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Note Please: If you a re a regular and comfortable user of ZCom, this piece is probably not for you, save for information's sake, though it may be for people you know, who use ZCom, but not much of it. If so, please consider passing it along…or even better, just give them a little friendly push.
For a few days this week we have had a house guest here at Z – Brian, a friend from New York and a very active and effective organizer regarding participatory economics and participatory society among diverse other involvements.
I mention this because yesterday Brian was sitting here, next to me, in my "office." Actually, he was sitting at Chris Spannos' desk, since Chris is in Detroit until the end of this week, maybe even a bit longer due to serious car trouble.
Well, Brian and I got to talking about the site and Brian was telling me how hard it is to use, that it was difficult to see what he wants, etc. He liked the mobile site, utterly plain, but had trouble with the full site, too complex.
Now please understand, Brian is not ninety and just learning how to use a computer. He is twenty three. His cell phone appears to be an extension of his arm. His eyes may well be wired to chips, as far as I can tell, given his comfort with and his active use of the internet. And Brian is also close to us, a friend, a partner in struggle, etc.
So, I was a bit incredulous at what he was telling me – and I had him go to the site to show me – which, of course, he should have done two years ago, if he felt thusly. Still, this was perfect. Brian was right next to me. And if the site is really hard to use, as many still suggest, we need to know, of course, and Brian could explain why. If, instead, as I felt was likely, the site is fine but Brian was simply judging it oddly, then we would learn that.
Okay, so Brian went to the top page. Whoa, he clicked around a bit, and navigation turned out to be no problem – there was the tab menu, and he could go anywhere, easily. More, I then asked if he had used the left menu. "No."
I told him, "you can see almost any content – or at least a great deal of it – without even leaving the top page. "Impossible," he said. So I said "click the little right point arrow next to the label comments, in the left menu." He did. And he saw lots of links pop up, the most recent, right there, quick, without even leaving the top page.
I said, okay "do that for other left menu entries." He did. "Great," he said, quite impressed he could get content by topic, person, type, place, etc. And I am wondering, how could he possibly not know this was there. He has used the site for years. Sometimes he uses it multiple times a day. He has gotten a gazillion emails describing features – not from an impersonal source, even – but from a friend.
Fact: The only way for Brian to not see this navigation aid, or any other user, was to never look.
Question: Why, I wondered, if one felt things were hard to get to, would one not look for ways to get to things?
I admit, I have trouble thinking of possible answers to this question – but here is one.
Perhaps Brian assumed, implicitly, and others may be more explicit about this viewpoint, that there couldn't be any good tools on the site, therefore there was no need to look for them. If an instant reaction – not unlikely given that anything takes a little effort to discover – is I can't do X, and if I think there can be no significant features that work – then surely it would turn out, even with giving some time to seeing how to do X, that I would still be unable to do X. So there is no point to my even trying. And I don't.
Alright, at this point I am wondering why in Brian's mind, particularly since he had frequently successfully done it, even navigation was a problem as compared to his routinely saying to people the site is great, it has tons of material that is easy to find, by title, topic, author, date, place – and quick to access.
Okay, maybe we could find out why Brian had that disparaging view of the site lodged in his head by trying something admittedly slightly more complex, especially since at this point Brian said that in any event he didn't really mean that he couldn't get around and read things, rather he meant he found the more interactive features confusing and hard or actually pretty much impossible to use.
I should say that from my point of view this only raised another confusing matter to explain. Let's suppose that setting up a ZSpace page, posting a blog, customizing the site, putting up a photo album, commenting, or whatever, was in fact a little tricky or even really really difficult, and also that there was no help available, there were no videos showing you how to do it, etc. Okay, all that is contrary to what I think is true, but still, even if all that was the case, why would that translate into saying or feeling that the site was hard to navigate? Other sites have no such features, have less content, have fewer navigation tools, etc. But they are fine. Call me nitpicky, but if you can navigage ZCom as well or better – then why is the fact that ZCom offers other options – even if they were horribly hard – evidence that you cannot navigate it? I find that odd.
So, okay, not to belabor that nitpicky detail, at this point I instead said, "how about if you go to your ZSpace page." He did, no problem. After all, how hard is it to click `My ZSpace' next to text saying `Hello Brian' that is clearly and always visible at the top of all site pages, just under the tab menu, whenever you are logged in as a Free Member or Sustainer, of course?
I then asked if he had read the instructions much less viewed the help video about using the site. "No." This didn't seem to register as strange to him, and, nonetheless, as if not looking at help was irrelevant, he said gently, friendly, but still, like the mere fact was a condemnation of the site's usebility, "I don't know how to change my ZSpace page." And he added, "More, I have looked at some other people's very elaborate ZSpace pages, and it seems like they must be geniuses – how could they do that?"
I admit, I was flummoxed. To my ears, this was incredible. If others have elaborate pages – why would one assume it must be because they are geniuses rather than taking it as virtually definitive proof having an elaborate page must be rather easy to do?
Can you see our conundrum here at ZCom? We put a bunch of links on the top page of the site to some exemplary ZSpace pages that users have created. We assume that users seeing those exemplary efforts would immediately think, hey, I can do that too. It looks like fun, even. And I can show my friends and family. And so on. That's roughly the response people have, I think, on seeing innovations and features on commercial social networking sites. But not on ZCom, apparently. Here people don't take inspiration – but instead doubt themselves.
Okay, I ask, "Did you look at a help video?" "No."
"Did you click the left menu help and how to items to see what they say?" "No."
"Did you read any of the many emails we have sent with entreaties and instructions, in some cases?" "No."
And "yet you came to a disparaging conclusion – you, even though you know us?" Okay, I said, "nevertheless, and without even using the help now, do you see the content boxes?" "Yes."
"Do you see the little pencil in the upper right corner of each one?" "Yes."
"Make believe you watched the video of Chris clicking on those to show you how to make changes – or make believe you are on a mainstream site – what would you do to make a change, do you think?" "Click on one." And he did. Whoops, a big smile, a lot of surprise. It turns out it is trivial to make changes.
I showed him he could filter a box to display any content he might want, on his page. He was incredulous. Yes, now it was him, not me, who was surprised.
Okay, "what about the customization – that is way too hard," he said.
I said, "well, there are videos to show you how, but, even without them, up next to your name click Custom ZNet." He did.
I next said, "okay, even without viewing the video or reading the help, right click on tabs in the tab menu at the top." He did. He was flabbergasted that he could point and right click at all, much less that he could right click his way to a transformed version of ZNet that saves automatically, and that is there, whenever he asks to see his custom site, and that he can still see the public site too, clicking for that.
Okay, I said, "what do you see in the upper right corner of each content box?" I admit I was taking some pleasure in "pedagogically" hammering home my point that something other than objective assessment had clouded his prior perception of the site. "A pencil, and an x."
I suggested, "Click the x." "Egad I removed a box."
"Yep. Now click a pencil." "Yikes I can change what is in the boxes that easily, and I can put in graphics, text, links, and have links to site content of different kinds automatically appear and update?"
"Yes, right – you can filter for any content you might want. You can create a top tab menu, sub tabs beneath if, a left menu, and content boxes – all of your own design and choosing for your private viewing each time you return to the site." He was amazed. He could create his own version highlighting what he wanted, leaving out what he didn't want.
I said, click the `Customize' item in the tab sub menu under the tab ZNet. "See the page." "Yes." If you read the yellow box, as on most interactive pages, it is instructions, but forget that, just notice the pages listed. "Yes, they are people's customized pages?" Correct. "But I thought custom pages were only for their owner to use." They except on this one page you can see custom pages others have created, and if you find one you like, you can click on a link up near your name to copy the page – and it will become your custom page, and then you can edit it.
Brian was addled. "I can copy someone else's customization, and then further customize it?" "Yes, and, in fact, our plan was to put up a lot of templates we would create, and users could start with and then adapt them – but I have to admit, we got lazy about that. I think what happened to us was that it seemed folks just weren't using this feature. We spent tons of time, and endless hours, and yes, lots of money – making all this customization not only possible but as easy as we could get it – and then, people basically, mostly, ignore it so that now, even after months, only about a hundred Sustainers have even clicked the link to customize – and of those a much lesser number have actually created a serious custom version of the site." And i suspect no one has become a Sustainer to get this feature…
Indeed, perhaps you can understand why Chris Spannos and I are amazed at how few people take advantage of these and other features, and thus very unclear about what to do to enlarge and enhance the site. in any case, then I pointed Brian to the Groups tab and said click it. He did. I explained that a group could have an admin, and that the admin – and it could be changed who it was, and there could be more than one – could not just accept new members to the group, but could also alter the group page just as fully as she could do for her own private customized version of the site. The one difference is, in the case of a group page, whatever changes the admin made to it, everyone will see.
Brian didn't believe it, so I showed him. He quickly realized – but "that means any group could literally have its own site, with tabs that it wanted, sub menus under the tabs it wanted, left menus it entered, content boxes it cared to have – it is like you are giving people access to what would otherwise be hugely expensive to program, and, incredibly, it takes no programming or other knowledge to maintain it. And it has a blog system. And a forum."
I said, Brian, "that was exactly our thinking. We have built this framework of code and how could we make not just our content but the infrastuctural features available for people to use. And this was the way we tried to do it. It is very very slow, however, to get anywhere… and we don't know why. Publishers and local organizations could use these tools, gaining access to our audience for their ideas and writers, etc. We welcome it. But they don't come…"
I also said, "so as to the features, you now get it, but why didn't you get it before? Why didn't you get it as a result of the obnoxiously high number of times we have sent messages explaining it, or as a result of how we have displayed it in videos and help boxes, etc.?"
Skipping my question, he said, "what's this?" pointing at the stack of little icons arrayed in a vertical column to the left of the left menu?
I said, "have you even bothered to roll your curser over any of them and clicked on them?" "No."
I mean, really, yes we do have a video and instructions about it, but honestly, we thought they were overkill, arguably useful for someone who had never seen a computer and was just first get used to using one – but if, as in Brian's case, we are talking about a person who regularly uses computers, isn't the obvious thing to do to just experiment a little?
"Try it." He did.
Again, he was incredulous – "you mean from anywhere I can do nearly anything, blog, comment, upload content, whatever, this easily?' – I said, that's about right – anything you have permission to do, due to your being signed in as a Free Member or Sustainer (with still more options).
Okay, I have exploited or ZCom's benefit the only slightly elaborated description of the engagement with Brian sufficiently.
Now the thing to note is that maybe his experience isn't indicative. Maybe there are some people who honestly can't navigate the site or can't use its facilities because for them the site is harder to navigate than it ought to be, or harder to use, even after consulting help – though of course that would mean they pretty much can't use any site beyond the most trivial. Maybe – but I gotta tell you -while that's one explanation, I think it only applies to only a few folks. Here are some other possibilities I think are more operative for way more people.
1. A user assumes that nothing more sophisticated than the simplest possible site, if done by the left, much less by the very serious and very radical left, much less by the very serious and very radical and highly underfunded left, could work, so there is no point trying it. So they settle for the basics only.
2. Alternatively, a user can try something beyond the basics once, without looking at help, without viewing a video, and perhaps fail a little, and immediately give up. I should say, I think that 2 is the same as 1…different only in degree.
3. A user can be too intimidated to even try anything that isn't basic. This is different. It isn't a preconceived immutable doubt about ZCom that gets in the way of benefitting from its features, it is doubts about self. And yes, it is our responsibility to help bridge such doubts – thus we include the help screens, the videos, etc. No doubt we should do more, or other than we have – but what? We don't know.
4. Of course, so far, I have been talking about people like Brian who would benefit from the tools if they only made use of them, and all the more so if they got friends and others they know to use them. However, there are many many other folks who just want the basic daily dose of content and want no involvement beyond that. Okay, that's fine – you don't know what you are missing, but so be it. There are a whole lot of things I am missing, too, and that I don't know about, and that I don't investigate. No problem. But I wouldn't claim that the reason for my not doing those things is due to anything other than my choice…
5. Okay, one final point. A kind of Catch 22. I put up some photo albums – but then not more. Me, as a user, not as host of the site. I worked a lot on my personal ZSpace page, but then not more. Again, me, a user, not as host of the site. How come? Well, because others aren't doing their pages, their albums much less noticing mine. Some people might do their ZSpace page for fun, for a few users, even for themselves. Some might do photo albums that same way. I am more utilitarian – or whatever you want to call it. I would use those features, and others, really, honestly, only to have others somehow benefit, and therefore only if enough others are seeing and getting something out of what I do that I think it is worth doing. So that's the fifth and I suspect by far most operative and powerful reason for people to not try features, or try them and then forget about them, though all the four above add to this last reason, of course.
Thus, most importantly, I suspect, a user can feel about the interactive aspects of the site that despite their power and potential, the fact that others aren't using them in really high numbers means that the power and potential are largely unfulfilled, so, hey, I won't use them either. This is the deadly roadblock to progress we keep trying to overcome in all our endeavors, of course. We need to induce initial users despite that there aren't more already, and then we need to reach still more users, up to the point of having enough to be self perpetuating. The same problem as building movements. It is not an easy job…someone's gotta do it…how about more of us!


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Can Canibus Still Bust It? – A Few Good Bars From His New LP
More than a decade before Drake took hip-hop by storm in 2009, even before 50 Cent strongarmed the hip-hop game back in 2002, Canibus was that dude. The year was 1997, and 'Bis, an enigmatic punchline machine backed by Wyclef, was ripping ears to shreds through vicious freestyles and killer guest appearances (revisit Lost Boyz's "Beasts from the East" for proof of the latter). Then came the scathing LL Cool J diss record "Second Round Knockout," which solidified Canibus as a true iconoclast on the mic.
But, just like that, his career deflated. LL responded with the unexpected, and damaging, "Ripper Strikes Back," followed by Canibus's underwhelming debut LP, Can-I-Bus (1998). A string of dismissed follow-ups have been released in his debut's wake, yet none have connected, leaving the once-in-demand MC confined to the music industry's "obscure" section.
That doesn't mean the guy can't still spit, though. Even though his string of indie albums haven't made much noise, they're all packed with 'Bis's traditionally intricate rhymes, bars packed with obtuse conspiracy theories, multi-syllabic wordplay and fascinating trips into science fiction. That's all present on his ninth, and latest, solo effort, C of Tranquility, which was released independently yesterday on Interdependent Media.
There was once a time when new Canibus verses were met with tons of excitement, causing listeners to comb through the lines for memorable punchlines. Does C of Tranquility warrant such a close listen? XXLMag.com sat with the LP and selected the album's best lines. You decide whether Canibus still has it or not.
1) "I'm back, before Lil Weezy knew how to rap/When T.I. was still hustlin' crack, I put the muscle in rap/'100 Bars,' who fuckin' wit that?" —"Capt'n Cold Crush"
2) "Conspicuous characters creep through America with a killer chemical in a canister called 'Canibus,'" —"Salute"
3) "Forced to start from scratch, to rhyme from the heart when I rap/Looking forward to not looking back," —"Golden Terra of Rap"
4) "Seek and destroy the muthafuckin' beat mission/The rudeboy rasta on 'roids trippin'," —"Golden Terra of Rap"
5) "Double-shot glass of Absynth, still spittin' fantastic/You an absent has-been, I'm still rappin'," —"Golden Terra of Rap"
6) "The golden era of rap will always be a part of me/The future talks to me because the present is ignoring me," —"Cingularity Point"
7) "You can never be the best, until you complete the competency test with rap pattern parameters I set," —"Good Equals Evil"
8) "My rap style will always be in its prime/You rhyme for yourself, I rhyme for mankind" —"Worthlessness Purpose"

subset: commoncrawl


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i have a rather long non-linear equation with 8 variables that i need to optimize. is there some package/library of ready-made curve fitting c codes that i can use?
i have a rather long non-linear equation with 8 variables that i need to optimize. is there some package/library of ready-made curve fitting c codes that i can use?
Have you any idea of the type of curve you need. There are so many.
I suggest you load your data into Excel. That offers a wide range of curve fitting tools. Use this to experiment, and you'll soon lock on to the class of curve fitting you need.
Have you thought about multiple regression - just a guess as you haven't provided much detail.
Never re-write code unless the user benefits
Gnuplot has some very nice curve fitting tools.
If your objective is to implement a nonlinear model already tested and parameterized, your task is not difficult. However, if you have a set of data, and want to find an equation, I recommend you to give a quick look at the GNU Scientific Library.
Overall, I believe that the most straightforward way to solve your problem is to fit your curve using a standard package (R, GRaphPad Prism), get the equation, and code it in C.
hi, thanks for the replies. i use the curve-fitting solver tool in Excel quite frequently for my other straightforward curve-fitting problems. however, right now, what i need to do is to apply curve-fitting to an image, meaning that i have to iterate this curve-fitting on a pixel by pixel basis (there are about 15million pixels in my image), so Excel is definitely not the way to go.
and yes, i already have a model that i want to optimize, so all i need to do is to vary the model parameters. the model is quite complicated, with exponential, trigonometric, as well as quadratic terms.
what i am hoping to do is to use a readily-available source code for this kind of curve-fitting, and pluck it into my c program. however, i have yet to find any that is easy to understand and implement. there are some links here Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia but i have yet to try them out.
any other suggestions?
levmar is the way to go.
Attached is a ZIP of free C source. It also has TXT files with lots of references, info on how to use, links, etc.
Hope this helps.
For some reason ZIPs are not allowed as attachments, so it's renamed as LEVMAR.TXT. Please detach and rename back to ZIP before use.
Never re-write code unless the user benefits
thanks for the suggestions. i have downloaded the levmar algorithm from the levmar website, and then following the instructions in the FAQ and accompanying readme, i then went on to get lapack. i got lapack from the synaptic package manager (i am running ubuntu 8.04 hardy). as i was not sure which lapack package to get from the list, i installed the 2 that i thought were most likely: liblapack3gf, and, liblapack-dev.
next, i cd-ed into the levmar folder in a terminal, then typed 'make'. this was what i got:
may i know how to solve this problem?Code:gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lm.o lm.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o Axb.o Axb.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o misc.o misc.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lmlec.o lmlec.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lmbc.o lmbc.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lmblec.o lmblec.c gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lmbleic.o lmbleic.c ar crv liblevmar.a lm.o Axb.o misc.o lmlec.o lmbc.o lmblec.o lmbleic.o a - lm.o a - Axb.o a - misc.o a - lmlec.o a - lmbc.o a - lmblec.o a - lmbleic.o ranlib liblevmar.a gcc -O3 -funroll-loops -Wall -c -o lmdemo.o lmdemo.c gcc -L/usr/local/lib -L. lmdemo.o -o lmdemo -llevmar -llapack -lblas -lf2c -lm /usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lf2c collect2: ld returned 1 exit status make: *** [lmdemo] Error 1
also, will the algorithm be usable after this, or am i missing some more steps? i would like to try out the expfit.c demo that comes with levmar.
Library for linking to fortran code. Since I don't see any fortran source files in the log you posted, try removing the -lf2c from the Makefile. Alternatively there may be a libf2c package on your system that provides a libf2c.
iMalc: Your compiler doesn't accept misspellings and bad syntax, so why should we?
justin777: I have no idea what you are talking about sorry, I use a laptop and there is no ascii eject or something
i think i will just use some routines from numerical recipes for my problem. levmar is a bit difficult for me at the moment. thanks for your help.


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Supremely Gay Court
Demographic factors always receive a lot of attention in the naming of Supreme Court nominees. The media made a lot of hay over the fact that Bush selected two white males to put on the bench (though slightly less hay than when he tried to put his female B.F.F. there). So it's not surprising that as Justice Souter has announced his retirement, there is already a lot of speculation that Obama will pick a woman.
Something that has been getting less attention is that one woman considered to be a top contender is a lesbian and has worked for years on the fight for gay rights. Kathleen Sullivan, a professor at Stanford Law, has made most of the top lists produced by the media. Most of these lists just so happened to leave off the fact that she was gay, but there was coverage on GayPolitics.com and on the always-fabulous Politico.
Especially considering that there will certainly be issues facing the gay community coming before the court, and therefore coming up in the confirmation hearings, it is fascinating to think about how an openly gay justice would help to shape the debate. I don't think Obama would have had a hard time getting an openly gay person appointed to a Cabinet position, for instance, that didn't really deal directly with gay rights issues. But a Supreme Court nomination would ignite a battle that Obama probably has no interest in starting in the middle of a recession and epidemic involving pigs that I don't really follow.
Obama has said, however, that he wanted an empathetic choice, and said he wanted justices who could put themselves in the shoes of a single mom or a gay person. Then again, we all know how great politicians are at living up to campaign promises.
I hope that if Obama doesn't pick Professor Sullivan, he at least picks a woman for the court. Honestly, when I saw the headline "First Openly Gay Justice on the Court?" I thought that if it was a dude, I'd rather have a hetero woman. It's not terribly offensive to me that the nine member, low-turnover court has never had an openly gay justice; what is disgusting to think about is that women make up a majority of this country's population and have only one of nine seats, in the year two-thousand-and-fucking-nine. Same could be said for African Americans and Hispanic Americans, and there are some nice choices of women who are also in racial minorities being floated (Judge Sonia Sotomayor is Hispanic and Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears is Black.)
All of this goes without saying that demographics aren't everything. In the end, I would take a far-left white guy over Ann Coulter or her gay and Black but politically-equivalent counterpart (not that I think there is one…) But it's hard not to think about these things when we're looking at the nation's most prestigious unelected hiring procedure.
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" Address: 032 51 Jasná pod Chopkom / Slovakia / Tel: +421 44 559 1641 "
I have stayed at the Hotel Sverma twice now, irresistibly drawn to its quirky, communist décor, the enormous echoing space inside, and the extraordinarily cheap prices! Hotel Sverma is located in the town of Jasna, Slovakia; it is not easy to find and even less easy to book, and once you get there you will either adore it, or hate it with a vengeance!
Hotel Sverma is owned by the Sorea group - (the largest hotel company in Slovakia) - they do not take bookings directly and unless you speak Slovakian, the whole booking process can be quite traumatic! I eventually found that it is possible to book through the Slovakian travel company, Pilgrim Tours. The Pilgrim Tours website used to advertise the Hotel Sverma as "for the less discerning client", which really made me laugh. Now they have changed the strapline to "budget accommodation for budget prices" - which tells it like it is!
The hotel itself is situated about half a mile from Jasna centre. Both of our visits took place in February and after getting off the bus in the centre, we dragged our cases up the most beautiful snowy lane to get there, surrounded by a forest of snow capped pines, with no sound of cars, roads or civilisation to disturb the peace. It is possible to take a taxi directly from the nearest train station in Liptovsky Mikulas, but we chose the cheaper and more atmospheric local bus.
Walking up to the hotel, it towers over you like a huge pile of concrete building bricks, thrown down in a triangular shape with concrete balconies at the front of every window. Completely isolated except for a small Koliba (traditional restaurant) hidden in the woods nearby, it is imposing and unusual. Walking into the reception takes you back in time; the huge old fashioned reception desk is made of wood, with hundreds of small wooden boxes lining the back wall to contain the room keys. The reception area is covered with beige tiles from floor to ceiling, and has sixties style circular sofas around the pillars. A selection of really old and battered ski equipment can be hired from the reception. A man opens what seems to be a downstairs toilet every morning and takes out his entire range, to display it in a corner of the room. I have yet to see anybody take him up on the offer!
Two tiny lifts take you up to your room. These lifts never fail to excite the children, as they do not have internal doors and you can see and touch the walls and external doors as you whizz upwards. All highly dangerous and outside EU safety regulations, I am sure - but all adding to the charm.
Each of the seven floors are divided into an A and B side, and each of these sides of the hotel has their own central lounge (two on each floor) with long corridors of rooms branching off from each lounge, giving a real maze like feel to this enormous hotel. The rooms themselves are basic but clean - and all identical, with a balcony, 2 single beds, wooden panelling, a small chair, a tv and a large en suite. Although not luxurious, each room is perfectly adequate.
The main lounge and bar are the highlight of the hotel for me. The bar is straight from the 1960s, with a row of naked light bulbs in a sort of chrome cage, running on a plinth above the counter, and high, sixties style black leather bar stools around the bar. The bar counter is made of wood, black leather and chrome, and is surrounded by a range of red sofas, each round a table with their own individual pendant light which can be turned on and off by the seated customers. The bar area is absolutely cavernous, with a billiards table and a darts board.
The dining room is, as you would expect, huge! All of the tables are laid out with crisp white linen in an echoing tiled room with woven wicker lampshades and venetian blinds giving it that classic sixties feel. Breakfast and a three course meal were included in the price, and each morning at breakfast we could chose our evening main courses by completing a tick sheet. The choice usually included fish, pork and chicken; started with a soup which arrived in a huge metal tureen, and ended with a strange Slovakian desert or fruit, all served by very friendly local Slovakian waitresses in traditional black and white uniforms. The food was plain and hearty, and very good value.
Other services in the hotel included a burly Swedish masseur, who was selling his services in the sauna on our first visit, but seemed to have disappeared by our second. We were far too scared to go behind his curtain anyway! Up on the 7th floor we found two table tennis tables, with a huge crowd of very friendly smoking Estonians seated around them, drinking vodka from their very large bottle. We were told that there was a fitness room in the hotel, but never found it, despite many hours of wandering.
This hotel is without doubt the most fun I have ever had on holiday. The size and the décor made the experience really different and all of the staff were extremely friendly despite the language barriers. We also met a selection of really interesting people of all nationalities (only 1 couple were English). The size of the hotel made me think of the hotel in The Shining, and the children could roam around for the whole night without getting bored.
Although the hotel is a short walk from the nearest shop or bar, it is a very pleasant stroll. Walking the 500 metres to the nearest ski lift is also not too much of a problem. On our first visit we paid £700 for a week's half board for 4 people. As this was before the transfer to the Euro, our second visit last year cost a little more - but it was still extraordinarily good value.
(This review also posted on Helium)


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For the second straight week, the New England Patriots' playoff opponent signed a familiar face off the street.
The Denver Broncos signed former Patriots cornerback Marquice Cole on Tuesday in preparation for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against New England. Last week, the Indianapolis Colts signed wide receiver Deion Branch before their divisional-round playoff matchup against the Patriots. Branch did not suit up Saturday as the Colts lost to the Patriots.
Cole played 13 games for the Patriots and was cut before New England's Week 17 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Cole was used primarily as a special-teamer, though he was forced to play 165 defensive snaps this season. Out of his 104 snaps against the pass, 58 came in the slot. So, if Cole was to play Sunday, he'd likely cover either wide receiver Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola.
Cole's experience with the Patriots means he has a lot of practice against the New England receivers, so he knows their tendencies. He also can provide some insight on the Patriots' offense and defense.
What Cole might have trouble with is actual coverage if he's asked to play defense. Cole was targeted 15 times this season and allowed nine receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns. He had one interception when safety Devin McCourty leaped out of bounds and tipped the ball back to the cornerback.
Cole allowed a 100.8 passer rating and was targeted every 11.56 snaps. He allowed 1.28 yards per snap and 8.87 yards per attempt. There's a reason Cole was used primarily as a special-teamer.
Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, Cole was targeted as soon as he came on the field for an injured Kyle Arrington. Cole's coverage on Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace actually wasn't bad (he stayed with Wallace but couldn't connect with the football as he swatted), but it looked a lot worse after the speedy wideout broke free for a touchdown.
Check out a GIF of the play, via BostInno.
Cole was signed by the Broncos this week because cornerback Chris Harris was placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL last week against the San Diego Chargers. Cole's snaps likely would come after cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Champ Bailey, Kayvon Webster and Tony Carter.
If Cole does see the field, Amendola and Edelman might be licking their chops. They know Cole's tendencies just as well as he knows theirs.
Last week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick dismissed the notion that a former player could provide insight, but that was regarding Branch, who hadn't been on the team for an entire year. Cole's knowledge is much more recent, and he'll have some idea of what's going on with the Patriots on offense and defense.
Have a question for Doug Kyed? Send it to him via Twitter at @DougKyedNESN or send it here.
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While today is the last day of the State Fair of Texas, yesterday we made it just in time to see Adam Richman, host of the Travel Channel's popular shows "Man v. Food Nation" and "Best Sandwich in America" as he searched for the "Tastiest Mess in Texas".
2 o'clock came and went. We were in fear we had missed the Travel Channel star. Just as we had lost all hope, the crowd started to cheer and a small army of police officers entered the Cotton Bowl Plaza Food Court heading toward the Bounty Select-A-Size Booth with none other than Adam Richman in the center of the pack. Oh boy! We've lost our coveted spot right in front of the cameras. No worries! Table top works to get some good shots of Adam as he encourages select fair-goers to crown the "Tastiest Mess in Texas" from the 2012 Big Tex Choice Awards Finalists (image right).
- Deep Fried Jambalaya – (Big Tex Choice: Best Tasting)
- Fried Mexican Fire Crackers
- Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll – (Big Tex Choice: Most Creative) and Chicken Fried Cactus Bites (tied for 3rd place)
- Deep Fried Mac-N-Cheese Slider
- Picnic on a Stick
- Fried Pork Wing
- Deep Fried Divine Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
After the demise of the State Fair of Texas icon, "Big Tex" in a towering inferno on Friday, this was a good change of pace. For Richman's 1st appearance at the fair, many were excited to get up close and personal with the food star as he consumed enormous amounts of food. Oh wait! That didn't happen. This appearance was a not a competitive eating challenge filmed for the Travel Channel In fact, it is part of a nationwide tour with Bounty, the paper towel company, on a search to find the messiest foods in the USA.
And the winner is… #3 – Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll (image left).
Butch Benavides was the winner earning a roll of Bounty and bragging rights to the throne as the Tastiest Mess in Texas! Congratulations Butch! You've made Texas proud.
As for Adam, he will continue to fairs across the country searching for a few more tasty messes. In the meantime, he has a new book you can expect to see on bookshelves sometime 2013 called Quest for the Best. It will entail Adam's adventures to find the "best of" in cities all over.
Want to see more photos and footage of the "Tastiest Mess in Texas" in the making, then view our album here.


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Wherever you want to travel in the world, it is a safe bet that you can fly there. Flying has become the global transportation of choice, so much in fact that some people would rather fly than drive.
You can buy airline tickets just as fast as you can fill up your car with petrol, everything about flying has been made easier and more streamlined. If you want to fly to Liverpool airport, you can do that very easily, or if you want to stay at a hotel in Blackpool, you can do that to. Airports now even have their own hotels, making travelling much more attractive.
There are many locations where one would want to travel. Flying to Blackpool can be achieved very easily, as is finding a hotel to stay in. If you need to find a hotels guide in Blackpool, it is as easy as looking one up in a phonebook.


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Book a cheap car rental in Sydney and discover Australia's most populated city at its best. This dynamic city is bursting at the seams with things to see and do - from iconic beaches to lush hinterland and all the cultural attractions you could ask for. Explore the whole city and surrounding areas in your Europcar car hire from the bay of Port Jackson - which boasts over 10,000 boats - to the famous opera house.With numerous festivals and some of the biggest social and cultural events in Australia, Sydney is a fantastic place to visit and get a taste of life in Australia. Book your Sydney car rental online before you go and we'll have it ready and waiting for you when you arrive. With stations around the city – including one at Sydney Airport – no matter where you're heading we'll make it easy to get from A to B.
Pourquoi choisir Europcar à Sydney ?
Les agences Europcar à Sydney
Nos agences de location les plus proches
Sydney Aeroport
Adresse: Terminal Buildings, Sydney Airport, 2020, Sydney, Australie.Voir cette agence
Téléphone: +61 (02) 92079400
Fax: +61 (02) 83390944
Sydney City
A: Pullman Hotel / 26-36 College St. 2010, Sydney, Australie.Voir cette agence
Téléphone: +61 (02) 82559050


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COLUMN: Is the world coming to an end?
My granddaughter will be 7 years old in October. Like many children that age, she is bright and she is inquisitive. Her name is Juneau.
Case in point: She posed this question to her grandmother, "Is the world coming to an end?" Her grandmother was a bit taken Aback by this inquiry and responded, "I don't know the answer to that; only God knows."
As quick as a whip Juneau quipped, "What about Google?"
"Out of the mouths of babes," might be applicable here. Or as Art Linkletter posed it, "Kids say the darndest things!"
But it has to make the average person stop and think. Has technology taken us to the point where our children believe that it is the answer to all questions? Has Google become so all-knowing, all-powerful and all-seeing that it is viewed as the equation or equal to God?
It makes a person look back at where they have been and look forward and wonder where it is all going. I stopped to get a Coke and burger at McDonald's last week and watched two teenage girls seated at a booth next to me. They never said a word during the time I observed them, but instead had their thumbs going like crazy on their cell phones. They stopped texting just long enough to sip their soft drinks and take a bite of their burgers and fries. But they never said a word. What is going to happen to the art of conversation?
When I was a boy, nearly everyone in the village of Kyle or Pejuta Haka (Medicine Root) on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where I was raised spoke the Lakota language. As nearly every language is converted to text, I wonder if the young people on the reservation will text in Lakota or English. I would have to assume that they will text in English. When I questioned several Lakota teenagers at a basketball tournament last year, they all said that they always text in English.
In an editorial I wrote that was directed at the teachers on the Indian reservations several months ago, I posed this question to them: Are the young people in your classrooms texting in English or Lakota? Will they lose the foundation of their Native tongue because of technology? Not a single teacher on the reservation or anywhere in Indian Country where my newspaper reaches responded to my question. Is it because they do not know the answer? Or have they even bothered to consider it?
There are those in Indian Country who believe the loss of the language means the loss of the culture. But that may not necessarily be so, because every Native American civilization in North America that is still here has adapted to the rapid changes that have occurred since the invasion of their country. The rapidity of change has nearly overwhelmed every culture and nationality on this continent.
The time from the horse and buggy to a man on the moon has happened in the blink of an eye. Now even some Christians are saying that Noah had dinosaurs on the Ark. If that be so, then the indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere, peoples who have existed on these continents for more than 30,000 years, must have hunted and eaten dinosaurs. Ah ha, one million B.C. revisited.
My granddaughter Juneau wanted to know if the world was going to end. I would have to tell her that "yes," it will end eventually, and "yes," Google will tell you the same thing.
But, I will have to add that conversation in any language may go, first.


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Services that help AI entities manage the complexities of multiple tax systems and international regulations.
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KPMG's International Tax practice helps AI entities address the intricacies of multiple tax systems and international regulations. We provide an array of international tax services to AI funds, managers and investors to help them achieve cross-border tax economies, mitigate cross-border tax risks and meet international tax compliance requirements.
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Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates.
Services that can help address the potentially profound affect of FATCA and CRS on financial institutions and other organizations.
Stay informed about ongoing BEPS developments with insights from KPMG.


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"I hope he burns in hell like the rest of the Jews."
Kedem is a cosmetics store in Manchester in the UK. Its factory is near Tel Aviv. Its ingredients don't come from any of the so-called occupied territories of '67 Israel. But according to the Marxist-Muslim Red-Green Alliance, all of Israel is illegitimate and they chose to target Kedem.
In response to recent protests by supporters of Palestine outside King Street store Kedem, supporters of Israel and members of Manchester's Jewish community have taken to standing guard outside the business over the past two days.
One Palestinian sympathiser told Confidential at the protest on Wednesday 23 July: "We believe that any money sent to the Israel is a penny against peace in Palestine. That's why we're here today."
Supporters of Israel and Kedem then broke out into God Save The Queen
Outside the protests, things are getting much uglier.
Police are investigating racist death and fire-bomb threats by pro-Palestinian boycotters against a shop which sells Israeli cosmetics.
Kedem, in Manchester, reported phone calls, at one point every five minutes, from callers threatening to burn down the shop, beat up or kill staff.
In recordings of phone calls obtained by the JC, a man told a Kedem employee: "You would be wiped out right now... if [your owner] puts more videos on Facebook I will f*** him up… I will kill you with it."
Another man calls to say "I will burn your shop down" and in a separate post to the shop's Facebook page, a pro-Palestinian campaigner wrote of the store's owners "I hope he burns in hell like the rest of the Jews."
Yup. It's just anti-Zionism. Good old-fashioned anti-Zionism.


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I help with Melbourne Perl Mongers.
I spend an awful lot of time talking about Perl, and have had my picture in the Australian newspapers with a camel. That's rather scary.
OSDC/YAPC::AU in hindsight
It's done. After a year of planning and hard work, from a volunteer committee comprised of members much more dedicated and skilled than myself, everything paid off and the conference is complete. The feedback we received has been outstanding, everyone appears to have been extremely happy with the conference. The only blight was the so-called coffee, which we'll be gladly upgrading next year. The rest of the food and drinks, on the other hand, were very good indeed. Many kudos go to Nathan Bailey and Jacinta for organising the catering.
I now hold a new and deep respect for anyone who's organised a conference. It's a lot of work, and in the final days (and the conference itself) there's little time for sleep or socialising.
Lack of sleep aside, this was way way up in the top few conferences that I've attended. We had some superb speakers, and a huge contingent of Perl programmers.
Damian was present for both introductory and closing keynotes, and as much as I keep thinking that Damian's presentation skills couldn't possibly get any better, they do. Damian played excellently to his audience, not all who were Perl programmers, and presented two lightning talks entirely in song from Gilbert and Sullivan.
Abigail and his wife were present at the conference on their honeymoon. Apparently they had seen Damian present a brief mention of OSDC and a showcase of our (very deadly) Australian fauna, and decided that it would make an excellent holiday destination.
We were lucky enough to have Nat Torkington attend, after a few moments of doubt in the early days. Nat presented a very interesting keynote on changes in book sales, and inferred conclusions for changes in the software industry. It also seemed that whenever I bumped into Nat he was giving me something -- T-shirts, books, laughter, and even drinks.
Adam Kennedy from Phase-N and prolific CPAN author, who I had bumped into on a number of common industry mailing lists, was in attendance and great value for money. He presented an excellent 'speed-dating CPAN' lightning talk, with a new module every 15 seconds. Adam was also very lucky to hear about a grant he had received for further work on Perl.
Baden Hughes from The Perl Foundation was only able to attend the last day, and presented an excellent discussion on how to both give and receive money from TPF. Unfortunately Baden was scheduled at the same time as the lightning talks, and the lightning talks proved to be wildly popular. Next year I'm sure we'll shut down the other streams during the lightning talk sessions.
Dinner had the first Perl Review, along with original artwork, go up for auction. Despite some heavy bidding I didn't walk away with it, although the winner (Kat Grant) promised that I could read it. The hilight of the auctions for me was Abigail purchasing a YAPC 19100 t-shirt identical to the one he was wearing at the time.
I've got a few days worth of photographs to put on-line. This is a mostly automated process, but involves me weeding out the ones that didn't work out or not suitable for public consumption, and writing up captions if I have the time. Some day zero photos are already online.
Unfortunately on the third day I had charged the batteries for the camera, but didn't actually bring them. Anyone who has photographs from the third day (or any day at all), please get in contact with me.
Scotty, who was conference chair, surprised the committee with a multi-tool thank-you gift each. Nat Torkington, giving away things even when I wasn't nearby, surprised the committee with offers of books and t-shirts of our choice.
After the conference there was a celebration at the local pub, cleanup, and a few survivors (myself and Jacinta included) went out for some very tasty Japanaese food.
Special Mention
One special mention should go to Daniel Pittman, who kept me sane during the conference. Clients have an uncanny knack of developing problems during conferences and holidays, and Daniel fielded an incredible number of issues including some heavy-duty destruction of websites and machines. This kept me sane, although meant that Daniel had a much less enjoyable conference than he would have otherwise.
Other Reports
If you know of another report or blog that's mentioned OSDC, I'd love for you to record it on the OSDC wiki.


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Anxiety and Autism
No one really knows why there seems to be an incredible rise in the rates of people with autism. Conservative estimates point to a 300% increase. Some of the increase is likely due to better diagnosis. And we know that autism runs in families and appears to have a genetic component. Others point to environmental stressors such as increased exposure to pesticides and hormones. But there is little certainty in the scientific community about what is happening.
Children and people with mild autism sometimes appear to others as self-contained and aloof. Others may assume that those with autism are pretty calm, cool, and collected. However, they are likely very wrong.
Those with autism may suffer increased levels of anxiety and stress because of interpersonal isolation. They feel different from other people and worry that they may be disliked or misunderstood. This may lead the child or adult with autism to withdraw or avoid. This lack of contact with others can lead to more awkwardness and lack of opportunities to practice social interactions.
Those with autism frequently report hypersensitivity to loud noises, touch, lights or other forms of sensation. When in situations that involve these areas of oversensitivity, they may also experience periods of stress and discomfort. Stress may again result in avoidance of places in which over-stimulation may occur.
Furthermore, people with autism may have trouble understanding the perspective of others. They may misinterpret communications and subtle interpersonal cues. These misunderstanding can lead to anxiety, worry, and difficulties in relationships. Withdrawal, rejection, or avoidance are natural reactions.
In previous blogs, we have described the way that fear and worry can become worse. First there is something feared which results in distress. Avoidance temporarily brings down the feelings of distress and thus feels good. This good feeling is rewarding and results in more avoidance. The next time fear is experienced, there is a strong desire for avoidance. Thus fear grows and avoidance is the natural pathway.
People with anxiety and autism can learn to slowly become exposed to what they fear, just like those with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder. They need a large dose of cognitive behavior therapy given by a patient, understanding therapist.
Photo by Leonid Mamchenkov, available under a Creative Commons attribution license.
Smith, L. (2011). Anxiety and Autism. Psych Central. Retrieved on September 23, 2017, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/anxiety/2011/10/anxiety-and-autism/


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As of April 29th, 2012, the latest update for the PC version is 1.5.26.[1]
As per tradition, a user-created unofficial patch is in the making for Skyrim and is currently in a Beta stage. The patch fixes many issues in the vanilla game. You can view the patch's description and download it by visiting the official forum thread.
Mouse Smoothing is a feature in game engines designed to give users a smoother feel to mouse movements. However, many users prefer to turn off this feature as it may cause accuracy issues or feel unnatural/uncomfortable.
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\
After making the change, save the file.[3]
If you're looking for help resolving a game-related issue such as quests, take a look at the relevant wikis listed at the bottom of this article. Do not post quest bugs in this article.
The mod Shadow Striping Fix fixes an issue with shadows in vanilla Skyrim. It does not have a special requirement, and can be easily installed by using the Nexus Mod Manager. Alternatively, you may download the file manually and place its contents in the Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\Data folder. Once you've installed the data files, enable "Shadow Striping Fix.esp" through the Skyrim Launcher's "Data Files" option or the Nexus Mod Manager.
If you're using an AMD GPU running 12.2 or 12.3 catalyst you will experience graphical glitches unless you disable anti-aliasing.
Download this mod to fix the issue.
This has since been fixed with catalyst 12.4
Disabling V-Sync may aid in eliminating mouse lag and improving performance. However, disabling V-Sync may result in the following:
These issues can be partially or fully resolved by using an external FPS limiter or by enabling Triple Buffering through software like RivaTuner or your GPU's control panel.
After making the change, save the file.[4]
Skyrim has its fair share of graphical bugs and faults. Fortunately, there are many tweaks available to PC users in order to rectify graphical issues.
Skyrim's launcher has a limited choice of game resolution options, which may not account for a large amount of users who want to use a custom resolution (e.g. 640x480 for players on low-end machines).
iSize W=$$$$
iSize H=####
Replace $$$$ with the desired screen width (e.g. 1920, 1680, 1024). Replace #### with the desired screen height (e.g. 1080, 1050, 768).[5]
Skyrim's default FoV is 75, which is OK for many people but may seem like too much or too little for others.
Next, edit Skyrim.ini in the same location. In the [Display] section, add the following lines:
Change ## to your desired FoV (80, 90, 100, etc.) in all of the lines above and save both files. You should also set both SkyrimPrefs.ini and Skyrim.ini to be "Read-only" files.[6]
By default, Skyrim's engine does not render shadows for trees and rocks.
After making the change, save the file.[7]
Skyrim is divided into small areas called uGrids. Changing the amount of uGrids loaded at any given time will change the detail level of distant locations (i.e. improve view distance). Skyrim loads the five nearest uGrids by default. Before changing this value, consult the following:
Change # to the desired number of uGrids you wish to load (must be an odd number - 7, 9, 11) and save the file.[8]
You can enable Anti-aliasing from the game's launcher. However, you may want to consult the following:
You can enable Anisotropic Filtering from the game's launcher. Enabling Anisotropic Filtering will cause a great improvement in image quality with a very low drop in FPS, and is highly recommended for any modern graphics card. The optimal setting is 8x, as it provides the best quality-to-performance ratio.[10]
There are some ways to improve Skyrim's performance without altering its graphical settings.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\
It is possible to run Skyrim in Borderless Windowed Fullscreen mode by using a third party executable.
Skyrim forces a short intro sequence when entering the game. This sequence cannot be skipped by any normal means.
Save the file. If this fix is reset by the game's launcher, enable "Read-only" for Skyrim.ini.[12]
This tweak refers to skipping the initial Bethesda splash screen. Delete or rename the file BGS_Logo.bik in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\Data\Video\
Skyrim, like many of Bethesda Game Studios' games, enjoys a prolific modding scene. Mods are usually uploaded to central hubs like Skyrim Nexus or Planet Elder Scrolls, where they can be downloaded easily and free of charge by users. Skyrim also marked a turning point in game modding, as it is the first ever game to utilise the Steam Workshop for public mod releases. Users can subscribe to mods through the Workshop and have them automatically delivered and updated by using the game's launcher.[13]
Some mods are not compatible with other mods. This can be caused by poor coding, engine issues or both mods altering the same game files. Incompatibility could cause game crashes, disappearing textures and other faults. It is generally recommended to read the descriptions and "Readme" files of mods, as they contain installation guides and notes about compatibility and/or incompatibility with other mods. You should not use two mods that are known to conflict with each other if they do not have a compatibility patch.
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\Saves\
The game also creates a back up of the latest auto-saves and quick-saves. It is possible to export/import saves to/from the Xbox 360 by using this guide.


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SOFIA, Bulgaria - Samantha Stosur won a rollercoaster against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the final of the Garanti Koza WTA Tournament Of Champions. Simona Halep awaits in that final.
Watch highlights and interviews from Sofia all week right here on wtatennis.com!
The No.4-seeded Stosur came out of the blocks far stronger, storming through the first set in just 28 minutes, 6-1, and breaking in the first game of the second set. She was even up 30-15 in her next service game, seemingly on the road to a straight set win, when Pavlyuchenkova found her groove.
The No.6-seeded Russian retaliated with six games in a row, running away with a 6-1 second set, and the two went to a decider - but Stosur had just one more push left in her, getting the only break of the set in the fifth game, then holding serve the rest of the way until she sealed a 61 16 63 victory.
For the second straight day at the Armeets Arena, Stosur clinched the victory with a big ace.
"It was a tough match," Stosur said in her on-court interview. "I got off to a good start, and she was missing a little bit in the first set, but then things totally changed around in the second set. The third set was the time where we both played our best. But I'm happy I was able to close it out in the end."
Stosur won 20 of 25 points on her serve in the third set. "I served pretty well tonight," the former World No.4 said. "It certainly got me out of trouble in a lot of those service games, which was good."
Stosur has now won 12 of her last 14 matches, a stretch that includes winning the title in Osaka, reaching the final in Moscow (falling to Simona Halep) and going 3-1 here (she lost one of her round robin matches to Ana Ivanovic). And now, perhaps fittingly, Stosur plays Halep again for this title.
"I've got to keep serving well, and I also have to try and return better," Stosur said. "Simona barely misses anything on the ground, so you've really got to work hard for every point. So it's going to be a tough match - I have to try and be aggressive against her, but also not make many unforced errors."
Halep - who won her semifinal match earlier in the day - was asked about playing against Stosur.
"I'm more confident against her right now because I won our last match in Moscow, but it will be a tough match for sure," Halep said. "I'm sure she wants to beat me this time, so I have to be ready."
Halep is 5-3 in WTA finals (5-0 this year) while Stosur is 5-13 in WTA finals (2-1 this year).
Stosur leads Halep in their head-to-head series, 3-2, though Halep is 2-0 against Stosur this year.


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Torrance, CA, US
This was a 3 part experiment in developing a community center around one datum of the Morro Bay
boardwalk. These parts were developed independently as different explorations: Plaza as an experiment in circulation and the grand gesture of it, developing the facade to break down the human scale and add depth, and the theater exploring the notions of a modern interpretation of a proscenium.
Status: School Project


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Simple Geek's Guide to Storage on Your Phone
Achievement Unlocked: DOE Hits Solar Cost Target 3 Years Early
Amazon Baby Glitch Sends Email Registry to Your Future Children
A Viacom Leak May Have Left Several Digital Media Behemoths Exposed
SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth With a Crew of Mousetronauts
New Research Shows Link Between Cat Parasites and Brain Diseases
Quantum Computer Cross a New Threshold
Tattoo Particles Circulate through the Body, May Impact Health
Hands-On: Doom and Skyrim Prove Switch Works Miracles
Lego Worlds is Lego's Final Video Game Form
Taiwan's Latest Hotel Has Decked-Out Gaming Rigs in Every Room
Hidden Switch NES Game May be an Iwata Tribute
MovieBob Reviews – KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
MCU News: A Power Pack Movie, a Punisher Teaser, Cable and More
Star Wars Director Rian Johnson Heads To Japan To Pray For The Success
The Best Horror Movies On Netflix
The CW Will Get a Sabrina the Teenage Witch Series from Riverdale Creators
American Horror Story Needs to Get to Its Twist Faster
Spoilers: 'Doctor Who' Xmas Synopsis Teases 'Magical' Adventure
David Tennant and Michael Sheen Look So Good in Good Omens
Buy This Comic! Captain Phasma #2
Jane Weaves a Personal Story That's One of the Best of the Year
T-Shirt Tuesday: The Best Marvel Comics Shirts
Jughead And National Cheeseburger Day Are the Perfect Match
Studio Ghibli's New Handmade Clothing Is Too Cute For Words
This Sugarfina Hello Kitty Collaboration Features Some Cute Candy
Director Terrible Death Note Movie Has Deleted His Twitter
The Geeksplainer: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Custom 4K D&D Tabletop Touchscreen is the RPG Missing Link
The Shu Uemura x Super Mario Bros. Makeup Collection Is Everything
Pepe the Frog Creator Wants to Take Pepe Back
The Weirdest And Worst Spider-Man Fan Art
Amazon Daily Deals: Wired Switch Controller $25
Geek deals: Save over $500 on a Dell Inspiron 3650 quad-core desktop PC
Geek Deals: Save on an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus Pre-Order
Geek Deals: $300 off Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, or Note8 with ...
12/5/2007 (6:41 pm) by jamie wells
MangoMOBILE just created some new cell-phone content for Nissan, including a cool retro game. The game is free (less carrier and data charges). Check it out...
To download the game Text Rogue5 to 725-79 (US only)
Supported carriers: AT&T/Cingular, T-Mobile and Sprint.


text: I just read on narutopedia that the wood dragon technique can only absorb bijuu's chakra. And thinking back I only remember Madara saying that Hashirama used it to bind kurama. My point is, do you guys think it can absorb any chakra ? We already know that mokuton has a special effect on bijuu chakra, yamato could restrain kyubi in naruto so saying that wood dragon can only absorb bijju chakra doesn't sound so farfetched. Check chp 607-608. Please give me your insights


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News: Liberty Festival 2008
— Artsline, 3 September 2008, 22:02
Artsline had a stand at the Liberty Festival held on the 30th August in Trafalgar Square displaying its new and very vibrant leaflets advertising its excellent web site on acess data to London's arts and entertainment venues and having on display a lap top which visitors to the festival could view the access data base. There were many such visitors and in addition several concerns expressed to the Artsline staff at the lack of access to some venues and the attitude of venue managements. The details have been taken up immediately that day with the local authorities involved so that their relevant officers can raise the concerns with the venues.
We are now getting 60,000 visitors to our web site each month and we had a great many visitors to our Liberty Festival stand last Saturday.
The day was hot, very hot, but the festival was a great success; with the concerts and the liaison between the various organisations displaying their work and indeed Artsline made several such agreements to meet up with other disability and other organisations including our future involvement with the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
We also sold many of our T-shirts which is a welcome revenue to Artsline.
Here's to next year's Festival and hope to see you there.
Bookmark this page with:


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No checking your iPod for reference, no taking more than 5 minutes on this exercise. Name the top 15 most influential cds in your life. "If you were stuck on a desert island… blah blah blah" NOTE: I'm only sending this to YOU because I actually want to hear what you think is essential listening. You can write a note of your own and then TAG me back along with people you would like to know more about, musically. That's it. Rock On!
1. U2 – Boy
2. Led Zepplin 2
3. Coldplay X and Y
4. Radiohead – In Rainbows
5. ACDC – Back in Black
6. The Guess Who – Best of
7. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
8. Steely Dan – Can't Buy a Thrill
9. The Who – Quadraphenia
10. Led Zepplin – Houses of the Holy
11. Collective Soul – Collective Soul
12. The Beatles – Revolver
13. Mr. Mister – Go On
14. Level 42 – World Machine
15. Eric Johnson – Tones


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Miniature Silver CupItem #: 17540
Reduced from
1,95 € 1,49 €incl. VAT, plus shipping
Delivery until 25.09. possible**
Fitting for this:
Add the product directly to your basket by clicking the checkbox
Add the product directly to your basket by clicking the checkbox
Miniature Silver Cup
Silbener Mini Cup made of plastic for the winner of a party task
The original and schnuckelige miniature silver cup is suitable for various occasions as winning trophy.Be it for Carnival, Halloween and costume parties, the Silver Cup is a great price! The silvery trophy sitting on a black base, has two handles and an ornate border.With the small silver cup as a present the party event always enjoyable memories
The small plastic cup is just as suitable, inter alia for a child's birthday in recognition of fun competitions like the stag.With us you find also find the associated Miniature Gold Cup in our range, as well as the Skeleton Cup / Trophy ,
- Size: Height about 12 cm, diameter about 6.6 cm, width of the handles about 8 cm
- Material: plastic


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Plano, Texas, J. C. Penney Co. has appointed Ruby Anik director of brand marketing and senior VP. Anik comes to the company from Best Buy Co., where she oversaw marketing communications as a senior VP. She joined Best Buy in 2000 and has spent 25 years in marketing.
Anik will be responsible for ensuring J. C. Penney's marketing consistently reflects its strategy and style. She will report to chief marketing officer Mike Boylson.


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Search Website
For Government
Government Records Section
4615 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4615
215 N. Blount Street,
Raleigh, N.C.
Phone: 919.807.7350
Fax: 919.715.3627
Courier: 51-81-20
State Archives of North Carolina
4614 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4614
109 E. Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919.807.7310
Fax: 919.733.1354
Digital Records
Here you'll find tutorials that will help you more efficiently manage your office's digital records in compliance with public records law. You will find tutorials about managing state agency email, social media, electronic public records, and more. Check back regularly for updates.
As employees utilize more server space in order to collaborate and created projects, increasingly, they are using shared storage for collaboration and access.
Guidelines designed to ensure the admissibility of an agency's electronic records into evidence in a court of law. For state, county, and municipal agencies, these guidelines establish methods and procedures for creating and maintaining authentic records in digital formats.
In August 2012, the State entered into an agreement with DocuSign© to provide digital signature capabilities and services to the State of North Carolina. Here you will find policy guidelines and how-to documentation.
Guidance on managing electronic communciations as public records, including e-mails, text emssages, and instant messages.
These best practice documents provide information about legal and appropriate use of social media by state agencies and local government. Responsibilities of PIOs are outlined, and a sample Social Media Policy is provided.
The State Archives runs a nationally recognized web archiving program for state agency websites. The web archiving program is available to any state agencies wishing to participate. These documents describe this web archiving program, and provide general guidance for in-house preservation of websites by state and local agencies.
Although many public records remain in paper and other analog forms, most are either born digital or digitized. Maintenance of these records' throughout their life cycle presents unique logistical and legal challenges. Find guidance here on the threats to digital materials and strategies for digital records preservation and access.
Digital imaging is the process of converting analog records into digital form. Here you will find guidance documents, a Sample Electronic Records and Imaging Policy for Use by Local and State Agencies, and the local government Request for Disposal of Original Records Duplicated by Electronic Means. You can also find these and other forms on the Forms page.
Topical overview intended to provide information about common cloud computing concerns with regards to public records. Topics included: compliance issues, understanding and negotiating the terms of the SLA, performance and monitoring, service interruptions, costs, security and privacy, removing data from the cloud and avoiding vendor lock-in, and e-discovery.
This document is intended to offer guidance to government employees about the management and retention of metadata under North Carolina's public records laws and state and federal discovery rules for civil litigation. The goal is to provide information and guidance for public employees to understand their responsibilities and liabilities related to metadata.
Tutorials on Bagger and BagIt, the data transfer tools used by the State Archives for transfer of digital materials into the North Carolina Digital Repository. By transferring data with these tools, the State Archives can document that the files you transfer have arrived intact and unchanged.
The document and video series above can help make you and your office more efficient with a few simple rules for file naming. Just like paper files, electronic files need to be well-organized and labeled correctly so that they are identifiable and accessible by all employees.
Information about appropriate file formats for transfer of electronic records to the North Carolina Digital Repository.
Detailed information about appropriate file formats for state and local agencies responsible for maintaining electronic records long term.
Public records law G.S. 132-6.1. requires public agencies to create an index for every database compiled or created by the agency. This guidance document provides detailed information on how to follow this and other public records law requirements for databases.
Security backup files are public records, and therefore may not be disposed of, erased, or destroyed without specific guidance from the Department of Cultural Resources. Find that guidance here, with information for writing and implementing the required security backup plan.
Reports and documentation of the multi-state NHPRC Funded Preservation of Electronic Mail Collaboration Initiative, which developed the EMCAP tool for conversion of email accounts into an XML schema that maintains the coherence of email accounts and preserves the relationship between attachments and messages.
The State Archives began preserving North Carolina's geospatial data through the GeoMAPP project. The GeoMAPP effort aimed to address the preservation of "at risk" and temporally significant digital geospatial content, such as land parcels, zoning, roads, and jurisdictional boundaries.


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Sevelamer, Fetuin-A and Endothelial Dysfunction in CKD
This study has been completed.
Gulhane School of Medicine
Information provided by:
Gulhane School of Medicine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: June 13, 2007
Last updated: June 18, 2007
Last verified: June 2007
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study has been completed.
|Study Completion Date:
|No date given
|Primary Completion Date:
|No date given
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Caglar K, Yilmaz MI, Saglam M, Cakir E, Acikel C, Eyileten T, Yenicesu M, Oguz Y, Vural A, Carrero JJ, Axelsson J, Lindholm B, Stenvinkel P. Short-term treatment with sevelamer increases serum fetuin-a concentration and improves endothelial dysfunction in chronic kidney disease stage 4 patients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Jan;3(1):61-8. Epub 2007 Dec 5.


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About this Business
From Our Editors
Dried blossoms lean against crystal vases on white tablecloths; ornate chandeliers bathe the high-ceilinged hall in an amber glow; and scents of fenugreek, cumin, and other spices from northern and southern Indian recipes waft from Madras Exotic Indian Cuisine kitchen. The cooking staff bakes tandoori chicken, lamb, and vegetables in an authentic clay tandoor oven, and trains vegetables to assume formations atop flavored basmati-rice platters in the biryani tradition. Chefs also prepare meals to halal standards, and craft additional culinary fusions with Desi Chinese dishes. The culinary crew can pair mains with an array of sides such as six varieties of fresh-baked naan and other breads, and serve desserts in brass, footed vessels for a more delicious finale than samosa-shaped fireworks. Chefs lay out a wider range of their creations at Sunday buffets, when heated chrome containers perched atop linen-draped tables hold steaming meats, seafood, and vegetarian stews.


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Omega Recoil Makes Art With Tesla Coils
Boing Boing Video went and checked out Omega Recoil, a group of crazies who put on performances with gigantic Tesla Coils. And while I'm sure you'd love to read me opine about what their performances are like, why don't you just watch the video and see for yourself? [Boing Boing Gadgets]


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Lockheed Martin's Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft Offers Latest Mission System Technologies for the U.S. Navy
Washington, D.C., April 5th, 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] today unveiled its offering for the Navy's Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) program at the Navy League of the United States trade show. Designated Orion21, the company's design brings together the latest network centric mission system technologies while offering the Navy a low risk, proven military capability.
The U.S. Navy has designated MMA as its long-term maritime patrol and reconnaissance system solution for the 21st century. MMA missions include antisubmarine warfare (ASW), antisurface warfare (ASuW), and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
Lockheed Martin's offering reflects six decades of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance experience that comes from having hundreds of P-3 Orion aircraft in operation with 14 countries. Orion21 is backed by a Logistics Partnership that leverages strengths from both the Navy and industry.
"We are dedicated to providing a platform that will be fully weaponized, missionized and supported at initial operational capability," said Jack Crisler, director of MMA Business Development for Lockheed Martin. "We have taken the world's most proficient and proven sub-hunter and transformed it into a weapon system with unmatched capability, performance and availability."
Lockheed Martin's MMA provides a true multi-mission capability to meet both current and future weapon and sensor requirements, Crisler said, adding that Orion21 provides unprecedented performance in all primary mission areas, with significant growth capability at reduced operational and support costs.
Lockheed Martin is offering a rugged, all new-production weapon system based on the proven P-3 airframe. The entire weapon system meets or exceeds all U.S. Navy requirements and includes an advanced commercial-derivative propulsion system, open system avionics architecture, and a logistics program focused on real-time fleet health assessments and global supply chain management. Orion21 will provide over 50% increase in mission range and endurance over legacy systems. All established features of the P-3 that have enabled crews to successfully operate it in the harsh, corrosive marine environment are carried forward and further improved with Orion21. These features will enable austere basing and provide high availability rates, particularly in a wartime environment.
Orion21 features a fully digitized all-glass cockpit and a propulsion system that includes the Pratt & Whitney PW150 engine and Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 propeller. The PW150 is part of the highly successful PW100 engine family. Pratt & Whitney's PW100 family is a global leader in the regional airline turboprop market that produces 99.96 percent dispatch reliability with more than 80 million operating hours on more than 1,900 aircraft. The Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 propeller is currently in production for the Navy's E-2C Hawkeye and C-2 aircraft retrofit programs. The NP2000 includes eight all-composite blades with individual blade replacement capability for a reduced logistics footprint. It operates more quietly than the current P-3C propeller.
Lockheed Martin made a deliberate design decision to select a turboprop engine based configuration because it optimizes ASW mission profile performance. The turboprop engines will give the aircraft 25 percent more power, 60 percent more thrust and burn 27 percent less fuel than a turbofan, while providing 50 percent faster thrust response under key ASW low altitude loiter conditions. These characteristics are important when flying at heavy weights, slow speeds and very low altitudes, which is how the Navy will operate this aircraft. The selection of this advanced engine and propeller combination allows the Lockheed Martin MMA solution to exceed all performance-based requirements with an unprecedented level of persistence and availability. This propulsion system brings a balanced capability to all required missions. MMA will have to be flown high, low, fast and slow and remain on-station for very long periods of time while carrying a variety of weapon and sensor packages.
Lockheed Martin's MMA open avionics architecture is designed to the principles established by the DoD Open-System Joint Task Force. Modular hardware and software components permit interchangeability while providing information protection. Module interfaces based on open standards provide technical refreshes more affordably which adds to system robustness. The increased availability of computer processing power, when applied in combination with the MMA sensors and workstations, provides unprecedented warfighter capability and growth.
Lockheed Martin's Orion21 assures U.S. Navy blue water and littoral dominance and unparalleled force protection for the next 40 years.
Lockheed Martin was awarded MMA Component Advanced Development Phase I and II contracts by the U.S. Navy in September 2002 and February 2003, respectively. The contract for the next phase, System Development and Demonstration (SDD), is scheduled for contract award in June 2004. MMA is expected to enter service no later than 2013 and the Navy forecasts a need for up to150 aircraft.
Lockheed Martin has built 759 P-3s, of which 251 are operated by the U.S. Navy.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, research and development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2. The company produces major components for the F-2 fighter, and is a co-developer of the C-27J tactical transport and T-50 advanced jet trainer.
Peter Simmons, 770-494-6208; e-mail, email@example.com
Joe Stout, 817-763-4086
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Details & Care
A contrasting hue highlights part of the logo bezel surrounding the rugged dial of a three-eye chronograph watch.
- 48mm case; 22mm band width; 200mm band length.
- Deployant clasp closure.
- Water-resistant to 5 ATM (50 meters).
- Stainless steel/black plating/mineral crystal.
- By AX Armani Exchange; imported.
- Item #612501