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Learn how to contact each ARDA department.
Click here to view ARDA's staff by name.
Guests and owners alike are looking for things to do
while they are on vacation, and our timeshare resorts are always looking for
new ways to fill those needs. Activity programming is essential in providing a
dynamic and fresh experience for guests—whether they are on a preview tour,
visiting as an exchanger, or
returning as an owner. In fact, recent research shows a direct and positive
relationship between owner/guest satisfaction with on-site resort activities
and overall timeshare vacation satisfaction. In other words, if those staying at the timeshare resort are
satisfied with the activities, they are more likely to be satisfied with their
overall vacation experience. Unfortunately, the reverse is true as well.
Students enrolled in the Masters of Hospitality Management program at the
University of Central Florida set out on a quest to identify activities,
preferences, and motivations of timeshare guests. In partnership with several
area timeshare resorts, the students worked to identify unique, overarching
themes related to activities programming, preferences, and motivations. Here
were some of the key findings.
Of the nearly 400 timeshare guests participating in the survey, 72% reported
being either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the activities programming
offered at the resort. The results of the research reveal five predominant
activities in which timeshare resort owners and guests typically participate:
aquatics, relaxing, eating/dining, reading, and games.
With the activities they participated in ranked accordingly, the participants
then shared their motivation for each activity. This was a critical research
component, as understanding individuals' motivation for the activity can help
programming staff develop events that are truly satisfying. Motivations vary by
the activity, with four main motivations: to feel good, get in shape, be
entertained, and learn something.
Survey participants were also asked
to identify up to three activities they would like to see offered. The
responses included live entertainment shows/ music, culinary instruction, and games
(trivia, bingo, etc.). This study found that activities are not only an
essential but critical component
for timeshare resort vacations when looking at
overall satisfaction. So planning around this factor is essential to meeting
the needs of your guests.
Read the entire article in this month's Developments magazine.
By Darla ZaniniExecutive VP, ARDA International Foundation (AIF)August 9, 2016
Timeshare, once again, has made a significant impact on the U.S. economy. A few key highlights are as follows:
• $79.5 billion in consumer and business spending
• 511,000+ full- and part-time jobs
• $28.1 billion in salaries and wages
• $10.2 billion in tax revenue
Spending by timeshare owners and guests during timeshare stays was estimated at $10 billion in 2015—with $3.4 billion spent onsite at resorts, and $6.6 billion spent offsite in communities where timeshare resorts are located.
This data is based on the AIF 2016 Economic Impact study conducted for us by Ernst & Young. For more details, check out our infographic and for a full copy of the Economic Impact Study, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
As an
industry, timeshare companies collectively send millions of people on
incredible vacations every year. They can recharge their batteries, spend
quality time with family and friends, and just relax and have fun.
for the kids who attend Christel House, "summer vacation" has a completely
different meaning. It means the possibility of not having enough to eat,
staying home alone and unsupervised while their parents work, and being exposed
to drugs and violence in unsafe neighborhoods. It's a far cry from the holidays
that timeshare owners are accustomed to, but with the help of our industry
friends and supporters, Christel House students were provided a safe
alternative this year.
we all know the importance of this for the kids, it is not cheap. This summer,
with the help of the timeshare industry, $22,000 was raised for this year's
program through e-mail and text donation campaigns. This generosity will truly
make a difference in the lives of many children!
House is a global charity that transforms the lives of impoverished children around
the world—breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient,
contributing members of society. This is accomplished through robust K-12
education and a strong character development program, complemented with regular
health care, nutritious meals, guidance counseling, career planning, family
assistance, and college/career support.
more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org.
Copyright 2014. American Resort Development Assoc. All rights reserved.


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Helpful Hints Week #1: ContactManager
January 28, 2013
Want to block a bully from texting or calling your kid's phone? Want to cut off your kid's phone access during the day but still allow phone calls & texts from mom and dad in case of an emergency?
With Kajeet ContactManager, you can decide whether you want to allow calls or text/picture messages. You can also determine whose wallet pays for what for calls or messages from specific contacts (like you!).
ContactManager allows parents to set up three types of assignments for their kid's phone contacts:
Blocked: Contacts marked as "blocked" cannot talk to or text your child.
Allowed: Contacts marked as "allowed" can talk to and text your child, but NOT during TimeManager time restrictions.
Always Allowed: Contacts marked as "always allowed" can talk to and text your child during TimeManager time restrictions.
All contact information is stored on a helpful chart:
Remember: you and your kid will be able to text, picture message, and call each other if your number is set up as an 'Always Allowed' contact, even if you disable texting & picture messaging or contact each other during a time restriction. This gives you peace of mind that you and your kid can always reach each other!

subset: commoncrawl


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In the grand scheme of beauty treatments, modern advances like Botox, laser resurfacing, and face-lifts are just a flash in the pan compared to 5000-year-old giants like acupuncture. In fact, the ancient Chinese practice is a buzzy topic right now thanks to its ability to soften lines on the face. Nicknamed the acupuncture face-lift by the media, the ancient technique can be used in more ways than anyone may have assumed.
It turns out acupuncture has a range of beauty benefits, like brighter skin and fewer breakouts. It works on the same principle as laser treatments—micro-injury prompts your body to rejuvenate—resulting in the ability to minimize wrinkles. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's start with the basics.
We sat down with Nicholas Barlow, the man behind Los Angeles–based acupuncture office The Barlow Clinic, for answers to all the questions you want to know but haven't asked. How does acupuncture work? Does it hurt? What, exactly, are the beauty benefits?
Click through our slideshow for all this and more.
"We have channels on both sides of our body that run bilaterally and connect to our organ systems," Barlow says. "Acupuncture is the insertion of micro-fine, medical-grade needles into the patient's skin, over those specific channels. It's a way we can positively impact our organs."
For example, you may not ever think about your spleen, but it's actually one of the organs that deeply impacts your skin, Barlow says. By inserting acupuncture needles into specific points that are linked to this organ—like the "spleen six" point just above your ankle—a professional can stimulate the organ.
Each point the professional selects to treat does something slightly different, by impacting the nervous and circulatory systems. "For example, by choosing a spot with a bundle of capillaries, we can affect blood flow," Barlow told us.
This explains why you may experience a sensation coming from deep within your body during a treatment, not, in fact, from the paper-thin needle on the surface of your skin. "This is a positive sensation," Barlow assured us.
They're all different. In fact, Eastern medicine quantifies the channels as springs, wells, rivers, and oceans, based on their power, Barlow says. Because of this, acupuncture is closer to an art than an exact science.
While many people seek acupuncture as a treatment for skeletal or muscular pain (like back pain), muscle spasms, gynecological, and reproductive issues, patients are often pleased by immediate, unexpected results, Barlow says. This includes released tension, stress, and anxiety, alongside better digestion and sleeping patterns.
"Acupuncture shouldn't hurt," Barlow says. Although it's different for everyone, he notes that the gauge of the needles used has an impact. (He recommends a Japanese needle brand called Seirin.) "A lot of my first-time patients don't even feel them," Barlow says.
"Some patients can either look very zen, really stoned, or just burst into laughter after their first treatment," Barlow says about the range of relaxed emotions some may feel, often associated with the release of tension. "Think of stress as a bathtub that is slowly filling up with water," Barlow says. "After a treatment, it's like someone pulled the plug and let the water out."
Your body's energy cycles every 15 minutes, so allowing the treatment to overlap two full cycles is ideal, Barlow says. On average, a treatment is 45 minutes to an hour, to allow for this. Many regular patients choose to come in once a week, or once every other week for health maintenance, while those treating an ailment can come in more often.
"An 'acupuncture face-lift' is a misnomer," Barlow says about the trendy term. "How can acupuncture compete with surgery? However, there is facial rejuvenation." Unlike internal organs, which you can reach through indirect points, the epidermis can be stimulated directly. Popular areas to treat are 'the elevens' (the vertical lines between your brows) and the nasal labial fold (the vertical lines from your nose to the corners of the mouth). "By causing micro-trauma with needles, your body is prompted to rejuvenate by producing more collagen and elastin," Barlow says, the same principle that laser resurfacing is based upon. "I don't recommend anyone try these treatments unless they can commit to 10 to 20 sessions, which is necessary to see results."
Any ailment that has an internal source can be tamed with acupuncture, like adult acne, facial redness, dark circles, puffy skin, psoriasis, and more. According to Barlow, dark circles can be diffused by tuning the adrenal glands and kidneys, hormonal adult acne can be reduced by balancing the kidneys and urinary bladder, and so on.
Of course, there's a lot more to it than that. "Why do we wake up one day and feel awake and beautiful, but tired and unattractive the next? In Eastern medicine, we call that the reflection of the spirit," Barlow says. In layman's terms, that is the internal harmony that produces clear eyes, the lack of dark circles, and clear, healthy skin.
Some practitioners, like Barlow, have a master's in science and Oriental medicine, the former being required in California, but other states are not as strict. We suggest you do your due diligence to find a provider. "There is a website called AcuFinder that can help you locate someone," Barlow says. "But the best way is word of mouth."


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During my visit to Tampa, FL, last month for the 2012 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Conference and Recreational Sports Exposition, I found university recreation is pulling its weight on the sustainability front, and NIRSA is doing well after its recent change in executive directors.
I spent my first day at the NIRSA conference with Gene Grzywna, director of campus recreation at Northeastern University, who told me that construction on several new recreational facilities is running ahead of schedule due to the mild winter, and students can expect to see facilities at Brown University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Tufts University opening sooner than their scheduled dates.
With facility directors promoting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings at their new facilities, I became curious about the sustainability efforts that are in progress. I found that schools such as Arizona State University, Santa Clara University, Purdue University and the University of Kansas (KU) are all spearheading the sustainability trend spreading across the nation. From attaining LEED ratings for their facilities to adopting energy-saving practices such as dual-flush toilets and low energy light bulbs, these facilities are doing their part to achieve zero waste.
Mary Chappell, KU Recreation Services director, told me her facility implemented water filling stations to help cut back on plastic water bottles and that the facility encourages students to bring refillable bottles when they work out. In 2009, her facility filled 13 million 8-ounce water bottles.
Next, I headed to NIRSA's annual meeting and found Pam Watts was no longer an interim but instead the official NIRSA executive director. Watts has been with NIRSA since 2000, serving as the association's chief operating officer and chief finance and strategy officer before taking on the role as deputy executive director last June.
According to the NIRSA website, its Board of Directors appointed Watts to ensure operational stability through its 2013 co-located conference in Las Vegas with the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), a comprehensive student affairs association. NIRSA is contracting with Gaylord Hotels to hold its show at a Gaylord facility for the four years after the 2013 show. This arrangement allows NIRSA to afford four consecutive tier-one conference sites for its annual conference, the association said. In addition to the immediate financial benefits of pairing with Gaylord (the pairing eliminates rental fees for convention centers), the staff said this multi-year agreement will save it time and money that would otherwise be spent searching for and negotiating with individual venues.
The locations and dates for the 2014-2017 conferences are as follows:
Gaylord Opryland (just outside Nashville, TN) - April 22-25, 2014
Gaylord Texan (just outside Dallas) - Mar. 29-April 1, 2015
Gaylord Palms (Orlando) - April 3-6, 2016
Gaylord National (just outside Washington, DC) - Feb. 20-23, 2017
This time-saving move allowed the NIRSA staff to work on strategic initiatives such as updating its mission, vision and tagline in an attempt to better articulate who NIRSA is and what it does. The mission, which was approved by a nearly 95 percent vote, is, "NIRSA is a leader in higher education and the advocate for the advancement of recreation, sport and wellness by providing educational and developmental opportunities, generating and sharing knowledge, and promoting networking and growth for our members." The new vision for NIRSA is, "NIRSA is the premier association of leaders in higher education who transform lives and inspire the development of healthy communities worldwide." And, the tagline that was unanimously approved by NIRSA's board is "Leaders in Collegiate Recreation."
The financial panel offered more insight into the inner workings of NIRSA. NIRSA's financial model is pretty basic yet broad with income sources of dues, education events, and exposition and sponsorship sales, according to the NIRSA board. NIRSA uses funds for member services and initiative investments, such as sustainability and strategic planning. However, NIRSA is lacking a consistent revenue source to replenish initiatives reserves, and relying on educational events for income can be tricky since higher education travel budgets are not always consistent, the board noted. NIRSA will face another income deficit when the tenant in the NIRSA National Center, Corvallis, OR, vacates the building in June. The association does not have an immediate replacement tenant for the rental space, which means $63,000 in lost rental revenue. However, the association paid off its mortgage on the building last year.
With operating reserves of $2 million (72 percent of target goal), building reserves of $881,483 (89 percent of goal) and initiatives reserve of $377,500, Tom Kirch, recreational sports director at Oregon State University, says the association is very healthy. Conference attendance is back up after it dipped fairly low from 2008 to 2010, no doubt due to the recession and rising costs of travel. The NIRSA Foundation awarded more than $10,000 in scholarships to NIRSA educational events last year.


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Fortunately for me, I caught my Weimaraner, Eva, in the act of bloating, and it only took 10 minutes to get her to the emergency veterinary clinic. I had just returned home from work one night when it began. It was an ordinary day, so my panic came quickly when she crawled around the house trying to vomit, without success, and her torso began expanding. She puffed up like a blowfish. Her abdomen was rock hard. This was the emergency I heard about numerous times from breeders and one I dreaded ever happening to my dog. Bloat can kill a dog within hours of onset, even within minutes.
I started yelling, "Eva is bloating. Oh my God, it's happening. I've heard horror stories about this. We have to go NOW!" I was so scared and nervous, too shaky to drive. I did not know where to go. Thankfully, my fiancé, Al, remembered spotting a new emergency clinic for animals near the house. I fumbled for their phone number and called. I said I would bring my dog in because she appeared to be bloating. I put Eva in the van. Al drove. It was a short ride, but felt like forever.
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The woman behind the desk at the clinic took some information from me. I don't remember the exact sequence of events. But by the time the veterinarian X-rayed Eva positively for bloat with torsion, the woman kindly informed me that she needed $1,000 up front if I wanted to go ahead with the recommended surgery. After that, I could expect to spend a total of $5,000 for Eva's care. I signed up. Weimaraners can expect to live in good health until they reach age 13 or 14. Eva was four.
Surgery can save a dog in bloat distress. The stomach twists like a wringed rag and will cause loss of circulation and tissue damage. The stomach cannot return to its normal shape after torsion. As I said, I had heard of this happening to other people's dogs. I know now that Weimaraners share the top five breeds prone to bloat with Great Danes, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters and St. Bernards. A more complete list for other breeds prone to bloat gets much longer. Google it! Google bloat. It is imperative that your dog receives veterinary care as soon as possible. You may miss the opportunity to save your dog from bloat. However, some folks choose to put down a dog in lieu of the great cost of surgery and aftercare from bloat with torsion.
I might have put Eva down had she been an older dog. How old is older? I guess in my case, I would say 10, or 11, but that's just me. Also, had Eva been home alone and bloated hours before my return from work, the progression of damage may have resulted in a near-death condition. In that case, I would show mercy and let her go. Consultation with the veterinarian assured me that Eva was a great candidate for surgery and survival because we brought her in so soon after her symptoms started.
The Clinic staff urged Al and me to return home after the veterinarian staff began prepping Eva for surgery. It was about 7:00 pm when we left. I sat up alone and waited for the first report. I didn't know what to expect. Oh, the waiting, wondering! The veterinarian finally called me at home at 11:15 pm. He said that he waited until Eva woke up from anesthesia after surgery. Everything went as well as anyone could expect. The tissues that could have been damaged were pink and healthy when he opened her up. The veterinarian also said that he untwisted the torsion in the stomach and tacked up the stomach lining to the outer body cavity. In doing so, torsion a second time was impossible. She could bloat again. In that case, a vet would need to insert a gastric tube to relieve the gas.
On a Wednesday evening, Eva's surgery took place at the emergency clinic. Thursday morning, the small clinic bused Eva to their hospital downtown for constant aftercare to stabilize her until we could pick her up Friday night. I called the hospital repeatedly. All of the staff members and veterinarians acted in kindness. They always answered my questions even if it seemed routine for them. I developed an astute memory for all that I was learning in such a short time. I began to relate in terms as scientifically and accurately as possible. The total bill came to $4,000 and some change, less than the $5,000 maximum the clinic quoted me.
Eva never slept at the hospital. She was like a zombie when we picked her up but gradually calmed down. She had to adjust from intravenous morphine to pills for pain. I gladly took over as her nurse, carefully administering her medications and small amounts of soft food until she could stomach her regular diet. When Eva's stitches came out 15 days after surgery, I bought her a celebratory soft-serve ice cream cone that she shared with me. I love to see dogs smile!


text: Up and coming Montréal producer, Van Did, takes to sound design, field recordings and signal processing to craft his elaborate, eco-conscious sound narratives. Besides founding his own label, Grrreat Recordings, he mixes melodic bits and pieces into a soothing Van Did signature – a loopy landscape of breakbeats, IDM and electroacoustics. For MUTEK, he performs a live modular reinterpretation of his original compositions.


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The maker of faulty replacement steam generators at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station has paid $45.4 million on an initial claim related to a year-long shutdown of the plant.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries issued the payment under terms of a warranty covering the design and fabrication of four steam generators, Southern California Edison told state utilities regulators in filings this month.
An official at the California Utilities Commission, which is considering a customer rebate for plant-outage costs, confirmed the payment on Tuesday.
The four generators were brought online in 2010 and 2011, replacing equipment dating back to the early 1980s that had been weakened by cracks and corrosion. Then a generator tube leak on Jan. 31, 2012, uncovered rapid wear on tubing in the replacement generators. That tubing serves as a barrier to radioactive water circulating through reactor cores.
Mitsubishi said through a U.S. spokesman that the payment amount may be adjusted later based on its own review.
Edison said the payment, submitted on Christmas Eve, was Mitsubishi's first under the warranty.
Destructive vibrations within the Mitsubishi generators have been traced to botched computer codes that miscalculated steam flows, along with some fabrication issues.
Edison's decision to forgo advance regulatory approval of the generators through a license amendment review is being challenged by a nuclear watchdog group. Those proceedings are taking place before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
As outlined in a purchase agreement for the steam generators, Mitsubishi's liability was limited to $138 million and excluded "consequential damages" such as the expense of buying replacement power. The entire replacement project cost more than $670 million and is being billed to utility customers at a rate of about $115 million a year.
Edison has indicated that it may challenge the $138 million warranty cap.
"The total amount to be paid to Edison by Mitsubishi will not be known for some time," Edison told state regulators.


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REAL NAME: Chris Mordetsky
6'4", 275 pounds
BORN: July 8, 1983 in Santa Monica, California
NICKNAMES: The Masterpiece, "Superfreak" Chris Mordetsky
Can anyone break the Masterlock Challenge? To date, the answer to that question is ... No!
Trained by Ultimate University, a training camp for Ultimate Pro Wrestling, Mordetsky, dubbed "Super Freak" spent his early career in that California-based wrestling organization after his 2002 debut.
However, it wasn't long before he was noticed by the WWE. Signed to a developmental deal by WWE on September 11, 2003, Mordetsky became Chris Masters. The newly-christened Masters would be assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling, where on March 30, 2004, he and Brent Albright, the Troubleshooters, teamed to defeat Chris Cage and Tank Toland and win the OVW Southern Tag Team titles. In the fall of 2004, Masters began appearing in dark matches on Raw and Smackdown tapings.
In January 2005, vignettes for "the Masterpiece" Chris Masters began appearing on Raw. A month later, the Masterpiece debuted, taking on Stevie Richards on Raw. Masters' debut did not go off without a hitch, as he inured Richards, breaking the veteran's nose and cheekbone with a Polish hammer clothesline.
With only a few weeks of WWE experience under his belt, Masters appeared at his first Wrestlemania, albeit in a dark match as part of the Raw vs. Smackdown battle royal, won by Booker T.
Sent down to Heat for several months, Masters defeated his opponents in short order using "the Masterlock", a full nelson. In fact, Masters became so skilled at using the Masterlock that he began "the Masterlock Challenge" where he would offer any wrestler backstage and even members of the audience an increasing amount of money if anyone could break the hold.
In May, with Masters back on Raw, he would find himself challenged by Stevie Richards, who was out to gain revenge on Masters for the earlier injury. Masters soon got the advantage and Richards became another victim of the Masterlock. In the ensuing weeks, Masters would take on, and defeat Val Venis and Sgt. Slaughter.
In late June, Tajiri would fall victim to the Masterlock Challenge but after the match, when Masters sought respect from his opponent, Tajiri spewed green mist in Masters' face. Masters would defeat Tajiri again, this time in a one-on-one bout a couple of weeks later.
After defeating Rosey in a Masterlock Challenge on July 18th, Masters would find himself challenged by the Big Show who would be allied with Shelton Benjamin in chasing Masters. Although the Big Show never did take the Masterlock Challenge, he would team with Benjamin and defeat Masters and Gene Snitsky on the August 1st edition of Raw.
On the Raw after SummerSlam, Masters came down to the ring to confront Shawn Michaels. When Michaels took exception to Masters' boasting, words turned to actions and he and Masters brawled in the ring.
A week later, Masters would team with Carlito Cool to double-team Michaels during a Carlito's Cabana segment on Raw. Ric Flair made the save leading to a tag match later in the show. Masters got the Masterlock on an injured Ric Flair, winning the bout for he and Carlito.
With a match against Michaels at Unforgiven looming, Masters took down the legendary Ric Flair in the Masterlock Challenge and managed to do the same with Michaels. Masters wasn't as lucky in a one-on-one wrestling match, losing to Michaels at Unforgiven.
Masters would join forces with Gene Snitsky in the Raw vs. Smackdown tag match at Taboo Tuesday, losing to Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio.
Masters began teaming regularly with Carlito, but that union was tested severely when Carlito eliminated him from both the Elimination Chamber at New Year's Revolution and the Royal Rumble.
Tensions aside, Masters and Carlito will be joining forces against Kane and the Big Show to challenge for the WWE Tag Team titles at Wrestlemania 22.
--- compiled by John M. Milner


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As regular readers know, I was in Japan all last week, and reported on green car developments there. But what I didn't mention was that I saw only one cat during my entire time in the country. The feline, which looked quite elderly, was in the doorway of an open-air market in Kyoto. And it was holding court there.
Almost every person who passed (particularly the older ones) stopped in their tracks, did a comic double-take, and then bent down to give kitty a pat, whispering sweet endearments all the while. The cat permitted most of this as his due, but occasionally nipped at the hand when the person got too familiar. I watched this for half an hour, and the scene never changed.
I thought no more about cats until I was leaving Japan and my fellow visitor Lori from Earth911.com and I saw, in a gift shop, a colorful notebook emblazoned with an unbearably cute photo of a calico cat wearing a train hat at a jaunty angle. "Super Station Master Tama," it said. I bought it, of course. On the way onto the plane, the Delta lady, who was Japanese, grabbed my bag (which was itself emblazoned with Tama's picture). "Tama!" she said, very excited.
I had no idea who Tama is, but I was soon wised up. Tama is not only a famous cat in a country that considers them good luck, but she also loves public transportation. Tama — an elder statesman at 10 years old — lives in Wakayama Prefecture, and is indeed the station manager of the Wakayama Electric Railway, paid in cat food (but the job comes with a hat and badge). She has had station manager status since 2007, awarded because of her singular role in saving the train from extinction.
It seems that back in 1996, the railway was losing $4.7 million a year, and the Kishagawa station where Tama and a bunch of other stray cats received regular feedings was all but shut down. Neighborhood grocer Toshiko Koyama, who was informally managing the station, named Tama station manager in 2007, and the railway went along.
With Tama on the job greeting cat-loving passengers, ridership started to grow — it increased 17 percent the month after the appointment, and was up 10 percent for the first year, with 2.1 million riders. Estimated revenue for the local economy from Tama being on the job: 1.1 billion yen. As Wired put it, Tama was responsible for "one of the greatest business turnarounds since Steve Jobs saved Apple."
Tama, elevated to "super station master" in 2008, now has assistants, an office (with litter box, which she uses discreetly) and a French documentary filmmaker following her every move. She works 9 to 5 and takes Sundays off. There is a book, "Diary of Tama, the Station Master," that was a huge hit in Japan, and (obviously) notebooks and other paraphernalia.
There is a special Tama train, festooned with more cat images and Tama cartoons than you could possibly imagine. Here's video proof:
This story is not unprecedented. There are non-native rock apes on the island of Gibraltar that have military status, a salary (paid in rations) and a huge status as tourist attractions. I've seen them preening on a sunny day.
In Simon's Town, South Africa, near Capetown, I came across the story of a Great Dane, Able Seaman Just Nuisance, who regularly rode the trains and was enrolled in the British Royal Navy from 1939 to 1944 as "the only dog in history to receive a military rank." I bought his biography. (I'm a sucker for this stuff.) Here's a bizarre talking dog video about Just Nuisance:
And don't forget Dewey, the Library Cat. He played a role not unlike Tama's, not to mention selling millions of books. (I read that one, too. Like I said ... a sucker for this stuff.)
I say we enlist Tama-type station masters at every Amtrak station in the U.S. That way, what de-funding Congressman would dare to slash railway appropriations? What, and put railway cats out of a job?


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Egypt: justice and the revolution
Issued on: Modified:
In Egypt, former regime officials are facing justice and receiving long prison terms. In the village of Ramtha in Jordan, just a few kilometres away from Deraa, the centre of Syria's revolt, locals worry about their relatives across the border. Finally, the "small wailing wall" is fast becoming a place of worship for Jews, stirring controversy in an Arab neighbourhood of Jerusalem.


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COLUMBUS, Ohio – No, it's not the Blues Brothers on a "mission from God," but Crew defender Andy Iro said the team's objectives will prevent a letdown in a rematch with forlorn D.C. United on Saturday in RFK Stadium.
It's the same venue in which the Crew needed 120 minutes Wednesday to beat the worst team in MLS 2-1 in a semifinal of the US Open Cup.
"We're on a mission here," Iro said. "We want to win the Supporters' Shield. We want to finish off the East. Those goals aren't going anywhere in a hurry."
In defeating United on a Guillermo Barros Schelotto penalty kick in the 98th minute, the Crew actually did themselves no favors if they want an unprecedented third straight Supporters' Shield.
The Crew (41 points) trail overall leader Los Angeles by two and are one up on Real Salt Lake with eight league games left for the trio.
However, RSL and Columbus play an additional four CONCACAF Champions League games, plus the Crew have the Open Cup final, which will give them a tough stretch of three games in seven days come October.
The Crew host San Jose on Oct. 2, play the Open Cup final at Seattle Sounders FC three days later then meet the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park three days after that on a Friday.
But that wasn't on the minds of the Crew after taking down a gritty D.C. United.
[inline_node:317420]"Any chance you get to win a trophy, you have to take advantage of it," midfielder Brian Carroll said. "Even though we have another tournament and the regular season going on, we want to do as well as we can in anything we compete in."
The next step is holding off fast-charging New York (37 points) in the Eastern Conference.
"[Wednesday] was a big game for us, but Saturday's even bigger," Iro said. "It's all there for us."
SOUNDING OFF: Crew management is annoyed that the Open Cup title game can't be played Oct. 12 in Seattle because the Sounders scheduled a friendly that night against Chivas de Guadalajara.
If Chivas USA had defeated Seattle on Wednesday, the match with the Crew would have been Oct. 12 at the Home Depot Center.
What are the odds that Seattle will wear "electricity" yellow uniforms and force the Crew into their seldom-worn all-black? Would former Crew coach Sigi Schmid do that to the team he led to the 2008 MLS Cup? Hmm.
By the way, the Crew host Seattle on Sept. 18 in an MLS game.
ROUND TWO: A scuffle that led to the ejection of DC's Pablo Hernandez and a caution to Danny O'Rourke influenced the outcome of Wednesday's semifinal. The Crew took advantage of the extra man to get the equalizer in the 89th minute on Iro's shot that deflected off DC defender Marc Burch.
The combatants could clash again Saturday since Hernández's red card does not carry into MLS play. O'Rourke will likely start because center midfielder Adam Moffat is suspended for the match.


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COSMOS4U AdMACD Indicator under 48, 360, 34, 34 parameters given by COSMOS4U technical analysis research department, generated a buy signal for GBPUSD spot price in H1 timeframe (10 OCT 2019 03:00 PM UTC).
The long signal is strong because the crossover has taken place below the zero line, thus determining the prevailing market trend.
The moving average MA(6) hourly volume is above the MA(48) hourly volume, so the confirmation signal, given by COSMOS4U Volume Indicator, is strong. The difference between the Bull and Bear Volumes for the last 48 hours is bullish.
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A new website, Giza 3D, has launched on which you can explore the Giza Pyramids online in 3D. The project was launched by engineering firm Dassault Systèmes under direction of Harvard University and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
What makes the website and project unique is that it is not simply a 3D rendition of the pyramids, but rather incorporates up to date archaeological and historical data into its mapping as well as allows users to explore art work, writings, and architecture in high resolution detail. Users can explore finds (that are now in museums) in their original positioning and have interactive access to research.
To learn more about this project, visit the Giza 3D website and read the in depth article at Discovery News.


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Special Topics
Geographic Groups
Regional Entities
Income Regions
Donor Priority Countries
Poverty prevalence rates at below $1.25/day. (source)
Poverty is defined as an economic and social condition of lack of both money and basic necessities needed for a healthy and acceptable life, such as food, water, education, healthcare and shelter. It is also characterized by a lack of participation in decision-making and in civil, social and cultural life.
The most common poverty indicator is the headcount ratio (HCR), defined as the percent of population living below an absolute poverty line. The most commonly used poverty lines are the international $1.25 and $2 per-capita/day expressed in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) at a reference year (2005 in our case).
The HarvestChoice team in collaboration with CIAT extracted sub-national poverty prevalence rates from nationally representative household surveys conducted in various years. Our calculations are based on the comparison between the total household per-capita consumption expenditure (a synthetic indicator expressing the money-metric welfare utility level) and the international $1.25 and $2/day poverty lines. When no survey data is available for a particular country, we uniformly apply the 2005 national poverty prevalence rate as computed by the World Bank. As such, poverty rates refer to the actual survey year, although they are expressed at the same internationally comparable PPP. Since numbers are based on local currency value at 2005 PPP in HarvestChoice-generated poverty maps, cross-country poverty ratios are therefore comparable. Further refinement is under way to line-up all countries ratios at the same point in time (not all current data points refer to 2005, with a maximum time lag of +-2 years for a limited number of countries).
Access and query over 300 layers of spatially-explicit, agricultural-related data at 10km x 10km grid resolution.


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Superior Performance with Longer Range and Faster Speed
WUBR-170GN is an 802.11g/n USB Dongle, which fully supports the features of IEEE 802.11n standard. It supports up to 150Mbps data rates. Comparing to 802.11g technology, it makes big improvement on speed and range.
Secure Wireless Connection
By supporting 64/128-bits WEP, WPA, WPA2 and WPS, WUBR-170GN USB Dongle helps protect your data and privacy during transmission without sacrificing the performance.


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3 piece set includes Cedarwood Shave Soap, Mr, Wonderful Face and Body Soap and Vulfix Boar Bristle shave brush.
Moon River soap, salts, balms, oils and scrubs are formulated and made downtown Rochester, Michigan. Every batch is hand poured and made daily. We are proud to use Non-GMO, organic and natural botanicals. Although Moon River can make no medicinal claims, many of our customers tell us they have improved their troubled skin, eczema, acne, psoriasis or dermatitis.
Moon River Soap Company 339 East Street, Rochester Michigan
email firstname.lastname@example.com


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USN-1537-1: OpenOffice.org vulnerability
13 August 2012
openoffice.org vulnerability
A security issue affects these releases of Ubuntu and its derivatives:
- Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
OpenOffice.org could be made to crash or run programs as your login if it opened a specially crafted file.
Software Description
- openoffice.org - Office productivity suite
It was discovered that OpenOffice.org incorrectly handled certain encryption tags in Open Document Text (.odt) files. If a user were tricked into opening a specially crafted file, an attacker could cause OpenOffice.org to crash or possibly execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user invoking the program.
Update instructions
The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:
- Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
- openoffice.org-core - 1:3.2.0-7ubuntu4.4
To update your system, please follow these instructions: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Security/Upgrades.
After a standard system update you need to restart OpenOffice.org to make all the necessary changes.


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Holyfield Photo brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 92 Designs von 14 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
4 logos, overall same look and feel. We need the logos to work together but also as a standalone.
We are needing 4 logos created. Each logo needs to have the same feel and look. We would like an 'icon' for each of them not just a text logo.The 4 logos are for:
- Proud Moments
- Benefit Connection
- Image Express
- Holyfield Family
Here is a brief description of what each are about:
Proud Moments- "Embracing the Spirited Life of Family" This is the "consumer" umbrella where we bring in the quality of our images/products, the ease of ordering, customization of products and the excellence of our customer service. We also center everything on the emotional side of "Mom" and her family. The general message is that these school years are a special time and that you want to "capture" forever this time and subsequent experiences.
Benefit Connection- This is the Holyfield to School relationship. During this "discovery" process we take the time to find out the issues facing administrators and determine what we can do to help. It's really a customized solutions package for the school. Administrators may include principals, assistant principals, office administration, yearbook sponsors, athletic directors, junior and senior class sponsors etc.
Image Express- I.E. refers to the production process for each order. This will encompass turn-around time (we measure in hours, not days or weeks), order accuracy and the ability for schools to track their orders (new feature) both in the plant and during shipping.
Holyfield Family- The family are our associates and our schools. With our associates we talk about the lack of turnover, their average years of service and their commitment to capturing the best possible image of their students. In referring to our schools we reference the average length of service, the high rate of retention and the broad scope of accounts that we service (Elem., Middle, HS, Pre-school, Private etc.)
I have put a link to our current 'Proud Moments' Logo. Feel free to work from this or create your own look.
- Clean- Modern- Look that will last many years and not look dated in a year- Professional Looking- Logos delivered in layered vector format (ai, eps)- Names of fonts used in design
- Cartoon- No thought put into it- Cheesy- Company name in logo
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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Korea to host women's Beach Volleyball exhibition event
FIVB is pleased to announce a new addition to the calendar of exhibition
events in Beach Volleyball with a tournament to be held in the capital,
Seoul. The "Hi Seoul Hangang 2006 Women's Beach Volleyball Exhibition"
carries a strong USD 44,000 purse and is open to international teams
subject to a maximum quota of two teams per country. A maximum of 16
teams will participate in the competition (including two Korean teams),
which will be played in a double elimination format that gives the
losers from the first eight matches a second chance to make the final
To ensure excellent
participation in the event, the Korea Volleyball Assocation (KVA) is
graciously offering to cover the round-trip airfare of the competitors,
as well as their accommodation, full board and internal transportation
for the duration of the event. An attractive first prize of USD 10,000 beckons for the winning team. Korea hosted three FIVB
women's Open tournaments from 1995-97 and the best place by a local team
was in 1996, when Kyung-Hee Ji/Sung-Min Kim placed 9th and
Sun-Jin Ju/Mi-Sook Kim 13th.


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inline® buggy accessories
go™ accessories
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sleep accessories
carry accessories
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you'll get the latest news & exclusive promotions straight to your inbox.
returns & refunds
check out our returns & refunds policy before you buy
information about shipping times and prices
product not as expected? check out our warranty policy
You are shopping on the phil&teds website for Europe, would you like to continue on this website?
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Those of you who were around in 2009 may remember that we ran an Ashes blog...the eager-eyed amongst you may also have noticed that we have once again got this featured on the front page.
Your team this year consists of a mixture of some of your favourite CW staff members, and there will be guest appearances from a couple of our mod team.
There are a few posts in there already and we'll keep you updated here in the Ashes forum as the blog is updated. Hope you enjoy, and please feel free to leave a comment
Ashes Blog - Ashes HQ 2010-2011


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Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes)
Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa) are parasitic catfishes that feed on blood from the gill cavities of larger fishes (top illustration). They are known to enter the urethra of humans urinating in water, possibly mistaking exiting urine for gill exhaust (bottom illustration).
Michigan Science Art (copyright holder)
This media file may not be downloaded and used for any purpose without permission of the copyright holder.
The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides!
Help us improve the site by taking our survey.
To cite this page: Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2020. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at https://animaldiversity.org.
Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services.
The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support.


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Subscribe to our e-newsletter mailing list to keep up with NCCCO news and industry headlines.
The following candidate fees are effective for paper/pencil tests (PPT) taken after January 1, 2020, and for computer-based tests (CBT) applied for after January 1, 2020.
Get complete instructions on how to apply for and take CCO certification written exams, practical exams, and recertification exams.
The information below is specific to the CCO Crane Inspector certification program.
See the Crane Inspector Certification Overview page for instructions on submitting the required Experience Review Form. All Crane Inspector candidates must submit a completed Experience Form and relevant documentation for review at least two weeks prior to submitting their exam Candidate Applications. A $50 Experience Review Fee is required with each candidate's completed Experience Form.
For paper/pencil tests (PPT), the appropriate Written Exam fees must be enclosed with your Candidate Application. Checks, money orders, or credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express) may be used, but do not send cash. Please include your payment in the envelope with all the other application materials but do not staple the check or money order to the application form.
Other PPT fees may apply if application is submitted late, candidate wishes to reschedule, or payment cannot be processed.
To use the computer-based testing (CBT) option, go to the Computer-Based Testing page. This page includes links to a directory of approximately 300 PSI locations throughout the U.S. as well as instructions and the online application form.
Candidates must pay the appropriate CBT Written Exam fees when they apply online. A credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express) must be used to pay online. CBT exam payments are valid for one year. If the candidate does not schedule and test within 12 months, he/she forfeits the fees. This does not affect the deadline(s) noted in the CCO Certification Time Frames or the Recertification Requirements sections.
Other CBT fees may apply if application is submitted late, candidate wishes to reschedule, or payment cannot be processed.
See fees for all CCO exams.
Copyright, 1995-2019. All rights reserved.


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When I saw sweet mini pepper sold everywhere, I know summer is almost here..I bought a pack of 2 pounds sweet mini pepper that comes with 3 different colors:Orange,Yellow and almost Red.Isn't the vibrate color look pretty and appetizing? The texture is,shinny, crispy and crunchy,not hot at all..So ,what to do with all the mini sweet pepper? Hmmm...so far ,all I can think was to mixed some of the pepper to stir -fry with broccoli..This vegetable dish is simple and easy not to said it's healthy too..
2 heads of broccoli,cut florets and washed
6 mini sweet pepper,sliced and washed
5-6 cloves garlic,peeled and sliced
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
seasalt to taste
3 tbsp oil
1:Heat wok at medium high heat with oil and sliced garlic.Fry garlic until fragrant or lightly brown.Microwave broccoli floret at high,for 2 minutes.
2:Toss in slices mini sweet pepper, broccoli and chicken bouillon in the wok.Increase heat to high,mix well for 3-4 minutes.
3:Check the seasoning.Dish out and serve warm.


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Award Winning Architects in Birmingham
Established in 1989 we are proud of our extensive history, delivering exceptional designs that have gained national recognition winning us many prestigious Birmingham architecture awards.
Our Lapworth Architects Birmingham team provide an unrivalled service, with their post qualification experience that spans at least 8 years, each member delivers on our ethos of complete client care whilst using our specialist in house planning and interiors division to execute bespoke designs tailored to the client's exact requirements.
With expansive experience within the housing, education, retail and industrial sectors our residential architects and commercial architects present an all-encompassing package that is proven to please you as our client.
Our Birmingham Architects work from offices throughout the West Midlands, ensuring they stay close to each project whilst being available on site whenever you wish.Sympathetic to our city's surroundings our architects in Birmingham have worked with the Birmingham city council providing designs that complement conservation areas in collaboration with the English Heritage.
Here at Lapworth Architects Birmingham we offer luxury residential designs, eco solutions for retailers and commercial architecture that has been recognised by Green Tree Awards, and the Birmingham Post Design Awards for delivering an exemplar of good design and creating the best luxury houses.
Founded in the late eighties by Mike and Alison Lapworth, here at Lapworth Architects in Birmingham we have grown considerably since our beginnings as the Lapworth Partnership ensuring our philosophy for excellence, quality and sustainability reaches far and wide as we deliver commercial and residential designs nationwide.
We're so confident that you won't find better Birmingham architects that each residential architect and commercial architect in our team offers a completely free no obligation advisory facility that ensures you receive a complete consultation without any compulsion tocontinue.
When choosing our Birmingham architects you will receive a personal service that adheres to your every requirement, taking into consideration your every desire and wish to transform a period building or create an original building from scratch.
Our Birmingham architects are proven to be proficient in taking your visions and turning them into the building you picture, going beyond the book they bring their experience to every encounter offering amazing advice that accompanies your every request.
Whether you're seeking residential architects or commercial architects in Birmingham, contact our Lapworth Architects Birmingham today to receive your free consultation at a time and place to suit you.
Request A Call Back
Lapworth Architects rated 4.5 / 5 based on 76 customer reviews with touchbirmingham.co.uk