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A toast to Toastmasters
Glossophobia – the fear of public speaking. I'm admittedly not overly familiar with all the "phobias" of the world, but thanks to a recent commercial for the Nexus 7, I know that one.
I wouldn't say that I have glossophobia, but public speaking has never much appealed to me. I've always considered myself more of the "man behind the curtain." When I began my current job last April, however, I was approached by two co-workers about joining a local Toastmasters club. I ended up attending a meeting, and I was hooked.
Toastmasters – a nonprofit educational organization created in 1924 to help people improve their communication abilities – starts you off with the option of completing two tracks: a communications track and a leadership track. You can complete both tracks simultaneously or focus on one.
The competent communicator track walks you through ten speeches, each speech focusing on a different aspect of public speaking, helping you to improve and build upon your skills. I recently completed my fifth speech, and the progress is noticeable.
As I filled out my Part 1 evaluation, I realized just how much I had improved. I've cut down on filler words, become better at impromptu speaking and even boosted my confidence in front of an audience. By actually evaluating myself, I was able to see how far I've come.
After every speech, you are provided feedback from the club, but for me, it was hard to believe it was anything more than supportive and encouraging words. Now I can say I think I'm on my way to becoming a better speaker, a speaker like some of my club members that I admire.
On the leadership track, there are also ten projects required for completion. Each project involves fulfilling some sort of role within the club while focusing on leadership traits, like listening, giving feedback, facilitation and team building. I'm currently a bit over halfway finished with the leadership track. I've also noticed an improvement in my ability to take more leadership roles. Following along with these projects has helped me to come out of my shell and voice my own opinions, in addition to being a more active listener.
I strongly encourage everyone to check out a local Toastmasters club. Whether you'd like to be a better public speaker or not, the club has so many benefits beyond helping a person articulate.
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NNS) -- Sailors from fast-attack submarine USS Toledo (SSN 769) volunteered to visit children at Chris Evert Children's Hospital at Broward General Medical Center during Fleet Week Port Everglades 2009.
Sailors moved from one pediatric unit to another, handing out autographed photos of the boat and bringing some warmth and cheer to the young patients.
"I love being able to make the kids smile," said Fire Control Technician 2nd Class Douglas Sykes. "I used to work in a hospital so I know that the little things can make the kids feel like a million bucks for a week."
Trying to find ways to pick up the kids spirits day in and day out can be a challenge, according to Kathie Capstack, a community relations representative at Broward General.
"We are so happy to have these Sailors here, doing this for the kids," she said "This really made their day."
Sailors also shared jokes and played video games with the chidren.
"Nothing hurts my feelings more than seeing them down," said Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Brett Liebich. "Going there was great because any little thing we could do was worth it."
For some Toledo Sailors had even greater motivation to participate.
"I have young brothers and a three year-old daughter and even though it is sad to see these kids like this, I would want someone to do this for my family," said Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Miguel Hernandez.
Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsman from Toledo, amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), the guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), medium endurance cutter USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908), Naval Beach Group 2 and 2nd Marine Division spent time visiting hospitals, schools and veterans homes in the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. area throughout the week.
Fleet Week is an annual event in south Florida, put together by the Broward Navy Days organization and the Broward County Navy League. More than 1,000 service members took part in the festivities.
For more news from Commander Navy Region Southeast, visit www.navy.mil/local/nrse/.

subset: commoncrawl


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Press Release: 04/16/2013
Baby Baboon Born at Oakland Zoo
|Nicky Mora, Senior Manager, Marketing/PR
|(510) 632-9525 x130
Oakland Zoo is pleased to announce a new troop of hamadryas baboons has successfully been introduced and settled into the Baboon Cliffs exhibit. Upon arrival, the troop of baboons was made up of four: one male named Martijn, and three females named Maya, Maud, and Krista. However, the total count of baboon residents has now increased by one, due to the arrival of a baboon infant. Oakland Zoo has not had a baboon birth in more than twenty years. There are now a total of two troops, with ten baboons visible to guests.
"We are proud and excited to be contributing to the future of the hamadryas species. This new infant, as recommended by AZA, will help revitalize the genetics of hamadryas baboons in the U.S.," said Margaret Rousser, Zoological Manager.
Martijn, the newest troop leader, Maya, Maud, and Krista range in age from eight years old to twelve years old. They relocated to Oakland from the Emmen Zoo in the Netherlands. The international move was facilitated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which Oakland Zoo is accredited by and follows breeding recommendations. The newest addition to the troop, born on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, belongs to Martijn and Maya. The weight, sex, and name of the baby are still unknown at this time, but average newborn hamadryas' weigh around 600-900g. Due to the dynamics of this troop, Zookeepers are only observing at this time and are allowing nature to take its course so as not to bring any stress among the troop(s) during this very special time. Baby baboons are fairly altricial, meaning the mother will hold on to the infant for the first few days while it builds its strength up. As of now, the infant is only with the birth mother, but as it gets bigger and stronger, other members of Martijn's troop will start to hold and play with the baby.
Currently, the hamadryas baboon population in the United States is in need of new bloodlines for breeding; therefore, breeding concerns necessitated the importation of this troop to Oakland. According to Margaret Rousser, Zoological Manager, this new group of baboons and their offspring are critical to revitalizing the genetics of hamadryas baboons in the U.S.
"We are very excited to be playing such an important role in the conservation of this species," stated Rousser.
Oakland Zoo's two troops of baboons enjoy eating fruits, vegetables, greens, and special insect treats like walking sticks. Zookeepers provide enrichment throughout the Baboon Cliffs exhibit for the animals to find and enjoy. Puzzle feeders, a form of enrichment, are contraptions the animals can play with and also be rewarded by treats inside. According to zookeepers, the new male, Martijn has taking a particular liking to round shaped puzzle feeders that are filled with a variety of treats such as bananas, lettuce, and carrots.
The two troops of baboons, including the newborn, can be seen by the public daily from 10:00am - 4:00pm at the Baboon Cliffs exhibit, located down the hill from the African Veldt. The Baboon Cliffs Exhibit opened in the fall of 2009 and is approximately 81,000 square feet in size. It includes a cascading waterfall, climbing structures, a spacious area for the baboons to roam, a night house facility, and offices for Zoo staff. Guests are able to observe all ten of the baboons from a large viewing deck.
About Hamadryas Baboons:
A group of baboons is often referred to as a troop. They are generally 24 - 30 inches in length and can weigh up to 40 pounds. Hamadryas baboons eat vegetables, protein-rich insects, and some red meat. They have an active lifestyle and live to be around 30 - 40 years of age. Hamadryas Baboons in the wild are found in Ethiopia, Somolia, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. In the wild, baboons congregate in very large groups to sleep at night. During the day, they separate into smaller groups to forage for food. Throughout history, hamadryas baboons were worshipped by Egyptians as the incarnation of their God, Thoth, who is often depicted with the head of a baboon.
The Bay Area's award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid's activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks.
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Happening at the ZooFamily Sundown Safari *SOLD OUT*7/29/2017Feast for the Beast (9:00am)7/29/2017Docent Applications Due7/31/2017Summer ZooCamp Now in Session7/31/2017Family Sundown Safari *SOLD OUT*8/5/2017Summer ZooCamp Now in Session8/7/2017


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Peshawar: Some unidentified men on Monday night hurled a hand grenade on the house of former Senator Nasir Khan Afridi but no causality was reported in the incident.
According to police, a hand grenade exploded outside the house of the former senator in Hayatabad area of the city, causing damage to the outer wall and windowpanes of the house.
The former Senator belongs to Khyber Agency and is contesting upcoming polls from NA-46 Peshawar.
Meanwhile, the police and security forces have cordoned off the house and started search for the culprits.


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I took the VIA Survey of Character Strengths and Judgement, critical thinking, and open mindedness came as my top strength. This is what they say about it:
Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You don't jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.
I am looking for resources that help me with the process of critical thinking. Open mindedness is a state and so is judgement but critical thinking (although I do it naturally) is a skill that can be developed and something I have never studied. I'm aware that although I think things through carefully and logically this has never been through a particular framework and I certainly couldn't engage fully in a skillful debate with someone who has a good understanding of critical thinking. I also don't understand exactly how I am breaking something down when I'm being critical and without an understanding of the processes I am probably a bit inconsistent. As such:
Thanks in advanced everyone. I know there are a lot of critical thinkers here on AoM.
Views: 1153
Aimed at educators, but interesting.
Thanks, I'm an English teacher so the focus isn't entirely irrelevant.
Obviously nothing is more than an opinion. Critical thinking is simply a repeatable, structured process that leads to more consistent results than simply pondering however you deem fit at the time. All of your arguments could be made about pretty much anything and I get the impression you enjoy playing Devil's Advocate and punching holes in whatever you can for the mere fun of it.
Critical thinking is undoubtedly useful for a lot of people. I never suggested it is some God like science which enables you to see the truth in anything. You read between the lines a bit too much there. Most of your questions are actually irrelevant based on my thoughts and opinions on the topic and you aren't actually responding to what I asked, just trying to demean me and the others here with little understanding of my views on the world.
To be honest Titus I don't know what you are really talking about. I don't understand your post. I assume that makes me less intelligent than you but that would only come down to an opinion again I guess.
I would suggest that critical thinking (in my VERY limited knowledge, hence the above question) is a non science, it is simply a skill to enable someone to use deductive thinking and questioning more effectively to try and gauge the validity of something or the likelihood of something being correct.
It is a helpful starting point and it won't be 100% useful 100% of the time but I would definitely say it is a good starting point for analyzing a lot of things. But there isn't much point going into this conversation because I am ignorant of the specifics and even the proposed premise of critical thinking. I've come here to find resources not to be questioned on the fundamental basis of whether critical thinking is useful.
Because the fact is, I don't have a clue! I barely know anything about it. We could have this discussion in the future but right now I can't confidently answer the questions.
This I can agree with. I don't know how useful critical thinking will be for me but I can't rightly use that to dismiss finding out.
Without any doubt: Euclid's Geometry. It's all about proof. After you understand what proof is, then it's time to understand what proof is in fuzzy or difficult situations. That is, start with the easy and clear-cut, and go on to the judgment-call area.
If you do a web search on fallacy, that's also an interesting resource.
I look forward to seeing if anybody has a good text on applying logic in difficult situations. Usually people writing about critical thinking in popular books are trying to convince you of something, that is, to have you think critically (as in, being critical) of opposing views, and be unquestioning toward theirs, alas.
I already like the look of logical fallacies. Maybe the key to applying logic in difficult situations is purely experiential.
Learn the cognitive traps people have. Learn how to get around them. Start looking at writings for these traps. Once you start recognizing them you can start countering them in your own work.
When I think of Critical Thinking I am drawn to topics or ideas that challenge me. Maybe the process is less about reading books and more about being able to discuss things with other intelligent people to draw some conclusions about life or any other topic. Working in the psychology world I am always "critically thinking" about how different pieces of someone's life or assessment fit together to make a whole in order to help better serve that individual. Conversations help in challenging what and why I think one thing or another. So, my advice would be to find some friends you can get together with, smoke a cigar, drink some bourbon, and hash out different challenges that face the world!
I get access to this kind of critical thinking pretty often and it is very stimulating. And it is in these conversations that I'll try and apply the theories of what I'm learning.
Hi Fraction, I've saved the link and kept a mental note of programming but I think both are a little bit beyond me at the moment. I think I'll get into more of the philosophical side of things first and then have a look at some programming or pure mathematics later on.
I certainly take your point on board though.


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big bug! persistence reload web interface too quickly, m0n0wall will down!
this is a very big bug!
if you repeat reload web interface too quickly, for example persistence press F5 ,m0n0wall will
down! and report error :" swap_pager_getswapspace: failed ". then can't visit the web interface. can
but reboot system.
sorry by my english, i'm a chinese. this is my first in english.
Xu Keqian


text:
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Related article: Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 22:09:32 -0300 From: Danny Oliver Subject: Changes 6Warning:This is a work of fiction. This is not based in real facts in any way. This story may portray sexual acts between a man and a minor boy. If that subject offends you or if you underage just stop reading it. If you are looking for a story with sex descriptions every paragraph, this one is not what you're looking for.The author copyrights this story. You may place it in any appropriate archive or website as long as they are free of charge. Please, do not alter the story in any way.I hope you appreciate my efforts in writing this story. I am not a native speaker of English so I apologize for any mistakes.I'd like to thank everyone who took time to write to me about the story. Your support is very important. Thank you so much, guys.Any comments are very welcome at baretta669hotmail.com. Flames will be ignored.Foreword:This story is dedicated to Teglin, who encouraged me to write. Check out his beautiful stories "Three Weeks To Heaven" and "Why Not Me".Changes By Danny OliverChapter Six:He was now gazing directly at my eyes with his marvelous blue eyes. I took his hand and guided him to the sofa. We sat side by side. He was worried. I didn't want to tell him that I would kill that guy but at the same time, I didn't want to lie to him. For the first time I considered not to wack Pierre if he didn't get the money. But what Vince would think? What everyone else would think? Was I getting soft? Was I getting touchy?"Maybe I won't kill him, but sandra model sisters I want him to think I will so he'll give us the money."Spencer nodded vaguely. He wasn't quite convinced."I don't like it any more than you do, Spencer," and I continued, "He's a grown man, he should know better than asking for more money than he had."He just nodded again."I promise you I won't
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suffering," he said sadly."Neither do I. neither do I," I said as we hugged each other.My last words weren't lies, it's not that I liked seeing people suffering, the truth is I never really cared about anyone but me. How selfish can a person be?Now here's the problem: Because of Spencer, I didn't want to kill the guy anymore. What if he won't get the money? Should I give him more time? I wasn't completely honest with Spencer. He certainly didn't know that Dr. Pierre has a wife and a daughter. Should I tell him? That would probably make him hate me if I'd kill a breadwinner of a family. To make a widow from a wife, to take a father from a daughter. Would he forgive me? It happened many times before, people who can't pay their debts getting 'popped' and if their families knew too much, they had to go too. Anyway, it's my fault, Vince offered to talk about that matter in private but I, in my infinite wisdom, decided that Spencer should hear that. Now, I had to work this out."Vince," I called out to him who was writing down something."Yes?""Have you talked to Doug yet?" I asked."Yep, he'll be there by noon, as you asked," he answered."Could you call him again and cancel it? I'll go myself to Pierre's place tomorrow.""What?!" both Vince and Spencer exclaimed in unison."Oh, hold it Tony, you know it can be dangerous. Let me do it," Vince said. I shook my head and he continued, "Are you trying to prove something, T?""I have to do it myself," I said plainly."Are you aware that Pierre may be... let's say, a bit disturbed now? If you show up at his place and he hasn't get the money by then, he might try to kill you, you know that.""I can handle
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reason to kill Pierre and we ended up with him convincing me that there was no good reason for killing that man at all."Can we talk alone?" Spencer said softly, gently holding my arm."Sure, let's go upstairs," I answered.I knew Vince would understand it so I didn't bother saying anything to him. As we were heading upstairs I could have sworn that I heard Vince's voice, like if it was inside my head calling, "Tony, come back.""What's wrong?" Spencer asked me."Vince is calling me.""No, he's not," he answered plainly."Yeah, I guess you're right.""You're getting senile, Tony, that's the problem," he said giggling."Hey, you should show more respect for elder people," I answered him playing along."Ok, I apologize, sir.""Hmm. Apologies accepted," I answered ruffling his hair.We entered our room and sat on the bed side by side."You really love me, don't
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me otherwise. His body was now jerking uncontrollably but somehow I managed to keep my mouth on his dick swallowing every drop of his boy juice. Just after that, something that I wasn't expecting happened, I cummed in my boxers and I didn't even touch my dick. That was a first. I let his softening dick go off my mouth and forced myself back to my senses. He was still in his after orgasm bliss. I moved myself beside him in the bed and kissed his now sweaty cheek (of the face!). He opened his eyes a little."It was... 'sigh'... wonderful," he bravely managed to say moving his head to rest in my chest like he usually likes teenmodel 12yo topsites to sleep. And that's what we did: we slept. --More soon. Any comments positive or negative are as always welcome at baretta669hotmail.com. Flames will be ignored.
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The willingness of the White House to exceed the Constitutional powers of the President and assert authority beyond that directed in federal statutes is starting to show up more frequently. In the past week on American Thinker, John F. DeLeo documented President Obama's deliberate expansion of the United States' Export Import Bank to turn it into a lender competing with ordinary banks, rather than a prudent facilitator of American companies' ability to engage in foreign commerce.
Obama's willingness to take over companies and bully lenders into giving up their priority rights to be paid their capital back was evident at the beginning of his term, in the cases of the GM and Chrysler bailouts. The other day, he moved unilaterally to change the defense capability of the nation by decreeing the destruction of hundreds of nuclear weapons to a level far below that the Senate authorized in a recent treaty with Russia. Also Joe Newby of the Spokane Examiner reports that on Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner told radio talk show host Laura Ingraham that he has "great concerns" the President may be overstepping his Constitutional authority in bypassing Congress on laws regarding mortgages and student loans.
Under the radar, another very current Obama move is seeking to create applicable law in the field of coastal zone regulation, respecting the oceans and the Great Lakes. The common law and Constitutional tradition of the United States provides that states own and govern the natural resources under public waters in their territory. Nevertheless, since 2010, when he created an Ocean Policy Council, Obama has directed that the federal government agencies conduct themselves according to United Nations "sustainability" doctrine and treaties not ratified by the Senate of the United States.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/02/all_hail_obama.html#ixzz1n5bOw3Et


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26 July 2017 01:49
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One question that has been answered is whether or not Dexter Fowler would be ready to play everyday in the Major Leagues. All the rookie has done is bat .290 through his first 18 games, and he already has nine stolen bases. Of course, that statistic includes his five stolen base day against San Diego, which tied a modern-day, major-league rookie record.
"I got the green light and I thought I had some good jumps," said Fowler.
The Rockies have also gotten some great hitting from a key number of players, including the ever-clutch Todd Helton. The aging Helton is once again batting over .300, and he is one of four Colorado regulars who have that distinction. Also stroking early on are Ryan Spilborghs, Brad Hawpe, and Seth Smith, all of whom have contributed in a major way in 2009.
Two big disappointments in the early going have been shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and catcher Chris Iannetta, who both are expected to be key contributors to the team in 2009, and beyond. Tulowitzki, who many believe to be one of the top young shortstops in the game, is batting only .200, mostly due to him striking out at a high rate. Iannetta, who many predicted to have a breakout season, is batting well below the Mendoza Line, and the Rockies are beginning to worry.
In regards to pitching, two of the Rockies starters have struggled mightily in the early going, with one being the staff ace. Aaron Cook has a bloated 7.11 earned run average through his first five starts, and has been terrorized by the long ball all season long. Ubaldo Jimenez's earned run average is even higher, as the young fire-baller's ERA is 7.58 in the early going. They both need to get on track if the Rockies want to challenge in the National League West in 2009.
Jason Marquis has been very sharp in the early going, as he has won three of his first four starts. Though he was not asked to be the staff ace out of camp, he has assumed that role in the early going. Jorge De La Rosa has also been great in the rotation, leading all starters with a 3.57 earned run average. He has dodged the long ball as well, as he has allowed only one bomb on the young season.
Huston Street may have locked up the team's closer role, at least for the time being, as he struck out the side on Wednesday. After losing the role early in the year, Street has been getting back into a rhythm, while Manny Corpas, his replacement, has been touched early and often. Street was once considered one of the top closers in baseball, and the Rockies hope he can return to that form.
DL Watch
Jeff Baker, the team's utility man, has been sent to the 15-day DL, due to a sprained left hand. Matt Murton, who was batting over .400 for Colorado Springs, will take his spot on the active roster.


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Today we have in stock some of the models that you so expected. Italian Cutjack, Gekko 1509 & 1559, Druid 270 and others are now available. Follow this post to find your own new Steel Will Knife!
If you're looking for the most inexpensive Italian made flipper in M390, then look no further than the Steel will Cutjack Mini. This little flipper uses a ball bearing pivot system to allow for smooth consistent deployments. The exotic Bohler M390 steel is nice and super steely.
Overall the Steel Will Cutjack is a very good knife, and for the price it is a great buy. I would recommend this knife 10 out of 10 times. This is my first Steel Will knife, but this will not be my last knife by them. This has become my everyday carry knife.
Steel Will is proud to introduce new knives: Steel Wil Modus. The Modus folding knife is a reliable tool as well as a stylish accessory.
SMG Inc. will be participating in the largest knives exhibition – The Blade Show in Atlanta, GA.
"I love knives that I can put into multiple roles. EDC knives that are lightweight and slim, but still robust and large enough for almost any task. This Cutjack has it all!" - gideonstactical.
"Just got my Cutjack in hand today and I'm literally going nuts over it! I've already used for so many things and I plan to use it A LOT in the future!" - customer via Instagram.
Steel Will is proud to introduce new knives: Steel Wil Censor 1360s. Right now they are available on stock. Each blade on the new Censor knives is made with a 3.86-inch AUS-8 steel finished in a black traction coating process.
We are proud to introduce our first serrated knife with a new patent pending design.
In creating our new locking mechanism for folding knives we needed to achieve several goals:
- Make a user-friendly ambidextrous lock
- Make it lightweight and compact
- Make it safe and strong
It took a year of designing and prototyping to find the correct construction and geometry. Now, we're proud to share the weight stress tests we've achieved with our new patent pending Ant-Lock.
The knife here has a regular size Ant-lock but we have plans to make this lock in 3 different sizes, including a mini and XL version.
The weight is applied to a distance 3.5" from the pivot and a load of 200 lb. creates 700 lb./inch torque. We found that the strength depends on the blade thickness and steel type because the lock seems to be stronger then the blade's tang. The blade in this video is 0.125" thick and made from 440C
The "Outdoor" series is a line of first class knives created for use outside the metropolis. These high-quality knives will become an indispensable tool for fishermen, hunters, hikers, climbers, and all other outdoorsmen. Each knife from this line was created for its own specific goals and objectives, beginning from a compact Skinner and ending with a huge Chopper. Impeccable design combined with practical sheaths makes Steel Will "Outdoor" Knives a great companion for any outdoorsmen.Show all models
The "Urban" line is extremely versatile and useful for everyday life. "Urban" knives are convenient, compact knives with an impeccably thoughtful and modern design. They can become the pride of their owners. The city has a lot of surprises for us every day, but there are no insurmountable obstacles for residents with an "Urban" knife.Show all models
The skill of using a knife requires an appropriate tool to develop this skill, and turn it closer to a form of art. A greenhorn is able to develop his skills very fast with a good knife, but a professional who uses Steel Will will never forget it. Our designers were inspired by the best military knives to create the "Tactical" series. These durable and reliable knives are ideal for both training and for everyday use. The "Tactical" knife will be able to help its owner in any situation.Show all models
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Benefit Concert for Emmanuel Cancer Foundation This Saturday at Waters Edge [AUDIO]
This all day event will happening at the Waters Edge Waterfront Bar in Bayville, NJ this Saturday from 11am- 1a.
The "Dock and Roll" Benefit Concert for the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation and will feature 8 of the areas best bands who will each play an hour set throughout the day and night. Concert starts at noon and finishes with our headliner, Johnny Drama, who takes the stage from 9pm to 1am.
Andy Chase and 105.7 The Hawk will be hanging out on Saturday from 5p-7p


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Candlewood Suites San Diego
Candlewood Suites San Diego
Set atop the hillside of Hotel Circle South, the three-story Candlewood Suites San Diego offers a spectacular view of Mission Valley.
Candlewood Suites San Diego is conveniently located to all major San Diego attractions and Interstate 8 freeway access. Nearby attractions include SeaWorld, the Riverwalk Golf Course, Fashion Valley Mall, the world famous San Diego Zoo, downtown's historic Gaslamp Quarter, Petco Park, Old Town, Tijuana - Mexico, Qualcomm Stadium, USD, SDSU, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, Legoland, Pacific Beach, Sunset Cliffs, Coronado, and San Diego Wild Animal Park.
Nearby organizations include Spa War, Caltrans, Aetna, AIG, BoozAllenHamiton, CP Kelco, Firemans Fund, HSBC/Household, Hyundai, Jack in the Box, Kaiser Permanente, Nextel, Sempra Energy, Stewart Title, SunGard SCT, UCSD Medical Center, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Symitar Systems.
Quick Info
- Check In: 3:00 PM
- Check Out: 12:00 PM
- Minimum Check-In Age: 18
- Late Check Out Available
- Self Parking Fee: 8 USD
- Print Fact Sheet
- Chat With Us
Important Update
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Housekeeping Full Service
- Standard Wireless Internet service is free for all members
- On-site Fitness Center Available
- Outdoor Gazebo Grill
It's hard to leave your best buddy at home when you're traveling for extended periods, so we provide a pet friendly experience. Restrictions and fees apply.
Whether you are booking suites for a family reunion or suites for your company's training needs, Candlewood Suites hotels can accommodate your group.
Workout whenever you want: Candlewood Gym always has an open door and lots of aerobic and cardio equipment to make it easier to stick to your exercise routine, no sweat.
The IHG Green Engage system is an online tool that gives our hotels the means to measure their day-to-day environmental impact.
Getting Here
Guest Reviews
Overall Experience
Great Place To Stay
July 15, 2017
The Candlewood Suites in San Diego is a great place to stay. The rooms are clean, and the staff is excellent. The location of the hotel is easy to get to and close to most San Diego attractions.
Needs updates. Yesterday.
July 12, 2017
Hotel is old and not maintained. Walkway-balcony and its side rail to rooms in the rear is dreadful; cement is cracked and overall very 70s style. It needs to be torn down and updated. Elevator makes squeaky noises and has no ventilation. Hotel entrance smells bad and air freshener is used for cover up purposes, still awful to breath though. Rooms are ....roomy and that's about it. Kitchenette's lights switches were dirty, couch had stains, TV in bedroom would not change channels (stuck on CNN). We ve stayed in much better and more modern Candlewood Hotels at much lower rates, this specific one in San Diego we will not be returning.
Candlewood San diego
July 06, 2017
Great Stay at Candlewood San diego, clean ,spacious and comfortable room with kitchen.
Unfriendly front desk staff
June 30, 2017
Unfriendly staff, not willing to accommodate a simple request as late checkout, especially I am a gold member. Very disappointed and worst experience I had with IHG group


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|John Behl
|Detention Date:
|Date of Birth:
|720 ILCS 5 16A-3(a) [15599] RET THEFT/DISP MERCH/
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|View Criminal History »
John Behl was arrested 5 years ago on November 13, 2012 in Chicago, IL.Click Here to View Details
John Behl was arrested 4 years ago on May 17, 2013 in Dupage County, IL.Click Here to View Details
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Seven-year-old Lexus Pleasant made her way through a series of pint-sized buildings that are made just for children, but are tall enough to accommodate adults. There's a specific reason why. "Teachers need to be able to get in there and teach lessons," said Nancy Benham, principal at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, where the Lagniappe Children's Village is located.
The school dedicated the children's Village during an April 21 ceremony.
Since many of the children who attend this school are there during the week overnight, many of them never get the opportunity to go with their parents to places like the bank, the doctor's office, a police station, or other areas that can be intimidating the first time.
The purpose of the buildings, situated in the center of campus, is to teach students how these places work, what terminology is commonly used, and how to communicate the idea behind, say, making an appointment with a doctor, using a train station, getting an oil change, or taking money out of the automated teller machine.
There's a lot of roll play involved, she said, including after-school hours with the dorm staff, and the students love it.
"They're learning while they're playing," she said.
Pleasant was having a great time at the April 21 ribbon-cutting to the village, which consists of 13 buildings and one gazebo — a wooden structure in the center of the village that began the whole process.
It was built by high school students in woodworking classes, she said. The rest of the buildings were custom made for LSD by Lilliput Play Homes, a company that manufactures play structures.
Through an interpreter, Pleasant said she liked the police station, the hospital, the deli and the bank.
"Pretty much everything. Can I go play now?" she said. It is, obviously, well received by students.
Staff also use the village as a way to incorporate service learning, said fifth grade teacher Brian Cheslik, who was instructing his students on how to help the younger children use the village buildings.
"It gets them involved, even though they may feel too old to use the play houses," he said.
Benham said she got the idea to create the village because a similar set up worked well at her last school in Pennsylvania.
But they're not just learning about the hearing world around them, Benham said. They're also learning about deaf culture and Louisiana culture, all of which were carefully incorporated into the names of the buildings and the curriculum that will be used to teach them.
Buildings are named after Dummy-Hoy, the first deaf professional baseball player; Mayflower, which is the street the original LSD was located; Thomas Hopkinds Galadet, considered the founder of modern education for the deaf and hard of hearing; and Alice Cogswell, the deaf child who inspired his search for methods to educate the deaf.
"We tried to make it as rich as possible in all those ways," Benham said.
The village will be used throughout the school year to get students comfortable with real-world transactions, she said.
Funding for the village came through grants to the school.


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Eight weeks into 2012, the S&P 500 is batting .875, it's cool to be bullish, and the G20 is reportedly putting together a $2 trillion rescue plan to solve Europe's debt crisis once and for all. That's a scenario that would have seemed almost unfathomable back in early October when the market scraped its near-term lows.
And yet, there are still some negatives to keep in mind. This has been a low-volume rally for the major U.S. equity indices, indicating a possible lack of deep-seated conviction in the so-called risk-on trade. According to Deutsche Bank, trading in the S&P 500 components is down 20% from last year. This is also reflected in the ongoing popularity of bonds. Last week, long-term mutual funds investing in bonds saw inflows of $8.2 billion, while funds investing in equities saw inflows of just $1 billion with just $35 million of that going into funds investing in U.S. stocks. > > Bull or Bear? Vote in Our Poll The economic data are getting better, but there is still some trepidation out there about what a recession in Europe means for the progress that has been made stateside in the last six months. Don't forget rising energy costs either. They hit the all-important consumer in the wallet immediately. Gas prices at $4 per gallon and the Dow at 13,000 may not mix. So corporate earnings this past reporting season must have been great, right? Well, not really. FactSet Research said Friday that the blended earnings growth rate for the fourth quarter sits at a pedestrian 5.9%, with 454 of the S&P 500's components having opening their books. Take out Apple ( AAPL) and AIG ( AIG), and the rate drops to 1.1%. And while analysts are bullish that strength in the U.S. and emerging-market economies in the second half will stoke earnings growth toward the end of 2012, the present isn't exactly boom times. According to FactSet, analysts are projecting a year-over-year decline in earnings of 0.4% in the current quarter with the second and third quarters pegged for single-digit percentage growth of 6.8% and 4.4%, respectively. Not exactly the kind of growth that justifies new all-time highs for the major averages.


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The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
(OUHSC) is dedicated to providing optimal care for infants, children, adolescents, and adults who are affected by disorders of sex development (DSD). Additionally, we provide education concerning DSD to parents and family members of affected individuals and to healthcare providers who serve these patients and their families. To make a referral to the SUCCEED Clinic, or for more information about our services, please contact us using the information below.
The SUCCEED Clinic
is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of pediatric and adult sub-specialists committed to providing state-of-the-art, evidence-based care. The goals of our team include: (1) determining a DSD diagnosis when possible, (2) providing medical and surgical treatment recommendations when possible, (3) providing medical and surgical care to patients, (4) providing education and support to patients, their families and healthcare professionals who serve them and (5) conducting research to further our understanding of the causes of, and treatments for, DSD. For those affected by DSD who do not require medical or surgical treatment, our team can provide ongoing education and support. Our SUCCEED Clinic team is committed to working in partnership with referring physicians to maintain active collaboration between primary care providers and other sub-specialists.
- Please welcome Emily Haddad to the SUCCEED Team!
Emily Haddad is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who obtained her MSW at the University of Michigan, School of Social Work. She trained at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario with their DSD team. She provides psychosocial support, education, counseling, and advocacy for children with a DSD and their families.


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Which of the following is a problem associated with bankruptcy?
A. It is embarrasing for managers to work at a firm that fails.
B. Bankruptcy shifts assets to more highly valued uses.
C. The costs associated with bankruptcy further reduce cash flows to shareholders.
D. A company immediately ceases to be able to conduct business once it has filed for bankruptcy.
The irrelevance of capital structure in perfect capital markets helps us because
A. if something is irrelevant, we ignore it.
B. it applies to real world capital markets.
C. it simplifies a complex subject.
D. it shows us which consumptions, when relaxed, may make capital structure relevant.
Rather than just add up all the costs associated with a proposed investment, the with-and-without principles recognizes that some cash flows might not be incremental. Examples of nonincremental project costs are:
A. sunk costs, additional revenues, and COGS of new products.
B. sunk costs, allocation of overhead, and cannibalism of sales.
C. sunk costs, allocation of overhead, and depreciation of new equipment.
D. allocation of overhead, additional revenues, and costs.


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Talk:Wikimedia Highlights, November 2011
From Meta, a Wikimedia project coordination wiki
Adding a translate line T:33 for categorizing[edit]
Hi. I want to add a line as T:33 for categorizing of translated Highlights. So I think to add following texts to the end of the Highlights.
[[Category:Wikimedia Highlights<translate><!--T:33--><!-- slash and 2 or 3 character code of your language--></translate>]]
Could you tell me your comments about this idea? --Akaniji 12:51, 11 December 2011 (UTC)
- Are there any conventions for multi-language categories at the moment? Adding a category isn't too much of a challenge, getting consensus on proper categorisation is :). --Siebrand 23:37, 11 December 2011 (UTC)


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The Saturdays In Bikinis And Other News
- The exact moment Joe Biden turned to Paul Ryan, slowly jabbed a knife in his stomach and said, "Overturn this, you little shit." [BuzzFeed]
- Here's Catherine Zeta-Jones filming Red 2 because there's a Red 2 now. [Lainey Gossip]
- Am I seriously linking a baby riding a giant lobster instead of tits? I'm linking a baby riding a giant lobster. This is happening. [theCHIVE]
- Elizabeth Taylor had a threesome with JFK and Robert Stack which better be in the Lifetime movie. [Dlisted]
- Abbie Cornish is cleavagey. [Popoholic]
- Pete Campbell and Alexis Beidel are banging in real life. [TooFab]
- Apparently there was a penis online yesterday. It's not Justin Bieber's. [IDLYITW]
- Taylor Swift denies banging Arnold's son, but keep an eye out for mentions of a pregnant maid in her next song just in case. [Celebslam]
- Katie Price is finally recognized for her work with handjobs. [Hollywood Tuna]
- Oh, good, Toddlers & Tiaras is a springboard to movie roles now. Excuse me while I put all my money in four-year-old hooker costume futures. [FilmDrunk]
- Miranda Kerr looking insane for Vogue Italia. [DrunkenStepfather: Site is NSFW]
- Sofia Vergara loves being lied to. [Just Jared]
- John Locke has no fucking clue what happened on LOST and is apparently playing the Devil now. [HuffPost Entertainment]
Follow The Superficial on Facebook || Twitter || Mobile
Photos: Fame/Flynet, Pacific Coast News


text:
Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
The Bell (original 1958; edition 2004)
by Iris Murdoch
Work details
The Bell by Iris Murdoch (1958)
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20th Century Literature (447)
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This very clever novel has to be read with the knowledge that it was published in 1958, a time before I was born that was vastly different in attitudes and morals to the world of today. The most clearly drawn character for me was Dora, the wife of Paul. We never get in to Paul's head but he is shown as a hateful and controlling bully who makes Dora very unhappy. She does leave him at the beginning of the novel but returns while he is working at Imber, a lay community next to an Abbey. Dora is young, lively and curious and struggles to fit in to the grown up role society expects of her. Iris Murdoch takes us into the thoughts of other characters. Michael is the leader of the lay community and his past gradually unfolds. Michael is gay and in 1950s England this was considered at best a transgression against the normal and as a teacher he sought an unsuitable relationship with a teenage boy, Nick, who has now arrived at the community and is an alcoholic. This feels like the theme of the novel, the actions and unintended and unpredictable consequences of those actions and whether as humans we can decide if an action is made through real love. The novel follows action with reaction in a string of events that is very clever. The novel has thoughtful and introspective characters who suffer and more carefree characters who seem to be almost untouched by the events they have put in motion. Nora finds the old bell, that had seemed to be just a legend, in the lake with Toby, a young man who is spending his summer at the community before university, and hatches an ill thought out plan to surprise the community by revealing this bell. Of course, this all goes awry and has massive consequences but yet at the end of the novel, Nora rows on the lake, 'From the tower above her the bell began to ring for Nones. She scarcely heard it. Already for her it rang from another world.' By contrast, Michael is left grieving and numb and unable to believe in god, 'he looked about him with the calmness of the ruined man', at mass he is an observer, rather than a celebrant. The dragging of the old bell from the lake is a dramatic moment, when the 'immense bulk rose slowly from the lake' like a monster.
Murdock is sort of mix of Muriel Spark and Evelyn Waugh, but has a unique voice all her own. Symbols and characters clash to show us the interplay between motive and action. Like Spark, her novel can be read on several levels.
Listed in the 1001 books you must read before you die http://www.listology.com/list/1001-books-you-must-read-you-die
This is a different class again! Now I see what all the fuss is about Iris Murdoch: beautiful writing, characters really well drawn/realised, beautiful use of language as well (had to look up a couple of definitions yesterday - feel quite ashamed of my vocabulary now!). Interesting period piece as well. Similar in that respect to Agatha Christie in that it holds up a mirror to the times. Written in 1958 it's interesting to see 'women's place in society', men's attitudes to women, attitudes in general to homosexuality.... and I'm only 100 pages in!
So, without giving away too much of the plot etc. The story is based around a Lay community attached to an Abbey in Imber. As each character is introduced and takes centre stage we find out more about them, why they are at Imber and discover each is slightly 'damaged' in some way. The Community runs a small market garden to support itself and is preparing for a new Bell to be delivered and installed into the Abbey. The old Bell disappeared in the mists of time in mysterious circumstances and there are many fables and portents of doom surrounding it. so there is some trepidation about what a new Bell may bring. On top of this, we see the relationships develop between the various members. As all the various strands of their stories come together, there is the inevitable unravelling of personalities and relationships and you wonder what will happen to all these people as their lives continue beyond the end of the book.
It's testament to Iris Murdoch's writing and carefully crafted characters, that you feel involved with these people and care about what may happen to them, even Dora: a most unsympathetic character at the beginning!
However, I do feel that I have to say something about chapter 11, it so dates the book and whilst I would never condone a re-write of a book to be more PC, there were a few things in there that made me wince: One character is referred to as having been "working like a black"! Then there's the amount of alcohol consumed before driving and the phrase "he knew he'd be alright: the driving would sober him up". How times have changed!
I read this book because a friend is doing a project in association with the Iris Murdoch foundation and has been asking Book Groups to volunteer to read The Bell and then answer a questionnaire. (see: http://libroediting.wordpress.com/irismurdochproject/) so I recommended it to our book group & we agreed that some of us would read it. I'm delighted that we did, as I thoroughly enjoyed it,and will definitely read some of her other work.
This is my first Iris Murdoch. First I finished, at any rate. It takes place (and was written) half a century ago and the things people worried about seem kind of ancient. Perhaps the things people worry about now will seem that way in 50 more years. The people were very real and I wanted to pull them out of time into the present and tell them they needn't worry so much about those things. Mother Claire, the aquatic Nun seemed to be relatively untroubled. Maybe it was the middle state, halfway between religious and secular, that caused the characters so much trouble. Toby seemed to work it out by becoming secular. Michael came to some sort of relative peace--better than he started out. Dora, at least, left Paul, but I wonder if she's going to be OK.
There's something tragic about a world where, with few exceptions, the faithful are so quick to condemn and the worst crime is love (though the Abbess says the opposite and I agree.)
I wanted to get to this book all year and I truely saved the best for last it appears. This is a great story, good character development and an interesting story. The book is published in 1958 and to some extent that is obvious but it also is not dated in many ways. The story is set in a lay community outside of an abbey of cloistered nuns. A new bell is to arrive for the nunnery and thus the title of the story. There is also a myth about the past bell which is said to be lost in the lake and if you hear its ring there will be a death. The characters are all misfits in someway and thus they are drawn to this lay community because they don't fit in. Three people are merely visitors to the community, The errant wife, the cruel and cold husband and the boy who is heading off to engineering college. The reformed homosexual leads the community, there is the novice who has schizophrenia and the innocent youth and the alcoholic. The themes is the struggle of sex and religion.
A quote, pg 165 "Our actions are like ships which we may watch set out to sea, and not know when or with what cargo they will return to port".
Also another book with some psychiatric history. This book is written in 1958. It mentions insulin shock treatments and even mentions that "insulin was making her fat". It also mentions drugs and it was about this time that Thorazine was being used.
Dora, a young, irresponsible art student, marries Paul, who is thirteen years older, and finds him decisive, possessive, authoritative and violent: 'Something gentle and gay had gone out of her life'. She leaves him and 'passed the summer drinking and dancing and making love and spending Paul's allowance on multi-coloured skirts'. She then decides to return to him, and goes by train, very nervous. On the carriage floor she sees a butterfly crawling; picks it up and holds it safely until the train stops and she gets out and meets her husband who finds she has left his property on the train, and 'His face was harshly closed'. He asks her why she is holding her hands so oddly, and she opens them 'like a flower'; the butterfly 'flew away into the distance'.
Clearly this is a butterfly highly charged with symbolic value.
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English (1)
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0141186690, Paperback)
A lay community of thoroughly mixed-up people is encamped outside Imber Abbey, home of an order of sequestered nuns. A new bell is being installed when suddenly the old bell, a legendary symbol of religion and magic, is rediscovered. And then things begin to change. Meanwhile the wise old Abbess watches and prays and exercises discreet authority. And everyone, or almost everyone, hopes to be saved, whatever that may mean. Originally published in 1958, this funny, sad, and moving novel is about religion, sex, and the fight between good and evil.
(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 12 Mar 2015 18:17:08 -0400)
The story of a lay community of mixed-up people encamped outside Imber Abbey, home of an enclosed order of nuns, including Dora Greenfield, an erring wife who returns to her husband, and Michael Meade, who is confronted by his homosexual former lover.… (more)
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text: This simple shift in how healthcare is paid for—long seen as key to taming costs—has been occurring in pockets of the country. But nowhere is it happening more systematically than in Massachusetts, the state that blazed a trail in 2006 by guaranteeing its residents health insurance. Now Massachusetts, a model for President Obama's 2010 national healthcare law, may offer another template for national leaders looking to control health spending. "There have been few greater periods of change in American medical history ... and this is the epicenter," said Dr. Kevin Tabb, a former chief medical officer at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Northern California who now heads Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of Boston's leading hospitals. "It is striking how different Massachusetts is from the rest of the nation."


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If you're really into pay per click marketing or web analytics, you have probably heard about the debate around first click vs. last click conversion attribution. So what's the big deal? Why should it matter which keywords and text ads your conversions get credited to? The answer is more complex than you might think. Let's break it down.
First, a few definitions for the unfamiliar. When analysts talk about first click and last click attribution, they are referring to which click of a keyword or text ad is credited for a conversion event in a search engine marketing campaign. First click attribution means that the first click in the process should get the credit, even if a user performs additional searches and ad views before they actually convert. Last click attribution means that the last click or ad view should get the credit, no matter how many other searches came before.
The problem is that most PPC metrics use the last-click model due to limitations in tracking. For example, Google's AdWords tracking cookie expires after about thirty days. That means that if a user saw and clicked on one of your ads three months ago, remembered your business name, and converted under a different search query, then there is no way to measure that first click anyway. The only viable option is to go with last-click attribution.
However, with advances in web analytics software, first click attribution is no longer out of reach. This allows us to ask the question of whether the first click or the last click is more important in a pay per click transaction. When you look at search behavior, a sizable portion of conversions come via a process of multiple searches. People will search for one thing, click on a few ads, refine their search using information they found on the first pass, and continue this process until they find what they are looking for. Users may even click on several of your ads before they come to a decision. Each one of these clicks is important in pushing the user towards the conversion.
There's no real right answer to this quandary. If you ignore first clicks, you're ignoring the broader terms that make users aware of your offerings. If you ignore the last clicks, you're omitting the valuable elements of your campaigns that close the deal. It's much better to look at this problem holistically. Make sure that you are using keywords that target users in the different steps of the buying process – information gathering, comparison shopping, and highly targeted product terms for people ready to buy. Just remember that both first clicks and last clicks are important. If you leave one or the other out of your campaigns, you could be affecting the entire conversion process.


text: On Wed, 17 Sep 2008, Garrick Staples wrote: > On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 11:12:41AM -0500, Michael Homa alleged: > > In order to test, I wrote a simple hello_world program in C. When I submit > > the program for execution, I see that the number of tasks is 6: > > > > Job ID Username Queue Jobname SessID NDS TSK Memory Time S Time > > 317 mhoma dedicate hello_worl -- 1 6 --- 00:30 Q -- > > What did the job actually request? nodes=1:ppn=6? ncpus=6? Neither of those > requests can be answered with quad-proc machines. Hi Garrick: I didn't have a "-l nodes" option in the script: #PBS -N hello_world #PBS -q dedicated /home/homes51/mhoma/a.out and did not specify a -l on qsub (qsub script). When I add the -l option: #PBS -N hello_world #PBS -q dedicated #PBS -l nodes=1:ppn=1 /home/homes51/mhoma/a.out I get the same result: checking job 322 State: Idle Creds: user:mhoma group:users class:dedicated qos:DEFAULT WallTime: 00:00:00 of 00:30:00 SubmitTime: Wed Sep 17 14:45:29 (Time Queued Total: 00:01:41 Eligible: 00:01:41) Total Tasks: 1 Req[0] TaskCount: 1 Partition: ALL Network: [NONE] Memory >= 0 Disk >= 0 Swap >= 0 Opsys: [NONE] Arch: [NONE] Features: [dedicated] Dedicated Resources Per Task: PROCS: 6 <----------- I find this interesting but where is it getting it. ... PE: 6.00 StartPriority: 1 job cannot run in partition DEFAULT (idle procs do not meet requirements : 0 of 6 procs found) idle procs: 28 feasible procs: 0 The only place I figure it may come from is the torque configuration for the dedicated queue: resources_max.ncpus = 6 But my understand from reading the queue configuration guide (and feel free to tell me I'm full of crap) is that resources_max.ncpus is the maximum number of processors a single job can request in the queue and not the default number of processors allocated per job if the user does not include "-l node" argument. > > The dedicated queue has three dual CPU, dual cores and was established in > > torque: > > > > argo17-1 np=4 Linux2.i86pc dualcore amd smp dedicated > > argo18-2 np=4 Linux2.i86pc dualcore amd smp dedicated > > argo18-3 np=4 Linux2.i86pc dualcore amd smp dedicated I've always wanted to ask this question. Does the np refer to "real, physical processors" or does it refer to the total number of cores? If the former, then argo17-1 should be: argo17-1 np=2:ppn=2 Linux2.i86pc dualcore amd smp dedicated If the latter, then: argo17-1 np=4 Linux2.i86pc dualcore amd smp dedicated is correct > > Don't change the number of CPUs in a task. Down that road lies madness. ok. Technically "done that road lies more madness." ---- > > > 2) I'm unclear as to how the "task" number is derived? I noticed that > > my hello_world has a PE of 6. Is that a coincidence or does the > > resulting PE become the number of tasks? Why six processors for > > hello_world? > > We would need to see that actual request. I'm not being funny but how does one get the request. From the checkjob command? Michael And, I don't want to forget to say, thank you for your help.


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Jewel, 'That's What I'd Do' Is Singer's First Children's Book
Jewel is in Mommy mode, both personally and professionally. Following her two children's albums — 2009's 'Lullaby' and last year's 'The Merry Goes 'Round' — the singer-songwriter now has a new children's book, 'That's What I'd Do,' set to hit stores Sept. 18.
"I wanted to create a children's music book for quite a long time," the new mom to 8-month-old Kase tells People. "[So] when I got pregnant, it was finally a great chance to get it written and really make it something that I hoped my son would like."
Jewel certainly has been plotting the project for a while. She told The Boot back on the 2011 Grammy Awards red carpet that penning a children's book was a dream of hers, explaining, "Some of the songs are so visual that I really would love to do little drawings and make little books out of them."
'That's What I'd Do' features illustrations by Amy June Bates and was inspired by Jewel's song, 'What I'd Do.' The hardcover book also comes with a CD that Jewel suggests parents play in the car, followed by reading the book at bedtime — using both as tools to teach children about rhyming.
"To me this is just a love story to your child," Jewel explains. "I'm really excited for moms to get to sit down and read this to their babies, because it's really a devotion for lyrics."
The book's very first fan is Jewel's son, Kase Townes Murray, born July 11, 2011. "He smiled," Jewel answered People when asked about her baby's first reaction to the book. But there's one part of the story that leaves its author a little weepy.
"The very last page of the book shows a mom leaning in really close and touching noses with her baby," Jewel explains. "It's so sweet, it makes me tear up every time."
Watch Jewel Sing Live in Our Studio


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The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal (9780385529372): Ben Mezrich
Facebook, a part of all of our everyday lives. However, how did it come to be? How did it all start? You guessed it, as an attempt to get laid. Accidental Billionaires tells the story of the founders and founding of our (second) favorite social network and it's from the guy who wrote Bringing Down the House. So, it's bound to be great.


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Good for Jimmy Fallon for his clever and very smart debut last night as the new host of the Tonight Show. Good for him for bringing it back to New York. Good for NBC for letting him. Finally, I have a reason to check out a late-night talk show again, because finally -- while no one will ever top Johnny Carson in the gig -- a worthy successor has been found.I've always had the sense that Fallon, -- like Carson -- genuinely likes and is entertained by his guests, and he has Carson's instinct … [Read more...]
In Fallon, Finally, a Worthy Carson Successor? – UPDATED
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Some Little Loach Pics--of MINE
Posted By: Fran <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Date: Monday, 17 July 2000, at 11:35 p.m.
Well, I thought the pictures would be a little larger, but I can't figure out everything all at one time. I know. You've seen one loach, you've seen them all. But, when their yours, you think you've got the most beautiful ones. Anyway.....
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"It's a clew," he said, but he spoke slowly and thoughtfully.
The count had no clew to the cause of his sudden return to Brittany.
I have followed up every sort of clew I have transferred a dozen men.
The victim had escaped, and the miser had obtained no clew to the lost treasure.
The only clew we have to the identification of the missing money were two boxes of Mexican doubloons.
But the baroness had not the clew we have; and what a difference that makes!
He has grasped his clew; and, following it, presses bravely on.
Every labyrinth has its clew, but the fugitive walks safely in a crowd.
Was the clew to the mysterious disappearance of the writing to be found here?
When you allowed me to take that letter you furnished me with my first clew.
"ball of thread or yarn," northern English and Scottish relic of Old English cliewen "sphere, ball, skein, ball of thread or yarn," probably from West Germanic *kleuwin (cf. Old Saxon cleuwin, Dutch kluwen), from Proto-Germanic *kliwjo-, from PIE *gleu- "gather into a mass, conglomerate" (see clay).


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Search your deck for up to 3 Trainer cards that have Fossil in their names, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.
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Best Of :: Goods & Services
Is it just us, or does the cable channel American Movie Classics just suck these days? Not for nothing, but when tuning in to that particular cable station, it's nice to see some, you know, classics -- like maybe Citizen Kane or even On the Waterfront. Sixteen Candles or When Harry Met Sally . . . are all well and good, but save them for TNT. And it's a sure bet that Jaws: The Revenge or Airport '77 didn't make the AFI's "100 Years, 100 Movies" list.
Since we're tossing down our remotes anyway, we'll step off the soapbox and cruise down to Scottsdale Video to peruse its selection of more than 1,000 classic flicks stacked floor-to-ceiling on five separate wire-framed shelves. The rest of the store's sections, housing its more than 40,000 other titles up for rental, is hard to top as well, but for the moment content comes with some classic counter-programming.
How about inventing your own double feature, like perhaps Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and Charlie Chan in Rio? What about the drive-in-worthy pairing of Dr. Phibes Rises Again followed by the juvie-delinquent classic Teenage Bad Girl (topped off with a six-pack of Schlitz and some heavy petting, of course)? Your house is the repertory house tonight, yo.
It may look like your typical hole-in-the-mall diamonoid shop from the outside -- and even on the inside, if you only spend a couple minutes browsing the pricey engagement rings and watches in the display boxes. But loiter around the subdued Capri Jewelers for a while, and you'll see a clientele you usually don't expect in a mall jewelry store. "Aw, this is that place!" whispers a young black guy in an Atlanta Falcons jersey, pulling his three male buddies into the store and sitting down, awestruck, in front of a case showing custom-made colored-diamond pendants, rose gold rings and diamond dog tags.
The celebrity photos on the wall tell you immediately you're not at Jared's anymore: Satisfied bling-buyers, posing with the owner and saleswomen, include LL Cool J, Knoc-Turn'al, Ginuwine, Shaquille O'Neal and Junior Spivey, who reportedly paid a handsome fee to have his own likeness reproduced in 3-D on an exquisite white- and black-gold pendant. Here, diamonds aren't just a girl's best friend; Terrell Suggs and Joe Budden are cozying up on the rocks, too.
Readers' Choice: Tiffany's
These days anyone who can deconstruct a tee shirt and sew it back together feels the need to label himself or herself a "designer." While it's nice to see the local fashion scene grow, it can be frustrating to weed through the plethora of faux designers to find quality. Luckily, Mary Jane at Kontrive, a funky boutique in downtown Tempe, is around to help us on our quest for real fashion. M.J. features an eclectic mix of vintage furniture as well as accessories and clothing, highlighting the best that local fashion has to offer. The shop's buyers hand-pick work by Valley designers, and they've found an exciting mix -- from the expected regulars like Angela Johnson and T-roy to up-and-coming talent like Lauren Orciuolo.
Now that's what we call dressing for success!
Who would have thought that pineapple cilantro would be a best-selling candle scent? Or that some folks would rather light up a chardonnay than sip one?
No matter what end you like to burn the candle on, this is the place for you. Illuminations' line of signature candles includes everything from the traditional (cherry, vanilla, sandalwood) to the obscure (bamboo, lemongrass cilantro, mandarin cassis), and you can get your candle in just about any fashion: votive candles, floating candles, jar candles, pillar candles, tapered candles. You can even get a "Shadowbox Mirror," if you prefer to fix your hair by candlelight.
You glow, girl! (And guy.)
Sure, it might be cool these days to get your vicarious vid-screen thrills as a gun-toting hit man or car thief, but sometimes old-school gamers long for a simpler time when all you needed was the Konami Code to advance to the next level. So the plentiful stacks of classic titles for sale or trade at Games Plus are like a warp zone to yesteryear, with cartridges ranging from the gaming Stone Age (Atari 2600) up to the more recently outdated systems (Nintendo 64) and everything in between. The latest shrink-wrapped XBox, PS2 and GameCube discs are available, too, along with more new and used accessories than you can shake a SuperScope at. Owner Renny Mitchell and company have been in the biz for more than 27 years, long before any other used game shop pressed start, and it shows. The joystick jockeys behind the counter will even chat with customers about the latest online RPGs or -- more important to watchful parents -- refuse to sell restricted titles to the underage moppets who frequent the store. Thank goodness for the electronic baby sitter, giver of such pearls of wisdom as, "Shoot everything. If it blows up or dies, it was bad."
Forget Hollywood Video and Blockbuster. And while you're at it, forget every rinky-dink indie video store in the Valley. The largest, most eclectic collection of videos is at Burton Barr Central Library, where you can rent everything from Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd and Robert Bresson's L'Argent to Luis Bu--uel's The Exterminating Angel and the complete PBS series of Brideshead Revisited. Want to watch a collection of silent Fatty Arbuckle shorts? Burton Barr's got it. Lindsay Anderson's O Lucky Man? It's got that, too. Like most library video collections, Burton Barr can boast its share of documentaries and educational videos. If you need a VHS bio of Hermann Goering or a course on how to pick a bottle of wine, it's still the place to hit. But what's surprising is the library's superior collection of foreign and art-house films, as well as classic Hollywood movies. Better than any video rental place in Maricopa County, and the price is right: i.e., it's free, bubba. All you need is a library card and a smile.
Readers' Choice: Movies on Central


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Dallah Thaun
| A purse full of gold
| the Lady of Mystery
|Power Level
| Intermediate Goddess
|Home Plane
| Green Fields
| Chaotic Neutral
| Halflings, secrets, guile, thieves and rogues, acquisition of wealth, death
| Halflings, rogues, thieves
|Cleric Alignments
| Chaos, Knowledge, Luck, Trickery
|Amia Domains
| Chaos Charm Halfling Knowledge Luck Trickery [1]
|Favored Weapon
| Short Sword
Dallah Thaun, the Lady of Mystery, is the dark aspect of Yondalla. Physically split off from Yondalla when she created the halfling race, Dallah Thaun is worshipped both as a deity in her own right and also as a part of Yondalla. Anyone who worships one goddess worships both, and prayers to are heard by both. Each Goddess knows everything the other knows and is privy to the other's plans. Since they both work towards the same goal -the benefit of the halfling race- they do not quibble over one another's methods. Instead, the two goddesses utilize each other's strengths and compensate for each other's weaknesses.
For example when someone evil harms a great number of halflings, Yondalla's followers nurture the survivors while Dallah Thaun's seek vengeance. Likewise, the Blessed One provides her people with food, comfort, and healing, while the Lady of Mystery helps them find wealth. Should any dirty work need to be done, it falls under Dallah Thaun's purview, and Dallah Thaun is said to receive the souls of dead halflings and guide them to their final reward.
There is no inherent evil in accumulating wealth; indeed, a nest egg for one's golden years, when a hard-working halfling can no longer work as hard, is a necessity. How one gains this wealth is another matter. The Lady of Mystery does not condone killing or even harming others for money, but relieving the overly wealthy of a portion of their burden is quite acceptable. In fact, any method that harms no one is fine with Dallah Thaun so long as the perpetrator doesn't get caught. Secrets, guile, lies, half-truths, flatter, intrigue, manipulation, and all things done by stealth are the purview of Dallah Thaun. "Don't get caught" is her credo, and the lesson that she passes along to all her worshippers. Dallah Thaun also serves as an avenger for any wrongs done to her people.
Very few outsiders know of Dallah Thaun's existence, and the halflings like to keep it that way. Since she is an aspect of Yondalla, halflings who venerate her can truly say that they worship Yondalla who, as everyone knows, is a lawful good goddess. Since no one except halflings realizes that Dallah Thaun exists, she is not as powerful as her other half. In many ways, the two goddesses epitomize the dichotomy between openness and secrecy that is so characteristic of halflings.
The Lady of Mystery appears as a beautiful female halfling with dark hair and eyes. She dresses all in black and wears a voluminous black cloah with a hood that conceals her face. She tosses a gold coin in her gloved hands.
Clerics of Dallah Thaun are chosen by senior clerics of both Yondalla and Dallah Thaun. They covertly watch the young people in a community and identify those who have the mind-set and talents for Dallah Thaun's service. They begin to groom those individuals as clerics even without even telling them they are being trained. The candidates are sent on covert missions, told secrets and bade to keep them, and provided with opportunities to participate in confidence games. When the secret of their training comes out, they may either accept Dallah Thaun's service or refuse it with no stigma.
The Lady of Mystery's followers often undertake quests that involve stealing from the rich, discovering secrets, and acquiring particular items through means other than force. If halflings are in trouble with a local lord over thefts that have occurred while they were camped on his lands, Dallah Thaun's followers are the ones who enter the lord's keep by night and suggest that harming or expelling the halflings could result in the revelation of the lord's affair with a certain young noblewoman destined to marry another.
Prayers to Dallah Thaun are usually whispered or mumbled, and they often sound like the kind of wishes one makes while daydreaming. Typical prayers begin "If only I could get a hundred gold pieces," or "if only I could get out of this place safely," or "If only I could figure out how this trap works.'
Dallah Thaun's shrines are usually surreptitiously folded into Yondalla's. For example, a temple to Yondalla in a halfling town might have a shrine to Dallah Thaun behind a secret door or a sliding panel. Similarly, a family shrine to Yondalla in a wagon might have a rotating panel with Dallah Thaun's symbol on the other side. Dallah Thaun's clerics celebrate the same holy days as Yondalla's do, and they are usually present for the same celebrations. They also bless new ventures, successes of any sort, newly acquired wealth, thieves' tools, and other "tools of the trade."


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On The Issue of Short Sleeves & 99 Other Summer Tips
No. 71: The shorter the sleeve, the more confident the man.
No. 72: That doesn't mean that said man in the skimpy tank top has any right to be that confident.
From our 100 Days of Summer package in Esquire's March Issue — 99 more tips all kick-off in the slideshow below...
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