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Web programming has been a pretty big deal for over 10 years now, but in some ways the tools web developers use haven't really progressed that much, particularly when it comes to security. For instance, CSRF and clickjacking are instances of the Confused Deputy problem, a security problem known since at least 1988.
Since these are both instances of the same underlying problem, in principle they should have the same or very similar solutions. However, the current solutions to these pervasive vulnerabilities are designed to solve only the specific problem at hand, and not the general problem of Confused Deputies. This means that if another HTML or Flash enhancement comes along that introduces another Confused Deputy, these solutions will not necessarily prevent exploitation of that vulnerability.
However, if we solve the underlying Confused Deputy problem, then that solution will address all present and future Confused Deputies, assuming any new features don't violate the constraints the solution specifies. Fortunately, the solution to the Confused Deputy has been known since it was first recognized: capabilities.
Capabilities are in fact a very simple and general framework for representing and reasoning about the flow of authority in a program. You've used capabilities many times without even knowing it. For instance, if you've ever received an activation e-mail with a long, unguessable URL, or if you've ever received a link to a Google Docs document.
There was no login requirement to load these links, no account information you had to input or password you had to provide. These types of links just bring you to the resource you want to access and whatever loads in your browser lets you know what you can do. Sometimes you can only read that resource, and sometimes there are some fields via which you can update the resource you're viewing, or other possibly update other resources. These types of URLs are capabilities.
The Confused Deputy problem inherently relies on references to resources being forgeable, like a file path, and the permissions for that resource being separate from the reference itself. The latter criterion is called "ambient authority" in capability parlance.
Capabilities solve the Confused Deputy because references are inherently unforgeable and include the permissions on that object. So if you have a capability, you have necessary and sufficient permission to operate on that object, period, full stop. I won't go into capabilities and Confused Deputies any further since there are plenty of online references describing them, but if there's enough interest I will write something up for a future post.
The quintessential capability web framework is Waterken, and its capabilities are called "web-keys".
Capabilities are not a panacea though. In the past, I found the Waterken programming model somewhat unintuitive. In my experience, most programming proceeds by designing a model that reflects the problem domain, which you then compose with models that cover other, often orthogonal, problem domains.
Example problem domains are data persistence, web request handling, and the usual models a programmer might have to write himself, like an order processing system. Most of these models are orthogonal, so each problem a developer needs to tackle can often be tackled independently, with a little glue to compose them into a final program.
Part of the problem with Waterken-style capabilities is that the data model of a program is more tightly coupled to the authorities as viewed by the user. These often take the form of capability patterns like "facets", which are used for attenuation, revocation and delegation of authority.
However, in traditional programming, security is most often modelled separately like every other concern, and evolves independently. This orthogonal thinking doesn't work with capabilities as they are currently provided. In Waterken, you have to compose the capability model and your data model in your head before you can even write any code, and this is why it's a little more difficult than necessary in my opinion. Combined with the fact that Waterken already has a built-in notion of persistence, and it's not exactly a drop-in solution.
However, it's undeniable that capabilities provide a natural framework for preventing Confused Deputies, so a good web framework will probably look a bit like capabilities.
In my opinion, the biggest advance on the server-side was the development of continuations to model web interactions. If used correctly, they provide a natural framework for specifying and reasoning about the state needed by a request, and how that request can flow into other requests.
Every web program is unequivocally continuation-based, simply due to the stateless nature of HTTP and the various browser features, eg. back buttons. However, there have been many extensions to HTTP to try and mimic statefulness. Most of these extensions are still expressible as abstractions on top of continuations, although when these abstractions are used to carry credentials of various types, as is often done with cookies, a web program is susceptible to Confused Deputies [1].
Continuations are particularly advantageous in a statically typed language. A web framework in a typed language can define continuation abstractions specifying the static types of the parameters the continuation needs to satisfy a request. The framework itself can then guarantee that any requests for that resource have precisely the right types, and even the right names. This eliminates quite a bit of duplicate sanity checking code.
A good web framework will make the continuations inherent to web development somewhat obvious to maximize simplicity and flexibility.
Summary of Problems
Fundamentally, the problems with typical web frameworks are simple:
- Pervasive statefulness, ie. sessions and cookies.
- No standard, reliable way to protect parameters from tampering.
- Authorization context is ambient, leading to confused deputies like CSRF and clickjacking.
- No way to know at a glance which parameters require sanity checking, and which can be relied on.
Taking the above lessons to heart, I present here a simplistic web security microframework. It trivially integrates with ASP.NET, but does not inherently depend on the page model. System.Web.Page already naturally satisfies Clavis' requirements though, so you can get right to developing your program.
What Clavis provides, addressing some of the failings of typical approaches:
- A session-free, ambient authority-free state model via continuations.
- A standard parameter protection semantics that prevents tampering, ie. parameters are unforgeable by default.
- Authorization context is explicit as a parameter. Combined with unforgeability, this automatically prevents Confused Deputies like CSRF and clickjacking.
- A parameter's forgeability is specified in the type and enforced by the compiler, so the need for sanity checking is obvious at a glance.
State Model - Continuations
The core concept is that of a set of interfaces defining continuations with various parameters required to load the page:
public interface IContinuation : ... { } public interface IContinuation<T> : ... { } public interface IContinuation<T0, T1> : ... { } public interface IContinuation<T0, T1, T2> : ... { } public interface IContinuation<T0, T1, T2, T3> : ... { } ...
A page class you define will then simply declare that it implements a certain continuation interface, and specify the types of the parameters the page requires to load:
public class Foo : System.Web.Page, IContinuation<User, SalesOrder> { ... }
The requirements on IContinuation are already satisfied by System.Web.Page, so there is nothing to implement. A page can also implement multiple continuation types, However, implementing the IContinuation interface gets you access to extension methods that allow you to name and parse parameters:
public class Foo : System.Web.Page, IContinuation<User, SalesOrder> { User user; SalesOrder order; protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { if (!this.TryParse0(out user, userId => LoadUser(userId))) throw ArgumentException("Invalid request!"); if (!this.TryParse1(out order, orderId => LoadOrder(orderId))) throw ArgumentException("Invalid request!"); } }
You can generate URLs from a continuation based on the page's fully qualified type name:
var link = Continuation.ToUrl<Foo, User, SalesOrder>( user.AsParam(), order.AsParam());
If you just want to redirect to a continuation:
Continuation.Display<Foo, User, SalesOrder>( user.AsParam(), order.AsParam());
For simplicity, Clavis requires that the fully qualified names of the continuations map to the URL path. So a continuation class Company.Warehouse.Foo, will map to ~/Company/Warehouse/Foo/. If the continuation is a System.Web.Page, you can simply place it under that directory and name it Default.aspx, and IIS will load it.
You can also customize the name used for a parameter if you really want to, although you must then keep the names used when generating the URL and the name used when parsing the parameter in sync.
Unforgeable Parameters
Each of a continuation's arguments are unforgeable, meaning that a URL constructed from a program is guaranteed to be free from tampering. A URL constructed for Foo above, might look something like this:
Every query parameter prefixed with ! is guaranteed to be tamper proof, which means they can be used as unforgeable references. The unforgeability is guaranteed by the "clavis" query parameter, which is an HMAC of the URL path and the parameters prefixed by !.
By default, continuation arguments generate tamper-proof query parameters, with no further work on the developer's part. The developer simply needs to provide the functions to convert a type to and from a string that designates that type, ie. a UserId, a SalesOrderId, etc.
The query parameters are named according to the type of object that parameter is supposed to represent as specified in the IContinuation type definition. You should avoid using "int" or "string" since those aren't very meaningful. Foo from above generated "User" and "SalesOrder" parameters, but if I were instead write a class like this:
public class Meaningless : System.Web.Page, IContinuation<int, string> { ... }
you'd end up with a URL that isn't very meaningful:
So instead of specifying that your continuation accepts integers or strings that represent an object in your data model, just specify the data model objects in your continuation as I did with Foo above.
Generating a URL for Foo from above is probably a little more complicated than I showed before, since you will often need to specify a string conversion:
var link = Continuation.ToUrl<Foo, User, SalesOrder>( user.AsParam(u => u.UserId), order.AsParam(o => o.OrderId));
Loading the parameter on the receiving end depends on the position in the continuation argument list. The first parameter is loaded via TryParse0, the second via TryParse1, and so on.
In general, the AsParam() extension methods are used to generate URL parameters with string conversions, and TryParseX() extension methods are to load data model objects from the continuation arguments via conversion from string. You could also add your own extension methods for AsParam() so you don't have to specify the string conversion every time. It's not quite so easy for TryParseX since you need to provide an overload for each possible argument index.
Explicit Authorization
Since all state is intended to be passed via continuation arguments, this includes any user identification or other authorization information, like a UserId:
Because the User parameter is unforgeable, this means the explicit authorization information needed to operate on SalesOrder 456 is guaranteed to be reliable. No attacker will be able to generate the correct "clavis" parameter to forge such a request.
With plain continuations and unforgeable references discussed so far, all URLs are straightforward capabilities. This means if someone ever accidentally finds a legitimate URL, they can access the content at that URL.
Consider being on the above page for Foo, and it contains an external link. If you click that link, the server receiving the request will get the above URL in its entirety, as do any HTTP caches along the way if the connection isn't encrypted. It's a hideous security leak. There are plenty of techniques to mitigate this problem, but it's a general symptom of capabilities. For instance, capability URLs are also susceptible to shoulder-surfing attacks.
Clavis addresses this by providing a mechanism for tying its intrinsic capability URLs to "sessions". A session is basically just like an authentication cookie you would use on a typical website, except it need not carry any meaningful credentials. It's merely another random token that is included in the MAC so resulting URL is unique and tied to the lifetime of that token, and all such capability "leaks" are automatically plugged so long as the token is not also leaked.
The URL generated for a session-limited continuation will look like:
Notice that the "clavis" parameter is now called "clavis-auth", so Clavis knows that this request should include a session token in the MAC.
Clavis is agnostic about how this token is generated and stored on the server. You don't even have to store it at all, technically. The token can technically be anything, and you can even just use ASP.NET's FormsAuthentication cookies, or the ASP.NET session id for the token. This configuration happens on application load:
Continuation.Init(Convert.FromBase64String(clavisKey), () => { var x = HttpContext.Current.Session; return x == null ? "" : x.SessionID; });
"clavisKey" in the above is a 64-bit random byte array used as the private key for generating the MAC. Storing it as a parameter in the web.config file would do for most purposes. If you ever change this key, all previous URLs MAC'd with that key will break, but sometimes that's what you need. For instance, if this key is ever disclosed, you want to change it immediately to eliminate the threat.
Sanity Checked Parameters
By default, continuation arguments are unforgeable, so they don't require any sanity checking. This is unnecessarily restrictive however, since there are many HTTP patterns where we want the client to provide or modify some URL parameters. Ideally, we could easily identify such parameters so we can tell at a glance which ones need sanity checking.
In Clavis, this is achieved via Data<T>. A continuation whose argument type is wrapped in Data<T> will generate a forgeable query parameter, not an unforgeable one:
public class Foo2 : System.Web.Page, IContinuation<User, Data<SalesOrder>> { ... }
This indicates that the second argument of type SalesOrder is pure data, and not unforgeable, and so it requires strict sanity checking before being used. Foo2 will generate URL that looks like:
The SalesOrder parameter is no longer prefixed by !, and so it is not included in the MAC that prevents tampering. This is mostly useful in GET submissions like search forms, and allows a developer to see at a glance which arguments require sanity checking.
The Data<T> type itself is fairly straightforward wrapper:
public struct Data<T> : IRef<T>, IPureData, IEquatable<Data<T>> { ///
/// The encapsulated value. ///public T Value { get; set; } ... }
Using Clavis
You can obtain the Clavis binaries here. The Clavis API docs are here.
Simply link the Clavis and Sasa assemblies into your project, and put "using Clavis;" at the top of every file that's implementing or using continuations. I'm slowly migrating an old ASP.NET app to Clavis, demonstrating that it can be used incrementally in existing programs.
A few simple rules when using Clavis will maintain strong security at this layer of the stack:
- All state should preferably be transmitted via continuation parameters, ie. no use of the session or cookies. If you're careful, you can store credentials in the session token used by Clavis and remain safe, but only do this if you understand the serious dangers.
- Forgeable parameters should be used with extreme care, ie. Data<T>. In particular, don't use them to carry the authorization context or you are vulnerable to Confused Deputies, ie. a userId used to make access decisions should never be specified via Data<User>. Sanitize these parameters thoroughly.
- Use frameworks like Linq2Sql to ensure you're free of code injection vulnerabilities.
If you never use cookies or session state, your program will also automatically be RESTful. You still need to exercise care when sending content to clients to prevent XSS, but this happens at another layer that Clavis can't really help with.
Future Work
Clavis is a fairly simplistic approach to solving the issues I raised in this post, but this simplicity makes it reliable and easy to integrate with the existing ASP.NET stack. There are a few small limitations to Clavis as currently devised, some of which will be addressed shortly:
- The way type names are mapped to URLs might be changed to exploit ASP.NET's new and more flexible URL routing framework.
- There are only continuation types for up to 4 parameters. I intend to at least double that.
- Clavis currently depends minimally on the last stable release of Sasa. I will either eliminate this dependency, or update it when the new Sasa version is released shortly.
I welcome any comments or suggestions.
[1] Credentials in cookies are bundled separately from the URL to the resource being operated on, and URLs are typically forgeable -- classic Confused Deputy.


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Wallpaper A-Z
Flavor Paper produces wallpaper by hand screened and digital printing, sometimes both for special projects.
All aspects of production are in-house, so we can maintain our exacting perfectionist standards. We use water based or eco-solvent inks to be as green as possible and only print on the finest materials. Flavor Paper quality is unsurpassed.
All Flavor Paper is produced to order, so you are free to interchange colors and grounds with handscreened wallpaper and can choose scale and colors for digital wallpaper. It's your world. Get what you want.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kathleen Spitzer necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 70 diseños de 18 diseñadores freelance.
Viviane is the rebranded name of an respected direct selling skincare company, Viviane Woodard, established 1958. I have the wonderful opportunity and challenge to relaunch this company. There is a strong legacy with some existing cache but we've lost our place in the market and need to let the world know Viviane is here, better than before, modern etc. Viviane Woodard chemists were the first to identify that the skin needs water not oil to remain healthy and youthful. The three step cleanse/tone/moisturize system which is now the industry standard also came out of our labs.
We have a good start on a new look but now I want some WOW! We are in process choosing new bottles and packaging as well so there is a lot change and decision making going on. There is potential for way more work.
Viviane Woodard has a tremendously loyal client base but the business has lost its way in attracting new entrepreneurial women interested in building careers as direct selling professionals. Our business model is party plan, home based. Our target audience is women 30 - 45 wanting to grow with a growing company that has the benefit of a 50 year legacy. I'm looking for motivated, energetic women who choose us because they 1) love our products; quality, affordable, proven results, 2)our compensation plan; engaging and rewarding, opportunity for financial and personal advancement, and 3) our company ethos; building community by serving our independent professionals and society with integrity and cooperation.
I want VIVIANE in caps. Take one of the "I"s and make it a cosmetic bottle. Can you marry vintage with modern in your look? Respected/tried-and-true with new/innovative? How about doing something with the water motif?
Current font and color for Viviane; Hypatia Sans Pro, Light, Pantone 632 Green.
By Viviane Woodard is Zapfino.
I am open to suggestions but I do like the current font and color. I am thinking about different, complementary colors for different products in the line, a family of colors.
How about a family of logos relating to the main logo?
Focus for now is on
2) AgeLess Skin System and
3) Moistrio™ which is our iconic three step system of cleansing, pH normalizing and moisturizing. The three products should all fit in together.
No clip art The files we will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo
Go to our website http://www.vivianewoodard.com to see current logo and products.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Kansas State University Student and Faculty Team Honored by EPA
Release Date: 04/22/2014
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Environmental News
(Lenexa, Kan., April 22, 2014) - EPA today announced that Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., was awarded first place in the site design category in EPA's second annual Campus RainWorks Challenge competition. The university team was comprised of eight students from the departments of Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Biology, Agronomy and Environmental Planning and Design.
Stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality in the nation. Large volumes of stormwater pollute our nation's streams, rivers and lakes, posing a threat to human health and contributing to downstream flooding.
"EPA created the challenge to inspire the next generation of landscape architects, planners and engineers to help mitigate the impacts of urban stormwater and reduce pollution," said Karl Brooks, regional administrator. "The goal of K-State's team is to reduce stream erosion, irrigation needs, soil erosion and increase student awareness of innovative green infrastructure."
The Campus RainWorks Challenge engages students and faculty members at colleges and universities to apply green infrastructure principles and design, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and increase the use of green infrastructure on campuses across the nation. Teams of undergraduate and graduate students, working with a faculty advisor, developed innovative green infrastructure designs for a site on their campus showing how managing stormwater at its source can benefit the campus community and environment.
The team's design plan centers on a site adjacent to the Beach Museum of Art at the southeast entrance of campus. The plan calls for a stormwater pocket garden in a high traffic area in front of Hale Library. Consisting of disconnected downspouts, wet meadows, and rain gardens, the system is designed to retain 100 percent of runoff from a 1-year storm. The team's plan also incorporates native prairie vegetation allowing the site to support native songbirds and pollinators and reducing maintenance and irrigation needs.
EPA plans to conduct the third annual Campus RainWorks Challenge in the fall of 2014.
More information on the Campus RainWorks Challenge
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PIPA vote postponed, SOPA shelved, ESA drops support
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (NV) has postponed a vote on PIPA due to various issues and protests surrounding the bill, stating there's "no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved." SOPA has also been postponed for the time being, and the ESA has dropped support of it […]
PIPA headlines
SOPA blackout protests yield results
This week's Internet blackout protests against the Stop Online Piracy (SOPA) and Protect IP (PIPA) acts preceded a number of capitulations from key US politicians.
Red 5 drops out of E3 2012 to form anti-SOPA movement
Firefall developer Red 5 Studios is skipping E3 2012 booth, and devoting its energies to an anti-SOPA grass roots movement.
Report - ESA dropped up to $190,000 on PIPA lobbying
Despite the reluctance of many of its member companies, the ESA apparently spent up to $190,000 in support of the Protect IP Act last year. Kotaku turned up lobbying records of four transactions dispatching lobbyists to discuss a range of matters, including PIPA and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). The ESA is a trade organisation […]
White House "will not support" SOPA as it stands
The Obama administration has responded to a petition against the SOPA and PIPA bills stating: "any effort to combat online piracy must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity and must not inhibit innovation by our dynamic businesses large and small."
SOPA: DNS blocking pulled; PIPA needs "more study"
SOPA author and US Representative Lamar Smith of Texas has removed a controversial component of the bill, which would have required Internet Service Providers to block access to non-US websites accused of copyright and piracy violations.
PIPA latest


text:
COVID-19 Update.
We are still taking orders, but our delivery times may vary. If your order is urgent or for any other enquiries
please email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sorry this email is late, please say a big thank you to the staff for supplying my trophies with the engraving plates in place…
Hello Zoe, I just wanted to say thank you for the excellent professional service you provided with regard to our football medals…
Welcome to Aford Awards! We are one of the leading trophy and medal engraving specialists in the UK and have been supplying trophies, trophy cups, medals and crystal awards for end of season awards nights, presentation evenings, sporting events, business conferences and stag weekends for nearly 40 years. We also offer a professional engraving service at competitive rates, and our experienced engravers can personalise virtually any item imaginable. To find out more about any of our products or services, please call 01622 738711 and one of our friendly staff will be happy to help.
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We hope you enjoy browsing our online trophy store, and if you need any assistance please call 01622 738711 to speak to a member of our team.


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945 - 801 15th Street E, Prince Albert, SK, S6V 0C7Contact
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Phone: 306-763-6453
Looking for the best nearby casual dining steakhouse and no-frills restaurant in Prince Albert SK? MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual is about feeling like you belong, where everyone feels comfortable in his or her own way. It's a place where you don't have to be something you're not, you can just be yourself and come as you are. Enjoy tasty affordable creations like our Canada AAA signature steaks, famous Mikeburgers, tasty pastas, big bowl salads, and house-branded wines and beers. Great value. A daily happy hour. No stuffed shirt attitude. Just real people and great food. A favourite Prince Albert SK restaurant, come in, unwind and enjoy our fantastic food and drink specials. Visit us today at our Prince Albert SK steakhouse. And be as casual as you like.
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29 March 2009
Dougall Part 4
At the end of June 1984 the one and only (so far) DOUGALL family reunion was held at Finisterre Farm in Puslinch Township (near the city of Guelph) in Wellington County, Ontario. 1984 was the 150th anniversary of patriarch John Dougall's arrival in Canada from Scotland, so launched the idea. This felicitous happenstance was created without the slightest idea of how a family reunion should be managed. Then ... there were no informative guidelines and booklets as are available these days.
John Dougall came to Canada and settled in Argenteuil County, Lower Canada (Quebec) with his wife and the eight children who lived to adulthood: Thomas (1811), John (1816), George (1818), Margaret (1820), Jean (1822), Peter (1824), Marion (1829) and Helen (1832). Their son John (1814) had been killed in a farm accident in 1833; two daughters Margaret (1813) and Marion (1826) died as infants. I have never calculated how many descendants John might have had down to the sixth or seventh generations, but our group was very representative, for a day of socializing and barbecue.
The reunion was lively with those of us who already knew each other, and emotional in meeting cousins from afar. They came from Ontario, Quebec, Maine, Connecticut, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and of course the surnames varied widely. Besides DOUGALL we had Black, Blue, Jaeger, Kingston, Locke, Madsen, Maughan, Merriman, Molluso, Morrison, Turta and Watts descendants. The Scots weather gods cooperated beautifully.
Personal recollections of the event recall teenage cousins perched on the roof of the century stone farmhouse (learning to smoke dope already?) busily planning to re-visit in Manhattan. Our ultralight pilot was at the ready on the cornfield runway, thrilling the adventurous with flights over the party. A piper came to visit; what is a Scottish gathering without one? A large display table was where we shared memorabilia, with the circa 1866 photo of John Dougall and his wife Marion Hastie (see here). We asked people to fill out their parts of a huge family chart.
Our oldest-and-youngest acknowledgment went to Peter McAdam Dougall aged eight-four from Minneapolis MN, and Peter John Paterson Dougall aged four from Bolton ON, ... proudly bearing family heritage names. Honestly, we had some prizes for a few contests like this but whatever they were escapes me.
Everyone chipped in for expenses even though many were on their own dime for an overnight stay at a local motel. The said Peter M. Dougall, ever whimsical, dashed off a poem between his hotel in Toronto and his arrival in the wilds of Puslinch:
"We asked at the desk, 'Where's Finisterre?'
They said, 'It's not here, it's way over there!'
We followed instructions and got here, you see,
Signs pointed to chez les trois jolies jeune filles.
We owe our thanks to our genial hosts
And all their helpers, including fence posts.
Though some of us came from far away
We'll always remember this family day.
So let's raise a glass and blow the bugles
For everyone here, we're toasting the Dougalls!"
Family photograph of "Lane to Finisterre Farm," a painting by CLDM c1980.
Labels: Argenteuil, Dougall reunion, Finisterre Farm, Puslinch
2 comments:
- Sheri Fenley said...
How lucky you had a reunion, I have never been to one. Maybe because my family has never had one. Thanks for letting me visit yours!
- Sunday, 29 March, 2009
- Holly said...
I too have ancestors that came to Argenteuil County Quebec, mine from County Monahgan Ireland. My Raeburns were there'somewhere'in the area around 1842-1848. I have not had luck in finding much in records for that time frame of the area. One baptism of a daughter in 1846 Presbyterian record in Chatham...have you had better luck finding records? Holly My blog-http://raeburnfamily.blogspot.com/
- Sunday, 12 April, 2009
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IK Multimedia has unveiled a panoply of new iRig music accessories at CES 2012; we spoke to the company to see what they have to offer.
The flagship product in the line is the iRig Mix, a mobile audio mixer that you can connect to two iPads, an iPhone and an iPad, or other digital sources such as MP3 players. It's a handsome white unit that's compatible with a wide range of mixing and audio-processing apps; there's also an input for a mic or guitar.
The iRig Mix is expected to become available at the beginning of February, at a price of about $99 or 75 euros.
Alongside the Mix, we were shown the iRig Stomp, a floor pedal which essentially allows musicians running their audio through an iOS device to push it through an effects pedal, say, at the push of a button.
This device should hit the market in March; we were quoted an approximate price of 45 euros, or somewhere in the £30-£40 range.
Finally, we looked at the iRig MIC Cast, a nifty directional mic that slots into the top of the iPhone (or other iOS device) and helps to funnel incoming sound more accurately, trimming down on background noise in your final recording.
The mic rotates, enabling you to point it forwards for video interviews and the like, or face it backwards for recording your own voice for a podcast (hence the product's name) - the latter function is made easier by the inclusion of a basic iPhone table stand. There are two sensitivity settings.
The MIC Cast should be pretty affordable too, at about 29 euros. It should launch around the end of February or the beginning of March.


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2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon hot chile (sesame) oil
2 yellowtail fillets*
sea salt
sesame seeds
In a large pan, heat the oils. Sprinkle the fish with the fish the salt and sesame seeds. Cook the fish for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from heat and slice.
*I used Kona Kampachi, a new variety of substanably ocean harvested sushi-grade Hawaiian yellowtail that is very high in Omega-3. I highly recommend ordering some here. It arrives extremely fresh and smelling of the sea.


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Philadelphia might be most famously known as the birthplace of American democracy, but you'll find it's an ideal destination for discovery as you explore its colorful neighborhoods, learn more about its rich history and delve into its spectacular sights and attractions. It's the kind of place that reveals its secrets easily, whether to first-time visitors or lifelong locals. With history that's practically European in its richness and complexity, neighborhoods packed with one-of-a-kind restaurants and unforgettable attractions, and a culture that welcomes peoples of all backgrounds.
And visitors can't help feeling some of that pride as they explore Philly's unique attractions, thrilling entertainment options and vibrant arts and culture - all within a walkable downtown that bustles and beckons with a dizzying array of things to see and do.
Photo credit: J. Smith for GPTMC


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Brand Name : Thaloma
Composition : Thalidomide
Strength availability : 50mg
Manufactured by : Sun pharma
Pack : 10 capsules in a strip
for MORE INFORMATION !!!
Thalidomide is a generic of brand name of Thaloma 50mg.
Thaloma 50mg appeared as a hopeful alternative to barbiturates which were then needed as sedatives, because it didn't seem to be toxic nor have any side effects. The overdose would only cause deep sleep, as hostile to barbiturates which could cause death if taken in more quantity.It has been renewing and indicated for several immunological and inflammatory disorders. Thaloma 50mg displays immunosuppressive and anti-angiogenic activity. It prevents release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from monocytes and modulates another cytokine action.
Thaloma 50mg is indicated for treatment of skin lesions associated with leprosy.
Thaloma 50mg is indicated in various cancer conditions such as: multiple myeloma, renal cell carcinoma, glioblastoma multiforme and Waldenström macroglobulinemia. As well as treatment of graft vs. host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow transplant.
The dosage recommendation of following condition as follows :
Multiple Myeloma :
The prescribed dose is 200mg PO qHS in 28-day cycles
Take 40 mg of dexamethasone on days 1-4,9-12,17-20 of 28 days.
Erythema Nodosum leprosum :
The initial prescribed dose is 100-300 mg PO qHS.
If more severe reaction then may initiate at 400mg. continue until active symptoms subsided, at least 2 weeks then titrate down by 50 mg increment q 2-4 weeks.
Extra, thalidomide is known to have different effects on the immune system (immunomodulatory agent), which may provide to its healing effect. Thalidomide may also change the production and activity of cytokines (growth factors) contains in the growth and durability of certain cancer cells. There may be an effect on the genes which direct the cell's development and activity specifically those along with cytokines (growth factors), apoptosis (cell death), and metabolism.
Time to peak plasma concentration is 2.9 to 5.7 hours
plasma protein binding is 55% and 66% for the (+) R and (-) S enantiomers, respectively
Metabolized hepatically by enzymes of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system.
excreted in the urine as unchanged drug is less than 0.7% of the dose.
Half-life of thalidomide is 5 to 7 hours.
For both men and women use contraceptives, and do not conceive a child (get pregnant) while taking Thaloma 50mg. serious, life-threatening birth defects may have reported with even one 50 mg dose. Methods of contraception has two types, such as latex condoms and spermicides, are required.
For women of childbearing potential should use contraception 4 weeks before you can start Thaloma 50mg. The manufacturer needed you to take a pregnancy test every month before you initiate a new prescription of thalidomide. This is to confirm that you or your significant other is not pregnant. Consult with your doctor when you may safely become pregnant or conceive a child after treatment.
Prior initiating Thaloma 50mg treatment, make sure to inform doctor about any other medications you are taking (containing prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbal remedies, etc.). Avoid taking aspirin, or products including aspirin until the doctor especially permits this.
Avoid taking regimens that may cause drowsiness without first consulting your health care provider. Also avoid alcohol.
Do not breast feed while taking this medication.
Combination of Thaloma 50mg with opioids, antihistamines, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety agents, other CNS depressants may lead to additive sedative effect.
Concomitant use of Thaloma 50mg with cardiovascular medication will cause an additive bradycardic effect and should be used with caution.
Interaction with bortezomib, amiodarone, cisplatin, docetaxel, paclitaxel, vincristine etc will cause peripheral neuropathy and should be used with caution.
Unknown condition when concomitant use of hormonal contraceptives further increases the risk of thromboembolism with Thaloma
Pregnancy - the drug cause risk to fetal
Store at 20℃ - 25℃.
Protect the drug from light
Take the dose immediately before next dose duration. Next dose time reaches then left off the missed dose and continue regular schedule. Avoid taking double dose at same time. Please consult the doctor for further information.
• Neutropenia
• Thrombocytopenia
• Increased HIV viral load
• Bradycardia
• Seizures
• Tumor Lysis
• Hypersensitivity
• Teratogenicity
• Venous and arterial thromboembolism
• Increased Mortality
• Drowsiness and somnolence
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Dizziness and orthostatic hypotension.


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My personal blog where I share simple thoughts about the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ with like-minded believers. Hopefully this site will be interesting and encouraging to other Christians across the world!
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MGM Resorts International® presents an array of distinct Las Vegas experiences that simply take your breath away. From quick weekend getaways to week-long escapes, you'll find unparalleled amenities, superior service, and moments that spark your imagination. As we present the MGM Resorts International portfolio, allow us to show you how we craft once-in-a-lifetime adventures daily.
Classic Cher
Park Theater at Park MGM Las Vegas
A worldwide superstar for more than six decades and over 100 million records sold, Cher has brought her all-new show featuring her chart-topping classics to Park Theater. From concerts to television, film and beyond, the Oscar, Emmy, GRAMMY®, and Golden Globe Award-winning Goddess of Pop continues to break the mold of a traditional performer. Be prepared for an incomparable, intimate entertainment experience with the legendary talent.
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
The Mirage Hotel & Casino
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Park MGM Las Vegas
ARIA Resort & Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
New York - New York Hotel & Casino
Vdara Hotel & Spa at ARIA Las Vegas
Delano Las Vegas
Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil™
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil™
The Mirage Hotel & Casino
Zumanity™ by Cirque du Soleil™
New York-New York Hotel & Casino
Terry Fator - The Voice of Entertainment
KÀ by Cirque du Soleil™
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Luxor Hotel and Casino
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
Boyz II Men
Carrot Top
Learn more about the benefits of booking with Southwest Vacations.
As the premier family of resorts in the most ever-changing city on the planet, we're thrilled to continuously bring new experiences to our guests.
There is something for everyone with MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas at these fine resorts: Bellagio, ARIA Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa,
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Delano Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay, The Mirage Resort & Casino,
Park MGM Las Vegas, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel and Casino, Park MGM Las Vegas, NoMad Las Vegas, and Excalibur Hotel & Casino.
Inspired by the villages of Europe, AAA Five Diamond Bellagio overlooks a Mediterranean-blue lake in which fountains perform a magnificent ballet. Award-winning dining, world-class art gallery, exquisite Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Cirque du Soleil's stunning performance of "O™," sumptuous spa, and luxury shopping add to the symphony that is Bellagio.
ARIA Resort & Casino
Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, ARIA Resort & Casino is a AAA Five Diamond Award-winning destination. ARIA is an epic resort filled with spectacular public spaces, world-class amenities, and endless temptations. From technologically advanced rooms and suites to an impressive array of dining options from critically acclaimed chefs to world-class shopping and exhilarating gaming, ARIA delivers an experience that is sure to seduce you.
Vdara Hotel & Spa at ARIA Las Vegas
A chic hotel with a sophisticated international flair, Vdara appeals to guests who love the energy and excitement of Las Vegas, but choose to enjoy it from an exclusive, non-gaming, smoke-free environment. Ideally located between ARIA Resort & Casino and Bellagio, Vdara offers a contemporary interior with the very latest amenities and services, including a rooftop pool and lounge, a wellness spa, and more.
With our world-class nightlife featuring the biggest international DJs, unparalleled entertainment options, award-winning restaurants backed by renowned celebrity chefs, and an almost dizzying selection of stylishly redesigned rooms and suites, we think it's fair to say that MGM Grand has earned its place as The Entertainment Authority.
The Signature at MGM Grand
The Signature is your gateway to the best of Las Vegas. Three all-suite towers adjacent to MGM Grand set new standards in personalized service and amenities in a non-smoking, non-gaming environment. Directly connected to the energy and excitement of Las Vegas at MGM Grand as well as the serene luxury of The Signature, you get the best of both worlds.
Step inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and discover an oasis. Outside, bask in the sun on the iconic Mandalay Bay Beach, voted Best Pool in the U.S. Inside, 3,220 redesigned rooms and suites feature 42-inch LED TVs, Wi-Fi access and simply chic styling. This epic, untamed resort is known for the finest restaurants, hottest nightlife and most luxurious experience you will find in Las Vegas.
Delano Las Vegas
Bringing an entirely new boutique experience to the Las Vegas Strip, South Beach's iconic Delano has created an artful oasis in the heart of vibrant Las Vegas. Fusing personalized service and high concept design, Delano Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay delivers an unexpected touch of individuality, creating an intimate experience within the private second tower of the Mandalay Bay Resort Complex.
The Mirage Resort & Casino
The Mirage is the original Vegas mega-resort, a Four Diamond award-winner located center-Strip. With contemporary accommodations, dynamic entertainment, nightlife and dining, and one of the city's favorite pool areas, The Mirage is the quintessential Vegas getaway. Highlights include 1 OAK Nightclub, Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, the iconic volcano, the incredible Terry Fator: The VOICE of Entertainment, and the multi-Grammy award-winning The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil®.
Park MGM Las Vegas
Park MGM is Las Vegas' ultimate affordable luxury getaway located in the heart of The Strip. Nowhere else can guests find amenities that will exceed their every expectation and the best dining including new venues like Yusho Japanese Grill & Noodle House and 800° Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, plus gaming, entertainment and accommodations at a hard-to-beat price. From the casino floor to Diablo's Cantina-the hottest joint on The Strip-there's a surprise behind every corner.
New York-New York features 12 New York inspired skyscrapers, a 150-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty, a 300-foot replica of the Brooklyn Bridge and a newly renovated stripside plaza featuring a flagship Swatch store, HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD® and Stupidiotic. No matter what "It" is you want to experience, you can Be A Part Of It at New York-New York.
How do you get your LUX on? Use your imagination. Where else can you find tempting restaurants, unexpected entertainment, fascinating exhibits and seductive nightlife under one pyramid? Add our comfortable rooms, suites, and spa to the mix, and you have a haven for relaxation and excitement.
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
You'll find the best Las Vegas has to offer—variety, value, and exciting attractions. Our bright, modern rooms offer all the comforts of home. By day, Excalibur offers a wide variety of affordable shopping locales and by night, Tournament of Kings, The Australia Bee Gees: A Tribute to the Bee Gees, and Thunder from Down Under provide electrifying escapes. Excalibur offers Vegas' best combination of location, amenities, and fun.
*A package (air + hotel) stay is required to qualify for this promotion. Rapid Rewards Members will receive Special Offer earnings of 600 Rapid Rewards Points per room for every qualifying stay at Las Vegas M life MGM Resorts International Properties. A qualifying stay is defined as one or more consecutive nights at an MGM Resort destination regardless of check-in/checkout occurrences. Rapid Rewards Points will be credited to one (1) person, per room. Rapid Rewards Points are offered by select MGM Resorts International Properties and are in addition to the base vacation package points earned by each traveling member in your party. Upon check-in at the hotel, you must request Rapid Rewards Points and provide your Rapid Rewards account number. M life membership is required and membership number must be attached to your reservation prior to check out. To request Rapid Rewards Points for past stays, please contact MGM Resorts Members Services at email@example.com. Missing Rapid Rewards Points may be requested up to six months from the qualifying stay. Please allow 30 days after completion of stay for the Rapid Rewards Points to be credited to your account. If you are not already a Rapid Rewards Member, you may enroll at southwest.com. If you are not already an M life member, you may enroll at mlife.com. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply. Benefits apply to points transactions. See southwest.com for more details.
MGM Resorts International® destinations offer award-winning entertainment featuring world-renowned headliners such as Madonna and Santana. Cirque du Soleil® productions include: Michael Jackson ONE™, "O™", KÀ™, The Beatles™ LOVE™, and Zumanity™, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil™.
Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil
Michael Jackson ONE is a sonic, tonic fusion of acrobatics, dance and visuals that takes the audience on an immersive journey through the music and spirit of Michael Jackson. Driven by Michael's powerful, multi-layered music – heard like never before in a riveting, state-of-the-art surround-sound environment – ONE takes the audience through a series of seamless visual and musical tableaux, at the heart of a world that is in turn majestic, playful, magical and heart-warming.
"O" by Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil® weaves an aquatic tapestry of artistry, surrealism and theatrical romance in the timeless production "O". Inspired by the concept of infinity and the elegance of water's pure form, "O" pays tribute to the beauty of the theatre – from the simplest street performance to the most lavish of operas – where anything is possible and where the drama of life plays itself out before our very eyes. World-class acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers and characters perform in, on, and above water to create a breathtaking experience.
Jabbawockeez PRiSM
JabbaWockeeZ mesmerizes and entertains with its dynamic mix of awe-inspiring choreography, pulse-pounding music, and stunning special effects in their new show at MGM Grand Las Vegas. This high tech production will bring the audience up close and personal as never before with their signature white masks and intricate dance moves that have positioned the group as the world's most influential dance crew. Voted "Best Family Show" and "Best All Ages Show" for three years in a row, JabbaWockeeZ at MGM Grand is laugh out loud cutting edge entertainment at its best.
The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil®
LOVE celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles. Drawn from the poetry of the lyrics, LOVE explores the content of the songs in a series of scenes inhabited by real and imaginary people. The international cast of 60 channels a raw, youthful energy underscored by aerial performance, extreme sports and urban, freestyle dance.
Blue Man Group
The creative collective at Blue Man group at Luxor Hotel and Casino celebrates the latest evolution of their live show that bursts with fresh color and vibrant sound. The updated show combines new instruments, music, video and lighting with the group's iconic vignettes, all designed to create an unforgettable euphoric experience. The result is inventive, thought-provoking, hilarious and 100% Blue Man Group.
KÀ by Cirque du Soleil
KÀ by Cirque du Soleil is an unprecedented theatrical event. A masterpiece in storytelling, KÀ uses acrobatic performances, the thrills and action of martial arts techniques from all over the world, plus innovations in puppetry and multimedia to tell the epic tale of twins on a perilous journey to fulfill their shared destiny.
Zumanity™, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil™
It's Vegas; be a little provocative. Zumanity™, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil™, is a seductive twist on reality, making the provocative playful and the forbidden electrifying! Leave all inhibitions at the door and let loose as this adult-themed production takes you on a sexy thrill ride full of sensational acrobatics and naughty fun. Part burlesque and part cabaret, Zumanity is one full night you'll never forget! Now that's a Las Vegas show!
Tournament of Kings
Don't miss the most popular Las Vegas dinner show, Tournament of Kings. Invading armies! Dancing maidens! Jousting! Fireworks! And eating with your fingers!
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
To enter Hakkasan is to enter a different world, a mysterious realm of the senses that exists beyond a hidden passageway. The Hakkasan DNA is all about a relaxed mood with a sensual vibe. The interior design exudes a sultry Shanghai-Chinois chic, rich in texture and detail, and animated by a luxurious array of ambient sounds, scents, and lighting.
KUMI Japanese Restaurant + Bar
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Kumi Japanese Restaurant + Bar By Akira Back at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino features a modern Japanese menu with a Korean American twist. Kumi presents guests with an extraordinary ambience of raw natural woods, hammered steel accents, and touches of red lacquer to compliment the dining experience. Kumi's sumptuous cuisine is complimented by a wide array of specialty cocktails created by The Light Group's very own master mixologists.
Heritage Steak
The Mirage Resort & Casino
New York chef Tom Colicchio brings his passion for cooking with fire to the Las Vegas Strip. This restaurant focuses on meats prepared entirely over an open flame – from wood-burning ovens to charcoal grills. Tom returns to the American cultural tradition of meat, focusing on antibiotic-free animals raised by purveyors committed to time-honored farming practices and heritage breeds. The glow of the hearth will permeate the entire restaurant and is reflected in the Bentel+Bentel design highlighting natural materials.
Michael Mina PUB 1842
Michael Mina PUB 1842 is an American pub featuring a wide selection of global beers, unique whiskey, and hand-crafted provisions. This is a place to have fun, smile, and toast the everyday with a full beer in hand-and preferably a shot of whiskey too.
ARIA Resort & Casino
Bringing a Southern California favorite to the Las Vegas Strip, Javier's delivers a rich heritage of authentic Mexican cuisine along with hand-shaken margaritas and a high-energy ambiance to Las Vegas. Enjoy Baja specials including selections of seafood, beef, pork, chicken, and vegetarian dishes both at the exquisite bar surrounded by dozens of the world's finest tequilas and in the main dining room featuring a chainsaw wood carving highlighting the Aztec civilization.
Citizens Kitchen & Bar
The newly opened Citizens Kitchen & Bar features Chef Brian Massie's creative and contemporary take on American comfort food. The menu consists of a broad range of signature favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Citizens also offers a vast selection of beers as well a full service bar to complement the decadent fare. The approachable menu, lively music, and comfortable atmosphere are poised to satisfy the tastes of any and all guests.
Todd English's Olives
This Las Vegas offering of a Todd English favorite features a Mediterranean-style experience set against the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Bellagio. House-made pastas, steaks, rotisserie dishes, brick oven pizzas and sommelier-recommended wines complement the dining atmosphere.
Nine Fine Irishmen
New York-New York Hotel & Casino
Inspired by a group of Irishmen who led lives of great adventure, this is a pub of epic proportions starring a grand Victorian-style bar, ornate cottage areas, shop-style snugs, and outdoor patio dining with a spectacular view of the Strip. Our chef feverishly worked to create signature dishes made of only the freshest, natural Irish ingredients. Pair these with the finest stouts, ales, lagers, spirits, music, entertainment by special guest artists, and sports watching, and you've got a little piece of the Emerald Isle in the heart of Las Vegas!
Diablo's Cantina
Park MGM Las Vegas
Mix one-part savory Mexican restaurant with one-part sizzling nightclub, add a frozen margarita bar, throw in a giant Wheel O' Sin and a squeeze of lime, and you've got Diablo's Cantina—one of the hottest destinations on the Strip. Located at the front of Park MGM Las Vegas in the heart of the Strip action, Diablo's has everything you need for a wild night out.
Luxor Hotel and Casino
T&T (Tacos & Tequila) is a highly stylized restaurant with a fun, high-energy vibe and flavorful menu, embodying traditional and modern elements of Mexican style intermixed with a rock'n'roll flair. In addition to being a terrific lunch and dinner spot, T&T (Tacos & Tequila) is the popular place for happy hour and nightlife.
Think of Las Vegas for just a moment – and chances are, the pictures in your mind are part of the family of MGM Resorts International destinations. Our resorts include can't-miss experiences and so much more.
Hakkasan Las Vegas, a restaurant and nightclub complex, offers guests a 360-degree curated experience combining fine dining and unparalleled entertainment and nightlife inside a beautifully designed five-level structure. A collaboration between the celebrated international dining group Hakkasan Ltd. and leading entertainment and nightlife companyAngel Management Group, the venue is a dramatic extension of the brand as it will include the restaurant's first venture into nightlife.
LIGHT Nightclub
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Located at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, LIGHT--the first-ever nightclub brought to you by the minds behind Cirque du Soleil--is excited to invite guests to experience the passion and creativity of state-of-the-art production and world-renowned DJs including: Skrillex, Sebastian Ingrosso, Zedd, and rising star Baauer.
DAYLIGHT Beach Club
With inspiration drawn straight from the sands of Ibiza, DAYLIGHT brings sophistication, high-energy entertainment, world-renowned DJs, fine cuisine, and innovative technology to Mandalay Bay. Centered around a luxurious pool with three wet decks, 5,000-person DAYLIGHT Beach Club sets the new standard for day life in Vegas. This amazing venue is also home to ECLIPSE, Vegas's first outdoor late-night pool show. Day and night, it delivers the ultimate Vegas pool party.
Whiskey Down Gaming & Lounge
Whiskey Down, a new lounge with gaming located on the Casino floor, is an intimate lounge featuring six Blackjack tables, seven video-poker machines at the bar, and seating for up to 64 guests. In its beverage lineup, Whiskey Down will offer a wide array of brown spirits including American, Canadian, Irish, and Scotch whiskies as well as specialty cocktails and bourbon available only at MGM Grand. The lounge will be open 24 hours.
Hyde at Bellagio
Overlooking the iconic Fountains of Bellagio, Hyde Bellagio will mark the first-ever nightlife experience in Las Vegas from sbe and globally acclaimed design icon Philippe Starck. sbe Founder, Chairman and CEO Sam Nazarian collaborated with Bellagio to deliver this spectacular 10,000-square-foot, indoor/outdoor venue.
Spa & Salon Vdara
Vdara Hotel & Spa
The Spa menu includes a thoughtful collection of massages, body treatments, and skincare services focusing on holistic health and utilizing high-grade, natural ingredients derived from herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and oils. These personalized, holistic spa services include such treatments that celebrate the purity and organic freshness of nature. A host of traditional massages, as well as specialty massages, take you to a new state of calm. Couples services are also available so you can share in the luxurious services together.
1 OAK is the embodiment of sophistication, world-class service, and ultimate nightlife innovation. Converging art and fashion, famous and infamous, cutting edge and established; barriers have been deliberately torn down; to create a sexy and unpredictable environment. 1 OAK Las Vegas represents the passion of the Avant-garde and embraces the new and the unknown. Meticulously detailed architectural mastery is highlighted in this one-of-a-kind nightlife experience.
MGM Grand Pool Complex
Make the MGM Grand Pool your day time escape. Lose yourself in our 6.5 acre, highly energetic atmosphere. Secure a reservation to lounge poolside in one of our 26 Cabanas. The MGM Grand Cabanas are spacious and inviting, with room for up to eight, giving you the perfect haven to party the day away. What makes it unique? Four pools, three whirlpools, a lazy river, and waterfalls.
Gold Boutique Nightclub and Club
The best of all Las Vegas nightlife, GOLD Boutique Nightclub & Lounge was created in collaboration by Cirque du Soleil® and The Light Group. Intent on building on the alluring standard originally set for nightlife in Las Vegas, GOLD Boutique Nightclub & Lounge raises the bar with 3,756 square feet of glamorous décor that draws you in with a sleek bar full of sensual appeal. Spend an evening here, and experience the classy vivacity of the finest in Las Vegas nightlife.
Mandalay Bay Beach
A different pool for however you prefer to soak. For the complete resortist experience, Mandalay Beach, and Moorea offer 100 luxury cabanas, day beds, bungalows, and villas. (All-day rentals include personalized service and raft rentals.) The Beach contains the following: Beach and Wave Pool, Lazy River, Pools, Beach Dining, and Shopping at the Beach. Open only to guests, you'll find an expansive sand beach fronting a 1.6-million gallon Wave Pool with swells up to six feet high.
Bar at Times Square
It's like the ultimate neighborhood pub, complete with the No. 1-rated dueling piano show in Las Vegas.
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Let $n$ be an odd natural number (sufficiently large), and $ 1\leq t,k < n $. Let $A= \{ a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{t} \} $, $B= \{ b_{1},b_ {2},\ldots,b_{n-t} \} $, $C= \{ c_{1},c_{2} \ldots,c_{k} \} $ and $D= \{ d_{1},d_{2},\ldots,d_{n-k} \} $ be subsets of $ \{ 1,2,\ldots,n \} $ such that $A\cup B=C\cup D= \{ 1,2,\ldots,n \} $ and $A\cap B=C\cap D=\phi$ and $A\neq C$ and $A\neq D$. What can we say about the subgroup generated by $(a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{t})(b_{1},b_{2},\ldots,b_{n-t})$ and $(c_{1},c_{2},\ldots,c_{k})(d_{1},d_{2},\ldots,d_{n-k})$. I think that this subgroup is $S_{n}$. Is it true? Maybe there is a simple counterexample but I've not found it.
Clearly, $n$ should be odd. Otherwise, this group is a subgroup of $A_{n}$.


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White Sox call up Putnam, designate Veal
CHICAGO -- After the White Sox used seven relievers and one position player on the mound in Wednesday's 14-inning loss the Red Sox, it was time to call in reinforcements. The White Sox purchased the contract of Zach Putnam from Triple-A Charlotte and designated left-hander Donnie Veal for assignment Thursday afternoon.
"You need a fresh arm," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Puts' been throwing great. You need a fresh body to keep going."
Putnam, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound right-hander, is 1-0 for Charlotte this season. The 26-year old has pitched six scoreless innings and struck out 11. Veal appeared in seven games for the White Sox this season and allowed five runs in six innings of work.
"Yeah, this is surreal," said Putnam, who has a career 3.79 ERA and 3.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 321 Minor League innings. "It's one of those things you never expect it to happen, and when it does happen, you just kind of go with it and enjoy the process. Happy to be here, do whatever I can to help."
With Veal gone, the Sox have just one left-handed reliever in the bullpen, Scott Downs.
"You would like to have two, but at this point, Puts does pretty good," Ventura said. "He's got a nice split that he can equalize that as far as going after lefties, and most of the guys have been pretty decent going after lefties."
The White Sox bullpen has the worst ERA (6.38) and WHIP (1.77) in MLB entering Thursday, with 38 walks in 48 innings. White Sox relievers, minus utility infielder Leury Garcia, issued nine walks over a seven-inning stretch in Wednesday night's loss against the Red Sox. That performance came on the heels of Tuesday's 2-1 win, in which four relievers combined to hold Boston hitless over the final 2 1/3 innings.
"After the other night you thought it was getting back on track," Ventura said. "If you judged it on last night you wouldn't be happy about it. I wouldn't see it like that every night. I don't think anybody sees that kind of performance and just base it on that. They're going to grind. You look at the guys who are out there and eventually they will get the job done."
Some have questioned Ventura's overall handling of the bullpen Wednesday. He used four relievers to get through the eighth inning alone, leaving only closer Matt Lindstrom and Daniel Webb in reserve. Ventura had said before the game Lindstrom was his closer and that he preferred to give him a full inning, yet Lindstrom came in only after Maikel Cleto walked the first two to start the ninth.
"When things don't happen, you can get criticized for just moves," Ventura said. "But going through the game and looking at it, I would have done the same thing."


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Gibbs Avenue Museum
Blynn Davis Memorial Archives
5 Gibbs Ave., Bridgton, Maine 04009
September-June, Tuesday & Thursday, 1-4; July-August, Wednesday-Saturday, 1-4 We are often around at other times year-round, so please don't hesitate to come in if we're there. To better serve you, we strongly recommend that researchers contact us in advance.
46 Narramissic Rd., Bridgton,Maine
July-August: House open for tours Thursday-Saturday, 11-3. We're happy to make appointments at other times, please contact us to arrange a time.
House is closed mid-October - June. Enjoy the grounds and the self-guided hike to the quarry any time during daylight hours. Note: since the facilities are available to rent for weddings, reunions, and other private functions, there may be times (especially Saturdays) that we are not open to the public. Please check in advance if traveling a long distance to visit.
We invite you to become a member of the Bridgton Historical Society, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization devoted to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the history of Bridgton and surrounding areas, through the operation and maintenance of research facilities, a museum, and a historic site.
In addition to learning, meeting people, having fun, and feeling good about supporting a worthy cause, your membership provides you with:
This is a one (1) year benefactor membership for for an entire household through December 31. Join after August 15 and your membership is valid through the following year. It will NOT be automatically renewed upon expiration.
Website Design By William Severance, WESNet Designs - Direct comments, questions and link requests to email@example.com


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Every 10 years, someone points out that certain Californians are about to go two years without anyone representing them in the state Senate. And every 10 years, experts dismiss this as not a big deal.
The lack of representation is produced by the every-10-year redistricting process -- and the fact that state senators serve four year terms.
That means that only half of state senate seats have elections every two years. So the newly determined districts -- set by redistricting -- phase in for the senate, with half of the new districts picking someone in 2012 and the other half in 2014.
U.S. & World
In a few places in the state, residents may live in an old district whose senator's four-year term ends in 2012--but their new district may not be scheduled to elect someone until 2014--leaving them without representation. (For the opposite reason, some Californians may have two state senators in 2013 and 2014).
There's nothing nefarious or legally wrong about this, so experts have dismissed it. They shouldn't. This quirk of non-representation for some Californians is an important defect in our legislative elections -- and shows why other countries have moved away from our two-house, single-member-district system.
There would be many changes we could make that would eliminate this problem -- and other problems.
Moving to a unicameral legislature in which everyone was elected on the same schedule would eliminate this problem. (It also would get rid of the antiquated two-house system, which makes it hard to govern because it offers so many dark corners for interests to strangle good ideas and advance bad ones).
Even better: moving away from single-member districts entirely. If California used its regions as districts, it could have multiple members from each region (the exact number would be in proportion to each region's share of the state population).
Since regional boundaries are fairly set, there would be no need for redistricting. And no one would ever go without representation.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


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Rainbow Dust Paint-It edible food paints allow you to add colour to your cake quickly and with consistency each and every time!
You can apply the paints directly on to all kinds of cakes, decorations and desserts!
This 100% edible concentrated food paint comes in a handy little pot and is particularly useful for sugarpaste, modelling paste and more as well.
When not in use, just place the lid back on until you need it next, and store at ambient room temperature.
Make sure that the lid of the pot is securely screwed shut, and shake your pot of Paint-It edible food paint before use.
Apply this ready to use edible food paint directly to your sugarpaste, flower paste and other mediums using a brush or natural sponge, such as the Easy Cover Sponge, also from Rainbow Dust.
Only a thin coat is required to achieve a smooth, even finish. Leave overnight to dry.
This edible food paint is concentrated, so you'll need no more than two teaspoons of paint per 1kg of cake.
You could decorate Easter themed cupcakes with little edible eggs, or use to define the details of edible decorations such as animals, cake figure's clothing and so on.
Contains 25ml.
Humectant: glycerine, propylene glycol. Thickener: silicone dioxide. Colours: E102*, E171 Emulsifier: Soya lecithin.
- Nut free.
- GM free.
- Gluten free.
- Suitable for vegetarians, vegans and those with a lactose intolerance.
Please note: When using Rainbow Dust's Paint-It range, the drying time can be affected by the level of moisture in the room and how thickly the paint is applied.
*E102 may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.
Dispatch Time & Price
Orders which are placed before 4 pm will be dispatched on the same working day (Monday - Friday).
Please note that these prices have slightly increased, due to the current situation regarding Covid-19 and delivery restrictions.
For International Delivery Pricing - Click Here
*Weekend deliveries are only possible for orders placed Mon-Fri before 4pm.
Next Working Day Delivery (UK)
Any order placed before 4pm (3:30pm for edible images) Monday - Friday, with the Next Working Day Delivery option selected, will be dispatched for delivery the following business day (Monday - Friday), between the hours of 8am - 9pm. A signature is required for this method, so you will need to be at the delivery address to sign for it. Please allow an additional 24 hours for any order to be delivered to the Scottish Highlands. Please also be aware that any deliveries to Northern Ireland with a 'BT' postcode will usually take three days to arrive (on 2 Day Northern Ireland Delivery).
Any order containing a product that is listed as a preorder, will be held until the preordered item has arrived in stock. Orders containing a preorder cannot be split, if other items are needed before the expected delivery date, these items should be ordered separately.
Weekend Deliveries (UK)
Any order placed before 4pm* on Friday, with the "Saturday Delivery" or "Sunday Delivery" option selected, will be dispatched on the same day for delivery between the hours of 8am - 6pm on the selected day. A signature is required for this method, so somebody will need to be at the delivery address to sign for it. If the order is placed after the 4pm cut-off on a Friday, the order will be dispatched for delivery on the following weekend.
Please note we are unable to guarantee any order being dispatched to the Scottish Highlands or Islands to arrive within the quoted time frame.
*Orders for edible images have a cut-off time of 3:30pm – orders placed after this time will be dispatched for delivery the following weekend.


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Most Beautiful Murals of the Year 2016
At a time when street art is finally getting the recognition within the realm of contemporary art as a valid form of creation and expression, more and more artists cover the walls around the world with the most beautiful murals. This year has been no exception, and even saw a significant rise in the number of dedicated events, festival and exhibitions at esteemed galleries and even museums. Street and urban art have stopped being referred to as vandalism a while ago and talented individuals working in all its forms and styles are getting commissioned to create works – something that just ten years ago seemed like an impossible thing to happen. Their pieces tackle a variety of topics, from socio-political situations in every corner of the planet to stunning portraiture in the manner of the greatest masters of art history. We feel lucky indeed to be a part of this ever-evolving movement, which is why we're engaged in following street creatives on a regular basis through our monthly Street Update articles. Make sure you check out the collection of the 150 most beautiful murals of the past three years as well! Below, you will find those which marked the year behind us, as we look forward to those yet to come.
Which one is the most beautiful wall mural of 2016?
Okuda in Youssofia, Morocco
It was a good year for Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel, who spent his days painting his vivid murals all over the world. Here, we see his mural on an abandoned church in Youssofia, Morocco, featuring his trademark animals such as a bird, a bear and a lion evoking geometric abstract art.
Banksy Mural at Bristol School
Although he's been quite absent this year, Banksy had time to leave a mysterious "present" on the walls of a Bristol primary school. He even left a message for the kids, saying: "Dear Bridge Farm School,Thanks for your letter and naming a house after me. Please have a picture. If you don't like it feel free to add stuff, I'm sure the teachers won't mind – remember, it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission. Much love, Banksy."
Be sure to check out more works by Banksy on our marketplace!
Ben Eine in Gothenburg
Known for his vibrant typography, Ben Eine is a talented street artist who once again employed his talents for the occasion of Artscape Festival in Gothenburg, Sweden. His mesmerizing vertical piece, which covers a whole side of a building, states "Every time I look up, I feel happy, when I look down, I'm sad".
Browse through Ben Eine works on our marketplace!
Alexis Diaz for JustKids
He creates amazing art in the studio and he creates amazing art on the walls. Alexis Diaz was a part of The Unexpected initiative in Fayetteville, Arkansas, curated by JUSTKIDS. The mural depicts a giant owl accompanied by a crescent, an eye and three feathers. The work oozes in detail and precision, as always.
Eduardo Kobra paints David Bowie
Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra painted a spectacular portrait of the late David Bowie from his Ziggy Stardust days in New Jersey. The recognizable orange lightning bolt is still there in its original color, but everything else is painted in Kobra's colorful geometric style – with a touch of black and white.
Guido van Helten's Salt of the Earth
Australian prodigy Guido van Helten became a part of a documentary of famous street artists from his country, produced by Wanderers. While the project will be out in early 2017, we can admire this beautiful piece painted on train cars and featuring the artist's signature portraiture of two elderly people.
Case Maclaim for Artesano Project
In Dominican Republic, Case Maclaim recently painted a mural as part of the Artesano Project, which aims to promote public art in the country. In Keuri, San Pedro de Marcoris, he created a painting of a young man, spreading across two walls and evoking great skill in figurative painting.
Bordalo II for Castelo de Artes
Known for his incredible murals created out of trash, Portuguese artist Bordalo II was a part of Castelo de Artes project in the town of Alcains, for which he made this bird. The mural is said to be an homage to CERAS, a local NGO which received hurt animals and takes care of them until they're good enough to go back into the world.
Waone - Meaningful Moment
Vladimir Manzhos aka Waone, formerly a part of Interesni Kazki, has been painting on his own for a while now. The piece we see here is titled Meaningful Moment and it now belongs to a wall in Washington, DC, as part of the DC Mural Project curated by Artwhino. We are surely looking forward to more surrealist works by this incredible artist!
Lonac - Nitpicking
One of the most beautiful murals of the year belongs to Croatian creative Lonac, who authored this masterpiece for MMSU Rijeka – Spajalica festival in his homeland. Titled Nitpicking / Pimplovanje, it is a breathtaking portrait of a man focused on the model of a ship. We honestly can't stop looking at it!
WD Wild Drawing in Athens
Greek talent WD aka Wild Drawing covered two walls in Athens with an absolutely remarkable mural of an owl, called Knowledge speaks – Wisdom listens. Made during Petit Paris d'Athènes festival, it pays homage to the bird as the symbol of wisdom and the goddess Athena at the same time. According to the artist, "Nowadays Greece, and not only, is experiencing a really dark phase and I think is time for us here and around the globe, to recall this creature's wisdom."
Fin Dac - Resurrection of Angels
In Venice, California, Fin DAC portrayed Nicole Wu against a pitch black background on a building, giving her wings. This is why his mural is called Resurrection of Angels and it suggests there should more of such portraits in the future. He is known for his portraiture of women, usually mixed up with elements of local culture.
Add a Fin Dac piece to your collection!
Fintan Magee in Amman, Jordan
The portrait in Amman, Jordan painted by Fintan Magee, shows the young girl in limbo, torn between two worlds. It found home in a Predominantly Palestinian neighborhood. The girl's image in the foreground is looking outwards towards an uncertain future, her background reflection is looking back, towards the world she left behind. The piece was a part of the aptART project too.


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These games teach valuable skills and have a high fun and educational rating.
Your child develops understanding of animals by matching the body parts to the drawing and the basic structure of plants (flowers) by building one in the correct order.
Zoodles 11.8.7 Copyright (c) 2014 Inquisitive Minds, Inc. All rights reserved.


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I saw this title on an article by Randall Collins and my hackles rose, my eyes turned red, I started to sprout hair everywhere as I growled and slavered. I will have blood.
Millennials, rise up! College is a scam — you have nothing to lose but student debt
Students chase degree after degree, adding crushing debt, as jobs vanish. It is time to radically rethink college
Now wait, I said to myself as I tried to suppress the change, titles are written by editors, and sometimes reflect the content poorly — they are trying to get a rise out of you, so you'll read what follows. Maybe it's not so bad. Give the guy a chance. So I read on.
Credential inflation is the rise in educational requirements for jobs as a rising proportion of the population attains more advanced degrees. The value of a given educational certificate or diploma declines as more people have one, thereby motivating them to stay in school longer. In the United States, high-school (i.e., twelve-year secondary school) diplomas were comparatively rare before World War II; now high-school degrees are so commonplace that their job value is worthless.
Job…value? JOB VALUE? We have a more educated citizenry (not educated enough, I would say, looking sideways at the Tea Party), and this bozo is complaining that their value is less because so many have reached a minimal educational standard? The US has a literacy rate of approximately 99% — what a disgrace. What is the point of teaching people to read if it doesn't give them an edge over a vast illiterate mob? Think what a great advantage it would give you if you were one of the only 1% who could add and subtract — you'd have great job security, and your market value would be phenomenal! Afghanistan, with it's overall literacy rate of 28%, should be regarded as an ideal.
In light of this wonderfully blinkered perspective on education, I am radically rethinking college myself. Maybe we need institutions of ignorance to slap down millions of minds just to keep the economic value of my degrees high…because, after all, the only reason I do what I do is for my personal gain, with never a thought about making society better or helping other individuals.
Oh, wait. I forgot. We do have such institutions of ignorance: they're called churches. I am beginning to see their place in the ecosystem of culture.
This attitude is taken for granted throughout the article, which sees all of education solely in a vocational light.
Educational degrees are a currency of social respectability, traded for access to jobs; like any currency, it inflates prices (or reduces purchasing power) when autonomously driven increases in monetary supply chase a limited stock of goods, in this case chasing an ever more contested pool of upper-middle-class jobs.
I know the universities promote this view already, advertising their role as one of granting access to the big bucks of a job after graduation. I hate it. Most faculty don't think that way either — if we did, we sure as hell wouldn't have used our ever-so-precious degrees to get jobs at relatively low paying places like colleges.
We are not handing out tickets to jobs. If you want that, go to a vocational college and learn a trade; this is an entirely respectable option and is often a very wise move. Go to college if you want to learn something about how the world works more deeply, or if you want to experience the unconventional and different and see a wider picture. Go to college because there's something you love that you can't pursue elsewhere precisely because it has no market value…but it means something to you as a human being. Poetry is not a path to riches, but in college you can find people who love it; there's practically no economic value to thinking hard about ethics, but at a college you'll not only find people who live for ethical issues, but will teach you what they know and ask you hard questions to make you think more about it too. Why learn about history, or dead languages, or exotically impractical bits of abstract mathematics, or putter about making art? Because it will make you wealthy? Hell, no. Because you've only got one life to live and you ought to use it to make yourself wiser and happier, and if learning about those weird and strangely human subjects is what you want to do, do it.
There are things we need to fix in our educational system, I would agree. But the very last people you should consult on how to fix it are those who so poorly understand the meaning of the word "education" that they confuse it with a certification in a task. Randall Collins is clearly such a benighted ignoramus that I could feel my urge to howl at the moon declining…until…
Although educational credential inflation expands on false premises— the ideology that more education will produce more equality of opportunity, more high-tech economic performance, and more good jobs—it does provide some degree of solution to technological displacement of the middle class. Educational credential inflation helps absorb surplus labor by keeping more people out of the labor force; and if students receive a financial subsidy, either directly or in the form of low-cost (and ultimately unrepaid) loans, it acts as hidden transfer payments. In places where the welfare state is ideologically unpopular, the mythology of education supports a hidden welfare state. Add the millions of teachers in elementary, secondary, and higher education, and their administrative staffs, and the hidden Keynesianism of educational inflation may be said to virtually keep the capitalist economy afloat.
Aaaargh. The "mythology of education"? K-12 teachers are in sinecures, sucking up money to keep the economy afloat? Schools are a hidden welfare system for teachers who really aren't otherwise contributing to the economy or society as a whole?


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Slider-inclined Alburquerque improves on fastball
DETROIT -- All the emphasis the Tigers placed on Al Alburquerque in Spring Training about throwing his fastball and locating it might have paid off. Detroit's slider-throwing reliever, known for swing-and-miss stuff but also missing the strike zone for stretches, threw a scoreless inning Wednesday night without a walk or a strikeout, getting three outs on balls put in play.
It was Alburquerque's seventh outing this season without walking a batter, the longest stretch he has had in a single season. He had six such outings in a row last September. The streak ended with a four-pitch walk to Mike Aviles leading off the seventh inning Thursday.
"He's throwing strikes. He's probably been our most consistent guy out of the 'pen right now," manager Brad Ausmus said. "For a lot of the statistics over 11 games, I'm not ready to jump on any bandwagon. It's just too early. I hope he continues to throw the way he's throwing, and I hope he doesn't walk a guy all season. I hope he extends his streak, but 11 games in, jumping on any statistical bandwagon can be a little bit misguided. It's not really enough of a sample."
That said, the streak -- and Alburquerque's pitch selection -- withstood a good test after Matt Wieters hit his fastball out for a home run last homestand. It could have been the excuse Alburquerque needed to get away from his fastball and start pumping sliders again. Instead, he kept with it.
"We're going to have to reinforce that [message]," Ausmus said.
On percentages, Alburquerque has actually thrown more sliders than ever so far this year, nearly three-quarters of his pitches. Of the fastballs he has thrown, though, more than half have been in the strike zone. The Tigers have wanted him throwing enough fastballs, and enough quality ones, to keep hitters from simply sitting on his slider.
Alburquerque regrouped from his walk Thursday by pounding Indians cleanup hitter Carlos Santana with sliders, seven of them, eventually setting him down swinging on an 86-mph slider.