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Hollywood has been on a roll recently.
We have seen some great adaptations, most notably The Hunger Games, John Carter, and A Game of Thrones. I'm happy about this. It means fantasy is alive and strong in pop culture. But it means more than that. All three took the source material and successfully translated it to a different medium, something that appears easy but in reality is difficult to do.
I have found the difficulty in adapting novels to the silver screen usually arises when a writing team and director decide to stray from the author's original intent—almost always at the detriment of the finished project. For reasons unfathomable, many Hollywood script writers believe they either have to put their own stamp on a project or that they know more than professional storytellers who spend a year or more crafting a tale. Either way, it can become a mess quickly.
There are more adaptations on the docket—some greenlit into production, others waiting for that to happen. One of the ones waiting is Magic Kingdom For Sale–Sold! by Terry Brooks.
Several months ago, Terry sold the rights for his Landover series to Warner Bros. It is a great choice for the studio. Magic Kingdom For Sale–Sold! and its sequels are mostly a family friendly affair, fantasy with a slightly humorous bent to it at times. It doesn't begin that way though. It is the story of lawyer Ben Holiday who, after losing his wife and unborn child in a tragic accident, decides he needs to change his life and buys a magic kingdom where he will be king.
The only problem is, that magic kingdom is falling apart and in complete disarray.
Here are the first few paragraphs of Magic Kingdom For Sale–Sold!, giving the reader an idea of who Ben Holiday is:
Chapter One: Ben
The catalogue was from Rosen's, Ltd. It was the department store's annual Christmas Wishbook.
It was addressed to Annie.
Ben Holiday stood frozen before the open cubicle of his mailbox, eyes slipping across the gaily decorated cover of the catalogue to the white address label and the name of his dead wife. The lobby of the Chicago high rise seemed oddly still in the graying dusk of the late afternoon rush hour, empty of everyone but the security guard and himself. Outside, past the line of floor-to-ceiling windows that fronted the building entry, the autumn wind blew in chill gusts down the canyon of Michigan Avenue and whispered of winter's coming.
He ran his thumb over the smooth surface of the Wishbook. Annie had loved to shop, even when the shopping had only been through the mail-order catalogues. Rosen's had been one of her favorite stores.
Sudden tears filled his eyes. He hadn't gotten over losing her, even after two years. Sometimes it seemed to him that losing her was nothing more than a trick of his imagination—that when he came home she would still be there waiting for him.
He took a deep breath, fighting back against the emotions that were aroused in him simply by seeing her name on that catalogue cover. It was silly to feel like this. Nothing could bring her back to him. Nothing could change what had happened.
Warner Bros. bought the rights and immediately there were people interested in playing the role of Ben Holiday. Steve Carell, the actor from The Office and numerous movies, happens to be one of those people. A few weeks ago, Hollywood.com broke the news that Carell was interested in playing the role, that he's been attached to it, and that a screenwriter had been hired to work on the script to fast-track the adaptation to the silver screen. Terry even flew to Los Angeles to talk with the people involved, answering any and all questions about the book and how it should be brought to theaters.
Many of Terry's fans immediately became irate about the possible involvement of Carell though. How could a comedic actor play Ben Holiday, a man who has lost everything he cherishes and is quite desperate? It should be a serious movie, not a comedy, many said.
Argument ensued, which is natural for the internet(s). I largely sat back and observed.
Terry and I spent about an hour on the phone long before this news broke, talking about Carell and his acting abilities. Yes, he has largely been a comedic actor. But many people don't realize Carell has played several dramatic roles that makes him perfect for Ben Holiday. In Little Miss Sunshine, he played a gay, suicidal professor. It doesn't get much darker than that. In Dan In Real Life, he plays a widower who must learn about love all over again. These are serious roles and Carell shined in them as a dramatic actor.
Terry and I both think he is perfect for the role. Behind the comedic smile, there is a dark vulnerability about Carrel that is necessary to play the role of Ben, who is a devastated man looking for a way out. He also possesses the wry humor that Ben carries with him to Landover, especially needed when he meets bumbling wizard Questor Thews and the Wheaten-Terrier scribe Abernathy.
The only aspect I'm worried about is timing of production. If you view his possible future plate, Carell is attached to another six or seven projects—and who knows which one or two he will pick to work on in the next few years. The others won't get greenlit and their rights will likely revert back to their owners.
I think the harder question is: Who should play the beautiful sylph Willow?
There is reason to be hopeful though. Warner Bros. is excited about this movie. Let's hope we all get to journey to Landover on the silver screen and see the castle known as Sterling Silver.
To learn more about Magic Kingdom For Sale–Sold! by Terry Brooks, click HERE! To read the opening chapter, click HERE!
More soon!


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I have a problem with massage providers/escorts. The type you would find on craigslist or backpage.com. I'm in a relationship with a women that I love very much. I'm turned on by looking at escorts/massage providers on the above mentioned websites. I have a strong desire to visit these women. I've had a few happy endings in the past with some massage therapists. I haven't done this since I've been in a relationship with my current girlfrien. It is very embarassing to admit I had visited a massage therapist in the past and recieved a happy ending. I never had sex with any of these so called massage therapists. I want to find a way to stop the desire.
My girlfriend found looked through my site history and found what I was looking at. Naturally she was very upset, and thought the worst case scenario. I had also e-mailed a few providers in the past. It was very exciting to me. Not sure what to do. I don't like the desire that I have, and I don't want to pursue my thoughts and wants of getting another happy ending. Any advice would be appreciated.

subset: commoncrawl


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Guetter, Steidl lead talented throwers
Heading into this season, the Alexandria boys' track and field team knew one of its strengths would be its experienced senior throwers in the field events.
This was apparent last season as the lone representative for Alexandria in the finals of the state tournament was Colin Guetter in the discus. He finished in eighth place among Class AA competitors with a throw of 144-02.
This season, the Cardinals have looked for strong results from seniors Guetter in the discus and Aaron Steidl in the shot put.
"Coming into the season, I think we knew that was going to be a strength," head coach Mike Empting said. "We had good seniors coming back in the throws, and those guys have done a great job. They've worked hard at it all season long. They've been solid."
Steidl was one of two Cardinals who competed at the Hamline Elite Meet on April 26, taking 10th place in the shot put in a field of 12 participants with a toss of 50-07.00.
Steidl said he had been in a bit of a slump since throwing at Hamline, but the Alexandria home meet on Tuesday helped him get back on track. His shot put toss of 50-09.00 gave him first place by more than four feet.
"My PR is better from indoors, but outdoors this is my best this year so far," Steidl said. "I kind of went through a slump so it's kind of nice to see it's coming back, so I felt pretty good about today."
The assistant coaches have been working with Steidl on his throwing mechanics. He hopes these changes will help him finish near the top in competitive conference and section fields.
"I've fixed a lot of things," Steidl said. "(Assistant coach Ty) Granning is helping me fix a lot of things with my hips and my arm finishing higher, so my technique's really going to help later on."
For Guetter, an extra source of motivation exists beyond just aiming for the highest mark. His brother Robert Guetter made two appearances at the state tournament for Alexandria during his time at Jefferson High School and currently holds the school record for the discus.
Guetter would like to place his own name above his brother's at some point this season.
"I'd like to beat our school record, which is 170 feet, 11 3/4 inches," Guetter said. "My brother has that right now."
He has yet to break the record but has inched closer with every meet. Twice he has surpassed 160 feet, including at Alexandria's home invitational on Tuesday when he reached 165-04.
Guetter took first place in the discus at the Minnesota Mega Meet in Sauk Rapids earlier this month with a throw of 163-07. These recent throws have given him confidence that he will surpass his brother's record toss at some point this season.
"I think I've got it in me," Guetter said.
As a six-year veteran of the track and field team, Empting has seen Guetter improve every season. His improvement has been noticeable this year as he has consistently reached marks well beyond his state toss from 2013.
"Colin has really come along," Empting said. "He ended at the state meet last year and he was throwing in the 140s. He's just kind of taken off this year. He's had two throws now over 160, and he threw one over 160 again today."


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Food to Eat / Avoid Before Tummy Tuck
Which Food Items Should I Include in my Meals Three Weeks Before Tt/lipo? What to Avoid? I know I should avoid vitamin E, aspirin, and alcohol. Any... READ MORE
Multi-Vitamins and Tummy Tuck
I Am Undergoing a Full TT on 12/20 and I Take Womens One a Day Vitamin Daily. Because It Contains Vitamin E Should I Stop? My plastic surgeon said... READ MORE
Should I Take my Folic Acid, Iron, Vitamin C and B Complex Pills While Also Taking the VitaMedica Recovery Package?
I am scheduled for surgery on March 18th and have been taking the recommended folic acid, iron, vitamin c and b complex pills for over a month now and... READ MORE
What vitamins should you stop taking before surgery?
I take iron, folic acid, biotin, probiotics, one a day, blood builder, hema-plex and vitamin C READ MORE
Can Vitamins Help in the Healing Process of a Tummy Tuck?
I want to see a nutritionist befor my surgery. I think that I am vitamine deficient. Would this help in the healing process of the tummy tuck? READ MORE
Are there any vitamin supplements good to take before and after Tummy Tuck surgery?
Are there any suppliments that would be good to take before tummy tuck surgery and ones to take after. I also get a lot of stomach acid is there... READ MORE
How long will this take to heal? My incision split open & drainage came out once drains removed.I know it will take time.(photo)
It has been 4 weeks & I don't think it looks any better or like it is even healing. My PS said to pack it will dry gauze. It does still drain some but... READ MORE
Can Prenatal Vitamins Be Taken for Tummy Tuck?
I had a baby a few months ago and I been taking prenatal vitamins.can I keep taking them before and after tummy tuck or do I need to take something... READ MORE
I was wondering why do the MD's in the Dominican ask you to take a host of iron pills and vitamins and the doctors here do not?
I've Been Told Not to Take Any Multivitamines for 2wks Before Surgery, Why Not?
I've read on several sites about what to take before my tuck but the hosp. gave me instructions not to even take a multivitamine. why not take a... READ MORE
Right now I'm taking vitamins. Is there any need to stop before surgery (17 days away)?
Im taking iron, vitamin c, biotin, multi with D3 & calcium, cranberry powder, and pre/probiotics READ MORE
Preparing my Body Before a Tummy Tuck Scar Revision, Any Specific Vitamins I Should Be Taking?
Hello, I did a Tummy Tuck a year ago and the results are fantastic the only thing bothering me is the scar... its wide and high so i discussed with my... READ MORE
What supplements to take to aid in skin healing after surgery?
I am scheduled for a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and liposuction of the inner/outer thighs & knees on April 9th. I have been reading on... READ MORE
Pre TT/Lipo/BBL Prep?
Hi , Im scheduled to have TT, Lipo and BBL in Oct 2012 and would like to prepare my body as best as possible for this process..Are there any specia... READ MORE
Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Arnica Montana 30x and SinEcch Arnica Montana Post Surgery therapy?
I've got a TT and lipo scheduled for 9/25 and want to start taking Arnica Montana but have found several different kinds. My surgeon recommended the... READ MORE
Pre-op TT: Should I be Taking any Supplements?
I'm having my tummy tuck surgery Feb. 21st I'm trying to see if there's anything I should be taking now as far as supplements vitamins etc to help me... READ MORE
Can I take fat burning gummies after my tummy tuck,
I did it 1 months ago but Im feeling like im getting weight because I cant exercise yet. What can I do I look flat when I stand up but when i sit down... READ MORE
I just had a tummy tuck on April 24 2015 and want to know if I can now start drinking coffee again and taking my vitamins?
Back/mainly flank swelling near ends of tummy tuck incision 3 months post op. Is this something that will take time to heal?
Had breast and tummy with muscle repair. I didn't have really any fat so the flanks are not fat. They actually get sore when they seem to swell. Its... READ MORE


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How Patent Trolls Stifle Innovation
The latest figures on lawsuits filed by patent assertion entities (PAEs) reveal a frightening trend that suggests this activity will remain a threat to American high-tech innovation and competition in 2013.
In the first 11 months of 2012, PAEs initiated 61 percent of US patent lawsuits, after initiating 45 percent of them in 2011 and 19 percent in 2006, according to a recent study conducted by Colleen Chien, a law professor at Santa Clara University.
PAEs, a.k.a. patent trolls, acquire patents for the sole purpose of filing litigation to make money, rather than using the patents to develop goods and services. This activity costs businesses time and money, and research shows that small businesses are more likely than others to be targeted by this unscrupulous practice.
Chien presented her research at the Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop hosted last month in Washington, D.C., by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department. She said that large companies such as Google and Apple see their fair share of PAE lawsuits, but approximately 40 percent of startups that have raised $50 million to $500 million have been sued by PAEs, and around 20 percent of companies that have raised $20 million to $50 million have suffered a similar fate.
In an email to me, Chien expressed her concern for small high-tech firms, which would have a harder time than others absorbing the impact of a lawsuit.
In my survey, 40 percent of small companies/startups reported a significant impact -- like changing the product, delay in hiring, impact on fundraising -- as a result of a patent lawsuit. The majority (55 percent) of unique PAE targets make less than $10 million in revenue.
By threatening to crimp good old-fashioned American innovation, the growth of PAE activity is turning the patent system on its head and exacting a hefty financial toll. This occurs when companies that don't produce anything turn their acquired patents into a weapon by initiating lawsuits that force companies to fork out money to defend their intellectual property or settle out of court.
In fact, a study published in July by Professor Mike Meurer and Law Lecturer James Bessen at Boston University School of Law reveals that the costs of PAE disputes more than quadrupled from 2005 to $29 billion in 2011. During that time, the number of unique companies that defended their patents against PAE-initiated lawsuits rose more than 50 percent to 2,150.
What is contributing to the increase in patent troll activity? For one thing, this activity is legal. Furthermore, PAEs can bring a lawsuit against several entities that hold or use a patent. In fact, according to Chien's study, 76 percent of PAE defendants are sued by a PAE that has named 15 or more defendants over two or more suits. This raises the chances for PAEs to win settlements and capture economies of scale.
Another factor advancing this business model is that companies hit with a PAE suit often find it best to settle out of court instead of paying the legal fees to defend themselves. PAEs are also assisted by lawyers who work on a contingency basis, which helps delay costs until a settlement.
For the high-tech industry's sake, and to help clear the way for innovators to create unique products and services without the threat of pesky lawsuits filed by entities that don't produce goods and services, 2013 will hopefully be the year PAE activity is stopped in its tracks.
Certainly, our high-tech inventors, the products they develop, the businesses they build, and the economy in which they operate deserve a better system than one that lets PAEs run roughshod over talented innovators. One way to fight back is to encourage large companies to work with startups to help them fight PAE-initiated litigation. Something has to be done soon, and I'm sure we can all agree that this matter needs the high-tech industry's undivided attention in the year ahead.
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Recent announcements from the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition puts a spot light on human labor rights and bst practices around green house gas emissions.
Electronics OEMs who want to sell products in China are having to rethink their supply chain strategy. IBM has taken lead in the charge in this new direction.
Nanotechnology is going manstream and electronics manufacturers need to consider how these advances will affect new products, innovation, and the supply chain.
To find out how this acceleration in high-tech manufacturing is affecting TE Connectivitys supply chain planning, we interviewed Jim McDonald, vice president, supply chain for TE Connectivity.
High tech OEMs are looking for skilled workers from all over the world. New H-1B visa guidelines offer an opportunity to bring in a wealth of new talent.
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I'm fairly new at home taxidermy, just had one stupid quick question on pedestal mounts (and wall pedestals). Are you supposed to cover the back of the manikin with cape? Thanks.
Return to Gamehead Taxidermy Category Menu
extra hide or cape,Textured material, just about anything you find ascetically pleasing or whatever the customer wants. I generally use buckskin but have seen many award winning pedestals that had the cape/hide wrap around the back meeting in a clean union. One thing you want to do is trim the cape [if you're using a different back material] with a sharp scalpul blade flush to the form from the skin side so as not to cut the hair. Then simply take a *sharpie or marker and color the skins edge to match your backing. Have fun with it and be creative!


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Mrs. Mary Powell Ponder, 80, of Martinez, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 1998, at University Hospital.
The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Platt's Funeral Home, North Belair Road, with the Rev. Grover C. Lee officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Mrs. Ponder, a native of Augusta, was a member of Martinez Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, George V. Ponder, Martinez; a daughter, Lavada Melson, Conyers, Ga.; two brothers, Carlford Powell, Arizona, and Charlie Powell, Hephzibah; two sisters, Myrtle Reynolds, Grovetown, and Lillian Sharpe, Evans; and six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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The Korean Grand Prix incurred substantial operating losses for the third straight year, but insists that the long-term future is more promising.
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Already with a question mark hanging over its future on the F1 calendar, the Korean Grand Prix reported another substantial financial setback following its third running, but organisers insist that the race can be a success going forward.
The race, hailed as a potential breakthrough for expanding F1 into new regions, had failed to take off, either among the local population or as a television spectacle, and has suffered large operating losses each time. This year's event, run last month, lost $36.4m according to local media.
The Yeongam circuit is currently in the midst of a seven-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone, but has already come under threat of the axe after failing to attract a sizeable crowd and requesting a reworking of its financial commitment. The track was designed to be the centre piece of a multi-purpose resort, with elements of both road and street course built into its layout. Sadly, the surrounding area remains undeveloped.
"It's hard to say what kind of impact the loss has on next year," race organisers were quoted as telling Reuters, "Although there are many concerns regarding the operating loss, the loss for a third straight year is only a short-term effect.
"In the long-term, the F1 event will bring more benefits to the country. It will not only pave the way for South Korean car industries in the future, but also help foster new industries."
Korea has been included on the 2013 F1 schedule, where the only change was to replace Valencia's European Grand Prix with a second American event in New Jersey. That project has now been delayed by a season, with the intention of reinstating it on the 2014 calendar.


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The Energy Space
*On December 27th, EOXLive published a 2013 outlook for crude oil and natural gas. If you have not received it or would like a copy, please email email@example.com.
Energy Price Outlook
The short-term trend of the energy markets has been on the upside for nearly a month now, but prices are approaching levels that have traditionally caused problems for rallies. The weekly chart below suggests that WTI may be able reach the falling trendline near $101/bbl without creating any appearance of excess, however, demand would then become a concern as rationing will eventually return. Additional pressure will come from Friday's inventory report which showed that demand finished the year fairly weak and that product inventories grew once again late in Dec. But the market may remain short-term focused, with positive factors on the radar including improved Chinese PMI data, the S&P 500's close at a new 5-year high on Friday, modest improvement in payrolls, the grounding of Shell's oil rig in Alaska, and the ramp-up of the expanded Seaway pipeline this week. Environmental groups have already called on the president to suspend drilling permits in the Arctic. The pipeline expansion should help WTI against Brent crude, and we entered a spread recommendation in June futures at -$14.25 on Friday morning, with a target at -$8.00.
Friday's trade in WTI settled 17c/bbl higher while Brent finished 83c/bbl lower. The differential was affected by news late Wednesday regarding the ramp-up of shipping capacities on the Seaway pipeline between Cushing Oklahoma and Freeport Texas. This week, the pipeline will begin transporting 400 kb/d of WTI crude to the Gulf Coast rather than the 150 kb/d that was the case previously. The market also gained support from the non-farm payroll number which rose 155K vs. 150K expected, and more importantly, broke the string of ADP over-estimation that was the case in the January reports in the last two years. The ISM non-manufacturing report didn't offer much impact on Friday, but its 1.4 point increase to 56.1 could be beneficial to oil. The chart on the next page shows that the two series have had a decent correlation since 2009 as oil prices have been focused more on economics than pre-2009 issues such as strong Chinese demand and weak supply growth.
General support may continue to be seen from economic improvement in China and Europe as well. Recall that the HSBC manufacturing PMI numbers reported on Dec 31st suggested that the economy has continued to improve. The Shanghai Composite has attracted more attention due to its strong performance in Dec, and could be a favorable indication of future oil demand from the country. We analyzed this recently to show that Chinese oil demand has tracked manufacturing activity in recent years. Europe has been improving too, and after Friday's release of the composite PMI, Markit's economist said that the worst of the economic downturn may be behind the region.
The negative side will focus on the prospect that the $8/bbl rally in the last month will begin to ration demand for oil products in the months to come. Gasoline prices have gained 20c/gal in the time, and is about six weeks away from the ramp-up that takes place in anticipation of the summer driving season. Another worry for oil prices could come if economic data is bringing forward activity from the spring and summer months. Construction jobs gained 30K on Friday likely due to work being done at a time of year when seasonal adjustment factors don't anticipate it being done. That was the case last year, as warm winter weather helped employment and other economic data in the U.S. show solid improvement in Q1 only to see weakness set in during Q2....1162 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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Washington State University officials are cautiously optimistic that the steep budget cuts in state funding so common in recent years may be over.
The final version of the state budget in Washington is still a ways off—it must be approved by state lawmakers and signed by the Governor. However, it appears that expected reductions higher education may not be coming, and that has Washington State University officials hopeful. Chris Mulick is WSU's Director of State Relations.
Chris Mulick: "There has been, without question, a lot more noise made this year in favor of higher education. It's coming from a lot of different places. I mean, certainly, the business community has been involved."
WSU's state appropriation has been cut 52% since 2007, but the news has been better this year. The House proposed a budget last week that cut WSU's funding by only $9.3 million, down from the $26 million cut previously proposed by the Governor. And on Tuesday the Senate proposed a budget with no cuts for the university. The difference in the budget proposals need to be worked out before the scheduled adjournment of the state legislature on March 8th.
On the web:
WSU Government Relations
Copyright 2012 Northwest Public Radio


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Britain needs to be prepared for further "extreme weather events", David Cameron said as he honoured the work done by volunteers during the recent winter storms.
The Prime Minister, who launched a new Points of Light award to recognise voluntary work, told some of those who helped the country cope with the floods to keep up their efforts in case there are similar crises in the future.
At a reception in Downing Street, Mr Cameron announced £500,000 of funding for community foundations and confirmed that £4 million from the Libor fines levied on banks would be directed to rescue organisations.
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He said: "There were moments when it felt like the whole country was under attack in terms of the weather and it was never going to relent.
"But while we saw the worst of British weather, we saw the best of British spirit."
He said it was a "privilege and an honour to travel the country and see that spirit first hand: whether it was Facebook sites to clean up Chesil Beach, whether it was community cafes in Somerset, whether it was Scouts, Guides and others pitching in, whether it was a group of young Muslims from right across the country, including from Yorkshire, who went all the way down to Somerset".
Mr Cameron, who has said he "very much suspects" that the floods were due to climate change, warned the volunteers they may be called on again.
"Please keep at it," he said. "I hope we won't have weather quite as bad as that but the fact is we have seen more extreme weather events, we have had things that we have been told are one in a 100 or one in 200-year events and they seem to be happening more frequently."


text: I have been searching and searching and come across nothing so i joined up here to ask as i am a new owner of a S4.. my question is, I have heard installing a blow off valve in place of the diverter valve is harmful to the engine due to the fact that it was made with two smaller turbo's to deplete the need for it. so basically would my S4 benefit or be harmed by installing a bov? another question, what are common problems with S4's because since i bought it everyone is telling me they have a lot of problems, any truth to this? thanks guys!


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Married. Miss Mary O. Wallace, daughter of the Secretary of Agriculture, to Dr. Charles Bruggmann, Secretary of the Swiss Legation in Paris; in Washington.
Married. Wallace Eddinger, comedian (Officer 666, Seven Keys to Baldpate, Captain Applejack), and Margaret Munn ("Margaret Lawrence"), actress and divorced wife of Orson D. Munn; in Los Angeles.
Died. Louis A. Hirsch, 42, composer of the music for Mary, The O'Brien Girl, Going Up; in Manhattan.
Died. Dr. Ernest Laplace, 63, famed surgeon, inventor of the first forceps for intestinal anastomosis; of heart disease, in Philadelphia. He possessed one of...


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Next up on the Obama administration's agenda could be an incentive to hire, with the goal of jobs creation. So far, the plans to propose such a credit are being kept somewhat quiet. But the idea does seem to have at least modest bipartisan support, in the wake of the worst unemployment figures since the late seventies -- 9.8% in September, and rising.
Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor (R) told reporters, "There is a lot of traction for this kind of idea. If the White House will take the lead on this, I'm fairly positive it would be welcomed in a bipartisan fashion."
If this becomes reality, the intent of the two-year credit will be to make it cheaper to hire new employees. No details have been set in stone, but here is a rough idea of how it will work:
· The first year credit will equal 15.3 percent of the cost of adding one new employee, up to a salary of $106,800.
· The second year, the credit will amount to 10.2 percent of the cost.
Others suggest that, if they lower the salary cap further, this could be even more beneficial to unskilled workers, creating as many as two million jobs in the first couple of years of the credit.
Yet another version of the bill that is being considered will make credits available not only to businesses that hire new employees, but also to those that significantly increase work hours of existing employees, such as turning a part-time job into full-time.
Who supports the hiring credit?
Among others, supporters of the credit include former Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich, and Edmund S. Phelps, a Nobel Laureate and economics professor at Columbia.
"It's beautiful if it can be timed at a dire moment like this, when unemployment is way too high and appears to be going somewhat higher," Phelps told reporters. "But it's a pity that this wasn't done a year ago." Phelps said he believed President Obama should not have dropped the hiring credit from the $787 billion stimulus plan that was passed last February.
Robert Wilens, President of a New York tax and account advisory firm thinks the credit might be successful. "Businesses like those provisions that reduce the hurdle rate that you have to surmount in order to make an investment — like an employee — a profitable investment."
What are the concerns?
Beyond concerns about a rapidly-mounting deficit, critics worry about the real potential for the program's success. Will unscrupulous employers exploit possible loopholes? These could include a company shutting down, letting the staff go, then reopening as a new company and rehiring the staff as new employees, all of whom might qualify for the credit, and zero new jobs would be created.
Bill Rys, tax counsel for the National Federation of Independent Business asks, "Why would a business hire a new worker? They're hiring because they need to do work. Unless you have work to do, it's still an expense."
Others point out that some businesses are still hiring, yet they will qualify for, and probably get the credit anyway, and thus zero new jobs will result from those credits.
Some economists believe that a hiring credit like this could backfire. Lee E. Ohanian, economics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, points out that this could actually impede economic recovery. "Particularly for big employers, if they think a job creation tax credit is in the offing, it could certainly be an incentive to delay hiring." Ohanian continued, "That means it could have the perverse effect of actually prolonging the recession."
Brian Wesbury, chief economist at First Trust Advisors LP said recently in a Wall Street Journal editorial that agrees with those who project that companies will postpone their hiring plans until this government subsidy kicks in. He also says that a hiring credit program could stunt growth by confiscating private sector money to support the public sector. Wesbury suggests that the government's Robin hood mentality, as evidenced by the July bump in the federal minimum wage which had the effect of chilling new employment, is actually exacerbating the depressed job market.
In spite of arguments from the Obama administration that there will be a way to keep track of how many jobs are created, the lines are blurry. The last time a program such as this was tried was in the Carter years. Then, one in three new jobs was awarded the credit, but many of those jobs lacked permanence and it was later determined that some positions would have likely been created without the credit.
In answer to the criticism that such a program was less than successful under the Carter Administration, those who support hiring credits suggest that we shouldn't "throw the baby out with the bathwater." Instead, they want to learn some lessons from the 70s. For example, unlike the program under President Carter, the credits need to be well-publicized; the funds need to be distributed quarterly to more quickly pump some life into businesses that sorely need it; and the credits need to be available even to businesses that are not making money, such as not-for-profits and enterprises that are operating in the red.
Whether or not the hiring credits are a good idea, some experts predict they will happen because Obama needs this to deflect criticism of his economic policies, as well as to fulfill the campaign promise of new jobs that seems to have fallen by the wayside.
What do you think?


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Odile Crick, Who Drew Iconic Double Helix, Dies at 86
By DENNIS HEVESI
Published: July 30, 2007
Odile Crick, an artist whose original sketch of the double helix of DNA, the genetic blueprint for life, became a symbol of modern molecular biology, died July 5 at her home in La Jolla, Calif. She was 86.
The cause was cancer, said her stepson, Michael Crick, who said the family had not announced Mrs. Crick's death until last week.
The structure of DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, was discovered in 1953 by Mrs. Crick's husband, Francis H. C. Crick, and James D. Watson. The breakthrough laid the foundation for molecular biology by making it clear that the DNA molecule is the medium in which genetic information is stored and passed from generation to generation.
The double helix consists of two chains of DNA spiraling in opposite directions, each made up of four types of chemical units that are linked together. The sequence of those chemical units is the basis for genes, which signal the synthesis of the essential components of every living cell. Dr. Crick, who died in 2004, and Dr. Watson were awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1962.
In a brief interview on Thursday, Dr. Watson recalled why he and his colleague had asked Mrs. Crick to make the original black-and-white sketch -- based on their mathematical analysis of a pattern of spots revealed by a process called X-ray crystallography -- for the April 1953 issue of the journal Nature.
''Francis can't draw, and I can't draw, and we need something done quick,'' Dr. Watson said. The drawing ''showed the essence of the structure,'' he said. ''And it became historically important, reproduced over and over.''
Dr. Watson pointed out that his sister, Betty, had been recruited to type the historic research paper.
Terrence Sejnowski, the Francis Crick professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, in La Jolla, said Mrs. Crick's sketch ''has iconic importance beyond its scientific value; it came to symbolize man's discovery of the biological basis of life and evolution.''
While the original work accurately portrayed the spacing of the helixes and the locations of the nucleic acids, Dr. Sejnowski said, it did not include the locations of all the atoms. Still, he said, ''all the original textbooks, all the original scientific articles referenced that sketch as the starting point for the variations'' that have followed.
Odile Speed was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, on Aug. 11, 1920, the daughter of Alfred and Marie-Th?se Speed. Her mother was French; her father, a jeweler, was British. Mrs. Crick was an art student in Vienna when the Nazis occupied Austria in 1938. She returned to Britain, joined the Women's Royal Naval Service, and because of her fluency in German became a code-breaker and translator of secret documents.
She and Dr. Crick married in 1949; he had previously been married. In addition to her stepson, of Bellevue, Wash., Mrs. Crick is survived by a brother, Philippe, and two daughters, Gabrielle Crick and Jacqueline Nichols, all of whom live in Britain; two grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.
In the late 1970s, when Dr. Crick was offered a professorship at the Salk Institute, the family moved to La Jolla. Over the years, several exhibitions have been held of Mrs. Crick's paintings, which her stepson said have been described as Rubenesque nudes.
Michael Crick said his stepmother ''never wanted to make a big fuss'' about her famous double-helix drawing. In fact, on the day in 1953 when her husband and Dr. Watson realized that they had finally made a major scientific breakthrough, she sort of shrugged.
In his memoir, ''What Mad Pursuit,'' Dr. Crick recalled going home that day and telling his wife of the historic discovery. Only years later, he wrote, had Mrs. Crick told him that she did not believe a word of it, saying, ''You were always coming home and saying things like that, so naturally I thought nothing of it.''
Photo: Odile and Dr. Francis H. C. Crick in 2003, during a dinner in La Jolla, Calif., honoring the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA by Dr. Crick and James D. Watson. Mrs. Crick's drawing is at right. (Photograph by Marc Lieberman/Salk Institute)
Drawing: The drawing of the double Helix


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PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Amman, Jordan, 2007/11/28 - Fenomastic interior paint to be used for internal walls finish Jabal Amman Residence project.
Jotun Paints, one of the worlds leading producers and suppliers of paints, coatings and powder coatings, announced that it has signed a strategic agreement with the Tamleek Real Estate and Development in Jordan to utilize Jotun's Fenomastic brand in the prestigious Jabal Amman Residence project. The high quality interior paint will be used in Tamleeks latest undertaking.
Tamleek has selected the Fenomastic range due to its unique safety features and superior finish, which match the quality of products the developer uses across all its projects. Included in this range of high quality paints are Fenomastic Enamel, which is the first lead-free and non-yellowing enamel paint in the region; and Fenomastic Gold, an acrylic paint that boasts of antibacterial and antifungal properties, anti-flame spread and crack tolerance of up to 1.4 millimeters.
Since the launch of the Fenomastic interior paint brand, many real estate companies across the Middle East have made it the product of choice for their projects, said Mr Mahmoud Anabtawi, General Manager of Jotun Jordan. "Our partnership with Tamleek, one of Jordans leading real estate investment and development companies, is an addition to our portfolio of mega-projects, which we have been a part of throughout the Kingdom. Our commitment to supply the leaders in the property development market in the country and the entire GCC with our high quality paint products that efficiently address the regions unique paint requirements is at the forefront of our drive to leverage the booming Middle East paint market."
In line with its reputation as the most environmentally-friendly paint manufacturer, Jotun has ensured that the execution of the Jabal Amman Residence project will be in accordance with strict environmental standards. Through the years, the company has maintained its longstanding commitment to reducing residual waste in its production methods by undertaking state-of-the-art waste management technologies such as waste and sludge water recycling. Jotun is also one of the founding members of the Emirates Green Building Council, wherein the company has played an important role in advancing green building principles for the protection of the environment since the organisations establishment in 2006.
Abdullah Al Dabbas, Member, Tamleek Board of Directors, said, We are very meticulous when it comes to choosing materials, which we will use for our real estate projects, as we maintain our high level of quality assurance to our clients. The Jabal Amman Residence project is very important to us and we want our tenants to be 100 per cent satisfied when they move in. Our decision to utilise Jotun paints is based on the companys impressive professional reputation and wide range of experience in the industry, which we are looking forward to experience in this project."
Jotun maintains its presence in five continents through 67 companies under its global organization and 39 production facilities. The company develops, produces and sells cost-effective paint and coating products and provides customer service and technical support to residential, marine and industrial markets worldwide. Jotuns Single Source Solution has been used in the worlds most prestigious and complex structures including the Eiffel Tower, the Burj Al Arab, the China Opera House, the Nile City Complex and the Kingdom Center.
Agency / Source: iRelations Jordan
Availability: All Regions (Including Int'l)
Traffic Booster: [/] Quick PRZOOM - Press & Newswire Visibility Checker
Distribution / Indexing: [+]


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Earlier this year, we showed you our favorite Bohemian escapes in Jamaica (The Caves, Tensing Pen, Rockhouse Hotel, and Jake's), special places with lots of wood and stone, breath-stopping views, serene locations. Although Jamaica has mastered the art of rustic luxury, it's not the only island that's home to hotels with relaxed, back-to-nature vibes. We found a handful of other beautiful properties from the Caribbean and Hawaii that prove "rustic" doesn't have to mean camping. In fact, some of our favorite rustic hotels are downright pricey. Below, take a look at where to splurge, and where to save, on your next bohemian beach escape.
Hotel Hana-Maui, Hawaii
The Hotel Hana-Maui overlooking Hana Bay delivers rustic luxury in the middle of Maui's lush, secluded east coast. Incredible service, top spa, excellent food, a long list of stuff to do, and only 77 rooms on acres of uncrowded property. The rooms are large, clean, sleekly furnished -- and stripped of TVs, clocks, and radios. Hard to reach, but worth the trip.
Caneel Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Price: $577/avg. per night
- Location: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Pearls: 5
Built from a historic sugar plantation, this profoundly serene 166-room resort sits on 170 acres of a protected national park, dotted with seven remote beaches and home to wild donkeys roaming the grounds. Even with a quaint pool and rustic rooms that lack TVs and phones, Caneel's attentive service and unparalleled setting make it one of the Caribbean's best resorts.
Natura Cabanas, Dominican Republic
- Price: $219/avg. per night
- Location: Cabarete and Sosua, Dominican Republic
- Pearls: 3.5
Offering eco-friendly bungalows in a lush, friendly setting, Natura Cabanas is a taste of serene, northern coast luxury for a remarkably fair price. Guests enjoy delicious, fresh food, a clean, crowd-less private beach (it's the best on the D.R.'s north coast), daily yoga and Pilates classes, and a fabulous spa. It's quiet, and a bit rustic without TV or AC in rooms, but that's the point.
Ke Iki Beach Bungalows, Oahu, Hawaii
Location trumps luxury at these 11 beachfront bungalows sitting just above the sand on the picturesque North Shore. Sure, the bungalows are modest, amenities are zero, and service is minimal. But a beautiful beach is just outside the door, as are hammocks and grills. And Oahu's most famous surfing spots and a charming surfer town, Haleiwa, are just down the street.


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Project Rachel
Experience Hope and Healing After Abortion....
Suffering is the untold story of abortion. Grief after abortion is normal — it is the grief of a mother who has lost a child in a traumatic way; it is the grief of lost fatherhood. We are here to help you experience the hope and healing of Christ through Project Rachel.
What is Project Rachel?
Project Rachel, a compassionate and confidential ministry, extends God's unconditional love and forgiveness to women and men who experience the tragedy of abortion. By offering a safe place for those suffering to be reconciled with God and his Church, Project Rachel helps anyone who is suffering after having an abortion (or as the result of a love one's abortion) to experience God's mercy, forgiveness, and peace.
Is Project Rachel For You?
Project Rachel is for anyone affected by abortion:
- Women who have had an abortion
- Men whose significant others have had abortions
- Parents, children, siblings, other family members and friends of those who have had an abortion
- Anyone who has encouraged or helped someone else obtain an abortion
- Anyone who has worked in the abortion industry
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling alienated from God
- Feeling guilt or self-condemnation
- Experiencing anxiety, trouble sleeping or nightmares
- Feeling sad or depressed
What does Project Rachel Offer?
- Rachel Angels—Walk with you as a companion on your journey to healing within the context of a Christian friendship.
- Trained Priests—Receive spiritual direction, guidance and the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a loving and confidential setting.
- Weekend Retreats—Take time away from your everyday life to seek peace and healing at confidential and private retreats led by a Project Rachel team.
- Support Groups—Walk with others in a weekly group setting on a journey to hope and healing.
- Licensed Professional Counselors—Receive a referral to someone who is sensitive to the needs of those hurting from a past abortion.
We are here to help you. Contact us today at email@example.com or
1-877-WeCare2 to begin your healing journey.


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4 Recent Stories
Congrats, Your Facebook Relationship Survived Another Year!
Facebook now congratulates users on their relationship or wedding anniversary, and users can then share that story alongside pictures with their friends.
Now Facebook Can See Inside Your Heart, Too
Each day brings fresh confirmation that giving away any information means you're giving all of it away, thanks to algorithms that crunch your language use, purchasing habits, friend structure and other bits of information. And now big data can see in...
Facebook Adds LGBT-Friendly Relationship Status Options
Facebook has introduced two relationship status indicators that folks in the LGBT community might find more useful. Effective immediately, U.S. residents can choose between "In a domestic partnership" and "In a civil union," along with the usual rost...


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2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
Graham cracker crumbs
2 (8 ounce) cartons sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325°. Butter miniature muffin tins. Coat with crumbs. Set aside.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Fold gently into the cheese mixture. Spoon filling into the prepared muffin tins. Bake 18 minutes. Cool completely.
In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spoon a dollop on each tassie. Cover lightly and chill.
Presented by: Olivia Sipe, Miss Olivia's Table
Date: 4/16/2014


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Kai Ryssdal: So have you ever had one of those bosses where the last person to talk to her usually wins the argument? Drives you crazy, right? There is something similar happening with the health care debate in Washington. We have been waiting for weeks for the Senate Finance Committee to stop talking and make up its mind. Chairman Max Baucus said today he hopes to share what they've come up with tomorrow. Informed opinion is that that bill is going to become the basis for much of the negotiations to come.
All five bills currently circulating in Congress would expand Medicaid for the poor. And they would provide subsidies to help low and middle income families buy coverage, if they aren't insured at work. But premiums, as we all know, are only the beginning. There are co-pays and deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs. And when you add it all up, health care might still be too expensive for too many.
From Washington, Marketplace's Tamara Keith has more.
TAMARA KEITH: Let's be clear. We're not talking about people who have insurance through their employer. We're talking about people who are uninsured or buy their own insurance. Virtually everyone will be required to have coverage.
RON WYDEN: You could tell people they have to purchase health care, but you'd also better take steps to make sure it's affordable.
Ron Wyden is a Democratic senator from Oregon and a member of the finance committee. He says under the latest plan he's seen, even with assistance, a family of four earning $66,000 a year would still have to pay about 13 percent of their income in premiums.
WYDEN: You're going to have to pay $8,500 a year for your premium. Then you're going to have to pay more for your co-payments. You're going to have a big deductible. You're already walking on an economic tight rope.
And before long you're talking about a real hardship. Peter Cunningham is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Studying Health System Change.
PETER CUNNINGHAM: These reform proposals are not going to completely eliminate the financial pressures that families feel from health care, either their premiums or their out of pocket costs.
But Cunningham says millions of people will be better off than they are today. People like Steven Tatar and his family. He's self employed, has two kids and a wife with diabetes.
STEVEN TATAR: Close to a third of our total annual income consumed by our health costs, largely premiums. And I've got to be honest. I don't go to doctors, because I can't afford it.
Linda Blumberg, an economist at the Urban Institute, says the family's annual medical expenses could drop to around 15 percent of their income. But not much less. She says Congress is under pressure to keep the price of an overhaul under a trillion dollars.
LINDA BLUMBERG: The only way to pare that number back is by taking it out of either the benefits that are provided or the subsidies for the package you're providing.
Because health care isn't getting any cheaper.
In Washington, I'm Tamara Keith for Marketplace.


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Heineken's Top Shelf Approach to Sponsorship
September 13, 2011
Heineken uses its sponsorships to maintain their premium global positioning and engage consumers worldwide, according to IEG.
Restricted Content
Access to this content item is restricted to:
- ANA Corporate Marketer Members
Please login below or create an account.
You may already be a member. Find out if your company is already an ANA member.


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Hot (Space) Shoot
by: roidstudio • 152
All Android applications categories
by: roidstudio • 152
This is a cool shooter action game for Android, there is a war in the space, you are the police in the universe,Fly through the space, Fire and destroy the balls to explosion from the aliens in your space travel, so there is at least one on the screen.
Use your weapon to hit the balls will have bonus appears randomly.
How to play:
1. Tap the "shoot" to shot the balls;
2. Tilt to move left and right;
Enjoy your space journey and travel!
Tags: hot , roidstudio , shoot , shoot space , space shoot
from 152 reviews
Download Hot (Space) Shoot
Free - 7.1 - 801K
Share this app


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You Are Here: AHRQ Archive Home > National Healthcare Quality Report, 2004 > Chapter 2 (continued)
This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.
Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.
Prevalence of Pain Among Postacute and Chronic Care Residents
Pain prevalence—characterized as moderate or severe in the past 7 days or excruciating at any time in the past week—is common to both postacute and chronic care nursing home residents.
Figure 2.22. Percent of nursing home residents reporting pain, by type of resident, 2002 and 2003
[D] Select for Text Description.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Minimum Data Set (see http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/SearchCriteria.asp).
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Van Zandt County
Old Newspapers Page Van Zandt County Genealogical Society
Sibyl Creasey and Shirley Fuller have extracted news articles from two old county newspapers, the Canton Herald and the Wills Point Chronicle. These newspapers have been microfilmed and are housed at the Van Zandt County Library of Genealogy and Local History, located in the courthouse annex in Canton, for the benefit of researchers. Copies of these articles are also available by writing to the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1388, Canton, TX 75103. When requesting a copy, please send a check or money order for $2 to cover cost of copying and postage.
CANTON HERALD, May 27,1932
"Mrs. D.B. Jones' home was the scene of a lovely party Friday afternoon when Mrs. Jones and Mrs. High entertained in celebration of their sons' birthdays. Harold being eight years and Jack Lewis being seven years of age. Games kept the children happily entertained, which much time was spent in opening and admiring the gifts brought by the young guests. Ice cream, cake and punch were served to the following: Lit Carpenter, Judge Mitchell, Julius Busch, Jessie Walters, Billy Peace, Jack Beard, Nancy and Katherine Peace, Mary Bell Sides, Elsie Marie Blackwell, Marjorie Hilliard, Betty Barlow, Francis Jane Prater, Billie Ashworth, Ila Nell Burnett, Martha Lou Jones, Doris Lumas, Jack Lewis Jones and Harold High.
"LOCAL HAPPENINGS: Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Tull went to Dallas on Monday. J.L. Fizer visited his mother, Mrs. J.L. Fizer this week. Mrs. Mary Ethel Brandon was a visitor in Dallas on Sunday. Bon Hobbs Pruitt was home from Arlington for this week end. Mrs. Barlow and Mrs. Anderson were Terrell visitors Monday. Elmer Prater made a trip to Bangs and Brownwood last week. Miss Glaydis Wallace left Friday for her home in Grand Saline. Mrs. Anna McMahon and Miss Oma Mayne spent Thursday in Dallas. Mrs. Albert Hargrove and Miss Claudine Ayers are visiting in Cisco this week. Mrs. R.M. Lively visited her daughter, Mrs. E.C. Poole, and family in Dallas Sunday.
"Misses Alice Pool and Mary Jane Bass of Tyler were guests of Effa Nell Thomas Sunday. Miss Mary Lois Harris has gone to Fort Worth to be with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Harris. Mrs. and Mrs. W.E. Prater of Garden Valley visited their daughter, Mrs. S.J. McCauley, on Thursday. Mrs. W.B. Rodgers spent this week end with her aunt, Mrs. McPhail, and family of Wills Point. Dr. and Mrs. Jack Kellam are in San Antonio this week visiting their daughter, Mrs. C.W. Ashworth, Jr. A number of Canton sport lovers attended the baseball game between Tyler and Longview in Tyler Sunday.
"W.B. Rodgers and daughter, Miss Annie Marguerite, were visiting Mr. Rodgers' mother in Brownwood last week. Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Anderson spent Sunday in Mabank with Mrs. Anderson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Waggoner. Gerald Lynch of Corsicana visited in Canton Wednesday of last week. He is connected with the Barton-Nixon well. Drilling will be resumed this week. C.J. Hubbard arrived in Canton Saturday morning from San Benito and Handley. He says he is here for the sacred harp singing to be held in Canton the fifth Sunday in May. Mr. Hubbard is 88 years old. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Penkerton of Longview spent the week end with the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will Couch. Misses Naomi and Etta Ruth returned home with them for a weeks' visit. They also plan to make a trip to Shreveport before returning home."
Back to Old Canton Herald, 1932, Index Page Back to Old County Newspapers Home Page
You're the [an error occurred while processing this directive]person to visit this page.
This page last updated 27 July 2007
Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Website maintained by
Sibyl Creasey


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Of all the operating sytems in all the world...
cmw.osdude 120000QT77 Visits (2559)
OK. That title is wildly misq
If you don't have time to look through it, here's the quick list with some of my own thoughts:
I love all of these weird uses of Linux. I know this merely scratches the surface. Share anything else you've seen.


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DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions will play its first game of this season against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.
Detroit is shooting for its first victory this season, while first-year cornerback Jacob Lacey will participate in his first regular season home game at Ford Field this weekend. Staying with the theme of "firsts," Lacey answered a few non-football questions during this week's question-and-answer session:
Anwar: What was your first car?
Jacob: My brother went to college and I got his Oldsmobile. It was a champagne colored Oldsmobile. It was probably a 1997. It wasn't a hooptie, but it was alright.
Anwar: First video game you feel in love with?
Jacob: It was a Deion Sanders game on Sega. I think it was called Prime Time NFL.
Anwar: Who was the first teacher you ever had a crush on?
Jacob: It was Ms. Nancy, my sixth-grade teacher at Webb Middle School.
Anwar Did you ever bring her an apple?
Jacob: Nothing corny like that, but she caught my eye.
Anwar: First scary movie you remember seeing?
Jacob: Probably Jason, Nightmare on Elm Street, or Chucky. I'm not sure which one it was, but all three scared me.
Anwar: What was your first job?
Jacob: I was a little referee at the YMCA. I did basketball, football and soccer. I was terrible. I lost focus. I never called fouls. I just let them play.
Anwar: Do you remember the first time you played youth football?
Jacob: Oh yeah. It was with the Brittany Hills Jaguars. It was a little team in my neighborhood. I was all of 50 pounds in second grade. I was playing with people who were 110 pounds. I remember getting one carry, and I had to fight just to get to the line of scrimmage. I might have gotten a yard. It might have been my only carry of the year, too.
Anwar: Did you continue playing running back?
Jacob: I stayed with it, but I ended up quitting that year. I was done with football after my second-grade year. I started playing again in fourth grade.
Anwar: Why did you quit?
Jacob: I didn't really like the experience I got from it. I just wanted to play. I didn't care about the kids being bigger than me. I never got the ball.
Anwar: What made you try again?
Jacob: I don't know. My father and I were riding one day and we saw a team practicing. We went over there and I started playing again.
Anwar: What was your first practice with the Lions like?
Jacob: It was fast paced, I can tell you that. It was a little confusing. A lot of confusion, really, because I didn't know where to go or the setup. It was a little chaotic, but it was fast paced.
Anwar: How did you deal with the first time coach Jim Schwartz yelled at you?
Jacob: You know what? I don't get too affected by that because I got a dark shield. I can get let it bounce off of me.
Anwar: What do you think your first game at Ford Field will be like?
Jacob: I envision it being crazy. I know they are going to have the stadium turned up. It's the home opener. Coming off a year like last year, I know the fans are ready to go. We're ready to go.


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Page Navigation with Windows Phone and Windows 84/26/2012 | Tags: windows-store
Please, tell us what you think about this news by voting
source: visualstudiomagazine
In my previous column, "Converting Windows Phone to Windows 8," I created a simple Windows Phone application that consumed an XML feed from Flickr and displayed a list of images. Then I showed you how to port that application, with a relatively high level of reuse, to Windows 8. This time, I'll look at extending the Windows Phone application to multiple pages, and focus on code compatibility and the navigation model. As a disclaimer, this is a discussion of code reuse rather than a demonstration of good UI design.
Multiple Pages in Windows Phone
The original Windows Phone application had a single page, so I kept the structure as simple as possible, creating the MainPageViewModel alongside the page by defining it as a page resource, and then wiring it up as the DataContext for the page. When you extend the application out to multiple pages, you need to think a bit more about how to reuse code between those pages.
...Read more
You can also follow us on Twitter: @winphonegeek for Windows Phone; @winrtgeek for Windows 8 / WinRT
Top Windows Phone Development Resources
- Windows 8 Development Guide
- Windows Phone Development Guide
- Windows Phone Toolkit In Depth e-Book
- WindowsPhoneGeek Developer Magazine
- Top Components for Windows Phone and Windows 8 app development
- 400+ Windows Phone Development articles in our Article Index
- PerfecTile, ImageTile Tools for Windows Phone and Windows 8
- Latest Windows Phone Development News & community posts
- Latest Windows 8/ WinRT Development News & comunity posts
- Windows Phone & Windows 8 Development Forums
Our Top Tips & Samples
- What's new in Windows Phone 8 SDK for developers
- Implementing in-app purchasing in Windows Phone 8
- All about Live Tiles in Windows Phone 8
- Send automated Email with attachments in Windows Phone
- All about the new Windows Phone 8 Location APIs
- Creating Spinning progress Animation in Windows Phone
- Getting started with Bluetooth in Windows Phone 8
- The New LongListSelector control in Windows Phone 8 SDK in depth
- Make money from Windows Phone: Paid or Free app, which strategy to choose
- Getting Started with the Coding4Fun toolkit ImageTile Control
- Building cross platform mobile apps with Windows Phone and PhoneGap/Cordova
- Windows Phone Pushpin Custom Tooltip: Different Techniques


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UCCE Master Food Preservers of Solano County
Food Preservation & food safety
Get your preserving on! Solano MFPs are here to help you understand how easy it is to can, pickle, ferment, dehydrate and freeze food safely at home using reliable, tested methods.
Fun and affordable classes - learn step-by-step methods to preserve at home:
- Boiling water bath and steam canning
- Pressure canning
- Dehydrating
- Freezing
- Pickling
- Fermenting
Come out and join us - see our current class schedule.
Solano MFP volunteers are trained and experienced resources, certified by the University of California to give demonstrations and participate in farmers' markets, community festivals, and other county events.
The program is a public service of the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, administered locally by the UC Cooperative Extension Capitol Corridor Office.
MFP Training Starts Soon!
Want to become a certified UCCE Master Food Preserver in Solano County?
Want to teach our community how to safely preserve food at home?
Volunteer applications being accepted now. Get the details...
Program fee: $250


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I have breast implants (saline)9 years ago I'm having iching in both breast, the itching is inside my breast under the bottom.
Breast Implants Itching - What Can I Do?
Doctor Answers 9
Breast Implants Itching 9 years After Surgery
Regarding: "Breast Implants Itching - What Can I Do?
I have breast implants (saline)9 years ago I'm having iching in both breast, the itching is inside my breast under the bottom."
Itching INSIDE breast implants is a very uncommon complaint. Before going down this road, I would consult a good Dermatologist to make sure you do not have a skin condition which would explain this very late complaint. Once skin conditions and allergies are ruled out then a full work up would need to be done to rule out a breast process, be it early infection, scarring or tumor which MAY explain this.
Dr. Peter Aldea
Old implants itching.
This is not normal this far from surgery. I would recommend that you see your ps for evaluation. Also, be sure that you are up to date on your mammograms and well woman exams.
If you are having itching bouts nine years after implants, it is unlikely realtd to the implants. You should see an allergist.
Learn more: http://www.stevenwallachmd.com
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Breast Implants Itching - What Can I Do?
Most likely not related since to operation was 9 years ago. Seek in person evaluation from a derm. From MIAMI Dr., Darryl J. Blinski
Itching after breast augmentation
If your implants were placed 9 years ago, it would be very unusual for them to all-of-a-sudden start causing itching. However, if there is any concern, you should consult your surgeon so they can make sure there is nothing wrong with your implants.
Good Luck.
Learn more: http://www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com
Breast implants should not itch
Breast implants, especially saline implants in for nine years, should not be the source of your itching. You may want to start with your primary care physician or a dermatologist. For peace of mind your plastic surgeon should also be happy to see you to make certain that all is well.
Best of luck,
Learn more: http://www.peterejohnsonmd
Itching - 9 years after surgery
It seems unlikely that this is related to your surgery, at 9 years post-op. Have you noticed any rashes? dry skin? flare-up of other allergic symptoms? Are you using any new lotions, perfumes or soaps?
I would start by seeing your primary care physician, and make sure you don't have some common skin or allergy condition.
All the best,
Persistent itching from breast implant surgery
I am not certain as to the cause for this but I would make sure it is not a fungal infection or other adverse medication reaction.
Learn more: http://www.bodysculptor.com/breast-surgery-chicago/
Itching Implants
I cannot think of a good reason why your implants should itch 9 years after surgery. You may have something else going on and an exam is the best way to get to the bottom of it. Good luck!
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Win an Iron Maiden Beer Bar Prize Package
Want to show that you're a lover of great beer as well as heavy metal? We're teaming up with our sister site Loudwire to give one lucky winner a prize package of merchandise for Iron Maiden's 'Trooper' ale.
Obviously, we can't give away the beer itself, but we've got two sets of pint cups, one t-shirt (winner can pick size), a bottle opener, a pump clip, a set of four coasters, a flag and a bar mat. Full details on the merchandise can be found here.
Brewed by Robinsons, 'Trooper' is a traditional English cask-conditioned ale with, according to their website, "malt flavors and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops," as well as a "subtle hint of lemon." The beer was announced back in March to such great response that, a month later, Robinsons had to increase its staff just to keep up with the advance orders.
To enter, simply follow @ultclassicrock and @loudwire on Twitter and re-tweet the announcement of the giveaway by 11:59PM EST on Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. We'll choose a winner at random. Be sure to read our official contest rules, and good luck!


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Washington, Oct. 25 (ANI): Zac Efron is rumored to be dating actress Lily Collins after the duo was spotted holding hands on an outing in Disneyland.
The pair was previously seen going to the movies in Hollywood, Radar Online reported.
The 'High School Musical' star, who has reportedly completed two rehab stints for drug addiction, had recently confessed that he was looking for a girlfriend who is creative, smart and self-confident with a nice smile. (ANI)


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Leon Starr <leon_starr(at)modelint(dot)com> writes: > I have tried catching following with no success: > INVALID_TEXT_REPRESENTATION > SQLSTATE '22P02' > SQLSTATE '22000' > DATA_EXCEPTION > OTHERS > (lest we think I am completely incompetent ;), I have had success > catching all manner of FOREIGN_KEY_VIOLATION, UNIQUE_VIOLATION, CHECK_VIOLATION, NO_DATA_FOUND, etc. in other functions. So something is very different about this particular exception!) > It seems to me that it is not a normal exception and evades the exception clause. Any thoughts on where to go from here? Hmm, maybe the error is not being thrown when/where you think it is? Coercions of constants, in particular, happen very early and might possibly need some contortions to catch. Could we see an exact example of what's not working for you? regards, tom lane
Next: From: Josh Kupershmidt Date: 2010-08-16 15:50:55 Subject: Re: Listing Schemas - Revisited Previous: From: Leon Starr Date: 2010-08-16 03:53:50 Subject: Re: How to trap invalid enum input exception?


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Kasam 10 May 2016 Written Update Epsiode
Kasam 10 May 2016 Written episode Update. Kasam today and Latest Written story.
You Can Watch Drama Kasam 10 May 2016 Today HD Video
Rano tries to convince Raaj but he wasn't ready to listen. Rishi hugs Raaj as he comes out, he confess his love and thanks him for being his side. He listened and understood him as well. Raaj apologizes Rishi for not inquiring about Pavan. They go as an army determined to beat Pavan.
Pavan's parents had come to a decision.
Raaj comes out and asks Bani about Pavan's parents. They finally comes out and announces they have decided to give a reply. They confess they know that girl, they had broken all the relations with that girl and wanted to hide about her. May be they break their relation to them, but they will tell the truth today.
Rishi stops Raaj, he asks Pavan to stop all the stories and only tell the truth. Rishi asks them to bring Saloni here. She herself will tell them how she is related to Pavan. Pavan strictly says she won't come here. Tannu asks why won't she. Rishi comes to stand beside Tannu and asks Pavan's reply? Pavan moves towards Tannu and asks if she trusts Rishi more than him, Tannu says no; her father always advised her to trust her heart. Pavan warns he asked her before to question anything. Tannu says every relation is joint by trust, but it's about truth. Saloni herself would tell the truth. Pavan says they don't need to stop their function because of a third person. Tannu looks towards Raaj, thinking about his vows as her father. She tells Pavan she didn't care for Rishi or Ahna's queries, but when Raaj questioned him as a father he is no less than her father as well. He must reply to his answers. Pavan assure he respects him, Tannu apologizes she can't join in a wrong relation. Pavan says alright, he will now bring Saloni here; they must ask her anything they want to.
Pavan's mother stops him, she was sad that the kids have grown this argument so much and they didn't stop him. Raaj announces that not Pavan but someone else would bring Saloni here. Rishi goes there, Ahna suggest Tannu would go with Rishi. Pavan's parents leave the function, Rishi asks Pavan for Saloni's address. Pavan says it's in his phone, and Rishi has it. Manpreet reminds Rishi it's in his pocket, Pavan forwards the address. Rishi takes Tannu along.
Savitri asks her husband to calm down, he argues how dare they do this all. He was afraid that Saloni will come, all the truth will come to everyone. He was determined to break this proposal now. Pavan over hears and consider Rishi responsible for all this mess.
Rishi whistles and enjoys eyeing Tannu. He asks if she is thinking about him. She always gets tensed when he is around her. She suggests about staying away from her then. Rishi says he will get tensed then, tension only suits her face and he suits her too. Rishi was happy that Tannu's engagement would soon break, after Saloni's confession that she is Pavan's girlfriend and asks where she would like to go to honeymoon. He tries to get her dupatta in hand, she jerks it away and says may be what he is thinking is wrong. Rishi stops the car and comes out, standing beside it. Tannu comes out asking what happened.
Bee ji was tensed when Manpreet comes to her, he asks her not to take tension, Rishi will find Saloni's house in any of the colony. Bee ji asks why he stole the cell phone. Ahna over hears them from behind. Manpreet confess that her Rishi and Tannu wouldn't have got together had he not done this.
Rishi asks what Tannu wants? He wants Saloni confesses be a girlfriend of Pavan and her engagement with him breaks. Why is she punishing him for engaging her sister. Rishi reminds Tanvi that Maa Kaali joint their relations, he never was fond of relations in life but when he met her his relation with her is now the most important for her. He is unaware if it is her father's wish or Bani's, but the God has made their couple. He holds her hand, and says when one day she will break her relation with Pavan; after than no one will be able to separate them.
PRECAP: Saloni opens the door, she was worried seeing Rishi and Tannu and shuts the door denying to speak to them.


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After Lupe Fiasco released the single artwork to his recent track via his Instagram a few days ago, the expected release today brings the audio for the cut, "B*tch Bad." The track will likely sate the Lupe fans in advance of the forthcoming Food & Liquor 2: The Great American Rap Album. Heavy on the low end, Lupe seems to hit his stride once again laying bars over the accompanying instrumentals.
Source: HYPETRAK


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Procrastinators paid the price Saturday with long lines, traffic jams and packed stores in what might have been the busiest shopping day of the year.
"I'll probably be out until midnight," said Allied Gardens resident Robin Alldiz, as she took a break in the food court of the Westfield Mission Valley mall.
Looking at her list, Alldiz estimated she was about 15 percent done with her Christmas shopping, and she had a long day ahead of her. Besides an iPod, her game plan was much less specific when it came to the hunt for other gifts. She hoped the right items would speak to her as she browsed.
"It's been a good day," she said. "It was a little tough getting a parking spot, and the stores are hot. But people are friendly. They're more in the holiday spirit this year."
Alldiz and her nephew Bobby said they didn't intend to put off shopping until the last Saturday before Christmas, but work and other things got in the way.
They weren't alone. Crowds at area malls grew thicker as the day wore on, and by 4 p.m. traffic was backing up on Interstate 8 west leading to Mission Valley. Shoppers also crowded large stores outside of malls, such as the Toys R Us on Morena Boulevard, where 10 out of the 11 check stands were manned and waiting on customers lined up.
This year's so-called Super Saturday procrastinators for the first time may outnumber the early birds of Black Friday, predicted Bill Martin, founder of the Chicago-based ShopperTrak, which analyzes consumer trends internationally.
Normally the second biggest sales day of the year, the Saturday before Christmas could claim the top spot because many Black Friday sales actually began on Thanksgiving this year, Martin said.
That resulted in Black Friday dollars dropping from $11.2 billion in 2012 to $9.7 billion this year. In turn, Thanksgiving Day sales shot up from $800 million in 2012 to $2.5 billion this year, he said.
"I think there's been a lot of discussion about how bad things are," Martin said about the retail market overall. "Quite frankly, they're not as bad as they have been."
As of Dec. 15, sales were about 2 percent points greater than last year and could reach 2.4 percent by the end of the year, he said. While that growth is modest compared to 3 percent last year and 3.5 percent the year before, this season still is on track to set a record in sales, Martin said.
Super Saturday consumers don't camp out in front of stores to be the first in line for sales, but instead may spend a longer day shopping and make trips to several malls.
Autumn Decesare of San Diego already had been to Westfield UTC by the time she stopped at Mission Valley.
"It was more crowded and there was more traffic getting here, but once we were here, the lines weren't so bad," she said.
Many malls have extended hours through Monday and some stores are keeping their doors open all night. Toys R Us opened at 6 a.m. Saturday and will stay open until closing on Christmas Eve — 87 hours later.
Kerry Smith, a spokeswoman for the toy retailer, said this is the year of crafts for many families, as illustrated by must-have items such as threadless sewing machines and the popular Cra-Z-Loom bracelet maker.
"If you have kids in the family, you understand the obsession about rubber band bracelet making," she said. "Parents like it because it's back to basics."
On the other end of the spectrum, the latest technical gadgets also are a big seller, with the Tabeo e2 kids tablet selling for about $130.
Locally, mall managers say they have seen many filled shopping bags this season.
"It's too soon to tell, but we are very pleased to see so many people out and shopping," Fashion Valley mall manager Robert Doherty said about projections for sales.
Doherty said the mall extended its shopping hours on Black Friday and has continued to offered early and late hours in the days leading up to Christmas.
At Westfield UTC, marketing director Adrienne Bergeron said the season has been very strong for the mall, with many shoppers showing up to see remodeling that has happened since last Christmas.
"It started a little later, but people have been out in force," she said, noting that a rainy weekend two weeks ago kept people home.
UTC also is attracting shoppers with holiday ambience that includes carolers, live entertainment from noon to 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and a Winters Nights event on Saturday evenings with string quartets, snow and complementary s'mores, Bergeron said.
The Mission Valley mall has carolers each evening and a festively dressed trio known as the Merry Makers greeting shoppers each day. On Super Saturday, trio members Jingle, Jangle and Jolly harmonized on "Jingle Bell Rock," performed tricks, asked shoppers trivia questions about "It's a Wonderful Life" and challenged people to name all of Santa's reindeers.
People often get tripped up on that challenge, Jingle said, by including Dixon as one of the reindeer. There is no Dixon, she said.


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"I'm new to this forum, and I hope this reaches a broad audience of ABMP members. I wanted to post information about a workshop coming up in April. It's a 14-CEU workshop in Hanover, NH, called "Cancer, Trauma, Presence,…"
massage and bodywork professionals
a community of practitioners
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Hey Kevin. Nice to meet you. I friends in Manchester NH that are part of the MTBW community. I'm going to see if they're on this site. May I pass on your name to them?
Be well.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for inviting me. Are you going to Concord next Tuesday?
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A Travis County district court has dismissed a wrongful-termination suit, in which a lawyer alleged the State Bar of Texas "fired" him from his job as a senior planning attorney because of his disability.
Judge Tim Sulak of the 343rd District Court dismissed the suit with prejudice Oct. 25, noting that plaintiff M. Montgomery Miller (pictured, right) and the State Bar each had to pay their own costs and attorneys' fees. The move came after the parties filed an agreed motion to dismiss on Oct. 17 that said they "resolved all of their disputes and settled all matters."
State Bar General Counsel Don Jones writes in an email that the case settled as of Sept. 30.
"Both parties agree and acknowledge that nothing contained in the settlement agreement constitutes an admission by either party of any violation of law or of wrongdoing. The case was settled for just under $50,000," Jones writes.
"As part of the settlement, Mr. Miller was reinstated with no compensation and resigned as of Sept. 30, 2011," he writes.
In the April 6 original petition in M. Montgomery Miller v. State Bar of Texas, Miller alleged he was a 15-year employee of the Bar until Sept. 21, 2010, when he was fired from his position with the Continuing Legal Education Department. Miller alleged he suffers from chronic foot pain caused by several medical conditions, noting that two weeks after he emailed his supervisor and raised the medical issue, he was "fired because of his disability." Miller claimed his termination violated the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA) and requested reinstatement to his former position, among other things.
In an original answer on April 27, the State Bar denied all the allegations. Among other things, the Bar claimed its actions towards the plaintiff were in compliance with the TCHRA and "were taken in good faith and for lawful, legitimate and nondiscriminatory reasons."
Miller's lawyer, Philip Durst (pictured, left), a partner in Deats Durst Owen & Levy in Austin, declines comment about the settlement. Miller didn't immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. [Photo credit: Joel Salcido]
-- Angela Morris


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CMMS and Effective Maintenance
EP Editorial Staff | January 2, 1998
Installation of a new CMMS does not lead to effective maintenance unless the system supports an effective strategic maintenance plan. Here are the issues that need to be addressed.
Today's client-server information technology offers the maintenance operation an improved tool to better manage and control maintenance resources. Simply stated, client-server computing for computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) or other business applications is distributed processing where some network nodes (clients) request information and other network nodes (servers) maintain the data. For a business, the objective of a CMMS is to turn the sea of maintenance data into information you can readily see and use to manage and lead maintenance.
The need for a maintenance management system, whether manual or computerized, is determined by the need to perform effective maintenance–to care for equipment, tooling, and facility assets. Maintenance process needs determine what information will be put into the system and what operating documents and reports will be generated by it.
Most CMMSs include basic modules for work orders, planning/scheduling, preventive maintenance, equipment history, and maintenance materials management/purchasing. These basic modules can provide the foundation for an effective maintenance management system.
Benefits of a CMMS
Implementation of a CMMS is most successful in organizations that have committed to a long-term maintenance strategic master plan based on the results of a benchmark assessment of current maintenance practices and procedures. A CMMS provides the system tools and the information framework to integrate best practices into the maintenance process, and to lead and manage maintenance as a key part of the total operation.
The effective use of a CMMS is an integral tool for achieving a maintenance strategic master plan, but it is only part of the process for improving maintenance management. Crafts people and maintenance leaders must work as a team with operators and operations leaders if significant improvements are to be made in the total operations process. Total operations success is the goal. Profitable long-term business survival is the tangible result.
Successful implementation of a CMMS will provide measurable benefits and savings if effective internal benchmarking is also initiated. Improved performance in a number of maintenance process activities can be expected to support justification of a new CMMS or an upgrade to an old system. These include:
- Improved work control. The work order module is the heart of any CMMS, providing the basis for work management, cost tracking, equipment history, and performance reporting. An effective CMMS supports controlling work requests by craft, monitoring backlogs, determining priorities, and scheduling of overtime.
- Improved planning and scheduling. A CMMS provides the systems and procedures to establish a more effective day-to-day maintenance planning and scheduling function, which is a key contributor to improved craft labor utilization and customer service. We must plan for maintenance excellence because it does not occur naturally.
- Enhanced preventive and predictive maintenance (PM/PdM). Automatic scheduling of repetitive PM activities is possible through a CMMS. PM tasks and inspection frequencies can be documented on the PM module and printed as part of the PM work order. A CMMS enhances PM by providing a method to monitor failure trends and to highlight major causes of equipment breakdowns and unscheduled repairs.
- Improved parts availability. Well-organized stockrooms with accurate inventory records, a stock locator system, stock levels, and a storeroom catalog can significantly improve the overall maintenance operation.
Having the right part at the right time is the key to effective maintenance planning, increased maintenance customer service, and reduced downtime. Client-server CMMS can provide a full range of materials management capabilities and integrate with corporate accounting, purchasing, engineering, manufacturing, and quality control.
- Reduced storeroom inventory. A CMMS provides the means for more effective management and control of maintenance parts and material inventories. Information for decisions on inventory reduction is readily available to identify parts usage, excess inventory levels, and obsolete parts.
- Improved reliability analysis. A CMMS provides the means to track work order and equipment history data related to types of repairs, frequencies, and causes for failure. It allows maintenance to have key information on failure trends that leads to eliminating root causes of failures and improving overall equipment reliability.
- Increased budget accountability. A successful CMMS provides for greater accountability for craft labor and parts/materials through the work order and storeroom inventory modules. This increased level of control provides greater accountability of the overall maintenance budget by individual piece of equipment, by using department, or by work order.
- Increased capability to measure performance. A CMMS database provides a vast source of maintenance information to allow more effective measurement of maintenance performance and service. Successful CMMS applications will include establishing internal benchmarks to provide measurement of improvements in such areas as craft labor productivity, PM compliance, downtime, store inventory control, backlog, service level, and reliability.
- Increased level of maintenance information. A major benefit of a CMMS comes from developing the historical database that becomes readily available as critical maintenance information. An effective CMMS helps turn data into information you can use to manage maintenance as a business.
Factors for success
It is important to develop a basic strategy for evaluating, selecting, and implementing a CMMS. This strategy must start with the philosophy that there is a need for a CMMS and that there are significant benefits for a CMMS to support justification. Key factors for a successful CMMS should include the following strategies:
- Conduct maintenance benchmark assessment. A total benchmark assessment of the current maintenance operation will define and evaluate current practices and define the best practices that are needed.
- Develop maintenance strategic master plan. Results from a maintenance benchmark assessment must be developed into an overall maintenance strategic master plan based on priorities for action, commitment of resources, and defined areas of responsibilities. The maintenance strategic master plan should include methods to track progress, measure performance, and monitor results in terms of tangible benefits from the investment.
- Determine need for a CMMS. The total benchmark assessment and subsequent development of a maintenance strategic master plan will help an organization determine its true need for a CMMS.
- Determine system needs. Most maintenance organizations require the basic CMMS modules that provide support to work orders, planning and scheduling, preventive maintenance, equipment history, and maintenance materials management. Other system needs also should be identified as part of the total evaluation of current maintenance practices.
- Establish a CMMS team. To provide benefits, CMMS decision-making and implementation must cover a range of functional areas. Representatives from maintenance, operations, engineering, accounting, materials management, maintenance storeroom, and computer systems staff should be included. Their acceptance and buy-in is important during the selection process and is critical to the actual implementation process.
- Evaluate and select a CMMS. Well-defined system needs for each unique maintenance operation provide the starting point for the final evaluation and selection process. The evaluation process should include CMMS vendor information, review of industry surveys and CMMS ratings, follow-up with current users and vendor references, and vendor demonstrations or visits to operating sites.
- Develop CMMS selection criteria. Selection criteria should be established to assist in making the final selection from among the top candidates.
- Implement a CMMS and other best practices. This is the step where pre-defined system requirements will be compared to actual system performance, capabilities, and results. It is during implementation that other maintenance best practices come together to form a complete process for improving maintenance and the total operation and to provide full utilization of CMMS capabilities.
- Basic factors for successful implementation include hardware and software are installed correctly; all supporting materials such as manuals and formats are supplied; systems support is in place; all personnel are given the training they need; departments operating and using the system are effective and in place; initial data loading is complete and correct; required interfaces with other systems have been completed; and management commitment and support is in place.
- Provide adequate resources. Data such as equipment asset data, parts/vendor data, and PM task and frequency data must be loaded into the basic CMMS modules. For many organizations using a manual system, this type of data is not complete or not available and can require a major project effort for data collection and data input. Resources to collect and input data as necessary for all features of a CMMS must be established as part of the initial planning process. A do-it-yourself approach can often cost more. Reducing start-up costs by reducing vendor or outside consultant help can result in long-term loss of system performance.
Avoid viewing a CMMS as a universal remedy for maintenance problems or inadequate maintenance performance. Most organizations fail to achieve the full benefits of a CMMS because they do not take the time to evaluate, refine, and improve current maintenance practices.
Simply adding a CMMS to maintenance practices and procedures in chaos provides computerized chaos and not better maintenance management and service to the customers of maintenance. Instead, to really benefit from a CMMS requires developing and implementing a system that is tailored to your specific needs. MT
Ralph W. "Pete" Peters is general manager of maintenance for Tompkins Associates, Inc., an engineering-based consulting firm, 2809 Millbrook Rd., Raleigh, NC; (919) 876-3667.