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Is It Ever Appropriate to Give a Pet as a Gift?
The holidays are right around the corner, and my niece wants a dog. She's been asking for years. I feel for her and hope she gets one at some point, but I do my best to stay out of the "should we — shouldn't we" discussions within her immediate family. Adding a pet to the home is such a huge decision, I don't want to feel that I'm influencing the family dynamics in any way. And I'd certainly never give her a dog as a gift. This got me to thinking though, is it ever appropriate to give a pet as a gift?
In my opinion, the answer is "no."
Pets certainly should never be given as a surprise gift. It's bordering on hubris to think that one person could know with certainty that another person a) wants a pet, b) wants one right now, and c) wants that particular individual you've picked for them with regards to species, breed, age, and other traits. If you are certain about all of those things, you must have been party to some in-depth discussions, and we're no longer talking about a surprise gift at all.
Which brings us to the second scenario. A family has decided to get a pet. Should one show up under the Christmas tree or Menorah with a bow attached? Again, "no." Putting a pet on par with the latest and greatest toy, sweater, gadget, etc. lessens the importance of the endeavor you are about to embark on. Pets are not toys; they are commitments that can last for decades.
Add to this the fact that the holidays are probably the worst possible time to bring a new pet into the home. The distractions of other gifts, visitors, and events will only take away from the significant amount of time and attention you really should be giving to settling the pet into its new home.
Now that I've vented all of my bah-humbugedness on this topic, let me tell you what I do think is appropriate. If a family is ready and willing to make the commitment to a specific type of pet, I've got no problem with all of the accoutrements of animal ownership showing up under the tree with a promise of a pet to come when things settle down a bit.
If my niece's parents do decide that they are ready for a dog, I would love to be there on Christmas morning when she opens up her first gift and finds a leash, collar, bed, crate, bowls, and chew toys inside. She would be ecstatic and would surely understand why it is best for all involved if the dog actually arrived a few days later.
Dr. Jennifer Coates
Image: Gorilla / via Shutterstock


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Discussion in 'Pistons and NBA' started by roscoe36, Jun 1, 2013.
I like the way he meshes with Drummond. Bring him back.
He is a good-character guy to have as your 12th/13th player on the roster.
As long as the contract doesn't run over more than 2 years, I would love to have him back.
3 years 10.5 Million. He can play at a high level for at least 2 more seasons (if healthy) and in the last season he's a good emergency PG.
He was an absolute bargain on his last deal. I'd be fine with KGreg's suggested deal. He's got heart.
he gets on my nerves for some reason. I can just barely hack him. Even when he is hooking up with Drummond, I think he's just ok. I groan every time I see him ready to check in.
I would bring him back. He showed heart when the entire squad was on the verge of giving up. Plus, he gives the team an identity and his role is similar to what Lindsey Hunter's role used to be.
He's an old school Piston at heart.......
Depends who we draft. If we end up with Burke, McCollum or MCW then I'd rather play them as backup PG. If not, I'd have him back.
Top three Piston as far as entertainment value. I love the guy. He has a ton of heart. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
I changed my mind a bit. The contract can sure be longer than 2 years - it all depends on how much he gets per season.
Hate him
Always good to have him in your back pocket. (ala Nate Robinson). Keep 'em on board, but hopefully the new coach uses him when needed and not a for a 4th quarter savior.
I have a lot of confidence in Bynum when he has Drummond around. Those 2 are electric.
When it's all said and done....Will is one of the best BACKUP pg's in the NBA, I think he's 2nd to Jarrett Jack. Just think if we would have had Will during our Championship run, that team definitely would have won at least 1 more title.
Bynum won plenty of games for the Pistons before Drummond was even out of HS. When he is off and turning the ball over it is because he is trying to make plays. The Pistons need that. If they draft another point Bynum is useful as a 3rd string because he'll be ready to play when called upon.
Truthfully we better hope we can actually keep Will this summer. I bet Indiana would love to have him as their backup pg as opposed to DJ Augustine.
I love this guy as a basketball player, as a person and every way, bring him back.
Being both 100% serious and sad, Will should probably be the Pistons captain if he's back.
Separate names with a comma.

subset: commoncrawl


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Linksys: All about the E-series
We're kicking off November with an overview of the Linksys E-Series family of wireless home routers. Introduced in March earlier this year, the E-series routers are geared towards our tech experts and enthusiasts who want to take their home networking experience to the next level. The lineup includes the E1000 Wireless-N router, the E2000 Advanced Wireless-N router, the E2100L Advanced Wireless-N router with Linux OS, and the high-powered, dual-band E3000. All routers feature Cisco Connect software, empowering our users to know what's happening on their networks at all times.
This streamlined product lineup sets a new precedent for simplicity, power, and performance, and makes it easy for consumers to find the right technology to fit their needs. The line also includes the Linksys AE1000, a USB adapter that provides Wireless-N technology to your PC and also maintains its own security suite with customizable settings. We'll be posting further info and specifics on each router in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned to find which best fits your needsTags:
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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The Smurfs is back, joining Scooby-Doo, Speed Racer and countless other cartoons in the grand, majestic pantheon of "movies people didn't really expect to enjoy but paid to see anyway because it was easier than trying to care about anything invented after they grew body hair."
With G.I. Joe and The Transformers already bagged, tagged and mounted, the list of un-remixed kiddy fare is shrinking rapidly, and I can already hear thousands of Hollywood movers and their associated shakers reaching for their long-handled barrel-scrapers.
What follows is a list of leftover properties that are likely — nay, destined — to grace one or more screens in the near future. I wish I could stop them, but I'm just one man, and a pretty apathetic man at that. All I can do is warn you in the hopes that, after these exercises in flogging a dead Saturday morning have come and gone, a few hardy and prepared folks will remain to rebuild our civilization.
Rubik the Amazing Cube
Original plot: Three children thwart an evil magician and assorted bog-standard baddies with the help of a sentient plastic cube that can do magic once it's solved because that makes sense somehow.
New plot: Robin Williams provides the voice of the titular polyhedron, rendered in loving and extremely creepy CGI. Three young thespians who are as adorable as they are marginally competent at acting use Rubik to stop an evil magician (Kenneth Branagh), save a skate park from being demolished, get their parents back together and, oh, let's say win a dance contest.
Inevitable sequel: Rubik²: Trafalgar Squared!
Original plot: MC Hammer disguises himself as MC Hammer to fight crime with magic shoes that can save innocent bystanders, but apparently not rap careers. Featured extremely low-framerate animation, with later episodes consisting of six drawings displayed continuously in random order.
New plot: MC Hammer plays himself — like he has something better to do — in a new adventure in which he must stop an international team of superspies bent on downloading music illegally. Returning from retirement to once again don the parachute pants of justice, Hammer, in spite of desperate pleading from onlookers, hurts 'em.
Inevitable sequel: Hammerman vs. Humpty Hump
Rude Dog and the Dweebs
Original plot: For some reason, a sportswear mascot who resembles a beer mascot gets his own TV show.
New plot: For some reason, a short-lived TV cartoon from 1989 gets its own movie.
Inevitable sequel: Ruder Dog and the Even Dweebiers
The Snorks
Original plot: An underwater version of the Smurfs — only with more girls, more colors and less marketing muscle — live, laugh, love and learn important lessons about following the rules and saying "no" to drugs.
New plot: Really disturbing little CGI creatures make poop jokes, spout thinly veiled obscenities and learn important lessons about inking three-picture deals.
Inevitable sequel: The Sn2rks
Original plot: A gang of poorly animated teenagers with no clear source of income travel around the country righting wrongs and having adventures. One of the poorly animated teenagers is, without realizing it, a poorly animated werewolf.
New plot: Same deal, only the teenagers are live-action, and the werewolf is now poorly rendered instead of poorly animated.
Inevitable sequel: F2: Rise of the Revenge
Thundarr the Barbarian
Original plot: In a hellish, post-apocalyptic, kid-friendly dystopia, only Thundarr the Barbarian (played by Nic Cage), Ariel the Princess (Scarlett Johansson) and Ookla the Mok (Andy Serkis) dare to save the world with their power to rip off upward of a dozen different literary properties without actually, technically, infringing copyright.
New plot: Some incoherent thing about mystic demons, sexual assault and lovingly rendered gouts of blood. Hey, Frank Miller has bills to pay.
Inevitable sequel: Thundarr the Barbarian: Ooklacolpyse
Gilligan's Planet
Original plot: Like Gilligan's Island, but in space.
New plot: Like Gilligan's Planet, but in crappy 3-D.
Inevitable sequel: Gilligan Begins
H.E.L.P: Dr. Henry's Emergency Lessons for People
Original plot: Not so much a TV show as a series of public service announcements designed to help children learn to deal with medical emergencies, because you really want an 8-year-old trying to remember what he saw between commercials for Trix and Kix while you're lying there thinking, "Oh, so that's why they call it a 'sucking chest wound.'"
New plot: Matthew Broderick plays the titular M.D., investigating an evil corporation bent on doing something vaguely malevolent with barrels of a toxic chemical that gives off a mist remarkably similar to dry ice. As a nod to fans of the original series, at one point he explains how to tie off an amputated limb with a leather belt.
Inevitable sequel: H.E.L.V: Dr. Henry's Emergency Lessons for Vampires
Challenge of the GoBots
Original plot: A band of good robots that transform into vehicles fight a band of evil robots that transform into vehicles, protecting the Earth while explaining that they hit store shelves in the United States five months before the Transformers, so who's the real copycat, huh?
New plot: For the first time, obsessive geeks are pleased to have their childhood memories savaged for a quick buck, because seriously they weren't that great memories in the first place.
Inevitable sequel: GoBots 2: Dawn of the Direct-to-Video Release
Got your own ideas for beloved cartoons ready to be ruthlessly shoved into Hollywood's meat grinder? Let us know in the comments below.


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Our mission: To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.
NSSF Survey: 21 Findings About
Users Are Passionate about their AR-style Firearms
NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Owners of modern sporting rifles (MSR)--those rifles based on the AR platform--are among the most passionate gun owners.
Most shoot their rifles often and wish they had time to shoot them even more. Most use them for target shooting. Most own multiple modern sporting rifles. Most enjoy accessorizing them.
Given these and other insights into ownership, it's no wonder MSRs were among the hottest sellers during the firearms sales boom from late 2008 through early 2010.
With so many MSRs purchased during that period, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, wanted to learn more about owners' use and attitudes related to these firearms. A survey conducted in 2010 on behalf of NSSF by Sports Marketing Surveys has been compiled into the NSSF Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) Comprehensive Consumer Report. The complete survey and a description of the methodology used are available at www.nssf.org/MSR/facts.cfm.
"The findings give NSSF a baseline for future research into the ownership and use of these popular sporting firearms," said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of industry research and analysis. "Our goal was to learn more about this category, and we certainly did."
Included in the survey findings are these 21 fascinating facts about owners of modern sporting rifles who responded to the survey:
NSSF has led the way in educating sportsmen and the public about modern sporting rifles. These AR-style rifles are sometimes incorrectly referred to as assault rifles or assault weapons. They are not. (The AR stands for ArmaLite, the company that developed the rifle in the 1950s.) The rifles do resemble military firearms such as the M4, but the similarities are cosmetic only. The AR-style rifle functions like other semi-automatic sporting firearms, firing one round with each pull of the trigger. Since the 19th century, civilian sporting rifles have evolved from their military predecessors, and the modern sporting rifle follows that tradition. Gun owners who want to be accurately informed on the subject can learn more at www.nssf.org/msr.
About NSSF
NSSF is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011. Learn about the Foundation's history at www.nssf.org/50.


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I have planted thousands of trees in the 25 years I have lived on Avalon, providing a sanctuary for wildlife and people to enjoy. Old logs were brought onto Avalon to create hidey holes and nesting places. Bladey grass stands are left and old logs and branches are stacked in piles for bandicoots and small animals to nest and hide in. In the 30 years I have lived here, no toxins or poisons have been used, completely keeping the farm organic. I have planted many flowering and food trees for birdlife, which balance bugs and insect problems. The lakes and dams are catchment areas for the habitat of the eastern water dragon which run across the top of the water before jumping in and then just their head appearing to have a look around. My aim is to encourage the animals to stay on this property rather than venture onto the main road. The excitement I feel each year when two or three new species of birds are attracted to Avalon, is a wonderful thrill. Echidnas, kangaroos and bandicoots are happy to wander in front of the cottages enabling city adults and children the chance of witnessing wildlife at its best.
Thousands of Rainbow Bee Eaters visit Avalon on their migratory flight to and from the northern tropical islands of New Guinea and Solomon islands every year. White Egrets eat the ticks off the cattle, willy wagtails eat spiders and insects and butterflies are frequent visitors to the retreat and sanctuary. Kangaroo families are permanent residents on the property. We have made it a rule that there is no hand feeding, as this makes wildlife easy prey to dogs and feral animals. On my arrival, there was no life whatsoever on the 30 acres, when I recall visiting my neighbours and seeing the birds flying up to my fence line and then flying away in the opposite direction, The idea of the property is to give people the opportunity to see that it certainly doesn't take that long to transform something barren into a beautiful and vibrant piece of land for all to enjoy.
The name Avalon to me means island, which is how I felt when I first arrived. I always bought extra trees so that when the local farmers dropped in to say g'day and asked me what I was doing, rather than tell them they should plant trees I told them that I was planting windbreaks, and would they like a few trees to plant as I have some extra. This encouraged many people in this valley and surrounding areas to plant windbreaks thus helping to slow the damage by winds and providing shade for their cattle and a wildlife habitat. I hope that this will help transform people's ideas about looking after the planet, as we are all responsible and it is only a small space of time that is the difference between a desert and the Garden of Eden. I still enjoy seeing the excitement on people's faces when they witness magpies feeding their young with no fear and not attacking because of the happy, natural environment that they, as well as we, entertain.
Many of the trees I have planted are now majestic homes, testament to my soul and the spirit of Australia which I love with a passion. I hope my story will inspire everyone to never give up on their dreams and love, care and fight for this country and planet that is our home as one people.


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Transfer students have a choice to do a group or individual enrollment session.
Once transfer students have been accepted to SWOSU they may contact the Admissions and Recruitment Office, at 580.774.3782 or email@example.com, for assistance with departmental advisement and enrollment. Transfer students will meet individually with an academic advisor to enroll in classes.
The Admissions and Recruitment Office also schedules campus and residence hall tours on the day students visit SWOSU for academic advisement.
Transfer students are welcome to attend a New Student Orientation (NSO) session to enroll at the same time as a group of incoming freshmen. Students may complete the online registration form or call the NSO office 580.774.3233) to sign up for a New Student Orientation session.
After signing up for orientation, additional information will be sent via email.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Open House (visit with departments, turn in paper work)
Offices available include:


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Koala Snuggles Flat Britt Bear Multiple Colours
Approximate weight including packaging 0.25kg
Made with love in Sydney!
A beautiful and soft Koala, the perfect Australian Made gift. Very well loved and one of the few Australian Made Koala bears.
Made from super soft fabric featuring simple hand-stitched eyes and nose.
Britt flat bears are the perfect first comforter and encompass a special magical appeal that babies love and treasure for years.
Each Koala Britt bear is packaged in an elegant white box, tied up with britt ribbon.
The Koala is 24 cm tall.


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Sep 21, 2012 - By Katie Roenigk, Staff WriterInstructors gather every Wednesday morning for shorter sessions in smaller groups, or "professional learning communities."
School officials say Riverton teachers will be more invested in implementation of the state's new core standards this year because of a change in format for their regular in-service days.
Administrators usually schedule time in every school semester for collaboration and discussion of student progress, but this year instead of reserving several separate days for the meetings, officials have asked instructors to gather every Wednesday morning for shorter sessions in smaller groups, or "professional learning communities."
Students will start school at 8:45 a.m. every Wednesday this year, with activities and tutoring available for students wishing to arrive at the normal time. Fremont County School District 25 Superintendent Terry Snyder said the students will not lose any class time for the year due to the PLCs.
Productive PLCs
Riverton High School principal JoAnne Flanagan has headed organization of the PLC schedule, and she said the format has been "really productive."
During the most recent PLC time, Flanagan said teachers were able to break into core groups so they could focus on individual subjects.
"In a typical school day it's hard to find time for teacher collaboration -- all of the math teachers have different planning periods," Flanagan said. "Now they can talk about, 'My kids bombed this test but yours aced it, what did you do differently?'"
Fremont County School District 25 assistant superintendent Kim McKinnon said the PLCs also allow teachers to define more clearly their goals for the year.
"This is different from what we've done for a lot of years," McKinnon said during Tuesday's Board of Trustees meeting. "For the past 10-20 years, we've adopted programs and taught teachers how to implement it. This backs up one step and says before we do that, what are we all about? How do we define the standards (and) how do they play out in instruction and learning for kids? ... This is exciting to watch play out. It's very engaged time."
After they define what they want students to learn in each subject and grade level, Flanagan said teachers will move on to discussions about measurement of student progress. From there, they will talk about ways they can work with students who aren't achieving the state's core standards of learning.
"This is exciting to watch play out," McKinnon said. "I appreciate the quality of the work."
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We gave it a B+
The plot will seem either foolproof or tired, depending on your mood: A country boy (Makuvachuma) uses pluck and good fortune to woo a remote Venus (Nene) away from her gangster boyfriend. Luckily, this English-language comedy from Zimbabwe has three things going for it: a playfully slapstick sense of magic realism, a leading lady of astonishing grace and beauty, and a non-stop soundtrack of propulsive jit jive (the African pop music that carries a rootsy C&W feel). As with classic Hollywood musicals, the story almost needs to be silly when the tunes are this terrific. B+


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Hi you have probably heard this one before but does anybody know a trustworthy engine mapper in the West Yorkshire area. I would like to improve mileage and power but am reluctant to go to just anybody! I would really appreciate any good recommendations
PS mine is a 231bhp mSport on a 56 plate


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John David Kent is Coming to Electric Cowboy [VIDEO]
I've said it a hundred times and I stand by it, John David Kent and the Dumb Angels are one of the best new bands in the Texas Music scene and you've got another chance to see them tonight.
The guys have enjoyed Texas radio success with songs like "My Girl" and "Back to the Country." Their latest single "Runaway" has just begun it's run up the Texas charts, be listening for it Saturday nights on Radio Texas, LIVE!
Whether you've seen them before or this'll be your first time, this is a concert you don't want to miss. We'll have your chance to get on our guest list all day today on the Radio Texas, LIVE! facebook page or you can click here and secure your tickets now. If you're over 21 it's only five bucks, so no excuses.
John's RTX visits have become the stuff of lore, click here to hear his most recent visit. Then, to hold you over till Wedensday check out the "My Girl" video.


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2 Recommendations
sandydr's recommendation
Since I heard about this I don't want to touch anybodies (dirty) mouse again. Why didn't they think about this before?
uhlaa's recommendation
With a water-resistant design, the washable mouse can endure spills and you can hand-wash it right under a running faucet. Dirt, food, liquids, germs, bacteria--all wash right off with some soap and water.


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September 26, 2011 By Robert Bell
It is a sign of things to come. According to a June 2011 study from the McKinsey Global Institute, the "jobless recovery" may be America's new reality. From the end of the last World War through the 1980s, it took an average of 6 months for employment to recover from recession. But after the 1990-91 downturn, it took 15 months. After the "dotcom recession" of 2001, it took 39 months. If recent trends continue, it could take 60 months -- five years -- for employment to recover from the 2008-10 recession.
Other industrialized nations experience the same pressures. But because they tend to protect employment more, things play out differently. In Europe and Japan, high unemployment is concentrated among the young, whose entry into the job market can be delayed for years, and among temporary workers, who make up an increasing percentage of the workforce.
What's going on? Blame is on the changes wrought by information and communications technology (ICT). Another McKinsey Global Institute study, on the Web's economic impact, claims that the Internet was responsible for destroying 500,000 jobs in France over the past 15 years while creating 1.2 million new jobs. That's a good deal for the economy as a whole. But here's the thing: the people who worked in those half-million former jobs are not necessarily working today in one of those million-plus new jobs. They may not have had the skills. They may not have wanted to relocate. They may have been seen, and seen themselves, as too old.
ICT has created a global marketplace and is helping us do everything faster, cheaper and better. But the changes it creates, both positive and negative, are coming so fast that we struggle to keep up. The McKinsey study of employment estimates that, by 2020, the US will be short 1.5 million university graduates that it needs to fill high-skilled positions. Nearly 6 million Americans without a secondary school diploma, however, will be jobless. Already today, sixty-four percent of companies interviewed by McKinsey had positions open for which they could not find qualified candidates.
And it is not just in the industrialized world. China faces talent shortages, according to executives interviewed by a March 2011 survey. Over three-quarters expect to increase hiring this year but the same percentage expected it to be hard to recruit top talent, citing a skills shortage in new graduates. India is in the same boat, despite graduating hundreds of thousands of engineers each year.
So here's a question: what can you do about it at the level where it counts, the level of the community where you live and work?
The single most important thing, from our study of Intelligent Communities, is to get your academic community deeply involved with local businesses and institutions. Whether they are universities, community and technical colleges or secondary schools, they are the local talent factories. They can only prepare students for the future if they understand that future on a gut level. And the information they need resides inside the employers of your community.
It is not easy to bring these players to the same table and foster real and deep collaboration. But the payoff can be extreme. In Arlington County, Virginia, they have identified the "government-industry-university innovation triangle" as essential to their economy, but also engage secondary school students in structured and intensive internships with local organizations to immerse them in local job opportunities. In Eindhoven, Netherlands, they call it the "triple helix" and have set themselves to create and maintain the world's most talented workforce in the specific fields their industries require. In Suwon, South Korea, government has driven the formation of dozens of research institutes that unite business and universities to accelerate innovation. In the process, they vacuum up talented students while enriching the curricula of the universities.
If your local educational institutions are not sitting at the economic development table, it is worth a lot of effort to get them there. We have big, global economic challenges right now, and can only hope that our national leaders are equal to them. But today, in your community, you and your fellow citizens can do something to begin taking the "jobless" out of recovery
Go to et3.com and et3.net for a way to generate multitudinous jobs. The future is a new leap in transportation technology.
I think it's a little simplistic to "blame the Internet." For those countries with established unions, why not spread a little of the blame to them (the unions, that is)? For those who are "semi-skilled", unions can only protect them (their jobs) for so long. When their job goes bye-bye, the now unemployed union worker wants to maintain their standard of living, but doesn't have the skills to find a comparable job, let alone adapt to a new job or career. In general, all people need to practice deferred-gratification and develop a longer-term perspective. Bury all the advertising/marketing garbage - there's just no need to keep up with the Jonese.
About the Intelligent Community Forum
The Intelligent Community Forum is a think tank that studies the economic and social development of the 21st Century community. Whether in industrialized or developing nations, communities are challenged to create prosperity, stability and cultural meaning in a world where jobs, investment and knowledge increasingly depend on advances in communications. For the 21st Century community, connectivity is a double-edge sword: threatening established ways of life on the one hand, and offering powerful new tools to build prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economies on the other. ICF seeks to share the best practices of the world's Intelligent Communities in adapting to the demands of the Broadband Economy, in order to help communities everywhere find sustainable renewal and growth. More information can be found at www.intelligentcommunity.org.
Robert Bell
Robert Bell is co-founder of the Intelligent Community Forum, where he heads its research and content development activities. He is the author of ICF's pioneering study, Benchmarking the Intelligent Community, the annual Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year white papers and other research reports issued by the Forum, and of Broadband Economies: Creating the Community of the 21st Century. Mr. Bell has also authored articles in The Municipal Journal of Telecommunications Policy, IEDC Journal, Telecommunications, Asia-Pacific Satellite and Asian Communications; and has appeared in segments of ABC World News and The Discovery Channel. A frequent keynote speaker and moderator at municipal and telecom industry events, he has also led economic development missions and study tours to cities in Asia and the US.
John Jung
ICF co-founder John G. Jung originated the Intelligent Community concept and continues to serve as the Forum's leading visionary. Formerly President and CEO of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance and Calgary Economic Development Authority, he is a registered professional urban planner, urban designer and economic developer. He leads regular international business missions to US, European, Asian, Indian and Australian cities, and originated the ICF Immersion Lab program. John is a regular speaker at universities and conferences and serves as an advisor to regional and national leaders on Intelligent Community development. The author of numerous articles in planning and economic development journals, he has received global and Toronto-based awards for his work in collaboration and strategic development and sits on numerous task forces and international advisory boards.
Louis Zacharilla
ICF co-founder Louis Zacharilla is the creator and presenter of the annual Smart21, Top Seven and Intelligent Community Awards and oversees ICF's media communications and development programs. He is a frequent keynote and motivational speaker and panelist, addressing audiences of tech, academic and community leaders around the world, and writes extensively for publications including American City & County, Continental Airline's in-flight magazine and Municipal World. His frequent appearances in the electronic media have included both television and radio in South Korea, China and Canada. He has served as an adjunct professor at Fordham University in New York and is a Guest Lecturer at Polytechnic University's Distinguished Speaker Series. He holds a Masters Degree from the University of Notre Dame.


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The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
Have you ever diagramed the process of shucking corn? What about envisioning the sounds of a train as a sandwich? Or mapping the concentration of litter in Chicago? When T.S. Spivet looks at the world, he sees innumerable things to diagram, chart and basically dissect. In his debut novel, The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, Reif Larsen tells the story of 12-year-old genius cartographer T.S. as he embarks on a journey across the country on his own from his small town in Montana to D.C.
It all starts when a teacher sends one of T.S.' scientific illustrations to the Smithsonian under the guise that he's an adult. The famous institute calls T.S. to inform him that he has won a prestigious award and is asked to visit D.C. to accept his award in person. After some deliberation, he decides to make the journey—without telling his family where he's going. Leaving behind his scientist mother, stoic farmer/cowboy father and bored 15-year-old sister, T.S. embarks on a trip across the country, hopping a train that takes him across the country.
He is alone with his own thoughts on the train, though he does begin imagining conversations with Valero, the RV he takes refuge in on one of the train cars. While T.S. fixates on his hunger—going so far as to draw a diagram for why McDonald's is so delicious, and the aforementioned "freight train as sound sandwich" chart—he also reveals small glimmers of deep thoughts in his footnotes.
The book has the physical shape of a cumbersome square, but this is to accommodate the footnotes T.S. includes with his diagrams, and further explanations of the more narrative text. The reader learns early on not to ignore or skip over any of these small additions—they prove to be some of the most insightful comments in the book. In one footnote, about halfway through his journey, T.S. writes: "I was hooked on both believing and not believing. Maybe I was becoming an adult."
In another lengthier footnote, the reader learns the story behind T.S.' brother Layton's death. There are allusions to Layton's death from an accidental gunshot wound, and from the beginning, it's known that it was caused by a bullet to the head and was in incident that happened while T.S. was measuring the soundwaves of gunshots. T.S.' guilt over the accident proves to be a driving force for his trip.
Like it would be for an adult traveling alone, the trip for T.S. is a way for him to work through his deepest feelings—those that are normally pushed aside, not to be considered. From confronting his emotions about his brother's untimely death, to discovering something about his mother, the journey forces T.S. to come to terms with certain things in his life. And though the 12-year-old has a maturity about him that is observed in people with such intelligence, in the end, he's still 12 years old.
Successfully running away from home, hitching a train ride across the country, trading blows with a crazy person, discovering a secret society, coming to terms with his brother's untimely death and learning some family secrets—from beginning to end, Larsen takes the reader on quite the adventure with T.S. As a testimonial from Stephen King states on the back cover, the book "combines Mark Twain, Thomas Pynchon and Little Miss Sunshine."
Throughout this story, you will feel the rush of the train as it blows through town after town, the underlying sense of fear T.S. experiences at nighttime as he truly has only his thoughts as company, and the focus on and appreciation of the little things in life (as only a 12-year-old with a heightened sense of the details can see them).
Though he wins that award in D.C. and becomes a sort of America's sweetheart, the real prize for T.S. is his newfound understanding of his family—and himself.
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Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame
Lawrence "Larry" Fields
Lawrence Larry Fields came to Missouri Valley College in 1946. At MVC, Larry played football for three years, and was a member of the M.C.A.U. conference champion team. In addition to football, Larry was a four-year member of the track and field team and was M.C.A.U. conference champion multiple times. He won 22 medals11 of them goldand was the highest scoring Viking track and field athlete two of his four years. At MVC, Larry was involved in Alpha Phi Omega, the Dramatic Art Club, Alpha Psi Omega, and the Varsity Lettermans Club (V-Club).
After graduating from MVC in 1950 with a bachelors degree in speech and English education, Larry served for the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II. Later, he pursued a 30-year career as an educator and coach.
Larry was Scout Master of Troop 309; he is a member of the Tribe-of-Mic-O-Say; he served as president of the Excelsior Springs PTA and Kwanis Club; and he was exhalter ruler of the Elks Lodge 1001.
Larry says that Pop Ferguson is the person that influenced him most at MVC. He told me that you can always do better than you think you can, Larry said.
Larry resides in Independence, Mo.
Athletic Events
Athletic News
Copyright © 2014 Missouri Valley College
(660) 831-4000 | 500 East College, Marshall, MO 65340


text:
Nobel prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman makes a large body of research on how the mind works accessible. He describes two complementary aspects of human cognition: automatic/effortless and deliberate/effortful thought. Automatic processes (System 1) run constantly in the background, usually outside the scope of conscious attention (similar to neural control over the circulation of blood). Deliberate System 2, takes up intentional and motivational resources that are limited, and is therefore deployed only when necessary (e.g., when System 1 detects something surprising). Many decisions are driven by input from System 1 via heuristics and biases without conscious awareness (i.e., the involvement of System 2). Kahneman explores implications for many realms such as education, science, business, government and politics. Thus Thinking, Fast and Slow is a book that could be of interest to almost anyone.
Thursday, March 21st, 2013
Granite, Atwood
Facilitators: Chris Jazwinski, Joe Melcher and Mary Bodvarsson
The topics covered in Kahneman's book lie dead center within the rubric of critical thinking. To be an uncritical thinker is to accept input from System 1 with no caveats. System 1 operates according to the principle what you see is all there is or as a machine for jumping to conclusions in Kahneman's own words. Understanding the operation of the human mind can help us avoid some of the pitfalls of biased thinking and poor decisions.
Register now to participate in this book talk and to check out a copy of the book by clicking on…
Register me for the book talk (I'd like to borrow a book)
Register me for the book talk (I have a book)


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B&B Miseria e Nobiltá Guesthouse
Via Sant'anna dei Lombardi, 5, Naples, Naples, Italy
Atmosphere 83%
Cleanliness 100%
Facilities 77%
Location 100%
Safety 83%
Staff 100%
Value 83%
- Air conditioning
- Free Breakfast
- Free Wi-Fi
- Lockers
- 24 Hour Reception
- Airport Transfers
- Bicycle Hire
- Book Exchange
- Cable TV
- Cots available
- DVDs
- Dryer
- Elevator
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Fridge Freezer"
- Hair Dryers
- Hot Showers
- Internet Access
- Iron / Ironing Board"
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- Luggage Storage
- Microwave
- Mini-bar
- Parking
- Reception (limited hours)
- Safe Deposit Box
- Tea/Coffee Making Facilities
- Telephone Fax Facilities
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Towels Included
- WiFi
Check-in / Check-out
Earliest check-in: 00:00
- Child Friendly
- No Curfew
- Pet Friendly"
- Taxes Included
Group booking?
Group of 15 or more traveling to Naples?
Private Rooms
Superior 5 Bed PRIVATE Ensuite
Sleeps 5
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Deluxe 4 Bed PRIVATE Ensuite
Sleeps 4
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Standard Single Private Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 1
Room types
Private Room
Shared Bathroom
Deluxe 3 Bed PRIVATE Ensuite
Sleeps 3
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
Standard Twin Private Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 2
Room types
Private Room
Shared Bathroom
Standard Double Bed Private Ensuite
Sleeps 2
Room types
Private Room
Private Bathroom
About B&B Miseria e Nobiltá
Just in the centre of Naples - 1 minute walk to Piazza del Gesù, via Toledo, piazza Dante Metro station, historic district (Spaccanapoli), 10 minutes to the waterfront in the centre of the city and to the central station - Bed & Breakfast Miseria e Nobiltà has four rooms (from single to quad, each with its private bathroom) in an ancient flat from which windows, in the 18th century, writers, composers and musicians made their works watching Naples.
Ask our friendly staff for any info (on four languages) about this amazing city, the islands in front of it - Capri, Ischia, Procida -, the nearest most touristic places like Pompei, Ercolano, Amalfi coast and Vesuvius national park, as well as providing you with maps and info on where to go, what to see, eat or drink to enjoy the whole city.
- Wi-Fi connection
- Internet point
- Daily cleaning
- Linen changing
- Local and long-distance calls
- Agreed parking
- Laundry service
- Transfer to/from airport and central station
- Plane, sea and railway tickets
- Guided tours and trips
- Theatre and cinema tickets reservations
Cancellation Policy
Customers can cancel their reservation free of charge up to 1 day before arrival. After this date, charges will be applied by the property up to the first nights cost of the reservation, unless otherwise stated in the property's conditions. Deposits paid are non refundable.


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'Local player defies odds to do well at home tournament!' It's a story that will always capture the imagination of the watching public, and Monday at the Australian Open was no different.
Bernard Tomic adorned most of the front pages of his nation's newspapers on the day the first Grand Slam of the season got under way - and his sensational performance in his opener against Fernando Verdasco ensured his face will still be there 24 hours later.
Tomic's apparent arrogance, displayed in comments regarding his experienced 10th-seeded opponent in the build-up, looked terribly misplaced as the young Aussie fell two sets behind on a fervent Rod Laver Arena. But with the egg on his face about to congeal, Tomic dug deep and hit back, winning the next three sets to clinch an early contender for match of the tournament.
It was an explosive start to the week for Australia's number one male player - nuclear-based headlines don't come cheaply - suggesting that the 19-year-old is oblivious to the pressure most of his compatriots wilt under.
Having given himself a mountain to climb, the manner in which he came good on his pre-match boasts - that Verdsaco "wasn't going to hurt him", that recently the Spaniard "hasn't really done much" and that "it's a good time to play him" - hinted that his hype could well be justified.
Self-belief is a pre-requisite for any champion, and there is no doubt that Tomic has that in spades. The victory over Verdasco also showed us that he is fit, a fighter and mentally tough. His shot selection remains questionable, as does some of his shot-making and his mobility around the court, but those are areas of his game that can be worked on.
Tomic could go far in this tournament - all the way to a meeting with Roger Federer in the fourth round, and maybe even beyond - but what his latest performance has given is real hope for the future.
Australia yearns for sporting heroes like no other nation and if Tomic can continue his upward trajectory, he seems destined to become the next one.
- - -
While Australia celebrated its latest favourite son's triumph, Monday proved a dark day for British tennis.
Six players qualified for the main draw this year, the first time there has been that many Brits since the Australian Open in 1992, 20 years ago. It was a fine achievement.
Yet just a day into the tournament, only one remains.
Andy Murray is used to flying the flag on his own, but he could have been forgiven for thinking he would still have a couple of wingmen/women ahead of the start of his own campaign on Tuesday.
Not so after a disastrous day which failed to yield a single set in the five British players' matches.
Heather Watson - despite an encouraging start - was blown away by Victoria Azarenka, Elena Baltacha fell to Stephanie Foretz Gacon, Laura Robson was outclassed by Jelena Jankovic and Anne Keothavong retired through illness as she was still struggling to digest a bagel fed to her in the first set by Mona Barthel.
To complete an utterly miserable day, men's draw qualifier Jamie Ward was sent packing in straight sets by Blaz Kavcic.
Robson later pointed out that the only reason why so many Brits fell was because a quirk of the draw had them all playing on the same day and that some of their opponents - Azarenka and Jankovic in particular - were always favourites to win.
It's a fair point, but one that cannot mask the fact that none of the fallen Brits were able to make good on LTA supremo Leon Smith's hope that his players would make the next step and "not just qualify for the world's biggest tournaments, but then go further in the competition".
Nor was the disappointment of a day to forget for British tennis hidden, and the faces of the players in their press conferences - emotionally-charged, in some cases - told their own stories. Over to you Andy... plus ca change.
- - -
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I didn't get my coffee in the morning today, so I was really p***ed off. So tomorrow I'm definitely getting it. It was so early and I wanted to come play a little bit longer on centre court. Everything was closed. I said, 'oh my God, I need my coffee'." The absence of a morning caffeine hit did not appear to slow Victoria Azarenka down, as the Belarusian sped to that straight-sets victory over Watson.
OUTFIT OF THE DAY: Clearly taking its cue from highway maintenance chic, Verdasco's fluorescent yellow shirt with bright orange trimmings forced many spectators on Rod Laver Arena to don sunglasses.
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Margaret Court Arena as dusk falls in Melbourne.
LOOKING AHEAD: Look no further than Andy Murray's clash with American teen Ryan Harrison as Novak Djokovic begins the defence of his title against Paolo Lorenzi. In the women's draw, Serena kicks off her campaign against Tamira Paszek and Maria Sharapova is in action against Gisela Dulko.


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The New PC Buzzword for Diversity: It Brings 'Integrity'
On Tuesday night, PBS's NewsHour discussed the Sotomayor nomination with a panel including Jenny Rivera, a former Sotomayor clerk and head of the Center on Latino and Latina Equal Rights. You could hear the latest buzz words on diversity being used. The addition of Latina diversity brings a certain "integrity" to the Supreme Court, which suffers from an "insularity," from being encased in a bubble:
GWEN IFILL, anchor: Jenny Rivera, how much is there -- is there a just concern about identity politics beginning to define the day for picks like this? Here we have another first.
RIVERA: Well, I think the president didn't make a choice based on identity politics. He made the choice based on the merits of her intellectual capabilities, on the experience that she brought to the court.
And you heard David Axelrod say, you know, the fact that she happens to also be Latina and be a woman, it's wonderful that we can bring that to the court. But this was a choice based on the strength of her background, her experience, and her intellect. And, certainly, that's important.
But at the same time, we have to recognize that the court is vulnerable to criticism that it doesn't look like the rest of the country and therefore is insensitive to those issues, and it is encased in this bubble, and there's an insularity about the court.
So it is important that we all feel that all sections, all branches of government somehow have a certain integrity behind them and really speak to people.
And I think certainly President Obama, when he says he's looking for someone who has empathy and who understands the implications of these cases on real people, is recognizing also the significance of the judiciary, not just the executive branch, not just the legislative branch, being a branch of government that all people in the United States, all our various, diverse communities can feel carry a certain integrity behind them and rule not based on appearances, but look at the merits of the case, and apply the rule of law, and apply those values of the Constitution.
Ifill didn't react by asking: "So a room full of whites can't make a decision with "integrity"? Can the current Supreme Court make a decision with "integrity"? Or is the current court implicitly dishonest by its ethnic makeup?
Integrity can be defined as "wholeness," but would the Supreme Court then need to have an Asian member, a native American member, and someone from the "disability community" to reach "integrity"?
This exchange was spurred by a conservative guest, James Copland of the Manhattan Institute, who reacted to a vague Ifill question about ethnicity by suggesting Sotomayor suggesting a Latina woman would be a wiser judge than a white man:
I think the Latina woman quote will get some play, and I think it should. What concerns me a little bit about this demographic picking, when you're sort of trying to pick the court is, is the notion that one person's life experience should, in fact, have a lot of impact on how they rule in a given case.
That doesn't mean that judges are blind to the long-run impacts of their decisions, but that the real-world impacts of their decisions go beyond whatever the hardship is that the individual might have faced.
So when Judge Sotomayor strongly dissented from a panel on the Second Circuit that was dismissing a lawsuit against a school board for demoting a black student who had underperformed, the real-world consequences of that go beyond that actual instance, but, in fact, create this sort of litigation, education through litigation problem we've got, which arguably we do a disservice to the very constituencies that that sort of empathy that she wants to embrace tends to create.


text:
~1975~ Western Rummy Royal Game ~ Heavy Grade Paper Sheet ~ Exc Cond
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: Toys, Dolls, Games & Puzzles
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Dec 12, 2011
- Channel: Auction House
~1975~ Western Rummy Royal Game ~ Heavy Grade Paper Sheet ~ Exc Cond
Excellent Condition GameWestern Publishing Clean Heavy Grade Paper Sheet Normal crease marks from being folded but no tears Box is in good condition with normal storage marks, light wear to edges, light soiling & fading Includes Chips but No Cards I will be out of town from the 7 th through the 12 th of Dec., so any purchases made during this time will not ship until the 13 th . I will gladly combine shipping All items are shipped next day after payment is received with the exception of Sundays We always try to describe any defects we can find since most items we sell are used - Every description is an opinion and opinions do sometimes differ - If you have a problem with any of our items we prefer you let us have the opportunity to rectify it before you leave feedback - We will post feedback after feedback is received - We have found that many ebayers do not return to leave feedback if they have already received theirs


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Posted August 2, 2013 by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
BONUS! We saw this big guy while out on a whale shark tour. Manta rays are the largest of the rays. Mantas can get up to 29 feet wide and weigh up to 1.5 tons. They are harmless to swimmers and divers. One of the reasons we are so passionate about the Riviera Maya is that you never know what surprises this magical place has in store for those who get out and about. Read more about our trip to Isla Holbox.
Posted July 30, 2013 by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Riviera Maya Destinations,Riviera Maya Photos
In the Puerto Aventuras marina lives a small family of manatee. Here you can see mama and baby getting their evening meal of lettuce. Manatee are gentle marine mammals native to the Caribbean. Puerto Aventuras marina offers swim with manatee, swim with dolphins and swim with sting rays activities. Check out some of our Puerto Aventuras vacation rentals. Photo by Scott Brown
Posted July 29, 2013 by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Mexico Vacation Tips,Sustainable Tourism
Everywhere you go in the Riviera Maya you are encouraged to use eco-friendly bug repellant. Cenotes, lagoons, animal parks...but where do you find a mosquito repellant that is both environmentally friendly and effective in keeping pesky bugs from biting? Bye Bye is one of our favorite repellants and not only is it safe for nature, it is safe for kids too! You can find this product in Wal-Mart located in the pharmacy, not in the household products aisle with the other, non eco-friendly bug...
Posted July 25, 2013 by Kay Walten in Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
This is one of the prettiest cenotes on the Ruta de los Cenotes near Puerto Morelos. Verde Luceros (green lights) is named for the bright green color that can be seen when the sunlight hits the water through the jungle trees. Discover more about cenotes.
Posted July 22, 2013 by Kay Walten in Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
Manatee Cenote in Tankah Bay is a great place for first time snorkelers to get their fins wet. The calm, crystal clear waters are welcoming. Kids love cenote snorkeling in the Riviera Maya! Find out more about cenotes.
Posted July 12, 2013 by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Riviera Maya Activities,Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
Meet attractive locals in our area. These Caribbean beauties can be found at the Xaman Ha Aviary in Playacar. We really enjoy touring this gorgeously designed habitat that is home to over 60 species of tropical birds that populate the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula. Learn more about Xaman Ha.
Posted July 11, 2013 by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Riviera Maya events,Riviera Maya Photos
Seems vacations in the Riviera Maya make us all a little more amorous. Even these two marine turtles caught in a lovers' embrace. It is turtle season here on the coast and this is how it all begins...with 2 strangers passing in the sea. Learn more about these amazing sea turtles.
Posted June 26, 2013 by Kay Walten in Riviera Maya Activities,Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
Cenotes are a natural, jungle oasis common in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. These freshwater sinkholes are created when the limestone surface collapses exposing an underlying water-filled cave. The Riviera Maya has the highest concentration of cenotes and we think it's one of our best unique water features. The Ancient Maya performed religious ceremonies and even human sacrifices at these sacred wells. They believed the cenotes to be the passage ways between the world of the living and the...
Posted by Kay Walten in Enviroment,Mexico Vacation Tips,Riviera Maya Activities,Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
We are just loving these little guys who live at The Jungle Place in Chemuyil, Riviera Maya. Kuchi Kaax is a spider monkey sanctuary where you can learn about and interact with these amazing creatures that are so much like us. Pet them, feed them, and cuddle them because they are so loving! This is definitely an authentic Mayan Riviera vacation experience. These monkeys were brought to Heidi and Joel (the owners of The Jungle Place) because they were either confiscated from an abusive...
Posted June 21, 2013 by Kay Walten in Riviera Maya Activities,Riviera Maya Photos,Sustainable Tourism
Wow! Look at those colors! Kayaking in Riviera Maya, Mexico is one of the best ways to explore its waters. Not only is it great exercise and fun, kayaking is sustainable tourism at its finest, and anyone can do it! Check out some Riviera Maya kayaking adventure tours!
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Once we book through LG we never have to worry about any of it again. We are always amazed at how smooth and trouble free our bookings through LG have been."
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"We spent a lot of our time sitting on the second floor porch with our feet propped on the railing just staring at the water. Coming home was hard this year..Staying for two weeks still wasn't long enough."
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"We have been Booking our Riviera Maya vacations from Loco Gringo since 2005. Always Great communication, helpful tips and quick responses to our questions. They were especially helpful when Hurricane Wilma hit and put a stop to our Vacation plans. They made sure we knew about the weather situation and did all the work with re-booking our vacation in Paradise!"
"You always recommend amazing accommodations and we are always comfortable and feel safe. Your staff does a fantastic job at making our vacation each year a " hassle free " experience ! All we have to do is " show up " and the rest is already taken care of. We will continue in future to use LocoGringo and also continue as we have done already, to highly recommend your company to anyone we know that is planning a vacation."
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"Thanks for everything you have done with Locogringo… the site is great and your staff has been nothing short of incredible when it comes to helping us plan our trips. Maybe we'll run into you on one of your walks some day."
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"I had contacted you before I left for my first trip to Mexico and all of your recommendations were spot on. I started in Playa Del Carmen and worked my way to Tulum. I had only expected to stay 2 nights there and instead wound up staying for a week-and that still was not nearly enough time. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks! I will be checking in with you guys as I am tring to plan a trip to Holbox next. That place looks amazing!"
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"I have booked most of my Mayan Riviera trips through Loco Gringo and can only say I wouldn't even consider using anyone else to handle my bookings for stays in that area.
Their booking process is simple, fast and friendly, and they will answer your questions and queries until you are completely satisfied that every single detail has been taken care of.
Who else would know the area better than folks who live and work right there? Try to get that level of expertise and knowledge with a booking agent who lives and works several hundred, or even thousands of miles away.
Not only that, but they are genuinely nice people as well, who really care for their customers and the community and area that they call home
Keep up the great work Loco Gringo!!"
--George, Calgary
"I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU! The trip we booked through Loco Gringo was perfect! The price was exceptionally good and the service was second to none! If you've never booked with Loco Gringo before, we *highly* recommend them!"
--Derek S.,
"And their amazing website is one of the main reasons we started going regularly to the Riviera Maya and especially Akumal. No other place around the Caribbean has nearly as good a web presence as LG has given this area."
--Dan, St. Louis MO,
"It is like having a friend make your reservations for you .... we always feel comfortable knowing LG will be in charge of our arrangements because they know the area first hand, they live there ..... you ask a question and they answer it with good humor and great knowledge of what they speak. I will always recommend Loco Gringo in a heart beat!"
--Nancy, Michigan
"Not sure if we will be returning next summer, but will definitely let you know if we are, as Loco Gringo is the ONLY way to go for us!"
--Lesley P., Texas
"What an amazing company Locogringo is. Every silly question I have.... they answer , If something comes up like a travel day change, adding more people, or whatever it might be... you get a response from a real person ... who seems to love what they do . That is hard to find these days and I really appreciate that."
--Brenda, Oregon
"Both in 2011 and this year we have booked our room through Locogringo.com. We searched and found a great rate at the resort we wanted, and then Locogringo met that price, and with their booking came their amazing customer service and the peace of mind that if we need anything while we are there we simply need to call. I always get a fast turnaround on any email I send them, and they work so hard to find us the best rates and the rooms we want. We hope to have a long relationship with them, and recommend their site to everyone we know."
--Tim A and Teri A, Salem, UT
"People who "live the area" will want to make sure you enjoy your vacation and come back again!"
"Now is a great time to tell you how wonderful you and your staff are at making it so easy to find and book the best vacations, THANK YOU !"
--Joyce & Hugh,
"She & her new Husband had a fantastic hassle free trip. This was their very first time to Mexico and her comment upon return was " Dad, 7 days is NOT enough time ! " Super job, LG."
--Bernie in Denver,
"...for your patience with me and making this process go soooo much smoother! I truly appreciate you and the staff at LocoGringo. Thanks again! I can't wait to be sitting on the beach!
Maggie in Colorado"
"and for the past five years we have used Loco Gringo for every reservation, I'm sorry that we did not find them sooner.
I have been searching Loco Gringo for all these years and one thing I have not yet found ........... someone who is not fabulous to work with. Great people, great owners and a great way to run a business."
--K & DB, Outer Banks, NC,
"We usually need reservations for 2 to 4 people but for 2 years we needed reservations for 7 to 9 people, adults and kids and they have always done a flawless job in getting the resort we wanted and at the best price too!!"
"LocoGringo.com books total trip packages and I recommend LG to all my friends and even to strangers I hear talking about going to Mexico!!"
""I was soooo delighted with the Loco Gringo services. Everything was trouble free and all my questions were always answered promptly. Thanks for a GREAT trouble free vacation!""
"All our Riviera Maya trips have been booked using LocoGringo. We love their service."
--Debbie, California
"Loco Gringos is the VERY BEST booking site I have ever worked with. They respond to emails promptly, work hard to honor special requests, answer questions etc. They ALWAYS take great care of their customers and are conscientious and professional at all times. We have booked 8 trips with this company and NEVER hesitate to use them or recommend them when traveling to the Riviera Maya."
"It's a great comfort to visit the Riviera Maya and know that Loco Gringo is there to help, if needed. "
--Bryan in IN,
"Loco Gringo has an AWESOME website with great info, it is lots of fun to visit, be sure to join their forums. The forums hold more information and trip reports than you can 'shake a stick at'!"
* Denotes A Required Field
How much are you thinking about spending?


text:
Release Date: 02.27.2009 | Location: All Metro Atlanta | Organization: JW Broadcasting
Atlanta's Loridans Arts Award Winner has His Own Radio Show
Robert Edge, Chairman of the Foundation, noted that the rich arts life of Atlanta is attributable in large part to individual artists whose work is mainly done out of the spotlight. "Our performing and visual arts organizations – large and small – would not exist without individuals who share their talents and passions with our city every day. Life in Atlanta would be terribly gray without the artists who constantly nourish the spirit of our community."
For the last four years, Larson has been entertaining listeners of the Morning Show on AM 1690 "The Voice of the Arts". Whether compelling listeners to join in on his "cubical dance" or speaking as his hilarious fictional characters Stefan Flambeau and The Coach, Larson's variety-like show amuses and entertains. The Morning Show, Weekdays 7am-11am, has a broad appeal. Larson combines a huge variety of music with spoken word, original comedy sketches, classic comedy pieces, theater excerpts, and poetry. Larson's 35-years of experience as an Atlantan cultural artist has given him the tools necessary for an outstanding radio show.
"My experience in Atlanta theatre over the years has been invaluable in putting together The Morning Show on AM 1690 over the past four years," Larson said. "Getting to 'play myself' along with the various characters in our original comedy sketches, and also having the opportunity daily to introduce the radio audience to some of my favorite artists, both musically and through spoken word (comedy, theatre pieces, poetry, film clips) has turned out to be a natural and enjoyable way be involved in Atlanta broadcasting. I am honored that my contribution to Atlanta theatre these past 35 years-- acting and playwriting --have been found worthy of receiving the 2009 Charles Loridans Award, and am equally honored to be part of this unique radio station, AM 1690 'The Voice of the Arts'."
Catch Larry Larson's Morning Show weekdays 7am –11am only on AM 1690"The Voice of the Arts" or listen LIVE online at www.1690wmlb.com
Contact Info
Contact Name: Liza Goldstein
Company: JW Broadcasting
Phone: 404-681-9307
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
An awesome infographic depicting the strangest driving laws all around the globe. Continue reading
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With categories that include honors like "Best #WTF Moment" and "Best Scared-As-S**t Performance," it's safe to say that the MTV Movie Awards aren't the most prestigious night in Hollywood. But if the real goal is to provide buzzy, GIF-able moments for the internet to pore over the following day, last night's ceremony was an undeniable success. There was a new X-Men clip and a shirtless Zack Efron, but the standout moment came at the very beginning, when host Conan O'Brien gathered pretty much every celebrity you can imagine for a five-minute video intro.
"What's the record for most celebrity cameos in an MTV Movie Awards open?" asks Conan. After hearing that Jean-Claude Van Damme set the record with a measly eight cameos in 1992, Conan vowed to land no less than 50. "Who cares about funny?" asked Conan. "Kids don't laugh anymore. They see celebrities and they go, 'Woo!'"
Count your own "woos" as Conan tracks down everyone from Andy Samberg to Seth Rogen to… well, we'll let you see for yourself. -Scott Meslow
After Senate Republicans released the text of their health-care bill on Thursday, approximately 60 protesters — including several in wheelchairs — stormed the hallway outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office.
The sit-in was organized by Arc, a group that "promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities."
Protesters with disabilities stage a "die-in" over cuts to Medicaid outside of Sen. Mitch McConnell's office. pic.twitter.com/Tk94QHb6kY
— Seth Lemon (@Seth_Lemon) June 22, 2017
Huge protest inside and outside of Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell's office happening right now. pic.twitter.com/Iu9wet6cXx
— Mariam Khan (@MKhan47) June 22, 2017
Security soon began removing protesters, even physically dragging some people away:
Capitol police are dragging people away from Mcconnell's office. pic.twitter.com/ldvakYdvl4
— Mariam Khan (@MKhan47) June 22, 2017
Blood on the floor outside of Leader Mcconnell's office as protestors are physically being removed. pic.twitter.com/z4gVd9t1qe
— Mariam Khan (@MKhan47) June 22, 2017
Capitol Police dragging a disabled protester away without his wheelchair. pic.twitter.com/nYuPHqIzml
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 22, 2017
Even as they were being escorted out, many protesters turned to reporters' cameras to demand "no cuts to Medicaid." "Medicaid covers 30 percent of non-elderly adults with disabilities and 60 percent of children with disabilities," Slate writes. Jeva Lange
It only took 34 words for Senate Republicans to strip away maternity care, mental health benefits, and ambulatory services
After weeks of secrecy, Senate Republicans on Thursday unveiled the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, the upper chamber's answer to repealing and replacing ObamaCare. Senate GOP leadership had been working on re-drafting the American Health Care Act, the House Republican bill, since it was passed early last month.
The bill scales back many of the health-care protections embedded in the Affordable Care Act, including stripping away the requirement that insurers cover 10 essential health benefits. Out of a 142-page bill, it took just 34 words to strip away maternity coverage, mental health treatment, and more:
SUNSET OF ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS REQUIREMENT. — Section 1937(b)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u–7(b)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following: "This paragraph shall not apply after December 31, 2019.". [Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017]
The 10 essential health benefits protected under the Affordable Care Act that would be at risk under the Better Care Reconciliation Act are: pre-natal, maternity, and post-natal care; ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization, including surgery; mental health and substance abuse treatment; rehabilitative services, including those used to manage chronic diseases; prescription drugs; laboratory services; preventative services; and pediatric care, including oral and vision care for children.
You can read Senate Republicans' entire health-care bill here. Kimberly Alters
Bernie Sanders slams the Senate health bill as 'the most harmful piece of legislation I've seen in my lifetime'
Senate Republicans finally unveiled their health-care bill Thursday, titled the "Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017." The bill had been drafted in an insular, closed-door process by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to the point where even many Republican senators expressed frustration over the secrecy.
Democrats were quick to condemn the bill, which mirrors much of the legislation that passed the House early last month, promising to end the individual mandate installed by the Affordable Care Act, phase out Medicaid expansion, and allow states to apply for waivers from insurance regulations designed to protect the poor and the sick. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was not impressed:
The bill Republicans announced today is even worse than expected and by far the most harmful piece of legislation I've seen in my lifetime. https://t.co/EIVIdTKY1x
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 22, 2017
Republicans want to throw millions of Americans off of health insurance while providing over $200 billion in tax breaks to the top 2%.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 22, 2017
The bill is "disastrous," Sanders continued, and Democrats must "rally millions of Americans" against it to ensure it does not pass the Senate. You can read more about the bill here. Kimberly Alters
Senate Republicans released their 142-page ObamaCare replacement bill, named the "Better Care Reconciliation Act," on Thursday after the party's leadership faced criticism for secretly writing the document behind closed doors.
It says right here that it's going to give us Better Care so I don't really see the need for further analysis. pic.twitter.com/Az6CRdcV67
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 22, 2017
"Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017'' No one said I'd have to learn another acronym.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) June 22, 2017
The Senate has named its Obamacare repeal draft the Better Care Reconciliation Act, setting up inevitable McCain-Feingold acronym confusion.
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) June 22, 2017
An early working version of the document showed it sought to roll back taxes and penalties in the Affordable Care Act, cut back Medicaid expansion, modify federal health subsidies, and give states more flexibility to opt out of some insurance requirements. With a slim majority in the upper-chamber, the GOP needs to get nearly all of its 52 senators on board, because no Democrats or independents are expected to back the bill.
A vote is expected next week. Read the document here. Jeva Lange
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she hasn't seen her party's health-care bill because she's 'not a reporter' or 'lobbyist'
The Senate's health-care bill was written in such secrecy that as of Thursday morning, even many Republicans had not yet laid their eyes on the actual text. While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) briefed the White House staff on the bill's details Wednesday, the actual document is only set to be made public Thursday.
Democrats have issued scathing statements condemning the Republicans for their closed-door tactics, but even some Republicans are feeling their patience splinter. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) issued a sarcastic answer to the Independent Journal Review's Haley Byrd after being asked if she'd seen the text:
I just asked Lisa Murkowski if she's seen any bill text this morning. "I am not a reporter, and I am not a lobbyist, so I've seen nothing."
— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) June 22, 2017
Just asked Senator Murkowski if she's annoyed that lobbyists have seen the health bill before her. Her one-word answer: "yes."
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) June 22, 2017
"As the Senate prepares to finally loop in the American public, already several news reports from outlets like The Washington Post and Politico have published what they're hearing is in the bill," Vox writes. "They are all sourced to lobbyists and aides."
Along with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Murkowski is one of the Republicans' sharpest critics of the health-care bill, and her vote could be critical in deciding if it passes or not. In anticipation of pressure from the White House, she told Politico that if the bill "doesn't work for Alaska, it doesn't make any difference who's calling me." Jeva Lange
After securing its first black Bachelorette — and all the positive press that came along with the poise and humor of Rachel Lindsay — the Bachelor franchise nonetheless found itself in the midst of controversy this month after allegations of sexual misconduct shuttered production on its summer spin-off show, Bachelor in Paradise.
On Wednesday, CNN Money offered a glimpse at the contract contestants of Bachelor in Paradise sign before appearing on the show, acquired from a "source close to production." The contract requires contestants to forfeit a breathtaking amount of control over their own likenesses:
After reviewing parts of the contract provided to her by CNN Money, Nicole Page, a New York-based entertainment attorney at Reavis Parent, said that it meant, from the producers' perspective, "I can basically take your image and do whatever I want with it and I own it and you have no recourse." [...]
If a news program twisted the facts about people in this way, they could be sued — and they would likely lose the case. But all of this kind of manipulation is fine on Bachelor in Paradise. The contract makes that clear: Contestants sign away to producers "the right to change, add to, take from, edit, translate, reformat or reprocess... in any manner Producer may determine in its sole discretion." And, once the producers have done all that editing, the contestants understand that their "actions and the actions of others displayed in the Series may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing, or of an otherwise unfavorable nature and may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation." [CNN Money]
Contestants further cede their right to a jury trial should they sue the show for any reason, agreeing to subject their claims to the confidential arbitration process. Another lawyer told CNN Money that the contract is "clearly ... one-sided."
An investigation by parent company Warner Bros. into the alleged incident during filming of this season of Bachelor in Paradise, in which consent between two intoxicated contestants during a sexual encounter was at issue, concluded there had been no wrongdoing. Production will resume, though the contestants involved will likely not return to the show. Read more about the rules of Bachelor in Paradise at CNN Money. Kimberly Alters
Swamp update: Trump appoints a registered foreign agent making a 6-figure salary from the Saudi government
President Trump appointed a registered foreign agent earning six figures from the Saudi government to the Commission on White House Fellowships, The Center for Public Integrity reports. The Saudi Arabian foreign ministry has reportedly paid Richard Hohlt some $430,000 for advice since January.
"Trump's decision to appoint a registered foreign agent to the President's Commission on White House Fellowships clashes with the president's vow to clean up Washington and limit the influence of special interests," The Center for Public Integrity notes.
Serving on the commission means Hohlt is one of 19 others responsible for making recommendations of candidates for the prestigious White House fellowships (past recipients include former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Trump's transportation secretary, Elaine Chao). Hohlt confirmed he met this month to interview candidates, which is the commission's only annual responsibility.
"Appointing someone who is registered under FARA as doing work for Saudi Arabia does seem odd at a time when [Trump has] made a very big deal about not having people leave the [government] and then do work where they have to register under FARA," Larry Noble, the general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, told The Center for Public Integrity.
I will issue a lifetime ban against senior executive branch officials lobbying on behalf of a FOREIGN GOVERNMENT! #DrainTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/g5NrUrzHTt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2016
Read the full report at The Center for Public Integrity. Jeva Lange


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Denny Schrock has coached a lot of different teams in his 23 years leading the Chippewa girls basketball team. Some have had size and inside strength, while others have relied on quickness and speed.
This year's edition of the Chipps may not be the biggest, strongest or swiftest group Schrock has fielded in his tenure, but these Chipps are arguably the most unforgiving. Leave someone open and the ball will find its way to that player, and eventually into the basket, in short order. If they're behind the 3-point arc, the damage is just that much greater.
The bottom line: The Chipps make opponents pay for their lapses. Dearly.
The Smithville Smithies were recipients of that painful lesson Thursday evening. A matchup that carried first-place implications in the Wayne County Athletic League entering the night turned into a mismatch in short order. Leading just 19-16 early in the second quarter, Chippewa ended the opening half with a 14-2 run that removed the drama from the second half, as well as the starch from the Smithies. A 25-point third quarter sent the Chipps on their way to a 77-38 victory.
Smithville entered the game at 13-1 overall and just a game behind Chippewa in the WCAL race at 8-1, the loss being a 63-42 setback earlier this season at Chippewa. The Chipps are now 14-1 overall and 10-0 in league play. With four league games remaining, the Chipps sit just two victories from clinching at least a share of their 13th-straight WCAL girls basketball championship.
"We knew that Smithville had this game marked because of the impact it had on the league race," Schrock said. "We liked that, though. We wanted to have to come in and play well in a big-game atmosphere, which we did.
"I told my girls to go out and play with passion and focus, and I thought we did that. We paid attention to the task at hand."
The Smithies, on the other hand, couldn't say the same about Chippewa's Katlyn Petit. Smithville lost track of the junior sharpshooter early, and Petit made the Smithies pay by drilling three first-quarter 3-pointers. Two of those came within a 12-second span and took Chippewa from a 6-5 deficit to an 11-6 edge it would never relinquish. Petit finished with six 3-pointers on the night for the bulk of her game-high 26 points. She added six rebounds and six steals for good measure.
"Sometimes you get lucky," said Petit with a shrug. "I got my feet set and was able to get my shot off. I missed my first one, but I felt good. Even if I miss three or four in a row, coach still wants me to keep shooting."
What coach wouldn't? Petit entered Thursday shooting 47.7 percent (41-of-86) beyond the arc, and only improved that number with her 6-of-12 effort against the Smithies. Petit played her own version of 'around the world' on her three first-quarter treys, hitting from the left wing, the top of the key and the right wing.
In all, the Chipps nailed 11-of-30 3-pointers, as Ashley Canter (17 points, nine steals) and Brittany Jursik each connected on a pair.
"We shot the ball pretty well this summer when we played, so doing this during the season isn't that surprising," Schrock said. "We've been hitting shots pretty well, so when we miss a couple in a row I'm not going to tell them to quit shooting.
"We moved the ball pretty well in the halfcourt and found a lot of open shooters."
The Smithies opened in a matchup zone, their base defense for much of this season. Coach Mike Miller switched to a box-and-1 on Petit during the second quarter, with some success, but said the Chipps would give any defensive set problems.
"People will say 'Why didn't you play man?'" Miller said, "but Chippewa will penetrate and pitch against that and still get open looks. We tried to trap some and they handled it. They moved the ball, found the open person and lit it up from 3-point territory."
As is the case whenever a team faces Chippewa, the Smithies had to cope with the Chipps' various pressure defenses. They didn't fare well, as evidenced by the 29 turnovers that Chippewa turned into 29 points.
"We shot the ball well," said Miller, whose team finished 16-of-38 (42 percent) from the field. "We just couldn't get the ball past halfcourt a lot of times. Chippewa used full-court and half-court pressure and their run-and-jump, and we didn't handle the traps out of their run-and-jump very well.
"Doylestown's guards are big and quick. You can't throw over Petit, and Canter's got extremely quick hands. I thought we'd improved since the first time we played Chippewa, but it's obvious they've improved a lot more than we have."
Sophomore Alicia Hoff led the Smithies with 13 points. Leading scorer Beth Besancon, averaging 16.1 points entering Thursday, was limited to just four thanks to the defensive work of Canter, Cheyanne Boyan and Petit.


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On board MS BREMEN from Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires
Expedition Antarctica: Young Life In the Eternal Ice
Fascinating ice landscapes in magical colours and thousands of penguins, fur seals and sea birds that are busy rearing their offspring - Antarctica offers fantastic natural scenarios during the short summer. You will experience the wonders of this world of ice really intensively with the BREMEN and her robust Zodiacs.
from Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires
|Cruise dates:
|from 07.01.2014 to 29.01.2014 (23 days)
|Your ship:
|Cruise number:
This is a bilingual cruise with English shore excursions. [Read more]
| Tue, 07.01.2014
Scheduled flight Germany – Buenos Aires
| Wed, 08.01.2014
City tour
| Thu, 09.01.2014
Charter flight in the morning, transfer to Ushuaia/Argentina, departure 18.00 hrs
| Fri, 10.01.2014
Relaxation at sea
| Sat, 11.01.2014
- Sun, 12.01.2014
Falkland Islands
Fascinating Bird Paradise Falkland Islands
| Mon, 13.01.2014
- Tue, 14.01.2014
Relaxation at sea
| Wed, 15.01.2014
- Fri, 17.01.2014
South Georgia
Unforgettable Encounters in South Georgia
| Sat, 18.01.2014
Relaxation at sea
| Sun, 19.01.2014
- Fri, 24.01.2014
South Orkney Islands , Weddell Sea , South Shetland Islands , Antarctic Peninsula
You will get an impression of the everyday routine of modern polar researchers when you visit the Argentinean research station Orcadas on the South Orkney Islands with the Zodiacs provided the weather is favourable (subject to official approval). And with a bit of luck, you will see the first majestic icebergs in front of Signy Island.
| Sat, 25.01.2014
- Sun, 26.01.2014
Sailing through the Drake Passage
Further south the voyage through the Neumayer Channel offers you fantastic panoramic views of glaciers which continue in the narrow Lemaire Channel - spectacular peaks on both sides make this waterway one of the most beautiful ship passages in the world. In the Penola Strait, the tension on board rises once again: How far south will the BREMEN be able to advance? A question that can only be clarified on board. However, it is certain that you will enjoy the entire beauty of this Antarctic wonder world during your final landings with the Zodiacs. Between icebergs and large colonies of Adelie and chinstrap penguins, it is easy to be amazed – and all the more difficult to say goodbye.
| Mon, 27.01.2014
Ushuaia/Argentina, arrival 6.00hrs
| Tue, 28.01.2014
Scheduled flight Buenos Aires – Germany
| Wed, 29.01.2014
Arrival in Germany
A change in itinerary may become necessary on this expedition to Antarctica. The captain will decide on the best possible alternative depending on weather and ice conditions
= at anchor
Please note that our pre- and post-cruise programmes are conducted in German.
For individual programmes kindly consult your travel agent.
Following programmes we offer in German:


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Road & Track on oil changes
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BMW believer
Location: N. Virginia
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 215
Mein Auto: 2004 330iZHP/2001 Audi S4
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Sure synth oil won't break down as rapidly - but contaminents and such build up just the same and these can cause extra friction as well as gunky buildup and such. And 15K under ideal circumstances...if you drive hard and in dusty areas etc etc and if your engine has hot spots that can break even synthetic oil down prematurely...you just never know. I'm just not comfortable going 15K+ without changing out the oil - regardless. Its a peace of mind thing. Have 6700 miles on the Bimmer and already changed the oil/filter once. I change the oil in the Audi approx every 4-6K miles.
Current Rides:
2004 330i Sedan - ZHP
- Imola Red - alcantara, xenons, cold w/hole in roof, silver cube
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- Nogaro Blue, St3, AWE ex/dp, Stptch brks, KW coilvrs, h-sport sways, EVO CAI, B & M ss, Clmster st3 LtwtFW - etc
1964 1/2 Mustang Conv
- 289 4 bar V8 - Vintage Burgundy - unrestored/near mint - 53K miles
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