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Ayurvedic Haircare for Beginners
Give the Ayurvedic lifestyle a try to look and feel your best.
What is Ayurveda?
Over 5,000 years ago a natural system of healing from within was created by the Vedic culture in India. There are roots of this natural, healing medicine in Tibetan and Chinese medicines as well. After many years of being suppressed, the Ayurveda lifestyle has once again found its way into modern-day cultures around the world.
According to Deepok Chopra, "recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure." These three energies are known in Sanskrit as "Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth).
Chopra explains that they shape and influence our individual nature and characteristics, "if Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing."
These three forces are present in everyone, but there are typically two predominant energies in each of us.
What are the health benefits?
Recognizing how ayurveda can teach us about our own health, our health problems as well as how to relieve them, is one of the largest benefits of this ancient healing art. Chopra explains that: "The guiding principle of Ayurveda and the other Eastern healing arts is the interconnection of all things. We aren't simply an isolated collection of atoms and molecules, but are an inseparable part of the infinite field of intelligence. From this holistic perspective, health isn't merely the absence of illness or symptoms ― it is a higher state of consciousness that allows vitality, well-being, creativity, and joy to flow into our experience."
What are the beauty benefits?
From a beauty perspective, this healing art can help us understand more about the products we currently use, compared to those we should be using on our skin (as they have effects internally and externally). Here's a quick list of some easy, at home, "remedies" from Try Ayurveda:
- Wrinkle-free Soft Skin: Smooth castor oil on the face to keep it soft and wrinkle free.
- Clear Skin and Pores: Clean the skin and pores with unpasteurized milk on cotton wool.
- Natural Moisturizer: Make your own moisturizer for normal skin. Mix eight ounces of yogurt with a tablespoon of both lemon juice and orange juice to use on the face as a masque. Remove with damp cloth in about fifteen minutes.
- Skin Conditioner: To condition the skin, make a paste of two tablespoonfuls of cream stirred with one of honey. Leave mixture on skin for five minutes and remove with a wet facial cloth.
- Skin Tone and Pigmentation: A raw potato rubbed on the skin helps lighten pigmentation problems and improves skin tone.
- Smooth Complexion: Apply orange juice to the face for a smoother complexion.


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Mrs. Erwin was born Sept. 6, 1927, in Heppner. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Pendleton. She married Charles Erwin in Pendleton in 1949, and was employed for 20 years as the dean's secretary at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. She was always very involved in the Catholic Church and was a member of Christ the King Church in Milwaukie most recently.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 1993. She is survived by her children, Molly Erwin, Portland; Marge Erwin (Jeff), West Linn; Mary O'Donnell (George), Clackamas: Matthew Erwin (Janet), Beaverton; Mark Erwin (Jennifer), Sherwood; and Martha Button, Portland; brother, Billy Kenny, Heppner; and 10 grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Friday, March 16, at Christ the King Church in Milwaukie. Memorial donations can be made to the Oregon/SW Washington Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why is their message board format straight out of 1996?
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Why is their message board format straight out of 1996?
The basketball hire, let's not forget the fact that no one wanted the job. I'm not willing to throw Glass out the window yet. I like Glass.
The roof of Assembly Hall is literally caving in right now. I mean I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this point.
Well, if we needed any more confirmation the sky was falling on IU basketball...
It's hard to criticize Glass for anything football related considering that IU football would be a failure even if we could resurrect Knute Rockne to coach.
Honestly, I'm not surprised by this. Anyone who has been in AH in the past 3 years has to have noticed the ceiling sagging. I actually commented on it earlier this season.
He kept Tracy Smith around when he had one foot out the door to Ohio State. He hired Curt Miller to perform miracle work on our women's basketball program, which has historically had about as much success as our baseball program previous to Smith's arrival. Crean was a bad hire, but the other options available were not great, and it's not like it was a Kelvin Sampson-level disaster, and that's coming from someone who's disliked the Crean hire from pretty much Day 1.
Glass deserves some blame, but let's not blow it out of proportion here.
We should just build a new arena and completely tear the toilet down.
Great, now a piece of metal has seen more time on the court than Peter Jurkin.
video of the beam or whatever falling. what the hell, I thought Assembly was just outdated, not falling apart.
If that happens just a few hours later, it's definitely a multiple fatality incident. Whoever had those tickets for tonight's game must have chills going up their spine right now.
I'm not arguing, but who? We all heard the Lon Kruger stuff.
Heard about the beam falling on the radio. When I heard breaking news with IU basketball I really hoped Crean had been let go. Sad it was this instead. Other than Glass giving Crean and extension I have no problem with anything he did.
Judging by Wilsons comments, he had to have been the one behind the Mallory firing. Wilson has one last year. He got rid of Freitag and got us our 8th National Championship.
Pitino lobbied for the job when we gave it to Mike Davis. After he took the Louisville job, I don't think he ever expressed interest. As far as Skiles, I only heard his name speculated.
Definitely. It would have been at the top of every newscast and on the front page of every newspaper in the country. A major tragedy was dodged by just a few hours.
So does IU play another game in Assembly Hall this season? We seriously might not win another game if our remaining home games have to be played at BLF. IU is cursed in that building.
Well, the women's team is playing there tomorrow night, so I assume they will. Glass said they inspected the building today and things seemed fine.
Am I missing something in the video? On the close up the falling piece looks a little flimsy as it bends when it hits the seats or floor. It certainly doesn't look like a steel beam that would crush a person.
I think what it was was IU's season finally coming crashing down....
Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.
"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thats teamwork."
-John Wooden


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As part of the job, I get invites to some fresh events around town. I appreciate every one, but I'm also a homebody and at the end of the work day, I typically drive my 20 miles home and plant myself there for the night. Still, every so often, something will get me off my ass. I received this package Thursday which at first I thought might be a bomb but upon opening discovered was pretty much full of awesome.
DJ K. L. Kemp recently started Alt-Disco, a night at the Fallout Lounge where he spins what he calls "no bullshit old-school underground gay disco … just like they used to play at the Trocadero Transfer back in the day in San Francisco." He said this in a handwritten (HANDWRITTEN!!) letter enclosed in the package that was also one of the most earnest and genuine pitches to reach a diverse audience. I mean, someone who posts "Georgio Moroder for President" as his political view on Facebook and invites my friends and me to party it up like it's 1979 sounds like a true disco devotee. Oh, and he's spinning vinyl.
Plus, he sent me a sweet poster and Donna Summer's A Love Trilogy album. Probably the best part of it all was the package labeled as "time-sensitive disco."
Right on.
The next Alt-Disco party happens July 13 at Fallout Lounge, 835 Exposition Ave. at 9 p.m. And seriously, they have some of the best cocktails in town. See you there.


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On September 14th, 2017, we published revised versions of our Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Website Use Policy and published a Cookie Policy. Your continued use of Lynda.com means you agree to these revised documents, so please take a few minutes to read and understand them.
Bonnie Bills |
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The web has completely changed marketing from a primarily one-way form of communication to an interactive, two way customer-centered conversation. It has also changed the rules of participation. You don't need a big budget or a marketing team to embark on an effective online marketing campaign, you just need to know the fundamentals of online marketing so you can get started on a new campaign, or optimize the campaign you have. The smallest businesses—the one-woman design shop, the auto repair place down the street, the ten-employee consulting business—can engage in many of the same marketing activities as a multinational fast-food chain with a massive marketing budget.
In Online Marketing Fundamentals, web marketing expert Lorrie Thomas Ross explains how businesses can:
• Set themselves up for success by defining their audience and creating an effective website
• Use social media sites from Facebook to Foursquare to interact with customers and prospects in new ways
• Blog to become credible sources of information and reach new audiences
• Use SEO and SEM to reach customers interested in their goods or services
• Analyze their online efforts with web analytics software
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Whether you're contemplating your first web marketing efforts or are an experienced web marketer looking for new ideas, you'll find plenty of information in Online Marketing Fundamentals.
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ONTARIO — Jennifer Lopez, a seventh-grade student at Ray Wiltsey Middle School, will be honored Monday with other regional award winner in the 14th annual Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Write-Off Ceremony.
Jennifer was the champion in the seventh grade competition. Monday's ceremony will be held at Ontario High School.
Students in grades 6-12 from AVID programs in Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties participated in this year's competition, a timed-essay writing contest that is modeled after the University of California's Analytical Writing Exam. More than 100 middle and high school sites submitted entries with more than 500 students participating.
The featured speaker at the Write-Off ceremony Monday will be George Buss, an Abraham Lincoln impersonator.
Other regional winners: 12th grade: Miguel Diaz, Lakeside High, Lake Elsinore Unified; 11th grade: Elaine Escalona, Vista Murrieta High, Murrieta Unified; 10th grade: Ha Ly, Pacific High, San Bernardino City Unified; 9th grade: Tatiana Frazier, Rancho Verde High, Moreno Valley Unified; 8th grade: Haylee Avants, Shivela Middle, Murrieta Unified; and 6th grade: Janine Keys, William Jehue Middle, Rialto Unified.


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And so let us not forget the true meaning of today
Lots of religious posts today, of course. Lots of children with smiles missing teeth searching all over their yards for embryos in hardy shells (decorated rapturously and exuberantly) by, of course, a six-foot tall bunny. So let us not forget what Easter is truly, and has always been, about: Bunny rabbits are for shagging, and … [Read more…]


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Article Exchange
Secure, copyright-compliant delivery of documents
The Article Exchange document-sharing site provides a single, secure location where lending libraries worldwide can place requested documents and library users can retrieve articles or book chapters obtained for them via interlibrary loan. This site adds convenience, security and enhanced copyright compliance to article sharing through interlibrary loan. Article Exchange is accessible to lenders from within the OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan service and through an ILLiad add-on. A cloud-based delivery option, the site can be accessed by staff and users of borrowing libraries, whether or not they use WorldShare Interlibrary Loan or ILLiad.*
"The main reason that we use Article Exchange is that it was really easy to implement into our workflow. [It has also] allowed us to share more of our collection because we have been able to loan more from journals we originally had to deflect. We've increased our lending by about 30 percent, which is really nice."
Joanne McIntyre
Interlibrary Loan Manager at the Levy Library
Article Exchange:
- Is a truly global, document delivery option. Lending libraries that use WorldShare Interlibrary Loan or ILLiad can deliver documents through the site regardless of their geographic location.
- Is included in an OCLC Resource Sharing subscription at no additional charge. Users may upload up to 1,000 files per day per authorization. There is no limit to the number of documents a library user can retrieve daily.
- Eliminates security issues often encountered when documents are transmitted through e-mail. Files up to 60 MB—including high-resolution documents—can be placed on the site for pick-up by library users.
- Supports compliance with copyright guidelines with automatic deletion of files. Viewed files are deleted after 5 views and unviewed files are deleted after 30 days.
- Requires no software download or special arrangements for access through a local firewall.
- Provides platform-independent access from any operating system.
Article Exchange supports delivery of documents in the following formats: BMP, GIF,J2K, JIF, JFI, JFIF, JP2,JPE, JPEG, JPF, JPM, JPX, JPG, MDI, MJ2, PEG/JFIF, JPEG 2000, PDF, PNG, PSD, TIF, TIFF, TGA, TPIC, WEBP and ZIP.
Article Exchange custom version:
- Delivers all features of Article Exchange in addition to local customization that increases the visibility of library services and demonstrates a library's role in meeting user needs.
- Reinforces library brands. When users see a library's logo, colors and name on the interface where they retrieve documents, they are reminded that the service is provided by their library.
- Supports larger file sizes. As libraries' services expand to include more electronic and digital resources, use of the Article Exchange custom version is an invaluable tool for delivering files that are often too large for transmission via other vehicles, including the original Article Exchange tool. It supports sharing of files up to 120 MB (compared to 60 MB supported by the basic version). Support for larger files is particularly useful for users who require access to large documents such as image-rich medical resources.
- Communicates library's identities to users, regardless of their location. Academic libraries can use the tool to reach students or faculty at off-campus locations or distance learners who rarely visit campus. Library branding and interface customization add visibility for library services.
- Transmits documents in formats that can be used by visually impaired users. Support for file formats .doc and .docx enables this segment of library users to consume documents through screen readers and related devices.
Some of the customization provided by Article Exchange custom version is shown below.
Order Article Exchange
Subscribers to OCLC resource sharing services in the United States can add the custom version to existing resource sharing subscriptions for a small annual fee, based on library collection size. To order the custom version of Article Exchange, complete the order form. This form provides pricing for several ranges of library collection sizes.
How it works
From WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, borrowing libraries use the "Borrowing Notes" field of the request form to indicate their desire to retrieve a document from this site. Lending libraries scan documents and upload them to the site for retrieval by users.* They have two ways to inform borrowing libraries of a document's availability:
- The site generates a unique tinyURL and password for each document. Cut and paste the tinyURL and password in the Lending Notes or Alert field of the request form and update the request status to SHIPPED.
- Use the e-mail function within Article Exchange. When they upload the file, the site generates a unique tinyURL and password for each document. An e-mail button is also present so the lender can click on the e-mail button, insert the borrower's e-mail address and send the link and password directly to the borrower.
Once a file has been retrieved, it remains available for five (5) views. After the file has been viewed five (5) times, it will be removed. A file can be picked up a maximum of five (5) times for each URL/password combination. Files not retrieved remain available for 30 days.
* OCLC is not aware of any library locations that cannot lend or retrieve documents through the Article Exchange site.


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A FORMER astronomy and visual arts student has created a logo which will be used to help encourage green issues.
Howard Haigh, from Westleigh, penned his eye-catching light bulb-inspired design - which will now be used on all 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust sustainability communications - in just 30 minutes.
"As part of my astronomy degree I completed a module on the Earth's resources. It gave me a really good understanding of things like climate change," said the 57-year-old.
"I'm so proud that I have put all that knowledge to good use as well as my design skills and come up with a logo that will hopefully inspire people to 'think green'."
The logo that could be used to encourage staff, service users and visitors to consider the environment. Howard's design was chosen unanimously by the Group."


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Many years ago, I joined a kho kho club in my area and was soon elected its president for Life. I promptly handpicked board members from a coterie of chamchas who understood the commercial potential of kho kho and were willing to play ball with me. At the time, kho kho was just about taking off in India, but I was confident if we nurtured the game and spotted the right players, we would be able to convert kho kho into a major sporting event that would attract big money. My board members agreed this was an excellent idea. But in order to make kho kho a national obsession, we would have to sex up the game and change its format to suit television. Of course, we imported the best cheerleaders from Ukraine. Nobody had a problem with that, except purists of kho kho who insisted we were bastardizing the game and prostituting players. Not so, declared the stake holders, claiming it was a good move, given that kho kho had lost its sheen over time and become a bit too slow and boring. Veteran players of kho kho were not happy about the faster format, but we took care of them by hiring kho kho legends to provide commentary and generally guide us during the changeover. Their expertise didn't come cheap. But their names added credibility and respectability to kho kho. There was no looking back after that. Soon our kho kho brand took off and money started to pour in. Our players also benefited greatly, especially those from small town India. Advertisers queued up to sign our Captain, while hysterical fans begged us to host more and more matches across the country.
Mogambo khush hua!
Suddenly, something went phut just as we were about to grow even bigger. I blame it on a few rotten eggs. We became media's favourite punching bag overnight. Jealous rivals plotted and schemed to get rid of me! Imagine! ME!! As if that was possible or easy! I was the Patron Saint of Kho Kho for heaven's sake. The board members were my friends. We were members of a cosy club. I knew too much about them. They knew too much about me. But it seems there were traitors in my midst and I was caught off guard. Then they began pointing fingers at my poor, innocent son-in-law! What did he have to do with anything? He was just another kho kho fan, supporting his favourite team. Maybe he had placed a pizza bet here and there. Is that a crime? As if that was not bad enough, my Captain came under attack as well. This was too much! Of course, I had given the talented Captain a decent job and also employed a few other top players. Is that also a crime — if so, under which law? Absurd! Critics should have known I am a law unto myself. And that my word is law. Ours is a private body. We don't owe an explanation to anybody — how dare people ask for it? Then came the ultimate insult — some idiots had the audacity to ask me to step down. Resign. Why? Which specific law had I broken? Prove it, I tell you! These rascalams have no other work or what?
Anyway, since the situation was getting out of control, I had to do something quickly. Stepping down was out of the question. I would step aside…not down. Big difference. It is my show, after all. And so it shall remain forever and ever. Those ungrateful traitors can do nothing to me or my son-in-law. Fortunately, my suggestion was accepted by everybody and a stooge stepped in to take care of the mess I had created. This is how it should be. We have to protect one another and stand together. All this talk of corruption and crookedness and compromise will soon be forgotten. After all, what can be bigger than the great game of kho kho in our country? So, in the interests of this great game, I appeal to fans to forget everything and just enjoy the sport. See how even the media has stopped hounding me. They have found a new target — a flashy kho kho team owner who placed bets on his own team. So? There are far more important national issues to deal with than kho kho — believe it or not.
As for the fate of my Captain. Why worry? Captains come and go. It is the game that matters. And that my dear countrymen, will definitely go on. What's the bet?????


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ID Label, 80 per sheet
Avery Blank Templates Microsoft Word
Great for creating custom and personalized labels for file folders, documents and supplies
Compatible Products:
Reviewed by 3 customers
This review is from AVERY ID Label, 80 per sheet:
This was perfect for what i wanted to use it for and easy to fill in and use.
This review is from AVERY ID Label, 80 per sheet:
When our printer is not temperamental this template works perfectly. Our printer offsets the labels if we use the manual input tray otherwise it's fine. This small label is perfect for my other projects, I could see how it's size may not be the best for mailings.
This review is from AVERY ID Label, 80 per sheet:
I have used Avery products before... never had any issues. Downloaded this template.. no problem... could not get the label to copy to the rest after entering the first one. Very frustrating! downloaded the microsoft office version... perfect.... entered my information it copied to the rest of the labels... printed. used the 18667 clear label easy peel.... worked excellent. I would love to use this template! Wouldn't recommend it.... not worth all the "time" wasted!


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Three Muskingum College students win American Automobile Association's Home and Away magazine travel writing competition
SEPTEMBER 6, 2004 - Never let it be said that college students lack "worldly" experience. At least not Muskingum College students.
Three students at the college have taken the top three prizes in a travel writing competition sponsored by the American Automobile Association (AAA), and their work has been published in the September-October edition of AAA's Home and Away magazine.
The competition, held last spring, was open to all college students in Ohio who were enrolled in communications courses, and it was designed to expose them to the very specialized craft of travel writing.
Deborah Fry '07 won first place in the competition. She wrote an article titled The Art of Tlaquepaque, which reflected on her family's long relationship with that city in western Mexico and her change of heart about its culture and beauty.
Of Fry's writing, one judge said, "Beautiful writing using visual language paints a picture of this destination, making it easy for the reader to imagine this place."
As the first place winner, Fry won an expense-paid trip to London and Paris with Contiki Tours for herself and a guest. Perhaps more importantly for an aspiring writer, though, Fry also received an invitation to write about her trip for Home and Away's May/June, 2005 issue.
The second place winner was Anna Isabel Zapata Calle. Calle, a native of Ciudad Real, Spain, was a teaching assistant in Spanish at the college last year, and has gone on to graduate school. Her article, Of Don Quixote and Theater , examined the dramatic changes that have taken place in the town of Almagar, which is roughly 15 miles from her home in Spain.
Calle's article drew compliments from the judges, who said, "The Cervantes touch in the lead is a refreshing change from ordinary writing."
Stephanie Raach '07 was a first-year student when she wrote her article, Sun, Surf and Land . The article offers her impressions of the wide variety of experiences available in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The judges praised Raach's work, saying, "Ethnically, this piece is quite sound with a good, easy tone."
These and other students had a chance to enter the contest thanks to Assistant Professor of English Dr. Jane Varley. She was advised by her department chair that the contest was taking place, and Dr. Varley decided to build it into the curriculum of her composition class.
"I thought it would be a really interesting exercise," Dr. Varley recalled, "to let the students in the class try to write a specific kind of piece for a very specific kind of audience."
She told the class that writing a travel article could be one of their six essay assignments. The class, she explained, studied back issues of Home and Away to better understand the kind of writing the magazine used, and then each wrote an article.
"They really took to it in a big way," Dr. Varley said. "Some of them thought it was a very interesting kind of writing, and some thought it was more like trying to sell someone on a specific place which, in a way, it is."
Dr. Varley advised her students through their writing processes and then sent the finished pieces to Home and Away. While the staff at the magazine may have been surprised by a sudden surge in contest entries from Muskingum, the real surprise came when the results were announced. "It's really an understatement to say that it was a bit of a shock," Dr. Varley said, "but it was very, very exciting."
As the spring semester waned, Dr. Varley "pushed the people at the magazine a little to get the results," she recalled. "I explained to them that it was part of my course and that it would be really helpful to know how the contest turned out. But, I had no idea it would be like this."
She recalled fondly announcing the winners to the class. "It was neat. I sort of marched into class with this great news, and all of the students were thrilled. Even those who didn't place were happy for those who did."
Dr. Varley is pleased with the entire experience, both for herself and her students. "Anything you can do to make a class more interesting, more exciting is a big plus, and this worked out incredibly well That pleases me and it was great for all the students, whether or not they won. That's what really matters."
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The classroom is only one part of the Marquette experience. Our students take advantage of a wide range of programs, from studying abroad to community service and student organizations.
At Marquette, we recognize that no two students have the same journey or destination. Several programs are available to support students who want to round out their studies.
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines — Marquette is nationally known for its tradition of excellence in preparing students in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. You will have the opportunity to compete for some serious scholarships that can cover nearly the entire cost of your Marquette education. Find out more:
Are you the kind of student who stays after class to ask one more question? You should know about Marquette's Honors Program, a sequence of courses designed to meet the needs of the university's most intellectually curious students.
Marquette is a national leader in providing academic opportunity to first-generation college students, students from under-represented groups or ethnicities and students from low-income families.
The Freshman Frontier Program (FFP) is an academic support program especially designed for entering freshmen who desire a jumpstart on the Marquette college experience in a close-knit community. Students self-selecting to participate in this unique Marquette program not only work ahead by earning three credits in the summer, but also benefit from academic support and personalized advising throughout their freshman year and beyond.
The Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) is a federally funded program that provides opportunities for disadvantaged students who are interested in health professions.


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No EQ platform used for this capture. I used the Earth's rotation to capture video passes across the lunar surface. My attempt to capture the Moon with the Planetary Imager as it appears through my Stratus 8mm eyepiece with optimal focus. I think I got pretty close to that...
Astro-images taken through a telescope on a tracking mount provide breathtaking color and detail that you just can't see with your eyes alone. The astro-images on our web site demonstrate the imaging capabilities of the products used and are not intended to represent what you will see when you look through a telescope. Learn More
Some materials in our Resource Center require Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Reader here. Adobe Flash Player may be required to view some content. Download the Flash Player here.


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By far our best game of the year and the way we've been playing, very favorable signs moving forward. As a team, we're playing like ourselves again. The ability to shake off a bad game and come back strong is great to see.
Also great seeing guys playing like themselves. Roy in particular has been a lot more patient offensively and his post game is coming back to him. Tonight, Gerald looked very comfortable and played his game.
And of course, PG24 is a STUD!
Let's keep this going!
(Courtesy of NBA.com)


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A TAKEAWAY owner who discovered 20 binbags crawling with thousands of maggots outside his business has been told the council will not clear them up.
Kem Dagdelen made the grim discovery behind the Master Chef takeaway in St John's, Colchester.
St Luke's Close was teeming with a trail of maggots, which led to 20 filthy binbags dumped by fly-tippers.
Mr Dagdelen said: "When I came outside the street was absolutely covered with maggots.
"We're talking about thousands of them."
Mr Dagdelen spent three hours bleaching and clearing the street on Monday night and securing the takeaway, which has a "good" hygiene rating.
He has been told Colchester Council workers will not clear the mess because the road was never adopted by Essex County Council, meaning it is privately owned.
Mr Dagdelen said the council should at least visit the scene.
For the full story, see Wednesday's Gazette


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=== Purpose of purchase ===
Graphics cards have become an essential part of PCs, especially where an on-board card isn't available. I had to buy a new graphics card, when my previous one had trouble coping with the high definition output. I decided that I needed a cheap graphics card, which could support HDMI and would last at least a few years.
I considered a number of purchase options, looked at a few different graphics cards, and browsed very sellers pages online, as well as visiting a few shops. I wanted to make sure when I buy the card, I won't be wasting money at an expensive store, whether online or a high street shop.
=== nVidia GeForce 8600 GT overview ===
The graphics card has three ports: one is HDMI (in the middle), the others are VGA (left) and DVI (right). The specifications include 512MB DDR3 graphics memory, which is sufficient for anything I throw at it. It slots into a PCI-E x16 (PCI express card slot), and screws into place.
=== Purchase, Installation & Procedure ===
I purchased the graphics card from ebay at a reasonable price for the time. The delivery took several weeks, and I wasn't sure if the card was going to arrive. I contacted the seller, and after two or three days he replied to confirm that he had sent it this time. The seller told me that he had prepared the item for shipping a few weeks before, but forgot to take it to the Post Office. He apologised for the delay, and said I should receive it in a day or two. I got the card cheap, brand new, with free delivery, so nothing to complain about. I've purchased many components from the same seller after that, and everything arrived within a few days. That delay was a one off.
The graphics card arrived with the standard warrantee, which you'd expect with any new purchase.
The installation was quick and simple, and involved inserting and securing the graphics card after removing its fan, which was too big to fit in the available gap. I replaced the fan with an alternative with a better exhaust mechanism.
nVidia offers an automatic graphics card check, which ensures you download the correct drivers. The drivers work well on Windows and Linux. The Linux installation requires root privileges, and is done through a very short shell script. The script is "sh ./filename", without the quotation marks.
The driver installation takes approximately two minutes, and requires the computer to restart on Windows and Linux. The installation on Linux leaves two options for enabling the driver; when switching between them, the computer must be restarted for changes to take effect. One option of the driver offers 3D capabilities, which isn't good for ordinary video playback. The standard display option is good for everything, except 3D video playback.
The Windows nVidia Control Panel offers the same controls to those on the Linux version, which allows you to adjust the display colours, resolution, brightness, contrast and connected displays.
=== Features ===
The nVidia GeForce 8600 GT has a 128 bit memory, which enables it to handle data in large chunks. The 128 bits is the word length for each instruction or piece of data sent via the graphics memory channel. This is a high speed volatile memory specifically with the purpose of handling graphic data and instruction, which are sent to the graphics processor.
The 512MB memory with a 700MHz memory clock speed help with speeding up standard memory and graphics memory tasks, by organising the processor hungry graphical tasks to be handled by the graphics processor. This frees up RAM for other use, up to the amount available in the graphics memory.
At an impressive 22GB/s graphical data transfer rate, this graphics card has the ability to handle and output high definition multimedia through a HDMI connection. The card can be used in a multiple GPU system.
=== Comparison to other graphics cards ===
The previous two cards were bought at a similar price, but with much lower specifications. Those cards are PNY GeForce 8400 GS PCI-E 256MB and nVidia GeForce 5500 FX 256MB, both of which have a slightly slower memory, which is half the amount of the 8600 GT. The next card purchased was the nVidia GeForce 9500 GT, which has better memory but I haven't noticed any significant improvement in performance.
Of these cards, I've only used the nVidia GeForce 8600 GT on multiple operating systems. I've used them all on Windows XP, and have also used the 8600 and 9500 on Windows Vista and 7. The computer which had the older cards didn't support anything beyond Windows XP, so I didn't get a chance to test those out.
An advantage of nVidia GeForce 8600 GT over the 9500 GT is the value for money, because the performance isn't a great deal better. While there are many advantages of the 8600 GT over the older cards I've tried. The old cards have a DDR memory, while the 8600 is DDR3.
=== My Conclusion ===
The nVidia GeForce 8600 GT is an affordable graphics card, offering high quality output, powerful processing and sufficient amount of memory for the ordinary computer user. It's worth buying if you want to save some money and get a good quality graphics card.
This card isn't suitable for extreme gamers, because the graphics memory is quite limited when compared to the minimum requirements of some new games.
[Team Dooyoolympians relay entry]
I got this for my desktop PC because the integrated graphics card was absolutely terrible, so after little looking around i found the Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT it was quite cheap and had very good specifications. It was really easy to install on to my motherboard because i thought it might be harder than it actually was. So after I installed it to the motherboard I had to install the drivers for it, which was so easy it literally only took a few clicks. After about twenty minutes of staring everything it was ready to go, so I decided to play some half life 2, I was stuck for words and I was astonished at how a little piece of hardware could change the something by such a lot. Overall I definitely recommend buying the Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT because it makes such a big difference to how you will play games and watch videos on your computer.
Graphics cards work together with central processing units, sticks of RAM and other components in computers to run programs in the best possible fashion. Without each of these vital pieces to the puzzle, a computer wouldn't function and would probably enter into some kind of 'safe mode' or simply not start at all. If you are interested in playing video games, as I often am, then a decent graphics card is perhaps the most crucial element to consider.
When I bought my home PC not too long ago, I knew right from the 'add to basket' button that I would be in need of a replacement graphics card due to the poor performance spec of the one that came with it . After some internet research I finally found the 'Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT' which came out as top choice for price and quality considering price - baring in mind I had a rather tight budget.
The box the device comes in is extremely exciting to recieve, it's not just a plain white box with instructions and health warnings, its littered with 'computer graphics artwork', or high quality images of in-game shots to show the power of the card. Not only this, but the card also comes with a game to keep you occupied, though this wasn't exactly a great specticle - some racing game of which I've forgotten the name.
After I'd de-boxed, the device was easy to equip, placing directly into one of two graphics card slots on my motherboard (another component I thought about replacing), and once the PC was booted it recognised the item instantly - you can always tell by the small line of text which appears on the loading screen.
It's a very odd thing trying to sense a feeling of change when a new compenent is fitted to a computer, but I knew the best and only way I could try out my 8600 GT was by playing a game. At the time I'd been playing a lot of World Of Warcraft, and I had memorised my previous settings and how the game performed graphically before I installed the new hardware, so it was easy to compare.
With the old card, which had about half the 8600 GT's memory and power, the game had been set to low graphics and it still ran slowly from time to time - but with this new entity, I could play WoW on FULL graphics and it ran smoothly every time. Similarly, playing more 'graphically advanced' games such as Day of Defeat and Team Fortruss 2 which run on different 'engines', the computer performed well (though often levels couldn't be put to full).
I have had no connection or collaboration issues between components and Microsoft Vista managed the system very well, for once. At around £80.00 I believe I recieved a fair deal and would encourage people to look at the product and consider it also, though due to the quick advancement in technology I'm sure there are much, much better alternatives out there for the consumer.
Two months ago now, I bought a Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT Graphics Card replacement for my computer with the original (Nvidia MX440 64 Mb). My Nvidia Graphics card, in my ten year old computer finally died on me. Honestly, If I would have knew that the image quality and gaming performance would have been over ten times better than my original Graphics card, I would have swapped the original Graphics card a long time ago!
The Nvidia GeForce GT is a 128 bit, 256 Mb GDDR3 Graphics Card (which has a lot of potential)! When I finished updating the Nvidia drivers, I could not get over how the image quality had drastically improved on my 1680x1050 monitor! Now, I can see every detail of the RAW pictures that I take with my DSLR! It's almost unbelievable. I never would have believed or thought that changing the Graphics card on my computer would have changed the image quality and the sharpness of my computer.
Not only did the image quality and sharpness improve, so did the gaming performance! I thought 256 Mb of memory would be quite low for gaming. Turns out, 265 Mb is more than enough for playing games (even World of WarCraft)! If you are a heavy gaming user, the Nvidia drivers allow you to adjust the image quality/ performance ratio to get the best image quality without having to compromise on performance and refresh rates. You can also change settings such as the amount of frames previewed and the clock speed if you wish.
Even though the Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT does not have HDMI out, I was able to get a DVI to HDMI cable to run to my TV and have a VGA cable running to my computer monitor. Both my T.V. and Monitor can display my computer screen at the same time (simultaneously) Flawlessly! The Installation of the card was a breeze! Simply unscrew and pull the old Graphics card out and slip the new card in and fasten it with a screw!
I highly recommend the Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT to any one wanting to upgrade their "outdated" video card. While you are updating your video card, why not get better image quality and performance? The NVidia GeForce 8600 GT will do just the thing!
-Little bit of history-
Well according to the analysis done 6 years ago or so, the performance of graphics cards ... years ago revealed that the NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT was actually the best card you could buy in terms of the price and performance of this card, 3DMark which by then was not so mediocre, was ahead even of that old card ATI Radeon HD 3850 that also was one of the best, LOL ok this is Obsolete and I know that makes no sense to do a review of a Video Card so old!, but unfortunately I hadn´t had a chance to upgrade my video card as well which I mainly like to buy the best today as the Nvidia GTX 480, OF COURSE! and spend about £300 at the moment, leave me alone... :P
Good, please keep reading as you´ll understand my point here.
Talking about this old test specifically focused on the 3DMark06 score, a benchmark rate that was performed at YouGamers and served to make a ranking with graphics cards and processors even more interesting for the potential buyer, of course all this back in that time.
The tests made at the time were in standard environment with a resolution of 1280 x 1024, without Antialiasing and no AA filter, and back then, there were compared with the prices that were published in CNET, an online technology website, with great prestigious and currently still so.
The list is updated twice a day, do not know if it still does, and it turned out an interesting way to assess the performance of these solutions according to the price and performance, although it is clear that consider a single test is not total assurance; conclusions are not absolute, you also need to pay attention to all the reviews you can get so you can really know for sure what you're going to buy, has a long life and good performance.
With everything and that, at that time back, the assessment was very interesting, the NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT card which I got... (and will continue to, don´t know for how long? LOL) ... was the most valuable card in the market, ahead of the ATI Radeon HD 3850 and GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 8600 GS and Radeon HD 3870, following on that old list, and that was why I decided to buy it.
Now ... as my PC is not as up to date, I have a P4 3.0GHZ processor at that time was also an ultra powerful processor, and today with these multi-core processor is impossible for this to continue running the games that coming out now ... The last game I could run decently and with the lowest settings was the COD4 and Crysis that are still being for sure amazing games with incredible graphics! But unfortunately today and the new games need new processors with at least 2 CORES and my P4 unfortunately does not work, also because its architecture is old too, but to do essential jobs it does the work ... I mean, surfing, watching movies and listening to music ... for design is fine, I use it with very good performance to run programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, but that´s about it.
-My Point of View
The card is now a bit outdated I'm not going to recommend you buy it and if you find it used yet you can afford for 50 pounds or less depending.
I think the card had enough potential and lasted more or less about 5 years of good use, knowing this if you currently want to buy the latest most powerful video card for sure will last a little over 5 years.
Well, no more saying, the point of this review, it was to mention how good it was back then but also made it to give you an Idea when choosing Video Cards... so I recommend that if you want a good video card, pick the Nvidia cards, for its superb performance and durability, and I hope this little outdated review will serve not to buy this card but, when purchasing next GFX cards you´ll find it making these studies I did at that time, also if you need a simple PC with a decent card for ultra cheap cost this Video card Still exists and is available! LOL.
SCORE 4.5/5 (Back in that time)..... now is easily a 3/5 (BTW Im playing Civilization V and STARCRAFT 2 with this CARD!) the card is fine!,,, problem really is my CPU anyway...
Hope you enjoy my review
Greetings and thanks


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Lush Soap Reviews
One of The Best SoapsI discovered the Lush boutique, and I am in love with their products, which are all organic and hand made. I bought the "Karma" soap. It smells incredible, softens my skin, lathers well, and the fragrance really lasts! Layered with the Karma Kream, the fragrance is wonderful. People have actually stopped me to ask what fragrance I am wearing! I highly recommend this product. — 4 years, 4 months agoCaroleVonAllten | 1401 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 2 people said helpful
over priced.You'll either love or hate Lush soaps. Most of the scents are very insense-like, which turns off many people. The soap is basically glycerin based, so it's inexpensive to make, yet they charge top prices, which is a bummer. They also give you issues if you ask them to cut smaller, more affordable pieces. I've only found one nice scent, Sexy Peel, which fills my bathroom with fresh lemon scent. The...read moreir frag is very strong, so expect your adjacent room to smell like it too. The cleansing and foaming is as expected of glycerin soaps, which is pretty good with no residues. — 7 years, 10 months agoMakeupGuru | 444 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 8 people said helpful
great!Long lasting, gentle but thorough cleaning..love it! — 8 years, 4 months agobrassa | 447 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 3 people said helpful
Some things to keep in mindI've tried so many of Lush's soaps that it's impossible to review each one, but I can offer some tips and say that on average I've been very happy, happy enough to go back time and again to these pricey little slices of luxury. Don't let Lush's hippy persona fool you, they sell luxury bath and body products and their soaps are no exception. Everything is handmade with the finest ingredients, and i...read moret shows--in both product quality and the price tag. Here's some things to keep in mind when buying Lush soaps, The creamy, opaque soaps lather poorly and disappear faster, and they generally smell sweet. The non-opaque (I wouldn't quite call them clear) soaps come in a wide range of fragrances and last longer. You can make any Lush soap last much longer by letting it cure for a couple of weeks (leaving it exposed to the air). I cure my soaps on the shelf above my bed so I can enjoy their aroma while they await their move to the bathroom. Any of the soaps with "stuff" in them (seeds, pumice, coconut shreds, etc.) offer exfoliation. They can also clog up your pipes if you live in a fussy old house, so I shower with a drain catch. — 7 years, 11 months agoteshie | 396 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 8 people said helpful
Melts faster than butter on a Texas afternoonOkay all of these smell awesome. Just plain awesome. I wish we can review every individual one rather than all at once..The creamier ones like Alkmaar melt much faster but moisturize more. The more clearer ones like Extra Virgin Olive, Angel's Delight, or Ice Blue don't melt as fast but are more dying. Plus Extra Virgin Olive has TWIGS in it! Ouch! The bottom line is a full chunk never lasts me ov...read moreer a month, and that's with keep it super dry in between showers so it's not worth it. Also makes me feel like a rubber chicken after using it. — 9 years, 2 months agoRavenLoudspeakr | 301 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 3 people said helpful
Depends on the bar...Lush soaps kind of run the gamut. Some of them are amazing and some of them aren't very good so it is worth trying out a few to find what works for your skin. I have dry skin and really like Figs & Leaves, and Honey I Washed the Kids. If you are buying from a Lush store it could be worth it to ask the sales people to let you try a couple before you make your purchase. They usually have sin...read moreks and buckets of water so you can grab a sliver and wash your hands with it. They also have some awesome holiday soaps that only come out for a limited time. Overall, I really like Lush soaps for their unusual scents and quality. They are a bit pricey but if you shop around you can find the perfect bar for yourself. — 8 years, 4 months agoTwoBirds | 284 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 2 people said helpful
I love Lush!This soap is another fantastic addition to the Lush line. I love Lush products in general and when I use them, I feel super pampered! — 8 years, 4 months agochanceuxlilas | 326 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 2 people said helpful
I love the soapThere is a bubblegum one that they have or used to have that I really love! — 1 year, 10 months agoRealPrincessMel | 111 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
Loved it at first but not after a whileInitially I loved the lush soaps. After touching and smelling the entire range I bought the honey one. It smells and looks yummy. It was nice and gentle and cleaned well. However, after about 5 weeks of use it started to dry my skin just like regular store brand soaps and body washes. For the price I expect better. Will not buy again. — 4 years, 1 month agomagictheatre | 75 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
Eh...not worth itI received a LUSH soap and bath bomb for Christmas in one of their specialty gift arrangements. I haven't used the bath bomb so I don't know how that rates but the soap is in a word "okay". It's really nothing special besides the fun shape, smell and colors they used to make it. I know for a fact that the ingredient used to keep all soap in its shape is drying so that alone is a reason why I ne...read morever use bar soap but since it was a gift and I had it in the bathroom, I used it nonetheless. The smell of the one I received was sort of bubblegum and fruit mixed together, which I did not like at all. It was in a star shape which was difficult to use to wash my body/shave my legs. Plus, it only lasted about a weeks worth of uses. I've been into a LUSH store before and I know these soaps aren't cheap so the cost per use ratio makes this soap an expensive choice. It's really not worth it so I'll just stick to drugstore body washes — 4 years, 5 months agovespermartini | 5 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
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My Reasons for Reporting This


text:
Hi all,
total newbie here looking for some advice on what I should be looking for to manipulate data/sound, hmm this is a big ask and far harder to explain than I thought.
Ok, Im using an open souce software program called OBD Gauge on a pocket pc, I have 3 data streams (figures or frequencies) that I need to run and mix through an audio engine which needs to play a looping Wav/mp3 (car engine) to 1 of the frequencies and also have the ability to vary in tone/volume/pitch by the other 2 data streams ie, throttle position and car speed.. with the ability to also trigger or loop additional Wav/mp3 files such as ie, a turbo dump valve Wav.
Am I correct in thinking that I need to find an open source audio engine and somehow make it able to plug in to the gauge software Any suggestions on what direction I should go?
Many thanks in advance..
I don't know if it would work inside of your application but you can play around with the idea in Pure Data Extended. it's open source but it requires an OOP mindset. Don't let that worry you though, you don't need to know any languages, you just need to learn how to use the objects properly. The interface is very similar to Unreal Kismet.
LINK: http://puredata.info/
Thanks for the link, I'll have a look..
It's really nice job. Thanks.
Seems a complex work... send us a couple of examples when you've completed the job.


text:
AN animal charity has been saved from the brink of closure thanks to generous shoppers in Amblecote.
Wellcat Cat Rescue, which takes in cats and kittens from Stourbridge and the surrounding areas, was in financial difficulty last year due to rising vet and food bills.
To ease the burden, Sainsbury's supermarket in Amblecote arranged for a collection bin to be placed behind its checkouts, allowing customers to donate cat and kitten food for the charity.
Since then, the Quinton based charity, which is totally reliant on public support, has managed to stay afloat.
Pauline Beasley, who founded the charity in 1987 said she was overwhelmed by the support.
She said: "People are still struggling to pay their own food bills and to dig deeper into their pockets for cat food is an amazing show of kindness.
"I would really like to thank the store and its customers for their generosity.
"Running a cat rescue is very expensive. Our vets' bills alone are £2,500 a month. But not having to buy so much food has really helped us to get back on our feet."
Store manager, Kevin Healy, added: "We are delighted to have played a major role in helping a local charity. This store is very community minded and we are proud that our customers are always so ready and willing to help support good causes close to their hearts."


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A SECOND driver has appeared in court charged with causing a crash on the East Lancs Road that claimed the lives of a young couple.
Steven Ward, aged 25, of South Avenue, Swinton, appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court this morning to face two charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
Ward, who wore a maroon hooded top and tracksuit bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name and address.
He appeared to walk into the dock with a limp and had cuts on his face.
Two men attended the short hearing to support Ward.
Mike Cahill, defending Ward, made no bail application as the defendant was remanded in custody and asked for the case to be sent to Manchester Crown Court.
John Montrose Cooper, chairman of the bench, adjourned the case and referred it to Manchester Crown Court.
Ward is the second driver to be charged over the crash; Carl David Wood, aged 27, of St James Street, Farnworth, was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving yesterday.
He was remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester Crown Court with Ward on July 8.
The charges relate to a car crash at about 5pm on Sunday, when 19-year-old Aaron Jones and his girlfriend, 22-year-old mother-of-one Amy Hobson, were killed.
Mr Jones died at the scene and his girlfriend died later in hospital.
Anyone with information can call the police's serious collision investigation Unit on 0161 8564741.


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Verlander's status won't be clear until next week
DETROIT -- Justin Verlander got the reinforcement he wanted from other doctors that his shoulder soreness appears limited to inflammation. Whether he can avoid a stint on the disabled list is the next question, and that might not be clear until the middle of next week.
"Right now, he's not going to pick up a ball until at least Tuesday," manager Brad Ausmus said. "From there, it could go in a number of directions."
The Tigers will go with four starters for the time being, using Monday's off-day as a way to skip Verlander's spot. Max Scherzer will start Tuesday's series opener at Tampa Bay on four days' rest rather than getting an extra day, followed by Rick Porcello and David Price.
The Tigers don't need a fifth starter until next Saturday's day-night doubleheader at Minnesota. They can use the 26th player rule to call up a starter from the minors for one of those games. If Verlander can't go, they'll either have to call somebody else up or start Scherzer and Porcello on short rest the next couple of days.
At that point, it would be far more likely the Tigers would put Verlander on the 15-day DL, since they could backdate it and call up another pitcher from the system.
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. Matt Slovin contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Quantum Optoplasmonics
Nanometer-sized materials represent a natural size limit of the miniaturization trend of current technology, and they exhibit physical and chemical properties significantly different from their bulk counterparts. The Park group is exploring these materials to develop solid-state photonic, optoelectronic, and plasmonic devices that work all the way down to the single photon level. Some examples of these devices include single-photon transistors, electrically driven surface plasmon lasers, and on-chip plasmon sources and detectors. These devices, whose operation is critically dependent upon quantum mechanical principles, may enable all-optical computing and provide the basis for solid-state quantum information processing.
Nano-Bio Interfaces
The Park group is also developing new nanoscale tools for interrogating living cells and cell networks. We developed a vertical nanowire platform that can deliver diverse biological effectors into virtually any cell type, and are actively applying the platform to interrogate intracellular circuits that dictate the functions of primary immune cells. Using the same vertical nanowires, we also developed a highly scalable platform for recording and stimulating real-time dynamics of complex neuronal ensembles and are using this tool to study the inner workings of the brain. More recently, we developed a pipeline for single-cell transcriptomics that is applicable to a broad range of cell types, and are using it to study the cell-to-cell variability of immune, cancer, and neuron cells.


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Alphabet Earring Holder
No longer available
- Overview
Choose a favorite initial to give your jewelry display a personal touch. With plenty of spots for all your favorites, this holder becomes a fanciful piece for your get-ready space.
- 7.5" diameter, 10" high
- Expertly crafted of steel.
- Features 170 places to hang jewelry.
- Hand-applied white finish.
- Dimensions + Care
- Overall: 7.5" diameter, 10" high
- Bowl: 7.5" diameter
- Wipe with a soft, dry cloth.
- Avoid household cleaners and abrasives.
- Shipping Info
This item will arrive in 3-5 business days. Please proceed to the Payment & Review page of Checkout for a precise delivery estimate.


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If you have an instrument from Yamaha, select the Yamaha box, and if you have an instrument of another brand select the GM box. If you want to browse the audio products select MP3.
Above you can search for a title or an artist. You can also search for all titles from a given artist by clicking on the artist name in the product list below.


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Sherwood Regional Library Temporarily Closed
Fairfax County Office of Public
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
June 14, 2005
Sherwood Regional Library Temporarily Closed
The Sherwood branch of the Fairfax County Public Library will close at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, and is scheduled to reopen at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 16. The building, which is located at 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane in Alexandria, is being closed because of needed repairs to the air-conditioning system. Residents are encouraged to call the branch at 703-765-3645, TTY 711 before visiting on Thursday, or check the library's Web page: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library.
The Sherwood branch averages almost 27,000 visits from the public per
month. Residents who have books to return can deposit them in the
library's book drop. Those who are interested in other library services
can visit the nearby Martha Washington branch, located at 6614 Fort Hunt
Road in Alexandria.


text: Double trouble from GW By Rick Ryan November 20, 2013 Story Share Chip Ellis GW's Draven Riffe has rushed for 1,672 yards and 21 touchdowns despite missing three-plus games due to an ankle injury. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In some strange way, Draven Riffe's nagging ankle injury could prove to be a pain in Huntington's preparation for Friday's Class AAA quarterfinal at Bob Sang Stadium.Riffe, a senior and the leading rusher for George Washington, has missed about 31/2 games because of his ankle, which prompts the Patriots to insert fellow senior Jacob Jackson into the lineup as the lead ball-carrier.Because the two are different sorts of runners - but both productive -the No. 1 Highlanders (11-0) might not know just what they'll be seeing when they line up against No. 8 GW (9-2) Friday night at 7:30.Riffe, more of a slashing, between-the-tackles back, has run for 1,672 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, while the shifty Jackson, who makes use of cutback lanes and his ability to make tacklers miss, has gained 1,270 yards with 15 TDs."I don't know how many problems people worry about or we cause people,'' said GW coach Steve Edwards Jr. "We're just fortunate we have the opportunity to have both of them back there. Both have produced real well and the offensive line has done a real good job."It's all keyed on what's happening up front. If we do our jobs, those guys are capable of doing their jobs with the football. That's the nuts and bolts of it. I don't know if people worry about what we do one way or the other. We feel good about having both proven, quality backs either way we go.''Highlanders coach Billy Seals notes that GW's plan of attack doesn't change according to who lines up in the backfield - the Patriots still want to hammer the ball downfield. But the angle it comes from varies."Schematically, they still want to do similar things,'' Seals said, "whether it's Riffe or Jackson on the field."Riffe is more of a north-south runner, a kid who we feel once he gets his shoulders square is a tough, tough running back to get down. Whereas Jackson is more of a scatback - the kid's pretty elusive and has a little more quickness than the Riffe kid. Both have been very, very good for them, and everything starts up front with those monsters on the offensive line.''Perhaps as a ruse, perhaps not, but GW started last week's first-round playoff game against Oak Hill with both Riffe and Jackson flanking quarterback Jon Alexander in the shotgun formation. That formation lasted the first series, then Riffe took over as the lead runner until aggravating his ankle injury midway into the third quarter. Jackson then came into the game and finished out as the tailback, throwing the winning touchdown pass on a trick play in overtime of a 21-14 win.Riffe is expected to return for Friday's game, Edwards said, along with lineman Jack Skidmore, who has also been sidelined with an injury.Edwards said the two-back formation was "a different look,'' and hinted that the Patriots could use it again."If we'd have had a dry surface [Friday night], you might have seen more of that,'' Edwards said. "Those are the kinds of things you work on, and you got to see it a little bit. You never know if you're going to see it again or not."We're happy with both young men and they're good with it - all they want to do is win, and they're willing to do whatever it takes. That's the refreshing thing about this whole ballclub - they do whatever it takes.'' Huntington's defense, however, has been one of the top units in the state all season, allowing only 14 touchdowns in 11 games and holding potent playoff teams like Capital, Cabell Midland, South Charleston, Spring Valley and Hurricane well under their scoring averages."We've challenged our kids up front,'' Seals said. "We feel that GW is one of the better teams we've played on the offensive line. We've challenged our defense this week to play the best we can."It's a big challenge for us, and a big challenge for our program. We're excited about the opportunity to play GW at Huntington High. We haven't played GW since 2004. It's been a long time, and we're excited about playing one of the premier programs in the state. Year in and year out, their program has a chance to make it to Wheeling because of their good coaching.''Reach Rick Ryan at 304-348-5175 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Deer in 8 WV counties found dead from EHD 2 Philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum of Shoney's fortune turns 100 3 New company planning $73M synthetic fuel plant in Greenbrier County 4 On file: Sept. 24, 2017 5 WVU law professor announces run for Congress Mountaineers still dealing with short bench vs. Georgia Southern Previous Story Herd looking to bounce back vs. Stephen F. Austin Next Story


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#1: Minimalist work for wavy hair
I have done the gels, the cream, the mag sulfate. Not really happy with any of it, except occ Biotera Gel. Recently I have shampooed with Garnier Sleek and Shine Shampoo (it does have a cone in it), GVP CB as RO and a lot of GVP CB as LI, diffuse a little and my hair waves up like crazy and am getting satisfactory 3rd and 4th day hair with finger combing alone.


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Lettings agency Connells in Halesowen is urging landlords, buy-to-let investors and tenants to choose their lettings agency wisely in the wake of calls for regulation of lettings agents by Shadow Housing Minister Jack Dromey.
However, rather than advocating further red tape and legislation, Connells is advising landlords and tenants to opt for a lettings agent that is self-regulating with a proven track record and processes.
According to Lettings Manager Mike Ferrier, anyone with property to let or those looking for rental accommodation should ask their lettings agent a number of key questions.
"I would encourage anyone looking for lettings services to ask what lettings qualifications the branch staff have and what services they offer in addition to simply matching tenants with properties," he said.
"Connells offers a wide range of lettings services to protect both the landlord and tenant and are internally regulated by a central, dedicated Compliance and Legal Services team, not to mention being a member of The Property Ombudsman Service (TPOS) for residential lettings."
He added: "Our professional inventory service, for example, which is completed by a third-party company, offers all parties peace of mind and we comply with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme so deposits are protected in the instance of a dispute."
Connells is also advising anyone looking for lettings services to consider the range of services an agency can offer.
According to the local agent, matching tenants to properties should be just one aspect of a fully comprehensive lettings service covering property management, rent processing, repairs and maintenance management, day-to-day contact with tenants, vacant property services, professional inventories, check in and out procedures, deposit protection schemes, landlords and tenant insurance and much more.
Connells Lettings in Halesowen can be contacted on 0121 504 0809 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Less than two months after attempted murder charges were dropped against a Marin County personal trainer accused of trying to throw his wife off the San Mateo Bridge, the Mill Valley father of three was sentenced to probation and released from jail Friday.
Xavier McClinton, 48, was sentenced to five years supervised probation and 104 hours of domestic violence counseling for the Dec. 13 incident his defense maintained was a "paranoid episode." McClinton's wife, who was rescued by Good Samaritans and does not remember much of the incident, said she still loves the man prosecutors alleged tried to kill her and told the court she did not wish to see him serve time in jail.
"We had a victim that was reluctant, and still wanting to be in contact with him," Wagstaffe said of the DA's decision to drop the attempted murder charge. "It was decided by my prosecutor to find the middle ground."
McClinton pleaded guilty April 7 to the lesser charge of felony domestic violence on condition he would receive a maximum seven years in prison. In addition to probation, counseling and psychiatric treatment, he was ordered to pay a $400 fine to the Battered Women's Fund and $200 to a domestic violence shelter.
McClinton's wife testified her husband was hearing voices during their car ride down the Peninsula, and was convinced that someone was trying to hurt them. He began driving erratically and warned "If I go down, you go down," a statement prosecutors interpreted as a threat.
The defense argued it was his reason for not stopping -- he thought "they" would get his wife, too.
"He wasn't Xavier. He was someone else," his wife testified. "I didn't know what he was going to do."
Multiple witnesses said the pair were in "mutual combat" with arms flailing as the car swerved in and out of lanes. The woman grabbed the wheel to crash the car and "end the situation," hitting the left guard rail before ricocheting across all lanes.
McClinton got out and lifted his wife across lanes of traffic, holding her in his arms as he tried to fall backward over the rail. Bystanders pulled her to safety as McClinton fell 15-20 feet into the water, where he remained for about 30 minutes before he was found clinging to a pier.
While McClinton suffered no major injuries, his wife received a major gash to her face that required extensive suturing. She told investigators she could not remember how she acquired the wound.
McClinton's attorney, Anthony Brass, said his client was aware he suffered from paranoid episodes that were escalating, and that he called police two days before his arrest to request a mental evaluation. He was sent home after authorities determined he was not a threat.
The man had been taking psychiatric medication for one day when the incident occurred, he said. Forensic psychologist William French testified in February that McClinton does suffer from bipolar disorder and paranoia.
McClinton was released from jail Friday, and will immediately begin serving out the terms of his probation, Wagstaffe said. The man returned to his family's Mill Valley home after nearly six months behind bars in San Mateo County.


text:
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Now, let's get started:
Q: What is your favorite fast food?
A: When I'm here in Winnipeg--Subway; in California In-N-Out; and when I'm in Utah Cafe-Rio (actually not sure that qualifies as a "fast food" restaurant.
Q: What food could you eat every day for 2 weeks and not get sick of?
A: Besides chocolate, I would have to say grapes or cantalopue.
Q: Pizza Toppings of Choice?
A: Mushroom and Cheese
Q: What is currently on your computer wallpaper?
A: A picture of Allan and I with our kids in Hawaii.
Q: How many TVs are in your house?
A: Too many--especially considering there are only two of us in the house.
Q: Are you a Righty or Lefty?
A: Righty
Q: When was the last time you had a cavity?
A: A few months ago.
Q: Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A: Yes, when I walked into an airplane wing. I was working at the Naval Air Station in Alameda and was walking through one of the hangars and turned and walked right into a wing. I had two lovely black eyes.
Q: What color do you think looks best on you?
A: Red
Q: Have you ever saved some one's life?
A: Nope.
Q: Has someone saved yours?
A: Absolutely.
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: In my bathrobe--nothing in my pocket.
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I think so.
Q: Last run in with the cops?
A: I'd have to say when I got a speeding ticket going 65 km in a 50 km zone--stupid radar guns. But just for fun I have to tell you about the time my sister and I were riding in the car with a couple of guys and got pulled over and questioned BIG TIME. I mean the guys were standing outside of the car with their hands on top of the car (like "put your hands up"). Anyway, I guess a similar car was involved in some kind of trouble and they were just checking us out. Kind of scary.
Q: Last person to call you?
A: Kyle called to talk to his dad.
Q: Last person you hugged?
A: Hubby this morning when he left for a business trip.
Q: Number?
A: Number 1, of course,--"because if you're not first you're last" ; )
Q: Season?
A: Fall
Q: Mood?
A: Happy.
Q: Listening to?
A: Commentators on the Olympics.
Q: Watching?
A: The Olympics.
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Same place I go every morning--o the bathroom.
Q: Last movie you saw?
A: "Valentines Day"
Q: Do you smile often?
A: You betcha.
23 comments:
- Heffalump said...
I always like to see people's answers to these kinds of things.
- February 17, 2010 at 10:33 PM
- The Garden of Egan said...
Very cute! Great to get to know ya better!
I love it.
- February 17, 2010 at 11:20 PM
- Connie said...
How fun to get to know you better!
- February 17, 2010 at 11:32 PM
- ShEiLa said...
'the' -ology idea was very cute. Maybe I will have to copy your idea and answer those ?'s tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing Miss Yvonne.
- February 17, 2010 at 11:33 PM
- glittersmama said...
I loved your last answer. It made me smile. Thanks for that.
- February 17, 2010 at 11:35 PM
- Carrot Jello said...
I have not read one person's "ology" that has said they are left handed. Maybe left handed people don't do this. Either that, or they don't blog.
Maybe I'm the only left handed blogger in the world!
Hey, I think I just found my niche.
- February 17, 2010 at 11:47 PM
- Cherie said...
I loved reading all of the "ology" . The black eyes...ouch!
The nickname is super cute!!!
- February 18, 2010 at 6:27 AM
- txmommy said...
me too, I like to see peoples answers. It's fun:)
- February 18, 2010 at 8:09 AM
- aurora said...
Fun to hear these answers!
- February 18, 2010 at 8:23 AM
- Lei said...
Loved reading this!
- February 18, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- chellie said...
Very fun!
Although I think I knew all of the answer! ;-) I must pay attention! I even knew your nickname.
- February 18, 2010 at 10:04 AM
- Chantel said...
Very neat to read. What an interesting idea.
- February 18, 2010 at 10:44 AM
- Macy said...
Cute. I liked reading through this.
- February 18, 2010 at 11:24 AM
- JustRandi said...
two black eyes? OUCH!
My favorite answer is the last one!!
- February 18, 2010 at 1:11 PM
- Lt. Col. Samantha Carter said...
I always thought "Onnie" was a "Grandma" replacement! Like Oma, or Nonnie, or Nana. Loved leaning more about you!!!
- February 18, 2010 at 2:35 PM
- Sheri said...
that was fun!! I love those kinds of quizzes!!
- February 18, 2010 at 2:54 PM
- aubrey said...
i love these things! and i'm glad you told about where onnie came from!
- February 18, 2010 at 8:47 PM
- Melissa said...
Was Valentines Day any good? I've heard mixed things about it...
Loved the answers to the questions... I too head straight to the bathroom every morning ;)
- February 19, 2010 at 12:09 AM
- Small House said...
Onnie's a cute name. My brother called me SaSa for years because he couldn't pronounce Sandra.
I enjoy reading your answers. I got a kick out of the first place you went this morning. That didn't cross my mind. I was thinking, the bus stop, work. FUNNY!
Have a great day.
- February 19, 2010 at 11:08 AM
- Valerie said...
Thanks, Onnie!
This was fun! Now that you and Lt. Samantha Carter have done this, maybe I'll join in!
- February 19, 2010 at 11:13 AM
- brown paper packages said...
I loved reading this!!
- February 19, 2010 at 11:55 AM
- Klin said...
So glad you played. Two black eyes! OUCH!!!
I could probably eat cantaloupe and grapes for a month! I didn't even think about them.
I love your smile so I am so glad you smile often.
- February 19, 2010 at 10:33 PM
- mindyluwho said...
Fun post! I love your nick-name!
- February 20, 2010 at 4:24 AM


text:
These friends of Cigar Aficionado were there at the beginning in 1992, and they are still working with cigars today.
(continued from page 2)
The contributors to this section represent the veterans who've been with us through the entire saga. Some are manufacturers. Some are growers. Some are retailers. There are many, many others who have come and gone. And, there are a few, mostly outside the United States, who aren't represented here. But we chose these people with great care and thought, as well as a real appreciation for their support over the years.
Ricardo Alarcón
As president of Cuba's National Assembly for the last 19 years, Ricardo Alarcón has seen the shift in attitudes in smoking cigars inside his own country. But cigars are his constant companions. It's been that way for 60 years. "The first cigar I smoked was a Bauza," he says. The 75-year-old government official says he laments the widespread restrictions on smoking and recalls that there were days when diplomatic receptions included cigar smoking, but not anymore. One of his favorite stories occurred in Canada, when a Cuban friend of his commented that he couldn't believe the number of streetwalkers lurking outside buildings. He had to tell him that they were not prostitutes, but smokers who had been banished to the sidewalks to smoke. To this day, he is a lover of a great cigar, as he smoked throughout a recent interview. He says he loves to have friends who smoke over to his house to share cigars and a good Scotch. Alarcón also is virtually the last high-ranking Cuban government official who attends every Festival de Habanos, the big annual cigar event in Havana. "I always find those events very interesting to talk with people about cigars." —Gordon D. Mott
David Berkebile
David Berkebile has worked around cigars for 48 years, but he wasn't always an expert. "It was mostly a pipe business when I started. When I opened up I had very few cigars, didn't know much about them," says the owner of Washington, D.C.'s, Georgetown Tobacco. At the time that he opened, pipes made up half of his business, but now that's dipped to 10 percent. Cigar sales have dominated. Berkebile has seen a dramatic change in the role of the cigar shop owner in the past 20 years. "The real growth is in cigar lounges. People that get in the cigar industry today better be a restaurateur." Instead of simply purchasing a cigar and leaving, people tend to buy and linger, as there are fewer places to smoke. And as antismoking legislation has grown in recent years, Berkebile has seen the cigar industry gather together on the political front, quite unlike in the past. "In the old days, we couldn't find a handful of people to go to Washington," he says. —David Savona
Curt Diebel
"If you take my best 12 months, from July 1995 through June 1996, I literally doubled my business every month," says Curt Diebel, the owner of Diebel's Sportsman's Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, adding that he resorted to hiding his inventory so he could save cigars for regulars. The irony is he had previously closed two stores in the four-store family operation he joined in 1975, diversifying into gifts and dropping the word "tobacconist" to entice customers who wouldn't normally venture into a cigar store. "All of a sudden, '92, '94 comes around, and I say I'm the dumbest guy in the world—I don't have 'cigars' in my name," says Diebel with a laugh. No matter—customers came in droves. Sales are far more relaxed now, and while they aren't booming, they are steady. "The base that grew out of the boom never really eroded," he says. —D.S.
José Abel Expósito Díaz
José Abel Expósito Díaz has seen a steady stream of celebrities visit the cozy, low-ceilinged, wood-paneled VIP lounge since he started in 1993 at the Partagás Factory store, a shop that he's managed since 1995. He remembers Jack Nicholson coming in to smoke four days in a row during one trip to Havana. Gerard Depardieu spent a New Year's Eve day in the lounge and kept buying cigars to win the prize for the biggest purchase of the day. He remembers his biggest single sale on January 16th, 1998—$132,000 worth of cigars. But he says his most memorable moment in the cigar business came in 1999 when he was given the Habanos Man of the Year award for Commerce. Cuban President Fidel Castro was present for the gala dinner at the Festival de Habanos. "It was very emotional for me," says Abel, as he is known. "I'm not famous though. Cigars are what are famous." —G.D.M
Carlos Fuente Sr. and Carlos Fuente Jr.
Carlos Fuente Sr. and Carlos Fuente Jr. are the father-son team behind Arturo Fuente and Fuente Fuente OpusX cigars. They are arguably the most famous cigarmakers in the world, the principals behind a cigar company that is celebrating its 100th year in 2012, and one that makes more than 30 million cigars a year, all of them by hand. The first 80 years were extremely lean, with a temporary closing and several fires. The company thrived over the past 20 years, thanks to the work of the two men. "I've been working since I was eight years old," says the 77-year-old Fuente Sr., who willed himself to do every job imaginable in a factory and once went three weeks straight without leaving his office. His determined son strived to do things that most thought impossible, such as growing great wrapper tobacco in the Dominican Republic. Fuente Jr. believes the 1990s boom only improved the cigar world. "The boom was the best thing that ever happened to the industry," says Fuente Jr. "There were only five or six people making cigars before the boom." —D.S.
Julio Eiroa
For Julio Eiroa, the cigar boom meant changes in sales and market niche and eventually the character of the cigars he made. His company, Caribe Imported Cigars, formed in Miami in 1989, began as a big-volume-low-profit business, especially in south Florida. Eiroa had a cheap cigar known as Don Felo, which he sold in Miami cafeterias for 33 cents apiece. Before the 1990s, Eiroa was happy making two to three million cigars a year, then came the cigar boom. Production soared to 18 million cigars by 1997, the company's best year ever, with $17 million in revenues, compared with $120,000 in 1989. Eiroa worked for more than a decade alongside his son Christian, who wanted to make strong cigars while Julio wanted them smooth. "I don't like full-bodied cigars. They're too strong for me. I always go for the cigar that you can smoke five or 10 cigars a day," he says. Nevertheless, they each developed their own profiles of their best-known brand, Camacho. While the Eiroas sold their brands and cigar factory to the Davidoff group in 2008, Julio still grows tobacco in Honduras in his beloved Jamastran Valley, which borders Nicaragua. —D.S.
Mike Giannini
Mike Giannini felt like a fish out of water when he took a job as a cigar clerk 30 years ago in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. He was only 21, and his love of cigars seemed alien to his friends. "I was the only young guy smoking cigars. My friends said, 'Who are you—George Burns?' " The early start has led Giannini up the ladder of the cigar industry rung by rung, moving him from shop clerk to store owner, then salesman and national sales manager of La Gloria Cubana cigars. Early this year Giannini moved into his current role as head of new product development for General Cigar Co., trying to stretch the bounds of cigar tradition with such innovation as the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco, a cigar modeled after a Santiago, Dominican Republic, monument. Even if 20 years ago friends questioned his foray into the cigar business, today he entertains the crowds at the Big Smoke, teaching the delicate art of making cigars to cigar aficionados. —D.S.
Antonio Hevea
In 1994, Antonio Hevea was sent to Paris to open the Casa del Habano on the Boulevard St. Germain. In the shop on opening day, he was approached by Cigar Aficionado's editor and publisher, Marvin R. Shanken. He remembers chatting with him, and then being asked, "Are you coming to the Dinner of the Century tomorrow night." Hevea responded, "Only if you buy me a ticket." With that, he was invited, and he spent the next 24 hours finding a tuxedo before attending one of the greatest cigar dinners of all time. For the 76-year-old Hevea, the dinner was a high point in a lifetime in cigars. He had began by working in the Por Larrañaga factory in 1958 as a coffee boy before becoming an accountant at various cigar factories and at Cubatabaco, the country's tobacco monopoly. He opened the first cigar shop attached to a cigar factory (at Partagás in downtown Havana) in 1991. And, in 1999 he opened the Casa del Habano in the Hotel Conde de Villanueva in Old Havana, where he still holds court from time to time. —G.D.M.
Hendrik Kelner
Hendrik "Henke" Kelner looks back on the business in two primary phases—before Cigar Aficionado and afterward. When he was the president of Tabadom in 1992, the company was exporting 7 million premium cigars a year, most of which were under the Davidoff brand name. ProCigar (the Dominican Republic's consortium of premium cigar manufacturers) had just been formed, but Kelner recalls: "Cigar exports to the U.S. were stagnant. For many years it was considered to be a business with no future. It was not an attractive business, had little innovation and the consumers were poorly informed. Cigar Aficionado created a culture around the pleasure and art of smoking. This lead to what was called the cigar boom in the United States. It later spread to the rest of the world." Kelner, now master blender for Davidoff of Geneva, has developed new kinds of tobacco and blends as a result of the boom that include such varieties as Dominican Corojo, and cross-seed Ecuadoran hybrids. —Gregory Mottola
Chuck Levi
While Chuck Levi, owner of Chicago's Iwan Ries & Co., the second-oldest cigar shop in America, has, of course, not been there for the entire 155-year history of the store founded in 1857, he nominates the epoch begun 20 years ago as its period of greatest change. Levi saw cigar sales pick up steam and his pipe-heavy business transform. "We expanded the cigar department," he says. "We added a lot of space to cigars." He also admits to being confounded by the steady stream of new products, which have spawned a new kind of customer who clamors for innovation and is far less brand-loyal. "Every third customer asks, 'What's new since I was here last.' It keeps us on our toes." As the changes continue, Levi has added a large smoking lounge to the store, which he says is "the only place you can smoke cigars after five o'clock in downtown Chicago." —D.S.
Guillermo León
It was two years before Guillermo León would start running his family's La Aurora S.A. cigar factory, but León remembers 1992 very well. At the time, his father Fernando was heading up the operation while Guillermo was focused on logistics. Cigars were a secondary commodity for the León family. "The industry was flat," says León. "We had a strong and steady local business here in the Dominican Republic, but things were quiet. Especially at the RTDA [now called the IPCPR] trade show. Then, with Cigar Aficionado, cigars were shown in the magazine along with very expensive luxury items, so there became great interest." Then La Aurora was producing primarily two premium cigars for the U.S. market—León Jimenes and La Aurora. The boom followed shortly after and León says: "The demand was unbelievable, but there were a lot of problems too. It didn't happen right away. The magazine came out, and shortly after, everything was crazy." —G.M.
Robert Levin
Robert Levin has seen his business transform over the past 20 years from a focus on retail to becoming a nationwide brand. The Ashton brand, which he launched in 1985, was growing but still small in 1992, while most of his revenues came from Holt's, his retail shop in Philadelphia. Today, that has reversed, and wholesaling Ashton and the other brands his company owns is by far his biggest segment. "The magazine really changed the way people buy cigars," he explains. "Before Cigar Aficionado, people would be brand loyal, come in once a week for cigars. Now, they come in with the ratings and they want to try a bunch of different brands." All Ashtons are made by the Fuentes, and the Levin and Fuente families are close. Levin's son, Sathya spent a month with the Fuentes as a youngster to learn the art of cigarmaking from the ground up. Now, at 31, Sathya is increasingly involved in Ashton. "Sathya's really running [the business] now," says Levin. "He's coming up with all the new stuff, all the new brands, all the new sizes." —D.S.
Benjamin Menendez
Twenty years ago, Benjamin Menendez's hands were full overseeing the General Cigar Co. factories in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. General was owned by the Cullman family and Menendez's focus was not on creating new cigars but on maintaining such well-established brands as Macanudo and Partagás. He worked with Alfons Mayer ensuring the requisite tobaccos were properly conditioned. "And then things changed," Mendendez, now General Cigar's senior vice president, recalls. "Cigar Aficionado came and changed the premium cigar category forever. Without question, the magazine started the boom and the market developed around it." Premium cigars, he says, were demystified and this led to the creation of many new brands. "I'm proud to say that Partagás and Macanudo and have stood the test of time."
Ana López Garcia
Ana López, the current director of marketing operations for Habanos, S.A., remembers 1992 very well; she was in charge of the 500th anniversary celebrations of the discovery of Cuba, which included the launch of the Linea 1492 and the Cohiba Siglo line. She also remembers hearing about Cigar Aficionado during a meeting with Marvin R. Shanken: "We were excited by a magazine dedicated to cigars." Surveying her 37 years experience, López notes a marketing shift in the last 20 years: "The events, the tastings …the way celebrities got in involved, was fundamental in changing the way people see cigars, as part of a legend, as an art." Some favorite memories involve Alejandro Robaina, the renowned tobacco grower. "I remember him in the fields, I remember introducing to him the brand with his name on it. And, I remember when he came to Havana to talk with us about the brand, and his thoughts about what we were doing. This image of a humble man to be involved with one of our products was a beautiful thing." —G.D.M.
Enrique Mons
Enrique Mons claims he is personally responsible for more than $23 million in retail cigars sales, from his time as the first director of the Quinta Avenida and 16th Street La Casa del Habano, which he opened in Havana in 1989, to his own Casa del Habano at Club Habana, which he started in 1999. That averages out to more than $1 million a year in cigar sales during that period. "Cigars have brought me everything, from the people I've met, the countries I've visited, the hotels I've stayed in. What is a Habanos cigar to me? I couldn't have done those things any other way." He says he's spent 40 years in the cigar business because of the love he has for it. He came from a tobacco family, worked as tobacco selection man in a factory in Pinar del Río and then moved to Havana in 1959, where he trained as a roller for two years before working at the Heroes del Moncada and José Piedra factories. In 1971, he became a quality control director for Cubatabaco, where he spent 18 years. Then, in 1989, he launched the first Casa del Habano. —G.D.M.
Eric and Bobby Newman
Eric Newman was president of Tampa-based J. C. Newman in 1992, a company started by his grandfather in 1895. His younger brother, Bobby, was vice president. Eric recalls striving to grow in a declining market: "Smoke shops, cigar manufacturers and tobacco growers were all struggling, experiencing falling sales and shrinking margins, especially for premium cigars. The cigar business wasn't a lot of fun back then." Bobby recalls the instant buzz in the business once Cigar Aficionado released its first issue. "Cigars became the hottest commodity around. It seemed that just about every movie star and famous athlete wanted their own cigar named after them. Overnight, 100 factories opened up in the Dominican Republic and Honduras by people wanting to get rich quick. The price of tobacco was being insanely bid up, doubling every six months. A mediocre cigar maker in an established factory one day could be hired away by a new factory to be their factory manager the next day. It was a crazy time to be in the cigar industry." —G.M.
José Orland and Jorge Padrón
Padrón cigars have been made since 1964, when Cuban émigré José Orlando Padrón opened a cigar shop in Little Havana, Miami. His cigars—dark and gutsy fumas that were rolled quicky and sold very cheap—soon found a following in the local market, and were rolled in the millions. The elder Padrón endured bombings, an embargo on Nicaraguan products, hurricanes and more throughout his years, while his son Jorge saw the promise in opening up new markets. In 1994 the duo created a masterpiece, the premium-priced and elegant Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series. With their distinctive box-pressing (rare at the time) and well-aged Cuban-seed tobaccos, the cigars soon established the Padróns as a force in the market. "We're lucky," says Jorge Padrón. "My generation hasn't had to face the same problems—the fires, the bombing, the starting of a company from scratch. My challenges are all different. Improving on what has been done. It's trying to understand and appreciate what my father did, and all the sacrifices are worth it. Growing the company. Having the restraint to ensure that it doesn't get compromised." —D.S.
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