text:
Day Run
The Report
The numerous footsteps created a metallic symphony as they bounced around the brightly lit hall of the fortress. Five beings walked in unison down the blank corridor, silent save for the sounds of their footfalls. Shifting their weapons uncomfortably every few moments, the two guards at the back of the group carefully observed the being that they were escorting, watching for any changes in his stature that would indicate a surprise attack. Their efforts proved fruitless as the Sherif simply continued walking, focused only on his approaching meeting with the Order of Mata Nui's leader.
Keeping his eyes forward, the being stayed silent, deep in thought as he ran a hand along the small bag lying against his thigh, in which lay a number of data pads containing information on recent happenings in the east. Though his black and silver armor was badly damaged in numerous places, his eyes shone with obvious fatigue, and the holsters on his back that normally held a pair of maces were empty, the Sherif still bore a proud and confident—albeit shaken—atmosphere about him. It was as if he no longer bore any doubts about himself—like some great storm had swept across him, threatening to consume him, and he had come out on top, proving once and for all that he would forever be unbreakable.
Zanth had reason to be. He had come face to face with the very embodiment of death itself, and he had survived the encounter. Granted, he had had a lot of help along the way—he did not deny that—but he had never assumed that he would face the obstacles of Kai-Nam by himself. Indeed, had it not been for the efforts of his friends and allies, then he would not have gotten a chance to return to Daxia, to do what he was about to do. And it was for this reason that the opinions, the attitudes, the theories of the guards now escorting Zanth did not matter to him: not a single one of them had seen or faced the kinds of things that he and the others had faced, and as such, they had no room to judge him.
The group arrived at the end of the hall, where a large door sat in the very center of the wall, flanked by two large, ornate statues of a Toa-like figure. Zanth paid little heed to them as the two front guards took position by the door, allowing him to enter. The other two followed him inside, watching him closely as he took two steps forward before coming to a stop. The office was large, containing numerous stairwells, bookshelves, and other assorted furniture. Roughly twenty feet in front of the door, an alcove dipped into the wall. The cave-like area's own walls were lined with shelves, containing dozens, if not hundreds, of books, though this collection of paper paled in comparison to that which obscured virtually the entire ivory desk in front of the area.
Somewhere behind that mountain of reports, warnings, and memos, visible only by the shadow that blocked the light of a lamp behind the desk, sat Zanth's boss: the Higher-Up.
"Take a seat, Agent." The female Toa's voice had once been enough to send Zanth into a panic, like numerous other Agents of the Order. His experiences on Exa-Nui and on Kai-Nam had shown the Sherif that there were worse things in life than her, though he couldn't help but feel that old fear rise in his heart. Without a word, he walked forward again, taking a seat on the black couch that sat across from her desk. The two rear guards exited silently, leaving Zanth alone. "So . . . We're still here."
"Indeed, we are," Zanth answered. "How's the rest of the Order handling our near-death experience?"
"They don't know about it." Zanth frowned at this, though said nothing. Even so, she seemed to catch his displeasure. "I trusted you to get the job done, and you did. There was no point in making people worry—that would have only served to undermine other operations. Just be glad you succeeded."
"Thanks?" he said. Zanth unclipped the strap across his chest, setting his satchel on the cushion next to him. "There is a reason you summoned me, right?"
"Aside from wanting to personally admire your accomplishments, you mean?"
"Do you want these reports or not?"
Zanth could virtually hear her smirk as she replied, "Of course. I already know the full details of what occurred on Kai-Nam, roughly ten days after the beginning of the Day Run's last tournament; as I recall you delivered those reports even before dealing with your . . . botched fusion. I take it you've dealt with that fiasco by now?"
"I did," Zanth confirmed. "It wasn't easy—a lot of testing had to be done, and I had to spend almost two weeks in our experimental sector, which is why I still haven't repaired my armor. But, Dr. Jezwin managed to remove Suya's essence from mine." He clenched his hand. "It was a . . . painful experience, not helped at all by the experimental nature of his methods."
"But you are separated now, and obviously, you're functional enough to have come here. What of Suya? What's his current situation?"
"He's recovering," Zanth said. "Lyxek almost killed him; that was the main reason we merged to begin with, so that he wouldn't die. He was hardly better upon resuming his actual form, but he's alive. I'd expect a full recovery in a couple of weeks, at the latest."
"That's good," the boss said, seeming to shuffle a set of documents behind her mountain of paper. "Another casualty for Team Zero would have been unfortunate, don't you agree?" She seemed to be aware of his nod. "A real shame, what happened to the others—first Iglu, then Dreika, Dulain, Zaréna, and of course, poor Elyn. 'Fate worse than death,' indeed; one must wonder how Kai-Nam and the rest of the universe averted such a grisly fate in those last few hours."
Picking up on her unspoken question, Zanth leaned back in his seat. "It was Lyxek, surprisingly," he said simply. The Sherif's mouth twitched into a smile as he heard the Higher-Up's writing stop in its tracks. "The Garden was swarming with Guardians, and the Dark Hunter troop that Lyxek had hired to retrieve the Rose from Gynel brought the Feranaki—close cousins of the Guardians—to Kai-Nam's surface. Needless to say, they overran City in hours, infecting the majority of the citizens there. But they weren't part of Lyxek's plan. I don't know exactly what the purpose was behind those eleven mechs in the Garden, or how they did what they did, but they answered to Lyxek, and he was apparently impressed enough by our overcoming of Ruaki to use them as a Feranaki cleaning crew. He was even kind enough to create a tunnel directly into the Garden."
Zanth's eyes glossed over in thought. "You have to wonder . . . With that kind of power at his disposal, could Lyxek have actually succeeded in taking control of Ruaki? He could have killed him in seconds if our godly friend had ended up trying to destroy reality."
"That is not a question either of us can answer," the Higher-Up said firmly. Zanth shrugged in response. "It's interesting that Lyxek would do such a thing, after putting his own goals above the safety of the island for over a decade. Perhaps he really had come to view Kai-Nam as his home by that point."
"Maybe," Zanth said. "I doubt he feels a strong enough connection to it to go back there, though, even with whatever is going on over there right now."
"You refer to the situation with Endless Boundaries?"
"Yes, I do," the Sherif said. "Shortly after Lyxek left, Older Brother sent in repair crews to begin rebuilding City. While that's all well and good, he's taken it a step further and has laid claim to several large swathes of land and numerous other buildings—including the KNPD's headquarters. The remaining locals aren't very happy about that."
"Even with the company's stainless public image?" the Higher-Up asked.
"Even with the company's stainless public image," Zanth affirmed, to which she merely replied with, "Hm . . ." The Sherif leaned forward. "Well, consider this. City's problems—its corruption, the Skakdi Raid, and this most recent series of events—occurred almost entirely due to the staggering growth of the companies and groups there, primarily the KNPD and the Ring—which, remember, the majority of citizens did not know were related. As far as the survivors know, those kinds of companies are the single cause of the destruction that they've just encountered, especially outsiders like the Day Run and Endless Boundaries. They would rather restart, rebuild the city themselves, and try to find and fix whatever mistakes they made before."
"I see," she replied. "That does bring up a good point. Lyxek utilized technology from a number of large businesses—the biggest labs on the island and the Day Run included—and the result was City's fall. That would certainly sour the feelings of anyone who lived there . . ."
"Exactly," Zanth said. "It doesn't help that Brother's machines appeared literally right after Lyxek left, as if he had been waiting for something like that to happen. That or they all happened to be equipped with teleportation technology. Either way, a better approach would have been to wait until City had recovered somewhat before moving in and claiming property. That kind of move would have made people less suspicious."
"I won't comment on that," the Order's leader answered. "Speculation, after all, can only go so far, and we have other matters to discuss. Regardless, we will continue to keep an eye on the situation there, as well as deepen our investigation of Endless Boundaries—there must be a reason for their move on Kai-Nam, the events of Dreamland notwithstanding."
Zanth nodded, both going silent for a moment to gather their thoughts, the boss continuing to write. The Sherif looked around, taking another look at the office. The aesthetics here reminded him somewhat of the Order's bunker on Kai-Nam, from which he, Suya, Vertak, and Zaydan had operated during their time on the island. In the back of his mind, Zanth knew he had broken a few rules by revealing the hideout to the latter two beings, as well as others. Then again, considering what had been at stake, he held no regrets toward the decision, especially as steps had already been taken to rectify the issue—such as the dispatching of several agents to invite Zaydan and Vertak into the Order.
A strange mixture of emotion swirled in his head as he realized that in a few months—maybe even weeks—the 'Zero Bunker' would be cleared out and repurposed for another group of agents, who would take over the position and begin watching over the 'Frozen Paradise.' Zanth couldn't decide if he was saddened or relieved by the change of hands.
After several minutes of silent pondering, the Higher-Up spoke again. "Any further word on Lyxek or the remnants of the Ring?"
"No leads," Zanth said. "Lyxek's mechs headed south after they cleaned out City, but we haven't heard or seen anything since then. The Ringmaster's band—as well as an additional Ring member of undetermined loyalty—was spotted going in the same direction aboard one of the Ring's hover platforms. Vailian is somewhere in City, helping to rebuild although almost certainly looking to be imprisoned for his affiliation with Lyxek. The rest of the organization is either hiding out on Kai-Nam or has scattered to other islands. There are too many of them to know which ones are planning on meeting up with the Ringmaster, and where at, and as someone wiped the Ring's computers clean, we have no way of gaining direct access to any of their back-up plans."
"What about Dalmia and the Collector?"
"We've hit a blank spot there, as well," the Sherif answered uncomfortably. "All we know for sure is that Dalmia absorbed both the Collector and the remaining portions of Ruaki's soul and mind, on top of stealing the Coder from Vailian. Whether he was able to overcome their combined influence, where he disappeared to, or if he is still alive, we don't know. The best any of us can hope to do is wait and see what happens. If he survived, then inevitably he'll resurface—it's his nature."
"Hm . . ." she said again. "That could be problematic . . . If I recall correctly, you mentioned in an earlier report that Kerid and the Day Run were working to track him down. How is that going?"
"About as well as you would expect," Zanth said. "They've shut down their tournament for the time being, so all of their resources are being poured into the effort, and it's unlikely that it'll reopen before they find and contain Dalmia—Kerid is too determined to stop him. A lot of people aren't happy about that."
"What do you think?"
"I agree with her judgment," Zanth replied, his tone simple. "The Night and Day Run have both brought about more problems than they've solved—first on Gynel, and then on Kai-Nam. Regardless of how 'fun' it is, the game hasn't yet done anything to earn anyone's respect. Considering that Dalmia absorbed power from something made from Day Run nanobots, Kerid views this situation as partly her responsibility, and she couldn't be more correct. I think this is the perfect chance for them to earn the praise they so often receive."
"That tune is certainly different from the one you sang back on Kai-Nam," she noted, though did not elaborate further. "How is the Guild of Tyis handling all of this?"
"Fairly well, considering . . ." Zanth counted with his fingers. "The destruction of City, the dismantling of almost their entire guild, and the deaths of most of their members and leadership, and whatever else has happened to them. Tyis himself has been helping to lead the remaining citizens of Kai-Nam, with help from Officer Sanshou, who has primarily worked to create a new, uncorrupted KNPD. Meanwhile, Kaorus—essentially Tyis's right-hand man in the Guild at this point—is leading the reconstruction of the Tower of Tyis. Thus far, they've been at the forefront of the resistance against Endless Boundaries, at the urging of Elithes and Illuxio."
"Ah, yes, our alternate dimensional friend, and his cyborg guardian," the Higher-Up said, her voice taking on an interested, airy tone. She set down her pen; Zanth could picture her resting her chin on her hands in thought. "It doesn't surprise me that Elithes is opposed to more outside influence, considering how deeply the Ring affected Kai-Nam. The destruction of one's homeland can certainly create powerful emotional responses in an individual—as you know."
She leaned back in her seat. "And Illuxio . . . A piece of work all on his own. To think that he was once exactly like Lyxek, and that his actions brought about the destruction of an entire universe. Yet now he seems so kind, so thoughtful, going so far as to adopt a new personality, a new body." She chuckled. "Although I'm sure the destruction of your original body and several amnesiac years would have that effect on anyone."
"Indeed," Zanth said quietly. "I have little else to report on them. They've been helping with repairs, as well, although I expect them to continue moving in the near future. Chances are that they will return to bounty hunting soon, as Elithes tends to do."
"Good, good," the Higher-Up said. "I want watchers on them twenty-four-seven, especially once they leave Kai-Nam. Chances are that Illuxio bears memories of what he had planned to do in the event that everything turned out as they did here. If so, they will inevitably go after Lyxek, giving us an avenue through which to find him. Am I clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," Zanth said. "Anything else?"
"I believe there's one last group I have yet to hear about," she said. Zanth frowned, realizing who she was talking about before she even continued speaking. "The Director and Lurinost both died when the former self-destructed. Officer Sensha is most likely part of Sanshou's new KNPD. I won't ask why you didn't discuss them. However . . ." She leaned forward, still invisible behind her mountain of papers. "The Dark Hunters. You haven't even glossed over them."
Zanth fell silent for a moment. In the back of his head, he could tell that she was less interested in the Gynel group overall and more interested in what one particular Dark Hunter was up to—and for good reason, assuming he had gone on to do what he had implied . . . "You wouldn't rather wait for a report from Ancient?"
"I'm asking you. You spoke to him before he returned to the Dark Hunters, and you knew him before he ever joined them; you have more insight into what was going through Kovian's head than anyone else at their time of departure."
The Sherif thought this over. "Kovian, Sepcret, and the remaining Dark Hunters left Kai-Nam a few days after the Ring's defeat," he said slowly. "Soon after returning to Odina, Kovian began organizing a rebellion against the Shadowed One, with the help of a number of other Dark Hunters—Server, Bombarder, and others who have gained the ire of their master. Even Arcane is involved."
"Two months of planning, and already the Toa of Ice believes he can overthrow the leader of the Dark Hunters?" the Toa said. "Interesting. Either he is incredibly confident in his ability to lead others, or extremely foolish."
"No one said anything about overthrowing the Shadowed One," Zanth pointed out. "He's smarter than you give him credit for. Kovian joined the Dark Hunters out of some misinformed assumption that Jaeda's influence on Exa-Nui had rotted him from the inside-out, even after he had broken her hold on his mind. Killing her certainly didn't help lighten his self-view. But . . ."
Zanth paused. "I think Kai-Nam showed him that he was wrong—that he is still capable of doing good. This fight against the Shadowed One isn't about trying to take over his position—it's about breaking away from a prison that he inadvertently forced himself into, to help free others from the suffering that they've endured underneath the Shadowed One." The Sherif trailed off, staring distantly at a nearby wall. "And with Torith already searching for him . . . I think redemption is possible."
The Order's leader said nothing. Finally, she sighed, her chair scraping against the floor as she pushed herself away from her desk. She moved effortlessly around the large mountain of files, revealing herself to Zanth for the first time in ages. Silently, the blue-armored Toa approached an ornate bookcase, studying the tomes sorted on its numerous shelves.
"No one ever heard your real name on Kai-Nam. No one has since Exa-Nui fell," she said quietly. "Not even Suya, your long-time partner and one of your closest friends, knows who you used to be. But you revealed yourself to Kovian." She looked at Zanth, who had turned his head to stare at her. "Do you know what that tells me?"
"I broke the Order's code of secrecy?" the Sherif guessed.
The Toa smiled slightly, shaking her head. "You've moved on. You've put aside your failure to save the Great Respite." She turned around, grabbing a book from the third-highest shelf. The Toa of Water stared at its surface for several moments, before turning her gaze back to her visitor. She approached him, holding it out to the Sherif. "As such, I think it's time you saw this. Study its contents, and then make a move." Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the bag containing his reports, turning and heading back behind her desk. "That is all. You're dismissed . . . Rodax."
The Sherif nodded at her, pushing himself to his feet and quickly exiting the room, continuing to stare at the book in his hands as he walked. The hallway was empty when he emerged into it, the guards having returned to their posts. That left Rodax to contemplate. He started walking again, heading down the hall.
Pausing, Rodax looked back. In all of his visits to her office, he had always assumed that the large statues flanking the boss's door had been made in honor of the Order's leader, though had never understood why they bore so little resemblance to her. Now, however, he thought differently. These statues represented not one, but many—the true heroes of the universe. That was why it bore no similarities to typical Toa—it was meant to represent their courage, their dedication, and their honor.
This new realization in mind, Rodax headed out. Turning his attention back to the book, he noted its blank, black cover. He carefully opened it, frowning as he read the front page of the diary—for that was what it was, upon closer inspection. But this was not an ordinary diary. It bore the lightest musings, the deepest thoughts, the most horrible secrets of a being that Rodax had tried so hard to fight against—and in the end, had failed to defeat.
The Book of Jaeda.
Rodax saw only one light in the darkness as he felt years of suppressed anger and fear wash over him again: He would finally have answers to so many unchecked questions—what all had driven Makuta Jaeda; what had gone according to plan, and what had been improvised; what she had intended to do with Exa-Nui. Above all, here was something that could potentially reveal what connected those three islands—Kai-Nam, Gynel, and Exa-Nui, as well as Jaeda and Lyxek's plans.
At last, he would know the truth.
Author's Notes: So yeah. In case you couldn't tell, this is a wrap-up of what happened to numerous characters and things following the conclusion of Day Run. Not much else to say about it, tbh--I know that there's a lot of dialogue, but that was generally the point of the story: an oral report.
Also, yes, Zanth is Rodax. Surprise! :o
Also also, yes, this Book of Jaeda will be followed up on in future works.
That's all. Thanks for reading--let me know what you think! ^_^
Edited by Parugi, Dec 14 2014 - 03:52 AM.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Professional Grade HD-TVI Wall Clock Hidden Camera - 2.4MP, 1080p, AHD, CVBS
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With an historic shift toward e-commerce, it's more important than ever that retailers have the right pieces in place to successfully capture online traffic and drive conversions. ... More >>
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text:
Dr. Rhoda Janzen of the Hope College English faculty has found that you can go home again. In fact, sometimes you need to.
It's an experience that she relates in the memoir "Mennonite in a Little Black Dress," which is being published this month by Henry Holt and Company of New York and has already received national attention.
Janzen, newly 42 and recently recovered from a hysterectomy, found her world turned upside down in the fall of 2006. As she explains in the book, her husband of 15 years left her for a man whom he met online, and a car accident that same week left her seriously injured.
Already scheduled for a sabbatical leave that spring, she decided against her original research plans and instead went home to the California Mennonite community in which she had been raised. She had set aside the conservative religion in pursuing her own path as an academic, but in the four months she spent living with her parents and immersed again in the culture and faith of her childhood, she found healing in a safe place that gave her a chance to come to terms with her failed marriage; her desire, as a young woman, to leave her sheltered world behind; and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.
While she was West, Janzen stayed in touch with friends. A published poet, she hadn't planned to turn her reflections into a memoir, but a Hope colleague who was among her correspondents had other ideas.
"I had never thought of myself as a nonfiction writer, and I never would have started writing a memoir on my own," Janzen recalls in a conversation published as a foreword to the book. "When I first returned to the Mennonite community, I started peppering my friends with astonished e-mails about my folks. I was, like, 'Check this out! My father reuses his toothpicks! My mother is ideologically committed to finishing a superstinky cucumber lotion that she got at a hotel!'"
"It was my friend Carla who first told me that I'd better start saving the e-mails," she said. "She said they were beginning to smell like memoir."
The resulting book has already received coverage in a variety of major publications, with an excerpt appearing in the Sunday, Sept. 13, "New York Times Magazine" and articles in fall editions of publications including "Family Circle," "Good Housekeeping," "Marie Claire" and "Elle Magazine."
"Publishers Weekly" has praised the memoir, noting, "Janzen looks at her childhood religion with fresh, twinkling eyes... Janzen is always ready to gently turn the humor back on herself, though, and women will immediately warm to the self-deprecating honesty with which she describes the efforts of friends and family to help her re-establish her emotional well-being."
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love," said, "This book is not just beautiful and intelligent but also painfully - even wincingly - funny. It is rare that I literally laugh out loud while I'm reading, but Rhoda Janzen's voice - singular, deadpan, sharp-witted, and honest - slayed me with audible results. I have a list already of about 14 friends who need to read this book. I will insist that they read it. Because, simply put, this is the most delightful memoir I've read in ages."
Even as she pokes fun at some of the idiosyncrasies of the Mennonite culture, Janzen notes that she loves and respects the Mennonites and the group's spiritual and cultural heritage. In particular, she was touched by the warmth and acceptance that she found during her return - an experience that prompted her to reassess earlier perceptions.
"What most hit me was how gracious and open the Mennonite community was," she said. "I wasn't expecting it to be. I had sort of stereotyped it during my growing-up years."
Her own spiritual journey continues, buoyed by her time back home.
"So often we think of faith as the crutch of crisis; we turn to it only when our world bottoms out, as mine did when my husband left me," she notes in the foreword. "Weirdly, faith is becoming more important to me, not less. I'm still exploring issues of spirituality and theology, and I'm even regularly attending a church. Also, nobody's twisting my arm!"
Janzen has been a member of the Hope faculty since 2000. Her teaching emphases include creative-writing courses focused on poetry and memoir, American literature from 1865 to 1925 and modern English grammar.
Her poetry collection "Babel's Stair" was published in 2006. She has also had poems in many anthologies and journals, including "Poetry," "Southern Review," "Gettysburg Review" and "Yale Review."
Janzen graduated from Fresno Pacific University in 1984, and completed a master's in creative writing at the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1989, a master's at UCLA in 1997 and a doctorate at UCLA in 2002. In addition to awards for excellence from her graduate program, she has received honors including a Wilson National Foundation Fellowship for the Charlotte Newcomb Award in 2000; first prize in the 1999 William Butler Yeats National Poetry Competition; the University of California Poet Laureate Award in 1994 and 1997.
"Mennonite in a Little Black Dress" will be available for $22, and is on sale at the college's Hope-Geneva Bookstore, on the ground level of the DeWitt Center, 141 E. 12th St., as well as at other area booksellers. Copies may be ordered at the bookstore, which can be called at 800-946-4673 or (616) 395-7833, and at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. In addition, Janzen will participate in a book-signing at Treehouse Books, 37 E. Eighth St. in downtown Holland, on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.


text:
It seems from yesterday's comments that everyone is in the mood for a garden party. It was supposed to rain in Antwerp yesterday but instead we enjoyed beautiful weather so I decided to throw a 'garden party' for one on the balcony. There I was with my latte and Jane Austen, photographing my flowers when an unexpected guest flew into my photo and made itself welcome. Well, hello there! See, when you throw a party someone is bound to show up.
In July some of us have the perfect excuse for throwing a fabulous garden party. Tomorrow is Canada Day, 4th of July is on Monday, the French celebrate Bastille Day on the 14th and the National Day of Belgium is on the 21st. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning and send those invitations now! And remember, have fun with it – stress is forbidden.
And don't forget, today is the last day to enter my giveaway. If you are crazy about Paris then Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange with Sophie Gachet is the book for you. The winner will be announced tomorrow.
photo credit:
#1-2: LatteLisa
#3-5: Southern Living


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Quick Facts
Servings: 8
A delicious, spicy chili. Though easy to make, it needs time to cook. Serve with cornbread and salad.
- 1 1/2 cups pinto beans, dried
- 5 1/2 cups water
- 1 lb round steak, trimmed, cut into 1inch (3cm) pieces
- 2 1/2 Tbs chili powder
- 1 Tbs cumin
- 1 tsp salt (sea salt if on a corn-free diet*)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 1/2 cups tomato sauce, (one 29-ounce can)
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Rinse beans thoroughly and sort through to remove dirt. In a large Dutch oven, cover beans and water, and heat to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and bake in oven until beef and beans are tender, about 4 hours. Remove from oven and stir.
- Serve with light sour cream and chopped green onions.
* Allergy notes: People following a corn-free diet should avoid iodized salt since it contains dextrose, which should be avoided by those allergic to corn.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 204
Calories from Fat 66 (32%)
(11%)Total Fat 7g
(13%)Saturated Fat 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
(10%)Cholesterol 31mg
(44%)Sodium 1048mg
(22%)Potassium 765mg
Total Carbohydrate 20g
(20%)Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars 6g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(32%)Protein 16g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
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Universal Adapters for the S
Universal Adapters for the S
This brings up a good question. How forgiving are Tesla's to power inputs?
In summer many time I have metered my panel and the incoming voltage was around 98/203 very dirty volts. My surrounding neighbors had the same range. We have called our electric provider but they really don't care. They just give us the neighborhood A/C use excuse. I noticed the problem because my ADSL modem was not on a UPS and it would not work on those days.
I would assume at a minimum the car will just not charge if it's unhappy. This might be a question to actually make a call about.
I would think that any generator that can handle the continuous output should be fine. Not all 240 volt 30 amp generators can work on a continuous load.
So can you stick the generator in the voluminous trunk and do away with range anxiety? ;)
Don't worry about it. A true generator, as opposed to an inverter, creates a nearly pristine sine wave output. The majority of causes of the crappy power you're getting from the grid is related to the surges, dips, and noise incorporated into the grid power by the electrical devices your neighbors, i.e. everyone sharing your feed from the power production facilities.
As long as your car is the only thing connected to the generator, your power will be plenty clean to charge with. On a 30A connector, the charger can only draw a continuous load of 24A. You need to be certain your generator is rated for that continuous load. If not, you'll have to program the car to limit charging to stay under your generator's limit. Sadly, the presence of a 30A connector and breaker is no guarantee it can sustain those loads for an extended period.
@ Babyrocket - The Model S Options and Pricing page indicates that the Mobile Connector comes standard with all Model S configurations and includes a 110 volt standard household outlet adapter, a 240 volt outlet adapter, and a J1772 public charging station adapter. It also notes that other outlet adapters are available for purchase.
The Model S Charging page indicates that your Delivery Experience Specialist will offer you a choice of 240 volt outlet adaptors when you take delivery. This same page lists charging specs for 4 NEMA 240 V adaptors. The NEMA 14-30 is one of the listed adaptors.
Lets hope the J1772 can handle the higher current version
AC Level 2 240 V Split phase
I have ordered the Twin Charger option and would like the ability to use it. Please do not respond with "their are few public installs of the 80 A". This will come quickly since 30 A is to slow to charge a car at a pit stop.
And yes I still hope they support DC charge on the 40 kwh battery.
@murraypetera I didn't even know there was an 80A spec available for J1772. Glad you mentioned it.
I sure hope the adapter works with that rating. That would really help a lot.
Note there is a pretty large step in wiring rules for an 80A installation vs a 30A installation (2 gage vs 10 gage for must runs). It's sad how short sighted all the charging station installations are right now. I wish people who design things would be more forward looking. The Leaf has conditioned people to think that 6kW is sufficient unless you go DC. Meanwhile the fact that existing cars can't charge at more than about 18 miles per hour doesn't change the concept that 18 miles per hour is completely useless unless you are sleeping or have something to do for a many hours while you wait.
What if you want both 240v adapters? I've got the 14-50 at home, but may encounter 14-30 in the wild. I could probably get an RV "dogbone" to adapt the 14-50 plug to a 14-30 socket for about $20, but if the second adapter is available to purchase, I'd like to consider it.
Yes, Tesla's J1772 adapter for Model S is 80 amp capable. But, why would the makers of commercial J1772 Level 2 charging stations incur the extra wiring and equipment expense to provide that much juice on the off chance that a Model S or some other EV that can take more than a 30amp charge might show up some day? It's a matter of economics. Besides, most commercial Level 2 chargers charge by the hour, not by how much power is delivered. It's to their advantage to keep it at 30amps. They make out when I'm charging my Leaf. I will make out when I'm charging the Model S.
It would make sense only if they wanted to "future-proof" their installations. With the exception of Tesla vehicles, most cars cannot use that much current. But if EVs ever take off as real ICE substitutes, they will have to.
On the charging front... I removed "twin chargers" from my configuration. I don't plan on buying Teslas "high power wall connector" but will charge @ home on a 14-50 plug. and here's why..
The mobile connector that comes with the car is only 10KW rated which I assume would have to include the J1772 adaptor as well since it is designed to work with the mobile connector, So unless the mobile connector was rated for 20kw "assuming one could find public chargers existing in the wild that are capable of that charging rate"?? Therefore without the High Power wall connector at home the twin charger option seems moot. While @ home charging @ 62 mph vs 31 mph is not a huge deal as the car will gain a full charge overnight even on a 14-50 anyway ( I gotta sleep lol).
I opted instead to scratch the $1500.00 twin chargers and add the optional $2000.00 "super charger hardware" which provides much more value for the $$$ because it enables me to charge cost free @ super chargers for the life of the car "as it is offered currently".
Am I wrong here? Thoughts.. PLEASE!
Superliner, I agree that having the High Power wall connector at home does not make much sense (what are the odds that you just drove hundreds of miles, return home, and have to charge quickly for another long trip???). I have the 14-50 outlet set up. On the other hand I also have the Twin Chargers (85kWh battery) because 1.) while current public chargers are mostly 30A max now, who knows about the future and 2.) prior to the availability of the Super Charger network, I may need to make use of Tesla service centers' High Power wall connectors on long road trips in order to get a faster charge (assuming they would be so kind). I guess it is a matter of opnion depending upon one's driving needs.
Public chargers have their own charging cables, you don't use the mobile connector with them. At least that's my understanding.
@Superliner - Your logic about twin chargers and the HPWC is correct, IMHO. However, the J1772 adapter is not used with the 10KW Mobile Connector. It attaches directly to the J1772 plug from the charging station: http://teslamodelsxc.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_0025.jpg There are some public access high power Tesla Roadster chargers that have been converted to high power J1772 (http://www.recargo.com/sites/632), but AFAIK, they are few in number.


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Winnifred Wygal papers
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Thursday, June 7, 2012
Long run and update
Tuesday I ran a MAF test on my 10 mile/ 1800ft vertical course and averaged 7:12 pace at HR 146, one of my top 10 fastest times ever... but I was at MAF. Yesterday was a long bike with 8600ft of vertical with a few hard efforts. I didn't feel like my climbing legs were under me today, but the pace was still solid. Things are lining up very well for the marathon in a few weeks and Mt Evans next week.
3 comments:
- Keven Elliff said...
Good luck, Lucho. Rooting for you.
- June 07, 2012
Hey Tim,
I just listened to your Ultra Runner Podcast interview and was interested in the part where you talked about fixing runner's knee in 5 days with some weight exercises.
I have had IT band issues for a while now on and off. Are there a couple exercises you could recommend for that?
Is that usually just a muscle imbalance thing too?
- June 07, 2012
- Lucho said...
Thank you Keven!
Kyle- I caught my issue immediately and took a few days of rest (I think I biked is all) and also did leg extensions which was just enough to resolve it. Rest is critical. ITB can be caused by a bunch of things from weak hip abductors to foot rotation (biomechanics). I woudl say to massage your ITB first to try to get it to loosen a bit. Also google some stretches for ITB and hip abductors. Lateral leg raises against a resistance band will be the exercise to strengthen your hip abductors. Tough to say definitively what is causing the problem but maybe start there?
- June 11, 2012


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Language Signals on the Web
Presenting a user interface in the customer's language should be a high priority from your product management team. If not, they're not doing their job in my opinion. This article describes some of the language signals you can use to determine the correct language choice for your web application's user interface.Continue Reading


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Welcome to TalkEmount.com—a friendly Sony E-mount camera & photography discussion forum!If you are thinking of buying a camera or need help with your photos, you will find our forum members full of advice! Click here to join for free!
grafitti and cars
Discussion in 'Street and Documentary' started by davect01, Aug 22, 2011.


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Each month, Kristina Bauer estimates that she sells about 20 items, ranging from Louis Vuitton handbags to Christian Louboutin heels, through her eBayboutique, GramercyGrl.
Not every user will achieve Bauer's ecommerce success, but eBay wants you to give it a shot.
On Friday, the company begins a four-city tour of the U.S. to introduce online auction mavens-to-be to its new simplified selling experience. This summer, the company's "Chic Squad," which consists of two fashion stylists and a quartet of top sellers, will share listing tips with consumers and assist them in posting items.
"We have 25 million sellers out there who are contributing to the inventory on eBay," said Jeff Somers, general manager at eBay Fashion. "By making it a more simple process, it's a tremendous opportunity for us to increase the selection for buyers."
In March, the company launched a new version of the iPad app, which allows users to list items on-the-go, at any time. Users can also post on their smartphones. Users typically generate around 2 million mobile listings each week.
The tour, which stops first in New York and then ventures to Los Angeles, Dallas and San Francisco, is the company's latest effort to draw attention and ramp up its fashion-based business.
In the "You Can't Fake Fashion campaign" earlier this year, the company joined with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to raise awareness against counterfeit itemsthrough a line of designer tote bags. It also runs the Fashion Vault, a flash-sale type platform, and the Fashion Outlet, an online outlet that sells items at discounts of roughly 20 to 65 percent.
The company has plenty of incentive to encourage sales of high-end fashion. Higher-priced sales generally result in higher fees for eBay. Fees for auction-style listings that end up selling come with a maximum charge of $250. There is no such fee limit for fixed-price format listings, which means as prices climb higher, so does eBay's cut of the sale.
Even with the fees, Bauer has been able to turn a hobby of selling things for friends and family into a part-time business and earned a spot among eBay's top sellers. She first embarked on an eBay career after being laid off as an equity research analyst in 2008. Nearly all of her sales now occur through the site.
"If items are priced right, everything eventually does sell," she said.
Brad Goreski, a celebrity stylist and fellow Chic Squad member, emphasized that eBay gives users a way to rid their closets of items that do not fit well while making room for new fashion finds.
"It's a way to benefit from keeping your closet fresh without breaking the bank," Goreski said.
Like, a crowded closet, the market for high-end fashion is bursting at the seams with players trying to lure today's discerning consumer. Despite the stiff competition, big-names retailers, such as eBay and Amazon.com, and emerging start-ups are throwing money and resources at the segment in an attempt to capture a larger market share.
Last month, "The New York Times" reported that Amazon.com is making a significant investment in the category by "signing on hundreds of contemporary and high-end brands, including Michael Kors, Vivienne Westwood, Catherine Malandrino, Jack Spade and Tracy Reese."
The company's previous forays into the fashion scene include purchasing Zappos.com and Shopbop and launching Endless.com and MyHabit, which operates using a flash-sale model.
Another recent hopeful on the scene, HipSwapis betting its more visually focused marketplace that enables users to shop the closet of some fashion editors and reality TV celebrities will help it "own the virtual supply chain for the secondary market of goods," said Rob Kramer, the company's CEO
"If Craigslist and Pinterest had a baby — that's HipSwap," Kramer said.
The site, which launched in March, has attracted a user base that is growing roughly 2 percent a day and more than $22 million in inventory.
On Thursday, it unveiled a handful of new features, including door-to-door delivery in Los Angeles and New York and a sharing tool for users to seek feedback on potential purchases via social media.
Despite their differences, all three sites are jockeying for the same fashion-conscious consumer, who seeks to create some extra wardrobe space with one click and then fill it back up with the next.
"You can imagine the amount of inventory that is sitting in closets out there," eBay's Somers said. "The ability to unlock that and bring that to buyers everywhere is really powerful."
Questions? Comments? Email us at email@example.com. Follow Katie Little on Twitter @katie_little_.


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Ken Bell, the court-appointed receiver for Zeek Rewards, participated in a conference call today with various members of the media in an effort to provide an update since Zeek's unraveling ten days ago. In a conversation that included prepared remarks and a question-and-answer session, Mr. Bell addressed the status of his investigation, as well as a look into his priorities for the near future.
Mr. Bell started the conference by opining that the number of potential victims was likely more than previously expected, and estimated that there could be nearly 2 million affected. Since his appointment, Mr. Bell has received 1000's of investor phone calls and emails, many providing heart-breaking stories about their current situation. He also disclosed that the $600 million thought to be lost is also likely to be revised upwards as the investigation continues. The number of victims likely made the scheme "one of the largest schemes to go into receivership," according to Mr. Bell. "Terabytes" of financial information were also recovered from Zeek's offices, which must be analyzed in order to determine investor losses.
Mr. Bell also addressed the issues faced by many who had been in the process of investing with Zeek by way of cashiers' checks when the scheme unraveled. Citing the court's order to recover all assets, Mr. Bell indicated that all cashiers checks in his possession would be considered assets of ZeekRewards and would be deposited and added to the pool of funds currently being amassed for victims.
As to Paul Burks, Mr. Bell indicated that he had met with Burks when the scheme was first uncovered, and had since been in contact with Burks' attorney. Regarding the "source" of the $4 million fine paid by Burks to the SEC, Mr. Bell was not sure, but indicated that he intended to recover any "proceeds" from the scheme in Burks' possession.
In moving forward, Mr. Bell stressed that his job was to locate and lock down all assets both in Zeek's possession and from "anyone who ought not to have it". When asked if he was alluding to the possibility of "clawback" litigation against investors who withdrew more than their initial investment, Mr. Bell stuck to his message that he would pursue "every dollar" from those in wrongful possession of the funds. More details will likely emerge in Mr. Bell's report to the court following his initial investigation.
Mr. Bell was also asked to address the recent news that some investors had filed class-action lawsuits against Zeek and Burks. While Mr. Bell indicated that he had not been provided with copies of the lawsuits, he did give his opinion that, under the order appointing him as receiver, any and all litigation brought against Zeek or its subsidiaries would be stayed and prevented from moving forward. Ultimately, he said, the court would have to provide guidance.
In the near future, Mr. Bell hoped to be able to communicate with investors through updates to the website, and urged victims to monitor the site, which is located at www.zeekrewardsreceivership.com. Saying that it was "too early to think about a distribution process," Bell encouraged investors to review their records showing proof of any deposits or withdrawals, and that an official proof of claim form would eventually be posted to the website.
Jordan Maglich is an attorney at Wiand Guerra King P.L. in Tampa, Florida whose practice includes white-collar crime and securities and financial litigation. He also covers Ponzi schemes on his blog, PonziTracker. Follow him at @PonziTracker.


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Rapid Test Accuracy..Scared and Donating to You
Dr Bob
I have read recent reports, one on TheBody, that says the OraSure Advance Test is not very accurate. I tested negative at 15 weeks since last possible exposure using a fingerprick Rapid Test. Should I now get retested using another test? Thanks for all you do!!
I would consider your negative finger-prick rapid test at 15 weeks conclusive. No additional testing is warranted. See below.
Dr. Bob
Thanks(Breaking news (FALSE POSITIVE ORAQUICK TESTS) Mar 8, 2009
thanks for your info. I would love to know, we you think after you read about it. The news was posting on your site and came from some confrence that just took place. again thank you so much for all u do
Breaking News? (RELIABILITY OF ORAQUICK ORAL TESTS) Feb 28, 2009
Good Morning, Could you please explian to me the Breaking News the HIV- instant test are not relieable? Not sure I understand themeaning of the doctors paper. I am a monthly donor and am so very gratful for your website
Response from Dr. Frascino
I'm presently "on the road again" and consequently may have missed the "breaking news" you are referring to. Here is what I can tell you about the recent concerns related to rapid tests (although it hardly qualifies as "breaking news"). There have been scattered reports of higher than expected false-positive tests in certain areas: Seattle, NYC, Boston, etc., when using the oral fluid OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test. As with all rapid tests results, these tests results are only considered "preliminarily positive" and require a more sensitive test, such as the Western Blot. Any false-positive rapid test results would be caught by this confirmatory test. Although we still don't know why there was an uptick in preliminary false-positive oral fluid OraQuick rapid test results. However, OraSure Technologies, the maker of the oral test, has gathered data nationwide, which is reassuring regarding the accuracy of the test. It does appear that the specificity of OraQuick rapid tests performed on oral fluid specimens is lower than that of OraQuick rapid tests performed on whole-blood specimens (finger prick). The overall performance of both tests continues to meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. Overall, oral fluid rapid tests have performed well and make HIV testing possible in many venues where performing a blood draw or finger stick is impractical or impossible. The CDC is continuing to work with the FDA and the manufacturer (OraSure Technologies) to further investigate the causes and extent of increases in false-positive oral fluid tests and monitor the performance of oral fluid and other rapid tests to ensure that they continue to perform as expected in testing programs. In addition the CDC is investigating other combination-test strategies to minimize false-positive preliminary test results. I'll repost below some information from the archives that discusses this problem. As for newer information or breaking news, I'm heading back home in a few days and will report back at that time, OK?
Thanks for your donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org).
Be well.
Dr. Bob
Oraquick Mindwhack Dec 11, 2008
Hey Doc...I wrote you a couple of years ago...High Risk Guy was my handle. Your insight and encouragement helped me through a tough time. I have kept up with you and this forum...congratulations on getting married and heave-hoing (?) the Bush disaster. My question: I heard and read (here and elsewhere) that there were some questions about the accuracy of the Oraquick oral rapid advance test (gum swab version) due to some bullshite up in Seattle. Can you update me/us on the status of that test? Is it still reliable? Can I still feel good about my test from May 2006 (which I had eight months after possible exposure)? I have been moving forward in a well-lived life, but would like to get this pesky mindwhack out of the way. Thanks.
Response from Dr. Frascino
Welcome back to the forum! Thanks for the congratulations. As for Dubya, January 20th can't get here soon enough!
Can you believe your negative OraQuick Advance test? Yes, I believe you can. The FDA is investigating the accuracy of the test, but the questions centers on the rate of false positives rather than the rate of false negatives.
An assessment of OraQuick Advance was performed between February and October 2007, which included 849 adults who visited the emergency department at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. Of the 849 adults consenting to rapid HIV tests, 39 were found to be reactive (positive). Of those 39 with positive results, 31 agreed to confirmatory testing. Just five have positive confirmatory tests! This rate of false positives is considerably higher than what is suggested by the test's manufacturer. Some researchers recommend the "addition of HIV RNA testing to the confirmatory algorithm for rapid HIV screening tests in the United States."
You can read about the Seattle situation in the archives, as I've discussed it several times.
The bottom line for you is that your negative test should be considered a true negative. If your "pesky mindwhack" persists despite my reassurances, you could get an ELISA. The results will undoubtedly be negative.
Your WOO-HOO is secure, OK?
Be well. (You are indeed well.)
Dr. Bob
Ding Dong Injury- Can people trust the rapid hiv tests? (Seattle Department Finds OraSure HIV Test to Be Less Accurate Than Label Claims) Sep 10, 2008
Greetings and well wishes!! I hope your having a fabulous evening!! First let me tell you that you give hope to the hopeless. Thats power!! Here is my story. I tested negative at 96 days with the finger prick test. I then went back and tested negative with the oral test at 100 days & 115 days past exposure. Can I woohoo?? My risk was a bruised penis (black and blue)from a rough bj. I ask this because of the article from the seattle dept of heath which says rapid test arent accurate. Please give your thoughts? My Dr said I didnt even need testing but I have OCD?
Response from Dr. Frascino
Actually, it was indeed a fabulous evening! I spent it having dinner with two of my favorite people: Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim and New York Times op-ed columnist Frank Rich!
Regarding your ding-dong problem, the blowjob actually bruised Mr. Happy? Yikes! That's some powerful sucking action. However, please note, despite the unsightliness of a black-and-blue tallywhacker, bruises do not affect the integrity of the skin. In essence, your skin, although bruised, remained intact. Therefore, if the blowjob was latex protected, there would be essentially no HIV risk. If it were unprotected, the risk remains the same as a less forceful unprotected oral sexperience, i.e. very low. Your negative finger-prick rapid test at 96 days plus your two negative "oral tests" at 100 and 115 days are definitive and conclusive. You are Dr. Bob-certified WOO-HOOable!
We are monitoring the OraQuick story closely. The CDC has not altered its recommendations of the test. I'll reprint below some information from the archives that addresses this issue. However, please note the chance that your three tests were all false-negatives is essentially nonexistent. Stop worrying and start WOO-HOOing! OK?
Dr. Bob
Seattle Department Finds OraSure HIV Test to Be Less Accurate Than Label Claims
September 5, 2008
A report by Public Health -- Seattle and King County in Washington state has found that testing with OraSure Technologies' OraQuick test provides less accurate results than the label claims, Bloomberg reports. The OraQuick test is the only rapid test licensed to screen both oral fluids and blood for HIV, according to Bloomberg. Bob Wood, director of the HIV/AIDS control program at the Seattle-based department, said that in 5,460 tests, OraQuick failed to detect at least 8% of 133 people found to be HIV-positive with a comparable diagnostic. This compared with the 0.7% rate given on the test's label.
Elliot Cowan, chief of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Office of Blood Research and Review, said the agency has asked OraSure to investigate the issue. "We're keeping an ear to the phone and making sure they're doing what they're supposed to do," Cowan said, adding, "The ultimate goal is that the package insert appropriately represents the performance of the test." According to Bloomberg, CDC, which recommends testing with blood over oral fluids, also has contacted Seattle officials. Nonetheless, the agency sent a letter to physicians on Aug. 20, voicing support for oral fluid HIV testing and stating that the test has performed well "overall" and is important for increasing the number of people tested for HIV. Richard Wolitski, acting director of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, said, "At this time, based on all the available data, we're not changing our recommendations regarding oral fluid rapid testing."
OraSure Chief Science Officer Stephen Lee said the company tracks the performance of its test and routinely investigates complaints. Lee also said OraSure keeps FDA informed of all the product information it gathers. "All the data that we've accumulated indicates the product continues to perform according to its FDA-approved claims," Lee said.
Wood said that the department has sent its data to physicians and clinics in the area along with a recommendation to test blood rather than oral fluids when possible. "Our recommendation is that people shouldn't use rapid oral tests if they can avoid it, but there are some situations where it can't be avoided and it's better than nothing," Wood said.
According to Wood, Seattle in 2003 began back-up testing of samples screened with OraQuick. A laboratory test, called EIA, showed that OraQuick missed 10 out of 133 patients with HIV antibodies in their blood. Lee said that studies have shown rapid tests to be less sensitive than lab antibody tests, adding that other rapid tests have produced similar results. Seattle officials also tested the samples with a more accurate test that looks for HIV's genetic material. The test can detect more HIV cases because the virus appears in blood before antibodies, according to Bloomberg. When compared with the RNA test, OraQuick missed 17% of cases, according to Wood, who added that the results might be published in a journal in the future (Lauerman, Bloomberg, 9/3).
Response from Dr. Frascino
I was back home in the San Francisco Bay Area only very briefly. I'm now at 38,000 feet again, winging my way back across the country and not really looking forward to the winter storms that await me. I do think I now know what you were referring to. It was a presentation at the recent CROI (Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections) that took place in Montreal last month. Not surprisingly I was there too! The presentation was given by a fellow San Franciscan, Shelly Facente, the coordinator for evaluation and quality assurance for the HIV Counseling, Testing, and Linkage programs in the San Francisco Department of Health. She was evaluating reports of unusually high false-positive rates for the OraQuick rapid test. She looked at results for 21,000 OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody tests taken between 2005 and 2007 that had a negative result or preliminarily positive result that was proven to be a false-positive following confirmation with a Western Blot (WB) or immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The specificity of the test, according to the manufacturer (OraSure Technologies) is 99.8%. (That means 2 out of 1,000 folks tested would be expected to have false-positive results.) Shelley's study looked at the expiration dates for the test kits (the shelf life is six months) and compared it to when the test was performed. In other words, how close to the expiration date the test was done. What she found was that if she looked at tests performed within one month of the expiration date, the false-positive rate was 98.83%, far lower than the manufacturer's number. In fact she noticed that the closer the expiration date, the more likely it was to get a false-positive test result! This may well explain those clusters of high false-positive test results seen around the country over the past few years. Excellent detective work on Shelley's part, eh?
So what happens next? Well, the FDA recently announced approval for an enhanced version of the OraQuick test that has a much longer shelf life (12 months). Plus there has apparently been some additional quality control measures and changes to the manufacturing process that should improve consistency and stability. These new test kits should hit the shelves this month. Hopefully this will solve the problem.
Dr. Bob


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Take a historical gulet cruise along Turkey's turquoise coast or through the Greek Islands, or around the coast of Italy or Croatia, and enjoy total relaxation, beautiful food, and superb swimming - the perfect vacation. Or visit some of the finest archaeological sites in the world on our land tours, Exploring Rome, the magnificent island of Sicily, the Peloponnese region of Greece, the United Kingdom or Ireland or retrace the route of Alexander the Great in Macedonia and Turkey.
In addition to our scheduled gulet holidays we specialise in expert-led gulet charters. You can choose a gulet trip just like one of our scheduled tours, with the opportunity to explore the ancient sites of Greece, Italy or Turkey. We create gulet charters to order - your own tailor-made cruise (including airport transfers, entrance fees, transport to sites, food etc. - virtually everything) in Turkey, Greece and Italy escorted by one of our expert guides and specialists. They will bring the region's culture and history vividly to life and also ensure everything runs smoothly so you can relax and enjoy the experience completely.
Come with us and truly discover the beauty and history of Turkey, Greece and Italy.
In the late afternoon we usually head ashore to explore one of the stunning ancient cities studding the coast.
Our archaeological tours in Turkey, Greece, and Italy are very much self selecting. The people who come on our trips are usually well travelled, enthusiastic, and curious about exploring new countries and cultures. They come from an incredibly wide range of professional backgrounds. Some have never been on an archaeological tour before, others have explored ancient sites all over the world.
On average about a quarter of the people on our trips are single travellers. About 40% of our guests come from the UK, 40% from the US, with the remaining 20% split between Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and beyond.
Along with the sites and itineraries, good food plays a key role in the design of our tours and cruises. For us, meals are much more than a practical necessity: they are a pleasure to be shared with our guests and moreover a central aspect in experiencing the local culture and the area's gastronomic wealth. In that sense, each of our itineraries is a culinary exploration.
On our gulet cruises, the on-board cooks freshly prepare a wonderful variety of dishes in the ship's galley using fine local ingredients. These daily delights are complemented by shore meals in excellent and atmospheric restaurants and tavernas along the itinerary.
On our land and city tours, you'll enjoy meals at a range of carefully selected venues, usually our guides' personal favourites, based on in-depth local knowledge. They represent the full scope of the region's culinary achievements and specialities, ranging from authentic "home cooking" to truly gourmet food, always rooted in local tradition and based on the strengths of the area's produce.
There are countless delights you will taste on our tours: succulent fish, freshly grilled or barbecued, accompanied by a whole array of refreshing dips and salads; stuffed roast lamb prepared especially for us on a small Greek island; original pizza served in a tiny Neapolitan restaurant; fresh pomegranates, cherries or peaches just picked from the tree; subtly seasoned Turkish meatballs on a rooftop terrace overlooking Old Istanbul; delicate stuffed zucchini flowers in a Cretan mountain village; traditional Sicilian cheeses at a local dairy farm; organic olives and their aromatic oil; handmade Turkish baklava; the sweet baby tomatoes of Santorini or the whole range of handmade Italian pasta...
If gastronomy is a special interest of yours, you should join one of our designated culinary itineraries - but every one of our tours is a pleasure for all the senses!
Not included:
Flights and airport taxes
Travel insurance
Gratuities on the boat (it is customary to tip the crew at the end of the tour. We recommend a tip of about £6 per passenger per day).
|Map Legend
|Gocek, where our Lycian cruises begin
|Bodrum, where a number of gulet trips start
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Is That What It's Really About?
I wish I had a dollar for every time a driver told me that all I had to do to draw more cars and fans was to pay out some more money.
That would be "lap money" for the promoter (kind of). Just lay a buck on the desk and ask for any amount you wish. I will see what I can do.
Fact: Every driver in short-track racing needs more money to pursue their dreams of winning. The money also helps them avoid the problem of answering to wives, credit card companies, and maybe parents.
Fact: Drivers cannot buy their way into Victory Lane.
The majority of short-track drivers need to get a better grasp on the second statement. You cannot buy your way into Victory Lane. It takes work, determination, practice, and talent. Yeah, that's right, it takes talent to win in our sport. The guy with the most money is not always the winner. But, I can venture a guess that the guy who does win has some talent.
If money were the game, then the IROC Series would end in a tie with 12 drivers coming across the line in perfect formation (maybe six rows of two in the exact same order they started in at the drop of the green flag).
Talent wins the IROC races, and talent wins the short-track races.
So why do so many drivers think that money is the determining factor on who races, when they race, and why they race?
First-Place prize money in most races (even Nextel Cup) does not cover the expenses of racing. As you go farther down the payoff sheet, it gets worse as far as taking care of expenses incurred by the race team for that night. The purse will never fully cover your racing expense, even if you win the majority of the time. It does not matter what level you compete.
Colleagues in the promotion business like to coin the phrase, "a driver will spend ten times as much money as what you pay to win." That means a driver will spend over $1,000 on his or her car when you pay $100 to win the main event.
That's a pretty fair assessment of the situation in short-track racing. If the promoter decides to pay $500 to win, drivers will spend $5,000 to try and win that purse. They'll get more horsepower with a fancy new valve job. They may get new tires that have a softer compound. How about picking up that acid-etched manifold and try to sneak one past the officials?
It's easy for drivers to find ways to spend money. It's never easy to find the money needed to cover your expenses.
The driver that is so eager to ask the promoter for money would be better off working on his sales pitch and asking a sponsor for some money. A sponsor could find some direct benefit out of this exchange of money, and the driver would have a greater opportunity for success instead of rejection.
Solid purses are designed to pay a fair amount for the top spots. The amount usually reflects the car count and fan base at the speedway. The pay trickles down to where the man who does not have the greatest success on that given night will usually have enough money to get himself back in the gate again next week. Wow, what a bonus! You do not usually see that kind of payback in other sports tournaments for weekend enthusiasts.
The same should be true with year-end point fund bonus programs. The amounts are usually top heavy with maybe the Top 10 or sometimes 20 receiving enough money to pay for their banquet tickets. Nobody is busting the bank at the end of the season. Nobody is counting on the big payday to get into the next season. If they tell you that they are bankrolling, (inside scoop) they are fibbing to you.
It's not about the money! It's about the experience. It's about the friendships. It's about the accomplishment. It's about honoring our peers with the hope that some day we will experience the same respect and honor from them.
It's why we race. It's fun.
Good promoters create an event that is consistent, fair, and enjoyable for the competitor along with their team, family, and fans. The show should run on time without major delays, get over with at a decent hour, and offer some payback for those that do well on that particular evening.
Good promoters create a fun atmosphere at the track. It's one that fans, sponsors, family, and friends want to experience on the weekend.
Good promoters create media opportunities for drivers to showcase their talents and possibly draw some sponsorship support for their race team. The media opportunities can create driver heroes within the community.
Good promoters are businessmen and businesswomen, just like the drivers. They are trying to make ends meet while creating a product that generates money. That's right. The show has to create money. People have to participate, and people have to purchase tickets for the whole event to work.
You know what? That is really what a driver and a team wants. The money is already spent when you arrive at the racetrack. It does not matter if the payoff is $50 or $5,000 that night. Your money is already on the line. Your payoff is a bonus. You better enjoy yourself, or else you're going to drive yourself nuts.
Forget about the money. Look in your pocket after the night is over and be glad you have something that will get you back there next week to have more fun and maybe, just maybe, be the best driver on the track.
For those looking for more than that, bring a buck to my office, place it in the jar at the end of my desk, and ask me for some more purse money. I am a little short for lunch today. Plus, I am sick of cold hot dogs snatched from the concession stand leftovers. Thanks.
(Editor's Note: Ted Austad is the promoter of Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Pooler, Georgia. He is well qualified to address this subject. It must have been a very bad night.)


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Two-thirds of Canadians expect to gain between one and nine pounds this holiday season — but just 37 per cent are actually concerned about adding width to their waistlines.
It's a surprising finding at a time when so many people live and die by the number on the scale. But it seems indulging at Christmas has become so normalized, it trumps even our most powerful conventions about body image.
"I expect to gain three pinchfuls of fat on my stomach, two belt notches, and one jacket size," says Neil Pasricha, author of The Book of (Holiday) Awesome.
"Is it worth it? Of course! No belt notch comes close to my co-worker's homemade shortbread, eating an entire chocolate orange in one sitting, and pouring extra gravy over my food for three straight dinners."
Pasricha, whose elfin appearance belies his taste for treats, confesses that he's been known to eat an entire Advent calendar's worth of chocolate at once. The Toronto man names the ritual alongside eggnog-swilling, candy-devouring, and eating cookies fresh from the oven as one of the most "awesome" parts of the holiday season.
And he's hardly alone in the stretchy-pants department.
This week, Molson Canadian 67 revealed the results of a nationwide survey of 1,000 adults - 500 men and 500 women - in which 66 per cent of people said they expected to gain between one and nine pounds this holiday season. But when asked if they were concerned about Christmas weight gain, just 37 per cent of Canadians said yes (and only 14.5 per cent were "very" concerned).
"It's a period of carnival, a period of experiencing a kind of licence . . . to balance out the restrictions we have in our lives," says Heather Evans, an adjunct professor specializing in food history at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont.
The problem, however, is that periods of restraint are becoming fewer, and periods of feasting are becoming greater, with Evans noting that we now make excuses to indulge on holidays of every stripe throughout the year — religious or otherwise.
"With all of that piled on, people really do have reason to be concerned."
Statistics Canada reports that some $3.9 billion is spent on food and beverages at large retailers in December, representing an increase of nearly 20 per cent over the previous month. When the picture is narrowed to just candy, confection and snacks, sales still top $278 million.
Eggnog, meanwhile, is so popular as to see Canadians knock back nearly eight million litres in November and December. That's enough to fill 235 large tankers — and certainly to fuel a lot of guilt in the New Year.
"It's a phenomenon that happens every single year," says personal trainer Brent Bishop, owner of Think Fitness Studios in Toronto. "You can almost bank on the fact that when January hits, people will have all this regret."
The good news is that a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found the average person gains just one pound between U.S. Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, despite perceiving a weight accrual four times that amount. The bad news is that most people never lose that excess weight.


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|Evangelical Messenger, December 20, 1892, page 811
George W. HALEY (1840-1892) was my paternal 2x great-grandfather. He was the son of George J. HALEY and Rachel GARY. He married Mary Jane SHERRICK on October 14, 1862 in Ashland County, Ohio. The names of his children were: Andrew Frank, Eli Weldon, George David Ellsworth, Rachel Emma Pernina, Charles Wesley, Carrie Mae and Ora Amanda. He is buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana. Though the obituary states his death date was December 3rd, funeral home records state December 4th. Will need to obtain death certificate from Health Department to clarify.


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#house insurance
Renting A Cottage This Fall? Renting Out Your Own? Here's what You Need to Know
Compare Home, Condo or Tenant s Insurance Quotes Online
Complete A Home Insurance Quote
Since 1994, InsuranceHotline.com has been helping Canadians find the best and most affordable home insurance coverage for their families. By taking 5 minutes right now to fill out our simple step-by-step quote form you can save an average of $300 on your home insurance. Whether you currently own a home or condo, or if you rent a property and require tenant s insurance, our comparative search service can help save you money and find you the right coverage for your needs. Try us out now and join more than 1 million Canadians who have used our service to lock in insurance savings.
Lock In Your Savings Coverage
Once you have a quote, the next step in the process is to lock in your savings by speaking to a professional insurance broker or agent directly. InsuranceHotline.com makes this process easy by connecting you with a licensed professional in your local area to finalize your quote and get you setup. Just as important, the home insurance expert we connect you with will also answer any questions that you have. This helps ensure that you not only get the best rate, but also the most appropriate coverage for your home insurance needs.
Home Insurance In Canada: Things You Should Know
For most people, their home is their single most prized and valuable possession. This is why it is so important to make sure you protect it with the appropriate insurance coverage. Make sure you understand what type of home insurance you are buying, who or what is covered, exclusions, policy limitations, how much coverage is provided and how to report a loss or claim.
Why have home insurance?
Home insurance reimburses you for your financial loss arising from accidental losses such as fire, vandalism and water damage. Home insurance also ensures you are protected against lawsuits arising from your personal actions or ownership of your property. Most banks and mortgage companies will insist that you purchase home insurance before lending you money to buy a home or condo. Most people forget about home insurance when buying a home .
If you are renting an apartment, room or house, tenant s insurance offers two kinds of coverages: liability and contents. Liability coverage will protect you from your personal actions where you are held responsible for damage to the building or injury to others who live or visit your rented premises. Contents coverage reimburses you for loss or damage to your personal belongings arising from insured perils including fire, smoke and theft.
Different types of home insurance policies
Home insurance policies usually come in three forms. The Basic homeowner s package is ideal for individuals looking to save a little bit of cash. This package provides coverage for your house, contents and liability. Basic home insurance provides coverage on a named perils basis.
If the Basic homeowner s coverage seems too minimal, you can upgrade to the Broad homeowner s package. This policy provides all risk insurance coverage to your home and named perils coverage to your contents. This package is typically priced higher than the Basic homeowner s package.
The most inclusive (and typically, expensive) home insurance coverage you can purchase is called a Comprehensive homeowner s package. This policy provides all risk insurance coverage to your home and contents.
In all cases, it is important to review the policy wordings as there are certain situations not covered under all risk insurance.
What does home insurance cover?
- Building Detached Structures
Depending on where you live, and the type of home you live in, home insurance coverage will vary. If you own a house, your home insurance policy will cover your house and any detached structures, which includes a garage or shed.
Your home insurance policy will also cover your personal contents such as your appliances, clothing, electronics and jewellery.
If your home was deemed unfit to live in or you were denied access into your home by the police or civil authority as a direct result of damage by an insured peril (e.g. fire, smoke, water damage), your home policy offers coverage in the form of additional living expenses . Your home insurance policy will reimburse you for the additional living expenses while living away from home.
The legal liability portion of your home policy will protect you against lawsuits arising from your personal actions or ownership of your property. For example, it will protect you if a visitor were to slip and fall on your driveway because you failed to shovel a build up of ice and snow.
What determines the cost of home insurance?
There are a wide variety of factors insurance companies consider when deciding how much to charge you for your home insurance. Insurance companies analyze these factors and determine the likelihood that you or a group of people with the same set of circumstances as you will make a claim and how much it will cost. Some of these factors include:
- Where you live
- Type of heating source
- Type of electrical distribution
- Pipes
- Age of roof
- Primary use of your home
- Your claims history
- Proximity to fire hydrant and fire station
- Proximity to surrounding businesses
- Cost to rebuild your home


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As of late, many club owners have been struggling with whether to charge an enrollment fee and how to increase non-dues revenue. Because clubs received fewer inquiries during the first two quarters of this year compared with last year, some club owners may be inclined to discount or waive enrollment fees. For some club management, that practice has worked to create more volume. However, it may not be the best way to operate in the long term.
Over the years, we as an industry have not done the best job of teaching members how to stay with their health and fitness programs. A component of that failure to retain members is that we often compete on price, which is exactly what is happening when we discount or waive enrollment fees.
Instead, club owners should consider two tools that allow them to collect joining fees, provide value for joining fees and provide a stronger integration process for new members that results in increased retention.
The first tool is the Joining Fee Rebate Program. When a new member joins, they pay the full enrollment fee. They are then enrolled in the 30-Day Make It Fit Program, which is designed to have the member meet on a regular basis with a trainer (preferably the same trainer each time but that is flexible) who will design a tailored program for the member for the first 30 days of their membership. Once they complete the program, they receive a 50 percent rebate on their joining fee in the form of club cash or credit to be used on whatever they desire.
The program's benefits for members are that they immediately accelerate the results they see with the club, they create solid relationships within the club and they understand how to be successful with their membership. The benefits to club owners are that they get a member who stays with the club longer because they are getting results, they get the enrollment fee and the member spends more on other non-dues programs when the rebate kicks in.
Does this tool cut into personal training revenue? No, and here's why. Look at how many people actually purchase personal training within the first 30 days of their membership at your club. I estimate that it is not a high number. This program becomes a stronger feeder system than any other tool out there for ongoing personal training sales and member retention. When members get their rebate back, what do you think they are going to spend it on? Personal training — but only if their original personal training experience proved beneficial. Clearly, the success of ongoing personal training sales depends on results and the relationships that trainers create with new members.
The second tool is the Personal Choice Program Fee. In this program, club owners develop a menu of services from which all new members can choose when they join. In essence, the enrollment fee becomes the Personal Choice Program Fee. The menu of services could be five 30-minute sessions that need to be used in the first 30 days of the membership and could include tennis, Pilates, personal training, etc. Clearly, if your enrollment fee is low ($49 to $99), then you may want to consider three 30-minute sessions. If your enrollment fee is more than $99, then go with five 30-minute sessions. The goals of this program are to create customized demand-driven results for members (which creates value for the program fee), to create a bond with the club and repeat usage in the first 30 days, and to generate increased non-dues revenue sales.
Consider implementing these programs and promote the fact that at your club, members don't just pay dues — they get results through your programs.
Karen Woodard-Chavez is president of Premium Performance Training, Boulder, CO, and Ixtapa, Mexico. Woodard consults and trains clubs throughout the world. She can be reached at 303-417-0653 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Oxford University Press author wins award
May 19, 2017
Alvin Plantinga, an American scholar whose rigorous writings over a half century have made theism – the belief in a divine reality or god – a serious option within academic philosophy, has been announced as the 2017 Templeton Prize Laureate.
Established in 1972 by the late global investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the Templeton Prize is one of the world's largest annual awards given to an individual (valued at £1.1 million). It honors a living person who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works.
Alvin Plantinga joins a group of 46 Prize recipients, including Mother Teresa, who received the inaugural award in 1973, Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2013), and the Dalai Lama (2012). From Oxford University Press and the Oxford Scholarship Online team, we'd like to extend our sincere congratulations.
To celebrate this amazing accolade, we've made the first chapter of Plantinga's book Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism freely available for a limited time.
Start browsing OSO now or find out how your institution can sign up to a free trial of University Press Scholarship Online.


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· Artikelansicht
Even more limited – 99 sets manufactured ONLY! The Bag contains: Colored LP, CD + Gadgets, including a specially manufactured PENDANT in the shape of a horse… After the great success of the recent album 'A Fistful Of Desert Blues', Lydia Lunch & Cypress Grove meet the nihilist folk of Spiritual Front! "Twin Horses" is the encounter between two intense musical souls. Miss Lunch's melancholic acoustic Blues meets Simone Salvatori's sensual and cathartic Folk. Lydia Lunch's voice has never been so touching and moving; on the other side there is an inspired Spiritual Front that does not settle but goes beyond the soul of "suicide pop" to give us it's new acoustic soul... On 'Twin Horses', besides exclusive, new pieces, Lydia and Cypress also cover the timeless Eagles – hit "Hotel California" in a desert blues style and Simone plays his version of W.A.S.P.'s 'Love Machine' in folk style. An absolutely fundamental album for two wonderful thoroughbreads.
Lydia Lunch & Cypress Grove: 01. Death Is Hanging Over Me, 02. Unholy Ghosts, 03. Rising Moon, 04. Put You Down, 05. Hotel California (EAGLES Cover), Spiritual Front: 06. Buried Friend, 07. My Love Won't Fade, 08. L.o.v.e Machine (W.A.S.P. Cover), 09. Dear Lucifer, 10. Fado


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Learn to build and manage a list of friends. Chat and play games with your friends—you can even throw a party.
One of the best features of Xbox Live is finding friends for an online game. As you build your list of friends by sending and accepting friend requests, you'll see the same list no matter which game you play. You can have up to 100 friends at a time.
From your friends list, you can check your friends' profile information, including motto, name, location, and bio. You can compare game scores, submit player reviews, start a chat, or see a list of your friends' friends.
In addition to using the on-screen keyboard, you can enter information using a USB keyboard plugged into a controller port or the Xbox 360 Chatpad.
You can also start an Xbox Live party. You can just hang out and chat, or start up a game and invite your party to it. To find out how, see Xbox Live parties on Xbox 360.
To learn how to set up chat using a headset or your Kinect sensor, see Xbox Live chat on Xbox 360.
For information about how to send text messages to a friend, see Xbox Live messaging on Xbox 360.
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BethChimeAWS edited
Apr 23, '18 in Release Notes
Find video and self paced training for common Amazon Chime tasks including installing the app, joining meetings with and without Amazon Chime, scheduling meetings and collaborating with chat.
View the Amazon Chime User, Administration Guide and API Reference on the AWS Documentation site.
AWS privacy notice © 2019, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.


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