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I'm happy to announce my very first game developed with ogre3D on which I've been working for some months: Bombs & Penguins
I got inspired by a pretty fun game called "Pyoro" for DSi Ware, even though the gameplay is going to be developed in a quite different way.
Bombs&Penguins is basically an action-puzzle game where you have to avoid falling objects in each level, and try not to get hit by them.
You will also have to hit them with bombs before they destroy the platform you are standing on.
Currently the game is in a very early stage, and the full version will feature different levels and worlds to play, as well as many kinds of special items and falling objects. I might also add a multiplayer mode
I'm using different third party libraries including Particle Universe, Lua/LuaBind for gameplay scripting, pure Bullet for physics (Using BtOgre for trimesh conversion and debug drawing), MyGUI, cAudio, Cg.
Artwork is also self-made with Blender/Gimp/Inkscape because I can't afford a real artist
But I will definitely need some help with sound
Enough talk, here's some early snapshots of the game
And this is a small level editor I developed with Python/Panda3D and WxWidgets. I could have done this with ogre3d too, but I thought it would have taken much less time if I did it with Python


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The Indiana Pacers today re-assigned rookie Miles Plumlee to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers' NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment s the 46 th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while Plumlee is one of 33 NBA players to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.
Plumlee (6-11, 255, Duke) re-joins the Mad Ants having played in two games for Fort Wayne during his previous assignment when he averaged 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 28.0 minutes. He has appeared in four games for the Pacers this season, scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds in 16 minutes. Selected 26 th overall by the Pacers in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, Plumlee was a four-year member of the Blue Devils where he won an NCAA championship in 2010.
Plumlee is expected to join the Mad Ants today and be available on Friday, Dec. 14 when the team hosts the Maine Red Claws in Fort Wayne.
Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=11715#ixzz2EyW0Lgzy

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Mail: Southern statutes symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
Goat Expo set first October weekend
More Ag News
A new group plans to study housing conditions in Lincoln County, but critics do not seem to be much impressed.
Kolkman said the group does not have a board yet, but has met informally ever since a housing study was done in 2010.
John Winchell, who has pressed for better housing standards for several months, was disappointed to see "more of the same."
"The Lincoln County Housing Coalition is hardly new and was hardly successful the first time when we bought a housing study in August of 2010," Winchell said. "That (study was) 159 pages at an unknown expense to tell us what we already knew and that we did very little with."
That housing study showed that 41 percent of homes in North Platte are more than 50-years-old and 30 percent are more than 60-years-old.
In July, Nancy Striebel, the director of the Lincoln County Community Development Corporation, asked the council to add some teeth to existing city housing standards and fill some gaps in city regulations. She said the major concern is the health and safety of those who live in substandard homes.
She said the city has an ordinance that provides for a city health inspector, but a health inspector has never been appointed.
Streibel said that city standards for mobile homes, mobile home parks and rental houses are not stout enough. She said there are virtually no standards in place for mobile homes and some standards need to be improved that are in place for duplexes and apartments.
Winchell said there are no enforceable housing standards in North Platte. He said Striebel's presentation again made the problem public, but brought no action beyond hand wringing "again."
Winchell said many people volunteer time and material to make emergency repairs to housing, and the state of some of these places is unimaginable, with no sewer, no hot water, no heat and wind blowing through the building.
The houses can be inhabited by young children and elderly alike. Trash blocks access to emergency services; there are holes in roofs and electrical wiring is antiquated.
Winchell said landlords in North Platte are for the most part good property owners, but there are many who are not, and sometimes renters have no recourse.
"Many property owners are protected by incorporation or real estate companies who 'manage' their investments, so finding who owns the property can be a problem," Winchell said.
Winchell wants all rentals or commercial structures to be inspected before they are rented or leased.
If a residence does not meet minimum codes for habitation, it should be denied city services until it is improved.
"I believe we must do better," Winchell said. "Holiday food baskets last a few days. Where you live lasts a lot longer."
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


text:
I'm a huge fan of Ahahn Brahm's youtube channel.
I've thought about going on one of his meditation retreats. I live on the east coast of the United States, so I would need at least $3k just to get there and back. I have only found once review/account of what retreats of his are like. I would love to hear more. Something tells me I wouldn't get more "content" then what I already get from his books and videos. I would love to meet him, but I wouldn't know what he would say to me beyond "Hello and thank you for the compliments on my videos".


text:
Two students present paper at educators' conference
Megan Duke '14 and Valerie Toothman '14, both
teacher candidates preparing to teach mathematics, made their
presentation at a conference session titled Teaching to the Common Core K-8.
Their research centered on ways to help students understand the
mathematical concepts of median and probability, as well as how to
reinforce multiplication skills.
In their presentation, they examined how
educators can use interactive strategies to help students understand
mathematical principles, including activities with dice and cards..
They also engaged session participants in developing learning targets to
set clear goals for students, as well as breaking down skills and
concepts from the Ohio Math Common Core Standards
The conference was sponsored by the Southeast
Ohio Teacher Development Collaborative and the Coalition of Rural
Appalachian Schools, which includes Muskingum University, Marietta
College, Ohio University, Shawnee State University and The University of
Rio Grande.
Maps & Directions
Academic Affairs
Undergraduate Admission
Financial Aid
Graduate & Continuing Studies
Business Office
Academic Catalogs


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Hinrich and Thomas for Murphy, Watson and Solo.. What do you think!!
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Hinrich and Thomas for Murphy, Watson and Solo.. What do you think!!
I'd love it, but why would the Bulls even think about it?
"A man with no belly has no appetite for life."
- Salman Rushdie
I'd think the Bulls were tripping on the best LSD if they make this trade.
Murphy and Ford for Hinrich and Miller.
Maybe throw in Diener for good measure.
The way the Bulls are now, they should be listening to ANY offers other teams make, especially if a jump shooter like Murphy is involved. A team with no real post threat AND no solid shooter isn't going to go very far, as the Bulls are finding out the old-fashioned way.


text:
Animal CourseSeries teasers are where you try to complete the sequence of a series of letters, numbers or objects.
What animal completes this series?
fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat, cow, ?
HintIt isn't a swallow, of course. The title is also a hint.
These are all the animals swallowed by the old lady in the nursery rhyme:
- There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she'll die!
The rhyme continues with the following animals:
- She swallowed a spider to catch the fly.
- She swallowed a bird to catch the spider.
- She swallowed a cat to catch the bird.
- She swallowed a dog to catch the cat.
- She swallowed a goat to catch the dog.
- She swallowed a cow to catch the goat.
The rhyme concludes with:
- There was an old lady who swallowed a horse. She's dead, of course.
As for the title, a course is part of a meal, which hints at the old lady's eight-course meal of animals.
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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text:
Top 5 wrestlemania opening matches
by, 02-27-2013 at 08:33 PM (9822 Views)
Wrestlemania season is upon us, So My Top 5 list will revolve around Wrestlemania's. Today I'm ranking the Top 5 opening matches in Wrestlemania history.
The Rules are simple, The match has to be the first match on the Wrestlemania PPV.
5. Money In The Bank: Wrestlemania 25
I picked this match over Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio at Wrestlemania 19. This Money in the Bank was a less than stellar outing than the other Wrestlemania MITB matches, but Even a bad Money in the Bank still makes a decent match. This had everyone hitting their spots and some comic aspects to it but in the end it didn't live up to expectations. No matter how hard Kofi and Benjamin tried the match was stuck in a rut and end up being a mediocre affair. Rating ***1/4
4. Edge vs Del Rio : Wrestlemania XXVII
Edge and Alberto Del Rio Opened Wrestlemania 27 (Considered one of the worst Wrestlemanias of all time), This World title match was what you would expect from these men. A little less emotion and excitement Then you would expect from a World title match at Wrestlemania but still a Good match. This isn't a match you would go track down or you put on a best of DVD but still a fine match... Edge and Del Rio was one of the high points of Wrestlemania 27 (Which shows you how Disappointing of a Wrestlemania it actually was). This would be Edges last match in his Hall of Fame Career. Rating ***1/2.
3. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero: Wrestlemania 21
Rey and Eddie had a string of great matches over the years and this match had a lot to live up to. This match opened up Wrestlemania 21, Even though it didnt live up to the high expectations it was still a really good match. If anyone other two men had this match they be praised but since it was Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, Expectations were too high.
As Rey Mysterio said in his DVD, This match could of been much better then it was if it wasn't for Rey's mask malfunction. From What Rey said in his DVD bio, The mask was held together with buttons instead of the usual velcro and in the beginning of the match the buttons snapped off, which interfered with Reys performance. Rating ***3/4
2. Money In The Bank: Wrestlemania 23
The Money in the Bank Ladder match opened this Awesome Wrestlemania. Money in the Bank set the pace of the night, It wasn't a classic by any means but a exciting MITB overall. Jeff Hardy had his insane spots, Edge brought his greatness when it comes to these type of matches, Finlay brought his rugged in your face style, Matt Hardy showed why he is one of the innovators of the ladder match and guys like Booker, Orton and Kennedy really had a good first outing in this style of match that was foreign to them.... It was exciting and entertaining all the way around, History would prove that Kennedy wasnt the best choice to go over here but still a fun match. Rating ***3/4
1. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart: Wrestlemania X
Bret vs Owen at Wrestlemania 10 is not only the greatest Wrestlemania opening match but it is without a doubt the Greatest opening match in the history of prowrestling and one of the greatest matches Ever!. What can I possibly say about this classic, It won match of the year awards, Greatest match of the 90's awards all over the place... If you are a wrestling fan or just starting to get in to the wrestling world, This is one of the top matches you got to see.
You may not agree with all of my list but I'm certain their isnt a wrestling fan on here that wouldnt put this match at number 1. Rating *****


text:
Marlins add B game with Mets on March 5
JUPITER, Fla. -- With so many roster spots open and a large volume of young players in camp, the Marlins were looking for more games. They found one, even if it is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage.
Miami has worked out a B game against the Mets on March 5 on a back field at the Roger Dean Stadium complex. Manager Mike Redmond noted another B game could be worked out with the Cardinals in a couple of weeks.
The B game with New York will be at 11 a.m. ET. It falls on the same day the Marlins will play Team Venezuela at 7 p.m. ET at Roger Dean Stadium.
The Marlins open their Grapefruit League schedule on Saturday as the home team against the Cardinals in Jupiter. Who will start has not been announced. John Maine and Wade LeBlanc are possibilities.
The Marlins are providing plenty of competition for roster spots.
"I think there is good competition," Redmond said. "We've got some young guys fighting for some spots and fighting for some playing time. And we've got a few veteran guys here as well. I think all around it's going to be a good battle. We'll see how it shakes out."
On Monday, Marlins pitchers will face hitters in batting practice. The team will be on the field at 10 a.m. ET, and the drills are open free to the public.


text:
Furcal optimistic groin injury not serious
MIAMI -- Before his latest setback, Rafael Furcal was so close to returning. Now, he remains optimistic he still isn't that far away.
The 36-year-old second baseman is dealing with a right groin strain, which he suffered last Friday night while participating in a rehab assignment game for Double-A Jacksonville.
Running from first to third base on a hit, his right groin tightened. He remained in the game, and scored a run, but was replaced after the inning.
Prior to the groin injury, Furcal was hopeful to join the Marlins around May 6, when the Mets visit Marlins Park.
Now, the best-case scenario is he will return to a rehab assignment, most likely at Triple-A New Orleans, either Thursday or Friday.
"I'm feeling good," Furcal said. "Just a little tight in my groin. But in a couple of days, I'll go back there and play again."
Furcal opened the season on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain. He says that isn't an issue right now.
"My hammy is good," he said. "Everything is feeling fine."
The Marlins signed Furcal as a free agent to play second base, but the 36-year-old has dealt with the hamstring issue since mid-March.
Furcal is in Miami this week, getting treatment with the team. On Tuesday he went through infield drills and took batting practice.
"I want to make sure everything is fine," he said.
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter


text: Ayers Oil partners with Steak 'n Shake at its new travel plaza. By: Megan Wilkinson. Ayers Oil is set to open its 16th travel plaza by the end of June. The company has also partnered with Steak 'n Shake, which will be attached to the new convenience store. Ayers Oil President Steve Ayers said his


text:
Friday's Rally Didn't Have to Happen
We're seeing lots of grousing about Friday's big rally: It was a day off; it was a shortened session; it was on light volume.
None of this means anything to me any longer. The market has been trading on light volume forever. But if you are an underperforming hedge fund manager, you can't tell your investors, "Look, that benchmark moved up on light volume." You can't tell them, "That session that causes the market to go up so much? I mean, it was a half-day, for heaven's sake."...360 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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text:
Authorities are warning consumers to check their spice cabinets. Lead contamination has forced a recall of Pran brand turmeric, imported from Bangladesh.
Groceries are also pulling the contaminated product from their shelves, and the Food and Drug Administration says no one should eat it. You can return it to the store for a refund.
In the wake of the recall, the FDA is considering ways to update rules on imported spices and herbs, after finding and rejecting 19 contaminated shipments in September alone. Federal inspectors say one-third of those were contaminated with salmonella.
When tainted spices are found, they are dumped. Some importers say they then pour bleach over it just be sure it's not eaten by anyone.
A few years ago, pepper from Mexico killed 87 people. And in an unrelated case, pepper from Vietnam used on salami made about 300 Americans sick.
Experts say about 90 percent of all spices we eat in this country are imported.
In one investigation, scientists found the highest concentrations of salmonella from all sources in coriander, oregano, basil and sesame seed.
Earlier this year, inspectors also found lead in dried fruit from Mexico. Lead can accumulate in the body over time, and too much can cause health problems, including delayed mental and physical development and learning deficiencies. Pregnant women, infants and young children especially should avoid exposure to lead.
Even if you don't cook with spice, you likely are still eating imported spices. Chips and other pre-packaged foods, even when made in America, may use paprika or other spices imported from other countries. It's not a requirement that ingredients be identified by country of origin on the label.
The current recall covers Pran turmeric powder, 400 grams, packaged in a transparent plastic, flexible bag. The label says "Best Before 25 Jan" and the barcode is 831730005023.
More information is available at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm371206.htm.
Authorities are warning consumers to check their spice cabinets. Lead contamination has forced a recall of Pran brand turmeric, imported from Bangladesh.


text:
If you were at the Midtown Famous Famiglia (yeah the "famous real New York pizzeria" where Trump took Palin) last night, then it very well could have snatched a slice. At least it was positioned to, though to be fair, as reported by DNAinfo.com, the goat stayed with his party and didn't butt in at other tables.
About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.


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Just put PG on anderson, west on big baby and hibs on reddick, it would be same effect as PG on reddick except now you completely take anderson out of the scoring equation
Nice for Lance to get that "hot" feeling in the Pros for the first time. To bad the Pacers couldn't get the win for him.
I think the trainers need to make sure he's getting enough water or something. He seems to cramp up a lot.
I hope PG's shot and Hans' shot is around for the playoffs.
Does Rose think it's a rule that he has to foul AJ on a jump shot? He actually fouled him on one of the three point shots too. (Psst..he shoots about 10 percent this year, you don't have to stand that close.) It's getting to the point where it's weird.
I love the way West is playing. He's passing better than he has all season. Him and Hill play well together.
Speaking of Hill. I feel like he plays extremely well (Like, instant ridiculous chemistry) with everyone but DC. I hadn't watched too much of Hill before he came to Indiana, and now he's at the Frank/PG/AJ <3 level. I just love the way he plays. I think he's Bird's best acquisition this season.
Big Roy's got to get more touches than that if we play Chicago.
I liked that Amundson was trying the play that Pendegraph scored a lot on last game. I think they need to switch that to Tyler though, as Tyler's more likely to make a jump shot.
Overall, kind of fun game even though the Pacers lost.
Granger > j rich
West> Anderson
Hill >Nelson
Reddick> George (now). BUT Hibbert makes that moot
If Danny and Barbosa play, we would have won this easily. Bulls just kept hitting tough shots. Pacers bench vs Bulls starters, lol.
should have started the bench tonight
Great to see Mel and the other ABA guys honored!
Man, I really hate Chicago and their fans.
"Just look at the flowers ........ BANG"
Lance's maturity and patience has paid off for 1 night. Man, I just hope he continues to work on his shot and game, comes back next year and plays more like he did tonight. He'll def take the team to another level if he does.
Lance! Lance! Lance!!
First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.
This game never felt bad for me. We showed dignity and even made it look like a close loss in the end.
Our bench did a good job. I like that Frank rode them. We need them to play good. We want them to feel that we trust them. And Frank does. And that's awesome
Anyway, great game by Lance. The only think I wanted that didn't happen was to see Fesenko. Too bad that he was sick
Oh well. I cannot wait for the playoffs.
The decision to start Lance seems quite shrewd. Boost his confidence against our supposed rivals and give him free reign to shoot and score. Now, he feels like he has something to practice and work for. Instead of him just being a prospect for another year, there is some confidence on both sides that he can make meaningful contributions next year. All accomplished in a game that has no effect on our playoff standings. A tip of the hat to Vogel/Bird.
I trust reddick more in a playoff series than I do George. I think PG will be an amazing player but he is not there yet. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's how I feel
D-Rose was CLEARLY terrified by the evil clown that kept magically appearing in Area 55 whenever he checked into the game.
"Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel
"And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "
I almost got into fights tonight. Bulls retards were talking **** to me all game and I almost decked the guy who tried to push me into the next row for standing up after a 3. They almost got ejected, but they should have been.
Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk
"What you do is so loud, I can't hear what you say" -Andrew LuckJunior at the University of Louisville
"If you turn the other cheek, I'm gonna hit you in the other cheek, too" -Charles Barkley
"Ego is edging greatness out" -Rick Pitino
Greenfield-Central High School Alum '14
Follow me on Twitter @steagles1
1000th post - 4/16/12 2000th post - 6/24/12 3000th post - 3/8/13
Was walking back into the room and someone on NBA TV (wasn't in my line of sight, couldn't tell which commentator it was) said the Bulls beat the Pacers, with both teams being at full strength.
"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." - Albert Camus
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire
"Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others." - William Greider
Good point. To be honest I was kind of forgetting about defense.
"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." - Albert Camus
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire
"Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others." - William Greider
Tonight we saw what I hope is the future. I think once Lance and PG are in their primes, they are going to be unstoppable. You have to love the hard work and progression on their parts. Stay focused on being the best players you can, and work hard and I truly believe we could win a championship one day. Is the day Granger comes off the bench not too far ahead? He would definitely be the most brutal 6th man in the league for other teams to deal with. I'm obviously talking at least a couple of years from now, but I can see this working out extremely well one day. And this isn't a knock on Granger, George and Stephenson just have that much raw talent and they are basically still college age.
But I only say that because I guess I'm still alone in the thinking that Stephenson could be our answer for the point guard spot in the future.
I still think this would be our best unit. Yea West and Hill are good, but I just think our team would be better if both came off the bench. Chicago showed us tonight we don't have the best bench in the NBA, even though we are good. A bench of
would make our bench match up a lot better with a team like Chicago, or any team. No one on the bench can get a clean post look so West would instantly solve that problem. You only need one legit post player like Hibbert as the Bulls proved tonight. Both Gibson and Boozer hit the mid range shot better than Tyler can this year, and that wasn't true last year. Tyler was automatic out there last year in the playoffs, and they weren't. West has been struggling out there all year and tonight proved it won't be easy for him to get that shot cleanly in the playoffs. Tyler gets his shot from out there clean, he just has been missing it. Maybe Amundson or West can't spread the defense at center like Hibbert can?
I still think Tyler plays a lot better next to Hibbert than he does without him. As good as Lou is, he is no Hibbert. A lot of Tyler's struggles are due to the fact he doesn't play next to a legit center.Tonight his shot didn't fall but he played the Bulls. Obviously Boozer and Gibson are pretty damn good I just am so biased because I dislike the Bulls more than any team at this point.
We still have a chance to steal the title this year and that would be amazing because that could catapult us to instant contenders for years to come. I really believe if we are completely healthy, we can take the Bulls. We need a miracle, but this team is good enough to steal one!
Just got back from the game and related drinking (though not enough to not post). Man, that crowd was brutal. Probably 60-40 Bulls to Pacers fans, and that's being generous. Was impressed with volume of Pacers fans there, though, did manage to drown out the "MVP" chants raining down for D Rose (huh?). Still, pretty sad sight, though I guess made more understandable by fact Pacers were resting D Granger and had nothing to play for, Bulls were showcasing D Rose and this was the only game where the local bandwagon Bulls fans could come out to see him play.]
I expect better from fans in the playoffs.


text:
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Welcome to Fabulous Females!
We are well over 400 members strong and growing every day. Members are typically in their early 30s and up and are all FABULOUS of course! We typically have a few Meetups a month at great new restaurants as well as tried-and-true favorites. Typically one event will be a sit-down dinner, and another event will either be a brunch or happy hour. We are always open for new and fun ideas!
If this sounds like you, then this just might be the group you're looking for.
We look forward to meeting you soon!
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text:
This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=2/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=1/3. Miner of Duty is a block-building FPS. The game includes 5 multiplayer game modes: Team Deathmatch, FFA, Fort Wars, Search & Mine, and Custom Maps. Also, Swarm Mode, a zombie-survival game mode, is playable as an offline game mode. Custom Map mode allows you to design a map and play it with others. You are able to customize your character's looks and your weapon classes with an array of weapons.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


text:
I open the program.I type whatever I want.I press cmd-s
I want the default filetype to be .txt
I don't want a .php file to then save as .txt, just that the default where nothing else is specified be .txtI also don't want to have to open the Save As dialog. I just want it to save.
Right now on the mac the cmd-s is pretty useless as the system has no idea that ST2 should be the default and throws it into textedit as it's default.
I assume this is possible but if it's in a settings file it's well hidden.


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Get an overview of this hotelSuburban accommodation convenient for wine country
Popular property highlights
Close to Napa Valley
Only a 30-minute drive from San Francisco, Four Points By Sheraton San Rafael is right in the middle of picturesque Marin County. The route to Napa wine country, a 40-minute drive north, takes visitors through impressive landscapes of rolling hills and scenic countryside.
Heated pool, fresh fare
The hotel's 24-hour fitness center and outdoor heated pool allow guests to maintain their daily workouts, while Hillside Tavern offers a casual setting to enjoy local, fresh produce. Best Brews bar features local craft beers as well as imports from Oktoberfest.
Free WiFi, comfy beds
Dark wooden furnishings and baby-blue walls feature in all 235 newly renovated guestrooms, along with conveniences such as free WiFi and free bottled water. The Four Points Four Comfort beds and large armchairs and footstools are ideal for spreading out on and watching the LCD TV.
Guest Highlights
- Comfortable rooms
- Good location
- Proximity to shopping
- Onsite bar
- Pool
- Clean guestrooms
Four Points By Sheraton San Rafael
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Renovated in 2015, the Four Points By Sheraton San Rafael provides an outdoor pool, health club, and a spa tub. Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A computer station is located on site and high-speed wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 3.5-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. 7 meeting rooms are available. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, coffee/tea in the lobby, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. A complimentary area shuttle within 5 mi is available for guests. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Four Points By Sheraton San Rafael is a smoke-free property and the entire property has recently undergone renovation.
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 4
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Pool umbrellas
- Computer station
- ATM/banking
- Meeting rooms 7
- Total number of rooms - 235
- Terrace
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Number of meeting rooms - 7
- Year Built 1969
- Free self parking
- Pool sun loungers
- Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Smoke-free property
- Number of buildings/towers - 3
- Spa tub
- Wedding services
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Express check-out
- Fireplace in lobby
- Health club
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Free area shuttle
- 24-hour business center
- Outdoor pool
- Television in common areas
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator (on request)
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Free self parking, Free RV, bus, truck parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Air conditioning
- Free newspaper
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Microwave
- Refrigerator (on request)
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Cable TV service
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- Room service (limited hours)
- Pillowtop mattress
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Cribs/infant beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6:30 AM and 10 AM.
Hillside Tavern - This restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. A children's menu is available.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An outdoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Skydiving nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Surfing/boogie boarding nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Boat tours nearby
- Ecotours nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Children 18 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available for USD 0.0 per stay.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: USD 14.99 per person (approximately)
- Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 0.0 per stay
Hotel Name
- Four Points By Sheraton San Rafael Hotel San Rafael
- 4 Points By Sheraton San Rafael
- Four Points San Rafael
- Four Points Sheraton Hotel San Rafael
- Four Points Sheraton San Rafael
- San Rafael Four Points
- San Rafael Four Points Sheraton
- San Rafael Sheraton
- Sheraton Four Points San Rafael
- Sheraton San Rafael
- Sheraton San Rafael Four Points
- Four Points Sheraton San Rafael Hotel
We should mention
Children 18 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Oil and Gas Forum Users Manage Turmoil More Easily
How Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk Software Applications Are Helping Oil and Gas Users to Gain Better Operational Control of Offshore Production Assets
There are more than a few upheavals going on in the oil and gas industry these days. No kidding.
Deeper and more dangerous settings, increasing safety incidents, energy sourcing shifts, economic recessions, technological advances, regulatory changes, ongoing political and religious strife are all combining to make oil and gas exploration more uncertain that ever before.
It's sure lucky that oil and gas was such a stress-free field before now, right?
Still, this is the world as it is today, and having a tiger by the tail isn't too bad, if you can keep a good hold on it. To help process engineers and their applications maintain their grip, organizers of Rockwell Automation's Oil & Gas Forum gathered several expert presentations this week at Automation Fair 2010 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
The first presenter, Peng Hu, power department manager for the China National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC), reported that his company recently worked with contractor WellReach Automation Engineering Co. and Rockwell Automation to upgrade and resolve a variety of different power facilities on its offshore platforms in and around the South China Sea. Started in 1982, CNOOC has 65,800 employees, and had total revenues of RMB 209.6 billion in 2009.
"Most of these oil fields are far away from each other, and so they were developed in different modes and built at different times. This means their power systems are complex and difficult to manage," explained Hu. "Our power grid had an isolated power station, which made load-sharing management and load-shed adjustment difficult, and the turbine generator control system had multiple equipment types and different versions from different suppliers. The management software was from Maximo, PIMS and SAP. However, our maintenance costs were very high because we had to import critical equipment, and also meant that we had big downtime losses."
To secure better data and a more uniform presentation of its power facilities, CNOOC used Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk software to implement an integrated, digital field solution for five of its platforms. Employing a web-based structure, Hu reports that CNOOC's main process data management system (PDMS) features six independent dashboards, including:
- Power System Overview of all power assets, their real-time status, and general alarming functions.
- Dispatch Management for load planning and individual case adjustments.
- Operations Management that reports on running hours, and includes expert remote routine checking and key performance indicator (KPI) management of every unit.
- Maintenance Management to track regular maintenance tasks, and also to handle special projects.
- Engineering Management for routing inspection jobs to the right personnel, and indicating equipment required. It also has a Training Pyramid to direct each engineer to get the training they need.
- Expert Support System includes expert documents, video conference capabilities and other resources to aid troubleshooting.
The main FactoryTalk software applications that CNOOC used were VantagePoint, ViewPoint and Historian. Besides using these parts of FactoryTalk's Integrated Production and Performance Suite, CNOOC also employed Rockwell Automation's RSLinx software, Java software, MyEclipse 6.0, Tomcat5 and Oracle 9i to build its six-part portal.
"Our new PDMS system gives us real-time monitoring, pre-warnings, allows faster support, enables us to cooperate more closely, let us correctly dispatch orders, and helps us manage our power facilities more efficiently," said Hu. "All of this has greatly boosted the operational efficiencies on our platforms."
Besides getting different equipment or facilities to report information more uniformly, sometimes users need the same kind of uniformity from numerous different kinds of information software. For example, Mark Lochmann, director of reservoir and production technology at Landmark Software and Services, reported that his company is using integrated production operations (IPO) to help Chevron coordinate numerous data sources at its Agbami field off the coast of Nigeria. Landmark is part of Halliburton's drilling and evaluation services division.
"Because oil and gas reserves are more complex, hard to reach and difficult to evaluate than ever, we're processing huge amounts of geologic, seismic and other raw data," said Lochmann. "And, while technology is key to reducing these uncertainties and improving efficiency, we're also seeing the need for an unprecedented convergence of people, processes and technology. As a result, all the oil companies have been developing 'digital oil fields' by taking the practices they've learned over many years, and using them to turn oil fields into factories with instruments and automation." These efforts include Chevron's iFields, BP's Fields of the Future, and Shell Oil's SmartFields.
To aid these efforts, Lochmann added that Landmark has deployed 75 different software-based workflow projects over the past few years in offshore applications in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in North Africa, West Africa and in several Latin American locations. One of the most instructive of these is the Agbami field, which is offshore about 200 kilometers southwest of Port Harcourt. The 2.5-year-old field's main reservoir is about 3,050 meters deep, includes about 30 fuel, gas and water-injection wells in about 1,500 meters of water, and produces about 250,000 barrels of oil worth about $20 million per day. The field is operated by Chevron, but its other contractors include Star Deepwater Petroleum, Petrobras, Statoil and Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf.
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Make a Difference
Palmdale Regional Medical Center looks for exceptional people who share its vision and values. People who know that working in healthcare is more than a job…it's a vocation. Healthcare professionals have a unique opportunity to affect lives for the better every day.
Clearly, the organization you choose is important. You want to make a difference—not only in your own life, but also to your family and your community. To succeed, you must choose a company whose culture and principles are aligned with your own.
You must choose an organization you can believe in.
Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) , through its subsidiaries, has been providing outstanding healthcare services to communities across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico for nearly three decades. We're well aware that the talent and dedication of our employees are what make us unique.
At UHS facilities we focus on clearly defined goals that are developed to bring about exemplary patient care. We provide our employees with the structure to achieve these goals by providing advanced technological systems, processes and practice; performance improvement and patient safety standards to foster positive patient outcomes; a collaborative practice model; evidence-based nursing practice; and education and development programs to support recruitment and retention.
Working at PRMC
Find out why Palmdale Regional Medical Center is a great place to work:
Service Excellence: a team-centered approach
At Palmdale Regional Medical Center, each employee takes part in our Service Excellence Program. They are guided by the following three standards:
- Treat everyone as a guest.
- Demonstrate professionalism and excellence in the things I do.
- Practice teamwork.
These Service Excellence standards help to determine everything we do and everything we accomplish. Our employees truly make a difference in the quality of healthcare we provide to our patients in the communities we serve.
An opportunity to grow
Our organization has a solid history of recognizing outstanding performers. Our principle of employee development says it best: "The professionalism and drive of our people are the most important factors in the quality of the service we provide. We hire talented people, increase their skills through training and experience, and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth within the company."
Part of attracting and retaining talented, motivated people is giving them the opportunity to grow. UHS provides encouragement and financial backing for our employees' job-related training and continuing education. For those who wish to excel, the opportunities are significant.
In the words of UHS Chairman and CEO Alan B. Miller, "Our goal is not to be the biggest but the highest in quality…and to offer the best working environment to our people."
Join us and make a difference.
Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
Time: 9 a.m. - Noon
Location: Hospital Lobby
38600 Medical Center Drive
Palmdale, CA 93551
Phone: 661-382-5403
Accepting resumes and conducting interviews for: RNs, Surgery, PACU, ICU, PCU, ED, Tele Clinical Documentation Manager and Specialist, RN Clinical Analyst, OR Charge Nurse, Staff Pharmacist, CLS Lab Supervisor
ER wait time
When you need to find a doctor for yourself or your family, our FREE Direct Doctors Plus physician referral service can help.
or call
Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
Time: 9 a.m. - Noon
Location: Hospital Lobby
38600 Medical Center Drive
Palmdale, CA 93551
Phone: 661-382-5403
Accepting resumes and conducting interviews for: RNs, Surgery, PACU, ICU, PCU, ED, Tele Clinical Documentation Manager and Specialist, RN Clinical Analyst, OR Charge Nurse, Staff Pharmacist, CLS Lab Supervisor


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What did you use to get rid of the bolster?
What did you use to get rid of the bolster?
He sanded with several different belts for the heavy removal and finished by hand.
Great job, I think they look much better with the blade bit of the bolster ground out. You can trim them off with a thin cutting disc also, but make sure you keep dipping it in water.
Website- www.catchesidecutlery.com
Mailing List - http://www.catchesidecutlery.com/contact.html
Works in Progress - https://www.instagram.com/catcheside_cutlery/?hl=en
Well done!
One of the characteristics of traditional French blades is the very nimble tip, and the sturdy heel part.
By the way, the heel part was often left deadly flat for a few inches to allow rougher tasks.
How much?
Looks great!
[QUOTE=Lefty;197236]How much? :QUOTE]
Between 2 and 3", originally often much more. With the steeling and sharpening practices these knives where submitted, the flat section got reduced.
It's remarkable how the profiles can be so different from different time periods. I appreciate the insight Benuser. Heel is still pretty tough even though the whole blade has been tapered. The blade was in pretty rough shape so a lot of metal was removed. The profile is really nice. I'm toying with another old, old Sab and may be less aggressive on compete removal of the guard. We'll have to see .
Looking forward to seeing what happens with the next. That looks great. I like the smaller pins, and the handle shape looks great.
"This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption.. Beer!" -Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Friar Tuck


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The SSUR GUTTER STORE pop up, powered by CLOT on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsiu/Hong Kong is dropping another special release. The 'FUCK EDC' OE items will start selling February 17th at the pop up. The collection consists of a hoodie, snapback an tee. At 8pm the release is celebrated with a special performance by Edison, Chef, Mc Yan and DJ Prepare.
Check out the items in the gallery above.
Model: Ann Hong // Photographer: Mia Haggi @ DDT


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Make Personalized Magnets and Mousepad
Impress your friends and co-workers with your creativity by making your own personalized magnets and mouse pad.
Instructions: Open the template for the Magnet Sheet.
Instructions: Add in personal photos and/or text.
Instructions: Print on Avery Magnet Sheets.
Instructions: Carefully cut out the magnets with scissors or a craft knife. To create a photo frame magnet, cut out the framed area of the magnet and place your favorite photo behind it. Use magnets on your file cabinet or message board.
Instructions: Open the Mousepad template.
Instructions: Replace the text boxes with your company logo and/or your favorite photo(s).
Instructions: "Flip" the image (so text or image looks reversed) in your printer and print on Avery T-Shirt Transfers.
Instructions: Purchase a plain, light-colored mousepad.
Instructions: Trace the mousepad shape onto the T-Shirt Transfer printout. Cut out with scissors.
Instructions: Follow the simple directions in the package to iron the transfer onto the mousepad.


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Are you thinking of buying a home or refinancing the one you currently own, but not sure what kind of questions you'll have to answer? Well, hopefully you're comfortable with giving a little more than your name and job title. Because lenders are allowed to ask a host of questions that might surprise you.
"Borrowers will have to fill out what we call the declaration page, or form 1003 of the Uniform Residential Loan Application, on a loan application," says Elizabeth Weintraub, who has 30 years of experience as a realtor and covers real estate for About.com. She says borrowers are often surprised at how in-depth the questions on this form can be.
For instance, in addition to asking about your job, your income, and the number of dependents you have, lenders ask about marital status, any borrowed money, and outstanding legal matters. But don't worry, parking tickets don't count.
To find out what does count towards your chances at qualifying for a mortgage - and what lenders will ask to find out that information - read on.
Surprising Question #1: Are You a Party to a Lawsuit?
Anyone who's watched 10 minutes of "Judge Judy" knows that lawsuits are a) no fun, and b) unpredictable. And if there's one thing mortgage lenders don't like, it's unpredictability.
That's why there is not just one, but two questions on the Uniform Residential Loan Application form that pertain to lawsuits. One asks, "Are you a party to a lawsuit?" And the other asks if there any outstanding judgments against you. An outstanding judgment, in this case, would be if you owe anyone money or property due to losing a court case, says Weintraub.
Why do lenders want to know this? "They want to know if there's any legal action that could have an adverse effect of getting the loan or paying back the mortgage. If the result was or could be a judgment being recorded against the borrower, then that would have an effect on their assets and their ability to repay the mortgage," says Weintraub.
So make sure you tidy up all legal matters before you try to buy a home or refinance, she says. Or it could get more annoying than a bad "Judge Judy" episode.
[Want to lock in a low mortgage rate? Click to compare rates from lenders now.]
Surprising Question #2: Are You Married, Single, or Separated?
Just what does your private life have to do with getting a mortgage or qualifying for refinancing? A lot, actually. And while most Americans don't blink when it comes to financial entities asking if they are married or not, the term "separated" doesn't come up much.
Except on the Uniform Residential Loan Application form - and again, it's all about the Benjamins.
"The reason they ask about separation is because in certain states like California, which is a community property state, you can be held legally responsible for your soon-to-be-ex-spouse's debt," says Weintraub.
And if your soon-to-be-ex-spouse has a large amount of debt - it could affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage or a refinance, says Weintraub.
Regardless of the debt issue though, there is another reason for this personal question. If you're refinancing as a result of a separation to remove your spouse from the mortgage, Weintraub says that the spouse who will no longer be on the mortgage will have to sign an interspousal transfer deed. This transfers the title of the property over to the spouse who will hold the mortgage in the future.
Surprising Question #3: What is Your Ethnicity and Race?
You might ask, correctly, why a lender should be able to ask about your ethnicity or race. Shouldn't your ability to qualify for a mortgage or refinance be judged solely on your financial behaviors and ability to repay your loan?
In a word, yes. And rest assured, it does depend on those things, says Weintraub. In fact, on the Uniform Residential Loan Application form, you can check a box that says, "I do not wish to furnish this information." Of course, the form states, "If you do not furnish ethnicity, race, or sex, under Federal regulations, this lender is required to note the information on the basis of visual observation and surname if you have made this application in person."
But this portion of the form, says Weintraub, is actually designed to ensure discrimination does not happen. "There is a Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, called the HMDA. Under it, lenders have to report the breakdown of the race and ethnicity of their borrowers," she says. In this way, the HDMA protects against discrimination.
"So the question actually does the opposite of what some people fear it does. It protects minorities and them being discriminated against," she says.
Surprising Question #4: How Many Years Have You Been in Your Profession?
While it's obvious that lenders would want to know about your job and income, what might be a little surprising is their interest in how many years you've been working at your job. So, why do they need this detail? Because they want to know you've been in your current industry for at least a few years, says Justin Pritchard, a financial planner who writes About.com's banking and loans column.
He says that in these times of high unemployment and economic uncertainty, lenders are much more cautious about green-lighting mortgages and refinances than ever before. So the longer you've been in one industry or profession, the better.
The logic? "If you've stuck with something for a while, it suggests more stability and income, so the lender will feel more confident that you can make those mortgage payments," says Pritchard.
On the flip side, he says if you're new to an industry, the reverse could be true. "If you're a newbie and you don't make as much, your position isn't secure, so it's going to make getting a loan harder," says Pritchard.
An important note, he says, is this doesn't mean getting a promotion, or even changing employers is a bad thing. Lenders just want to know that you've been in the same industry for at least two years.


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Author Tom Clancy Dead At Age 66
I just learned that Author Tom Clancy has passed away. Tom was an incredible writer and storyteller. He wrote many modern day classics that were turned into movies like like, "The Hunt for Red October'" and "The Sum of All Fears," and even found his way into the world of video games with "Splinter Cell," "Rainbow Six," and "Ghost Recon,"


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Last night I stumbled upon some Lost Abbey stuff at my local Crown Liquors. Absolutely couldn't believe it. Picked up a 375 ml bottle of Angel's Share for a bit of coin, but I'm expecting it to be worth it. Also got a bomber of Amazing Grace ale. Never thought I would find this stuff here and my buddy and I were assuming we would have to road trip to Cali to get this.I went in there to get him a bottle of port to celebrate him taking the MCATs and walked out with this. Best trip to the liquor store ever.
Anybody else a big fan of microbreweries?


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MOUNT WASHINGTON – On Tuesday morning, a thin and pale Clifton Joel Hudson appeared in Bullitt District Court for a probable cause hearing on his latest drug-related charge.
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text: I am so sure that my formula will work for you that I will give you everything 100% FREE. Yes you heard me correctly - you don't pay a penny. It's 100% FREE if you sign up now and reserve your seat in a limited number of placements who will get this for NOTHING!


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The annual consumer electronics extravaganza known as CES gets underway in Las Vegas today, and in conjunction with the show's kick off Market Research Solutions (MRS) is out with a new report that provides some unconventional insights into the 2011 holiday season and outlook for 2012.
The Tampa, Fla.-based research firm surveyed 272 department managers in early December at such retailers as Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Hhgregg and dominant regional players to gain a unique perspective on a category of business that is the most dynamic in retail. Among some of the key findings MRS provided exclusively to RetailingToday.com were:
The CE category started off strong with 61% of store managers surveyed indicating sales were higher than compared with the prior year and store traffic was higher than the prior year.
Brands are a big deal in the CE category. Apple was the brand most in demand during holiday 2011 – no surprise there – followed by Samsung, Sony, Vizio and Microsoft.
Tablets was the hottest category of 2011 and managers expect that to be the case again in 2012. Attachment rates for extended warranties were also strong.
Merchants and supply chain executives did a good job of accurately forecasting demand and replenishing merchandise after Thanksgiving weekend as three fourth of respondent reported inventory levels commensurate with demand.
In contrast to conventional consumer surveys, which are inherently flawed because shoppers are not always reliable predictors of their own behavior and also have poor recall of their actions, MRS seeks to understand the dynamics of the CE category from a different vantage point. By speaking with the department managers on the front lines of taking care of customers the data compiled by MRS offers a unique perspective of which Retailing Today was provided only a sampling. Quality information generated by original research is an expensive proposition so MRS is charging a nominal fee of $199 for the full report which is available by clicking here.


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The Endless Beauty With Limited Display Options...
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For action figures, statues and sculptures, go to CSMooreStudio.com.
First appearing in the acclaimed comic series The Sandman in 1989, Neil Gaimans character Death has gone on to become one of the writers most beloved and popular characters, spawning her own titles and developing of following of her own. Yet despite her popularity, there is only a small amount of merchandise dedicated to her and the other Endless, and only around five figures/statues/busts of Death herself. Well fans have reason to celebrate as Mattel adds another Death collectible to the line-up with their own take on the gothic girl.
Mattels Death figure is more of a statue than an action figure, being dubbed stactions by fans, standing at 8 inches tall rather than being in scale with their established DC Universe Classics line. Why it was decided to introduce a new product line and scale is unclear but Im sure Im not the only fan that's disappointed Death towers over all of my other figures. It was said in a Q&A that they are trying something new out and if it does well we can expect to see an entire in-scale line of the Endless, but it remains to be seen if the Death figure sales met the expectations needed to produce the line.
The figure comes packaged in a dioramic window box that is in turn boxed inside an outer shipper all featuring artwork by former Death/Sandman artist Jill Thompson. While not my favorite choice of artwork for Death (as I find her style a little too cartoony) many fans will be thrilled to see a familiar artist lending her talents to the character. The outer box is completely black all-over, but features Deaths face on the front and her ankh symbol on the back. The figures box is made to look like a cemetery, with trees on the corners of the packaging and large windows in between. The interior insert continues the theme with a painted backdrop with the figure placed in the middle. The rear of the box features another Jill T. art piece featuring Death in the cemetery.
The sculpting on the figure is pretty straight forward as Death doesnt have a complex costume or overly unique features. Small details such as the wrinkles in her shirt, her studded belt, and corded Ankh necklace are definitely appreciated. The likeness seems to be Mattels own interpretation of the character rather than going with an established look, although it looks closest to me to David Finchs cover to Action Comics #894. To be honest, something about the face is very distracting and I think its the eyes. The coloring makes her seem very lifeless and I know thats funny talking about Death but it is made worse by the fact she looks wall-eyed. The paint scheme on the figure is black and grey which is another distracting thing as Deaths skin should be more white than grey. The figure stands on top of a skull shaped base that is removable and extremely goofy-looking.
While I personally have a lot of gripes about the piece, Death is a great character and Im happy to have a figure of her in my collection. Hopefully we will see the other Endless characters in the future (Delirium!) as it would be great to see a set of them all in the same scale.
Review & Photos by Michael Klein
Review Sample Courtesy of Mattel


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Dr. Ionut C. Popescu is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Clements Center for National Security. He earned a PhD in political science (international relations) from Duke University, and he is the author of the upcoming book The Process of Grand Strategy: Planning and Improvisation in U.S. Foreign Policy (Johns Hopkins University Press, forthcoming). His articles appeared in Orbis, Joint Force Quarterly, Armed Forces Journal, and Contemporary Security Policy.
The Georgetown Security Studies Review interviewed me for their Faculty Interview Series: georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org/2017/09/22/fac… Retweeted by
This looks like a great opportunity for authors looking for mentorship and publication opportunities: buzzfeed.com/saeedjones/buz… Retweeted by
Superexcited to have this new feature from @BtGProjectDC on the Duck with @ProfDurbin kicking things off with a 2 m… twitter.com/i/web/status/9… Retweeted by
APSA #Pracademic Fellowship application deadline has been extended! Submissions are now due Friday, September 22! ow.ly/3NJc30fgTr2 Retweeted by
Mon dernier article sur le rôle du GEOINT américain dans les frappes contre Daech @ISC_CFHM @AEGEStrategie dispo ici bit.ly/2hecJkN Retweeted by
Featuring @BtGProjectDC's @splalwani and @EmmaMAshford twitter.com/capreble/statu…
.@BrookingsFP seeks Senior Fellow to conduct research, policy analysis on US #ForeignPolicy & strategy apsia.org/careers/job-op… Retweeted by
I was on @NPR @1A today talking Russian influence ops w/ @jimrutenberg @GarlandNixon & others @RT_com @SputnikInt the1a.org/shows/2017-09-… Retweeted by
New post with @naazneenbarma to inaugurate partnership between @DuckofMinerva and @BtGProjectDC. duckofminerva.com/2017/09/bridgi… Retweeted by
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The Association shall be known as the American Sociological Association.
The objectives of the Association shall be to stimulate and improve research, instruction, and discussion, and to encourage cooperative relations among persons engaged in the scientific study of society.
ARTICLE III. Membership
Any persons interested in the objectives of said Association shall be eligible for membership. The forms and conditions of membership are set forth in the By-Laws, Article l.
Section 1. The officers of the Association directly elected by the voting membership shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Past President, a Vice-President, a Vice-President-Elect, a Past Vice-President, a Secretary, and the members of the Council. The President-Elect and the Vice-President-Elect shall serve for one year, and shall then automatically become President and Vice-President respectively for one-year terms. The Secretary shall be elected by the voting membership for a three-year term and is ineligible for re-election. The Secretary-Elect shall serve for one full year prior to the three-year term as Secretary, during which year the Secretary-Elect shall sit as a non-voting member of the Council.
Section 2. The Association shall constitute a Council from among its members. The Council shall be the governing body of the Association, except insofar as the Constitution and By-Laws delegate governmental functions to other officers or to committees.
Section 3. The Council shall consist of a maximum of nineteen voting members: up to seven ex officio, and precisely twelve elected-at-large. The ex officio members shall be the President, Past President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Past Vice-President, Vice-President Elect and Secretary. The members-at-large shall be elected for staggered three-year terms, with four elected each year. No member-at-large shall be eligible for re-election to the Council as a member-at-large until one year after the expiration of the prior term, and no individual shall be eligible for re-election as a member-at-large of the Council after having served two such terms.
Section 4. As the governing body of the Association, the Council shall be responsible for the formulation of policy and the general direction of the affairs of the Association. It shall have the power to fill vacancies in its elective membership occasioned by death, resignation, or failure to elect, such as appointees to hold office until replaced by officers elected at the next annual election. In the event of an anticipated absence of six or more months of a member of Council, the Council may appoint a temporary replacement to serve with all rights and responsibilities of regular membership for the term of the anticipated absence. The authority to interpret the Constitution and By-Laws resides in the Council. When the Council is not in session, the Secretary may make such provisional rulings as are necessary for the operation of the Association, subject to review by the Council at its next meeting. The Council shall appoint and may remove by majority vote the Executive Officer and Editors of the various publications sponsored by the Association.
Section 5. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum of the Council. When the Council is not in session, questions may be submitted to all members of the Council for their votes.
Section 6. The other officers of the Association shall be elected by the Council, and shall be an Executive Officer and Editors of publications sponsored by the Association. The Executive Officer and the Editors shall be elected by the Council for terms to be fixed by the Council.
ARTICLE V. Official Publications
Section l. The Association shall maintain a journal entitled the American Sociological Review.
Section 2. The Association shall issue such other regular or occasional publications, as it deems necessary in the promotion of its objectives.
ARTICLE VI. Committees
Section l. The Council may establish such committees as may be necessary for the conduct of the Association's affairs.
ARTICLE VII. Meetings
Section l. The President shall call at least one convention each year, at a time and place to be determined by the Council. At each annual convention there shall be at least one Business Meeting at which the Officers and the Council shall report to the Association and respond to questions from the membership.
Section 2. At the Business Meeting, a majority of the voting members present may: (a) place items on the agenda of that Business Meeting, and (b) pass courtesy resolutions. If at least one hundred voting members are present, a majority can place items on the agenda of the Council.
Section 3. If Council disapproves a resolution passed by the Business Meeting for which at least 3% of the voting members of the Association voted affirmatively, this resolution and such alternatives as Council may propose will be submitted to the voting membership. If endorsed by a majority of those voting on that ballot, the resolution or alternative will be considered to be an action of the Association.
ARTICLE VIII. Special Funds and Endowments
Section l. The Association may solicit and receive special funds and endowments. Acceptance and expenditure of such funds shall be authorized by the Council.
ARTICLE IX. Amendments
Section l. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of those voting in a referendum submitted to the voting members of the Association.
Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Council or by petition of at least 3% of the voting members of the Association.
Section 3. All proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be communicated to the voting membership at least fifty days prior to the vote on the amendment.


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"This weekend marked the beginning of Rosh Hashanah and the Jewish New Year, signifying the time for a new beginning.
"Rosh Hashanah is one of the most sacred days of the Jewish calendar. It is the first of the High Holy Days, a 10-day period of repentance in which the Jewish people around the world reflect on their faith, re-examine the past year and look to the year ahead.
"The Jewish community has greatly enriched our country, and this holy day presents an opportunity to acknowledge their invaluable contributions to all aspects of Canada's society.
"To all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Laureen and I extend our warmest wishes for a healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.
"L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu."


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Click here to downloadour 2014 Catalogue
Prices on this website include gift wrapping and packaging but exclude delivery and VAT.
The 2012 For Business Collection features functional yet elegant gifts synonymous with the Aquascutum brand. From the classics such as the perpetual calendar, the memo pad in silver and black lacquer, and the stately silver and wood photo frames, to the accessorizing business card cases and USB ports. Our soft leather range has been extended to include new designs of business card cases, document holders & conference folios, travel wallets and diaries. Most of the collection can be personalised with a logo or commemorative message. All Silver products featured have a high gloss polish silver finish unless stated otherwise.


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Relive 11.11.11 with launch photos from around the globe — in London, Helsinki, Milan, and even Maryland. Both before midnight and at lunch time the next day, members of Bethesda Game Studios visited our local GameStop in Rockville. Pictured above (clockwise from left) are Craig Lafferty, Dave Schreiber, Tim Lamb, and Mark Lampert.
For more pics, check out the Flickr slideshow below.


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Thunder boomed across the Inland Empire and lightning flashed in the predawn sky Monday, knocking out power to nearly 4,000 homes and businesses, and igniting more than a dozen small brush fires in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Southern California Edison received reports of power outages in San Bernardino, Cedarpines Park, Lake Arrowhead, Fort Irwin, Perris, Lake Elsinore and other areas due to lightning.
"The storm weather pattern is expected to continue for the next few days," said David Song, spokesman for SCE.
Outages from the weather began Sunday when 143 SCE customers lost power at 3:11 p.m. at the Fort Irwin National Training Center.
More than 700 customers lost power at 5:46 a.m. near Mill Street and the 215 Freeway in San Bernardino and 1,420 lost power in Cedarpines Park at 5:54 a.m. during the storm.
U.S. Forest Service firefighters raced to put out about 20 small lightning-related fires in the San Bernardino National Forest, including a quarter-acre blaze east of Skyforest.
Other fires — from a single burning tree to 30-by-30 areas of brush — were reported between 5 and 9:30 a.m. in areas including Waterman Canyon, Running Springs, Cedar Glen, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline and in the Stockton Flats area, west of Lytle Creek.
"We're responding to each single tree fire, and we're putting them out," said U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller. "We also have to be ready if we get additional lightning fires tonight and tomorrow."
Crews on the ground and in water-dropping helicopters worked to keep the fires from spreading. Officials also planned aerial reconnaissance flights daily for the next week over the forest to detect lightning fires.
The mountains and other parts of the Inland Empire did receive some rain with the thunderstorms, but it was too meager to affect dry conditions, officials said.
"The moisture that we did receive is going to dry out fairly quickly and that's what our concern is," Miller said.
Meanwhile, firefighters have fully contained the Cleghorn Fire which began Saturday evening in the Cajon Pass, on the east side of the 15 Freeway.
The 110-acre blaze, which ignited in steep chapparal south of Cleghorn Road, was 100 percent contained Sunday evening, fire officials said.
The fire forced the closure of the northbound 15 for about two hours, causing traffic to back up to the 210 Freeway. Highway 138 was also temporarily closed during the incident. Both have since reopened.
Two businesses at the intersection of the 15 Freeway and Highway 138 — a McDonald's restaurant and a Chevron gas station — were evacuated Saturday evening, but they have since reopened, according to the Forest Service.
A cause for the fire is under investigation.


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MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Tony Stewart defended his stance against blocking in NASCAR races Friday and defended his block at Talladega Superspeedway last year that caused a 25-car wreck.
Two weeks after nearly coming to blows with Joey Logano following the March 24 Cup race at Auto Club Speedway, Stewart didn't want to talk about the late restart when Logano ran him down onto the apron of the track to protect his position.
But he did talk extensively about blocking Friday at Martinsville Speedway. He doesn't like the tactic and doesn't think drivers should pull moves like Logano did.
"I don't like it," Stewart said. "I never have. I never will. If you did a better job getting off the corner on a restart than somebody, you did your job.
"Then for somebody, because they didn't do their job, to sit there and just try to block you and run you down the racetrack … is not acceptable. That is not what racing is about."
MORE: Martinsville qualifying | Blocking debate | Martin in for Hamlin | Danica overwhelmed
Stewart went after Logano after the race at California, shoving him and taking a swing at him on pit road. He then ripped Logano in a profanity-laced post-race interview and called him "a little rich kid."
Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup champion, has been called hypocritical for lashing out at Logano for a move that Logano said he needed to make to have a chance to win the race. Stewart triggered a 25-car crash last October at Talladega when he tried to block Michael Waltrip on the final lap.
"I don't like it at Daytona and Talladega either, but it's the position we're put in there," Stewart said.
"What happened at California is a different deal. The people that are trying to compare the two — I've read who's wrote it. It's disappointing that they don't understand the sport better than that, but there is a huge difference between the two."
Stewart admits that he blocked Waltrip at Talladega and that some drivers were mad at him.
He said the difference at Talladega is that drivers are trying to make the driver behind him push him to the front.
"I 'fessed up and I owned up to what I did at Talladega," Stewart said. "It's the last lap of the race. I could have sat there and just stayed in my line and watched 20 cars go blowing by me or I could sit there and try to pick up the faster line and make that line push me.
"I made a mistake in doing that. But I think it's ridiculous to compare Talladega last fall to what happened 15 laps to go at the end of the race on a restart. If that's the case and that's acceptable, why wouldn't drivers just do it the whole race?"
In virtually every other racing series, blocking is handled by drivers — those who block typically get wrecked.
"I race all kinds of different series all across the country, over 100 races this year, and there is stuff that goes on here (in NASCAR) that doesn't go on at any other racetrack across the country," Stewart said.
"If you tried that, you'd be wrecked so fast."
Stewart said there is a mix of opinions in the garage on the issue.
"I don't think I've won three championships by making bad decisions for 15 years," Stewart said. "I don't have a ton of enemies in the garage area. There's bigger feuds going on than what happened two weeks ago.
"And it's not even a feud. I disagreed with him and what he did and he has a different side to it and he's entitled to that."
Stewart said blocking wasn't a problem 10 years ago but that younger drivers want to block more. He said he learned from Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte.
"It's not one person each week that's consistently doing it," Stewart said. "It's something that's getting worse. Somebody has got to tell us, 'Yeah, that's what we're supposed to do' or, 'No, we're not supposed to do it.' People are kind of split on it. Joey thinks that's all right. That's his opinion. I don't think it's right."
Should NASCAR step in? Stewart said he didn't think so.
"NASCAR's position has always been to let the drivers handle it. … NASCAR has got enough stuff that they have to worry about, they shouldn't have to be put in that position of having to make that call," Stewart said.
Stewart said he went on vacation after the California race and hasn't talked with Logano. He said he's not really all that interested in talking to him.
"Phone calls don't mean anything to me anymore," Stewart said. "If a guy is calling to say he's sorry about something, that's one thing. But I'm not going to sit there and argue with somebody on the phone about their opinions versus mine."


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► Products ► Other ► YES! Klean Kanteen
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The head of Walmart's Chilean operation will assume responsibility for all of Latin America following the retirement of current president and CEO Eduardo Solorzano.
Enrique Ostale, president and CEO of Walmart Chile and an executive with a unique background, will replace Solorzano on March 1 and assume responsibility for Walmart operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. Solorzano will remain as chairman of Walmart de Mexico. Filling Ostale's role in Chile is Gian Carlo Nucci, currently EVP and COO of Walmart de Mexico.
The timing of the changes to Latin American leadership is noteworthy as Walmart is in the midst of its own internal investigation and those of outside regulatory bodies relating to allegations of bribery and corruption at its Mexican subsidiary.
"For 27 years, Eduardo has been a champion for our customers in Mexico and across Latin America, and we are pleased he's staying on as chairman of Walmart de Mexico," said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart International. "Under his leadership, the first Walmart Bank was founded, Central America became part of Walmart de Mexico and the every day low prices strategy extended to Central and South America. Likewise, Enrique's leadership in Chile has been key to both the successful integration of D&S with Walmart following our 2009 acquisition, and also to Walmart Chile's ongoing success. Gian Carlo's experience and record of accomplishments at Walmart de Mexico ensure we will continue to innovate in service to our customers in Chile."
Ostale joined D&S in 1989, serving as the manager of the company's finance division, merchandising division and Lider format division, and then as the CFO. In 2000 Ostale left D&S to serve as CEO of El Mercurio Online, the website for Chile's El Mercurio Newspaper. He later served as dean of the business school of the Adolfo Ibanez University from 2002 to 2006. In 2006, he rejoined D&S as president and CEO and following Walmart's acquisition of D&S in 2009 he led D&S's transformation to Walmart Chile.
Nucci joined Walmart de Mexico in 1993 and served in several roles, including responsibilities for all Sam's Club operations in Mexico, before being named vice president, VIPS Restaurants, in 2003. He then served as vice president, Superama, before being promoted to SVP of Sam's Club and then EVP of specialized formats. He became COO of Walmart de Mexico in January, 2010.
Walmart's operations in Latin American are extensive, with 3,832 retail units now present in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.


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MARQUETTE (AP) -- A late winter storm overlapping the start of spring has pushed across Michigan, dumping up to 28 inches of snow in the Upper Peninsula and causing icing that caused a fatal crash in the Lower Peninsula.
The National Weather Service in Marquette said Wednesday night that the heaviest snowfall has been in the northern and western Upper Peninsula. It says 28 inches fell in Ontonagon County near the unincorporated community of Rockland and 26 inches was measured in Houghton County near Twin Lakes.
The weather service says Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula also got snow, averaging 6 to 8 inches with up to 20 inches reported in lake-effect zones.
The Roscommon County sheriff's department says 19-year-old Alexa Luck of Roscommon was killed in a crash on an icy road Tuesday.


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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.
David Franz |
Thursday, March 15, 2012
As part of our focus on audio training expansion, the lynda.com audio segment is pleased to announce the release of a new type of interactive exercise file that brings the author directly inside your Digital Audio Workstation.
In all of our new Foundations of Audio courses, we are now including Get In The Mix interactive exercise files (affectionately called GITMs) that are available to all lynda.com members. GITMs are native, high-fidelity project files purpose-built for your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). The author uses instructional video and audio tracks to walk you through the session or project, referencing listening examples in the DAW timeline. The author shows you how to effectively use digital signal processing plugins such as compressors, EQs, and delays, by leveraging the DAW's built-in mix automation capabilities. The result is that you can watch as the authors turn the knobs and tweak the settings of plugins in your DAW in real time. Simply download the relevant GITM .ZIP file from the lynda.com website (located in the exercise files tab on the course's page), open up the 24-bit session file in your DAW, and press play to follow along with the instructor as they demonstrate how to master a variety of audio production techniques.
GITM files are currently available for Pro Tools and Logic Pro users, and we are looking into rolling out GITM files for additional DAWs in the near future. The GITM sessions are free to any lynda.com member and include, in addition to the author-led training, musical material at the end of each session/project file in the form of practice tracks that you can experiment with on your own.
In addition to the Get in the Mix sessions that all members have access to (about 6-10 GITMs per course), Premium members of the lynda.com Online Training Library® also have access to all of the raw audio example files (WAVs) that are used throughout the GITM-equipped course. These raw audio files include listening examples and real-world audio demonstrations that illustrate production concepts, and can be imported and played within any DAW.
For those who don't want to use the Get In The Mix files within a DAW, just watch the Foundations of Audio course movies within the lynda.com course player like normal. The course movies designated "Get in the Mix" will automatically play the author's tutorial demonstration, and you can still stop, start, and rewind as necessary (What's the difference in a nut shell? GITM exercise files are interactive and play in your DAW; watching the course movies designated "Get in the Mix" in the standard lynda.com player just gives you the instruction—no DAW needed.)
Here's an example of a Get in the Mix movie from chapter four of the Foundations of Audio: Compression and Dynamic Processing GITM-equipped course:
Now—dig in, try them out, and let us know what you think of the new GITM files!
Interested in more?
• All audio courses on lynda.com
• All courses from Brian Lee White on lynda.com
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Suggested courses to watch next:
• Foundations of Audio: EQ and Filters• Foundations of Audio: Delay and Modulation• Foundations of Audio: Compression and Dynamic Processing
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Coronation Street starlet Georgia May Foote was a willing participant in promoting a pioneering campaign to get women more active.
The actress, aged 22, led the way for scores of women and girls at St John's Square on The Rock last Saturday to engage in the "I Will if You Will" initiative.
Georgia, who plays the role of Katy Armstrong, helped activate a giant light projection across the front of the Debenhams store, powered by six exercise machines.
Other events included a "Let's give it a shot" photo booth, a "I Will if You Will" pledge wall and a "Let's give it a go" sport and fitness fair.
Shoppers were also wowed by 29 youngsters from Radcliffe-based Freak Dance school who performed three flashmobs to a mix of eight songs. The "I Will If You Will" movement, supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England, has been launched in Bury to make a positive change to the exercise and sporting habits of wormen and girls.
Best practice from the £2.8 million behavioural change project will be used to help increase the number of women participating in sport across the country.
Bury Council's sports development manager Jackie Veal said: "It was great to see so many at the launch.
"Loads of people took part on the machines to light the display, which was great fun, and many women were keen to get information on the whole 'I Will If You Will' project.
"Georgia was really good as a Bury born-and-bred young role model.
"We had a really positive response to the campaign in general, with people signing the 'pledge wall' and promising to become more active during the coming year and beyond.
"We want as many women and girls as possible to get involved, especially as Bury is the national pilot area for this initiative."
l For more information visit iwillifyouwill.co.uk


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Tell a stranger that you drive a Porsche and ears perk up. Tell that same person that the Porsche in question is a Boxster and, if you're talking to a gearhead, you'll probably catch a slight eye-roll. In spite of its midengine configuration and the fantastic handling it brings, the Boxster has traditionally had to contend with reputation ranging from "poseur's Porsche" to "hairdresser's car." This is the problem with living in the shadow of The Mighty 911.
For 2013, the Porsche Boxster again does battle with preconceived notions, but this time it's armed with a more aggressive, muscular appearance.
More masculine design
The new Boxster features larger side intakes that are more deeply set into rear-quarter panels and deeply crease the doors, echoing those of the Porsche Carrera GT and making the previous-generation Boxsters' look a bit silly and inadequate by comparison. Above those vents are shoulders that are more defined, giving the Boxster a muscular appearance when viewed from the front quarter. Likewise, the front fender bulges are more defined, rising above the sloping hood in a very 911-esque manner.
At the leading edge of those fender bulges are headlights that are similar to those of the Panamera, featuring black housings with chrome rings surrounding the vertically stacked lighting elements with bi-xenon projectors. Porsche has mostly avoided the trend of LED halos or ribbons flowing around the headlights, but the enlarged front intakes on the bumper integrate LED strips that functions as DRLs.
At the opposite end of the Boxster, the taillight combos have been horizontally elongated. The clear portions of the lights have been compressed to slivers that flow into and are now joined by the lip of motorized spoiler when retracted. This designer's trick visually flattens and widens the Boxster. Along with the Boxster's trademark center exhaust, the new vehicle looks more aggressive than the previous model, but its rear end is also more busy, which may turn off longtime fans of the Boxster's traditionally simple aesthete.
Power retractable fabric roof
The Boxster was designed from the ground up as a roadster, so of course a good deal of effort went into designing a power retractable top that stows away at the drop of a hat. The fabric roof, so chosen to keep weight down and because the Boxster has always used a fabric top, drops or rises in about 9 seconds with just the flip of a switch. Interestingly, the roof can be operated at speeds up to 31 mph, so you don't even need to stop to go open-air. When stowed, the roof forms its own tonneau cover just behind the roll hoops and wind deflector.
Porsche's doing something right in the aerodynamics department, because the Boxster's cockpit never gets too blustery; even at highway speeds. Its cabin is even quieter with the thick roof fabric and glass rear window insulating, but the Boxster is meant to be driven with top stowed.
Like every Boxster that's preceded it, the 2013 model features a midengine, rear-wheel drive train that places the engine just behind the two-passenger cockpit and ahead of the rear axle. This configuration means that the Boxster has two trunks, one under the hood and another at the back of the vehicle. Making a trip to Ikea in the Boxster is probably out of the question, but there's more than enough space for a weekend getaway with a pair of small suitcases.
In the cabin, on the other hand, storage space is a bit more difficult to come by. A small nook behind each seat can accommodate a laptop bag and a small center console can hold a phone, but the weird cupholders are probably the worst in the business. You Porschephiles already scrolling to the comments section to lambast me for complaining about cupholders should know that I'm not asking for 10 cupholders, just a place to stow a bottle of water during a long drive. The current ones that fold out of the dashboard flop all over the place during spirited driving and that's just not acceptable.
Part of the reason the Boxster has had to contend with the reputation of "Trophy Wife-mobile" is that its performance sits at the low end of the Porsche spectrum.
The Boxster's 2.7-liter flat-6 engine's 265 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque taken out of context are a pittance compared with the current-generation (and similarly priced) Infiniti G37 Convertible's 325 horsepower, but let's add some context, shall we? Consider that, at 2,888 pounds, the Boxster is 1,195 pounds lighter than the G and you'll begin to see how the purpose-built roadster makes due with less, matching the Convertible's approximate 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds.
However, the advantages of being lightweight, low to the ground, and based on a midengine platform extend beyond the dragstrip, paying dividends at the apex of every corner that you approach in the 2013 Boxster. The Boxster is an amazingly well-balanced vehicle that I found to be quite responsive and willing (but not too eager) to rotate around a center axis that seemed to pass right through my spine. Clearly defined corners and a responsive and communicative chassis seemed to hardwire my brain to the Boxster's optional 19-inch S-style wheels and their grippy, staggered-fit tires. Even if you manage to get the Boxster out of sorts 'round a bend, the standard stability control and torque vectoring system would gently straighten things out for you.