text:
From: Alexa
Dear Jessica, A problem has come up at our stable and I hope you can help me. We do mostly lessons but last year we began to offer some guided trail rides on weekends. Last month, I had an unpleasant talk with a man who wanted to come on the trail ride and I had to turn him down because he was far too heavy. I am overweight myself so it's not that I don't understand about being a heavy person, but really Jessica, this man must have weighed close to 400 pounds and I was afraid that he would crush the horses. Our horses are just average horses, between 15 and 16 hands and anywhere from 900 to 1200 pounds. I've been looking everywhere online and in my books and calling other instructors and vets to get advice about this matter. The man threatened to sue us for refusing service and being prejudiced against fat people. He hasn't done it yet, but we are all upset and worried about the possiblity. Could he really sue us, and if he did sue us could he win? A lot of my lesson riders, especially the adults, are on the heavy side, and I'm always careful to put them on the horses that are my best weight-carriers, but I don't own a single horse that could carry anyone that size. I have to protect my horses, but I don't want to be accused of discrimination!
I never thought that anything like this would happen to me. Last week a woman called to set up her first riding lesson, and I found myself trembling when I asked her about her height and weight, in case she would get angry with me or threaten to sue too. I'm not a mean person and I hate to tell anyone "no" when they want to go on a trail ride or take lessons, but I love my horses and I try so hard not to overwork or hurt them in any way. Am I being silly? One person told me that horses can carry 30% of their own weight. Is that true? I always thought it was more like 20% and I have always chosen horses for riders based on that idea. Was this wrong? And even if it really is 30%, what if someone comes here who weighs 35% or 40% of the horse's weight, I'll just have the same problem all over again only worse. What can I do? How can I tell riders that it isn't a matter of prejudice against them? I feel sick at my stomach whenever the phone rings or the mail comes. Please help me. I can't even enjoy riding my own mare now. I am thinking about this weight question all of the time. I weigh 25% of what she weighs, and although I have a lot of experience and have ridden for almost ten years and am very fit, and Lara (my mare) is also very fit and never seems to be sore, I am worried sick that I am going to hurt her. Am I too heavy for her? And if I'm not too heavy for her, how can I say "No" to even heavier riders who want to ride my other horses? Alexa
First, don't look for a chart, because it doesn't exist. Although some breeds and types of horses are, in general, better weight-carriers than others, it's difficult to assign "weight classes" to trail/lesson horses, for several reasons.
One is that the conformation, condition, and soundness of the individual horse are all very important factors: two horses of identical height and weight might have vastly different builds and weight-carrying abilities. Short, strong, and sturdy horses typically have greater weight-carrying ability than tall, narrow, lightly-built horses, but you need to look at each horse individually.
Another is that rider skill plays an important part - a 250-pound rider who is fit, agile, skilled, and considerate can be easier for a horse to carry than a rider who is 120 pounds, unfit, clumsy, unskilled, and inconsiderate.
Terrain is another factor - a horse that could carry a heavy rider around a flat field with good footing, at a walk, might find it impossible to carry the same rider up and down hills.
Gait is yet another factor - a horse that could carry a heavy rider around a flat field with good footing at a walk might find it difficult or impossible to carry that same rider in the same flat field at a trot or canter.
Tack matters, too! After all, it is the interface between the horse and rider. Saddles need to fit both the horse and the rider. If the saddle fits the horse perfectly, a rider for whom the saddle is too large will be unlikely to cause the horse any pain or damage, but a rider for whom the saddle is too SMALL will cause both, and in a very short time. A saddle can fit a horse well, causing it no pain or injury, until it is sat in (or upon) by a too-heavy and too-large rider; at that point, the rider's weight will be in the wrong area of the saddle, and will be causing portions of the saddle to create severe, physicaly damaging pressure on delicate areas of the horse's back.
The "standard" rule of thumb is that a riding horse "can" carry 20% of its weight (not 30%, and certainly not 35%!). The weight carried would include both the rider AND the tack. I feel that this is as good a general rule as you are likely to find, but I would caution you that it should be regarded in the same light as the towing rating of a vehicle - the fact that a given vehicle is capable of towing a certain maximum number of pounds under ideal circumstances does not mean that it can safely do so at all times or under all circumstances or conditions.
The "20% of the horse's weight" idea is embraced by most stable owners and horse organizations worldwide. It can provide a helpful upper limit for stable-owners and trail-ride wranglers who want to maintain the soundness of their horses, but please don't take it as an absolute - it does NOT mean that every horse can be asked to carry that much weight, or that every rider over that limit is bad for the horse. This "20% rule" is often invoked to justify asking horses to carry more weight than is comfortable or safe for them. The 20% should be an upper limit, not a starting point! It cannot be a hard-and-fast rule, used without any thought for the specific situation and specific horse, or it will be abused ("Horses can carry 20% of their weight, so that's what we'll routinely expect them to carry"). In one situation that I know of, an extremely heavy rider (300 pounds) was put on the back of an extremely overweight horse - the "logic" being that the horse, which weighed 1500 pounds, was carrying "only" 20% of its total weight. This was patently absurd - the horse should have weighed 1200 pounds at most, and was already at severe risk just from carrying 300 pounds of extra weight. When the rider was added, the horse was effectively carrying 600 pounds of extra weight. The horse's owner tried to justify this by citing the 20% figure, but... you've heard the expression, "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics"? This was a case in point. On paper, a 1500-pound horse could safely carry a 300-pound rider; in practice, THAT 1500-pound horse could not. In another situation, in another state, I saw an extremely heavy rider being assigned a terribly thin horse - the stable-owner's "logic" in this case was that the horse was severely underweight and since it really ought to weigh another 300 pounds, it obviously could carry that much more weight, so it could "reasonably" be asked to carry a rider who weighed 250 pounds. The mind boggles... but these things do happen, although they should not.
Each horse, rider, and situation will need to be considered carefully whenever the question of rider weight arises, and evaluated in light of all of the considerations mentioned above. The person who told you that horses can carry as much as 30% of their own bodyweight wasn't entirely wrong, but you will need to take that information in context. It's generally based on one current and one past group of horses and riders. The current ones are endurance riders training for and participating in competitions; the past ones were the riders of the cavalry. The percentage cited for these groups is NOT relevant to most rental-string horses or lesson horses - or to the people who ride them.
The cavalry expected its horses to carry proportionately somewhat more weight, yes, but those horses were sturdy, sound, and extremely fit, and their riders were fit and reasonably skilled. Maintaining the soundness of the horses was a top priority, and an absolute requirement, for every rider. It's simply not realistic to use cavalry standards as universal standards for "generic" riding horses and the general public. The general public is unlikely to be as fit as the riders of the cavalry - and are less likely to accept the idea that they will be doing mostly walking with some trotting, and that the riders will periodically be required to dismount and walk alongside their horses. ;-)
As for endurance riders, the AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference) has five weight divisions for senior riders. The top weight ("Heavyweight") division is 210 pounds and up. The NATRC (North American Trail Ride Conference) has a heavyweight division for adults whose weight AND the weight of their tack combine at 190 pounds or more. And again, these horses are sound, strong, and extremely fit, infinitely more fit than any ordinary riding horse, even one that is worked carefully (not just ridden by neophytes) every day - and conformationally well-suited to their work. Their riders - whatever their weight - are equally strong and fit. Endurance riders are also competent, aware, and attentive riders who are constantly monitoring every aspect of their horses' movement, comfort, and physical condition, from hoof balance and tack fit to hydration levels and heart rates.
A horse that is ill, injured, or recovering from an illness or injury, should certainly not be asked to carry the maximum amount of weight that it can possibly carry without breaking down. A horse that is overdue for a visit from the farrier, and that has less than optimum hoof length and angles, will be at risk for injury if it is worked hard, and will be at even greater risk for injury if it is asked to carry maximum weight. Lacking the conditions associated with the cavalry and with endurance riding - that is, the sound, strong, extremely fit horse with the strong, informed, aware rider - there is no benefit, and there is potentially a great deal of harm, in asking ordinary horses to carry 30% of their own weight.
If you get in touch with some reputable guest ranches and "dude" ranches, or contact some of the international riding vacation programs, you will find that most of them do assign weight limits to their customers, to protect the horses (and to protect the riders as well). Depending on an individual stable-owner's or ranch-owner's level of knowledge and experience, on the quality and suitability of the horses, and on the terrain to be traversed and the conditions of travel, the upper limit for rider weight might be as high as 220 pounds or as low as 160. You may find indivdual businesses that allow riders to weigh up to 240 pounds or even more, but those will certainly not be in the majority.
Remember, the subject here is RENTAL horses and lesson program horses, not privately-owned horses. A good rider on a well-conditioned horse, using a saddle that fits the horse well and helps distribute the rider's weight over a large area, might weigh considerably more than this without harming the horse.
For most ranches, the cost-benefit analysis will quickly reveal that it's not worth putting a horse at risk for the sake of accomodating any individual customer. It takes time and effort to find, train, and condition horses for a good guest ranch, and those horses must be looked after if they are to continue their work year after year. Most programs are careful to protect their horses' backs and legs, and most stable owners realize that carrying too much weight will break a horse down, sooner or later. Granted, there are still a few "horse rental" businesses that have no rules other than "go where you like, gallop if you like, just give us your money and be back in three hours", but the "standards" espoused by individuals who derive their income from cheap rental strings are strictly bottom-line driven, with the horses viewed as inexpensive, expendable ATVs, and with horse welfare nowhere on the owner's list of priorities. In addition, stables that operate in this manner are generally doing so without benefit of insurance - so this sort of thing really isn't an option for the careful, conscientious, insured stable owner.
Most ranches that offer trail rides as an activity, and many commercial stables, state their rider weight limit clearly in their rules and brochures. (They also usually state a minimum age and height for child riders - and those things aren't negotiable either!) Some of them keep a doctor's scales just outside or inside the stable, and weigh riders before allowing them to participate in riding activities. Some years ago, I met the owner of one such facility, and she explained to me that the scales were prominently displayed - but hardly ever used. Her wranglers and guides rarely had to weigh anyone, because (a) most people respected the weight limit, and (b) those few individuals who clearly did NOT respect it (e.g., the 300-pound person who chose to ignore the posted "180 pound limit for all riders") would see the scales and suddenly lose all interest in riding. And yes, both the weight limit AND the scales were mentioned in the brochure. Since then, I've seen and heard of this same arrangement at other stables, so perhaps it's an option that you might find useful at your own facility.
The same facility offered pack trips, and they had weight rules there as well. Their pack horses were allowed to carry 150 pounds for a full-day trip, and 175 pounds for a half-day trip. Some ranches set much lower limits - another local ranch had a pack-weight limit of 60 or 80 pounds per horse, if I remember correctly - but the owners of this ranch were very proud of the skills of their staff, who were exceptionally good at building stable, balanced packs. Horses can carry a great deal more weight if the pack is positioned and adjusted correctly so that it stays level and balanced on the horse's body. If you offer trail rides and lessons on your horses, you may find it useful to evaluate potential riders in the context of a heavy pack - a skilled, balanced, stable rider would cause less stress and injury than a rider who was unbalanced, unstable, constantly shifting forwards and backwards and from side to side. Whether your horses are carrying packs or humans, you have to be able to make judgement calls about the amount and nature of the load.
"Discriminatory" is, unfortunately, an emotionally loaded word. Imposing a weight restriction on riders is not a matter of prejudice against heavy persons, any more than the weight allowance for luggage on airplanes is a matter of prejudice against heavy suitcases. It's a matter of safety, and in the case of horses and riders, it's also a matter of the soundness and health of the horses involved. Breaking down a horse may not be as obvious or as spectacular as breaking down an airplane, but it makes sense that neither machine nor animal should be stressed to (or over the edge of) damage or destruction. Obviously there are many exceptions - riders who own their horses, and private pilots with their own planes, are free to take any risks they care to take, and in the case of a one-off such as a mercy flight or a horse and rider trying to outrun a fire, greater risks would be necessary for survival and therefore more acceptable. But for routine commercial flights and routine rides, it's essential to protect the integrity of the (mechanical or live) conveyance. The practical difference here is that passengers on an airplane, can, under certain circumstances, carry more weight. They often have the option of paying more and having their overweight luggage accompany them, or - if it's their personal size (not weight!) that's the issue, of occupying and paying for two seats instead of one. Size isn't an absolute - it will make no difference to the airplane whether two adjoining seats are occupied by two 150-pound humans or by a single 300-pound human. WEIGHT is an absolute. It WILL make a considerable difference to the airplane whether ALL passengers weigh 150 pounds each, or whether ALL passengers weigh 300 pounds each. If you think of the airplane as a two-person, twelve-person, twenty-person, two hundred-person, etc. conveyance, and of the horse as a proportionately smaller and more delicate ONE-person conveyance, the idea of restricting the rider's weight will not be so offensive. Weight can make the difference between a safe flight and a crash - or a safe ride and an accident - or a sound horse and an injured, unsound horse. Asking a horse to carry the maximum amount of weight it can carry without breaking down immediately is not a good policy - like towing a trailer when the weight involved is at or beyond the upper limit of the vehicle's towing capacity, it's a burning formula for trouble.
If what you really want to know is "Can I be sued for not allowing a very large person to get on one of my horses?" and you operate a commercial stable, then the easy answer is "Yes." Of course you can - you can be sued for anything. But there are two things you should consider here. One is that many people respond to every inconvenience by announcing loudly "I'm going to sue you!" - you can't afford to change your business practices and personal or professional ethics just out of fear that some annoyed or angry person MIGHT follow through on such a threat. Another is that although some people may attempt to sue for being turned down, there are other questions you should be asking. Try this one: "Can I be sued if I allow a very large person to get on one of my horses and the horse stumbles and the person falls off?" The answer here is also "Yes." We're a litigation-prone society, and frivolous lawsuits abound. You can take every safety precaution in the world, be as careful as possible to have the best horses and the best wranglers and the best equipment in the world, but something can always go wrong somewhere. As long as there are people who view a lawsuit, however unjustified, as a potential source of free money in the form of an insurance company settlement, there is always a risk of being sued.
My advice to you is that you discuss this with two professionals in the industry: the agent for the company that insures your equine-related business, and a lawyer who specializes in equine law. You already know the name of your insurance agent. For a lawyer, I highly recommend Julie Fershtman, Esquire, an experienced, skilled, and personable Michigan-based specialist in equine law. Here is her contact information:
e-mail: email@example.com
Phone: 248-644-8645
Fax: 248-646-2557
Address : 30700 Telegraph Road, Suite 3475, Bingham Farms, MI 48025-4527
Hours of operation: 9 am - 6 pm, Eastern Time (with after hours voice mail)
She should be able to help you evaluate and compare the various risks involved in meeting or refusing unreasonable customer requests. Keep in mind - and I expect that both your insurance company and your lawyer will confirm this - that whereas someone may threaten to sue if you don't allow him or her to ride your horses, allowing that person to ride does not mean that you'll avoid a lawsuit. And - you can check for precedents on this - it's my understanding that even in a progam for handicapped riders, refusing to take a rider for either medical reasons or safety reasons is not considered to be discrimination. I believe that NAHRA (North American Handicapped Riding Association) limits the combined weight of rider and tack to 200 pounds, and most of the hippotherapy programs with which I'm familiar set the same limit. These horses work in an arena, on soft, reliable footing, and most are led by trained handlers and (often) accompanied by sidewalkers. They aren't asked to trot, canter, or go up and down hills or negotiate uneven terrain - yet these programs have rules for the safety of the rider and/or the horse.
Carry on as you are - continue to protect your horses. Don't do things that risk their health and soundness. If riders want to gallop your horses on the highway, the answer is NO. If a 400-pound rider wants to ride at any speed, the answer is NO. It's not about the highway or the rider - it's about your horses. You are personally responsible for their health and welfare.
If there are heavy riders in your lesson program and on your trail rides, as there undoubtedly must be, you'll just need to pay great attention to your horses. Watch them carefully for early signs of discomfort and stress. Be sure that you have mounting blocks everywhere - tall ones - and that you SUPERVISE when riders mount horses, because even a very balanced and coordinated heavy rider can strain a horse's back whilst mounting. So can an unbalanced, uncoordinated rider of ANY weight - but the combination of uncoordination and extra weight can cause damage in a single moment. It might be helpful if you were to add a line or two to your brochures and lesson contracts to the effect that your program enrollment is open - WITH EXCLUSIONS to those whose weight or size exceeds the carrying capacity of your trail/lesson horses. That way, it's a case-by-case judgement call on your part, you can exercise discretion, and if you acquire some exceptionally strong, sturdy, weight-carrying animals, you will be able to offer your services to some heavier riders without having to have your brochure reprinted.
Here's a sampling of sentences from the brochures of some ranches and riding programs:
"We have a few horses that can carry riders of 200-240 pounds, but they are in great demand as you can imagine, so please call ahead to ask whether those horses are available on the day(s) you wish to ride."
"For the comfort and safety of the horse and rider, weight limitations are in effect."
"Please note that to ensure horse and rider safety in mountainous terrain, we enforce a rider weight limit of 180 pounds."
"The maximum rider weight for our altitude and horses is 180 pounds."
"Most of our horseback riding is at a walking pace. Due to the terrain over which we ride, we have a 200 lb. rider weight limit."
"For the comfort and safety of both horse and rider, weight limitations are in effect. Accurate height and weight information is required on booking for each rider in the group. Please refer to the maximum weight chart below.
Maximum weight
5' 145
5'1" 150
5'2" 155
5'3" 160
5'10" 195
5'11" 205
6'0" 215
6'5" 240
Management reserves the right to request verification of the information given. Exceptions may be made at our discretion."
As you can see, the maximum weight varies according to the individual ranch, stable, and program, but most programs DO set an official maximum weight for riders, even though the rides are all supervised and are generally slow. So - take a good look at your horses, your tack, your terrain, and the type of trail-riding and lessons you offer, talk to your insurance agent and a good equine law specialist, and decide what you must do.
I'll leave you with two more points to discuss with these experts. First, if you're looking for good weight-carrying horses for your program so that you WILL be able to accomodate heavy riders in the future, let those riders know! Instead of "We can't accomodate you", you could say "Right now we don't have any horses that would be suitable for you, but we're planning to add more horses to our program, and we might acquire something suitable. If you will leave your contact information, we will be glad to notify you." That allows you to leave the door open - if you want to.
Second, there may be times when you want to close the door for reasons that have nothing to do with a rider's weight, so it might also be useful for you to specify in your contracts that you reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Whether the potential customers you turn down are too heavy for your horses, too obnoxious for your facility, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or whether your experience and instincts simply tell you "This one will be trouble", you should be able to say "No" to anyone at any time. I realize that it's never a comfortable position in which to find yourself, but you have an obligation to the animals in your care, and an obligation to yourself and the preservation of your livelihood. You shouldn't be asked to put these things at risk without a truly compelling reason, and if you ARE asked, you should certainly be allowed to say "No".
Good luck - it's a difficult question, and there isn't any single easy answer. Get the best professional advice you can, and go from there. As you learn more about this and work with your insurance and legal professionals, you'll find that you can go back to answering the phone with happy anticipation instead of dread.
Oh, and one more thing - when it comes to your own weight, stop worrying! You're an experienced and skilled rider, and you know your mare. If and when she becomes sore or sour, you will be the first to notice. You may weigh 25% of her weight, but when she carries you, she is carrying skilled, balanced, centered weight that is very unlikely to make her sore. You need to keep in mind - as do HORSE-SENSE readers generally - that your main question and this discussion were all about lesson horses and trail-ride rental horses, NOT about privately-owned animals with a single caring, conscientious rider of any weight. It's necessary to be more conservative with horses that have to accept many different riders with widely varying sizes, shapes, weights, skill levels, knowledge, and consideration of the animals. Healthy, sound, well-conditioned, privately-owned horses with good owner/riders can carry those riders for many miles, over all kinds of terrain - again, look at the Heavyweight division at endurance rides if you need proof that a balanced, skilled rider weighing 200 pounds or more won't necessarily impose any hardship on a horse. But the standards for rental and lesson horses DO need to be different, for the horses' sake. Even if the establishment is wonderfully well-run, and the horses are kept at a high level of training and conditioning and equipped with the very best-fitting tack available, there will always be a key difference: They aren't ridden exclusively by skilled riders who put the horse first, as horsemen always should.
Back to top.
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.


text:
PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine, France, 2016/02/11 - Alstom has been awarded by the logistics company Metrans Rail (Germany) GmbH the supply of two Prima H3 hybrid shunting locomotives for shunting operations in the port of Hamburg, as well as the associated maintenance for ten years - Alstom.com. FR0010220475; ALO
The locomotives are scheduled to be delivered in the second semester 2016 from Alstoms site in Stendal, Germany.
These two Prima H3 shunting locomotives will help us master the growing rise for shunting operations in the port of Hamburg. With them the number of our own shunting locomotives has increased to a number of 5. We are looking forward to these efficient and environmentally friendly locomotives with which we are able to reach our very ambitious goal to reduce pollutant emissions, said Roger Mahler, managing director of Metrans Rail (Germany) GmbH.
This new contract takes to 14 the total amount of Prima H3 locomotives ordered so far. The official presentation of the locomotive was organized in September 2014 in Berlin at the Innotrans transport fair. This good record clearly demonstrates the success of the Prima H3: Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, Audi, InfraLeuna and Mitteldeutsche Eisenbahn Gesellschaft (MEG) have chosen the Prima H3 with the objective of reducing the environmental impact of their freight operations. The Prima H3 shows diesel savings of up to 60% compared to existing locomotives in same operation mode.
In comparison with conventional shunting locomotives, the Prima H3 with its hybrid drive produces up to 50% less CO2, while other pollutant emissions (Nitrogen dioxide) are cut by up to 70%. Noise emissions have also been significantly reduced. The 350 kW diesel generator meets the requirements of exhaust gas standard stage IIIB[1] and has been designed with future exhaust gas standards in mind. Depending on its use, the shunting locomotive will spend between 50% and 75% of its service time in battery mode. This makes it possible to achieve zero-emission rail transport in urban areas or production halls. The locomotive reaches maximum speeds of 100 km/h and can therefore easily be integrated in main line traffic.
[1] Most recent European standard on the regulation of emissions
About Prima
The Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul (mostly in China, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan), freight and passenger operation (Europe, Africa, Middle East, CIS) and shunting or trackworks operation (Europe). The Prima brand stands for innovative traction solutions, including electric or diesel-electric traction systems, as well as hybrid or bi-mode systems.
About Alstom
As a promoter of sustainable mobility, Alstom (alstom.com) develops and markets systems, equipment and services for the railway sector. Alstom manages the widest range of solutions in the market from high-speed trains to metros and tramways and associated maintenance, modernisation, infrastructure and signalling solutions. Alstom is a world leader in integrated railway systems. It recorded sales of 6.2 billion and booked 10 billion of orders in the 2014/15 fiscal year. Headquartered in France, Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 32,000 people today.
Linda Huguet
T: + 33(0)1 57 06 10 42 - E: linda.huguet[.]alstom.com.
Tanja Kampa - Alstom Germany
T: +05341- 9007690 - E: tanja.kampa[.]alstom.com.
Agency / Source: ALSTOM
Availability: All Regions (Including Int'l)
Traffic Booster: [/] Quick PRZOOM - Press & Newswire Visibility Checker
Distribution / Indexing: [+] / [Company listed above is a registered member of our network. Content made possible by PRZOOM / PRTODAY indexing services]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sensodyne toothpaste formulas have been designed to bring lasting relief to sensitive teeth and gums. Sensodyne products are available at Chemist Direct in 4 categories to make it easy for you to find the product you need.
There is Sensodyne Mouthwashes and Interdentals, Sensodyne Pronamel, Sensodyne Toothbrushes, and Sensodyne Toothpastes. Say goodbye to sensitive teeth and gums after you start using Sensodyne toothpaste twice a day. Each product offers a whitening formula and a fluoride formula that protects against cavities.


text:
There's still time to enter the VideoGamer.com competition for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the WWE WrestleMania Revenge Tour at the O2 London.
To be in with a chance of winning download the WWE Legends of WrestleMania demo for Xbox 360 or PS3 and share you thoughts right here on VideoGamer.com. If you're not lucky enough to win the main prize you could still receive a copy of the game on Xbox 360 or PS3.
For more details head over to the competition page right here.


text:
Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers
Clifford Law Offices
Chicago, Illinois 60602
(312) 899-9090 or(800) 899-0410
(312) 251-1160
Law Firm Overview
Clifford Law Offices is one of the most respected Chicago personal injury law firms. The firm was founded by Robert A. Clifford in 1984. For decades, the firm has worked to establish a national reputation. Bob Clifford was named 2012 Lawyer of the Year in Personal Injury Litigation for Plaintiffs in Chicago by Best Lawyers. Robert Clifford was named the Best Lawyers 2010 Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year by the oldest peer-reviewed organization in the country. Best Lawyers in America also named Mr. Clifford the 2009 Chicago Personal Injury Litigator of the Year based upon his particularly high ratings for his ability, professionalism and integrity. He was profiled as the front-page story in Illinois' Leading Lawyers, published by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. He also was selected by the same organization as one of the Top 10 Attorneys who Raised the Bar Over the Last Decade in Chicago. Clifford Law Offices was named by the National Law Journal as one of the top 20 "Plaintiffs' Hot List" in 2003, and in 2004 as one of the 25 "Go-To" plaintiffs' law firms in the country. Robert Clifford was named one of the Illinois Super Lawyers in 2005 by Law and Politics, a national organization that conducted independent research among his peers across the state. In the initial announcement of the top five percent of the state's lawyers, Mr. Clifford was selected to appear on the cover of the inaugural issue. He also has consistently been selected as one of the top three Leading Lawyers in Illinois, an organization that represents five percent of the state's top lawyers as selected through an extensive research process including peer recommendations.
The Chicago Lawyer named Clifford Law Offices the top Chicago personal injury law firm in its Annual Settlement Survey in 2009, 2008, 2005 and in 2002, leading with $100.7 million, $121.82 million, $86.7 million and $136.85 million respectively in numerous settlements for the year. Robert Clifford was singled out as the leading individual attorney with the highest total dollar figure in settlements at $77.32 million in 2002. Mr. Clifford was chosen to be part of a select group of aviation attorneys to advise the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, a California-based research think-tank. Its mission: to study the investigative process of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the government arm that oversees investigations of major transportation accidents in the air, on the rails or at sea. Mr. Clifford was most interested in seeing that the families of those who lost loved ones in a crash be allowed to get involved in the investigatory process. Currently, families are not now permitted by statute to participate in the NTSB fact-finding process. He and partner Kevin Durkin also were appointed to the Aviation Law Institute at DePaul University College of Law, an Advisory Board on aviation matters composed of lawyers and experts from around the world.


text:
Harbor 42 — By Tim Clark — February 2001
Stalwart Style
|Part 2: Rock Harbor 42 continued
The day I tested the boat in the shadow of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was fair indeed. Light winds out of the south hardly disturbed the water's surface, which shimmered under a cloudless sky that came right into the Rock Harbor's pilothouse. Let me explain. High and aft of amidships to afford good visibility and an agreeable distance from waves that might break over the bow in foul weather, the pilothouse is--for lack of a better expression--convertible. At the press of a button nearly half of the overhead slides quietly forward, opening the helm, as well as the portside L-shape settee and table, to the sky. If you also open the door directly aft of the helm and the 2'x2' window on the port side aft, you have the feeling of steering amid the elements.
The open pilothouse made it easy for me to record an acceleration curve. I just doffed my boat shoes, stood on the settee, aimed my radar gun forward, and literally shot through the roof. Our test boat's single 370-hp Cummins 370B-M propelled the semiplaning hull from idle to a top speed of 21.6 mph at 3000 rpm in about 23 seconds, impressive, I thought, for a single-engine 33,000-pound boat.
Skippers accustomed to the responsiveness of twin-screw vessels will have to adjust to the handling of the Rock Harbor. At cruising speed I tended, at first, to oversteer a bit. But it didn't take long to become comfortable with this passagemaker's leisurely pace. I was aided in this by the rudder indicator at the helm, which was also equipped with a Simrad GPS, depthsounder, speed log, and VHF radio. In close-quarters maneuvering, as Garret Cohen, director of Neptunus Yachts at Bay Bridge Marina, adeptly demonstrated, the 42 will respond precisely to a patient, deliberate combination of engine power and bow thruster. For added finesse, a stern thruster is optional.
A good look at the Rock Harbor's interior convinced me that her designers understand that a boat built for long voyages has to be as livable as she is sturdy. The area of the pilothouse forward of the helm--also the site of the companionway-- extends over the central space below by three feet and lends an exceptional feeling of spaciousness to the 42. If you're seated in the saloon at the forward end of the large starboard-side settee that partly encircles a richly finished table, your view extends up into the pilothouse, past the helm, and if the sunroof is open, into endless sky. Great natural light flows in through high, oblong, four-foot-long, double-pane (as are all onboard) windows above deck, and smaller oval ports at eye level provide views. It is truly a roomy space where five or six people can congregate without feeling confined.
The port-side galley aft of the saloon is also spacious, with nearly 14 square feet of Corian countertop and a Bosch Eurostyle four-burner stove above a dishwasher. Hidden behind the rich paneling you'll find a single-unit washer/dryer, convection/microwave, and Whirlpool refrigerator/freezer with almost the same volume as those in most homes.
With three staterooms--a master toward the stern, a twin-berth midcabin to starboard, and a guest stateroom at the bow--the 42 can comfortably sleep six. But for voyages of more than a few days, you probably should consider a complement of no more than four. Each stateroom has a generous hanging locker and various cabinets, but only the one at the bow provides additional stowage beneath the berth. (The 300-gallon freshwater tank claims that space in the master.) A pair of couples could use the midcabin for any overflow of personal belongings. One couple alone onboard would have scads of extra space.
For stowage of general items, the saloon is lined at head level with cherry cabinets, and space beneath four of the five large sections of the starboard settee can hold volumes. Cabinets suspended at head level above the countertops line both sides of the galley, and beneath the teak and holly sole there are three bins designed to stow 50 bottles of wine, but which can also be used for a similar volume of more practical goods.
Other features encouraging long-range voyaging in any climate include ample stowage in the single (but roomy) head with shower, a 6.5-kW Onan genset with soundshield in the storage room at the stern, a chilled-air system with four handlers, and backup freshwater pumps for both the main system and shower.
A sitting area aft of the wheelhouse and a sunpad forward large enough for three will entice you above decks in clement weather. Wide side decks and sturdy stainless steel rails at waist level make getting around up here effortless.
Although the 42 certainly has elegance--cherry varnished to a high gloss and quality details abound--certain aspects of her design will require accommodating temperaments. The main access to the engine compartment, for example, is through a 3'x5' heavily insulated pull-out panel in the galley. (Access to the starboard side of the Cummins is through screwed-on panels in the midcabin bulkhead.) Any time the engine needs maintenance, noise, smell, or a clutter of tools on the galley floor will compromise the onboard quality of life.
But I think Neptunus intends this small ship for intrepid voyagers who are unlikely to be troubled by periodic inconveniences. The 42 is a boat sure to appeal to those with an appreciation for adventure as well as comfort. She's designed for extremes. On one hand there is the storm you'll hopefully never encounter; on the other, there are the fair skies you'll enjoy again and again.
Neptunus Yachts (410) 604-3111. Fax: (410) 604-0695. www.neptunusyachts.com.
Next page > Rock Harbor 42 Specs > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This article originally appeared in the January 2003 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.


text:
JERUSALEM (Oct. 6)
Shneur Zalman Shazar, who retired last year as third President of Israel, died yesterday at the age of 84. He would have been 85 today. His body lay in state today at the Binyanei Haooma (Convention Hall) here where thousands of people — public figures and ordinary citizens–paid their last respects. He will be buried tomorrow in "The President's Plot" on Mt. Herzl following a state funeral. No eulogies are expected due to the Succot holiday.
Israelis and Jews around the world mourned the man whose voice rang out across the Jewish world as a poet. Biblical scholar, Habad hasid, Socialist, Zionist, and Western intellectual for almost seven decades. President Shazar, who suffered a heart attack last May, was taken to Hadassah Hospital Sept. 29 for an unspecified ailment. An aide to President Shazar said he was suffering from a general deterioration of the body brought on by old age.
Prof. Avinoan Zlotnick, the physician who treated President Shazar in the week he was hospitalized, said the former President died after a quiet night. He suffered a renal insufficiency which led to heart and breathing stoppage. Prof. Zlotnick said President Shazar did not suffer from pain at his death. During the week he was in the hospital he was unconscious part of the time, and only very few visitors, among them former Premier Golda Meir and President Ephraim Katzir, were permitted to see him.
His immediate relatives were not at his bed at the time of his death. Both his wife, Rachel, and daughter have been hospitalized for a long period, and were confined to bed. Before he died his wife was brought in a wheel chair to see him from her convalescent home near Hadera, but he remained unconscious. During his last days, a group of Habad hasidim–President Shazar was closely associated with the Lubavitcher Movement–held a psalm and prayer vigil outside his hospital room.
No one who ever heard President Shazar speak–and in his prime he could hold an audience entranced for three or four hours on end-can ever forget his warmth and ardor which made him one of the finest orators of Zionism. His addresses were always filled with learning and with fervor and emotion in equal part. He would often begin, like a rabbi, with a Biblical or Talmudic text, and would, so expound it and build upon it as to harness its own message and invest it. too, with his own thoughts and ideas.
At home in poetry as well as prose, his public addresses and private conversations always had the wealth of style of the rounded litterateur, and he brought to bear his scholarships in many fields, secular as well as Jewish, to further enrich his spoken and written word. His 10 years as President of Israel welded strong elements of Jewish tradition and Jewish pride to the national and scholarly heritage which his two predecessors. Dr. Chaim Weizmann and Itzhak Ben Zvi, had already built into the presidency.
Schneur Zalman Shazar, whose original name was Shneur Zalman Rubashow, was born in 1889 in Mir, Russia. At home he imbibed both traditional Judaism–in the mould of Habad Hasidism which was his family's allegiance–and Zionist idealism. Influenced by the writings of Ber Borochov. the father of Socialist-Zionism, he joined the Poalei Zion (Labor Zionists) early in this century. He was active in writing and publishing works for this movement, together with Borochov, Ben Zvi, and Rachel Yannait (she later married Ben Zvi) and was Jailed for it for two months in 1907.
In 1911 he spent the summer in Palestine on a kibbutz, falling in love with Rachel Blaustein, a poet from Galilee and came under the influence of Berl Katznelson. a Labor Zionist leader. He spent World War I years in Germany, studying and working for the local Zionist movement. He married Rachel Katznelson in 1920 and returned to Europe for four more years of academic and political work, and settled permanently in Palestine in 1924.
He was appointed to the executive committee of Histadrut, and In 1925 he joined the editorial board of "Davar," the newly established labor dally, of which be became the editor-in-chief in 1944 after Katznelson's death and served until 1949. Through these years he was active in the World Zionist Organization and toured the world repeatedly, his oratorical qualities gaining him fame and respect wherever he appeared.
In 1929, President Shazar was elected to the executive of the Vaad Lumi (National Council) and In 1930, with Chaim Arlosoroff, he edited the monthly "Ahdut Ha'Avoda." He also participated in the founding of Mapai. In 1933, he went to Warsaw where he founded, and for a time edited, the Yiddish daily "Dos Vort." In 1938 he attended the International Conference of Refugees at Evian, France. In 1943 he wrote the manifesto in which the Vaad Lumi drew the attention of the world to the holocaust.
During the pre-State struggle with Britain, President Shazar participated In the 1946 hunger strike of Palestine's Jewish community. In 1947 he was named by the Zionist General Council to the political committee collaborating with the Zionist Executive in its negotiations at the United Nations. He appeared on behalf of the Histadrut at the hearing of the UN Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) In Jerusalem and was a member of the Jewish Agency at Lake Success, NY, when the UN General Assembly decided on the establishment of the Jewish State.
Early in 1948 President Shazar drafted the resolution passed by the Zionist General Council on April 12 announcing that Jewish independence would be established at the end of the Mandate. In 1949 he was appointed Minister of Education and Culture and promulgated the Compulsory Education and Culture and promulgated the Compulsory Education Law of the fledgling State. Following the Soviet Union's (Continued P. 4, column 1)


text: Hmm. Spamming the haskell-beginners list. I guess some companies must be desperate... Ben. On 28/06/2010, at 11:45 PM, Syed Imran wrote: > Hi, > > I hope you are well. > > I am a Head Hunter in the City of London, I have recently joined the Haskell-Cafe forum. > > I am currently looking for someone with a strong computer science or mathematical background to work with some of the leading financial institutions in London and the USA. Functional Programming is seeing a significant amount of investment with a few of our clients, who are using Haskell as well as F# (and some also use OCaml). > > I appreciate you may not be actively looking to work in the investment banking arena at present however I would be keen to touch base with you should you be interest now or in the future. > > Please could you let me know your current situation and also forward me a copy of your CV and contact number so as I can call. > > Look forward to hearing from you. > > Kindest Regards > > Syed Imran > > Consultant > Carrington Fox UK Ltd. > 11 Tokenhouse Yard > London > EC2R 7AS > Tel: +44 207 073 2626 > Fax: +44 207 073 2627 > s.imran at carringtonfox.com > > www.carringtonfox.com > > > Carrington Fox UK Ltd. > 11 Tokenhouse Yard > London > EC2R 7AS > Tel: +44 207 073 2626 > Fax: +44 207 073 2627 > > > www.carringtonfox.com > > Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone. > > Please advise immediately if you or your employer do not consent to Internet email for messages of this kind. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of my firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. Carrington Fox reserves the right to share information between companies within our group. Carrington Fox UK Limited. Registered in England: 04373672 Registered Office: 11 Tokenhouse Yard, London, EC2R 7AS. VAT Number: 798-4652-61 > > Terms and Conditions of Business available on our web-site. > _______________________________________________ > Beginners mailing list > Beginners at haskell.org > http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/beginners -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.haskell.org/pipermail/beginners/attachments/20100629/08042264/attachment.html


text:
It's surprising to think that in the wake of E3 2013, one of the least talked-about reveals was what at one time would have been Microsoft's biggest showstopper. We speak of course of Halo 5, unveiled via a misleading cinematic trailer dropping Master Chief in a brand new setting, against an enemy unlike any he has ever encountered.
Yet anyone paying close attention noticed that although Master Chief and the Halo name were included in the footage, the number '5' was not. Now, it seems that the hesitance to brand the game Halo 5 was no mistake, since the next release in the series is still a long way from being shown.
Since the trailer dropped, vice president of Microsoft Game Studios Phil Spencer explained that 343 Industries' once-pitched 'Reclaimer Trilogy' was now a full-blown saga. Moving from three games to an infinite number doesn't seem to change the fact that the next Halo will be Halo 5, but it was clear Microsoft was holding their cards close to their chest.
Yet the question remained: if Microsoft's Bonnie Ross was walking out on stage to announce something in the Halo universe – not the live-action TV show she's already announced – then exactly what was revealed?
Now Spencer has offered further explanation to IGN, citing a desire to remind gamers that Halo is alive and well:
"There was no ambiguity in not putting a number after the game. For me, what we showed wasn't the game. Nobody should be confused on that. I didn't really want to try to show something that was clearly a thought piece by the studio around where Master Chief is in his journey, and then drop the name after it and be somewhat disingenuous about that being the game.
"But I did want Bonnie to come out and say, 'First-person shooter. Master Chief.' Because they'll get the questions — 'Hey, is this ODST? What are you guys doing?' Bonnie comes out and reaffirms that 343 is building this game. It's Master Chief. It's a first-person shooter at 60 frames per second. It's coming in 2014."
Gamers will no doubt be disappointed to hear that the footage shown in the E3 trailer isn't indicative of a final Halo game; as thrilling as it is to know that the next Halo will be bigger than ever, we were hoping the massive Forerunner colossus seen in the trailer was a literal hint at the series' new direction. Spencer went on to remind fans that "Halo usually two E3s," with an announcement trailer appearing at one, and the game playable the following year (as was the case with Halo 4). So as disappointing as this news happens to be, next E3 should be one to watch.
It's no surprise that among the launch of two brand new consoles, Microsoft would go out of its way to once again point out that Halo is an Xbox One exclusive. With that said, it seems odd that the company would allow not one, but two holiday seasons to pass without a Halo game on store shelves. The obvious question then becomes: is another Halo Anniversary being planned? 2014 just happens to be the ten year anniversary of Halo 2, so the precedent has been set. But as Spencer explains, the company isn't in any hurry to water down their top franchise:
"The Halo Anniversary that we did was as much about the launch of the first Xbox as well. It was a culmination of many things coming together. It would probably run out of steam if we were trying to think about, 'Okay, what's 10 years old now?' It's definitely more from the game itself, the experience that we're able to bring to market. Less about 'Is the last digit a zero?' in terms of its anniversary."
What do you make of Spencer's explanation? Is a two year break leading up to Halo 5 exactly what the doctor ordered, or is a Halo 2 Anniversary a certainty in your eyes? Sound off in the comments.
We'll keep you updated as more information on the future of Halo arrives.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.
Source: IGN


text:
Call them the "Galaxy" colorway, a reference to the larger pack they'll be releasing with, or refer to them as the All-Star KD's, since they're what he'll be wearing in Orlando. No matter which nickname people decide to apply to them, throw in the adjective "hot" in reference to the shoe and everything the KD IV line has been thus far. That 3M on the forefoot strap? Blue-tinted, glow-in-the-dark soles? Shimmery metallic silver upper? Robo-copped.
Available at select retailers on February 24th.


text:
He is 14 years old.
Of all the numbers associated with Chaz Ortiz in his professional skateboarding debut year, from his two wins to his 430 points scored on the AST Dew Tour, the one that sticks out the most is his age.
"I know I'm skating against guys older than me all the time," he said. "But I don't feel intimidated at all."
Sliding along ledges, curbs and railings on his skateboard has been child's play for Ortiz, one of skateboard's youngest professionals. Most pros are in their early to mid 20s.
At the tour's final stop this year, in Orlando last month, Ortiz clinched the overall title in skate park, an event in which competitors perform maneuvers on a course consisting of ramps, rails and other obstacles resembling urban terrain.
Better still, Ortiz unseated Ryan Sheckler, 18, the three-time defending Dew Cup champion.
Ortiz, from Chicago, turned pro this season so he could compete on the tour. Skating against athletes twice his age, Ortiz rocketed up the rankings with his success.
"It's cool because I really do respect him," Sheckler said of Ortiz this year.
Nyjah Huston and Sheckler are the youngest to have turned pro, at 11 and 13, respectively.
Sheckler turned pro in 2003. That year he won the park event at the X Games. Ever since, he has been the undisputed champion in his signature event.
But Ortiz has simultaneously raised the competitive bar and made turning pro at a young age more acceptable.
In California, skateboarding twins Nic and Tristan Puehse, 10, have made names for themselves with a slick marketing campaign spearheaded by their father, Michael, who sent videos of his sons to potential sponsors when they were 6.
The Puehse twins have been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and have several sponsors, including Nike and Gatorade.
They could turn pro within the next two years.
Locally, Clearwater's Marcus Jalabar, who recently turned 13, is a sponsored skater who has won several amateur contests nationwide, including the King of the Grom this month in Minnesota.
"Here we have some sponsored skaters, but we don't have pro guys like Sheckler or Ortiz," said Jay Turner, who runs 688 Skatepark in Largo. "I think that could change, though, in the next few years."
Young professional skateboarders are nothing new. Tony Hawk turned pro in 1982 at 14.
What is raising eyebrows now is the bigger movement of boys around that age to turn pro.
Several theories have been offered to account for the movement. One is that increased television coverage — the X Games on ESPN, the Dew Tour on NBC — has transformed action sports from idle pastimes to full-fledged careers. Add sponsorships and top athletes can earn six figures annually.
Another theory points to the skatepark proliferation.
"There's just more exposure to the sport," Turner said. "You can see skateboarding on television, play skateboarding video games. And there are so many skateparks that have opened up within the last five, 10 years. Kids are going to be drawn to that."
Now the toughest trick for skateboarding prodigies is navigating a pro career and growing up.
Ortiz says he has been able to balance both.
He attends public school and does homework and family chores.
"It's fun to be on the road and skate against these guys," Ortiz said. "But I still try to be a regular kid."
Bob Putnam can be reached at email@example.com or (727) 445-4169.


text:
with cooler temperatures setting in here in NH I can't help but start to think about what I am going to do this winter. As much as I would like to run in the cold weather it isn't an option for me because my asthma really kicks in with the cooler air. So my other options are getting a membership to a gym so I can use a treadmill, getting a membership to a more expensive gym because they have a track, or using my elliptical.
Money is tight during the winter so I am shying away from the gym memberships and leaning towards using my elliptical. My concern is how much I will lose fitness wise doing that. I know there is a drastic difference between using a treadmill and running outside. I don't want to start back at square one in the spring. Are there any workouts I can do to help keep me on track over the winter months? I own p90x- would doing plyometrics along with my elliptical help me maintain where I am at?


text:
Research Topics
Marie Louise Meewisse
Affiliation: Academic Medical Center
Country: The Netherlands
Detail Information
- Disaster-related posttraumatic stress symptoms and sustained attention: evaluation of depressive symptomatology and sleep disturbances as mediatorsMarie Louise Meewisse
Center for Psychological Trauma, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center de Meren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J Trauma Stress 18:299-302. 2005..These results demonstrate that PTSD symptoms link to attentional dysfunction 2-3 years postdisaster...
- Cortisol and post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: systematic review and meta-analysisMarie Louise Meewisse
Center for Psychological Trauma, Academic Medical Center de Meren, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Br J Psychiatry 191:387-92. 2007..Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has inconsistently been associated with lower levels of cortisol...
- Tobacco usage interacts with postdisaster psychopathology on circadian salivary cortisolMiranda Olff
Center for Psychological Trauma, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center de Meren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Int J Psychophysiol 59:251-8. 2006..Smoking, which may be an important palliative coping style in dealing with posttraumatic arousal symptoms, seems to mediate the relationship between traumatic stress and the HPA-axis...
- The course of mental health disorders after a disaster: predictors and comorbidityMarie Louise Meewisse
Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J Trauma Stress 24:405-13. 2011..Initial depressive symptoms, maternal dysfunction, childhood physical abuse, and disaster exposure were found to discriminate between the groups and predict long-term psychopathology...


text:
Object storage is clearly the simplest, most flexible, and most scalable way to store tons of unstructured content. Scality's Zenko.io enables developers and businesses to take advantage of this simplicity, for free. Whether you're programming in Go or Java, or whether you're using existing applications for personal or shared data management, Scality's Zenko.io is a great starting point.Advertisement
Integrated Development Environments (IDE) Software
GTK+ Development Environment
The GTK+ Development Environment is an light, efficient tool for developing in any language. It acts as a framework around the user's preferred editor and compiler, providing complete project management.
rngcc is "really nice GNU C compiler" it's the GUI for the standard GCC on Unix systems rngcc is fully written in c


text:
Stade Francais lock Anton Van Zyl is eyeing a fond return to Oxford today, eight years after winning his second Blue.
The 32-year-old South African, who will line up against London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium in the Amlin Challenge Cup, still views Oxford's 2004 Varsity Match victory as one of his career highlights.
And as he prepared to return to the city, Van Zyl explained how he has taken an unusual route into professional rugby.
"My two years at Oxford, and my two seasons with the Blues are some of my best rugby, and other memories," said Van Zyl.
"Our preparation was top class, pretty close to that of a professional team, but we remained essentially amateur.
"It would be wrong if I didn't single out the win over the other place in the 2004 Varsity as the culmination of a great few months and a special team I was lucky enough to be part of.
"I am hoping to get back to the hallowed turf that is Iffley Road over the weekend.
"So many great times, and a lot of hard yards were shared on and around that pitch.
"I keep in contact with most of my teammates and see as many of them as possible when I get over to London." Van Zyl returned home after his Oxford studies to train as a chartered accountant
He said: "I was actually planning on retiring from rugby to focus on my career when I arrived in Johannesburg.
"But I couldn't bare to be without the game, especially from the social and competitive perspective.
"Within 18 months I had been selected to play Currie Cup for the Lions and in October 2006 I resigned from my job, having taken up my first professional contract."
Van Zyl played for the Lions, the Stormers and Western Province before joining Stade in summer 2011.
As for today, Van Zyl stressed Stade are focused on victory.
He said: "We definitely want to attack as much as possible, and give the ball as much air as we can.
"London Welsh are very strong and well organised, so we know that it's not going to be easy and we'll have to work hard to get onto the front foot."


text:
Accounting Standards [S]
Our Position
A number of authoritative international bodies are exploring possible changes to existing accounting guidance that materially affect the conduct of the insurance business in the United States and elsewhere. NAMIC supports the viewpoint that many of the measures emanating from foreign regulatory bodies, and which are now being considered by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, appear to be extreme and excessive. NAMIC also supports the notion that accounting standards should vary according to the size of the regulated entity, and that rules and standards that are appropriate for large insurance companies may not be appropriate for smaller companies and vice versa.


text:
Minister, Pemra defend move to regulate media
ISLAMABAD: Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday that the government did not intend to curb media freedom as democracy and media independence went hand in hand.
In a statement, she said the government wanted to empower the media to strengthen democracy, but the media without law and democracy could not flourish.
She said the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government strongly believed in freedom of expression and the media, but the freedom must be coupled with responsibility and in conformity with societal norms.
"The credit of lifting curbs on the media imposed by previous dictatorial regime goes to the present government," she added.
Brushing aside the impression created by a news item regarding the imposition of sanctions on media, she said Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had always framed laws to facilitate the media but not to put curbs on media freedom.
She said the government was in constant liaison with the concerned stakeholders before making or formulating any policy, law or regulations.
"There is not a single clause in the proposed Content Regulations that may be presumed anti-media. All the media rules and regulations either framed or amended have been in consultation with the stakeholders, so how can the government contemplate to curb or muzzle the media which is its own creation and for which Pemra has been given the mandate to flourish," the minister said.
She said the government witnessed a hue and cry from civil society and stakeholders on a daily basis whereby Pemra was criticised for not discharging its functions adequately.
She said that there was no harm if the request was made to the media to ensure balanced, objective and unbiased coverage and to preserve the sanctity of religions, sects, ethical values, morality and decency.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has rebutted a new item headlined 'PPP set to muzzle media ahead of general elections' that appeared in The News and daily Jang on Saturday.
In a press release issued on Saturday, Pemra says even though the news story was self contradictory in the detail provided therein which contained no clause that went against media or its freedom. "It's about a decade that Pemra has been in existence and has been framing policies, rules and regulations for private electronic media that is its prime obligation," the press release adds.
"One cannot criticise Pemra for performing its functions which is to offer larger framework of policy and regulations to its licensees. Nevertheless, the policies are adopted and implemented by the licensees at their own and Pemra has never intervened to the freedom of the media."
The press release says Pemra witnesses a hue and cry from civil society and stakeholders as there are hundreds of complaints on a daily basis against programmes and advertisements of the broadcast media. "As a result, Pemra proposed some content regulations which would be finalised in consultation with all stakeholders. It is unfortunate that the positive endeavour of Pemra is perceived as negative or government-backed and Pemra is propagated as a martinet imposing arbitrary sanctions on the media," it adds.
This is never appreciated that Pemra has been the biggest proponent of 'self regulation' and the massive spurt of electronic media that the country has witnessed today is result of Pemra's media friendly policies.
There is not a single clause in the proposed content regulations that may be presumed anti-media. "How can Pemra contemplate to curb or muzzle the media which is its own creation and for which Pemra is mandated to flourish? It is out of the question," the press release says.
"We are unable to understand criticism of this endeavour. What is the harm if Pemra requests its broadcast media licensees to ensure balanced coverage, avoid depiction of blood and gore, avoid coverage of terrorists, avoid discussion on sub-judice matters, request to install time delays in live talk shows as no abusive and unwanted content goes on air or if Pemra requests to preserve the sanctity of religions, sects, country, ethical values, morality and decency. Does it mean a curb on the media?"
This is all being proposed in good faith and without any prejudice to preserve the media and country's image.
It's not Pemra only, which has been proposing such guidelines, but content regulations are already framed and followed by the leading media regulators of the developed world. Comparatively those regulations are far more stringent, but none of the stakeholders cries over it as they assume their responsibility and obligations towards their society, country and people.
"It is good to grab readers attention towards the media by floating catchy headlines, but please the details published must have been read carefully prior to levelling allegations. We request the section of the media to exercise some prudence. If they do not have courage to appreciate Pemra's such endeavour there must at least be no criticism," the press release concludes.


text:
(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - March 28, 2012) A candlelit walk, a Clothesline Project display and a talk on male activists will mark Take Back the Night at California Lutheran University on Friday, April 13.
The activities, which are free and open to the public, will begin at 5 p.m. in Buth Park.
Take Back the Night marches, rallies and events encouraging people to take a stand against sexual violence, particularly incidents involving female victims, have been held around the world for more than 30 years.
Michael Messner, a sociology and gender studies professor at University of Southern California, will deliver the keynote address on male activism and gender-based violence. He is conducting a life-history study of two generations of men who have been active in the campaign against gender violence. One group came of age in the 1970s during a time of explosive feminist grassroots activism, and the other is fueling a resurgence of anti-violence activism on college campuses and through media-based campaigns today. The study explores how activists make sense of their anti-violence work and how they have strategized to stop men's violence within the two different historical contexts.
As part of The Clothesline Project, shirts decorated by women affected by violence will be displayed. The event also will feature student performances and resource tables hosted by community and CLU organizations.
Buth Park is at the corner of Memorial Parkway and Luther Avenue.
CLU's student club Feminism Is... and Center for Equality and Justice are sponsoring the event. For more information, call 805-493-3694 or email email@example.com.


text:
Sundays at 9:00 & 11:00 am
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 910.336.1144
We are a new gospel-centered, missional, church planting church in Fayetteville and we exist for the fame of Jesus. Our mission is simple: Love God. Love People. Advance the Gospel. We'd love for you to join us for worship on a Sunday or find out more ways to get connected.
2111 Justin Rd. Suite 106 | Flower Mound TX 75028
Unit 11 Westbrook Court | Sheffield S11 8YZ


text: Exhibit brings original Shoppers World to life ←Related Article The Boston Globe Tweet Share Framingham History Center A new exhibit is opening at the Framingham History Center's Edgell Memorial Library celebrating Shopper's World, which opened in 1951. Related: Full Screen Ruth Colson For 43 years, this sign marked the entrance to Shoppers World. Related: Full Screen Lynne Damianos The original Shoppers World sign was re-lit on Tuesday in honor of the exhibit. Related: Full Screen Handout On the opening day of Shopper's World's, girls were equipped with portable radios to provide the score of the World Series if asked. Related: Full Screen Ruth Colson The original dome of Shopper's World was flattened in 1994. Related: Full Screen ← Related Article Top 10 Trending Articles Most Viewed Most Commented Most Shared


text:
The Nativity Story - Word Document [Download]
- Occasion▼▲
- Audience▼▲
- Binding▼▲
- Books of the Bible▼▲
- Features▼▲
- Group or Individual Study▼▲
- Language▼▲
- Media Type▼▲
- Number of Lessons▼▲
- Series▼▲
- Guides & Workbooks▼▲
- Author / Artist▼▲
- Publisher▼▲
- Top Rated▼▲
- Price▼▲
- Discount▼▲
Product Information▼▲
|Format: Word Document
Vendor: Christianity Today
|Publication Date: 2009
Series: Movie Discussion Guide Bible Study
Publisher's Description▼▲
A cinematic journey into the heart of history s greatest story.
The Nativity Story showcases the powerful story of Jesus birth in a sweeping yet intimate film. Beautifully rendered by director Catherine Hardwicke from a screenplay written by Mike Rich, the film offers contrasting pictures of those who trust in God and those who don t, presents various images of the journey of faith, and reveals God s faithfulness in keeping his promises to his people, even in highly unexpected ways.
This discussion guide will help you connect with the nativity story by reflecting on the miraculous events of God s incarnation and the powerful models of faith for us today.
Discussion Guide
Movie Summary
Discussing the Scenes
--Belief vs. Unbelief
(Luke 1:5 22, 26 45)
--The Journey of Faith
(Psalm 56:3 4; 121:1 8; Proverbs 14:12, 31; 19:21; Hebrews 11:1)
--God s Faithfulness
(1 Kings 19:1 13; Luke 1:46 55)
As the Credits Roll
Based On
The Nativity Story (New Line Cinema, 2006), rated PG.
Photo © Copyright New Line Cinema
You have permission to make up to 1,000 copies for use in your local church.


text:
Where we live: Clarence
Every student at Clarence High School last week learned what's known as bystander CPR - using the American Heart Association's hands-only technique.
Lessons were coordinated by the Emily Rose Memorial Fund, named after Emily Rose Adamczak, who was 14 when she died in 2009 after suffering sudden cardiac arrest on a town soccer field in Akron.
Equipment and instructors was donated by Clarence Volunteer Fire Company, Harris Hill Volunteer Fire Company, Kelkenberg Construction, CPR—The Pulse Center, and Twin City Ambulance.
The American Heart Association is urging passage of a state law, sponsored by state Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-Buffalo, that would require all high school students to know CPR before graduation.
Also this week:
• The Clarence Women's Club will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main St. Dr. Susan E. Mason, professor of psychology and director of Niagara University's Gerontology Center, will talk about "Understanding and Improving Your Memory." For more information, call 310-7674 or 741-4718.
• The Clarence Women's Club's 51st Annual Scholarship Card and Game Night will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Town Park Clubhouse. Tickets are $5 per person and funds raised will allow the club to award five scholarships to Clarence High School seniors. For more information, call 310-7674 or 741-4718.
• The Town Board meets for a work session at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Town Hall, One Town Place.
• Veterans can pick up the Erie County Clerk's "Thank a Vet" discount card from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in Town Hall. The card offers discounts at more than 650 local businesses. Veterans must be Erie County residents and bring their original discharge papers.
• Friends of Clarence Library will hold their annual book sale Wednesday through Saturday in the library at 3 Town Place. A members-only sale will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, with memberships available at the door.
All are welcome as the sale continues from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. An all-day bag sale will be held Saturday.


text:
Excited for upcoming figma Amagi Yukiko (previously seen at Winter Wonder Festival)? I'm sure Persona 4 fans have a lot to look forward to - it's exciting to see popular games get a bunch of figures after all.
Check out a small, but lovely nonetheless gallery from the figma blog. We see her different faces and some accessories. She'll be up for pre-order pretty soon (like, tomorrow), and she's set for release in August! The blog entry puts her retail at ¥3,000, which seems about average before factoring in shop discounts.
She looks pretty cool! Going by comments in previous posts, it looks like fans are hungry for other members of the cast. I personally like figma Chie based on design and all that, but considering I'm not into poseables I likely won't buy either. What about you folks, though?
[via figma blog]
[UPDATE: Pre-orders are now open!]
[Pre-order at HobbyLink Japan | Hobby Search | AmiAmi | Otacute | CD Japan]
You are logged out. Login | Sign up


text:
Johnson chooses NFL over another year at USC
Published: December 10th, 2009 | Tags: 2010 NFL Draft, Pete Carroll, Stafon Johnson, USC
USC senior RB Stafon Johnson, who has missed most of this season following a freak weightlifting accident, will not apply for a medical hardship and will turn pro, according to his uncle. Kregg Anderson said Johnson has notified USC coach Pete Carroll of the decision.
Johnson could have petitioned the NCAA for another year of eligibility because of his injury. He instead opted for the NFL and has begun training in suburban Los Angeles.
Anderson said Johnson's weight is up to 214 pounds after dipping to 188 following the accident in which he dropped a barbell on his throat while bench pressing. Johnson's playing weight was around 220.
In Johnson's initial public comments in a press conference last month, he raspily said: "God has a plan. Run, Stafon, run."
Anderson said Johnson's immediate goal is to earn an invitation to the Jan. 30 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., so he can prove to NFL teams he is healthy and can take the physical wear of playing football again.


text:
December 09, 2012
Video Archives
The Alex Jones Show - December 09, 2012
Description of video playing:
On the LIVE Sunday, December 9 edition of the Alex Jones Show, Alex will show that Republicans had always intended to wave the white flag and increase massive taxes that can then be transferred to mega banks. He'll also break down the total takeover of America and what to expect it to look like, the imminent military intervention in Syria with chemical weapons as the pretext, the latest countdown to 2012 hoax that has people from around the world scared out of their minds and also research that coconut oil may prevent Alzheimer's disease. We'll also cover other major news and take your calls. Tune in from 4PM to 6PM Central Standard Time.
The Alex Jones Show
Watch Alex's live TV/Radio broadcast. Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM CST and Sundays from 4 PM to 6 PM CST
Show status: Off Air
Download files
Formats available: Login to download files
Related Videos:
Date: 12/03/2012
On the Monday, December 3 edition of the Alex Jones Show, Alex covers end of the world hysteria, the impeding fiscal cliff, more accusations of maltreatment even rape at the TSA, and the establishment's effort to continue the legacy of Obama (who continued the legacy of Bush) by running current Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in 2016. He also talks about the British version of the IRS spying on citizens as government steps up efforts at wealth confiscation and revenue enhancement. Alex also takes your calls on today's worldwide broadcast. - Watch now
Date: 12/04/2012
On the riveting Tuesday, December 4 transmission of the Alex Jones Show, Alex clarifies his call for a boycott of the NFL and NBC for airing anti-gun propaganda during Sunday's football game. He'll also break down the TSA's seeking of approval to conduct "security assessments" on U.S. highways, and their creation of a watch list for Americans who violate its policies. On today's broadcast, Alex also speaks with economist, film-maker, and television show host Max Keiser about the impending fiscal cliff and the continued slow-motion implosion of world markets. Also stopping by on today's show, Pastor Lindsey Williams. - Watch now
Date: 12/05/2012
On the December 5 edition of the Alex Jones Show, Alex runs down the increasingly likely prospect of U.S. and NATO intervention in Syria as warships arrive off the Syrian coast and U.S. officialdom warns that the regime of Bashar Assad may use chemical weapons against CIA-supported mercenaries and al-Qaeda. He also continues his coverage of stepped-up attacks on the Second Amendment and the right of the American people to own and use firearms following comments made by Bob Costas and sports journalist Jason Whitlock. The phones will be wide open on today's worldwide broadcast. - Watch now
Date: 12/06/2012
On the powerful Thursday, December 6 edition of Infowars Live, radio host Alex Jones dissolves the over-hyped rhetoric poured over the alleged Syrian chemical weapons threat being used to justify military intervention. He'll also break down the privacy violations perpetrated against the American people by drones already conducting domestic surveillance in non-restricted skies throughout the country. On today's show, Alex welcomes American economic trend forecaster and publisher of the Trends Journal Gerald Celente to discuss what steps should be taken in response to an imminent so-called fiscal cliff. We'll also break down other major news items and take your calls. - Watch now


text:
The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections or PAFFREL organisation has taken steps to notify Provincial council secretaries & governors in the respective areas regarding the utilisation of state owned property by former chief ministers of the provincial councils which were dissolved recently.
Director of the PAFFREL organisation Rohana Hettiarachchi notes that several incidents concerning illegal election propaganda have also been reported subsequent to the handing over of nominations.
Speaking further the Director of the PAFFREL Organization also had this to say.


text:
Wichita/Sedgwick Co. Kansas Got info? Get cash.
Click here to submit a web tip.
Follow up on a tip.
Download the free app: iPhone | Android
Report Human Trafficking
If a tip on a registered offender who is wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department is submitted within seven days of the release of that person's name to the public, the tipster will receive a cash reward of $100 and Crime Stoppers will never ask the tipster's name. Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is a non‐profit organization of citizens against crime.
Crime Stoppers operates on donations only
Please Help
Call or Click - (316) 267-2111 • TipSubmit Online
Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County, KS, Inc • P.O. Box 2601 Wichita, KS 67201 • (316)268-4669