text:
|Farm Land
|Wario Inc.
|Nintendo 3DS
|Release Date(s)
|June 4, 2013
| Story
Boss Rush VS.
|Age Rating(s)
|2D Platformer
|Farm Land
|Media Included
|Golden Nintendo 3DS Cartridge
Jayberry Farm, is a much loved farm and the only place on Earth not bought by Rich McMoney, a vicious tycoon who plans to own everything in the world and then take over and become the king and make evryone his mistreated slaves. On a visit to the farm, Rich shows up and asks Farmer Jay the owner to buy it from him. Jay kindly declines, so Rich summons his robot minions. They roboticize everyone and bomb the farm. Farmer Jay wakes up to find no one but his lazy best friend and pet elephant Duba. Duba was sleeping the whole time, but wants to help. Duba hops on Jay's back and they set out to find Rich and make him pay. They are stopped by Goggles the Ant. who teaches them the basics. After the tutorial, the heroes journey through 8 worlds, slowly taking out Rich's forces. They finally make it to Midnight City, and confront Rich on top of his roof. Rich fights them, and the two heroes win. That is when he presses a button, and becomes super charged. He smashes them, and they die, while he buys the farm. In the afterlife, Afteryoi, they learn new moves and after beating the Demon Golem, an angel gives them one wish. They use it to return to Earth, and go to Richbarfy Farm. After facing many challenges and trials, they finally fight Rich, who has now built a gigantic robot body. He flies them up to space, and the final battle begins. It is hard, but the heroes smash the robot body and it falls to earth. With Rich heavily injured by the crash, Goggles interprets for Rich(fakely) and lies. He tells his assistants to sell back everything, and Jay is praised and voted Mayor. Duba still lives with him, and Goggles(much to his distain) becomes Jay's secretary Meanwhile, Rich grunts, and a bird poops on him, causing an end screen.
Wario Inc.World Description
Farmer Jay: A kind hearted middle aged man who is western and cares about classic things, not liking video games or modern rock music. He runs Jayberry farm and is hard working.
Duba: Jay's pet elephant. Lazy and loud, he is a fan of video games and modern rock. He is a critic, and can be very rude. Despite all this, he cares about Jay and everyone else and is kind hearted.
Rich McMoney: An obese millionaire who is greedy. Wanting to take over the world to get revenge on those who bullied him, he is ruthless, mean, and disgusting.
Goggles the Ant: A rude know-it-all ant. He teaches the heroes new moves. He also has an unhealthy obsesssion with his glasses, and is clumsy.
RARE: A babbling robot who is Rich's assistant. He is smart, strategizing, and the brain behind Rich. He also has a rivalry with Goggles, and frequently calls him a "Four-eyed Meatbag".
Alice the Angel: A sweet and young angel. Duba has an obvious crush on her and she laughs at it. Finding the heroes admirable, she helps them get back to Earth.
Duba Mount: Jay rides on Duba and is faster, but weak. Gained in 1-3.
Rake Break: In a fast paced moving level, it allows you to break. Can be used while on Duba. Gained in 1-5.
Duba Hat: Jay can use Duba as a shield. He can break bricks but nothing else. Gained in 2-1.
Wall Jump: Jay can jump up on walls. Gained in 2-3.
Trunk Hammer: Jay can use Duba to smash switches. Gained in 3-1. Elecarry: Duba can carry things. Gained in 3-4.
Air Waddle: Duba can kick in the air to stall or stay up for a moment. Gained in 4-1.
Duba Dash!: Duba can run really fast. Gained in 4-5.
Stop Sign: Stop Duba from going to fast and dieing. Gained in 4-5.
Cloud Breath: Jay holds his breath and then lets out a big gust of wind creating clouds. Gained in 5-1.
Fogbuster: Duba ground punds clearing out nearby fog. Gained in 5-3.
Trunk Grapple: Jay can use Duba's trunk to travel fastly and to higher places. Gained in 5-6.
Grinding Gramps: Jay can grind on rails to slow down a bit. Gained in 6-1.
Trunkuum: Duba can use his trunk to suck up and squirt liquids. Gained in 6-4
Duba Boomba: Duba can use his trunk as a cannon. Gained in 6-6.
Springy Step: Jay can bounce up higher. Gained in 7-2.
Super Beam: The two can shoot a powerful beam. Gained in 11-1.
Jayberry Farm
World One. It's a simple and easy world for all the basics.
- 1-0: Tutorial: Where you learn the basics.
- 1-1: Background Plains: A simple level. It relies on the gimmick of switching between the foreground and the background.
- 1-2: Steep Sunset:A level where Jay and Duba roll down a hill. Easy, but fast, so react quick and be on guard.
- 1-3: Feral Outskirts: A dark level. Easy, but watch out for the hard animal enemies.
- 1-4: City Gates: A quick level with one catch. The player has to figure out how to open the city gates, and it is a mind-boggling puzzle.
- 1-5: Trap Door Sewers: Medium difficulty. Should be easy, but be on the lookout for trapdoors that mean game over.
- 1-6: Cut-Out Factroy: A factory with medium difficulty. It uses Cut-Outs, which trick and confuse the player.
- 1-Boss: Watcher: A giant eye robot. It teleports and shoots powerful laser. Break the walls to get mirrors. Reflect the laser to damage Watcher. Repeat this three times.
Lone Desert
A quiet and creepy world. Easy, but you have to find water before you pass out and it's game over!
- 2-1: Dry Crash: You have to run through the desert while avoiding the falling debris.
- 2-2: Frecklefreeze Pit: The sand concaves and your launched into a freezing area. You slide down a steep hill and have to be careful. This time, collect the hot chocolate before you die.
- 2-3: Sunsting Climb: A level where you wall jump up through a dangerous pyramid. Don't get hit by the Sunstings, or it's GAME OVER!
- 2-4: Dessert Desert: A strange stage with various foods. Watch out for the falling food and hungry Chompers.
- 2-5: Mooncreep Sands: A dark stage with various lanterns light them up to see and watch out for ghosts and animals.
- 2-6: Temple of Ruins: A puzzling temple. Little enemies but various puzzles you'll have to figure out how to open up every room until you reach the top.
- 2-B: Golem Guy: A giganic sand statue. He will jump up and down to cause powerful shockwaves. Climb up his arm when he trfies to punch you, and then jump on his head.Repeat this four times.
Mt. Fogglecloud
A cloudy mountain world. Getting a little harder, this world is to test your platforming.
- 3-1: Flat Flash Gates: A paper flat level. Pull the switches to turn you 3D, and then go through. Don't get stuck or smashed!
- 3-2: Whispy Climb: A level where you must jump through the mountain avoiding the powerful gusts of wind. Watch out!
- 3-3: Rain of Rocks: Watch out for the rain of rocks coming down. A short but dangerous level.
- 3-4: Shadow Caves: A pitch black cave. Try to make it through by using lanterns.
- 3-5: Steepspikes: A fast paced level. The terrain is slippery and spikes are coming down. Watch out!
- 3-6: Tiptop Lowbottom: Jump from each platform but don't fall.
- 3-B: Bold Er.: A fat rock robot that is slow. He'll jump up and immediatley destroy you if your caught. Lure him to the spikes 8 times to win.
Underground Jungle
A jungle world near Mt Fogglecloud. It is a gigantic jungle laying underneath Mt Fogglecloud. It is all about quick reflexes here.
- 4-1: Freefall Flying: You fall from the Mountain avoiding obstacles and landing on cloud platforms. Very hard.
- 4-2: Crag Cave Path: A flat level with rotating things. Easy except for when the spikes randomly pop up and one hit-KO you.
- 4-3: Vine Swing: Swing across a path avoiding falling in the river of poison. Fast paced with a moving screen.
- 4-4: River Rollercoaster: Ride on a raft through a twist and turn roller coaster. Make sure to jump and not fall. Fast moving, so be prepared for surprises.
- 4-5: Ghost Shipwreck: A moving screen platform level. Move from raft to raft as you move across a shipwreck. The enemies here are stronger then what you've faced before and they are invisible ghosts. Watch out as you explore the secret chambers of the ruins.
- 4-6: Dragon's Rainforest: A mysterious rainforest in the jungle. Travel from tree to tree avoiding animals. Make sure not to be crushed by the dragon as he randomly strikes down.
- 4-B: Ssslither Bot: A fast moving cyborg serpent. He sweeps everywhere and if he gets you it's game over time. Avoid doom and slowly advance your way to the top to shoot a missile at the bot. Do this three times.
Island of Clouds
A large island made of only clouds. Medium, with some harder puzzles.
- 5-1: Up! Up! Up!: After shooting out of the Underground Jungle, you have to dodge the airborn enemies while making paths for yourself through the 3DS microphone.
- 5-2: Clouded Path: Using Duba Dash, the player has to run through the path of clouds and not fall. Pretty hard.
- 5-3: Fog Forest: You have to explore a foggy forest where nothingis what it seems. Illusions appear that can make GAME OVER and mostly everything is one. Plus, the fog makes it hard to see.
- 5-4: City in the Clouds: A small calm town. Easy, right? Anything but, my friend. You'll have to help all the villagers get their stuff back from bandits and complete mysterious challenges. Very long.
- 5-5: Fake it to make it: A plain level with a gimmick. The player must avoid falling paper cut-outs that cause damage.
- 5-6: Storm Smackdown: A storm starts and it's BAD. You have to climb up the dark clouds without getting zapped. If you get zapped it's over.
- 5-B: Crumm E. Cloudhead: A black cloud with red eyes. He will shoot down one-hit kill lightning and is tough. To defeat him you'll have to get water bottles from the villagers, climb up to Crumm and then throw the bottles at his lightning. Repeat this 6 times.
Sunset Harbor
A quiet and luxorious beach and harbor. One problem lies ahead though, the squids are squirting ink everywhere, making things fast paced and slippery. Be on guard!
- 6-1: Slick Showdown: Squids are attacking the harbor, capturing and eating people. You have to grind on the oiled rails as you jump over ink blobs until you reach the tunnel.
- 6-2: Tentacle Tunnel: A mysterious tunnel. No enemies but slick and fast paced platforming with falling platforms and various brainteasers to keep the player on edge. Very hard.
- 6-3: Belly of the Beast: The famed kracken leader of the squids attacks you! Avoid him by running across platforms.
- 6-4: Back at the Beach...: While Jay was gone, the beach had become a wasteland. Hop between the city and beach with various pads to clean up the oil and scare off the squids. Easy to medium.
- 6-5: Riot at the City: A shady crab racer named Shaden challenges Jay to a race after calling him fake. You can explore, but at the end have to beat Shaden to the end.
- 6-6: Tanks for the help: The oil tanks are still damaged and need help. Jay must explorew to find parts to complete the tanks and the clean-up fully.
- 6-B: Squicka: Rich expirimented with the oil and kracken to make a mutated squid cyborg. Jay must race on a jet boat and shoot Squicka. Squicka is equipped with a laser, machine gun, and tentacle slap to detsroy the boat. Shoot him down before he depletes the boat's HP.
Funnyfunfunfun Town
A loud crazy ameusment park with various attractions. Lately, Rich's robots have been ruining rampant and you can stop them. Now it's getting hard.
- 7-1: Malevolent Go-Round: The merry go round folks have run away. Collect all of them in 5 minutes before the merry-go-round collapses.
- 7-2: Sky Slipping Speedy Speedway: Jay and Dub ride on the new Skyround roller-coaster! Fast-paced and hard, the goal is to hop carts to make it to the end without dieng.
- 7-3: House of Mirrors: A complicated puzzle-filled level. The two must explore a house of mirrors. Hard and complex.
- 7-4: Lions!(On Ice): The duo are framed for causing trouble by Rich, and are sent into the ice show, with lions! They have to defeat all of the lions to escape.
- 7-5: Misfit Escape: The duo must escape alongside other misfits. Medium, but you have to make sure none of your companions die.
- 7-6: Plane Parts: The two have to find the 3 plane parts in 3 minutes before the ameusment park people break through the exit gates.
- 7-B: The Ringmaster: A new suave robot convinces the people to pledge their loyalty to Rich. The two must defeat a new ringmaster. He is weak, but spawns various enemies in large quantities that are very strong. Defeat a wave, attack the Ringmaster, and repeat 3 times.
Sunset Path
The creepy and dangerous path to Midnight City. Each level has a time limit making these levels harder.
- 8-1: Switches by Sunset: This level has various time switches which either freeze the time limit or make it go faster. Each switch is necessary for a puzzle. Time limit is 300 seconds.
- 8-2: Rise of the Dead: As night starts to fall, the dead rise! The players must beat all of the zombies in 200 seconds.
- 8-3: Steep Racer: A very difficult version of the level Steep Sunset. Jay is much faster, there are more hazards and enemies, and the time limit is 90 seconds.
- 8-4: Time Twist Trial: The sunset is setting as you must reach 3 checkpoints in 30 seconds or you will be sent back to the last checkpoint. Very hard.
- 8-5: City Ahead!: With the city in the background, loud sounds blare ahead. Jay and Duba must find cover from the car horns. Time limit is 200 seconds.
- 8-6: Gates for Gramps: The player must run through the mutiple gates. Medium, but they have to make it in 90 seconds.
- 8-B: Midnight City Guard: A gigantic armored knight guarding Midnight City. He attacks with laser beams, a hand smash and a hand sweep. When he sweeps, hop on his hand and platform up him in a difficult platformer challenge. Attack and repeat 4 times.
Midnight City
A bright city that never sleeps. This world is difficult.
- 9-1: Highway Horrors: The duo must jump from moving cars to avoid the scrolling screen. No enemies, but very fast paced.
- 9-2: Great Gas!: Rich has made a roadblock of robots. Goggles has built a rocket to fly over it into the core city but it has no fuel. Now Jay must solve various problems and do tasks to work off the gas from the gas station.
- 9-3: Space(or night sky) Invaders: A level based off of a classic space shooter. Shoot down Rich's flying robots while collecting power-ups.
- 9-4: Crash Clash Quest: The rocket crashes near Rich's building. Now they must defeat bthe powerful robot's in the way to make it to the building.
- 9-5: The Climb: An auto-scrolling level that goes up. The two must climb up to the top of the building to win. Incredibly hard.
- 9-6: Rich Rooftops: A fast paced level where they must chase and reach Rich to end the level.
- 9-B: Rich: Rich is an incredibly fast paced fighter. He hops around attacking with his missiles. The player must catch Rich and attack him to do anything. Repeat this 6 times.
A very hard world that tests you. It is cloudy, bright, and quiet.
- A-1: Erm...Are we dead?: Jay and Duba must explore the confusing labirynth that is the afterlife while fighting powerful foes.
- A-2: The Impending Doom: Jay and Duba must solve the puzzle of getting into the Demon Golem's temple by fighting foes, exploring, and getting 4 stone keys.
- A-3: Tortured Souls: The two must run from a giant boulder and into the temple at first, and then solve puzzles and defeat those in their way while conversing with prisoners.
- A-B: Demon Golem: A more powerful version of Midnight City Guard. However, he has new attacks and you must repeat 6 times instead of 4.
- Afteryoi is much more like Heaven of the Christain religion in the localized verison in Japan. This is against Wario Inc. of America's policy to not include explicitly religous refrences.


text:
|Local 355 Administrative Clerical Employees
Workers Vote For Council 4 Difference
Maintenance workers at the Manchester Housing Authority voted to join Council 4.
Congratulations to Manchester Housing Authority employees and many other workers across Connecticut who have voted in union representation elections in to join the Council 4 family. Our newest union members include:
According to the AFL-CIO, AFSCME recorded recording the greatest growth last year among all the federation's 57 national and international labor unions compared to 2008.
National statistics show union members earn better wages and benefits than workers who aren't union members.On average, union workers' wages are 30 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts.
Ledge Light Health District workers voted to join Council 4.
While only 14 percent of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions, fully 68 percent of union workers do. And, more than 97 percent of union workers have jobs that provide health insurance benefits, but only 85 percent of nonunion workers do.
Additional Resources
Follow Us!
© American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. All rights reserved.
Photographs and illustrations, as well as text, cannot be used without permission from AFSCME.
|Privacy Policy

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nascar won't be expanding its venues and tracks just yet. It was recently reported that the international Formula One racing circuit will have a race along the Hudson River in 2013 but there's no similar announcement for Nascar. In an interview with Driver's Seat, Nascar's chief Brian France said that increasing the number of tracks wherein the premier Sprint Cup cars could compete doesn't make sense with the current state of the economy. He believes that the series is effectively reaching its audience with the present venues that it has.
In the past, Nascar was primarily a Southeastern sport that people in the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama and Florida have embraced. But in the mid-1980s, it had its annual road race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., where it was so successful that the sanctioning group began planning the expansion of its number tracks and viewership. Nascar experienced a boost in the mid-1990s. It supervised the building of new tracks in Florida, Texas, Kansas, Illinois, California and other places as well. Its audience grew as stock car racing became mainstream.
But in the last few years, its viewers decreased due to several issues like high fuel and ticket prices to boring races and the removal of several older tracks. France said that as a more physical style of racing returned wherein the cars regularly "rub" each other and bump fenders, the series has started to grow once more. He explained that Nascar's rule makers in recent years sought to clean up the sport's image and improve safety but in the process, Nascar dampened the element of competition. [source: Autonews]


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Introduction

Users of Ubuntu will be very aware of the Ubuntu Software Center and its shortcomings. Indeed as from Ubuntu 16.04 the Software Center is due to be retired altogether.

A great alternative to the Software Center is the Synaptic Package Manager.

The Synaptic Package Manager has many benefits over the Ubuntu Software Center such as the fact that there are no adverts for paid for software and the fact that you will always see the results from all the repositories within your sources.list.

Another benefit of Synaptic is that it is a common tool used by many other Debian based Linux distributions. If you get used to it using Ubuntu then should you decide to switch distribution later on then you will have a tool that you are already familiar with to aid with the installation of other applications.

How To Install Synaptic

If you are using Ubuntu you can use the Software Center to search for and install Synaptic.

Alternatively if you prefer to use the command line or you are using another Debian based distribution you can open a terminal window and type the following:

sudo apt-get install synaptic

The User Interface

The user interface has a menu at the top with a toolbar underneath. There is a list of categories in the left pane and in the right pane a list of applications within that category.

In the bottom left corner is a set of buttons and in the bottom right corner a panel to show the description of a selected application.

The Toolbar

The toolbar contains the following items:

Reload

Mark All Upgrades

Apply

Properties

Quick Filter

Search

The "Reload" button reloads the list of applications from each of the repositories held on your system.

Mark all upgrades marks all the applications that have available upgrades.

The Apply button applies changes to marked applications.

Properties provides information about selected applications.

Quick Filter filters the current list of applications by a chosen keyword.

The Search button brings up a search box which lets you search the repositories for an application.

The Left Panel

The buttons at the bottom of the left panel change the view of the list at the top of the left panel.

The buttons are as follows:

Sections

Status

Origin

Custom Filters

Search Results

Architecture

The sections button shows a list of categories in the left panel. The available categories far outweigh the number in other package managers such as the Software Centre.

Without going through them all you can expect to see categories such as Amateur Radio, Databases, Graphics, GNOME Desktop, KDE Desktop, Email, Editors, Fonts, Multimedia, Networking, System Administration and Utilities.

The Status button changes the list to show the applications by status. The available statuses are as follows:

Installed

Installed (auto removable)

Installed (local or obsolete)

Installed (manually)

Installed (upgradeable)

Not Installed

Not Installed (residual config)

The origin button brings up a list of repositories. Selecting a repository shows a list of applications within that repository in the right panel.

The custom filters button has various other categories as follows:

All

Broken

Community Maintained

Marked Changes

Missing Recommended Packages

Packages with Debconf

Search Filter

Upgradeable (upstream)

The Search Results button shows a list of search results in the right panel. Only one category will appear in the left panel, "all".

The Architecture button lists categories by architecture, as follows:

All

Arch: all

Arch: amd64

Arch: i386

The Applications Panel

Clicking on a category in the left panel or searching for an application by keyword brings up a list of applications in the top right panel.

The applications panel has the following headings:

S (for selected)

Package (name)

Installed Version

Latest Version

Description

To install or upgrade an application place a check in the box next to the application name.

Click the apply button to complete the install or upgrade.

You can of course mark a number of applications at once and press the apply button when you have finished making selections.

Application Description

Clicking on an package name shows a description of the application in the bottom right panel.

As well as a description of the application there are also buttons and links as follows:

Screenshot

Changelog

Visit Homepage

Properties

If you click on an application and then the properties button a new window appears with the following tabs.

Common

Dependencies

Installed Files

Versions

Description

The common tab highlights whether the application is already installed, show the package maintainer, the priority, the repository, the installed version number, the latest version available, the file size and the download size.

The dependencies tab list the other applications that need to be installed for the selected package to work.

The installed files shows the files that are installed as part of a package.

The versions tab shows the available versions of the package.

The description tab shows the same information as the application description panel.

Search

The search button on the toolbar brings up a little window with a box where you enter a keyword to search for and a dropdown to filter what you are searching on.

The dropdown list contains the following options:

Name

Description and name

Maintainer

Version

Dependencies

Provided Packages

Generally you will search by description and name which is the default option.

If after searching the results list is too long you can use the quick filter option to filter the search results further.

The Menu

The menu has five top level options:

File

Edit

Package

Settings

Help

The File menu has options for saving marked changes.

This is useful if you have marked a number of packages for installation but you don't have the time to install them at the moment.

You don't want to lose the selections and have to reselect them later. Click "File" and "Save Markings As" and enter a filename.

To read the file back in later on select file and "Read Markings". Choose the saved file and open.

There is a generate package download script option available on the file menu. This will save your marked applications in a script which you can simply run from the terminal without having to reload Synaptic.

The Edit menu basically has similar options to the toolbar such as reload, apply and mark all applications for upgrade. The best option is fix broken packages which attempts to do exactly that.

The Package menu has options for marking applications for installation, reinstallation, upgrade, removal and complete removal.

You can also lock an application at a particular version to prevent it upgrading especially if you need certain features removed from newer versions or if you know the newer version has a serious bug.

The Settings menu has an option called "Repositories" which brings up the Software and Updates screen where you can choose to add extra repositories.

Finally the Help menu has a comprehensive help guide showing anything that is missing from this guide.


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Archive for February, 2009
The Captain Listens To His Sister
My sister and I have always been close. We got along great as kids and we still do today.
The relatively small 13 month gap in our ages resulted in us mutually enjoying mostly the same things throughout our lives.
Sometimes we loved the exact same thing. As kids, we were both fixated on Pee Wee Herman and The Goonies. Other times we enjoyed different aspects of the same collection. She liked Ernie, I liked Bert. She liked caramel Twix, I liked peanut butter Twix. And so on.
And while there were always things that we disagreed on, often my opinion would change over time due to repeated exposure on my sister's part. Spending so much time with Cathie would eventually wear me down enough to either accept or grow to love things I would normally avoid. So in that vain here is a Top 5 list for her.
Top 5 Things I Was Exposed To By My Sister
1. Every Teeny-Bop Girl Movie Of The 80s
Growing up with a sister and only one television meant we had to share. She had to watch my crap and I had to watch hers. I got to rent a movie and so did she. I tended to watch dumb boy stuff like the animated Transformers Movie. Cathie always picked movies about teenagers. As a result I've seen just about every teen-girl flick of from roughly 1984-1991.
I actually liked some of Cathie's selections, most notably Heathers. But for every good flick like Heathers there were two or three terrible ones like Can't Buy Me Love or Girls Just Want to Have Fun. I must have seen Dirty Dancing fifty times before I hit puberty.
Back then I used to complain non-stop about be subjected to such drivel. Now I feel strangely nostalgic when I happen across one. A couple of weeks ago my wife came home to find me watching Adventures In Babysitting. I immediately blamed it on my sister, but I didn't change the channel…
2. Stone Temple Pilots
Being a teenager in the early nineties meant constantly proving to everyone how authentic and non-mainstream I was. I rebelled against anything that was deemed as a copy-cat or a sellout. As such, I was required to dislike Stone Temple Pilots. Everyone said they were big rip-offs of Pearl Jam and Nirvana and not to be trusted. Everyone except my sister; she proudly declared her love for STP whenever she was given a chance.
Even when the local alternative radio station decided to play "Big Empty" twice an hour every hour after The Crow was released and everyone declared them too popular, my sister still stuck by them. She didn't give a shit when people would call the band fake or call Scot Weiland a hack or a junky.
Eventually I got over my need to prove my uniqueness and embraced the group as a great band. I still listen to STP on my iPhone quite often and I have Cathie to thank.
3. Cream Of Mushroom Soup In Queso Dip
Cathie inherited a recipe for queso dip from a friend in college that required adding a full can of cream of mushroom soup into the dip. I flipped out the first time she told me about it. I remember refusing to believe that it would be anything but horrendous.
Eventually she got me to try some and I was blown away. But I still refused to believe that there was something as vile as that soup in the wonderfully cheesy concoction I was ingesting. It wasn't until I actually watched her make it that I was turned into a believer. Now I'm hooked on the stuff; you should try it!
4. Absurd Dance Trends
While I never shy away from dancing, I've never been particularly good at it. That was always Cathie's department; she started dancing as soon as she learned to walk. I was always puzzled by her fascination with dancing, especially with the slew of late-eighties/early-nineties dance fads. The Roger Rabbit, The Running Man, The Cabbage Patch, The Tootsie Roll – she did them all. All I was able to master was the Axl Rose microphone stand dance.
Over time I have developed an appreciation for these goofy dance styles.1 Cathie, she never stopped loving them. Just last weekend at Mardi Gras she was running around showing everybody the Stanky Leg.
5. Competitive Dog Shows
Over the decade my sister has become obsessed with watching competitive dog shows. She's the only person I know that watches the full day's coverage of the Westminster Dog Show. I'm pretty sure her dream is to enter a bichon frise in a national contest.
Given the still high reading on my resistance to owning a dog meter, one would assume I am opposed to watching any kind of program like this. Yet I find myself putting up less and less of a fight when one pops on the television.
I think these shows are slowly working their way into my subconscious. Last nite I saw my neighbor walking her dogs and I thought to myself "That jack russell terrier has great angulation."
I think my sister has been conspiring with my wife to trick me into getting a dog. Even if they are, they've still got a long ways to go.
The Captain
1 That's probably why I've watched all three seasons of America's Best Dance Crew. Well, at least that's what I tell myself anyway…
The Captain's Weekend Was Underwhelming
I was really looking forward to this past weekend for two big reasons: Mardi Gras and the Oscars. Both events turned out well, but I think my high expectations did me a disservice.
Mardi Gras Saturday in Soulard is a St. Louis tradition, one that I have not participated in since 2006. This year had all the trappings of another classic celebration. I had plenty of beverages pre-dropped at my buddy Tim's place in Soulard and my buddy Brian was in town from Baltimore just for the celebration. Good times ahead!
I should have recognized the first bad sign on Friday. I decided to stay in that nite and get plenty of rest. Right before I went to bed my building went completely dark.1 There was a fire underneath my street which resulted in a 24-hour power outage in my building.
I awoke on Mardi Gras Saturday to no power and a view of falling snow and howling wind. Not an ideal start. By the time we made it down to Soulard the snow flurries had stopped and the Sun came out. But the temperature was still in the twenties and the wind continued to howl. As expected this put a large damper on the days' festivities.
We made it to the parade long enough for me to snap a picture with a fellow Captain
But the cold quickly forced us over to Tim's house for the remainder of the afternoon. When the sun went down that nite the temperatures followed and the street emptied accordingly. We called it quits around 8ish, which is by far the earliest I've ever left a Mardi Gras celebration. The temperature really stifled the whole day.
On Sunday I spent the day with Meg cleaning up from the power outage and getting our place ready for the Oscars. See, Meg and I are real film buffs. As such we treat the Oscars like many treat the Super Bowl. We usually have people over, we do our background research by trying hard to see all of the nominated films, and we get really competitive over our predictions. We managed to see all of the major nominated films except Frozen River and Vicky Christina Barcelona2.
Normally Meg is quite a ringer when it comes to picking the Oscar winners. She had a three-year streak of beating me working until my surprising one-point victory last year. It all came down to the Original Song Category. Meg went with one of the crappy songs from Enchanted and I wisely picked "Falling Slowly" from the wonderful little film Once. She was mad about that one for months.
This year looked to be a good year. Meg made a nice dinner for our friends, everyone filled out a ballot and I ponied up a bottle of Kahlua Mocha for the winning ballot. We were all set for the show but completely unprepared for the 3½ hour snooze-fest that followed. I'm used to the middle part of the ceremony dragging a bit, but this year the whole show seemed dreadfully long and dull.
Also, why in the world did they think that two huge musical-dance numbers were the proper way to tone down the ceremony this year? They only interesting parts of the show were the Tina Fey & Steve Martin bit, Ben Stiller's dead-on impersonation and the Pineapple Express montage.
And on top of it all, I managed to lose to Megs yet again. I guess I should have put it all on Slumdog, or better yet just copied off of Brian's sheet. Seriously, he handicaps better than De Niro did in Casino. He won the prize but luckily he had a flight to catch the next morning and donated it to my liquor cabinet.
So yeah, not the end of the world but still a bit of a letdown.
The Captain
1 Which mean I had to miss Conan's last Late Night when it aired. Thank goodness for streaming video on the internet.
2 Stupid Netflix and their stupid "very long wait."
The Captains Crew VIPs: Part Eins
My friends are awesome. I don't say that enough, so I will do it again. My friends are awesome. They are wicked funny, very creative and extremely loyal. And thanks to a recent flood of friend requests in Facebook, I am now in contact with several of them that I haven't heard from in ages.
I've run with several groups throughout my 30 years on earth from a wide variety of places, too many to name. I usually move through multiple different circles instead of having one established group of friends. This tends to leave me well known to many, but close to few. There are a select few of my friends who, like me, also tend to float through multiple circles and thus always seem to be a part of my life. They are my constant , as Daniel Faraday would say.
This week one of these friends did something über-awesome and it made me realize how lucky I am to have friends like him. It got me to thinking, which led to the creation of The Captain's Crew VIPs.
From time to time I have decided to start big-upping one of my friends for their general kick-assitude. These select few will make up an elite crew, the Captain's VIPs.
First up is Mike.
I've know Mike for around twenty years. My earliest memory of him was from Cub Scouts. Back then his dad owned a restaurant in Florissant, the Charlie Chicken on Lindbergh. His dad somehow got a hold of an old Firetruck and had Charlie Chicken sponsor it in the Valley of the Flowers parade. This meant Mike and I and got to ride on the Firetruck and throw candy during the parade. To a ten year old, that was the height of coolness.
We stayed friends throughout Cub Scouts and into Boy Scouts until an unfortunate incident involving a spoon that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago caused ill will between us.
By the time I reached high-school a couple of years later all had been forgiven. Mike was now the trifecta of cool. He was a drummer in an awesome band, Union Jack. He was an impressive skater and accomplished hoodlum. And, most importantly, his house had a basement where everyone could hang out. This famed basement was like Mad Max's Thunderdome to me1,
Mike is known for his outrageous sense of humor. My funniest memory from high school was Mike wearing a full body Mr. Peanut costume to class that he somehow managed to obtain.
I continued to hang out at Mike's basement throughout most of high school and college. By this time he had formed a better band, Ashtray, and now had a job at the local music store. His band came down to Springfield my senior year of college to record an album, and wound up playing an impromptu show in my sister's living room. Their twang-heavy version of "I Want It That Way" is still by far the funniest cover song I've ever heard.
I've managed to keep up with Mike over the years due to his extreme versatility. He pops up everywhere; everyone seems to know him.
He's still making music with various side projects and for awhile he was drumming in one of my favorite local bands, Grace Basement . He's a proud North County resident who now has his own house in Florissant that he shares with his groovy girlfriend, Tracy.
I already thought Mike was quite a remarkable dude when I received a package from him on Tuesday. The contents of said package had me hysterically laughing for about ten minutes.
After reading my 25 random facts , Mike dug up the old color-changing-Trix-rabbit-cereal spoon and mailed it back to me. Incredible! And that is why he is the first official inductee into the Captain's Crew VIPs. Well done my friend.
The Captain
1 But instead of fights-to-the-death there was lots of moshing while his band practiced. And instead of spears and weapons, there was mostly objects stolen from lawns and McDonalds. I guess the Thunderdome reference doesn't really hold up…
The Captain Wants A Taste Of The Stimulus
Talk of the Economic Stimulus Bill has dominated over the past few weeks, and it looks as though it may be passed early next week. I am generally in favor of this proposed legislation. Specifically I support most of the proposed spending, especially when it comes to schools and infrastructure. I've never been that keen on tax cuts and most the ones proposed here are no exception. However, I've been drooling over one of the Senate's proposed tax cuts since it was first announced.
The Senate wanted to include a provision that would give first-time homebuyers a $15,000 tax credit for homes that were purchased in 2009. Fifteen grand!?! Now that's what I call an incentive!
Meg and I decided earlier this year that we would start saving in 2009 for a down payment for a home purchase. Upon hearing news of the proposed tax credit we sat down and created a budget that would put our savings plan into overdrive. Unfortunately, it now looks as though this provision in the Stimulus plan is going to be scrapped in an effort to bring down the overall cost. Dammit Dammit Dammit!
Granted, I am upset mainly because of how this will affect me personally. But I also think that this proposal had a huge potential to positively impact the nation's economy. The current crisis stems from the collapse of the housing market. While there are many problems with the current housing market, I think the biggest problem is the record amount of homes currently for sale. Simply put, the supply of homes greatly outweighs the demand.
This is best demonstrated by looking at the current yearly supply of homes. On average a one year supply of homes is ideal for most areas. This means that it would take about one calendar year for all of the current homes on the market to sell. Right now, most areas in the St. Louis region currently have a 1½ – 2½ year supply of homes on the market. That is quite a sizable backlog of homes waiting to be sold.
The yearly supply number must be lowered if the housing market hopes to right itself in the near future. In order reduce the larger number of homes on the market a large number of first-time home buyers will be needed. People like, say, me.
Meg and I would love to buy a home, and we are pretty ideal candidates for a home loan. We both have steady, well paying jobs and good credit. The only thing we are missing is the sizable down payment needed for a loan. I bet you can see where I'm going with this…
So yeah, I'm a bit frustrated that this provision in the stimulus bill is being scrapped. The total cost of this provision would be $35 billion. That's only 10% of the $350 billion that was handed out to the banking industry at the end of last year. And thus far it doesn't seem like that $350 billion bailout has done much good.
Just yesterday Congress reamed the banking industry over their decisions on how to spend the initial bailout money. Then again, Congress should not have given the industry $350 billion with no strings attached. What did they think would happen? Is anyone really surprised that the same people who managed to bankrupt their companies didn't spend their government handout wisely?!?
While we're on the topic of the bank bailout, let me close with this cartoon that has been making the rounds on the internet lately. It's an old Calvin and Hobbes cartoon that sums up the current bank bailout rather nicely. That Calvin was ahead of his time.
The Captain
The Captain Catches The Skank Bus
Warning: This entry is mostly about VH1's Rock of Love . Anyone above this sort of activity please scroll down to the bottom for more cultured fare.
Ok, now that it's just us shameless types allow me to profess my love for this god-awful show. Currently in its third(!) season, Rock of Love is a celebrity dating show where skanky, unstable fame-whores compete for the attention of Poison's frontman Bret Michaels.
Normally I find dating shows like this unwatchable. The idea that one person can select a mate by simultaneously dating ten people living in a television studio cannot be taken seriously. Luckily, nothing about Rock of Love is remotely serious.
The first two seasons were terribly entertaining for many reasons: Bret using the adjective "awesome" to describe anything and everything, heavily intoxicated women trying to start cat fights, Bret's ultra-real-looking-and-completely-convincing blonde wigs,
the latest in stripper fashion accessories, and my personal favorite, the phrase "we connect on a party level."
The third season started airing in January, and has already exponentially increased the sleaze and ridiculousness. This time around, Bret loaded twenty women with serious daddy issues onto two tour buses and is now driving them around the Midwest in a race to the bottom. It's like a mobile STD clinic! Ingenious!1
While only a couple of episodes into this season, the show is already better than its predecessors. The first episode featured one contestant shooting alcohol out of a shot glass placed in another contestant's lady parts. Skank-tastic!
On last nite's episode, the Rock of Sore bus pulled into St. Louis! Imagine my excitement when the first stop in town was East St. Louis. The contestants competed in a challenge at our local skank-factory, Larry Flint's Hustler Club. After the challenge, Bret actually invited three girls from the club to join him on his mobile porn set tour busses. The girls agreed to join the show, and he rewarded them with a limo ride to Flamingo Bowl.
As you may recall, Flamingo Bowl was the location of my surprise thirtieth birthday party. That's right, the scumdog quarter-millionaire himself was right down the street from my place! Bret and his three new floozies bowled a round and had enjoyed food and beverages. This was remarkably similar to my party, except for all the hussies.
Bret also took three of the tarts to the Landing and hopped on the Tom Sawyer for a riverboat ride. Later Bret took the entire trampy crew downtown to the Orpheum Theater for the elimination round. At the Orpheum he decided to send home the cool, relatively normal girl instead of the one of the imbalanced freakshows with circus-tits. Way to do St. Louis proud!
If you didn't manage to catch this remarkable piece of trash/art yesterday, you are in luck. VH1 will be replaying this episode a bajillion times this week. Tune in and skank out St. Louis style!
And now let me shoot for a bit of redemption. Check out this clip of Radiohead playing with the USC marching band on last nite's Grammy award show. See, I like good stuff too. Really.
The Captain
1 Actually, putting these strumpets on a bus does add an tiny bit of reality to the show. Bret Michaels does not spend most of his time in a Hollywood mansion. Guys like him travel the Midwest in tour buses playing shitty rock festivals.


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Most who visit this site know how much I trust a Pharmacuetical compnay. Most are run by greedy arrogant trash that supposedly legally lobbies Congress to help pass healthy drugs.
Lost track again, this drug may or may not help you, as always do your research. Also look into Vitamin K, it seems somewhere along the way this healthy choice fell through the woodwork, most likely silenced by the afore mentioned greedy and corrupt Pharmecuetical companies.
Drinking a milkshake-style medicine at breakfast seems to feed brain cells starved from Alzheimer's damage, researchers reported Monday. It's one of four promising experimental drugs poised for large-scale testing against the brain-destroying disease.
The milkshake drug, called Ketasyn, is a dramatically different way to approach dementia. It hinges on recent research suggesting diabetic-like changes in brain cells' ability to use sugar for energy play a role in at least some forms of Alzheimer's.
Special fatty acids in Ketasyn offer an alternate food source to rev up those hungry neurons, researchers told an international Alzheimer's meeting here Monday. In a study of 150 patients, adding Ketasyn to their regular medicines produced a small but important boost in mental functioning - but only in people who don't carry an Alzheimer's gene called ApoE4. Still, that's about half of all patients.
"We see this as a co-therapy," not a way to stop Alzheimer's, cautioned Dr. Lauren Constantini, a former Harvard scientist now with the company Accera Inc. that is developing the drug.
Indeed, to stop Alzheimer's brain decay, most scientists have their hopes pinned on drugs that promise to prevent a sticky goo called beta-amyloid from clogging up patients' brains. And Monday brought frustrating news on that front: The first of those amyloid blockers to make it to large-scale, Phase III testing has hit a hurdle, and scientists will have to wait until at least month's end to learn if the much-anticipated drug Alzhemed really works.
The problem is statistical, said lead researcher Dr. Paul Aisen of Georgetown University: Hospital-to-hospital differences in other medication use among the study's 1,000 participants prevent an immediate clear comparison of Alzhemed's role. Working with the Food and Drug Administration, researchers are adjusting for those variations, Aisen told the Alzheimer's Association's dementia prevention meeting.
Stay tuned, he said: There are some hints that Alzhemed-treated patients fared better.
Other drugs highlighted
Eli Lilly & Co. hopes to halt beta-amyloid formation by blocking an enzyme called gamma secretase involved in its creation.
Among 51 patients given the still-unnamed drug, those who took the highest dose had a 65 percent reduction of beta-amyloid in their blood. The study didn't last long enough to tell if their symptoms improved, too, but the drop was so big that Lilly will begin a Phase III trial early next year to try prove the approach.
"This is a robust effect," said Lilly researcher Dr. Eric Siemers. "How could you not do a Phase III study?"
Also next year, scientists will begin a U.S. study of an old Russian antihistamine against Alzheimer's. A study of 180 Russian patients found the drug Dimebon improved mental functioning, patients' ability to care for themselves and some other measures, said Dr. Rachelle Doody of the Baylor College of Medicine.
After a year of treatment, patients' mental functioning hadn't gotten any worse than when they started. Scientists think Dimebon may have some capacity to save neurons from death, said Dr. David Hung, chief executive of manufacturer Medication Inc.
The milkshake drug Ketasyn follows the principle that when someone fasts, the body lives off stored fat. Ketasyn contains fatty acids that the liver metabolizes into substances called ketones, similar to what's produced during a fast. Brain cells can use ketones in place of sugar for energy.
That's also similar to the high-fat, low-protein ketogenic diet sometimes used for children with severe epilepsy. Manufacturer Accera is currently hunting funding for a Phase III study, and exploring different formulations for epilepsy and other brain disorders.
Finally, Elan Corp. plans a Phase III trial later this year that will infuse patients with immune-system cells called antibodies to attack the plaque clogging their brains. Elan earlier tried using a vaccine to spark patients' bodies to make their own antibodies; research halted when a handful of participants suffered serious brain inflammation. But Monday, Elan presented evidence backing the general approach: 4 1/2 years after the ill-fated vaccine study, 17 patients still harbor those antibodies, and their Alzheimer's has worsened much slower than their unvaccinated counterparts.
Ketasyn in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Trial Report


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It's official – I have no life
Someone I know through blogging recently commented that if my blogs are to be believed, I have a lot going on in my life. Flabbergasted that I was, I went and checked the first page of my blog to find out the sad state of my life.
The first page of my blog has about 14 posts. All it tells anyone about me is that I read lots of newspapers (I have quoted everything from Guardian to NY Times to apna local Dawn and Daily Times); I recently went to a beauty parlour and witnessed child abuse; I got called ugly by a random visitor to my blog. I also got published twice in one week and was proud to show it off to my five regular readers. It also tells one that I don't have a life, I only live to blog and get deliriously happy when I find out that people are reading my blog in places as far away as Colombia, Israel and Slovenia. Oh it also tells you how much I hate Dr Shahid Masood, not that it matters to him at all.
All it tells you that I have absolutely nothing going on in my life and the narcissist that I am; I like to believe that I rant in style and people should read and praise my tirades about everything under the sun because I am so good at it.


text: Hi everyone I would like to share how I am amazed by God through His words, promise and work in my walk with Him. So I was currently living in middle eastern country and working as a cabin crew. Everyday I meditate on God's word, pray and give thanks to Him. I feel that He is my best friend and I am overwhelmed by that. I tell Him every pains, every joy and every requests I do have in my heart. Last month, in our roster (monthly flying schedule) I have 4 days standby (meaning they can call us and make us operate in every country by which operation needed a cabin crew) so 3 days before my scheduled standby I prayed to God... saying.. " Yahweh, please give me European flight. If it is Europe then i request Lord please to have near Primark in Jesus name. Amen" I am requesting for Primark because I need to buy gifts for my family as I will have Manila (my home) flight on that same month. So I fell asleep and the morning after that I checked my cellphone, I got a message from operation department saying I will fly to Edinburgh, Scottland. I grin because Edinburgh is Europe! I got so excited to check the internet if there is a near Primark. While praying, to my surprise, the hotel that we are about to stay is very close to Primark! And when I got there there were lot of sale items! I am so overwhelmed and amazed on how God works! He not only answered our prayers but He exceeds our expectations. How amazing God is! Then in my first assessment, God again answered my prayers. My prayer was "Yahweh please help me in my first assessment, I am praying that my assessor will be kind enough to guide and understand me. In Jesus name. Amen" to my surprise, my assessor was not only kind and understandable but she is my flatmate! How joyful I was!!!! Whenever I feel lonely, worried and tired I just pray thanking Jesus for everything. I have lots of prayer request to God and sometimes I feel so impatient and wanted to do my own way. But whenever I feel of doing it, God reminded me to wait expectantly and walk by faith because He is in control. To God be all the glory and praise!


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CHAMPAIGN — If you made a New Year's resolution to quit smoking, help is available through the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
The district will offer the eight-week Freedom from Smoking program, starting Jan. 17.
The program is open to anyone in Champaign County age 18 and older for $20. Anyone who completes six of the eight sessions gets half the fee refunded.
Program coordinator Nikki Hillier said an eight-week nicotine patch supply is included with the program, and that's new this year. Participants used to get only a four-week patch supply, and had to buy their own patches for the other four weeks, she said.
It's generally tougher to quit smoking alone than with the help of program and support network, Hillier said, though some people are successful quitting solo.
"It really depends on the individual," she said.
But smokers do quit more successfully with both medication and a quit-smoking program in combination than using either alone, Hillier said.
Many insurers also require people using quit-smoking medication to take a class to help them break the psychological addiction and emotional and social ties they have to smoking, she added.
In the eight-week Freedom from Smoking program, the participants work together but also develop their own individual quit plans. The first two weeks are spent preparing, and then everybody quits together on the third week, Hillier said.
The rest of the classes are spent giving participants the tools they'll need for success, addressing such topics as other health behaviors, for example managing stress, she said.
"A lot of people relapse because they use cigarettes to cope with stress. Now they don't have that tool," Hillier said.
Another topic addressed is adding physical activity, she said.
People do tend to gain some weight when they quit smoking, Hillier said, but it's not inevitable — especially for those who add some physical activity.
The classes will meet at 5:30 p.m. at public health headquarters at 201 W. Kenyon Road, C. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required.
To register, contact Hillier:
By phone: 531-2914
By email: email@example.com [2]
The American Lung Association offers seven tips to make a resolution to quit smoking stick:
1. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about quit-smoking treatments or medications.
2. Look into help options available. See http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking [3]. Or call 1-800-586-4872 for suggestions.
3. Make a plan to quit: Pick a quit date (preferably not during a stressful time, such as near holidays) and mark it on the calendar. Have medications ready as the day approaches and know how you'll handle smoking triggers when they arise.
4. Get daily exercise to fight weight gain, improve your mood and boost your energy. Walking can help fight the stress of quitting.
5. Eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep.
6. Seek support from family, friends and co-workers.
7. Realize you don't have to quit alone and help is available online and in the community. Consider joining a stop-smoking program.


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Tamura, S. and Yoshinari, T., "Development of Electric Drive System for New Model Super Sports Hybrid Vehicle," SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-1685, 2016, https://doi.org/10.4271/2016-01-1685.
A three-motor hybrid system suitable for a super sports car was developed. This system features high power, light weight and high response, and has high cooling performance for high-load operation such as circuit driving.The power plant drives the rear wheels using the combination of a midship-mounted V6 twin-turbo engine, the direct drive motor of a hybrid system mounted directly on the engine, and a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The front wheels are driven by a twin-motor unit (TMU), and the size and weight of the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) that supplies electric power to the TMU has been reduced to enable mounting behind the seats inside the cabin. In addition, the IPU uses air-conditioner cooperative cooling to enhance the cooling performance. As a result, assist is performed even during high-load operation.By utilizing this system, driving force can be distributed properly to the wheels on both sides of front and the axles of back and front to maximize acceleration and cornering performance during all situations. As a result, direct vehicle behavior according to driver's intention is realized. Electric drive (E-Drive) system has achieved following:High-response powertrain and high acceleration performance are achieved by E-Drive systemImprovement of cornering performance by drive force distribution using three motorsHigh power output continuation for circuit driving by high cooling performance


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In the surreal world of North Korean tourism, you can feast on local delicacies served by lady comrades, watch an acrobatics show infused with Stalinist humor and climb a storied...
MOUNT KUMGANG, North Korea In the surreal world of North Korean tourism, you can feast on local delicacies served by lady comrades, watch an acrobatics show infused with Stalinist humor and climb a storied mountain covered with monuments celebrating the totalitarian Kim clan.
But be back indoors by the midnight curfew or face fines, questioning by authorities or, well, worse.
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This is Mount Kumgang, the fortified tourist compound where the Hermit Kingdom meets the Magic Kingdom, right down to Disney-esque guys in fuzzy bear suits greeting visitors. A window into hermetically sealed North Korea since foreign visitors were granted limited access five years ago, it lies an hour's drive north of the minefields and missile batteries lining the world's most heavily militarized border.
Here, tension is part of the attraction.
"Look, quick! North Korean soldiers!" one excited South Korean yelled to other tourists on a bus after spotting an armed squad marching by. They tripped over one another trying to get a better view.
The over-the-rainbow quality of the place offers a rare, if hyper-controlled, glimpse at life on the Cold War's last frontier.
"You are supposed to relax and have a good time," said Jang Whan Bin, senior vice president of investor relations at Hyundai Asan Corp., the South Korean company that financed and operates most of the resort. "But this is still North Korea. Things are quite different here."
On this mountain, about which the famous Chinese Sang Dynasty poet Sudongpo wrote, "I would have no regrets in my lifetime were I to see Mount Kumgang just once," the jagged cliffs and glistening waterfalls now take a backseat to homages erected to the Kims, the only father-son act in Stalinist history.
More than half a century ago, Kim Il Sung founded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea i.e., North Korea. His son, Kim Jong Il, took the helm following the elder Kim's death in 1994. The son is said to have entered this world on a mountaintop, his birth heralded by lightning bolts and a double rainbow. Recently named "Guardian of Our Planet" by the North Koreans, Kim Jong Il rules through a cult of personality that is alive and well in Mount Kumgang (also known as Diamond Mountain).
No act of the Kims is too small to be noted on these ancient rocks, now coated with more than 4,000 monuments, etchings and other commemorative inscriptions to the clan. A spot where Kim Il Sung is said to have appreciated the view is marked with a 6-foot stone tablet.
Most of this sprawling tourist complex, including hotel, hot springs and duty-free shops including Prada and Gucci, is run by Hyundai Asan, which each month brings in about 15,000 people, mostly South Koreans. The North Koreans feared so many foreigners would contaminate the minds of the locals, so the vast majority of employees here are ethnic Koreans shipped in from China.
But two restaurants do employ local staff, and it's there that foreigners have their best chance to interact with unarmed North Koreans. Waitresses wear '50s-style heavy makeup and modest attire. One nervous server fled from a table of foreigners every time she was asked a question. In another restaurant, a waitress looked stunned after a foreigner asked where one could buy a Kim Il Sung lapel pin like hers.
She tilted her powdered face skyward, raising one arm to gently cup the pin with her hand.
"This," she proclaimed, "is not fashion. It cannot be bought in a store." She went on, "This is a symbol of my love for the great founder of my nation."
Lest the mountains, lakes and tourist attractions lull you into a false sense of security, officials constantly remind guests that they are surrounded by a military installation that includes a naval base across the port from where a small cruise ship docks each week.
Photos here are limited to shots of the tourist installations and specified views of Mount Kumgang itself. And visitors are told not to talk to the locals about politics or economics. Two years ago, a South Korean woman merely suggested that her nation, which is 13 times as wealthy as the communist North, had a higher standard of living. She was arrested and held for seven days until Hyundai negotiated her release.


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MOVIE SYNOPSIS [ General Audiences ] Film of Jackie Torrens. Introduced in movie theaters in 2014, with a production coming from Canada. You can watch Edge of East online on TV cable or theaters with original audio in English at different dates. This film premiered in theaters in 2014.
Rating: 5 by 10 users./
Runtime: 45 minutes
Jackie Torrens.
45-minute film (full movie) directed by Jackie Torrens.
The original audio of Edge of East has dialogues in Dolby Digital, it was produced in Canada.
It premiered in cinemas or television in 2014.
Screenplay written by Jackie Torrens.
Kevin A. Fraser.
Jessica Brown.
This film was produced and / or financed by Peep Media.
Without commercial breaks, the full movie Edge of East has a duration of 45 minutes; the official trailer can be watched in streaming on the Internet. You can watch this full movie free in EnglishDolby Digital in movie TV channels, renting the DVD or with VoD services (Video On Demand player, Hulu) and PPV (Pay Per View, Netflix).
See the page of this full movie, Edge of East in FULLTV Movies.


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Rattle the Cage Trailer (2015)
24 September 2015 Thriller, Crime 96 mins
'Zinzana' is a psychological thriller set in a prison. Our hero finds himself locked in a cell with no I.D and no memory of what happened the night before. But being unable to make bail is the least of his problems when he's forced to play a madman's twisted game in order to save his family's lives.
Watch the official Rattle the Cage 2015 trailer in HD below or find more Rattle the Cage videos on Vidimovie.


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Despite a fall in unit values, experts are predicting strong capital growth for Canberra in the year ahead. Could 2010 prove to be a better year for property investors? Lauren Barker reports.
The ACT residential property market has experienced both a rise and fall in January 2010. The steady growth of 2009 has hit a snag for units in 2010, with the median value dropping from $393,000 in December 2009 to $386,500 in January 2010 – a fall of 1.65%. The average house value, however, has seen growth of 0.18% over the month, rising from $493,500 to $494,500.
Matthew Bell, economist with Australian Property Monitors, predicts that though price growth may soften in the first quarter, he expects "2010 will be a relatively strong year for house and unit prices in Canberra. I think it will take until later in the year, or even 2011, for interest rates to get high enough to dampen demand".
Phillips says that HIA expects continued growth in 2010, though perhaps a little weaker than experienced in 2009, on account of higher interest rates and the loss of first homebuyer grant subsidies.
Affordability takes a dive
These high property values, however, are having a negative impact on those wishing to enter the housing market for the first time. The HIA-CBA First Home Buyer Affordability Report has found that Canberra was among the top four Australian cities with the largest falls in affordability.
Phillips says the median price of a dwelling in Canberra is only slightly less than one in Sydney, Australia's most expensive city.
But this isn't necessarily bad news for investors. As housing prices continue to rise, rents are expected to climb with them. "Without the required new home building to keep up with underlying requirements, house prices and rents are expected to continue pushing upwards through 2010," says Phillips.
Rental yields have increased from 4.65% for houses and 5.31% for units in December 2009, to 4.75% and 5.4% respectively, in January 2010. Bell says that although rental yields in Canberra dropped in the past year as a result of price growth outpacing rental growth, he expects yields to only weaken slightly "as rental growth increases in 2010 and price growth moderates".
Growth on the top shelf
Bell explains that price growth in the Canberra property market has predominately come from the more expensive suburbs, as is the case across the board.
According to Bell, the top half of the market experienced far more capital growth than that of the bottom half. "Median prices in that top bracket of suburbs fell from $650,000 back down to just under $600,000, and now sits at about $711,000," he says. "So it's been partially a recovery of losses suffered at the top end during the global financial crisis, but has now gone well beyond that recovery to outright growth."
Top spots for investment
So where are the hot spots ripe for investment? Bell says that houses in the suburb of Narrabundah are looking good right now. "Both average days on market and stock levels fell in the six months to December 2009," he says, "and [Narrabundah] hasn't experienced the same rise in prices as the rest of Canberra over 2009, with median prices actually falling by -0.2%."
According to Australian Property Monitors, average prices in Narrabundah for the 12 months to February 2010 stand at $617,500 for houses and $406,000 for units. Average days on market are 66 for houses and just 21 for units.
Bell also picks inner-north Braddon as a suburb to keep an eye on, noting that units have had their days on market and stock levels falling, and are currently yielding 5.6%
Whether you are looking to buy your first home, move home, refinance, or invest in property, a mortgage broker can help. Access loans from all the major lenders, get help with paperwork – plus there is no charge for this service. Get help from a local mortgage broker
Top Suburbs :
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tweed heads south
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Very close to Albany Med & Law School, Pharmacy. 3BR, 1.5B Twnhs with Gar & parking for 2. Washer & dryer too. Nice hrdwd floors LR & BRs. Small deck off Dining area to yard. Great location - walk to Hibernian Hall, Playdium bowling or National Little league fields. 2 blocks to New Scotland Ave. too. Bright rooms. Open Dining area & kitchen. Same owner for over 40yrs. New roof. Taxes are est. Some updating needed.Buy for daughter / son attending school. Elderly Owner may be present for showings.
Listing information
- Year Built: 1968
- Status: Sold on 10/21/2016
- New Construction: No
- County: Albany
- Property ID: 103973556
- Beds: 3
- Total Rooms: 6
- Total Square Footage: 1,188 ($71.13 per sq. foot)
- School District: Albany
- Style: Townhouse
- Baths: 2 (Full: 1 3/4: 0 1/2: 1 Other: 0)
- Parking Type Description: Attached 1 car
- Lot Size: 28 x 84.5
Age Description Actual
Amenities Ceramic Tile, Sliding Glass Door, Wood Floors
Appliances Range W Oven, Refrigerator, Washer Dryer
Attic Hatch
Basement Part
Condition Very Good
Cooling Type Window A C Unit
Exterior Brick, Clapboard
Exterior Features Deck
Fuel Cost Description Budget Gas Electric
Garage Description Attached
Heat Fuel Natural Gas
Heat System Hot Air
Interior Features Garage Door Opener
Lot Description Level
Master Bedroom Second Floor
Other Fuel Cost - 70, Lot - 28 X 84.5, Possession - Closing, Tax Id Section - 64.84, Tax Identification Block - 3, Tax Identification Lot - 25
Roof Asphalt Shingle
Sewer Public
Sign Yes
Survey Yes
Total Taxes Description Estimated
Water Public
Dining Room Main Level
Kitchen Main Level
Living Room Main Level
Small deck Main Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Listed by Terry Gavin of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties 518-439-9600


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- If you have sagging breasts due to past pregnancies, genetics, weight loss, or aging.
- If the sagging is expected to be present after an implant.
- If your nipple-areolar complexes (pigmented areas around nipples) are enlarged or not similar.
A mastopexy or breast-lift operation is designed to improve the shape and position of the breasts without reducing their size. It is used for breasts that sag but are not overly large. Sagging of the breasts may occur with normal development for some women, or as a part of aging. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight loss are other conditions which increase breast ptosis (sagging). Some patients will achieve a better breast shape if an implant is used at the time of mastopexy.
Results can include:
- An elevated, more youthful breast contour.
- Nipple-areolar complexes of the desired size and at the correct height and similar location
The procedure is done at an outpatient surgery facility under sedation or general anesthesia.
There are a variety of techniques for these operations. Most commonly there is an incision around the areola and another between the areola and breast crease. This technique is referred to as the "lollipop" technique and avoids a long scar in the crease under the breast (older anchor technique). On occasion, especially with mastopexy, these incisions may be modified and more limited. If breast sagging is minimal, the procedure may only require the incision around the areola. It is unusual to use the "anchor" or "inverted T." This is an older method that creates as much as twice the scar and can flatten the breast, creating less forward projection and suboptimal shape.
The nipple-areolar complex is repositioned higher, the excess skin is removed, and the breast is reshaped to a pleasing contour that is more normally positioned.
In some cases, the insertion of an implant, may be advisable, or your own fat can be transferred to enlarge and shape the breast. This is the "California Breast Lift" or Natural Breast Enlargement.
ACTIVITIES: You make take gentle walks within a few days. Light activity may be started 7-10 days after surgery. If your work keeps you sedentary, you may return whenever you feel up to it. If your work is strenuous, wait until your work activity does not cause any superficial pain. Do not begin light aerobic exercise for 3 weeks and strenuous exercise for at least 6 weeks. Let your body tell you what it can tolerate.
DRIVING: You may drive when driving does not cause pain and when you are no longer taking prescription pain medication. This may be possible in 4-6 days.
SUTURES: You may go home in a bra or with only light dressings over the incision lines. Sutures are dissolvable therefore removal is not necessary, although exposed knots are sometimes removed in 2-3 weeks.
SHOWERING AND BATHING: Soap and water does not hurt healing incisions. You may shower after 3 days. Leave the adhesive strips or tape in place if they are adherent. If they come loose, snip loose edge. Do not pull these off.
WEARING YOUR BRA: A bra may be placed at the time of surgery or a day or two after. The bra acts as a "dressing," holding the breasts in position. If the bra feels too tight or hurts, switch immediately to sports type bra that feels comfortable. You should wear the bra at all times for at least three weeks. You will probably be more comfortable if you do not wear an underwire bra. You should always use support.
Initial discomfort is easily controlled with oral medication.
Scar therapy with scar maturation products (e.g. BioCorneum or Embrace) is recommended for the best scar and can be started a few weeks following your surgery.
All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk. Occasionally, minor complications occur and do not affect the surgical outcome. Major complications associated with this procedure are rare. The suitability of the breast lift procedure and specific risks may be determined during a consultation with Dr. Nichter or Dr. Horowitz.
If you would like to schedule an appointment, call (949) 565-2121.


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This well known national TMC in Perth has seen exceptional growth over the last 6 months and now needs additional consultants to join their already large team of experts. You will work Monday – Friday hours in a great central location. Servicing international and domestic travel requests you will be offered the highest salary in Perth plus amazing bonuses of up to $20K per year! If you have at least 12 months international corporate experience we can help you secure one of these dream roles! Call us today.
FOR ALL THE BEST VACANCIES VISIT www.aaappointments.com
NSW & ACT – 02 9231 6377 – firstname.lastname@example.com
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WITH Kim Schaefer 2 to 3:15pm SaturdaysThis 6 week Beginner Series focuses on developing a foundational understanding of yoga postures and will provide a basic explanation of the holistic and healthful reasoning behind the practice of yoga. In this series of classes, students will learn to move with the breath to increase flexibility & strength. Emphasis on safe alignment will assist students in maximizing the physical benefits of each yoga posture.
This series is perfect for the raw beginner and those who are interested in revisiting yoga basics. There is no yoga experience necessary and the series is suitable for those who have minor injuries.


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It's an outrage. In just the last few weeks, at least ten of Yellowstone's wolves have been shot and killed by hunters just outside the park's boundaries. At least seven of these wolves wore radio-collars and were critical to important long tern conservation research and ecological studies.
Yellowstone's wolves are protected inside of the park, but can be shot legally as soon as they cross outside of it. Hunters are luring wolves out of the park with dead animal carcasses and gut piles just beyond the border. In their zeal to kill wolves, the states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming permit these activities with no regard to the impacts that it will have on our National Parks and their wildlife.
The killing has gone too far. We, the undersigned, demand the states and federal government designate an emergency hunter-free buffer zone around Yellowstone National Park sufficient in size to protect the park's wolves, the removal of all hunting camps from this area, and the prosecution of anyone violating the rules. We demand that our government protect the wolves that our nation has come to love and cherish.
By signing, you accept Care2's terms of service.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.


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Gather up all those little extras that you can't live without in our pewter findings section. No beading project can be complete without essentials such as pewter spacers and pewter connectors. Our pewter rosary centers and pewter earring parts look especially divine with either fire polished beads or Swarovski® crystal beads. Turn your favorite piece of gemstone into a wearable work of art with pewter bead caps. Don't forget to check out our precious metal findings selection as well. Click here to learn about the safety of products that may fall under California's Proposition 65 lead warning.
288 PC $2.60 ($0.01 per PC)
864 PC $6.15 ($0.01 per PC)
2880 PC $16.30 ($0.01 per PC)
8640 PC $46.60 ($0.01 per PC)
20 PC $3.40 ($0.17 per PC)
40 PC $5.10 ($0.13 per PC)
150 PC $15.80 ($0.11 per PC)
4 PC $4.10 ($1.02 per PC)
8 PC $6.20 ($0.78 per PC)
24 PC $15.30 ($0.64 per PC)


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Contact Info / Websites
Entry #1
Well... me and my cousin have been getting into fruity loops. He is more into hip hop beats and i really like the metal/rock. It's so hard to make beats that really sound good and smooth. If anyone has tips or resources would be much appreciated.
Some really good video tutorials would be legit.
take care and happy new year!
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2011-06-15 22:30:58
Download here: http://cashload.org/5fcdf00e
She starts crying at the end.


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Ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been indicted for negligence in a rice subsidy scheme that incurred billions in losses. The case comes a day after she lost her position in the wake of a corruption case.
Thailand's anti-corruption commission chief, Panthep Klanarongran, confirmed on Thursday that the ousted prime minister could face impeachment over a failed rice scheme subsidy, which cost Bangkok at least $4.4 billion (3.16 billion euros).
"The committee has investigated and there is enough evidence to make a case. We will now forward it to the Senate," Klanarongran said.
The case could lead to an impeachment of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra by the Senate, after which she would be barred from politics for five years.
There was no immediate comment available from Yingluck.
Ousted for abuse of power
The latest charges came a day afterThailand's Constitutional Court found her guilty on abuse of power charges and removed her from her position as caretaker prime minister
. The case surrounded her illegal replacement of then-national security chief Thawil Pliensri with a relative in 2011 following her election.
The court ruled that she had used her status as prime minister to make the appointment for her own benefit, a charge she had denied.Yingluck has faced mass anti-government protests
during the past six months over other corruption allegations, including the rice subsidy scheme that returned to the spotlight on Thursday. Critics also accuse her of acting as a proxy for her exiled brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.The political upheaval
has left at least 25 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Thailand currently has only a caretaker government. Following snap elections in February, the Constitutional Court nullified the results because protesters had disrupted the polls.Deputy Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan was appointed prime minister
on Wednesday by Yingluck's cabinet after she was forced to step down.
kms/mz (AP, AFP, dpa)
Thai Premier Yingluck Shinawatra has been forced to step down after a court found her guilty of abuse of power. But the ruling may only contribute to prolonging the months-long political crisis, warns analyst Kim McQuay. (07.05.2014)
The political crisis in Thailand is not only threatening the economy of the Southeast Asian nation, but also undermining its leading role in the region, writes DW's Rodion Ebbighausen. (07.05.2014)
Thailand's caretaker prime minister has said he will see through planned July elections. Earlier, the Constitutional Court ruled that Yingluck Shinawatra was guilty of abuse of power charges and banned her from politics. (07.05.2014)
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and nine of her ministers were found guilty by the country's Constitutional Court of abuse of power. But while the opposition hails the ruling, a political solution seems far away. (07.05.2014)


text:
2012 Volkswagen Eos Surfaces Before L.A. Show Debut, Gallery 1
Volkswagen Eos Related News
Volkswagen is recalling a wide range of VW and Audi vehicles from the 2009 and 2010 model years to fix a problem with their antilock braking systems. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 135,683 cars in the U.S. are affected. CHECK OUT: 2018 Honda Odyssey video preview...Read More»
Another day, another massive series of recalls related to Takata's fatally flawed airbags. The devices have caused more than 100 injuries and at least ten deaths when they exploded after deployment, spraying vehicle occupants with shrapnel. Most of those deaths have occurred in the U.S. Two weeks...Read More»
Volkswagen has issued a massive recall for 420,000 CC, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Passat, and Tiguan vehicles registered in the U.S. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those models could suffer from a flawed component that may prevent a...Read More»
The first photos and product details of the 2012 Volkswagen Eos have surfaced, a few weeks before its official debut at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show. The new hardtop convertible goes on sale early next year with moderate updates to its styling and its interior. The front end now wears the slimmer...Read More»
Women like their cars small, inexpensive, foreign and hot. No, not hot in the muscular looks, twin-turbo powerplant, and growling exhaust note sense. Actually hot. They like to crank the heater up. That's the conclusion of a pair of new surveys on women and cars. The point isn't academic. It...Read More»


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Chipotle Mexican Grill takes pride in selecting great ingredients, and preparing them by hand using classic cooking techniques. Chipotle serves food that's made with respect for the animals, farmers, the environment, and you. From farm to foil, there's a direct connection between how ingredients are raised and how they taste.
Taste the difference and find a Chipotle near you at Chipotle.com
2017 Menu
Carnitas Taco
Barbacoa Taco
Enjoy a complimentary taco from Chipotle!
*Menu items subject to change


text:
Your liberty realtor in New Hampshire. I assist sellers in achieving a top dollar for the sale of their home, provide guidance for buyers through the purchase process, consult for investors on rental property acquisitions. I pride myself on service to my clients and on going the extra mile. For Read more [...]
KW Realty: Marika Yakubovich
Category: Goods & Services and Real Estate
Address: 168 S River Rd
New Hampshire
New Hampshire
Currency Accepted:
- Crypto (e.g. Bitcoin)
- Cash Fiat (e.g. Dollar)
Service Area:
- On-Site
- Local
- Regional
Phone: (603) 340-2122


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Last week's project for Home Management: Streamlined and Simplified was to track time and see how we were using it. I tracked my time for 5 days (skipping Sunday because our Sundays are pretty laid back family days once we actually make it out the door for church!). Tracking how I was using my time helped me to be more intentional about the way I spent my time.
One thing I realized was how much multitasking I do. Sometimes it was hard to know what to write down--since I check my facebook while I'm on hold on the phone, read for school while we're driving (while Ben is driving, that is!), etc. While sometimes multitasking does not help us be more efficient (like checking facebook while trying to write a blog post--ahem), there are definitely times when it allows me to do things I wouldn't otherwise have time to do.
I found there are a number of areas I would like to trim down if I can. I spent over an hour every morning doing my basic morning chores--tidying the living area, bedrooms, and cleaning the kitchen from breakfast. I have been working on teaching Katie to clean up the living area by herself, so teaching her account for part of that time. But, needless to say, I'd like to spend less time on basic cleaning if I can--because that didn't include bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting, etc.!
I also found that starting the day early made a big difference in productivity. If we get finished with breakfast and morning chores early, there is a lot more time for playing with the children, whereas if we get a late start, it seems like by the time I finish morning chores it's almost lunch time, and the nap-time follows, and then after nap it's time to start on dinner--so the days would go by without much intentional time playing with my babes!
I admit it was a wee bit tedious writing down everything I did for that long, but it was a profitable exercise and I know it will be useful in next week's project.
Week 2 Project:
Using our findings from last week's project, Rachel and I are going to be developing time budgets for ourselves this week. Like telling your money where to go in a written budget, telling your time where to go can help you insure you're spending your time on the things that matter most to you rather than frittering away 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there without ever accomplishing anything.
If you need more information on time budgeting, check out Money Saving Mom's helpful post on Creating a Time Budget. She also has an excellent free eBook called Time Management 101.
Be sure to read Rachel's post at Intentionally Simple about what she found this week tracking her time.


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Up to $500 Rebate on ENERGY STAR® Water Heaters
Replace your aging water heater with a qualifying natural gas ENERGY STAR model and you could save on energy costs, plus you'll be eligible for a rebate of up to $500.
Why ENERGY STAR?
Heating water typically takes between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of your home's total energy use. So it makes sense to install the most efficient model you can afford. Natural gas water heater efficiency is usually measured by an energy factor (EF) rating. The higher the EF rating, the more efficient the water heater. To qualify as ENERGY STAR, gas-fired water heaters must achieve a minimum 0.67EF rating.
Keep the tank, add some savings
ENERGY STAR non-condensing storage tank models have an EF between 0.67 and 0.70 making them more efficient than standard storage tank models (typically between 0.50 and 0.62 EF) operating in many homes today. As these models aren't as efficient as tankless and/or condensing technology, their price point is more affordable.
Go tankless to boost efficiency
ENERGY STAR tankless models have an EF between 0.82 and 0.99, making them much more efficient than standard natural gas storage tanks typically found in homes today. They also take up much less space, freeing up valuable square footage.
Tankless models don't store hot water, so they may not be able to meet many simultaneous demands like a storage tank can. Before deciding if you want to go tankless, consider the ways you use hot water at home, including appliances, faucets and the number of people using hot water at any given time.
Tankless not for you?
Consider a hybrid or condensing storage tank. Hybrids offer the best features of a tankless model with the added convenience of a small storage tank. Condensing storage tanks provide all the benefits of a traditional gas-fired storage tank, but at a much higher efficiency. You won't find an energy factor if you choose one of these technologies, but you will find a thermal efficiency (TE) rating. Rebate qualifying condensing storage tanks and hybrid water heaters will not have an ENERGY STAR® label at this time (both technologies are currently under review to be eligible for the ENERGY STAR label).
High Efficient Modulating Boiler, Heat Pump, Domestic Hot Water Combination System
Recently installed combination system utilizes the latest advances in the industry; allowing the heat pump to provide central cooling and heating through most of the four seasons, yet when temperatures dip into levels that it can't handle efficiently, the boiler system automatically takes over and meets the home's heating needs easily by modulating up and down as needed continually monitoring the outdoor temperature for reference as to how much heat the home requires. This system provides virtually unlimited hot water for domestic needs at 95% efficiency. This particular system is also set up to heat the indoor hot tub as well showing that, with a little planning, there are more bennefits to upgading to a new HVAC system than the home heating savings.
Furnace Replacement Pilot Program
Get $800 when you replace your old furnace (or boiler) with a qualifying high-efficiency model
Replace your energy-wasting furnace with a high-efficiency model that's 95 per cent efficient or higher. You may qualify for an $800 rebate. But hurry! To be eligible for the rebate you must purchase your new furnace or boiler by October 31, 2012.
What makes a furnace or boiler high-efficiency?
Today's high-efficiency natural gas furnaces and boilers are up to 98 per cent efficient. To qualify for the rebate, the model you choose must be at least 95 per cent efficient for furnaces and 94 per cent efficient for boilers.
Why replace your old furnace or boiler?
Just because something works, doesn't mean it's working efficiently. And if your furnace breaks down, repairs could cost you more in the long run.
So instead of fixing it, replace it and we'll give you an $800 rebate and perhaps some peace of mind, knowing that your heating system is more efficient and you'll be saving money for years to come.
Emergency replacements
The heating system must be in working order to qualify for the $800 rebate. Furnaces and boilers deemed unsafe to operate and not repairable will be considered emergency replacements and will not qualify for a rebate.
How to apply
- Review the Furnace Replacement Pilot Program terms and conditions.
- Choose and purchase an eligible high-efficiency furnace or boiler and have it installed by a gas contractor registered with the BC Safety Authority. You can find a list of contractors at fortisbc.com/findacontractor.
- Complete the customer application form in full and include a copy of your invoice showing details of all worked performed, including the purchase date, make, model and installation permit number. Don't forget to remind your contractor to complete their application as well. (Please note: incomplete applications will delay processing.)
- Mail your completed application and invoice to:
Furnace Replacement Pilot Program
P.O. Box 9090
Surrey, BC, V3T 5W4
If your application is approved we'll mail you a cheque. Please allow a minimum of 90 days to process.
- Furnaces and boilers must be purchased between September 1, 2012 and October 31, 2012.
- Applications must be submitted within 60 days of purchase or postmarked no later than November 30, 2012, whichever comes first.
ENERGY STAR Tankless Water Heater Program Rebates
Fortis BC has just launched the ENERGY STAR Tankless Water Heater Program for residential customers, offering rebates of up to $500 for a tankless water heater.
Non-Condensing Tankless water heaters with an efficiency rating of 0.82-0.89 EF qualify for a $400 rebate.
Condensing Tankless water heaters with an efficiency rating of 0.90-0.99 EF qualify for a $500 rebate.
Condensing Hybrid water heaters with an efficiency rating of 90-99% TE qualify for a $500 rebate.
Condensing Storage tanks with an efficiency rating of 90-99% TE qualify for a $1,000 rebate.
To learn more about this, contact us at 604-463-0652 or visit http://www.fortisbc.com/waterheater for more details.
HVAC Maintenance Maple Ridge – Testimonial
Deary Kerry: I am writing regarding your employee Chris. Having dealt with your company for some time now, I just wanted to express my feelings regarding your son as a trade person who works on maintenance of our HVAC. Chris is polite, courteous, knowledgeable and a real treat to have in the building. He cleans up after himself, is always very eager to please and is basically just a pleasure to have around.
He is still young and, as such today, often young people are void of everyone around them. However, that is not the case with Chris. He is a very nice young man and you should be very proud. Thank you. Yours truly, Lori Heighton.
Air Conditioning Installation Maple Ridge Testimonial
A couple of weeks ago, Kerry and Chris installed two split air conditioning systems in our home. With the recent heat wave, we've been really enjoying the new systems in our home.
The system allows us to cool specific zones within the home if we wish, or to cool the entire floor of the house. The systems are amazingly quiet and energy efficient and they even came with easy to use remote controls.
Chris and Kerry did an amazing job with the installation. The systems were installed professionally, the job was done right, and they didn't cut any corners. They ran the electrical for both of the units, all the piping, drainage and everything required to get the units installed.
They were on-time for the installation, completed it within the allotted time and everything that was required for the installation from our side was explained ahead of time. Unlike our experience with some other contractors, there were no last minute surprises.
Overall we are extremely happy with Chris and Kerry at Meadow Ridge Custom Heating and the new air conditioning systems they installed at our house.
~ Paul and Andrea Piotrowski, Maple Ridge, BC


text:
The Travel Collection With Trevor McDonald
Release Date: 10 September 2012 | Certificate: Exempt
£14.19 includes FREE UK Postage (other delivery options available)
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UK - Shipping Included
United Kingdom
Europe Zone 1 - £2.19
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland
Europe Zone 2 - £2.99
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Europe Zone 3 - £2.99
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Vatican City
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Others - £6.99
Falkland Islands
You Save: £25.80
Collection of programmes in which the former ITN newsreader sets out to experience the culture and customs of a variety of foreign countries. In 'The Secrets of the Caribbean' McDonald visits the largest of the region's 7,000 islands, Cuba, tours Sir Richard Branson's private island and visits his birthplace, Trinidad. 'The Secrets of the Mediterranean' sees McDonald look beyond the beach resorts and holiday hotspots of the Mediterranean to examine forgotten aspects of each country's culture, art, tradition and history. In 'The Mighty Mississippi' the newsreader sets out to journey along the full length of the Mississippi River. In the course of his journey, McDonald examines the legacy of slavery alongside the Mississippi, visits a man who was standing beside Martin Luther King when he was shot and talks to Morgan Freeman about an attachment to the river that saw the actor move back there after a 40-year absence.
Release Date: 10 September 2012
Certificate: E - Exempt from Certification
Region 2
Sound: Dolby Digital
Main Language: English
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Catalogue No: C4DVD10471


text: I'm making this thread as an opinion/poll thread. Post what you think are the 5 best movies ever made, no matter the genre. I'll go first. Going from number 1 to 5. Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Goodfellas, Gran Torino, and Shawshank Redemption. Mini-series (i.e. The Pacific, Band of Brothers, Generation Kill, ect) count. Have fun!


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Scrabbler will help you calculate scores of your Scrabble game for up to four players. It will also help to challenge or validate words by looking up official or customized Scrabble dictionaries.
- Score words
- Monitor cumulative scores
- Support for up to four players
- Dictionary look up
This is NOT a Scrabble game (at least not yet). It is a utility to score the game.
RequirementsMac OS X 10.4 or later
*Previously available here
Similar Software
Suggest other similar software