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Attorney Lance Jacot has over ten years of experience in the successful defense of people accused of sex-related crimes. His client Dion G, for example, was facing multiple counts of forcible rape carrying a sentence of life in prison. Mr. Jacot won a complete acquittal after a jury trial and Dion G was set free.
Mr. Jacot has experience and expertise in handling all types of sex crimes in and around Stockton, CA, including:
- Assault with the Intent to Commit Rape
- Child Molestation
- Kidnapping For the Purpose of Committing Rape
- Pimping and Pandering
- Prostitution
- Rape (Spousal, Forcible and Statutory)
- Solicitation
Penal Code section 290 Registration:
Defendants who are convicted of certain sex crimes, or the attempt to commit them,for the rest of his or her life while residing in California, shall be required to register with the chief of police of the city in which he or she is residing, or the sheriff of the county if he or she is residing in an unincorporated area or city that has no police department, and, additionally, with the chief of police of a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or community college if he or she is residing upon the campus or in any of its facilities, within five working days of coming into, or changing his or her residence within, any city, county, or city and county, or campus in which he or she temporarily resides, and shall be required to register thereafter in accordance with the Act.
The following persons shall be required to register:
Any person who, since July 1, 1944, has been or is hereafter convicted in any court in this state or in any federal or military court of a violation of Section 187 committed in the perpetration, or an attempt to perpetrate, rape or any act punishable under Section 286, 288, 288a, or 289, Section 207 or 209 committed with intent to violate Section 261, 286, 288, 288a, or 289, Section 220, except assault to commit mayhem, Section 243.4, paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 261, paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 262 involving the use of force or violence for which the person is sentenced to the state prison, Section 264.1, 266, or 266c, subdivision (b) of Section 266h, subdivision (b) of Section 266i, Section 266j, 267, 269, 285, 286, 288, 288a, 288.3, 288.4, 288.5, 288.7, 289, or 311.1, subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 311.2, Section 311.3, 311.4, 311.10, 311.11, or 647.6, former Section 647a, subdivision (c) of Section 653f, subdivision 1 or 2 of Section 314, any offense involving lewd or lascivious conduct under Section 272, or any felony violation of Section 288.2; any statutory predecessor that includes all elements of one of the above-mentioned offenses; or any person who since that date has been or is hereafter convicted of the attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the above-mentioned offenses.
Special Sentencing Rules for Certain Sex Crimes:
An entirely separate sentencing scheme applies if certain enumerated sex offenses are perpetrated on a single victim on a single occasion. When a defendant is convicted of one or more enumerated sex crimes, the trial court has discretion to ignore the usual rule of Penal Code section 1170.1(a) limiting consecutive terms to one-third the midterm. Instead, the court may sentence some or all of the enumerated sex crimes under Penal Code section 667.6(e), which allows full-term consecutive sentences. Therefore, the trial court has two decisions:
● Whether the terms should be concurrent or consecutive; and
● Whether any consecutive terms for the enumerated sex crimes should be imposed under 1170.1(a) (one-third the midterm) or under 667.6(e) (full consecutive terms).
If a defendant is convicted of enumerated sex offenses committed against different victims, or against the same victim on different occasions, Penal Code 667.6(d) requires full consecutive sentences. This means the Penal Code section 1170.1(a) one-third the midterm formula does not apply. The court has the usual discretion to choose between, and state reasons for, the lower, middle, or upper base term. However, no statement of reasons is necessary for the mandatory consecutive terms. Under these circumstances, leniency may only be expressed by imposing consecutive full lower terms.
Penal Code section 667.6, states:
(a) Any person who is convicted of an offense specified in subdivision (e) and who has been convicted previously of any of those offenses shall receive a five-year enhancement for each of those prior convictions.
(b) Any person who is convicted of an offense specified in subdivision (e) and who has served two or more prior prison terms as defined in Section 667.5 for any of those offenses shall receive a 10-year enhancement for each of those prior terms.
(c) In lieu of the term provided in Section 1170.1, a full, separate, and consecutive term may be imposed for each violation of an offense specified in subdivision (e) if the crimes involve the same victim on the same occasion. A term may be imposed consecutively pursuant to this subdivision if a person is convicted of at least one offense specified in subdivision (e). If the term is imposed consecutively pursuant to this subdivision, it shall be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, and shall commence from the time the person otherwise would have been released from imprisonment. The term shall not be included in any determination pursuant to Section 1170.1. Any other term imposed subsequent to that term shall not be merged therein but shall commence at the time the person otherwise would have been released from prison.
(d) A full, separate, and consecutive term shall be served imposed for each violation of an offense specified in subdivision (e) if the crimes involve separate victims or involve the same victim on separate occasions.
In determining whether crimes against a single victim were committed on separate occasions under this subdivision, the court shall consider whether, between the commission of one sex crime and another, the defendant had a reasonable opportunity to reflect upon his or her actions and nevertheless resumed sexually assaultive behavior. Neither the duration of time between crimes, nor whether or not the defendant lost or abandoned his or her opportunity to attack, shall be, in and of itself, determinative on the issue of whether the crimes in question occurred on separate occasions.
The term shall be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment and shall commence from the time the person otherwise would have been released from imprisonment. The term shall not be included in any determination pursuant to Section 1170.1. Any other term imposed subsequent to that term shall not be merged therein but shall commence at the time the person otherwise would have been released from prison.
(e) This section shall apply to the following offenses:
(1) Rape, in violation of paragraph (2), (3), (6), or (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 261.
(2) Spousal rape, in violation of paragraph (1), (4), or (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 262.
(3) Rape, spousal rape, or sexual penetration, in concert, in violation of Section 264.1.
(4) Sodomy, in violation of paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (c), or subdivision (d) or (k), of Section 286.
(5) Lewd or lascivious act, in violation of subdivision (b) of Section 288.
(6) Continuous sexual abuse of a child, in violation of Section 288.5.
(7) Oral copulation, in violation of paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (c), or subdivision (d) or (k), of Section 288a.
(8) Sexual penetration, in violation of subdivision (a) or (g) of Section 289.
(9) As a present offense under subdivision (c) or (d), assault with intent to commit a specified sexual offense, in violation of Section 220.
(10) As a prior conviction under subdivision (a) or (b), an offense committed in another jurisdiction that includes all of the elements of an offense specified in this subdivision.
(f) In addition to any enhancement imposed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), the court may also impose a fine not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for anyone sentenced under those provisions. The fine imposed and collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Victim-Witness Assistance Fund to be available for appropriation to fund child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse victim counseling centers and prevention programs established pursuant to Section 13837. If the court orders a fine to be imposed pursuant to this subdivision, the actual administrative cost of collecting that fine, not to exceed 2 percent of the total amount paid, may be paid into the general fund of the county treasury for the use and benefit of the county.


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Gov. Paul LePage dipped his toe in the endorsement game Monday with a nod to Isaac Misiuk, a Republican who is opposing Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in the general election for the 1st Congressional District in southern Maine.
The Misiuk campaign funded the production of a more than one-minute online advertisement that features LePage urging voters to support him.
This marks LePage's first foray this year in the endorsement race. The governor has declined to endorse a staunch ally, Bruce Poliquin, a former state treasurer in LePage's first two years in office who is running against former Republican Senate President Kevin Raye in the 2nd Congressional District primary. Asked about that race during a campaign stop in Gray last week, LePage joked that he is still trying to decide between Democrats Emily Cain and Troy Jackson before making it clear he won't publicly support Raye or Poliquin in Tuesday's Republican primary.
Misiuk, a second-year political science student at University of Southern Maine who lives in Gorham, is a new face in Maine politics and as such, a lot will need to happen in his favor if he is to unseat the well-known Pingree, who has served in Congress since 2009 after spending eight years in the Maine Senate in the 1990s.
In the video, LePage spends more time talking about his own accomplishments than he does about Misiuk, including LePage's hardscrabble upbringing, tax cuts he enacted in 2011, and his efforts to cut regulatory "red tape" and his work on welfare fraud.
"I am proud of the work I have been able to accomplish in our state," says LePage, who doesn't mention Misiuk until 28 seconds into the video.
"We can continue to move Maine forward but we must see change in Washington DC," says LePage. "That is why I stand behind Isaac Misiuk in Maine's 1st Congressional district. I know Isaac will work to shrink the size of our federal government, cut irresponsible spending, reduce our national debt and encourage job creation for a more prosperous economy for our kids and grandkids."
The Misiuk campaign issued a press release about the video on Monday titled "Chellie Pingree's Worst Nightmare." Pingree has always been at political odds with LePage, including in recent weeks when she and LePage have traded barbs over the prospect of a National Guard unit leaving Maine, so I doubt that any opponent aligning himself with LePage will surprise Pingree.
Steinbeck's son lends support to Troy Jackson
No one I've talked to disagrees that Troy Jackson sort of stole the show at the Democratic State Convention last week in Bangor with his emotional speech that centered around Jackson's belief that Congress needs someone who is singularly focused on defending the rights of the middle class. Jackson is opposing Emily Cain, his long-time colleague in the Maine Senate, in tomorrow's Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
John Steinbeck is a literary titan who gave us The Grapes of Wrath, a masterpiece about everyman Tom Joad's struggle through the Great Depression. The author's eldest son, Thomas Steinbeck, was forwarded a copy of Jackson's convention speech by a supporter, along with a request for permission to use Steinbeck's writings during his campaign.
"Thomas believes his father would have been proud to hear his words spoken by a man with as much integrity as Senator Troy Jackson," wrote Gail Knight, a managing partner at the Palladin Group, who publish Steinbeck's works, according to the Jackson campaign.
(UPDATE, 2 p.m. on June 9, 2014) Knight sent a message to reporters on Monday to clarify that Steinbeck's acknowledgement of Jackson's speech is in no way meant to be an endorsement for Jackson or against Cain.
"While I stand by my original comments regarding Mr. Jackson, Ms. Cain appears to be an intelligent and worthy opponent. … The final decision regarding the subtle nuances of each candidate's opinions as the voice of the people of Maine, rests with the citizens of Maine," said Thomas Steinbeck, according to Knight.
While the general consensus is that Jackson is somewhat of an underdog in the race, Campaign Manager Brian Lacey said Monday that there's no doubt Jackson's convention speech has given the campaign a major boost. Lacey said regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's primary, Jackson's message could have positioned himself on a national stage.
"What we've started here, it's probably the beginning of Troy's conversation with working-class people across the nation," said Lacey. "One of the reasons we started doing this is that over half of the members of Congress are millionaires. They just don't understand what most folks are going through."
Cain receives major teachers' union endorsement
Cain, whose convention speech focused on a myriad of policy conversations ranging from women's health rights to budget issues and political collaboration, has been piling up her own list of high-profile endorsements. On Friday, the Maine members of the American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, came out in favor of Cain's candidacy.
"Emily is a true champion for those who educate our children, and understands that supporting Maine teachers and schools at all levels is keeping our society's educational promise to Maine students for a chance at futures worth living," said Mike Burke, president of AFT's Local 4593.

subset: commoncrawl


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Part stretch, part strength, with a focus on alignment, Pilates is a great workout. But Jae Gruenke, founder of The Balanced Runner, explains that with a few tweaks, you can tailor the for-everybody exercise into something that benefits runners specifically.
Do the following four moves—with Gruenke's tweaks—prior to a run, and they can help you unkink yourself from the position your desk chair or laptop put you in all day (flexed hips, hunched shoulders). Alternatively, save them for after a run (or a long day at work) and let them help imprint what good movement patterns feel like in your body even when you're tired.
RELATED: Cross-Training Classes That Are Great For Runners
The post 4 Pilates Moves For Runners That You Can Do Anywhere appeared first on Competitor.com.


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"Andhere ko andhera nahi sirf roshni mitta sakti hai (Darkness cannot erase darkness only light can erase it)"
As most of you know about Shraddha Kapoor, and some of her fans requested for this theme. This is Shraddha Kapoor theme for Nokia X, Nokia XL, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Star, Google, Google Nexus, Sony Xperia, Q-Mobile, HTC, Huawei, LG G2, LG & Other Android Devices. I have used original Android icons which I have used in several themes.
Most of you are aware about Shraddha Kapoor but I have also shared a small introduction about her. Shraddha Kapoor is an Indian film actress and singer who appears in Bollywood films. The daughter of actor Shakti Kapoor, she began her acting career with a brief role in the 2010 heist film Teen Patti,
Hope you going to love this one! Stay blessed!
Instructions on how to apply theme:
1. Download C-Launcher app (free) from the Android Market
2. Go to C-Launcher (pressing the home button) – Theme
3. Choose and apply theme
Downloaded: 1235 times
File size = 2,082 kb
Format = .apk
How to Download this Theme:
1. Right click on the Download button and select "Save Target As" or "Save Link As"
2. Save the .nth file anywhere on your computer
3. Attach your phone with your computer
4. Transfer the .apk file to your phone by using 'File Transfer' option
If your download file is in .zip format then follow these steps;
1. Go to your Control Panel and click on Folder Options
2. Click on View (tab)
3. Un-check "Hide extensions for known file types"
4. Rename the file name with .apk (For Example, abc.zip to abc.apk)
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- Research article
- Open Access
- Open Peer Review
Increasing response to a postal survey of sedentary patients – a randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN45665423]
- Roger A Harrison1, 3Email author and
- Don Cock2
© Harrison and Cock; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2004
- Received: 25 May 2004
- Accepted: 10 November 2004
- Published: 10 November 2004
A systematic review identified a range of methods, which can influence response rates. However, analysis specific to a healthcare setting, and in particular, involving people expected to be poor responders, was missing, We examined the effect of pre-warning letters on response rates to a postal survey of sedentary patients whom we expected a low rate of response.
Participants were randomised to receive a pre-warning letter or no pre-warning letter, seven days before sending the main questionnaire. The main questionnaire included a covering letter and pre-paid return envelope. After seven days, non-responders were sent a reminder letter and seven days later, another reminder letter with a further copy of the questionnaire and return envelope.
627 adults, with a mean age of 48 years (SD 13, range 18 to 78) of whom 69.2% (434/627) were women, were randomised. 49.0% (307/627) of patients were allocated to receive a pre-warning letter and 51.0% (320/627) no pre-warning letter, seven days in advance of posting the main questionnaire. The final response rate to the main questionnaire was 30.0% (92/307) amongst those sent a pre-warning letter and 20.9% (67/320) not sent a pre-warning letter, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.60 (95% CI 1.1, 2.30).
The relatively low cost method of sending a pre-warning letter had a modest impact on increasing response rates to a postal questionnaire sent to a group of patients for whom a low response rate was anticipated. Investigators should consider incorporating this simple intervention when conducting postal surveys, to reduce the potential for nonresponse bias and to increase the study power. Methods other than postal surveys may be needed however when a low response rate to postal surveys is likely.
- Sedentary Behaviour
- Postal Questionnaire
- Postal Survey
- Nonresponse Bias
- Increase Response Rate
Postal surveys are routinely used to obtain information from patients and groups within the general population, over a range of topics. Postal surveys are a cost-efficient method compared with intensive methods such as face-to-face interviews and capable of obtaining systematically, information on many thousands of people. A key quality component of postal surveys relates to the number of people sampled, and the proportion returning a completed useable questionnaire [1]. Lower response rates can reduce the statistical power of the study, and mask statistically significant relationships, which 'truly' exist within the population studied. Responders may also be different to non-responders. This can introduce bias into the survey findings, if the decision to respond (or not) relates to the outcome being analysed within the survey, thereby reducing generalisability to the initial reference population [2].
Many studies conclude that non-responders in surveys and other epidemiological studies can differ to responders with respect to a range of specific health, lifestyle and social variables. Non-responders have been found to differ with respect to their sex, age, race, social class, home circumstances, education, and healthy lifestyle behaviours [3–7]. They can also differ in terms of existing health and healthcare utilisation [8–11] with differences extending through to higher rates of mortality [12] compared with responders. However, it can be difficult to make clear conclusions about the characteristics of non-responders in surveys and other types of studies, as factors such as the purpose of the study and the way in which it was carried out, will no-doubt have some effect. Furthermore, differences have not always been found between responders and non-responders, at least in terms of what factors were assessed, and nonresponse will not always affect estimates of prevalence [13–15]. Nevertheless, nonresponse bias should always be considered a possibility [16, 17]. Moreover, there is evidence that in general, response rates to postal questionnaires are falling, [18], making this topic worthy of continued investigation. There is however, no agreed level of acceptable response in postal surveys [19–21].
A systematic review [22] found a number of factors associated with postal questionnaires can influence the likelihood of response. This included providing incentives; questionnaire length and appearance, method of delivery, method for return, if any pre-warning/contact was given, the content and layout of the questions, through to the origin/sponsor of the questionnaire and how it was communicated. The review found that monetary incentives, recorded delivery and using an 'interesting' questionnaire were the three strongest influences on response rates. Statistical heterogeneity was found for all of these factors, thus limiting the extent that pooling of results was viable. Moreover, only a third of studies were from medical/epidemiological/healthcare journals and with no distinction between studies of patients or of staff and subgroup analyses were absent. As such, it is difficult to generalise the findings from the review to particular groups of patients in a healthcare setting.
In the current study, we carried out a randomised controlled trial to examine the effect of a pre-warning letter on response rates to a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to patients who had previously been referred to a community based exercise referral scheme because of a sedentary lifestyle and sought information on the quality of the service offered. An earlier study [23] of a similar population suggested poor response rates could be a problem. With a limited budget, we were unable to offer financial incentives, as suggested in the review by Edwards et al [22], but wanted to explore the suggestion that pre-warning letters might increase final response.
The sample consisted of patients who had been referred to a community based exercise referral scheme during the past 12 months, identified from the service register. Patients were referred by a primary care practitioner because of concerns about their sedentary behaviour and its impact on their health. The questionnaire formed part of a project examining the relationship between patient service-expectations and service outcomes.
We examined the effect of a pre-warning letter, posted to patients seven-days before sending the main questionnaire, compared with no pre-warning letter. The pre-warning letter was printed on one-side of letter-headed paper, and informed the respondent that a survey would be sent to them within the next few days. It informed them about the purpose of the survey and the importance of it being completed and returned.
The main questionnaire was sent with a covering letter and a pre-paid business franked addressed envelope for its return [24]. A standard reminder letter was sent to all non-responders seven days after posting the questionnaire, and after a further seven days, persistent non-responders were sent a further copy of the questionnaire, with a standard letter and return envelope. Randomisation was done using computer generated random numbers, and stratifying by age and sex. Participants remained unaware as to group allocation.
The primary outcome was the final response rate to postal questionnaires after sending all reminder letters. This was calculated at least 6 weeks after sending the initial questionnaire, to allow for late responders. Differences in proportions between groups were examined using Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression to adjust for age and sex with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). To observe a difference of at least 10% between trial arms required 752 participants, based on a return rate of 60% in the control groups, with 80% power. Approval for the study was received in advance from the local research ethics committee and the research governance committee.
Sending a pre-warning letter seven days in advance of mailing out a postal questionnaire had a modest impact on increasing final response rates by almost 10%, with a relative 43% increase compared with sending no pre-warning letter. Patients in our study were selected on the basis of a previous referral to a community based exercise referral scheme, and the questionnaire sent to them sought information about their perceptions of the service quality. An earlier trial examining the impact of this service on a similar group of patients, in terms of increasing physical activity, had achieved average response rates of 60% [23]. The much lower than expected response rate in the current study could have been influenced by the topic and purpose of the questionnaire along with the layout of the questionnaire [22].
Our findings are consistent with the evidence from a systematic review [22] that pre-contact can lead to an increased odds of response by as much as 50%. Our study confirms that this benefit extends to groups of sedentary patients known in advance, to be reluctant to reply. Pre-warning letters are simple to administer and relatively low cost compared with more labour intensive methods to increase response rates, such as telephone reminders or face-to-face visits. Moreover, this intervention method does not require any additional information or administrative systems over and above those required for sending the main questionnaire. Give that the response rate in the intervention group still remained low, at 30%, we may need to consider alternative approaches to postal questionnaires to obtain information from this group of patients, particularly if non-response could be associated with the outcomes examined within the survey – in this case, the patient experience of the exercise referral service.
Authors' Affiliations
- Abramson JH: Survey Methods in Community Medicine. 1990, Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 4Google Scholar
- Armstrong BK, White E, Saracci R: Principles of exposure measurement in epidemiology. (Monographs in epidemiology and biostatistics, vol 21). 1992, New York : Oxford University Press, 294-321.Google Scholar
- Bostrum G, Hallquist J, Haglund BJ, Romelsjö A, Svanström L, Diderichsen F: Socioeconomic differences in smoking in an urban Swedish population. The bias introduced by non-participation in a mailed questionnaire. Scand J Social Med. 1993, 21: 77-82.Google Scholar
- Hill A, Roberts J, Ewings P, Gunnell D: Non-response bias in a lifestyle survey. J Public Health Med. 1997, 19: 203-207.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Jackson R, Chambless LE, Yang K, byrne T, Watson R, Folsom A, Shahar E, Kalsbeek W, for the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study Investigators: Differences between respondents and nonrespondents in a multicenter community-based study vary by gender and ethnicity. J Clin Epidemol. 1996, 49: 1441-1446. 10.1016/0895-4356(95)00047-X.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Lahaut VMHCJ, Jansen HAM, Mheen DVD, Garretsen HFL: Non-response bias in a sample survey on alcohol consumption. Alcohol Alcoholism. 2002, 37: 256-260. 10.1093/alcalc/37.3.256.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Launer LJ, Wind AW, Deeg DJH: Nonresponse patterns and bias in a community-based cross-sectional study of cognitive functioning among the elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 1994, 139: 803-812.PubMedGoogle Scholar
- Etter JF, Perneger TV: Analysis of non-response bias in a mailed health survey. J Clin Epidemiol. 1997, 50: 1123-1128. 10.1016/S0895-4356(97)00166-2.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Rönmark E, Lundqvist A, Lundbäck B, Nyström L: Non-responders to a postal questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and diseases. Eur J Epidemiol. 1999, 15: 293-299. 10.1023/A:1007582518922.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Rupp I, Triemstra M, Boshuizen HC, Jacobi CE, Dinant HJ, Van Den Bos GAM: Selection bias due to non-response in a health survey among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Eur J Public Health. 2002, 12: 131-135. 10.1093/eurpub/12.2.131.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Van Amelsvoort LGPM, Beurskens AJHM, Kant I, Swaen GMH: The effect of non-random loss to follow-up on group mean estimates in a longitudinal study. Eur J Epidemiol. 2004, 19: 15-23. 10.1023/B:EJEP.0000013401.81078.84.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Barchielli A, Balzi D: Nine-year follow-up of a survey on smoking habits in Florence (Italy): higher mortality among non-responders. Int J Epidemiol. 2002, 31: 1038-1042. 10.1093/ije/31.5.1038.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Adams MME, Scherr PA, Branch LG, Hebert LE, Cook NR, Lane AM, Brock DB, Evans DA, Taylor JO: A comparison of elderly participants in a community survey with nonparticipants. Public Health Rep. 1990, 105: 617-622.PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
- Bakke P, Gulsvik A, Lilleng P, Overå O, Hanoa R, Eide GE: Postal survey on airborne occupational exposure and respiratory disorders in Norway: causes and consequences of non-response. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1990, 44: 316-320.View ArticlePubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
- Shahar E, Jackson R, for the Atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study investigators: The effect of nonresponse on prevalence estimates for a referrent population: Insights from a population-based cohort study. Ann Epidemiol. 1996, 6: 498-506. 10.1016/S1047-2797(96)00104-4.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Barriball KL, While AE: Non-response in survey research: a methodological discussion and development of an explanatory model. J Adv Nurs. 1999, 30: 677-686. 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01117.x.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Kessler RC, Little RJA, Groves RM: Advances in strategies for minimizing and adjusting for survey nonresponse. Epidemiol Rev. 1995, 17: 192-204.PubMedGoogle Scholar
- Office for National Statistics: 60 years of Social Survey 1941–2001. 2004, Office for National StatisticsGoogle Scholar
- Birnbaum D, Hoch J: Answers to previous questions. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2004, 9: 127.Google Scholar
- Hoch J: Answers to previous questions. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2004, 9: 126-10.1258/135581904322987571.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Spicker P, Hoch J: Answers to previous questions. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2004, 9: 127.Google Scholar
- Edwards P, Roberts I, Clarke M, DiGuiseppi C, Pratap S, Wentz R, Kwan I: Increasing response rates to postal surveys: systematic review. BMJ. 2002, 324: 1183-1185. 10.1136/bmj.324.7347.1183.View ArticlePubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
- Harrison RA, Roberts C, Elton PJ: Does primary care referral to an exercise programme increase physical activity one year later? A randomised controlled trial. J Public Health.Google Scholar
- Harrison RA, Holt D, Elton PJ: Do postage-stamps increase response rates to postal surveys? A randomized controlled trial. Int J Epidemiol. 2002, 31: 872-874. 10.1093/ije/31.4.872.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/4/31/prepub
Pre-publication history
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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|Yes! I am doing it here!!!
HiHiHI To anyone who is new... I'm Kat!
|*No, you do not have to be a blog follower to win...but I'd be nice for me if you were! ;)
[just remember to use my Twitter handle @KatOfDiamonds so I see it too]
There are other awesome bloggers invloved in the I Heart YA Hop:


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But I found time to take a picture of my knitting stuff. I didn't come very far because I don't have much time plus I'm slow. Pretty slow.
|The pompon wool
|quite a bit done. with maths behind.
Good thing: You get a whole scarf for 7€, btw. 5€ for plain, plain was on sale. But multi-coloured looks way better. Another plus for this wool: It's really fast. I did this at two evenings, not only knitting all the time.
And there's another scarf I'm knitting right now:
It's dark blue with beige stripes. Beige should be bronze, because then it's Ravenclaw :D
In holidays I want to knit more stuff, not only scarves. I'm a beginner, that's why it is the most easy thing for me, but there I may have time for trying something else. I'm near Salzburg for skiing, so no sewing machine, only needles.
For sewing machine: I don't wanna sew much this weekend, because I still got exams to write (Spanish and ancient Greek), but I'll try gluing a head band. I already have one, but want to... how do you call it? upholster? well, the fabric remains from the skirt I sew on the head band, so it's matching.
I don't know how yet, but I'll give it a try ;)


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Proof Of Precognition
I learned from a great documentary that 4% of US military pilots have been responsible for 40% of successful missions since the First World War. So how is that these 'super pilots' have uncannily accurate powers of precognitive awareness? The air force calls it "Exceptional Situational Awareness". I call it Extra Sensory Perception (ESP).
Doctor Dean Radin has proven our ability to sense the future by testing emotional response to pictures. When emotional pictures were shown in his experiments, the subject experienced an increase in skin conductance. When calm pictures were shown, skin conductance decreased. In his study, Dr. Radin proved that skin conductance increases in anticipation of emotional images four seconds before they are shown, proving that we are able to sense the future.
For those of you who think that precognition is only of interest to a narrow group, here is a quote from Doctor Radin's book The Conscious Universe demonstrating just how much businesses have become engaged in extra sensory perception:
After a century of increasingly sophisticated investigations and more than a thousand controlled studies with combined odds against chance of 10 to the 104th power to 1, there is now strong evidence that psi phenomena exist ~ Dean Radin
"In the 1970s, Douglas Dean and John Mihalasky, two scientists from the Newark College of Engineering, investigated the hypothesis that successful business executives sometimes benefit from precognition. In a computer based precognition experiment, they tested dozens of corporate executives and found significant evidence for precognitive abilities among them. The more successful the executives, in terms of profits attributed to their efforts, the more evident were their precognitive skills."
"We have already mentioned SONY's interest in psi, reflecting, we believe, a greater societal openness toward psi in the eastern world. SONY is not an isolated case. According to an article in the Asian Wall Street Weekly, in 1985 the Japanese Government's Science & Technology Agency decided to study man's spiritual activities in its Creative Science and Technology Promotion Program. Tadshiro Sakimoto, president of NEC corporation, said in this article "The study of the sixth sense and telepathy will certainly prove a cornerstone of future modes of communications."
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RIP Allan Holdsworth
Links and other hanky panky that doesn't have to do with anything in particular.
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- glennny
- Team Drizzy
- Posts: 1942
- Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:39 am
- Instruments: Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Dobro, Banjo, E-Bow, Glock
- Recording Method: Garageband
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene
- Location: Castro Valley, California
RIP Allan Holdsworth
Allan is a guitarist I always bring up when someone asks me who is the greatest guitarist of all time. There's quite the argument for this guy. When John McLaughlin, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Morse, and Frank Zappa all get very humble when he comes up you ought to know how amazing he is (was). I had the pleasure of seeing him play probably 6 times. One of the best concert experiences I ever had was seeing him in the tiniest club in San Bernadino April 4th 1994. I took my little brother to that show for his birthday. There was about 15 people in the audience. Afterwards he sat down and had a pint with us. Super nice guy. He was a genius! He was so fast and fluent and complex and soulful. One of my heroes. This news is very sad.
Phillipso, Older Brothers, Semolina Pilchards, Zipline , Thank Glennny for the Frisbee, The Odoriferous Valley, The Worldly Self Assurance, Berkeley Social Scene, Very Gentle Knives, Daddy Bop Swing Set, GUNS, The Kraken Lives, Cavedwellers
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I have always been fascinated by the shape and sound of a violin. No other musical instruments can be of such attraction to me. In my eyes, the body, as well as the bow, of the violin is already a piece of art itself.
The day before yesterday I was on my regular Sunday ride all by myself when I found her in a roadside store where a great variety of history-telling goods were displayed and sold. She was there at the corner of the room, lying silently. I picked her up, held this Precious in hands and scrutinized thoroughly. She was in such a bedraggled condition that the shop keeper said it had been there for a year or so. I found two of her four strings, the bridge, one tuning peg missing. Shabby as she was, I knew, for some reason, she was beautiful and elegant inside. I took her and left, on the way to make her whole again.
I went to a couple of stores and was greeted by indifferent responses. They said it's not worth repairing. I continued my way, carrying her alone on the street in the evening. At that time, I thought that we were somehow destined to be together. It felt so great to have her in my arms…
Right now, after some little effort and reparation, it is producing excellent sound and is recognized as a handmade piece with a history of at least 40~50 years.
She is mine.
Go and take a look at this website and you'll know what a violin really is~
网易公司版权所有 ©1997-2018


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A hybrid-cloud CDN is our answer to the high costs and lowered stability associated with delivery network burst traffic. By combining our expertise in both clouds and CDNs with our highly detailed performance metrics gathering tool, we can craft a tailored delivery network solution that maximizes your fixed-cost cloud expenditures while still maintaining the global coverage and speed of your CDN.
A hybrid cloud-CDN is a highly evolved solution that requires a detailed assessment of a business's current server architecture and content delivery network. It's not for everyone. For this reason, GlobalDots has engineered an analytics tool that gathers critical user data such as geography, last-mile ISP, page load time and other performance metrics associated with user experience. Only once this data is collected can we assess whether a hybrid solution is the right choice for your business.
GlobalDots uses intelligent load balancing technology to keep CDN burst charges at a minimum. This is done by distributing content demand more efficiently across a company's server architecture, caching technology, and CDN. This kind of route optimization ensures bandwidth utilization is spread out, which helps companies gauge monthly expenditures more effectively.
Hybrid Cloud-CDNs can improve throughput and availability on video and dynamic content more efficiently than a single CDN alone depending on a business's current server infrastructure. Burst traffic has a notable impact on website performance and page load time, and hybrid solutions help alleviate some of that traffic with more effective origin-server caching.


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A 22-year-old who was found asleep at the wheel by police is facing multiple charges after attempting to resist arrest while in possession of an illegal, loaded handgun and drugs in Putnam County.
New York State Police troopers on patrol in Southeast found Ridgefield, Conn., resident Peter Shirvell unconscious on Route 6 at the intersection of Starr Ridge near the entrance of the Shell gas station.
After waking him, Shirvell was found to be intoxicated, and when troopers attempted to take him into custody, police said he physically resisted. Further investigation determined that Shirvell was in possession of an illegal, loaded firearm and a small amount of cocaine.
Shirvell was charged with felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He was also charged with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and criminal possession of a controlled substance, all misdemeanors. Shirvell was also cited for disorderly conduct a violation.
Following arraignment in the Town of Southeast Court, Shirvell was remanded to the Putnam County Jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 bond. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the weapons charges. Shirvell is due back in court on Dec. 5 to answer the charges.
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2017 National Grand Champion
National Best of Breed
NBOB GRCH ?PR? Kiva-Fuji Sky?s the Limit
owned by Heidi Scheff and Vada Binick
Many thanks to Judge Stan Matsumoto
Text and Show Photographs are © copyrighted by the National American Eskimo Dog Assc.
Dog photographs may be copyrighted by one or more individuals.
No reproduction of this site, whole or in part is permitted without the expressed permission of its owners.


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Safety and Regulations
Ensuring you have a safe and fun experience on your Monster Moto is our number one concern. For this reason, our product is manufactured with high quality materials and detailed attention to construction. However, it is up to you to exercise caution when enjoying your Monster Moto! Don't forget to review these safety and regulatory notices before you ride.
Monster Moto off-road recreational vehicles have the potential to cause serious injury or death. Although the risks associated with riding can never be eliminated completely, following all of Monster Moto's recommended guidelines will reduce the risk of harm to the operator and others. Any rider of a Monster Moto vehicle must review and follow the guidelines outlined here and in the vehicle's owner's manual.
WARNING: Always follow Monster Moto's age recommendations.
WARNING: Always supervise minors when they are riding.
WARNING: Always wear protective safety gear while riding. Protective safety gear includes, but is not limited to, a Department of Transportation approved full-face motorcycle helmet with a chin strap, goggles, boots, gloves, long riding pants with hip and knee pads, and a long sleeved riding jersey with elbow, chest and shoulder pads.
WARNING: Always secure hair and loose clothing while riding.
WARNING: Never operate the vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
WARNING: Never operate the vehicle with a passenger.
WARNING: Never ride the vehicle on hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.
WARNING: Never ride the vehicle at night.
WARNING: Never ride alone. Because unexpected situations can occur, always ride in proximity of your base and of other people who can provide assistance in case of a problem.
WARNING: Never ride the vehicle if it is not in proper riding condition. Always inspect your vehicle before you ride to ensure that it is in proper riding condition. If you have any indication that your vehicle is not running correctly, stop riding immediately. Do not ride back to your base. Find another method of transportation.
WARNING: Always exercise good judgment while riding. Ride within your skill level at comfortable speeds. Be cautious of potential hazards and difficult terrain. Exercise extra caution in muddy or wet riding conditions. Always keep both hands and feet on the handlebars and foot pegs. Do not brake or accelerate while turning. Do not attempt tricks or stunts or go off jumps.
WARNING: Never operate gas powered vehicles in an enclosed space with poor ventilation.
WARNING: Never modify the vehicle or attach after-market accessories.
WARNING: Always perform the necessary maintenance on the vehicle.
WARNING: Always exercise caution while servicing your vehicle. Performing most maintenance procedures involves handing potentially dangerous and flammable materials such as gasoline. Recognize the risk that injury could potentially occur while you are servicing your vehicle. If you are uncomfortable with the risks, refer to an Authorized Monster Moto Service Center to perform maintenance tasks for you.
WARNING: Never perform maintenance on the vehicle while it is running, and never touch any of the vehicle's parts while the vehicle is running.
WARNING: Always wash hands after handling. Certain components of Monster Moto products and packaging contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
It is the responsibility of any rider of a Monster Moto vehicle to adhere to all laws and regulations governing the operation of the vehicle. Laws vary by jurisdiction. These laws include, but are not limited to:
Vehicle Operation Laws: Monster Moto vehicles are designed for off-road single-rider use only. It is illegal to operate Monster Moto vehicles on public streets, roads,and highways.
Vehicle Title & Registration Laws: You may need to title and/or register your new vehicle with one or more state or municipal government agencies. Please check with the governing agencies in your area to see if your vehicle needs to be titled and/or registered. Keep your vehicle's Certificate of Origin. It may be required to title and/or register your vehicle.
Vehicle Modification Laws: Do not modify your vehicle or attach after-market accessories. Modifications to the exhaust system are a violation of the law and are subject to prosecution by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).


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Worship gatherings are held each Sunday at 8:45am & 10:30am.
Gathering Times & Location
Worship gatherings are held each Sunday at 8:45am & 10:30am.
What to Expect on Your Visit
Casual & Relaxed
Sunday gatherings are exciting, casual, and relaxed. Come as you are and expect to feel welcomed! We want you to feel at home.
Music & Message
Each week you'll experience modern music and a relevant, engaging message from one of our Pastors.
Just For Kids
Calvary Kids is a children's ministry uniquely designed with your child in mind! Every Sunday all children (babies through 4th grade) experience safe, age-appropriate environments where the Bible is taught in a creative and relevant way. We are so passionate about kids learning about Jesus in a way they can understand.
We are located right on Route 29 in Taylorville, on the north side of town.
Click here for direction to Calvary.
Hang tight while we prepare your form...


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John Rockwell, whose posts for The New York Times have included European cultural correspondent, music critic and dance critic, and who was the director of the Lincoln Center Festival in the 1990s, swung through several cities to catch up with what's onstage in Europe this spring, some of which will travel later for the United States. Here is his impressionistic report.
My three-week cultural odyssey through Western Europe opened in Madrid on a Saturday morning, the first instance of expectations overturned.
Yes, Spain is the new Greece, teetering on the brink of economic Armageddon. And yes, it is part of a European social welfare and public arts support system that we are told is doomed. But there was Madrid, clean and sparkling, with well-dressed people in sidewalk cafes and the Teatro Real gleaming in readiness for another evening's high-brow entertainment, full of enthusiastic young people. Some collapse.
As the trip progressed, I found myself dwelling as much on the cultural ramifications of what I saw as on performances themselves. As an American and a frequent visitor to Europe, I found many events speaking to a larger Euro-American context.
My first and last performances were at the Teatro Real, currently under the direction of Gerard Mortier.Continue reading the main story
Alain Platel is a Ghent-based choreographer with wide-ranging theatrical impulses and moral convictions. Fifteen years ago I tried to bring to Lincoln Center a piece he'd made with restless teenagers smashing gleefully into one another in amusement-park electric bumper cars; it proved technically unfeasible. ("For every 10 good ideas," intoned Mr. Mortier at the time, "only one will work.")
The title of Mr. Platel's Madrid piece was "C(h)oeurs," a play on choruses and hearts, and its music consisted of Verdi and Wagner superbly sung (and danced and acted) by the Teatro Real's revamped chorus, with its first-rate orchestra, all urgently conducted by Marc Piollet, along with a clutch of Mr. Platel's Ballets C de la B dancers enacting a sort of parable about the relations of individuals to mass society. Even if you couldn't quite divine its meaning, it was consistently engrossing and fearless: Anyone who begins the evening with the "Dies Irae" from the Verdi Requiem is not timid.
My last night in Europe was back in Madrid for the local premiere of Robert Wilson's "Life and Death of Marina Abramovic," first seen last summer at the Manchester International Festival and heading now for a world tour, though apparently not to New York, where producers feel maxed out on Mr. Wilson. Indeed, only a few of the productions I saw in Europe will make it to the United States; most of the others will continue in repertory or commercial runs or embark on international tours.
Too bad New York will miss "Abramovic," because this is one of Mr. Wilson's stronger recent efforts, quite wonderful in his ability to combine four disparate personalities.
There's Mr. Wilson himself, with his unmistakable visual style, but also Ms. Abramovic, who has a powerful presence and manages quite credibly what she's asked to do: tell her own sometimes painfully personal life story.
There's Willem Dafoe, ever-present as a wise-cracking trickster figure. And finally there's Antony Hegarty, the silver-throated singer of Antony and the Johnsons and a cult figure worldwide (the 10 Madrid performances are sold out, and he has much to do with that). He sings beautifully, is eerily costumed by Mr. Wilson in a kind of grand Victorian gown, and has composed not only his own songs but other music, including some for a female Serbian a-cappella vocal quartet that hauntingly evokes Ms. Abramovic's Yugoslav roots.
The Wilson was in English, and several other performances I saw in Europe were by Americans. We in the U.S. may not support our cultural innovators very well, but they still spring forth, young and old, and then seek patronage from European impresarios like Mr. Mortier.
Most big projects Mr. Mortier has planned for his first Madrid seasons were meant for the New York City Opera, which famously imploded and drove him back to Europe — robbing Manhattan of perhaps the most innovative opera impresario of our time.
Speaking of Mr. Wilson, I went on from that first night in Madrid to Reggio Emilia, Italy, for the second stop on the world tour of the latest revival (the first in 20 years) of his and Philip Glass's "opera" of 1976, "Einstein on the Beach" — which Mr. Mortier had intended to inaugurate his first New York City Opera season.
Why Reggio Emilia for the work's first ever Italian performances? Because another venturesome European theater administrator, Daniele Abbado (son of Claudio), wanted it. I have seen "Einstein" many times since its inception — it will play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in September — and in this version the piece remains the landmark it was from the beginning, and in the careers of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Glass, but also in the evolution of large-scale vanguard musical theater, American and European.
My next stop was Christoph Marthaler's "Lo Stimolatore Cardiaco" (The Pacemaker) at the Basel Theater, another piece with 19th-century choruses. Verdi only this time, mostly "Otello." In his original works — not his sometimes eccentric stagings of the classics, as in his "Tristan und Isolde" at Bayreuth — Mr. Marthaler is a puckish prankster with deeper emotions peeping out from beneath the wit. "Cardiaco" is set in a typically Marthalerian institutional interior — fluorescent-lit though more coldly stylish than his usual shabbier settings. Whatever the connections are to "Otello," the piece is constantly engaging, even charming, and the large audience enjoyed it.
On to London for a matinee of DV8's latest endeavor, "Can We Talk About This?" at the National Theater (evidently we can, since the talk from the stage was nonstop). DV8 is the pioneering physical theater troupe, London-based but led by the Australian Lloyd Newson. Its work over the years has been brilliant and unsettling, movement-based but hinting theatrically at troubling truths about mankind, gay mankind in particular. "The Cost of Living" on DVD, 35 minutes long, remains among the most powerful dance videos of my experience.
Recently Mr. Newson has moved more and more to the theater side of his hybrid form, with ample monologues by the dancers, the words taken from transcribed recordings. Here the subject is Islamist extremism, and Mr. Newson has no politically correct qualms about condemning it. Most of the horror stories involve the mistreatment of women, though one imagines that, as with earlier closeted playwrights like Tennessee Williams, he is at least as concerned about the mistreatment of gays.
And though many dance critics now dismiss the movement aspects of DV8, to my taste Mr. Newson's choreography remains fascinating in pure dance terms. For all sorts of reasons, the audience loved it.
Next up: Covent Garden for Christopher Wheeldon's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" with the Royal Ballet. Mr. Wheeldon has been partially eclipsed of late by Alexei Ratmansky as the favorite of dance critics among youngish, classically based choreographers, and Mr. Ratmansky deserves his laurels. But Mr. Wheeldon remains prolific and potent.
"Alice" may not be his best work; it's a little too cartoony, and difficult dramatically when you have to age the heroine to get mature ballet technique. Still, all your favorite characters are there, Bob Crowley's décor is clever, the new score by Joby Talbot is appealing, and the work stands as testimony to the continued willingness of the Royal Ballet, and flagship national arts institutions in Europe, to extend themselves to major new works.
A matinee of "Matilda the Musical," a Royal Shakespeare Company production, based on the Roald Dahl book, that went on to win seven Olivier awards and centers on a little genius girl who overcomes stupid, menacing adults — an Alice for our time — seemed to delight both children and adults. Whether this very, very English production will work in New York, where it is said to be headed early next year, who knows?
That night it was off to "Miss Fortune" at the Royal Opera, by the contemporary Scottish composer Judith Weir, whose earlier operas I have enjoyed. This piece, first seen last summer in Bregenz, Austria, and headed eventually to Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been unkindly received by the British critics, who saw its libretto as simplistic and its music bland. I don't entirely disagree, though I found Ms. Weir's orchestral writing lush and beautiful. The director, Chen Shi-Zheng, did what he could — his staging was inventive and lively — but the evening never quite gelled.
In hip Berlin, a La Monte Young concert, part of a bold new-music festival called MaerzMusik, attracted an audience of hip young things sprawled on the floor. This was a concert by Mr. Young's earnest, devotionally intended but not very compelling raga ensemble, rather than one of his own profoundly weird, profoundly hypnotic large-scale compositions. MaerzMusik couldn't afford one of those big pieces; somehow, it was strangely comforting for an American to encounter a German arts institution with money strains, even if Berlin's amazingly diverse cultural offerings have long been under financial siege.
Along with visiting the now largely and lovingly restored Museum Island, I ventured to a matinee of Wagner's "Die Walküre" in the Staatsoper's temporary home, the 1,000-seat Schiller Theater in western Berlin. I was there not for Guy Cassirers's dull production but for Daniel Barenboim, often an unpredictable Wagner conductor — here his second act was superb, the others less so — and for René Pape singing Wotan.
Mr. Pape emerged as a bass, but is creeping up now to bass-baritone roles, and despite a few lingering signs of effort at the very top, he boasts the best pure voice for Wotan of any singer in decades.
Often, he sounded grand and glorious, even if he failed to project personality like, say, Hans Hotter in olden days. But the oddity was his half-voiced, conspiratorial whisperings during long stretches of Wotan's long monologues. If this was an interpretive choice, it was misguided. If it was an effort to save his voice for the climaxes, it was an unfortunate compromise.
Let's hope he feels more confident in future, and can settle into full potential for big Wagner roles: His CD of Wagner arias is stunning. The audience was full of foreigners speaking every known first-world language. Roving Wagnerians are a special breed.
On to Paris. Opening night at the Palais Garnier of the Paris Opera Ballet School's annual spring "Spectacle" proved splendid, especially Violette Verdy's "Variations" from 1979. The Paris Ballet and its school remain temples of a particularly French classicism, cool and precise.
Easter afternoon brought a first-rate performance at Salle Pleyel of Bach's "St. Matthew" Passion with Marc Minkowski and his Grenoble-based Musiciens du Louvre. Mr. Minkowski had a fabulously impassioned Evangelist in the German tenor Markus Brutscher. He is also the most prominent example of the influence in France, and worldwide, of William Christie, the early-music conductor, who was born in Buffalo, attended Harvard, but only found fulfillment in Europe, where the breadth and depth of early-music performance puts America to shame.
The next night was the premiere of a new production of John Adams's opera "Nixon in China" at the Théâtre du Châtelet. In conjunction with Shilpa Gupta's striking minimalist sets, Chen Shi-Zheng's staging was honorably distinct from yet respectful of Peter Sellars's original and full of telling Chinese touches, as in the choreography for the Chinese opera scene and the underscoring of the horrors of the Cultural Revolution.
Insofar as gloomy musings about America's failure to support ambitious innovation are concerned, the trip ended on an upbeat note.
I had met Alex Poots briefly backstage after "Abramovic" in Madrid. The next morning, he turned out to be on the same flight to New York. Mr. Poots runs the Manchester International Festival, and thus attended the first night of his co-production with Mr. Mortier. But as the newly appointed artistic director of the Park Avenue Armory in New York — his programming begins next spring, and he has been promised a generous budget — he represents the latest, best hope for an infusion of European cultural vitality on a grand scale into the too-often-provincial American scene.Continue reading the main story


text: The time has finally come to write about one of the most eventful parts of our trip so far – crossing Stavropol Krai (Ставропо́льский край), Kabardino-Balkaria (Кабарди́но-Балка́рская Респу́блика) and North Ossetia-Alania (Республика Северная Осетия — Алания), but mainly to write about the people we met there. The latter federal subjects of Russia would rarely be found on a tourists' wish list nor would they be the first choice for travellers' routes if other options were at hand. With all the literature and information given to us and advises that the regions might be dangerous and a little wild, we were still pretty excited to be closing in on the North Caucasus.


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Claims of vote stacking in Malaysian Borneo
Opposition party members, others accuse Malaysia's ruling party of vote stacking ahead of elections. Julie Noce reports.
Residents like 50- year old Fawziah Abdul in a slum in Borneo Malaysia's Sabah state have been central in helping the country's ruling party She became a Malaysian citizen 10 years ago after illegally slipping into the country from the Philippines in search of a better life. She was given a Malaysian ID card and hopes that if she votes for the ruling party again, they will give ID cards to her three children, also. (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) FORMER FILIPINO, FAWZIAH ABDUL SAYING: "All thanks to the government. If not were the government we wouldn't have a document." There have been long running suspicions in Malaysian politics of a government backed program that naturalizes immigrants in exchange for votes. Indeed, the population of Sabah's population has increased five fold since the 1970's... but the growing presence of Muslim immigrants has fueled complaints of discrimination from Christians who've also been a bedrock of ruling coalition support. Opposition party members say a government investigation into the allegations of voter fraud are nothing more than a political stunt. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER RULING COALITION NATIONAL FRONT MEMBER, WILFRED BUMBURING SAYING: "The RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry) actually is a toothless tiger, don't have any authority to suggest to the government what action to be done because in the process of investigation they will uncover wrong doings, uncover the culprit." The election, which could be called anytime in the next seven months, is expected to be the closest in history.


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You can see how the Swiftech H2O Drive X2 system is much more compact than older Swiftech AIO versions.
The pump (which is actually a MCP-50X pump bottom) is screwed directly to the back of the acrylic reservoir.
Here is a closeup of the Swiftech pump (a MCP 50x pump base) that screws directly to the reservoir.
The fillport (which is G1/4) is at one end of the unit. So, if you need to use it, you'll either have to mount the unit vertical, or do it while the unit is outside of your case.
The Drive X2 "Prestige" Kit, includes Two (2) Noiseblocker Fans (either 120mm or 140mm, depending on your model).
Noiseblocker fans are known as one of the best fans available. They are PWM, have rubber anti-vibration pads, sleeved cables, and a very unique blade design. This unique design where the blades are connected to each other at their ends makes for a very quiet fan.
The waterblock also has G1/4 fittings (barb/clamp for standard, or compression for "Prestige") and RGB lighting.
The waterblock is made using a nickel plated copper base with an acrylic top. Check out the mirror finish on the block!
The tubing is clear-ish. It is 5/8″ outside diameter and 1/2″ Inside diameter. So, flow should never be a problem.
The Fan/RGB controller runs off of SATA power, plus a PWM motherboard header.
It has One (1) output for your pump, Three (3) PWM Fan outputs, Three (3) RGB lighting outputs and the RGB light switch. Pushing the RGB switch toggles through each color plus Three (3) levels of brightness for each color. It can be mounted by Two (2) screws or has 3M double sided tape on the back.
Now lets talk about the coolant color die. The kit comes with all Three (3) primary colors of die. This means that if you mix the right quantities of each color, you should be able to make any color from clear to black.
Note: Do Not Consume!
The kit also comes with a 1 gram applicator of thermal compound, which should be enough for a couple of applications.
Coming up next ….. The Build:


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The hubster made a comment recently that made me laugh. Not just laugh but out and out chortle. He said, "You know it seems like things have calmed down for you because you're no longer blogging about the chaos around you." I looked at him with my standard, "You're kidding, right?" expression. Look, it's always a poop storm around these parts. I just opt to focus on the fuzzy parts every now and then. Don't mean I'm not still dodging the poo.
One of my New Year's resolutions was to slow down. To talk less. Reflect more. And write with more calmness. But sometimes, it is hard to keep the chaos under control, regardless of how many darn deep breaths I take. Take Sunday for example. Little man and mamma are hanging out. Things are going well. We have read Goodnight Moon 27 times. We have eaten lots of blueberries and not enough pasta. And we are counting down the seconds to nap time so mamma can have the second coffee she so definitely deserves. When little man throws a wrench into the works.
So here's the requisite warning. We're about to discuss throw up. On a food blog. If that kinda thing freaks you out, I understand. I also understand you likely don't have kids. But we're about to get real (i.e., gross) up in here so if you need to stop reading, I understand. However, if you're like my friend Amy Kim who wisely coined the phrase, "I've been puked and pooed on. Nothing phases me," then by all means, read on.
So when little man threw up on the carpet, my New Year's resolution flew out the window. I said goodbye to my promise to be calmer and went into my default frantic mode. For a few minutes, I was a whirlwind of carpet cleaner, antibacterial wipes, and Febreeze. And hand soap. Lots of hand soap. And all I learned is it's incredibly difficult to get blueberry hued "residue" off of carpet.
And I realized that on those days when the carpet smells vaguely like throw up and the laundry is in big piles of dirty and kinda-dirty, the only viable lunch option is Naan Pizza. I know I know, this is not a "real" recipe. It's similar to my Mexican Fried Rice in that regard. It's more a formula that you tweak to fit the ingredients (and time!) you have on hand. I've made Naan Pizza with warm fluffy takeout naans from our favorite Pakistani restaurant. I've made it with the frozen naan we get in giant bags from Costco. And in truly desperate times, I've made it on regular ol' pita bread.
I've made naan pizza in the oven, the toaster oven, and on the stove. I've topped it with tandoori chicken, roasted red peppers, scallions, mushrooms, cheddar, mozzarella, and/or pepper jack. It all works. And it is awesome each and every time.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some carpet to clean. And some Naan Pizza to eat.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground corriander
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. garam masala
2-3 tbs. plain yogurt
2 large or 3 medium naans
2 cups shredded cheese
Other toppings of your choice (e.g., roasted red peppers, mushrooms)
Let us be optimists here and assume you have enough time to make delicious tandoori chicken to top your Naan Pizza. If it's more of a realist kinda day, ditch the tandoori chicken option and top your Naan Pizzas with the frozen meatballs hiding in your freezer. But for optimism's sake, here's how you make your tandoori chicken.
Cut chicken into cubes, strips, triangles, or whatever shape strikes your fancy. Add yogurt and all of the spices and mix thoroughly. Marinate your chicken mixture anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Cook chicken in a grill pan on the stove for gorgeous charred chicken.
When chicken is almost done, toast your naan in the oven or toaster oven. During the last few minutes of toasting, top with shredded cheese, tandoori chicken, and/or other toppings of your choice. Pop the naans back into the oven until the cheese melts. Devour quickly because you could be called for the baby cleanup brigade any second.


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Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kent B. Puffenbarger
Command Chief Warrant Officer, SCARNG
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kent B. Puffenbarger assumed duties as the South Carolina Army National Guard Command Chief Warrant Officer (CCWO) on 1 February 2014. As the CCWO, Puffenbarger serves as the personal advisor to The Adjutant General for South Carolina for all Warrant Officer related issues and career management for Warrant Officers in the South Carolina National Guard.
CW5 Puffenbarger joined the South Carolina Army National Guard in 1986. After attending basic and advanced individual training, Puffenbarger was assigned to Troop D 1st-101st Cavalry as an Observation Scout Helicopter Repairer. In 1989, he attended the Warrant Officer Candidate Course and Initial Entry Rotary-Wing flight training and was subsequently assigned to the 1st-151st t Aviation Battalion as a helicopter pilot. As a member of 1st-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, CW5 Puffenbarger has served overseas in both Kosovo and Iraq.
- 1980 Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC
- 1987 College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
- 1989 Warrant Officer Candidate Course
- 1990 Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aviator Course
- 1998 Aviation Warrant Officer Advance Course
- 2002 Warrant Officer Staff Course
- 2013 Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course
- Bronze Star Medal
- Air Medal
- Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
- Army Achievement Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
- National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star Device
- Kosovo Campaign Medal
- Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Armed Forces Service Medal
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hourglass, Mobilization Device and Numeral 2 Device
- Army Service Ribbon
- Overseas Service Ribbon
- NATO Medal
- Master Army Aviator Badge
- National Guard Association of the United States
- National Guard Association of South Carolina
- Army Aviation Association of America
- Warrant Officer Association of America
- Warrant Officer, SCARNG 25 April 1990
- Chief Warrant Officer Two, SCARNG 25 April 1992
- Chief Warrant Officer Three, SCARNG 28 October 1998
- Chief Warrant Officer Four, SCARNG 01 October 2003
- Chief Warrant Officer Five, SCARNG 19 August 2014
Download Bio in PDF Format


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You – yes, you! You are a spotlight leader. Each person in a position of influence and authority finds themselves in the spotlight. People are overt or covert in their observations but, rest assured, they are looking at you.
So, what's your job? Keep the spotlight bright with behaviors and attitudes that you want repeated in your organization – those Emotionally Intelligent and Leader-Inspired ongoing behaviors. Be aware of being lulled into a place where you think you're free from the spotlight, because you are not. That's what you signed up for when you agreed to lead. People want you to be the best you can be but they are also morbidly curious and titillated when you fall.
As the light shines brightly on you, here are five suggestions that will keep you on top of your game, and also support others to their best efforts:
- Be a maven of inspiration. Believe, believe some more, and then call attention to how the belief shows up in behavior and results. Celebrate.
- Set the course by creating meaning. People want to know where they are going and why. A good leader is open about where we are headed and able to create meaning for the movement. The people grab onto the meaning that's created and then catch the wave.
- Communicate what success looks like. Don't assume that others know what you expect. Tell them. Be specific. Let them know the end game and the milestones along the way. Share where you see possible pitfalls. And then let them know what the inspection process looks like so there are no surprises. People want to contribute and win – show them how.
- Learn together. Make mistakes and then learn together. Share your mistake and the learning that ensued. Model how to pick yourself up to start anew. People who are afraid of the consequences of failure will not risk. Without risk, there is no innovation. Make the mistake, learn publicly, course correct and begin again.
- Make decisions about counter-culture revolutionaries quickly. People are watching you to see what you tolerate. If clear direction, course correction, honest feedback and peer pressure does not work, make sure to exit those who are counter-culture. Be human about it – but do it!
Every day you are "client-facing". Your internal clients are always in front of you. They shine their spotlights of curiosity and evaluation. Are you to be trusted? Are you real? Do you act with integrity? With that in mind, how do you make every interaction authentic, real and connecting?
Photo Credit: marfis75


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It doesn't take a genius to calculate that a size eight mayfly doesn't have the same hook strength as a 1/0 streamer.
Way to go, Einstein. (Bill Klyn photo.)
This said, one can imagine my disappointment when after waiting a lifetime to finally hook a 15-plus pound steelhead on a delicate dead-drifted mayfly, all logic, know-how and thought processing suddenly vanished from my head.
As I torqued on the rod, my hook bent out, the line went slack and a straight piece of wire flew back at me as a reminder that perhaps overpowering such delicate hooks was not the best idea.
Perhaps they're a little different...
Yes, I admit it; after years of searching for surface feeding steelhead (particularly steelhead who wanted to eat my fly!) I didn't take into consideration that my hook might bend out if I wasn't careful.
As I pulled on him while he jumped, turned, and bucked, I don't know why I was so shocked to watch the fly tear out of his mouth resulting in a useless hook at my feet.
Adam Tavendar Photo.
It poked at me from the rocks below my boots and taunted me with cruel silent jabs and criticisms. I dropped to my knees, hated myself and hung my head in mental exhaustion.I never will forget that fish and what it did to me that day...
It goes without saying that there are days on the water that mould us as anglers.
There are those days that leave us confident, proud and sure of ourselves as nature's fish stalkers.
Alternately, there are days when we are filled with self-doubt and we're left to wonder just how crazy we really are.
Not so proud...
Personally, my best days are those that cut me deep enough to leave a distinct mark. I strive to dress myself in these scars and hope that every day I'll return home after time well spent on the water, covered with the entrenched markings of an unforgettable memory or new experience.
Does this make me a masochist? Not particularly, but it certainly encourages me to spend each day on the water in search of an adventure or experience that will humble me so greatly that it will simply be impossible to erase from my memory.
To date, I have never met a man, employer, friend, competitor or single living life form who could bring me to life and scar my memory the way that fish did that day. It's an irony really, a beautiful beating of experience that many of us wish we could only be so lucky to endure.
Rather than continuing this story by bruising my ego further, perhaps I should start at the beginning.
It was September in Terrace, British Columbia and the Skeena River and its tributaries had been fishing unbelievably well. I had phoned Nick Pujic of Fly Max Films and asked for him to make the trek to western Canada to join me and to experience BC's notorious wild steelhead.
Ben Grady Photo.
I let Nick know that my dear friend Andrea would be joining us while we filmed, and that my plan was to spend this week helping Andrea land her first Northern BC steelhead. Needless to say, it didn't take long for Nick to book his flight into Terrace.
Nick Pujic Photo.
The town of Terrace (a two hour drive west of Smithers) is a major flurry of activity in the Skeena region. Most important to visiting anglers is the fact that the area is laced with countless waterways that provide sanctuary for wild steelhead year-round. Though the Skeena is the primary waterway, there are multiple rivers, both large and small that are home to steelhead making their migration in the fall.
Skeena steelhead frequent the majestic rivers of the North year-round, most notably during the spring and fall seasons. Traditionally, fall is the most popular time of year as anglers from all over the world flock to share in the adventure of roaring rivers, breathtaking scenery, and a chance to battle a 20-plus pound steelhead. These fall fish are commonly referred to as summer-run steelhead since they enter the system during the summer months.
Yos Gladstone Photo.
The Skeena River originates on the remote Spatsizi Plateau and flows for over 500 kilometers before emptying into Chatham Sound south of Prince Rupert. Fall fishing in the Skeena system typically begins around the end of August, with September and October being the region's most popular months. The small towns of Smithers and Terrace are typically the starting points for anglers journeying to the Skeena and its renowned tributaries.
The weather had been warm and the sun drew lines around the glasses on our faces.
Andrea and I couldn't wipe away our smiles and I closed my eyes as the jet boat carried us upriver to find some fresh fish in the Skeena.
The water's clarity was near perfect and we found a run that swung slow and steady. With a large orange fly and a downstream cast, I followed my fly with my rod tip low to the water and clutched on to my cork handle firmly.
A short and soft loop of running line rested under my index finger and I prayed that it would soon be violently ripped from my grasp by a large steelhead looking to play tug-of-war.
The sun was descending and a soft orange glow lit up the river. A moody sky was moving in, trapping the sun's rays and forcing them to dance on the water's surface.
The fly swung across the myriad currents and held parallel to the shore before suddenly tightening as I let my loop slip through my fingers until the line was taut against my reel. I glanced downstream and watched the water churn as a large steelhead dashed into the broad flow of the Skeena.
Eventually I landed the Skeena beauty and the darkening sky momentarily opened up and shone its contrast onto my face and the water I knelt in.
The buck's scales caught the light and as I held him up for a quick photo, the water droplets plunged off his fat belly like liquid diamonds disappearing back into the river.
Nick Pujic Photo.
British Columbia steelhead have a way of getting into the blood of those who pursue them.
Personally, never an angler who fished nymphs, I was addicted to the thrill of the swing.
Large streamers made for great fun and I loved watching how various currents made my fly dance in different rhythms. Like a moving puzzle, I would analyze the water currents and try to fit each cast to each current accordingly.
Pocket water, slow seams, fast tail-outs, deep troughs… I was always intrigued by the different water flows and how every run seemed to present both my line and fly differently.
Fascinated by the various presentations and their efficiency, I would cast while standing on rocks so I could watch my fly as I swung it high and over the heads of oblivious fish.
Unfortunately, sink-tips and heavy flies are often necessary in British Columbia and no matter how hard I strained my eyes, I wasn't always able to see the action taking place below in the mysterious depths.
I would hold underwater cameras in clear runs, sight fish for my friends and hike up countless overhanging ledges to simply stare into the water and see the grey shadows swaying fluidly in tune with the current; I loved watching them in their habitat.
I didn't always care if I caught a steelhead, I was just desperate to know they were there. It wasn't until I began fishing for them with dry flies that I realized I could truly experience the take, up close and personal.
I had skated dry flies for steelhead before and had fished obnoxious foam patterns, and intrusive mohawked bombers, in an attempt to coax fresh steelhead into taking top water patterns.
They drove me nuts as they swirled underneath my flies and flashed as they broke water with their snouts. They'd swipe at the bomber just as it would catch the wake of their rise and push it through the water's surface away from their grasping jaws.
So as Andrea and I made our way through the week, she fished her streamers and I desperately tried my luck with a dry fly.
I skated and waited and heard Andrea yelp with excitement behind me as she'd pick up a fish that was more interested in a pink and orange egg-sucker than the tan colors of my floating deer hair concoction.
I'd sigh, check my head, let myself know that I'd caught enough steelhead on streamers and that I mustn't give up until accomplishing what I'd set out to do.
Andrea with a nice streamer caught fish.
One morning, as the sun warmed the night-chilled air, we hiked into a Skeena River tributary and found ourselves at a long and glassy run. We were joined by good friend and angler Dustin Kovacvich, who stands at 6 foot 4 inches and is a giant of a man, especially when standing next to myself and Andrea.
Together, the two of us shielded our eyes and peered out into the tailout of the run.
There they were, flashing and uninterrupted; multiple steelhead laid incognito behind boulders, tilting their bodies to catch the light as they fed actively below the surface.
As we watched intensely, a snout broke the surface and slurped in a large mayfly before it could dry its wings and achieve the relative safety of flight. I gasped… they were feeding!
Finding feeding steelhead in British Columbia is somewhat of a rarity and most certainly a treat for anglers who are fortunate enough to experience it. Though many fish are caught every year on skated flies during the warmer months of July, August and September, opportunities to catch steelhead on dead drifted flies tend to be fewer and farther between.
Dustin passed me his fly of choice, a rugged looking, broken fibered, deer hair mayfly in a size 8. I looked at it like he was joking but saw quickly that he wasn't. I obliged him, tied it on, and made a cast upstream. Mending to ensure there was no line drag, the fly sat upright and obvious as it drifted over the large dark shadow that hovered in front of us.
The shadow abruptly flashed, rose, and fell back down. My heart pounding, I cast again, only this time further upstream.
He levitated, angled his head towards the surface and then gracefully slurped in my fly before descending. I raised my rod tip into a solid hook set, and he pulled deep before jumping and turning my thoughts into a jumbled mess of indecipherable words. I was petrified!
I think this is about the time where I bring you back to the beginning as my bent out hook flies back towards me, landing at my feet and insulting my common sense.
I wish that I had caught enough steelhead on dry flies to be able to write you a thorough piece about the intricacies and logistics that go into catching steelhead on dry flies, however, at this time in my angling career I am truly just happy to even simply find surface feeding steelhead.
Like a playground full of cloud-scraping mountains, cascading waterfalls, thick trees and rivers alive with silver tails and wild fish, British Columbia is some of the finest entertainment and adventure that an outdoorsman/woman could ever hope to experience.
As we scan the vast wilderness, we squint for bears, eagles, moose and deer.
Our eyes adjust to the different shades of green and we see details through cliff crevices and forest gaps that resemble those of moving mammals. While we make our way down to the river, we bring with us these same hopes of seeing life through the camouflage and shelter of the rippling water.
We squint, clean our polarized glasses, cup our hands around our eyes, and peer into the glare of the river, scanning the run like an aquatic barcode.
Shadows and divots in the river's bottom catch our eyes and momentarily stop our hearts while we sit patiently and wait for these shadows to move in sync with the never-ceasing flow.
A natural habit for all predatory life forms, we track, stalk and hunt; our hearts beating and our blood rushing all the way to our final strike.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons British Columbia affects anglers as intensely as it does.
One of the last places on Earth where man can momentarily conquer the wild, free from titled and reserved stretches of river, tamed bears, the din of traffic, or hatchery grown and clipped steelhead.
BC is a final frontier and one of the last places where man can still truly test the wild and where the wild can truly test man.
The stalking of feeding steelhead turn our heads into a massive blizzard of adrenaline laced thoughts and internal hysteria…
For that one short moment, we can remember exactly what it is that we were put on this Earth for as we become one with the mountains, swim free like the fish, and ultimately, turn ourselves into the hunters that we were all born to be.


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Special equipment: a pasta maker; a stamp cutter or pastry wheel
For the pasta dough: Mound the flour on a large work surface and form a well in the center with your fingers. Add the eggs, egg yolk, olive oil and salt to the well. Using a fork, lightly beat the wet mixture until combined. Then incorporate the flour, beginning with the inner edges of the well and working outwards, until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough by hand until completely smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes. (It is important to let the dough rest; otherwise, the gluten in the flour will make it very difficult to roll out. The dough can be made a couple of days in advance and kept in the fridge.)
For the ravioli: Mix together the ricotta, Parmigiano and walnuts in a medium bowl. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste; mix again and set aside.
Cut the pasta dough into four equal pieces. Roll the first piece through a pasta machine on its widest setting. Decrease the width by one notch and roll the dough through again. Continue, decreasing the width one notch at a time (ending somewhere between settings 5 and 7, depending on your machine), until the pasta is very thin. Place the pasta sheet on a flour-dusted work surface. Repeat with the three remaining pieces of dough.
On one of the pasta sheets, place rounded balls of filling (about 2 tablespoons each) spaced 1- to 1 1/2-inches apart. Brush the pasta around each ball lightly with water. Lay a second sheet of pasta on top and press firmly around each ball, making sure there are no air pockets. Using a stamp cutter or pastry wheel, cut out each ravioli (about 2 inches in diameter) and transfer to a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining two sheets of pasta. I like to use a fork to press the edges of the ravioli to make sure they are closed and to give them a pretty design.
For the cream sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the walnuts and fry for 2 minutes more. Add the cream and mix well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until slightly thickened but still liquid, about 8 minutes. Season with pepper.
While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a slow boil. Carefully lower half of the ravioli into the water. Cook until the ravioli start to float and are just tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli directly to the sauce. Repeat with the remaining ravioli. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and gently toss to coat the ravioli in the sauce.
I like the walnuts very finely chopped so you can taste them but not feel them very much.
A viewer or guest of the show, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. It has not been tested for home use.


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Generator Solar Laptop Charger
The Generator Solar Laptop Charger is one of the simplest and most interesting green gadgets you can find on the market today. This is a laptop bag, with a build in solar panel and the battery. The battery is V72 and the solar panel is 17.6 Watt. You can use it every day or anytime when you need to. With this solar-powered bag, you can recharge batteries on your electronic devices. This means that you can recharge a battery on your; tablet, smartphone, laptop and cameras. Because of this, this is the perfect solution for people who like camping or hiking. Also, it is the best choice for journalist who travel a lot.
In order to recharge the battery on your smartphone, the Generator Solar Laptop Charger will have to be exposed to the sunlight for one hour. After that, you can use the smartphone 12 hours. This means that in one hour of the sunlight use, you can use your smartphone the whole day. You also get all cables that are needed to recharge batteries on your devices, and much more. Just some of the things you get are: Micro USB Adapter, USB Output Cable, Car Charger Socket and AC and DC charger.
This bag is big enough to carry a 17" MacBook. But, many people have smaller laptops. The dimensions are: 46 cm x 34 cm wide x 9 cm deep and the weight is 2.5 kg. It is also waterproof. The price is $399. You can choose between two colors. White and charcoal. Maybe it looks expensive, but this is a useful device with numerous applications. With it, there is no need to look for power outlets while traveling.


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2017 FIAT 500c
2017 FIAT 500c at Roberts Chrysler Dodge for Meriden, CT
If you're in the market for a unique subcompact car with more personality than others in its class, then take a look at the 2017 FIAT 500c. Offering 15 possible color choices, a user-friendly power retractable soft top, excellent fuel economy and European pizazz, the FIAT 500c is a fun car, perfect for navigating urban streets. If you are unfamiliar with the FIAT brand, no problem. Here is a bit of history to get you up to speed. The Italian car company, FIAT, is no novice to the American auto market. In fact, they have been present in America for more than a century. The FIAT 500, or Cinquecento, was created in the 1950's in Italy and is considered a classic. In 2007, fifty years after the Cinquecento's inception, FIAT released a newly designed 500. In 2011, the re-designed 500 hit the American market and it exemplifies European charisma in a subcompact car. The 500 comes in a convertible option, the Cabrio or 500c, and it is one of the most affordable cabrio vehicles in its class. It offers a generous number of standard features and excellent fuel economy. Your dream of owning a convertible vehicle can become a reality! Keep reading to hear all that the 2017 FIAT 500c has to offer.
Under the 500c's Hood
The FIAT 500c is powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Power is sent to the front wheels, and the engine produces 101 horsepower and 98 lb-ft of torque. An optional six-speed automatic transmission is also available. Fuel economy for models with the standard four-cylinder engine is estimated at 31 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. For the sportier option, the Abarth trim offers a turbo-charged engine, which puts out 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a five-speed manual transmission. An optional six-speed heavy-duty automatic transmission is also available. Per Edmund's testing, the 500c Abarth went from 0 to 60 in an impressive 7.5 seconds, and it still earns excellent fuel economy with 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. The Abarth is also sport-tuned and has superior handling. Designed with the Italian racetrack in mind, the Abarth offers a turbo boost gauge, performance suspension, dual exhaust, performance brakes, wider tires and a lowered body height.
Design of FIAT 500c
The 2017 FIAT 500c comes in three different trim levels, Pop, Lounge and Abarth. One of the more notable features on the FIAT 500c is its power-retractable soft top. With a press of a button, the soft top opens into three different settings: partially open for a sunroof effect, mostly open for a panoramic sunroof effect, or completely open for the full convertible effect. FIAT had convenience in mind with the soft top design. It can be opened or closed while driving in speeds up to 50 mph. Standard features in the lowest trim are generous. For example, the Pop trim includes full power accessories, a 7-inch color driver information display, keyless entry, heated mirrors, cruise control, 15-inch alloy wheels, a windscreen that fits between the rear seats, the Uconnect infotainment system with a 5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and a six-speaker audio system with USB and auxiliary inputs. The next trim up is the Lounge, which tacks on heated fronts seats, foglights, exterior chrome trim, automatic climate control, satellite radio, and leather seating. Finally, the race-track-inspired Abarth trim offers sportier features such as a rear spoiler, 16-inch wheels, performance high-back front bucket seats, specialized interior and exterior detailing, a leather-coated shift knob, and a sport steering wheel. There is also an available six-speaker Beats Audio sound system with a trunk-mounted subwoofer if you want to turn more heads in your convertible.
Does the 2017 FIAT 500c come with an automatic or manual transmission?
All FIAT 500c trims come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, although a six-speed automatic transmission is available.
Can I schedule a service appointment online?
Yes! You can schedule one online by clicking here!
Can I get pre-approved for an auto loan online?
Yes! You can get pre-approved by filling out our online application here!
All 2017 Fiat 500c models offer these standard safety features: stability and traction control, rear park assist, antilock disc brakes, multiple airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system. If you are looking for an economical subcompact vehicle with an exuberant personality, then the FIAT 500c is a great option. Come down today to take one for a spin!
Read Our Other Reviews2017 FIAT 500L 2017 FIAT 500 2017 FIAT 500X


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Miami Beach
Fire claims life of woman in Miami Beach
A fire at a Miami Beach home claimed the life of a woman neighbors said was elderly and lived alone.
"She was an old lady, about 90 years old and she always had her walker," said neighbor Carlos Espindola.
Miami Beach firefighters responded to the home near West 30th Street and Royal Palm Avenue around 7:30 p.m.
"We had heavy flames and smoke showing on the alpha side of the building. We had reports of possibly one occupant inside," said Jesus Sola with the Miami Beach Fire Department.
Fire officials said rescue crews managed to enter the home rather quickly.
"We made an easy entrance into the building," added Sola. "We were able to make a quick interior attack and locate the victim rapidly.
The woman was found on the second floor close to the staircase.
"We were able to go ahead and locate the victim, which we transported to Mount Sinai," added Sola.
Neighbors smelled the smoke and went outside to see a number of fire trucks and firefighters at their neighbor's home. They said they feared the worst for the neighbor they said barely left her home.
"Would only come out to get her mail. She'd come out and go right back in," said Espindola.
Go to miami.cbslocal.com to read more.