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Robust Security Designed into WirelessHART
"Always On" Security One Key to WirelessHART Adoption
The leading industrial wireless sensor network protocol is IEC62591-WirelessHART, with over 50% market share in wireless sensor networks in the process industries (critical infrastructure, including 802.11n and Bluetooth) and well over 80% market share in IEEE802.15.4-based sensor networks used in the oil and gas industry, in the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, and water and wastewater, among other verticals.
Several wireless sensor network protocols had been designed when the WirelessHART team began to specify its capabilities, so it had the advantage of being able to look at what had been done. Because of the team's analysis of older protocols, such as Zigbee, WirelessHART was designed with a very high level of security built in and designed to be "always on."
An analysis of the WirelessHART protocol serves to illustrate the good decisions the WirelessHART design team made by concentrating on and designing in security. The achieved design goal of the WirelessHART team was to make the network's security robust, always on and secure right out of the box.
In this article we will show you some (but not all) of the security features that are built into the WirelessHART protocol.
Protocol Issues
While developing WirelessHART, strong security was a critical requirement due to the demanding nature of users in the process automation industry. The WirelessHART Working Group early on adopted a defense in-depth strategy using multiple layers of security. This strategy focuses on how to trust a new device joining the network, ensuring the packets are trusted at each hop along the mesh network and protecting the confidentiality of all communications between endpoints in the mesh network.
Key Distribution
The designers in the WirelessHART Working Group paid a lot of attention to how keys were managed. In WirelessHART a user may pick a different initial join key for every device in the network. WirelessHART has standardized means to enter this key manually, or the key entry may be automated by connecting the field device to the gateway/security manager. In either case, the key is communicated to the field device via a wired connection to the maintenance port. Keys are write-only: There are no HART commands to read the key from the field device.
All WirelessHART field devices must allow the join key to be written as part of device commissioning. The join key is only one of many keys in the field device. All other keys are transferred in encrypted packets. The join key is only used for the first packet from the field device and the reply from the network manager. Because a human may have entered the join key, WirelessHART recommends the metwork manager immediately change the join key once the field device joins the network.
Also Read: How to improve network security
Shared Keys
In WirelessHART keys are used for authentication and for encryption. Since WirelessHART is fundamentally a mesh network, one key is shared at the data-link layer. This is used to authenticate packets as they hop node to node. This "network key" is written via an encrypted packet early in the join process.
To enable packet routing, some fields in the packets are only authenticated. However all payloads are encrypted with a different key for each pair of devices. In other words, there are two layers of keys. In a typical WirelessHART installation, every WirelessHART Field device has six keys in use. Five of the six keys should be different for every device in the network. WirelessHART key management (aside from possibly entering the first join key) is automated and invisible to the user.
Encryption of Payloads
While developing WirelessHART, it was quickly concluded that (1) encryption was necessary, and (2) unique session keys must be supported. In other words, WirelessHART is designed so that each pair of endpoints in communication must be allowed to have a separate key. For example, if there are 20 field devices in the network, then the gateway has 20 sets of keys (1 set for each field device). The separate keys are used to perform the encryption.
WirelessHART security is designed to isolate devices; i.e., one device cannot snoop on another device. Encrypted payloads are part of the design objective to reduce the possibility of one device bringing the plant down. The WirelessHART team believes plants SHOULD ALWAYS be designed so one malfunctioning device cannot jeopardize the whole operation. This is one reason why WirelessHART is fundamentally a mesh. Consequently, the failure, whether intentional or not, of one device will not bring down the network.
Rogue Field Devices
Early on the WirelessHART Working Group (WG) assumed any attacker would go at great lengths with infinate resources to intrude into a network. The WG concluded that "firmware reverse engineering", cloning of devices, insertion of rogue devices into a network and other nefarious deeds would occur. This realization drove several design decisions. Including the use of the unique session keys discussed above was one of them.
Ultimately, the first line of defense against rogue devices hinges on determining which device is trusted to be in the network. WirelessHART has three trust items that can be checked: 1) join key; 2) manufacturer and 3) product name (what device is it) and tag (user's name for the device).
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
In late June, Clinton Portis told CBSSports.com that he had suffered several concussions during his nine-year NFL career. In fact, he said he had sustained so many that "I can't put an exact number on it … I just know it was a lot. I stopped counting at some point."
Two months later, Portis has been revealed as the lead plaintiff in a new federal lawsuit against the NFL over head injuries, according to the Washington Times.
Also part of the 83-plaintiff suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in southern Florida are three-time Pro Bowler Daunte Culpepper and former offensive rookie of the year Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, the Times reported.
More than 4,500 former players are suing the NFL over concussions. A federal judge has ordered both sides to arbitration, with a September 3 deadline for a progress report.
According to the Times, the Florida lawsuit claims that Portis, who rushed for 9,923 career yards with the Broncos and Redskins, suffers from headaches and other problems and is "at heightened risk of developing further adverse neurological symptoms in the future."
Portis told CBSSports.com in June that concussions for him were practically routine: "I'd get hit hard and be woozy. I'd be dizzy. I'd take a play off and then go back in. Sometimes when I went back into the game, I still couldn't see straight. This happened all the time. Sometimes once or twice a game."
Since his final season in 2010, Portis said he hasn't experienced "major" issues.
"I have a few aches and pains, nothing major," he said. "None of the, 'I can't stand up or walk' stuff. I got away from the game at the perfect time. To be 31 and retired and spending time with my kids, I love it."


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The goal of the IMSS OPORTUNIDADES program is to improve quality of life through
preventive diagnostics by identifying conditions such as diabetes, malnutrition, high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, and other epidemiological diseases. The
program will care for a broad range of Mexico's 10.4 million IMSS program members,
including the unemployed, farmers, single mothers, and the population's lowest income
"It is an honor and a privilege to be selected by Mexico's IMSS department to provide
our HemoPoint® H2 point-of-care system for their IMSS OPORTUNIDADES program,"
said Stanbio Laboratory President, William R. Pippin. "Our instruments and cuvettes are
regarded as the premium choice for near-patient hemoglobin testing in U.S. public health
clinics, physician offices and hospitals because of their ease-of-use, accuracy and
reliability. We are extremely proud to be partnering with the IMSS and government of
Mexico to help provide this much needed healthcare product and service to its most
deserving people," Pippin added.
The IMSS OPORTUNIDADES program assists in providing care in 3,595 clinics, 270
urban attention centers, 225 itinerant units, and 79 hospitals across the Mexican territory.
Testing for anemia with the HemoPoint® H2 meter is expected to grow at a rate of 15 –
20% per year throughout Mexico during a five year period.
Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Boerne, Texas, Stanbio Laboratory manufactures and
markets medical testing and diagnostic devices including clinical chemistry, pregnancy, strep A, serology,
urinalysis, and point-of-care hemoglobin tests. Stanbio Laboratory's Quality System is ISO 13485
registered and its facility operates under USFDA current GMP requirements. Stanbio also offers OEM and
private labeling capabilities and distributes products in over 125 countries worldwide. This year the
company celebrates its 51st year in business. To find out more about Stanbio, review its news, or learn more
about its products, visit www.stanbio.com.
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc is a worldwide manufacturer of near-patient care equipment for the
measurement of glucose, lactate, hemoglobin, hematocrit and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). It offers its
products to the professional clinical and research laboratories, doctors' offices, sports clinics, and athletic
testing sites. The company is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
IMSS is the largest social security institution in Latin America and a fundamental pillar for
individual and collective well-being and critical for the redistribution of the nation's wealth. As a service
provider, the institution promotes the health of the nation's insured working population, workers' families,
pensioners and students through a comprehensive system of services that includes preventive and curative
medical services.


text:
ACT Prep Blitz Class - April 13, 2013
Amezhi College Readiness Corporation
Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 6:00 PM (CDT)
Who's Going
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Sara Haughty
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
Luke Picard
London, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Rick Vespucio
Florence, Italy
Florence, Italy
Event Details
- Classes are from 4-7pm
- Don't forget to bring a pencil or pen to take notes
- Bring your book "The Real ACT Prep Guide" with you to class
- Print and fill out the Registration form located at http://www.amezhicrc.com/page19.html, and bring it to the first day of class
Have questions about ACT Prep Blitz Class - April 13, 2013? Contact Amezhi College Readiness Corporation
When & Where
Amezhi College Readiness Corporation Offices
7388 Highland Road
Baton Rouge,
Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 6:00 PM (CDT)
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ACT Prep Blitz Class - April 13, 2013
Things to do in Baton Rouge, LA
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text:
Non-Myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation With Matched Unrelated Donors for Treatment of Hematologic Malignancies, Renal Cell Carcinoma, and Aplastic Anemia
This study has been completed.
University of California, San Francisco
Information provided by:
University of California, San Francisco
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: August 7, 2007
Last updated: November 7, 2012
Last verified: November 2012
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The primary objective of this study is to examine transplant related mortality (TRM) at 100 days <30%. A TRM of >50% is considered unacceptable. This study also seeks a TRM at 12 months that is <50%, engraftment >90% (defined as donor cells >80% at 6 months), and 1 year overall survival >50%.
|Acute Myeloid Leukemia Myelodysplasia Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Follicular Lymphoma Multiple Myeloma NHL Myeloproliferative Diseases Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Renal Cell Carcinoma Aplastic Anemia
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Prospective
|Official Title:
|Non-Myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation With Matched Unrelated Donors for Treatment of Hematologic Malignancies, Renal Cell Carcinoma, and Aplastic Anemia
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Anemia Aplastic Anemia
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center resources: Myeloid Leukemia Acute Myeloid Leukemia Acute Non Lymphoblastic Leukemia Myelodysplastic Syndromes Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Multiple Myeloma Lymphosarcoma Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Leukemia, B-cell, Chronic Renal Cell Carcinoma Follicular Lymphoma Aplastic Anemia Chronic Myeloproliferative DisordersU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by University of California, San Francisco:
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|16 Years to 75 Years (Child, Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Probability Sample
Study Population
Hematologic Malignancies, Renal Cell Carcinoma, and Aplastic Anemia
Inclusion Criteria:
- <75 years old
- Availability of suitable matched unrelated donor. We will require HLA matching at 9 of 10 loci including HLA A, B, C, DR and DQ. For patients treated at UCSF, typing will be done in the UCSF Immunogenetics Department. Typing will be done by high-resolution techniques at the allele level. Donors will be recruited through the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Donors must meet the standards of NMDP as well as Institutional standards for donors at the center for which they are being collected.
- Disease must be stable or responding to therapy. The expected time to disease progression should be greater than 12 weeks.
Disease types include:
- Acute myeloid leukemia not expected to be curable with chemotherapy. This will include patients with high-risk cytogenetics (-7, -7q, -5, -5q, complex, Ph+), evolution from prior myelodysplasia or AML secondary to prior chemotherapy, failure to achieve remission, or second or subsequent remission. To ensure adequate time until disease progression, marrow blasts must be <10%. This may be achieved using chemotherapy treatment.
- Myelodysplasia with high-risk features. These will include adverse cytogenetics (-7, -7q, -5, -5q, complex), excess blasts, prior conversion to AML, or severe cytopenias, with ANC<500uL or platelets <20,000uL. Marrow blasts must be <10%. This may be achieved using chemotherapy.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia not expected to be curable with chemotherapy. This will include patients with high-risk cytogenetics (Ph+, 11q23 abnormalities, and monosomy 7), patients requiring more than one induction course to achieve remission, as well as patients failing to enter remission or in second or subsequent remission. Marrow blasts must be <10%.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia with high-risk features. This will include refractoriness to initial or subsequent therapy, progression after initial response to therapy, or prolymphocytic (PLL) morphology.
- Follicular lymphoma with high-risk features. This will include refractoriness to initial or subsequent therapy, progression after response to initial therapy, or > or equal 3 IPI risk factors.
- Multiple myeloma, stage II-III. Patients are eligible either at diagnosis or after initial progression.
- Other lymphomas including diffuse large cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, or Hodgkin's disease which as failed to respond to primary therapy, progressed or recurred after prior therapy.
- Myeloproliferative diseases (myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera essential thrombocytosis) with evidence of disease acceleration.
- Chronic myeloid leukemia with failure disease control by Imatinib.
- Renal cell carcinoma with metastatic disease
- Aplastic anemia not responsive to immunosuppressive therapy
Laboratory requirements (within 2 weeks of entry, EF and DLCO within 4 weeks): --Creatinine ,2.0mg/dL and creatinine clearance >40 mL/min
- Bilirubin <3mg/dL, AST <4x upper limit of normal. Patients with elevated total bilirubin who are suspected of having Gilbert's Disease will be eligible if the direct bilirubin is normal.
- Patients with hepatitis C and hepatitis B are eligible if bilirubin and AST meet above criteria
- Cardiac ejection fraction >30%
- DLCO >40% predicted
- Negative pregnancy test (for females of reproductive age)
- Absence of uncontrolled active infection.
- Prior stem cell (or bone marrow) transplantation is permitted
- Signed informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active infection requiring ongoing antibiotic treatment
- Poor performance status
- Rapid progression of malignant disease
- Opinion of BMT Committee that autologous transplant would be a preferable form of treatment
- Organ function below requirements
- Pregnancy
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00513175
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00513175
|United States, California
|University of California San Francisco
|San Francisco, California, United States, 94143
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of California, San Francisco
|Principal Investigator:
|Charles A. Linker, M.D.
|University of California, San Francisco
More Information
Keywords provided by University of California, San Francisco:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00513175 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|August 7, 2007
|Last Updated:
|November 7, 2012
Keywords provided by University of California, San Francisco:
Allogeneic SCT
Matched unrelated donors
hematologic malignancies
renal cell carcinoma
aplastic anemia
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Leukemia, Myeloid
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute
Multiple Myeloma
Lymphoma, Follicular
Leukemia, Lymphoid
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell
Carcinoma, Renal Cell
Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive
Anemia, Aplastic
Myeloproliferative Disorders
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial
Neoplasms, Plasma Cell
Hemostatic Disorders
Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Blood Protein Disorders
Hematologic Diseases
Hemorrhagic Disorders
Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Immunoproliferative Disorders
Immune System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday took a modest path to history in California, appearing to doom the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage and opening the door to tens of thousands of gay nuptials sometime this summer.
But the sharply divided court avoided the broader question at the heart of one of the country's most passionate debates: whether a state has a right to forbid gay couples from walking down the aisle.
And foes of gay marriage, from the architects of Proposition 8 to CatholicVote.org, immediately signaled they are not ready for wedding bells to ring in California just yet for same-sex couples. They plan to try to skirt the impact of Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling, which most legal experts predict ends the defense of Proposition 8 for good.
Not only did the justices find Proposition 8's backers never had a legal right to defend the state's gay marriage ban in place of the governor and attorney general, they also declared a 1996 federal law denying federal benefits to same-sex couples unconstitutional.
The Proposition 8 decision, however, fell short of the clean result that ordinarily flows from a Supreme Court ruling. The ruling sends the case back to a federal judge's original decision invalidating Proposition 8 -- and the only question now is how quickly same-sex couples can marry and whether that ruling will have immediate statewide effect. A Supreme Court decision ordinarily becomes final in about 25 days, but California state officials and gay rights advocates were jockeying Wednesday to stake out new ground in the gay marriage showdown.
Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris quickly announced they would instruct the state's county clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses across California once the Supreme Court ruling is final, arguing that former Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker's 2010 injunction applies statewide and wipes Proposition 8 off the books. Harris, in fact, plans to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which inherits the case from the Supreme Court, to move "as soon as possible" to lift the existing stay on Walker's injunction -- which could allow California's estimated 37,000 same-sex couples to marry, according to UCLA's Williams Institute.
Kristin Perry and Sandy Stier, a Berkeley couple who challenged Proposition 8 along with a Los Angeles couple, said they are ready to be among those newlyweds. "We're elated," Perry said after leaving the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
But Proposition 8 supporters and gay marriage opponents are in not-so-fast mode. They maintain Walker's 2010 ruling applies only to the two couples and at most to their two counties, Alameda and Los Angeles. Andrew Pugno, ProtectMarriage.com's chief lawyer, vowed he would try to limit the scope of Walker's ruling.
Pugno, however, said the legal team was still reviewing its options.
Legal experts say Proposition 8's backers will have an uphill fight, although renegade county clerks could challenge the state's right to order them to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine law school, said it was clear from the outset Walker's ruling binds California to stop enforcing Proposition 8. And Vikram Amar, a UC Davis law professor who had questioned whether Walker's order could go beyond the two couples who sued, said the defense of Proposition 8 is over.
"I think that train has left the station," Amar said.
In the 5-4 ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court said private citizens, such as backers of a state ballot initiative, have never been allowed to defend state laws in lieu of elected state officials. Because the ballot measure's supporters never had the legal right to appeal Walker's 2010 opinion, the ruling wipes out last year's 9th Circuit decision finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional.
In an interview with this newspaper, Walker said Wednesday the Proposition 8 case was always clouded by the issue of whether the measure's supporters could defend the law alone. The former judge added that there is no ambiguity in his view that his injunction applies statewide.
"But my mind doesn't control this," Walker said.
With its narrow approach to California's circumstances, the Supreme Court left for another day the broader question of whether any state has a right to outlaw gay marriage.
But the Supreme Court went further in its other ruling Wednesday, striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act because it violates the equal protection rights of same-sex couples by denying the same benefits that are given to heterosexual couples.
"DOMA's principal effect is to identify a subset of state sanctioned marriages and make them unequal," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, referring to same-sex marriages in states that permit them.
Writing in dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia warned that the DOMA ruling would become fodder to groups challenging state bans on gay marriage, saying the issue should be left to the political battles unfolding across the country.
"By formally declaring anyone opposed to same-sex marriage an enemy of human decency, the majority arms every challenger to a state law restricting marriage to its traditional definition," Scalia wrote.
The Supreme Court's decision in the DOMA case immediately provides full federal benefits to same-sex couples in the 12 states that have legalized gay marriage and would apply in California with Proposition 8 overturned. It also would grant federal benefits to the more than 18,000 same-sex couples married in 2008 before Proposition 8 was passed.
The decision was welcome news for Karen Golinski, a San Francisco attorney who had an identical Supreme Court challenge to the federal law awaiting a decision in a case out of New York. A federal judge previously declared the law unconstitutional in Golinski's case, which involved a challenge to the federal government for denying health benefits to her spouse, Amy Cunninghis. The couple married before Proposition 8 went into effect.
"We're ecstatic," Golinski said after the ruling. "It was a very moving decision, and it has a profound effect on us as a couple. The majority's decision understood that."
Lawyers for same-sex couples say the two Supreme Court decisions Wednesday, coupled with mounting political support, will soon end the gay marriage debate.
"We are going to have marriage equality in all 50 states," said David Boies, one of the lawyers who challenged Proposition 8. "It's just a question of time now."
Howard Mintz covers legal affairs. Contact him at 408-286-0236 or follow him at Twitter.com/hmintz.


text:
Can the least-productive Congress in a generation pass a farm bill during the short lame-duck session this year? That was one of the questions discussed during a Farm Foundation Forum Wednesday in Washington, D.C., as a group of farm-policy experts addressed post-election politics related to agriculture.
Leading off the panel discussion was Craig Jagger of Legis Consulting, who spent 11 years as chief economist for the U.S. House Agriculture Committee under both Republican and Democratic majorities. Jagger noted that the current 112th Congress, through August, had passed 173 public laws, compared with 906 for the assembly during 1947 and 1948 that President Harry Truman described as the "do-nothing Congress."
And yet the 112th Congress faces some important tasks in the remaining weeks of 2012, most notably reaching a budget agreement to avoid the "fiscal cliff" of automatic spending cuts and tax increases that will otherwise take effect after January 1. A list of Bush-era tax cuts also will expire at the end of the year, and the estate tax would return to pre-2001 levels, with the exemption for individuals dropping from $5 million to $1 million and the rate increasing from 35 percent to 55 percent.
Passage of a new Farm Bill could provide some of the spending cuts needed to avoid the fiscal cliff while providing secure funding for critical farm programs. Jagger noted that the House version, which the Agriculture Committee passed but never reached the floor for a full vote, would save $35.1 billion from the federal budget. The Senate version, which passed a full Senate vote, would cut $23.6 billion. The biggest differences between the two, he says, relate to funding for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or food stamps), and for Title 1 commodity programs. The difference in SNAP funding amounts to $12 billion, with the House bill favoring deeper cuts.
If the 112th Congress does not pass a farm bill, the responsibility passes to the 113th, Jagger notes. This does not necessarily mean starting over, but the bills would need to be re-introduced and could be modified significantly in the new House and Senate committees.
Ferd Hoefner, policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, said passage of a farm bill during the lame-duck session is possible, but would require some fast action. The bill likely will take at least a week to reach the House floor for a vote. If the House passes their version, the two chambers of Congress would need at least a week, probably at least two weeks, to resolve differences in conference. At least one more week would be needed for a final vote. With just over six weeks left in the year, including the holidays, passage seems unlikely.
Prior to introducing the panelists, Farm Forum president Neil Conklin briefly addressed the issue of immigration reform. In a Farm Forum stakeholders meeting on immigration issues in July, he says, there was general consensus that current guest-worker programs are not working for either workers or employers. At that time though, participants saw little chance of comprehensive immigration reform in the near future. Conklin noted though, that immigration reform could become more likely following the 2012 election, as Republicans have openly acknowledged a need to reconnect with minority voters.
During the question and answer session, former U.S. Representative Charlie Stenholm (D-Texas) served as moderator. In his opening comments, Stenholm, who served six years as ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, said the current ag committees in the House and Senate are a last preserve of bipartisanship in Congress. Unfortunately, that spirit of compromise disappears when legislation moves from the committees to the general assemblies. He encouraged the audience to contact their Congressional representatives and tell them to get busy, put the nation's business ahead of party politics and resolve issues such as the budget and farm bill.
A webcast of the forum is available on the Farm Foundation website.


text:
lithium [en Español]
lithiumSkip to the navigation
Pronunciation: LITH ee um
Brand: Eskalith, Lithobid
Eskalith CR 450 mg
round, yellow, imprinted with SKF J10
Lithium 150 mg-ROX
capsule, white, imprinted with 54 213
Lithium 300 mg ER-BAR
round, white, imprinted with 345, b
Lithium 300 mg SR-ROX
round, brown, imprinted with 54 107
Lithium 300 mg tab-ROX
round, white, imprinted with 54 452
Lithium 300 mg-ROX
capsule, white, imprinted with 54 463
Lithium 450 mg SR-ROX
round, white, imprinted with 54 346
Lithium 600 mg-ROX
capsule, pink/white, imprinted with 54 702
Lithobid 300 mg
round, pink, imprinted with SOLVAY 4492
Lithonate 300 mg
pink, imprinted with SOLVAY, 7512
What is the most important information I should know about lithium?
Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
Call your doctor at once if you have any early signs of lithium toxicity, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or ringing in your ears.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
Drink extra fluids to keep from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium. Tell your doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Lithium can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
What is lithium?
Lithium affects the flow of sodium through nerve and muscle cells in the body. Sodium affects excitation or mania.
Lithium is used to treat the manic episodes of manic depression. Manic symptoms include hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for sleep, aggression, and anger. Lithium also helps to prevent or lessen the intensity of manic episodes.
Lithium may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking lithium?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to lithium.
Before taking lithium, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
- heart disease;
- kidney disease;
- underactive thyroid;
- a severe or debilitating medical condition; or
- if you are dehydrated or have low levels of sodium in your blood (hyponatremia).
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take lithium.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use lithium without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.
Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication.
Do not give lithium to a child younger than 12 years old.
How should I take lithium?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
Measure the liquid form of lithium with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Taking lithium can make it easier for you to become dehydrated, especially if you have any vomiting or diarrhea, if you are outdoors in the sun, or if you exercise vigorously or sweat more than usual. Dehydration can increase some of the side effects of lithium.
Drink extra fluids each day to keep from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium. Tell your doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for more than a few hours.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your kidney function will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking lithium.
Store lithium at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or ringing in your ears.
What should I avoid while taking lithium?
Lithium can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Do not change the amount of salt that you consume in your diet. Changing your intake of salt could alter the amount of lithium in your blood.
What are the possible side effects of lithium?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking lithium and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- extreme thirst, urinating more or less than usual;
- weakness, fever, feeling restless or confused, eye pain and vision problems;
- restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
- pain, cold feeling, or discoloration in your fingers or toes;
- feeling light-headed, fainting, slow heart rate;
- hallucinations, seizure (blackout or convulsions);
- fever with muscle stiffness, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats; or
- early signs of lithium toxicity, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or ringing in your ears.
Less serious side effects may include:
- mild tremor of the hands;
- weakness, lack of coordination;
- mild nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain or upset;
- thinning or drying of the hair; or
- itching skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect lithium?
Before taking lithium, tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications, especially any of the following:
- acetazolamide (Diamox);
- aminophylline (Truphylline) or theophylline (Elixophyllin, Respbid, Theo-Bid, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl);
- sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, Bicitra, Polycitra, or baking soda home remedy antacid);
- carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
- fluoxetine (Prozac);
- metronidazole (Flagyl);
- potassium iodide thyroid medication (Pima);
- an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik);
- a calcium channel blocker such as diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);
- a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Vasoretic, Zestoretic), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactazide, Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others;
- medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as haloperidol (Haldol), aripiprazole (Abilify), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (Clozaril, Fazaclo), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), pimozide (Orap), risperidone (Risperdal), or ziprasidone (Geodon); or
- celecoxib (Celebrex) or an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with lithium. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2015 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.16. Revision date: 12/15/2010.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use . Learn how we develop our content .
Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Bats quieted behind Niese's solid start vs. Braves
Wright's return doesn't provide spark as Mets drop series finale
NEW YORK -- On another night, in another month of another baseball season, David Wright's return to the lineup might have portended good things for the Mets. Even without Daniel Murphy, a lineup with Wright might have had a chance.
But this was no other night. This was a Thursday in late August during Wright's worst professional season to date, and his return to the lineup did nothing to spark the Mets offensively. Instead, Mike Minor fired seven-plus innings of one-run ball against them, leading the Braves to a 6-1 win.
"It's strange how just being out a few days, how quick the game is when you get back out there," Wright said. "I've just got to get back in the grind of it."
To be fair, the burden on this night did not fall entirely to Wright, who had been out since Sunday with a stiff neck and has battled a sore left shoulder for far longer than that. It fell equally to Curtis Granderson, whose infield hit in the seventh inning did little more than snap an 0-for-20 skid, and to the five members of the starting lineup who finished without hits.
Such limited productivity was also in large part a credit to Minor, in his first start since taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning last weekend in Cincinnati. Just as dominant at Citi Field, Minor retired 12 straight Mets to open the game, before Lucas Duda broke up his perfect game with an opposite-field single. Minor then mowed down another six in a row until Travis d'Arnaud led off the eighth with a double and Eric Campbell singled him home.
The Mets actually put the tying run on base later that inning, but Juan Lagares grounded out against David Carpenter to end the threat.
"I do feel like I've turned the corner with pitches and hitting spots and attacking hitters," said Minor, who came into the game with a 4.90 ERA. "I do feel confident. I don't feel that little guy in the back of my head is saying, 'Don't give up the home run' anymore. I feel like I'm attacking guys and going right after them."
It was an extreme example of the offensive issues that have plagued the Mets all week, all month and all season. Significantly below-average campaigns for Wright and Granderson have plummeted the Mets toward the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including on-base percentage (24th in MLB entering the night) and slugging (29th). There they have sat for most of the summer, watching as more talented offensive clubs -- the Braves, for example, who are in the thick of the playoff race -- outslug them more often than not.
"We've got young guys [and] there's a lot going on here," manager Terry Collins said. "They're trying to learn at the Major League level and that's a lot to ask sometimes. A lot of times when things aren't going good, there's extra heat on them. It's not always about right now. It's about, 'Can you fit here? Can you play at this level?' We're trying to analyze all of that."
On this night, the results were not sound. Mets starter Jon Niese may have been sharp, giving up nothing more than Minor's RBI hit over his first seven innings. But Minor's leadoff double in the eighth inning changed the story arc for Niese, who proceeded to allow an RBI triple to Emilio Bonifacio and a run-scoring single to Freddie Freeman. Niese struck out five and walked one in 7 1/3 innings, giving up nine hits.
That dropped the Mets to within a half-game of the last-place Phillies, a symbolic station that they would prefer to avoid. After finishing in third place last year following four consecutive fourth-place finishes, the Mets had hoped to continue improving in 2014. Granderson and his $60 million contract were a big part of that, as was Wright. But through 134 games, improvement has been hard to discern.
"For me, with the way things have gone up until this point, there's no sense in whining about it or moping around and hanging your head," Wright said. "I can use this next month to do well and hopefully to get as many team wins as possible, but also to get it going for me offensively to help springboard me into next year."
"I want it bad," Niese said of a strong September. "I'm just hoping that all 25 of us have that same feeling. We need that to make the games in September meaningful. This year's kind of -- I don't want to say 'lost,' because you want to play every game the same in September. But it does mean a lot to play games and have them mean something."
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this, but I've seen a bunch of other non-critique video items in here so I'll give it a shot.
I was wondering if anybody has seen the USDGC 2010 Lead Group Live DVD, or Vibram Open 2010 DVDs and are they worth watching?
I really wish all these DVDs would end up streaming on Netflix so I wouldn't have to worry about blowing $15 on a dud.


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Hayden Panettiere Photo 300x400
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Leslie Panettiere (born August 21, 1989) is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career by playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live (1994–1997), and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light (1996–2000), before starring at age 10 as Sheryl Yoast in the Disney feature film Remember the Titans. Her most notable role to date is that of cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC series Heroes (2006–2010), for which she won several awards. Her most recent roles include her portrayal of the title character in true crime drama Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy and Kirby Reed in the slasher film Scream 4.
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Dormouse Baby Bodysuits are an Idakoos specialtiy! Idakoos has many things to offer. Whether you want to get a Dormouse Baby Bodysuit for a special occasion, give a Dormouse Infant Bodysuit as a present or need to represent with a funny Dormouse Baby Romper during Holidays or Family and Friends get-togethers, Idakoos is sure to have the right Dormouse Baby Bodysuit for you! Even if it turns out you can't find the right Dormouse Baby Creeper with the perfect design for all those babies in your family and friends circle; Idakoos offers all of its children's Dormouse Baby Bodysuits as Dormouse Baby Bodysuits. Personalize any Dormouse Baby Snapsuit the way you want to ensure the perfect gift.
Showing 1 - 24 of 83 Baby Bodysuit


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Change the way you install and update apps with the all new
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Create a collection by bringing together complementary apps that have a common theme or purpose, then share it and discover new collections.
Discover New Mac Apps.
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Governing Board Chair Appointed for Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness
March 18, 2009
News Highlights
More Information
Michael O'Reilly, founder of the Herndon-based O'Reilly Law Firm, has agreed to serve asthe chair of the newly formed Governing Board of the Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness in Ten Years.
"Mike is an outstanding choice to provide the leadership needed to help guide our community in efforts to end homelessness as we know it. He and Dean Klein, who was recently appointed director of the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness will be a great team," said Sharon Bulova, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
O'Reilly has served with several local commissions, boards and organizations, including two consecutive terms as a member of the Herndon Town Council. He served as Mayor of the Town of Herndon from 2004 to 2006.
In March 2008, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Implementation Planto Prevent and End Homelessness in the Fairfax-Falls Church Community in Ten Years. The plan identifies the basic actions and commitments necessary to transform the current system and approach to homelessness into a flexible, relationship-based and community-centered system based on the principles of prevention and Housing First.
The plan also lays out a management system for the implementation process. The Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness in Ten Years will consist of nonprofit, business, government and faith-based groups working in partnership to develop resources and deliver collaborative services to end homelessness in the community.
The Governing Board will provide leadership for this community-county partnership. The appointment of former Mayor O'Reilly as the chair is an important step in moving forward with the 10-year plan.
The Governing Board responsibilities include setting policy direction, raising community visibility and the resource development capability necessary for the successful implementation of the plan. The board consists of elected officials, community leaders and representatives from authorities, faith-based groups, businesses and foundations.
More information on the implementation plan and the strategic directions for preventing and ending homelessness can be found online.
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711


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"User-friendly" performance feel
Quad V-hull with double concave
Deep molded long base side fins
Shallow blades at the top of the inside V
Designed for Pro Tour Champion Phillip Soven, the S4 Wakeboard is super quick from rail to rail and features a progressive 3-stage rocker for explosive wake hits. The high end performance is there for those in need, but don't let it scare you away. The S4 has a "user-friendly" performance feel. Even the top pro needs a bit of forgiveness on the wake to help land their toughest tricks. Whether your tough trick is a 1080 or a 180, you'll be digging the extra love this board gives.
Quad V-hull and double concave give faster rail to rail, extra lift, and softer landings. Low volume rails are faster with better hold. Rail flex at the end delivers more drive out of turns. A center line, single vent detaches water flow across the center line at the end of the board for increased speed. Deep molded long base side fins provide superior hold at speed, while the cutaway trailing edge offers quicker release off the wake. Shallow blades at the top of inside V control water flow through inside concave for more control.
S4 134: 52.9" x 16.8". For 90-170 lbs. riders. S4 138: 54.5" x 17.1". For 130-210 lbs. riders. S4 142: 56" x 17.3". For 160-250 lbs. riders.
The Transit is the perfect boot to transition from an entry or mid-level weekend warrior to the dedicated "core" rider. The Transit's Cuff Stretch Zone has been upgraded to injection-molded TPU, allowing the upper to wrap even better. Loaded with performance features such as dual zone lacing and control liner, the Transit Wakeboard Boot is easily customized to your perfect fit. Transit Boot sizes: S(5-8), M(8-10), L(10-12), XL(12-15).


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Industry News
How to Set the Price for Your Men's Haircuts
Setting your men's haircut price is the first step in becoming a successful men's haircutter.
My biggest piece of advice on this matter is this: "Do not let the last guy's first mistake become the foundation for your next mistake." Most haircutters determine the price for their men's haircut by picking up the phone and calling five or six local shops and asking how much their men's haircut costs. They calculate an average of these prices and then price their haircut just below average.
This is fundamentally flawed thinking on two levels. First, you want to be the most expensive men's haircut in the area, not the least. Competing on price is called racing to the bottom. There will always be another haircutter willing to shave a few nickels off the price of a haircut and undercut you. You do not want to be THAT haircutter.
Do you really want a client coming to you because you are cheap? You want to build business on any of a number of strong principles like technical quality, superior service, up-to-date styles or convenient location, just to name a few. Any of these and quite a few others is a better basis upon which to build long-term, mutually beneficial and profitable relationships with clients.
More importantly, what the other guy charges has no relation to your cost structure, your profit margins, your desired income or the realities of your haircutting situation.
The better way to determine men's haircut pricing is to determine your cost to deliver a men's haircut, set your expected profit margin and calculate your price. Once you have established the price that fits your business model you can then plan to deliver a service experience that lives up to the price you have set.
The steps to do this are simple.
For the purposes of this example we will consider a single cutter in an independent work situation like a booth renter. The formula can be extended to an entire salon or team as needed.
1. Determine your capacity. If you can deliver 3 men's haircuts per hour and work 8 hours per day you can perform 24 men's haircuts in a single day. Multiply this by 5 days per week and 4 weeks per month and you have a monthly capacity of 480 men's haircuts. Our industry standard has been to target 80% occupancy in your chair. Take 80% of 480 and you get to 384 men's haircuts per month as a capacity target. BTW, if you are cutting at over 80% occupancy it is time to raise your prices, but that is a discussion for another day.
2. Determine your cost to deliver a single haircut. Add up ALL your monthly expenses, rent, light, phone, laundry detergent, any and all costs that go into your delivering your services. Be sure the list is complete. Do not skip even the smallest of monthly costs. For the purposes of this discussion let's assume your monthly costs total $1,300. Divide this overhead cost by the number of men's haircuts you can deliver. In this example $1,300 divided by 384 = $3.39. It really costs you $3.39 to deliver a men's haircut.
3. Determine the total amount of money you want to earn each month. Perhaps your hope is to earn a gross annual income of $50,000. That is a nice round number and a good one for this example. Divide this $50,000 by 12 months and you will want to earn $4,166.00 per month in NET profits, that is to say the amount left over AFTER you subtract all your expenses for your business. This number is $10.85.
Combine your required profit with your real costs and you now have the minimum price for a men's haircut in YOUR situation. You need to charge at least $14.24 for a men's haircut.
If the going rate for a men's haircut in your area is $8.00 you have some serious work to do to market a $14+ haircut to your community. If the going rate is $22 you have a lot of room to work with to upgrade your service, your environment, your marketing, etc.
If the going rate was $12 and you used the "phone around" method you might have set your price at $11. You would be behind on your plan, your income and your numbers even before you cut your first head of hair.
This simple formula will help you make better decisions for pricing your offerings and building your business. I encourage comments on this and other strategies I share.
Thank you,


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Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 4:11 PM
*just looks at u*
Hey cutie patuties!!!! What's up??? so...I really wanted the "surprise" to come out yesterday but it will 1000% be out today... in about 7 more hours =) I know u guys will love it! Treated myself to sleeping late today but I'm back on my grizzly now... Testing out some makeup ppl, going to dinner with the fam and writing as well...(still feature stuff). Really wish I could take my neices with us tonite but they're on a strict 9pm sleep schedule so I'll probably have to see my little bugs on the weekend...thinking about taking all the kids to Great Adventures or something..and No barbz, ur not allowed! I said the KIDS!!! LMAO. Well maybe I can choose a cpl responsible barbz to be my assistants for the day...*ponders on that while realizing I'm really hungry*...so yeah, anyway, I smell so good... oh yea, I am gagging over the new perfume that comes out for the holiday season...i rlly hope u guys like the smell, its sooooo f'ing sexy. I am really addicted to it...u guys will like the name as well...and when u see the bottle...there will be an uproar. lol...oh wow, just thought about the mess that was my timeline yesterday regarding MYX...lmao. No, don't blame me!!!
SO, I've decided to get an email for my twerk contest...so listen out for that info later today...I'm going to go put on some clothes now... *kisses u*
Go easy on yourself today. You're your toughest critic, and that's fine to keep you achieving in life, but give yourself a break today. You're perfect! You're loved! If by no one else, by ME! ;p Dont you ever forget that ok barbz? *just looks at u*


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A Great Collector
A 30-year-old Hong Kong businessman could have the greatest cigar collection in the world
(continued from page 7)
The cigars are stored in a walk-in humidor in their office that resembles a fine cigar shop more than a storage room. The Wongs also have a cigar-smoking room in the building that features part of their vast cigar collection as well as an impressive array of art and wine. Many of the cigars featured in Cigar Aficionado's Connoisseur's Corner have been drawn from smoking sessions with the Wongs, including the 100-point Grisel Bolivar Chatelet featured in the August issue.
Earlier this year, I sat down with Alex Wong in Hong Kong and discussed his passion for the leaf and his amazing cigar collection. Alex and his father run a family business, The Hong Kong Parkview Group Ltd., that develops major residential and commercial complexes in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Singapore and London. They also have a financial interest in Pacific Cigar Company Ltd., the key agent for Cuban cigars in the Far East.
Cigar Aficionado: Do you remember the first time you smoked a cigar?
Alex Wong: Well, I can't really remember the first time, but I remember the first great cigar that I smoked was a Dunhill Malecon, and this is when my father came to London and took me to Dunhill. It was when they were selling some of the stock from the lockers of some of their customers.
CA: So you smoked some of the pre-Castro stuff then?
Wong: No. They were mostly Dunhills from the 1970s. That is when I thought, "Wow, this stuff is amazing."
It is easy to start in London. Back then there was so much access to old cigars. Everywhere, [there were] old cigars. And talking to Desmond Sautter, you learned a lot. I also went a lot to Davidoff and spoke to the owner, Edward Sahakian. And then Christie's started to have auctions of cigars as well.
CA: What is it that you like so much about cigars, then?
Wong: I enjoy the complexity and the different tastes that you get from different cigars, and also the experience of letting yourself go and relaxing with friends. It's great!
CA: You have a great wine collection as well. Is cigar smoking a different experience from drinking fine wines?
Wong: Yes. It is very different. I find when I smoke cigars I am more relaxed.
CA: If you had to give up wine or cigars, which would you give up?
Wong: I would give up wine. I know I shouldn't say that, but…I got to know a lot of people [through wine], and a lot of people know me more for wine than cigars, but I always think of myself as a cigar guy. You know, I always enjoy cigars more. But it is hard to compare the two and luckily I don't have to make the choice.
CA: Are there a lot of guys your age and in their late 20s and 30s who smoke fine cigars in Hong Kong?
Wong: I think cigars have really picked up in the last few years. A lot more cigar bars are open now. More and more people my age are trying to understand cigars. They don't want to go to the shop and simply buy Montecristos. They want to know what they are smoking and they want to pick out the good stuff.
CA: How did you amass your collection? You seem to have just about everything.
Wong: Buying in auction, buying in Europe, mostly London. But I think how the collection started was when my father was part of the purchase of a big parcel of cigars from a famous collector in the United States.
CA: I think I know who that was, but I shouldn't say.
Wong: He was from Chicago or somewhere like that. We bought the cigars from Gerard in Geneva. That is how it all started and we sort of built around it. We buy cigars from Pacific Cigar as well.
CA: Your family has an interest in Pacific.
Wong: Yeah.
CA: What are some of your favorite cigars?
Wong: I think with cigars, it is the occasion and the time of day that are important when you smoke. But some of the greatest cigars that I have smoked are things like the Dunhill Cabinetta, Cohiba 30th Annivesary, Dunhill Estupendos, 1492 and Partagas 150.
CA: Wow. Man. Those are all 100-point cigars or very close to that and they are super expensive. Anything for mere mortals?
Wong: I am finding that the quality of the cigars has recently picked up from Cuba. So I think that the Cohiba Siglo VI is a great cigar. The new Montecristo Edmundo and Petit Edmundo are great cigars as well.
CA: I am with you.
Wong: I like Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robustos. And I have been trying some of the regional releases, and they are pretty good.
CA: How about Limitadas?
Wong: Limitadas? I am not convinced of them all of the time. Some of them are good. Montecristo Robustos are great. I also like the Partagas Serie D No. 3.
CA: I thought you were a big fan of Davidoff Cubans as well?
Wong: Of course. I enjoy Davidoff cigars as well. 5000. Dom Perignon is good during the day. Very refined. Well, I like to try all kinds of cigars. Recently, I have had Romeo & Julieta Cazadores from the late 1980s. But nowadays, it gets harder and harder to find these old cigars. It is almost impossible now. And you have to really be careful of the quality now.
CA: You mean you have to be careful how these old cigars have been stored?
Wong: Yes, in terms of how it has been stored. Sometimes in auction you have to be careful. Now that I am not in Europe as often [as I used to be], I can't really go and check out the cigars all the time before they are sold at auction. Every once in a while you find some interesting boxes. But it is not like before when you could find 15 boxes of Dunhill here and 30 boxes of Davidoff there. Now, it is one box here and one box there.
CA: If you had a friend who was thinking of starting to collect cigars, what advice would you give? Would you tell him to buy young cigars and store them like bottles of fine wine?
Wong: Oh definitely. I think that is the way to go…to buy the cigars young and to taste the difference with age. If you have a box of cigars, you can try one now, then you can try one in a year's time, then try one in two years' time, and so on. Then you know when it is the best time to smoke your cigars. Then you can smoke the whole box! It's fabulous. You get such enjoyment out of that.
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Felt, F3, 3/8 In Thick, 1 x 12 In
VALUE BRAND| Zoro #: G1907053| Mfr #: 2FJF6
Zoro #: G1907053Mfr. Part #: 2FJF6
$1.90 /ea
Orders over $50.00 ship free. DetailsStandard ground shipping
Technical Specifications
|Zoro #: G1907053 Mfr #: 2FJF6
|Tensile Strength (PSI): 400
|Abrasion Resistance: Excellent
|Durometer: 30 to 40 Shore A
|Item: Felt Strip
|Density (Lbs./Sq. Yd.): 6
|Thickness: 3/8"
|Vibration Absorption: High
|Application: For Dust Shields, Bumpers, Pads
|Material: Wool Felt
|Grade: F3
|Type: General Purpose
|Min. Temp. (F): -80
|Color: Gray
|Hardness: Firm
|Max. Temp. (F): 200
|Backing Type: Adhesive
|Width: 1"
|Length: 12"
|Country of Origin (subject to change): United States
Product Description
Felt Strip, General Purpose, Wool Felt, Backing Type Adhesive, Thickness 3/8 In, Width 1 In, Length 12 In, F3 Grade, Gray Color, Density 6 Lbs/Sq Yd, Min Temp Rating -80 Deg F, Max Temp 200 F, Vibration Absorption High, Abrasion Resistance Excellent, Durometer 30 to 40 Shore A, Tensile Strength 400 PSI, Hardness Firm, For Dust Shields, Bumpers, Pads


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Lights and Parts
Here in our Bargain Basement Lights and Parts section, you can find bargains on all kinds of clearance parts!
Many of the products in this section have been added for many reasons: we no longer stock a company's product, the part has been discontinued from the manufacturer, the part is used (which will be specified in the part's description), or the part has been past it's return date. If you are looking at an item, get it while you can because it is gone for good once it's out of stock! We are continuously adding new product to this discounted section of our site, so make sure to keep checking back for added deals.
12" SEL-Series (9) 3 Watt CREE LED Light Bar - Pro Comp 76212
Regular Price: $334.99
Special Price $299.99
Only 1 in stock
Pro Comp
4.5" SEL-Series (3) 3 Watt CREE LED Light Bar - Pro Comp 76204
Regular Price: $199.99
Special Price $129.99
Only 3 in stock
Pro Comp
Accord 1998-2000 4dr Honda Tail Lights - IPC CWT-712C2
Regular Price: $199.10
Special Price $154.99
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Expedition 1997-2002 Ford Bermuda Black Tail Lights - IPC CWT-CE501ECB
Regular Price: $192.37
Special Price $129.28
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Hardbody PU 1993-1997 Nissan Smoke Headlight Cover - 37329
Regular Price: $61.99
Special Price $41.83
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PIAA White Light Bulbs - 10925
Regular Price: $93.99
Special Price $44.99
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PU 1990-1993 GM Smoked Headlight Cover - GT0901S
Regular Price: $53.99
Special Price $31.50
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Ram 1994-2001 Dodge Corner Lights - IPC CWC400C
Regular Price: $50.99
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Silverado 1999-2006 / Suburban/Tahoe 2000-2006 GM Crystal Clear Projector Head Lights - IPC CWC-CE14
Regular Price: $423.99
Special Price $149.99
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Tundra 2000-2006 Toyota Tail Lights - IPC CWT-CE2026C
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Wrangler 1987-2006 Jeep Tail Lights - IPC CWT-CE407C
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- AM FM Radios
- Antennas
- WiFi & Internet
- Audio
- LED Light
- Emergency Supplies
- Closeouts
Prices shown in currencies other than US Dollars are estimates based on current exchange rates. We will charge your credit card in US Dollars on the day your order is shipped, and the conversion to your local currency will be done at the prevailing rate by your credit card issuer.
C. Crane will not mark your parcel as a "gift", declare a value lower than the actual price paid, or otherwise prepare false customs information.
You may have noticed this new acronym popping up on some of our products. RoHS stands for Restrictions on Hazardous Substances, and it's a directive that could have a huge impact on the production and disposal of consumer electronics. First adopted in Europe in 2006 (and later adopted in California in 2007), RoHS restricts the use of six dangerous substances in lots of common electronics. According to the official RoHS compliance Web site (www.rohs.eu), the RoHS symbol indicates that "new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market does not contain any of the six banned substances: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, poly-brominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), in quantities exceeding maximum concentration values."
While some military and medical equipment is exempt from RoHS compliance, the electronics governed by the standard are among the most common you'll find in your home, from radios to MP3 players to cell phones and (increasingly) computers. In practical terms, the standard protects factory workers at the production level, sharply reducing their exposure to hazardous substances. The standard also has a profound impact on the disposal and recycling of electronics, in that disposed substances will no longer have at least six of the most hazardous chemicals formerly found in electronics, and recycled electronics will not expose workers to toxics as they harvest components.
In a true testament to its quality and performance, the modestly priced CC SW Pocket has been voted "Best Travel Radio under $200.00" by Passport to World Band Radio. The CC SW Pocket AM/FM/Shortwave Travel Radio has exceptional AM reception and audio quality and is sensitive enough to outperform most radios in its class. And it's small enough to tuck in your carry-on bag, briefcase, purse or backpack.
You can quickly and easily retrieve up to 200 of your favorite AM/FM and Shortwave stations in any order by simply turning the tuning knob and taking advantage of a smart feature called "Favorites". You won't lose the stations saved in the memory when you take out the batteries.
|General Features:
|General Specifications
|Input Power:
|AC Adapter: 3VDC 200mA tip negative (not included)
Batteries: (2) AA size (not included)
|Frequency Coverage:
|AM Tuning:
|10 kHz or 9 kHz steps
|FM Tuning:
|100 kHz steps
|AM Antenna:
|Internal Ferrite Bar - 7mm x 89mm (3.5") long
|FM Antenna:
|Telescopic whip antenna
|FM S/N Sensitivity:
|> 10uV
|AM S/N Sensitivity:
|> 1 mv/m
|SW S/N Sensitivity:
|> 30 uV
|AM Selectivity:
|> 25dB
|Earphone Jack:
|1/8" (3.5mm) Stereo 32 ohm
|Lock Switch
|Sleep Timer
|5-90 Minutes (5 min steps)
|12/24 Hour Modes
|4.75" W x 3" H x 1.2" D
|6.5 ozs
|1-Year Limited
|Included Accessories:
Note: Specifications are subject to change without notice.
No, the alarm will not work if anything is plugged in the headphone socket.
No, when you press and hold the FAVORITES button the CCRadio SWP will bring up the entire preset station memory list. Once in the memory list, you have 3 ways to choose a station you have set into memory:
FM 70.0 MHz is the default number on each preset. This number will appear on the display until a new frequency is programmed into that memory slot.
No, resetting the radio will not clear the memory presets; removing all power sources from the radio does not clear presets either.
You can set the sleep timer for 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, or 5 minutes.
No, the last choice in the sleep timer selection is on. Select 'on' and the radio will continue to play continuously.
1. Turn radio on.
2. Press Band button to select FM, MW (AM), SW1 or SW2.
3. Find the station you would like to store in memory by one of the following methods:
4. Press the Mem/Time button.
5. The letters "CH" will flash and the number to the right is the memory location. You can select the memory with either of the following steps:
6. Press the Mem/Time button again. Your station has been stored.
1. Press the Favorites button and use one of the following options when the M.SCAN shows in the upper right of the display:
When you press the Favorites button it will stay in the M Scan mode until you turn the radio off or you press the Favorites button again.
You cannot delete a preset once you have made one on the CC SWPocket. However, you can overwrite the previously used presets with any new station of your choice.
|Download Time
|CC SW Pocket AM/FM/SW Radio Instruction Manual
|33 seconds @ 56KBps
|What's in the Box


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JR wrote:Welcome. For quickest way to learn you should visit the creator of this site at Gotta Go Gotta Throw and ask for Blake. It's kick ass that you've started a league so early in your disc golf career. Cheers!
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HUDSON, Ohio Jo-Ann Stores reported that net sales for the second quarter ended July 31 increased 4.7% to $439.3 million compared with $419.4 million for the same period last year. Same-store sales increased 4.4% versus a same-store sales increase of 1.8% for the second quarter last year.
Net sales for the six-month period ended July 31 increased 4.6% to $919.6 million versus $879.4 million in the prior year. Same-store sales increased 4.2% for the six-month period compared with a 1.4% increase for the same period last year.


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As a University of Missouri student, Amy Lorenz-Moser witnessed a devastating domestic violence episode where a man came in and "clobbered" a woman who worked at the school cafeteria. From that moment, Lorenz-Moser knew she wanted to become a personal injury lawyer. "I thought that it was an area where I could make a difference."
The 2000 University of Missouri School of Law graduate was right. Throughout the past 13 years, she has represented countless victims of domestic violence, including helping to set free two women who each served 32 years in prison for killing their abusive partners.
Now a partner at Armstrong Teasdale, Lorenz-Moser provides complex personal injury defense, including product liability and toxic tort defense, as well as pro bono work on behalf of abused women through the Missouri Clemency Coalition. Every day at the law office demands handling a different discipline—from business, finance and engineering to medical issues—as well as trying cases in the courtroom. She thrives on that variety, and most of all, the opportunity to seek justice for the innocent. "When you start law school, you have this dream of getting someone who is unjustly imprisoned set free—that's what the cool lawyers do," she explains. "It's what always got my juices flowing."
And that's also why Lorenz-Moser is continuing her work with the Missouri Clemency Coalition more than a decade later. She became involved in the coalition in law school, through the program's Family Violence Clinic. It was there that Lorenz-Moser began her journey defending Carleen Borden and Vickie Williams, who were each convicted of killing their abusive spouses at a time when Missouri law did not permit admission of domestic violence evidence at murder trials. "They were not a danger to society—they were in bad circumstances—and they weren't criminals with a criminal record," Lorenz-Moser recalls. The women spent 32 years in prison before Lorenz-Moser successfully sued the parole board to set them free. "They were the victims, and it was very unjust for them to be there. After 30 years in prison, it's amazing to see what that does to a person. So being able to get them out—there's nothing that feels like that. It's very addictive."
Since their release, the women have become productive members of the community—holding jobs, reconnecting with their families and helping other domestic violence victims through telling their personal stories at speaking engagements. "They also go to law schools to encourage people to go into domestic violence defense," Lorenz-Moser adds.
Borden's story, along with two other domestic violence victims' journeys, is told through the film, The Perfect Victim, starring Lorenz-Moser and directed by Elizabeth Rohrbaugh. Late last year at the St. Louis International Film Festival, the documentary received an overwhelmingly positive reaction of compassion and support for abused women, Lorenz-Moser says. "You see the tears and get questions like, How can we help? That really touches my heart. And it has caused people to make a difference." The barrier in the fight against domestic violence in St. Louis is due to lack of awareness and shelters for abused women, she continues. "There are three times as many shelters for animals," she notes. "So the best thing you can do is support your local domestic violence shelter financially and with time, as well as support the domestic violence coalition on a state and national level."
Despite the road blocks, Lorenz-Moser is inspired by the growth in support she has witnessed through the years. "When I first started doing this work in the late '90s, it was considered to be somewhat controversial. Now, it's getting less controversial all the time. People tell me, You're doing God's work."


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Wire to the Ear is back online! Sorry about the hiccup yesterday. Long story short it was entirely my fault. A few years ago this site was hosted by iPower. It was on a shared server and well for a site this size that's not a good thing. The site was slow and any popular story made the site go offline. I switched to my own server with Wiredtree. Wiredtree is one of the best providers. It costs be a bit more but well worth it. All my domain names are with Hover or Godaddy. At least I thought they were! Apparently eons ago when I started Wire to the Ear I purchased time on iPower servers and my domain name from them. Anyway you can see where this is leading. When I canceled with iPower they assumed I wasn't renewing my domain name with them. I never recieved any notifications it was about to lapse so Thursday night the site dissapeared. Luckily when this happens there is a grace period where no one else can buy the domain name. Surely the world goes on without Wire to the Ear online but it felt pretty strange to me!
"The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. A Domain Name Service resolves queries for these names into IP addresses for the purpose of locating computer services and devices worldwide. By providing a worldwide, distributed keyword-based redirection service, the Domain Name System is an essential component of the functionality of the Internet." – wikipedia.org
For more info: wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System


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Sprinter Ewan impresses againSamantha Lane
Published: January 2 2013 - 3:00AM
IN THE same place, at the same time, Caleb Ewan did precisely what he did 12 months ago, leaving those who observed the teenager burn off a bunch of pro cyclists in Geelong last year to shake their heads and marvel all over again.
A dual stage winner and second overall in last year's Bay Cycling Classic when he was just 17, Ewan returned to claim the first victory of the 2013 season by beating an international field.
Regarded as another Robbie McEwen in the making, the sprinter from Bowral, New South Wales, who is set to join Australia's new World Tour academy, has already won a junior world track title and was the silver medallist in the junior world championships road race last year.
On Tuesday night, he finished first in a peloton that featured Kiwi Greg Henderson - who held a solo break for the first 20 minutes of the criterium - two British teams and a five-man Orica-GreenEDGE outfit led by Leigh Howard and Luke Durbridge.
In the last lap of a hot-dog circuit, it appeared race leaders Tom Scully (Grays Online) and Jens Mouris (Orica-GreenEDGE), who at one stage had a seven-second buffer on the pack, would fight for line honours.
But with breathtaking speed, Ewan not only caught them but beat them comfortably.
''Last year, I was a bit overwhelmed,'' Ewan said afterwards. ''The big guys have been racing the Tour de France and I'm just this little guy in the juniors. But from winning [the stages] last year I knew I had the ability to beat these guys, and I come into the race feeling a bit more confident about myself. It's a lot better, just mentally.''
Bay Cycling Classic, elite men stage one: 1 Caleb Ewan NSW (Bikebug) 12 points; 2 Jens Mouris NED (Orica-GreenEDGE) 10 points; 3 Thomas Scully NZ (Grays Online) 8 points.
This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/cycling/sprinter-ewan-impresses-again-20130101-2c4km.html


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Rafting Time for Diving Ducks
January 01, 2010 by Joe Eaton
The great rafts of ducks on San Francisco and Tomales bays, mostly surf scoter, greater and lesser scaup, and canvasback, are a wintertime spectacle. Scoter flocks can range from many hundreds to a few thousand birds. Why do they form these aggregations?


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Enchanted Perfume
By Alexander McQueen for Women
Enchanted Perfume by Alexander McQueen, Launched in 2006, the notes include parma violet, sweet almond, orange blossom, white musk, heliotrope, patchouli, cedar, vetiver, iris and vanilla . All products are original, authentic name brands. We do not sell knockoffs or imitations. ... Read More
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About Alexander McQueen
History and background of Alexander McQueen. Alexander McQueen was born Lee McQueen, on March 17th 1969. He is one of the most influential British designers of our time. He has mastered 6 methods of pattern cutting from the melodramatic 16th Century to the brutally sharp tailoring which has become a McQueen signature. Born in the East End of London on 17 March 1969, the son of a taxi driver Read more about Alexander McQueen
More Alexander McQueen fragrancesfor Women: My Queen , Alexander Mcqueen Kingdom ,
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Customer Comments
I was very impressed and pleased by your service. I was shopping around for the perfume I ordered for my wife's birthday gift. I could not find it at many stores that I went; so I decided to buy it online. I must say that many other sites had it for double of what you had it for and when I saw your price I was sceptical because it was so much cheaper. I ended up ordering it anyway and seeing the Yahoo rating of your site made me feel a lot more easier in placing my order. I must tell you I was very pleased, I am a very picky consumer and when I shop I like to know what I am getting into. My order was here quicker than expected and from the day I placed my order I recieved an e-mail confirming it. Once again I am a very satisfied customer and I know where I am going to buy my Mother's birthday gift.
S. Wiltshire (Waukegan, IL)


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You've told family and friends that you're really not into gift-giving so that no one feels obligated to get you anything, but they send gifts anyway. Is there anything else you can do to convince them not to do this? And if they still buy you presents, do you have to reciprocate?
Dear Miriam,
Now that we're heading into the holiday season, I'm faced with a problem I have every year. I'm really not into gift-giving or receiving. I try to be clear about this with family and friends so that no one feels obligated to get me anything, but I seem to keep getting presents anyway. Is there anything else I can do to convince people I actually don't want gifts? If someone gets me a gift against my wishes, do I have to reciprocate?
Passing on Presents
Dear Presents,
I totally sympathize with your aversion to getting a bunch of things you don't really want or need. I have even tried various tactics to cut down on the gift-giving in my own family, but to no avail. Here's what I've learned: Most of the time, the act of giving isn't about you and your needs. People give because they want to do something nice for you and show they care. Telling them not to do something nice for you isn't, you know, nice. You can drop hints leading up to the holidays about how you're not into gift-giving. Some people might take you at your word, but not everyone will.
Perhaps you're lucky enough to find a kindred soul in your significant other, and you can either forgo holiday gifts altogether or go out for a nice dinner together and call it even. You may be able to orchestrate a scaled-down gift exchange among family members where everyone is only responsible for one gift. For those closest to you, you probably can convince them not to get you some meaningless something that will just take up space. In place of whatever tchotchkes you don't want to get stuck with, suggest that your close family and friends get you gift certificates to theaters or movies or restaurants. Having experiences courtesy of your loved ones can be a wonderful way to keep the holiday spirit going without the burden of extra stuff around. You could also request that donations be made to a charity of your choice or the giver's choice.
If your family doesn't go for the scaled-down version, or if you've tried these things and they haven't worked, there's likely not much else you can do to convince people not to get you gifts. However, when the gifts arrive, you still need to be gracious. In some instances, such as for close family and friends, you will do best in your future relationships with these people if you do respond in kind. Better yet, anticipate who you know is going to give you things and get them a present ahead of time. I said that most of the time, gift-giving is about the person doing the giving but, in your case, since you don't believe in gift-giving, any gifts you give will clearly be about the other person.
Beyond your circle of immediate family and closest friends, for example, co-workers or extended family, you can get away with sending a thank you card in place of a reciprocal gift, but it should be a handwritten note sent through the U.S. Postal Service, not an email. On the other hand, if someone in your office gives the same small token to everyone in the office, an email is fine.
If you really, really want the gifts to stop and don't care about the impact this attitude has on your relationships, then by all means, don't get gifts, don't send cards and don't be surprised when these people start to distance themselves from you. In this way, the problem will probably resolve itself. Your holiday season will be a lot more pleasant, though, if you can smile through the exchanges and be grateful that you have people in your life who care.
Be well,


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Reviews, reviews, reviews...
FreakScore is a weighted average of all aggregated professional and user review scores.
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This product has a FreakScore of 7.3
out of 10 based on 176 scores.
The Freezer 13 carries the legacy of the renowned Freezer 7 Pro
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Product Description
Size: L:150 feet * W:7.50 inches
Category: Jewelry Supplies
Category: Jewelry Supplies
Material: Paper
Description: Roll of gold flower wrapping paper. This short roll of wrapping paper is great for wrapping small pieces of jewelry to make the perfect gift.
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How To Season a Cast Iron Skillet
In recent years, I fell in love with my cast iron skillet. It's one of my most used kitchen tools. It's the perfect vessel to cook up a great pork chop, crisp up some chicken thighs or even bake a great batch of brownies. I love being able to transfer things from the stovetop to the oven with ease. Oh, and they're super easy to clean!
You can use a cast iron skillet for most anything as long as you take the time to maintain it and keep it in good condition. I'm going to show you how to easily season your cast iron skillet and keep it in great working order!
See how easy cleanup is with a well-seasoned skillet. Watch the video!
I know I mentioned I've only in "recent years" come to love cast iron, but there's nothing new about this material. I'm sure most of you have memories of your grandparents or even great-grandparents lugging out their heavy-bottomed skillets and frying up dinner. There's a reason these pans get passed down from grandparent to grandchild. There is science behind the seasoning process and the skillet's durability! Learn how to maintain your pan, and it will last you a lifetime.
Let's get to seasoning!
How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet
What You Need
Cast iron skillet
Dish soap
Sponge or stiff brush
Clean, dry cloth or paper towels
Vegetable oil or shortening (or other oil of your choice)
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Wash the skillet with warm, soapy water and a sponge or stiff brush. Cast iron should not normally be washed with soap, but it's fine here since the pan is about to be seasoned.
3. Rinse and thoroughly dry the skillet.
4. Using a cloth or paper towel, apply a thin coat of vegetable oil or melted shortening to the inside and outside of the skillet. Vegetable oil and shortening are the most commonly recommended oils used for seasoning, but according to Lodge, you can use any oil of your choice.
5. Place the skillet upside down on the oven's center rack.
6. Place a sheet of aluminum foil below the rack to catch any drips.
7. Bake for an hour.
8. Turn off heat and allow to the skillet to cool completely before removing from oven.
Additional Notes: A seasoned skillet is smooth, shiny, and non-stick. You'll know it's time to re-season if food sticks to the surface or if the skillet appears dull or rusted.


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This 3-day course focuses on the fundamentals of air dispersion modeling, air dispersion modeling with AERMOD and CALPUFF, and accidental release modeling with BREEZE Incident Analyst. It provides hands-on instruction with all of these programs to those who wish to use the models, sharpen their existing modeling skills, or better understand results prepared by others. It is a combination of the ...
This intensive 2-day course is designed for entry level engineers, dispersion modelers, and meteorologists or others wanting to deepen their understanding of air dispersion modeling principles. Concise lectures supplemented by multi-media example problem sets, a short hands-on introduction to computer-based modeling software, and group discussions are used to maximize comprehension. Students ...
This 1-day course provides environmental managers, plant managers, and others with air quality responsibilities with a broad understanding of air dispersion modeling as a tool for compliance studies or permitting submittals. The course covers the fundamental modeling concepts as well as regulatory requirements for state and federal permitting. Screening and refined modeling tools are introduced. ...
This course: introduces delegates to the grand challenges, the process of policy formulation, stakeholder engagement and policy evaluation, using appropriate and relevant case studies from the UK, Europe and Worldwide provides an introduction to the nature and orientation of post-war traffic growth and possible future scenarios, and how policy has evolved to attempt to match the demand for and ...
This conference will examine the priorities for UK climate change adaptation and planning ahead, as preparations are put in place for publication of the National Adaptation Programme in 2018. Policymakers and stakeholders will discuss the practicalities of adaption plans for priority areas highlighted in Defra's Climate Change Risk Assessment Report 2017 by the Climate Change Adaptation ...
This 3-day course is designed for environmental professionals with little dispersion modeling experience who wish to use the AERMOD model or to better understand AERMOD results prepared by others. It is similar to the two-day AERMOD Modeling Computer Lab course, with additional focus on developing a strong understanding of model fundamentals. Course topics include Gaussian model behavior, source ...
Delegates at this seminar will consider the key policy priorities for developing England's road network, as the Government and Highways England prepare the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS 2). It also follows the publication of the Government's Transport investment strategy, and comes as the Government is expected to consult on establishing a Major Road Network. In light of the recent M3 ...
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HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish engineering firm Metso
Metso estimated in August that it might cut up to 750 jobs.
Metso said it plans to spin off and list its pulp, paper and power (PPP) unit into a new company called Valmet to boost growth. Shareholders are due to vote on the plan later this year.
(Reporting by Terhi Kinnunen; Editing by Louise Heavens)


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This part will fit in the following St. Croix models: Auburn, Greenfield, Lancaster, Ashby-MF.
All parts are factory made from the manufacturer and will be handled on a case by case basis, depending on the warranty policy of the manufacturer. Some manufacturers make this a very simple and easy process unfortunately others do not. Please be advised that warranty claims for these parts may take up to 4 weeks for processing, and customers must cover shipping. Enviro & Napoleon notoriously take forever on warranty claims.Click here to submit a warranty claim for this item.
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Ventricular septal defect is a hole in the wall that separates the right and left ventricles of the heart. Ventricular septal defect is one of the most common congenital (present from birth) heart defects. It may occur by itself or with other congenital diseases.
VSD; Interventricular septal defect
Before a baby is born, the right and left ventricles of its heart are not separate. As the fetus grows, a wall forms to separate these two ventricles. If the wall does not completely form, a hole remains. This hole is known as a ventricular septal defect, or a VSD.
Ventricular septal defect is one of the most common congenital heart defects. The baby may have no symptoms, and the hole can eventually close as the wall continues to grow after birth. If the hole is large, too much blood will be pumped to the lungs, leading to heart failure.
The cause of VSD is not yet known. This defect often occurs along with other congenital heart defects.
In adults, ventricular septal defects are a rare but serious complication of heart attacks. These holes do not result from a birth defect.
Patients with ventricular septal defects may not have symptoms. However, if the hole is large, the baby often has symptoms related to heart failure.
The most common symptoms include:
Listening with a stethoscope usually reveals a heart murmur. The loudness of the murmur is related to the size of the defect and amount of blood crossing the defect.
Tests may include:
If the defect is small, no treatment may be needed. But the baby should be closely monitored by a health care provider to make sure that the hole eventually closes properly and signs of heart failure do not occur.
Babies with a large VSD who have symptoms related to heart failure may need medicine to control the symptoms and surgery to close the hole. Medications may include digitalis (digoxin) and diuretics.
If symptoms continue, even with medication, surgery to close the defect with a patch is needed. Some VSDs can be closed with a special device during a cardiac catheterization, which avoids the need for surgery, but only certain types of defects can successfully be treated this way.
Having surgery for a VSD with no symptoms is controversial. Discuss this carefully with your health care provider.
Many small defects will close on their own. Surgery can repair defects that do not close. People with spontaneously and surgically closed defects usually have no further medical issues related to the defect. Complications may occur if a large defect is not treated.
Most often, this condition is diagnosed during routine examination of an infant. Call your infant's health care provider if the baby seems to be having difficulty breathing, or if the baby seems to have an unusual number of respiratory infections.
Except for VSD that is caused by a heart attack, this condition is always present at birth.
Drinking alcohol and using the antiseizure medicines depakote and dilantin during pregnancy may increase the risk of VSDs. Other than avoiding these things during pregnancy, there is no known way to prevent a VSD.
Webb GD, Smallhorn JF, Therrien J, Redington AN. Congenital heart disease. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 65.