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Violence and delays have marred presidential and parliamentary elections in Nigeria, where for the first time since independence in 1960, one civilian head of state is due to hand over to an elected successor.
BBC reporters across the country are sending their observations.
Counting of votes is going on, some polling centres have announced the results and are getting ready to take the boxes to the electoral commission.
People have complained that elections started late in most areas but closed without extending the time.
Some polling centres experienced a shortage of election materials. It is calm now but there is a fear that tension may rise when the full results come out.
I have just got off the phone to a colleague in neighbouring Jigawa State who confirmed a report that thugs snatched ballot boxes from a polling station - right in front the area's traditional rulers.
And the electoral commission says its office in Ringim, Jigawa, was set ablaze.
There has been electoral chaos in Kaduna where shambolic organisation has left voters angry.
The late arrival of voting material has meant some areas did not vote at all.
At one voting centre, the material turned up one hour before the polls were due to close. Party agents then decided the vote should be held on another day.
As police were taking the ballot papers away, people who had been waiting to vote started shouting and throwing stones at them.
The police fired teargas to scatter the crowd.
Other polling stations found they were short of presidential ballots - sometimes only having 150-200 - when their allocation was 500.
Controversially, many of the presidential ballots in Kaduna had no serial numbers - the ones I saw only had zeros on them.
Meanwhile, the senate votes in north and central Kaduna have been postponed indefinitely - without an explanation from electoral officials.
I have just arrived at Magajin Gari polling station where voting has closed and election officials are now counting the votes before the official time for the polls to close.
People are waiting to know the result.
Voters at the polling station near government house have also finished casting their votes.
Election officials there are waiting for the official closing time at 1600 GMT to start counting.
Most voters left polling stations unhappy, saying they do not expect a fair result from the electoral body.
Security is still tight. Youths have now turned some streets into football pitches.
There have been allegations that ballot boxes have been snatched in the city.
At a voting centre I visited, the ballot boxes were also missing.
A visibly angry woman told me that she had been holding on to her ballot paper for four months and now she was at the polling booth there was no opportunity to use it.
However, a ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) official has told me the story of the snatchings is not true.
A relaxed-looking Umaru Yar'Adua, the PDP's presidential candidate, voted at around midday at Ladoji primary school where voting had started on the dot at 1000 local (0900 GMT).
Voting is still continuing, but turnout has been low.
Voting has been peaceful in this oil-rich port town even though it started three hours behind schedule.
Turnout is low with some polling stations having less than 50 voters. It is much less rowdy than last week's state vote.
The tension has been defused as the security forces are not being as heavy handed and there are fewer of them - the market and some shops have been open and people have been to go about their business.
Young boys took advantage of the traffic-free roads to play football on the highways - using tins as goal posts.
The protesting women, who allege last week's election was rigged, did not take to the streets today because of the security presence.
They chose to shun the election by staying at home.
Other no-shows complained that they were not able to vote last week, so they were not going to bother this time.
A heavy downpour of rain is forcing late voters to flee polling stations.
The voting material has eventually arrived in Enugu - to the visible relief of Senate President Ken Nnamani, who I was with when he heard.
However some polling stations only became operational as late as 1440 local time (1340 GMT).
One lady told me she was voting for good roads and electricity.
Another voter - angry that he wasn't on the voter register for last week's state elections - was lining up again hoping to find his name on the list for the national vote.
"If it's not there I will have been killed by the ballot box. My citizenship will be useless," he told me.
All the hustle and bustle - the traffic, car horns, cursing and swearing - is missing from the city's streets.
Some food sellers and small side-street green grocers are open for business though.
Voting is still going on, although turnout is still low.
Many people have stayed indoors because they seem aggrieved about last week's state election result.
The restriction on movement has also meant some people haven't been able to get to polling stations.
The youths, however, turned out in force to play football. All the major highways were turned into football pitches for most of the morning until midday when the heat forced them to retire.
Governor Bola Tinubu has condemned the cancellation of many of the ballots in the state.
Elections for some senatorial and house of representative seats had to be cancelled because the ballot papers were missing some party symbols.
He said it was a plot by the government to rig the vote in favour of the ruling party.
Voters lining up under the tree here have found themselves in the middle of an impromptu basketball court as young children have nailed a toilet seat half way up the tree to use as a hoop.
There are about 100 people in the queue which is moving slowly.
Talking to people, many say they are determined to make their vote, but fear what might happen behind the scenes.
Observers have popped in here and party agents are sitting next to the polling booth.
Voting has not started at most polling centres in the Tudun Wada and Rigasa areas of the city.
It is a bright day and people are getting impatient.
The large crowds of people gathered around some of these polling centres insist that they must cast their votes.
Election officials have been seen mingling with them.
Voting has just started here and the atmosphere is fairly laid back given the gun battle last night between militants and security forces.
There is heavy security around government house, where he lives. Anyone approaching the area has to put their hands up in the air in surrender.
A hotel was badly burned in last night's attack.
I've just been down to the waterfront, where the militants entered the city and there are loads of spent shells lying on the floor and several buildings were dynamited in the fighting.
I met one soldier who was wounded in the leg during the battle. He said at least one militant was killed.
No-one knows why they attacked and unconfirmed reports say three people died.
Voting has still not yet commenced.
People were getting impatient, but election materials have just started to be distributed to the various polling centres.
In Lagos state, the election for two senatorial seats and seven house of representative seats in the national assembly have been cancelled as some party logos were missing from the ballot papers.
People don't seem to be angry, but are asking questions to which they are not getting answers.
I had to go to the electoral commission headquarters to find out what was going on.
Otherwise, voter turnout is generally low across Nigeria's commercial capital.
President Olusegun Obasanjo voted just a few minutes ago.
Although presidential ballot papers have arrived in this state, no papers have turned up for the senatorial ballot, so that has been cancelled.
The scene is calm and the town has virtually closed down.
After he had voted, Mr Obasanjo spoke of the attempts to disrupt the poll in the last 24 hours.
He described last night's violence in southern oil-rich Bayelsa State as an attempt on the life of the ruling party's vice-presidential candidate Goodluck Jonathan.
But he said nothing would deter Nigerians from voting.
Not long ago youths, furious that only half the ballot papers had arrived in this area torched some shacks close to the headquarters of the electoral commission.
This is opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari's home town.
He actually went out to calm the people and then travelled to vote in a small mud and tin hut near his father's old house, surrounded by a jubilant crowd of supporters.
The town is now quiet.
Voting has just started at Garki II polling station in the centre of the capital city.
There is an orderly horseshoe queue. One voter, Solomon, said he was happy at how things were progressing except for the sun, which is scorching.
The recently reprinted presidential ballot papers have party symbols on them - no names or photos of the candidates.
This is where the Nigerian army and Islamists clashes earlier this week.
But it does not seem to have affected the election, with some people turning up as early as 0800 local time (0700 GMT) to queue.
Voting has started - although this polling station at Panshekara primary school on the outskirts of Kano city opened late.
And while security is tight with security men conducting stop and searches on motorists following the recent crisis there is a large turnout.
Voting has not started in Nigeria's coal capital, which has fallen on hard times because of the south's oil wealth.
The state's electoral commissioner is waiting at the airport for the election material to arrive from Abuja.
It is hot - the sun is so bright, you can't look at it directly and the city is quiet.
Movement is restricted because of the high number of armed forces and roadblocks.
I have just seen former rebel leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu leave the city to go to his village Nnewi to vote.
He is the most respected Igbo politicians and is the presidential candidate for the All Progressive Grand Alliance.
I have been to four polling stations in the capital and voting has not started at them, although electoral officials are beginning to arrive.
People are out and about now, most chatting and relaxing while they wait for voting to get under way.
At some stations queues have formed and people are being given numbers so there is no confusion when voting begins.
I am outside the station where Muhammadu Buhari - the opposition candidate for the All Nigeria People's Party - is due to cast his vote.
Ballot papers and boxes have arrived, but only half the amount needed.
Voting began at this polling station in the outskirts of the capital about half an hour ago.
There is a long queue, perhaps a couple of hundred people, lining up under a tree.
It is not moving fast and does not seem well organised.
I am standing at Ajiyah polling station in the centre of the city.
Election materials have just been offloaded from the vehicles.
Large crowds of voters have gathered, possibly because this is where Nigeria's Vice-President Atiku Abubakar - the president for the opposition Action Congress - is going to cast his vote.
We've just arrived in the city where there was a shootout yesterday between militants and security forces.
Voting has not started here and there are not many people in the streets.
Police are thoroughly searching all vehicles.
Election materials have not arrived at Aminu Street polling station in the town centre, but election officials are waiting as voters gather to cast their votes.
It's bright and sunny here, but the streets are empty and no voters are out.
The town is tense because women have been protesting over the last four days about last week's governorship election, alleging it was rigged in favour of the People's Democratic Party.
They say they will not come out to vote today unless last week's results are cancelled.
Detachments of security agents are station at strategic locations around the town.
Only one election official has arrived here at Gawon Noma polling station near the electoral commission headquarters, but there are no election materials. A few voters are gathered waiting outside anxiously.
There's no sign that voting will start as scheduled here in about 10 minutes.
I have just been around the city and there are a couple of voters hanging around some polling stations, but there are no sign of electoral officials or voting material.
There are soldiers everywhere.
Voting is due to start in 20 minutes, and some voters have started visiting polling stations in city.
Election officials have been seen at some polling stations waiting for the arrival of election material from the electoral commission.
Security is tight. The streets are deserted except for official vehicles and some motor bikes.
It is bright and sunny in the capital city - the heat is yet to hit us.
The attempt to blow up the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) with a tanker, which would usually be big news on morning TV talk shows, is overshadowed by polling day preparations.
Curiously, it's not even the subject of discussion for the few people at work. A group of guards and cleaners I have just met did not seem worried about it.
Musa, in his twenties, said it was "not important" as he believed it was stage-managed to win support for Inec, seen as being sympathetic to the ruling People's Democratic Party.
Otherwise, the city is fairly empty and the roads on my way into work were deserted except for a few joggers and policemen on the highways of the capital.
There was not a single taxi to be had - I was walking, when luckily a man stopped to give me a lift.
He was rushing back from hospital where he had just dropped off his brother, anxious to get home before the no movement order comes into affect at 1000 local time (0900 GMT ) when the polls open.
Transport is not the only issue for bachelors like me today. All the restaurants are closed - it will be a day of starvation.
Stop and search sums up the situation in Lagos. Police patrol vans are on the streets of Nigeria's commercial capital and security men are out in force.
Otherwise the roads are deserted of people, which is not unexpected as they possibly fear harassment from the security forces.
A few commercial vehicles are out hoping to do some business before the no movement order comes into force an hour before the polls open at 1000 local time (0900 GMT).
Voting materials were being distributed in the state last night.
People here are more concerned with the national assembly elections as they know that presidential power is moving to the north.
They want to make sure there are people at a national level who will represent their interests.
Security is tight. The streets are deserted except for one or two motor bikes that are going. There are a lot of military roadblocks with men in full combat gear.
The presidential ballot papers arrived overnight and the electoral commission says they have already been distributed to other parts of the state.
No voters are out yet - word seems to have spread that the polling has been delayed by two hours.
It is a bright morning, the sun is really high in the sky. I am standing right in front of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) office in Nigeria's main oil city.
It is madly busy here with cars and trucks being loaded with voting material and a heavy police and military presence.
The ballot papers arrived late last night and many are sceptical that they will be able to be distributed to polling stations in time given the creeks of Rivers State.
But the Inec state commissioner told me firmly, "Elections will start at 1000."
I arrived in President Olusegun Obasanjo's home town this evening - and everyone is talking about the election.
To them it is something special as they are proud to have had a head of state for eight years.
From the posters and billboards along the highway leading to the town, you see only the president and local ruling party politicians smiling down at you.
There is room only for the PDP (People's Democratic Party) here.
After I checked into my hotel, I took a drive around the town; however, I could see nothing as there was a blackout.
It appears even the president's home is subject to electricity cuts.
It is shocking to see that there is little enthusiasm for the election in the home state of two main presidential candidates: Umaru Yar'Adua (of the ruling People's Democratic Party) and Muhammadu Buhari (of the opposition All Nigeria People's Party).
News of the ballot papers delay and the postponement of polling for two hours tomorrow has not helped matters.
Mr Buhari seems to enjoy more support on the ground, although the city boasts more PDP posters.
The general view is that Mr Yar'Adua did well as governor, particularly in the city, but his association with President Olusegun Obasanjo has affected him negatively.
The city is busy and businesses are open as normal.
Earlier on I passed through many military roadblocks set up around town.
Campaigning has stopped, but Nigerians - being their usual ingenious selves - have been sending last minute text messages canvassing for votes for their candidates in exchange for free mobile phone air time.
Right now I am at the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) in the centre of Abuja where it is all happening this afternoon.
Inec chairman Maurice Iwu gave a press conference earlier in which he assured Nigerians and the world that the electoral commission was fully ready to conduct tomorrow's elections.
And you do get that sense here: it is a beehive of frantic activities.
People and journalists are coming and going and there is a constant stream of vehicles.
Security is tight, but not unduly so.
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text: Sprint Galaxy Nexus owners, you can put down those pitchforks. Your Android 4.3 update is finally coming. Sure, it's arriving just in time for Android 4.4, but hey, it's not like anyone promised that your updates would be timely. Oh, they did? Well, it gets worse. The update is rolling out in stages over a 10 - 21 day period, and device selection is random. Some of you may still have close to a month to go.Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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by Monique Lai
Private Property is a series of provocative photographs that deals with environmental elements and social conscious statements. My concern for the beauty of our landscape and clean air revolves around 'not all construction is good construction'. By looking beyond the surface, we can work towards being mindful and aware of how our behavior not only affects society's perception of ourselves but also the mis-treatment of our environment.
Master printer Chip Leavitt from Lumiere. Framing by Fine Art Solutions. Museum glass*
Lai was born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and began her creative path as a theatre director. Soon after transitioning into still photography. Her work has been exhibited in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Provincetown, New York, and Beijing.
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Home > Community > Health Library > Cataract
A cataract is a partial or complete cloudiness in the lens in the eye. The lens is enclosed by the lens capsule. The cornea is the clear outer layer at the front of the eye.
ByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerKathleen Romito, MD - Family MedicineAdam Husney, MD - Family MedicineSpecialist Medical ReviewerCarol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Current as ofMay 23, 2016
Current as of:
May 23, 2016
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
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The Vibrators
- Overview
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This first wave UK punk band was formed in February 1976 by Knox (Ian Carnochan, 4 April 1945; vocals, guitar), John Ellis (b. 1 June 1952; guitar), Pat Collier (b. October 1951; bass), and Jonathan Eddie Edwards (b. 1 April 1951; drums). Their first gig came as support to the Stranglers at Hornsey College of Art, before joining the Sex Pistols at the 100 Club during the summer of 1976. By September they were at the same venue supporting guitarist Chris Spedding (ex-Grease Band, and solo hitmaker for RAK Records). He helped to get the band signed to RAK and in November 1976 they released their debut 45, We Vibrate, which earned a New Musical Express Single Of The Week plaudit. At the same time they also released a single with Spedding called Pogo Dancing, a cash-in on the new dance craze. The Vibrators left RAK for Epic Records in 1977 to release their debut album, Pure Mania. Contained therein were the seminal Vibrator tracks...
- MatchThe Vibrators
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- 89%Slaughter & The Dogs
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A STOCKTON Heath nightclub was banned from playing music after being caught playing Mark Morrison hit Return of the Mack without a licence.
Aries Night Club's owners Mytoncorp Ltd were handed the ban by one of the country's top judges at London's High Court.
Mr Justice Henderson imposed the ban after hearing music was played there when the proprietors did not hold a current licence from music royalties collectors Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL).
And in addition to the ban he also ordered the company, which was not represented in court, to pay £1,790 in legal costs.
A PPL inspector visited the premises, on Grappenhall Road, and heard music including Fine China by Chris Brown and Good Feeling by Flo Rida on November 22 last year.
PPL wrote to the venue to tell them it was infringing copyright and invited them to purchase a licence.
But the management had not gone on to buy the licence.
PPL spokesman Nazneen Nawaz said: "Public Performance licences are issued by PPL to hundreds of thousands of businesses and organisations from all sectors across the UK who play recorded music to their staff or customers and who therefore require a licence by law."


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Yesterday I showed you a picture of me after I got off the trolley in Columbia, South Carolina which is how we got around during Palmetto Tat Days in 2003. I continued to look at everything I have saved since I was finally on the internet. In an old email ( one of many ) I have saved from one computer to another was an old email from Wally Sosa. There was the picture with others she sent to me in April after the Tatting event. I thank Wally for sharing with me. I also have some pictures that I have from the 2003 Palmetto Tat Days event which was the first one. Enjoy the pictures...starting with the first one of me getting off the trolley.
Here are some of the other tatters on the trolley. I see Terry Mcuffin who is now with the tatting angels but if you know some of the other people's names in the picture please share in the comments.
I can't tell if we were waiting to get on the trolley or we got off the trolley. I see Jane Moody, Teresa Woods and others. In all my pictures please share names of people in the comments.
Are these shirts cool being worn by the Southern Belles I think from Tenn. So here id the back of them and...
This is my purse that I made which was my everyday purse until I finally decided not to make it my everyday purse. I kept catching the tatting on think and have repaired it many times so I just now take it to all lacing events.
One of my favorite pictures is Wally, Riet and me. I wish I weighed what I did in the picture again. Hard for me to believe this was 14 years ago.
A lot of us went out to dinner at Applebees. My husband wasn't with me so I ordered his steak dinner to go which he ate in the hotel room while I went back to mingling with other tatters.
Pete and Betty Alderson from Snowgoose. Betty has gone to be with Tatting angels. You can see a profile Of Joy Crutchfield who is now Joy Robinson now.
I hope you have enjoyed these pictures. If anybody else has pictures from the First Palmetto Tat Days...I think we all would love to see them.


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Have you taken a look at Cartolina lately? We have so much new product and it's all for sale on our website. These pretty iPhone cases fit both iPhone 4/4s and 5/5s and sell for $34.95 We have lots of new designs debuting over the next 2 or 3 weeks including some great new designs for the men in your life! if you'd like any more information - including wholesale information - we sell to hundreds of shops around the world - just give me a shout at email@example.com
Sunday, September 29, 2013
New at Cartolina - iPhone 5s cases are here.
Creatively compiled by Fiona Cartolina at 11:31 AM 3 sweet comments
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A FOURTH consecutive British Universities and Colleges Sport basketball title could move a step closer to reality for the University of Worcester this weekend.
The men's first team, national champions for the last three years, head to the University of East London where the field will be whittled down to just two.
Worcester take on University College London in the quarter-finals today, with a place in tomorrow's semi-finals against either Durham or Northumbria at stake. The final will take place at Surrey Sports Park on Wednesday, March 26.
Worcester's team comprises a mixture of players from Worcester Wolves' British Basketball League team, such as American centre Will Creekmore and forward Kalil Irving, as well as several up and coming students.
Director of basketball Paul James said: "We're really delighted with the way that's gone this year, we've won a few and lost a few and on any given day anybody can beat anybody else - that's the way it should be.
"We've got a few players who are on the fringes of the BBL team who are all going to be playing major parts in the BUCS Championships this weekend.
"It's a chance for them to put their mark on the team and we are going for our fourth victory in a row so there's a little bit of pressure on those boys but we will go and give it our best shot."
He added: "The BUCS competition has got stronger and stronger each year and this year is the strongest it's been since I've been involved.
"It's a competition we've done very well in over the years and we've got a great track record in it.
"It's always exciting playing these tournaments, it's another goal to go for so the guys are really up for it."
Worcester's forumla of mixing BBL talent with promising students has served them well in the past but other universities are beginning to follow suit, with Durham's team featuring stars from their BBL Wildcats side.
"We are going to have to look at how to reinvent the wheel again because people are gradually catching up with what we're doing," James said.
"It's just a matter now of how we recruit people to the university and the quality of player and student.
"It makes it fantastic for the BUCS Championship, it's a very tough league now and every game you play is tough.
"The quality is there and that's what you want. You want to be in competitive situations all the time, that's how we develop players for the BBL team."
Alongside Creekmore and Irving, Wolves squad players Harry Turner, Daniel Belgrave, Calvin Morant-Hudson and Caylin Raftopoulos are also involved.


text:
Sleeptek Wool Duvet (Summer)
This light weight comforter provides the perfect amount of comfort for summer sleeping.
- Luxurious Pima organic cotton cover is quilted to the organic wool filling to ensure that it will not migrate to the corners
- Soft, Pima Organic Cotton cover
- Carded layers of organic wool (300g/sq.m.) filling regulates moisture & body temperature
- Made in Ottawa, Ontario


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Fishing - The M13790 fishing on the Usk is divided into two stretches. The house itself overlooks one mile of left bank water, while two and a quarter miles further upstream is another three quarters of a mile including both banks known as Llandetty. Wading is essential on all our water and we recommend chest waders as the most effective way of fishing the multitude of runs. The M13790 beats include every type of water from flats to exciting little runs formed by rapids. There are seven beats, allocated daily on a rotation system, no more than two rods per beat.
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App of the Week: Macalester Today Alumni Magazine
About This Episode
Macalester Today alumni magazine uses Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to bring its print content to life with interactive overlays and distribute it on the iPad. This app of the week shares stories of professors, students and alumni through video, innovative uses of scrolling frames, nested overlays, and sliders and trays.
Get the latest tutorials, information and more about any Adobe cloud solution on Adobe Learn.


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Himchan and Sunhwa took a couple selca together.
Himchan recently tweeted, "For SECRET's comeback! This is a picture I took with Sunhwa a bit ago ^.^!" and uploaded a photo of the two making cute faces at the camera in school uniforms. Sunhwa was leaning in close into Himchan, and the two posed closely together, causing fans to smile at their close friendship.
Fans commented, "I'm going to show this to Kwanghee!", "Kwanghee's going to get jealous.. Watch out, Himchan", and "You two look really good together".
Source: Himchan's Twitter
EXO reportedly coming back in early September
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Bill Engvall Makes 'Dancing With the Stars' Finals [VIDEOS]
Bill Engvall is in the 'Dancing With the Starsbi' finals and no one is more surprised than Bill himself. Despite having two left feet and being at the bottom of the leader board for weeks, Bill's fans have voted him through again and again.
It's not Bill's rhythm, or lack there of, that has got him into the finals, it's his heart and determination. He never gives up, despite being the oldest in the competition and he brings everything he has to every dance. His personality lights up the ballroom every week and the viewers love it.
It doesn't hurt that Bill has the support of country fans, the most loyal fans on the planet. I'm sure he's picked many more since being on the show and he's grateful for each one.
Thanks for all your support, no matter what happens I have the greatest fans on the planet. @EmmaSlaterDance #engvalldwts @DancingABC
— billengvall (@billengvall) November 18, 2013
In addition to Darius Rucker showing his support during the smie-finals, many more are tweeting theirs.
l #DWTS Who's in the Finals? @billengvall THAT'S WHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to Go Bill!!!!!!!!!!
— Neal McCoy (@NealMcCoy) November 19, 2013
@billengvall onto the finals!!! Awesome job buddy!!!
— Larry The Cable Guy (@GitRDoneLarry) November 19, 2013
Bill has gone from a guy with no technical dance ability to the Dancing With the Stars finals. Will his personality and determination score him the mirror ball trophy? I don't think he's got enough for the dance floor or enough fans to beat Amber Riley, Corben Blue or Jack Osbourne, but he's already won. He's made it further than anyone anticipated. I had predicted Bill leaving week 5. Either way, I can't wait to see what he does in the final freestyle round next Monday night at 8 on ABC.
Lady Antebellum and Kellie Pickler will also be on Monday's finals.
Good luck Bill!
Week 10 Argentine Tango
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A Closer Look at the Nintendo Wii
More Wii Specs
I've already discussed the Wii's design, but let's take a closer look at its specs. The console uses a PowerPC processor jointly developed by Nintendo and IBM and manufactured by IBM. The Wii also has an ATI graphics chip, dubbed "Hollywood."
The console comes with 512MB of built-in flash memory for storage, plus an SD card reader. GameCube fans will appreciate that the unit also has four ports for GameCube controllers and two GameCube memory card ports. Two USB 2.0 ports are available for optional accessories such as the Wii LAN (Ethernet) adapter.
The Wii's built-in DVD slot drive emits a blue light when you turn the console on or insert a disc, but the Wii currently can't play back music CDs or DVD movies. Nintendo and Sonic Solutions are working on introducing DVD playback functionality, which they hope to make available via a future software download.
Living in a Wii World
Impressively, the responsive Wii controller remains satisfying to use even after the gimmick factor wears off. Your movements can become more subtle (and less energy consuming) as you learn how various games work. There's also the classic controller option, and the promise of myriad forthcoming controller shells.
The Wii's ridiculously enjoyable titles and innovative, motion-sensitive controllers help make it feel more like a toy you'll want to share with a group of players than a console you'd use strictly on your own for hours on end.
At $250, the affordable Wii is half or less of the price of the $500 and $600 versions of the PlayStation 3. True, the PS3 has superior graphics and a SixAxis motion-sensitive controller, but for casual gamers these features may be overkill--and for many more the PS3 package may be too expensive. If you have $250 and a group of friends at the ready, or if you're looking to buy an affordable, fun console for yourself or your kids, get a Wii.
Go to GamePro, our sister publication, for reviews of PlayStation 3 and Wii games.


text:
What We Do
Formed in 1997, Cliftons is Asia-Pacific's leading provider of premium conference, event and training venues primarily for business, government and corporate purposes across all industry sectors.
Cliftons offers flexible event space for computer training, meetings, seminars, conferences, exams, exhibitions, video conferences and functions in 10 CBD locations including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as over 7,400 venues in more than 3,000 locations around the world through our network of global partners.
Employing a dedicated team of over 150 staff, we pride ourselves on delivering world leading services and venues which exceed our clients' expectations and separate us from others in the industry.
Information technology is our area of expertise and Cliftons excels in this space, providing the fastest internet speed available backed up by redundant internet links, dedicated technical support teams, up-to-date software and hardware and state-of-the-art video conferencing facilities.
Since 2011 Cliftons has invested over US$12million in its venue infrastructure and continues to ensure first-class environments for training and meetings for 2 to 300 attendees through our on-going commitment to research development and investment.
Providing more than 'just room hire', Cliftons helps event planners, project managers and industry professionals bring all the necessary elements together including event registration, catering, internet upgrades, specific room set up, document management and even gathering post-event feedback.
Cliftons premium venues and world-class service ensures our clients' vision is met with a successful and seamlessly delivered event every time.
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- One-stop-shop for all training and meeting needs – including planning and operational support, document management, online registration, local on-site and global roll-out course management, flexible catering and more


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It's been quite a while since I posted anything on here. The Loop looks very different. Me and running have been chugging along, just the ho-hum, post marathon honeymoon years, running just to run, but no clear purpose, after an unsuccessful 50k attempt/injury last year. Trying to spice things up again by coming back to the loop, hoping that reading everyone's racing stories will inspire me. I'm working on regaining some speed (or at least back to where I was 2 years ago with my 29min 5k) and getting the mileage back up. Eventually I will sign up for some races, but I really need to get back into a regular running routine first. This week's plan:
Monday - 3 miles easy DONE!
Wednesday - 7 miles speedy - I set my garmin to .25m alerts and alternate fast/recovery
Thursday - 5 miles easy
Saturday - 10 miles easy
Sunday - 5 miles easy (or a rest day)
Total Miles = 30 (or 25)
Whew! That's a lot of running. Now that I have published the plan, I will feel accountable to actually do the miles. Once I find a race, then I guess I'll be running with a purpose. If anyone knows of a good trail race in Louisiana, give me a shout!


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UK Olympics Infrastructure Lessons Shared with NZ Leaders
Friday August 22 2014
UK Olympics Infrastructure Lessons Shared with NZ Leaders
The man responsible for delivering the London Olympic complex on time and one billion pounds under budget - Sir John Armitt – was in New Zealand this week.
Sir John spoke to more than 350 public and private construction and infrastructure leaders, who were gathered in Auckland for the NZ Council for Infrastructure and Development (NZCID) Building Nations 2014 Symposium. Sir John also met with Treasury officials and Minister Gerry Brownlee to share infrastructure innovations and discussions underway in the United Kingdom.
Sir John has suggested the UK government set up an independent National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to identify the UK's long-term infrastructure needs and help build political consensus around critical infrastructure developments.
Collaboration, cooperation and communication between the client and the construction team were the key factors in the Olympic projects' success, according to Sir John.
Peter Cunningham, Senior Commercial lead for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and an attendee at the NZCID symposium, is collaborating with CERA to coordinate 16 different public sector agencies in charge of the Christchurch rebuild.
"I was very interested to hear about ways in which the building of the Olympic projects succeeded and how those ideas could be used in the rebuild and larger infrastructure projects."
Mr Cunningham said he was especially interested in the Target Price Design Concept procurement model that was utilised by the team at the Olympics.
"This is a model that enables the client and the construction team to work together to negotiate and then agree on the target price for the project. The model creates the environment for collaboration, and incentivises the supplier to be innovative and deliver the project under budget," Said Mr Cunningham.
High level team to visit UK
During the symposium, British High Commissioner Jonathan Sinclair, announced that a NZ infrastructure delegation would visit the UK in November. The delegation will be led by NZCID and supported by UK Trade & Investment.
"It was great to have such a visionary as Sir John in New Zealand, and we look forward to showing off his outcomes to delegation members when they are in London."
Mr Sinclair said the mission would provide an excellent opportunity for delegation members to continue the discussions begun in Auckland this week.


text: 11 photos $180,000 155.81 acres Howardwick, TX 79226 - Donley County 156 +/- Acres Grassland Donley Co TX Great ranch with serene pastureland and a lush mix of native grasses. Less than ten minutes from Clarendon, this terraced property offers scenic views and a range of wildlife that includes deer, dove and quail. Property is located less than five minutes from Greenbelt Lake, open to the public for fishing and recreation. Also located nearby is Clarendon Country Club, with its 18-hole semi-private golf course. Municipal water is available. Brady Cowan Clift Land Brokers


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Dragon Ball USB Flash Drive
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text:
Ask a Mechanic Online and Get Answers to Your Car Questions
what is the truck doing
Ha Ha currently sitting in my drive way. I tried to by pass the old. burnt out glow plug celiniod. didn't work. after that, I replaced it. once I replaced it the MFR under the dash started freaking out. I didn't think it was a bad relay but I bought a new one just in case. since then I've been trouble shooting back and trying to single out a specific component. I can't find a decent wiring schematic for this system anywhere
The first problem was cold mornings. it took awhile to start. pretty sure it wasn't getting any power to the glow plugs. If I wouldn't have bi-passed the relay off of the battery It would probably be fine right now
ok do you have power to the relay they are known for burning the fusible near the battery
Ya I believe it was about 11.8DCv
do you have power to the relay they are known for burning the fusible link where it attaches to the battery
its just actuating like its on a hertz cycle of about 10htz a second...
maybe like 3 to 5 htz a sec
do you have an email i can send you a wiring diagram to
ya [email protected]
that didnt work all i got was x's
[email protected]
this one work/
no you might have to break it up
raghorn 84 @ yahoo . com
but no spaces
or my user name at yahoo.com
is that a better diagram does that give you what you need
Its not bad for a single line diagram but I need to find everything from powers supplies to states of relays/contacts... I know the problem is coming from the ignition side of things,I'm just not sure whats in between
i just sent you another diagram try this one
havn't recived it yet


text:
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk PlayStation 3
- Publisher: Koei Tecmo Games
- Release Date: Mar 5, 2013
- Also On: PlayStation Vita
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
Mar 15, 2013Atelier Ayesha feels like a middling compromise between what fans want, and what the masses need. It doesn't do nearly enough wrong to alienate its loyal, niche fan-base, but as an RPG it's a lesser game than Rorona and Totori.
Mar 12, 2013We could say it's a "Double A", rather than a Triple A, but still it's a step forward that won't disappoint the fans of the series.
Mar 12, 2013Fans of traditional RPGs will be turned off by the minimal exploration elements; fans of anime babes in skimpy costumes are unable to get their fix, while fans of generic cutesy anime nonsense really don't command the buying power to make Atelier Ayesha anything more than a niche title.
Mar 8, 2013A fine tuned JRPG with nice features, well-implemented battle system and interesting cast of characters... but nothing special or revolutionary, however.
Mar 6, 2013With some fine-tuning and a more effective blending of old mechanics and newfangled, newcomer-friendly ones, Gust may have a top-notch JRPG hit on their hands next time — but only next time, because this time they've missed the mark ever so slightly, despite their intentions being in the right place.
Apr 2, 2014With its sometimes-impenetrable alchemy system, limited foes, and unfocused story, Atelier Ayesha feels rough at times, though it remains an extremely playable jRPG.
Mar 7, 2013Trying a little departure from the Atelier's Arland trilogy, Ayesha brings new elements, like a combat system with more options and a revamped item-crafting system. Maybe its visuals are poor in texture quality, but Atelier Ayesha sure feels like a regular entry in the series.
Apr 5, 2013Yes, engine and presentation are old-fashioned. But the mixture of exploration, hunting, gathering and fighting still works. The turn based battle system was tweaked here and there and is more attractive than ever.
Mar 24, 2013Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk is definitely a game for lovers of well made Japanese RPG games. Combat is fun, exploration is exciting and interactions with NPC's work well, although sometimes it can be a little lengthy. The multiple endings is a huge treat to the gamers but you definitely need to watch the clock and do some micromanagement if you want a happy ending.
Play UKApr 23, 2013Well made, but hard to recommend to everyone. [Issue#230, p.78]
May 28, 2013Complemented by a beautiful watercolour and cel-shaded art style, and cloaked in an aura of innocence, this is an enjoyable adventure, but it's let down by some occassionally mundane gameplay, frame rate issues, and voice dub faults.
Mar 18, 2013Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk is easy to pick-up and enjoy, but suffers from a few noticeable flaws that prevent it from being an instant classic.
Mar 15, 2013There are some truly fantastic ideas that are here, but the whole thing feels like it should have spent much more time in the design phase. The game's dearth of compelling content makes the experience a chore, and it's hard to empathize with any of the characters in any meaningful way.
Playstation Official Magazine AustraliaApr 3, 2013Less of everything that marred Atelier Meruru. One of the best JRPGs of the year so far. [April 2013, p75]
Mar 17, 2013Like the Atelier games before it, it may appeal to a somewhat limited audience, but Atelier Ayesha is a quaint, relaxing adventure that provides a refreshing contrast to high-stakes JRPG melodrama.
Mar 20, 2013The alchemy-infused RPG known as Atelier Ayesha is much like its titular character: unpolished and at times awkward, yet also unquestionably charming and endearing.
Mar 13, 2013Atelier Ayesha is a game that can give even a cold person warm and fuzzy sensations. Ayesha's journey is worth undergoing for those who love to see how this series continues to improve.
Awards & Rankings
User Score
Mixed or average reviews- based on 122 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 6 out of 10
Mixed: 3 out of 10
Negative: 1 out of 10
Mar 10, 2013Atelier Ayesha: Alchemist of Dusk is a decent game at best. Out of all the Atelier titles, Ayesha is the most welcoming to those new to theAtelier Ayesha: Alchemist of Dusk is a decent game at best. Out of all the Atelier titles, Ayesha is the most welcoming to those new to the series. Series devotes will find welcome changes, but a few omitted traits that worked in previous games. The visuals closely resembled Totori, all bright pastel colors, environments varied from forests, to ruins, to floating islands. Character design was shooting for cute over battle equipped the usual for any Atelier game. Ayesha recycles the same set of 10 monsters with different colors and names, though some of the bosses really stood out. Out of all the Atelier games I was most impressed with the character models in Ayesha. Gust always impresses me with the game's BGM, some annoyed me, some tunes I wanted to bask in, others were right where they needed to be. The menus do come with a handy option to swap out BGM tracks for the games of the past as well, which made it easy to shake things up towards the end. Ayesha's story was a bit underwhelming. Gust tried to make things a bit "darker" by implying that because of the mankind's abuse of alchemy, natural resources are non-existent, monsters roam freely and is the reason Ayesha's sister was kidnapped in the first place. However, It seems Keith is the ONLY character that is privy to this information and only through his scenes is it ever brought up. The rest of the cast seem completely content with the way the world is and that Ayesha is practicing alchemy, which was the reason the world is in dire straights. While part of the magic is discovering and progressing the story on your own, I couldn't help but either feel lost at times or completely misguided in the quest dialogue. Some major plotlines could be progressed by battling through a series of levels; taking out a boss and grabbing a flower pedal, while others would be as simple as helping a cow with constipation (ya that happens...). I really wish I didn't have to spin through a new game to check out the character endings, as from the little I experienced, the battles, dialog and events were exciting/intense. The battle system was by far the best and most refined in the series however, only during a boss battle did you ever feel the burn to implement strategy and plan you next moves carefully. The rest were either easy or your party was DOA and it was obvious you were in the wrong place. Like ALL the Atelier games the alchemy process needs a large textbook how-to all on its own... Ayesha is no different. There is some satisfaction to be had when you finally get the process down of planning out the stock yard perks, so you can power pour and not use up any CP creating grade S items with ease, but a more extensive help library would have been much appreciated. You also lose the ability to choose the the item traits from the previous games. Albeit, its easy to get the results you like however I could never really get an item perfectly suited for its purpose. They're literally 1000's of different status effects on what seemed like a never ending list of ingredients.
Eventually I will get to a new game and speed through to grab those character boss battles but for now Ayesha is was decent niche title fix. I wouldn't go running to the store to grab this off the shelf, however it is a great distraction until better titles arrive for the niche title fan.… Full Review »
Mar 5, 2013Graphically, Atelier Ayesha seems right in the continuity of the Arland series, which means atrocious backgrounds but further refinedGraphically, Atelier Ayesha seems right in the continuity of the Arland series, which means atrocious backgrounds but further refined character modeling/animation. The result achieved thunderstruck me it's almost Tales of Xillia quality level. Gust has made the choice to remove all artworks during dialogs, which is somewhat sad because it means less gazing at the top-notch character design. Nevertheless, the main characters looked fine enough and I stopped worrying about it pretty quickly. Unlike the previous episodes, the framerate do suffer horribly when there are too much NPCs on the screen.
In terms of gameplay, AA brings a lot of changes to the series. The battles, already a fantastic experience before, are being made even more tactical by allowing you to walk around enemies and attack from behind. The chain skills you can use also vary depending on your position (for example a character can't cover your teammate if (s)he's on the opposite side, but can tell her to concentrate or to recover). As usual, meticulous panning is needed every time you sortie, as the unforgiving hostiles will certainly get out if you don't bring enough healing/offensive items.
Alchemy has been simplified a lot. Quantities have been equally normed most of the time, you use 1 to make 3, which seems far too simple. I personally fancy the Kafkaesque recipes of the previous Atelier games, which demanded a nearly lunatic mind organization. Furthermore, traits are now automatically chosen. I can no longer add to your creation some super-skill on a rare material you've found in a dark and dangerous cave. Let's say the item you're about to make can have HP+10%, STR+5, SPD+5 or Stats+2, it will actually have one, several or all these traits depending on the quality you achieve. But if own a material with let's say All Stats+5, you can never implement this trait anywhere. Probably disappointing for purists, this new system saves you some efforts and allows you to focus on other parts of the game.
There are MANY more ingredients than before. I've come across dozens something like hundreds of them! In this department, let's stress that objects now are sorted by groups of quantities, that is to say that objects of same nature quality take only one square in your basket. This is a dramatic improvement over previous baskets, because you can carry more and longer. You can no longer choose at gathering points, but a can choose to gather more or less at each point, which enables you to save time. Your allies also pick additional ingredients time to time as a bonus. This new gathering system alleviates the constraints you had in past games and allows maximum efficiency. Again, this allows a smoother progression in the game.
As always in Atelier games, the story is limited in time. Each day must be used wisely to achieve as much as possible in the years that compose the game. You'll quickly have to choose between several objectives, generally very far from each other, in order to advance in the story, complete side quests, hunt fiends, gather or deliver, not to menion the mini-events that take place during set period of time. You consequently have to define priorities and make mid/long term plans to win the race against time. Talking of the story, so far I find it less compelling than the others. Ayesha is looking for her missing sister, a bit like Totori was in search for her mother, but it's far less emotionally-packed. It's kind of a mild trade-off between the Totori's moving story and Meruru's eccentricity. In fact, it only makes sense at the very end, when Keithgrif comes to your party. At this moment, the problematic around the essence of alchemy and its legitimacy is very interesting and add some gravity to the final fights.
The exceptional so Japanese sense of humor is still there character events are wonderful as always. Music is at it finest, with many beautiful tracks and no less than a dozen of battle themes. Difficulty setting is rather weird unfortunately most of the story bosses are no problem for Atelier fans, but post-game bosses crush my maxed characters within 3 turns. On the other hand, I did appreciate the possibility to choose my ending once time is up. You can therefore see every ending you've flagged during the game by reloading your save, which is only normal after all. I does hurt the replay value, but you'll still have to play it twice to see everything. With a sixty-hour long game, it makes tremendous value.
Even if this newest Atelier probably won't surpass its glorious predecessors, it remains a thoughtfully well-fought game, innovating smartly at the same time. By simplifying alchemy and rationalizing item management, it also makes it easier for newcomers to throw themselves in the series.… Full Review »
Apr 29, 2013As an Atelier games is "decent" enoug to be played, the artwork is amazing and the change of peace is ineresting, but any Atelier fan WILLAs an Atelier games is "decent" enoug to be played, the artwork is amazing and the change of peace is ineresting, but any Atelier fan WILL miss the stuff left out.
But my negative score is due the obligatory Engrish audio crap.
Theres only one thing worse than play a nerf'd game on your favoite series, is playing it, Engrish only audio.… Full Review »


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Useful tool
From Anonymous of Windsor, Ontario on 10/22/2014.
Saves you from twisting your arm if you are tightening the wires on Belgians and Champagne bottles. Inexpensive . . .
5/17/2010 – what is your phone number?
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Response From Homebrew Heaven: We now offer corks and bottles that can be used with our Champagne corker. Should meet your needs. See links.
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10/6/2004 – My bottles measure at the top 3/4" inside diameter. I ordered #9 corks from you and they do Not fit. Can you please tell me what size I should have ordered. My wine is ready to be bottled and I need to order the correct size immediately.
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text:
Penance as the primary sacramental focus of Pope Francis's first week opens up a can of questions.
With warmth and reach, pope has served the world a message of God's mercy and forgiveness. He touches hearts with a promise that has the power of the Spirit.
He thereby ministers to a universal need with the most gracious balm of forgiveness.
That presupposes the other half of the penitential rite that Catholics have widely abandoned: the confession of actual sins.
It may be that Francis's offering of forgiveness he is inviting his listeners to forgive him his own unspoken transgressions as an indirect means of gaining their absolution. His first act as pope was to ask that the masses hearing him would pray for him. His repeated mention of God's unbounded love for sinners could be both a profession of faith in the renewal of the soul and a projection of his needy state onto his followers. If so, it could signal his yearning to begin again by turning, moving beyond difficulties in his past in order to turn over a new leaf.
We say: Charlottesville reveals the weeping wound of racism. What do we, the American Catholic faith community, do next? Read the editorial.
The pope shows a depth and breadth of compassion for sinners that implies they have sinned. It could mean a less legalistic attitude toward the stated violations of Catholic morality or continuing to emphasize those moral codes as a pretext of traditional penance.
Francis may be channeling forgiveness to those who confess offenses under a moral code that goes unchanged or hinting that the church itself must seek absolution for promoting unjust teachings and enforcing ungodly restrictions on women and others.
What is striking is that the call for mercy and renewal has been so pronounced and pointed. Assuming it is a conscious note, the meaning of it will be worth watching.
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Robust Inferences from Random Clustered Samples: Applications Using Data from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics
Many large data sets are created using clustered, rather than random sampling schemes. Clustered data arise when multiple observations exist on the same respondent, as in panel data, and when respondents share a common factor, such as a neighborhood or family. In the presence of clustered data, methods that rely on random sampling to measure the precision of an estimator may be incorrect. Many researchers, however, continue to treat respondents from the same sampling cluster as independent observations and thus implicitly ignore the potential intracluster correlation. In this paper, I use a robust method for drawing inferences and data from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics, to examine the implications of clustered samples on inference. Consistent with the previous survey sampling literature, important differences are revealed in comparisons between the estimated asymptotic variances derived assuming random and clustered sampling, even when there are only a few observations per cluster. The estimates derived under random sampling are generally biased downward.
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|Jun 2006
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| Web page: http://www.virginia.edu/economics/home.html
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- Avery, Robert B & Hansen, Lars Peter & Hotz, V Joseph, 1983. "Multiperiod Probit Models and Orthogonality Condition Estimation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 24(1), pages 21-35, February.
- Solon, Gary, 1992. "Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(3), pages 393-408, June.
- Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-338, May.
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text:
The Last Brother
by Nathacha Appanah
The Staff Recommends is an advertorial publication that only features books we've read and liked. more
Recommended by John Warner
Big is easy to hype. When a book is long and juggles multiple narrators or covers decades, the sheer enormity of the thing can't fail to impress. It's like seeing Picasso's Guernica or Michelangelo's David in person and marveling at the stamina, at the vision it took to pull something like that off.
So when a little book like The Last Brother comes along, a mere 208 unassuming paperback pages, and it manages to deliver an amazing emotional wallop, you better take some notice. It's like Picasso deciding to render Guernica on a grain of rice and somehow maintaining all the power of the original.
The Last Brother is the story of Raj, an aging man looking back on his life, searching through the moments that haunt him. Growing up isolated from the rest of the world on the island of Mauritius, Raj is a child during WWII, unaware of anything outside the poverty of his small village and his drunken father's frequent rages. When his brothers are killed during a sudden storm, Raj and his mother are moved by the father to another part of the island so the father can work as a prison guard. Soon, Raj meets ten-year-old orphan David, one of the "prisoners," Jewish exiles shipwrecked on their way to Australia. Raj and David bond over their losses, and when an opportunity presents itself, Raj is determined to help David escape.
The most impressive part of The Last Brother has to be Appanah's handling of the retrospective point of view, the feeling of the older Raj looking back at his childhood self and trying after so many years to understand a life. Even though we're told the ultimate outcome early in the novel, the book maintains narrative tension throughout because we're so close to Raj, and the power is not just in finding out what happened, but in being present as Raj remembers them. It's a different kind of vision than the magnum opus at work here, a peering closer to find meaning in smaller moments and that's as significant an achievement as any doorstop.
This is the kind of book to pick up on a day where you can set aside a couple of hours for reading, and you'll find yourself slipping inside Raj's story and not looking up until you come out the other side.
John Warner is the editor of The Staff Recommends and the author of Fondling Your Muse: Infallible Advice From a Published Author to the Writerly Aspirant.
3 CommentsAdd a comment
- Permalink for this comment Michael A. Robson Feb 03, 2011
Wow. Sounds delicious Cheers.
- Permalink for this comment Nathan Thornton Dec 07, 2011
All right. I'll definitely be checking this out. Thanks for the recommendation.
- Permalink for this comment James Creaton Apr 13, 2013
This recommendation was great, thank you very much.


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By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
The previous two times the Bassmaster Elite Series visited the St. Johns River, the fish were much further along in their spawning rituals than they were last week.
The prolonged and much cooler winter had the fish grouped up in massive numbers around Lake George and it resulted in more impressive across-the-board weights. In 2012, Alton Jones won the event looking at fish locked on beds. This time, however, actually seeing the fish was a losing cause, a result of dingy water clarity, changing wind direction and the fallout from a heavy downpour on the first day of practice.
While Chris Lane won the tournament making long casts and flips to clumps of lily pads in Lake Dexter, making blind flips and casts to holes and spots in the eelgrass of Lake George was the dominant method for the rest of the Top 5, as explained below.
2nd: Dean Rojas
> Day 1: 5, 17-15
> Day 2: 5, 19-07
> Day 3: 5, 17-09
> Day 4: 5, 21-10
> Total = 20, 76-09
In his previous trips to the St. Johns River, Dean Rojas had gotten caught up in the crowds – he called it "a circus" – at Lake George. This time, he vowed he was going to blaze his own trail.
"I learned through those mistakes, if you can call them that," he said. "To me, we were a little early in the spawn than we were the last times and everything was just pushed back. The fishing was a lot better and the weights showed that.
"Coming down here and going through it a third time, those are the easy ones," he added, referring to the fish that were bunched up in the grass flats in the southwest corner of the lake. "I want to win and the best chance to do that here is to find areas off the beaten path. I did that and felt like I could manage the area and the fish and hope to have enough to overcome everyone else. I felt like I did that and was able to be consistent."
While he did target eelgrass, his fish also came off lily pads, matted vegetation and out of hydrilla. The majority of his weigh-in fish fell for a 3 1/2-inch Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog.
"I keyed on everything and everything was good," he said. "You had to fish it all. It wasn't one specific thing. It was a combination of things and as long as it had the right depth range and was facing the right bank, it was good."
> Flipping gear: 7'6" Duckett Fishing White Ice and Macro Magic casting rods, unnamed casting reel, 20-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line, 3/16-oz. unnamed tungsten flipping weight, 3/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG worm hook, 3.5" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog (hematoma).
> When he could get a visual on a bedding fish, he'd flip a Big Bite Baits Warmouth (war party) rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline EWG worm hook tied to 22-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon. The Warmouth was responsible for his bigger catches. "Those fish on beds can't stand that bait," he said.
> Main factor in his success – "Being consistent was a big key. It wasn't for lack of trying, but I tried to catch big bag each day. I tried to catch good limit and I knew guys would move up and down the standings. After all, it's Florida and that's what happens with big fish being caught. I wanted to put myself in position for the final day and I was able to do that."
> Performance edge – "My MotorGuide trolling motor and Power-Poles and my Skeeter/Yamaha. Those four are so important to what I do and they allow me to do the best job I can."
Mark Davis sensed in practice that the fishing would be a step up from what it had been on previous trips to the St. Johns River.
3rd: Mark Davis
> Day 1: 5, 18-03
> Day 2: 5, 26-07
> Day 3: 5, 16-13
> Day 4: 5, 13-13
> Total = 20, 75-04
Mark Davis was pretty well spent after finishing 3rd at Lake Seminole in the season opener. Little did he know the fishing at the St. Johns River would be just as good.
He reported getting 40 to 50 bites on the second day of practice, which tipped him off that the fishing quality was much better than he'd expected.
"I'd never had that many bites on George before," he said. "I knew then the fish were up and the fishing would be good."
He was part of the throng of boats that crowded into the clear water in the southwest corner of Lake George on day 1 and came away with 18-03.
"I expected that would be a one-day deal and I never back over there after day 1," he said. "I had another area on the east side of the lake that I shared with Paul Elias."
Davis stuck 26-07 on day 2 and worked his way up to 4th place.
"The majority of fish I caught came where I'd see a bright spot in the grass or just pitching to holes," he said. "It was a typical St. Johns River/Lake George pattern. It was all about trying to get your bait around a bed this week."
Even though his weights tailed off on the weekend, he came away with a second straight 3rd-place effort and the quarter-pole lead in thee Angler of the Year points chase.
"I'm really happy to get through here," he added. "Some of us when you go on a Florida swing, it's so iffy. You just want to survive those two tournaments points wise. I actually love to fish Seminole. The St. Johns River not so much. This is the best start I've had in a long time and it'll be fun to see if I can keep it going."
> Flipping/pitching gear: 7'4" heavy-action Lew's Team Lew's casting rod, Lew's BB1 Pro Speed Spool casting reel (6.4:1 gear ration), 15-pound Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon line, 1/8-oz. Strike King Tour Grade tungsten weight, 4/0 Gamakatsu offset round bend worm hook, 5" Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Shim E Stick (watermelon red flake), 4" Strike King Rage Tail Bug (green-pumpkin), unnamed cut tail worm (green-pumpkin).
> Davis said the majority of his fish bit the Shim E Stick, including a 5-pounder on the final day, but the bigger fish fell for the Rage Bug, a new bait in the Rage Tail series that will be introduced at ICAST in July. To check out the Rage Bug, click here.
> Main factor in his success – "Making the right moves at the right time as far as areas. The other factor that helped me was I wasn't seeing the fish I was catching. Only a couple did I actually see and when you're not seeing them and you're not sure if one's there, you have to maintain a lot of confidence. You have to stay with it and fish real slow. Having the confidence it takes to keep it down in that grandma gear and grind it out when you're not seeing them. That was the key more than anything."
> Performance edge – "Nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't use a push pole any. I stayed on my trolling motor and moved real slow, which is real important down here. Two things I'm always thinking about down here are wind and sun angle. What you'd like is to have the sun behind you so it's lighting the bottom of the lake and a gentle breeze to push you along. That way you don't need a push pole and you barely use your trolling motor and you can just glide around."
Alton Jones posted his third Top-4 finish at the St. Johns River last week.
4th: Alton Jones
> Day 1: 5, 18-01
> Day 2: 5, 21-11
> Day 3: 5, 19-08
> Day 4: 5, 15-03
> Total = 20, 74-07
As much as Alton Jones wanted to sight-fish last week, the conditions just weren't conducive for looking at spawning bass like how he won at the St. Johns 2 years ago.
After the big rainstorm on the first day of practice, he began preparing for the conditions that would be prevalent come tournament time.
"I practiced for a spawning event," he said. "I wanted to catch them sight-fishing. The water was a good, clean tannic color, but the water was too deep to see the beds or the fish. They were definitely spawning in holes in the grass, though. The combination of mud and wind made it difficult to be efficient in putting baits where they needed to be."
All of the fish he weighed came out of Lake George with most coming on what's grown into his signature bait – the 6-inch YUM Dinger soft stickbait.
"On day 1, we were all beating around on literally one big grass flat," he said. "I felt fortunate to get 18 pounds, but I didn't see that area holding up. I went to my back-up water the rest of the week.
"It's the first time I've ever seen half of the field go to one spot. We were all piled in a 25-acre area. It was an amazing sight. What was more amazing was seeing everyone catch a limit there and some catch huge limits. I've fished in crowded places before, but nothing like that."
He said he could catch a small limit early in the morning swimming a worm, but culled everything later on with the Dinger.
> Flipping/pitching gear: 6'10" medium-heavy Kistler Z-Bone casting rod, unnamed casting reel, 50-pound PowerPro braided line, 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader material, 1/8-oz. unnamed tungsten worm weight (pegged), 4/0 Gambler KO Hook, 6" YUM Dinger (junebug).
> He used a 1/4-oz. weight to reach deeper holes or when the wind picked up.
> He said when he'd find a place where he thought there was a bed, he'd pitch his bait out and let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute before lifting his rod tip.
> The tournament caused him to miss the wedding of his nephew Trevor Smith to his wife Kellen. "One of the hardest parts of the job of being a pro fisherman is all the time we spend away from home," he said. "I hope they're as happy in their marriage as I have been in my marriage to Jimmy Sue."
> Main factor in his success – "One thing about Florida fishing is you need to learn to fish slow – just put your Power-Poles down and go through an area real slow. If you go through with your trolling motor, you'll go over fish and not maximize an area's potential."
> Performance edge – "It was a long run from Palatka to Lake George and my Skeeter and Yamaha are tools that help me ride in comfort. I'm very grateful to have good a quality ride under me that I can count on."
Davy Hite rethought his approach to fishing in Florida and it paid off with a Top-5 finish.
5th: Davy Hite
> Day 1: 5, 24-01
> Day 2: 5, 14-07
> Day 3: 5, 24-13
> Day 4: 5, 9-14
> Total = 20, 73-13
Missing the last two Bassmaster Classics didn't sit well with Davy Hite, so he devoted himself to getting into better all-around shape to make a push toward earning a ticket to his 15th Classic next February at Lake Hartwell in his home state of South Carolina.
"I got mentally and physically more prepared than I have in a long time," he said. "I was on a strict workout regimen for the last 3 months and I feel better physically than I have in a long time."
Another matter he refocused his efforts on was paring down his tackle choices for the season-opening Florida swing.
"I've always had a tendency to make things more complicated," he said. "I had less tackle in my boat and truck the last two weeks than I've had in the last 15 years. I only brought baits that I knew were traditionally good in Florida. I scaled down and fished baits and patterns I knew are prevalent in Florida. I just made things more simple than I have in the past."
He came with a game plan, too, that wound up paying off.
"My practice was good," he said. "I fished way up north on the first day and had a good day. I didn't go back there during the tournament. I checked out other areas and by the end of the day Wednesday, I had a plan and I decided I was going to stick with it no matter what.
"When I think of a good Florida fisherman, I think of someone who fishes with patience and confidence and fishes slow. That's not who I am in most situations, but I think my lack of confidence here is based on my previous tournament finishes in Florida. It's easy to be patient when you've done well in the past. I just needed to have confidence in my ability and also in the baits I know how to use in spawning situations."
That plan called for him to stay in Lake George. He did some "straight up" sight-fishing, but also pitched a worm and threw a bladed jig, mostly in 3 to 4 feet of water.
The highlight of the week for him was catching a 10-03 on day 1 that anchored his 24-01 stringer.
"I found that fish on a bed Wednesday afternoon and I thought about it a bunch during the night," he said. "I had a good boat draw and with my boat and a good draw, no one was going to beat me to a fish like that. I caught it pretty quick and to start Thursday with a 10-pound was pretty awesome. That helped the patience thing a lot.
"I had confidence in a few areas. I didn't go running around when I didn't get bites for a few hours."
> Worm gear: 7' medium-heavy All Star ASMicro casting rod, Pflueger Patriarch casting reel, 10-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line, 1/8-oz. unnamed tungsten worm weight, 5/0 VMC flipping hook, 6" Trigger X Flutter Worm (black/blue).
> Bladed jig gear: Same as worm rod, same reel, 20-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line, 3/8-oz. Shakin' Shad (golden shiner pattern).
> Hite said he fished the bladed jig like a crankbait, adjusting the retrieve every day depending on the movement of the fish. For example, he went with a fast retrieve on day 3 since the fish were more aggressive.
> When Hite opted to sight-fish, he used 65-pound Spider Wire braid and switched between various creature baits depending on how the fish were acting.
> Main factor in his success – "My state of mind and being patient and having confidence. I needed a different mindset for Florida. I really think my big problem is trying to fish too fast and cover too much water."
> Performance edge – "When I left the dock second today, when I got to Lake George, there was not another competitor in sight of me. It didn't really matter today, but on Thursday, to get to a 10-02 on a bed, it mattered. I'm really excited about the Phoenix boat I'm running."
Much of the tackle referenced above is available at the BassFan Store. To browse the selection, click here.


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Director Vijay seems to be the latest celebrity from Tamil film industry, who is set to change his religion. In the recent months, we have read about Yuvan Shankar Raja and actor Jai converting to Islam. Now, the director of Thalaivaa is also converting and it is for none other than his sweetheart Amala Paul.
Rumour mills are working over time over director Vijay and Amala Paul's relationship. Though the couple is yet to address the media to confirm about their marriage, the buzz in the industry is that they will tie the knot in June. The latest speculation that is doing rounds is that Vijay is likely to convert to Christianity.
See Hot & Happening Pics Of Amala
Vijay is a Hindu and Amala Paul is a Christian. Unconfirmed reports say that there was kind of opposition over the cross religion marriage from the actress' family. Though the couple is not worried about such matters, the families were little concerned about the change in religion. Hence, the director has decided to convert to the Christianity.
In the recent months, Yuvan Shankar Raja had announced his conversion to Islam. He changed the religion without his family's opposition. Last week, we also heard about actor Jai changing his religion. But there was no confirmation in his case. Continue reading the story on the slideshow...
A Personal Issue
People have often switched their religion to win their love and Vijay could have possible decided on it, claims rumour mills. But industry insiders say that it is purely his personal issue.
Many Converted In Past To Win Their Love
Moreover,there is no validity to such rumour. But we don't be surrpised because many celebs in the past have changed their religions.
Nayantara Converted To Hinduism
Actress Nayantara, a Christian born, converted to the Hinduism a few years ago when she decided to marry Prabhu Deva. Sadly, their relationship ended with a break up in the later months.
Wedding/Engagement Dates
Meanwhile, reports claim that the wedding date and engagement date have been fixed. Their engagement will be held in Kochi on June 7 and marriage in Chennai on June 12.


text:
3 Mar 2010
Fivehead QRP SSB transceiver kit
This afternoon Ted G4NUA came around to test the receiver section of his Fivehead 20m SSB transceiver kit from Walford kits in Somerset. I was surprised how small the transceiver was. We checked the RX with a signal generator and re-did the alignment. We then tried it on an external antenna and it was about the same sensitivity as the FT817 and was copying plenty of stations on 20m SSB. Ted has still to finish the TX part. When done it should put out about 1.5W pep.
3 comments:
- g4ilo said...
Was the vfo stable enough for digi, Roger?
- Wed Mar 03, 11:41:00 pm GMT
- Roger G3XBM said...
Stability was not tested Julian and it was not cased at the time. I would think it would be fine for PSK31 and WSPR though if put in a case.
- Thu Mar 04, 07:45:00 am GMT
My name is ian-M0IDR and I have a part completed Fivehead QRP transceiver. It has two pcb boards, one like the pics here and what I guess is the 10w PA board. there are lots of disconnected wires etc, I was wondering if anyone would have the build instructions?
The receiver is working fine but the transmit side has been "got at"
Many thanks in anticipation
Ian Reeve M0IDR
- Fri Jun 10, 10:16:00 pm GMT+1
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text: I don't mind Carl at all, I think he and Hans are both starter quality and each of them splitting time can be really good. 48 minutes of high quality intensity. I wouldn't mind seeing the same approach for the backup center. I personally like Spencer Hawes. He's still developing. He started for Philly and is a borderline starter. But him playing behind Hibbert for 20 minutes would be another solid rotation. Now, with Hill here we have a very good backcourt rotation. Also, players like this with good contracts can be excellent pieces on future trades.


text:
Social media is finally becoming a norm for businesses. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean you're doing it right. While social media may come naturally to the consumer, it isn't quite as simple for businesses, especially B2B businesses. Reaching other companies becomes more difficult than simply engaging with your average consumer.
That doesn't mean, however, that B2B social media is out of the question. It just means that it's time you switch things up a bit. Consider these three key points when evaluating the effectiveness of your social media presence.
You Don't Have Quality Content
While Google changes its search algorithms every other day, it's safe to say that their biggest complaint is a lack of quality content. With black hat SEO becoming more prominent, it's important that you don't put yourself in that category.
If, however, you don't have an apt content team to handle this task, it's critical that you hire an SEO Marketing company to do it for you because quality content is important in a number of aspects.
- Your customers: Even if they are businesses, they still need to learn about the products you sell. Whether you do this on your website or maintain a corporate blog, be sure that your content is adding value. This is not the place to be selling yourself – this is where you become more valuable than the competitor.
- Google: The authenticity and quality of content is now on Google's radar more than ever. Penalizations for link heavy, black hat content include loss of page rank, loss of spot in search engines, or loss of indexation all together.
You Are Overselling
I understand that social media is a place for you to sell yourself – with that many customers within your reach, it's silly not to. However, there comes a point when your posts get ignored because it's just another advertisement or pushy sales pitch. Business2Community says, "The more emotionally connected your audience feels to your organization, the more likely they will be to buy from you."
- Interact: Share photos, ask questions, and thank customers for following you. Share valuable content: Don't just post blog articles or guides from your site. Share other people's content, share articles you enjoy, etc.
- Be interesting: Ask thought provoking questions, put up funny cartoons, or be a little controversial. While you want to generally stay on message within your niche, you don't want to become stale or boring.
Your Structure Needs Tweaking
So you've created hundreds of blog posts, sent them out to the world, yet you're not getting much interaction. Perhaps that's because business writing is very different from blog or guide writing. These styles need to be casual, easy to digest and effortless to skim. Consider these techniques when you pen your next post.
- Casual style: Your posts can utilize some slang terms, dash usage and everyday language. Even though your customers are businesses, they're humans too.
- Short paragraphs: This makes the post easy to run through.
- Bullet points: Customers are happy when they can pick out the bits of information they care about and not waste time. Reading through long paragraphs is not ideal and can turn your customers off.
- Digestable: The content must be easy to digest. You want your customers to walk away feeling they've learned something without being bogged down.
B2B social media can be tough to master. When your target audience is other businesses, it's hard to know who you're writing for, whom you're selling to or what they really want. At the end of the day, if you present yourself as human, though, you'll be more likely to find success in social media.


text: The Really Useful Edible Chocolate TeapotIf youve heard the saying as useless as a chocolate teapot we can forgive you for thinking this is an April Fool product. This particular Chocolate Teapot is not a joke. Its a genuine teapot that can function as a pot to make a lovely hot chocolate drink, a chocolate fondue and be broken into bits and eaten at your leisure.All you need to do is boil the kettle, place a couple of scoops of your favourite chocolate drinking powder into the teapot and fill two thirds full. Give it a stir and pour into a mug or cup, making sure you hold onto the lid while pouring. Repeat to fill mug number two. For the fondue feature you need some fruit or marshmallows - strawberries are perfect! You then need to turn the inside of the teapot into a smooth, chocolaty heaven by stirring a couple of teaspoons of hot water inside the pot. Youll know when its time to fondue and you can add more water if needed. All thats left to do is break the Chocolate Teapot up and consume at your leisure! This is a great gift for chocolate lovers and for people who like to do things a little less ordinary!Product Details:Size (Width, Height, Depth) or Volume:W??, H??, D?? cms (W??, H??, D?? inches) approx.Weight:600g.Extra Information:Gluten free.Handmade from the finest quality chocolate.Check stock and price


text:
The great thing about being a enviro-evangelist blogger in the United States is the moral high ground it gives you from which to condemn people who fall short of your ecological credentials.
Take Bryan Walsh, the blogger behind Time magazine's Ecocentric blog. Walsh took GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons for hunting down an elephant in Zimbabwe that was a threat to a village's crops.
In an April 4 post, Walsh set out to convince readers that hunting elephants, even when done as a defensive measure to save a village's crops, is illegitimate.
Of course, that's easy to say from the climate-controlled comfort of a New York magazine office, so Walsh reserved the bulk of his ire not for the villagers or the Zimbabwean government but for Parsons, who apparently made a politically incorrect choice with his own money:
Parsons told me he spent $60,000 to $70,000 for his elephant safari. That's obviously money that could have gone to any number of organizations that deal with human-wildlife conflict, like WWF, the Wildlife Conservation Society or Conservation International. Or, if Parsons wanted to directly help the people of Zimbabwe, he could have donated money to an NGO like Operation Bootstrap Africa, which has a five-star rating from the watchdog Charity Navigator.
Walsh went on to note in fairness that Walsh had given $1 million to Haiti earthquake reliefs efforts, but continued to rail against Parsons for seeing the controversy over his elephant kill as a "net positive" for GoDaddy.com:
America, it's up to you. If a CEO posting a video of oneself shooting and killing an elephant—an elephant that is a vulnerable species, one step away from being considered endangered—ends up paying off for his business, well, then punch my ticket for Canada.
Maybe instead Walsh should attempt a year living in a Zimbabwean village trying to eke out a living between the perils of the natural environment, the hectoring of Western environmentalists, and the madness of the corrupt dictatorial Mugabe regime.


text:
Midterms Complete/Why Tests Don't Matter
I didn't have many midterm examinations, which was pretty nice. The ones that I did have were pretty simple. One thing about business school that I don't understand, everyone still gets really stressed out about tests. First let's take a look at the big picture:
Grades simply do not matter. Knowledge matters.
Many students with great grades [...]