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Monday, 16 June 2014
A mini milestone
On this day, precisely six years ago, I put fingers to keys for the first time and made my first post ever on Sorcery of Scent - it served as a humble plea that I cast off into the ether... one which I never truly knew would be read. To my delight, there was someone listening!
I'd like to take a moment to thank YOU, my kind and loyal readers without whom this blog simply wouldn't exist! Today, Sorcery of Scent, Australia's first independent perfume blog - steps over the threshold into its 7th year. I'm delighted and humbled that you're out there, and that you see some measure of merit in my arbitrary perfume ponderings.
I salute you!
Friday, 13 June 2014
L'Homme Ideal Giveaway Winners
Thanks to all who entered the Guerlain L'Homme Ideal giveaway!
Today, Sorcery of Scent has drawn 3 winners whom will each receive a carded sample of the exciting new Guerlain masculine.
If you're a winner, please send me a private message on Facebook, or an email to sorceryofscent(at)yahoo(dot)com, and kindly provide me with your full name and preferred postal address!
Stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways soon!
Today, Sorcery of Scent has drawn 3 winners whom will each receive a carded sample of the exciting new Guerlain masculine.
If you're a winner, please send me a private message on Facebook, or an email to sorceryofscent(at)yahoo(dot)com, and kindly provide me with your full name and preferred postal address!
Stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways soon!
Friday, 6 June 2014
GUERLAIN L'Homme Idéal + GIVEAWAY!
On the whole, I can't say I'm a fan of marketing campaigns that surround a fragrance launch. Of course they can be incredibly successful in attracting a captive audience, but I ask myself "when is enough enough? When does the consumer get savvy? A good campaign can never be underestimated though: look at what Guerlain have done with La Petite Robe Noire for instance - some duo-coloured brushstrokes in fanciful poses have perfumistas clambering over one another to buy the latest bottle. A clever tactic to ensure multiple purchases, but let me ask you: in all honesty, how many more bus stops or billboards depicting little Miss Black Dress can you pass before *actually* considering topping yourself?
Still, the success of the La Petite Robe Noire campaign will be hard to duplicate, and now, as the world anticipates the launch of the first new commercial Guerlain masculine in 6 years; L'Homme Ideal, we have great expectations. And the marketing gurus chez Guerlain know it.
Anyway, I'm not here to grumble... there is a silver lining to this story, and that is my opinion of the packaging and the perfume. Hats off! High fives! Fist bump! (Insert awkward hip-hop handshake here). To my delight, Guerlain have delivered a product that is new and interesting and remains faithful to the brand. Perfumer Thierry Wasser has manifested a fragrance which feels contemporary, but without losing sight of the masculine ancestors that came before it. Presented in a beautiful faceted glass flacon with matte black painted edges, the bottle feels like a natural evolution of the original square Habit Rouge flacon. The graphics on the box look stylish and contemporary, and evoke thoughts of QR Scan barcodes - very much in keeping with modern technology.
If one is pressed to trace it's ancestry and draw comparisons, where I feel L'Homme Idéal resides in the Guerlain lineup, is somewhere between Heritage and L'Instant Pour Homme. The trio share the same olfactory temperature... it borrows crisp autumnal woody aromatic nuances from the former, and creamier, saccharine tones from the latter. This being said, L'Homme Idéal is sufficiently individual to be enjoyed irrespective of the other pair.
The new Guerlain is due to launch on June 23rd 2014 - just as the European summer takes flight. This is curious to me, as I find L'Homme Idéal er, ideal in the autumnal southern climate right now. It will be presented in 50ml and 100ml sizes with ancillary products offered at select retailers.
Three Sorcery of Scent readers will each win one carded spray sample of L'Homme Idéal. To enter the draw, simply leave a comment in the comments form below, telling me why you would like to try L'Homme Idéal.
For an additional chance to win, leave a comment on the Sorcery of Scent facebook page too.
Winners names will be published both here and on Facebook on Friday June 13th.
Good luck!
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Camille's Bio
Camille Sanders plays 6 instruments, writes music and sings. Camille plays the Fiddle, Piano, Cello, Mandolin, Guitar, and Ukulele. Camille has played for former Gov. Dolph Briscoe and George Strait. She has opened for the Randy Rogers Band, Kyle Park, Joe Nichols, Tanya Tucker, Pat Green, The Bellamy Brothers, Pam Tillis and many more. Camille Has performed with the Texas Jamm Band featuring members of George Strait's "Ace in the Hole Band" as special guest, and performs in Nashville several times a year. Camille's CD is available on iTunes or CDBaby.com.
The Camille Sanders Band was born when she was asked to perform at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in 2011. Since then, the band has played at many dances and private gigs around Texas, with a mixture of traditional and modern country music. The Camille Sanders Trio performs for smaller venues and private functions.

subset: commoncrawl


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How Briggs Is Revving the Engines
Briggs & Stratton Corp. was at a crossroads. Since 1955, the company had been cranking out small gasoline-powered engines by the millions at a titanic 2-million-square-foot factory outside Milwaukee. The setup paid off for the longest time, enabling Briggs to claim two-thirds of the U.S. lawn-mower market and helping it post a profit every year except 1988, when drought scorched sales.
In 1993, though, Briggs executives concluded that the plant had become a millstone. Organized labor had pushed up costs just as retailers, trawling the global market for cheaper goods, were demanding lower prices. The facility itself had grown so unwieldy that no one could even tell which products were making money. "We had become a battleship," says John S. Shiely, chairman and CEO.
Check out Briggs today. The company is on track to build 10.4 million engines -- more than any other manufacturer in the world. Despite a lackluster economy, Briggs has made money every year since 1988. In fact, net income is forecast to surge 32%, to $75 million in the fiscal year ending June 30 on record revenue of $1.6 billion, with exports accounting for 25% of sales. Briggs is also getting into new products, including outboard boat motors and portable power generators, at prices that undercut those of Japanese competitors by nearly half.
The secret? Instead of scurrying to China and other low-wage countries as many other U.S. manufacturers have done, the Wauwatosa (Wis.)-based company relocated its assembly work to a clutch of factories in America's rural South. The facilities are all nonunion, which means much lower labor expenses. The new plants are also smaller and focus on only one or two product lines, making them more manageable. And they're highly automated, allowing Briggs to cut jobs and bring the union at its headquarters plant to heel. "Briggs wouldn't be in business today with the old system," says L. Michael Braig, an equity analyst with A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. in St. Louis.
Management decided to go all out with its Southern strategy in 1993, after the company's union -- now Local 7-232 of the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical & Energy Workers International Union (PACE) -- refused to go along with pay and benefit concessions. Briggs now operates a total of six "focus factories" (table). They may not match China's rock-bottom wages, but the plants keep Briggs in the game.
Take its Murray (Ky.) factory, which each year produces about 3.4 million basic 3- and 4.5-horsepower engines for walk-behind mowers. The plant employs about 950 people, including 80 to 90 students from Murray State University, who are let go every summer when demand ebbs. Pay starts at $9.64 an hour, plus productivity bonuses that add $1.72 an hour to the base wage. Because of that incentive, "our workers go to extremes to take even a half a cent of cost out of each engine," notes Paul M. Neylon, senior vice-president for engine products. Engines that took one hour to build at the old plant now require just 30 minutes.
The company's new ways have also hurt many people. To compete with the nonunion shops, PACE now allows Briggs to pay new hires at Wauwatosa $11 an hour -- instead of the going union rate of $16 an hour or more -- and to exclude them from retiree health-care benefits. Still, Briggs continues to shrink the facility's payroll. By next year, total head count will fall to roughly 1,000, down from 6,000 hourly workers in 1984. "It just seems like corporate greed," charges Local 7-232 President Gregory Gorecki. He warns the company's nonunion workers that Briggs will abandon them, too, if their pay and benefits rise too high.
CEO Shiely acknowledges that Briggs may, in fact, transfer assembly work to Asia one day. Already, the company outsources components from low-wage foreign manufacturers and has a joint venture in China that builds engines, primarily for Asian markets. But for now, he says, Briggs intends to rely on its new plants. Granted, the company's payroll is smaller, but its factory jobs are still largely in America. That's something fewer and fewer U.S. manufacturers can claim.
By Michael Arndt in Wauwatosa, Wis.


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Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe team up again to re-tell the timeless story of one of the original Teabaggers. Once you get past the inevitable -- and not unreasonable Gladiator comparisons, this looks epic.
Published at 9:48 AM EST on Mar 11, 2010 | Updated at 1:44 PM EST on May 30, 2012


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...Saturday lunchtime shoppers to meet with Lord Prescott.
A strong delegation of East Riding Council Conservative councillors just did not have the same pulling power.
Then their candidate arrived, bringing with him new Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.
It was a sign of how important the Conservatives regard getting their man into post as Humberside's new police and crime commissioner at November's election.
Mr Grove, an East Riding councillor, said: "It's an important election and having Chris Grayling here indicates how important it is to the party.
They haven't got a chance in Hell!


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Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 15/12/2015 by JoannaBell (1 review written)
8 OF US INCLUDING 2 4 YEAR OLDS WENT TO LUOSTO THE MAGICAL SOJOURN PACKAGE IT WAS THE MOST MAGICAL AND WONDERFUL 5 DAYS THE STAFF, ACCOMMODATION ACTIVITIES WERE EXCELLENT. EVERYDAY WAS WELL ORGANISED AND EXCEPTIONALLY WONDERFUL. ON THE THIRD MY PARTNER AND I GOT MARRIED, ONE THAT WE WILL NEVER FORGET. THIS WAS CHRISTMAS AT ITS BEST. CANTERBURY TRAVEL ARE MARVELOUS… Read Full Review
Written on: 12/01/2014
Went on the lapland melody two day tour 2 adults and 2 kids withcanterbury and had an amazing experience from the minute we boarded the flight the food was ok the locals we found were very friendly Canterbury staff were more than helpful at all times .we stayed In log cabins ten minute walk from main hotel it was so much fun tobogganing down from the hotel after meals it seemed the activities were one coach at a time so their was no queue for any activities. Looking for santa up the forest… Read Full Review
Written on: 16/04/2011
Christmas in Luosto. 2 adults plus 2 children. Flight from Gatwick no atmosphere no crew particpation. Canterbury Travel provided our family with holiday of a lifetime.On arrival in Lapland until we departed we were provided with excellent transport between venues.Plenty of time to ride various forms of transport with more than adequate supervision of children.Accomodation great in log cabin 2 minutes from Restaurant but with great slopes for children to sledge to and from Hotel. Food very… Read Full Review
Written on: 21/12/2010 by grumpybear (18 reviews written)
Canterbury Travel LOUSTO- 4 day magical interlude 16th - 20th DECEMBER 2010
I was extremely worried about the negative reviews on this trip I had read here, as this company was recommended to me by close friend and they enjoyed it.
My experience was excellent and I think CT did a great job. The arrivals desk at gatwick was full of tinsel, the Thomas cook flight left on time and the crew had santa hats, sang christams songs and got formes the kids into a choir and sang in the gangways. Pilot… Read Full Review
Written on: 04/12/2010
Our 4 night trip to Luosto was magical. Canterbury Travel were professional and well organised. We had problems with both our flights due to bad weather and CT looked after us very well, making sure the children were entertained!! The log cabins were cosy and confortable and the food was good. Santa and the elves were authentic and our children fell in love with them. Would recommend this trip!… Read Full Review
Written on: 08/03/2010
Flight including aircraft problems, delays and re-direction cost 14 hours of the holiday time ending up having one day break for the cost of 2. These guys have cut costs far too much now. Cosmos were checking in next to us and the children were having much more fun… Read Full Review
Written on: 07/10/2010
Sounds like the airline caused the problems, guess this was when UK airports were in melt down with the snow we had last year. Sounds like you were unlucky we had a lovely time.
Written on: 13/01/2013
Am I right in think Canterbury fly with Thomas Cook?
Written on: 02/11/2009
The credit crunch has caused Canterbury Travel to cut costs everywhere, but not their price to the customer. I worked for Canterbury travel for the past 2 christmasses, but not the upcoming one. The first year they had the correct number of staff to ensure that each customer was dealt with in a way that is befitting a top end company. But last year changed my opinion of the company. When I was out there the staff conditions had deteriorated drastically from the previous year. Now the staff… Read Full Review
Written on: 03/12/2016
Similar experience this year (2016). Wish I could contact this reviewer!
Written on: 21/07/2009
do not book a holiday with canterbury travel. they are only interested in taking your money and have no customer service. any complaints are dealt with arrogantly and they will not accept any criticism. the santa we saw was terrible - it was not magical - do not waste your money on this company. please take my advice and look elsewhere for a lapland holiday… Read Full Review
Written on: 13/01/2009
We paid a lot of money to look for Santa and find him on Christmas day but it was such an anticlimax and unfortunately our son wasn't fooled! Everything else was good but the whole point of this trip was to find the 'real' Santa.......there was no magical feeling to the meeting and that made us really sad… Read Full Review
Written on: 21/07/2009
I found this review very helpful because I like to book based on recommendations and customer satisfaction and this is not the first time I have heard that Canterbury Travel has little regard for customer satisfaction.
Written on: 28/12/2008 by patchett3120 (1 review written)
If you go to lapland you need to take into account you are in another country and they eat, sleep and work in different ways. But to us we embraced this and enjoyed every minute. We got married in Luosto and Canterbury organised everything, and it was fantastic a real winter wonderland.
We went as a couple with no guests or even children, and we still got into the whole atmosphere (afterall it is for children really). We found the whole experience breath taking.
Highly recommend… Read Full Review
Written on: 11/12/2008 by bigbaza (1 review written)
It was so well organized, never had to wait for anything. So much packed intothe 3 days we were there. Christmas at Luosto was the holiday of a lifetime. Remember to keep secret from those little ones that haven't been… Read Full Review
Written on: 30/04/2008
We went on 'Arctic express' 2 day tour staying in Luosto in a log cabin which was lovely - comfy beds, really cosy with a 20 min walk to hotel. Our guide was friendly with good english and we didn't encounter any problems. Enjoyed activities and met Santa, which was great. It was fairly mild, but cold to us - we took lots of layers,good quality ski gloves and socks. Hired overgarments and boots, were more than adequate. Would recommend Canterbury, but not… Read Full Review
Written on: 16/01/2008 by rkelly (1 review written)
Centerbury Travel have no interest in customer service. They will not discuss any complaint over the phone and are dismissive of any issues raised. I wouldn't recommend this company to anyone… Read Full Review
Written on: 23/12/2008
I agree. We have just returned from a Lapland Santa trip with Canterbury Travel. Once we were in Finland the service, experience and the countryside were fantastic. Canterbury Travel however, were poor. Also, despite paying a premium price, we were in a budget airline which had no entertainment for the kids and the staff were not festive at all. I would recommend people to look at other tour operators that offer Santa experiences - for less money.
As rated by our community of reviewers
" Transun daytime to Lapland " Read More
" BEST HOLIDAY EVER " Read More
" 2015 Family 5 day trip to Levi Lapland with Thomson Holidays " Read More
" Yuck: Transun will take your money, disappoint, and not care " Read More
Written by ClaireFr
" I wonder where " Read More
Written by doneby


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Danielle Adams scored all 19 of her points in the second, leading No. 10 Texas A&M to an 84-69 victory over New Mexico on Wednesday night.
Adams missed all three of her shots in the first half before sinking 9 of 10 after halftime as Texas A&M (11-1) overcame a two-point deficit with a 17-4 run over the course of the first four minutes.
The Aggies capped the run with a five-point possession. Adams made a bank shot and was fouled. Adaora Elonu grabbed the missed free throw and passed it to Tyra White for a 3-pointer to give the Aggies a 49-38 lead. New Mexico (8-4) never got closer than six points the rest of the way.
Amy Beggin led the Lobos with 18 points and Geronika Jackson added 12 points.
Texas A&M had trouble getting it going early, missing seven straight shots after hitting its first basket. Through 11 minutes, the Aggies had hit just 3 of 13 from the field as the Lobos built their largest lead, 15-7.
In the second half, though, Texas A&M aggressively attacked New Mexico's zone, allowing Adams to find open space along the baseline. The Aggies shot 70.4 percent in the second half.
Texas A&M reserve Tyra White was 7 of 7 from the field and hit both her foul shots for 16 points. Tanisha Smith added 17 for the Aggies.


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Simply Outstanding
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
This TV from Sony is outstanding! Though I'm not an audiophile, I am all quality. I will research something I am wanting until I'm sick of it. I have read many reviews from buyers on various sites on this and a couple others I narrowed my selection down to. The others? Sony XBR 9 and Samsungs 7100 and 8000. I was actually leaning to Samsung until three things happened. First, the reviews of the XBR were so so.. Usually stating the 850 was better (as well as the cost), second, a Best Buy salesman was pushing me to a Pan plasma, talking down Sony. I have owned a Sony XBR for 8 yrs and loved it. Lastly, I walked into a Lowes and walked past Samsung refrigerators! Decided, Sony knows TVs. I have read a few reviews about the tv speakers... Listen, if you are buying a tv like this and relying on the tv's speakers, you have other issues going on. You need a stereo system to enjoy a tv like this or any other in this class. It's a monitor on steroids. I am fortunate to have a nice theatre system and this tv rocks. The picture is incredible. I had it professionally installed by my theatre company and its absolutely beautiful! Lastly about Crutchfield. This company has been around a long time. They know what they are doing. The tv came UPS freight. They called with a time and arrived on time. But this next part made it comforting... The driver and companion stated they have been dealing with Crutchfield for a long time and they have never had any issues with damaged items.
Pros: Excellent, brilliant picture and features....
Cons: None at this time


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Reliance Industries surprised the street by posting 24 per cent rise in December quarter profits supported by stronger than expected refining margins and solid demand for petro-chemicals.
Reliance Industries surprised the street by posting 24 per cent rise in December quarter profits supported by stronger than expected refining margins and solid demand for petro-chemicals.
Net profit for the October to December quarter was Rs 5500 crores, a turnaround after four quarters of sliding profits. Revenues rose 10 per cent, from a year earlier, to Rs 96,310 crores.
"After a long time RIL has surprised markets with extremely good set of numbers and this is what market participants were anticipating from the oil & gas major. It's just a matter of time -- I see the stock heading towards four digits mark," says Jagannadham Thunuguntla, Equity Head, SMC Capitals in an interview with ET NOW.
"Given the fact, the stock is underowned, many funds are likely to jump to own the stock after the results and that should push the stock higher and should now lead the next leg of the market rally," he added.
RIL is generally owned by large global funds with huge appetite. And if we compare it with PSU stocks in the same segment, they are less attractive due to government intervention to global funds, say analysts.
The oil & gas major, which has the maximum weightage in the benchmark index of 9.4 per cent, is likely to lead the next leg of the rally for markets, according to experts.
Like Thunuguntla, Ambreesh Balinga, Market Expert expects the stock to fly in trade on Monday morning and will lead the markets in next leg of rally. The way I see it, these results will take RIL closer to levels around 970-980.
"Even if the stock opens higher, investors can still look at buying the stock at levels around Rs 930-940. My next target is closer to Rs 969-970 in next few trading sessions," he added.
Balinga is of the view that going ahead, once we have March quarter results, RIL can very well move towards levels of Rs 1150 by April-May.
Ahead of the results many brokerage firms had upgraded their price targets and ratings for the oil & gas major.
Brokerages like Credit Suisse and CLSA have maintained outperform rating on RIL and raised their target price on expectations of improved earnings in coming years as the company continues its capex plans, better gross refining margins, retail business and higher gas prices.
Macquarie has upgraded the stock to outperform as it sees earnings improve on the back of capex. It sees the stock to hit Rs 1,100 in next 12-months.


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Examining the Relationship between the EITC and Food Stamp Program Participation Among Households with Children
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Food Stamp Program (FSP) are the largest means-tested transfer programs for low-income working parents in the United States. Together, these two programs cost nearly $50 billion per year and comprise the bulk of the social safety net for working poor families. This paper examines how these two programs interact, particularly the potential impact of the EITC on participation in the FSP during the latter half of the 1990s. This paper is the first to focus on examining the relationship between the EITC and FSP participation. Although EITC payments do not reduce the potential size of a household's food stamp allotment under FSP rules, EITC adds to a household's resources and thus could affect its willingness to participate in the FSP. The paper tests this hypothesis with monthly data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) for 1996 through 1999. We use two logit models to examine the relationship between EITC and FSP participation. Our dependent variable is FSP participation which equals one if a household head participates in the FSP during a given month and zero otherwise. Our primary independent variable of interest in model 1 is actual federal EITC claimed by the household head. In our second model, we replace actual EITC benefits claimed with a computed variable measuring the EITC benefits a household should be eligible for given their household size and earned income. The reduced form of model 1 excludes variables that may be endogenous (e.g., employment status, spousal employment status, TANF participation, and actual TANF benefits received). Specifically, we are concerned about the endogeneity of a household head's employment status, for example, which may simultaneously affect the likelihood of participating in the FSP and be affected by EITC. The full form of model 1 includes these potentially endogenous variables. Model 2 is useful since actual EITC benefits may not be completely exogenous. We tested this by regressing actual EITC benefits on the computed EITC benefits (plus our other control variables) and then including the residuals from this regression in an ordinary least squares regression of food stamp participation on actual EITC benefits and our controls. While our results did not conclusively demonstrate that there was an endogeneity problem with using actual EITC benefits, they did suggest it was possible. Model 2 is also important since there is a large amount of missing data in the SIPP on actual EITC claimed. Since the vast majority of EITC recipients receive the benefit in a lump sum payment between January and April, we might expect that the decision to participate in the FSP would be affected by the seasonal nature of EITC benefits. To determine if the timing of the receipt of EITC benefits impacts food stamp receipt, we also investigate whether federal EITC receipt has a seasonal effect. We do this by running an alternate version of the full form models 1 and 2 using trimester variables (i.e., January-April, May-August, and September-December) interacted with the EITC variable. The results of the reduced and full forms of logit model 1 indicate that federal EITC claimed is positively and significantly related to FSP participation. For the full form model, the coefficient for the low ($1-$999) amount of actual EITC claimed is significantly different from the coefficients on the medium ($1,000-$1,999) and high ($2,000+) amounts at the ten percent level. For the reduced form model, we find that the coefficient for the low ($1-$999) amount of actual EITC claimed is significantly different from the high coefficient, however, the low and medium and high and medium coefficients are not significantly different from one another. We find no significant difference between the coefficients of the actual EITC variable interacted with the calendar trimester. That is, we find no evidence of a seasonal effect of actual EITC on FSP participation. Thus, the coefficients on the federal EITC variables suggest that households that claim EITC are more likely to participate in food stamps, though there does not appear to be a strong relationship between the amount of EITC claimed and FSP participation. Because there is much missing data for EITC claimed in the SIPP, we are skeptical of these results. Our model 2 estimates based on computed EITC benefits show a negative and statistically significant effect of EITC on FSP participation. However, the magnitude of the EITC effect declines as the amount of computed federal EITC benefits increases. The results of the full form model indicate that the effect of computed federal EITC is negative and significant for medium ($1,000-$1,999) and low ($1-$999) amounts of EITC and negative but not significant for high amounts of EITC ($2,000+). Model 2 also provides no evidence of a seasonal effect of computed EITC on FSP participation. Model 2 provides some evidence that the added money households receive from EITC allows them to avoid taking up food stamps. That said, the fact that high levels of computed EITC benefits does not exert a statistically significant effect weakens the hypothesis that money received from EITC may result in households not participating in the FSP. There is no straightforward explanation as to why only low and medium EITC levels reduce FSP participation. We conclude that it is possible that the EITC resulted in some decline in FSP participation rates, however, further study and improved data measuring EITC participation are necessary to sort out the degree to which EITC participation affects participation in the FSP.
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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Logan, Christopher & Fox, Mary Kay & Lin, Biing-Hwan, 2002. "Effects Of Food Assistance And Nutrition Programs On Nutrition And Health, Volume 2, Data Sources," Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Reports 33791, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
- Bruce D. Meyer & Dan T. Rosenbaum, 2001.
"Welfare, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Labor Supply of Single Mothers,"
The Quarterly Journal of Economics,
Oxford University Press, vol. 116(3), pages 1063-1114.
- Bruce D. Meyer & Dan T. Rosenbaum, 1998. "Welfare, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Labor Supply of Single Mothers," JCPR Working Papers 32, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
- Bruce D. Meyer & Dan T. Rosenbaum, 1999. "Welfare, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Labor Supply of Single Mothers," NBER Working Papers 7363, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Philip Gleason & Carole Trippe & Scott Cody & Jacquie Anderson, "undated". "The Effects of Welfare Reform on the Characteristics of the Food Stamp Population," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 11c6cf7a55754b99ae7b68e32, Mathematica Policy Research.
- V. Joseph Hotz, 2003. "The Earned Income Tax Credit," NBER Chapters,in: Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States, pages 141-198 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- V. Joseph Hotz & John Karl Scholz, 2001. "The Earned Income Tax Credit," NBER Working Papers 8078, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- J. P. Ziliak & C. Gundersen & D. N. Figlio, "undated". "Welfare Reform and Food Stamp Caseload Dynamics," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1215-00, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
- Rebecca M. Blank & Patricia Ruggles, 1996. "When Do Women Use Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Food Stamps? The Dynamics of Eligibility Versus Participation," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(1), pages 57-89.
- Beth Osborne Daponte & Seth Sanders & Lowell Taylor, 1999. "Why Do Low-Income Households not Use Food Stamps? Evidence from an Experiment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 34(3), pages 612-628.
- Jeffrey Grogger, 2003. "The Effects of Time Limits, the EITC, and Other Policy Changes on Welfare Use, Work, and Income among Female-Headed Families," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 85(2), pages 394-408, May.
- David N. Figlio & Craig Gundersen & James P. Ziliak, 2000. "The Effects of the Macroeconomy and Welfare Reform on Food Stamp Caseloads," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(3), pages 635-641.
- Rebecca M. Blank, 1999. "What Goes Up Must Come Down? Explaining Recent Changes in Public Assistance Caseloads," JCPR Working Papers 78, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
- Kirlin, John A. & Logan, Christopher, 2002. "Effects Of Ebt Customer Service Waivers On Food Stamp Recipients: Executive Summary," Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Reports 33843, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
- Michael Ponza & James C. Ohls & Lorenzo Moreno & Amy Zambrowski & Rhoda Cohen, 1999. "Customer Service in the Food Stamp Program," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 19806d533df943278178d9cf1, Mathematica Policy Research.
- M. Robin Dion & LaDonna Pavetti, "undated". "Access to and Participation in Medicaid and the Food Stamp Program: A Review of the Recent Literature," Mathematica Policy Research Reports bfdebd22c4ea47a9a95b33409, Mathematica Policy Research.
- Wilde, Parke & Dagata, Elizabeth, 2002. "Food Stamp Participation by Eligible Older Americans Remains Low," Food Review: The Magazine of Food Economics, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 25(2).
- Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-338, May.
- Moffitt, Robert, 1983. "An Economic Model of Welfare Stigma," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 73(5), pages 1023-1035, December. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)


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A Berwyn man is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after police say he bought a teenager cans of Four Loko which later caused him to be hospitalized.
Police say Ruben D. Rosas, 29, bought three of the alcoholic energy drinks for two teens who were friends of his brother on Friday night in Riverside.
The mother of one of the 15-year-old boys discovered him vomiting the next morning and took him to a local hospital where he was treated for alcohol poisoning.
"Four Loko is marketed as an energy drink and may contain high levels of alcohol depending on where it is sold," Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said in a statement.
Chicago-based company Phusion Projects LLC has come under fire in recent years because of the product's popularity with young drinkers.
In 2011, under pressure from the Federal Trade Commission, the company agreed to add a message on its cans stating "This can has as much alcohol as four to five beers.
The company also decided to remove caffeine from its formula the same year, after several states moved to ban it.
A 23.5 ounce can of Four Loko contains 12 percent of alcohol content and sells for about $2.50.


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Kudos: Arkansas Businesses Receive Recognition
Posted 12/24/2012 12:00 am
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa in Hot Springs has been recognized by ConventionSouth, an event planning magazine, with two awards: the 2012 Readers' Choice Award and the New or Renovated Meeting Site Award.
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Elementary and Middle School music students will meet between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. They will walk or be transported by bus to Milpitas High School for the morning rehearsal.
9:30 AM - Elementary rehearsal begins at MHS
11:00 AM - Elementary and middle school begin returning to their sites.
6:30 PM - students and their parents return to Milpitas High for the concert.
Elementary Band students will meet in the Small Gym
Elementary Violins will meet in the Theater
Middle School Band students will meet in the D building
7:00 PM - Concert
This event is FREE and open to all staff and community members.
8:00 PM - Clean up


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AVAILABLE TO: A Theatre student who excels in their studies and who makes an outstanding contribution to the Theatre Students Association.
HOW TO APPLY: Application form for this scholarship is available on-line at MyUFV. Log into MyUFV, click on Student Information, then the tab for Financial Aid.
DEADLINE: May 10
Apply online for yourCanada-B.C. Student Loan6 to 8 weeks before startof term.
Apply for Interest-free status and continue your full-time studies without renewing your student loan.
Apply for UFV Bursariesonline through myUFV. Applications accepted every semester.
Find out about UFV Scholarships. Applications accepted fromMarch 15 to May 10.


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When most people gather around for Super Bowl Sunday, it's typical to pair the event with appetizers, dishes and desserts that are high in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol. But, it's actually quite easy to serve up nutritious versions of common Super Bowl foods while satisfying even the heartiest of appetites. Try this chili, for example. Since it's loaded with beans, veggies and lean turkey, you've got yourself a winning meal when it comes to both health and taste.
More: Fit Tips for Super Bowl Snacks
Super Bowl Recipe 1: Turkey Chili
Ingredients2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
10 ounces mushrooms, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 pound ground turkey
12 ounces Lager beer
2 14.5-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
More: Fast and Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, carrots and mushrooms until the onions turn golden brown and the carrots begin to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin, and stir for 1 minute.
Add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the meat loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add the beer, and cover the pot. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add tomatoes with their juices and the three kinds of beans. Simmer uncovered and stir occasionally until chili thickens, about 20 minutes. Garnish chili with shredded cheddar cheese, non-fat plain Greek yogurt, avocado or guacamole.
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Stellar Wipe Mac tool handles your personal data professionally and make sure no one retrieves it once you let off or sell your Mac OS X or hard disk drive. It wipes every single file & folder that are selected for permanent deletion. It does so and makes it unrecoverable even with a powerful data recovery software.
Last updated 20 Mar 2014


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Football Genius
Chapter One
Troy knew it was wrong. It was wrong to sneak out of the house after midnight. It was wrong to take something that wasn't yours. And, even though he wasn't that kind of kid, that night, he was doing both.
Usually, on a night like that night, the crickets' end-of-summer song and the moths bumping against the window screen would put him to sleep. Usually, he didn't hear his mom turn off the TV in the living room. And usually, if he was up that late, the water groaning through the pipes while his mom ran her bath would finish him off. But that night, worry kept him awake. Because he really wasn't the kind of kid to sneak out, and especially to take something that wasn't his.
But if he did have to quietly slide open the screen, straddle the window, and drop to the ground with a thud, this was a good night to do it. Stars swirled around the big yellow moon, casting shadows perfect for hiding. Shorts and a T-shirt were all he needed to stay warm.
He didn't plan on having to run, but he laced his sneakers tight in case he did. His feet fell without a sound over the path through the pine trees. He could smell the trees' sticky sap, still warm from the hot September day. An owl hooted somewhere close. A rabbit screamed, then went quiet. The crickets stopped, and only the buzz of mosquitoes filled the air.
Troy looked back at his house. It was nestled into the pines, with no side or backyard. In front, there was nothing more than a gritty patch of red clay. A tire hung from a limb at the edge of the patch. A target for footballs. The house was more like a cabin, a single-story box with a roof covered by fallen pine needles.
Still, the weak orange glow from the night-light in the bathroom window was like a friend, calling him back. Away from the owl and the mosquitoes.
But Troy had other friends, and he dodged through the pine trees into the darkness, finding his way to the railroad tracks almost without looking. He stood on the steel rail, balancing his sneakers and looking down the long line toward the Pine Grove apartment complex, where his friends lived. He tried to whistle, but it came out wrong. He tried again, and again, before giving up.
"Tate?" he called, first soft, then louder. "Tate."
A whistle came back at him from the woods, high and clear, the way you'd call a dog. In the light of the moon, he watched two figures climb up the stony railway bed and start walking his way on the tracks. One of the figures was as thin as the rail she balanced on. Tate McGreer, a pretty girl with dark eyes, olive skin, and silky brown hair tied into a ponytail.
The other was big and burly. A twelve-year-old in the body of a high school kid. Nathan had a buzz cut like his dad and he liked to laugh, big belly laughs. He wasn't laughing now. His eyes were wide and shifting nervously, and he was puffing. Tate was the only one who stayed calm when they heard the low, sad sound of the coming train.
"The Midnight Express," Tate said, peering down the tracks. "It wakes me up almost every night. Atlanta to Chicago.
"Like clockwork."
They all scrambled back down the bank into the rocky ditch, and Tate chewed her gum and nudged them both and asked, "You got a penny?"
"A penny?" Troy said.
Nathan dug into his pocket and came up with a nickel.
"That'll work," she said, taking it from him and scrambling back up the side of the railroad bed.
The ground underneath them was rumbling now. The train's light glimmered and shook. Troy yelled at her to come back. She set the money down on the rail, glared at the train for a moment with her hands on her skinny hips, then hopped back down into the ditch with them.
When the train went by in a rush of hot air, it roared so loud, Troy had no idea what Tate was saying, even though he could see that she was shouting at the top of her lungs. As the last car clacked away down the tracks, he asked her what.
"You see how big that thing was? It's like a warning, right? Like 'go back,' " she said.
Her dark eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Nathan had his hands deep in the pockets of his cutoff shorts, and he nodded at her words. Troy thought about the rabbit he heard screaming in the dark.
"Don't go," he said, shrugging. "I'm not making you."
"We're not going in," Tate said, snapping her gum. "I said that. But we'll wait for you on the outside. That's what friends do. Moral support."
"You shouldn't stand on the tracks when the train's coming like that," Nathan said.
"Aw," she said, swatting air, "if they see a person, they slow right down. Jam their brakes on. Sparks everywhere."
She skipped up the bank again and lifted the flattened nickel up for them to see. It shone in the moonlight.
"Cool," Nathan said, taking it from her.
Troy went up and over the rail bed, leaving them behind.
"Don't you want to see it?" Tate asked, calling after him.
But his eyes were on the wall. Already through the trees he could see it. Ten feet high. Cool gray concrete. It surrounded the Cotton Wood Country Club. Tennis, golf, and five hundred of the most expensive homes in Atlanta. He had driven down Old River Road once, past the massive front gates and guardhouses on the other side. When he asked his mom if she'd ever been inside, she glanced at him and said it wasn't a place for people like them. She said he shouldn't spend his time wondering or worrying about it.
Excerpted from FOOTBALL GENIUS © Copyright 2012 by Tim Green. Reprinted with permission by HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
Football Genius
- Genres: Fiction
- hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins


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|low graphics version | feedback | help
|You are in: Entertainment
Wednesday, 14 March, 2001, 03:30 GMT
Jury to consider Puffy verdict
By Rob Watson in New York
The prosecution has made its final arguments in the case against the rap singer and impressario Sean Combs.
The prosecution alleges Mr Combs and one of his proteges pulled out their guns after they were insulted in a New York night club in December 1999, leaving three people shot and wounded.
They further allege that Mr Combs tried to bribe his chauffeur into saying the gun was his.
Beyond celebrity
Summing up their case, the prosecution asked the jury to look beyond the rap singer's celebrity.
It was the law which was important, prosecutors argued, not the fame of the person who broke it.
But the defence has insisted the singer's fame and fortune can't be ignored.
The jury is now expected to begin its deliberations sometime on Wednesday, after receiving final directions from Judge Charles Solomon.
Outside the court, Sean Combs' fans say they believe the jury will find him innocent, and warn of protests if he is convicted.
See also:
08 Mar 01 | Entertainment
'Witness tampering' at Puffy trial
06 Mar 01 | Entertainment
Puffy 'rival' will not testify
28 Feb 01 | Entertainment
Lopez stays out of witness box
22 Feb 01 | Entertainment
Puffy in new 'bribe' accusation
15 Feb 01 | Entertainment
The making of America's hippest couple
14 Feb 01 | Entertainment
Puffy and Lopez split
08 Feb 01 | Entertainment
Third witness 'saw Puff Daddy armed'
06 Feb 01 | Americas
Puff Daddy 'held gun' says second witness
01 Feb 01 | Americas
Puff Daddy 'never carried gun'
30 Jan 01 | Americas
Puff Daddy in the dock
14 Jan 00 | Entertainment
'Puffy' hires OJ's lawyer
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Semi-finished plastic material used for the further maintenance of tubing, valves, canisters, filters and pumping modules all as parts of fuel systems for land, water and air vehicles
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Product Review - Nordost Moonglo Digital Interconnect Cable - December, 1999 Steven Surprenant
Nordost Moonglo Digital Interconnect
Impedance: 75 Ohms (110 Ohms for AES/EBU Version)
Conductors: 2 Silver/OFC Copper
Capacitance: 29 pF/ft
Gold-Plated Connectors
MSRP: $200/Meter Unbalanced, $300 Balanced (AES/EBU)
- Nordost Corporation, 420 Franklin Street, Framingham, Massachusetts 01701; Phone 508-879-1242; Fax 508-879-8197; E-Mail [email protected]; Website http://www.nordost.com.
Moonglo digital interconnects are a unique product designed to eliminate the effects of mechanical noise and resonance found in digital signal cables. Both versions consist of two separate Teflon coax cables. Each coax contains a silver-plated, multi-filament center conductor. This is covered with a layer of Teflon, which is in turn shielded with a layer of silver. This is then covered with a layer of extruded Teflon. The coaxes are twisted together with two cushioned filaments of Teflon and jacketed with another layer of Teflon. This is a superb way of eliminating timing errors, jitter, and mechanical noise in the cable.
Each cable is terminated with Moonglo RCA connectors. This interconnect is also available with AES/EBU connectors. Moonglo is a very detailed and fast cable with incredible imaging.
In the Beginning . . .
In January 1991, Vincent Garino, his brother Jeffrey, and Joe Reynolds made their all-important first connection by founding an audio company called Nordost Corporation. Their ambition was to create the most technologically advanced wire company in the consumer electronics industry. They wanted to manufacture loudspeaker cables and interconnects manifesting such clarity that the product "sounded" of nothing at all. In their view, the ultimate audio connection was silent and invisible. The best wire should simply act as a reliable viaduct for sonic signals to travel, with razor sharp speed, from one audio component to another.
This simple and elegant Nordost philosophy was born out of the excesses of the 1980s. During this period, the cable industry was discredited by voodoo technologies that meticulously claimed to have reinvented the wheel of wire production. Such promises were either plain weird or just bogus, and the absence of a legitimate scientific foundation undermined the credibility of audio cable in the eyes of many consumers. The Nordost Corporation was determined to re-establish this credibility. And to do so, the fledgling company understood that cable needed to build on more legitimate scientific grounds.
My review:
Product under test - Nordost Moonglo digital interconnect with balanced connections (AES/EBU).
Equipment - Marantz CD63SE (used as a transport), Genesis Digital Lens, California Alpha DAC with Mallory milspec tubes, Rotel RC 995 Pre-amp, Levenson 331 Amp, B&W 601S2 and Quad ESL63 speakers.
Cables - Tributaries (digital), Audioquest Emeralds, Rapco.
Wires - Esoteric Micro Reference, Audioquest Midnight.
Personal Statement I think all of us are searching for the Holy Grail of audio without having to mortgage our homes. Many consumers are under the impression that to attain this Holy Grail we need to buy the highest (most expensive) quality components. This is absolutely not true! Granted, even the least expensive high quality is not cheap, but it is within the means of most of us, and while the very best equipment will probably be better by a certain degree, that degree will be minimal if we are careful in selecting the equipment we own so they work synergistically together.
Cable Background Up to this point, Ive used Audioquest, MIT, Discovery, and Tributaries as my digital cables. The Tributaries were my cable of choice. It had the best transparency in my system. Ironically, it was the lowest priced cable in the group.
For this test, I kept a singled-ended Tributary between the CD transport and the Genesis Digital lens. I inserted the Moonglo between the digital lens and the DAC.
Day 1
My first impression of this cable was that it sounded just like the Tributaries with less at the higher frequencies. It was just as clear sounding, but less top end. Because of this loss, the depth of the sonic image decreased, and string plucks didnt have quite the bite I was accustomed to. Also, the cymbals lost some of their metallic shimmer. However, the sound was still quite good.
This is where we go to step 2, burning in the cable. I put the CD on repeat and let it run over and over. Every so often I listened to the music and found that my impression was changing. It seemed that it was beginning to sound better, more open. One thought that kept crossing my mind was that the images were taking on more body, perhaps even better than the Tributaries.
Day 2
When I awoke the next morning, I set the track to play one of my favorite tunes. It sounded glorious! In the past, Ive listened many times to this cut because it brings a tear of joy to my eyes for its sonic qualities, and today was no exception. I replaced this CD with another that I like to use because its transparency seems to change readily to the changes in the equipments transparency. It sounded somewhat like the day before, the highs were somewhat less apparent, but the body of the images were very believable.
Let me make a note here to explain why I dont mention CD titles. I have found that everyones taste is different, and what I enjoy, others might not. What I think is more important to you is my perception of the characteristics of the equipment under review. I believe that these characteristics are what you will be aware of when you have this cable in your system.
Just remember, every reviewer, including you, is working from a baseline, meaning that our systems present us with a very unique sonic quality, and each system responds to changes differently. For instance, lets say your system is a tad too bright and a little hard around the edges. My impression is that the Moonglo would be a step in the right direction. Its sound is very smooth. In other systems where the top end is just right, this interconnect might increase the level of detail but reduce the level of highs. This may be desirable or not, depending on the priorities of the listener. There are other considerations too. If your system is not capable of allowing you to hear the differences between cables, then you should upgrade other parts of your system first.
Let me tell you a little story. My friend, who lives about 500 miles from here, was listening to CDs through his computer with a thin miniplug connected to his stereo. His stereo was not high-end stuff, but it was pleasant to listen to and most importantly, he liked the way it sounded. I had this great idea about showing him what his equipment was capable of, so I loaded the car up with thousands of dollars worth of transports, DACs, and cables, and rushed down there. I have to tell you, I was in for an education, because after I hooked everything up, it sounded worse. I tried everything I knew to make this system sound better, but the bottom line was, his computer CD was far more synergistic with his audio system than all of this expensive gear I had brought. Lesson learned!
Back to the review:
After listening to the Moonglo for many hours/daysm, I had forgotten how the Tributaries sounded.
The Moonglos were very pleasant, and I had no problem becoming satisfied with them.
Now it was time to switch back to the Tributaries and compare with my initial impressions.
The results: My initial impressions still stand, but with reservations.
The Tributaries were still more open on top, but now they seemed to be a bit on the bright side. They gave a little more soundstage depth and sparkle to metallic sounds.
The Moonglos still gave a slightly better impression of image body and naturalness to voices. They made overly bright/harsh sounds more palatable.
For my personal choice, I cant decide! I like them both for different reasons. I think for long term listening at louder volumes (I usually like to listen at lower volumes), I would prefer the Moonglo. At very low volumes, like at night when I need to be a little quieter, I prefer the Tributaries. But then my mood could change my preference. They are both very good cables.
Now, if I could find a cable that fits between these two, I would have my Holy Grail of digital cables. This does leave me with other choices. I can change the interconnects from the DAC to the preamp to one that is a little brighter then the present AudioTruth Emeralds. I have many more choices if I go this path. Forgive me, but I am a constant tweaker.
Recommendations: Ask yourself two questions.
1) Does your system sound a little bright or harsh?
2) Do voices seem on the thin side (no body to the voices)?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this cable might be what you need to step to the next level.
One more point, my system is very transparent with the Tributaries. If your digital interconnect is less transparent then this cable, then going to the Moonglo will definitely be a step up (or two) in transparency.
The Moonglo is a very good cable. Even though it is expensive (all good digital cables are), if it does the trick for you, its well worth the price.
- Steven Surprenant -
© Copyright 1999 Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue.


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To commemorate the start of their fall tour, Los Angeles bliss-rockers Silversun Pickups have released a free digital EP that features live tracks from all three of the tour's support acts, School of Seven Bells, Cloud Nothings and Atlas Genius.
The four-track EP has Silversun Pickups performing "The Pit" on Late Show with David Letterman, followed by Australian indie upstarts Atlas Genius performing their song "Trojans" at Crown City Studios in Pasadena, CA. Ethereal New York band School of Seven Bells contribute a live version of "White Wind," from their most recent full-length, Ghostory. Raucous Ohio buzz band Cloud Nothings round out the release with a run through "Stay Useless" at popular Cleveland concert venue the Grog Shop. The EP can be downloaded on the Silversun Pickups website.
The Silversun Pickups tour kicks off in Santa Monica, CA, tonight (September 13), with School of Seven Bells and Atlas Genius supporting through September 21. Cloud Nothings take over for School of Seven Bells when the tour resumes on October 8 in Oxford, MS, through October 25. Silversun Pickups will also appear at this year's Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans on October 27.
–Scott T. Sterling, CBS Local


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Bound By Flame - Preview @ Destructoid
by Couchpotato, 2014-04-02 04:55:48
Destructoid has a new preview of Bound By Flame based of a hands-off presentation form GDC 2014. The writer of the preview was impressed by the game.
I came away pretty impressed with Bound By Flame. While granted it isn't too different from other titles, it does seem to do things pretty well. Combat looked fun, there's a lot of options to consider for your character plus it's great to see that your choices actually have a lasting, and very noticeable impact. Bound By Flame will be seeing a release on May 9 on PC and all current consoles (except Xbox One and Wii U), so players can expect to take a trip through this intriguing action-RPG soon.
Newsbit options: Add / View Comments (0) | Forward this newsbit | Link to this Newsbit
Information aboutBound By Flame
SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released


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Surfing sells. Brewmasters know this and style some of their beers accordingly, but how do the surf-themed suds go down after a long session? I decided to take one for the team and engage in a personal tasting of a smorgasbord of beers, all of which had surfy names, or pictures of surfboards on the label, or some other means of cozying up to surfing's marketability. These five were the champions of my grueling taste test. Fair warning: Great Lakes Brewing is not available in California, so unless you're on the East Coast, actually live in Cleveland, or have industry contacts, you aren't gonna find it. And you'll have to visit the Surf Brewery in Ventura to sample Oil Piers Porter, but that's good news, because they have many other fine surf beer choices on tap.
Port Brewing "Wipeout" IPA. San Marcos, CA
If you find yourself getting drilled like the guy on the label, a strong (7% ABV) IPA like this would help ease the pain. It's not really the kind of beer you want to drink on the beach though. Too rich and hoppy for that. What you want is a nice pierside or beachside bar with a patio and a big plate of fish tacos. Drown your sorrows, squirt some lime from the tacos on your reef cuts, and imagine what that barrel would have been like had you not blown the drop. Kook.
Kona Brewing "Longboard Lager" Kailua Kona, HI
Now this is the beer you want on a hot beach day. Smooth, refreshing, uncomplicated. It's the old-fashioned single-fin longboard of beers; user friendly, but extremely hard to do properly at a world-class level. This would actually be a fine beer to drink while riding a longboard. It comes in cans too, so you could stuff one in the wax pocket of your trunks, crack it open after takeoff, and just stand there with your beer. God, that would be cool.
Karl Strauss "Big Barrel" Double IPA. San Diego, CA
Ever been barreled in New Zealand? That's what this beer tastes like. Intense, sometimes a little scary, but not overly threatening. In fact, it may be the most aptly named beer on this list. Approach this beer the wrong way and you'll run into trouble. At 9% alcohol in a 22oz bottle, you don't want to recklessly throw down three or four of these. You need to respect a beer like this and work your way up to it. Take the slabby, chunky righthander on the label as a warning. There's beauty and lots carefree pleasure in this beer, but it will absolutely slap your unsuspecting ass down if you don't approach it with the right attitude.
Surf Brewery "Oil Piers" Porter. Ventura, CA
I have a vague memory of having surfed Oil Piers once before Mobil tore down the pilings. But I've drunk so much beer that my memory can't really be trusted. I try to think back to the late '90s, but I was so young, the memories are hazy, dark, kinda bittersweet, and before too long, they're gone. Like this beer. Pitch black, roasty, and malty. Coffee-like. When Oil Piers broke at all, it broke in the dead of winter. This is EXACTLY what you'd want to drink if you were all-daying it on the beach back then. Say, February, 1997, the year before they tore the pier down. Build a fire, paddle out into the shadows of the piers, nab a few lumpy rights til you get cold, then sip on some Oil Piers Porters on the beach. Surf Brewery wasn't around back then, but you get the idea.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. "Alchemy Hour" Double IPA. Cleveland, OH
According to Great Lakes Brewing, "Alchemy Hour" is something we say on the west coast when the "waves are breaking just right and you can ride them forever." Though I've never heard anybody say that. I've also never seen a picture of anybody surfing in Cleveland before, but, there it is on the label, and yes, people apparently surf Cleveland's Lake Erie beaches. I bet that after they do they knock back a couple Alchemy Hours. This beer tastes like San Diego—the IPA capital of the world. It's bright, citrusy, and powerfully hoppy. You could probably ride a few frigid, piddly Lake Erie waves, pop open an Alchemy Hour, take a sip, close your eyes, and just for a second, imagine you're posting up with a burger and beer in Encinitas. But you're not. You're in Cleveland.


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Another great dress for spring and summer is the Maternal America Asymeretric Ruffle Dress. The fabric has a cheerful floral pattern and light cotton-like feel. This dress features a faux one shoulder neckline design, with bra-friendly straps. The empire waist with elastic fitting below the bust is easy to wear for all stages of your pregnancy. Throw on a cardigan and wear this dress to a party or baby shower.
maternity dresses
Maternal America's Asymmetric Ruffle Dress
Ivanka Trump is Pregnant!
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump is pregnant! Known for her appearances on her father's show The Apprentice, she is the second oldest of Trump's five children. Trump's son Donald Jr. and his wife Vanessa have two kids: Kai 3, and Donald Trump III, age 1. Ivanka is expecting her first child with husband Jared Kushner, whom she married in 2009. She shared the news on her Twitter page in January, writing "I'm pregnant!" and "Jared and I couldn't be more excited."
Ivanka has her own line of jewelry and a new shoe and handbag line. Pregnant Ivanka was recently promoting her shoe line at a mall wearing a slimming black outfit. At 6 months, it is almost impossible to notice her baby bump! As a business woman, Ivanka often has a "professional look" even while pregnant.
If you want to capture this career mom style, go for classic pieces like Ivanka. She was seen wearing a flattering maternity top, a simple black knee-length skirt, and a pair of flats (how comfortable!). A babydoll style maxi length dress is another good silhouette for mom's to be.
At a more formal event, Ivanka Trump was photographed wearing an empire waist black dress with metallic details. The Maternal America Gold Band Maxi Dress is very similar, so you too can dress like an heiress!
The Olian Maternity Black & White Maternity Dress
One of the most essential items in any woman's wardrobe is the little black dress. The Olian Maternity Black & White Dress is a great way of doing the classic with a little flair. As a shift dress, it is always in style. It is the perfect go-to option for your little black (and white) dress. Depending on how you accessorize, it can go from work to evening (or day) dress-up. The color black is slimming and will accentuate all the positives to your new figure.
Maternity Baby Shower Dresses
For one's baby shower, finding that perfect dress is incredibly important. Just as it is for any special occasion, one wants to look and feel beautiful while maintaining a high level of comfort. With warmer months approaching, there are many fantastic dress options available for one's baby shower which emulate some of the latest season's trends while maintaining a classic style. From bold colors to gorgeous patterns to flowing maxi dresses, there is the perfect dress for everyone. Once you find your favorite style, you will feel comfortable and look gorgeous at your baby shower!
Maxi dresses are incredibly popular this season, as they have been worn by recent expectant celebrities from Kourtney Kardashian to Amy Adams. While Kourtney wore her maxi dress to a red carpet event, Amy chose a more laid back approach and wore hers on a day around town. This versatility is one of the maxi dress's greatest qualities, as it can be worn for a casual baby shower or dressed up for a more formal one. Incredibly flattering, maxi dresses emphasize the smallest part of your body with an empire waist. This accentuation directly under the bust gently cascades to ankle or floor length, creating a tall and elongated look. Aside from their flattering style, maxi dresses also are incredibly comfortable. You will not have to worry about being squeezed or uncomfortable, as the flowing dress allows room for your baby bump without creating a baggy look! The Halter Spring Green Maternity Dress from Olian Maternity is a great option for a baby shower, as its fresh spring look is vibrant and fun, especially when paired with a gorgeous bracelet or pair of earrings. Its casual elegance is emphasized by braided halter straps and its soft fabric is flattering and comfortable. Whether you choose to dress it up or down, a maxi dress is the perfect combination of elegance and carefree style-perfect for an expectant mother!
Bright colors are always on trend for baby showers, as they are a celebratory sign of the excitement in the air. From bright pinks to deep greens, deep colors have always been a staple for expectant mothers. This season is no different, and one color that truly stands out is turquoise. Its rich hue is flattering on everyone and it resonates of spring and summer. Maternal America's new spring collection includes the beautiful turquoise Front Tie Smock Dress, perfect for baby showers. Smocking on the bust and a front tie is incredibly flattering, and the flow of the soft fabric provides an effortlessly chic look. Paired with flats or sandals, and either gold or silver jewelry, this dress is sure to make a statement at your shower. The Front Tie Dress, also from Maternal America, demonstrates the turquoise trend by creating a beautiful abstract pattern of different hues of blues. Tying underneath the bust, a flattering empire waist silhouette is created while wide shoulder straps create a balanced look. It is easily dressed up or down, and can be reworn many times after your baby shower!
Each spring season, floral prints make their way back onto the runway, and this season is no exception. From dainty floral designs to bold abstract flowers, this trend is refreshing, beautiful, and fun. When wearing a floral print, remember to choose one that is in proportion with your body size. For petite women, choose prints that are smaller, as a large print can overwhelm a small frame. For taller women, a larger print can be fun and festive. The Floral Maxi Dress from Japanese Weekend combines bright colors with a bold floral pattern. A scoop neck and empire waist are incredibly flattering. Paired with strappy sandals, a look fit for any baby shower is instantly created. The Cocktail Dress, also from Japanese Weekend, is an absolutely gorgeous dress. The black, red, and white pattern is a classic combination which is modernized by the beautiful floral print. Knee length, this dress looks great paired with heels or flats.
Finding the perfect dress for your baby shower is very important, and there are many great options available. As long as you are comfortable and find a style that works for you, you will look and feel great!