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Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa
At a glance
Local Attractions
With Meloneras Beach at just 8 miles away, and the ability to dolphin and whale watch nearby, the local attractions are plentiful. There are museums, a theme park, as well as a shopping centre close by.
Hotel Spa
With a hotel and spa facilities on the same grounds, as well as leisure facilities, this resort can satiate most of your needs.
Conference venue
With an expansive terrace, six multifunctional rooms, with a capacity of up to 500 people, this is the ideal spot for an event or conference.
The spa is not the only fun thing to do on the grounds, there is also the possibility to enjoy various classes and activities on site.
Scenic Location
Surrounded by sea views and imposing mountains, the area will capture your mind and heart.
With an 18-hole golf course on the grounds, and several more golf courses in the surrounding areas, you'll need to bring your putter!
Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa
C/ Swing s/n San Bartolome Tirajana
Gran Canaria,
C/ Swing s/n San Bartolome Tirajana – 35100, Gran Canaria, Spain
Spa & Leisure
The Aloe Spa at Sheraton Salobre is there to provide for you, and when it comes to spas, they know what they're doing. In the spa there is a hamam, steam bath, Finnish sauna, bio-sauna, ice fountain, bio-toning jet shower, Jacuzzi, as well as a range of outdoor water jets, waterfalls, and a relaxation zone. If you fancy something a bit different from relaxing in the spa, why not try hitting a few balls on the 18-hole golf course, sea view to your front, and impressive mountains as your backdrop. In the venue, seven outdoor swimming pools are available – all on different levels so you can get the view you want. The fitness centre available is fully equipped, and is open 24 hours a day, for those seeking a night time cardio burn.
Treatments available include facials that cater specifically to different skin type – for example the oily skin treatment – as well as the 'Vitamin C' treatment that keeps aging at bay. Other treatments include lifting/anti-wrinkle systems, manicures, pedicures, and 'descaling' procedures. At the gym you are able to take part in various classes as well, such as yoga, pilates, and aqua-aerobics.
Hotel & Accommodation
If you need a five-star getaway, then look no further than Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort and Spa. With 313 rooms that follow a timeless design, and a variety of sizes and prices to stay in (ranging from deluxe room to presidential suite), you will not be short of choice. It is possible to sleep children in the rooms, with the presidential suite able to accommodate to two children and two adults.
With six bars and restaurants for you to choose from, the world of fine dining will soon become your oyster. With a tapas bar, a traditionally Spanish restaurant, a buffet, a restaurant whose main focus is seafood, and two bars, you are really spoilt for choice. The restaurants come highly recommended, and endeavour to use the freshest ingredients available, all the while providing a professional and friendly atmosphere to your meals. The views that come with Bar 230, and Bar Sunset are worth the trip alone, combined with the refreshing cocktails and traditional afternoon tea.


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See video of the interview at the link below
In this exclusive clip from Stephen Hawking's upcoming documentary, Benedict Cumberbatch talks about playing the theoretical physicist in his early struggles with motor neurone disease.
"I felt a huge onus of responsibility to get that part of his life right," Cumberbatch says. "It's a terrifying prospect to have a completely functioning mind inside a body that locks you in, that keeps you stationary."
"One of the things I wanted to get right was to show the progression of his condition and show where the instability and fear came from."
Written By: Judith Welikalacontinue to source article at telegraph.co.uk

subset: commoncrawl


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UT System is poised for online expansion
But UTSA 'focused on serving the students that we have.'
Published 10:36 pm, Thursday, October 13, 2011
University of Texas System campuses are poised to greatly expand online courses — and possibly enrollment — by contracting with private companies that specialize in ramping up distance degree programs, UT officials said Thursday.
Universities will not be forced to sign contracts, but the UT Board of Regents is negotiating with three vendors to give campuses vetted options, said Gene Powell, chairman.
"One size does not fit all. This board cannot be prescriptive; (universities) have to make a decision on their own," Powell said. "Some schools will embrace it much faster than others."
Officials named Academic Partnerships of Dallas, Instructional Connections of Lewisville and Pearson of Boston as the vendors, but said no contracts have been finalized.
UT-Arlington blazed the online trail a few years ago by signing on with Academic Partnerships to offer degrees in nursing and education. The partnership, along with other distance education ventures, helped the school increase enrollment from 25,000 to 33,000 in two years.
Local Channel
- Excerpt from 'The Last Two Days' documenting JFK's Texas tripmysa
- Town mayor revamps Tina Turner hit for pep rallymysa
- Two arrested for sex trafficking after girl reportedly escapesmysa
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- Man accused of fatally shooting S.A.-area teen arrestedmysa
- Simulation: Harvey-level storm floods in San Antoniomysa
- Eddie Van Halen's $100K guitar stolen from Hard Rock Cafemysa
- Lt. Gen Steven Kwast takes reins of air education and training commandpremiummysa
- Mi Tierra customer performs knockout mariachi serenademysa
- SAPD: Convenience store employee assaulted child in back roommysa
Rob Robinson, vice provost for educational technology at UTSA, said his campus is not interested in bringing in more students via online programs because the university has already busted its goal of 30,000 students by 2016.
They have focused instead on developing hybrid courses that mix face-to-face with online learning, in part to relieve classroom congestion.
"We are really focused on serving the students that we have," Robinson said. "It is not a bad model, just not good for UTSA."
UT — and increasingly UTSA — are hubs for traditional undergraduates seeking a residential college experience. Other campuses serve larger numbers of older, commuter students who may be working or going to school part-time and could benefit from the convenience of online programs.
"There are a thousand reasons for doing online," said William Fannin, provost at the University of Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa.
Fannin said most of his school's 4,000 students are commuters, and many work or live in rural areas far from campus.
The school already offers 20 percent to 30 percent of its credits online, and Fannin believes a public-private partnership could help UTPB double its enrollment within two years.
"We are looking to expand as fast as we can while maintaining quality," Fannin said.
Under UT-Arlington's deal with Academic Partnerships, faculty are in charge of curriculum and teaching, while the company handles recruiting and enrollment management in exchange for a cut of tuition revenue, said Don Bobbitt, provost of UTA.
Instructional Connections specializes in providing credentialed "coaches" to help grade, answer questions and keep track of assignments, a strategy that keeps costs down by allowing for larger classes.
"It has been very fruitful for us," Bobbitt said. "They provide expertise for us in areas that we do not have, and our faculty control the content, quality and standards."
Migrating online does not translate into instant savings, Bobbitt said, but down the road universities can grow enrollment without having to construct and maintain buildings.
Not every degree is a good fit for online; universities must choose carefully and ask faculty to take the lead to ensure quality, he said.
"I would be concerned if we did not control the academic integrity, but we do," Bobbitt said.


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|carebearemt wrote:
|well what exactly won't reach, is it a height problem, is he lesser equipped?
|kia_breizzze wrote:
|did it work?
|sherry24 wrote:
|me and my boyfriend tried to do it doggy style, and it doesn't work. Like he cant reach or something. I watch porn so I know how to do it, and that's my favorite positon, but with him, he can't. Are there any ways to help to do it? I don't feel comfortable being on top. I don't know why. So when we do it he's on top, and I never get off. So any feedback is appreciated..
|crazyness24 wrote:
|how does he not reach? I would die not being able to do it doggy style...Maybe just stick it in for him :d


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This article has Open Peer Review reports available.
Is single reading with computer-aided detection (CAD) as good as double reading in mammography screening? A systematic review
© Azavedo et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012
Received: 20 April 2012
Accepted: 23 June 2012
Published: 24 July 2012
Open Peer Review reports
Pre-publication versions of this article and author comments to reviewers are available by contacting email@example.com.
|Original Submission
|20 Apr 2012
|Original manuscript
|26 May 2012
|Reviewer Report - rosalind given-wilson
|4 Jun 2012
|Reviewer Report - Pavel Crystal
|20 Jun 2012
|Author responded
|Author comments - Sophia Zackrisson
|Resubmission - Version 2
|20 Jun 2012
|Manuscript version 2
|23 Jun 2012
|Editorially accepted
|24 Jul 2012
|Article published
How does Open Peer Review work?
Open peer review is a system where authors know who the reviewers are, and the reviewers know who the authors are. If the manuscript is accepted, the named reviewer reports are published alongside the article. Pre-publication versions of the article and author comments to reviewers are available by contacting firstname.lastname@example.com. All previous versions of the manuscript and all author responses to the reviewers are also available.
You can find further information about the peer review system here.


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Golden Circle has announced plans to move beverage manufacturing from Victoria to Queensland by the middle of next year.
The Mill Park facility in Victoria will close with the loss of over 150 jobs, but Golden Circle says the company will inject $8 million into Queensland's Northgate Beverage manufacturing plant alowing it to increase production and the number of shifts.
The general manager of Manufacturing Simon Leonard says the "consolidation of beverage manufacturing will facilitate future growth".
So how will this change to Golden Circle production, impact on local pineapple producers?
Rachel Mackenzie is the Chief Advocate for peak the horticulture organisation Growcom.
She says she is saddened to hear of the job losses in Victoria but says "it is pleasing to note that they will be perhaps providing some job opportunities up here in Queensland and even more gratifying to hear that the processing is not going offshore to New Zealand like the beetroot processing did a few years ago".
However Rachel Mackenzie says that despite Golden Circle's investment, growers will not significantly increase planting of pineapple crops and are nervous about the long term future of food processing in Australia.


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Hi my friends. I had a nice mellow weekend but will probably head back up to my condo in Chico in a frew days to take care of business. When somebody dies and you have nobody to help you with the details, it's quite overwhelming. I did, however, have my trusty best friend of 36 years do an awful lot of work for me. Despite the circumstances, I was able to see my oldest son, Mike, and my daughter-in-law, Alaina, who were so kind and I really liked my Uncle Bobby and Auntie Brenda who showed Mike and Alaina the Blancett family history. I think he appreciates his roots more now. Mike expressed to Bobby a "thank you" for taking him on a unique journey with my very large family. When Daddy gets his final headstone put in, I wlll fly back to see it and to tallk to him for a little bit. This has personally been the worst year of my life with so many losses of those that I loved the most. I felt so bad burying him in Kansas and feel like I left him behind (it's a little internal struggle), but his plot is in the Blancett family section, so I'm okay with that and my Auntie will take good care of him. When I go to visit, I always put new flowers on everyboody's grave. I do this on my way out of town back to Kansas City and it's my thing. Auntie knows I do this. Auntie and Daddy were very close. I have part of his presence here with me at the condo, but she didn't have anything, so that was the decisive factor in laying him to rest where his roots and family are. Auntie and I are only 12 years apart so we are very close. I appreciate my cousin, Stacey, and it was so good to see her and Jackie again. We used to have these outrageous 4th of July family reunions every year, but when Gram got sick and died, we quit having them. She really was the glue of our family. We all have decided that we are going to start having those reunions again since now, the only time we see each other is if somebody died. Stacey lives in Mesa AZ so she's just the next state over from me and I have no excuse not to see her as often as I should. My great Uncle Jack (my Gram's brother), who was 10 years older than Daddy also passed away on September 4. His service is on the 18th and I just can't be there or take another flight. I'm pretty overwhelmed and burnt out on this kind of stuff as I'm still trying to deal with daddy's estate too.
I finally got Daddy's autopsy results and why he died, which is very surprising. My kids need some testing done and the father of my 3 youngest doesn't seem to take this seriously as I'm getting blown off. I've tried and there's nothing else I can do. I will not chase after him or beg for a phone call. I don't do that anymore and never will again. Since it's about the kids, it's upsetting. I think my oldest son is going to deliver what I have to say to him, but I don't work like that either. When Daddy died, I left a message on Mike's voicemail and instead of calling me, he called his father and frankly, it was my right and position to tell Mike my father died and I do resent having that taken away from me, but while I resent it, I refuse to dwell on it. I am not reponsible for other people's actions; however, I do not need to contribute to them so others can have their way with me.
I will have to post some pictures when I'm able. Both services; one in California, and the other in Kansas were lovely. Dad had strict orders of "cremate me and spread me." I did one, which was to cremate him. With the second, I refused to do. My Daddy was such a good man and people needed to know what a good man he was and the fact that he was alive and led an exemplary life that touched many. I have never heard a bad thing about my Daddy except from my "husband" and my own daughter. I still hurt and think about him a lot. It's a grieving process and I am not pushing my limits or boundaries. I am going to respect them. I ask that you keep my family in your prayers, especially my 3 youngest. They are not walking with the Lord, despite me raising them alone in the church. They are not in a good place spiritually at all.
So I'm 50 years old without an immediate "family" and no parents. It's awful, but I have good friends who have been so supportive. Again, I would like to thank you for the cards, phone calls, everything. I've met some wonderful people in my life and you are one of them. I'd like to than Kelley Holland and all of the ladies at Our Daily Bread Designs, Julie Koerber at Flourishes for their support too. One of my editors, Jane Guthrie, has been more than patient with me at Paper Creations Magazine. I would also like to make a special mention of Jennifer Dunn for her prayers and Jennipher Lowery, and all of my Christian friends. Then there's Rose, of course, my best friend for 36 years, and hundreds of friends that I grew up with who were so kind to me and supportive. My friends are kind to me and supportive even when there isn't a crisis going on and for that, I am so blessed. If it wasn't for my Auntie, Brenda Mishmash, the Kansas service would not have happened at all. She pulled that one together by herself just a few weeks out of major back surgery with a cage placed, screws, rods, you name it. I'm going to send this card to Auntie since Halloween is her favorite holiday. Last year, I had her pick up one of those glitter trees that you can find at Michael's this time of year and made a lot of tags for her to hang on her Halloween Tree, so I'm sure she will enjoy this card. I like the way it turned out myself!
I still plan on having my ORGANIZE IT! online class but just a few weeks later. I'm aiming for September 30 to October 4. I have a graphic request in that I hope will be completed today as the dates need changed, and then I have to send them to my developer to get the site ready so you can register. I've literally had hundreds of inquiries about this. You will get to see both crafty spaces that I have; one at my house and the other at my condo.
I loved the sketch (don't I always?) that Natasha made for us at Clean & Simple Stamping, Fall-to-Layout 258 for this week and you will too! I decided to break out some new Papertrey Ink stamps. One of these days, I'll have to ink up my holiday Stampin' Up! products. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this fun card that I made for you. No video but I promise I will do one soon.
Lots of pictures of this one as I did the inside and made a darling little envelope. The first 3 pictures are of the card itself, then the inside and the last one is the corner of the envelope. I did line the inside of the envelope but did not take a picture of that.
Hugs and blessings to you. Make every day count and dump your baggage. It frees you. You never know when it might be the last day of somebody that you love or yourself.
1 Corinthians 1:4-7.


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This was another swap card that I made, this time using Nature Walk and bleach to make the background on my Early Espresso card base. There is a butterfly from the stamp set called Clearly for You stamped in the upper right corner of the card, but it didn't show up as great on this card as it did on my swaps. Along the left hand side of the card, I adhered a strip of card stock that was embossed with the Framed Tulips folder. If you actually click on the picture, you might be able to see the embossing a bit better. The sentiment, from Teeny Tiny Wishes, helps to balance the bottom half of the card with some dynamic layering, a glimmer brad and Stampin' Dimensionals.
To use bleach on your card, I've found the following procedure to work the best for me. I use a double layer of paper plates resting on my black Stampin' Up! cutting mat upon which I've folded a paper towel into fourths. I pour about a capful of liquid bleach onto the paper towels and this creates my bleach soaked stamp pad. After I've stamped my images, I can just toss the paper plates and paper towel into the waste basket, making clean up a breeze. The stamp I just spritz up with a little Stampin' Mist, clean as I normally do and it's no worse for the wear.
Stamping to Share is my joy and passion! Have a great day!
Stamps: Nature Walk (Occasions Mini Wood Mount 121925, Clear Mount 121997), Clearly for You (Occasions Mini Wood Mount 121911, Clear Mount 121976), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Paper: Early Espresso (119686), Basic Black (121045), So Saffron (105118), Very Vanilla (101650), Botanical Gazette DSP (121783)
Ink: Basic Black (101179)
Tools: Big Shot Machine (113439), Lots of Tags Sizzlits Pack (114508), Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), Word Window Punch (119857), Paper Piercing Tool to make hole for brad (116631), Stampin' Sponges (101610)
Accessories: Basics Glimmer Brads (121003), Bleach
Adhesives: Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)
Sale-a-bration Details
Stamping to Share Events
Start You Own Business Stamping to Share
24/7 Shopping at my Stamping to Share Website
My Promotions – Scroll to the bottom to see my personal promotions!
Kay Kalthoff is a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Lino Lakes, Minnesota stamping, caring and sharing with customers and demonstrators locally and nationally!


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Cosmetic Surgeon - Dr. Vu
Having graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa in 1991 with Honors, Dr. Hannah Vu pursued Otolaryngology residency training in the prestigious University of British Columbia, where she developed her skills in cosmetic facial surgery. This was followed by a second Otolaryngology residency training program, at the Martin Luther King Medical Center, renowned as a trauma center in Los Angeles, that also specializes in emergency reconstructive surgery. Through these two residency training programs, Dr. Vu acquired the skills and experience in many facets of facial and plastic reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Hannah Vu is a founding member of the Skinzone Medical Center in the South Coast Metro and in the Greater Orange County area, California. Her area of specialty is in cosmetic surgery. She complements surgery with such office-based procedures like Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Restylane, Belotero Balance, Juvederm, Radiesse and Sculptra injections along with skin lasers.
Dr. Vu is highly-skilled in body-sculpting liposuction, eyelid lifts, and brow lifts and breast augmentation. She is a pioneer provider in the Los Angeles area to use the Intense Pulse Light technology for facial rejuvenation, and introduced this technology to the Asian community as a way to treat patients with unique skin characteristics.
For the patient with a busy schedule who wants quick recovery and natural results, Dr. Vu offers non-invasive, zero downtime procedures like the no-cut "face lift" with Thermage and no-cut nasal enhancements. For teens and adults with acute to chronic acne, Dr. Vu provides blue-light and red-ligh acne treatments and Acne Photodynamic Therapy. For the stubborn acne scars, Dr. Vu provide Fraxel and CO2 skin resurfacing to smooth the pits and scars.
Dr. Vu's philosophy in restoring the natural aesthetics and her expertise with minimally-invasive surgery has brought praises from her patients, and her peers. See the "Success!" section of the website.


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Bare with me here, not only is there going to be a March In Review but I will also have a Quarterly Review and Goals for next quarter. And all after April already started. Such is life. I'm meeting my goal of recording my life so I'll take it easy on being exactly on time with these things. Bigger fish to fry currently and what not.
March, oh March. You were beautiful and magically as I love my birthday month to be. So many feelings, mostly really good, some "what in the heck am I going to do." Okay, fine, a lot of the latter as well. Great memories though, and some space for growth.
I read:
– 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam (2nd reading)
– The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
– Escape from Cubicle Nation by Pamela Slim (welll… I finally finished the last chapter)
– A couple chapters from I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
– The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
– Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist
– Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
My favorites of those listed above:
– 168 Hours
– The Power of Habit
– Show Your Work
I watched:
– Pretty Little Liars /// ughhh Season Finale how you get me every time!
– Friday Night Lights /// I watched maybe one Episode
– DIVERGENT /// I liked it a lot. I can see how the hardcore book fans would have some problems but I still loved this movie. Love. Four, good lord.
– The Grand Hotel Budapest /// Wes Anderson never disappoints. I didn't know it was one of his walking in but as soon as it started I knew, and it felt like home.
Tried new things:
– Aerial yoga
– Yoga 101 at Black Sheep in Oceanside
– Had almond butter for the first time
Dan and I adventured to:
– Palm Springs!
– Calico Ghost Town
– Pioneer Town
– Elfin Forrest
– Bayside and Four Year Strong show at House of Blues
I treated myself to:
– Palm Springs birthday trip
– some other things I'm sure
March was a pretty magical month. I'm
hoping working on making April even better.


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Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.
Contents / Previous / Next / Main Tariff Index
Effective Date: 06/06/2004, Docket: RP04-297-000, Status: Effective
Fourth Revised Sheet No. 93A Fourth Revised Sheet No. 93A : Effective
Superseding: Third Revised Sheet No. 93A
requirements of this Section 28. Nothing in the proceeding
sentence shall preclude a Releasing Shipper from releasing
capacity on a different segment of the pipeline, which does not
utilize or overlap the segment on which capacity previously was
released, to such Prearranged Replacement Shipper during the
twenty-eight (28) day restricted period.
In the following situations, the Releasing Shipper will
not be required to post a Release Notice or to comply with the
bidding and allocation requirements of Section 28.6, 28.7, 28.8,
and 28.9 of this Tariff:
(a) Capacity Releases to Prearranged Replacement
Shippers for thirty-one (31) days or less. If a Releasing
Shipper has found a Prearranged Replacement Shipper willing to
acquire released capacity for a term equal to or less than
thirty-one (31) days, the Releasing Shipper may, but need not,
post a Release Notice or comply with the bidding and allocation
requirements of this Section 28.


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It-Girls Are Obsessed With This Up-And-Coming Denim Brand
Celebrities, models, and It Girls have been obsessing over a unique denim brand as of late — Miaou. The up-and-coming label was started by vintage collector-turned-designer Alexia Elkaim, who was inspired by her experience thrifting while creating one-of-a-kind silhouettes for her brand. The cropped cut, grommet waist-cinching detailing and interesting patterns make these a staple in influencers' wardrobes. The prices for the pants range from $295 to $1,200, depending on style and material, and the brand's two belts go for $70 and $85. The three-chain decorative belt, which Bella Hadid has been spotted in, will set you back a cool $325. Check out which other stars are sporting the brand.
Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.


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Women's Expo targeting proprietors, consumers
The expo was supposed to offer a networking opportunity for businesswomen, but people thought it was going to focus on female consumers.
So this year, MACCIT decided to give the people what they wanted and, in the process, open the event up to a new group of vendors.
�The main purpose of the expo is really for both professional (women) and women who are at home to learn about what�s available and what�s offered in the Milton area,� said Christina Slaback, MACCIT executive director.
Visitors to Saturday�s expo can learn about not only Milton�s female-owned businesses, but also businesses that cater to women�s wants and needs.
Pamela�s Boutique, 103 E. Madison Ave., Milton, represents both. The shop is run by two women, owner Pamela Kraus and manager Claudiadair Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald has organized a spring fashion show at the event to highlight casual wear from Pamela�s Boutique and formal wear from Brides Number One, another female-owned Milton business.
Fitzgerald has been coming to the event every year and said she�s always impressed by Milton�s enterprising spirit. The city boasts several female business owners, including MACCIT chairwoman Lori Warren, co-owner of American Awards & Promotions.
�I was totally amazed the first (year) to find out there were 32 women in the area who owned their own business,� Fitzgerald said. �Milton is kind of a sleepy town, and you don�t think of it as having so many enterprises, but it does.�
The expansion of the event�s focus allows local male entrepreneurs to highlight their products as well while keeping the focus on women, said Cheri Adair, an organizer of the event.
The day will feature a nationally known speaker, Gayle Zinda, who will talk about her book, �Pink Lemonade: Freshly Squeezed Insights to Stir Your Faith.� It also will offer seminars on everything from essential oils and belly dancing to mortgages and relationships.
�We really have a wide array of opportunities for people to be able to come, learn some stuff, be able to mix and network with some local business owners,� Slaback said.
If you go
What: Milton Women�s Expo.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Where: The Gathering Place, 715 Campus St., Milton.
Cost: The event is free, but each attendee is asked to bring a canned good for Milton Community Action.
More info: For a complete schedule of events, call Christina Slaback at (608) 868-6222.
Last updated: 8:55 pm Thursday, December 13, 2012


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Short on time? Featured in this post
If you're shopping for a new bed, learning about the best mattresses of 2017 is a good way to make sure you choose a good one. It's also helpful to know which ones don't fare so well in order to avoid the duds.
New mattress models come out every year from a growing number of retailers and manufacturers. For those who are not familiar with the terminology, materials and sales tactics, we're often told that buying a mattress can be very confusing. There are many different beds out there and it can be difficult to cut through the marketing and identify the best mattress for your money. If you're feeling unsure about your next bed, don't worry: The Sleep Junkie is here to help!
The most popular types currently are innerspring and memory foam mattresses. These are the two types you'll see most often in the market, whether you shop in stores or online. Memory foam tends to receive higher ratings in customer reviews than their spring-filled counterparts, though innersprings are more commonly available. In terms of pricing, the two categories a fairly similar, making it a matter of personal preference above all.
In this review we've taken much of the work out of the process for you. Using data from consumer reviews and independent reviewers we examine five of the best rated memory foam mattresses and the top five innerspring beds of the year and ranked them accordingly.
Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2017 Compared
|Memory Foam
|Support Layers
|Warranty / Returns
|Amerisleep AS2
Top pick!
|3" plant-based MF, 4.0 lb, 10 ILD
|9" foam, 1.5 lb, 35 ILD
|20 Years
100 Days
|Serta iComfort Savant III Plush
|1" poly foam, ? lb
2" gel MF, ? lb
2" traditional MF, ? lb
|8" foam, ? lb
|10 Years
120 Days
|Simmons Beautyrest
Black Ice Phoebe
13" Plush Mattress
|1" high density MF, ? lb.
2" gel MF ? lb.
1.5" traditional MF ? lb.
|1.5" foam, ? lb.
7" foam, ? lb.
|10 Years
? Days
|BedInABox Tranquility Gel
|3" gel MF, 3.0 lb, 10 ILD
|8" foam, 2.4 lb, 32 ILD
|20 Years
120 Days
|Sealy Optimum Inspiration Gold
|2" gel MF, ? lb
3" gel MF, ? lb
|7" foam, ? lb
|10 Years
Note: "?" indicates data is unavailable, "apx" indicates an approximation.
1. Amerisleep AS2 – $1099
Some readers have asked us to just boil down this entire article into the highlighs and say what we recommend. This mattress is it. Read on for details, or, if you want the tl;dr, you can just check out the AS2 by Amerisleep
The eco-friendly AS2 Bed from Amerisleep consistently receives high marks from consumers. At 4.7 stars out of five from over 420 verified reviewers on their website, the AS2 tops our charts. It is one of the most popular beds offered by the plant-based memory foam company.
All of the beds from Amerisleep are made from plant-based foams and come with a unique cover. It is made from Celliant-infused materials, which offers a few health benefits. Celliant has been clinically proven to improve circulation by converting body heat into infrared light, which the body then absorbs.
This study provides objective evidence to support what many of us have observed or heard from people that have worn products enhanced with Celliant. It shows a significant increase in blood flow in the skin when study subjects wore the garments," says Dr. Lawrence A. Lavery, DPM, MPH, an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Loyola University Medical Center and Hines Veterans Administration Hospital in Chicago.
Reviewers mention pain relief, support and durability. The AS2 uses a medium density memory foam and receives fewer complaints about heat retention than other mid-priced beds in this category. Plant-based mattresses in general also tend to receive fewer complaints of odors and offgassing.
The brand has almost ten years of experience to draw on, and Amerisleep mattresses seem to last a long time through regular use, and have lower than average mentions of durability concerns. Guarantees include a 100 night return period and 20 year warranty with 10 year full replacement.
2. Serta iComfort Savant III – $1774
Serta iComfort recently updated its collection in late 2016, and the formerly popular Savant model received an update to its third generation. It comes in both plnush and firm, and though current reviews are limited, based on past performance, this model will likely be a standout in this line amongst the more affordable options.
The brand discloses information on layers and thicknesses, but does not provide details on ILD or densities. It is estimated in some places that the gel layers are 4 lb. Both firmness levels have poly foam, traditional memory foam, and gel foams.
Overall the Serta brand comes in average to slightly above average, with lower complaints of heat and odor than brands but higher reports of impressions and durability concerns. The iComfort Savant does come with a 10 year full replacement warranty and 120 day trial period.
3. Simmons Beautyrest Black Ice Phoebe 13″ Plush Mattress – $2,849
Simmons' Beautyrest Black is a strong contender in the mattress industry. While some in the line are hybrid mattresses, this particular model is a memory foam mattress that will satisfy side sleepers.
This mattress uses four distinct layers for comfort, cooling, and support. With multiple technologies working together, you should have a soft, yet supportive night's sleep.
One of the bigger complaints about this mattress is that it suffers from sleeping hot. Of the reviews we found, most, if not all, mentioned that this bed retains heat.
4. BedInABox Tranquility Gel – $1299
Another mid-range model, the BedInABox Tranquility Gel earns 4.8 of 5 stars from over 20 reviews, and also comes in above average in other online sources. This model appears to be one of the more popular ones in the line.
The brand uses a lower density memory foam than many others in its price range at only 3.0 lbs, though it does have a high resilience core. Comfort and decent durability are also typically mentioned in reviews.
The Tranquility Gel receives above average heat retention and odor complaints, however. While BedInABox offers a long trial period, customers who do want to return reported disliking BedInABox's policy requiring them to keep the product for 60 days prior to returning.
5. Sealy Optimum Inspiration Gold – $1999 (est)
The Optimum line is Sealy's foray into memory foam, focusing on the gel-infused category and cooling technologies. They use gel infused foams in each layer, including the memory foams and poly foams whereas most brands just use a gel memory foam layer.
Like most of the other big-name brands, the Optimum line is light on specific details like foam density and ILD, but they do provide a breakdown of layer thicknesses. The Inspiration Gold line is in the mid-range of the collection, with five inches of gel memory foam for a plush feel.
Though few reviews are available online for this mattress, overall the Optimum collection rates about average with consumers. For conformity and motion isolation, they score very well. For support, comfort and odors/offgasssing, Optimum beds rate around average. However, an above average amount of people seem to experience sagging and impressions and despite cooling claims, Sleep Like The Dead says that over 11% report sleeping hot.
A 10 year full replacement warranty backs the bed, though it looks like the specific return policy as well as the price you pay will depend on the retailer you shop at.
Best Innerspring Mattresses of 2017 Compared
|Comfort Layers
|Support System
|Warranty / Returns
|Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Cobalt Firm
|1" gel MF, ? lb
2" foam, ? lb
.5" gel MF lumbar
|875 wrapped coils, 14 gauge titanium alloy
|10 Years
Retailer policy
|Lifekind The Traditional
|?" organic cotton
|? bonnell coils
|20 Years
90 Days
|Serta iSeries Vantage Firm
|1"-1.5" foam, ? lb
?" gel MF, ? lb
?" foam, ? lb
|1008 wrapped coils (coil-in-coil), 15-16 gauge
|10 Years
120 Days
|Simmons Beautyrest Recharge Audrina Luxury Firm
|1/2" gel foam, ? lb
1/2" foam, ? lb
2" foam, ? lb
|800 pocketed coils, 13 gauge titanium alloy
|20 Years
Retailer policy
|Stearns and Foster Lux Estate Luxury Firm
|2" foam, ? lb
.79" latex
2" gel MF, ? lb
2" poly foam, ? lb
|1302 encased coils, 14.87 gauge steel
|10 Years
Note: "?" indicates data is unavailable, "apx" indicates an approximation.
1. Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Cobalt Firm – $1174
Sealy's Hybrid line receives really good ratings compared to other spring mattresses and the entry level Cobalt model does well with 4.5 stars on average. The Cobalt is on the lower end of the price scale for their Hybrid group (this is based on U.S. Mattress, though other retailers use different names and pricing).
With 875 wrapped titanium coils and foam comfort layers, this series has good comfort and support. The Sealy Hybrid line is about average on motion isolation, heat retention and odors. Durability may be an issue according to some reviews.
Sealy Posturepedic does not reveal their foam densities and the confusing naming system makes it difficult to compare to others and even between stores however. This collection comes with 10 year full replacement warranties, though return policies will vary by seller.
2. Lifekind The Traditional – $3795
Lifekind is one of the few options for organic beds, and they are an established online seller. Their innerspring options contain materials like organic wool and latex, and the line tends to get good reviews. The Traditional model doesn't have extensive reviews online, but the ones that are available rate it well above average.
This bed comes in medium and medium firm, with an organic cotton cover and comfort layer. The support base is composed of bonnell coils, which can be fairly good for durability, but may lack in motion isolation.
While Lifekind tends to be pretty open about their materials, specifics on coil count and coil information aren't posted online. The cotton batting can be prone to compression and wear, but the Traditional is two-sided, so it can be flipped. This brand offers a 20 year warranty (10 full) and 90 day return period.
3. Serta iComfort Hybrid Applause II – $1074
The popular Serta iSeries collection underwent a name change for 2016, now becoming the iComfort Hybrid collection. Formerly, the Applause model was lauded for good reviews and comfort in past years, and this is being replaced by the Applause II, which comes in both firm and plush. Both models will likely rate well with consumers, though the newness of the collection could bring some surprises.
This Applause II model is one of Serta's low-to-mid range priced beds. It includes two inches of regular foam and 1/2-inch of gel memory foam in the comfort layers, supported by 952 dual pocket coils (coils placed inside of each other). Serta doesn't disclose foam density, but theirs tends to be of decent quality and mid-range density levels based on estimates.
The Serta iComfort line generally performs well on motion isolation and durability, as do most of their models due to containing independent coils. The price of the Applause is higher than some lesser known options of similar quality, however, but they do offer a 10 year warranty and 120 day trial period.
4. Simmons Beautyrest Recharge Audrina Luxury Firm – $899
The Beautyrest Recharge Luxury Firm by Simmons does well on the ratings from retailer sites, with around 4 to 4.5 stars. You may find it listed under different names depending on the retailer. It is priced at the lower end of the Recharge line, with prices typically below $1000.
With 800 individually wrapped titanium coils, the Recharge Luxury Firm has an above average coil count for its price range. Gel and traditional foams are used in comfort layers, but Simmons does not disclose their foam densities. Layers can vary slightly between retailers as well, so it's important to look at the specifications when comparing.
The Recharge line performs better than average in motion isolation, comfort and support. Heat retention complaints are also relatively low.Longevity and durability can be problem with the Recharge line and Simmons products in general, however. Premature sagging is reported from customers fairly often.
Customers also report having trouble with warranties and returns, too. Consumers have lodged several complaints with the Better Business Bureau concerning problems with warranties and returns. It may be wise to choose a retailer with a good return policy when shopping. Also, be aware that discrepancies in naming can make comparison shopping tricky.
5. Stearns and Foster Lux Estate Luxury Firm – $1950+
Stearns and Foster is generally marketed as a high-end line compared to sister brand Sealy, but reviews can be subpar compared to cheaper cousins. The models that do tend to perform average or better are those with latex layers however, as in the Lux Estate line. The Luxury Firm is a mid to high range option in this group with a small amount of good reviews.
This model is made with gel foam, latex and various polyurethane layers. It also has a silk and wool blend fiber batting. It is not specified what percent of the latex is natural. The support system uses pocket coils, with an above average count.
Like most other brands, this bed comes with a 10 year full replacement warranty, with the retune policy depending on seller. Since Stearns and Foster allows dealers to rename the beds, comparison shopping can be difficult and prices may vary considerably by store.
Top Ten Worst Mattress Types
Independent review sites such as Sleep Like The Dead and a few others accumulate data from consumers. There is a lot of information out there on our sleep preferences, and what people tend to find good and bad in beds from reviews.
While we are all a bit different and comfort is subjective, there are some places we seem to agree. When you're looking for the right mattress, these are the factors that research and statistics suggest you might want to avoid.
1. Super Cheap Beds
While this may seem obvious, it needs to be stated. You may think you're getting a steal on a very cheap bed at a discount retailer or during a big sale, but the retailer may have the last laugh.
Mattresses that go for $450-$550 or less for a queen tend to receive the lowest customer ratings overall. You may want to look in the average to mid-price range ($800-$1500 or so usually nets beds in the average to great satisfaction range).
Reviews of these beds can be deceiving. Customers may give the mattress a glowing review after only a few days or weeks of using it. Cheap beds overwhelmingly have problems with longevity and durability, however. While initially comfort can be just fine, cheaper materials break down quicker, and will need to be replaced considerably sooner. Research has also found that cheaper beds are linked with more back pain.
Try to see what customers say about early sagging or impressions and consider the length of time they have been using it. A reviewer who has used a bed for several months will have a better idea of the quality.
2. Promotional Mattresses
Promotional mattresses are often advertised as "doorbusters" or with other marketing terms used to get customers interested. As with all very cheap options, the quality is often not what customers are looking for, even if the price may be a steal. You may find these beds have little to no warranty or return policies as well, so if you're shopping during as sale, be sure to do your research.
That's not to say there is no use for these types of beds, as they can be great for guest bedrooms or temporary situations. Make sure you know the limitations of the bed you're buying, though. If you need a bed to last a long time with regular use, you may need to spend a bit more.
3. Motion Transferring Innersprings
If you've ever tried to sleep on a bed with poor motion isolation while your partner or pet tosses and turns, you understand the problem of motion transfer. Innerspring mattresses that don't have individually-pocketed coils usually have the most issues with this.
If you are a light sleeper, a bed that transfers motion too much can be a nightmare. Memory foam and latex beds are rated as the best for motion isolation, with pocket coils and hybrid spring beds also performing reasonably well.
4. Hot Memory Foam
Around 9% of memory foam owners say they sleep hot. Manufacturers have tried to combat this in several ways. Gel was introduced in order to make memory foam feel cooler. It often does make the foam more cool to the touch, but roughly the same amount of gel memory foam owners report problems with heat retention, likely because the gel eventually acclimates to the sleeper's body temperature.
Plant-based memory foam has a more open foam structure which allows for more breathability, as described in a study by Cargill. Air moves through the foam more freely so you sleep cooler than traditional options, which can trap heat.
"Overall, memory foam beds have a fairly high rate of heat complaints compared to springs and other non-foam mattress types, but significant differences are present across different brands and types of memory foam. For traditional temperature-sensitive memory foam, complaint rates tend to be around 8-12%, with higher density beds sleeping hotter.
Gel infused memory foam feels cooler initially, and these mattresses tend to have heat complaint rates of about 6-8% (with models that have gel close to surface feeling coolest). Plant-based memory foam can sleep up to 25% cooler than other types according to some studies, and plant based mattresses have lower heat complaint rates from 2-6%. As a whole, memory foam mattresses have an owner satisfaction rating of about 81%."–from SleepJunkie.com.
5. Thin Mattress
The thinner the mattress, the lower the comfort ratings, typically. A bed has to have some substance to it in order to provide both support and cushion for your body. Heavier people and side sleepers need a bit more padding, too. Laying on your side causes you to sink in more, as does being heavier, which means thicker comfort layers are typically needed to avoid pressure points.
People between 250-300 pounds shouldn't buy a mattress that is thinner than 10 inches, according to research by Sleep Like The Dead. People over 300 pounds may find that their ideal mattress in terms of comfort is closer to 14 inches thick.
6. Low Density Foams
Mattresses with lower density foams tend to receive lower satisfaction rates over time. Support foam layers and regular poly foam should generally be over 1.5 lbs to be considered decent quality. Memory foams should be more dense than their poly foam counterparts. Look for memory foam layers that are over 3.5 pounds
Lower density foams are typically found in cheaper mattresses, however sometimes even very expensive brands still use materials that may be considered poor quality. Low density foams are less dense, essentially because there is less material and more air in them. As a result, they are more likely to develop impressions quickly, and they also provide less support and cushioning. Try to find medium to high density foams if you are looking for bed to last a long while.
7. Brands with No Return/Exchange Policy
A great return policy doesn't necessarily mean the mattress is going to be a great match, but it is a good sign of quality and the retailer's confidence. Knowing you can easily exchange or return a product gives you some peace of mind. You don't want to be stuck with something you can't use, after all.
The showroom experience can be misleading, too, which is what makes return policies important. A study showed that people are essentially left to chance when selecting a bed in a showroom. Make sure you have some time to sleep on the mattress in the comfort of your own home to see if it is a good fit. You should have at least 30 days in your return policy no matter where you purchase it.
8. Brands with Little or No Warranty
Just as a good return policy is indicative of a decent product, so it goes with warranties. A company should have no problem standing behind a quality product. A middle-range mattress should have a full-coverage warranty of around ten years against defects and deep impressions.
You have no idea if your new bed will last 10 years when you purchase it. But, a warranty will ensure that you are protected in case it doesn't. If a brand offers less than 10 years full coverage or no warranty, it may be indication of the quality and longevity you can expect.
9. Overpriced Beds
It's the oldest trick in the retailer's book. Take the price of a product and inflate it, then offer enticing discounts. One of the most common complaints from consumers is related to overpaying. Price is intimately related to product satisfaction. A mattress can be perfect, but if you pay too much for it, it make make those dreams a little less sweet. Misleading discounts can also be used to pressure you into a sale before you've had time to shop sufficiently.
Be wary of companies using mediocre materials, but spending millions on advertising. These costs have to be passed on to customers. You can find quality mattresses from places that spend much less on advertising and more on their materials. As always, do some research on what's inside and make sure it measures up to the price compared to other options.
10. Overly Firm or Soft Mattresses
The showroom is an awful place to pick a mattress for a couple reasons – one, it's often uncomfortable to lay on beds in a store; two, selection is fairly limited; and three, you don't know how long the beds of have been in use and how "broken in" they are.
People often report receiving beds that are firmer or softer than the one they tried at the store, a common source of complaints in reviews. Make sure you have time to try the actual model at home to ensure it is the proper firmness. Many companies have lengthy return policies for just this reason.
Get to know your preferences if you are uncertain. Try mattresses of varying firmnesses and see what you like. Medium-firm tends to be the most popular and will suit most people well. However, descriptions of firmness are subjective – one person or one brand's medium could be another's soft or firm. If you can find ratings that describe IFD/ILD, that is a more objective way to gauge and compare firmness (lower ILDs are soft, higher are firmer).
Separating the Worst from the Best Mattresses
Take your time and find the best mattress for you and your needs. In the end, the "best" or "worst" mattress is entirely decided by the individual. You're more likely to end up satisfied if you get to know your preferences and thoroughly compare what is available.
Ask the questions you need to in order to feel good about your purchase. Find out what it is made from and compare it to similar brands and beds. A good mattress should last you a decade or more, so do a little research — it's worth your time.
If you feel pressured by a salesperson, walk away. There will still be mattresses for sale if you decide to return. You can avoid high-pressure sales situations by shopping online as well. At the very least, take a look at what online stores have to offer. Online mattress retailers typically have a wider selection, less overhead and longer return policies, and may be a better resource for specialty beds like memory foam and latex than local showrooms.
If you are still looking for more information on how to find the best mattress, take a look at our articles on finding the most comfortable mattress or the right bed for back pain relief.


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Alice Clifton, 89
July 31st, 2014 Author: Administrator Filed Under: Obituaries
Alice Clifton, 89, of Miamiville, died July 25 in Loveland.
Clifton as the manager of the Milford High School cafeteria.
She is survived by her husband John Clifton, children Pamela Reed, Douglas Clifton and David Clifton, and three grandchildren.
Services 7:30 p.m. July 30 at Victor Stier American Legion Post in Milford.


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Muffins & Cupcakes - The Best Baking Recipes
By Mario Guenther-Bruns
This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.
The best recipes
for great tasting cupcakes
and sweet muffins
- all quickly and easily prepared
without yeast.
So spoil yourself
and your beloved ones!
✰ Carefully Selected Variety:
Heavenly recipes!
✰ Quality Taste and Value:
All muffins and cupcakes
are selected and prepared
with an eye for detail
by our food experts
✰ Made with Love:
Each recipe comes with
atmospheric images and ingredients list
✰ Step-by-Step Recipes:
Easily comprehensible step-by-step
instructions - you'll love it
✰ Shopping List:
Add the recipes to the app's shopping list
and cross off the ingredients
while shopping
✰ Baking Book:
Save all your favourite recipes
in your integrated personal baking book
✰ The Recipes:
✔ Baked Apple Muffins
✔ Italian Cassata Muffins
✔ Cranberry Muffins
✔ Plum Muffins
✔ Macdamia Aniseed Muffins
✔ Ginger Muffins
✔ Blueberry Muffins
✔ Espresso Cupcakes
and many more!
Customer Reviews
I haven't tried it out yet,but it looks pretty and perfect!!!!!
Wonderful!! 😍😍😍
I love this app, it has great muffins! They are delicious and very healty. Love this app! 👍👍👍
Customers Also Bought
- Free
- Category: Food & Drink
- Released: Apr 13, 2013
- Version: 1.0
- Size: 41.9 MB
- Language: English
- Seller: Mario Guenther-Bruns
- © eins zum anderen
Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.


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Forgot your password? Enter the email address you signed up with and we will send you a link to create a new password.
Your password reset has been submitted to the address provided.
Words, letters, and/or numbers in stylized form
Pet food and edible pet treats, namely, for dogs and cats
Business in MEADVILLE, PA
Business in Meadville, PA


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The gift of a ring to mark a commitment is a tradition throughout human history. The never ending circles of your sterling silver round september birthstone commitment jewelry express your boundless love, celebrate the occasion, and serve as a reminder of your bond from this day forward. The precious metals and gems stand for the preciousness of your promise. Your relationship is unique, so your rings should be too. Our wide selection of sterling silver round september birthstone commitment jewelry means you can find a design that reflects and expresses your individual style. Gemvara commitment rings perfectly symbolize your promise in the finest gems and precious metal, crafted to last a lifetime. Symbols, gems, and personal engravings express your personality through the design. Gemvara selects the finest possible materials to make one of a kind sterling silver round september birthstone commitment jewelry to order, just for you. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. The September birthstone, sapphire, is most popular in gorgeous rich blue but lucky September babies can also choose sapphire in pink, yellow and white (or all four!). As its name suggests, the round brilliant shape is cut to sparkle, with proportions that make it dance with light. Gemvara is proud to offer sterling silver jewelry crafted in Argentium silver, which is 96% pure, 100% recycled, and resists tarnish up to ten times longer than traditional sterling silver. Gemvara's luxurious sterling silver round september birthstone commitment jewelry are designed to be future heirlooms, made by hand in America.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!


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sugessions for my own software buisness start up- Kindly reply (0 messages)
riyaz ,bangalore reg starting my own Job,J2ee -do kindly reply Hye Respected Brothers & Sisters, Iam a B.E (EEE) graduate, Sun certified Java Programmer. After getting unsatisfied and tired - hunting job , i want to start my own job earning money in J2ee world. I have cleared many interviews but i was not responded properly , dragged for response. I had hard 2 1/2 years from my graduation. Hope these are the indication from allmighty to start my own software buisness. I am thinkin of buying laptop+internet connection and start doing J2ee projects for websites in market(Sourceforge.net, topcoder.com). Continued by it i would start building websites for Buisness clients. Coupled with the above i would update with the latest trend in market. So Respected Senior, kindly do sugest me how to proceed. Objections along with sollutions would be most appretiable. u can even mail me at ria_abdullah at yahoo dot co dot in. Thanks In Advance. Your Junior Riyazudeen.S
- Posted by: Riyaz udeen
- Posted on: January 09 2007 09:15 EST


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A campaign group says it would be "a disastrous decision" if public leisure centres in Dunstable and Houghton Regis were closed and replaced with a new centre to serve both areas.
That's one of a wide range of ideas in a draft "audit and assessment" on leisure facilities in Central Beds.
A number of scenarios are being weighed up as Central Beds Council works on putting together a "leisure strategy" for the future.
But Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Action Group has been quick to stress it would oppose any idea of a new joint leisure centre for Dunstable and Houghton.
The group fought hard to help win a reprieve for the Houghton centre when it faced possible closure.
There was joy when the Central Beds body appointed Stevenage Leisure to run the centre in 2012/13, until the end of next March, after talks with the action group and Houghton Regis Town Council.
This week, the action group said that contract has now been extended to October 2013.
It is still pressing for the reopening of the centre's axed pool, another idea explored in the draft document.
Now the group has urged people to back its strong opposition to any thoughts of setting up a joint centre.
A statement from the group says the team would consider any such scheme as "a disastrous decision from both leisure centres' point of view".
Instead, the campaigners are calling for the council to relaunch the existing Houghton pool and open a new centre and pool for the town in 2017.
They urge people to voice their views by writing to Central Beds Council, or by emailing the council team at email@example.com.
Central Beds executive councillor Brian Spurr explained: "As part of the council's commitment to support the health and wellbeing of our local communities, we are developing a leisure facilities strategy for the area.
"We are acutely aware of the importance of leisure centres to local residents and their contribution to the health and wellbeing of the local community and have been pleased to work with the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Action Group in the past to find an alternative to closure in Houghton Regis.
"We wanted to take a more considered approach to leisure provision across Central Bedfordshire, supporting and enabling the development of facilities that meet the needs of our communities now and in the future.
"It is essential we develop a leisure facilities strategy for the area, which will support access to sports and physical activity for all those who live and work in Central Bedfordshire. This strategy is already under way and we are undertaking extensive research to identify the type, number and location of leisure facilities for existing and new communities, whilst also looking at how flexible, fit for purpose, value-for-money facilities that meet local needs can be provided.
"The strategy covers four key areas – leisure facilities, recreation and open space, playing pitches and physical activity.
"We are currently developing the leisure facilities strategy, the first chapter of the overall strategy, and we are consulting with key stakeholders including Sport England, Public Health and local town and parish councils."
A presentation on what has been explored so far will be given to Central Beds councillors this week.


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You've seen the best videos of 2010. So why would I post this? To highlight my favorite*. Ohh, and you might want to look away and/or not watch the video if you're offended by the word D&mn.
Jimmy McMillan, candidate for New York governor during the 2010 elections, became famous for his campaign speeches during the debates. Representing his own party, "The Rent is Too Damn High Party," various editions of McMillan's rants have attracted millions of views. They're just funny. But they're so true.
His campaign successfully attracted more than 40,000 votes. Positions on the issues included:
- Gay marriage: If you want to marry a shoe, I'll marry you.
- Environment: Wants to bulldoze all the mountains in upstate New York.
Anyways, if you have a thing for extreme lambchop sideburns and need a good laugh, take a look at the man who has already come out to announce his 2012 run for the presidency. On the Republican ticket so he does not have to win a primary against incumbent Barack Obama.
*At least, my favorite one that I just saw again from 2010.


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I was in charge of the kitchen on my last trip back home to New Orleans.
This was the first for me as that's generally Dad's territory.
I did the shopping, prep, cooking, cleaning, todo.
Every time I went to the grocery I came back with crab meat, crawfish tales, shrimp, catfish, I just couldn't get enough of the selection and low prices!
One day sister asked if I would make breakfast. She's older. Intimidating at times. She just published a book. How could I say no?!!
I went all out.Read More...


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El Dorado Hills resident Jim Bickley and other California Zephyr passenger made an unscheduled stop in Nevada Friday after a semi struck the train.
"At about 11:20 a.m. a semi tractor-trailer rig drove into the side of an Amtrak train at a public railroad crossing east of Reno, Nev.," states a press release issued by Amtrak. "There were approximately 204 passengers and 14 crew members aboard Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr, enroute from Chicago to Emeryville, Calif."
Local news outlets are reporting that at least six people, including the truck driver, died in the wreck.
Bickley, speaking to a local television station, said he was in an observation car when the accident occurred. Everyone exited the train in an orderly manner, he added.
People with questions about their friends and family aboard this train should call 1-800-523-9101.


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It's PLAYOFF time here in Houston as we prepare to host the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday at 3:30. We got our hands on some tickets; and you, our loyal listener, have a chance to make a pair of them yours!
Starting on Thursday at at 7:05 a.m., we will give a pair of tickets away – every hour until 3:05 p.m. – to a certain numbered texter.
It's a playoff rematch. Last year, we beat Cincinnati 31-10; and we hope the boys can do it again! But the Bengals are hot and have won eight of their last nine games heading into the playoffs.


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Sometime in the future... Sentenced to death for killing the gang that raped his girlfriend as well as said girlfriend, Tenshu Yashiro (Hideo Sakaki- Versus, Battlefield Baseball) has his execution carried out, but he survives the electrocution. This technicality gives the condemned man a set of choices- he can either go through another execution (and most likely die) or he can agree to take part in a mysterious experiment (and maybe live a tad longer).
Tenshu chooses option two and is put into a cell with another prisoner, the multiple offending, cackling, and off kilter Zeros. They aren't told what the experiment entails but are given whatever meal they want, some new duds, and a haircut. Then they wait. With some prodding (bright light cues, alarm bells)tensions between the two begin to creep up. It doesn't help that the two are opposites- Zeros being rambunctious and aggressive, while Tenshu is stoic and quiet, staring off into space for hours on end. Then, a wall lifts and they see a girl in the next cell.
Well, cutting to the nitty gritty, the girl first claims to be a witch, but we find out she is host to an alien parasite called an Isomer. The Isomer seeks out morally gray characters and inhabits their bodies, slowly taking over while imbuing them with its powers. The scientists, including the girls sister, and the government are trying to harness the parasites abilities. As to the the Isomer's origns, it is convoluted and silly, involving- no joke- a scientist eating a baboon. Needless to say, the Isomer does eventually get into our lead, Tenshu, but he seems to acclimate and control it, leading the eggheads to believe he might be the one they were looking for.
Okay, so Alive is no 12 Angry Men or The Petrified Forest, but it is a bit like Cube meets Das Experiment and manages to be entertaining despite (or, as the case may be, because of) its claustrophobic limitations. Unfortunately it is hampered by some sci fi action cliches. Adapted from a manga Tsutomu Takahashi, it suffers from what I will call, "The One" syndrome. When I saw The Matrix, I thought it was nothing special, just a decent mix of Philip K. Dick "question your reality" plotline with some martial arts and neat CGI. Later, when everyone went bonkers for the film like it was something that hadn't been seen before, I was surprised. Being a long time martial flick fan and fairly knowledgeable science fiction literature geek, it wasn't a big deal to me, just some old cliches in a new package. Alive has that same predictability.
Or to put it another way, when you see that Tenshu shucks his prison clothes and chooses an all leather outfit, you just know it won't be long before he's tossing soldiers across the room, leaping in the air, and dodging bullets. Just to make things clear, I'm harping on the style and feel. As a character, though he is a kind of a reluctant hero who does all kind of wirefu fighting, Tenshu is no Neo and his dilemma is one of being a condemned soul who feels morally unworthy of his second chance.
Ryuhei Kitamura has been on the fast track to cult action fandom. After Versus he has delivered a fairly steady stream of decent films and was entrusted to be the man behind Godzilla's supposed swan song, Godzilla: Final Wars. Now, while I think it is a perfectly fine b-film, Alive also bears the marks of his faltering points as an action director. When you get down to the basics of the actual action direction, Ryuhei Kitamura is a one and half trick pony. While an action scene might have one or two inspired shots, overall, he relies too much on a forever circling series of wide angle shots. When you look at the bulk of his work, it looks like he uses almost the exact some template for every action scene. While it's a good template, one still hopes he'll show he's got more tricks up his sleeve in the future.
The DVD: Media Blasters
Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. Well, this very dark looking film was clearly given some heavy digital rendering to give it a cohesive look. That look is one of dense shadows and a desaturated color scheme with a large lean towards near sepia tones and greenish backlighting. Media Blasters does a fair job with the material. Overall it is acceptable and a decent enough transfer but it does have some technical quirks. There are some compression and flagging issues that dull the experience, though one doesn't have to guess that the films dark visual pallette probably made it a hard film to transfer.
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese and English language, or Japanese 2.0 tracks, with optional English subtitles. The audio presentation is pretty well rounded. Dialogue is always nice and clear. The atmospheric noise, particularly the near constant industrial hum of the prison cell, is quite moody. The score also gets a good boost out of the rear and side channels. The action fx could use some better bass response. Finally, the subtitles are okay but a tad problematic with a few errors and speedy reader bits.
Extras: This two disc edition contains a second disc of extras.— Alive Theatrical Cut. — Making of Alive Featurette. — Cast Interviews. — Original and Promo Trailers — Commentary for the theatrical cut with moderator, director Ryuhei Kitamura and cast memebers Hideo Sakaki, Keishiro Shin, and Sakaguchi. The commentary tone is predominantly lighthearted jokes at each others expense, but you do get some decent behind the scenes info along with the good natured jabs.
Conclusion: Maybe, you could have the cast come over to your house and recreate the film in you living room. But, other than that, it is hard to imagine a better set of extras than a full blown theatrical cut of the film, with star and director's commentary, promotion material, plus over an hours worth (combined) of interviews and "making of" featurette. It isn't a great film. A basic edition would only get a "rent it", but this extra packed version certainly makes it worthy of a purchase.


text:
I've removed all the "to-do" categories from here since they're now also categorized as Category:Things to do. --Mikk 07:11, 6 June 2006 (EDT)
Vote to remove policies from main WoWWiki category Edit
While it sort of makes sense to have the policies in the main WoWWiki category, it's reaching the point where they're just contributing to making the category hard to navigate. At least, it seems that way to me. Maybe it's time to just let them live in the Policy category? --Mikk 07:35, 6 June 2006 (EDT)
I aborted the vote. Nothing happened for three weeks so I suppose nooned cared enough about it to disagree. --Mikk 15:54, 24 June 2006 (EDT)== Votes ==


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Halo 4: Spartan Ops Episode 8 on Waypoint
Words by: Jamie Tarren | Posted: 4 years ago | Filed under: News, Videos.
We may have just seen the release of Episode 7 of Halo 4's Spartan Ops, but 343 Industries has released a new trailer for the next episode in the co-op adventure titled "Expendable".
Episode eight will include five new chapters (missions) and an all-new CG cinematic. This episode sees Fireteam Majestic reunited, but the Infinity is still under attack by Promethean forces. Unfortunately for Lasky, he won't know what the Prometheans are after until it's too late.
Check out the trailer, which is now available on Halo Waypoint.
The episode will be available on 4th February at 11am GMT.
About Jamie Tarren
Jamie is the Assistant Editor for Xboxer360. He shares a passion for gaming and will happily play most genres. He also loves FIFA, The Walking Dead and print t-shirts,


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Breaking new ground with its definitive drum experience, Rock Revolution also gives players a chance to rock out on the bass and lead guitar. Designed by musicians, Rock Revolution will be available with the most realistic drum peripheral on the market at launch. Rock Revolution features an extensive music selection on the game disc, along with a wide variety of downloadable songs available at launch. Additionally, title offers a variety of innovative single-player and multi-player modes.
|Unlock all characters
|Circle, square, circle, square, circle, square, circle, triangle, square
|Unlock all venues
|Square, circle, triangle, circle, square, circle, triangle, square, triangle
|250 Combo (10)
|Earn a 250 hit combo
|500 Combo (10)
|Earn a 500 hit combo
|999 Combo (20)
|Max out the Combo Meter
|Back from the Brink (10)
|Recover a song performance from the red warning level in Career or Quickplay
|Band Together (10)
|Compete in a six player Band Battle and be in the winning band!
|Birth of a Legend (10)
|Finish a song performance on expert difficulty in Career or Quickplay
|Calmly Done (30)
|Complete all Crank It Up challenges at expert difficulty for an instrument
|Career Complete (20)
|Complete Career mode for an instrument
|Centurion (10)
|Earn a 100 hit combo
|Class Act (20)
|Play a total of 50 online games
|Distinguished Career (30)
|Reach a cumulative 'career points' total of 50,000,000 for an instrument
|Dominator (10)
|Win 3 ranked Versus online games in a row
|Expert Complete (80)
|Complete all songs on Expert Difficulty for an instrument in Career or Quickplay
|Expert Song Aced (30)
|100% any song on expert difficulty
|Get Out of My House (10)
|Win 5 local multiplayer VS sessions in a row
|Gig Complete (20)
|Complete a poster gig at any difficulty level for an instrument
|Going for Gold (10)
|Achieve a Gold rating for a Disc in Career Mode
|Grudge match (10)
|Beat an online opponent on your friends list
|Heard 'em All (30)
|Try out all the instrument sounds in Studio Mode
|Hold it Together (30)
|Complete all Poison Note challenges at expert difficulty for an instrument
|Illustrious Drum Career (20)
|Complete all album and gig events in the drum career at Expert difficulty
|Illustrious Guitar Career (20)
|Complete all album and gig events in the guitar career at Expert difficulty
|Industry Veteran (20)
|Play a total of 100 online games
|Internship (20)
|Create a song using the song generator in Studio Mode
|It's Gone Platinum (20)
|Complete all events on a Disc in Career Mode at any difficulty
|King of the Castle (10)
|Win 10 local multiplayer VS sessions
|Long Distance Relationship (10)
|Complete a song in an online co-op game
|Look and Learn (10)
|Complete all tutorials for either instrument
|Lucky 7's (10)
|Earn a 777 hit combo
|More Tracks Please (20)
|Record on all 8 tracks in Studio Mode
|Multi-talented Musician (20)
|Complete all Discs to at least Gold standard for both instrument Careers
|Multiple Identities (25)
|Complete at least one song performance with each of the characters in Career or Quickplay
|Multiplier Max (10)
|Reach the maximum multiplier (x8)
|On the Career Path (10)
|Complete your first event in Career mode
|Party On (10)
|Complete a song in a local co-op session
|Platinum Career (50)
|Complete all Discs to Platinum standard for an instrument
|Power Surge (10)
|Activate the Power Meter 3 times in a song
|Producer (10)
|Save a song you have created in Studio Mode
|Professional Musician (20)
|Complete all discs to Platinum standard for both instrument Careers
|Session Player (30)
|Complete all Studio Recording challenges at expert difficulty for an instrument
|Show Off (10)
|Hit 100% notes in any online game
|Slick Player (20)
|Win a total of 10 ranked online games
|Song Aced (20)
|Complete a song to 100% on any difficulty
|Songs Complete (50)
|Complete all songs for an instrument in Career or Quickplay
|Super-Dominator (20)
|Win 5 ranked Versus online games in a row
|Taking It Slow (10)
|Hit all notes in an expert song at 50% speed in rehearsal
|Thanks for the Memory (30)
|Complete all Band Practice challenges at expert difficulty for an instrument
|Virtuoso (20)
|Win a total of 50 ranked online games
|Your First Million (25)
|Score 1,000,000 points for a song in Career or Quickplay
|Zoned Out (30)
|Complete all In The Zone challenges at expert difficulty for an instrument
|Achieve Platinum on the third set of albums
|Achieve Platinum on the second set of albums
|Achieve Platinum on the 5th set of albums
|Achieve Platinum on the 4th set of albums
|Achieve Platinum on first set of albums


text: Exit this survey >> The Rare Victorian Survey 1. Questionnaire * 1. How often do you visit Rare Victorian? This is my first time Couple times a week Couple times a month About once a day Multiple times a day * 2. How often would you like to see new posts/articles added on RareVictorian.com? Once a day Multiple times a day Couple times a week Once a week is fine * 3. If you could receive updated posts/articles free via email or RSS, would you sign up? Yes No, I prefer to go directly to the site I already do Add your email below and you'll begin receiving updates by email (we keep this private) * 4. How do you find the site design? (Please provide comments) Amazing Works well for me Could use a minor facelift (please suggest things below) Needs major surgery (please suggest things below) I welcome any suggestions or comments * 5. How do you find the topics? Too Focused on the high-end; profile more mainstream antiques Topics are a good mix Provide more auction item posts, less editorial posts More editorial posts, less auction item posts Tell us what you like about the posts or tell us what you'd like to see done in future * 6. Do you learn much from RareVictorian.com? I learn a lot regularly Occasionally I pick up something new of interest to me Not really * 7. How do you perceive the level of accuracy and authority of the information presented on RareVictorian.com Very high Moderate Mostly good Needs work * 8. Do you want to see more video on RareVictorian.com? Yes, once a week Yes, once a day Occasionally Don't really mind either way Please share some suggestions or comments regarding videos * 9. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on the message board, VictorianForum.com? * 10. Please provide any additional thoughts, concerns, comments, ideas, criticisms so that I can make Rare Victorian a better site Done >>


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I've never seen one of these until today. What a great idea but I can't see this kit handling to well tho by the looks of the ski. You need some good traction in the front to maintain balance,espially corners. Maybe a nice carbide blade going down the center of the ski would be nice for it. Anyone tryed riding this kit or identical to it before? Hope theres a happy ending with the $529 price tag.
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Thread: Winter kit for mtb


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When I lived in China, situations would arise when I would tell people I was Jewish. Once, I was at a restaurant for an official school dinner when we were served a chicken-brothy soup with dumplings in it that was strikingly similar to matzoh ball soup. My assessment somehow made it to the ears of one of the school leaders, who asked if I was Jewish, then nodded and said he had heard of those.
About a year later, a somewhat skuzzy local businessman who spoke English and had made friends with my predecessors insisted on taking me out to dinner at the same restaurant mentioned above. We ordered the same soup, I made the same comment about its resemblance to matzoh ball soup, and he was suddenly absolutely giddy to learn that he had met himself a real live Jew. He does business frequently in Ethiopia, and called me a few days later to ask if he could bring me any "Jewish things" from Ethiopia.
Needless to say, Passover was a lonely time. I'm not highly observant, but I would have loved to curl up with a few matzoh balls and a cup or two of Manishewitz with a few like-minded individuals. Strangely, not many Chinese seem to have heard of Jewish people. The subject would occasionally come up in conversation, and when I told them in Chinese that I am Jewish, they would shake their heads ignorantly.
I find this interesting especially because there is (or, was) a Jewish Quarter in Shanghai, where refugees fleeing Europe settled. But with the ban on speaking at all of Western religions, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since Christmas is as secular as Valentine's Day.
After a few years of wandering through the Jewish desert of China, I've made it to Florida, where there is certainly no dearth of Jews. In honor of finally being able to find some Manischewitz wine again, I made my second favorite (after matzoh ball soup) Passover dish, Charoset.
I know everyone jokes about how Manischewitz isn't really wine, but as a sweet-wine loving oeno-rube, I relish the four cups of wine routine.
My charoset is a jewel-colored mix of the best of the dried fruit world. Figs:
Yes, there's a piece of paper towel under the fig so it doesn't leave a smudge on my new light box.
And dates:
Whirred together in the traditional Cuisinart:
Then mixed with some chopped, roasted walnuts:
And cayenne:
And then of course, a conservative glass of Manischewitz wine, plus a little extra to drink out of the glass before you pour it into the mixing bowl.
Heap onto matzoh:
And enjoy.
And just to make it sound extra trendy and healthy, it's vegetarian, vegan, and Kosher! May health foodies everywhere rejoice. And to those who partake, merry Passover. Can I come to your seder?
Fig Apricot Date Charoseth
2/3 C dried Mission Figs
2/3 C dried apricots
1/3 C pitted dates
1 C chopped roasted walnuts
1/4 C Manischewitz wine
1/4 t each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/8 t cayenne pepper
Whir the dried fruit together in a food processor. To roast the walnuts, heat oven to 350 degrees, dump the walnut pieces on the tray, and bake 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Mix the dried fruit with the walnuts, wine, and spices, then drink 4 cups of wine and say L'Chaim!
For more on being a Jew in China see:
The Huzhou Food Jew is a Lonely Eater
For more about being a Food Jew: Jew Eat Yet?America, cooking, holidays, home cooking, recipes


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The Best Hot Chocolate in Toronto
The best hot chocolate in Toronto will warm you up on a cold winter day, or even on a day that just feels wintery. Many of these local spots serve up rich and creamy drinking chocolate that's a few steps above the sugary sludge you probably remember making at home or grabbing from an arena vending machine when you were a kid.
Here is the best hot chocolate in Toronto.
This spot might be famous for its soft serve ice cream, but it also serves epic beverages at its John Street and Yonge and Eglinton locations. Its menu changes seasonally, but you can often find delicious-sounding takes on hot chocolate, including vegan varieties and butter pecan hot chocolate.
You might recognize this sweet shop's name because it used to be a full-service restaurant in Yorkville. It's since moved to Dupont and it's now dedicated to serving up only baked goods and confections, including creamy drinking chocolate. Vegans can indulge too; just order it with coconut milk.
Le Gourmand serves up some seriously good cookies, so of course this cafe also makes a mean hot chocolate. There's lots to choose from here, including options with Belgian white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and Nutella. Does anything sound better than Nutella hot chocolate? Doubt it.
Jesse Milns
Join the conversation Load comments


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VANCOUVER — The return of the sockeye to B.C.'s Fraser River this time of year can sometimes mean money for fishermen and their families. It always means disagreement over how many fish should be taken for human consumption — even in years of extraordinary abundance, such as this one.
In British Columbia, the Fraser sockeye are a treasure, a worry, a conundrum.
This is a province where a commission of inquiry into the fish spent 133 days hearing from 179 witnesses and handling three million pages of documents, and came to almost no firm conclusions about anything.
Few know the issues better than Carl Walters, a fish biologist and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia, who has studied Fraser sockeye and other salmon species for five decades. To some, he's a legend; to others, he's become a pariah.
Prof. Walters was once a hard-line protectionist on Fraser sockeye. He endorsed "precautionary management" — putting stiff limits on the annual harvest, of the kind still enforced by Fisheries & Oceans Canada, (DFO), the federal department responsible for providing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
Suppressing Fraser sockeye catches can be ruinous, he now argues.
Wednesday, in a UBC lecture theatre, Prof. Walters said there's an argument to be made for "fishing the hell" out of the sockeye.
Current harvest limits punish fishermen and the Canadian economy, he says, in some years to the tune of about $20-million. In two decades, he calculates, almost $500-million has been squandered, for no reason.
What's more, it appears Fraser sockeye catch limits have not helped the relatively few fish they are meant to protect, those returning to certain B.C. lakes every summer.
Prof. Walters even suggests some threatened stocks can be sacrificed, for the overall health of the sockeye and to the benefit of B.C. fishermen.
"Half a billion dollars to keep alive a couple of small stocks is a very high price to pay," he told the audience of students, fish industry folk and at least one journalist.
"As a biologist, I'd love to save [threatened stocks of] sockeye," Prof. Walters told the National Post later. "But it's irresponsible for me to say that fishermen must give up their livelihoods for biodiversity. It's the fisherman who always bear the cost."
Rather than try to limit sockeye harvests to 65% in years of abundance — in practice, it's likely even lower — the DFO should allow fishermen to take closer to 80% of returning fish, says Prof. Walters.
In lean years, the harvest should be reduced to 40%; instead, the fishery is typically closed.
Enforcing large sockeye escapements — fish that aren't caught — may actually cause trouble, he says. When many four-year-old sockeye continue up the Fraser, their spawning grounds can become over-crowded and hyper-competitive. There's a limit to the number of creatures that can occupy an eco-system without negative impacts.
"Fish aren't healthy when they're over-abundant," said Prof. Walters. "Survival rates are better when there are fewer fish."
A look at recent numbers explains how sockeye reproduction could be negatively impacted by large escapements.
In 2010, an astonishing 29 million sockeye returned to the Fraser, after an escapement four years earlier of 4.7 million spawners — the parents of the 2010 returns that weren't harvested. That's a ratio of six returning sockeye per spawner (parent).
Of the 29 million fish that returned in 2010, 13.2 million were harvested, which Prof. Waters and others claim was paltry. Too many returning salmon may have created poor spawning and survival conditions.
This year, the number of expected returns is 22 million. The ratio of returning sockeye per spawner looks to be a meagre 1.6: 1. Which is pathetic.
"Too many returning fish in one year is bad for the babies the next year," said Prof. Walters.
That may seem counter-intuitive, but human intuition is often misleading when it comes to sockeye. So are best intentions and emotion. Over the years, says Prof. Walters, environmentalists have seized control of the salmon agenda and Canadian public opinion, promoting the view wild species are being over-fished and salmon farming will bring wholesale destruction.
'Fish aren't healthy when they're over-abundant. Survival rates are better when there are fewer fish'
The Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, led by Justice Bruce Cohen, was formed after a 2009 return of just 1.36 million sockeye. Proceedings were heavily influenced by environmentalists.
Prof. Walters was a member of the inquiry's scientific advisory panel before it was, in his words, "disbanded," after internal conflicts and wrangling. But he testified before the inquiry.
With others, he urged Justice Cohen to consider the impact of large spawner abundance on the 2009 return. The judge dismissed that: He found no smoking gun, but pointed a finger at changing climate and marine conditions.
Prof. Walters suggests the inquiry took a wrong turn, that its myriad recommendations have achieved almost nothing. The answers to the sockeyes' volatile return cycles are found in fishing practices and DFO's "catastrophic" management, but that's too much for some to handle.
Hundreds of fisherman who are watching millions of sockeye swim past them and up the Fraser might well agree with the professor's assessment.
National Post
• Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | Twitter: hutchwriter


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Kuroko Shirai Nail Judgement Figure
- Categories: Anime Figures, News
- Date: May 15, 2011 16:50 JST
- Tags: A Certain Magical Index, Kuroko, PVC, Schoolgirls, Skirts, Weapons
Shirai Kuroko readies herself to pass spiky judgement on any evildoer – or anyone who dares to touch her Oneesama for that matter. She is due for release in September 2011, by Penguin Parade.
Kuroko is ready for battle alongside her beloved Mikoto.


text:
'Future of games' conferencenbsp; GDC Next nbsp;organizers have added more exciting talks to its inaugural lineup for thenbsp; BusinessMarketing Discipline : Chris Roberts on the community-building lessons he learned while crowdfundingnbsp; Star Citizennbsp;for $20 million, and Kongregate COO Emily Greer on analytics best (and worst) practices.
GDC Next nbsp;is the spiritual successor to GDC Online, and will take place alongsidenbsp; the App Developers Conference nbsp;on November 5th-7th, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
This new event aims to highlight the future of video game development, with session tracks organized around 'Next Generation Game Platforms', 'Free To PlayNew Business Models', and 'SmartphoneTablet Games', as well as cloud and indie game tracks.
Cloud Imperium Games CCO andnbsp; Wing Commandernbsp;creator Chris Roberts (pictured) --nbsp; who spoke to Gamasutra about his crowdfunding success nbsp;-- will present a talk callednbsp; ' Star Citizen: Going Beyond Crowdfunding' .
In this talk, Roberts will explain his approach to cultivating and continuously engagingnbsp; Star Citizen's supporter community -- and how that approach enabled them to raise more money than any other crowdfunded gamenbsp; andnbsp;build a head start on the large player base needed to support its massive virtual universe.
Also, Kongregate co-founder and COO Emily Greer will show devs hownbsp; notnbsp;to track player analytics innbsp; 'Data Gone Wrong: Bad Tests, Terrible KPIs and Other Pitfalls.' nbsp;In this session, Greer will walk attendees through common mistakes and pitfalls -- both technical and emotional -- that devs encounter while tracking and analyzing player data.
Be sure to check out the GDC Nextnbsp; Session Scheduler nbsp;to see these and other announced talks and begin your planning.nbsp; Previously announced talks nbsp;include including Animoca's Henry Oh on choosing your next game platform andnbsp; DD: Neverwinternbsp;developer Cryptic Studios on avoiding pay-to-win in F2P MMOs.
Online registration is in full swing for GDC Next nbsp;and the co-located ADC; register now and save up to $200 on ADC, GDC Next, or a combined VIP All Access Pass.nbsp;For all the latest news on GDC Next, subscribe for updates via Facebook, nbsp; Twitter , ornbsp; RSS . Also, check outnbsp; ADC's recently announced design talks : Intel on building scalable and secure APIs for enterprise apps, and ChaiONE on pairing the latest wearable technology with smartphones.
The full announcement is available here:nbsp; http://www.gdcnext.com/news/2013/09/star-citizen-crowdfunding-kong.html


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Writer-performer Juan Francisco Villa has a story to tell. It's about growing up in a poor, urban neighborhood as a Latino immigrant, facing cultural bias and family conflicts that push him away, yet finding joy and comfort in the memories of loving company and traditions—such as his mother's empanadas, mouth-watering meat-filled pastries—which ultimately bring him back home. Sounds tasty, but haven't we heard this all before? Yes and no. The bias and conflicts Villa dealt with resulted from his extended family being part of the Colombian drug cartel. So the terrifying places he takes us, coupled with Villa's passionate retelling and desperate need to understand how he fits into his family's dark past, give "Empanada for a Dream" an unexpected impact and import.
Villa's show starts with his returning home to New York's Lower East Side as an adult. We see that he is unnerved, but at the same time he paints an almost heartwarming picture of his old neighborhood. Villa vividly portrays an array of characters, including his big-hearted uncles, boyhood friends, assorted ne'er do wells, and comically witchlike mother, whose only redeeming quality seems to be her magical baking abilities, which are reserved for special occasions. Her repeated threats of God's impending punishment seem extreme, but they begin to make sense after we hear things such as "a lot of people in this neighborhood have died" and learn that Villa's cocaine-dealer uncles are responsible for as many murders as good deeds in the community.
Under Alex Levy's direction, Villa is athletic and animated, reliving his youth with an almost childlike mania. But while the juxtaposition and jumble of childhood memories—flaky delicacies, boisterous parties, prophetic dreams, and horrendous violence—is a marvelous way to share Villa's struggle in putting the random pieces of his past together, it also leaves us struggling to track his journey. Hana Sooyeon Kim's expressive set doesn't help; though striking, it's too conceptual a frame for this personal story.
Still, Villa's narrative details are wrenching, and we're given a powerful glimpse into his former world, in which even a small boy's birthday treat of McDonald's hamburgers can reveal dangerous truths about the people he loves. Perhaps it's a world he will never completely understand—or escape.
Presented by the Latino Theater Company at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., L.A. Oct. 27–Nov. 18. (866) 811-4111 or www.thelatc.org.
Critic's Score: B+


text:
Thomas Razzeto
for Personal and World Peace
Spiritual Audio Books and Transcripts
Plus much more!
Does God intentionally hide from us in order to invigorate
the play we are all in and charge it with emotion?
Could God and creation be the same reality in different forms?
Like water and ice? Different forms but the exact same essence?
The mystic says, "Yes!" and the implications are mind-blowing!
You are not simply connected to God; every aspect of your being is divine!
God is not just deep within you at a special place; you are divine at every level!
Welcome! If you are interested in spiritual growth and higher consciousness, then you might enjoy my work. These ideas are strictly my own opinion and even though some of us may see things differently, I hope that my work will inspire us to respect one another, treat each other kindly and work towards personal and world peace. With that in mind, here is what I have to offer:
• My Newest Essay: 2012: Understanding the Astronomy and More
During this essay, we will use a pencil and a sheet of paper to make a 3-dimensional model of the actual astronomy of 2012. This demonstration is fairly simple and you will clearly understand the basic astronomy in just a few minutes.
The 2012 event is a precise astronomical event signified by the simultaneous occurrence of two well-known events. The first event is the winter solstice. The second is the alignment of the earth, the sun and the galactic plane. It is important to note that both of these events happen once a year but they happen together only once every 26,000 years.
Learn much more in this essay!
• My Newest Audio Book: The Houdini Afterlife Experiment - Did It Work!
There are conflicting claims about whether Harry Houdini, the world famous escape artist and magician, after his death in October 1926, was successful in passing a prearranged secret coded message to his wife in January 1929 through Arthur Ford, a psychic medium. Read about the cleverly coded message that was received by Beatrice Houdini and the document that she signed stating that the message was correct!
• Your Mystical Adventure! A 73 minute mystical audio book for grown-ups
• If I could only talk for one hour, this is what I would say.
• The mystic's view: God and creation are the same reality in different forms!
• You are not simply connected to God, every aspect of your being is divine!
• God is not just deep within you at a special place, you are divine at every level!
• Read all the transcripts for free
• Listen to a free audio sample
Coming soon
• Use Your Magic! A 33 minute Spiritual children's audio book
• Learn how to use the magic within you
• Learn the simple golden rule and the silver rule
• Learn the difference between self-love and selfishness
• Learn how to stop the circle of hatred
• Use your personal peace to help bring world peace
• Join in the World Peace Hug!
• Read all the transcripts for free
• Listen to a free audio sample
Coming soon
• ESP Mind Power! A Completely Free ESP board game
• Is the physical world the "totality of reality"?
• Or is it just "part of the picture"?
• Are we all connected?
• Let's see if we can find out!
• For children and grown-ups
• Have fun with friends!
• Shift that paradigm!
Completely Free - Immediate Adobe PDF File Download
• The Mystic's View! A mystical audio book for grown-ups
• A work-in-progress
• Read the transcripts as they are made available
• Listen to a free audio sample
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• My Free Essays, Poems and Songs
• The Houdini Afterlife Experiment - Did It Work?
• Beyond Gender - Divine Love
• Song: God Bless Humanity
• To Love Like God - A Mystic's Poem
• The Mystic's View: God and Creation Are One Reality
• And more
• Join us for our free podcast about mystical topics such as:
• The Houdini Afterlife Experiment - Did It Work?
• More topics added as available!
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