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One of the richest and most diverse regions on Earth, about 5% of all vascular plant species are endemic to the Tropical Andes region.
A unique plant species is an Andean bromeliad that requires 100 years to mature. The threatened yellow-eared parrot, yellow-tailed woolly monkey and spectacled bear are all endemic to the Tropical Andes.
This hotspot also maintains the largest variety of amphibians in the world, with 664 distinct species. Unfortunately, almost 450 amphibian species are listed as threatened on the 2004 IUCN Red List.
Although a quarter of its habitat still remains, the region is facing a variety of threats including mining, timber extraction, oil exploration, and narcotics plantations, which are all expanding due to the continual growth of many large cities in the region. The cloud forests are facing increased pressure from hydroelectric dams, and invasive species like the American bullfrog and grasses for cattle grazing are becoming problems as well.
The Tropical Andes spans 1,542,644 km², from western Venezuela to northern Chile and Argentina, and includes large portions of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Roughly bounded by the Tropic of Capricorn in the south and the end of the Andes range in Colombia and Venezuela in the north, the region follows the tropical portion of the Andes Mountains and several adjoining cordilleras. The Tropical Andes hotspot extends downward to an elevation of 1,000 meters in the west, where it borders the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena Hotspot. In the east, the hotspot reaches down to 500 meters in elevation, a cutoff between the forests of the Andean slopes and the Amazonian lowlands.
The great highs and lows of the Andes mountain range, with its snowcapped peaks, steep slopes, deep canyons, and isolated valleys, have led to the evolution of an amazing diversity of microhabitats and species. The Tropical Andes Hotspot contains the deepest gorge in the world - the 3,223-meter deep Cañón del Colca near Cabanaconde, Peru. The Andes also hold the highest large navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca, which sits at 3,810 meters on the Altiplano between Peru and Bolivia.
The Tropical Andes are sometimes split into northern and southern zones, divided by an arid, east-west valley that runs roughly along the Ecuador-Peru border in the far northern portion of Peru. In this valley, which is called the Marañon Gap or Huancabamba Depression, altitudes drop to about 500 meters, creating an important barrier to faunal and floral dispersal in the region. In the north, the hotspot is naturally more complex and fragmented, with the main Andean chain dividing into three cordilleras in Colombia, including the isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia's tallest mountain). In Venezuela, the Andes terminate with the Cordillera de la Costa, Cordillera de Caripe and Península de Paria in Venezuela.
Within the hotspot, different types of vegetation correspond to gradients in altitude. Tropical wet and moist forests occur between 500 and 1,500 meters. Various types of cloud forests extend from 800 to 3,500 meters, including the montane cloud forests (yungas, ceja de selva, or ceja de la montaña) that cover more than 500,000 km² in Peru and Bolivia and are among the richest and most diverse forests on Earth. At higher altitudes (3,000-4,800 meters), grassland and scrubland systems reach up to the snow line. These ecosystems include the páramo, a dense alpine vegetation growing on a thick mat of sponge-like, highly absorbent mosses and grasses in the cold, humid reaches of the northern Andes, and the drier puna, characterized by alpine bunchgrass species surrounded by herbs, grasses, sedges, lichens, mosses and ferns in the cold but dry southern Tropical Andes. In addition to these main ecosystems, there are also patches of dry forests, woodlands, cactus stands, thornscrub, and matorral found in this hotspot.
The Tropical Andes is home to an estimated 30,000-35,000 species of vascular plants, accounting for about 10 percent of all the world's species and far surpassing the diversity of any other hotspot. It is also the world leader in plant endemism, with an estimated 50 percent (and perhaps 60 percent or more) of these species found nowhere else on Earth. This means that nearly seven percent of the world's vascular plants are endemic to the 0.8 percent of the earth's land area represented by this hotspot. These numbers are only conservative estimates and are likely to be greater; between 1999 and 2003, nearly 450 new plant species were described from the Ecuadorian portion of the hotspot alone. There are also approximately 330 endemic genera, and a single endemic family, the Columelliaceae.
Describing the diversity and endemism of the world's richest flora cannot be accomplished in a single paragraph. However, a few important trends should be noted. The forests of the Tropical Andes are floristically different from their lowland counterparts in that they contain significant representation of Laurasian plant families and genera not found in the lowlands, as well as Gondwana-derived taxa. In general, diversity decreases with altitude within this hotspot, and endemism increases. However, the puna and parámo grasslands that extend from the cloud forests to the snow line are still very diverse, harboring as many as 800 species, many of these local endemics.
The region is home to a number of unusual plant species, including a type of high Andean bromelilad (Puya raimondii) that takes as much as a century to reach maturity, and an endemic palm species (Parajubaea torallyi, EN), that grows at the highest altitude of any palm on Earth (3,400 meters). The hotspot is also the center of origin for some of world's most important crops, including tobacco and potatoes, as well as the cinchona plant, which is the source of quinine. However, agriculture and timber production have imperiled significant portions of this hotspot; the magnificent Podocarpus-dominated cloud forests are largely gone.
BirdsThe Tropical Andes harbor more than 1,700 bird species, nearly 600 of which are endemic, a level of endemism that is unequaled in the world. In addition, the region has 66 endemic bird genera, and includes all or part of 21 different Endemic Bird Areas, as defined by BirdLife International. To put these numbers in perspective, consider the hummingbirds (Trochilidae). The eastern continental United States is the summer breeding ground for one species, but in the Nariño department in southern Colombia (one quarter the size of New York state), there are over 100 resident hummingbird species.
At present, nearly 160 bird species in the Tropical Andes are threatened, and at least one species, the Colombian grebe (Podiceps andinus), has gone extinct in the last century. Highly threatened birds include blue-billed curassow (Crax alberti, CR), Niceforo's wren (Thryothorus nicefori, CR), Fuertes's parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi, CR), black-breasted puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis, CR), Kalinowski's tinamou (Nothoprocta kalinowskii, CR), and royal cinclodes (Cinclodes aricomae, CR). The yellow-eared parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis, CR), reportedly common across Colombia and Ecuador at the turn of the 20th century, survives in two small populations in the Colombian Andes. Here in the Quindío wax palm habitat (Ceroxylon quindiuense, VU), which is the species' obligate habitat, ProAves Foundation is working on conservation initiatives that are buying the yellow-eared parrot a chance for survival.
The region is home to the spectacular Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), one of the largest flying birds on Earth. Hunted nearly to extinction, the condor is now making a comeback through conservation and reintroduction programs. The hotspot also boasts the greatest diversity of hummingbirds in the world, including the world's largest, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas), and the marvelous spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis, EN), appropriately named for its long racquet-shaped tail.
MammalsThere are nearly 570 mammal species in the Tropical Andes hotspot; about 75 of these are endemic and nearly 70 are threatened. The hotspot also has six endemic genera, each represented by only one species: Garlepp's mouse (Galenomys garleppi), the Andean rat (Lenoxus apicalis), little or mountain coati (Nasuella olivacea), puna mouse (Punomys lemminus), and fish-eating rat (Anotomys leander, EN), a species known only from the Andes of northern Ecuador and highly specialized for an aquatic existence.
The sixth endemic genus is one of the most important mammalain flagship species for the Tropical Andes, the yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda, CR), which was believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1974. It is the largest mammal endemic to Peru, and is only one of three primate genera in the Neotropics to be endemic to a single country. It is restricted to a small area of cloud forest in the northern Peruvian departments of Amazonas and San Martín. Other large mammals found in the area include the woolly or mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque, EN) and the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus, VU), which is the only bear in South America and is endemic to this hotspot.
The vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) – which along with the domesticated llama (Lama glama), the alpaca (Lama pacos), and the wild guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of four distinctive camel species found in the Tropical Andes – represents an important conservation success story for this hotspot. Considered to have one of the finest wools in the world, the vicuña was driven to the brink of extinction, until a sustainable-use program implemented in the 1970s led to its dramatic recovery.
ReptilesThere are more than 600 reptile species identified in the Tropical Andes hotspot (more than 270 of which are endemic) and three endemic genera, a level of endemism unequaled in the world for this class. The region's reptiles include the primitive tree boa (Corallus enydris), an arboreal snake which has a pelvis and vestigal hind limbs, and the Magdalena river turtle (Podocnemis lewyana, EN), found in the Rio Magdalena River basin.
AmphibiansThe Andes is the most important region in the world for amphibians, with around 980 species and more than 670 endemics. Eight amphibian genera are endemic to the Andes. The most specious of these is the frog genus Telmatobius, with about 45 species. Many other non-endemic genera are highly speciose; the frog genus Eleutherodactylus has more than 330 species, of which more than 250 are restricted to the hotspot.
The best-known amphibians from the Tropical Andes are the brightly colored poison dart frogs from the family Dendrobatidae. Some of these frogs are among the most poisonous organisms on Earth; others, like Epipedobates tricolor, which produces a compound more powerful than that of morphine, hold promise as the source of new medicines.
Unfortunately, the amphibian fauna in the Tropical Andes is also among the most threatened; around 450 species are listed on the 2004 IUCN Red List as threatened, and more than 360 of these are endemic to the hotspot. Although habitat loss is playing a major role in driving many of these extinctions, disease, particularly due to the pathogenic chytrid fungus B. dendrobatidis has had devastating impacts on amphibian populations in this part of the world. The stream-dwelling harlequin frogs of the genus Atelopus have been especially affected - of the 60-odd species of Atelopus occurring in this hotspot, 56 are considered Critically Endangered.
Freshwater FishesThere are more than 375 documented species of freshwater fishes in the hotspot, and it is likely that many more will be found along the Amazonian flanks of the mountains. Of these, more than 130 are endemic, including the members of the genus Orestias, which is represented by more than 40 unique species in Lake Titicaca and nearby drainages. All but a few of the 90 species of naked sucker-mouth catfishes in the family Astroblepidae are also endemic to the region
Human communities, including the great empire of the Incas, have lived in the Tropical Andes for thousands of years. Because the Inter-Andean valleys are the most hospitable to people, they are also the most degraded parts of the hotspot, with less than 10 percent of their original habitat remaining. At the other end of the spectrum, some of the least degraded parts of the hotspot include isolated regions in Venezuela and Colombia, and the eastern slope of the Andes in Bolivia, Peru, and parts of Ecuador. In Peru and Bolivia particularly, time still exists to establish reserves in areas of intact primary forests. However, the effects of a large and growing population continue to threaten biodiversity in the Tropical Andes. Several cities with millions of inhabitants, including Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador; Arequipa, Peru; and La Paz/El Alto, Bolivia, are located within the hotspot and continue to expand as their populations grow. In total, it is thought that no more than about 25 percent of the original vegetation of this hotspot remains intact.
In the cloud forests, agriculture, deforestation, dams, and road building are the most significant threats. At higher altitudes, seasonal burning, grazing, agriculture, mining, and fuelwood collection have degraded the grasslands and scrublands of the puna and páramos. Extensive cultivation of opium poppy has led to the clearing of thousands of hectares of montane forests and the spread of chemical herbicides through rivers and streams that pose additional threats to plant and animal species, especially amphibians. Guerilla activities associated with this trade often make it difficult to sustain conservation activities in the area safely.
In the lower altitudes, a new and serious threat is oil exploration and development on the eastern slopes of the Andes and the adjacent Amazonian lowlands of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. In recent decades, large oil and gas discoveries have been made in these areas, making the region a hydrocarbon hotspot as well as a biodiversity hotspot. Industrial and small-scale mining for diamonds, iron ore, gold, and bauxite also pose threats throughout the hotspot. The growing network of roads that accompanies this industrial development is also bringing waves of migrants fleeing economic hardship in the highlands.
Finally, invasive alien species, many of which were introduced as human food sources or to facilitate agriculture, threaten the survival of native flora and fauna. Alien species include exotic grasses used for cattle grazing, the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii), and the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), which can out-compete or even eat many native amphibians.
Despite the high level of threat in the Tropical Andes, a network of protected areas today conserves some of the most important remaining intact ecosystems in the hotspot. Protected areas cover some 16 percent of the original extent of vegetation in the region, although only about eight percent of the hotspot is protected in reserves or parks in IUCN categories I to IV. However, even these parks are not inviolate, and without adequate enforcement and monitoring, they can be damaged by settlement, poaching, and illegal logging.
One method for identifying priority areas for the expansion of protected area networks is by identifying sites for species that face the greatest risk of global extinction. Globally threatened species are best protected through the conservation of sites in which they occur; these sites are referred to as "key biodiversity areas" (KBAs). KBAs are discrete biological units that contain one or more globally threatened or restricted-range species, and can potentially be managed for conservation as a single unit. In the Tropical Andes hotspot, Conservation International and the BirdLife International partnership recently completed the identification of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which provide a starting point for incorporation of other taxonomic groups as we continue in the identification of KBAs throughout the region.
Because research has shown that small parks may not adequately protect biodiversity in the long term, conservation efforts in the Tropical Andes have focused on the need to add to and connect this network of protected areas. By connecting existing parks through corridors of protected areas and biodiversity-friendly, sustainable development projects, ecological processes like migration, dispersal, and gene flow among populations are enhanced. Conservation International has begun the implementation of the Cóndor-Kutukú Conservation Corridor, for example, that includes the following areas in Ecuador: Podocarpus National Park, Sangay National Park, Condor National Park, Cordillera de Kutukú and Cordillera del Cóndor. In Peru, the Corridor includes Santiago-Comaina Reserved Zone, Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary and Cordillera Azul National Park.
The most impressive conservation corridor in the Tropical Andes, and one of the largest in the world, has been slowly taking shape in the last few decades in southern Peru and adjacent parts of Bolivia, along the interface between the Andean and Amazonian regions. This corridor begins in Peru's Manú National Park, which at 18,812 km² is one of the largest rainforest reserves on Earth, and stretches through the 3,250-km² Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, parts of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone in Peru, and across the Bolivian border to the 19,000-km² Madidi National Park. From Madidi, the chain of protected areas continues with the Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve, the Chimane Indigenous Territory, the Beni Biosphere Reserve, and the Ulla Ulla reserve. The future of this promising biodiversity corridor depends heavily on effective implementation and enforcement of protective measures.
In recent years, a series of major conservation investments have contributed to conservation efforts in the Tropical Andes. For example, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) has committed to investing US $6 million in the Vilcabamba-Amboró Corridor in Peru and Ecuador, and the Global Conservation Fund has invested US $1.3 million in projects that have led to the creation of nearly 30,000 km² of new protected areas in the hotspot. Included in the projects supported by the GCF were two debt-for-nature swaps, one in Peru in 2003 and another in Colombia in 2004. Both of these were carried out in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the United States Government; they will provide US $10.6 million to 10 sites in Peru and US $10 million to five sites in Colombia over a 12-year period.
Other conservation efforts in the region include projects to mitigate the direct effects of large-scale infrastructure development and resource extraction, programs for the conservation and rehabilitation of specific species such as the Andean condor and the yellow-eared parrot, public awareness and participation, and the development of already degraded areas for agricultural production, rather than clearing standing forests.
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Gentry, A.H. 1977. Endangered plant species and habitats of Ecuador and Amazonian Peru. In G.T. Prance & T.S. Elias. (Eds.), Extinction is Forever. pp. 136- 149. New York: New York Botanical Garden.
Gentry, A.H. 1990. La región Amazónica. In C.C. Uribe et. al., Selva húmeda de Colombia. Villegas, Bogotá.
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Kessler, M. 2000. Elevational gradients in species richness and endemism of selected plant groups in the central Bolivian Andes. Plant Ecology 149: 181-193.
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The 2011 AMSA Annual Convention
AMSA is proud to announce our 2011 Annual Convention to be held March 10-13, 2011 in Washington, DC. AMSA's Annual Convention and Exposition is truly the place where medical and premedical students come together to learn, network and gain valuable experience enhancing their medical education. AMSA's convention attracts more than 1,000 students who are the future of health care and represent the best of the best in leadership. We invite you to learn more about the event and hope you will join us!
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Texas at Kansas State - 2/22/16 College Basketball Pick, Odds, and Prediction
Texas Longhorns (17-10) at Kansas State Wildcats (15-12)
College Basketball: Monday, February 22, 2016 at 7:00 pm (Bramlage Coliseum)
The Line: Kansas State Wildcats -2 -- Over/Under: See the Latest Odds
The Texas Longhorns and Kansas State Wildcats square off Monday at the Bramlage Coliseum.
The Texas Longhorns could use a win after losing three of their last four games. The Texas Longhorns are averaging 72.5 points on 43.7 percent shooting and allowing 67.9 points on 41.3 percent shooting. Isaiah Taylor is averaging 15.3 points and five assists while Javan Felix is averaging 10.9 points and 2.3 assists. Connor Lammert is grabbing 5.3 rebounds and Kerwin Roach Jr. is dishing 1.3 assists. The Texas Longhorns are shooting 33.6 percent from beyond the arc and 66.1 percent from the free throw line. The Longhorns are allowing 33.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 32.6 rebounds per game. The Texas Longhorns have lost five of their last seven road games.
USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas State Wildcats also need a win after losing five of their last eight games. The Kansas State Wildcats are averaging 70.9 points on 42.6 percent shooting and allowing 67 points on 42.1 percent shooting. Justin Edwards is averaging 12 points and 5.7 rebounds while Wesley Iwundu is averaging 12 points and 3.6 assists. Dean Wade is grabbing 5.1 rebounds and Kamau Stokes is dishing 2.7 assists. The Kansas State Wildcats are shooting 29.5 percent from beyond the arc and 68.9 percent from the free throw line. The Wildcats are allowing 29.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.4 rebounds per game. The Kansas State Wildcats have won 14 of their last 18 home games.
The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games and 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs. Big 12. The Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Monday games and 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall. The Longhorns are 3-7-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Kansas State and 5-15-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings overall.
Both teams are struggling a bit and could use a big win heading into the Big 12 tournament. While Texas may be the better team, the Kansas State Wildcats are tough at home, as we just saw Saturday against Kansas. The Wildcats should be able to pull this one out.


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Killer App for Insomnia Therapy
Killer App for Insomnia Therapy
While this article might look like it's about insomnia, it's the first in a 3-part series about treating bipolar disorder with as few medications as possible. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a major ingredient in a new psychotherapy for bipolar disorder; indeed, the latter is called CBT-IB, a bipolar-specific variant of CBT-I.
To be prepared to offer CBT-IB, you'll need to be familiar with plain CBT-I, where the good news is (as shown herein), a remarkable free app can help you provide research-grade therapy with little additional reading or practice. Once you're familiar with CBT-I, look for the next article in this series, on the important bipolar extension of this technique.
Surely you feel the pressure to reduce the use of benzodiazepines for sleep, because of their linkage with opiates and mortality risk.1,2 Sedative/hypnotics ("z-drugs" such as zolpidem and its cousins) also are associated with an increased risk of falls3 and other hazards.4
But simply offering patients a list of "sleep hygiene" recommendations is not likely to meet the needs of many patients. Some of them will view it with scorn, thinking it shows you really don't understand the severity of their insomnia.
Fortunately, a new smartphone app helps you offer much more than just sleep hygiene. With relatively minimal reading and practice, you can offer a comprehensive psychotherapy for insomnia: CBT-I.
The first ingredient in CBT-I's 3-component is still sleep hygiene, so have a good list, like the one from Harvard's sleep program in the Table.
Two more ingredients make a therapy
Now add typical CBT: cognitive techniques include eliciting the typical thoughts your patient will have while lying awake ("I will feel terrible tomorrow," "If I don't sleep, I can't work," etc), then exploring alternative thoughts and experiments to test them. Behavioral techniques include breathing training, simple meditations (eg, this free collection from the UCLA Mindfulness Research Center), and paradoxical intention (remaining passively awake).
The final ingredient in CBT-I is the most challenging for both patient and therapist: sleep restriction therapy. It relies on the second drive to sleep, in addition to circadian rhythm: progressive sleep deficit (aka, homeostatic drive). Simply put: the longer one goes without sleep, the greater the pressure to do so, although genetic and environmental factors are also involved (here's a detailed review of this 2-process model).
In sleep restriction therapy, patients with insomnia are invited to estimate the amount of sleep they're actually getting. They are then allowed to spend only that amount of time in bed (with no naps). When the resulting additional sleep deficit improves their sleep efficiency (time asleep relative to time in bed) to 90% or more, they are then allowed to add additional time in bed, as long as their improved sleep efficiency is maintained.
Now that's got teeth, doesn't it? Unless CBT-I was more effective than pills, who would want to go through that?


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Note from Commissioner Chairman Rob Jones
Chairman Robert P. Jones of the Pickens County Board of Commissioners is pleased and proud to announce that the final payment on the renovation and expansion of the Pickens County courthouse was made on May 30, 2014. The modem up-to-date facility was completed in 2013 and dedicated to service tha... more
Marble Valley Friends, a historic preservation/educational organization headquartered in Tate, will again sponsor the Greg Burgess Elvis Tribute Show at the Old Tate Gym. Performance date is June 14th. Doors will open at 6:00 P.M. for a 7-9 p.m. show. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Ticket pri... more
Two-year-old, female, short coat Chihuahua dog
If you are looking for a loyal and fun companion, a buddy for one of your pets, someone to talk to, take rides with, or hold in your lap, please consider the following pet who needs a forever home to fill with laughter and love: Hi! I am Pixie, the dancing Chihuahua. You should see me d... more
Roxanne Janes is a regular vendor at the market, selling eggs, chickens and several choices of homemade breads, but she doesn't usually have any chickens with her. This week she did; a cage with five adult hens who were on their way to their new home, having been ordered in advance. Which gives me... more
Round Table Luncheon June 12th
The subjects of Tea Party conversations are unlimited; and in an election year, the numbers of areas of concern and interests are many and varied. Tea Partiers across the United States are united in their principles -- Constitutionally Limited Government or your Personal Freedom and Your Rights, ... more
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127 Building Permits to date in 2014....
Five performances left: June 13, 14, 15, 20 & 21
Ever had that nightmare where youre on stage, cant remember your lines, sound cues dont happen and your fly is open? Play On!, the latest offering from Tater Patch Players, brings your nightmare to life and delivers laughs aplenty. A cash-strapped community theater agrees to produce a young au... more
Class size is limited and registration is required
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six session educational program designed to help caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend. You will benefit from this class whether you are helping a parent, spouse, friend, someone who lives at home, in a nursing home, or across th... more
(Acworth, Ga.) Tamika Phillips knows that her role at Chattahoochee Technical College will be tough with the pressure to address the needs 50,000 adults of Bartow, Cherokee, Gilmer and Pickens counties who do not have a high school diploma. As the colleges new Executive Director of Adult Education,... more
The Talking Rock Town Council recognized Ms. Godfrey as their oldest resident, at their regular Town Council Meeting June 5. 2014 and presented her with a plaque and well wishes. Ms. Godfrey turned 90 Sunday June 1, 2014, family and friends gathered at her home in Talking Rock to honor and wish ... more
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It has been a busy month once again acquiring equipment, doing grant research and completing the final steps to organize the public safety day on June 7th....
On June 6, 2014 at approximately 10:30 the Pickens Sheriffs Office was notified of a shooting incident at the Forsyth County Courthouse. Although there was no direct or implied threat to the Pickens County Courthouse, Sheriff Craig issued immediate safety alert based information obtained by the Fo... more


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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed The Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act legislation into law extending protections against discrimination based on consumer credit history to applicants and employees within the city. The law takes effect on or about September 3, 2015, and will amend the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). New York City joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the city of Chicago in limiting the use of credit checks for employment purposes.
The new law makes it "an unlawful discriminatory practice for an [New York City] employer, labor organization, employment agency, or agent thereof to request or to use for employment purposes the consumer credit history of an applicant for employment or employee, or otherwise discriminate against an applicant or employee with regard to hiring, compensation, or the terms, conditions or privileges of employment based on the consumer credit history of the applicant or employee." "Consumer credit history" is defined as any information bearing on an individual's credit worthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity, including but not limited to an individual's credit score, credit account and other consumer account balances, and payment history.
The following employers and positions are excluded from coverage:
- An employer that is required by state or federal law or regulations, or by a self-regulatory organization (as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to use an individual's consumer credit history for employment purposes;
- The position is for a police officer or a peace officer, or has a law enforcement or investigative function at the Department of Investigation;
- The position is subject to background investigation by the Department of Investigation, provided that the appointing agency may not use consumer credit history information for employment purposes unless the position is an appointed position in which a high degree of public trust (as defined by commission on human rights rules) has been placed;
- The job requires an employee to be bonded under city, state, or federal law;
- The position requires an employee to possess a security clearance under federal law or the law of any state;
- The position (a) has signatory authority over thirdparty funds or assets valued at $10,000 or more, or (b) involves a fiduciary responsibility to the employer with authority to enter financial agreements valued at $10,000 or more on behalf of the employer;
- The job has regular duties that permit the employee to modify digital security systems established to prevent the unauthorized use of the employer's or client's networks or databases.
- The job is for a non-clerical position that has regular access to intelligence information, national security information, or trade secrets;
Trade secret is defined to include information that: (a) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; (b) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy; and (c) can reasonably be said to be the end product of significant innovation. The term "trade secrets" does not include general proprietary company information, such as handbooks and policies. "Regular access to trade secrets" does not include access to or the use of client, customer, or mailing lists.
Additionally, employers are able to request or receive consumer credit history information through a lawful subpoena, court order, or law enforcement investigation.
Individuals will be able to file a complaint with the New York City Commission on Human Rights or file an action directly in state court. Successful plaintiffs may be able to recover back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees and costs, reinstatement, and/ or other equitable relief.
New York City employers should note that as of September 3, 2015, subject to limited exceptions, they may not utilize credit reports, bankruptcies, and liens to disqualify applicants from employment. Further, New York City employers should consult with counsel to review their application forms, offer letters, and handbooks to ensure the removal of any reference to credit checks for positions that do not meet one of the law's limited exceptions.
All employers should remember the Fair Credit and Reporting Act requires employer to obtain written permission from applicants or employees prior to procuring a consumer report and imposes additional requirements on employers who use information contained in an individual's consumer report to take an adverse employment action.


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Acclaimed as "one of the West End's true modern classics" (Metro), WICKED is already the 17th longest running show in London theatre history and is currently in its 11th year at the Apollo Victoria Theatre where the "hugely popular show" (The Times) recently welcomed its 8 millionth theatregoer. Around the world, WICKED has now been seen by over 50 million people in 15 countries, and won over 100 major awards.
Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagines the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Running time
2hrs 45mins
The producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
Circle row A Restricted View warning - Balcony wall (row A). It is recommended that these seats are for customers who are 5'8" (173cm) or taller but are suitable for most adults.
Find out more about the venue for your show: Directions, Transport options and facilities.
The theatre can be seen opposite the station.


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Terry Scarborough, a lawyer for TRMPAC, similarly said he considers the transaction legal.
Jonathan D. Pauerstein, a lawyer for Ellis, who signed the TRMPAC check, said he also considers the transaction legal and noted that matching dollar exchanges of this kind between state organizations and federal parties are common among Democrats as well as Republicans. If they constituted improper laundering, "lots of Democrats and Republicans around the U.S. would have soap on their hands," he said.
Help From Friends
TRMPAC played a central, but not unique, role in DeLay's project, which included other political organizations and was assisted in the end by a key Texas lawmaker.
The nonprofit Texas Association of Business spent $1.9 million in corporate money in 2001 and 2002 to send 4 million letters to voters in many of the same districts where TRMPAC's efforts were concentrated. The group is now a target in the investigation, but its lawyer, Andy Taylor, said it is not subject to the same laws as TRMPAC and did nothing illegal.
The Texas lawmaker who played a critical role in the project was state Rep. Tom Craddick (R), a DeLay ally who was running for House speaker in 2002. On Oct. 21 of that year, TRMPAC sent checks for 14 Republican House candidates to Craddick's office; his office then mailed the checks. The grand jury is now looking into whether this or other actions taken in connection with the speaker's race amounted to using "money or things of value" to influence the outcome of the speaker's election, a violation of state law.
Craddick's lawyer, Roy Minton, said that "there is absolutely nothing illegal" about any actions Craddick took in connection with the race.
In all, 17 House members who received money from TRMPAC were elected. Craddick was elected speaker in a secret ballot, and in May 2003, as the redistricting plan came to the Texas House floor, he ordered state police to help track down Democratic lawmakers trying to boycott the vote. The effort was closely coordinated with DeLay, whose chief political aide Julie Ann Sullivan telephoned the Federal Aviation Administration to find a plane used by some of the Democrats.
The House approved the redistricting plan on Oct. 12, 2003. TRMPAC never reported the bulk of its corporate spending to the Texas Ethics Commission; it was reported only to the Internal Revenue Service, a discrepancy first noticed by a nonprofit advocacy group called Texans for Public Justice. Scarborough, the TRMPAC lawyer, said he believes reporting of this spending in Texas was not required by law.
But Karen Lundquist, the Ethics Commission's nonpartisan executive director, said all expenditures derived from corporate money -- whether for administrative purposes or not -- should have been reported. She also said the rules governing spending by political action committees are clear: Corporate money cannot be used for politically related expenses, such as fundraising and vote drives.
Staff researcher Lucy Shackelford contributed to this report.


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Massage Envy7246 191st St, Tinley Park, IL map
Burt's Reflexology Clinic1374 Main St, Crete, IL map
Elements Salon SPA Retreat15255 W 101st Ave, Dyer, IN map
Lestari SPAServing Mokena, IL
Oasis SPA & Tanning3033 Chicago Rd Ste 1, South Chicago Heights, IL map
Pharmacyofnature Inc12420 Archer Ste E, Lemont, IL map
In Touch Therapeutic Massage(by Appt. Only)1308 119th St, Whiting, IN map
Concepts in Massage LLC9515 Indianapolis Blvd Ste 6G,, Highland, IN map
Ortho-Bionomy (R), Reflexology, Scar Tissue Release, Trigger Point Work, Myofascial Release are the techn... more
Denise J Mcgrew IMT4747 Lincoln Mall Dr Ste 200, Matteson, IL map
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Product Description
Two Drawer Rustic Aspen Ridge Log Nightstand
Another great addition to our Aspen Ridge series is our Two Drawer Log Nightstand. It will make a perfect counterpart for your rustic bedroom retreat. It features four rounded log corners and two hand-crafted smooth sliding drawers. Multiple layers of protective urethane are layered on the top, with the front and sides hand rubbed with natural beeswax. One of our most popular aspen nightstands has become a part of our Aspen Ridge collection. It's sure to add more flare to your rustic bedroom.
Check out the rest of our Aspen Ridge collection.
|24 w x 21" d x 25 3/4" h 45 lbs
|Clear Finish
|Typically Ships Via
|Motor Freight - LTL - Semi Truck
|Shipping Cost
|Free Shipping - Curbside/Tailgate Delivery
|Free Shipping Requirements
|Free Curbside/Tailgate Shipping when ordered with another item in the same collection that ships free via Motor Freight
|Usually ships in 2 - 4 weeks
|5 Years
|Wood Style
|Log - Sanded


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Tigers Bounce Bobcats From Baseball Playoffs
ROSMAN, N.C. On Friday evening the Tigers rallied from a 2-0 deficit with six runs to bounce Blue Ridge from the 1-A baseball playoffs.
Rosman scored two in the fifth to knot the game at two apiece before tacking on insurance runs in the top of the sixth and seventh.
The Bobcats scored in the home half of the second on a leadoff double and two-out single.
They tacked on their second run i...
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text: Guys, I've gotten the opportunity to trade my current silver HTC Desire, which I truly love. For a brand new HTC Desire HD. Should I go for it or not? No sneaky catch, it's just my mom needs a new phone, she doesn't care what phone. So I could get a Desire HD with this and she gets my 'old' Desire.


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Companies worldwide are wasting millions of dollars every year on outdated cybersecurity solutions in an effort to keep their networks secure as their organizations become more distributed and cloud applications become standard in the modern workplace.
With 50% of the U.S. workforce now working remotely at least part of the time and employees increasingly relying on SaaS applications — such as Google Docs, Salesforce, Box and Slack — networks have become more distributed and complicated than ever before. But traditional network security solutions have not kept pace and the costs of securing modern networks with antiquated web gateways have skyrocketed.
Traditional web gateway security solutions have become obsolete because they require cumbersome backhauling of data and expensive hardware appliances in order to meet the complex and growing needs of today's distributed organizations.
Did you know:
- Organizations using legacy secure web gateways are forced to use private multiprotocol label switching links (MPLS) to ensure security and performance of network traffic between remote offices and headquarters
- MPLS links have a price/performance factor of more than 400x compared to best available high-bandwidth pricing from providers such as Comcast Business Internet and Verizon FIOS
- The presence of these MPLS links from each remote office requires more data capacity at headquarters. For example, adding 100 Gbps of bandwidth to 10 remote offices requires adding an additional 1000 Gbps in hardware capacity at headquarters.
- The additional legacy gateway appliances to support this increased traffic can cost in excess of $500,000 per appliance.
On Thursday, April 27 at 12 p.m. ET, Dan Cummins, 451 Research Senior Information Security analyst will join iboss CEO and co-founder Paul Martini to discuss these issues and more on a webinar titled: The Network Security Paradigm Shift – 5 Essential Optimization Strategies. Follow this link to register: https://www.iboss.com/the-network-security-paradigm-shift-5-essential-optimization-strategies.
Earlier today, iboss launched the first and only Distributed Gateway Platform offered as a 100% SaaS subscription service that redefines the way cybersecurity is delivered and managed. The iboss Distributed Gateway Platform offers advanced security capabilities, including real-time malware detection and response, content filtering, stream-based protection across all ports and protocols, behavioral analytics, mobile device management, and sandboxing in one comprehensive and unified platform.
Unlike legacy appliance gateways, "bolted-on" hybrid approaches, or cloud-only solutions, the iboss Distributed Gateway Platform is based on a revolutionary architecture that is 'built for the cloud' and delivers operational, financial and technological benefits not available anywhere else:
- Eliminating the need to buy expensive hardware appliances
- Saving customers hundreds of dollars per Mbps of bandwidth every month
- Significant datacenter savingsby reducing power needs, space requirements and operating costs
- Easily scalable and able to grow as bandwidth and cloud demands increase


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Fremont soccer fans have one less place to call home.
Azzurri Vino Bar, which was named "Best Place to be a Rabid Soccer Fan in an Authentic Atmosphere" by the Seattle Weekly last year, has officially closed. The signs have been taken down, the bar has been cleared out and the building is now for lease.
No official word yet on why it closed down. As someone who doesn't drink a lot of wine and doesn't care for Italian football, I never made it in myself. Oh well.
The ever-changing Fremont bar scene rolls on…
H/T: Laser


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Every week, our intrepid jackass . . . sorry, senior insider Ray Ratto votes in the Associated Press College Football Poll. This is this weeks repeated stab at perfection.
RANKTEAMLAST WEEKTHIS WEEKCOMMENT1Louisiana StateBeat West Virginia, 47-21KentuckyBig win on the road should open an eye or two2AlabamaBeat Arkansas, 38-14FloridaOne more swing through the grinder3Boise StateBeat Tulsa, 41-20NevadaLast year, this one killed a title. This year, no4OklahomaBeat Missouri, 38-28Ball StateThe Fightin' Lettermens are 3-1, could be big. But won't be5Virginia TechBeat Marshall, 30-10ClemsonProbably the biggest game on the card next to Duke-FIU6Oklahoma StateBeat Texas A&M, 30-29Beer PongBig comeback at A&M will linger awhile7StanfordYardworkUCLABruins scuffled with Oregon State, not a good sign8WisconsinBeat South Dakota, 59-10NebraskaConference season begins with a bang9ClemsonBeat Florida State, 35-30at Virginia TechWinner takes the conference10South CarolinaBeat Vanderbilt, 21-3AuburnEventually, it catches up to them11OregonBeat Arizona, 56-31Fixing rain guttersFixing rain gutters Coming from off the pace impressively12Texas A&MLost to Oklahoma State, 30-29at ArkansasA nice traditional SEC test13South FloridaBeat UTEP, 52-24at PittWatch the Big East . . . well, wither and die14NebraskaBeat Wyoming, 38-14at WisconsinCovering the W schools as best they can15FloridaBeat Kentucky, 48-10AlabamaAll-in in Gainesville16Georgia TechBeat North Carolina, 35-28at NC StateNC State got whipped by Cincinnati; you be the judge17MichiganBeat San Diego State, 28-7MinnesotaA conference breather right away18TexasPlotting to rename Big XIIat Iowa StateTwo unbeatens, for awhile19ArkansasLost to Alabama, 38-14Texas A&MCould kill the season if it doesn't go right20West VirginiaLost to LSU, 47-21Bowling GreenTrust me, it won't feel the same21BaylorBeat Rice, 56-31at Kansas StateThe Fight For No. 20; makes your blood boil, don't it?22IllinoisBeat Western Michigan, 23-20NorthwesternASU beating USC was better for the Illini than this23Arizona StateBeat USC, 43-22Oregon StateNice reward after big performance24Texas ChristianBeat Portland State, 55-13SMUThat early loss to Baylor is healing nicely25UtahPut up storm windowsWashingtonGood litmus test for down the road


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Your retirement should include some of the best days of your life, giving you time to spend with your friends and family and exploring new places and hobbies. We help you plan to make each moment count by giving you added confidence that your retirement savings will last.
Whether you want to invest aggressively or take a conservative approach, we can help create a plan to match your investments to your specific individual goals. Our unique Defensive Tactical Investing style is designed to capture market gains during periods of growth, while seeking to protect against catastrophic downturns.
There are several things you can do with your assets from an employee-sponsored retirement plan. We can help you create a plan to maximize your rollover for retirement and minimize taxes.
You've worked so hard for what you've earned. That's why we implement strategies to help reduce taxes on your retirement assets so you can keep more of what you've made. It's not just about what you earn, but what you keep.
Protect your retirement assets from market downturns without the downside risk that comes with investing in the markets. With an annuity, you can help diversify your assets and provide the option for a lifetime of retirement income.
Plan ahead for every circumstance. With the right life insurance policy, you can protect your family, provide for your beneficiaries, and help cover the cost of the unexpected.
You never know what's around the corner. We can help prepare you financially for long-term care services you may need so that a health crisis doesn't derail your retirement savings.


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As a business advisor I am contacted daily by business owners that want me to assist them in taking their business to that fabled 'next level'. I always start off with a very simple question: "What is your next level?"
90% of the time the penny drops, as the answer is always the same. Not a clue! We all want to grow, improve, become more profitable but that is as generic as 'I want to be more strategic!'
If you don't know where your business is either going, or needs to go, or how you're going to get there, you need to define the path that lies ahead very clearly and apply creativity, practicality and relevance.
Where do you start? Well you need a plan.
Crafting a strategy for a smaller business
The strategy journey for any business is mission critical for success, especially an SME. We often fall into the trap of thinking that we need a 40 page strategy document using various models and frameworks to come up with something that pretty much mirrors what it is that we knew we needed to do in the first place!
I personally favour the 'one-page strategy'. Don't take this too literally. Keep it short, focused and relevant.
Remember that the strategy itself is not as important as the effective implementation of the required actions to achieve it. What are the steps to craft a powerful strategy for your business?
Define what your goal or 'next level' is
Where do you want to take your business? Do you want to grow your number of customers, your revenues, profits, products or markets? The list goes on and on. You need to map this out. Understand what it means to your business.
Do you have the resources and the time? What are your challenges? Is your 'next level' achievable and sustainable? This phase of your process should be filled with hundreds of questions. When you can start answering all of the questions you will start realising that you are on track to define what the 'next level' is for your business.
Start with the foundation that you have built
Always attempt to leverage the momentum that you have already built. There will be times when you need to make a radical shift in another direction. Perhaps if you sell analogue fax machines in Silicon Cape it may be time to look at a new direction.
However, in this example your momentum is your ability to sell. Leverage that in your new direction. You truly need to understand your business in order to move it forward effectively. We will pick this up in a subsequent article.
Don't plan too far in advance
The days of planning a three to five-year strategy are gone. If anyone can predict what lies ahead in excess of 18 months you have some very real talents. It's important to not live with a short term focus and have a longer term 'direction', but focus on delivering on the first 12 months without fail.
There will be more than enough variables for you to have to deal with without you worrying about some potential issue in 48 months-time! I am yet to come across a strategy that remained intact, irrespective of the period.
Determine what you need to get there
Do you have the resources, time and skills in your business to get to where you need to go? Understand what is required in order to achieve your 'next level'. If you are planning on moving into a new market do you need to recruit someone that understands the technical side of that market? Do you need to raise additional funding?
Map out your 'Path to Success'
This is the most important step. Translating your strategy or plan into tangible actions is what will ensure that effective execution takes place. Map your action in detail.
If you can translate a 12 month strategy into weekly actions you will ensure momentum is maintained, you will measure whether your plan is relevant and can re-assess and make small changes along the way (if required). You will be working with reality as defined by the market.
Working through the actions and executing them effectively will result in a discipline that will entrench the strategy into your business.


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Revive Music Presents:
Derrick Hodge
The Cutting Room
44 E. 32nd St.
New York, NY, 10016
Doors 7:00 PM / Show 8:30 PM
Derrick Hodge
Live Today signals a new journey for bassist and composer Derrick Hodge as he embarks on a solo recording career. The title alludes to his top guiding principle in creating his debut album, a stunning achievement that showcases the profound depth and breadth of his musicality. "This whole album was putting on my composer's hat, but letting go and making sure that I'm giving people raw examples of how I feel on any given day," he explains.
Even though Hodge has played with such jazz titans as pianist Mulgrew Miller and trumpeter (and labelmate) Terence Blanchard, as well as R&B stars Jill Scott and Maxwell, the 33-year-old bassist is probably best known for anchoring the Grammy award-winning Robert Glasper Experiment. Similar to how Glasper concocts a distinctive mélange of modern jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, Live Today too integrates those genres and more into something that's potent and personal. However, it is no Experiment offshoot. Similarities aside, the Live Today asserts a unique sound.
Glasper does contribute on several songs on Live Today, as do the rest of the Experiment members: saxophonist/vocoderist Casey Benjamin, and drummers Chris Dave and Mark Colenburg. Hodge, however, cast a wider net for recruiting musicians. The diverse cast includes rapper Common, singer/guitarist, Alan Hampton, keyboardists James Poyser and Aaron Parks, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Keyon Harrold, and the American String Quartet, among others.
As a bassist, Hodge tucks in his virtuosic prowess to focus more on the overall compositional sound. "I didn't think so much about the timbre and the sound of the actual instrument that I play when I wrote this music," he says, "I gravitated toward the band sound and worked within that framework."
$20 Advanced - $25 Day of Show
Tickets Available at the Door
Upcoming Events
The Cutting Room
Fri, November 17
The Cowsills
Fri, November 17
The Michael Gannon Band
Sat, November 18
Sun, November 19
Mon, November 20
SOLD OUT The Original Blues Brothers Band


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Category Archives: Testimonials
Brennan customers love us…Just Saying!
D & F. Willingston, Everett- Brennan Heating & Air is the BEST! They sent the most delightful, skilled employees to install our air conditioning unit. We couldn't have had a better experience. T. Timberlake – Kent: We are 110% satisfied … Continue reading
Brennan Heating Yelp Reviews Seattle, WA
The reviews you don't get to see! Yelp has a filter program, so unless you're a regular yelper they filter out your comment. Since you can't see these on their site, I wanted to post these reviews from some of … Continue reading
All the techs were customer focused and technically competent
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Lennox customer feedback for Brennan Heating
C. Patti-Bremerton. I actually attempted to have Sears come give us a quote, but after making the appointment, no one showed up. I was furious that I wasted my day waiting. I ended up talking to a rep from Lennox. … Continue reading
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Lennox May Customers are saying…
Leo G. – I certainly appreciate the fast and professional service I received when your crew installed the Lennox furnace and air conditioner. I was impressed at how they kept the house neat and clean while doing the installation. Thanks for … Continue reading
Happy Lennox Customers at Brennan Heating & A/C
Brennan Heating & A/C is happy to share what happy customers have to say about Brennan and their Lennox product. M. Davis Brennan was great to work with. We had three quotes from three different companies for three different manufacturer … Continue reading
Here's what one of our satisfied customers had to say about us to another potential customer!
Here's what one of our satisfied customers had to say about us to another potential customer: "The Company that installed our equipment was Brennan Heating and Air Conditioning at 1-877-273-6626 or 206-248-7900. I had a 2 stage furnace (#G60uhv36090), a … Continue reading
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Call Brennan Heating for Exceptional Service!
From: Tom W. Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 3:45 PM To: Info Subject: Exceptional Service Dear Mr. Erick Beardemphl, This is a short note to let you know of our experience Monday 3/12/2012 7:00AM at your Tukwila office. We came in with a … Continue reading
January's Happy Lennox Customers
What customers who chose Lennox products and Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning are saying: D. Barney- "YOU WERE ALL SO GREAT, THANK YOU BEN" K. Webster-"My salesman, Jeff, took the time to explain the details of operating the system, … Continue reading
Happy Lennox Customers
From James L: The overall experience was very good. The sales and installation folks were all friendly, helpful, and responsive to our requests. We think they put extra effort into making the installation look good and meet our specific requirements. … Continue reading
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Rachel breaks down a few construction projects that are taking place the week of November 14th.
Those projects include:
- I-65: Lane closures from 16th St N to I-20/59 due to 12th Ct N bridge demolition.
- WHEN: Monday 8 pm to Tuesday 10 am, two right lanes will be closed. Tuesday 8 pm to Saturday 10 am, two left lanes will be closed.
- DETOUR: If Southbound, exit interstate at or before Finley Blvd. If Northbound, exit interstate before I-20/59.
- ALABASTER: I-65 NB from mile marker 237 to 238 the right lane will be closed for brush cutting.
- WHEN: 9 am to 12:30 pm on Wednesday
- I-20/59: To and from Tuscaloosa expect the normal delays leading up to Cottondale and the Eastbound only delays leading up to exit 97, where HWY-11 picks back up in Woodstock/West Blocton area.
- WHEN: It's an ongoing project, but the additional work from mile marker 73 to 76 will be complete on November 16th, 2016. Until then, avoid getting on the interstate at exit 76. Through that area,you can still expect the additional lane closures in both directions until the 16th. Following the 16th, still expect the work around exit 79 and 97.


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The Loader Crawlers website provides answers to basic questions like âwhat is a tractor loader,â âwhere are they used,â and how to go about buying a tractor loader. The Loader Crawlers website offers consumers a variety of details about mini loaders and free advice is offered about the considerations one must face when seeking to purchase one of many used skid loaders for sale. For tips on buying a tractor, for guidance on where to buy used wheel loaders, and for price, quality, and seller considerations, visit the Loader Crawlers website now!
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One fine Vancouver summer morning, contributing photographer Scott Serfas began loading up his gear for a day trip to Whistler to shoot a bunch of pro shredders in hopes of selling his stunning images to publications such as this. Scott used to make a living as a plumber, laying pipe, grouting tile, and caulking fixtures for us civilized folk to enjoy. However, he found that standing around in the snow snapping shots of his friends was a much more creative and festive manner to pay the bills.
Anyway, it took him about an hour and a half to pack up the truck, which he diligently locked up after each load. He drove to Whistler, unloaded his truck, and realized his entire camera bag was missing. Son of a bitch! At some point during that hour and a half, a low-life muthaf–ka jimmied the lock and walked off with Scott's entire life–he had to face his worst nightmare. The most important contents were as follows:
One fifteen mm fisheye
17—35 F2.8 lens
28—70 F2.8 lens
70—200 F2.8 lens
1.5 teleconverter
Minolta light meter
Sony TRV 900 3-Chip video camera with batteries
Miscellaneous batteries, film, cables
Custom Burton photo bag
Of course our friend Scott had auto insurance, but his company refused to help him recover any of the costs to replace his gear. Isn't that what insurance is for? We guess not in Canada. And, being a struggling snowboard photographer, he hasn't been able to afford a separate insurance policy for his camera gear.
It's going to cost Scott around 14,000 dollars to replace his equipment and be able to continue his career. At twenty dollars an hour, it takes a half hour of labor to put in a toilet (wash basins and water closets as they're know in the plumbing world). That's 1,400 shitters–definitely not something to look forward to.
If you'd like to find out how to help Scott with this horrible predicament, visit his Web site ScottSerfas.com for details on the great camera-replacement project.


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MOVIE SYNOPSIS [ General Audiences ] Toby Jones rediscovered the amazing true story of Neil Baldwin, a man with learning difficulties and continued nonconformity. For 60 years Neil Butcher went to circus clown, preacher, college graduate without ever studied, mascot of your favorite football team, manager of his own, personal friend of senior religious officials, executives and royal family ... You can watch Marvellous online on TV cable or theaters with original audio in English at different dates. This film premiered in theaters in 2014.
Rating: 5 by 2003 users./
Runtime: 90 minutes
Toby Jones, Gemma Jones, Tony Curran, Nicholas Gleaves, Greg McHugh, Paul Hunter, Steven Cree, Mona Goodwin, Jacqueline Redgewell, Paul Bell, Ben Abell, Jordan Murphy, Oliver Ashworth, Toby DeCann, Michael Fox and Pal Aron.
90-minute film (full movie) directed by Julian Farino.
The original audio of Marvellous has dialogues in Dolby Digital, it was produced in UK.
It premiered in cinemas or television in 2014.
Screenplay written by Peter Bowker.
Katie Swinden, Peter Bowker, Patrick Spence, Tracie Wright and Lucy Richer.
This film was produced and / or financed by Tiger Aspect Productions and Fifty Fathoms Productions.
Composed by Adrian Johnston.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Without commercial breaks, the full movie Marvellous has a duration of 90 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, Marvellous in FULLTV Movies.


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Girls Basketball: Back-to-back Cats
MINNEAPOLIS – There was some doubt in Goodhue that the team could actually knock off Mountain Iron-Buhl.
Losing by 44 points to the Rangers back on Dec. 3 at the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic, it's easy to get why the Wildcats would be worried.
"I doubted us," guard Maddy Miller said candidly before a chorus of laughs.
"Me too," teammate McKenzie Ryan chimed in.
But that was months ago. And this time, in the Class 1A championship on Saturday, the Wildcats had a title to defend.
Holding the Rangers to 30.8 percent shooting, including 10 of 30 from 3-point range, Goodhue walked off the Williams Arena raised court as back-to-back champions after a 73-51 victory.
"We just kind of peaked at the right time," said Wildcats head coach Josh Wieme. "These gals just had an amazing three games."
The December loss was humbling. And it was the moment Goodhue knew a repeat was far from a given. MIB was anxious to finally win its first state title after taking third a year ago.
On that December day, everything went the Rangers' way. On Saturday, according to Rangers head coach Jeff Buffetta, the Wildcats flipped the December script and were the aggressor everywhere on the court.
"Goodhue really took it to us aggressively," Buffetta said. "We played more aggressively than them in December and they came out on us today and took it to us with their trapping and on the boards. That's the best way I can describe it."
The Wildcats jumped out to a 16-6 lead in the first half as MIB struggled to find its shot. But in the course of three minutes, the Rangers hit a pair of outside shots as part of a 10-0 run that tied the game at 16-all with 8:13 left before halftime.
"We just knew that when they score – obvious they're going to score – we just had to stay calm and have a good offense and take good shots," Miller said. "Just keep up with them."
The offense turned around, thanks to consecutive three-point plays from McKenzie Ryan, scoring the last eight points of the first half for a 29-22 lead at the break.
"It gave us just a lot of energy and a spark," said McKenzie, who finished with 14 points along with a 10-for-10 effort at the free-throw line. "The last play of the half (a layup from Sydney Lodermeier) let us know we could stay with them."
With the Rangers trying to get going outside, the Wildcats pounded the ball in the paint repeatedly with Sydney and Emily Benrud down low and Miller on the dribble-drive. Miller had a game-high 21 points while Sydney had 14 points and 14 rebounds and Benrud tallied 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Goodhue held a 45-22 advantage in rebounds.
"They were really aggressive. We just didn't match their intensity as much as we should have," said Mya Buffetta, who had six points and two rebounds for the Rangers.
Perhaps more importantly, it put MIB (31-2) in foul trouble as Goodhue got into the bonus with 10 minutes to play. As a team, the Wildcats shot 25 of 33 from the charity stripe.
"It's kind of a unique situation for us because usually we're a small team in comparison to who we're playing," Sydney said. "We talked about getting the ball inside and driving inside. Our focus wasn't really to get the points from the post, but to work it in to get inside for the open shot. … The fact they had so many fouls helped a lot. We talked before the game that our full-court press and defense in the half would wear them out but it would take a while.
"Even with those free throws, I didn't feel comfortable until there was three minutes left."
With 9:27 to go, the Rangers cut the gap to 46-39 before Megan Ryan hit a pair of daggers with two 3-pointers, with a Haley Lexvold layup in between, that ignited a 10-point run and a 58-39 lead with 6:26 left.
"I just knew we needed another spark," said Megan, who finished with nine points on 3 of 6 shooting outside, "so I quit thinking and just shot 'em."
A theme all tournament was the Wildcats' less-heralded players stepping up in key moments. Megan's pair of triples just happened to seal a state title.
"I was asked who's the key player, who do you need to come up big today. And again, I said we need everybody," Wieme said. "Emily, just a breakout three games for her. Always been a good, tough rebounder, but she was finishing and hitting free throws. … Haley, you can't say enough about Haley Lexvold. So often overlooked but amazing what she does defensively. … And Megan's threes, just huge. First couple games, she hadn't found her stroke yet. But the confidence she has says a lot about her as a person."
Four Wildcat players – Sydney, Miller, McKenzie and Benrud – were all named to the Class 1A All-Tournament team.
Two years in a row, Goodhue (28-4) proved to be the top of Class 1A. It just took a little bit of a whoopin' courtesy of MIB on an early December afternoon to get the Wildcats back on the championship track.
"Being with everyone on the team," said Miller with tears welling up in her eyes, "yep, it was good."


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Wow.Iunderstand the idea that we need to promote healthy lifestyles, but some of these are just unnecessarily cruel. And some of them feature people who, ifIwere to judge solely by appearances, are living healthy lifestyles.
We have these incredibly narrow minded ideas that you have to beasize two in order to be healthy, when that's not reality, and is actually *not* healthy, mentally. And even some of the pictures posted of obese people are just meant to be cruel, and not helpful


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Moving forward with Composr
ocPortal has been relaunched as Composr CMS. ocPortal 9 is superseded by Composr 10.
Head over to compo.sr for our new site, and to our migration roadmap. Existing ocPortal member accounts have been mirrored.
Restarting this blog (#news_162) - Comments
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Restarting this blog
Prior to the Mac vs PC review I just posted (which I just moved from the forum, as I don't think it belonged there), I haven't posted here in 3 years! We posted an account of what has happened during this period on our forum, it's sure been busy.
I'm going to post a few new articles I've written here.
People can also follow me on Twitter:
occhris (occhris) on Twitter


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Robert Cox Dec. 22, 1956 - Sept. 27, 2009
Robert Cox, age 52, of Linn Grove, died on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at the Spencer Municipal Hospital in Spencer.
Robert Luverne Cox, son of Lanny and Jeanne (Wharton) Bergman, was born in Rapid City, S.D., Dec. 22, 1956. He lived his youth in Sioux City, and began his education at Emerson Grade School and attended Sioux City West High School. Bob continued his education at Western Iowa Tech.
He was united in marriage to Barbara Wirkus in Elk Point, S.D., on June 20, 1975, and to this union two children were born, James and Bobbie Jo. Following their marriage, they briefly lived in Sioux City before moving to Linn Grove where Bob was in the construction business. Bob became disabled by rheumatoid arthritis, which spread quickly after an accident at the age of 19. He endured over 30 surgeries. Although he was disabled early in life he did his best to enjoy life with his family and friends.
Bob was a member of the NRA and the Bass Masters. When he was younger, he enjoyed racing cars. Bob was a lifelong hunter and fisherman and enjoyed the outdoors. He was proud to have lived to see five generations of his family.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara of Linn Grove; his children: James L. (Jen) Cox of Las Vegas, Nev. and Bobbie Jo (Dr. Tim) Ryan of Kennesaw, Ga.; Three grandchildren: Jake, Connor and Kylee; his father and mother, James C. and Jeanne Cox of Marathon; One brother, Kevin J. Cox of Marathon; his grandmother, Blanche Wharton of Linn Grove; other relatives and his many friends.
Bob was preceded in death by his grandparents, Merle and Leona Cox and his father, Lanny Bergman.
A Memorial Service was held on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, at Trinity Lutheran Church.
In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Robert Cox Memorial Fund at the First State Bank PO Box 461 Sioux Rapids, IA 50585. All proceeds will be sent to Camp Confidence in Minnesota to supply equipment and scholarships for disabled children to help teach them how to fish. Directions for online giving via PayPal are located at www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobcox.
The Sliefert Funeral Home of Sioux Rapids was in charge of arrangements.


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Performative Architecture: Beyond Instrumentality
Branko Kolarevic , Ali M Malkawi
Editura: Routledge
This book addresses the emergence of a new kind of architecture, in which building performance is a guiding design principle, adopting new performance-based priorities for the design of cities, buildings, landscape and infrastructures. This emerging architecture places broadly defined performance above form making; it uses digital technologies of quantitative and qualitative performance-based simulation to offer a comprehensive approach to the design of the built environment. The emphasis on building performance is now redefining expectations of the building design, its process and practice.
- Limba : Engleza
- Cuprins : Prologue Kolarevic & Malkawi 1. Architecture's Unscripted Performance David Leatherbarrow 2. Product and Process: Performance-Based Architecture Andrew Whalley 3. Sustainable Design: An American Perspective Mahadev Raman 4. Biotechniques: Remarks on the Intensity of Conditioning William Braham 5. Performance Form Thomas Herzog 6. Performance Simulation: Research and Tools Ali Malkawi 7. A Framework for Rational Building Performance Dialogues Godfried Augenbroe 8. Engineering Complexity: Performance Based Design in Use Craig Schwitter 9. Engineering in a Performative Environment Jean-Francois Blassel 10. Non-Standard Structural Design for Non-Standard Architecture Harald Kloft 11. Communicative Display Skin for Buildings: Bix at the Kunsthaus Graz Jan Edler 12. The Structure of Vagueness Lars Spuybroek 13. Performativity: Beyond Efficiency and Optimization in Architecture Ali Rahim 14. Computing the Performative Branko Kolarevic 15. Towards the Performative in Architecture Branko Kolarevic 16. Performance (and
- Data Publicarii : 17 Dec 2004
- Format : Hardback
- Numar pagini : 272
Adauga in:


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- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
Description of the accommodation:
Rooms, services Holiday Inn Express Hefei North Hefei may be an ideal location for a trip or holiday in China. The hotel is offering 195 nicely furnished rooms to stay in to those seeking accommodation in Hefei. If you feel like having a meal not included in your chosen type of catering, you can always taste local dishes in the restaurant of the hotel. If you wish to learn more about the exact scope of services provided by Holiday Inn Express Hefei North Hefei (including those available for an extra fee) or about the equipment of the rooms, you can find the complete list on the information sheet below.
Payment Advance bank card payment or credit card guarantee may be required for the reservation, depending on the chosen date, room and price.
Arrival, opening hours The earliest time to arrive is 14:00, the latest time to leave the rooms is 12:00. The personnel of the hotel can speak in Chinese - China and English with you.
Holiday Inn Express Hefei North Hefei rooms Rooms
- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
Accommodation services
Own restaurant


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If you sat through the MTV Movie Awards last night and didn't get the urge to put a bullet in your brain, you are a stronger person than I. Between the cast of Jersey Shore, the unending shots of the Twilight gang and the insane choices some teens made in when voting for their favorite movies, it was a painful experience. One of the few highlights, though, was watching the cast of The Other Guys present the award for Best Villain. If the movie is as as funny as their presentation, Adam McKay's newest film should be a scream, and the newest trailer is making that look like a reasonable prediction.
The first international trailer for The Other Guys has debuted at Sky.com, and while it isn't too different from the stateside trailer we saw back in April, there is just enough new stuff to make it worth the watch. It should also be noted that the idea that Eva Mendes' boobs are out there somewhere gives me reason to keep on living.
Check out the trailer below.
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Culinary Dropout Send to Phone
OpenLunch & Dinner daily, Brunch Sat.-Sun.
Open late Fri.-Sat.
- Dress code: Casual
- Full bar
- Outdoor dining
* Click here for rating key
Text data on Culinary Dropout to your phone, or a friend's cell phone.
Discover the best female chefs, top pizzerias and stellar seafood restaurants with GAYOT's Top 10 lists of the best restaurants in America.


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London, Apr 9 (ANI): Although the world is struggling in the clutches of one of the deepest recessions in history, women are trying really hard to keep their spirits up .....by buying lots of lipsticks.
Yes, you heard it right, ladies are turning to make-up accessories to give them a boost during times of crisis.
Leonard Lauder, chairman of Estée Lauder, had observed a dramatic increase in lipstick sales following the terror attacks in New York on September 11, 2001. He coined the term "the lipstick index" which he said proved that when a nation faces a crisis women turn to lipstick.
And Suzie Cunningham, spokeswoman for Yves Saint Laurent, agrees with him.
"Lipstick and make-up sales usually increase during an economic downturn," The Daily Express quoted Suzie, as saying.
Chanel has also noted that lipstick sales are up this year.
Bobbi Brown started her beauty biz by launching 10 shades of lipstick in 1991, right in the middle of the last big recession.
She says: "Certain cosmetics, even if they are small like a lipstick, can make a huge difference to the way women look and feel and they don't involve the same kind of investment as splurging on an entire wardrobe.
"Lipstick is an iconic product that instantly elevates any look. It can help a woman feel polished and confident in any situation." (ANI)


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Philadelphia, Sept. 6 (Reuters): A Pennsylvania appellate court on Thursday scheduled a September 11 hearing for oral arguments in the Hershey Trust Companys appeal of a preliminary injunction blocking the proposed sale of Hershey Foods Corp.
The order by Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg came a day after Dauphin County Orphans Court Judge Warren Morgan imposed the injunction preventing the trust company from accepting any offer for Hershey Foods until the judge can determine whether a final deal would require court approval. The trust company, which controls 77 per cent of the shareholder voting rights in Hershey Foods, quickly appealed Morgans ruling to Commonwealth Court, one of the state courts that handle appellate cases in Pennsylvania.
We regard this prompt response as a positive and will be prepared to present our case next week, Hershey Trust Co. spokesman Rick Kelly in response to the order.
Separately, Morgan on Thursday scheduled a September 11 telephone conference to consider arguments on whether his injunction should be suspended. His order in Orphans Court set no specific time for the teleconference. The Commonwealth Court scheduled a hearing for 9:30 EDT (1330 GMT) on September 11. It also gave parties until 4 p.m. on September 9 to file briefs in support of their positions. In said briefs, the parties shall also address the basis for this court's appellate jurisdiction over this appeal, the order said.
Were prepared to make our argument in court that Judge Morgans decision halting the sale of Hershey Foods was the right decision. The boards decision to appeal is the wrong decision, said Sean Connolly, spokesman for Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher, who had asked Orphans Court for an injunction.
Hershey Trust Co. proposed selling its stake in the famed maker of Hersheys, Reeses and Jolly Rancher candies on July 25. Wall Street analysts believe the company could fetch up to $ 12 billion.


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Lexus displayed six customized vehicles at this year's 2010 SEMA Show, all of which are hybrids. These are the CT 200h F Sport Concept, HS 250h by Vip Auto Salon, GS 450h by 0-60 Magazine, LS 600h L by Fox Marketing, LS 600h L by Vip Auto Salon and RX 450h by Paul Tolson of EST Styling. To date, Lexus is the only luxury maker to offer five hybrid vehicles.
Furthermore, a Pearl Gray LFA supercar is set to be showcased at the CEC Wheels space. The CT 200h F Sport Concept, as the CT 200h, is the latest hybrid that was added to the Lexus lineup.
Features of the new concept include F Sport performance adjustable suspension and adjustable dampening shocks, F Sport high performance Big Brake Kit and a set of 18-inch F Sport alloy wheels covered in Pirelli PZero Nero tires.
The specialists from Vip Auto Salon have actually modified the Lexus HS 250h previously. This time, the vehicle's design comes with a new aero styling package created by Wald. In addition, Lexus will offer Huper Optik ceramic-based window film and Lexus OEM Japan-market window visors. The design is certainly a standout with its 20-inch wheels.
Meanwhile, 0-60 Magazine will display a customized Lexus GS 450h that had been equipped with Brembo Gran Turismo high performance brakes, Rays Engineering, Volk Racing TE37 SL, mold formed forged racing wheels, TEIN USA Super Racing coilovers, GReddy Performance custom Titanium Race exhaust system and a Custom Carbon 5-piece body kit. This is considered the most extreme addition from Lexus, especially as it has been fitted with a remarkable rear wing spoiler.
What Fox Marketing will bring is a customized LS 600h L that features a BASF Glasurit 90 Line Glacier Green and Satin Black exterior. The customization program also includes an Artisan Spirit body kit, smoked rear taillights and a new custom adjustable ride height. Vip Auto Salon's version of the LS 600h L features a custom PPG Hue of Macadamia exterior and custom air suspension.
This vehicle has been fitted with a set of 21-inch Wald Mahora M11c, machined black polish wheels, Brembo high performance front brake kit, and Performance Tube Systems Joe Z Series axle back system. It also receives a new Custom interior by Vip Auto Salon and Top Stitch.
Lexus' SEMA Show booth will also display the RX 450h by Paul Tolson of Est. It gets a Hired Gun Paint Werks widebody conversion and Leon Hardiritt Vertu wheels. One of its highlights is a new set of 21-inch Leon Hardiritt Vertu wheels.


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Advance Security Aspects of Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS)
Wireless communication is known as key to global development and has become main stream of users daily business. Protecting information and communication speed is an issue which the authors need to focus on the wireless networks. Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) is evolution of third generation mobile communication system. It was built on the success of global system for mobile communication (GSM), UMTS security is also built upon GSM, so there is lot of security challenges such as the user identity, confidentiality. The international mobile subscriber identity travels through radio interface in free text format without any encryption.
Provided by: Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net) Topic: Mobility Date Added: Aug 2011 Format: PDF


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i've been watching this show, "we got married", lately. it features make believe wedded couples in their everyday adventures with life. with every show, you can't help but have favorites.
this is quite late but i just can't sit down and do nothing for them. this couple made me laugh, felt sad, and most especially made me feel that love knows no rules. at first, they were awkward (who wouldn't be when the groom is 6 years younger). but as they knew each other well, age becomes nothing but a number. it is just sad that they have to leave the show. but they will forever be remembered.


text: Maybe we should just break down and call February 14th Chocolate Day -- don't you think!?Let's be real, are we celebrating love or chocolate?These are some of my favorite, beautiful chocolate treats I've created since my Valentine's Day Chocolate 2012 post. They're pictured above and the recipes are linked to … [Read more...]


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This basket, perfect for a collector of rainforest decor, is handmade from split chunga palm leaf, using natural dyes, by the indigenous Wounaan of Panama. Typically the design features are derived from the flora and fauna of the Wounaan's territory in the Darien region of Panama.
This particular composition – employing a 'rolled-stitch' technique – creates a stylized natural scene: a macaw pair series repeated around the basket.