.
The assessments vary by neighborhood and tax district, and the assessors made different decisions in each area, she noted.
For example, she said, some assessors noted that condominiums have fallen drastically in value over the last five years and lowered valuations across the board in response.
In Ansley Park, by contrast, valuations went up uniformly, she said.
"Not all of their increases were realistic," she said.
Affecting tax assessments are the many short sales or distressed sales, in which the buyer bought the home significantly below its previous value.
The tax assessment may not accurately reflect that discounted value, she noted, and it's the homeowner's responsibility to make sure the numbers match. Georgia law now requires houses to be valued at their sale price the year after they are purchased.
"I'm disappointed in the values not coming out at what people paid this year," Brannon said. Because her practice focuses on closings, she has a sense for how much people paid for homes.
They shouldn't have to pay higher taxes if the value of their home has fallen, she said.
Write-Offs At Lows
Financial firms are writing off less of the debt on their books in every category but homes.
The write-offs fell to $26.2 billion in April 2012 from $54.1 billion in April 2009, according to data from Equifax Inc.
That's nearing pre-recession levels. In 2006, financial institutions reported non-home write-offs at $24 billion.
The numbers have improved, in part, because people are paying their debts again, and because fewer people are claiming bankruptcy, Equifax noted.
Non-home finance balances have fallen by $193 billion, or 7 percent, since October 2008, though they're 1.5 percent higher now than a year ago, according to the data.
But unemployment still remains high, especially for the young, which means student loans are being taken out at higher rates and then going unpaid when the borrower graduates.
That's led to an increase in student loan balances, to $753 billion in April 2012, down slightly from November's peak of $766 billion, Equifax said.
Ice Cream Bankruptcy Ends
Atlanta-based Greg Charleston, a consultant at Conway MacKenzie Inc., successfully led Dippin' Dots Inc. through its bankruptcy filing.
Dippin' Dots is the Kentucky-based maker of flash-frozen ice cream, which it refers to as "the ice cream of the future." But the company's future looked bleak when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November.
Charleston served as the company's chief restructuring officer during its workout process. He was appointed after Dippin' Dots' CEO resigned.
Charleston was tasked with managing the facility, with 165 employees, while guiding the company through its workouts.
Firm Hires R&D Specialist
The largest independent accounting firm in Georgia hired Dawn Herman to round out the firm's research and development department.
Herman joins Habif, Arogeti & Wynne LLP from a tax benefits group in Denver.
The firm was looking to boost its staff in the R&D field in light of a bill signed into law May 8.
The Georgia legislation extends R&D tax credits to all companies doing R&D in Georgia. The credits previously applied only to newer firms that had been in the business for five years or less.
HA&W's practice in Georgia R&D has exploded following the law, and it hired Herman to help handle the load, the firm said. It claims the title of the largest independent accounting and business advisory firm in the state, and one of the top 50 firms in the nation.
It has more than 15,000 clients in an array of industries.


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Dito Montiel
Channing Tatum
Terrence Howard
Luis Guzman
Printer-Friendly version
Now speaking of Tatum, a lot of people give the guy shit and I don't find he deserves it (though it's somewhat understandable after starring in something like STEP UP). He's not a bad actor (there's plenty worse out there), and handles himself well here when it comes to throwing down. I'm also a big Terrence Howard fan (and probably the only one upset over him being replaced in IRONMAN 2), I think the man's got a tremendous presence in all his movies, no matter how big or small the role. The chemistry between their characters goes from rocky to genuine in a believable setting, considering each character's background. They need each other, and grow on one another despite all the pitfalls surrounding their relationship. It was entertaining, despite the fact they focus more on Shawn's quest to "be somebody" than actual fighting.
The plot and or story here is another matter entirely. First off, you may notice this weighs in dangerously close to the mixed martial arts flick NEVER BACK DOWN (especially by way of the rivalry angle). Now the random fact that Shawn is somewhat of a "bum" who ends up fighting for money to "rescue" a down on her luck mother/daughter/grandma package, reminds me of Van Damme's similar situation in LIONHEART. This leads me to my one true complaint about this film. For a flick called FIGHTING, there sure as hell ain't much of it going on, and as such will probably be the focus of most people's complaints. The end fight was stellar, no question about it, but the three before it were so quick I didn't dare blink and they in no way backed up the hype or quenched my thirst for violence.
I loved the camera work here, the visuals (especially all the city shots), were wonderful and transcended beautifully into crisp 1080p goodness. I expected Shawn to whoop a bit more ass, but his obsession with Zulay became a bigger part of the picture as time wore on. Not really a bad thing mind you, just not what people (myself included) are expecting to see. FIGHTING could've been far worse (like STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN LI), but instead I got a decent brawler flick with pretty good acting and a solid (predictable as hell) ending. What you see is what you get here, and you know exactly what that is from the trailer. Oh, and don't get excited by the prospect of a "theatrical" and "unrated" cut of the film. The difference is a (drum roll) whopping three minutes.
Deleted Scenes: Eight minutes worth, and though I enjoyed the defending Harvey bit as well as the Harry Potter book scene, the rest were a wash and in some cases, didn't really make much sense (I mean, seriously, we knew the grandmother was crazy).
D-Box/BD-Live: Two special features that unlock extras (like trailers and other exclusive content), but only if your Blu-ray machine is set up for it and can hook up to the internet. Even still, not much to write home about.
Extra Tidbit: Seeing Shawn's fake Harry Potter book reminds me of all the crazy shit I used to see in China Town (Toronto). I had a woman try to sell me a live baby octopus once in a "black-market looking" pet store.


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" They're dead Jack. They did not suceed leaving they're claimers." Kathy tells me as she melts froms the peculiar shadow. Her waist long brown hair and her blue eyes that seems to control my every action.
" Thats interesting Kathy. Why is that your the only one who has ever succeeded leaving their master?" I ask susipicously
" There is more to it than beating them to a pulp, Jack." She winks at me.
I looked down nervously still not sure what she means by that.
" Come on Jack let see how much farther your Abilities have grown!" She says melting into the shadows.
" Fine."
I ran forwards as sword forms in my hand. I swing it downwards and the wall is perfectly sliced through to the other side.She apears on top of the building.
" Faster creation this time , and the material to make the sword weakened the wall.Allowing you to increase the air pressure around the sword to slice through the building, without to much resistance from the wall. Basically your manipulating multiple things at once has increased. Don't let that make you feel invincible becuase you can only do that so much before your too tired to move." She breaks down my ability.
" Yes we both know this. Now whats the plan?" I get to the point.
" Well your claimer is going to be heading to his newly made Manor tonight. Right?"
" Yeah." I reply allowing the sword to return to its natural form which is a concrete.
" When you meet him outside the gate will be the best time to challenge him to a fight of freedom. It would be preferable if you don't die or lose. Your skills are going to be needed in the next step of my plan to gain freedom for humans in this world." she says.
" Okay then sounds good enough for me. Jaloth will lose his ability isn't developed for fighting. I'm not sure if I could kill him though." I mutter to my self turing quickly around.
I buttoned up my black coat that was dirty from the hard labour I had been doing for Jaloth. I had become or very good human for him while I trained with Kathy and few others to take me liberation and set myself free. Now is the time to liberate myself, lets hope I don't kill myself in the process.


text:
12 March 2013,
Price realised EUR 79,500
Estimate EUR 30,000 - EUR 50,000
Willem Dooijewaard (1892-1980)
Balinese dancer
signed 'W. Dooijewaard' (lower right)
oil on canvas
100 x 50 cm.
New York +1 212 636 2000
London +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Hong Kong +852 2760 1766
Shanghai +86 21 6355 1766
Else Valk
Alexandra Bots
Willem Dooijewaard (1892-1980) and Roland Strasser (1895-1974)
Willem Dooijewaard was both painter and adventurer; seized by the urge to undertake extensive journeys in search of eclectic new experiences and painting subjects. He was willing to endure great hardship while traveling by foot or on horseback through the most insular and remote regions in order to depict his colourful exotic scenes. Dooijewaard shared his appetite for adventure and modern figurative style of painting with his close friend Roland Strasser. Both had a predilection for 'raw and real' people and therefore refrained from using models as much as possible. Together they made breathtaking journeys through the Dutch Indies, Central Asia and Japan. In these distant countries and amid their exotic peoples they created some of their most important works. The works by Dooijewaard and Strasser in this current sale can be considered prime examples of their versatile, exotic oeuvres, as well as a testimony to their explorative, even heroic journeys.
Special Notice
Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent.
Acquired by the family of the present owner, circa 1930-1935.
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Impressionist & Modern Art specialist Jay Vincze reveals the story behind one of the most famous depictions of love in the ..


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So that's it for another Strictly week! How time flies when you're having fun. I'll be back next week for a blessedly theme-free turn about the Strictly dancefloor, and no Bruce either! Thank you all for joining in and being brilliant and hilarious as ever. See you next Saturday! Hx
The judges all decide to save Abbey and Aljaz. Of course they do. Bye Pasha, you will be missed. Rachel has a little cry and is gracious in defeat. Pasha looks gutted. Blub.
Am trying to work out why Abbey and Aljaz are in the bottom two. Are we punishing Abbey for that heinous crimp job? Maybe it's Aljaz's blouse? Or have we just had enough of them both being irritatingly attractive, and possibly *whispers it* a tiny bit dull?
Don't ask me, I'm still downing the post-liveblog wine when the lines close.
So who else is through to next week? Susanna and Kevin from Grimsby are safe, as are Mark and Iveta, Natalie and Artem, Ashley and Ola and DAVE AND KAREN. Oh for crying out loud.
Which means Rachel and Pasha are in the bottom two. I'm not Rachel's biggest fan and she was never going to win, but she was SO much better this week and deserved to stay a little longer. And now she's definitely going home, which renders the dance-off a massive waste of time.
But hey, let's watch them both dance again. I'll use the time to consider how early I've become emotionally invested in Strictly this year. I really need to stop that.
The daughter has just asked "what the hell is this?", so I'm trying to explain Madness. She's not looking very impressed.
And now a performance from Madness, with a creepy fairground theme. Too many clowns. I'm scared of clowns. Stop it with the clowns.
Whatever anti-ageing potion Suggs is taking, I want me some of that.
Can't imagine any circumstances where Abbey and Aljaz might go home, unless the world has gone mad and they're up against Natalie and Artem. At least Ben's chest is through. PHEW.
So who's through to next week? Patrick and Anya are safe, along with Sophie and Brendan, Fiona and Anton (OOOH, INTERESTING) and Ben and Kristina.
First couple in the bottom two: ABBEY AND ALJAZ. Crikey, wasn't expecting that. Curse of the Rumba?
Interminable recap time. Patrick: good. Fiona: sedate. Ben: lusty. Sophie: feeble. Natalie: floaty. Mark: what paso? Rachel: better. Ashley: fierce. Abbey: textbook. Dave: dismal. Susanna: energetic.
Karen is miming badly to Lady Gaga. The female pros are dressed as budget strippers, whilst the male pros are pretending to be creepy puppets. It's another classic from the over-lit, over produced and slightly bonkers pro dance genre.
Tess and Claudia designed from the heavens in witches' hats. Tess is wearing a LBD with built in cosmetic mirror, whilst Clauds is sporting a rather fabulous black jumpsuit. Darcey looks like a treacle tart.
Right, I've reluctantly turned Grease off in favour of another Halloween-themed pro dance and Claudia dressed as Wednesday Addams.
Grease is on Channel 4. Shall we skip Strictly this evening? Anyone? No?
Evening all! I know Halloween is SO last week, but if you can just hang on a tiny bit longer, we'll get the Strictly results show out of the way and move on. Next week - Guy Fawkes Night Special, in which Hairy Dave dresses up as a giant Catherine wheel and spins randomly around the dancefloor, before fizzling out much like any other week.
So who's in the bottom two this week? My money's on Fiona and Anton and Dave and Karen, although there were a few disappointing performances last night so could be anyone.
See you at 6.20!
And that's it for this week's deadly Halloween dancing! At the top of the leaderboard: Natalie and Artem (standard), whilst Dave and Karen are floating at the bottom. In the dance off tomorrow should be Dave and Karen and Mark and Iveta, but it wouldn't surprise me if Fiona and Anton were in the bottom two instead.
We shall of course find out tomorrow, when I'll be back here for the results show! In the meantime you can find me on Twitter @heidistephens, so feel free to swing by and share your Strictly wit and wisdom. Thank you all for joining in, has been a good night. See you tomorrow!
Scores: 8,8,9,9 - an excellent 34 for Susanna and Kevin.
Craig loves Susanna's freedom of expression in her face, and he really enjoyed it. Darcey thought it was cheeky and fun, but would love a little more crispness in her moves. Len thought it had plenty of tricks AND treats (DRINK), and Bruno loved the joy and energy, and her side kicks were wonderful.
Out they come, with Susanna's minty fringed dress clashing horribly with her gravy tan, and Kevin dressed as a camp werewolf. Amazing.
Susanna's definitely got her Charleston face going on, and it's got plenty of bounce, although a bit stompy in places. Susanna's clearly having a ball. Good fun.
And FINALLY, it's Susanna and Kevin from Grimsby! Tonight they're dancing the Charleston to Creedance Clearwater Revival's 'Bad Moon Rising'. Loving the song choices tonight, this is a classic.
Scores: 4,5,6,4 - a total of 19 for Dave and Karen. What's Len on this evening? SIX? How many extra points for "trying"?
Bruno didn't notice any jiving - it was a soft-shoe shuffle. Craig thought it was dismal. Darcey also found it lacking. Len thought Dave was a "cumberland sausage chasing the mustard". Eh?
So here's the general gist: Dave is a camp monster in mismatched corduroy. Karen is wearing a yellow dress that doesn't fit. Dave looms up behind her for a bit, then they bob and skip about for a bit pretending to Jive. The singing is a bit sinister, and this manages to be both unfunny and rubbish. Fin.
Next up it's Dave and Karen! Tonight they're dancing the Jive to Bobby Boris Picket's 'Monster Mash'. Ah, another opportunity for Hairy Dave to lark about the dancefloor in a comedy fashion. I can't WAIT.
*I can.
Scores: 8,8,9,9 - a total of 34 for Abbey and Aljaz. We learn that it isn't hard for Abbey to get romantic with Aljaz, because he's like her little brother, apparently. UH HUH.
Len thought it was amazing, and Bruno agrees. Craig thought it was impressive, and Darcey loved the chemistry, although Abbey needs to smooth out her transitions.
This week Abbey is wearing a bellydancer's outfit, and has borrowed Darcey's crimpers so she looks like one of the Riddlers. Aljaz has forgotten to do up his blouse, which is remiss of him.
Well this is a perfectly serviceable Rumba, if a Rumba is all about grabbing Aljaz's face like he's got something in his eye, but Abbey needs to get her hips in gear. I am unmoved.
Next up it's Abbey and Aljaz! Tonight they're dancing the Rumba to 'Stay' by Shakespear's Sister. I find Abbey and Aljaz pretty scary most weeks, so this should be a breeze. But even on Halloween week, the Rumba is supposed to be the filthy dance of lurrrve, can they pull it off?
"Did that terrifying Tango put the willies up you?", asks Tess. "The couples just keep on coming". Too easy, everyone.
Scores: 8,9,8,8 - a very solid 33 for Ashley and Ola, their highest score to date.
Darcey is really attracted to the evil Ashley, and loved the clipped moves, although he needs to watch his neck in the turns. Len loved the character, but there are small details he needs to polish. Bruno agrees - just needs to focus on the details. Craig really loved it, but Ashley needs to sort his head out.
Ashley's a zombie in a bad suit, and Ola is celebrating Halloween by dressing in Helena Bonham Carter's cast-offs. Love it.
I had high hopes for this, and am not disappointed. Loads of drama, good Tango face from Ashley, some nice spins and footwork, although frame a bit loose. Not a Louis and Flavia, but good nonetheless. More please.
Up next it's Ashley and Ola! Tonight they're dancing the Tango to Ne-Yo's 'Beautiful Monster'. Ashley probably hasn't had any sleep this week, so hopefully he's left the spooky eyebags unmasked. Can they reach the dizzy Tango heights of Louis and Flavia?
Scores: 7,7,8,8 - a much-better-than-usual 30 from Rachel and Pasha.
Craig welcomes her back into the competition, and Darcey agrees that it was much better, although she needs to point her feet. Len thought it was her best dance, and Bruno thought that Rachel has found her mojo. Under that massive skirt, probably.
Out they come - Rachel is all done up as a zombie bride, with voluminous net skirts and a fright wig. Ballroom suits her SO much better than latin - her frame still lacks control, but it has nice rise and fall and is streets ahead of last week's performance. Enjoyed that.
Could have done without the singer screaming like he's got his finger trapped in a door, if I'm honest.
Are we there yet? Still five couples to go. Next up is Rachel and Pasha! This week they're dancing the American Smooth to 'I Put a Spell on You' by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Last week's heinous Paso was terrifying enough, but against the odds they're still with us. Forget the American bit, Rachel, we'll settle for smooth.
Scores: 6,6,7,6 - a rather disappointing 25 from Mark and Iveta.
Bruno thought it was more space cadet than matador, and I couldn't agree more. Craig thought the Paso element was stompy, but his timing and rhythm were great. Darcey wants more arm curve to make him a "more convincing space matador". Len thought it was long on content but short on technique.
I think Iveta is supposed to be the alien out of Mars Attacks in a spangly leotard, but not sure about Mark. Ghostbuster in a space blanket? Bacofoil binman?
It's all a bit stompy from Mark, and not recognisably a Paso, particularly when Mark throws in some disco moves. Mark, you know I love you, but that was dreadful.
It's time for Mark and Iveta! Tonight they're dancing the Paso Doble to Sarah Brightman's 'I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper'. Hang on, how is this a Halloween song? It's about outer space. Is that spooky now?
Scores: 9,10,9,10 - a total of 38 for Natalie and Artem, and our first tens of the series!
Len thought it was lovely too, but it was a bit more American Smooth than Viennese Waltz. Bruno was spellbound, and there wasn't a person in the land who wasn't screaming "that was magic!". ("I wasn't", says the daughter. So hard to please.) Craig thought was fab-u-lous, and Darcey expects Natalie to deliver and wasn't disappointed.
Artem appears with a Lantern, and Natalie emerges from the dry ice dressed in a Judderman mess of grey toilet roll. It's also the first week this year I've spotted wrist hankies – hooray!
When I can see Natalie's feet through the smoke, it's lovely. It's always lovely, she's a lovely dancer and they make a lovely couple. Lovely lovely lovely.
Next up it's Natalie and Artem! This week they're dancing the Viennese Waltz to Natalie Duncan's 'Devil In Me'. I think I've worked out what it is about Natalie that leaves me a bit wanting. She's a great dancer, and has been fabulous since Week One – every week I fully expect her performance to be outstanding, and it usually is. Where's the fun and drama in that? I need JOURNEY, people.
Scores: 6,7,8,7 - a total of 28 for Sophie and Brendan. 8, Len? Really?
Was that Judy Murray in the audience? Darcey didn't like Sophie's bent knees, and there were no sharp kicks. Len thought it needed more confidence and impact - better than last week, but needs more attack. Bruno loves Sophie's style, but it needs more precision. All a bit sedate, really. Agreed.
Out they come, with Sophie dressed as Dominatrix Barbie, complete with bleeding eyeballs and red rubber dress. It's amazing, yet also all kinds of terrifying.
It's a bit of a lacklustre start, and whilst Sophie's timing is great, her kicks and flicks need more gusto. Too much jogging about as well, and not nearly enough jiving for my liking. Disappointing.
Next up it's Sophie and Brendan! Tonight they're dancing the Jive to 'Maneater' by Hall and Oates. I loved Sophie and Brendan's Charleston, can they pull off a jive? More importantly, can Brendan control his sex face on Fright Night?
Scores: 7,8,9,8 - a total of 32 for Ben and Kristina - their best score so far.
Craig admits he was slightly distracted - it was full of power and machismo, but a bit blocky. Darcey loved the attack and content, but if he's going to show off his body he needs to use his waist more. Len thought was an explosion - could have had more finesse, but it had loads of attack. Bruno loved Ben's presence and power, and then Ben goes up and manhandles him and Bruno has a meltdown.
Ben with no shirt on is frankly hypnotic, and his caping isn't bad either. He's never going to be the best dancer in the world, but he's SO much better than he was, and what he lacks in footwork he more than makes up for by being so very smoking hot. It's a ten from me.
Who's next? It's Ben and Kristina, who are dancing the Paso Doble to Muse's 'Supermassive Black Hole'. Can Ben wave a cape? Look, he's got his shirt off. Who the hell cares?
In training, Ben dresses as a really camp Dracula and tries out his angry Paso Doble face. His kids are adorable, did we mention this?
Scores: 6,7,8,7 - a total of 28 for Fiona and Anton.
Bruno thought it lacked fire and energy, it was all a bit Doris Day, and Fiona's timing was a bit shonky. Craig thought it was all a bit quiet and polite, although her swivel is fantastic. And then Bruce calls Darcey "Dave", because it says Dave on his card. Really? REALLY?
Darcey loved Fiona's character, but it was out of sync, although she's still on her way up. Len thought it could have had a bit more wow, but it was a proper Charleston well done.
Anton is dressed as a scarecrow, but it's more Wizard of Oz than the terrifying one in Jeepers Creepers. Meanwhile Fiona looks like the Cowardly Lion. This is all very confusing.
Fiona's footwork is very solid , although I'm not sure about the bit where they dance with a couple of hoes. (stop it). Lots of theatre, don't love the choreography, all a bit untidy. Did not love.
It's time for Fiona and Anton! This week they're dancing the Charleston to Al Donahue's 'Jeepers Creepers', which is a fabulous Charleston tune. I'm hoping this is going to be marvellous.
During training, Anton brings Fiona a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins to carve. Okaay then.
Scores: 8,9,9,8 - a total of 34 for Patrick and Anya. Last year's pumpkin score paddles have been replaced by really rubbish ghosts. Poor performance, BBC.
Len loved the energy, but wasn't sure about the lack of contact between Patric and Anya. Bruno thought it was a spooky riot of a Quickstep, although Patrick's frame was a bit loose in places. Craig (still in his pimped-out wheelchair) agrees it had great energy and theatricality, it was full of character. Darcey thought it was a great job. I wish I could say the same about her crimp job.
They take to the floor, with Patrick in top hat and tails, and Anya dressed as a pumpkin on the turn. This is quite an energetic Quickstep, with lots of gurning from Patrick and some nice footwork. He lacks a bit of control in his frame so it all feels a bit untidy, but a very good start.
Right, let's get on with the dancing. First up it's Patrick and Anya! Tonight they're dancing the Quickstep to 'Man With the Hex' by Atomic Fireballs. This is not a song I've ever heard of, so the Dave Arch singers could fart the Marseillaise into a megaphone and I wouldn't know the difference.
Out come the celebs, in various states of dubious fancy dress. What in the name of rotting pumpkins is Sophie wearing? *BEN COHEN BARE CHEST KLAXON*.
I need new eyeballs. These ones are broken.
Out comes Bruce and Tess, who is wearing an ill-fitting dress made of cobwebs. Ooh, Louis Smith and Lisa Riley in the audience! And Kara Tointon! And probably other Strictly contestants I don't remember!
The pros are dancing the Timewarp. It's all a bit of a shambles of feathers and crimping and cheap corsets and Bruno dancing on a podium. It also seems to be going on forever. MY EYES.
Previously, on Strictly: there was some dancing. Some of it was brilliant, some of it really wasn't. In an unexpected twist, Tess wore a nice dress. Deborah and Robin went home. I am still a bit sad about this.
This week: SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN VTS!
Are we ready? I've eaten too many fudge fingers already. Feel a bit sick.
Evening all! *Coughs* *Vincent Price Voice*And welllllcome to the Spooky Come Dancing Halloween Special Liveblog! *lengthy cackle*.
It's Fright Night on Strictly – cue tired-looking pumpkins, naff skeleton props, dubious music choices, horrible makeup, shredded dresses, rubbish attempts to make a Jive a bit scary and every spooky sound effect ever made. Hellish theme aside, last year gave us Louis and Flavia's Halloween Tango, which was one of my favourite Strictly dances ever, so you never know.
I'll be here from 6.30pm to keep an eye on every fearful Foxtrot and chilling Charleston, so grab the bowl of Trick or Treat leftovers (mostly Cadbury's Fudge bars and Drumstick lollies, in my case) and join me in the comment box. Feel free to express horror or shout "BOO!" every now and then. We are nothing if not seasonal.
See you at 6.30!


text:
@INPROCEEDINGS{Johnson07whydoesn't, author = {Mark Johnson}, title = {Why doesn't EM find good HMM POS-taggers}, booktitle = {In EMNLP}, year = {2007}, pages = {296--305}}
This paper investigates why the HMMs estimated by Expectation-Maximization (EM) produce such poor results as Part-of-Speech (POS) taggers. We find that the HMMs estimated by EM generally assign a roughly equal number of word tokens to each hidden state, while the empirical distribution of tokens to POS tags is highly skewed. This motivates a Bayesian approach using a sparse prior to bias the estimator toward such a skewed distribution. We investigate Gibbs Sampling (GS) and Variational Bayes (VB) estimators and show that VB converges faster than GS for this task and that VB significantly improves 1-to-1 tagging accuracy over EM. We also show that EM does nearly as well as VB when the number of hidden HMM states is dramatically reduced. We also point out the high variance in all of these estimators, and that they require many more iterations to approach convergence than usually thought. 1
doesn em
good hmm pos-taggers
gibbs sampling
empirical distribution
variational bayes
equal number
hidden hmm state
poor result
bayesian approach
hidden state
high variance
po tag
word token
skewed distribution
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21 Gifts That Give Back
Spread the love this holiday season with gifts that benefit charities and communities.
Photo By: Cause Box
Photo By: LSTN
Photo By: Tie the Knot
Photo By: Oliovera
Photo By: Cotopaxi
Photo By: Laughing Man
Photo By: Ichcha
Photo By: One Hope Wine
Photo By: Love Goodly
Photo By: Live Fashionable
Photo By: Unicef Market
Photo By: 4point4
Photo By: Bears for Humanity
Photo By: Out of Print
Photo By: Pura Vida
Photo By: Yoobi
Photo By: World Wildlife Fund
Photo By: Seattle Chocolate
Photo By: Animal Rescue Site
Photo By: RED
Photo By: Slum Love
For the Maker
Causebox, a subscription-based, quarterly gift box, features handmade, upcycled and socially-conscious products. The items inside each box inspire DIYs, crafts and cooking in your home while also empowering artisans around the world with meals, clean water and education. Subscriptions start at $50 per quarter.
For the Music Buff
With the new iPhone 7 losing its headphone jack, a wireless alternative will be a welcome gift this year. And the Bluetooth options from LSTN are gorgeous. We're gushing over the beautiful zebra wood featured in their headphones ($179). Even better? For every item sold, LSTN helps give hearing aids to those in need through the Starkey Hearing Foundation.
For the Dapper
Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson founded Tie The Knot with a simple mission: advocate for LGBT equality while looking good. Each quarter, Tie The Knot partners with The Tie Bar to release a series of exclusive, stylish bow ties designed by fellow stars, from Cyndi Lauper to Tim Gunn. Bow ties are $25-35 and $20 of every $25 purchase (or $30/$35) is donated to fight for LGBT civil rights around the world.
For the Foodie
Any cook will enjoy unwrapping the specialty olive oils and vinegars from Oliovera. The batches come from small, sustainable farms in California and most bottles are around $20. For every order, the company donates 11 meals to Feeding America.
For the Adventurer
The outdoor clothing and gear company Cotopaxi is on a mission to erase global poverty by donating proceeds to causes in three specific areas: health, education and livelihood. You can see where your dollars went each year in their impact report posted online. We love the unisex down jackets and durable duffel bags for $120.
For the Caffeine Addict
Laughing Man Coffee, founded by actor Hugh Jackman, is a fair trade coffee company that features ethically-sourced coffee from countries like Ethiopia and Colombia. All profits from the New York City cafe go back to the Laughing Man Foundation, which supports education and social entrepreneurs around the world. Can't make it to NYC? Keurig has partnered with the company and you can order four different single-serve varieties online.
For the Crafter
Any DIYer will appreciate the attention to detail in Ichcha's handmade quilts and tapestries. They'll also appreciate the preservation of skills almost lost forever. Ichcha was created to save the art of block printing, hand weaving and hand embroidering textiles in countries like India, where families are abandoning unique weaving styles for more lucrative trades. Ichcha empowers artisans and the result is beautiful. We love new blankets like this indigo throw or this lotus block print for $200.
For the Wine Snob
Drink for a cause? Yes, really. Each bottle from OneHope Wine benefits a different cause. Varieties of reds, whites and roses range in price from less than $20 to $80. We love the sparkling wine glitter bottles. At $59-69 each, it's a great splurge to ring in the new year. The gold and silver bottles benefit child hunger, the pink glitter benefits breast cancer research, the red bottle benefits heart disease research, and the rainbow glitter funds The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention hotline for LGBT youth.
For the Beauty Queen
Subscription box Love Goodly features natural products for a toxin-free beauty routine. Five percent of the proceeds from each box go back to causes like Cure Cervical Cancer. For a one-time gift, Glow for a Cause has a new makeup bag featuring samples of all of their body butters. Five percent of each purchase gives back to non-profits like Cowgirls vs. Cancer.
For the Fashionista
The trendy accessories at Live FashionABLE range from gorgeous leather totes ($178) to dainty stacking rings starting at $15. Every item is hand-crafted by women and creates jobs for women overcoming addiction and homelessness.
For the Traveler
Even the most on-the-go travelers need a couple of home decor pieces. Check out the Unicef Market and shop more than 8,000 handmade items around the world, from knickknacks to linens. All items give back to global artisans and you can see which countries benefit from each item.
For the Sports Fan
Play for a cause this holiday season. Athletic outfitter 4Point4 partnered with non-profit streetfootballworld to give back to youth soccer teams and the result is a line of (seriously cool) designer graphic jerseys. Every purchase benefits soccer groups around the world, from India's Shakti Girls Project to Amandla FC in South Africa.
For the Little Ones
With every purchase from Bears for Humanity, a teddy bear is donated to a child in need. Choose from soft, organic cotton bears or lovable animal pals like a turtle or puppy. Prices vary from $25-45.
For Kids
Out of Print has a line of adorable T-shirts featuring beloved children's book titles. Sizes range from two to 10 years and most styles are $20 or less. Every purchase helps fund literacy programs and book donations for communities in need.
For Teens
Pura Vida's popular beachy bracelets are already ethically-sourced, provide fair wages for artisans in Costa Rica and give to 1 percent for the planet, meaning the company donates one percent of its annual net revenue to environmental organizations worldwide. But the company goes a step further with a line of bracelets that benefit specific charities. Each bracelet ($5) or stack ($30-$40) features colors that represent a specific cause, from Save the Sea Turtles to U.S. military branches.
For the Teacher
If you haven't heard of Yoobi, the company makes school supplies in a series of bright, fun colors. And for every item you buy, Yoobi donates an item to a classroom in need in the U.S. They recently rolled out a series of products just for teachers. The hall passes and stickers make a great gift for less than $10.
For the Animal Lover
The World Wildlife Fund has giving options to make a donation in someone's name or make a donation and select a thank-you gift. Each donation helps protect threaten species and their habitats. We love these colorful beach towels at $55.
For the Chocoholic
Seattle Chocolates' motto reads "All you need is love and chocolate," which is also a great motto for the holiday season. For every Jcoco bar purchased, a meal is donated to a food bank. With couture flavors like, Bali Sea Salt Toffee and Veracruz Cayenne Orange, stock up on these for hostess gifts and stocking stuffers.
For Pets
Don't forget your furry friends this holiday season. Animal Rescue Site has adorable clothing and accessories for cats, dogs and pet owners. Proceeds from every purchase provide food and care for rescued animals and you can see exactly how much your purchase funds. This hooded rain coat (around $20) funds 14 bowls of food.
For the Tech-Obsessed
Buying gadgets for people who love gadgets can be tough. Chances are they already have the new, hit product on the market. But any tech-obsessed person will always appreciate extra juice. (RED) recently partnered with Mophie to create exclusive, red-colored phone and tablet chargers and five percent of the net profit will go to The Global Fund to end AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. We love the travel-sized Powerstation Reserve Keychain at about $35.
For People Who Hate Winter
There's always someone on your list who gets a little too excited about fuzzy slipper-socks. Why not bundle them up with a sweater that gives back? Slumlove sweaters and scarves are ethically sourced and produced in Kenya and give scholarships to children living in some of the world's largest slums.


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Hotel Ivoram Praia
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TripAdvisor Reviews Hotel Ivoram Praia Florianopolis
Travel Blogs from Florianopolis
October 6
... of the accelerator and sharp braking only contributed further. I was happy to get off and go straight to the first burger bar in site so that I can shake the hangover off. Screw the diet, il go home happy and fat! We dined at a Brazilian fast food chain called "Bobs burgers". I have no idea what Brazilian would go by the name of Bob but whoever he is, he makes a good burger. With our stomachs now satisfied and ...
Change of Plan
... has granted George his artistic license in the Kitchen. He seemed to disappear for an hour and a half or so before producing what can only be described as a giant wok of delicacy. Egg fried rice and chicken complimented by a soy sauce tang would not have been on my menu that's for sure. We've heard good things about Floríanopolis so we plan on setting up camp here until the weekend depending on the ranch in Uruguay before making our way to the great ...
Whale watching and sunburn
... of beer, the true way to do it!
The next day we beachcombed, found puffer fish washed up and mermaids purses then we actually saw whales from the hostel. Apparantly they are Right whales that come up from Antactica for the summer. We watched them for ages, they were jumping right up out of the water. We went back to the beach to get a closer look and were only about 400m away from them on the shore line, truly incredible!
Onto the falls ...
... bright blue lagoon with small colourful fishing boats. The meal was of deep fried fish and shrimp and calamari and rice with kidney beans and fries. My ability to taste was still messes up. That night we went to a cave with sand dunes in the background for some Brazilian dancing unfortunately i pulled my calf before working out, so i didn't dance well, but it was a really nice time.
5) we had a meal with Jamie, and left on our journey to Paraty. ...
Trapped Indoors
... and it was still freezing cold. When you are in a beach town and if the weather is bad, you really don't have too many choices. Apart from our blog writing we had nothing else to do and so we wrote hoping that the weather would clear up on the fourth day.
After breakfast we arrived to the beach and it was very quiet. There was ************e on the beach. We assumed that people finally had decided to go back to work and we were excited that we had a ...


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People walk in and out of your life for a reason, but you never know what that reason is until your story is over.
My plate was full; some would even say it was overflowing.
I'm a fulltime college student with a fulltime job as a receptionist at the Animal Shelter in my county. Receptionist is really an umbrella term for: abandoned animal rescue, housekeeper, paperwork artist, kennel cleaner, volunteer recruiter and occasionally pizza procurer. We were so backed up and low on volunteers that I was getting calls a few nights a week about things like rogue raccoons and huge wayward tortoises. Luckily I had my rabies shots and a good sense of adventure.
I was a good sport about my never-ceasing workload because I had no other choice. Staying busy kept my mind from wandering to worse times for me, and kept me out of the tiny apartment I lived in alone. Idle hands just weren't my thing.
The crack in my steady life formed the morning after a huge storm. Along with the few volunteers Wayley Animal Shelter had, I was up all night recovering the cats from the house of what the people in Wayley referred to as the Elk Road Cat Lady. Her real name was Mrs. Warner, and she had somehow managed to stuff over 70 cats in her tiny home.
The storm had been a borderline tornado and old Mrs. Warner suffered a massive stroke in the middle of it. She had managed to push her emergency assistance button to dispatch the paramedics to her house, and they in turned called to notify us of the deplorable conditions of her home. Oh, and the abundance of agitated felines on the premises.
It was like a nightmare come true. Cat fur, urine and feces literally covered the walls and the smell was enough to bring a grown man to his knees. It took all night, all our volunteers and our hired hands to clear the house and cage the mini beasts.
I hadn't slept or eaten or even showered. I sent everyone but the kennel guard, Kevin, home and got to work finishing the paperwork on the incident. My mind was drifting towards a hot shower and a full days sleep when Kevin poked his head into my small office.
"Hey, Nani, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Yeah sure, make it speedy though I'd like for us to get out of here before 9," I said gesturing him into my office.
"I know you've been working extra hard trying to recruit volunteers so I thought I'd help you out."
"How sweet, Kev." I signed one stack of paperwork and began another. "Guy or girl? I sure hope their availability isn't absolute shit like the ones I've been finding. I don't think people understand that Wayley is the capital of wayward animals."
"He's a buddy of mine. Before you ask any questions I've gotta tell you he's in a spot of trouble. He got court mandated community service, but I've known him since we were kids he's a real stand up guy."
I signed the last of the papers and stuck them in the outgoing folder. "We've had court cases in here before, Kevin; I don't even care at this point. If we have another shorthanded night like last I'll go crazy. Is he here?"
Kevin beamed at me and opened the office door. "You're great, Nani, thank you. Get in here, dude."
I was zipping up my messenger bag and glanced at the doorway to see the last person I wanted to see walk in. "No way," I said, pointing in the direction he had just come from. "No way in hell. Get out of my office."


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Nixon Rubber Player Watch - $97.95
If youre gonna knock boots, youre gonna need a good rubber. Grab the Nixon Rubber Player Watch and ensure youre on time for your hookup with the shorty down the way. Nixon gave this crunked-out timepiece a stainless steel w/ co-molded polycarbonate and silicone casing to keep it looking fresher than a private Wu Tang/Lil Wayne show on Scott Storch's yacht. The frosty diamond accent on the face lets the ladies know youre a pimp that makes it rain, and the custom-injected silicone strap wont blink an eye when you have to go Chris Brown on a hater. - $97.95


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MGCP and timeslots range redefenition
Call Manager version is 4.2(3).
I'm configuring 2821 with PVDM2-16 and VIC2-2FXS cards to support ISDN PRI over MGCP with Backhauling.
Due to DSP quantity limitation the only timeslots I can use for PRI is 14. And it works.
After all the configurations in CM and on GW are completed by saying "sh isdn service" I see
the first fourteen TS are in IDLE state. And, as you can see, that is the things I need. All is fine !
The problem occurs after restart of CM in 'Servicability | Control Center | Call Manager process'.
The subject is Call Manager, as MGCP Call Agent, upload onto the gateway (after CM restart) the range of
1-28 timeslots. If literally, I got
contr X/Y/Z
pri-group timeslots 1-28 service mgcp
instead of
contr X/Y/Z
pri-group timeslots 1-14,16 service mgcp
How this should be fixed ?
I mean how to exclude dependency of the MGCP gateway from manual CM restarts iterations ?
Or might it be possible to firmly specify timeslots range in the Call Manager configuration ? I haven't found it.


text: Go Mobile! Page ContentLee County's Free Mobile Apps & Mobile Websites Lee County's website was designed to automatically conform to the screen size of any mobile device. We also have some apps and websites designed specifically for mobile devices. Click on the links below from your mobile device. mobile appsCalusa Blueway Paddling Trail iTunes (Apple) Google Play (Android) LeeAlert Disaster Preparedness iTunes (Apple) Google Play (Android) Lee County Waterways iTunes (Apple) Google Play (Android) Southwest Florida Reading Festival iTunes (Apple) Google Play (Android) mobile websites LeeTran's Fort Myers Beach Trolley "Nextbus" LeeWay Mobile Customer Account Management The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Lee County Economic Development Quick Links More ›› No