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When a 33-foot unmanned boat fired six missiles and hit floating targets more than two miles away in October, Naval Sea Systems Command hailed it as "a U.S. Navy first." They'd never before remotely fired long-range weapons from a seagoing drone.
The CIA and the Air Force have used armed UAVs for more than a decade; the Navy's own aerial fleet includes the Fire Scout helicopter, the ScanEagle and the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator. But the water itself is a relatively new frontier for unmanned craft. The possibilities are endless, from minehunters to anti-submarine warfare to harbor patrol to maritime ISR. (The new acronyms are also endless, starting with USV, for unmanned surface vehicle; UUV, for unmanned underwater vehicle, and so on.)
"Unmanned systems are not a luxury; they are absolutely imperative to the future of our Navy," Vice Adm. Kendall Card told a conference of unmanned maritime vehicle experts gathered in a hotel outside Washington, D.C., in February.
Yet, water-going robots bring unforeseen challenges — technological ones, to be sure, but also legal, regulatory and ethical tangles. Drones that fly or crawl on the ground are controlled by radio waves, but it is difficult — often impossible — to communicate with underwater vehicles. The answer, it seems, is autonomy — robots that are not remotely piloted, but that operate on their own.
"There are legal implications," especially if the drones are armed, said Card, the director of naval intelligence and the chief of information dominance. "We are going to really have to think our way through this." If the Navy can't communicate with its undersea drones, how will it know for sure where they are? Can human commanders be sure that a drone is aiming at the right target? "Or are we just going to let it pull the trigger all by itself?" Card asked. What if it destroys a fishing boat, a ferry or a cruise ship?
Or, he asked, what if a Navy drone "washes up on the beach. Who's liable if it explodes" and kills people? And what if a robot vessel is caught operating in another country's territorial waters — is that an act of war? Navy lawyers are busy researching what drone activities might constitute acts of aggression, Card said.
Whatever those Navy lawyers determine, underwater drones have already arrived. Today, the Navy owns about 450 unmanned underwater vehicles, according to Antoine Martin, an industry expert and principal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems Consulting. For the most part, they're torpedo-shaped minehunting drones and free-swimming winged undersea gliders.
The minehunters are remote-controlled or semi-autonomous robots that are launched from manned ships and travel relatively short distances to search for mines. Among the Navy's newly deployed minehunters are 4-foot-long SeaFox submersibles, which were rushed to the Persian Gulf last summer amid Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. Controlled via a fiber optic cable, they are armed with a television camera, a homing sonar and an explosive charge. Their job is to find mines and destroy them with the explosives. For the SeaFox, it's a suicide mission, because they are more like remote-controlled swimming bombs than anything else.
A more sophisticated minehunter called Knifefish is under development. It's an autonomous vehicle designed to swim away from a mothership, hunt for mines with synthetic aperture sonar, then swim back to the ship and report the location of the mines it has found. Divers or helicopters then would be dispatched to destroy the mines. Testing is to begin in 2015, with deployment possible in 2017.
A semi-autonomous surface-skimming drone, the Unmanned Influence Sweep System, is being developed to sweep minefields and trigger mines with acoustic and magnetic signals.
So far, the Navy's most independent drones are its gliders. They're autonomous systems that can travel for months using an ingenious "buoyancy engine" that taps the changes in ocean temperature and pressure to alter the robot's buoyancy. Near the surface, the buoyancy decreases so the drone falls; in the depths, the buoyancy increases and the glider rises. As it falls and rises, the water pushing against its outstretched wings moves the glider forward. Their chief role so far is to collect and report oceanographic data.
But the Navy aims for robots that can do much more.
In the Pentagon's 2011 Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap, the Navy unveiled its vision with a scenario set in the 2030s. The service described UUVs that will lurk near enemy submarine transit lanes and automatically attach themselves to passing subs. As they ride, they will transmit their location so that hostile subs can't slip unnoticed through the sea.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, engineers at the Navy's year-old Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research are busy designing a new generation of spy drones. One drone employs four undulating fins copied from a reef-dwelling fish to swim in choppy near-shore waters while hunting for mines and gathering intelligence. Another, a winged drone, is designed to be dropped from a manned aircraft, fly to its operating area, then into the sea and fly beneath the surface gathering data. But those, too, are years from being operational.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and defense contractor SAIC are developing a much more sophisticated surface drone to hunt for quiet enemy submarines. DARPA program director Scott Littlefield said the Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vehicle — ACTUV — will be able to operate for months at a time and travel thousands of kilometers with little or no human intervention.
DARPA has released an artist's rendition of a knife-nosed trimaran with a torpedo-shaped sensor pod protruding underneath. Last August, DARPA awarded SAIC a $58 million contract to build a prototype that's ready for testing in 2015. ACTUV is an ambitious effort, no doubt. Not only will the drone submarine hunter require advanced sensors to detect and track quiet diesel-electric submarines, it will need a propulsion system that can operate without human assistance for months, and an autonomous navigation system sophisticated enough to abide by maritime laws, Littlefield said.
Since it's a surface vessel, it should be possible for human controllers to contact ACTUV from time to time, an arrangement the Navy calls "sparse supervisory control." But the intent is for the sub hunter to operate autonomously most of the time.
If DARPA and SAIC can pull it off, the drone will be "an operational game-changer for the Navy," Littlefield said. Again, it's a matter of economics. The unmanned sub hunters are supposed to be cheap — about $20 million apiece. At that price, they could counter the threat of quiet submarines "at one-tenth the cost of building subs," he said.
The Navy will need major breakthroughs in autonomy and propulsion for another ambitious drone — the Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle, or LDUUV. This unmanned mini-submarine is expected to be about 20 feet long, possibly weighing about 5 tons. The Navy plans to send it out for up to 70 days at a time to track enemy submarines, gather intelligence, find mines, drop off sensors and conduct "offensive operations," which could include laying mines and launching torpedoes.
The LDUUV will need a propulsion system that's able to run unattended and unrefueled for months at a time. Current plans say the drone must be able to deploy for 30 days at a time by 2014, and 70 days by 2017. The Navy is building a half-dozen prototypes, and Alan Schultz, director of the Navy robotics lab, said his team is working on a hydrogen fuel cell that he believes will meet the LDUUV's power requirements.
But endurance is just one of the LDUUV's challenges. To operate without human control, for more then two months at a time, the robot sub will have to be smarter than any drone that exists today. It will have to be able to detect and avoid hazards in its path, from surface ships and other submarines to seamounts, sandbars, fishing nets and piers. Sonar and acoustic sensors can provide situational awareness, but the drone must also know what to do to avoid collisions and how to operate in compliance with international rules of the road.
That element of autonomy has Pentagon lawyers, university professors and other maritime law experts pondering how decades-old rules written for human mariners will apply to autonomous vehicles driven by autopilots and algorithms.
For example, rules spelled out in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions — the "Colregs" — require that all vessels must "at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing" and by other means. How does an unmanned vehicle comply with that? "How many cameras constitute a lookout? Can the requirements be met with technology?" asked George Detweiler, a marine transportation expert with the Coast Guard.
The regulations also spell out how vessels must act when approaching, passing, overtaking or crossing the path of another vessel. And there are rules for what ships must do in the presence of vessels that have limited maneuverability, and vessels that are towing or fishing or under sail. All of that and more will have to be programmed into the navigation systems and linked with the sensors of autonomous drones.
When it comes to Colregs, there is less uncertainty about remotely operated drones, Detweiler said. They're considered to be manned and must comply with current regulations, even though an operator is not on board.
In addition to the Colregs, autonomous drones will have to be familiar with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which spells out the rights and responsibilities of nations that use the oceans. The law, for example, establishes a zone extending 12 miles offshore as each nation's territorial waters.
"Weapons practice and spying are banned in another country's territorial waters, and underwater vehicles such as submarines are required to surface and show their flag when passing through," said Stephanie Showalter, director of the National Sea Grant Law Center at the University of Mississippi.
Theoretically, drones could operate in a foreign nation's territorial waters as long as they travel on the surface and do not threaten the nation's peace, good order or security, Showalter said. But a drone lurking in territorial waters is automatically suspicious. "It is likely that most drone operations would be considered prejudicial," she said. Drones, like manned vessels, will likely have more leeway to operate within a country's 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
The Law of the Sea "preserves the rights of all states to navigate through it," Showalter said. But the law gives coastal nations jurisdiction over scientific research in the 200-mile zone. Would that preclude oceanographic data gathering by gliders? "The Navy thinks it has right to collect hydrographic data no matter where it is. It's a military function, but it's essential to keeping maps up to date," Showalter said. But the Navy's opinion on that has been challenged, sometimes aggressively, in the past.
Sorting out how the Colregs will apply to drones is expected to take another 3½ years, Detweiler said. Proposed changes must be transmitted to the International Maritime Organizations maritime safety committee, then translated into multiple languages for the 170 member nations to study before they can be agreed to. If that's the case, in some ways, the technology will be ready far before the law catches up to it, said Martin, the drone consultant. Still, what goes on underwater is so secret that "we don't really know much about it," he points out.
External link: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130409/C4ISR02/304090014/Murky-Waters-Seagoing-Drones-Swim-Into-New-Legal-Ethical-Territory
|Related Organizations:
|William Matthews


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I always wanted to have a baby pig pet.
Have you ever had Ice Cream from a Farm Store? The BEST!
Inspired by milk, cream and hay today.
[fashiongonerogue, google]
yummmy!!! i am inspired by cream too:D
adore the barnyard fashion
JJ Scholl
OMG that pig is adorable, and she is just stunning. Love these pics!
We had Farm Stores in Miami :)
I love pigs too, especially the teeny ones!!
http:// Fashion CHALET . blogspot . com
love these shots...your title was too funny! a baby pet pig wouldn't be too bad <3
cute pig! but I prefer a pink one ;)
Jeez so cute..really interesting fashion photo shooting

subset: commoncrawl


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From the collection of Mr Henderson
Inspiration to feed your recycling, upcycling & repurposing mind!
Updated: December 19, 2016 Neodim • 2,012
Creative Ideas based on Repurposed, Recycled, Reused, Reclaimed, Upcycled and Restored Things! Do not hesitate to contribute by sending us your idea/work or discovery!
You've built something cool?!


text: SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks closed lower Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending a three-day winning streak, after an unexpected downturn in manufacturing data and continued political haggling over avoiding the fiscal cliff. The Dow industrials DJIA, -0.66% finished down 59.98 points, or 0.5%, at 12,965.60, while the S&P 500 Index SPX, -0.79% declined 6.72 points, or 0.5%, to close at 1,409.46. The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, -0.68% shed 8.04 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 3,002.20. Earlier, the Institute for Supply Management reported that its U.S. manufacturing index contracted in November. Also, President Barack Obama took to Twitter to push an extension of Bush-era tax cuts for all but the country's top 2% earners, while House Republican leaders offered a counterproposal including $800 billion in revenue growth through tax reform to avoid the fiscal cliff.


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This season, Vans is proud to offer Vans team rider Joel Tudor's latest collection of apparel featuring a full selection of winter staples including apparel, accessories and footwear. Joel Tudor's signature series of apparel is deeply influenced by Joel's inherent surf style, bringing forth inspiration from vintage patterns and silhouettes fused with his distinctive army green and earthy color tones.
Joel's popular signature collection brings forth a thoughtful selection of comfy knits and weather-conscious pieces. The assortment includes soft fabric tees and sweaters along with classic military-inspired outerwear pieces including a heavyweight parka and an M65-style army jacket.
Utuilizing a strong influence from military design, Joel's collection stays true to long-lasting canvas pieces with a few, fun Hawaiian surf vibes to round out the assortment.
Standout styles include the JT Hetch, a brand new, heavy nylon, water-resistant jacket with a fur-trim hood. The JT Merced, a plush, knit pullover sweater with vintage mixed-fabric details is perfect for layering your cold-weather outfit. Transition between seasons with the JT Boomarang, a slim-fitted linen martini-style short sleeve printed with custom artwork by Neil Blender.
Finally, the popular Joel Tudor Duffle III gets a fresh update in its signature military green colorway with a larger rectangular storage compartment, removable shoulder straps, laptop compartment and array of pockets.
Joel's collection is rounded out by three must-have Vans footwear styles, including an Authentic featuring the Neil Blender pattern that ties back to apparel, a Nexpa Synthetic sandal, and a Bali surf sider.
And there's more! Check out the entire collection at shop.vans.com!
Vans Joel Tudor Signature Collection
JT Hetch – $169.50
JT Merced – $69.50
JT Boomerang – $44.50
JT Caswell – $79.50
Joel Tudor Duffle – $80
JT Trimline Boardshort – $59.50
JT Pullover Hoodie – $54.50
JT Sunset – $25
Joel Tudor Beanie – $22
Authentic – $45
Bali – $47
Nexpa Synthetic – $32


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The New York Philharmonic Orchestra's annual visit to Vail got off to a solemn start Friday night, with a moment of silence for the victims of the movie theater shootings in Aurora, the tragedy that had dominated the news — and all conversations and concerns – of the day.
Music, classical in particular, can be comforting during difficult times. A symphony, the right one anyway, can offer a timeless point of view on the struggles of our collective condition, the challenges and joys of being human.
Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 wallows especially long in dark emotion and it played a powerful and unexpected part on the evening's program. Brahms took 14 years to write it, and his distress shows. Drums beat, notes tremble back and forth, things descend more than they rise. This is an effecting and difficult symphony to hear.


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In just two quarters, the Long Bowl became infinitely more interesting than the Manning Bowl.
Facing off against each other for the first time in their lives, the sons of Howie Long, Chris and Kyle Long, were involved in a minor scuffle on Sunday after Chris, the Rams defender, ran off the sideline to shove his brother, a Bears offensive lineman, out of the way during a fracas.
A Bears pass fell incomplete in the second quarter of Sunday's game and some extracurriculars broke out between members of each team. Kyle was involved in a skirmish with a Rams player who was on the turf. He could be seen shoving and attempting to kick his opponent as referee Jerome Boger came over to break up the fight. Chris, who was standing on the sideline arguing about a missed penalty flag on the play, saw the incident and sprinted onto the field. He made a beeline for Kyle and pushed him out of the way while other players tried to intervene.
It appeared to be a case of a big brother helping out his little brother. Kyle was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for his kick, but Chris's intervention may have prevented a more serious incident. Yes, perhaps Chris pushing Kyle prevented his brother from doing something that would have gotten him kicked out of the game (something that would theoretically help Chris's Rams) but he also stepped in to protect a teammate. No one can, or should, blame Chris for his decision. (Unlike in the NBA, there is no automatic ejection for a player leaving the sideline to engage in a fracas.)
Sunday's game was the first time Chris, 28, and Kyle, 24, were ever on the same field as either teammates or opponents. Their dad, Hall of Famer Howie Long, had an off day from his Fox studio duties to watch his sons play.
"What's great is that our entire family will be there—the first time all five us [dad, mom, Kyle, Chris and younger brother Howie Jr.] have been together at an NFL game," Chris Long told Peter King this week.
Though it would have been nice to see Howie's reaction to the on-field skirmish, Fox cameras didn't cut to him.
See other photos from around the league in Week 12
(GIF via @SBNation)


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Portal Login Page
This Portal allows you to:
- View your contact details recorded for your properties
- View the agent and tenant details recorded for your properties
- Contact the agency to update your details
- View your levy paid to dates
- View general financial details for your properties
- View lot entitlements for your properties
- Retrieve your username and password
- Change your password
- Committee members can view Strata Committee contact details
Don't have a Username?
Talk to your manager about viewing your details online.
Our portal gives you online access to important information about your property.


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Paint your cracks
Ways to camouflage defects in a plaster walls
Texture paint, a heavy-bodied paint that leaves a much thicker coating than regular paint does, will conceal some blemishes in walls or ceilings — but if the cracks widen the paint will also crack.
Another treatment that you might want to consider is Nu-Wall. The manufacturer claims that it will restore cracked plaster walls and ceilings. In this system, the walls are covered with a heavy-duty liner that can be painted or wallpapered. For more information, go to thewarnerco.com/global/html/nuwall.htm.
We have white kitchen cabinets that are only 10 years old. The doors are made of particleboard with a covering that appears to be vinyl. Some of the doors have taken on a yellow tint. How can we restore a uniform color?
One option is to paint the doors — or the entire cabinets. The particleboard is probably coated with melamine, a thin plastic that is often used to cover inexpensive furniture, cabinets, and shelving. To paint melamine successfully, the surface has to be carefully prepared. Your best bet is to paint a small, inconspicuous area as a test to see whether you like the effect, then wait a month or so to make sure that the paint adheres.
If you decide to paint, clean the surfaces with an ammoniated household detergent or a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate, sold in paint stores). Do not get water on any uncovered particleboard — it will swell up. Rinse by sponging with clear water.
Doors should be removed and laid flat to paint, and all hardware should be removed.
In most cases, the surface must be either sanded lightly or primed to improve adhesion. If you choose to sand, use 150- or 200-grit sandpaper, which will degloss the surface but not break through the melamine if care is used. To prime, use a glossy-surface primer such as B-I-N or Kilz, or ask at paint stores for any special primers for plastic. There are also some special melamine paints, although they are difficult to find, but you should inquire about them at your local paint stores. If you can't find a special paint, use high-quality acrylic-latex enamel.
Another option is to replace the doors with solid-wood doors, which can be painted to match the rest of the cabinets. Many kitchen-renovation contractors can replace cabinet doors, or you can do it yourself. One door source is the Web site www.newdoors.com.
Can you give me any information about the effectiveness of ozone-type air cleaners?
Consumer Reports had an in-depth report on this topic in the magazine's issue for October 2005. The article included test results and ratings for many room-size and whole-house air cleaners. Some public libraries have files of this magazine, and anyone considering the purchase of one of these machines would do well to read it. I won't give specifics, but the title, "Air Cleaners: Some Do Little Cleaning," might pique your interest.
You should also be aware that high concentrations of ozone — the gas produced by some air cleaners — can be an irritant to people with respiratory problems. The Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) has a number of reports on ozone, including one titled "Ozone-Generating Air Cleaners and Indoor Air Chemistry." Although it concedes that some air cleaners restrict ozone to acceptable levels, the EPA report adds, "Tests . . . clearly demonstrate that these devices are capable of producing ozone concentrations well above those of accepted health guidelines."
Quick tip: A reader reports excellent results in removing pet stains from carpets with Woolite Pet Stain and Odor Remover. "It works great to remove both pet and nonpet stains from my carpeting, no matter how long the stains have been there," he said. "Follow the directions, and the stains come right out." Before trying any carpet cleaner, test it in an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn't leave a stain of its own on the carpet.
Send questions and comments to Gene Austin at email@example.com or 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Copyright © 2006 Gene Austin.


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In 2004, the George W. Bush campaign produced one of the most devastating attack ads ever run. The "Windsurfing" ad was a 30-second spot that depicted Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry as a "flip-flopping, windsurfing elitist," who changed his positions to try to increase his support from voters. Kerry was shown windsurfing to the left and right, to symbolize his supposedly changing stances on the war in Iraq, and funding for troops, educational reform, and medicare premiums. These and other ads might have made the difference in President Bush's narrow margin of victory, which was 3 percent in the popular vote and 6 percent in the Electoral College. Click on this link to view the "Windsurfing" ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbdzMLk9wHQ
Now, in 2011, the Democratic National Committee has already run a similar 30-second spot ad, directed against a candidate who has not even been nominated yet (and may not be): Republican Mitt Romney. The "Trapped" ad pits "Mitt vs. Mitt" on abortion and health reform, stating that Romney (like Kerry) is "willing to say anything" to get elected. Click on this link to view the "Trapped" ad: https://www.youtube.com/user/DemocraticVideo#p/u/0/CUOM9QvhG5I
Such attacks can be effective, since they can get voters to question the "character" of candidates.


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Tournament completed! Post an announcement to share updates to your community.
Small friendly SC2 tournament for Legacy Fight Club community, EU branch of Starcraft Legacy.
This tournament will start at 09.01.2010, 10pm GMT+2.
If you're not familiar with GMT zones, click here.
Games will be casted by Xorp (probably with Panser) at his ustream channel.
Link to the stream.
Sign up for the tourney is open until 10:00pm GMT+2 09.01.2011
Please sign up for the tournament with your SC2 nick and 3 digit character code, like this :
Note: You don't have to register at challonge to be able to sign up for the tournament.
If you got any questions don't hesitate to ask in game – Lesh.417 or on SCL forums – EvilLesh
1. Map pool – all Blizzard ladder maps. Players ban 1 by 1 maps until there is one left.
2. All games are best of 1, even the finals.
3. No race swap during the tourney is allowed.
4. No bad manners. Respect your opponents.
5. Please arrive on time.
6. If your opponent is offline for 15min, you will get an walkover.
To find more news and stuff be sure to check StarCraft Legacy.
You may install Ventrilo client if you're interested in joing us vocally!
hostname or ip: 18.104.22.168
port number: 4140
Vent server provided by Beetle from SCL.
Slutt resultater
|Supreme Champion:
|Worthy Adversary:


text:
Latest media releases
UBS Consumption Indicator rises again
The UBS Consumption Indicator continued its upward trend in April. At 2.35 points, it reached its highest level since July 2001, indicating that consumer spending continues to grow at a solid pace in Switzerland. In fact, consumption may even have accelerated since the beginning of the year.
The monthly UBS Consumption Indicator reached 2.35 in April, up from a revised 2.09 in March and 2.01 in February. It has now exceeded its long-term average of 1.49 for 14 months in a row.
The UBS Consumption Indicator is calculated from five sub-indicators: new car sales, activity in the retail sector, the number of overnight hotel stays by Swiss nationals in Switzerland, the consumer sentiment index and credit card transactions made via UBS at points of sale in Switzerland. All sub-indicators contributed to April's strong rise, especially the exceptionally brisk business in the retail sector and positive consumer sentiment, which hit a six-year high in April. New car sales also had a positive impact, up 4.3% year-over-year in April, as did the monthly figures relating to overnight stays by Swiss nationals in Switzerland.
With a lead of approximately three months on official figures, the UBS Consumption Indicator points towards very lively Swiss private consumption, which may even have accelerated since the beginning of the year. The outlook remains promising, with improved employment and income prospects likely to support consumer spending in the coming months. Overall, UBS expects real private consumption growth of 2.1% in 2007, following an increase of 1.9% in 2006.
UBS Consumption Indicator and private consumption in Switzerland
(Private consumption: year-on-year change in %, UBS Consumption Indicator: index level)
Daniel Kalt
Head of Swiss Economic Research
Tel. +41-44-234 25 60
Felix Brill
Economic & Swiss Research
Tel. +41-44-234 35 54
UBS publications and forecasts for Switzerland: www.ubs.com/economicresearch


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Downtown Tasting Room at 215 Taylor Street (2 doors down from The Rose Theatre)
Cozy Wine Bar: Stop in for a glass of wine before going to a movie at The Rose Theatre or perhaps after shopping downtown. Our warm and cozy tasting room is a great place to relax and enjoy conversation with friends. Our friendly and knowledgeable wine staff can offer you a guided tasting of 3 to 5 wines or pour a glass of your favorite varietal. We serve our wines from a tap system, which translates to less bottles being recycled, and we always have six or more different varietals from which you can choose. All of our wines are made at our winery on Sims Way, and you can purchase a bottle to take home as well.
Food & Music: We encourage our guests to pair up a glass of wine with a plate of locally sourced cheeses from Mt. Townsend Creamery with Pane' d'Amore crackers, or a selection of Elevated Candy chocolates. You're invited to come on Friday and Saturday nights and listen to musicians play from 5 – 8 p.m.
Gift Ideas: Give a locally-made bottle of wine as a gift. We include a reusable wine tote with the purchase of 4 or more bottles of wine. Our Port Townsend Vineyard logo wine glasses and corkscrew wine opener are unique holiday gifts. Gift Cards available for stocking stuffers!
Downtown Tasting Room Winter Hours:
Monday through Sunday 3-9 p.m.
Live music: Fri & Sat 5-8 p.m.
Food: Cheese, Sausage & Cracker plate; chocolates, nuts. Bringing your own food is okay!
Wine: Port Townsend Vineyards varietals (sodas and sparkling water available)


text:
Jacques Billeaud
PHOENIX: A landscaper in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa found a body in bushes that matches the suspect in an office shooting that killed a man and critically wounded another.
Authorities say the rental car that 70-year-old Arthur Douglas Harmon was likely driving was also found nearby early Thursday in a parking lot.
The person who was found died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say a handgun was also found.
Police say that after Wednesday�s shooting, a witness got in his own car and drove after the rental car, and at one point Harmon got out and shot at that witness.
The shooting happened at the end of a mediation session over a lawsuit Harmon filed against a company in a contract dispute.


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Best Mystery and Suspense Plays of the Modern Theatre
Stanley Richards
Dodd, Mead, U. S., 1971 - Drama - 800 pages
Witness for the prosecution, by A. Christie.--Dial "M" for murder, by F. Knott.--Sleuth, by A. Shaffer.--The letter, by W. S. Maugham.--Child's play, by R. Marasco.--Arsenic and old lace, by J. Kesselring.--Angel Street, by P. Hamilton.--Bad seed, by M. Anderson.--Dangerous corner, by J. B. Priestley.--Dracula, by H. Deane and J. L. Balderston.
What people are saying - Write a review
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Dial M for Murder Frederick Knott
Arsenic and Old Lace Joseph Kesselring
Angel Street Patrick Hamilton
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Common terms and phrases
abby afraid Andrew Anthony Shaffer Aunt betty bravo brophy cellar chair Chonny Christine comes Count Dracula crosbie crosses curtain daigle darling dear desk dobbs door doppler dracula drink einstein elaine Elizabeth emory exits father griffin father mozian father penny freda Frederick Knott goes Gordon greta Hammond hand harker head boy heard helsing hubbard Inspector janet Jonathan joyce kitchen Leonard Vole leroy lesgate leslie letter looks lucy malley manningham margot martha Martin mayhew milo miss fern Miss French miss mockridge monica mortimer murder myers nancy never night o'hara olwen ong chi seng opens Pause play police reese renfield rhoda rises Robert Robert Marasco romaine rough seward sir wilfrid sits sorry stairs stanton talk tasker teddy tell theatre There's thing thought told tonight tony turns Wendice What's withers wolfsbane woman


text:
Reader input required: review our reviews
Tell us what you like - and what you don't
Site News The Register has been running hardware and software reviews for some years now, mainly though not exclusively through its sister-site, the written-for-consumers Reg Hardware.
We're planning to make some improvements, but before we put them in place, we'd like to hear what you, the reader, would like to find when you click to read a Register review.
We have a good idea of the kind of products you like us to cover and what you don't. From the comments, we have a shrewd notion of what irks some of you about specific reviews. But we want to learn what you hope to get from a review, and here's your chance to tell us.
For instance, do you prefer longer, in-depth reviews - or are focused, waffle-free appraisals what you're after? Are you looking for science paper-style evaluations - or do you favour short, consumer-oriented 'should I buy this?' surveys? Are benchmarks important to you - or are they now largely irrelevant in this era of fast-enough CPUs and long-run batteries?
Is a percentage rating a useful quick-look measure of a product's worth? Or would you prefer a star rating, visually different but essentially just a mark out of ten? Or perhaps you prefer to make your own mind up after reading the review.
Do spec sheets or tables help? Or are you happy to visit a vendor's website for that?
Do you like to see lots of product picture, or would you rather see only the salient features snapped?
Games reviews - good or bad, more or fewer?
Let us know your thoughts.
Please bear in mind some realities. Reviews of Apple products are hugely popular and are not going to go away, no matter how politely (or not) you ask. Reg reviews - or those of any other publication, for that matter - rarely have kit on hand for long-term testing.
We review products as users, not as procurers or engineers - though perhaps we should. And so, over to you. The comments section awaits.


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Transfer from Genoa to Rimini
Private chauffeur service from Genoa | Free waiting in airport and Free Child Safety seats
Genoa is a port city located on the Ligurian Sea, the capital of the province of Genoa, Liguria. Local harbor for today is one of the most important Italian ports, one of the largest in Europe. In addition to the critical importance of the city in terms of sea routes, Genoa is also a center for shipbuilding and heavy industry, being one of the three countries, apart from Turin and Milan, in the industrial triangle. Deciding to go to Genoa, do not forget to enter the port and take a picture with the background of the world famous lighthouse La Lanterna. Well worth visiting the gallery of mirrors, which you can find in the palace of the Spinola di Pellicceria. If you want to make your holiday to be free of any unpleasant surprises, you can contact our company and order a transfer service from Genoa to the airport and back quickly and comfortably. Here you can order a transfer to the hotel in Genoa and we will meet you at the airport and will deliver you to your hotel in a comfortable car. We are looking forward to getting your orders!
Economic minivan oe business sedan from Genoa and Airport
When visiting Rimini, you can book a per-hour car rental with driver from 2 hours/day and more. Meet and Greet service, offered by our company, will significantly simplify the meeting in the airport for the newcomers. Using a "car rental with driver" service you can vesit the places of interest, famous shops or outlets to do some shopping near the city, saving your time in this way. Rimini chauffeur service offered by our company will cost you much cheaper to order a car rental with driver with us than to hire a taxi driver. To book the economy car or minivan with chauffeur or a comfortable premium class car, coach, shuttle bus up to 50 seats, please choose the button. Per hour rental in the left upper corner of the page, write in the [Departure:] field the departure point and number of hours.
Company vehicle fleet
- ComfortToyota Avensis, Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Cruze, KIA Sportage
- Business ClassMercedes C-Class, E-Class
- Business MinivanMercedes Viano, Mercedes Vito, Volkswagen Caravelle
- Standart Minivan ExtraLongMercedes Sprinter 415
- CompactCitroen C1, Fiat Panda, Hyundai Atos
- Economy Fiat Punto, Peugeot 206, Vokswagen Golf, Fiat Doblo
- Luxury ClassMercedes S-Class, Audi A8, BMW 730, Cadillac STS
- Economy MinivanOpel Vivaro, Renault Trafic
- Standart Minivan LongMercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit
- MiniBusSewa Bus 25, Mercy, Mercedes Benz Sitcar Beluga
- Bus StandartMercedes 404
- Bus PremiumMercedes Tourismo, Setra 515, Volvo 9700
- Exotic LimoRolls Royce Phantom, Limousine Magnum, Bentley Arnage 120, Chrysler C 300 Limousine 130, Hummer H3 140, Lincoln Strech Limousine
- Vintage SedanOn Request (Alfa Romeo, Cadillac, Buick, Plyumouth etc.)


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CARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy were being widely outplayed by the Chicago Fire in the first half on Saturday night, and it seemed entirely possible their unbeaten streak would come to an end on their own turf.
But the second half was a different story, as LA's two biggest stars — Landon Donovan and David Beckham — both scored to deliver an eventual 2-1 victory and extend the Galaxy's undefeated run to 12 games.
"We need the leadership from Landon and David to be successful," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said after the win.
Beckham delivered the set-piece service for the opening goal, a header by Donovan in the 58th minute, and scored the winner directly from a corner kick in the 65th, just three minutes after Chicago found an equalizer throught Cristian Nazarit.
The star midfielder went the distance in the match, which was somewhat surprising as he had been sidelined for much of his team's recent games with severe back spasms. After the match, Beckham's torso was heavily taped and iced to try to lessen the swelling from his exertion.
"He's really determined," said Arena. "He's a tough athlete. There was a point at about 65 minutes that I thought we might have to take him out, because he looked fatigued, but he hung in there. He really wanted to play. He was a tremendous presence tonight."
Much of the buzz after the match centered on Beckham's remarkable match-winner. According to the Englishman, it wasn't the first time he'd scored like that — but it had been a long time.
"When I was on loan at Preston [North End], I scored on a corner," Beckham explained after the match, recalling his loan stint at the then fourth-division English club 16 years ago. On Saturday night, he saw an opportunity to take advantage again.
"I saw the goalkeeper cheating forward and I saw a little bit of a gap," he explained, "and I knew if I put it in a good area, it might hit in off somebody or it was going to go straight in."
The Galaxy have been a team featuring unexpected heroics of late, from field player Mike Magee playing in goal at San Jose and perserving a shutout, to third-string goalkeeper Brian Perk saving a penalty on Monday against Seattle.
Yet when the team's top players are the heroes, LA usually produce a win. The last match featuring goals by both Donovan and Beckham came in May, and that also produced a victory.
"That's what guys like that are around for," said defender Gregg Berhalter. "It's great that they're able to contribute in that way. Just the effort that David gave and him playing through pain, and wanting the ball all the time was great for us, and it really boosted our team."
The LA Galaxy take on star-studded Real Madrid, including former FIFA World Player of the Year winners Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo and five members of Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup winning squad on Saturday, July 16 at 7 p.m. at the LA Coliseum. Tickets are still available for this match, as low as $40! Visit www.lagalaxy.com/worldfootballchallenge for tickets and gameday information.
WATCH: Postgame reaction from Landon Donovan
WATCH: Full Match Highlights
Recap: Beckham's goal off corner gives LA 2-1 win over Fire


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During today's Q1 2013 conference call, Apple's CEO Tim Cook was asked about larger screened iPhones. There were two separate questions, one about price and screen size variants and how they might effect Apple's business outside the US, and the the other concerning how competitors use screen size to differentiate from Apple, and whether there are dynamics or long term cases for a bigger screened iPhone.
Cook, not surprisingly, stuck to Apple's talking points. He said Apple had already introduced the larger, 4-inch iPhone 5, and that it had the most advanced display in the industry (perhaps referring to its in-cell technology), and that no one else comes close in terms of quality. He also said that the way Apple went to 4-inches, which involved increasing the height but not the width, changing the previous 3:2 aspect ration to 16:9, preserved the iPhone's one-handed ease of use. Cook said that Apple put a lot of thought into the iPhone's screen size, and he believes they picked the right one.
These questions likely arose due to rumors of a larger screened iPhone being in Apple's pipeline for 2013 or 2014. Earlier this week, I outlined several ways Apple could go to 5-inch display size if they ever felt it was a market segment worth addressing.
However, given they sold 47.8 million iPhones at 3.5- to 4-inches this quarter, including almost 2x as many on Verizon as all other smartphones combined, even large screened Android phones, Apple may believe customers either prefer smaller phones, or prefer iPhones so much they'll put up with a smaller screen to get it. If it's the former one, a larger screen might not be coming for a while. If it's the latter, a larger screen may not come until Apple believes hey can sell tens if not hundreds of millions of additional units by adding the larger screen size.
So, don't quote "Tim Cook said" to rule out future, larger iPhones (because, iPad mini), but do consider it as a statement of what Apple's doing now, and what they want competitors and customers alike to focus on Apple doing now.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.


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Adam Johnson's goal gave Sunderland a 1-0 victory over Manchester City
Sunderland beat champions Manchester City 1-0 at the Stadium of Light with Adam Johnson scoring against his former club.
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey
Last Updated: 26/12/12 7:35pm
The winner came just eight minutes into the second half when Johnson cut inside from the right past David Silva and unleashed a left-footed shot which squirmed under Joe Hart and into the bottom corner.
However, the winner was not without controversy with the visitors adamant they should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul on Pablo Zabaleta by Craig Gardner during the build-up.
Sunderland turned in one of their best displays of the season on a day when City played only in patches, and Hart had to turn away Steven Fletcher's skidding effort and keep out Stephane Sessegnon 10 minutes from time.
However, if Johnson was the hero in front of a delighted Boxing Day crowd of 42,190, keeper Simon Mignolet deserved equal praise.
The Belgian denied Yaya Toure and Silva before the break and Sergio Aguero after it to claim a precious clean sheet and make a huge contribution towards the win.
City arrived determined not to complete an unwanted hat-trick of 1-0 league defeats on Wearside but they could not as they slipped seven points adrift of league leaders Manchester United.
They might have been ahead with just eight minutes gone, but Vincent Kompany's header came back off the crossbar and Yaya Toure's goalbound follow-up was hacked away by Mignolet.
City boss Roberto Mancini and Zabaleta were then left appealing in vain for a free-kick for Gardner's challenge on the full-back, as Johnson picked up possession and cut inside before firing home.
Sessegnon might have doubled his side's advantage within two minutes, but pulled his effort across the face of goal with City in disarray.
The visitors were almost breached once again on the hour when James McClean picked out Sessegnon in front of goal, but the Benin international could not take the ball in his stride.
Kompany, who had already been booked, was fortunate to escape a second yellow card for a block on McClean as City struggled to contain a Black Cats side growing in confidence by the minute.
Belgium international Mignolet excelled himself once again two minutes later to deny Aguero one on one, but it was Hart in the firing line with 10 minutes remaining when Sessegnon was played in by substitute Fraizer Campbell with the keeper coming out on top.
City battered away at their hosts as time ran down, but with Sunderland defending deep and with tenacity, they simply could not find a way through and McClean almost served up the perfect finish with an 88th-minute shot which flew just wide.


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AK49BWL wrote:Spoiler:Playing ketchup againCaswallon wrote:I know we have had at least one other attempt to track people's locations. But curious if anyone else is from the Puget Sound/Northwest US Region? Just noticed at least 2 other people who were.
I wonder at times if anyone else here, other than I, lives in Alaska...Spoiler:BlitzGirl wrote:In conclusion, a few more pastposts:AK49BWL wrote:On a side note, throughout my lurking here I have been cheering on BlitzGirl and Waiting for her to reach the present Time - In fact, (if I can yet, I don't have 5 posts) I'll even throw in some sig-couragement!
Thank you, AK49BWL!
Wow, this leg of my Quest has been so upbeat! Yay yay yay! Onward I go! *skips*
A mention by the One True Reader I am so honored!
On a side note, your name constantly reminds me of a favorite Time passer of mine... Bejeweledjjjdavidson wrote:Okay, I'm a little freaked out now. No, I'm a lot freaked out.
Everybody's wondered, How did Randall generate the hashes? I thought about Externalities and the hash everyone was trying to break there, a Skein 1024 1024 hash.
But that's a 128-byte hash (256 hex digits) and the file names are only 32-byte (64 digits). But then I thought, Would it be so un-Randallish to generate a 1024-bit hash and only use 256 bits? So I wrote a script to test the Externalites hash against the Time image folder, taking 64 hex digits at a time for the image name. 184 failures, then this, with the very last 64 digits of the hash.
I don't know how many frames in the future this is, but here's:
So you see why I'm freaked out.
I'll admit, I did a double-take. Then logic took over
Anyway, there's no way this is the end.. Megan's "bye" is but a precursor to something even greater. Well, I can still have hope, can't I?? --I think I can have a sig now, too!
So you're that awful woman!


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Meet singles in Abbeystead
You found us! Fantastic! Welcome to eHarmony's Abbeystead, North West England dating page. Now you're here there's no rush, take a look around. All the profiles you see on this page are eHarmony singles from around Abbeystead who we're already helping to discover a more meaningful online dating experience.


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Well the voting is over, and the winner for the fan's pick was Type-C black (supabota you got your pick!), with Type-C white coming in a very close second. In fact it was so close that they're considering doing something with Type-C white as well. Anywho the next part to this is now to come up with a name for her. When coming up with a name they're asking for fans to come up with both a title and name (so for example something like "The Steel Princess Yuumil" or "The Angel of Light Nanael").
For those who can type in Japanese, here's the site for your brainstorming pleasure:


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City of Glendale, CAHome Sitemap Contact
Here you will find links to many city events. If you would like to see events offered by the Library, Arts & Culture Department, including free summertime lunches and programs for children, arts event for all ages and educational events please click here.
CANCELLED Planning Commission
- Date: 02/20/2019 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Location: Municipal Services Building
633 E. Broadway
Glendal, California 91206
For more information, please call 818-548-2115. To review agendas and previous meetings, please click here.Return to full list >>


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My Other Project
Hi, This is my new countdown project.
2 version included.
12 second .
Full HD 1920×1080, 25 fps, High Quality.
music not include, music by SkyProductions : http://audiojungle.net/item/countdown/2766304
Hope you like !
If you please take a minute to rate this project after your purchase it will be a great inspiration for me to create more useful projects for Customers like you.
Enjoy it !


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adrienne von speyr on the meaning of suffering
Recently, I spoke with the new international volunteers working with Heart's Home to prepare them for their compassionate service to those who are suffering.
My thesis for the presentation is this:
"Things have meaning only to the extent that they lead to God, come from him and can be placed at his service" (Adrienne von Speyr, Mystery of Death, p. 47).
Two parts make up this presentation on Adrienne von Speyr and the meaning of suffering. The first part below is an overview of Adrienne's life and thought especially as it relates the meaning of personhood and how suffering fits within her understanding of being a person in relation to God and others. Here is part one:
I hope you enjoyed that one. We go deeper yet.
The second part of the presentation below is a discussion of the chapter "Death as God's Action" from Adrienne's book The Mystery of Death. Here is part two:
I hope you enjoyed that one too.
For those interested in a tangent about how I've come to these insights about Adrienne on the meaning of suffering, please continue to read on.
I've been working on several major research projects on the meaning of suffering through the academic conference Making Sense of Suffering with the scholar community Inter-Disciplinary.Net. I presented at their Prague conference last year on Balthasar and the Meaning of Suffering. A version of the presentation is in the conference proceedings eBook Making Sense of Suffering: Theory, Practice, and Representation. I will be presenting at their next conference on Adrienne and the Meaning of Suffering, which I will post here when it becomes available. Additionally, if you are really interested in the postmodern debate on the meaning of suffering, I have recently co-edited a book on it, which is will be available in a few months.
Thank you for being such loyal readers of this website. I'm grateful for your comments and emails. Blessings to you all.


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Everyone hates trying to get glitter polish off right?
As someone who hates taking nail polish off normally, the thought of getting glittery polish in it's many many particles off is a complete nightmare. I have tried the foil technique (putting some nail polish remover on a pad then wrapping the nail in foil) and it kind of works but takes ages and dries my nails to buggery.
So I spotted this on my eBay browses. Yes, I browse eBay…
Innisfree (an eco friendly Korean brand) and their Peel Off Base Coat:
This product is designed for glitter polish lovers – used as a nail base or primer, it peels off when you are ready to take it off, taking the polish with it. Clever idea!
I have used Innisfree polishes before (a sample review here – the polishes are just ok) and also peel off nail polish which is…as you'd expect.
This Peel Off Base Coat comes in the same packaging as regular Innisfree polishes but in a frosted feel packaging.
The base coat has a whitish colouring to it and is quite thick and gloopy. Here is a coat on my nails:
My nails grow fast (rest assured I chopped them down soon after this review! It's so impractical!).
Whilst the product is easy to apply and is almost smell free, it does have a gloopy thick sticky texture – yes it reminds me of PVA glue which might explain how it peels off, as glue would. Apply the polish on this before it's 100% dry and it turns into a thick snotty textured product…it's weird, I tell yee.
Just be careful not to put snotty polish back into the container!
It did, however, boost the colour of my polish. The blue one below looks much stronger than when I swatched it with no base coat, but I digress.
Two glitter polishes to test:
The top shop polish which is a fine glitter and Tony Moly polish which is chunky.
Sure enough once everything is properly dry, you just need to nick a corner of the polish and it will peel of fairly easily. I noticed some sticky residue left with the green polish- it's not bad at all but worth bearing in mind that you might want to do a quick clean up with a regular polish remover afterwards incase there are any bits left.
Peeling is fun!
As for durability – I didn't feel like this base coat matched up to the better base coats in my collection (I like CND's Sticky base which I think I've had for 3 years – it never runs out!) which seems to adhere polish really well.
Because of the thickness of this base, I don't think it does adhere polish as well, although there wasn't much chipping til day 3. It does protect the nail from staining though.
I will definitely use this when wearing one of my awkward glitter polishes, it will mean I won't be sat there for and hour scratching away at my nails to get the bits off!
I bought this from eBay for around £6.


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White House to honor Colorado Sen. Pat Steadman, champion of equality
The White House on Wednesday will honor Colorado state Sen. Pat Steadman and nine other gay leaders from across the country as "Harvey Milk Champions of Change."
Steadman, a Denver Democrat, has fought for equality issues for more than two decades, including fighting against Amendment 2 in 1992, and helping with the successful effort to overturn the anti-gay rights ballot measure before the U.S. Supreme Court. Most recently, Steadman was the sponsor a civil-unions measure that became law in Colorado on May 1.
"It's an incredible honor to be invited to the White House to receive an award recognizing the work you've done," Steadman said today. "It's very humbling."


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I am intrigued by the power of expectations; by the impact they have on our well-being.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Thomas Curry, a licensed Texas psychotherapist about this phenomenon.
Dr. Curry explained, "Expectations are a hot topic in healthcare practice and research. It is widely recognized that an individual's, or group of individuals, expectations either help or hurt healthcare outcomes. Why this is so, and how it happens, unfortunately remains a mystery. However, what is not mysterious at all is the fact that expectations play a very pivotal role in the progression of mental and medical disease, as well as it has a strong role in any treatment effect."
This makes me wonder: Do expectations of decline and illness allow for unchecked fear to manifest as disease on the body where it can develop and spread? Are expectations of health possibly divine urgings that animate us to discover more than we are accepting of life at a given moment?
One family's experience, detailed in full in Robert Peel's Spiritual Healing in a Scientific Age, suggests that what we truly expect, we get.
In 1947, Elmer and Doris Wiederkehr agreed to adopt an unwanted child. Prenatal tests indicated that the child would be born handicapped, but the Wiederkehrs were not deterred. Unfortunately, the child, Les, was born with multiple handicaps, including unformed vocal chords, a damaged heart, serious bone and blood conditions, and cerebral palsy. Doctors predicted that Les would live no longer than eight months.
Doris had been healed of a curvature of the spine through prayer, and had learned to trust God, to expect healing. So she prayed and cared for the baby's physical needs as best she could. The doctors felt that Les was too frail for either surgery or medication.
In 1983, Doris explained: "The medical prognosis at that time was that [Les] would never be able to speak, stand or walk properly, or receive an education. We were told that he would continue to suffer convulsions, that he had a blood deficiency which inhibited coagulation, and that the condition of his heart made survival past early childhood unlikely."
When asked, "What happened when you took [Les] home?" She replied, "Well, he had a difficulty in breathing. It was hard for him to eat. He couldn't walk. He was in bed most of the time the first few years… I'll have to admit that the physical deformities didn't bother me. I really didn't see them the way some others did. He had beautiful blue eyes. He responded to love. And I fully expected — I never doubted that he wouldn't find his complete freedom."
As a Christian Scientist, Doris read the Bible, prayed, and shared with Les what she was learning about God's care and Les' spiritual nature. Her expectancy of betterment had been forged by her own experiences. Even though Elmer was not a Christian Scientist, he was supportive of Doris' expectations of progress for Les. Doris said, "[Les] just kept me trusting and expecting. You could see awareness in his eyes and that he was grasping [what] we were telling him."
"[When he was almost three years old, Les] was standing upright. He fell a great deal and we did have to pad the doorways and our furniture to keep him from harming himself. But there was a lot of progress after that. And we, everyone in the family, talked with him whether he answered or not. We gave him time to answer. And we could tell by the expression on his face what he was thinking. We just never treated him as though he didn't talk."
"We took a six-or eight-week trip at one point because the children were beginning to tease him a little in the neighborhood… On the way back, he improved. He gained weight… And on the day we came home, the boys were tired… and took a nap… I decided to lie down too. My husband had taken the car to a garage."
"We were all asleep when a man entered our home… I heard my son, Les, saying in a shaky voice, 'No other gods before you. You don't belong in here.' No, these weren't the words of the first Commandment, but the power of the first Commandment was in the words. And then he repeated it again in a very firm, strong voice. And the man… never touched anything… and walked out of the house."
"When he got back into bed, he said, 'Mommy can I come lay with you?' And I said yes… I would have liked to have taken him in my arms and danced around the house with him…"
"My husband came home… And I said, 'Dad, what we've been expecting and knowing would happen has taken place. Les can talk.' And he said, 'Well, its not going to make any difference. We always gave him time to talk. So we can just go on.' …Les is going to walk, he's going to skip, he's going to run, he's going to do all the things.'"
"The heart condition was healed when he was eight years old. He rang the doorbell because he needed help, and when I opened the door he fell in. He was unconscious. I did call the hospital… They came out with a portable cardiograph, and they didn't think he would last… When he awakened he was not exhausted like he had been from other attacks. He was just as though nothing had happened. He never had another attack after that."
"And then he began to swim, and set a record in an ocean race when he was only nine. And still, I would say, he didn't have complete use of the right arm and right leg. He was about fifteen before you'd say he no longer fell without warning. He was the catcher on the Little League team that whole season. He loves all sports."
"I always told him that God had need of him. And that meant He had need of his thinking. And that if he wasted time resenting or having hurt feelings over people's unkindness, why, he wouldn't hear God's voice. And he wouldn't recognize his healing and his freedom when it came. He'd be too busy feeling sorry for himself. Or angry, you know. So he learned to forgive and he learned it so well that it's helped him in later life."
When Doris gave this interview, in 1983, Les was then happily married, physically sound, and fully employed in a plumbing firm.
The Wiederkehrs' experience causes me to further wonder: Do our expectations cause what we yearn for to take place or do they cause what has always been available and possible to be uncovered?
As well: What molds our expectations? What causes us to expect good health or healing? What makes us expect illness and suffering?
The answers to these questions will have a tremendous impact on our health for better or worse, now and in the coming years.
Dr. Curry concluded his comments to me about expectations by stating, "The reality is that our thoughts, and our expectations have a real effect on our physical experience."
I know that Elmer, Doris, and Les would certainly agree.
– Keith Wommack is a Syndicated Columnist, Christian Science practitioner and teacher, husband, and step-dad. He has been described as a spiritual spur (since every horse needs a little nudge now and then). Keith's columns originate at: KeithWommack.com
Twitter: @KeithWommack


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COMP Cams® has put together these time saving kits that contain all the necessary pieces to help you quickly and easily install hydraulic roller lifters in your V6 or V8 block originally equipped with a hydraulic roller cam. Every kit contains detailed instructions and all hardware required for installation.
A. Lifter retainer not available for this engine
This Ford Hydraulic Roller Retro-Fit Kit contains all the pieces required to install our complete line of hydraulic roller cams in 302, 351W, 351C and 351M-400 Ford engines that did not come with an OEM hydraulic roller cam. When using this kit in a non-roller block, a small base circle retro-fit cam must be used to ensure the lifters will not expose oil hole or band out of the lifter bores. This kit ships complete with detailed instructions and all necessary hardware.


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Greetings! I'm Eva, the newest CN Jezebelle! I'm replacing Maureen as the "arbiter of 'controversy'" on the site. But then I started reading Maureen's postings and I didn't understand what all the "controversy" was about. She was just like any college student who likes Obama and taxing rich people! Maybe Maureen is just an example of how anything can be "controversial" if you want it to be. And in fact that is a good trick: if you don't have an opinion about something or someone but you just say "Well, it's very controversial," people will think you are smart...and maybe even British. But British people say, "con-TRAH-versy." Not everyone can get away with saying it the British way. British accents are like matte red lipstick in that way. Speaking of: Can you pull red lipstick off? It isn't easy. Lauren Conrad does it but she has a stylist, although I hear she is in training to do it herself. Doing it yourself is an achievement, like a juice fast or a triathlon. Of course, when you achieve anything you are bound to be considered "controversial," like Lauren. Here are four other Controversies You Should Consider Entering right now.
Dieting. The magazines would have you believe that "not dieting" is the new dieting, and it is true: not dieting is what everyone else will be announcing they are doing this season, even as they aggressively watch their portions so that their diets actually do resemble, on the basis of caloric intake, an actual "diet." My advice: keep your caloric intake limited to the point that you do not gain weight, but never say a word to anyone about how you are "not dieting." Everyone will assume you are not dieting, and wonder how you keep from gaining weight.
Jeans: Wearing them sometimes. Jeans have always, will always, forever and ever, generate some form of controversy. Some people wear them too much, and while that is okay if you live in Los Angeles, you just should not wear them to every social event anywhere else all the time, nor should you eschew them entirely. I know: they are comfortable. Except when they are not comfortable, which is when they look best, because they are too tight and you have paired them with a pair of, say, the latest peep-toe ankle boots, which is a good guide as to whether or not you should be wearing them to occasions on which you might be seen by people with larger incomes than your own. Speaking of which, that is a shortcut: how much did the jeans cost? If the answer is more than half your mortgage payment, you can wear them pretty much anywhere, so long as you are also thin, which goes without saying, right? Also, if you are in the vicinity of relative wealth and/or power and/or beauty, never wear classic "straight leg" jeans that might be confused for jeans you purchased last season, unless you want to risk be confused with the type of person who is easygoing enough to wear last season's jeans in the vicinity of wealth/power/beauty, which is probably too controversial a strategy for most, so if you choose to pursue it make sure you buy this season's straight-leg jean
Peonies. Some people think peonies are too voluptuous. Nonsense, I say! They are very pretty. But be forewarned: they die. Speaking of!
Your Natural Hair Color. I'm not suggesting you don't get your hair color treated to magnify its natural hue. But don't exaggerate... too much! The key is plausible deniability. Everyone gets her hair colored. But consider: how many lowlights would you need to make everyone believe that you are actually not everyone, in this one regard? Can you risk it? If you can, you may generate a whole controversy as to whether it is actually true that you don't highlight your hair (anymore.) Pulling this off will require an uber-exclusive stylist in whose salon you will not run into anyone you know. And what if you do? Act calm. "Ha ha ha, you really believed that?"


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main(713) 222-2273
Schedule an appointment online with ScheduleNow
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To search Houston doctors, please select a specialty & submit your Zip Code below.
To schedule an appointment online, select provider type, service and submit your ZIP code below.
Surgeons affiliated with Memorial Hermann are skilled in the resection of a broad range of primary and metastatic brain tumors, including:
Neurosurgeons at Memorial Hermann routinely use innovative techniques in the care of patients. These include:
Our affiliated neurosurgeons also perform minimally invasive procedures including transsphenoidal surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery, including Gamma Knife® Perfexion.
Treatment for brain tumor depends on the type of tumor. Most adult brain tumors are diagnosed and removed in surgery.
The brain tumor team commonly uses frameless stereotactic navigation to facilitate approaches to tumors, increasing accuracy and minimizing the impact on surrounding brain tissue.
To further enhance functional outcomes following tumor resection, the team is exploring the use of diffusion tensor imaging, a new modality for mapping major brain connection pathways in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging.


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Wanted: Reg hardware hackers for set top fun
What Peter Dawe did next
Exclusive Fancy yourself as a hardware hacker? Peter Dawe, who brought the internet to the UK in the 1980s when he founded Pipex, the country's first ISP, is looking for a few good women and men to experiment with his latest venture the Babelbox. He also gave us a sneak run down.
BabelBox is effectively a Linux-based "set top box", designed to be tinkered with. There's on board video and audio processing, analog and digital video in and out (to SCART or VGA), Ethernet, a mike, and an infra red port. What you do with it is therefore up to your imagination.
It's a bit of a departure for Dawe, but then he's rarely been either idle or predictable. After Pipex, he started Europe's first interconnect LINX, and in 2001 broke the cartel pricing on bandwidth by selling dark fibre. For this, and for setting up the Internet Watch Foundation, he was awarded the OBE. And that's something that eluded The Goodies for many years.
(Right now, he's also devising a solar powered water pump for developing nations, amongst several other projects.)
BabelBox is a bet that broadcast TV will go the way of the net, and the mobile phone industries, says Dawe. The major providers initially adopted a "walled garden" approach in the early days of the internet - AOL only recently abandoned it - and having been burned with WAP, mobile networks are finding only tepid interest in their closed content for their 3G networks. He acknowledges that if broadcast TV becomes cryptographically encoded, BabelBox is not going to be able to decode it.
And some of the uses Dawe hopes people will find for the box are imaginative, to say the least. He's hoping MythTV, the Linux digital video recorder, will be ported, and he can see it playing audio or video content stored around the home network - as a kind of DIY SlingBox. But he also envisaged the BableBox finding a home as a karaoke machine, or as the interface to a universal remote control.
"Imagine picking up any remote control and you'll get a menu telling you what to do next," he said.
The microphone is included so VoIP applications can be written.
The key, however, is the price. BabelBox starts at under £149 and in time, given sufficient volumes, will be almost a giveaway item for retailers to bundle. To get to this price point meant making some sacrifices.
There's no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but more unusually, there's no USB port either. Babelbox has PS/2-style connectors for wired keyboard and mouse, and an iRDA port instead. This wasn't just for cost reasons, Dawe told us, but simplicity. "The engineering people tell me I'm mad and the support people tell me I'm a genius. But we wanted a deterministic environment - we wanted to know exactly what was attached to the box which makes support costs lower," he says.
"For the serious geek, there's a PCI bus to play with."
The other drawback is that there's no memory management unit - it really is a basic ARM chip, a Sigma 8610 video controller, 64MB of RAM and 128MB Flash, running uCLinux. Then again, it consumes just 6 watts of power, and is fanless, and so totally silent.
So it's an IPTV box that doesn't do DRM or support HDMI, Dawe readily admits. He does however, point out that flatscreen TVs are overpriced, and people who attach a cheap computer monitor LCD to a FreeView box via the BabelBox, will be quids in.
Got a suggested use? Here's what to do.
Send your CV and development idea to innovation (at) dawevision.co.uk -We'll help judge the best, and the best three entries get one of the first Babelboxen due at the end of the month, and a developer's kit.
Good luck. ®


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Major Sectors
Cardiac Assist Devices
Cardiac Catheters and Guidewires
Cardiac Rhythm Management
Cardiovascular Monitoring Systems
Cardiovascular Surgery
Heart Valve and Repair
Interventional Cardiology
Peripheral Vascular Devices
Crowns and Bridges
Dental Biomaterial
Dental Imaging
Dental Implants
Dental Units and Equipment
Diabetes Management
Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems
Insulin Delivery Devices
Hearing Aids and Diagnostics
Hearing Aids
Hearing Diagnostic Devices
Hearing Implants
Medical Imaging
CT Systems
Mammography Systems
MRI Systems
Nuclear Imaging
Ultrasound Systems
X-Ray Systems
Cerebral Spinal Fluid Management Devices (CSF)
Interventional Neuro-Vascular Devices
Neuro Radiosurgery Systems
Neurostimulation and Pain Relief Devices
Bladder Cancer
Bone Cancer
Brain Tumor
Breast Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Colon Cancer
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer
Oral Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Renal Cancer
Skin Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Joint Reconstruction
Orthopedic Biomaterial
Orthopedic Fixators
Patient Monitoring & Diagnostics
Blood Pressure Monitors
Multiparameter Patient Monitors
Sleep Apnea Diagnostic Systems
Oxygen Concentrators
Positive Airway Pressure Devices
Respiratory Disposables
Respiratory Measurement Devices
Wound Care
Wound Closure Devices
Wound Dressings
~ + Hospitals & Clinics +
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France Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair Market - Present and Future Trends
Published: Oct-2011
# Pages:
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Single User Price :
Enterprise Price :
Global Corporate Price :
Report Code:
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Charts
Short Description
This research report provides key market trends, market forecasts and competitive scenario of the cardiovascular heart valve and repair in France through 2016.
The product categories covered in this report include:
Heart Valve
Annuloplasty Rings
The report highlights historic and forecasted market size in terms of revenues & unit sales, average selling price, growth rates, and company market shares.
Highlights and compares key product categories for growth trends and revenue forecast.
Market size, annualized revenue and unit sales for each product category from 2005 to 2016.
Cross category comparison - Growth and revenue comparison for product categories, historic and forecast through 2016.
Market share of companies.
Average selling price ($) for each product type (2005 to 2016).
Why should you buy?
Build business strategy by identifying the high growth and attractive market categories.
Develop competitive strategy based on competitive landscape.
Design capital investment strategies based on forecasted high potential segments.
Identify potential business partners, acquisition targets and business buyers.
Plan for a new product launch and inventory in advance.
Prepare management and strategic presentations using the market data.
To review unbiased and independent assessment of the market data.
Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
1.1. Table of Contents
1.2 List of Tables
1.3 List of Charts
2. Introduction
3. Scope of the Report
4. French Market for Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair, 2005-2016
Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair
Heart Valve
Mechanical Heart Valve
Biological Heart Valve
Annuloplasty Rings
4.1 Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair, Revenue ($ mn) by Sub-Category, 2005-2016
Heart Valve, Revenue ($ mn), 2005-2016
Mechanical Heart Valve
Biological Heart Valve
Annuloplasty Rings, Revenue ($ mn), 2005-2016
4.2 Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair, Volume (Units) by Sub-Category, 2005-2016
Heart Valve, Volume (Units), 2005-2016
Mechanical Heart Valve
Biological Heart Valve
Annuloplasty Rings, Volume (Units), 2005-2016
4.3 Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair, Average Price ($), 2005-2016
Mechanical Heart Valve
Biological Heart Valve
Annuloplasty Rings
4.4 Cardiovascular Heart Valve and Repair, Company Shares (%), 2010
5. Appendix
5.1 Research Methodology
5.2 Contact us
5.3 Disclaimer
List of Tables
List of Charts
copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved
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Vanderbeck named assistant to the president
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 2:00 AM
Pittsburg, KS
For nearly half of her 33 years at Pittsburg State University, Joan Cleland has served as administrative assistant to three university presidents.
It began with Dr. John Darling in 1996. From 1999 to 2009, it was Dr. Tom Bryant. Since 2009, it's been current president Dr. Steve Scott.
Throughout that time, she's experienced moments and memories that will last a lifetime.
Now, it's time for a new adventure. Cleland has announced her retirement from PSU, effective June 21.
"Pittsburg State University is a wonderful place to work, and I will miss spending my days here," Cleland said. "I will miss interacting with all the people every day. It's just time to take that big step, slow down and enjoy my family."
Succeeding Cleland as assistant to the president will be Jaime Vanderbeck, who has spent the past seven years as assistant director of PSU's Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies. She will assume her new role on June 10.
Vanderbeck, 32, is a PSU alum, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2003 with a bachelor of science in psychology. In 2005, she earned a master of business administration from PSU.
Vanderbeck said she is excited for the new challenge.
"Joan has done such an amazing job in this position, leaving me with some very large shoes to fill, but I'm excited to get started and so thankful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity," Vanderbeck said. "Every day, the university faces new challenges, new opportunities and new dreams for the future, and I look forward to contributing my skills and strengths to Dr. Scott and the university as a whole."
As assistant to the president, Vanderbeck will be responsible for managing, directing and overseeing all aspects of administrative work for the President's Office, including coordinating the president's schedule. She will also be responsible for interacting with all university constituents, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, elected officials and friends of the university.
President Scott praised Cleland for her service to PSU and said he's excited to work alongside Vanderbeck.
"Joan has been a tremendous asset to me and to Pittsburg State University during her 33 years here," Scott said. "We're definitely going to miss her, but we're also very happy for her as she looks forward to retirement.
"We're very excited to welcome Jaime to her new position," Scott said. "She has done an outstanding job in the graduate office, and I'm eager to work with her in this new capacity. I know she will do a wonderful job."
Cleland said she will work with Vanderbeck during the transition process.
"I know that Jaime will do a fine job in the President's Office at the university, and I will work with her to make that transition a smooth one," she said.


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We're debuting three brand-new dessert recipes in this very email! Because let's face it... when it comes to things we need more of in our lives, the list is pretty basic: sleep, comfortable-yet-cute shoes, and guilt-free desserts.
PER SERVING (1/12th of recipe, 1 mini ice cream cake): 136 calories, 3.5g fat, 131mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 14g sugars, 2.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 4* These are SO cute and delicious you might find yourself making 'em for everyone's birthday. (If you do, you'll instantly become 37 percent more popular.)
Ingredients: 1/4th of an 18.25-oz. box (about 1 cup) moist-style devil's food cake mix 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 cups light chocolate chip ice cream (vanilla with chocolate chips, like the kind in the Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Light line) 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip Free, thawed 2 tbsp. sprinkles Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg substitute, and 1/2 cup water. Whisk until completely blended. Add chocolate chips to the bowl and gently stir. Evenly distribute mixture among the cups of the muffin pan. (Cups will be about one-third full.) Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean, 20 - 22 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely, at least 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan. Evenly top cupcakes with ice cream, 1/4 cup per cupcake. Evenly top each cupcake's ice cream layer with 2 tbsp. Cool Whip and 1/2 tsp. sprinkles. Transfer cupcakes to a large platter that will fit in your freezer, or place them back in the cooled muffin pan. Freeze for at least 1 1/2 hours, until ice cream is firm and Cool Whip is frozen. Then eat! MAKES 12 SERVINGS HG Tip! If frozen for longer than 1 1/2 hours, allow cupcakes to slightly thaw before eating, about 5 minutes.
PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, 1 parfait): 218 calories, 2g fat, 604mg sodium, 44g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 17g sugars, 9.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 5*
The name says it all: crunchy, caramel, chocolate. The "parfait" part is important too... because everyone knows that layered desserts are WAY fun!
1 tbsp. (1/4th of a 4-serving box) sugar-free fat-free chocolate instant pudding mix
1/2 tbsp. light chocolate syrup
1/2 cup Cool Whip Free, thawed
1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
8 caramel-flavored mini rice cakes (like Quaker Caramel Corn Popped Rice Snacks)
2 Vitalicious VitaTops (any chocolate variety), thawed
Optional toppings: Fat Free Reddi-wip, additional mini rice cakes
Combine pudding mix with 1/4 cup cold water in a bowl. Stir vigorously until mostly smooth and slightly thickened. Mix in chocolate syrup. Fold in Cool Whip and cream cheese. Stir thoroughly until completely mixed and mostly smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Place rice cakes in a sealable plastic bag; remove air, and seal. Using your hands, lightly crush rice cakes through the bag. Set aside.
Break one VitaTop into small pieces, and evenly distribute the pieces between two parfait glasses (or any midsize glasses).
Evenly distribute half of the pudding mixture between the glasses, about 3 tbsp. per glass. Evenly distribute all of the crushed rice cakes between the glasses.
Break remaining VitaTop into small pieces, and evenly distribute the pieces between the glasses. Evenly distribute remaining pudding mixture, about 3 tbsp. per glass. If you like, top with Reddi-wip and additional mini rice cakes. (Each mini rice cake adds about 10 calories.) Enjoy!!
PER SERVING (1/6th of recipe, 1 dumpling): 200 calories, 6.5g fat, 308mg sodium, 36g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 19g sugars, 2.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 6* Not only are these crazy-delicious, but they're CRAZY-CUTE too. "Awwwwww... Who's a cute wittle apple dumpling?! YOOOOU ARE!" Sorry; got carried away there for a sec.
Ingredients: 1 package refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet (or HG Alternative!) 6 small baking apples (preferably Fuji), peeled and cored 2 tbsp. sweetened dried cranberries 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed) 1/2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown) 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a deep 9" X 13" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Lay dough sheet on a dry surface with the shorter sides on the left and right. Cut horizontally into 2 evenly sized strips. Cut each strip vertically into 3 evenly sized pieces, for a total of 6 pieces. Gently and evenly stretch or roll out each piece of dough in order to yield slightly larger, square-like pieces. Place one apple in the center of each piece of dough. Add 1 tsp. dried cranberries to the opening of each apple. Evenly distribute brown sugar and butter among the openings, about 1/4 tsp. of each per apple. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and nutmeg. One apple at a time, fold all four corners of the dough up around the apple, until they overlap at the top. Pinch the top and sides of the dough's edges together to seal around the apple. Place the dough-wrapped apples in the baking pan, evenly spaced. Cover the pan with enough foil to secure at the sides without resting on top of the apples. Bake in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes, until dough is browned and apples are tender. Allow to cool slightly, and then enjoy! MAKES 6 SERVINGS HG Alternative! If you can't find the Recipe Creations dough, go for Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent roll dough. (The products are nearly identical.) Then just pinch/seal up the perforations for a seamless sheet.
Sweets for the sweet! Click "Send to a Friend" to pass these recipes to the sweetest people you know. (And feel free to share 'em with the not-so-sweet as well, if you so desire.)
Today, October 20th, is... sigh... National Brandied Fruit Day. Not really our speed. But since we DO love fruit, we'll dig into this Ginormous Fruit Salad Surprise instead... perhaps while listening to '90s tunes by Brandy.
SmartPoints® value not what you expected? Click here for more info on how the values are calculated, plus more FAQs about PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® values on our website.


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IT sector is an inseparable part of the Telecom industry. This rapidly changing industry has moved beyond voice to provide data, content, media and amusement to its subscribers. This has paved way for new opportunities as well as certain new challenges. In order to sustain the growing competition, it becomes vital for communication providers to remain viable by:
- Maintaining low-cost of investment
- Enhancing revenue opportunities
- Providing high performance and flexible solutions to ensure enriched customer experience
These days, telecom companies are making use of the latest technologies to stay ahead of their competitors.They accomplish this by improving the quality of delivered services. In fact, it is very essential to keep pace with the changing technology. Apart from this, high user anticipations have become a huge challenge for these firms. All this and more have further propelled these companies to out rival their competitors through their offerings. Finding the right software development solutions that can help meet challenges and make use of opportunities is the way to go.
Telecommunication companies and other product firms are driven by the current market scenario to seize market share through technology governance and customer service. As a standard business practice, many Telecom companies outsource their software development services. These service providers provide superior-quality, feature-rich software products for their clients.
A professional service provider provides its clients access to skilled development teams and state-of-the art infrastructural facilities. Besides this, access to the latest technologies along with a technologically advanced software development procedure emphasized on offshore development process is also provided. Apart from delivering end-to-end development and management solutions, service providers offer services such as system integration, data migration and operations support system.
- System Integration – Certain software development firms offer Enterprise Application Integration solutions in a flexible and flexible way.
- Documentation, and Maintenance – In order to meet new business demands, proper maintenance including (changing or enhancing software) is required.
- Operations Support System – Telecom development firms provide implementation of operation support solutions that enable customers to augment their businesses by allowing them to remain cost-effective while ensuring high return on Investments.
- Data Migration System – Software development firms offer a data migration platform for network inventory data migration.
Telecom software development firms supplement a wide range of enterprise consulting and IT services. Professional development firms offer software solutions as well as strategic product engineering services that can help companies to fulfill the ever-increasing requirements of their subscribers.


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The phones have been ringing non-stop. The rails have been emptied. Sizes are out. The Regent Street branch of & Other Stories cannot wait for stock replenishment day fast enough (it's a Tuesday by the way, if you've been out of luck with styles/sizes). Suffice to say, it's been a successful first week of opening for H&M's new addition to its roster of fashion chains, one that has been shrouded in mystery beforehand and finally got its big unveil last week. I was unfortunately still in Paris, despite my dying curiosity as to what & Other Stories is all about. Therefore, I delayed my visit and can now happily report that all the hushed-up-hype, Twitter lovin' and customer demand are all quite rightly warranted. & Other Stories creeps into you as you find yourself grabbing hanger after hanger, piece after piece. It's also the first high street chain that from the get go, observes and cleverly lifts aspects of how girls today use the internet as inspiration fodder, and incorporates them into their branding, visual merchandising and aesthetic. I left impressed and eagerly anticipating new stock.
First up, what of the clothes? Well, the ready to wear isn't the main focus of & Other Stories as is the case with say H&M and COS. Even the way it lists out Shoes, Bags, Accessories, Jewellery, Ready-to-Wear, Lingerie Beauty in its brand description shows that the clothes are merely one component of all the acoutrements needed for a & Other Stories lifestyle – a key word when wandering around the store. But the clothes will undoubtedly the primary focus for most people. Currently they are divided up into various stories (geddit, geddit?) – hard-edged industrial gear for Berlin girls, ditzy florals and bobo simplicity for hanging out in Le Marais, directional minimalism from Stockholm and glamourous art deco jewel tones for a reimagined Studio 54 in New York. I'm told by the store manager that Paris is currently leading the way in the sales stakes. I'm veering more towards the stiffened satins of the glamour story, the ocean prints from Stockholm and the leather pieces from Berlin.
There are definite aesthetic similarities with fellow Swedish brands like Acne or WhyRed but that's down to the team, which & Other Stories is quite transparent about. I was sent a press release with the names of the design team, what their previous work backgrounds were (unsurprisingly Acne and WhyRed popped up…) which brings up an interesting point Sarah S√° Couto made on the blog as a comment – that the high street gets penalised and criticised more because they are faceless. Annonymous design teams can take the flack. Here we have & Other Stories being very open about their team – a change in behavioural tact, away from the mass-produced fashion norm.
The comparison with fellow like-minded chain COS is a natural one because that's the aesthetic, which many people were anticipating. The clothes occupy a niche that is perhaps younger than COS, and less austere and rigorous in style. They flirt with forward design, whilst not exactly slavishly adhering to seasonal catwalk trends. The prices are COS-esque, perhaps slightly less expensive and you're imbued with that same feeling that you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. Aesthetically speaking, there's something for everyone, but not in the way that H&M caters to the masses. There's an independent, creative-spirited and slightly leftfield common ground that they've carved out for their customer base – like if i got chatting with the customers there, we'd discover similar likes in art, music, photography and films. At least that's the feeling that I get.
The look and feel of the store has clearly been informed by a giant dose of Emmas Designblogg. It's like walking around a "work-in-progress" space or somebody's creative studio, drawing customers into the intimacy of a behind the scenes process. Lookbook images are tacked up, garments sometimes come with plastic-covered images like you get backstage at a fashion show, room dividers, boxes dot around the room and accessories are haphazardly scattered in their trays. Nothing looks too neat or orderly. The placing of copious amounts of pictures is a nod towards the fact that we are now ingrained with an innate desire to see how "real" people wear it from online personal style sites and blogs. Lookbook imagery therefore is deliberately non-uniform. Some of it even looks a little DIY-ish, self-shot with a remote control perhaps. It's close-range inspiration rather than high n' lofty aspiration.
& Other Stories have immediately introduced collaborations into the fold but they're all done on the quiet. They're "Co-Labs", created with designers who aren't exactly household names but I'm personally equally happy to see on this side of the Atlantic. Abigail Lorick has created lingerie and clothes, The Lake and the Stars has done lingerie and Claire Vivier has done a small collection of totes and clutches. Alyson Fox is up next with a jewellery and clothing collection. Interestingly, they're all fairly small designers from the States and are introduced on the rails with not too much fanfare – a singular hanging introduction and some lookbook imagery. These co-labs are likely to drop in and out without too much press prelude.
If shoes, jewellery and accessories are the sideline areas in high street stores, which are often the hor d'oeuvre to ready to wear's main course, then & Other Stories seeks to change that. Shoes get a spacious section on the top floor with plenty of styles to choose from as well as a selection of Nike trainers – a nice addition that completes the sort of lifestyle overview which & Other Stories has carved out. Likewise, jewellery and accessories are scattered liberally throughout the store as opposed to being relegated to a section, making sense with the nearby clothing. "Endless Styling Choices" says the & Other Stories website. A person who is perhaps less sure of their own style may find the shop overwhelming but for most with a grasp of themselves and what they like will find this pick n' mix scattergun approach heaps of fun.
Perhaps the most surprising thing is that & Other Stories was originally supposed to be beauty-only, when conceived in its initial phase, with the other components coming in later when H&M realised this could be more of a lifestyle brand. With that said, the beauty section is surpremely well-considered. They have fantastic collaborators onboard such as make-up artist Lisa Butler directing the cosmetics range and Ben Gorham, the independent perfumer of Byredo, directing the bath and body range. Being a huge Byredo fan, I was so excited that I started testing every lotion and found that !hurrah!, every scent lingers and has Byredo-esque complexity. Beauty fiends will have a ball, if not with & Other Stories' own products then with the cult beauty section, where other brands such as This Works, Stop the Water, W3II, Dr Bronner and Eyeko. None of that means anything to me by the way. You know what I'm like with beauty. Still, a one-stop drop shop like this in town will be useful when I in a daft beauty mood.
I fear this post is only adding to the heap of praise that will drive some people a bit nutty as & Other Stories have been somewhat overwhelmed by its initial success. Like I said, styles are selling out, sizes are running low and both the website and stores are doing brisk business.
Browsing the site might be your best bet, which like the store is a Tumblr-esque mish mash of imagery, looking like a blog that happens to have shoppable links, rather than a slick e-commerce machine.
Of course with all this gushing, I have some proof to back up my words. I was fairly restrained though given that I was *ahem* being profesh and supposedly "reporting" rather than "shopping". Couldn't resist the stiffened nude satin mini-skort and matching jacket (both already gone from the site) along with the navy racerback vest or the green jacquard marble trousers.
All & Other Stories except for shoes and Body Editions burgandy body.
Unfortunately the final big dud ending to all of this is that & Other Stories is only shipping to certain countries in Europe and the physical stores are only in London, Denmark and Sweden right now with upcoming openings in Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam and Berlin soon. As Fashionista noted in their review, it's something for people to look forward to if they are ever on jaunts to Europe. For those that aren't? Erm… find a friend in Europe who can take parcels for you?