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By Carol Heppner,
We rarely discuss one of the great advantages of being a CHA member and the wonderful relationships that form when attending the trade shows. If you volunteer and support our organization, relationships deepen and initiate opportunities.
Such is the case with Ann Butler and me. Ann and I were on Google + catching up on some CHA Designer-Section business when our discussion turned to our individual companies. As craft-design business owners, we are constantly working with manufacturers and seeking to have the manufacturers' products published.
During this conversation, Ann uttered those fateful words, "I wish we could develop our own publication." I looked at Ann and said, "We can." After a minute of thinking about it, Ann responded with, "But it has to be free to the reader." It was during these first few minutes that Bella Crafts Quarterly™ was born and our business model started to develop.
We knew that we wanted to bring quality projects and topical craft-industry columns to readers who craft for business and for pleasure. We wanted to inspire readers to craft, which would help the entire craft industry. To that end, and in keeping with our belief, the first project in all our quarterly issues is always a Cre8time.org project showing readers that they can reconnect with crafting by making the project within minutes.
Creating a quarterly publication, while still running our individual companies, would be no easy feat and we would need help. An undertaking this size needed individuals who are hard working, talented and craft-industry savvy. Having worked with Lisa Rojas and Theresa Cifali on previous projects, they immediately came to mind as fitting the bill.
Although the four of us have our individual companies, we joined forces to work on this project. Each designer brings unique skills that allow us to produce a quality publication to inspire crafters of all levels. What is uniquely special is how well we work together. In a competitive business world, where companies are looking to be one-step in front of their competition, it is rare that companies can come together and create a joint product. Our ability to work well together may come from the many volunteer projects on which we worked for the CHA Designer Section. Volunteering to help make CHA a better organization helps develop business relationships that are rewarding.
So, what is Bella Crafts Quarterly™? It is the #1, free downloadable craft magazine published by four of the craft-industry's top professional craft designers. We create quality projects and are the bridge between manufacturers and the crafting public. Our preview Halloween issue of Bella Crafts Quarterly™ ranked #8 on Magcloud's Top 15 Popular Magazine
What will you find in Bella Crafts Quarterly™?
- Artist to Artist – Interviews with our industry's creative professionals
- Blog Star – Creative bloggers share their experiences
- Craft Projects – Craft projects designed to inspire
- CRE8TIME.org – A quick craft project to help crafters reconnect with crafting
- Photo Talk™ – Taking your photographs to the next level
- Lessons with Lisa™ – Crafting advice to make a difference in the crafter's life
- Live Links – Our digital versions contain live links to send readers to products used in projects
- Socially Sensible™ – Social Media advice to help your business
- Sponsored Craft Projects – Craft projects brought to you by the industry's manufacturers
- Trending Thoughts – Trend and topical advice from CHA professional craft designers
Bella Crafts Quarterly™ is can be downloaded free on our website, http://bellacraftsquarterly.com and you can read it free online at Magcloud.com. The print version is also available through Magcloud for a fee.
We are able to provide the free digital version of Bella Crafts Quarterly™ to readers by project sponsorship from manufacturers. If you are Manufacturer and like more information, contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Wishing you very successful CHA 2013 Winter Show.
~ Carol
Become an official CHA Blog Guest Blogger!
The CHA Blog is currently seeking guest bloggers and blog posts. Any CHA member can submit a post! Basically, a blog post consists of either a video or photo of an event or experience and a short blurb. We want you to tell your story: what current trends do we need to know about? What is the one thing you look forward to the most at CHA shows? What crafty community service project are you involved with? If you're interested, please submit your post idea, blog post, name and contact information to email@example.com.
All guest blog posts are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), its staff members, sponsors or exhibitors. The inclusion of a link or reference does not imply the endorsement of the linked site by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA).


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Today may be the day the big names – Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein – come out to play in New York, but in Paris it's all about the new ones. The shortlist for the LVMH Young Designer's Prize, which was launched last November by Delphine Arnault, has just been unveiled, creating much buzzing amid the fashion crowd. It includes most of the hot names in New York and London, many of which have also been finalists for the Vogue Fashion fund competitions in both countries, or the Dorchester prize, or sponsored by Giorgio Armani. And I wonder: is the competition greater among the baby brands vying for the awards, or among the mega brands bestowing them? I tend to think the answer may actually be the latter. I saw her first! No, I did! Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.

subset: commoncrawl


text: NEW Doctor of Computer Science in Digital Systems Security! September 02, 2009 General The CTU Doctor of Computer Science in Digital Systems Security is now being offered to professionals responsible for the implementation, evaluation and analysis of digital systems in which security is a primary component. Coursework is structured to help provide students with the knowledge and skills they can use to pursue positions like: Chief Technical Officer, Director/VP Engineering, Security Architect and many other senior leadership positions. CTU does not guarantee employment or salary.Applications are being accepted now!


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A 28-YEAR-OLD woman who was allegedly repeatedly raped as a child more than twenty years ago sobbed when she gave evidence from behind a curtain at Gloucester Crown Court.
She told a jury of seven men and five women on Thursday that 61-year-old Stephen Smith of Ty Mawr, Llanbydder, Carmarthenshire had raped her and beaten her regularly between 1992 and 1996.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place in Nailsworth and in Wales.
But defence barrister Jane Rowley suggested that the woman was telling a 'blatant lie' about being raped.
"Most people who have been raped a number of times by the same man will always remember the first time but you have never given any details at all about it," said the barrister in cross-examination.
"You haven't said whether it hurt, whether you were bleeding, whether Mr Smith had an erection - no details whatsoever.
"You reported being physically abused by the defendant in 1998 but you never mentioned sexual abuse despite being questioned by the police and social services.
"You were examined by a doctor at the time and no physical injuries were detected and the authorities told you that you were a liar.
"Wouldn't you have said that you had also been raped. You didn't mention sexual abuse because it was a lie?"
The alleged victim said, "I didn't want to say anything about it - I was only a child and I didn't even know what sex was."
Smith is accused of repeatedly raping and indecently assaulting two girls aged from six to nine and to indecently assaulting and being cruel to a 12 year old boy.
The alleged offences against the two girls occurred between May 1976 and May 1982 and between April 1992 and April 1996 respectively.
The alleged offences against the boy occurred between July 1977 and July 1982.
Smith denies all six counts of sexual and physical abuse of the youngsters. nearly 40 years ago in the Nailsworth area of Gloucestershire and later in West Wales.
As well as being sexually abusive he is alleged to have beaten the three young victims with a leather belt.
The trial continues.
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A 28-YEAR-OLD woman who was allegedly repeatedly raped as a child more than twenty years ago sobbed when she gave evidence from behind a curtain at Gloucester Crown Court.


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New York Taxi 1000 Piece Puzzle: This 1,000-piece New York Taxi jigsaw puzzle features a classic yellow Checker Cab against the background of New York City in black and white. Imported from Spain. For ages 13 and up.
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text: irreversible 2860 Report post Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) In every profession there are truisms that are as elusive as they get, but absolutely require you to come to terms with. Everyone discovers these with practice - some sooner and some later. With me, usually the latter tends to be the case . If something like this has happened to you, share your revelation and wisdom! The only thing you have to do with your thoughts is to put them in the form of a sage-sounding quotation so I can collect them in this post. Like this: "The most difficult thing about game programming is not writing the code, but understanding what the code is supposed to be doing." - Irreversible, 2012 "Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live." - John Woods, 1991 "You should never delete/delete[] what you new/new[] because you should be using smart pointers anyway. And if you can validly disagree with me, I'm not talking to you." - Cornstalks, 2013 "Always document your code." - alnite, 2013 "Understand a bug first, before fixing it." - Ashaman73, 2013 "I will always give the hardest tasks to the laziest worker, because then I'm sure, that the most simple solution will be developed" - Unknown "Perfection is archieved not when there is nohgin more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away" - Unknown "'Warning' is just a misspelling of 'error'." - L. Spiro "Keep It Simple, Stupid" - zedz "Care About Your Craft - Why spend your life developing software unless you care about doing it well?" "Remember the Big Picture - Don't get so engrossed in the details that you forget to check what's happening around you." "Invest Regularly in Your Knowledge Portfolio - Make learning a habit." "Eliminate Effects Between Unrelated Things - Design components that are self-contained. independent, and have a single, well-defined purpose." "Fix the Problem, Not the Blame - It doesn't really matter whether the bug is your fault or someone else's – it is still your problem, and it still needs to be fixed." "Use Tracer Bullets to Find the Target - Tracer bullets let you home in on your target by trying things and seeing how close they land." - The Pragmatic Programmer "Programming is easy. All you have to do is to hit the right key in the right order and the computer will run itself." - Bach "If you're going to be writing cryptographic code, and you're not sure what you're doing, just put the keyboard away and ask someone qualified to write it for you. For all our sakes." - Bacterius, 2013 "Never write code if the underlying architecture is not written down on paper. And if you think you have a decent architecture plan, throw it in a bin and draw everything all over again." - Include4eto, 2013 "Whatever new language or paradigm doesn't kill you makes you stronger" -szecs, 2013 "The pinnacle of programming is mastering the remotes for your entertainment systems" -Stormynature, 2013 "Plans are Nothing; Planning is Everything" - Dwight D. Eisenhower "Agile is Nothing without Planning, unless you like getting to crap fast" - NetGnome, 2013 "In time you will come to hate the users; might as well get ahead of the game on that..." - phantom "Damn it, copy & paste!!!" - kseh "Design patterns are descriptive, not prescriptive. Treating them as if it were the other way around (in my experience) generally leads to over-engineering." - Oberon Command "Make it work. Make it right. Then make it fast" - Kent Beck (?) "The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet." - Michael A. Jackson "Everyone knows that debugging is twice as hard as writing a program in the first place. So if you're as clever as you can be when you write it, you are by definition not smart enough to debug it" - Brian Kernighan (paraphrased) "Laziness is a virtue. A truly lazy programmer will do an immense amount of work just to avoid doing a small amount of work over and over again. This is a Good Thing ™." - ChaosEngine "As with music, technical proficiency will only carry you so far. At some point you have to have a connection with your users, and those who must maintain your code; never neglect your social empathy in the pursuit to be a better technician." - ApochPiQ "Throw away prototype code." - way2lazy2care "That "quick temporary hack" WILL end up in the final game..." - phantom "It will be fixed in the patch is an empty promissory note" - Stormynature Edited January 23, 2013 by irreversible 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Dell Launches XPS 13 Ultrabookby Dustin Sklavos on 1/10/2012 7:30 PM EST
13 Comments
Back to Article
jmunjr - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - linkDoes it still have a crap screen? IPS/PVA or dump it in the trash. Reply
retrospooty - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - linkTo heck with what type it is, the simple fact that its just another 1366x768 LCD rules it out. This res seriously needs to die in anything over 10 inches. Reply
mevans336 - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - linkExactly, 1366x768 is just too cramped, regardless of the quality of the display. Reply
B3an - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - linkIt's just getting embarrassing now that tablets with roughly 10 inch screens will soon have 1080p IPS displays, or even 2560x1xxx later this year and you still get 13 inch laptops with 1366x768 and TN panels.
It could be argued that IPS isn't as important on laptops as the display will be facing you directly more often, but the colours are still SO much better. They still need atleast PVA. And as for 1366x768 it isn't even usable as far as i'm concerned. The vertical space is a joke. Reply
B3an - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - linkBTW luckily i dont think we'll have to put up with this crap for much longer.
When Windows 8 finally comes out there will be 1080p tablets that will surely have IPS displays. It's also pretty much a given that they will have USB and HDMI or DP, meaning they could also be connected to large monitors and tons of other other peripheral that Windows supports.
You'll likely get designs that have keyboard docks too, basically turning the tablet in to a full blown ultrabook lookalike. Reply
danchen - Friday, January 13, 2012 - linkExactly ! I roll my eyes whenever i see new notebooks being released still featuring this horrible 1366x768 crap. Unless they give a option to upgrade the screen resolution, I will never buy it. Reply
tipoo - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - linkHow many 13' laptops have IPS displays? Or laptops in general? And at 1000 dollars? The resolution is a bummer though, it looked like an attractive laptop with good bang for your buck. Reply
Reikon - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - link"Some may complain about the 13" screen's low 1366x768 resolution, but at that size the resolution is perfectly reasonable."
No, it's not reasonable. I have a netbook with an 11.6" screen with the same resolution and I find it too low.
The Thinkpad X220 has a 12.5" IPS screen option and the laptop is about $1000. Same crappy 1366x768 res though. Reply
retrospooty - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - linkExactly... And what pisses me off about alot of Dell models, is that higher res isnt an option. You like 1366x768 res, fine, give me the option to pay more for better res. Reply
Mitch89 - Sunday, January 15, 2012 - linkIt's disappointing because Dell used to be AWESOME in this regard. When I bought my 15.4" Inspiron 8600 I optioned the WSXGA 1680x1050 display, and it was great. Even better, you could option a WUXGA 1920x1200 display. That was 2003.
Bring back the high res options! I'd love my 11" Air with a 1600x900 display (even though the current display isn't bad). Reply
Mitch89 - Sunday, January 15, 2012 - link"Our recommendation would be to stick with the WSXGA+ (1680x1050) as the bottom limit for your configuration, as a WXGA (1280x800) looks a bit odd on a 15.4" wide aspect screen. "
From the Anandtech review in 2003: http://www.anandtech.com/show/1175/2 Reply
leh327 - Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - linkTo be a respectable ultrabooks player, Dell needs something with specs close to Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. I would like to see Dell slims down Inspiron Duo, uses ivy bridge cpu, and adds in hdmi, sd slot, 1080p screen, 8mp camera, as well as ssd. Reply
omikun - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - linkThere will be i5 2467M or i7 2637M versions. Dell released the full spec here: http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/direct2del...
Looks so gooood. I hope its touchpad is as good as a macbook's. Reply


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I Was The Accidental Mistress
After I broke up with my sweet college boyfriend, a decent man who never ran me through the ringer, who responded to my bouts of recklessness and immaturity with compassion and sympathy, a guy who never did me wrong, I desired nothing more than desire itself. After years of slow and steady, I yearned for spark and drama. Conveniently, along came Matt.
Matt was British, a very recent London transplant, and I was still inexperienced enough to equate his lilting accent with worldly sophistication. Like me, he worked in the magazine business, so we had that in common, though I'm not sure we ever went so far as to discuss the intricacies of that bizarre industry. In fact, we spoke very little, as we were highly preoccupied with having fabulous, mind-blowingly awesome sex. We did it everywhere—the Natural History Museum, a New York City alleyway, and, of course, all the more traditional places such as on the kitchen counter and in my bed. The sheer quantity and quality of the sex should have been my first indication that something was rotten in the East Village.
For example, as well as we got on, I didn't have Matt's phone number, which, looking back, all makes sense now. But, keep in mind, these were the days when, shockingly, not everyone had a cell phone. I certainly didn't, and Matt assured me that he had been too busy at his new job to bother getting a phone installed, but he would forward the digits the moment he did. I think I had also just read The Rules (shameful, I know) in order to educate myself about dating—after all, I'd had a steady boyfriend for years—and hoped to convey the idea that I knew what adult dating was all about. Wide-eyed, I read the "rule" about how one should never call a man, so the fact that I couldn't call him anyway seemed ever so handy at the time. I couldn't make that mistake. Besides, I had his email address, and he went out of his way to regularly schedule our dates, which were always filled with fun and mischief. Oh yes, and did I mention lots of sex?
After a little over a month of serial dating, I was shocked that he suddenly and inexplicably went M.I.A. Whereas for weeks we had emailed each other several times a day (when we weren't IM-ing), and he called frequently—from pay phones, ahem—things screeched to a halt that gave me whiplash. Certainly, I wasn't expecting that we were on the marriage track, but it seemed to me that we were growing rather fond of one another. After a couple of weeks of moping and carrying on about it—"Why, why, why?" was my constant refrain, which must've driven my girlfriends bananas—I started dating other emotionally unavailable men, which in my boy-obsessed early 20s was distracting enough to keep my mind off of the curious case of Matt the Disappearing Wonder.
Flash forward three years: I was working at the same magazine, yet we obviously had some new staffers, and one just so happened to have worked with the infamous Matt. You see, it's a small industry after all. One night, after post-work drinks, a secret was spilled. "So you dated that Matt?" she slurred, as wide-eyed as I had been reading The Rules. "But he's had a girlfriend for like, ten years!"
And oh.
Suddenly, I felt dirty and ashamed, though, technically, I had done nothing wrong, to my knowledge at least. To me, the ultimate act of sisterly conduct entails, "Thou shalt not dally with a married, betrothed, or otherwise involved man." Oh, I'd watched friends do it, and always condemned their behavior with an air of superiority. I would never stoop to such treason against our sex. And there I was, joined in that lowest of low ranks: the inadvertent mistress.
Now, I'd be lying if I said I didn't embrace this news with just a smidgeon of relief. After all, apparently his disappearance, as we co-conspirators calculated, coincided perfectly with his London-based girlfriend's arrival in New York. Still, when I relayed the news to some, they insisted I get in touch with his girl, easily enough done with a bit of investigative journalism, and yet I balked. Did I want to protect him? No. But I suppose, somewhere in there, a part of me sympathized with A) the naughty desire to have steamy sex when one is in a comfortable yet predictable long-term relationship and B) what that girl doesn't know won't hurt her.
I'm still not sure if I did the right thing, but, well, there it is. I hear they're married now, and to the lady I never met: I wish you the best, and if you're bored of Matt and want to have an affair, well, hon, you just go right ahead.


text: It has been quite awhile since Britney Spears had a wardrobe malfunction and yesterday, without Jason Trawick approving her wardrobe, Britney almost had a malfunction for the ages. She wore the above dress and apparently decided that a bra was not necessary and if not for a very quick move would have ended up with an entire breast out of her dress. With her dad busy doing what he does and her bodyguards probably not caring what Britney wears, I wonder if this is the one part of her life where she can rebel a little. She is not going to be able to shave her head or drive somewhere alone or have dates or do anything in her life except for dressing. Maybe this is the way she tries to stay independent. I wonder if she will ever try and escape. Run away. Has anyone asked her if she wants to perform in Vegas 5 nights a week for the next two years.


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You are here
Office of Capital Access | Resources
While the vast majority of businesses are eligible for financial assistance from the SBA, some are not. Applicant businesses must:
Operate for profit;
Be engaged in, or propose to do business in, the United States or its possessions;
Have reasonable owner equity to invest;
Use alternative financial resources, including personal assets, before seeking financial assistance.
Special Considerations
Special considerations apply to some types of businesses and individuals.
Franchises are eligible except in situations where a franchisor retains power to control operations to such an extent as to be tantamount to an employment contract. The franchisee must have the right to profit from efforts commensurate with ownership.
Recreational facilities and clubs are eligible provided: (a) the facilities are open to the general public, or (b) in membership-only situations, membership is not selectively denied to any particular group of individuals and the number of memberships is not restricted either as a whole or by establishing maximum limits for particular groups.
Farms and agricultural businesses are eligible; however, these applicants should first explore the Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, particularly if the applicant has a prior or existing relationship with FSA.
Fishing vessels are eligible; however, those seeking funds for the construction or reconditioning of vessels with a cargo capacity of five tons or more must first request financing from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a part of the Department of Commerce.
Medical facilities (hospitals, clinics, emergency outpatient facilities, and medical and dental laboratories) are eligible. Convalescent and nursing homes are eligible, provided they are licensed by the appropriate government agency and services rendered go beyond those of room and board.
An Eligible Passive Company (EPC) is a small entity that does not engage in regular and continuous business activity. An EPC must use loan proceeds to acquire or lease, and/or improve or renovate real or personal property that it leases to one or more Operating Companies for conducting the Operating Company's business. The EPC must comply with the conditions set forth in 13 CFR Sec 120.111.
Change of ownership. Loans for this purpose are eligible provided the business benefits from the change. In most cases, this benefit should be seen in promoting the sound development of the business or, perhaps, in preserving its existence. Loans cannot be made when proceeds would enable a borrower to purchase: (a) part of a business in which it has no present interest; or (b) part of an interest of a present and continuing owner. Loans to effect a change of ownership among members of the same family are discouraged.
Legal aliens are eligible; however, consideration is given to the type of status possessed (e.g., resident, lawful temporary resident, etc.) in determining the degree of risk relating to the continuity of the applicant's business. Excessive risk may be offset by full collateralization. The various types of visas may be discussed in more detail with the local SBA office. Use USCIS Form G-85 for verification of citizenship.
Probation or parole. Applications will not be accepted from firms where a principal (any one of those required to submit a personal history statement, SBA Form 912) is currently incarcerated, on parole, or on probation; is a defendant in a criminal proceeding; or whose probation or parole is lifted expressly because it prohibits an SBA loan. This restriction would not necessarily preclude a loan to a business where a principal had responded in the affirmative to any one of the questions on the Statement of Personal History. These judgments are made on a case-by-case evaluation of the nature, frequency, and timing of the offenses. Fingerprint cards (available from the local SBA office) are required any time a question on the form is answered in the affirmative.
Ineligible Businesses
Ineligible businesses include those engaged in illegal activities, loan packaging, speculation, multi-sales distribution, gambling, investment or lending, or where the owner is on parole. Specific types of businesses not eligible include:
Real estate investment firms, when the real property will be held for investment purposes as opposed to loans to otherwise eligible small business concerns for the purpose of occupying the real estate being acquired.
Firms involved in speculative activities that develop profits from fluctuations in price rather than through the normal course of trade, such as wildcatting for oil and dealing in commodities futures, when not part of the regular activities of the business.
Dealers of rare coins and stamps are not eligible.
Firms involved in lending activities, such as banks, finance companies, factors, leasing companies, insurance companies (not agents), and any other firm whose stock in trade is money.
Pyramid sales plans, where a participant's primary incentive is based on the sales made by an ever-increasing number of participants. Such products as cosmetics, household goods, and other soft goods lend themselves to this type of business.
Firms involved in illegal activities that are against the law in the jurisdiction where the business is located. Included in these activities are the production, servicing, or distribution of otherwise legal products that are to be used in connection with an illegal activity, such as selling drug paraphernalia or operating a motel that permits illegal prostitution.
Gambling activities, including any business whose principal activity is gambling. While this precludes loans to racetracks, casinos, and similar enterprises, the rule does not restrict loans to otherwise eligible businesses, which obtain less than one-third of their annual gross income from either the sale of official state lottery tickets under a state license, or legal gambling activities licensed and supervised by a state authority.
Charitable, religious, or other non-profit or eleemosynary institutions, government-owned corporations, consumer and marketing cooperatives, and churches and organizations promoting religious objectives are not eligible.


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Vortex Razor HD 10x50 Binocular
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Is this the best yet of the Vortex Razor HD binoculars? You bet it is! The third generation Razor HD takes already great optics to the next level with a new technology and innovative design. At a truly comfortable 28.1 ounces, the 50mm Razor HD offers a generous 315 foot field of view. The APO Optical System, HD glass, and dielectric multi-layer prism coatings combine for unparalleled color sharpness, resolution, brightness, and fidelity. All of this optical excellence is protected in a magnesium chassis with rubber armoring, fogproofing with argon gas, waterproofing, and Armor Tek coatings. One tough, top-performing binocular, the Vortex Razor HD is one you never have to worry about standing the test of time. The Vortex VIP Warranty keeps your binocular performing for generations to come.
|High Definition (HD) extra-low dispersion glass and APO optical system
|Enhances resolution, color, and contrast.
|Fully Multi-coated Lenses
|Increase light transmission with multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces.
|Phase Correction
|Enhances resolution and contrast through roof prisms.
|Dielectric Prism Coatings
|Optimize light transmission.
|Roof Prisms
|Appreciated for a streamlined shape and durability.
|Magnesium Body
|Is sturdy and resistant to corrosion.
|Rubber Armoring
|Provides a secure, non-slip grip.
|Adjustable Eyecups
|Twist up and down for comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses.
|Center Focus Wheel
|Adjusts both binocular barrels at the same time.
|Locking Right Eye Diopter
|Adjusts for differences in a user's eyes. Located by the right eyepiece.
|Tripod Adaptable
|Can be mounted using standard ¼-inch threading. Adapter sold separately.
|Optics are sealed with O-rings to prevent moisture, dust, and debris from getting inside the binocular.
|Barrels are filled with argon gas to inhibit internal fogging.
|ArmorTek Lens Coating
|Repels oils on outer glass surfaces.
|10 x
|Objective Lens Diameter
|50 mm
|Field of View
|315 feet/1000 yards
|Eye Relief
|16.5 mm
|Close Focus
|10.0 feet
|28.1 ounces
|Dimensions (HxW)
|6.8 x 5.1 inches
Product Videos
Product DocumentsVortex Razor HD Manual
- Rainguard
- Tethered objective lens covers
- Neck strap
- Case


text:
HOUSTON - A woman's afternoon with her puppy last Sunday turned into an expensive reminder that crime can happen anywhere.
Criss Ruiz said someone broke into her car while she took her dog to play at the Danny Jackson Dog Park off Westpark Drive.
"It felt terrible. That's never happened to me before," said Ruiz.
Someone busted out the window of Ruiz's car and several other vehicles and stole personal belongings.
"Nobody heard anything crashing. It's a busy area where people are in and out with their dogs," said Ruiz.
Ruiz said she couldn't believe that crooks would strike in broad daylight, in a parking lot that isn't that far from dozens of people and where dogs of all sizes play.
"I'm glad nobody got hurt, but it feels terrible. The worst thing that can happen just trying to bring your dog to a park," said Ruiz.
Ruiz said she has to pay out of pocket to have her shattered window replaced. She also has to obtain a new driver's license, social security card and other items.
Now, she said she isn't sure if she ever wants to bring her dog back to the park.
Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Improved technology and customer service are the main focus of Commonwealth Bank of Australia's (CBA) growth plans for the years ahead.
New chief executive Ian Narev on Thursday outlined his strategy for the bank, just over five months after replacing Ralph Norris.
In a presentation to analysts, Mr Narev said CBA had a group-wide emphasis on improving productivity, which could be achieved without sending jobs offshore through the use of "world-leading" technology.
There are opportunities to create leaner branches and business banking sales through IT maintenance and development, he said.
Mr Narev said the bank wanted to improve access to its products, especially investment and insurance products, and better meet its customers' needs.
Product offerings could also be simplified, he said.
CBA planned to accelerate the rollout of its branches in Indonesia, while its presence in China would remain focused on trade financing, he said.
But the bank remained committed to Australia for the long term, he said.
Mergers and acquisitions would only be taken on if they could create more value for shareholders, Mr Narev said.


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16 U.S. Code § 1825 - Import prohibitions
§ 1825.
Import prohibitions
(a) Determinations by Secretary of StateIf the Secretary of State determines that—
he has been unable, within a reasonable period of time, to conclude with any foreign nation an international fishery agreement allowing fishing vessels of the United States equitable access to fisheries over which that nation asserts exclusive fishery management authority, including fisheries for tuna species, as recognized by the United States, in accordance with fishing activities of such vessels, if any, and under terms not more restrictive than those established under sections 1821(c) and (d) and 1824(b)(7) and (10) of this title, because such nation has (A) refused to commence negotiations, or (B) failed to negotiate in good faith;
any foreign nation is not allowing fishing vessels of the United States to engage in fishing for tuna species in accordance with an applicable international fishery agreement, whether or not such nation is a party thereto;
any foreign nation is not complying with its obligations under any existing international fishery agreement concerning fishing by fishing vessels of the United States in any fishery over which that nation asserts exclusive fishery management authority; or
(4) any fishing vessel of the United States, while fishing in waters beyond any foreign nation's territorial sea, to the extent that such sea is recognized by the United States, is seized by any foreign nation—
he shall certify such determination to the Secretary of the Treasury.
(b) ProhibitionsUpon receipt of any certification from the Secretary of State under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to prohibit the importation into the United States—
(c) Removal of prohibition
If the Secretary of State finds that the reasons for the imposition of any import prohibition under this section no longer prevail, the Secretary of State shall notify the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall promptly remove such import prohibition.
(d) DefinitionsAs used in this section—
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 205, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 345; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 105(b)(1), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4440.)
1990—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–627, § 105(b)(1)(A), inserted "including fisheries for tuna species," after "authority," and struck out "traditional" after "in accordance with".
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 101–627, § 105(b)(1)(B), substituted "tuna" for "highly migratory".
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 105(b)(2), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4440, provided that:
"The amendments made by this subsection [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 1992."
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Oyster Playlist: Marshall Jefferson
The godfather of house made us a mix ahead of his Australian tour.
Marshall Jefferson, who is widely considered a founding father of house music, has made us a playlist ahead of his first Australian tour in four years. The Chicago native has been bringing genre-defining tracks to the world since the 80s, even headlining the first House Music Tour of Europe in '87. Marshall has reached a revered status as a forerunner in the acid/deep house scene by producing seminal house anthems like 'Move Your Body' (1986) and releasing a multitude of mixtapes. This house playlist, care of the man himself, will get you ready to lose your shit at one of Marshall's upcoming live shows.
1. 'Rainforest Serenade' — Jungle Wonz
2. 'Satisfy' — Inner Souls (Booker T mix)
3. 'Far Away' — Marsha Ambrosius (Terry Hunter mix)
4. 'La Pasion' — Hardsoul (Crazibiza mix)
5. 'Satisfaction' — Curtis McClain
6. 'Time Before Man' — Joseph Long
7. 'Try' — Virgo
8. 'Kiss The Sky' — Jungle Wonz
9. 'For The Very First Time' — HNNY
10. 'Keeping It Deep' — Johnny Fiasco
Marshall Jefferson's Australian tour dates:
Friday 26 October — Garage Bar, Adelaide
Saturday 27 October (day) — Boat Cruise, Sydney
Saturday 27 October (night) — New Guernica, Melbourne
Saturday 28 October — Sky Room, Brisbane


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Xavier Interfaith Team Takes Off to Help – with additional request
December 29, 2012
Thirteen Xavier students and the executive director of Xavier's Center for Interfaith Community Engagement are leaving today to spend part of their holiday serving the village of Patanatic, Guatemala. The 2013 Interfaith Medical Mission to Guatemala is the fourth such trip for Xavier students. Since January of 2010, the group has seen more than 500 people each year in remote regions which have never received any medical care.
This year, however, the Xavier Interfaith Medical Mission Team has been asked to spend a day in San Marcos, Guatemala with its medical team.
On Nov 7, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near Guatemala's border with Mexico, the strongest to hit Guatemala since 1976, when 23,000 were killed. Damage was reported in all but one of Guatemala's 22 states and shaking felt as far away as Mexico City, 600 miles to the northwest. President Otto Perez Molina said the quake affected as many as 1.2 million people. There were 70 aftershocks in the first 24 hours after the quake, some as strong as magnitude 4.9. Survivors huddled in the streets of the mountain town of San Marcos, the most affected area, where at least 40 of the deaths occurred. San Marcos is a poor, mainly indigenous mountain area of subsistence farms, where more than 30 homes were damaged and many of the colorful adobe buildings in its center were either cracked or reduced to rubble, including the police station and the courthouse. A large gash runs down one of the streets. Hundreds crammed into the hallways of San Marcos' small hospital, the only building with electricity, seeking help for the injured. Some complained they were not getting care quickly enough, but there is just not enough staff. Perez said more than 2,000 soldiers were deployed to help and a plane made trips to carry relief teams to the area.
Since they will be there just short of the two-month anniversary, the Xavier team will not see the major trauma of the first days, but the community is still in ruin. They will bring their medical supplies and expertise to San Marcos, and have also purchased basic sanitary needs (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, etc.), and rice, beans, sugar, and cooking oil for distribution to the families. The thirteen students are joined by Dr. Richard Walter of Los Angeles, Cathy Walter, RN, and Dr. Lauri Pramuk, a pediatrician, of Cincinnati.
"This is a huge request and a privilege for us to be helpful to that community at this time of severe need," said Rabbi Abie Ingber, executive director of the Center for Interfaith Community Engagement at Xavier University, and the organizer of the trip. "It will not be easy – a three-hour drive each way to see 50 adult patients and 30 children. Everything we learn during the week will make our time in San Marcos even more productive. Each student participant was selected because they could be counted on to lead – and now they must."
The team will spend the majority of their time as planned in Patanatic, where the residents have come to know and await the group.
You may follow the trip at http://xavieruniverse.blogspot.com


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It is probably unfair to draw a parallel between Pets at Home, with its real stores, real turnover and real earnings, and Pets.com, the US pet products etailer that was one of the dotcom bust's most notorious flameouts. But the ghost of Pets.com's sock-puppet mascot haunts the latest plans for initial public offerings, of which Pets at Home's flotation is the freshest. Here are the lessons: Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


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A man who stabbed his neighbour after complaining about her five-month-old baby crying has been jailed for two years.
Dominic Desouza, of Trafford Road, Thornton Heath, banged on the 29-year-old's front door and knifed her in the stomach when she opened it.
Police said it was "extraordinarily good luck" that the woman did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
Desouza, 48, never revealed his motive for the attack, but had complained about noise coming from the flat shared by the mum and her husband.
The couple were woken by Desouza banging on their door at about 8.30am on the February 16, the day of the attack.
He stabbed the victim when she opened the door to tell him to stop.
The woman's husband pulled her back into the flat and called the police, who arrested Desouza.
The victim was taken to hospital but discharged later that day.
Desouza initially denied carrying out the attack but pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at Camberwell Magistrates' Court on February 17.
He was jailed on Friday and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim or returning to her flat.
A judge also ordered Desouza to pay £120 victim surcharge.
Detective Constable Scott Barefoot, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "This was a vicious and unprovoked attack on a mother in her home with her five-month-old baby present in the room.
"It was only by extraordinarily good luck that she didn't sustain life-threatening injuries.
"Not only did he initially try to deny his involvement, but the only concern Desouza expressed to us throughout the process was whether his job was kept open.
"The custodial sentence will mean that a dangerous and violent offender will be behind bars and Croydon will be a safer place for this."


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Office Space to Rent in Woodstock Road, NW11
We have a variety of serviced offices available to rent in Woodstock Road, NW11. Each office space is offered at the best rates and suited to your individual needs and requirements.
We have a variety of serviced offices available to rent in Woodstock Road, NW11. Each office space is offered at the best rates and suited to your individual needs and requirements.
This centre has been recently refurbished and offers 24 hour access, daily cleaning and a security entry system.
The office suites situated in a purpose built block, are fully furnished, with personal telephone system, personal fax line, ADSL/ISDN facility, receptionist, kitchen facilities, coded photocopier, boardroom facility (subject to availability), daily cleaning, car parking space (subject to availability) and lift.
33 luxury offices over 3 floors, each with their own individually controlled ventilation systems, complete with luxury office furniture. This business centre offers an array of services which will be offered at this prestigious site. A professional quality, secure fibre broadband connection will serve the building for all business needs with WiFi also available. Two very modern large meeting rooms furnished to a high standard will also be available for hire to tenants and non-tenants alike. With Brent Cross Shopping Centre a few minutes' walk away; this new site has the best of all worlds for discerning clients with high standards and expectations.
This is a brand new business centre catering for the discerning client looking for a prestigious location to house their business. The centre is situated across the whole of the first floor offering 18 luxury private offices of various sizes, 2 meeting rooms/boardroom with screens, refreshment bar and manned reception all within a high quality luxury environment. There is fibre optic broadband and Wi Fi throughout the centre. Allocated parking is available and there is parking on the surrounding roads. There are local amenities close by the centre and in nearby Temple Fortune.
Recently refurbished business centre located at Staple Corner a major London road junction connecting you to different parts of the country.
Offering various office sizes with bespoke features that suit your budget and meeting needs. Car parking, on site storage space, easy access and IT connectivity available. Enquire today!
This centre has been recently refurbished and offers 24 hour access, daily cleaning and a security entry system.
Provides organisations and businesses with a simple, short-term, renewable license agreement for competitively priced, luxury, serviced offices. We offer a uniquely professional, yet warm and friendly business centre environment. Our affordable and flexible accommodation allows our customers to concentrate on their core business needs without the distraction of mundane office administration. We can provide same day occupancy, 24-hour access and security, telephone answering services and an advanced phone system with voicemail, a conference suite, reception, furnished or unfurnished suites, on-site parking, and easy access to the UK motorway network. The monthly price includes all of the above, plus business rates, water, electricity, heating, building insurance, cleaning, and post collection and distribution, personal and professional telephone answering, kitchen facilities, and free tea, coffee, sugar and milk daily.
The prestigious serviced office suites are fully furnished and benefit from personal fax, telephone system and photocopier, ADSL/ISDN facility, kitchen, personal refrigerator (to selected rooms) and daily cleaning.
Suburb location, offices recently refurbished bright and modern. Offering: Free boardroom, reception, furniture, electronic security, 24 hour access and daily cleaning.
Below you can see the nearest areas to Woodstock Road, NW11 where you can find serviced offices:


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The debate is already underway across Twitter and the blogosphere after David Cameron described himself as "middle class"* during his PM Direct event this afternoon.
Many will be surprised by this comment given that Cameron is an old Etonian, former Oxford student, prime minister, descendant of MPs – and ultimately of William IV – and husband of an aristocrat. He admitted earlier this year that he had had a "very posh, very privileged upbringing."
Is this the final proof of the classless society? (It was John Prescott – the former ship steward turned deputy prime minister – who famously said in 1997 that "we are all middle class now".) Read more


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DECA Plans to Make It Count in 13-14
The 2013-2014 DECA Officers met on May 31 at the Grayson County Technology Center for Leadership Day to prepare for the upcoming year by setting goals, discussing roles of the officers, and planning events for chapter projects. In keeping with this year's national theme, "Make It Count," DECA members will be involved in activities that can showcase their marketing and entrepreneurial abilities, improve their public speaking skills, and help our community through an array of community-oriented service projects. Members will "Make It County" as they watch their personal growth evolve and make them better prepared for college and a career.
DECA's program of work for the upcoming year includes visiting MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) summer camp at Camp Courageous in Scottsville, KY. This week-long residential complete medical facility provides a fun and safe atmosphere which provides special needs campers who have the most serious medical conditions with the chance to participate in swimming, bowling, art/crafts, cooking, fishing, or take center stage in a talent show. This amazing facility is available FREE OF CHARGE as it relies on donations to fund its operations.
We look forward to participating in the Freedom Festival on July 20 where patrons can purchase barbeque sandwiches, chips, drinks, and brownies. Our annual Bake Sale/Car Wash is August 31 at Wal-Mart from 8a -2p with all proceeds going to MDA. This year's Christmas Bazaar is December 7 from 8-2 at the Centre on Main, with proceeds going to the Michala Riggle Autism Foundation in order to help build a world-class research facility in Louisville, KY!! Don't forget to mark your calendars for these upcoming events. Another annual fun event will include DECA and other Career and Technical Student Organizations to promote reading in the county through the Unite to Read program at our elementary schools. The tentative date for that event is October 3, 3013 at Lawler Elementary.
Something new this year we are very excited about is providing the DECA experience to middle school students. Ms. Ashley Johnson will be leading our GCMS DECA chapter. Working closely with her on this project is our GCHS DECA President, Ashton Filburn. During Ms. Johnson's Super Friday classes, students can learn about marketing concepts and participate in hands-on DECA projects to begin learning how they can "Make It Count" for their school, community, and themselves.
DECA Officers are Ashton Filburn, President; Rachael Downs, Vice President; Kenadie Minton, Vice President of Membership; Alexis Schmidt, Vice President of Charitable Causes; Kelsey Embry, Vice President of Activities; Cody Swift, Vice President of Communications; Eric Liptak, Secretary; Jackson Henderson, Treasurer; Jessica Hughes, Reporter; Madison Wieland, Historian; and Advisors are Ms. Cynthia Smith, Mr. Gavin Logsdon, and Mr. Tony Embry.
Our officer action team is excited to get this year started and can't wait to see the great outcome. We want to thank you for your participation with our events last year, and welcome you back this year. Our success starts with you and this is going to be a great year with the dedicated support of students and our community.
Any student in grades 9-12 currently enrolled in a marketing class is eligible and invited to join this high school student organization devoted to preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Also, we encourage the parents of the members to be a part of the DECA booster's organization. The first boosters meeting for the 2013-14 school year will be August 13 at 5:00 p.m. in room #68 at the Grayson County Technology Center. For more information about DECA, please speak to any of our officers, or call Ms. Smith at 259-3195 or Mr. Gavin Logsdon or Mr. Tony Embry at 259-4078.
Leadership Day
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Winners of the multi blind-folded marble game were Kenadie, Alexis, Mady, Eric, and Ashton
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OXNARD, Calif. — Strawberries out of Southern California are in tight supply for Valentine's Day.
Grower-shippers say a January freeze has resulted in a shortfall for the Feb. 14 holiday.
"The strawberry situation going into the Valentine's push is a little bit on the light side," said Russ Widerburg, sales manager for Boskovich Farms Inc.
Demand is good, he said, and the open market ranges from $14-16, with some commitments at the $12 level.
"We've had an unusual start to the season, from six days of freezing weather to really warm weather and now a pretty good cool streak and a little bit of rain," said Matt Kawamura, partner in Orange County Produce LLC, Irvine, Calif.
"For Valentine's Day, people are scrambling to get stems," he said Feb. 7. "It looks like it's going to be tight."
Yields for Deardorff Family Farms are about two-thirds of what they should be, said salesman Doug Lowthorp.
Lowthorp was concerned about cold weather forecast for Valentine's week.
"I think it's going to put the plants back to sleep," he said Feb. 7.
Rain and cold weather have temporarily slowed production in Oxnard for Salinas, Calif.-based Dole Berry Co. LLC, said Vincent Ferrante, director, farming and harvesting operations, West.
However, he added, "Overall for the season, we're ahead of production."
Grower-shippers seemed optimistic for spring.
"The fields are very healthy, and I think you'll have a good push of bloom in early March," Kawamura said.
"We're anticipating, following Valentine's Day, the fruit to begin to come back in," Ferrante said.
The fruit that is available looks good, they said.
"Following the little bit of frost and rain that we've had, this week the fruit has started to look very, very good," Ferrante said.
"Quality has been fantastic," Lowthorp said. "The only issues we've really had were a little bit of wind damage from four or five days of Santa Ana winds, but it wasn't enough to strip fruit."


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Mens watch | Automatic movement
Only £560/month for 6 months with 0% APR
Only £280/month for 12 months with 0% APR
With 50% Deposit
Polished 18kt rose gold and stainless steel case, with a rose gold bezel.
Main dial: two tiered Onyx Black dial - flat outer diameter and an elegant square shaped center.
Recessed rose gold-colored subdials.
Raised inner bezel flange with a Tachymeter scale.
Elongated case & slightly curved lugs design for wearer comfortability.
Bezel with distinctive engraved satin finished numbers.
Gold-toned index hour markers filled with luminescence.
Polished gold-toned hands with luminescent fill.
Chronograph/Stopwatch functions:
Large central seconds hand with the Breitling logo at the end.
30 minute counter subdial located at the 3 o'clock position.
12 hour counter subdial at the 6 o'clock position.
Screw-in pushers.
Continuous running small seconds subdial hand at the 9 o'clock position.
Date window between the 4 & 5 o'clock position.
Completely in-house designed & built - the Breitling 01 Calibre, beats at 28,800 vph, contains 47 jewels & has an approximate power reserve of over 70 hours.
This watch is also known as:
cb014012ba531or, cb014012/ba53, cb014012ba53
To learn more about this watch, please fill out the form and we'll respond to you shortly. For immediate assistance, please call us on 01442 345261.
Please fill out the information below to email this watch to a friend.
Please fill out the information below to check the availability of an item. We'll respond to you shortly with availability and shipping information.


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Win It: A Pair of Havaianas Shoes!
Havaianas has a new collection of espadrilles and kicks, one might be yours!
-PJ Gach
Brazilian flip flop company Havaianas are your feet's best friend during the summer. You know that the moment the weather gets warmer; you immediately put on a pair.
This spring, Havaianas is giving you more options. They've just released their new Havaianas Soul Collection. Cool ballet flats ($38), espadrilles ($38) and sneakers ($58) with a comfy flip flop sole. Each shoe is made in Brazil.
The Origine Ballerinas come in sugar coral or black. The Origine espadrille come in 6 colors-white, red, black, navy blue, aqua green and amazonia (green).
The Urbis Low sneaker in 5 colors- white, black, navy blue, sugar coral and amazonia.
Want to keep up with all things Havaianas? "Like" them of Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Havaianas has kindly given us one (1) pair* to give to a lucky BettyConfidential reader! The contest kicks off today, March 30, 2011 Noon ET and will run until April 6, 2011.
1. First, like us on Facebook (if you haven't already!).
2. Then, leave a comment below and tell us:?-your Facebook first name?-your favorite thing about spring!
To increase your chances of winning, you can follow us on Twitter and leave a comment on any style or beauty article.
Good luck!
The winner will be notified via a private message to your BettyConfidential profile. Winners have 48 hours to reply to the private message. Remember to allow for private messages for your BettyConfidential profile or we can't contact you! Meet some of our past contest winners HERE! Contest rules.
*color, size and style are subject to availability.
PJ Gach is the Senior Editor: Style + Beauty at BettyConfidential.


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Josh Reddick (knee) could be activated from the disabled list as soon as Tuesday.
Yasmany Tomas has experienced another setback with his right groin.
Diamondbacks activated OF David Peralta from the paternity leave list.
Trevor Rosenthal will be examined by the Cardinals' medical staff for renewed tightness in his right arm.
Kevin Kiermaier (hip) is eyeing a return this weekend, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Elvis Andrus went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, four RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base as the Rangers pounded the Tigers 12-6 on Wednesday.
Anthony Rizzo belted a grand slam against the Reds and finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBI in a 7-6 win on Wednesday.
Charlie Morton punched out nine batters while allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings to earn a 9-5 victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Marcus Stroman struck out seven batters and yielded just two runs in 6 1/3 innings to earn a 3-2 victory over the Rays on Wednesday.
Wednesday's game between the Indians and Twins has been postponed due to rain.
Wil Myers racked up three steals Wednesday in the Padres' win over the Phillies.
Clayton Richard twirled a three-hit shutout Wednesday in a win over the Phillies.


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I was very excited to get an email announcing the arrival of the digital Discover Your Ancestors magazine. I quickly paid my £12 and look forward to receiving a new issue every month for the next year. This periodical is a sister to and not to be confused with the excellent annual Discover Your Ancestors.
The periodical is 20 pages and the May issue has articles on British Pilots Licences, a reminder that not everything is online and archives still hold plenty to interest the genealogist, child labour in the Victorian period, genealogy theme fiction, book reviews,inns and pubs, a look at the county of Essex, online tools to aid genealogy and using census for breaking down brick walls.
I have only browsed through the magazine, it looks well presented and has a wide range of articles. At just 20 pages it won't be able to carry the same range as other genealogy magazines, but then it's price is very reasonable compared to the competitors. I'll write more once I have had time to read through and have a better idea of the quality of the writing, but with authors such as Simon Fowler I expect a high standard.
Take a look at the website, take out a subscription and see what you think.


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OVIEDO, Fla. - Oviedo police swarmed a home overnight and forced a family outside believing there was a hostage situation after a teen upset over an online video game made a hoax call.
The incident occurred at a house off Bay Club Road.
Police said some kids were playing an online game via their Xbox and got into a fight.
One of the players threatened to hack into the other players' accounts and call police. That player then contacted authorities about a hostage situation but gave police the wrong address, leading officers to the Bay Club Road home.
Officers stormed the home and told the family to get outside before realizing the call was a hoax.
Local 6 spoke to the family, who didn't want to be identified, but said they were glad the men with guns turned out to be SWAT team members from police.
"We thought it was someone trying to break into the house," the man said. "It was a big relief when we found out it was the police because we knew we didn't do anything wrong."
Oviedo police are trying to track down the Xbox user who pulled the prank.
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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MSI DR12-A Preview: Still pushing for 12X DVDRby Kristopher Kubicki on 7/17/2004 12:46 AM EST
- Posted in
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6 Comments
Back to Article
KristopherKubicki - Monday, July 19, 2004 - link>Looking at your results, you probably got a faulty drive. Did you talk to MSI at all about these results?
The drive isnt ready yet, its preproduction apparently.
Kristopher Reply
Ian@CDRlabs - Monday, July 19, 2004 - linkI have to agree with Belzer here. Why are you saying that the drive is "similar" to the Plextor? I've said this to you many times in the past: same chipset != same drive
Looking at your results, you probably got a faulty drive. Did you talk to MSI at all about these results? Reply
KristopherKubicki - Saturday, July 17, 2004 - linkPrinceGaz:
The drive name is actually identified on the drive, not in software. We suspect the reason it came up as GENERIC is due to such an early firmware revision that MSI does not even have the drive labeled yet internally. They OEM to other people, and also use other people to OEM the drive too. If MSI is building the drive for a different client, it would make sense that they do not label a name onto their development model yet.
Kristopher Reply
PrinceGaz - Saturday, July 17, 2004 - linkMy CD-RW drive originally appeared as "ATAPI CD-RW 52XMax" in Device Manager before I updated the firmware (very similar to the "GENERIC DVD RW 12XMax" of that DVD burner).
I guess this happens because initially when a drive is released, no burning software knows about the new drive so they just have it appear to the system as a generic device with certain basic features.
Later firmware identifies it correctly but you need updated burning software for it to recognise the drive correctly. The generic names are just a stopgap to allow it to be used until that updated software is available. Reply
KristopherKubicki - Saturday, July 17, 2004 - link>Yes that would be a great idea...if you want to f*ck up the drive. Same chipset != same drive or even "fairly similar" or "essentially identical". Besides the Plextor doesn't support bitsetting either so it would be pointless even trying...
I didnt say do it. In either case, i missed your review of the drive - sorry. I think i got the message across, "dont buy this drive".
If you think i've got so much nonsense and crap in here, why dont you point it out? We had this discussion about the chipsets before, but for the time being lets just not talk about that for now. What other errors are so marvelous in this review that you can't bring yourself to read it all the way through to the conclusion?
Kristopher Reply
Belzer - Saturday, July 17, 2004 - link"There are no official booktype setting capabilities for this drive. Since the drive is fairly similar to the Plextor PX-712A, it may be possible for creative users to flash an unofficial PX-712 firmware onto the drive and enable unsupported booktype functionality."
Yes that would be a great idea...if you want to f*ck up the drive. Same chipset != same drive or even "fairly similar" or "essentially identical". Besides the Plextor doesn't support bitsetting either so it would be pointless even trying...
"Here is how the burner performed using Verbatim 8X DVD-R discs. These were the only discs that we could find which would burn 8X DVD-R on the burner."
Doesn't look like it's burning at 8x on the graph...
Then there are a couple of more errors/stupid things I don't even bother to comment. Everytime I read an AT optical drive review I'm surprised it's possible to have so much nonsense and wrong crap in one review. Reply


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BullsTrick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.
If Mama bull, Papa bull and Baby bull are in a pasture and the Baby bull gets frightened by something, who would he run to first?
AnswerPapa bull. Mama bulls don't exist.
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High cholesterol is a health problem we often associate with adults, but children can also be affected. High cholesterol levels, along with other factors that put adults at risk for heart problems (high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of physical activity, and being overweight or obese), also put children at risk later in life.
For instance, high cholesterol levels play a role in forming fatty plaque build-up in arteries, causing the arteries to harden. This condition, known as atherosclerosis, can start in childhood. If not addressed, it can lead to coronary artery disease in adulthood.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends that all children have a cholesterol screening when they are between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. However, if high cholesterol levels run in your family or if your child has certain risk factors, he or she may need cholesterol screening before then. Discuss this with your child's doctor. All children should be checked again between the ages of 17-21 years.
There are 2 types of cholesterol often discussed: "good" cholesterol, also known as HDL cholesterol, and "bad" cholesterol, also called LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the main culprit of heart problems, so keeping levels low is important. For children, this means making sure that their LDL cholesterol level is less than 110 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). Here are cholesterol level guidelines from NHLBI:
|less than 110 mg/dL
|110-129 mg/dL
|130 mg/dL or greater
|less than 170 mg/dL
|170-199 mg/dL
|200 mg/dL or greater
Children older than 8 years old who have very high LDL cholesterol levels, usually 190 mg/dL or greater, may be given medications called statins. Statins work by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. A doctor may prescribe this medication if your child has been diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia. Hypercholesterolemia is an inherited condition in which a person is born with high levels of LDL cholesterol. Diet and exercise may not be enough to lower the cholesterol levels to a safer level.
Regardless of your child's cholesterol levels, a proper diet and exercise are important to keep cholesterol levels under control, as well as maintain overall health. Here are some ways you can incorporate a nutritious diet and physical activity into your child's life:
Children will often look to adults as lifestyle examples. Therefore, to encourage healthy habits, it is important that the entire family is involved in eating right and exercising. Doing so will ensure that both you and your children can lead healthy lives together.
American Heart Association
Kids Health—Nemours Foundation
Canadian Cardiovascular Society
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. US Department of Health and Human Services website. Available at: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx#toc. Published October 2008. Accessed January 22, 2016.
Children and cholesterol. American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/UnderstandYourRiskforHighCholesterol/Children-and-Cholesterol_UCM_305567_Article.jsp. Updated May 12, 2014. Accessed January 22, 2016.
Children and cholesterol. American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/UnderstandYourRiskforHighCholesterol/Children-and-Cholesterol_UCM_305567_Article.jsp#.VqJZn1KzK7E . Updated May 1`2, 2014. Accessed January 22, 2016.
Cholesterol and your child. Nemours' Kids Health website. Available at: http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/cholesterol.html Updated July 2013. Accessed January 22, 2016.
Familial hypercholesterolemia. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated December 14, 2015. Accessed January 22 ,2015.
NHLBI integrated guidelines for pediatric cardiovascular risk reduction. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated February 12, 2013. Accessed January 22, 2016.
Last reviewed January 2016 by Michael Woods, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2012 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.
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- Contemporary Art at the Gardner
- ExhibitionsCurrent ExhibitionsForthcoming ExhibitionsPast Exhibitions
- Ambreen Butt: I Need a Hero
- Maurizio Cannavacciuolo: A Lecture on Martian History
- Rachel Perry: What Do You Really Want
- Charmaine Wheatley: Souvenirs
- Bharti Kher: Not All Who Wander Are Lost
- Jean-Michel Othoniel: Secret Flower Sculptures
- Nari Ward: Divination X
- Luisa Rabbia: Waterfall
- Carla Fernández: The Barefoot Designer: A Passion for Radical Design and Community
- Sophie Calle: Last Seen
- Hamra Abbas: Wall Hanging I
- Adam Pendleton: Untitled
- Raqs Media Collective: The Great Bare Mat & Constellation
- Stefano Arienti: Wild Carrot
- Luisa Lambri: Portrait
- Magic Moments: The Screen and the Eye–9 Artists 9 Projections
- (TAPESTRY) RADIO ON: New Work by Victoria Morton at the Gardner
- Points of View: 20 Years Artists-in-Residence at the Gardner
- Stefano Arienti: Ailanthus
- Danijel Zezelj: Once
- Taro Shinoda: Lunar Reflections
- Su-Mei Tse: Floating Memories
- Luisa Rabbia: Travels with Isabella, Travel Scrapbooks 1883/2008
- Cliff Evans: Empyrean
- Stefano Arienti: The Asian Shore
- Sculpture and Memory: Works from the Gardner and by Luigi Ontani
- Henrik Håkansson: Cyanopsitta spixii Case Study #001
- Michele Iodice: A Pagan Feast
- Variations On a Theme by Sol Lewitt and Paula Robison
- Danijel Zezelj: Stray Dogs
- Dayanita Singh: Chairs
- Maurizio Cannavacciuolo: TV Dinner
- Elaine Reichek: madamimadam
- Joseph Kosuth: Artist, Curator, Collector
- Nari Ward: Episodes: Bus Park & Forevermore
- Manfred Bischoff
- Ackroyd & Harvey: Presence
- Laura Owens
- Joan Bankemper: A Gardener's Diary
- Lee Mingwei: Living Room
- Josiah McElheny
- Abelardo Morell: Face to Face
- Mona Higuchi: Bamboo Echoes
- Juan Muñoz: Portrait of a Turkish Man Drawing
- Denise Marika: New Works by Denise Marika
- Dorit Cypis: The Body in the Picture
- Artists By 2008
- Multimedia
Andrea Anastasio
2004, 2005, 2008
Andrea Anastasio (b. 1961 Italy) is a cosmopolitan transcultural soul and artist; part designer, part philosopher, part writer. Born in Rome, Anastasio traveled to India at age 18 where he discovered another world – a non Euro-centric world. Now several years later, he has developed a deep and layered knowledge of art, religious studies, music, theater and philosophy. Anastasio obtained a degree in philosophy from the University of Venice. It was his interest in philosophy and history that opened the doors to the Memphis Group, a team of Italian designers and architects who created highly influential products in the 1980's by challenging the idea that products had to follow conventional shapes, colors, textures and patterns. Between 1989 and 2002, Anastasio worked on designing objects for everyday, domestic use that employed materials originally intended for specialized purposes like high-tech industrial outputs and/or construction. He also worked with fabrics and textiles to compose soft three-dimensional sculptural installation as well as lamps for Artemide, pieces of furniture, tableware, glass objects and office accessories for Sawaya & Moroni, Danese and Memphis.
In 2002, Anastasio branched away from working as a professional designer to concentrate on his art practice. He has created objects for domestic spaces utilizing high tech industrial materials as well as rich textiles and garments. Recently Anastasio published an artist book, Fingerprint, a visual fable that celebrates resistance to state surveillance and control. Andreas Anastasio's work appears in many permanent collections and has been exhibited at Gallery SKE, Bangalore, Laure Genliard, London, La Triennale de Milano, Milan, Alessandra Bonomo Gallery, London and Galleria Alessandra Bonomo, Rome. Andrea Anastasio lives between Italy, India, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States.
Andrea Anastasio came to the Gardner Museum in 2004 under two roles--one as an Artist-in-Residence, and one as exhibition designer and collaborator for the Chairs exhibition; a project that brought together an artist, a furniture historian, a designer, an educator and a filmmaker with three of the Gardner's curators. Anastasio spent his residency working on several projects and doing research on Mrs. Gardner's aesthetics, and the anthropological aspects of the chair. He later gave an Eye of the Beholder lecture entitled Standing Between the Earth and Sky where he discussed the cultural, economic, political, and anthropological aspects of the chair as well as its role in the domestic, work, public, religious, artistic, and literary environments.
As a collaborator on the Chairs exhibition, Anastasio helped 2002 AIR and photographer Dayanita Singh install her exhibition and created Amnesia, his own personal installation gift to Singh in which he transformed Singh's photographs by projecting them onto the back of a museum chair. His travels have allowed him to return to the Gardner for short stays. In 2005, he attended the opening of A Pagan Feast, a project in the Tapestry Room by 2005 AIR Michele Iodice. In November 2008, Anastasio was invited by Joan Jonas to participate in the second reiteration of Reading Dante, a live reading and video performance held during Gardner After Hours. Filmed excerpts from this performance are now incorporated into Jonas' Reading Dante video piece.


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- Description
Elegant Lighting 1138D13RS/RC Elena Raw Steel 4 Light ChandelierIncludes
1 ChandelierDimensions
Fixture: 15.5" H x 13" W x 13" D
Wire Length: 96"
Chain or Rod Length: 60"
More from this collection: Elena
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Additional Information
SKU 24801450 MPN 1138D13RS/RC GTIN N/A Brand Elegant Lighting Collection Elena Assemble Length No Assemble Width No Assemble Height No Assembly Required No Material Metal Finish No Styles No Shipping Time 1-2 Weeks Free Shipping Yes
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Re: Intro..mother of 47 yr old daughter with cc
To all of you....thank you for your compassion and tender words.
Even though I found you so late (I wonder why Paula did not tell me about you, nor continue her conversations with you) I feel more connection here than within our own circle of family and friends. I believe it is because of the understanding that is only possible with shared experience.


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Scenario:I've spent a couple of hours creating a form that perfectly navigates the user through the fields, automatically skipping and hiding fields based on their responses to others, does validity checking on a field by field basis to ensure data integrity, formats the data exactly the way my database requires it, distributed it using the wizard so I can collect the data, even from people with the free Adobe Reader, tested the final version in versions 6 through 10 and posted it to my web site. Now all I have to do is… reply to all the people who are having trouble with my form because they are using a non-Adobe tool to fill it out. Ack!
I'm not making this up. I get questions on a weekly basis from customers that are baffled by the failure of their well crafted forms to collect their data correctly only to find out that a particular recipient was using a non-Adobe tool to fill it out. To make matters worse, the recipient didn't even know they were doing anything wrong.
Here's the issue that IT departments need to be concerned with when deciding to deploy 3rd party tools rather than the free Adobe Reader… as the recipient of a form, you have no idea what that form should look like and no idea how it should behave.
With "lightweight alternative" PDF viewers or ones that are actually built into the operating system, unless you are exclusively using in-house forms that you design around the restrictions of the various PDF viewers, you run the risk of sending inaccurate information back to the form author. Inaccurate information leads to a loss of data, productivity, and money.
So – let's say your forms are not as complex as the scenario I painted above. Just for argument's sake, let's say the form contains no scripting at all; just basic form fields. If you use a common, OS level PDF viewer, let's call it ViewerA, to fill and save even this simple form, users of Acrobat and Reader (and at least one other 3rd party viewer that I tested) won't be able to see the data. If you then click into the fields one by one, you can see the information entered into the field; click out of the field, it goes blank again. The form is broken… and as the recipient, you have no idea that the form you sent back to the person who requested the information can't see your data.
Is using an Adobe Reader alternative worth the risk?
If you want an objective review of the leading PDF viewers out there, take a look at 5 Free PDF Readers Compared. You can read the whole article or just jump to the section on forms in the Review Notes where the best the author can say about the 3rd party tools is that they're improving.


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Maxthon cloud browser (Maxthon Cloud)is a suite of state-of-art, cloud-powered web browsers that work in concert, making it easy for users to maintain a continuous experience, un-tethered to a single device or operating system.
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Fat city: how Washington wastes your taxes
Regnery/Gateway, 1980 - Political Science - 405 pages
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source GAIA package: Sx_MilitaryTimes_M6201310301070324_5675.zip Origin key: Sx_MilitaryTimes_M6201310301070324 imported at Fri Jan 8 18:18:07 2016
RAEFORD, N.C. — Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice is facing the same painful milestones as any other grieving military widow — first holidays alone, delivery of the headstone, and every other reminder, large and small, of her loss.
But there's one way in which Dice is unique among military widows: She's mourning the loss of her wife, 29-year-old Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Donna Johnson, one of three soldiers killed Oct. 1 in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber.
As far as is known, Dice and Johnson are the first same-sex married military couple to have suffered a casualty since the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," said Stephen Peters, executive director of the American Military Partner Association.
And that makes Dice unique in another way, as well: She's ineligible for a number of benefits normally provided to widows because of the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
For example, the government pays travel costs of heterosexual spouses to Dover Air Force Base, Del., when fallen troops return to American soil.
Dice was not eligible for those allowances solely through her status as a same-sex widow. But the military did arrange to cover her travel expenses to Dover in the company of the Johnson family — though Dice is unsure how.
"Tracy Dice never received any benefits as a spouse; she received benefits as a soldier or as a friend of [Johnson's] family," said North Carolina National Guard spokesman Capt. Matthew Boyle.
The specifics of Dice's travel were handled by the Army's casualty affairs office, which did not respond to questions by press time Jan. 4.
Dice is also shut out of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a Veterans Affairs Department program that pays $1,215 a month to heterosexual spouses of service members who die on active duty. She's also left out of other notable benefits, such as the Survivor Benefit Plan and VA education benefits.
In the long term, she won't receive Tricare health coverage as other widows do, although, as a National Guardsman, she is eligible for the premium-based Tricare Reserve Select program. She'll continue to receive other benefits, such as commissary, exchange and other base privileges, by virtue of her own National Guard status.
"We married out of love, not [for] benefits. I am not a victim," Dice said.
Still, she said, "It's a sad statement that three soldiers lost their lives and all three were married, but one of the spouses was treated as if she was single."
A strong support system
As hard as this process has been for her, Dice believes it would be much harder for other same-sex spouses who may not have the same high level of support she has received from Johnson's family and from the military itself.
The situation could have been much worse, she said, if she wasn't in uniform herself, if Johnson's mother hadn't stood up for the rights of her daughter and Dice, and if the military hadn't done everything possible within the confines of the law.
"Everybody — the casualty assistance officer, my unit, her unit — everybody I've come in personal contact with has really stood up and done the right thing," she said, adding that other Army wives also have been supportive and protective.
"If other gay spouses have to go through this and don't have the family support, and are not in the military, it's too easy for them to get shut out and not have any rights whatsoever," Dice said.
The Johnson family's support has been critical to her emotional well-being, Dice said. Along with working to get her to Dover, they helped her receive a flag and set of awards, in addition to the flag Donna Johnson's mother received at the burial. The family also asked that Dice be assigned as a military escort when Johnson's remains were flown from Dover to Raeford, near Fort Bragg.
"That was a great honor, to be able to escort my wife back home," Dice said.
Sandra Johnson, Donna's mother, said she felt it was important to include Dice in the family's arrangements.
"A marriage is a marriage," she said during a visit to Dice's home in Raeford. "It was holy in their world. That's how I perceived it."
'We knew the rules'
Dice said she and Johnson both knew what they were getting into when they married last year on Valentine's Day during a whirlwind two-day trip to Washington, D.C., where gay marriage is allowed.
"We knew the laws, we knew the rules, we knew the regulations," she said.
Dice's face brightens when she describes her wife — the natural athlete who loved family and holidays, loved riding motorcycles to the beach, loved their dogs, loved renovating their home, loved to laugh.
"I wanted to get married because I love the sanctity of the union of marriage," Dice said.
It was also important to Donna Johnson because of her parents, married nearly 40 years.
"I knew how much marriage truly meant to her," Dice said.
Johnson deployed to Afghanistan in August with the North Carolina National Guard's 514th Military Police Company, helping train Afghan police.
Dice, who has served for four years with the North Carolina National Guard's 430th Ordnance Company, previously served four years on active Army duty. She was scheduled to deploy with the 430th but got bumped at the last minute for medical reasons.
Both had deployed earlier to Iraq, returning in 2008.
Dice and Johnson last talked Sept. 30 and agreed Johnson would call again the next day.
When that call didn't come, Dice began to panic. Her fears deepened after she read an online report about the deaths of three soldiers in Khowst, Afghanistan.
After calling the family readiness group and friends who are wives of soldiers in the unit, she realized a communications blackout was in effect because no one had answers. She called Johnson's family and urged them to answer all phone calls.
She then waited.
About 45 minutes later, Johnson's sister called and said the military was at their house, and she needed to come there.
Although a spouse is generally the first to be notified, and Johnson had listed Dice on her Record of Emergency Data for notification, technically Johnson's immediate biological family had to be notified first.
Unlike other widowed spouses, Dice was not assigned a casualty assistance officer.
"But [the Johnson family's] CAO did an awesome job," she said. "He did everything he could possibly do for me."
Finding solace
Troops control some military benefits. For example, they can designate anyone as beneficiaries of their Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance policy, as well as the military's $100,000 death gratuity.
"I can't go into details, but I can tell you that Donna treated the two most important women in her life equally," Dice said. "That speaks volumes in and of itself, especially with how close she was with her family."
But because Johnson was a single soldier under federal law, other issues have been more difficult for Dice.
Johnson had her will with her in Afghanistan, so it was included with her personal effects after she died. Dice said she was told the personal effects can go only to next of kin, and she was legally fourth in line after Johnson's biological family.
Johnson named Dice executor of her estate, and the will has to be certified in court.
For someone who didn't have a family as supportive as the Johnsons, Dice said, "Who knows what could have happened … how easy it would be for that will to disappear?"
Some grief counseling is available to Dice by virtue of her Guard status. That would not necessarily be the case for other same-sex spouses with no military ties, at least through government channels. But other organizations, such as Give an Hour and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, provide grief counseling and support to same-sex partners.
The American Military Partner Association has been a source of support for Dice, who connected with them even before Johnson died. The organization provides some counseling for partners, and helps put them in touch with other counseling resources.
Dice's heart was not into decorating for the holidays this year, a stark contrast to the elaborate decorations she and Johnson put up last year.
But she and her mother-in-law did make a "grave blanket," with Christmas holly, berries, flowers and greenery, which covers the width and length of Johnson's grave.
And in the wee hours when Dice needs to talk to someone about the love of her life, she calls her mother-in-law.
"Sandra knows … how much I miss her," Dice said.


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Alligator Creek camping area is in the Mount Elliot section of the park and is the only established camping area with facilities. Camp sites here are only suitable for tents and small campervans. There are no sites available for caravans or camper trailers (all sizes) or motorhomes.
Camping areas are also located at Cocoa and Salmon creeks in the Cape Cleveland section, and at Baratta Creek in the Bowling Green Bay section. These camping areas are near the coast and are set in coastal woodland and mangrove environments beside intertidal creeks. Facilities are not provided at these camping areas and campers must be completely self-sufficient, carrying food, water and a fuel stove.
Opportunities for remote bush hiking in the park also exist.
Camping permits are required and fees apply. A tag with your booking number must be displayed at your camp site.
Located in the Mount Elliot, Bowling Green Bay National Park, the Alligator Creek camping area is easily accessible for tent camping and small campervans. Situated beside Alligator Creek you can relax under the gum trees or explore the surrounding creek environment. Accessible for conventional vehicles, this is a tent only camping area. Don't forget to bring your own drinking water.
The Alligator Falls camping area, located in the Mount Elliot, Bowling Green Bay National Park is only accessible by foot. It is an eight kilometre walk along the Alligator Falls track to a small clearing before you reach the falls. This is a completely self sufficient camp site you must bring everything including water.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


text:
Fed-up commuters are being promised only "modest" improvements to trains, despite the service being ranked joint worst in the country.
Greater Anglia came joint bottom alongside Southeastern in a Which? customer satisfaction survey, scoring just 40 per cent.
The operator, which took charge of train services in February 2012, was only awarded a short-term franchise until 2016.
Rail users are now demanding that the route, which serves five stations in Maldon district, should see significant improvements.
Rupert Baker, 40, who commutes daily from South Woodham Ferrers to London for his work in an engineering company, said the service was "disappointing".
He said: "Greater Anglia just can't deal with disruption."
See this week's Standard for the full story.


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Mexican meatball soup photo by vsimon
Soup for supper? This soup is hearty enough. Garnish with diced avocado and serve with cornbread or corn chips. Ah, comfort food.
Keep it simple
This was a tasty recipe as written. But I simplified it a bit, using a convenience ingredient available in the freezer section. It is a diced blend of onion, celery and sweet pepper.
I use it all the time to cut down on chopping (ha-ha). If you love the meditative rhythm of chopping, you can use 3 cups total of diced raw onion, celery and bell pepper. Any combination will do.
Keep it healthy
Super lean ground beef works well here. These little meatballs made with cornmeal are so tender. No need for greasy high fat ground meat. So I omitted the ground pork found in the original recipe.
And I subbed cooked whole grain brown rice for the white rice. I always cook this in a pressure cooker because it is fast and easy. It may be time to make friends with one.
Or, if you are not ready to make that first step yet, you can cook a batch of brown rice on the stovetop. Cool, and freeze some to add later to soups like this. It can go right from the freezer into the soup pot.
Keep it gluten free
Read the label on the salsa if you buy it instead of make it yourself. Most are gluten free, but check.
Mexican Meatball Soup with Rice and Cilantro
Adapted from a recipe on epicurious.com by Jill Cole of Fallbrook, California.
Servings: 6 to 8 supper servings.
|metric measures
|10 oz frozen chopped onions/ celery/ pepper blend
|300 gm
|1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
|1 gm
|3 cups water
|720 ml
|1 28-ounce canned or jarred diced tomatoes in juice
|800 gm
|1 pound lean ground beef
|.5 kg
|6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
|55 gm
|1/4 cup liquid, milk or water
|60 ml
|1 large egg
|50 gm
|1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
|1 gm
|1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
|? Can you tell me?
|1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa
|120 ml
|1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
|20 gm
salt and pepper to taste
diced avocado to garnish, optional
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion blend and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes.
Add water and tomatoes with juices. Bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, make meatballs. Combine ground beef, cornmeal, liquid, egg, salt, pepper, and cumin, in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Shape meat mixture into little ½" balls. Add meatballs to simmering soup as you shape each one. Gently stir occasionally to keep them from clumping together.
Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add cooked rice, salsa, and most of the cilantro. Save a bit of cilantro for a garnish if you like.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
We like thick soups, but you can add additional water to desired consistency. Cook a bit longer if needed to warm it up.
Pour into soup bowls and garnish with diced avocado.
Leftovers? Heat them up in the morning and put in a thermos for lunch.
New info on rice
Arsenic in some rice? Really? Darn! Do I need to be concerned?
Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, writes a blog called Living Gluten Free at diet.com. Tricia is an expert on gluten free ingredients and labeling. A recent post is called Gluten-Free Diet, Arsenic, and Rice.
As noted in Tricia's post, cooking rice in large volumes of low arsenic water and draining off the water can lower the arsenic content of the finished rice. See a scientific abstract at ScienceDirect titled Arsenic burden of cooked rice: Traditional and modern methods.
Bottom line: I am not overly concerned about the levels of arsenic in rice. I will continue to enjoy whole grain rices. And I will continue to cook it in a pressure cooker without lots of extra water. But my diet is not based on rice or rice flour.
Enjoy the large variety of gluten free ingredients, don't get stuck on just a few. There are many gluten free whole grains and flours to choose from.
And in this recipe, you can omit the rice if you like. The soup will not be as thick, it will still be tasty.