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Financial Planning and Investment Advice for Expats in Romania
If you're an expatriate or international, working or retired, in Romania and looking for professional financial planning and investment advice, designed specifically to address expat individual requirements, we can help. We are experienced and familiar with assisting expatriate clients, living and working in outside of their country of origin, to address individual financial planning and investment needs. If you're a UK national living in or thinking about moving to Romania, it's important to review your financial planning. This should look at tax efficiency and how your estate planning, investment strategies and pensions can work most favourably for you and your new life in Romania.
Internationally regulated advisor in Romania
Blenheim Global Assets is an internationally regulated financial services firm, operating out of worldwide locations that specialise in helping expats and international professionals with their financial planning and investment requirements during the time that they are living and working overseas. We provide advice across a wide range of services including investments, savings, and protection. We are committed to putting clients at the heart of everything we do and to developing long-term relationships with our clients. This is achieved by ensuring that we understand the individual needs of each client, and to implementing tailored financial plans to address those needs.
IFA offering impartial advice in Romania
Our standard practice is to schedule an initial discussion over the phone (very easy to arrange – you just click on the 'Become a Client' link below). We provide you with impartial advice and services, delivered in plain English and tailored to your individual needs. We will never pressure-sell and we will ensure that the service we provide fully complies with the law. Above all, we will treat every client with respect and provide personal attention from your first enquiry.
Free investment or pension transfer report
Get your free report today. Provide us with some information on your situation and what it is that you are looking for such as: lump sum investment, QROPS pension transfer, and we will send you back a free investment or pension transfer report. With personalised financial advice from Blenheim Global Assets, you can make the most of what you have while keeping up with the international complex tax rules in Romania. Please contact us today for an informal discussion about how we can help you.
Investment advice for expats in Romania
Blenheim Global Assets advises expatriate clients worldwide on all financial planning matters including retirement planning, offshore bank accounts, savings and investment, insurance, pension transfers and generating income, from wealth accumulated, to support retirement.
As independent wealth managers we are ideally placed to show how to make the most of all of your pension funds.
We have helped thousands of expats capitalize on advantages offered globally to international investors.
Expert financial advice for expatriates, helping you empower your money – whatever your financial status is.


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"Best of Kuching" Combining the Heritage + Kampong Cycling Day Trip ~ Kuching, Sarawak Borneo
Trip Description
Driven by popular demand, the "Best of Kuching" Bike tour combines the highlights of our pioneering Heritage Bike tour with our best selling Kampong Bike tour. This unique bike tour covers 85% of Kuching's "Sights" as listed by the Lonely Planet, and much more!
Discover the hidden gems of Kuching, see our temples and monuments through the hidden lanes inside the heritage zone and indulge in a wide variety of popular authentic Sarawak local street foods, drinks and desserts! After a relaxing cruise across the romantic Sarawak River on a traditional Sampan boat, we will guide you through off-the beaten track of the rural Malay Kampong and wooden bridges lining the banks of the great Sarawak River.
Along the way, you can explore the vibrant and exotic open air market of Kubah Ria. Experience the vibrant colour of tropical fresh fruits and vegetables, shop for local handicrafts at non-tourist prices, and discover a whole range of jungle produce including unique wild ferns, exotic vegetables and plants. Open up your senses and discover Authentic Sarawak! You will go home with both your mind and soul enriched…..and your stomach fulfilled!
Fitness Level
Borneo ~ Sarawak ~ Kuching
Minimum no. of Persons
1 person
Tour Commences
All city bike discovery products depart from the operator's shop at Kuching Waterfront which is located within walking distance of all major city hotels. However, pick up / drop off service from city hotel can also be pre-arranged upon request for a fee of RM 60/- (up to 8 pax).
Tour Code
Tour Starts At
8.00am & 1.00pm
Trip Distance
17 km
Facility & Activity
Guide, Bike, Helmet, Boat Fees, Food, Beverage
"Best of Kuching" Combining the Heritage + Kampong Cycling Day Trip
For more information on rates:
- Guide, Bike, Helmet, Boat Fees
- Food, Beverage
Rain or shine we always ride!
- Depart : 8.00 AM
- Distance : 17 km
- Duration: 4.5 hours
- Difficulty Level : Peanuts
- No minimum pax
Child Rate
Minimum age 1 Year Old to 11yrs old (either baby seat or child bike) - 50% off
When bookings are made the following information needs to be confirmed :
-Name and Nationality of participant -Height of participant -Email address of primary contact - Mobile number of primary contact - Dietary requirements (if any) -Medical conditions (if any)
Indemnity Form:
Each participant is required to sign an indemnity form before the tour commences.
**Please Note that there will be a non-refundable handling charge on payment made. Conditions apply.
Cancellation Policy
If you wish to cancel your booking, you must notify us in writing either by post or by email.Days prior to trip start / Cancellation fee per person:
< 24 hours or No show: No refund 100% of tour price
1-3 days: 50% of the net rate
4-7 days: 25% of the net rate
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> 7 days: Full refund
Exceptions to this policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies or civil unrest. There is also no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Single person supplements, bike rental and additional services are considered part of the trip price and are subject to cancellation fees. Tour Operator is not responsible for expenses incurred by the Customers in connection with or in preparation for any canceled trips, such as airline tickets. Customers who fail to provide a signed "Waiver and Release of Liability" will not be allowed to join the trip and the cancellation policy applies.
Cancellation or Alteration by the Tour Operator
Tour Operator reserve the right to alter itineraries or to cancel tours at short or no notice when it is necessary or advisable. The Tour Operator reserves the right to make route and hotel modifications as needed at it's discretion. If the Tour Operator cancel a tour, the Customers willbe offered at least one of the following options, the choice of which will be at Customers discretion:
1) To join the requested tour at an alternative time or at an alternative date;
2) To join an alternative tour to commence within 13 months of the date the first tour was due to commence. The Customers will need to cover any price difference.
3) To receive a full refund from Tour operator, ie. all payments received to date will be 100% refunded.
Other Circumstances of Cancellation
Tour Operator reserves a right to terminate a Customers's trip immediately due to his inappropriate conduct or behaviour, dress or appearance. This may include occasions where the Customer is drunk, in possession of, or taking or dealing in narcotics, or uses threatening,abusive, insulting or violent behaviour to any of our staff or third parties or other Customers or any behaviour detrimental to the enjoyment of the majority of the group.
Tour Operator strongly advise that Customers have full personal travel insurance that covers for the refund of monies paid in case either party cancels the tour for any reason.
For damages where Tour Operator is responsible, it's liability is strictly limited to twice the total price of the tour.
Force Majeure
If, before the start of the tour, Acts of God, political incident, Force Majeure or heavy weather covering the tour route should render cycling inadvisable or dangerous to the life or health of the cyclists or cause damage to the bikes, with or without consultation, Tour Operator shall have the right to delay, alter or postpone the tour. Likewise, in the course of the execution of the tour, should heavy weather or Force Majeure events occur to make it inadvisable for cyclists to cycle, the Tour Leader shall have the right to delay, alter or postpone cycling until the conditions permit the parties to make adjustments to the itinerary including cancellation of routes through certain areas. Tour Operator shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations which results directly or indirectly from any cause or circumstance which is beyond its reasonable control. The following shall be regarded as examples of such circumstances: act of God, outbreak of hostilities, outbreak of infectious or contagious disease, riot, civil disturbance, acts of terrorism, revolution, the act of any government or authority (including but not limited to refusal or revocation of any licence or consent), fire, flood, lightning, explosion, fog, landslide, subsidence or bad weather, interruption or failure of a utility service (including but not limited to electricity, gas, water or telecommunications), renovations undertaken by the hotel, strikes, lockouts or boycotts, embargo, blockade in the country visited or elsewhere.
Customers must be in possession of a valid passport and all the visas and permits required for the tour. This includes any medical certificates that are required. The Customers accepts full responsibility for obtaining any and all such documentation. bout their immigration / transit policies.Tour Operator does not accept responsibility if Customers documentation is not in order.
Information provided by the Tour Operator about these matters and other related items (clothing, baggage, climate etc.) is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of the company.
Travel Insurance
Tour Operator has its own insurance policy but with limited coverage. Tour Operator strongly advise that the Customers arrange their own policy to suit their own requirements that include adequate cover for personal accident, medical expenses, air ambulance, injury, illness, death, Customers property and repatriation of the Customers and any Customers property. Insurance should also provide cover for cancellation or curtailment of the holiday and any consequential loss any liability to third parties. Customers should also ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection for any dangerous or unusual activities that might be included in their tour.
A copy of the travel insurance should be given to Tour Operator prior to departure of the tour. The Customers can either mail, fax or email it to the Tour Operator or give it to the Tour Leader before the tour,.
Tour Authority
Upon signing up for a tour Customers must agree to accept the authority of the tour leader who is the representative of the Tour Operator. At all times the authority of the tour leader will be final when concerning matters likely to endanger Customers own health or safety or in regard to behavior or ill health that is causing or is likely to cause danger, distress or disturbance to the group and the well-being of the tour. Failure to abide by the authority of the tour leader could result in the immediate termination of Customers participation in the tour. In such circumstances
Tour Operator reserve the right to terminate all travel arrangements without liability on the part of the company. Customers must always comply with the local law, customs and drug regulations of Malaysia. Failure to do so may lead to Customers being ordered to leave the tour without recourse to any refund or any legal claim against the company.
Flights or Delays
Tour Operator will not accept any liability for any delay in Customers outward or inward flight/s, whether the cancellation or delay is caused by the weather, airline rescheduling, industrial action or mechanical failure. Tour Operator will give no refunds or compensation for lost time and services from the itinerary.
Should Customers have a complaint while on tour, he or she must notify the tour leader, or the Tour Operator, at the earliest opportunity, so that they can do what they can to immediately rectify it. Failure to do so will result in the limiting of a Customer's ability to claim compensation. If the problem is not brought to Tour Operator attention, the company will have no opportunity to rectify it. Any complaints should be sent to Tour Operator in writing, or by email, not more than 28 days after the tour ends.
Limited Liability
Unless where caused by an intentional or negligent act on Tour Operator part, Tour Operator is not liable for illness or bodily injury or property damage as a result of (but not limited to): insect bites, food poisoning or animal attack or criminal attack, physical exertion for which a guest is not prepared; forces of nature; travel by plane, train, auto, boat or other conveyance, or by bicycle, kayak, foot or other form of active or adventure travel; consumption of alcoholic beverages or narcotics; civil unrest; terrorism; breakdown of equipment; high altitude; lack of or limited access to medical attention in remote locations; and the adequacy of medical attention obtained or provided.
Tour Operator is also not liable for: expenses (e.g., meals, transportation or hotel costs) that are not specified as included in the trip cost but may be required to get to or from a trip start or end.
Tour Operator reserves the right in its discretion to make route and hotel modifications as necessary to improve the trip quality or to accommodate the comfort and well-being of guests.
Customers will be asked to sign Tour Operator's Waiver and Release of Liability form before the start each tour. The person who signs the booking form (which incorporates these conditions) warrants that he / she does so, with full authority on behalf of all those whose names appear thereon, and confirms thereby that all such persons accept and are fully aware of these conditions.
Climate, Health, Pregnancy
Customers should be prepared for climates in Malaysia, and should pack accordingly. Customers may suffer from insect bites and stomach upsets and diarrhea and should carry medicine to deal with these routine matters. Customers should obtain all necessary inoculations prior to departure and should consult a hospital or doctor for advice on what inoculations you should have. Customers are asked to advise us specifically if they have any handicap, disability, disease, allergies or health problems or dietary requirements. Tour Operator expect Customers to disclose these frankly, so that Tour Operator can consider whether any additional arrangements ought to be made in Customer's own interests, or whether Tour Operator can agree to accept Customers for the trip.
Tour Operator do not accept any females Customers who are more than three months pregnant.
Youth on Tours
Youths from age 14 on up are welcome on standard bike tours. Children under the age of 14 will be considered on a case by case basis. If a family with younger children wishes to join a date, Tour Operator will contact guests already registered on that date and with their OK, will accept the family's booking. Youths must share a room with a family member or have a private room
(single supplement applies).
Customers grant Tour Operator express permission to take photographs or make film records of its trips for promotional and commercial use, as well as approve such use by third parties with whom Tour Operator may engage in joint marketing, without financial remuneration. Any intellectual property rights in such photos or films shall belong to Tour Operator.
Privacy Policy
Tour Operator respects Customer's right to privacy. The personal information gathered from Tour Operator website and from any printed applications or questionnaires is used solely by Tour Operator for the registration and operation of the tours. Some personal information, such as addresses, maybe exchanged with banking institutions while processing payment. Email address will not be shared with anyone.
Governing Law
This Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Malaysian Law

subset: commoncrawl


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Demo tours for work with Eurostat web site
Eurostat disseminates on its Internet page demo tours for work with the new Eurostat web site and database Comext (foreign trade database). The applications have been created with aim to help users work with Eurostat web pages, by way of navigation in demo tours to learn how to search data and to do own selection. Demo tours are available on Eurostat web site in offer User Support.
We welcome your comments and experiences you have with using of the demo tours. Your opinions can be sent by e-mail to address email@example.com.


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Providing comprehensive product information for a hi-fi publication
Our catalog enables our client to offer comprehensive and authoritative product listings through its online publications.
Our client publishes a magazine for buyers and lovers of home audiovisual systems. In its move toward digital publishing, it wanted to keep its website readers engaged by providing technical specifications for most products in its listings. The company also wanted to minimize the costs and resources required to gather and manage the content, preferring that its staff focus on core publishing activities.
We provided the magazine with a subscription to our authoritative product catalog data. This gives the organization detailed, accurate and standardized technical specifications, product images and marketing text covering most audiovisual products in the market. Our product data is updated daily and is built on data drawn directly from manufacturers and distributors.
The publication now offers its readers up-to-date, accurate and detailed product information alongside its editorial reviews. This adds value for readers and entrenches the publication's place as the most comprehensive source of information about home entertainment systems.
Our catalog:
- allows the client to easily offer product listings without the costs of capturing the data manually
- enables the publisher to focus on its core business even as it builds out new online services for its readers
- offers data even for niche brands and manufacturers


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Finding home in Vietnam.
It's the winter of 2010, and I'm embarking on my most adventurous journey to date, in Northwest Vietnam. Only I don't know it yet. After failing to beat the crowds in the Mekong Delta, we have pledged not to take the 'touristy' circuit again. Instead of taking the train from Hanoi to Sapa (a popular hill station), we've set out along the Northwestern hinterlands of Vietnam, and our conviction to make it to Sapa on land via this route rests on the blog of one guy who said the journey is possible. There is no more information to be found online; no bus timings, no trains, no places to stay, not even the names of the smaller towns & villages we may pass by. This is the story of one such village.


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Archive for the 'Type of news' Category
States seeking to ban mandatory health insurance
Jefferson City, Mo, February 1st, 2010, (Reuters).- After a State of the Union Address, where president Barack Obama pushed for a health care reform, conservative politicians all over the country have responded with state constitutional amendments to ban mandatory health insurance.
"We are just defending the right of every American citizen to pay for their doctor and medicine bills from their own pockets," said Missouri Sen. Jane Cunningham. "This no-birth-certificate president seems to forget that this country is based on the patriotic principles of free market for corporations. If we allowed free or even cheap health benefits to society and poor communities the country would turn to socialism and communism, just like it happened in countries with cheap or free healthcare, like Canada and the United Kindgom."
These amendments, called "Freedom of Payment in Health Care Act" in most states could be contested in courts since they will go against federal law. However, since the Supreme Court ruled in late January that corporations can adopt as many lawyers as they can afford, states might be able to uphold these laws.
Old woman who lives in the 'hood gets 8 more children.
Los Octollizos, California, January 30th, 2009, (Reuters).- There is an old woman who lives in the 'hood.
She had 8 more children, she doesn't know what to do.
She'g got 6 small hoes, whom she can no more fed.
The sell crack or drugs, to buy some more bread.
There's an old woman who lives in the 'hood.
She had 8 more children, she doesn't know what to do.
The small one has no cloth, no food and no bed.
He goes to no school, he steals wallets instead.
There is an old woman who lives in the 'hood.
She's got 8 more children, she doesn't know what to do.
The rest of the bunch is not really ahead.
They're either in prison or they're out on bail.
Iraqi government asked American government to stop hiring Blackwater.
Baghdad, Iraq, January 29th, 2008, (Reuters).- The government of Iraq sent a memo today to the American embassy asking them to please, please, stop using Blackwater Worldwide as security for their diplomats.
The memo, signed by Iraq's interior ministry spokesman, Abdul-Karim Khalaf, said "Due to the excessive use of force, improper conduct and specially, the continuous killings of civilians, including children, the Honorable Ministry of the Interior of Iraq, backed by the power invested in it by the people and president of Iraq, hereby order the American authorities to please, please, please, read this memo and if possible, to restrain your goons, just a tiny winy bit."
The move is the latest response to the controversy resulting after Blackwater mercenaries killed 17 civilians at Nissor square, who asked them if they could please stop destroying their market stands.
The Blackwater mercenaries declared themselves non guilty. "We were just doing our job, clearing the path for the ambassador's secretary's officeboy who had gone to get a pizza for his boss. We immediately identified the terrorists' true nature as they spoke in Arabic and had stands with signs written in some terrorist language," declared one of them, who asked us to keep his name confidential or he would fill our bodies with lead.
State Department's spokesman Robert with A Wood declared "We haven't made a decision yet, but we're already processing the Iraqi request under our perpetual ignorance file cabinet."
Blackwater spokesgoon Anne Tyrrell defended the company's mercenaries. "Our employees did the right thing. They were ambushed by terrorists who shot them from a girls' school, an ambulance, and a fruit stand, all of which had letters written in a terrorist language, so they clearly had to return fire and a few grenades as well."
Michelle Obama complains about her daughters' dolls: "We didn't get any royalties"
Washington, D.C., January 27th, 2008, (Reuters).- Michelle Obama expressed her disagreement with the dolls that are being produced and that are named after her daughters, Sasha and Malia.
The new first lady told the press "We believe it is innapropiate to use two young private, totally average citizens for marketing purposes. First, because the election is already over. Second, because we didn't get any royalties."
Ty Inc.'s spokesperson Tania Lundeen told the media "There's nothing in the dolls that refers to the Obama girls. Just because they are black, represent about the same age as the real Sasha and Malia, and they are called Sasha and Malia, doesn't mean that they are replications of Sasha and Malia. They have nothing to do with them. Really! Honest! We chose those traits just because they are full of hope and change. "
She also took the opportunity to make an important announcement, "Most of all, we want to remind you that each dolls is sold for only $9.99, and if you buy both of them, you get a free copy of 'The audacity of hope' as a bonus."
14 year old Chicawgo policeboy gets fired.
Chicawgo, Illinoi, January 26th, 2009, (Reuters).- A 14 year old policeboy was fired today from the Chicawgo Police Department in Illinoi. The reason given by the Chicawgo Police Department was that the boy was only 14 years old. "He's almost a child," said deputy superintendent Daniel Dugan.
However, the 14 year old boy's labor union declared that the real reason the policechild was fired was because he was working on some investigation on the role of Mayor Richard Michael Daley in the Hired Truck Program as well as in the leasing of the parking meter system.
Mayor Daley denied any mishandling on those dealings. "However, we're creating a new tax, called 'no child left behind the wheel', which will help screen policecar drivers and make sure children aren't at the wheel."
This is the last of a series of taxes aimed at handling car traffic and car-related issues, and following the recently implemented "I'll watch your car while you attend the game" tax, which started taxing drivers and sports fans last week.
"Bush's presidency has a good, strong record": Bush
Washington, D.C., January 12th, 2008, (Reuters).- In a final news conference, which the president called "the ultimate exit interview," president Bush declared that Bush's presidency has a good, strong record.
He also commented on other issues that marked his presidency as well as his legacy.
He defended the image of the US overseas and denied that it had been tarnished during his administration. "I dissagree that this assesment that people view America in a dim light. People still understand America stands for freedom, why just a month ago, Arab people were so pleased to see me that they offered their shoes to me."
He also defended his record on human rights, including imprisonment without a trial of suspected terrorists and use of tough interrogation methods at Guantanamo Bay, as well as overriding civil rights at home in order to obtain local information. "Yes, I did all that, but I just couldn't let terrorists come into our land and destroy our basic rights."
Most of all, he spoke about the Iraq war, defending his decisions, "I did what I had to do, there weren't any mistakes at all. I grant that there weren't any weapons of mass destruction at all, and there were abuses at the Abu Ghraib prision, but those weren't mistakes, just things that didn't go according to plan."
When asked about the time he claimed victory under a banner with big huge letters reading "mission accomplished," he explained "We've clarified this before, it was a banner put up by the janitor who had finished his working shift that same day. It sent the wrong message to those that will always look for the wrong message."
He also defended his decision to send an additional 30,000 troops. "The question is, in the long run, will this democracy survive? and that's going to be a question for future presidents." It wasn't clear if was referring to the US or Iraq.
Regarding the response to Katrina, he denied it had been slow. "Don't tell me the federal response was slow when there were 30,000 people pulled off roofs right after the storm passed. I have heard nothing but congratulations and appreciation from them, while I have never heard a single complaint from the people that died."
Regarding his involvement of peace in the Middle East, he commented "I laid out a vision of what peace would be like, I think I have advanced the process and now Palestinians and Israelis are closer than ever."
He also spoke about the US economy's state as he leaves office. "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
Finally, he mentioned what he believes is the most important issue that the next president will face: "An attack on the United States. That's a much more important issue than the economic crisis, because it's real and it actually affects American lives. Despite sending the country to wars and ripping apart the US civil rights, America isn't safe. I wish I could report that's not the case."
Meanwhile, a CNN poll revealed that right after the news conference, Bush's popularity increased a bit. He's now more popular than chickenpox but still trails behind taxes.


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With the Apple busy educating us about touch interfaces, the possibility of a large A5 sized touchpad to accompany your desktop or laptop seems appealing, after all if your phone can multi-touch why not your computer? Can the Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch really offer you a more tactile experience over your mouse? We got touchy feely to find out.
The Bamboo Pen and Touch actually comes in five different guises: the Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch CTH460; the Wacom Bamboo Touch CTT460; the Wacom Bamboo Pen CTL460; the Wacom Bamboo Craft CTH461; and finally the Wacom Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch CTH661.
Confused? You should be. In an attempt to appeal to all areas there are different versions that do different things. What you get, how it performs, and the price you pay varies on the package you choose with the Pen and Touch versions coming with both the ability to use your fingers and an included pen. The Touch version just offers you finger support, and as you might expect the Pen version says no to the hand. For the sake of this review we're looking at the Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch.
Out of the box and the rather large touchpad (around A5 in size) sits on your desk in front on your computer or to the side. Connecting via a spare USB port there is no AC power or batteries required and it's slimline, black (or silver depending on model) and stylish.
The touch area takes up most of the real estate, but there is space for four large physical buttons down the side, for menus and clicking options. To give it that designer look there is a rather offensive red label sticking out the side, but once you realise this is to store the pen when not in use it's not too bad.
To use the tablet you'll have to install Wacom's accompanying software. The software supports both Mac and PC operating systems. We tested it on the Mac and found that the software wasn't evasive at all. During out testing we were able to have a Logitech mouse plugged in at the same time without confusion and after testing noticed no crazy behaviour once the tablet had been removed.
Although the package comes with a bundle of free software in the box (Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 Win/6.0 Mac and Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 WE3) it's all optional and if you're happy using the photo package you've already got then so be it. That installation CD is important though as it not only includes the relevant drivers to make the tablet work, but also a very handy tutorial on how to use your new fangled toy. Instructions you soon find you'll need.
While you'll only need to watch the interactive video once to get to grips with the system you will need to watch it, as frustratingly the actions aren't tied into Apple's own multi-touch gestures. You can pinch, you can rotate, you can scroll, but you can't do three-finger swiping for example.
Once you've got your software installed and you've run through the tutorial you are on your own. The touch interface is reactive and we had no trouble mimicking the movements on the pad on screen. The tablet can be set-up for left- or right-handed users, the touch speed altered and fine tuned and the touch functions controlled. Don't like the ability to tap with one finger to replicate a click? No problem. Don't want touch on the tablet at all - you can do that too.
What application you are using determines what control features you get, but it's fair to say most programs support most features. Jump into Safari on the Mac and the tablet allows you to scroll vertically and horizontally or zoom in by simply pinching with your index finger and thumb. A single tap (it can be turned off) acts as a left-button click on a traditional mouse while a tap with two fingers acts as a right-button click.
Most programs we tested gave you some form of gesture control with Adobe Photoshop or iPhoto allowing you to rotate images, zoom and generally have greater control over what was going on on the touch side of things while clearly coming into their own with the pen.
So what's it like in use? Well it's just like the trackpad on your MacBook and MacBook Pro only bigger. From a touch aspect the biggest drawback we found was the lack of ability to press down on the whole device to click just like you can with the latest MacBooks. If you disable the one click tap, which we would highly recommend, then you are forced to find a smallish button with your thumb every time. Frustrating.
Get past the touchy feely element and the pen works as you would expect it giving you the ability to draw easily. It's Wacom's strength and you can tell. There are nice features like pressure-sensitive controls for the pen tip that react to how hard you press on the surface of the tablet and the tablet has a slightly textured surface for a "pen-on-paper feel".
On our first attempt at using the Bamboo Pen and Touch we found ourselves giving up. It's tough going at first, not helped by the sensitivity of the single finger click that will result in you randomly dragging folders across the screen, removing icons from your dock and deleting bookmarks in your browser (all happened). However once we turned off the single tap feature all these problems went away.
That's not to say that it doesn't then present a host of other problems, mainly that the single click "physical" button is then too small: we would have liked a massive "space bar" approach at the bottom of the tablet instead for example.
This is a gadget you'll have to persevere with to get the rewards. The mouse is so surprisingly agile and easy to use (after all that's probably all you've ever used to interact with a computer) that getting to grips with just using your fingers might be a little difficult.
That's not the fault of the hardware or the technology, it keeps up its side of the deal. The question here is whether you are able to adapt to get the most out of it.


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Let's just focus on the fact that Rod Barajas is awesome. (Or at least: awesome lately.) Not only can he hit like Johnny Bench right now, but he'll also drill Reggie Willits in the back for an out, or even block the plate when necessary. (Eat that shit, Phillies fans.)
The fragility of future plans
Travis Snider got drilled in his (thankfully) helmeted melon yesterday with a foul ball while standing in the on deck circle. While he seems as though he'll be fine, the Rotoworld fellas quite rightly mention Juan Encarnacion, whose career is done after a similar incident. So say a little prayer of thanks.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Pay no attention to that spirit-crushing loss
3 comments:
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Barajas is SICK!
and although i don't usually look to the heavens in time of need and despair, i think i'm going to go to temple tonight and pray for snider. he's the future, after all...
- June 2, 2008 at 11:18 AM
- Andrew said...
If I ever saw the runner running on the inside of the line, I'd drill him for the easy out.
- June 2, 2008 at 1:24 PM
I'd still take Zaun.
- June 3, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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GDavis necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
3 ganadores han sido elegidos entre 38 diseños de 18 diseñadores freelance.
Action Scuba
New owner of a Scuba Diving shop is looking for an updated logo for a fresh new look and feel. We are currently working on a new website and focusing on a new form of branding and consumer awarness.
Action Scuba is located in the outskirts of Montreal, we focus on retail sales, teaching scuba courses, and travel to local and exotic destinations.
We are trying to get away from the old tired logo. It can be found @ http://www.actionscuba.com
We are targeting consumers in the greater Montreal area, those looking to learn to scuba dive and those who already dive. We want to target a younger crowd, looking at focusing on both men and women ages 20-40 years old.
We want this to be a logo that we will be proud to wear, and is appealing to consumers.
I am looking for a logo for "Action Scuba" that includes text and a graphic, where the graphic could be used as a stand alone branding icon.
Logo should not be too busy, looking for something sharp that people would want to wear.
Logo will be used on signs, shirts, and various promotional products.
I had an idea of the Action Scuba name, and a tribal sea turtle with the dive flag embeded in scale design of the turtle's shell. The 2 following links had given me the idea.
http://www.littlecayman.com/diving/dive_shop.php (the dive shop logo not the resort)
and http://www.divelodge.com/
I am not set on that idea, and am looking at and am very open to any ideas.
I look forward to seeing all designs.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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The saga of Colorado's Balloon Boy had me and Crecente nostalgic for our days of four-alarm all-hands coverage at the Rocky (which only happened every week). So I've localized today's report to include the video game angle to balloons.
So here we go: All the games I could think of involving balloons, their age relative to young Falcon Heene, and a fun factor on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being "The Lifetime of Grounding Falcon is in for After This" and 10 being "Chased by Two Sheriffs Departments and Eleven News Crews on a Magical Journey Through the Air."
Granted, it looks like he did not actually take that journey. He was found in the attic of his home, apparently never aboard the wayward experimental aircraft in the first place. But on a day dominated by news of balloons, here's our contribution. Because dammit, Brian and I just can't not localize a story. It's still in our blood.
• CIRCUS ATARI (Atari 2600, 1980: 23 years older than Falcon Henne): This Breakout clone involved two clowns poised on a teeter-totter - one would launch the other into the air to pop a canopy of balloons overhead, landing to launch his partner, and so forth. This was developed by Exidy and published by Sears, back when it produced a licensed version of the VCS console. Fun rating: Two: Three hours with this would be like Falcon writing 1,000 "I will not trick an entire nation into believing I am aboard a balloon at 10,000 feet" sentences.
• KICKMAN (Arcade 1981, Commodore 64 1982. 22 years older than Falcon Henne): Single-clown action this time, aboard a unicycle, not a teeter totter. In Kickman, your clown has to keep plummeting balloons from touching the ground, either by catching them atop his pointy hat or kicking them back in the air to catch on his pointy hat. Pac-Man occasionally falls out of the sky to eat the balloons off your head and, if you balance him, will gobble them up from beneath, turning you into an engine of balloon destruction. Fun rating: Actually, I'll give this a five. I lost hours to it playing on a 64 with an old Wico command control stick. Surprisingly addictive, especially once you figured out the speeds of each color balloon.
• BALLOON FIGHT (Nintendo Entertainment System, 1985: 18 years older than Falcon Henne): Of course, the first game that leaps to mind. Balloon Fight was a Joust-type setup that pit you against other balloon-harnessed foes in midair combat. Pop or be popped was the name of the game; a single-player mode had you navigating an aerial race course filled with ouchy things that could send you plummeting to the ground faster than a mylar-covered flying saucer punctured by small arms fire. Fun Rating: A good seven. One of the first titles for NES, fondly remembered by many who had the system, but it'll get old after the twelfth day of home confinement.
• BALLOON KID (GameBoy, 1990 and GameBoy Advance, 2000: 13 years older than Falcon Henne): Now we're dealing with a game that truly could be ripped from today's headlines - if Falcon had in fact taken flight and he had a sister go looking for him, instead of the Weld County Sheriff's Office. In this side-scroller, you're seeking out your kid brother, who's gone floating away on a bunch of balloons. You must navigate through treacherous levels using a couple of balloons whose altitude you can control by using the A button. Fun Rating: Another seven. Look, we're talking about f—-ing balloons here, not Metal Gear Solid. Of course it's not going to appeal to the core, and, relative to the genre, this was about as good as it ever got.
• INDIANA JONES and the FATE of ATLANTIS (PC and Mac, 1992, 11 years older than Falcon Henne): A key sequence in this LucasArts SCUMM classic was constructing a makeshift hot-air balloon to land Indy aboard a Nazi U-boat, as the story lurched toward its inevitable conclusion undersea. Fun rating: The balloon portion itself was a bit frustrating, but taken on the whole, graphical adventure games of this era were the apotheosis of the genre, and Indiana Jones only made them better, so I give it a nine.
There you are, a dirty half-dozen localizing video games in the ballooniest news cycle ever to hit modern mass media. So, what are your favorite games including balloons? Or we can broaden the discussion to video games that include Falcons. Or Hennes. Madden NFL 10 has both, actually.


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Opinion Analysis: United States v. Wilkins, No. 11-0486/NA
There are two components to the granted issue in United States v. Wilkins, No. 11-0486/NA, 71 M.J. 410 (C.A.A.F. Nov. 16, 2012) (CAAFlog case page) (link to slip op.), which questioned whether the Appellant's right to due process of law was violated when he was convicted for abusive sexual contact, in violation of Article 120(h) (2007), as a lesser-included offense of aggravated sexual assault, Article 120(c) (2007). The first is whether, under the facts of this case, abusive sexual contact is a lesser-included offense of aggravated sexual assault. The second is whether, under the fact of this case, it matters.
In its first opinion of the term, authored by Judge Stucky, CAAF answers both questions in the negative.
First, the court finds that "[a]busive sexual contact is an LIO of aggravated sexual assault in some instances. For example, if an accused is charged with aggravated sexual assault by penetrating the genital opening of another, then any penetration of the genital opening would also require a touching of the genital opening." Wilkins, slip op. at 6-7. "However, in this case, Appellant was charged with aggravated sexual assault by digitally penetrating the anus of a male victim. A sexual act is statutorily limited to genital openings, and the anus is not such an opening. . . . There is plain and obvious error in this case because Appellant was charged with a legal impossibility." Slip op. at 7. Of note, the statutory language in issue was significantly expanded at the end of 2011.
But, as I predicted in my argument preview, the failure of the Defense to object at trial, the fact that the defense theory was that this was a consensual encounter, and the fact that the Defense theory likely would have been exactly the same if the Government had properly charged the Appellant with a violation of Article 120(h), instead of improperly charging him with a violation of Article 120(c), are serious bars to relief for the Appellant. CAAF finds:
the defense's strategy demonstrated that Appellant understood he was defending against all of the elements of abusive sexual contact. The defense's strategy was to (1) question whether the victim was substantially incapacitated, and (2) raise the issue of mistake of fact as to consent by Appellant. To this end, defense counsel's cross-examination of MA3 L focused on Appellant and MA3 L's previous friendship and the events leading up to the sexual contact. This strategy would not have changed had the specification properly alleged "contact" instead of "act."
Defense counsel did not challenge any of the elements of abusive sexual contact beyond MA3 L's incapacitation or Appellant's alleged mistake of fact. Instead, throughout the trial and during closing arguments, defense counsel readily conceded that Appellant penetrated or made contact with MA3 L's anus. The manner in which the case was argued undercuts any argument that Appellant was not on notice of what he had to defend against or that his defense preparations were hampered. Therefore, Appellant has not demonstrated prejudice to a substantial right.
United States v. Wilkins, No. 11-0486/NA, Slip op. at 10-11 (C.A.A.F. 2012). It's impossible to predict exactly what would have happened at trial had the Defense objected to the military judge's instruction on the LIO – for instance, would the case have resulted in a jeopardy-triggering acquittal, or would the charge have been dismissed as failing to state an offense, presumably permitting another trial? But there wasn't an objection, a conviction followed, and CAAF has now affirmed.
Case Links:
• NMCCA opinion (Wilkins I)
• NMCCA opinion (Wilkins II)
• Blog post: The amazing (new) Article 120
• Appellant's brief
• Appellee's (Government) brief
• Blog post: Argument preview
• Oral argument audio
• Blog post: Argument recap
• CAAF opinion
• Blog post: CAAF decides Wilkins
• Blog post: Opinion analysis


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Make a Donation to Camp Rhythm
Welcome to Camp Rhythm
2020 Camp Rhythm Dates Announced
July 21-25, 2020
Camp Rhythm Overnight Camp (ages 8 through 15): Tuesday afternoon July 21 Saturday morning July 25, 2020
Camp Rhythm Mini-Camp (day only, 9:00am - 3:00pm): July 22, 23, and 24, 2020
Senior cabin counselors (must be over the age of 18): July 20-25
2020 Camp Rhythm Applications
The application deadline is April 15, 2020.
If you or someone you know would like to be placed on the mailing list or would like more information about Camp Rhythm, you can call or email with the camper full name and birthdate, parent's name and address, and phone number if you would like a return phone call.
Camp Rhythm is an overnight 5-day/4-night camp for children who were born with a heart defect or developed a heart problem that required intervention and ongoing follow-up care prior to the age of 18.
Camp Rhythm is designed to:
- Provide a residential camping experience for area children with congenital or acquired heart defects.
- Provide a safe environment where campers will learn they are not alone in living with heart disease.
- Create an environment where it is normal to be sick, tired, have scars and take medication.
- Allow children to feel accepted, build confidence and make lifelong friends.
The heart camp also includes a day camp for younger children (ages 5-7) born with a heart defect. These children will attend camp for three days during the week.
Camp Activities
Each day at Camp Rhythm is packed FULL of activities. In the morning, campers attend activities with their cabin mates and are given the chance to explore all the programming available. In the afternoon, campers are allowed Free Choice and can decide on their own what activities to attend. This gives them a chance to bond as a cabin group and attend activities together and make new friends outside their cabins as well. Here's an idea of what kinds of activities to look forward to:
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Sports and games
- Arts & crafts
- Archery
In the evening, all sorts of new fun awaits campers. Camp Rhythm planning staff works very hard to plan really fun, engaging activities for all campers to enjoy. In year's past, some of the evening activities have included:
- Carnival
- Medical Mania
- Dance Party with a DJ
- Campfire
Camp Rhythm Staff
Medical staff includes a minimum of a nurse and a pediatric cardiologist that is available at all times. Additional staff includes a certified child life specialist, pediatric social worker, cardiac nurses and St. Louis Children's Hospital volunteers. All volunteers must go through training and screenings at St. Louis Children's Hospital prior to camp. Volunteers must be 18 years of age and older. Camp counselors are adults familiar with heart defects, including some former pediatric cardiac patients.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 314.454.2485


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Saturday, August 14, 2010
A Colorful Win for R.A.Dickey!!!!!
So far we've escaped any need for a closer or even a bullpen.
6 comments:
The return of color to our lives!ReplyDelete
Not only two in a row, but two complete game shutouts!
That's pretty damn good from a team that many have pronounced dead.
Dickey is such a pleasant surprise :)
I love this guy.
Now lets see what Misch can give us tonight.
- AnonymousAugust 14, 2010 at 8:56 AM
If we can get a solid number two starter for next year and plug Dickey in as the five guy, we could have an awesome staff. And then I might not be so against Mejia becoming the new closer.ReplyDelete
COLOR is back!..Ding Dong The WICKED WITCH is DEAD!... Jerry's still here though.. Nice job Joe as always,love the B & W also. Lets keep this thing going. Enjoy the weekend!ReplyDelete
YOU r a wonder Joe! This blog has been the most consistent thing this season (except maybe Pagan..he is HOT this year!) Awesome & in color!ReplyDelete
Thanks! It hasn't been easy. I hope you can see by following it how hard it can be to keep going somedays. There are just some games (losses) that leave you speechless and no words can describe the frustration. I think my saving grace this year was coming up with the Ollie box. At least I was able to punish the offenders.ReplyDelete
I need to borrow some lumber... and a metric ton of lead for the John Russell box. That one's going straight into the Allegheny.ReplyDelete
There's still a bright spot coming for ya. You haven't faced the Pirates yet. The weekend of the 20th should help.


text: We'll see whether will be . Is not too hard to make a b@w mission, only a lot of extra work is required with our friend PaintShopPro, and is better to include all of the used objects and meshes in the pack because of the future patches and EP's. That's all.


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The Grand Prix Petit Navire, one of the most renowned competitive kiteboarding and sailing events, will host the 2009 European Course Racing Championships.
Since its creation in 1999, the Grand Prix Petit Navire has constantly kept evolving and diversifying.
The 2009 edition of the Grand Prix petit Navire will take place from April 30th to May 10th, marking the 10th anniversary of the Grand Prix Petit Navire, which will be an opportunity for the hundreds of volunteers to join forces and to celebrate once again this cherished yearly sailing event.
Douarnenez, in springtime, is naturally enchanting and its magical atmosphere is further enhanced when the whole town bends over backwards to welcome sailors from all around the world. It's a real party atmosphere. At this point, the bay becomes a theatre of unusual encounters between high-tech, classical and traditional sailing types.
For this tenth birthday, we foresee the simultaneous participation of the following classes: 85 Dragons, the largest racing fleet in the world, 100 kitesurfers, constituting Europe's largest gathering of kites and hosting the european course racing championships, class 60 ' IMOCA monohulls of the Vendée Globe, Class 40' monohulls, 6.5m-long Mini boats, 300 schoolchildren competing in the Optimist class and the Port Rhu Museum's open house featuring its traditional boat building skills.
The event is planned and organized by Douarnenez's sailing associations: the Société de régates of Douarnenez (SRD) , Douarnenez Voile and the municipal nautical Center, with the help of a vast local volunteer force. Support comes from the Finistère's General Council, the District council of Brittany, the French sailing federation (FFV), the French federation of Free Flight (FFVL) , the sailing League of Brittany, Nautisme in Finistère (NEF), the International Kiteboarding association, and the sponsorship of Petit Navire.


text:
Related Pages
Browse by Region
About the Court
The International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first permanent international judicial body capable of trying individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.
Stay up to date with all ICC cases and situations by signing up for our email updates (and follow us on Twitter and Facebook).
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court entered into force on 1 July 2002. The ICC represents one of the most significant opportunities the world has had to prevent or drastically reduce the deaths and devastation caused by conflict. Since 2002, much progress has been achieved in the establishment of the Court which is located in The Hague, the Netherlands. With all of the senior officials of the Court in place, the receipt of one Security Council and three State referrals, and the formal launch of investigations, the Court is now a fully-functional judicial institution.
This section is intended to provide a basic overview of the ICC, including: regular updates on developments at the Court and associated key activities of the Judges, Prosecutor and Registrar; background to the Courts structure and officials; updates on the work of the Assembly of States Parties; background to and developments regarding ICC cases and situations; and an overview of the history of the Court.
Updates and Developments
This section provides regular updates on developments at the ICC, including: the key activities of the Judges, Prosecutor and Registrar, information about recent decisions, hearings, orders and statements, visits of high level officials to the Court, ICC field missions and more.
ICC Cases and Situations
The Courts work is shaped by the cases and situations under investigation. This section provides an overview of the background, key developments, and documentation related to individual ICC cases and situations. Information about ICC developments in other countries can also be found here.
Please note that the CICC will not take a position on potential or current situations before the Court. The Coalition, however, will continue to provide the most up-to-date information about the ICC.
ICC Structure and Officials
As the first judicial institution of its kind, the structure of the International Criminal Court reflects it unique mandate to deal with the most serious crimes of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide on a permanent basis. This section explains how the Court is organized and provides an introduction to key ICC officials.
Assembly of Parties
The Assembly of State Parties (ASP) is the Courts governing body and is comprised of the States that have ratified the Rome Statute. The Assembly meets at least once a year to discuss and decide on issues that are central to the Court, such as the election of judges and prosecutors, the adoption of the ICC's budget and cooperation between States and the Court. This section provides information on the Assemblys key decisions and work, to date.
History of the ICC
This section provides an overview of the history of the Court. From the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, held in Rome in 1998, to the entry into force of the Statute in 2002 and the first Security Council referral to the ICC in 2005, a great deal has been achieved.
2012: Celebrating the ICC's 10th Anniversary
This page brings together publications and other resources related to the 10th anniversary celebrations of the entry into force of the Rome Statute on 1 July 2002, which created the world's first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The ICC's 10th anniversary is a symbolic milestone that will be celebrated throughout 2012 by all actors involved in the fight against impunity for grave crimes.


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|What a babe, right? ;)
No laughing! Well, OK you can laugh. I had big hair in the Fall of 1989. I fought with my hair on a regular basis. Heck, I still fight with my hair the majority of the time, but I think I'm starting to win.
Anyway, this post is obviously about me. I decided to do it even though I cringe to look at my 17 year old self's hair. This summer when I went back home to visit with family and do some research, I took some pictures of old Hazleton High School yearbooks and it dawned on me that when my descendants looked through yearbooks for their ancestors (if they look through yearbooks), I wouldn't be there. Would they wonder why? I realized that I wanted the story as to why passed on so when people go looking they'll know why.
Not being in my yearbook wasn't by choice. Well, it was partly by choice, but not because I didn't want to be in a yearbook or anything. I just didn't know it was going to play out that way. If I could borrow Doctor Who's time machine I'd go back in time and smack some yearbook people around...and then I'd smack myself around. Perhaps those aren't the best words considering the story that gets me to the lack of a being in a yearbook.
All of this needs a bit of explaining, so I'm going to dive in, but this is where the skeletons start to fall out. The story is much more involved than "My school made a boo boo". The story is not a nice one and it is a bit disturbing so turn back now if you're squeamish! It's a part of my family's history and ignoring it doesn't change it, so here goes...
I lived in Hazleton, Pennsylvania for 17 years. My parents began divorcing when I was in 2nd grade. Long story, but my dad ended up with custody of us kids through a series of manipulation/guilt techniques. So much for not using your kids in a divorce. He was all about doing whatever it took to get my mother to stay...to not lose control. He's a control freak...and she was leaving. He actually convinced himself that she would eventually come back and did everything to drag out the divorce. As long as it wasn't finalized then there was a chance, right?
In 1986 (four years before I would graduate from high school) he lost control of another member of his family. My older sister graduated from high school and immediately left to live with my mom. I've been told the story several times as to why she left, but I never write it down and I always forget it. Why? Bad memories + me = blocking. I do need to talk to my mom and sister and finally write it down, because she did have her reasons for leaving. I know that my father and sister had a fight before the graduation ceremony though and he told her that he wasn't going to her graduation. He went, but he told her he didn't. She went on for years believing he wasn't there. That's the kind of guy he was. My sister left and never turned back. She hasn't spoken to him since 1986. Harsh? Just you wait...
In 1988 my mom finally got the divorce pushed through, she remarried and soon after had my baby sister. I met my baby sister for the first time in 1989 when she was a few weeks old. I was going to the prom with my boyfriend (a senior) and my mom and step-dad brought her to the prom so I could meet her. I always loved babies and my baby sister is probably the catalyst that caused me to stop treating my mom like she was the bad guy and to renew a proper mother-daughter relationship with her. My father had all three of his daughters treating my mother with contempt for years...we all eventually woke up and saw reality. This was the beginning of my awakening.
My boyfriend joined the Air Force and went away. While he was gone I began visiting my mom more. My dad didn't like this. He didn't say it, but I'm smart enough to figure it out. I was dating. I wasn't letting him bad mouth my mother in front of me anymore. I had a job....and a smart mouth, but that was nothing new. I was becoming an independent young woman which meant he was losing control.
It only happened 3 times. Yeah, I know I said that I block bad things, but there are some things that don't get completely blocked. I smart-mouthed my father one evening in the summer and he slapped me. And slapped me. And slapped me. I was backed into the corner of my bedroom and couldn't get away and he just continued to slap me. I was screaming and doing my best to cover my head and face with my arms. I had fallen to the floor in the corner of my room by the open window. He calmly stopped what he was doing, shut the windows in my room and came back and resumed slapping me. The next day I had to work. It had to have been July or August and it was warm. I had bruises all over my arms. I wore long-sleeves to work. People at work did notice. One person asked. No one ever did anything though. One of those things, that you kind of wish someone would be your hero, but no one wants to interfere.
I wrote to my boyfriend about what happened. He was on his way home. Being discharged from the military for medical reasons. At least he'd be back soon and I'd have a bit of an escape. The second time happened shortly after he got back. I had just gotten back from seeing him and he wanted me to call him when I got home. I did. My father came out of the kitchen and started screaming at me. I don't remember why. There really didn't have to be a reason to get him to start. Maybe my room was a mess. Maybe he just didn't like the fact that I was out with my boyfriend. I never asked. There was little point in asking. But I yelled back at him and he punched me. Not in the face. In the arm, not that it really mattered. It hurt and I started crying. My boyfriend knew what happened immediately, and I heard from the other end of the phone, "He did it again, didn't he?"
It wasn't long after that the last time happened. It was October and I had just come back from hanging out with my boyfriend and his family at their house. As soon as I walked in the house he started yelling at me for whatever reason and I got mouthy. I was standing next to my bed and he shoved me. He shoved me so hard that I flew over the bed and landed on the floor on the other side. I picked up my purse and ran out of the house and to my boyfriend's. He called my mom and told her what was going on and that she needed to come and get me because I couldn't go back there. A little over an hour later, my mom and step-dad arrived, escorted me to my house and had me pack some stuff up quickly. We'd be back for the rest later. It was late.
And so I moved in October of my senior year. I moved an hour away. I started at a brand new school. I was glad to be with my mom, but I was a bit upset at not being in Hazleton High School anymore. That's where my friends were. As a young 17 year old I just couldn't conceive of starting off new. I was a shy kid (at least until you got to know me) and going to a new school was intimidating.
I had given my senior picture to the Hazleton High School yearbook. When I moved I had already ordered a yearbook and I made sure to let them know that I wanted my picture to stay in that yearbook since that's where my heart was. I didn't find out until I picked up my copy of the yearbook that it wasn't in there. Words cannot describe the hurt I felt. This is about where I'd like that time machine so I could smack someone at the HHS yearbook, but it's also when I'd like to go back and smack myself. I never turned my picture into my new school's yearbook. I was stubborn to a fault. Regardless of my scared little girl feelings, I did make friends at Pocono Mountain High School. A wonderful small group of friends that I was probably closer to than most of my HHS friends. I bought a yearbook, but my picture, of course, wasn't there either because I hadn't turned it in.
Looking back part of me thinks, "Good. It was an awful picture," but really most people don't absolutely love their senior pictures anyway. The other part of me...the family historian/genealogist part says, "Dumbass."
So a fairly disturbing, graphic story of my dad the a-hole. This blog post may be the only way the story of my picture...the whole story...gets told. I don't know how long blogging will be around. How long these posts of ours will be seen, but I will be having my blog printed annually to keep a record for future generations. I blog to find others researching the same lines as I am. I blog to help others by sharing local information as well, but mostly, I blog to pass on my family's story. I don't think that family history is about hiding the bad bits. I have had a wonderful life...with some speed bumps, but who doesn't?


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alexu2001 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 51 diseños de 14 diseñadores freelance.
Willi's Original Brats
Willis Original Brats, Inc. is a new brand/company in USA registered last week. Willi is a german master butcher who brought his own recipes, which are successful in germany since 1974, to the USA. The core product is a fantastic original german bratwurst of unrivalled taste and quality. The brand will be launched during NASCAR Races in Dover, Delaware upcoming may.
After the logo contest we will post stationary and websites as well so stay tuned for more busines to come )
The target audience is in the USA, any resident who likes Bratwurst or BBQ food in general. Simply anybody who likes meat....
The audience need to understand that this is highest quality handmade food.
The logo should contain willi as an image, caricature or PS effected image.
I have a vision of a plague or seal type thing extremly valuable in the form of old bavarian medals. We should use the bavarian colors blue and white, the footbal club logo shows them pretty good while the medals are more historic and darker. Imagine what you feel when you think about Octoberfest !
the logo should show the name Willi's Original! Brats and additionally something saying like:
Excellence since 1974, or Quality since 1974 or similar to visualize its been around a while and its great quality.
Value and the immediate link to bavaria and germany are important in the logo a bratwurst as a graphic can be included as well into the logo unless it gets too crowded
we should dress willi with a butcher shirt and a hat especially if we use caricature.
I have uploaded pictures of him and examples in a ZIP file attached
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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February is Black History Month–an opportunity to reflect not only on our social and economic history, but also on the history of poor health status for America's minority populations and the potential of using 21st century health information technology to assure optimal care for everyone.
The disparity in health status between minorities and white Americans was not new when it was so well documented in the 1985 Secretary's Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1985). In 1906, W.E.B. Du Bois edited a volume, The Health and Physique of the Negro American, that call attention to the disparities. In 1914, Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, addressed the issue by offering up some startling facts concerning excessive illnesses and death among blacks and the cost to the nation that were a result of this disease burden. A hundred years later we find ourselves still wrestling with disparities in health outcomes for blacks and other minorities.
We have inherited a health care system in which subsets of Americans, many of whom are African American, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans, are having their lives adversely affected by health disparities, higher rates of disease when contrasted to the general population. These health disparities degrade life's quality while raising risk for premature death.
One of the great challenges for those working to eliminate health disparities in minority communities is their underrepresentation in clinical trials. Increased diversity in clinical trials helps researchers find better treatments and better ways to fight diseases that disproportionately impact certain populations and may be important for safe and effective use of therapies. For example:
- African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as Caucasians[1], but represent only 4 percent of prostate cancer clinical trials participants[2];
- Asian Americans have a higher risk of developing diabetes than Caucasians, but from 1998-2001, no Asian Americans were represented in diabetes clinical trials[3]; and
- Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans have more than double the prevalence of diabetes than Caucasian, non-Hispanics, but represented only 4 percent of clinical trial participants from 1998-2001.[4]
As noted by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Minority Health, genetic differences can make a cancer treatment more toxic in one ethnic group than it would be in another. These variations can also make drugs like antidepressants and blood-pressure medications less effective in one group than another. For this reason, it is vitally important that the process used to test the effectiveness of new medicines accurately reflects the patient population that will eventually take them.
Clinical trials are also an important piece of the scientific framework of evidence-based medicine, which inform clinical guidelines and quality measures that direct how we manage most medical disorders. Unfortunately, the underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native American and Asian Americans in clinical trials can mean that those guidelines and quality measures are frequently silent or must rely on lower levels of evidence to determine their benefit for minority patients.
There is also a paucity of databases (registries) drawn from clinical practices from which we can learn the benefits and risks of using many important, new therapies in minority populations, further compromising the ability of health care systems to make definitive statements and recommendations about optimal care for people of color.
This latter information gap was hard to overcome in the age of analog medicine when medical records were recorded in ink, stored in paper file folders, which were hard to access for medical research. But we live in the digital information age and the reality of digital medicine is here. Minorities own mobile personal digital devices – smartphones, tablets, e-readers. They are using apps to plan, monitor the inner workings of their bodies, and communicate with their health provider. Healthcare providers record information on electronic health records. Every day we are purchasing networked, biometric devices for our homes and to wear on our person that can continuously monitor and capture information about our health status. All of this health information can be stored "in the cloud", making it readily accessible by the consumer, and the health care providers and researchers they designate. This growing body of information (big data it is called), coupled with new knowledge about genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology, can help pioneering companies create innovative medicines to improve the quality of care that is available. Digital medicine holds out many promises that can do a lot to remedy the health disparities that Dubois, Washington and the Secretary's Task Force Report documented.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and my organization, The National Minority Quality Forum, have given considerable thought to the problem of underrepresentation of minority in clinical trials and we are taking two bold steps to rectify the problem. First, we are launching a public engagement initiative, designed to raise awareness and educate about the importance of diversity in clinical trials, overcome distrust in the minority community, and encourage minorities to enroll in a patient registry. Secondly, we have collaborated on the development of the Clinical Trial Engagement Network (CTEN) to enhance diversity in participation in clinical trials. The CTEN is envisioned to be a cloud-based, life-long community of patients, patient advocacy organizations, medical providers and researchers built around data warehouses, and state-of-the art analytic and communications systems.
CTEN will take advantage of many health information technology programs initiated by the Department of Health and Human Services such as the Blue Button Movement, Meaningful Use, View Download and Transmit, Clinical Trials.gov, and the Health Data Initiative. Taken together these programs, coupled with the unprecedented health care access that is guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act, create the opportunity to build a 21st health care system that is disparities free.
[1] National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. "Cancer Health Disparities" Fact Sheet. 2008. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities. [Accessed 2013 Sept 19].
[2] Food and Drug Administration. "FDA Report: Collection, Analysis, and Availability of Demographic Subgroup Data for FDA-Approved Medical Products, August 2013." Available from here. [Accessed 2013 Aug 20].
[3] Evelyn B, Gray K, Rothwell R (Office of Special Health Issues US FDA). US Black participation in clinical trials: a review of selected new molecular identities approved 1998-2001. Presented at the NMA meeting, 2002, Honolulu, Hawaii.
[4] Ibid.


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Remember when I learned the best way to bake with tea? I made jasmine raspberry cupcakes that I adored, and I warned you that more tea cupcakes were coming soon. When the folks at Paula Deen requested a peach cupcake for the month of August, sweet peach tea immediately came to mind. Can't you picture Paula Deen sitting on her porch with one of my peach tea cupcakes? Some day, I'll get the chance to personally make one for her; but for now, I'll just continue to widely grin about the fact that my cupcakes are on her website.
Here's the peach tea cupcake recipe.
Peach Tea Cupcakes
Tea-Infused Butter Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 32 grams about 1/3 cup whole leaf Earl Grey tea
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 medium-sized lemon
- 2/3 cup tea-infused butter
- 3 large eggs
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup finely chopped overripe peaches
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 12 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ¾ tsp lemon extract
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Tea-Infused Butter Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat until just melted.
- Add the tea leaves.
- Continue heating the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat.
- Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the tea leaves to squeeze out as much butter as possible.
- Let the butter come to room temperature and refrigerate until it is no longer liquid or until ready to use.
Cupcake Instructions
- Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, mix sugar and lemon zest. Allow to sit for at least thirty minutes.
- In a large bowl, cream tea-infused butter and lemon sugar.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Beat in ginger.
- Beat in flour, one cup at a time, alternating with milk.
- Fold in peaches.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time until well integrated.
- Mix in lemon extract.
- Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.
- Top with mint leaves.


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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In September 2015, the international community adopted the Agenda 2030 which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which lasted from 2000 to 2015, but are more comprehensive and inclusive. The SDGs are particularly relevant for the peacebuilding community for two reasons. First, the Agenda explicitly recognizes the link between peace and sustainable development. Second, peace is a central topic across the Agenda as well as in a separate goal, SDG 16 on peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
The implementation of the SDGs is an important opportunity to strengthen conflict prevention as an important part of inclusive and sustainable development. The universal Agenda 2030 aims to be a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder process involving all segments of society and leaving no one behind. The same approach is necessary to achieve sustainable peace, where prevention is a continuous effort not only to prevent crises but also to address root causes of conflict.
GPPAC was part of a group of NGOs that collectively lobbied at the UN in New York and with different member states to ensure peace became an integral part of the agenda. Now that the goals are set, a strong political commitment for inclusive, people centred implementation at local, national, regional and international level needs to be fostered, maintained and scrutinised. This is necessary for the SDGs to really help prevent violence and insecurity. In our background paper 'A Peacebuilding Lens on the Sustainable Development Goals' we highlight how civil society organisations can engage with the SDG agenda and what our members are doing for the SDGs.
GPPAC is supporting its members to act on this by raising awareness about the SDGs and jointly exploring opportunities for our members and other CSOs working in peacebuilding and conflict prevention to link their work to this framework. GPPAC will be seeking to further develop the capacities of its members and the network to be involved in SDG processes relevant to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Finally, GPPAC aims to bring experiences and lessons learnt from our members to the policy level, relating them to the SDG agenda in a meaningful way. We are, for example, actively promoting the link between Human Security and its inclusive people centred approach and the SDGs.
Through our engagement with the SDGs, GPPAC aims to strengthen the role of local civil society in fostering conflict prevention and peacebuilding by ensuring a truly inclusive multi-stakeholder approach based on local ownership is realised in the SDG implementation across the globe. Do you want to find out how to turn the SDGs into concrete action? Take a look at our SDG flowchart!
Want to know more? Read our background paper on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from a peacebuilding perspective. The paper gives recommendations on how civil society organisations can engage with the agenda.


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|Club Mango is no ordinary hotel.
It is a place for those who wish to enjoy. A unique entirely round accommodation,
in a beautiful hilly setting a wide range of facilities, e.g. spa, pools,
gym, crocket, tennis & fishing 10 minute walk or 5 minute drive to Hua
Hin's newest golf courses a truly inspiring restaurant with cross-over
kitchen a scenic upstairs bar with snooker table, board games
& a small library access to complete seminar facilities, where Thai
language, cooking classes & cross-cultural seminars, etc. are offered
from time to time free 15 minute shuttle to & from Hua Hin, departing
every 90 minutes in-house tour desk for travel arrangement, sight seeing
and golf tours truly friendly staff, dedicated to make your stay a enjoyable
Live in Mango Spa & Resort.....
Club Mango has more than two hundred mango trees, some fifty other species of plants and plentiful of water. We take great care to make our resort green and environment friendly.
Most of our staff live and enjoy our life at the resort. We invite our guests to join us in an open, relax, tolerant and friendly atmosphere.
We offer a variety of accommodation options: The resort comprises 12 two-storey bungalows (classified as deluxe room), 27 one-bedroom apartments and houses (family suites) and 19 two and three-bedrooms villas. All apartments and villas are individually furnished and decorated, some of them also with private pool and Jacuzzis.
Our guests can dine at our restaurant for weeks without missing the
taste of their food at home or some different exotic tastes from a far
away place! Our restaurant offers a good selection of both Thai and
international cuisine, and our chef is always willing to compose whatever
our guests fancy tasting.
|Relax and Reflect.....
There is a salubrious feeling surrounding the Spa which is located on a little island of its own in the middle of a lake. The sweet scent of freshly mown grass and herbs, the sound of birds, of music and water, and the full gamut of colours of tropical garden reflected in the clear water of our spa lake combining with the soft touch of our therapists will make your visit to Mango Spa a blissful experience.
Play Golf.....
Mango Spa provides golf lessons by our own Pro Tommy Bjornsson, who has 30 years experience giving golf lessons. Tommy would love to help you with your golf game and have you as his guest.
We have many levels of golf lessons, from learning how to play golf, to improving your golf game, to learning to play as a professional golfer. Your stay at MangoSpa may be a good chance for some of your family members who do not play golf to start to learn how to play, so that when he or she goes back home, he or she may be able to surprise someone with his or her new talent in the game of golf.
We also arrange golf tours to different golf courses in Hua Hin as well as stay-over packages outside the Hua Hin area.


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Glenn Greenwald would like to go home to the United States, at least for a visit. But the Guardian journalist and blogger is afraid to do so. He still has material and unpublished stories from his contacts with fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden that he believes U.S. authorities would love to get their hands on. The nine-hour detention and interrogation of Greenwald's Brazilian partner David Miranda by British security services at London's Heathrow airport in August has only compounded his fears.
"I have been told by pretty much everybody I have asked, including lawyers for the Guardian, my personal lawyer, lawyers I trust, political people who are well connected that it would be very ill-advised for me to travel back to the United States right now because the chances that I would be arrested are something more than trivial," Greenwald told CPJ in Rio de Janeiro.
"I've had lots of prominent political and media figures calling for my arrest and prosecution and strongly suggesting, if not outright stating, that what I am doing is criminal."
Fear, however, is the last impression that Greenwald gives as he is sought out by journalists attending a meeting of the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in his adoptive city. Greenwald is confident, assertive, and speaks in the fully rounded sentences of the lawyer he was trained to be.
He has tried to find out what fate would await him at a U.S. border crossing but authorities have not returned his calls.
"My lawyers have tried to get some indication and have not succeeded....I haven't had any kind of official communications from them at all." U.S. prosecutors have not brought criminal cases against any journalists who received material from Snowden, including Barton Gellman, who published accounts of National Security Agency surveillance in The Washington Post.
Greenwald says he has more revelations from Snowden, who ended up with temporary asylum in Russia after leaving Hong Kong--where he first went public with a trove of documents about NSA snooping on private citizens both inside and outside the U.S.
He is careful not disclose just what further exclusives on surveillance he might be preparing, but when asked if he has more material he answers: "Oh, yeah. Lots." And he intends to use it.
He says he is in "almost daily" contact with Snowden. "We speak through encrypted chat technologies."
Obviously Greenwald would not go into detail about his contacts with the former NSA contractor but he feels comfortable that his communications are "reasonably secure."
"It helps having NSA documents that discuss what they are able to do and what they are not able to do...so that you can use the things they are not able to do," he said.
All the same, Greenwald is cautious and convinced that he and those around him are under surveillance. This was confirmed, he says, when his partner Miranda was held while transiting through London en route to Brazil from Germany, where he had met with Laura Poitras, a Berlin-based filmmaker also working on revelations about NSA spying. Miranda's laptop and phone were taken out of his sight while he was questioned by British authorities.
"I think it's pretty safe to assume that all of my electronic conversations are being monitored," Greenwald said. "I think the reason they detained David and not numerous other Guardian journalists who have traveled in and out of Heathrow or Laura herself, who three weeks earlier went to Heathrow without incident, is because they have learned through surveillance of electronic communications of either myself and/or David that he had intended to transport documents between me and Laura for material we were working on."
Greenwald believes that in his dealings with Snowden he has acted as a journalist and observed journalistic standards.
"I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the labels, quite honestly," he replied when asked if he considered himself a journalist. "Sometimes I do classic journalism, other times I do classic reporting, other times I do classic advocacy journalism and then other times I do classic activism where I try to achieve a political outcome. I think I wear different hats and have different objectives and strive for different goals at different times."
Greenwald said that for his work on the NSA he should fall under the protection of any future U.S. federal shield law.
"I think even under the strictest, most controversial definition I would qualify because I work for a large establishment media organization and get paid for that work...even under Diane Feinstein's incredibly restrictive and cramped definition I qualify. But I think every single individual blogger who has never gotten paid a penny in their life ought to have equal claim to those laws. If you look at what the Founders conceived of in terms of what journalism was protected, it is not protected for a class of people called journalists, it is protected for the activity called journalism."
Greenwald believes in respecting the anonymity of sources, but he said Snowden wanted publicity.
"He not only expected to lose his anonymity, he wanted to lose it. He thought it was extremely important to account to the world for what he had done, to take responsibility for it, he was proud of what he did," Greenwald said. "There was no hope of being anonymous anyway given how massive the compromise was of the system that he had taken these documents from."
Nevertheless, Greenwald believes reporters have a duty to take all measures possible to protect their sources by using whatever encryption technologies are available.
"I think it very irresponsible at this point for any journalists working on sensitive material or who want to protect their sources not to use advanced methods of encryption for everything they do online. So that means using an encrypted email program like PGP; it means using encrypted chat technologies like OTR, Pidgin, and using encryption methods like Truecrypt to protect documents; it means using air gap computers, computers that never connect to the Internet, when working with sensitive materials so they can't be hacked thought the Internet; and it means using instruments like Tor to ensure anonymity with all computer and online activity."
Greenwald thinks the extent of the NSA revelations has hurt the U.S.'s standing as champion of press freedom.
"The United States has constructed this worldwide, secret, suspicionless surveillance system that among other things collects the data who was talking to whom. [It] is seen quite rightly by journalists around the world as probably the greatest menace to press freedom because if you don't have sources who can come to you in confidence that they are speaking to you in anonymity it destroys the newsgathering process."
He also believes the Obama administration's vigorous pursuit of whistleblowers and leakers has chilled journalism and highlighted "the massive gap between the rhetoric of the United States and the reality of the United States when it comes to press freedoms."
The U.S. is not Greenwald's only problem. He believes he dare not set foot in Britain either.
"The U.K. is literally a country that doesn't have any pretense of constitutional protections for a free press They have already said there is an ongoing criminal investigation and they have already detained my partner...the chances are quite good [that] my going to the U.K. will result in my detention if not arrest."
Canada and Australia are not on his must-visit list either. "And I would probably think twice about visiting certain EU states that are particularly subservient to the United States as well."
Despite all this, Greenwald still wants to go home: "I absolutely intend to return to the United States. I refuse to be exiled or excluded from my own country because of doing journalism. I was a constitutional lawyer, I take the constitution seriously, I believe in the First Amendment and I intend to insist upon its protections. I just want some greater sense of what the risks are and what the situation is before I do it."
[Reporting from Rio de Janiero]
UPDATE: This post has been corrected to reflect the correct spelling of Greenwald's first name.


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Here you can find the collected archives from all our satellite
showcases, present and past.
Imagine the Universe is a service of the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC), Dr. Alan Smale (Director), within the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
The Imagine Team
Acting Project Leader: Dr. Barbara Mattson
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