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Creating MSI installer for Application
Mar 31st
Recently I was tasked to create MSI installer for our current application which is in development phase. While browsing project types in VS, I had known that VS has ability to create installer using Install Shield, but that was pretty much of it. I have never worked with them before. But after working with windows installation project for few days, it looks pretty straight forward process to me. I mean of course, we can customize installer anyway we want and it can get pretty complex subject, but out requirement was not so fancy (at least at this moment ) so I am overall enjoying working with it.
For this demo I have created a very simple console application in C# and I am creating installer for that app. This installer will allow user to install that app to any location, just like any other app. And this application is targeted for only 32bit machines. This console application basically runs in a loop until user quits it, with each loop it displays two random number and user is required to add them (I know its pretty basic app .. but this demo is for installer not for some fancy app ). I am actually following old MSDN walkthrough which explains step-by-step process to create MSI installer.
First, I have created a console application project "Installer Demo". Like below.
using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Text; namespace InstallerDemo { class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { char cont; do { Random r = new Random(); int i = r.Next(1, 10); Console.WriteLine("First Number: {0}", i); int j = r.Next(1, 10); Console.WriteLine("Second Number: {0}", j); Console.Write("Total is: "); int k = i + j; var l = Console.ReadLine(); Console.WriteLine(k == Convert.ToInt32(l) ? "True" : "False"); Console.WriteLine("Another Addition ?? Y/N"); cont = Convert.ToChar(Console.ReadLine()); } while (cont == 'Y' | cont == 'y'); Console.WriteLine("Bye"); Console.ReadLine(); } } }
Setting up personal Source Control Server using Visual SVN Server
Dec 23rd
I was working on one of my personal projects and I thought that it would be really cool if I have my own source control mechanism so I can always rollback to older versions if I ever need to do it. Till now, I was always just keep multiple copies of each project so if I have to rollback or even just have to compare files then I just open them up and compare it. But with my prolonged exposure to SVN, I found that it is more easy if I have some sort of source control server, I can use it to keep all of my repositories and it will make my like more easy. So just last night I finally completed that task.
Tools of trade,
- Visual SVN Server (to work as SVN Server, free)
- AnkhSVN (a Visual Studio plugin for SVN, free)
- Tortoise SVN (tool to use SVN in windows environment, free)
To setup dedicated Visual SVN Server I used virtual machine with Windows 2008 Server (having 16 Gigs of RAM really helps ). Just make sure that machine has static IP, because DHCP will have random IP of machine and then it could be wonky for SVN Server.
Developing ASP.NET Application in MONO under Linux
May 22nd
Today, I was playing with my new install of Linux. I installed Mono in it… (for those who don't know what is MONO, is a cross platform IDE that can be used to develop .NET application in any environment) .. With my past encounters with Mono, I know that it is sort of complicated to make Mono work properly and you need to configure it specifically to work without glitch 🙂 … but with this newer Ubuntu 11.04, the process was way too simple.
During installation from "Ubuntu Software Center" I can select which add-on I want to install with Mono and everything will be configured automatically !! So only user intervention is just to select which add-on they want. Once you are done with installation you can fire up the application and start coding right away. Well, it is other case if you are way too much habituated with drag 'n drop Visual Studio environment then you will find it a bit difficult to work with Mono since it doesn't have VS like rich UI. But I say, it is way better then what you can get in Linux.
Sample Code:
<form id="form1" runat="server">
<asp:Button id="Button" runat="server" Text="MONO" OnClick="Button_Click"/>
<asp:Label id="Label" runat="server" Text=""/>
protected void Button_Click (object sender, EventArgs e)
Label.Text = "Hello Mono !!";
I guess this is one more reason to use Linux 🙂 …
That's it for now ….
.NET Framework 4 and Could Not Load Type 'System.ServiceModel.Activation.HttpModule' Error …
Nov 28th
So, day before yesterday I was working on some app. And I deployed it on my IIS (v7.5) server. The deployment process went very well without any sort of troubles. But when I tried to run that application from my web browser I got loads of error. And I found that the main error was something like this,
Could Not Load Type 'System.ServiceModel.Activation.HttpModule'
Could not load type 'System.ServiceModel.Activation.HttpModule' from assembly 'System.ServiceModel, Version=184.108.40.206, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089'.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current Web request. Review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.
Exception Details: System.TypeLoadException: Could not load type 'System.ServiceModel.Activation.HttpModule' from assembly 'System.ServiceModel, Version=188.8.131.52, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089'.
With little googling, I found that I was not the first victim of this error !!! And after few clicks I finally found the reason and solution for this error.
The Reason: If you have installed IIS AFTER installing .NET Framework 4 (in my case) then it won't get register with IIS and so when you run the app that is built on .NET v.4 by deploying it won't work and will give you above mentioned error. And the solution is next.
ASP.NET and Page Not Found Error while debugging !
Oct 30th
Being sunny weekend today, with full of energy I began to work on making some prototype application which I have to present to my client sometimes during next week. It been a while since I worked on ASP.NET on my application (@ 2 weeks) since I installed Sharepoint Server 2010 demo in my machine. So, with having no idea of a monster under the bed, I made a simple web app and fired it up to debug … and with my little surprise, I got really weird "Page Not Found" error !!! To be honest, I have not seen this error before until today. And I had no idea that what went wrong with it. But I thought that may be it is because something is blocking up my access of application to web server. I checked with my new firewall software (Online Armor) which I had installed few weeks ago for testing purposes (yah, I love testing everything … ) …


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© 2015 | Informed Risk Decisions
Helping enterprises make reasoned cyber risk decisions
Informed Risk Decisions
Cyber threats are very real but are you making reasoned, relevant and cost-effective risk decisions to protect your information and your customers' information?
Are you looking forward enough into the future to understand how the regulatory response to cyber threats is changing and its likely impact on your Enterprise?
Information Risk Decisions has been formed to help enterprises answer these questions. It brings together significant practical experience in helping enterprises across many business and government sectors to work through the complex tapestry of issues to make reasoned cyber risk decisions. Importantly we will help you make cost-effective cyber risk decisions because your enterprise's resources are not limitless and you will never be given enough to eliminate each and every cyber threat.
We can help you make insightful and informed risk decisions to protect your information, and to help you acknowledge and manage any residual risks in an accountable and acceptable way for your business.
Please explore our website to see how we can help you and what services we offer.

subset: commoncrawl


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I've just listened to an interesting program from two Sundays ago on Radio National's Spirit of Things. The Spirit of Things often seems disconnected from the evangelical/pentecostal world, and it was good to see this intelligent engagement with it. It starts out with an excellent critique of the megachurch phenomenon by Marion Maddox, including its fixation on wealth, its individualism and its many backdoors of people leaving disillusioned. (There I am cheering Marion on.) But then there's a twist, with an articulate defence of the movement by Jacquie Grey, 'young' (was Rachael Kohn being condescending or complimentary?) academic dean and OT lecturer at what was Southern Cross College but is now named after some star. I'm not a convert, but Jacquie responded very well to what she must have known what was not going to be the most sympathetic interview, recognising the movement's shortcomings and its shifts and attempts to address these problems. (Nothing is more gracious, in my opinion, than recognising your own shortcomings. It's something I've never heard one or two evangelical movements do.)
It bugs me how influential megachurches are on the wider evangelical movement. It is now almost compulsory to aspire toward being a megachurch, at least from what I've heard about Baptist churches in my neck of the woods.
Megachurches are antithetical to Anabaptism, that's for sure. Anabaptists hate crowds, for a start. (Tongue in cheek, I offer this facetious comment in lieu of a full blown discussion, as I'm not up to it right now.)


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You will need to sign in or create an account before you can use your wishlist…
Enhance your hair's natural beauty with the Sachajuan Normalizing Shampoo, a lightweight purifier to enrich your locks with lustrous shine and hydration.
Created to provide your hair with a daily sleek and clean finish, this nourishing cleanser encourages shine, density and volume with its lightweight, nutritious formula.
Ocean Silk Technology transforms the texture of your hair, by enriching each strand with active marine ingredients. Refortifying proteins combine with algae extracts to strengthen your hair follicles, whilst enriching your hair with optimal care.
Massage into wet hair then rinse. For best results, follow with the Sachajuan Normalizing Conditioner.
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Please choose your delivery country and currency below.


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The Family Learning Project, free workshops aimed at Parents & Carers, to book a place 01202743279 or email email@example.com
The Hub allows the Wey Valley School to expand their capacity to respond to the differing needs of support for students.
The work of The Hub is intended to give students the skills needed for them to work in mainstream classrooms where they may not otherwise be able to.
We want students to be able to know how to show respect, behave in class, comply with school regulations, work in class and handle conflict appropriately.
The Hub will
· aim to support subject leaders and teachers in enabling the learning of students with needs which manifest themselves in behaviour and self-management issues
· to work with and, where possible, support parents and carers in enabling their youngsters who attend Hub courses to make progress and experience consistency both in and out of school.
· work with outside agencies to provide a consistent support package for the students working in The hub
· deliver a Personal Learning Plan designed to meet a student's assessed needs with the goal of their fulfilling their potential and, wherever possible, taking a full part in the life of the school and mainstream classes
· The Hub is also available at break and lunchtimes offering a safe and supportive area where values of friendship are encouraged and reinforced. This has allowed many students to develop their social and interpersonal skills
The Hub offers students a course designed to address needs which have been highlighted and assessed at the Student Achievement Group (SAG).
Each student will have a Personal Learning Plan and The Hub aims to promote students' academic, social and emotional development.
The Hub will also make a key contribution to the provision of a stable, caring and supportive learning environment; to enable students to achieve their full learning potential and facilitate their personal, academic, social and moral development.
Some activities may be individual or group-based, depending on the needs of the student, and some activities may be off-site or involve external agencies.
The Hub will offer a planned and supported reintegration programme at the end of any Personal Learning Plan course.
Students returning to school from fixed-term exclusion will undergo a reintegration Personal Learning Plan, based in The Hub. The nature and timescale of this will be individually negotiated to meet the student's needs
The Wey Valley Hub is an integral part of the whole school and supports our students to remain engaged in education as long as possible. It is a place for rigorous learning which supports students in mastering the challenge of school and raises their self-esteem and motivation in a caring and positive atmosphere.


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Millennials, we are told, want something radically different from their work, and from their lives, than other generations. They prioritize work-life balance; they take short-term or undefined-length jobs that are flexible over more permanent situations; and they want to do more "creative" work. But new research shows that changing up the way you work may be more dependent on personality than age, as many older adults are engaging in these same "millennial" work habits.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over-65s are much more likely to be self-employed than those under 34 (four times more likely). Half of Uber drivers are over 40, and according to The Atlantic, "More than 60 percent of workers under 34 derive income from a single source — as one would from earning a salary from one company. But almost three quarters of workers over 65 make money from more than one source, not counting Social Security. Gigs, freelance positions, and part-time jobs, although often hailed as the province of millennials, are actually dominated by older workers."
For some older workers, the new ways of doing business and making money fit them perfectly. Like younger people, they appreciate the flexibility of part-time or freelance work for similar reasons. And for some people who are already retired, it gives them a chance to keep busy and involved in their community.
My father is a perfect example of this. He sold his company over a decade ago, and now in-between surfing-and-swimming mornings, he rents out an attached studio in his house on Airbnb, as well as doing some consulting work for former clients. He loves the flexibility of Airbnb (he can just take time off from listing it whenever he wants due to the site's easy calendar-availability function), and he gets to meet new people from around the world, which he enjoys, being a traveler himself. (His innate curiosity about new technology and especially the Internet means he's long been comfortable online, which helps, and the fact that he's healthy is another boon — not every older person has these advantages.) When my father turns 75 next month, he can count a regular income stream from several sources as part of what his version of "retirement."
By 2024, a larger percentage of the population will be over 55 than ever before: almost a full quarter of Americans. And as people expect to live longer lives, many will want to work, too — maybe at something related to what their careers were, or maybe something completely different. But what does this look like and how can you jump in if you're feeling wary? Here are some ideas from Elizabeth White, who has written a book on the subject: "Fifty-five, Unemployed, and Faking Normal."
Don't be snobby about the work
Not all part-time work has to follow your career path. (Photo: sylv1rob1/Shutterstock)
Some gig-economy jobs are fun and creative, and some are pretty unglamorous — but necessary and important. If you're putting together an income from several jobs, you'll likely have a mix of fun stuff and not-so-fun stuff. So don't be too fussy about what you do. I have a master's degree from an Ivy-league school but I walked dogs for a year (which ended up being a fantastic part-time job, by the way: I got paid to exercise regularly and play with cute dogs!).
Take part-time or freelance jobs
The idea behind having two or three (or more) jobs that aren't full-time means you have multiple income streams. While you'll have to be a bit organized about keeping track of your time and communications with each workplace, the upshot is that if you lose one of the gigs, you won't lose your entire income in one fell swoop. You also won't have to go through the painful process of applying for a full-time job (which these days means usually months of looking, multiple nerve-wracking interviews and possible psychological or ability tests), which is a huge time-suck — and all before you even know if the workplace is a good fit for you.
Accept that the work landscape has changed
Time does not move backwards, and neither does culture. If you had a job that you loved and gave you a great salary and benefits in the past, that's great — count yourself lucky. But you may never find that kind of job again — and that's OK. You could find something even better, or at least as good, but in different ways. It's important to always be flexible in life, as the world is constantly changing. Whenever I feel insecure about how much change is happening, I remember that my grandparents lived through the Great Depression, World War 2, massive cultural changes in the '60s and '70s, and more. Being human means cultivating resiliency.
Take stock and build community
No matter how positive your attitude or how excellent your work ethic, you may end up living with less income than you'd like in your later years. This is where community comes in. You are probably already living more frugally (but if not, sit down and look at where you money went over the last few months and what you can cut). And you can also form "resilience circles" of friends or colleagues, a group of people who you can get psychological support from when you're feeling down, and share resources and opportunities when you're on top of things.
Clearly, millennials and older workers have plenty in common — and lots of ways to support each other. Many co-working spaces offer community support meetings, or look for Facebook groups in your area for virtual workers, who will sometimes work together in cafes or at someone's home to beat the loneliness of independent work.
If fear of learning new things (like, say, working online) is the reason for your discomfort about applying for part-time jobs, consider taking a free- or low-cost class that will allow you to jump in and learn in a safe environment. And keep in mind: Learning new things as you age is great for your brain health.


text: Are you looking for a stylish shirt for this football season? Check out the USC Trojans Dimensional long sleeve T-shirt for a modern look. This lightweight tee sports a screen print wordmark above 3D "Trojans" lettering on the chest and "Southern Cal" lettering on the left sleeve. It also features a tagless collar for added comfort. It's time to take your USC pride to the next dimension!


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Mount Washington Cog Railway Technology
Technology at the Mount Washington Cog Railway
2019 Cog Railway Update
The Cog Railway created and installed a Track Maintenance Car in 2019 that allows track work to happen 24/7, no matter the elements!
The Mount Washington Cog Railway has an impressive history marked by some astounding innovations. This spirit of innovation demonstrated by Sylvester Marsh, is alive and well at the Railway. Over the past twenty years we have made major enhancements to the operation with new switches, a passing loop, air ride coaches and diesel locomotives. In the near future we will accomplish even more impressive advancements while still preserving a viable steam powered operation.
The railway is in the process of completing one of the largest projects in its history, replacing all of the existing light rail on the entire mountain with 100lb. rail which will be secured by Pandrol eclips. The rail we are replacing has been in service since the 1890's. This project includes rebuilding the track from the maintenance shops to Marshfield Station. As part of this project we designed and built an unusual work car. The work car is completely enclosed, with the exception of an open floor. It is equipped with heat, lights, a knuckle boom crane and advanced hydraulic powered maintenance tools. This car will allow us to increase the number of days spent on track work exponentially. It is the largest car we have ever built. It is 57 feet long and over 12 feet wide.
This year we will complete construction of our 7th diesel locomotive and already have secured parts to begin building our 8th locomotive. With the completion of the 7th diesel, we will have the largest fleet of locomotives in service in the history of the railroad which includes 2 completely refurbished steam locomotives. Once these locomotives are complete we will have an uphill capacity of as many as 3000 people. This is a 300% increase over the capacity of the railway in 1983.
We will begin survey work this summer for the building of a brand new 18000 square foot maintenance facility below the current maintenance area. The new shop will be equipped with large overhead cranes and air casters. Air casters are moving devices that ride on a cushion of air and will be used to move machinery and equipment around in the shop enabling us to avoid having tracks in stationary positions on the floor.
We intend to restart winter operations again, with train service to Waumbek during the weekends and holiday periods. Marshfield Station will be opening daily to provide services to hikers, snowshoers and back country skiers during the winter months. This will include offering our own guide services.
We will be extending our tracks at the summit back to the original termination point.
And we are engineering new 50 ft long and 13 ft wide railroad cars that may be used for multiple purposes as we continue to expand our summer operations and reclaim some of the former revenue sources enjoyed by the railway. Stay tuned for updates as to all of these innovative projects.
-Wayne Presby, President, Mount Washington Railway Company
What is a Cog?
Think of a cog as the sprocket on your bicycle. A chain wraps around the bicycle sprocket and propels the bike forward as you pedal. Instead of a chain we use what is known as a rack which is designed much like the chain on a bicycle and looks similar. However instead of wrapping around the cog, our cog climbs up the rack providing traction to climb and descend the mountain.
A deep-rooted history of invention and fabrication has always been one of the Mount Washington Cog Railway's most intriguing attributes. The Cog has had very few owners and has been in operation consistently for almost 150 years. It has adapted to and overcome adverse opinion, two world wars, the Great Depression, the Hurricane of '38, and the challenge of technology to become one of New Hampshire's most successful historical attractions.
Designated as a National Historic Engineering Landmark in 1976, The Cog was referred to as "One of the greatest wonders of all time" by the Boston Transcript at its inauguration in 1868 and P.T. Barnum declared it the "second greatest show on earth". It can certainly be argued that this is still true to this day.
The personal design and building of biodiesel locomotives continues the tradition of innovation and improvement that has characterized the Cog Railway since 1869. From being the first mountain climbing cog railway in the world, to the use of solar-powered track switches, to the advanced Parker IQAN on-board computer packages, the Cog continues to be a leader in cutting edge technology.
Technology Videos
The Mount Washington Cog Railway was featured on Motorweek Clean Cities!
See the footage (link opens new window)
The Cog moved locomotive #8, Moosilauke, to its new home in Twin Mountain, NH at the intersections of Route 3 and Route 302 with the aid of a crane and tractor trailer trucks.
Technology Articles
The current cog ownership has been cleaning up the railway right of way thanks to the design and building of a new crane car.
Click here to view article (pdf file format 311 KB)
Cog Railway Ingenuity: The great engineering feats of the Cog
Click here to view article (pdf file format 357 KB)
The Cog Railway's first biodiesel engine was featured in the John Deere Power Systems Publication, "Power Source" in 2008.
Click here to view article (pdf file format 738 KB)


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Financial Reports
Financial Information
Consolidated Financial Highlights
Net Sales
Net Sales by Regional Operations
Operating Income
Ordinary Income
Net Income (Loss)
Interest-bearing Liability
Sales Revenue by Region
Operating Income by Region
Facility Investment
Annual Report
Annual Report 2018
Annual Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
Annual Report 2013
Annual Report 2012
Annual Report 2011
Annual Report 2010
Annual Report 2009
Annual Report 2008
Annual Report 2007
Annual Report 2006
Annual Report 2005
Annual Report 2004
Annual Report 2003
Annual Report 2002
Annual Report 2001
Annual Report 2000
Annual Report 1999
For Investors and Shareholders
IR Calendar
General Shareholders' Meeting
Earnings Release
Shareholder Information
Analyst Coverage List
Corporate Information
Corporate Data
Message from President
Board of Directors,Officers
Fact Book
Corporate Data
Facilities in Japan
Vehicle Lineup
Summary of Consolidated Financial Data
Summary of Non-Consolidated Financial Data
Consolidated Sales Results
Vehicle Exports
Global Sales
Production / Sales Results in FY2019
Cross-Supply with Other Auto Manufacturers
Principal Overseas Subsidiaries, Affiliates and Offices
1. Overseas Subsidiaries and Affiliates
: North America
: Central & South America
: Europe
: Asia
: Asia
: Asia /
Near and Middle East
(Singapore /
Indonesia /
Philippines /
Malaysia /
Vietnam /
India /
United Arab Emirates
/ Saudi Arabia)
: Oceania
: Africa
Company History
Mid-term Business Plan
Isuzu Mid-term Business Plan (FY2019 - FY2021)
Isuzu Mid-term Business Plan (April 2015 - March 2018)
Isuzu Mid-term Business Plan (April 2011 - March 2014)
Isuzu Mid-term Business Plan (April 2008 - March 2011)
I. On-going Mid-term Business Plan (Apr. 2005 to Mar. 2008)
II. New Mid-term Business Plan (MBP)(1)
II. New Mid-term Business Plan (MBP)(2)
II. New Mid-term Business Plan (MBP)(3)
Isuzu Mid-term Business Plan (April 2005 - March 2008)
Assessment of N3BP Progress
I. Future Vision(1)
I. Future Vision(2)
II. Mid-term Business Plan(1)
II. Mid-term Business Plan(2)
III. Performance Target
The New 3-year Business Plan (April 2003 - March 2005)
I. Outline of the New 3-year Business Plan
II. Review of Business Structure
III. Reinforcement of Management Control
IV. Re-capitalization
V. Future Vision, Business Strategy
VI. Quantitative Targets
Disclosure Policy
As of June 26, 2019
Board of Directors and Officers
President and Representative Director
Masanori Katayama
President and Representative Director
Masanori Katayama
Director of the Board and Managing Executive Officer
Shinichi Takahashi
Director of the Board and Managing Executive Officer
Masatoshi Ito
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Shinsuke Minami
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Tetsuya Aiba
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Kazuya Igeta
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Shigeji Sugimoto
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Koichi Seto
Director of the Board and Senior Executive Officer
Tetsuya Ikemoto
Director of the Board
Hiroyuki Maekawa
Director of the Board
Mitsuyoshi Shibata
Executive Vice President
Toru Nakata
Managing Executive Officer
Shigeo Tsuzuki
Managing Executive Officer
Keiichiro Maegaki
Senior Executive Officer
Tetsuhiko Irino
Senior Executive Officer
Yoichi Masuda
Senior Executive Officer
Hajime Wakuda
Senior Executive Officer
Etsuo Yamamoto
Senior Executive Officer
Yuzo Kato
Senior Executive Officer
Satoshi Yamaguchi
Senior Executive Officer
Hisao Sasaki
Senior Executive Officer
Takashi Odaira
Senior Executive Officer
Haruyasu Tanishige
Executive Officer
Masayuki Umeda
Executive Officer
Yasuyuki Niijima
Executive Officer
Toshio Ichimasa
Executive Officer
Shun Fujimori
Executive Officer
Naoto Nakamata
Executive Officer
Naohiro Yamaguchi
Executive Officer
Hirokazu Ookubo
Executive Officer
Hiroshi Yamamoto
Executive Officer
Satoshi Okuyama
Executive Officer
Katsumi Adachi
Executive Officer
Kimitoshi Kurokawa
Standing Corporate Auditor
Chikao Mitsuzaki
Standing Corporate Auditor
Masayuki Fujimori
Standing Corporate Auditor
Tetsuhiko Shindo
Takashi Mikumo
Kanji Kawamura
Page Top
Product Lineup
C & E-Series Heavy-Duty Trucks
F-Series FORWARD Medium-Duty Trucks
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ISUZU mu-X
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Tokyo Motor Show
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MELLO Bamboo Stool by Ekobo
You probably came across some of Ekobo's elegant and colourful kitchen accessories made from bamboo. If you like their work, which incorporates ethical production and eco-friendly materials, check out the MELLO stools. Glossy, minimalist and funky looking, the bamboo poufs are stackable, come in two sizes and the many bright colours that are typical for Ekobo products.
Why bamboo?
Ekobo like to work with this "wonder grass" because it is a fast growing renewable plant that "recycles a huge quantity of CO2 (12 tons/hectare) and produces 35% more oxygen than a tree in the same environment". Other reasons for them to work with bamboo apart from ecology are aesthetics and ethics. The Mello stool, as well as the other products by Ekobo, is produced in Vietnam where Ekobo assures fair and exemplary working conditions. Matteria, where the Mello stool is available, explains the production process for these hand-crafted stools:
Circular forms are made from an ancient technique called spun bamboo. Bamboo columns are cut lengthwise with a machete into fine strips. The strips are then coiled into a spiral around a mould. A glue made from the bread tree and bamboo sawdust is used to assemble the strips. Using its natural form, tubular products are cut horizontally from a bamboo column. Each object is then sanded, polished, and hand-painted, before being wrapped in recycled packaging.
So these cute stackable seats are made from 100% bamboo and a binder made of organic clay, bamboo powder and breadtree glue, and finished of with a lead-free lacquer. Both Mello (60 x 30 cm) and Mini Mello (34 x 12 cm) are available at Matteria for 180€ and 60€. See the Ekobo web site for other retailers. Via ::Matteria ::Ekobo
More Bamboo Furniture:
Adapt-Design Bamboo Stool/Table
Adapt Design: More Bamboo for You
PIE Chairs: Yummy Bamboo Furniture
Bamboo Furniture from Artek, Heirs to Aalto
EcoDesignz: Bamboo Furniture for a Sustainable Future
Bamboo Coffee Table Morphs into Love Seat


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If you are a nonprofit organization that depends on any type of grant funding, you must have a sustainability plan in place – and it must be actively pursued by all of your staff and constantly molded to the needs of your community. Government grant funding – particularly under the new White House administration, is in a volatile state. This happens nearly every time a new party takes over the White House. During this hour long webinar, grant experts Scott Hyland and Deborah Montgomery discuss how nonprofits should adjust their grant strategy in case anticipated government funding doesn't come through or continuation funding for an existing grant is cut.
The hour-long webinar covers the following topics:
- Nonprofit Sustainability of Grant Programs & Services
- Unreliability of Grant Funds
- Sustainability Case Study & Best Practices
- Lessons Learned About Traditional and Nontraditional Sustainability Approaches
Fill out the form below to access the webinar.


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The WWF House Show is a House show produced by the World Wrestling Federation on May 4, 1985 in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Match Results
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Moondog Spot vs. Rick McGraw - Draw
- Greg Valentine (c) defeated Tito Santana to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship
- Brutus Beefcake defeated SD Jones
- Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo defeated Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik (c) by Count Out
- The Magnificent Muraco defeated George Wells
See also
External links
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In Cloverfield, director Matt Reeves pulls victory from the gaping, monstrous jaws of defeat. Cloverfield shouldn't work. It's characters are unreadable, failing to capitalize on the drama set up in the first few minutes, and usually failing to react with appropriate awe or horror to the carnage around them. They behave so erratically and illogically that the illusion of reality that the found-footage style lends is often lost. Its overarching plot is a simple damsel-in-distress tale, about a man trying to save a woman that the audience doesn't care about as part of a relationship they're not invested in. His friends come along instead of evacuating because…reasons. After all, somebody has to hold the camera.
But despite the odds, despite the abysmal script, flat characters, and laughable plot, this film does work. It's an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride from beginning to end. As a found-footage monster/disaster movie, it portrays a Godzilla-like apocalypse from a unique on-the-ground civilian perspective. By eliminating unnecessary details like "what is it" or "where did it come from," and without some complicated pseudo-science plot on how to take it down, Cloverfield needs only concern itself with constant tension. Partially that comes from Reeve's beautiful unity of horror-style filmmaking and disaster-style spectacle, taking the best elements from both and perfectly balancing the pacing to ensure that every bit of action is calm, and that every bit of calm keeps the stakes high. What results is a film that is exciting but neither exhausting nor relentless, and that, unlike similarly intense fare like Mad Max: Fury Road, leaves the audience invigorated but not overwhelmed.
One has to admire Reeve's talent in working with the somewhat restrictive found-footage style. Unlike traditional filmmaking, every shot must be contextualized within the physical space of the set, forcing the filmmaker into a tunnel, so to speak, where their flexibility is limited by the grounded eye of the diegetic camera. Nevertheless, Cloverfield's shot composition and striking imagery rivals the best in the genre; few shots in recent disaster movies will stick in the memory like the head of the Statue of Liberty, immersed in red and grey smoke, swarmed by confused survivors.
The monster itself is downright bizarre, like something from Pacific Rim combined with The Thing. Twice Cloverfield throws a twist into its abilities, adding a fear-of-the-unknown factor that pulls it closer to Blair-Witch than one might expect. Reeves is obviously proud of the creation, as the creature seems to rubber band back to the characters wherever they roam in the city, just so the camera can steal a few more glances.
Cloverfield may just be the best mediocre movie of the past decade. It won only one award, the Saturn for best sci-fi, and that's about all it deserves. But for its creative angle on the established creature-feature genre, and for Reeve's spot-on direction, Cloverfield is a must-see for the adrenaline junkies of the silver screen.


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Earlier today, the S&P 500 crossed its all-time closing high.
Of course, the naysayers will tell you that it's far from its inflation-adjusted high.
And the gold bugs will tell you it's miles away from its gold-adjusted high.
Here's a chart from our friends at PricedInGold.com. It's the S&P 500 priced in grams of gold.
For what it's worth:
Get the latest Gold price here.


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Traditional credit score models look at typical signs of creditworthiness including salary, length of employment and past payment history. New credit scoring methodology is stepping beyond the status quo and examining an applicant's social media profile and even nitpicking the application, itself. Did you forget to use capital letters for proper nouns? If so, you lose a few points. Or, are you an all-caps kind of guy? If so, that's a few more dings to your credit score.
If you think I'm joking, I'm not. When I read a story on CNNMoney.com, Facebook friends could change your credit score, I had to double-check to make sure I didn't accidentally end up on The Onion.
"One such company, Lenddo, determines if you're friends on Facebook with someone who was late paying back a loan to Lenddo. If so, that's bad news for you. It's even worse news if the delinquent friend is someone you frequently interact with. "It turns out humans are really good at knowing who is trustworthy and reliable in their community," said Jeff Stewart, a co-founder and CEO of Lenddo. "What's new is that we're now able to measure through massive computing power."
While I understand that Lenddo and the other companies mentioned in the CNNMoney.com article are offering credit to individuals and small businesses that can't access funds through traditional means, but combing over a social media profile to determine creditworthiness is a bit creepy.
I have 193 friends on Facebook, a paltry amount compared to many profiles that I've seen. I keep it small, on purpose, and don't send friend requests to everyone I meet. I know that there are several people in my friends list that have had financial troubles over the years and never would I think that their problems could negatively impact my ability to obtain credit.
Granted, I have a credit score and a long credit history so I don't need access to these non-traditional funding methods. My concern is more about the future, if this catches on, could we see FICO adding in a social media score to our credit profile?
Another company mentioned in the article, Kreditech, goes beyond data obtained from social media sites and looks over your application with a fine-toothed comb. No, they aren't verifying salary information and length of time at each residence, instead the company examines whether you used capital letters for proper nouns or took the easy way out and used all capital letters, instead. These two simple mistakes can negatively impact your Kreditech score.
Now, don't get me wrong, I dislike all-caps as much as the next person but not everyone understands that using capital letters is a major faux pas. I can see my grandmother using capital letters, that doesn't mean she's less creditworthy than a computer-savvy Millennial that uses a mix of capital and lowercase letters.
I think it is great that there are alternative funding methods available to those that need them, but I do think that these companies are taking their creditworthy criteria lists a bit too far.


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Since I reference this all of the time, I figured I might as well post it on the site for those of you who haven't seen it.
What you will learn from this video is that 3D is only a perception. Over the next few years, the industry will be pumping out games where you sit on your couch wearing a pair of polarized glasses and get treated to a viewmaster sort of "3D." However, in my opinion, true 3D won't be available until your TV or game console can knows where you are, and how you view the content.
Obviously this becomes a challenge with multiple gamers in the same space, but it's easily fixed by deciding that you don't give a shit about how your friends view the game.
I'm not sure why we haven't seen any examples like this in the real world, but I'm confident that the first company to push forward with this type of 3D is going to have a real successful game on their hands.
It's only 3D cause it knows where you are
Posted By: Ninja F
Comments: 1
November 15, 2010 at 6:04 PM
|I love this video, mostly because at the end there when he puts on the red glasses I think he actually wets himself a little with excitement.


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Don't get me wrong - shooting my own weddings (whether its photography through my studio or cinematography as an associate at Films by Francesco) is an incredible experience. Embarking with a couple on a journey in the months leading up to their wedding as we discuss details of their day and how I'm going to capture memories that will last a lifetime... well, my heart swells just thinking about it.
But as a second shooter I get to take pictures alongside one of my many photography friends and have double the fun (with said friend/photographer) with the added luxury of a "show-up and shoot" environment. I'm challenged with the opportunity to shoot from a different perspective and see things in a *fresh way* so that my resulting images compliment the first shooter's angles. It's a fantastic creative experience, and is almost like a mini-vacay... but I'm working... but it doesn't really feel like it!
Here's a gorgeous wedding, set in New York's Lasdon Park, that I photographed with my good friend and fellow wedding photographer, Caroline Frost of Frost Photography. As her second shooter, I was able to capture some unique moments I might otherwise not be able to catch if I was the first shooter. You'll see what I mean...
|I capture only a couple of the bride's details before moving on to my priority, as 2nd shooter, of the getting-ready-portion of the day: the guys.
|Photographing the groom and groomsmen getting ready is a real treat - one of the many unique joys of 2nd shooting! They're generally very relaxed and just having a good time.
|Documenting the groom as he waits for the first-look moment with his bride... the building anticipation is so adorable.
|Portraits are a great opportunity to be creative with angles and lenses. The first photographer goes tight? I go wide! The first photographer shoots straight on. I come in from the side! It's a beautiful dance, really :)
|I can't help but get a few shots of Caroline making her magic. I feel like one of the greatest gifts a 2nd photographer can give is a fly-on-the-wall view of the 1st photographer hard at work.
|The absolute best is when we tag-team during portraits to create a mix of different posing ideas. That's when working with a friend makes it even that much more fun!
|Catching the in-between moments during bridal portraits - so much fun!
|I have plenty of time to capture those great candids during the pretty pretty sunset hour cocktails. Delicious. On so many levels!
|Then one of my favourites... details! And doing them at a much more relaxed pace is such a rare treat.
|And then there's the party. The only difference here is making sure my angle compliments that of the first photographer... because really, who doesn't love a good party?
|My favourite of them all: this girl never stops smiling during dancing photos. She's an absolute all star!


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Posture refers to the position the body assumes during various activities such as sitting, standing or lying down. We will be highlighting standing posture by providing an overview of what ideal standing posture looks like, explain how to perform a quick self-assessment of your own posture, and offer five exercises that can be used to help improve standing alignment.
Good standing posture is important because it ensures that the body can withstand the force of gravity with little adverse stress to the muscles and bones. When a person is in an optimal standing position, the following anatomical landmarks should all be in vertical alignment when viewed from the side: the ear, the acromion of the shoulder, the center of the hip, knee and ankle bone.
To assess your own posture, stand against a wall in bare feet with your heels, buttocks, shoulder and head touching the wall and your feet straight. Pay attention to where the weight is in your feet: if you are standing in good alignment, your body weight should be positioned over your heels. However, if you feel pressure in the front of your feet and toes, this indicates that your body weight is falling forward. Consequently, you have to push down with your toes to keep balanced. This compensation will cause your calf muscle to tighten and affect the alignment of your feet, ankles, and knees.
Now slide your hand behind your back to evaluate the space between your lower back and the wall. If there is an acceptable degree of arch in your lower back, then you should only be able to slide your fingers into the space. If there is enough space for you to slide your whole hand or arm between your back and the wall, then your lower back is arching too much. As a result , many of the muscles that attached to the lumbar spine will be adversely affected. This can lead to dysfunction and chronic lower back pain. Lastly, try to decrease the arch in your lower back by tucking your pelvis under. You may notice that when you do this your shoulders round forward away from the wall. This indicates that the muscles of your shoulders and upper back are weak and unable to keep your shoulders back to the wall when you remove the excessive arch in your lower back. This weakness in the upper back and shoulders can lead to shoulder pain and place more stress on the structures of the lumbar spine.
Here are five examples of corrective exercises you can use to help improve posture and eliminate pain and dysfunction caused by the imbalances mentioned above.
Before you try to stretch or strengthen any area of the body, it is a good idea to warm up the muscles first to bring blood supply to the area. You can do this by performing self-massage techniques with a tennis ball. You can warm up your hip flexor muscles by lying on your stomach with a tennis ball under the front of your hips. Find a sore spot and hold your body weight on it for a few seconds to help your muscles release. Roll the ball to different sore spots and roll for about 30 seconds to 1 minute once per day.
Sitting at the computer all day with your upper back hunched and your shoulders rounded forward can lead to both muscular and skeletal imbalances in your upper back, neck and shoulders. The tennis ball around the shoulder blades is a great self-massage technique designed to rejuvenate and regenerate the muscles of those areas. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your head resting on a pillow. Pull one arm across your chest and place a tennis ball under the shoulder blade of that arm.
Tight calf muscles can lead to bad posture. Performing a calf stretch can help realign the posterior calf muscles to help shift your body weight back into your heels when standing. Stand in a split stance and push the heel of the back foot into the ground. Hold for 30 seconds on each side at least once per day.
The hip flexor muscles run from the lumbar spine across the pelvis and attach to the top of the leg. Stretching these muscles enables the hips to extend (i.e. move forward) under the spine so the lower back does not have to overcompensate by arching excessively to hold the torso upright. Kneel with one leg in front of the other. Posteriorly tilt the pelvis (i.e. tuck under) until you feel the glutes of the back leg contract. Keep the torso erect without arching the lower back excessively. Hold for 30 seconds on each side once per day.
Strengthening the muscles of the upper back can teach the body how to utilize the thoracic spine to lift the torso upright so the lower back does not get tired and overworked. Lie on the ground with your knees bent. Raise your arms overhead until they reach the ground. Pull your arms down into the floor without arching your lower back, shrugging the shoulders or bending your arms. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times at least 3-5 times per week.
Assessing posture on a regular basis can help you evaluate your body to see which areas are out of alignment and/or overworking. Addressing any imbalances you find with corrective exercises will help improve posture and decrease your aches and pains.Resource: AAHF


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Gwinnett County Roofing Companies
Certified Precision Roofing Gwinnett County Service Area
Only a few counties in the metro Atlanta area have seen the type of growth that Gwinnett County has. Certified Precision Roofing is honored to be one of the best roofing companies in Gwinnett County. In addition, we take pride being part of the construction of the county, providing home improvement projects, new roof installations, and countless roof repairs and replacements. There are a number of Gwinnett County Roofing Companies to choose from, but an award winning like Certified Precision Roofing are seldom to find.
Roof Repair Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County has a wide selection of home types depending on when the home was built. CPR with our experienced roofers are able to service them all, in addition to providing commercial roofing services. We work with the industry's top manufacturers such as Certainteed, Atlas Roofing, GAF.
Licensed & Insured Gwinnett County Roofers
Looking for a roofer in Gwinnett County - think of Certified Precision Roofing. We are licensed and insured, and our roofers receive ongoing training to ensure we adhere to the best standards in the roofing industry.
Certified Precision Roofing services residential and commercial roofing throughout Gwinnett County including the following sample areas:
Berkeley Lake
Peachtree Corners
Sugar Hill
Quality Roofing Contractor Gwinnett County
Our Roofers have been trained and we like to follow the guidelines from the National Roof Certification & Inspection Association (NRCIA)inspector & contractor training
Certified Precision Roofing is just a phone call away from make your dreams a reality.


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How can I register to vote?
For information on registering to vote in Johnson County, go to: http://www.jocoelection.org/voters/voterregistration.htm
You may register to vote at any time. However, voter registration always closes 21 days prior to an Election Day. Applications must be postmarked no later than the 21st day prior to any election to be eligible to vote.
How do I request an advance ballot?
To vote by mail, complete an Application for an Advance Voting Ballot by Mail and fax to (913) 791-8931, (913) 791-8932 or (913) 791-8933, or mail to Johnson County Election Office, 2101 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS 66061. A separate application must be submitted for each election unless the voter qualifies for permanently sick/disabled status.
For more information, go to the Johnson County Election website: https://jocoelection.org/advance-voting-0
Key Election Dates
Registration books close – last day to register
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Advance voting by mail begins
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Advance voting in person
07/23/2018 to 08/06/2018
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Advance ballot application deadline – 5 p.m.
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Filing deadline for Independent nominations
August 7, 2018 Primary Election, November 6, 2018 General Election
Filing deadline for District Court Judges Retention
August 7, 2018 Primary Election, November 6, 2018 General Election
Primary Election
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Primary Election Canvass
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Deadline for questions to be placed on the General Election ballot
November 6, 2018 General Election
Deadline for State Board of Canvassers to meet (Primary)
August 7, 2018 Primary Election
Filing deadline for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges to file for retention
November 6, 2018 General Election
Registration books close – last day to register
November 6, 2018 General Election
Advance voting by mail begins
November 6, 2018 General Election
Advance voting in person
10/22/2018 to 11/05/2018
November 6, 2018 General Election
General Election
November 6, 2018 General Election
What are Ed's Priorities?
As Chairman of the Johnson County Commission my priorities will continue to be:
PUBLIC SAFETY – Sheriff's Department, Med-Act Services and Fire District responsibilities are basic needs that must be properly funded.
EDUCATION – The cornerstone of our county's success has been the quality of our K-12 and higher education opportunities-our collective future is closely tied to their continued success and all leaders in Johnson County should help ensure that success.
JOB CREATION – Economic growth is a key to future success in building a community of opportunity. County government must continue to work with and support our cities in making sure the necessary infrastructure is in place to support their economic development activities. These activities will provide the appropriate tax revenues to maintain a high quality of life for all of our citizens.
LIBRARIES AND PARKS- Both are important community assets which contribute significantly to our quality of life. Maintaining and improving these quality community amenities is very important.
SERVICES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND AGING POPULATIONS – Providing needed services for these special populations will require not only continued local support but cooperation from state and federal programming.
RESPONSIBLE, DISCIPLINED FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS – My continued commitment is to the effective, efficient management of county government and your tax dollars.
What are the County Commission responsibilities?
There are two broad areas of responsibilities:
1. County activities that are mandated by the state of Kansas such as: department of motor vehicles, election office, public health and mental health agencies, courts, treasurer's office, appraisers office, community corrections and Juvenile justice programs to name a few. Each year the county spends more than $125 million local tax dollars supporting the state mandated functions.
2. Local services like Med-Act, parks & recreation programs, libraries, public works, public transit, historic museum, waste water services, New Century and Johnson County Executive airports and more. The 2015 proposed county budget is approximately $695 million (excluding reserves). Of that amount Johnson County Wastewater System represents about $150 million; the wastewater system does not receive property tax support but is a fee based system.
The Johnson County Commission, working through the county manager has oversight and budget responsibilities for all county activities..
When is the election?
Primary Election – August 7, 2018
General Election – November 6, 2018
For more information, go to: https://jocoelection.org/calendar


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England Masters 160 for 2 (Hick 67*, Ramprakash 51*) beat South Africa Masters (Benkenstein 52, Klusener 43, Malcolm 3-17) by eight wickets
England Masters were winners of the inaugural Cricket Legends of Barbados International Cup. They comprehensively defeated South Africa Masters by eight wickets with one over to spare to take the Cup and the US$50,000 prize money.
Graeme Hick, who was Man of the Series, was at the forefront of the victory with a breathtaking, unbeaten 67. He and acting captain Mark Ramprakash, who chipped in with an attacking 51 not out, put on a wonderful 116 in 14. 2 overs for the third wicket.
Ramprakash finished the tournament in grand style, driving through extra cover for a boundary. He hit two fours and one six, while Hick smashed three fours and three sixes.
Graham Thorpe made a quick 32 from 19 deliveries with five fours and one six to give the innings the early impetus before he skied a catch to cover.
The South Africans were put into bat and made 156 for five. They were reduced to 38 for 3, but Dale Benkenstein (52) and Lance Klusener (43) pulled things around with a stand of 71 in 9.2 overs for the fourth wicket.
Benkenstein hit two fours and a pair of sixes, while Klusener lashed two huge sixes in John Emburey's final over.
Pat Symcox (18) and Adrian Kupier (15) and added 33 vital runs for the sixth wicket in 3.1 overs. In the end, another 20 might have made the difference.
Fast bowler Devon Malcolm picked up the first three wickets to claim three for 17 from four overs and was named Man of the Match.


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Foreclosure may not be an isolated issue. In some cases, as property values fall, it can hit entire neighborhoods.
For example, a lot of people bought new homes when prices were high and there was a surge of construction. However, as that bubble popped, it turned out that there were too many homes. This devalued those that had been purchased and meant that many homes didn't sell.
As a result, people in those neighborhoods or communities often found that there were empty lots and empty houses all over the place. They were stuck paying far more than their homes were worth, living in a virtual ghost town. No one else wanted to buy those homes once the real value was clear.
To get out of it, some homeowners went into foreclosure. They let the lenders take the homes back just to get out of those high payments with little end value.
This, of course, just lowered the property values even more. A half-full neighborhood turned into one with a family in just one out of every five homes, for example. The drop in values pushed out people who had been resistant to the idea of foreclosure in the first place. The domino effect dropped prices for everyone.
This helps to show you how foreclosure is not always entirely your fault. You don't have full control over the value of your property, which can change dramatically in a short time. If this process has impacted your home and your property, be sure you always know what legal options you have, especially if you don't want to lose your home.
Source: Huffington Post, "Is Foreclosure Ever a Good Idea?," accessed May 04, 2017


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Steve is correct that this ad hoc mercantilist trade scenario is problematic for Kurdistan. Historically, nations that are raw commodity exporters, regardless whether it was cotton, rubber, oil, strategic minerals or foodstuffs end up in a unfavorable position vis-a-vis value-added production trading partners or merchant capital states. This applies whether we are discussing Ptolemaic Egypt and ancient Rome or the Gulf states today and the Core.
One caveat on the negative trade balance issue for Kurdistan would be the financial flows of Black Globalization. Lacking orderly markets and effective governance, ordinary Iraqis rely upon the black market for access to desired luxuries as well as necessities such as medicines or spare parts for machinery. Controlling a long border with Turkey, Iran ans Syria gives Kurdish actors the ability to become middlemen in the flow of goods and money which does not show up on the legal balance sheet. Ultimately, Barzani and Talabani's regional Kurdish government must bring this trade above ground and normalize the economic relationships ( include taxes and customs duties).
"The Peshmerga welcomed U.S. forces and fought side-by-side with them in the effort to overthrow Saddam Hussein. It is estimated that there are between 80,000 and 100,000 active Peshmerga in Kurdistan. As the attached picture of a Peshmerga soldier taken near Dohuk shows (click to enlarge), the Peshmerga are a modern and well-equipped fighting force. The Peshmerga also allow women to serve. This tradition began when the Peshmerga were a guerilla force fighting to make the Kurdish area of Iraq a safe haven. Women also fought alongside coalition forces at the beginning of the current conflict. The attached picture shows female Peshmerga celebrating the fall of Kirkuk. "
The Peshmerga have been a coherent military force(s) far longer than I have been alive. Or Steve Deangelis for that matter. Or probably any of my readers. (The ferocious and mercurial Mustafa Barzani, sire of Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish president and KPD chieftain, was once the darling of American conservatives who hated Henry Kissinger. And long before that, tribal lord Barzani was the protege of... Joseph Stalin ! History has made the Kurds the ultimate realists). Former CIA field operative in Kurdistan Robert Baer put the Peshmerga fighting credibly toe to toe with Saddam Hussein's best Republican Guard divisions during the 1990's. That ain't hay folks. Even in the 1990's decline the Republican Guard was heavily armed and well-trained, despite being hamstrung by Saddam's increasing paranoia.
The Peshmerga are perfectly suited for 4GW warfare as they combine tight military discipline, clan networks and strong primary loyalties with concurrent conventional and guerilla warfare skills. They also benefit from American patronage and a leadership that has proven unusually adept at presenting an image and engaging in politics in the international arena."Another new friend, Subbas Sircar, who is the regional vice president of AIG for the Middle east, Mediterranean and South Asia, had an interesting morning meeting with local bankers. They are seeking to expand and strengthen local banks as I discussed earlier. This group craved exposure to current international banking best practices, core banking information technology and know-how that would allow them to connect to the global banking industry as well as the training and education that would allow staff members to raise themselves up to a minimal level of maturity so they can foster commerce in their region. This experience with bankers in Sulaimaniyah and in Erbil, along with the telecommunications companies seeking the same capability in their industry, are proof positive of the need for Development-in-a-Box™."
I think Steve is identifying a critical tipping point for Kurdistan. Leapfrogging the bazaari mentality to create a financial structure that inspires enough confidence to attract and sustain legitimate foreign investment and diversify Kurdish reliance on Turkish capital and American aid would be a milestone. This probably would not mean " best practices" in the sense of Chase Manhattan so much as " best enough practices" relative to the region. " Good enough" is what gets a healthy level of local economic growth going. " Best" can wait for the day the Republic of Kurdistan applies for admission to the WTO and the EU.
Today, Kurdistan is a nation with a virtual state shepherding its interests. More than Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon, the regional government in Kurdistan is less than Taiwan. But like Taipei, the Barzani-Talabani regional government seeks to negotiate or leverage de jure status and the full sovereignty of statehood over the virulent objections of a powerful neighbor and a nervous American patron. Economic development and integration with other global power centers ( EU, China, India, Japan, Russia) will be the key for the Kurds to create a scenario where Ankara can swallow - however bitterly, even with with ironclad security guarantees - Kurdish independence, because it will be in Turkey's economic best interests to do so.
"Kurdistan Rebalancing the Middle-East" and "Iraq Travel Guide" by Chirol"The Kurdistan Problem: Part I ", "The Kurdistan Problem: Part II", "The Kurdistan Problem: Part III" by midtowing at ProgressiveHistorians
"The Rise of the Virtual StateWealth and Power in the Coming Century" by Richard Rosecrance
"Market-state vs. Virtual State" by John Robb
Labels: connectivity, core, deangelis, foreign policy, gap, iraq, kurdistan, military contractor, PNM, resilience, state building, virtual states
" The great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances as though they were realities" -- Machiavelli


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News & Events
Check back soon for upcoming events.
Past Events
Friday 5.19
Taste & See: Artisan Meats and Sweets
A Feast TV & Nine Network Event
Open your world to the sensational taste of delicate artisan pastries, savory small-batch meats and local wine and beer. The event kicks off with live music and will feature segments from Feast TV, interviews with local chefs plus live demos.
Taste & See with the Nine Network and Feast TV lets you go inside the show. Taste the food and meet the people responsible for creating the dishes and drinks. The unique format (and unique outdoor setting) intersperses segments from the show with live demonstrations and interviews, which are shown on the Public Media Common's two-story screens. Taste & See is a well-priced, alfresco evening out the third Friday of the month, May through September. Two to three small food portions from up to 10 restaurants and drink vendors are included in the ticket price.
Events start at 7pm; food served between 7 and 8:30pm; drinks and music from 7 to 10pm
- When: Fri., May 19, 7pm
- Where: Public Media Commons, 3653 Olive St., St. Louis
- Tickets: $15 each or $60 for all five events (20% discount off single ticket prices if you purchase the entire 2017 season)
- More info: eventbrite.com/e/season-tickets-taste-see-with-the-nine-network-and-feast-tv-tickets-32123700854
Shepherding School of the Midwest
A Savory Tallgrass Network & Brittany Cole Bush Event
The Tallgrass Network and Brittany Cole Bush, urban shepherdess, are pleased to bring this full-week Holistic "bootcamp" to the Midwest!
BCB brings her experience in start-up and expansion of sheep-goat enterprises to mitigate fire hazard in the public parks of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Tallgrass Network brings together market opportunities for the Midwest and a network of landowners and managers.
Together we are offering business planning utilizing Holistic Management, in a Field School designed to help you get started or advance a profitable contract grazing business with a flock of up to 200 sheep and/or goats.
Events start at 7pm; food served between 7 and 8:30pm; drinks and music from 7 to 10pm


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Trumark Companies Secures Funds for Home Building Project in North Orange County
IRVINE, Calif. – November 9, 2009 — Trumark Companies has secured funding needed to entitle, acquire and build a community of single-family detached homes in the Orange County city of Brea, California. The 5.6-acre parcel of land is an infill site surrounded by residential areas consisting primarily of older housing stock, which makes it a perfect fit for the Trumark land acquisition and development profile.
"This represents a big step toward keeping our future construction pipeline filled," said Trumark principal Michael Maples. "We're beginning construction on our first project in Upland, we recently purchased 11 acres in Lake Forest and we're also in the due-diligence phase on three other properties – one in southern California and two in the northern part of the state."
Trumark's seasoned land acquisition team of Jason Kliewer and James O'Malley handled the transaction, working with the seller and broker to overcome challenges and structure a deal that satisfied all parties involved.
"We're fortunate to have these two industry veterans on our team actively scouring the market for the right opportunities," Maples said. "They have extensive knowledge and contacts in the industry – including the brokerage community – and know how to close a deal."
The company hopes to complete seller cleanup of the Brea land and move through the city approval process to keep the project on track for a Summer 2011 construction start date.
About Trumark Homes
Launched in 2008, Trumark Homes builds high-quality homes at competitive prices throughout California and has positioned itself for the housing market rebound. The Trumark Group of Companies is a diversified real estate developer and builder with expertise in land acquisition, homebuilding, community design, entitlements and office, R&D and retail development. Trumark Companies is the residential development arm of the organization and operates in Northern and Southern California. Trumark Commercial, which builds, leases and sells commercial buildings, operates in the northern portion of the Golden State. Additional information is available at www.trumark-co.com


text: Press releases Every Vote Counts: get registered, get informed, get voting Every Vote Counts: United Response are helping people with learning disabilities to get registered, get informed and get voting in the EU Referendum. As a charity, United Response have successfully campaigned to open up the democratic process to thousands of people with learning disabilities since 2010 and in the last general election saw 43% of the people they support actively using their right to vote.With the 5th May Local and Mayoral Elections less than a month away and the EU Referendum vote taking place on 23rd June, the national disability charity is once again delivering the tools to ensure that people with learning disabilities have their say, get registered and use their right to vote. Get registered Nearly 770,000 names have been removed from the electoral register due to changes made by the Government, which state that people now need to register as individuals rather than households. A large proportion of the names removed from the electoral register will be people from disenfranchised groups; this will include a disproportionately large number of people with learning disabilities.United Response are encouraging everyone to check that they are registered to vote, especially if you have moved home in the last 12 months, as you will need to re-register. The easiest way to check is to go on-line to find your local electoral registration office, give them a ring and they will confirm if you are registered.There are two important deadline dates for registration – Deadline to register to vote at Local and Mayoral Elections is Monday 18th April. Deadline to register to vote for EU Referendum is Tuesday 7th June. You will need your date of birth and your National Insurance number. If you registered for the last general election and nothing has changed in your circumstances then you are still registered to vote. Get informed As a charity, United Response is committed to creating a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights as everyone else. In order to achieve this aim, the charity has created various resources and tools. The ongoing campaign Every Vote Counts has been breaking down the barriers for people with learning disabilities to engage in the democratic process for the last three successive general elections. A key tool in the campaign is the dedicated website, which provides unbiased, easy-to-understand information covering all aspects of the democratic process, including details about the forthcoming EU Referendum. To find out more please visit www.everyvotecounts.org.uk.Making an informed decision can be difficult if you do not have access to all the information so, since 2013, United Response has been producing an award-winning accessible news magazine called Easy News. 93% of Easy News subscribers who responded to the most recent survey indicated that they feel they are taking a greater interest in politics as a result of reading the news magazine. The 20th edition of Easy News will be published this month, covering a range of national, international, political and human interest stories translated in an easy read format by the UR Consultants, a team of paid translation experts, all of whom have a learning disabilities and/or autism. Get voting On 23rd June, all British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens over 18 who are resident in the UK and are registered to vote (along with UK nationals living abroad who have been on the electoral register in the UK in the past 15 years) will have the opportunity to cast a single vote over the future of the United Kingdom's membership in the European Union. The forthcoming EU Referendum is going to be such an important event, with the official outcome of the vote affecting everyone including people with learning disabilities, that the Easy News team will be producing a special issue covering the arguments from both the 'Stay' and 'Leave' campaigns in our usual unbiased and accessible format.The Easy News EU Referendum Special will be published online on Tuesday 10th May on www.unitedresponse.org.uk. To get your copy of the Easy News EU Referendum Special delivered directly to your email inbox, please subscribe to Easy News today.To make sure you're ready and to be sure not to miss any of the key dates in the coming months, sign up to the Every Vote Counts e-newsletter, which will guide you to relevant resources and tools ahead of the key deadlines. Lastly, subscribe to United Response's YouTube channel so you can be the first to see video reports from United Response on the EU Referendum.Remember every vote counts - so get registered, get informed and get voting! Ends


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Saving energy... and your social life
Of course, turning off these things at the end of your work day also has another benefit: It ends your work day. With the computer running in the next room, it's awfully tempting to check email, respond to clients, or even (gah) continue working.
Yes, I'm guilty of all of this. Guilty, guilty, guilty! Of course, it's not as bad as it sounds, considering I do like my work. But still, I think my husband, horse, pets, and friends would probably appreciate it if I tried to save some energy — and my social life — by shutting off my computer in the evenings.
What about you? Do you shut off your computer at the end of your work day and refuse to look at it a moment longer? Or do you allow yourself to be drawn back in, even after you have supposedly stopped working for the day?
Labels: time management


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American Crew Grooming Spray - 250ml
Conditions & maintains moisture, adds shine and manageability, reduces fly-away tendencies, helps protect the hair from sun damage, for increased shine and hold. Can be used independently for styling or as a finishing tool following light or firm hold gel.
Availability: In stock
Regular Price: £19.99
Sale Price £14.50
Product Description
Grooming Spray is an incredibly flexible product. Use it on damp hair before styling or when hair is dry to hold styles in place. Excellent for gray hair or fine hair prone to static. It's also a buildable product, meaning the more you apply, the greater the hold. Grooming Spray washes out easily with no sticky residue.
Additional Information
Additional Information
|Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
Write Your Own Review


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We only accept cats with vaccinations which are up to date for Feline Enteritis and Feline Calicivirus (Cat Flu). We recommend a minimum of a seven day gap between receiving a booster/inoculation and entry into the cattery to allow for any adverse reactions to the drugs.
We are happy to administer medication to your cats while they are with us, and this should be discussed at the time of booking .We do not charge for this facility.
We take great care to ensure that we remain free from fleas and worms, so your cat does not contract them while staying with us, therefore can you please administer flea and worm treatments at least 24 hours prior to your stay at Dovecote Cattery. If we should find that a cat in our care has either, we will treat the cat accordingly and this will incur a charge.
Male cats over the age of six months must be nuetered
Our opening times for drop off and pick up are as follows:
Monday - Saturday
9am - 10am
5pm - 6pm
9am - 10am
Price List
1 Cat: £8.00 per day
2 Cats: £14.00 per day
3 Cats: £18.00 per day
Please feel free to phone us for bookings at any time on 01835 863642, or e-mail us using our online contact form.
We welcome viewings so please contact us to arrange a time suitable to both parties.


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In this section
MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
- Programs and services
- Conditions
- Clinical trials
- Participate in a clinical trial
- For medical professionals
- Active clinical trials for pediatric cancers
- Trial detail - ACE CTL trial
- Trial detail - BT13BTθ51 trial
- Trial detail - Phase 1 study of photodynamic therapy
- Trial Detail - Phase 2 STIR trial
- Trial detail - Treosulfan BMT trial
- Early stage research
- Patient stories
- Locations
- Our specialists
- For medical professionals
- Contact us
- Diet and nutritional care
- Our philanthropic partners
- Get a second opinion
A phase 1 study of photodynamic therapy (pdt) with Photofrin® for poor prognosis recurrent/refractory malignant brain tumors
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (CHW) is currently enrolling patients with relapsed or refractory brain tumors on a Phase I clinical trial, using a photosensitizing agent in combination with tumor resection surgery and intra-operative photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with:
- PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumor, now known as CNS embryonal tumors)
- Medulloblastoma
- Ependymoma
- High–grade glioma
- Germ cell tumor
- ATRT (atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor)
One of our early-phase trial team physicians, Dr. Jeff Knipstein, is the co-principal investigator of this trial. Children's Hospital is currently the only site in the country where this trial is available.
The survival of pediatric patients with recurrent malignant brain tumors is measured in months with few long–term survivors.The methodology utilized by a previous team of PDT researchers has shown impressive survival rates in adults and adolescents with high–grade gliomas with minimal acute or late side effects.We believe the demonstrated efficacy and safety profile of their methods in adults warrants application of this treatment in pediatric patients with recurrent/refractory brain tumors.
Eligible patients will have injection of the photo sensitizing agent, Photofrin®,followed by surgical resection of the tumor 24 hours later. Activation of residual Photofrin® in the tumor bed will be performed using an intra–operative laser at a wave length and energy level defined by a previous team of researchers. Patients will receive standard post–operative care and will be closely monitored during the first month for acute toxicities associated with Photofrin®activation.
Children's has ranked in 9 specialty areas in the U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals list.
For More Information
Tara Pack
(414) 266-6471
Information about this trial is also available at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01682746


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Lamentations (Psalms of Isaac, Bk. 1) by Ken Scholes
Read by Stefan Rudnicki, Scott Brick, William Dufris and Maggi-Meg Reed
Length: 14 Hrs 49 Min
Genre: Science Fantasy
Quick Thoughts: Lamentations is an exciting start to a series that blends science fiction and fantasy in a fun way. I think some hard core fantasy fans will find aspects of this novel derivative of the genre, yet, for those who like vast conspiracies, political maneuverings, battles, romance and robots, and are willing to accept some plotting that can be a tab bit overly complex, you are sure to have a fun time following these characters on their adventures.
Grade: B+
Back when I first began listening to Audiobooks, I never truly understood the importance of narrators. One of the biggest complains about audiobooks is that the narrator creates another layer between the text and the listener and doesn't allow for the pure, unfiltered consumption of literature that reading print does. Before becoming an audiobook enthusiast, this was something I feared. Yet, what I didn't realize is that with audiobooks, a sort of relationship is formed between the listener and the narrator. The human animal likes to be told stories, and some of our earliest heroes, whether it is a beloved teacher or simply your parent, are those who read to us. This is why many audiobook fans view their favorite narrators as almost celebrity like, yet with a bond stronger than a favorite movie star or television personality. These are the people who tell us the stories we love. They sit down beside us and whisper tales of magic, intrigue, romance and adventure. There is a level of intimacy there that other performance mediums just can't match, As an audiobook fan, I love when an author gets that. I love hearing stories about authors reaching out to their narrators, assisting them, making sure the story is being told how it is supposed to be told. One of the first series I ever listened to was Orson Scott Card's Enderverse series, which introduced me to many of my favorite narrators, including Stefan Rudnicki, Scott Brick, Harlan Ellison, Kirby Heyborne, Gabrielle De Cuir, Emily Janice Card, and John Rubinstein, among others. I was always thrilled later when I heard a voice I recognized from that series appear in other audiobooks. I liked that Orson Scott Card would often record a foreword or afterward talking about how, in his opinion, audiobooks where the best way to experience his work, and praise the narrators who worked on his tails. It had been a while since I listened to a science fantasy reminiscent of these Ender novels, with their multi-narrator approach. When I read Scott Brick's Audiobook Month entry of Ken Schole's The Psalms of Isaak series, a series I had been interested in but never took the leap into actually listening, I decided that Lamentations, the first novel in this series, should be included in my audiobook week lineup,
Lamentations begins with the utter destruction of the city of Windwir, the most powerful city of the named world, leaving behind a vacuum of power, and a mystery that may shake the world to its core. Let's face it, this is how all fantasies should start. In Lamentations, Ken Scholes doesn't allow you to ease your way into the story, but forces you to jump in head first. With the world in chaos, and two armies converging on the devastated city, Scholes introduces you to a series of players that will shape the course of this changed world. Scholes has created an interesting world, melding magic and science, and placing it upon the ruins of a culture that already brought about an apocalypse. This is the type of fantasy I have always enjoyed. It blends classic political epics like Game of Thrones with science based fantasy like Orson Scott Card's Homecoming Series. There is something familiar to this world. Its magic may be mythical, or it may be an artifact of a past scientific culture that was so advanced its science only seemed like magic. Scholes prose isn't as crisp as Martin's and his language tends to become a bit too flowery at times, full of language that almost feels biblical, yet where he really excels is creating complex characters and placing them in intricately plotted scenarios. Plus, there are robots. I mean, if I would have realized this was a fantasy novel with robots I may have jumped on the train much earlier, because I always like me some robots. Scholes has peppered this tale of political maneuvering with an age's old conspiracy that requires just a bit of a well honed suspension of disbelief, but if you are willing enough to by in to the overly complex machinations of true power, well, then, it really is a whole lot of fun. Lamentations is an exciting start to a series that blends science fiction and fantasy in a fun way. I think many hard core fantasy fans will find some aspects of this novel derivative of the genre, yet, for those who like vast conspiracies, political maneuverings, battles, romance and robots, and are willing to accept some plotting that can be a tab bit overly complex, you are sure to have a fun time following these characters on their adventures. Oh, and did I mention robots? Yeah, I guess I did.
The Audiobook edition of Lamentations featured three iconic audiobook narrators who, for me at least, have instantly recognizable voices and styles and one other narrator who I have had less experience with, but truly gave an excellent performance. Scott Brick, Stefan Rudnicki and William Dufris are all narrators I am comfortable with, and have listened to them tell many tales in single and multi-narrator productions. Maggie-Meg Reed I had heard before in David Baldacci's Camel Club series, but, in all honesty, I didn't remember anything about my past experiences with her work as I started this audiobook. One of the great things about this production is all four of these narrators are excellent story tellers, and helped to immerse the listener in the story from the very beginning. Many Fantasy novels tend to have a lot of set up before the core action begins, but there isn't that luxury of development with Lamentations. Yet, Rudnick, Brick and Dufris allowed me to instantly engage the characters they portrayed allowing the character development to hold pace with the plot. Yet, Reed's performance was the one that truly stood out for me in retrospect. She brought a sort of bravado to her character, Jin Li Tan, making her probably the most intriguing character of the novel. Reed doesn't do sugary sweet, but gives her character a mature edge that truly highlighted her importance to the plot. Lamentations is a great example of novel whose audiobook version adds to the experience through the thoughtful performances of the narrators.


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قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ.الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salaat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness." [soorah Al-Mu'minoon, v:1-2]
Assalaamu 3Alaykum wa Rahmatullaah
Prophet Muhammad sallAllaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam said: "The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." (1)
Huda Academy is offering a Free online Course "The Prophet's Prayer" by Dr. Muhammad Salah (of Huda TV).
"The Prophet's Prayer"
(how to pray properly & how to have khushoo3 (tranquility) in Salaah)
Course Details:
- Pre-Recorded Videos
- Downloadable Mp3
- Series of episodes
Duration: 15-20 minutes (each episode)
Course Fee: FREE
Sign Up Now:
click here to join the course.
wassalaamu 3Alaykum
(1) At-Tabaranee- Classed as Saheeh by Shaykh Al-bani in Saheeh al-Jami3, vol.1, p. 503
Related Post:
Huda Academy ( launched recently and offers online Islaamic courses)


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As the devastated survivors of Sierra Leone's deadly mudslides, which killed more than 500 people last week, attempt to pick up the pieces of their lives they face the possibility of an outbreak of malaria and cholera.
The United Nations and the Sierra Leone government are working to prevent any outbreaks of diseases.
"The mudslides have caused extreme suffering and loss of life, and we must do all we can to protect the population from additional health risks," said Alexander Chimbaru, Officer in Charge of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Sierra Leone, in a Monday press release.
In 2014, Sama Banya, Sierra Leone's leading conservationist, called on President Ernest Bai Koroma to enforce the National Protected Area law, which his government enacted in 2012, by demolishing buildings constructed on protected land and planting trees to replace those that had been cut down – or face dire consequence, but to no avail.
The UN continues to strengthen health services in the affected areas and has urged the population to take precautions including hand washing, drinking only boiled or treated water and adhering to hygiene practices.
With damage to water and sanitation facilities, residents of affected areas are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of pre-existing infectious diseases including malaria and diarrheal conditions such as typhoid and cholera.
Beneath Sugar Loaf Mountain villages for newly liberated slaves were established by the British during the colonial era. Wealthier colonialists lived above the villages. Malaria was the reason for this segregation.
Following the end of British occupation, much of the lush and protective vegetation that once covered Sugar Loaf was destroyed to make way for poor-quality building construction.
During Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s thousands of refugees from the countryside flocked to Freetown and it subsequently became harder to control where people lived or the quality of the homes they built, including a mesh of precarious shacks.
- African News Agency (ANA)


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By Kelsey Mowatt
Armageddon Fighting Championship turned many heads throughout the MMA and jiu-jitsu world last year, when the upstart, Canadian promotion announced the signing of former ADCC world champion, Robert Drysdale. Since then, the renowned BJJ practitioner has forged ahead with his MMA career, entrenching his position as a highly touted prospect by submitting established British Columbian fighters Clay Davidson and Bastien Huveneers. Now, Drysdale will look to his next challenge in the former "Ultimate Fighter" competitor and well travelled veteran, Mike Nickels, who the AFC announced recently will fight Drysdale on June 18th.
"I think the fact that he's a UFC vet is huge," Drysdale told FCF, while discussing the heightened profile of his next opponent. "He brings a lot more attention, and I think that in some ways it's like I'm taking the next step up the ladder. It's a tough fight. He's experienced and there will be a lot more people watching this fight than the previous two. I like that; I want people to know that I'm fighting and that I'm serious about this."
While Nickels (9-4) has been involved in some memorable battles where he primarily utilized his striking skills, the veteran is likely better known for his grappling abilities. Like Drysdale, Nickels is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and it will be interesting to see at AFC 6, whether Nickels looks to engage the ADCC champ on the ground.
"I think he's skilled," said Drysdale, when asked to assess the ground skills of Nickels. "Of course grappling for MMA and grappling for submission tournaments are two different things. He's a guy with far more fighting experience than myself and that counts, it counts a lot. So I'd say I have the edge on the sports jiu-jitsu, and he has the edge on the MMA aspect of it."
"I've only seen a little bit of his ground game though," Drysdale added. "I haven't seen much, but he's skilled. He's someone that I respect; I feel like overall I'll have an edge on him, but I definitely respect his ground skills. I'm not going to be that guy who says I'll go in there and smoke him."
Like any other accomplished BJJ competitor who has transitioned into MMA, Drysdale will continue to face questions, as to whether or not he is improving all of the skills that are necessary to be successful at the highest levels of the sport.
"I just want to get better at what I do," said Drysdale, while discussing his evolution as a fighter. "There's a lot to improve. My stand-up still has a long ways to go, my wrestling still has a long ways to go and my jiu-jitsu still has a long ways to go. So there are a number of different areas that I'm still improving on and that's what I'm focusing on right now. We'll see what happens in the future; I just want to get this fight out of the way."
According to Drysdale, after his upcoming bout with Nickels, the 28 year-old-light-heavyweight has one more bout on his current contract with AFC, which he believes will take place in August. Unlike many other rising prospects, Drysdale insists he's not worried about what offers may or may not come his way later this year, provided he wins his upcoming fights.
"My whole life I've always been the kind of guy that doesn't like to plan too much out in the future," Drysdale noted. "So much can change. I like doing what I love to do. I've always loved jiu-jitsu and I stuck with it, had success with it, then I wanted to move on to MMA. That's where I am right now. I'm in no hurry to accomplish what other people think I should accomplish. My goal is to get better at what I do and keep doing what I love."


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The sigh of relief was almost audible on Wall Street, Thursday, after 2 new pieces data suggested the global recovery hadn't fallen apart completely.
First Beijing confirmed exports jumped 50 percent in May, unofficial numbers were released earlier in the week. Second, the government of Spain said demand for its bonds was robust.
However the Fast Money traders were concerned that both the Dowand S&P may give back gains in afternoon trade and then some.
What should you be watching?
Instant Insights with the Fast Money trader
I'm concerned about the move in Goldman Sachs, says Guy Adami. It's been a market barometer and it's trading sharply lower. Also the Vix is down which probably signals complacency.
I have to tell you I'm cautious, he adds. I'd counsel investors to sell into strength. Ultimately I expect the market to break below 1040.
Looking at Goldman, a new report from the Financial Times suggests the SEC may launch a second probe into dealings done by the firm. That may have something to do with the move lower in Goldman shares, explains Brian Kelly.


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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: RE: Gemini 220
RE: Gemini 220
From: Tim Elliott <telliott_at_sigecom.net>
Date: 2004-12-04
This is one reason we love our older Archos units. I have a V1 and it works
Is there any mp3 player in production that uses a standard 2.5 inch laptop
-----Original Message-----
Kyle McGee wrote:
The gmini 220 uses a 1.8" disk, which don't come in standard thicknesses. As
The 1.8" disks also don't come in large data capacities. The largest
> I am really interested in this piece, but 20GB is too small..
That's the price you pay for having a physically small player, I'm afraid.
-- Björn _______________________________________________ http://cool.haxx.se/mailman/listinfo/rockbox _______________________________________________ http://cool.haxx.se/mailman/listinfo/rockboxReceived on Sat Dec 4 17:34:06 2004
Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew


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Your constantly-updated definition of Desirability and collection of topical content and literature
Literature on Desirability
Here's the entire UX literature on Desirability by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
All literature
User Interface Design Guidelines: 10 Rules of Thumb
Learn to design with your user's needs and expectations in mind by applying Jakob Nielsen and Rolf Molich's Ten User Interface Guidelines. These heuristics have been reflected in many of the products designed by some of the most successful companies in the world such as Apple, Google, and Adobe. Further evidence of how their design teams incorpo...
- 263 shares
- 1 week ago
Don't Make Me Think – Key Learning Points for UX Design for the Web
Don't Make Me Think is the title of a book by the HCI and Usability engineer Steve Krug. It teaches UX designers how to deliver great user experiences in a very simple and accessible way. Since its release in the year 2000 it has become one of the defining texts in the industry and an invaluable guide to UX professionals around the world. Don't...
- 283 shares
- 2 weeks ago
Key Question in User Experience Design – Usability vs Desirability
The question of what usability is compared to desirability comes up a lot in UX design and it's important to be able to distinguish the two. Why? Because usability is the base level of the user experience and without usability it is difficult to create a worthwhile user experience; however, without desirability it is unlikely that the user exper...
- 319 shares
- 3 weeks ago
Creating Lust, Desirability and the Mobile User Experience
User experience can often be reduced by those outside the discipline to "usability" and to be fair to them – UX did arise from usability but the user experience depends on more than just a product being usable. One key component of UX is desirability – the ability to make a product fun and engaging to use. Mobile internet platforms add several n...
- 404 shares
- 3 years ago


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Gifts by Check or Phone
Thank you for considering a gift to Catholic Charities
Make a Gift in Honor or Memory of a Friend or Loved One
You may wish to make your gift in memory of a loved one, to commemorate a special achievement or milestone, such as a wedding anniversary or birthday, or to honor someone important to you who has made a difference in your life. We will be happy to acknowledge this thoughtful act on your behalf. A gift to Catholic Charities is a special way to show how much you care.
You Can Decide How Your Gift Will Be Used
You also may indicate if you would like us to use your gift to support a specific program or service we offer, or if you would like your gift to be applied to a particular local office. Unrestricted gifts will be used where they are most needed in your local area.
Make Your Gift by Check
Checks should be made payable to Catholic Charities and mailed directly to:
Development Office
Catholic Charities
839-841 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105-2801


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Enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience at the Pooseum
The small village of Richmond in Tasmania is rich in history, with many shops, artisan boutiques, galleries, cafés and local attractions to enjoy. Richmond's beautiful Georgian heritage buildings date back to as early as the 1820's.
One of the best things to do in Richmond is to visit the Pooseum, a quirky science museum dedicated to all things poo. At the Pooseum, talking about poo is not taboo. In fact, we think it's fascinating stuff. From the white splashes on cars and dog sausages in backyards to the droppings of kangaroos in the Australian bush, poo is all around us. Simply disregarding poo as smelly and gross means not giving it due credit.
If you're looking for a fun, really unique and family friendly activity in Richmond, come and visit us at the Pooseum. We promise you'll learn more about poo than you ever thought possible!