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Caption for photo above: Spotted and photographed in Guyana's Acarai Mountains in 2006, the rare peacock katydid uses its unique hues to deter predators in two very different ways. The katydid has now been named one of the top 20 new or rarely seen species encountered during the first 20 years of Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP), which launched in 1990.
View the gallery at Pictures: 20 Surprising Species of the Past 20 Years.
For 20 years, field scientists participating in Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) have been exploring some of the world's most abundant, mysterious and threatened tropical ecosystems; to date, they've discovered more than 1,300 species new to science. In this post, adapted from his foreword in RAP's new book, Still Counting, Conservation International (CI) President Russell A. Mittermeier reflects on the history of the RAP program — from scientific breakthrough to terrible tragedy.
By Russell A. Mittermeier
Back in early 1990, my good friend, ornithologist Ted Parker, came into my office and in his inimitable way told me that he had an offer that I couldn't refuse. Although only in his late 30s at the time, Ted was already acknowledged as the greatest field ornithologist that had ever lived. He had the entire vocal repertoires of more than 4,000 bird species embedded in his brain; he had even discovered a species new to science simply by hearing it calling in the forest. He was charming, persistent, and endlessly enthusiastic about his passion for birds and conservation.
What Ted told me on that day was that he had been on an expedition to Bolivia, together with Nobel Prize-winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann, another avid bird-watcher, and Spencer Beebe, formerly of The Nature Conservancy and one of the co-founders of CI along with Peter Seligmann. They had been sitting around a campfire talking about how little we knew of the tropics and how we needed to learn more as quickly as possible, while there was still time. They had hit upon the idea of using a handful of superstar field biologists to go into remote areas and carry out "quick and dirty" assessments, using their amazing skills to do in a few weeks time what it would take ordinary field biologists months or years to do. Aside from Ted, there were only a few people around with such expertise in other groups of organisms such as plants, mammals, and reptiles, but there were enough of them to constitute a small team. Ted, Murray, and Spencer came up with the idea for the Rapid Assessment Program, or RAP, and Ted wanted to see if the young CI, only three years old, was interested in taking on this challenge.
We quickly put together a proposal and sent it to the MacArthur Foundation — which had shown a strong interest in biodiversity conservation — and had RAP funded within a few months time. Ted pulled together the initial team, which consisted of botanist Al Gentry from the Missouri Botanical Garden, plant ecologist Robin Foster from The Field Museum, and mammalogist Louise Emmons from the Smithsonian. Like Ted, Al was a genius. I remember once visiting him in his office and handing him a stack of unidentified plant specimens pressed in newspaper and fresh from the field. He leafed through them like the pages of a book, unhesitatingly identifying each one in a matter of seconds. He once got lost in a forest in Colombia for three or four days, crawled back into camp on the verge of starvation, grabbed some food from a pot cooking on the campfire, and went right back into the forest to collect a plant specimen that he thought was new to science. Robin and Louise had equally amazing expertise in their fields.
Our first RAP expedition was to Bolivia's Madidi region. It ran from May to June 1990 and produced amazing results: 403 bird species — nine of which were new for Bolivia — and high plant diversity (204 species in 0.1 hectare). The then president of Bolivia, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, was so taken with our RAP report that in 1995 he declared Madidi as a 1.8 million-hectare (almost 4.5 million-acre) national park, one of the largest parks then in existence. This political success demonstrated very clearly to us that RAP was not just going to be an important scientific tool. Everyone from decision-makers to the general public was taken with the program, and this demonstrated very quickly to us that the impact of RAP was going to exceed all of our original expectations.
At first, RAP focused exclusively on tropical rain forest regions, mainly in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, the heartland of the Tropical Andes Hotspot and the most diverse tropical forest region on Earth. In 1994, with the participation of Bruce Beehler, the world's foremost expert on the birds of New Guinea, we began work in Papua New Guinea, an incredibly rich region even less well-known than South America. In 1997, RAP made its first foray into Africa with an expedition to Madagascar, and in 1998, a trip to Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa.
After six years of work in the terrestrial realm, we decided to look into freshwater systems as well, a new dimension which we called AquaRAP. The first expedition was to the Rio Orthon in Bolivia in 1996, soon followed by trips to other important rivers in South America and to the Okavango Delta of Botswana. It was a logical next step to add MarineRAP, which began in 1997 with an expedition to Milne Bay Province in Papua New Guinea, followed by other expeditions to the Coral Triangle region of the Pacific.
These early marine expeditions had a huge impact, not just on CI's program but on conservation at a global level. Milne Bay became our major focus in Papua New Guinea, our expeditions to the Philippines and Sulawesi laid the groundwork for our Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Program, and, most impressive of all, our 2001 expeditions to the Raja Ampat Islands of Papua Province in Indonesian New Guinea discovered the richest coral reef system known to date. This expedition resulted in the creation of 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of new marine protected areas in what we are now calling the Bird's Head Seascape.
By the end of the 1990s, RAP had developed a methodology that had been replicated by a number of other institutions. What's more, since we knew that RAP would have to be fully-owned by the countries where so much of the world's biodiversity resides, we began early on to train field biologists from these countries so that they could become the superstars of the future. Now, the vast majority of RAP work is done by researchers from the tropical countries themselves.
Sadly, the work of RAP has come at a high cost. When we began the program in 1990, we all knew that there were great risks involved. Reaching remote areas required travelling by small plane, helicopter, or boat in often precarious conditions, and the risks of disease, snakebite, guerrillas, and drug dealers were ever-present. We all took them for granted, and still do — an accepted occupational hazard. But the risks are real, as became painfully evident in August 1993, when two of our RAP founders, and perhaps the two greatest field biologists that ever lived — Ted Parker and Al Gentry — died in a plane crash in the mountains outside of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Six years later, disaster struck again, this time during an AquaRAP expedition on Peru's Rio Pastaza. The expedition boat was trawling for fish when it got stuck on a submerged log, dragging the boat under water. Two people perished in this accident — Fonchi Chang, a promising young Peruvian ichthyologist, and Reynaldo Sandoval, a local boat driver. We were all shocked and greatly saddened by the loss of our friends and collaborators, but we never thought of ending the program because of them. Rather, we always felt that the best thing that we could do to honor the memory of these committed pioneers who gave their lives for conservation was to strengthen our resolve to continue the work that had been such an integral part of their lives.
Now, as I look back at the past 20 years, I am extremely proud of what RAP has accomplished. We have carried out an amazing 80 expeditions, discovered more than 1,300 species previously unknown to science and gathered vast amounts of data on poorly known species. The new protected areas created as a result of RAP expeditions have been of global significance, leading to major global programs extending far beyond CI's own activities. In several cases, our expeditions have laid the foundation for land claims by indigenous people, resulting in the creation of special community conservation areas. And perhaps most important of all, by training hundreds of students from the tropical countries, we have truly laid the groundwork for the future and created constituencies that are already carrying the cause of conservation forward.
But in spite of all that we have learned, there is still much to do. The pressures on biodiversity have not diminished, and many regions still remain unexplored. Knowledge has already helped to conserve some of the world's highest priority sites, and it will continue to be our strongest tool in ensuring the future of life on our planet. RAP has been critical in providing us with such knowledge, and we look forward to the next 20 years and the many challenges and the exciting new discoveries that lie ahead.
Russell A. Mittermeier has been President of Conservation International since 1989. A primatologist and herpetologist by training, he has traveled widely in over a hundred countries, and conducted fieldwork in more than twenty. He also serves as Chairman of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, which he has led since 1977. Since 2001, he has served as Special Envoy for Great Apes with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).


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University of Messina Masters Scholarships for International Students 2018/2019 – Italy
The University of Messina has published the call for the assignment of n. 40 scholarships to foreign students enrolling to a UniME two-year long Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale) in the a.y. 2017/2018.
Application Deadline: 16th March 2018 at 12:00 am (Italian time).
Eligible Countries: International
To be taken at (country): Italy
About the Award: For the purposes of the Call (below), "international students" are those students holding a degree awarded by a foreign University (not Italian) whilst with the term "enrollment" it is considered the registration to the first year of a Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale). Registration to the second year of a Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale), transfer from another UniME degree programme or from another University are not considered as enrollment.
Type: Masters
Eligibility: In order to apply for the scholarship, candidates must hold:
- – a degree awarded by a foreign University recognized as being appropriate to enroll to a Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale).
- – A certificate of Italian language (B2 level) issued by the C.L.I.Q. (Certificazione Lingua Italiania di Qualità) system (in case of enrollment to a Master degree programme taught in Italian), or
- – One of the following certificate of English language: TOEFL iBT internet based (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 87 -109; ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages – Pitman): B2 IESOL Communicator; IELTS (International English Language Testing System – University of Cambridge): 5.5 – 6.5; ISE (Integrated Skill in English – Trinity College London): B2 ISE II; LCCIEB (London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Examinations Board): Level 5; FCE (First Certificate in English – University of Cambridge) (in case of enrollment to a Master degree programme taught in English).
In case of no certification, candidate's language knowledge will be evaluated by a Commission in a conference-call examination.
Selection Criteria: Applications will be assessed by a Commission appointed by the Rector. The Commission shall evaluate applications on the basis of the following criteria:
- Candidate's previous studies (transcript of records) considering the learning outcomes of the selected UniME Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale) (up to 50 points)
- Curriculum vitae with learning and working experience (up to 30 points)
- Motivation letter and/or recommendation letter from the University awarding the previous academic position (up to 20 points).
Partner Universities cooperating with UniME may select international students for the participation to the present Call.
Related Opportunities
Number of Awardees: 40
Value of Scholarship: In accordance with the Call, selected candidates will benefit from a 100€ monthly grant, free accommodation in one of the UniME student Halls of Residence and exemption from the payment of tuition fees for the whole duration of the programme.
Candidates must deal with pre-enrollment procedures at the Italian Diplomatic/Consular Authority in the country where the degree has been awarded for the issue of the visa.
Duration of Scholarship: 2 years
How to Apply: Candidates must apply on-line at the following link: https://istanze.unime.it
Application deadline is the 22nd of May 2017 at 12:00 am (Italian time).
In the application, candidates must indicate the Master degree programme (Laurea Magistrale) to which he/she wants to enroll (UNIME academic offer is available at the following link http://www.unime.it/it/studenti-futuri/corsi-di-laurea) and uphold the following documents (either in English or Italian):
- Curriculum vitae
- Language certificate
- A motivation letter or/and a Reference letter provided by the University/Higher Education Institution (HEI) where the candidate gained the degree/latest qualification.
- Official transcript of records of previous studies in English or translated into Italian by a competent Italian authority (Embassy/Consular if abroad);
- Photocopy of a valid passport. After the first on-line access it is possible to save the application and modify/integrate it in further sessions.
Application will be processed only if duly filled and "submitted". Once the application is submitted it cannot be modified.
Visit Scholarship Webpage for details
Award Provider: University of Messina
Important Notes: Please note that in the case of discrepancies between the language versions of the notice, the Italian language version prevails.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Don't get rid of death penalty
Dear Editor:
The coming election will decide the death penalty.
I consider life in prison with no chance for parole to be cruel and unusual punishment. I consider it to be unconstitutional. I prefer the death penalty. How about you?
Don't get rid of the death penalty, get rid on the rules that allow retrial.
Death sentence today, the guillotine tomorrow.
Bob Oliver
Time to ease traffic crush
Dear Editor:
In an ideal world, courteous drivers would alternate to let traffic on the freeway. In East County (and elsewhere), they don't! Wouldn't it make sense to implement metering on-ramp traffic in Antioch and Pittsburg to help "ease the crush." Suggestions include the west bound Somersville on-ramp from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and eastbound Loveridge and Somersville roads from 2 to 7 p.m.
A suggestion: Make the eastbound Loveridge exit right or left turn only.
Too many cars are exiting the freeway, simply crossing Loveridge and getting right back on the freeway — this just moves the traffic jam down the road a bit.
It's obvious that we all need to be patient as the construction progresses. It would be great if all of us were courteous drivers, too.
The simple suggestion to implement metering would probably help a lot in the meantime.
For what it's worth, I am a part-time bicycle commuter, trying to do my part to drive down gas prices and relieve congestion.
Michael Kean
Re-elect Taylor in Brentwood
Dear Editor:
It's that time on the calendar that we all love (just kidding). Politicians making promises, pointing out what's wrong with their competition, and asking you to vote for them so they can make all things right. As we all know, somehow those promises and plans never quite come to fruition.
When considering your vote for Brentwood mayor this year, take a couple minutes to reflect on how wonderful it is to live in the city of Brentwood and who has been leading it. Bob Taylor has delivered results — not words. Simply stated: Brentwood is financially strong and is one of the best places to live in the state.
Don't forget — while most cities were cutting their way through the rough seas of the economic downturn (with many cities drowning), Bob Taylor never lost sight of his role of leader. While keeping one eye focused on maintaining essential city services and safety, he always kept the other on the long-term priorities that will take Brentwood to an even higher quality of life for all of us.
During election time, it's real easy to become attracted to words and promises, but I'm going with a proven track record and voting to re-elect Bob Taylor. His leadership delivered results — a rare thing these days.
Mike Hinchcliff
Taxpayers need to fight back
Dear Editor:
Finally, Gov. Brown acted and gave permission to the refineries to switch to winter gas production before Oct. 31. Really, almost 10 days after the crisis was identified? This decision took way to long considering the governor knew full well the price of gas would hit $5-plus a gallon. Why does everything take so long when we, those working our tails off, are paying for it?
What will it take for California to understand that politicians, once elected to office, need to support those who vote for them, and not a party line. California, just like the federal government, indicates it needs more money to operate. How can this be true based on the amount of our hard-earned tax dollars that is wasted each and every day!
I urge each and every person who goes to the polls in November to take a hard look at the amount of money the government (federal and state) is taking from you. As for me, 40 percent is taken on what I make and 10 percent on what I spend. Yet supposedly, 50 percent is not enough to support those making the decisions about what we need.
I have made a decision. Just like the government has closed and is focused on the election and campaigning, my wallet has just closed, except for the expenditures I absolutely need (gas, food and medicine). I urge others to consider this closure as well until these idiots get the message. If consumer spending dropped significantly, especially over the holiday season, there might be some movement and correct decisions made.
You cannot tell the banks you will cut off their borrowing power from the Federal Reserve Bank unless they start making riskier loans. This was the brilliant move made by then-President Clinton, and was the primary factor in leading to the mess with the economy we face today.
I have had enough. Feinstein is wealthy enough and has been allowed to funnel money to her husband's business for well over 10 years. Obama has spent more money trying to tell us companies cannot fail. Maybe he should walk across the street and ask Ford how they made it then. It is clear General Motors and Chrysler were not going to make the hard decisions to change their financial position. In fact, all of us as taxpayers own $9 billion of GM stock, which the Obama administration purchased for us. The problem is it is only worth $4 billion now. So the next time Obama or Biden start talking about the auto industry being paid in full, maybe we should look a little closer at the bottom line. This statement, like most made by politicians, is a lie, just like the ambassador's death, the money we need to provide to countries supporting terrorism and the number of jobs created each month. Let's be clear, most have stopped looking for work entirely (these people are then not counted) or are underemployed (part time or less than what they were making). Listening to the president, you would think we were ready to step into a new productive era. Yet when I look around my town, I see layoffs, business closures, downsizing — every indication we are in significant trouble.
It is time for every responsible voter to wake up and smell the coffee. We are being driven to bankruptcy and destruction. It is time for a significant change.
Louis Renner
Letters policy
Send letters to Editor, The News, 1700 Cavallo Road, Antioch, CA 94509, or email them to email@example.com or fax them to Judith Prieve at 925-706-2305.
Letters should be signed. Both letters and email should include the daytime phone number and address of the writer. The information will not be printed but rather used for verification purposes.
We reserve the right to edit or not publish letters deemed potentially libelous, that are ads for local businesses or are otherwise unsuitable for a family newspaper.
Also, we are looking for guest commentaries, especially on local issues. Please send your guest commentaries to email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com. If you have any questions, call 925-779-7178.


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Check out the latest projects here:Project Logs
stop over thinking it! just stick with a 20A mechanical relay and stop worrying . it operates for a second or two then stops that's all!if you want complication, add a temperature sensor and disable the thing until cool enough to restart.
I'm having a bit of trouble picturing your current troubles, but I've thrown in some possibly useful idea starters below.
Have you checked your local building store for a solid copper grounding rod? No idea of the alloy or quality but you'd hope it would conduct well considering the application. Maybe you guys use something different there?
Near the grounding rods you should also find heavy grounding cable. Here it's used for grounding 100A and 200A electrical services. It's not the most flexible stuff to work with but if you're considering bus bars already then flexibility doesn't seem a big concern. You can put them in parallel if you need something with even less resistance.
Do you or any of your friends have a furnace that's hot enough to melt copper? The melting point is almost double that of aluminum, but not outside the realm of home foundry setup. Scrounge whatever small pieces of copper you can (plumbing, electrical, whatever) and cast your own large block whatever size you need.
I'm little apprehensive when I push components beyond their intended use.
Pekka,I can't picture exactly what you're trying to do but why can't you connect the cable directly to one end of your 20mm copper electrode holder? Phil.
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Freeride Skis – The Deep Snow Is Waiting for You!
Do you live for the great outdoors? Is the whole mountain your giant playground? Are you more excited about the season's first snow fall than about Christmas? Then you're definitely the right candidate for a new pair of freeride skis! At Blue Tomato you are guaranteed to find the right equipment, within the right price range, to get yourself immersed in powder – free your soul, free your skis!With two planks alone, your equipment setup is not yet complete. In addition to skis, you need the perfect boots, poles and possibly a decent touring binding. Without avalanche equipment and protective gear you won't get very far either.
Freeride Skis Make all The Difference
Skiing with monstrous powder planks on the piste is not very fun. However, when you are up to your hips in deep snow, you understand the raison d'être of freeride skis. For maximum lift in powder snow you just need the right equipment. Here you won't be finding anything less than a 100 millimetre width. Setback is also absolutely essential. By mounting your binding slightly further towards the middle of the ski, you will have greater front lift. Your thighs will definitely thank you for it! Of course, twin tip skis are a welcome companion in the backcountry. Whether riding forwards or switch, the upward bend of the tip and tail let you enjoy maximum flexibility when pulling tricks in powder.
In-Depth Construction and Design
Today's skis can no longer even be compared to the average wooden planks. Now you can decide between sandwich, torsion box and monocoque construction. Sounds like Chinese to you? Not for much longer!
The Sandwich construction not only sounds tasty but it is also the most popular ski design. This technology comprises of a vertically glued bottom shell, core and upper layer. Manufacturers such as Head and Fischer place great importance on using the sturdiest of materials. Flex can also be accurately determined when using this construction method.
Torsion box construction shares some similarities with sandwich construction, but is formed using specific core material. A fibreglass coated wooden core is popular with some brands. The cost of production using this method is significantly highly, meaning that you'll have to dig deeper into your pockets. Brands such as Rossignol, Völkl and K2 have nevertheless embraced the box.
Monocoque construction has no disadvantages when compared to other construction methods, however it is less commonly employed due to the elaborate manufacturing process. The result is a lightweight construction with the top and bottom sheet being bound to the sidewalls, forming a single piece.
At first glance, a freeride ski looks similar to a classic carving ski. However, there are some fundamental differences, especially in the waist. The tip is normally the widest part of the ski and the centre the narrowest. The ski then widens out towards the tail so that you don't sink into deep snow in either direction of travel.
The term taper refers to a different style of side cut: the widest point of a tapered ski is not the nose or tail, but instead a spot just before the two ends. This technology offers maximum buoyancy. Due to the shorter effective edge of the ski it is also more manoeuvrable, especially over harder snow and even with a width of over 100 millimetres.
Rock The Powder – Shapes that Take You to Cloud 9
Have you ever been out in the backcountry with a classic camber ski? Although possible, your legs probably turned to jelly pretty quickly. An alternative is the rocker shape, which has already been used in the ski and snowboard industry for years. With the upturned nose and tail you gain sufficient lift in deep snow and enjoy a whole new level of manoeuvrability. Position your bindings centrally and you are ready to pull even the toughest tricks in powder. Whether you want to ski normally or switch, the banana shape is the ultimate off-piste beast.
You're likely to find a powder rocker shape on touring skis. This powerful rocker is slightly shifted towards the tip of the ski, guaranteeing optimal lift. The flattened tail lends itself perfectly to climbing up the mountain with skins. When you are looking for a ski that is also strong over the terrain when hiking up, you are well equipped with the powder rocker.
Shape is not the only important factor when looking for optimal backcountry performance. For even more fun, a soft flex rate is recommendable. A softer flex stops you from sinking into the powder and offers no resistance when turning in softer snow. Freeriding also means going big - you should be looking at a freeride ski that is generally 10 centimetres longer than your piste ski.
Bindings, Boots and Poles – The Choice Is Yours
Choosing the correct DIN setting, also known as Z value, for your bindings is also very important. The setting should be calculated according to your body weight, height and ski boot sole length (in millimetres). Your skill level and skiing technique are also factors. Once you have calculated the right setting, you need to choose the type of binding. A classic binding for hitting deep snow that is accessible from the piste, or a touring binding for excursions into the backcountry?
Touring bindings are equipped with a special climb setting, making backcountry touring possible. Your ski boot clicks into the binding as normal but, with the climbing setting enabled, your heel is free to move. If required, you can also use crampons and other climbing aids to help you get to the summit as easily as possible. When you are ready to enjoy the downhill, simply click the bindings back to their normal setting.
Freeriding exerts a lot of pressure on the tip and tails of your skis, making it advisable to avoid ski boots that are too stiff. If you are mostly skiing in powder, go for a lower flex rate. Brands such as Dalbello, Full Tilt and K2 are guaranteed to have the right boot for you among their ranges. When buying a pair of boots, don't forget that the more buckles they feature the more accurately you can adjust them to fit your feet.
The right ski poles are also extremely important, especially for ski touring. When skiing in deeper snow the basket diameter should be larger than normal to prevent the pole from sinking too deeply into the snow. To find the correct pole length for you, multiply your height by 0.7.
Prevent Risks and Accidents – Opt for Avalanche Equipment and Protective Gear
Even though we have everything in our range to ensure maximum fun out in the powder, you are the one responsible for your safety. We can only provide you with avalanche equipment and protective gear. You need to be aware of your own skills and limits, keep up-to-date with your backcountry and safety knowledge and inform yourself about different alpine conditions. Only you are responsible for this.
Your equipment should always include an avalanche transceiver and you should also always carry a shovel and probe in your backpack. Many lives could be saved from avalanches by the use of an avalanche backpack with an integrated airbag. So don't forget, freeriding is fun but also carries risks. Enjoy powder days safely!
Everything that you need can found at Blue Tomato!


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Katie Bowens and her family had been renting an apartment for five years. They wanted a chance to have a home of their own. The Norfolk Housing Agency (NHA) directed Katie to USDA Rural Development in an on-going partnership effort.
The City of Norfolk, acting through NHA, notified the local USDA Rural Development office of a Community Revitalization program they were working on. They thought Katie would be a perfect fit. The City had received funding from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) in 2007 and 2008. These grants, written and administered by the Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District (NENEDD), are available to demolish dilapidated properties within the city limits. They also allow funds to be allocated to low-to-moderate income families in the form of construction subsidies and down payment assistance.
USDA Rural Development provided 100 percent financing through the Rural Housing Direct loan program to help put this family in a newly built, less than $100,000 home.
Without the partnership between USDA Rural Development, the City of Norfolk, DED and NENEDD, Katie and her family would not have been able to purchase their 1,056 square foot, three bedroom dream home. The partnering generated benefits beyond that of homeownership. This process helped to clean up and revitalize a neighborhood by demolishing a dilapidated property and replacing it with a nice, new home built by a local contractor. The demolition and building process helped generate local business and employment.
To find out more about USDA's home loan programs click here.


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Apple is planning to drop the prices of the iPhone and iPod line within the next month or two - perhaps at a rumoured late February announcement - a Mac enthusiast site has climed.
Website 9to5Mac received word that the cuts are on their way. The reduction is said to be $100 off the price of models in both the iPod Touch and iPhone lines. The 8GB iPod Touch will apparently be dropped from the line-up just as the 4GB version of the iPhone was before it.
If true, this means that the 16GB iPhone will be $399 - the current price for the 8GB version and the 32GB iPod Touch will come in at $399 too. Speculation suggests that the price drops are in order to make way for "pricing space" for the 3G iPhone, expected this year.
Speculation for this announcement dates back to October last year, when Steve Jobs promised, via a post on the Apple website, that the company would release a software development kit for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
"We plan to have an SDK in developers' hands in February," were the exact words as regards timescale, so rumours of an Apple event scheduled for late-February are not entirely surprising.
In addition to the price cuts and the expected software development kit, rumours abound that a Penryn-based MacBook Pros with multi-touch trackpad might also be announced.
Sponsored: Webcast: Simplify data protection on AWS


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Clifford, the Big Red Dog will visit Legacy Hall in the Honeywell Center on Tuesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. Clifford is celebrating his 50th year in publication this month; and the author, Norman Bridwell, celebrated his 85th birthday on Feb. 15.
Clifford has charmed many generations of children with his stories about kindness and good works, stories about making mistakes and being forgiven for them, and stories about unconditional love.
The program is being offered by the Wabash Carnegie Public Library Youth Services and will include a puppet play given by the youth services staff. Children and their parents are invited to meet Clifford, make a set of Clifford ears, and be photographed with the book character. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras. At the conclusion of the program, each child will be invited to select a Clifford book and a red balloon to take home.
Norman Bridwell grew up and attended school in Kokomo. Bridwell remembers that he always had the love of drawing, but that his art teacher didn't consider his art very good. After graduation from high school, he attended the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, and then the Cooper Union Art School in New York City. After working in a variety of commercial art positions, Bridwell decided to create several samples of his artwork to show to children's book editors. One of the samples was a picture of a little girl standing under the chin of a big red dog. His work was rejected by 15 publishers, but one suggested that he try writing a story about the little girl with the big red dog. He wrote and illustrated that story the next weekend, and it was soon accepted by Scholastic publishing. Since 1963, more than 126 million Clifford books have been printed in 13 languages, and an animated Clifford TV series is in its 12th season on PBS Kids. Clifford also has a line of toys and party products.
Today, Mr. Bridwell lives with his wife of 54 years in Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard in a 120-year-old farmhouse. The doors and shutters are painted red in honor of Clifford.


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More than two years after a string of high-profile accidents by older drivers, Massachusetts health regulators voted unanimously Wednesday to approve new rules that, for the first time, define what it means to be too physically or cognitively impaired to drive safely. The rules make clear that age and illness are not by themselves disqualifying.
Instead, the decision will be based on ''observations or evidence of the actual effect'' that an impairment may have on a person's ability to safely drive, according to the rules, developed after months of public hearings and advice from medical specialists.
The state Public Health Council, an appointed panel of physicians, consumer advocates, and professors, adopted the rules with little discussion.
The rules define cognitive impairment as an impediment that ''limits a person's ability to sustain attention, avoid distraction, understand the immediate driving context, and refrain from impulsive responding.''
Age-related concerns became a flashpoint in 2010, when a spate of highly publicized accidents prompted state legislators to consider a mandatory driving test for older drivers, a proposal that drew the ire of several advocacy groups.
The law that was eventually adopted in 2010 stopped short of mandatory tests, but does prohibit those over 75 from renewing their licenses online. Lawmakers hoped the requirement to visit a Registry branch and take a vision test would make the least fit senior drivers think twice before renewing.
The 2010 law also required the state Department of Public Health to define cognitive and functional impairments to guide health care providers in judging their patients' ability to drive safely.
The law included a provision to encourage health care providers and police officers to feel more comfortable filing confidential reports to the state Registry of Motor Vehicles by protecting them from lawsuits when filing a report about a suspected impaired driver.
Elizabeth Dugan, an associate professor who specializes in aging issues at the University of Massachusetts Boston, said the proposed rules are ''evidence-based and clinically relevant guidelines that should be helpful.''
Dugan, who testified during legislative hearings on the issue, has long argued against arbitrary age-based driving tests.
''We need to focus on what we know is related to safe driving and not ageist stereotype,'' she said.
Gerald Flaherty, vice president of medical and scientific programs at the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, said the proposed rules strike an appropriate balance between individual rights and the need to protect public safety.
But Flaherty said the issue is likely to get muddy when implemented because many primary care physicians may have trouble distinguishing the signs of dementia.
''If clinicians are not recognizing dementia in the first place, it's going to be difficult for them to recognize one's driving ability that may be affected,'' Flaherty said. ''But you also want to be fair in how you apply these regulations because many people in the early stages of dementia can drive safely.''
The regulations also detail what constitutes functional impairments. The list includes an ''inability or diminished capacity to consistently maintain a firm grasp on or manipulate a steering wheel or driving hand controls.''
It also stipulates that ''weakness or paralysis of muscles affecting ability to consistently maintain sitting balance'' be considered an impairment.
Steven Evans, director of medical affairs at the registry, said that in the first three months of 2012, the agency has revoked about 1,000 licenses for medical reasons, which include impairments, such as for seizures or heart conditions, that are already included in agency rules.
Evans said the agency compiled about 3,500 revocations in 2011 related to physical or medical problems.


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davidr64 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 21 diseños de 4 diseñadores freelance.
Bobby Pulido - http://www.bobbypulidoonline.com/
Bobby Pulido has many musical albums out to date, but it has been many years between his last one, and his newest one. With the release of his newest album, we want to give his website a fresh, modern look. The young singer is trying to reach young, savvy new audiences!
While our long time audience has remained strongly adherent to Bobby's music, we'd like to make sure they feel comfortable with the new design. At the same time, we want the new design to take advantage of the success and ease-of-use of the Web 2.0 look, and our focus is on attracting fresh, young audiences who will be happy to hear Bobby's music and share it with friends and family.
The page will need to accommodate multiple navigation links (between 5 and 10). We'd like to see some designs with top-based navigation, like tabs, buttons, or a bar, and we'd also like to play around with the idea of side-based navigation, like a box with some attractive links in it.
The site should have one focal image of Bobby that really "pops" but doesn't distract from page content. You are the designer, though, and we're trusting in your expertise; so if you feel you'd like to use more than one image, we're happy to see it.
You can use English or Spanish in your mockup.
The page you design should be flexible; some pages will have lots of content, and some pages will have only a little.
Bobby's logo is a circle with a cross inside of it (like aiming crosshairs), so if you can, make use of any font that uses that style for the letter O (as you can see in the attached pictures).
Use any of the attached pictures in your work.
IMPORTANT: If your design is selected, there is a very good chance for additional projects in the future for you!
Even if your design is not selected, we will look at all the designers who enter and if your work is good, we will be making a note of you and possibly sending work your way.


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Samsung has today announced the launch of Samsung N110 Ultra-Portable Netbook which is powered by Intel Atom Mobile processor and features 10.1-inch LED display, integrated WiFi 802.11b/g wireless LAN connection, integrated 1.3 MP webcam, Blurtooth +EDR connection, and 160-GB 2.5-inch internal hard drive.
Samsung N110 ultra-portable Netbook is designed as low-cost, Internet-centric mobile computing devices also called NetBooks and is powered by 1.6 GHz Intel Atom ULV (ultra low voltage) Processor N270, specifically designed for small devices and low power consumption, while maintaining the Intel Core 2 Duo instruction set compatibility. The keyboard of this ultra-portable netbook PC is 93% the size of a regular desktop keyboard offering ease and comfort in trying.
The Intel Atom processor N270 uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and the processor uses just 2.5 watts of power which is less than 1/10th of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
Samsung N110 netbook is also equipped with Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology which reduces average system power consumption. The enhanced low-power sleep states (C1E, C2E, C4E) are optimized for power by forcibly reducing the performance state of the processor when it enters a package low-power state.
Designed specifically for mobile devices, the Samsung N110 netBook uses a brand new design structure the dynamic L2 cache sizing -that reduces electrical leakage in transistors-to conserve energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet.
This new range of Ultra Portable Samsung N110 NetBook is targeted at consumer who needs to stay connected, informed, entertained and productive-anytime and anywhere. The netBook is designed lightweight and small in size making it convenient for use at all sorts of places like in home, gym, trains, bus, planes etc. where a larger size laptop might feel inconvenient.
The 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor N270 in Samsung N110 netBook also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer (FSB) on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data) build with Mobile Intel 945GM Express Chipset Mainboard.
Samsung N110 netBook features 1-GB DDR2 667 MHz SDRAM (maximum 2-GB via a standard SO-DIMM module) and a 160-GB internal 2.5-inch 5400 rpm SATA hard drive. There is provision to connect CD/DVD optical drive of choice but no optical drive is packaged.
Samsung N110 Netbook comes with Microsoft Windows XP Home (SP3) preinstalled, and this netBook is equipped with 10.1-inch Widescreen SuperBright WSVGA LED display having 200nit brightness powered by integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics chipset with shared memory capable of maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.
The N110 netbook also sports integrated 1.3 Megapixel webcam which is placed in the bezel above the LCD. In addition, the Samsung N110 NetBook also sports build-in stereo speakers and built-in Digital Array Microphones.
Available in Blue, White and Black colors, the new Samsung N110 ultra-mobie netBook also features integrated WiFi 802.11b/g Wireless LAN mini PCI-E connection and Bluetooth v2.0 with EDR wireless connection which allows faster downloads from the internet, quick data transfer and non- drop net connectivity.
In addition, Samsung N110 netBook also offers integrated 10/100 Mbit Ethernet LAN connection, an integrated 56kbps Modem/Fax connection and sports 3 USB v2.0 ports for wired connectivity.
Samsung N110 comes with many windows software already installed which includes: Samsung Recovery Solution, Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update plus Easy Display Manager, Easy Battery Manager, Easy Network Manager, Easy Speedup Manager, McAfee Virus Scan, Adobe Acrobat Reader etc.
Other features of Samsung N110 ultra mobile netBook PC includes integrated VGA resolution webcam, 3-in-1 Media Card Reader supporting SD, SDHC and Multimedia Card (MMC), 3 USB v2.0 ports, Realtek ALC6628 Hi-Definition Audio 5.1 CODEC Hardware with build-in 2 stereo speaker system of 1.5 Watts each and also sports built-in Microphone.
Weighing 1.27 Kgs, the Samsung N110 ultraportable netbook comes with 6-cell, Li-Ion, 5200 mAh, 7.4 volts Battery which provides upto 8 hrs battery life and the Netbook is designed to be a eco-efficient consumer and business notebooks, and are fully compliant with the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive.
I/O Ports
3 USB v2.0 ports
- RJ-45 LAN Port 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet Controller
- RJ-11 Fax/Modem Port
- External MIC Input
- External Audio Out
- VGA Port 15 Pin D-Sub
- 3-in-1 Media Card Slot, SD, SDHC, MMC
Samsung N110 Ultra-Portable Netbook Features
- Intel Atom Processor N270, 1.6 GHz
- 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz AGTL+ FSB
- Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
- Mobile Intel 945GM Express Chipset Mainboard
- 1-GB DDR2 SDRAM, 667 Mhz, Max. upto 2 GB maximum
- 160-GB, SATA 5400 rpm Hard Drive
- 10.1-inch Widescreen SuperBright WSVGA LED display, 220nit brightness, 1024 x 600 pixels screen resolution
- Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics Chipset with shared memory
- Integrated WiFi 802.11b/g Wireless LAN mini PCI-E connection
- Integrated 10/100 Mbit Ethernet LAN connection
- Integrated 56kbps Modem/Fax connection
- Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
- Integrated 1.3 Megapixel webcam (placed in the bezel above the LCD)
- 3-in-1 Media Card Reader, SD, SDHC, and Multimedia Card (MMC)
- 3 USB v2.0 ports
- 83 Keys spill-proof keyboard Keyboard (93% fullsize of standard laptop)
- Realtek ALC6628 Hi-Definition Audio 5.1 CODEC Hardware
- Build-in Stereo 2 stereo speaker system 1.5 Watts each
- Built-in Digital Array Microphone
- Windows XP Home SP3
- Colors: Blue, Black and White
- 6-cell, Li-Ion, 5200 mAh, 7.4 volts Battery, upto 8 hrs battery life
- Dimensions: 10.27 x 7.3 x 1.19 inch
- Weight: 1.27 Kgs (with battery pack)
The Samsung N110 Ultra-portable Netbook PC powered by Intel Atom ULV processor N270 and featuring 10.1-inch display, 160-GB SATA hard drive and Windows XP is available in India for Rs. 25,252 (including local tax) and comes with one year standard warranty. Visit www.samsung.com for more details.


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Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has announced agreements with Hope College, Aquinas College and Calvin College that will provide an enhanced opportunity for the private colleges' premedical students to attend medical school.
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has announced agreements with Hope College, Aquinas College and Calvin College that will provide an enhanced opportunity for the private colleges' premedical students to attend medical school.
At a press conference Monday (Oct. 25) in Grand Rapids, MSU College of Human Medicine Dean Marsha D. Rappley, M.D., welcomed the presidents of all three private colleges to finalize the Early Assurance Program for admissions, including C. Edward Balog, Ph.D., president, Aquinas College; James E. Bultman, Ph.D., president, Hope College; and Gaylen J. Byker, Ph.D., president, Calvin College.
Preference for the Early Assurance Program will be given to deserving students and students interested in caring for underserved populations from the three institutions.
"Our medical school is looking forward to increasing the number of students from West Michigan's leading private institutions," said Dr. Rappley, "The students from these mission-oriented colleges share our core values. They bring the rigor of a superb liberal arts and science education along with a passion for serving others that is needed in the physicians of our future."
"Hope College is very pleased and grateful for the opportunity to partner with the MSU College of Human Medicine through the Early Assurance Program," said President Bultman. "Given Hope's national reputation in the health sciences and the stature of MSU's medical school, this partnership should prove beneficial for both institutions. We look forward with great expectation to a fulfilling relationship in the preparation of medical doctors for the health care profession. I am very excited for the Hope students who will participate in this program."
For the 2010 entering class, the College of Human Medicine received more than 5,900 applicants for 200 seats available for first-year students. With today's announcement, up to eight admission slots per year will be reserved for the combined three colleges.
MSU currently has 27 students from Aquinas, Calvin and Hope in its four-year program, averaging seven new students per year from the West Michigan colleges. The intent of the Early Assurance Program is to significantly increase this number, giving more West Michigan students the opportunity to pursue their medical education at MSU.
Candidates for the Early Assurance Program will complete a program of enriching clinical and service experiences, as well as academic advising directed toward admission to MSU College of Human Medicine. During their junior year, students who excel in their premedical program may apply to the College of Human Medicine and selected students will be assured of admission and begin a relationship with MSU College of Human Medicine during their senior year of college.
MSU College of Human Medicine's partnership with the private colleges is part of a growing network of collaborations MSU has established with statewide institutions with a long-term vision for enhancing health care throughout Michigan. Other colleges and universities participating in the Early Assurance Program are: Saginaw Valley State University, Kettering University, The University of Michigan - Flint, Northern Michigan University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, and Grand Valley State University. The first six students in the Early Assurance Program from Grand Valley State University began classes in August at the College of Human Medicine.


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|Baby Play & Rhyme Time
Event Type: Baby Storytime
Age Group(s): Babies
Date: 10/17/2019
Start Time: 9:30 AM
End Time: 9:45 AM
A weekly storytime for pre-walkers and their caregivers with music, rhymes, books, and bubbles. This interactive library time lasts about 15 minutes and then participants can enjoy free play with age-appropriate toys and books.
Help your child acquire pre-reading skills at Bentonville Public Library
Location: Children's Read Aloud Area


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Personal/Corporate, Services
By By Dale Smith | February 15, 2011
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When most shops celebrate the opening of a new paint facility, they hold an open house or send out a press release. SureFlight went way beyond the ordinary, christening its new multimillion-dollar, 18,000-square-foot facility by painting one of the most recognized private helicopters in the world—Donald Trump's Sikorsky S-76B.
"Mr. Trump and his aviation team recognized that repainting such a high-profile helicopter required the finest paint shop available," explained Dan Watkins, CEO of SureFlight, adding that another reason was "because of our reputation with Sikorsky helicopters—in particular, the reputation of our manager, DeWitt Binkley."
Binkley was with Keystone Helicopters for 22 years prior to SureFlight's startup in February 2009, Watkins continued. "He has probably painted more S-76's than anyone in the world."
Watkins said that along with providing repaint services for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, the new paint shop is located right next to Sikorsky's factory facility at Chester County Airport (MQS) in Coatesville, Pa. SureFlight used Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Jet Glo Express Polyurethane to paint the S-76B.
"Since it was a pre-owned helicopter, we stripped it down to the airframe to do some minor cosmetic repairs," Watkins said. "We also removed all the inspection panels, cowlings and cabin, cockpit and landing gear doors. That's why a helicopter can actually take more time and be more labor-intensive than a similar sized airplane." All total, Watkins said SureFlight spent a solid three weeks on the project. "We spent more time on it than we estimated, but we seem to do that with all the helicopters we paint," he added.
"Some shops don't do all the additional pre-paint prep work," Binkley continued, "but it's our standard practice. It's just a higher attention to detail. When you have all the parts off, you can address each one individually. You can clean the insides of the panels and doors. We treat a repaint just like it is a new aircraft from the factory."
According to Binkley, when SureFlight "reinstalls everything, we use brand new hardware and we don't paint it. If you paint the hardware, the first time you remove a panel you chip the paint off, and your new paint job doesn't look new any longer. That's why we don't do it."
Another way SureFlight helped ensure that Trump's S-76B would stay looking new for a long time was to employ Sherwin-Williams Aerospace's new JetGlo Express paint.
"We talked them into the Express product. They wanted to use Sherwin-Williams, but they wanted the conventional paint," Binkley said. "Our new facility is a low VOC-compliant shop. We don't use any chromates so we told them they had to go with a high solids paint so it ended up being the JetGlo Express."
The paint "is a high-performance polyester urethane coating system that is designed for commercial aircraft, business jets and helicopters," explained Tom Miller, the account executive on the project for Sherwin Williams Aerospace. "It's resistant to Skydrol hydraulic fluids, fuel and hot oil staining—things like that. They won't damage the JetGlo finish."
JetGlo "is also a buffable paint system, so it's easy to clean up bits of dirt or paint chips," Miller said. "You just use some buffing compound and a buffer to return that deep color and beautiful, glossy finish. It cuts way down on repair time and costs."
Binkley added that "many shops are still resisting high solids paints because they are not familiar with them. There's always a learning curve. The bottom line is you don't give up anything going to the high solids finishes. You still have the same color retention, depth of image—all the performance properties you want in a great paint except the harmful VOCs."
Trump's new S-76B is actually the second S-76B in his fleet. The first S-76B, and the one seen in the opening of "The Apprentice," is now part of Trump's casino operation. With the look of that S-76B so well-known, the decision was made to duplicate the black and red paint scheme of that aircraft for Trump's personal helicopter.
"While they wanted to duplicate that look, the one thing they wanted to change was the Trump logo font on the fuselage. They wanted to make it larger," explained Owen Watkins, SureFlight's president. "We have an in-house design department and showed them a series of renderings with a more artistic flair."
Watkins said that Trump visited SureFlight's shop during the project and that he was very interested in the project. "He asked a lot of pertinent questions about he paint selection and colors. You could tell he was involved and thinking about the entire process." Donald Trump "and his entire organization are all about building on the Trump brand," he added. "We worked closely with Sherwin-Williams to make sure he got an aircraft back that represented the quality of his brand."
Were they successful? Well, if you're a fan of The Apprentice, all you need is one look at the overall quality of SureFlight's work and the only thing left to say would be: "You're hired."
Visit SureFlight during Heli-Expo at Booth 1812.


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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (27 February 1807 – 24 March 1882 / Portland, Maine)
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Consolation. (To M. Duperrier, Gentleman Of Aix In Provence, On The Death Of His Daughter)
Will then, Duperrier, thy sorrow be eternal?
And shall the sad discourse
Whispered within thy heart, by tenderness paternal,
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Miles&Smiles members can benefit from another new and prestigious program partner in the health sector. Since its establishment in 2006, Hisar Intercontinental Hospital has continued to deliver services as a strong and dependable representative of Turkey's health services sector. The hospital does not only provide services in Turkey, but also delivers a Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited, modern, comprehensive, and reliable service to North Europe, the Balkans, Azerbaijan, the Baltic republics, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Hisar Intercontinental Hospital offers Miles&Smiles members the chance to earn Miles from their health costs as well as benefit from special advantages and numerous Miles offers. In order to earn Miles from their health costs, all members need to do is show their Miles&Smiles membership card to the patient representatives when making their payment.
For more detailed information, please visit the dedicated Miles&Smiles members' area of the Hisar Intercontinental Hospital website.


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While Comic-Con is busy bringing all sorts of comic-book marketing to the masses, the stunt folk are busy working hard on the set of Iron Man 3. Filming in North Carolina, an aerial stunt sequence was recently captured by the local news crew. The footage may be somewhat spoilery only because it alludes to what is certain to be some sort of disaster/rescue sequence, but it also lacks any finished effects or context. Make of it what you will.
Iron Man 3, directed by Shane Black and starring Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, Ashley Hamilton, and Guy Pearce opens May 3, 2013. Hit the jump to check out the footage.
The following footage of a stunt sequence from Iron Man 3 comes courtesy of WECT (via CBM):
As you can see from the above sequence, the stunt has something to do with an aerial rescue or disaster of some kind, or perhaps it's just a bunch of zany skydivers. The town mayor did mention that the stunts involved "people jumping out of perfectly good airplanes." The marionettes dangling from the steel cables were suspended over North Carolina's Cape Fear river.


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The experience of traveling can often feel frustratingly slow. But despite the traffic jams on the roads and congested airports, we don't know how good we have it today compared to our great-great grandparents.
Indeed, in this age of instant digital communications and fast travel, we tend to forget that not so long ago traveling distances were subjectively very different. In the 1800s, for example, traveling a few hundred miles across the U.S. meant taking a steam-powered train, and the trip could take days. Going from coast to coast, which now takes less than a day, could take weeks.
The best way that I've found to understand how fast one could travel across the country back in those simpler, but slower, times is these maps from the 1932 Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States. All the maps use New York City as a starting point on the East Coast, and show how long it would take to move westward across the country.
As you can see in the map above, in 1800, it took a whole day to barely get outside of the city; two weeks to reach Georgia or Ohio; and in five weeks, you could just about get to Illinois and Louisiana.
About 30 years later, in 1830, train travel in the U.S. was almost twice as fast (a huge improvement!), but still quite slow by modern standards. Rather than taking two weeks, going to Georgia or Ohio from New York City took one week, and in two you could get to the state borders of Louisiana, Arkansas and Illinois. Getting to Minnesota would have taken about five weeks!
I'm sure you immediately noticed the major change in the map above. By 1857, which is still within one lifetime from someone born around 1800, travel by rail (the fastest way to get around at the time — remember that the Wright brothers were not even born yet and air travel was far off in the future) had gotten significantly faster.
You could now do in a day or two what used to take a couple weeks. With a week's travel you could get to the eastern border of Texas, and in about four weeks you could get to California. Only the Northwest took longer than a month to reach from New York City.
If the latest map wasn't a big enough step forward for you, take a look at this one from 1930. It now only takes two days to get across half the United states by train, and three to four days to get to the other coast from New York City. It's hard to overstate how big a difference this makes in how people perceive the world. There's a big difference, both for families and businesses, between spending two months traveling back and forth across the country vs. less than a week!
Thanks to the University of Nebraska for providing some of the information referenced in this article.


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Monday, March 19, 2012
Recycled Art
I got really tired of the picture hanging in my bathroom, but it just stayed because I didn't know what to do with it. One day I snapped and painted it with chalkboard paint. I have enough chalkboards in my house, so I turned it into a lazy subway art.
I found these letter stickers at Walmart for about $2.50.
Pretty minimal effort for the subway art, which I really like. I can change the message any time I want, too. I'm not sure if I'll keep it though. What do you think? I would also really love to do this project from
Little Green Notebook
with a photo from California (maybe the beach? or the boat Mr. Jones and I got married on?) or I could frame a map of California. We'll see ... this is a better temporary solution, though.
I've been having an art "thing" lately. Anyone else catch this bug?
Here are my art pins
on Pinterest if you want to take a look.
Thanks for stopping by!
Posted by
Mrs. Jones
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I have a box of O27 stuff that I would like to use for models. I just found this pic... I realize it is standard gauge, but why not a version in narrow gauge. O27 is about 30" in 1:24 I think.
which says to me "go for it!". I didn't realize that there were such 3 rail setups.
Has anyone here done this? I grew up next to an interurban rail line (long defunct) and actually owned a double arch bridge on the old line for a while. This was not a 3 rail line, but I could use my unlimited model license to bend the truth and model it as a 3 rail line.


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Try this interesting salad.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Extra Time: 2 hrs
(for refrigeration)
Yield: 8 x 1/2 cup servings
In a 2-quart mixing bowl dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add frozen raspberries and stir gently until raspberries are thawed. Stir in apples, applesauce, pecans and celery. Pour into serving dish or mold.
Refrigerate about 2 hours or until mixture is set.
Serve as salad or as an accompaniment to beef, pork or chicken.
Suggested apples to use include Empire, Ida Red, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious and Rome.
* Please carefully check the ingredients of this product to ensure it contains no gluten, if a gluten-free recipe is required.


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Flames claim seven champions, defend MAC Tournament title
March 1, 2014 | Johnson City, Tenn.
Liberty University's wrestling team captured its third consecutive Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) tournament championship in dominating fashion, Saturday at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn.
The Flames surpassed the number of individual champions from last season by landing seven winners in the 11 weight classes and racked up a total of 219 points to pull away from runner-up Middle Tennessee State and third-place Apprentice School.
"That was a nice precedent for us," said Liberty Head Coach Jesse Castro, who was selected MAC Coach of the Year for the third season in a row. "Seven champions, that's pretty good. We wrestled really well. I'm real proud of the guys. They picked it up. They had real nice camaraderie. They were really supporting each other."
Out of the 23 wrestlers Liberty entered, 17 qualified individually for the March 13-15 National Collegiate Wrestling Association National (NCWA) Championships in Allen, Texas by placing in the top six in their respective weight classes. Last year, the Flames placed third at nationals with 16 wrestlers competing.
Individual champions for the Flames were freshman 133-pounder Ryan Diehl, sophomore 141-pounder Peter Tatanish, junior 157-pounder Chase Boontjer, freshman 165-pounder Josh Ferenczy, junior 174-pounder Keyshaun Ward, senior 184-pounder Royal Brettrager, and senior 197-pounder Aaron Thompson.
Boontjer earned the MAC Tournament's Most Valuable Wrestler award after winning his quarterfinal match by 16-1 technical fall, scoring an 11-1 major decision in the semifinals, and recording a 16-0 tech fall of returning all-American Austen Brower from the College of William & Mary in the final.
Liberty graduate student Colin Lewis finished runner-up at 141 and freshman Tim Nordan placed second at 125 after taking an injury default in the final. Freshmen Jake Paull (133) and Matt Reynolds (184) captured third place as consolation champions; junior Eric Woodard (149) and senior Josh Sturgill (174) placed fourth; sophomore heavyweight Zach Newton took fifth; and senior Jeremy Beale (125), sophomore Josh Sanders (141), and sophomore Josh Travers (235) claimed sixth place.
The Flames only have a week and a half to prepare for NCWA Nationals, where the top two contenders will be Grand Canyon University out of Arizona and Shorter University from Georgia.
California Baptist and McKendree University, last year's national champion and runner-up, respectively, have made the transition to NCAA Division II this season and are both ranked in the top 20.
"We've got to get back on the horse and start training for nationals," Castro said. "We've got some wounds to heal, two or three guys that are injured and we've got to get them healthy."
Liberty's bid to host next season's MAC Tournament, as it did last year, was approved.


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Hope Summer Repertory Theatre continues its 36th season with the play "Lost in Yonkers" by Neil Simon, opening Friday, July 20 on DeWitt's main stage theatre.
Hope Summer Repertory Theatre continues its 36th season with the play "Lost in Yonkers" by Neil Simon, opening Friday, July 20 on DeWitt's main stage theatre.
"Lost in Yonkers" is a play rich with humor and sensitivity, about two brothers, Jay and Artie, who are learning to adapt to whatever life has to throw at them. After their panicked and widowed father leaves them at the home of their domineering grandmother and peculiar aunt to pursue work, the two boys are doomed to live a very strict lifestyle until their amateur gangster uncle appears to stir things up a bit.
In 1991 Neil Simon received a Tony Award for "Lost in Yonkers" for Best Play, and is still said to be Simon's best by numerous critics and audiences.
Acting intern Nick Abeel plays Jay alongside Casey Drnek as Arty. This is Nick Abeel's first year with HSRT and is currently pursuing a BRA in theatre performance at the University of Evansville, Indiana. Hailing from Hamilton, MI, sixteen year old Casey Drnek joins HSRT this season as a special guest of the company and has been acting since the 4th grade.
The show continues with performances at 8 p.m. on July 20, 21, 28, 31; August 8, 10.
To purchase tickets, please stop by the ticket office at DeVos Fieldhouse located at 222 Fairbanks Ave. between Ninth and 11th streets. Hours are Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased from the ticket office located in the DeWitt Center, on the HopeCollege campus, at the corner of 12th Street and Columbia Avenue. Hours are Monday-Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 616-395-7890 and range in price from $17 - $26 for adults and $8 for children. For more information please visit www.hope.edu/hsrt.
While at the ticket office make reservations to see HSRT's other shows: "Godspell," "Junie B. Jones: And a Little Monkey Business," "The Hypochondriac," "She Loves Me," and "Go, Dog. Go!" because tickets are going fast!


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Junior varsity (often called "JV", sometimes spelled out phonetically as Jayvee) players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition (such as a football, basketball, or baseball game), usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team. Nearly all junior varsity players are in their freshman and sophomore years in school, though occasionally upperclassmen may play on JV teams. For this reason, junior varsity teams are also often called junior/sophomore teams. Especially skilled or physically mature freshmen and sophomores may compete at the varsity level. Some private school associations may permit very skilled seventh- or eighth-graders to compete on varsity teams. At larger schools, there may be two junior varsity teams for some sports, with a lower-level team typically consisting only of freshmen.
Junior varsity playersEdit
Members of a junior varsity team are underclassmen determined by the coaching staff to have less experience or ability than those on the varsity roster. As such, junior varsity teams are used to prepare these athletes to compete at the varsity level. In other schools, the line between JV and varsity is arbitrary, with all players at a certain grade level (usually seniors and, in smaller schools, juniors) at varsity and all others below that grade level at JV, with only a few exceptions for highly talented (or well-connected) student athletes.
Some teams require participation on a junior varsity team before being eligible to try out for a varsity team. These players can provide the varsity team with extra depth, with their service as back-up players.
Many sports teams have assistant coaches responsible for developing the talent of junior varsity players.
When they playEdit
A coach may call on one or more junior varsity players during a varsity game, especially when a varsity player is injured, is not performing well, or (because of a violation) is disqualified from further competition. If a junior varsity player does well, they will see more playing time in the future or may even get moved up to the varsity level.
A team will have many talented players, but the coach is unable to come up with a rotation that allows everyone to play. The decision of when to play junior varsity players in a one-sided game is often at the coach's discretion. This depends on the coach's strategy, the time remaining in the game, the point margin, and the game situation. The coach of a losing team—especially if the players are not very good or they are inexperienced players—sometimes may continue to play the main players against the winning team's junior varsity players to give the team experience.
When the winning team is ahead by a substantial margin late in the game, the coaches of both the winning and losing teams may "empty their benches". In other words, they remove the varsity players and play the junior varsity players for the remainder of the game. The junior varsity players can impress coaches during this "garbage time" in hopes of gaining more playing time in subsequent games, while at the same time reducing the risk of serious injury by varsity players by resting them in a game whose outcome has been effectively decided.
Which sportsEdit
Some games have rules which allow unlimited use of junior varsity players, such as basketball. Other sports have different ways of determining junior varsity participants. For instance, in high school wrestling, there can only be one wrestler competing for a team at a particular weight class in a given varsity match. The team's representative is often determined by a "challenge match," in which the top two wrestlers at that weight compete for the right to participate in the varsity match. The loser wrestles that night's junior varsity match.
A similar format is used for golf and tennis, with players who lose to varsity opponents participating in the junior varsity part of the meet.
Junior varsity gamesEdit
Junior varsity games are specially-scheduled events in which junior varsity players play to gain skills and experience. These games may be played immediately before a varsity contest; or if a school has a sophomore or freshman team, the junior varsity game will take place on another night or, in some cases, an off-peak time slot such as Saturday morning. Records and statistics are kept for the junior varsity team, and some leagues offer a junior varsity championship. An assistant coach acts as the head coach for these games.
In some sports, such as tennis and golf, a junior varsity meet will take place simultaneously with the varsity event; however, the scores are separately tabulated. In track and field, a junior varsity "heat" of a particular event may take place either before or after the varsity "heat" (again, implementing separate tabulation of meet results).
An underclassman who plays on a junior varsity team one year is expected to gain enough experience to be one of the varsity players the next season. A team's head coach will attend a junior varsity games to evaluate skill and decide if a player is ready to play in the main part of a varsity game.
Junior varsity teams may or may not travel with or take the field/court with the varsity team, or in particularly well-organized hierarchies (especially in sports such as football) may alternate home and away schedules with the varsity squad to ensure at least one of the two teams plays at home each week. This is often dependent on the size of the varsity team, availability of transportation and policies invoked by either the coach, school or league. A JV can sometimes completely replace a varsity team in a game with little to no importance.
Slang termsEdit
Slang terms for junior varsity players include:
- Mop-up players, with their playing time called "mop-up time" or "garbage minutes."
- Players who "ride the pine" or are "bench warmers", since they spend most of the game on the bench.
- Second-stringers (and third-, fourth-stringers, etc.); compared to a game's starters and top substitutes, who comprise the first string. These lower strings sometimes are as talented as the first string, with little or no drop-off in playing ability, although even if the talent of the winning team's bench is not as good, these players may be able to easily outplay a weaker team's first string.
- Scrubs, considered a derogatory term by some.
- Reloads, also considered derogatory by some.
- JVFL, derogatory term designated to junior and senior grade level junior varsity players. Short for "junior varsity for life."
See alsoEdit
| This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Junior varsity team.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with American Football Database, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


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Wearable devices have always been a niche accessory, appealing to the techy and fitness-conscious set. Now as the sector takes off, consumers can expect a wave of even more specific fitness trackers as new competitors try to grab a piece of the market.
Taiwanese startup Flyfit's ankle band fitness tracker caters to cyclers.
Unlike more general fitness trackers like the Nike FuelBand or Fitbit, quite a few of this year's devices tend to target an ultra-specific type of user, such as a cycler, weight lifter or someone who slouches.
An example is Flyfit, an ankle band being developed by Taiwanese engineer Jimmy Leu.
Mr. Leu said he knew there were plenty of watch-like fitness trackers out there, but his wife found that they couldn't track her cycling workouts very accurately. So, he quit his job last March and began developing an ankle band alternative. The project is currently fundraising on Kickstarter.
Like other trackers, Flyfit uses a smartphone app to track exercise and daily activities, but Mr. Leu says it does a better job at tracking leg-based activities like biking.
Another such device is PUSH, a tracker made for weight lifters. The device, which is being made by Toronto-based startup PUSH Design Solutions, measures force, velocity and power while weight lifting to help athletes fine-tune their workout.
Athletes aren't the only target niche. Another wearable device in the works is Lumo Lift from Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup Lumo BodyTech, a device that clips to a user's shirt and helps improve posture. When the device senses that the user is slouching, it gives a light vibration.
All three devices are expected to begin shipping later this year.
The wearable devices sector is gaining critical mass in both sales and visibility. In a recent study by NPD Group, 52% of consumers said they had heard of wearable devices such as smart glasses, smart watches or fitness trackers. One third said they were likely to buy one.
Digital fitness trackers are the most well-known type of wearable device, according to NPD, and have grown into a $330 million industry worldwide.
"The (fitness tracker) market is now large enough to accommodate a variety of products aimed at all levels of athlete – from serious performance-minded consumers to hobbyists – a sure sign of maturity," said NPD Group industry analyst Ben Arnold in a release.
For entrepreneurs like Mr. Leu, even a small slice of this growing market is a promising business opportunity.
"I am targeting cyclists, as well as swimmers," Mr. Leu said. "Some of their needs cannot be fulfilled by the current devices. The bicycle market is very large in Europe and about half of our supporters are there."


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Our friends at Cars UK ran this photo over the weekend of a camouflaged Jaguar. Is it a new Jaguar SUV, or a lifted station wagon to rival the Audi Allroad?
Two things seem to differentiate this Jaguar from the XF Sportbrake whose painfully slow reveal we've been sitting through for the past few months. First, you can see that the rear fenders seem a lot wider than anything Jaguar has shown of the Sportbrake. Second, though they're disguised, the lights on this particular car look different from the Sportbrake's.
The question remains, is this too low to be an SUV, too wide to be a wagon, or really nothing new? Go over to Cars UK to see the full spy photo.
Photo Credit: Cars UK


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We all want to be Superman, but sadly can't be—so maybe the nearest we can get is building his pad out of Lego. At least that's what Chris Melby thought when he constructed this sensational model of the Fortress of Solitude from scratch.
It's fantastic: he managed to do a wonderful job of recreating the chill and ice, which you'd think would be impossible to recreate well using Lego. Clearly Melby has talent—because we reckon this should become a set, and soon. [ZeeMasterBrick via The Brothers Brick]
Images by ZeeMasterBrick


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The 19" Aluminum Transport Chair in black by Drive Medical is lightweight and strong, making it easy to transport. The black, nylon upholstery is comfortable, lightweight and easy to clean. The 8" caster wheels are lightweight, maintenance free and provide a smooth ride over most surfaces. It comes standard with swing away footrests and padded armrests to provide additional comfort and rear wheel locks to ensure safety. Easily folds for convenient storage and transportation.Features and Benefits
Proposition 65 Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.


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Balancing consumer protection with innovation is the focus of the new rules under consideration for new health insurance plans that will be available in 2015.
The Insurance Commissioner's office has been working on the health insurance network rules for more than four months. The process began soon after the emergence of what are called "narrow networks." That's the common reference now to health plans that don't always include the doctors and hospitals that insurance companies typically contracted with in the past before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act took effect this year.
While still providing access to a full range of medical providers, health insurers have said they have not contracted with some traditional doctors and hospitals because of the higher rates they charge for some services. It's a key way that insurers have said they can keep premiums lower for consumers and still maintain comparable quality care – especially considering the often wide discrepancies in what providers charge for the same service.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler saw early on that consumers and providers needed more guidance in developing health plans for 2015. The new rules under consideration are heavily focused on providing more transparency – answering the common question: "Is my doctor and hospital in the network of the health plan I might buy?"
"Consumers have a right to know," Commissioner Kreidler told the members of the Health Benefit Exchange at its monthly public meeting March 27. "It's my job to ensure that consumers can access the care they need and that insurers live up to their promises."
That hasn't been as clear as it should have been through plans offered this year. The new rules are designed to give consumers more information on which to make choices in 2015.
The commissioner has heard from a wide range of interested parties, including insurance companies, doctors, consumer advocates, Indian tribes and more.
A public hearing on the rules is scheduled for April 22 in Olympia. They are set to take effect May 1, about the same time that insurers will begin proposing new plans. Considerable flexibility is built into the new rules to make sure that health plans for 2015 are given time to comply. The fact is, health insurers have been involved in the process for months. And much of what's being asked for in the rules is already required.
The new rules are simply providing a formal and clearer roadmap for all to follow on behalf of consumers.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
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September 2012
Restaurant vouchers are always a great present idea. Whether there's a family birthday coming up or just someone you want to thank, our new Harvester gift cards make the perfect treat.
They're ideal for Christmas, too, ready to spend in the new year.
As with our delicious grills, fresh salads and indulgent desserts, here at Harvester we like to offer you plenty of choice - which is why you can buy our gift cards online or in our restaurants.
If you order online, you can also choose whether your Harvester gift card is received by email or text message.
Gift cards are not available or redeemable at Harvester MOTO.


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Just a month before sister Kourtney is due, the Kardashian girls got together to throw her a baby shower.
The event was held at the family's home in Hidden Hills, Calif. along with 80 guests, according to People.com. In a nod to the family's Dash stores, each guest was given a bottle of nail polish in a limited edition color called "Little Baby Dash."
Hosted by Kim, Khloe, Kylie, Kendall and Kris, the shower comes just a month before Kourtney is due with her first-born.
U.S. & World
The 30-year-old starlet split from the baby's father, Scott Disick, in November 2008 after two years of dating. The two reconciled once she found out she was pregnant and Disick said he'd support whatever decision Kourtney made about keeping the baby.
Kourtney found herself back in the spotlight after publicly admitting she considered having an abortion. She said that she consulted her doctor and talked to her friends about terminating the pregnancy, but said she wouldn't be able to handle the guilt she would fee
"I definitely thought about it long and hard, about if I wanted to keep the baby or not, and I wasn't thinking about adoption," she told People in August. "I do think every woman should have the right to do what they want, but I don't think it's talked through enough."


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*This post is sponsored by Martha Stewart Crafts® via Blueprint Social. All opinions, thoughts, craft errors, chalk hands and paint stained floor are my own.
I am a list maker. I literally write everything down so I don't forget it. But the problem is, I'm also a stacker/straightener. Do you know what that is? It's where I straighten things up by making stacks. Which means I bury my to-do lists. So I wanted a way to be able to leave out family reminders so we don't forget things as we head out the door in the morning. DIY chalkboards are not new. But I wanted to do mine a little bit differently. I wanted it to sort of blend in with our decor a little bit, a little more arty. And I also wanted something that wasn't totally permanent in terms of what it says. I like to use things in multiple ways. I figured out that Chalkboard Paint would be the perfect thing to use.
Martha Stewart Crafts® has these awesome products out that worked perfect for my project. The color options for the Martha Stewart Crafts® MultiSurface Chalkboard Paint are amazing! While of course the traditional, dark chalkboard color is classic, I was excited to play around with some of these other colors. And they work on any porous surface so they are totally versatile. And the Martha Stewart Crafts® Erasable Liquid Chalk is EXACTLY what this project needed! It goes on like paint, dries and doesn't smudge, but can be wiped off with a damp cloth! Totally perfect. The Martha Stewart Crafts® Adhesive Silkscreen Stencils are made to work this awesome paint so I couldn't wait to try them out.
For this project you will need:
A wooden board
Black spray paint
Martha Stewart Crafts® MultiSurface Chalkboard Paint
Blue painter's tape
A paint brush (I used a roller brush, but either will work)
Martha Stewart Crafts® Erasable Liquid Chalk
Martha Stewart Crafts® Adhesive Silkscreens
I laid out my board on a drop cloth and used the spray paint to create some lines. There is no rhyme or reason to how I did this, I just knew that I didn't want it symmetrical.
Next I taped off the edge of the board with the painter's tape. I used a small roller to paint on the Martha Stewart Crafts® MultiSurface Chalkboard Paint in Oxblood. I found that using a brush left the surface a little less smooth when finished but either is fine. I let the first coat dry for about an hour and then painted on a second coat. I let that dry and then did some touch ups where the board needed a little bit more paint. I didn't prime this area first as I was fine if the black lines showed through a little bit. But the paint covered it really well.
I then let the paint dry for 24 hours before priming it with chalk. If you don't prime your chalkboard paint first, whatever words you first write will not completely wipe off. It's such a bummer. All you have to do is take a piece of white chalk, lay it on its side, and rub the chalk on the board. I did this in rows, first cover the board in one direction and then turning it one half turn so the lines were going the other direction. Then, using a soft rag, wipe it all off. Make sure to do this outside. It's crazy messy.
Once it has been primed, your chalkboard is all ready to use. I decided that although the Martha Stewart Crafts® Adhesive Silkscreens are super awesome, the letters were not quite the scale I wanted for my board. I decided to free hand "don't forget" and then use one of the decorative stencils for a little extra fun.
The stencils work best if you rub them to your surface, concentrating on the area right next to the screen. Also, start with a light hand with the Martha Stewart Crafts ® 2 oz Erasable Liquid Chalk but make sure to cover completely. As you can see from the arrow on the right, I missed the tip. But once it was dry, I was able to wipe it off and redo it. I chose to use the Liquid Chalk for this part of the sign as it won't change from day to day. While once in a while I will probably change what the sign says, you know, for birthdays, holidays, special messages, etc., mostly I want it to just say, "don't forget."
I really like how it came out! While it may not fit in everyone's decor, it goes perfectly with our aesthetic and vibe. The Oxblood even matches our carpet really well!
We now have a place where we can write notes to ourselves about what we need to remember each day as we are heading out the door.
The smaller chalk works better for smaller writing so I'm keeping some right by the sign to make it super easy.
And of course Ronald has to watch over it. Forgetting to bring any of the things on this list, well that just wouldn't be prudent.
I also decided that I wanted to make a chalkboard area on a fabric lunch bag. Since my youngest son will only be in school a few hours a day, we will still be running a lot of errands together in the afternoons. I love to grab things to keep him busy and I know that if I keep a few "grab bags" ready to go, it will cut down on the time it takes to get out the door for our errands too.
This liquid chalkboard paint is kind of amazing. While I am sure the kid's can rub it off if they really set their mind to it, it will absolutely make it through your trip to get your tires rotated, mail something at the post office or wait the 3 hours to see your doctor… I am also in love with this color of paint, Habanero. And it didn't make it in to this post, but I also tried out the color, Ink, a navy blue color and it is SO great!
And how cool is it that "Legos" easily wiped write off the bag when I decided the lunch sack would also make a fantastic back to school gift…
The Martha Stewart Crafts® Chalkboard Paint, Liquid Chalk and Adhesive Silkcreens are available at Michaels. In addition to the new Martha Stewart Crafts® Chalkboard line, visit Michaels to learn about more new product, including Martha Stewart Crafts® Vintage Decor Paint!
Want to know more about the Martha Stewart Crafts® Chalkboard Paint? Watch this quick video from Martha, herself:
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