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In my book, Eat Beautiful, I have broken down the chapters into the four seasons to give you ideas of what to cook at each time of the year, using fresh, skin boosting ingredients that will be readily available. Spring is the time of year when the body needs to rid itself of winter toxins and get the digestion moving in order to flush everything through. This will help to "spring clean" the body and reveal brighter, fresher skin.
One of my favourite Spring recipes from Eat Beautiful, is my Frittata. Not only is it packed full of skin brightening goodness, it also tastes amazing and is so quick and easy to prepare! All of ingredients are inexpensive and the sorts of staples that everyone usually has in the fridge to use up anyway, so why not try this for brunch at the weekend or for a no fuss lunch or dinner.
Skin-friendly frittata with salsa verde
15g butter
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips (see tip below)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Leaves from 8 sprigs of thyme
8 medium eggs
Small handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
28g artichoke hearts from a jar or tin, drained and cut in half
Sea salt and black pepper
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp honey
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped almonds
I often make a frittata when I have friends over - it's a wholesome dish that always looks great and so rustic, too. It looks even better served with the bright green parsley salsa verde on top. Onions and leeks contain a type of dietary fibre that acts as a prebiotic within the body, feeding good bacteria and promoting a healthy gut, so vital for the proper absorption of nutrients from food.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan.
- Place all the ingredients for the salsa verde in a food processor and blend to the desired consistency.
- Melt half the butter in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the pan, add the sweet potatoes, cumin and thyme and cook over a medium high heat for 5-8 minutes until tender and golden. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the pan and place on kitchen paper to absorb some of the moisture.
- Place the eggs in a bowl with parsley and Parmesan and whisk together.
- Transfer the leek mixture and sweet potatoes back into the pan, add the artichoke hearts and mix. Season with salt and pepper and pour in the egg mixture.
- Place the pan in the over and bake for 15 minutes or until firm (see tip). Divide between plates and serve with salsa verde.
- Use a mandoline or julienne peeler, if you have one, for slicing the sweet potatoes into thin strips.
- Finish off the frittata under the grill, if needed, to get it properly crispy on top.
- Reduce the calories by using coconut oil not butter.
Let me know how you get on and tag me on Instagram @wendyrowe
I love to see all of your creations!


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William Nathaniel Lifsey, 69, died Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002.
Services for Mr. Lifsey will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Christ Episcopal Church, New Bern, N.C., with the Rev. Frank F. Fagan officiating.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia G. Lifsey; three daughters, Cynthia Lifsey, Atlanta, Lauralee Spence, and Janelle McCain, Comer; two sons, Nathan Lifsey and Will Lifsey, both of Toccoa; a brother, Clinton Lifsey, Atlanta; and two stepdaughters, Natalie Williams, Augusta, and Beverly Schroeder, Seminole, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Window Preservation Fund at Christ Episcopal Church, 320 Pollock St., New Bern, N.C. 28560.
Pollock-Best Funerals and Cremations has charge of arrangements.
Athens Banner-Herald, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2002
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, October 20, 2002.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us

subset: commoncrawl


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Looking for a fun activity and a chance to connect with other TIS families? Join us for one of our upcoming auction parties. Contact TIS Advancement Coordinator, Lauren Riegelnegg at firstname.lastname@example.com or 503.265.8635 for details and to purchase tickets.
TIS Family Movie Day at the Moreland Theater
Fun for the whole family! Join up to 300 TIS friends and families for Wreck It Ralph (rated PG) at the Moreland Theater in Sellwood, owned by TIS grandparent Chuck Nakvasil (thank you, Chuck!). Your admission includes a soft drink and popcorn at this annual fun-fest. Saturday, Feb. 9th at 10am $15.00 per person, purchase tickets in advance
Go Bananas! Bananagrams Tournament & Party
Hurry! Hurry! Only two tickets left. Join us for a fun evening and friendly Bananagrams competition. Banana drinks and banana desserts galore! Winner's trophy, gift cards and bragging rights up for grabs! Saturday, Feb. 23rd 7pm - 10pm $40 per person. Thank you to our generous party hosts-TIS parents Kara Gajowskyj, Jenn Farmer, and Skip Yotsuuye


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Check this out:
Have extra produce and a desire to help your neighbor? In an effort to keep produce donation as local and fresh as possible, The Idaho Foodbank is working with Ample Harvest, a free online service that connects gardeners with food relief organizations. Simply visit the website (www.ampleharvest.org), click on "Find a Pantry Near You", and then type in your zipcode. You'll see a list of pantries in your area, all waiting to accept your donation of fresh produce. Tell your friends and tell your neighbors, and plant a little extra for those who need it!


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Up 33,476 this week
Pastora Vega
Pastora Vega was born on May 28, 1960 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain as Pastora Vega Aparicio. She is an actress, known for Amar en tiempos revueltos (2005), Ilona llega con la lluvia (1996) and Gran Reserva. El origen (2013). She was previously married to Imanol Arias. See full bio »
Born:in Madrid, Madrid, Spain


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I never thought I'd feel nostalgic for the blogosphere. But in the age of quippy tweets and status updates - what Douglas Coupland so presciently identified in his novel Generation X as our "accelerated culture" - I find myself wistful for the extended cyber-verbiage of yesteryear.
Remember the days when the cutting edge in digital communication involved regular folk ruminating on grimy laptops about social-policy reform or their kid's runny nose? Back in the good old days (I'm talking 2005 to 2007), the Internet seemed a good place for nobodies to emerge fully formed as publishing stars with devoted readerships and six-figure book deals. Whether it was Julie Powell agonizing over stringy beef bourguignon or Jessica Cutler describing the oral sex techniques of an ambitious Washington wonkette, long-form blogging was an entertaining cultural trend while it lasted. These days, though, people think in kitten-video virals and 140-character limits, and thoughtful, well-written blogs are about as trendy as thoughtful, well-written books - which is to say, they're still culturally relevant, but not very trendy at all.
That's why I was so delighted to stumble across Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life, a recently published memoir by Kyran Pittman. A Newfoundland transplant to Little Rock, Ark., the daughter of the late poet Al Pittman and a wild-child-turned-stay-at-home-mother-of-three, Pittman is an anomaly on all sorts of levels - perhaps the least of surprising of which is her literary success. Her book just got a four-star review in People magazine, the publishing equivalent of getting voted into the semifinals on American Idol.
To describe Pittman's tale as a mommy memoir that emerged from the somewhat dubious world of mommy blogging would be technically correct but at the same time not entirely just. Pittman is an excellent writer with a strong narrative voice who writes about her life as if it matters. The fact that she started off as a creatively frustrated housewife stealing time at the computer between feedings is relevant only because it informs so much of her subject matter - the outlandish intricacies of seemingly conventional domestic life.
Her original blog, called Notes to Self, eventually gained a local following and later attracted the attention of the literary editor of Good Housekeeping, who turned it into a series of printed articles. The resulting book is a collection of stories about what it's like to break into - as opposed to out of - the white-picket-fence life. As she explains in her introduction, "Some people come here automatically, to this town called Ordinary. The straight and narrow route will take you right to the middle of it in a hurry. Some people never know anything else. But I hitched in by the back roads, peered over the fence, and chose it."
In a phone interview from her house in suburban Little Rock this week, she told me that her transformation from soccer-mom to author-mom was as much of a surprise to her as anyone else.
"I always knew I was a writer but I really had no idea how to go about it, apart from writing poetry, which I found very taxing when my children were small," she explained. "The blog allowed me to develop a voice and identity as a non-fiction writer and it also allowed me some training wheels when it came to bumps and boundaries and writing about my life. Long before the book, I was able to test what was my domain and at what point it crept over into someone else's life. I was able to learn those lessons without consequences."
Pittman agrees that her book is a kind of response to Elizabeth Gilbert's mega-bestseller Eat, Pray, Love - not so much a refutation of Gilbert's exotic quest, but an exploration of the richness of the road not taken.
Like Gilbert's memoir, I found Planting Dandelions startlingly confessional and, at times, agonizingly honest. This is not a glossed-over situation-comedy-inspired tale of American family life but a story of adultery, accidental pregnancy and near-bankruptcy, in the midst of middle-class domestic bliss.
And how fitting that this book should come to us from the most anonymous and mundane of all contemporary literary forms: the good old, uncensored, long-form amateur blog. Pittman herself admits she broke all the rules when starting out. "I wrote posts longer than 200 words, I gave away my best stuff for free and I just kept on writing, even though I'd read that hoping to build a following out of nothing was like sending out anonymous CVs and hoping to get hired."
Had Pittman decided to Tweet instead, or simply amass a collection of photo albums on Facebook, there would be no blog - and of course, no book. Instead, she opted to put down the sippy cup and act like a poet. "I kept writing because I didn't know what else to do." Lucky for us.


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Fight EP
- Artist: Matt Taylor
- Format: CD
- Release Date: 8/26/2008
|your cart is empty
These are country and soul songs born on the narrow swath between the open city and the open desert, breathed alive by L.A.'s best unknowns over the span of a sleepless week in the hilltop fortress of the inimitable Kenneth Pattengale. This is for you.
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your version of Flash Player.


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More than $60,000 was seized at Washington Dulles International Airport this week after travelers failed to accurately report how much money they were carrying, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Two travelers to Ethiopia and three travelers to Vietnam were found to be carrying more money than they said they were carrying. There is no limit to how much currency travelers can import or export. However, federal law requires travelers to report amounts exceeding $10,000 in U.S. dollars or equivalent foreign currency.
The travelers to Ethiopia said they were carrying $10,000, but Customs and Border Protection officials discovered another $20,000 in a carry-on bag and $14,315 in the man's jacket. All of the currency was seized, but $3,000 was returned for humanitarian relief.
On a different day, three Vietnam nationals, who are U.S. lawful permanent residents, were traveling to Vietnam through South Korea. They said they had $9,000 but produced $9,526 when asked. Officials also found an additional $6,965 in three bank envelops and a wallet, all of which was seized.
"These seizures illustrate the importance of travelers complying with all U.S. laws during their Customs and Border Protection arrivals inspection, and the consequences for violating our nation's laws and regulations," said Wayne Biondi, CBP port director for the area port of Washington Dulles.
None of the travelers were criminally charged, and all were permitted to continue on their journeys. On a typical day, CBP seizes $289,609 in undeclared or illicit currency along the U.S. borders.


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You can access the photograph, above, and research statement by clicking on plonsey
Dr. Plonsey and his colleague Dr. Roger Barr have recently completed a revision to their text "Bioelectricity. A Quantitative Approach". This second edition should be available by 6/1/00. The publisher is Plenum/Kluwer.
In the past year Dr. Plonsey was the keynote speaker at the Nordic-Baltic conference in Tallinn, Estonia. Dr. Plonsey now split his professsional interests between IEEE/EMBS and IEEE/SSIT. In the latter he has been studying the impact of technology on the cost of health care.
Additional information related to the Duke University connection can be found from the Duke homepage namely: Duke University
For those specifically interested in biomedical engineering follow the link to Biomedical Engineering at Duke or the link to Biomedical Engineering globally through BMENet
You are also invited to view the work of son Dan Plonsey through his musical and other activity - including some sample music. This is accessed atDan Plonsey
For those interested in Duke University here is the Duke Blue Devil
and here is the Chapel.
please send comments to firstname.lastname@example.com


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carl svendsenPalma, ES
I have been a professional Voice Over Artist and producer for many years, working in the U.K and Europe.
Please take a look at my website.
(Website hidden)/
Services include -
-Audio Editing
-Audio Restoration
-Mixing, Arranging, Mastering
-Non-regional British accent for voice over projects
-Pro Tools, Cubase, Sonar, Ableton Live, Adobe Audition, Native Instruments Maschine
-Main instruments are, piano, guitar and harmonica, as well being a trained vocalist
-Rapid turn around with experience and value for money.
English, English (British)
Australian, British, Irish, Mexican
Middle Aged, Teen, Young Adult
Special Skills
Audiobooks, Business, Internet, Jingles, Movie Trailers, Music, Radio, Television, Videogames
I have been freelancing for 9 years. I record projects in my home studio using Pro Tools, a Beyerdynamic microphone and a professional audio interface. My studio is acoustically treated to eliminate echos and background noise.
Computer & Software
Pro Tools, Adobe Audition, Ableton Live
Special Equipment
Roland Audio Interface, Audio Technica Headphones
Delivery Methods
Sendspace, Dropbox, Mp3 WAV.
Turnaround Time
24 - 48 hours
Service Description
A professional and experienced voice over provided with a fast turn around.
As I was born in Southern England I have a region free British accent.
Voice over Projects are recorded in my home studio using Pro Tools and a Beyer Dynamic microphone running through a professional audio interface. I use a separate, treated room, so no background noise will be audible.
Auto attendant files for phone system - English - not U.S.- "A voice professional who can do engineering. Very pleased to work with Carl. I highly recommend."Palo Alto Foods
English Voice Over - Corporate Videos. - "Multiple Accents Excellent voice over work. High quality, very responsive. Will definitely use again and recommend."-SmartApzz
US/UK Male Voiceover (Audio required in 2 hours).- "High Quality Work within Hours. Top class"Interactive Boom
Friendly voiceover artist wanted - conversational not professional style.- "Fantastic voiceover artist. Rapid completion of task, very friendly, responsive and fast communicator. Highly recommended"Stillbloom
Voice Over - INTERNET MARKETING.- "Awesome! Can match any tone / flow you need. Kept me listening and glued to the subject for the whole 30 minutes. Super voiceover skills!!! :-)"Morealiso
Voice Over Clients
Quixotic Films, Media Squared, BIG Publishing, RareSound Production Ltd,
Payment Terms
Hire carl as a voice actor. Payment is made through Voices.com SurePay, an escrow service that guarantees your work is done to your satisfaction. Send payment securely by Visa, Mastercard or PayPal through Voices.com then download your files from the website.
Watch a video to see how to make a payment
Next Steps
To contact carl svendsen about your project, request a quote today. We'll walk you through the process step-by-step. It's fast and easy.
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Hire carl svendsen as a voice actor. Working with carl svendsen is fast and easy. We'll walk you through the process step-by-step.
Request a quote for your project today.


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Recently updated with a larger middle disk to add some extra oomph to your arm candy.
Element: Brass
Weight: 1 oz
Length: 9.5 "
Design size: 1.5″ to 1″
**Accents may vary between brass or silver per the designer, which means you have a TwiSteD original!**
Reviews (1)
1 review for GYPSY Bracelet
I love to wear this Gypsy bracelet with EVERYTHING! Truth is, I thought I loved it when it first arrived, but after wearing it for so long it's like a part of me now that I know I would feel lost without having it. Humm… maybe I need to order another one as a back up?


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BURIAL: East Felichiana Parish
Father: James Robert MCGEE b: 3 AUG 1864
Mother: Sallie Anderson CARLISLE b: 20 MAR 1870 in Chapel Hill, McCool, Mississippi, USA
Marriage 1 Geneva ATKINSON b: 13 FEB 1913
RootsWeb.com, Inc. is NOT responsible for the content of the GEDCOMs uploaded through the WorldConnect Program. If you have a problem with a particular entry, please contact the submitter of said entry. You have full control over your GEDCOM. You can change or remove it at any time.


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If an item you ordered from TextbookRush does not meet your expectations due to an error on our part, simply fill out a return request and then return it by mail within 30 days of ordering it for a full refund of item cost.
Learn more about our returns policy
Limited time offer:
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All the information you need in one place! Each Study Brief is a summary of one specific subject; facts, figures, and explanations to help you learn faster.
List price: $16.00Copyright year: 1995Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing GroupPublication date: 1/13/1996Binding: PaperbackPages: 272Size: 5.25" wide x 8.25" long x 0.75" tall Weight: 0.594Language: English
Martin Buber was born in Vienna, the son of Solomon Buber, a scholar of Midrashic and medieval literature. Martin Buber studied at the universities of Vienna, Leipzig, Zurich, and Berlin, under Wilhelm Dilthey and Georg Simmel. As a young student, he joined the Zionist movement, advocating the renewal of Jewish culture as opposed to Theodor Herzl's political Zionism. At age 26 he became interested in Hasidic thought and translated the tales of Nahman of Bratslav. Hasidism had a profound impact on Buber's thought. He credited it as being the inspiration for his theories of spirituality, community, and dialogue. Buber is responsible for bringing Hasidism to the attention of young German intellectuals who previously had scorned it as the product of ignorant eastern European Jewish peasants. Buber also wrote about utopian socialism, education, Zionism, and respect for the Palestinian Arabs, and, with Franz Rosenzweig, he translated the Bible. He was appointed to a professorship at the University of Frankfurt in 1925, but, when the Nazis came to power, he received an appointment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Buber died in 1965.
Roger Kamenetz wrote the landmark international bestseller, The Jew in the Lotus , and the winner of the National Jewish Book Award, Stalking Eljah . He is a Louisiana State University Distinguished Professor of English and Religious Studies and a certified dream therapist. He lives in New Orleans with his wife, fiction writer Moira Crone.
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Brianna F.
Davis, CA, 95616
Joined on September, 2013
Gender: Female
Average Rating:
Any day at any time
Lives Near:
Can Meet:
Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge
EducationI recently graduated from UC Davis in 2012 with a B.A. in Film and Technology with a minor in Textiles and Clothing.
ExperienceI have experience working in the film industry and at The Disneyland Resort in their Entertainment Costuming Department where I helped run the shows and parades. I recently moved to Davis and am looking for a part time job in the area as I'm furthering my education in Design. I have taken classes at UCD in economics, math, accounting, and technology.
HobbiesI love Disneyland, comic books, Catan, and Star Wars!
Preferred Subjects
Computer Skills, Study Skills, Writing, Kindergarten - 8th Grade, English, Math, Algebra, Organization, Photoshop
Inquire about this tutor
The tutor will respond if they are available/interested.


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I had dinner last night with a guy I used to date. We are close friends now, but once upon a time we were spending every free moment together. We were never heading towards "relationship territory" (long story, but it was agreed before we started dating that it could not be more), but he fell for me, despite his efforts not to.
I had strong feelings for him in that I cared for him deeply, but I did not want more from him, and that worked well for both of us.
So these strong feelings he had for me didn't mean anything though because a relationship was never on the cards, but after our conversation last night, it was clear that when I was with him, I was "doing" everything right!
I'll continue my story, and let's call this guy Steve.
So to backtrack a year and a half, when I met a guy who later became my boyfriend, I didn't see much of Steve, and he was very supportive of me and happy that I had met somebody who could give me the "whole package". So he kept in touch occasionally to say hi, but that was it.
Steve went on to date another woman (let's call her Lisa). Lisa was quite different to me, however she and Steve got along really well. They spent a lot of time together and had lots of fun, however Steve could tell she was falling for him, and he was feeling a little wary about that, and started pulling back.
Last night he told me how she would turn up at his house with cleaning products, and would start cleaning his house. Huh? They weren't even in a relationship, but here she was acting like his girlfriend or wife!
I never cleaned his house. I never offered to cook for him. I never really did much for him at all, except show him gratitude and express how happy I was when I was with him. We had lots of fun and he spoiled me rotten, so I always showed my appreciation. But that's all I ever did.
He told me many times how happy it made him to see the happy smile on my face (nawww!).
So he went on to say that he never really felt connected with her like he did with me, but here she was doing all these things for him. Why didn't he feel the same way for her as he did for me? He also said that on many occasions he would feel the need to pull back even further, especially when she started leaving her personal items at his house!
What I learned from this conversation is that he is real living proof that to really connect with a man and have his feelings grow for you, all you have to "do" is just "be"!
We were not in a relationship, so I never felt the need to act like we were. I just remained warm and open and feminine and let him do all of the "doing". HE took care of ME – not the other way around.
I guess he felt masculine when he was taking care of me, and it was nice for me to stay feminine and let him do just that. It worked perfectly in the sense that this guy couldn't help but fall in love with me. Oops!
He and I are still good friends and will stay that way and we'll both have each other in a special place in our hearts. I learned so much from my time with him – it was the best, and most fun lesson of my life! xxx


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- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
Description of the accommodation:
Rooms, services Stay Inn & Suites Stockbridge is offering 90 nicely furnished rooms to stay in to those seeking accommodation in Stockbridge North. To learn more about the exact range of services of Stay Inn & Suites Stockbridge (including services for an extra fee) and the exact equipment of the rooms, please check the information sheet below.
Payment Advance payment by credit card or providing credit card guarantee may be necessary for finalizing the reservation, depending on the chosen date, room and price.
Arrival, opening hours The earliest time of check-in is 15:00, the latest time of check-out is 11:00. The personnel of the hotel can speak in English with you.
Stay Inn & Suites Stockbridge rooms Rooms
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Accommodation services
Garden, Elevator
Fridge, Microwave oven, Tea/coffee-maker


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Meal Plans
Did you know what you spend with Dining Services stays on campus? As part of Campus Auxiliary Services, proceeds earned by campus dining venues go to university student services.
Selecting your plan:
The selection form for meal plans is located on the Money tab of your myGate.
Freshmen living on campus are automatically placed on the All-Access Plan. No further action is needed.
Depending on your academic or residence status, you may be required to have a meal plan. By default, all students requiring a meal plan are placed on the All-Access. You may change plans through the Money tab of myGate within the first 30 days of a semester*.
*For the Fall semester, this date will be September 8th. Tuesday, August 22nd will be the last day to add new flex/meal plan in order for the charge to be added to your MyGate account. Any new Flex/meal plan added after the August 22nd deadline must be paid in full by stopping in the Racer Card/Dining Services office on the 1st floor of the Curris Center.
*For the Spring 2018 semester, this date will be Tuesday, January 23rd. Any new Flex/meal plan added after the January 23rd deadline must be paid in full. We accept cash, credit card, or check as a form of payment for new Flex/meal plans. You may make changes to an existing Flex/meal plan until February 9th.
Paying for your plan:
The cost of your meal plan is automatically included on your tuition bill, therefore scholarships may go toward covering this cost.
In accordance with the approved Board of Regent Refund policy, Dining Services cannot offer refunds on any meal plan (used or not used) after the first 30 days of the semester.
Flex roll over
Flex Dollars left over at the end of the Fall semester will roll over to the Spring semester.


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529 plans
529 Plans, to put it simply, are the best savings vehicles for college funding. 529 plans are more attractive than other forms of college savings, including UGMA/UTMAs, Coverdell ESAs, Series EE and I Bonds, and mutual funds. The 401kid Education Financing Vehicles Comparison Chart shows how these savings options compare. Funds from 529 plans can be used at any accredited university in the country while parents maintain control of funds until their children go to college.
Tax breaks
529 Plan investments grow 100% federally tax-free and sometimes state tax-free, amounting to significant tax savings.
Financial Aid
Saving through 529 plans is far more favorable than other savings vehicles for student financial aid eligibility. 401kid ESP Wizard ranks which 529 plans are best for your personal situation, and also measures the effects of your savings on financial aid by calculating your future Expected Family Contribution (EFC). ESP Wizard shows you how to evaluate plan providers such as Fidelity, Vanguard and TIAA-CREF and college loan providers such as Sallie Mae while maximizing financial aid for students.
Deciding on 529 plans
529 plan laws change frequently. With over 80 plans, 1,000 investment options and fluctuating underlying mutual funds, the 529 plan universe is quite complex. It is advisable to use objective methods, such as this interactive wizard, to compare and contrast 529 plans. A good financial advisor may also be of service for families that do not have time to evaluate investments on their own. The 401kid Help Center also has answers to Frequently Asked Questions about 529 Plans.
401kid's 529 Plan Toolkit
Side-by-Side Plan Comparison
Top Investment Options
Latest News on 529 Plans
Which Plan is Right for Me?


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Friday 5 with KB 1.18.13: Appreciating the post-title LeBron
In this week's edition of the Friday 5 with Ken Berger, the CBSSports.com senior NBA writer talks LeBron, the Josh Smith problem in Atlanta and what to make of the Billy Hunter situation. You can follow Ken on Twitter at @KBergCBS.
In this week's edition of the Friday 5 with Ken Berger, the CBSSports.com senior NBA writer talks LeBron, the Josh Smith problem in Atlanta and what to make of the Billy Hunter situation. You can follow Ken on Twitter at @KBergCBS.
1. Let's start here. Is it weird watching LeBron when there's honestly nothing to criticize? He shows up and takes over in the fourth, he's shooting 40 percent from 3 and he guards everything all the time. I feel uncomfortable without that constant tension regarding his weaknesses.
KB: I have to admit, LeBron was a better story before he won his championship. It's a pleasure watching him play, don't get me wrong. But you're right about the lack of tension. There's nothing wrong with the guy, and he's no longer the self-proclaimed whatever who couldn't win, because he did win.
Don't worry, it'll get good again when the Heat have to break up in a year or so because of the luxury tax and LeBron will either have to win again with a vastly different team or win somewhere else.
2. So Billy Hunter.... that's an awkward situation. You covered how this could end for Hunter ... what happens with Derek Fisher now?
KB: Well, the lawyers who wrote this exhaustive report suggest that it's appropriate for Fisher to remain in his role as president since he fits their recommended criteria for executive committee membership: He's played in the league this season and has not announced plans to retire. I'm not sure if Fisher will or won't sign with another team for the rest of the season. But even if he doesn't, he can remain president if he wants to. He and Matt Bonner are the only members of the committee who have been with NBA teams this season and whose terms haven't expired.
So my guess is, first the union has to make sure it has the full roster of 30 player reps and alternates so they can elect seven more committee members -- preferably at All-Star weekend. Then, at the same meetings in Houston, the player reps and new executive committee need to decide if they are going to recognize Hunter's contract or send him on his way.
My guess is Fisher stays at least through that process and the search for a new executive director. But despite Fisher's suspicions prompting this whole review in the first place, the argument can be made that it wouldn't be the worst idea for Fisher to step down and clear the way for a new president. New leadership across the board for the union seems like a pretty good idea.
3. The Josh Smith situation has gone under the radar, really for years. The Hawks slow-rolled his extension in restricted free agency, eventually matching an offer from Memphis. He just never complained as loudly as the other stars. With this new situation, does this finally push the situation to a head? Is Smith finally going to get a change of scenery?
KB: Depends on two things: 1) Whether Danny Ferry has a short-term plan or a long-term plan, and 2) whether Smith will be happy with whatever changes will be made this summer, be they personnel or on the coaching staff. One exec privy to Atlanta's trade posture told me Ferry seems to be in "win now" mode, which suggests he'll try to add an All-Star-caliber talent alongside Smith rather than trade him.
If he trades him, the best package out there is likely to be picks and young players -- the foundation of a rebuild that Smith wouldn't want to be a part of, anyway. But always remember in these cases: Money talks. Is Josh Smith going to be the first star to take less money to go play where he wants? LeBron and Bosh didn't, Carmelo didn't, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard didn't. Smith isn't on the same level as those guys, but he's in roughly the same situation.
4. Any arguments with the All-Star starters?
KB: I never quibble with the fan vote, because there's nothing you can do about it. Do Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett deserve to be All-Stars this season? Nope, but that's who the fans want to see, and that's fine. With Garnett, especially, he's earned the lifetime achievement appearance. I'm relieved Chris Paul held off Jeremy Lin, because Lin making it as a starter would've caused a logjam for the West reserves, virtually assuring that a legitimate All-Star would have been left out.
5. How was the family vacation?
KB: So for Christmas week, I brought the family with me to Los Angeles, where JBerg and ZBerg enjoyed the Knicks-Lakers and Celtics-Clippers games. We had JBerg in a Kobe jersey and ZBerg in a Melo jersey on Christmas Day, and they were victorious in the taco giveaway. For Celtics-Clippers, we had the little one in a CP3 jersey and the big one wearing Blake Griffin. (I had to explain to ZBerg that we were holding off on buying a Celtics jersey until after the trade deadline, and he nodded approvingly.) Lots of fun.
I allowed myself one trip to In-N-Out Burger, and it was worth it. At Disneyland, it was cold, raining and miserable, but I managed to be in line at 7:30 a.m. to score an elusive Fast Pass to the Lightning McQueen ride. It was sort of like lockout duty; a lot of standing around, odd characters wandering by, rumors that progress was being made, followed by pangs of disappointment and finally, victory. Unlike Billy Hunter, I worked almost every day. Covering two games and only one coach firing (Avery Johnson) is pretty much the best you can hope for on vacation in the NBA.
Dubs got win to avoid Embiid trash talk
The Warriors used a huge third quarter to come back from a 23-point deficit to get the win
Warriors rally, but Sixers a big problem
Three takeaways from Golden State's 24-point rally past the Sixers
Okafor's dad wears 'Free Jah' shirt
Okafor has played only 25 minutes this season
WATCH: Gasol gets tech for kicking shoe
Capela's shoe slipped off, and was sitting near the free throw line
Orlando Summer League to end
The Magic will instead play in the Las Vegas Summer League
Laker talked to Lonzo about scuffle
Ball walked away from an altercation between the Lakers and Suns on Friday night


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Elegance, style, class, prestige and much more of a high standard corporate company is what a metallic business card speaks out load. They say "a picture speaks loader than words" and sure it does when you have a metallic card. Business card are currently the best way of communicating with your clients, by providing them with summary detail of you and your company contacts on the card. Cards are often or easily forgotten since everyone is passing them around to share their contact. Your first impression on the card may mean that someone will value and keep your card closer. You never get a second chance to impress with the first time, thus a metal business card would be the best way to impress the first time. There are also metal business card cases that are specialized for carrying business cards. Do you want a unique and durable business card?
Try black metal business cards that have an amazing look and are unique at the same time. A metal business card serves you different purposes, but they key thing is the unique look and impression that you just love. Although the cards are expensive compared to typical paper business cards, the value is worth the cash in uncountable perspectives. The ostentatious worth of black metal business cards is just indisputable. Furthermore, black blends in with many colors and can be used by any type of businessman. Anyone who pulls out a metallic business card shows ultra-confidence and self-assurance. Why not give yourself and business such characteristics? Brass metal business cards definitely indicate value and high quality business which will not fail to attract customers. For those who transact in the copper metal business, it would be such a good idea to have copper metal business cards. Do not see it as bragging, but an expression of how you love what you do. Best people for black metal business cards are the individuals in high finance and international business.
Brass metal business cards are really ideal if you want a gold-like and shiny card. The impressive brass cards come in standard dimensions (3.46" X 1.96") have a comfortable thickness of around 5mm thick. Recently, brass metal business cards include custom die-cutting and any surface etching on either sides. How else can it get better with business cards? On the other hand, copper metal business cards provide a unique look that is elegant. The copper cards are also in standard size with custom die-cutting and any surface etching on both sides. Metal business cards have nowadays gained some tremendous gains in popularity. Some are available in copper and brass with printed spot color inks. For your information, metal cards are mostly produced using copper as compared to brass. The best part with metal business is the fact that the metal business card printing companies offer custom options. For example, you can choose between spot color printed on metal or custom die cuts or engraving. Even the few companies in the copper metal business produce metallic business cards, but the few that do have exemplary services.
Click here for more info about Metal Business Cards


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Expert Heavy Duty Steel Workbench with Three Drawers
Stock No: 35236 Part No: WB2000
List Price: £551.40 Ex. VAT £661.68 Inc. VAT
Expert Quality, manufactured from heavy duty steel with three drawers on ball bearing sliders. The powder coated finish forms a tough protective coating. Weight 94kg. Supplied on pallet in flat pack form with assembly instructions. Carton packed.
|2000 x 700 x 900mm
View more products in this category
Vat rated at: 20.00%
The Draper Expert range is our benchmark for quality. Manufactured for the professional or for industrial use and comes with our guarantee.
Find out more about the Draper brands!


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'Revolution' Recap: The Death of a Major Character (Should) Make Things More Interesting
Speaking at PaleyFest 2013 a few weeks ago, Revolution co-creator and show runner Eric Kripke seemed very aware of the sluggish pace with which his show moved through its first ten episodes. "We see that fall run as…almost a prologue to a much larger story. Trust me, I was feeling a degree of impatience myself!" He went on to discuss what we're going to see this spring — namely the other militias that have sprung up post-Blackout — promising it would all be happening with great speed.
So there are worse ways you could kick off your second run of episodes than with a barrage of machine gun fire and the death of a character no one cared about!
Really, "The Stand" lived up to Kripke's proclamations. And if it's not so bold to suggest, reset the game board for what will hopefully be an exciting and story-rich Spring. It's cold to suggest that all a show needed to do to get back on our good graces was kill a poor teenager, but jettisoning Danny — the recovery of whom drove the plot of TEN FULL EPISODES — is the best thing Revolution could do at this point to move forward, and maybe generate some shading for its female lead. Charlie? She's great with a crossbow, and a decent foil for her uncle, Han Solo/Miles Matheson. But independent of those things she's a boring character, who was made all the more so by her constant calls to "FIND DANNY." He was found; now's he dead. And we can all move on with our lives, maybe more interestingly than before!
While I'm sure it's costing producers a pretty penny, the introduction of helicopters offered some much-needed action as well as selling the near-insurmountable threat the Rebels (just call yourselves the Rebel Alliance guys, it's totally fine) face in trying to take down Monroe. They straight-up fired missiles at Miles & Co.! It was awesome! The biggest tactical error this show made last fall was in assuming we were so invested in the characters, we could deal with long action-less stretches between benchmark episodes. You can give us thin characters — that's fine. But you can't be boring while you're doing it. Firefights go a long way to remedy this kind of imbalance.
We picked up right where we left off last fall — fleeing from the prison camp where Rachel and Danny were being held, tailed by newly powered-up helicopters. "We need to get as far away from Philly as we can get!" screamed Miles (but more accurately everyone, all the time) as they dodged missiles, a militia checkpoint, and passionate Nora kisses en route to the nearest rebel camp in, you guessed it, Annapolis, Maryland. How fast are these guys walking? Is that some sort of post-Blackout evolutionary adaptation?
Then: TWO ROADS DIVERGED. Having just reunited with her children after 15 long years, Rachel of course needed to get away from them as quickly as possible, and enlisted Miles to join her in a gun run to her buddy John's house. "I'm so proud of you guys!" she cooed to Charlie and Danny right before leaving, the oldest trick in the absentee parent book.
More great parenting soon followed when we caught up with Jason and Neville, staking out the rebel base. Their orders from Monroe: kill everyone they find. "There are too many people in there!" Jason cried, thinking of his girlfriend from camp, Charlie. Neville offered the kind of response any dad would, "bitch has you soft as a kitten," before slapping his son across the face. Like a dad. THAT'S IT — Jason tackled Neville. Neville tackled him back. Jason got in one solid punch. Then Neville pretty much took his son to the friggin' cleaners. "Don't ever come home again." Honestly that is perfectly okay with me, dad! I think you have some stuff to work through!
Rachel's friend John, like her a Keeper of the Power Necklaces, offered Rachel and Miles a tour of his weapons workshop. Rocket launchers. Submachine guns. A "sonic cannon," which fires noise. "I've got a lot of free time on my hands" John told us, deflecting criticism before we could dish it out. Then: betrayal. "Randall got to me." Before Miles could say something Han Solo-ish John had already knocked him and Rachel out with the sonic cannon. (Raise your hand if you saw that coming. Congratulations! You have seen television before.)
Meanwhile, alerted to an impending Monroe airstrike by the now fatherless Jason, Charlie, Danny, Nora, Zak Orth (whose name I've forgotten. Preston?), and the rest of the rebels gathered to make their stand. And sure enough, not one but two heavily-armed helicopters showed up to take care of business. Could this be it for the nascent Rebel Alliance?
NO! screamed Miles as he and his horse-drawn pile of insane weaponry came to the rescue. You guys need a rocket launcher? Now you've got a rocket launcher! Consistent, desensitizing violence filled the screen for a few minutes before Miles took aim with his new toy at one of the choppers. But not before the other one fired on him, knocking Miles out. Danny grabbed the rocket launcher instead. Fired away. And BLEW THE BIRD OUT OF THE FRIGGIN' SKY. Without the power amplifier contained on the just-exploded chopper, the other one immediately went down.
That is, before it fired about a thousand bullets into Danny's chest, making sure we understood there is absolutely no way in which this kid was alive.
Again — great, necessary move for the show. Less so for characters Charlie and Rachel (you know, his family) who grieved like no one was watching. But hey — plan of vengeance SOLIDIFIED. And no need for me to make a single joke about the returned power finally allowing Danny to get a buzz cut. Except that one, sorry.
QUICK POST-DRAMA BUSINESS: That "Randall" character everyone had been talking about showed up to Monroe's offices, asking if he could do anything to help stem the rebel tide. And Rachel, inspecting her son's body, cut deep into his pelvis to pull out…some sort of blinking device. As long as it doesn't take us nine episodes to start talking about what it is? We are all good.
RIP Danny. RIP Revolution 1.0!
[Photo Credit: Brownie Harris/NBC]
Follow Henning on Twitter @HenningFog
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The IWA Specialist Groundwater Conference was held in Belgrade from 8th to 10th September 2011. During three days 300 participants from 23 countries attended the conference and gave great contribution to its success. All the themes of the conference were successfully addressed and some 60 papers were presented. Keynote and overview papers on some areas are presented by invited speakers.
IWA Specialist Groundwater Conference was open on September 8th 2011. Welcome addresses were held by: Mr Paul Reiter, Executive Director of IWA, Mr Dusan Petrovic, Serbian Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management, Mr Zarko Obradovic, Serbian Minister of Education and Science, Mr Nikola Hajdin, President of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Mr Philip Weller from ICPDR and Mr Vladimir Tausanovic from IAWD.
Read more...
Chairman of the IWA SPECIALIST GROUNDWATER CONFERENCE, Belgrade 2011, Prof. dr Milan Dimkic shall, for the first time, proudly present our Conference to professional public, possible participants and sponsors.
This presentation will take place on IAWD stand during IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition, Montreal 2010 in Palais de congrès, 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal


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Camarillo, CA (PressExposure) September 27, 2012 -- Culver City, CA, September 27, 2012 -- Marshall Blonstein and Audio Fidelity decided to do a deep dive into rock history and they have released two classic albums in their popular 24 karat gold format. The legendary bands Ten Years After with Rock and Roll Music to the World (1972) and The Scorpions with their definitive heavy metal classic Love At First Sting (1984) are now ready for music lovers everywhere to enjoy.
Although the two bands are worlds apart each album provides a standout collection of tracks celebrating each genre. Alvin Lee and Ten Years After proved that they could take the blues to new levels by injecting it with flurries of rock and stinging guitar lines from their leader while adding layers of keyboards, bass and drums to flesh out a true jam session and a progressive approach to blues rock. The opening track "You Give Me Loving" sets the table for what is to come and it's a full course meal of superbly executed music with all the trimmings.
The Scorpions were equally influential in the hard rock/metal arena by providing in your face rhythmic metal that anyone could bob their heads to or sing along with. Love At First Sting proved to be a pivotal year for the German band and they became worldwide superstars with one of their most successful releases. With anthem like tracks such as "Rock You Like A Hurricane," the rockin' ballad "Still Loving You" and "Big City Nights" the band was branded for success for years to come.
For Audio Fidelity, a specialty label with its sights set on only the best rock music, the choices were easy to make. With the label's own special remastering process in place they took these two rock classics and brought out the best of each release. Bringing out all the highs and lows and balancing that for an end product that is crisp and sharp is the hallmark of their 24 karat gold releases.
Each disc is numbered and included with a window slip case with original artwork. The first run of the Scorpions disc sold out quickly and the same kind of response is expected of the second run. This is par for the course for the label. Previous Ten Years After releases have sold well and the same result is anticipated of the new release.
The popularity of these classic releases never diminished and to this day their appeal is still magnetic for collectors and lovers of rock music. Interested buyers can get their copies directly from the label's website or at Amazon.com.


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Just Why DO Women Say 'I'm Sorry' All the Time?/
RedTracker| Imagine this scene: you're a woman walking on the sidewalks of Manhattan, on the right side. In front of you, a man (or woman on occasion) comes barreling towards you, head-on. This person is walking on the wrong side, by conventional American standards of walking and driving on the right.
As a master of the universe, or just some gangsta guy, he expects that you will yield your position. He's right. At the last minute — facing a headon, human body collision — you get out of his way. And in the process of doing so, you say "I'm sorry".
You have engaged in totally predictable behavior, according to today's WSJ article University of Waterloo Study Discusses Why Women Apologize More Than Men. For starters, do women actually apologize that much more than men, or do we just say "I'm sorry" for some complex, psychological, autopilot cultural reason, even when we're not wrong and there's no wrong in play.
Most sociologists agree that women take offence much more easily than men. New evidence suggests that men do apologize as readily as women — but they apologize less often because they don't believe the situation involves a transgression. When a man agrees he's done something wrong, he apologizes as readily as a woman.
In this sorry state of affairs, some women — like Anne — are trying to consciously stop saying the words. Even with an enlightened woman like her, the words continue to pop out of her mouth, because she's trying to keep everybody happy all the time.


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Q: Do ferrets get along with other house pets?
A: It really depends on the home, the living environment and the pets. If all pets are monitored and safe, then there is no reason a variety of pets can't live in the same home.
We run an animal education nonprofit and, therefore, have a large variety of animals in our home. The ferrets have a free-roam room that the cats can access, and one of our cats prefers to use the ferret litter boxes. Occasionally, the ferrets get playtime with our skunk. Dogs can play with ferrets, but never unsupervised, as either can quickly get hurt.
I wouldn't allow a ferret to be near or play with a rodent of any kind, as the ferret might consider the other animal as food, and it would cause unnecessary stress to the rodent. Birds and reptiles should also be kept separate from ferrets for similar reasons of injury and stress.


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Results 1 to 4 of 4
Thread: Create table help
06-07-06, 11:53 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2003
- Posts
- 156
Unanswered: Create table help
Hi there,
i'd like to create a table from other tables. My new table will only have two columns. Let's call the new table 'C', and it's created by a Select on 'A' and 'B'
A.control_id and B.account_id
one control can have many accounts, ok. However, I'd like to create 'C' with the control_id and a concatenation of all associated account_id's.
control_id ¦ linked_accounts
1 ¦ account_id1, account_id2, account_id3
Any help would be appreciated.
06-07-06, 11:55 #29th inning DBA
- Join Date
- Jan 2004
- Location
- In a large office with bad lighting
- Posts
- 1,040
Have you looked into the "INSERT INTO" statement?
-- This is all just a Figment of my Imagination --
06-07-06, 12:01 #3Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2003
- Posts
- 156
It's the concatenation that's getting me. I was doing this with a function, but as soon as the report I'm creating references the function, performance goes pear-shaped.
I was doing this...
DECLARE @RowCnt int
DECLARE @MaxRows int
DECLARE @linkedaccounts varchar(256)
DECLARE @global_control_id int
DECLARE @accountstr varchar (1000)
SELECT @RowCnt = 1
SET @accountstr=''
DECLARE @Import TABLE ( rownum int IDENTITY (1, 1) Primary key NOT NULL,
Control_id int,global_control_id int, Title varchar(256) )
INSERT INTO @Import
SELECT DISTINCT dbo.NTH_RPT_CONTROLS.CONTROL_ID, dbo.NTH_RPT_CONTROLS.GLOBAL_CONTROL_ID, dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT.TITLE
FROM dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT_CONTROL INNER JOIN dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT ON dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT_CONTROL.ACCOUNT_ID=dbo.NTH_RPT _ACCOUNT.ACCOUNT_ID
AND dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT_CONTROL.LABEL_ID=dbo.NTH_RPT_A CCOUNT.LABEL_ID
INNER JOIN dbo.NTH_RPT_CONTROLS
ON dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT_CONTROL.CONTROL_ID=dbo.NTH_RPT _CONTROLS.CONTROL_ID
AND dbo.NTH_RPT_ACCOUNT_CONTROL.LABEL_ID=dbo.NTH_RPT_C ONTROLS.LABEL_ID
WHERE dbo.NTH_RPT_CONTROLS.CONTROL_DID = @control_did
SELECT @MaxRows=count(*) from @Import
WHILE @RowCnt <= @MaxRows
SELECT @linkedaccounts = title, @global_control_id = global_control_id
FROM @Import
WHERE rownum = @RowCnt
SELECT @RowCnt = @RowCnt + 1
SET @accountstr = @accountstr + @linkedaccounts +', '
RETURN @accountstr
then i created a view...
CREATE VIEW dbo.VIEW_LINKED_ACCOUNTS
SELECT control_did, dbo.f_linked_accounts(dbo.nth_rpt_controls.control _did) AS account_names
FROM dbo.nth_rpt_controls
But performance is bad. so i'd like to create a permanent table that is updated by a trigger on the underlying tables.rgs,
06-07-06, 12:07 #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2003
- Posts
- 156
keep the function
Iäm thinking keeop the function, it's still useful - but create my new table and use a trigger to execute the function and in the function send the concatenated string to the new table.rgs,


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Get Latest Myntra Coupons Code and Discount Coupon
We know how expensive it is to keep your wardrobe updated with the latest trends. Thus, Vikatan brings you all Myntra discount coupons and offers here, in one place.
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At this store, you can make wishlists, follow your favourite brands, use the various filters to quickly find what you are looking for. Additionally, you will also get all the minute details about the products like fabrics, size guides, dimensions, how-to-care information etc.
The online world is buzzing with offers and discounts from hundreds of online stores every minute. But my biggest problem with these offers and coupons is that most of them are expired or invalid. However, at Vikatan, you will find only the latest and valid Myntra coupon codes, offers and deals in one place.
Now you no longer have to go hunting for the correct code for the Myntra coupon 50 off offer, all over the internet. Vikatan brings them to you here. Some of the most popular Myntra discount coupons on Vikatan are the Myntra Paytm offer and the Myntra first purchase offer. So, if you haven't shopped anything from this store yet, grab the Myntra coupon code for your first purchase here to make some amazing savings.
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PHOENIX — The City of Chandler is encouraging residents to help elderly and disabled residents clean up weeds on their property.
The fifth annual "Let's Pull Together" weed pulling campaign runs for three consecutive Saturdays beginning March 29.
"We do this during the time when there are lots of weeds…and a lot of people who have needs," Judy Ramos, neighborhood programs coordinator with the City of Chandler said.
Ramos explained that it's a great opportunity for neighborhood groups, faith-based organizations and corporations to get together to help keep Chandler looking beautiful — and feel good about helping others.
"We have a lot of seniors in our community, we have a lot of folks who have disabilities or maybe they've been through surgery and it doesn't allow them to get out in the yard and pull weeds," she said.
Ramos said water and some tools will be provided, but volunteers are encouraged to bring whatever equipment they have.
Anyone who knows someone in Chandler needing help with weeds or of vacant homes with excessive weeds in the front yards are encouraged to call (480) 782-4348 or email her at email@example.com.


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Le Méridien Village Terrace
Evening brunch (Sunday , Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday , Friday , Saturday)
The Friday evening brunch on the al-fresco terrace has a Latin theme with live music. The buffet features Brazilian meats, fajitas and seafood, plus Cuban drinks. Dhs229 (soft drinks), Dhs269 (premium beverages), Dhs159 (children aged six-12).
Timings: Fri 8pm-11pm
|Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre - Garhoud
|04 702 2455
|Airport Road
|Bar & Pub food
|Alcohol available, Cocktails
|Credit Cards Accepted:
Is this your establishment? Want to update any details? Please send your updates here
Le Méridien Village Terrace on Map
Dorothy Botham Apr 24, 2013 10:36 am
Visited this evening brunch when visiting our daughter in April. The setting is lovely, the service was good, drinks good group good, the let down was the meat, it was so tough you it could not be cut with a knife let alone chew it. Would not recommend or visit again, shame because the setting and staff were excellent.


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Duration: 7min 08sec Views: 542 Submitted: 2 years agoGet Full Access to Serious Cash - Teens Analyzed
Description: Angela looks cute and delicious in those big nerd eyeglasses. Too much of a temptation for her horny boyfriend who wants to stop reading those stupid books and have sex right away. Today this eager teeny lets him take it one step further opening up her tight virgin ass hole for his hard throbbing cock. She loves her first anal experience, especially getting fucked ass to mouth and a taking messy facial. Wow!
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Author Paul Richardson draws on stories from his life as a change specialist in the world's largest Muslim country to explore what causes us to be deactivated—pinned down under life's fluctuating circumstances, personal apathy, and disappointment. In A Certain Risk, Richardson will inspire you to engage the complexities of your world with creative solutions—creativity that comes straight from the heart of the Creator.
©2010 Paul Richardson (P)2010 Zondervan
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Sicuro is a whitelist-based sandbox for safely executing code written in the Ruby programming language. It does not use any operating system-specific features (such as chroots or jails), nor does it require anything besides a working Ruby (1.9+) installation and a few gems.
A tool for securing DNS communications between a client and a DNS resolver.
A polyhedral extraction tool (PET).


text:
Artificial Intelligence. Computational Intelligence Alien Intelligence? Summer 2004 Dennis Kibler. Course Mechanics. 4 quizzes: each 15% of grade 2 coding assignment+3 handin homeworks Lowest of these dropped + 40% of grade Cheating = F in course Lectures notes online – see my web page
Related searches for Artificial Intelligence
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Computational Intelligence
Alien Intelligence?
Summer 2004
Dennis Kibler
The Brain is a Computer
What are the computational principles?
How can we find them out?
How will we know if we succeed?
Analogy: Birds fly but we don't build planes with feathers and flapping wings.
planning systems
philosophical issues
Turing (1950) ``Computing machinery and intelligence'':
``Can machines think?''
``Can machines behave intelligently?''
Operational test for intelligent behavior: the Imitation Game
Predicted that by 2000, a machine might have a 30% chance of fooling a lay person for 5 minutes (Loebner Prize)
Suggested major components of AI:
language understanding
and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good
Natural language understanding
Teaching chess
Image understanding
Learning to program
Robot to wash dishes
NL front end to database
Playing chess
Identifying zip codes
Learning to diagnosis known diseases
Robot to distribute mail (mobots)
All achievableOpen vs Closed Tasks


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Eventbrite Study Finds Social Media Drives EDM Industry Success
The one thing you need to know about EDM fans is that we absolutely love our music and we love to talk about it. Eventbrite, one of the leading online ticketing and registration platforms, partnered with social media insights firm Mashwork to conduct the EDM Fan Social Media Listening Study. Through the study, Eventbrite found that EDM fans are fueling the success of the industry through their social media sharing.
The study aimed to understand the unique behavioral tendencies and topics of conversation among EDM fans as well as the difference between fans of EDM and different genres by analyzing more than 70 million posts throughout 2013. The study found that EDM fans tweet on average 11 times per day, crushing the 1.85 tweets per day from the average Twitter user. EDM fans have been found to talk about concerts and events 30% more than fans of different genres. 1 in every 3 posts were written about EDM, which is 52% more than fans of other music genres. However, not all conversation was directed towards the music itself as 14% of EDM conversation was on subculture topics such as PLUR lifestyle, rave families, and dance routines.
"The EDM fan's amount of online sharing is simply staggering," Eventbrite Head of Music Marketing Martina Wang told Billboard. "They're the most social of music fans – both online and off. There's a huge opportunity for EDM brands to harness the power of the dance fan through connecting with them online."
There has always been a stigma surrounding cell phone usage during an EDM show; however brands can use this to drive massive awareness to their events. 1 out of every 4 posts about EDM actually occurred during an event, which equals to about 17 million posts over the course of the year. This volume of conversation could potentially mean 42 billion online impressions for EDM events in one year.
At the end of the day, EDM fans are truly passionate about their music and because of this they speak positively about it. 40% of all EDM conversation on social media were focused on the love for EDM. EDM fans are constantly sharing photos and videos from past events or sharing music from a new producer they've found. Their love for EDM is something that will keep growing stronger as years go by.
"Dance lovers are super fans. Compared to other music fans, EDM fans propel the success of EDM events based on their love of live experiences and their extreme social networking behavior," said Wang. "There is a huge opportunity for the industry to tap into this highly social, passionate group of people."
Link to the study: EDM Fan Social Media Listening Study
Link to the press release: Eventbrite Press Release
Follow Eventbrite:


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Written on: 17/08/2010
I'm staggered by the negative comment on here. We had a fantastic week with Shirley and James who were recommended to us.
Can't imagine there'd be a problem bringing back food - we did - unless a horrid mess was made.
It's a delightful relaxing spot and the hosts can't do enough for you. Don't let one person's bad experience put you off.
I would recommend staying here. And will be returning.
DJB, Petersfield, Hants


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I have a cousin who has carried on the family tradition and makes a living growing asparagus.
The family biz has gotten into all sorts of asparagus by-products and the farm has a large, devoted crowd of customers.
He proclaims his stuff is GMO-free.
Without going into the nuances of that statement, I said to him a few years ago while visiting, what happens if a super-great genetically engineered asparagus comes out that is beneficial to your farm, your income, and your customers?
He was too busy thinking about the present, and that's fine.
But consumers' attitudes can change in a heartbeat – or an outbreak.
Chipotle, the purveyors of all things natural, hormone-free, sustainable, GMO-free, dolphin-free and free from whatever apparently wasn't free from the bacteria and viruses that make people sick.
And when food folks go out on an adjective adventure to make a buck, they sometimes get burned by the realities of biology.
And the bigger the bragging, the bigger the burn.
So it's no surprise that the depth of the damage from Chipotle Mexican Grill's food safety issues showed up in yet another quarterly earnings report Tuesday in which net income fell 95% and missed estimates compared to the same quarter in its high-flying days a year ago.
The Denver-based company reported third-quarter net income of $7.8 million, a dramatic fall from $144.9 million a year ago. Per-share earnings totaled 27 cents, compared with $4.59 a year ago. That was well short of the $1.60 estimated by analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Revenue sank 14.8% year-over-year to $1 billion during the quarter despite even though the fast-casual dining chain opened 54 new restaurants with only one closing.
To me, the amazing thing is that people still spend $1 billion a year at calorie-laden faux Mexican food.
Shares of Chipotle fell 2% in after-hours trading to $397.56. The stock has fallen about 38% in the last 12 months.
Chipotle restaurants are clearly struggling from the food safety issue that sickened customers last year and forced the temporary closure of some restaurants. Comparable restaurant sales — or sales of restaurants that have been opened at least a year — tumbled 21.9%. Comparable restaurant sales are estimated to fall again "in the low single-digits" in the fourth quarter, it said.
The company's management is more optimistic for 2017, partly due to the lower base of comparison. Comparable restaurant sales will increase "in the high single digits," it estimated Monday. And the company will open 195 to 210 new restaurants next year, after opening more than 220 this year. Per-share earnings next year will be $10, it estimated.
"We are earning back our customers' trust, and our research demonstrates that people are feeling better about our brand, and the quality of our food," Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, said in a statement.
Not quite.
YouGov BrandIndex, a firm that tracks a brand's reputation, regularly asks this survey question: Is Chipotle high or low quality? Before all the bad food outbreaks, Chipotle scored a very healthy 25 (on a scale of -100 to +100) for quality. It plunged to -5 by February. It has recovered to 9 recently, but that's still far from where it was.
Translation: Customers don't see Chipotle as the golden brand it was before the E. coli outbreak.
Be careful, cuz.


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Dizzy's Club Coca Cola Valentine's Day
Freddy Cole Quintet: Songs for Lovers
Winter Weather Update for Thursday, February 9: This evening's 9:30pm set has been canceled. If you have already purchased reservations, our customer service team will be reaching out. Contact them at email@example.com or 212-258-9877. The 7:30pm set will take place as scheduled.
"Freddy has an impeccable sense of swing…the most maturely expressive male jazz singer of his generation, if not the best alive."
- The New York Times
"You simply don't encounter phrasing as nonchalant yet polished as this anymore. It takes a lifetime to learn to make a lyric sound as colloquial as speech, yet as musical as an instrumental solo. Cole has spent his career mastering the art." – Chicago Tribune
"Whatever the accompaniment, Cole extracts the maximum from each tune asserting his stature as our greatest living jazz singer." – DownBeat
Pianist and vocalist Freddy Cole with bassist Elias Bailey, drummers Jerome Jennings (Feb 9 & 12) and Jay Sawyer (Feb 10 & 11), guitarist Adam Moezinia, and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm.
Referred to as a "national treasure" by The Huffington Post, jazz pianist and singer Freddy Cole is a prolific artist of undisputed pedigree. Building his career at the same time as his brother, the iconic Nat King Cole, it was never going to be easy for Cole to establish his own musical identity. However, with 20 albums released in just the last two decades, including the GRAMMY® Award-nominated 2010 album, Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B, Cole has carved out a reputation as an individual and prolific force in the jazz world. Amongst the greatest contemporary crooners, Cole's sensitivity and effortlessly powerful delivery make him the perfect artist for Valentine's Day weekend.
* Price is for the performance only; guests will be subject to the regular $10 food and beverage minimum purchase. The full Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola menu will be available for both sets. Seats will be sold general admission, table and bar seating. Depending on house availability, customers may be seated with another party. $7 fee applies per seat sold by CenterCharge. $7 fee applies per seat sold via jazz.org. $3.50 facility fee applies per seat sold. Maximum of eight seats per order. Exchanges are not available for this event.
Jazz at Lincoln Center members had pre-sale access to this popular event before the general public. Join as a member today to access a variety of benefits, including advance access to Jazz at Lincoln Center's season and other special events, discounts at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, behind-the-scenes opportunities, and more! Learn more about membership: jazz.org/membership
Visitor Info
Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
Broadway and 60th Street
5th Floor
By Phone:
Hours: 10am-9pm, Daily
Price Info
Thu, Fri: $40 /Sat: $45 / Sun: $35


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Reading & Literacy Course
Matching School Ads
Saint Joseph's University is a comprehensive, regionally accredited university. Our national rankings and AACSB accreditation in the Haub School indicate the high quality of our undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs both online and on campus. Guided by a faculty committed to both teaching and scholarship, students develop intellectually, spiritually and emotionally through a unique curriculum, and advanced study in a chosen discipline.
- Wilson Reading System Certification
Matching School Ads


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Eden Prairie, MN (PressExposure) January 05, 2009 -- Less than 7% of the wealth managers in the Twin Cities were selected by these magazines and the results were just released in their January 2009 issues.
There is a movement among clients towards independent fee-only advisors and away from commission based stockbrokers. More and more investors like the conflict-free relationships they can get with a fee-only registered investment advisor. Longview Wealth Management provides this type of long-term solutions based relationship with their clients rather than the short-term product-driven relationship of traditional advisors.
There is also a significant market share shift going on away from mutual funds and towards exchange-traded funds (ETFâs) due to their lower costs and better tax efficiency. There is now a wide variety of exchange-traded funds available for investors in virtually all asset classes including stocks, bonds of all types, international stocks and bonds, commodities, real estate, etc. The exchange-traded fund business has grown tremendously over the past 5 years as more investors and advisors have been starting to use ETFâs in their portfolios. Longview Wealth is one of the few investment advisors that use exchange-traded funds almost exclusively for its client portfolios.
âOur goal is to be the best wealth manager in the Midwest (not the biggest)â, said Keith Tufte, President of Longview Wealth Management. âWe are committed to providing the best independent, conflict-free investment advice for our clients. Our ETF based portfolios are significantly more cost and tax efficient than other strategies which results in higher returns for our clients.â
About Longview Wealth Management, LLC Longview Wealth is an independent, fee only, registered investment advisor based in Minneapolis. Longview is dedicated to helping clients simplify their financial lives and achieve financial security and peace of mind. Longview provides a unique wealth management services for client families and also helps small/midsized businesses improve and manage their 401k retirement plans.
For more information go to: http://www.longviewwealth.com, email keith ( @ ) longviewwealth dot com, or call (952) 906-1289.
Related Link: http://www.1888pressrelease.com/longview-wealth-named-a-top-twin-cities-wealth-manager-pr-92664.html


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The newly redesigned Impala, which only recently entered dealerships, replaces a previous generation that scored at the bottom of its class in Consumer Reports' tests. "It has been transformed
from a woefully uncompetitive and outdated model that was to be avoided even as a free upgrade at the rental-car counter into a thoroughly modern and remarkably enjoyable vehicle," the magazine
says in its review of the Impala. General Motors ( GM , Fortune 500 )' Impala earned the highest score among all sedans, a ranking that, for at least two decades, seemed reserved for European and
Japanese cars. Only two cars now score better than the Impala: the electrically powered Tesla Model S, which is classified as a hatchback by Consumer Reports, and the BMW 135i coupe. The magazine
started using a numerical scoring system in 1992. Consumer Reports had recently called the Model S the all-out best car it ever tested . The Model S earned a score of 99 out of a possible 100
compared to the Impala's 95. Gallery - America's best-loved cars With a score of 95 out of a possible 100 points, the Impala outscores cars costing as much as $20,000 more, the magazine said.
"The Impala's performance is one more indicator of an emerging domestic renaissance," said Jake Fisher, director of Consumer Reports automotive testing in the statement. A number of other models
from U.S.-based automakers have also stood out recently, Fisher said.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://spr.ly/dicr
The 5.4 billion ($7.2 billion) acquisition gives Microsoft control of the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, according to IDC. The Finnish Nokia ( NOK ) is well behind Samsung
in cell phone sales but far ahead of third-place Apple ( AAPL , Fortune 500 ), according to IDC. Yet Nokia is a deeply troubled company and is rapidly losing relevance. That's particularly true
in the smartphone market that Microsoft ( MSFT , Fortune 500 ) covets. Nokia, once dominant in the sector, no longer cracks the top five manufacturers in the world. Sales of Nokia's
top-of-the-line Lumia smartphones are growing fast , but they're coming off such a low baseline that the phones still remain largely irrelevant compared to iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S4 and even
Google's new Moto X, which have all captured more buzz. Apple and Google ( GOOG , Fortune 500 ) control 86% of the smartphone market, while Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system has just a
3.7% share.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://cnnmon.ie/15S5BvH


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- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
- Meal can be requested on the spot
Best offer
77 € / person / night, no meal
Description of the accommodation:
Rooms, services Just planning a trip to Austria? We suggest you check the options provided by Stadthotel Styria Steyr. 43 comfortably furnished rooms are offered by the hotel to guests looking for accommodation in Steyr. In case you'd like to have a meal or a drink on the spot, you will be provided freshly prepared dishes in the restaurant every day. Car parking possibility is available nearby. The local gym will provide a great opportunity to do sports and exercises. The café and the bar provide a nice atmosphere for a romantic evening talk or a personal meeting. You may secure your valuables in the safe. If you have a suitable portable device, you can connect to the Internet via a wireless network (WiFi) available at the hotel. The exact equipment and the exact list of available services of Stadthotel Styria Steyr can be read on the information sheet below.
Payment Credit card guarantee or advance bank card payment may be required for the reservation, depending on the chosen room, date and price.
Arrival, opening hours The earliest check-in time to your room is 10:00, the latest check-out time from your room is 13:00. The personnel of the hotel can speak in English and German with you.
Stadthotel Styria Steyr rooms Rooms
- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
Accommodation services
Parking (7 €/night)
Free WiFi in shared places
- Steam room
- Finnish sauna
- Solarium
Pet friendly, Garden, Bar, Cafe, Elevator, Safe deposit box, Room service
Own restaurant
Hairdryer, Desk in the room, Mini-bar
General Policies
On Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 - 12:00


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Now that you've defined your budget, let's take a few minutes and talk about what materials and material quality you get for your money. Don't know the difference between Granite and Quartz? How about the difference between semi-custom or custom cabinets? If you want to know if you are getting a fair price for a kitchen product, it's important to know some of the basic characteristics of the items you may purchase.
In this section, we'll take the three major material items from a kitchen remodel; the cabinets, countertops, and appliances, and discuss them in depth.
Cabinets Selection Guide
As mentioned in the previous section, cabinet costs are likely to end up being around 33% of your material budget. Here is what you need to know about kitchen cabinets.
Cabinet Styles
There are two basic looks, or styles, to kitchen cabinets that are immediately apparent when you look at a cabinet. There are American style cabinets, and there are European style cabinets. American style cabinets have a face frame; European style cabinets do not. A face frame is a wooden frame that is attached to the front of the cabinet. The doors and drawers will rest against the face frame when they are closed.
European cabinets are often referred to as frameless. The doors and drawers rest against the cabinet box when closed. Frameless cabinets will have a look that is all doors and drawers. If you can't see any bare wooden spots between the doors and drawers when they are closed, you're looking at a frameless cabinet. Ikea cabinets are frameless. There is no real difference in the quality, if you are considering one or the other, however, you should be aware of the style differences.
Relying on Stock Cabinets
Stock cabinets are going to be some of the lowest priced cabinets you will encounter. They tend to come in either a stained oak or white laminate variety. They are widely available, and can be bought at your local home improvement centers. If they're made from oak, the face frame, doorframes, and drawer fronts are likely to be made from real hardwood as well.
The white, laminated cabinets however, are almost all particleboard with a laminate veneer. Even the oak cabinets will commonly have particleboard for the box components of the cabinet, which includes the bottom, sides, back panel, shelves, and drawer boxes. Particleboard is also used extensively in European style cabinets. Particleboard is adequate for most applications, but over time it will show wear. If exposed to water, the particleboard will absorb the moisture, expand, and break apart.
Cabinets are often priced per linear foot. If you have a twenty-four inch wide cabinet, that's two linear feet. Stock cabinets will run from around $50-$150 per linear foot, which are the prices at my home improvement center. You can also buy some versions of these cabinets unfinished but assembled. This allows you to save some money if you are willing to stain and apply the polyurethane yourself.
Turn it Up a Notch with Semi-Custom Cabinets
If you have a little more money to spend on cabinets, you may want to consider semi-custom cabinets. With semi-custom cabinets, you get more quality components, and considerably more style and color options. Semi-custom cabinets will typically have an all-plywood construction method for the boxes, which is a substantial improvement over particleboard. They'll look better and last longer than stock cabinets. Some will also have better drawer box construction like dovetail joints instead of nails or staples. Aside from looking pretty, dovetails on the fronts of cabinet drawer boxes are stronger joints.
Semi-custom cabinets will also offer a wider range of accessories including pullout drawers, crown and valance molding, cutting boards, and other convenience upgrades. Those kitchen cabinet displays at your local home improvement center are typically semi-custom cabinet lines. They're semi-custom, because they have the ability to modify and build them to your taste, within reason. In terms of cost, you're looking at around $150 to $250 dollars per linear foot. It's going to vary from cabinet line to cabinet line, but they are all generally in that range.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets
If you have a sizeable kitchen renovation budget, you may want to consider custom cabinetry. Custom cabinets are designed and built to your exacting requirements. You can make them any dimension or configuration you'd like. You can have whatever features you want. Custom cabinets can give a kitchen a truly high-end look. If you pickup a kitchen design magazine from the drug store, the better-looking cabinets in that magazine are going to be custom cabinets. They'll often have inset doors, instead of doors that rest on the outside of the face frame.
Custom European style cabinets, on the other hand, may have mirror-like gloss finishes on their doors and drawers. Custom cabinets can range in price from a few hundred dollars per linear foot to a thousand dollars or more per linear foot depending upon the manufacturer and the features. You pay for quality and customization when you buy custom cabinets.
Other Cabinet Options
When you are evaluating your kitchen cabinet options, don't limit your choices to the big stores and the cabinet wholesalers. In many cities and towns there are smaller, mom and pop cabinet shops that do quality work at reasonable prices. Those shops may specialize in custom projects, but they may also be open to your smaller kitchen remodel while they are between jobs. You might be able to get a great price on semi-custom cabinets made just for you if you call around to these shops and see what they offer. It might also be wise to investigate the refacing vs. replacement argument.
A lot of these smaller shops won't have a glossy, color catalog or a website for you to browse. You might have to visit some of their previous projects to get a sense of their work quality. If you can visit their workshop in person, you may get to see a project they are currently building. Since their business is probably more word of mouth, ask to see previous work from their available references. It's more legwork on your end, compared to a cabinet store, but you might get exactly what you want for a lower price.
Countertop Selection Guide
In this section, we'll discuss everything you need to know about choosing a countertop for your new kitchen: What materials to consider, where to shop for one, and how much you can expect to spend.
Laminate Countertops are Still Budget-Friendly
Laminate countertops have gotten a bad rap over the years, but it's a bit unfair. Laminate counters clean up easy, they don't need sealing, and they are very inexpensive. Despite all that, laminate is still considered a low-grade option compared to the higher-end choices. Laminate is sometimes referred to as Formica, but that's a brand name.
A laminate countertop consists of a particleboard base covered with a thin layer of a designer veneer. When you shop for laminate, you're really only picking the design and quality of the finished veneer. Since it's not the same material throughout, the seams tend to be a little more obvious than the solid countertop options. Over time, or through heat and moisture, the outer veneer can de-laminate and peel up from the particleboard. The good news is replacement laminate isn't that expensive.
Laminate costs will vary, but they typically range anywhere from $15 per square foot on the low end to $25 per square foot on the more expensive, higher quality end of the scale. Be aware, that price doesn't include upgraded edge profiles or installation costs. Laminate is also available for purchase in prefabricated sections available at your local hardware store. When you hire a contractor to install it, they will measure your cabinets, install the particleboard, and then glue the laminate to the particleboard with contact cement.
Laminate is a great option if you are trying to keep your kitchen remodel costs low. Even if you have your heart set on granite or another stone for your counters, you can always remove the laminate, and install granite at a later point. It's better to buy high quality cabinets, and throw on a lower cost countertop with the intent to replace it down the road, then to buy cheap cabinets, and install high-end granite. You'll have a harder time removing granite countertops and trying to reinstall them, than you will removing the laminate counters and replacing them with granite.
Old Reliable: Everyone Loves Granite Countertops
Granite countertops are enormously popular and for good reason. Granite is beautiful, it's heat and moisture resistant, and it'll last longer than anything else in your house. However, it does require annual or semi-annual sealing to prevent stains from getting absorbed into the stone.
What will ruin a granite finish? Acidic fluids like vinegar or lemon juice can actually etch the granite's finish, so even though it's a tough piece of rock, you can still damage it. Since granite is a natural product that is taken out of the earth and cut into slabs, every piece is unique with its own coloring and characteristics. That's why if you are considering purchasing granite for your kitchen, be sure to visit the supplier or stone yard to pick out your own piece. We wrote about how to care for your granite countertops recently.
Don't buy a granite slab unseen. Samples are helpful, but you'll want to pick out your own slab, so you know exactly what you are getting. In terms of cost, granite runs anywhere from around $50 per square foot to over $100 per square foot. There are options for edge detailing, which will add some style to the countertop, but will also raise the price.
That Uniform Look Comes from Quartz Countertops
Similar to granite in terms of the overall look, quartz is an excellent option for kitchen countertops. Unlike granite, which is a naturally occurring product, quartz is manufactured from crushed quartz stone, and formed into a countertop using a resin. Quartz is therefore going to be much more uniform in terms of color and consistency than granite and can look manufactured. Quartz is also stain resistant and never needs sealing, which makes it extremely low maintenance. It's slightly higher in price per square foot compared to granite, but cheaper to maintain.
Is Butcher-Block a Good Long-term Countertop Material?
Butcher-block is another great option for kitchen countertops. It's attractive, it has a timeless look and it's a functional work surface, so you can chop fruits and vegetables right on it. I would still use a dedicated, washable cutting board for meats and fish, but you can use butcher-block counters if you're so inclined. This type of countertop typically come in a species of wood called Rock Maple depending upon where you buy it. Rock maple is a harder variation of maple (the other common version is Soft Maple), which is why it's the best choice for butcher-block counters and cutting boards.
Not all butcher-blocks are created equal, however. Ikea offers a wooden countertop that looks like a maple counter, but it's a composite with a top layer of hardwood over a particleboard core. The Ikea version is less expensive than a solid hardwood counter, but it may not hold up as long as the solid wood variety.
In terms of pricing, it's is fairly inexpensive compared to granite or other solid surface options. Its price varies depending upon the supplier, but you can expect to pay around half the cost compared to a similar sized granite slab.
It's also lightweight enough that it can be carried by one or two people. Large granite slabs will require a greater team effort. Because it's so lightweight, it will also need to be fastened to the cabinets in more spots than a heavier stone counter. You can throw a small section of butcher-block into the back seat of a sedan. Try doing that with granite!
Installing it can either be performed by a contractor or a handy homeowner. It's a simple process requiring no special tools.
What About Hopping on the Concrete Countertop Trend?
A recent trend, over the past decade or so, is concrete for kitchen counters. The allure of concrete counters is that you can make them as thick as you'd like (within reason). While granite, quartz, and butcher block will almost always come in 1.5" thick, concrete counters can be made 2", 3", or 4" thick. While it may be harder to find a place that carries concrete, a handy homeowner can also make them for very little cost. To have concrete counters made for you by a specialist, the cost will run up around $75 to $100 per square foot. However, if you decide to make them yourself, you can do so for only a few hundred dollars for the entire kitchen!
Concrete counters, for the most part, are made in one of two basic approaches. They either get poured into forms that are built-in-place over the cabinets, or they get poured into upside down forms away from the kitchen. The concrete cures in the forms in both instances, and can be made to varying thicknesses.
The difference between these two approaches is substantial only in terms of the look of the finished product. If the concrete gets poured into an upside down form to cure, when it's removed from the form and flipped over, the top and sides of the counters will be very smooth. It takes on that smooth finish because it cured against the smooth walls of the form.
Alternatively, if the concrete is poured in place over the cabinets, only the bottom and sides will be in contact with the form. The top surface, therefore, won't be nearly as smooth. It will still be somewhat smooth, but not nearly as smooth as if you used the upside-down form method.
The upside-down form method also allows you to build the forms, pour the concrete, and polish the counters with a wet grinder in a place that isn't your kitchen. You can do the work in a garage, driveway, or even in a backyard. Making concrete counters is an extremely messy process mostly because of the grinding. With the upside-down form method, once the counters are removed from the forms, they can be grinded and polished to a near-mirror-like finish.
You shouldn't do wet grinding on the concrete that's poured directly over your cabinets. Grinding and polishing throws around a lot of dirty water. You can't do that much wet grinding inside your kitchen with the other approach, unless you're okay with hanging plastic tarps absolutely everywhere and soaking down your kitchen.
There are some major drawbacks to using concrete as a countertop option. Concrete tends to have a more urban, industrial, or modern look to it as opposed to granite, marble, or butcher block, which are more versatile in their appearance. While concrete can be colored to almost any hue you prefer, it's most commonly seen in a darker shade, and can give a space a cooler look.
It will develop some minor cracking over time, which is fairly typical for any slab of concrete. The cracks are usually minor and superficial, but be aware that they will occur. The financial savings from building your own concrete counters is very attractive, but keep in mind that you will need access to a table saw and a wet grinder to build the forms and polish the pieces. If you don't own those tools, you'll need to purchase or rent them, which will add to the cost.
You'll also need to perform some basic weight calculations before you run out and build a 3" thick concrete slab that's 60" long. Concrete gets very heavy very quickly, and you'll need to design it so that you can lift it, carry it, and install it with a few people helping you. Your cabinets may also need to be reinforced if the pieces weigh more than a comparably sized slab of granite. If you decide to make your counter thicker, it's best to make the sections shorter in length.
Several years ago, I built a set of concrete counters from scratch for my parent's vacation home. While my folks love it, it didn't come out as nice as I'd like. It has some issues, but it's still an attractive piece. I don't want to talk you out of concrete counters as an option. I just want you to know they are a challenge to build. You can read more about my personal experience with this project on my blog. You'll find a link to this project in the Resources section of this book.
Other Countertop Options
In this last section, I want to give you a quick rundown on some of the other options out there for countertops. Frankly, there are enough countertop possibilities to fill up an entire book, so I'll just stick to a few I didn't mention in detail.
Marble Kitchen Countertops that WOW Your Visitors
Pros: Absolutely stunning and can give a kitchen a high-end look.
Cons: It's expensive and stains easily
Using Ceramic Tile Countertops
Pros: Inexpensive and easy to install
Cons: Looks dated, and grout lines can stain and discolor
Granite Tile Countertops On a Budget
Pros: Get the overall look of granite without buying a slab. Lower cost.
Cons: Looks like you are trying to save money.
Something Different: Soapstone Countertops
Pros: Beautiful dark stone that's uncommon in most kitchens. Great for farmhouse or country kitchens
Cons: Expensive, harder to find, and softer than granite. Needs regular oiling.