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1950s Rockabilly Catwoman Cosplay
Check out this awesome cosplay photos featuring Lady Lomax as a 1950s rockabilly style Catwoman. The cosplay was inspired by the Batman rockabilly art created by Denis Medris. If you haven't seen his stuff, make sure to click here and here. I love this '50s Batman concept, and it's one of those things I would love to see brought to life in some form. Seeing it as an animated or live-action short would be amazing.
Joey Paur — Co-Founder / Editor of GeekTyrant.com, and if you haven't noticed I write… a lot. Movies are my passion and I live and breathe all things geek. This site is part of my life's work, it's a part of me. I love what I do, and I enjoy sharing everything I can with you when it comes to movies and geekery. In my spare time I travel to the netherworlds to battle demons. @JoeyPaur | firstname.lastname@example.com
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TV The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai, Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Will Smith, YouTube Red Joey Paur Comment
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Faculty Writing: Strategies for Steady Success
The Center for Faculty Excellence invites you to the Teaching Commons on Wednesday, February 25, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in room 413 of the Center for Health Sciences (CHS).
"Pennies a Day: Building Your Writing Account"
Wednesday, February 25
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Research indicates that faculty who develop the habit of writing regularly for short periods are more productive and successful than those who "binge write." Ithaca College faculty struggle to maintain a scholarly agenda while teaching multiple courses. This session presents some strategies for building the habit of successful scholarly writing.
Online registration leads to a reminder, but dropping in is fine too. Register at the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE):
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching describes the Teaching and Learning Commons as "an intellectual community space provided to enrich and encourage exchange of knowledge about teaching and learning." At Ithaca College the Center for Faculty Excellence will host a series of conversations to foster that exchange. Scheduled in CHS 413 at a variety of times, the Teaching Commons will support faculty members in our scholarly teaching. Resources from the sessions will be available at the CFE web page.
Additional events include:
"A Balanced Portfolio: Teaching, Scholarship, Service"
Wednesday, March 18
10:00-11:00 a.m.
This session considers the elements of a good career at Ithaca College and presents reflections by successful faculty members here and at comparable institutions.
"My Return on My Investment in Assessment"
Wednesday, April 8
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Most faculty members are engaged in the institutional efforts to define and assess student learning outcomes in our departments and our courses. This session focuses on strategies for making some of that effort work to enhance our scholarly profile.
Originally published in Intercom: Faculty Writing: Strategies for Steady Success.

subset: commoncrawl


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Joe Jordan | Nebraska Watchdog
In order to keep the local economy churning Omaha consumers were once urged to "Buy the Big O."
There's a similar song being sung in Lincoln these days as work on the city's new $346 million arena project rolls on.
But according to an investigation by Nebraska Watchdog's Deena Winter many of the companies working on the project—and it's much more than an arena—are headquartered outside the state and fall short of the title "Nebraska firms."
Nebraska Watchdog's Joe Jordan went looking (see video below) for one of those "Nebraska firms."
Contact Joe Jordan at [email protected]
To subscribe to news updates from Nebraska Watchdog at no charge click here.
- 'Nebraska firms' building arena headquartered out of state
- NE: Out-of-state companies touted as in-state firms by Nebraska arena officials
- Arena board defends calling out-of-state firms 'Nebraskan'
- Video Special: Searching for Lincoln Arena's 'Nebraska firms'
- Big arena backers in NE get big arena contracts
- NE arena board to consider spending another $30 million for 'phase two'
- Lincoln arena budget creeps up
- Vision 2015's broken promise is just the latest in a string for Lincoln arena
- Lincoln cancels $24,000 annual contract for rah-rah Haymarket website
- Lincoln arena still bleeding red, but expected to eke out a first-year profit
- Diesel still being sucked out of ground near new Lincoln arena
- Lincoln arena continues losing money in second year
- Bill would beef up auditor's powers, allow look at arena JPA books


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BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — There are things you can do as a 21 year old that are easily written off as youthful indiscretion.
Committing battery on a police officer is not one of them.
Tom Kalogeras, 21, of Saint Cloud is charged with battery on an officer and resisting an officer.
From a Boca Raton Police report:
"White male was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer after he grabbed an officer's arm trying to retrieve the keys to the vehicle. Also, he was arrested for resisting (without violence) due to failing to obey lawful commands."
Kalogaras was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and later released on $4500 bond.
Use our Lyft promo code BNN123 for substantial discounts for your first Lyft rides. Enter the code in your app, or just click here.
BocaNewsNow.com is the leading hyper-local news website based in and serving Boca Raton, Florida and South Palm Beach County. Our pages have been visited millions of times over our five year history of reporting, providing opinion and snark.
This is not a "mug shot" website. Arrest reports and mugshots are provided by law enforcement officials under Florida Statute. While we review all requests for removal, we are not obligated to remove reports that are a part of the public record.
When removal is appropriate, we do so at no charge. We do not accept payment for mugshot or arrest report deletion.
We remind our readers that an arrest is an accusation. Guilt or innocence is determined in a court of law. Email us at news (at) bocanewsnow.com or telephone 561-419-9520.
All Content Copyright © 2017 MetroDesk Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Greensboro, NC (PressExposure) October 17, 2010 -- Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects many men, and Prosolution has proven it can help control this condition. By the age of forty, most men have experienced impotence at least once. It may be a fleeting response to stress, medication or psychological issues and usually corrects itself. However, for some men it becomes an ongoing problem. This is when a product such as Prosolution should be considered to deal with the issue in a natural and effective way.
Staggerlee Philips and Advanced-penis-enlargement.com proudly announce the creation of the website http://advanced-penis-enlargement.com to provide a review of Prosolution Pills and offer a chance to try the product for free. "I wanted to give an honest review of the product because, frankly, there are a lot of reviews that are nothing but hype. I make it clear that there is no such thing as a magic pill and nothing works 100% of the time" says Staggerlee Phillips, a free lance writer based out of Greensboro.
There is a common misconception that ED can only affect men older than sixty-five and when it happens to a younger man, it can have devastating effects. This condition can lead to many personal and relationship issues. Men with ED may feel emasculated and concerned that their partners may be unfaithful to them. They are often unable to discuss it with their partners and they may become depressed.
Men will sometimes stop initiating sex and women may take this as rejection if they are not aware of the condition. Relationship problems often ensue as a result. Along with open and honest communication, it could help if a man considers a product with natural, herbal ingredients that could him get and keep up an erection for longer.
Safflower and Taj are two powerful, natural vasodilators. They will open up blood vessels, encouraging better circulation to the penis. When this happens, erections occur and the length is sustained. Safflower has the added benefit of reducing the chances of heart disease, as it has omega-3 fatty acids.
Momordica is a great source of vitamin C. It reduces the levels of body fat and helps those with diabetes. When body fat is reduced, testosterone levels are raised. Antispermatogenesis is also promoted by this ingredient, which means that it acts as a natural contraceptive. According to Eastern researchers, it has proteins that promote anti-HIV activities.
Amla is the richest source of vitamin C in the world and makes for a great ingredient in potency supplements. Apigenin, a bioflavonoid derived from citrus, can help to prevent and treat cancer, is a great additive. These two ingredients combine to keep the sexual organ healthy to optimize long-term functioning. Arjuna helps in regulating the blood pressure as well as the heart rate. Thus it helps to pace the body, which is handy during sexual intercourse. Cordyceps increase the production of testosterone and aids your efforts to enhance your erection.
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Reishi mushroom, which increases energy and stamina, combines well with shatavari, which has been used for ages in men suffering from impotence and sexual debility. Prosolution has these ingredients in the correct balance to bring about a firmer, stronger and more long-lasting erection. It is said to help stabilize the body weight, promote good sleep and decrease anxiety.
It is also easy to order Prosolution online and in fact the manufacturer will even ship their products globally. And, shopping online for Prosoluton ensures that you get better rates (discounted) and in addition you can even take advantage of the many special offers that are always available online. Is it not good that you have now Heard of Prosolution Free Trial Available Today!


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Description: Add a little, or a add a lot, it's all up to you and your own taste, but remember sparkle is a good thing. Especially when you choose Martha Stewart Glitters. Flocking Powder 12pc- Loose flocking powder ia mixed with iridescent glitter and can be used with Martha's glue pad, craft glue, or double-sided adhesive. Colors include Black, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Lavender, Light Pink, Dark Pink, Red, Lime, Turquoise, Aqua, and White. Each color comes in a clear container with screw-on lid. and contains 0.077oz each.
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Did Michelle Obama Settle When She Married Barack?
Michelle Obama has been our first lady for just over seven months, and she's already been attributed with making a positive contribution to the U.S. fashion industry, along with advocating on behalf of military families and more. Now, Jenee Desmond-Harris writes on The Root that Michelle is a role model for single women.
Holding out for the perfect man, someone who is intellectual but not nerdy—cool but not arrogant—impeccably dressed but not effeminate—not a player but with just the right amount of edge—is useless. Smart can go with a little nerdy. Artsy can be accompanied by off-beat. Ambitious and focused may mean less than a social butterfly. Yes, there was that one guy in law school who was easily 6'5'', a Rhodes Scholar and a rapper, with a baby face to top things off. I'm not saying it's impossible, but please.
Desmond-Harris writes that we should be like Michelle and overlook some negative traits in order to find a mate. Sure, Barack Obama had a fair amount going for him, but he had a funny name and big ears and he smokes/smoked, which Michelle was able to look past. Desmond-Harris makes it sound as though Michelle settled for Barack, which I doubt was the case. Don't you tend not to notice these little imperfections when you're into a guy in the first place?


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BSD's Living for the City wraps it all up in part three featuring Dan Paley, Jeff Cadger and Alex Donnachie shutting Glasgow down. Much like parts one and two, this one is filmed perfectly and the riding is on another level. Alex Donnachie is definitely someone to give a serious look at in 2013–he's one of the best young riders out there today.
Dan Paley, Jeff Cadger and Alex D killing the Glasgow streets…
For more from ' Living for the City' go to bsdforever.com/livingforthecity
Filmed and edited by Dave Sowerby.


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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our simple sign up form and login to the website.
This step is elective but will dramatically raise your chances of your profile being viewed by others. Type a little about yourself, your pasttimes and atach your nicest photo of yourself.
Use our website's advanced search to spot members who satisfy your criteria. Or just flip through listings and spot singles that attract you.
Discovered someone who looks appealing? Send a message to them or just a wink and see if they're interested. With a little luck you'll be on your way to discovering your suitable date.
It'll only take a few minutes


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Kids will be out of school this week in Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties, so parents will be looking activities for the whole family. The following is a listing of some events in the area to keep the kids busy during the break.
Wiggle with the Worms
Hands On! A Child's Gallery, the children's museum at 318 N. Main St., will feature several kid-friendly programs. At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wiggle with the Worms, appropriate for ages 7 to 10, will be offered.
Participants will learn about worms and make miniature worm farms. Cost for the class is $15 for non-members and $9 for members.
On Thursday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., kids can learn about bubbles.
The class, suitable for ages 6 to 10, will be blowing lots of bubbles and learning why they are round and the colors they contain. Cost is $15 for non-members and $9 for members.
Tania Battista of the YouTheatre Program of the Flat Rock Playhouse will perform at 11 a.m. Friday.
Cost is included in $5 admission.
The Royal Tea Party for ages 3 to 6 will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Participants will make their own crowns and learn tea party manners. Cost for the tea party is $15 for non-members and $9 for members.
Space is limited for classes, so call 828-697-8333 to sign up. For more information, visit www.handsonwnc.
Girl Scout family time
Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont will feature some Girl Scout time for moms and daughters (or nieces, granddaughters or sisters) over spring break from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Girl Scout Hut on North Main Street.
Girls will be able to participate in activities from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) initiative with hands-on activities by performed by women in science on Tuesday. Participants can make keepsake crafts from favorite photos on Wednesday. Thursday will be Outdoor Chic, with a focus on fire building, knife safety and other camping experiences.
The cost is $5 per couple per day for registered Girl Scouts, plus a $12 annual membership fee for girls new to Girl Scouts. For more information, call Kristi Brooks at 828-252-4442, ext. 3304 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Goats at Sandburg Home
Baby goats are playing at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, and there are also many hiking trails on the property and to the top of Glassy Mountain. Visitors can tour the goat dairy barn that Lilian Sandburg operated from 1935 to 1965, providing milk to local dairies and stores around the community, and meet the Connemara Farms goat herd, which today represents the three breeds of goats Mrs. Sandburg raised.
Or, for a glimpse into the lives of the Sandburg family, take a guided tour of the historic Carl Sandburg Home. The 30-minute house tours are offered throughout the day, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The last tour begins at 4:30 p.m. Tours are $5 for adults ages 16-61, $3 for adults age 62 and older, and free for youth age 15 and younger.
Visit www.nps.gov/carl/index.
htm or call a park ranger at 693-4178 for information or to check the events calendar.
Saluda's first steam engine
Visit the Hendersonville train depot to learn about the first steam engine that puffed up the Saluda Grade to the city in 1879. The depot is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and located on Maple Street off of 7th Avenue East. Admission is free. For information, visit www.avmrc.
com or call 698-5465 or 890-8246.
Wonders found at PARI
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, 1 Pari Drive, Rosman, will have two public events this week for people interested in scientific research.
Wednesdays at PARI continues at 2 p.m. Wednesday. People of all ages can experience the wonders of scientific research first hand. Cost is a $5 suggested donation and there is free parking.
On Friday, there will be a special presentation of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission at PARI. NASA's GRAIL mission began with the launching of two satellites last September.
The satellites are now orbiting the moon and are equipped with cameras that can be used by middle school students and others who are granted access to photograph lunar craters, mountains and other features of the lunar surface.
PARI can request up to 45 images using the GRAIL cameras and wants to share this opportunity with the public, especially middle school students. Cost is $20 for adults, $15 seniors/military and $10 for ages 14 and under.
For more information about these programs, call 828-862-5554 or visit www.pari.edu.
Cradle of Forestry
The Cradle of Forestry in America historic site will begin the 2012 season on Saturday with a living history event, "Old Time Plowing and Folkways."
David and Diane Burnette from Haywood County will demonstrate how their Percheron draft horses work the land the old way. Weather permitting, they will plow the Cradle's vegetable garden along the Biltmore Campus Trail and teach a skill that was once familiar to many. The Cradle of Forestry's living history volunteers will interpret blacksmithing, wood carving and spinning among the historic buildings. Visitors can also learn how to make their own corn husk dolls.
Toward the end of the day, fiddle tunes will fill the air by the garden.
Admission to the Cradle of Forestry is $5 for adults and free for youth under 16 years of age and those with America the Beautiful passes and federal Golden Passports.
The Cradle of Forestry is on U.S.
Highway 276 in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, six miles north of Looking Glass Falls and four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information, call 828-877-3130 or go to www.cradleofforestry. com.


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UDIVE IS 5! Anniversary Party with Underwater & Beach Clean Up
29.515138, 34.925146
UDIVE IS 5! We are proud to inform you that Eilat's Premium PADI 5 star Instructor Development Centre will be celebrating it's 5 year anniversary this year on Friday, the 9th of March 2012.
This special event, which will incorporate our passion for diving, doing our part in caring for nature & the environment as well as the Jewish Holiday of Pourim, means it's going to be an all out event that should not be missed under the theme of ECO Marine.
A big underwater & beach cleanup with a treasure hunt will take place during the day and a fun filled party will ensure that sunset is enjoyed by all our customers both old and new.
All certified divers, who come dressed up to dive under the Eco Marine theme, will get 2 FREE dives (1 guided fun dive and 1 clean up dive) and we will run a competition to see which family or group can collect the most amount of garbage both on land and from under the sea. For the non-divers, the beach clean up with be part of a fun, educational and active treasure hunt for nature lovers of all ages!
The late afternoon MASK-A-RADE party will include the launch of our new "U-DIVE - We Care" club membership program, a buffet, a prize raffle, a competition for best and most original Mask, interactive activities (make your own mask from recyclable garbage) and other fun games.
The event is FREE for all our clientele who have joined us over the last 5 years and you can find out more or RVSP via our Facebook Page or Website (www.udive.org)


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Computex 2014: Galaxy Showcases GTX 750 Ti Darbee Editionby Ian Cutress on 6/5/2014 9:15 PM EST
- Posted in
- Galaxy
- GPUs
- GTX 750 Ti
- Darbee
26 Comments
Back to Article
AZengus - Thursday, June 05, 2014 - linkInteresting, I thought the GTX 750 Ti was not capable of SLI. Perhaps this is a new part?
As for the Darbee effect, I have to wonder how much it will add to the cost of the card. The Darbee Darblet (standalone HDMI passthrough device) retails for $270-$320 alone; I can understand it'll be up to the licensee (Galaxy or whoever) to integrate this into the logic board, potentially cutting costs. But it's likely going to be significantly more expensive over a standard 750 Ti. Reply
cheinonen - Thursday, June 05, 2014 - linkOppo has players that integrate the Darbee processing and they retail for $100 more than the non-Darbee versions. The Lumagen video processors also added it but the cost isn't known on those. So I could see a video card adding it for a markup under $100 since they just need to implement the algorithm and not the full hardware of the Darblet. Reply
praktik - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkI'm not sure what incremental benefit this might offer over *any* nvidia GPU and a madvr+lav filter setup. I don't believe the darbee us anything other than a proprietary mix of a similar approach they bake into hardware they sell. Maybe someone can offer a tangible reason to get this card? Reply
SirMaster - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkI've yet to see any software filters match a Darbee in what it does to the perceived video sharpness/clarity.
I'm not saying its not possible, but nobody seems to have cracked the formula yet. Reply
BlueScreenJunky - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkThe more important question is Why would anyone want to replicate the monstruosity that is Darbee ?
It's just adding tons of Edge enhancement, the very feature that you should always disable on your TV set. For me it's just like over saturated displays : the image looks more punchy in the store, but I would not watch my movies like that. Reply
surt - Friday, June 06, 2014 - link+1 ... I look at the Darbee side of the image and think 'yuck'. Reply
HisDivineOrder - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkGood. I'm not the only one thinking this looks like a sharpening filter with some contrast "enhancement" (read: mucking).
Yeah, I'll skip this "innovation" I think. Just render the image the way it's meant to be rendered. Reply
nathanddrews - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkMy first instinct is also *insert Vader No!*
I have not seen the results first hand, however several HIGHLY respected members on AVS who normally fight against all forms of digital tinkering claim that the Darbee processing is excellent. Reply
Samus - Monday, June 09, 2014 - linkyou guys need to see it in person. my friend has a Darblet and it makes DVD's look like Blu-rays when in motion from a distance. still captures don't do it justice, and I agree, just make it look oversharpened. Reply
TheRealAnalogkid - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkI have an Oppo 103-D with Darbee and I'm an ISF trained calibrator (since 1997). I have a Sony 4k television and a Samsung 8500. The Darbee effect is not just "edge enhancement" or any type of oversaturated anything. It improves any picture...even on the most pristine Blu-rays (albeit at lower levels) it adds a clarity to the picture that is unrivaled. I look forward to Darbee being available on more products; Oppo wouldn't add it to their players if it didn't offer a benefit to the picture; I know that Lumagen has added it and that there are many other manufacturers coming out with products including Darbee. I look forward to using Darbee integrated into my next video card!
My hope is that the Darbee process doesn't make a "lite" version of their product to meet cheaper products' price points. Reply
edzieba - Friday, June 06, 2014 - link
Oppo wouldn't add it to their players if it didn't offer a benefit to the pictureOppo add it because people will pay for it. Note that even the highest end TVs ship in 'showroom mode' with massive oversaturation and contrast pushed up to 11. We all know that it looks dire, but it still happens. Hell, just look at how many HD devices ship with overscan on!
You're not going to magic information from nowhere. You can add a sharpening filter to the Luma channel and add a nice chroma blur (or even upsample and interpolate chroma if you have 4:2:0), but none of that requires a dedicated $300 box to do, and none of it will provide any extra visual information.
It's a darn sight better than catering to the oversharpening crowd by adding the filter to the disc through! Reply
Wolfpup - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkYeah, I'm confused by this...like why would we want it? In my experience any kind of post processing effect is usually bad, save for deinterlacing...
Well, okay, some of Nvidia's video settings are great to punch up a picture for better contrast, particularly on a TN panel, but this doesn't seem like something I'd need or want... Reply
Gauner - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkI haven't seen any footage of Darbee in action but just by searching for a few captures in google it does seem to use a unsharp masking filter with something to mitigate the amount of noise introduced back to the image, maybe some edge detection too to prevent/minimize the halos.
Not trying to bash here but it seems to me like you could replicate most if not all of the effect in software using avisynth inside ffdshow in real time. Reply
ShieTar - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkWhatever they implement, it is clear that a high power CPU/GPU can also perform the same task, and very likely in real time. The point of having a dedicated FPGA is doing it with a good energy efficiency. That would also explain why they launch this concept with a 750Ti, and not with some high-end GPU. Reply
A5 - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkFPGAs are a lot of things, but "power efficient" isn't usually one of them. Reply
Gauner - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkDunno about ShieTar.
Let's say this addon costs 100$ extra and does all decoding and postprocesing with 10w, now compare it to doing it with the CPU taking 100w(I can decode video and add a fair amount of postprocesing on my old q6600 and that's slower than the slowest i3 on the market), at 12c kWh it would take over 8300 hours for the dedicated solution to start being cost effective, if the average movie is 90 minutes long that would mean over 5500 movies.
Watching two movies per day it would take longer than the useful lifespan of the system for the FPGA addon to actually save money(unless I messed up the math really bad).
I see how this can be worth the money if you like the results and don't want(or can't) to try to replicate them with software but the energy savings angle doesn't convince me. Reply
ShieTar - Saturday, June 07, 2014 - linkYour mistake, if I may call it that, is to translate "energy saving" to "money saving". For me, it translates to "less noise", making this card more of a media player / home theater option than a high-end card, or your Q6600, would be.
Also, in countries with a less subsidized power industry, electricity costs up to 35c/kWh. Reply
Dug - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkYou can but the setup and reliability of the software when all connected together is a major headache.
After 10 years of trying every post processing software out there, the Darbee is by far a better solution. This isn't an all or nothing solution either, you can adjust the amount you would like.
The only thing I would wish for is an hdmi in so you could route other devices through it. Reply
Sancus - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkArtificially added "clarity" is NOT clarity, no matter how good the algorithm looks in typical examples. Many people prefer oversaturated colors to accurate colors, and would say they look better, even when presented with accurate color. Does that make oversaturated video "improved" over color-accurate video?
All Darbee does is produce an image alteration that some people subjectively think looks better. That's not an image improvement. It does not improve clarity, because you are not seeing what the source presents better, in any way, you are just introducing differences that were never there to begin with. Reply
Shadowmaster625 - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkIf I had this card would my SVP still work? Reply
Influence - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkThe Darbee actually works as more of a contrast enhancement device, which by increasing the contrast between dark and bright areas of the picture creates the effect of added sharpness by adding apparent clarity to the signal. The final look to the human eye is more detail and greater "depth" or 3D-ish feel. It actually works better with higher-quality sources like Blu-ray feeds. The higher quality the source signal, the better Darbee's algorithm works.
And it doesn't add any of the nasty side effects like edge enhancement or "sharpness" tools do.
Some people like it, some don't. I have always eschewed any type of video enhancement tool/process for my calibrated home theater displays, but I found myself really liking what the Darbee can do to my picture when set at lower levels of enhancement (I use the "high-def" mode at around 35-40% on my Darblet) Reply
Gnarr - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkSo... it's a real time sharpening GPU? Why would anyone want that?
Preset post-processing is never going to beat hollywood post-processing, or even no post-processing.
Who are those cards aimed at? Reply
The Von Matrices - Friday, June 06, 2014 - linkIt's a fair point. If this technology is so great then why doesn't Hollywood use it in its rendering? It doesn't seem like it's all that complicated to introduce into post-production.
The most logical explanation of its lack of use is that the director/editors/cinematographer/etc. think that the effect ruins the aesthetic of their films, which then begs the question of whether you want to see the film as intended or "enhanced" with post-processing. Reply
Tw1stedAltair - Saturday, June 07, 2014 - linkThe only thing I'm looking at here is that nice little SLI idea there. I would love to see more info about that. 750 ti SLI, even at a higher price, is a killer idea. Reply
DrApop - Monday, June 09, 2014 - linkI just want a card that will all me to quickly render my videos as well as 3D modelling and animation in programs like Maya and Blender (which is what I use). When a gamer gets 200 fps and it takes me 15 minutes to render a high quality 3D model to life like precision, I get disappointed by most graphics cards. Even the 780 Ti is only about twice as fast as my old 650 Ti.
I don't want to have to spend a couple of grand for a good rendering card when you can buy a decent gamer card for $200. Very disappointed in the graphics cards available for things other than gaming. Yes, I know there is much more to rendering...but still. Reply
Antronman - Wednesday, June 11, 2014 - linkIf you've ever actually seen a gorilla, it looks more like the Darbee off image. Reply


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All equestrians must take responsibility for horses, forum told
Some of Europe's most distinguished equestrian leaders have emphasised that all equestrian parties must take collective responsibility for the future health and welfare of all horses.
The declaration was made at Britain's 22nd National Equine Forum (NEF) late last month, which was attended by more than 200 of the country's most influential members of the equestrian industry, including NEF President Princess Anne, international equine vets, researchers, riders and trainers as well as equestrian trade business leaders.
Whether addressing the problem of unnecessary breeding and the treatment of unwanted horses, the development of a workable equine ID system and a central database or the ethical use of the horse in sport, the consensus was that the industry should pull together to find long-term solutions, supported by appropriate government legislation and enforcement.
The event also played host to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the FEI and World Horse Welfare, which provides guidelines for welfare in equestrian sport. It also saw the launch of e.hoof.com, a new online, multi-media educational tool for vets and farriers as well as interested owners and riders.
Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, instigated an enthusiastic debate on responsible breeding and horse ownership, saying: "Our aim must be to reduce the number of horses bred, and improve the quality of horses bred, and so diminish the number of horses in a perilous situation. We all have a responsibility to rise to the challenge."
Nicolas de Brauwere, Head of Welfare and Behaviour at Redwings Horse Sanctuary discussed their observation that irresponsible owners cause 'problem' horses. De Brauwere called for owners to be more responsible not only with breeding but also buying, selling, training, riding plus general care and that they should "address problems rather than move on to another horse".
Stephen Potter, partner at LJ Potter Partners LLP concluded the session with a look at the role of the horse meat industry in the UK. He identified media pressure as "contributing to the general public's negative view of euthanasia". He went on to explain that a review of current drug control legislation, which requires permanent exclusion from the food chain without good scientific reason, would increase the value of unwanted horses that might otherwise become welfare cases, and that such value could significantly improve welfare.
Alick Simmons, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra, reported that the Tripartite agreement would come into force in May this year, to provide a higher level of protection from the spread of infectious diseases from France to the UK. Simmons also said that that the equine diseases EVA and CEM could potentially have their notifiable disease status removed, bringing the UK in line with most other EU member states.
On the subject of fly grazing he said the root cause needed to be tackled and that police, local authorities and charities can work together to target perpetrators. Better powers were needed to identify owners and issue appropriate penalties and local authorities should be obliged to act.
Of the current ragwort problem he reported that The Secretary of State had taken a keen interest, that a concerted effort was needed and that active talks with industry bodies were under way to tackle the situation.
On the contentious issue of horse passports Simmons said a set of minimum operating standards for passport issuing organisations was now in place, particularly to make passports more difficult to tamper with. In terms of any new equine ID legislation Simmons said: "Inevitably it won't just be what the government does but what you can do as well."
Reiterating the crucial need for a workable equine ID system, Jan Rogers, the British Equestrian Federation's Head of Equine Development, outlined initial plans for a central equine information system, to provide a robust, co-ordinated facility for an industry that is estimated to be worth £7 billion.
"We have learned a great deal from previous databases and there are things we can improve upon. We need to get the system right for all users, from enforcers to passport issuing organisations to horse owners."
Five presentations on the topic of "Are you riding straight?" were received from:
- Line Greve, PhD Student, Animal Health Trust: Considering crooked riders from the perspective of a vet
- Haydn Price, Lead Farrier BEF World Class Programme: Exploring the importance of the limb and lever arm in asymmetry of movement
- Vicky Spalding, Equine Physiotherapist, BEF World Class Programme: Factors influencing horse symmetry and the impact this has on the rider
- Mark Fisher, Consultant Master Saddler, BEF World Class Programme: Exploring the importance of the role of the saddle in the interaction between horse and rider
- Louise Broome, Human Physiotherapist, Personal Best: Discussing the prevalence of rider asymmetry and possible causes
Presentations were also made by:
- Dr Isobel Imboden, Research and project Assistant, University of Zurich: Launch of e.Hoof.com
- Andrew Finding, Chief Executive, British Equestrian Federation on behalf of Sönke Lauterbach, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, German National Federation: The World Scene – Horses in the 21st Century: challenges
- Ingmar De Vos, FEI Secretary General: The World Scene – the FEI, its growth and development of equestrian sport in developing countries
- Paul Bittar, Chief Executive, British Horseracing Authority: Medication and doping control in racing
- Jennie Price, Chief Executive Officer, Sport England: Driving the legacy from 2012
The Princess Royal, President of the NEF, concluded the day by saying that the Forum gives the horse industry a great opportunity to work together.
The National Equine Forum is sponsored by the Association of British Riding Schools, Bedmax, British Equine Veterinary Association, The Blue Cross, British Equestrian Federation, British Equestrian Trade Association, British Horse Society, British Horseracing Authority, Bulley Davey, Darbys Solicitors, Dodson and Horrell, Donkey Sanctuary, Hadlow College, The Horse Trust, Jeffress Scholarship Trust, NFU Mutual Insurance, South Essex Insurance Brokers, Weatherbys Ltd and World Horse Welfare.
• The Animal Health Trust (AHT) Infectious Disease Group received the Sir Colin Spedding Award at the forum, given in recognition of its work on disease research, surveillance and management, to help protect and safeguard the future of every one of the UK's horses and ponies. It was received by Dr Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, on behalf of the Group.
The Animal Health Trust has been providing veterinary services to the equestrian industry for more than 60 years. Although its leading scientific research and surgical expertise are world-renowned, the work of the AHT Infectious Disease Group is less publically known but no less laudable.
The AHT's Infectious Disease group comprises a team of outstanding scientists and vets who supply the detail and data to help the nation's veterinary surgeons and research analysts make the right decisions. They also provide the expertise that could well save the nation's horses, especially in the event of a catastrophic outbreak of any of the serious infectious diseases that could so easily find their way to the UK's shores.
Tim Brigstocke, Chairman of the NEF said: "The National Equine Forum is proud to recognise the members of the AHT's Equine Disease Group as the heroes they are today. Equine disease poses a growing threat to all of our horses, which makes the work of the AHT Group ever more important, and hence we wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you."
Dr Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the Animal Health Trust, said the group had made several significant breakthroughs in the diagnosis, surveillance, containment and treatment of a number of equine 'nasties'. These include equine influenza, Strangles and equine herpesvirus. It also provides advice to the UK equine industry on the threats posed from exotic equine disease.
The Sir Colin Spedding Award was established in 2013. The bronze sculpture of a stag beetle by Belinda Sillars was originally to have been awarded to the late Professor Sir Colin Spedding, in recognition of his services to the equine sector – most especially for his extraordinary commitment in founding the National Equine Forum and then being Chair of the Forum for 19 years.
The 2015 National Equine Forum will be held on March 5 at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Westminster, London.
The full proceedings of the 2014 NEF are at www.bef.co.uk.


text: Advancing Economic Capital ModelingWhile insurers recognized the importance of economic capital modeling, they said its potential has not yet been realized, and it faces significant implementation challenges. Nearly three-fifths (56%) of North American respondents said methodology was the main challenge in calculating economic capital. Roughly three-fifths of North American respondents also cited reliability of modeled results (58%) and management buy-in (57%) as the top two challenges for embedding the use of economic capital in business decision making. "Insurers not as far along in implementing ERM don't have to jump straight into economic capital modeling," said Scanlon. "Many find value in starting with scenario-based approaches that lead to stochastic modeling approaches. Similarly, companies can start by building on existing statutory or GAAP modeling and then bridge the gap with metrics they have traditionally used to manage the company while they take more time to implement an economic capital approach." ORSA Readiness Over two-thirds (68%) of North American respondents indicated their company will be required by regulators, or intend themselves, to perform an Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA). When asked whether key aspects of the ORSA would generate significant or moderate benefits, over 81% said they would. However, insurers still have a long way to go before completing an ORSA. Only a minority of companies have outlined a road map for their project plan (20%), educated their boards on new oversight responsibilities (17%) or produced an initial ORSA "dry run" report (12%). "Many insurers see ORSA dry runs as a valuable exercise to align key risk management processes and address key gaps within their ERM framework before the regulatory deadline," said Simpson. "Successful companies will efficiently leverage their limited resources and focus their ORSA efforts on high-impact areas led by key risk mitigation, operationalizing risk appetite and embedding economic capital modeling into risk-based decisions."


text:
2013 was another challenging year for business, but despite the loss of some familiar names from high streets across the UK, Dorset towns have not only kept most but managed to attract a good number of exciting new independents to strengthen the retail offering across the county.
Technologically savvy businesses which have embraced online resources have fared well. New website functionality, blogs and Twitter feeds have continued to help encourage visitors and increase online traffic.
There are many forward thinking companies in Dorset founded to offer customers a better value service.
The Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a business support organisation.
The chamber represents businesses of all sizes and sectors from across the county delivering crucial services, business information and advice – visit dcci.co.uk.
Business networking groups are also held across the county offering like-minded business people, working together, the opportunity to generate more business for each other.
If you are interested in building great relationships with other business owners in the Dorset area and building your business through referrals, then perhaps now is the time to get involved.
Over the following pages you will find a range of local businesses that play a key role in the community – covering commercial property, motoring, men and women in business, and practical advice.
Businesses of all sizes and sectors from across the county are on hand to assist you, providing only the very best business advice, information and guidance.
From career guidance, construction, financial and legal services, marketing and design, manufacturing, retailers and local trades and services, there's a wealth of businesses here in Dorset.
Support commercial enterprise in your local area.


text:
Kevin McCloud, presenter of Grand Designs on Channel 4, is angry about the state of housing in Britain today. In protest to the shoddy estates cropping up around the country, he plans to build his own, quality, suburban housing estate, to prove it can be done properly. But first he needs your opinion and advice... he wants to talk to the people who live in, rent or own modern homes and find out your experiences, whether good or bad. If you would like the opportunity to vent your frustration or stick up for your modern home then please call 01494 733528 or e-mail email@example.com.
Please remember to leave your phone number when you contact us.
Still problems after 18 years ! - Advantages: None. - Disadvantages: Just discovered partition wall between ensuite & mainbathroom is only 3 layers of plasterboard thick. During a refit a hole was knocked straight through - my bathroom fitter & building friend have never seen anything like it.
We have recently purchased a Westbury home on the Hazel Mead develoment at Hazel Farm. We are absolutely over the moon with our house. We are also very pleased with the service Westbury have given us. Everybody at the Westbury office has been very helpful and supportive. The site manager visited us on the first day we moved in to check we were happy. After a couple of days we found our central heating panel was wired up wrong so they sent a Westbury rep in straight away to assess the situation, he has now organised an electrician to come in and fix the problem on the same day they are putting right some other things to cause minimum upheaval for us. Also some of the jobs they said they wouldn't put right originally (as it was the view home and subject to wear and tear) they have surprised us and done the remedial work before we moved in. They even take their shoes off when they come in the house.
After 6 months of kicking and screaming, threatening legal action, putting posters in our windows and getting completely stressed with the whole Westbury "Customer Experience" we called in Inspector Home. They found another 89 defects in our home, fronted down Westbury and we now have their grudging acceptance that the "Best In Class" showhome they sold us (more to get cash into a failing site - Bramley Green, as it turns out!) was not constructed/finished properly. For the full rundown of our experience and how we recommend others avoid it please see www.dontbuywestburyhomes.co.uk. Everyone is welcome, Westbury customer or not.... leave a message for the world to see (we do reserve the right to add comments to obviously Westbury initiated messages - come on guys you must know we're not thick by now! - and we will delete obscene or just plain ignorant comments......) Theres also a User Group on MSN that you can join to keep up to date on progress and also to get hints and tips on how to deal with Westbury Homes and the other "Award Winning" housebuilders (sorry, glorified project management companies) this country seems to be blighted with...... you can find the link at www.dontbuynewbuild.co.uk One final thought... if you are thinking of buying newbuild remember one thing - you will have no legal rights once you complete. You are at the mercy of your housebuilder and the Courts won't help...... fantastic value proposition for new families starting out or pensioners hoping to find a "no hassle" smaller home......... We have also launched the UK New Build Owners Association (www.uknboa.com) for everyone to join FREE and exchnage views. At the moment no-one cares about new build owners - together we could become a force to be reckoned with.... Good luck !
Before you buy make sure you do some research. The following site may help http://groups.msn.com/WestburyResidentsAssociation This association has been set up to provide information on problems experienced with Westbury homes. The site has a few horror stories and shows the difficulties people have experienced with the Westbury Dream and Customer Service (What!). Shame we do not have many rights when faced with problems of this nature. However, we have found that constant phone calls and correspondence eventually works, to some degree, but the standards we have to accept are a far cry from any show house we have seen
We purchased a Prowtings Home prior to the company being bought out by Westburys. Many of the comments I've already read seem to be in the same vein as we have experienced. We first saw the properties in Feb01 and we agreed to part exchange May. We finally exchanged July01. The valuation they gave us was on the low side and as we hadn't reserved (something they wouldn't do until an exchange was agreed) the asking price for the new house was increased by £4500. The move in date was put back and back and we finally moved in late Aug. Before we moved in we noticed that the plumbing for the ensuite ran through the living room. A mistake that hadn't been noticed by any of the workmen or site managers. The error was removed, more about that later. The water system hadn't been commisioned and the first time we used the hot water the tank emptied into the bedroom. The next time I went to have a bath it hadn't been installed and had no support, several attempts later to rectify the situation failed miserably and it took 426 days to have the plumbing made safe and I had my first bath. The plumbing for the ensuite I mentioned earlier wasn't remedied at all and to our horror we found out that the water from the shower was running into a void between the cavities in the lounge. After countless telephone calls about dampness we finally had someone call four moths after first reporting the problem. It took another two months for the defect to be worked on. Our furniture went into storage and the repairs went on and on. While trying to discover other causes of dampness we found the showertray supported by cardboard boxes and the plumbing to the radiator in the lounge had been forced causing the pipe to have hairling fractures. The floor had to be removed and although the work was almost complete no-one came too finish it. The dampness returned and destroyed the new flooring. This was due to the water not being
given enoughtime to be released from the concrete flooring. Westburys insist that it was due to us Rushing the work. It took them in all over six months to attempt to rectify the problem, where was the rush? The flooring is at this moment removed from the lounge, dining room and kitchen and we are at the moment living in the bedrooms. Any pleas for help from Westburys falls onto deaf ears. We experienced severe hardship last October when we had no furniture, no flooring, no heating, no sanitation. We were washing in the local lesuire centre and living off take-aways. Westburys comments were that we we had ADEQUATE facilities. We've sent countless letters and make umpteen phone calls all to no avail. On top of everything elase they also moved our boundary (without permission whilst I was away) and have informed our neighbour that the wall belongs to him. The main problems we have are ( these comments are with the MD) the same defects have to be logged and logged again, although the staff who answer the phones are polite and helpful the feeling that nothing is going to dealt with prevails the timescale between logging the defect and the work, if at all, being carried out is unacceptable the repairs are never up to a reasonable standard the repairs have to be regularly repaired the sub-contracting of repair work has resulted in too many people trying to co-ordinate reapirs We have had over 150 defects and we are still waiting for 20 of them to be finished. 3 are from our original snagging list PS to appease us the MD arranged for asurveyor to look at our property. Westburys refuse to show us his report!!
We have been living a nightmare after purchasing a brand new four bedroom property in Pembrey, South Wales, from Westbury Homes four years ago, which was meant to be our dream home. We moved in on the 18th December 1998, the house was due for completion in the September but there had been delays, the general finish on everything was shoddy and several items remained outstanding. We were asked by customer service if it would be alright for them to finish these particular items after the Christmas break. We agreed but of course, no one came back. After spending the first 6 months chasing Westbury eventually someone was sent out to make definitive lists of works to get remedials done. However, the follow up works were also shoddy and had to be re-done once again by another contractor Over a period of time between early 1999 and July 2001 we have had over thirty five different workmen though our home! A range of different works had to be organised including :- Replaciment of all the windows on the front of the house, Replacment of the garage door, Replacment of the front door and it's surrounding frame Four internal walls have had to be moved, the landing wall, the hallway, and two in the kitchen. The toilet and relevant pipework had to be moved because it was 2 inches off the wall and the tolet would rock like a rocking chair if you sat on it! Half the kitchen had to be re-fitted, cornices, cupboard doors, plinths were chipped and/or ill fitting, units were damaged etc The newel post at the bottom of the stairs and the four bottom steps to the staircase had to be pulled out and re set as they were out of line and the post leaned to the left. Our front porch and low-level roof which runs along the whole width of the face of the house had to be demolished and re-built due to a defect in the structure surrounding the bay window. It was also only three tiles deep instead of
four and rough sawn timber had been used to construct the supports, there were holes large enough for birds to enter and part of the ceiling was falling down. There was no dropped ceiling above the bay window, so there was no where to put a curtain pole to hang curtains, the structure was defective and they had put the wrong window in place which did not match those on the rest of the house. We were unable to hang any lounge curtains for a year! because of the above. The structure although partially rebuilt is still defective. The guttering on the house had to be re-fitted as it had been wrongly assembled, there was a downpipe buried into the ground with no drain outlet, and on the other side of the house there was a spare drain with no pipe..this caused many problems, the water would pour out from the guttering like a waterfall and our garden became a constant sea of mud. We moved out of the property for 16 days when it all got too much to bear, they refused to provide us with accomodation ,so we were forced to move in with my parents, causing much disruption both to us and them. We have hours of video footage and many photographs as evidence, and we still have some issues outstanding.We have been persuing a case for compensation through our solicitor and our case has been allocated to Swansea County Court on 28th of this month ,March. However, we are told that the courts don't look favourably on cases like ours, they are regarded as time consuming and costly. If we lose it will be because the legal system fails us not because we have not proved our case. If we don't succeed at trial we could end up having to pay costs in excess of £20,000 we would have to sell the house in order to do this, which would leave us homeless. my e-mail address is email@example.com
can't say too much rather large law suit coming westbury's way very soon,all i can say is if you do fall prey to the cowboys get your own corgi registered plumber and niceic registered electrician to check out the place , it might save your life!!! to all those of you already suffering ,a new news group has been set up at http://groups.msn.com/WestburyResidentsAssociation which hopes to provide help,support,advice and humor [well you've got to laugh or you'll go mad] with plans for a website in the pipeline.As for the question reccomend to a friend ? not even to my worst enemy
It is unfortunate that I had not come across this site prior to entering into a deal with Westbury Homes. In October 2002 I looked at the delightfully designed properties being marketed by Westbury, and decided to reserve a property at their development in Southampton. I was on the market myself and decided that the quickest and easiest way ahead was to negotiate a part exchange deal with them - for that smooth passage from house to new home! I was quickly led into paying my £500 reservation fee, and a further £290 survey fees for the survey on my property (which would be refunded on completion) I was also persuaded that the best option was to use their recommended solicitor as they were able to move quickly to meet the strict 28 day exchange deadline. From here on my experience went downhill. I personally found the sales staff to be starved of useful information, a reluctance to give out any specification info over and above the very basic brochure - couldn't even give me the plot size for two weeks. Indeed I had to approach head office in order to obtain a plan of the wiring etc. Again I had to request from head office a copy of the property fixtures list, and had to travel about 70 miles each way to see a show home! The part exchange offer made was low, despite claiming it to be a 100% valuation (later confirmed as low by one of the valueing agents). The sales staff and exchange manager were in my opinion unhelpful and even obstructive. Due to the westbury survey of my property suggesting drains surveys etc they decided they would not exchange contracts with me until they had a buyer to exchange my property to - thus placing me in the very chain they claim to save you from. (Subsequently all drain, damp, subfloor surveys suggested were carried out off my own back, and all were clear of concern!) We were given a few dates for exchange of contracts only for each and every one to fal
l through - with no communication from Westbury, or indeed their recommended solicitor - until we checked what was happening. We were totally messed around. The building society providing the mortgage to buy from me decided they wanted some work done, replacing some tiles on my roof. Survey for this was arranged through westbury, and due to happen on Tuesday. On Monday evening I had a call from the estate agent selling my PX home for westbury, who informed me that Westbury had apparrently decided to pullout from the deal altogether - they never told me, even though they had cancelled the sale on and all. - No explaination has been given, They were refusing to talk to me, until i finally got to the Chief executives office at head office - then suddenly although he was unavailable I did have a director talk to me. He agreed to pay back the money they owed me - ie reservation fee and survey fee. I still need to argue about survey fee for their property, plus mortgage application fees, land searches etc that were performed. - While up to contract they are not legally required to complete the deal (They refer to the clause an awful lot) they have withdrawn from the deal with no reasonable explaination, and I believe should be morally responsible to meet our costs. While I respect (though not understand) their decision not to take our property in part exchange this should not have stopped them selling to us. As for the recommended solicitor - well I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND using the solicitor they suggest - we felt that they were reluctant to challenge westbury over anything, they were not expeditious in seeking information from westbury for us, and ... well. I am still waiting for my money to be returned to me, and this has in turn led to the loss of another property, due to not having sufficient fluid capital available to reserve a property with another developer, until they pay my money back. ALL IN ALL I WOULD NEVER DEAL WITH WESTB
URY AGAIN. BE CAREFUL IF YOU DO AND GET EVERYTHING IN BLACK AND WHITE. USE AN INDEPENDANT CONVEYANCER to reduce the potential worry about whether there might be a conflict in interests. I can say no more at this stage as i am seeking further advice on the way forward, but westbury have got to learn that they have to treat the customer with at least common courtesy.
Having purchased a Westbury home I can concur with the other opinions on the poor service provided by Westbury. Work takes far too long to complete and the customer service is very variable. However I have learnt a lot about my rights as a consumers. If you have any building defects right to Westbury stating the defect and that they must repair in within 10 days otherwise you will get an independent workman in and send them the bill. This is your legal right. If you are unsure whether your defect will be covered by the 10 day rule contact trading standards on 0845 3030666. They are very helpful. Most car and home insurance plans have legal cover which will help you recover your money from Westbury if they failt o pay for work you have had done. In addition claims under £500 can be pursued through the small claims ccourt. Another effective avenue is to look on the Westbury web site. Find the directors for your site, ring the office and ask to speak to them. You will probably get put through to their PA. Explain your complaint and ask the director to ring back. The PA's are far more helpful than customer services and do get things moving. Be persistant, be firm, be polite. Put and get everything in writing. Get your snagging list signed and dated by the site manager. Get each new defect you add to the list signed and dated. Keep a diary. Put your hands free on on the telephone and record customer service conversations if it gets that bad. Good luck.
I can only concur with all the comments on this site regarding Westbury Homes. I spent almost a quarter of a million pounds on one of their "luxury homes" but it came with a snag list as long as your arm - still not repaired after five months. Arrogant staff, an incompetent idiot of a site manger and a smug "you`ll never win attitude" when I threatened legal action after five months of frustration. When I was buying the property the sales agent was never off the phone to myself and my solicitor once the contracts were exchanged they didn`t want to know. The only way to get things done was to stage a "sit-in" in the site office until the site manager came to see me. Even then it took a huge argument to get some things done which were of a dreadful standard because I was assured things were "built to specification". Some of the faults I had included:- an en-suite two different colours numerous bodged plastering and paint jobs missing kitchen appliances missing switches and doorbells missings locks two of the showers did not work front doorstep and floor crumbling away large holes in the brickwork under the eaves (resulting in several nests of housemartins nesting in the roof) a wooden staircase composed of two tone stained and painted panels rather than all wood. .......and many more. I would advis
e not signing anything until you see the house in its final build. The staff pressurise you into signing when the house is just a plot number...try not to be that desperate.
We purchased a Westbury home in August 2000. Only moving in after being made homeless by the company for six weeks, even my solicitor was unable to get answers, when he did they were passing the buck. When we moved in we were excited, first home new area new jobs. Then the real work starts. No garden, so I have done it myself. Standards of workmanship is appauling in all areas of this house from damaged goods to poor brick work. now my ground floor looks like a crazy paving, yes it is breaking up and apparently it is just a drying out crack according to the PR girl, and after numerous requests an engineer visited and the repairs are bodged. I now have no lounge carpets because the repair will damage them. I have complained to them but there answer was to stop the repairs and offer me a cheque for £600 to replace all my kitchen floor tiles which have been cracked. This means days off work to replace them myself, sore knees etc. The company attitude appears to be "we have your money now p**s off and stop moaning". If this was a car it would have been returned for a full refund. Now I find out the cracks may be caused by the floor being only 2/3 of the depth it is supposed to be and I have given up and called in the NHBC for advice and help. I advise all friends and family and anyone I see visiting the site not to buy westbury, and will point them in the direction of other builders. I am not the only one in the street who has problems, not a house is without them, some of them major, some not so bad but they are there. Repairs take an age if you can get them done, and invariably need doing several times as they appear to send the apprentice every time. Bodgit and scarper is amore apt name ***DO NOT BUY WESTBURY*** the times newspaper are also sniffing around about the company, I advise all owners to get in touch with them and hopefully they can apply pressure because as they say theres no press like bad press. Our developement is in N
ottinghamshire and is almost complete, I dread to think what they will be like to got hold of once they have moved off site. I know of no one who is fully satisfied, and friends who have bought from other companies appear to have remedial work carried out almost immediately. Try and advertise the fact with a banner and your house gets damaged in the dark. I am starting to hate the house, want to move but it is so costly, so I will sit tight ride it out. My advice to any westbury home owner is: keep on at them, don't back down and shout loudly!!!. UPDATED......(27/01/2003) THE NHBC HAVE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE FLOOR SCREED IN MY HOUSE TO BE TOO THIN. THE BUILDERS ARE NOW IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO REPAIR IT, BUT AS OF TODAY HAVE NOT MADE ANY FORM OF CONTACT WITH ME, AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANY METHODS IN WHICH THE REPAIR MAY BE CARRIED OUT PLEASE E MAIL ME. THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THIS IS THAT THE FLOOR SCREED SHOULD BE 50MM IN DEPTH, MINE IS 37MM AND HOLLOW UNDERNEATH. I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE A MASSIVE JOB, AS IT IS THE WHOLE GROUND FLOOR. WILL MY HOUSE NEED TO BE FLATTENED???. MY E MAIL IS email@example.com THANKS......
WESTBURY HOMES ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT - PLEASE DONT BUY We reserved a new property from Westbury Homes in February 2002, on the new development "Osborne Chase" in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Before they would accept a full deposit from us, they insisted that we sold our current home and made ourselves homeless. The expected price of our new property was £124,950 to be ready by August 2002. We made ourselfs homeless and moved into temporary accomodation which ran untill September 16th. Once we were homeless and we were in the mercy of Westbury Homes, they put up the price of the house to £132,000! In July 2002 we received a phone call from Westbury Homes saying that someone had read the plans incorrectly and the drainage had been placed in the wrong way around, this would result in the property in its current state of build being demolished, the foundations dug up and the build started again. The expected build date was put back untill the middle of November 2002. I started writing to Westbury Homes about my extra costs involved to me due to the build being delayed by the incompetance of the builders, and eventually wrote to their managing director about the extra £3500 i was now having to pay in rent and a new valuation fee and brokers fees as my mortgage offer runs out on November 17th, all to no avail as they treat customer complaints with an arrogant contempt., They insist their contracts are watertight and they can keep me waiting forever to move into my house! The Newest development ? - THEY PUT THE ROOF ON THE WRONG WAY AROUND and have now delayed the build to JANUARY 2003....to be continued!! Continuation...... We eventually got to move in four months late on 10th January 2003, and once Westbury Homes had our money on the day of completion, they handed over the keys and we walked into an absolute nightmare. After shaming them in the County Press, they employed a number of tradesmen to recti
fy the faults on our properties and then spent the next 63 days sorting out ?snagging? lists. These were not the normal little snags you might expect from a new property, but major things like massive gaps in patio doors, wrong windows fitted etc. During this period of 63 days, we had our NHBC guarantee withdrawn (as the window ledges were too high for a means of escape building regulation that had not been met) our house hold insurance invalidated (as we could not lock our patio doors), and have had to live out of boxes while Westbury?s sorted out our problems. Westbury?s then decided to try and get the NHBC guarantee by the cheapest means possible and placed in larger windows in all the three bedrooms upstairs, which involved ripping out the old ones and removing three courses of bricks and then redoing all the inside walls and windows linings etc. Our houses over these 63 days were a complete mess with dust and builders rubble etc over the house. They sent a cleaner in after the 63 days and said they were now finished. Trouble is we are now both left with the following problems. 1. An unsightly brown gas box at the front of our houses which looks like a severe weather salt deposit box which was not on any of the plans or pictures of the property we purchased and is only there due to the demolition of the property once they noticed they had placed the drains in the wrong way around. To place this box on the side of the house with the electricity box as it was on the plans will cost over £8000.00 (we are not sure if this is per house or for both, as it was a Westbury employee who told us this figure as well as saying Westbury?s wont put it back where it should go because of the cost) 2. No centre flue in the living room, which was on all the plans we saw, but has been missed out on the build (although the gas fitter still fitted a gas supply to the living room as he presumed there was a centre flue behin
d the wall as it was on his plans as well (this is a major build problem which has been estimated at a cost of £12,000 to put a flue in now the houses have been completed) We have been left with a 50mm gas pipe sticking out in the living room wall but cannot attach a gas fire to it or remove the pipe to install an electric fire in the centre of the room. 3. Three bedroom windows of between 850mm and 950mm that have been replaced with 1200mm windows and all the upheaval that has caused, when the windows that were in the property were the correct ones as per the plans in the first place, and should have been lowered and the courses of bricks built above the windows and not below but this would of resulted in the roof being taken off (the windows were to high as the brick layer counted the number of courses wrongly on his build) As well as the above problems, I also have the following problems 1. To level the floors downstairs so that the skirting boards will touch the floors and laminate flooring, has been estimated at a cost of between £2000 and £2800. 2. Between £2450.00 & £2875.00 To decorate the house to a standard which is not unreasonable to expect for a brand new property(the house paintwork currently looks like a very bad DIY job) Westbury Homes will not pay any form of compensation for all the hassle and stress this whole business has caused to us, or rectify the above problems, and are ignoring our letters of complaint. We have both been left with a much repaired property and not the dream brand new house we actually purchased. Again - For your own peace of mind - Please Do Not Buy One Of These Properties on the Isle of Wight - If you have and need help the following people will be able to help you: Westbury Residents Association Isle of Wight Branch After the recent publicity Westbury Homes received from the Isle of Wight County Press, which shamed them into carrying out repairs on this
development (some of which had been waiting over a Year to be done) the following people would like to here from you on your experiences with Westbury?s good or bad ?The Times NEWSPAPER? Anne Spackman, Property Editor of ?The Times? Newspaper Email her directly at: email@example.com Which ? Research Staff at Which? Magazine would like to here about your Westbury Home Email them at: email@example.com Or write to them at: Which ?, Castlemead, Gascoyne way, Hertford X, SG14 1LH The BBCs WATCHDOG programme The BBC are currently obtaining information about this Development and Westbury TELEPHONE 0870 010 7070 Or write to them at: BBC Watchdog, 201 Wood Lane, London, W12 7TS TRADING STANDARDS 0845 3030666 Westbury Homes have a legal obligation to repair all the faults in your new home Some of these faults are able to be hurried along by writing to Westbury Homes and giving them Ten Days from the date of receiving your letter to repair your problems otherwise you can go out and get the repairs fixed yourself and send them the bill Trading Standards will inform you of which items on your snagging list are covered by the ?Ten Day Rule? They will also inform you of how to go through the small claims courts to recover the money you have paid out for the repairs should Westbury PLC fail to pay for them. National Federation of builders 020 7608 5150 National house building council (NHBC) 01494 434477 If you would like more information on what to do next, why not join the: Westbury Residents Association http://groups.msn.com/WestburyResidentsAssociation Or email them at: firstname.lastname@example.com
****The Purchase process**** Buying a house is for most the biggest purchase you will ever make. I had been looking at houses intensly for over 7months and stumbled across a Westbury home. The show home was my idea of heaven (well within my budget anyway!). It was fantastic. With great excitement I put my name down for one of their plots which was due to be released for sale and chased them almost daily. Eventually it came on the market and I was in their office within hours of the call paying my deposit. It then went quiet for 2 weeks whilst I was preparing myself for exchange and then the arrogant calls from their sales staff began. Infact, they were downright rude and obnoxious. Rather than trying to help me along the way it was "What's happening with the mortgage?" "Why hasn't a surveyor been round?" etc.. Then, with one week to go the threats began: "If you can't exchange we will release the property and you will lose out". I exchanged fine, but it caused me a few extra grey hairs meeting their dealine for no real purpose considering the house still wasn't due to be finished being built for another 8months. Over the next few months I visited the site regularly, taking photos of my properties progress. Then one day it was rendered and painted a horrible colour. After some extremely irate questions from myself it turned out that there was a whole load of paperwork (specifications & schematics) that I hadn't seen as the sales staff hadn't shown them to me. Being a first time buyer I was unaware that such things existed. They claimed solidly that they were professional sales people and that they had definitely shown them to me. When I queried why my signature on the dotted line of each document (to show that I had seen and approved the specs) wasn't there they began to be a little bit less officious. It then became clear that the specifications were out of date anyway as the s
ite manager had changed the spec of th e house without notifying anyone except the people who were actually putting it all together. I begrudingly left the colour as the first job is a build, and anything after that can only be considered a reapir. Then, 5 weeks before the scheduled date for completion Westbury contacted my solicitors to say that the house was complete and would be ready 3weeks ahead of schedule. Surely this is great news? NO! Upon inspection the house was in no way shape or form ready, and infact was in such a raw state I was able to see the really poor quality of both their materials and fitting methods. So it's back to the solitiors with a massive complaint list. The story goes on but you get the gist. I am now chasing them down to repair the faults. This itself is awkward. You see the people who come to repair faults only work 9am-4pm Mon-Fri. This means taking time off work and when they then fail to show....... So, do you still want to buy a westbury home? The best purchase in my opinion is a second hand westbury home that has had some TLC from it's owner. With a bit of time and effort all the shoddy workmanship can be replaced by well fitted quality materials, leaving a distinctive and well located home. I absolutely will never buy a brand new house from these 'bulk builder' caompanies ever again as you just do not know what you are going to get. ****The House Itself**** The house layout was all predifined. I got (and have had) no say in the layout, style, colour etc. This was not helped by the fact that I wasn't shown the spec list, but I don't think I could've had any influence even if I had. It's more of a case of here it is, do you want it? And you will be pressed for an immediate answer! The options list that comes with the house is huge, as however are the prices. £700 for an Ariston washing machine, £800 for the fridge
freezer etc. All these items can be found (I know I've checked!) for about half the price. You have to be carefull what you select. Some things are good. The kitchen cupboard set can be upgraded from a drab effort to a really nice wodden effect set for a mere £100 - a bargain in my eyes as the kitchen is the main selling point of any house. Taps, sinks, tiles can all be paid for as an option but as I say, be prepared to pay for the luxury of having it there waiting for you when you complete. My 3 bedroom house alarm cost over £600, but as I knew the cables would be hidden behind the walls if I got it fitted whilst the roof was off so stumped up the money. What you do have to choose (excluding options) is: - Kitchen cupboard set (some incurr additional cost) - Work texture surface - Floor surface (some incurr additional cost) - Wall tile styles (in bathrooms as well) - Fireplace surround (some incurr additional cost) As I have said though, the options list goes on and on, to name a few: - Gas fire - Kitchen equipment - Sink/taps - Full bathroom tiling My house has come with absolutely NO extras. As the saleswoman said to me at the beginning when asked: "We have people queuing out the door to buy these houses, we don't need to offer anything. It truly is a sellers market". This means no turf, carpet or any sort of garden preperation. They will also set their favorite furnishings company on you. Mine was Ray & Paul Interiors. A home visit was arranged and a no pressure saleswoman demonstrated all the options. She was good, the prices were not. The cost of the carpet alone was going to be £48 per square foot. I have since found the very same carpet for sale at John Lewis for £18 pers sq yard!!! The total cost of R&P's fittings would've only left me with a Big Mac worth of change from SIX THOUSAND POUNDS! (Underlay, carpets, curatins, fittings). John Lew
is have shone throughout this event, but that's another opinion ;o)


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The Lady Grey Wolves played the best fourth quarter of their season only to follow it with an overtime to forget.
Shoemaker rallied from an 11-point deficit to start the fourth quarter, but was outscored 12-3 in overtime by A&M Consolidated and lost 68-59 to the second-place team in District 12-5A at home on Friday night.
"I think all the players and all the coaches are exhausted after that one," Shoemaker coach Shauna Showers said.
Blair Shaefer led all scorers with 28 points for the Lady Tigers (23-8, 9-2 12-5A) and Tori Tucker added 12.
Kiara Rawls scored 18 points to lead Shoemaker (15-16, 4-7), which rallied from a 47-36 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 59 at the end of regulation.
Temple 48, Belton 20 - At Belton, Tyesha Taylor scored 11 points and the Tem-Cats shut out the Tigers 8-0 in the first quarter as they rolled to a victory.
Copperas Cove 64, Bryan 30 - At Copperas Cove, with a strong first half, including an 18-3 lead after the opening quarter, the Lady Bulldawgs moved into a tie with Ellison for the fourth and final playoff spot in District 12-5A.
Sarai Rodriguez led Cove (19-12, 6-5 12-5A) with 14 points.
Salado 59, Taylor 25 - At Salado, with all her seniors taking the night off, Salado coach Jeanette McKinney got a good look at the future and broke a three-game slide in the process.
Junior guard Meredith Ward led the way 18 points and 11 rebounds while sophomore Jaylee Sebek had a true double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Ashley Adams added 12 points for Salado (14-13, 4-3 25-3A), which remained tied for third place midway through the district slate.
No. 22 Lorena 36, Gatesville 33 - At Gatesville, Katie Sampson hit three free throws with three seconds left and the Hornets let an overtime opportunity to upset the Lady Leopards slip away.
Skye Truss led Gatesville (13-13, 2-5 19-3A) with 12 points.
Sampson was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Deja Ward and drilled all three to break a 33-33 tie that looked to be headed for overtime.
Liberty Hill 80, Lampasas 54 - At Liberty Hill, Megan Mason scored 16 points for the Lady Badgers, but a 30-15 trashing in the second quarter sent Lampasas away with a blowout loss.
Waco Midway 73, Killeen 47 - At Waco, the Runnin' Roos were outscored 43-22 in the second and third quarters to end the first half of District 8-4A in fourth place. Sophomore Brian Long was the lone Killeen player to reach double figures with 16 points while Orion Stewart led the Panthers with 25.
Florence 54, Little River-Academy 44 - At Florence, Trey Jett and Matthew Mellette led the way with 12 and 11 points, respectively, as the Buffaloes pulled away with a 19-9 second quarter effort.
Temple 64, Belton 34 - At Temple, Roddric Dodd scored 21 points as the Wildcats pulled away from rival Belton with dominating first and third quarters.
Copperas Cove 83, Bryan 43 - At Bryan, Cory Scott drained five 3-pointers and led all scorers with 31 points as the Bulldawgs moved a game closer to a playoff berth Friday.
Doubling up the host Vikings 28-14 in the first quarter, Cove pulled away in the second half, outscoring Bryan 51-26 down the stretch.
A&M Consolidated 62, Shoemaker 32 - At College Station, Alex Caruso scored 22 points to lift the Tigers over the Grey Wolves with ease.
Salado 58, Taylor 40 - At Salado, the Eagles responded from Tuesday's loss to Lampasas by stretching a two-point lead into double-digits with a 21-11 fourth quarter to end the first half of District 25-3A play.
Koby Spears led Salado (16-12, 2-3) with 23 points.
No. 11 Liberty Hill 75, Lampasas 42 - At Liberty Hill, Shonderius Howard had 12 points and Brandon Scott added 10, but the Badgers (16-9, 3-2 25-3A) found out quickly that the 11th-ranked Panthers are every bit as good as advertised.
Gatesville 46, Lorena 34 - At Gatesville, Tobias Moore hit three 3-pointers and led all scorers with 18 points as the Hornets beat the Leopards.
Danny Byrd scored 13 for Gatesville (19-9, 3-2 19-3A), which led 27-18 at halftime.
Eden 63, Lometa 44 - At Lometa, led with three players in double figures, Eden blasted the host Hornets 20-9 in the third quarter and pulled away with a huge second half. Hector Rivera and Dylan Straley led Lometa (13-8, 6-2 28-1A DII) with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
Ellison 1, Killeen 1 - At Killeen, the Roos scored first, but the Eagles got an equalizing goal in the 28th minute and head into a bye date before their District 12-5A opener at Bryan next Friday. After the Roos went up 1-0 in the 19th minute, Ryan Telles assisted Juan Pulida's 28th-minute goal that gave the Eagles (3-4-3) their third tie this season.
Belton 6, Pflugerville Connally 0 - At Round Rock, Cameron Cooper had a pair of goals and an assist for the Tigers in a blowout win at the Round Rock ISD Tournament. Cooper scored the first two goals for Belton (5-3) and then Alvaro Martinez, Keegan Valentino, Angel Hernandez and Cesar Cruz all added goals for the Tigers. Valentino, Hernandez and Carlo Mosnia also added assists.
Round Rock Westwood 2, Harker Heights 0 - At Round Rock, despite outshooting the Warriors 12-6, the Knights couldn't find the back of the net, losing on Day 2 of the Round Rock ISD Tournament.
Pflugerville 2, Harker Heights 1 - At Round Rock, the Knights dropped their second straight game Friday with only a single goal from Angel Pulido.
Harker Heights 3, Killeen 1 - At Harker Heights, the Lady Knights' Bria Howard and Rachel Varley connected on a pair of goals, including the game-winner with three minutes left, to knock off the rival Lady Roos.
The Lady Knights (5-3) took a 2-0 lead at halftime after Pricilla Galindo struck early with a goal in the first two minutes.
Ellison 2 (2-1), Robinson 2 - At Leander, Darian Barbrow scored two goals in regulation and another in a shootout as the Lady Eagles defeated Robinson at the Leander ISD Tournament.
Barbrow also played goalkeeper in the shootout. But it was Alyssa Conde who came up with the game-winning goal, scoring on Ellison's fifth and final attempt.


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The act of extinguishing a cigarette or cigar on one of the rear cheeks of one's partner during anal sex.
Honey can you pick up a pack of cigarettes at the store? I'm looking forward to cooking the beef cheeks tonight.
by HR Pup & Stuff November 30, 2008
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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A year after its debut in Japan, new sales data gives us incite on where the system has performed best and worse in 2012.
ok how about we get Ratchet and Clank Full Frontal Assault, Sly Cooper Thieves in Time, Soul Sacrifice, Tearaway demos? and Killzone Mercenary beta?
The Vita is big in the US and Europe, because the games are geared towards the western market. Wait until next year, The Vita will do some good numbers in Japan with all the great games coming before March 31st, 2013.
2013 is the year of the Gamer, no matter what platform you play one.
Two of the best-selling Vita games in Japan, Hatsune Miku Project Diva f and Persona 4 the Golden both sold around the 300,000 mark.
If around 500,000+ Vitas were sold in Japan, then the software conversion rate for those games are like, 1 in 2. That's kinda scary if you think about it. Like if you see someone on a train playing the Vita, there's a 50% chance he has 1 of those 2 games.
i got my vita on blk friday. i have downloaded a couple of plus games since i got it. i am loving the vita. i can not wait for Killzone Mercenary.


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- Admissions
- Academics
- Research
- University Life
- Alumni
- About
Office of the President
Fax: 202-885-3279
President's Office Building, Room 1
December 1, 2008
|Campus Community
|Neil Kerwin, President
| "American University in the Next Decade: Leadership
for a Changing World" -- Our New Strategic Plan
It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Board of Trustees approved the university's strategic plan, including vision statement and goals, at its November 21, 2008 meeting. I want to thank the entire community, especially the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, for the hard work, engagement, and deliberations that allowed us to reach this important milestone.
The board approved the plan with three changes to the document. These amendments emphasize the importance of ethics and service in our vision and clarify the intent of intellectual diversity in Goal 5. The approved plan, reflecting those changes, is attached.
Our attention now turns to the process of developing specific objectives, related action steps and a budget for the next two-year budget cycle, which will allow us to begin to make progress on the goals in the plan. Provost Scott Bass and Vice President of Finance Don Myers are co-chairing the Budget Committee. Guided by the budget criteria also approved by the board at its last meeting, they will now lead a process that places the highest priority on making progress on our new goals. I have asked the Strategic Planning Steering Committee to remain in operation during this next stage to provide information and advice, including stewarding the many ideas the committee collected from members of the community during the planning process. Two-year objectives, action steps, and the budget proposal will be presented to the board in February 2009.
In addition to the development of university-wide objectives, action steps, and budget proposals, we must also begin to develop unit plans and action steps to reach the goals, with emphasis on what can be accomplished in the first two years. In this process, the schools, colleges, and major administrative units will have the opportunity to review the many ideas suggested during the planning process, both those collected by the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and others captured during unit-level discussions. We expect these plans to be done in May 2009, by the end of the current academic year.
This integrated approach to two-year objectives, action steps, and budget is the logical next step in the process of our strategic planning. Though no one can predict the future in these uncertain times for our nation's economy, I believe our careful attention to financial management over many years has given us the stability to make significant progress over the next two years on the goals in the plan.
Finally, we are committed to maintaining the same approach to outreach and participation in this stage of implementation that characterized the development of the plan. This week, the Budget Committee will hold a town meeting and there will be a number of other opportunities for community input during the coming weeks. Please use these to express your views and assist in building this first, important stage of strategic plan implementation.
Updated:December 1, 2008 1:23 PM
AU's strategic plan, Leadership for a Changing World, outlines goals and objectives for the next decade at American University. Visit american.edu/strategicplan for more information. (myAU.american.edu login required for some documents)
Visit the Building AU website to read about facilities projects that support AU's academic aspirations and enhance campus ambiance. You can also learn more about AU's Campus Plan.


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The reduction in size and the increase in speed of opto- and magnetoelectronic devices is making the probability of nonequilibrium electron–phonon phenomena greater, leading to increased thermal resistance in these devices. The measurement of electron–phonon coupling in materials in these devices is becoming increasingly important for accurate thermal management. Here femtosecond thermoreflectance is used to measure the electron–phonon coupling factor in thin Ni films of varying thickness grown on Si and glass substrates. The thermoreflectance response is measured at 1.3 and , yielding drastically different responses due to the Fermi-level transition at in Ni. The influence of this transition on the thermoreflectance response results in a measurement of the electron–phonon coupling factor that is twice as high as that recorded in previous measurements that were unaffected by the Fermi-level transition.
© 2007 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
John L. Hostetler, Andrew N. Smith, Daniel M. Czajkowsky, and Pamela M. Norris
Appl. Opt. 38(16) 3614-3620 (1999)
Mariusz Lejman, Viktor Shalagatskyi, Oleksandr Kovalenko, Thomas Pezeril, Vasily V. Temnov, and Pascal Ruello
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 31(2) 282-290 (2014)
V. Halté, A. Benabbas, and J.-Y. Bigot
Opt. Express 14(7) 2909-2920 (2006)


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This latter point is important given the dominance of supermarkets in the Australian retail wine market. Supermarkets are great at distributing homogenised product. If that's what you want, fine but many of us want variety in our life.
This directory relies on reader contributions. They are not necessarily endorsed by Vinodiversity. To qualify for inclusion the store should have a good range of alternative varietal wines - that is wines made from varieties other than Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling
Simply fill out the form below describing your favourite wine shop.
All comments will be moderated. This may take a few days depending on my availability and workload. I will approve or reject submissions as they stand with only minor editing for typos etc.
If you own a wine shop you can contribute but please identify yourself as the owner. Don't try to fool us with fake endorsements. What goes around comes around on the web.
If you are a winemaker and you are recommending one of your retail outlets you are welcome to contribute, but again please declare your relationship.
Do you have a great story about this? Share it!
Now available for delivery in Australia, and internationally


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JTCC Theatre Students Offer Waves of Fun
Posted on November 13, 2012
by Holly Walker
Get ready to hit the beach for some fiendish fun as John Tyler Community College's Theatre Workshop students bring Psycho Beach Party to the stage. Set in 1962, the play features Chicklet Forrest, a teenage tomboy who desperately wants to be part of the surf crowd on Malibu Beach. One of the biggest things in her way is her many personalities. Among them – a check-out girl; a radio talk show hostess; a model named Steve; the accounting firm of Edelman and Edelman; and a vixen named Ann Bowman, her most dangerous alter ego. Psycho Beach Party is recommended for mature audiences.
You have three opportunities to catch Psycho Beach Party at John Tyler. Performances will be held at 7:00 p.m. on November 16 and November 17 and at 3:00 p.m. on November 18. All shows will take place in the Nicholas Student Center on the College's Chester Campus. They are free and open to students, faculty, staff and the community.
For more information, contact Jase Smith at email@example.com.
Psycho Beach Party by Charles Busch is presented through special arrangement with Samuel French Inc.
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Get More Information:
College Relations
Holly Walker, Public Relations Manager


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Arrests & Citations
On Friday, May 3, at 7:23 p.m. at Highway 55 and Willow Dr., Cory Clinton Pate, 27, of Medina was arrested for DWI with charges pending test results.
On Wednesday, May 1, at 3:46 p.m. on the 700 block of Highway 55, there was a gas drive off of $51.14.
On Monday, April 29 at 3:21 p.m. on the 900 block of Medina Rd., a party digging in his backyard hit a gas line. The Hamel Fire Department arrived and CenterPoint Energy was asked to visit the site.
On Monday, April 29, at 11:20 p.m. on the 2100 block of Highway 55, there was a 911 call at a business later determined to be due from faulty phone lines.
On Tuesday, April 30, at 10:25 a.m. on the 200 block of Mallard Lane, Loretto, an iPod was found and will be kept until claimed.
On Wednesday, May 1, at 10:26 p.m. on the 700 block of Highway 55, a threat was reported and remains under investigation.
On Wednesday, May 1, at 11:27 p.m. on the 1300 block of Baker Park Rd., there was a gas drive off of $69.03, which as later paid for.
On Thursday, May 2, at 8:13 p.m. at Deer Hill Rd. and Willow Dr., there was a report of a suspicious vehicle. Officer located the van and an individual, homeless, sleeping in it. The party was asked to move on.
On Thursday, May 2, at 9:23 a.m. on the 250 block of Morningside Rd., a resident reported receiving suspicious emails. Officer determined they were probably spam.
On Thursday May 2, at 9:32 a.m. on the 100 block of Primrose Lane, a possible scam was reported no loss.
On Thursday, May 2, at 5:44 p.m. on the 500 block of Navaho Rd., there was a complaint of a trailer parked overnight on the side of the roadway. Officer was able to make contact with the owner of the trailer who was advised. The trailer did have cones around it to alert motorists.
On Thursday, May 2, at 10:16 p.m. on the 2800 block of County Rd. 9, there was a report of a physical roll domestic. Neither party wished to press charges.
On Friday, May 3, at 1:19 a.m. at Medina St. N and Railway St. E, Loretto, officers responded to the report of a suspicious male walking northbound on the road. The individual was located, intoxicated and transported to his home.
On Friday, May 3, at 6:54 a.m. on the 4600 block of Walnut St., officer responded to a domestic call for a verbal argument.
On Friday, May 3, at 4:32 p.m. on the 2700 block of Bobolink Rd., there was a report of a stray dog. The dog bit the reporting party and was impounded.