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The last time I searched for a job, Bill Clinton was president, eBay was in its infancy and people were dancing the "Macarena." I was in my last semester at college and eagerly looking forward to starting a career.
The economy was in pretty good shape in the spring of 1996, and a significant number of companies came to campus to interview and hire graduating seniors. The career center at my university was a huge help, and before I graduated, I had a job with a human-resources consulting firm in Chicago.
After seven years with that firm, I gave birth to our first son and decided to become a stay-at-home mom. As our boys have grown, I've eased my way back into the working world. I do Internet marketing and copy editing for my husband's company a few hours a week, and I write this column.
But it's been 15 years since I updated my résumé and had a face-to-face job interview. I'm a bit anxious about this job search.
So much about the search process has changed. The initial steps can be completely electronic now. Career resources, such as examples of résumés and cover letters and career and personality tests, abound online. So do job listings.
I've explored job search engines like monster.com and careerbuilder.com. I was amazed at the number of job listings. If I search for jobs on careerbuilder.com, just with my ZIP code and no keywords like job category, 1,348 jobs are found. That underscores the need to focus on exactly what type of job I want.
Networking has changed tremendously during the past 15 years as well. I don't have a Facebook page, but I set up an account on LinkedIn, a business-related networking site.
While a lot has changed since I was 22 and looking for a job, some things remain the same. I will still customize cover letters and go to in-person interviews. Networking with people personally and not underestimating word-of-mouth in finding a job remains important. Being hired is still about being a good fit.
I imagine there will be some ups and downs. I have an employment gap to explain and I'm looking for a job with some flexibility. But I remember the excitement of getting the job offer that was a great fit for me back then, and I'm hopeful that at the end of this search I'll have that same feeling.
E-mail Kelley Helfand at email@example.com


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I highly recommend replacing the touch Wiz launcher with nova launcher. I have found it much more intuitive, and much easier to use. (I am not affiliated with Nova in any way.)
Several advantages:
1. The bottom bar (dock) of apps is highly customizable, with as many apps as you choose. You can also create multiple pages of docked apps, so it's possible to access 10 or 15 apps on the lower dock.
2. The App drawer is automatically alphabetized, unlike touch Wiz, which I find so much easier to use. There are of course workarounds on touch Wiz, but why bother? I just dock the icon for the app drawer on the lower dock so it's always available.
3. Nova has one step back up of your screen layouts so that if you are wiping your phone regularly in order to reflash ROM's, it's trivial to reset your screen layouts by doing a restore from nova. This saves a lot of tweaking time.
4. You can customize the layout of your desktop with variable margins, a persistent search bar on all pages, gestures, and with nova launcher prime ($4), you also get unread counts for SMS, missed calls, and Gmail, which is very nice.
5. Basically everything is customizable and modifiable. I greatly prefer it over the stock touch Wiz launcher. Check out the free version of nova, as it has virtually all the features other than the unread counts.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Counselor Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094) has hired Tom Rizzi to serve as senior vice president of business development, the company has announced. Rizzi, formerly the chief sales officer at Top 40 firm WorkflowOne (asi/333647), will focus on major accounts at Proforma, and help lead recruiting efforts.
"I am very excited to welcome Tom Rizzi to the Proforma family," said Greg Muzzillo, Proforma's founder. "Tom brings an impressive track record of helping teams win multi-million dollar accounts and in recruiting top industry talent. We are looking forward to connecting Tom with our million dollar and multi-million dollar owners to win them big opportunities."
Throughout his career, Rizzi has worked to secure major clients, including Coors, Verizon, and Neiman Marcus. Over 25 years, he has helped win more than $1 billion in sales, according to a Proforma statement.
"I've worked with many distributors in this industry and only Proforma offers the tools and resources to put owners in the best position to succeed," said Rizzi. "I'm thrilled to join the Proforma team and help further the mission of helping owners achieve their dreams by securing profitable opportunities, adding the industry's best sales reps to their teams and growing Proforma together."


text: Hi we got the 40% pin mailer, but now we are curious about the email pin codes we have read about, especially the free dining pin. What should we be looking for in our email? Is it an obvious email with a pin code on it? or is it "hidden" in the message somewhere? We do get some regular mailings from Disneyworld, maybe I have been missing something????/


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They were human gazelles, their bodies sleek and graceful.
And a little smelly, really.
After all, it was near the end of ballet practice with book bags and towels and slippers dipped in sweat.
The man standing grim-faced and watchful at the front of the mirrored room — the one ordering a redo of the double twirl — reminded me of a bald, white version of 1980s' Debbie Allen: You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying …
This real-life setting was the Patel Conservatory at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, where small groups of girls, then boys leapt and whirled across the floor, and 18-year-old Daniel Johnson among them.
He took part in the summer program to stay in shape, and because he likes to dance all the time. Others, like his 16-year-old sister Gabriela (Gabi) were auditioning for spots with the Orlando Ballet, which partners with the conservatory and has a school there.
With muscles in constant motion and toes drilling into the floor, both expected to be sore come morning. The pain seemed more adrenaline than deterrent, though. And talking with them was like stepping into the beginnings of a fanciful tale about young dreams, hard work, the inevitable tough break and love.
The love of dance: "I can never get enough," Daniel says, dismissing the bruised and chapped-looking toes peeking from his sandals. "I need more, more, more."
Love for each other: As they lean in for a half hug, "We're like best friends," Gabi says.
They've been dancing about six years, since she was 10 and her brother was 12, the last few at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. Their proud St. Petersburg parents, David and Caryle Johnson, watched the school's production of The Nutcracker with Daniel playing the cavalier, Gabi the sugar plum fairy.
But Daniel won't be around much next year. He's off to the Boston Conservatory on a full dance scholarship. Gabi's still deciding what to do. Auditioning isn't her strength, she says. She gets nervous and worries whether her movements convey enough passion to take a performance beyond mere technique to physical poetry.
Daniel wouldn't let her self-critique be the last word. "She's fierce, but she's calm," he interjected. "She just looks really beautiful."
At the Patel Conservatory were teens from all over, the boys extra-toned, the girls slender with hair pulled back into tight buns. They had come from Boston, New York, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Seattle.
Issa Saunders, 14, came from the Bahamas and has been dancing since age 3 or 4.
"I don't like the pain, but I like the feeling of growing taller and taller," she told me. "And it feels pretty."
Untold numbers of teens across the country take ballet, but probably 100 or so professional positions open up each year, said Peter Stark, director for the Orlando Ballet School. Who will make it? So much has to be considered, he said, like a dancer's natural physique, mobility, even the bend of the foot.
But ballet isn't the haven for long-necked waifs it was once presumed to be. In every company, you now have dancers short and tall. Also, many modern routines are vibrant, calling for energy and stamina. The Orlando Ballet School's summer program has rejected kids who were too thin and, in some cases, requested bone density tests from doctors for the children's safety, said Stark, who works alongside Bruce Marks, the artistic director for Orlando Ballet and the man who stood in front of the room that day.
Daniel builds strength by dancing with 20-pound weights strapped to his legs.
His is a more contemporary ballet style; Gabi's is classical dance.
To watch brother and sister, so in synch in their visions for the future, you would never guess that they don't come from the same genes, that each was adopted.
"Inseparable," Daniel says.
But soon they will part. Shortly after her audition in Tampa, an official told Gabi she had earned a spot with Orlando Ballet II, a bridge between student and professional dancers. If she takes it, she'll move to Orlando and finish her senior year there.
A day after our interview, brother and sister flew to New York for an intensive summer program where Gabi is also auditioning for another company.
Stark said they have what it takes.
"They're both going to be professional dancers," he said. "And that's a huge statement."


text: ×Close Product Image 1 of 1 The Presbyterian Way of Life See image The Presbyterian Way of Life By John A. Mackay × Added to Cart List Price $16.99 Your Cart ( items) Cart total Continue Shopping CHECKOUT NOW Choose a format: Trade Paperback Format: Trade Paperback Simon & Schuster | 256 pages | ISBN 9781439194034 | December 2009 Buy Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound List Price $16.99 This title is temporarily out of stock, please check back soon. Browse Related Books Religion > General Buy from another retailer Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Get a FREE eBook when you join our mailing list. Plus, receive updates on new releases, recommended reads and more from Simon & Schuster. Email Address Free eBook available to NEW subscribers only. Offer redeemable at Simon & Schuster's ebook fulfillment partner.Offer expires in three months, unless otherwise indicated.See full terms and conditions and this month's choices. More Books from this Author Ecumenics Ecumenics By John A. MackayBy John A. Mackay About the Author John A. Mackay BECOME A FAN BOOKS


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Dubai Water Canal Project Contract for Parsons-Halcrow JV
The Parsons/Halcrow Joint Venture (JV) informs it has been selected by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for the construction supervision of the Dubai Water Canal Project. The JV, whose initial scope of work, awarded in December 2006 was for design, has now been awarded the next phase of the project.
The new scope of work includes elevating three major roads in Dubai, relocating utilities, and constructing the 2.8‑km‑long Dubai Water Canal. The project is split into three construction contracts, and Parsons is responsible for construction supervision for the first two packages related to the roads and bridges, while Halcrow will be responsible for the third package for canal excavation and marine works. The first phase of the project includes elevating Sheikh Zayed Road (six lanes in each direction) and relocating utilities using micro tunneling to facilitate the canal construction
"Parsons is honored to have been chosen for this landmark project in Dubai," said Guy Mehula, Parsons MEA President. "Once completed, the Dubai Water Canal Project will add 6 km to the Dubai waterfront and will attract many visitors."
Parsons explains that it has been working in the MEA (Middle East Africa) region for more than 60 years and has offices in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Parsons' portfolio of ongoing projects in the MEA region includes major highways, bridges, rail and transit, airports, ports, water infrastructure, plus hospitals, public schools, universities, mosques, and other public buildings.


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Whether you own or rent, are young or old, everyone in your household can get involved in saving energy.
Energy efficiency is not just about saving money on your energy costs, although that does help! Responsible use of energy and the creation of an energy efficient lifestyle help to:
+Statistics quoted in this guide are sourced from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Website www.seai.ie as of 28th August 2016
Using our guide you can start with easy changes and work your way towards more significant changes.


text:
PR Newswire
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Aug. 23, 2016
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Aug. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, VSP® Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits provider in the United States with 77 million members, released its Eye Health Index, featuring the top 10 eye-healthy cities in the United States. Reno, Nevada, tops the 2016 index as the nation's most eye-healthy city. New this year, VSP also unveiled the 10 U.S. cities where the importance of an annual eye exam is not always top of mind. According to the research, Cleveland, Ohio, ranked as the nation's least eye-healthy city.
The Eye Health Index, now in its fourth year, reviews tens of millions of VSP claims from more than 100 U.S. metropolitan areas to identify which cities are the most focused on maintaining their eye health by getting annual eye exams. The 2016 index rankings were determined by looking at the percentage of VSP members who received an eye exam in 2015 in cities with at least 100,000 VSP members. VSP provides vision benefits to 1 in 5 Americans.
"An annual eye exam should be a part of everyone's overall healthcare routine, not only to keep their vision healthy, but also to leverage its proven preventative health benefits," said VSP Vision Care President Kate Renwick-Espinosa. "Your eye doctor is often the first to spot signs of chronic conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It's critical that you visit your eye doctor annually to ensure the health of your eyes as well as your wellness overall."
The top 10 eye-healthy cities in 2016 are:
The 10 least eye-healthy cities in 2016 are:
Other key findings from the 2016 Eye Health Index include:
About VSP Global
VSP Global® helps more than 82 million people see better by providing affordable, accessible, high-quality eye care and eyewear. Our complementary businesses combine superior eye care insurance, high-fashion frames, customized lenses, ophthalmic technology and retail solutions. VSP Global businesses, operating in 100 countries in the U.S., Australia, United Kingdom and Ireland, include VSP Vision Care, Marchon® Eyewear Inc., Eyefinity®, VSP Optics Group and VSP Omni-Channel Solutions. As a not-for-profit business, we are committed to bringing vision to those who can't come to us, and to reimagining how eye care and eyewear are delivered globally.
Media Contact:
Jace Duval
(916) 851-4531
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160822/400099-INFO
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352941LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eye-health-index-reveals-top-10-most-and-least-eye-healthy-cities-in-united-states-300316815.html
SOURCE VSP Vision CarePR Newswire
Last updated on: 23/08/2016
PharmiWeb.com is Europe's leading industry-sponsored portal for the Pharmaceutical sector, providing the latest jobs, news, features and events listings.
The information provided on PharmiWeb.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician.


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- 30 total posts
- 1 review
- 29 comments
Reviews & Stories
I know it will get better... - Surrey, BC
After 8 years of research and planning, I am 3 weeks and 3 days away from my tummy tuck!! I am so beyond excited to finally have a flat tummy!! The time is going by so fast and I have not made any preparations yet besides starting to meal plan and make and freeze a bunch of healthy quick meals. After losing almost 100 lbs and having 2 9lb plus babies by Caesarian, this is something that I have... READ MORE
Recent comments from Waitingforflat
Do you know how soon post op you can do this? I just don't want to do it too soon and ruin anything! READ COMMENT
Thanks!! I cannot wait to get back to the gym! Only a few more weeks I hope! What week would you say you peaked in swelling? I'm hoping it does not get much worse! Lol READ COMMENT
Thank you :) as silly as it may sound, the encouraging words help! Especially with no one here except myself and my kids to cheer me up, lol. Every day is getting better, and by no means has it been overly a negative experience for me... READ COMMENT
Thanks for the encouragement :) I do know the end results will be worth it, it's hard to be positive everyday though lol READ COMMENT
I have a pretty demanding job, but I will be in light/desk duty for the next few weeks until I am healed more and can handle more! READ COMMENT


text:
Shop WomenSHOP ALL PRODUCTS
3,552 days of research & development
For more than 10 years we have been working on the X-BIONIC® Energy Accumulator®. Each year it has performed even better. Each year the trophies we won for it piled up - today we have 15 internationally renowned design prizes, not to mention innumerable top test results. With the Energy Accumulator® EVO it's now come down to precision work. We aren't changing the entire concept, but we just hammer away on each small detail. If you optimise the single features, you end up improving the entire system.
Enter a new dimension in performance.SHOP TOPS
Enter a new dimension in performance.SHOP BOTTOMS
Enter a new dimension in performance.SHOP SOCKS
Beyond Bionics Updates
Nothing holds more truth than your own experience. Read our latest entries.


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Longines ramps up equestrian sponsorship
Swiss watchmaker Longines has strengthened its equestrian ties by joining forces with showjumping's Global Champions Tour in a landmark long-term title partnership agreement.
Longines will be Title Partner and Official Timekeeper of the Global Champions Tour.
Earlier this year a new partnership between the FEI and Longines was formalised in a multi-million euro deal over the next 10 years. Under the agreement, which was the biggest partnership deal ever brokered by the FEI, Longines become the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI. It is also taking on several key FEI properties including the title sponsorship of the FEI World Cup jumping before the start of the new season in October 2013. Longines also holds the role of title partner and official timekeeper of the 2013 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters.
The Longines Global Champions Tour announcement comes at the start of the biggest season so far for the premier show jumping series. Longines Global Champions Tour 2013 will include debut events in Madrid, London and Shanghai. For the first time the Championship Final will take place at the magnificent Al Shaqab equestrian facility in Doha, Qatar.
Jan Tops, President and Founder of Global Champions Tour, said: "This partnership is a significant milestone in our history and I look forward to a successful collaboration that will bring many benefits for the future of our sport. Longines has a truly impressive heritage in equestrian sport and I am delighted by the decision to strengthen our relationship with a long-term commitment."
Longines' President Walter von Känel said: "The Longines Global Champions Tour and our brand share common values such as precision, tradition and especially a passion for equestrian sports. We are proud to support this extraordinary series of events in show jumping with our timekeeping expertise. True to Longines' slogan – Elegance is an attitude – we are delighted to witness the world's best riders and horses competing in exciting contests."
The GCT season kicks off in Madrid from May 3-5 when the world's top riders and horses will go into battle for championship points and prize money.


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Guests staying at luxury hotels London may be interested in visiting a major new exhibition of works by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
The exhibition will be held at the Tate Modern – one of the most well-known event venues in London – from Thursday February 9th to June 5th 2012.
Art lovers will have the opportunity to see a range of Kusama's work, from her early paintings of provincial Japanese life to the more daring works that came later on in her career.
Kusama has been hailed as one of Japan's best-known living artists and her extensive body of work spans more than six decades. She is primarily known for her evocative artworks, which tend to feature hallucinatory polka dots, mirrors and colourful patterns.
Highlights of the exhibition include Infinity Mirrored Room – Filled with the Brilliance of Life 2011, which is Kusama's largest mirrored room to date and was created especially for the show.
Attendees will have the opportunity to see a selection of the artist's Infinity Net paintings from her early years in New York, Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show 1963 – Kusama's first room installation – and The Clouds 1984, a sculptural installation made up of 100 black and white cushions.
Kusama's Self-Obliteration 1968 – a film that captures the artist's period of experimental performance – will also be featured in the exhibition, alongside Heaven and Earth 1991, which features serpentine figures emerging from 40 boxes and I'm Here, but Nothing 2000, which is a dark space covered with fluorescent polka dots.
The exhibition includes a selection of sculptures dating from 1962 to 1968, too.
Born in Matsumoto, Japan in 1929, Kusama trained in the art of traditional Japanese painting before moving to the United States in the late 1950s, where she began to focus her talents on sculpture and installations.


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Top Definition
A name for smoking weed and taking Adderall. High as a kite but running (or working) like a machine.
Bob is always kiterunnin' while taking hard tests. He says it helps him sees way clearer and has less stress.
by elephantk January 09, 2011
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


text:
Review: 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' and the playwright, too
Bucks County Playhouse is doing "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" just the way it should be done: as a whole-hearted goof. The play by Christopher Durang, a Bucks County resident, is both an homage to and spoof of the great 19th-century Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, replete with the master's brooding and regretful characters, but also with Snow White plus dwarfs, a boy-toy who persists in throwing off his clothes, and a housekeeper consumed by incantations and voodoo.
You needn't know much at all about Chekhov to enjoy the production, but if you're even a little versed in his works ("Uncle Vanya," for example, or "The Cherry Orchard" and "The Three Sisters") you'll have more fun. Durang's dialogue is highly Chekhovian in its feel for general despair – filled with musings on regret, happiness and circumstance – and could be a modern-day version of Chekhov that happens to be a romp. Sheryl Kaller's production at Bucks County reverses that focus, making it a romp composed of Chekhovian elements.
That's more the way "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" played on Broadway, where it won the best-play Tony Award last year; last season at the Philadelphia Theatre Company production, it was more intenserly interpreted. At the Playhouse, on Lauren Helpern's striking, airy Bucks County house in the woods, the more despairing these characters get, the funnier they are. The production also has a special aspect – Durang himself takes the role of Vanya, and more on that later.
"Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" (for reasons that appear to be related to graphic design, the Playhouse has altered the title by replacing the "ands" with ampersands) is about two couch potatoes, Vanya and Sonia, getting old fast in their isolated Bucks County routine and their sister, Masha. She's a grade-B movie star who pays them a visit with her new boyfriend, Spike, a talentless hunk many years her junior. Masha owns the house their parents left, and pays for its upkeep, and she's not about to do so forever.
It's added fun to see the play in Bucks County, with its references to Upper Black Eddy and Wawa (special crowd-pleasers here). It's more fun to see it done to maximize the laughter, with delivery and timing that turns all the angst into classy chuckles. Sonia, the sister who's particularly regretful about her life, is given an elegantly nuanced performance by Deirdre Madigan who, in the same role, also gave the shining performance of Philadelphia Theatre Company's production. (Madigan is even better here, with more rope to comically climb.)
Marilu Henner paints the movie-star Masha in colorful streaks: one is for glamour (the lanky, curvy Henner is arresting in black pants that appear to be part of her natural skin) and another is for style, and others represent vulnerability, airs and even honesty. Jimmy Mason is a perfectly clueless Spike, with a build for the role. Two other actors – Mahira Kakkar as the clairvoyant housekeeper and Clea Alsip as a young woman next door who gets caught up in the craziness – are so adept at their secondary roles, they become major players whenever they're onstage.
Which leaves us with Durang, the portrayer of the more care-free and somewhat befuddled Vanya, and the reason I suspect the production will draw a number of ticket-buyers. His work, which might be termed comically iconoclastic, includes "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You," "Beyond Therapy" and the juicy "Miss Witherspoon," and Durang is also no stranger to acting.
But being the playwright does not give him a pass as an actor in his own work. When I saw the production Friday night, Durang had a halting, unsure delivery -- at first I thought it was either a brilliant stroke for a character who's a misfit even in an entire family of them. But when he called for a line early on, I began to wonder just how well-planned the stumbling might be.
By intermission, I remained mystified. On the one hand, Durang's delivery was getting laughs, partly because it seemed out of balance and partly because the cast was responding as if the character always speaks that way. On the other hand, Durang seemed not on intimate terms with the very words he's written. Writing something is, of course, very different from performing it -- especially in an ensemble work guided by a director's interpretive vision. But here was Durang, performing it in any case.
And it would have been more than passable until later in the second half, when Durang gives the character an explosive rant that goes on for possibly 10 minutes and is a defining moment – the unprepossessing Vanya, catapulting out of his mold. It's a funny, loopy monologue about the old days, about the way we defined a national culture that was never inclusive but appeared to be a part of the American psyche. It includes verbal images of Ed Sullivan and Ozzie and Harriet, of licking postage stamps and changing typewriter ribbons. On Broadway in the person of David Hyde Pierce, it was a stunning tour-de-force.
At Bucks County Playhouse on Friday night, it was no tour-de-force, and stunning for the wrong reasons. Through it all, Durang called for lines three times. Momentum was absent. The development of Vanya's argument was broken. Only the occasional laughs remained.
More happily, the less stand-out parts of Durang's play had moved along with a vibrance that made me appreciate the playwright Durang – and Chekhov – in a special way.
"Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" runs through August 10 at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S Main St, New Hope. 215-862-2121 or www.bcptheater.org.
Support provided by


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Review Index:
Samsung Series 5-550 Chromebook Review: The Chromebook Matures
User Interface, Display and Audio Quality
User Interface
The new Series 5 is a Chromebook, so it of course does not run Windows. This means that it does not need all of the shortcuts normally associated with Windows, which gives the designers extra space when they design the keyboard.
Most typists will love the results. Key caps are large, yet there is still ample room between each key. Overall width is equal to keyboards found in 13.3" laptops despite the 12.1" display. As if that weren't enough, individual key feel is decent (for a laptop of this size) and there's plenty of space for resting your palms. The old Series 5 was already a decent machine to type on. The new Series 5 is the second most enjoyable ultraportable I've recently used (the ThinkPad X230 still takes the #1 spot).
That alone would be excellent, but it's topped off with an amazing touchpad. Early versions of Chrome OS had a problem with multi-touch scrolling. I noted that this was fixed with the latest version installed on the old Series 5. The new model does nothing to ruin the experience. Instead it classes the touchpad up by adding chrome trim that better defines the borders of the usable surface.
Display And Audio Quality
The Series 5 retains its 12.1" display and offers a resolution of 1280x800. That may not seem high, but remember that this is a small device that will generally sit on a desk or your lap. From several feet away the picture looks incredibly sharp.
That will be the case even in full sunlight thanks to a matte coating and bright backlight. Samsung has managed Lenovo ThinkPad-like levels of usability. Outdoor use is enjoyable so long as you don't angle the screen towards the sun.
Overall quality is a reasonable. Black levels are average and contrast looks a bit low due to the matte coating, but the display's high perceived sharpness helps make up for such issues, as does smooth rendering of banding test images. My only real beef is viewing angles. They're extremely poor, so you'll have to adjust the display angle frequently for the best image.
Audio quality isn't bad, but only because the volume usually isn't high enough to cause issues. Turning them all the way up introduces distracting distortion. Keeping volume at a modest level results in clear sound but also fails to sufficiently overcome moderate ambient noise. Anyone who enjoys music should grab a pair of headphones.
August 10, 2012 | 02:02 AM - Posted by Gary L (not verified)
Thanks for your post. I totally agree, the Chromebook is a great product. I use mine every day and have totally stopped using my Windows laptop, Chrome OS is that much better. There is a web-app alternative for every Windows desktop program I used that is as good or better.
August 26, 2012 | 10:26 PM - Posted by Robert (not verified)
At first I thought it was too expensive, but after reading the review I like it. It's not exactly something I would use, but I think they did an excellent job with the overall package.
The 3g deal is actually pretty good, this isn't meant to be your primary rig, 100mb of basic browsing/email is pretty good for 2 years @ that price.
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text:
Bags under eyes caused by Selphyl
- Sals
- Flagler Beach, FL
- Last updated: 4 years ago
I have bags low on my eyes just above the cheekbone area, worse on one side, after Selphyl injection 6 months ago. I went to another Board Certified plastic surgeon who lasered the area in an attempt to tighten it up but it didn't work. A consult with an ocular plastic surgeon last week wasn't helpful either. The best recommendation I got was to avoid salt (I do that anyway) and alcohol (I don't drink either). Can anyone help me?


text: BBDO North America appoints Neal as CMO Published on May 26, 2010. Most Popular New York—BBDO North America has hired Jen Neal as CMO. Neal was previously exec VP-managing partner at media agency PHD, a sibling agency of BBDO. She succeeds Mark Goldstein, who will remain as vice chairman of BBDO North America. In this article: BtoB


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Organisation: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Posted on: 14 June 2012
Application deadline: 20 July 2012
The purpose of the programme is to build the capacity of young researchers to study topics relevant to humanitarian action. It provides financial support to enable original research and writing on issues and trends that relate to: 1) the changing drivers of humanitarian need; 2) the system for responding to those needs.
All research projects must be completed within a maximum of six months and result in the preparation of a 20-40 page paper. Projects that include field work and original research will be prioritized. The projects should not focus on the role of OCHA.
The maximum grant payable under this programme is $4,000, with the exact disbursement to be determined by the nature of the work and the total number of selected projects. The final papers will be published on the OCHA website so they benefit the humanitarian and wider community. Grantees will retain ownership of their work and it will not be used by OCHA for any other purpose.
The grants are open to anyone aged 32 years and under on 1 September 2012.Research projects on any topic of relevance to humanitarian policy and practice are welcome.
To apply for a grant under this programme, please submit: (1) a 1-3 page project proposal including an indicative budget (using the format below); (2) a CV; and (3) a writing sample to email@example.com, with '2012 Humanitarian Futures Grant Programme' in the subject line. At this time, applications will only be accepted in English. Applications that do not conform to this format will not be considered.
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Sheriff Hutton Bridge continue their good start
4:23pm Wednesday 28th May 2014
4:23pm Wednesday 28th May 2014
SHERIFF Hutton Bridge and Helperby lead the way in division one of the Pilmoor Evening League with three wins out of three.
Sheriff Hutton Bridge's good start to the season continued with a 30-run victory at Clifton Alliance.
David Speake (30) and Dan Clipstone (29) did most to take them to 106-4, with Lewis Clark taking 2-15 for the hosts.
Jordan Grose (2-21) undermined the home reply and Alliance closed well short on 76-6.
Helperby maintained their 100 per cent start by the narrowest of margins when they entertained Sessay.
Helperby posted 109-7, with Sessay needing seven off the last over to win it only to close on 108-7.
Promoted Sheriff Hutton made 147-4 batting first at home to Newburgh. Dave Taylor (3-25) made early inroads for Newburgh, but a century stand between Geoff Schofield (50 not out) and Andy Frank (63) put them in control.
The visitors closed on 77-8, only Jason Sargent (25) having any answer to David Hull (2-8), Eddie Hull (3-8) and 14-year-old Josh Ainley (1-17).
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Posicionamiento de marca
Investigaciòn acerca del posicionamiento de la marca Indra en Colombia
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12″ Birdcage Veil (Available in White & Ivory)
12″ Bird Cage Veil (Available in White & Ivory)
White Birdcage Veil 8971
Ivory Birdcage Veil 8972
The style of the vintage Birdcage Veil and French Birdcage Veil is once again at the forefront of wedding veil fashion. The birdcage bridal veil blends well with modern or traditional dress styles. The distinctive French Netting of our birdcage wedding veil can be sculpted and worn in a variety of positions to achieve just the right look. Many birdcage veil hairstyles may be achieved whether worn alone or alongside hair fascinators, jewelry, or flowers to create unique DIY birdcage veil fascinators. Add feathers to create a stylish feather birdcage veil. You may even incorporate our Feather & Chiffon hair accessory to achieve the elegant birdcage veil flower look in the photo. Available in white and ivory.
Feather & Chiffon hair accessory sold separately.
Crystal birdcage veils sold separately.
Length: Approx. 12″ Long.
** Includes wire comb!
Shipping cost is $10.00
URL: http://www.bravobride.com/boutiques/ladypom2006hotmailcom
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Kellogg Company Reports Operating Results (10-Q)
Posted by: gurufocus (IP Logged)
Date: August 7, 2012 05:28PM
Kellogg Company (K) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2012-06-30. Kellogg Company has a market cap of $18 billion; its shares were traded at around $50.27 with a P/E ratio of 15.1 and P/S ratio of 1.4. The dividend yield of Kellogg Company stocks is 3.4%. Kellogg Company had an annual average earning growth of 4.8% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Kellogg Company the business predictability rank of 5-star.
Highlight of Business Operations:For the quarter ended June 30, 2012, our reported net sales increased by 3% and internal net sales increased by 2%, in line with our expectations communicated with the announcement of 1st quarter earnings. Operating environments in Europe and Australia continued to be difficult, resulting in internal net sales decline of 1% for the International business. Reported operating profit, which includes the impact of transactional and integration costs related to the acquisition of Pringles, decreased by 11%. Internal operating profit, which was negatively impacted by timing of supply chain investments, anticipated commodity inflation and soft performance in Europe and Australia, declined by 5%, in line with our expectations communicated with the announcement of 1st quarter earnings. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $.84 was down 10.6% compared to the prior year EPS of $.94. EPS includes $.07 negative impact of transaction and integration costs as well as a $.02 one-time, below-the-line benefit due to a lower tax rate which was partially offset by hedging losses related to the acquisition of Pringles. This EPS performance was in line with expectations communicated with the announcement of 1st quarter earnings.
The following tables provide analysis of our net sales and operating profit performance for the year-to-date periods of 2012 as compared to 2011. Our internal net sales increase of 1% was the result of favorable pricing/mix across most reportable segments, which was partially offset by unfavorable volume in all reportable segments except Asia Pacific. Our internal operating profit decline of 6% was due primarily to timing of supply chain investments, continued higher input costs and weak performance in Europe and Australia. This decline in internal operating profit was partially offset by improved pricing/mix.
On a year-to-date basis, gross profit margin is down 140 basis points. This is primarily due to the timing of supply chain investments, the impact of commodity inflation, lower production intended to reduce levels of inventory, and the acquisition of Pringles in the second quarter. Our SGA expense as a percentage of net sales reflected no change compared to the prior year as the negative impact of transaction and integration costs related to the acquisition of Pringles was offset by declines in brand-building which reflects the timing of our investment across the year and a difficult year-ago comparison.
Our net cash used in investing activities for the year-to-date period ended June 30, 2012 amounted to $2.823 billion compared to $238 million in the same period of 2011. The year-over-year increase was primarily attributable to $2.674 billion acquisition of Pringles. For full-year 2012, we project capital spending of approximately 4 to 5% of net sales.
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It is already well beyond doubt that London 2012 staged the most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games in history. The key was putting sustainability at the heart of the Games from the very outset, from the construction of venues to the recycling of composite materials across the Olympic Park in Stratford.
They were helped along the way by their numerous sponsors and partners, who all signed up to the London 2012 sustainability guidelines and worked closely with the Organising Committee to ensure that everything was done to avoid harming the environment.
However, one could wonder if London 2012 might have been even more sustainable had Dow Chemical Company been involved right from the very start back when the city was awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Singapore on July 6, 2005.
After all, it was some five years after London 2012 were awarded the Games, in July 2010, that Dow was officially unveiled as the latest member of The Olympic Partners (TOP) Programme.
The agreement made Dow an official Worldwide Olympic Partner and the official Chemistry Company for the Olympic Movement through to 2020.
In addition, it made Dow a partner the IOC and the National Olympic Committees around the world.
"We are delighted to welcome Dow to the TOP Programme," said IOC President Jacques Rogge.
"As a global leader in the chemical industry and an innovator in sustainability, Dow will not only provide critical financial support to the Olympic Movement, but also bring industry-leading expertise and innovation to the Games themselves.
"Dow will be an important partner in making our vision for sustainability a reality."
Rogge clearly knew the huge benefits of having Dow on board and having one of the world's leading chemical companies involved in London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018 and the 2020 Games.
This is because Dow is essentially a problem solver, particularly in the area of sustainability.
Despite having less than two years to help London 2012 prepare for the Games, we were given a clear demonstration of exactly what Dow can do in the form of the Olympic Stadium wrap.
Perhaps unknown to the millions who saw it in person and the billions around the world who saw in on television; the wrap was actually an innovative sustainability solution.
The wrap panels were made of a lightweight polyester fabric with a polyolefin elastomer-based coating, a material which allows the wrap to meet London 2012's stringent sustainability requirements while ensuring the appropriate fire protection and printability needed for stadium/stage venues. Meanwhile the compound that coats the polyester fabric is based on the latest generation Dow elastomers. The coating technology contains highly efficient flame retardants and high performance additive technologies such as colorants, processing aids and stabilisers.
The Dow Elastomer technology, made it possible for the first time to achieve a unique combination of durability, flexibility and fire performance, while meeting also all the other performance requirements like printability, mechanical properties and abrasion resistance. To date these combinations of requirements had only been achieved with established solutions from the market (polyvinylchloride, fluoropolymers and silicones) and not to our knowledge with a polyolefin based product.
The panels were printed with UV-curable inks, a product that meets the extremely high Nordic Ecolabel environmental and climate requirements and limits emissions during the printing process by eliminating volatile organic compounds (VOC). In addition, Dow brought the best collaborators to the table, co- creating the textile wrap solution across the supply chain.
Dow is committed to repurposing or recycling the wrap, and has been working with leading UK building and development charity Article 25 and recycling company Axion Recycling to repurpose the entire stadium wrap. The textile wrap panels are slated for recycling and reuse projects in the UK, and shelter solutions for at-risk children in Uganda and Rio.
The wrap became one of the great centrepieces of London 2012, giving the Olympic Stadium instantaneous iconic status.
But if Dow could do this in just two years, in their first Games, what will they be able to do going forward?
Well I am perhaps one of the privileged few who has seen what might come next.
Earlier this year, I paid a visit to Midland in the American state of Michigan for a tour of Dow.
During the tour, I saw various high-tech laboratories containing ground-breaking science that I had expected to see at a leading chemical company.
What I had not expected was the InVision Zero home.
Located a short distance from Dow's headquarters, the InVision Zero home blended so comfortably into the suburban street on which it is located that I didn't realise there was anything particular special about it.
It was obviously a beautiful house, but, I thought, no different from the other beautiful houses on the road.
But as I walked up the drive and got close, I began to realise that this was in fact no ordinary house at all.
The house itself came about after Dow and Cobblestone Homes teamed up in 2011 to make net-zero energy homes in Michigan a reality.
What they created was the InVision Zero that now stood in front of me.
The home itself utilises a portfolio of energy efficient building materials and technologies designed to work together to produce enough energy to supply all of the home's electricity needs.
It is essentially an affordable, net-zero energy home that uses approximately 60 to 70 per cent less energy than a conventional home, with the balance of its energy needs supplied by renewable technologies.
This special house in Midland was simply an example of what can be done.
It is a show home demonstrating that net-zero energy homes can be made available at the current United States average new home selling price. This allows net-zero energy homes to reach new levels of attainability for mainstream home buyers.
But the goal of Dow and Cobblestone Homes was not simply to build this one fascinating home; it was actually to educate the public and homebuilders on the possibilities of energy efficiency in harsh northern climates.
For the year that the home was open to the public, over 5,000 people toured the home and learned about energy efficiency, net-zero energy homes and available products and technologies that make this dream a reality today.
The InVision Zero home was built using a variety of insulation and sealant materials from Dow to produce a tight, energy efficient "building envelope," or outer shell.
The technologies used are far too numerous to mention but it is perhaps worth pointing out some just to illustrate how Dow and Cobblestone Homes made the seemingly impossible appear so straightforward.
STYROFOAM SIS Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing was used over exterior walls to provide structural bracing, a continuous insulating layer and an air barrier.
STYROFOAM Brand Tongue & Groove Insulation was used under the basement slab to keep it warm and comfortable and to reduce condensation that can damage floor coverings while it was also used on the exterior above-grade walls to prevent air and water penetration.
DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle System was featured to provide weather protection like asphalt shingles and harness the power of the sun to offset a portion of the home's energy usage while DOWFROST GEO 20 Heat Transfer Fluid helped to extracts heat or coolness from the earth by taking advantage of the underground temperatures.
In addition, GREAT STUFF PRO Fireblock Insulating Foam Sealant was featured because it expands when used in gaps and cracks, sealing the annular space surrounding pipes, cables and ducts so the rate and speed of flames, deadly gasses and toxic smoke from fires are minimised.
The list of revolutionary Dow technologies used for the InVision Zero home goes on and on.
But as well as educating the public and homebuilders on the possibilities of energy efficiency in harsh northern climates, perhaps this ground-breaking building could find itself becoming part of the fabric of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
And given that it is a home; could the InVision Zero actually be the future of the Olympic Village for the world's best athletes?
When you think about it carefully, the idea is not so preposterous.
In an Olympic and Paralympic construction project, that is not a huge amount of time because construction plans are in place almost a decade out. But the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games were awarded last year, while the 2020 Summer Games, which will go to either Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo, will be awarded next year. So maybe it could be in 2018 or 2020 that we will see the first InVision Zero Athletes' Village.
For now, such a scenario remains a distant possibility.
But we must remember that London 2012 has set a new standard for sustainability that every future Organising Committee will want to beat.
And what better way to set a new benchmark than with a net-zero energy Olympic Village.
Tom Degun is a reporter for insidethegames.biz
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Animal Species:Common Jack Mackerel, Trachurus declivis (Jenyns, 1841)
The Common Jack Mackerel has an elongate body and a forked caudal fin. The Common Jack Mackerel is a pelagic species that occurs in Australia and New Zealand.
Standard Common Name
Common Jack Mackerel
Alternative Name/s
Cowanyoung, Greenback Horse Mackerel, Scaly Mackerel.
The Common Jack Mackerel has an elongate body and a forked caudal fin. The scales in both the curved and straight parts of the lateral line are enlarged and scute-like, but may be overgrown by smaller scales in larger individuals. An accessory lateral line runs close to the base of the dorsal fin as far posteriorly as the fifth to tenth dorsal fin ray. The first dorsal fin is short-based with eight spines. The second dorsal fin is long-based with the terminal ray being enlarged and slightly separated from the rest of the fin.
The species is dark blue-green above and silver to grey below. There is a prominent black blotch on the rear of the operculum.
This species looks similar to the Yellowtail Scad. The Common Jack Mackerel is longer and more slender than the Yellowtail Scad and has a longer accessory lateral line (only reaches to below the first or second dorsal fin ray in the Yellowtail Scad).
Size range
It grows to at least 60 cm in length.
The Common Jack Mackerel is a pelagic species that occurs in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it is known from southern Queensland, around the south of the country, and north to the central coast of Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Ozcam map of Common Jack Mackerel specimens in the Australian Museums.
The species is found in inshore waters as well as continental shelf and continental slope waters at depths from the surface to about 500 m.
Life cycle
The species can live for about 16 years. It matures at 3-4 years.
Mating and reproduction
Spawning season is from December to March.
- Species:
- declivis
- Genus:
- Trachurus
- Family:
- Carangidae
- Order:
- Perciformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Smith-Vaniz, W.F. Carangidae. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. 1999. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO. Rome Pp. iii-v, 2069-2790.
- Wilson, D.T., Curtotti, R. & G.A. Begg. 2010. Fishery Status Reports, 2009: status of fish stocks and fisheries managed by the Australian Government. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics - Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.
Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags ichthyology, Common Jack Mackerel, Trachurus declivis, pelagic, Carangidae, fishes, Cowanyoung, Greenback Horse Mackerel, Scaly Mackerel, elongate, forked caudal fin, blue-green, silver underside, blotches/mottled, black blotch, 30 cm - 1 m, inshore water, continental shelf, continental slope,


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Shampoo/Conditioner for Colored Curls
For everyone who has bleached and dyed their curls, what shampoo/conditioner do you use/suggest to keep your curls beautiful while retaining the color?
(A similar post was crossposted to the CG subforum.)
I'm still trying to find the best products for that too, but I've just been using a sulfate free shampoo.. No particular kind right now but I wanna get the L'Oréal color sulfate free poo soon. And conditioner wise, I use the healthy sexy hair soy milk conditioner plus whatever of my other products i want to use.
Mostly I've heard just staying away from stripping sulfate poos and really hot water helps keep color vibrant.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using CurlTalk App
Also, what color did you dye your hair? Because certain brands have specific color lines to keep it nice.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using CurlTalk App
I don't use shampoo at all, I only use co-wash. The co-wash I use is a very cheap, silicone-free conditioner, but you can't buy it in the States (I live in the Netherlands). If you want to use shampoo anyway, you can look for a low-poo, like jessicurl gentle lather.
For conditioners, curl junkie conditioners are my favorites (especially curl junkie rehab and repair me! are in my opinion very good for dyed hair).
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Police were called to the Lakeview Business Center just after 2 p.m. this afternoon. Officers found the body of a 49-year-old Lawrence woman inside the cab of a pickup truck.
Copyright 2017 The Lawrence Journal-World. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published.


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Fire Safety Urged in Danville
Danville, VA - After two fires in Danville in just 24 hours, there is a safety reminder from the Danville Fire Department.
Captain Barry Neal says kerosene heaters are handy, but put them in a safe area, and make sure your smoke detectors work properly.
One of the most dangerous things about these heaters is refueling.
Neal says you should turn the heater off, let it cool. Then take it outside so you're ok if something spills.
"What burns on a fuel is the vapor. So if the vapor spills out and gets to the actual flame, you can start a fire and usually that's where your problem begins," Neal said.
Make sure heaters have plenty of room and are away from anything combustible like draperies.
Neal also suggests you keep those things away from your kids or pets, too.


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Gwen Stefani Music And Family Isn't Easy [VIDEO]
Have to admit since I've been down the same path as Gwen Stefani and that's taking care of the job and raising a family. No easy task especially when your job is in part planning a world tour and raise the children.
Married to a successful performer as well, Gavin Rossdale (Bush frontman) spending time together as a family must not be the easiest task to schedule.
Gwen in the meantime with her own band No Doubt has a new album, "Push and Shove" and when she's not dropping off Kingston at school she's at the studio reviewing tracks for the new album.
Recently the band Bush has been on the east coast and upon returning Gwen will gather up the kids and they hop on the tour bus with Hubby/Daddy (Gavin Rossdale) and hit the road.
Gwen stated in a recent interview with Harpers Bazaar, "It's, like, the real deal, dude," she says. "It's superfun being a mom, but it's hard too. Finding that balance between work and family is the hardest thing I've ever done—by far."
To be very well liked in the Hollywood scene is a very difficult thing to pull-off but she manages just fine. Gwen is such a free spirit and doesn't let all the hoopla go to her head (a rare thing in many) and says, "That someone would say something untrue or bad about me doesn't bother me. It's like water off a duck's back."
Her attitude on life in general is amazing and an example we could all learn from. The rumors will always be out, i.e. that her marriage is on the rocks. "None of that stuff matters. There's something in me, being this passive person, that those kinds of things don't upset me. I know they can say anything; they can just make something up. But what are you going to do? It's not part of my reality, so it's okay." (Hapers Bazaar)
A great interview/article to get an inside look at a superstar in of our society. Music, Family and Life and still going strong.
The first single off the new album,"Settle Down" here's the video to put you in her world musically.


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|Screen print
|Full Color
Soak up some success during your next marketing campaign with these Round Foam Coasters! These round coasters measure 3 3/4" Dia x 1/4" D and feature a thick, rubber base. An ideal gift or giveaway item, use these coasters to promote a new restaurant, bar or pub. A great promotion idea for any type of business, project or event, don't forget to include a custom imprint of your organization's logo or message. These coasters are proudly made in the USA.
Ordering Information
The minimum order for bulk personalization and customization of this item is pieces. We can provide 1 sample with a random logo for evaluation purposes, or a virtual proof of your order prior to production.
Product Information
*Most orders are charged a production set-up fee.
**Purchased samples may include random imprint to evaluate imprint quality and location.
***Some logos, designs, and imprint methods may require additional charges. This may include additional run charges, set-up fees for extra colors, stitch counts and/or locations.
Why am I charged a set-up fee on most orders?
Imprinting and customization require special screens and plates for the imprinting and personalization process.
Do I get a proof before my order?
Yes, all orders recieve a FREE art proof in a PDF format for you to approve prior to production that comes from our art team.
What art formats do you accept?
We prefer high quality vector artwork in .eps, .ai (adobe illustrator), with fonts converted to outlines. We may also accept high resolution .jpg, .gif, .psd, or .pdf files. We can fix your art for free!
Are there extra charges for additional imprint colors?
Yes, in most cases unless it is digital and 4-color process printing, there are additional run charges and set-up charges.


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Paris Photo Los AngelesApril 23, 2014
This weekend in Los Angeles, the second American edition of Paris Photo will be taking place at the Paramount Pictures Studios, and for those of you who truly love and appreciate photography this is a must see. With 81 exhibitors from 18 countries, leading international galleries will present historical and contemporary bodies of works by renowned and emerging artists in the legendary Paramount Pictures' soundstages.
The New York Street Backlot, the one-of-a-kind replica of New York City's streets, will be dedicated to the presentation of cutting-edge solo shows, Young Gallery exhibitions, and bookseller projects, each exhibiting within an exclusive movie set.
The public program is also an important component of the fair. Built around cultural events involving artists, art world professionals, collectors, and cultural institutions, this year's program will include special exhibitions and the Sound & Vision series of conversations and screenings.Paramount Pictures Studios
5555 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
April 25 and 26: noon - 7 pm
April 27 : noon - 6 pm
Additional information at Parisphoto


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
September 8, 2012
108 Stitches
The New Oriole Way
The Orioles' storybook season added another amazing chapter on Thursday night, as the O's pulled off a startling four-run comeback after blowing a five-run lead in the opener of their huge four-game series against the Yankees at Camden Yards. This is Baltimore's first meaningful baseball September in more than a decade, and on the night that the Orioles unveiled a statue of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr, they erupted for six home runs to move back into a tie for the American League East lead.
The Orioles have finished under .500 for 14 consecutive years and have lost 91 or more games in nine of the last 11 seasons, including each of the last six years. But if the season had ended yesterday, the Orioles would have been postseason bound, which represents a remarkable turnaround under General Manager Dan Duquette and Manager Buck Showalter. Credit also has to be given to former GM Andy MacPhail, who hired Showalter in 2010 and laid the groundwork for this team.
The Orioles' record right now is impressive enough, but how the O's have reached this point has been fascinating.
Defying the odds
I first met Showalter during the 1992 season, when he was in his first year as the New York Yankees manager and I was the Assistant GM of the White Sox. It was after midnight, maybe two hours after a late-April night game at Comiskey Park, and my office phone rang with an internal Caller ID listing "visiting manager's office." It was Buck, and he asked me if I could help him, as a game played earlier that night by an upcoming Yankees opponent was being replayed on a satellite channel, and he wanted to watch it from the clubhouse. We were already taping the game ourselves, so I went over to the visitor's clubhouse and showed him how to view it.
After that late-night conversation, I knew his clubs would always be prepared.
Baltimore is just a middle-of-the-pack club in terms of pitching and offense. They rank ninth in the American League in runs scored, eighth in OPS, and seventh in slugging. Their staff ERA is seventh in the AL, and their 65 Quality Starts rank ninth in the league, third in the division, and below the league average of 69. Yes, their defense is improved to fifth-best in the AL, according to BP's Defensive Efficiency, but nothing about their team stats suggest a surge to the Junior Circuit's third-best record.
That is what makes their return to relevance so impressive.
The Orioles enter play tonight with a 77-60 record, having won 10 of their last 13 games, yet the Pythagorean Expectation predicts a .484 winning percentage (66-70), That 79-percentage-point gap not only leads the majors in 2012, but is also the largest over-achievement by a club in at least three years.
The Orioles' run differential is -16, and they are the only major-league team with a winning record and a negative figure in that category. If they sustain both through September, they'll have achieved something historic, since it's been 25 years since an American League team made the playoffs with a negative run differential. It worked out fairly well for the last club to do it: the 1987 Minnesota Twins, with a -20 Run Differential, were World Series champions. Only 11 teams have been able to post a winning record despite a negative run differential over the last 10 seasons, and just two made the playoffs (Arizona in 2007, San Diego in 2005).
Baltimore has baseball's best won-loss record in one-run games (24-7) and are 12-2 in extra-inning games. Those numbers have a lot to do with their inexplicable climb to the top of the standings. In addition, they have the best record (31-22) against the AL East, and are one of five major-league teams that are at least seven games over .500 both on the road and at home.
How have they done it?
It starts with roster management. No American League club has made as many moves as the Orioles in 2012. It's not a result of injuries, since Baltimore's disabled list placements have been around the league average. Only the Padres have more transactions this year, and their roster has been decimated by injuries. And those Orioles promotions were not without risk, as elevating Manny Machado from Double-A Bowie was not only unexpected but met with negative comments from many minor-league observers.
The Orioles have tinkered with their roster seemingly every day to give themselves what they felt was their best 25-man roster. That's a strong message to send to the players about accountability and making every game count. I have been involved in situations like that in the past, and it affects everyone's thinking and keeps everyone on edge, knowing that nothing is taken for granted and that losing is no longer tolerated. The very core of a team's everyday baseball group feels it, and media and staff members with the team on a daily basis notice it also.
What the Orioles told their players with their roster activity is clear: they're committed to giving Showalter and his talented field staff a full complement of players to compete against the tough daily grind of the American League East, and there are no games conceded on the schedule. Clubs frequently go into games undermanned, particularly in the bullpen or on the bench, and that can be a huge factor in close games.
That sense of urgency and willingness to exploit every edge partially explains how the Orioles have rebounded from a 10-game deficit on July 18, making up 10 games in the standings over a 45-day period.
I believe the Orioles' outstanding records in one-run and extra-inning games are also no coincidence. Duquette and his staff have given Showalter, an outstanding tactician, a full deck to work with as frequently as possible, and that has allowed their skipper to play match-up baseball in all those close games.
Baltimore has used 50 players, including 25 pitchers and 11 starting pitchers, over the course of the season. That's a nightmare for their clubhouse staff and director of team travel, but it's also an indication they have not limited their thinking to just those players on their 40-man roster—a frequent barrier for most clubs, since it entails some risk of losing players and going outside the comfort level of many team personnel. It's about adding players like Nate McLouth, knowing that they aren't the players they once were, but that they're good enough to contribute to the 25-man roster. It's about incremental improvement. Adding left-handers Randy Wolf and Joe Saunders suggested that the Orioles were determined to get outs in the final month of the season, and that they were not fully satisfied with their roster.
Another good call was the decision to retain their best prospects at the trade deadline, rather than make impulsive moves to fortify their roster. If they were going to make a run at the playoffs, it would not be at a prohibitive cost, potentially curtailing the club's future chances of success. It contributed to a positive vibe in the clubhouse too, sending the message that decision makers believed in their personnel.
But I think the key has been Showalter recognizing what his club's strengths and weaknesses are and adjusting his own game accordingly. That's a tough move for most veteran managers to make. Baltimore has relied on the long ball this year: only the Yankees have scored a higher percentage of their runs on homers than the Birds' 47 percent, which is one of the highest percentages of the past decade.
As a result, Showalter doesn't give away outs. The Birds have swiped an MLB-low 44 bases and have attempted just 71 steals, the American League's second-lowest total. They have tried a double steal just once, and they don't squeeze. Only two AL clubs use the hit and run less often than Baltimore, and despite being the second-best team in baseball at converting attempted sacrifice bunts (88 percent), they don't bunt more than the average team. That is contrary to Showalter's tendencies of the past, which goes to show that he's adapted his approach to suit his situation.
But Showalter's maturity as a manager was never more apparent than in the eighth inning on Thursday night, when Pedro Strop blew a five-run lead because of command issues. Considered a quick hook at times during his career, Showalter instead made a strong statement by sitting at the far home plate end of the dugout, keeping a calm demeanor as his young set-up guy experienced post-season type pressure for the first time in his career in front of a sold-out home crowd. Young players look to the manager in situations they have not encountered before, and Showalter's inaction was a positive statement, one that told his players he was not going to panic, suddenly change his ways, and give up on a guy who has been an instrumental cog in a pen that leads the league in saves.
Strop will likely be better off down the line because he knows the skipper believes in him. Is the pen flawed? Nearly all are, and the Orioles' is no exception. With a number of different looks in their pen, the O's have notched the most save opportunities, but only two AL clubs have blown more saves. Showalter's relief staff has made the third-most appearances, as he consistently tries to match up arms with bats they can beat. Orioles relievers have entered games without a runner on base at the third-highest rate in the AL. Credit Duquette and his staff for recognizing Showalter's desire to play match-up for outs. The 25-man is best used when it reflects the manager's actual style, and theirs does.
What the Orioles have done is take on Showalter's personality. They are tenacious, unyielding, and focused. And their best players seem to be their leaders, which is always a big benefit.
With 25 games (13 home, 12 away) remaining on the schedule, including 12 against American League contenders (three vs. New York, six with Tampa Bay, three with Oakland), the Orioles' final four weeks won't be easy. In fact, Baseball Prospectus' Daily Playoff Odds predict 88 or 89 wins and give the club only an 18.5 percent chance of capturing the AL East and a 29.5 percent chance of nabbing one of the Wild Card spots. Of course, this weekend could make a big difference, since they are hosting the Yankees.
But for the Orioles to be in the playoff hunt in the month of September breathes life into a franchise and a fan base that has not had a playoff team since 1997. The Beltway could have two clubs in the playoffs, and absolutely no one predicted that before this season opened.
Baltimore is an outstanding baseball city and was an intimidating place to play when the O's were a contender. I remember my first playoff game there in 1983, when the White Sox club I was working for played the Orioles in the ALCS. Toward the end of batting practice, I was hanging around the cage with Charley Lau, a genius of a man who was Chicago's hitting coach and had played for the Orioles.
I marveled at how the Memorial Stadium crowd had arrived en masse an hour before the first pitch, and Lau remarked, "This is about a long-standing passion for the Orioles and baseball. These people really know the game, and they woke up today wanting to be here." It was good to see all the orange in the capacity crowd last night.
Is the Orioles' success good fortune or just a talented GM and manager squeezing everything out of a team? I'm not certain, but I think it's a little bit of both. That success has made the Orioles one of the best stories of 2012.
Dan Evans is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @DanEvans108
17 comments have been left for this article.
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The key to being able to make the moves Showalter has made is to have players available when those moves are deemed to be necessary. That is where Duquette deserves praise. He obtained relievers and spare relievers (in Norfolk) for the bullpen. He made sure the Norfolk roster had replacement position parts (McLouth, Ford, Tolleson). He found players when the Orioles were in need (Pearce, Quintanilla) and they played well, if only briefly. He not only found starters (Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez) from elsewhere but, as you mentioned, he held on to players (Tillman, Machado) who have been key during the last two months. Like probably everybody else, I expected the Orioles to fold (as they appeared to be doing in June/July) and be long out of the race by now. Lately I've been suspecting they may actually finish first in the AL East. Showalter appears to have kept them on an even keel so that they could rebound from serious defeats.
Sep 07, 2012 19:44 PM
Dan, I continue to really enjoy your perspective. Keep up the good work!
Sep 08, 2012 04:54 AM
Sep 08, 2012 06:23 AM
If I magically got to own a baseball team, I'd move heaven and earth to hire Buck as my manager. What he did for a dead Yankees franchise in 1992, and then for the expansion Diamondbacks, and now for the Orioles is simply amazing. I just hope the O's don't fire him 1 year before they win a world series.
Sep 08, 2012 12:29 PM
Well Dan, its taken you all of three articles to become a "must read" at BP.
Sep 08, 2012 14:01 PM
Richard Bergstrom
I'm not sure you can have it both ways.
Sep 09, 2012 02:59 AM
John Carter
Good points - and almost the entire team of Blue Jays have been hurt, too.
Sep 09, 2012 09:35 AM
Good questions, Richard Bergstrom. I'll try to answer them. Roster turnover is likely a result of a roster that is not as deep as those of some of the other contenders, plus Showalter and Duquette are trying to match up o a daily basis to maximize their chances of winning.
Sep 13, 2012 14:57 PM
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