text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|11 Nov 2008
|Filing date
|27 Feb 2006
|Priority date
|23 Jul 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Shih-Zheng Kuo
|Original Assignee
|Transpacific Ip, Ltd.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (6), Classifications (9), Legal Events (7)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/200,225, filed Jul. 23, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,016,541.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, and more particularly, to an image compression method for binary digital signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Without image compression, the transmission of images requires an unacceptable bandwidth in many applications. As a result, methods of compressing images have been the subject of numerous research publications. Image compression schemes convert an image consisting of a two-dimensional array of pixels into a sequence of bits, which are to be transmitted over a communication link. Each pixel represents the intensity of the image at a particular location therein. The transmission link may be an ordinary telephone line.
Consider an image comprising a gray-scale representation of a photograph at a resolution of 1000�1000 lines. Each pixel typically consists of 8 bits, which are used to encode 256 possible intensity levels at the corresponding point on the photograph. Hence, without compression, transmission of the photograph requires that 8 million bits be sent over the communication link. A typical telephone line is capable of transmitting about 9600 bits per second; hence the picture transmission would require more than 10 minutes. Transmission times of this magnitude are unacceptable.
As a result, image compression systems are needed to reduce the transmission time. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that image compression systems may also be advantageously employed in image storage systems to reduce the amount of memory needed to store one or more images.
Image compression involves transforming the image to a form, which can be represented in fewer bits without losing the essential features of the original images. The transformed image is then transmitted over the communication link and the inverse transformation is applied at the receiver to recover the image. The compression of an image typically requires two steps. In the first step, the image is transformed to a new representation in which the correlation between adjacent pixels is reduced. This transformation is usually completely reversible, that is, no information is lost at this stage. The number of bits of data needed to represent the transformed image is at least as large as that needed to represent the original image. The purpose of this transformation is to provide an image representation, which is more ideally suited to known compression methods.
In the second step, referred to as quantization, each pixel in the transformed image is replaced by a value, which is represented in fewer bits, on average, than the original pixel value. In general, the original gray scale is replaced by a new scale, which has coarser steps and hence can be represented in fewer bits. The new gray scale is calculated from the statistical distribution of the pixel values in the transformed image.
The quantized image resulting from the above two steps is often further coded for transmission over the communication link. This coding is completely reversible. Its purpose is to provide a more compact representation of the quantized picture. At the other end of the communication link, the coded image is decoded, the quantization transformation is reversed and the inverse of the first transformation is performed on the resulting image to provide a reconstructed image.
However, the known image compression method usually utilizes a complicated encoding and decoding circuitry to attain the more compact image data for transmission. The coding/decoding process is also complicated. Moreover, the image transformation circuitry is a significant cost factor in image compression apparatuses. The required computational expense clearly depends on the image transformation selected. Hence, an image compression method, which requires less computation than the prior image compression method, would be advantageous.
It is one objective of the present invention to provide an image processing method for facilitating data transmission, which performs an image compression method for converting X-bits binary digital signals to a binary compressed data in the form of n*2m, in which n is represented by the former Y bits of the X-bits binary digital signals, m is set to (X−Y), and represented with [log2(X−Y+1)] bits, such that the binary compressed data can be transmitted with a sequence of [log2(X−Y+1)] bits, representing (m, n), wherein m is the former [log2(X−Y+1)] bits and n is the latter Y bits. Therefore, the transmission amount of image data is reduced, and the transmission rate of the image data is facilitated.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an image processing method for facilitating data transmission, which implements a simple compression method to convert X-bits binary digital signals to a binary compressed data in the form of n*2m. The complicated encoding and decoding processes for image compression and processing circuits therefore are omitted by the present compression method.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an image processing method, which performs a bit-enhanced technology to compensate decompressed image data to increase the accuracy of the recovery of the image data.
In order to achieve the above objectives of this invention, the present invention provides an image processing method for facilitating data transmission. The present method comprises capturing an image signal from an object with an image capture device, and providing the image signal to an analog-to-digital converter for converting the image signal to X-bits binary digital signals, wherein X is a natural number. Then, the X-bits binary digital signals is transmitted to image processing means for compressing the X-bits binary digital signals to a binary compressed data in the form of n*2m, wherein X bits includes bit (X−1) to bit 0, m is a non-negative integer; when n is represented by the former Y bits of the X-bits binary digital signals, Y is a natural number, m is set to (X−Y), and then m is represented by binary numbers with [log2(X−Y+1)] bits. Accordingly, the X-bits binary digital signals are converted to the binary compressed data represented by (m, n) with a sequence of [log2(X−Y+1)]+Y bits, wherein m is the former [log2(X−Y+1)] bits and n is the latter Y bits. The binary compressed data represented by (m, n) with the sequence of [log2(X−Y+1)]+Y bits is then transmitted to memory means for storage. By the present image compression method, the transmission amount of image data is reduced. The transmission rate of image data is facilitated and the volume of a memory for storing the image data is also reduced.
The objectives and features of the present invention as well as advantages thereof will become apparent from the following detailed description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the figures, exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described. The exemplary embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments are primarily described with reference to block diagrams and flowcharts.
Initially, referring to
Several similar data processing steps are performed until step 310, when each of bit (X−1) to bit (Y+1) is logic level "0" and bit Y is logic level "1", n is represented by bit Y to bit 1, m is set to 1 and is represented by binary digital numbers with [log2(X−Y+1)] bits, as step 311. The binary compressed data is then outputted by (m, n) with [log2(X−Y+1)]+Y bits, wherein m is represented by the former [log2(X−Y+1)] bits and n is the latter bits consisted of bit Y to bit 1, as step 314. In step 312, when each of bit (X−1) to bit Y is logic level "0" and bit (Y−1) is logic level "1", n is represented by bit (Y−1) to bit 0, m is set to 0 and is represented by binary numbers with [log2(X−Y+1)] bits, (00). The binary compressed data is then outputted by (m, n) with [log2(X−Y+1)]+Y bits, wherein m is represented by the former [log2(X−Y+1)] bits and n is the latter bits consisted of bit Y−1 to bit 0, as step 314.
Referring to
As shown in table I of
In accordance with the compressed method of
With reference to the list of table I of
The embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|26 Dec 1991
|15 Nov 1994
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Floating point to logarithm converter
|12 Apr 1995
|13 Jan 1998
|Eastman Kodak Company
|Method and system for the reduction of memory capacity required for digital representation of an image
|18 Sep 1996
|3 Aug 1999
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Method and apparatus for signal compression and processing using logarithmic differential compression
|19 Jan 1999
|5 Feb 2002
|Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
|Logarithmic value calculation circuit
|10 Jun 2002
|13 Apr 2004
|Hyundai Electronics America
|Single precision array processor
|25 Jun 2001
|7 Sep 2004
|Atop Innovations S.P.A.
|Method for numeric compression and decompression of binary data
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|27 Feb 2006
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text:
Phantasy Star IV
Review by Kupopo
Reviewed: 06/22/01 | Updated: 06/22/01
This Game Rules!
I'd honestly never heard of the Phantasy Star series until my parents accidentally bought me a Phantasy Star Online players guide, even though I don't have a Dreamcast. But now I'm glad they made that little mistake, because it introduced to this game.
Gameplay - The controls are simple and easy to master- typical RPG controls, really. The battles have a lot more to them than just hitting and using magic, and there are side events, Hunter's Guild Quests, that a really fun and sometimes pretty challenging.
Story - The story is really cool, and successfully manages to involve all the characters. As opposed to some RPGs where characters are more like bystanders, these guys set the plot in motion. Because of the story, you're constantly gaining and losing party members, like in Final Fantasy 4, and I think this keeps the team roster interesting. I can't reveal too much, but the ending satisfyingly wraps up not only this game, but the entire series.
Characters - In important RPG factor, these characters are great. All have some use in battle, and, more importantly, they're all interesting. The four main heroes are of course the most interesting in the game, but the supporting characters you have temporarily are all great too. Interestingly, the characters of Rika, Wren, and Rune are eerily similar to beloved characters from the previous three games, which may sound like a lazy rip-off, but is actually quite nostalgic.
Audio/Video - The music is good but not great and the sounds effects in battle are all kind of similar. The graphics, though, are great. Like Final Fantasy 6, this game uses its own console's full potential in the impressive visuals department. The game has comic book-style cutscenes, which is a really cool concept topped by good artwork.
Replayability - The game's great, the battles are actually really fun, and the plot and characters (as mentioned above) are great, ensuring that you'll not only play the game for long periods at a time, but should keep coming back. The Hunter's Guild adds a lot of extra replay value, at least for me.
To buy or to rent? - This is a toughie... I would say ''rent'' to make sure you like it, but that's next to impossible. I would say ''borrow from a friend'' but that's just as hard. Your only option is to buy, but it'll be worth it.
This game is hard to come by nowadays, and it may cost you a pretty penny, but it's worth it. This game is still one of the best RPG's around.
Rating: 5.0 - Flawless
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Raithu Bazar
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This grand house has a leafy setting near the heart of the city and 40 well-designed rooms. All boast spacious bathrooms with under floor heating, Egyptian cotton sheets and flat screen TVs. Overlooking the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene, it guarantees peace and rural idyll, with the lively distractions of the city a five-minute drive away. There are also rooms for meeting, dining and celebrating - from the wood-panelled Great Hall to the light-filled garden room. Food is straightforward, flavoursome and makes the most of seasonal local produce. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly but with an attention to detail.
Tyneside branch of the hotel chain with a deserved reputation for style and service. Riverside rooms look directly out on the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and across the Tyne.
Smart, independent hotel in a 1930s building next to the castle. South-facing rooms have fine views of the Tyne Bridge.
The house where Byron fatefully married Anabella Milbanke in 1815 has been converted into an all-suite 18-room hotel by the owners of The Samling. Perched on a rugged cliff-top overlooking the sea, the hotel has a dining room for lunch and dinner, a grand drawing room for afternoon tea, plus a big new spa and Thai restaurant in a separate building.
Emphatically a hotel in the country, not a country-house hotel, this 10-room (nine of them suites) property was once the home of William Wordsworth's landlord. Features include open fireplaces, Oriental rugs, and great big sofas to sprawl on. There are spectacular views over Lake Windermere and the restaurant serves locally sourced fish, meat and vegetables.
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Starting in Fall 2015
You'll develop the skills to use a multimedia palette of video, audio, still photography and text across a variety of platforms, including broadcast video and audio, web, tablets and smart phones. From concept through distribution, you'll learn every aspect of the digital media production industry.
You can be a multimedia storyteller, a skilled digital media producer for television, radio, websites, sports networks, commercials, documentary, films, or corporate communication.
Professor Todd Evans has been at Drake since 1984. He served seven years as director of the Drake Telemedia Center, where he was responsible for the campus' 24-hour cable access channel, live studio production supervision and live remote television production.
Associate Professor David Wright's professional background is in video sports production, and he is still works closely with Drake Athletics to support video production at the Knapp Center and Drake Stadium, multimedia content for the Athletic Department website, and national television coverage of athletic events hosted by Drake.
The Drake Broadcasting System includes a low-power FM radio station, KDRA 94.1 The Dog. Drake students' annual coverage of the Drake Relays is the nation's oldest, biggest student-run production. There is a nationally recognized chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Students can produce professional sports content for ESPN3. Students also work on the award-winning campus publications: The Times-Delphic and Drake Magazine, in print and online. SJMC students frequently do photography and video work for University Communications and Drake Athletics, and are active in student government and residence life.
We'll help you identify internships locally —and in the industry's top markets — that can jump-start your career while you're still a student. Drake students have found internships in organizations and companies such as MidAmerican Energy; ESPN; Meredith Corp. digital operations; Cleveland Cavaliers; Clear Channel Communications; the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Barnstormers and Des Moines Menace; The Des Moines Register; USATF Outdoor Championships; WHO-TV, KCCI-TV and WOI-TV in Des Moines; national networks in New York and Washington, D.C.; NBCSN; St. Louis PBS and Minnesota and Iowa NPR stations; the Iowa Speedway and Prairie Meadows racetrack, just to name a few. With our own internship coordinator, we'll help you find the right job.
Drake electronic media alumni hold jobs with Hulu; Google; ESPN; the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Loyola University-Maryland athletic departments; Harpo Studios, Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, WLS-TV in Chicago; The Principal Financial Group, Hy-Vee, KCCI-TV, WOI-TV, WHO-TV, and Two Rivers Marketing in Des Moines; KCTV and KZPT-FM in Kansas City; Arizona Cardinals media relations; and the Toronto Sun online.
Tiffany (Abell) Tauscheck,'01, VP Marketing, Greater Des Moines Partnership
Joe Barlow, '10, Feature Reporter, WCIA-TV, Champaign, Il.
Gwen Baumgardner, '14, Reporter, Kansas First News, Topeka
Randy Beamer, '81, Anchor-Reporter, WOAI-TV, San Antonio
Matt Becker, '02, Editor, Stats LLC, Northbrook, IL
Kaitlin Berry, '13, Interactive Content Producer, KTVO, Kirksville-Ottumwa
Glen Biermann, '89, Photojournalist, KCCI, Des Moines
Erik Bilstad, '99, Afternoon News Co-Host, WTMJ, Milwaukee
Dan Bolsem, '98, Video Services supervisor, Two Rivers Marketing, Des Moines
Luke Braland, '13, Production Assistant, ESPN, Bristol, CT
Laurel Burgmaier, '95, Documentary Producer, Iowa Public Television, Johnston
Larry Burkum, '80, Newscast Producer, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids
Mark Carlson, '10, Iowa City Bureau Chief, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids
Martha Chaput, '04, Line Producer, Original Media, Los Angeles
Stacy Campbell, '93, Personality, Literock107, Peoria
Frank Carioti, '84, Video Editor, Harpo Studios, Chicago
Nathan Delack, '02, President, Delack Media Group, Chicago
Jack Doles, '86, Sports Director, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids
Joey Donia, '07, Sports Director, KWQC (TV), Quad Cities
Darrell Ewalt, '83, Vice President of Production, Mark Cuban's AXS TV, Denver
Lauren Ehrler, '13, CNN, Washington, DC
Treyva Estler, '02, Video Editor, 3-Ball Productions, Los Angeles
J.D. Fox, '05, Operations Manager, Stretch Internet, Gilbert, AZ
Karen Fuller, '89, News Anchor, KCTV, Kansas City
John Garcia, '86, Reporter, WLS-TV, Chicago
Natalie (Linville) Mass, '92, President, Media Link, Rock Island
Adam Ghassemi,'04, Reporter, WTVF (TV), Nashville
Skye Giordano,'99, Interactive Designer, Google HQ, California
Scott Gojkovich, '97, Program Director, Star 102, Des Moines
Heidi Gojkovich, '98, Morning Executive Producer, KCCI, Des Moines
Cam Good, '13, Seasonal Video Editor, Chicago Bears
Cody Gough, '07, Social Media Coordinator, Upshot marketing, Chicago
Jen Grannan '02, Marketing & PR Coordinator, Northcentral Technical College, Wausau, WI
Dorothy Gray, '03, Producer, WFLD News, Chicago
Geoff Greenwood, '88, Communications Director, Iowa Attorney General's Office
Sarah Guldalian, '03, Executive Producer of Evangelism Outreach, Lutheran Hour Ministries, St. Louis
Matt Haeger, '06, Assistant Production Director and Announcer, Entercom Radio Group, Denver
Van Harden, '73, Program Director and Morning Co-Host, WHO-AM, Des Moines
Rich Harrington, '94, CEO, RHED Pixel, Falls Church, VA
Austin "AJ" Harrison, '12, Athletic Communications assistant, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Cara Hetland, '87, News Director, South Dakota Public Broadcasting
Melissa Hintz, '86, Media Director, Trone Brand Energy, High Point, NC
Jess Hoffert, '11, Staff Editor, Midwest Living magazine, Des Moines
Paige Hulsey '11, Anchor & Multimedia Journalist, WAOW-TV, Wausau
Angie Hunt, '98, Communication Specialist, Iowa State University
Scott Huskey, '75, Vice President of Consulting Services, Rusty Walker Programming
Scott Inukai, '06, Project Manager, Temple Rock Productions, Chicago
Mike Jacobs, '73, Anchor-Reporter, WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee
Jason Justice, '95, Operations Director, WHB, Kansas City
Ann (Kaatz) LoBue, '97, IT Director, NBCUniversal, Home Entertainment & Digital Distribution, Los Angeles
Erin Kiernan, '96, News Anchor, WHO-TV, Des Moines
Sharyljit Kaur, '12, Writer-Producer, Business FM 89.9, Singapore
Dave Kelly, '81, Director of Advanced Media Production, Cal State – Long Beach
Tom Kroeschell, '82, Director of Broadcast Scheduling, Cyclones.tv, Iowa State University
Alex Kuberski, '13, Photojournalist, KCCI, Des Moines
Neal Kyer, '95, Video Editor, Iowa Public Television
Amanda Lewis, '01, PR/Social Media, Des Moines Public Schools
David Lubbers, '86, Field Producer, ESPN's Outside the Lines, living in Des Moines
Ciera Lundgren, '12, News Producer, KMBC (TV), Kansas City
Tony Lorino, '03, Program Director, 99.7 The Point, Kansas City
Jessica (Roberts) Lown, '04, ZLR Marketing Communications, Des Moines
Carol Maloney, '95, Sports Anchor 7 Reporter, News4, Washington, D.C.
Julie Mann, '89, Managing Editor, WBBM-AM, Chicago
Brendan Mark, '06, Executive Producer, WSMV (TV), Nashville
Kyle Martin, '90, Program Manager, KFJB, Marshalltown, IA
Jen Marnowski, '89, Producer, KMGH (TV), Denver
Rebekah Maxwell, '10, Executive Producer, nationally-syndicated Steve Deace Show
Maureen McKamey, '11, 9 p.m. Anchor-Producer, KEYC/Fox, Mankato
Lee Muntz, '78, Personality/Sports Director, KMCD/KKFD, Fairfield, Iowa
Kelly Nass,'99, Production Coordinator, Yahoo Original Series Community, Los Angeles
Chris Nettleton,'04, Graduate Student, U of Minnesota, previously Sports Director, KBOI-TV, Boise
Clay Paciorek, '10, Marketing and Communications specialist, Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Faribault, MN
Pat Parris, '87, Anchor-Reporter, Fox Sports Midwest, St. Louis
Chris Parrish, '05, News Producer, WHDH (TV), Boston
Molly (Nelson) Peterson, '04, Marketing Specialist, Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny
Tom Rapp, '10, Photojournalist, KCCI, Des Moines
Lindsay Reinert, '04, Promotions Director, Alice 105.9, Denver
Neil Rubenstein, '81, Executive Producer, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Baltimore
Ben Sabal, '12, Seasonal Videographer, Chicago Bears
Danielle Sauka, '09, News Producer, WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee
Jeremiah Scavo, '10, Videographer, Two Rivers Marketing, Des Moines
Amber Schindeldecker, '03, Freelance Producer, KARE-11, Minneapolis-St, Paul
Amy Schmelzer, '96, Senior Director, KCCI, Des Moines
Dayna Schmidt, '04, Web Editor, Schiff Hardin law firm, Chicago
Kelly Shoff, '90, Executive Producer, KETV (TV), Omaha
Christopher Scholl, '85, Director of News Standards, MSNBC, New York
Mark Stevens, '10, Investigative Reporter, KWQC-DT, Davenport
Sarah Stokes, '00, Publisher, Queen of the Castle magazine, Eau Claire, WI
Abraham Swee, '11, News Producer, WOI-TV, West Des Moines
Tony Tandeski, '08, Executive Producer, WBAY-TV, Green Bay
Peter Taylor, '94, Owner-Operator, PCT Productions, Chicago
Zach Tecklenburg, '09, News Producer, KSTP-TV, St. Paul
Jaime Thies, '10, Member Communications, Wellmark, Des Moines
Lelia Tran, '97, Producer, Screaming Flea Productions, Seattle
Bob Uhlar, '78, Senior Minister, Unity Church of Indianapolis
Sara Van Aernum, '01, Executive Producer, Good Morning Washington, WTTG (TV)
Jerry Vancini, '91, newscast director, KUSA (TV), Denver
Mary Kate Wachtel, '14, producer, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids
John Walters, '84, director of Broadcast Programming, Cyclones.tv, Iowa State University
Brian Weiss, '93, Architect, Pahl Architecture, Denver
Brittany Weiss '09, Reporter-Anchor, WBRZ (TV), Baton Rouge
Amy Yaeger '99, Field Producer, Access Hollywood
Rachel Yancey, '11, Senior Video Editor, Simply Michelle Productions, Van Meter, IA
Dave Zawilinski, '05, Morning News Anchor, WOWT, Omaha
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text:
A Belfast clergyman who speaks Irish has come out in defence of three UUP councillors who walked out of a Down District Council meeting earlier this week.
East Belfast Irish teacher Linda Ervine was about to give a talk on Protestant use of the Irish language when Robert Burgess, Desmond Patterson and Walter Lyons left the council chamber.
Mr Lyons said his walk-out was in protest at the council policy of "imposing" Irish against the will of unionists.
Yesterday, Belfast clergyman Chris Hudson, who is from the Republic but who works closely with the loyalist community, defended the UUP trio.
"This is an important debate and remember it is also taking place in the Republic because not everybody is happy with the enforcement of the Irish language," he said on Facebook. "I fully support Linda Ervine and indeed use some Irish myself but the Irish language should not be used as a political weapon or cultural tool to divide people.
"It is important that those who wish to see greater use of Irish, that they should promote it in an inclusive and attractive way – that has not always been the case.
"The policy over the years in the Republic was, as one person described, 'cultural fascism', which made many of us despise the language."
He said an open debate will serve the Irish language "better than narrow, political goal-scoring".


text:
Northern Border Pipeline Company
First Revised Volume No. 1
Contents / Previous / Next / Main Tariff Index
Effective Date: 11/01/2003, Docket: RP03-629-000, Status: Effective
Fifth Revised Sheet No. 241 Fifth Revised Sheet No. 241 : Effective
Superseding: Fourth Revised Sheet No. 241
6. BILLING AND PAYMENT (Continued)
6.7 Receipt and Tender Deficiencies (Continued)
6.74 Reservation Charge Credit
Effective November 1, 2003, a firm Shipper paying
the Maximum Rate will be entitled to a credit of a
portion of its Reservation Charge in the event that
the Company takes receipt of less than 90 percent of
the Dekatherms tendered by Shipper in a Production
Month. The credit shall be the product of
(a) 40 percent, times (b) the aggregate amount of
Reservation Charge due from Shipper for service
under Shipper's Service Agreement during such
Production Month times (c) a fraction, the numerator
of which is the difference between (i) the
Dekatherms tendered by Shipper to Company in such
Production Month and (ii) the Dekatherms received by
Company from Shipper in such Production Month, and
the denominator of which is the sum of Shipper's
Maximum Receipt Quantity for such Production Month.
Such credit shall be reflected in the invoice to the
Shipper and the invoice to a Releasing Shipper as
provided in Subsection 6.2 of this General Terms and
6.75 Exceptions
Subsections 6.71 through 6.74 hereof shall not apply
to any failure of Company to take receipt from
Shipper of any gas tendered by Shipper pursuant to
Article 1 of Shipper's Service Agreement if such
failure is caused in whole or in part by, or results
in whole or in part from, failure of Shipper to, or
to be able to, deliver or take delivery of such gas,
or by any other action of Shipper or Persons acting
on its behalf which causes or results in such
failure by Company.


text:
Montana coach Wayne Tinkle opened the history books to prepare his Grizzlies for Sunday night's game at UCLA by talking about the past.
It worked. The Grizzlies took control from the beginning and didn't let up until they had secured a 66-57 over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.
Will Cherry led the Grizzlies (4-3) with 18 points, while senior center Brian Qvale turned in a 13-point, 10-rebound effort for his first double-double of the season as Montana beat UCLA for the first time in five tries.
"There were some things we talked about before we took the court," Tinkle said. "We talked about the last time these two teams met in the (1975) NCAA tournament and what gave Montana an opportunity to win that game. It was all about toughness and discipline, so we challenged our guys (to) get a little piece of our own history."
Montana lost that regional semifinal game by three points, and UCLA went on to win the NCAA title again in John Wooden's final season as the Bruins' coach.
But this season's version of the Grizzlies saw to it that the result was different. They turned on the pressure with a zone defense that stymied the UCLA offense and seemed to put doubt in the minds of the Bruins' shooters.
Reeves Nelson entered the game averaging 15.5 points but was held to five. Tyler Honeycutt, fresh off a 33-point performance in a one-point loss at No. 4 Kansas, scored 11.
"Reeves Nelson missed some shots inside and Josh (Smith) seemed rushed because their size inside bothered us," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "Montana is a strong team so you have to give them credit but we missed a lot of opportunities, especially in the second half."
Montana did what it wanted in setting the tone early. The Grizzlies bounced out to a 14-7 lead and didn't panic when a 10-0 run by the Bruins gave UCLA its first lead.
Cherry's reverse layup with 6:40 remaining in the first half gave the Grizzlies a 24-22 advantage, and the lead for good.
The Bruins (3-4) shot 37 percent from the field in the first half, and 31.3 percent for the game.
"I felt confident as long as we kept attacking the basket," Qvale said. "We were playing solid defense and that's what kept us in the game.
"We watched teams that played zone against them. We play zone defense and we knew that would be key to the game."
The Grizzlies built a 17-point lead in the second half, and the Bruins' late run only made the score a little closer.
Malcolm Lee led UCLA with 13 points. The loss was the fourth in a row for the Bruins.


text: Hi there, I need a new case for my New Standard Cleveland model bass: The New Standard Bass - Cleveland Model, and after doing my research I am between a safe bet Bobelock case: Cases and Bags for Double Bass-Soundwear, Bobelock, Mooradian, Reunion Blues and the good looking Tuff-bag: Upright Bass Case Cover My problem is that my bass is a large 3/4 or small 7/8 in size and I don't know whether or not it will fit in these cases. So here are a few questions: 1. Can anyone compare the Tuff and the Bobelock? My main priorities are good padding and light weight. 2. Will my bass fit in the Tuff bag? I had almost decided to go with the Tuff but Stephen from String Emporium told me that my bass it's probably to big for the Tuff. Anyone with a similar experience? These are my bass' measures: String Length 42" / 106.7 cm. Body Length 45 1/4" / 114.9 cm. (back) Upper Bout 21 1/8" / 53.6 cm. Lower Bout 26" / 66.1 cm. 3. I have tried the Bobelock 3/4 on my bass before and it felt too tight, but I'm afraid the 7/8 will be too lose. Any insights? Thanks everyone! I'll share thoughts after I make a final decision. Cheers!


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The animated film industry is a market segment that has blossomed over the past 20 years, and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NASDAQ:DWA) has been at the head of this evolution. The family entertainment company specializes in creating animated feature films, television series and related consumer products for a global audience. With a total of 25 released animated films, this firm has established itself as a dominant industry leader with a broad and supportive fan base. However, looking forward, the company will have to diversify its revenue income in order to keep growing.
In Between Worlds
Up until 2012, DreamWorks owed most of its cash flow and profits to the film business, a segment in which the firm excelled on more than one occasion. With box-office hits like "Shrek" and "Madagascar," the company not only earned over $3 billion in revenues, but also laid the groundwork for a profitable franchise business. This second revenue stream, comprised of home-videos, merchandising and television series, has helped expand the initial commercial success of the animated films in the long term. Given that DreamWorks only generates five feature films every two years, this franchising strategy has cushioned some of the high scrutiny placed on each film.
Furthermore, due to the movie industry's transition in sight of slow DVD sales, this company is refocusing its business strategy towards television. As such, in 2012 Class Media was acquired in order to create more television content, based on the mythical characters of the animated hit films. Although the acquisition raised DreamWorks debt well beyond its cash income, the investment is expected to lead to a $200 million annual revenue boost by 2015, doubling the firm's 2013 income, according to management. Additionally, the company recently signed a licensing agreement with Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), which will grant yet another steady revenue stream for television content creation. The deal is set to air 1,200 animated television episodes over the next five years, based on DreamWorks' most lovable characters, and will comply with the current high demand for quality children's programming.
Of Risks and Further Developments
Despite this positive trend, not all is sunny in the animated film business, especially when it comes to its most popular player. Given the company's current dependency on movie profits, the limited release schedule could cause some issues. In the case of a box-office flop, which is difficult to foresee, the firm could lose significant annual earnings, and cash flow could be stomped. Also, the scrutiny placed on each film can easily lead to fluctuations in the company's stock price, causing investors to shy away. And not to forget, piracy and shifting consumer preferences are a serious threat when it comes to DVD sales, one of the major income sources of all movie studios.
Nevertheless, CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg is set on his company's expansion and has left no stone unturned. This January DreamWorks will be presenting its first tablet computer designed for children, by the hand of Nabi tablet creator Fuhu. The DreamTab, which combines educational applications with the animated film characters, will not only add further revenue income to the firm, but also pave the road for further developments in the technology segment. Moreover, the product launch and licensing agreements seem to have driven the company's stock price upwards over the past year, boosting it from $16.65 to $34.9 as of January 2014. Despite the company's downward metric trend in 2012, I feel bullish about DreamWorks diversification strategy and see strong potential for further growth in the long term. And investment gurus Ron Baron (Trades, Portfolio) and Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio) also seem to have faith in the animated future, as they recently acquired large quantities of DreamWorks shares.
Disclosure: Victor Selva holds no position in any stocks mentioned.


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Just a quick note to all Sansa Connect owners who have not updated their firmware in a while: Your player does more than it used to. You now have video playback! Also, you can now do an artist search in the Get New Music tab when perusing Yahoo! Music selections (the initial exclusion of this feature was something I may have whined about a few months back).
The video specs look like this: 320 by 240 resolution at 30 fps, and it plays only MPEG-4. Since we no longer have our Sansa Connect inhouse (yes, even analysts have to return the toys when they're finished), we'll have to rely on you, intrepid Connect owners, to tell us whether these features work well and increase the value of the device. Apparently, simply connecting to the Internet gives the player its upgrade automatically, so you may already have the firmware and not realize it–though it's hard to miss: Your "Photo" section is now called "Photo and Video." Let us know how it works!


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More than three decades of IT experience in Taiwan: Asia is well known for technological innovation, and in Taiwan's capital Taipei the technology sector is growing rapidly. Initially only a regional show, the COMPUTEX TAIPEI event is today the largest IT trade fair in Asia, and it is one of the world's leading ICT tradeshows.
Technological progress is the basis for every type of change. Once every year Taipei becomes the center of the IT sector: Since the beginning of the 1980s, COMPUTEX TAIPEI provides more than a glimpse into the future. The COMPUTEX TAIPEI trade fair showcases technological progress in combination with award-winning design.
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Originally published October 30, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified October 30, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Lawyers in angry duel during Dino Rossi deposition
In what one lawyer called the "most obstructive deposition" he'd ever participated in, little news was revealed about allegations gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) illegally coordinated a campaign attacking Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Seattle Times staff reporter
There were raised voices, stare-downs, threats to call a judge, accusations of defamation, orders not to lean across a table, and profanity.
And that was just between the lawyers in Dino Rossi's deposition Wednesday.
Rossi's lawyers objected to dozens of questions in the rancorous four-hour, closed-door session, fueling combative exchanges that appeared juvenile at times in the deposition transcript provided to the public.
What was striking about the deposition, particularly in its first two hours, was how little Rossi spoke.
A King County judge had ordered the Republican candidate for governor to testify about allegations that he and the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) illegally coordinated a campaign attacking his opponent, Gov. Christine Gregoire.
In what one lawyer called the "most obstructive deposition" he'd ever participated in, little news was revealed.
Between outbursts and objections, Rossi repeated what he's said previously: that he has done nothing that would violate state campaign-finance rules and the lawsuit is an attempt to undermine his campaign.
Lawyers grilling Rossi said several times they were going to call a judge to stop the obstructions.
Rossi's lawyer Mike Patterson told plaintiffs' attorney Mike Withey several times to stop staring at him with disdain.
Patterson said after a break that Withey had just told him to "shut the [expletive] up."
And Patterson told Knoll Lowney, another opposing lawyer, to stop yelling and stop leaning across a table toward him. That led to this exchange:
Lowney: "This table is 6 feet wide. I don't think I'm threatening you, and don't suggest that I am."
Patterson: "I'm not suggesting you're threatening me."
Lowney: "We wanted to have a camera in here and you refused it."
Patterson: "You know what the court rules are with regard to that."
It's no wonder King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas told the lawyers via e-mail they wouldn't get any more time to question Rossi after she reviewed a partial transcript.
At the core of the conflict is a lawsuit against the BIAW by two former state Supreme Court justices who support the re-election of Gregoire. State law bars a candidate from coordinating with an independent campaign.
Rossi is not a party to the suit but was subpoenaed to testify as a witness.
On Wednesday, Rossi reiterated that his conversations with BIAW members in May 2007 — around the time the builders were discussing fundraising for the 2008 elections — occurred before he was a candidate. Therefore, he said, he couldn't have conducted illegal coordination with the BIAW.
Rossi also testified he didn't talk to BIAW members about raising money for his possible candidacy. He said he called several to quiet a clash between factions of the group so they could come together to support pro-business candidates in 2008.
"Dino Rossi answered these questions under oath and there's not one scintilla of evidence he did anything improper or inappropriate," Patterson said after the deposition.
Rossi said several times during questioning that at the time of his contact with the BIAW members, he was 75 percent sure he wasn't going to run for governor again because of the toll it takes on a family.
"Just like you folks, what you've done with me in bringing me here today in the last week of the campaign, serving my teenage daughter at my home with a subpoena for me for a lawsuit I'm not even a party to," he said.
Withey and Lowney maintained Rossi knew the BIAW was raising money for his possible candidacy, qualifying him as a candidate under state law.
They also said Rossi's answers showed he was encouraging the builders groups to come together "with a unitary fundraising effort."
Although Withey said he didn't think the deposition got to the truth of Rossi's alleged coordination with the BIAW, "progress was made" in the lawsuit.
Rossi tried several times to turn the tables on his questioners.
When they asked about his understanding of campaign laws and independent expenditures by groups like the BIAW, he replied by talking about spending by the union-backed Evergreen Progress, a political-action committee that supports Gregoire.
He called the lawsuit a "sham" and repeatedly said it was the work of "Gregoire operatives." He attacked Lowney at one point, saying the lawyer's questions weren't credible, and called the deposition "a farce."
"You've done this time and time again," Rossi said. "This is what you do for a living, apparently."
Lowney and Withey denied they were funded by Gregoire or Democrats, and Lowney demanded Patterson retract a statement to that effect, saying it defamed him.
Withey said he would ask the judge to sanction Patterson for obstructing the deposition.
Withey also downplayed reports that he and Lowney would sue to invalidate the election if Rossi won because of the BIAW's allegedly improper campaign.
"We're not there yet," he said.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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The human race's most popular humor series returns with a new collection of macabre mishaps and misadventures. Honoring those who improve our gene pool by inadvertently removing themselves from it, The Darwin Awards 5: Next Evolution shows how uncommon common sense still is.
Check out the rest of our Darwin Awards titles!
©2008 Wendy Northcutt; (P)2008 Wendy Northcutt
The level of stupidity of man is incredible - some of these had me lauging all day long. I would have rated 5 stars, but I didn't care for the accents that were added for foreign articles - the accents were clearly fake, and were hard to understand. Otherwise, great.
"A Lot of Good Laughs At Humans Being Human"
This was a fun book to listen to and it reminds me of how close all us are from time to time being an entry in the next edition.
It would be a great book to gather friends an family around to have some great laughs!
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


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Afraid To Let Others Inmy story is pretty amazing, if you had 1000 years to here it, so its probli a bit hard to fully comprehend how big this is for me,
I wont bore you to much, I was in an abusive relationship for 18 years, he was my first and only relationship, I was with him from age 15,you do the math,,,although the last couple of those years we were seperated, and then finally divorced, as I had to leave states and move house yet again, to escape his violence, believe me when I say ive been there and had it done to me and experinced pain, beyond a lot of peoples comprehension,
although he has been dead for almost 3 years now, it was only last week that I really cried, Its weird and hard to explain or understand myself, the dynamics we shared, in that he treated me so badly, yet I loved him more than anything in this world, and still believ we are soul mates,,,
I dont know,, my past has messed me up big time, to where I have been a complete loner and recluse for the past 5 years, since the birth of my disabled lil boy,,(,yes the monster was the father,,thats why I ran,,my pregnancy then,,saved mylife), literally having no conact with others outside my older 2 teenagers, other than doctors treating my lil boy,
It sounds silly maybe,,I dont know,,Im still a prisoner of my past, locked away, with no freinds or family around, as Im too scared and paranoid to let anyone remotely close to me,,,,
but life is too short to live this way, and Im sooo miserable, im starting to loose it,,,,,
I dont know how to be around others without freaking out and almost passing out,,as I also have bi=polar,,,which has recently been getting worse,,,
If you have experienced similar, please give me your advice,,,
I hate myself still so much tho, that I feel if I go outside everyone will be pointing at me and laughing at how ugly and fat I am,,and so I dont go anywhere unless its for my lil boy,,,even when family visit,,,I fel their judgement crushing me
please know this is not a story of me feeling sorry for myself,,as I honestly dont,,its about me saying to the world,,,hey im here too, and I deserve to be seen, heard and loved like everyone else,,
Im just hoping to find people who feel the same
sykoprincess 31-35, F 3 Responses 2 Jan 16, 2013
well theres all sorts of trauma damaged people on here,i am sure some will be able to relate..............................try not to beat yourself up ....................the worst should be over
whats new ??? me !! to you I am new as we have never met so add me and I will be your new friend !!!
any friends and family members nearby?You can get in touch with them!


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One of the most interesting new brand launches in 2007 was for sure Anx Originals by Gio Estevez. The graphics applied on the collection were original and different from pretty much everything else that we have come across. Here a first taste of what there is to come this year from the rband. Pic via BigOl.
Anx Originals 2008
Highsnobiety Style


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So it seems I can't boot properly when using Clover from my HDD (just goes from the boot menu to a black screen). The Clover on my flash drive however boots the installed Mavericks.
Edit: Got it. Not entirely sure how though...
Jump to content
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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in '2005 - 2014 S-197 Mustang -General/Talk-' started by dro, Sep 22, 2008.
I never know from day to day.
The birth certificate/license whatever may say I'm 23, but I definitely never had this much fun as a kid. As far as I'm concerned, it's like I'm 8 cause when I'm in that car, everything else just goes away.
Now I don't feel as bad.......50....something. Mid life CRISIS???????? What that?
Never had one...........
I'll be 34 on the 13th...
I bought my first Mustang at age 16 in 1976. A '66 coupe. I have bought and sold over 200 since then ending with the '07 I currently own now at 48. In the '80s I made a living off the '67-'70 stangs everyone had lying around their yards cheap that I fixed up and resold. I think the s197s are the best yet but I also think the best might be still to come.
To all you 20-somethings owning one I say hat's off to you! :hail2
I could never afford new at that age plus the insurance.
To people who say mid-life crisis I say "No, lack of having a cool car is a crisis! Lifes to short to drive a boring car!"
Just turned 20 in september. Purchased car back in april.
54 and 1/2 . 06/gt/vert red on red gms intake 18polish rims flow axel backs mirror inserts shorty ant. gt mats pedal covers tower brace
I am 23 I alternate payments with my dad, he just turned 57 My truck is where all of my money goes though.
I'm 35 (36 in december) and still bang the gears in the cars in my sig.... your only as old as you act so I still bang the gears in both my stangs.... I love spanking unsuspecting teens with my 91... no offense to you young stangers.... its those young rice heads that I like to fry!!
My fiance (41 turning 42 in december.... weird since hers is two days after mine, but easy to remember LOL) has a 2000 GT vert.... wouldnt let her park her Jeep in my driveway so she upgraded her 2003 Jeep to the Stang!!
just turned 31 and this is my 3rd mustang. First car was a 64 Fairlane sports coupe at 16. 2nd was an 88 GT at 23. 3rd was a 99 35th LE at 25 and the 4th was an 07 gt at 30.
Got my very 1st Mustang GT a month ago. I'm 38 years old. I'm loving life with it!
One thing though, now my wife wants to drive it.
35, in and out of cars like they are favorite flavors of ice cream. This stang will be kept forever most likely.
37 for me...
23 here... owned the car for a year now
Turned 21 in May, had my Mustang Since I got her with 13 miles about 3 months ago. She now has 1,100.
57...I drive it on the street only, maybe 15 miles a week.
The race driver, Lance, is mid 30s, and applying for his NHRA race license. My reflexes are a little too slow, my eyesight a little too poor, to pass the physical. Besides that, I don't have the skills to drive this car into the 9s...lol


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...or I clicked "Publish" instead of "Save Draft".
Anyway, the net result is that a post was erroneously published in draft format; since it was during the lunch break, it had the time to propagate and be reaggregated in a number of feeds. Luckily I didn't write anything especially bad, it's just that it was still very coarse, definitely unfinished and I changed my mind another 2 times on the subject before deciding to publish. Hence, FYI: in case you read a post from my feed that seems to finish mid-sentence, know that it is ACTUALLY mid-sentence 🙂 the complete post is here.


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Happy new year from southamerica!
This month we already spend in Chile has being awesome! I am so happy to be able to spend so much time with my family. I know it would be at least one more year (or more) until we are able to come back, so I'm enjoying it as much as I can.
This past year was a very good one for us, a few of the things I will always remember about 2010: we got married! I started this little blog, I got my permanent residence, started my own business and my dear husband got me my first Imac =]
I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for us and as for this blog, I have so many plans and tutorials already planned, I will also re-launch my Design Website in February when we go back to California. I am so very excited about this upcoming year!!
I also wanted to thank all of you that read this blog, I am so happy to see it grow everyday and I apologize for the lack of content while I've being here in Chile, I though I was going to have more free time, but I am trying to spend as much time as I can visiting family. So every now and then I log in and see the comments and more followers even thought there is nothing new, that's just awesome!! THANK YOU!
See you all in February (or hopefully before that)


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BEIJING, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will discuss the global economic crisis with European leaders during his upcoming trip, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Wen's itinerary includes the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jiang Yu of the Foreign Ministry said.
The prime minister is to leave for Europe Jan. 27. In addition to Davos, he is to visit Germany, Spain, Britain and the EU headquarters in Brussels. The trip ends Feb. 2.
One country Wen will avoid is France. Relations were frayed last month when President Nicolas Sarkozy, at a time when France held the rotating EU presidency, met with the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiritual leader who advocates for Tibet to regain its independence from China.
Wu Baiyi, a professor of European studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Wen's visit to Brussels is symbolic, an effort to show that China wants a good relationship with the European Union. France is no longer the president.


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Availability: 10 in stock
Mutiny kiteboarding kites & boards.
We have two demo kites at this moment to be tried. A 12m and a 9m
Mutinykites F-Series 5.5m 7m 9m 12m kite only with bag/ complete with,bar,kite,bag,lines and leash
The F-Series is for the progressive rider that wants a high-jumping, floaty, free-ride, performance kite with a large predictable depower range, simple and effective safety system, effortless relaunch and bomb-proof construction. With a crisp and direct bar feel, easy edging control and smooth, clean aerodynamics the F-Series offers easy, predictable and consistent riding whether you're just starting out or longing to jump into orbit and float around with the birds. Designed to save you time, get you riding longer and enjoying every minute, the F-Series puts the joy back into kitesurfing.


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It's no secret: The Red Sox need to turn the page from 2011. Badly.
Who better to talk to the team about moving forward than Bill Belichick? He's Mr. It Is What It Is, the world's most reluctant rehasher, the man whose gaze is constantly focused on the week ahead and nothing else?
Bobby Valentine brought in the Patriots head coach to address the team at Fort Myers before their game on Tuesday night.
"I think he used a little reference to when things dont go right, you can turn the page," Valentine said after the game. "New years are new years, make the best of them that you can make.
"He follows our team. It's not like he just dropped out of Mars to say, 'Hey how you doing?' He kind of gets it.''
Valentine left tickets for Belichick after Belichick explained that he was in the area and looking to see the game. Valentine and Belichick have known each other since Valentine was with the Mets and Belichick was with the Jets so it didn't take a whole lot of convincing to get Belichick to talk to the team before the game.
Belichick is an avid baseball fan and very good friends with former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. He wore a La Russa jersey as he walked through the Patriots locker room one day during the World Series to show his support.
Belichick was close with Terry Francona and sorry to see him leave the Red Sox, but he was also excited for Valentine to get the managing gig at Fenway.
"Love Bobby. Great guy," Belichick said soon after hearing Valentine got the Red Sox job. "Great baseball guy. Love to talk to him. He's got a lot of energy.
"Don't get me wrong, I love Terry Francona. I had a great relationship with Bobby in New York. I went to several Mets games and stuff like that, watched Keyshawn Johnson throw out the opening pitch and all that. Bobby is a wonderful guy. I look forward to catching up with him and seeing him here."
On Tuesday night Belichick sat in the front row behind the screen and stayed for six innings.


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- Author: Robert J Keiffer
If you have been following these posts, then you know that the Rod Shippey Education Facility and Field Lab is in mid-construction phase. Part of the mission and goal of the new building is to create a teaching tool in itself ... with incorporated examples of passive heating and cooling by design, the use of cedar siding milled from sustainable forests at the UC's Blodgett Forest, and by using reclaimed or recycled materials where possible.
Here you see Shawn Tibor, the UC Ag and Natural Resources (ANR) Director of Facilities, who specializes in architecture and construction, standing next to some huge reclaimed Douglas Fir timbers. These 14" x 14" timbers (and larger) were salvaged from the old Pacific Lumber Company buildings at Scotia CA by North Cal Wood Products Inc. and will be re-sawn to 10" x 10" x 23 feet for use at the "Shippey Building" construction site.
North Cal Wood Product's Inc. is donating 25% of all the material needed for the project. It is such donations that will bring this project to a completion so that the facility can be used by the entire North Coast community for years to come.


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Total Recall is Back and this time Colin Ferrell takes the reign along side Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel! Remember the 1990 original with Arnold ? Well check out the trailer to the remake that is suppose to be released August 3rd!
The movie is based on the Philip K. Dick's short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," which was turned into a movie in 1990 with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, and Michael Ironside.


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More than 250 members at the $439 million Sharon Credit Union in Sharon, Mass., have used the credit union's new iPad app in the first six weeks after it was launched, the credit union said.
The 19,400 members at the $286 million McGraw-Hill Federal Credit Union in East Windsor, N.J., can now deposit checks via their iPhone or Android devices.
The $439 million Sharon Credit Union in Sharon, Mass., said more than 250 of its 29,200 members have used its iPad app in the first six weeks after it was launched.
Mobile banking is now being offered by the $731 million WESTconsin Credit Union of Menomonie, Wis., to its 67,400 members.
A new online banking presence is now in place at Xceed Financial Credit Union after the El Segundo, Calif., completed what it called its "Extreme Makeover: Online Banking Edition."
Six-hour outage pinned on power supply.
Electronic banking specialist finds 18- to 32-year-olds three times more likely to bank by handheld than older users.
Xceed Financial CU launches new Web presence, Internet banking functionalities.
The $720 million Los Angeles Federal Credit Union has bolstered its electronic presence with a makeover of its website and new mobile banking offerings.
Mobile Money Ventures has sold its Web banking technology to Intuit Financial Services, which already uses the platform at more than 320 credit unions and banks, the companies said.


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Invasive Air Potatoes
Story Highlights
- One of the most ferocious growing and invasive natural phenomenon to hit the Grand Isle forest.
Students from Grand Isle School have been helping collect air potatoes to combat their spread.
Air Potatoes, Dioscorea bulbifera, are one of the most ferocious growing and invasive natural phenomenon to hit the Grand Isle Maritime Forest since Hurricane Katrina! This vine covers the understory and climbs to the tree tops. With leaves as large as dinner plates, one can imagine the amount of sunlight that other plants are denied.
Air potatoes grow extremely quickly, about 8 inches per day, and can eventually reach over 60 feet long. The bulbils on the vines sprout and become new vines, twisting around each other to form a thick mat. If the plant is cut to the ground, the tubers can survive for extended periods and send up new shoots later. The best methods of control are herbicides, vine pulling, and potato removal. Our Stewardship team has been trying all of the methods over the past 3 years but there are more vines growing each spring. In December 2013 Grand Isle Elementary students belonging to The Nature Club collected 410 pounds of air potatoes and in January, 2014 Grand Isle High School students working for "Community Service" hours collected over 600 pounds. There are still many more to be collected before they sprout. Help us rid the forest of this pest before it destroys the entire understory and eventually the forest itself.


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" Brand: Guinot / Type: Body Care / Suitable for: Hand / What it does: Vitalizes, / Gender: Ladies "
* Prices may differ from that shown
Guinot multi- action vital hand care, is so much more than just a hand cream. This hand care feels fairly thick but glides on very smoothly and unlike many hand creams does not leave a greasy residue aftrewards, i always have this cream in my bag and its easy to use on the go
The main benefits of this hand cream is that it prevents dark spots (age /liver spots) and also prevents wrinkles. I personally find this very important in a hand cream as Your hands age so much quicker than the rest of your skin and are always a dead givaway for someones age!
As well as preventing lines and wrinkles the cream, softens, moisturizes and aids with comfort especially if your hands react to the season changes and feel tight and dry. The cream also strengthens your nails while it is at it, need you want more from a hand cream.
The cream comes in a tube and usually last me around 3 months.
Restore and enhance the youthful apprearance of your hands with this rejuvenating and regenerating hand cream. Guinot Multi Action Vital Hand Care will restore the softness and suppleness whilst minimising the appearance of brown spots.Guinot Longue Vie Mains also protects your hands from daily attacks and UV rays, keeping your hands looking youthful.For best results, start with Gentle Face Exfoliating Cream. Use it on your hands to remove dead cells and make your skin even softer and more receptive to the active ingredients of this cream


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PROUD mum Shelly Jangra saw art by daughter Navica, 10, and other primary school pupils hanging on the walls at the Ashmolean Museum.
The piece was one of 525 being exhibited, whittled down from 3,400 entries in the Young Art Oxford competition.
Mrs Jangra said: "It was fantastic to see it there in the museum and I love the way she has blended the colours.
"Navica had been excited for days, because she didn't think she had a chance of winning. So that's been really great for her.
"And for me, it's the Ashmolean, going there is one thing but seeing your own family's work on the wall is something else.
"All the work there was really good, especially those of the younger children."
Pupils from 46 primary schools in the county entered the competition, which was themed around "the natural world".
Each child paid £1 to enter and the paintings went on sale for a donation.
Money raised will be given to Cancer Research UK and spent on research into childhood cancers. Organisers said the exhibition raised £15,000.


text:
/var/log/packages is empty!
I have a system with many applications installed and running perfectly, however my /var/log/packages directory is empty with the exception of x11 - related packages, I did upgrade x11 but wtf happened to the other packages?!
This happened to someone else here a little while back. Offhand, I'd say your boned. :p Really, there isn't much you can do. If I were you, I'd write a script similar to the unix log rotate deal. Have cron tarball up your /var/log/packages directory a couple minutes after you boot. Have it rotate the file names for 10 days and then delete the oldest one on the tenth day...
I don't know what else to tell you except to re-install. Maybe someone else will have an idea.
Thats kind of wierd that all of your logs are missing from /var/log/packages. Does anyone else log into this machine?
Shit, I can't see anything in /var/log/packages/, either! Could someone please post some of files (two or three) in it, so I could try to make a script to generate them.
I guess you could modify /sbin/installpkg to not install a package but write only its /var/log/packages entry. To do this you got to have all packages you installed. It would be possbile too, I think, to check if the files in the package-tgz-file can be found on your system (i. e. if you installed it or if it is a not installed package). Sorry I can't help more with this, but in /sbin/installpkg you will find the way the package files are generated.
Alright, thanks, it should not be a problem - if there is a way, I'll find it. ;)
To know which package contain which files you could parse slackware/MANIFEST.bz2, actually, you could recreate all packages "logs" by parsing slackware/MANIFEST.bz2 correctly and adding the info from the .txt files that corresponds to the package (I don't know if the package size and location shown on logs are important, I think they aren't).
I don't have time these days, but if you still can't do it at the weekend I could give you some help with it.
From MANIFEST.bz2 (I took some lines only..):
PACKAGE NAME: aaa_base-10.2.0-noarch-2
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:02 PM.


text:
Will Present the HBO Film & Speaker
Journey into Dyslexia
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 from 7-9 pm
at Mark Twain Library, 439 Redding Road, Redding, CT 06896 Tel: 203-‐938-‐2545
Admission is free.
Dr. Margie Gillis, Literacy How and Haskins Laboratories will speak immediatley after the film.
Oscar winning Filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond examine the complexities of the dyslexic brain, showing how it is structured differently, and debunk myths and misperceptions about dyslexia in the HBO2 documentary JOURNEY INTO DYSLEXIA. Dr. Margie Gillis will speak following the presentation of the film. She received her Doctorate of Education from the University of Louisville in Special Education, where she began her work training teachers of reading. She is President of Literacy How, Inc. and Director of Haskins Literacy Initiative, which promotes the science of teaching reading through professional development and classroom support for teachers. There will be a Q&A following the talk.
Registration at the Mark Twain Library is encouraged but not required. Online: http://www.marktwainlibrary.org OR Telephone: 203-‐938-‐2545


text:
This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
50th Anniversary Flip Photo Album
Fifty years. There will definitely be more than a few pictures to choose from. Photos of them when they just met. Pictures of them with their new baby. Moments from their 50th anniversary celebration. Remember it all.


text:
Sakho makes Reds return with U23s
Mamadou Sakho made his return to action for Liverpool as the defender played in an Under-23s defeat by Wolfsburg on Wednesday.
The France international had not played for the Reds at any level since April, when it emerged he had tested positive for a type of fat burner the previous month.
The case was later dismissed by European football's governing body.
Sakho played the full 90 minutes at Prenton Park as Liverpool lost 2-1.
The former PSG player had claimed on social media earlier this week that Liverpool did what him to play in the reserves. "Why, I don't know," he said at the time.
That comment came after Reds manager Jurgen Klopp previously said that Sakho was not ready to play first-team football.
Sakho has made 55 appearances for Liverpool since joining them from Paris St-Germain in 2013.


text:
What makes firms grow in developing countries? An extension of the resource-based theory of firm growth and empirical analysis
This paper examines what makes firms grow using the investment climate survey that was conducted by the World Bank in eight developing countries. We rely on the resource-based theory of the firm that was proposed by Penrose (1959) where firm growth depends on the kinds and amount of the diverse resources a firm has. The paper extends Penrose's original idea to accommodate diverse options for firm growth and finds the following. First, in low-growth (capability) firms, growth is contributed by basic resources such as physical capital and human capital, whereas in high-growth firms, by higher-level resources such as managerial capital and Research and Development (R&D) capital. Second, the difference between low- versus high-growth firms has more to with the effectiveness of the relevant resources and less with the difference in the amount of resources. Third, export orientation and conglomeration are the most important strategies for firm growth, compared to networking with other local, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) or foreign firms.
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Volume (Year): 2 (2009)
Issue (Month): 3 ()
Pages: 139-172
|Contact details of provider:
| Web page: http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=240
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text:
In February, three former ballplayers hoping to create a fair pay structure for current minor leaguers filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig, the Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants—charging each with illegally suppressing player salaries in violation of federal and state labor laws.
That lawsuit—filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on behalf of Aaron Senne (Marlins), Michael Liberto (Royals) and Oliver Odle (Giants) and claiming the defendants have unlawfully denied minor league players minimum wage and overtime pay—has since grown to include 32 former players as plaintiffs and all 30 major league teams. It has gained national attention, bringing to light the financial hardships minor leaguers face off the field while chasing their big league dreams on it.
See also: Minor League Players Sue For Better Salaries
On the surface, it seems difficult to argue against the players' case. After all, can the $8 billion major league baseball industry really require players to attend spring training and instructional league but not pay them for it? Is it legal to pay minor leaguers, on average, between $1,100 and $2,150 per month during the five-month regular season—a sum if broken down to an hourly rate would be below fast-food standards? Is it fair not to pay minor leaguers overtime for their journeys from city to city during a season?
The answer to these questions could very well be yes.
Major League Baseball officials and lawyers had been mum in the months since the original filing of the lawsuit, which the plaintiffs are petitioning to get a class action status, before offering a first glimpse of potential defenses in late May when Selig and 29 teams each filed court-mandated responses. As expected, Selig denied all charges—from suggestions that players are forced to live in poverty off the field to accusations MLB works as a leverage-wielding cartel—while providing 30 potential defenses in a 78-page response.
Los Angeles-based Proskauer Rose LLP is representing Selig and 29 of the 30 major league teams. Only the Baltimore Orioles sought independent counsel and were granted additional time to file a response. Selig did not seek to have the case dismissed in lieu of filing a defense, a tactic that did surprise some observers. However, 11 teams did make such a claim, arguing that they do not conduct business in California where the case has been filed, while the other 18 teams agreed to litigate it there. All 29 teams requested to have the trial transferred to the Middle District of Florida, because the area is more relevant to the case than California (15 clubs maintain spring training sites in the state, including 12 in the Middle District).
While trying the case in Florida might be more convenient for many teams, sports law expert Nathaniel Grow says, their motivation for the change of venue is more likely because Florida courts are considered more employer-friendly than its California brethren. While there are federal claims in the lawsuit, the Florida courts must also interpret laws of the states where the three original plaintiffs played in the minors—Florida, North Carolina and New York (Senne), Arizona (Liberto), and California (Odle).
"This may give them enough of a grounds to have the case moved," says Grow, an assistant professor of legal studies at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.
Selig offers a variety of defenses in his response, including that he has no control over minor league player salaries and conditions, that much of the time spent by players is not considered "hours worked," and that MLB acted in "good faith" even if it had failed to pay the plaintiffs any amount due.
However, observers of the case believe only a few defenses filed by Selig will ultimately factor into the case. They are highlighted below:
• Arbitration. Selig calls for players to pursue arbitration instead of a lawsuit, as is dictated in the Uniform Player Contract each player and team signs. However, that same clause in the contract states that the arbitrator of such a dispute would be the commissioner, which certainly would create a conflict of interests since Selig is also a defendant in the case.
However, Grow says, a court could still enforce the contract and force the parties to arbitrate before Selig. He points to the "Bounty Gate" scandal in the National Football League as an example. Under the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, commissioner Roger Goodell was technically the arbitrator over the New Orleans Saints players he had suspended—a decision the courts ultimately upheld. Goodell recused himself from the arbitration case and appointed former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to serve in his place.
"I agree that the conflict of interest would probably lead a court to conclude that Selig cannot be expected to preside over the dispute on a neutral basis," Grow wrote in an email. "That having been said, it's not inconceivable that a court would say that the players have to abide by the contractually agreed-upon process nevertheless."
• Exemptions within the Fair Labor Standard Acts (FLSA), including one that does not require amusement and entertainment businesses operated on a seasonal basis (seven months or less) to pay its employees minimum wage or overtime pay. This defense would require the courts to determine whether minor league ballplayers can be classified as seasonal employees and if major league teams can be considered a seasonal employer.
Bill Gould, an emeritus labor and sports law professor at Stanford who served as an arbitrator and mediator between the MLB Players Association and MLB in 1992 and '93, previously said that he does not believe MLB would qualify for a seasonal exemption—in part, because teams earn profits year-round.
"This is the sleeping giant in terms of employees in baseball," Gould previously said of the FLSA exemptions.
There is precedence, Grow notes, regarding seasonal exemptions in baseball. In 1998, members of the Cincinnati Reds maintenance staff sued the team, demanding overtime pay. An Ohio district court initially ruled in favor of the Reds, describing the team as "an amusement or recreational establishment" that played its games during a season that lasted seven months or less. That decision was overruled when the United States Court of Appeals determined that the Reds do not qualify for a seasonal exemption because the team "operated year-round with no fewer than 120 employees in the offseason."
The Detroit Tigers won a similar lawsuit in 1997 when a bat boy sought overtime pay for working more than 40 hours in a week. The Tigers claimed a seasonal exemption and won when the court recognized that the team operated on a yearly basis but that Tiger Stadium operated on a seven-month schedule, making its operation seasonal.
The Sarasota White Sox, a former minor league franchise in the Florida State League, also won a lawsuit by claiming a seasonal exemption in 1995 when a groundskeeper sued for overtime. The court ruled that the team played in a six-month season and made 99 percent of its revenue during that time period.
Grow says the decision will come down to which side of the argument the court favors: that baseball is a year-round business or that it is a seasonal operation that does most of its business during a baseball season.
"I could see the court go either way on that one," Grow said.
• No Basis For Class Action. Selig also argues that the plaintiffs have no basis for class action claims because "the types of claims alleged by Plaintiffs are inherently individualized."
Under this defense, MLB plans to argue that the hours worked and salaries of players are not uniform and therefore should be considered by the court on an individual basis, Grow says. This could discourage players from bearing the financial risk and hassle of bringing a lawsuit against MLB on their own.
"If there are a lot of factual cases that differ, the courts tend to disfavor a class action and prefer everyone to move forward on their own," Grow says. "If an individual player has to sue, he has to consider 'Do I really want to take on all this uncertainty and pay lawyers tens of thousands of dollars?'
"The plaintiffs need it to be a class action to be successful."
The next significant date on the trial calendar is Sept. 5, when the California court is scheduled to decide if it will keep the case or send it to Florida, and consider the 11 teams' motion to dismiss. Ultimately, Grow believes, the case will be settled before it goes to trial, particularly if the court certifies it as a class action or if MLB fails to get any FLSA exceptions.
"At some point the writing is going to be on the wall for one side or the other," he said.


text:
Emirates to boost capacity to Athens
- Published by Ozgur Tore
Emirates plans to boost capacity to Athens with the addition of a second daily flight to the Greek capital from 1 March 2016. The addition of a second daily service will take the total weekly Emirates flights serving Athens to 14. The flight will be linked to the existing Dubai-Larnaca route, allowing travellers to book tickets between the Cypriot city and Athens.
The Dubai-Larnaca-Athens service will be operated by a state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration, with eight Private Suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class, and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class.
"Emirates started serving Athens in June 1996; since then we have carried over 2.2 million passengers on the route. Boasting a rich history and picturesque islands, Greece is a popular destination for travellers from the UAE, Australia, China and South Africa. The expanded schedule will also enable more seamless connections for business and leisure passengers travelling from Athens to key destinations like Dubai, Manila, Johannesburg, Dhaka, Melbourne, and Hong Kong," commented Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and Russia.
"By linking the new service to our existing Dubai-Larnaca flight, Emirates becomes the only airline to operate a wide-body aircraft on the popular Larnaca-Athens route," added Aucoc.
Starting 1 March 2016, EK 107 will depart Dubai at 0750hrs, arriving in Larnaca at 1020hrs. It will then depart Larnaca at 1150hrs, arriving in Athens at 1335hrs. The return flight, EK 108, will leave Athens at 1615hrs, arriving in Larnaca at 1800hrs. It will then depart Larnaca at 1930hrs, and land in Dubai at 0125hrs the next day.
With an additional daily cargo capacity of nearly 20 tonnes in each direction, Emirates SkyCargo will connect customers in Greece with cities around the globe.


text:
Jason Prosper grew up in the elite world of Manhattan penthouses, Maine summer estates, old-boy prep schools, and exclusive sailing clubs. A smart, athletic teenager, Jason maintains a healthy, humorous disdain for the trappings of affluence, preferring to spend afternoons sailing with Cal, his best friend and boarding-school roommate. When Cal commits suicide during their junior year at Kensington Prep, Jason is devastated by the loss and transfers to Bellingham Academy. There he meets Aidan, a fellow student with her own troubled past, and they embark on a tender, awkward, deeply emotional relationship.
When a major hurricane hits the New England coast, the destruction it causes brings with it another upheaval in Jason's life, forcing him to make sense of a terrible secret that has been buried by the boys he considers his friends.
Set against the backdrop of the 1987 stock market collapse, The Starboard Sea is an examination of the abuses of class privilege, the mutability of sexual desire, the thrill and risk of competitive sailing, and the adult cost of teenage recklessness. It is a powerful and provocative novel about a young man finding his moral center, trying to forgive himself, and accepting the gift of love.
©2012 Amber Dermont (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
"Just enough wind to keep it sailing"
I read the review in The New York Times and immediately purchased this title. I was drawn to the era, the late '80s, and to the prep school environment that we've all come to know from The Catcher in the Rye, A Separate Peace, etc. While I enjoyed the story, I was a bit disappointed by the manner in which the author gave such a perfuctory nod to so many aspects of the story. Few of the characters, besides the narrator, seemed fleshed out. Not that they weren't described, but they were not given life. The events of the story were often glossed over, as if the author were a tour guide, hurrying us along to the next piece of action before we had a chance to enjoy what was before us. There were storylines with certain characters (Leo, Officer Hardy to name two) that just faded away without resolution.
That said, I found myself engaged in the story throughout, and although we never know exactly how the critical event of the story actually unfolded, the author finds a way of making the resolution poigmant and appropriate. I loved the sailng scenes, and learning about navigation and the stars and the sea.
The biggest problem with the recording is the reader. I have never heard a book before this one that I thought would be better enjoyed if read instead of listened to. The reader, although passable as an 18 year-old young man, was terrible at creating voices of the other characters. I have heard many male narrators create wonderful women's voices, but the voices of the women in this novel came off as very bad charicatures, as did many of the men. There were also several words that were mispronounced--not a big deal, but a bit jarring for a professional production.
One thing that I did enjoy very much about the book is the way that a female author imbued the first-person narrative about a group of teenage boys with such a warmth and gentleness that belied its setting. I was never really concious of the author's sex, but I was concious of not worrying that the novel was going to digress into a crude boy's-school sex romp. It was not a perfect book, but I think that it is a good read, or a fairly good listen.
"Could not finish it"
My disdain for the life style and attitude of these preppies,although I love sailing, caused me to not finish this book and I stopped half way through. I can't blame the author but some of the dialog is childish maybe she did such a good job it turned me off.
I doubt it.
The effeminate voice of most of the male sub characters and a masculine voice of some of the females.
"Avoid this book"
A huge disappointment and total waste of time. Book was vapid and banal. Characters were
completely without interest and did not develop. There's just nothing there.
Yes, good reader.
All of them.
"fine story,"
probably- a bit sophmoric at times, but is talking first person from a teenager point of view. not certain if it is the author or narrator that is mixing up some ofthe sailing terms(jib for gybe and hand -a lee?) As a sailor, it make me crazy
pronoucing sailing technical words
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text: 10:08 a.m. — A pair of environmental groups are planning to sue EPA in an effort to force regulators to craft carbon emissions rules for airlines. "Because of the significant role that aircraft play in global climate change, and in light of the exponential growth projected in air travel, the United States must lead the way in regulating global warming pollutants from these sources," states a formal "notice of intent" to sue letter from the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Earth. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a branch of the United Nations, aircraft already are "estimated to contribute about 3.5 per cent of the total radiative forcing (a measure of change in climate) by all human activities." U.S. aviation accounts for a substantial share. — Ben Geman


text:
Welfare, Choice and Solidarity in Transition
Reform of the welfare sector is an important yet difficult challenge for all countries in transition from socialist central planning to market-oriented democracies. Here a scholar of the economics of socialism and post-socialist transition and a health economist take on this challenge. This 2001 book offers health sector reform recommendations for ten countries of Eastern Europe, drawn consistently from a set of explicit guiding principles. After discussing sector-specific characteristics, lessons of international experience, and the main set of initial conditions, the authors advocate reforms based on organized public financing for basic care, private financing for supplementary care, pluralistic delivery of services, and managed competition. Policymakers need to achieve a balance, both assuring social solidarity through universal access to basic health services and expanding individual choice and responsibility through voluntary supplemental insurance. The authors also consider the problems that undermine effectiveness of market-based competition in the health sector.
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|This book is provided by Cambridge University Press in its series Cambridge Books with number 9780521790369 and published in 2001.
|Contact details of provider:
| Web page: http://www.cambridge.org
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text:
Test drive: 2014 Ford Focus(Read article summary)
Is it worth it? The 2014 Ford Focus blows away all your assumptions about small cars, boasting a sleek design, affordable price, and strong safety ratings.
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Paul Sakuma/AP/File
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If you still carry some bad memories over what small cars used to be, the 2014 Ford Focus is pretty much the antidote to that. Spend some time in the current Focus, and you'll understand what small cars can be; it's fun, attractive, well-equipped, but also affordable, and it's helped turn around the model's image--from formerly unremarkable to one of the best in its class.
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text:
Graded stakes winner Twilight Meteor has been retired from racing for stallion duty.
Campaigned by John Fort's Peachtree Stable, Twilight Meteor won or placed in 11 of 17 races and earned $575,291 while trained by Todd Pletcher. In his final start, the 5-year-old son of Smart Strike captured the Canadian Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park in February.
Twilight Meteor won the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland at 2 and the Hallandale Beach Stakes on grass at Gulfstream at 3. His six career stakes-placings included a runner-up effort in the Canadian classic Breeders' Stakes on turf and placings in four graded turf stakes in the United States.
Bred in Ontario, Canada, by Kinghaven Farms Limited, Twilight Meteor is out of the With Approvalmare One Over Prime, a half-sister to Canadian champions Poetically and Primaly and to U.S. grade I winner Citronnade and grade III winner Whiskey Wisdom.
Breeding plans will be announced later.