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8 large ready-made vanilla or chocolate cupcakes
1/3 cup raspberry jam
500ml vanilla ice cream, softened
4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
Cover a tray with foil. Cut each cupcake into three layers. Re-assemble cupcakes into piles, using jam and softened ice cream between each layer. Place onto foil covered tray. Hold in place with toothpicks if needed. Re-freeze for 2 hr 30 min (longer if you like).
Preheat oven to 220C (200C fan forced). Place egg whites into a bowl and beat with electric beaters until stiff peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, and beat until glossy.
Spread meringue over cakes. Bake for 2-3 min or until peaks of meringue are lightly browned. Serve immediately garnished with strawberries.


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You can now try and collect all 13 Doctor Who figurines from the Whos WHO Gacha. These small legoesque figures are inspired by all 12 incarnations thus far and the War Doctor. You can see true to size examples in the store standing on the TV Gacha Machine.
The Whos WHO Gacha can be played inworld at the mainstore : http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/De%20Newenham/237/230/69

subset: commoncrawl


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New leader sees Big 12 in power formation
Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby didn't come to his new job with any preconceptions.
Bowlsby, 60, was hired as the Big 12's fourth permanent commissioner in May. Before his arrival, the conference lost four charter members during the last two years and added two new schools as it prepares for the 2012 season.
Despite the upheaval, Bowlsby is bullish on the conference's growth opportunities.
The Express-News caught up with him recently to talk about his early thoughts about his new job and the conference's future:
You received a very warm welcome here in one of your first public appearances at TCU. How does it feel to be the Big 12's new commissioner?
It's always more fun to deliver good news than anything else. But yes, it's fun to be here, and I think TCU is a tremendous addition to the league and especially to have a member who's right here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It's exciting. You can feel the enthusiasm in the area.
How will TCU benefit the league?
I just think the run that they've had — they've been the second-most successful program in terms of wins over the last 10 years. It's really been a remarkable thing that coach (Gary) Patterson has done. It takes a lot of people with their hands on the oars to have that kind of success. But he's the guy leading the parade.
It's a great time, and they have tremendous momentum, and there's been great success. It's a great thing for the conference and TCU.
And how will West Virginia's arrival benefit the conference?
I think the cachet that West Virginia brings with their East Coast influence is significant. It's helped us get into media markets we otherwise probably wouldn't be getting into. And I think because of TCU's prominence in football the last few years, it's helped, too. They are a national brand at this point. And every indication is that it will continue.
Many observers had the Big 12 facing extinction after its losses in recent years. What does it symbolically mean bringing two new teams moving forward?
It's not the finish line but the starting line for us. We've got a lot of things moving forward. ... It's a day for celebration, but it's also a day to envision the future and think about what the Big 12 can be moving forward. Certainly the addition of TCU and West Virginia are a big part of our future. We're excited what the next years will hold for us. We really have some terrific opportunities in front of us.
How would you gauge the Big 12's strength moving into the 2012 season?
The league is very stable. We have signed our (television) grant of rights for 13 years, and we'll be putting together a new game with the SEC (the Champions Bowl) that will be terrific. And the BCS package and the national championship series is really coming together. We've made a lot of progress recently.
As you look specifically at the Big 12, what do you like?
The biggest positive for us, I think, is that we don't have a postseason playoff. I think not having a postseason playoff game will actually be an advantage for us with a four-team seeded playoff coming on line.
Reasonable people can disagree on that. But if you take two good teams in a postseason playoff, chances are you could come out of a playoff with one of them being damaged goods, and it could be your better team.
What are your thoughts on future Big 12 expansion?
I like our position now. I like the teams we have. I like the stability of the league. I think we need to be the hardest fraternity to get into. But if there is somebody out there that adds real value to the Big 12, we ought to also think about that.
What are your thoughts on the new college football tournament?
I think the seeded four-team playoff will be absolutely terrific. We're going to capture back New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. College football will be preeminent on those two days with six great football games. I'm very excited about what has happened with the BCS, which will be probably known as the national championship series going forward.


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Category: Stock Graphic, Illustrations
Stock Graphic >> Illustration - Rustic Mason Jar 22612 by burlapandlace @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 8.46 MB; DPI: 300 DPI; Vector: Yes.
? Hand draw Mason Jar Wedding Invitation clipart, Rustic Mason Jar Country Wedding Invitations with Flowers, wood grain background
- You will receive.
- 9 hand draw clip art high quality clip art 300 dpi 6" x 6" PNG transparent background files without watermarks
- 1 vector file (eps) with all clipart
- 1 grey background high quality digital paper 300 dpi 12" x 12" JPG files without watermarks
- Thank you for visiting my shop! ?
Keywords: clipart, wedding clipart, jar, country, shabby chic, flower, wedding, wood, flower clipart, invitation clipart, heart, love, ball, just married, bouchet, mason jar invitation, rustic mason jar, hand draw clipart, mason jar clipart, jar clipart.


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It's no secret that varying your routine keeps your body positively adapting and makes your workouts more interesting. But the question, of course, is how to do it. Do you have to dramatically switch movements or entire styles of training to see results?
I say you don't.
Creating variety in your training doesn't just mean constantly doing new exercises; it can also be about changing the way you do the exercises. As Steve Weatherford and I showed in the "True Muscle Trainer," you can certainly stick with the basic muscle-building exercises, but apply them in a variety of not-so-basic ways.
Making new gains from classic muscle-building exercises can be as simple as adding a strategic isometric pause at a certain part of the range of motion, incorporating an exaggerated eccentric portion to finish the set, or a mix of the two. This can be accomplished by performing four types of sets:
- Pause-go (PG) sets
- Go-pause (GP) sets
- Pause-go-eccentric (PGE) sets
- Go-pause-eccentric (GPE) sets
I've already written about the scientific benefits of isometrics and exaggerated eccentrics; I'm now providing you with a chest, shoulder, and triceps workout that will help you put these techniques to use to give yourself a new training challenge and spark new muscle gains.
You're about to see sets of staple chest, shoulder, and triceps exercises in a whole new light, all while getting a great workout that will give you an incredible pump.
Note: For even more detail, watch the director's cut of this video workout, with exercise demonstrations included, at the bottom of this article!
Technique Notes
Dumbbell chest press
Slowly lower the dumbbells outside your body until your elbows go just below your torso and you feel a slight stretch in your chest. Press the dumbbells back up without allowing your wrists to bend backward at any time. Keep your elbows directly under your wrists throughout.
Perform these PGE-style; pause at midrange for 8 seconds, perform approximately 8 reps, then stretch out the eccentric for 8 seconds on the final rep.
Supine band external rotation
Hold the ends of the band in your hands, with your upper arms on the floor and perpendicular to your torso and your elbows bent 90 degrees. Keeping your knees slightly bent and legs still, drive your hands toward the floor behind you while your upper arms remain flat on the floor. Maintain an elbow bend of 90 degrees throughout. Touch the floor with the back of your hand while keeping your wrists straight.
45-Degree cable chest fly
Stand just in front of a cable cross-over machine with the cables attached at shoulder level. Grab the cables and extend your arms out to your sides with a slight bend in the elbows. Bring your arms together in front of you while keeping a soft bend in your elbows, as if you were hugging a tree, until your palms touch in the center. Slowly reverse the motion until your arms are back out to your sides and your elbows are just behind your shoulders. If necessary, a slight forward torso lean is acceptable.
Perform these GP-style, do 8 or so normal reps, then pause with your palms touching for 8 seconds at the end.
Dumbbell rear-delt fly
While bent over with your back straight, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to your sides until they are parallel with the floor. Your arms should be at a 90-degree angle relative to your torso at the top of each repetition. Do not swing the dumbbells up. Pause for 1 second at the top of each repetition, and slowly lower the dumbbells in front of your torso.
Perform these PGE style; begin with an 8-second pause in the top position, then pause for 1 second at the top of each rep.
Dumbbell incline press
Slowly lower the dumbbells outside your body until your elbows reach just below your torso. Reverse the motion, and press the dumbbells back up. You can also perform the incline dumbbell bench press in an alternate-arm style by pressing one arm while the other arm remains straight. When performing the alternate-arm version, do not begin lowering one arm until the opposite arm (which just performed the press) is fully straight.
Dumbbell shoulder A
Stand with your torso roughly parallel to the floor with your knees bent 15-20 degrees and your back straight. Keeping a small bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to your sides, just outside your hips, pointing your thumbs toward the floor. Your arms should be at a 15-degree angle relative to your torso at the top of each repetition, thus forming an "A" shape with your torso. Pinch your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep. Pause for 1 second at the top of each repetition, then slowly lower the dumbbells in front of your torso.
45-degree dumbbell shoulder raise
With your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms out to the sides at roughly a 45-degree angle until the dumbbells reach just above your shoulders. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to your sides. At the bottom position, do not allow the dumbbells to rest against your hips; keep your hands just outside your hips to maintain some tension in your shoulders throughout.
Perform these PG-style; start with an 8-second pause, followed by 8-10 normal reps.
Rope triceps extension
Hold one side of the rope in each hand with your arms by your sides and your elbows at 90 degrees. With your knees slightly bent, straighten your elbows toward the sides of your body until your arms are straight and the bottoms of your hands touch your thighs. Don't allow your shoulders to round forward as you press the rope downward on each repetition. Keep your elbows by your sides throughout.
Perform these GPE style; do the reps first, then pause, then take 8 seconds on the final eccentric.
Parallel-bar dip
Lean your torso slightly forward as you bend at your elbows, and slowly lower yourself down until your elbows reach at or just below a 90-degree angle. Press yourself back up, keeping your elbows slightly bent at the top of each repetition.
If you don't have access to a dip station, you can make your own with a squat rack and two empty barbells, as I explained in my article "7 Gym Hacks You Need to Know". Set the safety pins a little higher than waist height, set up between the barbells, and start dipping. Don't worry about the barbells rolling when you perform the dips. They shouldn't move once you put your weight on them.


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Physics Games
King's Game is a physics-based projectile game in the vein of Crush the Castle. This time, you have your own castle to protect! Take turns with your enemy as you try to kill their guards with your royal cannon and they try to do the same to your guards. Extra points are given for hitting the enemy's structure, collecting gold, and killing birds.


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Saturday, February 19, 2011
Why Middle Grade and Middle School Are Not the Same Thing
Writers are often confused by the terms middle grade and middle school. This leads to uncertainty about age ranges and target audiences.
In the United States, middle school is the educational level in between elementary school (usually kindergarten through 5th) and high school (grades 9 through 12). Middle schools encompass grades 6, 7, and 8, with students between the ages of 11 and 14. Certainly, there is overlap. Younger middle schoolers may still be reading middle grade fiction. However, many of these preteens and young teens are rapidly moving into YA literature.
Middle grade refers to literature for children ages 8 - 12 (usually third through sixth grade). Why is it called that, writers often wonder, if it isn't intended solely for middle school students? Well, here's why: once upon a time, before the sixties and seventies when middle schools became common, elementary school was known as "grade school" or "grammar school", and included grades 1 - 8. Even today, many parochial and private grade schools go through the eighth grade. If you think of first and second grade as the "primary" grades, and seventh and eighth as "junior high", what's left? Yep, third through sixth. The "middle" grades--for children ages 8 - 12.
To make things more confusing, publishers and booksellers advertise books for the widest range of age levels possible, in the hopes of increasing sales. Thus, especially with longer books geared toward upper middle grade, you will see suggestions for "grades 5 - 9" or "grades 4 - 8". And, naturally, children do not all mature or develop reading skills at the same rate. Still, if you are communicating with agents and editors and want to appear to know what you're talking about, it's best to use the accepted definition in which "middle grade" targets readers ages 8 - 12.
Middle grade has often been called the golden age of children's literature. Children at this age have time to read--they're not yet caught up in the academic and social demands of the teen years. Middle graders have left picture books and early chapter books behind, and have jumped enthusiastically into the world of novels. They read widely and are interested in a variety of topics. Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders can handle challenging vocabulary and ideas. When it comes to novels, they look for humor, adventure, fantasy, mystery, and fast-paced action, as well as realistic stories about animals, families, and friendship. Good middle grade novels do not "talk down" to kids. They have complexity and depth, and are interesting to many adults as well as to children.
Do yourself a favor and check out a great middle grade novel today! Here are a few terrific ones I've read recently:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Seventh Level and The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
The Boy Who Howled by Timothy Power
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Spellbinder by Helen Stringer
Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell
If you've read (or written) a wonderful middle grade novel, please leave a comment.
Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com
11 comments:
- Timothy Power said...
I've bookmarked this post, Ruth. I actually had no idea why middle grade was called that. Now I do. Thanks! :)
- February 19, 2011 at 9:21 PM
- Jess said...
Thanks Ruth! And thanks for the list of MG with links--I hadn't read a few and now they're on hold at the library for me :)
Of course, The Boy Who Howled will be purchased shortly (*says hi to Tim*)
- February 20, 2011 at 8:07 AM
- Kelly Andrews said...
I liked this so much I linked to this on my blog:
- February 20, 2011 at 8:38 AM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Thanks for reading and commenting, Tim and Jess. I'm glad it was helpful.
Kelly, thanks for linking!
- February 20, 2011 at 8:53 AM
- gideon 86 said...
Hi Ruth,
I am on the final edit of a Middle Grade novel. It's called AMBER AND THE WHISPERING WILLOWS.
At first I thought it might be a bit too sophisticated for this age group, but after reading your post I feel much better about it. My novel touches upon all the key elements you had mentioned.
I've been editing for over a year and I feel kids can relate to it. Its a story about an eleven-year-old girl who is a hybrid elemental. She has the power to control the winds. Her favorite place on earth is an enchanted willow tree grove. Amber meets, butterflies, hummingbirds, a curious long-earned rabbit, who is much more that he seems, and is able to communicate to them.
Amber is befriended by Nina. Another amazing kid. She has the ability to create anything green (all types of foliage).
When Amber's beloved Willows is plagued by a killing disease, it's up to Amber, Nina, and Justin (Amber's cousin) to help the fairies help cure the Willows and send the evil fae that created the plague back to the fairy underworld.
What do you think? I would love to know your opinion on the premise.
This is also the first in a series... The other elements will follow. I have half of the second book written.
- February 20, 2011 at 10:37 AM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Your book sounds like a great fit for middle grade, Michael. I like the title. Good luck with your queries!
- February 20, 2011 at 12:20 PM
- Angelica R. Jackson said...
Great post, you cleared up some things for me. I found you through Operation Awesome.
- February 20, 2011 at 7:21 PM
- Kelly Hashway said...
I was looking for some great MG titles. Thanks! I taught 7th and 8th grade for seven years and I saw what you mentioned all the time. Some of my students were reading MG and others read YA. There's a big difference in maturity levels within the same classroom because this age level is so complex. There's a lot going on in their bodies and some just mature more quickly than others. I think this creates confusion between the MG/YA line, too.
- February 21, 2011 at 6:40 AM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Angelica, thanks for stopping by. I love Operation Awesome!
Kelly, that's so true that there's a big difference in maturity levels among kids that age. Toss in differing interests and differing amounts of parental control over what kids read, and things really get murky. Thanks for commenting!
- February 21, 2011 at 11:11 AM
- Anna Staniszewski said...
Next time I'm talking to someone who's confused about this distinction, I'm definitely going to send them to this post! I write mostly MG and just love it. Thanks for the list of MG books - there are a couple on there that I haven't read yet.
- February 21, 2011 at 5:56 PM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Thanks, Anna!
- February 21, 2011 at 7:58 PM


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Photo credit: Stuck in Customs (Flickr)
Apple's 2011 Worldwide Developvers Conference (WWDC) saw the launch of a great deal of features and enhancements to the software that drives Apple's product lines; however the one thing we didn't see was any new hardware revealed. Whilst we weren't expecting to see new Macs, MacBooks or other devices, historically we've seen new iPhones launched at the June WWDC event. Certainly, for the past six months the Internet has been awash with speculation about what specification the iPhone 5 will entail, something that will now continue to thrive until an assumed launch later this year, perhaps around September when the iPod Touch device is typically refreshed.
If you were holding out for that hardware upgrade then we're sorry – you're just going to have to wait that bit longer. Our advice though, is to capitalise on cheaper iPhone 4 hardware now and get in on the even number hardware refresh cycles. We say this because we've been less impressed with the odd number iPhones than the even ones. (We're assuming you're replacing your device every two years rather than annually. If annually, then we wish we had your cash!)
Are you disappointed the iPhone 5 wasn't launched yesterday? When do you think we'll see new hardware arrive?5, iOS, iPhone, iPod, touch, WWDC


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Shai Wosner: Impromptu
Lest anyone harbour reservations about Shai Wosner's gifts as an imaginative programmer, this CD should lay them to rest. Using Schubert's second set of Impromptus and three of Chopin's eponymous works as connective tissue, he has juxtaposed a series of pieces, ranging from Beethoven to Gershwin, resulting in a veritable feast of spontaneity.
Those familiar with Wosner's two previous CDs, devoted primarily to Schubert, will find in these D935 Impromptus the same heartfelt lyricism and ultra-refined pianism. In the F minor First, the opening material grows increasingly articulate, with gently lilting tremolo figurations floating beatifically above. The hand-crossing dialogue (2'43") is especially ardent in its longing. The eloquent A flat Second holds its cantabile aloft as if on a cloud. Yet, if one were to quibble in the face of such musical and pianistic wealth, Wosner's burnished, poised surfaces can obscure a more robust, masculine Schubert, a man subject to mercurial passions who never strays far from the vital roots of Austrian folk music. One could wish that passages evoking yodelling were earthier, repetitive rhythmic figures in the Rosamunde variations more rambunctious, or the flight from the Furies in the final F minor Impromptu more driven.
This abundance of finesse suits the Chopin Impromptus admirably, revealing something akin to epiphanic joy. In Op 29, melancholy mitigates higher spirits naturally and seamlessly. Op 36 exudes morning freshness with gentle sweetness, all the more vivid for the Trio's ecstatic heroism. The whole emerges with a psychological cohesion rarely encountered in this piece.
Of the other pieces – dreamy Liszt, searchingly expressive Ives, smart Gershwin and Dvořák's gentle disquietude – the Beethoven Fantasy warrants special mention. Wosner vividly suggests the white-hot inspiration that we know from historical accounts to have been a quality of Beethoven's improvisations. This reading couldn't sound more original or spontaneous had it been created on the spot.
All is faithfully captured by producer and engineer Simon Kiln. Wosner's abandonment of the still prevalent lexigraphic programming practices of so many classical recordings is laudable. It demonstrates that, along with fresh perspectives, unusual juxtapositions, effected with intelligence and taste, may yield a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Don't miss this satisfying listen!


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A Londonderry woman is celebrating a decade as a leading player in the Northern Ireland film industry with a number of key announcements.
Siobhan Allan is the co-founder and finance director with Extras NI - the province's first and largest extras agency.
The company has over 17,000 registered extras, aged from 2 to 90, and from all walks of life, on its books.
It has provided thousands of background artists to support productions such as BBC's The Fall and HBO's Game of Thrones.
Following a rebranding exercise, Extras NI officially relaunched yesterday (Tuesday) as The Extras Dept and it marked the milestone by hosting a major blood drive with Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and over 200 extras in Belfast.
Siobhan explained: "The Extras Dept. has been involved in providing extras and stand-ins for film and television productions for over 10 years and we wanted to give something back.
"So, to symbolise all the blood, sweat and tears that have not only gone into the last ten years of building the company, but also to rebalance all the blood that has been spilled in the countless film and television programmes that we have provided extras for, we decided to partner with Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service to host a blood drive at the iconic filming location, Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast."
The Extras Dept. has just celebrated a record-breaking year thanks to its work in 2016 with nine major productions as well as a number of commercials and smaller productions.
The number of days worked by the company's extras has increased by 55% in just two years. Last year there were 3,900 individual extras working on productions shooting in Northern Ireland, culminating in a total of 20,167 days worked. This represents an increase of 7,149 days since 2014. The extras earned around £1.9million in 2016, the equivalent of 80 people being employed full time on an annual basis.
This year will see The Extras Dept introducing a new Dublin office with film production clients increasingly asking for help with filling their extras roles in the Republic of Ireland.


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If you have a young bulldog, you know how important it is to keep an eye on what he eats, especially if you are trying to maintain his weight or help him grow up strong and resistant to arthritisContinue reading
Bulldogs are known for being muscular dogs. Their muscles only add to the overall aggressive look of the dog, despite the fact that they are lovable creatures with a generally sweet temperament. With thatContinue reading
For many dog owners, our dogs are like our children. We want to give them the best of everything that we can, but we also want to give them things that express their personality. With a bulldog, you haveContinue reading


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In my occupation as window cleaner, owner-operator of Clear Choice Window Cleaning of Carlsbad, I have come across many dirty window frames and window tracks. Vacuuming window tracks is part of my customary window cleaning service, and so is wiping down window frames when needed. In addition to cleaning window frames I also vacuum and wipe down window sills, and when it is necessary I will brush around the vertical and overhanging surfaces of a window's recess to remove spider webs and dust.
Vinyl window frames are easiest to clean and respond well to soap and water. I use a clean sponge to wipe them down and a clean lint free rag to dry them. Near the coast of San Diego's North County, the moist air and ambient sunlight provide the ideal conditions to support the growth of black mold. Water vapor that collects on window surfaces runs down to pool at the bottom of window tracts. The access to water and ambient sunlight found directly near a window provide the perfect petri dish for this insidious pest. I have found that the best way to clean out tracks, where this mold is growing, is to spray on them a liberal amount of denatured rubbing alcohol. A vinyl surface will clean up nicely with alcohol and the alcohol will kill the mold. After I have cleaned a tract that was black with mold I like to spray it again with denatured alcohol and let it pool there and run into the cracks and corners of the frame. This will ensure that any mold that I was unable to remove will die. This kind of deep cleaning is a special service performed only upon specific request.
When you have cleaned windows professionally for as long as I have you will come across every kind of debris that collects on and around windows. I had a customer request that I remove the window tracks and clean underneath them, as the mold that collected in them was so prevalent. After inspecting her windows I declined the job as it would require removing some of her windows and taking apart some of her window frames. The job was above my pay-grade and skill set. Up to this point I am not a window installation service, only a cleaning service. The job in question required a marriage of these two trades. I am happy to recommend a window instillation service and have found a small business that I can trust to recommend.


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Subscribe To Lord Of The Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood Release Date Revealed, Pre-Launch Offers Detailed Updates
I've already subscribed
Today Turbine disclosed the release date for Lord of the Rings Online expansion Siege of Mirkwood. Though it was announced only a few weeks ago, it will arrive by the end of the year.
Mirkwood will go live on December 1st. To stir up some extra sales, Turbine is offering the following pre-launch deals to gamers:


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Preservation panel blocks Star Tribune building demolition
The Strib's Eric Roper says the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission has turned back a staff recommendation to approve tearing down the newspaper's Portland Avenue offices to make room for a new $400 million multi-use development near the new Vikings stadium.
The 10-member panel, which includes former Star Tribune staff writer and architecture critic Linda Mack, turned down the application for "Demolition of a Historic Resource" by the Ryan Companies, the developer that's planning to buy the newspaper's property December 27th and tear down the buildings to make way for its Downtown East project.
Ryan Cos. development director Bob Parr told the paper that the Star Tribune building stands in the way of the mega development.: "Without it, Ryan will not go forward," Parr told the Strib.
The paper's publisher Michael Klingensmith and its editorial pages have praised the plan to demolish the building and redevelop the four core blocks just west of the new Vikings stadium.
Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal's Sam Black reported yesterday that the Strib is near a deal to move into the Capella Tower, the state's second-tallest building. Black says the paper is likely to move into space in the "low teens" floors of the building, with some kind of retail presence on the ground. He says the paper is eyeing a move late next year.
It isn't clear what the next step for the Strib's present building will be with the Heritage Preservation Commission. The HPC's process includes the right to appeal the commission's decisions to the full City Council, and to submit the dispute to "subsequent judicial review." Any affected party can appeal, but the formal appeal application has to be filed within 10 days.
But it isn't the first setback for the Ryan plan, either. The company had proposed closing Portland Avenue in front of the paper to make the blocks between 4th and 5th streets contiguous for park land. But opposition from Hennepin County forced Ryan to drop that plan last month.


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Description:This is a movie i made of a the Star Trek Elite Force 2 modification made by Chrissstrahl.
Plot:Movie of a fantastic Star Trek Elite Force 2 modification made by Chrissstrahl.
Normally the game is just a first person shooter with out any vehicles of any kind so Chrissstrahl did what many thought was impossible, that's actually creating a Star Trek shuttle that can really fly and can be piloted by a player.
And that's not all, the shuttle also have shields that works on every side separate with damage indicators on the inside panels, shuttle doors that can open and close, has its own transporter that can transport the player anywhere on the map and finally the warp engines can be destroyed after you disabled one of the shields.
Star Trek Elete Force 2 is not yet at his end!


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Monday, April 22, 2:00-3:00 pm
Williams Building 454
Altmetrics and Digital Impact
A conversation with Micah Vandegrift, Scholarly Communications Librarian, FSU
How do we measure the quality and impact of our scholarly output? And how might that be changing in our networked environments for scholarly communication? The value of scholarly production gets measured on a shifting field of evaluation, varying by discipline and institution. Traditionally, whereas the humanities rely heavily upon reputation of publishing outlets, the sciences privilege a journal's "impact factor." But the social web and the open sharing of scholarship online demand a different yardstick. Enter "altmetrics" (a term first proposed in a tweet): the study of how a work of scholarship has the potential to count, and be counted, in new and emerging ways. Altmetrics takes a different approach than bibliometrics, the traditional information science of measuring citations. Instead, altmetrics proposes that the sum of impact is greater than the sum of citations. How can online impact be assessed? How do altmetrics relate to existing disciplinary systems of scholarly value? Our discussion will survey this emerging domain and experiment with some of the tools for measuring impact online.
Attendees are encouraged to review the following in advance:
- http://altmetrics.org/manifesto/
- From Bibliometrics to Altmetrics: A changing scholarly landscape
- Wired: New Ways to Measure Science
- Altmetrics and Open Access: a measure of public interest
And potentially to experiment or play with these tools:
Micah recommends you also sign up for:
Micah Vandegrift is FSU's first Scholarly Communication Librarian. In that capacity, he oversees the open access repository DigiNole Commons and conducts research and outreach to assist the campus in moving toward a future of digitally-engaged scholarship. Micah is a three-time FSU alum, one of Library Journal's 2013 Movers and Shakers, and the reigning Mr. Tattooed Tallahassee.


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Jamie Kay
Jamie Kay Cotton Essentials Henley Top - Fig
Perfect basics for the mini in your life...
Cotton Essentials Henley Top. The newest children's range from Jamie Kay created from a beautifully soft cotton modal fabric blend. This gorgeous range is a slim fit.
Composition: 50% Cotton, 50% Modal
Shop our full range from Jamie Kay here.
All items are true to size based on an average sized child. If your child is 60% and above on the growth charts please size up.


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Joe Kapp and the Minnesota Vikings 1969 season are highlighted in this video profile.
Throwback Thursday: Colts Vs. Vikings, 1969 Regular Season Highlights
The 1969 Minnesota Vikings demolish the Baltimore Colts at Met Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, during this regular season game.
Throwback Thursday: Vikings Vs. Bears, 1977
The Chicago Bears hosted the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, during the 1977 season.
Throwback Thursday: Vikings Vs. 49ers, 1970
The Vikings hosted the 49ers at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN for the privilege of playing the Dallas Cowboys for the 1970 NFC Championship Game.
Throwback Thursday: Vikings Vs. Bears, 1971
The Minnesota Vikings hosted the Chicago Bears at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota during the second game of the 1971 season.


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Thursday, 5 April 2012
Shortest blog ever...
17 comments:
Great man gift idea! So glad it has been bum tested too! Great tute - well done! JxoReplyDelete
Great pattern! RE Judiths comment... WTF is bum testing?!ReplyDelete
Yay! Too much already!ReplyDelete
It's a great tutorial - well done!ReplyDelete
Now really, if you'd been properly thinking about it, you could have just made the post a haiku, THAT would have been short ;o)ReplyDelete
excellent tutorial... it makes me want a hera marker soo soo bad... might have to make a run to joanns!ReplyDelete
Shortest comment ever:ReplyDelete
miss you here.
OK - I'm on my way over to Sarah's to take a peek :)
Going over to take a peek.ReplyDelete
Well done you. Hope I manage half as well on my tute!ReplyDelete
Hahaha too funny! Loved the tutorial! =DReplyDelete
Marvellous tutorial. It might be just what I need for all the cards that won't fit in my regular purse...ReplyDelete
Lovely tutorial!ReplyDelete
Great job , my sleepy friend! I need a project for the old ladies' group I teach quilting to . The LOVE all these great things. Thank for a wonderful tute!ReplyDelete
I am impressed, lady! that's so cool! xReplyDelete


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I am a wife to Brett, mother of six, and daughter to the Most High. I currently reside in Nashville, TN, but have lived all over the U.S. and was born and raised in a small town in Utah. Over the past ten years, I have lived a wild and adventuresome life as the wife of a NFL player, a stay-at-home mom, and now youth pastor. I am a passionate pursuer of the promise Jesus gives each of us for an Abundant Life (John 10.10). This blog is where I share my insanely vulnerable, messy, and beautiful journey of discovering more of what He has for me and hope to inspire, challenge, and encourage others in the process.
One thought on "About"
Marlie Zelaya says:
Shailey, I want to thank you for your amazing posts, they have touched me deeply! Its amazing to see how much your family has grown I am saddened at the heartache your family has had to deal with as well. You are an extraordinary woman and mother Shailey! Thank you for sharing your life and experiences with us all.
Much love Marlie


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- Description
Boss Bottled Night Pour Homme. Boss Fragrance for Men.
Boss Bottled Night Pour Homme Eau de Toilette is the New Men's Fragrance from Boss.
Men's Fragrance from Boss: Boss Bottled Night Eau de Toilette. The scent has been designed to infuse him with the confidence that will make him feel irresistible at night.
Boss Bottled Night is a men's fragrance that is purposeful, edgy, and masculine. It imbues the wearer with a personal magnetism that attracts others.
- Additional Information
Where we deliver
We deliver all over the UK and Ireland.
Delivery rates
Orders less than £50 in value:
- If you're in the UK (including Northern Ireland) economy delivery is just £2.99. If you require a faster delivery service, our standard (approximately 2 working days) service is £4.99. We offer an express service which is priced at £8.99.
Orders more than £50 in value:
- If you're in the UK our economy service is free. If you require a faster delivery service, our standard (approximately 2 working days) service is £1.99. We offer an express service which is priced at £3.99.
Delivery to the Republic of Ireland starts at £5.99, with free delivery available when your order is to the value of £50 or greater.
Free Delivery
All orders to the value of £50.00 or greater will receive free economy delivery.
Next Day Delivery
Orders placed on a Next Working Day basis are delivered by Royal Mail (using their Special Delivery service), or by courier. Please see our Delivery Information page for further details. Our Next Working Day Delivery service is only applicable to orders placed before noon, and excludes delivery at weekends, and on a public/bank holiday.
Dangerous Goods
Please note that due to the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations, we can post a maximum of:
- 2 aerosols per order;
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Orders placed containing quantities exceeding this cannot be processed in full. Please see our Delivery Information page (Dangerous Goods section) for further details.
- Reviews


text: Nothing like a relaxing day on a boat but the day starts with trying to make sure that you have everything to take on a boat. It can be so frustrating when you're going to cook lunch to discover that you had no propane in the tank that runs the cooker. Luckily there's a store close to one of the islands that carries the tanks. They save the day.


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"First Lady" Kristy Pike, Dr. Sharon Richens and Jodi Bracken will add their "notes of hope" to the AAUW St. George Scholarship Gala's "Night of Inspiration" Nov. 5 at the Abbey Inn on Bluff Street.
They join Pat Jones, a member of the Utah Board of Regents, successful businesswoman and a Utah legislator for 14 years, who will emphasize the importance of women earning leadership roles. She will be introduced by DSU President Richard "Biff" Williams.
"FloSt" Pike brings humor, energy and investment in her roles as mother, businesswoman, proactive community service and undiscovered poet to the stage. She will be introduced by her husband, St. George Mayor Jon Pike.
Dr. Richens has earned an enviable professional reputation in her ophthalmic medical specialty as well as local recognition for her active community involvement since opening her practice here in 2001.
Jodi Bracken, single mother and student at DSU, will represent this year's 34 recipients in the unusual AAUW scholarship program now in its 36th year.
The program emphasizes "character and determination as much as academics and need," according to Lysa McCarroll, president of the St. George AAUW branch, largest in the state. "We can't underwrite a complete post-high school education but we try to tell young girls, or women who had their education interrupted, that we believe they can do it and we will stick with them as best we can as long as they stick with it. The rewards are there for those who do and for their family and community."
The Gala offers dinner, entertainment and open and silent auctions. Co-sponsors include: Jones Waldo, The Spectrum, Red Mountain Spa, Red Stone Olive Oil Company, The Travel Connection and Town & Country Bank. All proceeds go to the scholarship fund.
Tickets are $75 and are available only at aauw-stgeorge.org/gala. Seating is limited and reservations must be made by October 31.


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I should know, I live here. Luckily that's what Pete Ashton thinks so, after creating the new blog site Digbeth Is Good, he decided to let me blog on it. Which is what I've been doing for the past week or so, and having lots of fun with it. It's basically a blog about arts, culture and life in general in sunny Digbeth. I'll be covering the myriad of arty stuff going on around here and possibly slipping in the more bizarre aspects of Irish Quarter life when I think I can get away with it.
I'll carry on posting things about beyond the Digbeth borders here on The Getgood Guide (probably mostly rants that would better off staying inside my head), but from now on posts concerned with my stomping ground will be on Digbeth Is Good. Hope you enjoy it!


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The Empire Plan is a unique health insurance plan designed especially for public employees in New York State. Empire Plan benefits include inpatient and outpatient hospital coverage, medical/surgical coverage, Centers of Excellence for transplants, infertility and cancer, home care services, equipment and supplies, mental health and substance abuse coverage and prescription drug coverage.
Acting Commissioner
TO: Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: January 2018 At A Glance
DATE: December 8, 2017
We are pleased to announce the publication of the January 2018 At A Glance. The At A Glance is a summary guide to Empire Plan benefits. Encourage employees to use this guide together with their Empire Plan Certificate, Certificate Amendments and Empire Plan Reports.
The 2018 Empire Plan Flexible Formulary Drug List is included with the At A Glance that will be mailed to enrollee homes (Excelsior Plan enrollees will receive the 2018 Excelsior Plan Drug List). The 2018 Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage Chart, a summary of current federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) coverage requirements, is included for all groups. Inserts containing information on Out-of-Network Reimbursement Disclosures related to the Emergency Medical Services and Surprise Bills law and a required Nondiscrimination Notice are also enclosed in the version mailed to enrollees.
We will mail the At A Glance to enrollee homes in early December. The file for this mailing was pulled from NYBEAS on December 4, so any enrollee not on NYBEAS as of this date should be provided with a copy. We will send a supply equal to 1% of your agency enrollment to you for new employees or retirees. See below for specific ordering information.
We will send a separate shipment of the Preventive Care Coverage Chart, Empire Plan Flexible Formulary Drug List or Excelsior Formulary Drug List, and Out-of-Network Reimbursements Disclosures in one shipment to agencies. Note: The Nondiscrimination Notice will not be shipped to agencies, nor will it be available to order.
Publications Available on Our Website: www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
Please check our website for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. Publications are available under Using Your Benefits.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of the At A Glance and the other At A Glance inserts on HBA Online under Publications & Forms. This publication is included in the Quick Order packages, which are only available to order on HBA Online. (They can be mailed directly to the enrollee's home.) Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new publications before you place an order.
If you need help accessing HBA Online, contact the ITS Service Desk at 844-891-1786, email@example.com or via chat at https://chat.its.ny.gov. If you are unsure of how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.


text: According to The American Lung Association, COPD, also known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the third leading cause of death in the United States.Community acquired pneumonia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Three million patients each year develop this condition which has an overall mortality rate of approximately 10 %. The good news is that many Pulmonary Disorders are often preventable and treatable. Our goal is to proactively manage your condition at home and recue unwanted re hospitalizations. We will provide special tools to assist in the success of the program, including educational materials and assistance with specialized equipment needs as necessary. Pulmonary rehabilitation education will include lung disease education, medication, oxygen usage and breathing retraining. Program Goals Manage respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, fatigue), educate on breathing techniques Reduce the need for Emergency Room visits Increase the ability to perform activities of daily living Assessment and instruction to patient and caregivers of symptom management, diagnosis related topics, diet and lifestyle changes Program Objectives Coordinated effort and establishment of working communication between involved parties including Hospital, practitioner, skilled nursing facility and all disciplines of home health. Consistent education for patients and families using shared materials and key learning components including management of medications, diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices. In home Tele Health monitoring of vitals 24/7 Knowledgeable staff with enhanced education and training Post discharge follow up


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Lindsey – Top model Lindsey Wixson posed for the Sunday Times Style's December 16th edition in a variety of seasonal knits and holiday dresses. Photographed by Eric Guillemain (2b Management), Lindsey proves you can look sultry and sophisticated in any type of weather. / Hair by Leonardo Manetti
Lindsey Wixson Keeps it Natural for Sunday Times Style December 2012 by Eric Guillemain
Published on


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Swamp Patch
Free Quilt Block Pattern
The Swamp Patch quilt block is made with exactly the same patches as the Swamp Angel quilt block. The only difference is that an additional colour has been added to this block. See if you can spot the difference.
Both of the sample quilts shown here have the individual quilt blocks laid out on point, but with very different results. There is no end to the interesting variations you can create in your own quilt, with fabric choices and different ways to set the blocks.
Similiar Blocks:
~ Evening Star
~ Lily Star
~ Ohio Star
~ Ornate Star


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Real Language in action
The TV series Friendslasted 10 seasons from September 1994 to May 2004. These days, it's still popular, with a new generation of fans watching the series online. In this clip from the 10th season, the gang (Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica) have just returned from a trip to Barbados. Rachel has brought her daughter Emma to Ross's apartment. Rachel needs to talk to Ross, but she's interrupted by an unexpected disaster.


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6 scary reasons your eyes could be acting weird
1. High cholesterol
"Someone with high cholesterol can have transient vision loss that comes and goes, like a curtain or shade coming and going over their eye," says Herrmann. This is a sign your carotid artery is plugged with plaque and struggling to get blood to your eye. You may also have eye pain, notice a grey ring around your cornea (called an arcus senilis), or have trouble adjusting to bright light. In some cases, yellowish cholesterol deposits called xanthelasma can show up on your eyelids or in the corners of your eye socket.
2. Thyroid problems
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ in your neck, and it controls certain hormones that help control your growth and metabolism. If your thyroid isn't functioning properly it can lead to a host of problems, which sometimes includes swollen eye muscles and congested eye sockets that cause your eyes to bulge out and look bigger than usual, says Herrmann. You might also have double vision.
Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects your thyroid, can make your eyelids retract, which can also make your eyes look bigger than usual. If your eyelids retract enough that you can't close your eye, you may develop dry eye, since your lids can't keep moisture in.
Regular eye exams are a good idea for anyone, but it's a must if you have diabetes or are at high risk for the disease. "Diabetes can make the macula—the part of the retina that controls your central vision—swell or retain fluid or fluid," says Herrmann……..
Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/1321626/6-scary-reasons-eyes-acting-weird/
Source: The Tribune


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- Tavern Trpeza
- Catovica Mlini
- Verige 65 Restaurant & Bar
- Caffe Pizzeria Djardin
- Restaurant MOST
- Regent Porto Montenegro Restaurants
- Ambient
- Konoba Scala Santa
Best Restaurants in Montenegro
Montenegro · 8 Items · Andela Lazarevic
Handpicked by a Montenegro Local Expert, we bring you our guide to 'Best Restaurants in Montenegro'.
Montenegro, as one of the smallest and newest destinations on the Mediterranean, offers various range of restaurants all around the country. The most popular European and international cuisines can be found here, as well as the many Mediterranean, Adriatic and seafood restaurants, serving delicious specialities. Traditional food is also very popular amongst tourists, so you should taste some Balkan meals and rate those yourself.
With a touch of French and Italian influence, the four star Ambient Restaurant has added a touch of class to the centre of Tivat. The sophisticated modern design of its interior is reflected well into its fine menu. A great choice for socialising, business meetings or a romantic dinner, Ambient is a great choice for nearly every occasion. A very tentative group of staff will look after your eve More info
Listed as the oldest restaurant in Kotor, that opened in 1931 for the first time, and oozing with character, charm and authentic wooden beams which keep the building standing upright. Located in a quiet corner of Old Town in Kotor inclusive of a roomy terrace makes the Scala Santa a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Traditional fish and an array of seafood are on the menu he More info
Missing an item? Make a suggestion for this guide!Make A Suggestion
Other Guides from Montenegro Local Experts
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I have been thinking about my Tyvek tent designs again: I believe I can now make an approx 6 foot high, zero condensation 'fire' tent for 2-4 people which will weigh under one kilo including floor and zipperless mosquito netting and which will set up against a tree or with the aid of a hiking pole/stick. Similarly I think I can make a one person design (with about 1.5 mtre head height) at about 500 grams. It will be a few days before I have time to cut them out and make them as I have other projects.
The beauty of Tyvek is: it is (relatively) fire/spark resistant (800C); it can be joined/repaired with tape; it is waterproof and breathable; it comes in 3 metre roll widths; it can withstand 160 km winds; it is cheap (30 metre roll at $180; ie 4-5 tents per roll); it does not drape; it weighs 1.7 oz/ sq yd (50gsm); it is white and has an R-rating so reflects and retains heat well – so wonderful for a winter fire heated tent. To my mind, a tent where you cannot stand/sit out of the rain whilst being warmed by a fire is pointless.
Am also working on a sub 100 gram fire heated electric generator for charging batteries or electronic gear such as eBook readers/music players. I have no interest in making money out of these tents so will probably post the completed designs for interested folks in future. You do not need to be able to sew to make a Tyvek tent as it does not fray, can be joined with tape and works well with tarp holder tie-outs.
See also:


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NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 civilians in Afghanistan left for war without paying a $1.5 million judgment for defrauding an elderly client in a stock scheme, and remains shielded from the obligation as long as he remains in the military, legal experts said.
Before beginning his military career in November, 2001, Robert Bales worked almost five-and-a-half years at a series of largely intertwined brokerages that received repeated regulatory censures, according to regulatory records.
Bales joined the Army 18 months after an Ohio investor filed an arbitration complaint alleging unauthorized trading, breach of contract and other abuses against him, his securities firm and the firm's owner. In 2003, the arbitration panel ordered them to pay the investor $1.2 million, including $637,000 in punitive damages for willful or malicious conduct and $216,500 in attorneys' fees.
Bales never appeared before the panel and did not hire a lawyer to represent him.
Earle Frost, a lawyer for the victim, Gary Liebschner, said his client never received any of the payment ordered by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) panel.
He said Liebschner could have taken Bales to court to enforce the award, but "we couldn't find him."
By that time, Bales had embarked on an Army career that included three tours of duty in Iraq and a fourth in Afghanistan.
Even if Bales's victim had pressed the claim, Bales had protection under laws that shield members of the military from some financial obligations.
Any active-duty member of the military can apply for relief from outstanding financial obligations as long as he or she makes less in the service than before, said John Odom, a retired Air Force colonel and a partner at the law firm of Jones & Odom in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Bales, a staff sergeant, is expected to be charged this week in the March 11 killings of nine children and seven other civilians, who were gunned down in a late-night rampage.
His financial troubles add to the complex portrait of the man accused of the massacre.
His lawyer, John Henry Browne, did not respond to a request for comment on the NASD arbitration ruling. He has said Bales joined the army to defend the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
His service in Afghanistan was complicated by mounting financial pressures back home, his lawyer has acknowledged. His home in Washington state had been listed for sale shortly before the alleged massacre.
Bales began his financial industry career in 1996 at Hamilton-Shea Group, a brokerage in Florida that was expelled from NASD in 2001 and fined $1.4 million over several issues, according to records from NASD and its successor organization, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Hamilton-Shea was "the kind of place where you learn to cold call, to 'pump and dump,'" said Joseph Dehner, a lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio, who specializes in cases involving rogue brokers and firms.
Pump and dump refers to a practice in which firms artificially raise the prices of stocks they hold by aggressively selling shares to clients and then selling their own shares.
At least three Hamilton-Shea brokers who worked briefly with Bales pleaded guilty to violations of securities law after he left Florida to work in Ohio at Quantum Capital Corp., according to records from FINRA. Quantum also owned Hamilton-Shea.
Bales left Quantum in early 1998 to join Michael Patterson Inc., or MPI, whose eponymous owner had worked with him at both Hamilton-Shea and Quantum. Bales remained there until late 1999, then worked for two other Ohio brokerages until December 2000.
Patterson, whose firm was shuttered one month after Bales joined the Army, could not be reached for comment.
Neither FINRA nor the Ohio Divison of Securities ever suspended Bales, who simply let his securities license lapse, according to regulators. If an arbitration award is not paid within 30 days, FINRA can suspend a broker and would not allow him or her to join another firm during the suspension.
(Reporting By Nick Carey, Jed Horowitz and Peter Henderson.; Editing by Marilyn W. Thompson, David Brunnstrom and Paul Simao)
The story was refiled to add missing first name of soldier in paragraph two


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As we say goodbye to the unpredictable chaos of the 2016 Yang Fire Monkey, we move into the somewhat calmer, more steadfast year of the Yin Fire Rooster. Yin fire energy encourages us to cultivate warmth and insight. It is time to nourish the relationships and inter-personal bonds of those closest to us, our family and loved ones. But beware on a larger scale, in five-element relationships fire melts and reshapes metal so this year could see the structures of long-standing institutions and governments come under fire, becoming vulnerable to destabilization.
People born in rooster years are known for being trustworthy and loyal, responsible and disciplined workers, brave and committed individuals who value order and planning. To harness the energy of the rooster year, it is best to set clear intentions for the year ahead, to cultivate patience, and focus on practical, pragmatic solutions to problems encountered. The 2017 rooster year is not the time for spontaneous decisions and throwing caution to the wind – continue to work hard and stay the course. Focus on doing less but doing it well, paying attention to detail, and creating a positive, lasting impression.
Wishing you, your family and friends happiness, abundance and health in 2017!


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The best way to create job security is to be able to successfully do everyone's job around you, even the job of your superiors. Although this "I can do it all" mentality might seem like a threat to other colleagues in the workplace, when it comes to satisfying the needs of customers it is the best type of attitude you can possibly have!
No customer wants to be told, "hold on a minute" or "let me find the right person for you". Once, while checking-in to a premier business hotel in NYC I was kept waiting in a dirty hotel room for 15 minutes until the front desk agent's manager became available to find me a suitable replacement.
On the flip side I've had numerous first hand experiences over the last year where I've been impressed with the way various front line employees were able to proactively, efficiently and enthusiastically serve my needs, although the task or request wasn't fully within their scope of work.
Allow me to provide a few examples:
1) A front desk agent at the Four Seasons in Hong Kong helped me with a coveted dinner reservation at their restaurant, the world's first Chinese restaurant to receive a Michelin three-star rating. I hadn't realized I was at the wrong desk and rather than ushering me over to the concierge desk (which had a long line) this associate was able to promptly secure my requested reservation.
2) Also in the absence of a concierge, who was away from the desk on a breakfast break, a front desk agent at the Hotel Palomar in San Diego was able to secure a rental car for me, proactively provide point-to-point directions to my destination, along with a brunch recommendation upon my arrival.
3) A food runner at a Top Chef finalist's restaurant provided me with a dessert recommendation and a detailed description when prompted before my server returned to the table to take my order.
4) A valet attendant, in the absence of a doorman, jumped to attention and graciously opened the front door for me when I returned from dinner.
Rather than being quick to say "that's not my job" these employees were empowered to serve and were able to create a memorable experience as a result. Recognize and reward these employees now and often.
Please click here for a list of nine other things really amazing employees do.
Are your employees doing amazing things? If not, please contact me for a complimentary service evaluation.


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Tabster darts holder inventor joins forces with A180 Darts
Mitchell has been creating these for a while now and Karl, The A180 Director hopes to break this unique design into the darts market.
A180 Darts will be selling this unique darts holder for the special price.
Completly new and unique this is a wooden dart holder completly hand crafted from start to finish and varnished for lasting durability.the tabster international point holder allows you to leave your darts fully set up or will easilly fit inside a dart case depending on size of case. why not put it in your top pocket fully assembled during competition play as these are as used by many top pros whio have requested them after seeing them such as gary anderson, alan tabern, dennis priestley, peter manley, terry jenkins, stephen bunting just to name a few. can be made in any country flags you require can even have your name on the side instead of the country name its up to you. the back will be striped in the colours of your natuionality except for japan as this is a picture of the japanese flag with a sillouette of the country.these are also suitable for soft tip darts (only with long soft tip points 35mm approx)


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St. Catherine Primary school's Ushindi Boys Club members convened at one of the classes in the school to take part in the club elections held on Tuesday 23rd May 2017 to elect new club officials. The excited boys listened as each candidate was given a platform to explain why they were fit for their roles. The elections were organized and presided over by Sadili Staff including Kevin Ayuko, Eddy Amos, Hassan Noor and Brighton Savayi.
The following pupils were voted in as the new leaders:
Chairperson: Jonathan Omondi
Vice Chairperson: Modi Kassim
Secretary: Arnold Omondi
Treasurer: Dennis Otieno
Business Manager: Derrick Ndege
Marketing Manager: Bill Kiprotich
Sports Manager: Wilfred Ochieng
Captain: Brian Omondi
Like all effective teams, each leader of the club has been assigned specific responsibilities and tasks for which they are accountable.
"Through your election, your peers have recognized your leadership skills and potential to manage the club effectively. Your term in office will offer many opportunities to learn new skills, enhance the experience of others and grow as a leader. By taking advantage of the many opportunities to learn and grow, your term can have personal and professional development benefits that will last a lifetime," said Kevin Ayuko as he addressed the newly elected leaders.
Kevin, Brighton, Hassan and Amos further congratulated the newly elected officer bearers of the Club and wished them best of luck for the coming year.
St. Catherine Primary School is located in Nairobi's Kibera Slums, an area where young people face numerous challenges as they transit from adolescence into adulthood.
Founded by Dr. Liz Odera, the Ushindi Boys Club is a program in which boys aged between 11 and 17 (Std 6 and Form 2) gain entry and are expected to become graduating leaders. The program primarily focuses on Boys in school. The project uses sports, mainly athletics, basketball and tennis, to the address various issues affecting young boys.


text: Our company is committed to providing our customers with the highest quality elevator parts &Traffic facilities in a timely, most professional manner. Our main products include rope fastenings, rail clips, rope clips, guide shoes, push button switches, buffers, Warning Column, Guardrail, Rectangular Barrier, Steel tube car stop, etc. We can develop mold according to customer demand. With strict QC systems, complete production and inspection equipment. Our products are favored by customers due to high quality, customer is our biggest assets, We commi... [Details]


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The old adage about not believing everything you read goes double for comments placed on blogs. Today's example: An item attributed to "Buster," which popped up on a piece entitled, "Denver Post Chairman and MediaNews Group CEO Dean Singleton Responds to This Week's Message Column." It reads:
Every time Mikey writes about the Rocky, he amazingly neglects to disclose an elephant-sized conflict of interest. It's only natural that when more than half of one's household income comes from or came from the RMN, one's bias comes through loud and clear.
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Presumably, Buster is suggesting that I'm prejudiced in the Rocky's favor because my wife was once on the tabloid's staff -- which would be a good point if it was true. In fact, my wife is a principal at a school in the Archdiocese of Denver system, as I've written a number of times in this space, including in an August 2008 blog about our attempt to get tickets to see Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. On the plus side, though, she had an elephant-sized laugh when I told her about the rumor. Thanks, Buster.


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Startups from DisruptSF - Penxy
by Vassil Mladjov | September 13, 2013
Penxy, was one of the Russian startups from Skolkovo Foundation that impressed me with their great app and services the first day.
Knowing Russian also helped to with the many...
Remembering a Lesson Learned the Hard Way
by Hank Barnes | May 28, 2013
Today, I attended the funeral for Rashid Khan, my former boss at Ultimus. Rashid passed away over the weekend after a long battle with cancer. He was an interesting man...
Blunderfunding: How Organizations Use Failure as a Basis for Budgeting
by Doug Laney | January 17, 2012
A major Wall Street securities ratings firm ignores the recommendations of a consultant report it paid for on rating collateralized debt obligations (CDOs)--contributing to the collapse of the mortgage industry,...
A New Model for Funding Social Media
by Anthony Bradley | September 29, 2009
We are all familiar with the advertising-driven model for social media (ex. facebook), the donation-based model (ex. Wikipedia), and the elusive subscription-based model. After talking with government organizations that were...
Mashup Companies Still Getting Funding
by Anthony Bradley | December 22, 2008
JackBe, a leading boutique vendor of enterprise mashup technologies recently announced a new $5 million round of funding.
Mashable.com had a good article titled "RockYou Spits in Recession's Face, Secures...


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Click here to print this recipe.
This is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite recipes from home. If you told me I could only make one dish from Hawai'i for the rest of my life, this would be it. No macaroni or potato salad on earth has ever come close to the delicious combination found in this recipe. My Auntie Cathy makes it the best, it's no wonder my brothers and I used to travel all the way next door and beg her for food.
Now, I've tried to recreate Auntie Cathy's salad using her recipe. While the ingredients are the same, it doesn't have her love blended into it – I can taste the difference.
Hawai'i style mac salad
1 lb. dry elbow macaroni
1 large jar mayonnaise
6 hard-boiled eggs
9 ounces tuna fish
3 large russet potatoes
2 carrots or pre-shredded carrots
Utensils Needed
Large pot for macaroni
2 large bowls
2 small bowls
Egg slicer (optional)
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes. Place in water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork slides easily into potato.
Drain potatoes and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.
Mix tuna fish and mayonnaise in small bowl until tuna is well coated. Set aside.
Cut hard-boiled eggs into small pieces. Mix eggs and mayonnaise in small bowl until eggs are well coated. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix cooled pasta with mayonnaise until pasta is liberally coated.
In another large bowl, mix cooled potatoes with mayonnaise until liberally coated.
Combine your prepared pasta, potatoes, tuna, eggs, and carrots together. Add additional mayonnaise to meet your individual preference.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish off with a light dusting of paprika for color and refrigerate for one hour before serving.
Superhero Tip: Instead of tuna fish you can substitute Spam – a Hawai'i favorite!
Second Superhero Tip: Use an old-fashioned ice cream scoop to form into individual servings and place on a decorative dish. Sprinkle each scoop with paprika. Guests can then spoon the salad easily and they'll marvel at your culinary skills in making something so fancy.
Click here to print this recipe.
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Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
Benefits of obtaining the CMP designation:
- Authority to use the CMP designation on letterhead, business cards and all forms of address.
- A certificate attesting to your achievement.
- Subscriptions to two Convention Industry Council (CIC) newsletters: The CMP Update and THE CMP NEWSLETTER Recognition.
- Your name released to the press and, if you wish, notification of your employer about your achievement of the meeting profession's highest designation.
- Professional Development: increased knowledge of all aspects of meeting management gained during preparation for the CMP examination.
Who should work toward the CMP designation? You should apply for a CMP designation if you have at least three years of meeting management experience, current employment in meeting management and responsibility and accountability for the successful delivery of meetings.
Why should you work toward the CMP designation? CMPs gain recognition by their peers in the industry and others with whom they work. CMPs are highly visible. They are raising industry standards and increasing the respect and prestige of the meeting profession. Studies show CMPs earn up to $10,000 more annually than non-CMPs.
For more information, please visit the CMP page of the MPI website.
CMP Boot Camp
CMP Boot Camp is a two-day, weekend course designed to equip participants with tools and skills to study for and pass the CMP test through an intense review of the CMP materials. CMP Boot Camps are held quarterly, approximately nine weeks prior to each exam period.
If you are interested in joining a CMP Boot Camp, call Denise Woods, CMP, at 651-796-2186 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Check out the MPI Minnesota Chapter calendar of events to learn about upcoming Boot Camps.
Global Certification in Meeting Management (CMM)
The Global Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) offers senior level meeting professionals the opportunity for:
- Education in strategic thinking and acting,
- A global certification and industry recognition,
- Potential career advancement,
- A networking community of other senior-level people.
You may already be a part of strategic management within your organization, or have the potential to be recognized as contributing substantially to an organization's bottom line. If so, the CMM designation offers you the potential to make substantial additional progress in this endeavor. It also offers you the prestige that accompanies having the most premiere, worldwide designation in the meetings industry!
By focusing on management issues critical to advancing in the meeting industry, the course can benefit all senior meeting and event professionals-whether you seek the prestige and career rewards that come with the CMM designation, or the training in senior management processes and inspiration that improve your strategic planning skills.
For more information, please visit the CMM page of the MPI website.
MPI Minnesota Chapter Members with Certification
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Great Ways To Fully Maximize Your Muscles
If you have a goal of gaining muscle mass, you might be focused on the time you will need to spend in the gym. Muscle building takes more than just exercise, though. It's about learning how muscle building works so that you can choose effective methods that will get you the results you want in the least amount of time. Read further for some strategies on how you can build your muscles.
Too many people botch their muscle building efforts by rushing them. Regardless of the specific exercise that you are doing, performing your repetitions slower, while focusing on your technique, will provide significantly better results than trying to do the same number of repetitions as quickly as possible. Take all the time you need and make sure you perform the exercises like you should.
Every muscle building routine should contain three classic exercises. The "big three" muscle building exercises are: bench presses, dead lifts and squats. This type of exercise will help you develop your bulk and strength as well as condition your body. It's important to tailor your exercises to include variations of these regularly.
Do not neglect carbohydrates in your muscle-building diet. Carbohydrates provide the energy required to complete your weight-training exercises; if you don't consume enough of them, your body will turn to protein for its energy needs, slowing down your progress. Eat enough carbs to allow your body to function properly throughout your workouts.
Though creatine is safe for use when trying to build muscle mass, there are precautions you must be aware of. If you already suffer from kidney problems, ceatine could make it worse. They can also cause cramping, heart arrhythmia, and compartment syndrome. Creatine should be especially avoided by the young. Use these supplements in appropriate quantities and under the supervision of a medical professional.
You must increase the amount of protein you eat when you embark on a muscle building program. An excellent method of consuming an adequate amount of protein is by making use of supplements, such as protein shakes. They work better after working out and before you go to sleep. If you're looking to lose weight, restrict yourself to one shake per day. If you are looking to build both mass and muscle, drink up to three per day.
If you want to be successful at building muscle, you need to consume enough carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide the fuel your muscles need to perform strength training exercises. If you're seriously training, every day you have to eat about two to three grams of carbohydrates for every pound you weigh.
Don't work out for more than sixty minutes. Beyond 60 minutes, your body starts releasing the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol may block testosterone, wasting effort you put toward building your muscle. If you keep your workouts under sixty minutes, you will reap the rewards of your efforts faster and enjoy the benefits of your hard work.
Building muscle is something that can happen and be beneficial without becoming ripped. There are many different types of muscle routines, and you must decide what kind you want beforehand. Depending on how large you want your muscles, you may want to consider adding a supplement to your diet.
Prior to viewing this article, it is likely that you had the willpower to workout as hard as you can in order to achieve the muscle growth that you wanted. You should now have a better grasp of what needs to be done to promote fast and efficient muscle growth. Apply the knowledge you have read in the last few moments to attain your ideal body.


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Several months ago I wrote a piece called Real-Time Strategy "Level Design", which received a very favorable reception. As such, I've decided to expand the series with at least two more posts. This post will be looking at three more levels from the original Command & Conquer – all from the "Covert Operations" expansion, as that generally has the most interesting levels – whilst the third part to be published in the future will examine three levels from Tiberian Sun, the next game in the same fictional universe which Westwood released several years later. Whilst Tiberian Sun is otherwise a very strong game, many of the levels are less like "puzzles" than those in the earlier games, so fewer of them merit the level of analysis I'm aiming to deliver. Due to the latter game being rushed out to release, the balance is not quite as tight as the original, and whilst many of most interesting original levels rely on using the unique abilities of particular units, this aspect is somewhat lost in the sequel. Nevertheless, today we're sticking with the original classic and looking at three more interesting puzzle levels.
The first level is called Hostile Takeover. The second half is standard build-up-your-base-and-crush-your-foe fare, but the first half of the level is an interesting sequence for the player to puzzle out. You begin the mission with a flame tank – deadly against soldiers, and also quite effective against buildings, though an aspect easily forgotten – and four rocket soldiers. You need to reach the white X in the top left corner. The first part is simply choosing the best units for the situation as the player sends the rocket infantry forward to destroy the tank whilst keeping the more fragile flame tank in reserve (though it can be committed to the battle as well if you'd prefer). In this mission you play as the Brotherhood of Nod, and heading north finds you a ruined Nod outpost – a barracks and a communications centre, circled in yellow. At this point the game plays a rather clever trick on the player. When the ruined base is revealed, the player can just about see two of the three tanks blocking the route ahead. Making sure those tanks are within the player's sight at the exact moment you gain control of the buildings seemingly sends an obvious message – here are the units you have to kill, and we've just given you the buildings with which to kill them. At this point the player has $0. Selling the communications centre will yield exactly $500 which can be spent on five minigun infantry or one rocket soldier and two minigunners. Either way, any force assembled here is going to be inadequate to deal with the tanks parked in the pass which, seemingly, you need to kill. Indeed, the AI of these particular tanks is set to hold ground – they cannot be lured out to be killed one by one, nor can they be easily pulled out of position to slip past. The only way to persuade them to move is by placing troops on the tile directly in front of them, triggering the "run over this soldier!" AI state, otherwise they will not pursue anything you send at them. The player might end up trying half a dozen different ways of getting past those tanks, but even if a unit or two manages to sneak past the onslaught – very unlikely – there is another Mammoth Tank blocking another bridge up ahead.
A different strategy is required. Once the player realizes there is no way to push past those tanks, they may explore down to the south-west and find a selection of Chinook helicopters behind a pair of guard towers. These are unique among all units in the entire game because they can be captured by engineers… and engineers cost exactly $500. Instead of offering up your troops to be crushed beneath the treads of the tanks blocking the pass, the player needs to sell the communications centre, use all the money on a single engineer, break through the fence to the south-west, capture a Chinook and fly to the desired location. Unlike other levels where the player is only given a single way forward, this level gives the player two ways forward – a false way and a real way, and the player has to realize that blasting through things in your way isn't always the best way forward, even when such a route is seemingly handed up to the player. Many other levels in the game have similar (though less crucial) situations where capturing a building or sneaking instead of fighting can either help you, or open the possibilities for other tactics beyond open combat. As with many levels in the expansion pack, the player is given only what is required – a player who has learned this lesson in the game's design may quickly question the presence of a communications centre that seemingly serves no purpose…
One other thing to note about this level. If we take a closer look at where the player's units start there is a large civilian building on the other side of the river. When the level starts and most of the map is shrouded, you are just about able to make this out. By this point the player will have learned that these buildings always have crates of money inside them. Having acquired the Chinook you can then take a few units over there, destroy it, and retrieve the crate, whereas accessing it via the bridge – which leads into the opposing base – is impossible until you've finished the level anyway, at which point the value of an extra few thousand dollars is zero. It's a nice little addition – most Chinook missions give you a single thing to use the Chinook for, whereas this mission supports a little observation on behalf of the player as a method to acquire a significant amount of extra starting resources.
The second level is called Blindsided, and starts the player with just a single commando (instant-kill weapon against soldiers, C4 charges which instant-kill buildings if successfully planted). The map is divided into two halves by a river. What happens in the second half is, like the previous example, less to with level design than the first half as there are multiple possible solutions to it. The first half, however, takes a leaf out of the same book as the first level, as well as one of the levels examined in the previous entry. The side of the map you start on (the bottom) has a Nod base on each side (you play as GDI, the opposing force). The base on the right which we'll come to shortly has an Obelisk of Light guarding it (a deadly base defense) whilst the one on the left has just a single turret with some troops. Your first move is to kill off the turret and the surrounding soldiers, and then to refer back to the mission briefing. The briefing for this states that you must destroy the SAM sites (the orange circles) – once done, a helicopter will arrive with five engineers, and then depart. Which five buildings to capture? One's inclination may be towards the airstrip in order to bring in tanks, but what you need here is the quantity of units, not the quality. Remember that mission last time where a meat-shield of units was required to let the commando get through safely? A similar tactic is required here, but with a twist.
You need to capture the five buildings marked and sell all but the barracks (#1) in order to build up enough of an army to rush the other base – that much is clear. In the mission from the previous entry the player had to take account of one extra issue – the gunboat patrolling down the middle of this map. This time, by contrast, the player has two extra issues to contend with. Firstly, the harvester, highlighted in the white circle below. This unit is ordinarily only for gathering resources, but under computer control has a very specific piece of attack code – when shot by a soldier, it will hunt that soldier down until it runs the soldier over. In other missions this can be used to lure harvesters into traps, but in this instance when you only have troops, it's a problem. If multiple soldiers shoot it, it appears the harvester unit stores a list of those who have attacked it and plans to crush them all. This is an issue for two reasons – firstly because your horde of units is going to have to stand still to kill the Obelisk as fast as possible, which means you don't want to worry about them being run over instead; and secondly, you need to keep the enemy harvester alive in order to subsequently capture the refinery (blue circle) and claim it as your own.
The second complication is the selection of normal soldiers inside the second base. When you attacked the first base, you could take your time – none of the soldiers would attack you unless you came close and triggered them, so your commando can safely pick them off one by one. No such luxury is possible here, however – once you have committed to battle several of the troops within the base will attack your soldiers, including potentially several wielding flamethrowers which will decimate your stack of troops. What this means is that the player has to control their troops not just to destroy the obelisk – undoubtedly the primary objective – but to also avoid firing even a single bullet at the harvester, whilst also drawing fire from the turrets so that the commando can finish them off, whilst also dealing with the troops that emerge from the base to defend it. Careful use of the commando is essential – I would recommend using him to pick off the individual soldiers – but your entire army must be carefully managed to ensure that which must die dies, and that which must not doesn't take a single bullet. This a demanding section of micromanagement, especially if the commando took damage earlier, and especially if you try to make sure to keep the commando alive (a useful though not vital unit for the rest of the level). Many players seem to mark this one down (along with Twist of Fate, a level I haven't examined here) as one of the trickiest in the expansion. Like the level before, this level gets the player thinking about factors they might not normally consider – in the first case the sale value of a single building was the key to cracking the level, and in this case keeping an enemy unit alive and carefully balancing what you attack and what you don't is the way to make it through alive.
The third level from the original we're talking about today is Death Squad. Unlike the above two, this is a mission with a number of possible solutions, but the one I describe here is one which allows you to keep the highest possible number of your own units alive, and indeed – if done perfectly – this mission can be completed without losing a single unit. When you begin, you are given nine units. Many of them are not particularly important for this strategy (though are useful for others), but the useful units are as follows. #1 is a commando, a unit we've seen a lot of in these analyses. #2 is a buggy – fast and weak. #3 is a pair of stealth tanks which can cloak and remain hidden, but must be visible to fire. This is only one way this level might be completed, but the method that requires the fewest units, keeps all your units alive, and hopefully shows the extent to which some of the level design of this game enables something close to an ideal of "perfect play".
In this mission you need to destroy an "Advanced Communications Centre" at the back of the GDI base (the building circled in white in the picture below). Between your little force and the objective are five distinct obstacles, each of which can be navigated without losing a unit. The first is the exterior base defenses; the second is a commando; the third is a group of grenadiers; the fourth is a Mammoth Tank, the strongest unit in the enemy arsenal; and the fifth is an Advanced Guard Tower (AGT), which will decimate the player's troops and easily kill most of the light vehicles the player's been given for this mission. Firstly the player can send stealth tanks around the corner, followed by a unit as bait. All enemy units have a certain radius in which they'll detect your units and pursue – sending something visible will cause the commando to come out and fight (the dark red line). It can then be quickly disposed of – if their commando remains alive, your commando may be killed, and that makes this strategy impossible to complete. The stealth tanks can then destroy part of the wall shown in the dark green circles, at which point the buggy can be brought up to join them.
However, giving the player stealth tanks in this mission is a clever move on the designer's part. As above, all the enemy units have a radius within which they will attack any units – any visible units. Bringing the buggy up too soon will trigger the Mammoth Tank to close range and the grenadiers to close in, and your stealth tanks, buggy and commando cannot hold off that kind of force. Even if the enemy units cannot pursue your cloaked stealth tanks, they can pursue visible units next to the cloaked stealth tanks, thereby forcing the player to carefully place their stealth tanks to ensure any enemy units moving around the map don't stumble upon them, something made trickier by the small amount of room you have to maneuver down the right side of the base (see the picture below). Once the wall is open sending through your commando will trigger the grenadiers and the Mammoth Tanks, but backing off will return the Mammoth to where it started – the grenadiers can be picked off by your commando pretty safely. At this point, things get a bit hectic – you want to send the buggy (the dark green) through to trigger the Mammoth, get its attention, then start running circles around the guard tower and the Mammoth both. Once their attention has been grabbed (and the AGT is firing away from the objective, as shown by the black arrows), it's then simply a matter of running the commando (light green) up to the Communications Centre and destroying it.
This level gives you a selection of different units with a selection of different potential strategies. Any kind of all-out assault is bound to fail, but the map is full of possibilities. You have commandos that can instantly kill troops; you have stealth tanks which can navigate their base unseen; you have rocket troops that can even attack their helicopter gunship, if you choose to attack through the other side of the base. Although large in size the GDI base is very sparsely populated – it seems clearly designed to allow you to use your units carefully and cleverly to overcome obstacles one at a time. At the same time, although the player has a lot of choice over the early stages of the level the final challenge – the Mammoth Tank and the AGT – must be dealt with no matter how you approach the level. You lack sufficient firepower to handle them without significant (or critical) losses, so the player has to find a strategy to either handle or negate the effect of both. The placement of the sandbags on either side are an interesting choice – did the designers mean to allow you to shoot through them and rush around the Mammoth? Sandbags are destroyed from a single explosive hit, so maybe that was the intention. As I mentioned before there are multiple solutions to this mission. A quick search of Youtube will find others, including one version where the majority of the player's units are sacrificed to lure the Mammoth Tank away, after which your two stealth tanks are placed to the south-east of the objective and are just about able to snipe it without the AGTs damaging them. The solution I presented here was one which uses the units you're given carefully – rather than just as cannon fodder – and is, I think, the most elegant solution to the level and hopefully showcases the depth of strategy possible with some of the level designs in this game.
These three levels all need the player to think carefully about the unit's they're facing and the units at their disposal. The first level cleverly subverts the player's expectations about how the game teaches you your objectives – it shows one way to do the mission, but that method is only a trick, and you need to explore the rest of the map (and think carefully about the value of the buildings you've been handed) to find the right way through to your objective. without killing the tanks in the way. The second mission needs you to distinguish between units that need killing and those which don't – in rushing the secondary base you need to keep the harvester alive – and again subverts the RTS norm of kill-everything-in-sight (something the original C&C often does well in its more puzzle-like missions). The third mission has a variety of solutions but a map carefully designed to allow for careful tactical play, including a deathless victory, and gives you a base that is near-impenetrable with a full frontal assault yet very exploitable by using the AI and the units you've been given. In the third part of this series I'll be moving on to Tiberian Sun, the narrative sequel to the game, which has a variety of missions that both serve as tricky puzzles and reward players who figure out complex sequences of actions (much like these), rather than simply killing everything in sight.


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One month into its flight test campaign, Boeing has completed initial airworthiness trials on its long-range twin-engine 787.
ZA001 and ZA002, which first flew on 15 December and 22 December, respectively, have accumulated just shy of 60h of flight testing.
The overwhelming majority of initial flight hours during the first month of testing have been flown by ZA001, Boeing's first 787, which has accumulated an estimated 57h and 51min, according to programme tracking by Flightglobal.
"The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we've run," says Scott Fancher vice president and general manager of the 787 programme.
Boeing says the 787 has reached an altitude of 30,000ft (9,144m) and a speed of MO.65.
The company says that initial stall tests at various centres of gravity and other dynamic manoeuvres have been run, including flight control sweeps, in-flight speedbrake extensions and retractions, tight turns, wind up turns and dutch rolls.
With the initial airworthiness trials now complete, additional flight test crews beyond the current two pilots will be permitted to fly onboard the aircraft ushering in the next phase of testing that will take the aircraft to a speed of MO.85 and 40,000ft altitude. Subsequent testing will push the aircraft beyond expected operational conditions.
Six project pilots have had an opportunity to fly the 787.
ZA002, which is currently undergoing an aqueous wash at the company's Everett, Washington, facility following discovery of foreign object debris (FOD) inside its fuel tanks, is expected to rejoin the flight test fleet once the cleaning is complete.
ZA004, the next aircraft to fly, is expected to make its maiden flight in early February followed by ZA003 later that month.
ZA005 and ZA006, 787s powered by the General Electric GEnx, will join in March and April, respectively.
Boeing has targeted the end of September for first delivery to Japan's All Nippon Airways, but has provided itself an additional three months of margin, officially saying delivery will occur in the fourth quarter of this year.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news